Chapter 32

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Chapter 32: The Grace of That Sword

"Martial Sister Wen! I knew you weren’t dead!"

"Martial Sister Wen, you really are still alive!"

The two white-clad sword practitioners were thrilled to see Wen Yun and shouted in rough voices, Zhu Erchong and Bao Pilong.

As they approached Wen Yun, the two big men were already teary-eyed. Bao Pilong even wiped his nose on Zhu Erchong’s sleeve before speaking.

"Since the day Xie Xun treacherously attacked and injured you, we have not known where you were. They said the Xie Family took you away, but we didn’t believe it and kept searching for you."

That day Wen Yun disappeared suddenly in front of everyone, and Qianzhenzi and others insisted she was kidnapped by the Xie Family.

Because Xie Family brothers were missing at the same time, everyone didn’t suspect anything, they just thought that someone used the same hiding skill as Xie Shiyi to take them away together.

But the people of Qingliu Sword Sect didn’t believe that, they wanted to rescue Wen Yun at that time, but they were stopped by Qianzhenzi!

The old man even sent Qian Lishen to apologize afterwards, saying that at that time, they were trying to capture Xie Family quickly, not targeting Wen Yun. It was just a misunderstanding, hoping that the fellow friends of Qingliu Sword Sect could understand, etc.

However, even though sword cultivators were straightforward, they were not fools either.

They keenly sensed that the senior Qianzhenzi seemed to be competing for something. Thinking of the formidable power when Wen Yun revealed her Golden Core, and remembering that Xie Mian had also stolen Wen Yun’s Golden Core. They thought the seniors were competing for Wen Yun’s Golden Core for their juniors.

After all, no one knew if they had a useless grandson like Xie Mian.

More importantly, they really couldn’t think of any other reasons.

This speculation made the senior martial sisters more and more heartbroken and pitiful for Wen Yun. Martial Sister Mengran even ran out to the courtyard that night and cried and scolded the old dog all night.

Their hair was greasy, their white clothes were almost gray, their faces were very haggard, without the usual energetic spirit, but they still squeezed out a sincere smile for Wen Yun.

"Later on, we asked for help from Qian Lishen… By the way, although he looks a bit strange, he is very kind. Jiang Si is also helping us search for you near Blizzard Island."

Zhu Erchong immediately continued, "Since we couldn’t find you, we split up. Martial Sister Mengran went back to the sect with others to report what happened at the Swordsmanship Contest. The rest of us came to Dark Heaven Secret Realm to find medicine for you."

They thought the Swordsmanship Contest was just a friendly competition, but it turned out to be full of surprises. When they saw Wen Yun, they had countless things to say, making the forest lively.

Ye Shubai quietly watched from a distance and did not approach.

After merging the two jade nascent soul fragments, his body became more solid, and he could even choose when to appear.

In these days in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, only the two of them were there. Ye Shubai had always been visible, but now he deliberately restrained his presence.

He knew that Wen Yun was popular among the young disciples, as the youth from Qingliu Sword Sect were quite open-minded, just like Wen Yun.

Unlike others, he was traditional and aloof, always being a loner. He went from being unknown to being known in the cultivation world, preferring to be alone.

Wen Yun must have found it boring to only spend time with him, a dull old man.

Moreover, if he goes out rashly, he might make Wen Yun feel embarrassed, and it would be hard to explain his identity, as his status in the Qingliu Sword Sect has become particularly sensitive.

Ye Shubai quietly took a step back.

Before he could fully conceal himself, Wen Yun, who had been pulled by two senior brothers and bombarded with questions, suddenly turned around and walked towards them. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out from behind the bushes.

"Aren’t you going to visit your disciples and grandchildren?"

Ye Shubai hesitated, "If I’m there, you all might not feel comfortable."

Wen Yun casually replied, "I only feel comfortable when you’re not there."

She then pulled him out, appearing confidently in front of Zhu Erchong and Bao Pilong, so that these two could see what a true sword cultivator looks like.

Sure enough, the moment Ye Shubai appeared, these two men couldn’t help but pause for a moment.

