Editor: Sahloknir
The atmosphere was almost frozen, before Xu Shuangtze broke it and said, “I see.”
Then he turned and took a step towards Yuchi Xiao.
“Lord Xu?” The messenger of the Immortal Alliance did not know what was going on, and thought he was leaving, so said anxiously, “According to the laws of the Immortal Alliance, in order to prevent the Alliance from being left without a leader, between the Alliance Master and the Cang Yang Sect Master, one of the two sovereigns must remain out of danger. Your Lordship must not leave Cang Yang Mountain!”
AD
Xu Shuangtze walked towards Yuchi Xiao, saying, “I know.”
“Sovereign…”
The messenger’s voice choked as he watched, dumbfounded, as Xu Shuangtze drew his sword again and pointed it swiftly at Yuchi Xiao’s throat with murderous intent!
This time there would be no one to stop Xu Shuangtze as No Way Out’s sword aura immobilized the younger man. For a moment Yuchi Xiao even had the illusion that he had already been struck through the throat with that blade.
—Am I already dead?
But just then he felt the cold, sharp tip of the sword slowly move to the side of his face, tapping him twice. A thin stream of blood trickled out and ran along the sword’s groove.
“…” Yuchi Xiao opened his eyes as he shivered from the stinging pain and met Xu Shuangtze’s mocking gaze from above.
Jing Xu trembled, saying, “Sov-Sovereign…”
At that moment, a transmission token suddenly flew out of Yuchi Xiao’s sleeve of its own accord and exploded into a manifestation formation with a loud bang.
Red and gold rays crisscrossed the sky, and the Sword Sect’s Yuchi Changsheng appeared in the middle of that formation, wielding his divine sword Tower of Rakshasa and steadily locking the blade of No Way Out!
“Xu Shuangtze.” He said coldly.
The crowd reacted a step too late, and hurriedly bowed, “Paying our respects to the Sword Sect Master!”
Yuchi Xiao was so weak that it was as if his whole body had been drenched in cold sweat, and he blurted out, “Uncle! How are you?!”
“…” Xu Shuangtze looked at Yuchi Changsheng, moving his gaze up and down. No one could tell what he was thinking about from his cold facial expression. After a short while, amidst the many tense looks around him, he withdrew No Way Out.
The breath that was stuck in everyone’s throat was finally relieved.
Yuchi Changsheng tilted his head towards his nephew, “Return to the Golden Gate.”
“You’re trapped in the Ding Xian Mausoleum too?!”
The Sword Sect Master intensified his tone, “Return to the Golden Gate at once!”
But Yuchi Xiao stood up with support from Gou Chen, “I will now go to…”
Just then, a loud gust of wind could be heard, and the Sword Sect Master spun around. The almost spent spiritual power of the spell formation fluctuated violently and weakened further because of his sudden action. Suddenly, Yuchi Xiao’s eyes widened in dismay.
The Sword Sect Master’s golden armour was cracked in numerous places, his neck, chest and abdomen bore injuries. His left arm had a foot-long gaping wound, and the sleeve of his robe was soaked with fresh blood!
He spoke again, articulating each word now, “Return to the Golden Gate, protect yourself, and don’t come to the mausoleum.”
Immediately afterwards, the spell ended and countless specks of light dispersed in the wind, disappearing in mid-air.
Xu Shuangtze turned around and sheathed his sword. Not looking at Yuchi Xiao anymore, he said, “Wen Xiuyang.”
Wen Xiuyang immediately lowered his body, “Here.”
“Send him down the mountain.”
“Understood!”
Xu Shuangtze did not even turn his head to glance at the younger man. With his hands behind his back, he walked in mid-air towards the direction of Xuanji Palace, the hem of his robe lifting in the wind. Soon, his figure disappeared into the mountains.
—
The cracked cliffs and smoke moved further away and faded into the background.
The endless gusts of wind greeted Xu Shuangtze. He did not fly on his sword, instead, he took strides in mid-air towards the mountain peaks.
The masses of clouds gathered and dispersed beneath him, and in the distance, within the silence of the untouched mountains, valleys and forests, there was a great palace, with a spectacular silhouette of glazed tiles and clean silver eaves.
Ding dang!
That golden ring formed by three twisted spirals, knocked into the scabbard of No Way Out with Xu Shuangtze’s every movement, giving off a crisp reverberation.
Ding dang—
It was as if he heard the melodic clattering of the wind chimes which once hung along the corridors, swaying gently like a veil in the wind. One late spring day in the Correctional Palace, a slim, young figure suddenly emerged from the top of the wall, head-first, and stole a glance at Xu Shuangtze from above. The boy thought he was very stealthy.
“…Lord Xu, don’t be offended, that’s the young master our alliance master brought back half a month ago. He seems to be mentally incompetent and can’t speak…”
Xu Shuangtze stood still and extended his hand towards the boy.
The figure shrank back with a swish, revealing only two wary eyes.
But Xu Shuangtze did not move, maintaining his posture and extended palm, he continued to stare at the boy. A short while later, the pair of eyes blinked, the right pupil turning crimson red, but when he blinked again, it turned back. These eyes reflected doubt and hesitation.
