Morning light filtered through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows on the bluestone floor. Yun Qingyu woke from his meditation and immediately looked toward the bed. Chu Yao was still fast asleep, but her complexion had regained its rosy hue, and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.
He gently took her hand, feeling the newly formed bond of life. Having shared half of his lifespan, he could now clearly perceive every heartbeat and every breath of Chu Yao, as if an extra part of himself existed as proof in this world.
"Mph..." Chu Yao's eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. Her newly awakened eyes were like black jade soaked in a clear spring, hazy and tinged with a trace of confusion.
"I... didn't die?"
Yun Qingyu's throat tightened, the worry of the past three days finally settling: "With me here, you won't die."
Chu Yao tried to prop herself up, but fell back onto the bed due to her weakness. Yun Qingyu hurried to support her, casually handing the prepared medicinal soup to her lips.
"Drink slowly."
The medicinal soup was bitter, but Chu Yao drank it as if it were sweet. When she put down the medicine bowl, her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait... I can feel..." She pressed her hand to her heart and looked at Yun Qingyu in disbelief, "Your heartbeat?"
The tips of Yun Qingyu's ears grew slightly warm as he briefly recounted Palace Master Hanyue casting the spell. Hearing this, Chu Yao's eyes instantly reddened: "You gave half your lifespan to me? Wouldn't that mean..."
"It was worth it." Yun Qingyu cut her off, his voice soft but firm.
Chu Yao gazed at him in a daze, then suddenly reached out and touched a striking strand of white hair at his temple—the external manifestation of the loss of lifespan. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and tears swirled in her eyes.
"Silly girl." Yun Qingyu caught her wrist and gently pulled it down. "If you hadn't fought to protect me, I would have been swallowed by the demonic energy long ago."
Before Chu Yao could say anything else, hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Elder Chu pushed the door open leaning on a walking stick; although his face was pale, his spirit was still good.
"Yao'er!" Seeing his daughter wake up, joy flashed in the old man's eyes, but then he put on a stern face again. "Nonsense! Who gave you permission to act on your own?"
Chu Yao shrank her neck and whispered, "Dad, I was wrong..."
Yun Qingyu tactfully stood up and took his leave, leaving the space to this pair of father and daughter. Stepping out of the room, he found that the Sword Pavilion disciples were all waiting in the courtyard, immediately surrounding him as he came out.
"Senior Brother Yun! How is Senior Sister Chu?"
"I heard you defeated True Lord Hanchi?"
"What on earth is inside the Jiuxiao Cold Moon Palace?"
Amidst the babbling questions, Yun Qingyu caught a key piece of information: the sect had publicly declared that True Lord Hanchi was a demonic cultivator who had been lying low for many years, while not a single word was mentioned about the Jiuxiao Cold Moon Palace.
"Senior Sister Chu is already out of danger," he briefly replied. "Wait for the elders to announce the details."
Just as he was speaking, a purple-robed deacon hurried over: "Yun Qingyu, the acting sect master requests your presence!"
The Sword Pavilion disciples' expressions changed drastically at these words. Ever since Xuan Xiaozi revealed his true form, the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak had been acting as the sect master, and this man had always been on bad terms with the Sword Pavilion.
"I'll go with you." Lin Xiaofan's senior brother Zhao Han stepped forward.
Yun Qingyu shook his head. "No need. Take good care of Chu Yao." With that, he left with the deacon, feeling a secret vigilance in his heart. After the Fate Pact was forged, his cultivation had dropped to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and right now was definitely not a good time for a conflict.
The Heavenly Sword Peak grand hall was solemn and majestic. Acting Sect Master Xuan Lingzi sat high on the main seat, flanked by elders from various peaks. The moment Yun Qingyu stepped into the hall's entrance, he felt several strands of spiritual sense sweep over him, one of which was exceptionally sharp—coming from the purple-robed elder sitting beside Xuan Lingzi.
"Disciple Yun Qingyu pays respects to the acting sect master and all the elders." He cupped his fists in a salute, neither servile nor overbearing.
Xuan Lingzi's expression was cold. "I hear that you and Chu Yao secretly investigated the forbidden grounds and caused a great disaster?"
