Chapter 61
The damp and salty sea breeze stirred with the strong scent of blood, pungent and icy cold.
Inside the enormous ship were thousands of brightly lit shark-oil lamps, like a brilliant moon rising above the surface of the pitch-black sea.
In the bright light, not too far away, the bloody waters and ruined corpses became clearer. There were bodies spread everywhere–pieces of flesh stacked upon each other, some with only half a body remaining, yet still with one final breath. The pained screams had long dissipated, leaving only faint groans and pained gasps.
The entirety of the Dragon Travelling Treasure Ship was like purgatory.
The blue-winged luan stood in the center of the bloodbath, chained by over ten shackles. Expressionless imperial guards held the chains firmly; after all they were accustomed to the sight of death, even scenes more bloody and terrifying than the current one before them.
And those who had already died or those who were not yet quite dead, they were all just then the sacrifices to subdue the luan.
Duan Chongxuan knew, the other person was currently lighting the lamps because he wanted nothing else but to shock him by this kind of devastation. As the useless crown prince who was raised in the inner palaces in his childhood and later sent off to Cang Ya Sect after growing up, he indeed should have been scared out of his wits, his state of mind afterwards in turbulent disorder.
He took a look at Wang Xi. The other did not say anything to urge him, as if he was just extremely patiently guiding him.
“Your Highness, have you thought it through clearly yet?”
He perfectly understood that using Flowing Light Chain could make the blue-winged luan go mad and hurt people, the damage immeasurable, but he paid no attention to what price his subordinates paid.
His nature, cold and resolute, was really suitable for major events, such as plotting a rebellion.
Of course, a vicious dog resembles its owner. Duan Chongxuan thought of the always gently smiling imperial uncle in his memories, and the bottom of his heart froze.
He stated, “I will follow you to see Xian Wang. But I first want to treat Luan Er’s wounds.”
With the dust having settled, Wang Xi let loose a breath, “This is only natural; Your Highness, please do.”
After all, this crown prince had too many deadly weapons on his person; there wasn’t much to be done about it. Naturally the best course of action was to do nothing.
He stepped to the side, leaving a way out of the surrounding layered encirclement.
The imperial guards holding the chains did not move, but they also did not stop Duan Chongxuan.
Laun Er saw him approaching, its ruthless and wrathful eyes originally housing a sea of fire, but then suddenly turned watery, like the red-rimmed eyes of a child that had been wronged.
Duan Chongxuan softly straightened its feathers, stooped his body, and fed a medicinal pill into its mouth. Luan Er quietly whimpered, obediently opened its mouth to eat it, and rubbed against his embrace.
The imperial guards standing ready were totally unable to understand–the terrible beast that was just a moment ago so destructive and fearful, how did it immediately become like this?
Duan Chongxuan patted it, then turned around to go back.
The blue-winged luan was obedient as before.
Many people in their hearts let loose a breath.
Right at this time, there was a sudden change!
A beam of incomparably brilliant lightning tore apart the curtain of night!
A high, clear and bright screech then echoed, like a crane or phoenix’s cry, between the whistles of the wind, the blue-winged luan shrunk to half its size appeared in the sky
And Duan Chongxuan’s hands grasped a long spear, the spear point giving off white smoke–it was exactly the Flowing Light Chain that he had severed on Luan Er’s neck.
There had never been any lightning. It was just that the speed was too fast–the deceptive image of the spear was like lightning had struck!
Feng Huo: Beckoning Fire.
“Feng Huo” was not a sword, rather it was a spear. If it was said that the number one godly weapons on this earth were well-deserving of their titles, “Chun Shan Xiao” and “Qiu Feng Li”¹ forged from the Lin Yuan sword, then this spear that the founding emperor of the Northern Continent had fought war on all sides with, was more than qualified to stand in the top five.
This move of Duan Chongxuan’s, Feng Huo Beckoning Fire, had barely two-tenths of its true might, but it could sever a Flowing Light Chain; this was purely reliant on the godly weapon’s intrinsic power.
In the instant that the chains on its neck had been snapped, Luan Er’s body had rapidly shrunk in size, extricating itself from the remaining shackles!
Duan Chongxuan made a long sweep with his spear, and the mist floating above the ocean gathered underneath the spear tip, the power like that of a storm. Everyone considering his status did not dare use their full strength to oppose him, and in a moment of carelessness, they were actually forced back.
