After Failing the Tribulation, I Became a Sword Spirit

The bright moon hung high in the sky, with thin clouds revealing a clear starry night. However, raindrops suddenly fell from the sky one by one, then poured down like a bucket, making a loud noise.

Actually, it wasn’t raining at all.

The people holding weapons stared up blankly, wiping their drenched and soggy faces. The red and bloody smell in their hands seemed to completely penetrate their skin, making them nauseous.

This was all the blood of the dead.

Since the girl spoke, the bloody rain had been falling, and the severed limbs shattered by the sword light had also been falling heavily.

In the wilderness, some people were knocked unconscious by the falling debris, while others were frightened by this hellish scene.

Only a young man was laughing, his laughter clean and crisp.

But no one dared to attack that young man.

Because a girl in a white veil and green dress calmly descended from the sword light, as if being held up by the gentle breeze and clouds, slowly stopping beside the young man’s shoulder.

Shuo Feng’s eyes shone brightly, sincerely praising, “Zhou Yue, you’re really amazing.”

Praised by the young man, Zhou Yue’s face couldn’t help but turn red with shyness, but her eyes were also shining, “Right, right? I’m really amazing. Shuo Feng, do you want to learn swordsmanship from me?”

The two smiled at each other, both faces filled with joy.

The onlookers silently watched the young man and woman as if they had forgotten about them, enthusiastically discussing the matter of learning swordsmanship. The girl actually weighed her divine sword in her hand, demonstrating a few fierce sword moves, teaching the young man how to use the sword.

Really, have these two got it wrong? Can learning swordsmanship be possible in this situation?

The crowd had complex expressions, but no one moved, as no one wanted to die by the sword of the mysterious girl.

At this moment, it was Shuo Feng who noticed the cowering crowd. He happily took the sword handed over by the girl and grinned, “Are you guys not leaving yet? Do we need to ask you to leave?”

The tone of his request was very heavy. But the tip of the sword pointed straight at the gap in the crowd.

But how could this be a real “request”? This was obviously a blatant threat!

Should they leave or not? Can they really leave? People looked at each other, their faces showing fear and despair, turning pale or ashen at times. Finally, the first person took a step back.

The sparse footsteps sounded, followed by the long whinnying sound of horse hooves as people pulled their reins and whipped their horses, fleeing in a hurry. The sparse grassland resembled a rough and bumpy drum surface with thousands of drumsticks striking simultaneously, shaking everything around.

Meanwhile, the girl remained to kneel quietly with her back to them, quietly reciting the sutras of rebirth for the dead. After finishing, the girl straightened her back and seemed to be really focused on watching the young man practice her sword moves. Her green skirt blossomed like a flower, and her black hair slightly exposed the clear and translucent skin on the back of her neck. The white veil made her slender figure even more graceful and beautiful, causing passersby to involuntarily exclaim at her “Jade Beauty”.

However, at this moment, Jade Beauty paid no attention to the fleeing crowd behind her and just lightly clapped her hands.

Between the vast heavens and earth, wind and clouds flowed quietly. The applause was clean and seemed to have magical power.

The fugitives froze in place and the guards prepared to use their skills, their muscles tense as a wave of despair swept over them.

The fleeing people immediately froze in place, their muscles tightening in despair. They prepared themselves for the worst, but after the breeze passed, the crystal-like laughter of the young girl rang out. “Shuo Feng, you’re learning quickly. You’re even better than I was when I started. Your sword moves are beautiful. Let me teach you some other moves.”

The two of them were actually earnestly teaching and learning swordsmanship.

What kind of cruel joke was this? The people looked stunned.

Suddenly, one of the fugitives stumbled in fright and fell face down into the dirt. The crowd panicked and struggled, rolling around on the ground like beans sifted through a bamboo strainer or crabs jumping in a steaming pot. For a moment, angry curses and shoving sounds mixed together, but ultimately everyone silently dispersed further away.

Of course, the young man noticed the chaotic and ridiculous scene, and with a disapproving gaze, he looked towards the crowd.

“Why aren’t you leaving yet?”

Upon hearing Shuo Feng’s shout, Zhou Yue also turned her head in surprise and in confusion, “Why aren’t you all leaving? Is there still something else?”

The confused expression on the young girl’s face was sincere and perplexed, as if she was genuinely worried for the people. Her face was indeed very beautiful, like jade or porcelain. At this moment, her eyebrows lightly furrowed, and two tiny, symmetrical red moles on her brow ridge twitched.

But the people did not see her as a celestial being from the heavens. They only saw her as an evil spirit who had come to collect souls.

