Chapter 43: Attaining the Way Amidst Slaughter

In truth, how Guo Xiaoshan chooses is not of great importance; what matters is what he does after making his choice.

Clearly, he has done very well.

Of course, he is a man of affection and integrity, true to his word, grateful and loyal. Confronted by an invincible foe, he still dares to draw his sword and resist, refusing to await his fate passively...

It may seem foolish.

Yet all the finest qualities of humanity reside within this stubborn resolve.

Such a person is beloved not only by the world, but even by demons.

The Primordial Qi coursed through every acupoint, circulating throughout his body, refining his foundation anew; places previously inaccessible were now opened one by one. Guo Xiaoshan felt every bone and sinew relaxed and at ease.

He leapt to his feet and performed the Dragon Transformation Sword Technique, fluid and seamless, and the subtle mysteries of the sword, once beyond his grasp, now came naturally to him.

Upon finishing, the true energy within him surged like the Yangtze, and he could not help but let out a long, triumphant shout.

“That’s enough, don’t show off,” Chen Yang said with a laugh, interrupting him.

The foolish youth stopped his shouting, lowered his sword, and began to kowtow before Chen Yang.

“Stop that, you’re giving me a headache,” Chen Yang said, rubbing his forehead, speechless. Of his two disciples, the elder was cold and taciturn, the younger possessed a stubborn streak.

Neither bore the slightest resemblance to their master, who was naturally clever and lively, casual in manner, and delightfully witty in conversation.

The foolish youth obeyed at once, ceasing his kowtows, and simply looked up at him with a silly expression.

“You silly child,” Chen Yang shook his head, amused.

“Master.”

“Well, you’re not entirely hopeless!”

...

The beam of light ignored the great formation of the Immortal City and descended straight down, astonishing countless cultivators.

Sima Changfeng, disturbed by the commotion, came out to see and his face changed drastically, but he had no choice but to brace himself and go forward.

“Your subordinate greets the sect master.”

Many great events had transpired during Chen Yang’s years in seclusion.

First, the sea-dwelling demons came ashore, sparking a years-long war between humans and demons on Baohua Continent.

During this conflict, Zhong Shenxiu forged the Hundred-Spirit Sword for Slaying Immortals, and even derived his own Dragon-Slaying Sword Technique from the Dragon Transformation Sword Technique. He gained tremendous acclaim in the war, slaying several dragon-type demon beasts equal to Nascent Soul cultivators.

And that was not all. The year before last, during the human-demon war, Yang Xuan mastered the Divine Demon Technique, transformed into a demon god, and slew a great demon at the Transformation stage, ending the conflict.

Afterward, Zhong Shenxiu returned to Central Plains, alone with his sword, and avenged the massacre of his clan, wiping out his enemies in turn, including a Nascent Soul elder of the Taiyi Sect.

Taiyi’s sect master, Cao Zhenjun, was enraged, and personally captured Zhong Shenxiu, intending to bring him back to Taiyi Sect and execute him before the world, as a warning to those who would provoke Taiyi.

But somehow, halfway back, Zhong Shenxiu managed to escape.

From then on, one side sought out Taiyi members to kill, while the other, furious, mobilized all the sect’s high-ranking members to hunt him down.

The latest news, from six months ago, was that Zhong Shenxiu was surrounded by over ten Nascent Soul cultivators from Taiyi and their subordinate sects, but managed to break out, seriously wounded, and vanished.

That was the general situation, though in Sima Changfeng’s account, he naturally emphasized the role of the Four Seas Trading Association in warning Zhong Shenxiu and so forth.

Sima Changfeng was uneasy, bracing himself for Chen Yang’s wrath, but Chen Yang merely nodded to show he understood, and said:

“I promised you all that when I went to the Eastern Sea Immortal Estate, I would bring you with me. Prepare yourselves; we depart in a few days.”

Sima Changfeng was stunned and glanced up at Chen Yang, then cautiously asked, “And what of Daoist Friend Zhong?”

“He is destined for slaughter; only in battle can he find his path. His affairs are not yours to worry about.” With that, Chen Yang waved him off to make preparations.

He opened his mouth, wanting to protest that this was the Four Seas Trading Association, not his private estate, but seeing Chen Yang already leading the youth toward the back quarters, Sima Changfeng did not dare delay and hurriedly ordered the place be cleaned and readied.

“Master, are you really not going to help our senior brother?”

Seeing the foolish disciple hesitating to speak, Chen Yang understood his thoughts and advised, “He has his own path. Sometimes, meddling too much is not a good thing—not for him, nor for me.”

“You are the same, as is that little… girl.”

He had meant to say “little wife,” but considering the disciple’s temperament and the girl’s age, Chen Yang changed his words.

Guo Xiaoshan’s mouth twitched, his expression dimming, but he nodded and said nothing more.

He fell silent, but Chen Yang continued.

“When you have mastered the great arts, you may do as you wish. For now, you’d best obey and listen. Come now, don’t look so glum. Give your master a smile.”

“Master, I can’t smile. I’m going to cultivate.”

This disciple was not one to indulge him; he broke free from Chen Yang’s grasp, opened a random room, and went in to cultivate.

Chen Yang chuckled. Though he seemed foolish, he still had his own temper.

...

Half a month later, preparations were complete, and Sima Changfeng came to summon Chen Yang.

Yu Guo was something of a legendary figure, and the news of his Immortal Estate was not something the members of the Four Seas Trading Association were willing to pass up.

All thirteen Nascent Souls set out together, leaving the vast association in the care of a newly advanced Nascent Soul to guard it.

They took the teleportation array, spending over ten days to reach the easternmost port.

There, a massive sea ship, over ten zhang tall and more than a hundred zhang long, was waiting in the dock.

This great ship was itself a magical artifact, able to withstand storms and defend against ordinary demon beasts.

If Chen Yang were alone, he would have simply flown by himself.

But with the others from the association, this was the only way.

It wasn’t that Nascent Soul cultivators were so weak that they couldn’t fly for a month straight.

On this journey to the Eastern Sea, besides Sima Changfeng and the thirteen Nascent Souls, the association brought many talents—array masters, experts in astronomy to calculate precise positions, and even mortal stargazers—numbering perhaps several hundred.

They each had their own expertise and varying levels of magical power; some were ordinary mortals.

Thus, sailing was the only option.

The sheer number of people showed just how much the association valued this expedition.

Once aboard, Chen Yang was given the finest cabin, as was Guo Xiaoshan.

The two lived side by side.

Perhaps spurred by Chen Yang’s words, Guo Xiaoshan devoted himself to cultivation, staying in his room from the moment they boarded, not even emerging when a sea monster attacked from below, causing great commotion.

Chen Yang had his own matters to attend to and for a while neglected his disciple.

He did not refine a Sea-Stabilizing Pearl.

Though Yu Guo’s method for refining the pearl was ingenious, suitable for anchoring a second soul in the future, it was just barely adequate.

Chen Yang was naturally dissatisfied; his purpose in going to the Eastern Sea’s Abyss was to set up a grand formation, harnessing the endless water essence of the Abyss to refine Heavenly True Water and craft a superior Sea-Stabilizing Pearl.

At that moment, he was on the deck, absorbing boundless water vapor, refining it into water essence, weaving it into a magical artifact capable of resisting the Abyss’ tidal forces—the Mysterious Water Control Banner.