Chapter 42 Tonight, I'll be sleepless as I test my skills to mend the crack in the sky!
The day my master passed away was an extremely peaceful afternoon.
The clouds drift lazily, the stream murmurs softly, cicadas chirp incessantly in the trees, the west wind sweeps across the reeds by the stream, rousing the dormant dragonflies, and fish leap lightly with a splash.
He sat cross-legged by the stream, his kind gaze fixed on the water. Amidst the gentle ripples, a green leaf carrying several ants floated downstream, struggling and bobbing.
He asked, "What is the path to immortality?"
Behind him were his disciples, deeply saddened and reluctant to part. Upon hearing the question, they wiped their eyes, unable to shake off their grief, and could only sob softly without responding.
The grandmaster turned his head and saw that all the people who came to see him off were his own disciples. They were all familiar faces. He looked at them one by one, and finally stopped at the shortest figure.
He smiled and asked, "Are you Xiao Cheng's newly accepted disciple? What's your name?"
The young Taoist boy clutched his master's sleeve, looking at him timidly. He was still young and did not know what it meant to pass away peacefully or to vanish. He only knew that the person in front of him was the grandmaster of the Daohe Palace, someone he should respect.
He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, my name is Zhang Chunhe, and I have been a disciple for two months."
“Spring Harmony? The wind and snow have ceased, and spring is in full bloom—a fine name.” He continued, “The adults are all overcome with grief; why don’t you answer this: what is the path to immortality?”
The young Taoist novice hesitated for a moment, glanced at his master who was still silently weeping, and said in a clear voice: "Like the Taoist Ancestor, one can look up and down at heaven and earth, come and go in the universe, walk in harmony with heaven and man, regard all things as ruthless, and seek longevity and coexistence. This is the way of the true immortal."
The Dao Ancestor did not refute him, but went along with his words: "What is meant by being heartless, and how can one be heartless? Do you think your grandmaster is heartless?"
Unable to answer, the young Taoist could only bow as usual and say, "Please enlighten me, Grandmaster."
The Grandmaster simply shook his head and laughed: "I cannot teach you, I cannot teach you, there is no need to teach you. The Dao has a thousand faces, and each person sees it differently. If you understand it this way, then for you, this is the 'Dao,' and there is no need for me to judge it."
If there is only one "Dao" in the world, then why do Dao and palaces exist?
A wise person seeks common ground while reserving differences; it's just that as an old man nearing his end, I simply want to have a heart-to-heart talk with the younger generation.
The sky and water blended into one, and all around, apart from the suppressed sobs, there was only the chirping of cicadas, each one longer than the last, determined to kill off the summer heat.
“I have placed a wisp of my divine soul within the sword realm. After I leave, if the pilgrimage ceremony takes place at the Daohe Palace, you should open the sword realm and invite the top three winners to enter and observe.”
Someone choked up and said, "The Holy Soul has split off... Does Master still have something on his mind?"
The grandmaster rose and looked up at the sky, the hem of his white cotton robe brushing against the reeds. He said softly, "Yes, I am waiting for someone."
"Waiting for whom?"
"I will know when I see him."
On that day, the Grandmaster passed away peacefully, his physical body dissipating into the Sword Realm, and a wisp of remaining Holy Spirit fell back into the Pilgrimage Valley. Thus, a grandmaster of his generation perished.
To this day, because the Pilgrimage Valley has been closed for a long time, no one knows whether he has completely disappeared into the world, and the legend of waiting has long been buried in the long river of time, only a few successors of Daohe Palace remember it.
Zhang Chunhe was one of them.
Hearing his master's words, he was not astonished as the others. He simply bowed respectfully before looking up at the stone steps and the towering giant spirit. His eyes held a faint sense of nostalgia. He was not actually familiar with this master; he was simply reminiscing about the past.
A wave of gratitude washed over him, and his gaze gradually settled on that straight figure, his eyes growing deeper.
Not only him, but all the other cultivators, the other disciples, and even Pei Yu, Qiu Tong and Wei Changzai who were about to enter, all focused their attention on Lin Feiran.
"You..." The grandmaster paused for a moment, then waved his hand, and crystal-blue dandelions floated up. In an instant, everyone in the sword realm could only see a white mist and hear their own breathing.
