Xie Xuan truly felt like he had seen a ghost today.
First, he was betrayed in every possible way and almost killed.
Now his hand was chopped off—apparently by the little brat standing before him who showed no trace of cultivation.
For a moment, he felt no pain at all, only a sense of something missing.
When he saw his empty right arm, panic struck him and he immediately dropped to his knees in horror.
“My… my hand! What did you do!”
Overwhelmed by the intense pain and phantom limb sensation, coupled with the brutal visual shock, Xie Xuan silently opened his mouth in a mournful howl!
At that moment.
Lin Yin’s figure silently landed behind Xie Xuan. The ruined street was bathed in cold moonlight.
She stood quietly, her moon-white dress reflecting a chilling glow.
Under the moonlight, the red gleam in her eyes became even more pronounced, icy to the point of freezing everything around her; even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Especially the Qingluan Sword in her right hand—just a few meters away, it radiated a piercing coldness.
The intense chill crawled down Xie Xuan’s back into his spine, then shot up his neck, straight to his brain.
His wrinkled face slowly turned around, streaked with tears and snot, looking utterly pathetic.
Until he saw that figure, his trembling mouth slightly quivered, then suddenly the world spun wildly.
After a dizzying roll, he saw his own headless corpse, kneeling right there.
And the shadowy figure whose sword movements were too swift to discern, along with the long sword barely stained with a few drops of blood.
……
Lin Yin looked over at Jiang Che at this moment, moonlight casting his pitiful state into stark relief.
His gray-white robe was stained with dust and dirt, and on his pale jade-like face were two terrible streaks of blood-red tears.
The cloth covering his eyes was soaked through with fresh blood, making the exposed eye area terrifying.
This scene caused Lin Yin’s heart to tighten abruptly.
The dark aura on him and the red gleam in his eyes were suddenly driven away, replaced by a sharp surge of pain in her chest.
“Che’er… are you alright?”
Hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Che did not react as strongly as before, which only made Lin Yin more anxious.
She already didn’t know how to face Jiang Che, and now her panic deepened.
There was nothing left of the cold sword immortal image.
“Alright? Do I look alright?”
Jiang Che’s voice was utterly emotionless; his expression flat except for the two blood tears.
Lin Yin instantly felt like she had messed up again—the opening line was wrong too.
She involuntarily looked at the girl in Jiang Che’s arms.
Her face had lost all life; her unclosed eyes gave no hint of what she thought before death.
Lin Yin reached out to touch Jiang Che, but her hand was mercilessly brushed away.
She didn’t get angry when her hand was pushed aside.
“Is this girl someone very important to you…”
“Heh.”
A self-mocking curve finally appeared at the corner of Jiang Che’s mouth.
“Important? She’s already dead…”
Having a deep knowledge of medicine, Jiang Che had checked Xiao Xia’s pulse countless times while holding her.
He was certain there was no hope.
Jiang Che took a deep breath, as if this breath could disperse the heaviness and pain in his heart.
“Why did you only come now? Don’t tell me someone else was holding you back, holding back someone at Nascent Soul Pinnacle like you!”
“Che’er, I…”
Lin Yin didn’t know how to explain. She had been looking for Jiang Che from the start, but later hesitated.
She had initially thought Jiang Che had done those wrong things, but after realizing she couldn’t live without him, she believed she could just make it up to him.
But now it seemed she was the one who was wrong.
Looking at the girl in Jiang Che’s arms, Lin Yin should have been saddened by Jiang Che’s injuries, yet a sour bitterness filled her heart.
Perhaps, in her eyes, the most important thing was that Jiang Che did not leave her.
“Che’er, I’m sorry. I know there’s no use saying anything now. Come back with me to the sect. About what happened back then…”
“Shut up!!!”
The quiet night sky was shattered by that heartfelt scream, causing Lin Yin’s brows to knit even tighter.
“Lin Yin! Don’t bring up ‘back then’ with me! You kicked me out of the sect long ago. I’m no longer your disciple!
Your disciple has been dead for a long time!
All I want now is for you to leave me alone!”
Tears suddenly burst from Lin Yin’s eyes.
It was the first time she had ever seen this side of Jiang Che.
Clearly, Lin Yin was wrong again—this time for her hesitation.
“Che’er, no matter what you say, you are still my disciple. Give me one chance, and I will give you an explanation.”
“Heh heh heh!”
Jiang Che couldn’t help but let out a low laugh.
It was truly ridiculous; none of Lin Yin’s actions felt like they were for him.
His previously calm expression vanished, replaced by nothing but self-mockery.
“I hate you! Lin Yin! You’re disgusting, so selfish!
From the start, it was all for yourself! I thought you were just cold on the outside, but your heart is even more disgusting!
Taking me to buy clothes was just to satisfy yourself!
Now everything you do for me is just self-satisfaction!
Ugh!”
“Che’er!”
At this moment, Jiang Che could no longer hold on.
The blue light flashed across his abdomen, and he felt something rush out from inside him.
The sparse Spirit Energy in his body began to vanish slowly.
Even his strength started to fade rapidly.
Lin Yin’s greatest fear had finally come true.
Before leaving Shuiquan Village, Lin Yin separated her Life-Bound Spiritual Sword and placed it into Jiang Che’s Dantian to suppress the strange thing inside his Dantian.
If that thing started absorbing Spirit Energy again, her Life-Bound Spiritual Sword could directly supply Spirit Energy.
But it had remained quiet, as if in hibernation.
This made Lin Yin afraid to lightly mobilize Spirit Energy.
The first time she inspected Jiang Che’s inner condition, even a faint Spirit Energy ripple disturbed that thing, causing it to violently absorb the Spirit Energy inside Jiang Che.
This time was the same; recalling the Qingluan Sword caused Spirit Energy fluctuations that still affected it.
Maybe without the Qingluan Sword’s deterrence, it dared to act so boldly.
Seeing Jiang Che like this, Lin Yin’s heart ached even more.
She immediately embraced Jiang Che and slowly transmitted her purest Spirit Energy into his body.
Lin Yin’s talent was extremely high—she had a Mutated Heavenly Spiritual Root and Ice Spiritual Root.
If she transmitted her Spirit Energy directly, it would harm Jiang Che.
Maybe if that girl named Duo’er were here now, things would be much better.
But Jiang Che was her disciple, and she no longer wanted to retreat.
……
In the shadows, a weak figure hid in a corner.
His collar was drenched in blood.
His features were indistinct, but his coughing sounded like that of an elderly man.
“Cough cough! Is this the power of the Void Refining Stage?
A single light sword swing destroyed three formations I set up.
And severely injured me!
Damn it! And wasted my ‘materials’!
No, I refuse to die here!”
……
At this moment, inside the Shenxiao Sect, someone looked up at the starry sky, seemingly calculating something.