Chapter 109 Yunxiao Disaster
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Yuzhi, run.
However, where could one possibly flee?
Pei Jing’s heart and chest turned icy as he contained the bitterness and sorrow in his eyes. Crossing through time and space, his worried and pained gaze fixed upon Pei Yuzhi.
A young man with white hair, dressed in a snowy garment, knelt on the ground. His laughter was fleeting, as was his crying.
After a moment, he planted the sword in the ground, his pale fingers clutching the hilt, slowly and rigidly standing up.
Outside the Tianqian Hall, the snow-covered landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, a lamentation of mountains and rivers.
Yunxiao, the revered land of sword cultivation, now remained silent. The grand Yunxiao appeared like an injured swordsman, upholding his last ounce of dignity.
Pei Jing also stared blankly at the outside.
The sky was gray, the mountains a shade of blue, and everything seemed decadent and desolate—he never imagined Yunxiao would be like this.
Since birth, he had been accepted into Tianqian Hall, making it his only home throughout his life.
In his memories, Yunxiao possessed a certain beauty even during the depths of winter. Draped in silver, the tranquil snowflakes danced in the clear sky. Between the peaks, young disciples would ride their swords, filled with youthful energy, laughter resounding through the air.
However, that was all in the past…
Everything was lost now…
As the Chief Disciple of Yunxiao, he was admired by all. The young boys and girls were like the rising sun, vibrant and full of vitality. In the Celestial Pavilion, they engaged in friendly competitions, exchanged tall tales, and indulged in gossips. When speaking of their dreams, their eyes shone with excitement.
But their dreams of journeying to distant lands and seeking enlightenment on the path of cultivation met an untimely demise in the winter of that year. The Abyss of Broken Swords brought icy coldness to their passionate endeavors.
Pei Jing followed him as they moved forward together.
Leaving Tianqian Peak, the world fell into silence.
A faint line of red marked the emergence of the sun in the distance.
The orange sunlight illuminated the young man’s profile as he tilted his head slightly backward. His silver hair swayed, and his pale face appeared almost transparent, revealing faint green veins. After attaining perfection in Nascent Soul cultivation, he deliberately honed his hearing, capable of discerning every word said in this world with utmost clarity.
“Did something happen over at Yinghui Peak? Just now, I think I heard the cry of a phoenix, so mournful that it sent a shiver down my spine. And it seems like it’s raining over there. Senior Sister, I’m really worried. Should we go and take a look?”
The woman furrowed her brow and spoke sternly.
“Go and take a look? At a time like this?! We’re not allowed to go anywhere. Falling into Ji Wuyou’s hands will only lead to a dead end! No burial, no chance of survival!”
“Ah, damn Ji Wuyou! He’s such a treacherous wolf in sheep’s clothing. Hearing those words made me so furious, I could have burst with anger. Senior Brother Pei must be devastated after hearing them.”
“…But, Senior Sister, when is Senior Brother Pei coming out of seclusion? I… I’m starting to feel afraid.”
The woman fell silent for a long time before speaking.
“Don’t be afraid. This is the biggest disaster Yunxiao has faced since its founding. As disciples of Yunxiao, we cannot retreat. Trust in Senior Brother Pei, trust in the Institute of Celestial Ascension.”
“Hmm! Alright!”
The girls’ voices were clear and resolute, full of conviction. They paused for a moment before curiously asking about other matters.
“Senior Sister, Senior Sister, I heard them say that you like Senior Brother Pei. Is it true?”
“I also heard a saying circulating on Shangyang Peak back then: ‘To Pei Yuzhi, love at first sight, infatuation at second, and after the third, no one else will do.’ Hahaha, everyone said there’s a heart thief on the Inner Peaks.”
The sunlight emerged, melting the accumulated snow on the eaves, creating droplets that fell onto the woman’s pristine white skirt, resembling the shape of a blooming flower.
The heavy atmosphere seemed to lighten as a result.
The Traceless Fairy lowered her gaze and smiled briefly.
With imminent danger outside the peak and the uncertain fate of their fellow disciples, the innocent words of her junior sisters took her thoughts back to a distant past. It felt both fleeting and nostalgic.
“Countless women admire him, and I am just one among them. It’s not exactly admiration, perhaps more like a heartfelt longing and joy. With Senior Brother Pei, among a multitude of people, you can always spot him at first glance. It’s as if he radiates light.”
“Wow!”
The curiosity of her junior sisters toward this Sect Master, who had always been discussed by others, grew stronger.
