Chapter 133
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Chapter 133: The Grand Gathering of Winds and Clouds
The waves surged and the clouds drifted lazily across the sky.
Ming He, wielding the Jing Ying Sword, unleashed the Sword Domain. With a single step, she soared above the waves, trailing Zhan Qing Yi as they journeyed eastward for thousands of miles. Her figure alighted gracefully on another island.
This island dwarfed Bright Moon Island in size, standing resolute amidst the deep, dark blue waters of the central region’s deep sea.
This was Canglang Island, perched above the central region’s deep sea, sharing its name with the Canglang Sect of the Eastern Region. It was the most expansive island in the deep sea.
The Eastern Region boasted the East Sea Group of Palaces, the Northern Region its boundless wilderness, and the central region its own Canglang of the deep sea.
The Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain floated independently above the Tianwu Continent, its location elusive, yet it had but one entrance.
Canglang Island was that sole entrance.
The island teemed with life, a sea of faces stretching as far as the eye could see. The auras of geniuses and powerful allies mingled sharply, sparkling like a galaxy of stars, vibrant and keen.
This was the Grand Gathering of the human race.
An assembly for the human race’s finest, yet it drew many powerful allies as well.
Ming He followed Zhan Qing Yi, weaving through pavilions and long corridors, until they reached an ancient pavilion atop a corner tower. From there, she gazed down upon the bustling crowd and the distant waves, the vista before her vast and tumultuous.
After half a month of focused recuperation on Bright Moon Island, her injuries had healed completely, and her swordsmanship had advanced further.
Ming He’s grip tightened on the Jing Ying Sword at her waist, her eyes alight; she felt on the cusp of the realm of sword spirit.
This was the fifth realm of swordsmanship, a height her Master had never attained.
Though surrounded by many strong mentors, none had ventured into this realm, leaving her to rely solely on her own understanding.
The realm of sword spirit.
Ming He lingered on the phrase, her eyes gleaming with starlight, as if filled with the entire galaxy, clearly yearning for the journey to Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain.
She lifted her gaze, watching the waves crash against the rocks, sending spray high into the air, her lips curving into a smile as she beheld the magnificent and radiant expanse before her.
She did not turn back, and thus missed the profoundly complex expression in Zhan Qing Yi’s eyes behind her.
“Boom!”
The roar of the surging waves grew louder in the distance, as towering waves rose from the vast deep sea, the horizon where sea met sky swirling with dense clouds, creating a spectacle even more immense than the East Sea.
A dark shadow descended with the crashing waves, momentarily obscuring the starry sky in Ming He’s view, blotting out the sun like a giant Kunpeng spreading its wings, stretching from far to near across the heavens.
A majestic and perilous Spirit Mountain, seemingly spanning the entire Tianwu Continent, floated in midair, resembling a savage beast from ancient times, its enormous maw agape.
Beyond that gaping mouth lay both grave danger and immense opportunity.
The mountain’s aura was deep and enigmatic, its thunderous echoes shaking heaven and earth, as it slowly traversed space-time, coming to a halt above Canglang Island.
A dark blue mystical light descended from the heavens, connecting sea and sky, softly floating amidst the rising waves, then forming a dark blue mystical gate at the outer edge of Canglang Island, where it met the surging waves of the deep sea.
That was the only entrance to the Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain on the Tianwu Continent—only those bearing the dragon energy disciple token could enter.
Only cultivators with the dragon energy disciple token could access Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain.
But entry was not permitted just yet.
Ming He narrowed her eyes at the distant figures approaching with the grandeur of the world, those were the powerful allies of the human race.
True powerful allies standing atop the Tianwu Continent.
“Is that the Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain?”
“Is that dark blue mystical light forming the gate the entrance to the Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain, the Mystical Gate?”
“What a grand spectacle! And this aura, so fierce and profound, far surpasses the pressure I felt from my ancestor.”
“Look over there! Is that the ancestor of Qin Huang Mountain standing among the clouds?”
“And the clan leader of the Song Clan!”
“And…”
Canglang Island buzzed with voices. Young cultivators from the five regions, even those who had witnessed the vastness of the world, couldn’t help but change their expressions at the sudden arrival of the powerful allies of the human race.
It was a deep admiration and yearning for the strong that arose from within them.
The Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain was a paradise belonging solely to the human race.
Powerful allies were the guardians of the human cultivators’ world.
The Tianwu Continent would undoubtedly be a world led by them.
“Dear friends holding the dragon energy disciple token, please step into the circle of light,” said the Old Man in Coarse Clothing, seated high among the clouds. His voice was slow and calm, and with a light gesture, a soft golden circle of light appeared outside the entrance of the Canglang Sect, where it met the vast sea.
That was a gift from the powerful allies to the talented individuals of the human race.
Only cultivators with the dragon energy disciple token could enter the Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain, where boundless opportunities awaited, but also grave dangers.
The golden circle was a protective barrier formed through the combined essence of the powerful allies of the human race, equivalent to a life-saving medallion.
