novelhk Chapter 20: Hatred! Hatred! Hatred!
Chapter 20: Hatred! Hatred! Hatred!
In this burning capital, tensions flared like two colliding torrents of iron. The fates of hundreds of thousands hung in the balance, the air thick with the scent of blood and fire. Others might weigh the pros and cons, consider the cost of unleashing this catastrophe, but for Zhou Yi, the nameless swordsman of the Southern Tang, there was no room for hesitation.
The flames of vengeance had sustained him through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, but when the final blow fell and his enemy was beheaded, the burning passion that had sustained him vanished abruptly, leaving not liberation, but an endless, all-consuming emptiness. This emptiness was more terrifying than any pain; it gnawed at his soul, driving him to the brink of madness. The world before him seemed shrouded in an indelible crimson hue, and only the most primal roar from the depths of his heart remained in his ears:
Kill! Kill! Kill!
What joy is there in living, and what sorrow in dying? Only endless killing can fill that suffocating void, even if it means killing until the end of time, until death and the end of life!
The curved blade and black sword seemed to sense their master's boiling killing intent, emitting a low, excited hum in his hands, yearning to drink blood once more.
"Not good..." Qi Xuanzhen, who was standing in mid-air, keenly sensed the sudden change in the opponent's aura - it was no longer the cold and precise killing intent before, but a madness that was completely out of control and heading towards self-destruction! His expression became slightly serious, and he dared not be negligent. He immediately raised his sword finger and drew a line in front of him.
"Buzz—!"
Amidst the clear, resonant sound of the sword, countless invisible sword energies burst forth from his fingertips, not to attack the enemy, but to rapidly intertwine and arrange themselves in front of him, instantly forming a semi-transparent yet indestructible three-dimensional sword array condensed from pure sword intent! The sword array flowed, runes appeared and disappeared, exuding a majestic and awe-inspiring Daoist charm that was as imposing as a mountain and isolated everything.
Almost the instant the sword formation was completed!
"boom--!"
Zhou Yi's figure had already torn through the air, rushing towards Qi Xuanzhen at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye! The long saber in his hand carried the force of collapsing mountains and splitting seas, slashing down straight down without any fancy moves, and fiercely striking the flowing sword array light screen!
"clang--!!!"
It wasn't the deafening clang of metal clashing, but a more muffled, more piercing sonic boom, as if space itself were being forcibly torn apart! Brilliant sparks and shattered sword energy scattered in all directions!
The blades clashed fiercely against the sword array's light barrier, rubbing together violently and producing a teeth-grinding "sizzling" sound. For the first time, their gazes met so closely, separated by the nearly transparent, constantly flickering sword array barrier.
In Zhou Yi's eyes, blood surged, leaving only the purest desire for destruction.
In Qi Xuanzhen's eyes was a clear solemnity, and a trace of barely perceptible pity.
"ha--!"
Qi Xuanzhen no longer hesitated. His Taoist robe billowed as he exhaled deeply! The immense internal energy resonating with heaven and earth surged forth from his body, like a towering wave suddenly rising from a calm sea!
"Boom—!"
Centered on him, a visible, milky-white ring of air exploded outwards, sweeping in all directions! Wherever the air wave passed, roof tiles, street pebbles, and even those martial artists or soldiers who hadn't had time to retreat were all violently blown away and swept away by this irresistible force! In an instant, all debris and people within a radius of several dozen feet were cleared! Li Chungang, Sui Xiegu, and Wang Xianzhi were no match for Qi Xuanzhen at this moment.
Immediately afterwards, he pointed his sword-like finger, held upright in front of his chest, at Zhou Yi, who was just inches away, and slowly pointed it.
"town!"
A single word of truth, as clear as the law of heaven!
His immense inner strength and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged wildly, and in front of his fingertips, a giant sword composed entirely of extremely refined qi condensed into shape almost instantly! The sword was over ten zhang long, its entire body radiating pale golden pure yang Dao patterns, exuding a majestic aura that suppressed evil spirits and stabilized the mountains and rivers!
The giant sword was ready to move as soon as it was formed, carrying an overwhelming force that could crush everything. The tip of the sword pressed against the blade of the longsword that Zhou Yi had placed in front of him, and a terrifying thrust was unleashed!
"laugh--!"
