Chapter 107
The snowstorm suddenly stopped.
It wasn't that the wind stopped and the snow ceased, but rather that in some indescribable moment, all sound vanished.
All the sounds were silenced in an instant.
It was as if an invisible giant hand was gently stroking through the air.
The mere gust of wind stirred up by this action silenced all the restlessness in people's hearts.
It wasn't a loss of consciousness, but rather that in that instant, everything became incredibly slow, as if it had stopped there.
Only those whose cultivation has reached the seventh level of the Heavenly Pivot Realm or above can maintain a sliver of clear perception in this absolute stillness.
It's not about overwhelming force, but about returning all things to their most fundamental and static state of "existence".
To overcome force with force, the Great Way is formless.
All the mysteries of the universe can be contained in a single sword strike.
High in the sky, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion Master Xin Zhuiwang and Elder Ruan Shu, who had been hiding behind the clouds, suddenly experienced a moment of disorder in the divination runes flowing around them.
The white clouds dispersed, and even the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion was forced to reveal his true form by this sword strike that transcended ordinary laws.
A pure look of amazement finally flashed across the aged eyes of Xin Zhuiwang, the Pavilion Master of Tianji Pavilion.
He is truly a genius, capable of calming all things with a single sword strike.
For thousands of years, no one has been able to achieve this level.
"Sword Master Mingyue... truly worthy of the name 'Mingyue'."
Xin Zhuiwang looked down at the white-clad figure standing below, sword in hand, his voice filled with admiration: "To condense heaven and earth into nothingness, to return all sounds to silence. To have cultivated the Ninefold Sword to this level, the Bright Moon Sword Master surpasses even his predecessors."
Even the once-renowned Sword Master Guihai was far inferior to her.
Elder Ruan Shu, standing beside her, looked at Sheng Ningyu. The moment Sheng Ningyu drew her sword, even Ruan Shu was imprisoned by her swordsmanship, as if she had fallen into infinite silence.
"Sword Master..." Ruan Shu's eyes trembled violently, followed by uncontrollable joy after the intense shock.
It is because of the Sword Master's sword, but not merely because of that one sword strike from the Sword Master.
"Since it is what the Sword Master said, we will believe it."
"Sword Master... well, it's cold, and I don't like to move around anyway."
"Is he really the Sword Master? I've heard there were many people in the city impersonating the Sword Master before. Could we have been fooled?"
"Nonsense! This time, with Elder Rong of the Sword Pavilion present, who would dare to pretend to be a Sword Venerable in front of him? Are they out of their minds?!"
With a slight release of her spiritual sense, Ruan Shu was able to capture all sorts of comments.
And these comments, after that one sword strike, all fell silent.
With the Sword Master present, no one dared to act recklessly.
Ruan Shu: "The Sword Master's wish is about to be fulfilled."
Upon hearing this, Xin Zhuiwang sighed and slowly shook his head.
Xin Zhuiwang's praise lasted only a moment. When he turned his gaze to the ruins deep within the city lord's mansion, which were shrouded in demonic energy, his eyes regained their deep, indifferent look, and his aged face was filled with only superficial pity.
"Ah Shu, you've forgotten again."
Xin Zhuiwang stood on the cloud, lowered his eyes and said, "Even if human strength is overwhelming, spilled water cannot be gathered up, and flowing water cannot be reversed. The Sword Master wanted to save the 'Fragrant Lady' who used her body as a cage to suppress the ghostly energy... His will is commendable, and his feelings are pitiable, but his actions are unacceptable."
He paused, his aged voice devoid of any emotion.
"Firstly, man-made disasters always have an end."
Xin Zhuiwang pointed into the distance, and Ruan Shu's gaze followed his finger through the clouds, landing directly on that person.
The Nine Heavens Pavilion, where jade remains silent.
Xin Zhuiwang: "He is a young master of the Nine Heavens Pavilion, but he is not favored by Yu Tanqiu. Over time, his character has become flawed. Furthermore, due to his defeat in the Thousand Mountains Trial in the past, he has developed deep-seated inner demons and is jealous of all those whose talents and opportunities surpass his."
Ruan Shu's heart tightened suddenly. She suppressed her emotions and said, "Yu Wusheng's cultivation is mediocre. With Immortal Rongque here and the former Palace Master present, he would not dare to act rashly."
Seemingly to confirm Ruan Shu's words, the next second, with Rong Que's movement, Yu Wusheng was silently trapped.
Before Ruan Shu could even feel joy, she heard Xin Zhuiwang's aged voice ring in her ears: "Secondly, the times have changed, and cause and effect will naturally follow."
Ruan Shu turned her head sharply: "What does Master mean by this?"
"The sun and moon rise and set, and this is for the sake of the world. But how can the world not fall?" Xin Zhuiwang's voice remained completely still.
Xin Zhuiwang's gaze pierced through the clouds, revealing the scene inside the city lord's mansion, and he let out a sigh.
"When the people who formed the formation lost their resolve and were determined to die, the thing that supported the formation the most collapsed and disappeared."
The child no longer harbored any resentment.
It's truly... truly a pity.
This time, without Xin Zhuiwang's guidance, Ruan Shu had already seen it.
Above my head, in an instant.
The eternal light that enveloped the entire city receded as quickly as the tide, and the night sky belonging to this city, like ink, surged and spread from the horizon!
The people in the city below looked up in astonishment at the starry sky above.
A young child murmured, "Is this what nighttime is?"
An old man's eyes were filled with mixed emotions: "The night..."
