Jiang Huai’s heart was pierced through, and the small world within him gradually burned to nothing.
The high cliff where Ji Xi had sat was already scorched earth.
She sat on the flat ground, her remnant soul scattered and tattered, only a wisp left, about to dissipate yet still clinging on. Staring blankly at the world collapsing before her, a flicker of pain appeared in her eyes.
Wind blew from the void, stirring up ash that settled on her torn robes and pale face.
“Jiang Huai, if only there really were reincarnation,” she said softly, leaning her head to the side. “Your daughter will surely be happy and proud of you.”
With that, she closed her eyes. Her remnant soul faded a little more. She fell unconscious onto the ground, waiting to live or die with Jiang Huai.
The Heavenly Demon Jue had its head pierced through, and two-thirds of its body was blasted apart.
Black flesh scattered everywhere, turning into black smoke in the void, then burned into nothing by the Yin-Yang Power.
Its aura was severely damaged, its strength greatly reduced, completely crippled. It staggered backward, its one remaining arm hanging limply, demonic qi gushing from the wound.
Jiang Huai’s gaze grew distant, his pupils dilated, his eyes empty. His heart had been pierced. His once powerful body sagged as if deflated, rapidly withering. Blood surged from his chest, soaking his black robe and dripping from the hem.
The small world inside him had already burned away.
Mountains turned to ash, rivers dried to their beds, grasslands became scorched earth.
That newborn sun dimmed, leaving only a faint red glow, like a dying candle flame.
This body was only at the Merging Stage after all; it couldn’t withstand such consumption.
“Mom! Look at Dad!” Jianjia cried out urgently, breaking free from Qin Qingyue’s arms and shouting to Bai Lu.
Her small body rushed forward, but Su Yingman grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace.
“Don’t go. You can’t go,” Su Yingman said softly, holding Jianjia.
Jianjia struggled, her little hands flailing, tears streaming down her tender cheeks.
All the women were stunned.
Just a moment ago, Jiang Huai had slain the Heavenly Demon Ji with one sword strike, majestic and imposing with an overwhelming aura. Why had he become like this in the next instant?
Qin Qingyue shot to her feet, her face twisted, and screamed hoarsely:
“Give me back my husband!”
Her black hair whipped wildly, her dragon tail thrashed, bloodshot veins filled her crimson dragon eyes. She drove her vast divine sense, shaping it into an invisible giant hand to grab at Jiang Huai.
That divine sense was like a raging tide, like a surging wave, overwhelming everything, determined to reclaim Jiang Huai.
Bai Lu also forced herself to rally. Leaping from Chi Hong’s back, her long sword hummed, and sword light like snow shot straight at the Heavenly Demon Wu.
Chi Hong’s dragon roar shook the heavens. Crimson flames burst forth, burning large swathes of demonic qi into nothing.
Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon Wu stepped forward in one stride, blocking the women. It spread its arms wide, demonic qi surging out like a tide, forming a massive black wall that blocked Qin Qingyue’s divine sense, Bai Lu’s sword light, and Chi Hong’s dragon flame.
The immense Heavenly Demon Power crushed down without mercy, stopping them all.
“Today is fortunate enough for you,” the Heavenly Demon Wu said coldly, its voice flat.
It truly was fortunate enough. Bai Lu and Chi Hong were still alive, the foundations of the women were intact, and the Five Provinces had regained vitality.
Though the Yin-Yang Body had died, the next generation could still be hoped for.
In this tug-of-war, Jiang Huai had used his life to push the situation back to before the Primordial Era, perhaps even better.
Qin Qingyue’s voice was hoarse, her face streaked with tears, her whole body trembling as she cursed:
“What bullshit! It’s fortunate for you! If he had wanted to escape, you would have all been killed by him sooner or later!”
The Heavenly Demon Wu was silent. Perhaps Qin Qingyue was right.
The Heavenly Demon Jue, now only a third of its body left, pulled its hand out of Jiang Huai’s chest and shook off the blood.
Its hand was stained with Jiang Huai’s blood. Without hesitation, it raised its arm, gathering the Heavenly Demon Power in its palm. A blazing black light formed, and it slashed fiercely at Jiang Huai’s neck.
“I don’t understand you, but this is the end,” the Heavenly Demon Jue said coldly, without joy or sorrow.
Qin Qingyue began to lose her mind. She screamed and roared, her dragon body trembling, her emotions completely unhinged. She beat her chest and stamped her feet, her long hair disheveled.
“Wu Zhaohua! I should never have trusted you!” she shouted, her voice shrill.
Wu Zhaohua couldn’t come. Maybe she had her reasons, maybe she had done her best. But at that moment, none of that mattered to Qin Qingyue.
Bai Lu was blocked back by the Heavenly Demon Wu once again. She staggered backward, blood spilling from her mouth. She stared at the blade cutting toward Jiang Huai’s neck. Her heart went cold, her mind roaring like ten thousand horses stampeding, darkness creeping before her eyes.
