Xin Feiliu’s expression shifted, but she didn’t let go. She gripped the hilt tightly, restraining the impulse to shove the blade through him. She would not easily trust any of his actions.
“What do you mean? Did my sister die like this, with an arrow through the heart?!” she demanded, finally reacting to his words.
Wangquan Chumo’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes fixed on the ground in a deathly silence.
At this, Xin Feiliu’s fingertips trembled. To think her sister had died like that—an arrow through the heart! How much it must have hurt!
As sorrow and hatred welled in her eyes, she shoved the sword harder toward his heart.
Yet, at the very moment the blade was about to pierce through him, she yanked it back. Blood splattered across her face. Clenching her fists, she shook violently as she struggled to maintain her composure.
No, if he had truly intended to kill her sister, he wouldn’t dare stand here and let her do this to him.
Xin Feiliu’s bloodshot eyes locked onto him. “Tell me the truth about what happened back then. Who killed my sister? Why did she have to die? Did you really kill the disciples from the Southern and Eastern Provinces?”
Her voice rose with every word until she was screaming, each syllable a venting of the grief and pain she had suppressed for years.
“Why? Why have you been hiding here like a coward? If it wasn’t you, why didn’t you seek revenge?! Why didn’t you just die and join her?! Didn’t you claim you loved her? Didn’t you promise me and her on your wedding day that you would never fail her as long as you lived?!
“Wangquan Chumo, say something! Are you trying to drive me insane?!”
Xin Feiliu’s roar was full of anguish as she held her sword with a white-knuckled grip. She had relied on her sister since childhood; to her, her eldest sister had been like a mother. Her sister’s death had left a permanent shadow over her life, a gloom she couldn’t shake, and she often dreamed of her coming to visit.
Wangquan Chumo let out a long sigh. “Follow me.”
Ignoring the wound in his chest, he led her toward the restricted area of the back mountain.
The two of them soared into the sky. Gu Linshu, who was practicing his swordplay, sensed an unusual aura and looked up, but they were already gone. Puzzled, he returned to his practice.
...
Southern Province, Tingyin Pavilion.
Wen Li leaned back on a wicker chair, pulling High-Grade Spirit Stones out of her storage bag one after another. Like a loyal puppy, the longsword Hold On immediately flew out to catch them, expertly slotting the spirit stones into the groove beneath its hilt.
In a flash of light, the spirit stones were reduced to dross.
“Hey, when someone gives a tip, they at least get to hear the clink of a coin. With you, I give you spirit stones and all I get is a bright light?” Squinting at the glare, Wen Li pulled out the custom sunglasses she had taken from Wangquan Wuho’s tomb and put them on.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hearing this, Hold On finished off a spirit stone and immediately struck the ground three times before flying back to her, waiting for the next feed. It was as if it were literally giving her the ‘clink’ she had asked for.
Amused, Wen Li continued to fish for spirit stones. She felt around inside her storage bag, eventually dumping everything out.
To her dismay, there wasn't a single spirit stone left. Crucially, Hold On wasn't full yet and was still nuzzling her pant leg. That had been ten million High-Grade Spirit Stones! She remembered she had taken those from the three Soul Formation cultivators near Tingyin Pavilion.
“All you do is eat! I’m poor again!”
Wen Li frustratedly ruffled her hair. She had chosen to be a sword cultivator because it looked cool, but she hadn’t expected it to be such a money sink!
Nine out of ten sword cultivators were poor; the last one slept on the street.
Pill cultivators, artifact cultivators, and talisman cultivators might also be expensive to train, and their materials cost a fortune, but there was a return on investment! Once they mastered their craft, they could sell what they made—it was a healthy cycle.
But sword cultivators? Every spirit stone and treasure poured in was just to maintain the sword. The weapon was like a gluttonous beast with an insatiable appetite. And when you ran out of money, you couldn't exactly sell your sword, so you were left hugging it while sleeping on the street.
