Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 406 The Hermit
People often say that sword immortals are straightforward, and that's true, after all, they can travel thousands of miles in an instant with their flying swords. As long as someone can foresee the calamity or the cause and effect, they can kill them with a single sword strike even from a thousand miles away.

Therefore, although he had stumbled and gone astray along the way, once Huangfu Yi reached the Golden Core realm, he could rely on the light of his sword, hold his breath, and with a single sword strike, fly straight to the front of Jiuyin Mountain.

Without a doubt, this place must be Jiuyin Mountain. From afar, one can see nine mountains in formation, sword energy like rainbows, and killing intent soaring to the sky. There are also storm-like clouds surrounding the mountains, with clouds obscuring thunder, sword light flashing, and blood splattering from time to time. Clearly, there are countless sword immortals, riding on sword light, fighting and vying for the true teachings of the Sword Sect in the clouds.

Even with the key and flying sword protecting him, Huangfu Yi couldn't break through this vast calamity. His sword light was deflected, and he was led to the foot of the mountain.

Looking up, a sheer cliff face stretched out before the mountain entrance, remarkably smooth as if cleaved by an axe or knife. The rock face was marked with jagged sword marks, menacing and terrifying, the sword power chilling. Broken swords stood like a forest before the cliff, and the rushing wind carried the clanging of swords, like the weeping of widows and orphans, or the mournful howls of lost souls. This must be the legendary tale of the Northern Star Sword.

Huangfu Yi lowered his sword and looked up at the sword marks that had cut across the mountain and covered the cliffs. Suddenly, he had an epiphany. Following the sword intent that had exerted force, he seemed to see a figure slashing at the cliff.

He involuntarily drew his iron rod, and with a flurry of sword marks, sparks flew and sword flames surged. He disassembled all the moves of the Flaming Wind Blazing Fire Sword Technique that he had practiced all his life, and then smashed them together in a chaotic manner.

For a moment, his sword aura was like fire, and he was like a madman. He actually entered a state of hysteria. All the killings and calamities he had encountered along the way, the ghostly shadows, all the illusions, demons and monsters suddenly appeared before his eyes and attacked him.

Repeating this process, Huangfu Yi, alone with his sword, weaved through the forest of broken blades, as if fighting amidst a vast army. He unleashed an unprecedented sword technique, a set of moves only he could execute, slaying and destroying countless ghostly figures and demonic souls before finally escaping the demonic entanglement.

When Huangfu Yi came to his senses, he realized that he had already passed through the forest of broken swords and had even gained enlightenment from the sword intent on the cliff, creating his own sword technique. However, even though he was strong and talented, he was exhausted and had to rest and recuperate in front of the mountain.

Then, from the valley came the sound of trembling footsteps. From the bottom of the cliff, between the two deep ravines, came an old woman with white hair, blind and missing arms, leaning on a cane.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that the old woman was covered in sword scars, with her eyebrows clearly cleaved open by a single sword strike. Her leg was also limping, likely severed as well. It was obvious that she had been repeatedly defeated in sword duels, leaving her crippled, her foundation for cultivation broken, her vital energy depleted, and her lifespan nearing its end.

Strangely, despite her old and frail body, the old woman still stood tall, as if she had a sword stuck in her back, standing straight in the wind, blocking the way.

"Where did you learn swordsmanship?"

Huangfu Yi solemnly rose, bowed, and paid his respects.

"This junior, Huangfu Yi, received the Immortal Sword Manual in the North and went to the mountains to seek the sword, paying my respects to the head of the Nine Luminaries Sword Pavilion, a true disciple of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden..."

"Alright, alright, enough nonsense. If you want to see my senior brother, you'll have to get past me first."

Without saying a word, the old woman broke her cane and pulled out a broken sword. The sword's spine was covered in rust and the blade was cracked in countless places. It was clear that it had been through countless bloody battles and had long since lost its luster, becoming as rotten as iron.

Yet this old woman, with her broken sword and disability, still stood so straight, guarding her mountain and protecting her senior brother.

Huangfu Yi hesitated for a moment.

System Road,
"Kill her, and be quick about it."

"...Okay, please enlighten me."

