“Haha!”
Ye Xuan burst out laughing, then pulled Qing’er towards the mountain peak.
Back where they stood, Mu Yue and her companion were still frozen in shock.
After a long while, Mu Yue snapped out of it, trembling, “It’s really a Sword Immortal! They’re actually Sword Immortals…”
Though the Milky Way had entered an era of cultivation, sword cultivators were exceedingly rare!
And slicing off a mountain with one stroke? They’d only seen that in TV dramas.
There were truly Sword Immortals in the world!
Mu Yue stood dazed for a while before saying, “Come on! To the top of Qingluan Peak!”
With that, she raced frantically towards the summit.
…
Ye Xuan led Qing’er to the peak. Stepping onto it, he was struck with awe. The view was vast and boundless. Above, blue skies and white clouds; ahead, a towering ancient tree stood not far off, beside a cascading waterfall that plunged into a pool below, splashing water everywhere.
Underfoot was a cobblestone path leading to the ancient tree. Above it stood a wooden cabin.
In front of the cabin, a small dog trembled in fear.
Ye Xuan turned to Qing’er, “This is?”
Qing’er gazed at the cabin, “Do you know who’s inside?”
Ye Xuan shook his head.
Qing’er’s expression was calm, “The owner of that pen!”
Ye Xuan’s face changed instantly. He turned to the cabin. The Great Dao Pen’s master was inside?
A supreme powerhouse?
Qing’er stared at the cabin, “Sword!”
Sword?
Ye Xuan was puzzled. Just then, the wooden door creaked open, and a sword slowly floated out.
Seeing it, Ye Xuan froze.
The Qingxuan Sword!
He opened his palm, and the Qingxuan Sword flew to him. It hadn’t changed much, but on the hilt, a new character had appeared: “Human.”
Human?
Qing’er frowned slightly, “Just one character? Weren’t there six?”
As she spoke, she opened her palm, and the Destiny Sword appeared.
Boom!
A terrifying pressure suddenly enveloped the entire peak.
The small dog in front of the cabin shook violently, terrified to the core.
A sigh came from within the cabin, “His strength is too weak to wield the Six True Words. Even this smallest ‘Human’ character, he can’t control yet.”
Destiny stared at the cabin, silent.
The voice continued, “I know you want to kill me, but you should know, from start to now, I’ve done nothing to wrong you or your brother.”
Destiny gazed at the cabin for a long time, then took Ye Xuan’s hand and turned to leave, “Back then, you spared my brother a chance at life. Today, I spare yours. We’re even!”
Soon, the siblings vanished into the distance.
After a long pause, another sigh echoed from the cabin, “I’m really living a pathetic life…”
Moments later, the cabin door opened.
A man stepped out, gently patting the small dog by the door, then smiled, “Ah Huang, let’s go!”
With that, he walked off into the distance.
…
Qing’er brought Ye Xuan back to the beach they’d been at before. The siblings strolled slowly.
Qing’er said softly, “Brother, you should head back!”
Ye Xuan stopped and looked at her, “Are you leaving?”
Qing’er nodded.
Ye Xuan asked, “Where to?”
Qing’er smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Ye Xuan rolled his eyes, “Fine, I won’t ask!”
Qing’er suddenly hugged him, resting her head on his chest, “Brother, I’ll wait for you at the end of this martial path. Don’t make me wait too long—it’s lonely.”
Ye Xuan smiled gently, “I won’t!”
Qing’er looked at him, “I believe you!”
She opened her palm, and the small pagoda appeared. She handed it to Ye Xuan, “I’ve upgraded this pagoda. Keep it.”
Ye Xuan glanced at the pagoda and grinned, “Little Pagoda, long time no see!”
The pagoda didn’t respond.
Qing’er frowned slightly, and the pagoda quickly said, “Master, I’ve missed you so much!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. The pagoda was too fake.
Qing’er smiled faintly, “Brother, go back!”
Ye Xuan seemed to remember something and asked, “Qing’er, there’s a girl by my side named Qingqiu. Do you know her origins?”
Qing’er nodded, “I do!”
Ye Xuan asked eagerly, “Who is she?”
