Firmament Sword

”But…” Su Qingyi’s face was etched with a pained, struggling expression.

This outcome… was completely different from what he had imagined.

He had originally planned to rescue Su Qianqian first and deal with the consequences later. He couldn’t, under any circumstances, allow Su Qianqian to become a sacrifice for the Patriarch’s selfish desires!

Su Qingyi had also long since figured out what to do after the rescue. He was a direct descendant of the Su Family, and his branch of the family held a very high status. His ancestors included powerful, high-ranking elders, and his line had even produced several generations of Patriarchs!

With this as his backing, Su Qingyi believed that after getting Su Qianqian to safety, he could return directly to the family and file a complaint with the Elder Council. He was certain that some members would support him!

At that point, even if the Patriarch wasn’t held accountable, he, Su Qingyi, would at least be safe from harm!

Among the Ancient Race, the direct descendants of any major clan were held in the highest esteem!

Even if they committed a terrible mistake, up to and including the unforgivable crime of betraying the family, the worst punishment was typically having their power crippled and being imprisoned for life.

Besides, Su Qingyi didn’t consider his actions a betrayal of the family at all. He believed he hadn’t done anything to let the family down!

But now, hearing Xu Luo’s analysis, his heart was suddenly mired in conflict.

”You’ve already considered it, but you’re unwilling to admit it,” Xu Luo said lightly, looking at Su Qingyi. ”Because no one wants to suspect their own ancestors. That’s not something just anyone can face calmly.”

”Xu Luo, I admit it. You’ve convinced me.” Su Qingyi looked up at Xu Luo and sighed. ”What you said makes perfect sense. If the Patriarch didn’t have a powerful figure backing him, he certainly wouldn’t dare to do this, nor would he be able to…”

”So…” Xu Luo looked at Su Qingyi.

”So I… still have to go back!” A resolute look flashed in Su Qingyi’s eyes. He said in a deep voice, ”That’s precisely why I can’t leave now. I refuse to flee as a branded criminal. I have to go back. Even if… even if the outcome is just as you described, and I anger some great figure who cannot be provoked and I’m sentenced to death, I will not regret it.”

Su Qingyi looked at Xu Luo with utmost sincerity. ”Xu Luo, you have your own convictions and principles, and so do I! This is my path.”

Having said his piece, there was nothing more Xu Luo could say. He could only sigh. ”In that case… take care.”

With that, Xu Luo took out a piece of warm jade and handed it to Su Qingyi. ”This jade contains a wisp of my Divine Sense. If you’re ever in true danger, crush this jade. No matter what, I will come and save you!”

This time, Su Qingyi did not refuse. He took the jade and said to Xu Luo, ”When we parted ways in the Central Plains Star Continent Small World all those years ago, I had a very deep and favorable impression of Luo Tian. Even back then, I knew it was an alias.”

Xu Luo smiled.

Su Qingyi continued, ”I never expected that when we met again, the green youth of the past would have already become a legend of his generation, transforming into Beidou’s Eighth Star and striding across the world…”

”Actually, no matter when or where, I am still me,” Xu Luo said.

”I understand.” Su Qingyi nodded. ”Take good care of her. This is my final request, although I know you would do so even if I didn’t say anything.”

Xu Luo nodded. ”Don’t worry.”

”Then, farewell!” Su Qingyi said, cupping his fist toward Xu Luo before turning to leave.

’He’s so pig-headed… but he’s an endearing and principled kind of pig-headed. I hope… he’ll be all right.’ Xu Luo sighed, and with a flicker of movement, he vanished.

Little Fatty and the others had been waiting nearby. They had heard some of the commotion and were worried, but they hadn’t made any rash moves.

Meanwhile, Huangfu Chongzhi had been gathering some Spirit Medicines in the surrounding forest. Seeing Xu Luo return, he remarked with a sigh, ”This place truly is different from the Central Plains Star Continent. Many Spirit Medicines that are exceedingly rare there can be found almost everywhere here… The people who live on the Ancient Race Continent are truly fortunate!”

”The cultivation environment here is indeed much better than where we’re from,” Little Fatty said, scratching his head. ”But I still feel like it’s not as good as home. Maybe I’m just a homebody.”

Xu Jie said with a smile, ”No matter how wonderful the outside world is, it’s never as good as your own home. That’s perfectly normal.”

The three of them then looked toward Xu Luo, clearly curious about the confrontation he had just been involved in.

Little Fatty asked, ”Did you get into a conflict with the Su Family? Where’s Qianqian?”

Xu Luo pointed to a ring in his palm. ”She’s sealed inside. Her condition isn’t good. Let’s leave this place first.”

The group nodded and followed Xu Luo, leaving the Huo Family’s sphere of influence. They continued south for more than a thousand li before finally stopping in a range of Vast Mountains.

Xu Luo then released Su Qianqian from the ring. Looking at the unconscious Su Qianqian, Xu Luo frowned slightly and said to Huangfu Chongzhi, ”Big Brother, come take a look at Qianqian’s condition.”

Among the five sworn brothers, Huangfu Chongzhi’s medical skills were the most profound. Hearing the request, he walked over and used the most direct method, placing a few fingers on Su Qianqian’s wrist. His expression changed instantly.

