Embers of Sword

Chapter 539 Demons and Dragons

The cold wind carried the ashes of the Soul-Devouring Banner.

The body temperature of the woman in Xie Xuanyi's arms gradually decreased, and she became cold.

Like a flower in full bloom, she withered away just as quickly.

"Xie Xuanyi, you didn't expect this, did you..."

not far away.

"Master Baihe" spoke slowly, his hoarse voice filled with mockery: "You must think that the previous rain of Dao that severed my soul and body has completely annihilated me. You are the only lucky one in the world to have seen my true face. I must say, we are truly destined."

He has been active in southern Xinjiang for decades.

Everyone knows the name of the White Ghost.

If the Great Dao were not incomplete, Bai Gui would have already attained the position of "Yang Shen".

Without Lu Yuzhen, Bai Gui would be the most powerful evil cultivator in Yinshan for hundreds of years. Many younger evil cultivators from the Southern Frontier would mention his name with a mixture of fear and envy. Many people say that Bai Gui was able to become the sect leader of Yinshan because he found an earth dragon when he was young... These people are right, but there is one thing they are wrong about.

The white-robed boy who appeared before the world.

He was never a real white ghost.

Yinshan... is a sect that cannibalizes people.

Everyone knows that the White Ghost's fate was changed because he found the earth dragon.

But nobody knows...

What exactly happened that day?

That weak, incompetent "White Ghost" underwent a transformation on the day he found the earth dragon, not because he became stronger.

Rather, it was because he was eaten.

After that day, the one who survived was no longer the White Ghost, but the "Earth Dragon"... This demonic creature was the true master controlling the White Ghost's body. The Yin spirits within the Soul-Devouring Banner, and the Gu fields spread throughout the mountains of Southern Xinjiang, were all prepared by the Earth Dragon for itself. In truth, no one cared about the life or death of the former "White Ghost." A mere evil cultivator who had lingered in the Yin Mountains for many years without any cultivation, even if he didn't die in the Earth Dragon's mouth, would eventually die in the Soul-Devouring Banner of another cultivator.

White Demon and Earth Dragon... have always been the same person, the same being.

Perhaps this is why Xie Xuanyi felt such intense disgust for Bai Gui from the very first glance.

Evil cultivators, demons... These are the two things Xie Xuanyi hates most, and Bai Gui embodies both.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi ignored Bai Gui's words.

At this moment, he simply felt the weight of the woman in his arms...

At this moment, Miss Yuan was as light as cotton wool, because all that remained of her was a withered, empty shell.

It turns out that the soul has dispersed.

People can also become lighter.

Xie Xuanyi lowered his eyes, and behind him, sword energy roared, and the Sword Energy Cave slowly opened a crack.

The golden divine embryo stretched out its hands, gently embraced the withered woman, and tenderly placed her into the cave.

Miss Yuan...

Just die?
Xie Xuanyi looked somewhat dazed.

The girl who called him Mr. Xie, every smile and frown, is still vivid in his mind... He never imagined that yesterday's hasty farewell would become a final goodbye today.

I have lived two lives.

This was Xie Xuanyi's first experience of profound "loss".

The taste was so bitter, so piercing.

It's hard to believe.

Yet, they had no choice but to accept it.

……

……

Xie Xuanyi did not make a move.

The white ghost was naturally happy to have some peace and quiet.

In those few dozen breaths, he had successfully seized Ren Zhong's body and taken control of the Soul Devouring Banner. The malevolent energy and killing intent within his [Soul Sea] became thicker, and his white and dry long hair gradually turned bright red.

However, at this moment, Bai Gui felt a little dissatisfied.

Xie Xuanyi was the only "perfect prospect" he had ever seen in his life!
If such a top-tier embryo were sent to the Southern Frontier and become a disciple of Yinshan, why would he have toiled so hard? By consuming such a peerless sword immortal embryo, even if his Great Dao was broken, he was confident he could achieve the position of Yang God!

