Chapter 390

Rain beat against the Cang Mountains, and the sky gradually darkened. The mountain shadows further away could no longer be seen clearly; it was unclear whether the dark clouds were heavier or the hour was late, or perhaps both.

"Then what should we do?" Seeing Pei Ye felt his tone was somewhat stiff, "How can we save it? —There must be a way."

The woman looked at him quietly until the youth's heart almost went completely cold. She turned her head and said softly: "I don't know how they came to know so much about the 'Gu She Heart Sutra', but this 'Death Pass' is actually the threshold of the second realm of the 'Gu She'."

"Now that it is collapsing downward, the method of salvation is nothing more than eliminating the contradiction and letting it return to the right track." Ming Qitian said, "This is actually also the obstacle to breaking through the second level of the 'Gu She'."

Seeing Pei Ye understood a little: "So, you need to break through the realm, is that it, Miss Ming? —Is that very difficult?"

"It is not 'very difficult'." Ming Qitian shook her head, looking at him with peaceful eyes, "It is that I cannot do it."

"."

"Because that is 'suicide' within 'suicide'." Ming Qitian explained gently and patiently, "A person can hold a sword to cut their own throat, but they cannot let their neck cut itself off... The 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 was originally my original heart, but now that it is being burned by the 【Chuan Xin Zhu Lead】, it has begun to oppose the 'Gu She'. I have no way to hoe it away."

"."

"Cultivating the 'Gu She Heart Sutra' should have been a step-by-step process." The woman said.

Seeing Pei Ye understood. The 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 was clear about the affairs of the world, with a heart free of distracting thoughts; it was naturally the innate heart closest to the 'Gu She'. It certainly still had the characteristics of a "person", but in the process of approaching the 'Gu She', they would gradually fade away, and this mirror would eventually transform into the Heavenly Heart.

But now the Chuan Xin Zhu Lead had ignited those characteristics, and the 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 had suddenly headed in the opposite direction. This was naturally a rebellion against the 'Gu She'.

Seeing Pei Ye's heart sank coldly, and he said hoarsely: "Then. Could it be that we can only—"

But an absurd idea suddenly emerged at the same time: "If you cannot 'commit suicide', then... what if I help you, Miss Ming?"

Seeing Pei Ye looked at the woman: "Can I help you hoe away—"

However, the woman just looked at him quietly, without any look of surprise. Seeing Pei Ye only then realized that this method had actually long been in the woman's heart.

But she had not taken the initiative to bring it up.

"Yes, this is perhaps the only method." Ming Qitian finished speaking and stopped, turning her head to look at the curtain of rain outside the cave, remaining quiet for a moment.

She turned her head back to look at the youth, her gaze as peaceful and quiet as ever, but there seemed to be an extra touch of softness within: "I'm sorry for involving you in matters concerning me... This method is also just a trial; if you cannot do it, then that is fine... alright?"

Seeing Pei Ye froze for a moment.

Ming Qitian withdrew her gaze and took Zhanxin Liuli between the two of them. This sword was as clear and beautiful as before, and the dark blue within it was already on the verge of being exhausted.

Seeing Pei Ye did not think much about the meaning of the woman's words. At this moment, he finally felt a flame rising from the depths of his soul... his cold body was fiercely awakened by it, tightening his muscles and bones toward the goal placed before him. He had been suffering from his own powerlessness, but now there was truly a path laid out before him.

—Since it was the "only method", how could he "not be able to do it"?

Seeing Pei Ye pursed his lips, looked at Zhanxin Liuli, and slowly reached out his hand to touch it.

"It will trust you." Ming Qitian said.

". What?"

"'Bright Heart'." The woman said, "So you can hoe it away."

"."

But Ming Qitian just looked quietly out the curtain again. The youth could not see her gaze. After a few breaths, she turned her head back: "Just 'slash the heart' toward me."

Seeing Pei Ye sent a thought to Zhanxin Liuli. The next moment, the feeling of depth was so obvious that a clear, distant white filled his entire field of vision.

