ILDV Chapter 52

Hua Qilan was only briefly stunned before turning wildly ecstatic, her trembling hands gripping the hilt of the Yaoguang Sword. The sword body blazed with blue light, separating out a strand that spiraled up along her arm, forming an exquisite water-blue sword marking at her brow.

This was the sign of an immortal sword’s preliminary recognition of its master. Generally, one would wait until everyone’s trial ended before the formally recognized person would take the immortal sword out of the valley to hold the official bonding ceremony.

Yin Lang also had a similar golden sword marking at his brow, which wouldn’t appear unless he activated the Tianji Sword.

At this moment, the golden light shone brilliantly, even surpassing the color of the Heaven-Concealing Stone. With a shout of “Sheath, come!” the sword sheath in Xu Rong’s embrace shot out, fusing in midair into a golden gem the size of a goose egg that embedded itself into the sword hilt with a “clang.” The sword body’s golden light surged again, brightening until the sword body could barely be seen!

Hua Qilan retreated step after step. The wild joy on her face had not yet faded before being covered by terror. Her hands gripping the sword hilt bulged with veins. “No, no no——I’m already the Yaoguang Sword Master, you can’t kill me!”

The Yaoguang Sword cooperated by emitting warning sword qi, but the gentle water-blue couldn’t stop the sharp golden brilliance’s advance.

“Yaoguang Sword Master?” The man wielding the sword sneered, raising his free hand to lightly tap the gem on the sword hilt. “Hua Qilan, the words your mother said to me, I’m returning them to you unchanged. Why this sword recognizes you—do I need to tell you?”

Hua Qilan froze. Yin Lang pressed forward another step. “Your Hua clan has practically turned the Yaoguang Immortal Sword into your family’s private possession, passing it down through generations. If your grandfather’s generation hadn’t consorted with demonic cultivators and mixed demonic qi into your bloodline, making it impure, the current Yaoguang Sword Master would be Hua Feiying. But does your Hua clan… truly possess unconditional loyalty to the sect, generation after generation? The fact that the Yaoguang Sword appeared here—does it really recognize you?”

“Don’t you dare spout nonsense!”

Hua Qilan suddenly raised her head, eyes bloodshot as she loudly refuted, “Grandfather was that generation’s Yaoguang Sword Master—how could he have consorted with demonic cultivators? What mixed blood, what demonic qi—Shen Muxuan, if you resent my mother for exposing your secret, you can come at me directly. Why throw dirty water on someone who’s already passed away!”

Xu Rong, hiding in the back, suddenly understood. The Hua clan had wielded the Yaoguang Sword for generations, and even in his past life, Hua Qilan had been able to become the Yaoguang Sword Master through ulterior motives—it was because of her special bloodline!

But what was this “secret” Hua Qilan mentioned? Xu Rong had arrived just as the Yaoguang Sword fell, not hearing a single sentence of Hua Feiying’s filthy words. 

The green-robed youth beside him asked softly, “Are you Good Person Shen’s disciple?”

Good Person Shen?

Xu Rong suppressed his laughter. Seeing him supporting Lu Li and assuming he was a sect disciple, he nodded. The little flood dragon earnestly advised, “Then remember—you absolutely must not ask about Good Person Shen’s secret.”

“Why?”

“Because Good Person Shen will be very sad.” The green-robed youth’s expression and tone were extremely solemn. Xu Rong couldn’t help but laugh, thinking to himself, where did this silly boy come from—he can’t even distinguish between anger and sadness.

Yin Lang sneered coldly without speaking, but Hua Qilan fell into indescribable panic.

When Hua Feiying took her from the Heavenly Punishment Ravine, she hadn’t told her where they were going. Only after breaking into the Sword-Inquiry Valley did she learn that her mother had actually come with the intention of having the Yaoguang Sword recognize her as master to avoid her punishment.

Her mother’s demonstrated familiarity with the Sword-Inquiry Valley’s terrain and her unreasonable determination to obtain the Yaoguang Immortal Sword—at that time, the still-shaken Hua Qilan’s heart was in complete chaos, and she hadn’t thought to ask even one more question.

Could what he said be true… No, no! Hua Qilan, how can you doubt Mother!

