Death… and me

Chu Yang and Gu Di Xing were caught in two blizzards while they were en route to Great Zhao.

"We should be reaching Great Zhao in about ten days." Chu Yang smiled and pointed his whip in the direction that they were traveling.

Gu Du Xing nodded earnest in response.

The appearance of the both of them was starkly different from what they actually looked like. They were wearing disguises and everything about them was different. From the shapes of their faces to their figures and even the definition of their facial features was different.

If Wu Yun Liang was standing in front of them, he wouldn't be able to recognize that the person in front of him was Chu Yang.

While for Gu Du Xing, he was wearing a black outfit and had a cold appearance. Even with the great makeover, his facial expression remained the same – cold and heartless. A single glance at his expression was enough to send people running away from him.

They were traveling between the border of two countries and from a distance, they could see multiple flags of soldiers being planted solidly into the ground. It seemed as though the souls of those who had fallen still haunted the area as they continued to fight for their respective allegiances.

"The scene at the border is definitely unique." Gu Du Xing was slightly moved as he felt the atmosphere of the place.

"Yes, no one would be able to imagine the atmosphere and air around such a battlefield without coming here in person." Chu Yang sighed, "How would the millions who enjoy a peaceful life of luxury understand the sacrifices made for them? These heroes who have perished did not want this life of fighting for power and position but rather an ordinary and peaceful life…"

"There are even more mothers, wives, and children who mourn the passing of these soldiers than we can ever know. Yet, some of them still cling to a dream that they would return only never to be fulfilled."

Gu Du Xing kept silent for a while before he said, "Big brother, it seems like you have been emotional as of late."

"It's not emotion." Chu Yang looked at the atmosphere at the border and said, "Perhaps… this is the law of Nine Heavens."

GU Du Xing looked at the military camps of the two nations and sighed, "The law of the Nine Heavens… If I had the power to control all of Nine Heavens, I would prohibit people of the Middle and Upper Three Heavens from interfering with the fight between the royal courts of the Lower Three Heavens. With the number of people here, all a martial expert would need to do is to snap his fingers and millions of individuals would die needless deaths."

Chu Yang nodded, "Compared to Middle Three Heavens and Upper Three Heavens where a blink of an eye or a movement of a hand could cause great change, life in this Lower Three Heavens does seem more fragile."

Gu Du Xing suddenly halted and murmured, "Compared to Middle Three Heavens and Upper Three Heavens where a blink of an eye or a movement of a hand could cause great changes, life in this Lower Three Heavens seems more fragile."

He had a moment of epiphany.

Chu Yang was not referring to an actual great change. But aren't those who are powerful and gifted with abilities capable of moving mountains and covering the sky not be the same ones who would be able to cause great change in Lower Three Heavens?

As he compared the two contrasting worlds, Gu Du Xing suddenly had a breakthrough! While he looked at the battlefield, a feeling of respect rose in his mind.

His cultivation had an unexpected breakthrough after only ten days!

Second-grade Revered Sword Artist!

Chu Yang smiled; such advancement was appropriate for the two words "heavenly talent" that could be used to describe Gu Du Xing. From that moment forth, each of his words and actions as well as his demeanor would be more like that of the lone swordsman that shocked the world in the previous life.

However, in this life, he would no longer be alone.

After a long while, Gu Du Xing was finally done with his breakthrough. He opened his eyes and looked at Chu Yang, "Big brother… thank you."

"It's nothing." Chu Yang said casually, "We did not have to go through a battlefield to cross this place, but I wanted you to have the chance to feel some of the emotions of it. Since you were able to be enlightened by this and even have a breakthrough, we should now be on our way."

"How did you know that I would be able to have an enlightenment?" Gu Du Xing asked in puzzlement.

"Because you train with swords; it is also the way of the merciless sword…" Chu Yang showed a smile.

"Yes."

"However, the way of the merciless sword will never reach the peak!" Chu Yang said softly, "This is only a detour. Only after you have come to this battlefield can you have such a kind of understanding; it is a guard."

"The way of the sword is to guard!" Gu Du Xing frowned and thought for a long time.

"In cultivation, the most important key is understanding. After today, the way of your sword will transform into the way of the merciful sword because you guard your heart. Moreover, with Gu Miao Ling and us brothers as well waiting, all of these things can become forces for your sword path."

Chu Yang sighed a little inside. If it was the previous life, how could there be someone to guide him as he did now to Gu Du Xing…

"Here." Chu Yang tossed a book over to a pensive Gu Du Xing, "Look at this book. However, it is likely that you probably won't need it before you reach King level."

Gu Du Xing took it and looked. He could not help but be startled, "King revered sword enlightenment?" His thin body trembled.

It was not a sword technique, but an enlightenment in the cultivation of a swordsman. Each step and each moment was clearly written. For someone who trained in the way of the sword like Gu Du Xing, this was definitely a great help!

Chu Yang's help was no different from having a guide while one was walking in the darkness. Which also could be compared to a blind person who was struggling in life suddenly finding a staff to guide him.

There would be no detours on his path if he followed its methods!

However, little did Gu Du Xing know that this copy of the King Revered Sword enlightenment didn't belong to anyone. In fact, it was part of the enlightenment which Chu Yang had gathered from the Nine Tribulations Sword spirit.

