Free Web NovelChapter 308: Chapter 307: Being a Master of Life
The banquet on Piaomiao Peak came to a close. The members of the Jade Maiden Sect had witnessed the caliber of the Celestial Profound Sect’s disciples, and they stayed for a full three days before departing.
During those three days, countless disciples went to visit the disciples of the Jade Maiden Sect, hoping to win their favor.
Quite a few of them secretly developed feelings for one another. Among them, Duan Hui and a Jade Maiden Sect disciple named Fang Hui quietly pledged their lives to each other.
Over these three days, Yu also frequently visited Liuu Hanlu. Rumor had it that the two were spotted together at Liuxi Mountain, and others saw them by the Puyuan River. As for the specifics, no one knew.
But just after the members of the Jade Maiden Sect left, a massive piece of news spread back to the Celestial Profound Mountain Domain, shaking the entire Celestial Profound Sect to its core.
Lu Wushuang of Cloud Conceal Peak had led several Celestial Profound Sect disciples to the Sword Sect to compete in Swordsmanship. The results were in.
A crushing defeat!
It was an utterly miserable loss!
Han Zhengming, the genius disciple of Cloud Conceal Peak, was defeated in seven moves by Moo Luo, the Chief Disciple of the Sword Sect.
Furthermore, the Sword Sect’s twenty-one-year-old Swordsmanship prodigy, Liu Xiaomo, had defeated Lu Wushuang in a single move. This news spread rapidly throughout the entire Eastern Profound Domain.
The Sword Sect had produced a peerless prodigy: Liu Xiaomo!
In just one short month, the name Liu Xiaomo shook the entire Eastern Profound Domain!
Liu Xiaomo had also made a bold declaration that he would one day visit the Celestial Profound Sect to challenge the Third and even Second Generation Disciples of Cloud Conceal Peak. As soon as these words got out, they caused a massive uproar throughout the entire Sect.
"Senior Brother Lu from Cloud Conceal Peak was actually defeated in a single move? Could it be that Liu Xiaomo’s Swordsmanship has already reached the second layer of Tunnel Swordsmanship?"
"The Sword Sect’s Swordsmanship is so powerful! It’s utterly shocking."
"The many prodigies of the Taiyi Pavilion are already hard enough to match. I never expected the Sword Sect to be brimming with talent as well. I wonder what kind of peerless geniuses the Daoist School of Non-action, the Thousand Nether Valley, and the other Sects have."
"I heard he’s the disciple of the Sword Sect’s Sword Fairy Mingzhu. It seems he’s her favorite one, too."
...
On Chaotian Peak.
If anyone had come to Chaotian Peak at this moment and seen the two men and one woman gathered here, they would have been utterly astonished.
One of the men was fairly young, his blue-green robes giving him a refined air. A deep, unshakable sorrow was etched between his brows. This was none other than the Life Peak Master, Zhang Zhilin.
It was a tradition of Life Peak that every generation of its Peak Master had the name "Zhi" in their given name, without exception.
Beside him, an old man with a full head of white hair sat on a stone chair, wrinkles covering his face. His eyes were tightly closed, his thoughts hidden.
This old man was none other than the Peak Master of Cloud Conceal Peak, Qii Yue.
The woman, in her thirties, had fair skin. Though her features were plain, she exuded a tranquil and serene aura, her entire bearing focused and refined. She was Situ Yun, the Peak Master of Purple Bamboo Peak.
Situ Yun looked at Qii Yue, her brow furrowed as she spoke. "Brother Qii, was Nephew Lu truly defeated in a single move?"
Hearing Situ Yun’s words, Zhang Zhilin couldn’t help but look toward Qii Yue, who still had his eyes closed. His own gaze held a mix of gravity and curiosity.
Qii Yue’s eyes snapped open, a flash of clarity in their murky depths. "This generation of Sword Sect disciples is truly impressive. To say nothing of their Chief Disciple, Moo Luo, whose Swordsmanship is already masterly and comparable to the experts of the older generation, that Liu Xiaomo is also exceptionally brilliant. His Swordsmanship is likely only a sliver inferior to my own."
"What!?" Situ Yun exclaimed in astonishment. "Only a sliver inferior to you? How can that be? Brother Qii, you are at the peak of the second realm of Tunnel Swordsmanship!"
