Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Murderer Revealed
Yan Ju said, “If the rocks truly cannot be restored, then I will certainly become the clan leader’s heir; of this, I am confident. After all my years of effort, it is time for me to reap the rewards.”
Yan Li was startled and exclaimed, “Brother Yan Ju, what are you saying? I was just speaking casually earlier; you’re not serious, are you?”
Yan Ju sneered coldly. With a flash, his right hand, enveloped in yellow fighting aura, struck Yan Li. The fighting aura erupted suddenly, instantly sealing Yan Li’s meridians.
Yan Li was utterly shocked, but it was too late to resist. He gazed at Yan Ju in disbelief as his body slowly collapsed to the ground. Though he had not lost consciousness, he was now devoid of the ability to move or speak. He stared at Yan Ju with a mixture of fear and uncertainty.
Yan Ju gazed contentedly at his handiwork, cast a wary glance around, and dragged Yan Li’s sturdy body back into the stone hut. Placing Yan Li in a corner, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then sneered coldly, “Yan Li, you are still too foolish; there are things you cannot comprehend. Once I have dealt with Yan Shi, I will return to deal with you.”
Having spoken, Yan Ju stepped steadily toward Yan Shi, who was bound to the bed. Yan Li lay collapsed in the corner, staring at Yan Ju in astonishment; even now, he could not understand why Yan Ju, always gentle-tempered and generous toward others, had become like this. A dagger now appeared in Yan Ju’s hand. He approached Yan Shi’s bedside and stared coldly at the noticeably emaciated figure, speaking with hatred: “Yan Shi, do you know why I am treating you this way? You do not, do you? Then let me tell you, so that even in hell you may die with understanding. Since our childhood, I have hated you. Clearly, I surpassed you in every aspect, yet simply because you are the chieftain’s son, everyone doted on you, cherished you, and regarded you as the heir to the chieftaincy. And what of me? Forever destined only to be your foil. Xiao Yun—Xiao Yun was indeed a fine young woman. Did you think you were the only one who loved her? No, I too had long fallen for her. But you, being the chieftain’s son and spending every day with Xiao Yun, left me no opportunity, absolutely no chance. I could only bury my love deep within my heart. Why? Why is heaven so unfair to me? Even when you offended the chieftain, he merely exiled you to serve as chief of a remote tribe. When you and I departed together back then, the chieftain told me to watch over you carefully, to monitor you, and to assist you. I simply cannot understand: since I surpass you in every way, why am I denied the woman I love, forced instead to remain as vice-chief, forever suppressed beneath you as nothing more than a foil?” As he spoke these words, Yan Ju’s voice involuntarily rose considerably, his eyes filled with madness.
Upon the bed, Yan Shi still lay motionless, his gaze still vacant; yet beneath the blanket, his hand had clenched tightly, his fingernails digging deeply into his own skin.
Raising the dagger before his eyes, Yan Ju spoke with bitter hatred: “The day before yesterday, when you went out on patrol again, I could no longer endure the torment within my heart. Finally, taking advantage of no one paying attention, I slipped into your home. At that time, I only wished to speak the words in my heart to Xiao Yun. But—but that wretch not only rejected my love, she cursed me, calling me shameless, accusing me of delusional fantasies. Ordinarily she appeared so soft and fragile; who would have expected her reaction that day to be so fierce? Why was her tenderness given only to you, with not even a shred spared for me? I cannot accept this! I utterly cannot accept it! I could not let her go; if I had let her go, once you learned the truth, the one who would die would be me. Yan Shi, if you were conscious right now, you would surely hate me, wouldn’t you? Hahahaha, hate me then, hate me! I raped Xiao Yun, and I killed her. Since that bitch harbored not the slightest affection for me, I resolved to torment her, making her suffer excruciating pain until death. Now, you too can go underground to accompany her. After you die, I will kill Yan Li as well, inflict severe injuries upon myself, and no one will ever suspect me; I shall simply blame those outsiders. When the tribe holds its selection, I will certainly rely on my own abilities to become the heir to the chieftaincy. At that time, under my rule, the Pu Yan tribe will see all its beautiful women belong to me. I have waited too long for this day. Die now!” Gripping the dagger with both hands, Yan Ju thrust it violently toward Yan Shi’s chest.
