Chapter Sixty-Five: Life-saving Sword
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无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
These green leaves had a presence completely different from the star fire. One was pure destruction, the other was fresh vitality, like there were countless possibilities. Such a patch of green leaves blocked the path of the star fire. It was like it obscured Zheng Xiu’s gaze and cut off her connection with this stream of star fire.
The cold white star fire fell onto this patch of leaves. The light turned the leaves transparent, yet to the shock of all cultivators, no spark of star fire was able to pass through the leaves. The flowing star fire streamed along the borders of the leaves like a waterfall, falling among the surrounding imperial palace buildings. Many hard stone walls, and even the metal decorating the palaces were silently reduced to ash by the pale white fire, floating like a host of butterflies.
“Why do you betray me?”
For the first time, fury burned in Zheng Xiu’s eyes as she turned to a palace on her left side and spoke.
There were popping sounds and the palace exploded from the inside; the entire building splitting into pieces, green energies expanding out like a large tree growing.
Dozens of furious shouts accompanied the figures dashing out. The cultivators hiding outside the building had not sensed a powerful cultivator hiding in this palace beforehand.
Pan Ruoye’s figure appeared at the center of the green energy. The exploding green energy had not dissipated, but gathered in patches, floating around her like numerous countless patches of pieces, filled with a vast living presence.
Witnessing such a scene and sensing such a presence, even Baili Suxue showed shock and admiration. He knew the strength of every person around Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu. He had sensed Pan Ruoye’s arrival, or rather, she had purposefully released a thread of energy for him to sense. But he was certain not long ago, Pan Ruoye did not have such power.
At this time, Pan Ruoye looked up slightly and answered Zheng Xiu’s question, “You should know where my method comes from.”
“Do not forget, even if your master is Ji Qingqing, I helped you find a master, you even count as an orphan I raised. Everything you have, I gave you.” Zheng Xiu looked at her coldly and said slowly, “Anyone can betray me, but you cannot betray me.”
Pan Ruoye looked at her cold porcelain face and said, “How did I become an orphan?”
Zheng Xiu said coldly, “It has nothing to do with me.”
“But I suspect.” Pan Ruoye looked down at the ground and said, “Even doing all I can to investigate, I cannot learn about my birth at all. Even if it has nothing to do with you, the things you have done to my master is enough for me to suspect you……You should know, my master always treated you as her best friend.”
The corners of Zheng Xiu’s lips raised slightly, and she was about to say something.
But Pan Ruoye continued on. “I do not want to be used by you in the future like my master was.”
“This counts as an explanation for me? But a favor is a favor, even if a betrayal does not need an excuse, and everyone will consider for their own future, even though you have obtained the method that Ji Qingqing and I wanted back then, your mind and sword essence are not perfect today, so you are still not a match for me.”
When Zheng Xiu said this, she reached out with her right hand and pointed at Pan Ruoye. Her hands were cleaner than the whitest porcelain in the world, but when she pointed with a finger, her entire right hand turned black like night, only that finger pointing at Pan Ruoye was still clean and white.
Space rippled in front of her, visible ripples all in the air. A thread of condensed deathly presence came from deep within her body, came from deep within her energy sea. A pale white pillar of light shot out of her finger, and with a boom, it ignited the green leafy energy in front of Pan Ruoye.
A shrill shout came from Pan Ruoye’s mouth. The green leaves in front of her quickly turned to deep yellow dried leaves, and then red leaves like that of maple trees in autumn. In a moment, the energy changed three times, and as they changed, they gave off more power. But this still could not stop this power that seemed to come from deep within Zheng Xiu.
Her body seemed to be hit by an invisible and enormous fist. She was hit out of the burning energy, crashing through several walls. Even more terrifying, a pale white mark was burned on her forehead.
This mark seemed to be a living white candle flame, pulsing on her forehead. With just one blow, Pan Ruoye had many bone fractures. She looked to be in a sorry state. The mark was constantly wearing down the energy in her body. She had to use an astounding amount of energy to fight back. Otherwise, this flame would burn into her head.
At this time, Baili Suxue did not pay one thread of attention to her. People like him knew how to choose in moments like these. He narrowed his eyes slightly. He pulled out his sword and attacked.
When he was pulling out his sword, there was nothing in his hand, but when his body passed through the dozens of feet of space and he arrived in front of Zheng Xiu, there was a clear and pure ice sword in his hand.
Zheng Xiu’s body was immediately covered by a layer of clear and hard ice. Even she was trapped by the power of this sword to the ground, and unable to dodge. Injuring Pan Ruoye seriously had used all her power. This time was Baili Suxue’s best opportunity to kill her, and even Huang Daochen could not stop him.
But at this time, Zheng Xiu’s left fourth finger imperceptibly moved, like she plucked an invisible silk thread. Deep inside her energy sea, there seemed to be an item that was pulled out along this sword, and then flew out along her left hand.
