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Chapter Eight-Four: Light
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  The flames grew tangible, so condensed they were like a deep red ruby flashing with light. It hit this peerlessly fast sword light, and immediately, there were countless clear cracking sounds like there were hard crystals exploding. In the next moment, with a boom, all of the fine crystals grew into a wildfire that burned towards the sword ahead.

  Size was all relative. The seal scripts on the blade looked like fine lines to ordinary people, but in the perception of cultivators, they may be vast rivers, and even plains. The flames from the mouth of the Master of Fire made contact with an icy and cold energy among these rivers and plains. Then it swept across without stopping, like easily burning dried grass.

  Tantai Guanjian’s figure appeared in the sky. He encountered great resistance, his body and sword light halted in the air. In his perception, these flames swept over quickly, about to flood into his body along his sword, and then burn all of the energy and blood in his body. But he managed to overcome the terror that naturally formed in his mind. He vented out all of the vital energy left in his body, channeling it into this sword. The flames seemed able to burn dry grass easily, but he seemed to be piling up countless amounts of dry grass to meet the flames.

  There was another boom ahead of him. The seal scripts in his sword could not endure the collision of such energy. In an instant, a terrifying twister exploded along the borders of the seal scripts.

  He and the Master of Fire both grunted, and both could not help but fly back. The fire sprayed out in the seal scripts, but still kept on moving forward and spreading towards his body. Only when the flames were close to the sword hilt did Tantai Guanjian relax his fingers and decisively abandon his sword. There was no more vital energy left in his body. His body used this terrifying impact to keep on flying backwards.

  The eyes of the Master of Fire turned blood red, like fire was about to erupt out. He stared at Tantai Guanjian who was flying backwards, and was filled with killing intent. Because he cultivated a special method, so in many past years, very few had attempted to kill him, and no one had ever caused him to be so close to true death.

  At this time, Tantai Guanjian had cut off his vital energy, and there was a natural barrier between his body and the flames. But he still had power. If he had a thought, he should be able to kill Tantai Guanjian who had no ability to fight back at this moment.

  But at this time, he felt a chill up his back. This was a direct feeling. When he sensed the coldness across his back, he then sensed a stronger threat of death that was even stronger than just now. He sensed pain and terror!

  He was hit!

  With a shrill scream, his body bowed forwards, bouncing out, and avoiding this sword that stabbed from the left side of his back towards his heart. The deep red crystal fire sprayed out with his body. This was his direct counter attack. If this person’s sword was touched with his fire, unless this person abandoned the sword, he would be killed. To his shock and anger, in his perception, this person did not even have the power of a realm seven, but was able to stab him!

  “How is this possible!”


  What he did not expect was that at this moment, it felt like a piece was missing from his body. Like a puzzle piece was suddenly missing from the whole puzzle. The fire flowing from his energy sea was unable to flow along his thoughts to the wound in his back. The feeling of missing something from his body came from a new coldness he felt. More accurately, it was a sword tip in his perception.

  At this moment, he was stabbed again!

  This thrust into a very important meridian point in his body. It was not very deep, but even he did not know that when this point was stabbed, it was able to affect the flow of vital energy in his body! This was something that happened in less than a breath. He was stabbed twice.

  Because of the strong emotional changes, his flesh had no time to convulse and tremble, but his body was filled with an uncomfortable feeling. The energies of his organs were out of balance, especially when the obstruction in the flow of his vital energy was hindering his body’s adjustment.

  Then he suddenly realized something……

  With the two stabs just now, the other’s sword had directly pierced his skin, but did not make true contact with the blood under his skin. The attacks were quick stabs and the sharp sword essence naturally aroused reactions in his energies and blood. It was like the other just gently made cuts on a balloon, not truly cutting through, but the pressure from the inside pushed the cut apart and caused an explosion.

  What kind of sword move was this?

  Who was able to use such a sword? Who was able to stab him twice in the realm section, and seal one of his meridian points?

  He even felt his screaming voice was very unfamiliar to him. His face twisted, and he forcibly turned around following his perception.

  Then he saw the other’s figure. That person was stepping on the energies he was giving off and moving through the fire clouds. This was a youth with a very calm face.

  At this time, he felt a coldness from his right rib. This bit of coldness was like a flower of ice which spread through his hot energy sea. This time, he saw clearly.

  The shadow of the sword retracted once it made contact. Then he clearly saw his energy and blood shoot out from his right ribs. Then he sensed pain and fear. He was certain once again that it was his body’s instincts which caused his energies to burst through the wound.

