The sight of mountains collapsing before him could never even stir a flicker of emotion in Zhuge Yuanhong, yet now his face was a mask of stark ferocity.
“Ah!” The light from the four-foot-long Azure Edge Sword in his hand instantly retracted, the sword’s speed seeming to slow to a crawl, dreamlike, illusory—a strand of mist-like sword shadow flashed past. At this moment, Zhao Danchen, standing before Zhuge Yuanhong, only perceived that ethereal, misty sword shadow, and his own reaction speed seemed to drag.
“No!” Zhao Danchen bit down hard on his tongue, and his entire body jolted awake.
“Puchi!”
Zhao Danchen’s entire right arm, the one wielding his sword, was severed. The dreamlike sword shadow sliced through a perfect arc, and even Elder Wan of the Snow Eagle Cult, caught in the periphery, suffered a gaping wound across his chest, blood immediately welling forth.
“Retreat!”
The six individuals present recoiled in terror.
With a single strike, Zhao Danchen was crippled, and Elder Wan of the Snow Eagle Cult was gravely wounded! Both were masters of the Xiantian Golden Core realm. Zhao Danchen alone held the tenth rank on the Heavenly Scroll. Among the six present, only four were Xiantian Golden Core experts, and instantly one was disabled, the other rendered combat-ineffective. The rest dared not even pause their retreat.
“Seeking death!” A murderous glint flickered in Zhuge Yuanhong’s eyes.
Gu Yong narrowed his eyes. Only then did he recall… this person before them was once known as the ‘Sword Demon,’ ranked sixth on the Heavenly Scroll, and he hadn’t made a move in six full years. Every day spent painting and practicing calligraphy—his true strength remained an utter mystery. Looking at him now, Gu Yong concluded that Zhuge Yuanhong’s ranking on the Heavenly Scroll should likely be adjusted higher.
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
The Xiantian powerhouses from the major sects, who had hesitated moments before, now rushed forward one by one, positioning themselves behind Gu Yong and the others. The long-browed old monk spoke, “The disguise technique employed by this culprit is truly formidable. Even I failed to see through it earlier. Zhuge Yuanhong, hand over the culprit, Teng Qingshan.”
…
Teng Qingshan was now kneeling beside Miss Qing, holding her gently in his arms. In this moment… Teng Qingshan paid absolutely no heed to anyone else around them.
“Teng… Brother Teng…” Seeing Teng Qingshan, a heartbreaking smile touched Miss Qing’s pale face.
Teng Qingshan’s heart felt as if it were being carved by knives!
Qingqing had come here because of him, and because of him, she had been caught in that barrage of arrows… It was all his fault! The moment he saw Qingqing’s injury, Teng Qingshan judged that… she was beyond saving. If that arrow shaft were pulled out now, Qingqing would surely die. Only because the arrow remained lodged in her body could she hold on a little longer.
“Qingqing, I am sorry.” Teng Qingshan lowered his head, the guilt twisting in him like ten thousand ants gnawing at his heart.
“No, no need to say that.” Miss Qing kept smiling, her voice barely a whisper. “Brother Teng, I always hoped to become your wife, but I know Brother Teng is devoted only to cultivating the Martial Dao and never intended to marry me…”
“No, I did want to marry you, truly.” Teng Qingshan spoke quickly.
Indeed, he had already made plans: once this matter was concluded, they would marry.
“Don’t comfort me, I know.” Miss Qing smiled softly. “Father mentioned the proposal, I know everything… But I don’t blame you, truly. Because I understand marriage is a matter between two people. Actually, I always dreamed that Brother Teng could hold me… Right now, this feels so comfortable.”
Teng Qingshan’s heart roared with agony; he wanted to scream, to howl…
“Brother Teng, you must hold me, don't let go, wait until I fall asleep, alright?” Miss Qing murmured.
“Mmm, mmm.” Teng Qingshan could only nod, his eyes already brimming with tears.
“Don’t cry,” Miss Qing whispered. She tried to lift her hand to wipe away Teng Qingshan’s tears, but she could not raise her arm. “Teng… Brother Teng, my sight is fading.”
Teng Qingshan felt a tremor deep in his soul upon hearing that.
“Teng…” Before he could utter another word, blood seeped from the corner of Miss Qing’s lips.