Yun Qingyu sneered inwardly, but on the surface he said respectfully, "This disciple was ordered to investigate the whereabouts of True Lord Hanchi, but mistakenly entered the secret realm, and fortunately received Elder Chu's rescue."
"Nonsense!" the purple-robed elder shouted sternly. "It's clearly you who colluded with demonic cultivators with the intention of destroying the seal!"
Yun Qingyu recognized this as Xuan Mingzi, the law enforcement elder of Heavenly Sword Peak, who had targeted the Sword Pavilion everywhere in his past life. Just as he was about to retort, a cold female voice suddenly came from outside the hall:
"Elder Xuan Ming is quite mistaken."
Chu Yao stepped into the hall in a white dress; although her complexion was still somewhat pale, her steps were steady. She first saluted Xuan Lingzi, and then said unhurriedly:
"If Senior Brother Yun and I hadn't stopped them in time, True Lord Hanchi would have already released the Demonic Lord's primordial spirit. My father can vouch for this matter."
Xuan Mingzi sneered, "Elder Chu has not yet recovered from his severe injuries; who knows if he was ambushed by the two of you?"
"Enough." Xuan Lingzi raised a hand to stop him. "This matter is of great importance and will be discussed after it is investigated. Yun Qingyu, I hear your cultivation has been severely damaged?"
Yun Qingyu's heart grew cold. The fact that the Fate Pact had caused his cultivation to drop was extremely secretive; how did the acting sect master find out?
"This disciple indeed has some minor injuries, but thank you for your concern."
Xuan Lingzi gave him a meaningful look. "In three days, the sect grand tournament will be held, and all core disciples must participate. You... had better take care of yourself."
Leaving the grand hall, Yun Qingyu immediately sensed someone following him. He deliberately took a detour to a secluded spot and suddenly turned around: "You've been following me all this way, you might as well show yourself and have a chat."
A disciple in blue robes stepped out from behind a tree—it was unexpectedly Lu Mingxuan, who hadn't been seen in days! Only this time, his gaze was sinister, and faint demonic energy lingered around his whole body.
"Junior Brother Yun is quite perceptive." Lu Mingxuan grinned, revealing white teeth. "I heard that to save that little bitch, you even threw away your cultivation?"
Yun Qingyu held his sword and remained silent. After the Fate Pact, his strength had indeed greatly decreased, but his sword dao comprehension from a hundred years in his past life remained, and if they really fought, he wouldn't necessarily lose out.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Lu Mingxuan became even more smug. "At the tournament in three days, I will personally test Junior Brother's high skills." He leaned in and whispered, "Rest assured, I won't let you die too painlessly... just like in your past life."
Yun Qingyu's pupils shrank. "You... remember your past life?"
"Surprised?" Lu Mingxuan laughed loudly as he walked away. "The gifts of the Tiansha Alliance are more than just these!"
Returning to the Sword Pavilion, Yun Qingyu immediately informed Chu Yao and her father of today's events. Hearing this, Elder Chu's expression changed drastically: "Lu Mingxuan is also a reborn person? This is troublesome..."
"What's more troublesome is that he seems to have defected to the Tiansha Alliance," Yun Qingyu said in a deep voice, "and he knows about my past life."
Chu Yao bit her lower lip slightly. "The sect grand tournament in three days is bound to have a trap. Your cultivation hasn't recovered, why don't we..."
"Avoiding the fight will only make them more suspicious." Yun Qingyu shook his head. "Besides, although my realm has dropped, my sword dao comprehension remains."
Elder Chu pondered for a moment. "As things stand, our only option is to try and activate the other ability of your Fate Pact."
"What ability?" the two asked in unison.
"The Fate Pact is also called the 'Twin-Heart Pact'; in principle, it allows the spiritual power of both parties to interconnect," Elder Chu explained. "If successful, Yao'er can temporarily lend her spiritual power to you, but the risk is extremely high."
Chu Yao did not hesitate at all: "I am willing to give it a try!"
Yun Qingyu frowned, however: "What if we fail?"
"Best case, your meridians will be damaged; worst case..." Elder Chu didn't finish, but his meaning was obvious.
