Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

It was said, there existed a river in this world, one that you couldn’t see. Only in the darkest of nights, and with a sliver of moonlight aiding you, would you be able to catch a glimpse of it. By following this river to its end, you would find them there: with their blade wires as dark as night, the most vicious assassins to ever roam the land.

This river was known as the Hades.

And they were known as Hades too.

This day, the river was visited by a slight drizzle. A purple robed man, hand holding his paper umbrella aloft, softly proceeded along its muddy shores. Step by step, he continued onwards without end. Finally, after walking for heavens knows how long, the rain began to let up and a ray of light slowly broke through the clouds. It was then that he stopped.

A tall, lean man dressed in black robes stood at the end of the river, seemingly waiting for him.

The purple robed man closed his umbrella, having just realised that the rain had stopped. He looked towards the black robed man and asked, “You are?”

The black robed man had a pale countenance to him. As he stood there in the shadows, his face seemed to blend into the background, and his voice came out sounding just as bland. “Su Muyu of the Su family.”

The River Hades was split into three main families: the Su family specialising in weapon arts, the Xie family specialising in internal and fist arts, and finally the Mu family specialising in medical and secret arts. Above the family members stood the Patriarch. Below him, there were the three family heads of the respective families. As for the current head of the Su family, he was a seemingly young fellow.

The purple robed man hesitated but asked in the end, “You’re this generation’s Su Family Head?”

Su Muyu nodded but said no more as he led the purple robed man onwards. He was a reticent person but that didn’t dampen the purple robed man’s curiosity. “Su Muyu, I’ve heard of your name before. You’re the most famous killer in this generation’s Su family, and also the second person in history to ever try and leave the organization. I also heard that you became the head of the personal kill squad of the Patriarch, the Puppets. And once the current Patriarch took up his position, you became the family head of Su?”

Su Muyu paid him no heed, but he suddenly stuck his out and gazed at the sky. “It’s raining again.” Having said that, he opened up the umbrella in his hands. It was a very large, very ornately decorated paper umbrella. The moment it opened up, it covered both of them in an instant.

Seeing no need to trouble himself with his own umbrella, the purple robed man merely followed under Su Muyu’s umbrella.

Finally, Su Muyu spoke up. “You seem to know a fair bit about us.”

The purple robed man laughed. “To do business with you all, I naturally have to understand your organization. I’ve heard that there are eighteen longswords under this umbrella. When your killing intent is exposed, these eighteen lethal weapons will fan out from underneath like a spray of rainwater. I wish I could see that sight too.”

“I’m sure you don’t.” Su Muyu revealed a rare smile. “Also, it’s dangerous to know too much about us.”

“I think… you know me.” The purple robed fingered the longsword at his waist.

Su Muyu shook his head. “Perhaps the Patriarch knows, everyone else in Hades is just a blade. To us, there are only two kinds of people in this world: the client, and the client’s prey.”

The purple robed man nodded. “I wonder if this offer of mine, will it be enough to hire assassins like you?”

Suddenly, Su Muyu stopped walking and looked up. “We’re here.”

Standing before them was an extravagant looking building: the Court of Fallen Stars.

The purple robed man chuckled silently, to which Su Muyu asked, “What are you laughing at?”

“How many people in this world have ever had the opportunity to step into River Hades’s Court of Fallen Stars?”

Standing outside the court were two people. One sat on the stairs smoking a pipe, slowly puffing out smoke rings as he eyed them. The other stood there, back straight as an arrow, hands wielding a blade with a sharpness that was only matched by his gaze.

Su Muyu led the purple robed man onwards. The seated man lightly nodded at Su Muyu while giving his companion a seemingly indifferent gaze. “Now, do you still wish to step inside the Court of Fallen Stars?”

The rain seemed to pour in that very instant.

Su Muyu closed his umbrella, and the purple robed man stuck his hand out, only to find out the downpour was actually just a drizzle. Yet when he closed his eyes, the booming sounds of a full blown storm seemed to rattle in his ears. His eyes went wide with shock. The smoking man tapped his pipe on the staircase lightly, then smiled. “If you can’t figure it out, then don’t.”
d
The purple robed man calmed himself down, then walked up the staircase step by step, yet every step felt like his legs were made out of lead. He could feel something envelope him. The outside was calm and serene, but within this dome enveloping him, it felt like the winds tore at his skin. He calmed his heart once more, resisting that heart pounding urge to draw his sword as he walked up to the entrance of the court.

The hawk-eyed man gently pulled open the door for him. Within was complete darkness, save for a few motes of candlelight in the background. The purple robed man and Su Muyu both stepped inside at the same time. As they did so, Su Muyu took the opportunity to close the door; the stormy sounds immediately vanished -this building was completely soundproof.

Sword in hand, Su Muyu proceeded onwards slowly. With each step he took, a candle would light up by the side, all the way till the very end where the entire room was now lit up. Su Muyu found a spot on the left side then sat down. On his left sat an old man in long robes. The old man had his head down the entire time while he gently ran a dagger across his fingers. Old though he may be, his fingers seemed strangely pale like a newborn’s. As for the right of Su Muyu, there was a charming lady of roughly thirty years of age. She, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the purple robed man than her companion. Her eyes seemed to ripple in the candlelight with delight.

“The Xie Family Head, Xie Qidao of Seven Blades. The Mu Family Head, Mu Yumo of the Black Rain.” The purple robed man slowly recited their names.

Finally, positioned above all three of them was a person veiled behind a thick curtain. Naturally, this was the current head of the River Hades, the Patriarch.

“You know us well.” The patriarch was the first to answer. His voice wasn’t old, in fact, it sounded full of energy.

The purple robed man nodded his head. “If I didn’t do my homework, would I dare step into the Court of Fallen Stars to do business?”

“Since you know us, then you should already know this: doing business with us is a highly dangerous affair.” Mu Yumo laughed as she said that, her voice almost demonic.

“There are some things in life that merely get more interesting the more danger that is involved.” The purple robed man slowly answered.

“You are right.” The Patriarch suddenly stood up, pulled open the blinds and slowly descended. His silhouette was slender and tall. He wore a black cloak which obscured his face from view. “So you’ve brought us an interesting matter then?”

“I want that river which once could only flow in the darkness to flow into Revelation!” The purple robed man eyed the slowly approaching Patriarch and said in a low voice.

The Patriarch paused. “Even though your letter already stated so, I still wish to hear it from your lips: who are you?”

“The Sixth Prince of Beili, Xiao Chuhe.”

Once the most favored prince of Emperor Mingde. The person everyone thought was going to be the crown prince. The prince who, during the Rebellion of Prince Langyu, was exiled and cast out, and despite being reinstated soon after, refused to return to Revelation. The Sixth Prince, Xiao Chuhe!

