Chapter 381 - 354: Mid-Stage Spirit Level (Part 1)

Chapter 381: Chapter 354: Mid-Stage Spirit Level (Part 1)

The Zi Qiong Emperor was no fool. He immediately understood what Huangg Chen meant and hastily bowed his head.

They had no choice but to bow to the circumstances. The Qianqing Sect Master was one of Lord Hua’s first subordinates. If he put in a good word for them, perhaps the two of them could earn Lord Hua’s forgiveness.

They had advanced to the Secret Realm with Lord Hua’s help, but the drawback was that they had to obey his every command. They needed to take the antidote he provided on a regular basis, or the Mana in their bodies would spin out of control, causing them to self-destruct and die!

Having botched this matter, they were extremely anxious, fearing that he would withhold the antidote. If that happened, it would be a death sentence.

"Relax. You’ve given me plenty of fine gifts over the years. I’ll be sure to mention this to Lord Hua. After all, we all work for him!" The Qianqing Sect Master glanced at the two of them and waved his hand dismissively.

"By the way, Sect Leader, you placed a fake Water Spirit Aura on Nie Tong’s body. What if Nie Yun sees through it?" the Zi Qiong Emperor suddenly asked, recalling the detail.

"See through it? Heh. Don’t you worry. I used my Early-Stage Spirit Level soul to reinforce the seal. If he can see through that, it would mean his own soul has reached the Mid-Stage Spirit Level! Right now, he’s merely at the Half-Step Spirit Level. It’s impossible to reach the mid-stage without decades of ascetic cultivation! By the time he’s strong enough to see through it, it’ll be far too late! Haha!" The Qianqing Sect Master laughed.

"Brilliant, Sect Leader! As expected of our partner of many years. Your schemes are truly insidious..."

The Zi Qiong Emperor let out a cackle, his shrill laughter echoing endlessly through the hall.

* * *

"Brother, don’t worry. I will bring you back. I’ll have you fighting by my side again. I’ll have you standing on a high platform before a massive crowd, teaching the world your very own Sword Dao!"

As he walked slowly through Guangming City, Nie Yun recalled his brother’s lifelike corpse, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

The thought of his brother filled his heart with anguish.

"Brother, is it true? If I just cultivate hard, can I really become a master as strong as Lord Nie Yun?" a seven or eight-year-old child on the street asked, tugging on a young man’s hand with an innocent expression.

"Yes. If you cultivate hard, you’ll definitely succeed," the young man nodded, his eyes filled with resolve.

"Okay, brother, I’ll work really hard! I don’t just want to be like Lord Nie Yun, I want to be like you, too!" Hearing his brother’s confirmation, the child leaped with excitement and thrust the wooden stick in his hand forward as if it were a sharp sword.

...

’My brother was just as obsessed with Swordsmanship back then, but I always held him back. He never dared to practice in front of me...’ Seeing the two brothers reminded Nie Yun of the times he had spent with his own.

’I forbade him from practicing Swordsmanship, so he had to learn in secret. Looking back, I realize I never really did much for him, yet he put me on a pedestal as the most important person in his life!’

"Young Master, you look like you have something on your mind! Come have a drink! A little wine can wash away a world of troubles. You’ll feel much better after!"

As he was walking, the owner of a roadside tavern called out to him.

Nie Yun had flown back from the Foggy Swamp at top speed and hadn’t rested for a moment. Compounded by the crushing blow of his brother’s death, his beard had grown out and he looked gaunt and weary. Even without a Disguise, it was unlikely that anyone would recognize him as the infamous Nie Yun who had thrown all of Guangming City into turmoil.

"Drinking? Yes... I’ll have a drink!"

Hearing the call, Nie Yun turned and walked toward the tavern.

’In both his past life and this one, he’d barely touched a drop of alcohol, always needing to keep a clear head. Just this once, he would let himself go. For his brother... and for himself.’

"What can I get for you, sir?" the owner asked with a smile as soon as Nie Yun sat down.

"Here’s the money. Just bring me your best liquor! The more, the better!" Nie Yun said, casually tossing a gold bar onto the table.