Baili Suxue’s pupils contracted, and he had a strong feeling of danger. His intuition was that this was a sword energy. To give a swordsman like him such a strong feeling of danger, who could do it in this world? He was only sure that this power did not come from Zheng Xiu.
Crack!
This sound was very low, but first appeared on Baili Suxue’s ice sword. When Baili Suxue let go of his sword, it appeared on his sword wielding arm. His sleeve split open. A deep wound appeared on the lower half of his arm, and blood poured out.
Baili Suxue touched his arm and retreated, energy immediately sealing his wound. That sword energy which wounded him was still spreading through the air, light gray and golden color mixed together in a straight line that caused people to be dazed looking at it.
The hard ice wall in front of Zheng Xiu was shattered. A thread of blood appeared between her almost bloodless lips.
“This is his Light Shadow Sword.”
“You wanted to get revenge for him, but you never thought that what saved me and wounded you…… is a sword energy that he left me. Do you not find it ironic?”
She looked with disdain at the retreating Baili Suxue and laughed.
Volume 3 65 - Fight to Live In Mortal Danger
The five-colored light was the light of the physical energies in the body.
The physical energy was so dense it seemed to burn as his five organs seemed to explode.
There was bound to be immense pain when the body was enduring beyond its limits. His body immediately reacted.
His heart beat violently, the blood in his veins spurting quickly. He was rapidly sweating but then the sweat quickly evaporated due to the heat of his body. His body wreathed in pain, but his brows were relaxed.
Something like personality was innate, but it could be influenced in various aspects. Having been around Zhangsun Qianxue for so long, while he could be as calm as usual, his likes and dislikes became more distinct. Dislike would become the simpler and purer hate. Like white snow and black tile, the borders were clear and not mixed with any other emotions. There was no conflict. Love and hate were simple and clean. While his body was in pain, his mind was happy.
That palace attendant’s surname was Rong. She had followed Zheng Xiu since childhood. She knew Zheng Xiu the best. Thus, she was like one of Zheng Xiu’s other brains. Everything she did was according to Zheng Xiu’s intentions.
The premature Min Mountain Sword Trials was because they did not want him to win. Yet, what he had obtained in White Goat Cave was not the Explanation of the Spirit Source Way, but the violent Three Corpses Nonself Consciousness Sutra.
Using this method to ignite the physical energies in his organs would weaken his already over-stretched body, like an already burning candle being burned among the coals. But this could be a perfect camouflage for the Nine Death Silkworm. At least, this could act as plausible excuse for the great advancement in his cultivation in such a short time.
This painful matter became adorable when it would displease Zheng Xiu.
Looking silently at the valley where the spirit vein was, and the location of Ding Ning’s grass hut was Zhang Yi.
Since last winter up until now, he had been cultivating in Falling Parasol. While he had been serving Xue Wangxu and spent most of his time on some minor matters that were insignificant to ordinary cultivators, the comprehensions he had obtained through the ordinary was very remarkable. Used to calling Ding Ning “Little Sect Brother” mentally, he had never thought of what he would accomplish at the Min Mountain Sword Trials, and put all his energy on Ding Ning.
He was using the excuse of reading in the library cave, but was in reality protecting Ding Ning who was cultivating at the White Goat Cave Spirit Valley, and making sure that he would not be disturbed.
Thinking of Xue Wangxu’s increasingly fragile body, and the great importance of the Min Mountain Sword Trials held for Ding Ning, he couldn’t help but thinking, Little Sect Brother …… you have to win……
In the quiet mountains, time passed as usual.
Ding Ning’s overly strong organs burned violently, the abundant physical energies gathering with the spirit energy flowing into his body sank into his energy sea turning into vital energy.
Life was being burned.
Blood cruised faster through his veins, but the blood thinned, and the marrow river in his bones dried up slightly.
Specks of white frost slowly appeared amidst his black hair. His organs seemed to have shrunk somewhat.
All of this reminded him that his body had undergone a bad change. This kind of change would be the greatest fear of ordinary cultivators, but his expression was still calm and pleased.
As time passed, the vital energy in his body increased and grew stronger.
Finally ……
Poof poof.
Two soft sounds came from the other two grass huts.
Those two unoccupied meditation mats exploded in unison. Yet, the pieces of grass did not erupt out, and were sucked in by the spirit veins that had been flowing with spirit energy. Then the two spirit veins became two powerful whirlpools that sucked inwards.
The spirit energy of these three spirit veins were attracted to the numerous little silkworms in Ding Ning’s body and furiously flooded into his body.
An eerie wind formed among the valley. Many chaotic bursts of wind that came out of nowhere burrowed through the cracks in the grass huts. The three grass huts could not endure and imploded at the same time.
Countless figures appeared on the mountain path, wanting to sprint into that mountain valley.
