Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Everything in this world was contained in the cause-and-effects.
The life and death.
Inside and outside a lonely grave.
Departing after saying “I love you” three thousand times.
Understanding another person’s music; collecting the corpses of their friends at the city gate.
To kill their friend’s enemy a thousand miles away after hearing their grudge.
To avenge one’s friend even though they had to fight against thousands of foes.
All of above were the cause-and-effects.
It was unnecessary to talk about the events of the mortal world rushing past like the torrent of a river; neither was it necessary to concern oneself with three life times, turning and tossing on the bed, and growing thin without a clue and appetite.
There was a flower on the mountain, which enjoyed the sunlight and rainfall for many years alone. It was the cause-and-effect between a person and the flower if the person happened to pass by and see the flower.
If the person left the mountain and no more people saw the flower again, it was still the cause-and-effect.
It wasn’t until one day that another person saw the flower and decided to build a thatched hut by the flower. It would be another cause-and-effect if this person lived in the hut and took care of the flower by watering it daily.
Everyone’s cause-and-effect is a straight line between two points. Countless cause-and-effects are countless lines, and some lines will meet at a certain point, meaning they are inclined to reach that point.
That point is oneself.
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…
Who am I?
I’m Jing Yang.
Who is Jing Yang?
A great many years ago, he came to Green Mountain from Zhaoge City and started cultivating. He spent his time mostly behind closed doors, and had only eaten the hotpot twice with his Big Brother, Liu Ci and Yuan Qijing.
Afterwards, he spent most of this time remaining dazed, though he had helped that devil sword and the devil cat dodge the pursuit of his Big Brother and the Dead Dog.
A few decades ago, he was ready to ascend. Due to the thought of helping out Green Mountain, he went to Zhaoge City and saw the unborn child in a pregnant woman in the midst of snowflakes; and he met another child in a small village a few years later.
Jing Yang was not the person who had the name of Jing Yang and the memories, talent and appearance of Jing Yang.
It was because the appearance would change, the memories and talent could be inherited, and the name could be altered.
Jing Yang was in fact not another Jing Yang. He was the Master of Zhao Layue and Liu Shisui, the Young Senior Master whom Yuan Qijing loved and hated at the same time, the person who caused the ceramic wares at the manor of State Duke Lu to break into pieces, and the person with whom the whole of Green Mountain had been familiar for over a thousand years.
We are actually not entirely ourselves. We are our parents’ children, parents of our children, partners of our partners, friends of our friends, and buddies of our gambling buddies. We are who we are in the eyes of others in this world.
The point met by these causes and effects is us.
We and the world are mutual cause-and-effects.
In order to prove that we are ourselves, we have to pay attention to the other end of the cause-and-effect lines; so it’s irreplaceable.
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…
It was quiet on Tianguang Peak.
It was because nobody could fully understand what Jing Jiu had said.
“I’m the result of all cause and effects”
In fact, he had mostly made this one statement.
The rest were the understandings of others based on their experiences.
Yuan Qü seemed to understand a little bit but not quite so, as he scratched his head so hard that a few puffs of green smoke had almost come out from his head.
Gu Qing opened his eyes and looked at his Master by his side. He had already succeeded in breaking through the state, but his mind was occupied by the thought of that straight line leading to the north at the Icy Wind and Violent Sea.
Zhao Layue was also thinking of the straight line breaking through the icy sea.
So was Zhuo Rusui.
The peaks of Green Mountain were enshrouded by a delicate atmosphere.
All of a sudden, the atmosphere was interrupted rudely by a furious shout.
“You can’t change the fact that you are a sword devil even though you can make those seemingly wonderful and sophisticated statements.”
The shout came from the crowd of Tianguang Peak.
It was the person who did the same before.
When Jing Jiu bombarded the Immortal Tai Lu to death, this person had denounced him by saying that it was impossible for him to kill all of the Green Mountain disciples.
The elder of Tianguang Peak, Bai Rujing, was released after having been locked in the Sword Jail for a few years.
Bai Rujing came out from the crowd and yelled sternly while staring at Jing Jiu, “You’re a sword devil, and you should let us capture you without resistance!”
The Young Zen Master was preoccupied with what Jing Jiu had said, finding it was quite wonderful. He felt displeased when his thoughts were interrupted by such a sudden shout. He looked at Bai Rujing with knitted brows, wondering if he had a death wish.
