Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 378 - 029: The Battle of Souls!

Chapter 378: Chapter 029: The Battle of Souls!

Accumulated Feathers Cold Ice Cave.

The earth was covered in flying snow, melting everything into a silver furnace, creating a desolate scene between heaven and earth.

The Emperor Qi Sword Body of the Qiankun Lineage, at Forbidden Moon Cliff.

Hou Ling stood in her snowy garments with her black hair cascading like a waterfall, an image of utter solitude and loneliness.

She stood on the edge of the cliff, her gaze resting upon the dark moon in the sky dome, surrounded by a blood-colored halo, her eyes tranquil.

"Zhou Lingyi, I am ready."

"I know, I am waiting for an opportunity."

"Alright, then. Remember your choice, and I hope you won’t play any tricks, otherwise... with a single thought, both our souls will be destroyed."

"I, Zhou Lingyi, am now all hope lost, my spirit barren, with no other desires left."

Inside Hou Ling’s body, two souls were having a conversation.

Her robes fluttered as if she were a fairy descending to the world. Standing silently beside her was the aged woman Elder Hou Yao, who wore no expression either.

But deep inside, Elder Hou Yao was profoundly moved, willing to give up everything for their clan’s young master, Hou Ling.

What she didn’t know, however, was that the young master’s soul was not as harmonious as it appeared and was constantly in grave danger.

"I, Hou Ling, do not understand matters of the heart. But I believe that not understanding is better than understanding. The way of affection pervades the universe and the planes, poisoning many cultivators and ruining many geniuses."

"If he could live, it would not matter to me, Zhou Lingyi, if I were poisoned to death."

"Zhou Lingyi, your feelings for him are not as deep as you thought. Because you couldn’t have him, that’s why your obsession is so deep. Just like before, when he was good to you, but you did not cherish it."

"Hou Ling, you don’t understand. Naive affection and awakened affection are completely different. But talking about this now is meaningless, after all, he is no longer here.

Hmm... I have decided to allow Elder Hou Yao to live through the next life, but I need you to help me, to temporarily fuse with me."

"Fine, no problem. We can talk about things afterward."

...

"Elder Hou Yao, fuse all your bloodline and soul into one, and derive a Lifebound Blood Essence for yourself."

Hou Ling stood for a long while before finally giving the command.

"Yes... Young Master."

Elder Hou Yao said tremblingly, her elderly body bent but still shaking.

Tears of murkiness started to flow from her deeply sunken, lifeless eyes.

Tears streamed down her face.

"Strive your best, no matter the hardships. Remember your duty, and live through the next life!" Hou Ling said solemnly.

"Your servant will try everything possible, even at the cost of everything, to continue living!" Elder Hou Yao declared firmly.

"Good... then... begin."

Hou Ling closed her eyes, tears also flowing from her own.

Elder Hou Yao’s body shook, and in the next moment, her body became even more withered and decayed until, due to utter dessication, it shattered, turning to dust like decayed wood, disintegrated by a puff of wind.

In the world, only a drop of bright red Essence Blood remained, wrapping a void-like soul, shimmering with a cold and bloody luster, silently standing in the void.

"Qiankun Holy Sword Spirit, I grant you the intention of guardianship, to protect her soul for a lifetime."

"Heart of Qiankun, accompany the spirit of the Qiankun Saint Master by granting Elder Hou Yao spiritual wisdom and Dao heart, to enter the origin land of the Life and Death Netherworld Illusion Realm, to go through the fate of reincarnation."

"That ancient emperor, please listen to the will and prayers of the inheritor Hou Ling, and grant eternal hope to the Emperor Sword Lineage."

Hou Ling’s will and an unnameable majesty gradually became visible, and an energy that connected heaven and earth entered Elder Hou Yao’s Essence Blood.

This drop of Essence Blood, like the Inheritance Blood that Zhou Yan had once absorbed, had nearly the same aura.

The world underwent a twisted change, as a dark void palace descended between heaven and earth amidst gusts of Yin wind.

