《After Failing the Tribulation, I Became a Sword Spirit》 CH 1 On a clear day during the Qingming Festival, the moon rises above the willows. In the desolate wilderness of Cangzhou where few people pass through, a group of merchants hurries along the road, pulling their goods in iron boxes. The clattering sound of horse hooves constantly raises dust. The travelers wore raincoats and bamboo hats, looking like any other traveler on a rainy night. The leader, with a nervous expression, kept reaching for the sword case locked in an iron chain in his arms. Of course, they were not really a group of merchants. Each of them carried weapons that had shed the blood of at least a hundred men. Suddenly, the leader sensed something and tightened the reins, gesturing with his right hand to signal a halt. The dozen or so horses slowed down. The rain continues to fall, dripping incessantly. No movement could be seen. The leader relaxed and realized he was being overly cautious. He clutched the sword box tighter and urged his horse forward. ¡°Swish!¡± A sharp and piercing sound was heard. In the empty sky, a small silver needle grazed the leader¡¯s cheek, leaving a sharp bloodstain. It flipped his bamboo hat over as if using some kind of trickery. The leader¡¯s face was fully exposed in the pouring rain. He looked horrified and gritted his teeth. ¡°Close ranks, protect the sword!¡± Immediately, the travelers, disguised as ordinary merchants, drew their swords and left the iron boxes that had served as a decoy. They gathered around the leader, forming a tight circle. This last leg of the journey was certainly not peaceful. The leader was surrounded by his subordinates, and he tied the sword case to his back. He also lit a firecracker to try to illuminate the dark night. In the wilderness, the wind and rain were blowing. The shallow wild grass barely covered the horse hooves, and the dog-tail grass swayed arrogantly. In the distance, the riverbank was covered in white fluffy reeds, like a hazy mist covering the surging river. The leader dared not move recklessly, and he looked around nervously, but the wilderness seemed empty except for them. However, one silver needle after another kept flying towards them but never hitting a vital point. It was as if someone was teasing them like cats and dogs. The mysterious person in the darkness was treating them as nothing more than playthings. The leader straightened his back, dodging a silver needle that flew towards him. His face was covered in bloody marks, with fresh blood constantly dripping down. He wiped his face, which was drenched in rain and blood, and drew out his curved blade. In a cold voice, he said, ¡°Reveal yourself, sir.¡± The fog-like reeds were finally dispersed. The pleasant laughter of a young man came through, with a hint of regret in his laughter. More footsteps came from behind him. ¡°I thought you could hold on for a little longer.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of masked ghostly figures surrounded the people on horseback in a circle. The leader finally saw the young man clearly, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old. He was dressed in a tight-fitting black robe with narrow sleeves, and a gold and jade belt tied around his waist, which made him look tall, straight, and graceful. What was unforgettable was the pair of eyes on his jade-like face. Even though they were separated by heavy rain curtains, they still appeared clear and transparent, and people could clearly see the killing intent emerging from them. The leader¡¯s heart tightened, but he still tried to keep his voice calm. ¡°Sir, we are just ordinary passersby. If you don¡¯t mind, all the gold and silver goods in the carriage behind us will belong to you. We have wives and children at home, and we hope you spare our lives.¡± The approaching young man shook his head and touched the wrist guard on his right sleeve. He was still very polite. ¡°Old man, you should know the rules of the road. I only want the sword on your back.¡± This meant that he would rather have the sword than his life. The boulder in his heart seemed to have finally landed. He knew it was for this sword. The leader smiled bitterly in his heart and shouted, ¡°Everyone, please help me!¡± The people on horseback changed formation and turned into a sharp arrow, intending to break through the encirclement in the rain and kill their attackers. The clash of swords and knives was covered by the chaotic clangor in the rain, and the corpses piled up quickly under the horse¡¯s hooves. They encountered the same situation many times along the way, and many of them died as a result. A few were killed for the gold and silver behind them, which was only the simplest deception. The vast majority of people were killed for that divine sword. A divine sword. The young man let out a sigh, and the leader felt the sound of the sigh brushing against his earlobe and drifting into the pouring rain behind him. He stiffly tried to turn his neck, but only saw the transparent black pupils of the young man¡¯s eyes, and then his curved blade was lifted. A head rolled under the hooves and into the dust, the leader¡¯s eyes still wide open. The neck was severed neatly, blood gushing out like the blood on the young man¡¯s soft sword. In the cold light reflected by the sword washed by the rain, there was a pair of clean and piercing eyes. The tip of the sword lightly picked and the chain snapped like a piece of paper. The young man sliced through the iron chain on the headless body¡¯s back retrieved the sword case, and said indifferently, ¡°I said I would come for the sword.¡± He turned around and asked, ¡°Is everything taken care of?¡± The masked black figures nodded. There were no horses or corpses behind them, only the scattered bloodstains left by the rain. But once the rain stopped, nothing would be left. The young man laughed cheerfully, wearing a mask. ¡°I won. Just as I expected, it took only the time for one incense stick.¡± The shadow of the laugh flashed by like a massacre that seemed to have never happened on a rainy night. The masked figures were momentarily stunned by the young man¡¯s crystal clear smile, but still knelt on one knee and held out their hands. ¡°Ninth Guardian, please hand over the sword case to your subordinates.¡± The rain gradually stopped, and small raindrops slid into the masked figure¡¯s collar. Beads of sweat the size of peas trickled down his face. The young man looked at the kneeling figure, paid no attention, and lowered his eyes, saying softly, ¡°Seven, if you want the sword, come and take it yourself.¡± He reached out his right hand, as if to praise the masked figure, then grabbed his neck and snapped it with a crisp ¡°crack.¡± The body fell softly to the ground. Suddenly, a sharp sword stabbed at the young man¡¯s face, and the sword¡¯s owner was still laughing. ¡°Shuo Feng, you¡¯re very clever.¡± Shuo Feng leaned slightly to the side, as agile as a cicada, easily avoiding the attack. Behind the fallen masked figure came a young man. Behind the young man, dozens of masked figures followed, dispersing like ghosts. This time, Shuo Feng was surrounded. Shuo Feng pressed a hidden button on his right wrist guard, and a silver, thin and light soft sword popped out, straight and sharp as ever. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly and said, ¡°Killing our own people is pointless.¡± The sky was getting bright, and the young man known as ¡°The Seventh Brother¡± had an even wider smile on his face, revealing his white teeth. He grew impatient and said, ¡°Shuo Feng, give me the sword. In the name of brotherhood, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± Shuo Feng also smiled and said, ¡°Seven, is being a yellow sparrow fun? I also think it¡¯s fun. This way, the sect leader will be very pleased.¡± The light rain fell gently on the earth, and the figures of the youth and the young man were entwined like lightning. The masked shadows dared not make a move. They were no match for the two guardians of the sect and could only stand in the rain, waiting for the young man to slightly subdue the youth before joining forces to kill him. The Nine Guardians were formidable opponents. Shuo Feng impartially blocked the young man¡¯s fierce attacks, even taking the time to chat with him, ¡°Seven, didn¡¯t the Sect Leader tell you that only one person can bring back the sword? Are you willing to let your subordinates die like this?¡± In the morning rain, the light filtered through the clouds and illuminated the snow-white sword, making the boy¡¯s eyes even clearer and calmer. The young man grinned, ¡°I used a curse on them. If I die, they die too. Besides, Nine, I¡¯m willing to let you die too.¡± His sword wrapped around the boy¡¯s neck like a silver snake, cutting through the cloud patterned brocade on his clothing. Shuo Feng seemed to relax his frown, ¡°Oh, I see. Then, Seven, I¡¯ll gladly send you to your death.¡± At the moment of the young man¡¯s surprise, Shuo Feng¡¯s soft sword was pressed against his neck. The young man playfully made a beautiful sword flower on his neck, then pierced through the young man¡¯s heart without hesitation. With a ¡°pu¡± sound, the young man fell backwards. ¡°Seven Brother, you tore my clothes, I¡¯m not happy,¡± the boy said. The black silk on his left arm was cut open, revealing a white undershirt, as well as deep wounds on his flesh and bone. The young man lay on the damp ground, smelling the fragrance of the grass after the rain and the sweet blood in his chest, laughing and coughing at the same time. ¡°Nine, I¡¯m happy to have you accompany me to my burial. The Tianji Poison on my sword is unbeatable, even immortals can¡¯t cure it.¡± The north wind¡¯s eyes grew cold, and he quickly cut away the large piece of flesh on his left arm that was turning black. Still smiling, he said, ¡°Seventh Brother, I¡¯m happy that you died in front of me.¡± He closed the young man¡¯s eyes with his hand and turned around, saying, ¡°Okay, you can all go die now.¡± One by one, the black-masked shadows fell to the ground. No one could see the fearful expressions behind their masks. Worms crawled out of their eyes and ears and burrowed into the mud. The north wind stood up, the bloody soft sword re-wrapped around his right wrist guard. He shook his body, feeling that the sword case on his back was too heavy. So he wrapped the iron chain around his bony left arm, dragging the heavy sword case as he staggered towards the riverbank where the reeds were in full bloom. Then the boy fell headfirst into the river. The sun rose from the horizon, and the white reeds waved in the wind, revealing the deep bloodstains on their fluff. Below the riverbank was a large pile of corpses. * On a moonlit night, the sound of gurgling water woke Shuo Feng up. After a while, he was washed up on a shallow sandbar downstream, having just regained consciousness. It turned out that the sword case, still attached to his left arm by a chain, was tangled up and hung on the old abandoned ship by the riverbank, causing him to stop abruptly. He had indeed picked up his life from the surging waters of Canglan River. Shuo Feng frowned, he didn¡¯t think it was fate that kept him alive. His left arm had turned completely black, but his profound inner strength had prevented the toxins from completely invading his heart. The Tianji Poison was indeed worthy of its reputation. He never thought that Seventh Brother would actually be willing to use this valuable poison on himself. No, it should be that the sect leader was willing to do so. Shuo Feng felt a bit of strength returning to him. He stood up and felt for the bone of his right wrist, and the slender and light soft sword sprang out. He thought for a moment and decided to dig himself a grave. This place was nice, nestled among the mountains and waters. Shuo Feng even laughed, his curved eyes clear and bright. Since becoming an assassin, he had never thought that he would have a grave of his own. This could also be considered a mercy from heaven. Although his soft sword was sharp, it was light and thin after all. It took him quite a bit of effort to dig a shallow pit. Shuo Feng never felt sorry for himself. He hummed an unknown tune as he cut open the iron lock and opened the long-sealed sword case. He had also died for this sword. If he didn¡¯t even know the true face of the sword, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste? Shuo Feng saw the heavy and ancient iron sword, which looked like an ordinary sword. There were profound runes engraved on the blade, and there was a small iron ring at the hilt. When his muddy palm wiped the iron sword, the runes emitted a dazzling golden light and seemed to whisper. Shuo Feng saw the thick and ancient iron sword, which looked like an ordinary sword. Deep and mysterious