Underground World

An artificial light was shining from high above, making the underground world feel no different then if one was above ground.

A waterfall spilled out from one wall, seemingly coming from nowhere. The waterfall collapsed into a large pond, from which meandering rivers reached out into all corners of the underground world.

All sorts of flowers and trees bloomed, making use of the artificial light and mysterious source of water to stay vibrant.

The floor was covered in a dense thick grass, each strand seemingly filled with infinite vitality. Minos couldn't help but crouch down and rub a strand between his fingers, appreciating its health.

However, of all the strange sights, the most interesting in Minos's perspective was the sole cabin that stood right next to the large pond.

Minos patted the dust off his robe as he regained his bearings. The firegull cawing loudly as it flew around in the underground world, eventually finding a branch to land on.

Minos looked around for a moment, appreciating the spectacle of the underground world, which seemed to operate under laws he had yet to understand.

After spending a moment taking the strange world in, he headed towards the cabin, which was likely where the answers to the questions he had in his heart laid.

Minos soon reached the cabin's door, but he didn't enter right away, rather he walked around the house to see if there were any windows.

However, after a quick inspection, he was quick to find out that the cabin was completely sealed from the outside, leaving the door as the only possible way in.

He headed back to the door, and knocked heavily on it a few times, but naturally, he received no response. He moved back before pulling out a talisman from his robe and aiming it towards the door.

This was a One-Moon Air Blast Talisman, the effect was just like the name. After activating it, a burst of wind flew forwards and smacked onto the cabin door, swinging it open.

The inside of the cabin was normal, and didn't seem to have any traps. Minos inspected it a little longer before making sure it was safe and entering. Even though he knew this was likely the place the Nine Sword Divinity left his treasure, it was better to be safe than sorry.

The inside of the cabin was humble, nothing one would expect from the strongest expert on the Alephora continent. There was a small wooden table, bed, and a shelf with a few books on it.

The bed had nothing of interest, however the small table had a small stack of papers beside an inkwell and a long delicate brush.

The inkwell had long since dried, and the substance inside it had been reduced to dust. The papers were also yellowing, but fortunately the writing on them was still readable.

Minos pulled back the seat by the table before sitting down. Picking up the pile of papers, he quickly straightened them on the table before reading.

'Who knew I'd be reduced to such a state? It's somewhat laughable isn't it? What is the title of strongest worth when all it affords one is enemies and traitors.'

'When I was younger, long before my talent was revealed, the days seemed so sweet… My parents were kind, and my siblings were loving, but ever since my potential was shown, the kindness was turned to strictness, and the love was polluted by envy.'

'My eldest brother seemed to detest me the most. Originally the throne should have been left to him, but naturally that was no longer the case when I came into the picture. I don't even blame him, after all, who could give up the most esteemed position on the continent without a fight?'

'I suppose I was naive to believe that he had truly given up after I had defeated him time and time again, but even when things were at their worst, I never knew he'd stoop so low…'

'If anyone is reading this, I hope you remember not to trust anyone. For every step of progression you make, there will be hundreds of people who will kill you just to stand where you do. The higher you reach, the lonelier you become, and the less you can trust…'

'One can never make friends through power alone… In my younger years I was ignorant enough to believe that my so-called 'friends' liked me for who I was, even now I can't help but laugh in pity at such a naive idea.'

'When I was weak, no one stood beside me, no one fought for me, and no one defended me, rather they immediately sided with the one who harmed me. This is the true face of the world, those who truly believe in love will be made use of by those who don't…'

'However it's not to say that I don't believe in love, but rather true love is as rare as a qilin's horn, as rare as a dragon's scale, as rare as a phoenix's feather. The most lamentable thing was that at one point I was actually one of these fortunate ones…'

'Her name was Yulda, and she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever laid my eyes on… Before my talent was shown, she was the one who stood beside me, who played with me.'

