Chapter 12: Moonlight Extinction

Shu Yue stood in the bamboo grove for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, barely suppressing the panic screaming in her heart: ‘I’m doomed, the heroine seems off, and I’m even more off!’

She forced herself to regain control over her expression.

‘Calm down, Shu Yue, you’re a professional at staying alive. Strategically, disdain the enemy; tactically, take them seriously!’

‘The top priority now is to fix the skewed favorability, to nip this dangerous spark in the bud! Yes, starting tomorrow, I’ll be colder to Qing Wan, colder still, strictly business, keeping my distance!’

She took a deep breath, her aura colder than the moonlight, and turned back to Jinghong Hall.

The next day, at the break of dawn.

Qing Wan arrived early at the sword-training ground outside Jinghong Hall.

She had barely slept, her mind replaying her senior sister’s clumsy yet warm protection.

Then blushing and heart racing over her blurted-out ‘I like you,’ tossing and turning all night.

But in the end, all her tangled emotions solidified into a firm resolve to train harder, to never betray the Elder’s expectations!

Her small face carried unprecedented seriousness as she practiced the basic sword techniques, over and over.

Her movements were still clumsy but intensely focused, trying to recall the faint charm she glimpsed during yesterday’s grand competition.

Shu Yue appeared silently on the high steps before the hall, clad in white, aloof and ethereal.

She looked down at the diligent little figure below, her gaze complex.

‘Hmm… her attitude is earnest, her eyes determined. Not bad, not bad… Stop! Shu Yue, didn’t you agree to be colder? No praising!’

She deliberately restrained all emotions, her face covered with a frost thicker than usual, and slowly descended the steps.

Qing Wan sensed her presence, sheathed her sword, and bowed respectfully. “Elder.” Her voice carried excitement.

Shu Yue gave a faint “Hmm.”

Her gaze didn’t linger on Qing Wan, her tone flat, as if addressing an insignificant servant. “Today, water the spirit herbs in the eastern medicine garden of Jinghong Peak. No spells, do it by hand. Finish before noon.”

This was one of the most tedious, time-consuming chores, usually left to menial disciples.

Qing Wan froze, confusion flashing in her eyes, but she quickly lowered her head and replied respectfully, “Yes, Elder.”

She vaguely felt that today’s Elder seemed even more… distant and cold.

Was it because of her outburst and slip of the tongue yesterday?

‘Senior Sister… Is the Elder angry with me?’

Seeing Qing Wan’s dimmed yet still obedient gaze, Shu Yue’s heart felt a slight prick, as if stung by something.

‘…Am I being too harsh? She’s still young… No, I can’t soften! This is for survival, for her good, and for mine.’

Shu Yue steeled her heart, no longer looking at her, and turned to leave.

At that moment, a clear, warm, yet undeniably sharp voice came from beyond Jinghong Peak.

“Tianyan Sword Sect, Xie Liuyun, under my master’s orders, requests an audience with Canglan Sword Sect’s Fairy Luyue. Forgive my unannounced visit.”

The voice wasn’t loud but reached every ear in the peak clearly, showcasing refined cultivation control.

Shu Yue paused.

‘Tianyan Sword Sect? Xie Liuyun? That name… Was he in the original game?’

‘No, wait, there was a minor male supporting character, right? Called the ‘Gentleman Sword’? A prodigy in swordsmanship but low-key… What’s he doing here?’

Qing Wan also looked up curiously.

Beyond Jinghong Peak, amid the rolling sea of clouds, a young man stood with hands behind his back.

A gentle smile played on his lips, his eyes clear and bright, his aura harmonious yet faintly exuding an undeniable sword intent.

His cultivation was impressively at the mid-Golden Core stage!

He was like a piece of warm jade, yet within that jade lay astonishing sharpness.

Shu Yue’s divine sense confirmed his identity, her doubts growing.

Tianyan Sword Sect and Canglan Sword Sect were on decent terms, but not close. Why this sudden visit?

Without opening the peak’s protective array, she asked coolly through it, “Friend Xie, you’ve come from afar. What brings you here?”

Xie Liuyun smiled slightly, bowing gracefully. “I’ve long heard of Fairy Luyue’s ‘Luyue Sword Intent,’ peerless among our generation, and have admired it greatly.”

“Recently, I’ve gained some insights in my practice but hit a bottleneck. My master suggested that swordsmanship dilemmas might be resolved through sparring. Thus, I’ve come to trouble you, hoping to exchange a single sword strike to verify my learning. I hope you’ll indulge me.”

His tone was sincere and polite, his reason impeccable, making refusal difficult.

‘Sparring? With me? This wasn’t in the original plot! Is this because I climbed too fast and became the top of the younger generation, attracting trouble? I just want to lay low!’

Shu Yue’s heart churned with frustration, but her face remained cold. “I have no intention of sparring recently. Please return, Friend Xie.”

