Chapter 70 - 67: If You Won’t Slay, I Will
Shattered.
Dissipated.
Reborn.
The churning clouds parted to reveal the sun, only to be swallowed up again the next moment.
Lu Changyuan stood within the Thunder Tribulation, savagely swinging his sword, destroying everything in sight with Broken Thought.
He no longer used any particular Swordsmanship. Instead, he channeled Yin Yang Qi into Broken Thought, using only the most basic swings and cuts. Yet it was these fundamental strikes that tore through all confusion and the six mortal dusts, the void of Taiyi devouring everything.
In the end, all Swordsmanship is merely a matter of thrusting, hacking, cleaving, and flicking.
"Hm?"
Behind the layers of dark clouds, an ethereal, blurry shadow had suddenly appeared.
Countless faint sounds seemed to seep from the shadow. At first, it was like soft whimpering, but it soon grew rampant. A Demon’s Voice assaulted the ears—a mixture of the shouts and cries of countless people, a sound that made one’s heart clench.
’A Desire Demon?!’
Even though Lu Changyuan had lost his complete Heart Method, he still recognized the shadow’s identity.
’How can a Desire Demon be inside a Celestial Tribulation?’
The moment Lu Changyuan saw the Desire Demon, it naturally saw him too. Its once-blurry silhouette abruptly swelled like an inflated leather sack, instantly transforming into a gigantic maw stretched to its absolute limit.
The sky-blotting mouth was lined with sharp teeth, its edges crawling with blackish-green tumors. Countless distorted eyes burst forth from the fleshy walls, staring intently at Lu Changyuan.
An inhuman shriek nearly shattered Lu Changyuan’s eardrums.
Suddenly, an immense bolt of Blood Thunder crashed down, aimed straight for Lu Changyuan’s face.
Lu Changyuan raised Broken Thought to block the bolt. The current of Blood Thunder flowed down the blade, charring his hand black, but his face remained impassive. With a scornful expression, he sneered, "Turning a blind eye to a Desire Demon?"
As if stung by his words, the Celestial Tribulation grew even more frenzied.
Blood trickled down the hilt to the tip of Broken Thought, adding a streak of scarlet to the smooth blade.
The next instant, Lu Changyuan charged into the bloody maw. The sharpness of Broken Thought burst forth from within the Desire Demon’s body. Under the blade, layers of fleshy membranes and tangled blood vessels were like fragile paper, sliced clean through.
Broken Thought was a natural weapon against Desire Demons.
Lu Changyuan shook the foul-smelling green pus from Broken Thought. "Disgusting as always."
He looked up, narrowing his eyes.
Behind the clouds, countless more Demons with hideous faces appeared. In an instant, Lu Changyuan’s surroundings transformed into a ceaseless Thunder Prison. Thunder and Demons filled every direction, all seemingly wanting to devour him, leaving not a single piece behind.
The Thunder Tribulation rolled in, and the Desire Demons chose their prey to devour.
Lu Changyuan, his Profound Robe stained with blood, held his sword and said, "I never thought you’d hate me this much."
It was unclear whether he was speaking to the Celestial Tribulation or the Desire Demons.
Lu Changyuan raised his sword, finally wringing dry his entire past. The Power of the Four Seasons gathered in this single strike.
An arc materialized from thin air, like the Gate of All Wonders revealing its most perfect, profound meaning. It then completely transcended space and time, creating a world-shaking sonic boom!
Space folded and then burst open. The void of his Inner Strength resonated with Lu Changyuan’s will, erupting with a terrifying suction that brutally devoured everything.
’What a joke!’
’You are the Celestial Tribulation, yet you don’t strike down the Demons in the Mortal World. You ignore the suffering of mortals.’
’You stood by and watched as people devoured each other during times of chaos.’
’And now you bring a fatal tribulation down on someone who has never harmed anyone.’
Lu Changyuan’s voice echoed in all directions.
"If you won’t kill the Demons, I will!"
On the distant horizon, where heaven and earth met, a line of brilliant gold suddenly seeped through.
A fissure was torn in the gloomy night, and light began to leak through. It spread slowly, ardently, until it finally showered the world with its warmth.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Su Youwan witnessed it all.
She couldn’t quite understand how a person could be so courageous.
The maiden had watched with her own eyes as the figure in the Profound Robe charged into the tribulation clouds three times, shattering them to pieces. This wasn’t Crossing the Tribulation, nor was it merely obstructing the clouds—it was defying and slaying the Celestial Tribulation with mortal power.
