Nightfall

It remained that way until the Headmaster established the Tang Empire and enlightened the people. Then the Divine Halls began to care about the human world. The cultivators stopped enslaving ordinary people. The cultivation world was no longer a superior world and more human beings were living dignified lives.

That was the reason for the saying that a sage only appears once in a thousand years.

When the Headmaster left the human world, things were changed again. No one could stop the cultivators from resuming their reign over the world, at least the world outside of Chang"an.

Many years ago, Liu Yiqing broke into the imperial city by himself and killed the former emperor of South Jin. It was a symbol of change, and the beginning of a new era. He was the one who lifted the curtain for the first time.

The human world had lost its guardian. The rules were collapsing. The new era was becoming savage and b.l.o.o.d.y again. Everyone had his own chance to make his own rules.

The powerful would be the master of the new world. Liu Yiqing was powerful, and so were his enemies tonight. They were all eligible to make new rules for the world. But he hoped it would be finished sooner. Therefore he did not pay any attention to Zhao Sishou. Although this skinny priest was one of the powerful South Sea cultivators at the State of Knowing Destiny, and the second son of Zhao Nanhai, he was after all not a real match to him.

Liu Yiqing looked at the darkness and said, "Then bring it on."

In the still and silent darkness, the voice was not heard again, and no one came forth from it.

Zhao Sishou was embarra.s.sed and showed some reluctancy through the skinny and swarthy wrinkles on his face. But he did not make any actions because he heard someone coming from inside the imperial city.

Everyone around the imperial city heard that person"s footsteps.

He walked very firmly with rhythm. It seemed that he was wearing a pair of cotton shoes instead of leather. It was clunking like the sound of woods breaking.

A young man came out of the imperial city.

The torches lightened up the area as if it was in daylight and made a clearly made out his figure. People could not see his face but it was obvious that he wore an old indigo gown with its edges embroidered with golden threads.

In the Divine Halls, only the red-robed divine priests were qualified to use golden thread embroideries on their gowns. But he was not wearing a red gown. His indigo gown was worn out and he looked like a manservant.

It was probably because he had been used to be a manservant.

Liu Yiqing turned to his side and listened quietly to the footsteps. His hand held tighter and looser on the hilt as if he was echoing or fighting against the rhythmical footsteps.

While the young man in indigo gown was walking, people heard clas.h.i.+ng sounds coming from behind him and thirteen thin and long slashers were pulled out of the hilts.

The slashers looked like flower petals and he was standing in the center.

He stopped and looked above to the night sky. The torches lightened up his face and people could see his characterless face clearly. He looked pale.

They were pale in different ways. The young emperor of South Jin standing on top of the city wall looked pale because he was scared and timid. This man looked pale but terrifyingly frenzied.

Apart from the flower blades behind him, he was also holding a huge golden flower. He gazed at the golden flower with pity and frenzy. It seemed like his eyes were flaming.

He picked off the petals one by one while murmuring, "To die, not to die, to die, not to die…"

Upon picking off one petal he said, "To die." Upon the next he said, "Not to die." He continued until the last petal and concluded, "To die."

The young man in indigo gown felt excited. He seemed as happy as a young child while his cheeks became more pale. He looked at Liu Yiqing who was sitting in the sedan and said with a trembling voice, "You"re going to die tonight." His voice was trembling because he was a bit nervous. He had never been in a real fight, but he was not afraid. It was because he knew that he would never be defeated in Haotian"s world.

Liu Yiqing said nothing but he knew that no matter how he counted, his last pick would be "to die." It was because despite of his blindness he knew exactly who this young man was.

Everyone around the imperial city knew who this young man in indigo gown was, including the young emperor of South Jin. They all seemed excited and kept absolute silent in awe.

During late spring at the Grand Compet.i.tion in the Divine Halls, a manservant in indigo gown became the champion. He did not have a master, and neither could he even practice cultivation a few months ago. But after that spring rain, he reached the State of Knowing Destiny. No one knew the limit of his potential or his real state, not even the Hierarch. He seemed to be a miracle.

To the followers of Haotian, he was a real genius of Taoism. Either the previous Ye Su or the legendary Chen Pipi could never be compared with this young man in indigo gown.

It was because he was the gift to the human world from Haotian.

His name was Hengmu Liren, who was previously a manservant in the store room of Revelation Inst.i.tute, and now a red-robed divine priest of West-Hill.

Liu Yiqing asked, "How would you like to kill me?"

Hengmu Liren answered, "With my blades."

Liu Yiqing asked, "What blades?"

Hengmu Liren said, "The slashers."

His thirteen blades were all very thin. They were more suitable for killing than slas.h.i.+ng. But he insisted that they were slashers. Perhaps it was because he had been chopping firewood for years.

Liu Yiqing shook his head and said, "You are way too inferior when compared to him."

People around the imperial city had been keeping quiet so they heard clearly what they said. Yet no one could understand.

"You are way too inferior to him?" Who was him? Hengmu Liren knew who Liu Yiqing was referring to. His eyes became flaming and he shouted, "No one could defeat me. Not you! Not him!"

Liu Yiqing stroked his sword sheath and said, "You are too proud."

Hengmu Liren said, "Because I"m confident."

Liu Yiqing looked at him through the white cloth and said, "People in our generation never show our confidence through words or expressions. We use our swords instead."

Due to his years of service as a manservant, Hengmu Liren looked older than he should be. But his expressions were still naive. When he smiled, it seemed somewhat cruel. "That person took your eyes years ago. I will kill you tonight. To compensate, I"m going to take his eyes for you in a few days."

"I never wanted to take his eyes." Liu Yiqing said, "Because I know that no matter how hard I try, I can never surpa.s.s him. Neither could you."

Hengmu Liren said, "You have quite some faith in him."

Liu Yiqing looked at him pityingly, "If you are going to confront him one day, you will for sure be dead. The reason is simple. But you are too naive and arrogant to see it."

He looked into the darkness and said, "That person should know it clearly. But obviously he never reminded you. It seems like you barely have any friends in West-Hill."

...

...