The Patriarch burst out laughing. “Good!”

---

---

　

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

On the road, came a pair of fast steeds, winds roaring in their backs as they bore their two distinctly different riders forward. One dressed in red and the other dressed in blue.

Just three months ago, they made the difficult journey to Snow Moon City, having finally escaped from the trap that was their sense of direction. Three months later, they were all raring to go as they rode their steeds out of that same city. This time, however, they were brimming with confidence. That was because on the day of their departure they had already made preparations: a map!

Eyeing the map in his hands, Lei Wujie immediately took a turn before asking, “That way?”

“You’re sure this is the way to the Lei Clan’s estate?” Xiao Se eyed him.

“Of course not.” Lei Wujie smiled and shook his head. “We’re heading somewhere else first.”

“Oh. Where to?” Xiao Se was a little surprised.

“To Mount Qingcheng!” A visibly excited Lei Wujie chimed as he stared into the distance.

Xiao Se, however, frowned. “Mount Qingcheng? Exactly what are you planning to do there?”

“What else but to drag that so called immortal down from his mountain. What do you say, a reunion between three old friends in the Lei Clan Estate, doesn’t that just sound interesting?” Having said that, Lei Wujie cracked his horse whip, urging his steed forward and leaving his companion trailing behind.

“Sigh.” Xiao Se looked on with resignation at the boy’s strange change of heart. “Zhao Yuzhen has never stepped down from his mountain, ever. What makes you think he will change his mind for a brat like you?”

Zhao Yuzhen of Mount Qingcheng was taken away on the day he was born by the six Astrologians of Mount Qingcheng. At the age of three, he was brought under the personal tutelage of their sect master of forty years, Lu Suzhen. At the age of six, he learnt the Grand Dragon Divination. At the age of ten, he started practising the Unlimited Sword Arts, becoming the first ever disciple in a hundred years to ever cultivate both the sword and daoist arts. At the age of the Sixteen, he became the seventh Astrologian on Mount Qingcheng. At the age of twenty two, due to the passing of Lu Suzhen, he became the new sect master, Qingcheng’s youngest ever sect master in recorded history. Finally, he became the Daoist Sword Immortal. Yet this legendary figure in the martial world had never once stepped foot out of Mount Qingcheng, not even to visit his hometown which was a village at the base of the mountain.

Lu Suzhen once said this of Zhao Yuzhen: he bore both the martial fortunes and the heavenly fate of their sect. Should he ever step down from the mountain, he would undoubtedly stir up a storm. Zhao Yuzhen had no intention of stirring a storm, none whatsoever, so he stayed up on that mountain for thirty over years.

Today, he still stood atop that mountain, gazing into the distance, as if his eyes could behold a thousand li. Behind him, stood his disciple and grand disciple. One carried a bookcase on his back, the very picture of a Confucian scholar. The other was a young boy with an oversized longsword strapped to his back. These two were the same duo who travelled all the way to Snow Moon City in order to challenge a Sword Immortal, Li Fansong and Feixuan

“Fansong, after six months of travelling, I see you’ve finally returned.” Zhao Yuzhen muttered, not at all turning around, eyes still fixated at the horizon. His tone wasn’t fierce. Rather, it was a tone you would expect from an elder just chatting with his junior.

Li Fansong stepped forward and plopped himself down beside Zhao Yuzhen. “It has been half a year since your disciple has kept you company, master. How have your days been?”

Dressed in a purple daoist robe and armed with a handsome face, Zhao Yuzhen almost looked otherworldly as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Still fine, much more quiet actually. Fansong, where have you been these past months?”

“To Chaisang City, to see the flowers. The books mentioned that during the season of spring, the roads a hundred li long would be filled with all sorts of wild flowers. Next was Guluo City, to see the ocean. I stirred up a giant wave with one sword strike; those fishermen who saw me that day all thought I was some kind of immortal. Right, right, I also climbed Mount Kunlun -so such a place does actually exist! Snowing all year round and every bit desolate, yet there are still people who would build a villa there, and even stay for twenty whole years.” Li Fansong prattled one. “Really, the world below is full of amazing things, Master, it’s a shame you can’t go and see them for yourself.”

“A shame?” Zhao Yuzhen smiled.

“But even if Master doesn’t leave the mountain, the world below is still filled with legends of him.” Li Fansong immediately changed the topic. “The Five Sword Immortals: Confucian, Daoist, Lone, Wrathful and Moon. They are all famous titles in the martial world; the tea houses are all filled with stories of you, master.”

“Oh? And what do they say of your master?”

“What else but that a ray of light shone right into the room when Master was born, causing the six Astrologians of Qingcheng themselves to come down personally to receive you. And also that battle Master had with Lei Yunhe where he used his daoist arts to break through the Nine Heavens Thunder -that battle even left a hole in the roof! They also say that Master wasn’t willing to leave the mountain because of a lady. They say that you are afraid, afraid that if you were to ever leave, you would never wish to return again…” Li Fansong quietly sneaked a glance at his master as he said that.

Zhao Yuzhen had his brows furrowed. “The front parts are still fine, but are you sure you didn’t make up the back?”

“Your disciple would never.” Li Fansong hurriedly waved his hands.

Suddenly, Zhao Yuzhen reached out and grabbed a leaf. “Fansong, where’s your sword?”

Li Fansong was stunned, but he immediately came to his frightened senses and started scrambling away.

“Feixuan.” Zhao Yuzhen called out in a deep voice.

“Master, I’ll talk. I’ll tell you everything.” Feixuan immediately knelt down in fear.

“Tell me about what?” Zhao Yuzhen stood up, purple robes fluttering in the air.

“We…we went to Snow Moon City.” Feixuan struggled to answer. With his keen Qi Perception, how could he not have known that Zhao Yuzhen had already seen through their lies.

“To Snow Moon City to do what exactly?” Zhao Yuzhen lifted his finger, and the peachwood sword which was lying on the ground mere moments ago was already in his hand.

It was a rather eye-grabbing wooden sword, what with its crimson red hue. Its name was “Peach Blossom”, a sword that Zhao Yuzhen himself carved out of peachwood when he was sixteen. This sword was said to be filled with the warmth of life. Once, in the dead of winter, Zhao Yuzhen buried it under the snow. A while later, the peach blossoms started to bloom.

Li Fansong nervously wiped the cold sweat off his brows. “About that…we went to see the Snow Moong Sword Immortal.”

“Then what?” Zhao Yuzhen gave the sword a quick flourish, frightening the poor boy once more. In actuality, while Zhao Yuzhen was of a high position in Qingcheng, being their sect master and also one of the five great Sword Immortals, but to the younger members of the sect, he was an extremely approachable figure. At times, he would even teach some of the newer members a sword technique or two. It was only with his disciple, Li Fansong, that he was ever strict.

