The sender did not sign off on the letter, but Hong Yangzi already knew who he was.
This was definitely handwritten by Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan himself. Each stroke was akin to the mark of Dao. All of the strokes were natural and seemed like the work of nature.
Even from a calligraphy point of view, this was something that deserved generations of fame.
When inspecting the meaning it held closely, one would see the casualness of the author. As though the author heard something by chance, and penned his intention down in a carefree manner - there was nothing serious about it.
If the author was just anyone, he would have dismissed it easily. However, he knew that Shen Lian indeed had the capabilities to place himself on the pedestal and looked down at everyone.
In fact, Hong Yangzi felt proud that Shen Lian took notice of his Dao techniques. He felt like his life spent cultivating Dao was not spent in vain.
Upon realizing what he was thinking, Hong Yangzi was not angered; if anything, he felt that it was something inevitable.
Even before midnight had come, he acknowledged his defeat through and through.
After all, Huangji Fo was the nemesis whom he had spent a good half of his life battling against. To think that he faced such a devastating defeat against Shen Lian, Hong Yangzi felt slightly better for himself. The Daoist child in the Daoist temple heard him saying, "Child, take good care of this letter. It might be more precious than our fundamental Dao formula in the future."
The night was chilly, and the lake in the distance looked like a mirror. In the cold and dark night, it looked like calligraphy ink.
The moon hanging above was big and round, and Taiyin was complete; the Dao rhythm was natural.
Shen Lian and Zhao Xiaoyu were seated at the small tower next to the lake, and they were marveling at the reflection of the bright moon in the center of the lake. The image of the moon was distorted by the ripples in the water. The dots of light decorated the lake.
Zhao Xiaoyu looked around with her beautiful eyes. "The view is great tonight, I like it," she said.
Shen Lian replied, "The moon is up every night, the lake has always been here. It is just that unlike us, everyone else is too occupied to be enjoying the view."
Zhao Xiaoyu stared at Shen Lian's long and fair fingers; they seemed as though they were made out of ivory, and there were not any visible pores. This pair of hands could perform impressive Daoist techniques, and they could also wield swordcraft that could not be seen elsewhere in the world. Whether they are used to kill or rescue depended on him.
She had never admired someone as much as she did Shen Lian; Shen Lian was the first, and he was definitely the last.
Zhao Xiaoyu smiled, "Indeed, the toughest thing to have in the world is definitely 'leisure'. To achieve this would be more pleasant than being a celestial," she said.
Shen Lian sighed as he replied, "Xiaoyu, you are wrong. There is nothing pleasant about being a celestial in the human realm."
"You are closer to being a celestial than I am, it seems like I am in no position to debate with you," she smiled.
"Xiaoyu, you are wrong again. Even after becoming a celestial or Buddha, there is no way that one could stray away from human nature. Holy deities, at the end of the day, they are still part of the world. Immortal as they are, they remain trapped in the reincarnation cycle," Shen Lian spoke casually, as though he was unveiling the ultimate truth.
"Regardless, it would be nice to be immortal for a while. Though, some people might not understand this," Zhao Xiaoyu hinted.
"Since one could not understand, one might as well just die," Shen Lian spoke softly.
The ivory-like fair fingers turned into the scythe of the Grim Reaper within seconds. The next moment, the ten fingers were moving in the air and a low hum could be heard; it was as though the clear stream was singing under the moonlight. Countless columns of water shot out of the surface of the lake that calm moments before.
The wind howled so loudly that it could be heard from anywhere.
Shen Lian's mana reached every corner within a one-mile radius, and his mana was refined.
Each drop of lake water became an extension of his sight; each drop of lake water could contain his mana.
Right now, he was no different from the deities. His Dao was endless, so was his mana.
The once calm lake was full of violent waves that threatened to engulf the tower. Jimo Peak that stood far away hid amidst the clouds, and it looked eternal and solemn. It was impervious to the howling of the lake water.
Amongst the sound of water and the wind, one's heartbeat merged naturally within it; there was no difference anymore.
Even with the sharpest spiritual sense, it was hard to tell the difference.
Shen Lian did not seem to notice the difference either.
The moonlight was akin to water, and the lake water was rolling. In the void, the tip of the sword could be seen, and it was flowing over along with the water.
