Volume 2: Heaven’s Will is like a Sword

  TL-Checked by SassyStrawberry; Edited by Animeart

  On the river, the melancholic mist chilled one to the very bone.

  Lin Shu returned to the cabin.

  Lingshu and Lingsu were waiting at the hatch. When they saw him approaching, they said, “Pavilion Master, please come with us.”

  The Sword Pavilion’s boat was very simple. Although it had an imposing outward appearance and was large and sturdy, inside it only had very basic furnishings.

  Lin Shu understood that in the ancestral teachings of the Sword Pavilion, the good looking, loud-sounding, and delicious things which give people a sense of stimulation and enjoyment, were nothing more than the floating dust of the secular world, which did nothing but disrupt one’s state of mind, and were meaningless.

  Lingsu led him to the main room of the cabin and said: “Pavilion Master, Lingshu and I will assist you in changing your attire.”

  Lin Shu: “I will do it myself.”

  Lingsu said “Yes”, and then passed over the entire set of attire.

  In the previous conversation with the elder, Lin Shu knew that Lingshu and Lingsu were actually considered lower-ranking disciples of the Sword Pavilion.

  Their mental state was of course excellent, but their talent and aptitude were not up to expectation, hence they became “sword attendants”.

  The disciples of the Sword Pavilion immersed themselves so thoroughly in cultivation, that inevitably their day-to-day self-management was very poor and required significant effort on their parts. Therefore, the more senior Martial Uncles, Grandmasters, Elders, and the Pavilion Master all had their accompanying “sword attendants”, and Lingshu and Lingsu were his “sword attendants” as the Pavillion Master.

  The sword attendants took care of the Master’s lodging, food and drink, and also handled all the errands, so that their Master could focus on cultivation without distractions.

  Sword Pavilion’s true disciples’ names all have the prefix “Yun”, such as Yunlan, while the sword attendants’ names start with “Ling”, such as Lingshu and Lingsu.

  However, even the sword attendants with their inferior aptitude amongst the disciples of the Sword Pavilion, had at least a Yuan Ying level of cultivation.

  Lingsu was a delicate and pretty young girl, she looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, but she was already at the early stage of Yuan Ying. Her temperament was pure and composed, and her gaze was clear. If she were placed in the outside world, she would be considered exceptionally gifted.

  From this example, the level of qualifications of the other disciples of the Sword Pavilion could be easily inferred.

  Lin Shu moved his gaze away and picked up the clothes presented by Lingsu.

  This was the attire of the Sword Pavilion Master.

  The long robes were snow-white, fastened with light silver at the waist. The outer covering was an icy white robe with long loose sleeves. The clothes were without any unnecessary patterns or decorations, there were only hidden inlays of silver that flowed across the garment.

  He sat down in front of the mirror, and Lingsu used a jade comb to arrange his hair.

  The hairstyle was not complicated, two strands of hair were left hanging in front of the forehead, the remaining hair was half tied up and the remaining half left hanging loose, and finally affixed with a white jade hairpin with a flowing cloud motif.

  Lin Shu looked at himself in the mirror.

  The facial features of this body had always been good-looking.

  It’s just his gaze was now cold, filled with snow and ice, which made him feel that he was now a little unrecognizable.

  He suddenly thought, if the girls from Phoenix Mountain Villa were here, maybe they would have gleefully teased, “What a beautiful Immortal Lord!”

  Or maybe they wouldn’t have been able to muster up the courage to tease him–the person in the mirror looked so indifferent, very much like the image that he saw reflected in his mirror daily, during his past life.

  Lingsu: “.……”

  Lingsu put the things away and handed them to Lingshu, smiling slightly. His eyes showed pure admiration. He said: “The Pavilion Master is indeed, without a doubt, the Pavilion Master.”

  Lin Shu asked: “Did the Sword Pavillion not have a Pavilion Master previously?”

  LingSu spoke of what he knew “After “Endless Yearning” went missing, the position of the Pavilion Master fell empty. We have been waiting for you to return to the mountain.”

  “Endless Yearning”.

  Lin Shu thought, “Endless Yearning”, the peerless exercise of Sword Pavilion, had been lost for twenty years.

  Various forces had coveted “Endless Yearning” for twenty years.

  Although he practiced “Endless Yearning”, he learned it in his previous life. He had never seen any trace of “Endless Yearning” in this life.

  Why didn’t the elder question where he had learned Endless Yearning?

  Why did he not have any doubts about his teaching inheritance and identity?

  He asked: “Didn’t you look for the “Endless Yearning”?”

