188: Chapter 188 Three Swords Resolve Doubts

Midnight, Jingxin Cliff.

Moonlight like water spilled onto the cliff wall, which was as smooth as a mirror.

The bamboo forest rustled, as if whispering something in a low voice.

Li Changsheng walked up the familiar mountain path step by step.

Half a year ago, he had meditated on the sword here to break through his Bottleneck. Tonight, he had returned for another purpose.

At the top of the cliff, a white-haired figure was already waiting.

True Lord Three Swords stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant mountains, lost in thought.

The moonlight fell upon him, casting a long shadow.

Li Changsheng walked up behind him and bowed.

“True Lord.”

True Lord Three Swords did not turn around, only speaking flatly.

“You've come.”

He turned around and looked at Li Changsheng.

His gaze was as deep as an abyss, as if it could see through everything.

“Your gains during these six months of confinement have not been small.”

Li Changsheng knew he couldn't hide it and nodded. “I was fortunate enough to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Late-Stage.”

True Lord Three Swords nodded and said, “Not bad. But it's not enough.”

He paused, his gaze becoming even deeper.

“You came to find me to ask about the Blood Fiend Sect?”

Li Changsheng nodded. “Yes.”

True Lord Three Swords remained silent for a long time.

Under the moonlight, his white hair fluttered slightly, and the wrinkles on his face appeared exceptionally deep in the night.

He seemed to have aged ten years all at once.

Finally, he spoke.

“Do you know how the Blood Fiend Sect came to be?”

Li Changsheng shook his head.

True Lord Three Swords spoke slowly.

“Five hundred years ago, there was no Blood Fiend Sect in Yunzhou.”

“Back then, there was only a small Sect called the ‘Blood Cloud Gate’ that specialized in the Dao of blood refining, but they did not harm people, only taking the blood of Yao Beasts.”

“Though their Cultivation Techniques were heterodox, they acted uprightly and lived in peace with the various Sects.”

Li Changsheng listened quietly.

True Lord Three Swords continued.

“Later, overnight, the Blood Cloud Gate suddenly went mad.”

“Their Disciples killed everyone they saw, regardless of righteous or evil, old or young. That night, they slaughtered three villages and killed over a thousand people.”

“The various Sects were enraged and joined forces to suppress them.”

“The Blood Cloud Gate Disciples fought to the death. In the end, they were nearly wiped out, with very few survivors. The Sects also captured many prisoners, imprisoning and interrogating them for the reason.”

He paused, his voice turning low.

“But those survivors had all gone mad.”

“They only repeated one sentence: ‘It wasn't me, it wasn't me, someone harmed us.’ No one believed them.”

Li Changsheng's heart jolted.

“What happened then?”

True Lord Three Swords looked at him with a complex gaze.

“Later, those survivors were all executed.”

“The Blood Cloud Gate disappeared from then on, replaced by the name ‘Blood Fiend Sect’.”

“About three hundred years ago, the ‘Blood Fiend Sect’ suddenly rose to prominence, with a Nascent Soul Cultivator presiding over it.”

“At that time, the rift between the various righteous Sects of Yunzhou was great; they were wary of each other and no one attacked, allowing the ‘Blood Fiend Sect’ to develop.”

“They claimed to be Righteous Path Cultivators, but their Cultivation Techniques were deemed Demonic Techniques by other righteous Sects, and their Disciples were labeled as evil Cultivators. For three hundred years, everyone has called for their heads, to be killed on sight.”

Li Changsheng fell silent.

He thought of those ordinary Cultivators he met at Broken Stone Camp who were forced to Cultivate Demonic Techniques, and he remembered their eyes filled with fear.

They, too, were forced.

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and said slowly.

“Do you know the truth now?”

Li Changsheng looked up at him.

“The Blood Cloud Gate did not fall voluntarily.”

“Someone secretly poisoned them, manipulated their minds, and then framed them.”

True Lord Three Swords nodded.

Li Changsheng's fists clenched tight.

“Who was it?”

True Lord Three Swords was silent for a long time.

Then, he shook his head.

“I cannot tell you.”

Li Changsheng was stunned.

“Why?”

True Lord Three Swords looked at him with a deep gaze.

“Because you are too weak.”

Li Changsheng's heart sank abruptly.

True Lord Three Swords continued.

“That person is not someone you can deal with.”