The desolate wilderness finally fell silent. Only the crescent moon on the distant mountain remained, and the sky had begun to turn blue. The sounds of roosters crowing from a nearby village could be heard. If you ignore the corpses scattered all around, this was a beautiful ink painting of the countryside, complete with mountains and rivers.

In this picturesque scene, the boy and the girl stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the sunrise in the faint light of dawn and the formation of the geese flying overhead.

Turning to the boy standing beside her, Zhou Yue lightly said, “Shuo Feng, I’ll teach you how to use a sword. Do you want to be my disciple?”

She wanted to be his master.

The girl’s expression was very serious, without arrogance or calculation, different from others perhaps.

She seemed to be thinking of happy memories, pursing her lips and smiling, even the corners of her eyes were smiling. “My master was very good. Shuo Feng, I want to be a good master like him.”

The sunlight was warm, and the girl standing in it was also warm.

But the corners of Shuo Feng’s eyes and eyebrows were gradually filled with the coldness of spring, and he tightened the hilt of the Ji Hua Sword, speaking in a hoarse voice. “Do you also want me to help you with something?”

Before Zhou Yue could reply, Shuo Feng gave a strange smile and continued, “I also had a master once, but I killed him with my own hands.”

“Peeling off his skin and tearing his tendons, dismembering his body into ten thousand pieces.”

The words were full of indifference.

He was a despicable person who had betrayed and destroyed his own master and ancestors, Shuo Feng thought to himself coldly.

Shuo Feng lowered his gaze. If Zhou Yue didn’t want to be hurt by him, she should stay away from him. His eyes stared straight at the black surface of his boots. The silver embroidery had become darker and dirtier due to the bloodstains.

But the girl just looked at him quietly, reaching out her cold hand to touch his cheek, the corners of his eyes and brows, as if trying to dispel the bone-chilling coldness that clung to him.

Her eyes were filled with tender compassion, and Zhou Yue frowned, “He must have done a lot of things to hurt you and make you sad. Shuo Feng, since he’s a bad person, you did the right thing by killing him.”

“Never mind, even though you don’t want to be my disciple, I will still teach you how to use the sword and help you become an immortal,” the girl’s tone became light again. “After all, I am your sword.”

Shuo Feng looked up and saw the girl’s body shaking in the morning light, but her face was as pure and untouched as before.

He relaxed his fingers, which had been clenching the sword handle.

Suddenly, Zhou Yue crouched down, hugged herself and curled up into a ball. “Shuo Feng, I’m tired and I want to sleep.”

Shuo Feng also crouched down, took hold of the girl’s shoulders, and looked into her clear eyes. His voice was fragile, like shattered glass, “Zhou Yue, I’m injured, and perhaps someone will come to kill me soon.”

The April night was cold, and the chill and last night’s blood rushed into the young man’s sleeves, causing his shoulders to tremble. Zhou Yue thought of the young man’s sharp eyebrows and clear eyes, lips devoid of color, but with sharp and beautiful lines, like spring snow about to melt in the warm sunshine, clean yet fleeting.

She stood up and sighed, “Shuo Feng, I really don’t know what to do with you, but since I’m your sword, I’ll carry you.” She turned her back to the boy and bent over again. “Here, I’ll carry you.”

When she was still in Linghua Sect, she carried many young disciples on her back.

Zhou Yue’s eyes and brows softened.

Unexpectedly, the young man’s breathing became rapid. He muttered, “Who asked you to carry me? It’s not…not…”

Shuo Feng shook his head irritably, wanting the clear wind to blow away the heat on his face. But perhaps the sun was too bright and his face turned even redder.

He didn’t want Zhou Yue to see him like this, so he quickly turned to face her and hastily said, “Let me carry you instead. You said you want to sleep right? If you’re on my back, I won’t be afraid of anyone coming to attack me.”

Zhou Yue was momentarily surprised, but she didn’t flinch. She jumped lightly onto Shuo Feng’s back, and the boy felt like he was carrying a light cloud. The translucent glints in his eyes were filled with unexpected tenderness.

The girl’s feet dangled lightly on Shuo Feng’s arms. Perhaps because she had just transformed into a mortal form, she hadn’t had time to wear shoes or embroidered slippers, revealing her delicate pink toes, like warm pearls, even cuter and more lovely in the bright spring sunlight. Shuo Feng blushed and unintentionally pulled down the hem of the girl’s green skirt, trying to cover up her innocent charm.

The road was muddy and uneven, with lush green grass on both sides. The water vapor from the Canglan River that flowed through the city was steaming in the warm air, hiding the muddy blood smell in the grass.

