YM778.TV Chapter 48: Chapter 44 Secrets
Here was the site of the third trial of the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode\'s inner sanctum, the final challenge of the "Flying Sword Heritage."
After "Lotus Sword Pool," where they absorbed Sword Qi Spirit Liquid to create the Sword Palace Acupoints, and after climbing the three massive regions of "Ten Thousand Swords Mountain," withstanding the assault of countless treasured swords, Ye Chen and Jiang Yao, braving untold hardships, had finally succeeded in reaching this place!
After the bitterness comes the sweetness!
Now, only the last step, "Flying Sword Acknowledgement," remained for them.
Upon reaching the summit of Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, Ye Chen and Jiang Yao immediately laid eyes on the seated phantom clone of Qian Jizi, and they noticed the two glowing rings beside him, along with the two miraculous sword-shaped seeds suspended in midair.
"Senior Qian Jizi,"
"Senior!"
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao greeted Qian Jizi with respectful bows.
Splits from the inner sanctum at the beginning, they were finally seeing this Heavenly Saint Realm powerhouse\'s phantom clone once again.
"Ye Chen, Jiang Yao,"
The phantom clone of Qian Jizi also looked towards them, giving a slight nod and a smile.
"You indeed did not disappoint me; you indeed succeeded in ascending the summit of Ten Thousand Swords Mountain!"
"Over three hundred years have passed, and you are the first pair to succeed in reaching the top of this mountain."
As Qian Jizi spoke, he turned to Ye Chen, "Ye Chen, during the external sanctum\'s trials, you caught my attention.
At the Fire Rune Chart spot, you battled the Fire Armored Warrior, showcasing your fighting strength; at the Mirror Light Spirit Wall, you comprehended the \'Wind Thunder Mood,\' your quick-wittedness surprises me; during the \'Fiery Trial of Intention,\' you continuously forged your willpower, successfully giving birth to the \'Fire Lotus Law Pattern.\'
"And you, Jiang Yao," Qian Jizi then turned to Jiang Yao, "You were merely seventeen when you stepped into the Spirit Sea Realm, unparalleled in your natural talent for qi cultivation, and likewise extraordinary in sword cultivation.
Three years ago, when you tested in the \'Fire and Water Dao,\' passed the external sanctum\'s three challenges with the most outstanding achievements, I already anticipated that you would enter the inner sanctum with a partner."
Hearing this, Jiang Yao\'s beautiful eyes couldn\'t help but turn to Ye Chen.
She remembered that at the time, she was also looking forward to finding a partner to enter the inner sanctum, and in the end, she waited for Ye Chen.
Seeing Jiang Yao\'s gesture, Qian Jizi smiled slightly, "As a result, you and the equally outstanding Ye Chen made your way into the inner sanctum together."
"At that time, I predicted that the two of you were very likely to be the first pair to break through to the third challenge of the inner sanctum, and to think, my guess actually became reality."
Indeed, it had become reality!
Standing at the site of the third challenge, Ye Chen and Jiang Yao were touched, having undergone the trials of Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, especially the last three-sword guardianship area and the upper mountain\'s fiery waterfall light challenges, they fully realized the difficulty of passing Ten Thousand Swords Mountain\'s trials.
Fortunately, they didn\'t give up and persevered to the end.
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao exchanged glances, and a bit of delight and pride flashed in their eyes!
"Now, having reached the third challenge, all that\'s left is \'Flying Sword Acknowledgement,\' the final step!"
"You must be wondering what the flying swords you\'ll acknowledge as your own are like, right?" Qian Jizi asked the two with a smile.
The flying swords they were to acknowledge?
Qian Jizi\'s words caused both Ye Chen and Jiang Yao to shift their gaze to his side, looking at the sword-shaped seeds suspended in the glowing rings.
"Senior, are these two sword-shaped seeds the flying swords we are to acknowledge as our own?" Ye Chen asked Qian Jizi.
