“You’re going to die.”
Beneath a lush, leafy tree, a small ball of light floated beside a person, its words quickly capturing her attention.
She was a woman dressed in black with delicate features, but a scar about two fingers wide ran from her left eye to her jaw, ruining most of what was once a remarkably handsome face.
She had been sitting cross-legged in the shade of the tree’s drooping branches, a blade resting across her lap. At the sound of the voice, she slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes were dark, her gaze heavy. When she looked at the ball of light, a thick, churning killing intent filled them. Though it was high noon, a chilling coldness radiated from her.
The small ball of light, however, seemed not to notice, or perhaps it did but didn’t care. It earnestly repeated to the woman in black, “You’re going to die.”
Shing—
The sound of a blade being drawn pierced the quiet air. A whistle cut through the air, sudden and sharp. In an instant, the black blade on the woman’s lap was unsheathed.
The blade had looked plain, even a bit clumsy, resting on her knees. But now, with a flick of her wrist, it emitted a terrifying killing aura.
Like a clap of thunder, like a surging sea, by the time the sound of it cleaving the air arrived, the blade’s edge had already sliced the small ball of light in half.
A few shattered, dry leaves lay on the ground, and the black blade was already back in its heavy, plain scabbard.
In the distance, a few outer sect disciples in black robes walked by, but none of them looked over.
The woman in black had drawn and sheathed her blade in a single moment, so those outer sect disciples didn’t even know it had left its scabbard.
With a strike so sudden and thunderous at such close range, the woman in black was confident no one could have dodged it. She closed her eyes again, treating it as a trivial interruption.
And indeed, the small ball of light hadn’t dodged it. When the blade struck, its round, white body shattered instantly.
But a moment later, the scattered light fused back together, and the small ball of light started bouncing again.
“I already told you! I’m the Heavenly Dao of this world, an immortal and indestructible existence! You’re just a little ninth-layer Origin Opening Realm outer sect disciple. Do you really think you can defy the heavens?” Its voice was rather exasperated, as if the strike had startled it.
Rong Su’s expression finally changed. The killing intent, the carelessness, the disbelief—all of it shattered in an instant. Compared to the ball of light, she was the one who looked like she had just taken that blow.
Although she was an outer sect disciple of the Zhengyang Sect, the way of the blade she cultivated was extraordinary. She was utterly confident in the power of the strike she had just delivered.
But the ball of light had clearly been hit by the blade, had even shattered, yet it was able to reform as if nothing had happened.
In her twenty-four years of life, she had never seen anything like it.
If what I’m seeing is real, does that mean what the ball of light said is also real?
A dark light glinted in Rong Su’s eyes. She spoke in a low voice, not to the ball of light, but toward the area beyond the tree’s shade. “Wang Xiaohu.”
A well-maintained courtyard stood there. Beside it was a tall, handsome young man, also dressed in black.
Hearing Rong Su’s voice, the young man ran over as fast as he could, a broad smile on his face that made his handsome features look a bit comical. “What are your orders, Boss?”
“Do you see this blade in my hand?” Rong Su said, placing her right hand on the hilt. Veins bulged on her arm as she pulled the blade out with all her strength.
Shing—
This time, the sound was even deeper than before. The air grew heavy, and leaves rustled down from the tree.
The young man named Wang Xiaohu’s face instantly filled with terror. Just as he was about to beg for mercy, he saw the black blade slash vertically through the empty air, the explosive sound venting the wielder’s violent frustrations.
“How was that strike?” Rong Su didn’t immediately sheathe her blade. Instead, she stared intently at the gleaming edge, then at the shattered points of light, and finally at Wang Xiaohu, her dark eyes scrutinizing his every expression.
Wang Xiaohu visibly sighed in relief. Though he was inwardly complaining about her getting so serious over a simple swing, his face was already covered in flattery and awe. “Boss, your blade techniques have improved so much again! With time, you’ll definitely become the most unbeatable blade cultivator in the Zhengyang Sect…”
He really can’t see the ball of light.
