Chapter Ninety-Three: Sword Through Firmament
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无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
There seemed to be a monster eating the energies there. This monster which then stretched out its invisible tentacles was Bai Ying.
The three, with their names meaning red, black and white, were called so because of the color of their armor and because they were the three strongest cultivators in the command of Meng Fangying.
Chi Ying’s armor was made from the best red copper in the world. Hei Ying’s armor was made from the scales of the black water serpent. Bai Ying’s snowy white armor came from the skull of the White Leg Bird. This was a kind of bird which lived on islands deep in the sea. They were not fierce like other beasts, and their skulls could naturally gather pure primal energies of the universe. It was about the size of a thumb, as white as jade, stronger than refined steel, and when it was attacked by an outside force, it would give off primal energy.
At this time, in the depression on the other side of Hei Ying, Bai Ying’s armor was made from an unknown number of such skulls. This sewn armor even covered his face. This meant that this suit of armor was made from killing an unknown number of White Leg Birds. At this time, when the vital energy of such a cultivator surged out of his energy sea, all of the energies contained in each piece of the armor was completely activated.
The invisible tentacles had an unnamed savage presence, like the angry souls of the birds covering the sky and stopping the natural flow of energies. Only a small amount of primal energy could flow through the cracks between the bird souls. The energies which could flow quickly gathered towards Hei Ying’s body.
Fang Xiumu passed through Chi Ying’s army and sensed the abnormality ahead. His perception was not instantly clear like Hei Ying who was familiar with Bai Ying.
In his perception, countless white birds suddenly appeared in the sky ahead. The bodies of these white birds expanded in layers under they covered the entire sky. The energies which could flow between these white birds were all being gathered by another cultivator. The primal energies which had been naturally heading towards him were cut off by these white birds.
So this was two cultivators working together. Two cultivators who cultivated different methods managed to create a domain so the other cultivators in here could not gather primal energies and only that person could use the energies. Such a partnership was not such a simple addition of power, and it was harder to deal with than the attacks of several realm sevens together.
Fang Xiumu paused for a moment. He needed a bit of time to consider how to fight these two cultivators.
Hei Ying raised his head and accepted the flood of energy. He raised his eyebrows and was in slight pain. There was the sound of flesh tearing through his body. The vital energy and primal energies coming through his energy sea gathered together, turning into an indescribable power that then dissipated into his armor.
The scaled armor left his body in pieces, flying out and gave off a powerful lifebond presence. In the world of cultivators, the presence of lifebond items meant that it was only for him, and it would be incompatible with anyone else’s energy. People could even smell his flesh and blood. It was the case with the black scales flying off his body. On the surface, they flashed with black light, but on the inside, they were bloody red like fresh flesh.
The pieces of scaled armor wailed as they flew through the air, and cut tracks in the air visible to the naked eye. These scales seemed to be flying randomly, but in the air, they went to their own positions. In an instant, they formed an enormous long whip, and this whip was in the shape of a serpent.
Even his subordinates behind him were very shocked. They had never seen something so shocking before.
There were cracks between the black scales, but the inside seemed to be filled with bloody red light like a black serpent had come back to life and merged into one with Hei Ying’s power. In the past, no one knew that Hei Ying’s lifebond item was his armor.
The serpent did not pause after forming, and headed straight towards Fang Xiumu into the air. Fang Xiumu’s body was naturally falling. He was not a true realm eight, and could not be like Emperor Yuanwu, breaking through the small world created by these realm seven cultivators using their energies and pulling in energies from the outside. But now, he understood, even if he had just touched just a corner of realm eight, it was still realm eight power and he had just to catch it and use it to the extreme.
At this time, on the ground below, almost all the cultivators in the three armor gasped in shock.
Just like destroying his own cultivation, Fang Xiumu’s vital energy spread out of his body. Even the lowest ranking cultivators could sense vital energy blow to their side like a gentle breeze.
This came from Fang Xiumu’s vital energy and naturally aroused their hostility.
In the next moment, they found that it was quiet around them, like the space was empty. Ahead of the long black whip in the air, a light suddenly appeared, giving off a holy presence. For a cultivator, a holy presence meant a state they could not touch, and something beyond their understanding.