Zhou Yi's figure was being held up by this giant sword made entirely of energy, and he was being sent flying backwards at high speed towards the outskirts of Tai'an City! The blade and the sword tip rubbed together, producing a continuous stream of sparks and a piercing sound, leaving a sharp streak of light in the night sky!
A major battle is about to break out outside the city!
Almost at the same moment the two figures left the sky above Tai'an City, the string below, which had been stretched to its limit, finally snapped completely!
"kill--!!!"
A fierce glint flashed in Xu Xiao's eyes, and he swung his spear down sharply, issuing the order for a general attack!
"For the sake of the martial world! Kill—!!!"
Countless martial artists roared furiously, drew their swords, and unleashed their full power!
In an instant, Tai'an City descended into utter madness!
In the sky, there were occasional sharp blade strikes and intercepting arrow rain.
On the ground, a fierce clash erupted between a torrent of steel and a throng of martial arts practitioners! Swords flashed and spears clashed, blood splattered across the long street in an instant, and roars and screams shook the night sky. Even top masters like Wang Xianzhi, Li Chungang, and Sui Xiegu were instantly stopped by several slightly less skilled court officials and military grandmasters who fought desperately to the death.
A volley of arrows was fired, the air crackled with energy, and blood and flesh flew everywhere!
This was a spectacle unprecedented in history. Later historians defined this decisive battle at Tai'an City as the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the unification of the world by Western Chu.
Outside Tai'an City, the mountains and fields are desolate.
After being sent flying backwards for more than ten miles by the giant sword of qi, Zhou Yi's eyes flashed with blood-red light. He roared and the curved blade in his hand burst out with a dazzling cold light. He exerted his strength and finally managed to slightly deflect the tip of the giant sword!
"boom!"
The giant sword grazed his body and crashed into a small mountain behind him, causing a violent explosion that collapsed half of the mountain!
The two finally faced each other in the vast, desolate wilderness, far from the hustle and bustle of the world. Beneath their feet lay shattered mountains and rivers, above them a boundless starry sky.
No need for words, only killing! Zhou Yi roared, his figure transforming into a blood-red rainbow, soaring into the sky! Swords and blades clashed, tearing through the air, carrying a resolute will to sever everything, heading straight for Qi Xuanzhen!
Qi Xuanzhen's face was solemn, his Taoist robe fluttering in the wind. He formed hand seals, and his body was surrounded by pure energy, drawing upon the spiritual energy of the heavens and the energy of the earth's veins. He descended like a god, suppressing everything! In his palm, Taoist patterns flickered, evolving into the phantoms of towering mountains and surging rivers, carrying the vast power of the natural way of heaven, to meet the blood-red sharpness that defied the heavens!
The ultimate martial arts, and the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, collide here with a deafening roar!
"Thump—!!!"
A terrifying roar, indescribable in its deafening force, erupted! At the epicenter of the impact, space itself seemed to warp and collapse, unleashing blinding light and devastating shockwaves! The earth below was as if ravaged by an invisible giant plow; mountains fractured, rivers changed course, and forests were annihilated in vast swathes! The land was truly shattered!
Under the clash of forces that transcended human limits, the originally empty night sky above the two of them was actually torn open!
Golden light shines in countless rays, and auspicious energy flows in thousands of strands!
A majestic, ancient, and supremely awe-inspiring celestial gate slowly emerged from layers of auspicious clouds! Behind the gate seemed to lead to a more vast and eternal world.
The opening of the Heavenly Gate signifies the emergence of an ultimate power in this realm sufficient for "ascension"! Logically, there should be guiding celestial light and a trial tribulation lightning.
However, just as the first purple lightning bolt, imbued with the laws of Heaven, emerged from the gate and had not yet fully struck down—
"roll!"
"Disperse!"
The two, caught in the fierce battle, didn't even have time to glance at the Heavenly Gate. Instead, they simultaneously unleashed a blade of energy and a wisp of sword energy at the obstructing lightning tribulation.
"puff--!"
The tribulation lightning of ascension, which would have made ordinary terrestrial immortals take it seriously, was easily shattered and annihilated by these two casual attacks, leaving not even a ripple!
The magnificent scene outside the city, the open golden gate and the terrifying sight of casually extinguishing heavenly lightning, finally pierced through the swirling smoke and dust and the vast distance, and vaguely appeared in the eyes of the people fighting to the death in Tai'an City.
"What...what kind of light is that?!"
"The Heavenly Gate?! Someone has opened the Heavenly Gate outside the city?!"