Ten years ago, he led his disciples in a pursuit of Xie Xuanyi to the North Sea.

Bai Gui originally intended to "devour" Xie Xuanyi to achieve his own grand ambition.

Unfortunately.

This guy eventually fled to the North Sea, and no matter how hard they tried to salvage him, they couldn't find a trace of him. Although the battle in the North Sea was a Pyrrhic victory, they gained nothing... This battle became an eternal regret in Bai Gui's heart. Now, they met again in the secret tomb, and he saw the opportunity he missed ten years ago returning to him.

Before him stood Xie Xuanyi, whom he should have devoured ten years ago.

Behind him was the Dao Stele, personally carved by the ancient demon saint!
Thinking of this, Bai Gui couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Looking at the scene before me.

Bai Gui coughed lightly, his smile fading. He frowned and coldly reprimanded, "Ten years have passed, how have you become like this?"

If I remember correctly.

Yuan Yi... This little girl from Hundred Flowers Valley, she had only known Xie Xuanyi for a short year.

How many times a year will we meet and talk?
Such an insignificant woman...

If you die, you will die.

What's there to be sad about?
As soon as he finished speaking, the White Ghost immediately realized something was wrong.

The wind around us gradually grew colder... This chill was not a physical cold.

It is the chill in one's soul.

"……Um?"

The white ghost's expression turned serious.

He squinted, sizing up the young man in black not far away.

Strangely, he did not see the flying sword or the chronic illness at this moment. However, the entire world was silent, and the invisible sword intent was like a full cup of water, spreading out in the void within a hundred feet. The surging tide of killing intent from all directions was so full that it was almost overflowing.

Bai Gui felt a chill run down his spine. A premonition in his heart told him that if he acted rashly at this moment, the overwhelming sword energy that filled the sky and earth would fall instantly, engulfing him like a storm.

The "Path of Annihilation Rain" will descend once again in front of the sanctuary.

The young man in black slowly reached out and tore off the images of all living beings, revealing his appearance from ten years ago. Ten years have passed, and Xie Xuanyi has not aged, but has become even younger.

There was no anger, no resentment, nothing in Xie Xuanyi's eyes... only emptiness.

But the white ghost felt like he was suffocating after just one glance.

A strong sense of impending death settled over my heart.

Bai Gui immediately abandoned his plan to fight the young man in black to the death. He looked at the Dao stele and his intuition told him that if he wanted to survive, he had to get the Dao stele first.

"Om-"

The white ghost shifted its body, transforming into lightning, and sped towards the grand stele.

Xie Xuanyi simply watched indifferently.

Heaven and earth are silent.

In the depths of his heart, a wisp of "Daoist intent" that had been stagnant for ten years began to take root and sprout.

Ten years ago.

Xie Xuanyi was caught between asking the question and questioning his own heart, two great calamities.

Perhaps it's because the time isn't right yet.

Having cultivated to the perfection of the Dao of Annihilation, he was still unable to advance further and transform into the Great Dao of Yang God...

But now, the Dao Realm of Annihilation is no longer stagnant. The Dao Realm has broken through the bottleneck and is evolving towards the Great Dao. The wisp of Dao intent that it has evolved has begun to spread throughout the entire Heart Lake.

A few breaths pass in the blink of an eye.

When the white ghost reached the base of the pure white Dao stele, Xie Xuanyi, who had been watching coldly, finally made his move.

He stretched out his palm and pointed it at the white ghost.

Five fingers clenched together—

With a loud bang!
Countless sword energies erupted!

The entire dome of the sanctuary was nearly shattered by this attack.

Countless powerful sword energies rolled down, and the rain of annihilation descended once more, but this time the scale of the descent was several times that of the previous one!
……

……

(P.S.: The new volume has just begun, and finalizing the outline took some effort. This chapter is a bit short, so there will be another update tomorrow morning.)
(End of this chapter)