A Thousand Years of Wandering

Houtu heard Xuan Heng's words but did not reply. She merely stood beside the rift, gazing into it for a long time.

"Fellow Daoist Xuan Heng, I should return to the Witch Clan." Only after a long while did Houtu turn to look at Xuan Heng and speak.

Xuan Heng nodded. "You have been away for a long time, Fellow Daoist. It is indeed time to return."

Houtu nodded and looked at Xuan Heng, a smile on her face. "Thank you for accompanying me all these years, Fellow Daoist."

Xuan Heng shook his head. "I am merely traveling through the Primordial World as well. There is no need for thanks."

Houtu said no more, merely nodding lightly. "Then let us part ways for now, Fellow Daoist. If I ever come to understand where these departed souls ought to go, I will come find you again."

Xuan Heng's heart stirred slightly as he said earnestly, "Very well. I hope that day comes soon."

Houtu said nothing further. She only gave him a slight nod, then turned and headed toward Mount Imperfection.

After Houtu left, Xuan Heng did not immediately return to Kunlun. He stood upon the wasteland, watching her receding figure. From their journey together, Xuan Heng could already see that the seed of reincarnation's first stirrings had been planted in Houtu's heart, waiting silently to sprout.

Xuan Heng did not dwell on it. Turning, he headed southwest. He had come out to travel through the Primordial World in the first place, but he no longer visited famed rivers and great mountains. The opportunities in those places had long been watched over by mighty figures from every side. Instead, he traveled through the ancient battlefields of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity.

In these ancient battlefields, spiritual currents were chaotic and calamity aura lay thickly accumulated. Ordinary cultivators would not dare set foot there, but Xuan Heng was unafraid. He possessed the World-Purifying White Lotus and the Xuanqing Immortal Light; calamity aura could not trouble him at all.

A hundred years later, he arrived at a rift valley in the southeast. Dragons and qilins had once fought here, and broken dragon scales and shattered beast bones still lay beneath the earth.

Xuan Heng used Xuanqing Immortal Light to cleanse the calamity aura from the valley and found several decent innate spirit materials. Yet their spiritual nature had already been damaged, so they could only be used to refine formation flags in the future.

After leaving the rift valley, Xuan Heng came to an abandoned volcano. Deep within it lingered the Phoenix Race's true fire, while its outer layers had been corroded by demonic qi. Ordinary cultivators of the fire element could easily have their minds stirred upon entering.

Xuan Heng remained in the valley for ten years, purging away most of the demonic thoughts. In the end, however, he obtained only a charred remnant branch of a parasol tree. It carried a trace of the Phoenix Race's nirvana aura, but its foundation had already been damaged. Xuan Heng could only put it away for now, intending to bring it back to Kunlun and nurture it.

In the five hundredth year of his travels, Xuan Heng passed by a mountain stronghold newly established by the Demon Race.

Within the stronghold were several demon kings at the Golden Immortal level, gathering up the weaker nearby clans.

Xuan Heng did not interfere. The Demon Race's expansion was already an unstoppable tide. He merely stayed to observe for several years, gaining a clear understanding of the Demon Race's current rules.

Powerful clans would wage war against weaker ones. If the smaller clans were willing to submit, they would merge into a larger force. But if they refused to submit, so long as they harbored even the slightest thought of rebellion, their entire clan would be exterminated.

At this time, Di Jun and Taiyi had yet to formally establish the Heavenly Court, but the first framework of the Demon Race had already spread across the lands of the Primordial World.

In the seven hundredth year of his travels, Xuan Heng turned southwest. That region had once been swept by the aftershocks of the conflict between Dao and Demon. Its aura was even more chaotic, and demonic qi surged like a tide. Yet this time, the World-Purifying White Lotus between Xuan Heng's brows began to tremble slowly once more.

Xuan Heng was startled. It seemed there was another treasure here fated to be his. Following the World-Purifying White Lotus's guidance, he arrived before an unnamed barren mountain.

Yet this mountain was far more ruined than the barren mountains Xuan Heng and Houtu had seen before. The entire mountain had split down the middle, and black baleful light flickered in and out of sight within the fissure.

Xuan Heng descended before the mountain. With a touch of his fingertip, a stream of deep-blue immortal light flowed forth. The moment it neared the fissure, a piercing sword cry rang out from within.

Xuan Heng's gaze narrowed. From that alone, he knew there was certainly an opportunity hidden within this mountain.

However, Xuan Heng did not rashly venture deeper. He summoned the Twelve-Rank World-Purifying White Lotus, then Xuanqing Immortal Light surged from his fingertips and rushed toward the fissure.