“Behind him is a massive power with countless masters.”

“Your current strength is like an ant before him.”

“Knowing too much will do you no good. It will only bring disaster upon you.”

He looked at Li Changsheng, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes.

“Li Changsheng, you are a good child. I don't want to see you walk down that path.”

Li Changsheng fell silent.

He thought of Zhou Yuan's gaze before death, the figure of Elder Li Ran burning himself, and the Jinyang Sect Disciples lying in pools of blood.

He also thought of every step he had taken on this journey.

From Qinghe Town to the Qinglan Sword Sect, from the General Affairs Hall to being an Inner Sect Disciple, from the Qi Refining Stage to Foundation Establishment Late-Stage.

Every Breakthrough was exchanged for sweat, blood, and tears.

He would not stop.

“True Lord,” he spoke, his voice low but firm, “I will not give up.”

True Lord Three Swords looked at him and didn't speak for a long while.

Then, he took out a palm-sized jade talisman from his robe and handed it to Li Changsheng.

The jade talisman was emerald green throughout, carved with dense runes.

Li Changsheng had seen those runes before.

On the Blood Fiend Sect's command tokens, on the blade of the qingshuang sword, on the stone tablet of Jingxin Cliff, and on the stone tablet deep in the mine.

“This is a Protective Talisman,” True Lord Three Swords said. “At a critical moment, it can save your life.”

Li Changsheng took the jade talisman and felt a warm power emanate from it, refreshing his spirit.

“True Lord, this...”

True Lord Three Swords raised his hand to stop him.

“Don't ask. Just remember to keep it safe and do not use it unless absolutely necessary.”

He looked at Li Changsheng, his gaze becoming more solemn than ever before.

“Li Changsheng, remember this. Ling Cang's ambition is not limited to Yunzhou. What he wants is Yunzhou, Qingzhou, and even the entire Eastern Region. In the future, you will not be facing just him alone, but the massive power behind him.”

“First, you must increase your strength as quickly as possible. Foundation Establishment Late-Stage is far from enough.”

“You need Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, Golden Core, and even higher. Only then will you have the qualification to survive.”

Li Changsheng's heart jolted, and he solemnly cupped his fists.

“This Disciple will keep it in mind.”

True Lord Three Swords nodded and turned to look at the distant mountains.

Suddenly, he took out a Talisman Treasure from his hand.

“This is a Protective Talisman Treasure I obtained by chance; its defensive effect is quite good. I'll gift it to you for protection.”

Li Changsheng excitedly accepted the Protective Talisman Treasure.

“Thank you for the treasure, True Lord.”

“Go now.”

Li Changsheng looked at him, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He turned and walked down the mountain path.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

Under the moonlight, True Lord Three Swords' white hair fluttered in the wind like a solitary old tree.

He took a deep breath and continued forward.

Behind him, True Lord Three Swords' voice drifted over:

“Li Changsheng, no matter which path you take in the future, remember to guard your heart.”

Li Changsheng's footsteps paused, and then he continued forward.

In the night, his figure grew more distant, finally disappearing into the depths of the bamboo forest.

Returning to the Tool Storehouse, Li Changsheng lit a lamp and placed the Protective Talisman on the table.

The runes on the talisman flickered in the lamplight.

He then took out the Blood Fiend Sect Jade Slip, the Stone tablet rubbing he brought from the mine, and the qingshuang sword.

The four items were placed together.

Those runes were exactly the same.

Not similar.

Completely identical.

He stared at those runes for a long time, True Lord Three Swords' words replaying repeatedly in his mind.

The Blood Cloud Gate was poisoned and framed.

Ling Cang's ambition was not limited to Yunzhou.

Behind him was a massive power.

A terrifying suspicion gradually took shape in his heart.

Perhaps that mastermind was...

He didn't dare think further.

He carefully put those things away, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his breath and Cultivate.

Spiritual energy slowly circulated within his body, nourishing his Meridians and increasing his cultivation.

Foundation Establishment Late-Stage was only the beginning.

He wanted Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, he wanted Golden Core, he wanted to become stronger.

Strong enough to be qualified to seek the truth.

Strong enough to have the ability to protect the people he wanted to protect.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

In the distance, there were faint flickers of fire.

That was the fire of war, the fire of war that was about to ignite.

But he was not afraid.

Because he knew he was not alone.