ILDV Chapter 51

Xu Rong truly lived up to being the Child of Destiny. 

Protected by the sword sheath and scroll, he chose the correct path among the fifty-fifty odds and successfully reached the deep pool where the flood dragon dwelled.

As soon as he entered the pool’s vicinity, the fierce winds and raging flames were completely blocked out. One step brought towering waves; the next step, calm waters.

Above the deep pool, a lush and verdant branch grew out at an angle. Unfortunately, the branch was covered in wounds, and the stony ground around the pool was in complete disarray, with fresh blood scattered everywhere, slowly flowing into the tranquil pool and spreading into a pale red haze.

…Where was the severely wounded flood dragon?

Xu Rong clutched the two treasures in his arms and carefully moved his steps to investigate the surrounding battle traces.

The bloodstains were left by Hua Qilan. The battle traces were mostly caused by the valley’s formation and water-type techniques, mixed with about forty percent wood-type… Wait!

Xu Rong gripped the sword sheath tightly.

——Both the Hua mother and daughter had water spiritual roots, Gu Fuxuan had metal spiritual roots, and Lu Li had earth spiritual roots. Then who caused the damage from the wood-type techniques?

He bit his finger, his thoughts growing increasingly alarming.

If the flood dragon was wood-attribute, how could Hua Qilan, with her water spiritual root, have absorbed the spiritual power contained in the demonic core with one hundred percent efficiency?

Or rather, in his previous life, whose demonic core had she actually obtained?

Unable to find his target, Xu Rong left with a heavy heart, failing to notice that the blood dispersing in the pool defied logic by reconvening and drifting down to the bottom, landing on a quietly slumbering sword.

The dusty scabbard opened slightly. The sword slowly emerged, revealing two dark red ancient characters—

——Yaoguang.

****

The flood dragon disguised as Hua Qilan struggled painfully in the black flames, pale green scales appearing on both hands as it desperately tried to pry open the left hand clamped around its neck like an immovable boulder.

“You… ah… let me go…” The damaged scales on both hands were extensively burned. Unable to maintain its illusory form, the flood dragon reverted to the appearance of a green-robed youth.

His transformed age was only fifteen or sixteen. His emerald-colored robes were already seven or eight-tenths destroyed, revealing fine scales underneath that emerged uncontrollably due to his severe injuries.

“I didn’t… didn’t kill anyone… please, please let me go… wuu…” Pain and distress overlapped. Two lines of clear tears fell down, and combined with his tender appearance, he looked extremely pitiful.

Venerable Yin remained unmoved with a heart of stone. “You were trying to lead me inside just now—what were you planning?” His hand relaxed its force slightly, allowing the youth to speak.

“Wuu wuu wuu… your scent is familiar, I-I wanted to ask you to go save, save my fellow kin…”

Fellow kin?

How could he not know there was a second flood dragon in this Sword-Inquiry Valley?

“Not fellow kin, it’s, it’s…” The green-robed youth hiccupped, crying miserably yet answering earnestly despite his stutter. “I’m a flood, flood dragon. He’s a peacock. We’re not… not the same type of demon.”

“He protected me and was struck from behind by a bad woman. The lightning from the sky also… so much, so much blood flowed from his belly. Even his demonic core was shattered, shattered by a piece… wuu… I didn’t dare bring him out. You have his scent on you. Please save him…”

He spoke weakly and incoherently. If Yin Lang didn’t know Lu Li’s true identity, no ghost would be able to understand what this little fellow was babbling about.

For Lu Li’s sake.

He snorted lightly and withdrew his flames, reaching out to grasp the small flood dragon by the back of his collar. “Lead the way. If this lord discovers even half a false word… hmph!”

The small flood dragon walked on tiptoe, not daring to complain. Thinking of those terrifying black flames just now, his body trembled violently. “I won’t dare again! I won’t tell anyone anything! Wuu…”

He’d learned human language from someone, all jumbled up—surely it wasn’t taught by Lu Li?

After walking on tiptoe for a while, the small flood dragon said in a low voice, “…I can walk by myself.”

Yin Lang slashed away an incoming fierce wind with his sword, completely emotionless. “And then be sliced into seventeen or eighteen pieces by this thing?”

