Chapter 190: The Blind Old Monk, Chen Shisan Takes a Master

Chapter 190 – The Blind Old Monk, Chen Shisan Takes a Master

Chen Changsheng’s revelation left Qian Baoer utterly speechless, her mind reeling with shock.

She had never fathomed that Chen Changsheng’s origins could be so heaven-defying.

Yet among the trio, the most composed was undoubtedly Chen Shisan.

In his eyes, Chen Changsheng was simply Chen Changsheng; his Sir was simply his Sir.

No matter what apocalyptic identity he once held, the boy’s attitude remained entirely unchanged.

To put it bluntly, he only recognized the man standing before him; the weight of his past meant nothing.

Scrape.

The iron shovel plunged into the soil, churning up damp earth tangled with withered roots and decaying leaves.

“Sir, was this person powerful?”

Chen Shisan asked casually while helping to excavate the grave.

Chen Changsheng paused. “Of course he was powerful. In a bygone era, he was a formidable rival of the Desolate Heavenly Emperor.”

“And what happened then?”

“Then he died. Otherwise, why would this grave be here?”

“This man was undeniably a titan, but the Desolate Heavenly Emperor was simply too blinding. Anyone who crossed paths with the Emperor was fated only for defeat.”

“Had he not been born into the same era as the Desolate Heavenly Emperor, he would have undoubtedly carved out a supreme legacy.”

As they spoke, Chen Changsheng’s shovel struck something solid.

Brushing away the accumulated dirt, an ancient jade coffin revealed itself.

Hauling the heavy coffin from the earth and righting the long-collapsed tombstone, Chen Changsheng commanded calmly, “Kneel.”

Thud!

Chen Shisan dropped to his knees without hesitation, while Chen Changsheng silently gazed down at the jade coffin.

“I had no desire to disturb your rest, but my hand is forced. Of all who walked this Dao, you traveled the farthest and stood the tallest.”

“I trust you can understand my bitter predicament. After all, we were once enemies.”

“If I were not at the end of my tether, why would I seek you out?”

Turning from the coffin, Chen Changsheng looked at Chen Shisan. “Kowtow. From this day forth, he is your master.”

Hearing this, Chen Shisan glanced at the decaying tombstone.

“Sir, if I am to acknowledge a master, I should at least know his name.”

“Fair enough. I shall tell you myself, but I will only say it once. Carve it into your memory.”

“The master who shall impart his sword Dao to you is the absolute peak of the Kunlun Holy Land—Great Elder Jiang Feng.”

“His sword Dao was so terrifying that even the Desolate Heavenly Emperor once had to retreat before its edge.”

“Jiang Feng was defeated by fate, not by the Desolate Heavenly Emperor. You must never forget this distinction.”

Engraving Chen Changsheng’s words into his heart, Chen Shisan respectfully kowtowed three times before Jiang Feng’s resting place, then spoke earnestly to the grave.

“Master, from Sir’s tone, it seems you two were once enemies.”

“Sir has treated me with profound grace, so I cannot assist you in seeking revenge against him.”

“However, Sir said you were defeated by fate. Therefore, one day, I shall sever fate itself with my sword to avenge you.”

Creak—

As Chen Shisan completed the solemn rite, Chen Changsheng pushed back the heavy lid of the lusterless jade coffin.

A pristine skeleton and a three-foot-long verdant blade—these were the only two items resting within.

Lifting the verdant blade from the velvet lining, Chen Changsheng solemnly pressed it into Chen Shisan’s waiting hands.

Gripping the hilt, Chen Shisan inspected the weapon meticulously.

Narrowing his eyes, he realized the blade in his grasp was fundamentally severed.

“Sir, was this sword broken?”

“Yes. This verdant blade shattered during a cataclysmic clash with an Undying Bone, but Jiang Feng later reforged it.”

“From that crucible of reforging onward, the sword in Jiang Feng’s hand never snapped again—not even when it crossed blades with the Desolate Heavenly Emperor.”

