Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

Days passed. The sun hung high above the city as radiant as ever.

It was still early summer in the city of Guangling and the weather was not yet hot, with refreshing breezes that soothed and abated the warmth of the coming solstice. It was one of the best times for excursions abroad where the streets weaved with shuffling throngs of travelers and visitors.

Yuanyang and Weng Linyu had met up with Min Renlong, Wu Xiuxian, and Wu Xing who had finally arrived. This was the first time that they had met in person beside their gatherings for their Samsara tasks!

They had all gotten to know each other deeply during their adventures through Samsara. They mingled like close siblings, without any signs of aloofness between them, but with the freshness and excitement that came with their first-ever reunion. With brimming enthusiasm, they strolled to the banks of Lake Xiaonan of Guangling to enjoy the local delicacies of fish aboard the river cruise.

They were strolling casually when the din of excitement suddenly rang in their ears. In an instant, the inexperienced saplings of the Jianghu sprang into alertness, tense as taut bowstrings as their hands reached for their weapons. They scanned all directions warily, cautious of an ambush.

There was brief pandemonium in the crowd before it dispersed and gathered at the banks of Lake Xiaonan with fervent chatters and excited exclamations.

Min Renlong, a disciple of the Taiyue Sect who had earlier unsealed his ear apertures, listened closely to the murmurs of the crowd. From the cacophony of senseless blathers and gossip he was able to make out some interesting news. With thrilled eagerness, he said to his companions, “Wang Ji, also known as Justice Under the Sword, and Song Quanlue, who is also called the Poetic Blade, have agreed to a duel at the Peace Lodge by the side of Lake Xiaonan. A duel between warriors of the Ranking List of Young Masters! A duel that is hard to come by!”

“This is River East indeed. This might be one of the few places where one could commonly witness duels between members of the Ranking List of Young Masters…” Wu Xiuxian answered with equal enthusiasm. This was the first time he had the opportunity to witness such a duel with his own eyes.

Yuanyang, a jovial and passionate lover of crowds by nature, had long wanted to behold the splendors of the Ranking List too. They followed the shuffling mob of curious onlookers as she asked, “What are their present ranks? How would they have fared against Yan Chong, Cui Zhe, Qing Yu, Wang Zai, and Yang He? How about Tian Ce, Ruan Yushu, Shangguan Heng, Wen Ren’An, Luo Hou, Qi Zhengyan, Luo Xiu, and Zhen Ben?”

In a single breath, the names of more than a dozen warriors spouted from her lips. The names of the top warriors of the Ranking List that she had kept so close to her heart. The Luo Hou that Yuanyang had mentioned was the hereditary Dharmic name of the heirs to the legacy of the Asura King which had been passed down through all the generations of successors of the Asura Temple. The previous Luo Hou, the Present Asura King, possessed Dharmic Form of Luo Hou. He had once held the name of Luo Hou himself before he passed the name to his present disciple, who now walked in the footsteps of his teacher. Yuanyang knew nothing of the student who had inherited his master’s name, but she was not confused over the differences between the two Luo Hous.

Hidden and unknown perils lurked in the depths of the Southern Wilderness. News and tales hardly traveled in the turmoil and dangers that beset the South. Even the rigors of the Western Regions paled in comparison. It was from news that had spread from the frontier tradesmen that Yuanyang had heard of the various experts of the Ranking List of Young Masters. Still, that was all that she had managed to glean. She had to ask, for she had neither the time nor the opportunity to gather news during her journey into the Central Plains.

“Song Quanlue is one of the most prominent talents of the Song Clan of Luyang of this generation. He was late to bloom into distinction but quick to rise through the ranks. He sits at the thirty-first place of the List,” answered Wu Xiuxian, a resident of the Central Province who was most familiar with the Ranking List.

Beside him, Weng Linyu gave a soft but feverish giggle. “Song Quanlue attended the Sumptuous Fruits Banquet last year hoping to make his appearance into the fold with an impressive display of his skills. It was a pity that he had to encounter the Killing Blade who was at the peak of his climb to fame – not even a group of five managed to overpower him. The encounter shattered Song Quanlue’s confidence; he nearly sank into an abyss of despair. It is fortunate that he managed to clamber up from his gloom and return into the fold. Now he wields not only the sword but a saber as well. An Expert of the Saber and Sword, as is the common fashion of a son of the Song Clan.”