"What is your name?" the grandmaster asked.
Lin Feiran stared at him for a long time before finally speaking: "My name is Lin Feiran."
The grandmaster nodded slightly, like a swaying sun: "Good child, was this your original name?"
Lin Feiran was taken aback. After a moment's thought, she nodded in response. She then asked, "What did Grandmaster mean just now? Why did you wait for me?"
"I can't tell you right now."
The grandmaster smiled, then slowly bent down and reached out his hand. He was so huge that bending down like that was like a jade mountain collapsing. Lin Feiran had to use all her strength to keep herself still, not to run away or resist.
However, the grandmaster did not make a move. He simply supported the dojo, made himself more comfortable in his cross-legged position, and then produced an object in his hand, which he handed to Lin Feiran.
It was a huge stone book, its cover weathered and blurred beyond recognition, but several new marks were carved on it with the sharpness of a blade, sloping downwards like dragons and phoenixes.
This must be the Iron Khitan Script.
The stone book was as large as a cliff, and she was too close to see its entirety. It seemed that her master had just realized this, so he weighed it in his hand, and the stone book suddenly shrank to a normal size, like a thin leaf in his hand.
The Grandmaster lowered his eyes and said, “Even if you are a destined person, and even if I have waited for a long time, such a treasure is not something that can be obtained easily. Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise. The more precious the item, the more dangerous it is. That’s all I have to say. If you really want it, then take it.”
After speaking, he tossed the heavy stone book into the air, where it was easily thrown into the swirling vortex.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze arose all around, followed by flashes of lightning and thunder, accompanied by a deafening roar!
The inscriptions on dozens of stone steps lit up, and a faint blue light surged from beneath the steles, gradually condensing into figures wielding swords or knives. They leaped from the bottom of the steps onto the high platform, their figures wild and unrestrained amidst the flashing blades.
Those are clearly the shadows of the saints from all sides who are buried here!
"Laughing to the sky, unleashing the wild blade, seizing the blue horse, drinking blood with the sword!"
"By September 18th, we will slaughter our way to a clear sky over the vast Xiachuan!"
"A single blaze can start a prairie fire, and with one burning, the world will be cleansed!"
They all turned to look at Lin Feiran, their voices like thunderclaps. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Lin Feiran, and he pulled out a large object from his sleeve, which transformed into a jade sword. He then leaped towards the vortex in the sky.
The figures of light and shadow laughed a few times, drew their swords and daggers, and came to block her path. The next moment, the two sides began to fight.
"Young man, your foundation is unstable!"
Lin Feiran was tackled by a tricky sliding tackle and fell into the dandelion field. She sneezed a few times, but she only rested for a moment before immediately raising her sword and rushing forward. Without thinking about anything else, she stepped on her master's huge knee to use as leverage to flip over and dodge the attacking blade.
"Young man, your sword is unsteady!"
The sword light that followed was faster than Lin Feiran had ever seen in her life. It was clearly a gently fluttering leaf that came at her, but when she caught the sword, it immediately disappeared and she missed.
The broad blade struck her wrist, arm, and shoulder, and with a single movement, knocked the jade sword from her hand.
The heavy-duty creature landed blankly, looked back at Lin Feiran, and then barked again as it flew into her hand, helping her block the next attack!
"Young man, your swordsmanship is not yet steadfast!"
Although the shadows of the saints did not swarm in, they still struck forward one after another, forcing Lin Feiran to retreat step by step and struggle to defend herself. This was the first time she had been so disheveled since she began learning swordsmanship.
"Young man, the greater the treasure, the greater the danger. Do you have the courage, the chivalry, the vision, and the courage to accept the imperial edict?"
Although Lin Feiran managed to parry the attack with difficulty, she still managed to see a glimmer of energy amidst the crowd's encirclement. Instantly, lightning crackled beneath her feet, and she leaped out against the wind.
"I entered the Sword Realm this time for the Iron Khitan Scripture. How could I dare not? Even if there are jackals and tigers, I will seize it today!"
She released the jade sword from her hand, swept past the crowd, spun around, and soared into the sky on the sword. A gentle breeze rustled the hem of her robe, and streaks of spiritual light swirled around her, flashing across her dazzling eyes.