An enormous sword light formed around Fang Xiumu and cut towards the black serpent. The clear sound of armor breaking rang through the air. It was like the wail of sorrow and discontent of a serpent before death.
The bloody red light and the shattered pieces of armor sprayed in all directions, and even collided with the bird-like energy in the sky. Many explosions rang out as energies collided.
Bai Ying and Hei Ying seemed to be struck by lightning, their bodies hitting the ground and then bouncing back up. Blood beaded out of their skin and they vomited blood. Hei Ying felt his mind blank when his lifebond item was cut. He felt his life slipping away but was unable to think. Compared to him, Bai Ying was less wounded. His eyes were wide, and he was covered in a feeling of powerlessness and terror.
It was the first time for two such powerful people to work together. In his thinking, this was enough to kill any realm seven in the world, but now, they were defeated by Fang Xiumu’s one blow. What he could not imagine was much of the vital energy that had fled out of Fang Xiumu seemed to understand the way home, and flowed back into his meridians. This did not fit with the truth of the cultivation world. Simply speaking, after one punched, how could it be possible to get some of the power of the punch back?
Fang Xiumu did not care about the feelings of the two cultivators at this time. He needed to get close to the dust mountains as fast as possible, so he could not give anyone who threatened him a chance to attack again. At this time, he flicked out a sword energy again.
Plop!
There was a pop in Bai Ying’s energy sea. A sharp sword energy was not able to penetrate his white armor, but seemed to hit his energy sea, and almost caused the jade palace in the energy sea to shatter.
Volume 3 93 - Damage
Geng Ren calmly returned the bow and said to Ding Ning, “Li Xixing just came. He originally wanted to bid you farewell. He has left.”
Ding Ning was silent for a moment and said, “He is a cherished friend.”
He asked after a pause, “Where did he go?”
“Outside the forts,” Geng Ren replied simply.
“That’s good.” Ding Ning thought and looked up at Geng Ren. He said, “Has Sect Uncle Geng Ren thought of a way for me to help make a great contribution to Min Mountain Sword Sect?”
Geng Ren looked at Ding Ning. He did not immediately answer and said, “Your eldest sect brother Zhang Yi went to the Yan Dynasty.”
Ding Ning frowned. “This does not appear to be her arrangements.”
Geng Ren nodded and said, “The ‘Night Owl’ met in person with Zhang Yi after he left Min Mountain Sword Sect. The ‘Night Owl’ is one of the leaders of the old nobility of Changling, so this must be their plan.”
Ding Ning thought silently and then asked, “So Min Mountain Sword Sect wants me to do something with the Yan?”
Geng Ren looked at him and did not answer directly. He said, “Your relationship with Wang Taixu is unusual. We want to borrow Wang Taixu’s power.”
Ding Ning looked at Geng Ren and said seriously, “What do you want Wang Taixu to do?”
“We want him to go to Yan, so he will no longer be the gangster leader of Changling, but of the Yan Shangdu.”
After saying this, he felt that Ding Ning would be shocked. It really was unlikely for a gangster who had established himself in Changling to travel far away to an unfamiliar capital to conquer it, especially when it was the capital of an enemy dynasty.
Unexpectedly, Ding Ning’s expression remained calm.
“Why do this?” Ding Ning asked calmly. “Why does Min Mountain Sword Sect have such thoughts?”
Geng Ren said slowly, “Emperor Yuanwu flattened a mountain with a blow at the Deer Mountain Conference and subdued three dynasties. Yet, we still have many doubts after looking at the overall situation of the Deer Mountain Conference. The Chu and Qi did their best, but not the Celestial Seal Sect of the Yan. Ordinary cultivators would think that Celestial Seal Sect is slightly lesser than our Min Mountain Sword Sect and the Spirit Void Sword Sect, but we know very well this is not so.”
Ding Ning listened seriously and unconsciously frowned. “You feel Zheng Xiu has other arrangements in the Yan?”
Geng Ren nodded and said directly in a plain tone, “In the Qin, there are no powers that can defeat the Min Mountain Sword Sect, but if the empress has a powerful hidden pawn, the result will be different.”
