Lin Qianyu Questioned Her Life

Gan Long stared at the vanished Xu Changqing and fell silent. He muttered to himself, "He changed. He became truly unfamiliar."

He remembered that when Xu Changqing had fought him years ago, he had been hot-blooded and passionate, his eyes filled with ferocity and ambition.

Now that he saw Xu Changqing again, his hair had turned white, and his gaze was as indifferent as a stagnant pool. Even knowing there were Saints nearby, he remained utterly calm, as if he did not care at all.

"I wonder what happened to make his hair turn white." Gan Long sighed. He was actually full of admiration for Xu Changqing.

Back when he had been young and impulsive, he had been furious to discover that the wife his Holy Land had arranged for him through marriage was the wife of a Mortal Body. He had targeted Xu Changqing at every turn.

But he had never tried to kill Xu Changqing or anything of the sort. He had merely wanted him to face reality.

"Is he the one who defeated you back then?" Lin Qianyu stepped out of the void, her face brimming with battle intent as she looked toward where Xu Changqing had vanished.

Gan Long nodded without hesitation. "Back in the Dragon Transformation Realm, he had already entered the Eight Prohibitions. With nothing but a Mortal Body, he defeated countless powerhouses and killed several King Bodies and Divine Bodies."

He still remembered how Xu Changqing's son had been beaten half to death before running to him in tears.

"If nothing unexpected happened, he has already entered the Divine Prohibition." Gan Long said.

"You're saying his saber technique is stronger than mine? And he has a Mortal Body?" Lin Qianyu looked at Gan Long with a frosty gaze. This was absurd.

Everyone knew that Mortal Bodies cultivated extremely slowly. Just opening up the Sea of Bitterness could take months, or even years.

And yet he could enter the Divine Prohibition? Was that not complete nonsense?

"Why not try him and find out?" Gan Long shrugged. He could not be bothered dealing with people from the Eternal Star Domain.

"Hmph, I hope he can satisfy me." As she spoke, Lin Qianyu activated some unknown secret technique, transforming into a dazzling streak of light and slipping directly into the void. She vanished in an instant.

"Don't worry. He'll definitely satisfy you." A mysterious smile appeared on Gan Long's scarred face.

An opponent understood an opponent best.

The Eternal Star Domain was vast, comparable to the Big Dipper. Yet technological objects could be seen everywhere. Even within forests, the Eternal Star Domain had erected enormous silver pillars glowing blue, linking the heavens, their surfaces densely covered in runes.

Xu Changqing raced all the way to the skies above a boundless ocean. With his hands behind his back, he stood quietly over the azure sea as the ocean breeze stirred his white hair and made his black robe flap.

He did not look thin. His build was just right. If he wore white, he would undoubtedly be a handsome, refined man. Combined with that head of white hair, he would look like an exiled immortal.

Unfortunately, he wore black robes, making him seem more like a demon.

At that moment, a blue streak of light began racing across the once-calm sea. The supersonic speed split the ocean apart, creating a divide down the middle. Waves thousands of meters high rose up as if they could cover the sky.

"Fellow cultivator from the Burial Emperor Star, do you intend to leave just like that?" A magnetic female voice sounded beside Xu Changqing.

Lin Qianyu wore her hair in a ponytail. With watery eyes, a delicate face, and a slender body that swayed with her movements, she stepped barefoot across the gentle sea surface. Every step sent ripples spreading outward.

Xu Changqing said nothing. He merely turned around and looked at her expressionlessly, remaining silent as he watched her.

"Gan Long said you were strong, so I came to seek a match with you." Lin Qianyu frowned at Xu Changqing.

She found this white-haired man very rude.

It felt as though someone owed him Immortal Gold...

"Are you prepared to be killed?" Xu Changqing merely asked flatly, as if he did not take Lin Qianyu seriously at all.

Lin Qianyu froze. How arrogant. Had he not seen that she had just entered the Eight Prohibitions?

"Hehe, you really don't know how to appreciate beauty. How can you say something like that to a gorgeous woman like me?" Lin Qianyu laughed at once. Her smile was sweet enough to make people want to protect her.

Buzz!

Lin Qianyu stopped speaking. Her once-lively eyes instantly turned incomparably cold. A queenly pressure spread from her body, forming a special kind of force.

