「Inside Yangxin Hall, Zhou Royal Palace.」
Xiao Mo slowly opened his eyes.
Xiao Mo lowered his gaze.
He felt a sense of loss, a lingering emptiness in his heart.
'It was just an experience, a life I was living out,' he thought. 'I was only playing the part of "Xiao Mo".'
But Xiao Mo had spent over a decade inside the Hundred Generations Book.
Moreover, he possessed all the memories of that "Xiao Mo".
Within the Hundred Generations Book, everyone had emotions; they were all flesh and blood.
So, even though he was just "playing a role," Xiao Mo had become fully immersed and had truly come to see Jiang Qingyi as his own disciple.
'Even though she isn't real, just a creation of the Hundred Generations Book.'
'In my heart, she is real.'
It's just like when you read a novel or watch a TV series.
After reading thousands of chapters or watching dozens of episodes, how could you not develop feelings for the female lead?
Especially when that female lead was someone you personally trained and raised.
'Sigh... I won't dwell on it. The real world is what matters most.'
Xiao Mo sighed and opened the Hundred Generations Book again.
'This life experience is over. Let's see what reward I get this time.'
[The Hundred Generations Book is calculating the mission reward. Calculation will be complete in two hours (real-world time). During this period, the Host may enter the Hundred Generations Book as an "Observer" to watch Jiang Qingyi's subsequent experiences. No interference is permitted.]
[Note 1: After two hours, the first life's settlement will be complete. The Host will no longer be able to enter the first life.]
[Note 2: After the Host enters the Hundred Generations Book as an "Observer," it will be like stepping into the River of Time. The flow of time will be accelerated by more than a thousandfold. The Host may experience some discomfort upon returning to reality.]
[Does the Host wish to enter the Hundred Generations Book?]
"Yes!"
Xiao Mo didn't hesitate for a moment, choosing to enter the Hundred Generations Book.
'I want to see what happens to Qingyi next.'
'Even if Qingyi isn't real.'
'I still hope she has a good ending.'
In a daze, Xiao Mo's consciousness once again entered the Hundred Generations Book.
Xiao Mo found himself standing before the main gate of Prince Xiao's Mansion.
But this time was different. Xiao Mo discovered his body was transparent, like a soul, and he couldn't touch anything.
BOOM!
A massive explosion echoed from the front courtyard of Prince Xiao's Mansion.
Xiao Mo drifted inside.
In the courtyard, Ye Sandao had already struck Xiao Mo's Sword Realm twice.
But just as Ye Sandao delivered his final strike, to everyone's surprise, Xiao Mo's Sword Realm shattered on its own.
The blow kicked up a massive cloud of dust.
A young woman, wielding the Profound Frost Longsword, walked out of the dust cloud.
There were tear stains on her face, and her eyes were as lifeless as a corpse's, devoid of any light.
"Dead..."
"They're all dead..."
"No one's left..."
"I have nothing left..."
She walked forward, step by step, dragging her longsword along the ground, scraping sparks from the marble.
She mumbled something under her breath, her entire being seemingly broken.
With every step Jiang Qingyi took, the Sword Qi surrounding her grew thicker and sharper.
Her Realm was continuously climbing.
Xiao Jing frowned. "I never expected this. Even as his soul was being scattered to the winds, he still returned the Sword Bone to you. It seems Xiao Mo truly valued you."
"Shut up!"
Jiang Qingyi roared and took a step forward.
Ye Sandao tried to block Jiang Qingyi, but she had already moved past him.
'So fast!' A cold sweat broke out on Ye Sandao's forehead.
Jiang Qingyi's speed was on a completely different level than before.
'Is this her power after regaining the Sword Bone?'
"My Prince, look out!" Ye Sandao shouted.
But it was too late.
In an instant, Jiang Qingyi was in front of Xiao Jing, her frigid gaze seemingly locking onto his very soul. "You are not worthy of speaking his name."
She swung her sword.
Blood sprayed from Xiao Jing's left shoulder as an arm fell to the ground.
"Father!"
Xiao Han's heart lurched, and he moved to save his father.
"Stay back!"
Xiao Jing yelled.
But it was too late.
Jiang Qingyi turned her head, her gaze as black as ink and as cold as frost falling upon Xiao Han.
From just that one glance, Xiao Han felt as if he had plunged into an abyss.
His body couldn't help but tremble, and he even subconsciously took two steps back.
By the time Xiao Jing reacted, the frost-covered longsword was already before him.
CLANG!
This time, Ye Sandao made it, blocking the sword strike.
The longsword struck the blade of Ye Sandao's saber.
Ye Sandao felt a heavy force slam into him, as if he had been struck by a mountain. He was thrown backward, crashing through the courtyard wall and finally embedding himself into the Array of Prince Xiao's Mansion.
If not for the Array covering Prince Xiao's Mansion like an invisible wall, the force of that strike would have sent Ye Sandao flying several hundred meters.
Ye Sandao gasped, his eyes flying open. He felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered.
The Sword Bone had originally been taken from Jiang Qingyi's body, so of course, it was a perfect match for her.
Therefore, Ye Sandao wasn't at all surprised that Jiang Qingyi had entered the Nascent Soul Realm because of the Sword Bone.
'But I never imagined her power would be this terrifying right after entering the Nascent Soul Realm.'
'Is this the Innate Sword Bone?'
'No wonder it's called a Sacred Body, one that appears only once in ten thousand years.'
"Girlie, what a pity. You had a limitless future, but it ends here. I'll send you to see your master soon enough."
Ye Sandao raised his saber, and a Heaven and Earth avatar materialized behind him.
Only Cultivators at the Jade Realm can manifest a Heaven and Earth avatar. Sword Cultivators can use it as well, but it consumes an enormous amount of Spiritual Power.
Most Sword Cultivators, when in a battle to the death, would choose to deploy the Sword Realm they have comprehended instead.
The power of Ye Sandao's saber strike continued to condense.
At the same time, Xiao Jing waved his hand, and the Array of Prince Xiao's Mansion gradually coalesced into the phantom of a Fire Phoenix.
This was the last Fire Phoenix that Xiao Jing could summon by pouring all the remaining power of Prince Xiao's Mansion's Array into it.
The two of them intended to kill her in a single, decisive blow. It didn't even matter if the Sword Bone was destroyed in the process!
'She absolutely cannot be allowed to leave here alive.'
'Otherwise, once she's fully grown, all of us will die!'
"Die!"
Xiao Jing thrust his hand down. The Fire Phoenix let out a cry that shook the heavens, echoing throughout the entire Liang Kingdom Royal City, and lunged toward Jiang Qingyi.
Simultaneously, Ye Sandao unleashed a strike at Jiang Qingyi.
But Jiang Qingyi remained standing where she was.
She seemed indifferent to it all.
She simply raised her head and looked at the sky.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Master, can you see your disciple's Sword Realm...?"
The moment the young woman's tears hit the ground, the hard marble floor rippled as if it were water.
In an instant, the entirety of Prince Xiao's Mansion was enveloped within the young woman's Sword Realm.
The maids and servants of Prince Xiao's Mansion stared at their surroundings.
Under a sky of Xiao Dusk.
The ground had transformed into a vast lake.
But this was no ordinary lake.
The water was the color of pitch-black ink.