At that very moment, a sudden change occurred. The rocks, previously bound tightly, suddenly blazed with fierce light in their eyes. The ropes around them snapped inch by inch. With a powerful thrust of their feet, they kicked heavily against Rock Giant’s chest. Two sharp cracks echoed clearly—the sound of breaking bones. Rock Giant let out a deafening scream of agony, his body hurled backward through the air before crashing heavily into the stone hut’s wall, then slowly slumping down.
Rock rose from the bed, his eyes bloodshot. Step by step, he advanced toward Rock Giant. A chilling aura of killing intent radiated continuously from within him, accompanied by the crackling sounds of shifting bones. His voice trembling slightly, he said, “Why? Rock Giant, why? You were the elder brother I respected most. How could you commit such an act, worse than any beast?”
Although struck by a kick from Rock, Rock Giant’s foundation was profound after all; the fighting energy within his body halted his fractured sternum, preventing damage to his internal organs. He stared at Rock in astonishment. “You… you are conscious? So, even prophets can lie? You… I hate you so much. Why didn’t I kill you back then?”
Rock gazed coldly at him, radiating intense fighting energy. Driven by hatred, the potential within him erupted completely. Just as he was about to step forward and finish off Rock Giant, an aged voice echoed in, “Rock Giant, I did not lie. It is merely that your understanding was somewhat mistaken.”
The stone house door opened, and Prophet Lin, Yan Fei the chief of the Pu Yan tribe, along with A Dai and Xuan Yue, walked in together. Originally, Rock Giant had believed he still had a sliver of hope; he had gathered all his strength, waiting to make a final desperate strike when Rock attacked him. After all, in terms of martial prowess, he was slightly superior to Rock; even wounded, he still retained considerable power. But upon seeing both the prophet and the chief appear together, he knew it was over. All his efforts had been in vain. No one in the Pu Yan tribe was unaware of just how immensely powerful the prophet truly was.
Yan Fei’s face bore an expression of grief. He shook his head sorrowfully and said, “Rock Giant, why? You were the clansman I favored and trusted most. Why did you betray the Pu Yan? Rock is your brother! Even if he had done something wrong, you should never have committed such an act worse than that of a beast. You have truly disappointed me greatly. How can you face your deceased parents? Indeed, in many aspects Rock does not compare to you. Moreover, like Yan Li, although his strength ranks high among our clansmen, his mind is too simple and he is too impulsive, unable to prioritize the greater good. Do you know? The reason I made things difficult for you at every turn was precisely because I had long designated you as my successor. I am not an obstinate old man. I have always believed that with you leading the Pu Yan tribe, our people would enjoy a better life. You… you have truly disappointed me greatly.”
Yan Ju was stunned for a moment, then said coldly, “Who do you think you’re trying to fool with these lies? Do you really expect me to believe you wouldn’t let your own son inherit the position of clan leader? I don’t buy it.”
Prophet Lin sighed and said, “Even if you don’t believe the clan leader’s words, surely you must believe mine. Three years ago, the clan leader already told me that you were his best choice for successor. We arranged a series of trials to test your abilities, and you passed them all. However, we never expected your scheming to be so deep. Yan Ju, now everything has become clear. Do you know? When you and Yan Li went to bring those outsiders to the temple, Yan Shi told everything to both the clan leader and me. He was already conscious at that time. After you raped and murdered Yun’er, you deliberately broke her corpse to provoke Yan Shi. Because you clearly knew that among our Puyan tribe, any excellent warrior possesses the ability to go berserk. By provoking Yan Shi into this state, he would inevitably lose control, easily exhausting his potential and dying. But what you didn’t anticipate was that at the critical moment, Xuan Yue and A Dai calmed Yan Shi’s rage, saving him from the danger of going berserk. Afterwards, you no longer had any opportunity to kill Yan Shi. Finding him already dazed, you saw no urgent need to eliminate him. Did you think I lied back in the temple? You are wrong. Everything I said was true. A Dai is indeed the benefactor destined in Yan Shi’s life. What I didn’t explicitly mention is that A Dai had already met Yan Shi inside the carriage before coming here. Through his persuasion, Yan Shi successfully regained consciousness. We orchestrated all this merely to find the true murderer. And it was precisely at this moment that you appeared.”