runes were engraved on the blade, and there was a small iron ring at the hilt. When his muddy hand wiped across the sword, the runes emitted a dazzling golden light, as if whispering. Shuo Feng was startled. So this was the sword. In the seventeen states of the mortal world, there was only one nameless sword known as the Divine Sword. One hundred years ago, during the reign of the Daliang Dynasty, the Divine Sword descended from the heavens with immortal music and Buddhist chants and landed in the Taiji Hall of the imperial palace. The emperor and hundreds of civil and military officials were present, and thus they named it the divine sword. Accompanying the legend was also a secret. It was said that whoever obtained the Divine Sword would obtain the world. But twenty years ago, the princes of Daliang fought each other, causing the world to be divided into five parts, and the whereabouts of the Divine Sword became unknown. No wonder the sect leader sent out a large number of people to retrieve the sword, but did not tell them the truth, and even orchestrated a scheme to let them fight each other to reap the rewards. But Shuo Feng didn¡¯t care. He happily took out the Divine Sword and dug his own grave. The pit was quickly dug. Shuo Feng lay comfortably in the pit. But he still felt a bit aggrieved, having sacrificed his life for such a broken sword. He rolled his black eyes and gripped the ends of the divine sword with both hands, snapping it in half. This sword hadn¡¯t seen the light or tasted blood in a long time, so it was quite dull. But to use it as his own burial object was still impressive and remarkable. Who would know that the Divine Sword would accompany a killer to his grave? Shuo Feng stopped thinking about anything else. He clasped his hands, which had been cut by the divine sword, in front of his belly and closed his eyes with satisfaction after looking at the bright moonlight in the sky. By the time the tide rose and fell, this tomb would be buried by surging mud and sand, day after day, year after year. No one would know that a killer and a divine sword were buried here. It was a good death. Shuo Feng whistled, and the birds on the mountain flew up, their voices getting louder and louder. The earth seemed to be vibrating. Shuo Feng calmly opened his eyes and reached for the broken sword. The sword was buzzing and vibrating, and the broken edges were approaching each other, trying to join together. But Shuo Feng did not pay attention to the sword¡¯s movements because the phantom of a young girl was gradually solidifying in the moonlight, dressed in white and green, even brighter and more dazzling than the moonlight. ¡°She furrowed her brows, her features twisted together, but still beautiful. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ Shuo Feng asked hoarsely. In his heart, he thought, perhaps she was a messenger from the underworld, finally coming to take his life as a harbinger of death. But he couldn¡¯t help but think, are messengers of death really this beautiful? The young girl sitting on the edge of the grave heard Shuo Feng¡¯s question, thought for a moment, glanced at the broken sword under his body, and her expression turned somewhat sorrowful. ¡®Your sword,¡¯ she said.¡± [Author¡¯s Note] Being a new writer is not easy, so please show some support by giving this story a like o(¨i©n¨i)o CH 2 Upon hearing the girl¡¯s melancholic reply, Shuo Feng was stunned for a moment. Her clear and beautiful eyes seemed somewhat embarrassed, with a faint blush spreading across the corners of her eyes. However, he let out a wicked smile and readily admitted, ¡°Sorry about that, I did it on purpose.¡± His tone was light and indifferent, devoid of any apology. The moonlight was bright and clear, shining into the young man¡¯s eyes with the same clarity. There was not a hint of remorse in his gaze. In his eyes, there was not a hint of remorse. Zhou Yue let out a sigh in her heart and reached out her transparent right hand, wanting to touch the boy¡¯s fuzzy and dirty black hair. But she couldn¡¯t touch anything. ¡°I know you¡¯re feeling wronged,¡± she said. This was how her master would comfort her when she felt wronged. Shuo Feng turned his head away and made a small ¡°tsk¡± sound. More than half of the skin exposed from his neck had turned completely black, and visible dark purple veins showed on his fair face. Watching the young man lying in the grave and sulking alone, Zhou Yue wasn¡¯t angry. She clasped her hands together and formed a seal. Countless beams of light converged from the river, from the riverbank, from the distant mountains, and from who-knows-where, forming a brilliant starry sky above the grave. The cold moon hung high in the sky, and a gentle breeze started blowing. Zhou Yue reached out her hand and grabbed a handful of flowing stars, like catching a handful of fireflies. She chanted, ¡°Spirits of all things in the heavens and earth, awaken.¡± The incantation transformed into a spell formation in an instant. As if riding on the gentle breeze, Shuo Feng felt himself floating lightly, and the moonlight poured down like snowflakes on his shoulders. Looking down, he saw the rushing waters of the Canglan River, and he felt the soft sword at his right wrist, his fingers curling around it as the thin blade poised to strike. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Zhou Yue floated up as well, touching the boy¡¯s tense hand for a moment. ¡°I will save you, and you won¡¯t die.¡± After all, it was because of her that he had been half-dead. Zhou Yue felt apologetic towards the boy in front of her. Her expression was calm, and Shuo Feng could only feel the coolness of the girl¡¯s skin that he touched, and the beating of his own pulse, but for some reason, he felt reassured. After all, it was just a difference of one word, ¡°alive¡± or ¡°dead¡±. Shuo Feng smiled wryly, feeling that it didn¡¯t make much difference. Her expression was calm, and Shuo Feng felt the coolness of her skin as she touched his hand, but only his pulse was beating. Nevertheless, he felt inexplicably reassured. Bathed in moonlight, Shuo Feng finally saw the girl¡¯s face clearly. Her black hair flowed freely, and there were symmetrical red birthmarks above her eyebrows. Her eyes and eyebrows were delicate, her eyelashes curled, and her lips were slightly red. Her gaze was calm and indifferent. But her indifference was different from his as if she didn¡¯t belong to this world, and therefore, everything in it was ordinary to her. ¡°It will hurt a bit, you have to bear with it,¡± she said. Shuo Feng was about to sneer, but then he felt his organs, lungs, bones, muscles and tendons all ache and curl up as if his whole body had been thrown into a boiling hot pot. But he was an assassin, he could endure the pain, he wasn¡¯t even afraid of death, how could he be afraid of pain? Shuo Feng closed his eyes, clenched his lips, and sweat broke out on his forehead, but the toxins in his body were gradually retreating and disappearing, vanishing like black dust outside his body. If he could see, he would have noticed that the flesh and bones on his left arm and the sword wounds on his palms were healing, and the inner tendons were being purified by pure spiritual power and reconnecting. ¡°Cleansing the marrow and washing the tendons, this is the first stage, congratulations,¡± the voice of Zhou Yue rang out slowly. In an instant, Shuo Feng opened his eyes. The bright moon hung over the pine trees, and the sound of the river¡¯s shallow rapids could be heard. A reed flower drifted to his nose, tickling it, and he had already been back in the pit. Without concealing anything, Shuo Feng used his internal force to explore his inner strength, realizing that his old and new injuries had healed as good as new. Although he was surprised in his heart, he still moved his muscles and bones as usual, placed his arms behind his head, and looked at the ¡®sword spirit¡¯ girl kneeling at the edge of the pit. The moon was bright, and the sound of the shallow river tide came through. It was a chilly night in April in the mortal world, just after a few cold rains, and Shuo Feng couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Zhou Yue smiled lightly at his words, her eyelashes curling up, and the two red marks on her eyebrows became more vivid and lively, ¡°Because I am your sword.¡± The Ji Hua Sword had already been re-pledged with a drop of blood and recognized him as its master again. He had passed the test she had set, so she was not wrong in saying that. Before he could respond, her figure became transparent. The girl seemed very tired and yawned with her increasingly transparent right palm. ¡®To save you, I¡¯ve used up a lot of my strength. Shuo Feng, I¡¯m going to sleep. If there¡¯s anything, call me.¡¯ Shuo Feng raised an eyebrow at the mention of his name, showing a bit of youthful charm. ¡®Don¡¯t vent your anger on the sword again, repairing it is quite troublesome,¡¯ Zhou Yue urged as she fought off her drowsiness. Shuo Feng sat up, looked up at Zhouyue¡¯s dust-free face in the pit, and curiously asked, ¡®Can a sword feel pain too?''¡± His face was very close to hers, and his handsome and delicate features were more clearly illuminated by the moonlight, revealing a light mist that seemed to be rising from the water, reflecting the white reeds and the bright moon. Feeling tired, Zhou Yue lowered her head, and their noses almost touched. She shook her head. Shuo Feng felt the tip of the girl¡¯s nose rubbing against the fuzz on his face, tickling him. Her long eyelashes were so close to him that he could even see his own clear reflection in her eyes. The young man¡¯s earlobes turned slightly red. But her face was still as pale as snow. ¡°Shuo Feng, I am an inanimate object. I cannot feel pain.¡± ¡°However, this is the Ji Hua Sword that I personally forged. Now, it belongs to you.¡± Her last words drifted away in the gentle breeze and the reeds, and her figure disappeared completely as if she had never existed in this world. Shuo Feng patted the dirt off his clothes, jumped out of the pit with a burst of strength, and headed towards the dense forest in the mountains without looking back, while it was still dark. The Ji Hua Sword was repaired to its original state, lying alone in the pit. In this chaotic world, who would want to invite trouble by getting involved with a divine sword? On the rocky cliff, the branch of a pine tree swayed slightly as a young man¡¯s figure leapt up and disappeared, shaking off the night rain. The sunlight quietly descended, and the green grass by the river was coated with tiny golden flecks, each dewdrop glistening. The dewdrops condensed on the tender grass of spring, and the sound of footsteps drew closer. Grass tips and water droplets were trampled back into the mud by the boots. The young man wore a black robe embroidered with exquisite dark patterns on the soles of his black shoes, with gold and jade decorations at his waist. In the sparse light of day, his expression was indecipherable, flickering between anger and happiness. Shuo Feng rolled his eyes, grabbed the Ji Hua Sword, and tore off a large piece of silk from his black robe with a ¡°rip¡±, wrapping the sword hilt tightly and securely, then slung it onto his lean back. ¡°Tsk, if it weren¡¯t for this sword, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten into such big trouble.¡± With the sword on his back, the young man disappeared into the dense forest without looking back. His body movements were very light and agile, flowing like clouds and water, passing through the pine and cypress branches. Amidst the swirling layers of green, the bent branches occasionally revealed a flicker of silver light behind the young man¡¯s back. * The Canglan River nurtured the local people, and many cities of Southern Liang were built along the river. Therefore, upstream of the Canglan River was Cangzhou City, and downstream was Lanzhou City. At this moment, in the bustling Lanzhou City, the morning market had just opened. Vendors and peddlers are coming and going, calling out their goods. In the steamy mist, peaceful faces could be seen. Occasionally, there are new faces coming into the city, but most of them are sitting on ox carts or donkey carts. Nowadays, with natural disasters and man-made calamities, it¡¯s not easy for farmers to make a living. Most of them have lost their farmland and come to the city to work. When the common people looked over, they seemed to look at them with boredom or sympathy, muttering ¡°this world¡±, and then quickly walked away. But today, the people were all stunned to see a bright and sunny young man on a flatbed cart. The young man was wearing an embroidered silk robe and holding fresh dog tail grass. His features were lively and his smile was bright, making even the radiant sunlight pale in comparison. Indeed, he is a young man who knows nothing of the bitterness of life.