“Then, I asked the Sword Immortal for a benefaction.” Li Fansong gingerly glanced at his master.

“What was the sword’s name?”

“Moon in Obscurity, Flowers at Daybreak.”

Zhao Yuzhen fell silent. He looked down at the leaf in his hand and continued his silence. Suddenly, he smiled. It was a smile filled with the warmth of summer itself. The peachwood sword began to emit a red glow. Li Fansong and Feixuan both exchanged a glance with each other; shock was clearly written on both their faces. Being adept in Qi Perception, Feixuan immediately knew of the warmth in Zhao Yuzhen’s heart right now.

“Seems like you’re just as lucky as I am. Back when I was your age, I also experienced such a beautiful sword firsthand.” Without any warning, Zhao Yuzhen abruptly tossed the leaf down the mountain, and with a leap, rode that leaf towards the great hall in the distance.

---

---

　

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

“A river vast, a sky downcast. A goose is lost. His cries, down of heart.”

Spear in hand, Sikong Changfeng stood atop the newly renovated Tower of Ascension, staring into distance as he softly muttered that.

His disciple in name only, Xiao Se, stood by his side, lazily yawning as usual.

Sikong Changfeng chuckled. “When I was young, I climbed up these sixteen floors. Back then, a world of tall mountains and vast rivers seemed to open up before me -it made me want to go out and explore. Now when I climb these same floors, the sky just seems downcast, and the river desolately endless. It fills me with an indescribable sense of melancholy, as if a single step forward would lead to a journey of no return.”

Xiao Se walked up to Sikong Changfeng. “There are some places you will have to return to in the end. Because that’s where your home is. It was said that when the Beili Army went on its southern campaign, over thirty thousand died on the battlefield. None of them would ever be able to return home, so when they were all buried, they were buried facing the north. If they can’t return to their hometown, at the very least they can face it.”

Sikong Changfeng turned in the direction of Cangshan. “Someone’s about to return home as well.”

The boy who came down Mt. Cangshan was dressed in red. He carried a pair of swords on his back and a smile on his lips. As he reached the base of the mountain, he turned around to face the nineteen peaks of Cangshan behind him and smiled. “I’ll be back.” Having said that, he took the final step out of Canshan. Yet there was someone missing by his side, a certain Sword Immortal of Snow Moon, dressed in her white robes and ashen veil.

Lei Wujie continued onwards all the way to the Tower of Ascension. There he chanced upon Sikong Qianluo with her spear in hand, and the same bun eating guardian he met when he first came to the first floor. Upon seeing Lei Wujie, he immediately waved his hands and called out to him.

Lei Wujie thought for a second then answered, “Xie Yanshu, of the Xie Clan?”

Xie Yanshu immediately broke into a smile. “I never thought that Brother Lei would remember me after all this time. Truly an honor.”

“Oh shut up!” Sikong Qianluo gave him a solid kick. “You lazy fellow, it’s been six months and you’re still stuck guarding this first floor. What are you doing here eating buns instead of practising your martial arts?!”

Xie Yanshu’s bun was dislodged by her kick and fell onto the floor. He stood up, and with a mournful look on his face, rubbed the dirt off his fallen bun. “Everyone has something they aren’t good at, I’m just not that interested in martial arts, that’s all.”

Sikong Qianluo no longer paid any attention to this disappointment of a fellow disciple, instead turning to Lei Wujie. “You’re leaving? Back to the Lei Clan?”

Lei Wujie nodded. “Yup, but I should be back real soon.”

Sikong Qianluo rolled her eyes. “Then what are you still standing here for?”

“Martial Sis is so fierce.” Lei Wujie stuck out his tongue.

“And how about you shut up as well?” Sikong Qianluo picked up her spear.

“Xiao Se!” Lei Wujie suddenly raised his head and yelled in the direction of the Tower of Ascension.

“Didn’t I just tell you to shut up?” This time, she sent her spear thrusting forward. The Silver Moon Breaks the Intestines. At the tip, a screeching sound reminiscent of shrieking could be heard as her spear stirred up a violent gale.

High atop the Tower of Ascension, Sikong Changfeng couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows a little. “It has only been a few days since I left her alone, and now’s she in the Mortal Vajra Realm?”

Down below, Lei Wujie merely chuckled. “Yes, yes. I understand.” He dodged a step backwards, and the sound of Rainfall leaving its sheath could be heard soon after. With a gentle swing of his hand, the oncoming spear was blocked by his sword. Lei Wujie took a step forward, gripped down on his hilt, and with a twist and a leap, jumped over her head. “You’re afraid I’ll take him away with me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Sikong Qianluo sent another spear thrust piercing forth. Still mid-air, Rainfall and Silver Moon collided with each other once more. These two youngsters were both newcomers to the Mortal Vajra Realm; both were itching to test out their mettle. True qi circulated around them, and the clang of sword against spear could be heard ringing through the air as both sides refused to budge a step.

“Looks like we have a couple of young experts here.” Suddenly, a jovial voice abruptly broke through the din of battle. The two of them whipped their heads towards the voice, and found the silhouette of a person descending from the sky, landing atop his spear in a flutter of black robed suaveness.

“Third Esteemed Master.”

“Dad!” Sikong Qianluo’s eyebrows were knitted together.

“All you know is to fight day in and day out, how about a break from time to time?” Sikong Changfeng sighed and exerted a little force onto his foot. Immediately, both of them felt a wave of force on their weapons, like someone had attached a one tonne weight on their weapons. However, both of them refused to show any weakness to the man. Without saying a word, the both of them charged forward in unison. Sikong Changfeng smiled. A playful gleam crossed his eyes as he exerted force once more.

“I can’t…I’m tapping out.” Beads of sweat came raining down from Lei Wujie’s forehead. Yet Sikong Qianluo had no intention of giving up yet.

“Hmph, spineless.”

However, her father was no longer in the mood to tease them. This time, he sent forth a wave of force that promptly separated their two weapons before forcing the two youngsters back a dozen or so steps before being able to regain their posture.

It was then that Xiao Se leisurely strolled out of the Tower of the Ascension to a happy Lei Wujie who quickly sheathed his sword and called out, “Xiao Se, how about you and I go on a trip to the Lei Clan? My teacher’s pretty skill in the physician arts, he just might be able to heal your injuries.”

“Hmph. Physician arts… Don’t you know who my dad studied under before he came to Snow Moon City?”

Lei Wujie paused for a second, then shook his head.

Xiao Se folded his arms into his sleeves and answered, “Ping Tianwen of Physician’s Valley.”

To that, Sikong Changfeng merely shook his head and said, “Shame, truly a shame… I’ve let my old teacher’s teachings down. Here there are, two patients right in Snow Moon City, and yet I’ve failed to help even a single one of them.”

