Ding Meng stared at Ling Yuelan: "Sect Leader, why do you say that?"
Ling Yuelan said meaningfully: "Being able to send it out is not an ability, being able to take it back is the way of the king."
Others might not understand these words, but Ding Meng definitely understood. Just now, when Ling Yuelan used the move of the Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens, the force field and mirror image clearly covered the entire area. Not only was Ding Meng able to withstand it, but he also calmly landed in the center of the field. What did this mean?
It meant that Ding Meng was not afraid of her move at all. It was not that he did not counterattack, but that he could break her attack at any time. Ding Meng did not counterattack to save Ling Yuelan's face. Ling Yuelan also saw this point, so she also retracted her move and descended.
The so-called freely retracted and released was the true pinnacle of martial arts.
"Go, no matter who you are going to deal with this time, it will be difficult for you to find an opponent in the Da Sheng Kingdom!" Ling Yuelan's words were like a curse, causing one's confidence to increase greatly.
However, Ling Yuelan continued: "But on this continent, you still cannot let your guard down. This world is so big, and there are many strange people that you cannot see with your eyes."
She waved her hand to the side, and a disciple walked up with another tray.
This time, what laid on the tray was not a weapon, but an exquisite necklace. The pendant of the necklace was the small and unique Ling Xian Blade pendant.
Ling Yuelan gently picked up the necklace and looked at Ding Meng with a strange gaze: "Do you find it familiar?"
Ding Meng nodded. This pendant was clearly a mini version of Ling Xian Blade, and it also looked like a hero's knife.
Ling Yuelan seemed to know what he was thinking, and explained with a serious expression: "This is the real hero's knife."
"Huh?"
Ding Meng and Ji Chenxue were shocked at the same time.
Ling Yuelan's gaze fell into the distance, as if she was recalling the past: "Do you know how the Celestial Heavens Gate came about?"
Ding Meng could only shake his head.
Ling Yuelan said: "When I was young, I traveled around the various countries and accidentally met a nameless senior in the Extraterritorial Devil Kingdom. He passed down a shocking ability to me and instructed me to give this item to the person who is truly chosen by the heavens in the future."
Ding Meng reacted: "This is the Celestial Seal of the Celestial Heavens Gate?"
Ling Yuelan nodded her head and said, "Later on, I founded the Celestial Sect. Although my goal was to seek the Dao of Immortality, in reality, it was to find that senior who had been missing for a long time. I have a feeling that that senior is not someone from our world, he came from a different time and space, or perhaps he is a legendary god, but unfortunately, the Immortal Seal was lost many years ago, and after that, Yu Xingyang kept his promise of twenty years and found the Immortal Seal.
Ding Meng listened quietly.
Ling Yuelan continued: "During the hundred years when the Immortal seal was lost, many disciples left the Celestial Gate to search everywhere, they all carried the exact same Ling Xian knife, these knives were all made of dark gold materials, our Celestial Gate had always been following the instructions of that senior, to kill all the evil in the world, to wipe out all the bandits in the world. Unfortunately, none of the thirty disciples returned, they might have all fallen on the way to seek the Dao, and these knives were scattered in the surrounding countries."
Ding Meng suddenly felt his heart beating faster.
Ling Yuelan continued: "Until a few decades ago at the Martial Arts Symposium, someone used the Ling Xian knife to defeat Yu Xingyang in one move, only then did the story of the hero's knife spread. In these years, I gradually found out about your matters, your so-called big brother, your so-called inheritance, your so-called spirit, I do not dare to call myself the Celestial Gate, but the imitation knife left behind one after another in your hands, it did not disgrace the senior's instructions …"
Ding Meng let out a long sigh, it turned out that the so-called spirit and inheritance were traceable, they all came from a distant place.
Ling Yuelan once again revealed a solemn and pious expression: "The inheritors of the hero's knife are Hao Ran, Huzi, Dumby, Er Long, Bai Cheng, Ling Yuqiang, Liu Shijie, Wu Meiniang, Tian Mengyu, Ceng Cheng, Qiao Yu, Jiang Li, Ding Wenhe, Zheng Ming, and Ding Meng!"
This was the first time Ding Meng had heard the complete names of the inheritors, for a moment, his chest surged with heat, the blood in his body boiling, it was these names that created the legend of this knife, giving this knife a soul.
Only now did he know that the first big brother's name was Hao Ran, the little girl's name was Jiang Li, she was the twelfth inheritor, Ding Wenhe was the thirteenth, Zheng Ming was the fourteenth, and Ding Meng was the fifteenth.
"Thank you for telling me, Sect Leader, I have remembered their names by heart!"
Ding Meng said gratefully, "The inheritance of the hero's knife is still continuing, the sixteenth inheritor Yu Xingyang, the seventeenth inheritor Meng Yan, the eighteenth inheritor Dai Yi..."
Ling Yuelan handed the necklace to Ding Meng: "Now, the knife is returned to its rightful owner."
Ding Meng was shocked: "Why?"
Ling Yuelan said seriously: "The divination and the aura!"
Ding Meng did not understand.
Ling Yuelan explained: "Last night, the divination said that there would be guests from the Immortal Sect today, until I saw the two of you, I realized that the aura on your bodies was exactly the same as that of that senior, I knew that the true inheritor of the knife had arrived. I would not be able to comprehend this Immortal Seal in my lifetime, I think I do not have that opportunity, perhaps it is fate that I am giving it to you. Take it to the capital city, it will give you the answer you seek."
Ding Meng received it solemnly, the moment the necklace was in his hands, his face revealed a look of surprise.
