“Who else have you told?” Ling Luo asked.

If Suiwu had told other swords, she would have killed it right here.

Kill the sword to silence it.

Suiwu quickly caught on: “Rest assured, Master! How could I casually tell other swords about such an enormous secret? Besides, we look down on those swords in Shangwu Ravine that haven’t experienced a rebirth and wouldn’t deign to speak with them.”

To others, both people and swords, Suiwu appeared silent and aloof, renowned as the world’s most beautiful divine sword. Others could only beg for its attention while it remained lofty, silently radiating its beauty, making countless cultivators madly obsessed, devoting their lives just to find it.

In reality, it had a volatile temper and talked too much.

It only enjoyed chatting with its master. One of the things Ling Luo had done most frequently was blocking out her sword spirit.

Fortunately, Suiwu only liked talking to her and rarely engaged with other swords.

Sword spirits could communicate with each other, but masters could only communicate with their sword spirits.

Ling Luo picked up Suiwu and listened to its ramblings: “What was the Heavenly Dao thinking? Is it a sore loser? I had prepared myself for you to die and then return to Shangwu Ravine to self-isolate for tens of thousands of years, but if possible, I still didn’t want you to die like that. You don’t know how miserably Wusheng wailed when True Lord Danshui died. When I was in mist form, I felt like my ears were hurting just listening to it! Although I don’t have ears, at that moment I felt like I did!”

“…You knew he died?” Ling Luo was stunned.

“Wusheng wailed so terribly, not only did I know, but the Celestial Mirror and others knew too!” Suiwu spoke rapidly. “It was on the day we fought the Heavenly Dao. Wusheng was summoned back by True Lord Danshui. Somehow, it ended up fighting those people and the Four Forbidden Beasts at Mount Tianzhao, ultimately dying in the divine fire of the Four Forbidden Beasts.”

“Wusheng was so angry that it infused the divine fire of the Four Forbidden Beasts with killing intent, preventing those people from taking even half a step forward.”

“By then, you had already dispersed me into mist and shattered the mirror to go with the Heavenly Dao. I couldn’t catch up.” Suiwu sounded pitiful at this point. “I had no choice but to go down and guard Mount Tianzhao with Wusheng, only to discover that you had perished together with the Heavenly Dao. Just as I was grieving, unexpectedly, I was suddenly back in Shangwu Ravine!”

By the end, it was angry again.

At that time, it had decided not to return to Shangwu Ravine for self-isolation but to guard Mount Tianzhao. Yet it was suddenly sent back, facing those familiar sword spirit faces. When Suiwu realized what had happened, it became furious, rampaging into Shangwu Ravine and attacking wildly, bewildering the other sword spirits.

While Suiwu rambled on, Ling Luo listened in silence.

Since even Suiwu said so, it seemed the Heavenly Dao hadn’t lied to her. The memory from the Bitter Karma Flower was real.

But what was that man’s purpose?

Ling Luo asked in a somber tone: “Tell me, why did he do this?”

Suiwu: “Who? Do what?”

Ling Luo: “Yue Liangze guarding Mount Tianzhao to his death.”

Suiwu was shocked: “Are you sure you want to ask me about this?”

Ling Luo: “…”

Fine, at least you’re self-aware.

Sword spirits typically didn’t concern themselves with or try to understand human emotions of love and hatred.

They only needed their master’s commands.

Ling Luo stopped asking and dove back into the water with Suiwu.

When she resurfaced, it was still night. The moon was half-hidden behind dark clouds, but the mist was gone.

Qin Yuan heard the sound of someone emerging from the water and called anxiously: “Ling Luo? Are you alright?”

“Hurry up and come out.”

She reached out her hand toward Ling Luo.

After coming ashore, Ling Luo wiped her face. Her expression was gloomy due to thoughts of Yue Liangze, showing no joy or excitement about finding the divine sword.

Seeing her attitude, Qin Yuan thought she had failed to find a sword and consoled her: “It’s alright. There are so many divine weapons in the world. If not, you can use Long Sleeve for now, and we’ll go back to challenge the Swallow Sky Tower. We’ll find a sword that suits you.”

“What?” Ling Luo asked, puzzled. “I found the sword.”

Qin Yuan: “…”

Then why do you look so depressed and angry?

“Where’s the sword?” Qin Yuan examined Ling Luo up and down. “I don’t see it.”

Ling Luo made Suiwu materialize. A wisp of white mist flashed, allowing Qin Yuan to see the long sword at her waist, adorned with specks of golden phosphorescence, with thin mist surrounding its almost transparent blade, its luster translucent and exquisitely beautiful.

Qin Yuan took a deep breath, looking at this sword with utter disbelief.

“You, you, you got a divine sword from the water?” Qin Yuan exclaimed in awe. “It’s too beautiful! Can I still go down now?”

“Too late, there’s only one,” Ling Luo said, casting a fire spell to dry her soaked clothes and hair.