“Two?” Lei Wujie was stunned once more. He whipped around only to find a girl in a green dress slowly walking towards them.

“Elder Martial Brother.” Lei Wujie hurriedly called out. “And… Lady Ye.”

Ye Ruoye smiled politely back while Tang Lian came up to give him a hearty pat on the shoulders. “I heard you were leaving today, so I’m here to send you off. What about our Second Esteemed Master? Isn’t she leaving as well?”

Lei Wujie scratched his head. “Master said she can travel a thousand li a day, so I can just leave first. When it’s time, she will catch up with us.”

Tang Lian nodded. “I’ll be leaving with Lady Ye as well. We are heading for Tangmen. If time allows, we will visit the Lei Clan after our business.”

“Lady Ye, she’s going to Tangmen?” Lei Wujie paused for a second.

Ye Ruoyi nodded, but it was Tang Lian who answered for her. “Teacher Lianyue seemed to have found a physician who can cure her. I received a letter a few days back, instructing me to bring her there.”

Sikong Changfeng sighed once more. “Both are my patients, but one is leaving for the Lei Clan, while the other is leaving for the Tangmen. It’s all my fault for being such a useless successor of the Physician King.”

Sikong Qianluo however, wasn’t too happy. “And who can say that they will find a cure there?”

Lei Wujie walked over to give Xiao Se a pat on his shoulders. “How about it? The road gets lonely without a companion.”

Xiao Se rolled his eyes. “Do you know the way?”

To that, Lei Wujie confidently slapped his chest and said, “I at least remember the road back to the Lei Clan.”

Xiao Se merely yawned then lazily walked forward. There stood two horses already brought over by the stable hands of Snow Moon City. These were both well-bred Yebei Horses. Although they were nearly skin and bones from their last trip, but after a period of recovery in Snow Moon City, they’ve regained their former glory. Xiao Se mounted his horse, then turned around to look at Lei Wujie who was still standing there in a daze. “Let’s go.” ¹

Lei Wujie paused for a second but immediately followed suit. Yet merely a few steps later, he turned around and said to Ye Ruoyi, “Ahem…umm…Lady Ye, if the Tangmen fail to treat your ailment…then just come to the Lei Clan!”

“Alright.” Ye Ruoyi smiled back, to which Lei Wujie promptly blushed furiously. He whipped around and hurriedly ran off to his horse.

“Lei Wujie, I have a question to ask.” Xiao Se briefly furrowed his brows. “Didn’t you say that Lei Hong is able to die? So you want to hand me over to someone who’s about to die himself?”

Lei Wujie merely laughed. “That was just a lie. My teacher is perfectly fine. It’s just I couldn’t stand him always mulling over my sis but not daring to go find her, that’s why I decided to tell that lie.”

“Well, aren’t you a thoughtful one?” Xiao Se raised an eyebrow. “You know that Lei Hong likes your sis, but do you know who your sis likes?”

Lei Wujie was stunned. “You mean it’s not my teacher?”

Xiao Se shook his head. “Zhao Yuzhen of Mount Qingcheng.” Having said that, he gave his horse a solid whack, rushing off into the distance of the citygate.

With no time to react, Lei Wujie hurriedly bade the others farewell before rushing off himself.

“Ruoyi, what do you think of this junior martial brother of mine?”

She smiled, eyes still watching that fiery red silhouette disappear into the distance, “Brimming with the energy of a teenager.”

Tang Lian smiled and said no more.

Sikong Qianluo, however, dejectedly tossed her spear away. Seeing that, Sikong Changfeng chuckled. “Don’t worry, he’ll be back.”

“The day he returns to Revelation, you will be by his side.”

---

---

　

---

---

• Chapter 70: The Day of Departure
• Chapter 71: Riding on a Leaf
• Chapter 72: The Waters of River Hades

---

---

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

“Who are you?” Emperor Mingde slowly raised his head, sword tip still pressed against his throat.

The intruder remained silent, her sword inching ever so slightly forward.

“How dare you, Li Hanyi!” Jinxuan bellowed. “Do you think that you are now invincible just because you’ve become a sword immortal?!”

“So it’s the Second Citymaster of Snow Moon City then. We’ve not met before, but you seem familiar. Are you the daughter of that one below?”

Even though Li Hanyi came veiled, her identity was still exposed. She frowned but remained silent.

“What are your terms?” Emperor Mingde finally said the words. As the ruler of the lands, with tens of thousands of troops protecting him, and at least five experts of the Unfettered Heavens realm nearby, he still had no choice but to negotiate in the end.

It was then that Li Hanyi finally spoke. “Those two below, they are coming with me.”

Emperor Mingde shook his head. “Of those two below, only one of them can leave with you.”

A flash of anger crossed Li Hanyi’s face, and her sword hummed in response.

“Citymaster Li.” Qi Tianchen sighed. “Not everything can be solved with a sword in hand, please stay your hand for now.”

Li Hanyi narrowed her eyes. “Astrologian Qi. You wish to stop me?”

Whisk in hand, the astrologian slowly pushed away Li Hanyi’s sword. “Your parents sent you away from Revelation because they didn’t want you to get involved with the court, why waste their efforts now?”

To that, Li Hanyi merely scoffed. She stepped onto the execution platform, and with a mighty swing of her sword, forced the four Grand Eunuchs away before helping the seated Li Xinyue up. Following that, she eyed the ever-silent Prince Langya. An icy glint flashed across her eyes, and the heavy cuffs around the prince fell to the ground with a thud.

“Stop them!” Emperor Mingde stood up as he yelled.

Yet no one moved. Neither the Seven Grand Astrologians, nor the Five Grand Eunuchs, and not even the Wuji Staff wielding man moved. That was because they all saw the white-robed prince suddenly smile. It was a smile laced with equal parts sorrow and equal parts mockery. He walked up to the heavily wounded Li Xinyue, then bent down and whispered in her ears. Following that, he picked up Li Xinyue’s fallen sword and turned towards the emperor, speaking the last word he would ever say in this life.

“Brother.”

Prince Langya shoved the sword right through his throat in a gruesome spurt of blood.

A spray of blood, nearly a meter high, dyed the execution grounds red, yet no one said a word. Emperor Mingde stumbled backwards, his body collapsing down onto his jade throne in the process. Soon after, the staff wielding man kept his weapon and left. From that day on, no one ever saw the White Tiger again. The Five Grand Eunuchs immediately called for the emperor’s carriage to fetch the emperor back to his palace. It was said that after returning to his palace, he went to the Hall of Serenity and just sat there for three days and three nights, neither eating nor drinking.