Rong Su’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her breathing grew heavier. She waved her hand, dismissing Wang Xiaohu.
“I told you! In this world, only you can see me! No one else can see anything, and you still don’t believe me!”
The ball of light was full of resentment and began to complain about Rong Su. “And if you’re not going to believe me, fine, but couldn’t you give a warning before you strike? It doesn’t hurt, but it’s really startling, you know?”
Rong Su ignored it. Her mind went blank for a moment. She shuffled deeper into the shade, placed the black blade by her right side, and leaned her back against the tree, changing from a cross-legged position to a seated one before finally looking up at the ball of light.
“Start talking.” Her voice was a little hoarse, and the hand hidden in her sleeve was trembling slightly.
She had delivered two strikes in an instant, both with her full strength. Naturally, she was exhausted, but she couldn’t let it show.
“Talk about what?” The ball of light seemed genuinely confused, still reeling from the shock of being sliced in half twice. It looked at Rong Su with bewilderment.
Even if it really is the Heavenly Dao, it’s not a very sharp one. A little stupid, even.
Rong Su concluded this internally, tapping her fingers on the ground rhythmically as she thought.
“Tell me your purpose for appearing before me. What do you want? And, while my status and cultivation aren’t high, this is the Zhengyang Sect, and I am the number one outer sect disciple. How am I going to die?”
As she spoke, her gaze deepened.
This was normal. Anyone who was told they were about to die would not be any calmer than she was. Moreover, the one saying it was the Heavenly Dao—and it was very likely the real one.
“Purpose? Want? I don’t want anything. I just want to warn you so you don’t die.”
The ball of light looked surprised. Seeing Rong Su’s profound expression, it finally realized this person was different. She’s very cunning. She’s probably overthinking things.
“Just to warn me not to die?” Rong Su repeated, almost wanting to laugh. “Am I that important? Or will my death have some negative consequences for you?”
“Yes. After you die, your heart will be filled with unwillingness and soaring hatred. That violent emotion will directly affect this world. If the world is affected, I will cease to exist.”
The ball of light didn’t notice the mockery and sarcasm in Rong Su’s eyes and answered honestly.
Rong Su froze. A breath caught in her chest, and even her breathing felt tight. The hand hidden in her sleeve trembled even more violently.
She believed the ball of light’s claim of being the Heavenly Dao now. Because she knew herself best—if she were to die before finishing what she needed to do, she would definitely not be able to rest in peace.
Since the ball of light really is this world’s Heavenly Dao, what was its basis for what it said when it first appeared? That I’m going to die… who will kill me?
“So your purpose is to protect me and keep me from dying, is that it?” Rong Su’s eyes narrowed slightly, hiding the calculations within.
She didn’t know what a world’s Heavenly Dao was like, but it had to be incredibly powerful. If that was the case, couldn’t she use the Heavenly Dao to accomplish all those unfinished tasks?
“Yes, your life is very important. You absolutely must not die.” Even if you do die, don’t do it with so much unwillingness and resentment. Don’t cause trouble for me.
The ball of light looked at the long, ugly scar on the left side of Rong Su’s face and decided against saying the last part out loud. Facing the ripples in her dark eyes, it added, “Although I call myself the Heavenly Dao, in reality, I am just a physical manifestation of it walking the earth. I don’t have any real power. I can’t help you with anything.”
So don’t get your hopes up.
The ball of light didn’t say it too directly, but Rong Su understood immediately.
She pressed her lips together, suppressing the turbulent emotions inside her. After a long moment, she calmed down again. “Who is the one who will kill me?”
The ball of light didn’t answer.
Rong Su’s hand on her blade tightened. She coaxed it, “If you don’t tell me who kills me and only say that I’m going to die, it’s useless. I’ll still die when I’m supposed to, and I’ll still be full of unwillingness and resentment.”
The ball of light stirred. It looked at Rong Su, its voice laced with apprehension. “If I tell you, you won’t strike first and kill him, will you?”
Isn’t that the most natural and normal thing to do? Who wouldn’t think to counterattack when they know death is imminent?