"Ascension?! Who's ascending?! Is it Master Qi? Or that demon?!"
Amidst the chaos, shouts of surprise, shock, and disbelief rang out sporadically. Many people instinctively slowed their movements, gazing at the incredible celestial phenomenon outside the city.
Then, they vaguely saw two tiny yet imposing figures fiercely confronting each other beneath the golden, dazzling Heavenly Gate, seemingly... ascending towards the Heavenly Gate.
From within the Heavenly Gate, an endless suction force emanated, a natural attraction to those whose power surpassed that of this realm, seeking to draw these two "super-standard" beings into it.
Behind Qi Xuanzhen, the illusory image of the Heavenly Gang Giant Sword condensed again, becoming even more solid. At the same time, countless pale golden swords made of pure sword intent appeared out of thin air, like stars surrounding the moon, slowly rotating around him and emitting a melodious yet murderous sound.
Previously, he had debated with Li Chungang, pointing out Li Chungang's stubbornness by saying that valuing the sword over the Dao was like fighting cocks, causing Li Chungang's sword heart to crumble. But now, facing this opponent who had taken the Dao of "sword and saber" to its extreme, he dared not underestimate him in the slightest. Instead, he combined the Dao of the sword with the power of the Dao of Heaven, pushing it to its limit in this life! If Li Chungang were here, he would laugh Qi Xuanzhen to death.
Qi Xuanzhen remained calm as he looked at Zhou Yi, who was also enveloped by the Heavenly Gate's suction force. Suddenly, he spoke, his voice carrying through the intense energy fluctuations:
"The Heavenly Gate has opened, and the path to immortality lies ahead. Your actions defy Heaven, and your sins are immeasurable. This world may find it difficult to tolerate you. Why not... ascend with me and settle the karmic debts here?" Sending this "variable" away from this world, in a sense, can be considered as him fulfilling the responsibility of "restoring order" bestowed upon him by Heaven.
Zhou Yi still did not answer. He simply and slowly lowered his left hand, which had been behind his back.
A curved black sword, double-edged, clashed against each other. A murderous aura ten times more ferocious than before, like a tangible crimson storm, erupted from his center!
Upon seeing this, Qi Xuanzhen couldn't help but let out a complex, bitter smile: "Ha... Your Excellency really... thinks highly of me, Qi Xuanzhen."
Holding a knife with one hand was already a struggle that required him to exert all his strength to defend himself. Now, with both sword and blade drawn, the power of the attack would more than double.
"kill!"
Without further ado, Zhou Yi brandished his sword and blade, transforming them into a destructive whirlwind of interwoven red and black, and slashed towards the Heavenly Gate, as well as towards Qi Xuanzhen, who was waiting in full battle array!
The two fought fiercely before the Heavenly Gate!
Beneath the golden auspicious clouds, there was a fierce wind and a rain of swords, and the light of blades shattered the void! Each collision caused the illusory image of the Heavenly Gate to tremble, and added new wounds to the earth below.
Qi Xuanzhen pushed the Taoist methods of Longhu Mountain, his own understanding of the Heavenly Dao rules, and his sword cultivation to their limits. The Heavenly Gang Giant Sword was the main weapon, while countless smaller swords were at his command, forming layers of sword nets. Sometimes they transformed into mountains to suppress, sometimes into rivers to entwine, and sometimes they drew upon the light of primordial energy to bombard. The power of the Heavenly Dao was vast and unfathomable.
However, Zhou Yi's "martial arts" is even purer and more extreme! It is a fighting instinct forged through countless life-and-death battles, transcending moves and techniques themselves. It is a domineering force that is forcibly controlled by one's own will and even distorts local rules! His blade cuts through the illusory image of rivers; his sword pierces through mountains and suppresses them; his figure shuttles through the rain of swords, getting closer and closer!
Though the Way of Heaven is vast, human strength has its limits, and one can even overcome Heaven's will! Faced with Zhou Yi's increasingly fierce and violent combined attack of swords and blades, Qi Xuanzhen's manifestation of the Way of Heaven clearly began to falter, gradually falling into a disadvantageous position. The small swords surrounding him were constantly shattered and scattered, and cracks gradually appeared on the Heavenly Gang Great Sword.
It wasn't that he was less skilled, but rather that his current state was incomplete. He was the reincarnation of Lu Zu, and his memories and cultivation from his past life had not been fully integrated into this one. If he wished, he could awaken more of his past life's memories and power right now, regaining complete control of Lu Zu's martial arts and the Heavenly Dao. But that was not his wish.
