Chapter 136
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Chapter 136: A World of Enemies
“Did you save me?” Ming He sat on the Baiyu Bed, her head bowed, her voice hoarse and low.
In the central region’s deep sea, where the bloodline of the Mermaid Clan flowed, this was the domain of the mermaids.
Her life and death now rested in Bai Mengjiao’s hands.
She could not control her own fate.
Ming He’s eyes churned with emotion, her aura tinged with weariness and gloom.
From the Liu Yun Sect to the Floating Cloud Sect, she had faced life and death repeatedly in her quest for strength, yet she still felt too weak.
There were always greater heights and stronger individuals; unless she stood at the very pinnacle, she would never roam freely in the world or truly do as she pleased.
To wield a sword and wander the world.
Family matters, national affairs, world affairs—all were but a single sword’s affair.
Only now did she truly grasp the weight of her Master’s words and the strength and unmatched grace they embodied.
A single sword’s affair.
Ming He silently repeated these words in her heart, her gaze shifting to the Jing Ying Sword hanging at her waist, its blade swaying slightly, gleaming with a soft white light even in the deep sea waves, its sharpness unmistakable.
She focused her mind, gathering sword energy to nurture her injuries, and when she raised her gaze again, it was filled with clarity. Though weariness and gloom lingered, she sensed a struggle toward dawn.
“Strictly speaking, it was my subjects who saved you,” Bai Mengjiao said, looking down at Ming He, her eyes darkening as she observed every fleeting change in Ming He’s expression.
“However, they acted to save you because they saw that Mermaid Pearl.” It was a pearl formed from the Royal Bloodline, a treasure that belonged solely to her.
Bai Mengjiao raised an eyebrow, her smile faint. “So, in a way, it can be said that I saved you.”
“Then why did you save me?” Ming He’s eyes were calm, revealing only confusion, not a trace of fear or dread.
Fear and dread were useless emotions, ones she had no place for.
“What do you think?” Bai Mengjiao asked, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she stepped closer, her voice soft. “In Ding Kang City, in the Baiyu Building, you saved my life.”
She noticed Ming He’s subtle shift to create distance and raised an eyebrow, her expression playful. “Though, you also stabbed me.”
That stab had caused her no small amount of trouble.
“So, do you plan to stab me back now?” Ming He asked, her lips curving slightly, her demeanor unshaken.
“No, I have no such intention,” Bai Mengjiao replied, shaking her head. “Though the Mermaid Clan does not meddle in human affairs, the deep sea is our territory, and I know everything that happens here.”
Her blue hair flowed, and her white gauzy robes swayed with the waves, her smile barely lifting the corners of her lips.
She stood there, her words light yet carrying an air of confidence and pride, a declaration of her dominion.
She was telling Ming He that the deep sea belonged to the mermaids; beneath the azure waves, they were the sole rulers.
They were born to belong to the ocean.
So, was Bai Mengjiao intentionally protecting her?
“Why?” Ming He looked up, her eyes deep and unreadable.
“Because you saved my life,” Bai Mengjiao answered.
She stood tall while Ming He sat; this palace belonged to the mermaids.
Ming He smiled faintly, “I’m not foolish.” Naturally, she wouldn’t believe such words.
What does saving a life truly mean?
For the noble-born mermaid of the Royal Bloodline to be rescued by her was more of a disgrace than an honor; it was not something she would willingly bring up.
Besides, her actions that day were hardly driven by genuine willingness and could scarcely be equated with the notion of "saving a life."
Yet now Bai Mengjiao brought it up, clearly with other intentions.
“I won’t kill you, nor will I seek revenge, and I won’t restrict your freedom,” Bai Mengjiao said with a radiant smile. “I want you to stay with the Mermaid Clan.”
“Stay with the Mermaid Clan?” Ming He rose to her feet. “What do you mean?”
“The matter of the deep sea has already been announced by the Imperial Palace. Bounties for your capture have been issued across the five regions. Any human cultivator who sees you will only seek to claim your head for the reward. You’ve become an enemy to the entire world.”
