Chapter 115
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Chapter 115: The Vastness of Heaven and Earth
Outside Tianwu City, the trees were lush, and though the terrain was uneven, it was far more expansive than within the city walls, allowing cultivators to move freely without restraint.
Ming He darted past the verdant trees like a gust of wind, following the faint trace of energy she had sensed earlier. After half an hour, she arrived at a clearing surrounded by a dense forest, where she spotted two shadows locked in combat.
One shadow was frantically dodging the slashes of a short knife, her breath coming in ragged gasps. It was the same figure who had saved her before—a girl in black, her attire darker than the other shadow’s, stained with blood.
Ming He knew the girl was injured. Despite her superior cultivation, she was now at a disadvantage, forced into a desperate retreat, pursued relentlessly by her attacker.
The pursuer raised his short knife, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust. The knife’s energy sliced through the air with a dull thud, while the girl in black crouched on the ground, too battered to mount a defense.
Ming He hesitated no longer. Her right hand gripped the hilt of her sword, and in an instant, the gleaming Jing Ying Sword flashed out of its sheath, leaving a trail of afterimages. She moved like lightning, closing the distance in a heartbeat, her blade meeting the pursuer’s knife with a sharp, resonant clang.
The pursuer’s eyes narrowed as his strike missed its mark. He glanced at Ming He, his expression darkening as he weighed his options. Moments later, he withdrew his knife and vanished into the shadows.
He was an assassin, skilled in stealth and ambush. The darkness was his domain; daylight and open confrontation, especially against a sword cultivator like Ming He, were not his strengths. He had no choice but to flee.
The instincts of a seasoned killer told him he was no match for this young sword cultivator.
Ming He’s wrist flicked slightly as she sheathed her sword, her eyes narrowing as she watched the pursuer disappear. She made no move to chase him, but her gaze was resolute—she had no intention of letting him escape.
As the Jing Ying Sword slid back into its sheath, she raised her right hand again, this time holding a sleek, black dagger.
Ming He’s eyes locked onto the retreating figure of the pursuer. With a casual flick of her wrist, the Moon Crescent Dagger traced a graceful arc through the air, its edge sharp and deadly. It pierced the pursuer’s flesh with a soft thud, and when Ming He retrieved it, the tip was stained crimson.
The pursuer’s momentum faltered. As the dagger returned to Ming He’s hand, his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Ming He calmly wiped the blood from the dagger’s tip with a cloth, then tucked it back into her robes. Her expression remained serene, betraying no emotion. She had acted to save the girl in black, but also to settle a personal score.
The dark patterns on the pursuer’s black clothes were unfamiliar, but Ming He had seen them before. The shadow pursuing the girl in black was from Misty Rain Tower—another assassin.
Years ago, outside Ding Kang City in the Eastern Region, Ming He had been hunted by assassins from Misty Rain Tower. Though those assassins were long dead, she had no qualms about eliminating another of their kind.
Back then, she had needed the Sword Breaking Talisman left by Nineteen to escape unscathed. Now, she didn’t even need to draw her sword. The difference a few years had made was staggering.
Ming He turned to the girl in black, who lay half-collapsed on the ground. After a brief hesitation, she extended her hand. “Do you remember me?”
It had been nearly two years since they had parted in the stone forest.
“Of course,” the girl in black replied, her voice steady despite her injuries. “I was born because of you. How could I forget?”
Her gaze was shadowed as she slowly rose, aided by Ming He’s hand. Blood still seeped from her black robes, dark droplets staining the damp earth.
Her injuries were severe, but she showed no sign of pain. Aside from her slightly labored breathing, she carried herself with the composure of a seasoned cultivator.
Initial One approached from a distance, her breathing as hurried as the girl in black’s. Seeing Ming He standing beside her, she paused, positioning herself under the shade of a tree, giving them space.
“You saved my life,” the girl in black said, her tone serious. “I can kill someone for you.”
Despite her wounds, there was a cold, murderous intent in her words—killing was her purpose, her very existence.
“No need,” Ming He replied lightly, shaking her head. “You’ve saved my life before. One life for another. You owe me nothing.”
“That’s not it,” the girl in black countered, shaking her head. “I protected you and acted at the Stone Forest because I was paid. That was business. This is different.”
“Who do you want me to kill?” the girl in black asked after a pause, her gaze sharp as she swallowed a pill. Her demeanor was almost uncharacteristic for a shadowy assassin.
“Are you an assassin from the Pursuit of Life Tower?” Ming He asked instead of answering, her eyes flickering toward the corpse. A thought was forming in her mind.
“Yes,” the girl in black replied, frowning slightly but nodding. “I’m a celestial assassin from the Pursuit of Life Tower. Shen Yue.”
Her identity was meant to remain hidden, not to be shared with outsiders. But Ming He was different—she was no outsider.
“Shen Yue?” Ming He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on her lips. “That’s a lovely name.”
She wore a thoughtful expression in her eyes. “You’re being paid for a job, so could you tell me who financed it?” Who was providing the money to protect her? That person had actually guarded her twice.
“Sure,” Shen Yue hesitated for a moment before answering. “The Pursuit of Life Tower only kills; it never protects. To break that rule means only one thing.”
“And that is profit—profit that cannot be refused.” Shen Yue lifted her gaze, darkness flickering in her eyes. “The person who commissioned the guardian task from the Pursuit of Life Tower is the Young Master of the Merchants’ Guild, Lou Qing Shang.”
“I don’t know what price she paid to make the Guild Master change a rule that has been in place for a thousand years; I merely accepted this task. If I succeed, I can earn a reward of one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones.” She explained.
The Young Master of the Merchants’ Guild, Lou Qing Shang, one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones.
