Death… and me

"What? It’s been found? So quickly…!" Lan Mei Xian knitted her eyebrows.

That writing only had two lines — Mysterious Yang Jade Core has been found. Return… there’s an important matter!

"Thank god! It’s been found… Now father-in-law is going to get better." Yang Ruo Lan joyfully clapped her hands. But then, she frowned, "But, why call me back with such urgency?"

However, others weren’t infected by her joyful mood. There was still a heavy atmosphere in the tent.

Lan Mei Xian was mourning in her heart. In fact, she felt like dying.

This blow had been too cruel for her!

"That’s it. I’m done… you can do whatever you want," Lan Mei Xian listlessly spoke, "Your Master is the one at fault. It seems that this Icy Heart Jade Bone Saintly Technique… will have to end here. As a Master, I… don’t wish to suffer a third blow. I’ve suffered enough. Everything is over now…"

Tie Bu Tian and Yang Ruo Lan felt the heaviness of her mood. And, they felt extremely guilty.

"This Phantom Jade… I request Master to take it back," Tie Bu Tian bowed. Then, she respectfully held the Phantom Jade in her hands, and handed it over to Lan Mei Xian.

Lan Mei Xian looked at Tie Bu Tian with a complicated look in her eyes. Then, she heaved a deep sigh. She recalled, [I had received her as my apprentice since her infancy. I personally helped build her physical foundation until she was three years old. I cleared her meridians. After that, I would come to see her every year. And, I would stay with her for some time every time…]

[I stopped coming often until recently… when she became capable of having breakthroughs by herself.]

[It can be said that my footprint is present in every stage of this disciple's growth. Since she could only speak babbling language… and right up to the present. Isn’t she far more than just an apprentice in my heart?]

[I can’t ever have a child in my life since I’ve cultivated the Icy Heart Jade Bone. But, I’ve always treated Tie Bu Tian as my own daughter. I’ve taught her at my own expense. I’ve done my utmost to give her the best possible care…]

She was sitting quietly with a load on her mind. A long time passed before she slowly stood up. Then, she walked up to Tie Bu Tian, and replied in a warm voice, "There’s no need. You are the Emperor of a nation. You need this item… I give it to you. It won’t be of much use if it stays with me."

She took it, and hung it around Tie Bu Tian’s neck with her own hands.

Tie Bu Tian choked with emotion. And, tears started to stream down her face. She sobbed and said, "Master…" Then, she threw herself into the arms of the Master, and hugged her tightly.

Lan Mei Xian sorted out the jade token for her. Tears welled-up in her eyes as she spoke with a smile, "Silly child… You’re such a silly girl ah… I don’t know how your life would turn out to be… alas!"

Suddenly, a startled look appeared on her face. She asked, "What’s this?"

Lan Mei Xian had unexpectedly smelled a very subtle but an extremely pure ‘medicinal fragrance’. And, her heart had turned pale with fright!

She flicked her finger, and a purple jade bottle jumped out from Tie Bu Tian’s bosom.

She then looked closely at that sealed purple jade bottle. A subtle medicinal fragrance was somehow coming out of this sealed bottle. Lan Mei Xian’s complexion changed drastically. She waved her hand, and ordered, "You two go out."

The two shadows went out as instructed.

Lan Mei Xian facial expression had turned serious. She slowly unscrewed the bottle’s cap. And, a strong medicinal efficacy gushed out in the form of fumes as she unscrewed the cap halfway. She sniffed it, and suddenly too two steps back. She stared at the purple jade bottle in her hand in disbelief. Then, she screwed-back the bottle’s cap at a lightning speed. And, she gripped it tightly in her hand. Her body shuddered, "Who gave it to you!?"

Her eyes had looked very luminous and somewhat scary when she had asked this question…

"It… It was a stranger… because I helped him once… um, saved his life…" Tie Bu Tian saw the scary look in her Master's eyes. So, she didn’t mention Chu Yang’s name.

"Stranger… what sort of a stranger?" Lan Mei Xian clicked her tongue, and inquired aggressively.

"His appearance was ever-changing. So, I don’t know his real appearance," Tie Bu Tian got even more apprehensive.

