Chapter 10: If Jiang Qingyi knew everything, how would she feel?

In the blink of an eye, ten years passed within the Hundred Generations Book.

Originally, Jiang Qingyi was a cultivator who couldn't even step into the Qi Refining stage.

But now, Jiang Qingyi had already reached the Golden Core stage.

To go from Qi Refining to Golden Core in a mere fourteen years—such talent was top-tier, even when looking at the entire world.

Jiang Qingyi was now a deacon of the Longquan Sword Sect.

Once Jiang Qingyi reached the Nascent Soul stage, she would be able to become an elder of the Longquan Sword Sect.

In truth, this was only because the Longquan Sword Sect was a major sect.

Otherwise.

Looking at the world at large, a Nascent Soul cultivator would already be capable of founding their own sect.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough."

On the bed, Xiao Mo coughed incessantly.

Xiao Mo’s face was pale, his expression wretched; he looked like a man whose days were numbered.

After Jiang Qingyi entered the Golden Core stage, Xiao Mo indeed no longer needed to use the Heaven-Extending Technique on her at the cost of his own lifespan.

However, over these past ten years, every time he used the Heaven-Extending Technique, the toll on Xiao Mo had been immense.

Moreover, as Jiang Qingyi’s cultivation level grew higher, Xiao Mo had to use the technique more frequently, and each time, his lifespan was whittled away even more severely.

By now, Xiao Mo felt that he likely had less than thirty years of life left.

Even if he lived for another thirty years, when added to the previous fourteen, the total would not exceed forty-five years.

He still wouldn't reach the "fifty-year" limit imposed by the Hundred Generations Book.

But did Xiao Mo regret it?

That was absolutely impossible.

If given another choice, Xiao Mo would still do the same.

Because without the Heaven-Extending Technique, let alone becoming a top-tier sword genius of the world, Qingyi might not have even been able to set foot on the path of cultivation at all.

What Xiao Mo was grateful for was that after every session of cultivation, he used techniques to forcibly mask his poor complexion.

Coupled with the fact that he went out on missions from time to time.

Every time he returned from a mission, Xiao Mo would deliberately dispel the masking spell, making his face look ghastly.

Otherwise, if Jiang Qingyi were to learn the truth.

There was no need to even think about it; even if it meant her death, she would never let him use the Heaven-Extending Technique on her again.

She might even be consumed by self-reproach, ultimately affecting her Dao heart.

Then, all his previous efforts would truly have been in vain.

Now, Xiao Mo only had one last thing left to do.

His body still possessed a sliver of combat power; after all, he was at the Nascent Soul stage and could continue to protect Jiang Qingyi’s path.

Once Qingyi entered the Nascent Soul stage, he could finally do that last thing.

"I only hope that when the time comes, Qingyi won't blame me."

Xiao Mo leaned against the bed, muttering to himself.

But as soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

When that time came, what did it matter if Qingyi blamed him?

This was, after all, just an experience of a life; Qingyi was merely a person who didn't truly exist.

Once he left the Hundred Generations Book, this "world" would come to a complete end.

Thinking of this, Xiao Mo did feel a sense of reluctance in his heart.

After all, the time he had spent living in the Hundred Generations Book was real.

Over these ten-plus years, he and Qingyi had been together day and night, long ago establishing a bond akin to family.

"Sigh... I’ve become too immersed in the role... Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough." Xiao Mo coughed several more times, each one more violent than the last.

He hurriedly grabbed the handkerchief by the bedside to cover his mouth.

On the handkerchief was bright red blood.

"Master..."

As Jiang Qingyi walked in carrying medicine, she saw her master’s violent coughing and rushed over.

"Master, are you alright?"

Jiang Qingyi placed the medicine on the nightstand, knelt by the bedside, and looked at her master with concern.

Over these years, her master’s health had been deteriorating.

After she entered the Golden Core stage, her master’s life-fire seemed like a candle in the wind, as if it might extinguish at any moment.

Jiang Qingyi didn't know the reason.

Her master said he had damaged his foundation while out on missions.

At first, Jiang Qingyi truly believed this.

Because every time her master returned, his face was ghastly, and he would go to the medical hall for treatment.

But gradually, Jiang Qingyi always felt something was wrong.

Because no matter what mission her master went on, even minor ones, he would always encounter some powerful figure who would injure him.

