The night was deep, yet the city was restless. The lights of Yedu twinkled like a celestial river flowing upon the earth, shimmering with brilliance and pulsating with fervor.
A figure clad in black martial attire, wearing a bamboo hat, strode steadily against the tide of the bustling street, a long blade hanging at his waist. Suddenly, a drunken man staggered toward him, nearly colliding, but an unseen force like a tidal wave gently pushed him aside.
“Qin Kuan? How have you fallen so low?” The man beneath the hat halted and regarded the drunkard with a voice both deep and weathered.
The drunkard blinked in confusion. “You… you know me?”
“The lonely swordsman Qin Kuan, who once fished alone on the river, savoring the solitude of snow-laden waters—who in the martial world does not know you? Ha! In the days before the All-Knowing Heaven and Earth, perhaps some didn’t. But now? Your defeat at the hands of the White-Clothed Marquis remains a trending spectacle. Has that loss driven you to drown your sorrows in wine?” The man’s tone carried a hint of mockery.
Both the Lonely Swordsman and the White-Clothed Marquis were among the brightest of the latest generation’s Ranking of Renowned Masters. Compared to the inhuman figures of the Earth Ranking and the celestial beings of the Heaven Ranking, they were far more relatable, each boasting a legion of admirers and imitators within the All-Knowing Heaven and Earth.
Qin Kuan hiccuped. “Who are you? What’s it to you if I drink?” He burst into laughter. “The world mocks my madness, but I mock its folly. The signs of the impending apocalypse, the end of this epoch—they’ve long been whispered far and wide. Even the current Human Emperor and the Daoist Patriarch of the Jade Void Palace on Mount Kunlun haven’t denied it. Why haven’t you awakened? Seize the moment, indulge while you can—that’s the only truth in these end times! Don’t wait until heaven and earth shatter, until the epoch ends, to regret not savoring life’s pleasures!”
The man beneath the hat fell silent for a moment before replying, “The Netherworld shall rise; death is not the end. Though the epoch may close, there may yet be salvation. How can we know the specifics until then? To abandon hope now is to sever your own path.”
Qin Kuan chuckled darkly. “So what’s the use of cultivation? What’s the use of martial arts? When the end comes, it’s simpler to seek refuge, to find solace in death, to revel in bliss. With luck, one might even survive the cataclysm and live into the next epoch!” Clutching his wine flask, he staggered to his feet and wandered off aimlessly. The man beneath the hat watched his retreating figure intently but did not stop him.
“The Buddhists and the Luo Sect always preach of apocalypse and finality…” Sighing, the man continued forward, traversing the lively streets, skirting the bustling markets, until he reached the Jade Belt Bridge, overlooking the Yedu River, aglow with countless lights.
By the bridge stood a man in scholarly robes, dignified and poised, hands clasped behind his back as he waited.
“Brother Wang, what fine spirits bring you here?” The man beneath the hat smiled faintly.
The newcomer was none other than Wang Zai, “Sword of Righteousness,” the chief overseer of the seventy-two academies of the Wang Clan of Zhou Prefecture. His refined beard and faintly silvered hair spoke of both classical elegance and the passage of time.
“Brother Yan graces Yedu with his presence—how could I neglect such an honored guest?” Wang Zai replied warmly.
The man in black removed his hat, revealing a stern, weathered face—none other than Yan Chong, “River of Blade Qi.” He grinned. “I knew a stroll through Yedu would draw you out, Brother Wang.”
“Have you come seeking me for a reason?” Wang Zai asked curiously.
Yan Chong chuckled. “Just to see you. Among the top ten of our generation’s Ranking of Renowned Masters, apart from the noble lady of the Ruan Clan of Langya, none have yet broken through—but none have given up either. On a whim, I’ve been traveling, reuniting with old comrades, comparing insights, seeking inspiration.”
He referred to the era when Wang Zai had entered the top ten, while Yan Chong himself had held the top spot.
