To be honest, I don’t know if anyone even reads this, but I hope that whoever does so in the future falls in love with the book as much I do… Also, I hate you.
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» Chapter 65 «
Category Archives: Song of Adolescence
Chapter 65: A Sword to Enter the Mortal Vajra
| Author: Zhou Nan Wood | Original Source: 8kana |
| Translator: CatatoPatch | English Source: Re:Library |
“Flowers at daybreak in a mid-autumn day, like a rainbow glare climbing the heavens.” 1
Lei Wujie sharply drew out his sword, pointing it shakingly at Li Hanyi. “The first sword, inherited from the Sword Immortal, Moon in Obscurity, Flowers at Daybreak.”
A whistle ran through the mountain peaks, but there was no flower storm this time, nor was there any moonlight bathing them; this sword was pure and clean. Yet though there were flowers, nor was there any moon in sight, there was the essence of flowers, and the shadow of a moon!
The sword…it was a stroke worthy to be called elegant!
Lei Wujie’s strike came piercing through the air, sword glistening with a cold light. This was already his fourth attempt at the move, yet this time, his sword bore a hint of a Sword Immortal’s manner.
Li Hanyi nodded lightly at that. His fingers curved into a beckoning sign, calling forth Armored Glacier from its sheath. “Fall!” He yelled lightly, and the Armored Glacier came crashing down, shattering the flowery essence of Lei Wujie, destroying his moonlight. His sword came barrelling through with the frigid coldness of the mountain peaks themselves, aura bursting at the seams, and sword qi rushing forward like a herd of wild stallions, all charging right at Lei Wujie.
Lei Wuije pressed down on his sword using it as a bulwark, his body refusing to budge even an inch. His sleeves came off in shreds, but he persevered silently, knuckles white from gripping Rainfall.
“A dancing flower in the rain, a waving willow in a breeze, both clad in yesteryear’s allure. A fresh burst of greens and reds, like a frenzied mix of spring and morning.” Lei Wujie stepped back, gave his sword a quick flourish, then struck once more. 1
“The second sword, inherited from the Sword Immortal, A Scarlet Bloom, A Misty Sward.” Lei Wujie stabbed his sword towards the heavens.
This was a move he once saw his teacher, Lei Hong, execute. With it, he once made a peach blossom flower on the last night of winter solstice!
It was a move filled with the warmth of life. Used with the demure Rainfall, its blade was bathed in a tinge of red. And the harsh coldness of Armored Glacier was gently pushed back. Not expecting his own move to actually triumph, Lei Wujie pushed forth, boosted by the elation of victory.
Li Hanyi nodded lightly. “Good. A Scarlet Bloom, A Misty Sward: that was a sword I created during my youth. That year I was travelling through Jiangnan when I spotted budding leaves on a willow by the lakeside -that was how I created this sword. You did very well. But you were originally from Jiangnan to begin with, comprehending this sword isn’t difficult.” Having said that, he lightly hooked his finger, and Armored Glacier rose once more!
Back in Snow Moon City…
Sikong Changfeng stepped out of his own hall and gazed at the distant Cangshan.
“Third Master, what are you looking at?” Spotting Sikong Changfeng in the distance, Tang Lian lifted his head and asked.
“Your junior is about to leave the mountains.”
“Leave the mountains?” Tang Lian and Xiao Se exchanged a glance.
“If you hurry, you might just make it in time for the last sword.” With a turn of his body, Sikong Changfeng sped off in the direction of Cangshan.
Tang Lian and Xiao Se immediately sprinted off. That day in Snow Moon City, Lei Wujie and Li Hanyi did in fact cement an agreement: whenever Lei Wujie could exchange three blows with him, he would leave the mountains with him. Yet it had only been three months, could Lei Wujie actually accomplish this?
Lei Wujie’s second sword, A Scarlet Bloom, A Verdant Sward, brought forth a wave of warmth that instantly melted the snowflakes around Li Hanyi. Yet the coldness of Armored Glacier instantly froze the water on the ground solid once more. Lei Wujie exploded in heat, his foot smashing into the frozen snow water.
Blazing Arts: Garuda Realm!
Li Hanyi frowned slightly. Is this his trump card? Then he has severely underestimated a Sword Immortal’s sword. The Blazing Arts can’t be even counted as a top tier martial art, let alone his lowly Garuda Realm.
It was then that Lei Wujie’s pupils burned a fiery red, his qi exploding once more as an uncontrollable primal flame filled his eyes.
His Blazing Arts had risen once more— the Origin Flame Realm!
“Very good. When Lei Hong was your age, he wasn’t at your level.” Li Hanyi lightly praised him. Once more his fingers curved into a hook and Armored Glacier rose to the skies before diving downwards with a force to rend the earth asunder.
“You may have your raging flames, but can you stand up to my Thousand Inches of Ice?” Li Hanyi proudly declared.
Lei Wujie waved his right arm and barely deflected Li Hanyi’s sword, retreating ten steps in the process. Suddenly, the frigid cold of Armored Glacier overwhelmed him, leaving him in a dazed trance.
His thoughts drifted to a certain grey clad man who often sat in a daze in the courtyard. He remembered what that man told him once.
“A sword has a life of its own, should a person form a bond with a sword, then that sword is his friend, and when a friend is in trouble, that sword would sense it. That is why some swords would start shaking if it senses killing intent.”
“I hand the Murderous Dread Sword over to you, from now on, as long as the person stands, so will the sword.:
“And if the person falls, so does the sword?” Lei Wujie asked in a grave voice as he received the sword.
“Come to me, sword!” Lei Wujie’s eyes snapped wide open, his lungs straining from the sheer force of his shout.
Back at the gates of Snow Moon City, the sword which had been stuck there for three months suddenly stirred.
The people below the gate heard a deafening boom as they raised their heads to stare at the crimson sword above.
It was said that this sword was forged from the combination of explosives and metal, etched with the markings of flame. At its tip was the picture of a fire breathing dragon. This was the Murderous Dread Sword. Because of its extraordinary lethality, it once swept through the martial world. With it in hand, Lei Hong was basically half a Sword Immortal!
