420 Challenge the Sword of Heavenly Revelations
The plaque of Heavenly Revelations City was brought down a total of three times in history.
The first time was when Xiao Yi, the founding emperor of Beili, broke down the city gates. His sword aura was overly vast and with one sword, he knocked down the plaque. The second time was sixty years ago, when the White Feather Sword Immortal rescued his disciple from the city. With one sword, he knocked it down as a warning to the people of Heavenly Revelations City. The third time was this time, with the sudden visit of the Solitary Sword Immortal.
Why did the Solitary Sword Immortal come?
"The Solitary Sword Immortal Luo Qingyang was a disciple of the Snow Nether Spring and the Snow Nether Spring was once the secret shadow guards of the Xiao Clan imperial family. Sixteen years ago, they fought against the Demonic Cult and were practically wiped out. Today, there are only two disciples of Snow Nether Spring left." Xiao Se raised the flask of medicine and poured it out for Sikong Qianluo who was lying on the bed. "Very few people in the martial world know about the Snow Nether Spring. Only those of our imperial family know about it."
"Who's the other one besides Solitary Sword Immortal Luo Qingyang?" Lei Wujie asked.
"We've also met the other one and that's Xiao Yu's mother, Lady Consort Xuan in the palace." Xiao Se placed the medicine bowl on the table. "Let it cool first." Then he stood up and continued, "Back then, Luo Qingyang was the most outstanding disciple of Snow Nether Spring. He later became the personal bodyguard of the late emperor, and saved his life many times. The late emperor considered his merits and bestowed a city to him before his death. Luo Qingyang chose the desolate city of Admirable Desolation in the west. It's said that he chose it in order to practice his Sword of Desolation."
"Sword of Desolation?" Lei Wujie frowned slightly.
"Yup, it's desolate and miserable. He was an orphan from birth, and lost all of his fellow disciples from the same sect, and the person he loves was married twice, and neither had anything to do with him. Don't you think such a person is miserable?" Xiao Se asked rhetorically.
"Then he's here now because…" Lei Wujie was puzzled.
"Your Highness." The old house steward suddenly walked in.
"How is it?" Xiao Se raised his eyebrows.
"The Solitary Sword Immortal brought the city's plaque to the front of the palace gate," the old house steward said slowly.
Everyone in the room was shocked.
Xiao Se asked, "Did he say anything?"
"Just four words. Challenge the sword of Heavenly Revelations," the old house steward said slowly.
"Challenge the sword of Heavenly Revelations?" Xiao Chong tapped gently on the hilt of his sword at his waist. "The Solitary Sword Immortal suddenly came to the imperial city and only said these four words?"
"Just these four words are enough." Now that the Solitary Sword Immortal had entered the city, even Yan Zhantian couldn't contain his excitement. He added with a sneer, "That old geezer has been hiding in his city, refusing to come out, waiting for the day he becomes number one under Heaven. Now that his wish has finally come true, why wouldn't he leave his city to show off himself?"
"Luo Qingyang. Is he really the strongest among you sword immortals?" Xiao Chong asked.
"Among the five former sword immortals, the Daoist Sword Immortal had outstanding talent and cultivated both Daoist arts and his sword. Considering his battle against the Hidden River, he was one man with one sword and forced Su Changhe, Su Muyu and Xie Qidao to retreat, and killed three elders of the Tang Clan. In terms of power, Li Hanyi can't match that, I can't match that and Xie Xuan can't match that. And neither could the Luo Qingyang I met in the past. Based on that, Zhao Yuzhen should be the strongest. But now, Luo Qingyang has left his city. He once said that he will not leave his city until he has mastered his sword. I'm sure that compared to Zhao Yuzhen in his prime, he can only be stronger and not weaker."
"But he's gone to stand outside the palace gates, and he cut down the plaque of Heavenly Revelations City. I really can't figure out what his true purpose is. I have a feeling that he seems to be here…" Xiao Chong thought for a while. "To take someone?"
"This sword is a provocation aimed at all the swordsmen in Heavenly Revelations City, and it's also a challenge to the Xiao Clan imperial family in Heavenly Revelations City. To challenge the sword of Heavenly Revelations, even a lazy person like me can't help but want to answer that challenge." Xie Xuan was lying down in the courtyard of the Directorate of Astronomy. He had a book in one hand and his other hand knocked on his sword.
"Three of the five sword immortals under Heaven are now in Heavenly Revelations City. Shifu, will you go and meet the Solitary Sword Immortal?" Li Fansong asked.