Seeing his opponent break through the last sword aura barrier, carrying the light of swords and blades like shattered stars, and rushing within ten feet of him at the cost of broken swords and blades, Qi Xuanzhen sighed inwardly.
ended.
The outcome of his battles with such opponents often hinges on this narrow space. Beyond ten feet, he can use the power of Heaven to suppress and kill; within ten feet, however, lies the opponent's martial arts domain, honed through countless trials and tribulations, capable of annihilating everything.
Zhou Yi gripped his sword, his eyes cold. Qi Xuanzhen's original plan wasn't truly to kill him. His plan was to severely injure him, send him to the Heavenly Gate, and allow him to "ascend" to settle his karmic debts in this world. He just hadn't expected that the other party would actually push him to the brink of death.
It seems that, in the end, he was... slightly inferior. Until this moment truly arrived, even Qi Xuanzhen, who had long since ceased to care about winning or losing, couldn't help but feel a little disheartened.
ended……
Against the backdrop of the dazzling heavenly gate and the shattered void, the two figures passed each other at high speed.
"Puff puff puff puff—!!!"
A series of subtle yet chilling thuds, like the thuds of a sharp blade piercing flesh, rang out almost simultaneously.
In Zhou Yi's hands, the remaining, cracked, and slightly longer curved blade and broken black sword, as if possessing a life of their own, swept past Qi Xuanzhen's vital points with incredible precision at an unbelievable angle and speed in the blink of an eye!
Heart meridian, dantian, dantian... and finally, that backhand slash, the hilt of the blade plunging deep into his temple, a slight twist, then swiftly withdrawing. The movement was so fast that even a fleeting afterimage was difficult to catch.
Only when the two figures were several feet apart did the fragments of swords and blades that had shattered in the air and had not yet fallen seem to be drawn back by an invisible force, like swallows returning to their nests. They clattered and reattached themselves to the broken blade in Zhou Yi's hand, piecing together to form a complete sword and blade shape. However, the dense, spiderweb-like cracks on the blade were clearly visible, bearing witness to the ferocity of the battle that had just taken place.
Qi Xuanzhen's figure froze in mid-air, his face showing little pain, but rather a sense of relief and faint regret. His life force in this world was rapidly fading away, and his body began to slowly turn into specks of crystalline dust from the edges, drifting away with the wind.
"Wudang and Zhenwu have been kind to me." Zhou Yi said calmly, his voice less frenzied than before, his back to him. "I will not sever your path. You... reincarnate."
Having said that, he stopped looking at Qi Xuanzhen, who was dissipating, and turned his gaze to the distant Tai'an City, which was still burning in blood and fire, and his killing intent rose again.
"Your Excellency... please wait a moment." Qi Xuanzhen's slightly faint voice came through, carrying the last trace of clarity.
Zhou Yi paused slightly.
A tiny, crystal-clear point of light, like the purest crystal, slowly flew out from Qi Xuanzhen's soon-to-disappear embrace and drifted to Zhou Yi's front.
The light flickered slightly, and a clear yet silent image suddenly unfolded before Zhou Yi's "eyes," or more precisely, directly reflected in his sea of consciousness—
That was... a dark and dilapidated temple. It was the Zhenwu Temple outside Nanxun Town.
In the picture, a thin, small girl wearing patched old clothes is Zhou Xiaoxiao as a child. She kneels repeatedly before the dusty statue of Zhenwu, bowing her head with utmost piety and force. Faint red marks even appear on her forehead from the kowtows.
With each bow, she murmured a prayer in a barely audible yet hopeful voice:
"Please, True Martial God... please make my brother better... Xiaoxiao is willing to give up half of her future life, no, all her future good fortune, in exchange... please..."
The images flickered repeatedly, a repetition of countless days and nights. The girl's prayer was simple and persistent, as if she wanted to offer her whole being to the silent deity, just to exchange for a sliver of hope that her brother would regain consciousness.
The image slowly faded away.
Qi Xuanzhen's last words, as most of his body turned into dust, softly echoed:
"She has entered the cycle of reincarnation and been reborn... her soul is at peace. You have avenged your great grudge, and the killing... should also cease. I urge you... to look forward."
As soon as he finished speaking, the last speck of light vanished with the wind.
