Chapter 74: Drawn Sword, Blood to Drink
“You—are—so—amazing—!”
The young disciple’s voice echoed through the quiet mountain forest at night, startling flocks of birds into flight.
Yu Qishu glanced down. Beneath him, the sea of clouds drifted, and the snowy peaks of Han Shan loomed faintly like mirages. The halls and pavilions scattered across mountains and rivers shrank rapidly to the size of grains of rice. He did not realize that the power of the jiao’s core now flowed within him, strengthening his body beyond imagination. All he knew was that he dared not loosen his grip, clutching the hilt of the Endless Sky Sword desperately. What terrified him most was falling—his body smashing into pulp so thoroughly that even when Meng Xueli returned, even if Xiao Tingyun emerged from seclusion, neither would recognize him, let alone gather his remains.
Everything that had happened tonight had completely overturned his understanding of the world. The pond had become a sea, the koi had become a jiao, and now the Endless Sky Sword was flying through the heavens—dragging him along with it. He was riding not a tiger, but a sword, and there was no way down.
Yu Qishu squeezed his eyes shut, words tumbling from him at breakneck speed: “Brother Endless, where exactly are you going? Let’s talk this over—I’m still young. I’ve been at Changchun Peak for less than a year, I haven’t even mastered a proper skill yet to return home in glory. My mother is still waiting for me back in Egret City. I haven’t married, I haven’t had children, I haven’t done anything with my life! I haven’t even seen a few pretty female cultivators…”
The more he spoke, the more pitiful he sounded, until he nearly talked himself into tears.
The Endless Sky Sword seemed to think this boy was utterly worthless—after all, the true pursuit of a sword cultivator was the essence of the sword itself. What did it matter if there were no female cultivators by one’s side? It suddenly tilted downward, plummeting with the speed of a lightning bolt, and Yu Qishu felt his heart nearly leap from his chest.
Just then, from far below, he heard muddled human voices, noisy and chaotic, numbering at least in the thousands. He still did not dare open his eyes, but thought: If I must die, I shouldn’t drag others with me. With this speed, whoever I crash into will die for sure. So he shouted with all his might: “Out of the way!”
……
At that very moment in the plaza outside the Hall of Legal Principles in Jingsi Valley, the factions of the Five Peak Masters and the Supreme Elder stood locked in opposition, numbering in the thousands. Their positions were clearly divided. The night wind whistled, tugging at the robes of elders and peak masters alike, drying the cold sweat on the brows of younger disciples.
Zhou Yi’s voice carried across the entire square: “Ji Xiao consorted with demons during his life. Our Sect Leader was deceived by him and is now filled with regret. Tonight he has come to Daoist Revered to atone for his mistake. Jianwei Zhenren has already taken responsibility and stepped down. For now, all sect affairs will be handled by me.”
The disciples on the Five Peaks’ side erupted in commotion—some shocked, others furious.
Chongbi Peak Master pressed one hand against his sword. “Nonsense! I demand to see the Sect Leader!”
Zhou Yi snapped: “Insolence! Both the Daoist Revered and the Sect Leader are in the hall. Whoever dares draw a sword will be deemed a traitor to Han Shan. Do you dare defy the Daoist Revered?”
Chongbi Peak Master roared back: “Daoist Revered Tai Heng has acted with extreme bias. Tonight it is not we who disrespect him—it is he who forces us to unsheath our swords!”
The moment the words left his mouth, a surge of ethereal, annihilating sword intent burst from within the great hall. A wave of Nascent Soul–level sword energy swept forth like a colossal tidal wave dozens of meters high. Weaker disciples could not withstand it and staggered back in panic.
At once, everyone drew their swords. The sound of blades leaving their sheaths was like a torrential downpour. Almost as if triggered by this signal, the Absolute Spirit Array hidden within Jingsi Valley activated. Murderous energy rose from the ground itself, closing in like a cage around the Chongbi Peak Master’s faction.
Zhou Yi cried out: “Daoist Revered has already dispatched men to the Hanhai Secret Realm’s exit to seize Meng Xueli and bring him back. When the time comes, both witness and evidence will be presented. Let all of Han Shan see the truth together! If you persist in your delusion, you are traitors to the sect and will be executed on the spot. But Daoist Revered is merciful—if you turn back now, he will let bygones be bygones…”
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Something had caught his attention. His gaze lifted toward the distant night sky, and his expression shifted from smug triumph to horrified disbelief.
Everyone looked up. Under the gaze of thousands, a streak of sword light descended from the heavens, hurtling into Jingsi Valley in an instant. It moved so fast no one could see who was riding it. They only heard the man on the sword cry out: “Get out of the way!”
The streak of light split mountains and shattered stone. Disciples of the Supreme Elder’ faction scrambled out of the way in terror. The light swept over the crowd and shot straight toward the steps before the hall.
Zhou Yi stood at the top, sword held crosswise before him. “Who goes there?!”
The Endless Sky Sword did not slow. No one knew its power better than Yu Qishu himself, and he screamed again: “Get out of the way!”
With a deafening crash, the sword light smashed directly into the great hall’s tightly shut doors. Zhou Yi was hurled back more than ten zhang, tumbling three times across the floor inside.
