Chapter 528 - 348: I Want to Cultivate the Dao

Chapter 528: Chapter 348: I Want to Cultivate the Dao

This unease didn’t stem from his surroundings but was more like a sudden premonition—a feeling that something significant was about to happen.

Of the three from the Qin Family he’d killed tonight, only Qin Feng’s status was slightly different. In reality, to Ling Xiao, all of them were incredibly weak. Deep down, Ling Xiao didn’t consider the Qin Family a formidable opponent, not unless all of their Sword Venerable Realm experts were to gather in one place.

However, the chances of that were practically zero. Unless Patriarch Qin had gone mad and gathered his entire family to give the Righteous Path a chance to annihilate them in one fell swoop, they would only appear individually. After all, there weren’t many people on the Canglan Continent with strength comparable to Ling Xiao’s.

Ling Xiao considered this for a moment, then with a wave of his hand, he set up a barrier around himself. Amidst the ice and snow, Ling Xiao’s tall, slender figure stood in the blood-soaked night, his eyes closed in concentration as he sought to comprehend the Celestial Dao.

In the mortal world, the Nascent Soul Realm was already considered godlike by ordinary people. Although Ling Xiao cultivated the Sword Dao, all paths ultimately converged to the same source.

It was like someone who spent their entire life performing good deeds, then suddenly comprehended the Celestial Dao and ascended to the Immortal Realm in broad daylight. Even if they had possessed no martial prowess before, after comprehending the Celestial Dao, they could wield its various laws. The deeper one’s understanding of the Celestial Dao, the more adept they became at using these laws.

And the Laws of the Heavenly Dao included the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. On the Canglan Continent, these were also known as the natural elements. Whatever their name, their nature was the same.

Therefore, Ling Xiao could freely use the energy of various elements within his sword techniques. Of course, he had barely used elemental energy so far. He hadn’t even unleashed the full power of his Star Sword Formulas.

Why? Because up until now, Ling Xiao had yet to meet anyone who could force him to use all his trump cards.

Originally, if the three Sword Venerables from the Lie Family had been alone, or if he had faced Lie Suitian, their strongest Tier Five Sword Venerable, Ling Xiao might have revealed a portion of his true strength.

If he were to face a Tier Six Sword Venerable like Gongsun Huang, with his current cultivation, Ling Xiao would have to fight for his life, bringing out every skill he had. Even then, his chances of victory... would still be fifty-fifty.

Thus, Ling Xiao had never even considered fully revealing his strength. As for the Lie Family, although three of their Sword Emperor Realm experts had died because of him, the grudge basically stemmed from that woman, Xie Xiaoyan. That was why the three Sword Venerables from the Lie Family, seeing their threats were useless, had changed their tune and made friendly overtures.

Ling Xiao reviewed these matters in his mind, but the feeling of unease only grew stronger.

Just then, Huangpu Yue was outside, looking at Ling Xiao with some concern. She was draped in a snow-white piece of Magical Beast Hide Clothing, its fur glossy and smooth. The cold moonlight shone down, accentuating her stunning face and making her seem all the more beautiful and captivating.

Ling Xiao sighed softly. The feeling of unease from just a moment ago had vanished.

But Ling Xiao knew it wasn’t truly gone. Rather, his current comprehension of the Celestial Dao was too shallow to grasp it. So-called Celestial Secrets were fleeting. Unless one possessed great Magical Power and could comprehend them instantly, someone like Ling Xiao could only get a premonition at best.

Sighing again, he dispersed the barrier. Seeing the worried look on Huangpu Yue’s face, Ling Xiao smiled faintly and said, "Don’t worry, I’m fine."

Huangpu Yue nodded with a gentle expression, her eyes avoiding the crimson patches staining the white snow. At that moment, members of the Huangpu Family arrived to clean up the scene.

Huangpu Yue’s delicate body trembled slightly. She walked to Ling Xiao’s side and said softly, "Ling Xiao, I’m going back with you."

The carriage rolled along the stone-paved road, the only sound the faint rumble of its wheels. The cabin was quiet and comfortable. Huangpu Yue leaned against a soft couch, her face expressionless. Ling Xiao sat opposite her, also with his eyes closed to rest. The overnight travel left neither of them with much desire to speak.

Ah Da drove the carriage with Ah Er and Ah San sitting beside him. Another carriage followed behind, carrying Ah Si’s body. Even if they were heading south, they would bring their brother with them.

Huangpu Yue, who had been feigning sleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Using the faint moonlight filtering through the window, she gazed at Ling Xiao’s face. It had long lost the immaturity of years past. His handsome features weren’t sharp and angular, but instead gave off a sense of gentle roundness.

An idea suddenly occurred to Huangpu Yue: ’If a man like this existed in my past life, even a world-famous superstar glittering in the spotlight could hardly compare to him!’