Within the Yin wind, Yin Spirits carried an ancient eight-carried sedan chair, flying from afar.

The endless Yin Soldiers appeared majestic and orderly in their ranks.

Hou Ling stood as if she saw nothing, simply standing in her place.

The sedan chair came like a gust of wind, and in a flash, Elder Hou Yao’s Essence Blood disappeared.

And with it, the Holy Sword Spirit of the Qiankun Holy Sword that had been guarding beside Hou Ling also vanished.

However, what should have been a smooth process was interrupted when Hou Ling’s body made a move that even ’Hou Ling’s soul’ could not have imagined—her body, like a cannonball, suddenly charged towards the sedan chair.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to die? Stop immediately!"

Hou Ling’s soul let out a sharp cry.

But the soul that dominated the body, Zhou Lingyi’s, showed no emotional fluctuation, and launched a fierce Soul Shock towards the Yin wind-filled sedan chair.

A gust of Yin wind blew suddenly, like a blast of cold air sweeping over, and the world turned dark. The souls of Zhou Lingyi and Hou Ling both suffered a terrible strike.

"Ptui—"

That gust of Yin wind was like a soul-rending knife, ruthlessly rolling over the souls of Hou Ling’er and Zhou Lingyi.

The soul of Hou Ling’er directly shattered, but Zhou Lingyi’s soul, with the protection of the Holy Sword’s body, barely withstood the attack.

Even so, Zhou Lingyi’s soul still wavered, nearly crushed to pieces by the Yin wind.

"You... you’re so venomous, to have laid such a trap and schemed against me!" Hou Ling’er’s dying soul emitted a malicious voice.

"Anyone who tries to seize my body, to make me do things against my will, must pay the price!" Zhou Lingyi’s feeble soul uttered a cold and severe voice.

"You... don’t you want to know if your beloved is alive or dead? Yet, you struck early, ruining all my plans!"

Hou Ling’er’s soul asked in unwilling and bitter resentment.

"If he’s alive, I don’t wish to die either. After all, I’ve wronged him, and I have to make it right. I, Zhou Lingyi, don’t want to owe anyone a debt, especially not him!

But if he’s dead, I will stop at nothing to avenge him! And as for you? You’ve always treated me as a puppet; what do you think, that all my restraints were for what?

Even if I were inclined to submit, you would still not spare me. Do you think I don’t know your plan to take advantage of me after I complete the ’Reincarnation’ task assigned by Elder Hou Yao, and put me to death?"

Zhou Lingyi’s voice was equally fierce.

"You... said ’all hope lost’, and even within your heart there was only dead silence... how could you hide it so deeply?! You could even harness the defensive power of the Holy Sword! How is that possible?!"

Hou Ling’er’s soul couldn’t believe it.

"This is something you will never understand. A person who can deceive their own feelings, who harbors self-deception in their heart, what isn’t possible for them? Without experiencing emotions, you will never understand that when a feeling of despair becomes overwhelming, people often do not succumb to despair but become hysterical instead.

Although killing you will nearly lead to my destruction, how does that matter? Rather than living like a puppet, better to live freely with a sense of self, even if it leads to death. So what?"

"Since I have taken a fancy to Zhou Yan, you should know that Zhou Yan would rather face the whole world as an enemy than submit. Actually, we’ve always had similar personalities. As for the Holy Sword being wielded by me, that’s a great secret that you will never know in death!"

"Enough, hurry up and die! Once you’re dead, your soul will be nourishment for my weak soul. Devouring you will heal my wounds in one go, and then, with my Emperor Qi Sword Body, I will open up three Sword Souls, and immediately achieve Great Perfection in the Sword Soul Third Layer Heaven.

All your arrangements will become my Cultivation Resources. By then, your loyal and devoted followers, after Hou Yao’s Reincarnation, will completely align with me, and will not care which soul I truly am."

"You—so... vicious..."

