The night breeze is gentle and the bright moon is like a plate. The twinkling stars spread across the sky.
The lofty and expansive spirit castle, faintly glowing blue, has merged into the stillness of the late night under the glow of the bright moon and stars. In the empty Spirit castle, there is stillness and desolation. No chirping of insects, no nightingale, all living creatures seem to suffocate at midnight.
A streak of moonlight streaked across the high eaves, through the wide lintel, and spread on the floor within the threshold, leaving a deep mark of the cold night.
In the inner room, on the couch, the old woman with silvery hair lay there peacefully, her body stiff and her face as pale as a angelica. The old man waiting beside him had a sad expression, which had been obscured by the vicissitudes of time. The old man stared blankly at his mother-in-law on the couch, lost in thought, as if at this moment another ten years had passed.
The crystal ring, called You Xiaojiao, failed to get over the stubborn water Elara and could only count Elara in the "borrowing of longevity". So a grey stick with a white banner was held tightly in the hands of the two children of the wind spirit.
You Xiaojiao finally spoke up, "All right, shall we start?"
The elder Jishi nodded slightly, reluctantly withdrew from the bedside, and walked towards the door.
You Xiaojiao said slowly, "I'll repeat the rules again. The white banner must not be thrown away. You two must kneel sincerely before your mother-in-law's bedside. Do not look up, do not speak, do not move until I say it's over, remember?"
Both Feng and Ling said at the same time: "Remember."
You Xiaojiao said, "All right, you two kneel down and get ready. I'm going to begin."
It was seen that Feng and Ling had already knelt down on their mother-in-law's bedside with sincerity, like two very filial children and grandchildren. They held the white banner in their hands, motionless, waiting for all to come to an end.
At this moment, the crystal ring - You Xiaojiao, manipulating two mirrors out of thin air, was already at the threshold where the moonlight could spread. In just a moment, You Xiaojiao had already controlled the reflection of the mirror to shine straight on the two children.
Then the whole bedroom was filled with the faint, lingering voice of You Xiaojiao:
"Nine Netherworld gods, Supreme of the Netherworld. Sacrifice my heart is clear, virtue covers all living beings. Kindness bears fruit, and it is precious to be reborn. So there is borrowing the Yin and returning the Yang..."
The night wind whistled and the clouds veiled the sky. All the stars in the sky vanished into the rolling clouds in an instant, leaving only a faint moon, which was faintly reflected on the mirror in You Xiaojiao's hand.
"By the will of the gods, at my command. The spirit that does not perish shall be reborn! In the cycle of rebirth, as I judge. Summoning..."
The haunting spell, now and then, echoed quietly in the already completely dark bedroom. The two children, who were originally innocent and unafraid, were now enveloped by the sudden silence and darkness, and their hearts were already chilling and they dared not raise their heads.
In an instant, the small, dim mirror was already bathed in a gloomy moonlight. Two dim flashes of red light, instantly transformed into two imposing figures in black robes, standing majestically on either side of the white banner. First, he bowed deeply to You Xiaojiao, who was casting the spell, and then stood straight. She was dressed in a black robe, her face as red as blood and her hair as silver, long and flowing down her waist. Holding a yin-Yang ghost fork in each hand, they stood tall in the couch, their heads already pressed tightly against the roof.
Then, two flashes of purple light emerged and transformed into form, placing them in the hands of the blood-faced ghost messenger. He bowed deeply to You Xiaojiao and then stood up straight. The figure was almost the same as that of the blood-faced ghost, dressed in a black robe, with a deep purple complexion and long silvery hair that hung down to the waist. Each hand held a white bone spear, standing on either side with a fierce and menacing look.
Immediately, a red light flashed. An old man with a red beard stood out among the four evil spirits, but he wore a tiara, had a green face and sharp teeth, and his two golden eyes were still fixed on the ring behind the mirror.
With a black and white pen in both hands, he bowed deeply to the ring: "Old Minister, Judge..." A ghostly sound, like a muffled thunder, reverberated through the bedroom with terror. Just as he spoke, there was no sound, as if he had been stopped.
At that moment, two faint streaks of black and white, the old woman's spirit, flickered faintly from the sunglasses. After the physical transformation, the black and white ghost messenger, with his white teeth, and his long tongue like blood, hung straight down to the ground as if the end of the tongue could not be seen.
