I Am Supreme

Chapter 980: Gone Astray In The Way of Sword

Dong Qitian cast a sidelong glance at Yun Yang and silently called him a fool.

'Talk to me if you must for being bored out of your mind, but why did you affront a woman? Don't you know that women are the most irrational creatures in this world? That it would be best to stay away from them? It's not a relative statement, it's absolute!'

Dong Qitian coughed and said, "I still remember the old tale - the former court master of the Eastern Celestial Court was once presented a riddle by a friend; he was given two options, the first was to reason with his wife while the second was to fight the Regal Daemon Lord."

He spoke slowly, "Reasoning with his wife was verbal, using only words, but fighting the Regal Daemon Lord was a battle of life and death. It would have been a difficult fight, but do you know what he chose?"

"What?" Yun Yang's interest was piqued.

"This court master opted to fight the Regal Daemon Lord without any hesitation! The battle actually ensued in the end…" answered Dong Qitian.

Yun Yang broke into a profuse sweat.

"That senior is truly an example to be considered…"

…

The cry of a sword and the screech of a saber rang simultaneously in the ring - both men were one with their weapons! When they launched their attack, they executed their best techniques in unison!

"Shi Wuchen has gained insight into the sword's intent. He has gotten to the stage where there's nothing else in the world other than his sword," said Dong Qitian, watching the fight, "More so, he's not far from gaining insight into the sword's core."

"What about Luo Dajiang?"

"About the same!" answered Dong Qitian, "The saber's intent flows within him, there's also nothing else other than saber to him. Although he's not that close to comprehending the saber's core, not even taking that path, he's enlightened with something else - everything in this world could take the form of the saber!"

"The result of this battle is no longer important. What's crucial is that as long as both of them could continue their journey and not die in the middle of it… the Bound of Universe will surely see, once again, the most worthy kings of sword and saber!"

The match between the two men in the field gradually gained momentum.

Shi Wuchen and his sword melted into a murderous autumnal gale and poured down incessantly alongside the autumn rain, frost, and dew. All one could see was the piercing chill of an autumn storm!

Fighting up to this point, he had already continuously effected the sword art of Tri Autumn seven to eight different times. His sword intent grew more desolated, more barren. Every time he performed the techniques, he was bestowed with a completely different sense of enlightenment.

It seemed that as the Tri Autumn sword art was executed over and again, the vibrant spring was slowly stained into inconsolable autumn. Shi Wuchen's state of mind was increasingly despondent as he unleashed the sword's intent, yet the sword light turned smoother while a melancholic but excited, murderous, intent colored his face.

Luo Dajiang who was on the opposite end maintained a stable and secure strategy. His entire being remained like a massive mountain, hardly conquerable, but he was not passively guarding himself. Once he attacked, his advances were powerful and insistent like the tidal waves themselves.

Dong Qitian concentrated on the scene and could not help sighing softly.

"What is it?" asked Yun Yang.

"Shi Wuchen has already gained insight 43into the art of the sword and is stepping into another stage. However… this stage he's stepped foot into is a wrong path, a path he's gone astray on and shouldn't be touching. Even if he were to overcome it, the accumulated wrongs will only bring about endless consequences," Dong Qitian answered faintly.

Yun Yang was bewildered. He had a good sense but his experience lacked too much in comparison to Dong Qitian. It was only natural that he was confused by the latter's comment as he thought that Shi Wuchen was already taking the initiator's position now and slowly guiding the battle towards his advantage; his chance to win was very high, so why did Dong Qitian view it as something terrible?

"The result is obvious if we're only looking at this match. Victory is Shi Wuchen's, without a doubt!" said Dong Qitian, "Because he's enlightened on the sword's core that belongs uniquely to him in this battle. This is already clear!"

"However, this bout has also caused both of them to embark on two entirely opposite paths."

"After this fight, Shi Wuchen's future path contains the sword intent that focuses on getting everything in this world and being loyal only to the sword then the Residence of Nine Supremes. There's nothing else!"

"It's different for Luo Dajiang. Other than being loyal to the saber and the Residence of Nine Supremes, he's faithful to himself, to his brothers, to sentiment and kinship, to his family… and to whatever else restrains him."

Dong Qitian sighed softly.

After a period of silence from Yun Yang, he asked in a low tone, "I somewhat understand what you mean. Is Shi Wuchen's current state of swordsmanship too extreme? That despite his temporary gain, the repercussion will be deeply rooted, but Luo Dajiang has no such issue?"