However, that wasn’t the end of the incident for those at the execution grounds. Nearly ten thousand soldiers of the Feathered Plume Legion rushed forward to encircle Li Hanyi, slowly pushing forward as they did so. With one sword, Li Hanyi threatened the life of an emperor. That was a crime against the heavens. Should they let her go now, Xie Lingyun would be charged with capital punishment as well.

Yet how many people could a Sword Immortal kill? In the past, Li Xinyue was able to slay a hundred with one sword stroke. As a Sword Immortal, how many thousands would Li Hanyi be able to slay in a fit of rage? As Xie Lingyun brooded, his army slowly advanced. It was then that Qi Tianchen walked down from the emperor’s platform and stood in between the soldiers and Li Hanyi. Xie Lingyun immediately signalled for the soldiers to halt. As the Head Astrologian of Revelation, Qi Tianchen’s official rank might not be that high, but he was definitely one of the most powerful figures in the entire city.

“Trading six thousand heavy troops for a promise of His Majesty… General Xie, is it worth it?” That was all the man said.

Xie Lingyun hesitated for a moment, then finally barked the command, “Pass down my command, we’re returning back to camp!”

At this point, Li Xinyue was already on the verge of losing consciousness. Qi Tianchen walked over and gently tapped her on the forehead, transferring some of his true qi into her body. It was only then that Li Xinyue slowly awakened.

“What did Prince Langya tell you just now?”

Li Xinyue shook her head and kept silent.

Qi Tianchen asked no more. He slowly stood up and left the execution grounds.

“Mother, do we leave for Snow Moon City or the Sword Tomb?” Li Hanyi reached out to support her mother.

Li Xinyue shook her head. “The Lei Clan.”

Seated outside her grass hut, Li Hanyi continued reminiscing about her past. That year, she brought her mother back to the Lei Clan. Yet upon reaching the Lei Clan, her mother forbade her from entering, instead choosing to enter alone to meet someone. That person was Lei Mengchen, Lei Mengsha’s younger brother, in other words, Lei Wujie’s uncle. As for what was said that day, Li Hanyi never found out. Li Xinyue never went to see Lei Wujie either. All she knew was that when Li Xinyue left the compound, she handed her a token. Should the day come when Lei Wujie was worthy, she was to hand over this token to him.

It was a finely crafted token of pure gold, engraved with the image of a giant dragon breathing fire.

Finally, Li Xinyue returned to the Sword Tomb, where she spent the rest of her days. That day at the execution grounds had left her mortally wounded. She had only made it back because of the true qi Qi Tianchen left in her. In truth however, she didn’t have to die at all. If Qi Tianchen was able to save her for ten days, he naturally had the means to save her for ten years. Yet the dying words of Prince Langya were something she couldn’t tell Qi Tianchen. Thus, she spent her last days quietly atop the Sword Spirit Cliff where she first met her love, Lei Mengsha. Then, after ten days, she peacefully left the world.

The two of them met in the martial world. Back then, she was the successor of the Sword Tomb, and her heart was only filled with her sword. Yet Lei Mengsha had the welfare of the world in mind, thus she followed Lei Mengsha to the capital. In reality however, whether it was being a Guardian of Revelation, or a pillar of the empire, she cared naught for either of them. All she cared about was Lei Mengsha, yet that man wound up dead on the battlefield. In the end, she chose to side with Prince Langya, not at all caring whether or not she would have to sever ties with the emperor as a result. All that, simply because Prince Langya was Lei Mengsha’s one and only friend in life.

Li Hanyi fished out that token and gently caressed it. Like an ornate mirror, the gentle light of the moon reflected off the token and back on her hand. Suddenly, this aloof Sword Immortal felt a breeze blow past her. She turned around and found her disciple standing there. Her disciple who was also her younger brother, Lei Wujie, stood there quietly and at ease.

In the end, everything is predestined. Li Hanyi gently sighed before taking a few steps forward and placing the token in Lei Wujie’s hand.

“This is our mother’s token. From today onwards, it is yours.”

“You are the next Guardian of the East, one of the Four Guardians of Revelation, the Blue Dragon!”

Lei Wujie solemnly received the token. “Your son, Lei Wujie, hereby swears to uphold his mother’s duty.”

---

---

　

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

The sixteenth year of Emperor Mingde of Beili’s reign, in other words, the sixteenth year after the War of Eight Princes, Prince Langya suddenly revolted. The spark was Emperor Mingde’s announcement of the Twelve Clans Tax Law. That tax law was said to be the strictest ever enacted in the history of Beili. Prince Langya immediately objected to its implementation, getting into a heated argument with the emperor in court. That was also the first time any court officials saw the two brothers fight.

After that heated argument, Emperor Mingde announced a three day recess, while Prince Langya returned to his own estate.

On the third day, a giant blaze engulfed the city of Revelation.

Unknown of origins, a band of dissidents suddenly started setting fires throughout the city. The Forbidden Army rushed to the scene to stop these arsonists, yet there were rebels within their ranks as well. These rebellious troops began ransacking the city, truly throwing the city into chaos. It was when General Xie Lingyun of the Feathered Plume Legion, with his army of ten thousand, marched into the city that the chaos was finally suppressed. It was at that moment the western gate of the city quietly swung open, and a carriage stealthily left via the back gate of Prince Langya’s estate. When the carriage arrived at the gate, there were no heavy troops guarding the entrance, only one man atop the city wall.

It was a long haired man wielding a long staff -The Western Guardian of Revelation, the White Tiger.

The Western Guardian was a good friend of Prince Langya whom he met years ago in the martial world. Yet after sixteen years in Revelation, would he prioritise their old friendship, or would he choose to uphold his duty to the imperial family?

The White Tiger did nothing, merely sitting there on the city wall. Finally, Prince Langya got off the carriage, picked up his sword, and gave his horse a sharp thwack, sending the carriage rushing off. The White Tiger still did not jump off the city wall. Instead, he stowed his long staff, turned around, and left. As for Prince Langya, he threw down his sword, turned around, and silently stuck out his hands. Standing before him was the then Head of the Bureau of Interrogations, Xiao Changli.

In the end, Prince Langya was judged to have revolted -a person who had the least reason to revolt, actually revolted. Basically no one believed that this was true. However, Prince Langya stayed silent from the moment he entered the jail, neither admitting his guilt, nor disputing it. Even if there were people who were willing to defend him, there really wasn’t much they could do. Even with his good relations with other court members, no one dared to stand out. Of the seven judges who sentenced him that day, three dissented – they were found dead the next day in their homes.

Anyone with eyes could tell: it wasn’t that someone was trying to frame Prince Langya, it was the emperor of the day, Emperor Mingde, who wanted him dead.