First, he took the old woman's spirit and bowed deeply to that little jiao. Then, in one step, he stepped onto the couch and pushed the old woman's spirit against her cold corpse. In an instant, seven deep souls, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, attached themselves to the old woman.
In the blink of an eye, the black and white brush in the hands of the Ghost Spirit Yin-Yang Judge made only one stroke on the two children, and a red light flew out from the two children, instantly staining the black and white brush tips red.
The Ghost Spirit Yin-Yang Judge stepped up to the old woman, the tip of the pen touched the old woman's brow, and a streak of crimson blood instantly covered the old woman's body. Gradually, the old woman had a flash of spirit all over her body, and a red glow gradually appeared on her originally pale face.
In the blink of an eye, a group of people, by some strange force, bowed deeply to the young lady and turned into streaks of light and shadow, returning to their sunglasses. Just looking at the sunglasses, the dark clouds gradually dispersed, the bright moon faintly appeared, the starry sky and the bright moon shone together, instantly illuminating the clarity of the midnight.
"Cough!"
With a light cough from the old woman, the quiet bedroom was completely broken. The two children felt their little hands numb, and with a crisp "pong lang lang", the white banner of the soul fell to the ground.
"So thirsty! Is there any water to drink? Alas? Why did you fall asleep again just now..."
"Ah --" A shrill scream in unison.
The two children were already in a state of shock after the terrifying incident of "returning to life". At that moment, I heard the old woman's old words reverberating in the bedroom and felt a kind of fear as if a corpse had come back to life. At such a young age, unable to control himself, he burst into a scream.
"What's the matter..."
Elder Ji Shi, looking anxious, rushed in through the door. He was also startled to find his deceased wife sitting up from her bed, staring blankly at the two children on the ground. The elder Ji Shi hurriedly picked up the two children and placed them on the couch, his old face already flashing with tears of surprise and unpredictability.
Lost in thought, he gazed at his beloved wife and gently held the hands of those who had supported each other through thick and thin and loved each other for a lifetime. Stammering: "You..." "Awake..."
The two children sat motionless between the two old men, bewildered, and slowly came to their senses in fear. It seems that the "reincarnation of life" is over, and the old woman has come back to life, but the ring is not declared over.
The water Elara felt a little angry in her heart, but when she touched her right thumb, she didn't know when the ring had returned to her hand. A thought came to mind: Could the person in the ring have passed away? If there is no nirvana, how can the dead be brought back to life? This kind of divine power is not something that ordinary practice can achieve. So, one day, be sure to break the seal and see what kind of divine person is inside!
Thinking of this, a trace of joy flashed across Elara's eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly. As if at this moment, grasping the ring was like grasping a life-saving magic weapon, feeling that the path to Nirvana was finally one step closer. Even the uncomfortable numbness and pain of kneeling down just now were forgotten.
Kellen, on the other side, was staring blankly at Elara. For some reason, I smiled on Elara's dazed little face, and I laughed foolishly myself...
That night, they had a "reunion dinner" and were in a great mood.
Chapter Fifty-one Finally the disciples!
(After this incident of borrowing life to return to life, my heart and that of the wind are truly bound together.
Grandpa and Grandma Jishi are also infinitely grateful to me and Feng for this.
Love, sometimes, spreads silently like water.
However, when Grandpa Ji Shi solemnly decided to teach me the supreme swordsmanship of the wind, we were deeply attracted by the light and the love in Grandpa Ji Shi...
So, I and the wind will never forget that deep moment!
-- Excerpted from "Some of the Most Important Historical Figures in the Life of the Empress" compiled by historians after the Creation of the Divine Territory)
※——※——※
The sun is shining and the breeze is pleasant.
On a morning when kingfisher chirped, Elder Ji Shi led two young children to take a peaceful walk in the empty spiritual castle. What was different from before was that the elder had a seven-foot-long crystal sword at his waist.
It wasn't long before the three of them arrived at the training ground. Only the energetic Elder Ji Shi's voice echoed in the training ground:
In my early years, my cultivation was achieved through the martial arts of aquatic spirit magic and spiritual power. In his later years, he preached at the Dusheng Hall and saved countless people. With a beloved wife by his side all his life, he was carefree and at ease. So, I have never had the leisure to take on apprentices or pass on my skills.
This time, you two have done me a great favor, and I have no way to repay it. It would be better to give you two a ride. I'll teach you a set of true swordsmanship techniques that never come out of the world. As a reward, it's not really about taking on apprentices.
