A question arose in Yu Yi’s mind.
‘Am I a Sea King?’
She had not even cleared her “Emotional Debt” to Yun Qianxue yet, so why was the dignified Sword Emperor speaking to her so ambiguously?
At that moment, a scene from the past flashed through Yu Yi’s mind.
She sat quietly under a tree, plucking the strings of a zither, while Ji Hongye danced with a sword to the melodious music.
At that time, Ji Hongye was also a tall beauty with hair as white as snow and eyes like red leaves.
Together, the two of them—one in black and one in white—seemed to divide the Sky and Earth between them.
It was clear that the Original Host had indeed been on good terms with the Sword Emperor, Ji Hongye.
Perhaps it was a difference in their paths, or perhaps there was some other reason, but the two of them eventually parted ways and set out on two completely different journeys.
“How did your body end up like this?”
Yu Yi asked with a frown, her attitude softening slightly.
“In the end, I could not master that sword,”
Ji Hongye sighed softly, then shot a meaningful look at Liu Mingyan.
Liu Mingyan rose solemnly, took down the sword box strapped to her back, and carefully placed it in front of Yu Yi.
This was no ordinary sword box.
Yu Yi could sense a profound power emanating from it, comparable to the Buddha’s Five-Finger Mountain, as if it were meant to suppress something within.
Liu Mingyan naturally did not dare to open the sword box.
It felt as if an Ancient Calamity Beast was hidden inside, and if it were released, it would bring destruction to everything in the world.
Yu Yi also felt the restless power within the box, and another memory entered her mind.
The sword held by the Sword Emperor, Ji Hongye, was named “Everlasting Aeon,” meaning “a time that never ends.”
The sword of Everlasting Aeon grew stronger by using the life of its wielder as nourishment.
It was like a greedy beast, endlessly draining the life force of whoever held it.
Its power had no upper limit.
Because of this, whenever a wielder died from having their life drained, a new wielder would appear, lured by its power, only to become a slave who offered their life and soul to the Everlasting Aeon sword.
Despite being a Heavenly-Grade Weapon, the Everlasting Aeon sword did not recognize a master.
Anyone could hold it and control its power.
Of course, the prerequisite was that the wielder had to be able to withstand the sword’s backlash.
Legend had it that over the past few hundred years, the Everlasting Aeon sword had changed hands thousands of times.
Every time it found a new owner, it would set off a storm of blood and slaughter.
Once, a rational powerhouse attempted to destroy and seal the Everlasting Aeon sword, but even after exhausting his life’s energy, he could not suppress it.
To prevent more people from being lured and killed by the sword’s power, the Sword Pavilion of that time stepped forward and decided to “subdue” the weapon.
From then on, mastering and subduing the Everlasting Aeon sword became the mission of every Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion.
However, even by Ji Hongye’s generation, they still had not been able to master this “demonic sword.”
The way the Everlasting Aeon sword drained a wielder’s life force caused their body to undergo a constant reverse growth.
That was why Ji Hongye had turned into a petite young girl at this moment.
“I wanted to try for a few more years, but the Sword Pavilion still needs to make amends for the sins of the past. I cannot be weighed down by this sword, so…”
“Your Sword Pavilion is quite famous among the Right Path. Why do you always like to engage in these heterodox methods?”
Yu Yi naturally knew what the sins of the Sword Pavilion were back then.
“I heard that my third disciple violated a great taboo and even offended you. That was my failure in supervision,”
Ji Hongye said with a hint of apology.
“Enough, let us not mention those things. So, do you want this Grandmaster to destroy that sword, or fulfill that so-called mission for you?”
“Neither.”
Ji Hongye shook her head and said, “I wish to give this sword to you.”
Yu Yi fell into silence after hearing this.
Although the gift was truly absurd, since the Sword Emperor could say such a thing, she must have seen some quality in Yu Yi.
“Is it a gift for this Grandmaster, or do you have other plans? Just speak plainly,”
Yu Yi probed.
“I heard that the Third Disciple of Among the Colorful Clouds regained her life through the Heavenly-Grade Weapon, the ‘Azure Wood Jade,’ and that her life remains forever frozen in the year she passed away. In this way, she has essentially obtained ‘Eternal Life’.”
Ji Hongye paused, her gaze falling on the sword box containing the Everlasting Aeon sword, and continued, “The ‘Wooden Sword’ I lent you previously should be in her hands right now. I want to use the Everlasting Aeon sword to exchange for that Wooden Sword.”
