Firmament Sword

”Pah! Who do you think you are? You? Worthy of having my Young Master dirty his hands on you?” Steward Wang spat on the ground in contempt. Turning back, he stared at Xu Jie as if he were an idiot. ”A measly Saint Realm Blacksmith... In my Young Master’s eyes, you’re worth less than a dog on the street!”

Xu Jie’s hands clenched into tight fists, veins bulging on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and snarled, ”That scumbag Young Master of yours, worthy of having me forge a weapon for him? Get the hell out! I’m done serving you! Get out, get out, get out!”

As he spoke, Xu Jie strode toward the middle-aged Steward Wang.

”You fucking piece of sh—” Steward Wang exploded in a furious curse.

SLAP!

Xu Jie’s large hand viciously slapped Steward Wang across the face with a crisp crack.

Steward Wang was stunned. His cultivation had also reached the Saint Realm, making him Xu Jie’s theoretical equal. But he had never imagined that a Loose Cultivator just trying to make a living in Xuan City would actually dare to strike him, a Senior Steward of the Jin Family!

”You dare hit me?” Steward Wang’s eyes filled with disbelief. He clutched his stinging face. Even though no one had witnessed it, an intense feeling of shame washed over him.

A towering rage ignited from the depths of his heart.

”I’m going to kill you!” A powerful aura erupted from Steward Wang’s body, instantly blasting the Blacksmith shop Xu Jie was renting to smithereens.

The commotion startled the crowd on the street. People turned to look, and once they realized what was happening, their gazes toward Xu Jie filled with sympathy.

”He could have offended anyone, but he had to go and offend the Jin Family? It’s over for him. Sigh, this won’t end well!”

”Isn’t that the Steward who’s always with Young Master Jin? How dare that Casting Master surnamed Xu provoke him...”

”Now that he’s provoked the Jin Family, he definitely can’t stay in Xuan City anymore!”

”Stay in Xuan City? He’ll be lucky to escape with his life!”

The crowd buzzed with discussion. The Jin Family’s tyrannical reputation was deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds.

What these people didn’t know, however, was that the fearsome Jin Family Steward had just been slapped across the face by Xu Jie.

Listening to the crowd’s chatter, Steward Wang grew even more furious and arrogant. He pointed a finger at Xu Jie. ”Today... you die!”

”Then let’s see you try!” Xu Jie roared, brandishing a large, gleaming saber and slashing at Steward Wang’s head.

The crowd on the street gasped. They hadn’t expected this Casting Master surnamed Xu to be so bold as to attack a Senior Steward of the Jin Family.

A Long Sword appeared in Steward Wang’s hand, and he raised it to meet the attack.

CRACK!

The Hundred-Refined Steel Sword in Steward Wang’s hand was shattered by Xu Jie’s saber. The blade’s momentum didn’t slow, continuing its path straight toward the steward’s head!

This Senior Steward had lived a pampered life for years. Though his cultivation was at the Saint Realm, he had almost zero combat experience. In all of Xuan City, who would have dared to challenge him?

With his sword broken, Steward Wang froze like an idiot. Staring at the saber chopping down at him, he actually forgot to dodge!

THWACK!

Xu Jie’s saber cleaved straight through Steward Wang’s head, splitting the Jin Family’s Senior Steward in two!

Blood sprayed everywhere, pooling on the ground!

The entire street of onlookers cried out in shock.

Then, someone in the crowd took the lead and shouted, ”A good kill! That dog of the Jin Family should have died long ago!”

”That’s right, a good kill! That Steward Wang has done nothing but evil! He deserved to die!”

”My older cousin’s wife was violated by that bastard, and she killed herself because of it! He should have died long ago!”

”Exactly! That monster had no conscience, just like his ugly master! They’re two peas in a pod! He should have been killed ages ago!”

A chorus of accusations rose from the crowd as many people began shouting out Steward Wang’s crimes.

Just then, an old man warned Xu Jie, ”Brother, you need to leave now! You won’t be able to get away once the Jin Family arrives!”

”That’s right, brother! We’re all happy you killed that villain, but you’ve gotten yourself into huge trouble! The Jin Family isn’t a group you can just kill and walk away from! Run!”

”Yes, run! We definitely won’t tell them who did it!”

”That’s right, get out of here!”

One after another, the onlookers urged Xu Jie to flee.

Xu Jie glanced at them and cupped his fist. ”Thank you all for the warning. I’m leaving now!”

”And where do you think you’re going?” Just then, a sharp cry echoed from the distance. A figure shot toward Xu Jie like a streak of light, striking out with a palm.

Alarmed, Xu Jie raised his saber to block.

CLANG!

With a deafening clash of metal, Xu Jie was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string. He crashed hard onto the ground dozens of yards away, spitting out a mouthful of blood on the spot.

A figure in a golden robe landed on the ground. The surrounding crowd scattered in an uproar, staring at the newcomer in absolute terror.

This was none other than the young master of the Xuan City Jin Family, the Bloodthirsty Saber, Jin Luping!