"Ptui—"

Hou Ling’er’s soul, seething with rage and already shattered, now faced such an assault that her soul ’ptui ptui ptui’ fragmented into ten thousand parts, turning into endless resentful Soul Energy filled with a powerful grudge, dancing within the flesh.

At this moment, Zhou Lingyi’s soul finally burst forth from the inner space of the Holy Sword, in one fell swoop devouring these resentful souls, replenishing her own losses.

...

’Hou Ling’er’ continued to stand atop Forbidden Moon Cliff, still facing the blood-red moon.

But she was no longer the Hou Ling’er of before.

She was entirely Zhou Lingyi’s true self.

In that prolonged battle of souls, she also achieved ultimate victory, preserving her own will.

"It was extremely dangerous, nearly resulting in my death and the dissipation of my Tao. But by using an extreme method, I stimulated Hou Ling’er’s soul, causing her to die filled with endless resentment. This allowed me to absorb her soul energy to its utmost limit."

"At the same time, the aura of the Yin Spirit broke through the Holy Sword Spirit, and the will and majestic presence that the Holy Sword Spirit comprehended were all absorbed by me."

"To twist my own soul, to form the shape of the Holy Sword Spirit, was a terrifying attempt. I endured countless agonies and even refined myself into a Sword Spirit! If I didn’t do this, how could I transform into a Sword Spirit? How could I struggle for bodily control with Hou Ling’er’s soul?"

"I am but a Ding Furnace, yet I have my own fate. How could I let others snatch away all that is mine? Especially betraying and scheming against Zhou Yan, it’s something I am reluctant to do, yet I’m forced into it!"

"This forced hand, precisely, fuels my will to resist more and more."

"Now, with the Holy Sword Spirit departed, in fulfilling Elder Hou Yao’s ambition, nurturing a generation’s genius, I alone have mastered the Dao of the Holy Sword Spirit and comprehended all the inheritance of Hou Ling’er. The dual souls merged into one, forming a state of Great Perfection.

My combat power could surge beyond level six or even break level seven in one fell swoop. If I comprehend... the Saint Dao of the Holy Sword, I will become a True Xuan level genius, with my ranking immediately soaring into the top hundred or even top ten. By then, seizing the first place in the Holy Daughter’s marriage contest, engaging in Dual Cultivation with the Holy Daughter’s Life Soul, and then transforming myself into a Sword Soul to become the Sword Spirit in the hands of the Holy Daughter with the Holy Sword, I will make the Holy Daughter invincible under heaven.

By that time, I will be able to preserve the Holy Daughter’s innocence, allow Zhou Yan to die in peace, and in one fell swoop, annihilate all the forces of the Evil King. Even in the midst of growth, slay the Evil King..."

Hou Ling’er thought so in her heart.

All sorts of schemes, once in her thoughts, had become extraordinarily tight, extraordinarily profound.

It seemed that in her calculations, no one could evade this kind of scheming.

She considered, and her thoughts drifted to everything of the Great Zhou family’s past, to those youthful years of camaraderie with Zhou Yan.

In fact, her inherent pride was natural, not that she did not like Zhou Yan, but that she enjoyed the feeling of dominating Zhou Yan and seeing the expression of struggle and exertion on his face.

But this feeling, she never spoke of, never showed.

Otherwise, even if Zhou Yan were to die of exhaustion from sword training at Cold Pond, what would it have to do with her? Why would she go to visit him?

Otherwise, why would she risk her life to save him sensing that he was in grave danger in the Yellow Springs?

These, no one could understand. Even Zhou Yan, perhaps never understood.

But... loving someone, sometimes seeing him happy, is also a form of happiness, isn’t it?

...

These past scenes flowed through Hou Ling’er’s memories, long enough that her eyes became somewhat moist. Yet on her face, there was an incredibly tender smile: "Zhou Yan... I, Zhou Lingyi, am back. Although from now on I can only use the name Hou Ling’er... from now on, I am the real me.

And you? Where are you now?"