Chapter 69

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Chapter 69: The Blood-Drinking Sword

"Clang."

The crisp sound of the long sword slicing through the air echoed. The black-clothed men in the stone forest held their breath, bracing themselves for battle, but their efforts were futile.

Almost simultaneously with the sword’s sound, a blue shadow darted around a boulder, thrusting her sword at the black-clothed men. Missing her initial strike, she swiftly concealed herself, only to strike again when they least expected it.

Ming He hid behind a boulder, blocking the black-clothed men’s view, and took a shallow breath. Her eyes were cold and fierce. The numbness in her right hand’s tiger’s mouth made it almost impossible to hold the sword, but she clenched her teeth, ignoring the pain, and gripped the Longquan Sword tightly, as if it were her lifeline.

With the Breath Control Technique, Spirit Gathering Stone, and Phantom Steps, combined with the stone forest’s peculiar terrain, Ming He was like a fish in water. She not only concealed her presence but also used the terrain to her advantage, hunting the black-clothed men.

In the clouds above and the stone forest below, the gap in cultivation hadn’t narrowed. Yet, with her talent as a sword cultivator and the stone forest’s restrictions on flying and wind control, the situation had reversed. Ming He became the hidden killing sword, while the black-clothed men were forced into defense.

"Hmph." Ming He snorted, her sword tip trembling as she formed a flower-like sword gesture. She appeared like a specter behind two black-clothed men, swiftly swinging her sword. A smile curled her lips, burning away any chill.

The two black-clothed men were startled and instinctively dodged, raising their blades to strike at Ming He. Unfortunately, the stone forest’s narrow and cramped terrain worked against them; having many enemies wasn’t an advantage.

Ming He’s gaze remained calm as she silently recalled the surrounding terrain. Suddenly, she soared into the air, her toes pushing off a boulder as she spun mid-air. The brilliant sword light split the galaxy, the sword intent stirring the winds and clouds, becoming dazzlingly bright, nearly blinding.

Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Technique, Third Move: Yu Heng.

The black-clothed men were startled and had no time to think. They relied on their instincts as cultivators to muster their inner spiritual energy for defense. The presence and might of a Wind Master realm cultivator caused the air to warp, hinting at a bursting sound. Ming He’s sword tip was briefly obstructed but still managed to pierce through the left black-clothed man, heavily wounding him but not killing him.

Meanwhile, the right black-clothed man had already thrust his blade toward her. The cultivation of the Wind Master realm was too great; if it weren’t for the perilous and peculiar nature of the stone forest, Ming He wouldn’t even have a chance to escape, let alone counterattack.

The cold glint of his blade was inches away. With no Qin Chu Yi to save her, she had to rely on herself.

Ming He’s pupils constricted; in this life-and-death situation, her survival instincts surged forth. She suddenly knelt and threw her sword toward the right black-clothed man, whose battle capacity was still intact. Blood soaked her palm as she gripped the Moon Crescent Dagger tightly, lunging forward to drive the dagger into him, exchanging injury for injury, while her right shoulder was pierced by the black-clothed man’s bloody long blade.

The black-clothed man hadn’t expected her to be so reckless with her life. The Black Wind Alliance had been sent by other races to hunt down humanity’s talents, and he had killed many geniuses, including those from prestigious families and Young Masters from sects. They often carried numerous treasures for their survival, making them tough to kill.

In terms of actual combat ability, there were many stronger than the Sword Cultivator in Blue before him; however, none compared to her.

The black-clothed man widened his eyes, feeling an unwillingness as he slowly fell. He hadn’t expected her to be even more reckless than himself. Before their mission, his envoy claimed that the talent they were to kill ranked among the top five in all humanity. He thought it was due to her good aptitude and background; instead, it was her tenacious will and brutal nature.

Sure enough, she was a talent of the human race.

