Chapter Sixty-Seven: Ancients

Almost at the very moment the sword light swept in, Feng Tianyang had already released his steel whip and retreated violently, bracing himself as he watched the scene before him.

The sword light faded, but the fierce sword aura still filled the entire burial chamber. In front of Ye Pei stood a swordsman in green, his blade poised.

"Pei, you’re certainly hard to find," the swordsman remarked.

Ye Pei laughed softly, clutching his chest and abdomen. "I didn’t expect your martial skills to improve so quickly."

Jiang Zhongqing’s face bore a rare smile. "I have you to thank for leading me into the way of the sword."

"Hey, you two..." Feng Tianyang interrupted their reunion. "Whether it’s a duel or a group fight, are you going to battle or not?"

Jiang Zhongqing glanced at him but continued speaking to Ye Pei. "Pei, wasn’t Feng Xiaoyang killed by General Feng?"

Naturally, Jiang Zhongqing knew about this; it was he and Yue Zhe who had once chased Feng Xiaoyang to Feng Shuichen.

Ye Pei smiled, "This is Feng Xiaoyang’s twin brother. Born with immense strength and decent martial skills."

"Hmph..." Compared to Feng Tianyang’s peculiarities, Jiang Zhongqing was truly sparing with words. Since his family’s destruction, Jiang Zhongqing spoke little, and Ye Pei even suspected he had become somewhat withdrawn.

Even after the long search for Ye Pei, Jiang Zhongqing said little. Earlier, Ye Pei had seen a large box lowered onto the chamber roof, inside which were Jiang Zhongqing and a young woman in white. Seeing this, Jiang Zhongqing had immediately drawn his sword to act, giving Ye Pei the confidence to face Feng Tianyang’s attack.

After his cold snort, Jiang Zhongqing slowly raised his sword, pointing its tip directly at Feng Xiaoyang.

"What? If you want to fight, then fight. No need for theatrics," Feng Tianyang spat angrily.

With murderous intent swirling amidst his sword aura, Jiang Zhongqing’s momentum surged, and he uttered two words:

"One move."

"What?!" Feng Tianyang thought this fellow couldn’t be an idiot—surely he didn’t mean to settle things in a single strike, perhaps he meant that after one move he’d let me go?

While Feng Tianyang was still wildly guessing, Jiang Zhongqing had already gathered his internal energy. Leaping into the air, two blossoms of sword light appeared, and a calm voice echoed through the chamber:

"Heaven’s Thread River Seizes, Ten Thousand Swords Meteor Long."

The sword radiance split in two, then four, and ultimately became countless, surging with a strange speed toward Feng Tianyang as Jiang Zhongqing charged.

At this moment, nothing could describe Feng Tianyang’s despair. He had never witnessed such a technique. He knew some martial artists cultivated internal energy, but never had he imagined a person could wield it in a godlike manner.

It turned out he really did mean to end me in one move...

And his thoughts stopped forever, right at that point.

"I..." Ye Pei, too, was astonished, though his usual composure kept the emotion from showing. "What sword technique is this..."

As Jiang Zhongqing landed steadily, Feng Tianyang—now behind him—was covered in countless blood wounds, the most fatal being the slash that pierced his throat.

"Zhongqing," Ye Pei asked, "where did you learn this internal energy and sword technique?"

Jiang Zhongqing did not answer immediately. Instead, he signaled to the young woman in white still within the box atop the chamber.

Zhuang Tianlan hesitated not, leaping down, and Jiang Zhongqing rose to catch her.

"Pei, this is my wife, Zhuang Tianlan." Turning his head, Jiang Zhongqing added, "Tianlan, this is Pei, whom I’ve told you about many times."

Zhuang Tianlan then offered Ye Pei a formal bow. "I am Zhuang Tianlan, pleased to meet you, Brother Pei."

She was still a little nervous, for according to Jiang Zhongqing’s description, this man was clearly both a privileged official’s heir and a wealthy scion, who had personally slain his nemesis on a battlefield of hundreds of thousands—a true force to be reckoned with.

Ye Pei smiled, returning the gesture, just about to speak when Jiang Zhongqing interjected: "Tianlan, I forgot to mention—Pei is very easygoing and cares little for formalities. You can relax."

Ye Pei smiled, "Indeed. Meeting my sister-in-law for the first time, I should offer a gift, but as a guest in Yanland, I have nothing at hand. When we return to Wangmai, I will surely make it up to you both."

Then, Ye Pei introduced them to the others. "Brother Huang, Xiao Mo, this is my brother from Wangmai, Jiang Zhongqing."

Once everyone had exchanged names, Ye Pei asked, "Zhongqing, how did you come to Yanland? Whom did you learn your internal energy and swordsmanship from?"

Jiang Zhongqing replied, "Back when you pursued Lin Yufei and fell into the Demon Gate Valley, Brother Yue and I tried to save you but lost track. Yue’s lightness skills are better, so he stopped in time, but I couldn’t, and fell in as well."