“…”
Xu Shuangtze withdrew his hand back into his sleeve. With this action, the figure behind the wall couldn’t help but inch out to get a closer look, and saw the Cang Yang Sect Master had brought out two small, gold coins from his robes. He threaded them with a silk thread, and casually shook them, giving off a tinkling sound.
The boy’s eyes widened for a moment.
Ding dang!
Ding dang!
Daylight peek through the veil of the corridor, the rays hit the little gold coins, making them shine and sparkle. This, accompanied by the crisp jingle, caused the boy’s eyes to follow the movement of the coins in curiosity.
Ding dang—
The winds swept by and the jingle still rang in his ears, as Xu Shuangtze saw a blur in front of his eyes. And at this moment, there was suddenly nothing in his hands.
The young boy turned his back and slipped away like a scarlet cloud. In just an instant, he was already several feet away, his thin, white fingers still clutching the two gold coins held together by a silk thread.
The boy clutched them tightly, as if he was afraid of losing them. With the sound of his rapid footsteps and jingle of the coins, his figure disappeared at the end of the long, winding corridor.
Only the wind brushed past and accompanied the man, who remained behind for a long time.
“Sov-Sovereign, please don’t take offence! The young master is not in his right mind, he is young and ignorant, it was never his intention…”
Xu Shuangtze suddenly let out a laugh, and the disciple of the Correctional Palace froze, thinking that he had heard wrong.
“He runs fast,” he said.
The disciple of the Correctional Palace could not tell if the Cang Yang Sect Master was pleased or angry as he muttered these words.
“That’s good.” He commented, “Those who run fast, live long.”
—
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but in those years, the number of occasions that Lord Xu had to attend in person at the Immortal Alliance suddenly increased significantly.
The young boy who had been brought back by Lord Ying had grown up day by day—although ‘growing up’ was a false concept for him, as all those years had not made a mark or left a single trace on Gong Wei.
He was just beginning to learn about people, or rather, learn to be more human.
Xu Shuangtze taught him to recite the Daoist scriptures to enlighten him and personally taught him to write. At the end of spring in the Correctional Palace, the fallen peach blossom petals were carried by the wind and drifted in great numbers across the window pane.
Xu Shuangtze sat in front of the table, holding Gong Wei’s hand to copy ‘The Spirit of the Sword’ manual. Although Gong Wei was still sitting in an acceptable posture, the tip of his brush was always crooked, and he could not straighten it no matter how hard he tried.
After he wrote a few words, he would turn back and touch the scabbard of No Way Out, asking, “What words are these?”
He seldom spoke, probably because he knew in his heart that he hadn’t learnt to speak properly, and his accent was always wrong.
Xu Shuangtze said, “No Way Out.”
“What does that mean?”
“No way out even for ghosts and gods.”
Gong Wei didn’t understand at all, but nodded thoughtfully, and then asked, “Why do you all have swords?”
Xu Shuangtze was still holding onto his right hand and his eyes fell on the writing paper, “Who else has one?”
Gong Wei said, “Shixiong…” After a pause, he added, “Yuchi Changsheng.”
Yuchi Rui was about the same age as him, and when they first met a few years ago, they got into a fight and Yuchi Rui had beaten Gong Wei to tears. Still sniffing and crying, Gong Wei lashed out and kicked Yuchi Rui from the pavilion down the cliff.
When Ying Kai hurried out to look for them, he saw Yuchi Rui hanging from a tree branch at the edge of the cliff in a daze.
Xu Shuangtze said indifferently, “You will have one too when you grow up.”
Gong Wei asked, “How can I have one?”
There were only two ways to obtain an immortal sword in the Xuanmen: the first was through inheritance of the relic, and the second was through the help of a master in refining one.
In Gong Wei’s case, it would be logical for Ying Kai to help him refine a weapon with compatible attributes and spiritual power—but he would inevitably have to wait for a long time. This was because a cultivator was not allowed to have his own immortal sword until he had formed his golden core.
No one had ever explained the concept of cultivating a golden core to Gong Wei. After all, he couldn’t even speak properly, let alone reach a foundational cultivation level.
So Xu Shuangtze only said, “You will naturally have one when you grow up.”
Gong Wei didn’t understand, but nodded thoughtfully once again. After a short while, as if he had suddenly made a decision, Gong Wei tilted his head and looked up at Xu Shuangtze’s chin, “Xu Bai.”
Xu Shuangtze said, “You’re talking a lot today.”
Gong Wei maintained that position, looking at him keenly, and said solemnly, “You are the only one I like.”
The tip of the brush suddenly stopped, hanging in mid-air.
The room was so quiet that a pin drop could be clearly heard, and outside the window the treetops swayed gently in the breeze, which came in waves.
It was only after a long time that Xu Shuangtze broke the silence and reprimanded in a low voice, “…nonsense.”
Gong Wei was reluctant to back down and wanted to argue. But at this moment, the sound of footsteps came from outside the window, followed by a figure leaping up and tapping on the window pane.