However, the Sword Venerable's silent sword domain had not yet dissipated. Their emotions were not greatly stirred; they simply stared blankly at the twinkling lights of spiritual energy floating in the air like fireflies.
It is the spiritual energy that leaks out when the formation dissipates.
Ruan Shu raised her hand, seemingly able to touch the spiritual energy rising from below: "Night and day are like yin and yang, destined to coexist. Only daytime, like the City That Never Sleeps, is against the will of Heaven. Now that night has fallen... Master, isn't this a good thing?"
Xin Zhuiwang said, "Yin and Yang have now taken turns, and the order of time has returned to normal. This is indeed a joyous occasion of the natural order being restored. However, for the Lady Xiang in the battle, it has become a death warrant."
"She possesses an aura of demons and ghosts, which is contrary to common sense. Now that she has no resentment in her heart, and the city has suddenly been restored to order... for her, it is no less than the torment of her soul being burned by raging fire."
As Ruan Shu listened to the Pavilion Master's cold words and looked down at the city being swallowed by the night, her face suddenly turned ashen.
The Pavilion Master's predictions have never been wrong.
No!
Sword Master must have another way!
Ruan Shu bit her lip but remained silent. Xin Zhuiwang seemed to see through her thoughts and sighed.
Being young, they always think they are blessed by heaven and earth and are the least likely to believe in fate.
"In that case, I will stay with you until the very end."
I'll let you see with your own eyes the predetermined ending.
...
In the silence.
Sheng Ningyu stood with her sword in hand, maintaining the utter silence of the domain.
She rushed over and happened to witness Ning Jiao opening her heart.
Even Sheng Ningyu, who prided herself on being unrestrained by the world, was utterly astonished at this moment.
When Ning Jiao reached out to her, Sheng Ningyu drew her sword without thinking and blocked Xie Qianjing's path. However, when she saw what was in Xie Qianjing's hand, Sheng Ningyu suddenly withdrew her sword.
She paused for a moment, then enveloped her with her spiritual energy and said, "Junior sister, there's no need for that."
Ning Jiao turned her face away, trying to hide her appearance at that moment: "No need for anything?"
“…Spiritual bone.” Sheng Ningyu paused, her usual smile fading. Her tone became very indifferent, so indifferent that one could almost suspect she was somewhat annoyed.
But Feng Xiaosheng knew that Sheng Ningyu wasn't annoyed. On the contrary, when she was extremely cautious, she would either deliberately smile in a frivolous manner or, like now, have a completely expressionless face.
Sheng Mingyue hasn't changed at all.
As Feng Xiaosheng pondered this, he heard her say, "Spiritual bones aren't that important."
Feng Xiaosheng paused, then looked up at Sheng Ningyu.
Ah, this guy is serious, Feng Xiaosheng thought.
In Sheng Ningyu's heart, the spiritual bone was very important, but it was not as important as her junior sister's life.
The reason, Sheng Ningyu also learned after she entered the Yin-Yang Blood Array.
Resentment, hatred, jealousy, suffering...
Sheng Ningyu has accepted all of Ning Jiao's hatred, which has been transformed into emotion.
After regaining her memories, she naturally couldn't be as calm and fearless as she was when she first encountered the blood-shedding formation, telling Ning Jiao, "I'll protect you."
The suffering these people endured could not be said to be solely caused by Ning Jiao, but she was certainly involved in it all.
Sheng Ningyu cannot forgive them on their behalf.
However, Sheng Ningyu was unable to harm Ning Jiao.
Ning Jiao was covered in sweat and blood, but after hearing Sheng Ningyu's words, he suddenly smiled.
She coughed up blood and said, "These words don't count for Senior Sister's opinion."
In the stillness of the night, my mind wavered for a moment.
As soon as he finished speaking, the light and shadow scattered, and everything suddenly went dark.
"Sheng Mingyue!" Feng Xiaosheng suddenly stepped forward, wanting to confirm Sheng Ningyu's safety, but someone was already a step ahead of her.
Sheng Ningyu reassured Xie Qianjing by holding his hand, and then said to Feng Xiaosheng, "I'm fine."
It's getting dark.
Feng Xiaosheng frowned slightly.
At first she was just a little surprised, but in a flash she suddenly understood something!
"It's you?!" Feng Xiaosheng looked towards Ning Jiao, only to see the person lying on the ground.
His expression was pale and astonished, his bloodless lips slightly parted, but no sound came out.
At the end of its strength.
Ning Jiao shook her head with difficulty, then looked at Sheng Ningyu and said, "It was a coincidence... Senior Sister, do you believe me?"
Sheng Ningyu simply said, "It was the Never-Sleeping Array above the city that was broken; it's no one's fault."
Both she and Feng Xiaosheng knew in their hearts that this was definitely not Ning Jiao's doing.
Those in the city who can break the formation...
Feng Xiaosheng said with certainty, "Sect Leader Yan has made her move."
Yan Wurong will not let Qi Baiya go, and Qi Baiya is also the leader of the main force.
But... the timing is just too coincidental.
The coincidence is so striking that one can only sigh; such is fate.
Sheng Ningyu gripped the sword hilt tightly and raised an eyebrow: "Feng Xiaohong, how much longer can you hold out?"
Unfortunately, Sheng Ningyu never believed in fate!
Sheng Ningyu will never give up today.
Thanks to their tacit understanding, even though she didn't know what Madam Xiang was saying, Feng Xiaosheng understood what Sheng Ningyu was thinking. She said succinctly, "I can still hold out here for another day."
Sheng Ningyu: "Thank you."
She spoke calmly, but several thoughts were running through her mind.
