Sitting on the Sword of the Universe, Jing Jiu left the Shenmo Peak, broke through the clouds, and landed in Cloudy Town.
He walked into the restaurant, and the horse-drawn carriage arrived when the soup in the pot had been boiled to the point of one finger.
The glass window on the roof of the carriage had been replaced with a new one. The arrangement made by the Gu Clan was as proper as before.
A few days later, the horse-drawn carriage arrived in Chaonan City. Jing Jiu went to the Precious-Tree House and left after leaving a list of names.
Looking at the names of the magic treasures on the list, the owner of the Precious-Tree House sweated profusely, thinking that these magic treasures were either the most precious treasures of a certain sect or the legendary treasures that had been lost a long time ago; where could he find them?
Jing Jiu didn't take another carriage. He left Chaonan City on foot after buying a conical hat, and arrived at the shore of Ōzawa in a few days.
Ōzawa in the summer was not as cool as people imagined; it was quite hot and stuffy because of the evaporated water vapor. One would sweat even if he didn't move at all, just like the pitiful owner of the Precious-Tree House.
Perhaps it was for this reason that nobody could be seen on the streets of the small town, save for the constant croaking of the cicadas and frogs.
Jing Jiu's body could stay soaked in the lava for a few hours, so he wouldn't sweat because of the summer heat. Standing on the street with the conical hat on, Jing Jiu listened to the croaking of the cicadas and frogs in Silence, as well as the subtle movements hidden behind these sounds.
After the swordsmen of Aoyama entered the State of Inherited Will, they could perceive all the sounds within one hundred feet, such as the chirping of the insects and the rustling of the grasses. Jing Jiu's perceptive ability was many times stronger. If he didn't use the Zen method of the Guocheng Temple to shield his perceptive ability, the sound of Cold Cicadas rubbing their palms would be as terrifying as the thunder in his ears.
With his five senses fully activated, he could hear all the sounds in the small town and even in Ōzawa.
In the courtyard on the west side, there were a few old men playing mahjong with their feet soaked in a bucket. Their foul language was incessant. He could even hear the sound of the old men's fingertips rubbing against the patterns on the mahjong tiles. He thought to himself, "Why are you so excited about touching a chicken if your beard is of the same color?"
Then, he heard many other noises in Ōzawa. The shrimps were eating the mud and the fish were eating the grass, and then they were eaten by the big fish. In the end, the greedy big fish was fished out of the water by a wooden fish and became the fisherman's meal that night. Who was the fisherman working for?
Wearing the conical hat, Jing Jiu walked on the deserted street in the hot summer wind. He didn't go crazy because of the noises, nor did he feel sentimental. All he did was try to find the trace of unnaturalness in the natural noises, and it took him four hours to do so.
There was a clamshell in the dark gutter of the small town. The sound came from there.
It was common for Clams to spit water, although this Clam was small and dry like a dead clam.
Jing Jiu walked to the Clam and squatted down. He said to the Clam, "The hatred between you and Aoyama is the least. In fact, if it weren't for Senior Brother's instigation, the hatred might not even exist. I think we can discuss something."
The clamshell moved slightly, but didn't give any further response.
Jing Jiu was looking for Emperor Xiao. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have thought that the Hidden Swordsman lived in a Clam. But thinking of the saying that a Taoist field was built in a Clam, it seemed natural.
The Clam was just a disguise. It was the Tortoise Shell that protected Emperor Xiao and helped him avoid the search of Aoyama's sword formation.
Even if Jing Jiu's right hand wasn't injured, he wouldn't be able to cut the Tortoise Shell.
Emperor Xiao's voice came from the Clam, "You all know that I live here, but you can't do anything to me. Why should I betray the Immortal to you? Can you promise that you won't kill me? "
Jing Jiu said, "You misunderstood me. I'm not here for that. I just want to borrow your Tortoise Shell."
Emperor Xiao said helplessly, "If I lend the Tortoise Shell to you, wouldn't I be seeking death?"
Jing Jiu thought about it and found that it was true. Emperor Xiao would never agree to his request.
He looked at his deformed right hand and thought that he had to find another way.
At this moment, a strong wind suddenly rose on the surface of the Ōzawa Lake.
When Emperor Xiao spoke, the overflowing aura alerted the Ōzawa swordsmen who had been monitoring the Small Town. They were rushing over with the Wind and Rain Taoism.
Aoyama and Ōzawa had a good relationship, but it was troublesome to meet them. Jing Jiu turned around and left.
…
…
The Clam might have sneaked into the depths of Ōzawa, or it might have hidden in a well in a courtyard. Emperor Xiao had been hiding in Ōzawa for so many years. Aoyama's Sword Formation couldn't kill him. As long as he didn't come out, nobody could do anything to him. Besides, if he didn't make a sound, even Jing Jiu wouldn't be able to find him.
Jing Jiu walked forward in the lake, waving his hands to disperse the annoying water weeds and the ignorant small fish. Thinking of the last cheering sound he heard before he entered the Great Marsh, he realized that those mortals were playing Mahjong in Qing City; that's why they were so happy when they touched a chicken with a tube.
