Chapter 17: But Xia Chan, after all, is my disciple

At the foot of the mountain, the corpses of the Blood Butterfly Pavilion disciples lay scattered haphazardly across the ground.

Xiao Mo sat on a rock with his head bowed, clutching a piece of fabric in his hand, lost in thought.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Mo spoke slowly, "Have you come to laugh at me?"

Xia Chan walked toward Xiao Mo step by step, stopping three meters away. She tilted her head and asked, "Is it funny?"

Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. "It truly isn't funny."

Xia Chan scanned her surroundings before her gaze settled back on Xiao Mo.

"Was it worth it?"

"You were once a sword cultivator with boundless prospects. You abandoned your Great Dao just so she could cultivate, leaving yourself broken and ruined, only for her to eventually discover the truth and sever all ties with you."

"After she learned you were the son of her enemy, her mental state nearly shattered."

"Everything you have done for these past ten-plus years has turned to nothing."

"Was it worth it?"

Xiao Mo picked up the skirt fabric in his hand and couldn't help but smile. "Who knows..."

Xia Chan: "..."

Xiao Mo raised his head, looking into Xia Chan's cold eyes. "Where has she gone now?"

"She flew straight toward the direction of the Liang Kingdom. Where do you think she's going?" Xia Chan looked at the young master she used to serve. "The shortcut Qingyi took toward the Myriad Demon Kingdom actually skirts the border of the Liang Kingdom. Since she is a Golden Core stage cultivator, if nothing unexpected happens, she will arrive at the Prince Jing Mansion within a day."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Xiao Mo coughed violently, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stood up using his long sword as a crutch, walking forward.

Xia Chan turned around, watching Xiao Mo's retreating figure. "It is a miracle that you have survived until now, Young Master. With a body like yours, even if you reach the Prince Jing Mansion, what could you possibly do?"

Xiao Mo shook his head, his tone calm and steady. "Qingyi is only at the Golden Core stage. Although the quality of her realm is decent, the Prince Jing Mansion has Nascent Soul stage experts and even a Jade Purity stage enshrinee. Going there is seeking death. I cannot let her die like that."

"You still want to look after her?" Xia Chan was puzzled. "It was the Prince who slaughtered her entire family, not you. Even if you feel responsible, you saved her, raised her, and taught her to cultivate. You are even with her."

"We are even, that much is true."

Xiao Mo walked forward step by step, his voice carrying on the wind.

"But Xia Chan, she is, after all, my disciple..."

***

Prince Jing Mansion.

Prince Jing, Xiao Jing, was in the courtyard playing with birds.

"Father."

A boy of thirteen or fourteen walked quickly into the courtyard. The boy's eyes possessed two pupils.

"Oh, it's Han'er! Han'er, why have you returned from the sect?"

Seeing his son return home, Xiao Jing felt both surprised and delighted.

"I was out training recently and happened to pass through the capital of the Liang Kingdom, so I thought I'd come visit you, Father. Look, Father."

As Xiao Han opened his mouth, a dazzling Golden Core flew out from his throat.

After showing it to his father, Xiao Han swallowed the Golden Core back into his belly.

"A fine lad! A fine lad!" Prince Jing was overjoyed. "I didn't expect you to reach the Golden Core stage at only fourteen. Your future is limitless, Han'er. Once you reach the Immortal stage, or even the Ascension stage, everyone in the world will bow to you in submission!"

"Hehe." Xiao Han rubbed his nose. "As long as I didn't disappoint Father."

"What do you mean, disappoint? You are the Qilin child of our Xiao Clan. I see the potential of a Great Emperor in my son!" Xiao Jing patted his son's back forcefully. "Come! Go find your mother. I'm sure she will be very happy to see you. Let's have a good meal."

"Alright, Father," Xiao Han nodded.

But just as Xiao Jing was about to lead his son out of the courtyard, an attendant came running, stumbling and tripping, falling toward Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing frowned and kicked the servant away.

Ignoring the pain, the servant scrambled forward and shouted in panic, "Master! Master! Something terrible has happened! Something terrible!"

Xiao Han stepped forward and said loudly, "Speak plainly! What is so terrible?"

"Reporting to Master, reporting to Young Master," the servant said hurriedly.

"A woman just arrived at our Prince Xiao Mansion. When Zhang Han, the gatekeeper, went forward to ask her business, she decapitated him with a single sword strike! That woman broke through the gates and began killing indiscriminately! She kills anyone she sees! Several cultivators in our mansion have all died at her hands!"

"A woman?" Xiao Jing's brow furrowed.

"Arrogant! Does she think no one is left in my Xiao Mansion?" Xiao Han bowed to his father. "Wait a moment, Father. This son will go and cut off her head to present to you."

"No matter. You and I shall go together," Xiao Jing said, patting his son's shoulder with a smile.

In truth, Xiao Jing had already begun to suspect who it might be.

"Immortal, have mercy!"

"Immortal, we have no grudge against each other, why are you killing me?"

"Immortal, don't!"

"Ah!!!"

"Run!"

"A madwoman! This person is a madwoman!!!"

Maids and servants within the Prince Jing Mansion fled in all directions.

Inside the mansion, any living person within the woman's line of sight could not escape.

One corpse after another lay in the courtyard. Blood flowed incessantly between the pebbles of the walkway, staining the soil red, and the mansion's pond turned a deep crimson.

Everything was just like the year the woman was four years old.

"Presumptuous! Who are you to dare commit such a massacre in my Prince Jing Mansion!"

Just as the woman was walking forward step by step, Xiao Han arrived before her with his father, shouting in anger.

"It really is you."

The moment Xiao Jing saw the woman, he recognized her.

After all, Xiao Jing had seen her portrait, and he had personally delivered that portrait to the Blood Butterfly Pavilion.

Jiang Qingyi slowly raised her head. The moment she saw Xiao Jing, her fingers gripping the sword hilt creaked with tension.

She had found him. She had finally found him!

She would never forget the year she was four, in that courtyard, when her bones were being extracted—this man had been standing not far away, watching her as if she were nothing more than livestock!

"So, Prince Xiao, you do remember me!" Jiang Qingyi sneered, her eyes bloodshot like a demonic beast about to devour its prey.

"Of course I remember." Xiao Jing nodded. "Your parents, your brother, and everyone in your household—I was the one who ordered them killed."

"You beast!"

Jiang Qingyi completely lost her sanity. She charged forward with her sword, her freezing sword qi merging into the Grass-Character Sword Technique, as she swung a devastating blow!

"I will have your life!"

(End of Chapter)