Bao Pilong muttered, "Wow, this brother is even more handsome than Jiang Si…"

Zhu Erchong gently touched his chin and whispered, "I feel like he’s catching up to me…"

They had seen handsome male cultivators before, like the charming and elegant Yu Qinghong from the Yu family and the dashing Jiang Si. Even when they drew their swords, they could still make the younger martial sisters cheer.

But now, as Ye Shubai stood before them, they felt like they were facing a beautiful and majestic snow-capped mountain, tall and aloof, making them feel a sense of fear and awe, not daring to compare themselves to him.

"It was him who saved me that day, he is from our sect, The Tenth Peak…"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Erchong’s wariness disappeared, and he laughed before Wen Yun could speak, "So you’re from The Tenth Peak too! The Tenth Peak is indeed full of talented junior disciples!"

This is the straightforward sword cultivator, cherishing camaraderie with fellow sect members outside but being competitive upon returning to the sect, always eager to spar with each other.

Bao Pilong casually put his arm around Ye Shubai’s shoulder, smiling and asking, "What’s your last name, Junior Brother?"

Ye Shubai replied, "Ye."

"Junior Brother Ye! Since we’re from the same sect, there’s no need to be so formal. Senior Brothers will take care of you like Martial Sister Wen!"

Zhu Erchong confidently put his arm around the new junior brother’s shoulder and said with a smile, "His name is Bao Pilong, and I am Zhu Erchong. We are both disciples of the eleventh generation. We have some seniority in the sect. If anyone dares to bully you in the future, just mention our names!"

Wen Yun glanced at Ye Shubai, who remained calm, and quietly asked through telepathy, "Which generation disciple are you?"

Ye Shubai replied coldly, "Seventh generation."

Oops.

Do you two senior brothers know that the person you are hugging is the most senior ancestor?

Wen Yun decided not to scare them away. She advised Ye Shubai, "Why don’t you pretend to be a junior brother? It sounds better to be called a junior brother than an ancestral master, right? How would you feel if Martial Brother Zhu’s disciple called you ancestral master?"

Ye Shubai looked at the anxious Zhu Erchong with a beard on his chin and remained silent.

And so Ancestral Master Ye became Junior Brother Ye.

Learning that Wen Yun was saved by Junior Brother Ye and then accidentally entered the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, Zhu Erchong was amazed and talked about many things that happened outside with them.

"Martial Sister Wen, we didn’t know you were actually expelled by Master Xie…"

His voice faltered, unsure of how to address Xie Mian.

Finally, he sighed and continued, "Everyone thought he was just a talented swordsman, but because of his prestigious background he looked down on us and didn’t interact much. Little did we know you had suffered so much under Xie Mian."

"We sword cultivators always appreciate a good fight. We saw you challenge Xie Mian with your sword, but Martial Sister Liu, being close friends with him, seemed quite saddened. She was so upset that she was eliminated in the first round of the Swordsmanship Contest. The day before she returned to the sect, we saw her crying in front of the Xie Family’s courtyard. We didn’t know how to comfort her."

Bao Pilong quickly changed the subject, "Why talk about this? Martial Sister Wen survived a life-threatening situation. We should celebrate! Martial Brother Zhu, do you have any wine?"

"What wine to drink, Martial Sister Wen is still young and can’t drink."

"Come on, this is the fruit wine Martial Sister Mengran gave me. It’s not strong."

These two were naturally cheerful people, so they teased Wen Yun playfully. Since it was getting late and inconvenient to go out, they took out various snacks from the space bag and started a fire to warm the wine.

Ye Shubai sat quietly on the side, watching the lively scene, then he lowered his eyes in silence, lost in thought.

He always felt a hidden barrier between him and others, finding it difficult to fit in.

Wen Yun looked quietly at Ye Shubai’s face, then reached out and gently pulled his sleeve.

He turned his head slightly to look back at her, the firelight making his unusually thick and long eyelashes tremble, casting a heavy shadow over his eyes.

She was indeed much prettier than Jiang Si.

