Chapter 14: You Died in Front of the Girl

“In the end, it’s all over.”

A calm voice echoed between heaven and earth.

Compared to the innocence of her childhood and the frailty of her teenage years, the 20-year-old Xu Moli had eyes like deep pools, a cold and peerless beauty, her clothes fluttering like a celestial being descending to the mortal world.

Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, lightly tied with a jade hairpin.

Her fingers were slender, holding a sword to fend off enemies.

Sharp, strong, and fierce.

No one knew what experiences Xu Moli had gone through, but every move she made carried terrifying power, striking fear into the hearts of demonic cultivators.

But human strength has its limits. As the demonic cultivators set up a grand formation, Xu Moli, with only Foundation Establishment cultivation, quickly found herself trapped in a deadly encirclement.

Was she going to die?

Feeling her nearly depleted mana and her almost shattered magical artifact flying sword, she glanced at the impenetrable demonic formation surrounding her.

Xu Moli smiled lightly, her smile filled with killing intent.

“Demonic rats, come and fight!”

Ignoring the so-called surrender demands, under the shocked and furious gazes of the demonic cultivators, the female sword immortal unleashed her final, dazzling sword strike, instantly killing two early-stage Golden Core cultivators.

Then, she was bombarded by numerous magical artifacts, plummeting from the sky.

The girl knew.

Given the current situation, no one would come to save her.

But she was fearless and without regret.

Long ago, she had prepared herself for death at any moment, having already walked through the gates of hell once.

But the thought of bidding farewell to the world filled her with a bit of reluctance—towards the Heavenly Sword Sect, towards her master Li Wanshou, towards Blackstone City, and—

The man who had accompanied her for most of her life, warm and reassuring, but now long gone.

Over the past three years.

Xu Moli had experienced many things and traveled to many places.

But no matter how new the scenery, it couldn’t fill the void left by that man’s departure.

What kind of feelings did she hold for that man? Every night in the quiet, Xu Moli would ask herself this question.

Was it hate? Perhaps, hating him for leaving without a word.

Was it love? A bit, but not quite, different from the love or familial affection people spoke of—a vague, indescribable emotion, a desire to be together forever.

But now.

There was no need to think about these things anymore.

After all, she was about to die.

Strangely, at the brink of death, Xu Moli looked at the demonic cultivators gathering their killing intent in the sky and felt a sense of relief.

Thankfully, that man had already left the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Otherwise, he would be in danger today, possibly even dying, a sight the girl never wanted to see.

“Rip—”

A sound like tearing fabric suddenly echoed in the sky, startling the girl who had been calmly awaiting death. She looked up and saw the despairing sky split by a shocking sword light.

Looking closely, she could see a familiar, blood-stained figure staggering towards her.

It was her most dependable elder brother.

It was her personal hero.

It was the person who brought her joy and sorrow.

But why, why was he here!?

“No, don’t… stop, please stop!”

“No, you can’t, absolutely not, don’t come any closer—!!!” Panic and confusion instantly took over the girl’s usually cold expression.

She vaguely foresaw something terrible, a future she absolutely could not accept.

But Xu Xi kept moving forward.

Just like before, when the girl needed him most, he went to her side.

…

[Pain, so much pain]

[Your consciousness is drowned in endless pain, you can barely think, but you still remember your purpose—to protect your sister]

[You wield the wooden sword back to the long-lost Heavenly Sword Sect]

[You see the sect in ruins, you see your fellow disciples killed, you see your grown-up sister surrounded by demonic cultivators]

[Without hesitation, you swing the wooden sword, using the techniques of old, slashing at the scum trying to harm your treasure. You are discovered, and you engage in a fierce battle with the demonic cultivators]

Muscles screamed.

Bones shattered.

Blood sprayed.

On the battlefield of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Xu Xi was drenched in blood, looking like he should have died long ago, but he kept moving, mechanically swinging his wooden sword.

Nascent Soul power that wasn’t his condensed into a rainbow.

He cut down a late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

But at the same time, the counterattack from the demonic cultivators severed one of Xu Xi’s feet, sending it flying to who knows where.

“That’s Xu Xi, the top disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect! Quick, everyone, kill him!”

A demonic cultivator shouted in fear, recognizing Xu Xi.

The feat of instantly killing a late-stage Golden Core cultivator was too shocking.

The demonic cultivators were terrified, pressured by fear, and they all attacked Xu Xi together.

“Elder brother!!!”

Xu Moli cried out the long-unused title, more panicked than ever. She wanted to break the formation and fight alongside Xu Xi.

But she was too weak.

Her attacks couldn’t break through the formation’s restraints.

She could only watch in despair, her eyes wide with horror, as the blood-stained figure fell again and again, only to rise once more.

“Please, no…”

Another sword light flashed across the sky.

Four Golden Core demonic cultivators died, and Xu Xi paid the price of losing both legs.

He could no longer stand, only crawling on the ground with his hands, moving forward in a slow, almost comical manner.

Blood flowed endlessly from the wounds where his legs had been severed.

The dirt along the way was soaked with blood, forming a long, dragging trail.

The demonic cultivators were terrified, momentarily unsure who the real demon was, but they pressed on, attacking Xu Xi with all their might.

This time, Xu Xi paid the price of being burned black all over, completely losing his left arm.

He killed all the remaining Golden Core demonic cultivators.

“No, don’t… why, I’m just a burden…”

The girl’s eyes were empty, kneeling on the ground.

She cried uncontrollably.

Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto her body, onto her thighs, her expression one of utter despair and collapse.

“Please, no… don’t come any closer… please…”

“Wuuu—!!”

Tears and snot flowed freely.

Her whole body trembled with fear.

Seeing the figure burned black, only the upper half of his body crawling forward with one arm, the despair in her heart almost buried her soul.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, every tiny movement filled with immense sorrow.

She could only shiver, waiting for the tragedy to unfold.

Crack—

Finally, the “monster” burned beyond recognition, propped up on the wooden sword with his remaining right arm, crawled with great difficulty to the formation trapping Xu Moli.

With the last of his strength, with the last of his mana.

He stabbed through the entire formation.

Xu Xi’s cracked lips slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something, but his vocal cords were already burned, unable to make a sound.

But Xu Moli understood what Xu Xi truly wanted to say.

“Elder brother has come to save you, Mo Li.”

“Elder brother didn’t lie to you.”

Boom—

Almost the moment the formation shattered, Xu Xi slightly closed his eyes, feeling an overwhelming fatigue surge through him, unable to do anything more, just wanting to sleep forever.

In the girl’s despairing, crumbling gaze, Xu Xi’s charred body dissipated in the wind.

Not giving her any chance to save him.

Her mouth opened wide.

Wanting to cry but unable to.

Only letting out desperate, dry wails, hating her own incompetence over and over.

[You died]

[Simulation ended]