Many Cultivation practitioners couldn’t understand what Jing Jiu said, and they were reminded by this sharp shout that they had no need to listen to this sword devil.
Jing Jiu had been unwilling to take out the Inherited Heaven Sword, so a majority of the Cultivation practitioners present had accepted what Fang Jingtian and the small child in blue clothing said.
It was impossible for them to believe that Jing Jiu was the Immortal Jing Yang simply because he had said something that was wonderful but incomprehensible.
In their opinion, Jing Jiu was the sword devil who had killed the Immortal Jing Yang and managed to procure the post of sect master of Green Mountain. Furthermore, this sword devil had colluded with the Underworld; who knew what he would do next?
If he were allowed to become the sect master of Green Mountain, it would put Green Mountain, the whole of Cultivation circle, and even the human race in danger.
As the Cultivation practitioners, they couldn’t allow such a thing to happen.
“Kill this devil!” Bai Rujing yelled sharply while staring at Jing Jiu.
Along with this yell, dozens of flying swords flew up from various places on Tianguang Peak, breaking through the air and pointing at Jing Jiu in the hut.
Here was Green Mountain, so the swordsmen of other sects didn’t make a move. Yet, those elders and disciples of Green Mountain who were usually intolerable of evildoers couldn’t hold back themselves any longer.
Seeing dozens of sword lights in the sky, Bai Rujing generated a sensation of pride and a pleasure of revenge.
Jing Jiu didn’t take a glance at him.
A blood-red sword light illuminated the top of Tianguang Peak.
The Thoughtless Sword shot up into the sky and cut the flying sword in the front in half.
In the next moment, dozens of flying swords flew over from various places on the peaks, blocking those flying swords intended to harm Jing Jiu.
The crisp sounds of flying swords clashing rang out like the rainstorm, and then stopped abruptly.
Over a hundred flying swords were divided into two camps, hovering in the sky over the top of Tianguang Peak, and quivering as if they would strike again at any moment.
The flying swords that had come over to protect Jing Jiu belonged to the disciples of Shangde Peak and Tianguang Peak; but strangely enough, there were a dozen flying swords were those of the disciples of Liangwang Peak.
It was well known that Jing Jiu disliked Liangwang Peak. He had placed many restrictions on Liangwang Peak after he became the sect master of Green Mountain. The young disciples of Liangwang Peak had many complaints about it; but why did they want to protect Jing Jiu?
Seeing this scene, many people felt it odd, including Yuan Qijing.
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…
Guo Nanshan spun his head and glanced at Yao Songshan.
Yao Songshan’s ranking on Liangwang Peak had move up to the eighth from the eleventh. He displayed a steady energy while staring straight ahead and saying nothing.
Guo Nanshan took a look at Lei Yijing.
Noticing that he was gazed at by his Big Brother, Lei Yijing felt a bit startled, but he soon lifted up his head and said, “There is nothing wrong with protecting the Sect Master!”
In fact, he was also suspicious of Jing Jiu’s identity; but he called out his flying sword and confronted the hostile swords without a second thought when he saw those flying swords heading toward the small hut.
It was probably the same reaction as that during the battle of the West Ocean in which the flying swords charged forward when they saw the Immortal Taiping on the brink of being killed by the swordsmen of other sects. In the words of Elder Mo Chi, they failed to restrain themselves.
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Hundred of flying swords were facing each other in hostility; it was an extremely tense situation.
Everybody was aware that this was merely the beginning. Most of the people who couldn’t hold back were the disciples of younger generation; the elders of the peaks still remained silent, especially those peak masters.
The peak master of Yunxing, Fu Wang, had a hesitant expression in his eyes; his skinny and long right hand quivered slightly in the wind, as if it would grab a sword at any moment.
Chen Youtian looked at the white cat in Jing Jiu’s chest, his eyebrows knitted, as he thought that the Master White Ghost shouldn’t make a mistake at such a critical moment. But it occurred to him that the White Ghost was a devil cat to begin with, so it would be natural for him to be close to the sword devil.
Looking at Jing Jiu in the hut, Yuan Qijing seemed to wait for Jing Jiu to say something before making his own decision.