She leaned towards him and took out a wild chicken she had caught earlier during the treasure hunt, smiling as she said, "Let’s roast this. Martial Brother Ye just caught it, it looks plump."

This sentence smoothly brought Ye Shubai into the conversation.

The two of them cheerfully took the plump chicken and skillfully prepared it for roasting. When Zhu Erchong saw the color of the chicken’s feathers, he almost dropped it into the fire pit.

"Wow! Junior Brother Ye, how did you catch this chicken?"

Zhu Erchong and Bao Pilong swallowed hard, staring foolishly at the chicken.

So familiar.

Isn’t that the Peak Spirit Chicken from The Second Peak!

That chicken has been raised on the peak of The Second Peak, like an old man. Its nest is made of soft silk, and it only eats top-grade spiritual jade in exchange for spirit rice. As for its purpose…

The current Peak Lord of The Second Peak once solemnly stated, "This chicken was tamed by a certain ancestral master. It is said that after receiving guidance from immortal beings, it has now lived for over five hundred years. One day, it may even ascend directly, who knows."

Besides its long life, the chicken also flies fast. There were daring disciples who tried to secretly pluck a few feathers, but they couldn’t catch up with the chicken’s speed even using their flying swords.

So, privately, everyone calls that chicken…

The Ascending Chicken.

Who is Junior Brother Ye, dare harm such a spiritual chicken!

Half an hour later, one person took cumin while the other took pepper salt, frantically sprinkling them on the chicken meat, and sniffing it.

"Yummy! The roast chicken was brought from the Dark Heaven Secret Realm by Senior Brother Ye. Let’s catch two more to eat tomorrow!"

"Okay."

Ye Shubai sat on the side and rarely spoke. He stopped Zhu Erchong from putting wild chili on the chicken, saying, "Wen Yun can’t eat spicy food."

Zhu Erchong said, "You even remember her taste? Junior Brother Ye, you are really kind and considerate."

Ye Shubai kept silent with lowered eyes. He knew he was not a considerate person, always focused on sword-related matters. Only by single-mindedly pursuing this path could he reach this level.

He didn’t know why he made this exception suddenly.

Wen Yun smiled and said, "Yes, Martial Brother Ye is a very good person. In the future, if senior brothers want to practice swordsmanship in the morning, they can come find him."

Ye Shubai will accompany them to practice swordsmanship. She refused to get up early.

Zhu Erchong, who was eating chicken legs merrily, suddenly remembered something. He sighed, put down the chicken leg, and said, "If only the Message Jade Slip could be used here, Senior Brother Shen would know that we found you and wouldn’t worry in the secret realm."

Wen Yun was surprised. She had always thought that only two senior brothers from the Qingliu Sword Sect had the qualifications to enter the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, but she didn’t expect that Shen Xinghai had also made it inside!

He was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, how could he achieve a top ten position in the Swordsmanship Contest where many talented people gathered?!

When Shen Xinghai was mentioned, both of these two people showed surprise in their eyes, "Speaking of Junior Brother Shen, he really broadens our horizons. Since you disappeared, he didn’t say a word for three days, only before the Swordsmanship Contest started, he said that Xie Xun had secretly injured you, and we must enter the Dark Heaven Secret Realm to find a life-saving medicine for you."

"But unexpectedly, Junior Brother Shen, who was originally only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, fought fiercely in the Swordsmanship Contest, and even in a match with a knife cultivator from the Jiang family, he almost broke his arm but didn’t give up."

"Then… he had a breakthrough in the battle, formed a Golden Core, and entered the top ten in one go."

"We advised him to heal his wounds outside for a few days before entering, but he refused and went straight into the Dark Heaven Secret Realm. As for where he is in the secret realm, we have no idea."

Hearing this, Ye Shubai explained to a puzzled Wen Yun, "After entering the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, everyone will randomly land somewhere. It was a coincidence that they met each other."

Being separated like Shen Xinghai is a normal situation.

Wen Yun frowned, feeling grateful and worried for Shen Xinghai. Without hesitation, she immediately expanded her mental power to search for his whereabouts.

Zhu Erchong and their group were puzzled when they saw Wen Yun suddenly close her eyes.

