Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 199 - The Cursed Sword (2)

When the disciples of the Huanyang Sect arrived here, the cultivator named Zheng Qing drew this sword. This act greatly boosted his qi, but he was also consumed by the sword’s influence, killing his own fellow disciples. After coming to his senses and unable to face the sins he had committed, he chose to end his life here and left a warning on the wall.

Although the warning was not very clear.

As mentioned in Zheng Qing’s letter, it seemed that the junior disciple left behind above the ground had learned about everything that happened underground through some channel. In haste, he sealed this place along with the giant tree to prevent the Wuyou Sword from reappearing in the world.

“I remember now, I remember now!” Men Dong shouted. “Huanyang Sect, I recall Master once said that the sect originally had several talented individuals highly regarded in the cultivation world, but they disappeared during a trial. Seven went, and only one junior disciple returned. Afterward, the sect fell into decline. It turns out they didn’t just disappear, they perished here!”

“Not just that!” Gu Baiying said with a serious expression. “The owners of the spiritual tools outside are likely all dead under this sword.”

Since their arrival, whether it was the spiritual weapons covered on the Sacred Tree, the scattered spirit weapons encountered in the cave, or the towering Sword Mound before them, it seemed that the owners of these spiritual weapons met the same fate as the Huanyang Sect disciples. Either they were consumed by the Wuyou Sword and merged with it, or they were killed by the sword, with no remains left behind.

“Who forged such a sword?” Tian Fangfang complained while dodging Meng Ying’s sword strikes. “In all these years of the cultivation world, I’ve never heard of a sword that not only takes away people’s wisdom but also slaughters indiscriminately. The swordsmith must be from the Demon Clan. What kind of proper person would forge such a sword! ‘Worry-Free’? It should be called ‘Heartless,’ ‘Ignorant,’ ‘Lawless!’ The Demon Clan truly deserves to die!”

Zanxing: “…”

“Martial Uncle, I’m struggling,” Mu Cengxiao said with difficulty. His God-Slaying Blade had been suppressed and could not exert its original power, and Meng Ying, being one of the top sword cultivators of the Taiyan Sect and an outstanding swordsman in the Duzhou cultivation world, was further empowered with the Wuyou Sword. Mu Cengxiao is no match for her.

“This sword is still channeling qi into Meng Ying. Once enough power is infused, Meng Ying will become completely part of the sword spirit and will kill everyone here,” Gu Baiying ordered. “Cut off her connection with the sword!”

However, the qi in the sword seems endless. No matter how much they striked, they could not sever the connection with Meng Ying. Sweat dripped from Tian Fangfang’s forehead. “Martial Uncle, it’s no use. The sword has absorbed too many people. We simply can’t fight back!”

Not only that, but Meng Ying had been increasingly affected by the Wuyou Sword. She had barely been able to control herself before, but now, her sword strikes had become more and more brutal, showing no mercy and aiming directly at her fellow disciples’ vital points.

Yet they could not afford to go easy on Meng Ying.

On one hand, there was concern, but on the other, every move was increasingly ruthless, making the situation extremely dire.

Zanxing had to protect Men Dong while trying to prevent Meng Ying from suddenly attacking their side, which put her in a passive position. She couldn’t help but think: This sword seemed to be made for killing, without even a sheath, suggesting that once it appeared, it would not stop until every last person was dead. Did the swordsmith know this from the beginning and intentionally leave out the sheath? Was the swordsmith from Yuezhi Kingdom, Chai Sang, really an ordinary person?

If he were truly ordinary, how could he forge such an evil sword?

As she pondered this, the Xiao Yuan Pearl in her chest suddenly shifted.

It had started with a slight movement, then gradually became active like a beast awakening from sleep. The flames burning inside grew larger and more intense, and an uncontrollable impulse radiated from her chest.

This was… desire.

Zanxing abruptly looked at Meng Ying.

From the tip of the Wuyou Sword, strands of sword light emitted a beautiful silvery-white glow. It wasn’t sword aura or sword intent; it was a continuous flow of qi, perhaps containing something else within it, attracting the Xiao Yuan Pearl closer.

The Xiao Yuan Pearl was a gem born for power. It could absorb qi as well as release it. Zanxing didn’t know its limits. Since learning that the pearl was an artifact from the Demon Realm, she had been reluctant to use it unless absolutely necessary because she didn’t know what price she would have to pay.

It was said that the Demon King Gui Diaotang had undergone a drastic change in temperament after acquiring the Xiao Yuan Pearl. Although her cultivation level was far below that of the Demon King, she wasn’t sure if she could control it.

But the Xiao Yuan Pearl had its own intentions.

At this moment, Zanxing found herself unable to control her actions, and she walked towards Meng Ying step by step.

Men Dong was the first to notice something was wrong and grabbed Zanxing’s hand. “What are you doing?”

Zanxing’s Panhua Staff had originally cracked in two while confronting the Mirage Woman. Although it had been temporarily repaired after returning to the sect, it was still not as good as before. Among their group, she had the lowest cultivation level, and it was not wise to forcefully confront Meng Ying.

Zanxing said, “I know what I’m doing,” while shaking off his hand.