Weng Lingyu had been passionate about her freedom in the Jianghu ever since she had unsealed her Apertures through her adventures in the Samsara. River East was a place where the news and tales of all lands converged, thus she was always in touch with the tales that spread within the community of the martial world.

“Ah, yes! You spoke of this yesterday, didn’t you, Lingyu?” exclaimed Yuanyang with childlike exuberance, her hands clasped hard together in excitement.

Yesterday, she had been told the tale of the “Killing Blade’s” triumph against the overwhelming odds of five warriors, but she had failed to notice that Song Quanlue was one of those “overwhelming odds”, one of those on the Ranking List of Young Masters.

Wu Xing, a swordsman, looked ahead, far into the distance. Peering at Lake Xiaonan far away, he was distracted as he spoke. “Wang Ji, ‘Justice Under the Sword’, is a fresh talent from the branch families within the Wang family of River East. Even before he reached the age of twenty, he had already accomplished the primary level of the Voidness Swordsmanship. With a remarkable entry into the Ranking List, he rose swiftly to the thirty-fifth place. Their skills, which are close in level and prowess, would most surely give rise to a fierce and gripping duel!”

Only the Main Line of the Wang family of River East adopted the strict nomenclature of its members according to seniority.

The most of their group had unsealed Four Apertures. Aside from Min Renlong, who had unsealed his Sixth, the rest of them barely had opportunities to graze even the teaching of techniques or disciplines of the Exterior. Their adventures in the Samsara has accorded them the means and the possibility of achieving greater heights regardless of their inexperience, and their rawness in the intricacies of martial arts fuelled their interest and passion. They weaved and shuffled through the horde of onlookers and rushed to the Peace Lodge.

Indeed, the close difference between the strength and powers of both Wang Ji and Song Quanlue had culminated in a gripping and hard-fought battle that finally ended in the narrow victory of Song Quanlue after a quarter of an hour.

Despite the brief display of various martial skills, the subtle elegance of the movements and the extreme ferocity of the encounter was an enlightening and gratifying encounter for Min Renlong, Yuanyang, and their companions.

“A duel of the Ranking List of Young Masters indeed. The level of these champions is almost a level that we cannot fathom.” Wu Xiuxian heaved a sigh with intense ardor.

“If only I possessed such sword art, we would not have suffered such torment last time.” Wu Xing the Swordsman’s gaze was transfixed upon the two men who were still deep in conversation after their duel.

He had deliberately avoided saying the word “mission”, lest the secrets of Samsara should leak.

Yuanyang and Weng Lingyu had barely opened their mouths to dissent when they heard a few fellow members of Jianghu scoff loudly. “This is merely a duel of the lower half of the Ranking List of Young Masters! If only you had witnessed the duel between ‘Killing Blade’ and ‘Five Emperors’ Knife’ in the streets as well as ‘Shapeless Sword’s’ duel against four warriors!”

“Aye, that is so.” Another man agreed. “The past generation of Ranking List of Young Masters can be truly acclaimed as one of the best. The talents that shoned so brightly like the stars of the night. We have had the Killing Blade, the Fairy of the Extinctive Sword, the Shapeless Sword, the Ledgerkeeper of Lives, and the evil maiden of the Luo Denomination. No one could question the caliber and quality of the talent behind these names. Tales have been imprinted into memories by these legends. They have endured and put to shame even their successors!”

Though it was common to compare the greatness of the past and the shortcomings of the present, who could object to such valid arguments? There have been up to five warriors of that generation who had leaped over the hurdles of the Exterior ever since the Shapeless Sword sat atop the throne of the Ranking List of Young Masters. It was arguably one of the finest generations of the Ranking List in history. The glimmer and radiance of their prominence could not be surpassed even to this day.

Even if one dared to say that they would eventually be outshined by new talents, none could say that it would be in the near future.

Despite the remarkable standards that the current top fifteen of the Ranking List maintained, they still undoubtedly paled in comparison to all of them!