  “We did not look for it.” Lingsu said: “Elder Hui once said to us that hiding treasures often results in misfortune. The Sword Pavilion is a pure and quiet place. However, as long as “Endless Yearning” is present, the Sword Pavilion will not be able to set itself apart from the secular turmoil. Therefore, the Sword Pavilion falsely claimed that the “Endless Yearning” was lost, but it was actually taken away by an Elder in the Sword Pavilion many years ago and hidden somewhere that has nothing to do with the Sword Pavilion, but outsiders will never be able to find this place.”

  Elder Hui was the white-bearded elder.

  Lin Shu knew from yesterday’s conversation that there were currently six Elders in the Sword Pavilion. Among them, Elder Hui had the most seniority. When the position of the Pavilion Master was empty, it was him who took charge of all the Sword Pavilion’s affairs.

  “Endless Yearning” wasn’t lost?

  An Elder of the Sword Pavilion had taken the “Endless Yearning” away, so that outsiders would never be able to find it?

  Wouldn’t his own lineage be very suspicious then? Why did they think that he is the Master of the Sword Pavilion, and who was the Immortal Lord Taoyuan who had also practiced “Endless Yearning”?

  Lin Shu thought about this point, and asked in the same manner: “Amongst the Elders of the Sword Pavilion, is there an Elder with the title of Immortal Lord Taoyuan?”

  “Responding to the Pavilion Master, I don’t know about this matter.” Lingsu said: “The Pavilion Master can ask Elder Hui about this matter, but this name does not sound like someone from the Sword Pavilion.”

  Lin Shu: “En.”

  Lingsu said she was not sure either, but based on her words, Lin Shu felt that it was most likely that there was no such person in the Sword Pavilion.

  Where was Lord Taoyuan? Why would he have practiced “Endless Yearning”?

  Was he dead?

  However, according to Ling Fengxiao, this Lord Taoyuan was one who had mastered all the forms of “Endless Yearning”. His martial arts attainments were profound and his cultivation was great. Such a person could only have ascended, not died.

  He probably has ascended.

  And the “Endless Yearning”, although lost, would definitely eventually be found.

  ——Otherwise, how could the Master of his previous life have taken out a copy of “Endless Yearning” for him to learn from?

  After puzzling about it for a while, Lin Shu stopped thinking about it, in any event, no matter what he thought, he couldn’t escape becoming the Master of the Sword Pavilion.

  Since it was irreversible, he didn’t have a very strong sense of curiosity.

  The days passed this way, with Lin Shu living in seclusion. The Sword Pavilion didn’t advocate eating, this was replaced by Fasting Pills. Neither was sleeping advocated, which was replaced by meditation. His daily life was all about cultivation and recovering his spiritual power.

  There was a spell on the boat, which made it travel in a very stable manner. If one didn’t leave the cabin, they wouldn’t even realize that they were travelling on a boat.

  \r \r \r

  However, on this day, the boat suddenly stopped.

  Lin Shu opened his eyes and looked out of the cabin door.

  Lingshu and Lingsu were sitting in meditation, but at this moment they also opened their eyes and picked up their respective swords.

  Lingshu said: “I’ll go and have a look.”

  Lingsu: “Okay.”

  The voice of Elder Hui came from outside: “Your Excellency has been waiting in the middle of the river, is something the matter?”

  Another voice replied: “I have long admired the Sword Pavilion, and I heard news of the Pavilion Master passing by, hence I came to have a chat with the Pavilion Master.”

  Lin Shu recognized this voice.

  It belonged to the Great Wizard.

  He considered for a moment, he and his party had been traveling for two or three days, and counting the days, it was indeed about the time needed to reach the boundary of Northern Xia.

  The Great Wizard was naturally in Northern Xia.

  However, the Great Wizard wanting to meet with him was not feasible ——they had just fought each other recently, and the Great Wizard obviously had ulterior motives when he said “Caught you”.

  Caught me? It is impossible to catch me.

  When the Sword Pavilion came to receive him, it had been a grand affair, bringing three Elders who were at the stage of Crossing the Tribulation realm. Lin Shu himself was also at the cultivation stage of Crossing the Tribulation.

  At this time, Lingshu returned and said to Lin Shu, “Pavilion Master, Elder Hui asked me to ask you, since the Great Wizard of the Northern Xia Dynasty wants to meet you, do you intend to see him?”

  Lin Shu: “I don’t.”

  Lingshu then went out to deliver the message.

  He heard Elder Hui say in the distance: “The Pavilion Master doesn’t want to see you, please leave.”

  The Great Wizard’s voice was very gentle and polite at this time. He said, “I have important matters to discuss with the Pavilion Master.”

  Another message from LingShu.

  “I believe that between us, there are no important matters,” Lin Shu said.

  After hearing the message, the Great Wizard fell silent.

  Lingsu laughed softly.

  Lin Shu’s face was expressionless.

  This was the truth.