Shuo Feng avoided the bumpy parts of the road, using his inner strength to deflect the stones that blocked the way with a silver needle in his hand. He walked very steadily, and the girl on his back slept soundly. Shuo Feng felt the girl’s head bobbing up and down on his shoulder, her unbraided black hair nestling against his neck, warm and itchy. He whispered softly, “Zhou Yue, do you want me to help you with something?”

The girl, although sleepy, was actually afraid of being ambushed, so she didn’t fall asleep. “I want you to cultivate into an immortal and help me seal the Abyss of Xuanming,” she said firmly, not like she was talking about something unrealistic for mortals.
In fact, the story of cultivating into immortals had been circulating in the mortal realm for a long time. Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, when the heavenly ladder was not yet broken, there were also people from Da Liang who ascended to immortality. But legends were still legends, just like who would know that there was a sword spirit girl living in the divine sword?

However, Shuo Feng was listening very seriously. He thought that this might be related to Zhou Yue’s background, but he didn’t mind her secrecy and secrets.

Everyone has secrets, just like he does.

“The Abyss of Xuanming? What is that place?” Shuo Feng asked.

“The Abyss of Xuanming is beyond the six realms, where the origin of evil spirits lies,” said the girl on his back, pausing her words and speaking seriously, “It’s not a good place, very dangerous, with endless resentful spirits and malevolent energy tearing apart souls. If one were to die there, they would be forever trapped in the Abyss of Xuanming, never to be reincarnated.”

The strings in his mind were rapidly vibrating, and Shuo Feng sensitively sensed something and couldn’t help but ask, “Are you there? Do you want me to go save you?”

He was actually a kind-hearted and softhearted child.

Zhou Yue smiled and seemed grateful for Shuo Feng’s kindness. But she shook her head and also shook off her black hair that blocked the boy’s view, “There’s no need for that. I don’t eleven like that place, why would I make you go there? Shuo Feng, all you need to do is help me reinforce the seal at the boundary gate.'”

But at that moment, Shuo Feng felt like his heart had been struck by the girl’s black hair that she had just shaken off. It was sour and bitter, like willow fluff drifting on a calm lake, prickling like needles.

The girl had already sensed his complicated emotions and calmly reassured him, “Shuo Feng, you don’t have to be sad.” She paused, “I died in the Xuanming two hundred years ago. Although I am now the spirit of the Ji Hua sword, ultimately, I am just a remnant soul attached to the sword by chance.”

Shuo Feng hugged the girl’s legs tighter, but Zhouyue seemed really tired, and after saying this, she fell asleep heavily on his back.

Shuo Feng could feel the girl’s warm and soft breasts against his back, but there was nothing inside. It was a quiet spring day, with the sounds of chickens and dogs barking in the village, and only his heart beating in the world.

Zhou Yue’s gentle breathing blew on Shuo Feng’s ear, like a flame fanned by the wind, gradually turning his earlobes red.

The sun had truly risen, illuminating the lively human world, and the fireworks in the distant city were getting closer and closer.

Shuo Feng lowered his eyes, his arm muscles slightly loosened, allowing the girl’s legs to slide down a bit, wanting to make the sleeping girl more comfortable.

He thought, at least at this moment, she was real and alive in the human world.

He tried his best to calm his heart, eliminating the panic and vague sadness and pain that overlapped in his heart. Finally, he took a deep breath, and the image froze on the girl’s smooth instep and pink toes. He had to buy Zhou Yue a pair of embroidered shoes.

After all, she was his sword.

Thinking of this, Shuo Feng’s transparent eyes became clearer, and the corners of the boy’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up in the spring breeze.

Author’s note:

Shuo Feng (frantically in love but pretending to be calm): That’s right, it’s all because she’s my sword that I would…

His mother: You can continue to say one thing and mean another.

Half a month ago, at the Tingchao Pavilion, the headquarters of the world’s number one assassin organization, the Rakshasa Gate sect.

The pitter-patter of rain dripped through several layers of black gauze and stirred up ripples, carrying a chill into the building and causing the old man sitting at the head of the desk in the darkness to cough a few times.

The white-haired, youthful-looking elder sat at the head of the darkened table, wiping the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief. He looked down at the kneeling crowd below and chuckled, “So you’re saying that he alone managed to take the sword, yet none of you knows where he went?”

Except for the alive Shuo Feng and the dead youth, all the Demonic Sect’s disciples had completed their missions and returned to the sect. Currently, there were still seven disciples left, both male and female, all of them rare assassins who were the foundation of the Demonic Sect.

At this moment, the sixth-ranked disciple stepped forward.

He is different from the other assassins because he has a scar on his face and always wears a bronze ghost mask. ‘Leader, we only received news that he accidentally fell into the Canglan River. We failed in our mission,’ he said.