Ye Shubai calmly explained, "She is using a magic spell to search for Shen Xinghai’s whereabouts, please do not disturb her."

That statement was not entirely untrue.

The other two individuals who were clueless about magic spells and the Dark Heaven Secret Realm had no idea how terrifying the situation was. If it were Qian Lishen, they might be surprised for a moment, but with Wen Yun, it seemed perfectly normal.

Martial Sister Wen’s mastery of magic spells even impressed the eccentric Qianzhenzi, so finding someone in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm should be no problem at all.

They were already accustomed to her creating many miracles. In their eyes, there was nothing she couldn’t achieve in this world!

However, Wen Yun was not feeling as relaxed as they thought.

The young girl sat quietly in place, her brow furrowed.

The Dark Heaven Secret Realm was even harder to navigate at night, and since she had already expended a lot of energy during the day, using magic again made her feel a splitting headache.

When her mental power mixed with the magic array, her face turned deathly pale.

Even Bao Pilong, who didn’t understand magic arrays at all, sensed that something was wrong.

The two of them exclaimed, "Martial Sister Wen!"

Ye Shubai’s expression turned icy cold, and he sternly told them, "Silence!"

The two highly respected direct disciples unconsciously followed his command, feeling immense pressure from these simple words, even more than facing the senior experts at the Transmigration Stage!

The two lowered their heads and met each other’s eyes, both seeing a look of shock.

Ignoring the two, Ye Shubai decisively grabbed Wen Yun’s hand, intertwining their fingers tightly, and shared his mental power to help Wen Yun bear the pressure.

Zhu Erchong was shocked by the intimacy between the two.

Bao Pilong felt envious, "I have never held a female cultivator’s hand before, why is he so skilled at it?"

Luckily, the two of them only communicated through their eyes. Under Ye Shubai’s intimidating gaze, no one dared to make a sound, afraid of disturbing Wen Yun’s search.

With Ye Shubai’s help, the picture in front of Wen Yun began to gradually become clearer.

As soon as she spotted Shen Xinghai’s figure, her eyes widened suddenly. Without taking a rest, she urgently said, "Quickly go to the dark forest to the south. Martial Brother Shen is in big trouble!"

*

Shen Xinghai was indeed in big trouble.

His injuries had not fully healed, and after entering the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, he separated from the others and found himself alone in a dark, sunless forest.

These ancient trees, which had grown for countless years, twisted like dragons and were thick and dense, completely blocking out any light from above. It was difficult for him to fly away with his sword and he could only proceed slowly by the light of the sword.

However, as Shen Xinghai ventured deeper into the dense forest, sudden strange sounds were heard nearby. He leaned against a very thick tree trunk, holding his breath and focusing all his attention on the movements around him.

The fiery sword light in the dark night resembled torches, casting long, twisting shadows of the trees.

Suddenly, one of the tree shadows slowly moved behind him, but Shen Xinghai didn’t notice, he was focused on what was ahead.

By the time the shadow was close, it was too late for him to react. The black shadow swiftly emerged, and its long tail fiercely wrapped around Shen Xinghai. He then realized it was actually a black python as thick as an adult’s arm!

Shen Xinghai raised his sword and shouted angrily, "Even if the heavens want to harm me, I will not fear a mere long bug!"

With a sharp sword imbued with fire energy, he fiercely slashed, causing some substantial flames to burst out, igniting the dry branches and leaves in the dense forest.

However, the black python was not afraid at all. It stared at Shen Xinghai with cold vertical pupils, continuously attacking like black lightning. Shen Xinghai could handle it at first, but later on, he was overwhelmed and entangled by the python, losing his strength.

With his sword falling to the ground, he lost his strength to resist. The tightening grip of the snake’s tail made it increasingly difficult for him to breathe, his face turning pale and purple.

At that moment, the magical circle that he kept close to his body shattered under pressure.

A semi-transparent barrier emanated light from his body, managing to resist the python’s constricting grip. It seemed like something was blocking the creature, preventing it from exerting much force.