Her demonic form couldn't withstand such a massive outpouring of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. She could resist it, but her sword domain was difficult to activate, and she feared something might happen in the city.
For some reason, Sheng Ningyu felt that she had to keep this from her senior brother Yuan.
The demonic forces still exist within the city; we need to stabilize the situation.
Something gently covered the back of her hand.
"Ninefold."
Sheng Ningyu suddenly turned around and saw Xie Qianjing standing beside her, his eyes crinkling with a smile.
Amidst all these unexpected changes, his expression remained calm, as if he had anticipated them all.
“I have prepared a gift, and I was thinking of giving it to you at some time, but now I think this is the right time.”
Xie Qianjing slowly raised his hand, his fingertips entwined with countless red threads, and what was bound and restrained in the air by these red threads was a small mirror.
Feng Xiaosheng recognized the item, chuckled, and said lazily, "The Yin-Yang Mirror? Wasn't it taken by Feng Qingxing to give to Chu Le for self-defense?"
Xie Qianjing said lightly, "I borrowed this item from my friend Chu while I was in the formation."
Feng Xiaosheng sneered.
"Forget about lending or not, once the Demon Lord spoke, she knew that Chu Le wouldn't dare to refuse."
But Feng Xiaosheng didn't know that this time, Xie Qianjing really did borrow it.
Returning to familiar places always brings mysterious events, and Xie Qianjing was unwilling to create unnecessary karma.
Sheng Ningyu absolutely trusted Xie Qianjing, but at this moment she couldn't help but wonder: "You're going to give me the Yin-Yang Mirror?"
Xie Qianjing smiled.
He raised his hand, his jade-like knuckles covering the thin flesh beneath. With a slight movement, the Yin-Yang Mirror suddenly magnified, and the chaotic mirror surface abruptly rippled with water-like patterns, from which a soft, clear light emerged.
Xie Qianjing said softly, "Jiuzhong, go see someone."
Sheng Ningyu stared at him intently, then suddenly turned her head away.
Feng Xiaoming understood her meaning and said, "I will keep an eye on her for you."
Ning Jiao suddenly looked up.
This one sentence, however, is without beginning or end, and offers no explanation whatsoever.
Does your senior sister also believe in him? Would she be willing to appear in the video?
Ning Jiao desperately wanted to say those harsh words, but after meeting Sheng Ningyu's gaze, all her words turned into evasiveness.
He had too many wounds on his body at the moment and didn't want Sheng Ningyu to see them.
So Ning Jiao also said in a hoarse voice, "I'll wait for my senior sister to come out."
As soon as she finished speaking, Sheng Ningyu relaxed her mind and felt her soul lighten. The scene before her eyes changed, and in the blink of an eye, she was captured by the mirror light.
...
The setting sun casts a graceful glow, swaying gently in the breeze.
Sheng Ningyu walked alone in the long corridor.
At first, there was no color, only a hazy, faded gray-white. Gradually, the glow of dawn rose from the horizon, and the black and white was covered with warm light, just like the deepest memory.
It looks somewhat familiar.
Sheng Ningyu walked slowly, wondering what Xie Qianjing was planning to give her, given his mysterious behavior and talk of timing.
As she walked, she pondered where Xie Qianjing had gotten his inspiration for the scenery along the corridor.
Yunwang Palace.
The moment those three words echoed in her mind, Sheng Ningyu realized that she had found herself in a medicinal herb field without even realizing it.
The dappled sunlight suddenly brightened, the moss was slippery, and the air was filled with a bittersweet medicinal fragrance, and...
It also evokes a rich, pastry-like sweetness.
Sheng Ningyu suddenly turned around.
Wisps of white steam rose from a house. Outside, a wooden table stood with several small stools scattered around it, looking as if they had been messed up during play and were completely disorderly.
A woman stood with her back to her, her figure slender, dressed in an ordinary lotus-colored dress, her dark hair flowing like clouds, loosely tied up with only a wooden hairpin.
Although I haven't seen her face, the aura surrounding her is so serene that it puts people at ease.
Sheng Ningyu opened her mouth, but it was so dry that she couldn't make a sound.
Until the man turned around.
She wasn't a stunning beauty, yet her eyes held a warmth as gentle as the sun on a mountain, capable of melting away all anxiety and coldness.
Time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her, or perhaps, in this place, she remained forever in her most beautiful years.
Sheng Ningyu still dared not make a sound. When she approached with a plate full of pastries, Sheng Ningyu even took a step back warily.
Seeing Sheng Ningyu's reaction, the man seemed to pause for a moment and then stopped moving forward.
“Ninefold.” Sheng Ningyu heard that kind and loving voice in her ear, “Auntie is here, don’t be afraid.”
At this moment, Sheng Ningyu suddenly realized who was calling out to her while she was trapped in chaos.
"...Auntie."
Sheng Ningyu's voice was hoarse as she looked at her aunt, but dared not take another step forward: "How did you end up here?"
"In your words, this 'old thing' of mine is now nothing more than a remnant soul," Wang Yunniang said leisurely. "Mortals live for no more than a hundred years, and my lifespan is ultimately no match for that 'old turtle' you speak of."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Ningyu reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and she cried out, "Auntie!"
This was a complaint she made when she was a child, after being knocked down by Yuan Daojun with a single slap, and crying and acting spoiled in her aunt's arms.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Ningyu became even more certain of Wang Yunniang's identity.
But why did Xie Qianjing lead her here? And why is it in the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City?
As if seeing through Sheng Ningyu's thoughts, Wang Yunniang smiled and stepped forward to take Sheng Ningyu's hand, then sat down at the table.
