Naked Sword Art

Chapter 477: Wedding Gift

"Give me the waver."

Yu Hanlin hesitated for only a moment before obeying. His hands trembled as he reached into his sleeve and produced the Divination Waver, the golden paper shimmering with binding seals of fate. He handed it over cautiously, unable to predict what Xiao Fang might do next.

To his disbelief, Xiao Fang actually pressed his bloodied hand against the parchment. The Heavenly Fate sigils flared brightly for a moment before dimming — the contract was sealed.

Hanlin’s eyes widened. That blood... it wasn’t Xiao Fang’s. It was Liangcheng’s. But it was blood all the same. The Divination Waver had accepted it.

For the first time in the fight, Yu Hanlin felt his breath catch — a flicker of hope breaking through the haze of fear.

’He signed it...? Then... does this mean... I survived?’

He swallowed hard, watching as Xiao Fang began walking toward him, each slow step echoing louder than thunder. His legs refused to move.

When Xiao Fang finally stopped beside him, the air grew still.

Then, with terrifying calm, Xiao Fang patted him on the shoulder — almost gently.

"As per the waver," he said, his voice quiet but heavy enough to crush mountains, "you have four hours."

He turned away, his final words lingering like a death sentence.

"You should get moving."

Slowly, Yu Hanlin loosened his grip on Xun Wei, his hand trembling as he backed away. For a brief moment, their eyes met — hers filled with defiance, his with fear.

Then, without another word, he turned and bolted, his body flashing with golden light as he vanished into the distance.

He didn’t look back. He didn’t dare.

Not even to retrieve the bodies of his fallen comrades.

Xiao Fang exhaled quietly as he watched Yu Hanlin retreat, a faint sigh escaping his lips — part relief, part restraint.

The Divination Death Waiver had bound their fates together; Xun Wei’s life and Hanlin’s were now one. If either of them died, the other would follow.

That meant if Hanlin had chosen to attack, Xiao Fang couldn’t retaliate — killing him would mean killing Xun Wei as well.

But Xiao Fang’s killing intent still lingered in the air like a storm refusing to fade. It was too sharp, too suffocating, too real to be mistaken for a bluff. Even with Xun Wei’s life tethered to his own, Yu Hanlin didn’t dare test it.

The truth was, after everything he experienced here today, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he hoped he’d never cross paths with a monster like Xiao Fang ever again.

"Is it over?" Xiao Hei asked softly, her body shrinking back to its human form, tattered clothes fluttering in the dying wind.

"Mn. It appears so," Xiao Fang replied calmly, his voice low and composed.

He turned and began walking toward Yu Shenyi’s lifeless body. Even after all the chaos, his steps were steady, deliberate — the calm after a storm.

He knew a Heavenly Realm cultivator would never travel empty-handed, and sure enough, a quick glance at the corpse confirmed his suspicion.

Xun Wei watched quietly as Xiao Fang crouched beside the body, rummaging through Shenyi’s belongings.

"Hm? What did you find?" she asked curiously.

Xiao Fang’s lips curved into a faint, handsome smile.

"It appears I’ve found a nice little wedding gift for Li Lian."

"Wedding gift?" Xun Wei blinked, tilting her head. "But your clothes are ruined, we spent so much time on it."

Before she could say more, Xiao Hei suddenly leapt onto her shoulder, eyes sparkling.

"I wanna see! Show me, show me, show me!" she chirped eagerly.

Xiao Fang chuckled lightly and slipped the items into his pocket.

"You’ll see them when the time is right," he said with a teasing smile.

"Tch. We fought so hard, and we didn’t even get a reward?" Xiao Hei huffed, crossing her arms.

Xiao Fang patted her on the head. "You can take whatever you find from Yu Liangcheng’s corpse. I’ve already checked — there’s a few trinkets left."

In an instant, Xiao Hei’s eyes lit up like a child handed candy.

"Okay!" she said, bounding off toward the other body with renewed enthusiasm.

Meanwhile in the distance, Yu Qiuyan’s heart pounded. The smell of blood still clung to the air, the clouds above faintly glowing with the remnants of Xiao Fang’s lightning.

She could hardly breathe. He had done it.

One man — no, one monster — had just defeated two Divine Realm cultivators and a Heavenly Realm practitioner from the Heavenly Fate sect.

The earth itself seemed to bow under the weight of what had just occurred.

’Big Brother... you were right,’ she thought, her eyes trembling as she gazed at the man standing amidst ruin and thunder. ’There truly is a hidden dragon within the Black Paradise Sect... and he’s not just any dragon (genius), but a Long Wang (Dragon King).’

The storm above finally began to break. Rain fell — soft, slow, cleansing.

Xiao Fang stood motionless, the drizzle washing the blood from his face and torso. His hair clung to his skin, his breathing steady, eyes still sealed shut.

"Where is Li Xiang?" Xiao Fang asked.

Xiao Hei and Xun Wei both looked at him with a confused look. If there was anyone that could know where someone was, Xiao Fang was that person.

Xiao Fang opened his hands, "It’s the rain, it messes with my hearing," he explained.

Xun Wei pointed toward the forest. "Xiao Hei hid her there before the fight started."

Without another word, Xiao Fang started walking in that direction. The rain had eased to a light drizzle by then, and the ground was soft beneath their feet. Xiao Hei rested on Xiao Fang’s back while Xun Wei rested in his arms.

Xun Wei’s voice eventually broke the silence,

"I’m sorry, I let him capture me."

Xiao Fang could understand how she felt, but truthfully it’s a miracle she lasted as long as she did against. Thinking about it, it should have been impossible, unless she discovered how to evade fate faster than he did.

Xiao Fang smirked at the realization,

’Clever girl.’