Peerless Immortal 2

Chapter 2 - A Keepsake for Shizun

Under the thundering sky, a neverending torrent of rain was currently being unleashed on the cliffside where Jiang Yinghe stood silently. 

Despite the stormy weather around him, his snow white cloak remained untouched by the elements, with not even a raindrop able to approach him. He gazed towards the impermeable clouds that surrounded the upper layers of the Typhoon Blade Cliffs (1).

His disciple was still inside…

This kind of place was meant for cultivators far beyond his level. Even if he is a genius that surpasses the heavens, there’s nothing he can possibly do when faced with such an insurmountable degree of difficulty. After all, he only entered the sect two years ago…

These two years were not easy for him. Li Huanhan had both his identity and qualifications scrutinized by not only the members of the Peng Lai Immortal Sect, but the entire cultivation world. Li Yue Zhenren (2) even came personally to inquire about this matter. She did not have the courage to directly confront Jiang Yinghe, so she could only direct her discontent to the Sect Master.

Only Jiang Yinghe truly compehended the astounding talent of his disciple. It only took him two years from the beginning of qi condensation to successfully reach the Full Circle stage (3), a feat few have accomplished in recorded history.

He was always dedicated to his training, but who would have thought that he would head straight for the Typhoon Blade Cliffs after his latest breakthrough!

The Typhoon Blade Cliffs were a training ground for inner circle sword disciples to test their mettle. Even those at the Divine Spirit or Golden Core stage were at risk of losing their lives here. This is his first time training outside, so why did he choose here?

Jiang Yinghe’s heart was filled with a multitude of emotions. This child was still young, it was enough if he knew his own limits and retreated. Even if his disciple did get hurt, nothing bad could happen because he was here.

Jiang Yinghe once again glanced at the faraway clouds out of concern. Although Li Huanhan did not say much since accepting him as his Shizun, it was clear that he was a diligent and righteous child despite having a heavenly demon physique.

The clouds dispersing in an explosion of light interrupted Jiang Yinghe’s musings. The vicious winds and raging storm immediately settled into a fresh breeze accompanied by a light drizzle. 

Did he complete it? Jiang Yinghe could not hide his surprise. The next moment, the unmistakable scent of blood coated his surroundings. A pair of dark red eyes met his.

The usually thoughtful and calm gaze now contained a trace of polar-cold wrath. Killing intent lazily drifted from a body covered in countless oozing wounds.

Li Huanhan stood in front of him.

Jiang Yinghe unconsciously moved to support the injured disciple he had waited a millenium for. He intoned in a low voice, “You do not need to pretend to be strong in front of me.”

The grey ‘A Jiang Shizun System’ at the top right corner of his vision suddenly had a blood-red ‘Han’ character (4) as well as a progress bar below it. The bar was barely filled.

Is it estimating the degree of progress he made raising his disciples? After a thousand years of cultivation, Jiang Yinghe had long calmed his heart to remain distant from worldly matters. He did not place his hope on returning home on the system, which is why this change aroused only curiosity instead of alarm.

As expected, Li Huanhan was running on fumes right now. He leaned slightly into his master’s embrace. Slowing opening his dark red eyes, a swirl of demonic energy was brewing inside.

Jiang Yinghe did not see this, he only heard his strained voice.

“Shizun,” He called out quietly, “this disciple wants to ask why you accepted him that day.”

This was something Jiang Yinghe thought he would ask about two years ago. It seems that the other had been biding his time to ascertain if it was safe before gradually letting down his guard.

Jiang Yinghe acutely grasped this point. He reached out a hand and began to stroke his disciple’s hair softly. To him, this was what a good Shizun would do at this moment.

Li Huanhan’s body stiffened, “...Shizun?”

Jiang Yinghe made a sound of acknowledgement and responded sincerely, “I chose you based on your unique aptitude.”

The person beside him was momentarily silent, “Based on the heavenly demon physique?”

“What about the heavenly demon physique?” said Jiang Yinghe, “This master believes it is a fine quality.”

Despite the weather calming down for now, it would soon pick up again in a few hours until the next person clears the peaks.