"Ha." Ming He couldn’t suppress the pain in her body and trembled slightly, her gaze firm as she focused on the distance. In a moment, she pulled out the blade deeply embedded in her body and tossed it away, rising to slip back into the stone forest.

Unfortunately, her injuries were too severe, and the other black-clothed men had already rushed over. Their figures emerged from behind the boulders, and she no longer had the speed she had before.

Ming He straightened up, gripping her sword tightly with her head bowed. The originally white blade of the Longquan Sword was now soaked in blood from the ongoing battles, transforming into a Bloody Sword—one that drank blood, no longer the pristine blade hidden in its sheath.

However, this new hue suited it well; after all, it was meant to be a sword for battle, a renowned weapon known for its slashing sharpness. The bloodstains only added to its brilliance.

She lifted her head, knowing she couldn’t escape this time. Thus, she had no intention of struggling futilely. The once pure and gentle features of her face were now splattered with blood from the kills, with one droplet trickling down, mirroring the brilliance of her sword.

"Go." A low voice rang out, and Ming He felt a moment of dizziness. A shadow approached her before the black-clothed men could arrive, pulling her behind a black stone that kept her out of their sight.

Ming He glanced up, realizing the shadow was also a black-clothed figure. Clad in black attire with a black scarf, she looked similar to the other black-clothed men but carried a different meaning. Her darkness seemed to blend into the shadows, while those intending to kill her used their black clothes to hide their wretched pasts.

"Wait here for me," the shadow said. Although her voice was low, it lacked the hoarse, magnetic quality common in men—this was a woman.

Ming He paused, realizing this fact a moment too late. The girl in black had already left the cover of the boulders, wielding a short black dagger. She knew once she got far enough what she was going to do.

She leaned weakly against the stone behind her, retrieving a vial of pills from her pocket and swallowing its contents. Her consciousness grew slightly hazy, sustained only by the pain of biting her lip and the resentment boiling within her.

Time passed; it could have been a quarter of an hour or an hour. Ming He felt someone pat her face. "Ming He, wake up!" It was the same low voice; the girl in black had returned.

Through her blurred vision, Ming He used her will to fight against the desire to sleep and opened her eyes, seeing the face of someone wearing a black mask before her. "Ming He, I can only help you to this point."

The girl in black said, "There were five black-clothed men who chased you into the stone forest, all at the Wind Master realm. You killed two and heavily injured one; I just helped you finish them off. My task is now complete."

She finished speaking and turned to leave, her black clothes drenched like the night, and Ming He knew it was the mark of blood.

Watching the girl’s retreating figure, she suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. It seemed she had seen this silhouette before—the one who had shielded her from assassins when she decided to participate in the Small Dragon and Tiger Rankings after being rejected by the Floating Cloud Sect. This was the one who had protected her.

Ming He steadied herself with her sword and stumbled out from behind the boulder. Indeed, she found five bodies clad in black in the stone forest. The corpses were clean, with no trace of storage rings. She wondered if they were like the first black-clothed men who had attacked her, carrying nothing, or if the earlier girl in black had taken them.

The battle inside the stone forest was over, but the sounds of clashing blades continued from outside. Qin Chu Yi’s fight was not yet finished.

“The methods of a Young Master from a noble family are truly impressive,” a calm and emotionless voice rang from afar.

Qin Chu Yi leaned against a tree trunk, her white robes stained with blood. Though her icy gaze retained its coolness, even in this dire situation, her innate pride and elegance still enhanced her presence. She appeared somewhat disheveled, but the sword in her hand had washed that disarray away.

Around her lay numerous black-clothed men, their chests pierced by her sword energy; they were clearly beyond recovery.

With her Wind Master realm cultivation, she had single-handedly faced seven black-clothed men and emerged victorious. She still stood there, alive, while her enemies had perished.

Though much of her survival could be attributed to her protective artifacts, her own strength was not to be underestimated.

