Chapter Fifty-One: Entering the Valley and Reflecting on the Past

  "This sword is called Xihe?" Xuan Zhen listened and couldn't help but take another look at the sword. The ancients once said that Xihe covered the heaven and earth when they were first born, and was in charge of the sun. This red sword had a halo of flames surrounding it, and even cold ice couldn't completely suppress its fiery nature, which indeed lived up to its name. He nodded his head in praise, "Indeed, the sword is as good as its name."

  "Shi Shu also understands the sword, and there is a Wanshu Yinyue Sword. Why don't you go take a look?" Zong Lianzhang suggested with sudden interest, not forgetting to glance at Tai Qing Zhenren for approval.

  Tai Qing Zhen Ren nodded slightly and said: "Alright, Xuan Zhen, you go with Zong Lian Shang Lao for now."

  The three of them retreated from the ice room again, and on the west side of the cave, there was a small path. Xuán Zhèn followed Zōng Liàn Lǎo into it. At first, he didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but gradually, as they went deeper, the surroundings felt like being roasted in fire, becoming increasingly scorching hot.

  As soon as he walked into the stone room, a large area of fiery red and black suddenly appeared in front of him. Those scorch marks were all over the stone walls and floor. On the ground, there were also many cracks that had appeared out of nowhere. In the cracks of the scorched earth, there was still smoke and fire lingering, and from time to time, a thin flame would burst out. If he hadn't seen with his own eyes that the stone room was covered in an array of gathered fire, Xuanshen would have thought he had entered the belly of a volcano.

  He covered his nose with his sleeve to block out the smoke, and followed Zong Lian's old man down the stone steps to a relatively flat piece of scorched earth below. In the middle of this scorched earth, a pool of flames had been cleared out, with boiling magma inside, occasionally spewing out sparks, and even before approaching, a wave of heat hit his face. Xuan Zhen stood behind Zong Lian's old man, looking clearly, just like the Xihe sword that was sealed in the ice wall earlier, there was also a crystal blue treasure sword inserted in the magma.

  This sword is slightly longer and lighter than the Xihe Yang Sword, with a layer of soft, ethereal light covering its entire body, as clear as autumn water. The sword body and hilt are connected without any guard in between, forming a single entity from head to toe, looking delicate and exquisite, extremely beautiful.

  "Just now that sword was extremely hot, but this one is quite icy cold. I wonder what it's called?" asked Xuan Zhen, unable to hold back his curiosity.

  Zong Lian's long beard trembled slightly as he smiled and said, "Yang Jian is Xihe, so naturally the Yin Sword would be called Wangshu."

  According to ancient books, Wangshu is the charioteer of the moon. Wangshu refers to the goddess who drives the lunar carriage. Xuanzhen smiled and said: "These two swords are named Xihe and Wangshu, one yin and one yang, it's really interesting!"

  When they had finished looking at the Wonders of the Sword, Xuan Zhen and Zong Lian returned to the cave. The Taiching True Man saw them return and stroked his beard saying: "Xuan Zhen, you have seen those two swords just now, what do you think?"

  Xuan Zhen was taken aback for a moment, then replied: "Indeed, it's a rare good sword."

  "That's natural. But do you know, these two swords are not just precious to the Qinghua Sect, they embody the blood and hopes of three generations of our sect's people. If it weren't so, why would we carefully place them in a forbidden area for safekeeping?" Taiching Zhenren said with profound meaning, subtly waving his hand at Zonglian, who slightly nodded and turned back to return to the ice chamber where he had been guarding the Xihua Yang sword.

  At this time, only two people were left in the cave. The Taichu True Man gazed at Xuán Zhèn and slowly said: "Xuán Zhèn, my disciple, I have high hopes for you, which is why I brought you here and let you see those yin-yang twin swords. Next, I will tell you something big that concerns our sect's long-cherished wish, listen carefully!"

  Xuan Zhen's whole body shook, and he hastily knelt down on the ground, saying in a low voice: "Yes."

  "One year ago, Master asked you to go down the mountain and travel, do you still remember what Qingyang Elder and I wanted you to do at that time?" Taiching True Man asked.

  "Master and Master Shu ordered his disciples to go down the mountain to find... to find someone with extremely strong yin and yang in their fate." Xuan Zhen said in a low voice.

  "Not bad. Then do you know why we need to find that person with extremely strong yin and yang, and what will happen after finding them?" The Taiching True Person didn't wait for his response and continued, "I'll tell you instead, it's because of a thousand-year-old wish of the Qionghua Sect - to bathe in heavenly light and elevate the entire sect to immortality!"

  Bathing in heavenly light, he became a celestial being! Xuan Zhen's heart trembled and he couldn't help but raise his head to look at his master, his face full of astonishment.

  Taiqing True Person did not look at him, but instead gazed intently at the void in front of him, slowly saying: "At the peak of Kunlun's many mountains, where the heavenly light shines down, is the legendary path to immortality. If one can pass through it, they can ascend to become an immortal during the day. However, that place is filled with spiritual energy, and the energies clash against each other, making it impossible for a single person to approach. My sect has been cultivating immortality, accumulating efforts over time, diligently without rest, but unfortunately, the results are meager. Clearly, that heavenly light is right above our heads, yet no matter what, we cannot reach it..."

  Xuan Zhen listened intently, and before his eyes seemed to emerge the scenes of generations of masters who had cultivated for many years but could only drink their bitter tears and gaze up at the sky, and in his heart also arose a faint sense of regret.