The instant the Heavenly Demon Jue’s hand blade was about to fall, time seemed to freeze.
A vast sword qi, like the Milky Way pouring down from the Nine Heavens, instantly scattered countless heavenly demons.
The sword qi surged forward mightily, and wherever it passed, demonic qi melted like snow under boiling water. Sword light cascaded like a waterfall, like a ribbon, like a rainbow, illuminating the entire void.
The Heavenly Demon Jue spun around. An archaic long sword flew in first, its blade humming, its sword intent soaring to the sky. Like a falling meteor, it crashed down and blasted apart the last third of the Heavenly Demon Jue’s body.
Black flesh splattered everywhere, demonic qi scattered, and the Heavenly Demon Jue turned to ash, vanishing.
Qin Qingyue jerked her head up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, blinking hard, staring blankly at the scene before her.
Never before had she longed so much for that person she detested.
“Stop.”
From deep within the sea of swords, a white-clothed sword immortal figure strode out quickly. White-robed as snow, long hair like a waterfall, face cool and elegant, features like a painting.
Wu Zhaohua moved with composure yet speed like lightning. In one step, she reached Jiang Huai and shielded him behind her.
The heavenly demon didn’t hesitate. It turned its head and fled, its form turning into black smoke as it sped away, a rare fear rising in its heart.
A Heavenly Immortal? In a place other than the Immortal Realm, a Heavenly Immortal had appeared? And bearing Yin-Yang spiritual power?
Wu Zhaohua had no mind to chase. She floated beside Jiang Huai, gently hugged him, pulled him into her arms, and raised her hand to press against his chest. Lingli slowly flowed into him, warming his broken body.
She looked down at his clean, handsome face. A trace of nostalgia rose on her beautiful face.
Her fingertips lightly traced his brows, his cheeks, his lips.
His cheeks had grown much thinner. His lips were pale, dry, and cracked, without a trace of blood.
“It’s been so long. You’ve really made something of yourself,” she said softly.
“Before, weren’t we just boiling medicine and eating together? How did it come to this?”
She thought back to many years ago.
Back then, she was still a sickly girl, lying on the bed in a run-down little courtyard, unable even to walk.
He would go out to work every day, come back to boil medicine, feed it to her, and talk with her.
She had a bad temper and often bickered with him, but he never got angry.
No one would have imagined that one day they would meet again like this.
Wu Zhaohua suddenly felt that this was fine. She had saved his life once; he had passed her human tribulation for her.
Now she had saved his life again. He still owed her a life. She’d see how he would repay her.
Qin Qingyue rushed over, snatched Jiang Huai away, and pulled the dying man into her arms. She looked down at him, her eyes full of heartache, her dragon tail thrashing, at a loss for what to do.
“Now’s the chance! Wu Zhaohua, go after the heavenly demon! Don’t let it escape!” she urged hurriedly.
It wasn’t a ploy to send Wu Zhaohua away. Though she was possessive, she knew what was important.
With Wu Zhaohua’s ability as a Heavenly Immortal and Sword Immortal, chasing down that crippled heavenly demon was the perfect opportunity.
Wu Zhaohua quietly watched Jiang Huai in Qin Qingyue’s arms and said nothing.
Bai Lu and the others gathered around, forming a circle around Jiang Huai, all silent, just watching.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Qin Qingyue asked in confusion.
She shoved Jiang Huai into Bai Lu’s arms, pulled Wu Zhaohua aside, lowered her voice, and asked urgently:
“What’s going on? What’s wrong with you? Say something.”
Wu Zhaohua turned her back to the others. A trace of blood slowly seeped from the corner of her mouth. Trembling, she raised her right hand and showed it to Qin Qingyue.
Others couldn’t see anything unusual, but Qin Qingyue gasped.
She shuddered as she lifted Wu Zhaohua’s arm. Upon that Dao Foundation were countless sword wounds.
One after another, as if scraped by a sharp blade, some deep, some shallow, shocking to the eye.
Every sword wound was draining the Dao Foundation, cutting away her lifespan.
“This… this is why you wouldn’t let me come?” Qin Qingyue asked, her voice shaking.
Wu Zhaohua withdrew her hand, wiped the blood from her mouth, and said softly:
“The path from the Immortal Realm to the Five Provinces is not one that living beings should walk.”
“You don’t need to come. Wait for Jiang Huai to ascend in the future; he will go to the Immortal Realm to find you.”
She paused, her tone turning flat: “During this time, don’t disturb me and Jiang Huai.”
“I never wanted to say much to any of you, including you, including those women behind you. I don’t want to see a single one.”
With that, she flew to Jiang Huai’s side and snatched him from Bai Lu’s arms.
Under the women’s puzzled gazes, Wu Zhaohua locked onto her junior sister Qi Yurong’s aura, rode her sword, and flew toward the Five Provinces.
White-robed as snow, sword light like a rainbow, she disappeared into the horizon in the blink of an eye.