Right now, the Murderous Dread Sword was about to seek out its master.
“Come to me, sword!” Standing atop the mountain peak, Lei Wujie stretched out his left hand and bellowed once more.
The Murderous Dread Sword finally broke free from its stony prison, rushing straight towards Cangshan in a fiery red line across the sky.
Sikong Changfeng, Tang Lian and Xiao Se were in the midst of rushing towards the scene when a sudden blast of wind blew past them. Raising their heads, all they saw was the Murderous Dread Sword.
“A bond of sword and man. For your junior brother to reach this stage… he has stepped into the first tier.”
“The first tier?” Tang Lian revealed a look of shock.
Lei Wujie stretched out his left hand and caught the incoming Murderous Dread Sword. The etchings on the blade started to flow. He swung his left hand outwards, forcing away the Armored Glacier.
“A jet black night, a booming sky, winds blowing like a thousand crossbows. The darkness passes and the deities smile above. The third sword, inherited from the swordsman of Lei, Lei Hong, its name is Raging Inferno Lightning.” 2
“A drunken haze, a falling brush. A poem turned jade, and one for the ages. The third sword, inherited from Li Hanyi, A Brush Like Unfettered Clouds.” 3
Rainfall in his right, and Murderous Dread in his left, combined the two were unstoppable. He slowly raised the twin swords, Rainfall encased in cold, Murderous Dread wrapped in flames – one hot and one cold. Then, he said in a slow voice, “This third sword, I present to my teacher.”
Li Hanyi nodded. “Good.” In that very instant, it was as if he was looking at his younger self. His teacher was the former Citymaster of Snow Moon City, Su Zhemu. Back then, all their martial arts were learnt in pairs. Baili Dongjun made his name as a wielder of both a sword and a blade. Sikong Changfeng wielded two spears of unequal length. As for him, he once carried a pair of swords as well.
Li Hanyi gently hooked his finger once more and Armored Glacier came flying back into his hands. Up till now, he had only commanded his sword with his finger as he blocked two of Lei Wujie’s strikes. Yet this third strike… it was one that was finally worthy of him wielding his sword -a true battle.
That was because Lei Wujie’s sword… had already stepped into the realm of the Mortal Vajra.
“Your teacher has a sword for you as well. This sword has a name…” Li Hanyi slowly said. “And its name is A Swathe of Thunder.”
Song of Adolescence Chapter 64
Thank god some of the names are actually bad by design…
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» Chapter 64 «
Chapter 64: I Have Three Swords, I Hereby Submit to the Master!
| Author: Zhou Nan Wood | Original Source: 8kana |
| Translator: CatatoPatch | English Source: Re:Library |
Like the brush of summer winds, the hustle and bustle of the season waned.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye, and the most beautiful season of Snow Moon City, spring, departed from the city. In its place came a cooling summer breeze. Tang Lian was once again out on several missions. As the Head Disciple of the Snow Moon City, the weight on his shoulders were heavy. He often had to partake in missions outside of the city year round. Yet similar to his status as disciples of Snow Moon City’s Citymasters, Xiao Se and Sikong Qianluo were decidedly more free. Each day was spent in a game of cat and mouse. Having exhausted himself in that, Xiao Se would then lay on the roof for a quick baking, or perhaps a moon viewing, or perhaps a round of chess with Sikong Changfeng. At times, he would flip through the nameless book given to him by the Confucian Sword Immortal, Xie Xuan. Today, it so happened that Sikong Qianluo was out of the city, which meant a gleeful Xiao Se could now spend the entire day sunbaking on the rooftop, staring in the direction of Cangshan.
Speaking of Cangshan, it has been a long while since that person descended from the mountains. Since the farewell at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, not once have I stepped into Cangshan. Yet today, Xiao Se had this feeling that something was about to happen. He lowered his book and looked in the direction of Cangshan. A breeze blew past him. A second later, Tang Lian was already standing right beside him.
“You’re back?” Xiao Se looked at the new arrival.
Tang Lian nodded his head. “We’re both disciples of a Citymaster, so why is it you get to suntan everyday while I have to run around the world. I nearly lost my life this time too.”
“And who are you exactly? Our Eldest Martial Brother, that’s who. A person who might just become the Citymaster in the future, I’m sure a little bit of hard work is only to be expected.” Xiao Se gleefully gloated at his misfortune.
Tang Lian tapped his foot against the ground lightly. Immediately, a fragment of the roof tile went flying towards Xiao Se. Xiao Se smiled. With a slight roll of his body, he moved aside an entire inch.
“Seems like Qianluo has been treating you well all this while, that movement skill of yours just seems to get more and more sublime.” Tang Lian chuckled.
Xiao Se stood up, patted off the dust on his body. “Oh spare me, if you really wanted me dead, Eldest Martial Brother, you would have just shattered all the roof tiles, then toss a Flying Flowers, Ten Thousand Trees at me. Oh right, you said you almost lost your life, who did you meet?”4
“A couple of old acquaintances, ‘the Lunar Maiden bids with a smile, the Nether Duke kills in fury’. Still remember them?” Tang Lian asked.
“We were almost killed by them, why wouldn’t I?”
“The Nether Duke was originally the eldest son of the master of Seekers Cloth Pavilion. Years ago, when the Seekers Cloth Pavilion was massacred, he was knocked out cold, waking up only after the fact with memory loss. After searching many years for a clue, he finally found an answer in Wuxin. The killer of Seekers Cloth Pavilion was the Nether Duke’s very own teacher, the Old Man of Heavenly Springs. The Nether Duke was planning a visit to the Heavenly Springs Hall to seek vengeance, proclaiming his desire to massacre everyone.”
“What happened then?” Xiao Se wasn’t all too surprised by what he heard.
“What happened was that the Heavenly Springs Hall was destroyed. The Old Man of Heavenly Springs escaped; the Nether Duke was severely injured but rescued by the Lunar Maiden.”
“Pity, a wretch like that old man would have been better off dead in a blade stroke.” Xiao Se sighed once more.
Tang Lian didn’t carry on from that. He turned towards Cangshan and suddenly asked, “What about that silly kid, anything happened recently?”