Qin Yuan examined it curiously: “It’s so beautiful, absolutely the most beautiful divine sword I’ve ever seen. Looking closer, the blade reflects different scenes… Wait, I think I’ve heard someone mention this kind of divine weapon before!”

Suiwu was also examining Qin Yuan: “This girl looks unfamiliar, never seen her before. She can come with you to get the sword, so you must be very close. How is it, have you made new friends in this life? Which sect is she from? How old is she this year? What does she practice? Sword techniques? How good are her sword techniques? Looks like she knows me! Why isn’t she saying anything? Yes, it’s me, I am that most beautiful divine sword—my name, say my name. No way, you haven’t forgotten the name of the most beautiful divine sword, have you?”

Qin Yuan lightly tapped her forehead: “I’ve forgotten!”

Suiwu: “You forgot, how infuriating!”

Ling Luo: “…”

She skillfully, though it had been a while, blocked out Suiwu.

The two spent the night in the mountains, leaving at dawn. During this time, Qin Yuan still couldn’t recall the name of that divine sword.

They had come in a hurry but left at a leisurely pace, slaying demons and exorcising evil along the way.

After reaching Tianji’s territory on the Eastern Island, Qin Yuan needed to return to Tianji to replenish her spiritual tools. Because of this, Ling Luo parted ways with her outside East Sea City and instead went to Simao Village, where she had first gone on an expedition with Chu Yi.

In the past, she would have been diligently cultivating at this time, traveling with Yun Shouxi to improve her cultivation and heeding his guidance to suppress the resentment in her heart.

Back then, she had thought, “Master is so amazing, there’s nothing he can’t do, nothing that stumps him. When will I become as formidable as Master!”

Now, she hadn’t replied to Yun Shouxi’s jade communicator messages for over ten days.

She hadn’t replied to her senior brothers’ messages either.

If she had replied to her senior brothers but not to her master, Yun Shouxi would certainly have gone mad.

But Ling Luo deliberately left him hanging, letting him go crazy on his own.

Currently, her cultivation and strength have multiplied several times compared to before, so she decided to visit Simao Village earlier than planned.

When she reached the deep mountains by sword, she saw the familiar yet strange steep mountain walls. The mountain path formed along the cliff was narrow and winding; walking on it required full attention and extreme caution.

As Ling Luo was descending the cliff, she happened to see a man who lost his footing and fell because he was carrying too heavy a load. His companions cried out in alarm. Using the riding wind spell, she flashed over and returned him to the mountain path.

They came face to face, and it turned out to be someone she had met before.

“You, you are that female Dao Lord from Eastern Island’s Tianji!” the man exclaimed excitedly. “Thank you for saving me, Dao Lord!”

Ling Luo also remembered him; he was the young man who had been crossing the mountain to get medicine for his elder sister.

The villagers were simple folk. The men were tall and often worked outdoors, giving their skin a bronze tone. By their early twenties, this made them appear steady and mature.

Ling Luo escorted these people down the mountain and saw Tian Gu, whom she had just saved, come over with clasped hands to thank her: “I never expected the Dao Lord to save me again. I don’t know how to repay you. If the Dao Lord has any requests, please let me know. I, Tian Gu, will fulfill them!”

Years ago, although she and Chu Yi had not stayed in the village, they had become familiar faces after escorting the villagers along the mountain path for several months. Many people still remembered her, so they enthusiastically invited her to enter the village for a feast to welcome the Dao Lord.

Ling Luo quickly declined, saying she had only come for the cliff that blocked the path and hadn’t planned to enter the village.

As dusk fell, Tianji’s clouds filled the sky. From the cliff path, one could see distant black houses and terraced rice fields full of lush green. In summer, the entire countryside was a leisurely shade of green.

While escorting them to the entrance, Ling Luo asked: “Have there been any demons causing trouble recently?”

“No, no, thanks to the two Dao Lords. Since that wind demon was eliminated a few years ago, nothing strange has happened in our area. It’s been very peaceful, and we no longer need to worry when traveling.”  Tian Gu continued to invite her: “Dao Lord, please come back with us. My elder sister would be thrilled to see you, and not just her—the entire village would be delighted!”

Ling Luo shook her head lightly. Just as she was about to bid farewell, she saw a large, strong black ox slowly walking along the wide path in the middle of the rice fields.

A six-year-old boy sitting on the black ox’s back waved to them and shouted: “Father! My brother and I have come to take you home!”

The man beside Tian Gu, carrying a basket on his back and holding a bamboo basket in his hand, watched with a twitch at the corner of his eye and laughed, scolding: “This little rascal, always pestering A-Ze to take him out to play.”

Ling Luo half-narrowed her eyes, examining the young man in black clothing who was holding the ox’s rope.

He was dressed casually, with sleeves half-rolled up. His other hand held a sweet cane that children liked to eat. His long hair was tied high, and he wore a bamboo hat for cover. When he raised his head against the backdrop of the brilliant sunset, his handsome face appeared somewhat lazy.

