The Bloodthirsty Demon Lord, known for his bloodthirsty nature, would readily resort to violence at the slightest provocation. Even more terrifyingly, he possessed the ability to absorb the cultivation of others, leading to an exponential surge in his power. Within a few years, he reached an unimaginable level of strength. As his unorthodox progress attracted the attention of countless cultivation sects, his sinister cultivation technique was eventually exposed, sparking a relentless pursuit by countless cultivators.
The war raged for five long years, claiming countless lives among the cultivators. Finally, on Mount Dingmo, they managed to slay the Bloodthirsty Demon Lord. That day, rivers of blood flowed down the mountain like lava, staining the earth crimson. The only sound that reverberated through the desolate landscape was his maniacal, arrogant laughter. The sky darkened, the sun and moon lost their radiance.
In the end, the Bloodthirsty Demon Lord’s remains and his cultivation technique were cast into the desolate “Endless Deep Sea,” destined to be devoured by monstrous beasts.
This terrifying and heart-wrenching tale of bloodshed served as a stark reminder to cultivators of the paramount importance of character and virtue. From that point forward, every gifted prodigy had to undergo rigorous trials of character before being accepted into any sect.
“That monster could be the next Bloodthirsty Demon Lord,” remarked the man in the blue robe, gazing at Mo Yi, who was halfway up the mountain.
“Hmph, making assumptions. What if he’s a righteous genius? Can you afford to abandon such a promising talent?” retorted the man in the black robe, his voice sharp and challenging. “Someone else might be too sentimental to let such a treasure gather dust, but you… hmph.”
As he spoke, the man in the black robe’s eyes gleamed with a cold hostility.
“Let’s just see if this young man can complete the Pan Yu Immortal Path,” the man in the blue robe said, ignoring his counterpart.
“That woman… is dying,” the man in the red robe announced abruptly, and all eyes turned towards Mo Luo Xue on the mountainside.
Mo Luo Xue opened her eyes slightly, met with an unreal, hazy vision. In the sunlight, the blood that pooled on the ground resembled glistening rubies. In the crimson reflection, she saw her own face.
Her flawless features were pale and lifeless, marred by the crimson stain of blood. The pungent scent of blood hung heavy in the air.
Mo Luo Xue struggled to rise, pushing her long, slender legs, impeccably proportioned and meticulously cared for. Dying alone, forgotten on an isolated path, filled her with an unbearable loneliness. The feeling of abandonment sent shivers down her spine.
“Sizzle,” the wound on her snow-white neck widened as she moved. The blood that had momentarily ceased its flow gushed forth once again.
Mo Luo Xue let out a soft groan. Reaching for the wound, she found only a sticky mass of blood. She looked at her hand, crimson-stained and smeared.
With her free hand, she grasped her thin sword, using it as a crutch to pull herself to her feet. She looked around. The white jade steps shimmered in the soft, yet not blinding light, causing her to squint. She took a deep breath, smelling only blood. A melancholy autumn wind swept down from the mountain, carrying a few withered leaves and brushing against her delicate, blood-stained face.
“Is this it?” she thought quietly.
A profound sense of grief and isolation engulfed her. Death had always seemed distant, a definitive end, the beginning of oblivion. It was a concept most people associated with the end of everything.
Death was lonely. Nobody could withstand it. Loneliness was the true enemy, the ultimate adversary. It was unconquerable.
Mo Luo Xue was confused. She had imagined dying on the battlefield, falling amidst a storm of blades, or perhaps in a rocking chair in her old age, with her future grandchildren, perhaps a boy or a girl, singing children’s songs and looking at her tearful eyes. All her speculations were so full of life, yet not like this, not this loneliness, not this sorrow…
She wanted to escape, but she was powerless. Nobody could escape sorrow. Sorrow was the real devil.
