Chapter 43 - 43 43 Heavenly Mandate

43: Chapter 43 Heavenly Mandate 43: Chapter 43 Heavenly Mandate “Cough, cough!” Veins on his forehead bulged as the Master of the Medicine Manor coughed up blood, clenched his teeth, exerted force, and pressed down on the major acupoints around his chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but it was futile. The robust heart beat violently, causing blood and fragments of internal organs to spurt from the wound instead. The body of the sturdy martial artist was too resilient and tough, causing the bullet not to pass through but to spin and shatter inside, leading to greater injury and more organ damage. “To actually… die under such a flying sword?” He slumped to his knees on the ground, the ominous green Poisonous Fiend returning to surround the Master of the Medicine Manor, futilely attempting to seal the wound in a last effort. An Jing, who had been keeping a tight grip on his nerves, finally relaxed a bit upon staring at the rapidly declining breath of the Master of the Medicine Manor—knowing the strength and reflexes of the Master of the Medicine Manor, had he drawn the gun from the start, the cautious opponent would have undoubtedly seen through the motion of the muzzle, making aiming impossible, let alone hitting the target. Embracing the Void may not have firearms, but there are plenty of powerful hand crossbows and concealed weapons. Most people simply fail to recognize firearms as hidden weapons, but if they suspect you are carrying one, a prepared martial artist can definitely dodge it. Only by seizing the moment of the opponent’s complacent slackening, believing they had won, could he succeed! Seeing this, Bai Qinghan, who had intended to approach, also stopped in the distance, her gaze fixed on the handgun in An Jing’s hand. In the last moment, the elder—whose complexion was already deathly pale—lifted his head, staring at the handgun in An Jing’s hand with bloodshot, increasingly blurry eyes: “What is this… a flying sword’s sword box?” The Sword Spirit and the Master of the Medicine Manor had repeatedly confused the firearm with the Divine Skill of flying sword, causing An Jing to wonder if the Embracing the Void realm actually had some sort of sword box similar to a firearm. But now was not the time for idle talk; An Jing was very aware that the Master of the Medicine Manor still had the capacity to resist. He wouldn’t approach but instead raised his hand and continued to pull the trigger without any hesitation. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! Another ten shots rang out in quick succession, and the Master of the Medicine Manor’s pupils contracted rapidly. He let out a fierce shout, forcefully summoning his strength, and dragged his injured body to dodge— even in such a state, he miraculously evaded nine bullets. Only the last one hit him due to his injuries causing a momentary lag in movement, blood spraying from his shoulder as he slumped to one side. An Jing inwardly marveled, noting this point—indeed, even at death’s door, a martial artist with Internal Strength could explode with one last burst of power! But now, the Master of the Medicine Manor was truly about to die. Using his last bit of energy, he lifted his head to look at An Jing, his gaze a mix of nostalgia, anger, resignation, and hatred. He might have been recalling the moment many years ago when he first saw his friend’s corpse, perhaps considering An Jing’s future fate, or possibly, as someone at the brink of death, wanting to say some final words of warning. Maybe he was reflecting on An Jing choosing a path he himself had never taken. But he could no longer say anything, nor did he deserve to say anymore. In the moment after he lifted his head, the nameless old man, whose misdeeds were legion, let his head loll to one side and died. At this very moment, the entire Hanging Fate Valley, the entire White Sand Ground, was both raucous and silent. In the distance, the Fearsome Demons had been defeated by the instructors, dissipating into Demonic Qi. But the Demon Sect had no time to rest, for a troop of Red Armored Guards had already flanked from the rear and begun another battle. The Children of Calamity who chose to stay were now being led into the depths of the mountains by a few lecturers—the Demon Sect must have prepared an escape method early on. However, An Jing’s turnabout and the sudden assault of the Red Armored Guards were so unexpected that only a few could make use of it. In the distance, Hanging Fate Manor flared with intense flames, the battle between the Red Armored Guards and the Demon Sect’s defenders had reached a fever pitch. For a time, sword Qi and Spirit Flame Fiends crisscrossed the air, the sounds of battle cries and clashing weapons echoed throughout the entire manor and the valley. But on the entirety of the White Sand Ground, only An Jing and Bai Qinghan remained. Silent, wordless. Although it was only after intercepting Bai Qinghan that An Jing had the opportunity to fire his gun and kill the Master of the Medicine Manor, in reality, if Bai Qinghan had wished, she always had the chance to interfere with An Jing and help the Master of the Medicine Manor suppress him. Yet she did not do so. Even now, she neither moved away nor approached, simply watching An Jing quietly, just as the first time An Jing had sparred with her. “Qinghan… hmm?!” With a gun in each hand, breaking the silence, An Jing intended to say something, but just then, he suddenly felt dizzy. “Is this… poison?!” The world spun around him. An Jing bit his lip and took a slight step back, feeling an overwhelming dizziness as he suddenly remembered the moment previously when the Master of the