It was Yuchi Rui, “Gong Wei! Come and help! I’ve caught all of Ying Kai’s fish and he’s going to beat me up!”
Gong Wei, “?!”
What could be more important in the world than rescuing your best buddy from getting beaten up?
Like a wind swishing past, in a mere instant, there was an empty spot beside Xu Shuangtze’s body.
Gong Wei leapt out of the window without even looking back, and the two teenagers excitedly jostled each other, disappearing in the direction of the Correctional Palace.
“…”
Silence slowly returned to the room. The cicadas were chirping loudly on the tree branches, their sounds gradually fading away with the wind.
Xu Shuangtze did not move, nor did he have a specific expression, and only after a long time did he slowly put down his brush. Still sitting there, the depths of his pupils reflecting the dust floating silently in the air.
“Nonsense, that’s all.” He said, word-by-word through his teeth.
At that time, they all thought that it would take many more years for Gong Wei to build his foundation and then cultivate his golden core. Even if he could not end up reaching the Dhyana realm, he would at least be able to wield a decent immortal sword.
No one expected that just a few years later, Bai Taishou would come out of nowhere. And when no one was expecting, Gong Wei would then fight a battle that would make his name known throughout the world.
In his life, Gong Wei had gotten further than anyone could have imagined, and at the same time, lived a much shorter life than anyone could have imagined.
But that was much later.
—
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‘Forbidden’.
Cang Yang Sect’s Forbidden Palace, trespassers would be killed, without exception.
Xu Shuangtze looked up at the door plaque and locked eyes on the character for a long time.
Everyone knew that the Chief of the Discipline Department was once the Cang Yang Sect Master’s object of utmost hatred.
It was twenty years ago, in the depths of night, when Xu Shuangtze had just woken up from the illusionary world created by the Thousand Dimension Mirror Realm. He flew on his sword from Xuanji Palace and headed straight towards the Dai Mountain Immortal Alliance and smashed the door of the Punishment Court with an earth-shattering sound.
Before the shivering Chief Gong could pack his bag and escape, he was grabbed by Xu Shuangtze at the back of his collar and dragged out.
Although everything that happened afterwards has become increasingly convoluted and blurred, there is just one detail from that night that is unmistakable and vivid. That was because half of the disciples of the Correctional Palace bore witness and heard Lord Xu’s angry cries, “You dared to kill my wife, you will pay for it with your life today! Gong Wei—!”
Gong Wei ran for his life, but Xu Shuangtze was in hot pursuit, coming so close that he almost slashed his feet off several times. The entirety of Dai Mountain was alerted, and even Ying Kai woke up in the middle of the night and came chasing after him in his night robes, “Stop it, Shuangtze! That’s not your real wife, it’s just an illusion!”
“Shixiong, help! Shixiong, help!!!”
“I know you are extremely prejudiced against Gong Zhiyu, but he did his best to enter the illusionary world this time, he was only helping you to break your barrier, Shuangtze!!”
“Help! Help, help, help!”
“Shuangtze, stop it! Someone, anyone, hold back Lord Xu—”
The turning point happened in the same instant.
Gong Wei’s head slammed into the corner of the wall, he was cornered and desperately held his head in an attempt to block off an expected blow.
But the blade of No Way Out suddenly stopped right in front of his arm.
—Under the blade was a shimmering sparkle…As Gong Wei lifted his arms to his face, his long sleeves slipped back, revealing an unmistakably familiar gold ring on his elbow. Which was ever so prominent in Xu Shuangtze’s field of vision.
“…”
Crack! The tip No Way Out was struck deep into the floor tiles, and Xu Shuangtze staggered backwards.
“—I’ve been wearing it for as long as I can remember, and have forgotten where it came from.” The hoarse voice of General Bai in the illusionary world still rang in his ears, with a longing and devotion that only his own heart knew, saying, “I want you to have it as a token of gratitude for saving my life.”
“I don’t know why, I have never seen your face or heard your voice, but when I first met you, it felt like I already knew you in my past life.”
It felt as if I had been waiting for you for a long time and liked you for a long time…”
“Ah Tao, do you also feel that we have met before in a past life?”
“When we meet again, may we become husband and wife.”
…
When we meet again, may we become husband and wife
The words he spoke in the illusionary world rang in his ears. And every scene and every sentence was a razor-sharp claw, cruelly ripping and revealing a simple truth beneath all these years self-deception—
No matter how powerful the mirror art was, how could he have fallen in love with someone he had never seen or spoken to before?
It turned out that from the very beginning, it had nothing to do with that demonic right eye or any inhuman tricks.
The past lives, the déjà vu, the joy of the reunion and the unbearable longing, all had an answer at this moment.
“Is Chief Gong all right?!” “Quick, help him up and pull Lord Xu to his feet!” “It’s okay, it’s okay now…”
The cries, bustle and chaos in the background faded into buzzing white noise. Xu Shuangtze stared straight at Gong Wei, who was being flanked by a group of people, and hiding behind a stone pillar and looking over. His gaze reflected both fear and confusion.