——————

Ten quarters later.

Outside the mountain, Clear Creek.

A whistling, violent line of fire swept over from the top of another peak. The rain curtain was scorched into a long, empty hole, and then the green forest was startled by the wind. The person fell to the side of the creek, shaking half the creek water around into jumping pearls.

Qingyi was like a true clear breeze, drifting to the ground holding a sword, the wound on his chest already sealed.

"The blood Qi ends here." The cold rain washed the theatrical mask to be even more eye-catching. Sima lowered his knees and reached his hand into the creek water, ". They washed away the bloodstains here."

This was a simple and effective interception. Even the Mystic Gate would inevitably have to spend more effort. Crossing this creek and moving forward, it was the deeper, more secluded Cangshan dense forest. To find the traces of the two, one had to expand the scope and slow down the speed.

On the opposite bank of the creek, there were several obvious footprints extending into the dense forest, but they quickly became shallow and disappeared.

Yi Duanzhi's golden pupils looked forward with fierce indifference, about to leap into the high sky again.

But Sima stopped him: "Wait."

The theatrical mask lowered his eyes to look at the cold creek under his feet: "Our people said that this youth is quick-witted and changeable, with thoughts turning a hundred times; he doesn't seem like someone who would be so careless as to leave footprints... I think that after he washed away the bloodstains from this creek, he deliberately misled us like this... He himself is very likely to have turned back."

The gaze behind the theatrical mask looked over the treetops. The green forest was continuous, and the peaks were high and steep. In the distance, a very high cliff was hazy in the rain curtain.

Yi Duanzhi paused for the time being.

Sima looked at this slanted direction, but then fell silent again: ". But that is the route slanting toward the mountain crossing; it is actually easier to find..."

He turned his head to look back at the few footprints on the opposite bank: ". Since he is quick-witted, he surely would not design such a shallow deception..."

He raised his head indifferently: "I think he is still heading in this direction. Since he left footprints, let's go and take a look first."

He took the lead in wielding his sword and leaping, with Yi Duanzhi following closely behind, leaping far across the small creek.

————

Seeing Pei Ye felt as if a lifetime had passed in an instant.

He stood on the stone steps, and all around there was only a sea of clouds.

This was not the human world; this was the Immortal Palace of the High Sky.

Looking in any direction was like being in a painting, but Seeing Pei Ye remembered the heavy responsibility he bore, raised his head, and climbed up the steps.

Pale clouds swirled around his body, and after only a few steps, he was already at the top.

In an instant, his field of vision opened up, and his whole person was fixed by the wondrous and magnificent scene occupying his eyes.

A huge circular wall protruded from the sea of clouds, standing straight like the moon rising from the clouds, with a diameter of more than twenty zhang. Standing beneath it, a person was like an ant before a bronze mirror.

From right to left, this bronze mirror was densely written with high and simple characters, whose unique, clear temperament allowed Seeing Pei Ye to recognize them at a glance.

He had not yet had time to read their content, but the first moment they entered his eyes, Seeing Pei Ye's entire mind and spirit were completely hooked.

As if after living in the narrow, dark underground for decades, he had emerged in a single day and suddenly seen the high sky and distant peaks... This wall of writing had such a feeling of "hearing the Dao in the morning" that reached straight to the heart and spirit.

And beneath it, connecting its base to the place where Seeing Pei Ye stood, was a wide sword platform carved out flat.

At the end of the sword platform, beneath the circular wall, a figure in white stood quietly holding a sword, the ribbons of their clothes dancing slowly in the wind.

This fairyland composed of stone and clouds seemed to have been dotted with a soul in an instant. On the sword platform, before the circular wall, Seeing Pei Ye was almost moved to see this awe-inspiring demeanor once again, clear, distant, and lofty, just like a celestial being forever dwelling above the clouds.

". Miss Ming." Unlike in Yi Danjun's state of mind, Seeing Pei Ye knew there would be no deception or concealment here, "Are you alright?"