Knowing the customs and habits of the Xuanmen sect, Huangfu Yi focused his sword light, preparing to start with a thrusting attack to deliver a swift and decisive blow.

However, the old woman shook her head.
"You're using the wrong move."

"wrong?"

"Lightning strike, use it like this!"

Then she thrust her sword at me.

Then Huangfu Yi understood.

The sword must be straight, upright, unbiased, and without reservation, aimed directly at the heart.

Do not hesitate, be indecisive, or regret for even a moment.

Don't have any thoughts of saving the world, turning the tide, grudges, or selfish desires.

Don't think, don't ponder. When the thought arises, your whole body should move. Just thrust out that sword.

Yes, only by sacrificing oneself for death and becoming one with the sword can your sword become fast.

This is the way of the sword, nothing more than a single thrust.

"Ding."

In that instant of realization, the old woman struck him between the eyebrows with her sword.

Of course, Huangfu Yi was wearing armor, so although the sword was fast, it had no edge and could not hurt him at all. On the contrary, the broken sword could no longer withstand the force and broke into pieces, shattering like a rain of stars.

The old woman, who had fallen to the ground with a limp after her desperate attack, got up without a sound and stood straight on the mountain path. Although there was no blade in her hand, it was still as sharp as a sword.

"You come."

"Thank you."

Huangfu Yi thanked him sincerely, and this time, when the thought crossed his mind, he thrust his sword forward.

Won.

The system did not hesitate at all.
"Keep going."

Huangfu Yi ignored him, threw a punch, dug a pit in front of the mountain, buried the old woman, and stuck the broken sword in the ground as a monument, just like the sword tombs in front of the mountain, burying the swords of Jiuyin Mountain at the foot of Jiuyin Mountain. As for the head he brought, he buried it here as well, at least it would have company.

After taking care of these things, Huangfu Yi continued forward, entering the valley along the mountain path. Along the way, he saw bloodstains everywhere, sword marks at every step, countless withered bones, and countless broken blades. Looking at this narrow mountain path, one could not tell how many battles had taken place and how many swords had been broken.

After traversing the mountain streams and entering the inner mountains, looking up, all that could be seen were barren mountains and bald rocks, with sword light gleaming and a chilling aura. Not only was there no living person to be seen, but even the grass, trees, and houses were gone. All that remained were nine solitary peaks, with sword light reaching the sky. Within the boundless sword formation, nine-colored sword light soared into the sky, as if piercing through the heavens and earth.

Huangfu Yi stood before the hill that had been leveled by countless sword lights, gazing up at the towering peaks that seemed to reach the sky. He silently gathered his strength beneath his feet, preparing to leap up and charge straight to the summit, sacrificing himself to carve out a path to survival through the sword path.

"Wrong, continue."

However, the system stopped him.

"There's a pile of garbage on the mountain, who cares? You can come and get it yourself from now on."

Continue downwards, search at the foot of the Nine Peaks; there should be a temple there, and inside the temple is a cave.

Temple? Cave?
Huangfu Yi was momentarily confused, after all, he clearly saw the nine peaks in the sky shimmering with iridescent colors, obviously guarded by superior treasures and a sword formation. However, having come this far, Huangfu Yi knew he was merely a pawn of this system, his fate entirely in their hands. He simply wanted to see how long this charade would last. So he stopped asking questions and followed the instructions, searching at the foot of the mountain.

The temple wasn't hard to find, though it was a ruin, clearly destroyed in a sword fight. But on the altar in the main hall, only the statue of the eldest deity remained, its upper body cleaved in two by a sword, with half of it still standing there. It looked like some kind of lion dog…

"It's a Xie Zhi... Never mind, the cave is at its feet, keep going and look for the light."

There was indeed a hole, pitch black, and no one knew what kind of traps or magic arrays were waiting for it. However, Huangfu Yi was the type who would jump into an abyss without batting an eye, so he didn't hesitate. He buried the xiezhi to the side and leaped into the deep pit.

The pit was dug extremely deep, and Huangfu Yi discovered that he could no longer sense the Dao Qi of the earth's veins. He just kept walking and walking and walking in the darkness, not knowing how far or how long he had walked, until finally, little by little, he saw lights in the distance.