"Because I knew you would come here, before I left, I asked Daojun to seal a wisp of my soul here."
Wang Yunniang was cheerful and generous. She told Sheng Ningyu about these things without any hesitation, but Sheng Ningyu seemed to be stunned.
She stared at Wang Yunniang, and asked absentmindedly, "Why does Auntie think I'm here?"
Wang Yunniang looked at her and patted her head: "You have unfinished business."
She understands this child.
She may seem carefree and unrestrained, as if no one can hold her back, but in reality, she is the most loyal and affectionate person.
She would remember even the slightest kindness shown to her.
For example, after hearing about the events in Hehuan City, Wang Yunniang was certain that Sheng Ningyu would return there.
But the old man still didn't believe it.
Wang Yunniang's eyes held a hint of pride as she stroked Sheng Ningyu's head, saying, "I still understand our Jiuchong the best."
Sheng Ningyu rested her head on Wang Yunniang's lap, trying to hide the tears welling in her eyes, and did not respond immediately.
“Ninefold, there’s no need to be afraid.” Sensing Sheng Ningyu’s trembling, Wang Yunniang quickly said, “You are inside the mirror, it’s just a blink of an eye outside.”
But Auntie, she wasn't afraid.
She just...
Sheng Ningyu sniffed, savoring this fleeting moment of tenderness, and spoke in a soft voice, just as she had when she was a child.
"I'm not scared, I just miss my aunt a little."
Wang Yunniang paused, then patted Sheng Ningyu's head.
When she was young, Sheng Ningyu would also act coquettishly towards her in this way.
At that time, Sheng Jiuchongtian was fearless. Even when he pretended to cry while lying on her lap, his bright eyes still held an undisguised smile.
Playful and unruly, like a cat in the mortal world, leaping and bounding about.
It's nothing like it is now.
He felt heavy all over, yet he didn't say a single word to her.
Wang Yunniang hugged her even tighter. Sheng Ningyu could only smell the fragrance of medicine at the tip of her nose, and she sighed deeply with her aunt: "My Jiuchong'er has suffered."
...
"Your sword is more powerful than ever before."
The wind, carrying scattered demonic energy, fell like a sudden snowfall onto Yan Wurong's face.
The numerous crisscrossing scars made them all the more noticeable.
Qi Baiya paused, looked away, and said in a hoarse voice, "Why don't you remove the scars on your face?"
The sky suddenly darkened. Yan Wurong wiped the blood from her sword, raised her head, her eyes indifferent, showing no nostalgia for the past.
She showed no displeasure or anger, but calmly told Qi Baiya, "Once you are dead, I will remove the scars from my face."
Qi Baiya paused, then his face turned pale.
“Okay,” he said.
This is what he owes her.
As soon as these words were spoken, a sudden gust of evil wind arose from the ground, causing the copper bells on the eaves to ring erratically. When the wind subsided and the shadows settled, Yan Wurong, who should have been in the distance, suddenly appeared at the intersection of light and shadow on the pavilion, carrying with her aura of lingering malevolence.
Jin Xianyao had just woken up and was standing next to Feng Jiutian. Upon seeing the newcomer, he suddenly stood up from where he was.
"Mother!"
Everyone looked over, and Yan Wurong slowly emerged from the shadows.
She carelessly tossed the blood-soaked Qi Baiya to the ground, ignoring the astonished and wary gazes of the crowd, and walked towards the disciples of the Half-Body Sect: "What's going on with the wind and snow outside?"
The disciple of the Half-Wall Sect stammered, "Yes, the formation of the City That Never Sleeps has been broken."
The formation of the City That Never Sleeps?
Yan Wurong frowned in confusion, then heard an old cultivator from the Weapon Refining Sect sigh, "Fate plays tricks on people, and the world is unpredictable."
Just then, Rong Que's voice rang out.
"Sect Leader Yan," he sighed, "Mingyue went to the City Lord's Mansion, presumably to search for Young Master Feng, but we still haven't received any news... If you don't mind, could you take us with you to search for Young Master Feng?"
Neither Feng Xiaosheng nor Sheng Ningyu are here.
Yan Wurong then realized that something seemed to have slipped out of her control.
She looked at Yuan Bushu, whose expression remained unchanged but whose eyes were bloodshot, and said slowly, "Please follow me."
...
Within the Yin-Yang Mirror.
Sheng Ningyu regained her composure.
Wang Yunniang said, "This matter is a secret. Even Daojun never told me much. I only know that something happened to the Xie family in Bodhi at that time... and after that, you never mentioned the young master of the Xie family to me again."
The young master of the Xie family.
My aunt is a mortal, and her physique is really not suitable for cultivation. Over the years, she has still been used to using the term "mortal".
Sheng Ningyu was a beat slow to realize that it was Xie Qianjing.
Xie Qianjing.
Hearing about her past with him again from someone else's mouth, Sheng Ningyu felt a sense of novelty.
Wang Yunniang: "But once our Jiuchong'er is out of this illusion, I reckon the old man's restraints will be loosened a bit. Go ask him yourself, just say I told you to ask him, he would never dare to lie to you."
They exited the formation.
Sheng Ningyu didn't say a word, but hugged her aunt's hand even tighter.
Wang Yunniang couldn't help but laugh when she saw her childlike appearance.
She was naturally bold and forthright, and took a very light view of life and death. At this moment, she directly stated: "To be honest, I only have a wisp of soul, so I can't see Jiu Chong. I can only give you some invisible help with my soul's obsession. But who would have thought that I would meet such a powerful young man who could restore my sanity and allow me to see our Jiu Chong'er again."