Yan Ju became completely dazed, muttering, “No, no, this can’t be. You must be lying to me, right? You’re definitely lying to me.” He could never have imagined that the position of clan leader he had always longed for was actually so close to him. Now, the word ‘regret’ could no longer describe the feelings within Yan Shi’s heart.
Xuan Yue said bitterly, “Yan Shi, what are you waiting for? This man killed your wife! Have you forgotten how tragically your wife died?”
Hearing Xuan Yue’s words, Yan Shi let out a furious roar; his brown hair bristled under the surge of battle energy as he lunged forward, delivering a powerful punch straight at Yan Ju.
“Boom—” Amid the deafening crash, Yan Shi was blasted backward six or seven steps, only steadied by A Dai’s support. Standing firmly before Yan Ju was none other than Pu Yan Clan’s chief, Yan Fei—Yan Shi’s own father.
“Father, why are you stopping me? Doesn’t this beast deserve death?” Yan Shi shouted in rage, teetering on the brink of berserk fury.
Yan Fei withdrew his massive hand that had just blocked his son, sighed deeply, and said, “Yan Shi, your father has made many mistakes. If I hadn’t allowed Yan Ju to leave here with you back then, none of this would have happened. Yes, Yan Ju deserves to die, but not yet. We must answer to our clansmen for this matter—do you understand? I will ensure you get your wish. Yun’er! How unjustly you have died!”
Rock stood there, silent, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on Yan Ju lying prostrate on the ground. If looks could kill, Yan Ju would have long been reduced to a puddle of flesh.
Just then, a cold glint flashed in Yan Ju’s eyes. Shielded by Yan Fei’s back, he began muttering something under his breath.
Prin’s eyes blazed with light as he shouted furiously, “Yan Ju, stop attempting this futile struggle! With your nature, you are utterly unworthy of becoming a Tiru warrior.” As he spoke, he traced a yellow hexagram in the air. A flash of light erupted, and amidst Yan Ju’s agonized scream, the hexagram branded itself onto his chest. It turned out that Yan Ju, seeing all was lost, had prepared to sacrifice his soul to transform into a Tiru warrior and break through the encirclement, but Prin had discovered his plan. Shaking his head sorrowfully, Prin said, “Chief, I have sealed away all of Yan Ju’s abilities. The remaining matters are now in your hands.”
Turning around, Prin addressed A Dai and Xuan Yue, “Remember what I said today. The future of the Puyan tribe rests upon your shoulders. Regardless of the outcome, you will forever remain the most respected friends of our Puyan people. Chief, I am weary; I shall return to the temple first. Please treat these outsiders well.”
Yan Fei glanced at Adai and said, “I understand, Prophet.”
Pulin stumbled out of the stone hut; his figure appeared even more aged. His frail, flickering-in-the-wind demeanor filled Adai’s heart with a sense of oppression.
Yan Fei summoned two Puyan warriors to carry Yan Ju outside, then casually released the seals binding Yan Li’s meridians. “Rock,” he said, “tonight neither you nor Yan Li are to leave this place. At noon tomorrow, in the tribal square, I will publicly address the matter of Yan Ju.” With that, he nodded to Adai and Xuan Yue before turning and walking out.
Rock stood stunned. After watching his father depart, he suddenly broke into uncontrollable sobs, as if trying to pour out all the grief weighing upon his heart. He had finally found the murderer of his wife, yet that person was the elder brother he had always respected most. What tormented him above all was that even if Yan Ju were sliced into ten thousand pieces, his wife could never be brought back to life.
