Into The Sea

The warm sunlight bathed the tranquil sea, its blue waves clear and shimmering, rippling gently under the soft breeze.

But beneath the sunlit surface, the sea quickly descended into silence, an endless darkness stretching below. The deeper one went, the darker it became, with even the faintest bubbles disappearing into the void.

Suddenly, a faint blue light emerged from the dark depths, dragging a long shadow behind it, as if a massive, ink-like beast were in relentless pursuit, closing in rapidly.

The turbulent currents startled a school of fish, and Ji Lingyue glanced back at the swarm of sea yaos chasing them. She waved her sleeve, releasing a swarm of black butterflies.

The pitch-black depths were the perfect camouflage for demonic energy. Even slowed by the water, the butterflies moved silently through the gloom, slipping into the nostrils and mouths of their prey.

It was a vicious technique, one that ravaged the victim’s organs and left them bleeding from every orifice, dying in agony. But given the circumstances, Ji Lingyue had no intention of holding back. Even Lan Yuan didn’t protest, merely pursing her lips and urging, “Hurry!”

Ji Lingyue nodded, grabbing Lan Wu’s hand.

The fully transformed mermaid swam with incredible speed, her tail propelling her forward. Her silver hair was pulled back by the water, spreading out behind her like seaweed.

Then, a deep whale song echoed from behind. A rainbow-colored sea serpent shot forward like an arrow, jaws wide as it lunged toward them.

Without looking back, Lan Wu began forming a spell, murmuring under her breath, “Heavenly Fire, Earth’s Barrier, Yin-Yang Flames…”

With a few swift movements, complex formations imprinted with different runes stacked behind her. Black flames erupted, incinerating the sea serpents that had charged ahead.

The warm sunlight was within reach. Ji Lingyue broke the surface, stepping onto her sword. Her white robes billowed in the wind, untouched by a single drop of water.

She turned to help Lan Wu, but a flash of silver caught her eye, shooting up from the depths towards Lan Wu’s back.

Ji Lingyue’s heart clenched. She shoved Lan Wu behind her, thrusting her palm towards the light. To her shock, the light passed through her arm like a phantom, piercing her forehead.

Lan Wu cried out, “Ah Yue!”

Ji Lingyue’s body went limp. Lan Wu quickly caught her, holding her tight. “Ah Yue, Ah Yue, what’s wrong?”

Ji Lingyue’s eyes were closed, her face serene, as if she were merely asleep. Lan Yuan flew over, frowning as she observed the situation. “Don’t worry. You have a life-and-death contract. If you’re fine, then she’s not in mortal danger.”

“But…” Lan Wu bit her lip, feeling an eerie familiarity with the scene. It was like… “A nightmare beast.”

She suddenly remembered something and turned in shock. “It’s the Nightmare Lamp!”

With a splash, a figure emerged from the water. Lan Zhichuan held a black lantern in his hand, and upon seeing Ji Lingyue unconscious, he clicked his tongue in annoyance. “What a nuisance.”

The Nightmare Lamp contained the souls of countless merged nightmare beasts. Its ability to create nightmares was even stronger than a living nightmare beast.

Back then, a single nightmare beast had driven Ji Lingyue to the brink of despair, forcing her to take her own life in the dream to wake up. Now, faced with a Nightmare Lamp many times more powerful, how could she possibly awaken?

White mist swirled around her as Ji Lingyue opened her eyes, hesitantly glancing around before taking a cautious step forward.

The mist dissipated like receding clouds, revealing a figure standing behind it. Ji Lingyue paused, instinctively walking towards her, but stopped when she recognized the face.

She froze.

It was her, but a younger her.

A girl of seventeen knelt on a barren ground, patting the last bit of earth onto a grave mound. A few crows perched on a withered tree flapped away as the setting sun cast its final rays over the dozens of graves.

She curled into herself, lying beside the graves, her thin figure lonely and fragile.

“Mother,” she whispered.

Ji Lingyue blinked, quietly watching her.