“Shuangtze ah, Shuangtze, how could you be so impulsive and so ungrateful?” Ying Kai was so furious that he could not stop talking, and kept reprimanding him on the side. “I know you’ve always been prejudiced against Zhiyu, saying that he’s a demon, that he’s inhuman, and that one day he’ll bring great misfortune to the world… but he’s been working hard all these years, and no one but you thinks he’s demonic in any way! This time, he only entered the illusionary world to help you break the killing barrier! You’ve always held a grudge against him, but it’s better to settle this one than to bear another. I will never allow you to make another move against Gong Zhiyu!…”
“Ying Kai.” Xu Shuangtze said hoarsely.
“How can you try to cut down Gong Zhiyu, who you watched grow up, just because of a ‘wife’ that didn’t even exist ? You’re simply…what’s wrong with you?!”
Ying Kai looked at Xu Shuangtze in horror. He saw that his face had turned deathly-pale and he was in a daze, as if he was deaf to the naggy reprimands—and was only staring straight at Gong Wei in the distance.
“If only I hadn’t gone to that peach forest with you that year,” he murmured.
“If only I’d never met that heartless thing.”
Then, Ying Kai’s pupils suddenly constricted as he watched as Xu Shuangtze covered his mouth tightly with one hand and violently coughed out a mouthful of blood!
“Shuang-Shuangtze!”
…
That was the end of the unforgettable and chaotic night. With everyone comforting the terrified and crying Gong Wei, not one person noticed that Xu Shuangtze had left without saying goodbye.
As if his soul had been expelled from his body, he hovered high above, with cold, glazed eyes he returned to the peak of Cang Yang Mountain like a walking corpse. That mouthful of blood had already solidified into a hideous splatter in his palm.
“Sovereign!”
“His Lordship has returned!”
“Sovereign, that is…what has happened to you?!”
Xu Shuangtze stood still like a lost soul. He looked as cold and calm as ever, but his eyes revealed an unmistakable sombreness.
“There shall be a Forbidden Palace here,” he whispered all of a sudden.
Wen Xiuyang, who stood closest to him, froze. “Sovereign, what did you say?”
“…Build a Forbidden Palace here.” Xu Shuangtze finally let out a breath which was heavy with the scent of rust. He stood up straight and said, “After it has been built, I will personally inscribe the secret spells. From now on, no one will be allowed to come near it, and those who disobey this order will be killed without mercy.”
Everyone present was confused, but no one dared to ask questions, so they bowed, “Understood!”
The Forbidden Palace of the Cang Yang Sect was erected twenty years ago, in the depths of the mountain, where people could rarely catch a glimpse of it, and the materials used for its construction were extremely yin in nature.
Each tile, each wall, was densely packed with secret spells of formidable spiritual powers and each was personally inscribed by Xu Shuangtze himself.
Everyone was aware that the Cang Yang Sect Master and the Chief of the Department of Discipline had a bad relationship back then. Yet, no one knew that from that day onwards, Gong Wei had become Xu Shuangtze’s worst nightmare.
And this was the place where he was going to imprison and hide away his nightmare.
—Forbidden.
Xu Shuangtze finally withdrew his gaze, and lifted his feet to walk forward, his shoes made faint shuffling sounds as he stepped on the thick layers of fallen leaves scattered on the ground.
With a creak, he pushed open the decorated door and stepped into the grand palace.
The twelve whalebone screen doors were spread out, the majestic carved beams and fluffy, high pillows, and the scarlet cloud-like veil swayed despite the stillness of the air.
He took off the gold ring from his wrist and gently placed it by the bed. Then, footsteps came from outside the hall, cautiously stopping beside the window and not approaching any closer.
The disciple who was on guard duty was here, “Greetings, Sovereign!”
Xu Shuangtze asked, “Where is Xiang Xiaoyuan?”
The disciple, probably a little surprised, froze for a moment before saying, “He should still be in Xuanji Palace.”
“Bring him to me.”
“Yes!”
Xu Shuangtze let out a deep breath and looked around at the familiar furnishings.
Specks of dust hovering in the air could be seen as the gloomy daylight peeked in. The antique bookshelf cast a vertical shadow on the floor, and several stacks of novels and illustrated books were stacked on the green jade table.
On the wall, there was a set of paintings depicting the story of ‘The Ghost Prince Welcomes His Bride’. Twenty years’ worth of age had yellowed the paper scroll, but the brushwork was lively and amusing. The same illustration was a common sight in Xuanmen families, and they were used to coax and entertain young children.
His eyes fell on the eighth picture—of a little red fox playing the suona, and he did not move away from it for a long time, as if he had fallen into some distant and comforting memories.
“Reporting back to Your Lordship—!”
At that moment, the disciple returned on his sword and walked quickly to the window, saying urgently, “As summoned by Your Lordship, in order to bring Shidi here, I have searched everywhere but he was nowhere to be found. I just heard from the mountain guards saying that Shidi has left the mountain together with the Young Master Yuchi on a sword!!”
The corners of Xu Shuangtze’s sharp eyebrows slowly pressed together.