Yan Li still hadn’t recovered from the shock of what had just happened; he stood frozen to one side, at a loss for what to do.
A Dai gazed at Yan Shi, reminded of his own past hardships and the pain of his childhood. Unconsciously, tears streamed down his face. He grasped Yan Shi’s shoulders and simply stood there in silence. Beneath this sorrowful atmosphere, the air felt unusually heavy.
Xuan Yue moved close to A Dai, taking his large hand in hers, her eyes filled with tenderness.
A Dai’s body trembled. When he met the gentleness in Xuan Yue’s gaze, a warm current rose from deep within his heart. In his eyes, Xuan Yue seemed to have grown up considerably; she was no longer that little girl who used to prick his heart.
Two days later, A Dai, Yue Hen, and their party of eight departed from the Puyan tribe’s settlement to continue their expedition. Yes, eight in total: their group had grown with the addition of Yan Shi and Yan Li. At noon on the second day after capturing Yan Ju, the Puyan chieftain, Yan Fei, publicly recounted Yan Ju’s crimes before all the tribespeople. Harming one’s own kin is the gravest sin among the Puyan. In the end, Yan Ju fell beneath Yan Shi’s long blade. Though Yan Shi had avenged himself, he felt no joy whatsoever. As A Dai and the others prepared to leave, Yan Shi requested permission from Yan Fei to join them on their adventure. Initially, Yan Fei was unwilling, but Pu Lin told him that Yan Shi would only benefit from traveling with A Dai, and that his current state of mind was too troubled; a journey to clear his thoughts would do him good. With Pu Lin’s words, Yan Fei ceased to object. Yan Li, deeply remorseful over the affair with Yan Ju and long eager to leave the tribe and venture into the wider world, also petitioned Yan Fei, claiming he would go to protect Yan Shi. Exhausted by the entire ordeal with Yan Ju, Yan Fei gave little thought to the request and agreed, merely instructing them to heed A Dai and Xuan Yue’s orders along the way and not act too impulsively.
Thus, Rock and Rock Force set off alongside A-Dai and the others. Rock and Rock Force remained on horseback, while A-Dai, unwilling to endure the jolting ride any longer, returned to his own carriage along with Xuan Yue and the rest.
The weather today was clear, with a vast blue sky free of clouds. With the sun high overhead, the air grew intensely hot under its direct rays.
A-Dai leaned out of the carriage and called out to Rock and Rock Force, “Big brothers, it’s too hot. Let’s take a break before continuing.”
Since leaving the tribe, Rock had not spoken a single word. Upon hearing A-Dai’s call, he nodded slightly, reined in his horse together with Rock Force, and jumped down.
A-Dai, Xuan Yue, Yue Hen, and the others disembarked from the carriage. The group walked into the woods beside the main road and found a shady spot to sit down. Yan Shi sat alone off to one side, his expression deeply forlorn.
Yan Li drew two battle axes from his back, set them aside, and said to A-Dai, “Brother, do you have any water? I’m nearly dying of thirst; this blasted weather is just too hot.”
Yue Hen smiled faintly, tossed his waterskin to Yan Li, and said, “Drink up. This is spring water I fetched from your tribe’s lands.”
Yan Li took the waterskin, looked at Yue Hen with some embarrassment, and stammered, “Brother, your name is Yue Hen, right? About that day, I’m truly sorry—I was too impulsive. Please don’t hold it against me!”
Yue Hen still felt a chill when he recalled the moment Yan Li had swung his battle axe at him. Had A Dai not blocked Yan Li’s attack in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Smiling, he said, “That was all a misunderstanding; I’m not one to hold grudges. Still, Brother Yan Li, your martial prowess is truly formidable! I nearly became another soul beneath your axe.”
Yan Li laughed heartily and replied, “Speaking of martial prowess, among the younger generation of our Puyan tribe, aside from Brother Yan Shi and Yan Ju, the next would be…” The moment Yan Ju’s name crossed his lips, Yan Li startled himself and quickly fell silent, glancing toward Yan Shi seated nearby. Yan Shi remained where he was, wiping his long blade, seemingly having heard nothing.