“Sixth, you are not his match. Seven died in his hands, not in vain,” the old man said, not angry or sad, but rather smiling as he asked the other assassins to help the sixth up. “Someone, go and fetch the Jianghu token.”

The Jianghu token was a symbol of alliance held by the four major forces in the Jianghu world and could only be used in times of crisis.

The sect leader was really angry this time, and the assassins exchanged glances with each other. Unexpectedly, the old man at the head had already spoken, his tone very kind.

“Children, there are always times when one deviates from the norm. Only when they suffer outside can they think of the good at home,” the old man said, extending his aged hand to stroke the black gold token presented to him. He continued, “This token is to inform the heroes of the world that the Divine Sword is in the hands of Shuo Feng.”

Upon hearing the words “divine sword,” the assassins all had a dramatic change in expression. They did not know that the sword they were going to retrieve was the “divine sword.” But they all knew the legend of the divine sword that descended from the sky.

So the Jianghu token of the sect leader was originally meant to mobilize all the power in the world, to make Shuo Feng a target of public criticism.

The Sixth spoke with unexpected calmness, “Leader, this will surely draw the attention of the court to our Rakshasa Gate .”

The old man waved his hand and dismissed the concern, “This little dynasty of Nanliang won’t last much longer.” He glanced at Sixth and continued giving orders, “Eight, have someone keep a close eye on his subordinate, Seventeen. Shuo Feng will go to him. This boy is still too softhearted.”

For an assassin, being softhearted is not a good thing.

The group of Rakshasa Gate sect, including the Sixth, bowed and retreated as instructed by the old man.

The quiet chamber was illuminated by a small bean-sized lamp, casting a half-light on the old man’s face. His decaying flesh and wriggling maggots were exposed, while his eye sockets revealed his bony skeleton.

In the quiet pavilion, a small bean-sized lamp illuminated half of the old man’s face, where rotting flesh grew and maggots wriggled, and the eye sockets were filled with stark white bones.

“The world will be in chaos, and that’s when my Rakshasa Gate can break through the siege and profit from it.” The old man turned his wheelchair and leaned over to look at the surging river below, smiling, “This sound of the tide is still not loud enough.”

*

“The sound of the tide is loud tonight.” Shuo Feng sat on a reef by the riverbank and looked up at the moon. Today was not the fifteenth, so it was not a full moon.

He carried the sword, Ji Hua, on his back, appearing relaxed, but his back was tense as he constantly surveyed his surroundings.

Outside the city of Lanzhou, it was very quiet. The sky was completely dark, and stars twinkled. The countryside was vast, and there were occasional barks from dogs in the distant villages.

“Ji Hua sword, many people are going to come and bully me tonight, I feel really wronged,” Shuo Feng adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable lying down.

Finally, a gentle female voice came from within the Jiu Hua sword, “Shuo Feng, I won’t sit idly by and do nothing.” She paused for a moment, “Also, I have a name, my name is Zhou Yue.”

Her name.

It was the first time in over a dozen days that he heard her mention her own name.

Shuofeng’s eyes lit up, but he continued to speak in the same spoiled tone, “If I die, will you become someone else’s sword?”

His tone was cautious and could not hide the disappointment in his words, but his eyes remained calm and cold.

However, seeing Shuo Feng’s appearance still made Zhou Yue think of the spirit beasts that were raised by the disciples in the sect — soft and fluffy. She earnestly said, “Shuo Feng, I am your sword, now and always.”

Her tone was flat as if she was making a solemn promise. “You won’t die. No matter how dangerous it is, I will protect you.”

The tension in Shuofeng’s shoulders slowly relaxed as he looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the starry night, shining so brightly that it warmed his heart and reminded him of the girl whose face was even more radiant than the moon.

He sensed the fatigue that Zhou Yue was trying to hide in her words and said softly, “Zhou Yue, you should rest well. When you wake up, we’ll go to Qiongzhou to see the tides next month. it’s a lot of fun.”

The wind was blowing quietly, and the river tide was rolling up milky white foam, crashing against the rocks, surging mightily like thousands of troops fighting.

The sound of wind in his ears mixed with the buzzing of weapons. Shuo Feng jumped off the stone and held his soft sword in his right hand, turning around and saying, “Are you all here to play with me?”

Sure enough, a continuous stream of dark shadows emerged from below the horizon, like a mountain range rising from the ground, quietly surrounding the cold-eyed young man in the center.

The young man’s eyes were clean and clear, and the smile at the corners of his mouth was also clean and clear. He said, “Everyone came to play with me, I’m very happy.”

Although it was clearly a killing spree, the young man seemed to regard it as a game.

He was too young and reckless, he needed to know how powerful the hidden Divine Sword was.

