Chapter 129

The Xu family.

Those two words echoed in Qing Zhouxue's ears, striking her heart. Her hand paused on her sword, then froze.

That day, in the image preserved in the pearl, she had dined with a young Yun Shuchen at a restaurant. The smiling girl before her had also only changed countenance abruptly after overhearing someone nearby mention the 'Xu family.'

She had noticed her master's subtle shift in expression, but when she later asked, Yun Shuchen casually mentioned that they used to send young disciples to Taichu Sect to study the Dao.

Was that truly so?

Her master's entanglement with them was evidently not shallow—not as light as she had described.

"So you admit to having the surname Xu? Infiltrating this place must have taken considerable effort."

Qing Zhouxue's blade did not waver. "Words alone prove nothing. Who would believe you?"

"Indeed." Yu Ying curved her eyes. "...When the 'Xu' loses its crowd, it becomes 'Yu.' And when 'Ying' loses its splendor, the king radical removed, it becomes 'Ying.'"

"Now that the wall has fallen, everyone pushes against it. The name Xu Ying, along with the Xu family's former glory, has passed."

Xu Ying coughed up another mouthful of blood, a faint sheen of tears in her eyes, perhaps from choking. "I was once like you—with a bright future, teachers and friends... I envy you."

Her voice grew softer and softer. Qing Zhouxue noticed her subtle movement and immediately seized Xu Ying's hand. In it was clutched a small bell, seemingly about to be crushed at any moment.

"Those pastries... cough, the Linglong Seed has already seeped into my marrow. Once I activate this artifact with my mana and shake it, everyone will know that Taichu Sect harbors the Demonic Race. What do you think will happen then?"

Xu Ying's smile, those words of unknown truth or falsehood, surrounded her like a thousand bells ringing, splitting Qing Zhouxue's head—

The missing demonic cultivation technique on the bookshelf.

The demonic general's gaze at an old acquaintance.

Her master steering away from the topic of the Xu family.

Fragment after fragment flashed through her mind, each one startlingly clear. Qing Zhouxue panicked for a moment, then calmed herself.

Whether her words were true or false, she could not let her succeed.

Xu Ying saw the gradually indifferent look in her eyes and felt a flicker of disappointment.

She had thought this 'senior sister' was pure-hearted, merely deceived. A final heartfelt confession before death might have opened her eyes to the true face of that woman Yun Shuchen.

Unexpectedly, she was beyond saving.

Xu Ying snorted coldly, casting aside the last shred of goodwill.

In that instant of Qing Zhouxue's distraction, Xu Ying struggled with all her might, suddenly rolling aside and dodging Qing Zhouxue's sword with the bell. A few steps more, and she burst through the door, flying swiftly away.

Qing Zhouxue immediately gave chase, stepping on the Qingshuang Sword like a streak of cold light shooting out from the doorway, closing in tightly.

Xu Ying flew into midair, reckless and heedless, seemingly heading for the Main Peak.

Yun Shuchen was exactly there at that moment, along with the elders of the various halls.

Qing Zhouxue's heart clenched fiercely. If she could not stop this, not to mention the reputation of the entire Taichu Sect, her master... her master...

She had to intercept her.

The two figures, one ahead and one behind, pursued each other closely, drifting across the sky above the training grounds. Seeing Xu Ying nearing the Main Peak, Qing Zhouxue condensed an ice sword in her hand and hurled it at her.

Xu Ying twisted aside, unharmed, but the disturbance slowed her wind-riding speed.

Many people were below today—disciples from various sects gathered at the training grounds for sparring and exchange. They looked up, assuming Qing Zhouxue was having a friendly duel with her junior sister, and found it a splendid sight, gathering around to watch.

Lin Xunzhen happened to be there. She squinted at the two in midair, puzzled: Qing Zhouxue's junior sister hadn't joined the sect but a few years ago, had she?

High above, the sun blazed.

Qing Zhouxue cut off Xu Ying's path with a single sword stroke, hovering in the air, her white robes snapping in the long wind.

