First Thaw
-------------------------
In the most remote and secluded locations of the Black Sieve sect, Xu Qing stood gazing at the rocks in front of her.
There was no sign that anyone was ever here. But she knew better. Visions, memories and dreams would not let her forget. If her visions were correct, there was one of the most sacred places of the sect. There should have been glorious pavilions on the cut rocks and a large arch where she stood.
This was Daybreak valley and she was the only one who came here. Soft effervescent sunlight came in through the impossibly high cliffs surrounding the valley, giving the place an ancient and mysterious air. A gentle stream flowed through the length of the valley. Xu Qing stood at the far end which was surely the most remote place in the valley.
Eventually she returned the way she came, finally ascending to Silver peaks pavilion. The inner sect disciples were used to her here and saluted her, "Greetings Matriarch Phoenix!"
The problem was that she was not really Matriarch Phoenix. Xu Qing possessed only the memories of Matriarch Phoenix, most of which appeared through dreams and visions.
She was not really Xu Qing either. She just knew too much. She had repeated visions of ancient paths of immense power, glory and profundity. She couldn't piece together the puzzle. That is why she was here.
Back in the central Tiger pavilion, Minor Patriarch Huang Zhongxi was immersed in a game of weiqi in Tiger Pavilion. He was never without a fly whisk and a flashy sword. He considered himself the leader of the Black Clan group of thirteen, since Xu Qing kept mostly to herself.
"You lose again, Zhou Jie", said Huang Zhongxi.
"It's just a game." said Zhou Jie.
"That doesn't mean it isn't real. I don't lose a real battle either. Undermine, surround and secure the win. That is what I always do," said Huang Zhongxi.
"Spreading rumours and disaffection is what you have been doing. Perhaps you should just openly confront Matriarch Phoenix with what you think," said Zhou Jie.
The source of all this was the ninth generation demon sealer Meng Hao. The most powerful discarnate souls of the Black Sieve sect were about to destroy him when the immortal Choumen Tai intervened. Not willing to let the matter drop, the discarnate souls embodied themselves in the bodies of conclave disciples and launched a desperate attack on Choumen Tai outside rebirth cave. This attack was a total catastrophe - only half the number returned.
As fate would have it, it was Meng Hao again, who was called upon to save the sinking discarnate souls. This time he was in the guise of the Violet Fate sect alchemist Fang Mu. He saved the discarnate souls at the expense of the original souls, but in the case of Xu Qing he acted differently. He caused her will to be reborn while the discarnate soul of Matriarch Phoenix was not destroyed. Thus there was "One in the midst of the other" and Xu Qing had the external identity and status of the ancient Matriarch.
Of this surviving "Black Clan" of thirteen, only one other member, Han Bei, had managed such a thing. She was craftier than anyone in the sect and had no problems in juggling her two identities as it suited her.
The Gentle Breeze of Spring
-------------------------
Early spring transforms the lingering winds,
New sunlight transfigures the shadows of old.
Back in the central section of the sect, Xu Qing pored over the archives. The sect archives are silent on matter of Daybreak valley. She did find a dao called Taiyi invocation that she knew was connected to that place. The Black Sieve sect considered it a basic augury technique and did not pay much attention to it. She studied the technique deeply. She could not shake of the feeling that it was either incomplete or that she needed to gain enlightenment on the dao connected with this. She also found the Winged Dragon blade which belonged to an ancient sage who was supposed to have understood the dao.
Xu Qing looked absentmindedly at her jade hairpin. It had elaborate carvings of fantastical creatures. "Everything is like a dream," she mused, "memories, dreams, records - everything we know is like these depictions - sketchy and incomplete."
Her determination to understand the dao grew deeper. Idle speculations and incomplete fragments would not satisfy her. She would leave the sect and return only when she found the source of the dao. She had two things to work with. The first was the Taiyi invocation and the other was the Winged Dragon blade.
***
Walking through a busy town, she could hear distant music. It seemed that the music did not belong to heaven or earth. She approached the source of the sound and found an old Qin player. She was profoundly moved and waited for him to finish. She noted that there were no appreciative listeners in spite of the busy locality. When the Qin player finished, he noticed Xu Qing listening and seemed surprised. "You could hear the song?" he asked.
Xu Qing nodded. She guessed the reason was that the music had something to do with the Taiyi invocation. "What is special about this song?", she asked.
