Southern Continent, Zheng Dynasty, Xi Clan's Residence
As soon as Xi Shen left, Xi Li felt a fast approaching presence, stronger than his own, irritation arose in him, 'That witch Sheng Hua.' He turned around, and a woman landed in front of him.
Her hair was in a side braid, the braid rested on her right shoulder, while the other half was free. The long red robe gave her an imposing aura, her brown eyes followed his every movement.
Sheng Hua smiled charmingly, "Fellow Daoist Li, we haven't seen each other in so long, and yet you didn't greet me." She placed her hand on her chest, pretending to be hurt, "I'm hurt."
Xi Li looked at her, unimpressed, and said, with hidden coldness, "Cut it out." He clenched his fists and thought, 'You old hag, even after a hundred years, you haven't changed.'
Sheng Hua's 'innocent' smile turned into mockery, "How is it? Losing Sister Fenfeng must be hard, right? And having a son with such poor talent, truly disappointing."
Xi Li exploded, "Don't you dare utter her name with your filthy mouth." He said as he took out a white fan, which made the temperature drop.
However, Sheng Hua was unfazed, "If only you went with me that night…" Sighing, she shook her head, "Well, no matter, I'm here to relay my father's message, submit or face the consequences."
Xi Li couldn't help but exclaim, "Huang Clan already took our Spiritual Vein, now Sheng Clan wants the crumbs they left?" To which she just giggled.
Xi Li still held the fan, contemplated, 'They wouldn't dare do this if my father and uncles were alive. They only have one Golden Core cultivator, but still theirs is alive.'
Seeing him thinking, Sheng Hua laughed inwardly, 'Now you see the consequences of rejecting me for that bi*ch.' She remembered something and said, "My father will be merciful, as long as you swear on your allegiance, he can grant you one reasonable request."
Hearing this, Xi Li's will wavered, quickly making the decision, he said as he put away his fan, "I will submit only if your father swears your family won't touch Shen'er. If not, I'm ready to burn my essance and take you with me."
At the end, his voice became filled with killing intent, making Sheng Hua shiver. However, she was excited, "Of course, we won't touch the trash that came out from that woman."
Hearing how she described his deceased wife, Xi Li almost snapped, exhaling, he reminded himself, 'Shen'er is off to a safe place, even combined forces of Huang and Sheng Clans can't even hold a candle to Harmony Blossom Sect.'
Finalizing his decision, he nodded while thinking, 'Endure, given time, Shen'er will break into Golden Core, then we'll see who'll laugh last.'
Southern Continent, Zheng Dynasty, Silent Valley
On the lofty mountaintop sat three men. Two were old, while the third was young. The moon hung high above, casting its soft glow on them, as the sun began to rise.
They sat in lotus positions, breathing heavily. The young man, dressed in a simple blue robe, appeared to be around twelve or thirteen. His black hair reached his waist, fluttering in the wind like dark silk. His green eyes, filled with vigilance, scanned his surroundings with intensity. This young man was none other than Xi Shen.
He could barely keep his eyes open, as exhaustion filled them, 'I feel exhausted, we've been flying for the past few days without stopping.' Even the talisman's concealment wore off, but luckily they hadn't encountered any cultivators.
A few demonic beasts did block their way, but again by a stroke of luck, they were only in Qi Gathering or Qi Refinement. So Zhu Yingshu and Zhen Ning dealt with them.
Looking at Zhu Yingshu and Zhen Ning, a slight pity appeared in Xi Shen's heart, 'I can only imagine what Yingshu and Ning have been through. They had to carry me because only Foundation Establishment and above can fly, and they had to kill all of the beasts. I hate being a burden, especially when I'm healthy now.'
Clenching his fists, a deep desire awakened in him, a desire for strength, 'In both of my lifetimes I'm helpless…'
A mocking smile emerged, but the quiet "No" Left his mouth, 'I'm not willing to be a burden again, especially when I am healthy.'
Zhu Yingshu's voice floated over, waking him from his thoughts, "Young Master, we should be heading now, we'll be arriving at the borders of the Harmony Blossom Sect in less than a day. Then you can activate the jade the Lord has given you, and an outer elder will probably appear." He seemed less energized, even hunching his back a little.
Zhen Ning stood up and awaited Xi Shen's order, "We will depart immediately." Was everything he could say, looking at their tired faces, filled with wither and exhaustion, he fell silent, and a quiet, "I'm sorry, " came out.
Guilt in his heart grew, and so did the anger. Anger at himself for being weak, for causing such a commotion, and at the Huang and Sheng Clans, 'Why does it have to be a dog-eat-dog world? What's the point of even living, if the strong prey on the weak?'
Anger wasn't unknown to him, but this kind was new, he was angry at others in the past. Now, however, he's angry at himself for being weak and useless.
