I Have a Sword to Ask the Heavens

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Chapter 94: Title

Four Hundred Years Ago, three days of ceaseless thunder tribulation left Qinghu Region scorched – no life has grown there since.

"You’d risk undergoing tribulation here?" Pei Jiu mocked. "Thousands of demons lie chained below. Should heavenly lightning release them, the Nine Realms couldn’t withstand their millennial hatred. Xia Wuwei, you’d become history’s greatest criminal."

The thunder tribulation descended as the Heavenly Dao barrier solidified – irreversible now.

"You befriended me just to use my ascension tribulation to break the demon suppression array!" Xia Shi’s sword hand trembled, suppressed rage erupting with her spiritual power.

"Obviously." Pei Jiu smiled. "You led the Nine Realms’ cultivation. Only you could trigger that tribulation. I’d waited too long already."

"You resembled those sanctimonious immortals – kind, virtuous, destined for ascension." Pei Jiu shrugged theatrically. "Pity you’d never have succeeded anyway. Since lightning tribulation won’t make you ascend, why not gift it to me? I’ll make you immortal afterward!"

Madness tinged her bloodshot eyes.

Xia Shi’s brow furrowed. "You want to replace the Heavenly Dao?"

"The Heavenly Dao’s corrupt!" Pei Jiu’s smile vanished. "Why shouldn’t I seize its throne? I’m part of the Heavenly Dao Tree too! Yan Ge gets worshipped in the Immortal Capital while I’m less than common cultivators? Born defective, abandoned by Dao and parents – why!?"

"This justifies body snatching?" Xia Shi saw countless bitter faces reflected in Pei Jiu’s twisted features.

Pei Jiu’s eyes flickered with confusion and rage, no remorse.

"They were sickly nobodies. I used their shells for greater purposes—"

"Lies!" Xia Shi’s blade swept out, sword winds erupting.

"They lived! Weakness doesn’t make them your life-fuel!"

Pei Jiu dodged, spell-casting. Hundreds of glowing formations encircled them, spinning with their movements.

"Then tell me! With the same unmatched talent, standing at the pinnacle, why did you keep your mentors and friends while enjoying smooth immortal cultivation, while I must survive through body snatching? Is this fair?!" Pei Jiu roared. "Xia Wuwei! I merely sought survival! What was my crime!?"

"Your crime was letting selfishness destroy others’ chances to live." Xia Shi sliced through the air with her sword, dissipating the golden formations before them.

She pressed forward ruthlessly, each strike aimed at vital points without hesitation.

Pei Jiu fled while gritting her teeth, glancing upward at the thundering tribulation clouds. When she saw her formations couldn’t restrain the murderous Xia Shi, she cursed silently, regretting ever teaching the art of formations to this disciple.

As the Long Sword pierced Pei Jiu’s back, the first heavenly lightning struck. Though prepared, Xia Shi still gasped as she drove the blade deeper into her opponent’s flesh.

"You… can’t kill me… ngh!"

Warm blood stained half the woman’s robes when the sword withdrew from Pei Jiu’s heart. Kneeling with fading breath, the defeated woman chuckled hoarsely. "As always… no matter how many lifetimes… you still cut me down without hesitation."

"Xia Wuwei… you’re truly merciless."

"Pei Jiu." Xia Shi pressed her blade against the dying woman’s throat, enduring agony from cracking meridians. "Your hypocrisy sickens me."

Even after committing atrocities, she dared blame others for cruelty.

The head dropped heavily. Death came.

Yet Xia Shi kept her sword raised, casting a binding formation beneath her feet while scanning the surroundings.

"She isn’t here. Without Yan Ge, you can’t destroy her."

The Heavenly Dao’s voice broke centuries of silence.

Xia Shi sat cross-legged, weathering the second heavenly lightning. After catching her breath, she declared: "I’ll kill her."

"Why endure this tribulation?" The Heavenly Dao conjured a shimmering phantom before her. "Passing or failing, you’ll never ascend."

"You created Yan Ge and built the Immortal Capital – why erase immortals now?"

"They breed wickedness."

"Then slaughter all Nine Realms cultivators!" Xia Shi’s cold laugh echoed. "No cultivators, no wickedness – your precious Heavenly Dao Tree stays pristine."

"Insolence!" The Dao’s wrath shook the air. Not even Tiansui, former leader of the Immortal Capital, had dared such disrespect.

The third heavenly lightning stole Xia Shi’s breath – punishment for her defiance.

Qinghu Region trembled under renewed tribulation strikes. As Four Hundred Years Ago, cultivators swarmed the barrier’s perimeter.

"Who dares attempt ascension here now?" The question buzzed through the crowd.

"Feng Yi, obviously." Someone nudged their companion. "Choosing this place where Xia Wuwei failed? That’s spitting on the Sanqing Realm’s honor."

Eyes widened as the gossiper was urgently hushed.

