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“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.”

1. I’m not sure what the English name is for this horse.