The Traceless Fairy smiled, and the melting snow disappeared more rapidly. Drip by drip. A maiden in her prime extended her hand, watching the crystalline water fall into her palm and softly said, “He radiates light, symbolizing miracles. He is so proud and will never fail. Even if he loses, it’s because…” Her voice, light as falling snow, continued, “Yunxiao is destined to face this calamity, and it’s not his fault.”
In his soul-like state, Pei Jing followed closely beside Pei Yuzhi. Hearing those words, his eyes welled up with tears, a mixture of heartache and overwhelming pain.
“Yes, it’s not your fault. Truly, it’s not your fault…”
However, his voice was destined to not reach the ears of the silver-haired young man.
Conversations echoed from all directions in the sky.
They were sighs of resignation and concern from the Elders.
“The power and range of the Purple Cloud Formation are diminishing. The situation is not optimistic.”
“We truly brought the wolf into the house back then.”
“Sigh… I wonder if Yuzhi can make it through.”
The irritable old man slammed the table and said.
“Hmph! Even if he can’t make it, he has to make it! He is Yunxiao’s Sect Master, a towering and upright man. He can’t shrink back. When this kid was running around naked, he climbed all 108 peaks, causing mischief and trouble everywhere, and his skin became like that. Now we can’t spoil him even more! He should clean up the mess caused by his own troublesome disciple.”
“…You make a valid point, but why do you keep looking towards Tianqian Peak?”
“…………”
“Who’s looking at Tianqian Peak! Who’s worried about that brat! I’m clearly looking at the weather! The sun is out, and the snow has stopped. Can’t you see?”
The Elders, who had known each other for a hundred years, understood each other’s habits and couldn’t be bothered to expose him. “Alright, alright. The sun is out. May Yunxiao be blessed.”
…May Yunxiao be blessed. Pei Jing pursed his lips and earnestly looked at Pei Yuzhi’s expression.
The young man continued to walk forward with an expressionless face, his eyes deep and silent like a tranquil abyss.
When the sincere light and darkness of his youth faded away, leaving a coldness at his brow, he became numb, like a solitary bird flying through the wind and snow.
Pei Jing opened his mouth but didn’t say anything.
As they approached Yinghui Peak, already outside the sword formation, they heard more mocking and malicious voices from outsiders.
“Let me tell you, Yunxiao’s girls are one more alluring than the other. It’s making me itch. I can’t wait to get my hands on one. It’ll be fun to enjoy them before killing them.”
“Hehe, I share the same sentiment. Yunxiao’s female cultivators are all proud and arrogant. It’ll definitely be a different kind of pleasure to play with them, hahaha. But this is just a matter of time. The Purple Cloud Sword Formation won’t hold for much longer.”
“Time will tell how long it’ll take. Once all the people in these mountains are dead, let alone female cultivators, even a bird would be enough to fill my stomach. Speaking of which, the last time you brought that fat yellow bird, its taste was quite good. It surprised me how rich its spiritual energy was. It must have been raised on spiritual herbs and fruits since it was small.”
“Hahaha, so you want to eat birds, huh? There’s still another one in these mountains.”
“…Are you suggesting my death? If I were to eat that divine beast from the Phoenix Clan, I probably wouldn’t survive for more than two days.”
“Don’t be afraid! Even when fighting a dog, you still look at the owner. With Senior Ziyang here, who would dare to kill you?”
The person showed a hint of curiosity and pondered for a moment before asking, “Where is it now?”
“Pei Yuzhi used to put on a show and deceived many people. The Four Great Champions from all over the world came to help, but what’s the use? They only came to their deaths. He should be on a certain mountain path, and it seems that the divine maiden under Zhenren has some grudge with the Phoenix Clan. She’s specifically waiting for him to come.”
“There?! I just saw the Wenqing Peak Master from Yunxiao heading in that direction.”
“Probably lured there by the phoenix’s cry… Chen Xu? He’s indeed a loyal dog of Pei Yuzhi. Ha.”
Every word they spoke felt like a knife piercing Pei Jing’s heart. The knives rose and fell, leaving him in a pool of blood.
Subconsciously, his gaze turned to Pei Yuzhi.
The silver-haired youth suddenly stopped in his tracks, and in that instant, the wind and snow ceased. Deep-seated hatred and anger appeared in his eyes, tearing through heaven and earth.
The hand gripping the sword trembled, but in the end, he gently closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath.
Stepping on the snow with alternating deep and shallow strides, he walked toward the mountain gate.
Passing through Yinghui Peak, they reached the renowned suspension bridge of Yunxiao, suspended between the cliffs of the mountain. Below was an abyss shrouded in ethereal clouds, its depths invisible. The suspension bridge was formed when the Sword Sovereign of Yunxiao split the mountain with a single strike during the founding of the sect. It stood at the entrance of the sect, always serving as a trial.