Men Dong couldn’t hold her back, and in the next moment, Meng Ying’s gaze shifted. She seemed to notice Zanxing’s approach and lunged at her with her sword.

Gu Baiying’s eyes widened in shock as he turned his spear towards her, shouting, “Yang Zanxing!”

Meng Ying was the future leader of the Taiyan Sect. Contrary to her beautiful and aloof appearance, her swordsmanship was fierce and her killing intent was chilling. Even the senior uncles of the Taiyan Sect struggled against her. Dealing with someone like Zanxing was far too easy.

Yet, Zanxing was the one advancing recklessly, clearly seeking death.

“Junior Sister!” Tian Fangfang exclaimed.

The distance was too close; it was too late to save Zanxing. Meng Ying’s sword tip was right before her eyes. The closer she got, the more Zanxing could feel the beautiful Wuyou Sword, whose sword aura was in stark contrast to its smooth exterior—cold, rigid, and filled with demonic energy.

“Could it be…” Zanxing murmured.

Mimi let out a sharp scream.

Suddenly, the cave was filled with a blinding light.

The anticipated tragedy did not occur. The swirling qi wrapped around the sword’s tip, clinging to it like butterflies lingering on spring wildflowers, reluctantly parting. The wisps of energy flew from one pair of hands to another.

Zanxing’s hand grasped the sword hilt.

She and Meng Ying simultaneously held the sword.

“Zanxing!” Gu Baiying tightened his grip on the Xiu Gu spear and struck fiercely at the sword hilt. With a bang, the spear tip was deflected.

“The Wuyou Sword… has chosen a new master,” Mu Cengxiao murmured.

The qi of the Wuyou Sword had originally been connected to Meng Ying. Now, that power flew towards Zanxing’s hand instead. The silvery-white light continuously flowed into Zanxing’s body. No, it wasn’t so much flowing into her as it was Zanxing actively absorbing the qi.

Meng Ying’s initially stiff and vacant expression gradually began to regain its clarity. The qi she had been forcibly absorbing was being withdrawn, and the intelligence she had lost was returning until the long sword completely separated from her.

Meng Ying had escaped disaster.

The Wuyou Sword had chosen Zanxing as its master, or more precisely, its host.

Men Dong, seeing this, suddenly began to wail. He cried out, “This fool, even if she wanted to save Senior Sister Meng, there was no need to use such a method. Yang Zanxing must have thought that Senior Sister Meng’s cultivation was too high. If she merged with the Wuyou Sword, we might not be able to defeat her in battle. But Yang Zanxing is different. Her cultivation is low, and even with the Wuyou Sword in hand, she couldn’t become invincible overnight. We could easily kill her… Wuwu, Yang Zanxing wants us to kill her, sacrificing herself to help us! How foolish! Even though she hasn’t been with us long and is not very likable, and even took the Qinchong seed from Martial Uncle, causing Martial Uncle’s spiritual veins to remain incomplete, if she really died, we’d still be sad. Wuwu…”

Zanxing said, “…Can you please be quiet?” Who wanted to sacrifice themselves for others? Who wanted to die? She was currently under the control of the Xiao Yuan Pearl and couldn’t release it. The pearl, upon seeing the Wuyou Sword, was as excited as a cat sniffing blood. Even though Zanxing had been with the pearl for so long, it was the first time she had seen it so excited.

“Yang Zanxing,” Gu Baiying approached, his youthful eyes showing a restrained emotion as he said in a hushed voice, “Who told you to make such a decision on your own?” He suddenly withdrew his  spear and grabbed Zanxing’s hand. “Give it to me!”

He intended to replace Zanxing with himself.

But in the next moment, a blinding white light suddenly erupted from the Wuyou Sword, forming a barrier of qi that enveloped Zanxing and threw Gu Baiying back.

He stumbled back a few steps, steadying himself, and looked forward with a mix of shock and anger. The sword had enveloped Zanxing, isolating them from the others.

“What’s going on?”

Zanxing was equally bewildered.

The qi from the Wuyou Sword continuously surged into her body. This power seemed to carry special emotions: panic, fear, coldness, killing intent, and hatred. For an ordinary person, having such a multitude of emotions flood into their mind in an instant would cause mental collapse, even if their spiritual veins didn’t burst.

However, the Xiao Yuan Pearl absorbed all of it.

It actively absorbed the qi as if it were an endless abyss, greedily consuming everything, including the emotions contained within. Zanxing felt as if she were immersed in a sea of qi, with no discomfort at all.

Perhaps it was just her illusion, but she felt that the sword in front of her seemed a bit sorrowful.

Sorrowful?

An unusual sensation suddenly came from her fingertips. Zanxing looked down and saw the pitch-black ring given to her by the Snake Shaman. It had begun to wriggle gently. The ring had transformed into a small black snake, about the length of her little finger, which flicked its tongue and slithered into the hilt of the Wuyou Sword.

This was the ring given to her by the Snake Shaman, which contained a trace of the Shaman’s spiritual consciousness and had the power to read minds. Zanxing had never used the ring, finding it impolite to pry into others’ thoughts, but she hadn’t expected it to activate on its own here.

But did a sword have memories too?

What had it seen?