  The moment he saw this youth who had stabbed him three times, he knew this person’s identity, and knew that Yuanwu had spoken the truth. Only that person from the past could use such a sword like this. Even more terrifying, from the other’s flowing movements and simple sword moves, he scented something familiar.

  His heart clenched, and there seemed to be countless people screaming in his body. To deal with such an existence, one naturally just had to use pure vital energy to crush. He wanted to spray out all of the fire in his energy sea, filling the world in his sight and wrapping around this youth. But his vital energy, which followed his thoughts better than his hands and feet usually, seemed to slam in his body like waves against rocks, turbulent but unable to flow smoothly.

  The meridian point at his right rib was broken, and another meridian was broken. He was like a giant trapped in his body, having strength but unable to attack!

  Ding Ning breathed calmly. Even when moving beyond his usual limits, all of his skills were coordinated to the extreme. He was like an unpredictable wind. The moment the Master of Fire paused, he came to the other’s side, and with his sword, lightly tapped above the other’s energy sea.

  Volume 3 84 - True Courage

  In Falling Parasol, whenever Ding Ning was holding his noodle bowl in the morning, he often thought about ways to join the Min Mountain Sword Sect. Going through Wang Taixu to enter White Goat Cave was because after White Goat Cave merged with Green Vine Sword School, the students of White Goat Cave would be qualified to attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials.

  However, the best laid plans are also bound to encounter unexpected changes.

  In White Goat Cave, he encountered Li Daoji who brought him the Last Flower remnant sword, encountered a teacher like Xue Wangxu, encountered a senior sect brother like Zhang Yi and a junior sect brother like Shen Yi. There was also the information he obtained about Lin Zhujiu before killing Song Shenshu in Fish Market.

  Lin Zhujiu had been in the Great Floating Water Prison for many years now. For this man, there was no hope. He was just surviving on that thread of obsession.

  Each time he heard the sound of water in Changling, no matter if it was rain from the sky or the flow of water from washing rice and clothes on the streets, he could not be at ease. So his step had been a bit too fast, a bit too hurried.

  “Emotion” was his greatest weakness. But after experiencing many things, he understood even more that “emotion” was more important than anything else in the world. This was the greatest difference between him and the masters of Changling- Yuanwu and Zheng Xiu.

  He could have an accident, but not Zhangsun Qianxue.

  Even though he knew that Zhangsun Qianxue was smarter than most people and just did not like to think about matters other than cultivation, once he took the first step, the unattended Falling Parasol would not be as calm as usual, and she would enter more people’s eyes.

  “Sect Uncle Shao, when we reach Changling, please find an old bookstore for me first.”


  Feeling the new changes that the vital energy cultivation method of Min Mountain Sword Sect brought to his body, Ding Ning lifted his head slightly and spoke to Shao Sharen who was serenely driving the carriage.

  Shao Sharen nodded slightly and responded simply without asking the reason, “All right.”


  Ding Ning immediately felt reassured. He put down the book in his hand and closed his eyes.

  His energies once again calmly flowed along the vital energy method of Min Mountain Sword Sect. He had reached realm four.

  Realm four Energy Fusing, realm five Spirit Thought. Based on his previous cultivation speed, he would need many years to reach realm four. Yet, he had the Chu Emperor’s Human Sovereign Jade Annulus, and the Three Corpses Nonself Consciousness Sutra that he had accidentally obtained in White Goat Cave. Even if he temporarily could not obtain the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art, just by the cultivation method he obtained now from Min Mountain Sword Sect, his cultivation speed would multiply.

  It was the beginning of summer now. When winter solstice came, he could reach realm five if everything went well.

  The sun was setting.

  Ding Ning’s carriage was heading towards Changling. In the opposite direction, Zhang Yi was following the wheel tracks of some carriages as he walked aimlessly on the path. Seeing the dimming wilderness under the sunset, he felt lonely and sad. He did not notice a Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator in green robes appear on the ridge behind him.

  This Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivator saw Zhang Yi’s figure and his eyes lit up. He was about to walk faster when he frowned and suddenly stopped walking.

  “What are you thinking about?”


  A cold voice reached Zhang Yi’s ears.

  Zhang Yi suddenly woke up and looked at the sound. He saw a black-robed man standing beside the road on the grass.

  This black-robed man had cold features that appeared ageless. He only had a presence that the present nobility could not rival.