So the swarm of dark shadows rushed towards the young man, and they engaged in close combat, sparks flying and splashing like thunder in the spring night, white and bleak.

The young man moved like a ghost, taking the lives of several people in just a breath. He frowned as if regretting that these people could not have played with him for a longer time.

Seeing that the young man was holding his own against them, and the situation was not good, someone shouted, “Let’s all attack together! Whoever gets the divine sword first, it’s theirs!”

Countless greedy eyes fixed on the cloth bag behind the young man.

Shuo Feng heard this and said softly, “My sword is tired and resting. If you disturb her, she won’t be happy, so I won’t be happy either.”

He wore a narrow-sleeved black robe and was unbelievably delicate. He held a soft sword in his right hand and moved as if he were a black butterfly, fluttering through the chaos of swords and knives. The soft sword in his hand looked like a pair of flapping butterfly wings, and every time he struck, a corpse would fall. Thick red blood splashed onto his neck and spread towards his fair and smooth jawline. However, his dark pupils, reflected in the sword light, remained transparent and indifferent.

As the pile of corpses behind Shuo Feng grew, he casually kicked away a severed arm and took a shallow breath. “More? I’m having a great time today.”

This time, there were countless masked figures, and he naturally saw some familiar figures among them.

Shuo Feng seemed to see his close friends and family, smiling as he said, “Oh, so it’s family.”

The assassins stood at the forefront, each holding their most handy killing tools. They had all fought against Shuo Feng before. Although he was ranked ninth among the assassins, his strength was the highest in the gang, and they had all been defeated by him.

But today, the assassins looked at each other in silence. This was not a fair fight, and even the most powerful person would eventually be outnumbered.

They rushed forward together, like driving away and hunting down a young beast that had just revealed its fangs.

In the pitch-black night, cold glints scattered through the air. The young man appeared to be at the end of his strength, with his hand bleeding and his palm split open.

“Shuo Feng, why do you always get injured?” The figure of a young girl appeared out of the Jiu Hua sword, moving with the wind, deflecting a hidden weapon aimed at him.

While blocking the attacks of the crowd, Shuo Feng laughed and said, “Because I’m an assassin. Zhou Yue, are you awake now?”

The people surrounding them saw the young man seemingly talking to someone else, and their hearts trembled as they cautiously surveyed the dark surroundings.

But they saw nothing.

However, the next moment, they widened their eyes. The divine sword behind the young man broke free from its wrapping on its own, flew into the air, and seemed to be held by someone in mid-air. Then, a golden sword light tore through the sky in an instant, like the roar of boundless lightning descending on the world.

But the sword light did not harm them, only forcing them to retreat towards the young man. The ringing in their ears passed, and this time, they finally heard the clear voice of a girl within the lightning.

“I do not wish to harm mortals, please leave.”

Someone in the darkness spat, “Stop pretending to be a god, everyone, don’t be fooled by that bitch.”

The crowd began to hesitate, but when they thought of the unparalleled divine sword, their hearts became increasingly restless.

Finally, the first reckless man raised his broadsword and swung it at the young man.

The young man didn’t move, only looked at the girl in the sword light and said, “Zhou Yue, they’ve killed many innocent people. Bad people should be killed.”

At the moment when the broadsword was about to cut the young man’s neck, the sword light struck again. The broadsword shattered inch by inch, and even the body of the burly man shattered inch by inch.

The girl whispered, “Forget it, since they’re bad people, the will of heaven says they should be killed.”

Whether it was the sword light or the thunder light, it rang out again and again, piercing through the blood and flesh piled up in the wilderness like the bright daylight.

The bloody remains instinctively stirred up the fierce killing intent in the crowd of savages, and they continued to pursue the boy, but the divine sword seemed to have divine assistance, crushing the bodies of the crowd time and time again.

But no one was holding that sword!

The panicked people turned their backs and began to flee to the periphery in a steady stream.

But it was too late. The Jiu Hua sword waved continuously, with simple slashes and cuts, like a child learning basic sword techniques in a rigid manner. The corpses under the sword gave rise to increasingly thick blood, which coiled around the sword, gathering at the grip.

Under the cold moon, blood began to coagulate into a soft and fair hand at the hilt. Then flesh and blood continued to shape, first with the arm, then the chest, and finally the curvaceous body of a young girl wrapped in white silk and a green skirt emerged.

So there really was a “person” wielding the sword!

The people looked at the young girl holding the Jiu Hua sword in horror.

Her face was as pure as ever in the moonlight and the sword light, untainted by dust, like a goddess giving the world a casual glance.

She said, “This is my promise.”

Upon hearing the girl’s melancholic reply, Shuo Feng was stunned for a moment. Her clear and beautiful eyes seemed somewhat embarrassed, with a faint blush spreading across the corners of her eyes.