"I am surprised you could follow it," said the qin player, "This is a fragment of a song that is I call 'The song that has no listeners.' It is just a celestial song I picked up in my extensive travels. What is interesting about it is that I have not found anyone who understands or even cares a little about it."
"How exactly did you come across this song?" asked Xu Qing.
"I was at the western foothills of the Kunlun mountains," said the qin player "I recall neither how I got in, nor how I got out. I ran into a shaman who offered me a herb. I found a wall with divine writing which I was temporarily able to read. I suspect that was due to the influence of the herb, because I was quite terrified of the writing later. I still don't understand the song I learned, but I remembered it nevertheless."
"If you cannot find any listeners for this song, why do you play it?" continued Xu Qing.
"My musical ability improved dramatically because of it," said the qin player. "I have even become a little famous. I never fail to play it once a week. It keeps me from playing sentimental nonsense the rest of the week."
"Could you perhaps teach me this song? I believe that it is strongly connected with some ancient arts of my family," said Xu Qing.
"I can't teach this song and no one can explain it to me," said the qin player. "Perhaps you should do what I did and go to Kunlun mountains. Just avoid the dangerous routes around there. And carry a qin of course."
"Perhaps you would have a qin to spare?" said Xu Qing. "I could compensate you for your kindness."
"I do have an old qin that should nevertheless suit you," said the qin player. "You just have to string it and it will be as good as new."
Xu Qing picked up the qin and left after thanking him.
***
Xu Qing knew that the Winged Dragon blade was created by the Nanmen family patriarch who was a famous sword maker. Nothing was recorded of this, but a little enquiry revealed that there was an eccentric blacksmith called Nanmen Tao who was a descendent of the Nanmen patriarch. Xu Qing paid him a visit to see if he could give any further information.
Xu Qing placed the Winged Dragon blade in front of Nanmen Tao. The blade had all kinds of obscure symbols on it that would be beyond the understanding of an average cultivator.
"What can you tell me about this sword?" asked Xu Qing.
"This is a dao weapon," replied the blacksmith. "It is the physical extension of an internal dao."
"Do you know why I am unable to wield its full power?" asked Xu Qing.
"If you can't sense its power, it is because it was not made for you," said the blacksmith.
"I would be greatly indebted to you if you could explain this difficult point," said Xu Qing.
"Dao weapons can only be used by the person for whom they are forged. The symbols appear when the weapon is formed on the celestial forge of Qilin mansion. Most likely it was one of my ancestors, Nanmen Dan, who forged this blade. The symbols accord with the understanding of the individual and can't be replicated. Just as a blacksmith makes a deadly sword or a useful spade out of the same material, the level of understanding and form of the dao of the cultivator decides the final form and power. Such a thing is belongs uniquely to the cultivator for whom it was forged and can never be duplicated or taken away.
"Is it possible to create such a weapon without the celestial forge?"
"Yes, that can be done, but is difficult," said the blacksmith. "I haven't done it myself and doubt if anyone anywhere has done it in modern times. Is it possible for you to give me the sword to analyze?"
"This sword was forged by your family and does not have an owner. It is now yours. This is only a repayment of karma." said Xu Qing.
"Since you have been so kind as to return this sword, I can give you some pointers," said the blacksmith. "Fetch me water from the running stream below."
Xu Qing picked up a wooden pail and went below the hill to fetch the water. She was back in no time. Nanmen Tao gazed at the water in the pail. He said, "I asked for water from the running stream, not the standing part of it. Go again."
By the time Xu Qing was back, Nanmen Tao was already hammering a steel dagger. He explained, "Aim for perfection. Effort alone is not sufficient for this kind of thing. Now you need to first fix your mind on the dao. Then focus your cultivation base and impose your spiritual sense onto the dagger."
Xu Qing fixed her mind on the Taiyi invocation and did as instructed. Nothing happened. She tried again a few times. Yet nothing. She struggled to do this, but she was nothing if not stubborn. Not born with natural genius, she had to work for everything she had. Now of course effort alone would not be sufficient. The entire day passed before she could imprint a symbol on the dagger. Lines naturally present in the hot iron reformed into a symbol that agreed with her understanding of the Taiyi invocation.. Now bowing with clasped hands, she turned to leave: "Much thanks, fellow daoist."
As she stepped out, he said "This is not repayment of karma, but an intersecting of destinies."