“That wouldn’t necessarily…” Under the Demon Venerable’s gaze, the small flood dragon’s voice grew softer and softer, finally falling silent as he lowered his head, crying inwardly over his aching toes.

The path became increasingly winding and narrow. After turning past another dense towering tree, the small flood dragon said quietly, “This path leads to the end. Uncle Lu is hidden inside by me. When the formation activates there, the fierce winds are slightly weaker.”

After walking forward a bit more, the convergence of spiritual power between heaven and earth suddenly became chaotic. The gathering of earth fire, wind, and water already made the spiritual power within the formation violently unstable, but this place felt as if it would explode, expanding to an extreme degree.

The small flood dragon’s expression changed dramatically. “Uncle Lu!”

He struggled forcefully and rushed inside. Yin Lang was caught off guard for a moment—he actually broke free!

Seeing this situation, Yin Lang weighed his options and ultimately pursued with sword in hand.

Passing through the narrow gap between two mountain cliffs, they emerged into another hidden paradise.

The green-robed youth supported Lu Li, whose half-closed eyes were bleeding, while glaring warily at the mother and daughter opposite them. Hua Feiying’s condition didn’t look particularly good either, though aside from a deep gash on her left arm that reached the bone, Hua Qilan showed no other major injuries.

Both sides simultaneously noticed Yin Lang entering.

The small flood dragon’s urgency mixed with joy. “You… that Shen whatever!”

Hua Qilan’s body clearly stiffened, then quickly reacted by reaching toward him, tears brimming in her eyes. “Muxuan…”

Alright, he now knew from whom that little fellow had learned its disguised behavior.

With no one else present, Venerable Yin was too lazy to even pretend. He walked straight toward Lu Li. “Looks like I’m not too late. You’re not dead yet, are you, Martial Uncle?”

“…Brat?”

Lu Li closed his eyes and turned his face this way, his tone carrying a few notes of hesitation. “You came to help… me?”

“Martial Uncle, that’s a strange question. If I don’t help you, should I help the Hua mother and daughter who have a grudge against me?” His tone was perfectly normal, leaving Lu Li temporarily unable to determine whether the little brat knew his identity or not.

“Muxuan!”

But Hua Qilan grew anxious. Thinking he didn’t know the truth, she urgently shouted, “Quickly step back! Those two are both from the demon race. Lu Li is even at demon king level, having concealed his identity and lurked within our sect all along!”

Lu Li’s fingertips, which had just touched Yin Lang’s palm, trembled and were about to withdraw, but he swiftly grabbed them.

Then he heard Shen Muxuan respond in that perpetually lazy drawl—

“Oh.”

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Lu Li froze in place.

Hua Qilan pointed at his arm, trembling, emphasizing in disbelief, “That’s a demon king! One of the three late-stage Tribulation demon kings of the Demon Realm—the Peacock King! Are you trying to betray the sect?”

“How could that be? Where did you get the idea that I’m betraying the sect?” Shen Muxuan waved the gleaming golden Tianji Sword before them in a circle, asking in complete puzzlement, “Junior Martial Niece Hua, one must speak reasonably. I’m certified by the Tianji Sword as utterly loyal to the sect. You’re trying to slander me with empty accusations—produce evidence, would you?”

“…” Before saying that, could you at least release your grip first?!

The small flood dragon, who didn’t know the full story, couldn’t help but laugh, his tone becoming cheerful as his hands emanated emerald light, gently massaging the wound on Lu Li’s shoulder while comforting him: “Lucky I met Elder Brother Shen! Uncle Lu, don’t worry. I’ve explained everything to Elder Brother Shen. He definitely won’t help the bad people who bullied you! Elder Brother Shen is a good person!”

“…”

Lu Li remained silent for a long while before saying quietly, “What Hua Qilan said is the truth.”

“I know.”

“…Muxuan, don’t fool around. I’m grateful you came to save me, but throwing yourself into this as well would be more loss than gain.”

“Tsk, it’s rare to see Martial Uncle Lu speak reasonably.” 

Lu Li was caught off guard by this untimely teasing, momentarily unable to figure out how to respond. So Shen Muxuan chuckled lightly and patted his shoulder. “Alright, stop looking so grim. When have I ever done anything disadvantageous? If you want to keep something secret—”

“Just kill all the witnesses, right?”