All turned to see Feng Yi approaching on a sword-flight, flanked by Xuanchen and Master Lu. Thousands from Qingyun City and Liujin Pavilion trailed behind – a spectacle rivaling the events of Four Hundred Years Ago.

Within hours, every Nine Realms sect had arrived with disciples.

Only Sanqing Realm’s representatives remained absent.

Thousands of cultivators stood ready, their initial casual discussions about the thunder tribulation replaced by palpable tension. Xuanchen had ordered Qingyun City disciples to stand guard around Qinghu Region’s perimeter.

Canghai’s warning proved crucial – countless demons lay imprisoned beneath the land, their demon suppression array vulnerable to the tribulation’s influence.

One day…

Two days…

The third day arrived, mirroring historical events. Through the barrier, observers saw endless heavenly lightning strikes. The purple-red bolts looked capable of shattering a cultivator’s spine, prompting murmurs about ascension’s cruelty – eighty-one continuous heavenly lightning strikes over three days could overwhelm even Great Ascension cultivators.

"Seventy-one." Feng Yi stood with his sword in hand, keeping meticulous count.

"Ten remain." Xuanchen nudged him. "Will she make it this time?"

Feng Yi averted his gaze. "Focus on the demon suppression array instead."

The sword immortal secretly hoped Xia Wuwei wouldn’t succeed in ascending. Her triumph would permanently eclipse his swordsmanship and cultivation achievements.

"This array survived millennia intact. Four Hundred Years Ago, it withstood…" Xuanchen’s words died as chaos erupted.

Thick Black Mist suddenly engulfed Qinghu Region within the barrier. The Nine Realms’ white spiritual energy clashed with this sinister black energy’s murderous aura.

The demon suppression array had broken.

Xuanchen and Feng Yi rushed to the Heavenly Dao barrier, their faces pale. Shadowy figures multiplied within the Black Mist.

CRASH!

A Blood Demon slammed against the barrier, leering at cultivators with bloodthirsty eyes. Ten became hundreds until the barrier writhed with crimson-eyed demons craving slaughter.

Terrified cultivators began retreating, their fear twisting into blame. Over recent days, they’d learned Xia Wuwei was undergoing tribulation inside – and remembered Four Hundred Years Ago. All accusations converged on one name.

"Silence!"

A woman materialized from the Void, her youthful face unknown to most. But some recognized Sanqing Realm’s emblematic sword – this was Suiyin, Elder Wuwei’s disciple.

Suiyin glared at the accusers, fury burning in her eyes. How dare they wish death upon Xia Shi!

The confronted cultivators straightened defiantly. "We speak truth! Xia Wuwei caused this! After slaughtering thousands before, now she unleashes demons upon the Nine Realms!"

Sword light flashed. Gasps erupted as the loudest accuser clutched his bleeding mouth, finding empty air where his attacker had been. His screams emerged as bloody gurgles, hands crimson and shaking.

His tongue was gone.

Those nearby fell silent. From a distance, Feng Yi glanced over before fixing his gaze on the barrier.

Had he seen correctly earlier? Suiyin seemed to have entered somehow.

The Heavenly Dao barrier shouldn’t permit entry once sealed. How did she get through?

Before he could ponder further, a pillar of light erupted above Qinghu Region. Shadowy figures darted within its glow.

"…"

He turned to Xuanchen, finding equal bewilderment in the other’s gaze.

Was this Heavenly Dao barrier actually a sham?

Inside the barrier—

Suiyin pushed through demons, Wugui sword blazing as she searched.

“Xia Shi!”

“Move!”

The demon suppression array had ruptured, its prisoners clawing through the breach.

Guided by continuing heavenly lightning strikes, Suiyin finally found her.

“…Xia Shi.”

The name escaped as a disbelieving whisper.

The figure beneath the storm was barely recognizable as human. Tattered robes hung from ravaged limbs, fresh blood pooling where another lightning strike would fall.

Tears blurred Suiyin’s vision as she lunged forward—only to crash against an active formation.

Xia Shi’s eyelids fluttered open at the commotion. Clouded eyes focused slowly before curving into a fragile smile. Cracked lips parted soundlessly.

A sob tore from Suiyin’s throat. “Open it! Let me help you like before!”

Another thunderbolt screamed down. Suiyin threw herself at it, but the lethal energy bypassed her completely—the formation shielding only the true tribulation target.

Xia Shi’s body jerked violently. Fresh blood trickled from her lips as arms hung limp at her sides, beyond pain now. Only sheer will kept her upright.

“Why?!” Suiyin screamed at the raging sky. “Her last tribulation wasn’t this cruel!”

“Because the Heavenly Dao rejects her ascension.”

The familiar voice struck like thunder.

Suiyin turned slowly. When she saw the woman’s face, her breath froze in her chest.

“Wen… Zhishu?”

Wen Zhishu tilted her head, lips curving faintly.

“Long time no see, sword spirit.”