“No idea.” Xiao Se shook his head.
“You have no idea?” Tang Lian’s brows furrowed.
“It has been three whole months since the last time he left the mountains. Most likely he was locked up after that day at the Hundred Flowers Banquet. I don’t have any martial arts, so I don’t dare to pay him a visit either, else that Sword Immortal up might just slice me up.” Xiao Se replied after some thought.
“That silly kid even said that the three of us would go gallivanting about the martial world, just like the Three Heroes of Snow Moon when they were young. But by the time he’s done learning, who knows when that would be.” Tang Lian murmured.
Mt. Cangshan, atop the Peak of Ten Thousand Flowers…
The Sword Immortal Li Hanyi was seated there in meditation, the sword, Armored Glacier, resting quietly beside him.
Today was the date of their three months agreement. According to it, his disciple would duel with him. If he was satisfied with the result, he would let him leave the mountain for a final meeting with Lei Hong at the Lei Clan. As for Li Hanyi himself, it had been four years since the last time he left the city.
The Daoist Sword Immortal, Zhao Yuzhen, the Confucian Sword Immortal, Xie Xuan, and the Murderous Dread Sword, Lei Hong: these were all well-known names, yet they seemed to have popped up once more in recent times. Li Hanyi sighed to himself. It has been so many years, but it seems like the time has come.
Rainfall in hand, Lei Wujie slowly made his way up the mountain. These past three months, Li Hanyi had still trained him on a daily basis, yet it was only done through words, never demonstration. He knew that the next time he and his master exchanged blows would be at the conclusion of these three months. Yet just a month ago, Li Hanyi suddenly left his grass hut for one of the nineteen peaks of Cangshan in order to train, leaving behind Lei Wujie to practise on his own. At least that was so up till a week ago when Lei Wujie suddenly stowed his sword and began mediating like his teacher.
Hidden Sword of Wind and Thunder: Eight-sided Draw! A technique of the Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi’s!
“But as I am right now, am I even qualified to duel with the Snow Moon Sword Immortal?” Looking down at his sword, his eyes glazed over a little.
Barring that mythical, almost immortal-like realm of Divine Mysteries, a top tier martial artist could be divided into three realms, the Mortal Vajra Realm, the Unrestrained Earth Realm, and finally the Unfettered Heavens Realm. The Snow Moon Sword Immortal was said to have entered the Unfettered Heavens Realm at the tender age of nineteen. Today, he was at the peak of that realm.
As for himself, he wasn’t even at the edge of being considered a top tier martial artist. Amongst all the disciples of Snow Moon City, only Tang Lian could officially be counted as having entered that prestigious realm of Mortal Vajra -Sikong Qianluo was still a smidge short of it. As a swordsman below even the realm of Mortal Vajra, yet still daring to face a Sword Immortal in the realm of Unfettered Heavens, would he end up like that day at the Tower of Ascension: defeated in just one strike? After all, could his current self compare to the combined might of his previous self and Li Fansong?
But I still have to fight either way. Lei Wujie grimaced as he scratched his head.
It was said that the mountains held four seasons. As Lei Wujie slowly climbed up the mountain, he wasn’t all that in a hurry to be honest. He climbed up the slightly warm mountain base, then to the still forested but slightly cool mountain range where he took a quick break before continuing upwards, all the way to the frigid mountain peak. Upon seeing the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi, dressed in his white robes, seated up atop the peak like an immortal, Lei Wujie straightened his back and bowed.
“You’re here.” Li Hanyi slowly stated, eyes still closed.
“Teacher, I’ve come to fulfill our agreement.”
Eyes still closed, Li Hanyi said no more.
Suddenly, Lei Wujie grasped down on his sword hilt, the sword beneath vaguely crackling with qi. Just moments ago, he was the picture of a carefree teen, now his eyes held a dangerous glint as he said in a deep voice, “I have three swords, I hereby submit to the master!”
Originally dormant at the side, Armored Glacier roared to life -Li Hanyi finally opened his eyes. “Good!”
Song of Adolescence Chapter 63
Honestly, I sometimes feel bad that this novel got stuck with me translating it, instead of some highly paid professional translator with an editor backing him up. Oh well. At least I’m cheap labor.
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» Chapter 63 «
Chapter 63: The Blessed Pearl Corridor
| Author: Zhou Nan Wood | Original Source: 8kana |
| Translator: CatatoPatch | English Source: Re:Library |
Though Ye Anshi no longer addressed himself as the monk, Wuxin -even going through the step of not carrying his rosary -he still wore a long white robe; still kept his head bald. When he broke that last Rain Knife, he still insisted on not killing. At times, the Violet Duke would think to himself, was such a compassionate person really suited to be sect master of the Outheaven? Yet it was just such a person that garnered the support of everyone in the sect within record timing. There were even some old timers, who upon laying eyes on him for the first time ever, claimed they saw the old sect master returning to them.
“Sect master, about those friends of yours, there’s been some news.” The White Hair Immortal suddenly chimed in.
Ye Anshi paused for a second, then smiled. “Oh? How have they been?”
“Tang Lian returned to the Tangmen after leaving Khotan for a brief visit to his master, Tang Lianyue. Xiao Se and Lei Wujie roughly traveled for another three more months before finally reaching Snow Moon City. Lei Wujie climbed the Tower of Ascension all the way up to the sixteenth floor and fought side by side with the Daoist Sword Immortal’s disciple against the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi. Even though he was beaten down by a single sword strike in the end, he became a disciple under his tutelage, his first ever disciple.” The White Hair Immortal slowly reported.
Ye Anshi chuckled at that. “That kid seems to have pretty good luck -for him to actually be accepted by the Snow Moon Sword Immortal. But his teacher, Lei Hong, does have a little disagreement with that Sword Immortal, I don’t doubt that there’s a deeper backstory behind all that. What about the other? That stingy inn owner. He returned to his Fallen Snow Villa?”
“Xiao Se, he stayed behind in Snow Moon City as well, he even became the disciple of the Spear Immortal, Sikong Changfeng.” Silent till now, Violet Duke suddenly spoke up.