Medicine Manor had enveloped him with the Netherworld Poisonous Fiend. “Damn, I forgot the old man’s real title is ‘Deputy Head of the Medicine Hall’!” His perspective whirled, topsy-turvy. All he could see before him was white sand and flowing rivers. Collapsing to the ground, An Jing smelled a faint scent of medicine—the mix of Netherworld Evil Qi with medicinal agents, the combination of poisonous insects and herbs, the Master of the Medicine Manor’s specialty. If An Jing hadn’t drawn his gun and continued to fight with the Master of the Medicine Manor a little longer, he probably would have been effortlessly defeated and taken away. Not defeated by an enemy, but instead felled by the drug’s potency. As his senses were gradually sucked into chaos, An Jing saw a pair of plain white cloth shoes. She slowly approached. Then… his body was steadied. A pair of hands pressed into his back, and the cool spirit Qi spread up and down along his spinal Heavenly Pillar, circulating in accordance with the Complete Circuit, bit by bit expelling the effects of the medicine and gradually making the dark vision enveloping An Jing become bright and clear. This sensation was vastly different from An Jing’s own Inner Breath—it flowed like molten hot iron, while that cool breath was like a bowl of cold spring water drunk during the dog days of summer, refreshing and invigorating. “Why?” His voice was weak as he muttered, “Don’t you want me to leave with you?” “What use is there in taking you if you are not sincere?” With the power of the Mysterious Yin Life Pattern, she helped An Jing circulate his Inner Breath through the Complete Circuit and expel the medicinal effects, the young girl said calmly, “Since now, Hanging Fate Manor can’t stop you, then in the future, Heaven’s Will Mountain won’t be able to either.” “Let’s go, Eldest Senior.” After confirming that An Jing’s condition was self-recovering, those hands left him: “You killed the Master of the Medicine Manor, and I am inherently weaker than you, I couldn’t possibly bring you back, that’s perfectly normal.” “Also, I think you were right.” “With two man-eating evil dragons, I should have chosen neither… It’s just that I hate Da Chen too much.” “Eldest Senior, I truly, truly…” “Hate so much.” —I must make those lofty people pay the price. Silence. Only the sound of flowing river water and the determined footsteps gradually becoming distant could be heard. “Thank you.” In the end, An Jing said softly, and he heard that departing footsteps pause for a moment: “I should be the one thanking you.” “Thank you for teaching me to read. Thank you for teaching me martial skills. Thank you for not killing me. Thank you for eating with me. Thank you for exercising with me. Thank you for never thinking about eating me…” “Thank you… Thank you for believing in me, for treating me as a friend.” When An Jing opened his eyes again, Bai Qinghan had already left the White Sand Ground. —I’m sorry. And please say sorry to Ye Qi and the others for me, he faintly heard the other’s final words. The sound of combat from the direction of Hanging Fate Manor continued unabated, likely to last until nightfall. After An Jing had completely expelled the remaining medicinal effects left by the Master of the Medicine Manor from his body and stood up, he found many small items on the body of the Master of the Medicine Manor. However, at that moment, he had no interest in discerning their specific effects, simply stuffing them carelessly into his bosom. “An Jing, you did well!” It was then that he heard the Sword Spirit’s voice filled with excitement: “You actually managed to save most of the people, and blocked the Demon Sect from disturbing me too!” “I have now completely suppressed the Heavenly Demon Remnants in the valley, you can enter it and obtain my second fragment at the central altar!” “Alright, I’m on my way.” An Jing responded, but found that he was not as excited as he had imagined, and the Sword Spirit also noticed this: “What’s wrong? Your mind seems to fluctuate… You’re more determined but with a hint of doubt?” “Don’t worry though, if the heart is like a Rusty Sword, it should always be honed. If you don’t mind, can you tell me what you’re doubting?” S~eaʀᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “Hmm…” An Jing pondered for a few moments, then said slowly, “Subdue Evil, in your era, if you thought there was something wrong with the world, what would you do?” “Kill.” Without any hesitation, the Sword Spirit stated as a matter of course: “If you think the world is wrong, you must go and correct it—there will always be people who believe this world is right. They can benefit from it, they can claim honor in this world. “Even, they cannot even imagine what the ‘correct’ and ‘improved’ paths look like.” “Then, talking is useless, you can only speak with the sword, silencing one side completely.” “To kill, only to kill!” The sword is always brimming with a killing intent because that is its innate mission, that is its Heavenly Mandate. “Is that so.” Upon hearing this, An Jing, after a moment of silence, finally smiled in relief: “Indeed, this…” —My Innate Wisdom, my morality, my character, my talent… So that is it. Indeed it is. All of these elements guiding me to make these choices, all fused together… “That is my Heavenly Mandate.” As he spoke, he turned around and took steps towards the depths of Hanging Fate Valley, his gaze once again firm, firmer than ever before. And behind An Jing, a crimson glow and totem spread out, manifesting into blood-colored stars. The brilliance of the Heavenly Mandate caused the young man’s shadow to stretch out in seven directions, sharp as a sword. —Just as I wished.