Destroyed both body and soul
Dark clouds hung like ink over Shitang Town, and torrential rain poured down.
Large raindrops pounded on the ruins and the murky sea, creating a mist.
This was not a natural disaster, but rather caused by the demonic dragon "Overturning the Sea" breaking its chains and stirring up storms.
It is enormous, coiled in mid-air, its body like a giant python, but with four sharp claws that can easily crush rocks.
Its body was covered in layers of scales, dark in color, yet upon closer inspection, it faintly shimmered with a dark purple sheen. Two thick, short, sharp horns grew from the top of its head, curving backward. Most terrifying of all were its enormous eyes, unlike those of a typical dragon, which were entirely crimson. With each swing of its long tail, towering, turbid waves were stirred up.
A figure in pure white walked across the waves, tall and slender, with light gray phoenix eyes that were slightly upturned at the corners. Her dark hair was neatly tied up with an ebony hairpin.
She gripped the longsword "Lone Goose" tightly in her hand, its blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.
This sword has an extraordinary origin; it was obtained when she was fifteen years old, after venturing alone into the Black Dragon Pool and slaying a thousand-year-old black dragon.
The dragon's head hung at the mountain gate for three days, and the whole world knew the name of Guiyun Sect's Yunwei.
A foul stench filled the air as dozens of ferocious-looking water monsters surged forth from the ruins.
The clouds are faint and the fingers point out the virtual dots.
"break!"
The water monster at the forefront was crushed by a tremendous force, bursting open with a bang, its filthy blood mixing with the turbid flow.
The remaining attackers abruptly ceased their assault, huddled among the ruins, hissing in fear and unease, their eyes filled with terror.
The sea roared furiously, and towering waves crashed down like a mountain collapsing.
A lone goose is drawn from its sheath, leaving only a sliver of cold, clear light.
"The demonic dragon has overturned the sea and poisoned all living beings. Today it shall be slain!" Yun Wei shouted. Wherever the sword energy reached, the demonic aura dissipated, the turbid waves surged back, and the water demons that rushed in fell down like cut straw.
The lone sword's edge pointed directly at the sea's rebellious scales, its tip gleaming coldly, drawing thunderous roars from the heavens.
Victory or defeat can be decided in an instant.
"Help me..."
Yunwei's sword energy condensed, and his divine sense swept over it.
Underneath a half-collapsed thatched hut lay a girl of about thirteen or fourteen, wearing a worn-out coarse cloth jacket, soaked and stained with mud and blood.
Her left leg was pinned down by the heavy broken beam, her face was ashen, and her eyes were filled with tears and despair.
If the broken beam is not moved immediately, the giant wave that the sea will unleash in the next instant will completely engulf the girl.
Thinking of this, Yun Wei swayed and rushed straight to the half-collapsed thatched hut. With a flash of sword light, the broken beam pressing on the girl's legs snapped in response.
"Let's go." She whispered, turning back to fight the demonic dragon again.
"You were fooled by me so easily?"
A sudden surge of demonic energy rose behind her. Yun Wei turned around abruptly and saw that the girl who had been on the verge of tears had completely lost the light in her eyes, and her pupils had shrunk to the size of needles. She no longer looked pitiful at all.
This is a demon of the heart, most adept at exploiting the weaknesses of people's hearts, specializing in devouring dying vengeful souls or pure good thoughts, taking over their shells as nests, and is extremely insidious and cunning.
"What a formidable character," the girl grinned, her smile arrogant. "It's just a pity that your pure and innocent sword heart... belongs to me today!"
Before the laughter had even subsided, a strong gust of wind swept across their faces.
How could the demonic dragon let such a fleeting opening slip by? Its massive tail suddenly lashed out like a whip, crashing down fiercely.
Bang!
Yunwei lightly touched the ground with her toes, and the giant tail swept past her clothes before crashing heavily against the broken wall. Bricks and stones flew everywhere, and dust billowed up, obscuring half of the night sky.
She stood outside the dust and mist, her plain clothes swaying slightly, her hair at her temples remaining perfectly still. Her gaze was fixed on the demon, showing no sign of panic. She held a sword in one hand, the tip of which was steadily pointing at its opponent.
Ultimately, it was her carelessness that led her to save others but instead put herself in danger.
Seeing that her sneak attack had missed, the "girl" let out a shriek and pounced again.
The sword's momentum was now complete, and the Lone Goose Sword's spine hummed. If it were to extend just half a foot further, the demon would be decapitated, and even the wisp of life within its body would vanish into thin air.
However, the purpose of eliminating demons and protecting the righteous is to safeguard all living beings in the world. If innocent people are harmed in the process of slaying demons, how is that any different from the ferocity of those demons?
Yunwei Sword Peak slightly condensed, a trace of hesitation quietly passing by.