However, he let out a wicked smile and readily admitted, “Sorry about that, I did it on purpose.”

His tone was light and indifferent, devoid of any apology.

The moonlight was bright and clear, shining into the young man’s eyes with the same clarity. There was not a hint of remorse in his gaze.

In his eyes, there was not a hint of remorse.

Zhou Yue let out a sigh in her heart and reached out her transparent right hand, wanting to touch the boy’s fuzzy and dirty black hair. But she couldn’t touch anything.

“I know you’re feeling wronged,” she said.

This was how her master would comfort her when she felt wronged.

Shuo Feng turned his head away and made a small “tsk” sound. More than half of the skin exposed from his neck had turned completely black, and visible dark purple veins showed on his fair face.

Watching the young man lying in the grave and sulking alone, Zhou Yue wasn’t angry. She clasped her hands together and formed a seal. Countless beams of light converged from the river, from the riverbank, from the distant mountains, and from who-knows-where, forming a brilliant starry sky above the grave.

The cold moon hung high in the sky, and a gentle breeze started blowing.

Zhou Yue reached out her hand and grabbed a handful of flowing stars, like catching a handful of fireflies. She chanted, “Spirits of all things in the heavens and earth, awaken.”

The incantation transformed into a spell formation in an instant.

As if riding on the gentle breeze, Shuo Feng felt himself floating lightly, and the moonlight poured down like snowflakes on his shoulders. Looking down, he saw the rushing waters of the Canglan River, and he felt the soft sword at his right wrist, his fingers curling around it as the thin blade poised to strike.

“Don’t be afraid,” Zhou Yue floated up as well, touching the boy’s tense hand for a moment. “I will save you, and you won’t die.”

After all, it was because of her that he had been half-dead. Zhou Yue felt apologetic towards the boy in front of her.

Her expression was calm, and Shuo Feng could only feel the coolness of the girl’s skin that he touched, and the beating of his own pulse, but for some reason, he felt reassured.

After all, it was just a difference of one word, “alive” or “dead”. Shuo Feng smiled wryly, feeling that it didn’t make much difference.

Her expression was calm, and Shuo Feng felt the coolness of her skin as she touched his hand, but only his pulse was beating. Nevertheless, he felt inexplicably reassured.

Bathed in moonlight, Shuo Feng finally saw the girl’s face clearly. Her black hair flowed freely, and there were symmetrical red birthmarks above her eyebrows. Her eyes and eyebrows were delicate, her eyelashes curled, and her lips were slightly red. Her gaze was calm and indifferent. But her indifference was different from his as if she didn’t belong to this world, and therefore, everything in it was ordinary to her.

“It will hurt a bit, you have to bear with it,” she said.

Shuo Feng was about to sneer, but then he felt his organs, lungs, bones, muscles and tendons all ache and curl up as if his whole body had been thrown into a boiling hot pot.

But he was an assassin, he could endure the pain, he wasn’t even afraid of death, how could he be afraid of pain? Shuo Feng closed his eyes, clenched his lips, and sweat broke out on his forehead, but the toxins in his body were gradually retreating and disappearing, vanishing like black dust outside his body. If he could see, he would have noticed that the flesh and bones on his left arm and the sword wounds on his palms were healing, and the inner tendons were being purified by pure spiritual power and reconnecting.

“Cleansing the marrow and washing the tendons, this is the first stage, congratulations,” the voice of Zhou Yue rang out slowly.

In an instant, Shuo Feng opened his eyes. The bright moon hung over the pine trees, and the sound of the river’s shallow rapids could be heard. A reed flower drifted to his nose, tickling it, and he had already been back in the pit.

Without concealing anything, Shuo Feng used his internal force to explore his inner strength, realizing that his old and new injuries had healed as good as new. Although he was surprised in his heart, he still moved his muscles and bones as usual, placed his arms behind his head, and looked at the ‘sword spirit’ girl kneeling at the edge of the pit.

The moon was bright, and the sound of the shallow river tide came through. It was a chilly night in April in the mortal world, just after a few cold rains, and Shuo Feng couldn’t help but sneeze.

“Why did you save me?”

Zhou Yue smiled lightly at his words, her eyelashes curling up, and the two red marks on her eyebrows became more vivid and lively, “Because I am your sword.”

The Ji Hua Sword had already been re-pledged with a drop of blood and recognized him as its master again. He had passed the test she had set, so she was not wrong in saying that.

Before he could respond, her figure became transparent.

The girl seemed very tired and yawned with her increasingly transparent right palm. ‘To save you, I’ve used up a lot of my strength. Shuo Feng, I’m going to sleep. If there’s anything, call me.’