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really a handsome young man.¡± Everyone laughed and walked away. Walking through the winding streets and alleys, Shuo Feng stopped at the back door of Shunlai Escort Agency and rhythmically knocked on the door handle, once, twice. Under the gray tiles, hurried footsteps rushed over. Opening the door was a scar-faced youth. He knelt down on one knee and clasped his fist, ¡°Ninth Guardian, I¡¯m late.¡± The kneeling figure trembled slightly in the fragmented sunlight under the eaves. ¡°Seventeen, how long have you been with me?¡± Shuo Feng didn¡¯t enter the door, leaning lazily against the wooden door and asking, his fingers lightly rubbing the hidden clasp of his soft sword on his right hand. Seventeen¡¯s heart trembled, and he replied in a low voice, ¡°Three years.¡± Shuo Feng let out a casual ¡°oh¡±, neither surprised nor impressed. ¡°I came this time to tell you that I am no longer a member of the Rakshasa Gate. The three-year agreement with the sect leader has ended, and from now on, you and others don¡¯t have to follow me anymore.¡± With that, he turned around and walked away without any hesitation. Seventeen¡¯s legs knelt heavily, arching his hand and saying, ¡°Ninth Guardian, it was you who saved my life. If we can meet again in the future, I would be willing to go through fire and water for you without hesitation.¡± Shuo Feng walked away with his sword on his back, without turning his head. The young man walked slowly to the end of the alley, with the sunlight pulling his thin and straight figure with a long sword on his back, step by step, exuding a relaxed and youthful vigor. Seventeen couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Ninth Guardian, the sect leader has issued a wanted notice in the martial world.¡± His voice was trembling as he continued, ¡°He said that fifteen days ago, you stole the Divine Sword in Cangzhou. Now, the whole martial world knows about it, and many people are coming to take the sword.¡± Clasping his fists tightly and then opening them again by his side, Seventeen trembled as he looked up at the young man¡¯s back, with the sword hilt slightly protruding from the plain cloth bag on his back. But the young man turned his head, with a glittering smile on his lips and a radiant look in his eyes. ¡°Yes, I stole it, but this is my sword. If others want to take it, meet me outside of Lanzhou City tonight.¡± He didn¡¯t care at all about becoming the world¡¯s most wanted criminal, and even intentionally spread rumors in Lanzhou City. Everything was within his calculated scheme, and Seventeen¡¯s courage wavered. After leaving the East Market, Shuo Feng wandered into the largest Qingyun Inn in the West Market and ordered a premium banquet, and asked the waiter to prepare two sets of chopsticks. After waiting for a long time, the young man was still alone, which surprised the restaurant owner and the waiters. But customers are customers, and business is business, especially since the young man paid a whole ingot of silver. In the elegant private room of the Qingyun Restaurant, a landscape painting was hanging on the wall, and the new table was filled with exquisite dishes. Shuo Feng picked up a piece of braised pork for himself, then thought for a moment and picked up another piece to put it on the untouched rice on the opposite side. The rice on the opposite side was already piled high with salted crispy chicken, braised pork, and golden spring rolls. He felt a little unhappy and muttered, ¡°You¡¯ve been awake for a while, but you still won¡¯t come out and eat with me.¡± The Ji Hua sword behind him remained silent, with no response at all. Shuo Feng kicked a wine jar with his right foot, broke the clay seal, sniffed lightly, and then took out a gourd from his waist. Amber-colored wine poured out from the mouth of the gourd, and Shuo Feng licked it with his tongue, enjoying the spicy flavor. His lips were also red, his eyes shining, and when he looked out the window at the lively street scene, he looked like a carefree young master who had just emerged from a pile of luxury and splendor. He said happily, ¡°With food and drink in my belly, tonight is a good night for killing.¡± He said that as if it was a playful remark about going horseback riding and sightseeing. The Ji Hua sword hummed as if warning him. Shuo Feng¡¯s face fell. ¡°Aren¡¯t I doing this for you?¡± Ji Hua Sword remained still. Actually, it was not completely still. Zhou Yue had indeed woken up a long time ago, but she had been repeatedly trying to sense her golden body trapped in the Xuanming realm, but there had been no response. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. In order to seal the evil spirits, Zhou Yue chose to undergo tribulation in the Xuanming realm. If successful, she could eliminate the evil spirits in one fell swoop and restore peace to the six realms. If unsuccessful, she could turn her body into a prison, completely sealing the Xuanming realm and imprisoning the evil spirits. Zhou Yue lowered her eyes, and she had failed in her tribulation and died in the Xuanming realm two hundred years ago. She woke up this time, vaguely sensing that her golden body had reached its limit and was about to shatter. As a result, the evil spirit would break through the seal and return. And somehow, one strand of her divine soul attached to the Ji Hua Sword. During the battle against the evil spirits, the Ji Hua Sword unexpectedly fell out of the torn space and landed in the mortal world. And she herself became the sword spirit of the Ji Hua Sword. A hundred years later, she and Ji Hua Sword were both awakened by a young killer named Shuo Feng. The moment the young man touched Ji Hua Sword, Zhou Yue woke up. She knew he had suffered a lot of grievances. In the moment of their divine soul¡¯s contact, she saw some of the young man¡¯s long-hidden memories that no one knew about. Zhou Yue chewed on Shuo Feng¡¯s name, lifted her white and tender chin, and saw his jet-black hair and a strand of unruly black hair from inside the sword. She thought to herself that she only wished this young man would enter the Dao faster. In this way, she taught him to let go of killing, to help him become an immortal, so that he could help her reseal the Xuanming realm, and then truly be free as the wind between heaven and earth. Author¡¯s note: [Little Theater] Shuo Feng (blushing): She said it¡¯s my sword. So I reluctantly accepted it. CH 3 Half a month ago, at the Tingchao Pavilion, the headquarters of the world¡¯s number one assassin organization, the Rakshasa Gate sect. The pitter-patter of rain dripped through several layers of black gauze and stirred up ripples, carrying a chill into the building and causing the old man sitting at the head of the desk in the darkness to cough a few times. The white-haired, youthful-looking elder sat at the head of the darkened table, wiping the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief. He looked down at the kneeling crowd below and chuckled, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that he alone managed to take the sword, yet none of you knows where he went?¡± Except for the alive Shuo Feng and the dead youth, all the Demonic Sect¡¯s disciples had completed their missions and returned to the sect. Currently, there were still seven disciples left, both male and female, all of them rare assassins who were the foundation of the Demonic Sect. At this moment, the sixth-ranked disciple stepped forward. He is different from the other assassins because he has a scar on his face and always wears a bronze ghost mask. ¡®Leader, we only received news that he accidentally fell into the Canglan River. We failed in our mission,¡¯ he said. ¡°Sixth, you are not his match. Seven died in his hands, not in vain,¡± the old man said, not angry or sad, but rather smiling as he asked the other assassins to help the sixth up. ¡°Someone, go and fetch the Jianghu token.¡± The Jianghu token was a symbol of alliance held by the four major forces in the Jianghu world and could only be used in times of crisis. The sect leader was really angry this time, and the assassins exchanged glances with each other. Unexpectedly, the old man at the head had already spoken, his tone very kind. ¡°Children, there are always times when one deviates from the norm. Only when they suffer outside can they think of the good at home,¡± the old man said, extending his aged hand to stroke the black gold token presented to him. He continued, ¡°This token is to inform the heroes of the world that the Divine Sword is in the hands of Shuo Feng.¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°divine sword,¡± the assassins all had a dramatic change in expression. They did not know that the sword they were going to retrieve was the ¡°divine sword.¡± But they all knew the legend of the divine sword that descended from the sky. So the Jianghu token of the sect leader was originally meant to mobilize all the power in the world, to make Shuo Feng a target of public criticism. The Sixth spoke with unexpected calmness, ¡°Leader, this will surely draw the attention of the court to our Rakshasa Gate .¡± The old man waved his hand and dismissed the concern, ¡°This little dynasty of Nanliang won¡¯t last much longer.¡± He glanced at Sixth and continued giving orders, ¡°Eight, have someone keep a close eye on his subordinate, Seventeen. Shuo Feng will go to him. This boy is still too softhearted.¡± For an assassin, being softhearted is not a good thing. The group of Rakshasa Gate sect, including the Sixth, bowed and retreated as instructed by the old man. The quiet chamber was illuminated by a small bean-sized lamp, casting a half-light on the old man¡¯s face. His decaying flesh and wriggling maggots were exposed, while his eye sockets revealed his bony skeleton. In the quiet pavilion, a small bean-sized lamp illuminated half of the old man¡¯s face, where rotting flesh grew and maggots wriggled, and the eye sockets were filled with stark white bones. ¡°The world will be in chaos, and that¡¯s when my Rakshasa Gate can break through the siege and profit from it.¡± The old man turned his wheelchair and leaned over to look at the surging river below, smiling, ¡°This sound of the tide is still not loud enough.¡± * ¡°The sound of the tide is loud tonight.¡± Shuo Feng sat on a reef by the riverbank and looked up at the moon. Today was not the fifteenth, so it was not a full moon. He carried the sword, Ji Hua, on his back, appearing relaxed, but his back was tense as he constantly surveyed his surroundings. Outside the city of Lanzhou, it was very quiet. The sky was completely dark, and stars twinkled. The countryside was vast, and there were occasional barks from dogs in the distant villages. ¡°Ji Hua sword, many people are going to come and bully me tonight, I feel really wronged,¡± Shuo Feng adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable lying down. Finally, a gentle female voice came from within the Jiu Hua sword, ¡°Shuo Feng, I won¡¯t sit idly by and do nothing.¡± She paused for a moment, ¡°Also, I have a name, my name is Zhou Yue.¡± Her name. It was the first time in over a dozen days that he heard her mention her own name. Shuofeng¡¯s eyes lit up, but he continued to speak in the same spoiled tone, ¡°If I die, will you become someone else¡¯s sword?¡± His tone was cautious and could not hide the disappointment in his words, but his eyes remained calm and cold. However, seeing Shuo Feng¡¯s appearance still made Zhou Yue think of the spirit beasts that were raised by the disciples in the sect ¡ª soft and fluffy. She earnestly said, ¡°Shuo Feng, I am your sword, now and always.¡± Her tone was flat as if she was making a solemn promise. ¡°You won¡¯t die. No matter how dangerous it is, I will protect you.¡± The tension in Shuofeng¡¯s shoulders slowly relaxed as he looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the starry night, shining so brightly that it warmed his heart and reminded him of the girl whose face was even more radiant than the moon. He sensed the fatigue that Zhou Yue was trying to hide in her words and said softly, ¡°Zhou Yue, you should rest well. When you wake up, we¡¯ll go to Qiongzhou to see the tides next month. it¡¯s a lot of fun.¡± The wind was blowing quietly, and the river tide was rolling up milky white foam, crashing against the rocks, surging mightily like thousands of troops fighting. The sound of wind in his ears mixed with the buzzing of weapons. Shuo Feng jumped off the stone and held his soft sword in his right hand, turning around and saying, ¡°Are you all here to play with me?