Volume 1 Chapter 2 — Destiny
When the meeting concluded, everyone slowly dispersed.
In a secret room, Hu Lian was relaxing on a chair while his disciple sat opposite him. In front of the two was a chessboard.
Hu Lian caressed his beard before moving a bishop and looked at his disciple with a smile.
With Xin An around, his disciple would never mature.
Hu Lian held a cup while glancing at his disciple. "How's the cultivation art I told you to practice? Any success?"
Wang Peng moved a pawn and replied, "The Essence of Dearth Art?"
Hu Lian nodded his head. "Now that your adversary is gone, focus more on your cultivation. Stop scheming and forget that kid. Now that his disabled, the [Twelve Minor Kings] has one more vacant spot. Try your best to fight for it, don't distract your goal into meaningless things."
Wang Peng was silent before saying. "I heard there are treasures that could help recover foundation. Is that true?"
Hu Lian stroke his beard and said. "Recovering foundation? I've never heard of such thing."
"I see." Wang Peng nodded his head and looked at the chessboard. "En? Master, you baited me. I'm afraid, this round will be yours."
"You brat." Hu Lian scoffed. "You're just saving your master some face. With hundreds or so matches, I only won ten times!"
Wang Peng scratched his hair and replied. "You're so humble, master."
Then he moved a pawn, sacrificing it to not lose the game. Wang Peng frowned and said. "Master, if we kill him on the mountains, I'm sure the sovereign has no rights to accuse us."
"Still thinking of killing?" The Grand Elder sighed and said. "Be thoughtful. Spread the news that he's taking en route of Beast Bright Mountain Range. Although that place is the territory of Jin Brightmoon, they will not care if that brat is killed by Lu or Cloud Mist Sect. Furthermore, have you forgotten the existence of frenzied beasts? If that kid had horrible luck, stumbling that type of beast, he will not avoid inevitable death!"
Wang Peng looked at his master with an odd face. "This keeps bothering me but Master, when I mentioned the sovereign, it seemed that you are deeply afraid of him. Is he truly beyond powerful?"
Hu Lian was silent before sighing. "That man is very, very scary. If you cannot befriend him, you can only avoid him."
"That strong?" Wang Peng raised an eyebrow. It seemed that he was having a hard time hearing the Sword Star Sect's Sectmaster strength and could only nod his head. "I see."
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Sword Star Sect was located southeast of the Sword Star City, situated atop a mountain peak that was halved into a mountain flat.
The mountain was a massive land about one mile wide and hundreds of feet high. Furthermore, formation symbols were laid around the mountain; to prevent outsiders from trespassing the area.
At this moment, around the outer gates of the Sword Star Sect, young men and women were gathering to form a group. These youngsters were outer disciples of the sect; they were part of the Xinmaniac fans!
The reason they gathered at this place was for one particular reason; the shocking news that was announced a few minutes ago!
"Yo! You heard it too? Senior Brother Xin was defeated by Lu Qongyuan! Just now, the elders and the patriarch decided to expel him!"
"En? This happened while I was in seclusion? You, the guy with green hair! Tell me what happened." An outer disciple said with a hint of shock. He was cultivating for a breakthrough in his cultivation and was oblivious of the events that had taken place.
"Senior Brother Li, so it's you! I apologize for failing to notice you. Actually, this is what happened..."
"How rash of them! Even if Senior Brother Xin did something wrong, he's the pride of our sect!" Senior Brother Li said with a hint of anger. He was the leader of the Xinmaniac fans and once received the teaching of Xin An. Hearing his idol was expelled, he was incredibly furious.
Senior Brother Li continued. "So where's Senior Brother Xin now?"
"En, Senior Brother Xin left a while ago."
"Isn't Sectmaster his father? Did he stop him?"
"That...I don't know. From what I heard, the Sovereign abandoned him and no longer acknowledge him as a son."
"What?! Wasn't he very proud of Senior Brother Xin reaching Essence Core at the tender age of 17? He even boosted it for seven days and seven nights and he did something like that? How horrible!"
"That's right! No wonder Senior Brother Xin left the sect it was because of these people! Hmph! I support him! Senior Brother Xin should leave this injustice sect!"
