Chapter 603: Came and Should Have Died

The Purple-Clad Woman of Hui Mountain and the Sword Obsessive of Wudang successively blocked Wang Xianzhi's path, and these two great battles caused a huge stir in the martial arts world. The section of the Guangling River outside the gorge, where the iron chains once sank, remained as calm as ever. However, martial artists continuously arrived to view the "relics," which included the burial mound created by the martial arts alliance leader Xuanyuan Qingfeng, and Old Eccentric Wang's feat of moving mountains. Waves of chivalrous figures came and went, most lamenting that they had not personally witnessed Wang Xiaoping's final Earth Immortal sword strike, or the graceful figure of the purple-clad woman from Hui Mountain. Unbeknownst to them, an unnamed old Taoist from Longhu Mountain had been quietly waiting for a long time somewhere downstream on the Guangling River. Although he appeared to be a middle-aged man, an unspeakable aura of twilight always emanated from him. The Taoist, whose surname was Zhao, squatted by the riverbank, scooped up a handful of water, and sighed with emotion. Four hundred years ago, Gao Shulu once spoke of "drinking up all the Guangling River water in one gulp." Originally, this was a metaphor for achieving mastery of all methods in one go. Now, its meaning had been completely distorted, used only to mock someone for achieving something with a single effort. In four hundred years, words of praise had surprisingly devolved into terms of disparagement. The Taoist, whose real name had long been abandoned, gazed at his blurred reflection in the water, gently blew on it. The murky river water in his palm rippled slightly, then instantly became clear and still as a mirror, reflecting a hint of purple.

Life is but a hundred years; things change, people fade, and all comes to an end.

The old man, whose name existed only in the imperial Zhao family's genealogy, sighed. He tossed the water mirror upwards, then bent two fingers and plucked the purple fabric from its surface. As the Taoist performed this action, a woman slowly emerged from the surface of the vast Guangling River. This was undoubtedly the extremely obscure and profound "Moon from the Water" technique, a skill of the Finger Profundity realm. The woman was no longer curled up like a fetus; she now sat cross-legged on the river, though still with her eyes closed in deep concentration. For a period, she was like a stone ox sunken in the river; not only did she not drift downstream with the current, but she was pushed upstream towards the gorge. However, as a new vital energy began to circulate around her body, she finally started moving downstream with the water, eventually being intercepted and pulled from the river by the old Taoist who had willingly endured a century of solitude.

For the past century, this old Taoist, beyond his inconspicuous reputation, had acted subtly and discreetly, with hidden motives and intricate methods—this was the true essence of the isolated path. The evil dragon nurtured in Difeng Mountain was used to siphon the destiny of the Longhu Mountain Zhao clan, nourishing the main Zhao family, who were rising to power in Tai'an City. The old locust tree transplanted at Xiamawei Inn was to suppress the malevolent aura of the Xu family father and son. He even gambled with Zhao Xuansu, an old patriarch from the Celestial Master's Mansion of his generation, exchanging one seal for another. But for Zhao Huangchao to build a hermitage and live in seclusion on Longhu Mountain, adjacent to Hui Mountain, and to befriend Xuanyuan Dapan and Xuanyuan Jingcheng—a father and son with vastly different temperaments—while seemingly a stroke of luck, how could there not be hidden motives? These limited actions, however, never interfered with his grand century-long endeavor. They were like tasteful embellishments, akin to a recluse planting a plum tree in his courtyard—it was good if it bloomed, but it didn't matter if it didn't.

Zhao Huangchao looked at the young woman slowly rising from the water. As she grew older, she resembled her more, yet for some reason, certain spiritual resemblances were becoming thinner. "A person strives for spirit, a Buddha for incense." No wonder Liu Songtao, at the last moment, chose the latter rather than her. Xuanyuan Qingfeng opened her eyes, full of wariness towards this unfathomable Taoist. Zhao Huangchao smiled slightly: "You need not be so cautious. Many legacies left for you on Daxe Hill, such as the 'Wedding Robe Child' that Xuanyuan Dapan didn't have time to use, and the 'Tranquilizer Pills' your father specifically left for you to control your subordinates, all came from my hands."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng was skeptical and sneered, "Oh? So, Reverend, you should be the benefactor of Daxe Hill then? Are you asking me, a junior, to repay my predecessors' debts?"

Zhao Huangchao smiled and shook his head. "Not just unlike her, but profoundly unlike her. That woman from back then viewed the world and its affairs in black and white; where would she have so much cunning? Then again, if she were still that naive girl, how could she have forced herself to become so unyielding? And even less likely could she have become the exquisite-hearted master of Hui Mountain and the ruthless martial arts alliance leader." Zhao Huangchao raised his hand, as if to brush away the morning mist on the river, his tone growing colder as he said: "I befriended two generations of Hui Mountain figures because I appreciated Xuanyuan Dapan's ambition and Xuanyuan Jingcheng's sincerity. However, neither of them succeeded. So, my negligible efforts were simply wasted, and I have no complaints."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng asked, "Then what do you want from me, Reverend?"