  "Until the 20th generation of the sect's leader, Dao Yin Zhenren, this extraordinary talent's predecessor, realized that by nourishing the sword with human energy, all things are divided into yin and yang, and yin and yang give birth to all things. The stern expression on Tai Qing Zhenren's face gradually dissipated, and his eyes suddenly shone with a brilliant light. He thought for a long time and came up with an excellent method: if he could cultivate a pair of male and female twin swords, using immense spiritual energy to form a sword pillar that would pierce the sky and reach the spot on Mount Kunlun where the heavenly light shines down, then all the people in the sect could cast off their mortal bodies and become immortal!"

  "Male and Female Twin Swords?" Xuán Zhèn suddenly came to his senses, "Xī Hé, Wàng Shū!"

  "Not bad." Taiching nodded and stroked his beard, "Since the time of Daoist Immortal Xin, our sect has spent three generations' worth of effort, exhausting our heart and soul, to finally forge the two swords Xihuo and Wangshu a year ago. That's why I sent you down the mountain to find someone at that time, because our sect needs someone with extremely strong yin-yang aura in their fate, and the twin swords need someone with extremely strong yin-yang aura in their fate!"

  "The sword divides yin and yang, people are also... Is it not so?" Xuan Zhen suddenly enlightened, looked up at his master with inquiry.

  Tai Qing Zhen Ren nodded his head in approval: "It's just as you thought. The Twin Swords are indeed divine artifacts, but without the infusion of a living person's spiritual energy, they're nothing more than lifeless objects. They require a host with an extremely strong yin-yang aura to serve as their vessel, and only through the mutual cultivation of human and sword can their immense divine power be unleashed... Haha, haha!" Even someone as normally stern as he couldn't help but burst into long laughter at the thought of his sect's future glory.

  Xuan Zhen heard it in his ears, and he couldn't help but feel a little yearning, but he ultimately felt that this was just an extremely distant dream. Moreover, if he wanted to use the sword pillar to bring the Qinghua Sect to the clouds, the required spiritual power would be enormous, not something that one or two young disciples could support. He hesitated for a moment before saying: "Master, Double Swords are extraordinary, but that person with extreme yin and yang..."

  "You don't have to worry about this. It's also a blessing from heaven, as people with extremely yin and yang destinies are all in our sect." Taichu True Person reached into his sleeve and slowly stroked the Lingguang Moya jade, "The girl with a yin destiny you've seen before is your junior sister Su Yu, while the man with a yang destiny... is someone who has entered the mountain gate himself, precisely your junior brother - Xuan Xiao."

  "Xuan Xiao?" Xuan Zhen was taken aback for a moment.

  Tai Qing Zhen Ren nodded slowly and continued, "These two have been in the sect for a short time, but their natural talents are both exceptional. As long as they focus on cultivating, after a few more years, I can entrust the twin swords to them. At that time, with man and sword cultivating together, progress will naturally be twice as fast. If you, big senior brother, don't work harder, it's likely you'll also be surpassed by them."

  "Even so, it's still too strenuous with just the two of us..." Xuan Zhen furrowed his brow and said.

  The Taichu True Person cast him a sidelong glance and said calmly, "Do you think the seniors didn't consider this?" He paused for a moment before continuing slowly, "If one wants to create a sword pillar, relying solely on the spiritual energy of those two people and the nearby mountain peaks would be far from enough. The rest would have to come from the demon realm."

  "Youkai realm?" Genchin asked with wide eyes.

  "Not bad, Dao Yin Zhenren indeed has extraordinary talent. He observed the stars at night and found that there is a demon realm that moves like the celestial orbit, approaching our sect every 19 years...". Taiching Zhenren stroked his long beard, "However, this realm's shape and form are hidden, so our sect must use the power of dual swords to force it out, make it appear, capture it with a net, and then think of ways to obtain its spiritual energy. At the same time, we can also eliminate the demon, isn't that a win-win strategy?"

  Xuan Zhen only now realized that Tai Qing True Person was not asking his disciples to use their own strength to bring the Qiong Hua Sect to ascend, but rather to borrow the spiritual power of the demon realm to fulfill a long-cherished wish. Although the demon creatures were hateful, this kind of behavior of plundering other realms was not necessarily brilliant either. He couldn't help but blurt out: "Master, this kind of behavior is not...not what a gentleman would do."

  Tai Qing Zhen Ren was taken aback at first, then suddenly flew into a rage, staring at him and saying slowly: "What did you say? The predecessors of my sect have paid so much heart's blood for the Qiong Hua Sect, and I and your Shu Shu have gone to great pains, but in your eyes, they all seem to be the actions of evil demons and heretics?"

  Xuan Zhen furrowed his brow and said: "But that demon realm was peaceful, yet just passing over the void of Qionghua, they would suffer a terrible calamity..."

  "That's the demon realm!" Taiching Zhenren said angrily, "Killing demons is our duty, those spiritual powers would be better used by me than being occupied by demons. It can also help Qinghua Sect rise to power, which is a good use of them. As a disciple of Qinghua Sect, you should be willing to risk your life for the sect, why are you speaking up for the demon instead?"

  "Master, I..."

  Xuan Zhen was about to explain, but Tai Qing True Person waved his sleeve and interrupted him, saying angrily: "No need to say more! Daring to disobey the master, you will be punished to go to Si Fan Valley for ten days of reflection. If you can't figure out where your mistake is and which one is more important between Qiong Hua Sect and those trivial matters, then don't come back to see me!"

  The author has something to say: Three more episodes are finished ~ Cough, continue typing ~