She twisted her wrist, flourishing her blade, and a biting cold spread around. Countless snowflakes encircled Xu Ying tightly, forming a wall that she could not break through.

Though snowflakes were soft, when spinning at high speed, they proved tougher than a sharp sword.

But Qing Zhouxue never expected that Xu Ying, now resolved to die and seeking mutual destruction, would charge through that flurry of snow—her clothes torn to shreds, her face and arms left with no patch of skin intact.

And in her right hand, she still clutched the bell tightly.

Qing Zhouxue guessed this kind of artifact needed to be activated up close, but how close, she had no way of knowing.

In any case, getting closer meant greater danger.

She had to be quicker. But Xu Ying no longer cared about herself; so long as she drew breath, she would charge forward like a moth to a flame, unhesitatingly.

When Xu Ying burst out bathed in blood, the people below were dumbstruck, momentarily frozen. Murmurs arose: "This... Senior Sister Qing is really not holding back."

Seeing she could not trap her, Qing Zhouxue wearily gave chase again. The two were like birds battling high in the sky, fighting to the death, until Qing Zhouxue, striking from a distance, pierced her shoulder, hitting the acupoint precisely, intending to force her to let go.

Xu Ying's hand trembled. As blood flowed down, she was nearly too weak to hold on, her body at its limit, on the verge of falling at any moment.

But at that instant, she suddenly smiled—a smile full of fulfilled satisfaction.

By now, she should be close enough to avenge her father and brothers. Today, with cultivators from all major sects gathered here, it was a godsent opportunity.

Xu Ying turned around, and a rune suddenly appeared on her chest. When it burned away, it transformed into a burst of wind that blew Qing Zhouxue several zhang away. This was her final trump card to create distance, and she would naturally use it at the crucial moment.

She was about to pour her remaining spiritual power into the bell without hesitation, eager to hear its crisp, pleasant chime.

But the chime never came.

Qing Zhouxue, like a white bird folding its wings to dive in the sky, moved with swift agility. Yet as she watched the bell begin to glow and tremble, the sword in her hand was still a few inches short of the hand behind her back—

Two inches. One inch.

Qing Zhouxue realized that snatching the object from her would indeed be too late.

At that moment, her thoughts raced in the wind, or perhaps she thought of nothing at all.

But she was utterly calm.

There was one last hope: her sword tip could already reach Xu Ying. In a flash, her mind was made up. Qing Zhouxue gripped the Qingshuang Sword tightly, its cold tip aimed at Xu Ying's abdomen.

Xu Ying only saw a flash of a white-robed figure before her, and then came the decisive sword thrust.

Scalding blood scattered from the azure sky.

The Qingshuang Sword fully plunged into her body, and the frost congealed the gaping wound in an instant.

Qing Zhouxue's strike was steady and precise. Xu Ying hadn't even had time to speak before her breath ceased.

Xu Ying fell like an autumn leaf.

Qing Zhouxue reached out to catch the bell, quietly putting it away. She hovered in the air, her face and clothes spattered with blood. Especially on the Qingshuang Sword, a line of blood was slowly dripping.

The disciples below were stunned, and someone cried out, "...She's really dead!"

Below quickly fell into chaos. The training grounds were not only filled with Taichu Sect disciples but also friends from other sects.

Lin Xunzhen stared at Xu Ying's corpse, opened her mouth, and was at a loss for a moment. When Qing Zhouxue slowly descended, the people around fell silent.

The white-robed woman before her was half covered in blood, her expression cold, not uttering a word. Standing there, she was somehow a little frightening.

Lin Xunzhen grabbed her and yanked her aside, whispering, "Qing Zhouxue, what are you doing?"

She shook Qing Zhouxue, but received no response.

The crowd stirred, and someone seemed to have gone to fetch the Sect Leader to decide.

Qing Zhouxue remained silent, lifting her eyes to the front. Today's brilliant sunlight dazzled her, making her eyes ache.