It turns out that his previous unpredictable whereabouts were due to this very matter.
This time, Sheng Ningyu realized what was happening and said softly, "Auntie, his name is Xie Qianjing."
Wang Yunniang understood: "The young master of the Xie family." With a kind smile on her face, she didn't ask about Xie Qianjing's strange movements, nor how he survived the Xie family tragedy of that year, or what his current status was. Wang Yunniang only asked: "Is that child the young master you've always liked?"
Even as a Sword Master, Sheng Ningyu felt a little embarrassed in front of her respected elders. She pursed her lips and said, "Yes."
Seemingly finding the statement too brief, Sheng Ningyu raised her face again, blinked, and asked, "Auntie, is he very good?"
With a hint of pride and smugness, and a touch of unwitting boasting.
It's like having the finest treasure in the world in your pocket.
The way that tail is held up to the sky does resemble the fearless "troublemaker" Sheng Jiuzhong from back in the day.
Wang Yunniang smiled and said, "Yes, what a good child. You can tell at a glance that our Jiuzhong'er would like him."
“I see…” Wang Yunniang raised her eyes, her gaze distant.
In the depths of her being, she seemed to see something and suddenly said, "I don't understand the mysteries of you cultivators, but I think this talisman is extremely beautiful. I think that after we get out, Jiuzhong'er can try this talisman."
Sheng Ningyu did not respond to this, but hugged her aunt even tighter: "I haven't had a chance to eat the pastries that Auntie made yet."
"You're so old, why are you still as greedy as a child?"
Wang Yunniang seemed oblivious. She picked up a piece of pastry, brought it to Sheng Ningyu's lips, and asked with a gentle smile, "Is it delicious?"
Sheng Ningyu couldn't taste the flavor at all, and just nodded haphazardly: "Auntie's cooking is the best."
She was still going to eat, so Wang Yunniang paused and withdrew her hand.
“This is an illusion. All the food here is just a dream. It can simulate the aroma, but it has no taste at all.” Wang Yunniang looked at Sheng Ningyu with unbearable heartache in her eyes. She sighed like any elder who sees their own nephew or niece suffering.
"Jiu Chong'er..."
Jiuchong'er, my Jiuchong'er.
This child, who clearly has a sweet tooth and is quite spoiled, suffered so much while she was away.
Wang Yunniang didn't say a word in the end. She just smiled kindly and said, "It's so good to see Jiuzhong'er again."
"When we get out, Jiuchong'er will be as happy as before." Wang Yunniang squinted her eyes, as if she could still see Sheng Jiuzhong's mischief in the mountains and fields when he was a child. "It doesn't matter if you make a fuss. I just like watching Jiuchong'er make trouble. If anyone talks about you, ask your former senior brother to beat him. If your former senior brother can't beat him, just ask Dao Jun to do it."
After all these years, this old man's cultivation should have improved somewhat, right?
"I know."
Wang Yunniang looked at Sheng Ningyu with affection and smiled gently.
She had long since parted ways with Yuan Bushu, and her soul resided here solely for Sheng Ningyu.
Sheng Ningyu was not her biological child, but this child was the one she couldn't let go of the most before she died.
But there's no need to say more about these things.
As the sun began to set, its shimmering light, fleeting and dancing, suddenly changed its trajectory.
The rosy clouds in the sky transformed into endless snow in an instant.
Wang Yunniang's gaze was distant.
Layer by layer, it melts away like frost and snow.
Sheng Ningyu had known this moment would come, but even now, she couldn't help but reach out to touch her: "Auntie!"
The warm figure turned to dust in the air, all the light vanished at that moment, leaving only a voice echoing from afar.
"Jiu Chong'er, go ahead, the pastries outside are delicious too."
...
In the city and in the government offices.
Rong Que almost watched Sheng Ningyu step into the mirror. Before he could stop her, Yuan Bushu beside him spoke up: "Demon Lord, the wind and snow outside are relentless, carrying the resentment of demons and ghosts."
Feng Shaojun said, "They are the demons and ghosts that were in the dungeon of the city lord's mansion in the past. Madam Xiang did not want them to be destroyed, so she used her body as a cage to trap them and protect them."
But everyone knows that this is only temporary.
Finally, Lady Xiang will vanish along with these demons.
Moreover, there are still demons and ghosts in the city, and Sheng Ningyu's sword domain cannot cover the entire city indefinitely.
Yan Wurong pointed her sword, ignoring the angry glares from the city lord's stewards, and asked succinctly, "Would it be of any use to use him in the formation?"
The sword was aimed at Qi Baiya, the former lord of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City.
The reason Yan Wurong spared his life was precisely for this moment.
Feng Xiaosheng shook his head: "He is not the same person as back then. Using him to sacrifice to the formation will be useless."
Just then, a gentle voice spoke.
"Before that, please tell me, Lord Demon Lord, where is my junior sister, Sheng Ningyu, now?"
Everyone stopped moving, and saw Immortal Rong Que asking a question with a gentle smile, as if he were in a very good-natured mood.
The sword of strict rules is drawn.
Among the cultivators, some who had just arrived were shocked by the sight and couldn't help but gasp.
"The Sword of Strict Rules!"
"Immortal Rong has actually drawn his sword?"
What's that thing on the hilt of the sword?
The blade of the Qinggui Sword is as slender and elegant as a jade hairpin flower, and when it is drawn from its sheath, it sounds like the clear sound of a jade chime being gently struck.
Such an elegant sword, yet at its end is an extremely crude wooden carving that is completely inconsistent with Rong Que himself.
