“Since ancient times, who has not died? The moment I became a Martial Artist, I had already resolved to dedicate everything to the Grand Xia Empire, including my life! If my death can allow the Grand Xia Empire to have a stronger Martial Artist and give its people greater security and stability, then my death would be worthwhile.”
Zhu Ping’an smiled faintly, as if he had long since seen through life and death.
“Oh? Is that so?”
Elder Yin grinned, his smile extremely sinister. He raised a finger, and the nail at his fingertip suddenly grew longer, like a crimson poisonous needle, stabbing straight toward Zhu Ping’an’s dark pupils.
The overwhelming killing intent engulfed Zhu Ping’an completely, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
As Elder Yin’s finger was about to pierce through his eyeball and penetrate his brain, Zhu Ping’an still did not move. He merely stood there calmly, looking at Elder Yin.
At the critical moment, Elder Yin’s finger stopped, hovering directly in front of Zhu Ping’an’s pupil. If it advanced just 1 millimeter further, Zhu Ping’an’s eyeball would have been pierced.
“Hahahaha! Interesting! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such an interesting young man!”
Elder Yin withdrew his hand and burst into loud laughter. Without teeth, his laughter sounded somewhat airy.
Only then did the tightly strung cord in Zhu Ping’an’s heart finally loosen. Although he appeared steady as an old dog on the surface, he had nearly wet his pants inside.
“Xiao Lin, since this sword has already chosen this kid and he has the courage to die for the Grand Xia Empire, why not give this sword to him?” Elder Yin suggested.
“Hmm… hmm?!”
Only then did Qingcheng City Lord Lin Zhao realize something was wrong. His resentful gaze swept over Zhu Ping’an and Elder Yin.
“Elder Yin, I see through you now. You weren’t asking me to kill him. You were clearly scheming for my sword on his behalf.”
“How can that be called scheming? It’s simply that fate has arrived. Old Yin didn’t lie to you. If you don’t kill this kid, this sword will not acknowledge anyone else as its master,” Elder Yang said with a genial smile.
“Fine, then give it to him. Otherwise I’ll have to chase after this broken sword all day. No wonder it flew to Qingcheng High School by itself that day,” Lin Zhao said through gritted teeth. This trip had clearly cost him dearly.
“Kid, count yourself lucky.” Elder Yin chuckled and released the sword. The sword immediately flew toward Zhu Ping’an and planted itself beside him.
“Seniors, this is too precious. Please take it back…” Zhu Ping’an’s throat felt dry.
“Accept it. Just as you said, if this sword can help the Grand Xia Empire gain a stronger Martial Artist, then it is worth its value,” Elder Yang said with a gentle smile. This chapter was copied from novelping dot com without permission.
Seeing this, Zhu Ping’an stopped declining. He took a deep breath and pulled the sword out from the ground.
The last time at Qingcheng High School, he had only glanced at it briefly. Now he finally had time to examine it carefully.
The blade was slender, radiating a sharp and chilling glow, as if getting too close would result in injury. There were no patterns on the blade, only two bold characters engraved on the hilt: Celestial Origin.
“Little Ping’an, take this as well.” Lin Zhao suppressed his heartache and tossed a martial technique manual to Zhu Ping’an. “I obtained this when I acquired the Celestial Origin Sword. It must be used together with the Celestial Origin Sword to unleash its true power. Since you’ve taken these, you’d better achieve excellent results in the College Entrance Examination and bring honor to Qingcheng…”
The moment Zhu Ping’an received the manual, his eyes were instantly drawn to it.
“Immortal-Demon Sword Art?”
“Immortal-Demon Sword Art. Cultivate both light and darkness. At great mastery, immortal and demon unite as one. With a single sword strike, one can sever all cycles of reincarnation across the heavens…”
Zhu Ping’an became completely absorbed. He stood there as if in meditation. Yet after staring at it for more than half an hour, he still could not understand a single thing. Immortal and demon, light and darkness, how could two completely opposite attributes be fused together?
“So difficult… What grade of martial technique is this?” Zhu Ping’an could not help frowning.
“Hehehe, if this old man is not mistaken, cultivating the Immortal-Demon Sword Art should require two swords. One immortal sword and one demon sword. I presume this Celestial Origin Sword is the immortal sword,” Elder Yin said in a sinister tone.
Elder Yin’s words enlightened Zhu Ping’an instantly. That was right. If there were two swords, one cultivating immortality and one cultivating demonic power, and when both reached great mastery, the twin swords could merge, immortal and demon becoming one.
When he looked again at Elder Yin and Elder Yang, one sinister and ghostlike, the other warm and radiant, were they not two opposing attributes?
Zhu Ping’an’s intuition told him that if Elder Yin and Elder Yang were willing to teach him, his Immortal-Demon Sword Art would likely enter the beginner stage very quickly.
His heart pounded wildly. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly knelt before Elder Yin and Elder Yang.
Elder Yin and Elder Yang exchanged a glance, smiles appearing in their eyes.
“You little brat, your mind is quite lively,” Elder Yang said with a smile. “In the future, if you have any questions, you may come here to ask us. But we cannot accept you as a disciple. Taking a master is not like having a teacher at school. A Martial Artist can only take one master in their lifetime. After the College Entrance Examination, when you go to a bigger city, you will encounter many stronger Martial Artists. If you take two old bones like us, already half buried in the ground, as masters, you will regret it.”
“This student will never regret it!” Zhu Ping’an began knocking his head against the ground repeatedly, performing the formal three kneelings and nine kowtows of a disciple.
However, just as his head was about to touch the ground, an irresistible force lifted him up.
“I said, you do not need to take us as masters,” Elder Yang said gently.
Zhu Ping’an pursed his lips and did not argue further. But in his heart, he had already acknowledged Elder Yang and Elder Yin as his masters.
They had given him treasures and guided him through confusion. The substance of a master-disciple relationship was already there.
“I’ve looked at the Immortal-Demon Sword Art as well. It won’t be easy to enter the beginner stage. First, choose an ordinary sword technique here in the Martial Technique Pavilion. Otherwise, during the College Entrance Examination, you may have no martial technique to use. Then let Old Yin take you to the Weapon Pavilion to choose a sword to substitute for the demon sword,” Elder Yang said, outlining Zhu Ping’an’s next steps in just a few sentences.
“Alright, Teacher Yang.” Zhu Ping’an nodded.
He selected a Grade 1 mid-level sword technique called “Nine Mountain Divine Sword.”
Martial techniques were divided into Grades 1 to 9. Each grade was further divided into beginner, mid-level, and advanced tiers. There were still half a month left before the College Entrance Examination, so a Grade 1 mid-level sword technique was just right.
Afterward, he went to the Weapon Pavilion to choose a weapon. In the end, he selected a short sword only about 0.67 meters long.
Elder Yin curiously asked why he had chosen such a short sword. Zhu Ping’an merely smiled without answering. He already had an idea in mind.
Looking at the long sword in one hand and the short sword in the other, Zhu Ping’an’s lips curved upward so much they were almost impossible to suppress.
“You brat.” Elder Yin stroked his chin with interest. “Since these two swords now belong to you, give them new names.”
Zhu Ping’an raised the corners of his mouth into a harmless and gentle smile.
“The longer one will be called New Moon. As for the shorter one… it will be called Full Moon.”