Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 498 - 492 Demonic Flame 9

Chapter 498: Chapter 492 Demonic Flame 9

Wisps of cloud began to slowly disperse from the surroundings, enveloping Lin Xin and An Ying.

Zhuo Yueling sighed with relief. If it had been because of her misguided suggestion that led to their tragic separation, she would have carried a great sin.

But now, thankfully, a satisfying conclusion had emerged.

"You’re called Zhuo Yueling, right?" Suddenly, Lin Xin’s voice echoed directly in her mind.

"Eh?" Zhuo Yueling was initially startled, then realized with ecstasy, "A chance for immortality!! I’m going to become immortal!!!"

With a fierce pounce, she lunged towards Lin Xin and An Ying.

"Don’t leave me behind!!! I also want to become immortal!!"

Seeing this, how could she not understand the identities of the people before her? They must be the Qi Cultivators and Sword Immortals she had only heard of in the mundane world.

If she didn’t seize this opportunity, she would truly regret it for life!

"I owe you a debt of karma for bringing me and Ying’er together prematurely," Lin Xin said with a chuckle. An Ying’s gaze towards Zhuo Yueling softened as well.

"I was forced to do it! If not for my honored master and the sect... Humph!" Out of concern for her dignity, An Ying still retorted with a cold snort.

"The cause of today may well be the effect of tomorrow."

Lin Xin stretched out his hand, gently pushing Zhuo Yueling out of the clouds.

"No, my chance for immortality!! I want to become immortal!!" Zhuo Yueling suddenly panicked, "Dad! Mom!! No! Grandpa and grandma, ancestors! I’ll recognize you as my ancestors! Don’t leave me behind!!!"

Her instant ability to claim kinship left Lin Xin and the other speechless. They decided to ignore her; the two rose into the air as a Message Talisman flew out within the clouds to An Ying’s master, and then they shot off into the distance.

In the midst of the clouds, Lin Xin looked speechlessly at Zhuo Yueling, who was desperately clinging to An Ying’s boot. Somehow, she had lunged over again, and although An Ying could definitely have left her behind if she really wanted to, it was largely due to Zhuo Yueling’s own desperate efforts and An Ying’s intentional actions.

Soaring through the clouds, the trio quickly returned to the Sword Sect’s territory.

For Lin Xin, the thousands of miles were but a few uses of the Escape Skill.

Returning to the mountain at night, with prior notice, dozens of cultivators awaited at the Sword Hall Peak in the back mountain.

Far away, as they saw Lin Xin and the others descend with the clouds, they lined up in the Sky Gang Formation, all waiting to greet him.

"Welcome back, Sect Master!"

The crowd greeted in unison.

"It’s late at night; everyone, go attend to your own affairs," Lin Xin said with a wave of his hand, not paying them much mind, and instead headed straight for the Imperial Sword Palace where the Sect Master resided with An Ying.

All along the way, An Ying maintained a cold demeanor, occasionally glancing at Lin Xin with chilly indifference, her eyes showing memories of the past and a faint complexity, but lacking the pure admiration she once had.

The trio suddenly descended, and with a spell cast by Lin Xin, they passed through the roof of the palace below like ghostly shadows, landing directly in a side hall.

"Honored Daoist Master."

Two young Daoists approached and bowed deeply.

"Arrange a guest room for this little one," Lin Xin said, pointing to Zhuo Yueling.

The girl was still stubbornly clinging to An Ying’s boot.

"A chance for immortality!" she cried out.

"Go on," Lin Xin said with a faint smile.

Zhuo Yueling suddenly felt a gentle yet immense force pry her hands open, and her body shot straight up, landing snugly in the arms of a female Daoist nearby.

"If you are willing, you may serve as a page under me and begin your cultivation practice slowly. This will resolve our karmic debt," Lin Xin said casually.

"As long as I can cultivate, that’s fine!" Zhuo Yueling instantly agreed without hesitation.

"You are too old," An Ying said, shaking her head slightly. It would have been fine if she were under ten years old, but at her current age, she could only resort to forbidden methods, which would then lose the purpose of cultivating for longevity.

