Chapter 20: I Have Nothing Left

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, within the Imperial Palace of the Zhou State.

Xiao Mo slowly opened his eyes.

He lowered his gaze.

In his heart, there was a sense of loss, an enduring feeling of emptiness.

Although this was merely an experience of life, and Xiao Mo was only playing the role of "Xiao Mo."

However, Xiao Mo had spent over ten years within the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes.

Furthermore, Xiao Mo possessed all of "Xiao Mo's" memories.

In the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes, everyone possessed emotions; they were flesh and blood.

Therefore, even though it was just "acting," Xiao Mo had completely immersed himself, truly regarding Jiang Qingyi as his own disciple.

Even though she was fake, a fiction created by the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes.

In Xiao Mo's heart, she was real.

It was like reading a novel or watching a television drama.

After reading thousands of chapters or watching dozens of episodes, how could one not develop feelings for the female lead?

Not to mention that he had personally nurtured this female lead.

"Sigh, stop thinking about it. Reality is what matters most."

Xiao Mo let out a sigh and opened the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes once more.

This period of experiencing life was considered over; he wanted to see what rewards he could obtain this time.

【The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes is calculating mission rewards. Settlement is expected to be completed in one hour (real-world time). During this period, the Host may enter the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes in the capacity of an "Observer" to watch Jiang Qingyi's subsequent experiences. Intervention is not permitted.

Note 1: Once the settlement for the first life is completed in one hour, the Host may no longer enter the first life.

Note 2: After entering the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes as an "Observer," it is akin to stepping into the long river of time, where the flow of time is more than a thousand times faster. Upon returning to reality, the Host may experience some discomfort.

Does the Host wish to enter the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes?】

"Yes!"

Without any hesitation, Xiao Mo chose to enter the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes.

He wanted to see what happened to Qingyi next.

Even if Qingyi was fake.

He still hoped she would have a good ending.

In a trance, Xiao Mo's consciousness entered the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes once again.

Xiao Mo found himself standing before the main gates of the Prince Xiao Mansion.

The difference was that Xiao Mo discovered his body was transparent, existing like a soul, and he could not touch anything.

"Boom!"

A massive explosion erupted from the front courtyard of the Prince Xiao Mansion.

Xiao Mo drifted inside.

In the courtyard, Ye Sandao had already struck twice toward Xiao Mo's sword realm.

And at the very moment Ye Sandao swung his final blow, to everyone's surprise, Xiao Mo's sword realm shattered on its own.

This strike kicked up a massive cloud of dust.

A young girl, holding the Profound Frost Longsword, walked out from the dust.

Tears traced the corners of her eyes; her eyes looked dead, devoid of even a glimmer of light.

"Dead..."

"Everyone is dead..."

"No one is left..."

"I have nothing left..."

She walked forward step by step, her longsword dragging on the ground, scraping sparks against the marble.

She was muttering something under her breath, appearing as if she had completely broken down.

With every step Jiang Qingyi took, the sword qi surrounding her became denser and more piercing.

Her cultivation realm was continuously climbing.

Xiao Jing frowned. "I didn't expect this. Even if his soul is scattered, he still insisted on returning the sword bone to you. It seems Xiao Mo truly valued you."

"Shut up!"

Jiang Qingyi let out a furious roar and took a step forward.

Ye Sandao tried to block her, but Jiang Qingyi had already bypassed him.

"So fast!" Cold sweat broke out on Ye Sandao's forehead.

Jiang Qingyi's speed was on an entirely different level compared to before.

Was this her strength after regaining the sword bone?

"Prince, watch out!" Ye Sandao shouted.

But it was too late.

Jiang Qingyi appeared instantly before Xiao Jing, her cold gaze seeming to seal his very soul. "You have no right to even mention his name."

With a single sword swing.

Blood sprayed from Xiao Jing's left shoulder, and an arm fell to the ground.

"Father!"

Xiao Han was startled and moved to save his father.

"Don't come any closer!"

Xiao Jing shouted.

But it was already too late.

Jiang Qingyi turned her head, casting a glance at Xiao Han with eyes as black as ink and as cold as frost.

With just that single glance, Xiao Han felt as if he had fallen into an abyss.

His body couldn't help but tremble, and he even instinctively took two steps back.

By the time Xiao Jing reacted, the frost-covered longsword was already before him.

"Clang!"

This time, Ye Sandao caught up and blocked the strike.

The longsword struck against Ye Sandao's blade.

Ye Sandao felt his body grow heavy, as if struck by a massive mountain. He was sent crashing backward, smashing through the courtyard wall before being violently embedded into the Prince Xiao Mansion's formation.

Had the formation not covered the mansion like an air wall, Ye Sandao would have been sent flying hundreds of meters by the force of that strike.

Ye Sandao gasped for air and opened his eyes; he felt as if every bone in his body had been crushed.

The sword bone had originally been taken from Jiang Qingyi's body, so the compatibility between them was naturally perfect.

Thus, Ye Sandao was not surprised at all that Jiang Qingyi had entered the Nascent Soul Realm because of the sword bone.

But he hadn't expected that her strength upon entering the Nascent Soul Realm would be this terrifying.

Is this the Innate Sword Bone?

No wonder it is called a Saint Body that is encountered once in ten thousand years.

"Child, what a pity. You have infinite potential, but you can only die here. I shall send you to meet your master immediately."

Ye Sandao raised his long saber, and a Manifestation of the Law appeared behind him.

The Manifestation of the Law could only be performed by cultivators in the Jade Purity Realm; sword cultivators could use it as well, though it consumed an extreme amount of spiritual energy.

Most sword cultivators, when engaged in combat, would choose to manifest the sword realm they had comprehended.

Ye Sandao's saber intent continued to condense.

Simultaneously, with a wave of his hand, Xiao Jing caused the Prince Xiao Mansion formation to gradually condense the phantom of a fire phoenix.

This was the final fire phoenix condensed by Xiao Jing, exhausting the entirety of the Prince Xiao Mansion's formations.

Both men intended to kill the other with a single strike, even if it meant the destruction of the sword bone!

She absolutely could not be allowed to leave alive.

Otherwise, once she grew, all of them would die!

"Die!"

Xiao Jing pressed his hand down, and the fire phoenix let out a cry that echoed throughout the capital of the Liang State, lunging toward Jiang Qingyi.

At the same time, Ye Sandao swung his saber toward Jiang Qingyi.

But Jiang Qingyi remained standing in place.

She seemed not to care about anything.

She merely looked up at the sky.

Tears gradually slid from the corners of her eyes.

"Master, can you see my sword realm..."

The moment the girl's tears hit the ground, the hard marble floor actually rippled with concentric circles.

In an instant, the entire Prince Xiao Mansion was enveloped within the girl's sword realm.

The maids and servants of the Prince Xiao Mansion watched everything around them.

Under the darkening sky.

The ground turned into a vast lake.

Unlike an ordinary lake.

The lake water was as black as ink.

(End of Chapter)