Chapter 1087: An Agreement Made Within Wind and Rain
Something hazy filled the dome of heaven over Revered Ancient. It was haze from the human world. The human world of humankind. It was the will of Grand Emperor Swordsage’s sword, which had been added to the world. All living beings in Revered Ancient now had half of a sixty-year-cycle of time added to them.
Of course, it only applied to the mortal living beings and cultivators. As far as the gods were concerned, this was a conflict between cultivators, and it had nothing to do with thēm.
The only reason some would consider interfering was that it could theoretically reduce the joss flame they had access to. The three gods of the Firemoons fell into that camp. There were no other gods similar to the empress. Shē was the only one.
And taking in Revered Ancient as a whole, the gods who accepted the joss flame of local species were actually in the minority. Most of the gods there were just sleeping. None of them made a single move. In the final analysis, this war between cultivators was like a game to the gods. Ultimately, it didn’t really matter to thēm how it played out.
As for Grand Emperor Swordsage, he didn’t care what the gods thought. His entire will was focused on that one sword. At the moment, a rain of blood was falling from heaven. It was the rain that fell when a Summer Immortal perished.
Within that rain, hovered Grand Emperor Swordsage. Looking over his shoulder at the human world... he smiled.
“It’s hard to let go of the obsession to live. The willingness to let go leads to true rebirth.” [1]
His smile would last for all eternity. He was now completely inundated with an aura of death. His flesh and blood were now shrinking into nothing, and he was turning back into stone.
His three spiritual souls emerged from eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The human soul returned to the memories of humankind. The earthly soul returned to the lands of humankind. The heavenly soul returned to the destiny aura.
Then came the seven physical souls. The physical souls made from the five emperors retreated, slowly regaining consciousness in the process. The past and future the empress had offered returned through Grand Emperor Swordsage’s smile.
Then there was The Emperor’s Sword he held. He loosened his grip, and the sword became a glinting arc that flashed in front of Xu Qing’s eyes.
The rain fell harder.
Xu Qing and the empress hovered in the rain, their hearts filled with grief at the sight of it. It was a grief that would not soon fade away. The wind blew, sweeping through the countless mountains, mixing with the rain of blood, and becoming something unforgettable that echoed in their hearts. Ultimately, it turned into a sigh.
Xu Qing bowed his head. Looking at the statue of the Grand Emperor, he clasped hands and bowed deeply. The empress bid farewell in her own silent way.
The image was something burned into the hearts of all cultivators.
***
A month passed.
After all the celestial-level holy lands collapsed, the war in the Revered Ancient mainland ended. The ancient Summer Immortal could not come down into Revered Ancient. And he didn’t demand that the four earthly-level holy lands do so in his stead. There was no point in that.
As for the terrestrial-level holy lands that were left behind in Revered Ancient, they were ignored, just as their own ancestors had ignored those they left behind on the mainland all those years ago.
And when the local people rose up, the terrestrial-level holy lands didn’t even have the option of surrendering. The only thing that awaited them was death. Fighting back only delayed the inevitable. And no matter how they delayed things, they couldn’t do anything about the deadline of half of a sixty-year-cycle.
As for humans... they rose to complete prominence. Whether it was the empress’ actions or Grand Emperor Swordsage’s heroic feats, the result was that humankind was once again at the peak of glory among the countless species in Revered Ancient. They had become a light in the darkness.
***
At the end of that month, as the rain continued to fall, the doors of an ancient temple opened in the Imperial Region of humankind.
Two figures strode out from within. One of them was Xu Qing. The other was Erniu.
Xu Qing’s eyes shone with confusion. Erniu’s face was clouded, and he seemed anxious.
A sigh echoed out in the temple behind them. Then the palace lord of the Summer Immortal Palace spoke. “I’ve explained everything to you. Going forward, all of the Summer Immortal Palace locations in the Revered Ancient mainland will be closed.
“Whenever Revered Ancient faces an impending catastrophe, the Summer Immortal Palace takes precautions. And we invite various powerful experts and chosen to slumber with us in the immortal essence.
“Those powerful experts and chosen are the seeds of civilization for the countless species. After the catastrophe is over, they’ll be woken up. If the world has changed, then their mission will be to establish a new civilization of cultivators. This is how things played out in previous catastrophes.
“The others have already been sent on their way. Xu Qing. Chen Erniu. Your choice is yours to make. Please, inform me of your decisions as quickly as possible.”
