Into The Sea

The dull, shimmering mermaid pearl was forcibly ripped out, and the man’s eyes instantly dimmed. Blood poured from his mouth and nose as he collapsed to his knees.

Lan Yuan also fell to the ground, coughing violently. After the intense battle, her body felt weak and limp. She could barely lift her tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling with relief.

“Lan Wu…”

Lan Wu gritted her teeth and pulled the sword out again. Hot blood sprayed out, soaking her clothes. Lan Zhichuan looked down at the gaping hole in his chest, his face ashen, before collapsing face-first into the water.

A trail of blood spread beneath him, merging with the dark water. Lan Wu remained tense, her eyes fixed on his mangled form, her mind tightly wound like a coiled spring.

Is it over? Is he really dead?

She tightened her grip on the sword, her heart pounding. Without hesitation, she swung the sword down again, driving  it mercilessly deep into his back.

With a splash, a white wave crashed at her feet. Lan Zhichuan’s body sank into the water, rising and falling with the waves.

Suddenly, a beam of white light shot out from his head, darting into the sky. Ji Lingyue, who had been prepared, raised her hand slightly, and a cloud of demonic energy chased after it, enveloping the white light.

For demons, the cultivation and souls of others were the most delicious sustenance. Now that she had the soul in her grasp, Ji Lingyue’s demonic energy surged, eager to consume it completely.

She frowned, tightening her grip. The white light flailed wildly within the demonic energy, trying to break free, but it was gradually eroded to the size of a walnut. Ji Lingyue gasped for breath, exhausted, and barely managed to pull it back. She staggered, collapsing into Lan Wu’s arms.

Lan Wu said softly, “Ah Yue?”

Ji Lingyue hummed, giving her a pale smile. “I caught it.”

She opened her hand, offering the light orb in her palm to Lan Wu. Lan Wu paused, then hugged her tighter. “You did well.”

At that moment, Lan Yuan, who had been helped to her feet, stumbled towards them. Her lips trembled as she opened her arms, tears streaming down her face, and pulled both of them into a tight embrace. “You two nearly scared me to death…”

It was rare for her to lose control of her emotions like this. Lan Wu blinked, murmuring softly, “I’m sorry.”

Seeing them embrace, Meng Changge smiled gently. After a moment, she seemed to remember something, and she formed a hand seal, reciting a summoning spell.

With a thud, the bloodied Ji Xing appeared, her eyelashes fluttering. “Lan… Lan Zhichuan…”

“He’s dead.”

Lan Wu turned, kicking Lan Zhichuan’s lifeless body. “But his soul is still here.”

Everyone’s gaze fell on the small glowing orb in her hand. The light seemed to sense its fate, trembling uneasily. Lan Wu wrapped it in her spiritual energy and said in a low voice. “The final step is to completely destroy his soul, ensuring he vanishes forever, with no chance of reincarnation.”

“Alright, then what are we waiting for?”

Lan Wu said, “Let’s do this together.”

Lan Yuan blinked in surprise, then quickly understood. She nodded softly. She pursed her lips, then looked at Ji Xing. The woman lowered her eyes, reluctantly raising her hand. “Then I’ll listen to you this once.”

Her slender fingers slipped into Ji Lingyue’s, joining her in covering the light orb. Soon, demonic and spiritual energy flowed out, slowly enveloping Lan Zhichuan’s soul.

As the flames burned, the white light flickered violently. A grotesque face gradually emerged from within, its eyes wide with terror, screaming, “NO!!”

The fragile soul was being devoured bit by bit. At the final moment, Lan Wu smiled with a mix of relief and vengeance, her voice hoarse. “Lan Zhichuan, there’s something I didn’t tell you. The Guling flower… it really did bloom.”

The faint glow of the orb was almost gone, but she knew the remnants of his consciousness could still hear her. A sense of vindictive satisfaction surged within her. “And, from beginning to end, you could never measure up to Lan Yueyao in any way.”

As the words fell, the white light flashed one last time, then turned to ash, leaving behind a wisp of faint smoke.

