Chapter Twelve: “Senior Brother, You’ve Gone Too Far”

In the eyes of Li Changhe and Tang Qianxue, the junior disciple seemed somewhat extreme.

The audience watching the scene erupted into a frenzy of comments.

“Good riddance to that brother.”

“Who said Xiao Lin’s character had collapsed? Come out!”

“I almost got convinced by that fallen sword immortal earlier, but as soon as Xiao Lin spoke, he won me back. Those spreading heresies are no good—just kill them outright.”

“That’s your Brother Lin for you.”

“Xiao Lin: What’s all this nonsense? Take it up with the Sword Pool.”

“So satisfying! After a whole day at work, this is exactly what I want to see!”

“Enjoyable as it is, somehow your Brother Lin seems more like a rogue cultivator than the fallen sword immortal.”

“Not exactly righteous.”

[Popularity +100…]

[Popularity +10…]

For a moment, the surge in popularity was a hundredfold the usual rate.

Xiao Lin’s smile grew even brighter.

Yet, this was still not enough.

Far from enough.

While riding on the flying sword, Xiao Lin had searched for three holy-grade spiritual treasures of metal, wood, and earth attributes.

Their prices varied, but even the cheapest holy relic demanded three hundred thousand popularity points.

The most expensive required up to eight hundred thousand.

After all, as holy relics, their uses extended beyond cultivation techniques.

They could be used to forge life-bound magical weapons or enhance alchemical skills...

Such treasures were fiercely contested by all factions.

So,

Xiao Lin glanced at the Universe Ring, his gaze sharpening.

If not now, then when to play the trump card?

However, his smile and look were unmistakably a provocation to the fallen sword immortal.

The latter’s eyes darkened.

Though the timing was imperfect and defeat possible, there was no time to hesitate.

“The righteous path is truly hypocritical,” the fallen sword immortal sneered. “You all claim your master as yours, yet you watch him perish and his way disappear—how utterly laughable!”

Xiao Lin’s pupils contracted sharply. “Senior brother, it’s getting late. Let me purify him, and we can return to Sword Mountain before nightfall.”

He took a step forward, ready to employ his movement technique, but the fallen sword immortal’s voice came first.

“Killing me means your master dies too. Because our fates are intertwined by severed intent and the heavens cannot tolerate it—this is the price!”

Xiao Lin bowed his head and retorted, “Nonsense.”

—

But in the next moment, Li Changhe suddenly appeared before him, blocking the way.

“Senior brother.”

Xiao Lin calmly met Li Changhe’s gaze. “Maintain focus and unity; don’t fall for the fallen sword immortal’s slanders.”

Li Changhe was silent for a moment. “Junior brother, I don’t wish for this either.”

“But your reaction... leaves no room for me not to worry.”

Tang Qianxue hurried over with a hint of inquiry. “Little Kirin, this fallen sword immortal must be lying, right? Our master could never die, could he?”

Though she spoke thus, her delicate face was tight with anxiety, staring deeply into Xiao Lin’s eyes, unwilling to see any hesitation there.

As they wished, Xiao Lin answered without doubt, “Of course not. An evil being unable to even break a seal—how could it trade lives with our master?”

Hearing this, Tang Qianxue and Li Changhe visibly relaxed.

Xiao Lin could even hear their breaths of relief.

After all, each of them had been saved by Shen Wuya.

Not to mention the favor of being taken in, simply for saving their lives, they owed an unrepayable debt.

How could they accept Shen Wuya’s death?

But when facing death, no creature surrenders meekly.

The fallen sword immortal laughed loudly. “Ha ha ha, young one, have you forgotten that in the illusion, Shen Wuya asked you to kill him?”

“Do you think he spoke without purpose?”

Li Changhe froze.

A mist seemed to clear in his mind, and a fragment of memory resurfaced.

He recalled everything from the illusion.

What was once a mundane test now took on an entirely different meaning under the fallen sword immortal’s words.

“I see… no wonder…” Li Changhe murmured, closing and opening his eyes repeatedly.

“Junior brother,” his voice slightly hoarse, “did you know all along that if the fallen sword immortal dies, our master will die as well?”

At that moment, the three pairs of eyes locked onto Xiao Lin.

After a long pause, Xiao Lin sighed softly. “Yes.”

The fallen sword immortal laughed shamelessly. “Betraying your master and ancestors—what outrageous treachery! Tell me now… who truly is the rogue cultivator?”

“Shut up,” Xiao Lin said coldly. “It is not your place to gloat, a man who is about to die.”

Li Changhe suddenly said, “Is our master not also a dying man in your eyes?”

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

The fallen sword immortal fell silent.

His goal had been achieved; now he would wait for the show to unfold.

Tang Qianxue keenly sensed the shift in the air.

From Xiao Lin and Li Changhe emanated a certain aura that pricked her like thorns on her back.

“Senior brother, Little Kirin, don’t—”

—

“Senior brother.”

Xiao Lin’s face remained calm, even though Li Changhe was the eldest senior brother of Sword Mountain, nearly a whole realm above him, yet he showed no sign of faltering.

“This is our master’s own choice.”

“The fallen sword immortal will one day become strong enough to break the seal. Then no one in the world can restrain him—not even our master. And if a demon that our master personally released is left to wreak havoc and harm the living, what do you think our master will do?”

Li Changhe was silent for a moment. “Is there truly no other way?”

Seeing the rational exchange between Xiao Lin and Li Changhe, Tang Qianxue breathed a slight sigh of relief, only to discover her hands trembling.

Xiao Lin shook his head. “I asked master. He scoured countless ancient texts and found no alternative.”

“I don’t believe it.”

Tang Qianxue’s breath caught.

“The world is vast; how could there be no solution?” Li Changhe said slowly. “It just hasn’t been found yet. Just give me some time…”

“But master senses it too. The time before the fallen sword immortal breaks the seal is running out.”

Crack—

Crack—

Branches snapped—perhaps a gentle breeze brushed by, or a bird spread its wings and flew.

Bloodshot veins appeared in Li Changhe’s eyes. “But junior brother, don’t you know, without master, neither of us would be here today?”

“Senior brother, hold to your true heart. Don’t fall into this rogue’s trap!” Xiao Lin said sternly. “We both care for master, but if we unleash him, it’s a loss on both counts!”

Yet the blood in Li Changhe’s eyes spread further, dyeing his pupils with an inescapable crimson. “If his breaking the seal brings catastrophe, then so be it.”

“If he kills a thousand, master can save ten thousand. If he kills ten thousand, master can save millions! What’s the harm in that?”

That glimpse of the future, where Li Changhe would betray the righteous path for a demonic sect’s seductress, began to emerge here...

“Senior brother, snap out of it!” Tang Qianxue urged, shaking Li Changhe anxiously.

But given her cultivation level, she was powerless.

Even the force behind shaking his shoulders was weak, only enough to earn a glance from him.

Suddenly,

“Senior brother, it’s passed.”

These simple four words drained much of the blood from Li Changhe’s eyes.

He looked up at the voice, meeting a pair of cold eyes.

Facing a fellow disciple, it was the first time Xiao Lin’s gaze lost all its mirth...