¡± Sure enough, a continuous stream of dark shadows emerged from below the horizon, like a mountain range rising from the ground, quietly surrounding the cold-eyed young man in the center. The young man¡¯s eyes were clean and clear, and the smile at the corners of his mouth was also clean and clear. He said, ¡°Everyone came to play with me, I¡¯m very happy.¡± Although it was clearly a killing spree, the young man seemed to regard it as a game. He was too young and reckless, he needed to know how powerful the hidden Divine Sword was. So the swarm of dark shadows rushed towards the young man, and they engaged in close combat, sparks flying and splashing like thunder in the spring night, white and bleak. The young man moved like a ghost, taking the lives of several people in just a breath. He frowned as if regretting that these people could not have played with him for a longer time. Seeing that the young man was holding his own against them, and the situation was not good, someone shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s all attack together! Whoever gets the divine sword first, it¡¯s theirs!¡± Countless greedy eyes fixed on the cloth bag behind the young man. Shuo Feng heard this and said softly, ¡°My sword is tired and resting. If you disturb her, she won¡¯t be happy, so I won¡¯t be happy either.¡± He wore a narrow-sleeved black robe and was unbelievably delicate. He held a soft sword in his right hand and moved as if he were a black butterfly, fluttering through the chaos of swords and knives. The soft sword in his hand looked like a pair of flapping butterfly wings, and every time he struck, a corpse would fall. Thick red blood splashed onto his neck and spread towards his fair and smooth jawline. However, his dark pupils, reflected in the sword light, remained transparent and indifferent. As the pile of corpses behind Shuo Feng grew, he casually kicked away a severed arm and took a shallow breath. ¡°More? I¡¯m having a great time today.¡± This time, there were countless masked figures, and he naturally saw some familiar figures among them. Shuo Feng seemed to see his close friends and family, smiling as he said, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s family.¡± The assassins stood at the forefront, each holding their most handy killing tools. They had all fought against Shuo Feng before. Although he was ranked ninth among the assassins, his strength was the highest in the gang, and they had all been defeated by him. But today, the assassins looked at each other in silence. This was not a fair fight, and even the most powerful person would eventually be outnumbered. They rushed forward together, like driving away and hunting down a young beast that had just revealed its fangs. In the pitch-black night, cold glints scattered through the air. The young man appeared to be at the end of his strength, with his hand bleeding and his palm split open. ¡°Shuo Feng, why do you always get injured?¡± The figure of a young girl appeared out of the Jiu Hua sword, moving with the wind, deflecting a hidden weapon aimed at him. While blocking the attacks of the crowd, Shuo Feng laughed and said, ¡°Because I¡¯m an assassin. Zhou Yue, are you awake now?¡± The people surrounding them saw the young man seemingly talking to someone else, and their hearts trembled as they cautiously surveyed the dark surroundings. But they saw nothing. However, the next moment, they widened their eyes. The divine sword behind the young man broke free from its wrapping on its own, flew into the air, and seemed to be held by someone in mid-air. Then, a golden sword light tore through the sky in an instant, like the roar of boundless lightning descending on the world. But the sword light did not harm them, only forcing them to retreat towards the young man. The ringing in their ears passed, and this time, they finally heard the clear voice of a girl within the lightning. ¡°I do not wish to harm mortals, please leave.¡± Someone in the darkness spat, ¡°Stop pretending to be a god, everyone, don¡¯t be fooled by that bitch.¡± The crowd began to hesitate, but when they thought of the unparalleled divine sword, their hearts became increasingly restless. Finally, the first reckless man raised his broadsword and swung it at the young man. The young man didn¡¯t move, only looked at the girl in the sword light and said, ¡°Zhou Yue, they¡¯ve killed many innocent people. Bad people should be killed.¡± At the moment when the broadsword was about to cut the young man¡¯s neck, the sword light struck again. The broadsword shattered inch by inch, and even the body of the burly man shattered inch by inch. The girl whispered, ¡°Forget it, since they¡¯re bad people, the will of heaven says they should be killed.¡± Whether it was the sword light or the thunder light, it rang out again and again, piercing through the blood and flesh piled up in the wilderness like the bright daylight. The bloody remains instinctively stirred up the fierce killing intent in the crowd of savages, and they continued to pursue the boy, but the divine sword seemed to have divine assistance, crushing the bodies of the crowd time and time again. But no one was holding that sword! The panicked people turned their backs and began to flee to the periphery in a steady stream. But it was too late. The Jiu Hua sword waved continuously, with simple slashes and cuts, like a child learning basic sword techniques in a rigid manner. The corpses under the sword gave rise to increasingly thick blood, which coiled around the sword, gathering at the grip. Under the cold moon, blood began to coagulate into a soft and fair hand at the hilt. Then flesh and blood continued to shape, first with the arm, then the chest, and finally the curvaceous body of a young girl wrapped in white silk and a green skirt emerged. So there really was a ¡°person¡± wielding the sword! The people looked at the young girl holding the Jiu Hua sword in horror. Her face was as pure as ever in the moonlight and the sword light, untainted by dust, like a goddess giving the world a casual glance. She said, ¡°This is my promise.¡± CH 4 The bright moon hung high in the sky, with thin clouds revealing a clear starry night. However, raindrops suddenly fell from the sky one by one, then poured down like a bucket, making a loud noise. Actually, it wasn¡¯t raining at all. The people holding weapons stared up blankly, wiping their drenched and soggy faces. The red and bloody smell in their hands seemed to completely penetrate their skin, making them nauseous. This was all the blood of the dead. Since the girl spoke, the bloody rain had been falling, and the severed limbs shattered by the sword light had also been falling heavily. In the wilderness, some people were knocked unconscious by the falling debris, while others were frightened by this hellish scene. Only a young man was laughing, his laughter clean and crisp. But no one dared to attack that young man. Because a girl in a white veil and green dress calmly descended from the sword light, as if being held up by the gentle breeze and clouds, slowly stopping beside the young man¡¯s shoulder. Shuo Feng¡¯s eyes shone brightly, sincerely praising, ¡°Zhou Yue, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Praised by the young man, Zhou Yue¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but turn red with shyness, but her eyes were also shining, ¡°Right, right? I¡¯m really amazing. Shuo Feng, do you want to learn swordsmanship from me?¡± The two smiled at each other, both faces filled with joy. The onlookers silently watched the young man and woman as if they had forgotten about them, enthusiastically discussing the matter of learning swordsmanship. The girl actually weighed her divine sword in her hand, demonstrating a few fierce sword moves, teaching the young man how to use the sword. Really, have these two got it wrong? Can learning swordsmanship be possible in this situation? The crowd had complex expressions, but no one moved, as no one wanted to die by the sword of the mysterious girl. At this moment, it was Shuo Feng who noticed the cowering crowd. He happily took the sword handed over by the girl and grinned, ¡°Are you guys not leaving yet? Do we need to ask you to leave?¡± The tone of his request was very heavy. But the tip of the sword pointed straight at the gap in the crowd. But how could this be a real ¡°request¡±? This was obviously a blatant threat! Should they leave or not? Can they really leave? People looked at each other, their faces showing fear and despair, turning pale or ashen at times. Finally, the first person took a step back. The sparse footsteps sounded, followed by the long whinnying sound of horse hooves as people pulled their reins and whipped their horses, fleeing in a hurry. The sparse grassland resembled a rough and bumpy drum surface with thousands of drumsticks striking simultaneously, shaking everything around. Meanwhile, the girl remained to kneel quietly with her back to them, quietly reciting the sutras of rebirth for the dead. After finishing, the girl straightened her back and seemed to be really focused on watching the young man practice her sword moves. Her green skirt blossomed like a flower, and her black hair slightly exposed the clear and translucent skin on the back of her neck. The white veil made her slender figure even more graceful and beautiful, causing passersby to involuntarily exclaim at her ¡°Jade Beauty¡±. However, at this moment, Jade Beauty paid no attention to the fleeing crowd behind her and just lightly clapped her hands. Between the vast heavens and earth, wind and clouds flowed quietly. The applause was clean and seemed to have magical power. The fugitives froze in place and the guards prepared to use their skills, their muscles tense as a wave of despair swept over them. The fleeing people immediately froze in place, their muscles tightening in despair. They prepared themselves for the worst, but after the breeze passed, the crystal-like laughter of the young girl rang out. ¡°Shuo Feng, you¡¯re learning quickly. You¡¯re even better than I was when I started. Your sword moves are beautiful. Let me teach you some other moves.¡± The two of them were actually earnestly teaching and learning swordsmanship. What kind of cruel joke was this? The people looked stunned. Suddenly, one of the fugitives stumbled in fright and fell face down into the dirt. The crowd panicked and struggled, rolling around on the ground like beans sifted through a bamboo strainer or crabs jumping in a steaming pot. For a moment, angry curses and shoving sounds mixed together, but ultimately everyone silently dispersed further away. Of course, the young man noticed the chaotic and ridiculous scene, and with a disapproving gaze, he looked towards the crowd. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± Upon hearing Shuo Feng¡¯s shout, Zhou Yue also turned her head in surprise and in confusion, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you all leaving? Is there still something else?¡± The confused expression on the young girl¡¯s face was sincere and perplexed, as if she was genuinely worried for the people. Her face was indeed very beautiful, like jade or porcelain. At this moment, her eyebrows lightly furrowed, and two tiny, symmetrical red moles on her brow ridge twitched. But the people did not see her as a celestial being from the heavens. They only saw her as an evil spirit who had come to collect souls. The desolate wilderness finally fell silent. Only the crescent moon on the distant mountain remained, and the sky had begun to turn blue. The sounds of roosters crowing from a nearby village could be heard. If you ignore the corpses scattered all around, this was a beautiful ink painting of the countryside, complete with mountains and rivers. In this picturesque scene, the boy and the girl stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the sunrise in the faint light of dawn and the formation of the geese flying overhead. Turning to the boy standing beside her, Zhou Yue lightly said, ¡°Shuo Feng, I¡¯ll teach you how to use a sword. Do you want to be my disciple?¡± She wanted to be his master. The girl¡¯s expression was very serious, without arrogance or calculation, different from others perhaps. She seemed to be thinking of happy memories, pursing her lips and smiling, even the corners of her eyes were smiling. ¡°My master was very good. Shuo Feng, I want to be a good master like him.¡± The sunlight was warm, and the girl standing in it was also warm. But the corners of Shuo Feng¡¯s eyes and eyebrows were gradually filled with the coldness of spring, and he tightened the hilt of the Ji Hua Sword, speaking in a hoarse voice. ¡°Do you also want me to help you with something?¡± Before Zhou Yue could reply, Shuo Feng gave a strange smile and continued, ¡°I also had a master once, but I killed him with my own hands.