  Zhang Yi did not recognize this black-robed man, but just from how the other could appear in front of him undetected meant the other’s cultivation far surpassed his. He bowed with a stunned expression.

  “Elder ……”


  “I know you feel many emotions within.”


  The black-robed man glanced at him and then looked at the grass under the setting sun. He said in self-deprecation with his hands behind his back, “Even if it is not this sad scene of weeds in the setting sun, even in the most prosperous part of Changling, I would feel many emotions frequently…… Changling is so large and has changed greatly, why do they not tolerate me?”


  Zhang Yi stilled. He did not understand the black-robed man’s intentions and unconsciously called out.

  “Elder……”


  “Ye Zhengnan is one of mine.”


  The black-robed man waved his hand and said with a powerful presence, “I do not want Zheng Xiu to have what she wished so I wagered against her. I had not expected your junior sect brother to refuse my goodwill. But now, it appears that his choice was correct. He does not need our help at all.”


  Zhang Yi’s breathing stopped. He felt coldness rise.

  Before the Min Mountain Sword Trials ended and during the event, many people’s performances and identities would be a secret. But after the Min Mountain Sword Trials ended, many people’s identities would naturally float out of the water as details of the event spread. Some speculations would never be proven, but many smart people would have a vague answer.

  “We are the old nobility that many in Changling talk about.” Seeing Zhang Yi stop breathing, the black-robed man’s lips curved as he directly exposed the answer.

  Zhang Yi knew very well the meaning of the “old nobility” the man spoke of. He said with a stiff expression, “Why did you find me?”


  “Do not misunderstand.”


  The black-robed man looked coldly at Zhang Yi with confidence and said, “Where do you want to go now?”


  Zhang Yi hesitated but did not speak.

  The black-robed man said with slight scorn, “Accept Zheng Xiu’s arrangements and go to a border land like Ying Base where there are not many households to teach them cultivation?”


  Zhang Yi was dumbfounded.

  The black-robed man glanced at him and said, “You do not need to go…… Before you arrived, that little cultivation place that does not even have a realm four cultivator will disappear. That place will be cleaned by horse bandits.”


  Zhang Yi felt endless cold, his eyes full of disbelief.

  “You find it hard to understand, and feel that I could not have read the letter Zheng Xiu wrote to you?” The black-robed man read his thoughts and did not give him the chance to speak. He said directly, “There are many paths to accomplishing a goal. I cannot read the letter Zheng Xiu wrote you, but from the orders she sent towards that kind of border town, I may know what she wants you to do. Or rather, there are my people among the officials responsible for carrying out her decrees. Before you go, that cultivation place and that small town have already disappeared. You do not have to follow her orders. To avoid you worrying, I can even create the illusion you died during the trip.”


  Zhang Yi took a deep breath and suppressed his shock. He looked at this black-robed man who brought nightfall earlier and said in a trembling voice, “What do you want me to do?”


  “I said before to not misunderstand.”


  The black-robed man smiled faintly. “You and your junior sect brother Ding Ning’s performance satisfied me. I just want Zheng Xiu to not have an easy time. I do not mind doing more. Since Changling will not tolerate you, there are other places in the world that can. I am just introducing a place to you.”


  Zhang Yi could not understand. “What place?”


  The black-robed man said, “Yan, Shangdu, Celestial Seal Sect.”


  Zhang Yi’s body shook. He unconsciously shouted in shock. “How is that possible!”


  The black-robed man frowned and looked calmly at him, “You feel it is impossible?”


  “The Celestial Seal Sect is the top sect of the Yan Dynasty. I am Qin. Even with your recommendation, how can Celestial Seal Sect accept me?” Zhang Yi looked at the black-robed man and said in astonishment, “Also, even if Celestial Seal Sect will accept me, how can I, as Qin, go to a sect of the Yan?”


  “Why will they not accept you? Celestial Seal Sect will look down on a student that Min Mountain Sword Sect wanted?”


  The black-robed man laughed scornfully. “Since I have said, I am certain that Celestial Seal Sect will accept you. The key is whether you will go or not…… As you say, you are Qin, you do not go to an enemy country sect, so what? Go to the border of the Qin, search for a small village, live peacefully in mediocrity, marry and live your life. When you are old, think back to your life in Changling. Maybe when you hear of the tragic experiences of your junior sect brothers in Changling, you will be soft and powerless, unable to provide them any help?”


  Zhang Yi’s body trembled uncontrollably. He started to sweat but his limbs were cold.

