This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable Chapter 1764 10: Mingyue Shining in the Sky (Part 3)

"But..." Martial Emperor Juque clenched his fists, his voice tinged with a deep, unutterable frustration. "Why can he achieve success so effortlessly? Could it be that our Human Race's cultivation system is inferior to that of the Demon Race?"

When the Human Race ascends, they face the baptism of Heaven's Gate to reach the Ancestral Realm. In contrast, the Demon Race ascends directly to the Saint Realm without such obstacles.

From this perspective, it certainly seems unfair.

"The Ancestral Realm and the Saint Realm are not the same in essence, though they may be equal in status," Qi Butian stated softly. "There is no need for excessive pessimism. Do we not still have hope?"

Hearing this, Martial Emperor Juque seemed to recall that sliver of hope, a faint light rekindling in his eyes.

Even if that hope appeared exceedingly slim to him, it was still a light, a beacon.

When one is driven to the brink of madness by overwhelming darkness, even the faintest glimmer of light becomes desperately needed.

And at this precise moment, a faint glimmer appeared.

Piercing through the dense demonic clouds that obscured even the sun, a crescent moon emerged, casting its gentle lunar luminescence upon the world.

"Never see daylight..." Qi Butian gazed skyward, murmuring to himself. "But, is that not a bright moon hanging high above?"

.......

Qing State.

Although Qing State spans thirty thousand miles, the martial world itself occupies merely a corner. Yet, it is said that a wind can rise from the edge of a blade of grass, and waves can form from the subtlest ripples.

Deep within the mountains, at the mouth of a cave overgrown with vines.

Lu Qingshan stood at the entrance.

Qin Yitian remained behind him, just as she always did.

Lu Qingshan's gaze lifted to the bright moon suspended in the night sky.

Years ago, as he departed from this Corpse Refining Cave, the very first thing he saw was this same bright moon.

Now, years later, having traversed a long and arduous path and weathered countless storms, little seemed to have changed here. The same bright moon still resided high in the heavens.

Qingshan endures the wind and rain; how can the bright moon belong to different lands?

Lu Qingshan gently pushed aside the clinging vines and entered.

The Corpse Refining Cave had long been deserted, its entrance now choked with weeds.

He pressed onward, deeper into the mountain, until he reached a secluded chamber within the cave.

Within this chamber lay a pool, neither particularly deep nor shallow, but it had been dry for a considerable time.

Returning after such a long absence, Lu Qingshan was not here merely to revisit old memories. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

"This is where I originated, my place of birth," Lu Qingshan stated, gesturing towards the parched pool. This revelation, a secret Qin Yitian had never known, left her astonished. She found it hard to comprehend how her master could have emerged from a pool rather than a mother's womb.

He continued, his words slightly disjointed, "In my homeland, there is a well-known saying: 'Never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission.' So..."

"Yet, I still... do not know what to do," he finally confessed.

Despite their profound understanding and an almost unimaginable tacit connection, Qin Yitian found herself uncertain at that moment. Was he confessing his ignorance on how to fulfill his mission, or was he questioning the correctness of his current chosen path?

He had relinquished Heavenly River City to Qi Butian.

He had set aside Guangling Pass.

He had left behind the increasingly brutal and bloody conflict between the Dao and the Demon Race.

He had not even returned to Yumen Pass, where he had single-handedly sustained Xia Daoyun through sheer willpower.

Once there was Li Qiubai, who remained in seclusion for ten thousand years and never set foot in Chang'an. Now, Lu Qingshan seemed destined for a similar fate, making comparable choices.

Such choices invariably brought comparable hardships.

However, this did not imply a lack of responsibility on Lu Qingshan's part. It simply meant he bore a burden of responsibility far greater than any ordinary individual could carry.

A responsibility so immense that it might even overwhelm the shoulders of the Ninth Tribulations Sword Immortal.

Unless he could ascend another level.

But how was that final step to be taken?

That was truly a question demanding deep and prolonged contemplation.

As he pondered, the thunderous roar of the Dao and Demon War and the great tribulation facing the Human Race continued to advance.

.......

Within the culture of the Human Race, a person's name often carries significant origins or meanings, particularly for those who are not minor figures.

Consider Chu Mu, known as the Shepherd God of Ascension.

Consider Xie Qingyun, who rode the clear clouds away...

Qingshan, indeed, evokes beautiful imagery.

It represents the highest, the most steadfast, the most reliable presence, cherished in countless literary works and poems throughout history, imbued with manifold meanings.

Yet, regardless of how many interpretations it holds, its fundamental essence remains unchanged.

Storms gather, and Qingshan stands resolutely before them.

This is its intrinsic nature.