“Let it go. They are all warriors of levels of the Exterior today. It would do us no good to dwell on the past.” A loud sigh came from another stranger.

Indeed, they are now warriors who now wield powers of the Exterior! Legendary warriors who held in their hands the power to dominate and conquer!

The differences between one who has begun to unseal their Apertures and one who has attained the levels of the Exterior were so great that one could argue that the former was worlds behind the latter. Warriors and legends come and go, but the Jianghu stays eternal.

Yuanyang and her companions exchanged glances before they sighed together.

“Warriors of the Exterior…”

The name of “the Killing Blade” and the others who they’d just discussed with such fervency and zeal were now legends that flitted to and fro in the tales and talks of the land. A new page had been turned as they embarked on new adventures befitting their abilities and powers, striving closer to unraveling the mysteries of the divide between mortals and immortals.

They shook off the gloom of melancholy and envy and adjourned to the banks of Lake Xiaonan where they chartered a small boat and had the vessel paddled to the center of the lake.

Together, the companions enjoyed the scenic view from the bow of the boat. At length, they noticed the billowing plumes of mist that had gathered over the surface of the lake. Expecting rainfall, the company decided to move into the boat’s cabin and requested the boatman to prepare a dish of fish.

They had barely stepped into the cabin when they froze. At the table in the cabin sat a young man clad in robes of white. A faint smile lined his fair features as he casually prepared tea, his movements graceful and serene. By his side was his sword.

“Young Master…” “Senior…” Thrill and joy overwhelmed the five companions. The words had suddenly escaped their lips before they were able to restrain themselves. The tranquil sight of their Senior’s unbidden presence had suddenly given them the desire to preserve the peace and silence in the cabin despite their swelling emotions.

Trying to mirror Meng Qi’s grace in his preparation of tea, the five companions sat down slowly with elegance. Restlessness and anxiety seemed to have left their mind and soul. Like the peaceful waters of a babbling brook, they were refreshed with renewed spirit, emptied of all misery and weariness.

Meng Qi had altered his appearance and had worn clothing that was different from what he usually wore. With practiced movements, equal amounts of tea were poured into each cup. When he was done, he motioned to them to taste the tea that he had prepared.

“Splendid!” Min Renlong praised the flavor. Its taste was bitter and astringent at first, but a distinct sweet aftertaste would linger thereafter with a pungent fragrance.

Meng Qi smiled as he watched the companions sipping tea. “Since I am in River East, I decided to come and meet you to offer some words of advice.”

“Pray, continue, Young Master.” They put down their cups, watching Meng Qi attentively.

The Young Master seemed to possess even more unfathomable depths in strength and power than in their previous meeting!

“It is good that you are all able to meet together like this. Your life-and-death experiences together have made you fast and close friends, but do refrain from meeting too often. You will encounter other Samsara travelers in your future. Through the skills and techniques that you use and the weapons you wield, opposing travelers of the Samsara would be able to trace your origins and hunt you down. The dangers that you suffered in the Samsara would linger even in your actual lives.” Meng Qi spoke tersely.

Yuanyang and the others were shocked. They anxiously looked around for any curious or prying ears, alarmed that the Young Master’s remark about the Samsara might result in his execution by the Dominator. Only peace drifted in the air around them; nothing could be heard except the sounds of the boatman chopping the fish for the dish he was preparing. It was as if they were sitting in a dimension that was separated from reality.

They turned their attention back to Meng Qi’s words. Comprehending the implications, another wave of apprehension and dread filled them as their questions erupted. “Will we be identified, Young Master?”

They remembered that he had once mentioned missions in which they would be pitted against groups of Samsara travelers from opposing factions.

“Your present strength and power would not have warranted any notice yet. You can be at ease for now, but you will grow, and grow you shall. You will be counted among the Ranking List of the Young Masters. Your names would be spoken of and whispered as your fame grows. The skills and techniques of the martial disciplines you learn and their characteristics would be observed and noted. And amongst the curious onlookers, fellow members of the martial world, and rivals, there shall be no shortage of Samsara travelers that you might encounter in future Samsara tasks and they will recognize you.” Meng Qi explained calmly as he poured himself a cup of tea. An aura of peace and serenity filled the cabin once more, soothing the panic and unease of the company.

