Zhou Buyi’s thoughts were but an inconspicuous drop in the vast, surging tide of ideas within the Hundred Schools’ Righteous Army.
In truth, rather than being a hero, he needed to learn how to be a leader. Achieving ’Taiping’ was not as simple as just defeating the Demon Army. Leading the survivors of the Divine Land to rebuild a brilliant civilization upon this deep-green wasteland, a world waiting to be reborn, was the true burden their generation had to shoulder. It was the most crucial task of all.
At that mont, Su Zhou, having finished his long speech and feeling he’d had his fill of playing the leader and showing off, was ready to head ho. He unhesitatingly raised the Blade of Annihilation in his hand and offered it to the Confucian Saint, who stood at the forefront.
"Here. I’m returning the Divine Blade to you."
His tone was casual; Su Zhou truly had no intention of keeping the Divine Blade for himself. While it was true the Divine Blade might never have been forged without him, the blood, sweat, and tears shed by the countless heroes of the Hundred Schools’ Righteous Army were what truly forged its power.
The rare materials alone, and the blood spilled to transport them, said more than words ever could.
"Ah, what is the aning of this?"
But the next instant, without a mont’s thought, the Confucian Saint pushed the Blade of Annihilation right back. "What are you doing, Grandmaster Su?"
"The Demon Emperor is dead," Su Zhou said, thinking he hadn’t been clear. "There’s no use in keeping this." With that, he tried to hand it back again.
But the Confucian Saint firmly raised his hand and pushed the Divine Blade back yet again. "Please don’t. It is best that you keep it."
—Even if the Blade of Annihilation had a will of its own, it probably never imagined it would suffer the indignity of being passed back and forth like this.
Taking the Divine Blade once more, Su Zhou blinked. He was about to shove it back into the Confucian Saint’s hands again. ’Is this old man underestimating my strength or sothing?’
But soon, the Buddhist Saint hurried over from the side and gently placed a hand on Su Zhou’s. He pleaded earnestly, "Grandmaster Su, to you who hails from Kunlun, the Divine Blade may hold little temptation. But for us, it is a different matter entirely!"
"This blade possesses Innate Power. To us in the Mortal World, it is a source of great turmoil, just like immortality itself. If any Grandmaster were to wield this blade, who could possibly resist its power? If they wanted to beco Emperor, we would have no way to stop them!"
"The most important thing for Order is balance, or perhaps stability," the Daoist Saint added, stepping forward and shaking his head at Su Zhou. "The stability of the old imperial system, where one supre ruler governed all, was perhaps the simplest, most direct, and most efficient form of Order."
"But should a despot take the throne, it becos a catastrophe for the people. That is why we of the Hundred Schools now seek to walk the path of ’balance.’ Grandmaster Su, even if you had not co, our plan was always to seal the Divine Blade away after slaying the Demon Emperor."
"But since you are here... please, take it back to Kunlun! If, one day, this world is plunged into turmoil again, and new demons rise to plague the land, there may co a ti when you are needed to wield this blade once more and purge them."
His words were filled with genuine sincerity. The Confucian Saint, standing to the side, nodded slightly in agreent. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze distant as he looked to the southwest. "Of course... it would be best if such a day never cos."
That was the direction of the Confucian Saint’s ho.
As these words were spoken, a slight clamor rose from the ranks of the Hundred Schools’ Righteous Army. But with four Grandmasters in discussion, those who were dissatisfied dared not voice their dissent and could only remain silent.
"Well, in that case."
Since they’d put it that way, Su Zhou wouldn’t argue. Their reasoning was similar to what he had been thinking, anyway. Still, he never expected they would actually refuse the Divine Blade... ’It’s hard to understand people like that.’
Sheathing the Divine Blade at his waist, Su Zhou shook his head with mock gravity. "I’m just a young man. I’ve never held such a fine weapon in my life; I usually just use a wooden spear and my fists. If you insist on giving one of the Divine Soldiers... what choice do I have but to graciously accept?"
’When soone offers you a great gift for free, only a fool would refuse. It’s one thing to not be a greedy scoundrel, but it’s another thing entirely to be coy and feign refusal.’
"Haha, your honesty is one of the reasons we are willing to trust you."
At this, the Daoist Saint stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "And that’s not all. We also intend to erect a statue in your honor. Although the Grand Master is still confined to his sickbed, he says that once he has recovered, he will personally carve a giant statue of you, one that will last for generations, so that all who co after will know of your deeds and your na!"
