Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 183 - 080: Ni Chang Fairy, Heavenly Dao Cycle

Chapter 183: Chapter 080: Ni Chang Fairy, Heavenly Dao Cycle

Zhou Yan walked along the path, listening to the news spread by these people. Although some stories were shocking, the ones about him, Zhou Yan, were mostly true, eight or nine times out of ten.

If he deduced correctly, the dramatic changes that occurred in Huangquan were also true.

For this reason, Zhou Yan knew that Carefree Main City would inevitably become more chaotic.

As Zhou Yan pondered these thoughts, he unwittingly arrived at the doorstep of the Zhou Family.

Then, instead of taking the main entrance, he casually crossed through the side door.

As soon as he entered, Zhou Qian immediately came out to greet him.

Without needing to exchange words, they went directly to the family’s Secret Land. Yet, this scene did not attract anyone’s attention.

...

Zhou Qian, with hands clasped behind his back, walked through the Secret Land towards an Array.

"This place is a newly developed Ancient Array by the Zhou Family, a special locale.

Here, when the Zhou Family faces the crisis of annihilation, it serves as a safe rear guard. Unless it’s a Supreme Strong undying man at the Sword Ancestor Realm, the sanctuary cannot be breached."

Ahead, Zhou Qian didn’t look back but shared these details with Zhou Yan.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan’s eyes shimmered with a trace of astonishment, and he then mused, "Has the Zhou Family truly brought forth an Ancestor?"

Zhou Qian did not answer but only led Zhou Yan into the center of the Ancient Array.

A ripple flashed through the Ancient Array. Subsequently, Zhou Yan and Zhou Qian appeared in a Cave Heaven Blessed Land.

Here, the atmosphere between Heaven and Earth was filled with the strong aura of Sword Intent. Breathing in even a single breath, Zhou Yan felt his Sword Intent refined slightly.

This was a fearsome place; a single day’s cultivation here could surpass over a month of arduous cultivation outside.

If some geniuses were to train here, Zhou Yan doubted that despite his numerous opportunities, he could match them!

And the Zhou Family was just a small family. So, what about the truly large families? Would they not have places like this?

The edges of this world seemed to be unveiled at this moment. From this unique environment, Zhou Yan glimpsed the terrifying sequence of Great Powers behind it.

"Don’t worry, places like this are not widespread. My Zhou Family can add the ’Great’ prefix because in our ancestors there emerged a peerless strongman.

Though now in decline, the foundation that the Zhou Family possesses is something few families, even the mighty ones like Cang Yan Mansion, can match."

An elderly, trembling voice conveyed these words, ancient and desolate, striking at one’s heart, shaking the soul.

Zhou Yan looked up upon hearing this and saw an old man, decrepit and frail, shuffling forward.

His steps were small, as if he could barely stand stable, his body lean and frail like it was already decaying.

His skin and bones were tightly stuck together, and if not for the faint pulse of vitality within him, Zhou Yan might have suspected him of being a skeleton.

Yet, the muddy eyes of the old man seemed to conceal ancient Divine spirits, as if with one movement, he could pierce through Heaven and Earth.

Seeing this person, even without a murderous intent towards him, Zhou Yan felt a chill throughout his body, his whole being uncomfortable.

It seemed that standing here, he already could not control himself.

This was an old man far more terrifying than Li Wuxian or Jia Yongheng.

"Yes."

Zhou Yan’s forehead was already sweating, yet he respectfully responded with a single word.

The old man nodded and said, "The Emperor Qi Sword Body, condensing the Sword Soul, is not impossible."

As soon as the old man spoke, Zhou Yan’s eyes suddenly brightened. He no longer held any fear, his gaze fixed directly on the old man’s face.

"In my age, there was an Emperor Qi Sword Body of great accomplishment, who condensed the Twelve Sword Souls. Unfortunately, because of love, he fell into the enemy’s scheme.

So, he perished.

And the woman he loved, she genuinely had feelings, but it’s a pity...

The Emperor Qi Sword Body ultimately died.

Thus, the woman gouged out her own eyes, cut off her own arms.

But rumors say she didn’t die, she’s waiting for the next Emperor Qi Sword Body to appear, to help him fully condense the Sword Soul, and then she will rest!"

"What!"

Zhou Yan was instantly shaken, and the image of a lonely woman playing the flute emerged in his mind.

Without eyes, her hollow sockets were incredibly desolate and lonely.

And that mournful flute sound once drove countless Cultivators mad.

"It seems you have truly developed a sensing power. In this way, you are qualified to go to the depths of the Snow Domain and seek the ’Ni Chang Fairy’."

The old man sighed, seemingly carrying too many vicissitudes in his heart.

That sigh seemed to express all the desolation and helplessness of the world.

"Ancestor..."

Zhou Qian’s lips moved slightly, struggling to call out a word.

"Oh, you stay here and cultivate arduously, guarding this family. Turbulent times are approaching, and I am about to transform. I don’t know if I can still protect this family."