A Miao Dao longer than she was appeared in her hand. Her jade-like hand gripped its hilt, and with a boom, a heaven-shaking Saber Intent instantly tore through the sky, splitting the clouds in two.

Roar!

A dragon's roar rang out as an illusory azure dragon coiled behind Lin Qianyu. Her long ponytail was blown straight up by the Saber Intent, while divine light burst from her eyes.

Xu Changqing looked at Lin Qianyu with some boredom before asking, "Why should I fight you?"

"What benefit is there for me in fighting you?"

For her to come looking for a fight out of nowhere was simply ridiculous.

Lin Qianyu froze. Did challenging a Heavenly Pride require a reason?

She merely wanted to see whether the man Gan Long had spoken of was truly as powerful as he claimed.

To her, it was only a spar.

Still, she thought for a while before saying, "If you win, I can follow you. If you lose, then you must follow me as well."

Having a subordinate who had entered the Eight Prohibitions would be cool, would it not?

Xu Changqing only found this inexplicable. Was this woman a masochist? Did she want to be beaten up?

"I don't want you to follow me. If you lose, hand over all the resources on you—cultivation techniques, crystals, Divine Medicine, spiritual herbs, everything."

"If I lose, I will follow you. You can take all my resources as well."

Xu Changqing spoke indifferently, not taking Lin Qianyu seriously in the slightest.

Perhaps his only opponent was that woman.

Or the powerhouses on the Starry Sky Ancient Road.

He did not think any Heavenly Pride in the Eternal Star Domain was worth his attention. If Dao Yi emerged, he might take it seriously.

He truly could not understand why so many people in this world liked to make trouble for no reason.

"Fine!" Lin Qianyu was so angry she laughed. A beautiful woman like her offering to become his follower, yet he actually disliked the idea? Was this man perhaps gay?

She held the Miao Dao, which was longer than she was, in her jade-like hand. Beneath her silk black robe, a faint sheen could be seen. Her graceful figure was enough to make anyone drool at a glance.

Unfortunately, her opponent was Xu Changqing. An unparalleled beauty? He had seen plenty already.

That Female Demon was even prettier than Lin Qianyu, and Tian Youqing, whom he had only met once, was far more beautiful as well.

"Where is your saber?" Lin Qianyu frowned at Xu Changqing. Gan Long had told her that the man used a saber.

Generally speaking, Xu Changqing only used his saber when facing powerful enemies. Against those who were not strong enough, he normally would not draw it.

Once he drew his saber, someone would either die or be wounded.

Xu Changqing's white hair drifted in the wind as he looked at Lin Qianyu coldly. Then he reached into the void and lightly clenched his hand, as if grasping something, before slowly pulling it out.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar, the world was instantly engulfed by a red mist. In that brief instant, Lin Qianyu felt an incomparably terrifying pressure.

Far away, tens of millions of miles from there, Gan Long suddenly saw the sky turn dark red and instantly understood that Xu Changqing had made his move.

Xu Changqing slowly drew his Bone Saber from the void. An ivory-white hilt emerged first, followed by a dark-red blade brimming with baleful aura. Even the sky was dyed red.

Lin Qianyu felt her own saber trembling, as if it were afraid.

"One strike." Xu Changqing only spoke those words calmly.

Lin Qianyu froze for an instant. Then her face immediately flushed red as rage exploded within her. Was he looking down on her?

He wanted to defeat her with one saber strike?

"Arrogant!"

"Take this!"

Lin Qianyu flew into a rage. Holding the Miao Dao in both hands, she raised it high and slashed a peerless blade of light directly at Xu Changqing.

The saber light was dazzling beyond compare and carried her fury. The clouds were split apart, while the sea was swept up by Saber Intent, raising monstrous waves.

She had used all her strength in this strike, merging the profound truths of countless saber techniques together just to make Xu Changqing lose in a single move.

Countless ancient characters floated around Lin Qianyu as all kinds of runes flashed with light. Saber Intent surged, and the void split open.

That unstoppable saber momentum made even the hidden Saints feel chilled to the bone.

With her full strength unleashed, she could display the power of the Eight Prohibitions.

