Chapter 1351: Xuanyuan Di · Loneliness Like Snow (Revision for ’How Much Sorrow, How Much Obsession’, 3/3)
In the South Sea continent, a saying had always been passed down.
"The most dazzling is Qi Muchu, and the loneliest is Xuanyuan Di.
The terror of Qi Muchu lay in his well-roundedness— not only was his martial arts unparalleled, but he was also a master in all arts such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Wherever he appeared, he instantly attracted the attention of others, and anyone who stood by his side would fade in comparison and be overshadowed by his brilliance.
Xuanyuan Di was the other extreme.
He had rarely made public appearances in the Martial World, not out of modesty, but disdain. Only those familiar with Xuanyuan Di knew that in his heart, there were very few in this world deemed worthy of his notice.
What business did he have with his reputation being passed down by those mere mortals?
Maple Forest Sea, one of the renowned holy lands of the South Sea and the location of the Xuanyuan Clan.
Xuanyuan Di, at twenty, slowly walked out from the bamboo forest.
"Di’er, this is your Uncle Ouyang— come and greet him,"
t said Xuanyuan Hao, tall and with a commanding presence as he looked at his son—proud yet exasperated.
His son was excellent in every aspect but was obsessed with martial arts, a real martial fanatic.
In his eyes, social niceties were worthless. On a good day, he’d exchange a few words with you, but on a bad day, even the God wouldn’t receive his attention.
Xuanyuan Di glanced at the man and woman beside his father and gave a slight nod, considering it an adequate greeting.
Ouyang Ying wasn’t that bothered, but his daughter, Ouyang Yiyi, wouldn’t have it. After all, her father was the renowned Void Origin Realm Martial Emperor. The last time they visited the Hundred Battles Tower, even the White Cloud Emperor had personally received them, and yet this man dared to put on airs.
"So you’re Xuanyuan Di, the so-called ’Lonely as Snow Xuanyuan Di’. You don’t look that impressive,"
Ouyang Yiyi said provocatively.
"Father, do you need something? I have to continue my cultivation,"
Xuanyuan Di asked, ignoring Ouyang Yiyi.
"Di’er, give your father some face. Ouyang Ying is a close friend of mine. They’re here by invitation, and your mother is considering taking Ouyang Yiyi as her goddaughter,"
Xuanyuan Hao telepathically conveyed to him.
The Xuanyuan Clan was not like other families; the competition was extremely fierce.
Xuanyuan Hao had ambitions for the next head of the clan, and although his son had put him in a temporary lead over others, he also wanted to solidify his advantage and gain more support.
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Di did not walk away.
However, his indifferent attitude completely infuriated Ouyang Yiyi, who angrily said, "Everyone says that Xuanyuan Di is the best among his peers, but I don’t believe it. Rather than choosing a date, it’s better to fight today and see for myself."
Swish!
A long whip, like a spirited snake, struck towards Xuanyuan Di. Ouyang Yiyi, steeped in her family’s profound arts and a rare talent herself, was already a Fifth Tier expert of the Dragon Gate Realm at the mere age of twenty.
Under her control, the whip was as ferocious as a sudden storm and as gentle as a spring breeze, the transformations seamless, covering Xuanyuan Di with an endless barrage of whip shadows from every direction.
"Yiyi is so young, yet she has already grasped the essence of the Spiritual Snake Whip Technique. It’s truly no small feat,"
Xuanyuan Hao exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with admiration.
"Brother Xuanyuan is too kind,"
Ouyang Ying modestly replied, but deep inside, he felt proud. His daughter’s performance lagged only half a step behind his own at his age, and she could at least rank in the top ten among her peers.
"Xuanyuan Di, can you only dodge? Can’t you fight back? What kind of ’peerless among his generation’ are you? You’re living off a false reputation,"
Ouyang Yiyi taunted as she whipped furiously, holding the upper hand and feeling somewhat triumphant.
Just then, amidst the chaos of the whip shadows, Xuanyuan Di, who had been driven "into a corner", suddenly went from defense to offense, exactly at the point when the Spiritual Snake Whip Technique was at its fiercest.
In the astonished eyes of the other three, his right hand stretched out, as if imbued with the power to shake mountains, disregarding the infinite whip shadows that were about to strike him.
The next moment!