As the old man finished speaking, a cultivator dressed in a mystical outfit and carrying a spiritual artifact stepped out from the crowd, their spirit high and steps swift; in a moment, they leaped into the golden circle, radiating energy and hope.
Inside the ancient pavilion,
Ming He looked at the old man seated high above in the clouds, her gaze wandering. The ancestor of Qin Huang Mountain was also the ancestor of Qin Chu Yi.
He was her Senior Sister’s ancestor.
He was also a peak Earth Emperor Realm cultivator.
It was said he was just one step away from the Great Emperor realm.
A powerful being in the Great Emperor realm could alter life and death and reverse the yin and yang. If he broke through to the Great Emperor realm, her Senior Sister could awaken instantly.
But unfortunately, he was not.
However, it was alright that he was not; just being able to awaken her Senior Sister with her own strength made her very happy and even more excited.
So, Senior Sister, wait for me!
Ming He whispered in her heart, her lowered gaze softened. When she raised it again, determination filled her eyes. “Senior Sister Zhan, I’m going to go now.”
“Okay,” Zhan Qing Yi answered softly, watching Ming He’s figure recede. She clenched her fist, and after a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke, “Ming He.”
Ming He paused, confused, turning back to look at her, seeing the bright, sharp light in her eyes and the gentle smile on her lips, filled with anticipation and longing, “The Young Master is still waiting for you.”
“I know,” Ming He spoke slowly and softly, yet her tone grew more resolute with each word, “I know.”
She repeated it in a low voice, her eyes blossoming with a faint smile, then turned and lightly leaped, her toes touching the ground as she soared into the golden circle of light.
That was where the talented individuals of the human race gathered.
That was also where the winds and clouds began to rise.
“Dear friends, are you ready?” The Old Man in Coarse Clothing’s voice drifted down from above the clouds. He smiled lightly as he observed the vibrant faces of the young human cultivators within the golden circle, preparing to lower the protective barrier.
“Wait!” A cold, clear female voice resonated from beyond the deep sea, carrying the rhythm of the Great Path. It effortlessly halted the descent of the protective barrier and disrupted the power of the Mystical Gate.
Only an Earth Emperor Realm expert could achieve such a feat.
Ming He looked up and saw a graceful woman in palace attire gliding over the waves. Gentle ripples trailed behind her, and a soft breeze accompanied her descent. She landed gracefully just outside the golden circle, her gaze fixed on Ming He, filled with unmistakable resentment.
This was Liu Yu, the wife of the Jiang Clan leader.
She was also Jiang An’s mother.
Behind her stood a young woman in light green brocade, smirking at Ming He with a mocking expression. Her eyes gleamed with a sense of schadenfreude, as if she longed to see Ming He humiliated and trampled into the mud.
This was Song Tian Rou, a direct descendant of the Song Clan and a fervent admirer of Qin Chu Yi.
Had these two come specifically for her?
Ming He furrowed her brow, her heart trembling with an inexplicable sense of foreboding. It was as if the heavens themselves were warning her of impending danger.
The heavens had foretold that today would bring a threat to her life.
Yet, here, surrounded by numerous powerful human cultivators, neither outsiders nor the Black Wind Alliance could possibly harm her.
But if the danger came from Liu Yu and Song Tian Rou—
She glanced toward the Old Man in Coarse Clothing, seated high above with an inscrutable expression. He was the royal figure of Qin Huang Mountain, and Qin Chu Yi was the Young Master of Qin Huang Mountain. Their talented young generation had been plunged into crisis due to Jiang An’s coma, and Ming He herself had nearly lost her life.
Even someone as composed as the royal figure could not remain indifferent.
“Liu Yu, do you understand the consequences of disrupting the Trial of Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain without cause?” The Old Man in Coarse Clothing lifted his eyelids. His tone was calm, yet it carried an overwhelming pressure that descended upon Liu Yu, the wife of the Jiang Clan leader.
With Qin Chu Yi in a coma due to Jiang An’s actions, as the Clan Ancestor of the Qin Clan, he could not simply stand by.
His earlier restraint had been to avoid unnecessary internal conflict that would weaken the human race’s combat strength.
Moreover, he had no desire to burden a woman temporarily leading a clan of heroes.
But he was no saint.
“Ancestor of the Qin Clan,” Liu Yu spoke with difficulty, her back bending under the weight of his aura. Yet her expression remained defiant, filled with a chilling certainty. “I have not come here for personal grievances. This concerns the survival of the human race.”
Even among Earth Emperor Realm experts, there were vast differences in power, and Liu Yu was undoubtedly no match for the Clan Ancestor of the Qin Clan.
But so what?
This time, she was certain. She would destroy Ming He completely.
She knew that as a stalwart defender of the human race, the Clan Ancestor of the Qin Clan had fought tirelessly across the battlefield of the heavens, his heart devoted solely to his people and the Tianwu Continent.