Rong Su’s lips tightened. Her voice was firm and decisive. “Of course not.”
The ball of light was relieved. It wobbled, its tone becoming noticeably cheerful. “Good, good! That person is the true Child of the Heavens. There’s no way you could ever beat him.”
Child of the Heavens?
Rong Su’s grip on her blade tightened even more. “Since you’ve said that, I naturally wouldn’t seek my own doom. So who is this Child of the Heavens? Is he here in the Zhengyang Sect?”
“His name is Gu Jian’an. He’s the young master of the Gu Clan from Qing Province, and he’s currently an outer sect disciple of the Zhengyang Sect. Not long ago, you two even made a three-month pact. You remember, right?” the ball of light answered every question.
Gu Jian’an.
Rong Su released her grip on the hilt. Her deep expression turned frigid. “That useless young master who had to pull strings to pass the entrance trial and was kicked out of his own clan?”
She remembered, of course.
A slender, handsome youth. She’d heard he was very talented as a child, but his cultivation stagnated after he turned ten, and he only started cultivating again at fifteen. Later, he angered a clan elder and was directly expelled. He only managed to become an outer sect disciple of the Zhengyang Sect through connections.
As for the three-month pact, it was only because she was the number one outer sect disciple of Zhengyang Sect. All new outer sect disciples had to hand over a treasure, but Gu Jian’an refused, which naturally led to a conflict.
Rong Su didn’t think she did anything wrong. Every outer sect disciple in the Zhengyang Sect had gone through the same thing.
When she first joined the outer sect, she had nothing. She had to walk the line between life and death just to get a treasure to satisfy the previous number one disciple who wouldn’t leave her be.
“After he defeats you, no one will dare call him useless anymore,” the ball of light muttered.
Rong Su’s eyes narrowed, and the corner of her mouth quirked up. “You’re saying he can defeat me?”
She was already at the ninth layer of the Origin Opening Realm, just a step away from the Foundation Establishment Realm. Gu Jian’an was only at the sixth layer of the Origin Opening Realm.
A three-layer gap. Only true geniuses from prominent clans with extraordinary bloodlines could cross a gap like that.
“Sixth-layer Origin Opening Realm was his cultivation level two months ago. He should be at the seventh layer by now. By the time the three-month deadline arrives, he’ll have long since reached the eighth layer,” the ball of light said.
Breaking through two minor realms in three months? Rong Su’s expression turned serious.
Seeing Rong Su look so serious, the ball of light felt a bit smug. But thinking about the consequences of her dying with overwhelming hatred, it offered a kind reminder, “Don’t worry, the Children of the Heavens are all righteous and honorable figures. If you send someone to tell Gu Jian’an now that the three-month pact is canceled and you won’t ask him to hand over the treasure, everything will be fine.”
Rong Su didn’t answer.
The ball of light took her silence as agreement and felt gratified. Seeing her head lowered, it even consoled her, “It’s alright. Take a step back and you’ll find a broader world. Patience is a virtue.”
Rong Su lifted her head. Her eyes held none of the suppressed unwillingness the ball of light expected, only a grim and crazed determination. “I can endure, but I will not retreat.”
I can endure any amount of pain, but I won’t retreat a single step. Even in death, I cannot and will not retreat.
“Wang Xiaohu.” Her voice was very hoarse.
The tall young man ran over quickly, a smile plastered on his face. “Boss?”
“Where is Gu Jian’an?”
“He left the sect a few days ago. He probably went to the Zhengyang Mountain Range for training. He’s still foolishly dreaming of beating you, Boss,” Wang Xiaohu said with contempt.
“He has a childhood sweetheart, she’s still in the sect, right?”
“Yes, her name is Gu Yanyan. She was just at the Library Pavilion.”
“Capture her. Then send someone to inform Gu Jian’an. Tell him—”
Rong Su stood up. She held the black blade in her right hand and patted the dust off her black robes with her left. Under the somewhat hopeful gaze of the ball of light, her words were resolute: “I want to have our duel ahead of schedule.”