Cultivating in the ways of this enlightenment, Gu Du Xing will not be equal to a Nine Tribulations Swordmaster like Chu Yang. However, he would still be at the peak of the way of the sword in the Nine Heavens continents.

A few more days passed and the two finally advanced into Great Zhao territory. Along the way, villages and towns had started to appear.

There were also rumors which seemed to have caused large commotions throughout the area.

In the middle of the afternoon, Chu Yang and Gu Du Xing went into a restaurant. They picked out a few dishes and tried to rest a bit.

The restaurant was crowded with customers. Most of them were Jiang Hu people who carried sabers and swords. Everyone was talking and swearing. Given the way the two people were dressed, in this restaurant, they were not worthy of any attention. It was as though they were two drops of water in an ocean.

However, after some time, a piece of news appeared that caught their attention.

"Do you know? Nine Heavens' treasured Ask the Heavens Sword has appeared!"

"Huh? That's not news; I know about this already."

"Ask the Heavens Sword. According to legends, it is the personal weapon of the great Sword Saint Ji Wen Tian from eight thousand years ago… The most important thing is, within Ask the Heavens Sword, there is a hidden martial art technique. It is the enlightenment in the way of the sword by Ji Wen Tian…"

"If someone were to get their hands on such a thing, wouldn't that person be able to become the future Sword Saint? My god!"

"Huh? Ask the Heavens Sword? Sword Saint? Tell me about it. Waiter, bring a bottle of good wine and two pounds of beef to this table!" The moment the people at this table started talking, they caught the attention of the nearby table. They cheerfully lifted their table and connected the two tables together.

"Mm, Ask the Heavens Sword is an extraordinary treasure. I heard that a few days ago, someone was holding onto the Ask the Heavens Sword. He only lightly slashed and Northern Zhou's hero, Zhang Da Hou, and he was cut into two pieces. He then slashed again, and Zhang Da Hou turned into four pieces… This is truly a powerful weapon." This punk spat everywhere as he talked. His face flushed with excitement; it was as if he witnessed the whole thing first hand.

"Yes, yes. If that did not happen, how could it be a weapon of a Sword Saint?" The listeners were eagerly waiting.

"If you could see such a thing with your own eyes, this life would be worthwhile…"

"Yes, yes." In the restaurant, everyone echoed the same words, but each person carried only one thought.

"I wonder where the owner of Ask the Heavens Sword is right now." This was something everyone wanted to know the most.

"I am not sure. However, ever since the owner of the Ask the Heavens Sword has revealed it, his road is likely to be a dangerous one. Seeing the path of deaths that he left in his wake, it seems like he is definitely heading towards the Continental Center."

"Oh…" Many people let out a meaningful cry…

"Hahaha, do you people only know about Ask the Heavens Sword appearing?" Someone suddenly laughed loudly and said, "Do you know how Ji Wen Tian fell eight thousand years ago?"

"How did the Saint level master fall?" Numerous people turned. They saw a middle-aged man in black sitting alone at a table. There was a look of content on his face.

"Please tell us."

"Well, this is a little embarrassing…"

"Waiter! Bring wine! The best wine! The best food!" Someone yelled out loud with a magnificent flair, "This big brother, will you accept a cup from me?"

"Sure, sure, haha."

"May I inquire, Ask the Heavens Sword Saint…"

"Speaking of Ask the Heavens Sword Saint, he was a child without a mother. This story has been around for a really long time…" The middle-aged man in black looked sad, "… Legends have it that eight thousand years ago, there was a heavenly endowed Sword Saint. His cultivation shocked ancient history. That person was Ask the Heavens Sword Saint Ji Wen Tian! However, something inevitable happened. At that time, it was not only Ask the Heavens Sword Saint that dominated Jiang Hu…"

"There was another? Could he be even more powerful than the Sword Saint?"

"Hmm! At that time, one saber and one sword were famous in Nine Heavens. They dominated for a few hundred years and their fame seemed to remain for a million years! The other person was Underworld Saber Saint, Xia Huang Quan!" The middle-aged man in black took a big gulp of wine.

"Underworld Saber Saint, Xia Huang Quan…" Everyone gasped at once. While they did not know who this Underworld Saber Saint was, they were in awe to learn that this Saber Saint was as famous as Ask the Heavens Sword Saint.

Even though they did not know anything about Ask the Heavens Sword Saint before this, they were all ignorant people; what more could they say?

"Do you know?" The middle-aged man chewed on the beef and drank the good wine. He was lost in joy, "At that time, the two top masters were irreconcilable mortal enemies!"

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes! Ask the Heavens Sword Saint and Underworld Saber Saint fought endlessly for hundreds of years. Finally, one day, the two met and fought to the death…" The middle-aged man in black spoke melodiously.

"Fight to the death…"

"Yes! A fight to the death." The middle-aged man in black sighed, "That battle shook heaven and earth. The sun and moon were eclipsed! They fought from the Upper Three Heavens down to the Middle Three Heavens. All of the dozens of mountains in the Upper Three Heavens were flattened! It is now known as the Chaotic Souls Plain in Upper Three Heavens!" The middle-aged man in black was extremely vivid with his description.

"Amazing!" After hearing, there was a look of awe and admiration in everyone's eyes.