His hand grasped the long whip, and the myriad whip shadows dissipated like a light breeze, stirring Xuanyuan Di’s long hair.
"How did you do that?"
Ouyang Yiyi stammered in disbelief.
Among her peers, even Liu Ruotao of Bright Moon Mansion wouldn’t be able to catch her long whip barehanded.
And both Xuanyuan Hao and Ouyang Ying were not just shocked by Xuanyuan Di’s eyesight and judgment but stunned by his cultivation as well. The Eighth Tier of the Dragon Gate Realm, and he was only twenty!
Letting go of the whip, Xuanyuan Di didn’t bother with the three stunned onlookers and turned back to his bamboo forest.
What a bore. If it weren’t for his father’s sake, he could have finished her off in three moves— a total waste of time.
He, who had started martial arts training at seven, had reached the Eighth Tier of the Dragon Gate Realm after merely thirteen years of cultivation. Xuanyuan Di estimated that by the age of twenty-five, he would become an Earth Immortal of the Divine Barrier Realm.
Such a rate of breakthrough, even the six legendary figures of the martial world could not match. And that was precisely what Xuanyuan Di pursued.
He not only wanted to be unrivaled among his peers and in the world but also to be unrivaled across all ages, striving to reach the highest peak of martial arts, to look down on all from above.
Five years later.
Xuanyuan Di, as he had wished, became an Earth Immortal of the Divine Barrier Realm, sending ripples throughout the South Sea continent as everyone marveled at his talent and strength.
In the years that followed, Xuanyuan Di challenged renowned experts everywhere. He had a rule, though; he never challenged anyone in the same realm as it held no meaning for him.
This, of course, enraged a large number of peer talents and even seasoned experts. Xuanyuan Di simply set up a platform on Tianyang Peak and invited all the world’s masters to challenge him.
Almost every notable expert, except those from the Void Origin Realm, was outraged, feeling slighted, and they rushed to Tianyang Peak, hoping to defeat that madman.
Battle after battle.
Perhaps only the joy of defeating a formidable enemy, witnessing their disappointment and helplessness, could make Xuanyuan Di feel the significance of his existence.
But when that fleeting moment passed, it brought him even deeper emptiness; hence he became more addicted to the thrill of victory.
For two whole months, taking only a two-hour break every other day, Xuanyuan Di fought challengers from all directions, defeating one formidable enemy after another with overwhelming force. Even the strongest among them, "Five Absolute Young Master" Chen Hefei, couldn’t withstand even ten of his moves.
Weak.
All too weak!
"Who else? Xuanyuan Di seeks only defeat," he called out, issuing the ultimate challenge to the surrounding warriors.
The crowd was both enraged and astounded. In the eyes of Xuanyuan Di, if they were all weaklings, then in their eyes, Xuanyuan Di was a devil, an unbeatable devil, comparable to the six legends of his time, no, even more exaggerated.
Amidst the crowd, Xuanyuan Di caught sight of Qi Muchu in his white attire edged with blue silk and said, "Fight me!"
Everyone also looked hopefully at Qi Muchu, for he was the only one within the Divine Barrier Realm who might have a hope of defeating Xuanyuan Di.
However, that time, Qi Muchu did not make a move. Some thought he was afraid, so after the battle at Tianyang Peak, Xuanyuan Di firmly established himself as the foremost among his peers.
At the age of thirty-nine, Xuanyuan Di stepped into the Void Origin Realm, once again breaking records in the South Sea Continent, having cultivated only for thirty-two years.
But his legend had only just begun.
Over the next hundred years, Xuanyuan Di traveled far and wide, sometimes visiting prominent sects, sometimes roaming through desolate mountains and great swamps, learning from the world and challenging notable hermits of the South Sea that he deemed worthy.
During that period, he encountered numerous assassination attempts, but he survived each one, and even turned misfortune into fortune, gaining many opportunities.
At the age of two hundred and sixty, Xuanyuan Di returned to the bamboo forest, covered with the dust of travel and the glory of success. Apart from a few individuals like the White Cloud Emperor, all the notable Void Origin Realm powerhouses had fallen to his might.
The South Sea Martial World was shaken.