“Should we disguise ourselves, then?” Yuanyang spoke first. Her life in the Southern Wilderness had exposed her to the methods of voodoo witchcraft, the use of poisonous weapons, and the art of disguise.

“Yes, but not only your appearance but your skills as well. Common skills and techniques that are generally used by all would hardly be worth noting. However, techniques of great potency and effect, the strongest and most easily-identifiable skills, you shall need more than two sets of them: one for your use in the Samsara and the other for your use in your actual life.” Meng Qi counseled.

This would require a large amount of Karma points but it was a precaution of utmost importance. The addition of skills and techniques would also be a boon to them, after all. They rose to their feet and conveyed their thanks to Meng Qi.

Meng Qi waved off their thanks. “What skills have you redeemed from the Dominator?” he asked.

“Er…” The company froze. Weng Lingyu stepped forward first, cupping one hand in the other before her chest in reverence as she reported. “‘The Geese’s Retreat’ of the Five Divine Strokes of Mount Heng.”

“Let us have a look,” Meng Qi said calmly.

Weng Lingyu took a deep breath and demonstrated the skill, breaking into a motion of magnificent style and exquisiteness with her sword.

Meng Qi observed her demonstration with a nod. Without a word he drew his sword and derived from her presentation four other strokes which were different but closely related, all of which were forceful and strong.

“Is-is this the rest of the strokes of the Five Divine Strokes of Mount Heng?” Weng Lingyu asked with an incredulous stare.

Has the Young Master exchanged the entire array of the sword strokes from the discipline of the Divine Strokes? The same thought of amazement appeared in the minds of Yuanyang and her companions.

Meng Qi returned his sword to its scabbard. He spoke calmly and slowly. “I did not learn this discipline before, but the principles of the sword are always the same. Watching your demonstration, the inspiration of the peaks of Mount Heng that I imagined allowed me to derive a set of sword techniques that would be similar in essence even to the actual five Divine Strokes.”

“He is able to create his own discipline just like that?” Min Renlong, Yuanyang and the others shared a look of disbelief.

How much farther do we have to climb before we have such depth with the blade?

He had elaborated with such composure and ease! It seemed so easy to him!

Has the Young Master achieved the levels of the Exterior?

Weng Lingyu recalled Meng Qi’s demonstration and saw tea strewn on the floor of the cabin: Meng Qi had illustrated the moves that he had just shown her on the floor of the cabin. With tremendous delight, she fell to her knees and thanked him profusely. “My deepest thanks, Young Master!”

Meng Qi waved his hands slowly in acknowledgment. He then gave similar demonstrations and counsel to the rest of the company. His extensive knowledge in the fundamentals of martial disciplines and his profound experiences abroad allowed him to bestow upon them invaluable advice, even for disciplines that he lacked study for.

“Very well then. I shall take my leave for now. I hope that we will meet again one day.” Meng Qi slowly rose from his seat. He pushed a window of the cabin open and then abruptly disappeared.

“He vanished!” Min Renlong and his companions weren’t even able to ask the Young Master to stay. They looked out the window of the cabin only to see that much of the fine, white mists blanketing the surface of the lake had vanished with the departure of their Senior.

“The Young Master must be a warrior of the Exterior!” Min Renlong exclaimed with absolute certainty.

“The Young Master is extraordinary indeed!” Each and every one of them wore the very same expression of wonder and inspiration.

…

Meng Qi glided over the surface of the lake until he reached the shore. There were wisps of aura in the form of tiny purple fumes wreathed around his finger.“The sign of Benevolence and Kindness!”

It was for the enhancement of his mastery in the skills of harnessing the elements of Karma that Meng Qi decided to extend the gesture of kindness to his subsidiaries. Otherwise, the notion of helping them would have barely crossed his mind.

Next, the affair of the Immortality Elixir of East Pole! There is another strong and powerful warrior in River East that I can rely on even if Master Chong He is occupied by the matter of the Sprite of Herbs!