A thunderous roar followed, and the light transformed into rumbled thunder, illuminating half the sky. The closer she got to the vortex, the greater the resistance became, and the hem of her robe fluttered in the wind. She made a hand seal to steady her sword, then exerted force with her feet and leaped into the air, like an arrow released from a bow, heading straight for the center.
The swirling spiritual energy surged in wildly, permeating her skin, flesh, and bone marrow like waves, causing her body to twist and turn, and her spiritual veins to emerge. She gritted her teeth and circulated her spiritual power. In an instant, the surging spiritual energy was released, exploding into bursts of white light.
Thanks to the secret technique she had practiced, the two forces canceled each other out, making her movements light and agile. She reached out and grabbed the stone book!
On the platform, several figures looked up and saw her accept the Iron Khitan Book.
Let's see how he tries to mend the sky.
Someone continued to speak, and Lin Feiran looked up to see the figures of saints once again wielding swords and knives.
"Let's see how you mend the crack in the sky!"
"The sky is about to crack; who would want to go there!"
"I want to go, I want to make amends with my own body! But alas, I am filled with regret, I am powerless!"
Suddenly, the Iron Khitan Book lit up, circled around Lin Feiran's hand, and then floated in mid-air. With a rustling sound, the pages turned on their own without wind. With each page turned, a holy figure resolutely leaped into it. This continued until the last page lit up, at which point it remained suspended in mid-air, as if waiting for something.
Lin Feiran stared intently at it, and finally understood what the Iron Khitan Script was.
"The so-called Iron Khitan Book is an unusual book. Each page of the book contains the divine consciousness of a sage, which is a collection of his creations and learnings throughout his life. If there are any doubts, one can open the book to ask questions or learn from it. However, in return, the one who obtains the Iron Book needs to 'mend the heavens'."
The grandmaster finally stood up, his figure as tall as a mountain, his eyes like a galaxy. He looked slowly down and said nothing more, waiting for Lin Feiran's reply.
"What is mending the sky, and why mend the sky?" Lin Feiran asked loudly.
The master did not answer, but said only: "When the time comes, you will naturally know. Until then, we cannot tell you anything. But we never force anyone. If you are destined, you can choose to accept or leave."
If you choose to leave, I will give you a scripture to sever this earthly connection.
Lin Feiran pondered for only a moment before taking the book into his hand: "One contract is a sign, two contracts are also signs. The teachings of the sages are hard to find in the world, and such an opportunity is hard for people to come by. Therefore, I will make amends for this!"
"Alright, you can study this book whenever you feel like it."
The grandmaster nodded in agreement. He looked at the people kneeling below the stone steps, and his tone suddenly softened.
"Having not been born for so long, I suppose these children have already scattered and passed away?"
Lin Feiran also turned his head to look, paused for a moment, and still answered: "Yes, it has been hundreds of years since we were separated from Daohe Palace."
The grandmaster nodded, his eyes showing no change, and simply sighed, "That's just how things are. As long as they each have their own path to take, that's fine."
He bent down again and handed Lin Feiran a scripture: "This is a scripture I wrote during my hundreds of years of silence. Although it is called the Immortal True Man Scripture, it is actually just a collection of miscellaneous notes. No one has inherited it, so I'll give it to you. You can flip through it when you have time, or just forget about it if you don't."
He straightened up, about to leave, when he suddenly heard Lin Feiran ask, "Grandmaster, is the Dao of Unity of Heaven and Man that you cultivate the Dao of Ruthlessness?"
Upon hearing this, the Grandmaster laughed heartily, quite pleased with himself: "Having feelings is like having no feelings, having great love is like having no love. I love all people in the world, therefore, I do not love all people in the world. Like the heavens, I see all things as one."
Everyone has their own path. What is meant by being heartless, what is meant by being loveless? These are things I alone have come to understand and attain. Others may learn from me, but they cannot all become like me. How you cultivate yourselves is neither my control nor should it be. I give you the scriptures, I give you the alchemical texts. We will meet again someday.
The grandmaster looked into the distance, raised his hand and scattered the flying blue dandelions, so that everyone could finally see and hear them.