Yue Liangze was slightly stunned when he saw Ling Luo standing with the villagers.

In Ling Luo’s eyes, Yue Liangze now blended with the verdant yet serene countryside, merging into a picture that made her feel at ease.

But with his attire, people who didn’t know better might think he had retired from the world.

The child wanted to get down from the ox’s back and was communicating with Yue Liangze. The man walked forward, calling: “Take it slow, don’t trouble A-Ze. Let me do it, let me.”

Ling Luo asked Tian Gu: “When did that man leading the ox arrive here?”

Tian Gu enthusiastically explained: “Him? His name is A-Ze. He came to our village almost half a month ago. Brother Chen said A-Ze is a distant cousin from his wife’s side, visiting relatives.”

Distant cousin?

Visiting relatives?

What kind of act was this?

Yue Liangze handed the ox rope to Chen Hao and walked toward them. Ling Luo waited with a knowing expression.

Tian Gu, who was a year older than Yue Liangze, greeted him: “A-Ze, this is—”

“Senior Brother,” Ling Luo said leisurely. “You came to visit relatives without inviting me along?”

Yue Liangze: “…”

Tian Gu’s eyes widened.

What brother?

Yue Liangze calmly played along: “I left in a hurry and didn’t have time to tell you.”

Ling Luo mentally rolled her eyes and said to Tian Gu: “This is my Senior Brother. We haven’t seen each other for some time. I didn’t expect to meet him here.”

She paused, then added: “I’ll go into the village with him, but please don’t prepare a feast. I’m afraid of crowds.”

When Yue Liangze heard her say she was afraid of crowds, a glint of amusement passed through his eyes.

She dared to say anything.

Tian Gu repeatedly agreed, very tactfully pulling the others away to give them space, hurrying to catch up with Chen Hao ahead and frantically questioning what was going on.

Ling Luo walked on the path to the village as the sunset was gradually sinking.

She turned her head to look at Yue Liangze beside her, raising an eyebrow: “Senior Brother, visiting relatives? Which sister-in-law is it? Should I prepare some gifts?”

Yue Liangze was silent, saying somewhat helplessly: “I was passing through here and saw a nightmare demon possessing their child, so I helped to exorcise it. But Brother Chen didn’t want others to know about this, and I don’t like revealing my identity as a cultivator, so we told others I was a distant cousin visiting relatives.”

Regarding Yue Liangze’s reluctance to actively reveal his identity as a cultivator, this was something she knew.

When Sacred Sword Sect disciples eliminated harm outside, unless necessary, they generally wouldn’t say they were from the Sacred Sword Sect.

As long as the danger was eliminated, it didn’t matter which immortal sect solved it.

Unless they needed to deal with major immortal sects and the imperial court and had to clarify their identity.

Yue Liangze was accustomed to coming and going alone.

The demons and harms he eliminated in the world were usually in places rarely visited by people, either beyond the border or in various deep mountain villages.

Dealing with the major immortal sects, that time at Western Sea Taichu was the first.

If he hadn’t pulled out Zhen Xianyu, he wouldn’t have attracted the world’s attention and would have continued walking the world alone with his sword, remaining unknown.

“You’ll eventually suffer losses this way,” Ling Luo snorted.

Yue Liangze looked at her, “After getting your sword, you didn’t return to Tianji. Why did you come here?”

Ling Luo hadn’t looked at her jade communicator since the day she got the sword, and she hadn’t read Yue Liangze’s messages either. When Yue Liangze saw she hadn’t replied, he thought she had returned to Tianji.

“The first time I went on an expedition with Senior Brother, we came here,” Ling Luo raised her hand to gesture, looking at Brother Chen and the others ahead with the ox, her voice clear and crisp. “By the time I killed the wind demon and returned, you had already left.”

Yue Liangze was slightly stunned and looked away.

“Look at me,” Ling Luo stopped on the path. She gripped Suiwu and said as Yue Liangze looked over, “This sword is called Suiwu.”

The slender, slightly curved blade, with wisps of white mist rising, absorbed the brilliant glow of the sunset on the horizon. The sword flashed once, displaying the beautiful scene of the sunset.

It remained transparent and flawless.

The scenery didn’t flow on the blade; rather, your eyes saw such a scene through it.

What you saw depended on what the sword wanted to show you.

What you saw was the most beautiful of all things in the world.

Through this sword, Yue Liangze saw Ling Luo.

Ling Luo looked at him with bright eyes: “I said before, after finding the sword, I would compare with you to see who is more powerful.”

Suiwu: This True Lord Danshui! He’s alive!

Ling Luo: “…”

Forget it, no comparison.

Not in the mood.

She suddenly sheathed her sword and walked forward with an indifferent expression.

This left Yue Liangze, who was about to say he wouldn’t compare, bewildered.

He caught up and asked: “Ling Luo…”

“Let’s not compare,” Ling Luo said without looking back. “Anyway, I’m the most powerful!”