Through the thick smoke and dust, two figures emerged inside the hall—one sitting, one standing. The Sect Leader was gravely wounded, kneeling on the ground. Tai Jeng’s expression was cold and severe.
The sword light did not stop. It surged straight toward Tai Heng!
Tai Heng flicked his sleeve, and a wave of Seabound Silence Sword energy surged forth to meet it.
A cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage—their sword energy was no different from a real blade. This strike carried terrifying, boundless might. The temperature within the hall plummeted instantly. Wherever the sword energy passed, frost spread across the glazed floor tiles.
Yu Qishu faced that sword force head-on. He felt only cold, annihilating intent crashing down like a vast ocean, drowning him in an instant.
But earlier that same night, he had already seen the real sea.
Yu Qishu’s body contained the power of the jiao’s core, his physical strength now comparable to a jiao’s body. When it came to controlling magical tools, humans had a clear advantage; but when it came to sheer physical toughness, even the most diligent body-refining cultivator could not compare to a great beast—much less a jiao.
So when Tai Heng released a sword strike, Yu Qishu had no time to dodge and was blasted off his flying sword. Yet he fell like a dragon plunging into the sea, immediately standing back up again, completely unscathed.
Amid the chaos, someone cried out in shock: “Who is that person?” He actually withstood a sword strike from Tai Heng Zhenren?
“I recognize him! He’s the second disciple of Changchun Peak, Yu Qishu!”
The most important person always appeared last. Everyone wished to be that crucial one.
If one were to be a stalk of straw, one would be the last one that broke the camel’s back.
If one were to be a snowflake, one would be the last one that triggered an avalanche.
If one were to be a sword, then be Endless Sky—
—appearing in the nick of time, standing between the crumbling pillars, holding up the collapsing tower.
When Yu Qishu crashed onto its blade, the Endless Sky Sword did not slow its charge. It had slumbered for far too long—once awakened, it had to return to its sheath only after tasting blood.
……
Meng Xueli stood within the amplifying formation:
“Don’t panic when you hear my voice. I am Meng Xueli, Ji Xiao’s Dao companion, the current Peak Master of Changchun Peak. I’m standing right here in the Central City courtyard, speaking to all of you—”
Even though the Jing Di squad had been mentally prepared, they were still uneasy now. Worry, tension, helplessness, resignation—so many emotions tangled together, all written on their faces in one word: conflicted.
Meng Xueli: “I’m sure everyone knows why I’m here. I came to win first place in the Grand Competition and inherit the Endless Sky Sword. Please understand the heart of a widower who only wishes to protect his partner’s relic.”
Ji Xiao lifted his head to gaze at the sky. His eyes looked northward—to where the Han Shan Sword Sect resided.
Meng Xueli said cheerfully: “To speed up the competition and decide the winner sooner so everyone can leave this secret realm earlier, I suggest you all come find me in Central City’s courtyard. Fight me here. Whoever arrives first, fights first. Whoever defeats me will win the treasures left behind by my Dao companion. I swear on my Dao heart, against any disciple who follows the rules of the competition, I will fight alone. You can come one by one, or all at once—it makes no difference, none of you are my match. I’m not singling anyone out, I’m simply saying: within this secret realm, I have no rivals.”
The Jing Di squad simultaneously covered their faces, unable to keep listening. They thought, What a terrible idea.
Meng Xueli: “I’ll repeat myself—come to Central City courtyard as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last three days of the competition. The sooner we finish fighting, the sooner we can all go home.”
He shut down the amplifying formation, then bounced back over to his teammates: “So? How was it? Did I sound arrogant enough?”
The Jing Di squad all nodded in unison.
Que Xianming: “Who could possibly stand this? Even I want to pin you to the ground and beat you up.”
Only Ji Xiao shook his head: “As long as you’re happy.”
Song Qianyi asked: “You’re trying to lure everyone here so we can all leave together. But what if Ning Wei’s group comes first?”
“That just means they’re unlucky. And besides, they’ll be seen by everyone who comes afterward.” Meng Xueli smiled. “We’ll stay here and wait at our ease. Once everyone arrives, it’ll be like New Year—bustling and lively.”
Que Xianming sent him a voice transmission, praising: “Now this is the Snow Mountain King I remember! Anyone who dares provoke you, you make the biggest scene possible and flip the heavens upside down.”
Meng Xueli did not answer, but the joy on his face faded away.
Liu Jing stared at the formation plate: “It moved! Someone’s heading toward us!”
Ji Xiao sent a voice transmission to Meng Xueli: “The treasure left by the Sword Sovereign?”
Meng Xueli looked baffled: “You’ve already seen it—the account books of the Sword Sovereign’s private vault, Hengtong Juyuan. They’re yours from now on.”
Ji Xiao shook his head: “There’s something else that’s not yet mine.”
Meng Xueli realized: “You mean ‘Weary of Rain’ and ‘Tired of Wind’? Honestly, I’ve never even seen them. I don’t know what they are.”
Ji Xiao: “You will see them.”
Ever since that day at the Sword Tomb when he asked Meng Xueli for the ceremony of companionship, Ji Xiao had been thinking of a second, formal confession. He had decided—it would be three days later.
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