"Yes, such a contrast is determined by the differences between them as individuals, by their nature," Dong Qitian answered, watching the vigorous ongoing battle.

Yun Yang questioned, "Is it really so grave? Being faithful to the sword and the Residence of Nine Supremes and nothing else doesn't seem to be too bad - why do you say that the accumulated wrongs will be hardly corrected and will have endless repercussions?"

"It depends on the person whether it's good or bad. An intelligent one will naturally understand."

Dong Qitian smiled.

"Some people have personal intentions, some don't. Some people live for their ideals while some live for reality. It's all but the perspective you take, there's no consideration of superiority here."

"Living for one's ideals don't usually get a good ending while living for reality allows one to experience the vicissitudes of life and achieve greatness from it," said Dong Qitian, "The reality I mention here isn't selfishness. Do you understand?"

"I do," answered Yun Yang.

"As a swordsman, Shi Wuchen should be faithful to the sword, but he's too fixated with it - that's obsession. It is simply- too much."

"In other words, he's successfully entered the world of the sword, but he's consumed within, unable to escape. As time passes, how can the mania not increase into a state of no return and pose endless aftermath?"

"A true master must be able to advance and withdraw as he wishes, resigned to his own self confession - this is the best state one can be on the top!" said Dong Qitian.

Yun Yang mumbled, "Entering the art of sword, but unable to get out of it, becoming obsessed with the sword…"

He thought that he seemed to understand it somewhat but there were still so much that he could not figure it out.

Dong Qitian smiled and told him, "It's not necessarily bad that you don't understand it now, but it would be best if you could decipher and fathom something from this."

After this ambiguous comment, Dong Qitian stood with his arms on his back and cast his gaze afar. He began to talk slowly again after some time, "Back then, there was a tradition in my hometown. Every time someone died in the village, someone will be commissioned to play the suona (a Chinese sorna - double-reeded horn). There's an old man called Old Father Qin in the village I'm from who specializes in playing the instrument. One song is enough to make people tear up and any more after it simply depresses everyone. Whichever family that holds a funeral, Old Father Qin is the go-to person. Once he's there, the sadness that was three-tenth will rise fully as he plays the suona. Sobs and wails will definitely be heard."

As he spoke about the past in his hometown, there was a rare gentleness and sense of reminiscence that lingered on Dong Qitian's expression. His faraway gaze seemed to have traveled back to the quaint village back in the years, back to where he often dreamed of in his sleep. It had been a few thousand years since he was back… He had actually not returned for so long!

He turned to ask Yun Yang, "Have you heard the suona being played during funerals?"

Yun Yang was perplexed, answering, "Yes, of course. The culture in Empire of Yutang is the same. As long as the family has a little money left, they'll commission people to play the suona whenever someone dies… This custom is probably the same across the Tianxuan Continent where I come from."

Nodding in comfort, Dong Qitian replied, "I've heard that the Bound of Universe came from the same origin as another realm in the past. It seems that although the standard of cultivators from both realms contrast distinctly, the basic custom and tradition are still the same!"

"Back then, there was a child in our village called Wu Geng. His parents had passed away and he grew up being helped by everyone. Old Father Qin had a hard life as well, single despite his old age. Seeing the pitiful Wu Geng, he took him in. As Wu Geng slowly grew up and became a teen, he was still without a skill, so he thought of learning suona from Old Father Qin to feed himself."

Yun Yang was utterly confused by Dong Qitian's sudden storytelling.

Old Father Qin? Wu Geng?

Suona? Funeral?

What and what?

How was the tale related to the current fiery battle and the sword obsession in one's cultivation journey?

"But Old Father Qin was reluctant to teach Wu Geng suona. He kept saying, 'Child, it's not that I don't want to teach you… Once you step into this career, there's no turning back. I'm afraid that I'll let this life of yours go to waste'."

"Wu Geng could not fathom what Old Father Qin said. If he acquired the skill, he could feed himself and receive the respect of his villagers, he would be invited to events as an honorable guest - how could it be a vice? There would be meals and drinks, he would earn too. How was it bad…"

"Still, Old Father Qin refused to teach him. He got older then, gradually unable to play the suona. Wu Geng was still without a survival skill, pleading to the old man repeatedly, saying, 'You're already elderly. I'm afraid you really won't be able to play the suona anymore after some time. And I still don't know anything. When you pass on, I can only be a beggar. Why are you still unwilling to teach me? Even when I'll freeze and starve to death in the future?' It wasn't only Wu Geng, a few old men in the village came to persuade Old Father Qin as well."