Editor: Sahloknir
The atmosphere was almost frozen, before Xu Shuangtze broke it and said, “I see.”
Then he turned and took a step towards Yuchi Xiao.
“Lord Xu?” The messenger of the Immortal Alliance did not know what was going on, and thought he was leaving, so said anxiously, “According to the laws of the Immortal Alliance, in order to prevent the Alliance from being left without a leader, between the Alliance Master and the Cang Yang Sect Master, one of the two sovereigns must remain out of danger. Your Lordship must not leave Cang Yang Mountain!”
AD
Xu Shuangtze walked towards Yuchi Xiao, saying, “I know.”
“Sovereign…”
The messenger’s voice choked as he watched, dumbfounded, as Xu Shuangtze drew his sword again and pointed it swiftly at Yuchi Xiao’s throat with murderous intent!
This time there would be no one to stop Xu Shuangtze as No Way Out’s sword aura immobilized the younger man. For a moment Yuchi Xiao even had the illusion that he had already been struck through the throat with that blade.
—Am I already dead?
But just then he felt the cold, sharp tip of the sword slowly move to the side of his face, tapping him twice. A thin stream of blood trickled out and ran along the sword’s groove.
“…” Yuchi Xiao opened his eyes as he shivered from the stinging pain and met Xu Shuangtze’s mocking gaze from above.
Jing Xu trembled, saying, “Sov-Sovereign…”
At that moment, a transmission token suddenly flew out of Yuchi Xiao’s sleeve of its own accord and exploded into a manifestation formation with a loud bang.
Red and gold rays crisscrossed the sky, and the Sword Sect’s Yuchi Changsheng appeared in the middle of that formation, wielding his divine sword Tower of Rakshasa and steadily locking the blade of No Way Out!
“Xu Shuangtze.” He said coldly.
The crowd reacted a step too late, and hurriedly bowed, “Paying our respects to the Sword Sect Master!”
Yuchi Xiao was so weak that it was as if his whole body had been drenched in cold sweat, and he blurted out, “Uncle! How are you?!”
“…” Xu Shuangtze looked at Yuchi Changsheng, moving his gaze up and down. No one could tell what he was thinking about from his cold facial expression. After a short while, amidst the many tense looks around him, he withdrew No Way Out.
The breath that was stuck in everyone’s throat was finally relieved.
Yuchi Changsheng tilted his head towards his nephew, “Return to the Golden Gate.”
“You’re trapped in the Ding Xian Mausoleum too?!”
The Sword Sect Master intensified his tone, “Return to the Golden Gate at once!”
But Yuchi Xiao stood up with support from Gou Chen, “I will now go to…”
Just then, a loud gust of wind could be heard, and the Sword Sect Master spun around. The almost spent spiritual power of the spell formation fluctuated violently and weakened further because of his sudden action. Suddenly, Yuchi Xiao’s eyes widened in dismay.
The Sword Sect Master’s golden armour was cracked in numerous places, his neck, chest and abdomen bore injuries. His left arm had a foot-long gaping wound, and the sleeve of his robe was soaked with fresh blood!
He spoke again, articulating each word now, “Return to the Golden Gate, protect yourself, and don’t come to the mausoleum.”
Immediately afterwards, the spell ended and countless specks of light dispersed in the wind, disappearing in mid-air.
Xu Shuangtze turned around and sheathed his sword. Not looking at Yuchi Xiao anymore, he said, “Wen Xiuyang.”
Wen Xiuyang immediately lowered his body, “Here.”
“Send him down the mountain.”
“Understood!”
Xu Shuangtze did not even turn his head to glance at the younger man. With his hands behind his back, he walked in mid-air towards the direction of Xuanji Palace, the hem of his robe lifting in the wind. Soon, his figure disappeared into the mountains.
—
The cracked cliffs and smoke moved further away and faded into the background.
The endless gusts of wind greeted Xu Shuangtze. He did not fly on his sword, instead, he took strides in mid-air towards the mountain peaks.
The masses of clouds gathered and dispersed beneath him, and in the distance, within the silence of the untouched mountains, valleys and forests, there was a great palace, with a spectacular silhouette of glazed tiles and clean silver eaves.
Ding dang!
That golden ring formed by three twisted spirals, knocked into the scabbard of No Way Out with Xu Shuangtze’s every movement, giving off a crisp reverberation.
Ding dang—
It was as if he heard the melodic clattering of the wind chimes which once hung along the corridors, swaying gently like a veil in the wind. One late spring day in the Correctional Palace, a slim, young figure suddenly emerged from the top of the wall, head-first, and stole a glance at Xu Shuangtze from above. The boy thought he was very stealthy.
“…Lord Xu, don’t be offended, that’s the young master our alliance master brought back half a month ago. He seems to be mentally incompetent and can’t speak…”
Xu Shuangtze stood still and extended his hand towards the boy.
The figure shrank back with a swish, revealing only two wary eyes.
But Xu Shuangtze did not move, maintaining his posture and extended palm, he continued to stare at the boy. A short while later, the pair of eyes blinked, the right pupil turning crimson red, but when he blinked again, it turned back. These eyes reflected doubt and hesitation.