The old man spoke gently, each sentence seemingly a struggle.

"Ancestor, I will definitely find the life-extending Spiritual Medicine for you,"

Zhou Qian said resolutely.

"You should not go out again, those Spiritual Medicines are of no use to me. The Zhou Family has seen several geniuses of extraordinary talent emerge this time, and it is now a time when stability is needed at the rear, you cannot retreat..."

The old man spoke, his gaze falling on Zhou Yan.

"Ni Chang Fairy, originally named ’Chang’e’, came from another Star Domain, drawn to the Snow Domain by a Supreme Strongman using a Void-breaking Spiritual Medicine because of her beauty and talent that even the heavens envied.

After arriving in the Snow Domain, due to her amazing talent, she was carefully nurtured by that Supreme Strongman and became the first Holy Daughter, then later changed her name to ’Ni Chang Fairy’.

Afterward, she went on to seduce that Great Success Emperor Qi Sword Body. Knowing she was merely using him, the Emperor Qi Sword Body still fell hopelessly in love with her, choosing her over the world.

Later, when the Supreme Strongman’s plans failed, Ni Chang Fairy faced a great crisis and the Emperor Qi Sword Body perished in that battle.

In that battle, the Emperor Qi Sword Body slaughtered a million talents from beyond the domains, shocking millions of Star Domains with one sword strike.

The Supreme Strongman also died, but Ni Chang Fairy ultimately survived. Nevertheless, she had lost her will to live because the Emperor Qi Sword Body was gone.

She once thought it was deception, a false love, but only after the Emperor Qi Sword Body’s death did she realize it was true love.

True love had died.

The most painful thing in the world is this.

In total despair, her Soul shattered, she destroyed herself, living in endless regret and pain.

Eventually, she disappeared.

Yet she still left descendants.

The lineage of the Holy Daughter, they are her descendants."

The old man’s gaze, as if reliving that very scene, became infinitely profound.

Inside it, as if a Starry Sky, hidden deep in the Universe.

Zhou Yan silently took in this news, which was actually a great shock to him.

Because the woman who played the flute seemed to come from his Master’s world—Earth. And on Earth, there was an old legend, that of Chang’e.

Cloudy curtains of mica screen the deep candle shadows, as the long river gradually falls and the morning stars sink. Chang’e should regret stealing the Spiritual Medicine, thoughts of the azure sky and sea fill her night after night.

This poem from that world widely circulated, summarizing the events.

But the specifics, were already buried in history.

Zhou Yan felt that Chang’e must indeed be the one from his Master’s world, but such a thought seemed somewhat far-fetched.

And even if it were, what then?

Zhou Yan felt a pang of melancholy and looked at the old man, now with even more genuine respect in his eyes.

No matter what the truth was, this old man, knowing such an era, was a figure resembling an ancient relic; such figures were worthy of respect in themselves.

"Zhou Yan, in telling you this, I just wanted to say that this is the way of Heaven. The Heavenly Dao is unpredictable."

"You must be wondering why I know these things, because my great-grandfather, with a single thought, became a demon; he was the Supreme Strongman who ensnared the Emperor Qi Sword Body!"

"This is fated enmity, a destined calamity. It has come to you, and now it depends on your creation."

"If you get through it, you will become the second Emperor Qi Sword Body. If not, you have only death as a path."

"The only thing I can do to help you is to take good care of your father."

...

The old man spoke each word, then silently turned around and walked unsteadily towards the front.

A ripple appeared in the Void, like a water ripple. The old man stepped into it and disappeared, as if he had never been there.

Zhou Yan watched this scene, somewhat lost in thought.

Then, he sighed and came back to his senses, seeing that Zhou Qian was also looking over at the same time.

Meeting Zhou Yan’s gaze, Zhou Qian gave a wry smile, patted Zhou Yan on the shoulder, and said, "Brother Zhou Yan, take care."

"Yes, the clan, I’m counting on you."

"I will. The Great Zhou Family is currently weak, and lacks good Magic Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts. Moreover, although there are two quite powerful items, if you carry them and encounter Ni Chang Fairy, they might directly cost you your life.

So... the Great Zhou Family can’t offer you any help anymore."

Zhou Qian sighed.

"I understand, this is probably the cycle of the Heavenly Dao."

Zhou Yan sighed lightly, not saying much, and also stepped towards the other side of the Ancient Array.

There, lay a path leading to distant places, away from the Great Zhou Family and undetectable by others.

This path, Zhou Yan didn’t need Zhou Qian to point out, he had already grasped it; after all, he was not unfamiliar with Arrays.

But the formation of the Emperor Qi Sword Body and the Xingyi Twelve Forms are related, and actually have nothing to do with the so-called unpredictability of the Heavenly Dao.

If not for the integration of his Soul with part of his Master’s ability, he could not have formed the Emperor Qi Sword Body.

So for this trip to the Snow Domain, Zhou Yan had a belief that others could not comprehend.

He believed that things would definitely not be as bad as they thought.