She hadn't intended to kill Xu Ying at first, so she had held back, trying to subdue her and then call for her master to decide.

But pushed to the end, heaven did not grant her wish. She hadn't expected Xu Ying to be so reckless, like a madwoman.

In that instant, her resolve was firm. Even if she bore the charge of killing a fellow disciple, she had to stop this.

Qing Zhouxue slowly shut her eyes, all the light blocked behind her heavy lids, plunging into darkness.

Earlier, when Xu Ying struggled, her water threads had pierced Qing Zhouxue's heart and lungs. She hadn't noticed at the time, but now she felt a piercing pain.

Her thoughts were also in disarray—Xu Ying's words, Yun Shuchen's face, the Demonic Race, the immortal sects... all tangled together. Her vision grew increasingly blurred, her body swayed, and a sense of weightlessness struck.

The Qingshuang Sword clattered to the ground.

Lin Xunzhen was startled, then caught Qing Zhouxue. When she looked again, the girl was leaning against her, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth as she sank into unconsciousness.

*

Qing Zhouxue did not remain unconscious for long. When she stirred again, she found herself seated on a wooden chair placed in the center of a grand hall. Glancing around, she recognized the furnishings of the Chunqiu Hall on the Main Peak.

She saw not only the Sect Leader, her master, Uncle Liu, Uncle Yue, and other familiar faces, but also several unfamiliar ones—by their attire, they appeared to be elders from other immortal sects.

Her gaze swept over them one by one, finally resting on Yun Shuchen's face.

Qing Zhouxue looked only once, then slowly lowered her lashes. She straightened her back, her expression unchanged, waiting to be judged.

"Today, above the training grounds, the two of you, you and Yu Ying—what happened?"

The Sect Leader frowned deeply.

Qing Zhouxue was about to answer, but with other sect elders present, regardless of whether Yun Shuchen was involved or not, she could not casually implicate her with the Demonic Race.

She found herself in a difficult position, with many things she could not speak of. Finally, she said carefully, "Yu Ying intended to lay hands on the materials for Master's tribulation transcendence, and this disciple happened to discover her. I suspect she infiltrated Taichu Sect with impure motives and other schemes."

"Is there any evidence for this?"

"The barrier set by my master was completely destroyed; it can be verified."

The Sect Leader nodded, but then a voice sneered, "Who knows whether you destroyed that barrier to frame her, or she did it. Here, without witnesses, who would believe you?"

Qing Zhouxue was startled, lifting her head. The elder speaking, judging by his attire, should be from the Chen family. The man sneered and added pointedly:

"Taichu Sect is the foremost among immortal sects. Regardless of the reason, how can one who killed a fellow disciple be kept? Moreover, in plain sight of all—that is truly outrageous. I fear if word spreads, it will tarnish Taichu Sect's reputation."

Uncle Yue sneered from the side, "Oh, sire, people of Taichu Sect are governed by Taichu Sect itself. Please, don't trouble yourself overmuch."

The man also smiled. "Well said. All cultivators, all sects, are friends. As friendly allies, we are naturally concerned. If not severely punished, this matter will spread and be difficult to bear."

"I ask the Sect Leader to issue a just verdict."

Years earlier, Qing Zhouxue had once beaten up a certain wastrel of the Chen family, causing a stir. Later, it was heard that his misdeeds within Taichu Sect had all been exposed, and he was disqualified from participating in the Immortal Ascension Assembly.

The Immortal Ascension Assembly was the most rigorous trial in the cultivation world. Those with impure hearts, no matter how profound their cultivation, could never rise to the top of the cultivation world.

Though the few visiting elders did not know Qing Zhouxue personally, they were aware that this girl seemed to be a rising star of Taichu Sect. If she lost her eligibility due to her offense, it would naturally benefit their own sects.

So they seized the opportunity, each offering their counsel in succession—that killing a fellow disciple in private, for whatever reason, should be dealt with severely.