Zhang Chunhe's vision finally cleared. He looked up and met his master's gaze, which seemed to see right through him, as if the master had looked him over inside and out. In his master's eyes, he was still the child who had tightly clutched his master's sleeve.
“Chunhe, so many years have passed, you've suffered so much. But your obsession has backfired. If Xiaocheng were still here, he would never have been able to bear seeing you like this…”
At this point, he let out a long sigh, then flicked his sleeve and dusted off the ground, saying, "So be it. Which of the holy spirits left in this world is not too attached to anything? Let's just continue on like this."
His figure floated lightly in the sky, then fell like a shooting star, disappearing into the Iron Khitan Book like a drop of water before anyone could find or perceive him.
On the last page, a picture of an immortal meditating is drawn in heavy ink. His eyes are half closed, his left hand is making a mudra, and his right hand is pointing with fingers together. He sits quietly in the middle. The book ends here.
Lin Feiran put the Iron Khitan Book and the Immortal True Man Scripture into her mustard seed bag, then turned around and looked at everyone from the high platform. The starlight behind her was dazzling, so her face was obscured and could not be seen clearly.
Everyone knows that she obtained the Iron Khitan Scripture, but no one knows exactly what the Iron Khitan Scripture is.
Regardless, this upright and courageous figure will surely spread to every household starting tonight!
Lin Fei then took a half step back, and Pei Yu and Wei Changzai below the steps immediately sprang into action, one wanting to make a move and the other stopping her.
Pei Yu shouted angrily, "She's planning to run away!"
Wei Changzai's eyes were calm: "I know her better than you do. Of course I know she wants to leave. Since she wants to go, then let her go."
Pei Yu was puzzled: "You've really gone mad from being secluded!"
The next moment, Lin Feiran indeed leaped up, stepped onto the green sword, and rushed straight out of the sword realm. Zhang Chunhe narrowed his eyes and tried to stop him, but his momentum was interrupted by a sudden slash of green light.
This was a warning; the master ordered everyone to make her leave.
In just a few breaths, Lin Feiran flew out of the sword realm on her sword and could no longer see the person behind her. Standing on the sword, she felt that the mustard seed bag at her waist was bulging. This trip can be described as a fruitful return.
While everyone was still trapped in the sword realm, she ran towards the boat and made two cooing sounds. Xuanzhen and the others then emerged from the shadows carrying a light boat.
"How was it?" Biqing rubbed her hands together excitedly.
Lin Feiran couldn't hide his joy: "This trip has been very rewarding. Let's head back to the Demon Realm first!"
The group quickly packed up and boarded the bow of the ship. Not far away, Ji Changying was watching her with a smile. Although he did not speak, everything was understood without words.
"Senior brother, I'm afraid I'll never be able to return to the mountain again. If you need anything, you can come to Lan City, the demon capital, and tell them your name is Lin Feiran. Someone will bring you here!"
Ji Changying nodded, started the light boat for the group, and said softly, "Junior sister, see you later."
The small boat rose, passing through the drizzling rain. The group rowed across the Canglang River again, crossed the endless sea, and embarked on their return journey. At the highest point of Xingzhi Palace, they saw the hailstones falling like snowflakes.
Her hair was as white as snow, her eyes were red, and her gold ornaments were dazzling. Her emerald eyes glanced at the birds pecking at rice beside her, and she seemed rather bored. It was unclear whether she was waiting for them.
Biqing and Xuanzhen shouted excitedly, "Lord, we have returned in triumph!"
Xun Feifei covered his ears and remained silent. He thought that his arduous life could finally come to an end.
Hearing the shouts of the group, Ru Xian looked up, his gaze lazily sweeping over them before finally settling on Lin Feiran, his eyes slightly narrowed.
She only spoke when the group was right in front of her: "We're back."
His brows radiated an undeniable air of youthful vigor and confidence.
He finally managed a smile, but only raised an eyebrow without answering.
He thought to himself that his discerning eye was truly exceptional, which was why he had chosen the best sword.
Author's Note: Lin Feiran: I, the traveling frog, am back! (X)
The former hailstones: the sword I chose!
From then on, like hailstones: she was the sword, and I was the scabbard...
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