Qingyi, forgive Master, this is the last time

"Young master, since the prince has said so, don't blame this old man."

Ye Sandao sighed, though he wasn't surprised.

To his prince, sons were plentiful, but only those of value could truly be called the prince's sons.

As Xiao Jing's command landed, Ye Sandao raised his blade and swung it toward Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo kicked the longsword hidden beneath his shoe sole. The sword, Luoxia, sprang up and thrust toward Ye Sandao's throat.

The moment Ye Sandao tilted his head to dodge, Xiao Mo's figure was already before him. He caught the flying sword hilt and slashed horizontally at Ye Sandao's head.

Ye Sandao raised his blade to block in an awkward, twisted stance.

Boom!

A tremendous force slammed into Ye Sandao. It felt less like being struck by a sword and more like being hit by a hammer.

Ye Sandao crashed through a rockery, rubble scattering across the ground.

"Go!"

Xiao Mo didn't linger. He turned, grabbed Jiang Qingyi, and bolted outward.

Snapping back to her senses, Jiang Qingyi acted like a spoiled little girl, pounding on Xiao Mo's chest. "Let me go! I don't need you to save me! Let me go!"

"Since you're here, don't think about leaving." Xiao Jing pulled a token from his bosom and activated it with Spiritual Energy.

Just as Xiao Mo was about to fly out of Xiao Manor, the manor's Formation activated, shrouding the entire estate. No one could leave.

Sigh. Xiao Mo sighed inwardly. What a pity—so close.

"Get out of the way!"

Suddenly, Jiang Qingyi shouted. She braced her hands against Xiao Mo's chest and shoved him away.

In that instant, a blade strike flew between them.

Ye Sandao swung at Xiao Mo again.

Xiao Mo met him with his sword.

Their attacks were blindingly fast, impossible to track clearly.

Only the rockeries in Xiao Manor exploded one after another, and houses collapsed one by one.

Jiang Qingyi charged downward, her longsword aimed straight at Xiao Jing—capture the chief to defeat the bandits.

"This prince really has been underestimated."

Xiao Jing sneered. He drew his sword and slashed at Jiang Qingyi.

Jiang Qingyi swung her own sword in return. The penetrating Sword Qi carved a deep trench into the ground behind them.

But Xiao Jing, a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, had no trouble killing a wounded Golden Core Realm cultivator like Jiang Qingyi.

In the brief stalemate between their swords, Xiao Jing found an opening. He disengaged, shifting his weight, and kicked Jiang Qingyi in the abdomen.

Jiang Qingyi spat out a mouthful of blood and tumbled across the ground.

Xiao Jing seized the chance to thrust his sword down, aiming to pin her to the earth.

Clang!

Just as Xiao Jing was about to succeed, Xiao Mo reached Jiang Qingyi's side and swept his sword upward from below.

Xiao Jing's heart jolted. He hurriedly blocked and was sent flying ten meters away.

"A dying man!"

Xiao Jing frowned. He activated the Formation with his mind, and a Fire Phoenix swooped toward Jiang Qingyi and Xiao Mo.

He truly wanted Xiao Mo dead, with not a shred of pity in his heart.

Even if extracting Xiao Mo's Sword Bone meant his soul would scatter, leaving no chance for reincarnation, he didn't care.

Boom!

Xiao Mo shielded Jiang Qingyi behind him and took the blow head-on!

"No!" Jiang Qingyi screamed.

Xiao Mo fell backward. Jiang Qingyi clutched her master tightly. She could feel that his Life Fire was nearly extinguished.

"Han'er, go kill that woman and take his Sword Bone. With Double Pupils and a Sword Bone, from now on, you will be unmatched in this world!" The outcome was settled. Xiao Jing spoke to his son.

"Yes, Father!" Xiao Han didn't hesitate. He grabbed a short blade and walked toward them.

Xiao Han had never met this so-called elder brother of his, but he loathed him deeply.

Because no matter what Xiao Han did, he was always compared to Xiao Mo.

It infuriated Xiao Han.

Xiao Mo was nothing but a waste who had transplanted someone else's Sword Bone. What right did he have to compete with him?

And after learning the Sword Bone belonged to another, Xiao Mo had even left Xiao Manor to search for that woman.

Absolutely ridiculous!

In Jiang Qingyi's arms, Xiao Mo coughed a few times, then lightly tapped his fingertip against the ground.

The ground rippled like a lake, spreading circles outward with Xiao Mo and Jiang Qingyi at the center.

Before Xiao Han's eyes, the two of them suddenly vanished.

"Father." Xiao Han whipped his head around, thinking they had both fled.

"This Sword Bone is truly remarkable, letting a Nascent Soul Realm Sword Cultivator manifest a Sword Domain." Xiao Jing stepped forward and said, "Rest assured, son, they haven't gone anywhere."

Xiao Jing picked up a stone and tossed it over. The stone struck what seemed like an invisible wall and shattered instantly.

"This is a Sword Cultivator's Sword Domain. Xiao Mo pulled Jiang Qingyi inside, so they appear to have vanished."

Xiao Jing turned to Ye Sandao beside him.

"To break his Sword Domain, how long will it take?"

"Your Highness, this old man needs only three strikes." Ye Sandao stroked his beard with confidence.

Every person's Sword Domain is different.

Xiao Mo's Sword Domain was a stretch of clear lake water, reflecting the azure sky, with white clouds drifting slowly overhead.

"Master, you won't die. You won't die."

Inside the Sword Domain, Jiang Qingyi knelt on the lake's surface, ripples spreading around her.

In the lake water, the shadows of the two were reflected.

"Fool, no one is immortal. It's only a matter of sooner or later."

Leaning in his disciple's arms, Xiao Mo's breath grew weaker and weaker.

But in the next moment, streams of water rose from the clear lake surface.

These streams, like ropes, bound Jiang Qingyi and hoisted her into the air.

"Master, what are you trying to do?"

Jiang Qingyi twisted her limbs, but she couldn't break free at all.

Xiao Mo struggled to stand, walking step by step toward Jiang Qingyi: "Nothing much, just returning what belongs to you."

Jiang Qingyi froze for a moment, then burst into curses: "Xiao Mo! Have you lost your mind? Let me go! I don't want that Sword Bone! Without it, I can still take revenge!"

Xiao Mo acted as if he hadn't heard, simply continuing to walk behind the young girl.

"Xiao Mo, I'm warning you! If you give me that Sword Bone, I will never forgive you for life after life! I told you, I will kill everyone connected to Xiao Jing! You're one of the people I want to kill! If you scatter your soul, how can I kill you! I don't want to use something you've used! Get away from me!" Jiang Qingyi's voice grew louder and louder.

But Xiao Mo still turned a deaf ear. Gripping his longsword, he cut open Jiang Qingyi's fair back.

A segment of Jiang Qingyi's spine was formed from Spiritual Energy.

Xiao Mo directly shattered that section of spiritual spine.

"Ah!"

Jiang Qingyi's limbs went rigid with pain as she let out a scream.

Then, Xiao Mo controlled his flying sword to cut open his own back, reached behind him, and pulled out the Sword Bone.

Holding that crystal-clear Sword Bone, Xiao Mo placed it into her back.

The Sword Bone, as if returning home, rapidly fused with Jiang Qingyi, even the torn flesh and blood stitching itself closed.

Xiao Mo walked to stand before Jiang Qingyi. His body was gradually dispersing into motes of spiritual light.

Xiao Mo smiled at his disciple, reaching out to place his hand on her head, just as he had when he first brought her into the sect:

"Qingyi, forgive your master. This is the last time."