"What do you guys think? Should we chase after Senior Brother Xin?
"I don't know. I only hope that Senior Brother Xin to have a safe journey."
The Xinmaniacs consoled themselves. They had been Xin An's fans ever since his debut. No matter how far he falls, they believed it wouldn't be long for him to rise once again.
The Blazing Light King— a genius that wields the light and fire essence, one of the twelve minor kings, will certainly shine again, someday!
....
The rain drizzled. The heavy rain made the stars appeared blurry and distinct. Black clouds drifted, dimming the stars completely.
Xin An stood, heavily soaked, distance away from Sword Star City, silently observing it; the galloping horses pulling carriages caused muds to wobbled about as it entered the City Gates; Inns and Restaurants were still bustling and customers were going in and out. While the Sword Star Sect situated on the southeast appeared hazy from this distance.
Watching this, Xin An closed his eyes and sighed. The rain still made him shivered. It was better to stay in the city until the rain stop, but Xin An couldn't afford to sit there.
He had many enemies. Cripples like him wouldn't survive a day if they were to relax.
"This time, I'll leave home. I wonder if I will ever return?"
Xin An understood. He understood that he had lost his value. But deep in his heart, he wanted to repay what his father had done to him in the past 18 years. Those precious medicines, treasures, time, wealth, so on and so forth. Without those, he would have died even before witnessing the world; he wasn't ungrateful.
If someday he could rise from this fall, he would pay him back. Because only when he returned all of the favor the bridge between them would be severed.
"What now? Is there a place for me to go?"
Xin An looked at the sky and asked. Wind brushed his skin and rain drench him. If it was an ordinary mortal, resisting this weird and unordinary wind and rain would have long killed them.
"Yan'er...If only you're here." Xin An spread his palm and raised his head. Droplets struck his face. However, he didn't mind. His thoughts were solely occupied by the warmth of his woman— Yu Ruyan. She was the first woman that melted his heart, the first stubborn girl that risked her life to save him. To him, she was unreplaceable.
Ever since he vowed to live with her for eternity and never part, they built a small hut enough for the two of them to cuddle near the mountains of Cloud Mist City.
Xin An realized and smiled. That's right. He still had something. Something dear to him. It was called love.
Realizing this, Xin An lowered his head and regained his spirit. He turned his head in the direction of Beast Bright Mountain Range and took a deep breath. No matter how dangerous this journey would be, he had to cross it!
Xin An still wanted to see her smile! He can't afford to die here!
He trod forward and began his journey. He never thought of resting once. His enemies were the same as the black clouds hovering over the atmosphere; if he didn't want to die on this place, he had to flee!
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Thunder rumbled through the sky. Heavy rain trickled the forests.
Beast Bright Mountain Range had a complex geographical land, stretching far and wide. Night made it harder to travel this place, but during heavy rain, it was a different matter; it appeared blurry. In addition, frenzied beasts, ferocious beasts, and diremonsters are dwelling inside. If a traveler wasn't careful on the journey, chances of perishing inside were high!
But compared to the Wilderness that lays next to the Beast Bright Mountain Range, a dangerous, ungoverned ground filled with berserk insects and violent beasts, Xin An admitted that traveling here was relatively safer.
Xin An didn't encounter problems on his journey; sometimes he would stumble upon a diremonster dwelling place, but the rules set by the Beast King Jin Brightmoon protected Xin An. These diremonsters were intelligence species, and Beast King told them they weren't allowed to attack mortals and profound realm cultivators. Thus, as long as Xin An didn't encounter frenzied beasts, he would be safe.
Three hours passed. Xin An traveled deeper in the mountains. Here, the rain and wind were very intense; as if it was the center of the storm.
Xin An trod one more, and the instance he did—
"Hong!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A reverberating sound loud as the lightning erupted distance away from him. It was wild and fierce. Even at this great distance, Xin An could feel the violent energies wanting to throw him off the ground!
Xin An's eyes shrunk and his back was drenched with sweats; only powerful beings could explode such powerful energies that changed the weather and spread kilometers away!
"This power is unbelievable!"
Xin An narrowed his eyes and pondered.
