Chapter 97: Guarding Heaven's Pass pt. 18

All around those heavy double-images turned into paper scraps. The sword fell to the ground with a kuāngdāng as Lin Changming covered his throat. He was unable to stop those black threads from wriggling up his cheeks, and he forced out a single word, “Ruthless…”

Jiang Linzhai crossed over the figures in the hall as he spoke, “Come out.”

Lin Changming was trembling from head to foot, drawing back in panic. He wanted to hide himself in the darkness, but although those silver lamps offered little illumination, he still could not hide his figure.

Jiang Linzhai saw him. “Jian Yi.”

Ling Changming spoke, “I am not…”

Jiang Linzhai had already caught his hand and interrupted his response, “You’ve been parasitised by the River God—quickly concentrate on your qi, guard your spirit acupoints—don’t let it sway your mind.”

Lin Changming's heart was already in turmoil, how could he possibly calm down and focus? The black threads crawled rapidly and immediately burrowed into his heart. Enduring the pain, he said, "I'm not Jian Yi, Shifu, you don't need to worry about me..."

Just as he said this, a sharp pain pierced his heart. Lin Changming's body curled up, and in the blink of an eye, he was drenched in sweat from the pain. The scene was too reminiscent of Jian Yi's death. Not wanting to put Jiang Linzhai in a difficult position again, Lin Changming pushed him away and drew the Thousand Gold Brush from his waist.

What’s so difficult about dying? It's just a matter of closing and reopening one's eyes, something Lin Changming was already familiar with—

However, things did not go as he wished. The hand holding the Thousand Gold Brush trembled uncontrollably under the intense pain. The River God whispered in his ear again, "Do you think you can just die again this time? How laughable. I have already parasitised you. Unless you willingly let him kill you for real, no matter how many times you die, I will follow you."

Lin Changming swung the pen violently. "Deceiving people with heresy!"

The river god said, "You’ll know if it’s heresy by trying. But before you die, turn around and take a look at your Shifu, see what kind of expression he has."

Lin Changming staggered and stumbled into the silver lamps. His brush was lost, and his mind was hazy as he struggled, “You’re lying to me. You must be using your old tricks, conjuring up a fake Jiang Linzhai to try to mess with my mind!”

The river god's voice clung to him like a festering wound, laughing, “If you don’t believe he’s real, then why don’t you turn back?”

Lin Changming fell to the ground, panting heavily. He didn’t want to hear the River God’s deceitful words anymore, but the River God seemed to be both at his ear and in his mind, and no matter how he dodged, he couldn’t block out the voice.

The River God said, “You don’t dare turn around because you know he’s real. You’re afraid of seeing his expression. Poor Jiang Linzhai, he’s been parasitised by me in this array, reliving those nightmares day and night. I’ve told him in detail how each disciple died, he’s heard it hundreds of times and seen it hundreds of times…”

Lin Changming shouted, “Scram!”

The River God continued, “Aren’t you curious why he always sits in that tree? It’s because he doesn’t dare to sleep. Once he closes his eyes, I replay that day for him.”

Lin Changming covered his ears, a metallic taste rising in his throat.

The River God went on, “Do you think he stays in this array because he’s unaware? Haha! Do you think you’ve been doing a good job pretending to be Jian Yi?”

Lin Changming felt another sharp pain in his heart, this time not only from the River God but something else. He couldn’t figure out what it was, so he just shouted, “Shut up! Shut up!”

The River God said, “He can’t leave this array because he can’t control his murderous intent. You admire him so much, thinking he’s a dutiful protector of the Four Mountains, but you don’t know that he harbours hatred for all beings. He wishes to kill everyone who ever forced him to make a choice. You think you’re his disciple? You’re gravely mistaken, Lin Changming. He’s always seen you as a pawn. He forced you to open the Nightmare Sealing Array and trapped you here for his selfish reasons. Are you so foolish to still have admiration for him?”

Lin Changming tasted blood in his throat and suddenly spat out fresh blood. He couldn't hold his mental defences because he had shamefully already made a choice. He felt for the sword he had dropped and could no longer endure such torment.

He could die. He could die.

“Jiang Linzhai,” his voice was hoarse, “you know who I am. You've always known who I am. In a single one of those thousands of times, was there ever a time that was real? Why won’t you answer?”

Jiang Linzhai stood behind him, the only sound was the rustling of his sleeves.

Lin Changming executed a move from the Posuo Sword Technique called “Indifference.” Among all the techniques Jiang Linzhai taught him, this was the one he mastered best because it was Jiang Linzhai’s signature move. He knew Jiang Linzhai well; this man would not tolerate him not being like Jian Yi. So he used this move, intending to seek a true death.