These two sword-shaped seeds, one crimson red as fire, and the other deep blue as water, emanated a mystical radiance as they slowly spun, highlighting their unparalleled preciousness!
Watching these two sword-shaped seeds, Ye Chen faintly thought of the assignment of the "Fire and Water Dao."
The Fire and Water Dao, the sword-shaped seeds of water and fire.
Could it be that the reason for the two separate trials was because of this pair of sword-shaped seeds?
At this moment, Jiang Yao\'s beautiful eyes were also fixated on the two sword-shaped seeds, particularly the deep blue one that resembled water. Previously, at the final moments of the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain trials, a deep blue radiance shot into her Sword Palace Acupoint, leading to the disappearance of the oppressive feeling within her.
Could it be that deep blue seed that emitted that burst of blue light?
The girl harbored this guess in her heart.
Seeing Ye Chen and Jiang Yao both focusing on the sword-shaped seeds beside him, Qian Jizi did not hesitate to nod and confirm, "Yes, the flying swords you are to acknowledge are these two!"
"These two flying swords, one named \'Crimson Fire\' and the other \'Ghostly Water,\' are incredible treasures born in the \'Sea God Palace\' of the Sea of Chaos, a pair of twin flying swords naturally formed by heaven and earth!"
Flying Sword "Crimson Fire"!
Flying Sword "Ghostly Water"!
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao, hearing Qian Jizi\'s words and looking at the flying swords the size of seeds, were deeply stirred in their hearts.
They had braved the trials of Thousand Lotus Cave Abode for so long, for these tiny twin flying swords!
So, it was these!
Heaven and earth born treasures, a pair of twin flying swords, born from the Sea God Palace in the Sea of Chaos, a place they had never visited, and now here, within the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode of Heavenly Wind Kingdom, right before their very eyes.
The thought alone filled them with wonder.
"Since you have come here and have seen this pair of twin swords, it\'s time to tell you everything about the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode."
The gaze of Qian Jizi also fell upon the two flying sword seeds, his eyes filled with memories, and even more so, with sorrow.
"Please speak, senior."
Ye Chen looked towards Qian Jizi.
"Is it related to that \'Heavenly Saint Lian Yue\'?" Jiang Yao asked cautiously.
Ever since the two of them had entered the inner abode, whether it was the strange expression of the giant bird or the words "Lian Yue" they saw on the Ten Thousand Swords Stele at the base of Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, or even this pair of peculiar twin swords, they felt there must be a story – a story involving both Heavenly Saint Lian Yue and Heavenly Saint Qian Ji.
"Lian Yue..."
Hearing Jiang Yao mention that name, Qian Jizi let out a long sigh and nodded, "Indeed, it has to do with Lian Yue."
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao listened intently.
Qian Jizi sighed wistfully, "At the Ten Thousand Swords Stele, you must have seen that Ten Thousand Swords Mountain was actually established by both my original body and Lian Yue."
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao both nodded their heads.
"Lian Yue and I were originally a pair of martial siblings; I came from the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, and she came from a great dynasty in the central region of the Barbaric Wilderness Continent," Qian Jizi spoke slowly.
"Both of us followed the path of sword cultivation. We met at the Spirit Sea Realm Swordsmanship Contest on Immeasurable Mountain. That year, I won first place and Lian Yue took second, and from then on, we got to know each other. Later, we joined the sword cultivation \'Tai\'a Sect\' together."
"The two of us cultivated together, wandering the Barbaric Wilderness Continent, our sword cultivation growing ever higher, and our relationship growing increasingly close..."
Qian Jizi lost himself in memories, as if recalling those beautiful days, a slight smile appeared on his face.
"Lian Yue was stubborn to the core, refusing to accept defeat. After losing to me at the Spirit Sea Realm Swordsmanship Contest on Immeasurable Mountain, she pulled me into participating in the Rotating Pill Realm Swordsmanship Contest on Ethereal Peak once we entered the Rotating Pill Realm," he continued.
"At that time, I didn\'t want to compete with her, so I lost to her on purpose."