Qing’er looked at him, “Once, for your sake, she guarded the third dimension and suppressed the fourth. From the universe’s birth until now, only one person could possibly reach my level in swordsmanship—her!”
She paused, then added, “Possibly!”
Ye Xuan was stunned.
Reach Qing’er’s level?
Possibly!
Ye Xuan was truly shocked. Qing’er rarely acknowledged anyone.
Something clicked, and his pupils shrank. He stammered, “She… she’s you!”
Qing’er shook her head, “I was once her!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Qing’er said softly, “Treat her well. She suffered greatly. For those hundreds of thousands of years, every day was agony, that loneliness and torment…”
She shook her head, trailing off.
Ye Xuan nodded, “I will!”
Qing’er gently waved her right hand, and Ye Xuan’s body began to fade. Soon, he vanished completely.
After he was gone, Qing’er’s expression turned cold. She glanced at the sky, her gaze icy…
Then she turned to a spot nearby where a little girl stood—Er Ya, with Little White on her shoulder.
Seeing Qing’er’s glance, Er Ya’s eyelids twitched, “Wasn’t she all gentle just now? Why’s she changed?”
Little White blinked, her tiny claws waving, expressing who-knows-what.
Qing’er stared at Er Ya, silent.
Er Ya hesitated, then said, “Just passing through…”
With that, she turned and bolted.
…
Not long after, Ye Xuan returned to the Guanxuan Academy.
Back at the academy, he looked at the Qingxuan Sword in his hand. The “Human” character on the hilt stood out starkly.
Ye Xuan said gravely, “Pen Brother, can you tell me about this character?”
Great Dao Pen replied, “The ‘Human’ character, one of the Six True Words. It holds terrifying human realm power, like your own human realm power. Forged by countless ancient sages with their life’s essence, it embodies utmost sincerity and benevolence. Only those of true righteousness can wield it. My master gave you this character, clearly approving of what you’re doing.”
Human realm power!
Ye Xuan fell silent, then suddenly activated the Qingxuan Sword!
Buzz!
The sword let out a resonant hum. The “Human” character on the hilt trembled, and a terrifying force surged into the blade.
Ye Xuan’s pupils shrank. He felt his body might shatter. Alarmed, he stopped.
The terrifying force receded like a tide.
Ye Xuan exhaled in relief, staring at the Qingxuan Sword, eyes full of disbelief, “This…”
Great Dao Pen said, “You just tapped less than a tenth of its human realm power, and you can’t even handle that.”
Ye Xuan looked at the sword, still shocked. The power of one character was so terrifying, and it was the weakest of the Six True Words.
He could only imagine how fearsome the other five were!
Ye Xuan sighed softly. His path was still long!
Something occurred to him, and he gave the Qingxuan Sword a light swing. His heart leapt with joy—he found its old functions were intact and even more potent!
With the Qingxuan Sword, he could freely traverse the cosmos again, ignoring any spatial barriers.
He also noticed the sword had grown sharper!
Sharper!
With that thought, he slashed at himself.
Screech!
The slash left a shallow mark on Er Ya’s battle armor!
It could wound it!
Ye Xuan was thrilled. If it could damage Er Ya’s armor, what in the world couldn’t this Qingxuan Sword cut?
The best defensive gear and the best offensive weapon were both in his hands!
He couldn’t help but laugh.
The feeling of invincibility was back!
But the thought made him wary. He couldn’t think like that—whenever he did, he’d get a beating within three days!
Stay low-key!
Something else came to mind. He opened his palm, and the small pagoda appeared. He grinned, “Little Pagoda, long time no see!”
The pagoda said, “Little Master, can I speak some honest words?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Of course, I’m all about democracy!”
The pagoda paused, then said, “Little Master, I’m not trying to brag, but I’m now the top pagoda in all the heavens and realms. Honestly, following you… feels a bit beneath me!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, “A bit, yeah.”
The pagoda said earnestly, “Little Master, have you heard a saying?”
Ye Xuan was curious, “What saying?”
The pagoda replied, “In the Milky Way, there’s a phrase: ‘For invincibility, look to the Three Swords; below them, it’s the Little Pagoda!’”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Great Dao Pen: “…”
Little Soul: “…”
…
