The Eternal Soaring Sword

Chapter 1 - Leaving This World

"Defeat him, beat him mercilessly for me." Early in the morning at the entrance of the village next to the mountains, six or seven young men of about 11 or 12 years old beat up a young man dressed in black. Beside them stood a little chubby who shouted, and after hearing the cries of the village chief's son, Fat Little Wang, the six or seven youths put more strength behind their fists and kicks.

The sound of beating continued to resound and dust was kicked from the ground. The young man in black was lying on the ground, protecting something on his arm as he was beaten, but his eyes were calm. After a while, perhaps because they were bored because the black-clothed youth had never resisted, the six or seven youths gradually stopped.

“Hehe, Jiuge, I haven't seen you for two days. So it turns out you ran into the mountains. Have you forgotten the rules? Didn't I tell you to walk around me when you saw me, or would I hit you every time I saw you? Little Fatty Wang's face trembled as he spoke, and even his spit came out.

The young man on the ground raised his head. His black clothes were covered in footprints, yet the clothes could not hide his strong body and the dust could not hide his handsome face. However, after being in the mountains for two days, his childish face looked tired. The calmness in his eyes faded with time and a hint of anxiety and impatience appeared.

Thinking of the old man at home, Jiuge calmed down a little. “Little Fatty, you've done enough to beat me today. My grandfather was a bit ill, so I went to the mountain to hunt some wild animals to help nourish his body. I'm in a hurry to get home. If there's something you want, we can talk about it tomorrow. ” Thinking of sick parents at home, Jiuge's tone of voice becomes more anxious.

“Oh, you brought a wild animal. Put down the bag you are holding, or you know the consequences. ” Little Fatty Wang's plump face trembled as the other youths surrounded the black-clothed youth again.

Jiuge looked at that face and became angry. When the son of this village chief gathered other children of his age to bully him, he always held him noiselessly so as not to worry or disappoint the old man at home. However, now he remembered everything that had happened in the past.

Jiuge lost his temper. “I've already said that these two wild rabbits are for my grandfather to help him recover. If you want to eat some, I'll hunt some for you later. I have to hurry back now.” He looked at Little Fatty Wang and his expression stiffened.

“Damn your grandfather, you wild child without father and mother. That damn old thing will die no matter what he eats. I will eat the rabbits today, and if you don't give it to me, I will beat you until you can't stand it. Otherwise, I will change my last name to yours,” Little Fatty Wang yelled at Jiuge with one hand on his waist.

After Jiuge heard this, he suddenly stood up. His pupils narrowed and his eyes became slightly red. He did not care how many people cursed him, but he would not allow any disrespect to the old man. When he heard those words cursing the old man, he could no longer contain his anger.

Bang, bang, bang! Jiuge put away the two youths close to him and rushed towards Little Fatty Wang. His fists floated onto Little Fatty Wang's face, causing Little Fatty Wang to shout until his voice was hoarse. “Ahhhhhhhh... Hit him!” Little Fatty Wang shouted like a slaughtered pig as the pain spread all over his face. When the other youths heard this shout, they desperately rushed towards Jiuge.

Dust flew into the air. Jiuge was caught in a fight with six or seven other young men. He swung his fists and legs with force, and the sounds of fists colliding with flesh and screams could be heard.

Little Fatty Wang's father was the leader of Wang Village and his extended family. These six or seven young men were from the same family situation and were always toying with Little Fatty Wang. How could they compare to Jiuge, who had been working and hunting in the mountains since childhood? Soon, the six or seven young men were covered in bruises and ran back home.

Jiuge turned around angrily and walked towards Little Fatty Wang. “Don't come here! What the hell are you doing? I don't want any more rabbits, I won't bring anyone to bully you again!” Little Fatty Wang screamed, his eyes filled with fear. Due to the fear he felt, even his fat face no longer trembled.

Jiuge ignored Little Fatty Wang's cry. He coldly looked at Little Fatty Wang and kicked him to the ground. He sat on top of Little Fatty Wang and stared at the disgusting face he had been in for so long. Jiuge started to punch Little Fatty Wang in the face until his anger subsided slightly. He then took his bag and pointed at Little Fatty Wang as he roared, “Just because I have never fought back before, it does not mean I am afraid of you. Shut the fuck up, or I'll beat you up again.” Little Fatty Wang had a puffy face that was filled with tears and covered in dust. When he saw Jiuge's cold gaze, his lips trembled. He said nothing as he slowly got up and ran home with a panda-like face. 

His fat body twisted as he ran and looked back at Jiuge in fear. After running for a while and making sure Jiuge did not follow him, he cried in a trembling voice, “Jiuge, just wait until I tell my father. This issue is not finished.” He quickly ran away, not waiting to see Jiuge's reaction. Jiuge revealed a disdainful smile as he patted the dust off his clothes and walked home. The old man was still waiting for him.