"However, after that, Lian Yue became unhappy, claiming that I hadn\'t used my real abilities to duel with her on the path of the sword. To appease her, I promised that once we stepped into the Heavenly Saint Realm, we would have a true battle at the Heavenly Saint Realm Swordsmanship Contest."
"Little did I expect that it would be during that battle at the Swordsmanship Contest in the Sea of Chaos that..."
As he spoke, Qian Jizi\'s voice began to tremble.
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao\'s hearts clenched, knowing that it was probably at this Heavenly Saint Realm Swordsmanship Contest where something went terribly wrong.
Qian Jizi took a deep breath and continued, "In that battle, Lian Yue and I eventually became the final two contenders."
"And between Lian Yue and me, we truly went all out in a contest of swordsmanship."
"Lian Yue was incredible. In the end, she defeated me and took first place at the Heavenly Saint Realm Swordsmanship Contest. As for the first place prize, it was the Twin Flying Swords provided by the Sea God Palace, which are \'Crimson Fire\' and \'Ghostly Water\' in front of you!" he explained.
Crimson Fire and Ghostly Water, the pair of twin flying swords, were actually the prize for the Heavenly Saint Realm Swordsmanship Contest!
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao hadn\'t expected this at all.
"Originally, Lian Yue won first place, and we received the first place reward. Everything was fine."
"But on our way back, we were ambushed by three powerful Heavenly Saint Realm martial artists!"
At this point, a deep hatred shone in Qian Jizi\'s eyes.
"On any other day, those three Heavenly Saint Realm martial artists wouldn\'t have been a threat to us. Lian Yue and I, even amongst those in the Heavenly Saint Realm, were among the top rankers! But because of the injuries we sustained in our final battle, we were weakened," he recounted.
"Those three were our friends, yet they betrayed us at such a critical moment and attacked us directly!" Qian Jizi seethed.
"In the end, although we managed to kill two of the treacherous three and scared the third one away, Lian Yue... she fell into a perpetual coma in the fight..."
"It was to protect me that she self-detonated her \'Life-Bound Flying Sword Palace.\' Since then, she has been in an eternal sleep!" he lamented.
"Lian Yue\'s injuries were because of me, her final act of self-detonating the Sword Palace and falling into a coma, also because of me!"
"If I hadn\'t been so set on competing with her, none of this would have happened!" By the end, Qian Jizi\'s voice had become hoarse, filled with unbearable regret.
"Senior Qian Ji..."
Ye Chen and Jiang Yao both felt saddened by the story, with tears even starting to form in Jiang Yao\'s clear eyes.
She could feel the kind of love that Lian Yue had for Heavenly Saint Qian Ji.
"This isn\'t your fault, senior Qian Ji," Jiang Yao gently said, "If Heavenly Saint Lian Yue made that choice, she surely wouldn\'t have any regrets."
"The ones to blame are those three betraying Heavenly Saint Realm martial artists. If not for them, none of this would\'ve happened," Ye Chen added.
"Those scoundrels!"
Upon Ye Chen bringing up those three, Qian Jizi was awakened from his regret by righteous anger, "Two of them are already dead; it was the third one who got away!"
Continuing, Qian Jizi turned his gaze to Ye Chen and Jiang Yao, "After \'Lian Yue\'s\' Sword Palace was shattered, there was no longer any possibility for her to cultivate flying swords. My original body also refuses to use the twin swords that bring back painful memories, so the swords were hidden within the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode."
"The trial of the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode was initiated by my original body to find a new master for the \'Crimson Fire\' and \'Ghostly Water\' twin swords and also for another reason."
"That is, if one day, the owner of Crimson Fire and Ghostly Water becomes powerful enough, powerful enough to deal with that runaway scoundrel, then they must capture him and bring him back to the Thousand Lotus Cave Abode! He mustn\'t be allowed to continue roaming free, harming others!"
"That is the sole requirement of the person who inherits the \'Flying Sword Heritage\'!"