The first to react was Wang Xi, he got up and flew over, at the same time shouting, “Fire the arrows! Form up!”
Bows and crossbows tightened, and countless arrows fired towards the airborne blue-winged luan! The moment they left the crossbows, the arrowheads ignited with a raging blaze!
Over the pitch-black sea, brilliant flames streaked across the long, dark night like a shower of stars.
Even more imperial guards leapt up onto the deck, rushing in an unending stream. The closest soldiers abruptly changed their steps, layer upon layer forming a surrounding formation, enclosing Duan Chongxuan within.
Duan Chongxuan only raised his head and yelled, “Run—”
But this time, Luan Er didn’t listen to him.
It fanned its wings and dove down from high above! Straight through the concentrated fires covering the sky and earth!
Wang Xi with a crossbow seized from a soldier, energy billowing his robes, all his core energy bursting forth from his entire body, set flying a single arrow!
The arrow tip pierced the air, issuing an ear-piercing whistle.
At the same time a saber at his side was unsheathed, the pressure arriving before the blade, forcing Duan Chongxuan into a hasty retreat, but he wasn’t able to escape the entrapment behind him!
In this moment, he once again suddenly recalled his father’s words–
Even if you have the backing of thousands, there will still be a day when you have to fight on your own
He held his spear out in front of him, no longer retreating, preparing to resolutely receive this blow.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the arrows from the night sky falling with extremely ferocious power, even if Luan Er flapped its wings as hard as it could, with its body still injured, it would not be able to avoid them…
But in a flash, the saber’s influence dissipated, the firelight in the sky also completely extinguishing.
It was as if a burst of wind had arrived; the massacre and crisis upon the sea was just dispersed in the wind.
Everyone looked towards where the wind had come from.
A person stood at the bow of the ship.
The person stood in the shadows where the lanterns didn’t illuminate, their entire body’s martial spirit like a sharp blade, as if it could cut apart the air.
A gentle wind resurged. The figure landed in front of Duan Chongxuan.
The blue-winged luan also just then floated down, but because its energy was exhausted, it could only collapse at the two people’s feet.
Everyone then could see clearly, the person who had arrived was a woman.
Sturdy maroon dress, ink-black hair bound up high, heroic and threatening.
Duan Chongxuan looked at the person in front of him, and he dazedly called, “Second-shijie…”
Liu Qishuang stepped to the side, slightly nodding, “En.”
Wang Xi’s complexion suddenly paled.
Because Duan Chongxuan’s one phrase had revealed the woman’s identity, causing him to sheathe the sword he had just unsheathed.
The number of people who had seen Liu Qishuang with their own eyes was very few, all year round she was cultivating on Xihua Peak, unconcerned with fame. But that did not at all mean her reputation was unknown.
On the contrary, because of that battle on Xiling Mountain many years ago, until today, the cultivation world still dared not forget her.
Like Jun Yu during that time, she very well demonstrated to people, what meant strength far exceeded cultivation realm.
Wang Xi signaled for all of the imperial guards to stand down, and he properly went over to greet her, “Cang Ya’s road is far; may I venture to ask why fellow Cultivator Liu has come?”
The other’s sincerity and etiquette gave the greatest degree of respect. According to common practice, some face had to be given, and a few words of greeting had to be said.
But Liu Qishuang only rigidly said,
“Picking up my shidi.”
Wang Xi’s complexion worsened.
Duan Chongxuan suddenly wanted to laugh a little. Because he knew, Shijie wasn’t deliberately not giving him any face. Rather, she lacked much experience interacting with other people, so she wasn’t able to make conversation. Ordinary exchanges with her shixiongdi was a bit better; meeting strangers, she could only be taken for a person with an icily arrogant temperament.
Wang Xi said again, “Cultivator Liu, this matter covers a very broad scope, and furthermore it is the northern imperial family’s affair… I trust you must also have heard of it back then, why His Highness went to Cang Ya to become an apprentice… If Fellow Cultivator can watch with folded arms, I can make you an oath here, the day this important matter is resolved, wangye will not forget Fellow Cultivator’s friendship today.”
The sincerity of these words was even greater. This was a kind of covert promise. Because he really didn’t want to take action here.
