Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 362 - 014 Let Him Go

Chapter 362: Chapter 014 Let Him Go

Autumn wind stirs and gentle rain persists.

Another cold night in deep autumn.

Zhou Yan could no longer remember how many such bleak autumns and lonely cold nights he had endured.

But each time, there was always something that penetrated deeply into his soul.

This time was no exception.

He had stood here for several days.

During these days, no one disturbed him.

Or rather, no one was able to break through the Thunder Ancient Array.

During these days, Zhou Yan once again recalled various memories of the past, as if organizing his life again.

His heart was full of feelings, and he came to a whole new understanding. The Twelve Sword Souls, with Yanyan’s help, had unknowingly condensed.

However, among them, the Nine Sword Souls were sealed within the three cores of the Sword Soul, forming a "universe within" stance.

The Sword Souls that appeared externally had merged with Thunder, no longer showing any hint of the Emperor Qi Sword Body’s might.

This was actually a transformation, a transformation of strength, with even stronger combat power.

It also served as a shield against the Heavenly Mechanism.

If Zhou Yan wished, he could take some time to fully restore all abilities of the Emperor Qi Sword Body. But doing so was pointless.

At present, the Thunderflame Sword Body was not much inferior to the Emperor Qi Sword Body.

The information left by Yanyan held a certain implication—there is no strongest Sword Body, only the strongest belief and determination, only the strongest person.

The Thunderflame Sword Body is my True Self’s Sword Body. Now passed down to this life, it just happens to wash away some dire elements from the Emperor Qi Sword Body and temporarily retire to a period of calm, a fact Zhou Yan had silently come to accept in his heart.

Over nearly ten days inside this Ancient Array, from breaking the seals to reclaiming the memories of the Emperor Qi Sword Body, and then reviewing his life, his heart had once again undergone a training, and the realm of his soul had become even more exquisite.

At the same time, Zhou Yan had also revisited the Bi Shui Lian Tian swordsmanship and comprehended Nine Yin Nine Yang Heart Sutra, gaining an extremely thorough understanding of all his abilities.

Under such circumstances, Zhou Yan had re-crafted his own combat armor and long sword, making them more compatible with the Thunderflame Sword Body characteristic, able to unleash even stronger combat power.

Not only that, after painstakingly comprehending Thunder Flame Sword Dao, Zhou Yan had also peeled away some behavioral traits of the Emperor Qi Sword Body from his subconscious, such as clasping fists or stroking his chin.

A dike of a thousand miles collapses in the ant nest.

Zhou Yan decided to heed his daughter Yanyan’s advice and cultivate the Thunderflame Sword Body to its limit.

His True Self nearly perished due to this Constitution; his master had also sacrificed himself to save this collapsing Constitution. This all indicates that this Constitution is equally important.

The Emperor Qi Sword Body has become a permanent imprint, existing eternally.

While the Thunderflame Sword Body needs continuous arduous cultivation to grow and stabilize.

The Emperor Qi Sword Body will not disappear, but the Thunderflame Sword Body is still fragile.

Therefore, for these reasons, Zhou Yan no longer harbored any dissatisfaction towards his Thunderflame Sword Body self.

In his heart, there were also no more doubts.

He also knew, his previous life was just an abandoned child inexplicably forsaken by a certain family and was raised by the Lee Family.

Today’s Lee Family is mostly descendants of that family.

The time involved is no longer traceable or recognizable. It requires generations of close investigation, or perhaps some answers could be found from the Holy Daughter after her marriage.

Having decided on his future path, clarified the steps of cultivation, and cleared his past memories, he still stood within the Thunder Ancient Array, somewhat desolate.

Though gradually accustomed to the circumstances of Yanyan, Gu Xi, Feng Lingqing, and even Li Yunjin, the helpless inability to act was the greatest pain.

When not remembering these, he could live carefree, but once remembered, he must endure, be strong, grow, and continue to live through such pain.

He lives a year, he endures a year. If he lives a hundred or a thousand years, he endures a hundred or a thousand years.

He did not know how long he could live or endure.

But if he lived, he would live for the sacrifices of these people.

If he died, it would also be for the vitality of these people.

...

Zhou Yan gazed upon the Thunder Flame World amidst this deep sorrow, where his series of Sword Intent transformed into Thunder Flame Sword Intent was growing further, at an astonishing rate.

But there was nothing to rejoice over.

The stronger the Sword Intent, the faster it kills. The more one kills, the more numb one becomes.

After a long while, the heavens and the earth darkened.

Another day, the darkest time arrived, and even the Thunder Ancient Array could not hide the darkness of the outside world.

But after the darkness passes, inevitably comes the brightest dawn.

Zhou Yan repressed all emotions; this series of painful memories ceased here, buried deep within his heart.

Then, with a strike of his sword, he shattered the Thunderflame Ancient Array.

...

The horizon revealed a glimpse of pale dawn.

After the darkness, dawn broke. Faint dawn light emerged between heaven and earth.

A person walked out from that hint of dawn light.

He wore a black robe, flickering with a chill light, and a dark purple ancient rune belt adorned the robe, with a sword hanging obliquely on the belt.

An ancient long sword engraved with endless patterns of Thunder Light.

Zhou Yan finally appeared.

Even in such a dark abyss, he looked so cold, so resolutely solitary like a lonely crane.

His eyes, as if washed by endless ages, were like bottomless pools—deep, black, cold, and bright.

No one could describe Zhou Yan’s eyes at this moment.

For to see such eyes, is destined to be a lifelong shock.

Guan Qiushui’s face froze with surprise in a flash, feeling suddenly that the distance between her and Zhou Yan was as vast as between Heaven and man.

