199: Chapter 68: Chen Ke Still Persists, Stubborn Ills Hard to Calm 199: Chapter 68: Chen Ke Still Persists, Stubborn Ills Hard to Calm “Valley Master, the Sword Qi Grand Ceremony has already ended.”
“Valley Master… Young Valley Master Ye has sent a letter through someone.”
“Valley Master…”
Atop Lotus Peak, it was serene and desolate.
Jiang Miaoyin sat in front of the waterfall, alone, silently listening to the tumultuous sound of the sword energy waterfall.
For ten years, she had spent her days this way.
Each day like the one before.
The disciples under Lotus Peak, not understanding why their master had secluded herself, thought that perhaps this was also a form of spiritual practice.
Thus, they seldom disturbed her on ordinary days, only reporting to her when faced with important matters.
During the time of the Sword Qi Grand Ceremony.
Lotus Peak saw slightly more visitors; Ye Qinglian and Jiang Qihu had both come to visit.
The few disciples under Jiang Miaoyin’s tutelage could feel that, in these days, the atmosphere around Lotus Peak had become much more relaxed.
But today.
Jiang Miaoyin once again sealed off the sword energy waterfall.
The intangible pressure of the sword qi roamed above the lengthy stone steps of Lotus Peak, giving one a sense of oppression… As a critical site for guarding the Grotto Heaven of the Da Sui Sword Palace, the responsibility borne by the disciples of Lotus Peak was not lighter than that of those from Golden Turtle Peak.
Over these ten years of seclusion, although Jiang Miaoyin had abandoned her chronic illness, she had taught many excellent disciples.
Today, something was off at Lotus Peak.
The disciples gathered in front of the sword energy waterfall, and after discussing, they decided to send Ling Yu to meet with her master.
But unfortunately.
Even though Ling Yu, who received the most guidance and affection from Jiang Miaoyin, could not enter the sealed area today.
They vaguely guessed the reason why their master had sealed off the sword energy waterfall.
Seeing things and thinking of people, deep affection is not long lasting.
Starting today, Xuanshui Cave Heaven has a new master.
That also meant… the stories left here by Xie Xuanyi have become the past.
…
…
The sound of the tumultuous water at Lotus Waterfall was stirring like a sword, intricate and intense.
A very light sound of footsteps came from behind.
A woman dressed in a snow-white robe and wearing a snow-white veil sat in front of the waterfall, her back to the newcomer.
Amidst the dense and noisy rush of the waterfall, she heard the footsteps.
Without turning around, Jiang Miaoyin tiredly said, “Today, I just want to be alone… Ling Yu, you should go back.”
“Ling Yu has already left.”
The response came.
From a calm and steady voice with a touch of youthfulness.
Jiang Miaoyin’s body suddenly stiffened.
Today, she had sealed this place and sat alone in front of the waterfall to let go of all thoughts and let countless divine thoughts settle down.
The entire Lotus Peak was irrelevant to her; indeed, she had managed to immerse herself in the miscellaneous sounds of the cascading waters, forgetting everything, including using divine thought to sense the identity of the comer.
“Xie Zhen?”
The woman in the snow-white veil slowly turned her head, seeing the youth she had only met once before.
Lotus Peak is a forbidden place of the Da Sui.
Without her permission… anyone who steps through the gate would be stopped.
How did Xie Zhen appear here?
Jiang Miaoyin was startled, she noticed a golden lotus that shone like fireflies, floating in front of this youth.
This lotus was not material but was composed of a thread of slender and weak sword intent… like a lantern swaying in the wind, but the light it emitted perfectly enveloped Xie Zhen.
Jiang Miaoyin immediately understood.
Her expression turned complex, realizing that, in the entire Da Sui Sword Palace, only one person could conjure this lotus.
If it were Sect Leader Pure Yang.
Then indeed… stepping into Lotus Peak, without needing her agreement.
“It’s the Sect Leader…”
Jiang Miaoyin murmured, “Did the Sect Leader leave his retreat?
Did he send you to see me?”
Zhao Chunyang today made a move, fighting a great battle with an old ancestor of the Qin Family in the far suburbs of the Imperial City… Although this event was tremendous.