The door of the temple slowly closed, and then the temple slowly began to fade from sight within the rain. When it disappeared, it would indicate that the period of slumber had begun. There wasn’t much time left.
Xu Qing and Erniu stood silently in the rain. Half a month ago, when the war in the east wound to an end, they had been summoned by the palace lord of the Summer Immortal Palace. In the half month that followed, the palace lord gave both of them destined opportunities and good fortune.
Xu Qing’s immortal body had been stabilized even further. And with the help of the palace lord, his consciousness had been inserted into his god body, making it a completely functioning clone.
As for Erniu, his good fortune had involved awakening the memories from the bones of his third life. And by the means of various unknown techniques employed by the palace lord, Erniu had awakened even more memories. Unfortunately, that process had left him confused and somewhat blank.
That was why they had such strange expressions on their faces. That, and all of the information the palace lord had imparted to them over the past few days.
“Xu Qing, the reason I chose to help you walk the path of the extreme immortal and form your immortal body is that... your Master visited me. He paid handsomely to gain my assistance. I summoned you, helped you stabilize your immortal body and revive your god clone, because your Master... your Master... paid a very heavy price.
“It’s the same with you, Erniu. You have a very mysterious background. When your Master came to the Summer Immortal Palace, he paid a similarly high price to look into all the histories. Unfortunately, the records of the Summer Immortal Palace only contained information from after your third life. As for your second life, and your first life, we simply don’t have any information in our records. Perhaps you are the only one who can know the details. As for your third life, we don’t know much about it. It seems that some powerful force erased all of that information, and the Summer Immortal Palace is incapable of releasing it.
“But your Master gave up some of his essence. He sacrificed some of his own power to drag out an opportunity for you from within the immortal essence. He wanted to absorb the histories of the Summer Immortal Palace, and he wanted you to have more memories about... who you are.
“The two of you have a really good Master.”
***
Xu Qing looked up, peering into the rain in the direction of the continent of South Phoenix.
“Eldest Brother,” he murmured, “it seems like Master... is making arrangements for when he’s no longer with us.”
Erniu was quiet for a long moment. “Let’s go back. We can just ask the old man to explain what’s going on.”
Erniu headed in the direction of the teleportation portals in the imperial capital. Xu Qing nodded and followed him.
For now, they weren’t thinking about any other matters. The most important thing on both of their minds was to get back to South Phoenix to see their Master. They wanted an explanation for everything.
Not long after, a teleportation portal rumbled to life in the capital, and Xu Qing and Erniu vanished.
A few days later, a pagoda could be seen screaming at top speed through the air above the Forbidden Sea between Emperor-Receiving Prefecture and South Phoenix. Around evening, it arrived at Seven Blood Eyes. The pagoda vanished, and then Xu Qing and Erniu appeared on the summit of the Seventh Peak, outside the closed door of Master Seventh’s mansion grotto. Both of them kowtowed.
Time passed. Finally, a sigh echoed from within the mansion grotto.
“The two of you didn’t go into slumber in the immortal essence along with the Summer Immortal Palace, huh. What are you doing here?”
“Master,” they said.
Xu Qing looked up at the mansion grotto, his heart filled with conflicted concerns and worries.
Erniu’s face had remained grim these past few days. Looking up, he said, “What’s going on here, old man??”
The mansion grotto’s door slammed open and Master Seventh walked out and glared at Erniu. “You’re really asking for it, aren’t you??”
Upon seeing Master Seventh act like he normally did, Erniu breathed a visible sigh of relief. Putting a fawning expression onto his face, he chuckled.
Master Seventh snorted coldly. Then he looked at Xu Qing and gave a slight nod.
“You did well working on that immortal body.” Looking up at the dome of heaven, he started talking before Xu Qing or Erniu could ask any questions. “I know what the two of you want to ask about. You want to know what to do after I’m gone.”
Xu Qing and Erniu were both shaken to the core.
“It’s true the Summer Immortal Palace helped the two of you because of the price I paid. However, I’m your Master. So I was just doing what I ought to do. It wasn’t just the two of you. There are others from Seven Blood Eyes that I sent to slumber, including that good-for-nothing Third Sib. Second Sib can make her own decisions, and I won’t do anything to interfere.
“The reason I did this is to play things safe. There’s karma between me and that ancient immortal from the heavenly-level holy land. Of course, it’s not like I lack confidence. Swordsage used that final sword move to buy time for me. Therefore, you two can kindly get the hell out of here and stop interrupting my cultivation!”