Shuo Feng raised an eyebrow at the mention of his name, showing a bit of youthful charm.

‘Don’t vent your anger on the sword again, repairing it is quite troublesome,’ Zhou Yue urged as she fought off her drowsiness.

Shuo Feng sat up, looked up at Zhouyue’s dust-free face in the pit, and curiously asked, ‘Can a sword feel pain too?'”

His face was very close to hers, and his handsome and delicate features were more clearly illuminated by the moonlight, revealing a light mist that seemed to be rising from the water, reflecting the white reeds and the bright moon.

Feeling tired, Zhou Yue lowered her head, and their noses almost touched.

She shook her head.

Shuo Feng felt the tip of the girl’s nose rubbing against the fuzz on his face, tickling him. Her long eyelashes were so close to him that he could even see his own clear reflection in her eyes.

The young man’s earlobes turned slightly red.

But her face was still as pale as snow. “Shuo Feng, I am an inanimate object. I cannot feel pain.”

“However, this is the Ji Hua Sword that I personally forged. Now, it belongs to you.”

Her last words drifted away in the gentle breeze and the reeds, and her figure disappeared completely as if she had never existed in this world.

Shuo Feng patted the dirt off his clothes, jumped out of the pit with a burst of strength, and headed towards the dense forest in the mountains without looking back, while it was still dark.

The Ji Hua Sword was repaired to its original state, lying alone in the pit.

In this chaotic world, who would want to invite trouble by getting involved with a divine sword?

On the rocky cliff, the branch of a pine tree swayed slightly as a young man’s figure leapt up and disappeared, shaking off the night rain. The sunlight quietly descended, and the green grass by the river was coated with tiny golden flecks, each dewdrop glistening.

The dewdrops condensed on the tender grass of spring, and the sound of footsteps drew closer. Grass tips and water droplets were trampled back into the mud by the boots.

The young man wore a black robe embroidered with exquisite dark patterns on the soles of his black shoes, with gold and jade decorations at his waist. In the sparse light of day, his expression was indecipherable, flickering between anger and happiness.

Shuo Feng rolled his eyes, grabbed the Ji Hua Sword, and tore off a large piece of silk from his black robe with a “rip”, wrapping the sword hilt tightly and securely, then slung it onto his lean back.

“Tsk, if it weren’t for this sword, I wouldn’t have gotten into such big trouble.”

With the sword on his back, the young man disappeared into the dense forest without looking back.

His body movements were very light and agile, flowing like clouds and water, passing through the pine and cypress branches. Amidst the swirling layers of green, the bent branches occasionally revealed a flicker of silver light behind the young man’s back.

*

The Canglan River nurtured the local people, and many cities of Southern Liang were built along the river. Therefore, upstream of the Canglan River was Cangzhou City, and downstream was Lanzhou City.

At this moment, in the bustling Lanzhou City, the morning market had just opened. Vendors and peddlers are coming and going, calling out their goods. In the steamy mist, peaceful faces could be seen.

Occasionally, there are new faces coming into the city, but most of them are sitting on ox carts or donkey carts. Nowadays, with natural disasters and man-made calamities, it’s not easy for farmers to make a living. Most of them have lost their farmland and come to the city to work.

When the common people looked over, they seemed to look at them with boredom or sympathy, muttering “this world”, and then quickly walked away.

But today, the people were all stunned to see a bright and sunny young man on a flatbed cart. The young man was wearing an embroidered silk robe and holding fresh dog tail grass. His features were lively and his smile was bright, making even the radiant sunlight pale in comparison.

Indeed, he is a young man who knows nothing of the bitterness of life.” “He’s really a handsome young man.” Everyone laughed and walked away.

Walking through the winding streets and alleys, Shuo Feng stopped at the back door of Shunlai Escort Agency and rhythmically knocked on the door handle, once, twice.

Under the gray tiles, hurried footsteps rushed over.

Opening the door was a scar-faced youth. He knelt down on one knee and clasped his fist, “Ninth Guardian, I’m late.”

The kneeling figure trembled slightly in the fragmented sunlight under the eaves.

“Seventeen, how long have you been with me?” Shuo Feng didn’t enter the door, leaning lazily against the wooden door and asking, his fingers lightly rubbing the hidden clasp of his soft sword on his right hand.

Seventeen’s heart trembled, and he replied in a low voice, “Three years.”

Shuo Feng let out a casual “oh”, neither surprised nor impressed. “I came this time to tell you that I am no longer a member of the Rakshasa Gate. The three-year agreement with the sect leader has ended, and from now on, you and others don’t have to follow me anymore.”

With that, he turned around and walked away without any hesitation.