Ōzawa was very vast, and the water was very deep. The deeper he went, the dimmer the sunlight became, and the thinner the water plants became, turning into a barren land of white sand and stones. The ignorant fish were replaced by the ugly and ferocious big fish and monsters. By the time Jing Jiu arrived at the center of the Great Marsh, which was about three hundred feet deep, the bottom of the lake was as dark as the night. Of course, this didn't affect his eyesight in the slightest. As the peculiar snake with silvery glow swam over, Jing Jiu halted his steps.
Jing Jiu looked like a real stone when he was motionless, devoid of energy, smell, or sense of life. Even the divine animals of a higher state couldn't detect his existence, let alone the silvery snake, except for the special beings like the Old Dragon and the Dead Dog.
Jing Jiu had taken Liu Ada with him when he left Aoyama in the past, because he was aware that he would encounter some trouble and strong opponents. This time he left Aoyama to treat his injury, so he didn't want to provoke those strong opponents. Nobody could detect his existence, so there was no trouble.
A few days later, Jing Jiu walked out of the lake, the water dripping down from his conical hat and clothes, wetting the sandy ground under his feet.
This place was the northern shore of Ōzawa, one hundred miles away. The green reeds were everywhere in the shallow water, and there was a dense forest in front of him, devoid of any signs of human habitation.
Jing Jiu summoned his will slightly, the sword fire coming out from his body and evaporating the lake water on his body; but he forgot he was still wearing the conical hat.
As the conical hat turned into a puff of green smoke and disappeared, Jing Jiu's face was exposed.
Dozens of sand puppets returned from the lake and were about to return to their nests in the reeds when they saw Jing Jiu on the beach. They were startled, the small fish in their mouths dropping down like raindrops.
Jing Jiu cut off a dozen reeds, and then made a simple hat and put it on his head like how he braided Zhao Layue with one hand.
Jing Jiu's figure disappeared in the forest.
Nobody knew that he had been here, and nobody knew where he was going. Not even the ghosts on Green Mountain knew anything about it.
… …
… …
In the following ten days, Jing Jiu headed north all the way, looking for a way to treat his injury.
In the Guocheng Temple, Monk Duhai's self-sacrificing strike seemed ordinary, but it was a thunderous strike of Taiping Zhenren, so it must be extraordinary.
On his journey to the north, Jing Jiu seldom took a rest, except that he would take a few mouthfuls of the mountain wind and drink some dew.
He didn't feel hungry or thirsty, but he wanted to do something appropriate to the occasion to make himself look like a fairy man. It was said that the luck of the fairy men wasn't that bad.
Jing Jiu searched all the manor caves he remembered and the manor caves recorded in his Big Brother's notebook, and went to a few famous mines, but he didn't find anything useful.
As time went by, he felt that his right hand looked worse and worse.
Though he knew it was an illusion, he still couldn't stand it.
One night, he stood by the cliff's edge and looked at the stars in the night sky, wondering what he should do if the thing in Zhaoge City couldn't treat his injury.
… …
… …
By the time Jing Jiu arrived in Zhaoge City, the midsummer hadn't passed yet. The scorching sun shone on the streets, and there was no space for shadows.
The pedestrians either held umbrellas or wore conical hats to block the sunlight. Jing Jiu wore the new conical hat he bought in Yuqun, so he didn't attract much attention.
He walked into the alley and arrived at the Jing House. Jing Jiu turned his head around and glanced at Taichang Temple habitually. The newly built Taichang Temple a few years ago looked exactly the same as the old one, but the black eaves didn't look as awe-inspiring as before, probably because it didn't have the rain to moisten it anymore. The eaves looked lifeless now.
The door of the Jing House was locked, so the people must have gone out to visit their friends or relatives. Looking at the lock, Jing Jiu thought for a while, but he still couldn't remember if it was a day off for the officials of the Imperial court, nor could he remember where the key was hidden. As such, he pushed the green brick into the door.
All he wanted to do was save a lock for the Jing House, but he didn't expect that the Duke Lu Manor would lose a precious ceramic ware because of this.
Walking into the study room and making sure that all the furnishings and the chess pieces on the chessboard were the same as before, Jing Jiu nodded and looked at Lu Ming, the son of Duke Lu, who was standing there reverently, saying, "Ask your father to come here."
Lu Ming felt relieved and returned to the State Duke Manor through the underground tunnel. Looking at the broken pieces of the Jun kiln, he sighed and prepared to enter the Imperial Palace.
Less than an hour later, Duke Lu, who was discussing the state affairs with the Emperor, came back. He came to the Jing House through the underground tunnel while panting.
In the Guocheng Temple, Lu Ming told Jing Jiu that the Emperor was under a great deal of pressure and hoped that Jing Jiu would come to Zhaoge City. Unexpectedly, Jing Jiu came here in less than a year, which made Lu Ming feel that his opinion was valued by Jing Jiu. "I didn't expect you to come so soon," he said with a smile.