Yet just when everyone was cowed into silence, someone finally stood out. However, it was a personage with a unique circumstance -the Sixth Prince, Xiao Chuhe. As Emperor Mingde’s favored prince, he excelled in both martial and scholarly pursuits at the tender age of just fifteen, earning himself the title of a genius and the most likely person to become crown prince. Yet this particular prince was often said to have the style of a younger Prince Langya, and the prince himself enjoyed a close relationship with Prince Langya. Prince Langya was even his teacher in the arts.

Xiao Chuhe barged into court alone. The guards outside tried to stop him but they were all knocked out in a single blow. The court of that time was in shock as he stood there upright, reciting a list of thirteen suspicious points he found in the case of Prince Langya’s revolt. His voice was impassioned and stirring. Even some of the older court officials were moved to tears by his speech. Yet that only earned him the ire of Emperor Mingde who had him demoted to a commoner and exiled.

By this time, no one dared to say a word more; even the prince was punished so severely. That meant there were now only four people who could stop this. By that time, Lei Mengsha had already died in a battlefield in the south. The only friends Prince Langya had in the city were the Four Guardians, of which the White Tiger had already made known his stance. The Red Phoenix had already left the city after the events of the War of Eight Princes, the Black Tortoise just so happened to be on a secret mission out of the city. That left the Blue Dragon as the greatest variable in this situation.

The Blue Dragon, the successor to the Sword Tomb, Li Xinyue.

Yet Li Xinyue stayed silent as well, because her entire estate had remained under surveillance by dozens of experts since the day Prince Langya was sent to prison. For seven days straight, she never left her estate. It was only on the seventh day, when Prince Langya was about to be executed, that all that changed. According to the law, ordinary criminals, upon committing a capital offence, would be executed only after autumn. Those of royalty enjoyed an even longer trial period. However, according to the divinations of the Ministry of Astrologians for Heavenly Affairs, the heavens commanded as such: the execution of Prince Langya must not be delayed.

That fateful day, the sun hung high in the skies as Prince Langya, in his white clothes and shackled hands, slowly walked up to the execution stage. Though he was about to die, he still maintained that suave posture, as if he was still that aloof Prince who wandered the martial world. The officials who saw him that day couldn’t help but sigh. Only the monarch maintained a gloomy, silent demeanor from behind the blinds.

It was then that Li Xinyue finally stepped out from her estate. Having prepared her sword for seven days, there was no stopping her as she defeated every expert surrounding her estate, finally making her way to the execution stage. Back then, the prince stood there, robes billowing in wind, while she stood there, eyes as cold as the steel of her sword.

From behind his blinds, the emperor asked, “Li Xinyue, are you trying to revolt as well?”

Yet Li Xinyue answered, “I never intended as such, but Your Majesty has forced my hands.”

The emperor said no more, merely waving his hands.

The Five Grand Eunuchs, the seven astrologians from the ministry, and that last remaining guardian, the owner of the Wuji staff, all revealed their hostility in an instant.

Other than Jinxuan, the four remaining Grand Eunuchs all rushed forward to a smiling Li Xinyue. “In my hands, the sword of Kunwu, rushing towards the teacher’s court. In times extraordinary, it slices jade. In times auspicious, it blots out the stars. On its blade, a hibiscus dances. In its sheath, an edge shines through. With heaven’s blessing, I serve my kingdom. With the earth as my canvas, I mark my name.” As she drew out her sword, everyone within the vicinity of the execution platform was pushed back by her sword qi. Yet even with her days of preparations, she still wasn’t a match for the combined might of those Four Grand Eunuchs. ²

Suddenly, the head of the astrologians, Qi Tianchen, who had his head trained at the skies all this while, yelled out. “A sword approaches from the west, one that threatens the son of heaven!”

Emperor Mingde looked down at the bloodied Li Xinyue and raised an eyebrow. “Her? She’s almost dead.”

Qi Tianchen, as the head of the Ministry of Astrologians for Heavenly Affairs, and the head of the Seven Grand Astrologians, rarely stepped out of the ministry. He maintained an almost immortal-like figure amongst the rest of the court officials. Yet such a man now had a grave expression on his face. “Not her. Your Majesty, please leave at once! This sword, it has the power to destroy cities!”

Yet the emperor was not cowed. “What kind of sword is able to destroy cities?”

“The sword of a Sword Immortal.” The owner of the Wuji Staff stepped forward. “She’s here.”

As those words left his mouth, a white silhouette dashed in from the distance. And like a lightning bolt from the heavens, parted the clouds as it descended like a deity.

“Draw your bows!” The general, Xie Lingyun yelled at the top of his lungs, blade raised high. The troops immediately drew their bows to the fullest.

The white silhouette had already made it to the outskirts of the execution platform.

“Fire!” Xie Lingyun swung his blade down. Arrows rained from the sky, blocking out the skies like a sudden storm!

Yet the figure had already made it past the execution platform and was standing below the platform where the emperor was.

It was then that the owner of the Wuji Staff struck. A staff strike -one that was boundless, limitless, and endless. Qi Tianchen made his move as well, swinging his whisk out at the same instant. Its white threads flew out like a million feathers, yet these feathers were all sharp and deadly. The Head Eunuch, Eunuch Jinxuan, sent forth his palm strike as well.

Yet the white robed swordsman wasn’t scared. She merely charged forward fearlessly. If those three men did not withdraw their strikes, she would definitely die. Yet at the same time, so would someone else!

The Emperor Mingde, Xiao Ruojin!

---

---

　

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

Twenty years ago, the previous emperor was suddenly taken ill, resulting in civil war. The eight princes of that time rallied their respective factions in a bid for the coveted dragon throne. Of the eight, the Seventh Prince, Prince Langya, Xiao Ruofeng, was known throughout the court for his intelligence and martial prowess. He was originally the best candidate for crown prince, but he had no desire for the throne. Instead, he spent most of his time roaming the lands, mingling amongst those of the martial world; year round, he wasn’t to be found inside Revelation. During the War of Eight Princes, he chose not to vie for the throne, instead choosing to support his elder sibling of the same mother, the Third Prince, Xiao Ruojin. At the same , he brought along his close friends from his time roaming the martial world. All were famous young heroes, including names like Lei Mengsha of the Lei Clan, and Li Xinyue of the Sword Tomb.

The night the previous emperor died, the various factions raced towards the Hall of Serenity with their forces in tow. That was because the first person who could get his hands on the edict of succession within would become the next ruler of the lands. Amongst the princes, the Third Prince, Xiao Ruojin’s forces were clearly at a disadvantage. With a mere three hundred strong army, his Tiger Corps were practically out of the running in this race. Yet they still made a legend for themselves that day.

Like how the Successor of the Sword Tomb, Li Xinyue, in her robes of white and sword in hand, tore open a road to the hall itself.