His tone was as light as if asking ‘what’s for lunch.’ He didn’t give anyone present time to react. Running his fingers along the sword blade, rich golden light enveloped it. With a flick of his wrist, the sword tip instantly shot through the air.

Like thunder and lightning, it wasn’t until cold sweat soaked her face that Hua Qilan jolted awake from her extreme terror. The sword tip halted an inch from her forehead. A drop of crimson blood seeped from the pierced spot and slowly trickled down her nose bridge.

Hua Feiying, who had blocked in front of her, gasped heavily, half her body collapsing limply into her daughter’s embrace. A large, ugly smile stretched across her face as she stared at Shen Muxuan’s suddenly cold expression and repeated:

“Shen Muxuan, that day in the Mission Hall, did I tell even half a lie? You master and disciple torment my Qilan like this simply because you’re sullied yourself and can’t stand to see my daughter’s pure and untainted virtue!”

The smile on Shen Muxuan’s face gradually faded. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Hua Qilan also cried out in alarm, “Mother?”

“You want me to spell it out?” Hua Feiying laughed eerily, looking at him with eyes full of both hatred and pity. “Shen Muxuan, in front of outsiders, I’ll give you some face. Back when you and Qilan were about to be married, Feng Jiangcheng suddenly emerged from seclusion, forcibly dissolved your engagement, and confined you to his cave dwelling for thirty years—do I really need to tell you why?!”

Hua Qilan’s expression could truly be described as earth-shattering. Even Lu Li was shocked enough to open his eyes at this explosive revelation.

Only the innocent small flood dragon looked left and right, thinking he was whispering quietly in Lu Li’s ear as he asked, “Uncle Lu, why… why was it?”

“Impossible!” Lu Li showed not a trace of hesitation, decisively declaring, “I raised this brat—do I not know his temperament? This kid is absolutely not someone who would submit meekly. If Feng Jiangcheng truly dared commit such… such an act against human ethics, Muxuan would have fought to mutual destruction with that bastard back then!”

He didn’t forget to add a curse: “What utter scum!”

But Hua Feiying ignored him, only staring at Shen Muxuan and laughing continuously.

Hua Qilan’s tears were ready to fall. Her ten fingers supporting Hua Feiying were about to draw blood as she pleaded tearfully, “Muxuan, explain quickly… how could Elder Feng possibly do that to you… Mother, don’t talk nonsense, you must have remembered wrong… Muxuan, explain quickly…”

The vegetation at the valley entrance rustled. Yin Lang closed his eyes and said quietly, “I originally thought ‘Shen Muxuan’s’ restraint was already sufficient, but I never imagined someone could actually anger ‘him’ to the point of losing composure—so angry that no matter what, I can’t find an excuse to gloss this over lightly.”

His words were strange, yet no one noticed the oddity within them.

Hua Feiying laughed even more wildly, her behavior already showing signs of madness as she lifted her hand to point at Yin Lang. “You—”

The unspoken words stopped abruptly.

The Tianji Sword, flashing with golden sword light, entered through her front chest and emerged from her back.

Hua Feiying’s expression remained frozen in astonishment. The instant the sword light passed through her body, it severed all her life force.

Yin Lang gently withdrew the sword.

He said indifferently, “I intended to let you live. After all, in many cases, living is more painful than dying. But I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold back.” 

Screams and wails arrived belatedly.

Hua Qilan threw herself onto her gradually cooling body, calling for her mother like a madwoman. The adoration in her eyes when she looked at Yin Lang was gradually replaced by hatred. “How could you… how could you… that’s my mother…”

A cheap and fragile love.

Yin Lang said nothing and raised the Tianji Sword again. Having tasted human blood, the blade seemed even sharper, able to harvest another life with a light drop.

His movements showed no hesitation—raising his wrist, thrusting forward.

The spiritual power in the air seemed to briefly destabilize. Someone suddenly burst from the entrance, shouting, “Shizun, watch out above!”

Pale blue flowing light sliced through the sky. Agile and nimble sword light descended, blocking the Tianji Sword’s blade with an unquestionable stance.

It traced a beautiful arc in mid-air, landing lightly and delicately beside Hua Qilan’s right hand. The luminous halo receded, revealing two elegantly shaped ancient characters on the sword body—

Yaoguang.