"What happened?"
A sudden explosion echoed from the north, shaking the mountains and the earth with a violent tremor.
Such a dramatic phenomenon at the edge of Changde Town, where the mortal and spirit worlds intermingle, sent the locals into a frenzy.
"An earthquake?"
"Or could it be the beasts of Qingyuan Mountain gathering? Are we facing another beast calamity?"
"It's been over a decade since the last beast calamity… Oh no, Erzhu just went into the mountains. Could it be…"
"No, no, Erzhu is a simple and honest boy. He'll be fine."
"Sigh, someone should go to the blacksmith shop and let his father know!"
"You're right, but who will go?"
The neighbors, who had earlier been worried about Cao Erzhu, began to avoid the responsibility.
"Anyway, I'm not going. Old Yang, you…"
"I've got things to do. My stall is still a mess!"
"And I've got a pig to slaughter. I'm already behind schedule."
"There's a beast calamity, and you're still worried about pigs? Hurry up and pack your things to flee!"
"That won't be necessary. The Heavens will protect us from the beast calamity, just like they did thirteen years ago."
"Sigh…"
The streets were filled with a palpable sense of panic.
The door of the smithy was tightly shut, and no unusual sounds came from within. The atmosphere was heavy with unease.
Inside the rear courtyard, Kui Leihan's behavior was anything but typical. He wasn't slumped in his usual disheveled state; instead, he was wearing a large cloak and appeared focused and resolute. His beard was stained with ink, and his expression was inscrutable.
Before him lay a large table covered with intricate diagrams—circles, squares, and lines—woven together in a complex, chaotic manner. Among them were scribbles of prominent surnames: Dao, Rao, Bei, Ba… The handwriting was erratic and unrestrained.
If Cao Erzhu were present, he'd be shocked. His father, who usually never lifted a finger, was now immersed in meticulous calligraphy.
Kui Leihan's calligraphy, normally careless, displayed a skill that suggested years of mastery. It was a side of him Cao Erzhu had never seen in his twenty years.
A long sigh escaped Kui Leihan as he put down the brush. He turned around and lay back on the ground. His cloak swept across the table, scattering the papers.
Among the scattered papers, one piece of calligraphy, bold and filled with energy, fluttered away.
"The mountains are high, and the birds are distant. Autumn is covered in snow. I'm like a deer in the forest. I don't seek trouble…"
The final stroke of the word 'seek' slashed through the paper, leaving it torn.
Kui Leihan, perhaps startled by the intensity of his own emotions, laid back down with a resigned sigh.
Thunder rumbled in the courtyard, and a streak of purple lightning flashed across the sky, shredding the remaining papers into confetti-like snowflakes.
"Sizzle!"
Blood sprayed as the elk collapsed under Cao Erzhu's sword. The green sword shadow vanished in an instant.
Cao Erzhu, now with the deer's skin, antlers, and meat neatly prepared, felt uneasy. His spatial ring, a rare and valuable gift from his father, ensured the venison wouldn't spoil.
"Something is wrong…"
After carefully handling the deer carcass, Cao Erzhu scratched his head. The explosion he had heard while entering the mountains nagged at him.
His father's unusual behavior, always asking him to hunt and then asking about his activities in detail, had been a regular part of his life. Yet, he never found it strange, as each time he returned home, everything seemed unchanged.
But this time was different. The explosion was alarming.
"Why is it that every time I leave, something odd happens at home?" Cao Erzhu wondered aloud.
Previously, Changde Town had plunged into unexpected darkness, as if it had turned into night in the middle of the day. There was also that time when the sky seemed to crack open, as though a monster might emerge. And those memorable instances from his childhood, like when countless small swords filled the sky or when the entire town was enveloped in white flames, left him bewildered.
Recalling these events, Cao Erzhu couldn't shake the feeling that there were secrets everyone, including his father, was keeping from him.
Cao Erzhu muttered to himself but quickly pushed aside his concerns, as he too had secrets he kept from his father.
When he was six years old, Cao Erzhu ventured into the mountains and encountered a girl younger than himself. This girl, wielding only a broken stone sword, defeated him with ease.
It was unfortunate that his father forbade him from using the God Punishment Tribulation, or perhaps he might have had a chance to fight back.
Determined, Cao Erzhu challenged the girl every time he went into the mountains. Each time, he was defeated as the God Punishment Tribulation never seemed to manifest.
His father had always said that masters like the girl were common in the Spiritual Cultivation World, and Cao Erzhu, believing him implicitly, accepted it as truth.
Cao Erzhu was particularly intrigued by the girl's master, who used the Penetrating Divine Senses and infused it into her swordsmanship. One day, he secretly employed the God Punishment Tribulation to cover his tracks and followed the girl to a waterfall.
