The wind and snow were still blowing, but the soil by the river was already green. This was a sign that winter was about to pass.
Yu Xingyang stopped beside a huge rock on the grassland. His gaze fell on the stream in the river. The gurgling sound of spring water was particularly moving. If you had listened carefully, you would find that the breath of spring could easily infect a person's mood.
At the end of the stream was a towering mountain. The mountain was imposing, and the top of the mountain towered into the clouds. The entire mountain was shrouded in clouds all year round.
Ding Meng walked up. "Is that where we are going?"
Yu Xingyang nodded. "Before I take you out of the Da Sheng Kingdom, that is the last stop I have to go to!"
Ding Meng said, "Oh?"
Yu Xingyang said, "I still have an unfinished appointment."
Ding Meng did not ask what the appointment was, because along the way, Yu Xingyang had not said much except to teach him the saber technique. Yu Xingyang was not a talkative person, and Ding Meng was even less of a talkative person.
Unexpectedly, Yu Xingyang made an exception this time. He looked at the stream in a daze and said with a sigh, "The last time I came here was 20 years ago."
Yu Xingyang really became famous seven years ago at the Martial Arts Symposium in the capital. Although the limelight was taken away by his elder brother, who did not know his name in the Da Sheng Kingdom and the Extraterritorial Devil Kingdom?
It was just that 20 years ago, Yu Xingyang was still in his youth. At that time, he actually came to the Da Sheng Kingdom. This time, even Ding Meng was curious. "You came here specially?"
Yu Xingyang nodded. "In fact, many people do not know that although I am from the Devil Kingdom, I have been traveling around the five great countries since I was young. I came here 20 years ago to see him. Today, I also came here specially to take him away..."
Ding Meng did not ask any more questions. He had waited for 20 years. This person must be very important to Yu Xingyang.
Yu Xingyang smiled. "You must be curious about what kind of person he is."
Ding Meng was indeed curious. "Your friend?"
Yu Xingyang smiled and shook his head, "Forty years ago, I was about the same age as you. Just like now, we played together by the river and caught fish together. At that time, I hadn't awakened my origin ability and neither had he. Only now did I realize that in a person's life, only death is the happiest …"
Only a person like him would have such a strange way of thinking, because the dead were truly carefree, while the living would always have such worries.
However, Ding Meng could understand what he was thinking. For a master like Yu Xingyang, he must have lived a very lonely life. There were not many things that could arouse his interest. It seemed that the person who lived in the depths of this mountain must also be a master.
Yu Xingyang raised his head to look at the mountain, his eyes full of expectation. He let out a long sigh. "If I can take him away this time, I won't set foot in the Five Great Countries in the future. I only want to pass on my skills to you and then retire to the fields and gardens. I won't involve myself in the affairs of Jianghu anymore. If you have the opportunity to see Big Brother or that Miss Ding Wenhe, please pass on a message to them. I, Yu Xingyang, have also done my part for this hero's knife."
Ding Meng quickly lowered his head and thanked him. "Mr. Yu, please rest assured. I will definitely pass on your message."
The two of them stood by the river for a long time. At this time, the clouds parted, revealing the azure sky. The two of them walked up the mountain under the warm sunlight.
This mountain had been built with hiking trails. The simple stone stairs were long and flat, and the surface of the stone was smooth and shiny. It was obvious that it had been carefully polished. This was not a simple place as one would imagine.
Sure enough, halfway up the mountain, there was a very exquisitely repaired waterside pavilion. There was a long plaque cast on the pavilion, and three beautiful golden words were engraved on it: Celestial Heavens Gate.
This was obviously a sect. Moreover, looking at the clothes of the two women in the pavilion, the way they talked and acted, the strength of this sect should be extraordinary.
The sects of the Da Sheng Kingdom were rarely located in the mountains. Most of them were located in the capital city and had a good relationship with the royal family. And this kind of sects that were hidden in the lofty mountains and precipitous ridges had always not been involved in worldly affairs. They were wholeheartedly focused on recuperating and cultivating.
When they saw Yu Xingyang appear on the trail, the two women immediately stepped forward and bowed. "Honorable guest, please stay. Our Celestial Heavens Gate has always rejected male guests. Please go down the mountain by yourself. If you have offended us in any way, please forgive us."
Yu Xingyang also bowed and returned the greeting. "Ladies, my name is Yu Xingyang. I come from the Devil Nation. Many years ago, I have already made an agreement with the Sect Master to meet at your sect today. Please pass on the message."
These two people definitely knew of Yu Xingyang's great reputation. Therefore, one of them turned around and went up the mountain.
Ding Meng secretly wondered if this Celestial Heavens Gate was a female sect. In fact, there were many female sects in the Da Sheng Kingdom. The main reason was that the secret cultivation of these sects were limited to females. Therefore, they only recruited female disciples. Under normal circumstances, men were rejected from entering and visiting. Moreover, once these sects joined, they would usually spend their entire life cultivating. They would never talk about marriage between men and women.
Could the person Yu Xingyang wanted to meet be a woman?
The person who went quickly returned. "Mister Yu, the Sect Master invites you!"
At the peak of the mountain, under the Celestial Heavens Gate's solemn and dignified magnificent building, there was a very spacious and flat dueling platform. Dozens of green-clothed women surrounded the dueling platform. These disciples were all beautiful and moving, but their expressions were as cold as ice. Obviously, it was caused by the sect's rules.