Yan Li made a funny face at Yue Hen, prompting Yue Ji to burst into giggles before she wandered off to fetch some water.
A Dai took his waterskin over to Yan Shi and said, “Brother Yan Shi, please have some water too.”
Yan Shi glanced at A Dai, took the water flask and drank a few sips, then said, “Thank you, Brother A Dai.” These were the first words he had spoken all day.
A Dai sat down beside Yan Shi and said, “Big Brother Yan Shi, everything is in the past now; don’t dwell on it too much. Perhaps, in the future, you might still find a good wife?”
Yan Shi looked at A Dai, shook his head, and said, “That’s impossible. There will never be another girl better than Yun’er in this world. Brother, there’s no need to persuade me; Yun’er’s vengeance has been avenged, and she can now rest in peace beneath the earth. The remainder of my life shall be entirely devoted to my people. Alright, I wish to be alone for a while; go chat with your friends.” Having said this, he sheathed his long blade, leaned against the sturdy tree trunk, closed his eyes, and fell silent.
A Dai walked back to Xuan Yue’s side. Xuan Yue whispered softly, “What’s wrong? Is he still feeling upset?”
Adai nodded and said, “Brother Rock and his wife share such a deep bond! I’m afraid he won’t recover anytime soon. We need to show him extra care.”
Xuan Yue handed A Dai a few steamed buns, saying, “Here, eat up. I’ve already given some to everyone else.”
A Dai blinked in surprise and asked, “When did you get these buns? I didn’t see you take them out.”
Xuan Yue giggled and replied, “Don’t you remember I was the last one to step off the carriage? Oh! By the way, when there’s a chance, I’ll teach you the basic methods of using the Dragon God’s Blood. That way, you can carry your own buns without troubling me. Still, when you use the Dragon God’s Blood, it’s better to do so away from others; after all, it is a divine artifact.” Since leaving the Puyan tribe’s settlement, Xuan Yue no longer held her previous sense of hierarchy toward A Dai. Whenever she recalled how A Dai had protected her inside the temple, a smile would unconsciously grace her lips. She realized her fondness for this simple-minded A Dai was growing deeper by the day.
Taking a bite of the bun, A Dai said eagerly, “Great! I’ve been wondering what uses the Dragon God’s Blood has anyway. You can tell me right now.”
Xuan Yue glanced at Yue Hen and the others resting nearby, then whispered, “I can teach you, but first, tell me: what did Prophet普林 say that evil thing on you is?”
A Dai’s heart skipped a beat. Shaking his head with some hesitation, he said, “It’s better if you don’t know. Perhaps someday, when the opportunity arises, you will see it yourself.”
Xuan Yue pouted her little lips and replied, “No way! I want you to tell me right now. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone else. I promise.”
Xuan Yue’s coquettish demeanor was exceptionally captivating, leaving A Dai momentarily spellbound. He murmured softly, “Are you truly certain you won’t tell anyone? Not even your father?”
Xuan Yue nodded solemnly and said, “Just tell me quickly. My word is my bond. I understand that whatever you have isn’t something to be shown openly. I promise not to tell anyone, not even those within the Church. Is that acceptable? Just whisper it to me.”
The experience at the Tiru Temple profoundly changed A-Dai’s impression of Xuan Yue; subconsciously, he now regarded her as his best friend. Glancing around vigilantly, he whispered, “This sword was bestowed upon me by my uncle. He forbade me from telling anyone because this blade is utterly evil. It is called the Nether King Sword.”
Upon hearing the words “Nether King Sword,” Xuan Yue was utterly shocked and cried out, “What? The Nethe—” Before she could finish the word, A-Dai clapped his hand over her mouth. Urgently, he said, “What are you doing? We agreed not to speak of it!”
