Chapter 107: With This Sword, I Shall Cut Down the Heavens!

"I need you to tell me how to do things? Why don’t you take the position of Young Mistress instead, Elder Liang?"

The burly, bald woman opened her mouth but, under Yun Suxin’s icy gaze, ultimately swallowed her words and lowered her head.

"I wouldn’t dare. The Young Mistress has the final say."

"Hmph, remember your place." Yun Suxin rolled her eyes.

This so-called Elder Liang might look like a man, but she was actually a woman—a rogue cultivator who had joined Lingxi Valley later in life. Despite holding the title of Elder, she was nothing more than a nominal figure, or to put it bluntly, just another dog the sect had taken in.

Lingxi Valley had a few elders like this, but most were in closed-door cultivation.

It seemed that with her mother absent for so long, this Elder Liang had grown bold, thinking she had the right to speak on her behalf.

What a joke.

Yes, they had robbed disciples of Lingxi Valley before, but the losses were trivial—like a drop in the ocean for a wealthy sect like theirs. A little lesson would be enough this time; they could send them back where they came from.

If they dared to act up again, then harsher measures would be taken.

With that in mind, Yun Suxin made her decision.

She descended gracefully from the rooftop of the tavern, her steps light and unhurried as she approached Yue Qianchi, who was being restrained. Her beautiful eyes flickered with amusement as she asked, "Yue Qianchi, senior sister of Sword Pavilion, I heard you came here to buy spiritual herbs?"

"That’s right." Yue Qianchi lifted her chin stubbornly. "Doesn’t Lingxi Valley welcome all righteous cultivators who come to purchase spiritual herbs?"

"Indeed." Yun Suxin didn’t deny it, but sneered. "But I never said we welcomed guests who crash into our protective illusion array the moment they arrive."

Yue Qianchi opened her mouth but had no retort.

After all, their flying boat had indeed slammed straight into the illusion array.

She averted her gaze, her face flushing slightly, and after a long moment, she muttered, "That was an accident… We were all in cultivation and didn’t notice where the boat was headed…"

"No need for excuses. I’ll give you one last chance today."

Yun Suxin raised her hand, summoning a golden lotus, which she tossed into the sky. The lotus rose and expanded.

"I will pull you into the second layer of the illusion array. If you can break free, you may enter the valley and purchase spiritual herbs. If you fail within three days, then return to your Sword Pavilion—your flying boat will serve as compensation."

As her words fell, the golden lotus in the sky exploded.

A soft golden light enveloped everything.

A strange fragrance filled the air.

Yue Qianchi and Li Qingran felt the world spin.

By the time they regained their senses, they found themselves in a deep and eerie valley.

The flying boat was gone.

The burly woman and the Young Mistress of Lingxi Valley had also disappeared.

"Damn it, that woman dragged us into an illusion!" Yue Qianchi slapped her thigh, her face dark.

"Senior Sister, since it’s an illusion, there must be a way out." Li Qingran grabbed Yue Qianchi’s hand, still optimistic. "We shouldn’t panic—let’s carefully search for flaws in the illusion. We’ll definitely find a way out."

"Not likely." Yue Qianchi shook her head.

"The Lingxi Valley illusion array has three layers.

The first is the maze array, designed to keep mortals and wild beasts out, so they don’t trample the spiritual fields. That’s the one our flying boat crashed into.

The second is the illusion array, filled with endless illusions where truth and falsehood blur together. It’s said even a Nascent Soul cultivator could be trapped for a while—let alone us.

The third is the killing array. Fortunately, Yun Suxin didn’t activate it. Otherwise, our heads would probably already be flying through the air."

Hearing this, even Li Qingran looked uneasy.

Her senior sister would never joke about something like this.

If the Lingxi Valley illusion array was truly that formidable, then their chances of escaping were slim.

But even so, she had to try.

For her master.

For herself.

Giving up was not an option.

Li Qingran clenched her fists and stood up.

She wanted her master to live a long life, eternal and unwavering.

She wanted to meet him in person, not just as a projection.

To truly touch him, to feel his warmth.

She had to gather all the necessary spiritual herbs for the Hundred Herbs Detoxifying Pill—no matter what.