“…”
Xu Shuangtze withdrew his hand back into his sleeve. With this action, the figure behind the wall couldn’t help but inch out to get a closer look, and saw the Cang Yang Sect Master had brought out two small, gold coins from his robes. He threaded them with a silk thread, and casually shook them, giving off a tinkling sound.
The boy’s eyes widened for a moment.
Ding dang!
Ding dang!
Daylight peek through the veil of the corridor, the rays hit the little gold coins, making them shine and sparkle. This, accompanied by the crisp jingle, caused the boy’s eyes to follow the movement of the coins in curiosity.
Ding dang—
The winds swept by and the jingle still rang in his ears, as Xu Shuangtze saw a blur in front of his eyes. And at this moment, there was suddenly nothing in his hands.
The young boy turned his back and slipped away like a scarlet cloud. In just an instant, he was already several feet away, his thin, white fingers still clutching the two gold coins held together by a silk thread.
The boy clutched them tightly, as if he was afraid of losing them. With the sound of his rapid footsteps and jingle of the coins, his figure disappeared at the end of the long, winding corridor.
Only the wind brushed past and accompanied the man, who remained behind for a long time.
“Sov-Sovereign, please don’t take offence! The young master is not in his right mind, he is young and ignorant, it was never his intention…”
Xu Shuangtze suddenly let out a laugh, and the disciple of the Correctional Palace froze, thinking that he had heard wrong.
“He runs fast,” he said.
The disciple of the Correctional Palace could not tell if the Cang Yang Sect Master was pleased or angry as he muttered these words.
“That’s good.” He commented, “Those who run fast, live long.”
—
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but in those years, the number of occasions that Lord Xu had to attend in person at the Immortal Alliance suddenly increased significantly.
The young boy who had been brought back by Lord Ying had grown up day by day—although ‘growing up’ was a false concept for him, as all those years had not made a mark or left a single trace on Gong Wei.
He was just beginning to learn about people, or rather, learn to be more human.
Xu Shuangtze taught him to recite the Daoist scriptures to enlighten him and personally taught him to write. At the end of spring in the Correctional Palace, the fallen peach blossom petals were carried by the wind and drifted in great numbers across the window pane.
Xu Shuangtze sat in front of the table, holding Gong Wei’s hand to copy ‘The Spirit of the Sword’ manual. Although Gong Wei was still sitting in an acceptable posture, the tip of his brush was always crooked, and he could not straighten it no matter how hard he tried.
After he wrote a few words, he would turn back and touch the scabbard of No Way Out, asking, “What words are these?”
He seldom spoke, probably because he knew in his heart that he hadn’t learnt to speak properly, and his accent was always wrong.
Xu Shuangtze said, “No Way Out.”
“What does that mean?”
“No way out even for ghosts and gods.”
Gong Wei didn’t understand at all, but nodded thoughtfully, and then asked, “Why do you all have swords?”
Xu Shuangtze was still holding onto his right hand and his eyes fell on the writing paper, “Who else has one?”
Gong Wei said, “Shixiong…” After a pause, he added, “Yuchi Changsheng.”
Yuchi Rui was about the same age as him, and when they first met a few years ago, they got into a fight and Yuchi Rui had beaten Gong Wei to tears. Still sniffing and crying, Gong Wei lashed out and kicked Yuchi Rui from the pavilion down the cliff.
When Ying Kai hurried out to look for them, he saw Yuchi Rui hanging from a tree branch at the edge of the cliff in a daze.
Xu Shuangtze said indifferently, “You will have one too when you grow up.”
Gong Wei asked, “How can I have one?”
There were only two ways to obtain an immortal sword in the Xuanmen: the first was through inheritance of the relic, and the second was through the help of a master in refining one.
In Gong Wei’s case, it would be logical for Ying Kai to help him refine a weapon with compatible attributes and spiritual power—but he would inevitably have to wait for a long time. This was because a cultivator was not allowed to have his own immortal sword until he had formed his golden core.
No one had ever explained the concept of cultivating a golden core to Gong Wei. After all, he couldn’t even speak properly, let alone reach a foundational cultivation level.
So Xu Shuangtze only said, “You will naturally have one when you grow up.”
Gong Wei didn’t understand, but nodded thoughtfully once again. After a short while, as if he had suddenly made a decision, Gong Wei tilted his head and looked up at Xu Shuangtze’s chin, “Xu Bai.”
Xu Shuangtze said, “You’re talking a lot today.”
Gong Wei maintained that position, looking at him keenly, and said solemnly, “You are the only one I like.”
The tip of the brush suddenly stopped, hanging in mid-air.
The room was so quiet that a pin drop could be clearly heard, and outside the window the treetops swayed gently in the breeze, which came in waves.
It was only after a long time that Xu Shuangtze broke the silence and reprimanded in a low voice, “…nonsense.”
Gong Wei was reluctant to back down and wanted to argue. But at this moment, the sound of footsteps came from outside the window, followed by a figure leaping up and tapping on the window pane.
