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Chapter Seventy Eight: Later Move
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  Speed was undefeatable.

  Gu Huai had lost the battle on the plains with Tang Xin and his spirits slightly frustrated but he was the master of Spirit Void Sword Sect, one of the strongest swordsmen of the world. When he was fast, ordinary people could not react at all.

  Just as the fifteen sword essences with lifebond presence took form, the sky above the ancestral lands was pierced through. Fifteen points of starlight appeared like fifteen stars. This kind of sword essence was so fast people had no time to think.

  Shen Xuan only had time to start feeling sorrow. He knew that even at his peak, he could not endure such a blow. The disparity existed. His present cultivation was enough to look down upon most realm sevens in Changling but could not compare to legendary people of Ba Mountain Sword Field like Zheng Xiu and Gu Huai. While they were all realm sevens, the difference was so much that he may not be able to withstand one blow. To Changling, these people were like gods while he was a mortal man.

  So was this going to be death?

  But as the fifteen stars appeared in the sky and he had no time to respond, Ding Ning reacted.

  Ding Ning’s response was extremely simple. He reached out with his hand, the vital energy in his body quickly surging out and hitting the purple jade tree ahead of him. Many of the purple tree’s tentacles strangely lit up, like lightning flowing along to the top of the tree and then charging into the sky.

  Gu Huai frowned deeply. The primal energies of the universe flowing from the top of the tree quickly dissipated in the air, not turning into killing intent and doing just one thing – – blocking the connection between his sword mountain and the mistress of Changling. It was like a patch of cloud obscured the starry sky. Starlight could no longer land on his sword. He could no longer borrow Zheng Xiu’s power and she could no longer use his sword to “see here”.

  But this did not stop his killing intent. Only one person here could pose a threat to him. That person was standing behind him, Zhan Moke.

  Although Zhan Moke was just standing there quietly, there were dozens of black threads of light forming in the space between him and Gu Huai like metal wire falling towards Gu Huai’s back.

  The fifteen stars above Gu Huai’s head fell down, not towards Ding Ning but to the crowded space between him and Zhan Moke. It was like a calm frozen lake was broken. Some crisp sound occurred in this crowded space.

  It was like a calm frozen lake was broken. Some crisp sound occurred in this crowded space. A ruler straight white line formed between the two of them like a heavenly river splitting apart two worlds.

  Gu Huai’s body flew back dozens of feet. Zhan Moke appeared beside the slope flowing with stone dust and grass sap. A wide gully had appeared between him and where he originally stood and the stone coffins on the surface were shattered.

  Even though he faced almost all the power, Wu Lianzi, standing next to him, was still affected, and his body hit the stone wall hard. As a boom rang out, Wu Lianzi vomited blood.

  Blood once again oozed from Gu Huai’s shoulder. He did not look at Ding Ning, Shen Xuan and the others, turning around coldly and laughed at Zhan MokeWho was standing by the stone slope. His smile was full of scorn, and even had a hint of pity. “You cannot help yourself so soon?”


  Zhan Moke did not meet his gaze, he just looked up at the sky.

  He said calmly, “He is right, you are the strongest person here so you must be the first to die. Also, you are wounded, and Zheng Xiu cannot see your sword right now. As long as she cannot see here through your sword, she cannot sense what really happened here.” Zhan Moke continued after a pause. “If I kill you, she will not know what I gained from here, she will not go mad and want to completely conquer the plains. Facing the danger of being surrounded when fighting Chu, Yan, and Qi, she will still work with me.”


  “Such a good idea.” Gu Huai laughed loudly but then his laugh faded and he said expressionlessly, “But you are not Tang Xin.”


  But you are not Tang Xin.

  The words were not hard to understand. Zhan Moke knew he was not as strong as Tang Xin, even so, he was not angry at these words. He slowly looked down, his gaze falling to Ding Ning.

  Gu Huai looked at him, still expressionless like he was looking at someone dead. Then he drew his sword. He had always known the principle of getting the drop on the enemy. The lessons three years before Yuanwu’s ascension caused him to understand this principle even better.

  He needed to be fast so he would not attack after the surrounding people attacked first. The seriously injured Shen Xuan was not important in his eyes but this Tianliang person was still a terrifying enemy, so he did not hesitate. He used the fastest sword from the past Ba Mountain Sword Field, which was still the fastest sword now.

  This sword was called Thought Void.

  As Gu Huai’s thoughts moved, the space in front of Zhan Moke split apart and a sword shadow appeared. This sword shadow was only a foot long, but extremely heavy, with a presence like it could suppress the world. It seemed like the miniature of the Sword Mountain Sword.

