Chapter 140: After Half a Century of Trials and Triumphs, I Shall Soar

A solitary cliff soared over ten thousand zhang high, beneath a sky dark and heavy with storm clouds. Flashes of lightning darted through the blackened heavens, briefly illuminating a man and a monkey standing silently atop the precipice.

Amid the howling gale, the voice of Nan Luo carried clearly to Liuli’s ears.

“Do you remember where you first began following me? And how many springs and autumns have you walked by my side?” Nan Luo’s voice cut through the roaring wind with crystal clarity.

Liuli, upon hearing this, instinctively scratched his head. His mouth opened, and out came words in human speech, his tone tender and childlike, tinged with a hint of timidity: “Disciple first met Master on Golden Carp Mountain, and has followed Master for seven springs and autumns...”

“I have already told you, do not call me Master. I will never accept you as my disciple. The little understanding of the arts you have gained along this journey is entirely your own fortune; I have no part in it,” Nan Luo’s voice was cold and clear, piercing the raging wind without the slightest distortion.

Hearing Nan Luo’s words, Liuli scratched his head vigorously. Throughout their journey, he had mastered the arts of swift flight and breath control, believing Nan Luo had deliberately taught him. So when Nan Luo suddenly spoke, he nervously and excitedly called himself a disciple, addressing Nan Luo as Master. Yet, he never expected such an unfeeling rejection, leaving him momentarily lost and unsure.

“Then how should I address you?” Liuli looked up, his hands continuously scratching the back of his head.

Nan Luo did not turn back, only glancing at the endless mountain ranges before speaking lightly, “Just call me Nan Luo. To me, all beings of heaven and earth are equal; there is no need to fuss over such titles.” But Liuli did not truly call him by name. His eyes shimmered with profound doubt... Although he had been able to understand human speech since following behind Nan Luo and listening to the teachings along the way, he remained puzzled by Nan Luo’s refusal to accept him as a disciple. Unable to contain his curiosity, he finally dared to ask why Nan Luo would not take him as a disciple, yet still taught the arts and passed on the secrets to others they met.

This had been a question weighing on Liuli’s mind for a long time, but only now voiced aloud. Had Nan Luo not made it clear he would not accept him, Liuli might have kept it bottled inside. Nan Luo gave no reply, as if he had not heard.

Suddenly, a brilliant bolt of lightning tore through the void, piercing the heavens. Immediately after, a thunderclap exploded beside Liuli’s ears, yet from Nan Luo came a voice: “Does this need a reason? If every action required explanation, how could the world be so chaotic? How else would my clan, the Yangping, have been nearly wiped out?”

From Nan Luo’s words, Liuli sensed a deep loneliness. He wished to speak further but found no words. At that moment, Nan Luo suddenly lifted his step, treading upon empty air. His robes flapped wildly in the wind as he vanished amidst the rumbling thunder and streaking lightning.

As Nan Luo soared upward, Liuli moved slightly, intending to follow, but ultimately hesitated and remained behind. His eyes gleamed with uncertainty as he crouched atop the lonely cliff, watching Nan Luo vanish swiftly into the void.

Above, the sky churned with dense black clouds, darkness as deep as night.

“Boom—” The void exploded with thunder, and with the roar, torrents of rain cascaded down. Lightning flashed like blades slicing through the endless blackness. Amidst the flashes, the towering solitary cliff stood firm, atop which a lean, small monkey sat alone against the storm.

Nan Luo’s departure was swift and unparalleled. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared into the swirling black clouds over the mountains and rivers.

This mountain was none other than Kunlun, stretching for hundreds of thousands of li, renowned as the Mother of Ten Thousand Mountains.

Treading step by step through the void, his pace seemed slow yet with each step he traversed a thousand miles. Though not intimately familiar with Kunlun, Nan Luo held a deep affection for it. Here, in the Taiji Palace nestled within these mountains, he had awakened; it was here the Master of Profound Mysteries had accepted him as a registered disciple, where he had learned the Way and the arts. Thus, upon entering Kunlun’s skies, memories surged forth like a mountain spring.

Pausing in midair, he looked toward a distant valley. Despite the raging storm, the valley exuded an aura of tranquility and peace.

After a long moment, he resolutely turned, heading in another direction.

Suddenly, Nan Luo’s form flew swiftly toward the mountain below. A faint smile graced his face, tinged with wistful remembrance.

Winding through the mountain paths, stopping and going, if one had seen the roads he had traveled decades ago, they would find Nan Luo’s footsteps now traced exactly the same routes. At every hilltop, he would pause to gaze about. It appeared this journey to Kunlun was solely to retrace old paths, with no haste to rescue Bei Ling.

Before a certain valley, a sinister aura thickened, the scene bristling with danger. Nan Luo halted briefly, then calmly stepped in, advancing steadily.

As he entered, the malevolent energy surged violently. A deep, thunderous roar erupted, and waves of vicious qi rolled forth like tidal seas, instantly engulfing Nan Luo.

Yet his expression remained unchanged, as serene as a gentle breeze brushing the face, or a mighty stone unmoved amidst the raging current. No matter how high the waves rose, he stood firm.

With each step Nan Luo drew closer, the dark clouds revealed a monstrous beast the size of a small mountain. Its body was covered in jet-black scales, head resembling a pangolin, and four paws planted like bear’s claws—only far larger. Waves of malice radiated from it, and its fierce eyes fixed intently on the approaching Nan Luo.

This was the very beast that had once barred Nan Luo’s path and tried to seize the treasures of Zhao Gongming and two women. Though it still displayed overwhelming ferocity, it now lacked confidence. As Nan Luo advanced, the beast subtly retreated. Though faint and slight, this movement betrayed its deep-seated fear.

Closer still, the beast’s massive jaws opened slightly, emitting a low, rumbling growl. Its red tongue flicked out, evoking memories of the terrifying power it once wielded, yet now it only licked its lips repeatedly, never unleashing the crimson shadow that might have swallowed Nan Luo whole. Nan Luo smiled gently and walked straight to where the beast stood. The beast’s gaping maw exhaled a foul stench, its fangs menacing. Nan Luo frowned slightly, and the beast immediately drew back, retreating swiftly and leaving a path clear, though its low growls continued.

With a faint smile, Nan Luo passed calmly by. When he stopped beside the beast and turned his head to look, the creature took another step back. Its growling persisted but its imposing aura sharply diminished.

Nan Luo laughed heartily, then turned and stepped into the void, disappearing into the storm. From the wind and rain came a voice, lingering and unyielding:

“The Yangping clan worships heaven and earth, crossing life and death on Cangmang Cliff. Before Phoenix Palace, the first sword trial; within Kunlun Mountain, the arts were once learned. Since then, so much chaos ensued, earning a fleeting name in the vast wilderness. The traces of immortals are elusive and hard to find; only in quiet meditation does one understand the meaning of white clouds. Half a century’s rise and fall forged this bond with the Way, always accompanied by a youthful face...”

The voice drifted ethereal and clear, undiminished by the raging storm. It echoed through Kunlun’s skies and the expanse of heaven and earth, lingering long and fading never.