Chapter 14513 The Death of the Red Maiden
Chapter 14513 The Death of the Red Maiden
Upon seeing this, the white-haired old woman who had been waiting there hurriedly opened her palm. The jade talisman burst into flames the moment it touched her hand. Her intermittent voice pierced through the flames, carrying the terror and despair of someone on the verge of death: "No..."
With just these two words, it abruptly ended, and the jade talisman turned into ashes and vanished.
"Not allowed?" The old woman frowned, pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, "We must not underestimate her! This Moon Maiden doesn't seem so formidable after all!"
A sinister smile appeared on her face. She turned and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the sea of clouds. Her robes billowed up in countless streams of color. Clearly, she was going back to report to the higher-ups of the Holy Temple.
On the desolate plain, the red-clad woman's body lay quietly in the yellow sand, her eyes wide open, still filled with lingering resentment and disbelief.
Chunxiao shook her head and murmured softly, "Forcing it out has exhausted my life force. I'm afraid I'll have to sleep for several more months."
Immediately, she waved her jade hand, and the red-clad woman's corpse was enveloped in a white light, disappearing into the wasteland along with her figure, leaving only dark red bloodstains on the ground, which gradually dried in the wind.
In this land of heaven and earth, everything is renewed.
Today, this place is home to numerous forces, including the Divine Light Clan, the Demon Heaven Sect, and the Black Emperor Sect, boasting a vast territory and immense power. However, everyone knows that the real crisis has yet to arrive. The colossal entity perched high above the Nine Heavens, the Silent Annihilation Temple, remains unexplored to this day.
Inside the main hall, Ling Xiao sat quietly in the main seat, his aura as steady as a mountain. Shangguan Yue and Lü Ning sat on either side below him, both with solemn expressions.
"Has there been any unusual activity at the Holy Temple recently?" Ling Xiao tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"Your Majesty, all is well within the Holy Temple's territory, with no signs of any military intervention," Shangguan Yue replied, her brows furrowed, a hint of doubt in her voice. "Too much calm is unsettling."
Ling Xiao nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Jiang Yue on the other side: "What about the Sword Sect? They said they were going to make a move three months ago, is there any news now?"
Jiang Yue shook her head slightly, looking helpless: "They completely disappeared three months ago, as if they had evaporated from the Silent Realm. Even our spies couldn't send back any news."
"They got away quickly." Ling Xiao chuckled, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "They probably knew the Holy Temple was not to be trifled with, so they hid to avoid trouble."
Shangguan Yue hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "Your Majesty, Ling Bi... there's still no news of her. Could something have happened to her?"
Mentioning the girl who had once gone to the Fallen Dragon Valley with Ling Xiao, everyone in the hall showed a slight change in expression, and a trace of worry flashed in their eyes.
Ling Xiao raised his hand and waved it, his tone resolute: "Don't worry, the Sword Sect will not harm her in the slightest. She is the core successor of the Sword Sect, and also an important pawn to restrain me. The Sword Sect is not foolish enough to cut off its own arm."
Before the words were finished, a clear and melodious sword sound suddenly came from outside the hall, like a dragon's roar breaking through the air, causing the beams and pillars of the hall to tremble slightly!
A petite figure stepped into the light, her skirt dusted with stardust, her face delicate yet bearing a touch of worldliness—it was none other than Ling Bi, who had not appeared for a long time!
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she walked straight up to Ling Xiao and, without a word, grabbed his sleeve: "Come with me!"
"Where to?" Ling Xiao asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ling Bi didn't answer, but pulled him outside. With their robes fluttering, the two figures transformed into streaks of light and disappeared into the horizon at the far end of the hall.
The people in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment. Lü Ning and Shangguan Yue looked at each other speechlessly, their eyes full of confusion.
……
Amidst the surging sea of clouds, two figures raced side by side, their swords flashing brilliantly, slicing through the sky.
Ling Xiao turned to look at the girl beside him, his tone tinged with helplessness: "What exactly happened? Why are you in such a hurry, without even saying a word?"
Ling Bi's clothes fluttered in the wind, her hair dancing in the breeze: "I'll take you somewhere."
"where?"
"You'll know when you get there."
Ling Xiao shook his head helplessly, his sword light becoming even more dazzling, and his speed increasing even further.
About an incense stick later, the two landed in a dense forest of ancient trees. The towering trees blocked out the sun, and sunlight could only filter through the gaps in the branches and leaves to cast dappled patterns of light.
The old man in the green robe, who had been waiting there, frowned slightly when he saw Ling Xiao. His expression clearly showed some displeasure, and his aura also revealed a hint of aloofness.
Ling Bi walked to Ling Xiao's side and whispered, "Come with me later. No matter what you see, don't do anything rash."
"What exactly is the matter?" Ling Xiao pressed again.
“Accept the legacy,” Ling Bi said succinctly.
What kind of inheritance?
"You will know when the time comes."
Ling Xiao turned to look at the displeased old man in the green robe, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Senior doesn't seem to welcome me very much?"
The old man in the green robe turned around with a flick of his sleeve, his tone indifferent: "Time is of the essence, set off immediately."
Ling Bi walked to Ling Xiao's side, her gaze resolute: "Once this matter is settled, I will return to the Overlord Empire. With such a powerful enemy at hand, how can I let you bear the burden alone?"
Watching the girl's resolute back, Ling Xiao felt a slight warmth in his heart. He knew Ling Bi's temperament well; she seemed charming but was actually calm and composed, and never shirked her responsibilities.
The three traveled to the edge of a desert, where the yellow sand stretched as far as the eye could see, and the howling wind whipped up the sand. Surprisingly, Ling Bi and the old man in the green robe walked on foot, not flying, as if they were following some kind of rule.
Ling Xiao couldn't help but ask, "Senior, how much do you know about the Temple of Annihilation?"
The old man in the green robe gazed into the distance, his tone indifferent: "I know a little bit."
"What exactly is the relationship between the Sword Sect and them?"
"A blood feud." The old man spoke succinctly, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
"Since they are sworn enemies, why doesn't the Sword Sect join forces with other powers to wipe them out?"
The old man snorted coldly, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Do you think the Temple of Annihilation is some clay chicken or earthenware dog that can be destroyed at will? It is a colossal entity that has been passed down for thousands of years, with unfathomable depths. Even the Sword Sect does not dare to easily wage a full-scale war against it."
Ling Xiao's expression turned serious, and his tone became solemn: "What exactly is the origin of this Silent Annihilation Temple? Why are all the various forces so reluctant to mention it?"
"So enigmatic?" The old man suddenly turned around, his gaze sharp as a sword, staring intently at him, his tone probing, "You are the greatest mystery of the Silent Realm!"
“Me?” Ling Xiao was taken aback.
"Indeed!" The old man nodded, his tone certain. "The founders of several ancient forces in the Silent Extinction Realm all have deep ties with you; behind you stands the Moon Maiden of unknown origin, whose background even the Sword Sect and the Silent Extinction Holy Hall cannot trace! A young cultivator who can influence half of the Silent Extinction Realm's forces, isn't that mysterious enough?"
At this point, the old man suddenly lowered his voice, his eyes sharp as swords, staring intently at Ling Xiao: "Tell me the truth, have you ever seen the founding patriarch of my Sword Sect?"
Ling Xiao was speechless for a moment, a look of bewilderment on his face. He didn't even know who the founder of the Sword Sect was, so how could he have "seen" him?