Seventeen’s legs knelt heavily, arching his hand and saying, “Ninth Guardian, it was you who saved my life. If we can meet again in the future, I would be willing to go through fire and water for you without hesitation.”

Shuo Feng walked away with his sword on his back, without turning his head.

The young man walked slowly to the end of the alley, with the sunlight pulling his thin and straight figure with a long sword on his back, step by step, exuding a relaxed and youthful vigor.

Seventeen couldn’t bear it any longer, gritted his teeth and said, “Ninth Guardian, the sect leader has issued a wanted notice in the martial world.” His voice was trembling as he continued, “He said that fifteen days ago, you stole the Divine Sword in Cangzhou. Now, the whole martial world knows about it, and many people are coming to take the sword.”

Clasping his fists tightly and then opening them again by his side, Seventeen trembled as he looked up at the young man’s back, with the sword hilt slightly protruding from the plain cloth bag on his back. But the young man turned his head, with a glittering smile on his lips and a radiant look in his eyes. “Yes, I stole it, but this is my sword. If others want to take it, meet me outside of Lanzhou City tonight.”

He didn’t care at all about becoming the world’s most wanted criminal, and even intentionally spread rumors in Lanzhou City.

Everything was within his calculated scheme, and Seventeen’s courage wavered.

After leaving the East Market, Shuo Feng wandered into the largest Qingyun Inn in the West Market and ordered a premium banquet, and asked the waiter to prepare two sets of chopsticks.

After waiting for a long time, the young man was still alone, which surprised the restaurant owner and the waiters. But customers are customers, and business is business, especially since the young man paid a whole ingot of silver.

In the elegant private room of the Qingyun Restaurant, a landscape painting was hanging on the wall, and the new table was filled with exquisite dishes.

Shuo Feng picked up a piece of braised pork for himself, then thought for a moment and picked up another piece to put it on the untouched rice on the opposite side.

The rice on the opposite side was already piled high with salted crispy chicken, braised pork, and golden spring rolls.

He felt a little unhappy and muttered, “You’ve been awake for a while, but you still won’t come out and eat with me.”

The Ji Hua sword behind him remained silent, with no response at all.

Shuo Feng kicked a wine jar with his right foot, broke the clay seal, sniffed lightly, and then took out a gourd from his waist. Amber-colored wine poured out from the mouth of the gourd, and Shuo Feng licked it with his tongue, enjoying the spicy flavor. His lips were also red, his eyes shining, and when he looked out the window at the lively street scene, he looked like a carefree young master who had just emerged from a pile of luxury and splendor.

He said happily, “With food and drink in my belly, tonight is a good night for killing.”

He said that as if it was a playful remark about going horseback riding and sightseeing.

The Ji Hua sword hummed as if warning him.

Shuo Feng’s face fell. “Aren’t I doing this for you?”

Ji Hua Sword remained still.

Actually, it was not completely still.

Zhou Yue had indeed woken up a long time ago, but she had been repeatedly trying to sense her golden body trapped in the Xuanming realm, but there had been no response.

She couldn’t help but sigh.

In order to seal the evil spirits, Zhou Yue chose to undergo tribulation in the Xuanming realm. If successful, she could eliminate the evil spirits in one fell swoop and restore peace to the six realms. If unsuccessful, she could turn her body into a prison, completely sealing the Xuanming realm and imprisoning the evil spirits.

Zhou Yue lowered her eyes, and she had failed in her tribulation and died in the Xuanming realm two hundred years ago.

She woke up this time, vaguely sensing that her golden body had reached its limit and was about to shatter. As a result, the evil spirit would break through the seal and return.

And somehow, one strand of her divine soul attached to the Ji Hua Sword. During the battle against the evil spirits, the Ji Hua Sword unexpectedly fell out of the torn space and landed in the mortal world. And she herself became the sword spirit of the Ji Hua Sword.

A hundred years later, she and Ji Hua Sword were both awakened by a young killer named Shuo Feng. The moment the young man touched Ji Hua Sword, Zhou Yue woke up.

She knew he had suffered a lot of grievances. In the moment of their divine soul’s contact, she saw some of the young man’s long-hidden memories that no one knew about.

Zhou Yue chewed on Shuo Feng’s name, lifted her white and tender chin, and saw his jet-black hair and a strand of unruly black hair from inside the sword. She thought to herself that she only wished this young man would enter the Dao faster.

In this way, she taught him to let go of killing, to help him become an immortal, so that he could help her reseal the Xuanming realm, and then truly be free as the wind between heaven and earth.

Author’s note:

[Little Theater]

Shuo Feng (blushing): She said it’s my sword. So I reluctantly accepted it.