As these words fell, they stopped in their tracks, looked at each other, and laughed, Zhu Yingshu said while laughing, "Young Master sure reminds these old men of Miss Xi, always apologizing, but no one could match her in her fierce temper."
Curiosity filled Xi Shen, so he forgot the fatigue and suppressed the anger, as his mother, Xi Fenfeng, wasn't mentioned by lots of people. She died when Shen was a baby at the hands of Ming Shu, though the vague memories lie in his mind. But her face is blurry, distant, and unreachable.
Looking at them eagerly, Xi Shen finally acted like a child his age, "Please tell me more about her." Though quickly a look of hesitation appeared in their eyes.
Zhen Ning stepped forward and clasped his hands, "Young Master, we should depart, I don't think it's time for an idle chat." A small frown appeared on Xi Shen's face, but knowing he was right, he let it go for now.
Zhu Yingshu threw his wooden sword in the air, and it expanded, and both he and Xi Shen stood on it. He had to use every bit of my cultivation to hold himself on the sword, because of high-speed flight.
As they flew at a high altitude, an idea struck Xi Shen, 'Why don't I just ask while we are flying, it's not like it's gonna slow us down.'
Knowing that Zhu Yingshu had a soft spot for him, a mischievous grin appeared, "Yingshu, you were also my mother's Dao Protector, you should know more about her, right?"
Cold sweat appeared on his forehead, as he mumbled under his breath, "...he sure is your son…" In a clearer voice, he responded with a simple "Yes. I was her Dao Protector." Guilt flashed in his eyes, "Until the day she died."
He fell silent, as the sole purpose of Dao Protectors was to protect the person, even if you had to die, 'He probably feels guilty, especially since she was his great-niece.'
Ignoring his discomfort, 'I need the answers about her, it feels like this is important to me.' As these thoughts flashed, he asked, "What was she like?"
Anticipation filled him, as his mother was a person shrouded in mystery. Only some small memories about her linger in the back of his mind. And if left alone, he would probably forget her in a decade or two.
He looked at me deeply, "Your mother, Xi Fenfeng or Zhu Fenfeng, was one of the fiercer women I've seen in my long life." A sigh escaped, and he continued, "She would fight with a lot of people for things that were important to her, especially your father's hand." When he spoke, a small smile spread across his old face, as a melancholic look flashed.
"Ever since she was a child, I've known she was destined for great things" Clenching his fist, he gashed his teeth and at the end let out a sorrowful sigh, "She was a prodigy, in Sword Dao no one was her match, even your grandfather, Xi Liang, wasn't her match in the profoundness of Sword Dao"
Astonishment filled his eyes as they glittered, "Even grandfather Liang wasn't her match?", 'Just how impressive was she?'
A proud smile appeared as he straightened his back, "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is yes. She, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had a more profound Sword Dao than a Golden Core cultivator who was at the 8th level."
Suddenly, the question arose in Xi Shen's mind, "Then if she was so powerful, how did she die? I heard that demon was a half-step Nascent Soul." As that question fell, Yingshu was silent looking like he was unsure what to answer.
Zhen Ning glanced at us, his voice heavy with regret, "Miss Xi's talent in Sword Dao was unmatched, yet her cultivation hadn't reached its peak. If she had time and reached Golden Core, then maybe she could've stood a chance. But what could a mare Foundation Establishment cultivator do in front of a half-step Nascent Soul?"
Xi Shen looked at him, and clenching his fists, responded, "Nothing…" As he knew from Qin Qiqiang's legacy that even for him, it's impossible to run from a cultivator two stages above your own cultivation.
However, instead of stopping, he continued, "Nothing indeed, but your mother succeeded; she injured Ming Shu." That revelation shocked me to the core, it was practically impossible to achieve that feat.
But before I could ask, he exclaimed, "With this" Taking out a box with, a single character on it, 剑 (Sword), it gave off a flower fragrance. The box was pink in color, and made entirely of jade, giving a simple yet sharp aura and making it mysterious, 'It gives me the same feeling as the recommendation jade for Harmony Blossom Sect.'
Unbeknownst to them, someone from below saw them and started approaching. The person flew pretty slowly, cautious of them.
Zhu Yingshu stopped his sword, and Xi Shen almost fell. With wide eyes, Yingshu looked at the jade box, "Zhen Ning, you should be careful. The Lord said to give it to the Young Master when he reaches the late stages of Qi Refinement. He's not ready!"
Zhen Ning calmly looked at Yingshu, "I know what the Lord has said, but he needs to know the whole truth, why was Xi Clan destroyed." Although an aged look appeared on his face, it was followed by seriousness, "Miss Xi, was a prodigy, not just any prodigy but one of the Chosen. Her comprehension of Sword Dao far exceeded that of her peers, even some old monsters found it difficult to match her in that aspect."
'One of the Chosen, that sounds impressive, then why didn't she join a sect? It's not like they could reject someone with that talent.' Looking at his serious expression and the guilt he felt toward them, he hesitated asking. But through some miracle, he answered it without me asking.
