Chapter 842: Chapter 13: The Real Purpose
Zhou Yan nodded and then said, "I did this just to test it out. Now that I have the result, the matter with the Blood Witch Clan can come to an end."
Zhou Yan stood up and then used the Undying Rebirth Technique to recover his physical injuries. However, the injuries to his soul were not something that could be healed in a short time.
With the current energy strength of this plane, it would take about ten days to recover.
Ten days, not long, yet not short.
Moreover, even after recovery, Zhou Yan felt a bit powerless to execute such a strike again.
This was his strongest strike, yet he unleashed it without hesitation, striking down Jiang Wu, the Venerated one, leaving behind the legend of the Blood Witch Clan.
This strike combined the power of the Flame Throne, the foundation of the Immortal Evil Soul, and a glimpse of that Immortal Supreme Dao, utilizing the body of Xuanyuan Ancestor and the Emperor Xuan Yuan’s Energy from the Xuanyuan Sword to deliver this blow.
Before this strike, Zhou Yan executed eight moves, each filled with endless derivation and calculation, only then managing to simulate Soul Embryo, breaking through the anomaly of immortality, delivering such a shocking strike.
This was power he shouldn’t have possessed, although forcefully executed indeed with divine might, the consequences were equally unimaginable.
As Hua Qiudao said, it almost damaged the foundation, leading to his own collapse.
This fight was unrepeatable, yet Zhou Yan did not regret it at all because he had no choice.
In just a moment, Zhou Yan’s injuries had completely healed, only the soul injury subtly remained but was not of significant concern.
He was knocked back to his original Peak Realm of Nine Origin Sword Saint, without reaching Godhood.
Not only that, but the First Transition Realm of Godhood was even more distant than before.
The First Transition is akin to a rebirth, with all Dao undergoing a process of unified fusion and refinement. Zhou Yan’s realm of Nine Origin Sword Saint was indeed too defiant, which made the difficulty of breaking through to the Sword God First Transition even greater.
Zhou Yan took two steps in place, then he waved his hand to create a section of void, shielding the Heavenly Mechanism Dao from interference, so that no one could probe.
After this, Hua Qiudao and the three immediately knew what Zhou Yan’s plan was.
"Brother Zhou Yan, you, you are..."
Hua Qiudao was somewhat moved, speaking with emotion.
"Master, are you planning to leave us?"
Zhao Xiaoxiao said with tears in her eyes.
Zhou Yan shook his head and said, "This time, I demonstrated invincible power under the guise of Blood Sect Master Evil Venerate. Following this, the reputation of the Blood Witch Clan will surely spread across the world. After all, those who dare to kill a Venerate are indeed scarce and certainly not easy to deal with strength.
With this, as you three travel the world, you will have some assurance of life. And I... I cannot take you with me because being with me, not only won’t you train yourself better or elevate as cultivators, but you will also get implicated."
"Master, we are not afraid of being implicated. Though Xiaoxiao yearns for this vast world of cultivation, she hopes even more to stay by Master’s side, to serve and honor you—"
Zhao Xiaoxiao wept, even though the time spent with Zhou Yan was not much, but every time, Zhou Yan spent his life this way for them.
This time, as Zhou Yan expended his soul power to strike, besides establishing authority, the greater goal was to present a powerful race to others, allowing the cultivators of this race to not be bullied while traveling outside — hence, Zhao Xiaoxiao and the three of them will never face danger from other cultivators!
After all, even a Venerate like Jiang Wu was slain by Xiaoxiao’s Master Evil Venerate, others would not dare provoke someone like Zhao Xiaoxiao unless they were insane.
Moreover, Zhao Xiaoxiao possessed the realm of Nine Origin Sword Saint and near forty-nine combat power, enough for her to make a name for herself, becoming widely known. They were unaware of the specific matters regarding Zhou Yan or Thunder Expansion Sacred Land, so there was no risk of exposure either.
Whereas Zhou Yan was different...
At this moment, Zhao Xiaoxiao, Liu Haoxin, and even Hua Qiudao realized Zhou Yan’s true intention, which was to create an imaginary strong backing for them, allowing them to continue their cultivation in peace.
If not for this, after Hou Chen left, Zhou Yan could have completely left immediately, without even watching that battle, as it was not that simple.
Thinking of these, Hua Qiudao and the other three were even more moved, their hearts filled with gratitude and emotion.
"Xiaoxiao, the reputation of the Blood Witch Clan has been established, and since you are not aware of the specifics of Thunder Expansion Sacred Land and such, there is no need to worry about any danger. However, in this world where the weak are prey to the strong, if I were to take you along, you would never truly experience it. The disputes and vendettas between cultivators, the bonds and betrayals among family, selling out and deceiving, all need you to experience them yourselves.
Moreover, your cultivation was stepped straight through the many realms, though your combat power is strong, it is superficial. You need to go through repeated training, experiencing life and death trials.
