Volume 3 Chapter 92 / Chapter 259: Xiaotian, The Third Destined One
Boom——
Dark thunderclouds rolled across the sky as snowflakes gently fell, landing on the heads of the five sword-wielders below.
Elder Tian Xing, clad in a white celestial robe, raised his spiritual sword to catch one of the snowflakes. He studied it closely before frowning slightly.
“Thunder and snow… an ominous sign,” he muttered.
Nearby, Hu Tianyue leaned lazily against her gourd-shaped flying sword, taking a sip of wine. She laughed lightly.
“Elder Tian Xing, why be so superstitious? Forcing our way through the Sect Master’s barrier has naturally disrupted the flow of spiritual energy. Thunder and snow are to be expected. If the skies were still clear and calm, that would truly be strange. Don’t you agree, Young Mistress Yun?”
“Mm.”
Yun Yiyi nodded awkwardly, but her heart pounded uncontrollably in her chest. She glanced at Feng Yudie, who hovered beside Yun Jiujiu, and thought to herself that she might feel more at ease if Ye Anping were here.
Still, she knew this mission would be fraught with peril. Ye Anping, being only at the mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, would likely be placed in unnecessary danger if he accompanied her.
“We don’t know the situation inside the Thousand Sword Pool,” Yun Yiyi said. “I trust Elder Tian Xing and Elder Hu with my and my sister’s lives, as well as Miss Feng’s.”
Feng Yudie patted her chest confidently.
“No problem! If the elders can’t protect you, I will!”
Hu Tianyue chuckled and floated over to Feng Yudie, teasingly scratching her chin.
“This little one is quite adorable. I suspected before that she was a girl disguised as a man, and I was right. No wonder she has the spirit of spring.”
“Dammit!” Yun Jiujiu cursed under her breath, glaring at Feng Yudie. “You tricked me! Once this is over, you’re out of the Sword Sect!”
Hu Tianyue raised an eyebrow, adding playfully, “Why so harsh? You don’t like her? If you don’t want her, I’ll gladly take her.”
…
The banter among the three continued, stirred up by Hu Tianyue’s teasing. Yun Yiyi, however, couldn’t bring herself to laugh. She silently focused on flying her sword.
Before long, the group arrived at a mountain cave marked by a stone tablet inscribed with the word Tomb.
The cave entrance was littered with white bones and ancient swords. Yun Yiyi furrowed her brows and took out an illuminating artifact, cautiously leading the group inside.
Elder Tian Xing, sensing something amiss, felt his eyelid twitch. His expression turned serious.
“Something isn’t right. Elder Hu, protect them. I’ll take the lead.”
At his words, Hu Tianyue’s playful demeanor instantly vanished. She conjured a spiritual barrier to shield the three younger women, then guarded them from the rear as they proceeded deeper.
After passing through a narrow passageway, they reached a cliff overlooking the dense forest of the Thousand Sword Pool. Peering down, they surveyed the area below.
According to Yun Yiyi’s plan, Elder Tian Xing and Elder Hu would accompany her and Yun Jiujiu to this point. She and Yun Jiujiu would then use their bloodline to summon Yun Kunwu from his Demon-Rending Spirit Sword. The elders would seize the opportunity to destroy Yun Kunwu’s soul with their god-slaying techniques.
However, upon spotting a golden-haired youth sitting cross-legged in the center of the forest, surrounded by ancient swords, both Elder Tian Xing and Hu Tianyue froze in astonishment.
It was clear that Zhuang Yan had already released Yun Kunwu and even restored his physical body.
The strange part was that, instead of fleeing, Yun Kunwu sat provocatively in the forest as if awaiting their arrival.
Was it because he knew escape was impossible? Or was he setting a trap?
Elder Tian Xing frowned deeply and retrieved his spiritual sword and artifact from his storage bag.
At that moment, Yun Kunwu, seated in the center of the forest, abruptly opened his eyes. Like an eagle taking flight, he shot into the sky. Ancient swords floated up around him, circling him protectively.
A smirk played on his lips as he gazed at the five figures on the cliff.
“Tian Xing, after all these centuries, the first thing you do upon seeing me is draw your weapons? That’s hardly polite. And these people with you—I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you introducing them to pay respects to me as their senior? Why haven’t they bowed yet?”
“Bowed to my ass—mmph!”
Yun Jiujiu, unable to hold back, pointed at him and started cursing, but Feng Yudie quickly covered her mouth.