Seeing Li Qingran resolutely walking deeper into the valley, Yue Qianchi sighed and followed. "Fine, fine. Maybe we’ll get lucky."

Despite her words, she wasn’t optimistic.

Lingxi Valley’s protective array was said to be one of the greatest formations in the Cangyun Realm.

It was definitely more than just a maze to get lost in.

…

"Young Mistress, if they really manage to break the formation, will you just let them go?"

Elder Liang eyed the spiritual crystals at the core of the flying boat, swallowing hard.

Those were spiritual crystals—each one could sustain her cultivation for at least two months.

If only she could get her hands on them…

She looked expectantly at Yun Suxin.

But Yun Suxin merely narrowed her eyes at the two figures stumbling through the illusion array. "I keep my word. If they can truly break through the Heart Demon Illusion Array, why not let them buy some herbs?"

Breaking the array? How laughable.

This illusion array was infused with her mother’s lifelong knowledge.

Once inside, not only would they lose their sense of direction, but their spiritual awareness would also be compressed to an extreme—limiting even Nascent Soul cultivators to a mere few hundred meters of perception.

But that wasn’t the most terrifying part.

The true horror of the array was that it could manifest one’s deepest fears.

Even she, the Young Mistress of Lingxi Valley who had grown up here, would be lost if she entered.

Those two Sword Pavilion disciples?

They didn’t stand a chance.

…

[Your Virtual Girlfriend ‘Li Qingran’ has entered the second layer of the Lingxi Valley illusion array. Her deepest fears will now be revealed…]

[Your teammate ‘Yue Qianchi’ has entered the second layer of the Lingxi Valley illusion array. Her deepest fears will now be revealed…]

[Voice transmission function disabled. Recharge ¥88 to forcefully enable it!]

The phone screen flashed with two notification pop-ups.

Chen Huai’an, bathed in the soft glow of dawn, rolled over and muttered, "Qingran baby…" before smacking his lips and continuing to sleep.

…

The valley was deep, growing colder with every step.

Li Qingran thought she’d eventually hit a dead end, but no matter how far she walked, there was no sign of an exit.

"Li Qingran! Li Qingran!"

A voice suddenly called out.

Li Qingran raised her head, looking in the direction of the sound. A figure gradually appeared, becoming more distinct.

"Li Qingran, you defied your master and betrayed the sect. Do you know your crime?!"

An old man in a cyan robe stood before her, his expression stern and self-righteous—Daoist Qingxuan.

"I am guilty of nothing." She didn’t even glance at him, brushing past without hesitation.

"Li Qingran, didn’t you say you’d always follow your senior brother? What are you doing now?!"

Another figure appeared.

Li Qingran looked at Lu Changtian and merely sneered.

"Li Qingran, why did you wound your junior sister?"

"Li Qingran, after all the elixirs I gave you, give them back!"

"Li Qingran, you traitor!"

"Li Qingran…"

More and more people blocked her path.

They mocked, cursed, and roared at her.

But she paid them no mind and simply walked forward.

Her eyes held a single beam of moonlight—

And within that moonlight stood a figure clad in white robes, his silver hair flowing, hands clasped behind his back, a sword at his waist.

That was her master.

Under the moonlight, he danced with his sword—

The peerless sword cultivator, Chen Huai’an.

Countless figures appeared, countless figures vanished.

Yet, she pressed forward without hesitation, never pausing for even a step.

Until—

A pair of bloodstained boots blocked her path.

The kind only warriors from the battlefield would wear.

"Ran’er, have you been well? Did anyone bully you in the sect? Ah… Please, don’t seek revenge for us anymore… Your father and I only ever wanted you to live happily… To live well…"

Li Qingran’s steps faltered.

Her lips quivered as she gazed at the elderly couple before her—hair graying, leaning on each other for support.

Tears streamed down her face.

"Father… Mother…"

"Qingran… has been unfilial…"

To cultivators, mortals were nothing more than chess pieces.

The wars between nations were mere power struggles between sects.

A casual move on a cultivator’s board meant thousands of mortal soldiers marching to their deaths, their bodies wrapped in bloodstained shrouds.

A single burst of anger, a shattered wine cup, and a thousand miles would turn to drought, leaving people to starve.

A so-called kingdom was nothing but a toy—

With just a few words, it could be erased in an instant.