“The Spear Immortal, Sikong Changfeng? I thought it would have been the Drunken Immortal, Baili Dongjun. Honestly, if the two of them ever met, I have a feeling the both of them would get along famously” Ye Anshi stretched out his hands, and the fallen wine cup promptly flew back into his palm. “I kind of want to have a taste of his famous Seven Bowls under a Starry Night as well. The one that even triumphed over the Little Diaolou’s White Autumn Dew.”
“There’s been word that the First Citymaster, Baili Dongjun, left the city the night Lei Wujie entered the city. There’s been no word since.” White Hair Immortal muttered in a low voice.
“Honestly, for the past few years, Sikong Changfeng has always been the one handling the matters of Snow Moon City. The other two Citymasters were either busy brewing wine or practising with the sword -both extremely carefree. So what if he has gone missing, how about you guess whether or not that Baili Dongjun has entered into the Divine Mysteries Realm? At that time, he could probably traverse the lands within the blink of an eye -so what if he was no longer in Snow Moon City?” Ye Anshi slowly explained, having guessed the rough intentions of White Hair’s words.
The two subordinates exchanged a silent glance. The Drunken Immortal, Baili Dongjun, had already shown signs of being the strongest in the world twelve years ago, yet he kept to himself mostly, rarely fighting with another, choosing instead to focus on his wine brewing. Even so, it was said that the Lone Sword Immortal, Luo Qingyang, who safeguarded the city of Exalted Frost year round, refused to claim the title of the strongest precisely because he wasn’t sure of a victory against Baili Dongjun. A person like that could probably step into that legendary martial realm that only appeared once every hundred years.
“I’m sure my three friends would soon spread their names across the martial world, just like those three teenagers that stepped out of Snow Moon City all those years ago. I’m looking forward to the day we meet again.” Ye Anshi turned around and slowly walked away.
“Sect Master, where are you going?”
“To the Blessed Pearl Corridor.” Ye Anshi blandly stated. “Now that the internal strife within the Outheaven has been settled, the next few years shouldn’t be an issue with the both of your powers. I wish to go into seclusion at the Blessed Pearl Corridor.”
“And when will you return, Sect Master?” The Violet Duke furrowed his brows.
“When I step into the Divine Mysteries Realm.” Ye Anshi leaped into the air, landing onto the western wall, before declaring so in a clarion voice.
The Violet Duke and White Haired Immortal were stunned. Ye Anshi, however, turned around to smile at them. “I’m being serious.” With a twist of his body, he shot off into the distance.
“Do you think our Sect Master can really step into the Divine Mysteries Realm?” The Violet Duke asked his companion.
The White Haired Immortal paused for a second, then replied, “The first time I met him, he was already nearing the Unfettered Heavens Realm. Now that he has been back in the Outheaven for three months cultivating his Six Higher Knowledges, his martial realm has risen above the both of us. He’s only seventeen now. Compared to the old sect master, his talent seems to have outstripped the out sect master by quite a bit; who knows, he might just be able to do so. At that time, us returning to the Central Plains would end a lot differently than twelve years ago…”
At that, the Violet Duke merely snorted, “Aren’t you the optimistic one? If he really steps into the Divine Mysteries Realm, our Sect Master would surely whisk away to that land beyond the seas for a jaunt with some immortal, not lead you back into the Central Plains.
White Hair laughed and shook his head, “Being stuck with such a powerful sect master that so happens to lack even a shred of ambition -I wonder if that’s a blessing or a curse.”
The Violet Duke turned to look at the floor blanketed in flowers and muttered, “So the old sect master’s hometown was in Hangzhou…”
At the same time in Snow Moon City, there was also a person admiring the moon.
With a piece of grass hanging off his mouth, and his back sprawled out lazily atop a roof, that person stared at the moon in a daze.
A spear wielding girl spotted him, and with a twist of her body, leapt onto the rooftop as well. “Blasted Xiao Se, so this is where you were hiding.”
Xiao Se closed his eyes, not all that interested in dealing with her. “It’s late, enough with the chasing already, it’s time for rest. How’s your practise with the Silvery Moon Spear Techniques?”
“The Silvery Moon Breaks the Intestines… I’ve reached the fourth tier now, how about a taste of it?” Sikong Qianluo grinned a mischievous grin.
“Hah, perhaps tomorrow morning I just might. Let me tell you, don’t force my hand here, if not I’ll take out my Wuji Staff and knock you off the roof!” Xiao Se’s eyes snapped open in what looked like an attempted glare.
“I’ve heard those words a million times now. Go on then, hit me.” Sikong Qianluo immediately glared back.
“Childish.” Xiao Se turned away.
“Scrooge. You come here all the time to stare, exactly what are you even staring at? Last time it was in the direction of Cangshan, don’t tell you were staring at Lei Wujie… I knew there was something going on between the two of you, pft. “ Sikong Qianluo stuck out her tongue.
“Have you been to Revelations?” Xiao Se suddenly asked.
“The Imperial Capital, Revelations? Nope.” Sikong Qianluo shook her head. “Have you?”
“I have.” Xiao Se nodded.
Sikong Qianluo answered with an offhand “oh”. “What was it like? Compared to Snow Moon City.”
“Not as beautiful, but it was big. Roughly the size of seven to eight Snow Moon Cities, bustling and full of people from all the four seas and five lakes. Every year, there were a number of fairs where you could find all manners of trinkets and baubles from distant lands. I once saw a massive crystal, purely natural, about the size of a wine vat -the foreigners used it to store their grape wine. I tried some, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call it heavenly. There was also a gambling den, known as the Ring of a Thousand Golds, I won an entire city there…” Xiao Se suddenly started to ramble.
Yet Sikong Qianluo strangely fell silently. She had this sudden feeling that Xiao Se became different when he talked about Revelations. Yet it was this new Xiao Se that made people feel more at ease with him. After listening to him continue on for a long while, she suddenly asked, “If there’s a chance, would you bring me to Revelations?”
Xiao Se smiled. “Sure.”
Song of Adolescence Chapter 62
Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!