A wave of dizziness swept over her, caused by blood loss. She collapsed once again, the thin sword tumbling away. A blurry vision took over her sight, and Mo Yi’s handsome but annoying face appeared before her, fragmented and unclear. His once irksome words echoed back to her in a broken voice…
“Hey, idiot girl, if you’re going to die, at least leave a will!”
“Ah, you caught me. Well, since you’re dying, how about I take advantage of the situation and… get a little somethin’ somethin’?”
“Don’t die! I’ll take you to a doctor. Even if you’re at death’s door, I’ll do everything I can, fight tooth and nail, tear and claw, to snatch a sliver of life for you…”
“Perhaps dying next to that jerk wouldn’t be the worst ending,” Mo Luo Xue thought, wanting to laugh, but instead, she felt an overwhelming sadness.
The blood loss made it difficult for Mo Luo Xue to continue thinking. She closed her eyes. In the darkness, she saw her younger self, a tiny baby in a cradle. She saw that beautiful face, one full of love and compassion.
“Sleep, sleep, my precious little darling. Mommy’s hands are gently rocking you. The cradle is rocking you, quickly go to sleep. Sleep, sleep, my precious little darling. Mommy’s hands are gently rocking you.”
Amidst the endless loneliness, a familiar, yet alien female voice hummed a lullaby that stretched back decades. The scent of lavender filled her nostrils, comforting and soothing.
“Sleep… sleep,” Mo Luo Xue hummed softly, her voice fading, becoming inaudible, then disappearing altogether.
“Mommy, I’m here to see you.”
“WAKE UP!”
A roar, almost a scream, tore through the air. It was a man’s voice, filled with desperation, the agonizing cry of someone about to lose something precious. Even the blood that surged within him boiled at this mournful, piercing roar.
Like thunder, the sound echoed through Mo Luo Xue’s ears, crude and obnoxious yet capable of jolting her from her dream. She tried to open her eyes, but her body had no strength. Lying on her side, curled up like an infant, the celestial maiden revealed her vulnerable side.
She could faintly smell lavender, a comforting, familiar scent that brought with it dreams of sweetness and longing.
A familiar scent? Who was it? Mo Luo Xue wondered. But she felt so tired, she didn’t want to think, she just wanted to succumb to the endless, dense darkness.
“Damn it, don’t die!” A hoarse voice thundered, his vocal cords trembling from the force of his yell. He was using every last ounce of his strength to bellow, to scream, to plead for even a sliver of a chance, however slim.
It was so noisy… Couldn’t he be quiet? Mo Luo Xue thought. She felt a hand grasp hers, the owner of the hand pouring every ounce of his strength into holding her, preventing her from slipping into the abyss.
Mo Yi gripped Mo Luo Xue’s right hand tightly. He looked at her lifeless form, his eyes welling up, but he didn’t cry. He could cry his heart out later, cry until he was happy, cry until he could laugh through his tears. Right now, he had to salvage a sliver of life for his sister. His face contorted with anguish, like a helpless child.
Everyone felt so desperate and powerless in the face of death. They held swords, but they couldn’t cut through the despair and pain it brought.
Mo Yi suddenly raised his head, his pupils filled with rage. With the last of his strength, he roared, “You bastards up there! Stop gawking! If you can breathe, then give her a chance, alright? I’ll personally thank your entire lineage for eternity!”
In response, a golden light erupted from the peak of the mountain! A dazzling beam of light descended from heaven, like a meteor, striking Mo Yi! It was an extraordinary radiance, making even the sun seem dim in its presence! It carried the hopes of a young man and the life force of a young woman. It blazed, it radiated heat, while simultaneously announcing its arrival to the world!
“What kind of brother is this?” Mo Yi exclaimed, but he didn’t back down. He held onto Mo Luo Xue’s hand tightly, their last connection. If it were to break, he’d truly be left with nothing.
Mo Yi remembered his first, not so pleasant encounter with Mo Luo Xue, the most difficult part of which was the initial greeting and the final goodbye. He didn’t want to lose this annoying, arrogant, haughty… but ultimately his only sister.