In Snow Hidden Valley, Ye Ling leaned against a peach tree, a white jade gourd hanging from his hand, its aroma of wine filling the air.
He gazed calmly at the sky, his eyes distant.
Although he had lived for sixty thousand years, witnessed countless partings, and walked amidst piles of withered bones, the knowledge that his Ye family's demise was fate, a cycle that had repeated an unknown number of times, still left him with an inexplicable melancholy.
"If all this is true, then what Xiao You bears... is likely far heavier than mine."
"Perhaps in every reincarnation, she tried to save the Ye family... witnessing the Ye family's ruin with her own eyes, yet being powerless... such pain..."
Ye Ling murmured softly, taking a deep breath, a strange ache in his chest.
He felt heartache.
"Xiao You, Su Xue'er... your reincarnation, I shall be the one to break it."
Ye Ling's gaze turned resolute, and he drained the wine from the white jade gourd.
"What? Suddenly drowning your sorrows in wine?"
Feng Ke, having finished packing, emerged from the house. Seeing Ye Ling drinking beneath the peach tree, she couldn't help but approach and ask.
"Wine can't truly make one forget their troubles." Ye Ling composed himself, put away the white jade gourd, and looked at Feng Ke. "Have you finished packing?"
"Yes." Feng Ke nodded. "Where should we go now?"
"Tian Yin... someone has arrived."
Mid-sentence, Ye Ling shifted his gaze towards the valley entrance, his brow furrowing slightly. He vanished from his spot.
"Hey, hey! Wait for me!"
Seeing Ye Ling suddenly disappear, Feng Ke called out, then stomped her foot fiercely and hurried to follow.
At the entrance of Snow Hidden Valley.
Ji Xue gazed at the white-robed, white-haired man standing in the air, hands behind his back, her eyes filled with apprehension.
Even though the white-haired man hadn't made a move, she could feel immense pressure emanating from him!
Even the blood spirit sensed a great threat, baring its teeth at the white-haired man, fully on guard.
The white-haired man swept a indifferent glance at Ji Xue and the blood spirit. With a casual gesture, a golden long sword materialized before him, radiating an incredibly terrifying power. "A mere demon, daring to trespass in Snow Hidden Valley."
"To be killed without mercy!"
Upon seeing the sword before the white-haired man, Ji Xue's pupils contracted sharply, a tempestuous wave rising in her heart. "The ancient divine artifact Xuanyuan Sword? How can it be here?"
She had once had the fortune to see the Xuanyuan Sword in Kunlun Mountain and knew how powerful this divine sword was!
It was forged from the bronze of the divine mountains by the ancient gods, imbued with the power of all gods, and nurtured with a supreme sword spirit!
The Xuanyuan Sword was inherently a supreme divine weapon of the gods, possessing its own sword spirit, capable of killing enemies autonomously.
Even an ordinary person, as long as they could wield the Xuanyuan Sword, could easily slay cultivators above the eighth rank!
And if the wielder was also a powerful individual, the power they commanded could rival immortals and gods!
In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor's unparalleled conquest of the eight directions on the ancient battlefield was greatly related to the Xuanyuan Sword he wielded!
However, the Xuanyuan Sword had been lost for a long time, and no one knew its whereabouts.
To think it would appear here!
After seeing the divine weapon summoned by the white-haired man, Ji Xue realized she was no match for him!
If they were to fight, she would surely die!
The white-haired man seemed accustomed to Ji Xue's shock. The Xuanyuan Sword before him split into nearly a thousand blades, their surging power making Ji Xue feel the threat of death!
"Xuanyuan · Sword Rain · Demon Suppression."
The white-haired man said softly, and a multitude of Xuanyuan Swords rained down like a downpour, shooting towards Ji Xue and the blood spirit!
A golden downpour!
Ji Xue did not sit idly by. She quickly condensed a spiritual energy barrier above herself. The blood spirit also turned its eyes red, its body surging with blood-colored spiritual energy, which it injected into the barrier Ji Xue had formed.
