101: Chapter 60 Sword Qi Severing the Remnant Soul

Sword Qi flew out from the Jade Talisman.

It was a streak of cyan Sword Qi.

The Sword Qi was extremely thin and faint, resembling a wisp of cyan smoke.

But the expression of Founding Emperor Xie Yuan changed drastically in an instant.

"Nascent Soul Sword Qi!"

He let out a sharp shriek, his figure turning into a streak of blood-colored light as he attempted to escape.

That cyan Sword Qi, however, remained unhurried, merely circling gently.

The blood river evaporated.

The bone throne shattered.

Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's residual soul was slashed into two by the Sword Qi.

He let out a shrill howl as the two halves of his residual soul struggled to merge back together.

But the intent of the Sword Qi remained; no matter how he channeled the power of his Blood Gu, the wound would not heal.

"No!"

"I have plotted for three hundred years!"

"I cannot die!"

Chen Xuan watched him coldly, forming a hand seal.

Mountain Lifting Divine Ability!

A phantom image of a mountain descended, suppressing the two halves of Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's residual soul firmly.

"Fellow Daoist Daoist Heshan, why are you not acting yet?"

Daoist Heshan, as if jolted from a dream, hurriedly manifested a bronze mirror.

That bronze mirror was a Demon-Subduing Magical Artifact bestowed by the Qingcang Sect, specifically designed to counter residual souls and fierce spirits.

The bronze mirror shone a golden light onto Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's residual soul.

The residual soul, as if scorched by raging fire, began to emit puffs of black smoke.

Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's howling grew weaker and weaker.

His face shifted from malevolence to fear, and then from fear to pleading.

"Spare me! I am willing to serve you as my Revered Master!"

Chen Xuan remained unmoved.

"When you slaughtered millions of Mortals in the Xia Dynasty, did you ever spare them?"

He raised his hand and pointed, and the final remnant of the Sword Qi's intent exploded.

Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's residual soul was completely annihilated.

The blood river began to flow backward, surging into the ancient well.

The bones in the cavern, having lost the support of demonic power, crumbled into dust.

The Foundation Establishment Elder inside the bubble also fell to the ground.

He had passed out, but he was still alive.

Liu Lili hurried forward and fed him a Medicinal Pill to treat his injuries.

Daoist Heshan let out a long sigh of relief and bowed deeply to Chen Xuan.

"Fellow Daoist Yun Qi, if not for you, we likely would have all perished here."

Chen Xuan waved his hand.

"Let us search this place first."

"A Golden Core residual soul with three hundred years of accumulation—there must be more than just this."

Daoist Heshan's eyes lit up.

The three of them split up to search.

Chen Xuan walked toward the original location of the bone throne.

The throne was shattered, but the base remained.

He used his magical power to lift the base, revealing a hidden compartment underneath.

Inside the hidden compartment were three items.

A blood-colored Jade Slip.

A completely pitch-black lotus.

And a flame seed sealed inside a glass bottle.

Chen Xuan picked up the flame seed, his pupils slightly constricting.

Heavenly Fire!

An associated imagery!

Another imagery of Heavenly Fire.

This Founding Emperor Xie Yuan practiced the Dao of Blood and Fire.

The reason he was able to leave behind a residual soul was precisely because of the protection of this Heavenly Fire imagery.

Chen Xuan calmly tucked the flame seed into his Storage Pouch.

Liu Lili was tending to the Foundation Establishment Elder and did not notice this side.

Daoist Heshan was rummaging through the pile of bones and was also not paying attention.

Chen Xuan picked up the blood-colored Jade Slip again.

He probed it with his Divine Sense.

Inside it was recorded Founding Emperor Xie Yuan's cultivation method, the "Blood Fire Soul Refining Art".

This was a Demonic Path Cultivation Technique.

Using blood as a catalyst and fire as a furnace, one could refine one's own soul into a Blood Gu and hide it within the Bloodline of one's descendants.

As long as one descendant remained alive, one could resurrect through a blood sacrifice.

Chen Xuan sneered.

A twisted and Evil Path.

However, his insights into the Dao of fire did have some merit.

He stored the Jade Slip away as well.

As for the final black lotus, Chen Xuan did not recognize its origin.

But to be stored with such care, it was definitely no ordinary item.

He took that as well.

At this moment, Daoist Heshan returned, holding several Magical Artifacts in his hands.

"Fellow Daoist Yun Qi, these were dug out from the bones; they should have been left behind by the Cultivators who were devoured by Founding Emperor Xie Yuan."

Chen Xuan glanced at them.

Most were Medium Grade Magical Artifacts, and there was one Low Grade Spiritual Artifact.

He casually selected two items and let Daoist Heshan and Liu Lili split the rest.

Liu Lili shook her head and declined.

"I did nothing, so I have no right to share in these."

Daoist Heshan hurriedly said, "The two Fellow Daoists need not be modest. This achievement belongs primarily to Fellow Daoist Yun Qi; I merely tagged along."