This was a powerful move; it was a simple motion that did not contain any abstruseness.
However, even with repeated practice, one might not even be able to reproduce the move.
The sword pierced open the void, and it disappeared without a trace. It was rebirthed in the void again, and it appeared without any previous signs. It seemed to carry both light and shadow within it and was moving as fast as lighting.
It was only when the tip of the sword appeared that the murderous intentions started to flood the tower.
This move was directed to Zhao Xiaoyu.
The tip of the sword broke through the moonlight, the slight glint was reflected in Shen Lian's eyes, causing him to feel chilliness from the depths of his heart.
The determination that came along with countless training excited Grandmaster Yuanqing's sword will that had become part of his spirit.
If it was not for such pure murderous thoughts, there was no way that he could have activated the sword will that he had inherited from Grandmaster Yuanqing.
Even when faced with such pure murderous thoughts, Zhao Xiaoyu remained calm. She was not stunned, but she trusted Shen Lian wholeheartedly. In fact, she did not even bother gathering her mana.
The sword will within Shen Lian reacted faster than his thoughts. In the nick of time, he extended his hands and clasped his fair fingers together. The tip of the sword was stopped right in its track when it was about to make contact with Zhao Xiaoyu.
The tip of the sword was vibrating. It seemed to have vibrated thousands of times in the blink of an eye. The power it carried was unimaginably scary, and it exploded within the confined space.
The power was sufficient to destroy everything around the area - including the owner of the tip of the sword, the scary assassin.
However, red ray exploded from the fair fingers. Meaning of Dao as solid as the ground flowed out, and it calmed one's heart.
The scary power was like an unstoppable flood; eventually, it was overpowered by the solidity of the ground. After releasing all of the remaining waves, it became quiet and still.
A drop of blood dripped from Shen Lian's finger. The surrounding atmosphere was quiet.
With a flick of his finger, Shen Lian turned the droplet of blood into mist. It shrouded the air and a shadow appeared.
The blood mist functioned as a net and restrained the person tightly. Flicking on the tip of the sword with his bent fingers, the impressive weapon was swallowed by the red ray and turned into a pool of iron water.
The palm was bloody.
This was the hand that held the sword, and this was also the hand of the assassin.
Beyond the azure clouds, there was a sky beyond the sky. The assassin was from beyond the sky - Tianwaitian.
When Shen Lian restrained him, a scary wave of energy rippled outwards and the entire tower was turned into ashes. Not even the slightest bit of the tower was left. It was as though no tower existed at that spot in the first place.
Shen Lian and Zhao Xiaoyu were not in the tower, but they were in the sky, amidst the clouds. They were soaked in the mercury-like moonlight, and they looked otherworldly.
They watched as the lake water engulfed the ashes of the tower and washed away all traces of it. Only then did Shen Lian speak, "Even now, I still find Tianwaitian very intimidating."
Even though Shen Lian defeated the assassin effortlessly, he did not feel happy at all.
Only Zhao Xiaoyu understood why; at this point of cultivation, the assassin self-destructed without hesitation. This was the scariest part about Tianwaitian, and it even triumphed over their assassination methods.
As the Daoist scriptures said, "The people have no fear of death, why threaten them with it?"
When a person who was ready to give up his life easily had great mana at his disposal, he was a bigger threat than the state itself.
Moreover, in organizations that specialized in the Dao of Killing such as Tianwaitian, there were plenty of people as such.
The cultivators surrounding Jimo Peak received two news.
Firstly, Hong Yangzi received the teachings of Zhenren Shen; he had decided to retreat into the mountains and paid no heed to what was happening in the world.
Secondly, for the first time in a millennium, Tianwaitian withdrew from the mission that they had accepted.
Both of these incidents were significant enough to generate gossip. What came as the most shocking to the cultivators was the identity of the person who made even Tianwaitian withdrew from their mission - Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan.
Subsequently, the head of the main branches of Luo Order received an invitation card from Zhenren Shen respectively. Some people called it, 'Invitation from the King of Hell'.
All of a sudden, the reputation enjoyed by Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan was greater than even that of his Senior Apprentice-Brother, Hall Establisher of Temple of Killings, Chen Jianmei.
Some even said, "I would rather meet the King of Hell than Qingxia".
Qingxia was Shen Lian's nickname.