However, the barrier Ji Xue had condensed with all her might was easily torn apart the moment the Xuanyuan Swords touched it!
Ji Xue spat out a mouthful of blood, watching helplessly as the thousand Xuanyuan Swords attacked her!
She was doomed!
This thought arose in Ji Xue's mind, but before she could close her eyes to await death, Ye Ling's figure appeared in her sight.
"Master!"
Seeing Ye Ling appear, Ji Xue trembled violently.
"This divine weapon is quite interesting..."
Ye Ling waved his hand, and demonic energy shattered a large number of Xuanyuan Swords. He then reached out and grabbed the blade of the true Xuanyuan Sword with one hand, preventing it from advancing any further.
Ye Ling did not recognize the Xuanyuan Sword, but he could sense that it possessed heavenly dao power, even stronger than Bai Xiaosheng's Pixel Holy Sword!
This sword was more suitable for collection.
"There's someone else?"
The white-haired man, seeing Ye Ling holding the Xuanyuan Sword without being injured by its sword qi, frowned. A hint of apprehension flickered in his eyes, as calm as a deep pool.
He beckoned, and the Xuanyuan Sword in Ye Ling's hand dissolved into light and then reformed in his hand.
Ye Ling was unconcerned about the white-haired man retrieving the Xuanyuan Sword. He looked at the white-haired man and asked with a smile, "May I ask who you are, and why you attacked my spirit beast?"
"You say that black dragon is your spirit beast?" Hearing Ye Ling's words, the white-haired man was even more shocked and quickly asked.
He could naturally tell that Ji Xue was a dragon, and a demon dragon whose strength was comparable to a ninth-rank Mortal Immortal!
Such a powerful demonic creature was a demon king that occupied a territory, how could it possibly be someone else's spirit beast?
"Before you ask your questions, answer mine first." Ye Ling smiled, his eyes narrowed. "After all, you made the first move, so even if I kill you, I would be in the right."
Seeing Ye Ling's smile, the white-haired man felt an immense threat!
His instincts told him that Ye Ling was a formidable enemy!
With a sense of apprehension, the white-haired man replied, "I am Xu Changsheng of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. I am guarding this place on behalf of a departed friend. Why have you trespassed into Snow Hidden Valley?"
"From Shu Mountain?"
Hearing Xu Changsheng's words, a hint of surprise flashed in Ye Ling's eyes. He hadn't expected to encounter another Shu Mountain sect here!
Then, Ye Ling turned back to look at Feng Ke, who was emerging from the valley, and asked, "Do you recognize him?"
Feng Ke, who had just walked out, was slightly taken aback by Ye Ling's question, then shook her head. "I don't recognize anyone from Shu Mountain."
Hearing Feng Ke's answer, Ye Ling then said to Xu Changsheng, "Feng Ke is the sole disciple of the Snow Hidden Sect. If she doesn't recognize you, then on whose behalf are you guarding here?"
Xu Changsheng's aura was similar to one of the intruders who had previously breached Snow Hidden Valley.
It was likely that Xu Changsheng had killed the previous invaders.
However, Xu Changsheng was from Shu Mountain, and had no connection to this Kunlun Mountain Snow Hidden Valley. How could he be guarding here for no reason?
"It is on behalf of a departed friend; I regret I cannot disclose more."
Xu Changsheng did not answer Ye Ling's question and instead looked at Feng Ke and asked, "You are a disciple of the Snow Hidden Sect? Do you have proof?"
Feng Ke was now energized, putting her hands on her hips and saying, "You're quite unreasonable! Not only do you attack people randomly, but you demand proof right away! Who do you think you are? Why should I tell you?"
Hearing Feng Ke's reply, Xu Changsheng was slightly stunned, not expecting to be retorted so directly.
However, he quickly regained his composure, released the Xuanyuan Sword in his hand, and conjured thirteen more, forming a sword formation in the air.
"Since you cannot prove it, I cannot let you leave." Xu Changsheng infused his spiritual energy into the Xuanyuan Sword. "My apologies."