Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Chu Yang’s eyes started to sparkle when he saw the Emerald Clouse Stone and the Universal Azure Crystal.
The reason was simple – these two treasures were two out of the nine components required for the Nine Heavens Sword to condense into solid form. It was similar to the Creation Heavenly Crystal that he had obtained from the Nine Netherworld Ghost Monkeys’ ancestral ground when he ventured deep into the Barren Expanses all those years ago.
His ancestor from Ethereal Mountain had obtained one such item by chance and passed it down through the generations ever since. However, not many people from the Ethereal Mountain knew the truth about its identity, and it was the first component that Chu Yang managed to get.
Afterwards, he had followed the guidance of the dreamy memories from his past life, and sought out the second item and the third one from the Great Zhou Empire’s Tianjing City and the Ancient Yuantian World respectively. He found the fourth one in an obscure outer realm, and he even discovered the Soul-Printing Stone that could create avatars at the same time.
Besides that, the remains of the Min Heaven Banner of the Northeast that belonged to the Nine Treasures of the Heaven’s Gate also ended up in his hands. However, the magic treasure’s original soul had been destroyed and it was just an empty shell.
He began to re-forge this item when he reached the immortal soul stage. The treasure’s original soul was reborn and restarted its journey from the Gestation level once again.
The fifth treasure was the Creation Heavenly Crystal that he had discovered in the Nine Netherworld Ghost Monkey’s ancestral ground.
The sixth treasure came from the Cang Heaven Spell Blade. When the Cang Heaven Spell Blade returned to the Celestial Sect of Wonders, Lin Feng didn’t keep the treasure around for long and casually gifted it to Chu Yang.
And today, the Emerald Cloud Stone and the Universal Azure Crystal suddenly appeared before his eyes. Chu Yang was typically stoic and composed, but his breathing started to quicken at this point.
If he could have these two items, he would have eight out of the nine treasures required to forge the Nine Heavens Sword. Success was in sight, and the Nine Heavens Sword that had yet to take its proper form would receive a boost in its power as well.
Chu Yang recovered swiftly and pocketed the Emerald Cloud Stone and the Universal Azure Crystal. He bowed respectfully towards Zhu Yi and showed his gratitude to Lin Feng and Zhu Yi.
Zhu Yi accepted his words of appreciation on behalf of his master, but he politely declined when Chu Yang referred to him. Zhu Yi said, “The last component that you need to forge the sword is nowhere to be found. However, the Heavenly Imperial Jade has recently joined under our wing, and he has told us that when the Heaven’s Gate Sect was annihilated all those years ago, the Great Void Sect was the one that took the Ancient Soul Warm Jade. Still, we cannot confirm this speculation for now.”
Chu Yang nodded his head. The Ancient Soul Warm Jade was one of the nine precious treasures that the Heaven’s Gate Sect had prepared to forge the Nine Heavens Sword all those years ago, and it was indeed the final component that he needed.
Chu Yang wasn’t surprised that Zhu Yi was familiar with his secrets. He knew that neither Zhu Yi or Lin Feng would want the Nine Heavens Sword for themselves.
“My master has remarked that even if you have all nine treasures, you won’t be able to obtain the best results even if you follow the Nine Heavens Sword’s shadow and re-forge it.” Zhu Yi glanced at Chu Yang and continued, “Even if you’re successful in forging the Nine Heavens Sword, it will be similar to the Immortal Dragon City that wasn’t properly forged all those years ago, or the Emperor of the Dead’s Life and Death Book before he consumed the Wheel of the Six Paths.”
“It will take serendipity and some special opportunity for the Nine Heavens Sword to reach the Destiny level.”
Chu Yang began to ponder when he heard these words. “Indeed…”
He started to forge the Nine Heavens Sword when he ascended to the immortal soul stage. His understanding of the Nine Heavens Sword grew deeper and he developed some speculations of his own. He was able to consolidate his thoughts a lot better now that he had Lin Feng’s pointers.
The only thing was that Chu Yang felt as if there was a fog covering his eyes regarding the opportunity that was needed for the Nine Heavens Sword to reach the Destiny level, and he still couldn’t see clearly.