Zhao Huangchao smiled and asked, "Xuanyuan Qingfeng, do you wish to reshape your bones and muscles, forge a true golden body of a Bodhisattva, and then cross into the Celestial Phenomenon realm in one step? You should know that Wang Xianzhi's abandonment of Wudi City, while seemingly leaving no disciples behind, actually left behind contingencies in the martial arts world. If you wish to become a true leader of the martial arts world, not just a martial arts alliance leader with an empty title, it will be difficult to bypass me. If you think I am a frog in a well, speaking too grandly, then let me put it another way: I can help you advance faster on the path of martial arts, saving you many detours."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng did not even bother to hide her look of disdain.

Zhao Huangchao's time spent cultivating himself was already equivalent to two, or even three, lifetimes of ordinary mortals. Naturally, he would not be angered by this, and calmly said: "Just now, I thought of a saying: 'A person strives for spirit.' Xuanyuan Qingfeng, since you have entered the Celestial Phenomenon realm, have you gained any insights?"

Although Xuanyuan Qingfeng deeply distrusted this self-important Taoist, she had no intention of belittling him. After a moment's hesitation, she shook her sleeves and simply sat down on the water. Almost simultaneously, Zhao Huangchao also sat on the ground. The two faced each other as equals. Xuanyuan Qingfeng said in a deep voice: "To strive for spirit, one must first strive for one's own destiny, nurturing one's vital energy. Then, one strives for the world's destiny, achieving momentum. Everything progresses gradually, then at a certain time and place, it is achieved in a single stroke, like a carp swimming a thousand li, finally leaping over the dragon gate."

Zhao Huangchao showed appreciation and nodded: "Destiny, vital energy, fortune, momentum—all fall within the scope of this 'spirit.' Below the Earth Immortals, or more accurately, below the Heaven-and-Man realm, no one can escape this truth. Xuanyuan Qingfeng, on the path of martial arts, although you walk a heterodox path in the eyes of the Three Schools, you have nonetheless mastered its essentials."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng sneered: "So, Reverend, you sought me out today just to preach? Our meeting is not the decennial Buddhist-Taoist debate on the Demon-Slaying Platform."

Zhao Huangchao remained calm. He did not affect the pose of a wise sage stroking his beard; instead, he placed his hands on his knees, smiled, and proposed: "How about we make a deal?"

Xuanyuan Qingfeng lowered her head and bent down, reaching into the water. With her other hand, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a translucent wrist where blood and veins were visible, but no bones. Zhao Huangchao laughed aloud: "No problem if you don't. Whenever you figure it out, if I haven't died and disappeared by then, the offer will still be valid. Just come to Longhu Mountain and call my name, Zhao Huangchao."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng nodded, silent.

Zhao Huangchao stood up and vanished in a flash, his laughter echoing:"The nation will suffer nine ruptures, its people eight deaths;If in years to come I become the Azure Emperor,When autumn arrives, on the eighth of September,Cassia flowers will sway on Fuyao Mountain,And after their bloom, all other flowers shall be slain..."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's expression turned solemn. Both the 'Wedding Robe Child' and the 'Tranquilizer Pills' were secret legacies of the old Hui Mountain Daxe Hill. The former was a human ladder used by Xuanyuan Dapan to ascend to heaven; otherwise, even if Xuanyuan Qingfeng had widely killed experts to absorb internal energy, she would never have achieved the Grand Celestial Phenomenon cultivation required to face Wang Xianzhi. The latter was a mysterious gu-poison, meant to prevent hearts from being fickle and untrustworthy even after a combination of kindness and severity. This Taoist named Zhao Huangchao must have been telling the truth; he was indeed an old acquaintance from Guniu Dagang. However, after Xuanyuan Qingfeng gained power over Hui Mountain, she trusted no one but herself, and her animosity towards the Taoists of Longhu Mountain was particularly deep. How could she easily make a deal with an unknown Taoist who suddenly appeared? Xuanyuan Qingfeng withdrew her hand, and without even shaking her wrist, it was completely dry. Standing up, she scanned her surroundings, her gaze finally resting, intentionally or unintentionally, on a fallen reed leaf in the water. She lightly tapped it with her toe, stepping onto the reed leaf.

She seemed lost in thought, yet also seemed to have gained some insight.

The purple-clad figure re-emerged into the martial arts world, drifting eastward with the current.

On the post road in Hezhou, a massive creature charged wildly.

Most merchants and travelers only saw a blur, then a cloud of dust, unable to discern what formidable being it was. Only some sharp-eyed martial arts masters recognized that the enormous living creature was actually an exceptionally massive human, resembling the legendary remnants of ancient wilderness people hidden in Kunlun Mountain. Two zhang tall, capable of uprooting mountains and rivers. Five thousand years ago, after the sage successfully controlled the floods, he had 900 Kunlun giants transport the Nine Cauldrons to suppress the Nine Provinces. This giant ran like thunder, with both hands and feet touching the ground, his speed far exceeding that of famed steeds from beyond the Great Wall. Seated on his back was an old man with grizzled hair, a rope tied around his waist to prevent falling.