Looking closely, it seemed to be a stone chamber where a hermit was in seclusion. Inside, an old man sat with his back to him, wearing a dirty blue robe, with white hair flowing down his shoulders, facing the wall. He was alone in the darkness, and there seemed to be a candle flame in his arms, which flickered in the darkness, guiding him on his way.

"Are you ready to die?"

Huangfu Yi was stunned.

It was the system's voice, but this time, the voice was clear and distinctly came from the old man on the other side.

Huangfu Yi remained silent for a moment. Having gleaned insights and made his own assumptions over the past few days, many of his guesses were beginning to surface. Therefore, he wasn't particularly surprised. Having made ample preparations, he spoke loudly.

"So you are the Supreme Sword Master Xuan Tian Ru Yi Zhen Jun, the head of the Nine Luminaries Sword Pavilion, the true disciple of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, the sect leader of the Northern Star Sword Sect, and the Supreme Sword Master of the Limitless Sword Sect."

"I don't know what your scheming has led you to this place, bringing me here from so far away. What is it you wish to teach me?"

The old man snorted coldly.
"I asked you if you were ready to die, and you answered yes or no. If you're not ready, go out and grind a couple more levels, solidify your Dao heart, and then come back. Why are you talking so much nonsense?"

How could Huangfu Yi, at the last moment, be afraid of death and lose his fighting spirit? He held his breath, raised his head, and said...
"What is there to fear in death? Although I am young and inexperienced, I have long since disregarded life and death."

I see you sitting here in meditation for many years. Could it be that you have gone astray and are plotting to seize my Dao body?

Alright, if you are truly so capable that you can save the world in my place, then what harm is there in giving you this head!

But first, let me see your skills! Please, draw your sword!

The old man was silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Fool..."

Huangfu Yi was furious.
"Hey! If you're going to hit me, then hit me! Why do you keep calling me trash? I've put up with you calling me trash and scum for too long!"

"Sigh, only now do you get scolded and start talking back, and you still say you're not stupid..."

The old man shook his head and placed the lamp he was carrying beside him.

"Fine, since you're ready, then go die."

Huangfu Yi frowned and looked closely, only to find that the lamp... was extremely disgusting.

Indeed, using "disgusting" to describe a lamp is a bit inappropriate, but Huangfu Yi really didn't know any other adjectives.

That's a hand.

The hand, which looked as slender as a woman's, had six fingers. At the tip of one finger, a pale candle flame burned, illuminating the equally pale elbow, making the pale flesh grow shorter and shorter. The flowing sebum, like melted wax or festering pus, dripped down the wrist, drop by drop...

"It's not six fingers, it's seven fingers."

The old man shifted the arm, pointing to a severed area on the side of the palm. There used to be a bump there, but now it seemed to have been completely melted away. "You've already used up one of your lives."

Huangfu Yi stared blankly at the lamp, repeating after him.
"I've already used up one life."

The old man hadn't turned around for a long time; he simply sat in the flickering candlelight and pointed into the deeper darkness.
"The person you're looking for is down here."

Huangfu Yi continued to stare at the candlestick, muttering the same words repeatedly.

"The person I'm looking for is down here."

The old man gazed at the stone wall and said softly,

"You've come all this way just to find him, haven't you?"

Holding the candlestick, continue walking forward and find him before the candle burns out.

Although that kid is no good in this or that, he dislikes owing people favors the most.

"If you help him this once, whether it's saving the world or vanquishing demons, he will risk his life to help you."

Huangfu Yi slowly came to his senses, and was momentarily stunned.
"What? So, you're not the Nine Heavens... that Ruyi Zhenjun?"

However, the old man stopped talking.

Suddenly, an uncontrollable rage surged within Huangfu Yi, causing him to leap up and roar in fury.

"What exactly do you want from me! Do you want my life! Or is my life not enough for me?!"

Which of the things you asked me to do that I didn't do?! I've come all this way! And you're still playing games!

"Can't you just explain yourself clearly?!"

The old man shook his head and withdrew his hand.