“Stay with the Mermaid Clan, and I can grant you the position of Mermaid Envoy. Deep beneath the sea, the Mermaid Clan fears nothing and can ensure your safety.”
“And your reason?” Ming He lowered her gaze. “Is it because of the Star Lock?”
“Yes,” Bai Mengjiao admitted without hesitation. “The power of the Star Lock is boundless, and its mysteries are beyond your current comprehension. But it has only one master now.”
It recognized Ming He alone.
Bai Mengjiao left it at that, not elaborating further. “Of course, if you choose not to stay, you may leave now. I won’t stop you, nor will the Mermaid Clan.”
“Do you believe I haven’t fallen into darkness?” Ming He didn’t respond to the offer but instead posed another question.
“Of course,” Bai Mengjiao replied without pause. “You haven’t succumbed to darkness, nor are you a demon spirit possessing a human body. You are Ming He.”
She was utterly certain of this.
“Thank you for your trust,” Ming He said, her eyes flickering with a momentary stillness. The human race distrusted her, yet the Mermaid Clan believed in her without question.
Zhan Qing Yi, who had known her only briefly, doubted her, while Bai Mengjiao, who had met her but once, was so resolute. Was it absurd?
Ming He ran her fingers over the faint engraving on the hilt of the Jing Ying Sword, lost in thought for a moment. Then she stepped past Bai Mengjiao’s surprised expression and headed for the palace exit. “Until we meet again.”
“Ming He, are you leaving the Mermaid Clan? Leaving the deep sea?” Bai Mengjiao’s voice was tinged with disbelief.
She had laid out the advantages and disadvantages plainly and was certain of the choice Ming He would make—a choice anyone with a modicum of sense would make.
Ming He was far from foolish, which made Bai Mengjiao all the more confident.
Yet there are always those who defy expectations, who cannot be predicted, and who act in ways that surprise.
“Don’t you trust me?” Bai Mengjiao frowned.
Did Ming He think she had ulterior motives, prompting her to act so decisively?
“Not at all,” Ming He paused. “You trust me, and I’ve never doubted you.”
Bai Mengjiao didn’t look like this when she lied.
She was already the queen of the Mermaid Clan and had no need to resort to old tricks or cast aside royal pride.
She hadn’t deceived her.
The true depths of the Star Lock’s mysteries remained unknown to her, but with the Star Lock recognizing her as its master, she knew she would never be rendered useless or become a failure.
Yet her choice remained unchanged.
“Then are you still leaving?”
“Yes.” Ming He stood with her sword, gazing into the distance.
There, fish swam in schools, gliding through the deep sea waves like wind and light. The coral reefs shimmered with a delicate glow, creating a breathtaking scene.
“But there is no place for you among the human race; you have made enemies everywhere.” Bai Mengjiao’s voice, cold and clear, came from behind her.
Ming He paused for a moment, then slightly parted her lips, “Has the sky fallen? Has the earth cracked? Has the world been engulfed by the deep sea waves?”
She turned to look at Bai Mengjiao, who remained silent, her eyes filled with astonishment.
Ming He then averted her gaze, her lips curving into a radiant smile, “Since the sky hasn’t fallen and the earth hasn’t cracked, how can there be no place for me?”
“As long as the world exists, Ming He exists.”
If they wish to drag her into darkness, if they seek to push her into the abyss, they shouldn’t even entertain the thought!
Her path must be walked according to her own will.
“Quick! Ming He is just ahead, chase her!”
“Is that the long-voice guardian of the demon race? How dare she possess the body of a human!”
“Kill her!”
“Faster! I see the hem of her clothes; she’s right in front!”
The once bustling city was now more alive than ever, rallying the strength of the entire city to hunt one person. The footsteps of the human cultivators echoed uniformly on the open Great Path, reminiscent of their steps when resisting foreign races.
Ming He’s feet lightly touched the ground as she surged forward, unleashing her Sword Domain, darting ahead with blinding speed. Her figure flickered occasionally, reaching an almost ultimate pace, with shadows and blue clothes intertwining, enough to confuse the eyes.
