The myriad demon races scattered and fled, but the cultivators on the Human Realm's mountain peaks were no pushovers either. Su Qingjiu, Long Dongjun, Xie Yiying, Xiao Muhan – who among them wasn't ruthless? Thus, as the demon races dashed away, almost every one of them was left with a mark by their opponents. Some had their heads directly smashed, others had their legs cleaved by a sword, and some had a piece of their vital inverse scale torn off.
In the air, the Mountain River Community Diagram transformed into a streak of azure brilliance and flew into Wei Huarou's long sleeve. She descended gracefully, retrieved a pill from her embrace, and fed it to Yu Wannian. Smiling, she said, "Fortunately, she's an eleventh-realm martial artist, her physical body sufficiently strong. This pill of mine can protect her heart meridian; her life is thus saved."
"Ah?!"
Lin Zhao was overjoyed. He watched as Yu Wannian's face slowly regained color. He then handed Yu Wannian to Su Qingjiu, turned to Wei Huarou, clasped his fists, and said solemnly, "Many thanks, Sect Leader Wei, for saving her life!"
Long Dongjun, Xie Yiying, Xiao Muhan, and the others also clasped their fists in unison: "Many thanks, Sect Leader Wei!"
"You are all too kind."
Wei Huarou nodded with a smile.
Lin Zhao glanced at Wei Huarou, then at Xu Shuo, who was sitting on the water surface not far away. "What about Sword Immortal Xu..."
Wei Huarou floated over, standing before Xu Shuo with Lin Zhao. She examined Xu Shuo's injuries. "Sword Immortal Xu's main issue is a regression in his realm; his injuries are generally minor. There's no need to waste my life-saving immortal pills."
"That's good!"
Lin Zhao nodded and chuckled. Since fewer people were around, he asked, "Cun'er, are you alright?"
"I'm fine!"
Wei Huarou smiled, her dimples deepening. She increasingly favored Lin Zhao's disposition. In front of others, he still respectfully addressed her as Sect Leader Wei, only calling her Cun'er in private. This, she thought, was the legendary person who understood propriety and knew when to advance or retreat. Otherwise, a constant closeness might appear presumptuous and ultimately lead to an unfavorable outcome.
"Shu Zhi."
Lin Zhao turned to his most capable subordinate and then looked at Wei Huarou. "Cun'er, Shu Zhi's injuries."
"She's fine."
Wei Huarou poured out a pale green pill and said, "Have her take this. It will heal her injuries and stabilize her realm. Many of her inner refinements were shattered, causing some instability in her realm. She can recover slowly later."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao hurried forward and had Shu Zhi take the pill. Only then did his heart finally relax a little.
"What about him?"
Su Qingjiu, holding Yu Wannian in her arms, looked down at the water. "Brother Lin Zhao, how should Gu Yanshu be dealt with?"
"Just lop off his head."
Huang Tingyu frowned. "Such a beast, keeping him is useless!"
"Indeed."
Long Dongjun looked down at the lake. "Lin Zhao, you absolutely must not develop any pity for his talent. Gu Yanshu has committed too many sins. Even if he is the owner of the Deer Seeking Sword, you need not show him any leniency."
"I know."
Lin Zhao clasped his fists at everyone. "Gu Yanshu has already been reduced to a first-realm sword cultivator by my sword. I wish to spare his life for now, primarily out of a personal desire. I wish to comprehend the fundamental nature of good and evil in humanity through Gu Yanshu. This may be beneficial for my own breakthrough. Please rest assured, everyone. If Gu Yanshu has even the slightest opportunity to commit evil again, hold me, Lin Zhao, accountable."
"That's good then."
Xie Yiying smiled and nodded. "I'm about to head south back to Furong Prefecture. Do you have anything you wish to tell Meng Jun?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao said gravely, "Tell Meng Jun to practice her sword diligently. She may have to shoulder the responsibility of the sword path in Furong Prefecture in the future. Make sure she doesn't slack off, and strive to surpass her predecessors in the future, breaking through to become Furong Prefecture's first thirteenth-realm sword cultivator."
"Understood."
Xie Yiying narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I will certainly deliver that message. Everyone, Sect Leader Wei, Xie Yiying will now return to Furong Prefecture. At home... there are still a group of disciples waiting for their master to return~~~"
Wei Huarou smiled and nodded. Then, Xie Yiying transformed into a streak of sword light and departed. Following her, Long Dongjun also bid farewell to everyone one by one and flew away.
...
Lin Zhao looked down at the lake. With a slight wave of his hand, his flying sword Hao Ran cleaved the clear waves and swept Gu Yanshu up from the lake bottom. Gu Yanshu had now regressed to a first-realm sword cultivator. Anyone present could easily kill him, but the ferocity in Gu Yanshu's eyes seemed undiminished. Lin Zhao held him by the back of his collar, lifting him in his hand. Gu Yanshu struggled fiercely, his eyes filled with malice. "What, you don't want to kill me? You want to spare Gu Yanshu's life? Lin Baiyi, I advise you, you think too highly of yourself. Don't end up playing with fire and getting burned."
At this moment, the Deer Seeking Sword was sheathed. With Gu Yanshu's current cultivation, it was impossible for him to draw it again.
"Hm?"
Lin Zhao looked at Gu Yanshu with some confusion. He raised his hand, suspending Gu Yanshu in mid-air. Then, his fists surged with intent, and with a "bang," he punched Gu Yanshu's face, sending him tumbling tens of meters in the lake. Lin Zhao then sealed the water surface and stomped down fiercely on Gu Yanshu's chest, making him spit blood. He then hooked Gu Yanshu's body up with his toe and kicked him again, sending him skidding across the water to Huang Tingyu's feet, where he was then stepped on the face by Huang Tingyu.
