The Sword Survives
Even twenty years later, Jian Changzai’s death was shrouded in mystery. Owing to the way he was raised and his determination to be a guardian for the world, he came closest to succeeding the “Sword Deity” title, which placed him among as a contender among the top across the land. However, Bai Zhiqing never saw someone who was willing to risk his life for a villager as a candidate for swordsman supremacy. Instead of hailing Jian Changzai as a prodigy the world of swordsmen could not be without, it was more swordsmen refusing to leave him alone. Among everyone present in Fiends’ Genesis’ base at the time, there was only one person who could have defended against the green energy – their final target, who required everyone’s firepower to match, Shang Bieshi.
They saw the green energy invade a black void, which signalled the commencement of a battle, but nobody saw clearly what transpired, so they only knew that both sides’ main vanguards had engaged in battle.
Bai Zhiqing could never shake off the unease or justify Jian Changzai’s sudden decision to fight Shang Bieshi when the latter was against advancing. From the moment he learnt of Jian Changzai’s decision, Bai Zhiqing felt uneasy since the decision was uncharacteristic of Jian Changzai. Of course, being forced to compromise on decisions was sometimes part of combat. Jian Changzai’s decision also boosted their morale. Unfortunately, Bai Zhiqing’s gut feeling manifested into reality. The moment he saw the green energy fade, he knew Jian Changzai’s candle went out.
“Brother Jian!” Bai Zhiqing had exchanged more than a hundred strikes with Wan Shi and was gradually fading, but he forced himself to swing with every remaining droplet of energy.
One of Bai Zhiqing’s predecessors designed an internal discipline called “Cycle of Three Lives” for the sake of saving a life. Despite her expertise in internal and external disciplines, she was unable to wake up her lover who fell into an ice pit, and the sorrow turned her hair grey overnight. The following day, though, her hair was restored to its former glory, only for it to turn white again the next day. Following a cycle of one week, her lover woke from his slumber.
What she did was gather essence in nature using her self-invented method to blast open all meridians, granting herself a transient window where she could use more energy than her natural limit. She had ascended to Divine Realm years prior, but her innovative discipline helped her level up further.
Over the course of the seven days, she utilised the method three times, effectively surpassing her limits three times. Though she was successful in her endeavour to save her lover, the price to pay for her shortcut was losing her lifetime of progress and having to restart from zero. In addition, she was rendered unable to surpass her previous level. Nonetheless, she did not regret her decision.
“We have been bound as lovers for three lives, so I can’t let it end here. I can’t bear to part with you. I’d rather forego my skills and give in to the cycle of reincarnation.”
The quote was what inspired the name of the discipline.
As “Cycle of Three Lives” used Yearning Broadswordplay’s mental cultivation as its core, the mental cultivation was not difficult for Bai Zhiqing to grasp. Bai Zhiqing, however, struggled to grasp the concept of having no regrets, which was critical to mastering the discipline, because he had never reached a point of no regret.
Unexpectedly, Wan Shi initiated the retreat, suggesting that Shang Bieshi did not come out of the battle against Jian Changzai unscathed. At the same moment, Ling Hanzhong returned with Jian Changzai, who was one arm less and bleeding from every orifice above his shoulders.
“He had perished by the time I reached him,” Ling Hanzhong emotionlessly stated.
Bai Zhiqing was in no state to worry about Ling Hanzhong’s tone. He hurriedly grabbed Jian Changzai from Ling Hanzhong. The wound where Jian Changzai’s arm was supposed to appeared to have been blasted, while his bloody body gave the impression he emptied all of his blood.
“Brother Jian! Brother Jian!” cried Bai Zhiqing.
Ling Hanzhong chided, “Calm down, you…”
“Wait! Brother Jian moved!”
Ling Hanzhong, pale, dug his fingers into his palm, missing the young piercing gaze aimed at him.
“Move again, and I’ll behead you,” warned Bai Zhiqing, who retreated away from Ling Hanzhong as soon as he got a hold of Jian Changzai. The fact that Jian Changzai refused to be beside Ling Hanzhong in his last moments said everything that needed to be implied. “Brother Jian, tell me who’s responsible for this.”
Jian Changzai gripped Bai Zhiqing’s lapel and, in a raspy voice, uttered, “… Save them… Save them… There are survivors…”
Ling Hanzhong relaxed his flesh cannonballs once Jian Changzai took his last breath, forgetting Bai Zhiqing was there. Meanwhile, the numerous conversations shared with Jian Changzai filled Bai Zhiqing’s mind.
Bai Zhiqing had so many questions for Jian Changzai. Jian Changzai did not tell him who he was supposed to protect or why he suddenly rushed Shang Bieshi. The only certainty was that Jian Changzai had left him behind.
Naturally, others, starting with Dark Robe Brotherhood’s group, fell into a panic when their strongest warrior had fallen. Consequently, their solid formation started to crumble without Fiends’ Genesis introducing any new elites. Until Jian Changzai’s defeat, the thought of dying there never crossed anyone’s mind. Their false sense of security quickly became their downfall. Nevertheless, the sword survived.
Bai Zhiqing discarded his naivety and recomposed himself. This was the battle that spread his fame and became his moment of glory.
“Go!” roared Bai Zhiqing, voice husky. Nobody had seen him as a decisive commander until that moment. “I’ll bring up the rear. Go first! You must all make it out alive!”
The way Bai Zhiqing faced off against the enemies trying to bypass him was practically an incarnation of Jian Changzai.
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