Chapter 406: A Sword About to Awaken
In Xunyang City, there were only two forces that now had the qualification, or rather the confidence, to openly confront Zhu Luo: Xue He and the Great Zhou Northern Army, and Hua Jiefu and the National Religion’s branch temple. Judging by Zhu Luo’s actions, the Li Palace’s stance was very clear. Now that the Holy Empress had agreed to Su Li’s death, then Su Li truly deserved to die. However… Zhe Xiu was still imprisoned in the Zhou prison. Mo Yu couldn’t quite confirm what Her Highness truly thought of Chen Changsheng, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back and voiced the doubt in her heart: “If Chen Changsheng insists on protecting Su Li, what should we do?”
The Holy Empress said calmly, “Don’t forget what kind of person Zhu Luo is.”
Among the Four Noble Families of the Heavenly Coolness, the Liang Royal Manor had endured in silence for a thousand years, only to have all its spirit stripped away by Su Li’s single sword in the chaos over a decade ago. Although Liang Wangsun was now outstanding, he could no longer restore the former glory of the Liang Royal Manor. The Wang family had collapsed midway, their old estate reduced to ruins, forcing even a figure like Wang Po to flee far to the south. Only Zhu Luo remained on good terms with the old imperial clan, and his relationship with Meilisha was especially close. His attack on Su Li in Xunyang City was clearly on the orders of the Li Palace, so of course he wouldn’t let Chen Changsheng die.
As for whether any accidents might occur? The Eight Directions Wind and Rain were extraordinary, transcendent experts. After Su Li was severely wounded, Zhu Luo was the sole, supreme presence in Xunyang City, fully in control of the situation. How could accidents happen? Mo Yu understood everything and finally relaxed completely. Gazing at the Empress’s strikingly beautiful profile, she thought, and what about you?
Do you truly want Chen Changsheng to live, or to die?
…
…
Some people die to kill others, like Liang Xiaoxiao. Some people face death to save others, like Chen Changsheng and Wang Po.
And there were others who were striving hard to come back to life, so that they could save the living.
That person was Qiu Shan Jun.
When clues about the Zhou Garden appeared on the continent, Qiu Shan Jun, recognized as the foremost in the Penetrating Obscurity realm, accepted the arrangement of the Five Saints and entered a certain place. Surrounded by several demon clan experts of the same realm, he seized the key to the Zhou Garden. For this matter, he disappeared for many days, missing the Grand Examination and the stargazing at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. He also didn’t know that the Li Mountain Sword Sect and the Qiu Shan family had decided to go to the capital to propose marriage on his behalf. Moreover, he was severely injured and had never fully recovered. But it was all worth it, because the Zhou Garden fell into human hands, and because he encountered a desperate situation that unleashed unprecedented energy. His true dragon bloodline awakened again, allowing him to break through and successfully enter the Star Gathering realm. Just like before, he once again shook the entire world.
Who could compare to Qiu Shan Jun? Chen Changsheng won first place in the Grand Examination, drew a night of starlight at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, and became the youngest to reach the upper level of Penetrating Obscurity alongside Xu Yourong, yet he still couldn’t catch up. Some Li Palace priests and people like Tang Thirty-Six held different views. They believed that Chen Changsheng was still young and had only been cultivating for a little over a year, yet he had already made such progress. Catching up to Qiu Shan Jun was only a matter of time. Some even felt that comparing Qiu Shan Jun to Chen Changsheng was like bullying the younger with the older.
But in truth, Qiu Shan Jun was not yet twenty years old; he was a year younger than Gou Hanshi. It was just that his true dragon bloodline and cultivation talent were too astonishing, his conduct too perfect, and he had become famous too early, causing many—whether Chen Changsheng’s supporters or his own admirers—to forget this fact.
Not yet twenty, yet possessing a star domain—what did that mean? It meant legend. As long as he continued to live and cultivate as calmly and bravely as he had for the past twenty years, he could very well become the second Su Li. No, in the eyes of countless people, he was more stable and trustworthy than Su Li. The human world needed someone like him more!
But first, Qiu Shan Jun had to survive.
The Black Robe had shaken that rainbow spanning ten thousand miles, worsening his internal injuries. Then, to stabilize the rainbow and reopen the Zhou Garden as quickly as possible to bring out the human cultivators inside, Qiu Shan Jun, ignoring his severe injuries, poured his true essence and bloodline energy into the rainbow day and night. When the Zhou Garden’s gate finally opened again, his mind relaxed slightly, and he could no longer hold on. He closed his eyes on the meditation cushion and fell into a deep sleep.
It wasn’t true unconsciousness, but a sword technique secret method unique to Li Mountain—Sword Breath.
His grand-uncle master Su Li had taught him the One-Month Sword Technique, and the first thing he taught was Sword Breath. On the surface, Sword Breath looked the same as a coma. The difference was that someone in the Sword Breath state could still hear sounds from the outside world. However, because all their true essence and blood essence were used to suppress and heal injuries and cleanse the Dao heart, there wasn’t a single drop left to sustain movement. Even trying to move a finger could cause the injuries to fully erupt. To put it another way, Qiu Shan Jun was now like a paralyzed, blind youth lying in bed.
Qiu Shan Jun had resolutely poured all his blood essence into that rainbow because he was worried about his fellow cultivators in the Zhou Garden and his junior sister Xu Yourong. He also knew that although this would make his injuries extremely severe, as long as he could maintain the Sword Breath state for forty-nine days, he should be able to heal the damage inside his body.
Now, many days had passed.
There were still a few days until he would awaken from Sword Breath.
He wanted to wake up early, even if it meant suffering further severe injuries.
Because from many days ago, many voices had been constantly reaching his ears.
There were cries of alarm, words of concern, discussions, and then more cries of alarm.
Third junior brother… dead? Liang Xiaoxiao… dead? Qiu Shan Jun’s Dao heart was struck as if by a heavy blow, filled with unbearable grief and unbearable rage. Who? Who dared to kill my Li Mountain sect brother! Who dared to kill one of the Seven Laws! Who dared to kill my… junior brother!
But he could do nothing. He could only listen to the trembling voice of the sect master and the fading whispers. In the dark world of Sword Breath, Qiu Shan Jun gradually calmed down, vaguely sensing that something was wrong with the situation.
After a few days, Seventh junior brother was carried back, brought into the sect master’s cave dwelling, and placed on the bed opposite him.
Now, on the highest peak of the Li Mountain range, two unconscious disciples lay.
Who had done this? What had really happened in the Zhou Garden? Qiu Shan Jun thought calmly, even coldly, like a sword resting in its sheath, ready to reveal its sharpness at any moment.
With his eyes closed, he heard many names.
Zhe Xiu, Zhuang Huanyu… Chen Changsheng.
Was that it?
So that was it.