Qi Xuanzhen of Longhu Mountain, his body perished in this life, his Dao dissolved and his weapons vanished, awaiting only the reincarnation of his spirit to cultivate anew.
"Defeat! Qi Xuanzhen is dead!! He was nailed to his death outside the Heavenly Gate!!!"
Inside Tai'an City, a sharp-eyed individual managed to catch a glimpse of the last scene outside the city—Qi Xuanzhen's body had dissipated, while his blood-soaked figure still stood. The assembled heroes were shocked! Horrified gasps instantly rang out!
"Master Qi...has fallen?!"
"Heaven's will is no match for martial arts?! That demon won?!"
"Hahahaha! We, the martial arts world, have won!!!" After a brief moment of shock, the martial arts practitioners on the ground erupted in thunderous cheers! Their morale soared!
Many people immediately turned their hateful and fearful gazes toward Xu Xiao, who was still commanding the army to resist.
"Xu Xiao! Your backer is gone! You are doomed today!!!"
"Avenge Master Qi! Avenge His Majesty! Kill these bandits!" The imperial army, their eyes bloodshot with grief and indignation, launched an even fiercer attack.
Everyone assumed that the nameless swordsman from Southern Tang who had just killed Qi Xuanzhen would return to Tai'an City with invincible momentum, first killing Xu Xiao, his "accomplice," and then perhaps... a complete purge of the entire imperial court and even the city itself.
however……
"Heh...hehehe..."
A low, intermittent laugh, as if squeezed from the deepest part of the chest, came from afar outside the city.
It was very light at first, with an indescribable strangeness.
Then, the laughter gradually grew louder, clearer, and... more desolate.
"Hehehehe... Hahaha... Hahahahahaha—!!!"
The laughter eventually transformed into a near-manic, yet utterly empty and tragic laugh! The laughter pierced the night sky, drowning out the shouts and cries of battle within the city, echoing in everyone's ears, sending chills down their spines and filling them with inexplicable dread.
What joy is there in living? What sorrow in dying? Revenge has been avenged, gratitude has vanished, and the world sustained by obsession has crumbled. The sister I met by chance has already died and been reincarnated in despair; the enemy I considered my target has been slain; the Taoist I considered my rival has also severed his karmic ties…
He is gone, and all is vanished. What sustained him—hate, love, and murderous intent—has completely dissipated in this moment. Only boundless exhaustion remains, and a void even deeper and more desperate than before his revenge.
He was really tired.
The laughter abruptly stopped.
The next moment, a terrifying blade of light, as dazzling as a falling sun yet filled with an aura of annihilation, shot up from outside the city. It did not strike Tai'an City, but instead slammed into a towering stone cliff outside the city!
"BOOM—!!!"
The stone wall trembled violently, cracking open a massive fissure hundreds of feet long and bottomless! Shattered rocks rained down like rain.
As the dust settled, three enormous characters, carved into the smooth, mirror-like cliff face with sheer force, appeared—each stroke seemingly imbued with boundless grief and desolation.
hatred!
hatred!
hatred!
After these three regrets, there were no more words.
Immediately afterwards, everyone saw the blood-soaked figure casually toss the cracked curved blade and black sword in his hand, which seemed to be on the verge of breaking again, into the deep valley below, as if discarding the most insignificant piece of trash.
Then, he turned around abruptly, no longer looking at Tai'an City or the Heavenly Gate, but instead, with the most resolute and violent posture, he crashed into another towering mountain next to him!
"boom--!!!"
The mountain collapsed, creating a huge hole! The figure passed through the mountain's belly, transforming into a dim, blood-red streak of light, and shot southward without looking back, quickly disappearing into the vast night and behind the distant mountains.
For the next ten years or so, there was no further news of the "Nameless Swordsman of Southern Tang" in the martial arts world.
All that remains is the lingering flames of bloodshed within Tai'an City, a solitary mountain inscribed with three characters for "hatred," a tragic legend whose ultimate fate remains unresolved, and a new, enigmatic world whose course was utterly altered because of him.
The Snowy Spring and Autumn Chronicles, End.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The sequel to Snowy Day begins eighteen years later.
The Western Chu unified the world.
A woman wielding twin swords, seeking revenge for her mother, travels to Northern Liang with her drunken retainer, hoping to uncover the true essence of martial arts found in the swords and blades left behind by the legendary nameless swordsman of Southern Tang.
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