Jing Jiu didn't know why Lu Ming was so happy, saying, "I'm going to Taichang Temple. Is the Center Sect still keeping a close watch on me?"
Duke Lu was taken aback, and realized that Jing Jiu's coming to Zhaoge City had nothing to do with what he had mentioned. He said with a bitter smile, "The Old Dragon is dead, and the Fiend Prison is nothing but an empty shell. The Zhongzhou School will feel humiliated and angry when they see it, so they won't pay attention to the affairs of Taichang Temple."
In the afternoon, Jing Jiu, disguised as a caretaker, followed Duke Lu into Taichang Temple, and then disappeared from the courtyard.
There was a newly built underground tunnel in the deep end of Taichang Temple, leading to the deep end of the Fiend Prison. Many green bamboos and wild flowers were planted around the entrance.
There was a cluster of purple flowers in a remote corner.
Jing Jiu came to the front of the purple flowers, saying, "The bell that had been tied around your neck for a while was picked up from here."
Having said this, he remembered that Liu Ada didn't come out with him this time, and was still on the top of the Shenmo Peak.
Jing Jiu shook his head, and reached out his hand to dig the soil under the purple flowers. He was careful not to hurt the roots of the purple flowers.
There was a white object buried in the soil under the purple flowers. It was warm to the touch, but it had a faint lethal intent. It was not a beautiful jade, nor was it a magic treasure.
It was a piece of bone.
Jing Jiu picked up the bone and observed it carefully, saying, "It's solid. How can you play a tune out of it?"
Having said this, Jing Jiu remembered that the King Of The Underworld had died many years ago, and he hadn't fulfilled the promise he had made to the King.
…
…
Back when Jing Jiu snuck into the Fiend Prison, he had seen a piece of bone of a large demon in the green pond, which was the stomach of the Old Dragon.
The poison in the green pond was very formidable and had a strong corrosive ability. Even the magic treasures and the fairy swords couldn't survive it, to say nothing of the physical bodies of the Cultivation practitioners.
That large demon must have been very powerful, probably in the same state as Zen Master's adopted father, which was why the demon bone was indestructible.
Before the King Of The Underworld died, he had used this piece of demon bone to play a lullaby of the Underworld River.
At the time, Jing Jiu had heard this tune in Zhaoge City, in addition to the swordsmen of the human race.
…
…
Jing Jiu came back to the Jing House.
Jing Jiu walked into the study room and set up a formation to avoid being disturbed.
Jing Jiu rolled up his sleeve and placed his deformed right arm on the demon bone, rubbing it against the front and the back.
In the beginning, Jing Jiu moved very slowly, as if he was trying to find the perfect angle and strength. Later, he moved faster and faster, so fast that the naked eye couldn't follow him.
Jing Jiu had already mastered the angle and strength. More importantly, he was certain that his method was correct.
That piece of demon bone was indeed special; it didn't make too much noise even though it was rubbed at such a high speed.
A moment later, Jing Jiu stopped moving. He lifted up his right arm and looked at it, showing a satisfied expression on his face.
In the eyes of regular people, Jing Jiu's right arm didn't have any change, but Jing Jiu knew that there were some slight changes.
It was true that he was sharpening the sword.
Many years ago on the top of Bihu Peak, Jing Jiu had said that he would use Liu Ada's bone to sharpen the sword. It was a bluff, but it was true this time.
The sword wasn't sharp anymore, so it needed to be sharpened again.
Jing Jiu understood the principle, but he hadn't found a suitable whetstone yet.
Even the hardest whetstone in the world would be melted by his right hand. Even the magic treasures and flying swords in Aoyama couldn't withstand his right hand for a while.
It wasn't until that day on the Sword Peak, when Jing Jiu mentioned the bone flute of his Big Brother to Zhao Layue, that he thought of the song played by the King Of The Underworld before his death, and then he thought of this piece of demon bone.
Of course, if Emperor Xiao was willing to lend the turtle shell to him, it would be the best whetstone for him.
A voice suddenly burst out from outside the study room.
It was a young man and a young woman, who seemed to be arguing and crying at the same time, and then became silent.
Jing Jiu didn't pay any attention to them, focusing on sharpening the sword.
Jing Jiu's right arm was rubbing against the demon bone at a high speed.
The bone powder gradually formed, accompanied by a faint burning smell.
His expression didn't change. He reached out his left hand and grabbed some Rootless Water, sprinkling it on his right arm and the demon bone.
After a few sizzling sounds, the sound of sharpening the sword became softer. The bone powder was soaked and no longer flew up, but gradually piled up on the table.
An exclamation suddenly came from outside the window.
Jing Jiu knew that someone was outside, but he didn't pay attention to it.
A young girl was standing by the window of the study room, her eyes slightly red, indicating that she had just been crying.
She looked at the scene in the study room, her face full of disbelief, and asked, "Are you sharpening the skin of your hand? Ugh … so disgusting. "
(End of this chapter)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