Her lips were taut, her teeth clenched, as she said word by word, “I. Don’t. Believe. It.”

Not giving Yin Lang another chance to speak, she gripped the Yaoguang Sword tightly in her palm, sword tip pointing forward. “Shen Muxuan, regardless of what you say, I’m already the Yaoguang Sword Master. Sect regulations state that aside from the Daozhu, no one has the authority to condemn an immortal sword master. You must bring me out of here completely intact.”

Yin Lang watched her quietly, then suddenly said, “Just now I said something to Martial Uncle Lu.”

“What…”

“If you want others not to know——”

The sword radiance surged violently. Brilliant golden sword light fell like flowing clouds from the horizon, reflecting a sky full of rosy clouds like blood. “Then make sure those in the know can never speak again!”

The sword momentum crashed down like raging thunder. The earth, fire, wind, and water in the Sword-Inquiry Valley were suddenly enraged at this moment, tangling together inseparably. In an instant, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and sparks scattered—but in Hua Qilan’s eyes, none of it compared to the might of this single sword strike.

Her world became a pure white expanse, with only that continuously enlarging sword light remaining. Closer, even closer…

“Do you know what it takes to be called a true sword master?” In the instant before the sword edge entered her heart, Shen Muxuan said this to her ear.

“In the realm of Lantian, below the Dao Integration stage, no one can block my edge. Not even the Yaoguang Sword.”

In her vision, that pool of water-blue shattered like a dream into countless fragments drifting into the distance. After an instant of piercing pain in her chest, she completely lost all sensation. The scenery before her eyes gradually blurred, growing more and more distant, until it completely transformed into endless night.

The reformed water-blue longsword was planted diagonally in the ground beside her, emitting a faint humming sword cry that drew a glance from Yin Lang. The not-yet-sheathed Tianji Sword immediately became displeased, its blade trembling as it produced an even louder sword hum.

To others’ ears it was just meaningless sword humming, but to Yin Lang’s ears…

Yaoguang Sword: “So fierce and beautiful—I love beauties who rely on their looks to bully others most! Beauty, look at me!”

Tianji Sword: “Shut up, traitor! Just now you bullied Ah Lang together with that bad woman. Ah Lang is mine—I chose him first, go back to your old home!”

Yaoguang Sword: “But that wasn’t my intention. That woman’s blood is very strange. Once it got on me, I couldn’t control myself anymore—I only wanted to obey her commands and protect her. It wasn’t until Ah Lang just pierced her heart that I woke up.”

Tianji Sword: “Shut up! Who gave you permission to call him so intimately! Only I can call him Ah Lang!”

Before the Yaoguang Sword could continue defending itself, Yin Lang flicked his finger against the Tianji Sword’s hilt, shooting it a cold glance. The God-Slaying Spear in his dantian also emitted black-red intertwined flames, its aura surging violently, instantly suppressing both swords into obedience.

Yaoguang Sword: “So you’re not the main master. You should have said so earlier—what a waste of my breath. Big Brother Spear, do you mind having an extra companion to——”

“Get lost.”

Those simple three words coming from Yin Lang’s mouth carried completely different weight than from the Tianji Sword. The water-blue immortal sword twisted aggrievedly in the mud and sand a couple times before transforming back into flowing light and departing into the distant sky.

He raised his chin slightly, signaling Xu Rong to bring the now-spiritually-crippled Hua Qilan along.

Lu Li, eyes closed, asked worriedly, “You’re not killing her?”

Yin Lang thought to himself, “Kill Hua Qilan and I’ll go serve as that old fossil’s blood bank myself?” On the surface, he gave a light nod. “She hasn’t committed any substantial great wrong. It’s better to let the Sect Master handle her.”

He turned to warn Xu Rong, “You know what should and shouldn’t be said, right?”

Xu Rong nodded repeatedly. Just when he thought he’d successfully gotten away with it, he heard Shen Muxuan suddenly say, “I recall telling you to wait for me at the Sword-Inquiry Valley entrance.” Cold sweat instantly formed.

“Shi-Shizun, I, I…” The excuse of worry had been used so much it was threadbare. Xu Rong had already harbored some improper thoughts, and being stared at without blinking by Shen Muxuan, at the critical moment his mind actually went blank—he couldn’t come up with a single explanation.

