Gui Jiu acted promptly, the great doors slamming shut with a thunderous noise, leaving no gap in between. The hall was instantly plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the glowing pearl hanging from the ceiling.
As everyone realized something was amiss and turned back, the sect leader’s nearly colorless spiritual energy formed a visible barrier over the doors, thick and unbreakable.
“What are you doing?” the middle-aged man shouted in anger.
“What else would you expect? You dared to bring outsiders into the Wuhui Sect and make a scene; what did you think I was going to do?” the sect leader replied coolly, waving a hand toward Luo Jinxiao, raising an eyebrow in her direction.
“Ah! You dare to detain us? Aren’t you afraid the celestial beings will come after you?” The middle-aged man unsheathed his sword, but his legs suddenly weakened, nearly causing him to collapse.
“You’re actually using a formation! How despicable!”
They had thought that the Wuhui Sect would feel compelled to hand over Qu Weiyin due to emotional ties, but they never imagined the sect leader would boldly detain them in broad daylight.
“I have never liked you people. Under the guise of uniting the sects, you’ve gained real power only to greedily exploit it at every turn. While I usually tolerate you out of pity, today is different. Before we address the significant matter at hand, I’ll deal with you first to leave a clear and fair environment for future generations.”
“How dare you! You’re defaming the righteous path!” someone shouted, but as soon as those words left their lips, Luo Jinxiao waved her hand, causing that individual to lose their voice entirely.
Everyone around gasped in shock.
“I’ve already explained everything I needed to the last time. Anyone who dares to speak disrespectfully again will not be shown any mercy,” Luo Jinxiao declared, her brows furrowed as she held Wujie firmly, standing among the crowd.
“Luo Jinxiao, get them!” Yanying shouted from the side, shaking her fist in encouragement.
“You said you wanted to offer Qu Weiyin for sacrifice to the heavens?” Luo Jinxiao stepped in front of the head of the Death Sect, delivering a swift kick to his knee. The lean man instantly fell into a half-kneel on the ground, cursing under his breath.
“To blame an innocent person for natural disasters while doing nothing to stop them is the mark of a coward,” Luo Jinxiao said in a low voice, then kicked him again, sending him crashing against the wall.
He cried out in agony, yet was restrained and couldn’t summon any of his powers. The others watched in shock and quickly fell silent, no longer daring to provoke further.
Even the wicked fear those who are equally wicked; they never expected that the renowned Wuhui Sect would abandon all decorum in such a manner!
Luo Jinxiao turned and stepped back to stand beside Qu Weiyin. Suddenly raising her hand, she unleashed her pressure, making those who were restrained struggle to endure it. Many rolled their eyes back, and some even vomited blood.
“Stop! Stop! Sect Leader, we know we were wrong!”
Finally, someone could no longer withstand the pain and began to plead for mercy loudly, even dropping to their knees to bow their heads in apology.
The sect leader remained silent, watching as the middle-aged man finally succumbed to the pain and collapsed to the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head, unable to rise again. She then patted Luo Jinxiao, signaling her to cease.
“Alright, Jinxiao. It’s not like the celestial beings have been stirring trouble for just a day or two. Just give them a lesson.”
Luo Jinxiao finally withdrew her energy, and those on the ground slumped down, not daring to utter a sound.
She snorted softly, grasping Qu Weiyin’s hand, and gave her a wink. In a hushed tone, she asked, “Am I impressive or what?”
Qu Weiyin had remained passive throughout, watching as those who had offended them took turns admitting their mistakes. A warm feeling surged in her heart as she slowly nodded in acknowledgment.
“Everyone, you may leave now. I will handle things from here,” the sect leader instructed.
Just as she was about to rise, a strong tremor suddenly shook the ground beneath them. A distant, explosive sound resonated, powerful enough to rattle the heavens, leaving everyone disoriented.
Luo Jinxiao felt as if her heart had been thrown into a heavy stone, making it hard for her to breathe.
The doors of the great hall flung open with a bang, and a gust of wind rushed in, causing the robes of the people to billow and their scalp to tingle with discomfort.
Screams echoed from all around, and in a panic, Luo Jinxiao dashed outside a few steps. Looking up, she saw the sky, seemingly whitened by dark clouds, appearing as if it had been split open, revealing the concealed lightning lurking in the shadows.
“What’s happening?” some disciples yelled in fear as they burst out to see.
Chaos ensued in every direction, the noise overwhelming. Struggling out of her shock, Luo Jinxiao turned to look for Qu Weiyin and finally managed to grasp her hand amidst the turmoil.
The softness of Qu Weiyin’s hand calmed her racing heart.
“What’s going on?” Qu Weiyin asked, her tone serious but unwavering.
“It must be the catastrophe that Luo Ning spoke of,” Luo Jinxiao replied, pulling Qu Weiyin toward the door. They saw that the crack in the sky had widened even further when suddenly a clap of thunder roared, and a massive bolt of lightning descended from above, annihilating a distant mountain in an instant.
This sight terrified the disciples, even the celestial beings huddled in corners with wide eyes, watching in horror.