There, he finally uncovered the truth. He saw an immortal who had reached the path of enlightenment—a stark contrast to his father. This immortal wielded a cloud sword, traversed the skies, broke through waterfalls, and split the heavens to capture deities. He possessed the Penetrating Divine Senses and guided the girl's cultivation.
Though his presence was detected, the old immortal was surprisingly amiable. Young Cao Erzhu was captivated by the idea of becoming a swordsman with immortal Qi, rather than a blacksmith swinging a sledgehammer.
He chose to ignore his father's advice, thinking that good people were simply good, and those who seemed good might not always be bad.
In the end, the old immortal did not accept him. However, he suggested that Cao Erzhu could follow and practice but ultimately had to return to his own path.
"Sister August!" Cao Erzhu called out happily as he arrived at the waterfall on Qingquan Mountain. The old master and the others were present.
Cao Erzhu was always thrilled to find them, as they frequently traveled and were not always easy to locate. He had expressed a desire to join them, but they seemed reluctant to take him along, knowing he had family responsibilities.
"Cao Erzhu," came a hoarse voice.
Sister August, who was engrossed in writing at a table, looked up with a smile. Xiong Baijun, a towering white bear who served as her companion and sword-bearer, was behind her.
When Cao Erzhu was six, he had been awestruck by Xiong Baijun's ability to speak in human language and had coveted the bear's power. His desire nearly led to his demise when Xiong Baijun's sword almost claimed his head. Since then, he had learned to respect Xiong Baijun's formidable skills.
Sister August, now a graceful young woman with a flawless complexion and ethereal eyes, reminded Cao Erzhu of his younger sister, whom he had not seen for years. He often thought of her as a celestial being, though he knew it was merely an illusion.
"Whoosh!"
As Sister August smiled, the waterfall behind her suddenly roared to life. Scores of silver-white water swords imbued with Penetrating Divine Senses flew toward Cao Erzhu, aiming to pierce his head.
"Boom!"
Cao Erzhu instinctively raised his hand to block the attack. The God Punishment Tribulation activated just in time to counter the Penetrating Divine Senses, though he was forced to stagger back slightly.
"Don't provoke me!"
Cao Erzhu huffed, his good mood shattered. "I've broken through! If you provoke me, you won't be able to defeat me!"
"Hehe…"
Sister August giggled, her laughter ringing clear as wind chimes. She pressed her hands on the table and stood up with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Xiaobai, show him what you've got!"
With a wave of her sleeve, Xiong Baijun roared and leaped into the air, drawing a massive purple sword and slashing downward. Behind him, tens of thousands of small void stilettos materialized in the sky.
The purple great sword, with a powerful momentum, merged with the flying water swords, creating a green sword realm.
Cao Erzhu set down his bag and prepared for battle. In previous encounters with Xiong Baijun, he had used 30% of his God Punishment Tribulation power. Now…
"Break!"
Cao Erzhu spread his legs, activating the lightning-type Power Upanishad Formation. Thunder rumbled, and a sea of purple lightning erupted from the sky.
"Boom!"
Xiong Baijun was sent flying, his white fur singed black. He hit the ground and began twitching.
"Wait…!" Sister August's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the Power Upanishad Formation beneath Cao Erzhu's feet. The white-robed Elder, seated cross-legged beneath the waterfall, suddenly opened his eyes.
"You've mastered the lightning-type Upanishad?" The Elder, looking every bit the immortal with his white robes and flowing beard, stood up from under the waterfall.
"Old Master, Erzhu is bullying Xiaobai!" Sister August whined as she clung to the Elder's arm, feigning tears. "Sob, sob, sob. Xiaobai's paws were nearly taken off! He's been wanting them for twenty years!"
"We shouldn't have come here just to tell him he's an ingrate!"
"You…" Cao Erzhu was so enraged that he trembled with fury. He pointed at Sister August and felt that she was no fairy but a demoness. "You're talking nonsense!"
The white-clothed Elder, clearly aware of the real situation, gently shook off Sister August's clinging and flew out from under the waterfall.
"Old Master," Cao Erzhu hurriedly bowed and performed an ancient sword salute, his tone respectful.
"I don't think your father would approve of you showing the lightning-type Upanishad to outsiders," the Elder observed the Power Upanishad Formation and smiled.
"You're not outsiders," Cao Erzhu scratched his head, somewhat perplexed.
August walked over, her arms crossed over her chest, her face adorned with a frown. She stepped onto the Power Upanishad Formation and scrutinized it. As she looked, she muttered, "This purple Power Upanishad Formation is far superior to the second realm!"