¡± ¡°Peeling off his skin and tearing his tendons, dismembering his body into ten thousand pieces.¡± The words were full of indifference. He was a despicable person who had betrayed and destroyed his own master and ancestors, Shuo Feng thought to himself coldly. Shuo Feng lowered his gaze. If Zhou Yue didn¡¯t want to be hurt by him, she should stay away from him. His eyes stared straight at the black surface of his boots. The silver embroidery had become darker and dirtier due to the bloodstains. But the girl just looked at him quietly, reaching out her cold hand to touch his cheek, the corners of his eyes and brows, as if trying to dispel the bone-chilling coldness that clung to him. Her eyes were filled with tender compassion, and Zhou Yue frowned, ¡°He must have done a lot of things to hurt you and make you sad. Shuo Feng, since he¡¯s a bad person, you did the right thing by killing him.¡± ¡°Never mind, even though you don¡¯t want to be my disciple, I will still teach you how to use the sword and help you become an immortal,¡± the girl¡¯s tone became light again. ¡°After all, I am your sword.¡± Shuo Feng looked up and saw the girl¡¯s body shaking in the morning light, but her face was as pure and untouched as before. He relaxed his fingers, which had been clenching the sword handle. Suddenly, Zhou Yue crouched down, hugged herself and curled up into a ball. ¡°Shuo Feng, I¡¯m tired and I want to sleep.¡± Shuo Feng also crouched down, took hold of the girl¡¯s shoulders, and looked into her clear eyes. His voice was fragile, like shattered glass, ¡°Zhou Yue, I¡¯m injured, and perhaps someone will come to kill me soon.¡± The April night was cold, and the chill and last night¡¯s blood rushed into the young man¡¯s sleeves, causing his shoulders to tremble. Zhou Yue thought of the young man¡¯s sharp eyebrows and clear eyes, lips devoid of color, but with sharp and beautiful lines, like spring snow about to melt in the warm sunshine, clean yet fleeting. She stood up and sighed, ¡°Shuo Feng, I really don¡¯t know what to do with you, but since I¡¯m your sword, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± She turned her back to the boy and bent over again. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± When she was still in Linghua Sect, she carried many young disciples on her back. Zhou Yue¡¯s eyes and brows softened. Unexpectedly, the young man¡¯s breathing became rapid. He muttered, ¡°Who asked you to carry me? It¡¯s not¡­not¡­¡± Shuo Feng shook his head irritably, wanting the clear wind to blow away the heat on his face. But perhaps the sun was too bright and his face turned even redder. He didn¡¯t want Zhou Yue to see him like this, so he quickly turned to face her and hastily said, ¡°Let me carry you instead. You said you want to sleep right? If you¡¯re on my back, I won¡¯t be afraid of anyone coming to attack me.¡± Zhou Yue was momentarily surprised, but she didn¡¯t flinch. She jumped lightly onto Shuo Feng¡¯s back, and the boy felt like he was carrying a light cloud. The translucent glints in his eyes were filled with unexpected tenderness. The girl¡¯s feet dangled lightly on Shuo Feng¡¯s arms. Perhaps because she had just transformed into a mortal form, she hadn¡¯t had time to wear shoes or embroidered slippers, revealing her delicate pink toes, like warm pearls, even cuter and more lovely in the bright spring sunlight. Shuo Feng blushed and unintentionally pulled down the hem of the girl¡¯s green skirt, trying to cover up her innocent charm. The road was muddy and uneven, with lush green grass on both sides. The water vapor from the Canglan River that flowed through the city was steaming in the warm air, hiding the muddy blood smell in the grass. Shuo Feng avoided the bumpy parts of the road, using his inner strength to deflect the stones that blocked the way with a silver needle in his hand. He walked very steadily, and the girl on his back slept soundly. Shuo Feng felt the girl¡¯s head bobbing up and down on his shoulder, her unbraided black hair nestling against his neck, warm and itchy. He whispered softly, ¡°Zhou Yue, do you want me to help you with something?¡± The girl, although sleepy, was actually afraid of being ambushed, so she didn¡¯t fall asleep. ¡°I want you to cultivate into an immortal and help me seal the Abyss of Xuanming,¡± she said firmly, not like she was talking about something unrealistic for mortals. In fact, the story of cultivating into immortals had been circulating in the mortal realm for a long time. Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, when the heavenly ladder was not yet broken, there were also people from Da Liang who ascended to immortality. But legends were still legends, just like who would know that there was a sword spirit girl living in the divine sword? However, Shuo Feng was listening very seriously. He thought that this might be related to Zhou Yue¡¯s background, but he didn¡¯t mind her secrecy and secrets. Everyone has secrets, just like he does. ¡°The Abyss of Xuanming? What is that place?¡± Shuo Feng asked. ¡°The Abyss of Xuanming is beyond the six realms, where the origin of evil spirits lies,¡± said the girl on his back, pausing her words and speaking seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not a good place, very dangerous, with endless resentful spirits and malevolent energy tearing apart souls. If one were to die there, they would be forever trapped in the Abyss of Xuanming, never to be reincarnated.¡± The strings in his mind were rapidly vibrating, and Shuo Feng sensitively sensed something and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you there? Do you want me to go save you?¡± He was actually a kind-hearted and softhearted child. Zhou Yue smiled and seemed grateful for Shuo Feng¡¯s kindness. But she shook her head and also shook off her black hair that blocked the boy¡¯s view, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I don¡¯t eleven like that place, why would I make you go there? Shuo Feng, all you need to do is help me reinforce the seal at the boundary gate.''¡± But at that moment, Shuo Feng felt like his heart had been struck by the girl¡¯s black hair that she had just shaken off. It was sour and bitter, like willow fluff drifting on a calm lake, prickling like needles. The girl had already sensed his complicated emotions and calmly reassured him, ¡°Shuo Feng, you don¡¯t have to be sad.¡± She paused, ¡°I died in the Xuanming two hundred years ago. Although I am now the spirit of the Ji Hua sword, ultimately, I am just a remnant soul attached to the sword by chance.¡± Shuo Feng hugged the girl¡¯s legs tighter, but Zhouyue seemed really tired, and after saying this, she fell asleep heavily on his back. Shuo Feng could feel the girl¡¯s warm and soft breasts against his back, but there was nothing inside. It was a quiet spring day, with the sounds of chickens and dogs barking in the village, and only his heart beating in the world. Zhou Yue¡¯s gentle breathing blew on Shuo Feng¡¯s ear, like a flame fanned by the wind, gradually turning his earlobes red. The sun had truly risen, illuminating the lively human world, and the fireworks in the distant city were getting closer and closer. Shuo Feng lowered his eyes, his arm muscles slightly loosened, allowing the girl¡¯s legs to slide down a bit, wanting to make the sleeping girl more comfortable. He thought, at least at this moment, she was real and alive in the human world. He tried his best to calm his heart, eliminating the panic and vague sadness and pain that overlapped in his heart. Finally, he took a deep breath, and the image froze on the girl¡¯s smooth instep and pink toes. He had to buy Zhouyue a pair of embroidered shoes. After all, she was his sword. Thinking of this, Shuo Feng¡¯s transparent eyes became clearer, and the corners of the boy¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up in the spring breeze. Author¡¯s note: Shuo Feng (frantically in love but pretending to be calm): That¡¯s right, it¡¯s all because she¡¯s my sword that I would¡­ His mother: You can continue to say one thing and mean another. CH 5 Shuo Feng did not return to Lanzhou City, instead, he and Zhuoyue traveled south along a tributary of the Canglan River until they reached a small town that was blooming with spring flowers. The town¡¯s walls were not high, and the meandering river flowed around it. The banks of the river were lined with green willow trees, and their verdant colors accentuated the spring atmosphere. The name of the town, Xiaochun (1), was very appropriate. Xiaochun was a peaceful little town where there were rarely any guards interrogating passing travelers. However, today was different from usual. It was unclear whether the troops dressed in Mingguang armor had come from the prefecture or elsewhere. Still, they were coming in and out of the city gate, comparing the faces of passersby with portraits, and their expressions were stern as they conducted strict searches. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The merchants in the tea shack looked towards the city gate and whispered among themselves, suddenly realizing, ¡°Could it be because of the ten miles of corpses outside Lanzhou City a few days ago? It¡¯s really scary to think about it happening in broad daylight.¡± ¡°In this world, could it be the Purple-Clothed Guard¡­?¡± How could they bring up the group of evil stars known as the Purple-Clothed Guard for no reason? The old man wearing a straw hat was afraid of getting into trouble and quickly picked up the tea kettle from the fireplace, pouring fresh tea for the merchants. He nervously tried to smooth things over and apologized, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about national affairs, let¡¯s not talk about national affairs.¡± Talking about national affairs made the customers¡¯ faces change. They looked both fearful and distressed. Since the change of regime in Daliang, the various tribes rebelled, and the Southern Liang court was isolated, with insufficient military resources and weak national strength. However, the emperor still stubbornly allocated a large number of military funds to establish the Purple-Clothed Guard, to check on people¡¯s livelihoods and suppress people¡¯s grievances. But the Purple-Clothed Guard was clearly a group of palace watchdogs. In addition to the guards in the imperial capital¡¯s yamen, there were also many undercover agents lurking among the people, using them to suppress the common people and consolidate imperial power. In this chaotic era, there were many people who had been raided and wiped out by the Purple-Clothed Guard for no apparent reason. Their methods were cruel and fierce, and even the famous General Ling¡¯s clan from Da Liang was not spared. However, everyone present was ordinary people who did not want to invite trouble. So everyone in the tea shack laughed it off, raising their glasses and talking about this year¡¯s tea and cloth business. Unexpectedly, someone brought up the topic again. ¡°The Purple-Clothed Guard?¡± A voice of a young man full of curiosity came. ¡°Who¡¯s the clueless one?¡± The merchants looked angrily towards the source of the voice. It was a young boy with a face covered in dirt. Despite this, his eyes were well-shaped, with curved edges and soft curves that made his pupils look black and clear. Sitting next to him was a petite girl, her head always lowered as she held a teacup, making it difficult to see her face. The skin on her exposed jawline was smooth and graceful with slightly darker skin The merchants thought to themselves, ¡°What a pity,¡± before their expressions suddenly changed, and they stared intently at this pair of rural siblings. Of course, this was just a disguise by Shuo Feng and Zhou Yue. Since leaving the city of Lanzhou, Zhou Yue had used her illusion skills to hide their faces. She had also shrunk the Ji Hua sword into a small wooden sword and tied it to Shuo Feng¡¯s wrist with reeds from the nearby river. This was to cover their tracks since they didn¡¯t want to attract attention from ordinary mortals. The sun shifted slightly from one corner of the tea shed, and there was a hint of early summer heat in the air in May. The fat old man next to them looked hurriedly at the soldiers patrolling the city gate and whispered to Shuo Feng, ¡°Boy, keep your voice down. Do you want to lose your head?¡± The fat old man continued to mutter to himself, wondering if this young boy was brave or just inexperienced. Shuo Feng paid no attention to the curious glances of the people around him. He finished his tea, squatted down, lifted the girl onto his back, and threw a piece of silver on the table before leisurely walking away on the main road. This was their plan to enter the city. A pair of rural siblings relying on each other in these troubled times was quite common. The guards carefully compared the pair to a portrait, and in front of him was a young boy holding a sleeping girl on his back, showing a shy and nervous smile. ¡°She¡¯s my little sister, and she¡¯s seriously ill. Within a ten-mile radius, only Xiaochun City has a decent clinic. Can you please help us, sirs?