“I will convince Wang Taixu to go to the Yan Shangdu,” Ding Ning said, “he will heed to my suggestion.”
Hearing Ding Ning answer so directly and confidently, Geng Ren was slightly stunned, unable to react.
Ding Ning said, “In the conflict with the general last year, most of his brothers died. While he finally obtained his present status due to Cave Master Xue revealing his realm seven cultivation, the waters of Changling are too clean, and not suitable for someone like them to exist. Also, I heard that Shangdu is more chaotic than the Chu capital. The more chaotic, the easier to gain a foothold.”
Geng Ren nodded. “The Yan Emperor has seen the foundation of the Qin’s strength. He wants to copy the Qin reformation but he does not have those people the Qin had back then who could subdue the swarm of serpents. So the present Shangdu is more chaotic than Changling back during the reformation.”
He paused, and looked at Ding Ning. “We are not skilled in the channels and rules of the streets. You have a good friend in Wang Taixu, and going to Shangdu is coincidentally suitable. The Min Mountain Sword Sect will not interfere in this matter publicly, so all Min Mountain Sword Sect cultivators who are in Zheng Xiu’s sight will not go to the Yan. But this does not mean that Min Mountain Sword Sect has no swords that have gone to Yan.”
“I understand this.” Ding Ning looked at him and said, “Everyone hides a few swords.”
Geng Ren’s eyes flashed with rare light. He felt true affection and admiration of Ding Ning. At the same time, he was pleased at the success of the matter.
“If Wang Taixu departs for Yan, you can go into the Sword Tower to study the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art.”
“The one leaving home is someone else, but you are the one learning the ultimate methods of the Min Mountain Sword Sect. Your business is doing well.” After Geng Ren left, Zhangsun Qianxue’s cool voice sounded behind Ding Ning. “Changling is far from the Yan, but if Zheng Xiu’s hand has stretched there, it will not be simple. There will also be dangers you do not know of.”
“While dangerous, to our situation, this is his best retreat.” Ding Ning turned to look at her beautiful face and said, “You know this.”
“Some things, once the first step is taken, cannot be stopped.”
Seeing Zhangsun Qianxue silent, Ding Ning continued. “If you win your gamble and Ye Celeng guessed who you are, she will quickly come to see you. If she does not appear, it means something unusual, and more danger. People who can leave and not get pulled in should go.”
Zhangsun Qianxue looked at him with a small disdainful smile. She wanted to ridicule him but inexplicably, she did not want to speak today.
She turned around and took a deep breath, her gaze falling towards the corner of the wall. There were a bunch of dark flowers there, and an ordinary yellow butterfly stopped there.
The yellow butterfly lightly flapped its wings. There was no wind, but in her mind, there was a storm forming.
**
“Ding Ning tossed the medicine into the ditch…… the wine shop youth who just won the Min Mountain Sword Trials. Zheng Xiu had sent Palace Attendant Rong to see him, and he threw the spirit medicines she brought into the ditch in front of Ink Garden.”
Ye Celeng held a small paper roll with her fingers as she narrated the contents to Bai Shanshui. Then a strange expression appeared on her face.
“Last year, during that storm, I came back to see Zhao Zhan of the Zhao Sword Furnace. Starting from then, Changling, which has been calm for a long time, seemed to be in constant turmoil. I remember seeing that wineshop youth that day.”
The paper scroll became wet in her hand and then softened as it soaked through. It dripped through her fingers like pulp. She looked strangely at Bai Shanshui and laughed inexplicably. “Now that I think about it, it appears the source of all this turmoil seems to come from when I first saw the wine shop youth.”
Bai Shanshui did not speak. Seeing the other’s strange expression, she knew that she did not need to explain. Ye Celeng was close to the truth.
Because of that person, her country had been destroyed and her family killed. She had fallen among the lakes and rivers. Because of that person’s disciple, Fan Zhuo had been killed by Zhangsun Qianxue. Because of that person’s disciple, she met Li Yunrui. Even seriously injured, because of that person’s disciple throwing medicines into the ditch, she gained many benefits including learning mutually with Ye Celeng. Even her old injuries were healing, and her cultivation had advanced greatly.