From the moment Feng Yudie laid eyes on Yun Kunwu, an instinctual fear had gripped her.
This wasn’t merely a disparity in cultivation; it was a primal terror, like prey facing its natural predator.
Compared to Yun Kunwu, figures like Li Feng and other demonic cultivators weren’t even worth mentioning.
“Jiujiu, don’t speak… shh—” Feng Yudie whispered.
“Mmph—mmph—!”
Feng Yudie swallowed hard, keeping her hand firmly over Yun Jiujiu’s mouth. She stole another glance at Yun Kunwu, only to find him staring directly at her, a playful expression on his face.
Her unease deepened.
Young Master Ye didn’t warn me about something this terrifying!
『Yudie?! What’s going on? What is this feeling?!』
A tiny hammer-wielding figure emerged from Feng Yudie’s forehead—Xiaotian, its golden eyes wide with fear as it peered around.
After staring at Yun Kunwu for a moment, Xiaotian’s expression froze, its small voice trembling.
『Yudie… if a fight breaks out, you must run immediately! How did you end up facing someone like this?!』
“Someone like…?”
Before Xiaotian could finish, Yun Kunwu narrowed his eyes at her and asked, “What’s that little thing?”
What?!
Feng Yudie and Xiaotian were both struck as if by lightning, their eyes filled with disbelief.
He can see Xiaotian?!
This man can see me?!
Xiaotian, now visibly panicked, shot up from Feng Yudie’s shoulder, trying to test whether Yun Kunwu truly saw it. When Yun Kunwu’s eyes tracked its every movement, Xiaotian’s heart sank.
As the spirit of the Heavenly Dao Scriptures, Xiaotian was supposed to be invisible and formless.
Only those destined by the heavens can glimpse its figure.
But now, apart from Feng Yudie and Ye Anping, it had encountered a third person who could see it.
In these countless millennia, where only one such destined person would appear, three people had emerged in the same era?
Had heaven destined person become so common?
『How…』
Xiaotian seemed to have its worldview shattered and froze midair.
Its very existence was to assist those destined by the heavens to fulfill their destiny. Feng Yudie and Ye Anping were exceptional figures it had witnessed.
Though they could be quite devious at times, there was no doubt they were “heavenly.”
However, the aura of the person before it resembled “demonic” energy. Even the Innate Sword Bone and the unique Sword-Heart Physique couldn’t hide the demonic aura emanating from this individual.
If it were to fulfill its duty, would it need to help someone like this?
Elder Tian Xing didn’t understand what Yun Kunwu was referring to. Assuming he was trying to distract him, he cautiously surveyed the surroundings and asked,
“What?”
“Hmm?” Yun Kunwu tilted his head slightly and raised his finger to point at Xiaotian. “That thing over there.”
“… …”
Elder Tian Xing dared not take his eyes off Yun Kunwu and had to extend his spiritual sense to investigate where Yun Kunwu was pointing. Yet he found no trace of any life force.
Hu Tianyue sensed something was amiss. Seeing that Elder Tian Xing was being so blatantly provoked yet remained unmoved, she began to grasp Yun Kunwu’s power and started to worry.
If a fight broke out, how could she protect Yun Yiyi and Yun Jiujiu, those three little ones, while also assisting Elder Tian Xing?
Not to mention that Zhuang Yan was likely hiding nearby, and Yun Xi was nowhere to be seen…
“Tch…”
Swish—
Hu Tianyue could only draw her natal treasure, positioning herself in front of Yun Jiujiu and the others. Through her Nascent Soul voice transmission, she instructed the three,
「You three little ones, stay within five feet of me. Do not panic. No matter what happens, the elders will protect you.」
At this moment, Yun Kunwu also responded:
“Oh? Even you, Tian Xing, can’t see it? Then this thing is quite interesting…”
“… …”
Elder Tian Xing felt that Yun Kunwu was trying to divert his attention, so he ignored him.
Seeing Elder Tian Xing still holding back and tolerating Yun Kunwu’s provocations, Yun Yiyi also understood that the situation was unfavorable for their side. After some thought, she mustered her courage and cupped her hands to call out,
“Elder Brother!”
“Oh? So you’re another little sister of mine, huh? What is it?”
“Elder Zhuang killed dozens of inner disciples to release you, committing a grave sin. I’d like to make a deal with you.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Yun Yiyi took a deep breath and said,
“I heard that you were imprisoned here because you once made a terrible mistake. I am willing to make a blood oath. If you return to your spirit sword, after Father emerges from seclusion and passes the position of Sect Master to me, I will release you openly and honorably.”