After a moment of silence, Yun Qingyu suddenly smiled: "In my past life, I cultivated alone, advancing cautiously step by step only to be betrayed in the end. In this life, having you two accompany me, what harm is there in taking some risks?"
Chu Yao's eyes lit up, and she immediately grabbed his hand: "Then let's begin!"
Elder Chu brought the two to the Sword Pavilion's secret chamber, and after activating the protective array, he explained the essentials of spiritual power interconnection in detail. The key was to completely open one's mind and let each other's spiritual power flow freely through the bridge of the Fate Pact.
"Remember, no matter how painful it is during the process, you must not let go," Elder Chu instructed solemnly. "Once it starts, it cannot be interrupted."
Yun Qingyu and Chu Yao sat cross-legged facing each other, their palms pressed together. As Elder Chu activated the array, a strange fluctuation enveloped the two of them.
"Begin."
Yun Qingyu took the lead in dropping his defenses, guiding the spiritual power within his body to flow toward his palms. Chu Yao did the same, and the moment their spiritual powers touched, they reacted as violently as a blazing fire meeting ice water!
"Ugh!" Chu Yao groaned softly, fine beads of sweat seeping onto her forehead. Yun Qingyu didn't have it easy either; his meridians felt as though they were being pierced by tens of thousands of needles at the same time.
"Hold on!" Elder Chu guarded them from the side, "Let the spiritual powers naturally blend!"
Amidst the excruciating pain, Yun Qingyu felt Chu Yao's spiritual power flow like a clear stream, carrying the characteristic coolness of Hanyue. Meanwhile, his Jiuxiao Sword Qi was as blazing as fire; the two should have conflicted, but under the mediation of the Fate Pact, they gradually formed a delicate balance.
After who knows how long, the pain gradually subsided, replaced by an unprecedented sense of unhindered flow. Yun Qingyu was surprised to find that he could "see" the operation of spiritual power within Chu Yao's body, and could even guide it!
"Did it succeed?" Chu Yao opened her eyes, a hint of golden light flashing in her pupils—that was the imprint of Yun Qingyu's sword qi.
Elder Chu let out a long breath: "It's only an initial fusion; to use it skillfully will still require practice."
Over the next two days, Yun Qingyu and Chu Yao spent almost all their time indoors, dedicated to harmonizing this peculiar state. They discovered that the interconnection of spiritual power could not only temporarily enhance their strength, but also unleash some unique combined attacks.
On the eve of the grand tournament, Chu Yao returned from practicing the sword in the courtyard and saw Yun Qingyu sitting alone on the roof looking at the moon, so she leaped up lightly and sat down beside him.
"What are you thinking about?"
Yun Qingyu withdrew his gaze from the distance: "On this day in my past life, it was the day I broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage."
Chu Yao tilted her head to look at him: "Missing the power from back then?"
"No," Yun Qingyu shook his head. "I was just thinking that if not for my rebirth, I would never have known that having someone accompany you on the path of cultivation... is so wonderful."
Under the moonlight, Chu Yao's profile was as smooth and moist as jade. She leaned gently against Yun Qingyu's shoulder: "No matter what happens tomorrow, we will face it together."
Yun Qingyu grasped her hand, their fingers intertwining: "Mm, together."
The next morning, the nine chimes of the Xuantian Sect rang out, and the sect grand tournament was held as scheduled. The square was bustling with activity, disciples from all peaks gathered together. As soon as Yun Qingyu entered the arena, he felt several malicious gazes, the sharpest of which came from Xuan Mingzi on the high platform.
"The rules are simple," Xuan Lingzi's voice resounded across the entire venue. "A melee format; the last ten people standing on the arena advance."
Hearing this, Chu Yao frowned: "In previous years, it was always a single-elimination format..."
"Sure enough, there's a trick." Yun Qingyu sneered. A melee made it easiest to inflict "accidental injuries," especially targeting the Sword Pavilion disciples who were the center of public attention.
Sure enough, as soon as the match began, five disciples simultaneously closed in on Yun Qingyu. What was even stranger was that faint red glows flickered in the eyes of these people, clearly controlled by some kind of spell!
