“A hundred years ago, the Cult of the Immortalbane Nexus was rampant, with a formidable power that threatened to overwhelm the righteous. In their arrogance, they sought to annihilate all that stood against them and invaded the Azure Ethereal Conclave. After a fierce and bloody battle, our ancestors and senior masters fought valiantly. At the base of the Azure Ethereal mountains, they invoked the ancient Celestial Sword and summoned the Immortalbane Sword Array, ultimately turning the tide of the battle in their favor.”
Master Water Moon spoke in a calm, unemotional tone, but Lu Xueqi’s face paled slightly at the mention of the “bloody battle.” She could only imagine the intensity and brutality of the conflict.
However, Master Water Moon seemed to have more to say, and she continued, “Though we dealt a severe blow to the Cult of the Immortalbane, our own lineage of Azure Ethereal suffered greatly. Many esteemed elders and masters, whose cultivation was profound, were either killed or gravely injured. We had no strength left to pursue the remnants of the Cult. But at this critical moment, one of our seniors stepped forward, filled with boundless courage and determination, vowing to eliminate the evil and hunt down the remaining Cult members.”
Lu Xueqi’s heart stirred, and she asked, “Was this senior Master Wan Jian Yi?”
Master Water Moon closed her eyes slowly, and her voice grew distant, “It was him. Ah… I still remember that scene as if it were yesterday. In that terrible battle, he had already accomplished great deeds, slaying countless enemies, his white robes stained red with blood. Standing before our elders, his spirit was high, and with just a few words, he inspired us, the younger disciples, with great fervor. After the battle, apart from Elder Dao Xuan, who remained at the Azure Ethereal Conclave, the rest of us, including myself, Sister Su Ru, Tian Buyi, Zeng Shuchang, Shang Zhengliang, Tian Yun, and Cang Song, all followed him. From then on, we roamed the world, venturing into the wilds, facing countless dangers, and never backing down.”
Master Water Moon’s eyes, still open, seemed to focus on a distant memory, as if reliving those passionate and youthful days. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
In the small room, no one spoke, but the atmosphere was restless, like an undercurrent beneath a calm surface, silently flowing.
After a long silence, Master Water Moon sighed and shook her head, her voice becoming melancholic, “Ah, these are old stories now. After our journey, we dealt another blow to the Cult and returned to the Azure Ethereal Conclave. But upon our return, we were unwittingly drawn into a secret within our sect.”
“After returning to the Azure Ethereal Conclave, Sister Su Ru and Tian Buyi developed feelings for each other over time. However, I did not approve of this. One night, they secretly left the Conclave, trying to avoid being seen by your great-grandmaster, True Rain Master. When I discovered this, I followed them, worried that Sister Su Ru might be in danger, yet unwilling to report them and risk your great-grandmaster’s wrath. This would have brought suffering to Sister Su Ru.”
Lu Xueqi, though shocked, couldn’t help but find the situation somewhat amusing, but she dared not show it.
Fortunately, Master Water Moon continued without pausing, “Unbeknownst to us, in their youthful audacity, they chose to meet in a secluded area behind the Heavenly Peak, near the Ancestral Shrine, where few people ventured.”
Lu Xueqi was taken aback, and after a moment, she bowed her head, recalling the image of Chief Master Tian Buyi of Bamboo Peak, thinking how appearances can be deceiving.
Master Water Moon’s face darkened, and she huffed, “Seeing their behavior, I was infuriated and revealed myself, demanding they stop. Sister Su Ru and Tian Buyi were startled, and when they realized it was only me, Sister Su Ru came over with a smile, while Tian Buyi still had the audacity to scowl at me. In my anger, I was about to scold them…”
Lu Xueqi thought, If Uncle Master Tian Buyi had a pleasant expression or a smile, that would be truly strange. But hearing Master Water Moon pause, she couldn’t help but ask, “What happened next?”
Master Water Moon was silent for a moment, then continued, “At that moment, a strange and terrifying howl echoed from the Ancestral Shrine, a sound filled with pain and agony, almost inhuman. The three of us, startled, instinctively hid in the dense shadows of the nearby forest. Soon, we witnessed… a secret.”