Then there was Lei Mengsha of the Lei Clan. With just a punch of his fists, he destroyed the head of the Fourth Prince even with the distance of ten men between them.

There was the teenager, not even at the age of fifteen yet, who stopped over ten expert warriors with just a long spear in hand.

Then there was a staff wielding, long haired man. One man, one staff, guarding the entire western side of the capital. With just that staff, he stopped eighteen expert warriors who tried to break into the city that day. It was said that when his staff swung, his strikes knew no bounds, his strength knew no ends, and his person knew no limits.

As for Prince Langya, he himself was an expert warrior. Though the various princes all invited their own expert warriors from the martial world, he still managed to hold them all back with sheer force of will, finally managing to escort Xiao Ruojin all the way to the Hall of Serenity. Bloodied and barely able to stand, no one dared to approach them. Only the two brothers, Xiao Ruofeng and Xiao Ruojin stood before the Hall of Serenity, awaiting the edict of succession.

The Head Eunuch of the Inner Palace of that time, along with the then Grand Eunuch of Incense, Seals, Records and Sword came out together bearing the edict of succession. None of the surviving princes, even the two who held the advantage at that moment, dared to act rashly. That was because, even with martial artists like the Successor of Sword Tomb or the Lei Clan’s expert, the might of the Five Grand Eunuchs wasn’t one to be taken lightly.

Everyone present had their eyes glued to the five eunuchs, especially the other princes who had clearly lost in military prowess to the Third Prince. Their last hope now laid in the name written on that edict scroll. With the legitimacy granted by that scroll, and with the aid of the Five Grand Eunuchs, even they might have had a chance at the throne.

However, the Five Grand Eunuchs merely stood there holding the scroll, refusing to speak for the longest of times.

At long last, it was Prince Langya who broke this stalemate by stepping forth and grabbing the edict of succession. After looking at it, he, before the eyes of everyone present, tore the scroll into shreds and called out in a clarion voice, “As per this prince’s reading, His Majesty commands that the throne be succeeded by the Third Prince, Xiao Ruojin!”

“The throne will be succeeded by Xiao Ruojin!”

Under the watchful eyes of those present, what Prince Langya did just now was nothing short of sacrilege. Yet, strangely, the Five Grand Eunuchs stayed silent. It was only when Xiao Ruofeng shouted for the third time that they actually knelt of their own accord. Upon seeing that, the other princes all threw down their weapons and knelt as well. It was then that all the troops in the palace all knelt down and bellowed, “Long live His Majesty.”

The next day, the Third Prince, Xiao Ruojin, ascended to the throne while Prince Langya, Xiao Ruofeng, was recognised for his pivotal contribution with the title of “The Grand Protector of Beili” and given command of the three armies. Of the expert warriors who protected Xiao Ruojin that day, only Lei Mengsha accepted an official post, becoming one of the eight pillars of the kingdom. The rest returned to obscurity, neither accepting an official post, nor entering the army, instead becoming the Four Guardians of Revelation. Under the assumed title of Blue Dragon, Red Phoenix, White Tiger and Black Tortoise, they protected the imperial capital.

Later on, there were those who posited that the edict did, in fact, have a name written on it. However, it wasn’t that of the Third Prince’s, instead it was the name of the Seventh Prince, Xiao Ruofeng. However, the prince chose to destroy the scroll. Seeing as the new emperor willingly gave up the throne, the Five Grand Eunuchs naturally had nothing to say either. While most theories agreed on that point, there was no agreement to be had as to why he did so.

Some said that Xiao Ruofeng loved the freedom of the martial world, and didn’t want to be cooped up in Revelation. However, as the later years would prove otherwise, Xiao Ruofeng never stepped out of Revelation during his next four years of service as Grand Protector of Beili. The one time he did so four years later was only to rush to the battlefield. Till the day he died, he never once stepped back into the martial world. Thus there were those who said that the reason why Xiao Ruofeng did so was because of a certain event during their childhood years.
According to them, Xiao Ruofeng was once severely taken ill, almost to the point of death. Back then, their imperial mother wasn’t a favored wife, so those within the palace mostly ignored them, even the imperial physician. Despite his position as a prince, Xiao Ruojin knelt before the imperial physician who was most likely there just to go through the motions, forcing him to exert his all and save Xiao Ruofeng. However, there was no way to ever find out the truth, as Prince Langya never said a word about this even till death.

At that time, Lei Hanyi was merely eleven years old. Because Lei Mengsha went against their ancestral teachings to never join the army, and because Lei Hanyi had never officially joined the Lei Clan, she took her mother’s maiden name of Li and trained in the ways of the Sword Tomb. Later on, she came under the tutelage of Snow Moon City’s Citymaster, Li Changsheng, becoming the Citymaster’s second disciple. Li Hanyi trained in the sword till she was fourteen, never stepping into Revelation at all. It was only when her little brother was born that she went against her parents’ wishes and visited Revelation.

She then stayed in the city for five years till she was nineteen, at which point she left Revelation with a sword in hand. Along with Baili Dongjun, Sikong Changfeng, the trio roamed the martial world. Back then, she wore a face shawl and wielded Rainfall. Her elegant swordplay earned her the name of “The Traceless Rainfall Under A Willow”. That year, the demonic cult embarked on their eastward invasion. As one of the orthodox faction’s disciples, Li Hanyi destroyed the swords of eight demonic sect elders just by herself.

From that day on, she became known as a Sword Immortal. However, no one in the martial world knew that she was the daughter of Lei Mengsha and Li Xinyue. Even she grew to slowly forget that fact. It was only four years ago that Li Hanyi returned to Revelation.

That year was recorded in the history books as the year that the “Langya Rebellion” took place. During that incident alone, dozens of court officials were stripped of their titles, and over ten generals were stripped of their ranks. The Four Guardians of Revelation disbanded that day as well.

The Li Hanyi who stepped into Revelation that fateful day bore the third of the Ten Famous Swords, Armored Glacier. Back then, her one sword almost made its way into the throat of the son of heaven.

---

---

　

Leave a comment

---

---

Author: Zhou Nan Wood	Original Source: 8kana
Translator: CatatoPatch	English Source: Re:Library

A crack of thunder boomed across the ground.

The tip of the Armored Glacier drove the air in a single deadly point, the mountain winds howling as it did so, its sword qi wild and untamed like a herd of stallions charging across the plains…

Unlike the previous few swords of Li Hanyi, this sword was aggressive, lacking any of the poetic sense the previous ones had; all it had was a terrifying desire to kill.

This incomparably aggressive sword wasn’t one of Li Hanyi’s creations, instead it was created by that oddball swordsman of the Lei Clan, Lei Hong.