And she? She was merely a grasshopper that had jumped off the chessboard, waiting to be crushed underfoot at any moment.

She spoke carefully.

She walked cautiously.

She only hoped that one day she could become a bird—

At least then, she wouldn’t be so easily trampled.

But those who never stepped onto the immortal path still had the naive hope of dreaming.

Once they did—only then would they understand what true despair meant.

Beyond the common disciples lay the inner sect.

Beyond the inner sect were the true disciples.

Beyond the true disciples were the elders, the sect masters, the sect itself.

Beyond the sects were the Holy Lands.

Beyond the Holy Lands was the Ruins of the Void.

Beyond the Ruins of the Void was ascension.

Each step was a chasm.

Between those chasms—mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

The Dao was vast and boundless.

And she?

She was nothing but an ant!

But…

Her gaze settled on that distant, lone figure standing with hands clasped behind his back.

As long as her master was there—

Even if the road ahead was paved with blades and fire, she would climb.

Her parents’ deaths would be avenged.

The light shifted.

The wind howled.

Snow filled the sky.

"Li Qingran, my time is running out. In the end, I still didn’t get to see your antidote…"

"It’s not your fault—it’s the Dao that is heartless, the beasts that are merciless."

"Still… your master… is reluctant to leave you behind…"

A figure in white lay in a pool of blood.

Countless demonic beasts feasted upon him, gnashing their teeth, tearing apart flesh and bone.

The sickening sound of chewing filled the air.

The light in his eyes dimmed, his breath fading into silence.

Li Qingran stood frozen.

Her chest clenched, as if an invisible sword had pierced straight through her heart.

"No—Master, no…"

"Get away! Get away from him! You’re not allowed to eat my master!"

"Aaaah! Get away! I’ll kill you! Kill you all!"

Her eyes burned red.

She staggered forward, clutching her sword.

She fell.

She crawled.

No matter how desperately she reached out, she could never grasp that figure.

She could only watch—

Watch as the beasts tore him apart.

Watch as his soul dissipated into nothingness.

She knelt there, staring blankly.

The demonic beasts eventually left, revealing the broken corpse beneath them.

At last, she could reach him.

But the hands that once healed her, once passed on his knowledge—

Were now deathly cold.

"Master…"

"Master, look at me. I’m here… I came to save you…"

She trembled as she touched his hand, desperately rubbing it, pressing it against her face, as if trying to transfer her warmth.

But it was still so cold.

Colder than her heart.

She rubbed and rubbed—until her hands were stained with blood.

Until there was no way to bring back his warmth.

There were so many things she wanted to say.

So many things she never had the chance to say.

So many things—she would never be able to say.

Her whole life, it had always been snowing.

Her master had once held up an umbrella for her—

And beneath it, she saw the sunrise, the stars, the sea, the beauty of the mortal world.

But in the end…

"Even that… was taken from me."

She had no master anymore.

Never again.

The wind cut like knives.

The snow pricked like needles.

"I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Father… Mother… I’m sorry, Master…"

"I was too weak… I’m useless…"

"It’s all because I was too weak… Haha… Hahahaha!"

Tears fell, searing hot against the icy ground.

The blade in her hand trembled.

Li Qingran lifted her gaze to the heavens.

Her icy stare seemed to pierce through the dark sky, reaching even higher.

Her fingers clenched the hilt of the Su Xian Sword, knuckles pale.

Slowly—she stood.

A murderous aura surged into the sky!

…

Above Lingxi Valley, dark clouds gathered.

Thunder rumbled.

Seated in a pavilion, Yun Suxin sipped her tea—only to suddenly freeze, her face draining of color.

She gazed at the storm clouds, her heart pounding in terror.

"This rage within the thunderclouds… Who dares to defy the Dao?"

"Challenging the heavens is one thing—but don’t drag Lingxi Valley into this mess…"

Without hesitation, she left the pavilion and hurried back to her quarters.

Just in case.

…

Inside the illusion array—

Li Qingran raised her sword toward the sky.

"I, Li Qingran—shall take this sword—"

At the final word—

A booming voice roared in her mind.

[Wake up!!!]

BOOM!

A sound like ten thousand bells ringing at once exploded in her head.

Li Qingran’s vision went blank.

Her mind cleared.

…

…

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