I Trade a Limb for a Brother

At this moment.

Every cultivator outside the mirror underwent a drastic change in expression!

No one had expected that the final person the Heavenly Secrets Sect had ordered the Heavenly Emperor to kill would actually be Jiang Minghuang.

Jiang Minghuang himself froze.

He, too, had never expected his name to appear in this past Gu Changqing had been unwilling to reveal to the world!

"Could it be that the destruction of his sword heart had something to do with me?"

At this moment, Jiang Minghuang seemed to have vaguely guessed something.

Almost instantly, everyone's gaze fell upon Jiang Minghuang.

Clearly, in this past, the Heavenly Emperor had not killed Emperor Jiang—after all, that man was still standing here alive and well!

But could it be that he had once again defied the Old Sword Saint's orders?

Everyone was puzzled. Even if he had defied the Old Sword Saint, it seemed his sword heart should not have been destroyed.

Because in that ancient era, no one had been qualified to destroy Gu Changqing's sword heart.

At this moment, Ye Chen, one of heaven's favored, had a blazing light erupt in his eyes.

How things had developed to this point had clearly exceeded his expectations.

But this seemed even more interesting than he had imagined.

On one side was his brother.

On the other was his sect.

If he did not kill Jiang Minghuang, it would be the same as defying his sect. If he fulfilled his sect's command, he would be betraying his brother.

No matter what he chose, the Heavenly Emperor was destined to bear an evil reputation.

Ye Chen grew ever more expectant, for this was bound to be the outcome he wished to see. No matter what the Heavenly Emperor chose, he was destined to bear infamy.

"Why me?"

Gu Changqing gave a desolate smile, as though questioning the Old Sword Saint—why force him to make such a choice?

Did he truly have not even a shred of affection for him as master and disciple?

The Old Sword Saint's expression stirred, as though he, too, could not bear it.

He knew that Gu Changqing's sword heart was pure. Otherwise, he would not have drawn a boundary around himself and imprisoned himself in this pavilion for a year. Had it been anyone else, once they possessed such strength and became unwilling to be a chess piece, they would naturally have left.

But Gu Changqing had not.

He slowly said, "This matter was not my intention. It was an order from the Heavenly Secrets Sect."

"In truth, from the moment you met Jiang Minghuang, the Heavenly Secrets Sect had already noticed you. I, too, only descended to the Lower Realm and took you as my disciple after receiving word from the Heavenly Secrets Sect."

"Jiang Minghuang is the young master of the Jiang Family, an ancient aristocratic clan. Across the entire Northern Profound Continent, there are only three ancient aristocratic clans. These three families have foundations unfathomably deep; standing in a three-way balance, they have suppressed countless eras."

"Countless people wish to see the three clans turn upon one another. Only when the three clans fall into chaos will those beneath them have a chance to rise."

"Jiang Minghuang is the Jiang Family's young master. If he dies, the Jiang Family will certainly seek revenge against the other two clans at all costs."

"The Jiang Family is immensely powerful, and Jiang Minghuang has countless Dao Protectors behind him. Only you have the strength to kill Jiang Minghuang, and only you, as Jiang Minghuang's brother, can take his life with ease."

Gu Changqing fell silent.

So from the moment he had met his master, everything had been a scheme.

So this day had been waiting for him all along.

The Old Sword Saint continued, "This old man will give you two choices."

"The first: kill Emperor Jiang. Once it is done, you will regain your freedom. Everything concerning the Heavenly Secrets Sect will have nothing more to do with you. The karmic bond between master and disciple that you care about will also be completely settled."

"The second: you may choose not to go. If you wish to leave, no one in the entire Heavenly Secrets Sect can stop you. But do not forget the oath you made to this old man, nor the karmic debt you owe me."

Gu Changqing gave a desolate smile, light flickering in his eyes.

"I have said it before. I, Gu Changqing, have never owed anyone anything."

The instant his words fell, Gu Changqing raised the woodcutter's blade and brought it down in one decisive stroke.

After that slash, a pillar of blood burst forth, and Gu Changqing's face turned deathly pale.

Clutching the mangled stump of his severed arm, he gave a bitter smile. "Jiang Minghuang is my brother. You are my master. You wish to kill my brother, so I give you one arm. That should count as having done right by you."

At this point, he paused, then with utterly resolute bearing—

He destroyed with his own hands that sword heart which had made the entire Northern Profound Continent tremble, which had made countless supreme beings shudder!

"Old Sword Saint, you taught me my sword Dao. Today, the bond of gratitude between master and disciple is severed. I return this sword heart to you as well."

The Young Heavenly Emperor, his face pale and his body drenched in blood, smiled desolately through blurred, tear-filled eyes. "Well? Have I done right by you now?"

Outside the mirror.

All the cultivators were dumbfounded!

Every cultivator found it unbelievable!

Faced with this dilemma, no one had expected Gu Changqing to choose with such utter resolve—he severed one of his own arms and destroyed that Invincible Sword Heart!

At that moment, countless cultivators' eyes reddened.

Though Gu Changqing possessed peerless talent throughout his journey of cultivation, he had worked so hard that he forgot food and sleep, never resting day or night!

He had struggled so long to attain supreme swordsmanship, struggled so long to gain the strength to avenge his parents' Blood Feud.

Yet before the immense grace of his master's sect, before the bond between brothers, he had so decisively cast away everything others envied!

"So this was why his Sword Heart was destroyed."

"We should have realized it long ago. In that ancient era, aside from himself, who else could have destroyed that Invincible Sword Heart?"

"So the Heavenly Emperor tried so hard to conceal this part of the past not because he feared his evil deeds would be exposed."

"He was afraid Emperor Jiang would be unable to face him."

Countless cultivators fell silent, their eyes brimming with boundless reverence.

"In this chapter of the past, he did not betray his master's grace, nor did he betray his brother... He only betrayed himself..."

After neutralizing Cao Yuwei's attack this time, Mei Gongzi did not rush to counterattack. She simply stood where she was.

Cao Yuwei's brows drew together slightly. Was this little girl's perception truly so sharp? After he had formed armor from flames, he still had other means at his disposal. If Mei Gongzi had followed up with an attack, he was confident he could use that method to restrain her. But Mei Gongzi had not stepped forward, forcing the ability he had been poised to unleash to be interrupted.

The war blade slashed out once more, its surging blade intent several degrees stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with his blade, man and blade as one, charging straight at Mei Gongzi.

The Heavenly Secret Plume in Mei Gongzi's hand activated the Heavenly Mysterious Circle once again, and with an instantaneous shift, she switched positions. While neutralizing her opponent's attack, she also broke his lock-on. In the next instant, she was already on the other side. A flash of golden-red light flickered across Cao Yuwei's body. Had she not dodged quickly enough, another ability would undoubtedly have descended upon her.

A battle of attrition! She seemed intent on wearing Cao Yuwei down.