This jade pendant was completely purple, like the purple of the horizon at sunrise! It made people feel as if the peculiar purple color was otherworldly.
At the moment the jade was revealed on Meng Chao Ran’s hand, it was exposed to the sunlight and emitted a thousand rays of incredible brilliance, as if all the purples in heaven and earth were gathered there!
This was, indeed, a very valuable piece of jade!
With just one glance, Chu Yang had come to that conclusion. In his previous life, he had traveled everywhere under the heavens and have seen many extraordinary treasures. He had also seen countless jade masterpieces. But there were few that were comparable to that small jade pendant.
Meng Chao Ran whispered, “This piece of gemstone is pure purple jade essence. Even though it is somewhat small, it is an extremely pure piece of jade essence. This type of pure purple jade essence is hard to find even in a thousand years. You have to have a thousand pieces of the best jade to compare to the value of this one! It takes the pure purple jade over a thousand years to form a piece of jade essence!”
Meng Chao Ran turned around. “This piece of pure purple jade essence is priceless! When I found you, this gem was worn on a cord around your neck.”
His gaze was like electric current driving into Chu Yang’s face, making Chu Yang feel like his face was burning.
Chu Yang’s throat twitched. It suddenly felt dry. He put out his hands and received this priceless piece of pure purple jade essence. His strong arms suddenly became shaky. This piece of gemstone is the only link to my true identity.
“In the middle of the gemstone, there is the word Chu,” Meng Chao Ran said unhurriedly, “The surface of the jade essence is without a single blemish. On the inside, there appeared such a word. The level of cultivation needed to achieve this, even if Master chased after on a horse, I would not be able to reach it! The word Chu is either your first name or your last name.”
“When I carried you away and climbed up the mountain, the color of the sky suddenly became clear, just as the night was over and the sun slowly appeared…”
He paused a moment, then continued, “Just like right now. The sun had just come up. Like the sincere emotion of my entire life. I immediately named you Chu Yang.” (TLN: Yang means sun, also Meng Chao Ran waxes lyrically way too much)
There was slight bitterness in his voice. The tone remained calm, but it seemed as if an old emotion suddenly was brought to mind.
“I hope that you will not let the name Chu Yang down. As well as not letting down this piece of pure purple jade essence.”
Meng Chao Ran took a deep breath. His emotions once again settled.
“Your background surely cannot be ordinary. If you had continued to be ordinary like before, then I wouldn’t have given you the jade! But strangely enough, I had hoped that you would continue to be ordinary like that for the rest of your life.”
Meng Chao Ran whispered, “I had hoped that you would be able to go through your days in peace.”
He did not turn his head, but his eyes were filled with emotions. Like a suffering father who can only hope that his son will live a peaceful life and not dare have some distant dreams of great wealth and privilege.
Great wealth and power often have proportional dangers. No parents want their children to endure any sorts of danger.
Chu Yang quietly listened and did not interrupt. But in his heart a storm was emerging.
Hearing Meng Chao Ran’s words, Chu Yang cannot cease to wonder. At first, it seemed to be just a little narrative about Chu Yang’s life alone, but he can hear from those words that there were some hidden information.
From a piece of valuable purple jade, rare in this world. The writing was carved inside but the surface is undamaged. Pure purple jade is inherently difficult to damage by swords as well as force of internal energy… This is pure purple jade essence, it is obviously a lot harder.
Even a Revered Martial Artist would have difficulty engraving it, let alone the fact the surface was undamaged and the engraving is inside.
Perhaps it was carved by someone with King or Majesty level? Or even higher cultivation than that?
Such a precious item was too rare in this world to be found around a baby’s neck. And why was that baby thrown away? What secrets were hidden behind this story?
My identity is shrouded in an endless rolling fog… If I want to melt away this fog, I would have to put in just as much effort. Since this was carved by someone sixteen years ago, his cultivation level must be Majesty or higher…
Chu Yang bit his lips; his gaze became calm. It is possible that I was not discarded. There must be some reason behind all of this.
This line of thought was like warm sun rays that warmed the frost in his heart, making his mind peaceful once again.
He slowly clenched his hand, securing the Pure Purple Jade Essence inside his fist.
The jade essence was smooth and cold, but under the force of Chu Yang hand something strange happened. The energy inside his body began to automatically flow. When coming into contact with the jade essence a strange warmth emanated from the palm of his hand and entered the meridians, making Chu Yang’s entire body warm… All the exhaustion from the days of cultivation suddenly dissipated!
Chu Yang was overcome. He abruptly looked at Meng Chao Ran.
“Your feeling is correct.” Meng Chao Ran smiled, “This piece of pure purple jade essence can help restore martial power with the fastest speed. It may have other properties as well. You must guard it carefully! However, you should not depend on it too much.”
“Yes!”
