Volume I: The Ethereal Palace Chapter 122: Telepathy

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Chapter 122: Telepathy

As Dengtu Lang’s clone dissipated at the end, it revealed some of the gourd’s secrets to Zhou Hao. Yet even those secrets were incomplete, for not even Dengtu Lang, despite having reached the peak of the Great Immortal realm in his day, had managed to uncover the origin of the yellow-skinned gourd.

In fact, it was not only he who had sought the gourd’s origins. Every previous master of the gourd had tried to discover where it came from, hoping to cultivate the Severing the Void Sword Art to perfection. That represented the supreme realm of swordsmanship!

The Severing the Void Sword Art was one of the four great sword arts of the Immortal Domain, standing at the very summit of the pyramid that was the history of swordsmanship there. That single reputation was enough to make countless cultivators fight tooth and nail, even to the death. And the yellow-skinned gourd—also known as the Severing the Void Gourd—was the sword art’s sole vessel. There was only one such treasure in all the world.

Some claimed that the sword art had originally been the invincible sword intent nurtured within the gourd itself. After endless years, that sword intent had transformed into the symbols of tiny golden swords, forming the sword art.

Others said that, many eras ago, an unparalleled expert had planted a gourd seed. When the gourd finally grew and bore fruit, he had refined it into a heaven-reaching treasure. Before his death, the expert engraved his own swordsmanship onto the gourd’s inner wall, hoping that someone fated to inherit it would master the sword art and become the successor to his path of the sword.

There were also those who claimed that the gourd had come from the most mysterious of the Nine Immortal Domains—the Primordial Immortal Domain. It was a strange and wondrous place, and rumor had it that even Immortal Kings were unqualified to enter. Since the gourd’s origins were unknowable, it seemed only natural that it should be connected to the Primordial Immortal Domain.

In short, there were countless theories concerning the origins of the gourd and the sword art, and none could be entirely trusted. Yet one thing was certain: the gourd’s true origins were extraordinary beyond imagination. This was what every master of the gourd had passed on to the next. The gourd was a legacy treasure that had been handed down through the ages, with origins greater than the heavens themselves. If one cultivated the sword art to completion, one would naturally become an unparalleled expert and come to understand the gourd’s true origins.

The name Severing the Void meant precisely that—to sever and shatter the void. Once the sword art was unleashed, an invisible sword intent would condense within the void, instantly breaking space and killing across any distance. Such a technique was utterly astonishing. One could only imagine how agonizing it would be to be hunted by someone who had mastered the sword art. There would be nowhere to flee. The Void Dimensional Slash Zhou Hao had used against Luo Tianyi earlier was an example of this, though the circumstances at the time had greatly reduced the sword art’s power.

At that moment, Zhou Hao had been driven into a desperate predicament. His Golden Heavy Pupils were not helping him at all. On the contrary, they had attracted an endless sword intent that stabbed at him like countless needles.

His consciousness was immersed in a vast ocean of sword aura, suffering the most terrible agony of ten thousand swords piercing his heart. The pain was even more intense than physical pain. Several times, it had caused him to lose consciousness. Each time he awoke, he felt that his consciousness had grown weaker, as though it might dissipate at any moment.

One had to understand that consciousness was different from the physical body. After becoming an immortal, one need not worry too much about the destruction of the body. Immortals could regrow severed limbs and even reconstruct their physical forms. But consciousness was spirit, like the wick inside a candle. Without the wick, how could the candle continue to burn?

“I cannot die yet. I must become stronger. I must ascend to the summit of the immortal path. That is my ideal. I absolutely cannot die before achieving it.”

The sword aura slowly eroded Zhou Hao’s consciousness. His originally powerful and solid spiritual force became increasingly indistinct. The sensation was like drowsiness overtaking him, as though he were about to drift into a dream. But he did not want to sleep. He held on, forcing himself to remain awake.

This was a prison of the spirit, as well as a battle of wills!

Outside, in the Cloudmist Immortal Palace, it was already well into the second half of the night. The bright moon hung high, stars glittered faintly, and heaven and earth lay in tranquil silence.

The main mountain of Cloudmist faced the twelve moons in the sky. Moonlight flowed down like water, sprinkling every corner of the mountaintop as gently as a lover caressing a cheek.

On the sword-practice plaza, the Tortoise and the Azure Serpent had already fallen asleep in one another’s embrace. Xiao Shanshan and Huohua had also entered dreamland, leaning back-to-back. Yu Nan, however, remained seated cross-legged. Although her eyes were tightly shut, her divine sense remained locked onto the yellow-skinned gourd floating in midair.

Suddenly, Huohua awoke from her dream. The first thing she did after opening her eyes was look toward the gourd. Anxiously, she said, “I dreamed that Zhou Hao was being pierced through the heart by ten thousand swords. He was about to die! What should we do?”

Yu Nan was startled awake by Huohua’s voice and also looked toward the gourd. “Perhaps something really has happened to Zhou Hao inside the gourd. I want to go in and see what is happening!”

Huohua quickly stopped her and shook her head. “No. The Tortoise said that the gourd recognizes only its master. You cannot enter. You would only be injured by the sword aura.”

With that, Huohua kicked the Tortoise, who was sleeping beside her like a dead pig. The fellow had even hidden inside his shell while sleeping, fearing for his life.

The kick did nothing. The shell merely rocked, and the Tortoise inside did not awaken in the slightest.

Huohua immediately flew into a rage. She kicked again, sending the shell high into the air hundreds of meters away. The shell tore through the clouds and mist, leaving the ground behind, then dropped straight back to its original position.

Astonishingly, the Tortoise continued sleeping soundly, without the slightest sign of waking.

“You forced me into this!”

Huohua gnashed her teeth. The Tortoise was simply too hateful. He had tricked Zhou Hao into entering the gourd, and now Zhou Hao’s life or death was uncertain, yet the fellow could still sleep peacefully. If anything happened to Zhou Hao, she would strip that tortoise shell from him herself.

Huohua then made her move. She held the fist-sized Tortoise in her left hand and extended only one slender index finger with her right. Beneath the moonlight, the finger gleamed like white jade. In the next instant, however, a crimson flame rose from its tip.

Sizzle, sizzle!

Huohua aimed her finger at the opening beneath the shell, precisely where the Tortoise’s tail was located. The flame burrowed into the opening. At once, the sound of something burning came from within, followed by an enticing aroma.

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“Ah… hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot! I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die! I’m being burned to death!”

With a whoosh, all five of the Tortoise’s limbs shot out. He rocketed into the sky from Huohua’s hand. His dark little head had turned red, while his tail was charred black as coal.

“You finally decided to wake up? You damned tortoise bastard! This is all your fault. Zhou Hao really is in trouble now, and you have to take full responsibility!”

Huohua pointed at the Tortoise in the sky and cursed him.

“You vicious little wench! You’ve burned my tail several times in a row. Do you really think I’m roast meat?”

The Tortoise cursed back furiously, his eyes practically spitting fire.

“You bastard, you’re absolutely right. Today I intend to roast you as meat, and even that won’t be enough to soothe my fury!”

Huohua grew angrier the more she cursed.

“You really think I’m a soft persimmon you can squeeze whenever you please just because I haven’t shown my strength? I once swore that I would never hit a woman. But I’ve made countless oaths in my life, because I never keep them!”

The Tortoise answered viciously.

Boom!

Huohua launched a blazing fireball. Its roaring flames surged into the sky. Seeing this, the Tortoise hurriedly became a turtle once more, retracting his head and limbs. His shell descended vertically and collided with the fireball from the opposite direction.

The fireball cracked apart, transforming into hundreds and thousands of fiery droplets that flew in every direction.

“You’ve already attacked me. Now let this little wench experience the might of my Tyrant King Fist!”

Just before he landed, the Tortoise extended his head and limbs. In the blink of an eye, his body expanded until he stood a meter tall.

He swung his arms and drew back both fists. Black ripples appeared throughout the surrounding void, while the gravity of the space around him grew heavier and heavier. Cracks even began to appear on the surface of the blue-green stone beneath his feet.

These paving stones were made from special material reputed to withstand a strike from a Golden Immortal. Yet cracks had now appeared in them. It was astonishing enough to leave anyone speechless.

Huohua naturally saw that the Tortoise’s punch was extraordinary, but the mockery on her lips only intensified.

“Turtle Fist? It certainly suits you. I’d like to see whether your Turtle Fist is as hard as your shell.”

Boom!

The Tortoise’s round eyes fixed upon the petite figure before him. He threw a straight punch. In an instant, the void trembled with a thunderous roar, and a black fist imprint shot forward.

Wherever it passed, it was as though ten thousand mountains were pressing down. A long mark appeared across the stone plaza, cracks spreading and intertwining. If the paving stones had not been so astonishingly sturdy, the plaza would likely have been carved into a long, narrow trench.

The black fist imprint came roaring forward, and space itself began to tremble and destabilize under the force of the immense gravity. If Huohua were struck by that punch, it was difficult to imagine whether she could survive.

But Huohua did not simply wait for death. She could sense the punch’s terrifying power, yet she had also seen its weakness: it was not fast enough. At such a speed, it could never strike an expert at the Golden Immortal realm.

“Void Evasion!”

Although the Tyrant King Fist lacked speed, it had another advantage. The instant it was unleashed, the gravity of the surrounding space became monstrously powerful, slowing movement and making flight impossible. The attack’s range was enormous, so Huohua could not easily avoid it through ordinary evasion. In the end, she had only one option.

The black fist imprint howled past, crushing through the void like ten thousand mountains. Its heavy detonation reverberated throughout heaven and earth, awakening everyone in the Cloudmist Immortal Palace.

“Ah, why did you make me do this? Why? Why force your Grandpa Tortoise to take action? But don’t worry. I haven’t used all my strength yet. You little wench won’t die. Consider it a lesson. This Immortal Tortoise is someone to be respected. Don’t go challenging my dignity whenever you please!”

The Tortoise gazed at the plaza ahead, where smoke and dust rolled through the air.

“Wife, you’re awake. Sorry for disturbing you, but I had no choice. I was sleeping so peacefully, and then this thoughtless little girl started making such a racket. I merely taught her a small lesson.”

The Tortoise then turned his gaze toward the Azure Serpent, who had been awakened by the commotion.

The Azure Serpent said nothing. Her eyes were filled with sympathy. She merely pointed her tail behind him, indicating that he should turn around and look.

The Tortoise was puzzled. When he turned his head, a crimson figure entered his view. Huohua stood prettily in the middle of the plaza, blinking her large, innocent-looking eyes at him.

Their gazes met.

Big eyes stared into small eyes.

But the confrontation lasted only two seconds. In the next instant, Huohua’s eyes curved into crescents, and she raised her hand with a beaming smile.

“Teach me a lesson, teach me a lesson, teach me a lesson… You’re going to teach me a lesson? Huh? You’re going to teach me a lesson? I’ll slap you until you die, you little bastard! You did something wrong and still refuse to repent. I didn’t beat you hard enough last time, did I?”

The very first slap left the Tortoise dazed. His tortoise head was instantly beaten into something resembling a pig’s. Huohua raised her delicate hand and began administering punishment by palm-slapping him.

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“Miss… Miss Heroine, spare me! Please stop! I can barely feel that I even have a head anymore! I know I was wrong! I was wrong! I admit everything!”

“Who was it just now who wanted to teach me a lesson?”

“Miss Heroine, you are magnanimous and do not hold a grudge against a lowly creature like me. Please spare me! I was wrong. I should never have provoked you!”

“Answer me. I dreamed that Zhou Hao was being pierced through the heart by ten thousand swords and was about to die. What does that mean?”

“Thoughts by day become dreams by night!”

“What did you say?”

Huohua seized the Tortoise by his tiny neck.

“Cough, cough, cough… Help me! I can’t breathe! What I… meant was that you… you and he share… a telepathic connection. When he encounters… danger, you naturally sense it. Conversely… if you encounter danger, he will sense it as well.”

The Tortoise’s face and neck reddened as he spoke in broken, halting breaths.

Huohua loosened her grip slightly. “Then what should we do now? How can we save him?”

“This is something he must experience. The gourd can temper him. As long as he passes its trial, he will become stronger and learn the immortal art of traversing barriers.”

“In the end, it’s all because of you, you damned tortoise! You just had to tell him to learn some immortal art for traversing barriers. You pushed Zhou Hao into a near-death predicament. If he dies, you’ll be buried with him!”

Huohua tightened her grip around the Tortoise’s neck once more.

“Help… Help…”

The Tortoise flailed all four limbs and rolled his eyes upward.

Huohua casually tossed the nearly suffocated Tortoise aside. Then she suddenly thought of something. Her body transformed into a streak of light that shot toward the gourd.

Yu Nan immediately shouted, “Huohua, don’t!”

But Huohua continued flying toward the mouth of the gourd. Strangely, no white sword aura burst from the opening to engulf her.

Just like that, Huohua rushed into the gourd.

Yu Nan was utterly astonished. She hurriedly tried to fly in as well, but contrary to her wishes, sword aura now filled the mouth of the gourd, carrying a chilling murderous intent that blocked all who approached. Yu Nan had no choice but to retreat.

“How can this be? Huohua can enter, so why can’t you, Senior Sister?”

Xiao Shanshan had already awakened. Her expression was identical to Yu Nan’s, filled with confusion.

The Azure Serpent looked at the yellow-skinned gourd floating in midair, then at the Tortoise lying to one side and gasping for breath. She said softly, “I fear that Miss Huohua and Young Master Zhou Hao share an extraordinary relationship. There must be some special connection between them. The Tortoise just said that the two of them have telepathy. Miss Huohua must have realized this and decided to try entering the gourd.”

“An extraordinary relationship? What kind of relationship is that? Such a relationship can actually allow her to enter the gourd unharmed. Senior Sister, do you know what it is?”

Xiao Shanshan turned to Yu Nan.

Yu Nan merely shook her head. She stared at the gourd in the sky, lost in thought. A trace of resolve and determination flashed through her beautiful eyes.

Before long, dawn broke. The moon faded from sight, and ten blazing suns rose from the eastern horizon, pouring forth boundless radiance that illuminated the heavens, earth, rivers, and mountains.

“Zhou Hao, Huohua, you must both return safely!”

Facing the rising sun, Yu Nan offered her quiet prayer with a faint smile.

Behind her, Xiao Shanshan shouted the same words at the top of her voice, as though speaking louder would allow the entire world to hear their prayer.

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