The sea breeze blew past, lifting the strands of hair by Lan Wu’s ears and scattering the smoke into nothingness. Everyone stood still, unmoving, for a long time. Finally, Lan Yuan blinked dazedly. “Is it over?”

Lan Wu said, “It’s over.”

She stared blankly at Lan Zhichuan’s corpse, her body swaying as if all her strength had been drained. She fell to her knees, her voice trembling.

“Ah…”

She closed her eyes, hugging the person in her arms tightly. “It’s really over…”

Just then, the sea rippled again. Before Lan Wu could react, a silver sword with a sapphire gem embedded in its hilt burst from the water, humming as it hovered in the air.

Drops of water fell from the blade, and the Emperor’s Sword emitted a soft, radiant silver glow, as if waiting for a new master.

Lan Wu instinctively looked at Lan Yuan, only to find her already looking back. After a brief silence, Lan Wu sighed softly, her eyes curving into a gentle smile. “Go ahead, sister.”

Lan Yuan pressed her lips together. After a long moment, she stood up, limping towards the Emperor’s Sword.

Ripples spread out with each step. The woman raised her hand, about to touch the cold hilt, when a black shadow suddenly shot up from the water.

The figure was dressed neatly. He grabbed the Sea Emperor’s sword, then turned it around, stabbing towards Lan Yuan.

Lan Yuan was caught off guard, her eyes wide with shock as she met Sha Lang’s ruthless gaze.

“Sister!”

Lan Wu shot up in panic and stumbled forward.

“Stop!”

Splurt!

The sword pierced through flesh, and hot blood splattered across half of Lan Yuan’s face. Her lashes fluttered as she looked up in terror. In her blood-red vision, the cat demon’s slender back was pierced by the sharp blade.

“Ji Xing…”

Ji Xing gasped, then let out a trembling laugh. “Sister… I was faster than Lan Wu, wasn’t I…”

Lan Yuan stared in disbelief. “What are you talking about?!”

Sha Lang gritted his teeth, trying to pull the sword back. Ji Xing held his wrist tightly. “This isn’t… your sword…” She suddenly stepped forward, driving the blade deeper into her body. Her sharp claws dug into the man’s neck.

“Give it back!”

Sha Lang’s eyes turned red with rage. He slammed his palm into her shoulder. “Get off!”

Ji Xing let out a muffled groan, her body flying backward, but Lan Yuan caught her firmly. She frantically channeled her spiritual energy into Ji Xing’s wound, her voice hoarse. “Are you crazy?!”

Ji Xing coughed up blood. Before she could answer, an angry voice came from nearby. “Sha Lang! Lan Zhichuan is dead! None of his promises matter anymore! Have you lost your mind trying to kill Lan Yuan?!”

“It’s because Lan Zhichuan is dead that I have to do this!” Sha Lang shouted back. “If I don’t seize the Sea Emperor’s sword now, do you think Lan Yuan will spare me once she takes the throne?!”

He looked at the retreating cultivators around them, laughing coldly. “They won’t last much longer. And when they fall—who’s going to stand by you, the traitors who led the humans to attack the Sea Clans?!”

Lan Wu’s heart burned with rage. “You bastard!”

She attacked with her sword, but the previous battle had drained her strength. She barely managed to exchange two blows before Sha Lang saw through her, striking her with his palm.

His eyes widened with excitement. He laughed wildly. “The Heavens favor me! Heaven is on my side!”

Lan Wu coughed, wiping the blood from her lips. She pushed herself up, leaning on her sword. Then, a black shadow flew past her.

Ji Lingyue raised her hands, sending several demonic spikes towards the man. Sha Lang easily deflected them with the hilt of his sword. He swung his arm, and dozens of wide water blades flew from the sea, attacking her relentlessly.

Ji Lingyue’s pupils contracted. She tried to dodge, but a sharp pain suddenly shot through her chest, causing her to break out in a cold sweat. Her body stiffened, unable to move. At the last moment, Lan Wu threw herself forward, wrapping her arm around her waist, pulling her down, dodging all the attacks.

After getting up, she looked at the woman in her arms. Ji Lingyue was coughing again, her face full of pain. She quickly sent her what little spiritual energy she had left.