Chu Yang’s eyes were filled with appreciation. With a treasure like this on hand, one can indeed cultivate day and night. Martial power will obviously advance very quickly. Regardless of whose hand the gemstone falls into, that person would probably keep it for their own.
If Meng Chao Ran did not reveal this, Chu Yang would have gone through his entire life without ever knowing. Even if it was placed in front of him, he would not know that this was the link to his identity.
But Meng Chao Ran had quietly guarded it for sixteen years to return it to its owner today.
Meng Chao Ran’s sentiment was rare in this world.
For Chu Yang, this gesture of Meng Chao Ran was many times more precious than the Pure Purple Essence Jade!
When Meng Chao Ran said not to be too reliant on the gemstone, Chu Yang also understood. Without the feeling of exhaustion, the body will not be able to get to its extreme limit. For a martial artist, only in being able to feel the extreme limit can one break beyond the current level.
Meng Chao Ran said slowly, “Based on this jade pendant, I can say that if you are not from a family of great wealth then at the least a powerful one! Before your power is fully developed, you should not be concerned about this. It might bring disaster upon you! If such an unfortunate thing were to happen, I fear all of Beyond the Heavens Sect will not be able to save your life! You must remember that!”
“Yes, I will keep your words in mind.”Chu Yang earnestly agreed. Ever since he saw this pure purple jade essence, he already had the same thought.
“One of master’s biggest wishes in life is to bring glory to Beyond the Heavens Sect! And protect Beyond the Heavens Sect!” Meng Chao Ran said solemnly, “You already have an aspiration to become powerful, so please help me protect Beyond the Heavens Sect and take care of it well!”
“Yes!” Chu Yang responded to this request with a nod. Others might not know, but Chu Yang was quite clear on the impending tragedy that would fall upon Beyond the Heavens Sect in four years. Today, in accepting, he has shouldered this burden.
Currently, with his poor cultivation, it would be almost impossible to take on this responsibility even if he tried a hundred thousand times more than others.
Anyway, I now have my first goal in life!
It is Beyond the Heavens Sect!
Once Beyond the Heavens Sect is freed from this tragedy, I will traverse under the heavens looking for the Nine Tribulations Sword and Mo Qing Wu while also trying to shed light on my identity.
Chu Yang’s goals after his rebirth were fairly simple: Mo Qing Wu and Nine Tribulations Sword. Finding Mo Qing Wu, he would live the rest of his life loving her. Find Nine Tribulations Sword, he would advance to the peak. (TLN: This literally means mountain peak, he probably meant peak of cultivation.)
Ambiguous background. In his previous life, he did not know the story of the pure purple jade essence nor did he hope to discover his true identity… He had had little affection for the sect. However, they had all now come together at once.
“Why did master say these words to me today?” Chu Yang mused for a moment then continued, “You have never mentioned any of this before.”
Meng Chao Ran smiled, looked at the far horizon where there were red clouds as if painted with fresh blood, and calmly said, “Beyond the Heavens Sect has many disciples, but they cultivate for the sake of practice. Just that only.”
He stopped talking for a long time, then slowly said, “The way you practiced today, it is for walking the jiang hu.”
Chu Yang remained silent, saying nothing.
Meng Chao Ran directed his gaze in the the direction of the rising sun and sighed. This was a very long sigh as if it had been repressed inside him for decades.
He looked at the sun. There was a mysterious appearance on his face as if remembering with a feeling of pain and loss… In short, his countenance was complex like he was immersed in a dream that he could not escape from.
Chu Yang remained quiet for a while, and then eventually asked in a low voice:
“Master just said that protecting Beyond the Heavens Sect is only one of your greatest wishes. But what are your other wishes? If it so happens that I can help, I will of course join in your effort to fulfill them.”
Upon hearing his question, Meng Chao Ran’s body began to tremble as if suffering from an electric shock. His face suddenly paled like an long-buried, painful memory was rekindled. He stood bewildered. His eyes filled with misery and shock, but he remained quiet as if he had turned into stone.
A long time after, as if still in a dream, he bowed and said:
“Wind and rain cannot wipe the scars in our hearts, misery cannot destroy love; since ancient times, nobody took this lightly, with separation do we know emptiness and desolation…” (TLN: Who’s betting it’s another love issue?)
His voice was very low like whispers and sorrowful moans in a dream. His was a kind of pent-up feeling that was about to explode. However, he can only groan in despair and endless loneliness.
When they reached his ears, Chu Yang felt that his master has placed his broken heart and misfortunes into those short words…
This feeling made Chu Yang suddenly remembered his previous life at the battle of Wind and Thunder Platform. In a moment of hopelessness with no way out, he thought of Mo Qing Wu with sorrow and a broken heart.
Meng Chao Ran’s current situation was not different from his back then. It was as if the heart was almost dead. Did master experience the regret of a lifetime?
Maybe it was this that made master change. Not paying attention to anything. Not caring about anything.