The wine room was littered with empty bottles. Heifeng Jiansui, being mortal reluctantly kept himself away from the drinks. As his disciples, the Fu twins and Shui Yan held themselves back as well.

Thus, the only drunk was the World Spirit Ninebless. Fortunately or not, she recovered within some time as well.

“Ahh, getting drunk feels amazing. Unfortunately, this body of mine isn’t all that receptive, taking away the buzz every time~.” Nineorigin’s voice seemed quite defenseless even though she had regained her strength.

Heifeng Jiansui patted the complaining spirit on her head to calm her. “There are two Perpetual Emperors. Ask Pure Yang to make him some wine and you’ll get top quality booze. Of course, you’ll have to provide the ingredients.”

“Is there an item in this World that I, its Spirit cannot obtain? Just tell him to ask and I’ll bring it!” Her voice was quite proud as she said this.

“He is now your sect’s guest, ask him yourself.” Saying this, the conversation came to its end and he turned to his disciple.

“Yan’er, we ended up spending your final hours like this…” Heifeng Jiansui and his disciples shared many stories during this short time. Of course, the focus was on Shui Yan who described how the days in the new era passed.

The changing of the Heavenly Dao of the new era had an adverse effect on the lifespan of the cultivators of the previous era and the previous Heavenly Dao. Their lifespans were reduced to mere fractions of before and they couldn’t even last a million years. And that was while being top talents and living in the Ninelight Stellar Circuit, a world comparable to a Perpetual Emperor’s Supreme World with independent laws. Afraid of passing on their deficiencies to their offspring, they all died without descendents.

Finally, Shui Yan entered a Blood Era Crystal to wait for his master, leaving the twins consigned to lasting solitude. And then Heifeng Jiansui arrived to meet them…

“These few hours are certainly worth more than a few millennia for me, Master…” This was an exaggeration that was actually true, for a Perpetual Emperor’s time was worth worlds.

“Well then while I can’t do much about your life and death, all I can do is impact your reincarnation. If there is a particular place you wish to be reborn in, tell me.” Heifeng Jiansui’s voice was sincere.

“Master, you know my choice don’t you? In my past life, I lost everything for her, so in this life let it repeat once more…” Heifeng Jiansui’s expression turned bitter hearing this.

This disciple of his had chased after a woman for a long time. Unfortunately, the object of his affections was quite unpredictable, always unwilling of committing herself to him and being distracted from the Immortal Path. That girl had slept with his disciple in the name of dual cultivation, but she declined all further affection. In the end, he ended up losing everything to send her to a Supreme World to safety, consigning himself to this Ninelight Stellar Circuit…

“When we last met, she was a Perennial Lord… It is likely that she is still alive…” Seeing the lovestricken expression on his disciple’s face, Heifeng Jiansui felt disgust. That woman reached to such heights due to Shui Yan’s selfless efforts, if he focused them on himself he wouldn’t have his lifespan eroded to dust…

‘You lost everything for her, failed to gain her affection and still pursue her… Is this truly love?’ Shui Yan’s peerless talent was all wasted as he followed that woman. His Daoheart was all focused on her, so Heifeng Jiansui forcefully separating him from her would have adverse effects. All Heifeng Jiansui could do was watch as his disciple degraded.

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Maybe he should have tied up that girl and forced a marriage. At that time, it was an idea not worth considering, but if he had implemented it then perhaps Shui Yan would have been spared lots of grief.

‘No, this is not love. From the beginning, the feeling of ‘love’ begins with the acknowledgement of the two parties. No matter how much Shui Yan may try to gain her affection, he hasn’t obtained it yet. So all there remains is infatuation, a desire for acknowledgement and a desire to take that woman. All this… is something I can feel as well.’ Heifeng Jiansui thought of this and smiled.

“Shui Yan! For your next life, let me assign you a final task!” Heifeng Jiansui’s stern voice caused chills within Shui Yan’s body. He always disapproved of him chasing her, so perhaps…

“If you don’t obtain that woman… Don’t bother returning to this Quintessence Sword Sect!” Heifeng Jiansui coldly said to his surviving personal disciple.

Hearing this, Shui Yan began laughing as he accepted that mission. Thinking of the past when his master told him to stop thinking of her and concentrate on cultivation, his master didn’t like him following her. But he had finally acquiesced!