She twisted her wrist sharply, changing her thrust into a slap, and the Lone Goose Sword Qi collided with the demon's grasping wrist, intending to repel it.
Unexpectedly, the demon was extremely cunning and saw through her intention to hold back. Instead of retreating, it narrowly avoided the sword strike and slashed downwards with its claws, aiming straight for her left arm.
Yunwei felt a chill on her left arm. When she looked down, she saw three deep, bone-revealing bloodstains, and wisps of black energy were seeping into the wounds.
Despite the gruesome sight, she didn't even flinch. A mere physical injury was nothing compared to the pain of breaking bones while practicing swordsmanship as a child.
Yun Wei raised her eyes and shouted sternly, "Get out of that child's body!"
The demon chuckled eerily, "Too late! I've already chewed up and devoured this mortal's soul! Not even a trace is left! If you have the guts, go ahead and kill this empty shell too!"
The body is dead, the soul has vanished.
The last shred of hesitation vanished.
This demon must be slain!
Yun Wei hesitated no longer. The lone goose in her hand transformed into a sharp and resolute beam of cold light, tearing through the wind and rain, and piercing through the "girl's" thin chest in an instant.
The maniacal laughter abruptly stopped, and the body collapsed limply to the ground, thick, inky black energy gushing wildly from its seven orifices like a receding tide.
The demonic dragon had already seized this perfect opportunity, and while she was entangled in her inner demons and had no time to spare, it silently slipped into the raging waves.
Looking at the girl on the ground, Yun Wei sighed inwardly: If she had arrived at Shitang Town a little earlier and set up the sword formation, she might have been able to protect more people; if she had seen through the inner demon's disguise a moment earlier, the girl's soul might have been able to retain a trace of life; if she had paid more attention to the dragon's movements during the fierce battle, it wouldn't have been able to escape so easily... Every single thing was a regret.
The cool raindrops fell on my face, bringing a sense of clarity.
Yun lowered her eyelashes, concealing the fleeting melancholy in her eyes. Only her knuckles, gripping the sword hilt tightly, turned bluish-white from excessive force.
There may still be survivors here.
She suppressed the burning pain from the wound on her left arm and darted swiftly among the ruins.
An old man was huddled in the corner. She reached out to check his breath, but all she touched was a deathly cold surface.
He turned to the woman curled up, placed his hand on her neck, which was as stiff as a cold stone.
One place after another...
Blood continued to seep from his left arm, soaking his plain white sleeves. Drops of blood dripped down his elbow, spreading a small patch of dark red in the murky mud at his feet.
This little bit of blood is nothing compared to even the slightest glimmer of life amidst this devastation.
The downpour had just stopped when the sound of something breaking through the air could be heard.
Guiyun Sect Master Xie Qingfeng, along with several elders, finally arrived.
The sight before them made everyone gasp: corpses lay strewn everywhere, blood flowed like rivers, and only Yun Wei stood alone in the center of the ruins, her white robe stained with blood, her face pale, and a crescent-shaped purplish-black mark between her brows, shrouded in eerie demonic energy, a truly horrifying sight.
"Yunwei!" the elder roared, pointing his halberd. "You have fallen into the demonic path! Slaughtering the innocent!"
Confused, Yunwei used the sword blade as a mirror to see the crescent-shaped purplish-black demonic mark between her eyebrows.
Her eyes flickered slightly, and she returned to her sheath like a lone goose. Then she bowed deeply to her father: "When I arrived at Shitang Town, the people had already been killed by the demonic dragon. I intended to eliminate it, but the demon launched a surprise attack, and the dragon took the opportunity to escape."
She turned to the side, revealing three gaping wounds on her left arm. "The claw marks on my arm were left by a demon. The demonic marks are from the erosion of demonic energy, not a sign of falling into demonic ways. I arrived late and failed to protect the people. I am guilty beyond reproach. I implore Father and Elders to allow me to collect the remains and perform annual sacrifices to comfort the departed souls. After this is done, I am willing to return to the sect to receive punishment without any complaints."
As for that demonic dragon... Yun Wei gripped the Lone Goose Sword tightly.
I cannot rest easy until I avenge this grudge; otherwise, my cultivation of the sword path will have been in vain.
Even if I have to travel all over the world, I will find him and behead him.
"Enough!" Xie Qingfeng said sternly.
"Your demonic mark is blazing, and you are shrouded in demonic energy. How dare you put up excuses and try to justify yourself? As my eldest daughter and the chief disciple of the Guiyun Sect, you do not think of protecting the common people, but instead become a source of trouble. You are a disgrace to my sect that has not been seen in a hundred years!"