“Don’t worry,” the girl whispered. “I’ll take care of myself. The one who saved me was a cultivator from Haochen Mountain. After the new year, I’ll go there to become his disciple.”

She shut her eyes, then said with solemn conviction, “I will avenge all of you. I promise.”

Ji Lingyue pressed her lips together, silently stepping forward to place a warm hand on the girl’s head.

“Why do you wield a sword?” came a stern voice behind her.

She turned. A slightly older version of herself stood in a snowy storm, shivering but gripping an iron sword tightly, tirelessly repeating thrusting motions.

When her master asked the question, she stammered, “To… slay demons and protect the innocent.”

“And yet you can’t last three hours. How will you slay demons or protect anyone?”

Crack!

A wooden rod appeared out of nowhere, knocking the sword from her hand. “Your stance is wrong. Even if you practice it a hundred times, it will be useless.”

The girl’s eyes reddened, but she silently picked up the sword and resumed her stance.

“Tell me again, why do you wield a sword?”

“To slay demons and protect the innocent.”

“Louder!”

“To slay demons and protect the innocent!”

“Oh?” the voice said coldly. “Then why have you not killed the demon standing right beside you?”

Ji Lingyue stiffened.

The younger her turned, her dark eyes fixed on Ji Lingyue. Without hesitation, she thrust her sword forward.

Ji Lingyue reacted instinctively, catching the blade. Demonic energy surged from her fingers, halting the attack with ease.

“You demon!” the younger version spat. “Why are you not dead yet?!”

Ji Lingyue frowned. “Look carefully. I am you.”

“You’re not!” The girl denied it vehemently, her lashes fluttering as tears welled up. “I would never become like you! Never!”

“Are you so sure?” Ji Lingyue said calmly. “The world is ever-changing, and people even more so. When you’re young, you’re impulsive—so quick to speak of forever, so quick to swear undying loyalty. But in the end, nothing truly lasts… not people, not promises, not even the person you believe yourself to be.”

The girl faltered, eyes glistening with tears. “But I joined Haochen Mountain, learned the way of the sword, sought immortality, all to slay demons and protect the innocent. If I have become a demon myself, then… what was the point of everything?”

The point…

Ji Lingyue closed her eyes, sighing. “Ah Yue…  you became a demon to protect those you care about. Besides, even as a demon… you can still wield the sword…”

“Can you?”

A familiar voice interrupted her.

Ji Lingyue blinked, looking at the third figure that emerged from the mist.

It was another Ji Lingyue, identical in appearance but cold and unreadable.

“If that’s true,” she said, “then why don’t you draw your sword?”

Ji Lingyue frowned. “What do you mean?”

The other Ji Lingyue didn’t reply, but lunged forward, her silver sword thrusting towards her. Ji Lingyue retreated instinctively, using her demonic energy to bind the blade. In that moment of distraction, the sword pierced through her demonic energy, piercing her shoulder.

She gasped, her breathing ragged. She looked at the familiar face so close to her.

This was a version of herself with the same cultivation level. If she hesitated even for a moment, she would be killed.

Ji Lingyue gritted her teeth, flicking her wrist to conjure a black sword. The two figures quickly engaged in a fierce battle.

Before long, a sharp clang echoed through the howling wind as the black sword fell to the ground. The silver blade, however, continued its deadly path toward her heart.

Ji Lingyue’s pupils contracted as she twisted away, narrowly avoiding the strike.

“You can’t even hold your sword properly,” the other woman said coldly. “How do you expect to use it?”

Ji Lingyue’s face was pale. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Don’t you?” The other Ji Lingyue stood still, mocking her. “You think this is just another dream? You think killing me will make you wake up? Ji Lingyue, this time is different. The only way out is to kill me.”

Ji Lingyue stiffened, her voice hoarse. “Why…?”

“I should be asking you,” the woman said. “Why do you keep hiding from your power when you have so much of it?”

“I have used it!” Ji Lingyue snapped. “Even as a demon, I’ve killed many with my sword!”

