Chapter 40: Ling Yuxia’s Final Gift

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Ling Yuxia’s Final Gift

Ye Xuan fell silent for a moment when Ling Yuxia asked him that question.

However, being asked so suddenly, he couldn’t possibly give a definite answer.

It wasn’t because he refused to support either Qingyu or humanity. Rather, he hadn’t yet decided what path he wanted to take.

That was why Ye Xuan couldn’t answer the question just yet.

"I haven’t made that decision yet," Ye Xuan replied.

"So you’re indirectly admitting that you might betray Qing’er?" Ling Yuxia asked.

"That’s not what I meant."

"Qingyu is important to me because she’s my partner and, through our Blood Oath, my wife. However, I’m not yet ready to shoulder such a huge responsibility completely," Ye Xuan replied.

"My cultivation base has only reached Foundation Establishment. I haven’t even reached the peak of the First Realm."

Ling Yuxia fell silent for a moment after hearing Ye Xuan’s answer.

He let out a soft sigh before extending his hand, allowing Qingyu to slither back to Ye Xuan.

The white serpent climbed onto his neck and coiled her tail around him.

"You’re right. A Foundation Establishment cultivator shouldn’t be burdened with something like that. It seems I asked you about it too soon," Ling Yuxia replied.

Ling Yuxia summoned a crimson technique scroll from his hand. He sent it flying toward Ye Xuan, who promptly caught it.

"There isn’t much I can do. My current existence is nothing more than a fragment of my spiritual soul. I no longer possess any real power."

"However, I’ll give you this technique scroll. After all, this technique will be useful to Qingyu in the future," Ling Yuxia replied.

Ye Xuan accepted the scroll and stored it in his bag of holding. But the scroll wasn’t the only thing Ling Yuxia produced.

He also summoned a diamond-shaped stone that radiated crimson lightning.

Upon seeing the stone, Qingyu was immediately shocked. She spoke telepathically, her voice audible only to Ye Xuan.

[Python Soul Core Token?]

[H-How does Uncle Yuxia have one of those?]

"Please give it to Qing’er once she successfully evolves. For now, she’s still trapped in her python body, which isn’t suitable for using this stone," Ling Yuxia explained.

Ye Xuan nodded and stored the stone treasure in his bag of holding.

Immediately afterward, Ye Xuan and Qingyu clearly saw Ling Yuxia’s body becoming transparent and gradually fading away.

Ye Xuan suspected that his soul power was weakening. However, before Ling Yuxia disappeared completely, he did something else for Ye Xuan and Qingyu.

He formed hand seals with both hands before touching his forehead once more.

A crimson stream of qi emerged, pulsing with powerful energy as it entered Qingyu’s body through her forehead.

[What are you...]

Qingyu flinched and grimaced in pain, particularly complaining about a splitting headache. Ye Xuan witnessed this and turned to Ling Yuxia.

"I don’t have much time left. I deliberately preserved the remaining strength of my soul for this moment."

"This way, I can pass all my knowledge and experience on to Qingyu," Ling Yuxia explained, "She’ll need them far more than I ever will."

[No, Uncle Yuxia! Don’t go! Don’t leave me alone!]

Her voice couldn’t reach Ling Yuxia. Qingyu could only roar and hiss as she expressed her anguish.

Ye Xuan glanced at her, sensing just how heartbroken the white serpent was.

[We have to find a way to revive Uncle Yuxia, Ye Xuan.]

[I don’t want him to die. He’s the only family member from my clan I have left!]

[Please, do something, Ye Xuan.]

He listened to Qingyu before turning back toward Ling Yuxia.

"I’ll help you restore your physical body."

"There’s no need for that, Brother Ye. My soul is already bound by the will of Heaven. Even if you try to bring me back to life, it won’t make any difference."

"I’ve accepted the consequences of my fate. Still, I’m glad that after all these years of waiting, Qing’er has finally come here," Ling Yuxia explained.

