World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 689: Pure Yang Battles Wang Shan, A Single Phrase Reveals a Secret
After scouring the array for three days, Wang Sheng managed to recover Flying Haze and two of his Flying Clouds. However, he still could not sense the location of Dragon Sword or Spiritless. He could faintly feel that Yaoyun was somewhere nearby, but he could never pinpoint her exact location.
Wang Sheng never expected Wang Shan to be this terrifyingly powerful. The man had captured so many immortals with ease and even moved an entire desolate planet.
How am I supposed to break this deadlock? Ask Emperor Qinghua for help? There's a chance the bronze mirror can reach him, but he may still be locked in battle against people from the Immortal Saint Realm. If so, he would hardly have the time or attention to spare.
The true root of the problem is not the crowd of Golden Immortals and Taiyi Golden Immortals outside. It's Divine Guardian Wang's killing intent and wariness toward me. What secret is hidden behind all this?
Deep down, Wang Sheng had a feeling that Yaoyun could give him a clear answer. Back when they were trapped in the Earth Qi Seal, she had tried to speak several times but always held herself back.
Am I the reincarnation of some powerful figure from the Heavenly Court? My name was carved on the jade monument in the Small Nether Realm. There is a strong chance that my previous soul passed through the Reincarnation Stone before this life began.
However, it's also possible that my second chance at life had come through the Reincarnation Stone by sheer fated opportunity, leaving my name upon it by accident. What's the connection behind all of this? Why do I have no memory at all of a previous life?
The more Wang Sheng thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became. In the end, he forced himself to set the matter aside. Once he met Yaoyun again, he resolved to question her until everything became clear.
For now, he buried himself in studying his lightning technique. He also searched outside for Spiritless from time to time, but he never found a trace of it.
Half a month later, the array opened once more. However, the area outside remained completely silent, and not a single person entered.
Wang Sheng had no idea when they would dare enter again, but he could almost sense the fear spreading among the immortals outside. Ling Sheng remained ready to strike at any moment, keeping the entire array under her control.
Another half a month passed without incident.
When the array gate closed again, he finally breathed out a small sigh of relief. The strange array and Ling Sheng's divine ability most likely intimidated his remaining enemies. No one seemed willing to suggest the only solution: sending only one person inside. Instead, they were probably thinking about how to negotiate once more with Wang Shan.
The battle sank into a strange lull that lasted four months. No one dared to enter, and no one emerged from the array.
Wang Sheng used that time to retrieve the flying swords that had been taken from him earlier. He also practiced his lightning manipulation, achieving minor culmination. Moreover, he started comprehending the Great Dao of Pure Yang again, treating the place as a site for cultivation.
He did not even know what else to do other than to cultivate. Strengthening himself at least increased his chances of survival against powerful enemies.
Meanwhile, the immortals outside continued to stall and observe, hoping to see how Wang Shan would react.
It didn't matter whether they entered the array or let Wang Shan erase them; both options meant death. Hence, they chose to cling to life a little longer, hoping for some unexpected development.
However, Wang Shan never appeared again. The powerful immortals trapped around the desolate planet grew increasingly anxious and uneasy. After all, having one's life in someone else's hands was never a pleasant feeling.
The magma cavern deep in the planet also remained quiet for that duration.
Finally getting the rare chance to quit his internet addiction, Huai Jing had forced himself into meditation. If he just kept drifting in boredom, it would truly start to affect his state of mind.
Meanwhile, Yaoyun alternated between cultivating for several days and spending half a day lost in thought. She quietly sensed the changes in Wang Sheng's state of mind while also pondering a way to break the deadlock.
However, no one outside the desolate planet, in the array, or inside the underground cavern could sense what was happening beyond the black curtain. They had no idea where they had been taken.
***
In a vast field of glaciers on one of the Northern Sky Region's remote celestial bodies.
Dressed in black, Wang Shan returned from the depths of space and slowly descended back to his residence.
Inside a nearby ice cave, Chun Yangzi teasingly greeted, "Oh, you finally decided to come back?"
Still looking like a white-bearded old man in white robes, he walked over with his hands clasped behind his back.
