Chapter 42: The Weakest Acting
At the Six Kings Alliance, in his lair, Chen Ming reclined on his chair near the fire, wearing the black-feathered robe over his bandaged body. These days, he told Ling Xian to inform the Great Fiends not to come to pay respects, the main reason being Zhuo Qingyao bandaged him in a bowknot.
The one doing the bandaging could only be Zhuo Qingyao, of course. And Ling Xian? Sorry, but he couldn’t approach more than ten feet, so he watched in admiration how Zhuo Qingyao took care of Chen Ming.
Now that he thought about it, what was the meaning behind his admiration?
Snow drifted outside, while Zhuo Qingyao and Ling Xian trained. Ling Xian was thrilled the first time he practiced with Zhuo Qingyao, wanting to learn from each other. But later, Zhuo Qingyao tyrannically stomped a long-lasting memory in Ling Xian.
Senior sister Zhuo Qingyao was a monster from the start. I can’t even one of her slaps.
Can’t offend what I can’t defeat.
After his war, the Six Kings Alliance regarded Chen Ming with more importance. The men they sent to the battlefield reported the destruction, proving Chen Ming’s status, that of an Archfiend. Yet they didn’t know he could only use that move twice.
Regarding his true identity, they couldn’t care less. Whether human or fiend, he was still one of them, at the King stage. No one minded it too much since everyone had secrets.
The Fairy Sword in Zhuo Qingyao’s hand drifted like clouds while sending snow every which way. When she finished, she walked before Chen Ming, cupping her hands, “Master, is there a method on this world that can help me form a Sword Heart?”
She raised her to head, eyes sparkling as she watched Chen Ming.
“Ding! You triggered the mission: a stronger heart! Zhuo Qingyao has had enough of being weak, she thirsts for more power. Please reveal to her the path of strength, towards a powerful heart! Reward: 1000 merits.”
Chen Ming already formed his Sword Heart, and knew how to comprehend it, “Let me ask you, do you know what a Sword Heart is? Why is this stage called the Sword Heart?”
“The sword energy comes from the heart, and as the heart remains steady, the sword energy never wavers. The sword and body become one, the Sword Heart. Without any distracting thoughts, and only the sword remaining inside, makes the Sword Heart shine brightly!”
Chen Ming shook his head while smiling, “What you said was what the world knows after a Sword Heart user swept the world. But what you want to do right now, is to have the sword in your heart, and nothing but the sword.”
Lustrous King Sword appeared in Chen Ming’s hand, “What do you make of this?”
“This is a sword.”
“When you open your eyes, you can see it. Close them and look again. ”
Zhuo Qingyao closed her eyes, as Chen Ming asked, “Can you see the sword?”
“No!”
Ling Xian stood at the entrance, mumbling, “How can you see with closed eyes?”
Chen Ming glared at Ling Xian, “Go outside the courtyard and stick some swords in the ground. I will seal my awareness and guess how many swords there are.”
Ling Xian hesitated, ‘No way! Are all sword cultivators this weird?’
Ling Xian took seven swords and stuck them before the entrance, then came in, “Master, disciple finished.”
Chen Ming didn’t open his eyes or released his energy, just smiled, “Seven swords.”
Ling Xian was stunned, “Master, how did you do it?”
Chen Ming smiled, “With a bright Sword Heart.”
Chen Ming smiled towards Zhuo Qingyao, “Remember these words, a sword user kills! With the sword in your heart, you will have a sword in your hand. If the sword doesn’t come, I go take it!”
Chen Ming turned, and with a thought, the seven swords flew and struck the ground in front of him
“Do you understand?”
Zhuo Qingyao nodded, cupping her hands, “Disciple understands.”
Three days later, Chen Ming brought Zhuo Qingyao to a mountain peak filled with swords. The swords are scattered everywhere and of all kinds, numbering in the thousands.
Zhuo Qingyao asked, “Master, what’s with all these swords?”
Chen Ming’s eyes were cold and detached, “Your Master killed all of them.”
Chen Ming continued, “After each kill, a sword is left behind. I killed their owners and killed their glory. They were left with their owner’s resentment, their resentment. And I awoke this resentment. From now on, you will draw these swords. Go, feel these swords and then realized the meaning of the sword.”
Zhuo Qingyao nodded, walked to the foot of the Sword Mountain, and grabbed the first sword. She couldn’t pull it, she didn’t understand why, when she ate so many things while cultivating, so she tried harder.
Ling Xian watched in silence for a while, then asked, “Master, what about me? How should I comprehend the Grand Dao, and form a Dao Heart?”
Chen Ming glanced at him, “It’s all around you, but you can’t see it.”
“Master, I don’t understand.”
Chen Ming formed a Dao Seed in the end and knew what path to take, “Between heaven and earth, thousands of creatures thrive, multiplying endlessly. As yin and yang grow impure, the world shifts with them. The Grand Dao encompass countless creatures, moves the sun and moon with no regard and drifts throughout the mortal world. In your discussion with the Dao in your heart, you aren’t intent on comprehending it, so how can you form the Dao Heart?”
Ling Xian seemed to both understand and not. But he was in no rush, as his cultivation was still low.
Ling Xian looked at the sword-filled mountain, knowing it took a lot of sword energy out of Chen Ming, “Master cares a lot about senior sister!”
Chen Ming smiled bashfully, “At least I don’t need to eat your senior sister’s dark cooking. It almost took my poor old life.”
Chen Ming didn’t notice how Zhuo Qingyao’s body shivered, and as she pulled a sword out, she still had time to rub her face, her scorching face.
The three-month limit was fast approaching. Today, Zhuo Qingyao reached the 10th stage of Dao Sense realm while Ling Xian advanced to the Dao Initiation realm thanks to Chen Ming’s guidance, helping him comprehend the Dao Canon, besides taking pills like peanuts. When he broke through to Dao Initiation realm, Ling Xian couldn’t be happier, thinking this was his time to shine and with his moral at the highest, he chose to have another bout with Zhuo Qingyao. Only to be thoroughly stomped the ground, again.
Chen Ming smiled as he saw the bloody nose and battered faced Ling Xian, “What, did your senior sister beat you up again? Why didn’t I realize how much you like getting beaten when I took you in? ”
Ling Xian’s felt dejected, “Master, am I useless? Am I a genius? Senior sister is just too ferocious!”
Chen Ming smiled, “You wouldn’t know no matter how much you guessed it. Listen, Flying Immortal Sect’s Sect Leader convened a sword trial, where all the youngsters in the kingdoms of the Southern Border are participating. Even if you guessed you also wouldn’t know that I heard how you and the Sect Leader’s daughter were engaged once.”
Ling Xian’s eyes burst with rage, “Yes, I will never forget the humiliation, even if my body turned to ash! ”
“You’re my disciple. You will go and show them that, it isn’t Hua Qingting the one disregarding you, but she is simply not worthy of you! ”
“Thank you, Master. I wish to come along and repay this disgrace!”
Chen Ming shook his head, “In truth, this isn’t for you. You are my disciple, one who had his marriage contract revoked, by the girl’s side no least. They clearly look down on me!”
That’s right, they disgraced Master, “Right, Master, will senior sister also come?”
“Your senior sister said she doesn’t have the time for a dull competition. Hmm, might as well make it a rule. When there is another trial, the weakest will go. If Zhuo Qingyao went then it would look like bullying.”
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