Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Before Wuding was here, Wen Zhong told him one thing, “Strength and state can’t reflect how powerful one is.”
Some people’s strength far exceeded the limitation of state. Wen Zhong hoped Wuding could be one of them.
Hence, his mana was sealed as he came to the dangerous Lake East.
Three more days until his battle with Lei Jing. Three days were sufficient for many things to happen.
After Wuding lost his mana, he then realized how weak he was. The water surface was calm, but beneath it was tempestuous.
The undercurrent was constantly distorting Wuding’s form. This was not the scary part. The scary part was the man-eating sea mammals in the undercurrent.
Wuding was not able to rely on Flying Star Incantation but only his wooden knife and his astonishing spiritual sense.
Without mana, he found it difficult to make use of the knife technique which could separate water and he could no longer make use of the formation of the ever alive knife domain.
He was more powerful than a commoner but his strength was significantly less than the sea mammals in the undercurrent.
At a distance away from where the sky and water were connected, there appeared a water wall which was extremely tall. In front of the water wall, Wuding looked minuscule.
Wuding held on to his knife tightly until the water wall was coming towards him ferociously. His body flipped and the enormous power shook his bones all over as if he was about to be shattered.
While Qi cultivator’s body was not as strong as the Xia Clan, it was way better than a commoner. However, in the face of nature’s tremendous power, it was nothing.
Wuding was cast to the sky, and he swung out his knife as he fell painfully back into the water.
The knife made use of the momentum of falling perfectly as it landed on the highest point of the water wall. The water wall was split into two and it revealed a bare, black back. It was the back of a sea mammal. It was extremely smooth and had a surface area of more than three hundred feet.
The back curled up quickly, and the fish head was revealed. It was showing its gleaming sharp teeth and the gigantic mouth which seemed to have no end. In the face of danger, Wuding did not hesitate to attack with his knife. The wooden knife was plain and unassuming. It carried along the sound of air resistance as he hit towards the fish head.
At such a high speed, Wuding could not ‘see’ the fish head. In replacement. What he could see clearly was a gigantic three-dimensional image with lots of piping and gushing blood, and also the gaps in between.
The structure of the fish head was as clear as day to him. He knew which part of it was the weakest, and he could even control the exact strength he needed to use and the subsequent reaction of the sea mammal.
With one hit, the fish head was split open without resistance. The red blood splashed around and stained Wuding’s chest. They were soon washed away by the water.
The real challenge was just about to begin. Because of the blood of the sea mammal, more and more sea mammals were approaching Wuding. He still needed to be here for three days until the battle began.
Wuding was going through hellish training in order to achieve the top knife technique.
At the same time, Lei Jing was much more relaxed.
After she was done with summoning wind and rain, she felt dreamy, like a drizzle, which was beautiful but none could really see clearly in it. It gave people rooms to imagine but at the time could not get the true meaning of it. It was like being above the clouds.
Lei Jing was at Xia palace where next to it was too a lake, Lake Jade. She did not come here voluntarily but Emperor Xia made her. People said that the water of Lake Jade was from the heaven. While it was an exaggeration but in reality, the lake was full of spiritual opportunity which exceeded even that of Xia Canal. Furthermore, the water was calm and hence it was extremely suitable for cultivators who were pursuing the Dao of water element to absorb the Qi of vitality of heaven and earth.
Lei Jing did not go to the mid-lake pavilion where the spiritual opportunity was the highest, but instead, she was sitting by a white bay. There were willows behind her. It was a beautiful scene, but it was not as beautiful as her.
She liked to stay at such a place where it was tranquil and peaceful, where nobody would be around.
This was not who she used to be. It seemed that she was influenced by someone, hence the changes.
She did not feel there was anything bad about it as she enjoyed the present.
Tranquillity was after all, hard to maintain. She heard someone coming.
It was not that she heard footsteps but that she had a feeling that someone was here. In reality, the visitor had no sound, it was the High Priest.
He took off the green copper mask he usually wore. His beauty exceeded even that of Lei Jing. He was carrying a zither as he walked towards her like a ghost.
Lei Jing did not turn back. She smiled and asked, “High Priest, are you looking for me?”
“There is no one else here other than you.” The High Priest replied.
Lei Jing spoke softly, “I heard you aren’t feeling well recently. Why are you out?”
Subsequently, there was a coughing fit. It was weak.
The High Priest walked up to Lei Jing’s side. Despite not turning back, Lei Jing saw the reflection of the High Priest from the Lake Jade. He was terribly skinny and he looked as if his bone was just wrapped with a layer of skin.
It was not the first time Lei Jing saw the High Priest but compared to the past, he was indeed much more withered.
She sighed and asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
The High Priest laughed, “I wanted to listen to the zither. Do you know how to play the zither?”
Lei Jing replied in helpless tone, “You already brought the zither along. It is not appropriate if I say I don’t know how to.”
The High Priest replied in a serious tone, “Naturally it isn’t appropriate.”
After he finished, he began laughing.
The High Priest passed the zither to Lei Jing. The body of the zither was black all over with not less than fifty strings.
Lei Jing fiddled with the string, and she said, “This is a secluded bamboo.”
The secluded bamboo was a famous zither which was once used by a celestial for summoning a soul that had fallen into the endless hell. The endless hell was a mythical place in the Netherworld. By now, nobody knew where the endless hell actually was. Perhaps it no longer existed.
In general, falling into the endless hell meant one was beyond redemption. In the endless hell, the soul would suffer endless pain but the celestial successfully relieved the soul of that pain from the endless hell.
Celestials were powerful but secluded bamboo had its attribute too.
“Not bad, this is a great zither. It has been with me for many years but unfortunately, it is hard for me to play it now with my condition. Hence, I have to ask this favor from you.” The High Priest said.
Lei Jing asked, “What do you want to listen to?”
The High Priest replied, “Anything, it depends on what you want to play.”
“My teacher once chanted this ‘Mountain Ghost’ for me and there the secluded bamboo was mentioned. I like it a lot, so I will be playing it.” Lei Jing spoke softly.
The secluded bamboo carried an air of mystery and depth. Its melody was graceful and bright which made it perfect for ‘Mountain Ghost’.
Playing the zither could help calm her down and allow her to be in her best state for the battle three days later.
The beautiful melody of the zither was accompanied by her soft but beautiful singing:
It seemed that someone was passing through the bend in the mountain and it was me carrying a ficus and having binata around my waist.
I was looking at your graceful smile and you said, you admired my elegance.
You were riding on a leopard, followed by a raccoon, the cart was dressed in flowers and colorful flags.
It was me carrying an orchid and I was willing to break a flower just to tell you how I feel.
I was still in the secluded bamboo where I could not see the day of light and the path was dangerous and hence I was late.
I stood alone at the tall mountain, the clouds were all underneath my feet.
The day was as dark as the night, as the east wind blew, the Gods made the rainfall.
