Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
No matter whether Zhang Ruochen was telling the truth or not, Huang Yanchen just felt a little better. She said tentatively, “Actually, I can feel that Xingling loves you very much, but because of me, she deliberately keeps distance from you. Can you tell me what the two of you have gone through in the past year?”
Without any reason, Zhang Ruochen suddenly remembered that night when he and Mu Lingxi kissed each other deeply.
Although many factors beyond rational control had led to that kiss, there was still deep guilt in Zhang Ruochen’s heart.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Huang Yanchen and reason told him that he should not speak of the matter. It would be futile to explain otherwise.
Zhang Ruochen avoided the important and dwelled on the trivial. He told Huang Yanchen about his experience in the past year, including how he came across Mu Lingxi, how he killed Di Yi, how he came to the Yin and Yang Sect, and so on.
Huang Yanchen listened carefully. Unconsciously, she had nestled in Zhang Ruochen’s arms, leaning her glittering and translucent face against Zhang Ruochen’s chest. Her eyes were closed, revealing only two rows of fine eyelashes.
She had delicate facial features and moist skin. Her long royal blue hair was scattered on the ground as if she had fallen asleep. However, her ruddy lip gently opened as she said, “Zhang Ruochen, Xingling is a good girl. You mustn’t let her down.”
“Hmmm!”
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, “She is indeed a girl who dares to love and hate. She is an extremely affectionate woman.”
Huang Yanchen immediately opened her closed eyes and asked, “So, something must have happened between you and her, right?”
Zhang Ruochen looked dignified and serious with his hands tightly clasped together. He didn’t have the heart to lie to her any longer.
Since some things had already happened, there was no need to conceal them.
Huang Yanchen stared at Zhang Ruochen and the expression in her eyes showed that she had correctly guessed that Zhang Ruochen and Duanmu Xingling were more than just friends.
Before Zhang Ruochen could say it, she said, ” Forget it. Pretend I never asked. ”
In this way, they fell into silence.
Early in the morning, a ray of warm sunshine fell on both of them.
Han Xue came up from the distance and appeared behind Zhang Ruochen with a sword on her back. She said in an immature voice, ” Master, grand-master told me to tell you that he wants to meet you alone. He needs to talk to you about some things.”
Zhang Ruochen stood up to leave.
Behind him came Huang Yanchen’s voice. “Zhang Ruochen, tonight… come to my room. I will be waiting for you.”
Zhang Ruochen’s steps faltered slightly. He understood her meaning. With an “hmm” sound, he continued walking and left with Han Xue.
Zhang Ruochen saw Sword Saint Xuanji again and found that the old guy had become even more unpretentious. He was sitting on a wooden bench and weaving a bamboo basket like a simple bamboo maker from the countryside一he had no trace of the elan that an unprecedented sword saint should have.
It was as if he was going back to basics!
Sword Saint Xuanji’s hands were full of wrinkles. Each of his movements was smooth, weaving every piece of bamboo extremely evenly. When he finished, the woven bamboo basket was quite delicate.
“Xiaoxue, take it!”
Sword Saint Xuanji handed the bamboo basket to Han Xue with a smile on his face.
“Thank you very much, Grand-master.”
Han Xue took the bamboo basket and left.
Sword Saint Xuanji stared at Han Xue’s back with his old eyes that narrowed as he smiled. “Thousand-bones Physical Quality, a Genius in the Tao of the sword. Ruochen, the female disciple you’ve taken has practiced Sword One to the seventh level. She is more talented than you. Her future achievements are unimaginable.”
Zhang Ruochen stood beside Sword Saint Xuanji and said, “Xue Er’s qualification is indeed the only one I have ever seen in my life. She can master any sword technique as soon as she learns it. It was not long ago that I gave her the tips on Sword One . I didn’t expect that she would practice to the seventh level so soon.”
After a while, Sword Saint Xuanji asked, “Have you told Yanchen the truth?”
Zhang Ruochen nodded his head and said, “Since she had already guessed, I didn’t want to keep hiding it from her. Let it all just go with the flow. Who can tell whether it is a blessing or a curse.”
Sword Saint Xuanji very calmly said, “You and she indeed live a hard life with so many ups and downs. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for you.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a wry smile and said, “I find that your realm seems to have gone one step further, returning to the truth. Could it be that Master has broken through to that realm?”
Sword Saint Xuanji shook his head with a smile and said, “It’s not easy to break through to that realm. However, during the recent period of adjustment, some changes have taken place in my mentality. I now take winning or losing, life or death lightly.
“Maybe you can also realize that when you reach this realm. When you are faced with things that should happen, you can accept them with pleasure. When faced with what shouldn’t happen, you can also accept them with pleasure.
“This is not what I meant to say. I asked you to come here this time mainly to talk to you about three things.”
Having said that, Sword Saint Xuanji sat down on the floor. Zhang Ruochen adjusted his robe and then sat respectfully across him, listening carefully.