Yet behind her, there were relentless pursuers she could not shake off.
Because there were too many people chasing her.
Every city and every corner of the Tianwu Continent had someone ready to attack her upon sight.
The Imperial Palace had clearly imprinted her face, attire, sword, and other features on the jade slips, spreading them across the five regions of Tianwu.
From the highest-ranking sect disciples, ancient clan bloodlines, down to ordinary cultivators and common folk.
Bai Mengjiao had said she had made enemies all over the world, and it turned out to be true.
Ming He smiled faintly and continued to soar above the treetops, her figure suspended like a bird, a bird that everyone wished to shoot down from its perch.
Since she left the deep sea, every cultivator who recognized her identity had begun hunting her. Among them were Heaven Origin realm cultivators and those below the Wind Master realm.
That was the decree of the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Palace protected the Tianwu Continent, standing naturally at the peak; no cultivator would question its existence or its words.
So they believed without doubt that Ming He was the long-voice guardian of the demon race.
Therefore, they were willing to stop at nothing to kill her.
This was the first time Ming He truly experienced the power of the human race, the strength to unite an entire clan to kill one person—it was formidable and seemed inescapable.
Yet Ming He had survived until now, enduring the first month of being hunted.
A sword cultivator can both advance and defend.
The Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain had already opened.
The young cultivators within the golden circle from that day had all entered the Mystical Gate to begin the Trial.
As for the Heavenly Horn Scorpion poison mentioned by Liu Yu, it is said that the royal side of Qin Huang Mountain expended their life’s essence to cleanse the toxins for them.
There is only one royal capable of purging poison, yet so many cultivators were afflicted, so naturally, the royal could not emerge unscathed.
Rumors say that someone once witnessed the Old Man in Coarse Clothing plummet from the clouds, his blood staining Canglang Island as he coughed it up relentlessly. He has since returned to Qin Huang Mountain to enter seclusion.
His path to cultivation is now fraught with peril, and his life hangs by a thread.
This is also why these cultivators harbor such hatred for her.
They are convinced that Ming He is of the demon race, colluding with the Black Wind Alliance and Yóu Lìng. Yet, since Yóu Lìng and the Black Wind Alliance remain hidden in the shadows, they are all the more determined not to let Ming He escape.
It is the kind of ruthless struggle where lives are wagered against one another.
These are human cultivators who once fought fiercely against foreign races, risking their lives on the battlefield.
Ming He has no desire to harm them, so she has no choice but to flee.
Yet, her appearance makes her particularly conspicuous.
Ming He focused her spiritual sense, holding her breath as her figure darted like the wind, leaving behind faint afterimages in midair. She quickened her pace, leaping down the cliff using the blind spots in their vision.
With her left hand, she grasped a drooping branch, her body strength allowing her to swing and hide behind a protruding rock. She exhaled softly, waiting for the wave of cultivators to rush past before rising and moving swiftly in the opposite direction.
By the time the group of cultivators realized what had happened, Ming He’s figure had already vanished, along with the faint trace of her hurried breath.
Once again, she had evaded a relentless pursuit.
In the depths of the mountains, beneath the towering pine trees,
Ming He held the Jing Ying Sword and dug a deep pit. She stood still for a moment, then reached behind her to unfasten the Blue Sea Sword. Her right hand rested on its hilt as she held it suspended above the deep pit.
Her gaze softened as she looked at it, her eyes filled with reverence.
A sword cultivator treasures their sword as their life, and Ming He, a pure sword cultivator, is no exception.
A gentle breeze stirred, the bright moon cast its glow, and the fragrance of flowers wafted through the valley. The songs of birds echoed clearly, blending the night and moonlight into a serene and enchanting scene.
Ming He, clad in blood-stained blue clothes, had no heart to admire the moonlit night. Her right hand remained on the hilt of the Blue Sea Sword, holding it above the seemingly bottomless black pit. She stood motionless for a long time.