The Long Summer
-------------------------
A strong wind blew through the Pine trees at the foothills. Xu Qing recalled old dreams and past lives. She no longer knew where memories ended and where reality began. She had been wandering about Mount Kunlun for weeks. These mountains rose several thousand li above the mortal world. There was no way up for mortals - only a labyrinth of paths that lead back to the same spot. This does not deter adventurers however and they sometimes take back precious gemstones that lie scattered around the mountains. She was in search of something more precious and had taken more risks than the casual adventurer. However, she had been unable to find the divine writing anywhere in the area marked out by the qin player. She began to wonder if she had gone wrong in connecting unrelated events.
Xu Qing looked for the most secluded spot in the foothills of Mount Kunlun and pulled out a Moon Sieve Mother Earth Pill. This pill used the moonlight as nourishment and could only be consumed at night. She placed the pill in her mount and began to meditate. The spiritual energy in the area was quite strong. Moreover, the pill continued to pull in moonlight well after daybreak. Puzzled, Xu Qing flew off in the direction of this lunar energy.
After an hour of disentangling vegetation and splashing through streams, Xu Qing found herself in a hidden grove. Heavenly fragrance and an effervescent light permeated the air. Going past the myriad orchids, Xu Qing found herself facing the walls of the grove - it was entirely covered in the divine writing that she was desperately searching for.
She took out her qin from her bag of holding and began stringing it. She sat down beneath a wutong tree with her hands on the strings. She gazed at the divine writing and meditated on the Taiyi dao. With her understanding of the dao, she could sense the writing intuitively. The first song she played was the song that the qin player had called "Song that has no listeners." She now understood the meaning of the song:
This is Eternal Sunshine grove. Everything here is ephemeral. But the engendered thought is eternal.
She ended the song and moved on to yet deeper sections of the writing. Her qin seemed momentarily like the legendary jasper qin. She could also feel the aura of a phoenix landing on a branch of the wutong tree. Dream and reality seemed to naturally co-exist here.
First insight of the dao - inner sense.
The aura of the phoenix is felt whenever the mind reaches purity in intuition. Use inner sense in everything. Even what is seen with your eyes must be examined again by your inner mind.
As time went on, she was able to move at will to the section of divine writing that corresponded the most with her feelings.
Second insight of the dao - perception.
Seven emotions and six desires contaminate everything they come in contact with. It is thus that intentions must reveal themselves in all cases.
Words reveal the poet's aspirations and commitments. The prevailing tone of the music reveals the performer's feelings. Through an understanding of subtlety, distant sounds and movements reveal a person's true intentions.
As she ran the gamut of her emotions, she realized that emotions impel or paralyze. Such weakness would be fatal in a confrontation.
Third insight of the dao - Shadowless.
Everything that has a form has a shadow. Use this dao to temporarily seal our shadow. Let not our spiritual power dissipate into Heaven and Earth.
She added an additional string and check the resonance. Now her spiritual sense covered a great part of heaven and earth and found resonating symbols and objects in distant locations.
Fourth insight of the dao - sympathy.
Just as ancient shamans could take cultivators into unseen realms, the power of sympathy can influence in unexpected ways and places.
The enlightenment she gained thus far resonated deeply with the Taiyi dao and pushed her into a deep trance. She sat cross-legged in meditation, absorbing the enlightenment. Several days passed.
She had found the source of the Taiyi dao. Like the source of a river, the dao here was purest, but not most powerful.
She finally stepped out from the well-spring of the ancient dao and looked at the world with different eyes.
***
On her way back to the sect, Xu Qing passed through the Black Lands and noticed that it was in turmoil. The Western Desert cataclysm had just started. Many tribes from the Western Desert migrated to the Black Lands thinking it to be safe. However the Black Lands had unexpectedly flooded.
The shaman from one such tribe requested assistance from Xu Qing: "We traveled for several years to migrate to the Black Lands, but the dykes here don't hold up. We are told that the great sects of the Southern Domain have divine treasures that can do anything. Sect leaders like yourself are our only hope."
"It is just one dyke," answered Xu Qing; "Why don't you just have it rebuilt?"
"We have rebuilt it a several times already. It looks like it is the will of heaven that the Western Desert cataclysm must destroy this region of the Black Lands also."
"The great sects of the Southern Domain do not rely on divine treasures, but on personal ability. Give me a day's time to consider this."
Xu Qing sent spiritual sense into the region surrounding the dyke. Initially she could not find anything, but looking deeper into the ground, she found something shocking - the border between the Black Lands and the Western Desert had a spell formation to protect against precisely this cataclysm. But how would someone have known aeons earlier that the cataclysm would occur?