None had ever witnessed the impending destruction of their world.
Another bolt of lightning struck down, aimed directly at the Wuhui Sect. As the earth trembled violently, the barrier that had protected the sect for hundreds of years shattered with a resounding crack. Luo Jinxiao and Qu Weiyin instinctively rushed out of the hall, their hands forming a shield to withstand the falling bolt.
Meanwhile, the sect leader rose into the air on her sword, her silver hair whipped about by the fierce wind, and her white robes billowed as she exerted herself to maintain control.
In the face of such lightning strikes, there was no other choice but to endure.
As the ground was split open by the strikes, a violent flash surged toward Wuzhong City, instantly reducing the once-thriving town to nothing.
Ear-piercing screams echoed from below, and someone was crying; Luo Jinxiao felt as if her mind might shatter from the weight of it all.
She tilted her head up to look at the dreadful crack in the sky, which seemed to mock them as it hung there with reckless abandon.
“Sister!” Suddenly, Luo Ning’s voice came from behind her. Luo Jinxiao instinctively spread her arms. From her palms, a new barrier began to form; the air felt tangible, hardening into a thin membrane that enveloped the entire Wuhui Sect.
Those inside could not escape, and the lightning from outside would not be able to penetrate.
“What are you doing, Luo Jinxiao? Come back!” Lu Fanzhi yelled at the entrance of the Wuhui Palace, but she could not break through the barrier Luo Jinxiao had set.
Lightning raged on, and the visible land was left in ruin.
In the distance, various flashes of light danced, indicating that other cultivators were using their spiritual energy to shield the civilians from the thunder strikes, flickering in a rhythm of hope amid despair.
“Go back!” Luo Jinxiao shouted into the wind, directing her voice at Qu Weiyin.
Qu Weiyin didn’t seem to hear her. The fierce wind almost tore at her red garment; with determination, Qu Weiyin discarded her outer robe, letting it sail away like a great bird, revealing her fitted sleeves as she stood tall in the storm.
“What are you doing? I’ll face it with you,” Qu Weiyin declared resolutely, lifting her head to gaze at the tumultuous sky. The lightning reflected in her beautiful eyes.
“No!” Luo Jinxiao grasped her wrist, insisting, “Return; listen to me for once.”
“Luo Jinxiao.” Qu Weiyin suddenly raised her voice, pulling her hand away with urgency, her phoenix-like eyes darkened with intensity. “I have never feared death; I only fear living alone.”
“I’m afraid… of not having you!”
Each of Qu Weiyin’s words felt heavily suppressed, leaving Luo Jinxiao momentarily stunned. In the blink of an eye, Qu Weiyin had charged toward the vast crack in the sky.
The Remnant Moon and Star Sword materialized in her palm, shining with a golden light that rivaled the lightning, slicing through the air with a crackling sound as it met a bolt of lightning head-on.
In an instant, brilliant rays erupted forth, but Qu Weiyin noticeably faltered as the sword nearly slipped from her grasp.
She made no move to retreat, continuing her ascent into the heavens. Rain poured down vigorously, soaking her through. Under the celestial light, her graceful figure appeared so small in comparison.
Luo Jinxiao squeezed her eyes shut tightly, a deep ache swelling in her heart, feeling as if she had just thrown in a piece of hot coal.
This wasn’t the first time Qu Weiyin had been hurt in front of her. In the past, she had felt powerless, and that pain still lingered within her. Now, she wanted to be selfish for once and protect the one she loved.
With a deep breath, she suddenly rose to her feet, her divine energy surging within her. Instantly, her blue robes were reduced to ashes, transforming into shimmering starlight as her hair flew wildly in the wind.
Just as another bolt of lightning descended, mere inches away from Qu Weiyin, Luo Jinxiao grasped her arm tightly and pulled her behind her. The sacred weapon Wujie met with the burning light, producing a reaction akin to ice meeting flame, sending billowing clouds of black smoke into the air.
Qu Weiyin gasped lightly, frowning and about to speak, but Luo Jinxiao turned and kissed her.
In the midst of the sprawling chaos of heaven and earth, the kiss felt both fleeting and eternal.
Luo Jinxiao’s kiss was cold, drenched with rain.
Afterward, divine energy enveloped Qu Weiyin, forcibly bringing her back as Luo Jinxiao had never faltered before. Yet now, Qu Weiyin truly panicked, struggling desperately within the confines of Luo Jinxiao’s barrier, calling out her name.
But her voice was muffled, not quite clear.
The long-awaited sensation filled Luo Jinxiao’s chest as she lifted her gaze to the crack in the sky, locking eyes with the abyss. In her ears, she seemed to hear the voices of many, while scattered divine energy slowly floated around, coalescing.
“What is that? Look!” someone shouted from the ground, pointing toward a dazzling white light at the horizon.
With the tremors of the earth, a massive island suddenly rose from below, slowly spiraling upward.
In the heavens, Luo Jinxiao had regained her divine form, raising Wujie high, her robes standing firm against the wind, her black hair cascading down to her ankles. With bare feet, she stood on the clouds, her silhouette illuminated by the luminous rays.