The sender did not sign off on the letter, but Hong Yangzi already knew who he was.
This was definitely handwritten by Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan himself. Each stroke was akin to the mark of Dao. All of the strokes were natural and seemed like the work of nature.
Even from a calligraphy point of view, this was something that deserved generations of fame.
When inspecting the meaning it held closely, one would see the casualness of the author. As though the author heard something by chance, and penned his intention down in a carefree manner - there was nothing serious about it.
If the author was just anyone, he would have dismissed it easily. However, he knew that Shen Lian indeed had the capabilities to place himself on the pedestal and looked down at everyone.
In fact, Hong Yangzi felt proud that Shen Lian took notice of his Dao techniques. He felt like his life spent cultivating Dao was not spent in vain.
Upon realizing what he was thinking, Hong Yangzi was not angered; if anything, he felt that it was something inevitable.
Even before midnight had come, he acknowledged his defeat through and through.
After all, Huangji Fo was the nemesis whom he had spent a good half of his life battling against. To think that he faced such a devastating defeat against Shen Lian, Hong Yangzi felt slightly better for himself. The Daoist child in the Daoist temple heard him saying, "Child, take good care of this letter. It might be more precious than our fundamental Dao formula in the future."
The night was chilly, and the lake in the distance looked like a mirror. In the cold and dark night, it looked like calligraphy ink.
The moon hanging above was big and round, and Taiyin was complete; the Dao rhythm was natural.
Shen Lian and Zhao Xiaoyu were seated at the small tower next to the lake, and they were marveling at the reflection of the bright moon in the center of the lake. The image of the moon was distorted by the ripples in the water. The dots of light decorated the lake.
Zhao Xiaoyu looked around with her beautiful eyes. "The view is great tonight, I like it," she said.
Shen Lian replied, "The moon is up every night, the lake has always been here. It is just that unlike us, everyone else is too occupied to be enjoying the view."
Zhao Xiaoyu stared at Shen Lian's long and fair fingers; they seemed as though they were made out of ivory, and there were not any visible pores. This pair of hands could perform impressive Daoist techniques, and they could also wield swordcraft that could not be seen elsewhere in the world. Whether they are used to kill or rescue depended on him.
She had never admired someone as much as she did Shen Lian; Shen Lian was the first, and he was definitely the last.
Zhao Xiaoyu smiled, "Indeed, the toughest thing to have in the world is definitely 'leisure'. To achieve this would be more pleasant than being a celestial," she said.
Shen Lian sighed as he replied, "Xiaoyu, you are wrong. There is nothing pleasant about being a celestial in the human realm."
"You are closer to being a celestial than I am, it seems like I am in no position to debate with you," she smiled.
"Xiaoyu, you are wrong again. Even after becoming a celestial or Buddha, there is no way that one could stray away from human nature. Holy deities, at the end of the day, they are still part of the world. Immortal as they are, they remain trapped in the reincarnation cycle," Shen Lian spoke casually, as though he was unveiling the ultimate truth.
"Regardless, it would be nice to be immortal for a while. Though, some people might not understand this," Zhao Xiaoyu hinted.
"Since one could not understand, one might as well just die," Shen Lian spoke softly.
The ivory-like fair fingers turned into the scythe of the Grim Reaper within seconds. The next moment, the ten fingers were moving in the air and a low hum could be heard; it was as though the clear stream was singing under the moonlight. Countless columns of water shot out of the surface of the lake that calm moments before.
The wind howled so loudly that it could be heard from anywhere.
Shen Lian's mana reached every corner within a one-mile radius, and his mana was refined.
Each drop of lake water became an extension of his sight; each drop of lake water could contain his mana.
Right now, he was no different from the deities. His Dao was endless, so was his mana.
The once calm lake was full of violent waves that threatened to engulf the tower. Jimo Peak that stood far away hid amidst the clouds, and it looked eternal and solemn. It was impervious to the howling of the lake water.
Amongst the sound of water and the wind, one's heartbeat merged naturally within it; there was no difference anymore.
Even with the sharpest spiritual sense, it was hard to tell the difference.
Shen Lian did not seem to notice the difference either.
The moonlight was akin to water, and the lake water was rolling. In the void, the tip of the sword could be seen, and it was flowing over along with the water.
This was a powerful move; it was a simple motion that did not contain any abstruseness.