He stammered “I, I” for a long time, and Shen Muxuan’s gaze grew increasingly profound. Xu Rong’s entire back was soaked with sweat.

“Muxuan!”

Sword wind split through vines as a somewhat disheveled Gu Fuxuan emerged sideways. Looking up and seeing people, his eyes immediately brightened. He quickly stepped forward, hands patting and examining, opening his mouth with a string of concerned inquiries. “You’re back! Was the journey smooth? I heard that the situation in Beiyu City was chaotic, with spiritual and demonic cultivators mixed together—even a lightning domain appeared. Did you suffer any injuries?”

Yin Lang smiled and shook his head, raising his hand to stop the other’s endless inquiries. “Senior Martial Brother, the situation inside the Sword-Inquiry Valley is complex. Let’s go out first before we talk.”

Only then did Gu Fuxuan notice the several people following behind him. Though he wanted to ask about what happened to Lu Li’s eyes, he reluctantly held back and first left the valley with everyone.

The little flood dragon had silently disappeared when the grass began rustling, probably having slipped back into the deep pool to recuperate. Gu Fuxuan supported Lu Li, Xu Rong carried the unconscious Hua Qilan, and the group of five successfully met up with the Immortal Sect members waiting outside.

Tu Feng approached. Seeing the wounded and unconscious among them, he immediately furrowed his brow. After confirming that the person had been captured and the valley’s abnormality eliminated, he closed the three formations outside the defensive array, then ordered everyone to first return to their respective peaks to rest well, and discuss what came next after waking.

Xu Rong had wanted to take advantage of the situation to hitch a ride and get some physical contact, but he’d barely shuffled a few steps closer to Shen Muxuan when he received a light warning glance. “If you want to soar the heavens, cultivate more diligently. What does it look like hanging on me?”

Xu Rong was speechless. Wind-riding flight—it wasn’t as if he hadn’t experienced it in his past life. This was mainly…cough, he wanted to hug that slim waist.

Despite trying repeatedly but still not having the honor of being carried by his Shizun, Xu Rong dejectedly mounted a flying beast. Just before takeoff, he looked toward the distant Sword-Inquiry Valley with profound confusion and bewilderment.

——Whose demonic core had Hua Qilan obtained in her past life?

Lu Li was temporarily settled at Shen Muxuan’s Tianji Peak. Gu Fuxuan also temporarily remained here to care for the junior martial brother he hadn’t seen in ages and the invalid who couldn’t get up.

He came out carrying a medicine bowl, encountering Yin Lang just as he was about to push the door open. A smile instantly bloomed on his face. “Come to visit Elder Lu? Peak Master Liu just left not long ago—your timing is just right.”

Yin Lang smiled and nodded, lifting his foot to enter. Gu Fuxuan pressed timely on his shoulder, speaking in a low voice. “The Elder’s spirits haven’t been good these past few days. Don’t chat too long. As it happens, this senior martial brother also has some matters to discuss with you. I’ll be waiting in the courtyard next door—come over after you finish talking with the Elder.”

Yin Lang nodded to show he understood, then stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

It was just the time of sunset. The small window faced away from the sun, and once the door closed, all the light in the room dimmed. He walked to the bedside. The faint light leaking through the gaps was blocked by his silhouette. Lu Li lay powerlessly on the bed, squinting—for a moment he couldn’t quite make out his expression. He could only greet him weakly. “Even a snail moves faster than you. I’ve been waiting for you for quite a while.”

Yin Lang asked with interest, “A snail demon?”

“……”

This unfunny cold joke caused the atmosphere that had just eased a bit to stiffen again. 

Lu Li remained silent for a long while, finally letting out a gentle sigh. Supporting himself on the bedframe, he slowly sat up, leaning against the soft pillow behind him. “Whatever you want to ask, ask directly. For the sake of the life-saving grace, as long as it doesn’t involve demon clan secrets, anything you want to know, I can tell you.”

“Does that include my mother?”

Lu Li looked up. His injured eye was half-closed—one could only see a glassy luster flowing in his gaze. “Yes. Including your mother, your Shizun, and even anyone in the entire Taihua Immortal Sect that you want to know about.”