Chun Yangzi smiled. "Did you manage to gather any news?"
Wang Shan lowered his gaze toward the ancient city beneath the glacier before sitting down in a rattan chair. "Are they still well?"
"Pretty much the same as when you left. They're all still in deep sleep." Chun Yangzi sighed softly and sat down across the low table. With a casual wave, he summoned two wine cups, then took out a fine brew from his sleeve. "You said you were going to investigate the Immortal Saint Realm. Did anything come of it?"
With his eyes still lowered, Wang Shan replied, "I didn't go. Not long ago, Emperor Qinghua's Daoist heritage surfaced. You should have sensed it as well."
Chun Yangzi smiled lightly. "Of course I did. Unfortunately, I couldn't join the excitement since I had to stay here and keep watch for you. Who ended up claiming the emperor's Daoist heritage? If my guess is right, one of our old friends from the Heavenly Court probably ended up taking it."
Wang Shan slowly shook his head and whispered, "It was probably one of your grand-disciples."
"Hua Qing?"
Wang Shan took a quiet breath and sighed. "Mm. His Imperial Majesty laid out a grand scheme that ended up slaughtering many cultivators. He then refined the divine tree, abandoned the Great Dao of Life, and took control of the Great Dao of Death. Through it, he gained command over the divine ability of the Five Heavenly Declines."
Chun Yangzi breathed in sharply. "No wonder. During those days, I kept sensing a terrifying Great Dao appearing in the world. Even the sea of Dao laws was surging with violent waves. How is His Imperial Majesty now? He truly played an excellent game!"
"He should be safe. With the Apricot-Yellow Banner protecting him, escaping the entanglement of those few people should not be a problem."
Wang Shan picked up the wine cup beside him. Just as he brought it to his lips, he paused and looked at his reflection in the wine. The face staring back at him seemed unfamiliar.
He muttered, "Without noticing it, I have already grown so old."
"Appearance reflects the heart," Chun Yangzi replied. "What happened after that?"
"I possess a treasure called the Heaven-Earth Mirror. Even inside the grand array that the emperor created around the divine tree and the Apricot-Yellow Banner, I could move so freely that it seemed nothing blocked my way. At first, I only intended to guard the emperor's coffin for a time. I never expected he had arranged such a scheme."
Chun Yangzi smiled. "It would be a great blessing for us both if he rises again through the Great Dao of Death."
"His obsession with avenging the Heavenly Court runs too deep," Wang Shan replied as he slowly closed his eyes. The aura around him seemingly sank into quiet weariness. "It's still too early to tell whether that will serve as a blessing or a disaster."
Chun Yangzi frowned and studied the divine guardian. "Did something else happen?"
"I want you to help me decide on something."
Wang Shan slipped his left hand into his Daoist robe and took out a black sphere about the size of a fist. He placed it on the low table between them. The light around it bent slightly, yet the object itself remained perfectly still.
"What's that?"
"A desolate star," Wang Shan answered. "I trapped several immortals inside it, including a few Taiyi Golden Immortals and Golden Immortals. Many Heavenly Immortals and True Immortals are also inside it, along with a rare Ghost Heart Vine, an old acquaintance, a man, and a sword."
Chun Yangzi was momentarily speechless. He teased, "You speak in riddles now? What has gotten into you, anyway? I have never seen you hesitate like this. The head of the Divine Guardians, famous for his thunderous decisiveness, is now beating around the bush. It truly sounds ridiculous!"
Wang Shan sighed. "The old acquaintance once belonged to the Buddhist sects. The man is called Fei Yu, and the sword is Her Highness, the Thirteenth Princess."
"What...?"
"Fei Yu is your successor, is he not?" Wang Shan slowly raised his head and looked at the dark sky above. "I trapped him inside an array and told the people outside that if they could kill him, they would all be able to leave safely."
"He certainly is my successor—the one I value the most, in fact." Chun Yangzi's eyebrows knit even more tightly as he stared at Wang Shan. "What has he done to offend you? If he made a mistake, I will apologize to you on his behalf as his forefather. Why make things difficult for him when he is still so young? Your seniority alone should make this unnecessary!"
Wang Shan just smiled bitterly and looked into the distance.
