Xianxia Online

As the lifeless body of Li Yiren fell to the floor, Xuan slowly slid his sword back into its sheath, and glanced over at the spectator of the fight.

"… What are you still here for?"

Zi Xiruo, the person who'd witnessed the whole duel—if it could even be called that—slowly tilted her head and smiled.

"I must say… you're going to be in deep trouble from now on. When the Li family finds out about what happened here, they will stop at nothing to hunt you down."

Xuan did not fail to notice how she'd used the term 'when' rather than 'if'. In other words, she was certain that the family would discover the events that had transpired here, and eventually track him down. Given the strength and information network of the Eight Great Families, that wasn't hard to imagine. However, by the time they found out, Xuan would have already progressed a lot from where he is now.

The only concern is… if this woman spilled the beans early.

"… Are you threatening me?"

"No, no. I made an agreement, and I intend to honor it. I won't speak to anyone regarding what happened today. However… I do not come cheap, you know. If you want me to do something, you'll have to give me something in return."

"That wasn't the agreement, was it?"

"Quite. However, the terms have changed. I didn't think you'd actually be able to defeat Li Yiren, even if he is pitifully weak for his cultivation level. In other words, your power interests me. Tell me—you're not just as simple as a mere Flowing Qi stage cultivator, are you now?"

At this, Xuan narrowed his eyes. "You intend to go back on your previous words?"

"No. Just… add a condition of my own. Considering you pretty much asked me, a stranger, to do something without anything in it for me, I think it is only fair I ask for something in return, no?"

That is a fair point, in all honesty. However, Xuan did not see a reason to condone in her requests. He wasn't a fair person.

"Alternatively, I can kill you right here and now," he said coldly, gazing at her without any emotion—his words meant what they meant. "I've already gotten rid of one Great Family heir. What's another?"

Contrary to Xuan's expectations, however, Zi Xiruo smiled confidently, eyes piercing.

"You won't."

"… You seem awfully confident about that."

"Naturally. One Great Family on your back is already going to be hard enough. You act tough, but you are the type of person to avoid unnecessary trouble. And besides… you cannot kill me anyway, even if you tried."

"Oh? Are you saying I won't be able to beat you?" Xuan mused, now slightly intrigued more so than annoyed. "Even after what you witnessed?"

"Fufu, you're welcome to try," Zi Xiruo replied, smiling deviously. It was almost as if she was tempting him, baiting him. Could it be? This woman was actually incredibly powerful? Considering Xuan himself was an expert at hiding his strength, he knew full well that what he saw on the surface may not be the true power of someone else.

He narrowed his gaze. If Zi Xiruo's goal was to make him cautious, then she'd succeeded. It wouldn't be wise to make any sudden moves here. Instead, a compromise was probably the better choice. Xuan, however, was not the type to propose that. Zi Xiruo knew that as well, so instead, she proactively put forward a plan of her own.

"My terms are quite simple, actually. You didn't even listen to them before turning me down earlier, so allow me to voice my conditions, at the very least."

Xuan didn't say anything in response as his method of telling her to go on. She took it.

"The only thing you have to do is keep me by your side until we leave the Flaming Sands Field. That's all."

"Sorry, but I prefer working alone."

Immediately, Xuan shot her idea down. He didn't need someone he couldn't control following him wherever he went. That would make doing things quite inconvenient. Ye Yuxin was one thing since he could use her, but Zi Xiruo was an unknown variable.

"Wait. Let me finish speaking."

"That's not necessary. No matter what you say, I don't see why I should feel obligated to bring you with me in my travels—not to mention why you're doing this in the first place."

"What if I said this had to do with why the Eight Great Families are here in Lower Asphodel for this event in the first place? And… why this year's Flaming Sands Field is different from the rest? The 'System' that awakened for every cultivator in this world a few days ago… it marked this as a Mutated Quest, different from the rest. Have you ever wondered why that is?"

At this, Xuan paused. That was indeed something he had been wondering.

"… Go on."

"Fufu, I know you are a clever man. You must be wondering those questions. I can give you the answers. Take a look."

Saying that, she tossed him a scroll. A scroll with a single line of text written on it, in perfect handwriting. Only… the language was not quite something most people would understand. It was written in an ancient, archaic, long-lost language, that even old grandmasters might not know of. Xuan recognized it, but to encounter it here… was quite odd.

'This is… Elventongue?'

Elventongue—an ancient language that only High Elves, the royal race that Ling'er belonged to, spoke. Considering they were only present in Elysium… it was certainly strange for Xuan to see it here, in Asphodel. The contents of the message were quite strange as well. It read:

'The Flaming Sands Field holds the path to a heavenly secret. Many may contend, but only two may enter. Those who learn the secret will touch on the fundamentals of the world; and control it until time never-ending. The gate awaits. There is only one chance."

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