Xuanyuan City Colosseum.
In the center of the arena, a massive Lion Demon let out a heaven-shaking roar. The sound wave, like a peal of thunder, swept across the entire venue, making the flags in the stands whip and snap.
But in the next mont, its terrifying, cavernous mouth—lined with knife-like fangs and reeking of a foul stench—was clamped shut by a pair of slender, jade-like hands, rendering it unable to move an inch.
Its leonine eyes stared in terror at the graceful figure before it. This was a woman with a stunning physique, her face hidden behind a mask studded with white diamond particles. Only a pair of crimson eyes, glinting with a bloody light, were visible.
They were like two balls of burning, bloody fire, emanating endless killing intent.
At that mont, the Lion Demon even felt that *she* was the true beast!
Overlord Lifting the Cauldron!
The slender woman's arms began to tense. With a low shout, her voice as cold as ice, she actually intended to lift the Lion Demon—a creature more than ten tis her size—clean off the ground!
The Lion Demon's four limbs thrashed wildly against the ground, its claws carving deep gouges into the hard flagstones as stone chips flew.
However, its strength seed insignificant before this woman. It was like a little chick with its throat seized, struggling in vain.
Its massive body was soon hoisted into mid-air.
The entire bloodthirsty audience held their breath, their eyes glinting with greed and fanaticism, as if only blood and death could satisfy their inner hunger.
They had already guessed what this star gladiator, known as "Han Qiu," was about to do.
What ca next would be the ultimate display of violence.
Their hearts pounded faster with the Lion Demon's struggles, as if they themselves were in the midst of this life-or-death battle.
A glint of cold killing intent flashed in Qing Yueqiu's blood-red eyes, as if she were about to unleash all the frustration and anger she had accumulated over these past days.
Within her, the Power of Killing Montum surged like a great river, converging in her hands. Those seemingly delicate, jade-like hands now erupted with the colossal strength of a dragon-elephant.
"RRRIIIP—!"
A sickening tearing sound echoed as the Lion Demon's body was ripped in half right down the middle, starting from its mouth.
Hot beast blood poured down like a waterfall, drenching the woman and staining her white clothes scarlet. Her mask shimred with an eerie light under the reflection of the blood, making her look like a god of slaughter walking out of Hell.
Her increasingly alluring figure, set against the backdrop of beast blood, possessed a strange beauty—a beauty that was breathtaking.
"Han Qiu! Han Qiu! Han Qiu!"
The entire audience erupted in a tsunami of cheers. Their faces were etched with fanaticism and adoration. So pumped their fists, others slamd the railings, as if it were the only way to vent their excitent.
"This is what I ca here to see!!"
"Tearing a Demon Beast apart with her bare hands is ten tis more satisfying than watching them trade Magic spells!"
However, so people wore looks of confusion.
"But... wasn't this Han Qiu a Sword Cultivator before? How did her physique suddenly beco so ferocious? She doesn't even use a sword anymore."
In the center of the arena, Qing Yueqiu remained completely unmoved by the crowd's fervor.
She didn't even make her signature victory pose.
She slowly released the two halves of the Lion Demon's corpse, letting them fall heavily to the ground.
An icy indifference emanated from her crimson eyes. She raised a hand, gently wiped the bloodstains from her mask, and walked off the stage alone.
Qing Yueqiu could feel the surging Power of Killing Montum within her constantly climbing, like a raging river about to burst its banks and sweep across the world.
Her cultivation realm was already touching the threshold of Divinity Transformation.
However, this breakthrough didn't stem from the Forgetfulness Sword Dao she once pursued, but from the endless Slaughter Dao.
Her sword, her Dao, was supposed to be the Forgetfulness Sword Dao—as cold and clear as the moon, detached from the mortal world. It wasn't supposed to be this blood-soaked path of an Asura, addicted to slaughter.
'Still, maybe this isn't a bad thing.'
'After all, I could never achieve Forgetfulness. Perhaps this is the only good thing Ji Shenyun left .'
'Even if the price was more than I could bear.'
Qing Yueqiu lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting a shadow across her face, hiding her blood-red eyes.
Her steps were light and slow. After returning to her private room, she closed the door, shutting out the clamor and fanaticism of the world outside.
A mont later, a knock ca at the door.
"Co in."
After receiving Qing Yueqiu's permission, the door was gently pushed open. A maid in a simple, long dress walked in, holding an exquisite Jiezhi Storage Ring in her hands, a respectful smile on her face.
"Miss Han Qiu, this is your share of the prize money, a total of one hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stones.
Because of your spectacular performance tonight—a slaughter executed entirely with your bare hands, no weapons used—the colosseum is willing to add an extra fifty thousand Spirit Stones as a bonus."
The maid bowed slightly and presented the Storage Ring with both hands. After Qing Yueqiu took the Jiezhi Storage Ring from her, the maid continued:
"Miss Han Qiu, will you be continuing with your weaponless slaughtering style in the future?
The audience loves this kind of pure combat. If you are willing, the colosseum would like to sign a new contract with you for a higher share of the profits."
"No need... It has nothing to do with the profit share. I simply prefer to use a sword. My sword is just having so problems at the mont, which is why I didn't bring it."
As Qing Yueqiu thought of this, a hint of reminiscence appeared in her beautiful eyes.
'Ever since the Luminous Shadow Sword absorbed Ji Shenyun's residual True Essence, it's been in a kind of dormant state, like a chrysalis waiting to beco a butterfly.'
'By my calculations, the Sword Spirit within the Luminous Shadow Sword should be about to awaken, right?'
'It's just that, according to legend, the Luminous Shadow Sword's previous master, Dieyin Fairy, was a pure and noble person who also cultivated the Forgetfulness Sword Dao. Perhaps that's why the Luminous Shadow Sword chose back at the Divine Sword Pavilion.'
