The five-colored light was the light of the physical energies in the body.

The physical energy was so dense it seemed to burn as his five organs seemed to explode.

There was bound to be immense pain when the body was enduring beyond its limits. His body immediately reacted.

His heart beat violently, the blood in his veins spurting quickly. He was rapidly sweating but then the sweat quickly evaporated due to the heat of his body. His body wreathed in pain, but his brows were relaxed.

Something like personality was innate, but it could be influenced in various aspects. Having been around Zhangsun Qianxue for so long, while he could be as calm as usual, his likes and dislikes became more distinct. Dislike would become the simpler and purer hate. Like white snow and black tile, the borders were clear and not mixed with any other emotions. There was no conflict. Love and hate were simple and clean. While his body was in pain, his mind was happy.

That palace attendant’s surname was Rong. She had followed Zheng Xiu since childhood. She knew Zheng Xiu the best. Thus, she was like one of Zheng Xiu’s other brains. Everything she did was according to Zheng Xiu’s intentions.

The premature Min Mountain Sword Trials was because they did not want him to win. Yet, what he had obtained in White Goat Cave was not the Explanation of the Spirit Source Way, but the violent Three Corpses Nonself Consciousness Sutra.

Using this method to ignite the physical energies in his organs would weaken his already over-stretched body, like an already burning candle being burned among the coals. But this could be a perfect camouflage for the Nine Death Silkworm. At least, this could act as plausible excuse for the great advancement in his cultivation in such a short time.

This painful matter became adorable when it would displease Zheng Xiu.

Looking silently at the valley where the spirit vein was, and the location of Ding Ning’s grass hut was Zhang Yi.

Since last winter up until now, he had been cultivating in Falling Parasol. While he had been serving Xue Wangxu and spent most of his time on some minor matters that were insignificant to ordinary cultivators, the comprehensions he had obtained through the ordinary was very remarkable. Used to calling Ding Ning “Little Sect Brother” mentally, he had never thought of what he would accomplish at the Min Mountain Sword Trials, and put all his energy on Ding Ning.

He was using the excuse of reading in the library cave, but was in reality protecting Ding Ning who was cultivating at the White Goat Cave Spirit Valley, and making sure that he would not be disturbed.

Thinking of Xue Wangxu’s increasingly fragile body, and the great importance of the Min Mountain Sword Trials held for Ding Ning, he couldn’t help but thinking, Little Sect Brother … you have to win.

… …

In the quiet mountains, time passed as usual.

Ding Ning’s overly strong organs burned violently, the abundant physical energies gathering with the spirit energy flowing into his body sank into his energy sea turning into vital energy.

Life was being burned.

Blood cruised faster through his veins, but the blood thinned, and the marrow river in his bones dried up slightly.

Specks of white frost slowly appeared amidst his black hair. His organs seemed to have shrunk somewhat.

All of this reminded him that his body had undergone a bad change. This kind of change would be the greatest fear of ordinary cultivators, but his expression was still calm and pleased.

As time passed, the vital energy in his body increased and grew stronger.

Finally …

Poof poof.

Two soft sounds came from the other two grass huts.

Those two unoccupied meditation mats exploded in unison. Yet, the pieces of grass did not erupt out, and were sucked in by the spirit veins that had been flowing with spirit energy. Then the two spirit veins became two powerful whirlpools that sucked inwards.

The spirit energy of these three spirit veins were attracted to the numerous little silkworms in Ding Ning’s body and furiously flooded into his body.

An eerie wind formed among the valley. Many chaotic bursts of wind that came out of nowhere burrowed through the cracks in the grass huts. The three grass huts could not endure and imploded at the same time.

Countless figures appeared on the mountain path, wanting to sprint into that mountain valley.

Yet, Zhang Yi, who was standing outside the library cave, bowed towards the numerous figures. He shook his head and said, “Do not.”

… …

The thatch, fallen leaves, and dried leaves covered Ding Ning’s body in layers. His body seemed to form an enormous yellow cocoon. There was so much spirit energy they could not merge immediately. They formed a chaotic flow in his body. His body gave off cracking sounds as though his veins, and even his sinews and bones could not endure and were snapping.

Ding Ning’s body looked like it would shatter into countless pieces at any moment. But the invisible little silkworms would always resurface at the perfect time and start to gulp down the spirit energy heading towards the cracks.