Her life seemed to have fallen into this fate a long time ago.
“Your Changling’s structures and roads are too straight and square. Are your tombs also like that?” Bai Shanshui laughed inexplicably as she looked at Ye Celeng.
Ye Celeng looked at her smile, and then at the distant Changling roofs. She laughed. “You mean that all of Changling is like a tomb?”
“An enormous tomb with many heroes here. Those once invincible people have turned to dust and earth.”
Bai Shanshui laughed without any lady-like composure. Once again, multiple droplets of water appeared out of nothingness in front of her. But this time, sword lights seemed to flash in the droplets like invisible swords.
Ye Celeng’s eyes flashed as she said, “Bai Shanshui, your sword is very strong.”
Bai Shanshui glanced at her and said sincerely, “My strongest is my luck.”
Ye Celeng looked down at her hands.
In terms of comprehending sword arts and cultivation, she originally had not been slower than Bai Shanshui. She had become a cultivator far later than most people in Changling, but she had entered realm seven far faster than most people.
But since Bai Shanshui’s arrival, and she guessed that the beautiful woman in the wineshop who moved even Li Lingjun was Zhangsun Qianxue, who was closely related to that person, she was not as calm as she appeared.
Especially when she was certain that person’s heir could appear…… her emotions were even more restless. Her hands were trembling but the energy around her hands rippled smoothly like water.
She thought she had experienced countless storms, even facing the bloody storms before Yuanwu’s ascension without changing her expression. But when her long years of wait were finally reaching a result, she found she could not remain calm. She was on the edge.
“How long will you need to recover your energy?” She looked up and asked Bai Shanshui.
“Be patient.”
Bai Shanshui looked at her and said, “In a few more days, I will be able to kill Shen Xuan.”
Volume 5 93 - Have Come To Kill You
The dozen cultivators were standing in the wind and snow in front of Zhangsun Qianxue. Their figures were gradually obscured by stronger wind and snow, but her steps slowed even more.
The power released by these cultivators formed indigo pillars that stretched into the sky but strangely connected together. Zhangsun Qianxue did not use her casual slash like before. She sensed the movements of these cultivators, and stabbed at the cultivator with the weakest presence.
The coldness faded, and the air in this space seemed to suddenly warm up. All the coldness gathered in her sword, and stabbed towards this cultivator.
The cultivators shouted together, the indigo pillars connected together like dragons suddenly forming indigo fire. The pieces of ice gathered quickly in the direction Zhangsun Qianxue pointed, forming an icicle tens of feet long as it stabbed towards that cultivator. The indigo fires flew out of the pillars like moths to a flame.
The indigo flying fire disappeared. Pieces of ice sprayed off the icicle, and it shrank, gradually disappearing by the time it was several feet away from that cultivator. Zhangsun Qianxue’s eyes seemed to burn with red flame, but her expression did not change as she took another step.
The cultivators in the formation seemed to shudder in unison and took several dozen steps back. The cultivator she was pointing at with her sword now had several sounds on him, many red lines.
Mo Ying knew the power of the formation created by these cultivators. In reality, these cultivators from different sects had followed him all this time, and had evolved this formation more than a dozen years, just to prevent assassinations from the experts of Ba Mountain Sword Field. So he knew the power and realm represented by Zhangsun Qianxue’s attack. After hiding for many years, this Eldest Miss Gongsun dared to cultivate with this violent sword no one in the world dared do. She had not been consumed by the fiendish energy of this sword, and successfully entered the ranks of the strongest people of the world.
But his gaze quickly left Zhangsun Qianxue. He looked at the young cultivator in black robes and said, “I know you do not want to kill many people.”
His words were not a military order, but it was the first time he spoke since Zhangsun Qianxue and Ding Ning came into the camp. So at the first words from the commander in chief, the camp went silent.
“Since you do not want to kill more people, we can talk.” His gaze pierced through the flying debris to land calmly on Ding Ning. He said, “If I am correct, you are the heir of the Nine Death Silkworm, and have come to settle the old debts of the Ba Mountain Sword Field.”
