Chapter 987: Winter Solstice
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
A building that looked like a garden was located on East City Street, a place where land was as valuable as gold. It was a quiet place located in a busy and noisy place, hidden within the hustling and bustling of a city while segregated from the secular world.
This was the location of the headquarters of the Wulin Express. Its rise was quick and shocking. It changed the habits of the people, widening their horizons and perspectives.
Most people of Jianghu did not know the real owner of the Wulin Express, and they also had no idea how to investigate how it could so quickly spread the teleportation circles across the land. Only a small number of people who were either overbearing or were amazing at currying favor knew about the three characters of a name, Shang Jiuming. One should know that he came from a dying sect, and it was a coincidence that he obtained the immortal’s relic and suddenly rose to power. After that, his smooth rise was unbelievable and incredibly mysterious to everyone.
On East City Street, the Faceless Killer God was strolling about casually, trying on theatrical masks occasionally while trying products from the South and North at other times. There was no difference between him and ordinary citizens.
He had been staying there for three entire months, all just to await Shang Jiuming’s appearance, and he believed he could still continue waiting.
Patience was a trait he was born with. Once, to learn sword fighting, he used three years to get a teacher. Another time, to kill a target, he disguised himself as a beggar for nine whole months. Sometimes, even he himself would be touched by his patience.
In truth, earlier last month, he had already encountered Shang Jiuming, but he chose not to make his move back then as the encounter was too sudden. They were too far apart, and before closing the distance, if he were to brandish his sword, the success rate would be less than fifty percent. As such, he chose to continue waiting, not feeling anxious at all.
He was confident that he would most definitely take the opportunity the next time.
“Are these really Sandalwood Beads from the Southern Sea?” the Faceless Killer God grabbed a string of beads before asking.
As he spoke, he glanced at a man standing opposite the Wulin Express headquarters. He had a cold demeanour, and in between his eyebrows was a very deep scar that made it look like he had opened the Heavenly Eye.
“Gao Fuchen?” the Faceless Killer God was no stranger to the names of people from Jianghu.
Gao Fuchen held his longsword behind him as he gazed closely at the main entrance of the Wulin Express, measuring up the crowd going in and out of the door as he waited for the appearance of an editor.
During the past few days, Gao Fuchen had been rather upset. The fact that Master Zhen Ding did not exist was not important, more important was the attitude of the newspapers like the Wulin Express. Gao Fuchen himself had hired a scribe who put his views into words and strongly refuted the evil and illogical theory stating that the Awakening Celestial Sword was the reincarnation of the Demon Lord. But after he sent the article to the newspaper agencies, nothing came back, and he never heard back from them. Although every newspaper would make it seem like they published the opinions and views of both the affirmative and opposing sides as they looked neutral, the articles of the affirmative side were always rubbish, they only used repeated arguments every time, how could they convince someone?
Moreover, similar articles in recent times had been mostly used to intimidate, ridicule, and criticize people with different views as evil heretics and demons and that these people should be punished using cruel and torturous methods. These extreme words pushed the neutrals to the opposing side, added to that, many people liked to give masters and experts background so that they may feel reassured psychologically. It wasn’t because they themselves were incapable, it was simply that they were unlucky when reincarnating, so the Awakening Celestial Sword being the reincarnation of the Demon Lord fit right into this attitude of the people, so it gradually resonated with the people.
Many of Gao Fuchen’s friends started believing this as they lamented the unpredictability and peculiarity of the Demonic Sect. To be able to transform one’s primordial spirit into a demon spirit seed before hiding it inside a human’s body to germinate, ultimately bidding farewell to the secular world to become an extraordinary being. There was no wonder the Awakening Celestial Sword could stun the world even at such a young age. It was as if he had been training in martial arts ever since he was still inside his mother’s belly. There was no wonder he and others like him did not have any achievements at that age...
No wonder, no wonder!
Gao Fuchen’s peers’ perception of the Awakening Celestial Sword gradually changed. Gao Fuchen tried his best to prevent it but to no avail. Gradually, he felt more and more disheartened.
“The world is so big, just how many like me are left? Just how many are like me, wanting to have my voice heard but are unable to do so?” Gao Fuchen’s gaze while looking at the main entrance of the Wulin Express became sharper. “We’ve already reached this stage. Words have already become useless, then I’ll just use the sword in my hand to make my argument then.”
“Since you won’t allow me to speak, then don’t you think you can speak, too!”
Gao Fuchen was very confident with the sword. Even if he lost against the Sad Godly Palm, he was not shaken in the least. He was certain that one day, he would be able to wield a sword strong enough to stun the heavens and rid all the evils in the world.
“The editors of the Wulin Express are all masters of the pen, but they have forgotten that the most important trait in Jianghu is strength. Today, I will make sure to make them remember that!”
To destroy all enemies in five steps, words and tongues could never compare to the sword!
Ta, ta, ta. A horse carriage exited the Wulin Express. Its decorations were simple, and yet it also carried a sense of dignity. The carriage driver looked very energetic, his eyes hiding a sense of power while his movements were smooth and slick.
“An expert not weaker than me...” Gao Fuchen made a firm judgment.
To have an expert like this drive the carriage, this person must be an important person in the Wulin Express, it might even be the mysterious owner!
