This chapter has been brought to you by me, WanderingGummiOfDoom and warlord212.
Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty Eight – Upheaval of Sword Cave
Inside the sword cave, Lin Qian finished reading the jade scroll and said with a sigh, “Just pa.s.sed by, what a pity, what a pity.”
Wei Sheng raised his head to look but did not say anything. His time in the sword cave could not be called pleasant. It wasn’t that it was dull to stay in the sword cave every day. He cultivated the sword and had gone through hundreds of hards.h.i.+ps. What was in front of him now didn’t amount to anything.
What made him feel dislike was the inability to mesh with this group of people. Truthfully, Lin Qian thought highly of him, and was very courteous in tone and speech, and never lost his manners. The xiuzhe under Lin Qian’s command did not try to find trouble with him, but the distance in their backgrounds would lead to subtle and unconsciously slips.
Wei Sheng wasn’t dumb. How could he not feel it? He didn’t find it strange. He had started as a sword servant. What kind of att.i.tudes hadn’t he been subjected to? He just disliked it. What he disliked even more was that Lin Qian would always target Zuo Mo s.h.i.+di.
He usually wasn’t a chatty person. After entering the sword cave, he became increasingly reserved.
Lin Qian handed the jade scroll to Wei Sheng.
Wei Sheng was slightly puzzled as he took the jade scroll and started reading. After he finished reading the jade scroll, Wei Sheng’s expression was normal, but enormous waves of emotion started in his heart.
Taking the name of the Master of Golden Crow City, killing multiple jindan, tens of thousands of xiuzhe gathering at his call … …
Was this s.h.i.+di? Wei Sheng didn’t quite believe it. In the jade scroll, s.h.i.+di’s appearance had changed greatly, but Wei Sheng had instantly recognized the att.i.tude and movements. He also recognized Gongsun Cha and Chun Yu Cheng. After s.h.i.+di had been sent to Desolate Wood Reef, Wei Sheng had especially investigated the s.h.i.+di of the sect that had gone with Zuo Mo s.h.i.+di and he had a general impression of these two people.
s.h.i.+di really was s.h.i.+di!
Wei Sheng was filled with an unspeakable joy. He felt peerlessly happy knowing that s.h.i.+di was alive and living well. Excitement unconsciously showed in his eyes. s.h.i.+di was so powerful now. As the s.h.i.+xiong, how could he be left behind?
Lin Qian had been staring at Wei Sheng and suddenly spoke, “Do you know what secret technique is this golden pair of wings on Zuo Mo’s back? Does it originate from the sect?”
Wei Sheng opened his eyes, and said solemnly, “Zuo s.h.i.+di usually has great luck. It wouldn’t be strange for him to have fortuitous encounters.”
Lin Qian looked with pity at Wei Sheng and said faintly, “Really? This one is familiar with the records and feel the pair of golden wings on Zuo Mo’s back matches the supposed transformations of a mo physique.”
Wei Sheng was not moved. “Oh, really? But based on what Wei knows, the dhyana’s abhinna have similar ones. Xin s.h.i.+shu has pa.s.sed on [Vajra Profound Sutra] to s.h.i.+di. s.h.i.+di is exceptionally talented, and was just a step away from forming an abhinna.”
Lin Qian took back his gaze and said calmly, “Brother Wei, why argue with me? I already have people guarding at Buddhist Flower Jie. Sect Leader Pei is righteous and just, and has agreed to this one to investigate this matter. The result will naturally be clear at that time.”
Wei Sheng’s hands fisted together, his eyes angry. The xiuzhe around Lin Qian s.h.i.+fted and stared with murderous eyes at Wei Sheng.
“Brother Wei has no need to be nervous. If Zuo Mo really has achieved an abhinna, this one will be happy. Even if Zuo Mo is being threatened by yaomo, this one will save his life.” Lin Qian raised his head, his eyes deep and serene. “The battle between us xiuzhe and yaomo is like water and fire, and cannot be avoided. Brother Wei is exceptionally talented. You should remain neutral. Do not fail the hopes of your sect leader.”
As he finished, he turned and ordered, “Everyone prepare. We are returning tomorrow morning.”