  Not just this in front of Zhan Moke, but the spaces in front of Ding Ning, Shen Xuan, Li Xixing and Hu Jingjing all tore apart and a similar shadow appeared.

  All five were tangible sword shadows. Other than Wu Lianzi who had not yet stood up, Gu Huai was going to kill five people with one attack.

  Zhan Moke’s palm flipped upwards and a powerful lifebond presence emerged. This was a blade essence that seemed to resonant with the moon like it would take the power of the moon out of the sky.

  This thought occurred in so short a time but he was waiting. He also could only block Gu Huai’s sword towards him. If Ding Ning could not resolve the situation, then Ding Ning and the others would die.

  Ding Ning did not seem to move at all. Yet an imperceptible sword essence was faster than his blade essence and even faster than Gu Huai’s “Thought Void” sword essence.

  This imperceptible sword essence came from the body of the middle-aged man lying on the purple jade tree roots. When Zhan Moke’s sword essence formed, it turned to wind and rain.

  Gu Huai, expressionless and eyes full of scorn, had no time to turn around. His perception surpassed his usual limit and reached the middle-aged man.

  A weak pale white flying sword quickly retreated and fell towards the purple tree.

  At the same time, that odd middle-aged man, who was constantly convulsing and appeared as though he could no longer fight, sat up with terrifying power rising between his palms.

  Zhan Moke’s expression relaxed and his mind opened. He finally understood where Ding Ning’s move came from.

  His blade essence flew out decisively without hesitation. The black moon formed and immediately cut off the metal-colored sword light that appeared out of the void. Then he continued to advance.

  In the ancestral lands, wind and rain moved fiercely. A peerless sword essence, sweeping along the wind and rain, stabbed towards Gu Huai’s back.

  Gu Huai’s confusion and shock left him at a loss. He still had the ability to kill Ding Ning and the others, but he did not want to die. The heavy sword shadows pressing in front of Ding Ning and the others suddenly disappeared. All of the power seemed to be sucked back into his hands.

  With a boom, the Sword Mountain did not appear, but the spirit of the sword seemed to appear in his hand. His right hand held an invisible giant sword as he slashed towards the wind and rain. At the same time, his left fingers flickered. A faint purple light seemed to cut through the voice and create a round hole in front of Zhan Moke’s moon.

  His left hand’s sword essence was empty and wondrous as though it came from another dimension as it collided with Zhan Moke’s blade essence. His right hand’s sword essence was as pure and heavy as a mountain. It was extremely fierce as it struggled against the middle-aged man’s sword essence. At this moment, the power and presence he showed made him look like a god. At the same time, he let out a furious and shrill scream!

  Volume 7 73 - “Cocoon”


  Even though many of them had been killed by the cultivators on the ground, the serpents were serpents. Starting with their ancient ancestors, they were at the top of the food chain. Even though they sensed danger, their innate instincts caused them to look down at the “food”.

  The cultivators took in the energies of the world into their bodies. To them, the flesh of the cultivators was more delicious than ordinary beings, and even better to the increase in their power.

  As their heads poked out of the clouds, these serpents started to exude large amounts of mist from their stony scales. Their attacking methods did not change from their previous fellows. They would directly summon tides from the air. This was not hard to deal with for a realm seven grandmasters but it took up a lot of energy. Especially because their scales were very hard. Even if the serpents just stayed in the air and waited for a sword to come and behead them, each strike would use up a lot of energy.

  But looking at these enormous serpents who were summoning wind and rain with their enormous bodies obscuring the sky, Qing Yaoyin just reached out and flicked to create a wave of energy.

  This wave of energy contained some pink medicine powder. The light in the dim yellow eyes of the serpents immediately changed, the cruel and bloodthirsty light turning to terror. In the next moment, these serpents did not spray the power in their bodies below, but flew up in a panic.

  The dust mountains had been made by Ye Xiao using himself, the sword servants, and the many famed swords, not allowing entry or exit. The serpents danced wildly in the dust mountain, the energy of their enormous bodies colliding with the power of the dust mountains, creating many loud sounds, like giants were ringing bells in the sky.

  “Taming is not as good as raising. As expected.”


  Seeing such a simple thing causing these serpents to lose themselves into the dust mountains, and his master’s opinions of the Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators in the past, Qian Mu could not help but shake his head. Then his gaze landed on the remains of the cultivator from the branch of the old imperial academian whose spine had snapped in several parts. He worked really hard to finally squeeze some lifebond energy from his body.