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» Chapter 62 «
Chapter 62: A Heaven Outside of Heaven
| Author: Zhou Nan Wood | Original Source: 8kana |
| Translator: CatatoPatch | English Source: Re:Library |
High up in the heavens, there hung the moon, bathing the sky with a demonic glow. Down in the mortal realm, the rivers of wine flowed, filling the scene with a pungent alcoholic aroma.
Though spring was almost over, the plum blossoms were still in full bloom, their flowery fragrance mixing together with the alcohol in an intoxicating dance. Sitting right beside one such plum blossom tree was a person dressed in flowing white robes. Silhouette illuminated by the silvery moon, he raised a white jade-like cup into the air, and gently sipped on it, eyes closed as if he was actually drunk.
This was the realm beyond the realms, a heaven outside of heaven.
That person had extraordinarily beautiful features, a face that could stand toe to toe with the heavenly moon above and the blooming plum blossoms beside him. Yet, this person was a man.
A bald man, no less.
He was the man previously known as Wuxin, a monk who used to reside in the Snow Peak Temple. Today, he was the sect master of the Outheaven, Ye Anshi.
Drinking alone beneath the moon had always been a lonely, desolate affair, not at all helped by the fact that there was even a hint of snowfall in the background. Reaching out, he tried to catch a falling snowflake, but before he could, it melted. A sigh escaped his lips, his brows knitted together and his head lowered once more to finish what was left of his drink. Yet just as he did so, a flower drifted onto his drink, and he smiled, elegance incarnate.
From the western walls came a faint rustling, so faint that it sounded like the rustle of a flower blooming. Ye Anshi was aware of the rustling, but he chose not to pay it heed. Instead, he scattered his wine onto the floor and raised his head to look at the sky.
‘This should be the last one…’ Ye Anshi faintly smiled to himself in contemplation as he walked up to the nearby blossom tree and stretched his white fingers out to pluck a plum blossom.
All of a sudden, the light snowfall became chaotic. As if a hurricane was approaching it, the plum blossom tree started to sway furiously about. Finally, the plum blossoms fell down in a rain, mixing together with the faint snow that had suddenly accelerated, and clouded the eyes of Ye Anshi. Even so, he wasn’t the least bit fazed by this sudden change, merely silently staring at the plum blossom on his fingers as before.
Suddenly, a black shadow flashed past his eyes, tearing right through that beautiful vortex of snow and flowers. It was a knife as black as night, one that gave off a fiendish gleam as it stabbed through the flowery veil and right towards Ye Anshe. Yet just as it was about to pierce his chest, Ye Anshi made his move. His entire body shifted backwards, and with a light flick of his hands, a plum blossom was sent flying towards the source of that knife.
The figure was shocked. She hurriedly pulled back her knife, barely escaping the plum blossom with a graze on her sides.
“It was said that the Black Knife, Lunar Rain, would give off a sinister glow when its murderous intent was at its peak. Over a decade has passed and that same blade has shown itself once more.” Ye Anshi righted his posture and smiled. “It’s just… you’re not Uncle Li, he died twelve years ago. You’re his…daughter?”
“Haven’t I seen you before, back when I was still young? You’re Li Yunyan?” Ye Anshi asked after pausing for a second. An image of a girl suddenly appeared in his mind. Back then, she always had her hair tied upwards in a knot and was every bit a fierce tomboy. Yet here she was now, an elegant, beautiful lady. It was a shame that she was also another person’s knife now.
“Duan Chenyi has been eyeing the seat of sect master for twelve years. He even went so far as to create his own death squad of twelve, the “Rain Knives”. Yet, never in his wildest dreams did he expect me to return all of a sudden, after twelve years. So, he escaped, and left behind his twelve knives to kill me. Two days ago, there were four. Yesterday, there were seven. Today, there’s only you left. You know full well that you won’t win, so why do you still rush to your death?” Ye Anshi slowly walked up to his assassin.
“Is it because…you love him?” Ye Anshi suddenly stopped and asked.
The assassin snapped her head up, her knife emitting that fiendish glow once more.
Yet, Ye Anshi seemed completely oblivious to that change as he walked back to the plum blossom tree and softly sighed, “The plum blossoms of the Painted Snow Villa always liked to wilt without any warning. It was often this time that a light snowfall would occur. Back when Dad was still alive, he would always wait for this exact moment of wilting to witness this beautiful scenery -he used to call it the premature death of the snow. He felt that when the plum blossoms wilted, the snow was already dead. I was planning to watch this long awaited scenery myself, till you ruined it with that slash of your knife.
The assassin looked at the flower filled floor, her eyes suddenly darkening. When she was young, she had often witnessed the dad that Ye Anshi mentioned watching the snow in this very courtyard. Back then, it felt like the man had become a part of the scenery itself. The assassin closed her eyes and tightly gripped down on her knife. An instant later, before Ye Anshi could even register the move she made, that black flash was already piercing through the snow, rushing right at him.
He softly waved his hand, causing the scattered blossoms to rise once more before charging right at the assassin, blanketing the glow of her knife in an instant. Feeling the immense resistance in her knife and no longer able to advance, her eyes snapped open in shock, only to find that her field of vision had already been obscured by the veil of snow and sliced up flowers.
A moment later, Ye Anshi watched the assassin standing before him faint, his hand ever so gently catching her as she did so, brushing away the flowers on her body in the process. It was then that two other figures walked into the courtyard, one with white hair and a jade-like sword, the other dressed completely in purple.
The White Hair Immortal and the Violet Duke.
“Take her away, she should have forgotten everything after a nap. Now that the twelve Rain Knives are broken, I’ll leave it up to you two whether or not to hunt down Duan Chenyi.” Ye Anshi looked up at the glowing moon and suddenly sighed, “Night has given way to the season of White Dew, yet the moon still shines brighter in my hometown.”5
The White Hair Immortal raised his head as well. “And where does the sect master’s hometown lie? The Outheaven, or the Snowy Peak Temple?” He asked with a smile.
“Do you know where my father hailed from, before he joined the Outheaven?”
The White Hair Immortal was taken aback for a second. He shook his head and replied, “The former sect master never brought up matters about his past.”