The vast expanse of clouds allowed a few streams of dawn light through to fall onto the Xianjun's snow white sleeves.

Li Huanhan stared at that spot and wordlessly smiled. It has been many years since such an expression graced his features. Never did he think a righteous immortal cultivator would describe the heavenly demon physique as ‘a fine quality’.

The people who praised it in the past only wanted to kill him and take it for themselves.

Jiang Yinghe did not notice the ambiguous undertone in the other’s gaze. He sought out that hand lined with streaks of dried blood and channeled spiritual energy through it, lightly stating, “This master’s disciples must be true sons of heaven.”

The words settled comfortably in his body along with the spiritual energy.

“Your fate is forever your own. Not even the heavens can take that from you.”

_

Li Huanhan is a cultivation maniac.

Ever since the ‘Clearing of the Typhoon Sword Peaks incident’ 38 years ago, the disciples of Peng Lai sect have been reminded again and again of this fact. He was completely merciless in progressing his cultivation, speeding through the stages at a pace that put his seniors to shame. 

Those that once said he was not worthy of being Jiang Xianjun’s disciple had their faces slapped until even their mothers wouldn’t be able to recognize them. Even the one who used to be praised as the ‘hundred year genius Cheng Zihan’ (5) was defeated with just one move from Li-shixiong (6).

...If he wasn’t Xuan Wei Xianjun’s disciple, and his techniques as polished as they were, people might have suspected he was secretly practicing the demonic way based on his progress.

But Li Huanhan couldn't care less for the opinions of others.

He raised the crimson sword in his hand and admired the fresh blood dripping from its edge. The’ senior’ who supposedly came to ‘educate’ him was knowtowing on the ground gasping out apologies while writhing like a spineless worm from his wounds.

His consideration for his Shizun’s reputation was the only reason Li Huanhan did not kill him then and there.

All the blood on the sword was swallowed into it as he flicked its body. He turned, and the surrounding disciples immediately cleared a wide path and watched with wary and fearful eyes as he left.

Only when they could no longer see his shadow did someone dare to carry the injured person to receive medical treatment. Despite the lingering fear in his heart, one disciple put up a distaining facade and said, “You dare to challenge our Peng Lai’s Li-shixiong only a hundred years after forming your golden core? Did you come here to commit suicide?”

The green-clad teen on the other side nodded, “There’s nothing impressive about a golden core. When our shixiong was just a Divine Spirit cultivator he executed someone of a higher level with ease! Go back to whichever hole you crawled out of to rebuild your golden core. It would be too troublesome to explain why a fellow comrade (7) died.”

These harsh words were spoken to discourage him due to the good reputation his Ying Zhou sect held. The person who spoke first felt his temper flare and continued, “Have you no shame coming around and causing trouble with only this much strength? At the sword conference, our Li-shixiong cut through people like you like he was chopping lettuce...”

After hearing that, the other assisting Peng Lai disciple’s face dropped, “You just had to remind me of that. Didn’t the competition within our sect turn out the same way? I almost have psychological trauma because of him…”

On the other side, Li Huanhan recalled his sword and pushed open Qing Jing Peak’s main entrance. It was already nighttime.

There was a candle lit. The wax was made from the fat of spirit beasts residing at the bottom of the ocean. One could be used for more than a century without going out. The candlelight illuminated a dais where Jiang Yinghe was currently reading.

His hair was down, with a few fine strands resting softly on his shoulders. Others circled around his white collar, giving off a sensual feeling.

Li Huanhan stared for a long time. He only moved forward and opened the candle cover when the door behind him closed automatically.

Jiang Yinghe raised his head when the light rays shifted. He saw how the flame suddenly roared to life as his disciple circled it with a finger.

Li Huanhan returned the candle cover to its place and calmly explained, “Reading in dimly lit conditions is harmful to the eyes.”

This did not improve the feelings a student should feel towards his teacher in his heart (8). Rather, Li Huanhan thought that the scene before him was truly enchanting, as if it was from a painting.

Jiang Yinghe thought that his actions were counterintuitive, but since his disciple has always been warm and attentive towards him for the past few decades, he did not have the heart to reject his care.