After Ji Hongye finished speaking, although Yu Yi remained calm on the surface, a massive wave of shock surged in her heart.
‘The Third Disciple, Ye Qingluan, died once many years ago?’
Yu Yi suddenly realized the truth.
She finally understood why the Original Host had gone to Cangzhou five years ago but ignored the fact that it was trapped in a perpetual winter.
To end the eternal winter of Cangzhou, one would need the power of the “Azure Wood Jade.”
However, the Azure Wood Jade had become the thing sustaining Ye Qingluan’s life.
How could the Original Host give up on her own disciple?
The Original Host was not a philanthropic person; on the contrary, she was very selfish.
She could not possibly let her disciple “die again” just to restore the four seasons to Cangzhou.
Yu Yi felt the same way.
There might be other ways to end the eternal winter of Cangzhou.
But if Ye Qingluan lost the Azure Wood Jade, she might never wake up again.
Miracles could only happen once.
Yu Yi also understood Ji Hongye’s intention.
As long as she did not lose the Azure Wood Jade, Ye Qingluan could basically maintain a state of “Eternal Life.”
Since the Azure Wood Jade could grant Ye Qingluan eternal life, it could also simultaneously satisfy the endless greed of the Everlasting Aeon sword.
Once Ye Qingluan possessed the Everlasting Aeon sword, she would be able to wield a power that had absorbed the lives of several Pavilion Masters of the Sword Pavilion!
Just imagining it for a moment made one feel that the power was terrifyingly formidable.
Ji Hongye was proposing a transaction to Yu Yi.
Trading the Everlasting Aeon sword for the Wooden Sword would allow her to end her painful mission and successfully recover the Wooden Sword from Yu Yi’s hands.
For both parties, it was not a losing deal.
To be precise, Yu Yi’s side would profit immensely.
Because the Wooden Sword given to Ye Qingluan had originally been “borrowed” by the Original Host from Ji Hongye.
In this case, Yu Yi would be returning the item to its original owner while allowing her Third Disciple, Ye Qingluan, to gain what could be called an ultimate “cheat” divine weapon.
However, were there really such good things in this world?
“Sword Emperor, your intention is likely more than just this, isn’t it?”
Yu Yi keenly sensed something abnormal.
Her expression suddenly darkened as she questioned Ji Hongye.
Ji Hongye was silent for a moment.
On that cute, childlike face, the shrewdness and depth that originally belonged to her slowly emerged.
“Sister Yu is still as sharp as you were back then. Your guess is correct; I do indeed have a more important purpose.”
“The benefits you offered are tempting enough. This Grandmaster might as well hear what you have to say.”
Yu Yi’s slender fingers lightly tapped the chair as she asked indifferently.
“I want your Third Disciple to return to the Sword Pavilion.”
Ji Hongye spoke word by word, making a statement that shocked the entire hall.
Blue Ling’er and the others looked at each other in surprise, and even Liu Mingyan, who was Ji Hongye’s disciple, was full of disbelief.
Clearly, Ji Hongye had not told her disciple that her personal visit to Among the Colorful Clouds was actually to poach the Demoness’s people!
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Yu Yi.
They were all waiting to see what kind of response she would give.
“Where do you get the confidence to try and poach this Grandmaster’s disciple?”
Yu Yi rested her chin on one hand and asked Ji Hongye with interest.
“In all the world, only I know the current whereabouts of your Third Disciple,”
Ji Hongye answered.
She could have gone directly to find Ye Qingluan, but the reason she came specifically to Among the Colorful Clouds and spoke to this extent was like reporting before acting, leaving some face for Yu Yi and hoping she would know what was best for her.
However, Yu Yi smiled slightly.
“Senior, you still underestimate Among the Colorful Clouds too much.”
She then turned her gaze to Su Cheng at her side and said, “Su Cheng, tell her, where is your Third Senior Sister right now?”
Su Cheng stepped into the center, performed a deep bow to Yu Yi and a smaller bow to Ji Hongye, then said, “The Third Senior Sister is currently active in the area of Fengjiu County, Qiongzhou. Sword Emperor, is the information I investigated incorrect?”
Upon hearing this, Ji Hongye’s expression changed.
Her cute face slumped like a dejected kitten.
Then, she let out a long sigh and said, “It is entirely accurate.”