How could he not hear her out?
“What do you mean, the survival of the human race?” The Old Man in Coarse Clothing’s expression shifted slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he reined in his imposing aura.
When it came to the fate of the human race, he could not remain indifferent.
He had made a mistake once before.
“Within the golden circle, there are demons,” Liu Yu said with a faint smile, her gaze fixed on Ming He, burning with a madness that knew no bounds.
“How is that possible?” The question did not come from the Old Man in Coarse Clothing but from a young human cultivator standing within the golden circle.
Ming He did not recognize him; she had never seen him before.
He was clad in a moon-white robe, his brow marked by the resolute courage of a cultivator. He harbored no doubt about the veracity of Liu Yu’s words, nor was he swayed or unsettled. With calm assurance, he countered, his gaze brimming with trust for the companions at his side.
The other young cultivators mirrored this sentiment.
Upon reaching the Wind Master realm, a cultivator would traverse the five regions to vanquish the demon race. To them, every human cultivator was a comrade-in-arms, someone to whom they could entrust their lives and with whom they would stand shoulder to shoulder in battle.
The human race never doubted their comrades; such was their creed.
"The golden halo is a manifestation of the human cultivators’ strength, inherently repelling demons and all other races. How could a demon be present here without leaving a trace?" A young woman in green attire nodded in agreement.
"Demons, with their magical forms, flowing with demonic blood, and practicing the ways of magic, cannot conceal themselves from us—" Liu Yu’s smile was slight as she glanced at the elder high above in the heavens. His form quivered slightly, and his smile deepened, for he too was reminded of that woman.
The one who had single-handedly cast the human race from their lofty perch, leaving them to struggle for survival over millennia, was of the demon race.
"But if one bears a human form yet harbors a demon’s soul, would you not consider them a demon?"
Liu Yu’s smile was faint, her beauty radiant, eclipsing the vastness of the deep sea with a triumphant arrogance.
"To whom do you refer when you speak of the demon race?" The young cultivator who had initially challenged Liu Yu furrowed his brow, a flicker of uncertainty in his expression.
As time distanced them from the tragic events of the past, and with the human race’s powerful allies and the Imperial Palace deliberately withholding information, few remained who knew the full story.
Particularly among the cultivators of the Eastern Region.
Yet, he hailed from a prominent sect in the Central Region and had a penchant for reading ancient texts, so he was not entirely ignorant of the past.
He had once inquired of his ancestor in private.
Upon learning the full truth, his heart quaked, a profound sorrow surging within him.
Had that young leader not erred, had his resolve not faltered, might the Tianwu Continent today be free of the demon race?
Then they would not have been burdened from birth with the task of slaying outsiders.
Could the skies of Tianwu Continent be a clear blue, every corner of the land safe from the ambushes of outsiders?
Human cultivators would not need to traverse the five regions, and the common folk would not live in constant fear.
He had envisioned such a scenario countless times, yet it remained but a wistful dream.
The past was immutable.
This was the lesson imparted by his ancestor.
"The demon race of which I speak stands beside you," Liu Yu declared with conviction, her gaze fixed on Ming He next to the young cultivator. "Do you know who she is?"
"I do," the young man in the crescent moon robe affirmed.
"Her name is Ming He, of the Floating Cloud Sect in the Eastern Region. She topped the Young Tiger List and once felled countless demons with a single stroke of her sword.
From the Qingyun Tower in Dongfeng City to the fierce battles of Mo Ze City, then to the Donghua Realm, the Blood God Wilderness, Tianwu City, the Northern Wilderness, and the Blood River Hall—
She has slain many demons and could not possibly be one of them."
The demon race had been adversaries of the human race since time immemorial, their enmity as fierce as fire and water, more relentless than the demon race.
After the demon invasion of the Tianwu Continent, they even allied with the invaders, seeking to annihilate both the demon race and the human race, to divide the spoils of the Tianwu Continent.
Thus, a member of the demon race could not be steeped in the blood of so many outsiders.
Today marked Ming He’s first encounter with him, but he was no stranger to her.
He had witnessed the battle in Tianwu City, fleeting glimpses that etched the image of the Sword Cultivator in Blue’s grace into his memory, the arc of her sword capturing the essence of the cosmos.
He could not believe that such a sword cultivator could belong to the demon race.
Liu Yu listened patiently to his lengthy discourse, her smile unwavering. "Do you know her only as Ming He? Is she merely a name, Ming He?"
"What of it?" The young cultivator frowned.
"You know her as Ming He, and all of you are well-versed in her illustrious deeds."
Liu Yu’s gaze sharpened. "But how many truly know her past?"
"Her true lineage is the Su Clan of Qing Shi Town in the ninth prefecture of the Eastern Region. Her identity is the fifth daughter, Su Ming He, yet she presents herself solely as Ming He."
"She is merely Ming He, without the Su surname.
She is not Su Ming He!
She is a demon who has usurped a human’s form; her soul is of the demon race."