Chun Yangzi rose to his feet and firmly demanded, "Great Divine Guardian Wang, release Fei Yu at once. If he has caused you trouble, I will bear the consequences as his forefather!"
"You did not just come here to hide from trouble, did you? Why don't we speak about the matters that we keep buried in our hearts? Perhaps we can discuss them and decide what to do."
Chun Yangzi only hesitated a little before nodding slowly. "I see no harm in that. Truth be told, I came here to investigate what happened in the past. While you were away, I looked through the memories of those sleeping below. Do not worry, though. I did not disturb their rest."
"Did you find anything?"
"A little."
Wang Shan's eyes sharpened. "Are you investigating the cause of His Immortal Majesty's death?"
"No. I am investigating whether he truly died in the first place."
"Oh?" Wang Shan's gaze softened again. "Did you find any evidence?"
"Not yet, and I haven't found any reliable clues either. You could say I have nothing at all." Chun Yangzi met his eyes. "Now, your turn. What have you been hiding?"
Staring at the black sphere, Wang Shan admitted, "Your successor is a grave threat to the Heavenly Court. If his identity becomes known, the foundation of the Heavenly Court will be shaken. He could very well extinguish the last hope of our members, who are scattered across the endless space."
Chun Yangzi froze for a moment. Soon after, he laughed in disbelief. "Fei Yu merely carries a portion of the Heavenly Court's heavenly fate, which Emperor Ziwei deliberately left in his homeland long ago. It cannot be that serious."
"This is not just about that fate alone, but it is connected to it." With a trace of confusion in his eyes, he leaned forward slightly and whispered, "To be honest, I can no longer tell whether I am still doing the right thing. I cannot even tell whether I myself am good or evil anymore.
"I have long known that His Immortal Majesty was not the one whom the Great Dao had chosen to unite the Three Realms and that the destruction of the Heavenly Court was inevitable. He deceived everyone, yet I could only follow him and protect his reputation.
"I know he gained the throne through questionable means, but what of it? He was still the wise ruler I trusted with all my heart! He still brought order to the Three Realms and allowed countless living beings to live in peace! What difference do origin or destiny truly make?"
Chun Yangzi narrowed his eyes slightly. He did not seem overly surprised. "You mean to say..."
Wang Shan's lips curved into a self-mocking smile. "Only one can remain between Fei Yu and His Immortal Majesty, and the only reason I have not been able to kill Fei Yu yet is that I know His Immortal Majesty has already perished.
"I do not want to destroy the portion of the Heavenly Court's heavenly fate that he carries or eliminate the Heavenly Court's chances for resurrection. However, I also cannot tolerate the thought that His Immortal Majesty sacrificed himself for the people of the Three Realms, only to have his name stained after his death!"
"I think I understand," Chun Yangzi said as he raised his head. He sighed deeply. "No wonder Emperor Ziwei sent those six strange celestial tablets back to the Realm of Exiled Immortals and left part of the Heavenly Court's fortune in the Small Immortal Realm back then.
"So that's how it is. The emperor knew all along. Great Divine Guardian Wang, I respect you as a senior. Even so, I must tell you not to harm Fei Yu. He is the successor I value the most."
Wang Shan's eyes grew sharper. "If he lives, the truth will one day become known to all beings of the Three Realms. His Immortal Majesty's reputation will be damaged."
"So you would rather become the villain than try to correct those mistakes?" Chun Yangzi's gaze fell upon the black sphere. "The Heavenly Court has already fallen, and His Immortal Majesty has already passed away. What meaning is there in fighting over this?
"Even Thirteenth has made her choice. Why are you still so stubborn? When it comes to the reputation that His Immortal Majesty leaves behind, she has far more right to decide than you. She is his daughter, after all."
Looking at the black sphere, Wang Shan whispered, "That is why I returned—to ask you to stop me. Right now, no one else can, Lu Dongbin."
Chun Yangzi stood with his hands behind his back and replied calmly, "Let us go out into space then."
"Very well."
The two vanished to some unknown place at the same time. An instant later, the celestial body they had left trembled softly. In the distance, the scattered lights of stars faded one after another.