Ling Yuxia’s body continued to fade until he was almost completely gone. Qingyu still couldn’t accept the reality before her.

She leaped away from Ye Xuan and rushed toward Ling Yuxia, attempting to embrace him by coiling her body around him.

However, her body passed straight through his, making her grief even more unbearable.

[No, Uncle Yuxia!]

[Please don’t go!]

"I’m sorry, Qing’er. From now on, you must listen to Brother Ye."

"Brother Ye," Ling Yuxia called.

Ye Xuan rose to his feet and looked upward just as Ling Yuxia’s soul body began floating toward the sky.

He clasped his hands together and bowed his head respectfully.

"I entrust Qing’er to your care. Make your decision soon, before they arrive and kill you!"

The young man was somewhat startled by those words, but he clearly stated that he would heed Ling Yuxia’s advice.

In an instant, Ling Yuxia’s soul body faded away, dissolving into countless particles of qi that drifted through the air.

Qingyu lowered her head, weeping in her own way.

Ye Xuan’s attention shifted to the rattlesnake, Ling Yuxia’s spirit beast partner.

With its master’s disappearance, the Thunder Crimson Python tattoo on its forehead vanished, finally freeing it from its bond.

The rattlesnake turned its head toward Ye Xuan. The young man shook his head, understanding the meaning behind the gesture.

The rattlesnake was asking Ye Xuan to make it one of his spirit beasts. However, Ye Xuan refused because he wanted to focus on Qingyu.

In response, the rattlesnake simply accepted his decision without much reaction before leaving the cave to explore elsewhere.

Ye Xuan remained at the cave altar, holding Qingyu, who was still grieving.

The white serpent instinctively wrapped her tail around his hand.

[Please... don’t leave me too, Ye Xuan.]

[I... have no one else left.]

Ye Xuan’s heart ached when he heard her words. He offered a brief smile and gently stroked the white serpent’s back.

"I won’t leave you, Qingyu."

He walked out of the stone sword hill cave, summoned his flying sword, and flew away in another direction.

As he was about to leave the Sword Graveyard Desert, he caught another glimpse of the sword altar.

If Elder Ling’s formation was similar to the one protecting this altar, then the formation here should have disappeared with his death.

Ye Xuan decided to land in front of the sword altar.

Gathering his courage, he stepped forward while preparing to activate the Ninefold Lightning Scripture to strengthen his body in case the formation was still active.

Surprisingly, nothing happened when his feet touched the altar’s floor. His guess had been correct.

The formation protecting the sword altar had disappeared with Ling Yuxia’s passing.

Now, he could finally retrieve the red sword embedded in the center of the altar.

He gripped the hilt and pulled with force. It wasn’t difficult for Ye Xuan to remove it.

The sword looked magnificent. Its hilt was decorated with two intertwined pythons, while its blade was crimson. Ancient characters were inscribed along the blade, but Ye Xuan couldn’t understand their meaning.

[You managed to get it?]

"Yes," Ye Xuan replied, "The formation is no longer active."

"And since this sword belongs to your clan, it should be yours, Qingyu."

"This will become one of your most precious and important possessions, something that can remind you of your clan," Ye Xuan said softly.

[Thank you, Ye Xuan.]

[I’m relieved to have you by my side. I’m truly fortunate.]

"It seems we won’t be exploring this place any further. We should train in different locations before returning to the sect."

[Of course. I’ll help you, Ye Xuan.]

Just as Ye Xuan was about to leave the Sword Graveyard Desert, Qingyu suddenly raised her head.

[Ye Xuan, wait.]

He stopped his flying sword and glanced at the white serpent coiled around his neck.

"What is it?"

Qingyu remained silent for a moment, her crimson eyes fixed on the distant horizon.

[Something is approaching.]

Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes, "A spiritual beast?"

[No. It’s a familiar aura, one that I haven’t sensed in a very long time.]

Her voice grew colder.

[It’s the qi aura of the people who destroyed my clan.]