He continued, “In terms of character and responsibility, how can you compare to Lan Chen? Although he is an adopted son and joined the sect later, he is steady and thorough in his actions, always prioritizing the sect's interests, eliminating hidden dangers from all sides, and never boasting or taking credit. But you… relying on your talent, you are arrogant, disrespectful to your elders, and headstrong! Now you have even fallen into the demonic path, slaughtering living beings, and your crimes are unforgivable!”
Yun Wei's brows furrowed slightly. Her father's harsh words were like daggers to her heart. He regarded the demonic mark as irrefutable evidence, ignored the demonic claw marks on his arm, and readily convicted her without listening to any explanation.
Such urgency and decisiveness suggest that this intention was already in mind, and today's events are merely a matter of going with the flow.
She is the daughter of the sect leader and also the senior sister of the Guiyun Sect.
In terms of swordsmanship, she believed she deserved the title of the best among her peers.
But her father never discussed the future sect leader with her, just as he never mentioned her mother, the woman who mysteriously perished in the sect's forbidden area thirteen years ago.
When the elders occasionally chatted in private, they always brought up the phrase "unclear bloodline".
On what grounds?
Just because she's a woman, does that mean she should always yield and bow down? Just because her mother died under suspicious circumstances and she couldn't even get a word of justice? Just because her father only ever had that ruthless adopted son, Xie Lanchen?
She and Xie Lanchen were mortal enemies known to everyone in the sect.
She disliked his gloomy and unpredictable nature, his self-serving actions, and his sharp and often embarrassing words; he hated her for being aloof, acting arbitrarily, and showing off her sharpness without restraint.
When the two met, they were always at each other's throats, exchanging sarcastic remarks and never exchanging a single kind word.
"Am I inferior to him?" Yun Wei coldly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the elders. She saw some with furrowed brows as if in doubt, and others with lowered eyes as if deep in thought. Then she slowly looked at her father.
"Junior Brother Xie has been in the sect for six years and has already won the favor and trust of his father. But if we talk about his actual achievements... the affairs he has handled in those six years are mostly paperwork and mediation of trivial matters. On the contrary, at the age of fifteen, I killed the black dragon and took the lone goose alone; at the age of sixteen, I wiped out the eighteen strongholds of Beiman Mountain that were causing trouble in the region; at the age of seventeen, I comprehended the state of sword heart clarity at Biyue Villa; and at the age of eighteen, I killed the evil cultivator who occupied Wandu Valley."
"Father wants to support Junior Brother Xie as the young sect leader. This is a matter of sect succession, and I have no right to interfere. But if he uses the excuse that 'I am not as good as him' and even goes so far as to tarnish my reputation, I'm afraid the people of the world will laugh at Guiyun Sect for only valuing kinship and not distinguishing between the wise and the foolish."
"Insolence!" An elder standing beside Xie Qingfeng suddenly shouted.
"Lan Chen is exceptionally talented, calm and composed, and knows how to conduct himself properly. He is highly respected and is the only one who can succeed the Guiyun Sect! But you are vicious and jealous. Today, you went on a killing spree in Shitang Town, harming innocent people! Now that the evidence is conclusive, you still dare to spread rumors and slander the sect leader!"
Having said that, he turned to Xie Qingfeng, his tone resolute: "Sect Leader, please see this clearly! If you show favoritism and indulgence because of blood ties, where is the dignity of the sect's laws? Where is the reputation of the righteous path? I beg you, Sect Leader, to immediately cleanse the sect! Kill this demon to set things right!"
Yun's thin lips moved slightly, uttering a few words:
"If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext."
They don't want the truth, they just want a pretext to get rid of her.
Since that's the case, let's sever this father-daughter bond and teacher-student relationship with a single sword stroke today.
As if sensing her emotions, the Lone Goose Sword soared into the sky.
Xie Qingfeng waved his sleeves sharply and shouted, "For the sake of all living beings, for the honor of Guiyun Gate! Form the formation!"
Upon receiving the order, several elders acted swiftly, and a dazzling golden demon-subduing formation descended upon her, intending to suppress her in one fell swoop.
Yun Wei showed no fear on her face. Instead of retreating, she advanced and rushed straight to the core of the formation.
The Lone Goose Sword spun into her palm, and with a clear shout, she thrust it straight at the pivot point where the spiritual energy of the formation flowed.
"break!"
With a sharp crack, the light at the array's core suddenly became chaotic, and spiritual energy surged back violently, sending all the elders flying several feet away.
They are easily defeated.
Yun Wei touched the ground with her toes, gripped her sword in a reverse grip, and lowered her eyelids slightly: "If it weren't for the kindness of our sect in teaching us, all of you elders would already be dead under our swords by now."
Before she could finish speaking, a flash of cold light pierced her heart.
He is the father.