“Yes. You’ve killed many,” her double replied. “But your sword is just a convenient tool. You have never unleashed its true power. Ask yourself, do you even remember what your sword path is?”

Of course she did.

Ji Lingyue’s lashes trembled. Her fists clenched.

She remembered those countless early mornings and late nights, alone beneath the stars, practicing her sword again and again in the frost and snow. Those years were etched deep into her memory—each strike driven by a belief that to draw out a sword’s true strength, one must have a clear path in the heart. But her heart’s path had always been a stubborn one: a single vow to slay demons and protect the innocent.

But if she was the demon… then what was the point?

As it turns out, the painful, helpless question that the girl had asked not long ago… was truly her own innermost thought.

“You finally admitted it,” the other Ji Lingyue said with a slow smile, pointing her sword at her. “All these years, you never stopped resenting what you became. You feared your sword, and you feared yourself.”

“So what if I have?” Ji Lingyue sighed, looking at the face identical to her own. She summoned her sword back to her hand.

“If my path is broken”

“Then I’ll forge a new one.”

***

Splash!

A thick, red tentacles shot up from the depths and coiled tightly around Lan Wu’s ankle. She had just severed one when another wrapped around her wrist, dragging her downward.

Holding Ji Lingyue in her arms, she had no free hand to cut it off. Just as she was about to be pulled into the shadowy sea below, a flash of red light sliced through the slimy limb with a sharp whoosh.

At the same moment, a clear cry echoed from the clouds as a slender white dragon dove down. The woman riding it wore flowing red robes, her longbow still burning with fierce flames.

Lan Wu looked up, surprised and relieved. “Shanye!”

Yu Shanye grinned, leaning down to pull her up. “See? When it really matters, you still need me to save the day.”

Lan Wu couldn’t help but laugh, then turned to glance toward Lan Yuan. She and another person were riding on Danbai. They were too far away for her to see clearly, but she heard a familiar chirping voice. “Master, Master!”

“Danqing?”

The snow-white gyrfalcon flew over, panting. “Why didn’t you summon me!? I flew so far, I’m exhausted!”

Lan Wu was about to ask what she was doing here, but realized that saying such a thing would hurt the bird’s feelings. She quickly closed her mouth and reached out to catch her.

Danqing landed on her hand, catching its breath before biting off a ring from its claw. Lan Wu took the ring, confused. “Why are you giving me a storage ring?”

“It’s not a storage ring,” Danqing chirped, hopping on her palm. “Argh, just open it and you’ll see!”

“Them?” Lan Wu blinked, then hesitantly performed the spell to open the ring. In an instant, countless birds soared out, rushing towards the sea yaos.

The flapping of wings created a cool sea breeze, blowing back Lan Wu’s long hair. Danqing puffed out her chest, proud. “These are all my friends. The sect leader specially made this ring to hold living creatures. I brought everyone to help!”

Lan Wu was stunned. She looked at the magnificent scene of thousands of birds flying together, then down at the small gyrfalcon perched on her palm. She called out instinctively, “Danqing.”

“Yes?” Danqing shook her wings, waiting for praise.

Lan Wu’s Wu smiled. “It is my honor to be your master.”

The sound of flying swords cutting through the air grew louder as more cultivators appeared in the distance.

Lan Zhichuan looked up, finally realizing the situation was dire. “You brought the humans to interfere?” he roared. “Lan Yuan, and you still dare claim this isn’t treason?!”

Lan Yuan was done with his nonsense. She raised her head high. “Everyone, listen to me! The silver-haired man in white, the one who looks flashy, is Lan Zhichuan. He orchestrated all of this, playing both sides like fools. Kill him, and it all ends!”

A chorus of voices responded in unison: “Understood!”

Countless Dragons burst from the water, rising into the air. Lan Yuan was momentarily stunned but quickly shouted, “Don’t hurt the Dragons! They’re on our side!”

Unfortunately, the noisy environment quickly drowned out her voice.