Even if her master’s luck was bad, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

"I'm fine, don't worry." Xiao Mo secretly moved the handkerchief away.

But Jiang Qingyi still saw the bloodstains on it.

The young girl pressed her thin lips together tightly.

"Master, let me feed you the medicine." Jiang Qingyi picked up the medicine bowl.

"No need, it’s not like your master doesn't have hands; I can do it myself." Xiao Mo reached for the bowl, but Jiang Qingyi refused.

"Master, just lie down. Do you remember after the New Blood Tournament? I was injured, and you fed me medicine every day. Now that your health isn't good, it’s only right that Qingyi feeds you."

"Fine then..." Seeing Jiang Qingyi’s firm expression, Xiao Mo didn't refuse anymore.

After the medicine was finished, Jiang Qingyi helped Xiao Mo lie down slowly: "Master, get some good rest. Don't worry, you will be fine."

"Don't worry, your master won't die just yet. Besides, I haven't even seen you find a reliable Dao companion yet." Xiao Mo said with a smile.

"Master, stop making such jokes. As for a Dao companion, this disciple has no need for one."

Jiang Qingyi gave her master a coquettish look, tucked him in, and walked out with the medicine bowl.

But the moment Jiang Qingyi closed the door, her beautiful eyes furrowed. She placed the medicine bowl on the stone table in the courtyard and flew straight to the medical hall!

Just after Jiang Qingyi left, a knock sounded at Xiao Mo’s door.

"Qingyi, is something the matter?" Xiao Mo asked.

The door opened, and a woman walked out.

Seeing this woman, Xiao Mo’s eyes froze, and a flash of killing intent even appeared.

Xiao Mo knew who she was.

She was from the Xiao Prince’s Mansion in the Liang Kingdom.

To be precise, she was Xiao Mo’s sword attendant.

Ever since Xiao Mo could remember, she had grown up by his side.

When Xiao Mo left the Xiao Prince’s Mansion and severed ties with them, he had wanted to take this sword attendant who grew up with him along.

But she refused.

Only after that did Xiao Mo realize.

She was not his sword attendant, but the sword attendant of the "Xiao Prince’s son."

"Xia Chan, why are you here?"

Xiao Mo frowned, his tone very unfriendly.

This wasn't because she hadn't followed him ten years ago.

Xiao Mo could understand her choice.

The reason Xiao Mo was so vigilant, even hostile toward her, was entirely because someone as loyal to the Xiao Prince’s Mansion as Xia Chan had appeared here.

Perhaps the Xiao Prince’s Mansion was planning some action against him.

"Young Master, long time no see."

Xia Chan stepped forward and bowed to Xiao Mo.

Xia Chan was the same as before; her words and actions were devoid of the slightest warmth.

Ever since Xiao Mo had known her, she had been this cold.

It seemed nothing could cause her emotions to fluctuate.

"Spare me the pleasantries. I haven't been the heir of the Xiao Prince’s Mansion for a long time. Speak plainly: what did my father send you here for?" Xiao Mo said coldly.

Xia Chan did not answer Xiao Mo’s question directly, but instead asked: "Does the Young Master know how much effort the Prince spent to find you an innate sword bone? And how great a price he paid?

It was the Prince who made you an exceptionally gifted sword cultivator. That you were able to reach the Nascent Soul stage at eighteen was entirely because the Prince transplanted that sword bone into you."

Xiao Mo sneered: "Then do you know that if I had known the sword bone I was transplanted with belonged to someone else—and a four-year-old girl at that—I would rather have been an ordinary person for the rest of my life!

Do you know that the little girl almost died because she lost her sword bone!

And in your eyes, was transplanting an innate sword bone into me for my own good, or for my father’s ambition?

Go ask him!"

"The Young Master is still the same." Xia Chan shook her head and sighed. "The Young Master is good in every way, except that he inherited the Princess’s kindness. The Princess was good in every way, except that she taught you to be too soft-hearted."

As soon as Xia Chan finished speaking, a sword aura brushed past her face.

A strand of hair was neatly severed and drifted slowly to the ground.

A thin, long wound was cut into Xia Chan’s fair cheek, and blood welled up from it.

Xiao Mo looked at Xia Chan coldly: "This strike is for the sake of us growing up together. If you speak ill of my mother again, the next sword aura will sever your neck!"

"What exactly do you want? Say it and get out!" Xiao Mo had lost his patience.