"..."

"Internal energy... Oh, you mean my internal energy, Pei! When I first arrived in Yanland, I was near the Dead Spirit Volcano. I gained insight there, then entered the Zi clan’s territory, and met Tianlan at Longjiang Mountain. Her family’s fate..."

He glanced at Zhuang Tianlan, seeing she wasn’t overly distressed, and continued, "Her family’s fate was similar to mine. I avenged her, and she’s been with me ever since."

"Ah, admirable," Ye Pei said. "Sister-in-law’s spirit commands my respect. For those who wander the world, there’s little time to dwell on sorrow."

Jiang Zhongqing went on, "That sword technique... I’d always practiced the one you gave me. But earlier, as we slid down the slope, a box caught us. Inside, there was nothing but a sword manual called 'Stellar Jade Edge.' I looked it over and learned this move. Somehow we triggered a mechanism and came down."

"Ah... so that’s how it is..." Ye Pei now knew he had underestimated Jiang Zhongqing’s talent in martial arts, especially the sword. Though Ye Pei himself had learned to use internal energy by insight, he could not yet project it outward to such effect.

What was even more incredible was that Jiang Zhongqing had just learned this move...

Shaking his head, Ye Pei looked at Chen Mo. "Xiao Mo, activate that mechanism."

Chen Mo nodded, walked behind the giant altar, and pressed the indicated mechanism.

As the mechanism was triggered, the sound of gears rotating echoed, and a deep tunnel appeared on the opposite wall of the chamber, its circular surface newly exposed.

"Uh..." Seeing the tunnel, Chen Mo was at a loss. "How do we get across..."

Ye Pei observed; the distance between the wall and the round platform was nearly forty yards. "To be honest, I can barely make it across myself, but taking anyone else is out of the question."

After some discussion, it was decided that only Ye Pei, whose lightness skills were the best, would cross, while the others waited.

Ye Pei said nothing further, sitting cross-legged and beginning to practice the 'Formula,' recovering his depleted energy.

He now realized a problem: in using his internal energy, he sometimes lacked restraint, as if wasting good steel on the entire blade, leading to rapid depletion.

Yet he had to admit, the 'Formula' was indeed profound; within a short two quarters, Ye Pei’s spent energy was nearly fully restored.

He opened his eyes, rose, and tucked an unlit torch into his belt. Seeing everyone watching him, he smiled, "Wait here. I’ll go pay my respects to the tomb’s master."

Ye Pei only meant to visit the coffin, to pay a hasty tribute after all the disturbance and fighting, never imagining that his visit would become a literal meeting with the tomb’s master.

At the side, Jiang Zhongqing said to Zhuang Tianlan, "Tianlan, watch Brother Pei’s lightness skills and you’ll see mine truly aren’t much, as I’ve always said."

It was understandable; it wasn’t that Jiang Zhongqing lacked talent, but that he’d never learned systematically.

Ye Pei took a deep breath, internal energy stirring winds, the firelight in his eyes blazing, and colorless radiance glowing from within. Suddenly, he stepped forward, two strides to the round platform’s edge, stamped down, and soared through the air like a rainbow, heading for the tunnel.

Ye Pei exerted himself fully, crossing forty yards in midair—a feat impossible in the eyes of the others.

Regardless of what the group behind thought, Ye Pei landed precisely at the tunnel entrance.

Upon landing, he lit his torch and proceeded along the passage, holding his Frosted Snow dagger ready for any traps.

But after only a few steps, Ye Pei saw once more on the wall beside him those bold, vigorous characters.

"All right, there are no traps in the passage. Enter directly."

After all this, Ye Pei knew the tomb master’s inscriptions had never lied, yet he still dared not be careless, picking up his pace but remaining alert.

Soon, after several turns, Ye Pei saw ahead a doorway glowing with moonlight. Stepping through, he was struck speechless by the scene.

This burial chamber was no larger than a wealthy household’s parlor, miniature compared to the others.

Its decoration, however, was extravagantly opulent. The walls were lined with moonstone, illuminating the room, while the throne and chains radiated cold brilliance, their materials gold and black iron.

Yet this was not what left Ye Pei utterly stunned. What truly floored him was the sight upon the throne: massive chains bound a translucent young man of pale blue, locking him in place.

The youth sat casually, his right hand cradling his head, eyes closed as if resting.

At the top of the throne, two black-red long blades crossed, and beneath them, engraved on the chair’s back, were those bold characters. This time, however, the seven characters pressed with a force that seemed to span a millennium, ruthlessly weighing upon the soul.

"Second Generation Blazing Blade Emperor Jue"

At that moment, the young man on the throne slowly opened his eyes, smiling faintly at the astonished Ye Pei.

"What’s wrong? Didn’t expect me to still be alive?"