But Jiang Linzhai, who had never hesitated to draw his sword, did not draw his sword this time. Lin Changming struck him and saw his expression. He was still so calm, his eyes clear, without any weakness or reluctance. He gripped Lin Changming’s hand, pushing the sword deeper, blood flowing out.

Hellfire suddenly ignited along the blade, Jiang Linzhai’s sleeves billowing, and the River God began to scream in Lin Changming’s ears. The god roared, “You tricked me, making me careless—” 

Jiang Linzhai said, “I told you, I never make the same mistake twice.”

The pain in Lin Changming’s body diminished as the black threads slithered along his sword towards Jiang Linzhai. The River God’s dark shadow emerged from Jiang Linzhai’s body, shrieking, “What have you done?”

Jiang Linzhai said, “What you most wished for.”

The River God’s shadow struggled and twisted in midair, but it was unable to disengage from Jiang Linzhai. Lin Changming’s fingers trembled, but he too wasn’t able to throw Jiang Linzhai off.

Lin Changming said, “What’re you doing?”

Jiang Linzhai’s eyes slightly paused before sliding off his face. The River God bitterly yelled, “You’re still asking what he’s doing? He’s dying with me!”

Lin Changming was terrified, but he had already sunk his sword into Jiang Linzhai’s chest and pulling it out too hastily would injure him more. And besides that, Jiang Linzhai was firmly holding onto his hand, not allowing him a chance to retreat.

The River God said, "You knew long ago that my true form was still within you, so you allowed me to deceive Lin Changming into coming here. You waited for his mind to become confused, his mental defences to collapse, and then you came in for this strike! You anticipated that he wouldn't be able to make a choice and would seek death by attacking you! Haha! Lin Changming, can you see clearly now? This man has no limit to what he will calculate—how ruthless!"

Lin Changming struggled to open his mouth, almost begging, "Let go, Shifu, let go of me."

The river god said, "He won't let go of you! He’s using this sword to pin me within his body, ensuring that I can never escape his control!"

Amid the hellfire, the River God's screams were accompanied by a sound of tearing. Lin Changming had never heard that sound before, but he knew it was the sound of spiritual energy breaking and cultivation being destroyed.

The river god was correct; Jiang Linzhai intended to perish together with him. The hellfire burned not only the river god but also Jiang Linzhai's own cultivation. In the matter of god-slaying, there was no more powerful or ruthless way to execute it.

Blood flowed along the sword toward Lin Changming. This was the closest they had ever been.

Strange.

The one who was stabbed was Jiang Linzhai, but the one who was crying in pain was Lin Changming.

Jiang Linzhai said, "The four mountains are as one body, sharing the same boat. The chaos caused by the River God began with me, and naturally, it should end with me."

Lin Changming said, "Shifu."

Jiang Linzhai said, "My sword is at my waist. When the formation breaks, please help me send it back to North Heron Mountain and return it to my Shifu."

Lin Changming said, "Shifu."

The cuffs of Jiang Linzhai’s sleeves were already dyed red. He lowered his head and took the Golden Fire Fish charm that hung off Ling Changming’s belt.

It had been for Jian Yi.

The River God said, "What a hard-hearted Posuo Sect Leader. Lin Changming, why not take this opportunity to stab him again and make sure he dies with me completely!"

Pain shot through Lin Changming's chest as Jiang Linzhai pushed him away. Hellfire instantly engulfed the entire illusion, preventing the River God from inciting any further. The god could only scream in agony within the flames.

Jiang Linzhai clasped his hands in a seal, his robes and long hair fluttering wildly. With a resolute self-destructive method, he sealed the heavens. As he chanted, the flames burned more and more fiercely.

The River God screamed in torment, "Jiang Linzhai! Do you think this will solve everything? You're wrong! I will make sure you know..."

With a surge of flames, the god was burned into a wisp of smoke and vanished.

Lin Changming pushed through the hellfire, reaching for Jiang Linzhai. The hem of Jiang Linzhai's robe brushed past his fingertips, just as it did when they practised swordsmanship, always eluding his touch. Stubbornly, he called out, "Shifu—"

Without Jiang Linzhai's spiritual energy, the control of the Nightmare Sealing Array returned to Lin Changming. He no longer had to die, nor did he have to suffer humiliation. Now, he was the one in control.

When he finally reached Jiang Linzhai, the unparalleled young man was gone, leaving behind only an old mortal.

A Tongshen's lifespan was longer than that of ordinary people, about three hundred years for a great one. Though Jiang Linzhai hadn't lived that long, he was no longer young. Without spiritual energy, he could no longer maintain the image of an extraordinary swordsman.

Lin Changming pressed desperately on Jiang Linzhai's wound, using everything he had learned in his life to draw talismans on Jiang Linzhai's chest. He had never felt so helpless; each stroke was drawn in a messy haste. "I won't let you die, Shifu."