Although his anger had subsided, thinking of how he had defeated Little Fatty Wang, he knew that Little Fatty Wang's father would not let this go. Little Fatty Wang's father was like a king in the village, and he was extremely arrogant. He had little money and had hired several servants. Jiuge's heart was rather heavy and his originally good mood from hunting the two rabbits had disappeared by the time he arrived home.

It was a small courtyard and a small brick house. Beside the brick house was an area surrounded by a wooden fence where some pigs were raised. Although his house was relatively simple and cold compared to the other houses in the village, it was his home. He had lived here for 12 years, and it gave him a familiar feeling. The smell of grass, dirt, and pig shit hit him, and Zhao Jiuge's mood [1] suddenly got better. He threw away that unpleasant feeling and a faint smile appeared on his face.

Before entering through the door, Jiuge yelled happily, “Grandfather, I'm back. Look what I brought back. ” Door creaking as she pushed it open. The door is made of wood and made by yourself. Because the door was so old, there was friction on the bottom that it made a squeaking sound. It was as if the door was a witness to the old man's lifelong difficulties. Now that the old man was like a dry oil lamp, the door seemed to tell the old man's sad story.

As he pushed the door open, a scene of the interior of the house gradually appeared before his eyes. Since the house was made of bricks and was very old, there was a slight smell of wet mold. There was a slight complication on Zhao Jiuge's face. As a very wise and mature young man, he knew how the fungus damaged his grandfather's health.

The room was empty, without any valuables. There were random things scattered on the floor and there was a wooden horse in the corner. The wooden horse had been his playmate during his childhood. In the middle of the room was a large wooden bed, and after seeing the old man on the bed, Zhao Jiuge's heart began to relax. After so many years, he grew attached to the old man. Home was wherever the old man was, and the only warm place in the world was wherever the old man was.

However, thinking of his illness, his heart was filled with worry once again. The old man on the bed was covered in white hair and had a friendly smile on his face. The wrinkles on his face bore witness to the growth and age of the old man. No one could hide the fact that the old man was old. Zhao Jiuge's fingers clenched and his face stiffened, a feeling of helplessness appearing in his heart.

“Jiuge, you're back. Grandpa is worried about you because you haven't been home all night. Come here and sit next to Grandpa, there are some things I have to tell you. I'm afraid someday I'll go to sleep and will never be able to see you again.” After listening to her grandfather's words, Jiuge panicked. No matter how calm and strong he was, he was still a child. Thinking of how the old man would one day abandon him, his nose suddenly started to shed tears and his eyes glazed over.

“Grandfather, you'll be fine. Tomorrow, I will go to the city, and I will collect medicines in the mountains to ask the doctor to come here. I don't want Grandpa to leave me.” Jiuge's voice choked and he was filled with helplessness. 

“Stupid child. Getting sick and dying from old age is normal for humans. Grandpa couldn't stop worrying about her. I remember when I saw you wrapped next to the official street. I don't expect more than 10 years to pass in an instant. ” The old man's eyes shone, and as he recalled the past, his breathing became rough.

“Grandfather has nothing to give you other than this ancestral jade pendant and broken house. Grandfather knows a little about how you are treated in the village. Should I leave the world someday, you should go to the outside world. There is so much to explore—normal people can't see everything for life.” As Jiuge listened to his grandfather's words, his heart could not calm down. The fear of his grandfather's departure and the desire to go to the outside world all affected his heart. His mouth opened slightly and his lips trembled as he tried to speak a few times. However, in the end, he closed his mouth and his eyes were gone.

After the old man finished speaking, he took out a jade pendant from under his pillow. The jade was rectangular in shape and had carvings of unknown animals on it. It had the head of a dragon, the body of a bull, and the tail of a deer. After putting on the jade pendant, Jiuge gently touched it. That's cold. Zhao Jiuge was shocked by the temperature of this jade pendant.

Grandparents and grandchildren have a lot to talk about. Both know that such warm days will not last long, so they appreciate every moment of every day.

The soft whisper in the room continued and floated out of the wooden window. The sun outside caused the entire house to be bathed in layers of gold. These warm moments continued, and perhaps Zhao Jiuge's heart was as warm as the sun outside the window.

During the day, smoke billows from the mountain village. In the courtyard, Jiuge uses a knife to cut off one of the wild rabbits, remove her skin, and let her blood drip. His actions were smooth as he cut the rabbit, and all of that was done unconsciously. His eyes are still a bit lethargic. He knew that his grandfather's illness was serious and the situation was not good. His heart ached, but he did not want the old man to worry about him. He wanted the old man to see his strong side and mandiri.

The smell of blood from the rabbit stimulated Zhao Jiuge like a sense of death. Thinking of how the old man was like a drying oil lamp and looking at the rabbit struggling with difficulty, Zhao Jiuge felt like he could not kill the others.

