Chapter 95 - 94

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm translating. I upload at least 2 times daily for each novel. Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff ****** All three options conveyed the same message! Seemingly driven by survival instinct, there was no need for hesitation or deliberation! However, after selecting one of the options, Yanqing gritted his teeth. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward! Within the live stream, not just Guinaifen, but all viewers were utterly shocked! "Damn! Yanqing, you're truly brave!" "What's with accepting that? I would've run for it - why didn't they let me escape!" "A hero to the end!" "This kid has nerves of steel!" "Farewell, Yanqing. No matter what, you upheld the honor of the Roaming Cloud Riders till the last moment!" "Yanqing, I respect you now! You deserve the title 'Luofu's First Warrior'!" Inside the cabin, Yanqing slumped in his seat, feeling utterly chilled. His breath came rapid and shallow! Hands trembling slightly, he found solace only when touching the icy hilt of his sword at his waist. "Is this where I'm destined to sacrifice my life?" "Damn..." "I haven't yet become the 'sword leader' or helped the General resolve Luofu's looming threats..." A thought suddenly struck him: If he were to die by Jingliu's hand, would the General seek revenge for him? However, Jingliu's true strength was unfathomable! If pushed to her limit and forced to unleash her suppressed power fully, Luofu would face an impending catastrophe... Yanqing's thoughts raced incessantly, as if experiencing a life flashing before his eyes on the brink of death. On the other side: Jing Yuan appeared composed outwardly. However, internally, his palms were sweating profusely! As he watched Jingliu leap into the air, drawing a sword forged from solid ice, his heart skipped a beat. Jingliu... Are you truly intent on killing?! But in the next moment, he noticed the black veil still covering her eyes, and realization dawned upon him. "Phew..." Jingliu naturally sensed the change in Jing Yuan's breathing. A profound smile flickered across her face. Confronted with the descending blade's sword qi, Yanqing summoned all his lifetime of training. He commanded every flying sword he could control to whirl around him. The colossal sword qi, shimmering like moonlight, rapidly approached. Yanqing let out a fierce roar and, with all his might, swung forward! "Buzz!!" A gap was successfully carved amidst the torrential sword qi! Instantaneously, massive icicles formed on either side of him. Countless small ice shards cascaded down from the air. Yanqing gasped heavily for breath, barely able to stand steady! Inside the cabin, Yanqing's eyes widened with disbelief. "I-I survived?! Did I really manage it? Successfully blocked Jingliu's strike?!" March 7th and Stelle began clapping enthusiastically. Throughout this mission, despite constantly being pummeled and mocked, at the final moment, Yanqing didn't retreat. He faced that deadly blow head-on—an act deserving of praise alone. After all, his opponent was none other than Jingliu herself! The chat in the live stream also erupted with comments. "Truly deserving to be called future swordmaster!" "Yanqing gave it his all." "Woah! Just one strike and if Jingliu had followed up with another, Yanqing would've been done for!" "After watching from start to finish, there's only one word to describe this woman—Killjoy!" "Everyone was mistaken! Jingliu's strength hasn't declined; instead, she's become even more terrifying than before!" While Yanqing stood dazed, Jing Liurou had already vanished. Her voice lingered behind: "I'll be taking those records you found." "Thanks, little brother." On the ground remained a note: "[With this strike, I offer my gratitude. Our connection runs deep; our paths shall cross again.]" After reading the note, the recovered Yanqing murmured to himself, "This enigmatic woman also seeks Blade's whereabouts..." "This won't do. Regardless of her intentions towards the criminal, we cannot let her get ahead of us." "I must hasten my pace..." All these events were recorded within the [Trace-Revealing Jade Pendant]. Eventually, it was retrieved by a Trailblazer and returned to the Seat of Divine Foresight, informing Jing Yuan of what transpired. Thus, Yanqing's mission, "[Frostblade's Trial]," concluded. "She even had time to leave a message??" "No way! Are we still chasing her? Didn't you see how fast she was moving just now?" "Yanqing, your determination is truly remarkable! Despite everything that's happened, you're still intent on pursuing Blade! When can I have such unwavering resolve...?" "Yan Bao, let's not chase anymore! Let's go back and rest for a bit!" "My goodness! Is Yanqing planning to engage Blade again?" On the deck, after reading about this mission, Jing Yuan felt a mix of emotions swirling within him. From his perspective, it was clear that Jingliu's final strike wasn't genuinely intended to kill Yanqing but rather as a token of gratitude—a lesson meant for Yanqing's enlightenment! After pondering briefly, he turned to Jingliu beside him and said, "This child has truly caused you much concern." Despite wearing a black veil, Jingliu had heard every detail of the incident with perfect clarity. "It's no trouble; just playing along," she replied. At that moment, there came a chime from Dan Heng's Yuzhao device. It was a message from March 7th, containing a video link along with the text: "Dan Heng, how are things on your end? Beware, that woman Jingliu is incredibly dangerous—don't provoke her!" "This video was just released by Feathered Spirit. It elaborates on our recent mission; watch it quickly, and you'll understand why I'm saying this." Fortunately, Jingliu's eyes were covered, preventing her from seeing the messages on Dan Heng's Yuzhao screen and avoiding an awkward situation. Dan Heng first activated the do-not-disturb mode, then clicked open the video link. Similar to the previous short film "Flying Light," this one was titled "[Cloud Rider Martial Codex: The Art of Swordsmanship]." Upon reading the title, Jing Yuan's gaze subtly shifted. "Could it be a documentary about the cloud riders' sword-wielding