213: Chapter 80: On Lotus Peak, the Sword Qi Sings Long (End of Volume)_3 213: Chapter 80: On Lotus Peak, the Sword Qi Sings Long (End of Volume)_3 Qi Lie sat atop Golden Turtle Peak.
Today, after being driven out of the back mountain by his master, he settled here, alone, silently watching the snowscape.
He saw the figure in black, walking on foot through the snow beneath the mountain.
For a moment, Qi Lie felt dazed.
For some reason,
he always mistook Xie Zhen for his late brother Xuanyi.
From a distance, it really looked like him.
——
Big Senior Brother Zhou Zhiren stood at the gate of Xiao Chong Mountain.
Draped in a grey robe, holding a broom, he swept the endless snow dust all alone.
The snowstorm had been too fierce these past few days, and the menial workers of Xiao Chong Mountain were resting in their residences; they planned to get busy once the snow stopped…
But he alone had no rest.
Big Senior Brother stood on the other side of the swirling snowstorm.
From far away, he saw that melancholy, lonely figure of the black-robed youth.
Big Senior Brother stopped sweeping.
He originally wanted to wave his hand, calling the youth over…
but then he stopped himself.
Thus, when Xie Xuanyi passed by Xiao Chong Mountain,
the two of them stood, amid the layers of snow, motionless, silent, missing each other.
——
Atop the sky where the snowstorm raged fiercest, someone lay on the back of a crane, swaying with a half-jug of fine wine.
They erected a magical barrier and looked around at the vast expanse of silvery white…
Si Qi was the first to spot Xie Zhen’s figure.
In a daze, he mistook him for his brother Xuanyi.
Unfortunately, half a jug of wine was, for him, a bit too much.
Si Qi patted the crane, intending it to carry him down.
But in the end, he mumbled something indistinct, not knowing what he said.
The crane wobbled, let out a mournful cry, and instead took him even higher into the sky.
——
At the summit of Lotus Peak,
amid the heavy snow, intense sounds of clashing erupted.
Two figures were engaging in a sword exchange.
Duan Zhao, with a heavy sword on his back, constantly lunged at Xu Nianning, following a period of training behind Xie Zhen…
The kid had learned quite a bit, but swordsmanship was not easy.
Xie Zhen told him that for the next few days, he should not come to the manor again; it would be better to find an evenly matched opponent for sparring as the best strategy.
This “evenly matched” opponent naturally fell upon Xu Nianning.
For Duan Zhao’s challenge, Xu Nianning couldn’t have been more willing.
The two had already fought several bouts.
Duan Zhao had yet to win a single one.
Because Xie Xuanyi told him that if he wanted to practice swordsmanship, he had to throw away the Boxing Manual; in this match, they were only allowed to use swords, not fists.
Relying on his Golden Body Realm, Duan Zhao was almost invincible, but Xu Nianning’s swordsmanship far exceeded Duan Zhao’s; their battles were like an old man playing with a child, and the youngster often ended up disoriented, utterly defeated.
This time was no different.
After thirty rounds,
Duan Zhao was poked in several acupoints, sending him flying backward, grimacing, unable to stand up.
Xu Nianning sheathed his sword, standing tall.
The two had previously agreed on the sword exchange to “stop at the touch”; once someone couldn’t stand up, the exchange was over.
Duan Zhao pondered hard over the reasons for his defeat in this exchange and thought about how to win the next time.
Xu Nianning, on the other hand, approached their master.
Huang Su, cloaked in a wide black robe, sat on the Flowing Cloud Flying Sword, resting her chin in her hand while staring blankly at that black-clad, slender figure down the mountain.
Following the direction of her master’s gaze, Xu Nianning blinked.
In a soft voice, she said, “Is Xie Zhen, the young master of the mountain, finally about to comprehend the way on his own?”
As soon as these words were spoken,
Duan Zhao, who had been “shutting the door to forge the sword,” immediately perked up and scrambled over to them, casting a curious glance down the mountain.
“…
Indeed.”
Huang Su came back to his senses, chuckled softly, and said, “He really can keep his calm.”
The whole Sword Palace knew.
Lotus Peak had accepted two extraordinary disciples.
One was Xu Nianning, who had an epiphany in the Xuanshui Cave Heaven for ten days, breaking through two realms in succession!
The other was even more inconceivable…
a full twenty days of enlightenment, and yet he gained nothing!!
Duan Zhao was an “exceptional existence” that, even when looking back at the millennium history of the Sword Palace, was utterly unprecedented.
Now, everyone was very curious.
As the new master of Xuanshui Cave Heaven, what would Xie Zhen comprehend if he personally sought enlightenment?
…
…
Xie Xuanyi stood at the foot of Lotus Peak, deep in thought for a long time.
Hum!
The Lotus Jade Command in his arms trembled lightly.
It was the Sect Leader, channeling his Divine Thought through this jade token.
Thus…
the conversation between the Sect Leader and Law Enforcement at the forbidden area of Golden Turtle Peak was delivered, word for word, into the sea of Xie Xuanyi’s spirit.
Under the icy skies and snowy earth beneath Lotus Peak.
There seemed to be a faint warmth brewing within his Heart Lake.
“…”
Xie Xuanyi smiled and shook his head, putting away the Lotus Jade Command properly.
He extended his hand, lightly touching the void in front of the mountain gate, ignited a stardust gateway, which reflected squarely in the windy and snowy mirage.
After hesitating for an entire day, he finally made up his mind and stepped into the Xuanshui Cave Heaven.
This time.
In this Grotto Heaven, he was alone.
Xie Xuanyi walked along the Lotus River, taking his time; he was in no rush to complete the journey.
With each step he took.
A strand of Sword Intent would blossom and flourish in the Lotus River.
Water droplets soared to the sky like fireworks, bursting at their peak, then pausing, solidifying, as if time itself had stopped…
Xie Xuanyi continued on his way, with the river behind him blooming like lotus flowers, each blossom radiant and splendid.
Eventually, he reached the end of the Lotus River, passed through a dense forest of Sword Qi, and arrived before the vast, boundless azure sea.
Xie Xuanyi stood before the Lotus Sea.
He did not advance.
The sea came forward.
Countless lotus flowers surged towards the new master of Xuanshui Cave Heaven, awaiting their master’s selection.
Xie Xuanyi chose the largest one and stood upon it.
——
“Thud!”
On this day.
Da Sui Sword Palace, heavy snow covered the mountains.
Atop Lotus Peak, a long ringing of Sword Qi was heard.
The new master of Xuanshui Cave Heaven, Xie Zhen.
Solemnly tolling the bell for his own Sword Qi.
…
…
(End of Volume Two.)