“I had expected to perform a small task for the Young Master, but I didn’t anticipate capturing a Young Master of the Qin Clan—truly a case of killing two birds with one stone.” The chilling voice fell as a figure stepped into Qin Chu Yi’s view.

The newcomer wore black clothes like the black-clothed men, but with silver patterns along the sleeves and hem, giving him an air of elegance. His black wolf-shaped mask obscured his features, while his long, pale hands drew attention with their unique beauty.

His long black hair was tied back neatly with a jade crown, and as he walked through the blood-soaked ground, he approached with a nonchalant smile, “Do you have anything to say?”

The man with the silver-trimmed black attire glanced at the stone forest and then at the sky. The setting sun was hiding behind the mountains, painting the sky with hues of red that mirrored the blood on the ground, creating a hauntingly beautiful harmony.

He smirked, vaguely recalling a similar sunset many years ago when he lost everything, causing his expression to grow cold, his eyes reflecting disdain for life.

“Envoy of the Black Wind Alliance,” Qin Chu Yi responded, her cold demeanor matching his. “You are nothing but a disgrace to the human race!” Having exhausted her strategies in the recent battle against the black-clothed men, she was now almost powerless; otherwise, even if she knew she could not win, she would have drawn her sword to confront him.

“A disgrace to the human race?” The black-clothed man, referred to as the envoy of the Black Wind Alliance, chuckled lightly, his eyes deep and unfathomable. “What an honor.” An honor to be considered a disgrace to humanity and to leave a name within the human race.

“You’re trying to buy time, aren’t you?” He understood Qin Chu Yi’s thoughts clearly. “I saw you send several messages just now. Let me guess who you sent them to?”

He tilted his head slightly, brow raised. “Lin Yun Zhen? Duan Wu? Qin Huai Yuan? Or Xie Dan Chen?”

“But it doesn’t matter. I have no interest in wasting too much time here. So, Young Master Qin, farewell.” He lowered his head casually and conjured a sharp spike of spiritual energy that flew toward Qin Chu Yi.

Qin Chu Yi’s gaze froze as she watched the spike rapidly pierce the air toward her heart, feeling utterly helpless. The searing pain in her right shoulder turned her face pale, and her body trembled; she lacked the strength to lift her sword and could only watch helplessly.

“Clang.”

Ming He, having thrown the Longquan Sword she retrieved from the stone forest, intercepted the spike. With a slight flash, she landed next to Qin Chu Yi, “Sister Qin.”

Her voice was as weak as Qin Chu Yi’s, clearly indicating that they both bore severe injuries. Meanwhile, the masked black-clothed man remained unscathed and inscrutable.

Ming He felt a weight in her heart as she glanced at the black-clothed man, reaching to support Qin Chu Yi. “Are you okay, Sister?”

“I’m still alive.” Qin Chu Yi had sustained heavier injuries and relied on Ming He’s arm to straighten herself, leaning slightly against her. “Why did you come out? I said I would come to find you.”

She had sensed the peculiarity of the stone forest from the air, and sometimes, peculiarities meant opportunities, prompting Ming He to enter first.

If she could kill the black-clothed men and escape, she would naturally seek her; if she hadn’t, it meant the black-clothed men had killed her. However, in that case, Ming He might have found a way to survive, for she was the chosen master of the Star Lock, critical to humanity, and could not afford to die.

Yet, she never anticipated that Ming He would come back for her.

“I can’t leave Sister behind to escape,” Ming He said solemnly. She understood that the stone forest had its peculiarities and that her escape might lead to life, but Qin Chu Yi had risked her life to save her; regardless of the Star Lock, she could not abandon her.

If she left her, her path of Swordsmanship would no longer be pure.

Suddenly, Ming He recalled something her Master had done twenty years ago, and she felt a sudden understanding. The path of a sword cultivator meant neither surrendering nor compromising, following one’s heart, and doing what one believed to be right.