Everyone was speechless at the rare opportunity to see the Qinggui Sword.
Yuan Bushu suddenly remembered his conversation with Rong Que that day.
Can he really stop him?
Xie Qianjing neither dodged nor flinched, but simply stood there, looking at Rong Que, and said calmly, "What does Immortal Rong wish to do within my mirror?"
Rong Que: "I'm afraid it's not the Demon Lord's mirror."
Xie Qianjing wasn't annoyed. He looked at Rong Que and suddenly smiled.
I see.
Xie Qianjing spoke calmly, answering a question unrelated to the one asked: "But she entered the mirror voluntarily."
Just then, the Yin-Yang Mirror, which was suspended in the void, shone brightly with white light!
Just as the sword light of the Qinggui Sword was about to touch Xie Qianjing, a white light surged out like a tide, instantly engulfing the sword intent. The sword light disappeared into it, melting away like ice and snow, without even causing a ripple.
Almost simultaneously with the gleaming light, a sword cry pierced the sky, clear and melodious enough to shake one's soul!
Before the sword's cry had faded, an aged and deep voice, yet imbued with undeniable authority, boomed down from the highest sky, each word carrying the weight of a mountain.
"I will not forgive her; I will protect her."
The moment the words fell, an overwhelming and intense pressure descended!
It wasn't a killing intent directed at any one person, but rather a vast, ocean-like, and earth-shaking presence, as if the entire sky had sank slightly. All the cultivators present, regardless of their cultivation level or stance, were shaken to their core, their spiritual energy uncontrollably stagnating slightly, and their chests felt as if a huge boulder had been placed on them.
Some knowledgeable old monks exclaimed in shock:
"It's the former Palace Master!"
"Senior Yuan actually... came out of Lingheng Dock in person?!"
The moment he heard that voice, Yuan Bushu's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
The next second, he suddenly realized something, and without hesitation, he stood firmly in front of the Yin-Yang Mirror, but someone was faster than him.
"Former Palace Master," Xie Qianjing said quietly, "go and prepare."
The other cultivators never expected that the former palace master would come in person. Before they could express their shock, the next scene shocked everyone even more.
In the air, within the white light shrouded by the Yin-Yang Mirror, a figure floated.
Dressed in white, wearing a lotus crown, with a wooden sword at his waist.
Bright Moon Sword Master Sheng Ningyu.
However, this time, Sheng Ningyu did not use her sword, or perhaps she did not swing it at anyone.
In the void, Sheng Ningyu's eyes were slightly closed, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows in the mirror-like light. She used a wooden sword as a brush, slowly drawing lines in the void.
There was no sharp sword energy, no surging spiritual power, only the sword tip leaving behind extremely thin, bright, silvery-white trails that seemed to condense the essence of moonlight and first snow. These trails did not dissipate, but instead, with her movements, they continuously intertwined and extended in the air, gradually forming a huge, intricate, and Daoist-inspired three-dimensional rune.
"Sword Master... is he drawing a talisman?" a cultivator murmured, his eyes full of confusion.
“But what kind of talisman is this? The runes seem to follow a path that is neither Dao nor sword… I’ve never seen anything like it before.” An elder skilled in talisman arrays frowned, trying to identify it.
As everyone looked on in confusion, a young disciple who had once attended Qingyi Academy suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed, "It's the 'Flying Snow Melting Talisman'! The Sword Master taught us about it!"
Wasn't this talisman just for fun?
It's even effective at purifying demonic energy?!
In the air, the moment Sheng Ningyu's last silver-white trajectory came to a perfect end, the huge three-dimensional rune floating in the air suddenly lit up!
There was no roar, no explosion. Only a gentle, boundless, and clear radiance, like the spring sun melting snow, quietly rippled out from the center of the city lord's mansion, silently spreading across the entire Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City.
Wherever the light reached, wondrous sights appeared.
In an instant, the demonic resentment that permeated the entire city like snowflakes transformed into wisps of pale gray smoke and vanished into nothingness.
After the light swept through, many hazy fragments of light and shadow appeared in the ruins, streets, and even the air in the city.
Those were fragments of the past etched into the city's memory by the aura of demons and the obsession with tragedy: the scene of the raging fire in Hehuan City sixty years ago, the terrified face of an innocent woman, the pain and tears of blood that tore through the long night as her soul was refined...
These fragments of memories, originally buried deep beneath resentment and filled with chaos and pain, are now gently smoothed out by the power of the Snow Melting Talisman.
It is not refining, but transforming.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene.
The overwhelming aura of demons and ghosts suddenly dissipated, just as the falling snow melted away at that moment.
Tiny golden specks of light, like attracted fireflies, swirled around Sheng Ningyu.
Sheng Ningyu opened her eyes, looked at the souls, and smiled, "No need to thank me, you should thank the person in front."
Facing the astonished and uncertain gazes of many cultivators, Sheng Ningyu walked unabashedly to Xie Qianjing's side, leaned against him with her sword in her arms, and spoke in a light and casual tone.
"If it weren't for the heavy snowfall at your Xie family back then, how could I, born in the Sword Pavilion, have come up with the talisman 'Flying Snow Melting'? I never expected that it would be used here by some twist of fate."
So that's how it is!
As everyone watched, the rays of light, with a sense of lingering affection, gently circled a few times, as if offering her a silent thank you and farewell, before reluctantly rising and dissipating, returning to the world.
Xie Qianjing always had endless patience and a good temper with Sheng Ningyu.