Su Youwan gazed at the heavens and suddenly felt that Lu Changyuan was like a true Immortal. Perhaps only the legendary Immortals would dare draw a sword against the heavens.
He charged up time and time again, only to fall back to the earth in the end.
’Is it worth going this far for others?’
Su Youwan wasn’t sure, but she was trying to understand everything Lu Changyuan had done.
She cultivated the Destined Celestial Dao, which emphasized acting in accordance with heaven’s will. Yet today, she had witnessed with her own eyes someone triumphing over heaven with mortal power.
The tribulation clouds in the sky tried to re-form many times, but in the end, they dissipated bit by bit. The soul-stealing Blood Thunder was gone from the Mortal World. Then, it began to rain. At first, the rain was black, but it gradually turned into clear, translucent water.
When the rain finally stopped, the clear sky would return.
The vast night was now slowly receding. Tomorrow’s sun should be able to rise as usual.
Su Youwan cleared away the residual thunderous will in the area before walking over to Lu Changyuan. He was lying on the ground, covered in blood, looking like a dead man.
"Young Master Lu, are you all right?"
"Looks like my luck is holding up."
Lu Changyuan had fought the tribulation clouds for two days and scattered them. Jiang Jiayi had likely managed to get the person to Celestial Mountain before the clouds could gather again.
Rainwater pelted Lu Changyuan’s face, but he just let out two loud laughs, allowing the downpour to soak him completely.
’He’s beautiful.’
The Third Princess thought to herself.
She opened an umbrella beside Lu Changyuan, shielding him from the rain. But her own silver-white hair was soaked, and the cold autumn rain slid down the strands, dripping onto Lu Changyuan’s hand.
"I mean, your injuries look quite serious."
"If you’re asking about my injuries, then no, I’m not doing so well."
Lu Changyuan cracked a smile, the scabs of dried blood on his body flaking off like snowflakes. "Looks like this is where it ends for me today. I might have to trouble the Third Princess to spend some silver on a good coffin to bury me."
Su Youwan’s expression was blank. "I recall that a day ago, Young Master Lu said you wouldn’t necessarily die here."
"Man proposes, heaven disposes."
"Is that so?"
"What else?" Lu Changyuan felt his throat was full of the taste of blood, choking him uncomfortably. "The Third Princess should probably step back, lest my blood splatters on your face in a moment."
Su Youwan shook her head. "It’s already splattered on me."
The maiden’s Cyan and White Daoist Robe was already stained with spots of Lu Changyuan’s dark blood, making her look like a pure lotus flower forcibly sullied with mud.
"Young Master Lu, do you have any medicine for Blood Thunder injuries?"
Despite her words, after fighting the Blood Thunder for two days, Lu Changyuan’s injuries were far beyond what ordinary Elixirs could heal.
"Third Princess, do I look like I’d have any Elixirs on me right now?"
"You still have a habit of answering a question with a question."
The Third Princess knelt, naturally smoothing the hem of her robe, and then sat primly before Lu Changyuan.
She extended her fair, delicate arm to Lu Changyuan’s lips.
"Third Princess, what are you doing?"
"Drink, Young Master Lu."
’Drink what?’
A flash of light streaked by, and a cut appeared on her porcelain-like skin. Scarlet blood flowed down her arm and dripped into Lu Changyuan’s mouth.
Su Youwan said matter-of-factly, "Don’t drink too much, lest you start craving it later."
She held Lu Changyuan in her arms, like a suffering man covered in filth being embraced by a holy Bodhisattva, his pain and sorrow soothed away.
Lu Changyuan’s breathing slowly stabilized. His life was no longer in danger, but he remained gravely injured.
"Third Princess?"
Su Youwan released Lu Changyuan and picked up her birdcage again. "Don’t ask. I won’t tell you."
’Everyone has their little secrets, don’t they?’
Lu Changyuan could only say, "I wasn’t planning on asking."
"That’s for the best."
The Silver-haired Maiden helped Lu Changyuan up, patted the dust off his clothes, and said softly, "You’re incredible. More incredible than anyone I’ve ever met."
Lu Changyuan felt that he had finally vented all his frustration and let out a small laugh.
He lifted his eyes to the vast heavens.
The boundless sea was wide, the heavens and earth high.
"I guess I’m all right."