Chapter 128: The Passionate Sword

After Guo Xiaojing finished speaking, she gave a cold laugh and raised the Severing Affection Blade in her hand. It transformed into a streak of dazzling light, accompanied by a wind blade that tore through the air. Before the blade even arrived, its edge had already split open Huiyuan’s forehead.

He stood motionless, as though he had forgotten that a single stroke would turn him into a cold corpse. Was he testing himself, or testing how much love Guo Xiaojing still held for him?

A vivid red line of blood appeared across his forehead. There was no need for the blade to descend; if he continued refusing to defend himself, its edge would surely cleave him in two.

Yet Guo Xiaojing did not withdraw her hand. A heartbroken person wielded the Severing Affection Blade, and the blade itself was even more merciless. Just as the blade rose and death seemed inevitable, a forceful burst of energy suddenly flashed through the air and struck the weapon.

With a ringing clang, Guo Xiaojing was driven back ten yards, blade and body together. The web between her thumb and forefinger split open, and blood poured freely.

Her entire right arm had gone numb, utterly incapable of movement. The Severing Affection Blade transformed into a streak of light and sank into her chest.

Supporting her right arm tightly with her left hand, Guo Xiaojing glared furiously at the distorted ripples in the air. A ten-yard-wide white bone lotus suddenly appeared through teleportation. Its receptacle had been pieced together from the skeleton of a three-clawed flood dragon, while flawless white petals grew from it, with tiny whirlwinds drifting across their surface.

Standing atop the bone lotus were two women, one large and one small. The taller woman wore a black veil over her face. Her figure was graceful, her curves exquisite, and her stature slender and elegant. Her black cloak moved and snapped in the wind, though no wind could be felt. Her eyes were as profound as endless darkness, and a thick aura of death revolved within them, making it seem as though hell itself lay inside.

Beside her stood a bored-looking little girl of thirteen or fourteen. Her large eyes glittered brightly, clear as crystal. She wore a scarlet robe as brilliant as fire, and her entire body brimmed with vigorous, flourishing life.

When Granny Earthly Severance saw who had arrived atop the bone lotus, her pupils contracted, and she was secretly alarmed. Yueying Qianqing, the God of Death from the Death Hell, was said to have once wielded a death scythe and reaped the Corpse King who had reached the Spirit Refining stage.

She immediately smiled and said, “So it is you. I wondered whose casually flicked force could be so formidable. Now that I see you, everything makes sense. The God of Death from the Death Hell, Yueying Qianqing, has honored us with her presence. Could it be that the God of Death has some connection with the Vermilion Bird royal clan? A mere heir has actually troubled you to intervene?”

Yueying Qianqing smiled faintly. “I have reached an agreement with the Lich King. He is currently refining a treasure and cannot leave, so he asked me to mediate the grievances between the guests from the various continents. Whatever grudges may have existed in the past are insignificant compared with the restoration of the Spirit Communication Ancient Road. I hope everyone will show me a little consideration and set aside their personal enmities for now, placing the greater matter first.”

Granny Earthly Severance understood that Yueying Qianqing must have received considerable benefits from the Lich King. The bargaining chip that could persuade her to leave the Death Hell was certainly no ordinary one. Even without the suppression imposed by the laws of the continent, she herself could never have been the God of Death’s equal.

Thus, she could only swallow her anger and say, “Of course. This is merely a matter between the younger generation; they will resolve it themselves. We only need to restrain them a little. Xiaojing, go wait behind the mountain for me.”

Guo Xiaojing looked at Yueying Qianqing, standing high above her on the bone lotus, and swore inwardly: One day, I will use my Severing Affection Blade to cut you down.

Then she glared viciously at Huiyuan and said, “You will not be so lucky next time.”

With that, she mounted her escaping light and flew toward the rear mountain.

Huiyuan’s face was covered in blood, and he looked utterly wretched. He simply could not understand how a woman who loved him so deeply could suddenly bear to strike out and kill him. Had the things he had done truly wounded her heart so badly?

He gave a bitter smile. “Guo Xiaojing, I, Huiyuan, will make you change your mind and return to my side.”

The little girl blinked her enormous eyes, then sniffed in the direction Guo Xiaojing had gone. She muttered to herself, “Why does she carry Big Brother’s scent? There can be no mistake. It must be him. Wait, I have something to ask you!”

