Chapter 654 - 639: Divine Sword Celestial Cry, The Sealed Memory

Night fell, studding the sky with countless stars. The moonlight was as clear and tranquil as water.

The clamor on Cangxia Mountain had faded. Amid the vast, dark forest, the mountain wind howled ceaselessly.

Inside a grand hall with a double-eaved, hipped-gable roof, Xue Shiyin’s face was pale. She continuously formed Seal Techniques with her left hand over her right arm, trying to seal the Xue Family’s Holy Sword within it.

A group of Emperor Martial Realm powerhouses surrounded her, their faces etched with anxiety.

But aside from Chaos, all they could do was stare helplessly.

These cultivators, who were only in the Early Stage of the Emperor Martial Realm, were completely unable to interfere in the affairs of a Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert.

Chaos levitated in a cross-legged position, his hands forming a seal. He chanted a Heart Method, spitting out a stream of golden characters.

The characters formed a net that tightly bound Xue Shiyin’s right arm.

From within Xue Shiyin’s jade-white wrist, a tyrannical momentum capable of shattering mountains and overturning seas emanated, as if an Ancient Fierce Beast was about to break free. The hearts of Shark’s Kiss and the others nearby pounded in their chests.

"What are we going to do? How can we possibly restrain this Holy Sword?"

Nangong Yan exclaimed in a panic.

If the Xue Family’s Holy Sword broke free, the consequences would be just as disastrous as when the Celestial Demon Soul appeared!

Tantai Jingming and the others exchanged glances, their hearts filled with terror.

Just then, looks of joy appeared on everyone’s faces.

CREAK!

The large doors swung open, and Shen Lang and Shangguan Feiyue walked in.

While still at the doorway, Shen Lang pointed through the air, tapping seven times in the direction of Xue Shiyin’s arm.

With those seven simple taps, seven rays of Spirit Light sank into Xue Shiyin’s arm. The terrifying aura that had been surging wildly outward instantly vanished, as if it had never existed.

"Everyone, please step outside for now. I’ll handle things here,"

Shen Lang said calmly.

For someone of Shen Lang’s cultivation to say such a thing at a time like this was highly inappropriate. After all, his cultivation was only at the King Martial Realm.

Now, with the Holy Sword in Xue Shiyin’s arm in turmoil, powerful experts like Shark’s Kiss and Tantai Jingming could only watch from the sidelines.

They were completely unable to get involved.

Only Chaos, an expert from the Buddhist Sect at the Emperor Martial Realm Fourth Heaven, was qualified to help Xue Shiyin suppress the Holy Sword.

Yet, upon hearing Shen Lang’s calm words, everyone present let out a collective sigh of relief.

If Shen Lang said he could handle it, then he could handle it.

Chaos and the others nodded and promptly left, leaving Shen Lang and Xue Shiyin alone in the grand hall.

The moment they stepped out, the entire hall was instantly shrouded in a terrifying black mist, cutting it off from the outside world.

Duanmu Xie stood at the entrance like a silent, unmoving tree trunk.

Inside the hall, Shen Lang lifted Xue Shiyin’s arm and, as if giving a massage, tapped it gently a few more times.

A few more rays of Spirit Light entered her arm, and the raging Holy Sword within finally quieted down completely.

But then, Shen Lang’s movements faltered.

On Xue Shiyin’s fair arm, a small vermilion dot was startlingly conspicuous.

’Guardian Sand...’

This mark, which proved a woman’s virginity, made Shen Lang freeze for a moment.

That tiny Guardian Sand provided Shen Lang with a wealth of information.

’If Shiyin is still a virgin, then the Xue Family can’t have any of her direct descendants...’

’So after all these generations, why does Dingdang look so much like her they could be sisters?’

The current Xue Shiyin was the spitting image of a mature Xue Dangdang. If they stood together, anyone would mistake them for sisters.

Seeing Shen Lang staring at the Guardian Sand on her arm, Xue Shiyin’s face flushed a deeper and deeper red. She turned her head slightly to the side, unable to meet his gaze.

Shen Lang lowered her arm and sat beside her, his brow deeply furrowed.

For Shen Lang, the task ahead was in a strange place—neither difficult nor easy.

But if he had a choice, Shen Lang would rather face a Celestial Demon than deal with this...

Because he knew that what was sealed in Xue Shiyin’s arm wasn’t the Xue Family’s Holy Sword at all.

It was the War Emperor’s Lifebound Celestial Artifact!

One of the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts: the Divine Sword Celestial Cry!

Back in his day, the War Emperor had carried this very sword, sweeping across the world unrivaled!

In the end, however, he sealed the sword in Xue Shiyin’s arm, where it became known as the Xue Family’s Holy Sword.

When Shen Lang was threatened by the Celestial Demon Soul, Xue Shiyin, realizing how terrifyingly powerful it was, had no choice but to take a great risk and release the Seal, hoping to summon the Divine Sword Celestial Cry to slay it.

However, even though the War Emperor had removed his mark from the Divine Sword Celestial Cry, it still recognized him alone and refused to obey Xue Shiyin’s commands.

As a result, her sword strike had only been able to draw on a sliver of the Divine Sword Celestial Cry’s power.

Not only did she fail to slay the Celestial Demon Soul, but the loosened Seal allowed the Divine Sword Celestial Cry to sense the War Emperor’s aura on Shen Lang.

This caused the Divine Sword Celestial Cry to go berserk, frantically battering the Seal in an attempt to break free from Xue Shiyin’s body.

Shen Lang gazed at Xue Shiyin’s snow-white, jade-like arm, feeling a sense of unreality.