¡± Zhou Yue coughed a few times, appearing weak and barely breathing while on Shuo Feng¡¯s back. The guards still stretched out their hands, their faces serious, like a thick wall blocking the city gate. This was because they were asking for the pair¡¯s passage permit to enter the city. Shuo Feng pretended to cry, with a trembling voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we lost it while walking on the road¡­¡± ¡°They lost their travel documents? Then they cannot enter the city.¡± The guards¡¯ faces turned grim and tried to stop them. But the young man took out a handful of silver from his waistband and stuffed it all into the guard¡¯s hand. There was no reason to stop people from entering the city. Although the siblings didn¡¯t have a permit, saving a life was more important than anything else. This was the emperor¡¯s order, and they were just following it. ¡°Well, in that case,¡± the leading officer said as he took the silver, a friendly smile appearing on his face. ¡°Since you saved a life, it¡¯s like building a seven-level pagoda, as the Emperor teaches. We¡¯ll just let you pass for the sake of convenience.¡± The guards waved their hands in disgust, afraid of catching any disease, and let the two of them enter the city. They headed towards the direction of the clinic. At the corner of the street, the two of them missed the blue cloth curtain with the word ¡°clinic¡± and quietly disappeared into the shadow of the eaves. In the midst of the blooming spring, a pair of handsome young man and woman walked out. Xiaochun City was not as lively as Lanzhou City There were no vendors on the street, only a few hawkers carrying poles walking through the streets and alleys, shouting loudly to do business. Zhou Yue curiously looked at the hawker with eyes as round and big as white porcelain, as if she had never seen such a novel thing before. Feeling someone¡¯s gaze on his back, the hawker also turned his head, and he saw the incredibly beautiful young girl, stopped steps, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Suddenly, a hand blocked Zhou Yue¡¯s sight. The young man¡¯s fingers were slender, with a small black mole on the fingertip of his ring finger and a fair palm with a thin callus. The knuckles on his wrist were distinct, with slightly protruding veins, elegant and beautiful. ¡°Zhou Yue, I have a house near here. Let me take you there to rest,¡± Shuo Feng jumped in front of Zhou Yue and asked excitedly, blocking the gaze of the opposite side of the street. Zhou Yue looked up and saw the boy¡¯s unrestrained smile. His eyes were full of undisguised anticipation and pride, making people want to fulfill his wishes unconsciously. Although she couldn¡¯t continue watching the interesting and novel things, she also smiled and nodded, clapping her hands to make the young man even happier, and said. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± * There was a small courtyard with only one entrance. In the center of the courtyard, there is a large water tank that dispels the heat in late spring. The clear water surface is dotted with blooming white lotuses, and the transparent water light sways a circle of ripples among the interlaced lotus leaves. A slender finger as thin as a scallion stirs up the water in the tank, and the water reflects the flawless face of a girl like warm jade. She is still wearing her white veil and green dress, her feet lightly tapping on the wooden bench, and the blue skirt swaying in the breeze, revealing glimpses of her tender toes like young lotus shoots. The courtyard door creaks open, and the skirt fell down and twirled in the wind like a blooming blue flower. ¡°Shuo Feng, you¡¯re back?¡± Zhou Yue looked at the hurried young man who came in from the courtyard door and smiles. Shuo Feng has already changed into a new sky blue robe, still wearing his gold and jade accessories, showing the free and easy demeanour of the Jianghu (2). After settling Zhou Yue in small courtyard, he hurriedly went to the street to buy things. At this moment, he was moving all his packages and items into the house, his face red and his forehead covered in sweat. Zhou Yue also jumped off the wooden bench to help. They were both not the type to make other people suffer. The young man and girl smiled at each other, their faces sparkling with joy. Zhou Yue sat on the edge of the bed, holding her face and saw Shuo Feng come over with a cloth bag on his chest. He stood in front of the girl and opened the floral cloth bag, revealing a pair of delicate and exquisite embroidered shoes, made of peach-pink soft satin and embroidered with golden silk intertwined lotus flowers. Shuo Feng was a little embarrassed. ¡°When we get to Qiongzhou City, I will give you a better pair, with pearls and precious stones all over the shoes.¡± He gestured with his thumb and forefinger, forming a circle. ¡°It¡¯s this big.¡± Zhou Yue¡¯s clear voice rang up, ¡°Shuo Feng, I feel a little giddy.¡± Shuo Feng¡¯s face turns red, but he still insists on putting on the embroidered shoes for the girl. With her feet wearing the embroidered shoes swaying in front of him, he stuffed the moon-white clothes from the cloth bag into Zhou Yue¡¯s hands and then ran from the courtyard without looking back. The sunlight gradually descends, and the color of the blue stones in the small courtyard became darker. The moss in the gaps between the stones extended like velvet in the sunset. Shuo Feng sat on the small stool where Zhou Yue had sat before, threading beads onto a reed string with a single-minded focus. Each pearl and gem sparkled beautifully in the evening sun. Of course, these were all Shuofeng¡¯s private collections from his travels over the years, but the main focus of this bracelet was the reed string and a small wooden sword charm, which looked rather peculiar. Light footsteps sounded, and a graceful girl stood in front of the young man. Zhou Yue had changed into a new moon-white dress, but she was still puzzled. ¡°Shuo Feng, you don¡¯t have to spend so much money on me,¡± she said. Shuo Feng looked up at her with bright, shining eyes, his chin propped up by his right hand. He said earnestly, ¡°A sword can be beautiful too. If you¡¯re beautiful, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± Hearing the young man¡¯s sincere words, Zhou Yue¡¯s heart softened. She had been about to say that she was just an object, not worth the trouble. But she changed her mind in a heartbeat. She also lowered her eyes, lifted the hem of her skirt, and lightly jumped in front of Shuo Feng, twirling on her tiptoes as the golden lotus flowers bloomed under her feet. She said happily, ¡°I also think it¡¯s beautiful and I really like it.¡± In the sunset¡¯s afterglow, Zhou Yue noticed that the young man had already finished braiding the bracelet. Perhaps he thought the grass rope she had braided was too ugly, or maybe she couldn¡¯t bear to see the pearls and gems mismatched like that. After a long pause, she spoke slowly, ¡°When you complete the technique of guiding Qi (3) into your body, I will teach you the art of storing swords. Then you can store the Ji Hua sword in your sea of consciousness.¡± But the young man raised a clean and bold smile, dangling the small wooden sword on the bead rope and refusing, ¡°No, you made this for me with your own hands. I won¡¯t take it off. Besides, I want everyone in the world to know that this is my sword.¡± He was truly a mischievous and naughty boy. But Zhou Yue couldn¡¯t help feeling that he was good like that and couldn¡¯t help but smile. The warm and beautiful small courtyard in the sunset was like an ordinary household in the bustling little city, with wisps of smoke rising, completely hidden in the mundane world. [Small Theatre] Zhou Yue: I really like the dress Shuo Feng bought for me. Shuo Feng (blushing and flustered): She says she likes the dress I bought, does that mean she likes me too? Footnote: 1. Xiao Chun is a Chinese term that means ¡°little spring¡± and is also used to refer to the early spring season. As a name for a town, it could be a perfect choice for a place known for its natural beauty, especially during the springtime. The name ¡°Xiao Chun¡± evokes imagery of a serene, picturesque town nestled in a verdant valley or surrounded by rolling hills covered in lush, green foliage. It could also suggest a place where visitors go to renew and invigorate themselves, much like the season of early spring, which represents renewal and growth. 2. Jianghu refer to the world of martial artists and adventurers who exist outside the bounds of traditional society. In fiction, jianghu is often portrayed as a lawless and chaotic world, where martial artists roam and engage in battles for honor, revenge, and justice. 3. Qi is a concept in traditional Chinese culture that refers to a vital force or energy that flows through all living things. It is believed to be the fundamental substance that animates and nourishes the body, and imbalances in the flow of Qi are thought to be the cause of many health problems. Qi is also an important concept in various martial arts, where it is believed to be the source of strength, agility, and other physical abilities. CH 6 It seemed that there was only the sound of the wind and the snow here, rustling and falling, but no sounds of living creatures, making it eerie and frightening. Black snowflakes fell from the gloomy gray sky. The boundary between heaven and earth was blurred, but with each snowflake hitting the ground, there was a piercing scream of black resentful spirits, and the violent sound echoed layer upon layer. The resentful spirits erupted from the snowflakes and tore at each other like black mist as if enjoying a rich feast. When they became stronger than their peers, the black mist continuously climbed towards the sky, and then it was another cycle of black snow falling again and again. This was the realm of Xuanming. The only one the grudges dared not the approach was the young girl kneeling in the center of the lotus platform. She was covered in snow, her face snow-white, and the only lively color in this desolate world were two small red moles on her eyebrow peaks. In fact, she had been dead for a long time, but there were still several sword lights that she had once wielded lingering around her. These sword lights, in the wind and snow, were immortal and still upheld their master¡¯s intentions, cutting through all evil. Amidst the incessant falling snow that had remained unchanged for a hundred years, a sudden breathing sound came. She opened her eyes. It took many days for Zhou Yue to be in Xiaochun City, but she finally established a passage between the realm of her divine soul and the Xuanming realm. At this moment, she looked inward with her spiritual power, and there was no intact organ in her body, with only the surface of her body barely intact. She stood up, leaving deep and shallow footprints behind her, and the sound of clanging iron chains echoed. These chains were forged from Kunlun Xuan iron and nailed her body, nailing her body and also the evil spirits inside her. The young girl walked barefoot on the black snow, with snow falling from her shoulders, revealing a blood-stained white veil dress. Her shoulder blades and legs were ruthlessly pierced by the iron chains, and there were holes that could no longer bleed, but there was still purple-black mist biting and gnawing at the edges of the holes, rampaging and struggling, trying to escape. If one listened closely, one could even hear the hoarse and sneering curses. The resentful spirits all kept their distance and formed a small vacuum space beside her. Although people cannot be resurrected after death, immortals must immediately be reincarnated. But who knows what kind of background this little fairy has? Two hundred years ago, she single-handedly entered the Xuanming realm with a sword and sealed the evil spirits that had ravaged her for over ten thousand years. The resentful spirits had mixed feelings towards her, neither liking nor hating her. After all, the sword light she left behind had tortured them for a long time, but without her, they would still have been used as bait for the evil spirits. The white-dressed girl slowly stopped her steps and in front of her was a humanoid figure molded from black snow and a ¡°girl¡± with the exact same face as hers. The ¡°girl¡± wore a black dress and was the embodiment of an evil spirit. Suddenly, the black snow no longer fell, and the resentful spirits fled in panic. The evil spirit seemed to affectionately press Zhou Yue¡¯s shoulder and asked with a fake smile, ¡°What benefit do you get from doing this?