“It’s Hangzhou. Before I was four, I stayed with my father in Hangzhou. If there was a place I considered my hometown, it would have to be Hangzhou.” Ye Anshi stared into the distance as he continued, “I remember there used to be a crystal clear lake in front of our door, on its shores were willows -my mother used to like combing her hair while facing that lake. It’s just…one morning, others found her comb at her usual spot, but she was nowhere to be found. After that, he brought me here.”
“He built this Painted Snow Villa and became the sect master of Outheaven. Then, he subjugated the other sects in the region. Finally, he made his way into the Central Plains, confidence brimming and grandeur abound. Yet, I always felt that, deep down, he didn’t know where he was heading.”
“If my memory serves me right, my father actually died in Hangzhou. Where one’s hometown is located isn’t important. Wherever there are people that care for you…that’s where your hometown truly is.”
“That’s why, whether it’s Snow Peaks Temple or Painted Snow Villa, neither are my hometown.” Ye Anshi waved his hand, and a single petal of plum blossoms floated into his hand, to which he brought it up to his nose for a sniff.
“If I’m not mistaken, Sect master once said that he wishes to see the ends of the earth and the lands beyond the seas.” The Violet Duke suddenly chimed in.
To that, Ye Anshi nodded his head and smiled. “That’s right. I do wish to see the ends of the world. After all, I’m not old yet, I can’t always be thinking about settling down.”
Song of Adolescence Chapter 61
Whenever I look at a certain kid’s name, I can’t help but wonder if I really made the right decision, but then I tell myself this, “at least it’s not Abcde…”
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» Chapter 61 «
Chapter 61: A Sword Immortal’s Agreement
“Teacher, why don‘t you ever take part in the Hundred Flowers Banquets?” On the way back, Lei Wujie couldn’t help but ask.
“No matter how beautiful the flowers are, you’ll hate them after looking at them for decades on end. What’s there to admire?” Came his teacher’s response, eyes still straight and path just as unchanged.
By this time, it was already the dead of night and a full moon hung high in the night sky. As the exceptional master and disciple duo casually strolled under the moonlight, a rare sense of harmony filled the air. Unable to resist this rare opportunity, Lei Wujie blasted out another question. “Teacher, was that the famous Sword Immortal who became one just by studying? The Xie Xuan who became a Sword Immortal the very moment he executed his maiden sword strike?”
“Damn bookworm.” Li Hanyi harrumphed.
“He even gave me a book, ‘The Coming Winter’. The books he gave out to other people all seemed so special but the one he gave me looks just like a normal book you would find in the Bamboo Pavilion Bookstore in Snow Moon City.” Lei Wujie complained.
Li Hanyi, however, ignored the boy, instead throwing out his own question. “You like that girl, Ye Ruoyi?”
Lei Wujie was stunned for a moment, hesitating a little but still nodding in the end.
“Why?” It was a rare occasion that Li Hanyi actually cared enough to dig deeper.
After thinking for what felt like half a day, Lei Wujie finally stammered, “Because… because she’s pretty.”
Li Hanyi abruptly halted in his tracks. “Just because of that?”
Lei Wujie once again fell silent. Finally, he scratched his head and said, “Yes… it seems so”
Li Hanyi furrowed his brows. “Aren’t you honest? However, there are so many pretty girls in the world. Why did you fall for her?”
Lei Wujie laughed. “I said she was pretty, but it’s not like I like every pretty girl in the world. It’s just that when I first saw her, a weird sensation came over me. Thinking back about it, I don’t know her past, I don’t know her personality, or even her likes and dislikes…But after mulling over it then, I realised it was actually just because my heart stirred when I first laid eyes on her. Just because…”
“She’s pretty.” Li Hanyi completed his sentence for him. This time, he no longer despised this somewhat unworthy disciple of his. Instead, he said in a soft voice, “Girls who are pretty all love to lie and cheat…”
“Teacher, why would you say that? Could it be that you were hurt by a lady before?” Lei Wujie instantly regretted the moment the words left his mouth. It was seldom that his teacher was in the mood to chat with him, notwithstanding the little praise he got for his Moon in Obscurity, Flowers at Daybreak, but that didn’t mean he could act so casually.
To his surprise, Li Hanyi didn’t flare up at all. Instead, he merely stood still, gripped down on Armored Glacier, and stayed silent with his head lowered.
“Teacher, I was wrong!” Lei Wujie hurriedly bowed to apologize.
“In three months, I’ll leave the mountain with you.” Li Hanyi suddenly raised his head. “I have a feeling that your teacher won’t last much longer.”
“Three months?” Lei Wujie nodded. “Alright, three months it is. We’ll have our duel then.”
“In three months, I’ll cross blows with you. And in three years, you’ll become a Sword Immortal. That’s the agreement between us.” Li Hanyi raised his sword suddenly and strode forward.
Become a Sword Immortal in three years? Lei Wujie tried hard to remember when he ever made such an agreement with his teacher and he subconsciously rubbed his head. However, looking at Li Hanyi’s expression, he didn’t dare to probe any further. A Sword Immortal in three years…
Well, so be it. Lei Wujie laughed.
……
Unparalleled City.
At the site of a large scenic river…
A white clothed youth sat beside the river as he hugged his Sword Magazine. A sigh escaped his mouth, “Lost again?”
The man known as one of the Four Citymasters, the Citymaster of Unparalleled City, silently stabbed the broken sword in his hand into the mud. “I lost. This time, I lost completely. I’m afraid the difference between Li Hanyi’s skill and mine is that of a tiny river compared to the Yangtze. I’ll never head over to Snow Moon City to challenge him again.”
“It’s fine. I’ll defeat him for you.” The youth laughed, showing off a row of pristine white teeth. The figure revealed himself to be precisely the kid who single handedly stopped Wuxin, Wuchan, Tang Lian, Xiao Se, and even Lei Wujie outside the Kingdom of Khotan. The teenager, Unparalleled.
“I’ve already come to terms that I won’t ever be a match for Li Hanyi in this lifetime. It’s enough that you can beat his successor. I met a boy during my trip. He said his name was Lei Wujie, I remember you seemed to have mentioned him before.” Song Yan sat down beside Unparalleled.
