Chapter 663 - 314: Worth the Pain

He squeezed out astonishing strength from his body, just about to flee, but he didn’t expect someone to arrive faster than the Fire Armadillo!

It’s You Su!

Ming Dao watched, dumbfounded for a moment, as You Su was chased by the blood-red mouth behind him. He really couldn’t understand, what was You Su rushing over for? Was he not afraid of being eaten!

You Su’s muscles were pulsating like thunder, as if countless hearts were beating simultaneously. His spirit platform spun rapidly, with the liquid Profound Qi accumulated in it boiling, bringing him extraordinary strength in both spirit and flesh.

You Su’s mind was blank, fully focused on wielding the Mo Song Sword in his hand. It was the simplest sword move, yet all people could perceive was a shadow of darkness, resembling a tear in space.

You Su seemed to recall facing Mr. Ling; during that moment, as he was now, only one thought crossed his mind—kill the person before him.

Don’t Be Afraid Sword Intent fears neither the road ahead nor those who pursue vengeance.

Ming Dao couldn’t even muster the will to lift his sword again because he felt it was pointless; he could block You Su, but he couldn’t block the giant mouth behind him.

He was undeniably doomed to die.

Dust rolled back, Sword Qi soared to the sky, seeming to annihilate everything as it thundered onto the ground.

A thousand miles away, in Qiming Sect.

A refined middle-aged man held the extinguished Life Plate in his hand and then crushed it into powder.

Celestial Awakening Island possesses Restriction Techniques against transmitting sound and messages, but the Life Plate can bypass all worldly restrictions because its creation is particularly complex, with extremely stringent requirements, and is exceedingly costly.

From the moment a Life Plate is made, it becomes akin to an innate organ of the connected person. When the person dies, the plate extinguishes, infallibly.

The middle-aged man looked out of the pavilion; lines of rain merged into a white curtain of water, resembling the heaven weeping.

...

"These eyes love to see what shouldn’t be seen... they should go blind..."

You Su felt a hand slowly cover his blurred vision, and moments later, his world turned pitch black, like void.

Yet, it had been a long time since he’d last seen the dark void like when he was a child; he had acquired the Taisui, the True Lord, and reached higher realms where light could pierce through this void, allowing him to vaguely see the contours of the world.

He even felt that the days when he could rely on his original eyes to see were near. Why was it now returning to darkness?

He woke abruptly, cold sweat covering his back.

Luckily, there was light in his vision, and even with his nearly nearsighted prowess, he could discern it was a burning fire.

Instantly, a weight was lifted from his heart, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

It turned out that the darkness just now was because he closed his eyes...

That elderly sigh vanished slowly from his memory, like a basket of water unable to be scooped up.

"You’re awake?"

A gentle, melodious female voice arose, bringing You Su back from his trance.

He immediately discerned it was Ji Xueruo’s voice.

In the dimly lit cave, the fire crackled and snapped.

You Su wanted to respond but suddenly found any movement in his throat was severely painful, and not just his throat—his entire body was in such a state that he couldn’t make any sound.

However, it wasn’t his first time experiencing this sense of exhaustion after overexertion, he had grown accustomed to such fatigue.

On Ji Xueruo’s flawless fairy-like countenance, there was less of the proud nobility, and more a gentle tenderness. She seemed to know what was on You Su’s mind:

"You’ve been asleep for nearly a day, we’re already safe, hiding in a stone cave which I personally guarded with an array; it’s relatively secure for now."

You Su responded with some painful murmurs, and she answered, "It was Ao Yunlie who saved you. Of course, I played a part as well. When the Fire Armadillo saw Ming Dao was dead, it didn’t go for you but burrowed away again. Last night’s commotion was too great, drawing more and more people. I used a technique to take you away first."