Stolen novel; please report.
The Western Desert cataclysm occurs repeatedly according to celestial patterns. Each occurrence was separated by an aeon, so it would not be recorded in historical works. An ancient sage had installed set of stone pillars many aeons ago to protect the land against flooding. The Black Lands have since been free from flooding. Someone has no doubt fiddled with the excellent design of the great sage.
She called the Western Desert shaman. "There are stone pillars along the border. There are really protective steles and should not be removed. One of them has in fact been shifted out. Move it back into position and all should be well."
Xu Qing sat cross-legged immersed in trying to comprehend this phenomenon.
Fifth insight of the dao - Celestial resonance
A note struck on a qin is answered by the same note on other stringed instruments, which sound without being plucked. Celestial events have
terrestrial resonance.
The will of heaven is unyielding but the will of one man can last an eternity.
Metal Wind of Autumn
-------------------------
Jade leaves scattering autumn shadows
Purple mist sent adrift by a metal wind
Nanmen Tao was at the door of his forge looking forge. The cold autumn wind cut through the morning mist. A cultivator wrapped in the coarse cloak of the western desert stood at the base of the hill and opened the bramble gate. It was Xu Qing. She made her way up the stairs. "Can you forge me a set of flying swords?"
"I suppose I can do that," Nanmen Tao replied.
"There is a problem though. There would have to be four, and all perfectly identical." Xu Qing produced a light white metal which she had obtained from Kunlun mountains
As Nanmen Tao forged the swords, used power from her cultivation base to imprint her understanding of the dao of Taiyi onto the swords. This involved a sacrifice of her cultivation base, but this was the only way to imbue the sword with the full power of the dao.
Then Nanmen Tao tempered the swords for nine days and immersed them in water taken from the glacial jasper pool of Kunlun mountain. The power of a sword depends on the amount and type of qi of the liquid the blade is immersed in. As the swords entered the water, they began to absorb the spiritual power at a rapid rate. Finally they shone with a cold bone-chilling light.
There were finally four swords, one for each quadrant of the sky. Xu Qing picked up each and felt the surge of power and the approval of heaven. Symbols corresponding to her understanding of the Taiyi dao were imprinted along the blade. These would be her dao weapon. She would call them the "Four Heavens" swords.
***
Hastening shadows stretch across and darken the walls
Lengthened rays obliquely penetrate the window.
This was a small but busy town. It was nearly sunset. Xu Qing walked through still in her coarse Western Desert attire. Her Four Heavens swords were safe in her bag of holding.
She ran into an old man who said "Perhaps I can paint a picture of the young lady? The painting will look good on the walls of the lady's house."
Xu Qing declined politely, "I have to go somewhere urgently."
"But you look like you are wandering - and haven't found what you are looking for," he said. "Perhaps after I paint a picture of you, your trip will go better."
Xu Qing sighed and agreed. The old man began to paint. Once the painting was completed, he handed over the painting, "What do you think of this?"
Xu Qing took the painting. She expected to see herself in the typical Western Desert attire. She looked at the painting and was shocked. Her Four Heavens swords which were in fact concealed, appeared in the painting over her shoulder. The twenty-eight constellations in the night sky were activated by the very presence of the sword. One of the swords was plunged into the ground and seemed to absorb energy from the constellations in one quadrant of the sky.
Celestial patterns are always the ultimate form of any dao! These dao weapons acquired their power solely from their quadrant of the sky.
Xu Qing woke up after absorbing the enlightenment and looked around for the painter. There was no one here. She looked back at the painting. Now it said "Taiyi dao legacy holder."
It was now well into the night and the stars blazed brightly in the sky. A cold chill fell over the place. Xu Qing pulled up her Western Desert cloak and confidently turned her steps towards Black Sieve sect.
North wind of Winter
-------------------------
The North wind, how bitter and relentless
Back at the sect, Huang Zhongxi was in Tiger pavilion at the weiqi board as always. This time his victim was Patriarch Violet Sieve.
"It is a pity there isn't anyone of this generation who can wield the dao of Taiyi," said Patriarch Violet Sieve, "It was one of the most powerful techniques of our sect."
"It is the will of heaven that the legacy should be lost," answered Huang Zhongxi, "Even Matriarch Phoenix was an incompetent legacy holder. The only reason she could use the legacy was because someone from the Nanmen family created the legendary North Blade for her. And now with neither North Blade nor Qilin enclave, she has definitely buried the legacy."