"Careful, it's the Heart-Bewitching Art!" Chu Yao transmitted her voice.
Yun Qingyu calmly stepped back, standing back-to-back with Chu Yao. When the bell rang, the five controlled disciples attacked at the same time, every move lethal!
"Rise!" Chu Yao blew horizontally across her Jade Flute, and an ice wall instantly formed, blocking the first wave of attacks. Yun Qingyu moved like a roaming dragon; although his Jiuxiao Sword Qi wasn't as fierce as it was in its prime, its exquisite precision surpassed the past.
After three moves, one disciple was knocked out of the arena. But the remaining four suddenly changed their formations, each swallowing a bloody pill, their aura instantly surging to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage!
"Blood-Burning Pills!" someone exclaimed from the spectator stands. "This is a forbidden drug!"
Yet Xuan Lingzi on the high platform turned a blind eye. Yun Qingyu understood clearly in his heart—today's setup was explicitly meant to put him to death!
"Are you ready?" he asked Chu Yao in a low voice.
Chu Yao understood, and the sound of her Jade Flute suddenly turned urgent. Their spiritual powers blended perfectly through the Fate Pact, and Yun Qingyu's sword edge immediately became coated with a layer of icy blue light—the combination of Hanyue Sword Will and Jiuxiao Sword Qi!
"Moon Illuminates Nine Heavens!"
The sword light was like a rainbow, and the four disciples who had taken the pill vomited blood and flew backward simultaneously! The entire venue was in an uproar; no one had expected that Yun Qingyu, whose cultivation was "severely damaged," would possess such strength.
"Cheating!" Xuan Mingzi suddenly slapped the armrest and stood up. "Yun Qingyu is using evil arts, his cultivation should be crippled and he should be expelled from the sect!"
Chu Yao laughed out in anger: "Elder, you are quite mistaken! The combined attack technique Senior Brother Yun and I displayed is orthodox, how can you call it an evil art?"
Xuan Mingzi sneered: "Then let this old man examine it personally!" With that, he actually flew down into the arena, slamming a palm toward Yun Qingyu's crown!
This palm contained the power of the Golden Core Peak, clearly intended to silence him by murder! At the critical moment of life and death, a streak of sword light flew from beyond the heavens, accurately deflecting Xuan Mingzi's palm.
"Xuan Ming, you've overstepped."
Elder Chu arrived stepping on a sword, followed by more than ten Sword Pavilion disciples. What was even more surprising was that standing beside him was also an unfamiliar white-robed elder whose aura was unfathomable.
"The emissaries of the Taixu Sword Sect are right here, how much longer are you lot going to make a farce of this?" Elder Chu shouted sternly.
Xuan Mingzi's expression changed drastically: "The Taixu Sword Sect? How could they..."
The white-robed elder swept his gaze lightly across the crowd: "This old man is Lingxuzhi, Sword-Wielding Elder of the Taixu Sword Sect. By the order of the Sect Master, I have come specifically to investigate the matter of the Tiansha Alliance's infiltration."
The entire venue fell silent. The Taixu Sword Sect was the number one sword sect of the current era, holding a transcendent status; even the Xuantian Sect had to look up to them.
Lingxuzhi looked at Yun Qingyu and the other: "You two are the Jiuxiao Sword master and the Hanyue successor?"
Yun Qingyu felt a shock in his heart, but his expression remained calm: "This junior does not understand what senior means."
"No need to hide it." Lingxuzhi smiled slightly. "The Jiuxiao Cold Moon Palace has manifested, and the entire cultivation world has sensed it. The Taixu Sword Sect has ties to the ancestors of both houses, so we have come specifically to help."
Xuan Lingzi finally couldn't sit still anymore: "Senior Lingxu, this matter..."
"Xuan Lingzi, do you really think your identity is unknown to anyone?" Lingxuzhi's expression suddenly changed. "The third disciple of the Thousand-Eye Demonic Monarch!"
A single stone stirred a thousand ripples! Xuan Lingzi's expression changed abruptly, and he suddenly burst into a fierce attack, a streak of black light shooting straight at Lingxuzhi! At the same time, dozens of disciples in the arena had red glows in their eyes, lunging at the Sword Pavilion group!