The reason she had learned pill, talisman, artifact, and array cultivation wasn’t just out of boredom; she was using those four expensive disciplines to fill the bottomless pit that was sword cultivation! After killing and looting, she usually sold everything except the spirit stones, most of which went toward feeding Hold On.
She really was broke. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so stingy about buying new clothes and instead kept wearing these faded, patched-up robes.
Hold On flew over and gently nudged Wen Li. Didn't Little Three have several storage bags full of spirit cores?
Wen Li intuitively understood its meaning.
“No,” she said righteously. “I’m not that kind of person. How can I touch my disciple’s things? I promised his parents I’d look after him; I can’t just steal his money.”
However, she reconsidered. “But then again, it wouldn’t hurt to borrow some. It's not like I won't pay him back.”
Giving herself a convenient excuse, Wen Li immediately pulled out one of Gu Linshu’s storage bags and took out a spirit core. Hold On began spinning frantically like a dog wagging its tail. She gave it a casual toss.
The spirit core landed in the groove. Hold On radiated brilliant light as a sudden, sharp killing intent vibrated out, shimmering with a sinister black and red glow.
Wen Li reached out and gripped the hilt, her cold eyes tinged with a touch of wickedness. “Good boy. In a little while, I’ll take you out for a drink of blood.”
Hold On gave a subtle vibration in response.
...
Eastern Province, Wanbeiwu.
Xin Feiliu stood on the ground, staring at the tombstone engraved with ‘Tomb of My Wife, Xin Yingru.’ Her strength failed her, and she fell to her knees. “...Sister, I’ve finally found you.”
So after all these years, her sister had truly been resting here with Wangquan Chumo.
Wangquan Chumo stood silently by her side before finally deciding to reveal the truth. “I did not kill A'ying back then, but she did die because of me. She took her own life in my arms, offering her heart’s blood to restore my sanity.”
This revelation left Xin Feiliu stunned. “What do you mean? Restore your sanity?”
“Didn't you lead the disciples of the Eastern and Southern Provinces to the Ten Thousand Demon Valley to suppress the demon outbreak?” she asked.
Wangquan Chumo slowly lowered himself until he was also kneeling before Xin Yingru’s grave, beginning to recount everything that had happened.
“After the Central Province Aptitude Battle, A'ying joined the Taichu Sect, while I chose to return to the Eastern Province. The Taichu Sect intended for her to become the Dao companion of the Taichu Sect Young Sect Master, but she and I were already in love. She refused and wanted to leave the sect. We married shortly after, but it wasn't long before I received word that the demon beasts in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley were rioting, intending to install a new Demon King.
“During the Aptitude Battle, many disciples from the Eastern and Southern Provinces—myself included—had been saved by the Demon King. The disciples from both provinces and I decided to go to the Ten Thousand Demon Valley to help the Demon King quell the unrest. I didn't want A'ying to take such a risk, so I asked her to stay near the Tingyin Sect. I knew Bai Yu intended to take her as a disciple, and I figured he wouldn't stand by if she were in any danger.”
Hearing this, Xin Feiliu recalled the events. It was true; she had stayed with her sister near the Tingyin Sect back then. After her sister left the Taichu Sect, Bai Yu had seen her immense talent as a music cultivator and tried to win her over as a disciple several times. She also knew about the Demon King, as she had been one of those saved by her during the Aptitude Battle.
Wangquan Chumo continued, “When our group entered the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, there was indeed a riot. But when we went to find the Demon King, we found her corpse hanging in the valley. We were too late—or rather, someone had intentionally delayed the news from reaching us. We wanted to retrieve her body to give her a proper burial and some last shred of dignity, but demon beasts had already laid an ambush. The new Demon King ordered our execution.
“We were injured, but no one had died yet. We fought our way back to the entrance of the valley. Just as we were about to leave, for some unknown reason, I suddenly lost my mind. I lost my sanity and began killing every one of my brothers with my own sword...”
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