The sword struck with sudden, fierce intensity, whipping up a gale that howled through the air without a shred of mercy. Its edge caught the sunlight from the window, sending a dazzling golden flash straight into Xiao Hongyu’s eyes.
To be noticed by the Master of Yuehua Pavilion, Xiao Hongyu was certainly no commoner. Yet, under the aura of this sharp blade, he was suppressed so heavily he could barely breathe.
Just from a single sword?
Who exactly is this daughter of the Pavilion Master?!
He could only sit frozen in his seat, watching the blade lunge toward his heart. He slammed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, a faint golden flame flickered deep within his pupils, sparks dancing upward.
The sword jerked to a halt in mid-air, locked in a stalemate.
Jiang Xiechen raised her eyes, looking at Xiao Hongyu with a hint of surprise.
She could tell his cultivation level at a glance, he had only just reached the Foundation Establishment stage. For an outer disciple, that showed some talent, but in her eyes, it wasn’t nearly enough.
This was her natal sword. Killing a mere Foundation Establishment disciple should have been effortless, yet her blade hesitated, as if an invisible shield were draped over Xiao Hongyu.
Jiang Xiechen’s eyes darkened. She immediately thought of the contents of “the book.” Though she didn’t know what a “Q-point” was, she could guess that as the protagonist of the story, Xiao Hongyu must possess some heaven defying treasure.
Specifically, as the sword was about to pierce his heart, a strange sensation erupted in her soul, screaming at her. This is your future husband, you absolutely cannot kill him.
Jiang Xiechen sneered inwardly. Gritting her teeth, she focused her will entirely on the blade. Her Autumn Frost Sword actually managed to edge forward a few more inches.
“Jiang Xiechen!” The Pavilion Master, sitting nearby, could no longer watch. He slammed the table and stood up. “What do you think you’re doing?! You agreed to this marriage! What is this behavior now?!”
The Pavilion Master was also a sword cultivator who never let his blade leave his side. Seeing Jiang Xiechen’s stubbornness, he lunged from his chair. With a wave of his wide sleeve, another sharp blade flew out, attempting to strike down Jiang Xiechen’s Autumn Frost.
Jiang Xiechen had no intention of obeying. She shot a sharp glance at the Pavilion Master and traced a seal in the air. Her sword erupted in brilliant light, spinning rapidly to meet the Master’s blade head-on.
The Pavilion Master’s face turned completely grim. “Jiang Xiechen, what is your aim?”
Jiang Xiechen replied coldly, “If you only want that specific medicinal herb, I will find it for you. But this wedding is not happening today.”
“Childish talk!” the Master barked. “That medicine is rare, and a promised marriage cannot be broken just like that! All because of some rumors? Put your sword down. We can speak slowly, if there’s an issue, we can investigate! Do you actually intend to kill Xiao Hongyu?!”
His face was flushed red with rage. He had brought Jiang Xiechen back based on the principle of “utility,” hoping to use her to save his young son’s life.
Now, he didn’t know if that life would be saved, but he certainly didn’t want to earn the enmity of the Linxian Sect.
Even if Xiao Hongyu was only an outer disciple, what kind of place was the Linxian Sect? It was the number one sect in the cultivation world. Countless exceptional cultivators hailed from there. Someone capable of being an outer disciple there would be more than qualified to be a core disciple in the lower realms. Even an outer disciple had their own Life Lamp.
If he went out for a trip and his Life Lamp went out, the declining Yuehua Pavilion would have to pay a massive price in reparations, even with a formal apology.
What a disaster. If I had known, I wouldn’t have brought this rebellious daughter back. Instead of a marriage alliance, I’ve created an enemy.
Fuming, the Pavilion Master flicked his sleeve and pointed at Jiang Xiechen. “You… you rebellious girl! Stop being so incorrigible and put down that sword!”
When scolding failed, he took his sword in hand and charged at her.
He was, after all, the Master of Yuehua Pavilion. Jiang Xiechen’s master had passed away early, and her swordsmanship was self-taught through grueling experience. She had plenty of ruthlessness but lacked refined technique, within moments, she began to feel the strain.
Jiang Xiechen recalled her sword, her sleeves billowing in the wind. She said slowly, “I am going to kill him today.”
Jiang Xiechen practiced the Path of Emotionless (Wuging Dao), which emphasized going against the heavens. Having had no one to guide her as a child, she was used to following her whims.
Regardless of whether Xiao Hongyu would become a threat as the book predicted, the mere confirmation that he had other “confidantes” was enough for her to want him dead.
Twisting her waist, Jiang Xiechen used a soft force to deflect half the power of the Pavilion Master’s strike.
Her target was never the Pavilion Master.
Following her will, the Autumn Frost Sword barely blocked the Master’s next strike. Jiang Xiechen tapped her toes on the ground and flipped through the air, stepping onto a table to reach Xiao Hongyu instantly. Her hands brushed through her black hair, without the hairpin to hold it, her hair cascaded down. Her golden eyes stared chillingly at Xiao Hongyu.
As their eyes met, the hairpin in Jiang Xiechen’s hand lunged mercilessly toward Xiao Hongyu’s heart.
Seeing this, the Pavilion Master was horrified. He no longer held back, striking the Autumn Frost Sword with a loud CRACK, shattering it.
Most sword cultivators do not bind their natal swords too early. If their cultivation is insufficient and the sword is too powerful, it becomes a burden. If the sword is too weak, as their cultivation rises, the sword can shatter, leading to the cultivator’s death, a fatal weakness.
Jiang Xiechen’s Autumn Frost Sword was a legacy from her master. It looked rusty and dilapidated, yet once bound as her natal sword, it had never felt burdensome.
It was as if the sword evolved with her strength, she could lift it as a child, and it remained perfect for her now.
But now, the Autumn Frost could no longer withstand such immense pressure. Cracks began to spread across the blade.
Even if the sword could be repaired, Jiang Xiechen’s progress would likely stall forever.
Yet the Pavilion Master didn’t even blink. He roared, “What are you doing?!”
Jiang Xiechen flashed a smile.
Squish.
Xiao Hongyu finally reacted, scrambling away from the chair on all fours. A hairpin belonging to Jiang Xiechen was lodged in his chest.
Fortunately, it missed his vitals. He gasped for air and ran to the Pavilion Master’s side.
Knowing his strength was far below Jiang Xiechen’s, he realized only the Pavilion Master could save him. He called out weakly, “Pavilion Master.”
He had been vague with the Master about the matter regarding Yu Yueming, but the Master didn’t know the full extent of their relationship, so he definitely hadn’t told Jiang Xiechen.
Seeing how ruthlessly Jiang Xiechen attacked, he figured she was either naturally violent or… she didn’t know the specifics of Yu Yueming but was simply repulsed by the idea of him having other women.
Xiao Hongyu leaned toward the latter. After all, Jiang Xiechen was a woman; it was normal to be jealous.
As the saying goes, there is no hate without love. Xiao Hongyu was well aware of how his face attracted women. Since Jiang Xiechen’s natal sword was destroyed, no matter how fierce her personality, she couldn’t suppress him anymore. It would be better to play the victim and force the marriage through.
With a pale face, Xiao Hongyu stammered, “Miss Jiang… you misunderstand… there is nothing between me and Yu Yueming.”
A trickle of blood escaped the corner of Jiang Xiechen’s mouth.
Before the hairpin struck his heart, she had clearly felt a resistance, the will of the Heavenly Dao.
She looked at Xiao Hongyu with cold eyes.
He was handsome enough, but his talent was limited. Unless he encountered some miracle, he’d reach the Golden Core stage at most. Why would such a person be protected by the Heavens?
However, this only served to prove the contents of the book.
If he weren’t the “Protagonist,” why would the Heavenly Dao protect someone like him?
Jiang Xiechen had only just formed her Golden Core, she couldn’t even defeat the Pavilion Master in a direct fight, let alone contend with the Heavens. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the sound of her sword breaking.
A crisp clack.
That sound instantly jolted her from her sense of defeat.
If she couldn’t kill Xiao Hongyu, she would at least maim him.
Jiang Xiechen clutched her chest. Because her natal sword was shattered, waves of pain radiated through her, making her vision go dark and her legs weak.
Sensing her state, the Autumn Frost Sword drifted back to her side.
The Pavilion Master was busy apologizing to Xiao Hongyu.
He shot a resentful look at Jiang Xiechen. Seeing the blood on her red wedding dress, he sighed repeatedly. “Go change your clothes. I’ll have someone support you through the ceremony.”
He had abandoned this daughter once, he only brought her back because he needed her. He felt no affection for her. His only thought now was how to maximize his profit.
This marriage had to happen, or else he’d never get that medicine once Xiao Hongyu decided to back out.
Thinking of his sick son, the Pavilion Master grew even angrier. He waved his hand and led Xiao Hongyu out, locking the door behind them.
He was putting Jiang Xiechen under house arrest.
Jiang Xiechen collapsed to the floor, closing her eyes to steady her breathing.
She scanned her surroundings.
This wasn’t a formal dungeon. Since the Pavilion Master assumed she had no strength left, he simply locked the door and stationed guards outside.
Jiang Xiechen closed her eyes and formed a hand seal. Ignoring her physical wounds, she began to examine the Karmic Threads on her body.
Her karmic debt of blood to the Pavilion Master had been severed with the breaking of the Autumn Frost Sword.
The sword was tied to her life. Although the Master had struck a heavy blow, the blade hadn’t completely snapped; it was just covered in cracks. A small outside force might shatter it completely.
She stroked the blade, searching for a way out.
Closing her eyes, her spiritual consciousness drifted into the darkness, searching.
Suddenly, she heard a crisp, youthful female voice, clear like a flowing stream or a ringing bell in the dark, preventing one from losing their way.
The voice asked: “Eh? Where is this?”