"Yes, sir! Right away!" Seeing such a wealthy patron, the owner was so excited he nearly leaped for joy. A moment later, he returned with five large jugs of fine liquor. The rich aroma filled the air even before the jugs were unsealed.

"Brother! All this time, and I never once had a real drink with you... This one’s for you!"

Realizing he’d never truly had a drink with his brother in this lifetime, tears rolled down Nie Yun’s face. He grabbed one of the jugs, lifted it high, and began to guzzle it down.

’The last time in the Foggy Swamp, they had been in a perilous situation. He’d taken out the flask, but they’d barely drunk anything. That didn’t count as truly drinking together.’

’Real drinking meant opening your heart, casting aside all inhibitions, and having no fear of getting drunk or the dangers that might follow. He had never drunk like this in his past life. Tonight, in this life, he would get drunk for his brother!’

The strong liquor burned its way down his throat like a blade, making Nie Yun choke and cough uncontrollably. He’d always found it unpleasant, but now, it felt cathartic, allowing him to vent all the emotions buried deep within his heart.

Cup after cup, jug after jug. Nie Yun didn’t use his True Qi to negate the effects of the alcohol, and soon his vision grew hazy.

In his drunken stupor, he seemed to see his brother learning Swordsmanship from him once more... He saw his brother throwing himself into danger for his sake... He saw that innocent, contented smile on his brother’s face after saving him...

"Ah, Brother Nie Yun, I’m sorry! I won’t practice anymore, I swear! I’ll go right now..."

...

"Brother, do you remember? It was you who taught me the most profound Body Cultivation Method. It was you who taught me the way of the sword. It was you who healed my crippled legs! Without you, I’d be nothing but a useless bum, just eating and waiting to die! Without you, forget about getting revenge for my legs—I wouldn’t even have known who my enemy was! Without you, all I could do was stare at the same patch of sky every day, never knowing how vast the world truly is!"

...

"I know you don’t dwell on these things. I used to resent you, you know? I thought you didn’t care about me. But ever since that day you held me in the courtyard, I understood everything. I realized you didn’t stop me from practicing Swordsmanship because you thought I was useless, but because you were afraid I’d get hurt! I realized that when you ignored me, you were actually trying to find a cure for my injuries! I realized you willingly endured all that humiliation because you had me—someone you cared for—waiting at home..."

...

"I could feel your joy when you saw me in Guangming City. I could feel your love for me as your brother, your deep care and concern. I wanted to cultivate hard, to one day become your right-hand man, to be your sharpest sword... but now... I can’t."

...

"Since I can’t be your sharpest sword, I won’t be a stumbling block that holds you back. Brother, forgive me for being so willful. Brother, forgive me for being so headstrong. This is the first thing I’ve ever done for you... and it will be the last."

...

"Farewell, brother!"

...

Through tear-filled eyes, Nie Yun seemed to see his brother’s silhouette once more—that thin, stubborn face. For his brother, he was willing to give up his own life. For his family, he didn’t hesitate to pay with his lifespan. For the Sword Dao, he could disregard all honor and disgrace...

Pure, simple, with the heart of a child.

That was his brother.

"Nie Tong, I’m so sorry! It’s my fault you’re dead. If I had known that coming with me to the Zihua Cave Mansion would lead to this... I would rather have died myself than let any harm come to you..."

Tears streamed down Nie Yun’s face as he mumbled to himself.

For the sake of his family, for the sake of everything, Nie Yun usually wrapped himself in a cold indifference. But now, fueled by the alcohol, it was as if he had shed his Disguise, becoming like a newborn child, freely unleashing the agony from the depths of his soul.

’In his past life, his brother had died for him, suffering one hundred and thirty-seven sword wounds without so much as a word of farewell. In this life, he thought he could take better care of him, but instead, he’d caused his very soul to be shattered and dispersed...’

’If I’d known it would end like this, what was the point of my rebirth?!’

Nie Yun questioned himself relentlessly, his heart flooded with guilt and remorse.

’Theoretically, his brother could be resurrected, but where in the world was he supposed to find someone with a special talent like a Soul Summoner?’

’Brother... no matter what it takes, I will bring you back. I’ll do it even if it means my own death!’

Nie Yun made a solemn vow in his heart. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation.)