"Even so, you still have some sense of conscience. The old master taught you the sword for many years, and his efforts weren't in vain. You're willing to let me see the array diagram."
"It's just that your talent is too mediocre! There's no hope for you on the spiritual sword path entrusted to you! Don't you agree, Old Master? I still have to find Xu Xiaoshou…"
"My father said my talent was mediocre as well," Cao Erzhu said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
August choked on her words. She looked up, glared at him with frustration, and without saying a word, rolled her eyes and turned away to check on Xiong Baijun's injuries.
"Put this away. Don't show others the Power Upanishad Formation in the future. It could bring about dire consequences," the white-robed Elder advised after studying the formation.
"Oh." Cao Erzhu quickly concealed the array diagram and asked, "Sister August mentioned you were here to tell me something?"
"We're leaving," the Elder said with a gentle smile.
"Ah?" Cao Erzhu was stunned. His lightning-type Upanishad felt as if it had been struck by lightning itself.
Not far away, Xiong Baijun, having taken some Elixirs, had managed to stand up. Though its white fur was singed and it looked quite disheveled, its tough hide had endured the God Punishment Tribulation.
August sat on Xiong Baijun's shoulder, her fair legs swinging beneath her lotus-leaf skirt. She tilted her head and chuckled. "Old Master, Xiaobai, and I are leaving!"
"I won't be coming back here again, so I came to say goodbye. Don't cry too much and miss us."
She covered her mouth with a laugh.
Xiong Baijun stretched out a paw to cover its mouth and chuckled as well.
Cao Erzhu was unable to join in the laughter. He looked anxiously at the old man. "Tell me this isn't true!"
"It is true," the old man nodded. "I'm leaving now and won't return for many years. We may only meet again if fate allows."
"But!" Cao Erzhu was frantic, spinning around in confusion. His thoughts were a chaotic mess. He had no idea what to say, not even knowing if Sister August was her real name or where their home was.
This farewell, with its reliance on fate, felt like a final separation. He knew he might never see them again in his lifetime. His father had forbidden him from stepping into the Spiritual Cultivation world.
"We are friends!" Cao Erzhu pleaded, looking from the old man to August and then to Xiong Baijun.
"That's right. That's why I had Old Master come and say goodbye," August said, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Ah! I knew you'd cry. Don't cry. I'm most afraid of seeing people cry."
"I…" Cao Erzhu was so distressed he was on the verge of tears. How could a friend leave so abruptly? Even the big hammer had never left him.
"I will follow you!" He declared, though his rebellious spirit was a bit late.
"No, that's not possible," the old man said, turning back. "I'm just a wandering crane. I can't take you with me, and I can't bear the consequences of doing so."
"Then how can I find you?" Cao Erzhu watched helplessly as the old man and August began to depart. He felt as though his feet were leaden, unable to move or follow.
"There's no need to search," the old man replied.
Cao Erzhu, restrained by his father and his own desires, felt an overwhelming urge to escape Qingyuan Mountain.
He wanted to settle scores, explore the martial arts world, and have friends. He longed for freedom from the confines of the blacksmith shop and the life of scrap metal.
"I want to leave Qingyuan Mountain!" He shouted at the old man and August's retreating figures, his frustration boiling over.
He paused, realizing he wasn't receiving any response. His despair grew. "Old Master, how can I leave Qingyuan Mountain?"
"Wait!" August's voice, as clear as wind chimes, called out from the distance.
"Wait for what? Finish your sentence!" Cao Erzhu cried out, hopping in frustration.
The old man and August continued to depart on their swords, leaving Cao Erzhu behind.
"Whoosh!"
A silver-white streak of sword cognition flew by.
Cao Erzhu, in a fit of rage, swung his hand violently. With a resounding boom, the void and sword cognition were shattered into dust by the God Punishment Tribulation. The entire waterfall was shattered by the purple lightning, sending rocks and debris flying.
Cao Erzhu, now disheartened, watched as the figures of the old man and August vanished into the distance. He wanted to turn around and go home, but he remembered the one-month deadline had only just begun.
"Ohh!" He clasped his head, tears streaming down his face. His eyes fell on the small table where Sister August had been writing.
He quickly ran over and found a sword manual and a note on the table.
Cao Erzhu picked up the sword manual and burst into tears. Despite begging the old man for the Seven Swords of the Moving Heavens, he was told his realization quality was insufficient. Sister August had written out a copy by hand—her beautiful handwriting showing she was truly a kind person.
"Oh yes, there's a note…" Cao Erzhu thought, wiping his tears as he turned to the note under a paperweight.
He unfolded it and saw only three elegant words written on it. It was clearly a name.