Firmament Sword

Xu Luo stood there, his expression calm as he looked at the chubby, pale youth. ”Let her go,” he said coolly, ”and I’ll let you live.”

”HAHAHA! You killed my senior brother, and now you want to kill me? Do you take me for an idiot? Think I’ll fall for your trick?” The chubby youth laughed hysterically, his eyes fixed on Xu Luo. He hid his entire body behind Huangfu Shishi and spoke in a venomous tone, ”Xu Luo, you’re in a world of trouble now! No matter what happens today, my sect... will never let you go!”

Xu Luo glanced at the chubby youth. ”So what? Your sect... is it stronger than the Dubhe Sect? Stronger than the Kaiyang Sect? I fear neither Dubhe nor Kaiyang, so why would I fear your sect?” As he spoke, a trace of disdain appeared on his face. He was intentionally trying to provoke the other man.

For one thing, the youth killed by Vibrating Eight Desolates had been so strong that he almost certainly wasn’t a disciple from a sect like Dubhe or Kaiyang.

If Xu Luo hadn’t trained in that mysterious starry sky, he would have been no match for that youth. The opponent’s power was nearly on par with the Sect Leaders of the major sects.

”Dubhe? Kaiyang? What are they worth? Xu Luo, I can’t deny that you’re powerful! But your knowledge of the world is sorely lacking! Did you really think sects like Dubhe and Kaiyang are all there is? There are so many other powers you know nothing about—powers so strong they would make you tremble in fear!” The chubby youth’s face twisted, and perhaps without even realizing it, he was growing paler and paler.

”Trying to scare us? You think I’m easily frightened?” Master Mao sneered dismissively from his perch on Xu Luo’s shoulder.

By now, Master Mao and Xu Luo had developed a tacit understanding. Whatever Xu Luo wanted to know, Master Mao would immediately cooperate to find out.

”You damned beast! You’re the one who scratched up my handsome face!” The chubby youth became agitated at the sight of Master Mao. He gritted his teeth, and if not for his fear of Xu Luo, he probably would have charged forward to fight Master Mao to the death.

”Idiot,” Master Mao scoffed. ”I graced you with my claws! You think I’d just scratch anyone?”

The chubby youth suddenly fell silent and studied Master Mao closely, his brow furrowed. Abruptly, his expression changed dramatically. His mouth fell slightly open as if he was about to shout something, but he forcefully suppressed his inner terror. When he looked at Master Mao again, his eyes were filled with dread.

A Heaven-Swallowing Fox! It was definitely a Heaven-Swallowing Fox!

A treasure in Cangqiong; with it, one can ascend to immortality!

Most people only knew this rumor, but not what the ”treasure” actually referred to. This chubby youth, however, happened to know a little more.

’The Heaven-Swallowing Fox... Beidou’s Eighth Star... The only one who could make a Heaven-Swallowing Fox stay obediently by their side... is Beidou’s Eighth Star! There’s no one else!’

”Unexpected... truly unexpected...” the chubby youth muttered to himself. He never imagined that the person they were looking for was right in front of him. But the current situation was extremely disadvantageous for him. Transmitting this information would be incredibly difficult.

”I’ll say it again: let her go, and I’ll let you live.”

The chubby youth’s reaction startled Xu Luo. He didn’t know how much the man had figured out, but it was obvious that the saying, ”A treasure in Cangqiong; with it, one can ascend to immortality!” was very likely connected to him.

’The so-called treasure... could it be the Seven Star Souls inside my body?’

Xu Luo had never imagined that the so-called treasure... was him.

”I don’t believe you. Not unless you seal your own meridians,” the chubby youth said, licking his lips as he watched Xu Luo nervously.

He was making a final, desperate gamble. He was betting on whether Xu Luo truly cared about the woman in his grasp.

In his worldview, women were like tools—to be used when needed and tossed aside when not, possessing no intrinsic value. But seeing Xu Luo’s reaction, it seemed he valued this woman greatly, so he decided to take the gamble.

”Seal my own meridians? Do you think I’m an idiot?” Xu Luo looked at the chubby youth as if he were a moron.

The chubby youth’s mouth twitched. ’As expected...’ he thought. ’I knew it. People like him who grew up in top-tier families are bound to be cold-hearted and ruthless...’

”Then there’s nothing more to say! If I can’t leave here alive today, then she... will die with me! HAHAHAHA! To have such a peerless beauty die with me... it’s worth it!” the chubby youth laughed maniacally.

From beginning to end, Huangfu Shishi hadn’t said a word. Ever since Xu Luo arrived, her beautiful eyes had been fixed on him without blinking. A faint smile even graced her exquisite face.

”Do you think... you’re worthy?” Xu Luo asked, his expression calm as he smiled at the chubby youth.