In the beginning, Chu Yang thought that the Nine Heavens Sword could only reach the Destiny level if it slashed the Saintly Celestial Sword into two like the Heaven-Destroying Sword did.
Before the Celestial Sect of Wonders and the Heaven-Destroying Sword, the world agreed that the only sword that could match the Saintly Celestial Sword across the history of the Divine Lands was the Heaven’s Gate Sect’s Great Nine Heavens Holy Sword.
It was a pity that the Heaven’s Gate Sect was laid to waste shortly after, and the Nine Heavens Sword became a dream.
In the end, the Saintly Celestial Sword was the most powerful sword-type magic treasure in the Divine Lands before the Heaven-Destroying Sword. Even though it was slashed into half by the Heaven-Destroying Sword, it was still extremely formidable.
The Nine Heavens Sword probably didn’t have the Heaven-Destroying Sword’s force or strength. The Heaven-Destroying Sword wasn’t even a Destiny-level magic treasure but it had the power of one, and forcefully chopped the Saintly Celestial Sword in half even though the latter was already a Destiny-level magic treasure. Even if Chu Yang could replicate the feat, he felt as if that wasn’t the opportunity or juncture needed for the Nine Heavens Sword to reach the Destiny level.
The Nine Heavens Sword and the Saintly Celestial Sword and their respective swordplay were different and opposing in some sense, but it was not the same as the Heaven-Destroying Sword and the Saintly Celestial Sword.
Chu Yang developed another vague and murky conjecture, but he wasn’t confident about validating his speculation or falsifying it at this point. He felt a tingling sensation in his heart as he raised his eyes towards Zhu Yi.
Zhu Yi met his gaze and said slowly, “Master has nothing else to say to you.”
Chu Yang deliberated for a while. Lin Feng had nothing else to say to him – that was Lin Feng’s pointer.
He consolidated the thoughts in his head before he placed his hands together and bowed towards Zhu Yi. “Thank you, leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders. Thank you, Zhu Yi.”
Lin Feng remained at Mount Yujing when Zhu Yi took the Emerald Cloud Stone and the Universal Azure Crystal to the Great Zhou Empire’s Tianjing City. He was still sitting on the Black Heavenly Treasure Tree’s branch, and he was silently cultivating his own mantras.
His eyes were closed as purple energy surged around his body, and the Taiji Diagram on his forehead gradually rotated.
Lin Feng stopped after a while and absorbed the purple energy back into his body. The Taiji Diagram on his forehead vanished instantly as he turned to one side. “Shihao? Is something up?”
At this moment, the void split open where Lin Feng was looking at. A youth with charming features and wearing a violet robe with golden edges appeared from within – it was Miao Shihao.
Miao Shihao’s expression was serene and solemn. His body emanated with auras that tinged with desolation yet appeared free and at ease. He seemed like he was an elegant and magnificent prince that was banished from the heavens and was plagued with worry and anxieties.
He greeted Lin Feng and said, “Sect leader, I am here to announce my departure.”
Lin Feng wasn’t surprised at all and laughed as he replied, “Have you finally decided to take in disciples?”
Miao Shihao smiled and said, “That is correct. I have finally consolidated my thoughts and emotions, and the mantras that I have cultivated are not that bad either. Life has been too quiet, and I am itching for something, and I do want to find a disciple to inherit my mantras and whatnot.”
“You exerted your dominance during the War of the Two Worlds, and the Great Void Sect ended up in a bad shape. They were forced to seal their mountain, and I’m not afraid of running into them when I roam the world by myself.”
Miao Shihao chuckled and continued, “Furthermore, it will be meaningless even if they killed me now. I have already told you everything that I know and there’s no need to seal my mouth for good anymore. Even if they want to kill me for vengeance, the benefits can’t possibly make up for their losses in doing so.”
“I believe the Great Void Sect’s attitude towards me is one of: what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over?”
“Even though I’m in the immortal soul stage, I’m still no match for some of the top individuals in the Great Void Sect. I will not seek them out on my own. In the end, they will be annihilated by your hands.”
Lin Feng’s expression didn’t change as he listened to him. He glanced at Miao Shihao, and Miao Shihao’s gaze seemed a little empty as he said plainly, “The Great Void Sect is concealing their strength and biding their time, but it doesn’t mean that they will give up without a fight. They are merely storing up their power. If you don’t seek them out, sect leader, they will come to your doorstep eventually.”