Even if Xin An had his previous strength, he was unable to erupt such devastating power. And base on the violent energies, there should be a big battle happening around that area. Furthermore, such a battle would inevitably attract powerful diremonsters!
If Xin An went to the place and spectate in close distance, there was a chance of him being implicated and dying!
Xin An shook his head and trod in a different direction. As he walked a voice of a woman suddenly entered his head, causing Xin An to closed his eyes and remembered the conversation he had with his woman on the day he departed on the Cloud Mist Sect.
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"Xin-san, I have a premonition. Losing your foundation doesn't mean to be bad news. I divine something. I'm not sure when will this happened, but there's a time your destiny will change. Hear me? You idiot, you better don't die on me! Promise me and continue living. I'll meet you at that place."
"Mmm. I will."
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Xin An opened his eyes and swept his gaze in the direction where the battle took place.
Is this what she divined? The one that will change his destiny?
Xin An hesitated. He didn't want to lose his little life before even meeting his woman, but her words were ringing on his head like the passing of time, constantly reminding him of his destiny.
"Life and death are decided by heaven! If heavens want me to die, then be it!" Xin An's eyes shone. "Yan'er, I'll bet on that divination! This is my destiny!"
Xin An trod towards the direction of the battle. The closer he got, the greater the violent energies. It swept to him like a raging river. It was as if he was facing an immovable Mountain!
Without his cultivation, it was difficult for Xin An to spectate the battle at a close distance.
However, he was determined!
This is both danger and opportunity!
If this was the destiny Yan'er told him, he would be reborn from ashes!
But if Xin An was mistaken, he had nothing to say.
After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Xin An passed the violent energies and arrived at his destination.
Here, bushes that were as thick as a plank and tall trees of different shape and size were everywhere; however, some of them was cut in half!
Xin An raised his eyebrows before crawling down to peered the bushes. As he did so his face lost its colour!
"This....this big?!?!"
A long, longer than ten feet, black-scaled drake laid lifeless on the field. Sharp and deep scars around its torso and blood permeated on every inch of its body. From the looks of it, this unfortunate diremonster probably died recently.
However, the shock of Xin An was not to the corpse, instead to the two people above the rainy sky; an old man and a black-robbed bulky man.
They were the origin of the devastating battle that affected the surrounding lands!
As Xin An looked at them, he was only seeing flickering of light and the rebound of the impacts. They were like two beams of light chasing and clashing every second! Xin An simply couldn't follow their movements with his mortal eyes.
Each of their clashes would cause a booming sound to ring out. Sword lights and Saber lights would birth violent force swooping around like thunderstorms.
The rebounds of sword lights and saber lights pulverized the boulders and the ground, leaving deep dents. Energies caused the weather to change and let wind go berserk. On the other hand, the violent force took the form of sharp slash, as it razed trees like tofus, only to scatter into violent energies when it went far away.
Xin An cursed while evading these frightening energies. He came to change his destiny not to die!
Luckily, he hid under a nearby tree, a safe location where remnants of the attacks were less focused and his mortal body could somehow endure the energies.
At this moment, the black-robed man retreated; wiping the blood trickling on his lips. He said, his voice hoarse. "Yu, This is your fall! Stop dreaming and die!"
The black-robed man raised his sword above the sky. Water Essence revolved crazily as if a vortex appeared around his sword. The rain appeared slow and sluggish, instead of falling to the land, the droplets came gathering around the sword!
"Law of Sword River! Open!"
"Hum!"
A humming sound broke out. The sword shone a brilliant blue light. The sky and land changed and a river of swords materialized around hundreds of meters around the bulky man. His domineering and majestic aura burst out. At this moment, he was like the real Sword River God!
He let out a cry and came slashing his sword downwards; the river of swords shoot out like beams of light!
The old man sneered at this sight and the scar on his forehead shone brilliant scarlet energy. He raised his Saber and began gathering a large amount of thunder essence.
"Thunder Saber Law! Descent for me!"
Thunder rumbled across the sky. It was as if they responded to the old man's cry, forming a purple light around him.
The old man's saber let out a hum and ear-piercing vibration rang out. This was one of the characteristics of thunder essence — A soundwave-type attack!