“There’s nothing sweeter than killing the person I hate after defeating an opponent whose strength is of my equal!” Gao Fuchen’s heart suddenly raced as he burned with passion. It was as if he had returned to his youth, the first time he held a sword while facing danger.
The horse carriage turned to the North. Gao Fuchen began moving, and at that moment, he saw a wonderful and extremely concise glow of a sword bursting forth from the hands of an ordinary person passing by the horse carriage.
It was the darkness of the past that brought out the brightness and brilliance of today!
Gao Fuchen suddenly felt ashamed, “I can’t swing the sword like this. My swordsmanship still has flaws!”
“Who is this? Why haven’t I heard of him before?”
There was a profound sense of inspiration and affection in the Faceless Killer God’s gaze. This was his most perfect slash. It was a slash so perfect that it could compete against the Southern Sea Heavenly Sword’s slash.
No matter how nameless he was in the past, his future would only be enveloped in unlimited brilliance!
The sword pierced through the carriage door window before the driver could block it, tearing the curtains to pieces.
Suddenly, the Faceless Killer God saw a sword, an ancient looking longsword.
It looked like it had been waiting there all along, like the remnants of dusk, blocking all the brilliance he had created, inviting his wrist directly moving towards it.
Pu!
Pain. The sword left his hands and the Faceless Killer God backed away unconsciously. But he saw a meteor, a dreamlike meteor that brightened his vision, hitting directly in between the eyes.
“This is several times more wonderful than my previous slash...” the Faceless Killer God was moved again, to be able to see such swordsmanship, he could die in peace.
His eyes were wet as he strained to utter the words, “What sword style?”
With the sword resting on his lap, Shang Jiuming’s eyes were full of devotion.
“The Awakening Celestial Sword Style.”
“So that’s it...” the Faceless Killer God fell backward as he looked into the sky, his eyes filled with relief and affection.
“No wonder it’s called the sword style left behind by those who crushed the void...”
Gao Fuchen watched the scene in front of him unfold as if he had been put into a thousand-year ice cave, he could not help but feel a chill.
“A sword style like this actually exists in the world! It’s a thing of Gods and Demons!”
Faced against a sword style like this, Gao Fuchen did not even dare to unsheathe his sword!
“This is the Awakening Celestial Sword Style?”
“Since the owner of the Wulin Express already inherited the Awakening Celestial Sword Style, why did he defame the Awakening Celestial Sword? Does he have some inside information?”
Gao Fuchen stared blankly as the horse carriage steered away. After a long time, he came back to his senses. He was sad and dejected. At the same time, he was also confused and shaken.
“Maybe I’ve been persevering on the wrong thing?”
After another month, the Awakening Celestial Sword’s image began to integrate. It gradually moved towards the direction where he was the reincarnation of the Demon Lord.
Meng Qi felt the resonation of Heaven and Earth within the Celestial Sword Puppet, he felt the subtle and surreal connection really taking shape. Connected to him and the Awakening Celestial Sword Image, communicating the real world and that piece of land.
It was time!
It was time to turn the projected image into a seal!
Surrounding the Celestial Sword Puppet, light and shadow suddenly danced and moved before it turned into a human figure. Wearing a white shirt with a cold expression, with a happy but not sad gaze, holding a crystal that contained the primitive force of the Demon Lord in one hand while holding the century-old Awakening Celestial Sword in the other.
Shang Jiuming saw the scene unfold in front of him with his mouth wide open. Then, as if he already had a premonition long ago, he saw the white swordsman wield the sword, creating an impeccable sword glow that crushed the void, opened the land, and appeased the four directional zodiacs, and agglomerated the five elements.
With a swing of the sword, Heaven and Earth moved. Meng Qi worked his divine sense and, relying on the resonation, branded this illusory image between Heaven and Earth as if it was Sa?bhogakāya purifying the land, becoming part of the world’s principles.
The illusory image dispersed and vanished as the subtle connection subsided. The brand turned into a seal, as long as Meng Qi did not fall, as long as the land was not destroyed, then the legend of the Awakening Celestial Sword would never end!
The brilliant sword glow disappeared. Shang Jiuming saw the Celestial Sword Puppet sitting there quietly and noticed several sword holes on its back which manifested the Vital Energy Circulation Method.
The amazing experience that seemed surreal was finally over, but there was no way of going back now... Shang Jiuming sighed. To protect his current life, the most important thing right now was to work hard and practice his swordsmanship.
...
Jade Palace, Kunlun Mountain.
Meng Qi, who was seated on the cloud bed, suddenly felt an unstable aura that seemed to exist in another universe.
“At long last, I’ve left the seal before the Winter Solstice. It’s too bad I can’t rely on this method in the future. After all, the number of worlds that have legends left behind is too low...” Meng Qi opened his eyes and suddenly felt something in his heart. He raised his head and looked towards the horizon.
Above the Eastern Sea, a magnificent ship was steering in mid-air above rippling and volatile energy ocean, existing in between reality and the illusory world. At the bow of the ship was a prideful woman wearing feathered clothing and a star crown. Heaven and Earth all around her made pressuring rickety sounds that sounded like different worlds colliding against each other.
This was a Divine Fairy.
This was the Messenger of Golden Turtle Island.
Winter Solstice had arrived.