Xie Liuyun, expecting rejection, wasn’t fazed and kept smiling. “Please don’t refuse so quickly, Fairy.”

“I don’t seek to compete, only to gain insight from one sword strike. If you grant me this, win or lose, I offer three ‘Sword Heart Pills’ as a token of gratitude.”

Sword Heart Pills! Rare elixirs that purify a sword cultivator’s intent and enhance comprehension, priceless!

Even Shu Yue was tempted.

‘This Xie Liuyun, quite generous… and sincere?’

‘Sword Heart Pills… Good stuff!’

‘Maybe they could push me further?’

‘Or… help solidify that girl Qing Wan’s foundation?’

‘Bah! Why am I thinking of her again? But… just one strike doesn’t seem too bad? I could test my new move… and deter those scheming in the shadows?’

Shu Yue’s eyes flickered, her decision made.

She needed to show some strength to keep random challengers away from Jinghong Peak, and the reward was enticing.

Finally, she looked directly at Xie Liuyun outside the array, her voice still cold. “Fine. One strike.”

Xie Liuyun’s eyes lit up with joy and battle intent. “Thank you, Fairy!”

In a flash, Shu Yue appeared above the sea of clouds outside Jinghong Peak, facing Xie Liuyun from afar.

She didn’t fully activate the protective array, seemingly allowing those within the peak to observe.

Qing Wan instinctively ran to the edge of the training ground, watching the sky with nervous anticipation.

Chu Yi, alerted by the commotion, emerged from his temporary residence, gazing solemnly at the aloof figure in the sky he both revered and felt pressured by.

Even distant peaks had divine senses subtly sweeping over.

Xie Liuyun’s demeanor turned serious, his warm aura sharpening instantly.

He drew his life-bound sword, a radiant, righteous sword intent soaring like the sun, as if it could cleanse all evil—Tianyan Sword Sect’s supreme technique, the Haoran Sword Intent!

“Fairy, please!”

Shu Yue’s expression remained blank, not even drawing her life-bound spirit sword.

She merely raised her right hand, her delicate fingers pointing forward lightly.

With that simple gesture!

The world dimmed, the winds stilled!

As if the moonlight from the ninth heaven was drawn down, condensing at her fingertip!

A cold, lonely sword intent, carrying the momentum to sever all things and extinguish all laws, erupted!

Where the moonlight touched, all should bow, all laws should perish!

“Yuehua, Annihilation!”

Space itself silently tore, emitting a faint, teeth-gritting screech!

Xie Liuyun’s vast Haoran Sword Intent, before this cold, annihilating Yuehua Sword Intent, melted like snow under sunlight, collapsing rapidly!

He couldn’t even resist effectively, his sword intent, spiritual power, and even soul frozen and suppressed by that pure “annihilation” intent!

His calm smile vanished.

He thought the gap between them was slight, but it was a chasm!

The Yuehua Sword Intent easily broke through the Haoran Sword Intent, stopping just short of Xie Liuyun’s body, dissipating as if it never existed.

Yet a bead of cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

He had no doubt that if that strike had landed, he’d have no chance of survival!

The world fell into dead silence.

All probing divine senses retracted instantly.

Chu Yi’s pupils shook, his body trembling—not from fear, but from overwhelming excitement and reverence!

“Master! So powerful!”

On the training ground, Qing Wan watched, mesmerized.

Her mouth slightly open, her eyes filled with boundless yearning.

The cold, mighty strike imprinted deeply in her heart.

She also felt more clearly the vast, unbridgeable gap between herself and that figure.

Shu Yue slowly lowered her hand, as if she’d done something trivial.

She looked at the pale Xie Liuyun, her tone flat. “Any insights?”

Xie Liuyun took a deep breath, bowing deeply with utmost sincerity. “Liuyun… has been enlightened. Thank you, Fairy, for your guidance! This strike, I’ll never forget!”

With heartfelt gratitude, he presented a jade bottle, floating it to Shu Yue with spiritual power. “These are the Sword Heart Pills, a token of thanks.”

Shu Yue accepted without hesitation, nodding faintly. “Farewell.”

Without glancing at the stunned onlookers below, her figure turned into a streak of cold moonlight, returning to Jinghong Hall, fully activating the protective array to seal it off.

‘Done. Reward secured, deterrence maxed, perfect!’

‘Hmm… spiritual power drained a bit, need to meditate… As for that girl Qing Wan… that was cold, cool, and distant enough, right?’

‘She should understand the gap between us now, right?’

‘Yep, this move was solid!’ Shu Yue, satisfied, went into seclusion to meditate.

Unbeknownst to her, outside the hall, the girl stared at where she vanished, her small hands tightly clutching her clothes, her eyes burning even brighter.

That strike’s elegance had etched itself into her soul.

• Xie Liuyun gazed at the sealed Jinghong Peak, his expression complex, his heart stirred.

He turned to leave.

“This Fairy Luyue… is even more intriguing than the rumors.”