This vast ocean had nowhere from which to borrow power; but the other was able to traverse it without a thought, her core energy still incomparably abundant, and had effortlessly brushed aside his arrows and saber with a graceful flick of the sleeves–just this tiny bit was enough to make anyone afraid.
Duan Chongxuan was indeed the Sword Saint’s disciple, but that was due to the letter of recommendation the Academy Director had sent to Xihua Peak.
Why did the Director send the letter? Because of his original identity.
In other words, if he wasn’t the crown prince, or if Duan Sheng’an died or is no longer the emperor, this Sword Saint disciple’s identity cannot be counted as genuine.
This was how Wang Xi thought.
Every single person who had been in the middle of a power struggle for a long time would think this way.
Where the great benefits are at, that’s where people’s hearts will aim.
But no one on Xihua Peak thought this way.
Liu Qishuang didn’t even know who this “wangye” he spoke of was.
But she said her longest sentence this night, her expression very serious,
“I’m not concerned with why he came to Cang Ya; since he sincerely takes me as his shijie, I will sincerely take him as my shidi.”
**********
Central Continent. Yunyang City.
In late autumn, the dried leaves the children had just finished sweeping, now upon nightfall, fell yet again, covering the entire courtyard.
The Academy Director sat in the courtyard, shedding the former lofty dress of scholars. His black hair was bound by a wooden hairpin, his entire body covered in a simple silk sky-blue robe, looking even more casual and undisciplined.
It appeared the autumn wind was too chilly; the color of his lips was slightly pale, and the thin lines at the corners of his eyes were even a bit deeper.
He saw Wei Jingfeng exit from the room. Although he didn’t know the state of the other’s injuries, he still asked as if normal, “Would you like some tea?”
The Sword Saint did not reply.
Instead he took a look at the color of the sky.
The boundless night sky above their heads, covered by the courtyard walls and the countless buildings in the distance, was sliced into irregular pieces.
Still, the resplendent stream of stars could be seen, tranquil and beautiful.
Everything was the same as usual.
But the Academy Director’s complexion suddenly paled!
In the center of the courtyard, the sky above their heads unexpectedly started to sway violently; thin fissures spreading from Wei Jingfeng’s point of vision outwards, finally covering the entire field of view.
Just like shattering a sheet of colored glass, the façade was broken, the real sky was exposed!
Black like spilled ink, no stars and no moon.
“Crash!…–”
The illusion shattering had no sound. This noise was from the teacup in the Academy Director’s hand falling upon the ground, the spraying porcelain shards slashing a thin line of blood on the back of his hand.
The bloodstain flowed over pale skin, dripping on the withered pagoda tree leaves.
His figure swayed for a little, his right hand supporting himself on the stone table.
Wei Jingfeng’s eyes were a sheet of unconcerned coldness.
Suddenly faced with this kind of expression, he subconsciously thought to explain something, “This won’t harm people’s lives; it’ll just leave them in Jingsi Pavillion. As for your disciples, there’s even less to worry about…”
Wei Jingfeng wasn’t the slightest bit moved, only saying,
“You weren’t like this before.”
The Academy Director lowered his eyes, no longer speaking.
Because there was nothing to say.
He thought, you also say that was “before.” Haven’t I schemed against you enough over all these years?
He urged Wei Jingfeng to stay and recuperate, then used an array to isolate this place, until even the sky was false.
To maintain an array hidden from a saint’s eyes and ears, a price must be paid, and extreme depletion was required. To the point that the edges of broken china could easily cut open his skin and flesh.
This was all so the matter at Xingshan Temple could succeed.
To eradicate future troubles.
Wei Jingfeng looked at him with the same cold and detached indifference.
The Academy Director understood his meaning: Unable to defeat Mo Zun so you lay a hand on the younger generation instead, completely shameless.
A chilly autumn wind picked up in the courtyard, swirling up layer upon layer of fluttering dead leaves.
When the wind had gone, there was only one person left in the courtyard. As if from start to finish there had only been one person.
He slowly crouched down, little by little tidying up the shattered pieces of china on the ground.
The spot where the teacup had broken was the same spot where the array disk had been broken that day.
The same things Wei Jingfeng had given him those many years ago.
…
1) These are the names of the swords “Spring Mountain’s Smile” and “Autumn Wind’s Departure” held by Jun Yu and the sword saint