"Perhaps the Qilin enclave could be rebuilt?" enquired Patriarch Violet Sieve.
"No chance. The old patriarch achieved enlightenment regarding the Taiyi dao in Daybreak valley. This enlightenment was thought to be endorsed by heaven when a Qilin was seen there. The enclave that was built at that spot contained the will of the old patriarch. After all legacy holders disappeared from the face of the earth, Qilin enclave was destroyed also - and I intend to keep it that way."
"Truly, Qilin enclave was both the source and destination of the Taiyi dao. Without it the legacy is gone forever. I still hope however, to see Matriarch Phoenix wield it one last time," said Patriarch Violet Sieve.
"You have as much hope of that happening as of winning this game," said Huang Zhongxi, removing a couple of captured stones off the board.
***
There was a blanket of snow over the Black Sieve sect. Xu Qing was walking through the main sections of the sect. She passed through impressive drawings of dragons, tigers and mythical animals. She mused, "Merely external representations! I can see what people do, but how can I see what is in their hearts?" She sent her spiritual sense over a large part of the sect. She noticed many things amiss - disciples huddled together frequently and in several locations, missed routines, sloppy rituals. The sect was not as she had left it. Or rather it was the same but just worse. No doubt Huang Zhongxi was planning a coup.
She stopped at the inner sect where Han Bei was passing on some orders to the disciples.
"It looks like Huang Zhongxi is closing off all access to the area beyond Silver peaks?" said Xu Qing
"How did you guess?" answered Han Bei; "I don't think the inner sect has received any orders yet."
"Lots of unusual movements in the sect. I can see through this kind of thing these days. It is clear that the seed is sown and the final culmination will take place soon."
"What do you think will be the final culmination of all this?" asked Han Bei.
"I don't know, and I don't need to know because we won't get there," answered Xu Qing. "I need your help. Slip me in along with other inner sect disciples. I need to get to Silver peaks. I must act without delay or hesitation."
"Do you really think you can outwit Huang Zhongxi?"
"I have had a very long time for this. I can hardly fail."
Meanwhile Huang Zhongxi was thinking about the next move at the weiqi board. A jade slip flashed. He jumped up and ran out. "Looks like crazy Matriarch Phoenix is making the first move. That's not good, I like moving first," he said as he slowly got up and took up his fly whisk.
In a flash, he was at Silver peaks, following Xu Qing's aura. "Why is she going into the crypts below Silver Peaks?" he wondered as he dashed down, following Xu Qing's aura. In the tunnels of the crypts, he reached a dead end. There was no Xu Qing, only a wall.
"How did she suppress her aura so completely?" Xu Qing had used the third insight of the dao - Shadowless!
He dashed back the way he came when he was struck suddenly and fell back like a kite with its string cut. A couple of copper mirrors that block demonic qi had been set up. They faced the inside of the crypt so that Huang Zhongxi could get in but not out. Xu Qing had used that fact that the discarnate souls are primarily demonic qi to set up a simple trap. Han Bei had let her in to Silver peaks along with the other inner sect disciples.
"Childish traps like this will merely delay me!" fumed Huang Zhongxi.
***
Xu Qing needed just this delay. She was in Daybreak valley at the spot where the aura of the dao legacy was the strongest. She sat down to meditate on the dao of Taiyi. The will of the old Patriarch was here, the energy of dao enlightenment was here. The greater part of an hour passed when a great arch materialized in front of Xu Qing. "I was not mistaken," she said as she shot in, "Qilin enclave is still here!"
Bright sunlight hit Xu Qing as she walked through the materialized arch. It was bright sunshine now, though it had been harsh winter just a moment ago. Now there were high arches and spires beyond large courtyards. Xu Qing moved through the enclave viewing the high and distant structures. Daylight valley looked totally different. This is how Qilin enclave looked like in the past.
She stopped before a white building that had stairs leading up between two high walls. She could see thousands of symbols of various types inscribed on the walls. Some of this she could read completely but others just tugged at the edge of her understanding. Every symbol here corresponded to a particular understanding of the dao of Taiyi.
She saw the dao that she remembered belonged to Matriarch Phoenix. Incomplete and failed daos were recorded here too. She saw the dao of Huang Zhongxi - it had failed and would probably have backfired on him.