Everyone saw the Demon Lord, who had been expressionless, pause for a moment, then smile, his lips curving into a shimmering smile.
"So it was a talisman given to me," Xie Qianjing said with a smile. "Thank you, Jiuzhong."
That's not all.
Sheng Ningyu said softly, "I remember now."
She remembered how she overcame numerous obstacles in the wind and snow to reach the noble and pure little fairy of the Xie family, and how she lured him into the mortal world.
In the city that never sleeps, the two of them had already met.
However, on that occasion, Sheng Ningyu did not choose to leave with Xie Qianjing when he invited her.
Sheng Ningyu: "The way you spoke back then was really unpleasant."
Xie Qianjing was slightly taken aback, and after a moment, the surrounding air suddenly became clear.
A long wind howled through the city, dispelling the evil spirits, and pure white snow began to fall unexpectedly.
Amidst the swirling snow, the cries of the city's cultivators could be heard from afar: "The demonic energy has dissipated?!"
Sheng Ningyu raised an eyebrow and looked at Xie Qianjing. Xie Qianjing smiled and said, "No worries, this demonic energy is easy to absorb."
The resentment of the demons and ghosts was completely converted. The cold, demonic energy that had been trying to grow and spread deep within the city seemed to have lost its source and nourishment. After letting out a reluctant howl, it finally gave up completely and stopped emerging.
Sheng Ningyu thought that Xie Qianjing was not entirely a demon.
His inner demons have not been eradicated, and he still possesses spiritual power. Is it really safe for him to absorb demonic energy like this?
Just as Sheng Ningyu was pondering, the cyan figure in the sky slowly descended a few inches.
The former palace master, Yuan Daojun.
People generally hold the people of Yunwang Palace in high regard.
Yuan Daojun didn't waste any words. After nodding slightly, he looked at the Meng Po light in Yuan Bushu's hand and raised his eyebrows slightly: "You're quite lucky, kid."
With Yuan Daojun's cultivation level, it's not hard to see that the Meng Po light protected Xiang Bieyun's last breath, allowing her to nourish her soul within it.
"Come back with me and place your Daoist companion deep within the medicinal spring in the palace for nurturing. Her spiritual essence has not been extinguished, and her foundation remains. Given time and spiritual medicine, there may be a chance for her to be rebuilt."
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
The tense nerves of everyone in the Half-Body Sect suddenly relaxed, and Yan Wurong's face showed a relieved expression, revealing a rare hint of ease after exhaustion.
The former palace master personally sealed the verdict, thus settling the matter. Even with Lady Xiang's resurrection, no one could use her former demonic form to stir up trouble.
The immense pressure lingering in the air, not yet completely dissipated, was the most silent warning.
Yuan Bushu held the Meng Po light, which was imbued with the fragrance of Lady Xiang, with movements as gentle as if it were the most fragile treasure in the world.
Before leaving, I do not wish to turn around and thank those behind me.
Especially Sheng Ningyu.
He said, "I owe my junior sister my life."
Sheng Ningyu paused, looked at Yuan Bushu, and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Yuan."
...
Above the clouds, the wind was biting.
She stopped speaking before she could finish.
Xin Zhuiwang did not overlook the settled situation in the city.
His eyes were calm, his gaze as straight as a line, steadily fixed on the city lord's mansion below.
Or perhaps, it's on someone in the city lord's mansion.
The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion was silently calculating, the ancient silver runes on his forehead flickering so fast that only afterimages remained, subtly resonating with the dissipating afterglow of purification in the city.
The usual gentle and peaceful expression on his face had vanished, replaced by a rare solemnity between his brows, as if he had glimpsed the threads of fate quietly tightening somewhere.
Ruan Shu immediately fell silent, her heart suddenly chilling.
The golden runes dissipated, and Xin Zhuiwang quickly withdrew his hand.
"Return to the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion."
Fate has changed, and it's become impossible to see clearly.
...
In the city lord's mansion.
The ruins burned out, and the former Xuandu Palace was reduced to ashes.
Under Yan Wurong's command, the cultivators went about their business. Sheng Ningyu was too lazy to care about the aftermath. She simply stood in front of Ning Jiao and Qi Baiya and calmly spoke to Rong Que, who was not far away: "Second Senior Brother, I will discuss with Sect Master Yan about taking Junior Sister back to the Sword Pavilion for safekeeping."
Upon hearing this, some people gasped.
So, why would Sword Master Mingyue protect her?!
One of the stewards from the city lord's mansion mustered his courage and stepped forward, but dared not disobey Sheng Ningyu's wishes. He only said to Rong Que, "Immortal Rong..."
Rong Que, however, abandoned his usual gentle and refined demeanor. He looked at Sheng Ningyu for a long time before slowly nodding: "Alright."
Yan Wurong walked over slowly and said, "My wish has been fulfilled. These two are of no use to me."
One of the cultivators exclaimed in disbelief, "Sect Master Yan!"
Sheng Ningyu said, "Thank you, Sect Master Yan."
The monk felt stifled.
Releasing a tiger back into the mountains will bring disaster!
Yan Wurong said, "Since Ning Jiao is of the bloodline of Guihai Sword Venerable, it is only natural that Mingyue Sword Venerable would protect her."
But the older cultivator asked suspiciously, "The bloodline of the Returning Sea Sword Master... I thought this was just a rumor, but it's actually true?"
Feng Xiaosheng arrived unnoticed. He glanced at Sheng Ningyu and then said to the people behind him, "If you still have doubts about the truth of this matter, you can write to the Phoenix Clan and ask the Phoenix Lord. He will surely be happy to answer your questions."