  A ball of black energy formed small gravestones at the tips of his fingers. A hole opened up in the ground under this cultivator’s remains. An even large gravestone rose and merged into the cultivator’s remains like it was intangible. Then, the body of the cultivator sank into the opening in the soil.

  “I had not expected you to have such powerful ghostly methods.” Qing Yaoyin looked at the black-robed youth and praised from the bottom of his heart.

  Qian Mu hung his head, he did not have any pride. He even corrected with some sadness, “Not my methods, what my master left to me.”


  Qing Yaoyin smiled kindly. He looked at this junior who respected his elders with praise in his eyes.

  “You came at the correct time. Maybe this thing would be of use.” Zhangsun Qianxue took a cocoon from her sleeve and handed it to Qing Yaoyin.

  Qing Yaoyin stilled. This was really a cocoon. From the outside, it did not look any different from ordinary cocoons, but there was no cocoon in the world bigger than the size of a person’s fist. But more importantly, the silk that formed this cocoon were like fine threads of ice. The cold energy that spread caused frost to form in the surroundings.

  “This is?” he unconsciously asked.

  “Strictly speaking, this is from Min Mountain Sword Sect. He took it from the Min Mountain Sword Trials. Because he sensed it could devour cold nether energy to cultivate, he gave it to me,” Zhangsun Qianxue glanced at Qing Yaoyin, and then said, looking at Ding Ning.

  Qing Yaoyin immediately frowned. “That black ice worm?” He took the cocoon that Zhangsun Qianxue handed over. He sensed even the stabbing coldness that even he could feel, and he felt disbelief.

  Tantai Guanjian was completely stunned. In the past, he had sensed the coldness from Zhangsun Qianxue’s sleeve. But he only thought it was one of her weapons, or rather, the presence that naturally came from the method she cultivated. He had never thought that this powerful presence came from such a strange cocoon.

  “I am also very curious.” At this time, Ding Ning’s voice sounded. He looked at the deeply frowning Qing Yaoyin and asked seriously, “What was set up deep in the heart of the Min Mountain Sword Sect…… Or rather, what were you testing all the years in there.”


  “Purely using some medicines to try to catalyze or produce some changes in bloodline.”


  After a pause, Ding Ning asked, “But some low level beasts, no matter how they change, cannot completely change like this black ice worm. Being able to naturally devour suitable energy, especially the cold energy of the Nine Hell King Sword, this is something that even the strongest beasts in the abyss cannot achieve.”


  Qing Yaoyin listened to Ding Ning’s words. He did not immediately answer his question and asked first, “When did this black ice worm start to form a cocoon, and what other changes occured before the cocoon?”


  “After I went to Donghu, this black ice worm grew horns. At that time, it was possible to say that it was an infant cold serpent.” Ding Ning looked at him and said, “When I returned from Donghu to the Yin Mountain, this black ice worm started to form a cocoon.”


  “So fast!” Qing Yaoyin’s expression grew serious, eyes shocked. Then he simply answered Ding Ning’s previous question. “We raised a Nether dragon.”


  “A Nether dragon?” Ding Ning could not help but stop breathing.

  Qian Mu may not have heard many things about the You Dynasty. He did not sense great shock, but even Zhangsun Qianxue could not stop her eyes from widening.

  “We spent a lot of time, and used the Min Mountain to create a cold abyss. Then we studied many of the secret records of the You Dynasty to raise a Nether dragon.” Qing Yaoyin did not try to keep things a secret and said directly, “This black ice worm was one of the test subjects. It has some of the blood of the Nether dragon, primarily to observe its reaction and changes to some spirit medicines. It is not a surprise that it can absorb some energies to cultivate, but the reason for such a dramatic change should be because of the Nine Hell King Sword. The Nine Hell King Sword is the coldest sword in the world, and it should be related to the You Emperor and the Nether dragon to start with.” With that, he glanced at Qian Mu.

  Everyone understood the meaning in his glance. Such an energy inheritance likely was similar to Teacher Yan and this Qian Mu’s inheritance.

  “You raised this Nether dragon. What did you want to do?” Ding Ning took a deep breath and asked.

  Qing Yaoyin was silent for a breath and then said, “Enter the imperial palace and kill Zheng Xiu.”


  Everyone shook.

  After many breaths of silence, Zhangsun Qianxue spoke, “So at this time, Baili Suxue should have gone to the imperial palace of Changling.”


  “If he succeeds, Zheng Xiu will be dead.” Qing Yaoyin nodded. He could not help but look in the direction of Changling and said softly, “I hope he will succeed.”