Even though Xiao Mo knew he was experiencing a life, he possessed all the memories of the "Xiao Mo" of this world.

"Xiao Mo’s" mother was his mother.

Although she had passed away when he was seven, he would always remember her gentleness and teachings.

He would never allow anyone to speak ill of his mother.

Xia Chan ignored her wound, simply looking at Xiao Mo calmly, and spoke slowly: "In the third year after you left, you had a younger brother born. Unlike the sword bone you were transplanted with, the Second Young Master was born with double pupils.

Double pupils are no less than a sword bone.

As long as there are no accidents, he can at least reach the Immortal stage in the future, or even the Ascension stage!

And the Xiao Prince’s Mansion will rule forever!

The Liang Kingdom’s royal family will be the Prince’s puppets for generations to come!"

"Heh heh heh heh..." Xiao Mo chuckled. "My father sent you to find me just to say these things?"

Xiao Mo naturally understood his father’s thoughts.

In this world, an emperor must bear immense karma.

If a cultivator with significant cultivation becomes an emperor, they will be entangled by karma, their cultivation will become difficult to advance, and they may even die from karma in the dark.

But if an ordinary person becomes an emperor, their cultivation is extremely difficult; no matter how gifted they are, they can at most reach the ninth level of Qi Refining, unable to build a foundation, and their lifespan will only be thirty or forty years longer than an ordinary person.

His father wanted "both"—he wanted the power of a great nation like Liang, but didn't want to bear the karma, so he controlled the government and kept the current Liang royal family as puppet emperors.

But doing so would inevitably cause dissatisfaction in the court.

At such times, he needed a powerful force for deterrence.

The previous "force" was Xiao Mo.

The current "force" was his half-brother.

Although Xiao Mo had never met this brother, he felt pity for him.

"Naturally, that is not all."

Xia Chan shook her head.

"It seems the Young Master still does not understand my meaning.

Admittedly, when you left, the Prince did have some regrets because he needed you.

At first, the Prince did think about calling you back.

But you kept refusing, which gradually disappointed the Prince.

Until the Second Young Master was born.

You were completely abandoned by the Prince.

You have no relationship with the Xiao Prince’s Mansion, and I would not have come to find you.

But what you have done over these years has forced the Prince to pay attention to you again.

The Prince did not expect that the girl from back then was still alive.

And what the Prince expected even less was that you would actually find her and even teach her to cultivate."

"..." Xiao Mo frowned. "How long have you been monitoring me?"

"Ever since you left the Prince’s Mansion and entered the Longquan Sword Sect."

Xia Chan answered calmly.

"You may not know, but the Sect Master of the Longquan Sword Sect is a friend of the Prince and shares common interests. Every move you make in the Longquan Sword Sect is in the Prince’s eyes.

As I said before.

After the Second Young Master was born, if you had behaved yourself, or if Jiang Qingyi had been unable to cultivate, the Prince would not have had the leisure to pay attention to you.

But you, Young Master, disregarded your own Dao and your own lifespan to use the Heaven-Extending Technique on Jiang Qingyi.

I didn't expect it to actually succeed.

Jiang Qingyi can not only cultivate, but her talent is terrifying! In just fifteen or sixteen years, she has reached the Golden Core stage!

At this point, the Prince cannot sit idly by."

"What do you want to do?" Xiao Mo clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh.

"What we want to do, you know, Young Master. The Second Young Master has a limitless future; barring accidents, he can at least reach the Immortal stage, or even the Ascension stage.

But this is all based on the premise of 'no accidents.'

And Jiang Qingyi is that accident for the Second Young Master."

"You fear her revenge, so you want to kill her?"

Xiao Mo smiled.

"Can you do it? The highest-level cultivator in the Xiao Prince’s Mansion now is that senile old retainer, right? Or are you going to have the Longquan Sword Sect Master do it?

But they are all at the Jade Purity stage, aren't they?

Don't forget.

Although I am at the late Nascent Soul stage, my sword bone is enough for me to kill enemies above my level.

Do they dare to make a move?"

"The Young Master is mistaken; they don't need to make a move."

Xia Chan shook her head.

"Do you think, if Jiang Qingyi knew that you have her sword bone in your body?

And that for the sake of this sword bone, your father killed her parents.

If Jiang Qingyi knew everything, what would she think?"