She confidently passed over symbols that did not accord with her dao. Finally in a central hall in front of her was the original dao enlightenment of the Taiyi dao. There was a large Taiyi shipan compass in the centre of the room. She instantly sank her "Four heavens" swords into the ground, sat cross-legged on the ground and fixed her mind on the dao of Taiyi.
Distant thunder sounded. The heavens had approved. There was no disagreement between her dao and the dao of the legacy. As she retrieved her swords and walked back, she noticed that her dao had been recorded in icy blue symbols on one of the far walls. She had forged her own path and succeeded. She was now the legacy holder of the Taiyi legacy.
The foundation of the enlightenment in ancient times was celestial patterns. This is not surprising for the Black Sieve sect where everything involves a fengshui compass. Probably the old patriarch had gained his enlightenment using a Taiyi shipan compass. Later combined with a dao weapon like the Winged Dragon blade of the old patriarch, the physical power would extend over a vast region of heaven and earth.
On the other hand, the foundation of Xu Qing's enlightenment was direct intuition. She understood celestial forms later. Her power was internal and direct. Her dao weapons were fast and accurate rather than expansive and powerful.
Qilin enclave disappeared - perhaps forever. But the symbols of the great Taiyi dao were now imprinted on the rock face. The dao would not perish.
***
Huang Zhongxi ran with great haste to the far end of Daybreak valley. Xu Qing was there waiting for him. She was standing upon a slab of rock in middle of a dazzling emerald-coloured stream.
"If you really had the destiny you think you have, you would not need to resort to tricks like this one," said Huang Zhongxi. "Stop pretending and stay out of this ancient sacred ground."
"A little subterfuge is sufficient to confuse the rapacious tiger," said Xu Qing, "Are you still determined to get your hands on what is not rightfully yours?"
"The legacy should have belonged to me!"
"Not really," said Xu Qing, "The Qilin enclave clearly recorded your dao as faulty.You shall not receive the legacy in this lifetime."
"Your dao was not complete either. The sect spent a great amount of its resources to forge North blade for you. Without that you would have been powerless to wield the legacy!"
Xu Qing was stunned. What he said was true. Matriarch Phoenix's form of the dao was accepted by the heavens, but was not whole and refined. Moreover it was contaminated by a strong killing aura. Nevertheless her North blade was one of the most feared weapons of ancient times.
She quickly regained her composure. Any hesitation here would be fatal against a difficult opponent like Huang Zhongxi. She raised two fingers and fixed her mind on the Taiyi invocation. Rays of light in the form of symbols flew off her fingers.
"That's just the Taiyi invocation," said Huang Zhongxi. "Even outer sect disciples don't use such low level techniques in public." He did suspect it looked different. It grew darker and colder. The North star appeared in the sky - This was Taiyi in the southern domain!. It seemed to lock down on Xu Qing.
Huang Zhongxi responded with the massive hand formed by the Black Sieve Sect’s magical technique, Great Black Clouds Palm strike.
Xu Qing released one of her four swords from her shoulder and the massive hand instantly disintegrated.
"How is it possible to wield so much power without the Winged Dragon form of the Taiyi dao?" asked Huang Zhongxi.
"My form is internal," said Xu Qing, "you will only see the effects."
Spiritual sense was now an offensive technique. No longer a magical technique, but a divine ability!
Now daylight faded altogether and all stars could be clearly seen. Xu Qing floated lightly above the earth and her white robes fluttered in the cold autumn wind. A giant moon rose on the horizon behind her. She had the appearance of a silver phoenix descended from the ninth heaven.
The twenty-eight celestial constellations appeared to resonate with those on earth. Spiritual sense found direct targets! Huang Zhongxi no longer dared to attack, but stood waiting for an opportunity.
Xu Qing uttered, "Silent clarity."
Marvelous things happened - words could be heard before they were spoken and moves could be seen before they were made! The line between though and reality began to blur.
Just as Huang Zhongxi's killing intent reached its peak, his fly whisk smashed by none of Xu Qing's flying swords. Realizing that he was badly outclassed, he retreated and went into secluded meditation.
Many sect elders came up and clasped their hands together, "Congratulations Matriarch Phoenix on acquiring such a fabulous and ancient legacy!"
Nanmen Tao was here too. He walked up too, to congratulate and thank Xu Qing. He was carrying an inner sect disciple medallion. It truly was an intersection of destiny - the Nanmen family and their great art would also rise up in fame again like in ancient times.
Gentle snow began to fall and cover footprints of those who came to Daybreak valley.