However, even with repeated practice, one might not even be able to reproduce the move.
The sword pierced open the void, and it disappeared without a trace. It was rebirthed in the void again, and it appeared without any previous signs. It seemed to carry both light and shadow within it and was moving as fast as lighting.
It was only when the tip of the sword appeared that the murderous intentions started to flood the tower.
This move was directed to Zhao Xiaoyu.
The tip of the sword broke through the moonlight, the slight glint was reflected in Shen Lian's eyes, causing him to feel chilliness from the depths of his heart.
The determination that came along with countless training excited Grandmaster Yuanqing's sword will that had become part of his spirit.
If it was not for such pure murderous thoughts, there was no way that he could have activated the sword will that he had inherited from Grandmaster Yuanqing.
Even when faced with such pure murderous thoughts, Zhao Xiaoyu remained calm. She was not stunned, but she trusted Shen Lian wholeheartedly. In fact, she did not even bother gathering her mana.
The sword will within Shen Lian reacted faster than his thoughts. In the nick of time, he extended his hands and clasped his fair fingers together. The tip of the sword was stopped right in its track when it was about to make contact with Zhao Xiaoyu.
The tip of the sword was vibrating. It seemed to have vibrated thousands of times in the blink of an eye. The power it carried was unimaginably scary, and it exploded within the confined space.
The power was sufficient to destroy everything around the area - including the owner of the tip of the sword, the scary assassin.
However, red ray exploded from the fair fingers. Meaning of Dao as solid as the ground flowed out, and it calmed one's heart.
The scary power was like an unstoppable flood; eventually, it was overpowered by the solidity of the ground. After releasing all of the remaining waves, it became quiet and still.
A drop of blood dripped from Shen Lian's finger. The surrounding atmosphere was quiet.
With a flick of his finger, Shen Lian turned the droplet of blood into mist. It shrouded the air and a shadow appeared.
The blood mist functioned as a net and restrained the person tightly. Flicking on the tip of the sword with his bent fingers, the impressive weapon was swallowed by the red ray and turned into a pool of iron water.
The palm was bloody.
This was the hand that held the sword, and this was also the hand of the assassin.
Beyond the azure clouds, there was a sky beyond the sky. The assassin was from beyond the sky - Tianwaitian.
When Shen Lian restrained him, a scary wave of energy rippled outwards and the entire tower was turned into ashes. Not even the slightest bit of the tower was left. It was as though no tower existed at that spot in the first place.
Shen Lian and Zhao Xiaoyu were not in the tower, but they were in the sky, amidst the clouds. They were soaked in the mercury-like moonlight, and they looked otherworldly.
They watched as the lake water engulfed the ashes of the tower and washed away all traces of it. Only then did Shen Lian speak, "Even now, I still find Tianwaitian very intimidating."
Even though Shen Lian defeated the assassin effortlessly, he did not feel happy at all.
Only Zhao Xiaoyu understood why; at this point of cultivation, the assassin self-destructed without hesitation. This was the scariest part about Tianwaitian, and it even triumphed over their assassination methods.
As the Daoist scriptures said, "The people have no fear of death, why threaten them with it?"
When a person who was ready to give up his life easily had great mana at his disposal, he was a bigger threat than the state itself.
Moreover, in organizations that specialized in the Dao of Killing such as Tianwaitian, there were plenty of people as such.
The cultivators surrounding Jimo Peak received two news.
Firstly, Hong Yangzi received the teachings of Zhenren Shen; he had decided to retreat into the mountains and paid no heed to what was happening in the world.
Secondly, for the first time in a millennium, Tianwaitian withdrew from the mission that they had accepted.
Both of these incidents were significant enough to generate gossip. What came as the most shocking to the cultivators was the identity of the person who made even Tianwaitian withdrew from their mission - Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan.
Subsequently, the head of the main branches of Luo Order received an invitation card from Zhenren Shen respectively. Some people called it, 'Invitation from the King of Hell'.
All of a sudden, the reputation enjoyed by Zhenren Shen of Qing Xuan was greater than even that of his Senior Apprentice-Brother, Hall Establisher of Temple of Killings, Chen Jianmei.
Some even said, "I would rather meet the King of Hell than Qingxia".
Qingxia was Shen Lian's nickname.
