Chapter Forty-Five: The Threshold Between Life and Death

“Peerless Island!” On the mountainside behind the great hall, the figure of the old monk who had vanished slowly reappeared. Step by step, he seemed to walk at a leisurely pace, sighing as he went. His face, rosy and smooth as a child’s, was adorned with a pair of eyes as black as gemstones, in which a silent sorrow lingered.

“What is Peerless Island planning?” the old monk pondered. He had once been there himself, his cultivation breaking through the mortal realm into the threshold of the false elixir, ranking him among the very summit of the martial world’s elite. Yet now, as his thoughts reached this point, a trace of fear flickered deep within his eyes.

No one understood Peerless Island better than those of them who had returned from it. Their strength was indeed remarkable, placing them at the very pinnacle of the martial world. But on Peerless Island, there were many—far too many—whose abilities matched his own.

One could glimpse the true might of Peerless Island from this alone.

And precisely because he understood Peerless Island, the old monk was all the more bewildered: what, in the end, was Peerless Island after?

Had those two—Zhou Yi and Song Hai—offended Peerless Island? Or was there some other reason?

Between these two possibilities, the old monk judged the latter far more likely.

For with the strength of Peerless Island, even if the entire martial world joined forces, they could not threaten a single hair on its head. How could two men, whose names he now knew and nothing more, possess the power or status to offend Peerless Island?

To put it bluntly, they were not even qualified to provoke Peerless Island.

The entire martial world was not qualified.

“So, it must be the latter, then?” As this thought grew clearer, the old monk gradually confirmed his suspicion, yet another question arose.

If it was indeed the latter, then for what purpose?

The message on the jade token was simple: with the heads of Zhou Yi and Song Hai, a sect could avert a century’s demonic tribulation for the martial world, and Peerless Island would protect the sect that obtained the heads from two such tribulations—two hundred years of peace.

Such a reward was beyond generous. Two hundred years! What an expanse of time!

Most crucially, the promise was for protection through two tribulations. Two centuries free from the scourge of the demonic tribulation meant two centuries for a sect to recover, rebuild, and flourish.

For, in every sect, no matter how gifted their disciples, after a period of cultivation and just as they reached maturity, the demonic tribulation would descend. Almost all—ninety-nine percent—would perish in the struggle.

A century’s accumulation, destroyed in an instant!

Protection from two tribulations meant two hundred years of stability. Used wisely, it could yield even more. What did that mean? It meant the sect’s disciples would have ample time to grow. With more than two centuries of quiet cultivation, perhaps some among them would break through to the level of the false elixir, achieving a power that might face the tribulation head-on!

Even if they could not withstand it directly, at least more seeds would survive. In such a virtuous cycle, one day the martial world might no longer fear the demonic tribulation.

No sect in the martial realm could resist such temptation. This was an opportunity—a great opportunity, unprecedented in history.

Indeed, after surviving the tribulation and with this two-century buffer, a sect would have every chance to become the paramount power of the martial world. It was not impossible!

No one in the martial world could withstand such enticement. The old monk could well imagine what would happen.

By now, he supposed, all the sects must have received Peerless Island’s jade token and learned of the matter. They would all go mad.

Regardless of the cost, regardless of the consequences, they would seek the heads of Zhou Yi and Song Hai.

“Alas!” Yet, thinking of this, the old monk sighed. Even if they managed to kill the two, and earn Peerless Island’s protection, how could they truly contend with the demonic tribulation?

And was Peerless Island truly as benevolent as it appeared?

The old monk shook his head, his thoughts heavy. He wanted to urge the monks not to get involved, even to close the temple gates and quietly wait out the tribulation. But the way the monks had behaved earlier made their intentions clear.

He was the patriarch of the monastery, and all the monks within could be considered his disciples and descendants. Normally, his word would settle any matter. But now, even if he forbade them from going after Zhou Yi and Song Hai, it would be to no avail!

“To wrestle with the tiger for its skin!” the old monk sighed inwardly. Yet he could not blame them. Though those who had returned from Peerless Island had tried to spread word of its darkness, those who had never been could never imagine just how dreadful it truly was.

In the hearts of all the martial artists who had ever gone to Peerless Island, there was a single, common name for it: Devil’s Island.

Indeed, compared to the demonic tribulation, in truth, they feared, dreaded, and even hated Peerless Island far more.

Yet, constrained by Peerless Island’s might, they dared not speak openly of these things. They could only hint and allude, hoping to guide others. But now, it seemed, their efforts had been futile.

The old monk understood well: perhaps they found Peerless Island more terrifying and poisonous than the demonic tribulation simply because they knew Peerless Island better. Once they truly understood the tribulation, they might well find it even more vicious and dreadful.

“But is there truly any difference between Peerless Island and the demonic tribulation?” the old monk murmured inwardly. He did not trust Peerless Island’s jade token, not because he believed they would break their word, but because—even with two hundred years—who could say if that would be enough to withstand the tribulation?

Those who knew Peerless Island’s strength never believed it so. If the tribulation could challenge Peerless Island, then even if its strength fell short, how great could the gap truly be?

Such power could not be erased by two centuries, or even two millennia, or twenty thousand years.

Once, they believed the realm of transcendence was the ultimate peak. The tribulation had shown them otherwise—above it lay the false elixir, a chasm of power.

Now, everyone believed that with two centuries, they could nurture masters, cultivate a few more at the false elixir stage, and thus withstand the tribulation. To this, the old monk could only say—they were truly deluded!

False elixir?

“Alas…” The old monk realized he had sighed more today than in all the past years combined. Was he truly growing old?

“I understand now!” After a moment’s silence, as calm returned, the old monk suddenly saw through it all.

“This is a test. These two have been marked by Peerless Island!” His expression turned grave, a sharp light shining from his eyes, so bright it seemed to outshine the sun, a testament to the depth of his inner power.

“They mean to use the martial world as a whetstone, to hone these two blades!” Reviewing all that had happened, the old monk’s gaze grew brighter, almost blinding. “If I am not mistaken, these two must already possess the entrance tokens to Peerless Island!”