Life Everlasting

"Senior Brother!" The girl lay prone at one side of the chasm, stretching out her hand with all her strength!

"Junior Sister!" The boy too lay on the other side. Just as he was about to reach out, a man in black who had suddenly appeared in the dream seized him and dragged him away.

"You!" Liu Yunshen woke in a cold sweat, already by the riverbank. He suddenly choked on a mouthful of water and began vomiting without stop!

The man stood tall as an ancient pine. His coarse hemp garments had been dyed an earthen brown by the mighty aura of the Yellow River. His grass-like tangled hair was gathered up, and he wore a conical hat. His eyes flashed like pure steel tempered a hundred times, containing endless sharpness. Most peculiar of all, the man also carried a rusty iron sword. It was over five feet long; though only an inch or so was exposed, its cold gleam already pierced straight through the bright moon!

This man radiates righteous energy. He doesn't seem like a villain! Liu Yunshen bowed deeply in salute. The swordsman arrogantly declined to return it, merely raising his hand and slapping him across the face! Some anger rose in Liu Yunshen as he said in a booming voice, "Why did you strike—"

A second palm strike came whistling toward him. Liu Yunshen flashed backward, only to discover in alarm that his movements were growing slower and slower. Under the gaze of his double pupils, a ripple seemed to exist within three feet of those rough, fleshy palms!

"That thing Senior Jie Xiao used—I don't know whether it was Sword Intent or some other technique!!" Startled, Liu Yunshen invoked that Nameless Sword Intent. He retreated another three parts, yet was still struck by the wind of the palm!

"You are clearly quite capable. Why, then, could you not keep yourself in check tonight?" The swordsman swayed, appearing before Liu Yunshen. Less than a foot separated them as their eyes met!

Liu Yunshen feared nothing, but he ultimately sighed and gave no reply. The swordsman sneered coldly. "Was it because of that old dog Ying Hua's remark, 'One sword cannot save all under heaven,' that you became disheartened?"

"Senior's martial arts are profound, and I am no match for you. But I will not permit you to insult General Ying as you please!" Liu Yunshen glared at him!

The swordsman sneered. "Can one sentence about loving one's country and its people erase one's own incompetence?"

"What does Senior mean by that?" Liu Yunshen grew even more curious. Standing extremely close to the swordsman, he studied his eyes carefully. They seemed familiar somehow, yet no matter how hard he thought, he could find no clue!

Whether he was wary of something or simply unwilling to stare too deeply at Liu Yunshen, the swordsman actually turned his back on him and gazed at the surging river before him.

"Some people win success young and believe they can change this muddy world. But once they enter the martial world, then enter the imperial court, they discover how insignificant they are. Then, because of a dear friend's death, their hearts turn to ash and they lose the burning blood of their youth! In the end, they willingly sink into degradation, keeping company with hawks, hounds, claws, and fangs, walking the same road as venomous snakes, scorpions, and petty men. They merely do a few things in secret to rescue the suffering and aid the endangered, then believe they have not betrayed their original hearts! How laughable!"

The swordsman's laughter swelled magnificently. The ripple spanning three feet became two zhang, then five zhang, like a spreading wave. At last, it transformed into Sword Intent soaring into the heavens, piercing straight through the clouds!

"So powerful! With but a single thought, this swordsman could easily make me his dead enemy from a li away!" Excitement gave rise to fear in Liu Yunshen, yet he could not resist his curiosity. He carefully sensed that ripple, as though his soul had returned to its mother's womb, while Nüwa stretched down her hands from the vault of heaven and gently stroked the innocent soul beneath this handsome outer shell!

The swordsman turned his head to stare at him, sword radiance shooting from his lightning eyes!

Liu Yunshen slowly came back to himself and sighed. "I cannot verify what Senior has said, but I imagine General Ying must have had his own difficulties!"

The swordsman burst into laughter. "Difficulties? He did not help you, yet you are helping him instead! How can there be a fool like you in this world? You are simply an idiot. Get lost!"

The swordsman's voice and expression were stern. Liu Yunshen gave a respectful bow and backed away. Yet the swordsman reached out to stop him again. "Wait! I insulted you. Why didn't you insult me back? A sword hero should settle gratitude and grudges freely and boldly, repaying every slight in kind and every grievance with justice! If everyone in the world were as weak as you, the fiery spirit in Huaxia people's blood would have vanished long ago!"

"Senior is mistaken!" Liu Yunshen straightened his clothes and cap. "Senior bears me neither favor nor grudge. What good would it do for me to shout abuse at you? Your Sword Intent is pure and refined; you must be a lofty man who wields a sword to vanquish evil. If I cursed Senior, then if your moral character were profound, nothing would come of it. But if it caused resentment to build in Senior's heart, and trouble arose someday, would that not become this youngster's karma?"

