The Exiled Swordsman

Past History

"Xiang Zhe? Are you sure this cave is safe?" 

 

"I hope it's safe. This is the last cave we encountered; there are no more caves around here. I am very confident that I will find a clue here," Xiang Zhe said very confidently. 

 

Yuanying and Xiang Zhe are now inside the third cave after overcoming various obstacles and uncovering a secret. Xiang Zhe confidently enters the cave along with Yaunying. They probe deeper into the area, but it's as quiet as they get.

The pungent smell of stone stung their sense of smell, plus there was no lighting at all inside, making it a little difficult for them to find their way.

 

"It looks like this cave is uninhabited. Unlike the previous cave, which was full of strange creatures," Xiang Zhe said as he explored the area. 

 

While Yuanying chose to scatter to find her own way, she soon came across a room that she found unfamiliar. 

 

"Oh my! Xiang Zhe! Come here!" She screamed in a low but firm voice. 

 

Xiang Zhe quickly ran over to Yuanying. He squinted his eyes and was surprised to find an old man closing his eyes limply. Without further ado, he ran over to the old man to see how he was doing. 

 

"Xiang Zhe, what are you doing? What if he's a bad guy?" Yuanying asked worriedly. 

 

"No way. Just look at his messy, unkempt appearance, and I'm sure it's all that kid's doing," Xiang Zhe said confidently. 

 

"But-"

 

The commotion made the old grandfather, who had closed his eyes tightly, open them wide. Staring at the two of them one by one with a calm and serene gaze, he smiled at Xiang Zhe for a few seconds. 

 

This made him wonder what was wrong with him. Why was the old man looking at him so intensely, and what did that smile mean? 

 

"Only a great man can penetrate Wueyang and his army. I'm so happy to meet great warriors like you; even I can't beat them," he said in a proud tone. 

 

This made Xiang Zhe even more confused. It wasn't long before the old man asked another question. 

 

"Which sect are you from?" 

 

"Zheming." 

 

Suddenly, the old man fell silent with a shocked expression on his face. "Zheming?" 

 

"Is your surname Xhuan?" He asked again. 

 

"No! My surname is Zhe," Xiang Zhe replied with a stutter. 

 

"The first jewel stoic is focused on the sun line, alongside the second stoic, so why is the third stoic in the middle of them?" 

 

"It's because the third energy of the first and second stoic stars is diametrically opposed. If there is no third stoic, it will be destroyed by sunlight," he replied firmly. 

 

The grandfather smiled wryly. Apparently his guess was right; no one can lie to him when he has applied the ancestral method. Xiang Zhe was trapped in an ancestral question by this old grandfather. 

 

"Call me Yhuxuan, grandfather! Xhuan was a warrior in his time, and apparently he has given birth to a very great son like you. What is your name, young man?" 

 

"Xiang Zhe. How did you know my father's name? You seem to know something about my father." 

 

"Xhuan was my disciple's son. But the sect's oath is that all disciples must be able to build their own sects for the future, so all disciples leave grandfather after they succeed, including your father."

 

"I used to hear that your father had succeeded in establishing a sect and even a martial arts storehouse. But unfortunately, jealousy destroyed all of your father's hard work and efforts; he was frustrated, gave up, disappointed, and angry with this fate of betrayal. After the great battle for the martial arts storehouse, I never saw your father again," he explained. 

 

"The martial arts storehouse? Since when did my father have it? So is the martial arts storehouse still there?" Xiang Zhe asked curiously. 

 

"I don't know. It passed into the hands of an irresponsible sect leader a long time ago. I don't know the fate of the martial arts storehouse after the change of leadership."

"Grandfather, I actually came to this valley to find out about my dark past. And the history of my exile, my fate is almost the same as my father's, I don't know why people hate me so much," he explained to his grandfather. 

 

But the grandfather only returned Xiang Zhe's complaint with a smile. This made Xiang Zhe even more curious about the big secret of the dark past. 

 

"It is an oath that all Xhuan descendants will not be able to establish a sect. The hatred for your father is so high that they will do anything to destroy him and his future descendants. It's an ancestral oath!" 

 

Xiang Zhe sighed softly. "But what did my father do wrong for everyone to hate him? Was he a bad person? So he was ostracized?" 

 

"Your father was a good person. He possessed an inherited power that could bring him real immortality. He was a great cultivator who was able to build a martial arts storehouse with many great things in it. One of them is the Book of Yin and Yang which has been mastered to the level of the nine black peaks!" 

 

"And that ancestral power was apparently passed down to you." 

 

"So why are you being punished? And who is punishing grandfather here?" Xianh Zhe asked finally solving his curiosity. 

 

"Wueyang, the deformed youth who was banished by his father. They will take all the elders to kill so that there will be no more sects in this world. Even the next target is his own father who is the leader of the sect. So I suggest you be careful not to let that young man know that you have a sect," 

 

"But it's too late brother, the Zheming sect I founded was destroyed by an irresponsible army. I was frustrated, and went to the forbidden valley to find out what caused my exile until finally everything was answered here. Because of my ancestors for generations," he replied satisfied after getting all the answers. 

 

"If you live in the valley of darkness then what about your father? Did he come? Where is he now? I want to meet him, I have a mandate to deliver." 

 

Xiang Zhe instantly fell silent. "Father died ten years ago from poison without leaving any will."

 

The grandfather seemed to be shocked by this fact. The face that was originally excited was now weak and helpless. 

 

"What's a will, Grandpa? After father passed away all the responsibilities and dreams were mine to fight for. If you wish, I will definitely fight for you." 

 

"I want you to reclaim the martial arts warehouse and defend the sect you've built!" 

 

"But how?" 

 

"All these years I have lived in the torment of eternity. I was finally able to deliver my pending mandate and dream to you. Now I can leave in peace!" 

 

Continued...