Back then, a youthful Lei Hong came to Snow Moon City, carrying a decidedly unique sword. He seemed a little shy or even reserved at first, but his words were anything but. “The phoenix bears news of a legend rising, while thunder booms for a change incoming. I have a sword named “A Swathe of Thunder”. I humbly submit for instruction.”

Today, it was now Li Hanyi’s turn, eyes closed, to perform that sword, though he quickly withdrew it after.

“Lei Hong, it seems like we finally have to meet again…” Li Hanyi mumbled.

With his Raging Inferno Lightning on the left, and his Brush Like Unfettered Clouds on the right, it could be said that Lei Wujie had reached the peak of his current swordsmanship. Yet under the sheer force of A Swathe of Thunder, he could only retreat, step after step. Although Li Hanyi had already withdrawn his sword, the force of his sword had not decreased. That single sword he let forth actually called forth the thunder. The sky immediately darkened and rain came pouring down.

Li Hanyi turned around to face the boy. Though the rain was thick, not a single drop landed on his clothes.

Lei Wujie, however, was drenched. Standing there in a wet daze, he suddenly struck once more. It was an ordinary sword strike, like one a child would use, no method to it, and lacking in any sword essence.

Yet Li Hanyi unexpectedly raised his head to look at the sky. He gently lifted up a finger, and a droplet of water landed on it. With a soft swing, he pulled out a stream of smaller droplets, slowly forming them into the sword of a sword. By now, the incoming sword had already reached him. He lowered his head, focused his gaze, and the watery sword instantly burst forth, brimming with sword essence but bereft of any killing intent.

“And what sword was that?” Li Hanyi asked.

“An Ordinary Man’s sword, a normal thrust.” Lei Wujie answered.

Li Hanyi laughed and turned around. Ordinary that sword might have been, it managed to rip his face shawl. And as the shreds fell gently to the ground, the sword qi surrounding him dissipated -the rainwater once more allowed to land on him. There stood a Sword Immortal of his times, allowing the rainwater to soak his clothes, his hair, and all the while silently immobile.

Lei Wujie sheathed his sword, but his eyes suddenly went wet with tears.

It was then that Sikong Changfeng, Tang Lian and Xiao Se rushed to the mountain peak and witnessed that scene. They saw the might of A Swathe of Thunder, and Lei Wujie’s ordinary thrust. An Ordinary Man’s Sword… that was the beginner’s book to swordsmanship, something you could find anywhere in the martial world, sold at a pittance in any bookstore, and filled with moves that even a ten year old could execute. A sword like that actually reached the Sword Immortal?

Yet it was just such a sword that eventually ripped the face shawl that Li Hanyi religiously kept on.

From beneath the face shawl, came an unmistakably beautiful face.

Tang Lian was stunned. “Second Master is a woman?”

While no longer young, the face beneath could still be considered breathtaking. Yet the expression it had on was icy cold, one that prevented any attempt at close contact.

No wonder Lei Hong praised the sword as beautiful after watching her swordsmanship… that was precisely why.

No wonder the Confucian Sword Immortal, Xie Xuan, said that there were two beautiful ladies in Snow Moon City, one was the Immortal Maiden Luoxian, and the other was… a little fierce.

Lei Wujie suddenly fell to his knees, and in a soft voice, said, “Sister.”

Li Hanyi lowered his head to face him, face still cold. “You knew from the start.”

Though Lei Wujie said that he began learning the sword when he learnt of its beauty from Lei Hong, he had actually come into contact with the sword at an even younger age. Back then, he, his father, his mother and his sister stayed in a large city. His father was often out, and so was his mother, leaving his sister the only one at home while she practised her sword. When she was bored, she would often drag him along for sword practise. That was where this normal thrust came from. Being as young as he was, the only move he could really execute was this normal thrust.

And that was why when Lei Wujie mentioned this sword, Li Hanyi knew.

“Third Master, what’s the matter?” Tang Lian turned to face Sikong Changfeng.

Sikong Changfeng sighed. “Li Hanyi entered our teacher’s tutelage a month earlier than me, but in actuality, she was younger than me by four years. Her mother was the successor of the Sword Tomb, Li Xinyue. Her father was one of the elders of the Lei Clan, Lei Mengsha. Because she never joined the Lei Clan, her surname remained that of her mother’s.”

“Lei Mengsha? Li Xinyue? Those are…” A stunned Tang Lian couldn’t finish his words.

“That’s right. A Sword’s Heart has a Moon, A Fleeting Dream, A Fleeting Life. They were once very famous martial artists. During the Rebellion of Revelations twenty years ago, as His Majesty’s personal guards, they protected him as he slew his way into the Hall of Serenity. Later on, Lei Mengsha became one of the eight pillars of the kingdom, his charge was to handle the south. Ultimately, he died on a battlefield there. Li Xinyue however became the head of the Four Guardians of Revelations. Her post was the East; her title was the Blue Dragon. Four years ago, after the case involving Prince Langya, she left Revelations and disappeared.” Sikong Changfeng sighed once more.

“Lei Mengsha and Li Xinyue both occupied an esteemed position within the martial world, so they had sent their children out of Revelations long ago. One came to Snow Moon City, the other went to the Lei Clan. Only a scant few knew of this. The fact that Li Hanyi, as a Sword Immortal, rarely left the city, meant that even fewer knew that she was actually a woman.”

“So the reason you came to find me wasn’t because Lei Hong was about to die?” Li Hanyi stated.

Lei Wujie shook his head. “Teacher is indeed gravely ill. I did actually come here for his sake. It’s that when I saw you that day, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. That heavy rainfall just now made me remember an incident from my childhood. Back then, I snuck out to play and ended up lost. It rained heavily on that day as well. I couldn’t find my way home so I stood there crying. Suddenly, Sister appeared before me amongst the heavy rainfall, like a light illuminating the world before me. The rain just now made me remember that day. Back then, Sister was looking at me the same way as well, a little bit of admiration but mostly angry. I wasn’t sure whether I should ask for forgiveness, so I ran right into your embrace and cried.”

Li Hanyi sheathed her Armored Glacier and sighed. She slowly strode forward, lowered herself and gently hugged him. “Jie, these past years must have been hard on you.”

Lei Wujie cried once more, but he merely shook his head and said no more.

Sikong Changfeng quietly turned around and walked down the mountain path, muttering to himself as he did so. “As I watch you from one end of the world, an expanse of ten thousand leads to our next meeting.”

Tang Lian quietly followed behind. Such a scene truly wasn’t one which they should stay behind at. Yet Xiao Se still stood there quietly, as if he was in a trance. Tang Lian tugged at his clothes. “What are you thinking about?”

Xiao Se murmured, “I was just thinking, some things truly are predestined.”

“What?”

Xiao Se merely shook his head and walked down the mountain path.

****End of Snow Moon City Arc****

---

---