Chapter 492 Swordplay?

“A sword duel?”

Ye Ming’s eyes lit up when he heard this, and he sat up straighter. The Hetu Old Tortoise, on the other hand, wished he could retreat another five hundred *li*, feeling a pain in his shell.

They had agreed on a civil debate.

But what happened? One used Daoist techniques to create a river of humanity, and the other was even more ruthless, turning a cup of tea into a vast galaxy. If these two moves had landed on ordinary deities, they would have died without knowing why. Now they were going to have a sword duel.

That would definitely involve sword qi stretching for hundreds or thousands of *li*.

No, no… this was a spectacle he couldn’t afford to watch. Absolutely not.

If he had known, he would have gone to his old friend Buzhou. He wouldn’t have encountered such a situation. Sigh.

It might be good to go to Old Buzhou for a while to avoid this.

The Hetu Old Tortoise could only smile wryly, hoping that these two wouldn’t go too far. Wei Yuan casually picked up a bamboo leaf, which happened to fall into his fingers. With a slight turn of his wrist, he flicked it, and the bamboo leaf shot through the air, like a master swordsman using a superior sword technique.

First Form: Hometown.

Di Jun’s expression was calm as the starry sky shifted, changing the fate and aura of the Great Wilderness.

He used the light of the stars and constellations and the fate of the Great Wilderness as his sword.

The bamboo leaf scattered sharply in the wild wind, and starlight flowed. The Daoist’s sleeves fluttered, and his white hair rose. He placed his left hand on Ye Ming’s head, shielding the boy from the overflowing sharp energy. He said, "Using the stars of the heavens as your sword, and the feng shui, mountains, rivers, and atmosphere as your sword, that’s indeed grand enough."

Di Jun nodded: "Earth, water, wind, fire, the Way of Heaven, the Way of the Sword, the Earth, the Way of Humanity."

"Using all methods as the sword, not bad."

As the Daoist spoke and laughed, the long river that had appeared behind him suddenly stopped flowing. Every drop of water seemed to rise against the rules of heaven and earth, transforming into a sword, then transforming unpredictably, using water to evolve the trajectory of the stars, recreating Di Jun’s move.

Di Jun lightly tapped the stone table.

Then, in the thousand *li* of bamboo forest, a strong wind rose, and it was the same sword move that Wei Yuan had used earlier.

The long wind flowed, and the bamboo leaves hummed. The white-haired Daoist and the black-robed Heavenly Emperor sat opposite each other on the bluestone, as if in casual conversation. Everything around them lost its color, as if returning to chaos. Only the sword qi flowed endlessly, seeming to fight to create a dark and chaotic world. Ye Ming sat beside the stone table, watching the sharp sword techniques interweave, lost in a daze, as if falling into a sea of stars.

His thoughts and true spirit seemed to be drawn away from his body by the sword lights.

At the same time, the power of [Years] obtained from the Two Emperors of *Shuhu* was flowing, trying to pull the boy’s true spirit back, to prevent him from being drawn away, his body withering and dying. Instead, it seemed to combine the vast and mighty sword intent with the power of Years.

Just as he was wandering outside his body, not knowing how long had passed, suddenly a clear sword cry made the boy’s scalp tingle. His mind instantly returned to his body, and he saw the earth, water, wind, and fire going wild, thunder roaring. The white-haired Daoist thrust out his fingers, sharp and decisive, piercing through the thunder and flames, piercing through the flowing stars.

The sword intent shattered three inches in front of Di Jun’s brow, disappearing.

Then, the countless stars transformed into drops of flowing water. The Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, the Four Great Elements within the world, collapsed and transformed into bamboo leaves, falling one after another. The bamboo leaves fell between the Daoist and the Heavenly Emperor. The white-haired Daoist retracted his right hand and said, "In terms of swordplay, it seems that I am slightly better."

"Mastering the stars, the constellations, although vast, lacks the decisiveness of swordplay."