Seeing that its usual tactics failed, the python showed anger in its vertical eyes. Its triangular head rose high, jaws wide open revealing needle-like teeth, seemingly preparing to bite directly!

Just then, a loud sound broke through the air, and a clear, high-pitched sound came from above the dark, dense forest that had been unseen until now. A powerful sword energy suddenly cut open the thick forest above Shen Xinghai’s head!

Wen Yun and the others immediately spotted the black giant python.

Zhu Erchong quickly drew his sword without hesitation, running forward and shouting to Bao Pilong, "Brother Bao, hurry and come help me out, this creature may have the strength of the Nascent Soul Stage!"

Bao Pilong flew forward while responding, "I got it! Martial Sister Wen, don’t worry about this snake, Brother will take care of this beast—"

The petite figure behind them remained silent, then swiftly flew past the two of them.

Wen Yun picked up Ye Shubai’s wooden sword directly. At this moment, the spiritual power in her flawless golden core at her dantian was like a vast ocean, making her light as a feather without needing magic support. The powerful spiritual power began to surge and condense on the sword.

With a light leap, she, dressed in a white chiffon skirt, seemed to transform into moonlight. Leaping through the dark forest, she rushed towards the giant python at almost the speed of light.

The girl’s eyes were colder than the serpent’s vertical pupils. With a flick of her wrist, the sword light condensed with surging spiritual power and magical elements, turning into another invisible sword, fiercely slashing towards the python’s neck!

The snake head about to swallow Shen Xinghai suddenly fell to the ground with a foul stench. The snake’s body, still entwined around him, could no longer move without its head.

Everything happened very quickly, from her taking out her sword to the python dying, it seemed like it was just a blink of an eye.

Shen Xinghai, with his face turning bluish, lay on the ground gasping heavily, but his eyes were fixed on something not far away.

The gentle moonlight had filtered through the dense forest that was cut open, casting light in the darkness, including on the slender figure.

She stood on the python’s head with her sword held high, her black hair cascading around her slim waist, her features clear and beautiful like the cold yet lovely moon above her head.

Wen Yun kicked away the python’s head, walked over to Shen Xinghai, and helped him by cutting through the python’s body, asking with concern, "Martial Brother Shen, are you hurt anywhere?"

Still a bit dazed, he looked at Wen Yun blankly and replied softly, "I’m not hurt."

Just then, Bao Pilong and Zhu Erchong arrived, embracing Shen Xinghai excitedly, tears welling up in their eyes, as they exclaimed, "Thank goodness Martial Sister Wen calculated your location, finally saving your life!"

"Junior Brother Shen, luckily you didn’t die. If you had died, who would teach us to be the most dignified sword cultivator?"

With that, he patted Shen Xinghai’s back heavily, feeling deeply moved.

It’s no wonder that the powerful sword cultivator slapped Shen Xinghai hard, making him cough and spit out dark blood.

Wen Yun sighed, "Please let go of Martial Brother Shen, he was just entangled by a giant python and might be injured."

Knowing he had done something wrong, Zhu Erchong quickly stepped aside and pulled out a pile of old disciple clothes from his bag to lay on the ground for him to lie on.

"The conditions are basic, Junior Brother Shen, please bear with it."

However, Shen Xinghai didn’t want to lie down, he pushed himself up and looked steadily at Wen Yun.

Finally, he bowed deeply and said, "Martial Sister Wen, without you this time, I would have lost my life long ago."

He had mistakenly entered this dark forest, but Wen Yun had given him three ways out.

One was the defense formation that suddenly appeared, which he had given Wen Yun armor for in the past, and she had returned the favor.

The second was what Zhu Erchong had just mentioned, that Wen Yun had calculated his location.

Three…

The romance of the sword under the moon, he may never forget in this lifetime.

Shen Xinghai took a deep breath, stepped forward, looked directly at Wen Yun, gazed at her beautiful face, and awkwardly lowered his head.

He said earnestly, "It is at your command, from now on, anything commanded by Martial Sister Wen, I will follow even at the cost of my life."