Though it sounded like an ordinary question, it sounded completely different in the chubby youth’s ears. The voice came from outside, yet it felt as if it were his own inner thoughts.

”That’s right... I... I’m not worthy... How could someone like me be worthy of standing next to such an exquisite beauty...” the chubby youth mumbled in a daze. Suddenly, he shook his head violently, a look of shock and anger flashing in his eyes as he roared, ”How dare you...”

Before he could finish, Xu Luo’s figure appeared before him like a phantom... He raised a hand and slapped the chubby youth hard across the face while pulling Huangfu Shishi into his embrace. ”Since you know you’re not worthy,” he cursed, ”then why not just die!”

”Since you know you’re not worthy... then why not just die!” This short phrase echoed like a magic curse deep in the chubby youth’s mind, and his consciousness instantly blurred.

”Then why not just die!” Xu Luo roared again.

”AHHH!” The chubby youth suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream. At some unknown point, Master Mao had transformed into a giant Heaven-Swallowing Fox and raked his claws across the youth’s back, tearing out a massive hole. Flesh and bone were shredded to a pulp as blood gushed out.

”I... resent this!” In his final moments, the chubby youth finally regained his clarity. He let out a final, miserable cry, then collapsed to the ground, dead with his eyes wide open.

”Qiqi...” Xu Luo swayed slightly as he held Huangfu Shishi. He felt disoriented. Forcibly using the Jade Balance Demon Sound to attack an opponent of a higher realm had put immense pressure on his Sea of Spiritual Consciousness.

If the chubby youth hadn’t been poisoned by Master Mao’s claws earlier, it would have been very difficult to affect him with the Jade Balance Demon Sound.

But fortunately, both of these fearsome opponents had fallen here. For now, Xu Luo’s secrets were safe.

”Xu Luo... are you okay? *Sob*... you scared me to death!” Huangfu Shishi threw herself into Xu Luo’s arms and burst into tears.

This beautiful young Sword King, an expert of the Transformation Realm, was now just like any other frightened little girl, seeking comfort in the arms of the man she loved.

Xu Luo gently patted Huangfu Shishi’s back and comforted her softly, ”I’m fine, and you’re fine. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

”Mhm!” Huangfu Shishi muffled a response against his chest. After a long moment, she lifted her head, looked at his face, and reached out to touch it. ”I thought... I’d never see you again,” she choked out between sobs. ”Those two were so strong. I didn’t even have a chance to react before they caught me. Xu Luo... I... am I useless? Not only can I not help you, but I even drag you down...”

”Qiqi, don’t ever say that again, you hear me? It’s not that you’re useless; it’s that those two were too strong. They probably aren’t disciples from the major sects. Even the Dubhe Sect likely couldn’t produce young people of their caliber,” Xu Luo said.

Huangfu Shishi leaned gently against Xu Luo, her body still trembling slightly. She had been truly terrified just now. The leering youth, especially—he was obviously not a good person and had said many horrible things to her. At that moment, Huangfu Shishi had wanted to die, but her entire body was restrained, making even death an impossibility.

”When I was in the Kaiyang Sect, I heard that there are some ancient sects and families on the Central Plains Star Continent,” Huangfu Shishi said softly. ”They are almost completely isolated from the world. Even if their disciples occasionally venture out, they never reveal their identities. Any one of their disciples is incredibly powerful. Those two might have come from a place like that.”

Xu Luo sighed softly. ’I hope they really are from a place like that,’ he thought. ’That would be for the best. If not... then this is real trouble!’

For some reason, these two reminded Xu Luo of Su Qingyi, whom he had met in the Small World.

Although they didn’t seem to have much in common, they were all young and powerful. Su Qingyi was from the Ancient Race Continent. Could these two... also be from there?

With this in mind, Xu Luo let go of Huangfu Shishi and knelt beside the chubby youth’s corpse. He searched the body carefully and, sure enough, found a jade token. A single glance at it made his expression turn incredibly grim.

The jade token was of the highest quality, exquisitely crafted, and clearly the work of a master. The front was engraved with the character ”Huo.” On the back was a lifelike Dharma Aspect that looked like one of the Ancient Deities sitting cross-legged... Its left hand rested on its knee, palm up, forming a Technique seal... its right hand was raised, fingers curled...

It was identical... to the Dharma Heaven and Earth the masked youth had displayed earlier!

’The family name on the front, and the family’s Dharma Heaven and Earth on the back!’

Other than the different name and Dharma Aspect, this token was... almost indistinguishable from the one Su Qingyi had given him!

Su Qingyi had told him that these things were used by the important disciples of the families and sects on the Ancient Race Continent to prove their identity.

This jade token, then, was definitive proof. The chubby youth and the masked youth he had killed earlier were both from... the Ancient Race Continent!