The Daoist shook his head, his voice tinged with disappointment, and said:

"The Heavenly Emperor may understand cultivation better, but he doesn’t understand swordplay."

As a cultivator who had reached the peak of swordplay, he had only encountered an opponent like Di Jun, and his heart for the sword had been reborn with the fierce desire of the wandering swordsmen of the Great Tang Dynasty. The peak of any path inevitably craves a strong enough opponent.

Then he patted Ye Ming and said, "Daring to watch anything and everything, aren’t you afraid of wandering outside your body and then disappearing? Why aren’t you quickly breathing and meditating?" Ye Ming was about to say something, but as soon as he stood up, he felt dizzy. The Daoist reached out and pressed on the top of his head, using his gentle energy to help Ye Ming regulate his own aura.

The Old Tortoise pulled the child over, using his own mellow energy to help nourish him. The old man retracted his fingers that had been carving jade, looked at the pale-faced boy, and smiled wryly, feeling pity, but also helpless at the little boy’s mischievousness.

A boy who, although had the opportunity to step into the highest realm in the future, was still just a child.

He had witnessed the battle of the world’s most outstanding people, and yet his talent was so extraordinary that he had almost comprehended something. In a sense, he was truly courting death… wasn’t he afraid that his true spirit couldn’t withstand it and would explode on the spot?

The Old Tortoise saw the boy close his eyes, his right index and middle fingers forming a sword, thrusting and slashing in the air, with the aura of the stars and constellations and the flow of the earth, even tinged with traces of time, mysterious and indescribable. Although immature, it had a hint of the flavor of fleeting time.

?!!

The old man’s expression slowly solidified.

He had actually comprehended something?!

This child’s aptitude…

The Heavenly Emperor calmly withdrew his hand. The Daoist smiled at the old man and winked his right eye playfully. The old man suddenly realized, cupped his hands in a salute, and continued to write on the jade stone with his fingers. The Daoist coughed a few times and said, "Then, what shall we compare in this third round?"

"The third round…"

The Heavenly Emperor said with interest, "Let’s stop for now. I don’t understand you humans."

"Why are you outside during the human tribulation, instead of returning to the human Xuanyuan Hill?"

The white-haired Daoist’s pupils contracted slightly.

"The human tribulation?"

Di Jun said in a calm tone, "Yes… the human tribulation. I can vaguely sense that the tribulation clouds are gathering above Xuanyuan Hill. I have no interest in the life or death of the human race, but I am curious. A master like you should be in Xuanyuan Hill at this moment. Why are you here?"

Wei Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, the human tribulation…

He had already stopped the assassin attacking Zhuanxu, and had already told Ji Xuanyuan everything.

He had even solved the master behind the scenes, who was most likely the one who attacked Gonggong and Zhuanxu earlier, the Lord of the Ruins.

The tribulation… was there still no turning point?

The Daoist’s expression changed, and he looked towards the location of Xuanyuan Hill. At this moment, his thoughts were fluctuating. Rashly participating would likely cause him to be backlashed by the heavenly secrets, but doing nothing and watching the birth of the tribulation was something he couldn’t do. In the end, like a tribulation of a single thought, it blocked his path, blocked his heart.

The Heavenly Emperor said, "It seems that you intend to return?"

"…Yes."

The Daoist said, "This third exchange may have to be left for later." He paused, reached out and pulled over Ye Ming, who had finally recovered, and said slowly, "This child is the child created by Houtu, with extraordinary talent. I may not be able to take care of him. I won the second round."

"Let the Heavenly Emperor personally guide Ye Ming as part of the agreement."

Ye Ming’s expression changed drastically, but he had been intelligent since childhood. Seeing the Daoist’s expression, and hearing what he had just said, he pursed his lips and didn’t say much. Di Jun nodded and said, "Alright, then I will also take back the spoils of my victory in the first round."

The white-haired Daoist answered frankly:

"Then, what does the Heavenly Emperor want? As long as I have it, or can do it, I will."

"Hmph, no need."