Those methods would each harm one’s foundational life force. Unless she cultivated to the level of Foundation Establishment to rebuild her foundation.

But Zhuo Yueling, a mortal who had just come into contact with cultivation and was nearly twenty, who could guarantee that she would comprehend the Taoist Intent and break through to Foundation Establishment?

"You may leave now. Linghe, start by teaching her the basic practice of Return to Origin," Lin Xin instructed.

"Understood," the female Daoist answered respectfully.

She quickly departed with a struggling Zhuo Yueling in tow.

The other Daoist served tea to the pair, lit Concentration Incense, and then tactfully left.

Only Lin Xin and An Ying remained.

"I once promised you that after I left the Sword Hall Peak, I would come looking for you," Lin Xin said, hands behind his back, speaking softly.

"It’s a pity you didn’t fulfill it," An Ying calmly said. "So now, what do you intend to do by forcibly taking me?"

"Having failed you for so many years, from now on, I will slowly make amends," Lin Xin said solemnly.

"I am already a cultivator with a damaged spirit. Other than reincarnation and a reset, it is impossible for me to advance a single step in cultivation. Knowing this, do you still want me?" An Ying continued.

"So what if that is the case?"

Lin Xin reached out to grasp her hand.

But before he could get close, a sharp wound suddenly split open on An Ying’s arm.

Lin Xin paused abruptly. His physical strength was too great; even the space around him couldn’t withstand the pressure and shattered, much less An Ying, who was merely a cultivator with less than Foundation Establishment level of strength.

The same was true for Zhuo Yueling, who was able to come into contact with him only because he had wrapped himself with the Soul Domain.

But if he wished to hold her hand like he did now, the result would most likely have been worse than An Ying’s.

Retreating a step, An Ying observed the bloodstains on her arm.

"You...."

"I’m sorry," Lin Xin said quietly after a moment of silence.

Black qi slowly emanated from his body, enveloping him completely, and isolated him and the surrounding space.

"I still haven’t achieved perfect control over my power."

"Have you become so dangerous now?" An Ying couldn’t have imagined that such a phenomenon would occur.

She had heard her master say that cultivators live for a very long time, and generally only lacked power growth or couldn’t advance an inch, but she had never heard of someone hurting others because they couldn’t control their too-strong power.

Each and every cultivator had an abundance of time and energy to refine their skills and control.

"Don’t worry... I’ll resolve it very soon," Lin Xin said with a smile. Not long after, another wave of pain began inside him, and his expression once again contorted unnaturally.

"You... go rest for now."

He said softly.

An Ying watched him steadily for a while before slowly leaving the side hall, where a Daoist boy led her to a guest room to rest.

Ling Xin was left alone in the side hall, sitting by the stone table, his body tense, resisting the unceasing assaults of pain on his nerves.

*************************

Central Prefecture, Jinling.

Yuqing Taoist Palace.

Deep within the Yuqing Palace, guarded layer by layer by female cultivators, stood a grand hall resplendent with gold and jade.

The Daoist fairy sat silently on her throne at the top of the grand hall, wearing a pristine white robe with gold threads, her eyes lowered.

Below her, surrounded by a circle of women, stood the aged Daoist Hong Gui and another tall, robust foreign man with silver rings through his nostrils.

"Honorable Elder Hong Gui, Demon Venerable Zheng Qing, may I know the purpose of your visit?" asked a plainly dressed female cultivator seated to the right of the Daoist fairy.

"We come to pay respects to the Daoist fairy to discuss a matter," replied Daoist Hong Gui with a benevolent face, speaking softly.

"Together with the Heaven Cloud Taoist way, we have concurred that under the Heavenly Destiny Extension Technique, within the next two hundred years, the Central Prefecture will face an unprecedented catastrophe. Currently trapped by the Sandstone Divine Palace, the strongest decision-makers, including my brother, are immobilized. Red Spine Sect clouds over everything, unstoppable. We have come seeking the Yuqing Daoist fairy’s Heavenly Techniques to verify if this is true," said the man with silver rings in a booming voice.