Jin Luping wore a mask. He had no choice—his current appearance was so hideous that the mask was a hundred times more handsome than his own face.

”You dare kill my man? You must be tired of living! Today… I will tear you to pieces!” Jin Luping’s eyes radiated intense killing intent as he stared at Xu Jie as if he were already a dead man.

Xu Jie wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gritted his teeth. ”A scumbag like you, completely devoid of conscience, doesn’t deserve to be called human!”

”Hahahaha! Fool! In this world, whoever is stronger, whoever’s fist is harder, is the boss! After you’re dead, I’ll still be living just fine!” Jin Luping let out a grating, malicious laugh as he walked toward Xu Jie, step by step.

Xu Jie sighed and closed his eyes in resignation. ’Yun’Er… I’m sorry. And my child… your father has failed you. First Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and Fifth Brother… farewell. Let’s be brothers again in the next life!’

In that instant, a figure who shouldn’t have been in his memories appeared in his mind. He murmured, ”I’m sorry…”

Just then, a white shadow, like a flowing light, shot straight toward Jin Luping. A beam of Sword Qi, like a long rainbow, thrust directly at him!

Jin Luping roared and dodged to the side, trying to evade the Sword Qi.

But unexpectedly, the Sword Qi seemed to have a mind of its own, as if it had eyes. It carved an arc through the air, locking onto Jin Luping’s body!

PFFT!

The Sword Qi pierced directly through the center of Jin Luping’s brow.

The vile Young Master of the Jin Family died on the spot, his eyes wide with disbelief that someone in Xuan City would actually dare to kill him.

The white figure didn’t pause for a moment. It flew to Xu Jie’s side, grabbed him, and soared into the air, flying toward the city outskirts.

Xu Jie weighed nearly two hundred pounds, but in this person’s grasp, he felt as light as a feather.

In the blink of an eye, the young master of the Jin Family, one of Xuan City’s greatest powers, lay dead in the street!

By the time the Jin Family reacted, the white-robed person and Xu Jie had already vanished without a trace.

The entire Jin Family was furious. They swore to find the killer and tear them to pieces.

Meanwhile, on a large mountain over five hundred li from Xuan City, Xu Jie stared in disbelief at the person before him, murmuring, ”How can it be you?”

Xu Jie felt as if he were in a dream. The figure that had flashed before his eyes in his final moments as he awaited death… was this very person!

The woman in white looked at Xu Jie calmly. ”And why couldn’t it be me?”

”You… you…” Xu Jie’s mouth twitched. He was speechless for a long moment, simply staring blankly at the white-robed woman before him.

”You’re injured. Eat this.” The white-robed woman ignored his shock, took out a jade bottle, and poured out a single Elixir, handing it to Xu Jie.

Xu Jie held the Elixir, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. He mumbled, ”When… when did you come to the Divine Domain?”

”A little earlier than you, I suppose.” The white-robed woman glanced at him. ”Aren’t you going to take the medicine?”

Xu Jie swallowed the Elixir. His spirits lifted slightly. He looked at the white-robed woman, his mouth slightly agape as if he wanted to say something.

The white-robed woman waved her hand, stopping him. ”Don’t talk yet. Hurry up and circulate your energy to meditate. Otherwise, there will be lasting complications. I will stand guard for you. Don’t worry. I’m also very happy to see an old friend here. I won’t be leaving right away.”

Xu Jie was stunned for a long moment before he sighed, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his energy to recuperate.

The white-robed woman stood there, gazing at Xu Jie. A complex look flickered in her calm, beautiful eyes as images that seemed to have been sealed away for years resurfaced in her mind.

Back then, she was only seven years old, an innocent and carefree little girl on a spring outing outside the city with a group of friends her age.

It was the height of spring. All of nature was reawakening, the world outside the city was a sea of green, and the group of children was having a wonderful time.

A large, beautiful butterfly caught her eye, and she chased after it, only to accidentally fall into the moat.

The moat of the Imperial Capital was extremely deep, over ten zhang, and its banks were like sheer cliffs, impossible to climb.

Never mind a child—even an adult who couldn’t swim would surely die if they fell in!

The servants with her at the time were skilled in kung fu, but none of them could swim. They could only panic and scream for help from the bank.

But as for her, fallen into the water, her mind was still wondering: ’Where did that butterfly go?’

When the water rose past her neck, she finally felt a pang of fear and began to struggle desperately.

But for someone who couldn’t swim, the more they struggled in the water, the faster they sank.

Gradually, she felt her vision fill with white light. The icy coldness vanished, replaced by… a strange warmth and peace.

’Am I dying?’

The thought flashed through her young mind.

Just then, a strong hand grabbed her, violently yanking her out of that warmth and peace.

In the next moment, the world came back to life before her eyes.

The person patted her back many times, and she coughed up a lot of water.

Then, she saw him: the big brother who refused the endless thanks of her stunned attendants… and simply walked away in his soaking wet clothes.

That departing figure left an indelible impression on her young heart.