Lu Xueqi stared intently at Master Water Moon, who seemed to be in pain, as if this secret had tormented her for years, its edges still sharp in her mind.
Master Water Moon’s voice, low and hollow, revealed a hidden history, each word like a thunderclap, uncovering the dust of the past.
“A figure, disheveled and frantic, emerged from the Ancestral Shrine, clothes tattered, hair disheveled, face obscured, and seemingly insane. He bellowed and moaned incoherently. We were terrified, wondering how such a madman could be in such a sacred place. Just as we prepared to stop him, two more figures darted out from the shrine, kneeling before the madman. The moonlight was bright, and we saw clearly that these two were our most respected senior brothers, Elder Dao Xuan and Master Wan Jian Yi.”
Lu Xueqi gasped, “What?”
Master Water Moon glanced at her, “You are surprised, yes? We were even more shocked. As we watched, Elder Dao Xuan and Master Wan knelt, each holding one of the madman’s legs, pleading, ‘Master, please wake up! Master, come back to us!'”
Lu Xueqi was speechless with shock.
Master Water Moon, lost in the past, her voice low, continued, “We were stunned, and then we realized the madman was the then-Patriarch of the Azure Ethereal Conclave, Master Tiancheng, the very one who had recently unleashed the full power of the Immortalbane Sword Array during the battle with the Cult.”
“He was no longer the dignified patriarch, instead muttering incoherently, while Elder Dao Xuan and Master Wan, tears streaming down their faces, clung to his legs, pleading. But the patriarch, despite his cultivation, was driven mad by the sword’s malevolent spirit, and he turned on them, striking with deadly force.”
Lu Xueqi shivered, as if she were there.
Master Water Moon continued, “Elder Dao Xuan, holding the patriarch’s leg, quickly moved behind him, pinning his arms and enveloping him in a radiant light. Master Wan, caught off guard, was kicked away, spewing blood as he flew several feet.”
“Amidst the chaos, we were frozen, not knowing what to do. Then, Elder Dao Xuan shouted, ‘Wan, do something!’ Master Wan, trembling, still hesitated, staring at his master and Elder Dao Xuan. The patriarch, with his deep cultivation, fought back, and Elder Dao Xuan, although still holding him, was soon overwhelmed, coughing up blood. Just as Elder Dao Xuan was about to lose, a white figure, Master Wan, charged forward, screaming, and thrust his Dragon Slaying Sword into the patriarch’s chest!”
The small room fell into a deathly silence, as if reliving that night of horror, the silence following the surge of killing intent, the pain lingering in the quiet.
Lu Xueqi, pale, whispered, “The records state that Patriarch Tiancheng passed away in front of the ancestral tablets a hundred years ago, leaving the position to Elder Dao Xuan.”
Master Water Moon chuckled bitterly, shaking her head, “Witnessing this tragedy, and seeing the perpetrators as our most revered senior brothers, we were lost and bewildered. Even Sister Su Ru, in her agitation, made a noise, but they were too preoccupied to notice. It turns out that the ancient Celestial Sword, though a powerful weapon against evil, had a dark secret. Over time, the sword, tainted by so much blood, developed a malevolent spirit, driving its wielder to madness. This was known to all the Patriarchs, who avoided using it, but Patriarch Tiancheng, driven by the dire situation, had no choice but to use it, sealing it afterward, but the damage was done.”
“Before he succumbed, he confided this secret to his two most trusted disciples, Elder Dao Xuan and Master Wan, hoping that together they could control the situation. But now, it seems that Elder Dao Xuan, after using the sword twice, especially during the recent Beast Cataclysm, has also been affected by the malevolent spirit.”
Lu Xueqi, startled, asked, “Master, does this mean that Elder Dao Xuan is…?”
Master Water Moon sighed, nodding, and Lu Xueqi was left speechless.
After a long silence, Master Water Moon said, “I need you, my most trusted disciple, to find them and, if necessary, end the one consumed by the malevolent spirit.”
Lu Xueqi, her face pale, bowed her head and, after a long, silent moment, whispered, “Yes, Master.”
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