“That’s… that’s…”
“That’s a deity!”
“Sister Luo is a deity!”
“It’s the divine race! We’re saved!” The crowd erupted in excitement, surging toward the edge of the barrier. Only Luo Ning buried her face in Yanying’s embrace, crying uncontrollably.
The celestial beings stood dumbfounded, witnessing the scene before them, and instinctively knelt, bowing their heads in fear.
Why did they choose to cross paths with a deity?
“Divine protection, heavenly blessings…”
Amid the mingling of tears and cries of joy, the pure white figure soared silently into the skies, unnoticed by all.
After thousands of years of silence, the collapsed Divine Tomb regained its brilliance, shining like the radiant sun. It ascended above the clouds, the island’s light piercing through the layers of mist, showering the land below. In that moment, the grotesqueness of the crack contrasted starkly with the purity of the divine realm.
Luo Jinxiao stood high above the clouds, facing the rift directly. Lightning struck at her, but it had no effect; it was all melted away by the light surrounding her, transforming into a sense of peace.
“Powerful beings are often lonely.”
“When you possess strength, it must be put to use.”
She quietly turned to glance back, and though the land was scarred, it remained breathtakingly beautiful. To the south lay the Zhe Sea, to the north loomed the glaciers, the ground was rich with greenery, and flocks of birds soared gracefully in the air.
A figure in red seemed to appear in her line of sight, but with a blink, it transformed into a fleeting illusion. Luo Jinxiao forced a smile as she turned around and unleashed her full strength, sending a surge of divine energy in all directions.
The ancient lives of the divine race had sacrificed themselves here in defiance of the heavens.
With that immense power driving her, the rift in the sky began to slowly close. Lightning struck wildly, crashing above her head and against her face.
She remained unfazed as everything around her suddenly fell silent; the crack gradually shrank, and the sky became clear once more, though Luo Jinxiao had spent nearly all of her energy.
It seemed she could hear someone calling her name, but it felt like an illusion. In a flash of anger, Luo Jinxiao let out a furious roar, her wrath igniting as she charged directly into the rift.
Suddenly, various kinds of spiritual energies began to rise in the air, some small, some immense, filling in the gaps of the rift with luminous gold taking the forefront.
“Luo Jinxiao!” She heard Qu Weiyin’s cries, and another hand gripped hers in the infinite darkness.
A celestial voice addressed her ethereally, “You cannot die; there are others waiting for you.”
“Sect Leader…” She reached out to grasp, but all she caught was a handful of air.
“I’ve realized it now,” the woman said, a hint of amusement in her tone. “She has been gone for so long; she must be waiting for me to find her.”
…
Qu Weiyin had long since broken free from the barrier and flown to the edge of the rift, but all she could grasp was a torn piece of fabric as the vast heavens loomed before her.
A wave of iron bitterness filled her throat, and Qu Weiyin almost spat blood, her throat tightening to the point where she couldn’t make a sound.
The figure in red fluttered and swirled high in the sky, solitary and alone.
On the ground, the crowd looked up at the gradually brightening sky, realizing they had narrowly escaped death. The atmosphere was mixed with excitement and fear, with some nearly fainting to the ground.
It felt as if something was stirring in the air, ready to erupt but tightly suppressed.
“Luo Jinxiao…” Qu Weiyin finally spoke, a whisper escaping her lips, and tightened her grip on the torn fabric.
As if responding to her call, the air in front of her suddenly rippled, something seemingly struggling within it. Qu Weiyin narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, but before she could shout again, a figure fell out of the rift.
The last of the divine beings, wearing tattered clothes burned to shreds, crashed straight into her embrace.
“You’re burning me alive!” Luo Jinxiao exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she grasped Qu Weiyin’s waist and buried her head into her chest.
Qu Weiyin hadn’t reacted in time; she stumbled back a bit from the impact but instinctively caught her.
“Jinxiao?” She could hardly believe her eyes, reaching out to touch Luo Jinxiao’s soot-covered face, rubbing away the ashes to reveal her delicate, fair skin underneath.
Tears overflowed from her eyes, falling onto Luo Jinxiao’s face, leaving dark streaks in their wake.
“You scared me to death,” Qu Weiyin scolded, shaking her head in exasperation. Perhaps it was the joy of having her back, she wouldn’t let go, holding onto Luo Jinxiao tightly as they landed.
A thunderous cheer suddenly erupted from the ground, reverberating as if it contained the cries of countless people. Many fell to their knees, bowing down.
“Divine blessings! Divine blessings…”
“Little Master Uncle…” The woman in Qu Weiyin’s arms lifted her head, grinning widely, her white teeth standing out against her soot-darkened face. “I kept my promise; I finally protected you once.”
“Now, no one will fear you or bully you again.”
As the wind swept away her tears, Qu Weiyin laughed and cried in tandem, breathless yet relieved, “Good.”
The red robes enveloped the two of them as they fell, and suddenly the clouds parted, revealing a long expanse of sky. The blue was clear and bright, and the sun finally peeked through, drying up the mud left by the torrential rains, bringing forth a sense of peace as if after a great war.
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