The battle of the West Ocean had come to an end. Different parties had different opinions on which of them would benefit from the battle; but undoubtedly, the Aoyama Sect was the true winner and would get the most benefits. As for the escape of Taiping Zhenren … as long as Liu Ci could still wield his sword, nobody would dare make trouble for him.
Yet, Jing Jiu didn't think so.
After this battle, Taiping Zhenren stood in the open, the Dark Phoenix defected, and Aoyama sowed the seeds of the civil strife … The Zhongzhou School had won the battle.
He didn't care much about Bai Zao and Tong Yan.
Those two young men merely inherited Guo Dong's idea of killing Jian Xilai and then his Big Brother.
As for what had happened later, it was Aoyama's own fault.
It was he who returned the Green Sky Mirror to Tong Yan of his own accord.
He had calculated many things, but he had miscalculated one thing.
As a result, things had turned out this way in the end.
Thinking of all this, Jing Jiu nodded to Bai Zao and walked back to the cabin of the boat.
Bai Zao was taken aback.
He turned around and left. Though it seemed normal, why did she feel as empty as the vast West Ocean and as cold as the floating ice around Shaoming Island?
She didn't understand why, the same way she didn't understand why the Immortal Liu Ci would come out today even though he had imprisoned Taiping Zhenren for three hundred years.
There were seventeen sword boats when they arrived, and fourteen sword boats when they returned, the same number of sword boats; but the feeling they gave off was completely different.
The Immortal Liu Ci had wielded his sword and killed Nan Qü, his mortal enemy of a thousand years, and the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean had fled after being severely wounded. The Western Sea Sword School had been destroyed, and the Aoyama Sect had only sacrificed two sword boats, and the number of their disciples who were killed or wounded was not high. It was a happy event worthy of being noted. However, the sword boats traveling in heaven and earth were as silent as ever.
Watching the Aoyama Sword Boat leave, the cultivators of the various sects were silent. Some were in shock and awe, while others were thinking of more profound reasons.
The power of the Thunder Fire was not much weaker than the Heavenly Tribulation, but Enlightened Liu Ci withstood it just like that. Was he seriously injured?
If something were to happen to him, what kind of violent storm would the cultivation world face?
The sun was blazing, the sea breeze was incessant, the floating ice was melting, and the clouds in the sky were blown away in all directions.
The cultivators of the various sects also left with Liu Yun.
The cloud ship of Zhongzhou School was very quiet. The disciples stood on several floors of the ship and stared at the sky around them vigilantly.
The situation today was too chaotic. Too many things had happened in the end. Who knew if Aoyama Sect would suddenly go crazy.
There were only two people in the top cabin of the cloud ship.
Bai Zhenren looked at Tong Yan and said with an indifferent expression, "Liu Ci must die this time. You have made a great contribution. What do you want?"
Kneeling on the ground, Tong Yan said, "Master, please let Qing 'er live."
Bai Zhenren had made a promise when he agreed to let Jing Jiu take the Green Sky Mirror and leave the Cloud-Dream Mountain.
If Taiping Zhenren was killed by Tong Yan's scheme, Jing Jiu would let the Green Sky Mirror go free.
Tong Yan was fully aware that his Master couldn't let a treasure like the Green Sky Mirror leave the Zhongzhou School. The so-called freedom meant staying alive.
"Is Taiping dead?" Bai Zhenren asked nonchalantly.
Tong Yan looked at the Green Sky Mirror on the floor beside him and remained silent for a while. Then he got up, bowed to Jing Jiu, and walked out of the cabin door.
The gentle wind ruffled the ribbon gently, as if it was an unpredictable emotion.
Bai Zao was waiting for Jing Jiu outside the door.
Seeing the cold expression in Tong Yan's eyes, Jing Jiu knew her mother's decision, feeling a bit surprised.
The cold expression in Tong Yan's eyes was gradually replaced by a painful and apologetic expression; but the expression on his face didn't change, nor did his energy.
Jing Jiu could let Bai Zao see his pain and weakness, but he couldn't let Bai Zhenren sense it.
Bai Zao said in a trembling voice, "You have tried your best."