The Heavenly Emperor shook his head calmly, then suddenly raised his hand. Wei Yuan instinctively wanted to defend, but at this moment, his cultivation had been severely damaged. A civil debate, or a simple comparison of sword skills, was fine, but when it came to unleashing his full power, how could he be a match for the number one in the world?

In just an instant, he felt several blows land on his body.

He groaned, then subconsciously circulated his cultivation, his expression slightly dazed. He actually felt that his cultivation was running smoothly, with starlight flowing faintly, protecting his body. Then he raised his head and looked at the Heavenly Emperor in front of him. Di Jun withdrew his right hand, calmly drinking tea, and said, "I will temporarily protect your cultivation for you."

"On this trip, as long as you don’t encounter extreme situations, you can unleash more than 70% of your strength. But remember, do not unleash your full power, otherwise, your cultivation will shatter, and my backup will not be able to save you."

The white-haired Daoist was slightly stunned: "This is…"

"Just helping you recover some strength. And I have only one request."

The Heavenly Emperor raised his eyes, his black sleeves shook, and he said indifferently:

"Survive, and then fight me in this third battle, go all out!"

!!!

The Daoist nodded solemnly and said:

"However, it may take some time. Wei Yuan will definitely return to fulfill this unfinished agreement."

"It doesn’t matter, I can wait."

"Good!"

The Daoist cupped his hands, then reached out and ruffled Ye Ming’s hair, laughed heartily a few times, picked up the Kunwu Sword, turned around, and took a step. The world was at his feet, and in the blink of an eye, he had disappeared. Ye Ming subconsciously reached out, but in the end, he lowered his hand in disappointment.

The Heavenly Emperor drank his wine. The Old Tortoise over there was silent for a long time, then said, "Can he really come back?"

Di Jun said calmly, "It doesn’t matter whether he comes back now or not, this agreement, even if he forgets it, I will not forget."

The Heavenly Emperor stared calmly in the direction the Daoist had left:

"The next time he comes to the Great Wilderness."

"I will personally welcome him and demand this third battle from him!"

He stood up tall. The Heavenly Emperor of the Great Wilderness, with one hand pulling the boy Ye Ming, swept his sleeves, and the bluestone for the discussion flew up, plunged into the river, rumbling like thunder. With the luck of the stars and constellations, he directly sealed the bluestone within it. Then he took the jade book written by the old man.

‘The Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor and the Jade Void Primordial began their discussion.’

‘There were three rounds. The Emperor said that the Primordial did not know cultivation.’

‘The Primordial said that the Emperor did not know the Way of the Sword.’

The Heavenly Emperor frowned slightly, and said in a calm tone, "Primordial is considered his name. Writing it here by name is somewhat inappropriate. The Emperor is supreme, and only the Venerable can be compared to him. Change it."

"This…"

The Heavenly Emperor said calmly, "Change it."

The old man who had personally presented the Hetu and Luoshu smiled wryly. Where else would someone be asked to change the record after it was finished?

But since the Heavenly Emperor had indicated this, he had no choice but to change it. The words on it were still new—

‘The Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor and the Jade Void Heavenly Venerable sat down for a discussion.’

‘There were three rounds, each winning one.’

‘The Heavenly Emperor said that the Heavenly Venerable did not know cultivation.’

‘The Heavenly Venerable said that the Heavenly Emperor did not understand the Way of the Sword…’

The Heavenly Emperor looked at it several times, then casually threw the jade book into the river and said, "This book and the stone table are sealed in this river. He called himself Wei Yuan, and this mountain is Mount Wei. Then this river shall be called the Sealed Abyss, waiting for him to return next time to open it again. During this time, I will have to trouble you here."

The Heavenly Emperor turned his head and looked at the oldest tortoise in the world, and said calmly:

"You should stay here."