The astonishment in Xuan Yue’s eyes gradually subsided. With her little finger, she pointed at A-Dai’s hand still covering her mouth. A-Dai froze, only then realizing the warm, smooth softness beneath his palm—Xuan Yue’s skin was so elastic, especially her rosy, delicate face and moist, cherry-red lips. His face flushed crimson; he hastily withdrew his hand and awkwardly stammered, “S-sorry, Yueyue.”
Gasping for breath, Xuan Yue exclaimed, “You brute! Were you trying to suffocate me?”
Their commotion was so loud that Yue Hen and the others turned to look. Miao Fei, with a hint of jealousy, said, “Ah Dai, you’d better not bully Sister Xuan Yue! Otherwise, we won’t let you off.”
Yue Ji giggled and remarked, “Miao Fei, what’s it to you when people are flirting and teasing? Could it be that you’re jealous?”
Xuan Yue’s pretty face flushed red. She lightly punched Ah Dai and said, “It’s all your fault! Look, now they’re making fun of us. You owe me compensation—tell me, how exactly do you plan to make it up to me?”
The innocent Ah Dai stared at Xuan Yue in utter astonishment and stammered, “I… I’m already your follower. What more could you possibly ask me to do to compensate?”
Wan Li laughed heartily and said, “Just give yourself to her as compensation, and that’ll settle it.”
Xuan Yue’s fair face flushed crimson with embarrassment. She glared at Wan Li and retorted, “Oh, so you’re mocking me too!” With a casual wave of her magic staff, a small orb of light shot toward Wan Li like lightning. Just as he moved to defend himself, the orb exploded beside him, leaving a small crater in the ground and showering him with dirt and grass clippings. Startled, Wan Li quickly offered an apologetic smile and said, “Miss Mage, I was wrong; I won’t dare do it again. Brother Adai, hurry up and compensate her, or she’s going to lose her temper.”
Adai smiled bitterly and replied, “I can’t help it either! I honestly don’t know what I could possibly give her as compensation.”
Xuan Yue snorted and said, “If you don’t know how to compensate me now, then just owe it to me for now. We’ll talk about it later when I think of something.” Having said this, she pulled Adai close to her side and whispered, “Was what you said earlier true? Do you really possess the Sword of the Underworld King?”
A Dai subconsciously touched his chest and nodded, saying, “Yes! This was left to me by my uncle.”
Although Xuan Yue was young, she had long heard the legends: “When the King of Netherworld flashes once, heaven and earth tremble; when he flashes again, gods and ghosts are startled.” Although the Holy See had never confronted the continent’s number one assassin, the ‘King of Netherworld,’ the Pope had issued an order long ago that once any clergy member discovered the whereabouts of the ‘King of Netherworld,’ they must immediately notify the Holy See. Her father had once told her that the most terrifying figure in the Assassins’ Guild was not the mysterious guild master, but the ‘King of Netherworld’ who wielded the Sword of Netherworld. The Sword of Netherworld had been discovered by the third-generation Pope; the evil power it contained was unmatched across the entire continent. The current Pope had once said that the Sword of Netherworld could be called the supreme source of all evil, incomparable even to ordinary divine artifacts. Xuan Yue never expected that this legendary object of utmost evil would be in the possession of the simple-minded A Dai. On the surface, A Dai did not look like an evil person at all, so why was he able to wield this supremely evil Sword of Netherworld? Barely suppressing her astonishment, Xuan Yue continued in a hushed voice, “So, does that mean the uncle who passed the Sword of Netherworld to you is the continent’s number one assassin, the ‘King of Netherworld’? Where is he now? And how did he come to give you the Sword of Netherworld?”
A Dai’s eyes dimmed as he said, “My uncle has already passed away. Yueyue, you are the first person to know this secret since I left my uncle. Please don’t tell anyone else! My uncle said he had many enemies, and the power of the Sword of Netherworld is too great. If it fell into the hands of evil people, it would unleash a storm of bloodshed across the continent.”