“You will be a mortal when you reincarnate, all your previous power and authority dust! For that woman who you are pursuing, you are lousier than an ant! If you want to take her, become stronger! Strong enough to astonish her, to let her know clearly that you far surpass her! Become a Immortal King, the youngest Immortal King of this era! Only then will you have the power to pursue your desires!” Heifeng Jiansui’s stern words set Shui Yan’s heart beating, inculcating a desire to conquer!

But he didn’t think over his Master’s words. ‘Obtain’ meant many things, right and wrong. Heifeng Jiansui certainly didn’t care what means he used as long as he obtained her…

+++

“Nineorigin, did you calculate the best place for Karmic Luck to gather in the Wind Supreme World?” Heifeng Jiansui asked the World Spirit.

The woman his disciple pursued was still a Perennial Lord and still lived in the Wind Supreme World. Not speaking of the twins who somehow cultivated to Immortal Kings in a million years, Heifeng Jiansui was sure that Shui Yan would become a pinnacle Immortal King capable of slaughtering a hundred Immortal Kings in this timeframe. That is if he cultivated diligently.

“I did. Being reborn as a…” Nineorigin seemed to want to speak more, but…

Heifeng Jiansui immediately interrupted. “Don’t tell me about his reincarnation. He will have to find his fate himself.”  

“Ah, are you set on abandoning him?” Nineorigin’s words seemed curious.

“It doesn’t matter. As long as he is given time and no great misfortune occurs, he will certainly reach the apex. And the entire reason why we are reincarnating him to a spot where Karmic Luck gathers is to remove the possibility of misfortune!” Hearing Heifeng Jiansui’s words, Nineorigin nodded.

Meanwhile, Heifeng Jiansui was happy that Nineorigin didn’t ask more about the matter. Knowing that the mighty Quintessence Sword Saint was following a mortal superstition would have made her laugh!

“So should I begin his reincarnation?” Nineorigin asked him.

“Let me have a moment with my final disciple first.” Saying this, he ran to his disciple.

Lifeforce had already nearly faded away and Shui Yan was nearly a bony corpse. Heifeng Jiansui did not have any cultivation methods or advice to impart to him; all he could bestow was his good wishes.

“We created a cultivation art for Deputy Sect Master. Sect Master, please check.” Saying this, the Fu twins sent a cultivation technique to Heifeng Jiansui.

The two twins had cultivated independently to Immortal King in a million years. Not even Heifeng Jiansui from the past era had reached such heights, so their advice was more vital!

The technique was named ‘Water Mist’, the same as Shui Yan’s name (??). It was perfectly suited to him, and Heifeng didn’t find any faults with it. He nodded at the twins and they sent it to Shui Yan.

Finally, Heifeng Jiansui looked at the bony figure of the corpselike man. He tenderly closed his eyes and mouth. “All preparations are done. Nineorigin, begin his reincarnation!”

Summoning a six-colored fire, Nineorigin immediately burnt the husk of a body to ashes, purifying the soul to the point that it materialized as a small shining white ball. Her other hand opened up a six-threaded flame vortex in the air and thrust the white ball into it.

The flame vortex was in truth the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the Wheel of Samsara! Acting as a portal to rebirth, it lead down Shui Yan’s soul to be reborn.

“It is done then, I suppose… I owe you yet another favor Nineorigin.” Heifeng Jiansui sighed as she said this. Something like preferential reincarnation with memories was a large favor indeed!

“You don’t owe me anything…” Nineorigin’s words were stopped by Heifeng Jiansui’s brusque tone. “…But the karmic threads between us contradict it.”

Hundreds up hundreds of thin red threads appeared between them as Nineorigin visibly displayed their karmic relation. They were tightly binding they two of them, more than any ‘red strings of fate’ had any right to.

“Well, I owe this life, this world and this day to you. That’s why even though I owe you…” Heifeng Jiansui once again stopped Nineorigin’s speech. “I was casually pointing that out. Of course we share fate and karma together, but it isn’t bad. In truth, such a relationship with the World Spirit would have made all Perpetual Emperors jealous.”

Ignoring the World Spirit’s red face, Heifeng Jiansui continued. “Let’s discuss our fate later. I still want to speak more with these genius disciples of mine.”

When he said this, the twins brightened up.