Tong Yan uttered "hmm".
Then, he asked himself a question.
Have you really tried your best?
Qing 'er didn't know what Jing Jiu intended to do from the beginning to the end. She thought that Jing Jiu merely wanted to take her to escape from the Cloud-Dream Mountain. She had no idea about the scheme of the West Ocean and the Fairy Book brought into the Illusionary Realm by the King of Fire Carps, nor did she know that there were so many deals and conspiracies behind the scheme.
Jing Jiu had concealed Qing 'er very well.
He had deceived the whole world very well.
In the end, he had succeeded.
So.
Jing Jiu asked himself one more time.
Have you really tried your best?
Jing Jiu could even predict Taiping Zhenren's plan and deceive the whole world; why couldn't he do it?
The answer was obvious. In fact, Jing Jiu had already known the answer when Bai Zhenren said it.
As such, he didn't tell his Master about the Snow Girl.
Not a single word.
…
…
After the fourteen sword boats of Aoyama arrived in Chaotian, one of them left the group and headed southward.
Yizhou was not far to the south. If they continued heading toward the barren mountain devoid of spiritual energy, they would see a collapsed cliff.
The fine powder was everywhere in front of the cliff. The original shapes of the flowers and trees were nowhere to be seen, and the old temple and the black coffin were nowhere to be found.
This sword boat belonged to the Shenmo Peak.
Zhao Layue brought the white cat back to the boat.
The white cat had lost a great deal of blood, and his long hair was stuck together. He looked terrible, as if he had been severely wounded. Yuan Qu and Ping Yong-Ka were startled.
Nan Wang sneered and carried the unconscious Nan Zheng into the cabin of the boat. For some reason, she didn't kill this former member of her tribe.
The white cat knew what her sneer meant, but he didn't pay any attention to it. All he did was lean against Zhao Layue's bosom and pretend to be weak with his eyes closed, thinking that he had earned this treatment by risking his life.
…
…
The stars filled the sky.
The highest peak was so white that it was dazzling.
The huge sword boat hovering in the night sky a few miles away was clearly illuminated by the stars.
This was the most desolate place in Chaotian, so there was no need to worry that the mortals would be disturbed by the scene.
Standing on the peak top, Jing Jiu remained silent as he watched the scene.
He didn't feel discouraged and have the idea of leaving Aoyama.
The reason the sword boat on the Shenmo Peak left the group was because he had an important conversation with someone.
The night wind blew over, and the starlight flickered slightly. Liu Ci landed by Jing Jiu's side.
"You're late," said Jing Jiu.
Liu Ci said, "It's not like you don't know why I fly so slowly."
It seemed that they had had a similar conversation on their way out of Cloud-Dream Mountain back then.
Both Jing Jiu and Liu Ci displayed a calm and nonchalant expression on their faces.
Killing Nan Qü was the most difficult task in the world, but they didn't show much joy or fear in their eyes.
This fact had been determined the day Jing Jiu returned to Aoyama thirty years ago.
As long as they joined hands, they would be invincible in the world.
As long as Jing Jiu was willing to accept that matter.
Nan Qü used the sword ghost as a human and the human as a sword; he had indeed created a new sword style.
As Liu Ci said, Jing Jiu had already taken the lead, and he was the one who had combined the two sword styles.
Of course, the role played by Liu Ci was more important.
If it were Zhuo Rusui who had wielded the sword that day, would he be able to kill Nan Qü? He probably couldn't even cut a hair of Nan Qü's.
Liu Ci was the only one who had the ability and was qualified to wield the sword.
He was the true and absolute number one swordsman in the world right now.
"Will the Foggy Island produce another Nan Qü?"
Jing Jiu seemed to be talking to himself, but also asking a question.
Looking at the sword boat under the starlight, Liu Ci said, "No."
"Will Jian Xilai come back?" asked Jing Jiu.
"It should be very difficult," said Liu Ci.
Jing Jiu fell silent for a while before saying, "Oh, it's you."
Liu Ci uttered "hmm".
…
…
This "hmm" was very faint, with no obvious inflection, but it was very significant.
