Chapter Twenty-Eight: A World Bathed in Blood, the Broken Sword

I do not regret it!

If not for Xiyue, I would have died long ago and would not be standing here now. Looking at Xiyue, whose entire body was entwined with black shadows, I felt an indescribable ache in my heart. Although I knew these shadows might not threaten her life, I could clearly perceive the emotion on her face at this moment—helplessness, confusion, and pain.

I did not want to see Xiyue like this.

Just like how I once could not bear to see Su Ying shed tears.

“Master, my power is weak right now. I can only tell you what to do, but I cannot help you. Moreover, the Sword of All Living Things requires the blood of a divine descendant. After so many years, who knows what realm the gods have disappeared into? For Master to forge the Sword of All Living Things would be unimaginably difficult.”

“As long as there is even the slightest hope, I have to try. Tu, you can help me, can’t you?”

Tu nodded.

At this moment, the one who looked just like a child had become my only hope.

Lifting my head to gaze at the sky, I thought of all I had experienced in these past days. Perhaps this was what Chen Chuyi called “fate.”

The Immortal Lady had fallen into a deep slumber for my sake. Now, even Xiyue was slowly unlocking the seals on her body—all because of me.

The era Tu spoke of—the gods, the demons, the fiends, and the mortals—all of it seemed to urge me forward, to push me into a frenzy of cultivation, to practice true arts of yin and yang.

“Master, let’s go. We should head to the rooftop!”

Knowing that Xiyue was actually unharmed, only exhausting herself as she struggled to recall certain memories, I was able to put my mind at ease for the time being. I followed Tu straight up to the rooftop of the agency. The agency was only three floors high to begin with, and this street was always rather deserted. Most who came here did so for funerals or for exorcisms and ghost-banishment.

Tu instructed me to sit cross-legged, just as I had seen in meditation books.

“Master, concentrate, and begin to probe your own sea of consciousness!”

Under Tu’s guidance, I soon “saw” my own mental space—not blood vessels or brain matter, but a vast, limitless void. Within this emptiness, countless shadows flickered, indistinct and formless. Not far away, there floated a chubby little child—Tu himself.

Tu must have sensed my gaze, for he smiled softly and said, “Master, this is how you’ll explore rare treasures from now on. In our era, this was called Soul Introspection.”

I nodded, looking around like a child full of curiosity.

“Master, these worlds are all constructs of your subconscious. Every person’s sea of consciousness is different, depending on their experience and energy.”

“Master, we’re about to enter the Blood-Slaughter Array Diagram!”

I gave my assent.

As I prepared myself once more, Tu told me that in his era, this was the most basic of skills—anyone could do it. But one had to be extremely careful when exploring magical treasures, for many people would set terrifying prohibitions within them. These defenses could be highly aggressive; if triggered, the explorer’s soul would suffer attacks of varying severity, often with devastating consequences. Fortunately, the Blood-Slaughter Array Diagram I was about to enter had no prohibitions, for I was now its owner, my own blood infused within the diagram—this was my personal artifact.

Buzz!

Just as I calmed my mind, a sudden buzzing filled my head. I saw countless shadows before my eyes, and as I stepped deeper into the Blood-Slaughter Array Diagram, a thick scent of blood grew ever stronger. I could see within the diagram countless spaces, all awash in crimson light—even the very sky was tinged with blood.

“Master, don’t be afraid. No beasts will appear here. But you mustn’t lower your guard. Although I can control the diagram, over so many years, countless powerful entities have been bred within it. In the past, the Blood-Slaughter Array devoured countless cities and sects, and many formidable beings were trapped inside. Back then, I could control everything, but now that I am gravely wounded, if my heart were not the core of the diagram, the Blood-Slaughter Array would already have been taken over by those fearsome beings within. Now, countless terrifying presences remain—demons, monsters, and ghosts I once subdued and suppressed.”

I was speechless. I had thought that owning the diagram would let me slay demons and exorcise spirits without worry, but reality was far from so simple.

“Master, in my memory, there is an ancient broken sword within the Blood-Slaughter Array Diagram. Back then, the Elder of Yin and Yang said this sword was a relic from primeval times, surpassing even gods, demons, and fiends. But no one knew its origin. Even the Elder of Yin and Yang had no idea. The Emperor of Man once used his supreme arts to probe its past and present, but to no avail. All he could conclude was that it predated the gods and demons, perhaps even before all such beings.”

At this, my heart leapt—what a marvelous thing! I quickly asked Tu where this sword could be found. Tu smiled and pointed to a patch of crimson light not far away. “This sword is very strange—sometimes gentle, sometimes savage, always unpredictable. Master, be careful.”

I nodded, gazing at the blood-red space nearby. All seemed still and silent within, only faintly visible were mountain ranges shrouded in red mist and several dilapidated houses.

Step by step, I followed Tu toward the mountain.

As we walked, I found the ground beneath my feet had become smooth marble, and the entire space was suffused with a faint, bloody scent.

“Master, be careful. I sense a dangerous presence approaching!”

Again, I was speechless. Tu was supposed to be this artifact’s spirit, after all. Even if gravely injured, shouldn’t he still be able to sense everything in the treasure?

“Master, they’re here!”

As soon as Tu said this, I could only smile bitterly. Did he really need to tell me? Four or five figures now stood before me. Each looked perfectly human—one even had the appearance of a pale-faced scholar, holding a fan, exuding an air of cultured refinement.

“I didn’t expect a human to enter here. It seems today we can finally break free of the blood diagram’s control…” The pale scholar waved his fan, his voice icy cold.