Ji Chenxue also transmitted a message: "This is actually a Divine Light Necklace."
Ding Meng also sensed that this was indeed a Divine Light Necklace, but it was not the one that Ji Chenxue had, which meant that this was not a relic left behind by General Xing Lan. Ling Yuelan did not have the aura of the Divine Light on her body, so naturally it could not be detected, but why would there be such a necklace in the Flourishing Kingdom?
Was it left behind by a certain senior Mou Xing?
Perhaps no one would know these questions!
But fate was so mysterious, the chosen one, the Holy Tree Holy Spirit, the Divine Light Martial Artist, Mou Xing's relic... These were all destined from the start by the "hero's knife".
Ding Meng handed the necklace to Ji Chenxue, bowed deeply to Ling Yuelan, and then led Ji Chenxue towards the gate.
Only when the figures of the two had completely disappeared from the mountain path did Ling Yuelan once again sit back on the large chair, returning to her old and doddering appearance.
"Lord Sect Leader, is it really appropriate to hand the Divine Seal to them?" A disciple beside her asked.
Ling Yuelan sighed: "If even they are unable to deal with the predicament of the Flourishing Kingdom, then perhaps no one will be able to deal with it. I hope that in the birthday banquet three days later, they will not repeat the tragedy of that year."
The kingdom's capital, Tianjing City, was located in the center of the Flourishing Kingdom's territory. Before entering Tianjing City, one had to pass through a green and clear river in the outskirts. The river was embedded in a lush grassland, and at the end of the grassland was a distant mountain covered in pure white snow. The heaven and earth were shrouded in cold fog.
The Flourishing Kingdom rarely had hot summers, and most of them alternated between spring and winter. Ding Meng and Ji Chenxue walked all the way to the outskirts.
Gazing at the clear and winding river, Ding Meng's expression sank into contemplation. Back then, it was at this place that he had made the raft, placed the corpses of Big Brother Zheng Ming and Aunt Qiao on it, and personally ignited the spiritual raft, allowing their souls to be comforted.
Almost forty years had passed, yet this place hadn't changed at all. Ding Meng suddenly stopped on a grassland.
Ji Chenxue turned his head to look. In the forest beside him, there were five or six simple and crude farmhouses. In the courtyard of one of the farmhouses, a young girl was currently sitting on a straw stool. In front of her was a large wooden basin, and inside it were soaked coarse clothes.
The young girl tidied up her hair that had fallen down, and continued to wash the clothes in the basin. In such cold weather, her beautiful face had already turned purple from the cold. However, looking at her expression, there wasn't the slightest bit of impatience or pain. Her eyes were always suffused with a kind of radiance. It was the radiance of hope, the yearning for the beautiful days in the future.
This was originally a very simple and beautiful picture, but Ji Chenxue sighed because he found that the little girl had no legs. She was a disabled person.
Ding Meng was entranced by the scene and couldn't help murmuring: "Back then, Big Brother Zheng Ming and I lived here. I didn't expect this farmhouse to still be there. It seems to have been renovated."
Ji Chenxue said: "So many years have passed, it will definitely be repaired."
Ding Meng said: "Do you think she looks like Miss Qiao?"
When he asked this, Ji Chenxue also felt it was very similar. Back then, Aunt Qiao was a farmer here. She was deaf and mute. She relied on washing other people's clothes in exchange for a meager income to survive. Unfortunately, her humble life was broken by a sudden disaster.
Suddenly, hearty laughter sounded at the entrance of the compound: "Er Ni, an is back. Look at what good thing an hunted this time."
Ding Meng turned his head and saw a young farmer boy running in excitedly. He was wearing animal skin clothes, a black sickle on his waist, and a dead mottled leopard on his shoulder. This boy's image was almost the same as Zheng Ming's in the past. He was sunny, enthusiastic, and full of vitality. There was always a bright smile on his face.
Er Ni raised her head in surprise and looked at the big leopard the teenager hunted: "Big Brother Ming, how did you hunt it?"
The teenager grinned and said: "An and Sixth Uncle squatted on the mountain for two nights and finally caught it. Er Ni, tomorrow an will carry it to the city to sell. You will have a new cotton-padded jacket. We can eat egg fried rice for the New Year..."
Er Ni clapped her hands and smiled: "Big Brother Ming, that's great. You are the most capable."
The teenager smiled even more honestly: "In two days, we will go to the top of the mountain and squat for a few nights. If we are lucky enough to catch a magic spot beast, we can all have a good New Year. Maybe there will be meat to eat."
A blush appeared on Er Ni's face: "Maybe we can live in the city in the future..."
"Hahaha!
Yes, yes, yes. Let's go live in the city... "
The courtyard was filled with cheers and laughter. Ji Chenxue sighed inwardly as she listened to the conversation. She did not expect that Egg-Fried Rice was such a luxury for these poor people. The disparity between the rich and the poor in the Da Sheng Kingdom was truly unimaginable.
Looking back again, Ji Chenxue found that Ding Meng's eyes were red. There was a faint flash in his eyes. She understood Ding Meng's mood. These two children were clearly the incarnations of Zheng Ming and Qiao Gu. Perhaps they had reincarnated and returned here.
"Ding Meng, shall we go in?" Ji Chenxue suggested.
Ding Meng shook her head with reddened eyes. "No, let's not disturb their lives. To them, it's already a blessing to be able to live such a life without being disturbed. Chenxue, let's go and do what we should do. That's how we protect them."
Ji Chenxue nodded and turned to look at the white snow on the distant mountain. The Tian Family's manor was on the other side of the mountain.