"Uh, is that really necessary?"
Although he was secretly thrilled—even laughing to Yara in his mind, ’Haha, Yara, I told you! Whenever I show up, no matter the world, I’m always treated with the highest honors. Not like you, where everyone wants to chase you down and beat you!’ and getting an annoyed ’Shut up!’ in reply—on the outside, Su Zhou still hesitated. "That seems like a bit of a waste of resources..."
"It is a deterrent," the Confucian Saint said to Su Zhou with a smile. Then he turned, a sharp glint in his eyes, and declared to the silent ranks of the Hundred Schools behind him, "It is also to ensure that future generations know that a Demon Emperor once existed, one who slaughtered millions and plunged the Divine Land into misery for his own selfish desires."
"To let them know that even when the Demon Army swept across the world, oppressing all living things, the Hundred Schools still rose up in rebellion, fighting until the very last drop of their blood was shed."
"And it is to let them know that there exists in this world a Kunlun Traveler, one who wields one of the Divine Soldiers, who despises evil, and who will erge from seclusion to slay demons whenever the world falls into chaos."
’If you are truly leaving, then beco our deterrent.’
This was the unspoken plea Su Zhou could hear in the words of the three aging Grandmasters.
’That’s right... The Divine Wood is retracting its power, and the Wood Qi is concentrating. Perhaps the true Demon Soldier Clan of the Undying would be fine, but for humans like the Three Saints, who rely on the Wood Qi’s corruption to extend their lives... their ti is probably running out.’
’So, they’re afraid that after they die, the united Hundred Schools will splinter and fight over the Divine Wood and the power of the Blade of Annihilation. They want to use my na as a deterrent against any potential schers.’
Su Zhou was very smart; he had eaten a Wisdom Fruit, after all. He understood the deeper aning behind their words and the intricate plan the three old n had so painstakingly devised.
’So, why not?’
So, he laughed, turned, and spread his arms toward the Divine Wood. Su Zhou gazed out at the Immortal Banyan Tree, all of its countless leaves now withered, and then, just as he had done before, he declared in a bold, booming voice.
"Indeed! It shall be so!"
「Several days later.」
Carrying a large sack of Spirit Plants, with a brand-new Dragon Horn Cross Long Spear on his back and the Blade of Annihilation at his waist, Su Zhou stood on the derelict road that led to the Northwest Kunlun Mountain Range.
The once-wide highway was now overgrown with weeds and dappled with the shadows of trees, making it difficult to see the path ahead.
But clearly, no one was concerned with such trivial details.
Bidding farewell to Su Zhou were the three Grandmasters, along with Zhou Buyi, Li Daoran, Weilie, Liuu Xizhao, Fang Hui, and even the Grand Master, who was still lying on a stretcher—a whole party of his acquaintances from this world.
"This is far enough."
At Su Zhou’s request, it was not a grand farewell. After all, why would practitioners of the Martial Arts need such lingering goodbyes? When it’s ti to leave, you leave. Don’t look back, for who knows where in life your paths may cross again!
So, Su Zhou returned the deep bows of the crowd with a clasped-fist salute. Then, with a great laugh, he turned, leaped into the air, and sped away.
"The sun rises high over Fusang, yet the affairs of the world are as tangled as wool. When a simple man grows enraged at injustice, he wears down the Ancient Blade within his very soul!"
"I am no man of old! When I see injustice, I draw my blade! When my heart burns with indignation, I strike!"
"Everyone, I hope we will et again, but I also hope we will never *need* to et again!"
By the ti everyone looked up again, Su Zhou’s dashing figure had already vanished into the distant gales and forest shadows.
It seed the curtain had fallen on this Chapter... perhaps.
Far away, high in the sky, Su Zhou glided on the air with the power of Wind Aid. He took out the Celestial God Scale. As he infused it with Spiritual Power, a silvery light flared, and a luminous sphere materialized before his eyes. Inside it was the image of an ordinary living room on Earth.
Su Zhou smiled and touched the sphere. In the next instant, his entire body dissolved into light and vanished.
—To ride the wind and walk the mortal world, to sing a song of wild, untad youth!
—A Thousand Miles Solo Journey, a wanderer across All Realms. Where there is injustice, a blade is drawn to help!
Everything was just beginning!
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