"Just stomp his dog head in," Huang Tingyu said.
"Never mind."
Lin Zhao gently raised his hand, and the flying sword Hao Ran held Gu Yanshu suspended before him. Lin Zhao looked at his disheveled state and sneered, "A person like you deserves to die, and my opinion on that has never changed. However, I still want to keep you alive, to see what kind of creature you, Gu Yanshu, truly are."
"You!"
Gu Yanshu was about to snarl when Lin Zhao immediately slapped him hard across the face. The stinging pain forced him to swallow the curse. At this moment, Gu Yanshu truly understood. What Snow Domain Heavenly Pond Lin Baiyi, what contemporary sage, was actually a ruthless individual. Lin Baiyi, after all, had a half-military identity. Facing someone like this... speaking harshly was only inviting trouble, and unnecessary.
Thus, Gu Yanshu fell silent.
...
To the east of the Wash Sword River's source, a range of ice and snow mountains.
The source was at too high an altitude, with considerable melting snow runoff. Therefore, even though the sea was to the east, the Wash Sword River did not flow eastward into the sea but instead flowed westward, creating a pattern of the Human Realm's water flowing into the Ghost Realm.
At this moment, above the snow ridges, streaks of brilliance shuttled forth – a group of high-realm great demons returning to the Demon Realm.
However, just as the group was eager to return, a water curtain suddenly appeared in the air, causing the group of high-realm demons to crash into it, their faces bruised. Above the source of the Wash Sword River, the pháp thân of a River God, clad in golden armor and a cape, slowly rose, standing immeasurably tall between heaven and earth. It was Lin Xingchu. With a swing of her long sword, two eleventh-realm demons were instantly decapitated.
"Chiii!"
In the air, a resplendent streak of light descended. The sword qi was so powerful it chilled the bone. It was none other than Lin Wanhua from Fusu Great Wall.
From another direction, a sword light swept through, turning the body of an eleventh-realm demon into a mist of blood. The wielder was dressed in a gray and white scholar's robe – a thirteenth-realm Confucian sword immortal, Jing Chu.
In fact, Lin Wanhua, Lin Xingchu, and Jing Chu had laid an ambush on the demons' return path. This was part of the Confucian literary circle's plan. It was unreasonable for the demon race to wreak havoc in the Human Realm, kill the Dongyue Mountain Lord Ning Hao Shou, and then escape unscathed. Was there such a thing in the world? Lin Wanhua, Lin Xingchu, and Jing Chu were indeed tied down in the northern region by the millions of troops from the demon race and the Nishang Heavenly Realm, but they were extremely close to the Snow Ridge. Thus, laying an ambush at such a short distance was logical.
"Bastards!"
Yu Zhi's pretty face contorted. "Charge through with all your might! Don't get entangled with them!"
Entanglement was naturally impossible. This area still belonged to the Wash Sword River, and Lin Xingchu here was equivalent to a fourteenth-realm cultivator. Moreover, this place was not far from Fusu Great Wall, so Lin Wanhua's combat power was slightly superior to a thirteenth-realm cultivator. As for Jing Chu, even if this thirteenth-realm sword immortal wasn't as strong as Lin Wanhua, he wouldn't be too weak. If they were to fight head-on, by the time Wei Huarou and Su Qingjiu arrived as reinforcements, the demon race would likely suffer a great loss.
The next moment, heaven and earth thundered. A group of great demons fiercely attacked Lin Xingchu's mountain and water restrictions.
Even Yu Zhi, Ning Yuansheng, Nan Qingfeng, and others crushed a vital artifact, exchanging their cultivation for a path to survival.
In an instant, sword lights flared. Lin Wanhua's sword strikes were ruthless. With one blow, she forcibly shattered the sword of the twelfth-realm sword cultivator Fan Ling into two pieces. As Fan Ling stared with wide eyes in disbelief, Lin Wanhua's sword descended straight down, instantly turning the twelfth-realm sword cultivator Fan Ling into a shower of blood. Despite her immense strength, something was amiss.
Jing Chu fiercely struck Fu Sheng's calf. Fu Sheng roared and fled in haste, transforming into a deer demon galloping between heaven and earth, blood incessantly flowing from its leg. Lin Xingchu then swept her sword across Nan Qingfeng's abdomen, leaving a sword wound. By the time the group of great demons had all passed through the Wash Sword River, many corpses had been left behind. There were three twelfth-realm corpses alone, and seven or eight eleventh-realm corpses – a truly tragic scene.
"Alright, let's take what we can get."
Jing Chu pondered.
"Mm."
Lin Wanhua said, "Empress Lin Xingchu, Lord Jing Chu, you two guard this place. I'm going south."
"Ah?"
Jing Chu was slightly taken aback. "You... you're going south privately?"
"Hm?"
Lin Wanhua raised her delicate eyebrows. "When Lin Wanhua goes south or north, is it up to the Confucian literary circle to decide?"
Jing Chu had a splitting headache. Lin Xingchu, however, smiled slightly. "As long as you don't die. The demon race caused my little Zhao so much loss of friends. Your sword strikes in Shuzhou can be considered as avenging Zhao."
"Mm!"
The next moment, Lin Wanhua transformed into a streak of sword light and shot straight south.
The Confucian literary circle's old scholars might have good tempers, but that was their business. But Lin Wanhua had a petty nature and held grudges; she wouldn't miss any opportunity for retribution!
...