Only when I’m not by your side can you truly become yourselves."
"Master, I have come to understand now, if I had been more ruthless then, some crises I should not have faced myself, letting them face for themselves, they would have been more trained by now, perhaps it wouldn’t be like this... Remember, without enduring the wind and rain, how can you see the rainbow."
Zhou Yan said earnestly.
"So, you were planning the path after the battle of Hou Chen, and are you about to embark on the road of revenge?"
Hua Qiudao sighed.
"Hou Chen, whether he is Hou Chen or not, I think you’ve seen it clearly. There are too many complex changes involved. Although there are things I haven’t told you, your wise eyes have seen no less than I have. Your path is destined to be longer, so what you must bear is also the hope of a civilization’s rise. Take good care. If there’s a chance, please also look after my two disciples for me. They... are still a bit naive, in this prosperous yet cruel world, they are likely to suffer losses."
Zhou Yan also gave a wry smile and said.
"I will. I also know your mind is made up, otherwise, this scene wouldn’t be happening now, so I won’t try to persuade you anymore. Brother Zhou Yan, Sect Master, I hope everything goes well for you in the future. I will also explore this world for the reason behind ’All Immortals Suffering, Ten Thousand Buddhas’ Extinction’ and pass on the inheritance of the three great orthodoxies of Buddha, Tao, and Confucius that belong to our Ancestor Land."
Hua Qiudao said solemnly.
Zhou Yan nodded, and the two of them exchanged a smile, understanding everything without needing words.
"Master, I’m planning to head west to seek the way. It’s said that the west of the Ancestor Land is a place where one becomes an immortal after enduring endless suffering. From what I see, no matter where one is, going westward and facing hardships will lead to achievement."
Liu Haoxin said with determined eyes.
"Master, the Ancient Cauldron I acquired is condensed from Shennong’s tasting of all herbs, containing the myriad flavors of life. So I plan to travel the mountains and rivers of the world, asking the way of the myriad herbs and flowers, searching for the fragmented will condensed by the ancestors, to restore all the divine power of the Ancient Cauldron."
Zhao Xiaoxiao choked up as she made her decision.
"I want to bestow kindness upon the world, to lessen sickness, murder, deceit, and betrayal."
Hua Qiudao made a vast vow in his heart.
Here, Zhou Yan imparted one last time the cultivation path to the three of them, the method of enlightenment, and also revealed to them an identity within the Blood Witch Clan to walk the world, then bid farewell to each of them.
Until all three had completely left, Zhou Yan traversed the void, changed his appearance, only then removed the power of the Heavenly Mechanism Shield and appeared on the other side of the Ji Yu Cold Ice Cave.
The place where Zhou Yan had originally been was now just a faint pool of blood and an ancient throne fragment, as if Zhou Yan had already returned to the Ancestor Land of the Blood Witch Clan by this means and would no longer emerge.
The Ji Yu Cold Ice Cave was vast, and even Zhou Yan, who held the Heavenly Mechanism Dao, could not be deduced by others.
Previously, when coming to this world, Zhou Yan always appeared with the appearance of Lee Sha on Earth, but now, he had restored the original appearance of Zhou Yan’s first life.
He returned to the ordinary appearance of Zhou Yan from his youthful days.
At that time, it was before Zhou Yan had any fortuitous encounters, the appearance he had during the Cold Pond Sword Training.
That was also the only life Zhou Yan recognized as his true existence.
He restored such an appearance.
Without the transformation of his appearance, though still very handsome, it differed from the perfect and beautiful appearance that came later and no longer drew unusual looks from others.
Zhou Yan donned a completely black Green Lotus Armor, and the natural divine power emerging from his body made him look no different from all the cultivators.
And after all these years, those who knew him in the past might not necessarily recognize him from these changes.
But Zhou Yan did not have any intention to hide; he was Zhou Yan, and he no longer needed to deliberately change his name or hide his identity.
He seemed to have returned to the truth, back to his adolescent state, with a bit of youthful innocence, walking on the other side of the Ji Yu Cold Ice Cave.
...
"Sizzle——"
In the cold ice, a young boy dressed in a shabby gray combat armor was diligently practicing his Sword Dao.
His Sword Dao was simple, with only a few repetitive maneuvers, but within those moves lay his faith and will.
He possessed the strength of the Sword Void Realm, which would be a powerful realm on the Sword Burial Ancestor Star.
But in this plane, he was considered negligible.
Yet the boy didn’t mind.
The intense cold stimulated his body, causing him to shiver. The sweat on his forehead had already frozen into ice, making his pale, somewhat bloodless face look rather ghastly.
But his dedication to the Sword Dao made him ignore everything.
"Senior brother, let’s go home. Even if you can’t go further, isn’t Wan’er still by your side?"
A red-clothed woman, like a bright flower, stood out stunningly in this world.