The gentle expression of the seated Daoist fairy furrowed into a look of solemnity.

"Your brother, the great Demon Venerable of the Myriad Thousand Demon Cave, created the unparalleled Heavenly Destiny Extension Technique. Since it produced such a result, there must be a specific target, right?"

"Indeed," Elder Hong Gui continued. "Heavenly Destiny and our Heaven Cloud astrological readings have drawn the same conclusion."

"Oh?!" The Daoist fairy’s interest was piqued. "What are the findings?"

"That is precisely why this humble one and Daoist Zheng Qing have come to the Yuqing Palace," said Elder Hong Gui with a serious demeanor.

"I would hear the details," said the Daoist fairy as she waved her hand, causing a faint luminescence to envelop their surroundings, isolating them from the outside.

Elder Hong Gui admired their surroundings before getting to the point.

"The reputation of the Yuqing Scriptures is indeed well-deserved. Now, to the matter at hand. I wonder if Your Highness and the senior cultivators present are aware of the Red Flower Sword Devil?"

The plainly dressed female cultivator flicked her brows slightly.

"Seems to be a junior cultivator who has recently risen to prominence? What about it? Is the Heaven Cloud Taoist way intending to escalate your personal disputes with him to the level of the Righteous Path’s celestial alliance?"

Elder Hong Gui shook his head solemnly.

"Not at all. Initially, I only thought that the demon had nothing to do with the great calamity of the Central Prefecture, and that the key still lies with Huang Yuerong of Red Spine Sect. But, after making some calculations with the Heaven Cloud star reading system, I was shocked to discover that we cannot capture the trajectory of his destiny at all!"

"My Shape-shifting Cave experienced the same issue. We cannot divine his past, and the information obtained is even less than what the Outer Sect has collected," added Zheng Qing with gravity.

"He appeared out of nowhere, originally just an ordinary Manor Villa Master with a talent that should have peaked at Foundation Establishment for his entire life. But now, looking at him again, in just a few short years, he has surged from Foundation Establishment to Yuan Jing. This is beyond what any secret technique or magic treasure can casually achieve," Elder Hong Gui said, nodding.

"You should also be aware that I, Hong Gui, have always had a personal vendetta with him, which has not escalated to the Taoist Sect level. However, what the recent calculations revealed is truly astonishing, hence under the Sect Master’s orders, we came to Yuqing," affirmed Elder Hong Gui.

"Indeed, even our top-tier divination arts failed to trace his path. Given these circumstances, probably only the Primordial Qi of the Primordial Mirror from the Yuqing Scriptures could catch a glimpse. That’s why I accompanied Elder Hong Gui to seek guidance," confirmed Zheng Qing.

The Daoist fairy pondered for a moment.

"Very well, General Lan."

She looked towards the plainly dressed female cultivator.

"Yes?" The female cultivator bowed her head in response.

"The Primordial Mirror is under your charge; are there any issues with that?"

"I shall follow Your Highness’s command," the female cultivator stated blandly.

"On behalf of the people of Central Prefecture, I thank you, General Lan Qingyang," Elder Hong Gui said with a face full of compassion, preparing to bow to the female cultivator.

"A mere ten years of cultivation is not a bother," replied the female cultivator coldly, raising her hand to release an invisible force, preventing Elder Hong Gui from kneeling.

Several hours later.

A blinding red light shot up into the sky from the Yuqing Taoist Palace.

The light exploded in the sky, turning into rings of talisman formations, with red light illuminating the heavens, mingling with wisps of blood qi.

Moments later, the Daoist fairy issued secret orders one after another, rapidly mobilizing the vast resources of the Yuqing Way.

Since the last time the Daoist fairy cooperated with the Righteous Path to besiege the Red Spine Sect, and Huang Yuerong repelled Yuan Qiuque and several True Monarchs, causing them all to be injured, the Yuqing Way had not issued such a substantial order.

It wasn’t long before people saw Elder Hong Gui of the Heaven Cloud Daoist way and the Second Demon Venerable Zheng Qing of the Shape-shifting Cave leave the Yuqing Palace and fly away from Jinling towards the distance.