“Brother Teng,” Miss Qing’s voice grew weaker. “Can… can you… kiss me? Like a husband kisses his wife!” Her voice trailed off at the end, faint to the point of near inaudibility.
“Mmm, mmm.”
Teng Qingshan lowered his head, his lips meeting Miss Qing’s blood-stained mouth.
Their lips touched!
“Drip…” The tears welling in Teng Qingshan’s eyes could no longer be restrained. They fell, landing on Miss Qing’s cheek, tracing paths down her skin, leaving behind two clear tracks. Yet, on her pale face, Miss Qing held a smile that came from the deepest part of her soul—pure, serene…
It was as if she had simply fallen asleep.
Teng Qingshan held the kiss for a long time before finally drawing apart.
Looking at Miss Qing, who seemed to have drifted into slumber.
“Brother Teng, you must hold me, don't let go, wait until I fall asleep, alright?” Her voice echoed faintly in his ears; every scene was still vivid. The girl who first appeared, as pure as an exiled immortal, had captivated the hearts of many young men in the Guiyuan Sect, but Teng Qingshan had simply smiled then, paying her no mind.
The girl who pricked her finger drawing blood while embroidering.
The girl shivering from the cold on the river barge at night.
The girl who could shout ‘I’m waiting for you’ in front of a crowd.
The girl stubborn enough to sway even her own father.
The girl who spoke of death as ‘falling asleep.’
…
It was all as if he were seeing her for the first time!
She was still like an exiled immortal, just as she was when they first met.
But this time, this immortal-like maiden was asleep, a happy smile accompanying her slumber.
“Qingqing, I wasn't comforting you, truly… I really did want to marry you, to have children with you… Truly.” Teng Qingshan bowed his head, then gently laid Qingqing down. Wiping his tears, he sharply turned, his reddened eyes locking onto Gu Shiyou in the distance.
That single command, ‘Let go,’ had extinguished Qingqing’s life.
“Gu Shiyou…” Teng Qingshan murmured silently in his heart.
Teng Qingshan then turned his gaze toward Zhuge Yuanhong, who was currently locked in a tense standoff with dozens of Xiantian powerhouses.
“Master! I am sorry…” Teng Qingshan whispered softly, causing his master to face danger, causing Qingqing to die because of him.
“Zhuge Yuanhong, if he were just an ordinary soldier, your Guiyuan Sect wouldn't go to such lengths to protect him. Furthermore, Wu Xiu is absolutely certain… the matter is clear. This Teng Qingshan is Qin Lang, and Qin Lang is Teng Qingshan. Hand him over, or the consequences will be more than your Guiyuan Sect can bear,” Ying Haojiang stated coldly.
The other numerous Xiantian experts also fixed their gaze upon Zhuge Yuanhong.
Gu Yong’s face darkened. He roared, “Zhuge Yuanhong, because of this Teng Qingshan, my Azure Lake Island has lost eight Xiantian experts! I, Gu Yong, declare here today: if you continue to resist and insist on protecting that Teng Qingshan, you make an enemy of my Azure Lake Island! I swear… at any cost, before the Annual Sacrifice Ceremony, I will utterly eradicate your Guiyuan Sect! As for the others present, you need not trouble yourselves to assist.”
“This Teng Qingshan has played us all like puppets. In the end, it was he who entered the depths of Emperor Yu’s Treasure. Hmph, we certainly must kill him to vent our fury.”
“Indeed, he killed an elder of my Snow Eagle Cult; how can my Snow Eagle Cult stand by idly?” Elder Wan of the Snow Eagle Cult, having hastily dressed his wound, shouted as well.
“Years ago, our Manjushri Temple produced a demonic monk, Xiang Fanchen, who brought shame upon us. This Teng Qingshan’s talent is no less than Xiang Fanchen’s. To prevent him from becoming a great disaster like Xiang Fanchen, it falls to us at the Manjushri Temple to resolve this matter,” the long-browed old monk declared. Everyone knew… Teng Qingshan was linked to two cauldrons of the ‘Spirit of the North Sea.’
Zhuge Yuanhong gritted his teeth, his eyes faintly red. Clutching the four-foot Azure Edge Sword, he stood silent.
His heart was filled with towering rage.