spirit?" "It likely pertains to her," Dan Heng glanced at Jingliu. Jingliu responded indifferently, "No matter. Go ahead and play it." A full moon appeared on the screen. Jingliu's voice echoed, "Little brother, since fate has brought us together on this journey, I can't help but ask." "Given your young age, why did you choose to embark on the path of swordsmanship?" "Oh, there's no harm in telling you," Yanqing replied. "At first, it was after hearing the General speak about the previous swordmaster's exploits." "She wielded her solitary blade invincibly, conquering all before her." "I yearned for that, envisioning myself one day claiming the title of swordmaster." This...was from their shared experience during the previous mission! Everyone present immediately recognized it. It seemed to be an expanded retelling of past events, presented in the form of a short film by Feathered Spirit. As Jingliu heard this dialogue, he couldn't resist letting out a soft chuckle. Ah, Yanqing... Little did he know! His idol, the invincible [Swordmaster] of the previous generation— It was none other than this "Big Sister" standing before him! "So, it's for fame?" Jing Yuan quickly added, "Also, to fulfill General's expectations and repay his kindness in teaching me." "Without the General's mentorship, I wouldn't be who I am today." "In that case, is it for camaraderie?" Yanqing responded, "Not just that. One day, I will embark on campaigns alongside my fellow Cloud Knights." "To safeguard Luofu, vanquishing enemies and overcoming challenges." "My loyalty lies with the Alliance; through The Hunt across all lands, I shall put my skills to worthy use!" In the ensuing scene, a golden silhouette emerged. One by one, Cloud Knight soldiers stood atop clouds, their armor gleaming with golden hues under the radiant sky, forming majestic outlines. This spectacle evoked the image of ten thousand celestial warriors descending from heaven! Leading them at the forefront, holding a heavy sword, was none other than Jingliu himself! Upon witnessing this vision, Jing Yuan's mouth slightly gaped in surprise! For it depicted! This was the spectacle of Jingliu as the Luofu Swordmaster during her prime, leading campaigns across all directions! Not only was it the epitome of glory from that era, but also the most cherished vision in the heart of young Jing Yuan, then a disciple of Jingliu. Now, unexpectedly, this scene unfolded before him within the video montage! Even Jing Yuan momentarily lost himself, his thoughts seemingly transported back to those triumphant dawns of long ago. "Hah... In the end, it's for loyalty and righteousness." "Big Sister, why so many questions? And why do you wield your sword?" Jingliu softly replied, "I too have been ensnared by fame and fortune, yet paused by bonds of friendship and devotion..." Suddenly, the black veil dissipated! Revealing a pair of crimson eyes! Within these pupils reflected the silhouette of Jingliu, depicted in shades of black and white. "But ultimately, they all abandoned this sword." After a brief moment of melancholy, the tone abruptly shifted! It became fervent and frenzied! "For a sword is just a sword! A tool to sever life and death! So pure, it cannot tolerate any external influences to diminish its essence!" "Only by traversing the fiery path of wrath, the bladed path of greed, and the blood-soaked path of ignorance, cutting through all obstacles..." "Only then can you truly understand why you wield your sword." The voice had become heart-wrenchingly intense! Jing Yuan's hands involuntarily trembled at this point, nearly mistaking Jingliu beside him for undergoing a transformation! It seemed as though even Jingliu was deeply affected by her own words. Unbeknownst to them, she had removed her black veil at some moment. Her eyes, gleaming with a blood-red light, stared intently at the scene unfolding on the screen. Dan Heng noticed Jingliu's change and inwardly exclaimed, "Not good!" The emotions portrayed in this short film were explosively powerful, affecting even Jingliu herself! In the footage, a blood moon appeared, its crimson glow igniting a raging wildfire below. "Do you understand now, future Swordmaster?" On the long bridge, Jingliu slowly approached Yanqing, sneering at her reckless, death-defying opponent. As if allowing a thousand years of pent-up emotions to surge forth like a tidal wave, she spoke these words. No wonder Yanqing couldn't doubt their sincerity; even Dan Heng and Jing Yuan, witnessing this scene, would not have questioned it! In the next instant, Jingliu was about to fully unleash her Mara-Struck form—a complete, unrestrained explosion, heedless of all consequences, driven by madness and obsession! Until this moment... Dan Heng had previously dreamt about Jingliu, but those fragmented memories were remnants from the previous High Elder's experiences. In his dreams, she appeared as a caring yet occasionally stern elder sister figure. Later, when traveling with her in reality, he perceived her as distant and cold, keeping others at arm's length. But now! All previous impressions were utterly shattered! For those afflicted by Mara-Strike, no matter how temporarily suppressed, once the affliction flares up, they become uncontrollably violent. They attack indiscriminately, regardless of whether you're friend or foe, sparing none! As evident in the current scene with Jingliu. It was clear that she strongly resonated with her own words in the video! Her killing intent intermittently lingered on each of the three companions nearby. Suddenly, the intense background music swelled again! A close-up shot of Jingliu filled the entire screen. "I wield my sword solely to vanquish enemies, nothing more." At this moment, the Jingliu on-screen mirrored almost exactly the Jingliu standing beside them. It felt less like watching a video and more like looking into a mirror! Jingliu exclaimed excitedly, "Impressive, truly impressive! To see my inner thoughts reflected so vividly within a mere video!" "Even for an envoy of Memories Chamber, it's astounding how accurately this reflects my understanding of the path of the sword!" "[Feathered Spirit], I commend your game! It truly resonates with me!"