When the black Sha Qi within the fissure encountered the Xuanqing Immortal Light, it instantly became like startled venomous snakes, madly pouring outward.

Seeing this, Xuan Heng activated the World-Purifying White Lotus to protect himself. No matter how fiercely the Sha Qi crashed against him, he remained as immovable as a mountain.

Three days later, more than half the calamity aura in the fissure's outer layer had been cleansed away.

Only then did he enter the mountain. When he reached deep into its belly, Xuan Heng saw a broken sword embedded not far away.

The broken sword was only about a foot long. Its blade was dark red, its tip already snapped off, and dense calamity and Sha Qi coiled around it.

As Xuan Heng examined the broken sword, he quickly discovered the issue. Though it had been corroded by calamity aura, the innate Geng Metal aura deep within its origin had not yet been completely suppressed.

Moreover, Xuan Heng could sense that the broken sword had not fully developed. The calamity aura here was too heavy; before it could truly be tempered into a spirit treasure, its spiritual nature had been tainted by Sha Qi. If it remained here, sooner or later it would turn into a vicious object.

Xuan Heng raised his hand, and Xuanqing Immortal Light fell upon the broken sword. The sword shook violently as waves of sword cries echoed through the mountain. Those cries carried savage ferocity, but also a sharp edge unwilling to sink into ruin.

Xuan Heng did not forcibly suppress it. He simply sat before the broken sword, bit by bit using Xuanqing Immortal Light to wash away the demonic intent upon its blade.

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, Xuan Heng had remained here for a hundred years. During those hundred years, the black-red Sha Qi within the mountain's belly was continuously purified. The dark red hue on the broken sword gradually faded away, revealing the deep iron's original color beneath. At last, it quieted and became usable by Xuan Heng.

Xuan Heng reached out and grasped the hilt. A razor-sharp aura rushed through his palm and into his Primordial Spirit.

A wisp of white light from the World-Purifying White Lotus entered the sword, pressing down the final trace of stray thoughts within.

The next moment, the broken sword took shape anew.

The blade was still not long, a little over three feet. Its entire body was deep azure, yet along its ridge ran an exceedingly fine dark-blue line, as though Xuanqing Immortal Light had been branded within it.

The instant the sword was formed, the residual calamity aura within the mountain's belly was cleaved apart by an invisible Sword Qi.

Holding the sword, Xuan Heng examined it closely. This sword was not particularly powerful. Judging by the innate restrictions within it, it was merely a mid-grade innate spirit treasure, but that was already quite good.

For Xuan Heng could sense that this sword suited him exceptionally well. The moment it entered his hand, Xuan Heng already knew all of its information.

This sword's offensive power was not especially strong. Against mighty figures possessing powerful defensive spirit treasures, it might not gain much advantage.

But its strength lay in its ability to sever calamities. When facing enemies entangled in calamity aura, demonic thoughts, or karmic force, this sword could easily follow their flaws and cut its way in.

Xuan Heng held the sword horizontally before him.

"You were born amid calamity, then had your demonic intent washed away by Xuanqing Immortal Light."

"From this day forth, you shall be called Calamity Severing."

The Calamity Severing Sword trembled lightly, as though responding to Xuan Heng.

Xuan Heng smiled faintly and tucked it into his sleeve before leaving the barren mountain.

After leaving the desolate mountains, Xuan Heng traveled the surrounding lands for several more decades. During that time, he encountered no further opportunities, but he did see the Demon Race expanding faster and faster, with small-scale clashes beginning to arise between them and the Witch Clan.

Though the primordial world appeared calm on the surface, beneath it, the flames of war had already begun to spread in scattered patches.

Counting the time, the third lecture at Purple Cloud Palace was drawing ever closer. Xuan Heng did not linger any longer.

He transformed into a streak of deep azure clear light and flew toward Kunlun Mountain.

Several days later, the clouds and mist of Kunlun Mountain appeared on the horizon. Supreme Purity Peak was wreathed in clouds and fog, Jade Purity Peak shone with steady immortal light, while faint sword intent lingered around Upper Purity Peak.

Xuan Heng landed outside his own cave abode. Before he could make another move, he saw Tongtian standing nearby, Green Duckweed Sword in hand, as though he had been waiting there all along.

Tongtian glanced at Xuan Heng's sleeve and smiled. "After traveling for a thousand years, Fourth Brother, you finally decided to come back."

Xuan Heng cupped his hands in salute.

"Third Brother, I'm back."