  Volume 3 73 - Sword and Essence as One

  Almost all the students changed their expressions.

  Just the overflowing energy was enough to injure Fang Xingling to the point of vomiting blood. This crude sword nucleus of the Min Mountain Sword Sect contained such terrifying power!

  In this moment, within their senses, this crude black sword nucleus seemed to be surrounded by numerous giants wielding red hot hammers that would shock the terrifying power out of the sword nucleus at any moment.

  Fang Xingling took multiple steps back, his black sword in hand, as his body shuddered. The blow to his mind affected him more than the injuries inside him. His face was so pale it was bloodless.

  “Why?”


  Looking at Fang Xingling, Nangong Caishu spoke in disbelief.

  Her question represented many people at this moment.

  This group of people could sense that Fang Xingling had used the same method Ding Ning had. But they did not know why Ding Ning had successfully passed, but Fang Xingling was injured by this black sword nucleus.

  “Sword follows the mind. His mind was there, his sword was not.” At Nangong Caishu’s exclamation, Zhang Yi turned, and softly explained to her, Xie Changsheng and the others.

  His expression was grave.

  Because Ding Ning had already passed the black sword nucleus, he had to follow.

  Having explained, he started to walk around Fan Xingling and towards the black sword nucleus.

  He took a deep breath and drew his sword.

  There was a vibration.

  The surface of the black sword nucleus lit up.

  Burning red light rose from the bumpy surface.

  In the next moment, nothing happened.

  Putting his sword away, Zhang Yi walked past the black sword nucleus.

  It was deathly silent again.

  Zhang Yi became the second student to pass.

  Nangong Caishu’s eyes shone with strange light.

  Sword follows the mind. The mind was there, the sword was not.

  Zhang Yi’s words were so simple that she hadn’t easily understood just now. But at Zhang Yi’s sword strike, she completely understood.

  “You must be very fast and accurate. This sword energy is as cunning and fast as a snake. The moment our sword lands, it must accurately stab in front of its head so that it will crash itself onto the sword. You cannot be too slow or too fast,” she said solemnly to Xie Changsheng and the others around her before walking towards the black sword nucleus.

  Another vibration.

  Nangong Caishu walked past the black sword nucleus and became the third to pass.

  “What does she mean, not too fast or too slow?”


  Xie Changsheng’s expression grew ugly.

  He had some understanding but clearly, he did not understand as much as Nangong Caishu.

  “This sword energy and the entire sword nucleus is very special. We must let our sword land at the perfect point that this sword energy will collide with our sword in order to not activate the power of the sword nucleus.”


  Shen Yi looked gravely at Xie Changsheng and said softly, “If we strike too early, and directly come into contact with the sword energy, or if we are too late and are too far from the sword energy, we will not be able to pass by. The mind being there and the sword follows, Sect Brother Zhang Yi spoke of means that the sword has to be where the mind is …… sensing something and attacking it is not the same thing.”


  After Zhang Yi, Nangong Caishu and Shen Yi’s explanation, Xie Changsheng had completely understood. However, Shen Yi felt slightly worried.

  Xie Changsheng had not liked him very much all this time. If his understanding was not completely correct, and Xie Changsheng had a misunderstanding, Xie Changsheng might dislike him even more. So, he decided to try first.

  He immediately walked up towards the black sword nucleus. He used three breaths to adjust himself and then drew his sword.

  One vibration.

  “Sect Brother!”


  Then he gave a shout of joy. When the shout reached everyone’s ears, he had already passed the black sword nucleus and was chasing Ding Ning and Zhang Yi.

  The field was silent again.

  All three youths of the White Goat Cave had passed.

  Xie Changsheng walked over with a cold expression.

  He had always looked down upon Shen Yi, but Shen Yi performed much better than he did. Naturally, he was displeased.

  Crack!

  A ray of sword energy shot out of his hand, tearing the dry air and smashing directly onto the black sword nucleus.

  A drum-like clear ring sounded.

  Everyone thought that Xie Changsheng would smoothly pass just like Ding Ning and the others.

  Unexpectedly, the black sword nucleus gave off a similar roar.

  Pew ……

  Xie Changsheng’s body suddenly froze. He seemed to desire to stand where he was, but he could not hold. His entire body swayed backwards. At the same time he took a step back, the upper half of his back leaned backwards and he almost fell to the ground.

  He also threw up a mouthful of bright red blood.

  Seeing the blood, everyone realized that Xie Changsheng had failed. But unexpectedly, Xie Changsheng shouted, “I do not believe it!”