¡± The ¡°girl¡± smiled coquettishly and tempted her, ¡°Why not let me go and also let yourself go?¡± Zhou Yue looked at the evil spirit using her face calmly and said indifferently, ¡°Sealing you is the best thing for me and for the Six Realms.¡± Two hundred years had passed, but she still wouldn¡¯t give in no matter what! Seeing the stubbornness of the young girl, the evil spirit immediately changed its expression, gnashing its teeth and saying, ¡°You¡¯re already dead, without even the chance for reincarnation, and yet you still think you¡¯re benefiting from this?¡± ¡°Those people in the immortal realm are the most hypocritical, sending a young fairy like you to die!¡± In fact, no one from the immortal realm had ever forced her, and even her master had repeatedly tried to stop her when he found out that she wanted to go to the Xuangming realm. When he realized that she was determined to go, he gave up on the sword path and focused on the path of reincarnation, hoping to give Zhou Yue a chance at rebirth. Zhou Yue shook her head, not angered by the words of the evil spirit. ¡°I came here on my own accord,¡¯ she said. Her eyes were bright, and her pale face seemed to glow with life. ¡®Since I was born, I knew that it was my mission to seal you away. Someone has to make sacrifices, and if sacrificing myself can save many others, then I am happy to do it.¡± This was her Tao (1), with compassion as her heart and the salvation of others as her purpose. Her determination was as unyielding as a rock. The young girl spoke softly, but with great satisfaction, ¡®Even if I die and never see this world again, I am still happy.''¡± The evil spirit wanted nothing more than to tear apart the girl in front of it, but it was trapped by her golden body and unable to move. It sneered, ¡°You know that your golden body can¡¯t hold me for long. You¡¯re just throwing your life away, and everything you¡¯ve done is in vain!''¡± Unexpectedly, the girl laughed lightly, her laughter clean and clear, with a hint of anticipation. ¡°I admit I¡¯m not skilled enough to hold you for long, but I believe that someone more powerful than me will come to seal you after I¡¯m gone. If I can hold out until that person comes, even if I can¡¯t enter the cycle of reincarnation after death, I won¡¯t regret it.¡± The evil spirit also burst into laughter, and the black snow danced in the wind, transforming back into the form of a young man. It was ¡°Shuo Feng.¡± The evil spirit pointed at its ¡°face¡± and said playfully, ¡°Can you really hide anything from me when our souls are bound together?¡± ¡°Shuo Feng¡± deliberately made a regretful expression and sneered, ¡°Your golden body can only hold out for seven days in the Xuanming realm. Even if it can last for seven years in the mortal world, can an ordinary mortal who has never practiced cultivation ascend in seven years? Moreover, the Heavenly ladder is cut off, so he probably doesn¡¯t even have a chance to ascend.¡± The look in Zhou Yue¡¯s eyes gradually grew colder, as if covered in frost. She drew several sword qi (2) with her right hand, which turned into a huge sword in the air and mercilessly slashed towards the evil spirit. The black snow on the ground was affected by the boundless sword light, collapsing into a long trench, and the resentful souls inside emitted a miserable howl. These sharp sounds could shatter every fragment of the soul into pieces. But Zhou Yue¡¯s face only turned pale for a moment, and her tone was cold, ¡°I know you still have remnants in the mortal world. But if you dare to harm him, even if I have to drag this remnant body and kill you. Even if I can¡¯t succeed, I will make sure that you suffer the torment of shattered souls day and night in this Xuanming realm.¡± The evil spirit couldn¡¯t escape from Zhou Yue and could only dodge this sword light. ¡°His¡± figure began to dissipate, and Zhou Yue also suddenly had a new bloody hole in her body. The seal was established, and killing ¡°him¡± would also mean killing herself. The evil spirit looked at the girl¡¯s indifferent expression and exclaimed, ¡°Madwoman, you really are a madwoman!¡± Suddenly, ¡°he¡± rearranged his ferocious face, leaned close to Zhou Yue¡¯s ear, and said with a strange smile, ¡°Since your soul can return to the Xuanming realm, our divine souls can merge, and I can use your channel to find him.¡± Zhou Yue¡¯s expression turned cold, and she immediately cut off the connection. She closed her eyes and held her breath, separating her soul from her body and returning to the mortal world. The evil spirit finally saw another expression on the girl¡¯s face and laughed wildly before quickly disappearing like dust, completely hidden in the vast snow. In the mortal world, it was the rainy season, and in Xiaochun City, the spring rain fell gently. The sky was hazy with fog. The sun had completely disappeared into the distant green mountains from behind thick clouds, and in the dark night, lights were lit in thousands of households. The shadows of the lamps flickered on the window screens, as if the wind and rain had blown away the colorful flowers of spring. The tiles on the roof trembled slightly, and a black-clad figure of a black-clothed youth ran quickly in the night. The ancient and simple iron sword in his hand was stained with tiny drops of blood. The youth was skilled in lightness technique and landed almost silently. He disappeared into the night rain and quietly returned to a small courtyard. Shuo Feng stepped into the doorway and carefully washed the blood off his hands in the courtyard water tank. The drops of blood slowly dissipated in the clear water, like a little red residue falling from a white lotus. Naturally, it was not his blood. The blood on the assassin¡¯s body had always belonged to others. When he struck with his sword, blood was bound to splash onto his clothes. Shuo Feng furrowed his brow, feeling frustrated about how to wash away the smell of blood from his body. Eventually, he shook his head and glanced at the girl who had been sleeping on the bed for several days and changed into a new robe behind the screen. The soapberry scent was fragrant and refreshing like pine. Satisfied, Shuo Feng nodded to himself. He didn¡¯t want Zhuoyue to know that he had gone out to kill again. That night, he saw that the Ji Hua sword could only maintain Zhuo Yue¡¯s physical form by absorbing the blood of his victims. A few days ago, Zhuo Yue¡¯s body had started to become translucent and she had fallen into a deep sleep for no apparent reason. So, after taking care of the girl and locking the courtyard gate, he took the Ji Hua sword and went to kill again. He wanted Zhuoyue to stay with him for a long time, perhaps until the end of time, even if he had to kill every day. Shuo Feng lowered his gaze. He had been alone for a long time, so he wanted to hold onto his sword and never let go. The young man sat gently on the low stool by the bed, tilted his head, and reached out to touch the girl¡¯s eyelashes. Zhou Yue¡¯s long and curly eyelashes scratched his palm like feathers. His heart felt like it was also being tickled by a feather, itchy, but wanting more. Shuo Feng¡¯s ears turned red. When he tried to remain calm, the girl¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly. Shuofeng was pleasantly surprised and leaned in closer. In the next instant, the girl, whose eyes were slightly red, reached out her soft and warm hand from the brocade quilt. But she didn¡¯t touch his face as she used to. Instead, she grabbed his throat. Shuofeng¡¯s killer instincts made him sense the danger in advance, and the soft sword at his wrist pressed against the girl¡¯s neck in an instant. ¡°Zhou Yue¡± was not panicked. On the contrary, she looked at the expressionless young man with interest and said slowly, ¡°So, you are Shuo Feng.¡± It wasn¡¯t her. Shuofeng spoke coldly, his words like a knife, hacking at the person in front of him. ¡°Who are you? Get out of her body right now!¡± Footnote: 1. Tao is a concept in Chinese philosophy and religion that refers to the ¡°way¡± or ¡°path¡± which is the fundamental and all-pervading principle underlying the universe and everything in it. The concept of Tao emphasizes the naturalness, simplicity, and spontaneity of life, and encourages individuals to live in harmony with the rhythms and patterns of nature. 2. Qi is a concept from traditional Chinese culture that refers to the vital energy or life force that permeates all things in the universe. It is believed to be the fundamental energy that gives life to everything and is related to the breath and blood flow in the body. In martial arts, qi is often associated with the cultivation of internal strength and power. CH 7 Both sides of the confrontation remained motionless. The wind and rain blowing in through the window extinguished the candle flame burning on the table, but Shuo Feng could still clearly see a purplish-black wound appear on the girl¡¯s right shoulder. However, there was no flesh or bone visible in the wound. The purple-black mist flowed slowly along the edge of the wound like a living creature, finally mustering up the courage to escape into the outside world through the window. As it fled, the mist accidentally knocked over the candlestick on the bedside table, plunging the once-bright room into darkness. A crack in the window revealed a thin beam of moonlight, illuminating the young man¡¯s somber expression. The unknown ¡°woman¡± left behind thought-provoking words, her tone full of anticipation. ¡°Shuo Feng, we will meet again. I can hardly wait for that day to come.¡± However, the wound on Zhou Yue¡¯s shoulder did not heal, but this time there was no purple-black mist surging out of it. Instead, there was a moist, clean white light. The tension in the boy¡¯s neck relaxed. When Zhou Yue¡¯s regained her vision, she sensed her hand was resting on the young man¡¯s neck, her palm slightly rolling against his Adam¡¯s apple. Even in the darkness, she could guess that something unpleasant had happened earlier. She released her grip, relaxing her hand and said in a muffled tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. An evil spirit possessed me and must have hurt you.¡± Under the moonlight, she could see the dark fingerprints on Shuo Feng¡¯s clear skin. Unexpectedly, the young man quietly turned his back and put away his wrist sword. He hugged the little girl who was hiding her head in the quilt. His shoulders trembled a little, perhaps out of fear of something. ¡°Zhou Yue, you saved my life. Even if someone uses your hand to kill me, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid¡­ afraid that you¡¯ll never come back again.¡± Shuo Feng cautiously raised his head, his eyes were red, and his clear eyes were filled with water. ¡°Will you always stay with me?¡± He was like a small animal that was insecure and always leaned on his master, snuggling into Zhou Yue¡¯s arms. Zhou Yue thought for a moment, touched the young man¡¯s furry head and said lightly, ¡°As long as I can promise, forever.¡± Forever before she completely disappeared. But Shuo Feng didn¡¯t know. The young man¡¯s face suddenly brightened, revealing a big smile. ¡°I knew it, you are my sword.¡± He remembered something happy and couldn¡¯t wait to show it off to Zhou Yue. ¡°I¡¯ve already learned the breathing technique and shrinking technique you taught me before. Do you want to see it?¡± Shuo Feng¡¯s eyes shone brightly, thinking to himself, ¡°Quick, praise me for being awesome.¡± In the darkness, the girl in front of him suddenly frowned with a hint of worry and asked, ¡°Shuo Feng, did you kill someone again?¡± Zhou Yue lowered her eyes and saw the boy¡¯s right hand tucked into his sleeve. Although it was a faint, almost imperceptible scent of blood, she could still hear the slight hum of the Ji Hua sword after killing someone. Shuo Feng was momentarily stunned, but instead of feeling embarrassed or angry at being found out, he sincerely praised her, ¡°As expected of our Zhou Yue, so smart.¡± The boy¡¯s gaze was clear and clean, and killing was no different from playing for him. Zhou Yue sighed in her heart and slowly opened the right fist hidden in Shuo Feng¡¯s sleeve and spread it out from the palm to the fingers. She stared at the boy¡¯s reddened calluses and tiny cuts, solemnly saying, ¡°Shuo Feng, don¡¯t kill indiscriminately. The heavier the sin, the more your path of cultivation will wear you down. Once a cultivator has a mental block, his heart will be shattered, and there will be a risk of falling into demonic cultivation.