The woman looked over with pale eyes and nodded slightly: "The next sword decision will begin after the sun enters the clouds. At that time, regardless of victory or defeat, the 'Ice and Snow Body' will inevitably be heavily injured. Since you have come to slash the heart, you need not linger here."

Seeing Pei Ye froze for a moment: ". I have not yet seen the enemy, Miss Ming."

Ming Qitian raised her sword and pointed: "The 'Heart Chaos' is right beneath the clouds."

Seeing Pei Ye looked back, only then discovering that the steps he stood on could not only go upward, but also submerged into the sea of clouds downward.

Only then did he react that the realm above this sea of clouds was perhaps already the last pure land. He did not know how chaotic the world beneath the clouds had become. At the thought of this, heaviness once again pressed down on the youth's heart. He pursed his lips and pressed his waist; 【Mountain Feather】 was hanging right there.

Seeing Pei Ye cupped his hands and bowed, pressed his sword, turned, and went down.

He did not know what kind of storm and danger were below, only knowing that since he had entered this heart, he must eliminate the dust and chaos and help the woman reshape her state of mind.

This was the only method.

The stone steps were long.

The thickness of the sea of clouds somewhat exceeded the youth's imagination. He walked downward in the clouds for a long time, and when the mist truly faded, the scene before his eyes once again made him freeze in place.

Only then did he react that he had actually been on a peak all along.

The fairyland just now was the peak above the peak of this mountain; the circular wall seemed to have been carved out of half the peak's tip. Now, this was the highest place on this peak where one could live.

It was just that it was completely different from his prior imagination. It was not a collapsing world, nor was there any extremely tragic slaughter. His experience in Yi Danjun's state of mind seemed completely useless—he did not even see the confrontation between the two forces.

There was only pure beauty and peace. Between the beautiful stones and green forests, the path was secluded, and the clear, shallow water pool was as empty and mirror-like. Raising his head, the blue sky was like a wash, and the pale clouds were like a smear.

The four seasons of Xincang were also like a large painting, but that was a mixture of mud and sand, requiring one to look from afar. Here, however, it was solitary, high, and beautiful, just like a true fairyland.

A high stone inscribed with characters stood far away. Seeing Pei Ye looked at it, and it said: 【God-Man Peak】.

At the moment these three characters entered his eyes, Seeing Pei Ye was stepping down the last stone step, and a distant, cold chill immediately surrounded him.

He stood still, choking back a sob for a moment, and gripped the sword hilt in his hand slightly tighter. However, it was as quiet here as if he were in the world beyond. He looked up, but there was not a single shadow of a person.

The entire peak was dotted with many trees, not densely packed. To the north, the water pool reflected the autumn colors and the sky together, with pale mist circling the surroundings. He was located in the east, leaning against a huge stone wall reaching into the clouds. To the west was the path up the mountain, and to the south... Seeing Pei Ye's gaze paused, and a simple eave corner was vaguely showing through the branches and leaves.

He immediately pressed his sword and headed there.

Following the path into the seclusion, his field of vision was gradually constrained by the forest shade and fragrant trees. The clouds and mist outside the peak were no longer visible, and the vast distance also turned into tranquility.

The house was already vaguely ahead. Seeing Pei Ye walked under the forest, pressing his sword with increasing vigilance. Suddenly, his sharp, cold temperament brushed past an exotic tree, startling a short, rapid chirp. Seeing Pei Ye turned his head violently, his killing intent instantly locking onto a small, cloud-white, round bird on a branch.

Stimulated by this killing intent, the small bird flapped its wings even more violently, its short beak pointing to the sky and chirping chaotically and thinly. It was just that this sound was both young and weak, and after flapping its wings in a panic for a long time, it failed to fly up, instead slipping and falling from the branch.

"You scared it." A voice as cool as jade sounded from behind. This time, Seeing Pei Ye truly drew his sword and turned his head violently... only to freeze in place once again.

The young girl looked at him with indifferent eyes, her white clothes looking like they were woven from clouds. She held an ancient book in her hand, her hair simply tied behind her head. Framing the dark hair was a face that made one infatuated.