Wei Sheng shook upon hearing this. The snippets of conversation he heard when the xiuzhe had chatted floating into his mind. The xiuzhe in the surroundings looked coldly at Wei Sheng and scattered.
In the deepest part of the sword cave, Wei Sheng travelled here alone. His eyes scanned the surroundings and was filled with reluctance. He knew that Lin Qian and his fellows were going to completely abandon Sky Moon Jie. When the group of xiuzhe had been chatting, he heard that the upper ranks were planning to completely seal the jie river from Sky Moon Jie to Bright Wave Jie. Supposedly, almost all of the jindan experts of Bright Wave Jie were being gathered to set up the formation.
They didn’t plan to recapture Sky Moon Jie.
The atmosphere in the dark sword cave seemed to become more agreeable at this time. Thinking about how he would be unable to return to Sky Moon Jie in the future, Wei Sheng’ heart was dark. He silently walked to the deeper parts of the sword cave. He had killed his way through all eighteen levels of the sword cave. Thinking about it now, it seemed like yesterday. The s.h.i.+xiong and s.h.i.+di of Wu Kong Mountain seemed to be right in front of him.
Thinking of the complex fighting inside the sect, his heart felt irritated. He hadn’t increased his cultivation one bit in this past year. He knew why that was. He had already planned it out. After returning this time, and the matter of Zuo s.h.i.+di was cleared up, he would go out to travel. He only wanted to cultivate the sword. He didn’t want to manage the matters of the sect and he couldn’t manage them.
For some reason, he wasn’t too worried about the matter of s.h.i.+di. Thinking of Zuo Mo, he smiled. s.h.i.+di’s cunning could only be understood by those who felt it. None of the people that had targeted s.h.i.+di before had ever gotten away.
Lin Qian’s origins were extraordinary, and had astounding power on his hands. Wei Sheng was very clear of that. But if Lin Qian thought he would be able to pin down s.h.i.+di so easily, then he was too naïve. Thinking about it, mirth unconsciously came to the corner of Wei Sheng’s mouth.
As to Lin Qian’s talk about yaomo. Wei Sheng felt disdain. He was clear that yaomo and xiuzhe were mortal enemies. He didn’t have any good feelings about yaomo, but did not hold negative feelings. The conflict of xiuzhe and yaomo at its core was the conflict over resources. Xiuzhe cultivation required large amounts of jings.h.i.+ and all kinds of talismans. Where would these things come from?
There was a system for the production of materials, but it was far from being able to satisfy the demands of those great sects. The discovery of new jie had never stopped. Each jie’s discovery would be accompanied by rivers of blood.
What did the battle of yaomo and xiuzhe have to do with him?
Those big sects weren’t good ent.i.ties. He missed the past Wu Kong Sword Sect.
Unknowingly, he walked to the deepest level. The yin fiends along the way had not recovered, and didn’t dare to come near Wei Sheng as they knew his power.
The deepest level was empty. In the past, there had been a very powerful yin fiend here. He had killed it at the expense of heavy injuries. His gaze landed on the ground. There was a thick layer of copper tile beneath his feet, and along the stone wall was a copper table. There was a jade box on the copper table. Wei Sheng’s complete version of [Void Sword Scripture] had been taken from this jade box.
Everything here had not changed compared to when he had left.
After tomorrow, everything here would be sealed forever.
Wei Sheng was very emotion. His hand caressed the copper table. A wave of coldness pa.s.sed back. He suddenly made a slight sound of surprise. There was another weak presence among this wave of coldness! This presence was very weak. If it wasn’t that he was much stronger than when he had previously been in the sword cave, then he would not have detected this presence.
There was something strange!
His mind jumped. Closing his eyes and calming his mind, this weak presence slowly became clear.
He opened his eyes and sent out his sword essence to swipe a few times on the copper table. The surface of the table flashed with light and revealed a jade box.
Wei Sheng had a surprised and joyful expression as he hurriedly opened the jade box. Inside was a damaged jade pendant and a jade scroll. Wei Sheng carefully picked up the jade scroll. As he read, he became even more shocked.