"Otherwise, with the identity of the Turtle of Heaven and Earth, I’m afraid a death tribulation will befall you…"

The Old Tortoise didn’t know what he meant, but the dignified Heavenly Emperor, the head of the Ten Great Peaks, used the stars and constellations to observe the fate of all beings. If he said that he would have a death tribulation if he went out, then he was probably not lying. Could it be that another of the Ten Great Peaks would attack an old tortoise like him?

He should honestly stay in this bamboo forest and not go out.

Looking at the strange bamboo as big as a boat, and the turbulent waters, the old man shook his head and sighed, murmuring the agreement, murmuring ‘Mount Wei, Sealed Abyss, Mount Wei, Sealed Abyss’, slowly pacing inward, walking into it, and finally completely disappeared from sight—

There are green birds, *lang* birds, black birds… tigers, bears, *xuan gui*, *yao bi*, all coming from Mount Wei.

The hill is three hundred *li* in circumference.

On the south of the hill is the bamboo forest of Emperor Jun, which is large enough to be a boat. To the south of the bamboo is a red swamp, called the Sealed Abyss.

-——————《Classic of Mountains and Seas·Great Wilderness East》

……………………

"This child will be under your care from now on."

The Heavenly Emperor brought the boy Ye Ming to the far west of the Great Wilderness, the place where the sun and moon rise and set, and handed him to a tall, heroic-looking young man, whose expression was rigidly meticulous. He said, "You also possess the power of Years, Shi Yi, and only you can teach him."

Di Jun looked at the arrogance hidden in the boy’s eyes, and said, "Houtu created you, but you don’t have much of her personality. It seems that you don’t plan to stay here, but plan to sneak down the mountain after waiting for a while."

"During the chaos of the world later, you should practice peacefully here."

The Heavenly Emperor pointed his fingers at the boy’s brow, and the flowing light converged, turning into a cinnabar imprint.

"When fate and years are complete, or when you finally reach this realm."

"When you are qualified to participate in it, you will naturally be able to see through it."

Ye Ming’s eyes blurred. Because of the previous observation of the swordplay and discussion, his spirit was damaged, and he finally fell into a deep coma. When he woke up, he had already forgotten what had happened before. In the far west of the Great Wilderness, there was a boy who liked wooden hairpins, with long hair hanging down his temples, and a sword at his waist.

The Heavenly Emperor raised his eyes and looked in the distant direction, under Mount Buzhou, dark clouds enveloped the area.

And the white-haired Daoist in the human world raised his eyes and looked into the distance, exhaling a breath, and resolutely turned his head: "…I’m sorry, Jia Yi, I may need to resolve the matters of the human world before I can go to you."

"As long as I’m still alive, I will definitely go."

"If I can’t go, then at least it means that I died before you."

"Heh… we really are, unlucky and silly master and servant."

…………

In front of the Heavenly Emperor’s palace, Shi Yi looked at the Heavenly Emperor standing with his hands behind his back, and said:

"Does the Emperor need to prepare anything in advance for the upcoming battle?"

"No need."

The Heavenly Emperor’s expression changed slightly. He looked into the distance, and after a long time, he said in a calm tone:

"The next meeting may be a long, long time later…"

A cup of wine was sprinkled, falling into the Great Wilderness of the human world. The wine fell like rain, bamboo leaves fluttering. In the far west, the master of Years observed the rise and fall of the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there was a white-haired Daoist, holding a sword to aid, rushing to his death tribulation. Under Mount Buzhou, tribulation clouds gathered, and the four seas remained the same. The Old Tortoise lurked in the deep river, and the mountains were suppressed above the Ruins. The Nine Hells did not appear, and the sky had not yet cracked.

The mountains and seas were vast, and the wild world was boundless.

This body, this sword.

It is indeed a legend.

ps: The second update today…

Also, I’ll help promote a book called *Arcane Journey*, which seems to be a rare and authentic *Dungeons and Dragons* story. Friends who like it can give it a try. *Pa*, stack the firewood, light the fire, put it on the grill!

The original text of the Classic of Mountains and Seas is ‘all coming from Mount Wei, which is still translated as coming from Mount Wei.’