Yet, Zhang Yi, who was standing outside the library cave, bowed towards the numerous figures. He shook his head and said, “Do not.”
……
The thatch, fallen leaves, and dried leaves covered Ding Ning’s body in layers. His body seemed to form an enormous yellow cocoon. There was so much spirit energy they could not merge immediately. They formed a chaotic flow in his body. His body gave off cracking sounds as though his veins, and even his sinews and bones could not endure and were snapping.
Ding Ning’s body looked like it would shatter into countless pieces at any moment. But the invisible little silkworms would always resurface at the perfect time and start to gulp down the spirit energy heading towards the cracks.
In the end, these spirit energy flows charging in his body became powerful whirlpools.
Snap!
The spirit vein under him was the first to give off a crisp tearing sound. The spirit energy in this vein was the first to dry up and stop.
Snap! Snap!
Then the second and the third.
All three spirit veins of White Goat Cave had dried up.
More invisible little silkworms appeared in his body. The little silkworms all did the same thing of madly swallowing the spirit energy in his body. The terrifying attraction his body produced started to disappear. More and more vital energy battered against some meridian points in his body as though they were going to open doors to the surrounding world.
Those represented another realm.
He could try for another realm, but he knew this was enough.
He opened his eyes and tried to have his vital energy spread evenly into every corner of his body. All of the withered leaves pressing tightly on his body fell down and spread outwards like a tide.
On the path outside the library cave, Zhang Yi shut his eyes tightly, his eyelashes trembling, face as pale as snow.
He was very nervous.
The changes in the wind among the mountains, and the advent of the day they had to leave White Goat Cave for Min Mountain Sword Sect meant that he was sure he was about to see Ding Ning.
His back was soaked.
A small breeze came.
A familiar figure appeared in his sight.
While he was prepared, the moment he saw Ding Ning, he was still stunned, and forgot to breathe.
“Little Sect Brother ……”
His eyes were filled with strong amazement.
The breeze blew at Ding Ning’s hair. There were dots of white all over his black strands of hair.
Ding Ning’s age seemed to have increased but his body had not grown, and shrunk instead.
What shocked him the most was that rainbows seemed to move under Ding Ning’s pale skin. There seemed to be rainbow light that would cut through his skin at any moment.
“Little Sect Brother…… you ……”
He finally sensed what had happened to Ding Ning’s vital energy and the price Ding Ning had paid for this. Shock, once again, suffused his eyes.
“Eldest Sect Brother, do not speak confusedly.”
Ding Ning nodded at him and said calmly, “Little Sect Brother Shen Yi should be in Ink Garden right now. We are going to depart now to get Little Sect Brother and Cave Master.”
……
The spring had faded, summer had arrived. The air grew drier.
After many days without rain, the carriage created billows of dust as it moved across the road.
In a pavilion by a hill in the outskirts of Changling, the black robed man who had a calm presence that felt dangerous, was boiling tea with a metal pot, gazing at the galloping carriages in silence.
The man in plain clothes who had watched Ink Garden along with him was washing cups. Seeing a black carriage pass, he turned to look at the man in black robes and said, “What are you thinking now?”
People’s thoughts would frequently change. While this had just been a few days, he had to confirm the man in black robe’s thoughts.
“The Min Mountain Sword Trials are about to start. What thoughts would I have?”
In the face of his seriousness, the man in black robes smiled with slight mockery. “I only hope that wineshop youth will not change his mind, and fear to even attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials.”
The middle-aged man in plain robes gazed at a carriage where the palace attendant with the surname Rong was sitting in.
People of her status could naturally enter immediately when the Min Mountain Sword Sect opened the gates. She did not have to wait outside like ordinary officials and the students of cultivation places attending the Min Mountain Sword Trials.
Yet, for some reason, she did not want to reach Min Mountain before most people. She abruptly reached out to knock gently on the carriage cabin so the driver would slow down.
Two carriages filled with cushions had been waiting long ago at the gates of Ink Garden. When Zhang Yi drove the carriage to the gates, Wang Taixu and Shen Yi were helping Xue Wangxu walk out of the gates of Ink Garden.
“Too risky.” Xue Wangxu immediately saw Ding Ning who had jumped out after Zhang Yi and said, shaking his head.
“Fight to live when in mortal danger.”
Ding Ning bowed solemnly to him and said, “This way, I no longer have to consider other possibilities and can focus more.”
Wang Taixu took a deep breath, a complicated expression in his gaze.
“A wavering attitude is frequently the most dangerous attitude,” Ding Ning seemed to have read his thoughts and said to him.
At this point, even Wang Taixu was speechless.
So, they departed.
The two comfortable carriages left Ink Garden for Min Mountain.
Translator Ramblings: My editor has told me about the ending of the Sword Dynasty TV series …… I won’t spoil anything but the ending for the story is definitely different from that.
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