’Xue Shiyin probably guessed my identity as the War Emperor the very first time she met me.’

’And more recently, I even let it slip when I was teaching her the Undying Seal Technique...’

’But no matter what, as long as I don’t admit it directly, there’s still a thin veil between us.’

’She doesn’t ask, and I don’t tell. Our relationship could just continue on in this strange, ambiguous state.’

’But the current situation is critical. I have no choice but to face this final hurdle...’

’If I don’t do something about the Divine Sword Celestial Cry, Xue Shiyin will be in grave danger.’

’But even if I do act, my cultivation is too low. I can’t possibly reinforce the Seal!’

’The only solution is to release the Divine Sword Celestial Cry!’

’And once Celestial Cry is out, my identity as the War Emperor will be completely exposed to her.’

’Even though the War Emperor is my Split Soul, he’s still an independent one.’

’Since the one Xue Shiyin loves is the War Emperor, how am I supposed to face her? How do I even begin to handle this?’

"Is it that difficult?"

Seeing his brow tightly furrowed, Xue Shiyin couldn’t help but ask.

Her voice was incredibly gentle. Hearing it, Shen Lang’s heart stirred, and much of his tension melted away.

Shen Lang looked up at her and, after a long moment, said, "I... I’m not actually..."

"I’m a little tired. Could you just help me seal the Holy Sword as quickly as possible?" Xue Shiyin’s expression grew tense as she quickly cut him off.

This woman of supreme talent needed no explanation from him.

She had understood a great deal long ago.

"Oh."

Shen Lang responded stiffly.

Seeing the panicked look on Xue Shiyin’s face, Shen Lang fell silent for a moment before finally coming to a decision.

He let out a soft breath as his palm swept gently over Xue Shiyin’s arm, sending in a series of Spirit Techniques.

Then, he pushed up her sleeve, baring her entire arm.

As rays of Spirit Light entered her arm, an incredibly complex, net-like Spirit Array Map began to flicker into view upon her skin.

No one was more familiar with this Seal than Shen Lang.

His fingers danced across her arm like a pianist’s, moving swiftly and pressing down lightly.

In just fifteen minutes, the net-like Seal binding the Holy Sword completely disintegrated.

VMMMM!

With a soft hum, a streak of light shot out from Xue Shiyin’s arm.

A Longsword, radiating an unimaginably tyrannical aura, hovered before Shen Lang.

The Longsword was simple yet grand. A True Dragon was coiled around its length, its surface covered in dense, unfathomable runes that pulsed with mysterious power.

Divine Sword Celestial Cry shakes the four corners of the world, Heaven and Earth gasp in awe;

It strikes like furious thunder, then stills like the clear light on a tranquil sea!

"Brother... Brother, have you come back for Lian’Er?"

A young girl’s voice, tinged with both joy and sorrow, emerged from the Longsword.

The Longsword then wavered and transformed, a lovely young girl now standing before Shen Lang.

The girl glanced at Xue Shiyin and pouted. "Hmph. So the little girl from back then grew up this fast, huh?"

"..." Xue Shiyin was rendered speechless.

But how could she possibly argue with that?

’Back when the Holy Sword was sealed in my arm, I really was just a little girl...’

Seeing Xue Shiyin’s silence, the girl’s lips curled into a smug smile as she began to size up Shen Lang from head to toe.

The very moment the girl appeared, something seemed to shatter in Shen Lang’s mind.

A memory materialized out of thin air, and a torrent of information flooded his mind.

A memory sealed away by the War Emperor had finally been unlocked, as if by a key.

"Ngh!"

A sharp pain lanced through Shen Lang’s head, and he instinctively clutched it with both hands.

"Xiaolang!"

"Brother!"

Xue Shiyin and the girl cried out in alarm simultaneously.

Shen Lang staggered two steps back and sat down, looking at the girl before him with a strange expression.

A sealed memory had been broken. Countless fragments began to slowly coalesce into a complete picture.

Many of the mysteries from his past memories were finally being resolved.

’Chi Lian’Er, daughter of Chi Zunxin, a Qilin. During the great battle between her older brother, Chi Yanfeng, and her father, Chi Zunxin, against the Demon General Candle Dragon of the Demon God Hall... her physical body was destroyed by Candle Dragon. At the critical moment, the War Emperor arrived. He heavily wounded Candle Dragon, slaughtered the experts of the Demon God Hall, and then sealed Chi Lian’Er’s soul into his own Holy Sword, saving her life.’

Scene after scene flashed through Shen Lang’s mind like a film.

’So... the power behind Candle Dragon is called the Demon God Hall. And I was the one who killed Candle Dragon’s strongest clone...’

’The Qilin suppressed beneath Extreme Thunder Peak of the Profound Dao Sect... that’s Chi Lian’Er’s older brother, Chi Yanfeng!’

’No wonder. When I first joined the Profound Dao Sect, I thought it was strange. The Sect Protection Array had powerful defensive capabilities, but it was unconventional...’

’This Sect Protection Array wasn’t set up for defense, nor was it to suppress the Qilin. It was... to gather the world’s power of Supreme Yang and Firmness to heal Chi Yanfeng and eliminate the Demonic Qi from his body!’

Shen Lang said nothing, merely rubbing his temples forcefully.

There was so much information to process and accept...

P.S. There was a power outage in the entire area last night. It was a disaster; I kept waking up from the heat. I was supposed to post this Chapter after midnight but had to wait until morning. I got up early to edit, and the next Chapter is still being revised. I’ll post it in a little while.