  Almost without any hesitation, he stabbed his sword in embarrassment.

  There was a vibration.

  The black sword nucleus gave a strange vibration and overflowed with power.

  Xie Changsheng took another step back and threw up blood again.

  “What are you doing!”


  Seeing this, Xie Rou’s face grew paler than Xie Changsheng as she shouted.

  “Leave me alone!”


  But Xie Changsheng looked even more humiliated, and once again stabbed towards the black sword nucleus.

  The sword nucleus shook again.

  Xie Changsheng spat blood again.

  Many of the students frowned deeply. In their view, Xie Changsheng’s actions were akin to suicide.

  But Xie Changsheng still did not stop. He seemed to not care that his injuries were growing more serious, and like he was going to vomit all the blood in his body.

  He attacked again.

  Xie Rou and Xu Heshan could not maintain their calm and the two of them flew forward.

  But at this time, after the vibration, Xie Changsheng did not take a step back.

  His body swayed violently and then he walked by the black sword nucleus.

  Xie Rou and Xu Heshan stilled.

  The students behind them had dazed gazes.

  “Finally let me over.”


  Xie Changsheng did not turn around. He spat out bloody foam. Everyone heard his words.

  All the students behind him were silent.

  Before entering the green jade doors, many people had heard his words. They looked down upon him, this son of a wealthy family who used large sums of silver to trade for this spot in the Min Mountain Sword Trials. They categorized him as one of the wastrels. Yet, when Xie Changsheng started to attack and people saw his posture, most knew that his swordsmanship surpassed many of those present.

  He had struggled to pass, but he had passed.

  Many people felt they lacked the bravery to pass in such a manner.

  Even more importantly, many feared they could not pass.

  The sword follows the mind, was likely the phrase that Zhang Yi had read from the cultivation records of the White Goat Cave. But in the cultivation world, the more accurate description of this was the sword and essence as one.

  Sword and essence arrive together. When one’s thought arrived, the sword was already falling. One’s thoughts would be faster than one’s limbs and swords. So, for the sword and the essence to arrive together, usually, the sword had to move first before the essence.

  So, in the cultivation records, it was not described as essence and sword as one, but sword and essence as one.

  In order to let the sword move before the essence, there were many aspects involved such as perception, foresight, the accuracy of swordsmanship, and one’s proficiency.It was difficult to understand the concepts involved. And achieving sword and essence as one, or to get close to that aspect was even more difficult.

  Xie Changsheng did not have such learning in swordsmanship. He could not do it. But he wanted to pass. So he used this kind of reckless testing method.

  Most of the people present did not have his skill. Maybe those people who were more skilled than him did not have his courage. Consequently, many would be stopped at this obstacle.

  Starting from this black sword nucleus, the Min Mountain Sword Trials would eliminate batches of students.

  When more and more people understood this, the atmosphere became even more depressive and cold.

  Not long after, a tall young woman stood in front of the black sword nucleus and then drew her sword.

  There was a vibration.

  This young woman walked forward and past this black sword nucleus.

  Almost all the students recognized that this tall young woman was Xie Changsheng’s older sister, Xie Rou.

  Moments later, most of them thought that Xie Rou had relied on the wealth of the Xie Family to qualify for the Min Mountain Sword Trials.

  Now, they realized they were wrong.

  This eldest daughter of the Xie Family, at least in cultivation, was better than Xie Changsheng.

  “I will go first.”


  After Xie Rou passed, He Zhaoxi nodded to Xu Heshan next to him.

  Another vibration struck the hearts of all the students.

  Like he was just trying to catch up to his fellow students on a stroll, He Zhaoxi easily walked past the black sword nucleus. Most people did not see him attack clearly.

  Xu Heshan went forward. He was not He Zhaoxi, who had practiced the basics countless times and was extremely confident in this aspect. As a result, he was extremely wary. He stood in front of the black sword nucleus for a long time before calmly stabbing forward.

  A vibration sounded and no accidents occurred.

  Xu Heshan also passed.

  He was part of the group of Ding Ning and the others. The other students had deliberately remained at a distance from them. So when their entire group had passed, there was a clearing in front of the black sword nucleus. It was eerie, like how someone had taken a ladle of water from a basin, but water had not rushed in from the other places.

  Many breaths later, soft inhales broke the deathly silence.

  One student, who felt that he had no hope of passing this obstacle, thought of the efforts he had made over the years. He felt the disparity between him and the people around him. Sorrow surged, and he couldn’t help but cover his face and cry.

  Translator Ramblings: Xie Changsheng gets a turn in the spotlight!