“This blade accompanied Jiang Feng to the very end of his life. Beneath the heavens, nothing understands his sword Dao more intimately than this steel.”

“How much you can glean from its edge relies entirely on your own monstrous resolve.”

Without another word, Chen Changsheng turned and began walking into the desolate distance.

Seeing him depart, Tian Xuan asked instinctively.

“Sir, where are you going?”

“I suddenly have a desire to visit an old ghost. I will be absent for a time. The three of you, continue on the journey without me.”

As the echoes of his voice faded, Chen Changsheng’s figure vanished like mist, leaving only three bewildered youths standing in the wilderness.

……

The border between the Middle Heavens and the Northern Desert.

“Old monk, come catch us!”

A swarm of village children waved a tattered kasaya in the air, taunting an emaciated, blind old monk who shouted back in exasperation.

“Wicked little demons!”

“If you persist in this torment, I will cease reciting the scriptures for you altogether!”

“Bleh! Bleh! Bleh!”

“We don’t want to hear your boring sutras anyway! I’m leaving your ragged kasaya right here. Come fetch it yourself!”

With a cheeky grin, one of the children tossed the ragged cloth atop a large boulder.

Their mischief accomplished, the pack of children instantly scattered into the village lanes.

A warm smile surfaced on the blind old monk’s weathered face. He walked proficiently toward the boulder, softly chanting a tranquil sutra.

This was a daily ritual; the stolen kasaya was invariably left in this exact spot.

The melodic hum of his chanting drifted upon the breeze, casting an aura of profound peace over the remote village.

Concluding his recitation, the old monk extended a frail hand to retrieve his kasaya.

But this time, his searching fingers grasped only empty air.

The old monk’s nose twitched slightly. A knowing smile curled his lips. “After centuries apart, your first act upon reunion is to bully a blind old monk? Does your conscience not ache?”

“Blind?”

“What an absolute joke. I wager you see the currents of the world far more clearly than anyone with eyes.”

A cool voice drifted down to the old monk’s ears.

Chen Changsheng sat perched atop the giant boulder, idly twirling the old monk’s tattered kasaya in his hands.

“Though I must admit, tracking you down was genuinely difficult.”

Hearing the voice, the old monk turned and began hobbling back toward his dilapidated thatched hut.

“Difficult to find, yet you sniffed me out all the same. I simply cannot fathom why you insist on arriving exactly at mealtime. How utterly vexing.”

The old monk grumbled continuously as he set out chipped bowls and worn chopsticks.

Two bowls of coarse grain, two pairs of chopsticks, and a single serving of cabbage boiled in clear water—this was the entirety of the old monk’s dinner.

Staring at this brutally ascetic meal, Chen Changsheng showed not a shred of disdain. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks and began devouring the food with gusto.

The old monk chewed with excruciating slowness, while Chen Changsheng ate like a starved wolf. The stark contrast between them was almost comical.

Within half the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, Chen Changsheng slammed his empty bowl down.

Watching the blind old monk meticulously chewing his cabbage, Chen Changsheng chuckled. “How did the infamous demon monk Xuan Xin regress into such a blind, hideous old bald man?”

“Back in the day, that flawless face of yours was enough to bewitch thousands of saintesses.”

The old monk smiled faintly. “It is merely a physical vessel. A sack of flesh and bone. The rot of age is an affliction every mortal must inevitably weather.”

“I am not like you. Forever youthful, forever untouched by the agonizing march of time.”

“Speak your mind. You would never cross continents to find me without a heavy burden to unburden.”

Confronted by Xuan Xin’s piercing bluntness, Chen Changsheng hesitated. “I am heading into the Northern Desert.”

“Then go. The bald donkeys residing there are utterly beneath you, and Wu Li left an inheritance waiting for your arrival.”

“I want to assault the Road to Heaven again.”

The chopsticks in Xuan Xin’s hand froze instantly.

“You… have walked the Road to Heaven before?”

“I have. But I was battered back down to the earth. Therefore, I must carve my way up once more.”