Seeing her about to jump off Danbai in frustration, Meng Changge cleared her throat, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Listen up!”

Her voice, amplified by spiritual energy, carried far and wide, reaching every human and demon. “Don’t hurt the Dragons! They’re on our side!”

The tactic worked. Lan Yuan looked her up and down, raising an eyebrow. “You’re actually useful sometimes.”

Meng Changge couldn’t help but retort, “I have many good qualities. Can you at least acknowledge…”

Before she could finish, Lan Yuan flew off towards Lan Wu.

Meng Changge sighed, used to it. Before she could start complaining, Danbai suddenly changed direction, also flying towards Lan Wu.

Meng Changge was stunned. “Danbai, what’s wrong?”

Danbai said anxiously, “Ah Yue, Ah Yue is in trouble.”

On the white dragon’s back, Ji Lingyue, who had been unconscious, suddenly floated up, surrounded by a cold wind. Lan Wu clung to her robes, looking up anxiously. “Ah Yue?”

Yu Shanye grabbed the other side of her robes. “What’s wrong with her? She looks so scary!”

“How would I know?!”

Ah Li dodged the sharks flying out of the water, glancing back at the group. “Master, is Sister Ah Yue okay?”

Lan Wu, panicked and overwhelmed, was about to say she didn’t know when she noticed the air behind Ji Lingyue distort, as if it was being burned by fire.

She hesitated, calling softly, “Ah Yue?”

Ji Lingyue’s ink-black hair fluttered in the wind. The woman in white closed her eyes, and a series of crimson light emerged from her back. Lan Wu’s lashes trembled as she looked over Ji Lingyue’s shoulder, watching in awe as black swords emerged from the light rings.

This was…

With a splash, several dark figures burst from the water. At the same moment, Ji Lingyue opened her eyes, her lips parting as a serene, almost indifferent expression settled on her face, illuminated by an eerie glow. “Swords, emerge.”

The crimson light intensified, and hundreds of swords buzzed with energy, shooting out from behind her. The blades rained down like a storm, piercing flesh and plunging into the sea, unstoppable as they flew toward the dense swarm of demons.

Amidst the cries of pain and terror, Ji Lingyue descended, a black sword forming in her hand as she charged toward a specific figure.

BOOM!

The sea was cleaved in two by the sword’s energy.

The mist and wind left Lan Wu barely able to keep her eyes open. She girtted her teeth, looking down to see Ji Lingyue facing Lan Zhichuan in the swirling whirlpool.

The water beneath them was stained red. Lan Zhichuan also blocked with his sword, his expression grim. “A demon,” he sneered, “wielding a cultivator’s sword. Isn’t that laughable?”

“What’s funny about it?” Ji Lingyue’s face was pale as she pressed forward against the fierce wind. “There’s no such thing as a sword technique that belongs only to cultivators. As long as I can protect those I want to protect, wielding this sword has meaning.”

“Pretty words!” Lan Zhichuan frowned, forcefully deflecting Ji Lingyue’s sword. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword upwards towards her throat.

Just then, Lan Wu appeared beside them. She and Ji Lingyue were connected by heart and mind. Summoned to her side, she didn’t hesitate to lash out with silver threads, entangling Lan Zhichuan’s wrist.

She pulled hard.

Lan Zhichuan was caught off guard. Even with all his demonic energy flowing to his hands for defense, he was too slow.

Crunch!

His right hand was sliced clean off at the wrist. Blood sprayed wildly into the sea.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He staggered back, trying to stop the bleeding. His eyes were soon filled with rage.

“You… you…”

Lan Wu wrapped an arm around Ji Lingyue’s waist, pulling her back. She burned the severed hand to ashes, a mocking smile on her face. “Oops. Father, it seems you won’t be getting that hand back.”

Lan Zhichuan glared at her, then slowly straightened up. “Lan Wu… you have truly angered me.”

His forehead throbbed, and the wound on his left wrist quickly closed with the power of his demonic energy. But with one hand gone, he looked incomplete and grotesque.