It was Yuchi Rui, “Gong Wei! Come and help! I’ve caught all of Ying Kai’s fish and he’s going to beat me up!”
Gong Wei, “?!”
What could be more important in the world than rescuing your best buddy from getting beaten up?
Like a wind swishing past, in a mere instant, there was an empty spot beside Xu Shuangtze’s body.
Gong Wei leapt out of the window without even looking back, and the two teenagers excitedly jostled each other, disappearing in the direction of the Correctional Palace.
“…”
Silence slowly returned to the room. The cicadas were chirping loudly on the tree branches, their sounds gradually fading away with the wind.
Xu Shuangtze did not move, nor did he have a specific expression, and only after a long time did he slowly put down his brush. Still sitting there, the depths of his pupils reflecting the dust floating silently in the air.
“Nonsense, that’s all.” He said, word-by-word through his teeth.
At that time, they all thought that it would take many more years for Gong Wei to build his foundation and then cultivate his golden core. Even if he could not end up reaching the Dhyana realm, he would at least be able to wield a decent immortal sword.
No one expected that just a few years later, Bai Taishou would come out of nowhere. And when no one was expecting, Gong Wei would then fight a battle that would make his name known throughout the world.
In his life, Gong Wei had gotten further than anyone could have imagined, and at the same time, lived a much shorter life than anyone could have imagined.
But that was much later.
—
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‘Forbidden’.
Cang Yang Sect’s Forbidden Palace, trespassers would be killed, without exception.
Xu Shuangtze looked up at the door plaque and locked eyes on the character for a long time.
Everyone knew that the Chief of the Discipline Department was once the Cang Yang Sect Master’s object of utmost hatred.
It was twenty years ago, in the depths of night, when Xu Shuangtze had just woken up from the illusionary world created by the Thousand Dimension Mirror Realm. He flew on his sword from Xuanji Palace and headed straight towards the Dai Mountain Immortal Alliance and smashed the door of the Punishment Court with an earth-shattering sound.
Before the shivering Chief Gong could pack his bag and escape, he was grabbed by Xu Shuangtze at the back of his collar and dragged out.
Although everything that happened afterwards has become increasingly convoluted and blurred, there is just one detail from that night that is unmistakable and vivid. That was because half of the disciples of the Correctional Palace bore witness and heard Lord Xu’s angry cries, “You dared to kill my wife, you will pay for it with your life today! Gong Wei—!”
Gong Wei ran for his life, but Xu Shuangtze was in hot pursuit, coming so close that he almost slashed his feet off several times. The entirety of Dai Mountain was alerted, and even Ying Kai woke up in the middle of the night and came chasing after him in his night robes, “Stop it, Shuangtze! That’s not your real wife, it’s just an illusion!”
“Shixiong, help! Shixiong, help!!!”
“I know you are extremely prejudiced against Gong Zhiyu, but he did his best to enter the illusionary world this time, he was only helping you to break your barrier, Shuangtze!!”
“Help! Help, help, help!”
“Shuangtze, stop it! Someone, anyone, hold back Lord Xu—”
The turning point happened in the same instant.
Gong Wei’s head slammed into the corner of the wall, he was cornered and desperately held his head in an attempt to block off an expected blow.
But the blade of No Way Out suddenly stopped right in front of his arm.
—Under the blade was a shimmering sparkle…As Gong Wei lifted his arms to his face, his long sleeves slipped back, revealing an unmistakably familiar gold ring on his elbow. Which was ever so prominent in Xu Shuangtze’s field of vision.
“…”
Crack! The tip No Way Out was struck deep into the floor tiles, and Xu Shuangtze staggered backwards.
“—I’ve been wearing it for as long as I can remember, and have forgotten where it came from.” The hoarse voice of General Bai in the illusionary world still rang in his ears, with a longing and devotion that only his own heart knew, saying, “I want you to have it as a token of gratitude for saving my life.”
“I don’t know why, I have never seen your face or heard your voice, but when I first met you, it felt like I already knew you in my past life.”
It felt as if I had been waiting for you for a long time and liked you for a long time…”
“Ah Tao, do you also feel that we have met before in a past life?”
“When we meet again, may we become husband and wife.”
…
When we meet again, may we become husband and wife
The words he spoke in the illusionary world rang in his ears. And every scene and every sentence was a razor-sharp claw, cruelly ripping and revealing a simple truth beneath all these years self-deception—
No matter how powerful the mirror art was, how could he have fallen in love with someone he had never seen or spoken to before?
It turned out that from the very beginning, it had nothing to do with that demonic right eye or any inhuman tricks.
The past lives, the déjà vu, the joy of the reunion and the unbearable longing, all had an answer at this moment.
“Is Chief Gong all right?!” “Quick, help him up and pull Lord Xu to his feet!” “It’s okay, it’s okay now…”
The cries, bustle and chaos in the background faded into buzzing white noise. Xu Shuangtze stared straight at Gong Wei, who was being flanked by a group of people, and hiding behind a stone pillar and looking over. His gaze reflected both fear and confusion.