"My son, don’t be careless or underestimate others. A dazzling new era is upon us. Recently in the Martial World, there have emerged eight young talents, each extraordinary and remarkable, like Liu Ruofei, the younger brother of Liu Ruotao from Bright Moon Mansion, Fan Shengnan of the Fan Family... Some people are placing these eight alongside you and Qi Muchu as the Ten Prides of the South Sea," said Xuanyuan Hao, who had finally achieved his wish to become the clan head, concerned that his son might not be aware of the situation.
"My opponents are the six legends. In no more than two hundred years, I will surpass them," Xuanyuan Di replied.
The Ten Prides of the South Sea?
Ridiculous!
Yet Xuanyuan Di deemed it beneath him to argue. After all, the land of Fate, which opened once every two hundred years, would commence in a few decades, and by then he would become the master of Fate. The so-called title of Ten Prides of the South Sea would naturally dissipate like smoke in the wind.
"Hahaha, if my son speaks so, I can rest easy," laughed Xuanyuan Hao as he left.
Although his son was cold and proud, he was not arrogant. If he spoke with such certainty, it meant he was fully confident, and all his father needed to do was calmly watch his performance.
While the outside world was bustling, the bamboo forest remained serene.
Xuanyuan Di’s martial prowess grew ever higher, so much so that after years of not displaying his power, he could no longer estimate his own strength.
He had only one increasingly clear realization: the battle for Fate was likely to be yet another disappointing journey. Just like the countless times before, he would watch his opponents fall before him, savor that momentary thrill, and then be enveloped by loneliness.
The battle for Fate began.
And indeed, there was no worthy adversary.
Even those of his generation who were known for their talent, such as the Heavenly Martial Emperor and the Thousand Swords Emperor, merely earned a fraction more of Xuanyuan Di’s attention.
It wasn’t until that young man in green, with a childish name but handsome appearance, from East Victory Continent, who had thoroughly overwhelmed Qi Muchu in combat skills, martial techniques, and outright prowess, that Xuanyuan Di finally felt excitement.
He realized he had met his match.
This unexpected joy sent Xuanyuan Di’s blood boiling, his hair standing on end, and the loneliness he had felt for years began to show the tiniest of cracks. He knew defeating his foe would make him even more lonely, but he couldn’t suppress the urge to engage.
The final battle.
For the first time in his life, Xuanyuan Di gave it his all, employing every skill he possessed. He finally experienced true joy, the joy of meeting his equal in battle.
What Xuanyuan Di didn’t expect, however, was that in the end, he would be the one to lose.
He lost!
This unfamiliar word surged into his mind for the first time, and after boundless astonishment, he didn’t experience the rage or despair he had imagined. Instead, he felt a newfound anticipation for the future.
Life was too dull, too lonely. Suddenly having an opponent he had to defeat, someone who kept him constantly invigorated—wasn’t that a stroke of luck?
After that, Xuanyuan Di trained with even more dedication, pouring his whole being into his practice.
But Shi Xiaole was even more insane.
While Xuanyuan Di was pleased with his progress, Shi Xiaole advanced by leaps and bounds. In just a few years, he had become a match for the six legends!
No matter, I will catch up.
A few years later, that person appeared like a savior, slaying the unbeatable Wansheng Madman beneath the Supreme Lord and saving the faltering world of East Victory.
It was the first time Xuanyuan Di truly felt he was inferior to someone and genuinely could not compete.
There’s always a higher mountain.
If he was the unmatched legend of the South Sea, then Shi Xiaole was the unmatched legend of the East Victory world, and maybe even the most unmatched legend in all of history. His grace made even the Holy Monarch look pale in comparison.
Xuanyuan Di no longer obsessed over catching up with Shi Xiaole. He came to understand a different state of mind.
Perhaps, just as it was for Liu Ruofei and the others many years ago when they looked up to him, striving to reach the highest peak was about cherishing the journey, not the outcome.
That kind of life could also be meaningful.
Countless years later.
Through that person’s earth-shattering methods, Nine Heavens Mountain continued to expand, nearly becoming a world of its own, full of extraordinary wonders and secret places. Xuanyuan Di, resurrected from the Life and Death Pool, walked this new world, ever striving to improve himself.
The strong are always lonely.
Sometimes, the standing Xuanyuan Di couldn’t help but wonder, was Shi Xiaole, who had multiple beautiful wives and friends for company, lonely?
Perhaps.