A loud noise suddenly came from outside the courtyard and slowly approached. It breaks the peace in a quiet mountain village. When Jiuge heard the voice, his expression suddenly changed. Due to his grandfather's serious illness, he forgot about what happened this morning. Little Fatty Wang's father came with a group of people.

Wang Dazhuang [2] led Little Fatty Wang into the courtyard with the servants. Little Fatty Wang's face was covered in medicine and looked a little comical. Wang Dazhuang's eyes seemed to have collapsed and his stomach was sticking out. Due to his anger, he gave off a gloomy aura.

“Zhao Jiuge, you wild child, you damn creature born of a mother but has no mother to teach you. If you don't give me an explanation as to why you beat up my baby like this, I'll rummage through your house, or I won't be the village chief anymore!” Wang Dazhuang was almost 50 years old and loved his son, who was born late in his life. He refused to scold or beat his own son. When she first saw her son's bruised face, she was anxious and angry, so she immediately called the doctor to give her medicine. This was why he had only come now to seek justice for his son. Once he arrived, he ignored everything and started cursing.

Zhao Jiuge sighed and his mouth twitched. “Your Little Fat Wang who acts first and curses my grandfather, so I fight back. When he beat me before, I never fought. If it wasn't for my grandfather being seriously ill, I wouldn't have handled it.” He saw people in the yard. He only wanted them to leave without surprising his grandfather, so he patiently explained the situation to them.

Wang Dazhuang ruthlessly said, “Hmph, all I saw was my son being beaten up. I'll teach you a lesson today.”

"Uhuk. What's up, Jiuge?” The old man heard a noise outside and walked out of the room with his cane. Jiuge immediately walked over to help the old man and explained what happened in the morning. He became anxious in his heart. The more he didn't want to make the parents worry, the more trouble he caused. He regretted his careless actions this morning.

After the old man heard everything that had happened, his face was filled with apologies. He struggled with his weak body to kneel. “Village Chief Wang, this matter is the fault of my family Jiuge. I'll make him apologize to your Little Fat Wang. Children fight because they know nothing. As an adult, please be generous and forgive him.” 

Wang Dazhuang sneered. “Fucking old man, you think he can be forgiven just because you said so? Pay the money, or we'll break your legs and drive you out of the village.” He did not sympathize with the terminally ill elderly and instead became even more angry.

“Hmph, like a father like a son—both have dirty mouths.”  Jiuge's eyes turned cold. The old man was already weak, but Wang Dazhuang still acted like this after the old man knelt down. Zhao Jiuge felt a burst of pain in his heart when he heard Wang Dazhuang's disrespectful words, and his anger appeared once again.

He raised his head and his eyebrows furrowed. “I beat your son, so you can beat me. I will admit my mistake, but it has nothing to do with my grandfather. ” Seeing how Zhao Jiuge was like an arrogant little lion, Wang Dazhuang could not control his anger anymore. "You're a goddamn mother who was born but didn't have a mother to teach you." Wang Dazhuang's face was ferocious as he rushed towards Zhao Jiuge and swung the staff in his hand.

Jiuge saw the wand flying through the air and heard the sound it produced, which caused his expression to change. His eyes widened, and he would rely on his young body to dodge the attack. However, the old man next to him saw Wang Dazhuang's wand fly towards his grandson and couldn't bear it. He moved in front of Jiuge without any hesitation to withstand the blow.

With a bang, the punch landed on the old man's body. His already fragile body suddenly fell to the ground and blood flowed out of his mouth. His eyes were slightly closed and he looked like he was not breathing.

Wang Dazhuang was startled and started to panic. After all, killing was no small matter, even though the old man was an oil lamp already dry. “This... This... This problem is done. You beat up my Little Fatty Wang and I hit your grandfather once with a stick. There's nothing between us now. Zhao Jiuge, check on your grandfather. We'll go.” Wang Dazhuang's face was pale as he stiffly left with Little Fatty Wang in a panic.

"Grandfather ..." Zhao Jiuge looked at his grandfather, who had stopped breathing, and shouted furiously. He helplessly looked at the old man lying there and continued to cry, but the old man remained motionless. As the sun set, Zhao Jiuge continued to cry beside the old man's body. His voice became hoarse and eventually disappeared.

It was unknown how long he had been kneeling beside the old man, but his tears gradually stopped. His eyes were filled with hatred, and as his voice became hoarse, he dried his eyes as a gentle breeze blew on this face. He suddenly calmed down. This calmness and coldness were no match for someone his age—it was a frightening expression. He returned home and packed his things into the bag he carried on his back. Then he took out a hunting knife and carried his grandfather's body towards the mountains.

Zhao is just his surname, but “Jiu Ge” means Nine Songs 

His name was Wang Big Strong, while his son Wang Little Fatty was lol