"You should thank them properly…" Lan Mei Xian stared at her for a while before she heaved a long sigh. Then, she burst into a joyful laughter.

Tie Bu Tian obviously didn’t wish to tell, but Lan Mei Xian had let-off this topic very easily. Moreover, she had let out a profound laughter for some reason…

She put the purple jade bottle back in Tie Bu Tian’s hand, and laughed gently. The more she laughed… the jubilant she became…

"Master, what happened to you?" Yang Ruo Lan and Tie Bu Tian panicked, and asked. [Could it be that Master couldn’t withstand such a blow, and lost her sanity thereafter?]

"I am laughing… laughing because you have turned your misfortune into a blessing!" Lan Mei Xian laughed heartily. It seemed as if she had been freed from her worries. In fact, she had become radiant with delight. But, Yang Ruo Lan and Tie Bu Tian were baffled. [The Master looked so dejected a moment ago. So, it’s hard to imagine why has she suddenly become so cheerful…?]

[What can be the reason behind this?]

Then, Lan Mei Xian rejoiced and asked, "Tian Tian, you are expecting the child in eight months, right?"

"Yes." Tie Bu Tian blushed and lowered her head.

"Ha ha ha… good!" Lan Mei Xian laughed and said, "I will visit with your Senior Sister to congratulate you at the scheduled time! Meanwhile, there’s an important business I must tend to!"

She solemnly looked at Tie Bu Tian, "Remember this… your Icy Heart Jade Bone Saintly Technique has been wasted, but you mustn’t let the Icy Heart Power disperse; no matter what happens! This is something that concerns your life. You must bear my words in your mind!"

She paused after she spoke these words, and became extremely serious!

Tie Bu Tian was obviously very puzzled in her heart, but she still agreed like a well-behaved child and replied, "Yes. I will be waiting respectfully for Master and Sister."

"Ah… this isn’t right," Lan Mei Xian paced back and forth several times as she said, "This matter is of great importance. Shall I return? It’s hard to say how many stupid things this silly girl will have done by time I return. She may end up ruining everything! I can’t go back now. I will stay here, and I will keep watch over you."

Tie Bu Tian and Yang Ruo Lan looked at each other in dismay; they were stupefied.

"Ruo Lan, I won’t go back with you at this time. So, you must be careful on the way," Lan Mei Xian made up her mind and addressed Yang Ruo Lan.

"Yes."

"In addition… that business I have in the Upper Three Heavens… let’s set it aside for the time being!" Lan Mei Xian snorted and continued, "It’s only a little loss. It doesn’t matter."

Yang Ruo Lan’s heart skipped crazily. [Only a little loss…? Master has staked a total of 10,000 purple crystals. Moreover… the final moment has already arrived. And, those 10,000 purple crystals will be gone in case she loses! This is equivalent to the overall stock that had been accumulated by all the previous generations of a small clan of the Upper Three Heavens!]

[And, Master said that she doesn’t want it?]

One must know that Tie Bu Tian was going to deliver after eight months. Lan Mei Xian could travel back and forth more than a dozen times in this time period, and she would still have a lot of spare time on her hands. So, there was no rush. But, she was surprising going to give up on that wealth to wait for Tie Bu Tian’s delivery…?

This was very strange!

Yang Ruo Lan was about to get to the heart of matter when she heard a fine sound. It seemed like that of a mosquito. [The technique to congregate sound into a thread?!]

"Ruo Lan, you will pass through the Middle Three Heavens on your way back. So, teach a ruthless lesson to that King of Hell Chu! Don’t beat him to death. But, you must break the bones in his body and leave him crippled!"

It was the voice of Lan Mei Xian, "He dared to have an illicit se*ual relation with my disciple, and he abandoned her after that. He can’t be forgiven that easily!"

Yang Ruo Lan moved her lips in reply. She couldn’t use this ability like her Master could. She then slanted her vision, and looked at the lower abdomen of Tie Bu Tian.

"Don’t tell him anything! I shall personally settle this account with him someday!" Lan Mei Xian coldly snorted, "Leave that bastard alive. We can’t allow him to disturb your junior sister’s mood for now!"

She paused, and then further said, "Don’t even let your junior sister know about this!"