Xuan Yue hesitated for a moment before saying, “Alright, I promise you. But you must also be careful yourself. Your uncle was right; if others learn that you possess the Sword of Netherworld, you could be in grave danger.” She paused, then driven by curiosity, asked, “A Dai, can you perform those moves—’When the King of Netherworld flashes once, heaven and earth tremble; when he flashes again, gods and ghosts are startled’?”
A Dai scratched his head and said, “I can’t really say; I suppose I know a little about it, but I’ve never actually tried. The evil aura of the Hades Sword is far too formidable. My uncle once told me that he drew the Hades Sword just to kill a villain, yet many innocent bystanders nearby died because the sinister power invaded their bodies. I wouldn’t dare use it casually.”
Xuan Yue gasped sharply and exclaimed, “So terrifying! Can I take a look at it? No, even just touching it would be fine.”
A Dai was startled and shrank back, saying, “Better not. The Hades Sword’s sinister power is too strong; I’m afraid it might hurt you!”
Xuan Yue’s curiosity had reached its peak. She urged eagerly, “It’ll be fine; I’ll just touch it through your clothes. Don’t forget, I possess a sacred constitution. Hurry up!” Without further ado, she pressed her small hand against A Dai’s chest. The moment Xuan Yue’s tiny hand made contact with the hilt of the Hades Sword beneath A Dai’s clothing, a frigid stream of energy immediately flowed forth from the hilt. Xuan Yue’s entire body trembled violently; her hand became stuck, unable to let go, and her complexion instantly turned ashen gray.
A Dai was startled and swiftly slapped Xuan Yue’s small hand away, then pressed his palms onto her shoulders, channeling the vibrant Sheng Sheng true energy from within himself to flow continuously into her body. Due to A Dai’s tall stature blocking the view, none of the others noticed these sudden changes. Under the surging vitality of the Sheng Sheng true energy, Xuan Yue’s complexion gradually improved, though she continued to pant heavily. The sensation of evil invading her body left an unusually deep impression on her memory. Just moments before, when her hand touched the hilt of the Nether King Sword, she felt as though her soul was being forcibly drawn out by the blade, her consciousness blurring into obscurity. Had it not been for the protective energy emitted by the Phoenix Blood in her chest momentarily resisting the force, and had A Dai not promptly separated her from the Nether King Sword, even her sacred constitution would likely have perished instantly.
“So… so terrifying a sensation, such overwhelming evil power! It’s truly horrifying,” Xuan Yue stammered incoherently.
A Dai asked with deep concern, “Yue Yue, how are you feeling? Are you alright? I told you the Nether King Sword’s evil power is too intense, and you were far too careless. Before touching the Nether King Sword, you must first envelop your body with your own vital energy. If you had protected yourself with light-element magic earlier, the evil force wouldn’t have taken hold. Are you feeling any better now?”
Xuan Yue took a deep breath, nodded gently, and said, “It’s truly incredibly powerful! You must never use it lightly. Even while still sheathed, its evil force is this strong; once unsheathed, it would probably bring devastation to all living beings within hundreds of meters. I’m already regretting my earlier promise not to reveal that you possess the Nether King Sword. I believe it would be safer if entrusted to our Church for safekeeping.”
A Dai clutched the Hades Sword at his chest, shaking his head anxiously. “No, I can’t. This is a keepsake my uncle left me. I absolutely cannot give it to anyone else. Good Yueyue, I promise you, I won’t use it recklessly.”
Xuan Yue chuckled and said, “Do you think I don’t know who you are? Don’t worry unnecessarily; I won’t tell anyone. I still need your protection, after all.”
Just as A Dai was about to speak, Yan Shi suddenly stood up and walked over. The moment he moved, everyone’s gaze immediately focused on him. Yan Shi approached A Dai and Xuan Yue, saying, “Brother A Dai, since we’re heading to the Death Mountains, let’s discuss our strategy first.”
A Dai nodded blankly. Yue Hen and the others also came over, while Yan Li remained leaning against a large tree, snoring thunderously.
Yue Hen asked, “Big Brother Yan Shi, do you have any good ideas?”