"Old Father Qin sighed and relented, agreeing to teach Wu Geng. He said, 'But there's something I must state first. Don't you hate me in the future.' Wu Geng was delighted, promising the old man easily."

"So Old Father Qin began to teach Wu Geng how to play the suona. The young man was quite talented in playing the musical instrument, plus he was by Old Father Qin's side for so long, the foundation was naturally there being influenced by what he constantly saw and heard. He picked up the skill quickly, able to play the instrument just like Old Father Qin. Nevertheless, there just wasn't the feeling of grief and anguish, so Old Father Qin took him along every time he went to funerals to allow Wu Geng to feel the bereavement and mournfulness in playing suona for funerals."

"Old Father Qin said that the mourning suona mustn't have the least bit of joy. A funeral should have the feeling and melody of a funeral. 'If you can't produce that sentiment, no one will ask for yout even if you know how to play'."

"Wu Geng committed Old Father Qin's words to heart and learned from the old man wholeheartedly. A few years later, everyone said that Wu Geng's suona playing was more and more like Old Father Qin's. People booked him one after another. That year, Old Father Qin passed away; Wu Geng played an entire night of suona. After that, everyone hired Wu Geng for funerals. Wu Geng played the suona in such ceremonies and occasions, the more he did, the more he felt depressed, the more his state of mind turned melancholic… Ultimately, Wu Geng did not marry nor did he have any children when he turned old."

"When he was well past his prime, he finally understood what Old Father Qin meant by it would be a vice to his life. Funerals were grievance and separation, hopeless and wretched, and one who played the suona needed to have similar emotions to be able to play it empathically, only then he could match the mournfulness of the bereaving families… Only by having such reflection of emotions could people keep hiring him. But when he maintained such state of mind for a long time, how could he seek a wife and take care of children in a dampened mood like this? He wouldn't even have the thought to do so… He'd only feel the emptiness of life and the depression…"

"So Wu Geng buried the suona that kept him company his whole life into the ground before he passed away. There were many young ones who wanted to become his apprentice and learn from him in his elderly years, promising to take care of him until his death, but he took no students throughout his lifetime."

"After that, the elders in the village who've heard Old Father Qin and Wu Geng played mourning suona said that… ever since the both of them passed on, deaths in the village didn't feel like deaths anymore."

Dong Qitian finished his narration gloomily and said, "Do you understand now? Shi Wuchen's sword has gone into the blues0."

Yun Yang heaved a soft exhale and answered, "I understand. All art forms is one, no matter how they vary, they don't stray away from the origin. The art of sword cultivation and the art of playing suona share the same principle when they go to the extreme end. One can hardly learn and master it if they don't pour their heart and soul into the art. But once they do and can't reel themselves back, being able to go in but not out, it's possible that they would be controlled and trapped by what they know in their cultivation and lose themselves. This is what you mean, isn't it!"

"Yes, exactly. All forms of art is one, the source is the same," said Dong Qitian.

"Which also means that Shi Wuchen has now embarked on the path of sword obsession, a strayed path of being controlled by the sword. He isn't controlling the sword now, the sword is manipulating him. Is this the case?" asked Yun Yang.

Dong Qitian slowly sighed, "That's right. Shi Wuchen is currently in the optimal state of sword that contains nothing else but the sword. Everything in this world is no longer his concern, not even himself. The only fortunate aspect is probably he's not yet too far gone on this road; he still has kinship in his heart, still has the Residence of Nine Supremes. There's still a chance to return."

Yun Yang turned to look again at the battle happening, shifting his gaze towards Shi Wuchen who slowly but surely gained overwhelming upper hand, and said nothing.

Dong Qitian was still talking, "If there's a day when he doesn't care even about these, that's when he truly becomes a slave to the sword. One form is all it takes for the internal demon to backfire and devour him into the endless abyss, erasing any way back. Once the melancholia takes over his heart, there's no turning back."

"This isn't an exaggeration to scare you, because when it actually comes to that point of time, any expert or master can at most kill him - it's impossible to pull him back to the correct path anymore, for that version of him then is just another Wu Geng!"

Dong Qitian looked meaningfully at Yun Yang.