¡± She was afraid he would become a demon, so would she still punish him and kill him if he continued to commit evil? Shuo Feng covered his curled eyelashes and blocked the myriad of thoughts surging in his black eyes, allowing Zhou Yue to use her healing magic to cure the wounds in his palm. Under the purification of the green spiritual power, the scars slowly healed. He suddenly said, ¡°What if I really become a demon? What then?¡± ¡°Being a demon cultivator or a demonic beast cultivator is not good. After death, the soul has nowhere to go and cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation,¡± she explained. The girl held the boy¡¯s lowered head earnestly, looking directly at the darkness in his eyes and heart. The two red moles on her eyebrows were also vivid and bright. She said in a clear voice, ¡°Shuo Feng, even if you were to become a demon, even if I have to go to hell, I will drag you back to the right path from the Nine Layers of Hell.¡± In an instant, the ice in his heart seemed to melt away as the girl¡¯s warm hands held his. The lake in his heart rippled with waves despite the absence of wind. Shuo Feng laughed cleanly, his mouth curling upwards in genuine joy. ¡°Zhou Yue, I won¡¯t let you go to hell with me. Neither of us will go.¡± He looked like a proud child as he patted the Ji Hua sword at his side and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill indiscriminately. The people I killed were all bad guys who had taken many lives. They have been sentenced to death and are waiting to be executed in the autumn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just carrying out justice!¡± The young man patted the Ji Hua sword hanging from his waist like a wandering hero, ¡°Since you saved my life, I promise to cultivate properly and eradicate evil.¡± ¡°This is the promise we made together.¡± His promise¡­ Shuo Feng¡¯s demeanor reminded Zhou Yue of the night they had fought together to stop the ambush outside the city of Lanzhou. After the storm had calmed, she leaned on the young man¡¯s back and listened to his serious voice, ¡°Zhou Yue, whatever you want me to do, I¡¯ll do it. Whether it¡¯s cultivation or saving you, I promise.¡± He was really fulfilling his promise in his own way, but he was such a stubborn child. Zhou Yue took the Ji Hua sword from the young man¡¯s waist and traced the inscriptions on the sword with her fingers, sighing, ¡°Everything has its own laws and principles. Even when fighting evil, one cannot violate the laws.¡± Her fingertips lightly touched the young man¡¯s fingertips, creating an electric sensation. A drop of Shuo Feng¡¯s blood fell on the sword, and the golden light on the runes shone brightly. ¡°Boom, boom, like millions of believers whispering at the same time, dizzying.¡± Shuo Feng remembered that Zhou Yue had also recited this incantation on that moonlit night. She said it was a reincarnation spell that could send vengeful spirits on their way to rebirth. The sound of the spell gradually disappeared, and the Ji Hua sword fell silent again in the dark night. At this moment, the hole on the girl¡¯s shoulder had disappeared, and her weakened form had become more solid. She said, ¡°Shuo Feng, a contract has been formed between us. If you want me to stay, all you need is this small drop of blood.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes slid over his eyebrows again with pity, ¡°Shuo Feng, don¡¯t let yourself get hurt all the time.¡± ¡°But I am an assassin. Assassins always have to kill. When you don¡¯t kill, you get hurt.¡± Shuo Feng was still very stubborn and refused to look at Zhou Yue¡¯s face. She must be very disappointed in herself. Shuo Feng laughed bitterly in his heart. Zhou Yue almost didn¡¯t use any force and easily turned Shuo Feng¡¯s face towards her. The young man looked a bit dull, and she pursed her lips and said, ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt anymore. I teach you swordsmanship not only to save people but also to save yourself.¡± Can an assassin¡¯s sword be used to save people? Shuo Feng was confused, but Zhou Yue¡¯s words echoed in his mind again and again, gradually stirring up a storm. He felt like a small boat, drifting with the waves, gradually sinking into the deep sea. He didn¡¯t want to see himself so fragile, so he casually interrupted, ¡°Why do you always recite that reincarnation spell, even on the Ji Hua?¡± The reincarnation spell. Zhou Yue¡¯s thoughts drifted far away, to a few hundred years ago in the immortal¡¯s world in Lianhua Mountain, where a young man was earnestly carving runes onto her newly crafted Ji Hua Sword. He said, ¡°Zhou Yue, this is the reincarnation spell that I personally engraved. This way, when you use the sword to kill, you are also using it to save people.¡± Shuo Feng saw the rare expression of emotion on the young girl¡¯s face, and she spoke with infinite sorrow, ¡°It was taught to me by a Buddhist monk in the immortal world, and he also carved the spell on the Ji Hua sword.¡± Zhou Yue smiled, ¡°The monk said that the reincarnation spell can wash away the grievances of vengeful spirits, so they suffer less in the underworld while waiting for reincarnation.¡± A Buddhist in the immortal world? It was the first time he heard her mention someone from the immortal world. The young man felt his movements stiffen for a moment, and he pretended to pick up a wooden stick from under the window, allowing the night rain to hit his face and clear his mind. He seemed to mention this name inadvertently, ¡°The monk? Are you two close?¡± Zhou Yuessmiled and nodded, ¡°He is my dear friend.¡± The young man¡¯s mask cracked slightly. A dear friend, huh? She even called him a dear friend. She hasn¡¯t even said that they are dear friends yet. What does she think of him? Oh, she did say she wanted to take him on as a disciple, but he of course refused. Shuo Feng turned his back and hastily walked outside, his steps slightly staggered, even forgetting to take the Ji Hua sword. His tone was a bit muffled, ¡°I have something to do, I need to go out.¡± Raindrops pattered against the window frame, and the moonlight was dim. Zhou Yue picked up the candlestick from the ground and flicked her finger, causing the light to bloom with a ¡°pu¡± sound. The room became warm and bright again. Looking at the swaying flame, she couldn¡¯t quite figure out the young man. She asked, puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s still dark outside, and it¡¯s raining. What is he doing out?¡± Drenched in the spring rain, Shuo Feng did indeed want to calm himself down. The young man only stepped outside the courtyard and leaned against the brick wall at the corner of the alley. Chills rose up from the soles of his feet, extinguishing the agitation and panic in his heart. Shuo Feng took a long breath. The next moment, his back straightened. He stared at the man approaching in the night rain without turning his gaze, his right hand holding a sword poised to strike. The middle-aged man was dressed in black and wore a bronze demon mask, like the Lord of the Underworld. He was in his forties or fifties, and his voice was hoarse as if from an old wind box when he spoke, ¡°Xiao Jiu (1), are you going to Qiongzhou?¡± The man was the Sixth son of the Luo Sha Men. So, it was an old acquaintance. They hadn¡¯t met outside the city of Lanzhou before, but he didn¡¯t expect to encounter him here. Shuo Feng raised an eyebrow, the white tip of his sword twirling in the rain, creating a bright flash of light as it hit the water. In the blink of an eye, he leapt onto the roof of the alley, sword pointed directly at the man¡¯s eyes visible through the mask. With every move ruthless and desperate, he attempted to strike a fatal blow. The Sixth was also skilled and didn¡¯t fall behind. He immediately drew two swords from his waist and engaged in a close fight with the young man. Despite the fight, the man continued speaking calmly, ¡°Xiao Jiu, if you go to Qiongzhou, you won¡¯t be able to turn back.¡± Having said this, the man unexpectedly stopped fighting. Shuo Feng was momentarily surprised, but also stopped his attacks and leaned against the wall, taunting, ¡°Sixth Uncle, what? Are you trying to persuade me to turn back?¡± Upon hearing the familiar address of ¡°Sixth Uncle,¡± the man sheathed his swords, the sound of the blades clanging together. He stroked the cloth-wrapped hilt of his sword and spoke heavily, ¡°The Purple Garment Brigade is coming. Whether you go or stay is up to you.¡± The sound of footsteps disappeared into the night rain as the man¡¯s figure vanished from sight. Was it someone else¡¯s intention to give this warning, or was it the Sixth¡¯s intention? As he thought, he heard the faint sound of rhythmic hoofbeats in the wind. The small courtyard where he stood was not in the center of Xiaochun City, but he could still see a column of the Purple Garment Brigade riding black horses and searching every house on the narrow streets. The young man crept along the wall, lightly leaping onto the roof. Despite being in the hazy night rain, his senses were particularly acute due to his recent entry into the Qi-training period. Shuo Feng could clearly see that the Purple Garment Brigade had stopped to search each house along the narrow streets of Xiaochun City, riding black horses. Hundreds of miles away in the Yudu Capital, many Purple Guards were entering and exiting a mansion. Their robes were noticeably more sophisticated and luxurious, as they held official positions as Baihu (2) and Qianhu (3). The mansion occupied almost half of the main street of Jiyu Avenue, in Yudu, and had once been a private residence of a prince in the previous dynasty. However, it had been bestowed by the current emperor to the Purple Garment Brigade commander as his residence. Despite the late hour, the commander¡¯s mansion was still brightly lit with many lanterns, as if it were daytime. Servants and attendants scurried about nervously in the night, passing through long corridors and halls, until they reached the innermost courtyard where everyone waited anxiously outside. The former commander, Lu Ze, fell ill while trying to save the emperor and was resting at home under the emperor¡¯s decree. His son, Lu Qingchuan, succeeded him as commander and surpassed his father¡¯s achievements, earning even more favor from the emperor. At night, after handling official business and returning home, the commander went to visit his ailing father, displaying a scene of filial piety rarely seen in the present day. The servants all sighed in their hearts, and no one dared to disturb them by entering the room. Although it was already May and summer were approaching, the bedroom was still heated by a warm stove. In the bedroom, a young man sat by the bed of the old man with a large knife and was using a delicate gemstone knife to peel an apple. He was very focused, not even blinking his eyes, and the apple skin fell off in complete circles like snowflakes. The young man was Lu Qingchuan, the successor to the commander of the Purple Garment Brigade and the only son of Lu Ze. The peeled apple was not for the old man who was seriously ill. Lu Qingchuan took a bite of the crisp fruit and slowly chewed the taste, revealing his shiny white teeth. The sound of the old man¡¯s heavy coughing rang out. The young man¡¯s expression was full of concern as he lifted the blue canopy on the bed, picked up the phlegm bowl (4) from the ground, and helped the old man sit up in bed. Lying against the soft pillow, Lu Ze stared at his son, who had been away from home for a long time and spat out a phlegm with blood streaks into the bowl. The warm stove had steamed up a warm atmosphere, and the flickering candlelight and the young man¡¯s tall figure were reflected on the cool golden bricks. Lu Qingchuan was very handsome, but his eyebrows and eyes were always sharp and gloomy. His pupils were deep and he was now looking quietly at the old man. In a perplexed and doubtful tone, he asked, ¡°Father, why haven¡¯t you died yet?¡± Lu Ze looked up at his son, who looked so much like him, and instead of getting angry at the outrageous question, he smiled and explained, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for an old friend.¡± (To say that it was an old friend was not entirely accurate; as the text reads that it should have been the child of an old friend) The old man was seriously ill and rarely had any clear moments. His eyes were dim, but he still found the sword rack with precision. He gazed at the sword, took a deep breath, and refused to die with his body in tatters. Lu Ze slowly said, ¡°Wait for him to come and kill me.¡± Using the sword that had killed the child¡¯s countless loved ones, he would let the child kill him. Author¡¯s Note: In this chapter, we have the kind and filial son, Lu Qingchuan, in a heartwarming scene with his sick father [Little Theater] Zhou Yue (happy): My relationship with the monk is really good. Shuo Feng (grinding his teeth): Is there a good relationship between us? Footnote: