The memory of the beauty he had seen in the wooden cabin surfaced once more, and the dull pain in Ghost-faced man’s right hand still lingered.
Savage fury flickered in his eyes.
“Gong Yue, you crippled one of my hands back then. Today, I’ll sever all four limbs of that newborn bastard of yours.”
And as for that beauty…
Wasn’t Gong Yue fiercely protective of her? He had merely brushed her with his flute, yet Gong Yue had immediately ruined his hand.
Then today, he would humiliate her right in front of Gong Yue.
A twisted smile spread across Ghost-faced man’s sinister face as his eyes gleamed coldly.
“Attack!”
At his command, the black-clad assassins of Fengyu Tower surged forward. With them leading the charge, the martial artists from the other sects also unsheathed their weapons one after another.
A chill spread through Gong Yue’s eyes, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a bottomless pool.
Sword in hand, he stirred the raging snowstorm. The icy blade emitted a piercing aura, and wherever the sword edge swept, dense snowflakes were torn apart, carrying boundless power.
At the front of the ruined temple stood a solemn Mountain God statue. Its missing arm lent it an eerie appearance that sent chills down one’s spine.
Not far from the statue, a woman lay on the ground.
Her cheeks were damp, it was impossible to tell whether it was sweat or tears. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to cry for help, yet she stubbornly bit down on them.
Ghost-faced man’s vicious curses and the constant clash of blades battered her already fragile state of mind.
Could Brother Yue handle so many enemies alone?
Would he get hurt?
But soon, she had no energy left to think about that.
Wave after wave of excruciating pain surged through her lower body, forcing her to curl up. Her lower lip had been bitten raw, tiny beads of blood seeping out.
She desperately suppressed her cries of pain, terrified that Gong Yue would hear and lose focus because of her.
Cold wind seeped through every crack in the broken temple, as though piercing flesh and drilling directly into her bones.
Yet despite the freezing weather, cold sweat covered her forehead, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Her fingers clutched the man’s outer robe beneath her so tightly that her nails broke.
Her eyes wandered aimlessly.
She turned toward the one-armed statue, then toward the cobwebs hanging from the beams above.
Gradually, her vision blurred, as though veiled by a layer of mist.
Tears slid from the corners of her eyes into her hair.
Her breathing became ragged, and soft whimpers escaped her throat.
She could feel her strength slipping away bit by bit.
At this rate, the child would die in the womb, and she herself would bleed to death.
She was truly terrified.
Suddenly, the system’s voice rang out.
[Host, don’t worry. We will ensure your safety. Both you and the baby will be fine. Relax.]
As though grasping the last piece of driftwood in a storm, tears poured endlessly from An Jin’s eyes.
[But it hurts… it hurts so much. I don’t have any strength left.]
The system fell silent for a moment.
[I’m sorry. I didn’t consider everything thoroughly. I’ll block eighty percent of your pain now.]
Almost immediately, the unbearable agony disappeared.
There was still some lingering pain, but it had become something a normal person could endure.
Soon after, a warm current flowed through her entire body. Strength returned to her limbs, and the weakness vanished.
Her eyes reddened again.
[System… thank you.]
[It’s nothing. This is my responsibility. You can try relying on me in the future. As long as you call for me, I’ll appear.]
The system had always felt that this host was exceptionally easy to manage.
She diligently completed her missions, never schemed behind its back, nor did she excessively depend on its powers.
Perhaps because she was too dependable, the system itself had become complacent. It often entered sleep mode, until this time, when the host’s life force had nearly reached zero, startling it awake.
The system’s words touched An Jin in a way she could hardly describe.
She had always believed that her relationship with the system was nothing more than an exchange.
She wanted a healthy body and a chance to return to her family.
The system wanted her to complete missions.
Success or failure had always depended solely on herself.
Yet now, the system was telling her…
She could rely on it.
She was no longer struggling alone in a strange world.
Tears shimmered in her eyes. Countless emotions swirled within her, but in the end, only two simple words escaped her lips.
[Thank you.]
The system sighed softly.
Its host was merely a young girl who had only recently reached adulthood. It didn’t mind giving her a little more help.