Xu Changqing's white hair was blown backward by that unstoppable Saber Intent, and his robes rustled sharply in the wind.

He held the hilt in his right hand, the blade tip aimed at Lin Qianyu. Then white light appeared in his left hand like a single point of origin. He ran two fingers across the dark-red blade.

He watched the terrifying Saber Intent rush toward him with an indifferent gaze, remaining utterly calm as he spoke two words. "Heaven's Will."

Boom!

The moment his words fell, white divine light shot from the top of Xu Changqing's head, directly shattering the clouds and dispersing the phenomenon surrounding the Bone Saber.

It was as though the world had been purified. Spiritual Energy ceased to exist, all foul aura vanished, and the seawater inexplicably evaporated.

Xu Changqing had unleashed the Heaven's Will Saber Art, but he had not activated his physique. His physique could suppress his enemies.

Swoosh!

Xu Changqing slashed at the incoming Lin Qianyu. The Bone Saber cut through the sky, and in the next instant, the sea became calm. Lin Qianyu's saber momentum vanished completely, and her Saber Intent returned to heaven and earth.

She did not sense anything at all. There was not even the slightest fluctuation from the attack. Her long-accumulated Saber Intent and saber momentum disintegrated in an instant.

"Not good!"

Suddenly, her scalp went numb. The hairs on her smooth skin stood on end like silver needles, densely covering her arms beneath the bright sunlight.

She felt an extreme sense of death!

She began to flee, but that sense of death kept following her.

Xu Changqing stood with white hair cascading over his shoulders, amusement in his eyes. In his vision, countless Transparent Long Sabers hung above Lin Qianyu's head, carrying the aura of Heavenly Tribulation.

Those densely packed Transparent Long Sabers were the Heaven's Will Saber Art of Xu Changqing. They could sever all things—sever emotions, sever an opponent's Dao, sever an opponent's origin.

Lin Qianyu had panicked. That man had only made one strike, yet all her attacks had vanished and inexplicably collapsed.

She had not even noticed him attacking before the aura of death descended upon her.

Even after entering the Eight Prohibitions, she was still no match for Xu Changqing.

At this moment, Lin Qianyu no longer possessed her usual pride, elegance, or heroic bearing. The black robe she wore resembled a qipao, though it was much looser.

Her tender bare feet raced frantically across the azure sea as she stretched out her jade-like legs and moved them without pause.

Her arms swung constantly in tandem with her beautiful legs as she ran wildly across the water, occasionally taking flight.

"Sever!"

As soon as Xu Changqing spoke, the sea exploded in an instant. Towering waves surged into the sky, the seabed split apart, and endless magma shot toward outer space like Heavenly Pillars.

The scene was incomparably magnificent. The seawater was divided, scarlet columns erupted from the ocean floor, and the whole world seemed to have reached its end.

Lin Qianyu was struck first. Her shoulder was severed, and her entire arm fell directly into the sea. A scarlet line appeared on her neck. Her head had been severed.

Her black robe was shattered into pieces as well, while countless red lines appeared across her smooth white body.

Her Miao Dao broke in an instant. The saber technique she had been so proud of was worthless before Xu Changqing.

Splash!

With a soft sound, Lin Qianyu instantly collapsed. Her flesh fell continuously along with torrents of blood. Her exquisite, stunning face was deathly pale, and her eyes were filled with the emotion of questioning her life.

She had been dismembered!

A snow-white skeleton lay quietly on the sea surface, which had already been dyed red with blood.

Xu Changqing watched expressionlessly and sighed with emotion. "No matter how beautiful a young girl is, she will become a skeleton."

That was the consequence of seeking trouble for no reason.

However, Xu Changqing knew Lin Qianyu would not die so easily. How could a Heavenly Pride who had reached such a level be so easily killed?

Even Gan Long would have life-saving methods.

Sure enough, after a moment, holy light began to radiate from the skeleton. The light enveloped the white bones as a rain of light spread outward.

Blood rose from the sea surface, and flesh began to regenerate. Silver radiance flowed, and holy light shone brilliantly.

Lin Qianyu appeared once more. This time, however, she was kneeling on one knee atop the sea. Her black hair covered her entire face, making her expression impossible to see.

She held the Miao Dao, which had broken into several pieces, in both hands. That Miao Dao held special significance for her, yet it had actually broken.