Everything that had transpired was completely beyond his control: Teng Qingshan’s sudden exposure, the brutal death of his daughter—he hadn't even had time to see her one last time. Because he was the Sect Master of Guiyuan Sect, he had to manage the confrontation before him… He understood perfectly that one wrong move meant utter catastrophe.
“This is the world, this is an age of chaos!” Zhuge Yuanhong roared internally.
His daughter was dead!
He wanted to kill and seek vengeance. But he had to endure! Once the slaughter began, the consequence… the entire Guiyuan Sect would be annihilated! The Guiyuan Sect possessed one Void Realm expert, but that expert had only just stepped into the Void Realm. They were no match for the blind Sword Saint of Azure Lake Island, who was counted among the absolute pinnacle figures in the entire world. That Saint had already reached the Great Completion stage of Void Entry.
“Hahahaha…” A burst of laughter, born of extreme fury, echoed across the night sky of Great Yan Mountain.
Everyone turned to look.
Teng Qingshan was walking forward step by step, holding a standard long spear. His gaze swept over the great mass of Xiantian experts. “You all vie to kill me, to control me, is it not all for those two cauldrons of the ‘Spirit of the North Sea’? Hahahaha, look at how you all pretend, putting on airs of righteous indignation, hah!”
“Teng Qingshan, are you still so arrogant?” Gu Yong roared. He genuinely wished to torture Teng Qingshan to death, but the cluster of restless Xiantian powerhouses surrounding him made him hesitate.
“Gu Yong, you coward who cherishes his own life, only daring to send your subordinates into the Heavenly Flood Palace—stop shouting here.” Teng Qingshan stared him down. “Let me tell you, I did it on purpose, I deliberately pointed out the entrance to that Bottomless Pit. Moreover, Elder Hu and Elder Yuwen had a chance to escape. Too bad, I watched them, and shouting down their plans caused their deaths. Three others died by my hand too. What, you’re desperate to kill me? If you kill me, then no one will know where those two cauldrons of the ‘Spirit of the North Sea’ have gone!”
Hoo! Hoo!
The numerous Xiantian experts from the Ying family, the Manjushri Temple, and other major sects all shifted their attention toward the Azure Lake Island contingent. Before the whereabouts of the two cauldrons of the ‘Spirit of the North Sea’ were confirmed, killing Teng Qingshan held no benefit for them. In truth, the Manjushri Temple and the others held no personal grievance against Teng Qingshan. It was purely a matter of vested interest.
“Hahahaha…”
Teng Qingshan could not help but laugh wildly.
In front of the assembled armies of Azure Lake Island and Guiyuan Sect, and before dozens of Xiantian experts, Teng Qingshan laughed wantonly.
“He… he is crying.”
Suddenly, a soldier from the Silver Dragon Army whispered quietly.
Teng Qingshan was indeed weeping as he laughed!
“Hahahaha, hah ahaha…” Teng Qingshan laughed unrestrainedly, roaring amidst the thousands of soldiers.
He felt hatred for everything… It should never have turned out this way.
Qingqing should not have died!
So many disciples of the Black Armor Army should not have died!
“Qingshan,” Zhuge Yuanhong looked at his disciple, his heart aching. He wanted to save Teng Qingshan, but… could he allow the entire Guiyuan Sect to face utter ruin?
“Master!”
Teng Qingshan turned to look at Zhuge Yuanhong.
“Bang!” Teng Qingshan knelt heavily, looking up at his Master Zhuge Yuanhong. “Master, the people from Azure Lake Island, Qingshan killed them, and I regret nothing! Qingshan has failed Master’s teachings… Qingshan is unworthy to be your disciple.” As he spoke, Teng Qingshan kowtowed deeply three times.
His forehead struck the ground heavily.
“Qingshan…” Zhuge Yuanhong sensed something, and his expression changed drastically.
Then Teng Qingshan looked up and abruptly stood.
“Everyone bear witness, I, Teng Qingshan, hereby betray the Guiyuan Sect!” Teng Qingshan shouted loudly, his voice booming like thunder, echoing above Great Yan Mountain. Teng Qingshan’s eyes were colder than ever before. “Everything I, Teng Qingshan, have done has absolutely no connection to the Guiyuan Sect any longer!”
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