Chapter 22
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Chapter 22: I Have a Sword to Pray for Peace
Even as the torch flickered on the wall, the long night remained heavy with an oppressive atmosphere.
But that oppressive stillness shattered when a water-like, bright sword light shot out.
It broke like glass.
Shattered into pieces, scattering like shards.
Yu Ying felt as if her eyes were covered by a layer of frosted glass, rendering the world she saw blurry.
Yet, this was not a bad thing.
In the darkness and fog that enveloped the world, the figure of the woman standing at its center became prominent.
That woman stood tall and proud.
She held her sword like the brightest light in existence.
Yu Ying gently wiped away the tears from her eyes.
She had been saved.
But she wasn’t happy.
She still remembered Bai Lian’s words: “I care about her life!”
In that moment, Yu Ying was no longer someone born for the sword alone.
In this world, besides her mother, there was another person who cared for her.
She vowed to remember Bai Lian’s words until the day she died.
—
When the light dissipated, Yu Ying regained her awareness.
She saw the figures of those who had stood on the wall collapse like sandbags to the ground.
There were no visible wounds on their bodies, yet they had ceased breathing.
“Who are you?”
The woman who had threatened Yu Ying was trembling.
Looking into Bai Lian’s calm eyes, she felt like she was staring into a dead sea.
Fear gripped her heart, especially as she watched the sword on Yu Ying’s neck disintegrate into countless glowing specks. It felt as though an invisible hand was tightening around her own throat.
Her breath faltered. Her limbs stiffened.
She could do nothing but watch as her top-grade magical tool was utterly destroyed.
But it didn’t end there.
The hand that had been holding the sword began to vanish, inch by inch.
There was no blood, no pain. The white light radiating from her disappearing hand had an almost ethereal quality.
“No… no, I don’t want to die yet… Stop…”
Her voice was filled with desperation.
Bai Lian remained silent.
Stepping out from the shadows of the village, she entered a world bathed in the glow of orange and red flames.
She stopped before Yu Ying and slowly extended her hand.
Yu Ying’s eyes sparkled with an unknown light as she stared at the hand gently falling on the wound on her neck.
The touch was cool at first.
Then, warmth flooded through her, wrapping her in a comforting embrace.
Yu Ying inhaled deeply. A familiar scent—sweeter than honey—filled her senses.
It’s mom’s scent!
Her eyelids drooped as she basked in the comfort. She didn’t want to leave this place.
But happiness always had its limits.
Bai Lian removed her hand. The healing was complete, and the flowers that had bloomed in the process wilted away.
Looking at the now flawless pink skin of Yu Ying’s neck, Bai Lian nodded in satisfaction.
“Perfect. No scars at all.”
Ever since mastering Thousands of Flowers, Bai Lian no longer needed low-level healing pills.
Master, please accept my most sincere thanks!
“Miss An Yue,” Yu Ying murmured shyly, turning away. She felt embarrassed. Bai Lian must have seen her tears.
This wasn’t like the “free-spirited” and “self-reliant” Yu Ying at all.
“Hold your tongue for now. Wait here.”
Bai Lian patted Yu Ying’s shoulder.
This wasn’t over yet.
—
The ferocious woman still lived.
Bai Lian didn’t plan to kill her outright. Instead, she dissolved her arm with water-type spiritual energy.
She could have severed it with one strike, but that would have been too swift—too unimpressive.
By adding a little dramatic flair with her spiritual energy, the impact was far more striking.
Bai Lian was right.
The woman, paralyzed with fear, collapsed to her knees, unable to move even a finger.
If Yu Ying had been even slightly fiercer, she could have severed the woman’s Dantian and destroyed her cultivation base.
“Look at me!” Bai Lian commanded.
The woman raised her head, trembling.
Faced with Bai Lian’s calm yet piercing questions, she answered everything without hesitation.
“You… you can’t kill me! I’m the guard of the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wu’an!”
Bai Lian glanced at Yu Ying.
Living in a wealthy family is like sinking into the sea.
This poetic metaphor fit perfectly.
“So, Miss Yu Ying, is this your true identity?”
Yu Ying, understanding the unspoken question in Bai Lian’s gaze, nodded immediately.
Now that her identity had been exposed, there was no point in hiding it any longer.
“Yes, I am the fourth young lady of the Marquis of Wu’an.”
—
Though Yu Ying longed to destroy the woman who had tried to kill her, she couldn’t.
“Marquis Wu’an is narrow-minded. Even if she’s just a guard, her death without his consent will provoke retaliation at any cost.”
Yu Ying clenched her fists.
She was deeply grateful to Bai Lian for saving her in her most desperate moment.
Yet, because of this, she couldn’t allow Bai Lian to be dragged into her troubles.
“Miss An Yue,” she said earnestly. “Let her go. There are people waiting for you back at your sect—lovely Martial Sisters who surely miss you.”
Bai Lian stared at Yu Ying, her expression unreadable.
After a long silence, she spoke.
“You are stupid.”
“Yes, I am stupid,” Yu Ying admitted, her vision blurring with tears.
But she refused to let them fall.
This was Miss An. She couldn’t show such weakness before her.
—
Bai Lian raised her sword.
With one clean strike, she ended the woman’s life.
The lifeless body broke apart into countless glowing fragments, fading into the night.
Bai Lian turned back to Yu Ying and smiled.
“I have a sword that can’t move mountains, break rivers, empty seas, or split skies… but it can bring peace.”
The evening wind swept through the flames, carrying the smell of burnt wood and blooming flowers.
Yu Ying stood still, a realization dawning on her.
It’s almost Tomb Sweeping Day.
The time to expel the old and welcome the new.