The entire camp grew silent. All the soldiers, including the dozen cultivators who could be killed by Zhangsun Qianxue at any moment, stopped completely.
This was like time had frozen in the camp, all because of the three words “Nine Death Silkworm.” In Changling, and even in the entire Qin Dynasty, there were no words more magical and shocking.
“All right,” Ding Ning said simply.
Zhangsun Qianxue stopped walking forward. Everybody in the camp stopped. Every gaze gathered on Ding Ning. Many people uncontrollably started to shake, including the cultivators in the formation.
“Those who move, will die.”
Mo Ying looked at Zhangsun Qianxue who had stopped walking but still held the Nine Hell King Sword.
All his subordinates understood the meaning. This was not just an order, but also a reminder. In the camp, except for him and the cultivators in formation, no one else could stop Zhangsun Qianxue’s sword.
“I owe Ba Mountain Sword Field.” Mo Ying looked at the only person moving, Ding Ning who was walking towards him, and said. His expression turned cold. “I was originally just a pharmacist in the military. After coming into contact with cultivators on the front lines, I gradually learned some cultivator tactics. Later, when transporting medicine, I accidentally encountered Master Yan. She felt I had talent, and taught me the sword. I owe her this gift of a new life, and owe the Ba Mountain Sword Field.”
At this, he looked into Ding Ning’s eyes and made sure he heard his words. Then he said, “But a student does not have to make the same choices as the master. Even if I returned to Ba Mountain Sword Field, it would not have helped. Master Yan would still die, and Ba Mountain Sword Field would still be destroyed. Also, i did not think that Master Yan was correct.”
“I am a cultivator, and learned from the Ba Mountain Sword Field. But first, I was a soldier. In my view, it was settled that the Holy One would ascend the throne, and the change of the Ba Mountain Sword Field was of no benefit to the Qin Dynasty.”
Mo Ying looked at Ding Ning who was listening intently without speaking. He slowly looked up at the sky and said, “What I did was just like what Ba Mountain Sword Field wanted to do in the past. I did not want to die for nothing. I want to see the Qin Dynasty grow stronger. So in these years, I did not return to Changling to fight for power, and stayed as a general on the border.”
“Was everything Ba Mountain Sword Field and your master did correct?” Mo Ying said heavily, “Do all the people who do not follow the thoughts of Ba Mountain Sword Field have to die?”
His words were powerful.
In reality, right now, many cultivation places in Changling, including some generals, had sympathy for the Ba Mountain Sword Field. They admired Wang Jingmeng, and felt that Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu’s betrayal back then was shameful.
But these feelings were based on reason and righteousness. Ba Mountain Sword Field’s revenge had to be based on reason and righteousness. No one was strong enough to kill everyone in the world. If you were not accepted by the world, no revenge could succeed.
Mo Ying’s words were more powerful than the formation created by the dozen cultivators.
“You speak sense. People who do not follow the thoughts of the Ba Mountain Sword Field do not have to die.”
To everyone’s surprise, Ding Ning nodded and spoke. Even Zhangsun Qianxue was surprised and stilled.
“But Ba Mountain Sword Field will take back what is of Ba Mountain Sword Field.” Ding Ning looked at the dazed Mo Ying and continued. “You do not admit your relationship to your teacher, but you got her things, and told them to the enemy. This is betraying your master. You should be exiled out of the sect. Taking back the sword and sword manuals she taught you, and destroying your cultivation is justified.”
Ding Ning’s voice slowly echoed in the quiet camp. No one had objections. Even the death warriors most faithful to Mo Ying could not raise any objections.
Being exiled from the sect and destroying cultivation was the lightest punishment. But for a powerful grandmaster like Mo Ying, what did destroying cultivation mean?
Mo Ying took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. He looked at Zhangsun Qianxue and said in a cool voice, “The Eldest Miss Gongsun does not count as a member of the past Ba Mountain Sword Field. Only people from Ba Mountain Sword Field can collect what is of Ba Mountain Sword Field.”
Ding Ning smiled faintly. “Then I will collect.”
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