Chen Xuan did not stand on ceremony.

He had always been this way.

What was his, he would not yield a single bit.

What was not his, he could not be bothered to reach for.

The three of them finished tidying up and searched the Foundation Establishment Elder once more.

After confirming nothing was missed, Chen Xuan set fire to the cavern.

The firelight illuminated his face.

That face, still bearing the youthfulness of a boy, was now filled with cold indifference.

Burn it all, burn it to nothing.

Leave no hidden dangers.

This was the experience he had gained from his two lifetimes of Reincarnation.

To be kind to an enemy is to be cruel to oneself.

The four of them exited the ancient well and returned to the ruins of Xiadu District.

The Foundation Establishment Elder slowly regained consciousness.

Seeing Daoist Heshan, he was first dazed, and then burst into tears.

"Junior Brother! I have failed the Sect!"

"I was imprisoned by that demonic person for three years, eroded by blood water day and night!"

"My Dao foundation is completely ruined!"

Daoist Heshan's expression turned gloomy.

This Senior Brother had been a Prodigy in his day; otherwise, he would not have achieved Foundation Establishment.

Now that his Dao foundation was ruined, his cultivation had fallen to Qi Refining, and it would be difficult to cultivate again.

"Senior Brother, it is good enough that you are alive." Daoist Heshan could only offer this comfort.

The Foundation Establishment Elder cried for a while, then suddenly looked up.

"Who slew that demonic person?"

Daoist Heshan pointed to Chen Xuan.

"It is Fellow Daoist Yun Qi of the Liuyang Sword Sect."

The Foundation Establishment Elder struggled to stand and knelt before Chen Xuan.

"I have no way to repay the grace of saving my life."

"If you have any commands in the future, I will not refuse, even at the cost of my life."

Chen Xuan helped him up, his expression indifferent.

He had heard these words too many times.

In his first life, he had saved many people.

But when he fell into misfortune, how many came to save him?

He had long ago stopped believing in things like human nature.

He now only believed in himself.

Only in the sword in his hand.

"Let us go. This matter is settled; we shall return to the Sect to report."

After Chen Xuan finished speaking, he was the first to transform into a streak of light and depart.

Liu Lili followed behind him, looking at his back.

For some reason, she felt that after her Junior Brother came out of seclusion, he had changed a great deal.

The previous him, while steady, still had a trace of youthful enthusiasm in his eyes.

Now, those eyes were as cold as a frozen pool.

She felt a pang of heartache.

And also a sense of unease.

...

Half a day later, Qingling Immortal City.

The three of them submitted the mission.

The Qingcang Sect deacon was shocked to hear that Founding Emperor Xie Yuan had been slain.

"A Golden Core residual soul? Could it be the founding ancestor of the Xia Dynasty, Founding Emperor Xie Yuan?"

Daoist Heshan nodded.

The deacon gasped.

"Founding Emperor Xie Yuan was a figure who, back in the day, was only one step away from achieving the Golden Core."

"After he died, the Qingcang Sect also sent people to investigate, but no abnormalities were found."

"I never expected he would leave behind such a contingency plan."

The look he gave Chen Xuan immediately changed.

"Fellow Daoist Yun Qi is truly worthy of being the Disciple of Master Chonghe."

"A Qi Refining Cultivator slaying a Golden Core residual soul—such a battle record is rare in the entire history of the The Three Sects."

Chen Xuan did not respond.

Such praise was best listened to and left at that.

To take it seriously would be foolish.

He was able to win this time entirely due to his Revered Master's Jade Talisman and the Sword Qi of Grandmaster Cangjian.

If it were up to him alone, facing a Golden Core residual soul would mean certain death.

But he would not belittle himself either.

Being able to summon Nascent Soul Sword Qi was also a testament to Chen Xuan's own ability.

Connections that one can utilize, and connections one can afford to use, are all part of one's strength.

The deacon distributed the mission rewards.

Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and Sect Contribution points—nothing was missing.

Chen Xuan also received an additional Guest Elder token from the Qingcang Sect.

"Should Fellow Daoist Yun Qi have any needs in the future, you may use this token to dispatch Inner Sect Disciples of the Qingcang Sect to assist you."

Only then did Chen Xuan smile.

This token was the truly good item.

"Many thanks."

He accepted the token and left Qingling Immortal City together with Liu Lili.

Just as they exited the city gate, they ran into an acquaintance.

Zhang Fan.

That Zhang Fan from the Southern Sky Zhang Clan.

It was he who had been shamelessly pursuing Liu Lili, though Liu Lili never paid him any mind.

Now, seeing Liu Lili and Chen Xuan walking side by side, his expression darkened instantly.

"Yun Qi, why are you here?"

Chen Xuan looked at him with a half-smile.

"Senior Brother Zhang, this is the territory of the Qingcang Sect."

"Why can I not be here?"

"On the contrary, why are you here?"

After saying this, Liu Lili also looked over with curiosity.