The suppressive pressure bullied the struggling students, nearly crushing their feeble body. They mustered everything in order to move forward and would crawl if necessary.
This had nothing to do with the supreme fruit. They only wanted to prove to others and themselves that they could still reach the top despite being from the insignificant Repentance Institution.
Sweat poured like the rain, accompanied by unending agony. Nevertheless, they gritted their teeth and didn’t complain at all.
They finally made it to the top after a very long time, fully drenched in sweat as if they have just gotten out of a lake. They instantly fell flat on their butt, paralyzed and didn’t have the strength to look at the supreme tree nearby.
“The ones from Repentance.” A few among the mass of students beneath the tree were surprised to see them.
“Not bad at all.” An older student nodded approvingly. After all, everyone could see their low cultivation yet they didn’t give up. This determination of theirs impressed some of the crowd.
“What what if they got up here? Just wasting their time and energy since all they can do is watch. You think they can knock down a fruit?” One student sneered.
“Then isn’t it the same for you?” Li Qiye retorted: “Go ahead, I’ll watch you pick one down to broaden the horizon of country bumpkins like us.”
“You…” This student turned red and had no response. Li Qiye got him where it hurts since he was only here to watch as well.
“Okay, it’s no big deal. They are very impressive for coming up this far. None of us can claim to get these fruits outside of the emperors.” The personable older student said.
Many nodded in agreement. Only mighty emperors and Everlastings could perform this deed.
“Okay, catch your breath and take a break for a bit then we’ll go pick some fruits.” Li Qiye casually told the group.
“Haha.” The student who got shut up by Li Qiye found his opportunity: “What the hell? Do you think these fruits are the ones grown in your backyard, that you can pick whenever? Go take a look in the mirror and be aware of your weak cultivation.”
He felt quite good with himself since he lost some face earlier, unable to retort. Now, he didn’t hold back at all in insulting the group.
“These fruits are no different from homegrown one at all, in fact, I don’t even want to grow this type of fruits in my yard.” Li Qiye smiled.
Virtually everyone who heard him turned around, thinking that this statement was too arrogant.
“Brat, that’s a bold statement. You think you’re a true immortal or something?” One student shook his head while the rest of the crowd burst out in laughter.
“He’s not just a true immortal, in my opinion, he’s a steaming immortal.” The student sneered: “He believes that he’s number one so he just runs his mouth without any self-awareness. Just a shameless nobody from Repentance.” [1]
“Steaming immortal, huh? That’s not a bad title. I do think that when I catch an immortal in the future, boiling is an option. It will be a thousand times better than eating this supreme fruit.” Li Qiye smiled.
This comment was even more outrageous and astounded the crowd. A student from Repentance claiming to pick the supreme fruits was crazy enough. Now he said he would boil immortals too? Such fearless ignorance.
“You don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.” This student snorted with disdain: “Run back to your academy and brag all you want, don’t embarrass yourself here.”
“If you are as capable as you say, then go for it, show us what you got.” Another student laughed loudly.
“Yes, take one down now, show us that someone from Repentance can actually do this. If you can’t, then shut your mouth, you’re nothing more than a frog wanting to eat swan meat.” One more taunted.
Zhou Qiushi and the others became very embarrassed. They definitely couldn’t do it but Li Qiye had made this claim.
“Just getting one is pointless.” Li Qiye said: “Gotta get at least a few dozens since we’re parched after the long walk.”
“Several dozens?” The students exploded with waves of laughter. They pointed at Li Qiye and said: “Now you think you’re a progenitor? Stop dreaming.”
“Look at what I have here.” Li Qiye didn’t mind and tapped on his sword: “Piss me off and I’ll uproot the tree and take it away.
The laughter stopped right away. Envious eyes were fixated on the sword on his back.
“You’re not a True Emperor so you can’t maximize its power. Thus, it’s no different from a piece of scrap metal being wasted away.” A student said with disdain.
“Oh?” Li Qiye spoke to his sword: “Someone just called you a piece of scrap metal, should we see if he’s right? If it’s true, then I’ll have you melted.”
“Clank!” The sword suddenly left its sheath.
“Buzz.” It exuded a terrifying radiance illuminating the entire sky. After a loud blast, one strand of progenitorial aura emerged but was more than enough to oppress the firmaments.
“Pluff!” A sword ray flashed before people could calm down. The student who called it a “piece of scrap metal” was decapitated.
His head flew up to the sky and could see the blood gushing out of his neck. He wanted to scream but no sound would come out.
The sword returned to the sheath before his head dropped to the ground. The light and progenitorial aura dispersed.
“Sigh, I was just joking around, don’t get so angry…” Li Qiye patted the sword and complained: “Is your name Repentance or Retribution?” [2]
Everyone took a deep breath in response, noticing that the sword had its own will.
Zhou Qiushi’s group was scared out of their mind. They had a deep affection for their academy’s symbolic treasure. Its name carried a resonating significance for them too.
However, this sword named Repentance didn’t seem to be representing the light at all and its purification property. It looked like a ferocious weapon, killing without any hesitation. They could see it massacring everyone here if they were to provoke it.
Only Du Wenrui remained silent, aware that the thing being washed away by the sword wasn’t sin.
“It’s sentient…” One student calmed down and shouted.
They no longer dared to run their mouth, especially not towards the sword. That dead student earlier was the perfect example.
They were also jealous of Li Qiye, thinking how unfair it was that a piece of trash like him would have this sword.
“Such a peerless sword, worthy of being the personal weapon of Desolate Saint.” A pleasant voice came about.
Everyone turned around and saw a girl standing on a peak. She was as beautiful as a fairy. Her snow-white dress accentuated her flawlessness even more.
This girl naturally attracted everyone’s attention.
1. Steaming here is an expression meaning arrogant, full of hot air, all talk. I have to keep it literal for the next line
2. Another hard part to translate. The sword is the character Wash/bathe + Sin, repentance fits and sounds nice. Li Qiye calls it Wash/bathe + Blood, meaning brutality.