  The Sword Pavilion was a reclusive sect. Both Southern Xia and Northern Xia had no relationship with the Sword Pavilion, and Sword Pavilion didn’t need to rely on them for backing. So what important matters could there be between him and the Great Wizard?

  Unless the Great Wizard had malicious intent and was plotting something, perhaps digging some traps for him——which made Lin Shu even less inclined to meet with him.

  After the period of silence, the Great Wizard said: “In that case, I have a letter here, please deliver it to the Pavilion Master.”

  Elder Hui said: “Fine.”

  Then said: “Your Excellency, farewell.”

  The Great Wizard said: “May we meet again in the future.”

  Lingshu presented the letter.

  The letter was sealed properly, the envelope was black, it seemed to be made of some animal’s thin hide, with a crimson witchcraft pattern carved on it.

  When Lin Shu opened it, it only contained a thin piece of paper.

  [Three years later, on the 27th day of the fourth month, may the Lord please gaze at the distant stars in the heavens.

  Three days after that, this humble one will respectfully await your arrival at the Grand Dragon Court of Zhongzhou.]

  The calligraphy of the Great Wizard was just like the person himself. The letters were not ugly, it was actually a bit beautiful, but it is suffused with a gloom and a chilling air.

  The intent of this letter was for him to look at the stars on a specific day after three years.

  Then in three years, I will consider it.

  Lin Shu folded the letter.

  Lingsu said, “My Lord, I will put it away.”

  However,the moment he handed over the letter, Lin Shu saw that there were words on the back of the letter.

  It was a poem.

  At this time, we gaze at the moonlight together, but do not hear one other.

  If only I could follow the moonlight and fly to your side.

  Lin Shu: “?”

  What was the Great Wizard trying to say?

  Lin Shu couldn’t understand it.

  A love poem?

  I’m sorry.

  I’m a Sword Cultivator with no emotions.

  A secret code?

  He and the Great Wizard didn’t have pre-arranged secret code.

  Lin Shu didn’t think about it further. He handed the letter to Lingsu and didn’t mention it anymore.

  Other than this interlude, the rest of the journey was smooth sailing. After passing Fengling Crossing, they travelled upstream along the Tianhe river.

  Tianhe was not an ordinary river. It had unusual earth veins underlying it, the upper part of the river was full of spiritual power, let alone mortals, but even the cultivators and sorcerers would avoid it if possible, and would not cross the river carelessly. At the source of the Tianhe River, the boundary of the Sword Pavilion was protected by an incomparably powerful enchantment, which completely isolated the Sword Pavilion from the outside world. Only the people who were permitted by the Sword Pavilion could enter.

  Passing through the boundary enchantment, would stir up flurries of ice crystal mist and powdery snow. After the mist had dissipated, what appeared before Lin Shu’s eyes was an endless plains of snow and snow-capped mountains.

  The Sword Pavilion was located on the highest peak amongst the snow-capped mountains.

  Nine thousand long steps were carved into the snowy mountains and one could ascend to the top by climbing up, step by step.

  At the mountain peak, was the Sword Pavilion.

  Elder Hui said: “Pavilion Master, follow me.”

  Lin Shu went with Elder Hui.

  However, this route was very familiar to him, and he had traversed it many times.

  In his last life, he grew up here. Afterwards, he went to school outside, but he always came back twice a year.

  There were nine thousand long steps in the ice and snow. If one were Mortal or those with weaker constitutions would not be able to walk up. If they were cultivators, they would still have to exert significant efforts.

  Lin Shu just walked steadily.

  Suddenly, fresh splatters of blood appeared along the long steps in front of him.

  He looked up and saw a young man in coarsely woven hemp clothes walking upwards slowly.

  He would take a step, kowtow once, another step, kowtow again.

  He had injured his forehead and his knees, leaving blood on every step, as he continued forward.

  The weather and ground was freezing. Each time he kowtowed, three bloodstained prints would be left behind. In the cold wind, the wounds would quickly dry and then at the next step, it would bleed again because of the collision between the skin and the rough steps.

  His forehead was already blurred with the blood and injured flesh.

  Lingsu seemed to have noticed his gaze, and gently explained, “Pavilion Master, this is a person who seeks to become a disciple. Every decade in the Sword Pavilion, elders will come to the world to personally select disciples, but if there are a few young people who take the initiative to come here, they won’t turn them away. Regardless of their aptitude, if they can kowtow one step at a time and complete the nine thousand long steps, they can become a disciple of our Sword Pavilion.”

  Elder Hui stroked his snow-white beard, and said: “Kowtowing one step at a time is not to ask the disciple to pay their respects to the Sword Pavilion, but to test the disciple’s determination and temperament. Those who can reach the nine thousand long steps have iron like perseverance. Such a temperament in itself is already exceptional in the world. Regardless of their level of ability and innate talent, Sword Pavilion will definitely take them in.”