In the Da Sui Sword Palace, however, no one had noticed.
All of it had occurred in a small courtyard beneath Lotus Peak.
…
Xie Xuanyi didn’t say anything but silently came to the front of the Lotus Waterfall.
“No, I wanted to see you in person.”
This time.
He did not use formal language.
Jiang Miaoyin’s heart thudded, as if a heavy bell had been struck.
“On the first day of the Sword Qi Grand Ceremony.”
“Huang Su gave me the ‘Lotus Jade Order’, and with the jade order, I went to Xiao Chong Mountain to check the case files of True Hidden Peak.”
Xie Xuanyi slowly said, “The cases from ten years ago, when the mountain was sealed, piled up like a mountain… but I was only interested in the story before ‘Xie Xuanyi’s’ death.”
“Xie Xuanyi had sent a secret report, which Si Qi delivered by riding a crane, up to Lotus Peak.”
“I originally thought that it was Golden Turtle Peak that had leaked the news of the secret report.”
He softly said, “The day after the report was delivered, on the tenth of November, Golden Turtle Peak issued a ‘Dispatch Sword Command’, summoning disciples… Clearly, it was the handiwork of the Law Enforcement, summoning so many sword cultivators to gather, either to attack a criminal or to execute a traitor.”
“But after the disciples finished assembling, the Dispatch Sword Command was withdrawn, and the next day Da Sui Sword Palace was sealed.”
Xie Xuanyi said with a complex expression, “The ‘Dispatch Sword Command’ issued by Law Enforcement just recalled the Da Sui Sword Palace’s sword cultivators that were scattered outside; beyond that there were no further actions.”
Jiang Miaoyin sat blankly in front of Lotus Waterfall.
“From the delivery of the secret report to the sealing of the Da Sui Sword Palace… the process took only seven days.”
“This period was exactly when Xie Xuanyi left Jiangning to arrive at Qing State.”
Xie Xuanyi sighed deeply, sitting in front of the Lotus Waterfall, and said softly, “For ten years, Jiang Qihu has been blaming himself, this foolish tiger has always been unable to understand how he ‘leaked’ Xie Xuanyi’s whereabouts…”
The secret report reached Lotus Peak.
Only a few were privy to it.
After Qi Lie submitted the secret report to Law Enforcement, the few disciples of Lotus Peak lost their “freedom” of movement.
If she truly wished to doom herself, the Law Enforcement’s Sword Command was certainly more than just recalling disciples.
“I remember ten years ago, Lotus Peak was not this desolate.”
Xie Xuanyi softly said, “As the eldest sister of the Jiang Family, you were clothed in silk and ate the finest foods from childhood.
When you joined the Sword Palace, you brought several maids with you, among them one named ‘Qing Zhu’ who had considerable talent for cultivation.
Qing Zhu and you were extremely close; though it was a master-servant relationship, you treated each other like sisters.
Wherever you went, you took her with you, had her in mind.
You even secretly shared a few volumes of the precious scriptures from Lotus Peak for ‘Qing Zhu’ to read…
It can be said, she was the most trustworthy person you had in the Jiang Family residence, without peer.”
The words “Qing Zhu” dramatically altered Jiang Miaoyin’s expression.
The veil fluttered in the wind.
Revealing a pair of eyes filled with confusion, bewilderment, and helplessness…
Ten years had passed.
Jiang Miaoyin’s face had grown significantly haggard, but her eyes were still stunningly captivating, making it hard for anyone to resist immersing themselves in them.
She looked incredulously at the young man in black beside her.
“The last time I visited Lotus Peak, I didn’t see ‘Qing Zhu’ there.”
Xie Xuanyi smiled and replied, “Ling Yu told me that the Sword Palace had sealed the mountain… You dismissed all the maids of the Jiang Family after that.
I deliberately checked the entry and exit records of the mountain gate.
On the tenth of November, Qing Zhu left the Da Sui Sword Palace alone…
She has never come back since.
If I am not mistaken, after receiving the secret report, you were restricted by the Law Enforcement, so you sent the person you trusted most to the Jiang Family with the message.”