The old man gripped his saber, dashing straight to the bulky man. His figure vanished in his position and Xin An could only see a terrifying purple light that flickered a moment before a—
"Hong!"
Thunder Saber and River of Swords collided! The void was ripped apart like paper!
Horrifying Water Essence and Thunder Essence condensed a violent force, forming a whirlpool that came sweeping about; Xin An's eyes shrunk. Terrifying thunder essence numbed his legs, immobilizing his movement. Xin An helplessly watched as the whirlpool crashed in his direction, sending him tumbling upside down like a rag doll. His figure flew back and his body destroyed trees! Only when he flew back an Iron Tree did he stopped, but he wasn't able to stop himself from letting out a large amount of blood!
"This power of essence! This is beyond the level of a mortal!" Xin An's eyes widened with fear.
He saw it! He saw the two types of essence tore the Void!
Void was one of the firmest and highest presence of Heaven and Earth. Martial Masters of Wasteland Domain wasn't capable to tore it apart. Not even his foster could do it! However, these two people could rip Void as if it was a stick!
Xin An's believe no one could do it....until this happened!
"Hong! Peng!"
The final expression rang out. Xin An stood up while clutching his back. He practiced his body when he reached Essence Core Realm and thought his cultivation was wasted, his body remained as tough as Iron Tree; although he was sent flying and coughed blood, it's merely minor injuries!
At this moment, the rain stopped. There we no longer thunder either. The phenomenon a while ago was replaced by bright stars and the moon. However, as the dust settled, fogs dispersed, two figures descended from the sky like broken kites.
Xin An went towards the two figures and noticed that one of them, the bulky man, was at his last breath; he had a large wound on his stomach and one of his arms was missing!
"Defying Thunder Sovereign, it seemed you still have tricks on your sleeve. Even in your pathetic state, you have managed to execute that move. I have nothing to say, it's my loss. But! Don't be happy, sooner or later, the Defying Clan will cease to exist...The hea...sect...will seek....vengea... .."
With that, the bulky man took his last breath. Xin An frowned and blink his eyes; the bulky man was truly dead!
"Is this the place that will change my destiny?"
Xin An turned his head to the old man. His injuries were also heavy. Two of his ribs were broken and dislocated.
Xin An trod towards the old man to check his condition. There was a big hole on his stomach, exposing his flesh and blood. He coughed blood after blood which astonished Xin An.
This amount of blood...If it was a normal martial artist, they would be dead long ago!
"Old man." Xin An grabbed his pulse and check his breathing. "A bit irregular, but he should be okay. " Xin An nodded his head. This old man was still alive!
The old man didn't answer and his eyes seemed to be looking at Xin An; however, his eyes were shades of dark with no hint of light.
Xin An pondered and rip some clothes to the deceased one for the old man's injuries. However, the moment he turned his head, the old man surprisingly stood up!
Holy shit!
Xin An's heart almost leaped with shock. His heart thumped loudly and his survival instinct caused him to took a step back.
However, the old man grabbed him on the shoulder and said. "Child, don't be afraid. I'm Sovereign Yu. I glimpse at your memory and we're on the same side— I want you to inherit my legacy."
Legacy? Same side?
Xin An was stunned. What to respond?
"Puhwak!"
The old man coughed blood. There was black blood mixing amongst it.
"I know you have many questions in mind. However, as someone who has been wasted, this is the chance to rise...Are you willing to discard this opportunity?"
Xin An was stunned and said. "You truly have the power to see my past?"
He was not stupid. This old man said he had glimpsed his memories and know knew he was wasted. But there are chances of him lying too.
"What's the benefits of lying to you? Even at this condition, I can kill you with a breath alone." Saying that the old man waved his hand. Invisible force wrapped around Xin An.
Xin An tried to escape but he realized his body won't move. He helplessly smiled and allow the invisible force to levitate him.
The old man looked behind, waved his sleeve, and soared in the sky; leaving behind the wreckage and devastating area getting repaired. In the blink of an eye, the dents, the drake corpse, the trees that were cut in half returned!
Witnessing this, Xin An's eyes widened. A trace of shock appeared on his face.
"Such mystical ability! Perhaps, this is the destiny Yan'er divined."