In all fairness, Seeing Pei Ye had never seen such a beautiful young girl, like a true fairy walking out of a fairyland... until his brain reacted sluggishly, he realized that this was Ming Qitian, who was the same age as him.

The young girl walked to the tree, picked up the round little white bird from the ground, and put it back on the tree. As soon as it touched the young girl's palm, the little creature immediately quieted down.

"This one is especially fond of eating and sleeping." The young girl said, "There is no lack of food in the forest; it still doesn't know how to fly very well even now."

Seeing Pei Ye looked at her dazedly. The woman... the young girl's voice was not yet entirely as clear as water as it would be later, or at least, it was like a cold mountain creek.

"Come and sit for a while." The young girl looked at him with her shoulders and back straight, her eyes clear and clean.

". Alright."

The young girl led the way forward, then lowered her head to flip through the ancient book in her hand. Seeing Pei Ye subconsciously turned his head to look, and after a few breaths, he suddenly realized that this habit he had developed while by the woman's side was not very polite.

The young girl glanced at him, clamped her fingers, and flipped the cover to show him: "'Talks on Swords at Washing Sun Pavilion', have you read it?"

". No, no, Miss Ming—" Seeing Pei Ye closed his mouth.

The young girl nodded without caring at all and moved her gaze back: "The words in this book are clear, and the principles are upright. It doesn't take much effort, so it's suitable to flip through in one's leisure time."

"."

Between two or three sentences of conversation, the two were already standing before a small courtyard.

To say it was as simple as a thatched hut would be an exaggeration, but it was indeed an extremely simple and clean courtyard. Although the materials were not rough, there was almost no decoration.

There were no beast heads or door rings on the door. The young girl pushed the door open, and the courtyard was equally clean.

Crossing the courtyard and pushing the door to enter the house, it was also a simple main hall.

Seeing Pei Ye stepped into the door and froze again—only to see an entire side wall hung full of single swords.

Unlike the exquisite variety of Bowang Zhao Inspector's collection, which was full of gold and jade, these were completely handmade by one person, and each one had only the parts a sword should have. There were bamboo and jade, but more were various wooden cores, and there were also many made of gold and iron.

They were simple but not monotonous, and each one had a charm rarely seen in the world—lofty, ancient, sharp, playful... Only a person with an extremely pure heart could invest so much mental effort and time into them.

"When I was in the first two years, I really liked making swords. This process would make me feel like I had touched the 'Sword Path' itself." The young girl said, "Which one do you think looks the best?"

"." Seeing Pei Ye moved his eyes dazedly, "They all look the best."

The young girl revealed a light smile, somewhat happy.

"Please sit down... There actually isn't any tea here."

However, Seeing Pei Ye came back to his senses at this time, looking somewhat uneasily at the young girl who was putting down books and pouring water. He opened his mouth twice but still could not speak, his hand rubbing the sword hilt somewhat unconsciously.

But at this moment, the young girl took the initiative to say it: "My name is Ming Yun."

Seeing Pei Ye froze: "Oh... then 'Qitian' is your courtesy name?"

"What courtesy name? I have not yet left the mountain, so I have not taken a courtesy name."

"."

The young girl looked at him: "What is your name?"

Seeing Pei Ye froze again: "Miss Ming, don't you recognize me?"

"Isn't this our first meeting?" The young girl raised her clear eyes and tilted her head slightly.

"Then you..." Seeing Pei Ye did not know how to bring up everything that happened after this first meeting.

"Because I trust you." The young girl looked at him quietly, her clear eyes seeming to reflect the youth's inner heart.

Seeing Pei Ye froze.

—"She will trust you."

"I know. The sword decision between the Bright Heart and the Gu She has no result, and the 'Ice and Snow Body' is about to collapse." The young girl placed two cups of clear water before the two of them, looking at the wooden swords hanging all over the side wall, "Before the sun falls back beneath the clouds, you just need to kill me."

(End of chapter)