“That’s right. I’ve met him before. In that sandy place -its name keeps slipping me up so I can’t remember it anymore.” Unparalleled scratched his head and laughed, “Teacher, you should know that my memory isn’t the best.”
“You can’t even remember the name of a kingdom… yet you remember his name?” Song Yan chuckled as he replied.
“It’s because he is special. Everyone I met that day was special and I’ve etched them all into my memory. It was a pity that all of them were injured that day… Otherwise, it would have been a grand battle.” Unparalleled softly brushed his Sword Magazine.
“You’ll have that chance in the future. That’s because he is now the disciple of Li Hanyi, the Snow Moon Sword Immortal.”
Unparalleled’s eyes lit up in that instant. “He has stepped onto the way of the sword as well? Wasn’t he using fist techniques back then?”
Song Yan nodded. “That’s right. I tested out his martial arts several days ago when I drew my sword against him. He’s already showing signs of Li Hanyi’s tutelage, but he still has a way to go before he reaches your level. Yet when I told Li Hanyi that I had a disciple who would become a Sword Immortal in five years, he said that his disciple would only need three years to become one. In over twenty years I’ve known Li Hanyi, he has only accepted this one disciple. It seems like he has high hopes for his one and only disciple.”
Unparalleled murmured to himself for a second. Suddenly, he cracked open his Sword Magazine with a flourish. Nothing had changed inside -still the same Twelve Flying Swords and that fiery red sword laying silently inside. Using some strength, he slapped the Sword Magazine and out of the twelve swords, ten of them flew out, forming into a line in front of Unparalleled. He lightly tapped on them as he recited their names.
“Cloudshuttle, Gentlefrost, Desolate Wind, Crimson Leaf, Butterfly, Shadow Extinction, Executioner, Calamity Breaker, Jade Fortune, Perfection.”
“You can already control ten flying swords?” Yan Song exclaimed with both shock and joy.
Unparalleled snickered and waved his sleeve. The ten swords immediately shot outwards, stirring up a giant wave on the lake. With another wave of his sleeve, the ten swords instantly fell silent, and a loud blast rang through the air! With a third wave of his sleeve, the ten swords stirred up all the water in the lake, causing waves after waves to billow outwards continuously. Suddenly, the last two swords in the Sword Magazine started to stir as if they were ready to shoot out into the skies.
Unparalleled laughed. “Since Lei Wujie can become a Sword Immortal in three years, I’ll become one in a single year!” He waved his hand again, and the ten swords returned to the Sword Magazine. Closing the Sword Magazine, Unparalleled stood up and left, Sword Magazine in hand.
Song Yan silently looked at the departing silhouette of Unparalleled’s back and sighed. “Whether or not Unparalleled City will be able to regain its former glory is all up to you now.”
When Unparalleled heard those words, he merely turned around and laughed, “Teacher, I never wanted to become the citymaster of Unparalleled City; I only wanted to hone my sword. But since Teacher wants me to do so, I’ll become the Citymaster then.”
6
Song of Adolescence Chapter 60
So I messed up the chapter posting again, lol. I’m not sure if I released this before but Novelupdates says the last chapter was 59. Either way, I made some substantial changes.This novel is definitely not in the same genre as Devil’s Evolution Catalogue but Silva was kind enough to let me post it anyway. Hope you give it a try and more Devil chapters will be released next week, perhaps Sunday if I find time.
The series page is below. Previous chapters are on a different site.
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» Chapter 60 «
Chapter 60: A Man of Alcohol, A Man of Insight
| Author: Zhou Nan Wood | Original Source: 8kana |
| Translator: CatatoPatch | English Source: Re:Library |
Xiao Se with his flute playing, Xie Yuan strumming his qin, Ye Ruoyi dancing her dance, and finally Lei Wujie performing with his swords. Standing by the side, Tang Lian couldn’t help but feel a little left out in the cold all of a sudden. However, even that sensation wasn’t enough to douse his burning blood and blazing spirits. With a graceful tap of his feet, he launched himself onto the rooftop, black robes fluttering in the wind as he descended downwards, right into a song.
I wish to ride the winds northwards, where the snow falls like a blanket over the earth.
I wish to ride a boat eastwards, where the fairies stand bewitchingly amongst the wind.
I wish to travel a million miles stepping on the clouds, what can the temples and dragons say to that?
The crests of Kunlun bathe in light, even amongst green mountains does an end exist.
Over ten thousand miles does a swallow fly home, yet return I will not till I see world’s end!
That was the same song that Wuxin once sang in Khotan. He only sang once before them but Tang Lian committed it to heart nonetheless, all because the majesty of ‘world’s end’ struck a chord within him. Right this very instant, that same overwhelming feeling made him break into song. Ever the stoic one, such a brazen act was far removed from his normal conduct. Yet it was such a Tang Lian that the audience couldn’t help but exclaim to themselves, now that’s the disciple of Baili Dongjun! Because Baili Dongjun was an immortal of spirits (alcohol), and was ever the brazen and dashing man during his youth.
Soon, the song ended.
Xiao Se lowered his flute, the Confucian Sword Immortal lifted his hands off the qin,Ye Ruoyi kept her sleeves, while Lei Wujie swung his sword with a final heavy slash. Blasted upwards by the sheer force, the surrounding flower petals soared high into the air, raining down a mere moment later in a vibrant display of beauty.
The moment the flowery rain ended, Lei Wujie lifted his head. His gaze fell upon Ye Ruoyi, eyes immediately darting to the side in a moment of youthful embarrassment. After hesitating for a second, he quietly said, “What a coincidence, we meet again.”
If there ever was a ranking board for the lousiest pick up lines in the martial world, that ‘coincidence’ just now would definitely make it in the top few.
Xiao Se stowed his flute and quietly walked to the side. Tang Lian jumped off his roof, then murmured to Xiao Se, “Even though I’m not too sure what’s the story behind those two, but wasn’t that line… just horrible?”
Xiao Se curled his lips to the side, “It’s bad enough to send chills down a person’s spine.”
Ye Ruoyi, however, merely smoothed out her hair and smiled, “That’s right, we meet again.”