"Do you want me to go?" Xie Xuan asked back.
"Obviously, I would love to watch a duel between two sword immortals." Li Fansong scratched his head.
Xie Xuan laughed and shook his head. "I can't defeat Luo Qingyang. Back then, that fellow's sword was already very powerful. Now, I'm afraid he must only be half a step to that Spirit Wandering Profound Realm, and he'll break through that bottleneck anytime. Yan Zhantian will probably go. Don't worry, you'll definitely get to witness a duel between two sword immortals."
Inside the imperial palace.
Li Changqing was anxiously pacing in a circle outside the sleep chambers. Inside, Mingde Emperor had been unconscious since the meeting with the princes. Li Changqing did not dare to report what just happened and he was at his wit's end, a depressed expression on his face. After a long time, Lanyue Marquis, whom he had been waiting for, finally arrived. Li Changqing asked him directly, "What should we do?"
"You are the commander-general of the Imperial Army. What do you think? What should you do when someone hijacks the plaque of Heavenly Revelations City?"
Li Changqing said anxiously, "Of course, he must be beheaded! One chop of the blade and kill!"
"Then why haven't you done it yet?" Lanyue Marquis asked back.
"Bah." Li Changqing ignored etiquette and spat on the ground. "Have you met Luo Qingyang? Do you know who Luo Qingyang is? I've known him for ten years. What sort of person is he? No, he's not even a person. He's a monster! I've already ordered the Imperial Army and Brave Tiger Guards to surround him in tens of layers of entrapment, but what's the use of that? If he wants to leave, can I stop him? If he wants to enter the palace gates, can I stop him?"
"If this one man with one sword can kill the ruler of Beili, then all under Heaven will be in chaos," Lanyue Marquis said.
"Bah, nobody could kill him before because there was the Snow Nether Spring. The late emperor had survived so many assassination attempts because they were stopped by someone. By whom, you ask? By Luo Qingyang! But now, it's Luo Qingyang who's here to kill the emperor. Who can stop him?" Li Changqing said anxiously.
"Commander-general Li, are you looking down on this old Daoist?" A voice with a hint of a smile suddenly sounded.
Li Changqing hurriedly bowed low and saluted. "State Preceptor, you're here. Now that you're here, I can rest assured."
"Wretched thing. One Luo Qingyang got you so anxious." Lanyue Marquis grinned.
"Back then, Luo Qingyang was already so strong and now, he's in the top tier of the Ultimate Experts List. Isn't it normal for me to be a little scared?" Li Changqing wiped his sweat.
"Don't worry, if Luo Qingyang was really here to kill someone, why cut down the city plaque? Why stand at the door and declare a challenge to the sword of Heavenly Revelations? Even in the most unlikely of possibilities, he's really here to kill huang-xiong, so what? Now, the Xiao Clan imperial family no longer has the Snow Nether Spring, but within Heavenly Revelations City right now, there are two sword immortals, the Patriarch of the Hidden River, countless young heroes and the Grand Eunuch who is half a step to Spirit Wandering. Do you think they would really treat Luo Qingyang as one of their own?"
"Challenge the sword of Heavenly Revelations. The hidden meaning behind these words are not that simple. There is more than one reason for Luo Qingyang's visit today. One of which is to challenge his sword. He is number one on the martial ranking lists, but having never fought anyone before, who knows if he's really number one? The people of the martial world want to know, all the swordsmen under Heaven want to know, and he himself wants to know too. He's here this time to issue a challenge to all swordsmen under Heaven and he's standing at the door in order to wait for him to answer his challenge."
Li Changqing was taken aback for a while before he asked, "What about his other reasons?"
The State Preceptor Qi Tianchen and Lanyue Marquis exchanged a glance. Both gave a chuckle but did not answer.
*
Note about chapter title:
问剑天启 wèn jiàn tiān qǐ
Challenge the Sword of Heavenly Revelations
The literal translation of the chapter title, which are also the four words left by Luo Qingyang, is "inquire about the sword of Heavenly Revelations". (Refer to ch 376 notes for more information about the origin of this phrase and why it means 'to challenge'.) The Chinese phrase has no pronouns, so it could be "challenge the sword of" or "challenge my sword against".
Previously, when Lei Wujie used this phrase to challenge Snow Moon City, followed by Qingcheng Mountain, he came clearly with the intent to draw his sword and challenge the two sword immortals. In Luo Qingyang's case, however, he is challenging everyone in general and waiting for someone to answer his challenge. Hence, I've used a different translation.