Wen Yun replied, "You don’t have to be so polite. I’ve heard that Martial Brother Shen is also preparing to come to the Dark Heaven Secret Realm to find medicine for me. We are all fellow disciples…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a cold male voice suddenly came from the side.

"Wen Yun, come here."

The man in white stood nearby, his eyes landed gently on Shen Xinghai first, then drifted lightly to Wen Yun.

The girl he called responded without hesitation and walked to the side of the man in white.

Both of them had a cold, otherworldly beauty, like the moonlight in the sky, warm yet distant. Although they kept a small distance between them, their shadows gradually merged under the moonlight.

They were surprisingly well-matched.

Zhu Erchong picked up the old clothes on the ground, supported Shen Xinghai, and introduced him with a smile, "This is Junior Brother Ye from The Tenth Peak. He saved Martial Sister Wen back then."

Shen Xinghai bowed, "Nice to meet you, Martial Brother Ye. Thank you for saving Martial Sister Wen!"

Ye Shubai quietly glanced at Shen Xinghai and ignored him.

Then, he looked down at Wen Yun and suddenly asked, "Are you hurt?"

Wen Yun didn’t catch on and blinked at him, "Hm?"

Ye Shubai asked again in a casual tone, "During the battle with the giant python earlier, did you get hurt?"

Wen Yun found it strange that Ye Shubai would ask her this today, as with his skills, he should have a clear understanding of the battle just now.

Her amazing sword skills were so incredible that she could defeat a hundred giant pythons with just one teacup. How could she possibly get hurt?

But Ye Shubai was also concerned about himself, so Wen Yun couldn’t go back.

She looked up at him with a smile in her eyes and said, "You were the one who taught me swordsmanship with your own hands. Don’t worry, I haven’t even hurt a single hair."

Ye Shubai nodded slightly and said, "Alright then."

Shen Xinghai pressed his lips together, watching the two of them being affectionate without saying a word.

Bao Pilong and Zhu Erchong didn’t find it strange at all, as they had just seen them holding hands by the fire.

They were amazed by another thing, "So it turns out that Martial Sister Wen’s sword skills were taught by Junior Brother Ye. We heard that Martial Sister Wen’s master had passed away, so Junior Brother Ye must be taking on the role of teaching for the master."

"Junior Brother Ye, meet me in the little forest tomorrow morning. Let’s have a sword fight!"

As they spoke, the two individuals in tattered clothes had already taken out a precious silk handkerchief to carefully wipe their swords, looking eager to test their skills.

The late master himself said, "…"

Wen Yun was content, not expecting her casual remark to shift the two senior brothers’ target to Ye Shubai – what a stroke of luck!

Ye Shubai avoided mentioning the sword-fighting matter, he took a step to the side and said in a deep voice, "Just now, I noticed there was a person hiding in the shadows, that giant python should be under his control."

It was only then that everyone noticed a body lying behind Ye Shubai.

The person was holding a tiny leaf whistle in their hand, their eyes still lifeless, with just a small blood hole in their chest, fresh blood gushing out from it.

Wen Yun frowned, glanced at the person, deftly flipped him over with a kick, and then used her sword to open the back of his neck.

Sure enough, there was a black feathered snake tattoo on the person’s neck!

"Indeed, another demon cultivator!"

Upon hearing the words "demon cultivator," the other three people looked shocked, saying, "What? A demon cultivator!"

Wen Yun nodded seriously and said, "Yes, we found traces of a demon cultivator in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm before. The tattoo on the back of his neck is the symbol of the demon cultivator."

Zhu Erchong’s expression became serious as he squatted down to carefully look at the person on the ground. After thinking for a while, he exclaimed, "I’ve seen this person before! It was outside Blizzard Island!"

Shen Xinghai also spoke up, "This seems to be a knife cultivator from the Jiang family."

As expected, upon closer inspection under the light of the sword, they indeed found that the person was wearing a robe with a nine-ring broadsword embroidered on the sleeve, which was the symbol of the Jiang family disciples.

Bao Pilong looked surprised, and his voice stuttered as he said, "Could it be that the Jiang family is colluding with the demon cultivator?"

This seemed to be the only possibility.