“But I’m already out. Isn’t that unnecessary?”
“… …”
“Also, little sister, do you know why I was locked up here by Father in the first place?”
“I don’t care what the hell you did—mmmph!”
Yun Jiujiu’s mouth was quickly covered by Feng Yudie.
Yun Kunwu raised his head, looking down on the five people, and said,
“All I did was kill a few useless trash. That young master from the Overclear Sect thought he could look down on me just because his father was a Void Return cultivator. So, during the sword trial competition, I humiliated him publicly in front of his father. It was for his own good. That weakling was bound to die somewhere sooner or later; I just made sure he went out in a blaze of glory for all the renowned cultivators to see. And for this, Father destroyed my body and imprisoned me here for a hundred years? Was that necessary?”
Elder Tian Xing narrowed his eyes, forming a sword gesture with his left hand behind his back, and said,
“If all you did was humiliate him, the Overclear Sect Master wouldn’t have cared. But back then, you skinned and dismembered the young master, threw his remains at the Sect Master’s feet, and even flirted with an elder of the Profound Star Sect in front of everyone. If the Sect Master hadn’t intervened in time, you wouldn’t be alive today.”
Yun Kunwu slightly lowered his head, summoning his pitch-black spirit sword into his hand with a wave. He then smirked and said,
“Survival of the fittest, the law of heaven and earth. Was I wrong? Or do you think, Elder Tian Xing, you have the authority to teach me what’s right? You know as well as I do, back then, even my father had a hard time subduing me.”
“Back then, you had the advantage of timing and terrain. Today is different!!”
Elder Tian Xing’s eyes widened as his left hand, hidden behind his back, twitched slightly.
Swish—
Dozens of golden sword lights instantly appeared around Yun Kunwu, aiming directly at his chest.
Yun Kunwu glanced at them and smirked, raising his hand to pull Yun Xi, who was tied up below in the forest, in front of him using spiritual power, positioning her as a shield against the incoming sword light.
“Elder Tian Xing, aim carefully. Don’t miss. I can take your swords, but my little sister here cannot.”
Elder Tian Xing’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly raised his hand to halt the golden sword lights just inches from Yun Xi’s throat.
Seeing the sword energy that was so close to piercing her stop, Yun Xi, with a cloth stuffed in her mouth, widened her eyes in terror and screamed through the gag,
“Mm-mm-mm-mm—”
“Yun Kunwu!!”
“So noisy, Tian Xing. Don’t you know the principle of making the most of resources?”
“That’s a person, not a thing.”
“A waste of resources.”
Boom—
At that moment, the earth trembled violently, and countless fragments of rock began falling from the cave above.
In the next moment, streams of molten lava burst through the mountain rock, spraying outward in a blinding eruption. The dazzling light of the fire illuminated the eyes of everyone present, even startling Zhuang Yan, who had been hiding in the shadows.
“The earth veins are surging— this is bad!”
Yun Kunwu also realized that the earth veins were in motion, and a sense of unease crept into his heart.
He knew that Elder Tian Xing’s Nascent Soul technique involved commanding the essence of heavenly and earthly spirits.
In other words, while Tian Xing normally only operated at seventy to eighty percent of his full strength, an earth vein surge would allow him to suppress Yun Kunwu completely, leaving him no chance to retaliate.
But an event like the earth vein surge was so rare it occurred less than once in a century. How could it just so happen to erupt at this exact moment?
“…It seems that today, the heavens and earth are on my side,” Elder Tian Xing declared.
As he observed the lava spewing from the surroundings, his previously austere, aged face seemed to glow with vitality, as if he had become a century younger in an instant.
With his right hand, he pointed forward with his Yin-Yang Spirit Sword.
Boom—
From within the lava pouring out of the mountain, countless fiery serpents emerged, surging swiftly toward Yun Kunwu.
At the same time, Hu Tianyue grabbed Yun Yiyi and Yun Jiujiu with one hand, kicked Feng Yudie onto her shoulder to keep an eye on her, and turned to fly away on her sword.
“Mmmph—!”
Yun Xi, seeing the countless fiery serpents rushing toward her, widened her tearful eyes in despair as if to say: What about me?! What about me?! Aren’t you going to save me?!
The next moment—
Boom—
In the forbidden grounds behind the Yueying Mountain, a column of fire shot into the sky, swirling the black clouds, wind, and snow in the heavens. In an instant, the dark night turned into day.