Awkward…
Though his performance of Benefaction from a Sword Immortal created an impressive start for himself, that single line ruined it all, even his sword dance.
“There are those in the world whose beauty is unforgettable. A single day without them, leaves one mad in longing.”
Quick to the rescue, Xie Xuan lightly strummed his qin as he recited that verse, in the process, lightening the awkward atmosphere. He then stood up, peered into the distance, and suddenly said, “Seems like an old acquaintance is near.”
“And you’re still here?” From his cubicle above, Sikong Changfeng asked that of Xie Xuan.
Xie Xuan turned around, leapt back into that same cubicle, picked up a bookshelf he kept nearby, then leapt back down onto the hall.
“Today, I’ve seen for myself the young disciples of Snow Moon City. I now know that the title of “The Number One Martial City” wasn’t given in vain -neither was this trip a wasted one. I will take my leave now, but since I have nothing to offer, these few books will have to do.” With a wave of his hand, a relatively ancient book flew out of that bookshelf and landed in Ye Ruoyi’s hand.
Her eyes went wide. “This is…”
“Though the Ruoyi Sword Dance is an excellent dance, the killing intent within it is too strong. Your body is that of a female’s, and sickly as well, such energies aren’t beneficial for your body, so you mustn’t perform it often. The dance I’ve just handed you is named the Startling Swan. So named because one who performs it momentarily takes on the beauty of swan taking to the skies -elegant, gentle and without any killing intent. This dance will aid you in your development.” Xie Xuan smiled as he said that.
Ye Ruoyi lightly nodded, “You have my thanks, sir.”
Xie Xuan then handed out another book, this one nameless, to Xiao Se. Suddenly, he asked, “Young man, have we met before?”
Never one for respect, not even towards the Sikong Changfeng, Xiao Se was markedly different this time. He nodded his head in respect, though his words were still short and direct. “Jixia Academy.”
“No wonder.” Xie Xuan wasn’t all that shocked by what he heard. “Then this book is given correctly. This book has no name, because it was written by me and I haven’t thought of a name for it. If something comes to mind after you read it, you may fill it in yourself.”
A nameless book from the Confucian sage Xie Xuan? The moment those present realised that, their hearts couldn’t help but stir. Everyone knew how learned the Xie Xuan was -his knowledge was already on par with the sages of the past. However, the books he wrote never bore a name. When asked about that, he once answered, should a person have some inspiration after reading my book, then that means that book is no longer mine. Because that inspiration belonged to that person alone, he chose not to name the book, leaving that to the person instead. However, only a scant few were ever worthy of being given a nameless book by him.
Xie Xuan turned around to face Tang Lian. “I often hear your teacher complaining that he accepted a stick-in-the-mud disciple. But what I saw of you just now, that was the same demeanor your teacher had when he was young. I’ll give you this book, your teacher loved it when he was young.”
Tang Lian was taken aback for a second, but quickly accepted the ancient book, only to find these two words written on it: Wine Scriptures. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, he asked, “My teacher already liked this when he was young?”
“Your teacher calls himself the Drunken Immortal. Even when he was young, he viewed wine as his life. Even when I was twelve, he was already like that. Back then, he told me that the wines of the world no longer held any taste for him. Thus, he asked for that same book from me. The recipes recorded inside are no ordinary wines. A man of thirty drinks, his fingers filled with prodigious insight, like the thundering of a spring bolt. Do not waste it.”
“Your junior will commit your teaching to heart.” Tang Lian hurriedly cupped his fists.
“Ever the stick in the mud…” It was now Lei Wujie’s turn to be given a book. His was a small book with an exquisite cover on it.
Upon receiving it, he looked at it and came out confused, “Esteemed senior, what is this?”
Xiao Se glanced at the book as well before asking in a thoughtful voice, “The Coming Winter?”
“Night is falling and winter comes, where may I find a cup of wine. This was the work of a talented female author in Jiangnan, Xie Feixuan. It’s a moving tale, one that will bring tears to the eyes of even the Empress. This book is for you, learn from the male lead in that book. The next time we meet, don’t use that awkward line again.” Xie Xuan chuckled at that point.
Lei Wujie’s face immediately burned a bright red. Ye Ruoyi, on the other hand, was more unconcerned, still smiling lightly as always.
“Alright, it’s time for me to leave.” Xie Xuan suddenly turned around.
“I just came and you’re already trying to leave? Are you that afraid of me?” A voice suddenly echoed from the distance.
Xie Xuan quickened his pace while muttering, “To meet is no better than not. To not meet is like meeting at times. Though our eyes may not meet, our hearts have.”
“Bloody bookworm.” That voice coldly cursed.
“Bit…” By now, Xie Xuan’s figure was beginning to disappear into the distance so that last word was never spoken fully.
Lei Wujie was in a panicked state right now. He first thought was to turn around and run, but as he did so, a sword suddenly cut off his escape route. That voice had already arrived. White robes and veiled, it was his teacher, the one and only Snow Moon Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi.
“Teacher.” Lei Wujie lowered his head and bowed, his posture that of someone who had clearly done something wrong.
Li Hanyi coldly eyed him. “Just now when I was in the mountains, I felt a wave of sword qi.”
“That sword of yours, it wasn’t half bad.” Li Hanyi gently said.
“You’re praising me?!” Lei Wujie’s eyes went wide with disbelief.
“But… Who gave you permission to leave the mountain!” Li Hanyi picked up his sword and immediately sent the gaping Lei Wujie flying away.
Coming Soon
Volume 2
Next ⇒
- Chapter 60: A Man of Alcohol, A Man of Insight
- Chapter 61: A Sword Immortal’s Agreement
- Chapter 62: A Heaven Outside of Heaven
- Chapter 63: The Blessed Pearl Corridor
- Chapter 64: I Have Three Swords, I Hereby Submit to the Master!
- Chapter 65: A Sword to Enter the Mortal Vajra
- Chapter 66: A Swathe of Thunder
- Chapter 67: Records of Revelation: The War of Princes
- Chapter 68: Records of Revelation: The Revolt of Prince Langya
- Chapter 69: Records of Revelation: The Promise of the Blue Dragon
Next ⇒