Lin Feng smiled faintly but said nothing, and a radiant smile appeared on Miao Shihao’s face. “I will hand over the administrative tasks that I have within the sect, and I will depart the mountain once that has been settled.”
“I’m curious – what kind of disciple are you looking for?” Lin Feng laughed and said, “Will it be someone unsophisticated, simple and straightforward, or will it be someone with a nimble and creative mind?”
Miao Shihiao shrugged his shoulders casually and muttered, “Who knows? I don’t even know myself. I’ll decide as I go, and as long as we are fated, and his innate endowments are good enough and he’s suitable to practice my mantras, it doesn’t matter if he’s unsophisticated or otherwise. Both are workable.”
Lin Feng nodded his head and replied, “That suits how you’ve always done things.”
Miao Shihao smiled and that anxious, despondent and cold quality suddenly changed and he returned to the charming and enchanting demeanor before he reached the immortal soul stage. He looked at Lin Feng and said, “Actually I’ve always wanted a disciple with a personality like yours, sect leader.”
His eyes had a tinge of resentment as he continued, “Don’t think I am being disrespectful with my words. This is because you have never given me an answer, so I can only start thinking for myself.”
Lin Feng glanced at him and said, “You decide whatever disciple you wish to take, and I will not interfere. However, I pity the kid that will become your disciple.”
Miao Shihao covered his mouth and giggled. “Listen to what you’re saying. I will be extremely nice to the kid that eventually becomes my disciple, and I will protect the child with my life.”
Lin Feng muttered, “That’s the reason why I pity him.”
Miao Shihao laughed out loud the moment he heard these words, and his entire demeanor switched once again. He was unnaturally good-looking, and his laughter was as hearty as ever, as if he was a vehement and brave warrior from the north. “You must be joking.”
With that, his demeanor toggled yet again and he became elegant and honorific, much like Zhu Yi and Jiao Junchen, as if he was a scholar that had browsed through every single archive in the world.
He stood up and bowed at Lin Feng and said, “Sect leader, I’m going.”
Lin Feng tilted his head and smiled. “I hope that you will find someone that you want to be your heir.”
Miao Shihao’s demeanor switched and he became feminine and charming once more. He flashed his eye whites at Lin Feng before he turned gracefully and pranced away.
Lin Feng shook his head. “Real deception and truthful artifice, what’s real can be fake at the same time and what’s fake can be real – what an interesting mantra.”
“However, speaking of heirs…” Lin Feng’s gaze shifted downwards and his eyes turned towards Yang Qing’s Nirvana World. “Yang Qing’s Nirvana World has finally found someone else. Not bad, not bad.”
Of Lin Feng’s eight direct disciples and the eight different branches and abodes that belonged to them respectively, Yang Qing’s Nirvana World was the thinnest – only Yang Qing and Zhou Yuncong resided within. Yang Qing had been the target of rumors and gossip from the outside world because of this some years ago.
Of course, both Yang Qing’s personal achievements and that of his disciple, Zhou Yuncong, were enough to prove all those rumors and gossip wrong, and that the people spreading them had eyes but couldn’t see.
Yang Qing was in charge of the Medicine Mountains, and his status was relatively high. His mastery in forging pills and whatnot was second only to Xiao Yan amongst the rest of Lin Feng’s disciples, and there were many disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders’ younger generation who wanted to join his branch.
Ever since the Anti-Celestial Sect War, Yang Qing spent most of his time roaming the world and doctoring at the same time. He was afraid of messing up the guidance he had to give his disciples if he had any, and he was also a little forlorn and distraught because of his lover, Fang Ting. He hadn’t taken any disciple ever since Zhou Yuncong.
Zhou Yuncong’s personal journey of cultivation was filled with danger and peril, and he had to be careful and meticulous about it. He didn’t have the energy to mentor other disciples from the younger generation, and he was introverted by nature and seldom interacted with other people.
This was the reason why the Nirvana World branch only had Yang Qing and Zhou Yuncong over the recent years.
But now, the Nirvana World finally had a new disciple.
