Broken Sword

The Demon Mountain was vast, and walking on it, one couldn't see the peak or the end.

Giant rocks lay scattered across the mountain, forming strange landscapes. But this was no pure land; bands of black mist coiled around, casting the entire area in gloom. Occasionally, enormous skeletons could be seen, remnants of ancient geniuses who had died here.

This small world opened only once every few hundred years, and countless young heroes had met their end, buried here throughout history.

Having dealt with the troublemakers, Bai Yixin began his slow ascent. Along the way, he discovered various remains, all as hard as iron and stone.

The mountain was dim, and the mist grew thicker the higher he climbed. Bai Yixin remained cautious and vigilant, for the mountain was perilous, as evidenced by the countless corpses, suggesting that many powerful beings had perished here in the past.

Although Bai Yixin was confident he could contend with any creature within, who knew what other dangers lurked in this demonic land?

The mountain was immense, and the higher he went, the more people he encountered. Over the next few days, Bai Yixin acted several times, eliminating a number of greedy beings with ill intentions.

On the path, he saw many corpses, not long dead, their bodies still warm. Bai Yixin collected them one by one, storing them in his Universe Bag.

Non-humanoid ones were treated as ingredients for food, blood, and precious medicine, while humanoid ones were saved for Huo Ling'er in exchange for good items.

It was precisely because Bai Yixin was so brazen, swaggering through the battlefield to collect corpses, that he provoked others.

Who would want their friends and comrades to be desecrated after death?

Yet, even a siege posed no threat to Bai Yixin. He accepted all challengers, and none who dared to attack him escaped; Bai Yixin pursued them all and struck them down with his sword.

Perhaps due to his brutality, he even earned a nickname: the Corpse Collector. Wherever he went, no one dared to aim their attacks in his direction.

And when Bai Yixin arrived to spectate, the brawling crowds would even cease fighting and withdraw, lest they become the next corpses to be collected.

The Treasure-Dividing Cliff was vast. Whenever spiritual treasures appeared, bloody slaughter was sure to follow, leading to constant skirmishes everywhere. Only where Bai Yixin passed was there peace.

This was the fearsome reputation Bai Yixin had forged.

"Another one for free, delightful." Bai Yixin pocketed a spiritual item, then waved his hand, gathering a pile of corpses into his Universe Bag. Most of them were left behind by well-meaning individuals who refused to give up.

Yes, to ensure Bai Yixin didn't exert himself for nothing, they specifically left themselves behind, he was certain (͡°͜ʖ͡°)✧.

The mountain's grandeur increased, and the closer he got to the summit, the greater the danger. Those who reached this point were undoubtedly the strongest. Bai Yixin climbed on foot and finally reached the peak, entering the true Treasure-Dividing Cliff.

The mountaintop was vast, like a plateau, not a small area. Here, various giant rocks lay scattered, strangely shaped, as if various treasures had petrified.

Legend had it that in ancient times, the Sages shed tears and blood, and after many fell, their weapons arrayed themselves on the Treasure-Dividing Rock, forming this scene.

An ancient stele stood tall, inscribed with a few lines warning the world not to make noise here, disturbing the slumber of the Sages, and not to damage or destroy the Treasure-Dividing Cliff.

Clearly, it cautioned visitors that this was a place of truce, where fierce battles were forbidden.

Bai Yixin glanced into the distance. A colossal fierce spirit, disbelieving the warnings, had provoked the rules here and lay on the ground, reduced to bloody mud, with only some bone fragments shimmering with a pale white light, a gruesome end.

"Better safe than sorry. Without sufficient power, challenging the rules set by the strong is like looking for shit in a toilet, isn't it?" Bai Yixin shook his head and walked into the Stone Forest.

The mountaintop was open, with various giant rocks scattered about. Entering the deepest part of the Stone Forest, one couldn't help but be amazed. Many of the giant rocks bore lifelike carvings: a Golden Crow chasing lightning, a Qiuniu treading the sea, a Kunpeng spreading its wings... each in a different shape.

It was rumored that many weapons were hidden within these giant rocks.

Indeed, someone had found a treasure: a battle spear, crystal clear, as red as blood, less than a foot long, yet incredibly brilliant, surrounded by numerous runes, emitting rumbling thunder, a terrifying sight.

Although incomplete, with its tip broken and only a section of the shaft remaining, it was still astonishing, exuding a killing intent potent enough to rival some sect-guarding treasures in the outside world.

Bai Yixin secretly noted the person's appearance and aura, planning to have a good "discussion" with them after leaving.

Wandering through the Stone Forest, Bai Yixin attempted to communicate with the giant rocks using runes, hoping to find other ancient artifacts willing to accompany him.

At the same time, Bai Yixin hadn't forgotten his primary purpose for being here.

"Ghost Master, where is your sword? Give me a hint. I can't just break open the outer layer of these stones to see what's inside."

Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed in Bai Yixin's ear.

"My sword... my sword..."

A string of black characters appeared on Bai Yixin's forehead, and wisps of black mist emerged, swirling around his ear, faintly pointing in a direction.

Bai Yixin followed the guidance and arrived before a dilapidated stone.

Then, the broken stone, no more than two feet long, began to emit black smoke, cracking and making crunching sounds, eventually splitting open.

Hearing the commotion, many people turned to look, astonished. Another person had obtained a treasure, and they were filled with envy.

However, when people saw the broken stone, they were taken aback. Then, seeing not auspicious light but billowing smoke, they all sneered.

Bai Yixin curled his lip slightly. If he hadn't known this broken sword was incredibly potent, he might have been fooled by the sight of this trash.

As the black smoke dissipated, a piece of broken iron was revealed, as ugly as could be, covered in rust and so corroded it was almost rotten.

Only upon closer inspection could one discern that it was a sword. The ornaments on the hilt had rotted away, leaving only the sword's bone, barely graspable by hand.

Bai Yixin wrinkled his nose; the smell was somewhat pungent. He gripped the hilt with his right hand and pulled hard. At that very moment, a monstrous killing intent surged forth, rushing into his body.

In an instant, he saw scenes of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, the land flowing with gore, and the annihilation of countless beings.

This aura was too terrifying, capable of crushing a genius. Even Bai Yixin's powerful physique trembled for a moment.

It was only because the killing intent came so suddenly and Bai Yixin was caught off guard that he was ambushed.

Bai Yixin declared, "I was careless and didn't dodge."

Although the killing intent was astonishing, it did not shake Bai Yixin's spirit in the slightest.

As a cultivator seeking immortality, Bai Yixin placed great importance on tempering his Dao heart. Even with this terrifying killing intent, Bai Yixin, who had forged his way through the Great Wilderness of corpses and blood, felt no fear, his heart unwavering. His powerful physique remained unharmed by the onslaught of killing intent; instead, it showed a slight tendency to strengthen, though the effect was not significant as the killing intent was not sustained.

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Not seeking speed, Bai Yixin, who polished himself bit by bit at every realm, would constantly question his inner self and strengthen his resolve. While tempering his physical body, he never forgot to specifically hone his state of mind.

Just like at this very moment, he did not let this opportunity slip by. Under the sharpening of this killing intent, Bai Yixin's spirit lost a touch of softness and gained a sliver of sharpness. His deep eyes seemed to hold a hint of murderous intent, appearing piercing to anyone who looked upon them.

Bai Yixin's expression remained unchanged as he slowly drew his sword. With a crisp clang, the ancient sword broke free from the rotten stone and appeared in his hand.

"Pfft."

Many people immediately burst into laughter, for the sword was far too dilapidated. It had almost lost the shape of a blade, covered entirely in rust and only a foot long, as the greater part of it had snapped off and been lost.

Even the remaining section had clearly been broken before and spliced back together, the traces obvious. Furthermore, the blade was pitted and scarred, nearly rotting away.

Bai Yixin glanced at the onlookers who had gathered to watch the show. That single look caused the crowd to fall silent, a primal instinct warning them that a great disaster was imminent.

Only when Bai Yixin turned his gaze back to the broken sword did the crowd begin to whisper amongst themselves.

"That's the Corpse Collector, watch yourself!"

"Exactly, be careful he doesn't 'collect' you on his way out. This fiend kills everywhere he goes, as long as you stand in his way."

"That's right, could anything this fierce man takes a fancy to be bad? Perhaps our eyes are just failing us."

The ancient sword was dull, the parts without rust appearing black with faint, blurry patterns. The blade was ice-cold and looked as if it were about to rot, yet it weighed tens of thousands of pounds once held in the hand.

It was only because Bai Yixin's physical body was terrifying that he could hold it as if it were a straw, turning it over and over to inspect it.

It's a good sword. If it were intact, I could probably slaughter my way through this small world with it, Bai Yixin pondered to himself.

Of course, this referred to the indigenous creatures, not the outsiders. As for the outsiders, Bai Yixin could slaughter them all with his own cultivation alone; he was confident that none could rival him.

Huo Ling'er has arrived too. It's a perfect time to say hello and hand over the goods. Whether I can return to the Heaven-Mending Pavilion smoothly depends on her... or her father?

Another group entered the Stone Forest. Leading them was a young girl with jet-black hair, a fair and full forehead, a slightly pointed chin, and bright eyes and white teeth. She was incredibly beautiful and moving, possessing a certain spirituality.

She was the Fire Kingdom Princess. Although she was only fifteen or sixteen, her figure was graceful with perfect, undulating curves. Her eyes rippled as she swayed toward him, her neck snow-white, her chest full, her waist slender enough to be gripped by a hand, and her legs straight and long. She walked with a graceful, lotus-like gait.