The hand on Su Qianqian’s fair wrist shot back as if it had been burned. SWOOSH. His face turned grim as he looked at Xu Luo and said in a grave voice, ”Her condition is…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Su Qianqian, who was lying on the ground, suddenly snapped her eyes open. Two incomparably cold, crimson beams of light, flickering with countless mysterious runes, shot directly toward Huangfu Chongzhi!

Huangfu Chongzhi’s realm was not low; his cultivation had already reached the Half-Saint level. Although he wasn’t rich in combat experience, his reactions were extremely quick in a pinch. He flashed to the side, dodging the two beams of light shooting from Su Qianqian’s eyes.

PFFT!

The two beams of light shot straight into the side of a distant mountain, disappearing into the rock.

RUMBLE!

Immediately after, a heart-stopping roar erupted from within the mountain, and it began to collapse entirely!

Countless thousand-year-old trees were instantly turned to nothing. Boulders flew like rain, kicking up a sky-blotting cloud of dust that billowed upward.

Huangfu Chongzhi broke out in a cold sweat on the spot. He stared, dumbfounded, at the distance. Where there was once a great mountain, there was now a massive, rising mushroom cloud.

”That…” The corners of Huangfu Chongzhi’s mouth twitched violently; he was almost at a loss for words.

The instant the light shot from Su Qianqian’s eyes, Xu Luo had already charged over, unleashing his immense Magical Power to pin her down.

BZZZT!

With a sharp hum, a black tower shot out from Su Qianqian’s body. It was engraved with countless mysterious inscriptions, and each of its tiers radiated a different aura. The pressure it exuded was terrifying!

However, after appearing, the tower did not attack Xu Luo and the others. Instead, it instantly enlarged, shielding Su Qianqian’s body within it as it prepared to fly away.

Xu Luo raised an eyebrow. A ray of light shot from his Dantian, and the Beidou Sword instantly soared into the sky. It transformed into a colossal sword that hung above the black tower, radiating an overwhelming killing intent.

”Explain yourself before you leave!” Xu Luo said coldly. ”Otherwise, I won’t show any mercy!”

”You dare commit blasphemy?” Su Qianqian’s utterly cold voice, devoid of any emotion, emanated from the black tower. The icy voice carried a condescending, superior tone, seemingly filled with disdain for the people before it.

”Who in the world are you?” Xu Luo said in a deep voice. ”Get out of my friend’s body. Otherwise, I’ll make you die a miserable death!”

”Hahaha, you ignorant, foolish creature! Now, I am her, and she is me! What nonsense are you spouting about ’your friend’? Xu Luo, you should leave. Although we were acquainted once, I am now a god. We are separated by the chasm between mortal and divine, and we no longer have any connection!”

Inside the black tower, Su Qianqian’s expression was horribly contorted, like a ball of dough being kneaded wantonly, rendering her original appearance almost unrecognizable.

Yet her voice was perfectly steady, without a hint of abnormality, so cold it seemed capable of freezing the very air.

”Refusing to talk? Then I’ll start by cleaving this tower of yours!” Xu Luo’s voice became equally frigid. With a flicker of his Divine Thought, the Beidou Sword hovering above the black tower unleashed a peerlessly sharp wave of Sword Qi, slashing toward the black tower.

The black tower let out a humming sound and erupted with a heavy aura. At the same time, the mysterious runes on its body began to glow as it started to fight back.

Balls of light flickered in the void, like blooming fireworks.

But contained within them was endless killing intent.

As the Beidou Sword fought the black tower, it radiated an aura so potent that a single wisp could slay a low-level mighty figure of the Divine Power Realm!

Wave after wave of Sword Qi crashed down upon the black tower with the force of an avalanche.

Soon, many of the mysterious and ancient runes on the black tower’s body were abraded and destroyed by the Sword Qi from the Beidou Sword.

The black tower was ultimately no match for the sword and tried to shatter the void to escape, but the surrounding space had been locked down by the combined auras of Xu Luo and his companions, making escape impossible.

”Xu Luo… don’t bring ruin upon yourself. If you let me go now, I will spare your life for the sake of our past acquaintance. Otherwise, when I fully awaken and ascend to godhood, that will be the day you die!” Su Qianqian’s voice, sounding as if it emanated from ten-thousand-year-old ice, came from the black tower.

Xu Luo sneered. ”God? What a load of bullshit. You don’t even qualify as a Pseudo-God. I’ll give you the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Get out of Qianqian’s body. Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to drag you out. At that point, I’ll make you wish you were dead. I’ll refine your soul for a million years! I’ll make you suffer endless torment!”

”You dare threaten me, a god? I swear, I will never let you go!” The cold voice from within the black tower suddenly became shrill, as if it had been gravely threatened and insulted.

Xu Luo laughed coldly. ”Black Tower, if I remember correctly, you’re the Spirit-Connected Magical Artifact that Qianqian brought out of the Small World back then. Do you really want to stand by and watch as your master is devoured by another? You’re acting as an accomplice! It’s not too late to wake up. Otherwise, when I finally shatter you, it will be too late for regrets!”

”Then get on with it!”