Sword Saint Xuanji sat squarely and his imposing manner suddenly became a bit more fierce as he asked, “The sword you used on Scroll Mountain is Thousand-bone Empress’ Void Sword, isn’t it?
“Yes.” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Sword Saint Xuanji said, “Did you know that there is a legend about the Void Sword? During the Middle Ancient Times, Thousand-bone Empress fought with a god and killed him with the Void Sword.
“After the fight, however, Thousand-bone Empress disappeared as well.
“Later, a mysterious Deceased God Cemetery appeared in God Falling Ridge. It is said that Thousand-bone Empress was seen entering the Deceased God Cemetery and never came out again.”
“Netherworld? ” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Deep in the Deceased God Cemetery was the legendary Netherworld.
It was a place no one could leave after entering.
“It is indeed the Netherworld.”
Sword Saint Xuanji nodded and said, “Someone speculated that Thousand-bone Empress must have discovered something that time, so she entered the Netherworld alone with her sword to prevent unknown hidden danger.
“It is also said that the god that was killed by Thousand-bone Empress escaped from the Netherworld.
“There were different opinions. No one knew what was true and what was false. However, one thing was sure: the wraiths and Demon Fierce couldn’t escape from Deceased God Cemetery. It must be related to Thousand-bone Empress.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned, and then nodded his head and said, “I’m afraid that only Thousand-bone Empress could overwhelm the wraiths in the Netherworld.”
Sword Saint Xuanji seriously said, “However, the Void Sword appeared in your hand. Thousand-bone Empress is likely to have fallen. As a result, Deceased God Cemetery is now an uncertain factor, and those wraiths and Demon Fierce can escape at any time. If so, I’m afraid that the prosperous Eastern Region will become hell overnight.”
Zhang Ruochen took a cold breath and finally realized that something was wrong.
“Of course, these are all just my conjecture. No one can say for certain what the current situation is in the depths of the Deceased God Cemetery.”
Sword Saint Xuanji smiled, making the solemn atmosphere a little lighter as he said, “The reason I told you this is just to give you a wake-up call. The Vanity Sword is a supreme Holy Weapon full of spirituality. It didn’t appear in your hands by accident. It is more likely that it came to you on its own initiative.
“If the wraiths in the Netherworld successfully escape someday, the only solution would be to bring the Void Sword back to the Deceased God Cemetery and find Thousand-bone Empress. If you can find her, you may be able to end the disaster.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I will certainly remember your words, Master.”
Sword Saint Xuanji changed the topic. “The second thing一since there will be a life-or-death fight between Nine Serenity Sword Saint and me on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar, it is necessary to make final arrangements in advance.”
” Master…” Zhang Ruochen interrupted.
Sword Saint Xuanji raised his hand and stopped Zhang Ruochen from saying what he wanted to say. Then, he lifted his hands and converged them on his eyebrows.
A silver light spot appeared between his eyebrows.
A Holy Sword flew out from his eyebrows and became suspended in the air between them.
The sword was four feet long and three inches wide, but its blade was irregular like a carpenter’s square.
The sword body was very smooth as if it was made of pure silver, with printed white lines slowly flowing on it.
“This sword is called ‘Taotian.’ From the generation of the Patriarch, it has been passed down for 16 generations. In each generation, a sword saint guards it and keeps a huge secret at the same time.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “What secret?”
Sword Saint Xuanji shook his head with a smile and said, “I don’t know what the secret is. There are six similar swords in Kunlun’s Field, divided into six veins and headed by six people. It’s not the right time to know it. Even the six Sword Holders don’t know the role of the Six-hilt Divine Sword either.
“If I am defeated and killed in the fight with Nine Serenity Sword Saint, you will be the next Sword Holder of Sword Taotian. Take my body and Sword Taotian to Mingwang Sword Burial Site in the Central Region and bury me with the former patriarchs. When you get there, someone will tell you everything naturally.”
“Mingwang Sword Burial Site.”
Zhang Ruochen repeated and remembered it. He said, “Master will not lose and will surely defeat Nine Serenity Sword Saint in the Sword Technique Conference.”
“My Heart State is far beyond his, and there is a 70% chance of winning. We are only making arrangements in advance just in case I don’t win. The disciple of the Sword Taotian mustn’t be interrupted.”
With a confident smile on his old face, Sword Saint Xuanji seemed to have great confidence in his Tao of the sword.
Zhang Ruochen said, “So, what is the third thing?”
Sword Saint Xuanji smiled faintly and took away the Holy Sword Taotian, saying, “The third thing is to help you practice Change of 36 Forms so that you do not expose your identity when encountering some old monsters in the future.”
Zhang Ruochen then followed Sword Saint Xuanji to practice Change of 36 Forms. They didn’t stop until night fell.
Zhang Ruochen returned to the seclusion stonehouse and planned to continue practicing Change of 36 Forms alone.
All of a sudden, he stopped and remembered what Huang Yanchen had said.
After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Ruochen finally stood up and left the seclusion stonehouse. Stepping on the soft moonlight, he made his way to Huang Yanchen’s room.