Qii Yue let out a deep sigh. "That’s right. Liu Xiaomo. Remember that name."
Zhang Zhilin pondered for a long moment before speaking slowly, "The Daoist School of Non-action has a disciple, Fang Yu. He is only eighteen, but his cultivation is already at the Yin-Yang Realm Eighth Layer Heaven. In a hundred years, he too will be a force to be reckoned with."
Situ Yun slowly sank into her seat and said wearily, "Let’s wait for the other senior brothers to arrive before we discuss this further."
...
As the sun set, the misty rain cleared.
On a quiet mountain peak, clouds reached only halfway up its slope, where a cool, green mist mingled with the swirling haze.
Cheng Yu stared ahead. The clouds vaguely obscured the deep tranquility below, but through them, she could still make out a vast and magnificent landscape.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from behind her.
"You’re here," Cheng Yu said, turning her head and forcing a smile.
Wen Qingye nodded. Looking at Cheng Yu, he frowned and asked, "Is something wrong?"
Cheng Yu didn’t answer Wen Qingye’s question. Instead, she said softly, "I’m planning to leave. To leave the Celestial Profound Sect."
"Where will you go?" Wen Qingye asked, frowning.
"Back to the Celestial Martial Country!" Cheng Yu replied, her head bowed and her shoulders beginning to tremble.
Her delicate shoulders trembled, and her eyes glistened with tears, a pitiable sight.
Wen Qingye asked softly, "Is it because of Nie Shuang?"
Just yesterday, Wen Qingye had received an invitation. Nie Shuang and Tangg Jin were to be officially married on Chaotian Peak on the seventh day of next month. It turned out that Tangg Jin was the daughter of Tangg Guanzhong, the Chaotian Peak Master.
Without looking up, Cheng Yu gently shook her head. "It’s not him. It’s me."
"I’ve just... forgotten how to walk the path of tomorrow," Cheng Yu’s voice was tinged with a faint, barely audible sob.
Wen Qingye didn’t speak. He clasped his hands behind his back and gazed into the distance. "On the journey of life," he said quietly, "sometimes you just have to let yourself be tormented for a moment. Once you’re through it, you can relax."
Cheng Yu wiped away her tears and gave a bitter smile. "You haven’t experienced my suffering, so you couldn’t possibly know."
Cheng Yu let out a long sigh, a miserable look flashing in her eyes. ’Perhaps I should have known all along. But every time I saw him, I was moved by our past... Perhaps I just took it all too seriously.’
Wen Qingye asked cautiously, "So you’ve decided to leave?"
Cheng Yu looked at Wen Qingye, a smile in her tear-filled eyes. She nodded. "Yes. The day after tomorrow is your match against Yu. I’ll leave after I watch it. It’s a shame about those three thousand Sect Contribution Points, though."
"Are you going back alone?" Wen Qingye sighed, feeling an urge to do something for her.
Cheng Yu nodded. "Yes. It’s fine. It’ll be nice to enjoy the scenery along the way by myself.
"Here, take this," Wen Qingye said, taking out a Copper Mirror and handing it to Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu’s mouth fell open in surprise when she saw it. She quickly refused, "No, I can’t. This Copper Mirror is a Magical Artifact, don’t you need to keep it for yourself? In a merciless place like the Celestial Profound Sect, you’re the one who needs it. How can you give it to me?"
Wen Qingye shook his head. "No, I want you to give it to Ling Wei."
"I..." Cheng Yu’s eyes grew misty. ’How could I not understand the meaning behind his words? He’s worried about me.’
"I’m leaving now," Cheng Yu said after a pause. She looked at Wen Qingye with a gentle expression and added softly, "I believe in you. You will become the most outstanding person in the entire Celestial Profound Sect, in the entire Eastern Profound Domain. I’ll be waiting for that day."
After speaking, Cheng Yu took the Copper Mirror and walked off into the distance.
Wen Qingye sighed deeply, watching Cheng Yu’s retreating figure until it disappeared.
Perhaps here, many people would never be able to command the winds and clouds, to become peerless experts. But in their own lives, they could still become experts—the peerless experts of their own destiny!