'We were inseparable, spending each waking moment together. But Yulda got sick, and there seemed to be no cure… Not long after that, the test of talent began, and unlike me, Yulda was revealed to have no talent for cultivation at all, maybe due to her illness…'

'My parents immediately separated me from Yulda, determining that she was a bad influence. Of course, at first I fought fiercely against this, but as more people ingratiated themselves with me, my ego soared rapidly.'

'It didn't take much time for me to forget about Yulda, and I only went to visit her when she was on her deathbed, moments away from dying.'

'Do you know what she said to me before passing? She said she hoped I'd become the strongest, and that everyone would know my name. Those words were like a blade into the depth of my heart, despite how I'd abandoned her, she was still supporting me.'

'I was never quite the same after that day. The amount of beautiful women I got to know, the princesses, the geniuses, the most gorgeous, and most charming, all kinds, but my heart was always empty.'

'It didn't take me much time to realize that Yulda was always the one I loved, but my foolish arrogance separated me from her when she needed me the most.'

'In some ways, I am relieved about death. I hope I can meet my sweet Yulda in another life, and she can forgive me, but even if she doesn't, I just want to be able to guard her, the way I should have in this life…'

'For the one reading this, cherish those close to you, but always keep an eye out. The truth is you never know when someone is an ally or an enemy, it's only up to your judgment to decide. Unfortunately, my judgment had always been incredibly poor, and I paid the ultimate price.'

'If you were expecting a treasure, I didn't quite leave one. The riddle was made confusing because in a way, I both wanted someone to read my final words, but also for them to forever remain unknown.'

'Let fortune decide which fate is favored. If someone is reading this, don't feel too bad for having wasted your time, you must have noticed the bookshelf on the side, the books there should make your journey worthwhile.'

'Under tropical trees and blue skies, let the sword shaped mountain forever shade us under its brilliance. To you my dear sweet Yulda, I'll meet you soon…'

Reading those final words, Minos couldn't help but lean back into the chair as a sense of depression set in.

The Nine Sword Divinity was undoubtedly the most brilliant man of his time, yet his final words spoke nothing of the brilliance that comes with the title, only the pain.

It was a reminder that no matter how powerful one became, they were ultimately human. For a lot of us, strength is merely a means to an end, but never the goal. Just as most people aspire to happiness, the Nine Sword Divinity did as well.

Ironically enough though, it was his tremendous power and talent that instead made his pursuit of happiness an incredibly difficult one.

Many mortals think that cultivators live luxurious lives, filled with joy, adventure, woman, influence, everything a person could ever desire.

But how could they ever understand the tremendous pain and suffering it took one to obtain that power? Nothing in this world is free, and sometimes escaping one hell just means entering another.

Minos was also like the masses in the past, thinking that once he could cultivate, happiness would be guaranteed, but it was instead his days of cultivation that were most miserable.

But ultimately one had to suffer today to enjoy tomorrow. Unfortunately for most cultivators, however, they didn't have the talent nor fortune to ever enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Minos could only pray that he would be one of the fortunate ones, but only time could tell. Until then, he had to fight every single day, hoping that soon he'd break out of hell, and make his own heaven.

…

A few hours passed as Minos sat back in silence. He completely ignored the bookshelf, instead thinking back on his life in a moment of tranquility.

The words left behind by the Nine Sword Divinity had woken him up. A life completely dedicated to cultivation would ultimately be lost to it as well, he had to learn how to enjoy his life beyond just power.

He couldn't help but think back to Tinka, an involuntary smile appearing on his face. His mood brightened as her face appeared in his mind.

The depression left behind by reading the Nine Sword Divinity's journal was washed away. Minos stood up from the chair, his spine straightened, a smile of confidence appearing on his face. The Nine Sword Divinity ultimately lost his love, but Minos would never!

Heading towards the bookshelf having washed away his depression, Minos took down the first book and quickly read its title.

'The 12 Basic Sword Movement's'

As the title explained, this was a book on the foundation of sword usage. While the name was quite simplistic, anything left behind by the Nine Sword Divinity was destined to be incredibly valuable.