Originally, this set of true swordsmanship techniques was a celestial treasure descending to the mortal world and hanging on a strange sword at that time. The ancestors received it, practiced asceticism, and established the ten-thousand-year foundation of the Five Spirits tribe. It is only because of the later generations that the tribes compete with each other for the magic sword. I have no idea which group will eventually hold the sword. It's just that I've heard that the sword is so powerful that it can't be taken!"
The water Elara was stunned upon hearing this and asked naively, "Grandpa, were the Five Spirits tribes one family?"
The elder Jishi smiled slightly: "Yes."
"Oh? So that's it!" Water Elara thought a little, "Then the sword you mentioned must be the Xuantian Thunderbolt Divine Sword, because I've heard my father talk about it since I was a child."
"Not bad." The elder Jishi held his head high in the sky, lifted the Xuantian Thunderbolt Divine Sword, and seemed to have an inexplicable sense of pride, as if in an instant the blood of the Elder Jishi's body was stirred up.
The elder said again, "However, the Xuantian Thunderbolt Divine Sword passed down by word of mouth is just a rumor. As far as I know, for tens of millions of years, the gods of the nine heavens have never seen the true appearance of the Sword of the Celestial Thunderbolt. It is the Thunderbolt Blade that has appeared in the world.
The sword technique I'm going to teach today is the "Xuantian Thunderbolt True Art"! Though this true art is full of mysteries and variations, it is difficult to learn and master. But it's obvious that you two little ones have extraordinary physical fitness.
And both of you are rare talents of tenacity. As long as one perseveres, humbly studies and integrates knowledge, one will achieve something. With my careful guidance, I am determined to get through this journey well. Hehe... Watch!"
Although the Elder Jishi spoke such a long passage, the two children might not understand every word (for example, the Elder Jishi did not elaborate on what kind of divine artifact the "Thunderbolt Divine Blade" was). For the two children knew nothing about the practice of the sword. All they could do was: Grandpa spoke and I listened, Grandpa did and I watched, Grandpa taught and I learned...
The elder Ji Shi waved his sleeve, and a strong wind rose with it. "Clang --" the crystal sword was drawn from its sheath. But the old man suddenly leapt up, raising his sword to the sky with his right hand and pointing his hand to the ground with his left hand, chanting spells one after another:
"Heaven is kind and earth is merciful, with a thunderbolt to dissolve chaos. At the beginning of the heaven and earth, all things are clear and thus come into being. The demons of the netherworld, the evil spirits and ghosts, with unvirtue and unrighteousness, defy heaven and earth, and destroy the universe. Then he sent down the Nine heavens' black thunder and the Thunderbolt Divine Blade to restore the chaos!"
Only at this moment did heaven and earth suffocate. A wisp of sky-blue downy light descended faintly from the heavens and pierced the tip of the crystal sword in the old man's hand. In an instant, the sword, as if endowed with a soul, shone with blue light, and its aura rose sharply, chilling. The two young men were shaken at the same time and quickly withdrew to the corner to watch the sword.
As the sky-blue downy light grew brighter and larger, it gradually turned into a deep blue beam of light that pierced straight into the old man's sword tip. At this point, the crystal long sword was completely wrapped up by the divine power of the nine heavens, and the sword light was so cold that the blade was already hidden within the huge blue sword light.
In the morning beyond the mundane, the sun and the wind were originally shining. At this very moment, the nine heavens' dark light and the blazing sword light are shining together. Between the heavens and the earth, there was a desolation, and the deep blue, cold, glinting light instantly covered the entire firmament.
At this very moment, the deep blue beams of light from the dark blue sky suddenly changed abruptly. A deathly white beam of light stands out between heaven and earth, suddenly devouring the old man and the long sword, the flickering cold light despising the eyes, even more intense than the scorching sun.
Thousands upon thousands of huge sword beams, in all colors, rose abruptly between heaven and earth. Just look at that blade of light standing proudly in the air, beginning to sway slowly, starting to spin around the pillar of light, and gradually approaching and merging towards the center of the pillar of light.
"Wind Spell!" The old man's old, distant voice reverberated instantly between heaven and earth.
A whooshing whooshing gust of wind came from all directions. The gusts of hurricane, accompanied by the swirling of thousands of sword beams, drew closer and merged. Gradually, at the point where the dazzling light column met the nine heavens, a vast eye of wind was formed.
"Cloud Art!" The old voice echoed again between heaven and earth.