The swordsman laughed bleakly. "So by your reasoning, I insulted you, you did not insult me back, and I should thank you instead—indeed, I owe you?"

Liu Yunshen said solemnly, "There is nothing wrong with putting it that way!"

"You have guts! Your two masters are quite formidable, to have taught such a sharp-tongued young man whose words are like a keen sword!"

The swordsmanship came pressing forward with fierce force. As the man stepped closer, Liu Yunshen recoiled half a step in startled vigilance.

"I know little of your two masters, nor am I interested in knowing more. Whether they taught you alchemical methods, the Steps of the Astral Gang, the principles of the Book of Changes, or military strategy—that is their business. What has it to do with me!"

"This youngster is ashamed. I failed to learn my masters' true teachings, and several times caused my companions to fall into danger." Liu Yunshen looked at the great river rolling eastward, misery weighing upon his heart.

"Some people cannot become golden dragons that leap from the abyss and soar through the nine heavens, so they lash out at younger generations whose ambitions reach high and whose hearts are set upon the Dao. Even more disgraceful, they boast that they have eaten more salt and crossed more bridges, that they have lived longer—if so, why do they not just die!"

The swordsman shouted sharply.

"Senior is right! This is what I think as well! Why can't this youngster accomplish something great? Why must the path I walk be a crooked road?" A surge of energy burst from Liu Yunshen's chest as he shouted the words aloud. Then he found it strange. Why have I become so impulsive today?

The swordsman was overjoyed and gripped the youth's shoulder. "What is there to be impulsive about? A young hero's spirit should wield a sword across the Nine Provinces! One sword may not save all under heaven, but if you even cast aside that one sword, then in this chaotic age, I fear you will not even be able to save yourself! Well cursed!"

Liu Yunshen's face reddened, and he sighed inwardly. Old General Ying Hua, I truly am sorry. I did not mean to curse you. But once I have set my mind on something, I must try it in the end!

The swordsman looked at the youth and smiled faintly. "Do you wish to learn swordsmanship from me?"

"But I already have two teachers. Without first informing them... it would greatly violate my masters' teachings."

"No matter!" The swordsman smiled. "Let us become friends despite our difference in age! I will not count as your master, nor will you count as my disciple. In this day and age, famous masters mostly seek their own disciples, rather than disciples seeking masters! If you lack both talent and character, then even if you kowtow until your head bleeds, you will never enter the eyes of those famous masters!"

The swordsman took the wine gourd and drank deeply, then handed it to Liu Yunshen. Liu Yunshen took a great swallow as well, then heard the swordsman continue, "I imagine your two masters also value your character and virtue greatly. In this troubled age, when human lives are cheap as grass, there are still people willing to stand up for unrelated common folk..."

"It is a pity that this youngster is too weak..."

"Then become strong—strong enough that no one can defeat you!" The swordsman's eyes shone brightly. Stirred by that surge of emotion, Liu Yunshen felt as though he stood at the very center of the rolling yellow flood. A gigantic wave a hundred zhang high exploded upward with a roar and came crashing down upon them both!

Liu Yunshen's expression changed slightly. "Could this be an illusion realm?"

"The path of the martial artist is to commune with heaven and earth, and resist heaven with strength!" The Yellow River Swordsman extended his right palm. That hundred-zhang wall of water transformed into Sword Qi filling the sky, then shattered with a thunderous crash!

"Commune with heaven and earth, resist heaven with strength!" Liu Yunshen muttered to himself!

"I am now using swordsmanship with only the first realm of Qi Refining! Watch carefully!"

The swordsman drew his five-foot sword and moved between heaven and earth. Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, its cold light white as snow.

When Sword Qi came, canopy and clouds split apart, and the winds of heaven scattered.

When Sword Qi went, the emerald sea faced the empty sky, and the yellow tide suddenly fell!

When Sword Qi rose, flood dragons took to land, and scaled serpents bowed beneath its might!

When Sword Qi lay hidden, the earth veins concealed their ferocity, veiling their light for a thousand li!

Sword Qi scattered in all directions, with generation and restraint joined as one! The brilliance of a hundred zhang was gathered into a single corner!

"How much have you grasped, worthy brother?" The swordsman sheathed his sword and stood atop the hundred-zhang raging waves, bending down to look at him.

Tears streamed down Liu Yunshen's face as he said blankly, "I saw Nüwa mending the heavens, Yu the Great taming the floods, and the unyielding spirit of Huaxia people. I also saw rain and dew falling, wild grass covering the earth, and the virtue of life endlessly renewing itself!"

The swordsman was delighted. "That is precisely it! Quickly, show me your swordsmanship!"