  The black-robed man turned towards the setting sun and said slowly, “Unlike Zheng Xiu, I will not request you do anything. You do not feel you need to have any connection to me even after you go to Celestial Seal Sect. Also, there is not only just Min Mountain Sword Sect in the world. Celestial Seal Sect may not be any less than Min Mountain Sword Sect. Zheng Xiu will not let you stay in Min Mountain Sword Sect, but I will give you a similar cultivation place…… In the future, it’s too far away. It is a joke to say that after you learn the tactics of an enemy country, you will become an enemy of the Qin.”


  “Only the truly strong can determine where their path is.”


  The black-robed man turned to glance at Zhang Yi and left, stepping on the grass. His voice clearly reached Zhang Yi’s ears.

  “But you have to first become truly strong.”


  Translator Ramblings: Historically, the Yan had 5 capitals. Xiadu (Lower Capital) is one of the most famous for being the largest city in the world during a period of time. The capital of Yan moved from Shangdu (Upper Capital) to Zhongdu (Middle Capital) and then Xiadu due to threats from the north. Shangdu, better known as the City of Ji, is located in one of the districts of Beijing. So Zhang Yi is essentially going to Beijing.

  Volume 5 84 - Door Broken

  Xi Fenghe came with the doubts of the entire military. His power surpassed realm seven, but the cultivator behind him who attacked now might represent that the military had not been reassured with Xi Fenghe. In presence, confidence, and the power of this attack, this person was not weaker than Xi Fenghe. Even a true volcanic eruption could be nothing more.

  Sensing the burning and dominating sword essence, Tang Zhefeng, who had once relied on a dull blade to clean out all horse bandits in Wulan Mountain, saw the long haired cultivator out of the corner of his eyes and raised his eyebrows in displeasure. He was not worried, and even became excited.

  The hot air came before the true sword essence, and blew on the cold cultivator’s long hair. His white face and the edges of his hair were stained red. In the next moment, his body seemed to ignite, the ice fading into unimaginable flames.

  The sword essence coming from all directions exploded like a volcano, but his sword essence came and suppressed the other. It was like a giant furnace was set up in the world with a thud. Compared to this enormous furnace, the volcanic sword essence was like a flame flowing into the furnace.

  The people on Tang Wei’s side clearly all knew the result of this long-haired man drawing his sword. Most of them showed admiration. But Xi Fenghe and the cavalry behind him all paled!

  “Zhao Sword Furnace!”


  The domineering voice turned into a disbelieving exclamation.

  The moment the exclamation sounded, the two sword essences met. With a loud boom, the wind sweeping outwards suddenly became real crimson fire.

  Long chains of flames swept out dozens of feet to the sides. Then they started to disappear, the shocked cavalry found the long haired cultivator was already standing in front of Tang Mei and the others, still in a sword swinging position.

  He held a crimson long sword that spat out real flames. It was an ordinary style, but as the flames moved, there was the sound of bellows. His sword seemed to have been lifted from the ground up. The tip of the sword had sliced across the ground with the surroundings around the mark having been melted by terrifying heat into a lava zone. Lava was dripping from his blade.

  On the crimson longsword, curving and twisting seal scripts were like flows of lava. Everyone who saw it at first glance would feel that the sword was melting and going to split along the seal scripts. Yet in the next moment, the sword’s heavy presence was one of being forged over and over again.

  The long-haired man’s black hair had turned red in the light of the red sword, giving off an enchanting charm. His cold eyes were now fire red, flashing with light.

  In the world, only the Zhao Sword Furnace would have such a sword, such sword essence, and such a cultivator.

  Within the cavalry, the armor of the cultivator who had attacked was shattered. While he had managed to stay upright, his feet had created deep furrows in the ground. His sword was also crimson red, and the flame-like seal scripts were golden yellow. But at this moment, his sword was shaking, and there were some black scorch marks on the blade.

  The powerful military cultivator was not angry at being pushed back with a single blow. He was just shocked and puzzled.

  “How come you are from the Zhao Sword Furnace?”


  Some of the people who had not fought were also shocked and one yelled.

  “My master accepted many students. Zhao Sword Furnace has more than just Zhao Yi and Zhao Si.” The long-haired man slowly drew his hand back, and his lifebond presence pulled back, the sword disappeared from his hand. But the peerless presence that naturally flowed off him was still frightening.

  Xi Fenghe took a deep breath and looked at the long-haired man with a complicated gaze. “Why did you always follow him?” He was referring to Tang Mei.

  This was not a boring question.