Nan Wang looked at the distant mountain with her hands folded behind her back; it seemed that she didn’t even take a glimpse of the peak, paying no attention to what was unfolding.
The silence of the important figures made the atmosphere grow tenser; the disciples of Green Mountain had no idea what they should do next.
Gu Han was ready to call out his sword. He looked at Guo Nanshan for guidance, “Big Brother?”
Guo Nanshan had a grave countenance, indicating that he had no answer to the predicament. He turned to Zhuo Rusui.
“Don’t look at me. I don’t know anything.”
Zhuo Rusui continued expressionlessly, “I’m also very nervous though I look calm and composed.”
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The silence couldn’t last forever.
The confrontation would turn into a sword battle.
By that time, the sword lights in the sky would turn Tianguang Peak into rubbles.
The camp that supported Jing Jiu had apparently less people, and most of them were the young disciples.
Some people suddenly recollected that the Immortal Guangyuan was sent to the West Ocean and not allowed to come back for the Grand Ceremony of inaugurating the sect master. Did Jing Jiu predict the current situation ahead of time?
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, an awe-striking but obviously tired voice suddenly boomed out.
“When has Green Mountain been in such an embarrassing situation?”
Though no expression could be detected on Yuan Qijing’s face, anyone was able to tell that he was hurt and angry.
Today was the day for the Grand Ceremony of inaugurating the sect master of Green Mountain, and many significant figures in Chaotian had come for the event; but the situation had gotten out of control right in front of the practitioners of other Cultivation sects.
Would the Green Mountain Sect stage a show of killing each other in front of the practitioners of other sects?
“It’s my thought as well,” Jing Jiu rejoined.
Fang Jingtian, the Immortal Tai Lu and the Drifter were all arranged by his Big Brother.
The intention of his Big Brother was to dethrone him from the post of sect master of Green Mountain, then kill him. It was because his Big Brother had thought that he was the All in One.
In his Big Brother’s view, Green Mountain used swords as their primary weapon, and he couldn’t accept the fact that Green Mountain would be used by a sword.
Jing Jiu came before the stone monument and looked at the distant Shenmo Peak, saying while patting on the back of the stone turtle, “Go.”
There was neither subject nor object in this statement.
Did he bid farewell to the stone turtle or inform somebody?
“I know,” said Zhao Layue.
Gu Qing got up and came over with the Sword of the Universe in his hands, ready for his Master to ride on it.
Yuan Qü caught up to them with his head lowered, not daring take a look at Yuan Qijing.
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…
“Want to leave? Not so fast!”
The cold voice of Bai Rujing broke out.
A powerful and formidable sword light headed toward Jing Jiu by the stone monument.
When he was locked in the Sword Jail, he had reviewed his defeat carefully and determined that Jing Jiu’s strength was far inferior to his own; Jing Jiu relied on the power of the White Ghost to have successfully sneak-attacked him.
Though Jing Jiu struck the Immortal Tai Lu to death with one thrusting fist, he had no way to do the same twice today since he had already exhausted his energy.
He didn’t ignore the White Ghost of course, and he didn’t expect to break through the defense of the White Ghost and harm Jing Jiu. What he desired was to cause a mayhem.
A small flame could eventually usher in a large fire. As long as his flying sword could encourage the fighting wills of others, he believed that more flying swords would strike down. Once the chaos engulfed the top of Tianguang Peak, Jing Jiu would have no chance of surviving.
He only used a brief moment to think all this over. His flying sword vanished and soon arrived at the stone monument.
The formidable sword light was nowhere to be found.
It hadn’t demonstrated a menacing aggression as expected.
The sword behaved like an air bubble bursting into oblivion.
Ada closed his mouth after making a loud burp; a devilish red shadow appeared briefly in the deep end of his pupils and disappeared.
The huge shadow of a white tiger could be vaguely seen in the high sky, giving off a horrifying energy.
It turned out that the white cat had swallowed the flying sword.
Bai Rujing’s sword pill was damaged as his true sword had been snatched away from him; he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
A bright and blood-red sword light swept over.
A terrible cry could be heard on the top of Tianguang Peak.
Two arms were seen flying into the air and landing on the ground one after another.
The Thoughtless Sword returned to Zhao Layue.
She walked to the rear of Jing Jiu calmly without taking a look at the bloody pulp that had become Bai Rujing.