He set down the manual in his hand and said, “Zhangmen-shixiong informed me that the Tai Xu secret realm (9) that opens once every 60 years is about to appear. Are you willing to go there and guide your fellow disciples?”

Li Huanhan turned to glance at Jiang Yinghe, pausing at the place that seemed to shine like a star between his eyebrows.

He actually doesn’t feel any of the so-called camaraderie with any other disciple here. In fact, he did not consider himself a Peng Lai cultivator. This was just a place to further his cultivation, it was just a place to…

There was a soft light in Jiang Yinghe’s eyes. The inky black orbs that usually seemed to be submerged in cold water only had a hint of warmth when he looked at him.

Li Huanhan’s mood changed in an instant as he was pulled into a trance-like state by that person. He then quickly looked away, “Yes.”

Jiang Yinghe inclined his head. His disciple was so considerate towards his martial siblings. Although he was a man of few words, his heart was in the right place. Just now, the disciple building progress bar rose slightly and was now at 60 percent.

It seems that a good Shizun must remember to be empathetic and instill trust in their disciples to improve their mental wellbeing.

“I will also be leaving.” Jiang Yinghe thought for a moment before continuing, “Yun province thousands of li (10) away is experiencing an outbreak of ghosts. Rogue cultivators have already come to ask for assistance. I will head there with Yan-shijie (11) tomorrow.”

This Yan-shijie was Peng Lai sect’s only female Zhenren. Her title was Chang Ning.

Li Huanhan made a grunt of acknowledgement. While he was walking to Jiang Yinghe’s side, he noticed that Wangchen was placed on the originally empty mantle. He asked, “Shizun?”

“Nn?”

“Does Wangchen not have a sword pendant?”

To any sword cultivator, their sword was one of their most precious belongings. Oftentimes they would be adorned by a sword pendant made out of jade handmade by their owners. Usually Wangchen resided in Jiang Yinghe’s personal dimension, so Li Huanhan only noticed now that there were no such decorations present.

Jiang Yinghe honestly had no idea how to make that kind of thing, which is why his sword remained bare until now. He also looked over, “No. I am not skilled at making them.”

He did not intend to read anymore tonight, so Li Huanhan put out the candle he lit.

In the dark and silent room, a shadow with a familiar scent climbed into the bed.

Cultivators with the heavenly demon physique were especially prone to qi deviations due to their turbulent inner energies. Jiang Yinghe sensed that there was one such imbalance in the other’s body right now.

Li Huanhan put his hand in his, bringing with it a bit of residual warmth.

Spiritual energy poured into the other’s meridians, slowly guiding the slightly askew forces back. Jiang Yinghe recalled that his inner energies have often been out of place lately. He was about to remind him to be careful when his disciple spoke in a serious tone.

“This disciple will make a sword pendant for Shizun.” He said while shifting closer enough for Jiang Yinghe to feel a hot breath brush past his white neck, “Then Shizun will be reminded of me every time he sheaths it inside his body.”

---

Author’s Note:

Li Huanhan: ...Every time Shizun sheaths it in his body...

Sword Pendant: Don’t use that kind of phrase to describe me!!! qaq

Translator Notes:

(1) 风刀雨剑崖 - lit. 'Wind blade rain sword precipice'

(2) The mother of the guy who got rejected in chapter 1

(3) 大圆满的境地 - lit. Big circle full stage… I might go back and just change all these names to pinyin and save myself some trouble later

(4) Same character (寒) as the one in Li Huanhan's name.

(5) That guy from last chapter just can't catch a break lol

(6) Even though he may have entered the sect later, because his master has higher standing most of the other disciples have to refer to him as an elder martial brother

(7) 道友 - a cultivator of similar standing from another sect

(8) Basically he's not respectful but thirsty instead

(9) 太虚秘境 - lit. ‘Too weak secret realm’ (10) 1 里 = 0.5 km

(11) Older martial sister

I had sometime over the weekend to finish another part. Wow these chapters are long. I'm probably going to split these up and update twice a week instead (probably Tuesdays and Fridays). The author seems to really like using time skips, so it’s hard to follow at some points. Jiang Yinghe doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into lol.

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