Ming He stood frozen, her emotions surging within. She still didn’t grasp the significance of one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones, but it represented the lifetime savings of Mu Nan Zhi, who traversed the five regions as a member of the Nine Heavens Pavilion—she had exchanged it for a broken knife.
Was the second Senior Sister protecting her life for one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones?
No.
Shen Yue had saved her more than once.
Moreover, one hundred thousand upper-grade spirit stones was only Shen Yue’s personal reward; the fee that the second Senior Sister paid to the Pursuit of Life Tower was much greater than that—what kind of price was it, and why?
She lowered her eyelids to hide her expression, feeling as if the fog before her was thickening. The road ahead seemed long, and for a moment, she felt lost. However, as her right hand brushed against the hilt of the Jing Ying Sword, the long sword emitted a low, vibrant sound.
The sound of the sword was faint, yet as clear as a bell, piercing through the air and striking deep into Ming He’s heart, clearing away all her confusion and doubts.
When she raised her gaze, clarity replaced her earlier haze; no more did the fog seem daunting. She held a sword in her hand and a sword in her heart—once the sword was drawn, no obscuring fog could hold her back; there was nothing to fear.
This was probably what her Master had referred to: matters of the family, the nation, and the world, all boil down to a single sword!
She thought, feeling a sense of clarity as if some dust had been swept away from her heart. The sword intent flowed around her, her heart pulsing along with the rhythm of the Star Lock, shining with a light akin to that of the stars, as if some significant change was taking place within her.
The sword energy brushed against her bones, and while a cultivator’s body was already light and transparent, Ming He’s body experienced an unknown transformation, adorned with a golden sheen—the brilliance of the stars glittering within her dantian. The Soul Sword in her Sea of Souls quivered slightly, undergoing a cleansing brought about by a sudden enlightenment.
Ming He was unaware of this; she only felt light and comfortable, interpreting it as a newfound understanding. She looked at Shen Yue with clear eyes. “I understand now.”
“You still haven’t answered me—who do you want to kill?” Shen Yue’s eyes held a determined fire, perhaps a proud trait of an assassin?
Ming He’s smile deepened as she looked into the girl’s resolute black eyes, pausing for a moment before speaking. “I don’t have anyone I want to kill, but if you feel the need to repay your life-saving favor, then I have something to ask for your help.”
“What is it?” After some thought, Shen Yue decided this request was manageable, so she let go of her desire to kill.
Ming He’s gaze concealed her inner light as she leaned closer to Shen Yue, lowering her voice. “I want you to help me investigate something,” she whispered a few words.
Shen Yue was slightly taken aback when she understood, seeming to find the task too simple, yet it appeared fitting for her.
“Alright,” she agreed, handing Ming He a spiritual talisman. “This is a locating talisman. Once I have the information, I will wait for you in Tianwu City. When the talisman activates, it means I’ve completed the investigation.”
After Shen Yue left, Ming He summoned the rejuvenated Initial One, slowly heading towards Tianwu City. Some time had passed since she left; she guessed that Qin Chu Yi and Song Guanting would be finishing their conversation soon, and she intended to rejoin them.
However, although she wanted to return, she was in no rush and saw no need for Initial One to exhaust spiritual energy again, especially since she had just settled her own turbulent energy.
The scenery outside Tianwu City was not much inferior to that within; the central region, being the foremost of the five regions, presented a distinct charm with its mountains and rivers, exuding a sense of profound and serene splendor.
Ming He had previously observed only a brief glimpse of the central region from her flying sword, yet the views from the clouds above contrasted with those below.
With light footsteps, she plucked a green leaf and held it in her palm, inhaling the fragrant scent of flowers, which uplifted her mood. Unfortunately, this pleasant feeling did not last long as a crisp voice, tinged with disdain, reached her ears. “You are Su Ming He?”
She looked up to see the source of the voice, a girl dressed in light green robes, her brows furrowed, her eyes reflecting a scrutinizing and contemptuous demeanor. Her air exuded a haughty pride, clearly indicating her high status.
Ming He found it somewhat amusing.
It was merely because she was exceedingly familiar with such looks; she had seen it not long ago at the Merchants’ Guild auction.
It was the same expression that Jiang An had—contempt, disdain, jealousy, and rage; all the darker emotions of the world were captured within her gaze.
“I am Ming He,” she smiled, her lips curling with a hint of playfulness. “You must have heard of my name by now, right?” With the keen intuition of a sword cultivator, she sensed that the answer she sought was drawing near.
“You…” The girl clenched her fists, murderous intent swirling in her eyes. “You truly don’t know the height of heaven or the depth of the earth!”
“Why is Miss Song here?” Initial One, who had been standing behind Ming He, noticed the girl’s appearance and stepped forward to stand protectively in front of Ming He. Her eyes were gentle, but there was a cold aloofness, reminiscent of Qin Chu Yi.
“Initial One, step aside.” The girl’s anger flared at the sight of this, her gaze growing darker. But she ultimately managed to hold back her rage, keeping her eyes fixed on Ming He.
“Miss Ming He, this is Miss Song Tian Rou from the Song Clan. She has complicated feelings towards the Young Master…” Initial One informed Ming He telepathically about the girl’s identity, pausing at the end, seemingly uncertain how to describe it.
She was unaware that Ming He understood fully; that look could only be due to a deep fondness for Qin Chu Yi.
Yet another!
Ming He felt a sense of helplessness inside, but her expression remained composed. She signaled Initial One to step back, facing Song Tian Rou’s almost tangible gaze without fear, even offering a gentle smile. “I truly do not know the height of heaven or the depth of the earth. If you know, I would be eager to hear your advice.”
Her tone was sincere, leaving no room for criticism, while the smile blossomed on her face, dripping with mockery. “Miss Song, do you know how high the heavens are, and how deep the earth is?”