Behind the Fire Kingdom Princess were several cloaked figures—evidently the Sealers. They were the ones who had broken into the Divine Grotto and brought out the descendant of the gods. They were extremely powerful and had already recovered from their injuries.

In addition, the five geniuses of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion followed behind, having survived.

Bai Yixin had his own way of leaving; he could just use a Space Teleportation Talisman. But it wasn't worth it—it was simply too expensive, ten million per sheet. Even in this small world, it could instantly transmit him back to Stone Village.

Bai Yixin wasn't extravagant enough to use his trump cards casually. Using this pile of trash to build a good relationship with Huo Ling'er and trade for some items was quite a good deal.

"Hi, Little Junior Sister, do you need your Senior Brother to cover you?" Bai Yixin slung the broken sword over his back and walked toward Huo Ling'er's group. Wherever he passed, no one dared to linger for even a second, all of them retreating and keeping their distance.

"I need your protection?!" The Fire Kingdom Princess's jewel-like eyes widened in shock. "It's you... what did you do to make them so afraid of you?"

Why did it feel like Bai Yixin alone was more terrifying than their entire group combined?

"I didn't do anything. Everyone is quite nice to me. Along the way, they didn't fight me for anything and even left behind plenty of local specialties," Bai Yixin said with an innocent face, greeting the Senior Brothers and Sisters from the Heaven-Mending Pavilion who had arrived with her.

The onlookers and the souls who had died under his fists thought: I believe your lies!

"Local specialties? What kind of things?" Huo Ling'er's beautiful eyes flickered as she asked curiously.

"Here." Bai Yixin opened the Universe Bag on his back and poured out a mountain of people—all humanoid creatures.

"Hiss!"

The crowd was horrified. Good heavens, there had to be seventy or eighty of them, if not a hundred. And that was just the humanoid ones! If one added the non-humanoid ones and those already eaten, wouldn't it be even more terrifying?

Just how many people had fallen victim to this fiend's hands?!!

"You killed all of these??!" Huo Ling'er's cherry lips parted as if something could be shoved inside, her face full of shock.

"Otherwise?" Bai Yixin smiled slightly, very satisfied with their reaction.

"Here, these are for you. Remember to give me an equivalent reward." Seeing Huo Ling'er stunned, Bai Yixin couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.

"Hey!" Huo Ling'er snapped back to reality and glared at Bai Yixin. Considering the pile of goods, she didn't fuss over his wandering hands.

"Aren't you afraid I'll welsh on the debt?" Huo Ling'er couldn't believe someone would trust her so much. They had only met once or twice, yet he was so at ease handing over such valuable items. Could it be...

Huo Ling'er's eyes glowed slightly as she looked at the high-spirited youth before her, who seemed to be shining. The corners of her mouth curled up, revealing a small dimple.

"Not afraid. Your family's Sacrificial Spirit has a friendship with our village." Bai Yixin took out a Crimson Feather. It radiated a special firelight; while the essence wasn't very abundant, the fluctuations were startling.

The bird feather was as red as blood, and the aura it emitted made Huo Ling'er's heart tremble. This aura was profound and extremely familiar—it was identical to her family's Fire Kingdom Sacrificial Spirit, the Vermilion Bird.

"This is the Sacrificial Spirit's feather! Where did you get this?" Huo Ling'er was full of shock, unable to believe that Bai Yixin had actually produced a feather from her own family's Vermilion Bird.

The Fire Kingdom's Sacrificial Spirit, the Vermilion Bird, was an incredibly powerful Venerable. If they had a friendship with your village...

Then it made sense that your village could produce a monster like you. Calling it a village was likely just a cover for some terrifying ancestral ground hidden deep in the Great Wilderness.

The Sealers following Huo Ling'er were also moved. Once they calmed down, their attitude toward Bai Yixin became noticeably more intimate.

This is a token left by Little... ahem, Lord Vermilion Bird, specially treated. Bai Yixin thought it was worth the effort he took to get it from Little One; the effect was quite good.

"It is indeed the Sacrificial Spirit's feather." Huo Ling'er inspected it for a moment before handing the Crimson Feather back to Bai Yixin, planning to tell her father when she got out.

"Call me Senior Brother, and I'll cover you and treat you to good food." Bai Yixin flipped his hand and put away the Vermilion Bird feather, laughing.

"Se... Senior Brother!" Huo Ling'er's cheeks flushed slightly. She bit her lip and weighed the pros and cons. Bai Yixin, who possessed the Sacrificial Spirit's feather, could be considered one of her own. Given his level of ferocity, having him in this small world would significantly increase her safety. Plus, the food he made was actually quite delicious...

"Eh, Little Junior Sister~" Bai Yixin laughed happily. This feeling wasn't bad at all.

"Brother Little White!" A familiar voice came from afar.