“Don’t move, don’t move… you can’t fight anymore…”

“But…”

“No buts!” Lan Wu interrupted her, her body trembling, tears falling from her eyes.

The smell of blood grew stronger. The cultivators fighting the sea yaos were struggling, falling one by one. Now, only by obtaining the Sea Emperor’s Sword could they command the sea clans to stop. But the Sea Emperor’s Sword was in Sha Lang’s hands.

And it had to be at this moment…

It had to be at this moment…

They had finally managed to kill Lan Zhichuan.

In the midst of the howling wind, Meng Changge coughed up blood and collapsed heavily in front of Lan Yuan, her robes soaked in blood.

Lan Yuan was still holding Ji Xing tightly, her silver hair dancing wildly in the wind. She looked up at Sha Lang, who was approaching step by step. “You can kill me, but… let them go…”

Sha Lang stared at her for a moment, then curled his lips. “Why would I do that?”

He dragged Lan Yuan up with one hand and pointed the Emperor’s Sword at her forehead with the other. “Besides Lan Wu, I will kill everyone else, one by one. A fight between two sides, and I reap the reward. Lan Yuan, at this point, what makes you think you can still negotiate with me?”

Lan Yuan’s eyes were bloodshot. “You bastard…”

Sha Lang snorted coldly and thrust the sword forward without hesitation. But a black shadow suddenly pounced, knocking the sword aside and clawing at his face.

“Meow!”

Sha Lang stumbled back, trying to grab the cat on his face. But the cat transformed into a human, her sharp claws digging into his eyes.

Sha Lang let out a bloodcurdling scream. He slammed his palm, infused with powerful demonic energy, into the cat demon’s body repeatedly. The woman’s once-fair chin was now covered in blood, but she refused to let go. “Quickly! Kill him!”

Lan Yuan instinctively summoned her sword, but the two were locked in a deadly struggle. Hearing Ji Xing’s words, Sha Lang turned, putting her back to Lan Yuan.

“No… I can’t…”

Lan Yuan shook her head in despair. “Ji Xing, come back!”

“Kill me—!”

Lan Yuan froze. “What?”

“Sister…” Ji Xing’s lashes were damp, and fresh blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. She spoke weakly, “That strike… earlier… it pierced my heart…”

“Nonsense!” Lan Yuan denied, her voice shaking. “It didn’t hit your heart… You’re just… just injured…”

Ji Xing closed her eyes. “I was never going to last much longer anyway… Kill me…”

“No…”

“Sister…”

“Shut up!”

The taste of blood filled Ji Xing’s throat. She gasped for breath, then suddenly shouted hoarsely, “Ji Lingyue!!”

Sha Lang’s fingers dug deep into her shoulders, trying to pull her away, but she clung to his neck with all her strength, desperately hindering his movements.

Even as the world blurred around her, she smiled, a hint of madness in her smile. “That winter… when you brought me back, I already thought about killing you! But you were too damn stupid! Who the hell wraps a stray cat in their coat just to keep it warm through the whole winter? You wouldn’t even let me die!”

“If it hadn’t been for you, I would have been long gone! I wouldn’t have given a damn about your village, those people! Their blood is the same as anyone else’s! Their hearts are no different either! They all taste disgusting…”

“But your sister sister… your sister was the only one…”

“Ji Xing,” a hoarse voice interrupted her. Ji Lingyue hovered alone on the boundless sea, her lips pale. “Even if you had not said all of that, I still would have killed you.”

Ji Xing smiled. “Then… cough… what are you waiting for…”

“No…” Lan Yuan’s eyes widened as she stumbled forward. “Don’t…”

Ji Lingyue pressed her lips together, swallowing the blood in her throat. A faint red halo emerged from her back.

“Ah Yue!” Lan Wu’s anxious voice came from afar. The woman was disheveled, running towards her, her voice full of panic. “Come back! You can’t use another sword technique!”

Ji Lingyue stubbornly turned her head, not listening to her for once. “Ji Xing,” she raised her sword, the image of a sword appearing in the red halo.

“I’ll give you… my strongest sword technique.”