'But now my hands are covered in filth, and I'm nothing like the transcendent and cold Dieyin Fairy. Will the Sword Spirit within the Luminous Shadow Sword still accept ?'
...
...
The first light of dawn appeared as the sky turned a fish-belly white. Faint golden light spilled through the clouds, enveloping the entire Cold Palace Sword Mansion in a hazy halo.
A cool breeze swept past, carrying a hint of chill as it rustled the fallen leaves in the courtyard.
Pei Yuhang stood by the window, his gaze fixed on his first disciple's residence. His brows were tightly furrowed, his expression grave.
He hadn't slept all night, his mind consud with thoughts of Qing Yueqiu. It felt like a giant boulder was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Yueqiu had Pei Xiaohan tell him to rest easy and let her handle things on her own...
But how could Pei Yuhang possibly do that?
He was her master, the one who guided her on the path of cultivation. How could he just stand by and watch her face her troubles alone?
Pei Yuhang decided that even if Yueqiu ended up hating him or finding him annoying, he had to go and get a clear answer!
He had to know what his eldest disciple had been through all this ti, and what kind of pain she was enduring.
He turned, draped a green robe over his shoulders, and walked toward Qing Yueqiu's residence, the hem of his robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze.
Arriving in front of Qing Yueqiu's house, Pei Yuhang took a deep breath, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes.
'The last ti I ca here... was on that rainy night, when Yueqiu wanted to give herself to .'
'Back then, I fled as if escaping. I never thought that would be the last ti Yueqiu would be so intimate with .'
A storm of emotions churned within Pei Yuhang as he gently knocked on the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
There was no response.
Pei Yuhang frowned slightly. 'Given Yueqiu's personality, she's always been self-disciplined. She shouldn't be sleeping in at this hour.'
He knocked again, but there was still no answer.
A realization dawned on Pei Yuhang.
'That girl, Yueqiu... Is she still avoiding ?'
Pei Yuhang took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly. The hesitation in his eyes was gradually replaced by determination.
"Yueqiu, please open the door. No matter what trouble you're in, Master wants to face it with you!"
"Please believe ... I'll never treat you like I did before again."
"Yueqiu, are you willing to trust ?"
His voice was gentle, as if coaxing a stubborn child.
"..."
Pei Yuhang offered one bowl of chicken soup for the soul after another, but there was still no sign of his disciple.
This couldn't help but make him worry.
"Yueqiu, if you don't open this door, I'm forcing my way in!"
"I can open the Restrictions on any room in the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, you know~"
"...Still not answering? Alright, then. Forgive the intrusion."
With a flick of his finger, threads of Spiritual Power wrapped around the door, and the Restriction was instantly undone.
The door swung open slowly with a soft "CREAK."
Pei Yuhang stepped into the room. The faint fragrance of a young woman's chambers washed over him as his eyes quickly swept his surroundings.
The entire room was neat and tidy, except for a rather large number of crumpled paper balls in the trash can, which made Pei Yuhang's gaze falter for a second.
'This girl... is a bit too unrestrained, isn't she?'
He averted his gaze and his expression beca serious again. "Yueqiu, stop hiding from . Co on out."
As he spoke, Pei Yuhang extended his Spiritual Perception, but he couldn't find any trace of Qing Yueqiu.
His heart suddenly sank, a trace of panic flashing in his eyes.
'Yueqiu isn't here?'
'Could it be... she didn't co back all night?'
Just then, a crisp sword cry caught his attention.
Pei Yuhang walked to Yueqiu's bed and saw the faintly glowing Glazed Sword.
It was his disciple's Lifebound Spirit Sword—Luminous!
At this mont, Luminous was entirely wrapped in a cocoon-like, translucent layer of Sword Silk, condensed from the purest Sword Intent.
The Sword Silk wrapped around Luminous was now breaking, strand by strand. The shattered Sword Silk transford into pure Sword Intent, which was absorbed by Luminous before transforming again into countless Glazed Butterflies that flew out of the Treasure Sword.
The Glazed Butterflies circled and danced around Pei Yuhang in a breathtakingly beautiful display.
"Luminous's Sword Spirit is about to awaken?"
Pei Yuhang's eyes widened, and he held his breath, afraid that the slightest misstep would disturb the awakening of the Sword Spirit's consciousness.
He raised his finger, letting one of the Glazed Butterflies land on its tip.
Just as Pei Yuhang was examining it closely, the butterfly on his fingertip suddenly burst, transforming into a wisp of Sword Qi that cut the pad of his finger.
In the next mont, all the Glazed Butterflies converged, transforming into an exquisite, aloof young girl with long silver hair. She looked remarkably similar to Qing Yueqiu as a child.
It seed that after the Luminous Shadow Sword beca Qing Yueqiu's Lifebound Spirit Sword, its Sword Spirit had also undergone so subtle changes.
The Sword Spirit girl slowly opened her eyes. A look of confusion appeared on her delicate, porcelain-doll-like face. She took a deep breath, as if savoring the wonderful feeling of awakening after a thousand years.
Pei Yuhang considered for a mont before introducing himself in a gentle voice:
"Hello, Luminous. My na is Pei Yuhang. I am the master of your owner, Qing Yueqiu."
"I know you," Luminous interrupted, her voice cold. "Though I was asleep, I wasn't entirely unaware of the outside world."
Pei Yuhang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Luminous knew him.
"It's good that you know and Yueqiu..."
"Pei Yuhang, you misunderstand. I don't think knowing you is a good thing."
Luminous, the girl who bore a striking resemblance to a young Yueqiu, looked at him gravely.
"You are a scumbag."
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