"I know our engagement was merely an alliance between elders, driven by interest. Perhaps in your heart, I am nothing but a tool for experiencing emotions."
Ling Xiao smiled bitterly. His emperor's robes were already dyed crimson. Blood dripped from between his fingers onto the bluestone battle stage, producing clear, crisp sounds.
Drip. Drip.
"Yes, like this! Quick, deeper! Stab it in deeper!!"
Lin Xi and Xia Chen were already so excited their eyes were filled with tears of joy.
Dammit!
They never dreamed in their wildest dreams that this Ling Clan heir, whom they regarded as their greatest enemy, would so unexpectedly... be about to pass away?
That spurting blood, gushing out like a spring, was truly... extremely pleasing to the eye!
Look... even Nian Qingyun is crying with excitement.
She probably never expected she could kill Ling Xiao so smoothly,right?
The sword gradually pierced through Ling Xiao's chest. A clear look of intense unwillingness and astonishment appeared on his face, but finally... it froze completely.
Ling Xiao!!
Deceased!!!!
Nian Qingyun turned her head, looked towards Lin Xi not far away, and said with a light smile, "Lin Xi, the one I've always loved... is actually you."
Boom!!
At this moment, Lin Xi's mind and spirit trembled violently. His entire body began to shake uncontrollably, broke down completely, covering his face as he wept bitterly!
"How did this fool manage to stay alive and make it here?"
Only when murmurs of discussion arose around him did Lin Xi jolt back to awareness, his eyes regaining their clarity.
Lifting his head, he saw many prodigies from ancient clans looking at him with vigilance and disdain.
Dammit!
I lost my composure!
"What are you doing!!! You can't die!! You can't die by someone else's hand!!"
Meanwhile, Ling Tian watched the young man bleeding profusely at the center of the battle stage, his hands clenched tightly into fists. The power of his Dao Principle nearly surged out uncontrollably.
Beside him, Ye Xun'er had her hands clasped together in front of her chest, her beautiful eyes already glistening with tears.
It's so touching!!
It's just so touching!
It seems Young Master Ling Xiao is not only extremely good to his family but also utterly loyal and deeply devoted to the one he loves.
For some reason, Ye Xun'er suddenly felt a little... envious of Nian Qingyun. Glancing at the cold expression on Ling Tian's face beside her, she inwardly snorted.
I wonder when this fool will finally get a clue?
"Qingyun, even though I know full well that you want to kill me, that you despise me, I... still want to tell you..."
Ling Xiao slowly released his grip, allowing the sword to sink in a bit deeper. His face was already somewhat pale.
"In all this vast world, the things I love are three: the sun, the moon, and you. The sun for the day, the moon for the night, and you... forever and always!"
"If I cannot grow old with you in this life, I will go nowhere else. Let me... die by your sword, and reside in your heart. Is that alright, Nian Qingyun?"
Ling Xiao slowly closed his eyes, though a faint thunderous glow still flickered beneath his skin.
He even had a white jade pill hidden under his tongue.
To make Nian Qingyun truly trust him, given her nature, he had to play a ruthless hand.
Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to change her mind in a short time.
Of course, no matter how ruthless the trick seemed, everything was within Ling Xiao's control.
A Major Achievement Thunder Principle – how could Nian Qingyun possibly break through it easily?
To be extra safe, Ling Xiao had long placed the system-rewarded Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill in his mouth, wrapped in spiritual power, just in case of any accident.
As a villain, of course, one must ensure everything is foolproof.
"Liar... You liar..."
Nian Qingyun gritted her silver teeth, tears streaming slowly down her cheeks.
But in the end, she withdrew her long sword. Without saying a word, she turned and walked slowly towards the direction leading down the mountain.
On the winding stone path, the figure in white walked unsteadily, step by step.
Heaven and earth seemed desolate; even the gentle wind seemed to weep.
Her black hair lifted, strand by strand, outlining... whose smiling face?
She still remembered that day atop the Dao Palace peak, her master's warning: love and affection in this world are like poison that erodes the bone.
Sever it to achieve the Dao; fall into it and be lost forever.
Why then, today, did it feel both joyous and painful?
Forever and always.
Heh...
Can it really be... forever and always?
Ding! The Heart of Fate's Dao Heart shatters, giving rise to affection. Congratulations, Host, on obtaining 1000 Luck Points and 10000 Villain Points!
"It's finally broken."
Ling Xiao grinned... no, smiled bitterly, looked down at the sword wound on his chest, his eyes filled with joy.
The shattered Dao Heart was just the beginning. Next, he would make Nian Qingyun... completely succumb.
Dammit!!
Why!!
At this moment, Xia Chen's face was utterly twisted with ferocity.