Among the ten thousand rules of Yunxiao, there were hundreds related to the suspension bridge, but the most important one stated that disciples must cross it on foot when traveling. Although the disciples cursed the rules for thirty days every month, no one dared to disobey.
He looked at the suspension bridge covered in snow.
Pei Jing paused for a moment, recalling the second time he met the Sword Sovereign.
The second time was on this suspension bridge.
He had caused trouble and was sent here by his irritable master to reflect on his actions.
However, back then, he couldn’t really calm his mind. Instead, he played around with the welcoming stone, trying to carve and draw on it, but it didn’t leave a single trace. Just when Pei Jing was happily fooling around, he suddenly received a swift strike from afar, hitting his forehead and causing him great pain.
Soon after, a purple light intensified, and the Sword Sovereign emerged with anger, shouting his name.
Then, he pulled Pei Jing into a space of enlightenment.
The soul of the Sword Sovereign in the green stone appeared as a young boy.
Pei Jing felt a bit embarrassed.
In the realm of enlightenment.
He and the Sword Sovereign engaged in a conversation.
The Sword Sovereign asked him, “Did your master send you here to defile the stone I left behind?”
The youth replied resentfully, “Well, I didn’t really defile it, did I?”
Sword Sovereign: “Hehe.”
The youth changed the subject, “This stone is really strange, or rather, this bridge is strange. Why did our Ancestor erect it here? Is it really a test of one’s determination? It’s deceiving, isn’t it?”
Sword Sovereign: “If you don’t understand, then don’t call it strange. I’ve come to understand your temperament. Now, let me advise you in advance, when you become the Sect Master, the rules of the suspension bridge must not be changed. Remember that!”
Young Pei Jing: “Hehe.”
Sword Sovereign: “During the selection of disciples, it certainly wasn’t an ordinary bridge. But even now, it’s still not ordinary. The planks and ropes of this bridge have remained intact for thousands of years. Do you think they are ordinary objects? And this green stone, I obtained it from the Nether River. It’s a celestial stone that mends the heavens, as precious as the fertile soil! And yet, you dared to scribble on it with your sword!”
Young Pei Jing: “So, it’s really valuable.”
Sword Sovereign snorted. “What do you think?! It’s an ancient artifact, long attuned to the spiritual realm. It accompanied me for so long, almost like a good friend. After my divine soul disperses, the green stone will stand in my place, overseeing Yunxiao, watching over you. Be careful with it!”
Young Pei Jing cleared his throat. “Rest assured, Master, Yunxiao will prosper for eternity, and I will leave my name in history.”
Sword Sovereign: “Hehe.”
Suddenly, Young Pei Jing remembered a favor, and he smiled. “Master, I achieved the top spot on the Hundred-Year Wentian Rankings. Shouldn’t you fulfill your promise?”
Sword Sovereign: “……”
The Sword Sovereign glanced at him with deep contemplation. “It’s still early, but before that thing is given to you, I can fulfill one of your wishes.”
Pei Jing’s eyes lit up. “Really?! I want…”
The Sword Sovereign interrupted, “I see that you really want to carve words on the green stone. So, I will grant your wish. Carve seven words on the welcoming stone for me: ‘With unwavering dignity, verified by the sword.’ If the characters are ugly or incorrect, you’ll have to carve them on your own face.”
Pei Jing: “……” Unable to hold back, he asked, “Master, do you even know what ‘wishes’ are?”
But the Sword Sovereign ignored him.
The purple light faded, leaving behind a final remark, “As long as the green stone exists, I entrust Yunxiao to you. Don’t disappoint me.”
Pei Jing: “……” He obtained nothing. Instead, he became a free laborer.
So, on that summer night, he squatted halfway on the green stone, meticulously carving words with his sword throughout the night.
“With unwavering dignity.”
The scene at the Futu Tower had deeply touched him.
Pei Jing had already anticipated what would happen, so these memories were like a nerve-wracking pain.
The sand-mixed snow entered his throat, creating a gritty, bloody-sweet taste.
Pei Yuzhi was stopped by a force.
The spirit of the green stone, the soul of the Ancestor.
A moment of deadlock and pause.
A faint pale smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He bent down, his fingers brushing against the icy stone wall and those seven words.
He whispered, “Master, I’d still disappointed you.”
Endless, pale, heavy snow.
The cold wind was biting.
Pei Jing watched his tears fall.
He spoke.
“I cannot protect Yunxiao, after all.”
Pei Jing’s voice was hoarse as well.
“It’s not your fault, Pei Yuzhi.”
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