Master Seventh glared at Erniu, then turned and gave Xu Qing another nod. Before the two of them could say anything, Master Seventh flicked his sleeve to send the two of them flying away. Then he stalked back into his mansion grotto and slammed the door.
On the inside, he stood for a long moment in silence. Then he sighed.
A storm is coming. Can my umbrella... offer enough protection? [2]
Master Seventh sat down and closed his eyes. It didn’t matter if it could or not. He would fight to make sure his umbrella could protect his apprentices from the coming tempest.
***
Outside of Seven Blood Eyes, the wind blew loudly in the spot where Xu Qing and Erniu had been ejected to. Neither of them spoke. They just struggled to stabilize their hearts. Although Master Seventh had seemed calm and relaxed, the truth was that Xu Qing and Erniu weren’t children. They could guess at what was really going on.
“The old man... is really getting old. And yet even in his old age, he’s still willing to put everything on the line....” Erniu looked at Xu Qing. “Little Ah Qing, I think you should go slumber with the Summer Immortal Palace. You don’t need to worry about what’s going on out here. I can deal with the old man.
“I mean, he’s just an immortal, right? Like I have any reason to be scared of a wimp like that. Thanks to my third-life memories, I now have some clues about my second life. And I know it has something to do with the Brilliant Heaven Godfolk.
“That’s why I’m planning to take a trip to where the Brilliant Heaven Godfolk are sealed. I should be able to find my second life there. And then... as the Eldest Brother, I will personally save the world!”
Erniu proudly clasped Xu Qing’s shoulder. “Things would be too dangerous for you there. After all, if you die, you’ll actually end up dead. Really dead. Not like me. That’s why you won’t be coming with me. Be a good boy now, little Ah Qing. Go to the Summer Immortal Palace. Believe me, in thirty years, your Eldest Brother and your Master will wake you up together.”
Erniu looked Xu Qing in the eyes and earnestly said, “If you don’t go, I won’t be able to rest at ease.”
Xu Qing thought for a moment and then nodded. “Let me at least send you on your way. After all, we’re going in the same direction, right?”
Erniu thought for a moment. Not wanting to give Xu Qing any spare time to think about things, he hauled him over to the teleportation portal, and activated it, sending both of them back to the imperial capital. After all, the entrance leading to the Brilliant Heaven Godfolk was beneath the imperial capital.
Xu Qing said nothing as Erniu escorted him all the way to the Summer Immortal Palace. After they bowed in greeting, the door opened, and the palace lord appeared. Erniu cleared his throat.
“I’m not going, Senior. But my Junior Brother will be going.”
With that, he pushed Xu Qing forward.
Xu Qing looked back at him through the door.
Erniu laughed heartily. “Alright, little Junior Brother. See you in thirty years!”
With that, Erniu vanished without a trace. The door closed quietly, and the temple disappeared.
A few days later, after the temple was definitely gone, Erniu stepped out of the concealment of invisibility. He finally felt very calm.
“He finally did as told. And I can rest at ease.”
Erniu took a deep breath. Eyes flashing with a crazy look, he shot toward the entrance leading to the sealed resting place of the Brilliant Heaven Godfolk. He had a way to get inside.
***
After Erniu was on his way, the temple appeared again in the rain. However, it was very blurry, as if it would disappear only a moment later.
The door opened and Xu Qing stepped out.
Behind him, the palace lord said, “Are you sure you aren’t going to slumber in the immortal essence?”
“I’m not,” Xu Qing whispered.
The palace lord declined to try to persuade him otherwise. The door closed and the temple vanished.
Xu Qing was left standing alone in the rain. He knew that everyone would be making preparations in the half-sixty-year-cycle that Grand Emperor Swordsage had bought for them.
His Master was currently in secluded cultivation. His Eldest Brother was going to go all out with the Brilliant Heaven Godfolk. A month after getting back to the capital, the empress had gone to the ghast hollow in Emperor-Receiving Prefecture.
It wasn’t just humans who were getting ready. Other species were doing the same. Everyone with a bit of skill or strength was preparing.
“Half a sixty-year-cycle....” Xu Qing looked off in the direction of the outer sea. His eyes gleamed with decisiveness and determination.
1. Grand Emperor Swordsage’s words combine the chapter titles ofchapter 1081 and1083 . ☜
2. As I mentioned in the footnote ofchapter 1078 , this ‘storm is coming’ is usually a metaphor describing dramatic changes. ☜