When her protective sword aura sensed the presence of her loved one, it instinctively faltered for a moment.
laugh!
Yunwei felt a chill in her back as the sword tip pierced her clothes and entered her flesh.
The lone goose flew out of my hand and plunged into the mud with a clang.
Her body trembled violently, and she collapsed heavily into the mud. The cold mud mixed with the hot blood gushing from her chest, sticking stickily to her body, both cold and hot.
Darkness surged before her eyes, and as the world spun around her, it seemed as if someone was slowly walking towards her.
Yun Wei struggled to lift her head, only to see Xie Qingfeng flick his sleeve, and the sword stuck in her back flew back into his hand on its own.
She lay prone in the mud, blood and foam oozing from between her teeth, yet she didn't even blink.
"The demon has been slain!" the elders shouted in unison.
Immediately afterwards, a golden seal was imprinted heavily on her back.
Xuan Tian Demon-Slaying Seal.
This is the Guiyun Sect's secret demon-suppressing technique. Anyone who is struck by it will have their flesh and blood disintegrate, their soul annihilated, and their spirit and form destroyed.
Yunwei felt as if her skin was being burned by raging fire. Looking down, she saw that her body was turning into golden dust inch by inch, which was being carried away by the wind and scattered.
"Father, how cruel," she whispered.
She lowered her long eyelashes slightly, and after a long pause, said again: "If Heaven has eyes and allows my remnant soul to survive, I will repay the pain of today a hundredfold."
She didn't shed a single tear from beginning to end.
In such a situation, what good would it do to cry your heart out? It would only make you a laughingstock.
Yun Wei turned her head and took one last look at the Lone Goose Sword. It had accompanied her in slaying demons and protecting countless people, but now its brilliance had faded, leaving only a dim shadow.
The next moment, all thoughts vanished.
I don't know how much time passed.
Yunwei's consciousness gradually returned.
There was a clear, cool aura around, which was the sword energy of the Lone Goose Sword.
Under the Xuan Tian Demon-Slaying Seal, she should have been completely annihilated, so why has she woken up now?
As she was thinking this, the scene before her gradually became clear, and it turned out to be the Lingyun Main Hall of the Guiyun Sect.
The hall was dimly lit, with only a few candlesticks flickering.
A familiar aura wafted over, and Yunwei followed the aura and realized that someone was sitting on the throne beside her.
It was none other than her father, who had given birth to her but also personally killed her.
His face was calm, without a trace of pain, and there was not a trace of guilt to be found.
Yunwei looked at him, her heart as still as stagnant water, perhaps because her soul was damaged, hence all her emotions were indifferent.
The bond of affection may be severed, but the debt cannot be erased. Since Heaven has granted her the chance to return to life and see the world again, there is no reason for her to let her off lightly.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded beside her ear. Yunwei came back to her senses, looked up, and saw that His Highness was walking slowly towards him with a young man in black robes.
He was slender yet capable, and did not appear particularly intimidating, but his aura was too cold and aloof, and even a direct hit from him carried a chill.
The boy's shoulders were stained with dark brown marks that looked like dried blood or mud, adding an inexplicable air of ferocity, as if he had just returned from some dangerous place, his whole body still carrying the lingering aura of menace.
It was none other than her father's adopted son, her nemesis—Xie Lanchen.
Upon hearing the news of her death, the young man must have been extremely pleased with himself.
No one can compete with him for the position of sect leader.
This ending must have been what he longed for day and night, something he could never have achieved.
"Lan Chen." Xie Qingfeng spoke, breaking the deathly silence in the hall.
The boy paused, looked up at him.
"You did a great job in this campaign to eliminate the wolf demon threat in Xishan, with excellent command and leading by example." Xie Qingfeng flicked his sleeves slightly, and Yun Wei's gaze involuntarily followed the movement of his robes, slowly drifting towards the young man below the steps.
She suddenly understood.
Beneath the Xuan Tian Demon-Slaying Seal, it was this Lone Goose Sword that protected her last remaining wisp of soul.
Xie Qingfeng nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Xie Lanchen with a mixture of expectation and scrutiny, but his tone was deliberately gentle, as if he wanted to fully express the affection of an elder: "This sword is called 'Lone Goose'. It was originally a powerful weapon protected by the thousand-year-old black dragon that guarded the Black Dragon Pool. It is incomparably sharp and can cut through iron like mud. It is a rare and precious divine weapon."
"Today I bestow this divine weapon upon you, hoping that you will wield it, diligently cultivate yourself, forge ahead with determination, and live up to your father's high expectations."
The boy stood still, his body motionless. When his gaze swept over the sword, there was no joy, but rather a hint of coldness.
"Sect Master." His gaze was deep, as if questioning.
"She never parted with this sword, regarding it as her life. How did it end up in your hands?"
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