LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 12: Sword Emperor Li Beichen
Gu Changsheng took Li Beifei to an inn and spent ten mid-grade source crystals to book two first-class rooms. Li Beifei watched helplessly as Gu Changsheng squandered his source crystals. Until now, he had never spent more than ten low-grade source crystals at one time for accommodation. He usually lived frugally, saving every bit of money to gather enough resources for breakthroughs. This was the typical struggle of casual cultivators. However, even though he was no longer a casual cultivator, Li Beifei still felt the sting of wasted money.
"Master, why don't we get a lower-class room?" Li Beifei asked, disheartened.
"Lower-class room?" Gu Changsheng looked at him wide-eyed with disbelief. "Do you think a lower-class room is suitable for your master? If you want to stay in one, I can inform the shopkeeper, but the source crystals are already paid, and there will be no refunds."
Li Beifei was taken aback. In this situation, he couldn't bear to lose money. "If it doesn't trouble you, Master, I'll stay in the first-class room. I've never stayed in one before."
Gu Changsheng patted him on the shoulder. "Good. From now on, follow me. Not only first-class rooms, but even the Emperor's Palace will be available for you. Wash up tonight and come to my room if I need you."
Li Beifei's face contorted in confusion and concern. "Master, are you a pervert?"
Gu Changsheng froze for a moment, then became furious. "A traitor who dares to question his master's orientation deserves punishment."
In the lobby of the inn, Gu Changsheng gave Li Beifei another "lesson." After the beating, he straightened his clothes and smiled at the onlookers. "It's nothing. My little disciple is mischievous. Just teaching him a lesson, sorry for the disturbance."
He carried the bruised and swollen Li Beifei to the second floor. "Master will be waiting for you tonight," he said, throwing Li Beifei into the room.
"Ouch!" Li Beifei groaned as he stood up, noticing that the vitality in the room was stronger than outside. "There's actually a spirit-gathering array," he said, squinting his black and swollen eyes in surprise. At that moment, he felt the ten mid-grade source crystals were well spent.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, using the skills he learned from the sword box to mobilize his spiritual power and treat his wounds. In less than fifteen minutes, Li Beifei was back to his original appearance. He stood before a mirror, looking at his handsome reflection with a sad face.
"I was forced onto a pirate ship. Will I have a chance to escape in the future?" he lamented. The sword box on his back seemed to comfort him. "It's all your fault for making me worship that pervert as my teacher. How will I survive tonight?"
"Pah!" The sword box smacked his head.
"Ouch, what are you doing?" Li Beifei grumbled, taking off the sword box. But the box slipped from his hands, knocked over a cup of tea on the table, and started writing on the floor.
"It is an honor for you to pay homage to the Holy Emperor."
The six words seemed to drain the sword box's energy, and it lay still on the ground. Li Beifei didn’t understand what "Holy Emperor" meant, but seeing the sword box's respect, he let the matter rest.
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Back in his room, Gu Changsheng waved his hand, opening a door to another world. He reached in and took out a small sword, only three inches long, with simple characters engraved on it: "Behead the Immortal."
Holding the Immortal Killing Sword, Gu Changsheng couldn't help but recall an old friend from 300,000 years ago. In the post-ancient era, a genius with astonishing talent in swordsmanship was born—Sword Emperor Li Beichen, who had left an indelible mark on history.
Since his debut, Li Beichen carried a seven-star sword box that he had crafted himself. Despite its name, the Seven Star Sword Box contained nine swords: Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang, named after the Big Dipper, as well as Zhanda (understood upon becoming a saint) and Zhandi (understood after becoming an emperor).
Three hundred thousand years ago, after Li Beichen ascended to the rank of emperor through his mastery of swordsmanship, he continued his pursuit of power. He was just one step away from defying the will of heaven and becoming a Sword Immortal. Tragically, the world of mortals did not support the birth of an immortal, and Sword Emperor Li Beichen ultimately perished under the catastrophe of ascension. Even the nine emperor swords within the sword box shattered and disappeared, leaving only the Seven Star Sword Box behind.
However, Gu Changsheng, who shared a connection with Li Beichen, knew that upon Li Beichen's death, he returned the Seven Star Sword Box to its original state and sent it away from the calamity, allowing it to choose its next master. Gu Changsheng could have saved Li Beichen, but the latter refused, believing it would weaken his sword will, and that surviving would mean stagnation.
Li Beichen thus became the emperor with the shortest lifespan. He began practicing swordsmanship at the age of eight, became an emperor at nine thousand, and died at fifteen thousand while attempting ascension. His reign as emperor lasted only six thousand years, a brief period that evoked lamentation.
Gu Changsheng murmured to himself, "If you had chosen the path of transformation into the second life, you might have become an immortal. But would you still be the Seven Star Sword Emperor?"
Swordsmen should strive and face difficulties head-on. This was Li Beichen's philosophy. The Immortal-Slaying Sword in Gu Changsheng's hand embodied the Immortal-Slaying Sword Intent that Li Beichen comprehended upon his fall. If he had realized it thousands of years earlier, Li Beichen might have defied heaven, slain the immortal, and become a Sword Immortal. Gu Changsheng captured this sword intent and forged it into the Immortal-Slaying Sword.
The Immortal-Slaying Sword represented the essence of Sword Emperor Li Beichen's swordsmanship. The fact that the Seven Star Sword Box chose Li Beifei indicated that he was qualified to inherit the Immortal-Slaying Sword Intent. However, Gu Changsheng did not summon Li Beifei to pass on the sword intent just yet. Li Beifei's current cultivation level was insufficient to withstand the baptism of the Immortal-Slaying Sword Intent.
Gu Changsheng had another reason for calling Li Beifei. After beating him on the street, Li Beifei's body was covered in dust, making it necessary for him to clean up. More importantly, both his eldest apprentice Hong Hong and his new apprentice Li Beifei needed to participate in the upcoming arena competition, a pivotal event.
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After washing and donning clean clothes, Li Beifei looked at the moon, noting it was nearly midnight. He felt conflicted.
"Should I go or not go...?" He picked petals from a flower to decide. When the last petal represented "not going," he felt joy. "Master, don't blame me. Sometimes, we monks must follow God's will."
Li Beifei's smile faded when he saw the flower grow a new petal before his eyes. Frustrated, he smashed the flower, grabbed his sword box, and marched toward Gu Changsheng's room, intent on confronting him.
Reaching Gu Changsheng's door, he knocked and asked in a low voice, "Master, are you there? Xiaobei is here to see you."