Yang Ruo Lan nodded. She also cussed in her heart with her entire strength… [That a*shole! How can he be so irresponsible?! How can he just pat his buttocks and leave like that? He can’t be forgiven for such a crime! I would’ve taught him a lesson even if the Master hadn’t asked me to!]

An invisible storm had silently taken birth…

Lan Mei Xian went with Tie Bu Tian, and returned to the Imperial Palace. It appeared like she had made up her mind that she would stay by Tie Bu Tian’s side. It seemed as if she had decided, [there’s no other matter that can be as important as my poor little disciple since she has already lost her entire cultivation! I must stay with her, and I must take care of her.] Even Tie Bu Tian was amazed by this development, and was unable to conceal her happiness.

… …

Chu Yang was presently approaching Mt. Dingjun! It looked like a giant stone stool when looking from afar. It was tall and straight like a towering mountain peak. However, it seemed to have been struck by an insanely powerful attack. It seemed as if someone had sliced it across the middle with a knife, and had chopped it in half!

It was a great mountain, and was more than 10,000 feet tall. Yet, it unexpectedly turned out to be a giant platform!

The entire upper half of the mountain was missing!

"There’s a legend about Mt. Dingjun. Supreme Expert ‘Morning Wind’ and Supreme Expert ‘Drifting Cloud’ had fought a battle here a long time ago. The Supreme Expert Morning Wind had used the entirety of his power into a saber strike. Supreme Expert Drifting Cloud had dodged the attack. And, the unstoppable saber energy had destroyed the entire upper half of Mt. Dingjun! The rubbles had scattered down the mountain, and formed the rock field below Mt. Dingjun."

Ji Mo was standing at the foot of Mt. Dingjun, and was gazing at it. He continued with infinite reverence, "That’s how Mt. Dingjun became like this. Its summit is as flat and smooth as a mirror! The later generations gave a little finishing touch to it. And, they raised the four sides a bit higher. So, there’s a vast flat land in the middle now. It has become a natural arena because of that!"

Chu Yang looked at this Mt. Dingjun, and tried to imagine how that remote battle would’ve taken place back then. [To think that the battle between two supreme experts would be so devastating that a saber attack could destroy such a great mountain…! Such formidable power is genuinely fascinating.]

"Of course, this is merely a legend," Ji Mo smiled and said, "No one knows whether it’s true or false."

"This isn’t a legend," Sword Spirit suddenly informed Chu Yang, "Morning Wing and Drifting Cloud really did exist. And, this battle had indeed taken place…"

Chu Yang nodded.

Ji Mo still wanted to stay here and say something more. However, Ji Zhu walked over lazily while yawning and rubbing his eyes. Then, he sluggishly asked, "Why are you two idling here? Why haven’t you gone up already… what are you waiting for?"

Chu Yang genuinely felt like beating him up as soon as he spoke these words! [Motherfu*ker, you should be the last one in the world to make a comment about ‘idling’! How could you have the guts to say that?!]

Ji Mo rolled his eyes. He didn’t turn his head, and simply dragged Chu Yang away from there. The two of them didn’t look back, and the reason for that was… [The food we ate a while ago with great difficultly will go to waste if we turn around and see this bastard Ji Zhu pick his feet.]

They moved forward on that road. They were about to turn a corner to go over to the foot of the mountain in order to enter the uphill road… but, they heard a long cry from the front. This cry echoed, and shook the mountains!

A majestic voice roared loudly, "Meng Luo! I’m only asking you this – you will hand her over or not?"

Chu Yang and Ji Mo glanced at each other, and saw the answer in each other’s eyes. [This is Dong Wu Shang’s voice! But, why he is confronting Meng Luo… that guy is one of the Top 8 Young Masters?]

They were about to increase their pace when they suddenly heard a strange howling of a wolf, "Ahwooh ~~~ Meng Luo, you motherfu*ker! Ahwooh ~~~ will you hand her over or not you grandmotherfu*ker? Ahwooh~~ Trust me… I will kill you with my fart this instant! Ahwooh~~…"

Chu Yang nearly burst out laughing. [There’s no need to guess who the owner of this voice is. No one besides Luo Ke Di can produce such sounds!]

Ji Mo’s body quivered as he blurted out, "Dog Aunt! Fu*k me! My brothers are here!"