Like a mountain.
Or a stone sculpture.
The moonlight bathed the scene, shadows flickered, and the mountain stones stood in silence.
The peaks loomed heavily, and the trees swayed their leaves. A dark cloud drifted slowly above Ming He’s head, perfectly obscuring the bright moon in that moment.
In that instant of darkness, Ming He closed her eyes and released her right hand.
The black pit was unfathomably deep, yet she heard the muffled thud of the Blue Sea Sword hitting the ground with perfect clarity.
It was a soft sound.
But it struck her heart.
Ming He raised her head, her gaze steady and unflinching. She maintained her posture, her right hand now reaching for the Jing Ying Sword. With the same precision and strength, she released it, letting it rest beside the Blue Sea Sword.
A sword cultivator cannot abandon their sword, yet carrying them now made it nearly impossible for her to move.
A faint bitterness crossed Ming He’s face as she gazed up at the bright moon, lost in thought for a moment.
The Thousand Layers Spirit Mountain had already opened.
She had been on the run for a month.
Seven months remained until the decisive battle of the Dragon and Tiger Rankings.
Seven months.
Ming He murmured softly, her expression pensive.
The moonlight pierced through the dark clouds, scattering faintly across the horizon. The secluded valley was once again bathed in a gentle glow, the light creeping over the rocks until it reached Ming He’s face, merging with the flickering brightness in her eyes.
A faint smile curved her lips as she removed the storage ring from her finger and the purple storage pouch from her waist, tossing them lightly into the deep pit below.
Her gaze lingered on the purple Merchants’ Guild token lying on the ground, a hint of conflict in her eyes.
She hesitated, unsure whether to discard it as well.
But her second Senior Sister had once warned her never to let it leave her side.
Memories of life-and-death moments near Sword Demon Mountain flashed through her mind.
With a sigh, she tucked the token into her bosom, then reluctantly removed her blue clothes. She tossed them high into the air, watching as they drifted down into the pit.
Those were the robes of Qin Huang Mountain, the mystical outfit her Senior Sister had prepared for her.
Impervious to water and fire, self-cleansing even when stained with blood, and unyielding even when torn—these robes were specially crafted for her, and they were hers alone.
The disciple robes of the outer sect disciples of Liu Yun Sect were blue, and the clothes worn by the original owner when she first arrived in this world had also been blue. Thus, all the garments she had chosen along the way had been blue as well.
Blue was beautiful, like the color of the sky.
It was a sight Ming He had always cherished, so she had never disliked it.
But now, she had to let go of blue, just as she had let go of her sword, her storage ring, and the sky itself.
Ming He lowered her gaze and picked up the black clothes she had prepared earlier, changing into them. In an instant, her aura shifted, becoming restrained and sharp, as if she had sheathed her vitality and edge, leaving only calm composure.
This was a striking presence, but not one that suited the current Ming He.
As for her appearance…
Ming He’s lips curled into a genuine smile, one that radiated joy and youthful exuberance.
She stood motionless, yet her features seemed to shift subtly on their own. Under the moonlight, her lifted lips and rearranged face were unmistakable.
It wasn’t frightening or intimidating; instead, it carried a touch of… charm.
After a quarter of an hour, Ming He had finally crafted a new appearance for herself.
Her phoenix eyes were narrow and alluring, their depths swirling with dark hues, while her brows and eyes shimmered with brilliance. Her black hair cascaded down her back, framing the face of a devastating beauty—one that could bring ruin to nations, and one she adored.
Ming He spent a moment admiring her reflection by the round lake in the valley, her brows lifted in satisfaction and pride.
She gave no thought to how strikingly out of place her fierce visage was against the somber black clothes she now wore. Then, with sword energy as her guide, she activated the form-concealing technique and strode confidently toward the city.
If the world was her enemy, then she would turn them all into her whetstones.
Though she held no sword in her hand, she carried one in her heart, and thus, all things could become her blade.
She would use the entire world to forge her path in Swordsmanship.