At the entrance of the temple on the first floor, a graceful and luxurious green-clothed old woman walked out surrounded by a group of people. She looked a little old, but her bearing and elegance were outstanding among women. On the south side of the dueling platform, there was a guest table and chair. She sat down on the chair, and a dignified aura rushed out.
Although Ding Meng was not an Origin Ability User, he could feel that the aura emitted from this woman's body was very oppressive. It simply made people unable to open their eyes. This was the Sect Master of the Celestial Heavens Gate, Ling Yuelan. This sect was founded by her. It was said to seek immortality and dao, but in reality, what she was most proud of was the Ling Xian Blade Technique. It was just that the sect had never participated in the activities of the kingdom and was detached from the mortal world. However, for a famous blade technique expert like Yu Xingyang, the Celestial Heavens Gate was an existence that reverberated like thunder in the ears.
Upon seeing Ling Yuelan, Yu Xingyang took the initiative to stand up and say, "Sect Master Ling, today is the twenty year agreement. I have specially come to pay you a visit."
Ling Yuelan did not directly answer him. Instead, she asked, "Little friend Yu, if I remember correctly, seven years ago at the Capital's Martial Arts Symposium, your weapon was knocked out by a nameless person in one move, right?"
Yu Xingyang's expression was calm. Not only did he not feel ashamed of this matter, he was instead filled with gratitude. "Big Brother" had interpreted the true meaning of "Blade Master" from another angle, so he answered, "Yes!"
Ling Yuelan continued, "But two years ago at the Martial Arts Symposium, you were defeated by the kingdom's General Tian Qing, right?"
These words made Yu Xingyang's face turn a little red, but he still answered honestly, "My skills are not good enough, and I feel deeply ashamed. However, my skills are not as good as his, and I am willing to admit defeat."
Only then did Ling Yuelan turn her head to look at him, "Your skills are not as good as his. You should know that seven years ago, Tian Qing was defeated by you in one move. How come you were defeated by him two years ago?"
Yu Xingyang could understand the meaning of these words. The old man was doubting his own strength, and instead of improving, he was regressing.
In these five years, he had spent most of his time searching for his big brother. When he had free time, he would study his own blade techniques. His improvement was definitely not as good as Tian Qing's, but it was impossible for him to explain these twists and turns in this kind of situation.
"Victory and defeat are determined in an instant, just like the beauty of a beauty. Furthermore, the essence of the blade is not determined by victory or defeat." Yu Xingyang replied in a neither servile nor overbearing manner.
Only then did Ling Yuelan look at him in surprise, "I still underestimated you. Not only have you not regressed in these years, you have even improved."
Yu Xingyang could only bow and salute, "Thank you for your praise, Sect Master. However, the twenty year agreement is already up. Can I bring Long Yao down the mountain?"
Only then did Ling Yuelan slowly stand up and let out a long sigh, "Little friend Yu, my sect is also grateful for your deep feelings. Twenty years ago, I had promised you that as long as you found my immortal imprint, I would agree to all your requests. Who would have thought that in a short twenty years, not only did you help me find it, but you also improved at lightning speed, becoming famous throughout the world and becoming a king of blades."
"I don't dare!" Yu Xingyang saluted again.
Ling Yuelan continued, "But twenty years ago, I also said that Long Yao's talent is extraordinary, and she is a one in a million genius who cultivates my Ling Xian's blade technique. Twenty years later, when you come here again, if she has succeeded in cultivating it, then I can only ask you to leave. If she is unable to cultivate this blade technique, then you can take her away."
Yu Xingyang carefully asked, "How is Long Yao's progress?"
Ling Yuelan's tone became serious, "I am very sorry. She has already mastered the blade techniques last year. I also intend to pass on the position of Sect Master to her. In the future, she will lead my sect and bring it to greater heights."
Once one became the Sect Master of the Celestial Heavens Sect, they would basically cut off their seven emotions and six desires. It would be impossible for them to marry a man.
Only now did Ding Meng understand that the person Yu Xingyang came to pick up was his childhood sweetheart. He didn't know why he joined such a strange sect, and Ling Yuelan also didn't know what kind of strange request she gave him, asking him to find some immortal imprint.
Ling Yuelan probably did not expect that Yu Xingyang would really be able to find it.
This process must be extremely arduous and dangerous, and it would be extremely difficult to accomplish without absolute strength. Therefore, Yu Xingyang could also be considered a genius of his generation. In a short span of ten years, he had mastered the Non-Phase Blade Technique, and the Non-Phase Divine Blade was also famous throughout the world. It was not difficult to explain why he was an expert of the younger generation.
Now that twenty years had passed, he didn't expect Ling Yuelan to throw out such a difficult problem. Ding Meng believed that with Yu Xingyang's personality, he would definitely not give up.
During this journey, Ding Meng still had a certain level of understanding towards Yu Xingyang. Not only was Yu Xingyang a famous blade master, he was also a lonely and proud person.
A proud person would never lower his proud head.
Ling Yuelan seemed to be clear about this point, so she changed her words, "I have also been in love with you when you were young, so I can naturally understand your thoughts. You are willing to wait for a person for twenty years, so your intentions are not fake, but this matter concerns the future and fate of my sect. How about this, I will give you a chance, if you can beat this Ling Xian's blade technique, I will allow you to leave the mountain today."