In the end, these spirit energy flows charging in his body became powerful whirlpools.

Snap!

The spirit vein under him was the first to give off a crisp tearing sound. The spirit energy in this vein was the first to dry up and stop.

Snap! Snap!

Then the second and the third.

All three spirit veins of White Goat Cave had dried up.

More invisible little silkworms appeared in his body. The little silkworms all did the same thing of madly swallowing the spirit energy in his body. The terrifying attraction his body produced started to disappear. More and more vital energy battered against some meridian points in his body as though they were going to open doors to the surrounding world.

Those represented another realm.

He could try for another realm, but he knew this was enough.

He opened his eyes and tried to have his vital energy spread evenly into every corner of his body. All of the withered leaves pressing tightly on his body fell down and spread outwards like a tide.

On the path outside the library cave, Zhang Yi shut his eyes tightly, his eyelashes trembling, face as pale as snow.

He was very nervous.

The changes in the wind among the mountains, and the advent of the day they had to leave White Goat Cave for Min Mountain Sword Sect meant that he was sure he was about to see Ding Ning.

His back was soaked.

A small breeze came.

A familiar figure appeared in his sight.

While he was prepared, the moment he saw Ding Ning, he was still stunned, and forgot to breathe.

“Little Sect Brother …”

His eyes were filled with strong amazement.

The breeze blew at Ding Ning’s hair. There were dots of white all over his black strands of hair.

Ding Ning’s age seemed to have increased but his body had not grown, and shrunk instead.

What shocked him the most was that rainbows seemed to move under Ding Ning’s pale skin. There seemed to be rainbow light that would cut through his skin at any moment.

“Little Sect Brother… you …”

He finally sensed what had happened to Ding Ning’s vital energy and the price Ding Ning had paid for this. Shock, once again, suffused his eyes.

“Eldest Sect Brother, do not speak confusedly.”

Ding Ning nodded at him and said calmly, “Little Sect Brother Shen Yi should be in Ink Garden right now. We are going to depart now to get Little Sect Brother and Cave Master.”

… …

The spring had faded, summer had arrived. The air grew drier.

After many days without rain, the carriage created billows of dust as it moved across the road.

In a pavilion by a hill in the outskirts of Changling, the black robed man who had a calm presence that felt dangerous, was boiling tea with a metal pot, gazing at the galloping carriages in silence.

The man in plain clothes who had watched Ink Garden along with him was washing cups. Seeing a black carriage pass, he turned to look at the man in black robes and said, “What are you thinking now?”

People’s thoughts would frequently change. While this had just been a few days, he had to confirm the man in black robe’s thoughts.

“The Min Mountain Sword Trials are about to start. What thoughts would I have?”

In the face of his seriousness, the man in black robes smiled with slight mockery. “I only hope that wineshop youth will not change his mind, and fear to even attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials.”

The middle-aged man in plain robes gazed at a carriage where the palace attendant with the surname Rong was sitting in.

People of her status could naturally enter immediately when the Min Mountain Sword Sect opened the gates. She did not have to wait outside like ordinary officials and the students of cultivation places attending the Min Mountain Sword Trials.

Yet, for some reason, she did not want to reach Min Mountain before most people. She abruptly reached out to knock gently on the carriage cabin so the driver would slow down.

Two carriages filled with cushions had been waiting long ago at the gates of Ink Garden. When Zhang Yi drove the carriage to the gates, Wang Taixu and Shen Yi were helping Xue Wangxu walk out of the gates of Ink Garden.

“Too risky.” Xue Wangxu immediately saw Ding Ning who had jumped out after Zhang Yi and said, shaking his head.

“Fight to live when in mortal danger.”

Ding Ning bowed solemnly to him and said, “This way, I no longer have to consider other possibilities and can focus more.”

Wang Taixu took a deep breath, a complicated expression in his gaze.

“A wavering attitude is frequently the most dangerous attitude,” Ding Ning seemed to have read his thoughts and said to him.

At this point, even Wang Taixu was speechless.

So, they departed.

The two comfortable carriages left Ink Garden for Min Mountain.

Translator Ramblings: My editor has told me about the ending of the Sword Dynasty TV series … I won’t spoil anything but the ending for the story is definitely different from that.