You Su furrowed his brow, the maiden kneeled on the ground, unable to help rubbing her eyes. That desperate strike was interrupted last night, leaving her body in poor condition, unable to clear her meridians, but she was patient with You Su:

"Ao Yunlie said, the Fire Armadillo loves earth and fire, but detests water. It seems Ming Dao’s deployment of Rain Listening Sword Intent gathered too much water Qi, forcing the Fire Armadillo out, which explains why the Fire Armadillo hated Ming Dao so much."

"Then... where is he..." You Su struggled to squeeze out a few words.

Though he was extremely weak, he couldn’t help but raise the end tone, exuding an aura of relentless determination.

Ji Xueruo’s lips pressed lightly, her eyelashes trembled, "He died. You probably blacked out after that sword strike, unable to distinguish the enemy’s life and death."

Upon learning the news, You Su’s frown deepened. He forcibly clenched his fist, expressing dissatisfaction, but inevitably started coughing.

"You’re not satisfied even after you killed him?" Ji Xueruo quickly helped You Su breathe, her hidden worries now evident.

"I couldn’t... see with my own eyes..." You Su managed to squeeze out those words.

The maiden’s motion paused, and who knows what she thought. After a long while, only a soft murmur echoed:

"How can a blind man see... you don’t know the impact this will have. If Ming Dao was eaten by the Fire Armadillo, I’d feel less resentful. But you had to kill him first, and now many have witnessed it...

He had two followers who tore their invitations upon seeing that scene. Now, we’re inside the island, they’re outside, and we have no means to control what they’ll say about you. Qiming Sect and Profound Sky Sect have never been perfectly harmonious, given their rivalry for being the top sect, and you’re associated with the Demon Race. The reason for killing him... all in all, killing him will entangle a series of issues; your strike could ignite a flame."

This maiden, long accustomed to brevity, now spoke endlessly to the youth, her tone interwoven with complaints, sounding like reproach towards You Su and herself. Little did she know, her words would soon turn prophetic tonight.

Yet You Su curved his lips, cracks appearing with a hint of blood oozing out, silent, merely moving his lips.

Ji Xueruo could tell; it was something he had said before:

He wants you to kill; I must kill him.

"Blame the Fire Armadillo; when I transformed into my original form, that move wouldn’t necessarily be inferior to his Rain Listening Sword Intent, yet it had to emerge and disrupt my duel with him...that Ming Dao was shameless too, accusing others of sneak attacks while he plays dark tricks. Otherwise, would you have had the chance to be a hero?"

Ji Xueruo pursed her red lips, seemingly resentful giving You Su a glance.

"Good... Armadillo..." You Su forced a smile.

The maiden sighed, placing her hand on her forehead, feeling helpless about the youth’s immaturity. Hero saving beauty—a cliché scenario indeed.

"You don’t presume that after hero saves beauty, there must be a promise of love?"

The girl teased mercilessly, her soft lips remaining the only hardened thing about her.

The Fire Armadillo’s appearance was too striking, preventing anyone from noticing the hidden Ming Dao, who continued to brew his sword stance, herself included.

Yet, someone saved her just in time, this blind person, though unable to see, as if in his world only you existed, directing all his focus on the potential danger you might face.

Does this world have another person like this?

This sword broke through the sword rain, cut through the night, and shook the restraint she had accumulated over more than two hundred days.

The responsibility on her shoulders, the shackles of identity, the barriers of race... Ji Xueruo suddenly felt so weary, eyelids drooping, envious of her carefree sister.

You Su exerted effort and moved his finger, lightly hooking onto the maiden’s delicate little finger.

The light flickered; the shadows of the youth and maiden were linked through their connected fingers on the wall.

Ji Xueruo’s snowy neck flushed a faint pink hue, her eyes drooping, yet she did not withdraw her hand. Since the youth woke, she had been fighting off fatigue that surged like a tide.

Her condition was not better than You Su’s.

The moment passed quickly, as she inclined into You Su’s embrace, breathing evenly.

You Su felt the pressure intensely but endured, brushing the maiden’s hair, thinking the pain was worthwhile.