Melancholy appeared in his voice as he spoke, "A Sect did indeed offer her a position in the Inner Sect, but Miss turned them down. For she had already fallen in love with your father. She abandoned the Inner Sect position of Harmony Blossom Sect for him."
Looking shocked, Xi Shen mumbled, "Then this jade…"
Zhen Ning nodded, "That jade is hers as well. Although they were rejected, the Harmony Blossom Sect still sent out a recommendation jade so anyone with it could take the examination and be accepted, either as an Outer Sect's disciple or a servant."
Awe was the word that could describe his current feelings, "So, after rejecting the Harmony Blossom Sect, she immersed herself in creating a manual for her newborn son. The techniques of the manual carried her Sword Dao experiences for over 100 years. They are as profound as Sect's Secret Arts and as desirable as Heavenly treasures."
His voice carried admiration and respect, he clenched his hands in excitement, which showed how much he cared for her, "Many coveted them. The Xi Clan indeed fell because of that Spirit Vein, but the secret objective was inside this jade box. That day I will never forget"
Pain flashed in his eyes, his voice more sober, as he shuddered, "Lightning and fire shot from the sky, and Xi Clan's cultivators fell one after the other, under that demon's hand, even our patriarch, Xi Liang, at the 8th level of Golden Core, finally fell. The demon went mad, killing innocents. Someone had to stop him, but who would dare?"
Xi Shen felt a tingling sensation in my heart as he imagined the scene, 'Zhao Ning sure knows how to tell stories. He would be a good storyteller back on Earth.'
After a sigh full of complex emotion, Zhen Ning continued, "She dared, stood amidst dead clansmen, and roared the name of her ultimate technique. It was still vivid in my mind, 'Spirit's Sword - Flower's Dance', and her last words were, 'Withering Dance - Last Struggle'."
Suspense filled the air as Zhen Ning paused, clearly knowing how to keep an audience on edge. "Then what happened?" Xi Shen asked, his voice thick with impatience. He could feel his heart pounding.
Stroking his beard, he continued with a slow tone, "With her last sentence, she turned into a dark purple ark and flew into the sky. Against the odds she got the upper hand and severed Ming Shu's hand, he got so scared he fled the scene."
As he clenched his hands, he proceeded to explain, "We went to congratulate her, but all we found was a body of old her lying dead."
Shock and disbelief filled Xi Shen as he said that, even the sadness he hadn't felt for a long time came back, 'Why am I feeling sad for a woman that I haven't even met?' But who could give me the answers? No one.
Withholding tears Yingshu looked downwards, as Ning continued with difficulty, "A great sadness filled us, as she must've used the secret technique that uses your longevity."
He added with a heavy heart, "As the word spread, many coveted that secret art that allowed a Foundation Establishment to fight half-step Nascent Soul. Even Nascent Soul cultivators came, but your mother was clever, she hid this very box in the secret chambers of the Zhu Family."
Yingshu's soft smile broke his depression, but Ning frowned, "And after finding nothing, they killed the patriarch's heavily injured brother, Xi Hua, and the Xi Clan officially fell. With no power to protect the Spirit Vein, it fell into the hungry Huang Clan's hands."
Gnashing his teeth, he closed his eyes as if remembering something really difficult, "And as years passed, the glory the Clan once had had dissipated, but the hope has risen again, you. Young Master, you are the hope the Xi Clan has waited for, the last hope your mother has given us."
As he said that, he threw the box toward me when I reached out Yingshu caught it, "Young Master, this box isn't simple. You need to spend your longevity to open it, but since you're only Qi Gathering, the lifespan you would need to spend would exceed your limits."
He coldly looked at Zhen Ning, "What are you doing? Do you want him to drain all his lifespan just to open the box?"
With a serious tone, Zhen Ning responded, "I know, but we don't have time. You should know whose aura that was. He doesn't need to open it, just keep it until he's ready. You are overthinking things as always."
Yingshu looked shocked at the accusation, "Zhen Ning, don't let me even get started on how you were about the Clan Leader. You watch out for his every step, and even took them for him."
Seeing them bickering, Xi Shen felt the tense situation light up a little. 'I don't see this side of them very often. It's interesting.'
They continued to fly, and the view was incredible as they flew across the mountains. Occasionally, they would see bird beasts fly high above, or high mountain peaks that reach the sky. After about an hour of their back and forth they suddenly stopped, looking in the same direction.
Vigilance filled Xi Shen's mind, "What is it? Beast? Cultivator?" They looked at each other and nodded.
"A cultivator.", replied Yingshu, "Stronger than us by a small margin, if we were alone, we probably stood no chance, but together…" He slapped his bag of holding and another sword appeared.
This one was made of steel, without a handle. Both sides were sharp, it was a meter in length and looked sharp as it could cut stone like it was paper. It gave off a faint scent of winter, cold, and death.