Remaining in the jade scroll was a thread of thought that the sect’s ancestral master had left before death. It told the history of this jade pendant. This pendant was a talisman the ancestral master had serendipitously received when he was young, which had a unique presence that lingered on it. The sect’s [Void Sword Scripture] had been comprehended by the ancestral master from this presence. When he read this, Wei Sheng’s heart beat wildly.
A presence was enough for the ancestral master to comprehend a sixth-grade sword scripture. This presence should have been so powerful he couldn’t imagine it
The ancestral master spent his entire life studying this jade scroll, and finally gained something before the end of his life. However, he had no power to personally uncover the mystery of the pendant so he had carved what he knowledge had gained on the underside of the copper tile. But considering that while the presence of the jade pendant was weak, but it was vastly immeasurable and pure, he was afraid it would cause a calamity. The ancestral master decided to hide it. If a disciple from the sect had the fate, he naturally would receive it. This was an opportunity.
Putting down the jade scroll, Wei Sheng’ gaze moved to the damaged jade pendant. His heart beat hard. A presence that was complex enough that the ancestral master took a lifetime to comprehend, it definitely was exceptional.
He carefully picked up the jade pendant. The jade pendant was very non-descript. One corner was damaged, and its style was very old. Holding it on his hand, he could feel the mysterious presence even more clearly. Suppressing his strong curiosity, he did not dare to use his mind to touch this weak presence. A presence that even the ancestral master had to study for a lifetime wasn’t something he could touch with his present cultivation.
He gravely hung the jade scroll on his neck and then his eyes landed on the copper tiles. He started the core scripture of [Void Sword Scripture] and pressed his hand to a copper tile. This copper tile instantly became light as air, and was easily taken up.
There was something!
A strange pattern was revealed on the ground. Wei Sheng’s mind jumped again, and he picked up the tiles one after the other.
In a short while, all of the copper tiles on the ground were removed to reveal the ground below. The ground was as smooth as a mirror. An enormous formation appeared below Wei Sheng’s feet.
This was … …
Wei Sheng’s eyes flashed as he carefully examined the formation under his feet. However, the complex seal scripts made him dizzy. He thought it would be wonderful if Zuo s.h.i.+di was here. With s.h.i.+di’s skill in formations, he definitely would know what this formation did.
He did not notice the jade pendant hanging on his neck started to imperceptibly light up.
When the light covered the entire jade pendant, and Wei Sheng noticed it, the formation under his feet lit up with a bright b.l.o.o.d.y light, so bright that Wei Sheng could not open his eyes.
The dazzling blood coloured light formed a pillar and shot upwards.
The rock over his head turned to dust in front of the pillar of light.
———
On the highest level of the sword cave, Lin Qian’s expression suddenly changed. His figure suddenly leap to the side. A blinding b.l.o.o.d.y pillar of light shot out of the ground, and brushed past him. Some of the xiuzhe that couldn’t react in time didn’t even have the time to wail before they were reduced to dust.
The pillar of light destructively penetrated the jinzhi of the sword cave with its lingering energy, went through the thick rock and rose into the sky.
Lin Qian’s expression was extremely ugly. At this time, he could not do anything else but shout, “Leave! Leave immediately!”
The erupting pillar of b.l.o.o.d.y light was like an enormous sword of blood that pierced the sky!
The yao army camped on Wu Kong Mountain looked in shock at the thick pillar of light.
Mu Xi reacted the quickest. Her expression tightened with shock, “Go investigate what is going on!”
The deepest level of the sword cave was empty of everything.
Translator Ramblings: After the two s.h.i.+di with Zuo Mo, it’s time to focus on the s.h.i.+xiong of Zuo Mo. Things are not what they appear to be and Wei Sheng has his own struggles. He’s burdened by the expectations of the sect while Zuo Mo only needs to meet the requirement “don’t shame us.” It’s a simplification but there is a system of debts and repayment. Wu Kong Sword Sect put more resources in Wei Sheng and expects more out of him. You can think of it as Luo Li being the blood child of the masters, Wei Sheng being the child they adopted and Zuo Mo the one that was a freebie when they went shopping. Luo Li also has his own burdens and struggles.
I don’t think I actually wrote that the black b.u.t.terfly is dead. It just lost a lot of life force.