Wang Zai was visibly moved. “After the remnants of the Asura Temple were absorbed by the Demonic Master, Luo Hou vanished without a trace. ‘Violet Pole Sword’ Cui Zhe became mired in family affairs, his spirit waning. Shangguan Heng and Wenren An, once masters, have since faded into mediocrity. The Pure Yang Strategist and the True Martial Harmonizer, though profound in virtue and gifted in talent, perished in calamity—a true pity. Only the ‘Five Directions Emperor Blade’ Qing Yu and the ‘True Martial Fanatic’ Zhen Ben, who tempered themselves in obscurity before emerging, remain. They are no less than you or I, and still hold promise.”
He recounted the fates of all but Ruan Yushu, Yan Chong, and himself from their generation’s top ten.
“Brother Wang, though you seldom leave Huan Prefecture, your vision spans the realm as if you’d witnessed it all firsthand. Your words mirror my own observations from my westward journey.” Yan Chong spoke sincerely. Cui Zhe, Shangguan Heng, and Wenren An had indeed lost their edge.
“That’s only natural. For those who ranked above us back then, had they not met early ends, it would defy reason if they hadn’t ascended to immortality or divinity.” Wang Zai sighed.
Yan Chong’s mind flashed to figures like “Primordial Emperor” Su Meng, “Divine Sword of the Grand Supreme” Jiang Zhiwei, and “He Who Calculates All Mortals” Wang Siyuan. Suddenly, he blurted, “Has He Jiu also attained a Dharmakaya?”
Wang Zai nodded. “Word arrived just yesterday. He Jiu has achieved the Formless Sword Qi True Body.”
“After all these years of struggle, he’s finally made it.” Yan Chong fell silent for a long moment before exhaling deeply.
Aside from the long-deceased “Wolf King” Tie Sheng and “Great Luo Enchantress” Gu Xiaosang, every top-ranked master from their generation had ascended to immortality—some even reaching the terrifying heights of Creation, hailed as Great Divine Powers!
Wang Zai studied Yan Chong closely before suddenly laughing. “Brother Yan, the water qi within you merges seamlessly with your blade intent, surging like a vast ocean. At every acupoint, one can faintly hear the roar of tides, ceaselessly tempering your flesh. With such marvels in your inner world, the Dharmakaya cannot be far off.”
Though typically reserved, Yan Chong couldn’t suppress a smile at Wang Zai’s words. “Brother Wang, your reputation is well-earned—your insight is as sharp as your gaze!”
He then turned his gaze to examine Wang Zai, his brows slightly furrowed. “Brother Wang, your noble spirit is unparalleled in its purity and grandeur, capable of warding off all evils while strengthening your essence. Every indication suggests you are fully prepared to break through to the Dharmakaya realm. Why hesitate?”
Wang Zai smiled. “The path of Benevolent Sage emphasizes accumulation before breakthrough. I’ve had few opportunities to teach or aid the world, lacking in that aspect of cultivation. I must make up for it before daring to attempt…”
Before he could finish, both men reflected on their respective journeys—their perseverance, their refinement, their accumulation. A silent understanding passed between them, and they shared a knowing smile.
In Yedu, the meeting of these two grandmasters was but a minor ripple in the vast currents of the real world. Yet atop Mount Kunlun’s Jade Void Palace, across the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Worlds of the Three Mists Isle, within the celestial realms of the Nine Immortal Mountains suspended beyond the cosmos, in the earthly Buddhist paradises, the Vacuum Hometown, and other ancient domains—countless eyes, each holding within them layers of heavens and rivers of stars, turned toward Great Zhou’s Changle, toward the Fengtian Terrace.
In a quiet chamber, Meng Qi’s eyes, once luminous, now dimmed to abyssal depths akin to primordial chaos. Across countless mountains and rivers, his gaze fixed upon his elder brother Gao Lan, upon the wary figures of Shao Xuan and Xi E.
Half a year had passed.
Suddenly, a crystalline chime resonated through the heavens, as beautiful as the very voice of the Grand Dao. Emerald light coalesced into clouds, bearing aloft a radiant golden scroll that descended upon the Fengtian Terrace. Upon it blazed three crimson characters in the script of the Red Dawn:
“The Fengshen Bang!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage