343: Chapter 216: Eternally on the Same Stage, He Alone is the Talent_2 343: Chapter 216: Eternally on the Same Stage, He Alone is the Talent_2 Reading through the entire letter, aside from the first sentence that still carried some information, the rest was all criticism of his sloppy lifestyle.
It implored him to eat well, dress warmly, repair the house, take good care of himself, and so on.
Over thousands of words, the image of a nagging Cloth Daoist leaped off the page.
Gu Wen smiled knowingly and put away the letter, then headed back into the house on his own.
Ao Heng and Baidi Xun, the two demons, knowing they were not welcome, bowed slightly and then swiftly left through Flying Escape.
After traveling over ten miles, they couldn’t help but look back toward the courtyard and sigh.
Now relegated to losers, but the true talents of their world preferred to see how far those who had defeated them could go.
The heavens may be jealous of geniuses, but talent does not envy talent.
—————–
In Daxia’s thirty-fifth year, the successor of the Blood Demon Sect, He Qing, possessing an eighty-six level cultivation base, was also hopeful of becoming a Venerable.
In casual conversation, Gu Wen learned that the other was from the Demon Cave, where the local customs were simple and straight, with common occurrences of murder and plunder, and where sightings of neither human nor ghost-like evil cultivators were not uncommon.
Someone like him, who never killed indiscriminately, was considered a great good person.
In the same year, June, Nie Fan, currently ranked twelfth on the human list, came for a visit; his cultivation base was seventy-seven levels, a True Monarch unimpeded.
Learning that the other was from Xuanhuang Continent, a land of the righteous, where many knights-errant could be found, and where the citizens lived a peaceful and happy life—this was once a landing place for Gu Wen of the Yuqing Sect.
In Daxia’s thirty-sixth year, Li Rongyun from the Qi Sect, ranked seventh on the land list, came for a visit.
They didn’t have much of a relationship, merely an acquaintance, but they still enjoyed a lengthy conversation.
Gu Wen learned the other was from Yunlei Continent, a holy land for the cultivation of Thunder Skills.
That year, many Sword Cultivators from Luodu, whom he had met casually, came to visit in groups.
With so many people came various gossip, yet Gu Wen still made an effort to note down all the places they came from beyond the heavens, for convenience in case he traveled there or made a visit, or used them as travel guides.
In Daxia’s thirty-seventh year, Xiao Yunyi came for a visit.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xiao Yunyi didn’t sit down to catch up; instead, he looked at the dilapidated house and began to help repair it.
The sound of hammering echoed through the courtyard as Gu Wen lay on a bamboo chair, his Daoist robe patched so many times he had lost count, yet he was still unwilling to replace it with a new one.
He held a book in his hand, filled with abundant tales from beyond the heavens.
“Brother Xiao, are there any beautiful sights at Broken Sword Mountain?”
From the eaves, Xiao Yunyi poked his head out and replied, “Not so much beautiful sights, but there are plenty of wonders.
The Sword Mountain that towers tens of thousands of feet high, the forging furnaces that rival mountains in size, and the sight of tens of thousands of Sword Cultivators performing their morning Sword Control drills—the place welcomes cultivators from all over every year.”
“However, none of this compares to Three Pure Mountain, soaring into the Nine Heavens, a tiger watching over all tribes.”
Gu Wen wrote this down; writing was just a hobby for him as he was able to form deep memories of everything in his mind.
He mused, “If only I had been born outside the heavens and entered a sect in my youth.”
Xiao Yunyi said, “Brother Gu, you have become an Immortal now, the object of envy and admiration of countless cultivators, why belittle yourself?”
Over the years, it had almost become a standard practice for all the geniuses preparing to leave the Immortal Land to visit Gu Wen.
The reason was quite mundane—when people would talk about heroes of the past and present, Gu Wen would certainly be among the top few.
And if they didn’t see him today, they might never have another chance.
Because everyone was convinced that Gu Wen would die in the Immortal Land.
“Life varies from person to person; becoming an Immortal doesn’t conflict with joining a sect in one’s youth.”
“That’s also true.”
It took three days, but Xiao Yunyi repaired Gu Wen’s house inside and out, adding many new pieces of furniture.