A warm feeling began to rise in her heart as she gripped her sword, her eyes resolute, staring at the masked black-clothed figure. At that moment, her sword felt particularly in tune with her, and the surrounding scenery responded to her movements—the flowers, the trees, the grass, and the wood—it was her world.

The clouds in the sky rolled forward, seemingly just passing over Ming He, yet she felt as though the sounds of the world belonged entirely to the resonance of her sword at that moment. The mist swirled, the river flowed, the gentle breeze brushed by, and the leaves swayed lightly… It was as if she could hear the voice of the Longquan Sword.

It was as if… she could hear the voices of all things in the world.

“A sword spirit?” The black-clothed masked man’s pupils contracted in shock. But the realm of sword spirit was the fifth realm among the five realms in Swordsmanship. According to the information he had received earlier, Ming He was only at the third tier of sword intent in the Small Dragon and Tiger Rankings; how could she suddenly leap to this level?

There had never been a genius who comprehended the realm of sword spirit without first reaching the Wind Master realm. If such a person existed, they would transcend the mere label of genius.

If not, she must have experienced a sudden epiphany.

What a monstrous genius, what an exceptional sword cultivator.

The black-clothed masked man chuckled lightly, effortlessly interrupting the epiphany. Such moments of enlightenment were rare, and if not interrupted, they could elevate one’s cultivation by several realms. Unfortunately, he lacked the gentlemanly virtue to let others flourish.

“It really is you,” he said lightly, his right hand trembling slightly as he formed an incantation, shattering the serene stillness that enveloped Ming He.

Ming He looked up, bewildered, unsure of what he meant. She felt as though there was something she hadn’t fully grasped, but now she couldn’t recall what it was.

“Despicable.” Qin Chu Yi, who had been watching closely, understood what Ming He had missed and felt a surge of anger. Then, her eyes flickered as she recalled the masked man’s earlier words.

He had said, “It really is you,” referring to Ming He. What did that mean? Moreover, he had initially mentioned capturing a Young Master of the Qin Clan.

In other words, he had come for Ming He. The Black Wind Alliance had gone to such lengths to eliminate her, but Ming He had only just begun to make a name for herself in the Small Dragon and Tiger Rankings. Why would the Black Wind Alliance go to such trouble?

A fleeting doubt crossed her mind as Qin Chu Yi stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ming He, their expressions reflecting mutual trust and a shared resolve to face life and death together.

“Young Master Qin, Ming Friend, don’t be in such a hurry.” The black-clothed masked man’s tone grew cold as his smile faded. “I’ll send both of you on your way now.”

As he spoke, he waved his right hand, summoning spiritual energy. Ming He, with her left hand steadying Qin Chu Yi and her right hand gripping her long sword tightly, stood firm. She refused to simply wait for death; even in dying, she would leave her mark.

“Boom!” In the distance, thunder roared, and the mountains, once bathed in the glow of sunset, were suddenly cloaked in shadow. Though it was dusk, the sky turned as dark as ink, devoid of any light, and the world fell into an eerie silence.

The masked man’s attack had already been unleashed, yet it seemed to dissipate into nothingness, leaving no trace—not even a ripple in the air.

“Vast Ancient Realm!”

Ming He heard the woman beside her murmur in awe, her expression alight with wonder, as if she had glimpsed something divine. Just as Ming He was about to ask Qin Chu Yi what the Vast Ancient Realm meant, she felt her footing falter, a powerful force pulling her away. Qin Chu Yi had already vanished, and the world was plunged into darkness.

After a moment of hesitation, Ming He stopped resisting, allowing the force to carry her to another realm. Her consciousness began to blur as the world spun around her, and her wounded body, having endured for so long, finally gave out.

Ming He closed her eyes, surrendering to whatever fate awaited her.

“Damn it.” The black-clothed masked man cursed under his breath, then decided to follow without resistance. Even if the Vast Ancient Realm had appeared, it wouldn’t stop him from claiming their lives.

After all, they were just two mortally wounded individuals on the brink of death.