Chapter 1: Return (2) (Four Updates)
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As the towering phantom that loomed over people’s hearts gradually faded,
The dark clouds dissipated as quickly as they gathered; in the blink of an eye, the entire Small Thousand World transformed back into a sunlit paradise where grass grew and orioles sang.
Good Shiyuan sighed in relief, just about to get up,
When out of nowhere, Lin Nan floated gracefully in front of him.
He understood—it was Lin Nan who had let him off the hook. Clearly, that phantom of Di Shitian packed a power beyond imagination.
Since Lin Nan could summon phantoms, she could effortlessly command them to reduce anyone opposing her to dust.
But she didn’t do that.
Aside from the suicidal Li Hanbo, she didn’t even make the phantom lift a finger.
She merely showcased her strength, letting him grasp the fact that he was utterly outmatched, before recalling the weapon that could have obliterated the entire Small Thousand World in a blink.
Maybe it was her fond memories that prevented her from going all out, he thought bitterly.
“Big sis, I… I was wrong,” Good Shiyuan finally managed to spit out those words after much internal struggle.
Evil Shiyuan jumped out, brandishing a half-stick like it was a fire poker.
“Anyone who dares to lay a hand on Big Sis is making the biggest mistake in the world!”
Lin Nan merely watched coldly from the side; Good Shiyuan didn’t dare to retort, enduring several solid whacks from that half-stick.
Shiyuan charged in too, pent-up rage fueling his punches and kicks at Good Shiyuan.
Lin Nan couldn’t shake the feeling that this scene looked strikingly familiar.
Last time there were two; this time it was three.
She couldn’t begin to imagine the expressions on the faces of those at Cold Wind City if she brought Good Shiyuan back—she would be lucky to have gotten rid of one guard, not find herself with a third.
The crowd on the Main Peak collectively sighed in relief as the massive, pressure-laden phantom faded away.
But then, to their astonishment, they spotted three boys who looked almost identical grappling in the sky not far away.
The one who had once filled everyone with dread as the final boss was now acting like a guilty prisoner, head hung low as the other two mercilessly unleashed their punches and kicks on him.
At that moment, everyone could finally confirm that the protracted battle for the Main Peak had finally come to an end.
Looking at the corpses of comrades strewn around the ground, and the remains of countless Fallen Species and Self-Exploding Beasts that Black Snow had shredded, mixed with the rising temperature, the scent that hung over the mountaintop was downright nauseating.
“Master Sister, what should we do next?”
“That punk killed so many of our brothers and sisters! He needs to pay with his bl**d!”
“Yeah, Master Sister… Elder Wang and many others died—this has to be addressed!”
“k*ll him to avenge the fallen Heavenly Sword Sect disciples!”
The remaining folks were all filled with righteous indignation, glancing at Good Shiyuan with seething anger.
Luo Ying turned to face the crowd, pressing her hands down to quiet them, and the volume of their chatter instantly decreased.
“Have you all forgotten who saved us from the brink?”
The crowd fell silent.
Yeah, if it weren’t for the Cold Moon Witch, who had come to our aid and wiped out nearly all the Fallen Species and Self-Exploding Beasts with a single technique of Black Snow, we wouldn’t even be here to talk!
“You need to understand one thing: from today onward, the Small Thousand World may no longer be in the control of the Heavenly Sword Sect.”
After saying that, the usually haughty and self-assured Luo Ying seemed to lighten up noticeably. It was as if accepting this fact wasn’t as hard as she imagined.
How could the vast majority of the disciples not grasp Master Sister’s helplessness and loneliness? Now that the old generation of experts led by Ling Xiaozu had evaporated, only Luo Ying remained above Golden Core level.
What could they use to fight against others? Unless they were brain dead, they wouldn’t walk out of a tiger’s den only to rush into a wolf’s den.
But then, some disciples cried out in discontent.
“I thought Master Sister was a tough nut; turns out she’s soft as a marshmallow! The Witch hasn’t even made it clear she’s taking over the Small Thousand World, and you’re already wobbling on your legs.”
“She probably colluded with the Witch long ago to snatch the position of Sect Leader for herself. Of course, she’s the one who killed the Sect Leader! Elder Wang from the Law Enforcement Hall would never make a mistake!”
At this declaration, the crowd erupted in chaos.
“What the hell are you talking about? Is Master Sister that kind of person?”
“Heh, I think she knows deep down what kind of person she is.”
Meanwhile, the male character, having regained some spirit after resting, exploded upon hearing this.
He painfully stood up, limping over to the crowd, pointing fiercely at the source of the voice.
“Come on, you think you’re clever? Where were you when the Heavenly Sword Sect was in its darkest hour?”
For a moment, the previously rowdy crowd fell silent.
With everyone’s eyes focused on him, the instigator puffed out his chest. “Who told her to be the top of the inner door? She has that obligation!”
“Oh, now we’re bringing up obligations? Didn’t you just say she colluded with others? When Master Sister stepped up to fight the enemies, you didn’t show your face, but now that everything is calm, you come out whining.”
“If you think you can lead the Heavenly Sword Sect, why don’t you go talk to the Cold Moon Witch and ask her to hand the people over to you? Sound good?”
The male character pressed closer, and people instinctively stepped aside, forming a path until he stood right in front of that disciple, his expression icy.
“I… I…” The disciple stammered for a long while.
“Go on! If you’re brave enough, do it now!” the male character shouted.
Under the constant pressure from the male character, the disciple stepped back a few paces, plopped down on the ground, and couldn’t utter another word.
The male character turned around, surveying the crowd. “Everyone, the Heavenly Sword Sect is at its most perilous point in history. If we start questioning our leader now, the Sect could very well crumble and never unite again. Do you really want to watch the Heavenly Sword Sect vanish from the annals of history?”
“No, of course not!”
After a long silence, someone finally started shouting out.
Once a leader took the initiative, the emotions hidden deep within the crowd could finally burst forth.
“Very well, so the most important thing now is to negotiate with the Cold Moon Witch, to ensure the Heavenly Sword Sect can still maintain its hold on the Small Thousand World. As for the enemies, I believe the Witch will handle them properly and won’t let him cause more chaos.” said the male character.
“Exactly! At such a critical moment, we cannot adhere to old practices. We must be pragmatic!” the disciples echoed.
The male character, once relatively unknown among the crowd, now stood nearly on par with Luo Ying.
Returning to Luo Ying’s side, the latter had tears in her eyes, seemingly still feeling the pain of being accused by the disciples of killing their Master.
This was a hurdle she could never overcome.
Even knowing that her Master was still in the Animal World, the fact he could never return to the Small Thousand World was undeniably bittersweet for her.
“Alright, it’s all in the past now.”
The male character patted her shoulder. “I have a feeling we’ll face even greater trials ahead.”
Luo Ying nodded, though her gaze inevitably drifted toward the indomitable Frost North Snow up in the sky.
In her eyes, the Demon Queen grew ever more mysterious and beautiful, much like the twinkling stars in the night sky—distant and forever unreachable.
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ps: Four updates, please give me your votes! Mwah!