[Don’t worry about Gong Yue. There may be many enemies outside, but he’s had the upper hand all along. None of them can do anything to him.]
The cold electronic voice unexpectedly sounded gentle.
[You’re feeling better now, right? Take a deep breath and gather your strength.]
An Jin followed its instructions.
She inhaled deeply.
Her beloved was guarding the door outside.
The system was helping her.
She wasn’t afraid anymore.
Clenching both fists, she gritted her teeth.
Then, the loud cry of a newborn baby echoed throughout the ruined temple.
…
Outside the temple, the man holding the sword suddenly froze.
His white inner robe was soaked in blood. His hair hung in disarray, and countless corpses with gruesome wounds lay scattered beneath his feet.
The snow had been stained crimson, and he looked like a god of slaughter who had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Yet at that moment, he simply stood there, staring blankly at the temple.
No one knew what he was thinking.
One of the men lying on the ground saw his distraction and suddenly leaped up with a ferocious grin, swinging his blade.
“Die! The sword manual is mine! Hahaha!”
Gong Yue failed to evade in time.
The blade sliced across his left arm, and blood gushed out.
His expression didn’t change in the slightest.
With a backhand thrust, he drove his sword through the man’s heart.
The man’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets before he collapsed heavily into the snow.
Watching their companions fall one after another, Ghost-faced man and Old Master Tao, who had once been brimming with confidence, were now consumed with fear.
They staggered backward.
So this…
Was the world’s greatest swordsman?
No.
This had already surpassed the realm of ordinary humans.
Ghost-faced man shot Old Master Tao a venomous look.
“If he survives today, not only will he refuse to spare you, but Fengyu Tower will also destroy Yungu Manor first!”
The Tower Master had given him a death order.
Either Gong Yue died today, or he did.
He had no choice but to fight to the death.
But why should Old Master Tao escape unscathed?
Old Master Tao’s wrinkled face drooped.
“We’ll attack together.”
Though they appeared united, both secretly wanted to preserve their strength and become the final victor who would seize the sword manual.
Everyone held back.
Only Gong Yue’s sword was utterly merciless, filled with overwhelming killing intent.
As a result, more than half their forces had already been slaughtered, and the air reeked with nauseating blood.
“Attack!”
Ghost-faced man noticed that Gong Yue’s movements had slowed.
His left arm was wounded, and he was currently fighting the people from Heavenly Gate Palace with his back turned.
It was the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack.
Ghost-faced man moved like lightning.
Yet it seemed as though Gong Yue had eyes on the back of his head.
His palm strike missed, costing him the initiative.
Gong Yue seized the opening and slammed him brutally onto the ground.
The bloodstained sword pointed directly at his throat.
Disgust filled the depths of Gong Yue’s eyes.
“You deserve to die.”
These people had caused Wei’er to go into premature labor.
They had even wanted to mutilate their child.
Recalling Ghost-faced man’s vicious threats, Gong Yue swung his sword and severed his left arm.
Blood sprayed onto his face, and a faint crimson gleam appeared in his eyes.
“AHHHHH!”
Ghost-faced man howled in agony, clutching the stump.
Looking at the terrified Old Master Tao, his eyes nearly split with rage.
“Kill him! Kill him! I don’t want the sword manual anymore! As long as you kill him…”
“AAAAAH!”
Another scream echoed through the snow.
His right arm had also been cut off.
Terrified out of his wits, Old Master Tao collapsed to the ground and crawled away on all fours.
He had been wrong.
He should never have coveted the sword manual.
That orphan from the past had grown into an existence no one could defeat.
Once Old Master Tao fled, the remaining survivors threw down their weapons and escaped as well, abandoning the armless Ghost-faced man.
“Old Master Tao!”
His miserable cries sounded like the wails of a vengeful ghost from the underworld.
Watching the fleeing figures, Gong Yue’s gaze lingered.
He made no move to pursue them.
He had memorized every one of their faces.
In the future…
There would be time to settle accounts.
For now, Wei’er mattered more.
With that thought, he no longer bothered tormenting the man beneath his feet.
One thrust.
The sword pierced Ghost-faced man’s chest.
Stepping over the corpse with its eyes still wide open in death, Gong Yue pushed open the door to the ruined temple.
…
The door swung open.
Snow and wind swept inside.
Standing against the light, the man appeared like a shadow.
Yet An Jin saw the blood covering his body, almost completely soaking his inner robe red.
Her lips trembled, tears nearly spilling again.
“Brother Yue…”
The woman sat on the ground, with only a layer of clothing beneath her.
Her hair was loose and disheveled, damp strands sticking to her neck with sweat.
Her face looked as though it had been carved from flawless white jade. Her cheeks were so pale and translucent that she seemed heartbreakingly fragile.
Wrapped in a cloak, she cradled the child in her arms while looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
Gong Yue knelt before her, shielding her from the wind and snow behind him.
“It’s over.”
An Jin buried herself against his shoulder and sobbed.
At last…
It was over.
The most difficult part of the original story had finally passed.
Yet the man misunderstood her tears.
His large hand gently cupped her cheeks, unreadable emotions hidden in his eyes.
“Do you regret it?”
Following him in endless wandering.
Living in constant fear.
Even giving birth under such circumstances.
An Jin looked at him through tear-filled eyes and understood the guilt hidden within his expression.
Ever since their marriage, he had rarely asked that question.
But now, he was asking again.
Just as she had worried for him inside the temple, he had also been worrying about her while fighting outside.
He had already given her everything within his power.
Yet he still felt it wasn’t enough.
He feared she would regret leaving with him.
Feared that she would grow tired of this life.
But once a bird escaped its cage, it would never wish to return.
She had traveled through countless cities described in the travel journals.
She could freely wander through markets, admire flowers in spring, and watch the snow in winter.
She no longer had to remain trapped in that tiny embroidery tower, mechanically stitching wedding gowns day after day.
She believed that neither she nor the original owner of this body had any regrets.
An Jin shook her head firmly.
“No regrets.”
She carefully held the baby out to him, her eyes gentle as water.
“Brother Yue, look at our daughter. She’s such a good girl.”
She had worried that the baby’s crying might distract him outside.
But apart from those first few cries after birth, the little one had peacefully fallen asleep.
The newborn was tiny and fragile.
Gong Yue lowered his eyes.
He reached out a hand.
Then hesitated and withdrew it again, afraid to touch her.
…
Cold.
So cold.
Hadn’t she been burned to death?
Why did she still feel cold?
Yao Yao struggled to open her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a pair of incomparably gentle eyes.
Then she watched as the beautiful woman widened her eyes with delight.
“Brother Yue, the baby opened her eyes!”
For some reason, seeing this woman made Yao Yao want to cry.
Her embrace was so warm.
Just like what a Mother’s embrace should feel like.
Though Yao Yao wasn’t even sure whether that description was accurate.
After all, she had never met her Mother after birth, nor had she ever been held by her.
“The child resembles you.”
The man’s eyes were full of tenderness.
A beloved wife and child in his arms.
There was nothing more he could ask for in life.
Hearing the man’s voice, Yao Yao tried hard to turn her head.
She saw a cold and handsome man.
But what frightened her even more was the scenery behind him.
A dilapidated Mountain God temple.
Suddenly, she remembered her grandMother’s words.
Her Mother had been a refined and virtuous woman, yet she had been deceived by a wandering martial artist.
She had followed him everywhere, suffering endless hardships.
After giving birth to her inside a ruined temple, she had died.
And that man had abandoned her at the gates of the Minister of Rites’ residence.
Looking at her tiny hands that could barely stretch open, Yao Yao thought blankly,
Had she been reborn on the very day she was born?
Was this woman holding her…
Her Mother?
She had a Mother?
But when she looked at the man again, overwhelming hatred exploded in her eyes.
It was him.
He had deceived her Mother.
He had caused her death.
He had abandoned her.
Her miserable life had been entirely because of this man.
Perhaps the hatred and pain in her eyes were too intense.
Even An Jin sensed that something was wrong.
Helplessly, she asked,
[System, what’s wrong with the baby?]
The system hesitated before answering.
[It seems she’s been reborn and retains the painful memories of her previous life. She believes that both your tragedies were caused by Gong Yue, which is why she hates him.]