An Ruochen felt his life force draining away rapidly. He roared, “Heaven-Mending Art.”
However, this time, the Heaven-Mending Art failed to take effect.
“What?”
An Ruochen was greatly alarmed. Although at his level of cultivation, ageing a hundred years was nothing significant, his vital essence and spirit were ebbing away, and the Heaven-Mending Art proved utterly useless.
“This is the sword path of space and time. His sword path counters my Heaven-Mending Art!”
The thought crossed An Ruochen’s mind, leaving him with only one idea: flee for his life immediately.
Whoosh!
An Ruochen’s nascent soul burst out from the crown of his head, transforming into a streak of light as it fled towards the horizon.
“You cannot escape.”
Ye Qiu employed the Ten Li Step and pursued him. The God-Beating Whip lashed out once more, binding An Ruochen.
Then, he slashed forth with a sword.
Whoosh!
Ye Qiu unleashed the Immortal-Slaying Sword. The sword light flashed like lightning, cleaving An Ruochen’s nascent soul in two.
“Ah…”
An Ruochen let out a miserable scream and perished on the spot. At the same time, his physical body crumbled into dust.
“He is finally dead.”
Ye Qiu let out a long breath. The prolonged assault, combined with using the first form of the Heavenly Emperor’s Nine Swords and the Immortal-Slaying Sword, had nearly depleted his strength entirely.
He quickly took out several ten-thousand-year-old spirit herbs and swallowed them. In an instant, his strength recovered by half.
Next, Ye Qiu’s gaze fell upon the disciples from the three sacred grounds and the Heaven-Mending Sect.
These people stood frozen in place, trembling in fear.
As Ye Qiu’s eyes swept over them, each one felt their courage shatter.
“Run!”
No one knew who shouted it first, but the disciples from the various sects scattered in all directions. Yet, it was already too late.
Hum!
Suddenly, thousands of sword intents materialised around Ye Qiu.
Clang, clang, clang…
The sword intents resonated together, their killing intent surging towards the heavens.
“Kill!” Ye Qiu bellowed fiercely. The thousands of sword intents whistled forth, blanketing the sky like a rain of swords from the heavens.
“Ah…”
Screams echoed across the ground one after another. People fell into pools of blood, perishing instantly.
“Little brat, this poor Daoist is here to help you.”
Real Person Changmei shouted and charged forward swiftly. Spotting a Heaven-Mending Sect disciple, he smashed the brick directly onto the fellow’s head.
Thud!
Brains splattered, blood sprayed.
The unfortunate man was smashed to death on the spot by Real Person Changmei.
Real Person Changmei plunged into the crowd, brick in hand, smashing relentlessly. One head after another exploded under the brick.
A few minutes passed.
The disciples from the various sects were all slain. Blood flowed like rivers on the ground, a scene of utter devastation.
“That was truly exhilarating!”
As Real Person Changmei spoke, he quietly picked up Huangfu Qi’s spear, intending to store it in his spatial ring, only for Ye Qiu to snatch it away.
“Little brat, what do you mean by this?” Real Person Changmei glared at Ye Qiu in fury.
“You already have the brick and the Demon-Refining Sword. Do not covet this sacred artefact.” With that, Ye Qiu flicked his hand, sending the spear flying towards Fairy Baihua.
Fairy Baihua caught the spear firmly.
“Yue’er, this is for you.” Ye Qiu said.
Fairy Baihua accepted it gladly, dripped her blood to claim ownership, then stored the Fierce Wind Spear in her spatial ring.
“Favouring romance over friendship.” Real Person Changmei shot Ye Qiu a fierce glare, then turned to loot treasures from the corpses of the fallen disciples from the various sects.
These people hailed from the top sects of the Eastern Wastelands after all. Though they lacked sacred artefacts, Real Person Changmei still reaped a fair haul of spirit herbs and spirit stones.
“Little brat, let me tell you something.”
Real Person Changmei pulled Ye Qiu aside and whispered, “You helped Fairy Yun Xi eliminate her enemies and saved her life. She must be immensely grateful to you. If she invites you to join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, you must not refuse, no matter what.”
“The Azure Cloud Sword Sect is the foremost sect in the Eastern Wastelands. Joining them means you gain a powerful backer.”
“You can also leverage the Azure Cloud Sword Sect’s intelligence network to search for Wushuang and Huzi, and to track down the culprits who destroyed the Hundred Flowers Palace.”
“Most importantly, your identity is exposed now. The Yin-Yang Sect is hunting you everywhere. If you join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, the Yin-Yang Sect will be powerless against you.”
“Moreover, you just killed people from the Heaven-Mending Sect and the three sacred grounds. If the major sects learn of it, they will hunt you relentlessly. But as long as you join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, you need not fear their reprisals.”
“And also…”
Real Person Changmei lowered his voice even further here, speaking in a secretive tone, “Since Fairy Yun Xi ranks third on the Heavenly Immortal List, she must be extraordinarily beautiful. If you join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, you can be with her day and night. Who knows, you might even win her hand.”
“Get lost.” Ye Qiu shot him a glare and cursed.
Real Person Changmei chuckled slyly. “Anyway, this poor Daoist has said all there is to say. If Fairy Yun Xi invites you to join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, you absolutely must not refuse. Got it?”
Ye Qiu asked, “How do you know she will invite me to join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect?”
Real Person Changmei replied, “You helped her take down her enemies and displayed unparalleled talent. As the holy maiden of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, she would never pass up a talent like you.”
Ye Qiu ignored Real Person Changmei and walked up to Yun Xi. He asked, “How is your injury?”
“It has recovered by seventy or eighty percent.” Yun Xi still found it hard to believe. She said, “I never imagined you would truly slay Huangfu Qi and the others.”
Ye Qiu smiled. “I could only kill them thanks to this whip in my hand. By the way, Fairy, I have an impertinent request.”
Yun Xi, wise as she was, instantly understood what Ye Qiu meant. She asked, “You wish for me to keep it secret, do you not?”
“Precisely.” Ye Qiu said, “An ordinary man in possession of a treasure invites calamity. My cultivation is weak. If word spreads that I hold a divine artefact, it will bring me mortal peril.”
Yun Xi replied, “Young Master Ye, rest assured. I swear upon the heavens here and now that I shall never reveal to anyone that you possess a divine artefact.”
“My thanks.” Ye Qiu cupped his hands in salute.
Yun Xi continued, “Young Master Ye, you healed my wounds and helped me eradicate my foes. This great kindness is beyond repayment. I too have a request. Please, you must grant it.”
Ye Qiu said, “Fairy, speak freely.”
Yun Xi said, “I wish to invite Young Master to join our Azure Cloud Sword Sect. If you agree, upon our return, I shall ask the sect master to confer upon you the title of holy son of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect.”
She truly is inviting me to join the Azure Cloud Sword Sect?
Ye Qiu glanced at Real Person Changmei, who was frantically signalling with his eyes for Ye Qiu to agree at once.
Ye Qiu fell silent.
Seeing this, Yun Xi added, “If Young Master disdains the title of holy son, then I can petition the sect master to bestow upon you the rank of divine son.”
Hm?
Ye Qiu was astonished. To directly become the divine son of the foremost sect in the Eastern Wastelands would be a meteoric rise!
Real Person Changmei, seeing Ye Qiu still silent, said, “Fairy, I shall accept on behalf of the little brat…”
“Shut your mouth. Since when do you get to decide my affairs?” Ye Qiu glared at Real Person Changmei, then turned to Yun Xi and said, “Fairy, I appreciate your kind intentions.”
What does he mean?
He…
Refused me?