“Shuangtze ah, Shuangtze, how could you be so impulsive and so ungrateful?” Ying Kai was so furious that he could not stop talking, and kept reprimanding him on the side. “I know you’ve always been prejudiced against Zhiyu, saying that he’s a demon, that he’s inhuman, and that one day he’ll bring great misfortune to the world… but he’s been working hard all these years, and no one but you thinks he’s demonic in any way! This time, he only entered the illusionary world to help you break the killing barrier! You’ve always held a grudge against him, but it’s better to settle this one than to bear another. I will never allow you to make another move against Gong Zhiyu!…”
“Ying Kai.” Xu Shuangtze said hoarsely.
“How can you try to cut down Gong Zhiyu, who you watched grow up, just because of a ‘wife’ that didn’t even exist ? You’re simply…what’s wrong with you?!”
Ying Kai looked at Xu Shuangtze in horror. He saw that his face had turned deathly-pale and he was in a daze, as if he was deaf to the naggy reprimands—and was only staring straight at Gong Wei in the distance.
“If only I hadn’t gone to that peach forest with you that year,” he murmured.
“If only I’d never met that heartless thing.”
Then, Ying Kai’s pupils suddenly constricted as he watched as Xu Shuangtze covered his mouth tightly with one hand and violently coughed out a mouthful of blood!
“Shuang-Shuangtze!”
…
That was the end of the unforgettable and chaotic night. With everyone comforting the terrified and crying Gong Wei, not one person noticed that Xu Shuangtze had left without saying goodbye.
As if his soul had been expelled from his body, he hovered high above, with cold, glazed eyes he returned to the peak of Cang Yang Mountain like a walking corpse. That mouthful of blood had already solidified into a hideous splatter in his palm.
“Sovereign!”
“His Lordship has returned!”
“Sovereign, that is…what has happened to you?!”
Xu Shuangtze stood still like a lost soul. He looked as cold and calm as ever, but his eyes revealed an unmistakable sombreness.
“There shall be a Forbidden Palace here,” he whispered all of a sudden.
Wen Xiuyang, who stood closest to him, froze. “Sovereign, what did you say?”
“…Build a Forbidden Palace here.” Xu Shuangtze finally let out a breath which was heavy with the scent of rust. He stood up straight and said, “After it has been built, I will personally inscribe the secret spells. From now on, no one will be allowed to come near it, and those who disobey this order will be killed without mercy.”
Everyone present was confused, but no one dared to ask questions, so they bowed, “Understood!”
The Forbidden Palace of the Cang Yang Sect was erected twenty years ago, in the depths of the mountain, where people could rarely catch a glimpse of it, and the materials used for its construction were extremely yin in nature.
Each tile, each wall, was densely packed with secret spells of formidable spiritual powers and each was personally inscribed by Xu Shuangtze himself.
Everyone was aware that the Cang Yang Sect Master and the Chief of the Department of Discipline had a bad relationship back then. Yet, no one knew that from that day onwards, Gong Wei had become Xu Shuangtze’s worst nightmare.
And this was the place where he was going to imprison and hide away his nightmare.
—Forbidden.
Xu Shuangtze finally withdrew his gaze, and lifted his feet to walk forward, his shoes made faint shuffling sounds as he stepped on the thick layers of fallen leaves scattered on the ground.
With a creak, he pushed open the decorated door and stepped into the grand palace.
The twelve whalebone screen doors were spread out, the majestic carved beams and fluffy, high pillows, and the scarlet cloud-like veil swayed despite the stillness of the air.
He took off the gold ring from his wrist and gently placed it by the bed. Then, footsteps came from outside the hall, cautiously stopping beside the window and not approaching any closer.
The disciple who was on guard duty was here, “Greetings, Sovereign!”
Xu Shuangtze asked, “Where is Xiang Xiaoyuan?”
The disciple, probably a little surprised, froze for a moment before saying, “He should still be in Xuanji Palace.”
“Bring him to me.”
“Yes!”
Xu Shuangtze let out a deep breath and looked around at the familiar furnishings.
Specks of dust hovering in the air could be seen as the gloomy daylight peeked in. The antique bookshelf cast a vertical shadow on the floor, and several stacks of novels and illustrated books were stacked on the green jade table.
On the wall, there was a set of paintings depicting the story of ‘The Ghost Prince Welcomes His Bride’. Twenty years’ worth of age had yellowed the paper scroll, but the brushwork was lively and amusing. The same illustration was a common sight in Xuanmen families, and they were used to coax and entertain young children.
His eyes fell on the eighth picture—of a little red fox playing the suona, and he did not move away from it for a long time, as if he had fallen into some distant and comforting memories.
“Reporting back to Your Lordship—!”
At that moment, the disciple returned on his sword and walked quickly to the window, saying urgently, “As summoned by Your Lordship, in order to bring Shidi here, I have searched everywhere but he was nowhere to be found. I just heard from the mountain guards saying that Shidi has left the mountain together with the Young Master Yuchi on a sword!!”
The corners of Xu Shuangtze’s sharp eyebrows slowly pressed together.