  Lin Shu: “En.”

  They passed the youth.

  Lin Shu noticed the youth watching him. There was a burning admiration and respect in his gaze.

  He nodded slightly at the youth.

  The young man was already weakened, and could only move in an extremely slow manner. After that nod from Lin Shu, it was as if his spirits had been invigorated, and his movements sped up again.

  There were still five thousand long steps ahead.

  Lin Shu passed through these five thousand steps, and the Sword Pavilion Mountain Gate appeared in front of them.

  On the left side of the mountain gate, there was a huge boulder of bluestone, on it was carved with the words: “One’s sincerity can move Heaven and Earth, and even the mountains will make way.”

  These characters constitute the first ancestral precept of the Sword Pavilion.

  Life at Sword Pavilion was indeed hard.

  Sword practice, interpreting the ‘Dao’, meditation, day and night unceasingly.

  However, with regards to earthly matters, or cultivation matters, if the mind was sincere then nothing would feel too difficult or hard to endure.

  The exceptional power of the Sword Pavilion, would largely be due to the credit of that first precept.

  Lin Shu had walked in here countless times in his previous life.

  Green pines, white snow, stone platform, open spaces, it seemed to be from another world.

  The difference was that now there were white clothed disciples practicing the sword, and upon seeing him, they executed a sword salute, and said: “We pay our respects to the Pavilion Master.”

  Lingsu said: “Pavilion Master, your quarters are here.”

  This was a single hall at the highest point. According to Lingsu, it was the residence of the Pavilion Master.

  Lin Shu walked into his room from his previous life.

  The white stone table, the icy jade bed, and even the furnishings had not changed at all.

  He left the hall, crossed a tightrope bridge, and reached another peak.

  ——That’s the place where he practiced swords.

  Lingsu said that every generation of Pavilion Masters would all practice their swords here.

  He then started living there.

  The Master of the Sword Pavilion didn’t seem to need to do anything. It was similar during his previous life, and also true in this life.

  Most of his time was spent practicing his swordsmanship.

  On the peak of this snowy mountain, all emotions and thoughts were silent, facing the vast rivers and hills in front of his eyes, he practiced with only a longsword in his hand.

  Forgetting to return to the valley under Liuxue Mountain, there was a vast void, making people forget themselves, and then forget to return.

  When the thick mist rises, the sea of clouds soar upwards, the distant Tianhe River seems formless, and the sound of the surging water gradually disappears along the sinking of the mood, and everything is quiet and lonely.

  The Sword Pavilion mountain was ten thousand ‘ren’ high, upon reaching the summit, one could look down on the world from a great height, seeing the boundless world, seemingly just an inch below the mountain.

  The “Endless Yearning” First Level.

  The first form, ‘The Empty Valley of No Return’.

  The second form, ‘Unseeing Tianhe’.

  The third form, ‘The Towering Cliffs’.

  And after that, he no longer looked down from the mountain, paid no heed to his surroundings, he felt silent and his mind was empty of thoughts, he only felt the ‘Vastness of Heavens and Earth’—the Second Level.

  The fourth form is ‘The Eternal Cloud’.

  Fifth, ‘Heaven and Earth are Merciless’.

  In the sixth form, ‘The Deep Clear Water is Silent’.

  Heaven and Earth are exhausted, and they will ‘Return to Themselves’, which is the Third Level.

  Time moved like running water, on the third year, he had reached the seventh form, ‘A Solitary Boat’.

  Lin Shu put away his sword.

  His cultivation had entirely recovered, and was even more profound than in his previous life, it’s just that there hadn’t been any signs of his impending tribulation. His intuition told him that time was still far away.

  The date April 27th that the Great Wizard mentioned seemed to be coming closer, he would have to go back.

  The sound of wind.

  Between the heaven and the earth, there was the endless sound of wind.

  He just stood like this, and at night, the mountain top was very close to the sky, the night sky pressed downwards, and the starlight flickered and twinkled in the dark clouds.

  As the snowfall grew heavier, he closed his eyes, and a few snowflakes fell on his face, and fluttered down.

  Lingsu came forward and covered him with a feathered cloak.

  In actuality, he did not feel the cold.

  He couldn’t remember what it felt like to be cold anymore.

  The seven emotions and five senses, the past, had gradually dissipated like the fog. Day after day, just living like this without feeling anything in particular.

  Only occasionally in the middle of the night did he feel that his lifespan had extended indefinitely with his cultivation base, and his life was just gradually being used up with the passing of time.

  At this time, he would think to himself, I wonder if Ling Fengxiao is sleeping well.