  Each disciple of the Zhao Sword Furnace was a true hero. Even those who had died had left behind astounding stories. Up to present, after Ye Celeng killed Zhao Qi of the Zhao Sword Furnace in Changling, most cultivators in the world subconsciously thought the Zhao Sword Furnace only had Zhao Yi and Zhao Si left.

  Why would a hero of the Zhao Sword Furnace be willing to follow and live in hiding with a general of the Chu Dynasty?

  Even back before Tang Mei had retired, he was not in a high position in the Chu Dynasty. His position back then likely was not as high as Xi Fenghe right now.

  “My master had me cultivate forbearance. My master agreed very much with General Tang’s means of using soldiers, and had me follow him.”


  The long-haired man’s expression was cold, but the eerie red light in his eyes had not faded. He appeared both eerie and powerful. He said these words, and then looked at Xi Fenghe and the cavalry behind him. “Are there more questions?”


  “No more questions,” Xi Fenghe solemnly answered. Then he said nothing else and turned his horse around.

  No one would have more questions. No one felt that they were stronger than that grandmaster of the Zhao Sword Furnace in the past. Even now, most cultivators through the grandmaster of the Zhao Sword Furnace had been stronger than Wang Jingmeng at the time.

  The cultivators of the Zhao Sword Furnace thought the same. They thought that Wang Jingmeng owed their master a fair battle. If a cultivator like the Dull Blade who had a legendary story following Tang Mei was a coincidence, then a cultivator from the Zhao Sword Furnace was not an accident.

  Even more importantly, the other riders with Tang Mei did not look weak. At least, the four marquises in charge of the Qin army, on their own, may not have so many powerful cultivators.

  The cavalry waited for Tang Mei and the others to reach the rear before they started to move steadily and quickly. The night came. The troop did not rest. They switched to already prepared horses in a mountain valley and continued to advance at full speed.

  At the other end of the wastelands of the Chu Dynasty.

  There was another cavalry troop sprinting. The wolves howled. The leading general looked up at the moon. A hungry feeling took over his mind like his stomach was empty at this moment. A terrifying feeling of being empty and needing to eat filled his mind.

  This general started to realize that it had been too long since the last rest and meal. His subordinates likely needed to eat more than he did. He was silent for a moment, and knew that there was a problem in his urgency to reach the north. He ordered them to rest where they were and make a meal.

  When the bonfires lit up, he decided for all the soldiers except him to take off their golden armor, bury them and then erase all the traces.

  People rarely questioned his orders, but this order caused the temporary camp’s air to grow very heavy. One general immediately questions in a loud voice. This was the tradition of the army, and the experience of this troop. Anything that could shake the will of the army had to be resolved in a public way.

  “General, we all know you are in a hurry to get to the north battlefield, but I worry that you will have problems with your emotions due to being so eager. The Gold Flame Heavy Armor has always been the strongest weapon of the Gold Dagger Axe Army. We are used to fighting with this heavy armor. We are used to unconsciously using the fact the armor is hard to penetrate and can withstand powerful energy to make our charges. If we take off our armor ……will we be still so fierce, will we be the Gold Dagger Axe Army?”


  This was the Gold Dagger Axe Army. The leader of naturally the strongest general on the other side of the Chu Dynasty, Xiang Yan.

  “I know that there were problems with my previous emotions. Comparing the military power of the two sides, from any point of view …… our Gold Dagger Axe army is likely the key to victory.”


  Xiang Yan slowly moved among the bonfires under the moonlight. His firm gaze moved across every soldier looking at him. His voice was not very loud but unusually steady and clear. “Based on the travelling speed, even if we hide the gold flame armor now, and go in light armor, the earliest we get to the north, the war will be in the middle and late stages. From a certain point of view, the arrival of our Gold Dagger Axe army is not important for how many Qin soldiers we can kill, but to give the armies in the north confidence. We just need …… I fear we will only have time to fight one or two key battles.”


  “Our Gold Dagger Axe army is important for arriving at the key time, and not how well our state and combat power is. As to whether or not we are accustomed to the armor that lets us charge at well. There is a long time from here to the north. We can get used to it along the way …… If it really gets to the one or two key battles I speak of, if there is no other way, we will use our flesh as armor and win the battle.”


  Xiang Yan’s last words were out of helplessness, but these helpless words contained his fearless bravery. Before he even said his last words, countless howls and roars rang through the camp.

  They took off their golden armor, their bodies cooling, but their blood was boiling like the flames of the bonfires.