’I was born into a family of doctors, with a wealthy and comfortable upbringing. If not for that car accident... right now, I’d probably be in some coffee shop, listening to music, reading a fashion magazine, and living a comfortable, bourgeois life, right?’

A smile crept onto Huangpu Yue’s lips. ’Perhaps I’d even have found my own Prince Charming to marry. In any case, this current life is something I never could have dreamed of. No matter how many fantasy movies I watched, I never would have imagined that one day, I too would come to such a strange world!’

’Yes, it was all that damned car accident’s fault!’

’For a time, I thought this was how my life would be. Fortunately, the family I was reincarnated into was also a great house! Even better than my family from my previous life! There were no cars, no TVs, no stylish, beautiful clothes, and none of those dazzling cosmetics.’

’Well, the environment in this world is just incredible. The air is so fresh it’s pristine, letting me truly understand the feeling of "an empty mountain after fresh rain." The food has no additives, and there are no pesticides or fertilizers in this world... Though there are many unscrupulous merchants, in this world, they all have their own principles and bottom lines.’

’In my own words: the people of this world have a conscience.’

’Gradually, I got used to this life. And, using all the strange and wonderful knowledge in my mind, I brought the Huangpu Clan to its peak! But I still had a visceral aversion to fighting and killing. Seeing those stories of righteous heroes seeking revenge and living freely in the martial world seemed so cool on TV, but experiencing it firsthand—the scenes where people drew blades at the slightest disagreement, followed by blood splattering five paces away—left me terrified for a time.’

’This was especially true when I took over the Adventurer’s Bar. The destructiveness of those Adventurers after they’d had too much to drink horrified me, as I was still very young back then. A few times, I was so scared I almost burst into tears. I buried this secret deep in my heart, which is why I later had Ah Da and his brothers deal with those Adventurers so harshly.’

’It took me more than ten years to finally understand a principle: this world isn’t actually that different from my last one. It’s just that in my last life, I wasn’t standing in this position. Also, the people in that world were more hypocritical! Hmm, pretty much like the nobles of the Canglan Continent.’

’In comparison, the Adventurers were much more direct.’

’All of this changed when I met Ling Xiao. Of course, the Ling Xiao back then was in disguise, but I could never forget his eyes. And then there was that herb name that was extremely sensitive to me, someone from a family of doctors—"Stone Bamboo Grass"!’

’It should have been impossible for anyone in this world to know about Stone Bamboo Grass! I looked through countless medical texts and asked countless people, but everyone was unfamiliar with this herb. This mystery became deeply buried in my heart. I didn’t dare speak of it, and I certainly didn’t dare ask Ling Xiao. I was afraid. I was afraid that if I was wrong, I would expose my secret of having lived two lives. Fortunately, Ling Xiao and I became friends, and somewhere deep in my heart, without even realizing it, a place for him was made.’

’You have to understand, before this, the only things that held a place in my heart were that other world, and the family and friends from that world! The reason I stubbornly changed "Huangpu" to "Huang Pu" was because, in my motherland, there is a river called the Huangpu River!’

’This was also the last thread of connection to that world that I held onto. I wanted to make myself remember, even if the world were to end, even if the seas ran dry and the rocks turned to dust, even when my hair turned gray, I must never forget where I came from.’

’That enormous mystery in my heart was finally solved a few years ago, when Ling Xiao suddenly named Penzes New City "Shushan City."’

’At that moment, I even had the impulse to go find Ling Xiao and demand an explanation!’

’Shushan! Ah, Shushan... For anyone born in my era, who hadn’t heard of that name? Like Kunlun, it was a place of great significance in the mythology of Huaxia.’

’However, I held myself back. After all, it was just too bizarre. Here, on the Canglan Continent, I, a person from another world, had actually met someone from a world of myth. Could anything be more absurd?’

’Suppressing the impulse in my heart, I continued to watch from a distance, silently observing Ling Xiao’s growth, silently watching... as more and more beautiful women gradually appeared by his side.’

’There was a time when I thought that this was actually fine. Two people who didn’t belong to this world, taking root and blossoming here, earning everyone’s recognition. To me, this was a source of pride for Huaxia, a pride for the descendants of the Yan and Huang Emperors.’

’Unfortunately, I underestimated the influence of that one word: love.’

’Ultimately, I am a woman, and he is a man.’

’After deciding to return with Ling Xiao today, I’ve made a great resolution in my heart—to finally break through this paper-thin barrier between us!’

Sensing Huangpu Yue’s persistent gaze, Ling Xiao opened his eyes. In the darkness, they shone like stars.

"What’s wrong? Are you grieving for Ah Si?"

"No. Ling Xiao, I want to cultivate."