“Afterward…
Jiang Qihu received the news and met Xie Xuanyi in Qing State, securing accommodations and setting up protections as per your instructions.”
“Unfortunately.”
As he spoke, Xie Xuanyi’s voice carried a hint of helplessness and self-mockery, “This well-intended arrangement inadvertently resulted in an irreversible mistake…
You didn’t anticipate that ‘Qing Zhu,’ whom you trusted the most, would choose to betray you at the last moment.
The supposed secret ‘hiding place’ became the perfect trap.”
“You intended to leverage the force of the Jiang Family to save Xie Xuanyi.”
“Alas…”
“You ended up setting him on his final path.”
“Xie Xuanyi entered Qing State and was besieged by a coalition of fighters, ultimately having no other choice but to head north…
and thus he met his end in the North Sea.”
Xie Xuanyi finished recounting this story with a calm tone.
Lotus Peak was utterly silent, only the sound of the Sword Energy Waterfall was sharply audible.
His echoing words were quickly drowned out by the waterfall.
“…”
The woman beside the waterfall was already seated, motionless as a statue.
Jiang Miaoyin trembled slightly.
Every word spoken by Xie Zhen was like a sharp blade stabbing her heart.
For ten years, she confined herself to Lotus Peak.
It was out of guilt, self-blame, pain, and remorse.
It was also avoidance, and the fear of facing the truth.
She dared not contact the Jiang Family, nor her own brother…
She couldn’t imagine how to break the truth to him, what words to use to make Qihu accept what happened back then?
How to speak in order to make her fellow disciples in the Sword Palace forgive her “foolishness”?
The grave mistake was already made; she felt guilty towards everyone.
In the end.
She could only make this decision to lock herself up in Lotus Peak and discard the chronic illness into the Sword Washing Pool.
Night and day, she endured the heart-wrenching pain from the Sword Qi.
This pain…
in turn, brought her a semblance of peace of mind.
From the first day of her retreat in Lotus Peak.
Jiang Miaoyin’s heart was tormented by immense pain.
She thought more than once that if someone could unravel the truth, it might, in fact, be a release for her.
Today, her wish was fulfilled.
Jiang Miaoyin looked at the young man in black before her, and after a tumultuous internal struggle, she slowly regained her composure.
“Indeed…
Xie Zhen, what you said is correct,”
she said with a muted smile, “This so-called ‘North Sea Case’ is indeed a ludicrous story, and I am indeed a coward.
Have you come today to avenge your master?”
It was she who had caused Xie Xuanyi’s death.
If the Sect Leader were to find out everything, to execute her as retribution for her actions, she would have no complaints.
Jiang Miaoyin removed her veil, revealing her pale, attractive face.
As she prepared to close her eyes, anticipating her ultimate fate, the young man in black sighed and shook his head.
“Don’t worry, I am not here today to seek revenge for ‘Xie Xuanyi’…”
The next moment.
Xie Xuanyi extended his hand and removed the mask of all sentient beings.
Jiang Miaoyin was as if struck by lightning.
She stared blankly at the face, identical to the one she remembered from her youth.
The eyebrows were sharp like swords, eyes majestic, and facial features even more heroic than before.
Only…
It lacked the greenness, the naivety, and the sharpness of his younger days.
Apart from that.
Xie Xuanyi extended his hand and summoned a Flying Sword, the moment the sword was unveiled, the “chronic illness” that had sunk into the Sword Washing Pool of Lotus Peak uncontrollably trembled.
Chen Ke.
For a Sword Cultivator, appearances can change, temperament can be altered.
But the Lifebound Flying Sword…
and that Sword Intent, are something that could never be changed.
Seeing the sword was like seeing the man.
For some reason, the disciples of Lotus Peak tonight, heard the weeping Sword Sound emerging from near the Sword Washing Pond.
Submerged for ten years, discarded for a decade, the chronic illness issued a low hum.
It was like a heart-wrenching sob.
Jiang Miaoyin’s tears flowed freely as she looked at the young man in black, whose face was as familiar as yesterday.
“Xie Xuanyi did not die.”
The young man said softly, “I am Xie Xuanyi.”
…
…
(There will be another update tonight.
Seeking votes.)