The old demon who had sown chaos among the Nine Kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn period should have been continuing his manipulations in the restoration of Western Chu. However, at the critical moment when the new Great Chu state was rising, the old man surprisingly abandoned it, summoning a servant far more significant than the Kunlun slaves of Tibing Mountain, and rushed towards the Northern Liang border.

The old man endured a bumpy journey, never delaying a single moment from start to finish except for necessary stops for food and rest. He also remained silent throughout, but upon nearing the Northern Liang Dao, he began to occasionally mutter to himself.

"Old Eccentric Wang, you fought too soon. If I had known, I would have let your city fall and your people die before your power matured! It's thanks to me that the martial arts world became so interesting for you. It's fine if you, Wang Xianzhi, don't appreciate it, and it's even fine if you dislike that Xu boy. But why involve a little girl?"

"Wang Xianzhi, Xu Fengnian, both of you deserve to die! If my daughter dies, Wang Xianzhi, you can forget about guarding the Heavenly Gate, and Northern Liang will never have a moment of peace!"

"Especially you, Xu Fengnian. So what if you can't defeat Wang Xianzhi? Just kowtow and beg for mercy. Wang Xianzhi would naturally disdain to fight someone so spineless. Why did you have to recklessly possess Gao Shulu's physique and spirit? What, were you afraid that if Gao Shulu killed Cao Changqing, the woman you admire would have no one to rely on? You can't even ensure Northern Liang's safety, yet you dare to hope to protect Jiang Si's life? Alright, I'll grant you're sentimental. But if you play favorites and just watch my daughter go to her death, even though I, Huang Longshi, once harmed Northern Liang, I also left it a way out. From now on, you'll end up just as written in books—without a complete corpse!"

The Kunlun giant had already entered Hezhou, heading directly towards the border where You and He states met.

Huang Longshi's heart sank further, because from his "perspective," that boy had not achieved complete success. His foundation, rooted in an unnamed Taoist's great Spring and Autumn dream from four hundred years ago, was incomplete. Moreover, as the old man calculated, that boy was naturally cautious but also considerate of the bigger picture. With such a heavy burden on his shoulders now, why would he risk his life for a woman with whom their connection was so tenuous? Putting himself in that position, not even Huang Longshi, who was notoriously cold-hearted during the Spring and Autumn period, let alone an ordinary person, would act so rashly. Because at this moment, if he were to make a move, his cultivation would be gone, his family legacy would be gone, and state affairs would be jeopardized. Future generations would not be wrong to brand him a sinner for a thousand years. For Xu Fengnian, standing by was the correct course of action.

For all these years, behind Huang Longshi's seemingly limitless glory, no matter how many snubs or setbacks he encountered, he had never been so helpless.

The giant beneath him was at the end of its strength.

Huang Longshi, still cold-blooded, said, "You should die now."

The giant had no complaints; even bleeding from all seven orifices, it pushed itself to run the final three hundred li.

After three hundred li, Huang Longshi, who had been holding his breath the whole way, would start surging forward on foot, then try his best to arrive before Wang Xianzhi made his move to kill.

Provided that foolish girl wasn't dead yet!

Huang Longshi had one thing he never told that girl: if not for meeting her, after Liyang unified the Central Plains, he would have retired to the mountains and forests, dedicated himself to martial arts and cultivation, and then tried to ascend. With no attachments in the human world, he could then go see the scenery of the heavens.

Nearing Youzhou, Huang Longshi suddenly roared, "Stop!" The giant hastily stopped, its hands and feet digging several furrows in the ground. The old man leaped down and darted forward, faintly stating with sorrow, "It's too late."

Wang Xianzhi always kept his word. Even though his opponent was a young girl, a rather novel assassin, he had said he would kill her the next time they met. So, when she risked her life to block the center of the border post road, Wang Xianzhi truly stepped forward and stomped his foot on the short girl's abdomen. She fell backward, her body sliding back more than ten zhang. With barely any vital energy left to protect her, her clothes were torn on her back, and she was covered in wounds. She should have been unable to stand, lying there to die, but she probably relied on sheer willpower, shakily getting back to her feet. After standing up, she still showed no fear.

She had killed Wang Mingyin, Liu Haoshi, and many, many other masters. She was not afraid of killing, nor of being killed. She was just a little unhappy, feeling that she hadn't done well enough. She had repaid the hairpin. But she hadn't repaid the mink hat he later gave her.

Her vision had long been blurred, but she still raised her head. Once before, she had been hunted by some Willow and a fat woman, and that time she couldn't hold on any longer. Then, he descended from the sky, landing in front of her. She was very happy, not happy to survive, but happy that he had arrived. It was that simple.

Haha Girl closed her eyes. Old Huang said that when a person dies, they simply sleep a "great Spring and Autumn sleep" from which no one can ever disturb or wake them. She thought that was good; time to sleep.

At this moment, whether it was an illusion or not, a warm hand gently pressed on her head, and a soft voice said, "No sleeping in late."

Between sleep and wakefulness, she felt the person behind her walk to her side and say a sentence, one to her and one to that powerful old man.

One was very light."I'm here."

One was very heavy.As if the whole world heard it."Wang Xianzhi, you deserve to die."