Those talismans flickered with light and then extinguished. Lin Changming, choking with sobs and his hands trembling, said, “You’re the most powerful swordsman under heaven, and isn’t your heart made of stone? Get up, answer me, ah, Jiang Linzhai!”

Jiang Linzhai had no reply and Lin Changming said some more words, “Six people came and six swords returned—your disciple’s broken swords are still in this city. Don’t you want them anymore?”

Hellfire vigorously crackled and burned. He did not know the number of talismans he drew or how many words he said before eventually, even his tears dried up and Jiang Linzhai’s pulse stabilised amongst those ruins.

The flames ceased, and Lin Changming guarded the faint pulse until he collapsed from exhaustion. Vaguely, it seemed like it was raining again. He had grown accustomed to the sound of rain, as if the rain always brought Jiang Linzhai with it.

A few days later, Lin Changming woke up, seeing a dark roof above him. For a moment, he thought he was back in the cycle. He propped himself up and called out, "Shifu."

The door opened, and a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar disciple walked in. Seeing Lin Changming sit up, the disciple quickly said, "Shifu, your spiritual energy is greatly depleted and hasn't fully recovered. The doctor said you shouldn't get up so easily!"

Lin Changming stared at the disciple, recalling who he was. After a moment, he said hoarsely, "How did I get out?"

The disciple replied, "Shifu, don't you remember? You used the Nightmare Sealing Formation to trap the malevolent river god here. You stayed inside for fifteen days, saving the Posuo sect's Jiang Lang-jun, and finally fainted from exhaustion. Fortunately, our people were nearby and found you during their patrol..."

Lin Changming said, "I wasn't the one who sealed the River God."

The disciple was surprised, "But Jiang Lang-jun said so! He has explained everything to the various sects and is preparing to return to North Heron Mountain... Shifu! Where are you going‽"

Lin Changming ran out of the room, into the bright sunshine outside. Shielding his eyes from the light and not caring about his appearance, he didn't even put on his shoes and chased after the one he was looking for.

Members of the Posuo sect were loading a cart on the road. In the distance, Lin Changming saw a familiar figure in moon-white robes. Panic gripped his heart, and he shouted, "Jiang Linzhai!"

The figure paused slightly, and just when Lin Changming thought he wouldn't turn around, Jiang Linzhai did. A gentle breeze passed between them, and perhaps due to some talisman, Jiang Linzhai had reverted to the appearance of a young swordsman.

After a long pause, Lin Changming said, "Have you found your disciples’ broken swords?"

Jiang Linzhai nodded, his face showing no trace of sorrow. "Yes, I have. I haven't thanked you yet."

Lin Changming felt a bit happy and said, "No need to thank me. The Four mountains are as one body, in the same boat..."

Jiang Linzhai interrupted him indifferently, "There's no need for formalities, Ruyi Lang. I'll have someone send a gift to your residence another day as compensation. The mountain is pressing urgently, so I'll take my leave for now."

Lin Changming stood there, stunned, feeling empty inside. He pulled his clothes to cover himself and responded absentmindedly, "Ng... you called me Ruyi Lang."

Someone by the carriage called for the sect leader. Jiang Linzhai turned his head, and just as he was about to step away, he seemed to remember something and looked back at Lin Changming.

"Ruyi Lang," his eyes were calm, "before breaking the formation, you asked me if there was even one time out of thousands that was real. I can answer you now—no. Not one."

The wind passed by, and Jiang Linzhai walked past Lin Changming without looking at him again. Lin Changming didn't move, nodding to no one in particular, and said, "Can you return the Golden Fire Fish charm to me?"

The sound of footsteps faded, followed by the rolling of the carriage wheels, and then there was no sound at all.

The sunlight stung Lin Changming's eyes, making him feel like his sweat was pouring out. He wiped his face a couple of times, but his face was too wet—as if drenched by rain.

He laughed once, and then again, but suddenly, he became choked with sobs.

The dream had truly ended.

The Author Has Something to Say

Some other foreshadowing will be revealed to Zhuo and Xu tomorrow! 

Thanks for reading!

The Translator has Something to Say 

I find this arc so devastating, and I can't believe I'm this wrecked over side characters! Anyway!! 

Apologies, while re-reading the Volume 1 translation, I realised I had forgotten the whole part in the Bujing Sword Arc where Jiang Zhuo uses the 2nd style of the Posuo Sword--"Indifference". And I thus remembered why I translated it that way. I want to keep those things consistent, but sometimes my notes on the spells and sword moves are a bit chaotic and I happened to miss my notes on that! 

Additionally, after Chapter 100 nearly all the chapters are less than 2000 words (which means we will be caught up soon).