She was just about to leap after Guo Xiaojing when a large hand pressed down on her, holding her in place.

Yueying Qianqing said helplessly, “Yueying Shaqiu, listen carefully. You are absolutely forbidden to leave my side until you have mastered the Wrath of the God of Death.”

Yueying Shaqiu could only turn her head away in reluctant displeasure.

After restraining her daughter, Yueying Qianqing said to Granny Earthly Severance, “Why not travel with us to Ten Thousand Demons Mountain and rest there while we wait for the gathering to begin?”

Granny Earthly Severance shook her head. “There are still six years before the gathering. We were all too anxious and arrived far too early. I will wander about the continent for a while and enjoy the scenery.”

Yueying Qianqing nodded. “That is fine as well. I hope you enjoy yourself. Devoted Heir, come with me.”

Huiyuan had long since heard his master speak of the several Spirit Refining cultivators on the Black Tortoise Continent. Among them, Yueying Qianqing was one of the few whom his master truly respected.

He did not dare act arrogantly before such a senior. After answering respectfully, he obediently leaped onto the bone lotus.

Yueying Qianqing smiled faintly. “Farewell.”

The bone lotus sprang forward and teleported a thousand yards in an instant. After flickering several times, it vanished without a trace.

Granny Earthly Severance snorted coldly. “The Vermilion Bird royal clan truly has deep pockets. I wonder what price they paid to buy the God of Death’s protection for the heir Huiyuan. Could there be some hidden scheme behind this?”

At that moment, a streak of escaping light flashed through the sky, and Xie Fangyun descended before Granny Earthly Severance. She spoke coquettishly, “Master, I did everything according to your instructions. Guo Xiaojing and Huiyuan have now become mortal enemies.”

Granny Earthly Severance threw back her head and laughed. “Well done. My years of nurturing you have not been wasted. Making you an infiltrator within the Vermilion Bird royal clan was indeed the wisest choice. From now on, pay close attention to whatever dealings Huiyuan may have with the God of Death, Yueying Qianqing, in private.”

“I understand, Master. But what reward will you give me?” Xie Fangyun asked with a smile.

“The Severing Affection Blade is out of the question,” Granny Earthly Severance said. “It has already acknowledged its master, and that master is Guo Xiaojing.”

“What? Impossible! I abandoned all ties of kinship in order to obtain the Severing Affection Blade, let alone romantic feelings. I tried countless times, yet it never acknowledged me as its master. She values love so highly—how could she possibly earn the blade’s recognition?” Xie Fangyun asked, bewildered.

“She possesses a pure and immaculate constitution, and she is kind and loving. When someone like that falls into despair, the hatred that erupts from her becomes earth-shaking and irreversible. That is why the Severing Affection Blade chose her. When one extreme suddenly reverses, it becomes the opposite extreme. I will give you another Heaven-Piercing Spiritual Treasure, the Devotion Sword. I hope you can draw it and make it acknowledge you as its master.”

With that, Granny Earthly Severance tossed her a three-foot-long precious sword.

Xie Fangyun caught it and first toyed with it lovingly, unable to bear putting it down. Then she seemed to remember something. Three dark lines appeared on her forehead, and she complained, “Master, you cannot be joking. Someone like me, who despises men, how could I ever fall in love with one and remain devoted to him until death? Does that mean I will never be able to draw this sword?”

“Disciple, remember this well. Find a man you like and make him fall in love with you. Your love must endure until the seas run dry and the stones crumble, remaining faithful until death. For someone like you, once your feelings are stirred, you will become the most devoted woman beneath heaven, and this sword will belong to you. Conduct yourself accordingly.”

Having said this, she teleported away. After flickering several times, she disappeared without a trace.

Watching the direction in which her master had departed, Xie Fangyun held the sword and gave a bitter laugh.

“This is far too difficult. Huiyuan is not my type, and the Third Heir, Huiteng, annoys me as well. I would not even settle for an heir, so what man could possibly be worthy of my devotion? Ah, Guo Xiaojing, pure as ice and jade, the foremost beauty of the Vermilion Bird Continent—who was her first man? He must have been extraordinarily fortunate. I wonder whether he was worthy of her love. What a pity he must have died long ago.”