Why?
Why was it that when I spoke words of love, Nian Qingyun slapped me flying ten zhang away?
But when Ling Xiao spoke words of love, he disturbed the Divine Maiden's heart?
Since Ling Xiao is injured now anyway, should I... take advantage of his weakness and end his life?
Just as Xia Chen was secretly hesitating, a figure suddenly stepped forward from the crowd and laughed coldly, "Young Master Ling Xiao, you've finished your show. I want to take this first place. I trust you have no objections?"
The newcomer was dressed in black, handsome in appearance, and his cultivation had reached the late Breakthrough Realm.
"I don't kill nameless nobodies."
Ling Xiao's voice was indifferent. This world always had people who thought they could make it.
Do I really look like a stepping stone?
Does everyone who sees me want to step on me twice?
"Your killer today is the young master of the Green Blood Sect, Han Bi!"
The black-clothed youth's eyes narrowed. The ancient sword in his hand left its sheath as he charged towards Ling Xiao.
"It's the ultimate technique of the Green Blood Sect, the Seventy-Three Green Blood Swords Final Stance!!"
Exclamations of surprise suddenly rose from the crowd.
Although Han Bi wasn't among the top talents of the Eastern Jiang, the thing was... he was older.
Now forty years of age, his cultivation had long entered the late Breakthrough Realm, even higher than some of the younger freaks.
Although he hadn't comprehended a Dao Principle, his strength was still not to be underestimated.
A sky full of sword shadows descended like falling stars, radiating overwhelming sharpness.
Even from a great distance, many ancient sect prodigies felt a chill run through their bodies, their hearts filled with growing awe.
As expected of the... oldest senior brother in this Grand Competition.
Although this sword strike contained no Dao Principle, it could absolutely rival the full-force strike of a Divine General expert.
Especially now, with Ling Xiao seemingly severely injured – look, his face is so pale.
This sword strike probably won't be easy to block.
"Is that all?"
But to everyone's surprise, the Ling Clan heir still hadn't moved an inch. He just watched the descending figure from mid-air with a calm expression.
Only when the ancient sword in Han Bi's hand reached half a foot from his forehead did Ling Xiao's figure tilt slightly, seemingly easily dodging the overwhelming sword momentum.
At his feet, a whirlwind quietly rippled, and then...
Under the awe-struck gazes of everyone, a dazzling ten-thousand-zhang thunderous glow suddenly burst forth from Ling Xiao's arm.
Han Bi couldn't even retract his momentum in time. Hanging upside down in mid-air, he took Ling Xiao's double fists squarely on his chest.
Crack.
The clear sound of shattering bones, along with the sound of Han Bi's figure cutting through the wind, instantly echoed.
Everyone saw a figure streak across the battle stage like a meteor, vanishing beyond the horizon in an instant.
At the same time, blood splattered all along the way, leaving a trail a thousand zhang long on the ground.
Before he even landed, Han Bi had already lost all signs of life.
So this was the true meaning of the Final Stance?
Final... passing away?
Silence filled the entire peak of Path-Enlightenment Mountain.
Every face bore an intense look of fear.
Too terrifying!!
Even severely injured, the combat power Ling Xiao displayed now still made all the prodigies present change their expressions.
Even the freaks of the Eastern Jiang, like Xia Chen and the others, had eyes filled with an indescribable shock at this moment.
Peerless immortal demeanor!!
A young overlord!!
Had Ling Xiao truly become powerful enough to... crush everyone in his realm?
"Does anyone else... wish to pass away?"
Ling Xiao's clear, sharp gaze swept over the crowd. Anyone who met his eyes fearfully lowered their heads.
So that's how it was. Earlier, he only refrained from fighting back to please the Divine Maiden.
Given Ling Xiao's methods, even if Nian Qingyun's Dao techniques were profound and she possessed a Dao Principle, she might not necessarily have been able to harm him in the slightest.
Gulp.
In perfect unison, a collective swallowing sound echoed across the thousand-zhang battle stage.
Ling Xiao simply shook his head with a smile and turned to look at the Tai Xuan Dao Master.
"I take second place. My ex-wife takes first. My... brother Ling Tian takes third. Does anyone have any objections?"
Dammit!!!
Arrogance!!
So you've decided the rankings of this competition all by yourself before it even properly started?!
It's a good thing there are only three ranked spots. If there were five or ten, would fourth place be your brother's woman, fifth your lackey, and sixth your maid?!
But...
In the end, everyone maintained the same unspoken agreement. No matter how much hatred they felt in their hearts, they didn't dare show the slightest bit.
They were afraid of provoking Ling Xiao's displeasure again, lest a single punch from him make them pass away on the spot!