The divinity within had vanished, as had the Dao of order and laws contained inside.

It could be said that her saber would need to be reforged from scratch.

Suddenly, Lin Qianyu felt a chill at her neck. She looked up and saw Xu Changqing staring at her expressionlessly. His indifferent gaze left her unable to summon even a trace of resistance.

She looked at the man, her eyes filled with tears, endless regret, and even more disbelief in her own life.

Xu Changqing held the Bone Saber against Lin Qianyu's fair neck and said coldly, "It is time to fulfill your promise."

If Lin Qianyu dared reveal even the slightest killing intent, he would kill her immediately.

What Xu Changqing did not know was that she only felt fear and regret now. Her Dao Heart had already shattered.

She had nearly been cleaved to death by a single strike, and even her Dao Artifact had been destroyed. The difference between them was obvious.

Thinking of that, Lin Qianyu gave a miserable smile. "You defeated someone in the Eight Prohibitions with one saber strike. Just how strong are you? Do you even have an opponent?..."

"Yes." Xu Changqing only replied with one indifferent word.

If nothing unexpected happened, he would crush his way across the entire Emperor's Road.

His only opponent was her!

The Ruthless Great Emperor!

Lin Qianyu said nothing more. Instead, she took everything from her Sea of Bitterness.

Countless glittering crystals appeared, containing the Power of Five Elements. There were also enormous Saint-grade warships, along with special herbs Xu Changqing had never seen before.

There were also mountains of cultivation techniques. Vast quantities of ancient characters bloomed from the mountain of books, while golden runes imprinted themselves in the void and sent ripples spreading out. Boundless golden light expanded.

Dao Sound rumbled as golden lotuses bloomed in the void, and all kinds of phenomena emerged.

That was not all.

There were even several Mechas.

It seemed Lin Qianyu was very trustworthy. She had taken out her entire fortune.

"My storage ring, necklace, and bracelet were all destroyed by your saber strike..." Lin Qianyu murmured softly, her eyes vacant. For the moment, she still could not accept her defeat.

Xu Changqing said nothing. After taking the cultivation techniques, Divine Medicine, some precious liquids, and several crystals, he left.

Where was he going?

Naturally, he was returning to his old trade—searching for secret realms and collecting cultivation techniques.

The Eternal Kingdom was a wondrous place, combining technology and Dao arts, with all sorts of precious liquids worth exploring.

Lin Qianyu sat limply on the sea, her face pale as she watched Xu Changqing. A strange emotion flickered in her eyes as she gradually regained her senses.

She watched Xu Changqing's tall, slender back and his flowing white hair. For some reason, she suddenly found Xu Changqing very handsome.

Especially the image of him cutting her into pieces with that strike. That cold, ruthless appearance had already been deeply engraved in her mind.

"If only... I could follow you..."

One saber strike had nearly erased her. If they continued fighting and Xu Changqing got serious, she might not even last ten moves before dying outright.

In the distance, Gan Long saw the despondent Lin Qianyu, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips. He thought to himself, So what if someone enters the Eight Prohibitions? They can still be defeated.

"To Xu Changqing, we are like flowers in a greenhouse, while he is a general who has fought in hell for three hundred years. There is no comparison."

When Lin Qianyu saw Gan Long approaching, she gradually regained her composure. She put away her broken saber, looked at Gan Long with a complicated expression, and asked softly, "What is his name?"

Gan Long froze. Had Xu Changqing not told Lin Qianyu his name?

But he had no intention of revealing Xu Changqing's name. Otherwise, if Xu Changqing got into trouble, Gan Long would be the first person he came looking for.

He recalled the rumors from back when he was in the Big Dipper. Xu Changqing had supposedly cultivated some kind of demonic art and slaughtered countless living beings. Any clans belonging to those who had offended him were wiped out.

From newborn infants to skeletal remains already lying in coffins, all were destroyed.

He had even heard that Xu Changqing had lost all humanity and specifically ate people to increase his cultivation.

So back then, many people had not dared to call him by name. They all called him Wuqing.

"His name is... Wuqing," Gan Long said.

P.S.

Damn it, my computer broke again. I have to mail that hard drive to the flagship store, and it'll waste several more days.