His swordsmanship revealed exceptionally delicate carpentry skills.
He said, “Were it not for everything turning mundane in the Immortal Land, I could have built you a house that would last a thousand years.”
Gu Wen, looking at his house now completely renewed, expressed his great satisfaction, “This should be enough for me to use for a few more decades.”
A wooden house doesn’t last long, at least for him, as often it would fall apart in the blink of an eye.
“When are you leaving, Brother Xiao?”
“Three years later, I’ll stay until Immortal Land closes.”
Xiao Yunyi stopped, and for Gu Wen, who had lived alone for many years, having a companion was a joy.
He eagerly engaged Xiao Yunyi in discussions of the Dao, but when the latter couldn’t keep up with his pace, he switched to teaching instead.
He painstakingly taught him the True Sword Dao, enabling him to take the final half step that he himself had never completed.
—————–
As the cycles of spring and autumn revolved, three more years passed.
On the winter solstice, Nanshui was without snow.
The gloomy weather, devoid of light, made people shiver in the biting cold wind.
In the midst of an inexplicable throbbing, all cultivators felt an urgency to leave, as their lifespans slipped away like sand.
As Xiao Yunyi and Gu Wen stepped out of their abode, the former couldn’t help but sigh upon seeing this.
The opportunities in Immortal Land were nearing their end, and the law that returned all beings to mortality would soon reach its peak, compounded by the calamity of lifespan.
Even Demi Immortals lingering here would die, and this was originally a tribulation meant for Qingcang.
“Brother Xiao, it’s time to go.”
Gu Wen’s expression remained unchanged as he patted him on the shoulder.
Xiao Yunyi’s face showed sorrow as he asked, “After this departure, will we meet again?”
“We will.”
Gu Wen nodded calmly and assuredly.
Boom, boom, boom!
A faint light broke through the dim sky; then, as if a pair of invisible hands tore the heavens apart, a narrow gap spanned thousands of miles, revealing the Nine Heavens beyond.
A Rainbow Bridge slowly arched across, connecting Immortal Land with the heavens.
“Go.”
Xiao Yunyi looked back three times with each step he took, then mounted his sword, turning into a streak of light and swiftly departed, almost as if he were fleeing.
Gu Wen stood in the courtyard, looking up at the sky where countless streaming lights reflected in his tranquil eyes.
From all directions, countless bright lights soared into the sky.
They were the favored children of the heavens, flying high as if carps leaping through Dragon Gate, able at that moment alone to ascend to the Nine Heavens without achieving immortality.
Yet, the only young immortal of this generation stood amidst the mud, entwined by countless chains of white jade energy, circling round and round.
Atop the Rainbow Bridge, numerous favored children stood tall, with beings from both the human and demon realms converging.
They turned back for one last glance at the narrow world below their feet.
Most likely, they would never return.
“Welcome the heaven-sent geniuses into the city!”
At the end of the Rainbow Bridge, a booming voice rang out.
The gates of Two Realms City slowly opened.
People entered in succession, and in an instant, the world was awash with mystical lights and countless cheers and flowers.
The elders of the various sects looked at their accomplished geniuses with beaming smiles, bragging and flattering each other, truly a feast of the heavens’ favored.
“This is the pride of our clan; that is the Saint Heir of our sect; they are heaven-sent geniuses, rare across the ages.”
Countless accolades overwhelmed them and elevated them to stand before the Heavenly List for humans, Earth, and heavens.
They looked up to see two galvanized words at the top of the list.
The voice of Wu Kong, loud enough to traverse countless miles, rang out clearly:
“Number one on the Human List, Gu Wen.”
“Number one on the Earth List, Gu Wen.”
“Number one on the Heavenly List, Gu Wen.”
After these words, Wu Kong’s voice faded away, and he didn’t continue to read the names of the many other talented individuals.
In an instant, those bathed in praise and flowers were jolted awake.
The three stone tablets seemed to transform into an ordinary-looking man who glanced back at them briefly.
The so-called favored children of heaven were just embellishments to the moon.
When will the bright moon emerge, and when will the drifting clouds disperse?