Back when Taiping Zhenren was released from the Sword Jail and Lei Poyun was silenced, it meant that there was a ghost in Aoyama.
Jing Jiu had been trying to find out who that ghost was over the years since he had returned to Aoyama.
Liu Ci and Yuan Qijing were the people he trusted the most, but they were also the ones he was most suspicious of.
Only they had the ability to do so. Fang Jingtian couldn't do it even if he didn't conceal his prowess.
Yet, he didn't know who that ghost was.
They were all companions who had eaten hotpot with him, killed someone, and attacked his Big Brother. It didn't make any sense.
The answer had finally been revealed today.
Liu Ci was the biggest ghost of them all.
Jing Jiu said calmly while shooting a glance at the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword in Liu Ci's hand, "You guys have won."
The Sword of the Universe was hovering in the night sky above the peak top in Silence, absorbing the starlight.
There would be no contest of flying swords tonight, because the difference in their Cultivation states was too great.
More importantly, Jing Jiu had accepted Liu Ci's invitation from the West Ocean in the ruined temple on the barren mountain. Everything had been decided.
Jing Jiu said, "If Big Brother had planned all of this, I have to admit that I'm convinced."
"No," Liu Ci said, "You're wrong, and so is he. More precisely, both of you are thinking too much."
Jing Jiu said, "Wasn't it his arrangement to ask me to return to the sheath?"
"Releasing my Master from the Sword Jail doesn't mean that I support him, and I won't listen to his arrangement."
Liu Ci said after shooting a glance at him, "Today's matter is actually very simple. I just want a sword."
In the few times he and Jing Jiu met over the years, they talked about swords the most.
Liu Ci kept saying … that he didn't have a sword, either earnestly or helplessly, or sighing with emotion.
The meaning behind his words was obvious. He wanted a sword.
Or in other words, he wanted his own sword back.
Jing Jiu had never responded to Liu Ci's request before.
Back when he held the Fairy Glove of the Zhongzhou School in his left hand and was in great danger, Jing Jiu refused Liu Ci's request without hesitation.
This was something Jing Jiu didn't want to do the most, and it was a taboo.
The Inherited Heaven Sword was never a sword, but a sheath.
This scabbard was specially used to control the sword.
The Aoyama Sect had been established tens of thousands of years ago, and it had always been like this.
The sect masters of every generation were the sword holders.
The sword couldn't be free when it was in the sheath.
Jing Jiu didn't like this feeling. Even though he had accepted Liu Ci's request that day, he didn't forget to say, "This is my sword."
Liu Ci said, "I'm the sect master; this is of course my sword."
Jing Jiu waved his hand, indicating that they shouldn't argue over such a childish issue.
Liu Ci suddenly asked, "Did you ask Gu Qing to return the Green Sky Mirror to Tong Yan back then because you had already predicted the intention of the Zhongzhou School?"
Jing Jiu said, "I thought he and Su Ziye intended to kill Jian Xilai."
Liu Ci said, "You might have thought so in the beginning; but you should have guessed what would happen after you received my Master's letter."
After a moment of silence, Jing Jiu said, "You're right. Killing him is what I've always wanted to do."
After receiving the letter, Jing Jiu, Liu Ci and Yuan Qijing had a small meeting on the top of Tianguang Peak, with the Round Turtle as the witness.
At the end of the meeting, Jing Jiu had set the foundation for this expedition to the West Ocean: kill Nan Qü first and then Taiping, and then the world would be at peace.
This was a goal, a reminder, and a warning. No matter who was the devil, Liu Ci or Yuan Qijing, they should think about the consequences.
If everything went according to Jing Jiu's plan, no matter how many ideas the Zhongzhou School had and how perfect the scheme of Bai Zao and Tong Yan was, Aoyama wouldn't suffer any loss.
At least, Jing Jiu's Aoyama wouldn't suffer any loss.
There was one thing that Jing Jiu had failed to predict, but it seemed that Bai Zhenren had predicted it.
Liu Ci stepped forward.
The heavenly punishment fell on him.
Jing Jiu shot a glance at Liu Ci and said, "It's not worth it."
Liu Ci glanced at the surface of the ocean and let out a smile.
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