Lee Lianqing’s face also momentarily stiffened with excitement, replaced by an indescribable sorrow.

And Lan Ruo and Xian Yue, little Bell, felt a strange discomfort, a taste that couldn’t quite be articulated.

After that fierce, irresistible combat, Zhou Yan sequestered himself for ten days, undisturbed.

Upon emerging, everyone harbored a gleeful expectation, yet did not see the bright shine in Zhou Yan’s eyes, nor a smiling face.

The five gazed silently, ultimately staying quiet.

They showed no excitement or other emotions because even if their hearts carried affection and love, Zhou Yan’s aloofness at this moment had set a great distance between them.

A woman’s heart is always subtle.

Especially a woman who has already fallen into infatuation.

The scene quieted for a moment.

Zhou Yan walked out, step by step.

He no longer looked at these women. Perhaps he had already ignored these people. Or perhaps he never saw them.

He looked into the distance, where there was silence, a terrifying silence, a somewhat deadly silence.

"Are you here to kill me?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Yes."

In the void, a Light-winged Woman emerged, dressed in a white long gown like a Fairy.

Her gown fluttered as if a goddess had descended to the mortal world.

She also had a vertical eye on her forehead.

But this vertical eye did not make her look eerie—they added a mysterious beauty to her.

Her aura was immensely strong, with her True Self having reached the Third Transformation Sword Void Realm, making her power unfathomable and her combat strength unimaginable.

"Zhou Lingzhe."

Guan Qiushui hesitated for a moment before approaching Zhou Yan, her gaze filled with worry and infatuation.

She gathered her courage.

She willingly gave herself up to Zhou Yan’s disposal, seemingly just to seek a familiar memory.

She did not care about the light-winged, vertical-eyed woman, because she knew that woman was no threat to Zhou Yan.

But Zhou Yan merely glanced at her without any passion, simply stating, "Step back, this woman is strong."

His words were simple.

Yet, those words shattered the glimmer of hope in Guan Qiushui’s heart.

"Why?"

Tears gathered in Guan Qiushui’s eyes, revealing a trace of resentment.

"When a woman truly loves a man, she wants to be the only woman in his eyes. Even if she can act magnanimously, it’s difficult for her to accept a third person joining in.

Holy Daughter seeks a suitor, and I have made up my mind.

The memories of cooperating with Three Spirit Users of the Zhou Family and being adopted by the Lee family have also returned.

In life, there is unbearable pain."

Zhou Yan looked indifferently at the Light-winged Woman, not looking at Guan Qiushui, and softly spoke these words.

"But I really don’t mind."

Guan Qiushui’s voice was filled with sadness.

"There is unbearable pain in life, hence no passion to the bone. I am an ill-fated person, this place is nothing more than a stop in my life. The longer I stay, the more distress it brings.

So, it’s better to part amicably.

You and I are destined not to have an ending, so there’s no need to start. If you were me, I believe you would do the same."

Zhou Yan gently caressed Guan Qiushui’s hair, like an elder.

He sighed, then retracted his hand.

"I..."

Guan Qiushui was somewhat choked up.

Lee Lianqing suddenly sighed, "Qiushui, you are my disciple, and your Master, including our lineage, owe him too much. Under this karma, the best outcome is... to let go and let him be."

Lost in thought, Guan Qiushui slowly nodded, but with tears, she suddenly smiled.

Although the smile was very bitter, it was still a smile.

Even as she smiled, tears streamed down like flowing water, yet she still smiled.

"So, knowing you’re going to die, are you afraid of implicating these lowly humans? If you knew this day would come, why bother joining hands with the Three Spirit Users of the Zhou Family to slaughter my Three-Eyed and Heavenly Vein Clan members?"

The Light-winged Woman let out a sneer.

Her Third Eye opened rapidly, and from within, a streak of Blood Light shot out at incredible speed.

This was a terrifying Blood Light.

The Blood Light, moving extremely swiftly, suddenly struck directly towards Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan, whether it was due to being unable to dodge, or unwilling to dodge, or simply unable to avoid, stood motionlessly, allowing the Blood Light to stab into his chest.

The Blood Light was exceedingly cold.

Zhou Yan almost felt the icy Blood Light piercing through his skin, breaking through his ribs, and plunging into his heart.

Then, a terrifyingly intense energy burst forth in his body, threatening to obliterate him entirely.

Yet, Zhou Yan still did not move, numbly watching this Light-winged, Three-Eyed woman with a gaze that was calm and profoundly eerie.

Guan Qiushui was stunned.

Lee Lianqing was also stunned.

Xian Yue, Lan Ruo, and Little Bell were equally stunned.

No one expected Zhou Yan to be so vulnerable.

Even the Light-winged Three-Eyed Woman herself was briefly taken aback.

She had never imagined that a person, when faced with impending death, could remain so calm like still water. She also hadn’t expected the legendary rivalry of Thunder Flame Sword Body, known to be on par with Emperor Qi Sword Body, to be so easily defeated.

In that momentary daze, the woman from the Three-Eyed Tribe saw Zhou Yan’s gaze suddenly turn incredibly cold, fierce, and insane, intensely terrifying.

Such a gaze intensely pained her heart.

At that moment, she realized misfortune was looming—she sensed the arrival of death.

She wanted to escape, to flee from this terrifying man who hadn’t even unsheathed his sword yet.

But it was already too late.

"Boom-crack—"

As if heavenly thunder exploded, ending the world in her soul space.

In that instant, as if a great calamity had suddenly descended upon heaven and earth, her body was struck endlessly by Thunder Light.

Then she fell into a momentary paralysis, her strength instantaneously vanished.

In those fleeting moments, as if all her cultivation had been stripped away, she had not a shred of resistance left.