The clouds in the Nine heavens were pulled by the strong wind, and in an instant, the entire sky was veiled. The morning, which was originally clear and bright, has now turned into a chaotic night. Only the nine heavens' beam of light, and the ten thousand sword rays of light, illuminated the night sky, howling and withering.
In an instant, the sea of clouds swirled more and more intensely and gathered more and more thickly at the eye of the wind. In the light of the Xuantian light column, black and white were distinct, shining brightly.
The two children were stunned and trembled. If it weren't for Elder Ji Shi's prior explanation, I would have thought it was another kind of "borrowing life to return to the dead" supernatural art.
"Thunderstorm Art!" The old voice echoed for a long time.
In the thick cumulus clouds at the eye of the wind, there flickered flashes of lightning dancing with "rumble" flashes of thunder, and the suspended sword light was even more intense in response to the thunder. The power of the sky shook, and the fury of the earth struck. "Thump!" A thunderclap shook the heavens and the earth. A torrential downpour, like a bloody storm, was terrifying.
"Thunderbolt!" A shrill cry.
The nine heavens' dark light, as if swallowed by the eye of the wind, vanished in an instant. The old man's figure suddenly soared into the sky, and the long sword in his hand had already transformed into a series of thunderbolts from the heavens. As the old man's figure flutters and flutters, wherever it flutters, it shatters the Wolf clouds with a roar and kills the remnant wind. Even gods, ghosts, demons and spirits, even immortal souls and demonic bodies, could not escape such earth-shattering thunderous sword blades!
Tens of thousands of sword rays, howling and generating wind. With the old man's thunderbolt that pierced through the heavens, he darted left and right, rolled up and down. It seems that between heaven and earth, there is only the old man and the sword edge of the lightning that is formless.
"Roar, roar, roar!" Rolling like a sea of ink, it was torn apart by the streaks of multicolored lightning, and the pale blue sky faintly appeared. Then the thunderbolt vanished, and the nine heavens underwent a mysterious transformation. The sea of clouds opened and closed, closed and opened.
The old man's black figure, in the Nine Heavens, was swallowed away by the thunderbolt sword light in his hand. Only to see the thunderbolt of the heavens, with bared teeth and claws, cutting through clouds and rain, shaking the power of the heavens, unstoppable!
It seemed like a violent storm, but the thunder rumbled and the thunderbolts tore through the sky. In fact, in the old man's hand, the true essence of the Xuantian Sword technique is transformed into ten thousand sword rays, like dragons, like snakes, martial power moves the universe.
The wind, rain, thunder and lightning, along with the seven-colored sword glow, illuminated the nine heavens. The two children were staring blankly and itching to move. A strong desire to practice was completely absorbed by the earth-shaking sword edge, and the excitement and thrill in the heart could not be stopped.
A thought came to mind: "How envious!"
A thought: "I want to practice!"
While the two children were marveling, they heard a thunderbolt from the nine heavens rumbling. The old man's shrill roar, mingled with the sound of thunder and rain, resounded across the land --
"One sword piercing the sky!"
As the old man's hand tore the thunderbolt into the air, a dark white beam of light opened up between heaven and earth, surrounded by lightning and thunder, following the point of the old man's sword, and flew straight into the distance. At this moment, ten thousand beams of sword light followed closely around the beam with the force of thunder, flashing across the air and lingering for a long time.
In the blink of an eye, wherever the beam of light passed, it was like a colossal sword piercing through the sky. The violent swordwind it produced instantly swept through the storm that was spreading all over the sky. Looking between heaven and earth, the huge air currents began to surge, and the rain that was originally pouring down suddenly reversed and was sucked into the nine heavens beyond the howling sword wind.
Rumbling thunder, dark clouds. Under the sweep of the sword wind, chasing fire and lightning, following the earth-shaking, deathly white beam of light, instantly swept towards the boundless horizon.
After a moment.
The wind stops, the rain stops, the clouds disappear, the sky.
The sky is cloudless and clear. Between heaven and earth, there was a sudden silence, as if this moment had stopped and nothing had happened. The sky has always been so blue. The sun is so hot.
Looking around, I saw a figure standing in the sky under the sun, with a long sword behind his back. The pale, dazzling sunlight shone on the gleaming blade, making it glitter and shine in all colors. One cannot help but feel a kind of awe and reverence for the old man, for that set of immortal swordsmanship techniques.
Volume 3 Chivalry and Righteousness