"Words are useless. The only way to attain the Way is to experience it for yourself."

So if you're ready, then go die.

"Die once, and you'll understand everything."

"You! Fine! Let's see what other tricks you can pull this time!"

Huangfu Yi had no interest in wasting any more words with this old charlatan. He stepped forward, snatched the six-fingered candle, held it in his left hand to light the way, and with the iron rod in his right, continued down the stone steps.

Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, towards...

Damn it, what, what's going on? How far have we gone? The centipede cave isn't this deep...

Huangfu Yi was panting heavily as he looked back at the endless darkness. However, after only a slight hesitation, he suddenly couldn't remember where he was going up or down.

Unaware of when or where he was, Huangfu Yi found himself in an endless darkness, devoid of light and sound.

There was no Qi, no wind; all one could hear was the heavy beating of one's own heart, and all one could see was a corner illuminated by candlelight.

In the flickering candlelight, a pale hand reached out to the endless darkness, like a drowning person grasping at a sliver of hopeless light.

But there was nothing ahead.

The place was empty and silent, except for the boy, who stood alone in the desolate wilderness. For a long, long time, he couldn't take another step.

Huangfu Yi was frightened.

Of course he'll still be afraid; he's just a human being.

Why is it so dark?
Why is it so quiet?
Why is there no one here?

Why, why, why did he have to come down here alone? Why, why, why did he have to do this? Why, why did he have to die? Why, why, why did he have to die here alone?

"call"

Then the candlelight went out.

Then endless darkness descended like a curtain, like a thousand-pound gate falling, crushing the last nerve.

"Ah...ah...True disciple of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden! Head of the Nine Luminaries Sword Pavilion! Sect Leader of the Northern Star Sword Sect! Supreme Limitless Sword Master! True Lord of the Mysterious Heaven Ruyi!!"

Huangfu Yi frantically swung his stick and roared, flailing wildly into the air like a headless fly.

"Mysterious Heaven Ruyi True Lord!! Mysterious Heaven Ruyi True Lord!! Mysterious Heaven!! Mysterious Heaven!! Ruyi!! Ruyi!!"

"Get out here!! You get out here! You get out here! You get out here—"

Then Huangfu Yi suddenly froze.

There is someone in front of me
Although invisible

Although I can't hear

But there was a man standing in the darkness with his back to him.

Because the black of a shadow and the black of nothingness are different colors.

"Who's there?"

Huangfu Yi reached out, trying to touch that bottomless darkness.

"call"

At that very moment, the candlelight came back on.

On the pale palm, only five fingers remained.

As the candlelight flickered and began to glow, Huangfuyi finally saw it.

Right in front of him, at arm's length, stood a young man with his back to him.

He wore a green robe, his black hair flowed over his shoulders, and his back was ramrod straight, just like a sword.

"Xuan...Tian?"

So the man turned his head.

So Huangfu Yi saw it.

His face.

Then the candle went out.

Then Huangfu Yi opened his eyes and found himself standing in front of the stone chamber, his left hand gripping the candlestick...

Only four fingers remained, and the fifth finger was not melted; the wound was flat and smooth as a mirror, as if it had been severed by a sword.

"Oh, you're back now."

Then the old man who had been facing the wall made a pleasant sound and slowly turned around.

"Now we can talk."

"what--!"

Huangfu Yi instantly let go as if he had been electrocuted, roared, and leaped several feet away, getting far away from the candlestick. He stared intently at the old man, his eyes filled with panic and tears of blood. The once lone warrior was gone, leaving only a frightened cat with its fur standing on end. He was completely overwhelmed by immense fear.

But the old man didn't seem to care at all. He just smiled, brushed aside his white hair, and revealed an ordinary human face.

"Yes, I can see clearly, it's a human face."

So what did you see? Tell me about it.
Is it a thing, or something else?

Huangfu Yi stared intently at his face, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

But the old man had already seen it through his eyes, through the sword mark that remained in his pupils.

Non-material
非人
It is Tai Chi

Half is yin

Half is Yang

An endless, unending cycle of reincarnation
Cause and effect, the indescribable myriad phenomena
"Hmph, he really has become an immortal..."

(End of this chapter)