Sheng Ningyu smiled and curled her lips.
What kind of explanation...
This matter is completely fabricated.
Feng Xiaosheng was simply certain that no one dared to trust the Phoenix Clan.
Sheng Ningyu turned around and took a step forward, but then heard a soft voice coming from below.
"Senior sister."
"Senior sister, I really don't want to, I don't want to..."
Her voice was so soft, so very soft.
Sheng Ningyu was taken aback, then squatted down: "What did you say?"
Ning Jiao smiled, her eyes crinkling, revealing a hint of self-satisfaction.
She coughed up blood, yet smiled innocently and beautifully: "Senior sister, I lied to you this time."
At the same time, she quietly placed the warm spiritual bone into Sheng Ningyu's palm.
Ning Jiao had schemed and plotted to kill the person in front of her, but she couldn't bear to do it. She would rather spend all her cultivation to stay in the same place and tried every means to change the formation so that the pain of the spiritual bones when the two came into contact would be transferred to her own body.
It was strange, and Ning Jiao couldn't explain it either.
The once delicate, innocent, and frail beauty looked at Sheng Ningyu in front of her.
Bright Moon Sword Master, her senior sister...
Ning Jiao looked at her, wanting to say, "Abandon me, I don't want to become a stain on your reputation."
The feeling of being abandoned was too painful. Perhaps because she had really gotten used to a good life over the years, Ning Jiao was actually a little reluctant to give it up.
Sheng Ningyu once told her that they were good people, and that good people would be soft-hearted and let her go.
But isn't she a good person herself?
If we let her go, will her senior sister regret it in the dead of night?
Ning Jiao was unwilling to accept this.
She coughed up blood and said haltingly, "Don't argue with them... Senior Sister."
Ning Jiao hated Sheng Ningyu to the core.
But even with such intense hatred, he couldn't see her.
Because every time she sees her, she forgets all her hatred and just wants to stay by her side.
Even at the banquet, when she touched her hand, the extreme pain spread throughout her body, but at that moment, Ning Jiao thought of all the scars on her senior sister's hands.
Recalling this, Ning Jiao suddenly smiled.
if……
If only I had never met Sheng Ningyu in this life.
Ning Jiao said softly, "Senior sister, on my tombstone... shall I still have 'Jiaojiao' engraved on it?"
If she were to turn to ashes, across mountains and rivers, could her senior sister take her with her?
Qi Baiya, who was coughing up blood beside him, seemed to sense Ning Jiao's emotional turmoil. Before he could even let out an uncontrollable sigh, his hand was grasped.
Ning Jiao said, "Husband, please accompany me."
She was afraid of being alone, so she always had someone with her.
Qi Baiya said, "Okay."
Sheng Ningyu suddenly realized something. Centered on Ning Jiao and Qi Baiya, a burst of flames ignited, shaking the earth. It was as if the raging fire was about to return.
Feng Xiaosheng suddenly blocked her way, and Rong Que also stepped forward quickly, sighing heavily as he looked at the sea of fire: "Junior Sister, why must you do this?"
Ning Jiao glanced at him, then raised an innocent smile, her tone changing as she said, "Senior brother, after thinking about it, I think I should continue as the city lord's wife of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City."
Rong Que sighed and looked at Sheng Ningyu: "Mingyue, this is Junior Sister's choice, and we cannot interfere."
Sheng Ningyu was not powerless to stop it.
She almost instinctively wanted to step forward, but then she stopped.
Former fellow disciples, now separated by a raging inferno, gaze at each other.
Sheng Ningyu stopped the crowd, and she smiled, just as unrestrained and carefree as when she first taught Ning Jiao about swordsmanship at the Sword Pavilion.
She said, "Ning Jiao, is this really your choice?"
Ning Jiao stared at her, tears of blood streaming down his face, his expression a mixture of crying and laughing.
"……yes."
My senior sister is still so soft-hearted.
Even with the Yin-Yang Mirror in hand, they couldn't shatter her last illusion, and only recognized her as a descendant of the Returning Sea Sword Master.
But as early as... as early as when the Demon Lord took out the Yin-Yang Mirror in front of her, Ning Jiao already knew that her background was not as she had guessed.
I see.
What do you wish for?
Ning Jiao couldn't say it.
The howling flames swept in, engulfing the two figures in a massive inferno. Amid the gasps of the crowd, she murmured a smile.
Arrogant and frank to the point of being vicious, frankness and cruelty intertwine, her behavior is natural and decadent.
Finally, only that one smiling remark lingered in the air.
"...Senior Sister".
Senior sister.
Feng Xiaosheng looked at all this with some concern and asked Sheng Ningyu, "Mingyue?"
Sheng Ningyu remained calm, though her smile faded slightly. She lowered her eyes and said, "It's nothing."
The flames flickered, then turned to ashes in an instant.
Yet, my palms still felt like they were still burning from the skin touching.
"two".
Not only that, but before leaving, he also suddenly sent a telepathic message.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I was so busy during New Year's Day! I finished writing but haven't even posted it yet [pigeon emoji]
Starting with 10,000 RMB a day! [Sunglasses][Starry Eyes]
Finishing up
By the way, here is a list of cultivation levels: Tian Shu Realm (Nine Stages, set as the highest), Tian Xuan Realm (Eight Stages), Tian Ji Realm (Seven Stages), Tian Quan Realm (Six Stages), Yu Heng Realm (Five Stages), Kai Yang Realm (Four Stages), Yao Guang Realm (Three Stages), Dong Ming Realm (Two Stages), Yin Yuan Realm (One Stage).
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