"Sure enough!" Yun Qingyu was already prepared, attacking simultaneously with Chu Yao. With the Fate Pact fully opened, his cultivation briefly recovered to the Golden Core Early Stage, and with a single sword strike, he cut down three controlled disciples.
On the high platform, Lingxuzhi and Xuan Lingzi clashed into a battle. The confrontation of the Nascent Soul Stage was heaven-shaking, the aftershocks causing the entire square to shake violently.
"Yun Qingyu!" Lu Mingxuan's roar came from the side. Enveloped in black qi, his cultivation had also reached the Golden Core Stage. "Today I will definitely take your life!"
Yun Qingyu sneered: "Right on time!"
Enemies meeting eyes were exceptionally red with hatred. Every move of Lu Mingxuan's was ruthless; the black short sword that had ambushed Yun Qingyu in his past life appeared once again, its edge poisoned.
"The same move, and you want to use it a second time?" Yun Qingyu's figure moved like a ghost, executing the Jiuxiao Sword Art to the extreme. Even better, he occasionally borrowed Chu Yao's Hanyue Sword Will, and amidst the intertwining of ice and fire, Lu Mingxuan was soon stretched thin on the defensive.
"Impossible!" Lu Mingxuan roared, "Your cultivation clearly dropped!"
Yun Qingyu couldn't be bothered to explain, piercing his shoulder with a sword: "This sword is for the vengeance of the past life!"
Lu Mingxuan staggered backward, then suddenly grinned ferociously: "You think it's over just like this?" He abruptly tore open his collar, revealing a bloody vertical eye tattoo over his heart. "Lord Demonic Lord, please grant me power!"
The tattoo suddenly opened, and a bloody light shot into the sky! Lu Mingxuan's body began to twist and deform, finally transforming into a half-human, half-demon monster, his aura pressing close to the Nascent Soul Stage!
"Careful!" Chu Yao cried out in alarm, "He's burning his life!"
The demonized Lu Mingxuan lashed out with a claw; Yun Qingyu blocked it horizontally with his sword, but was sent flying over ten zhang, spitting a mouthful of blood. Chu Yao, at the other end of the Fate Pact, suffered the backlash as well, her complexion turning ashen.
"Hahaha!" Lu Mingxuan laughed wildly. "Today you're all going to die!"
At the critical juncture, Yun Qingyu suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation coming from deep within the Fate Pact—a connection even deeper than the interconnection of spiritual power! Almost instinctively, he reached out with a grab, and Chu Yao in the distance instantly appeared at his side, the two of them completely merging into one!
It wasn't a simple blending of spiritual power, but a true oneness! Yun Qingyu felt that he simultaneously possessed all the characteristics of both bloodlines, and a golden-blue intertwined Nascent Soul phantom emerged from his dantian!
"Is this... the ultimate form of the Fate Pact?" He had no time to think further as Lu Mingxuan's demonic claws were already before his face.
Yun Qingyu—or rather, the fusion of Yun Qingyu and Chu Yao—gently raised a hand, and an unprecedented sword light bloomed. This sword strike possessed both the fierce sharpness of Jiuxiao and the icy cold of Hanyue, freezing the space wherever it passed!
"No—!" Lu Mingxuan only managed to emit half a miserable scream before he was completely obliterated by the sword light, not even a speck of dust remaining.
The might of a single sword was terrifying to this extent!
Seeing this on the high platform, Xuan Lingzi knew the general trend was lost, and gritted his teeth to crush a black talisman. Space split open a crack, and he dashed inside, glaring resentfully at Yun Qingyu before leaving:
"The Tiansha Alliance will not let you go!"
As Xuan Lingzi fled, the controlled disciples collapsed unconscious one by one. Lingxuzhi did not pursue, instead landing gracefully in front of Yun Qingyu, sizing him up with great interest:
"Interesting, to actually trigger the 'Twin-Heart Avatar'. It seems the bloodlines of both houses have been revived to glory in you."
Yun Qingyu felt the fusion state begin to destabilize, and soon separated from Chu Yao. Both of them were extremely weak, but their gazes were equally firm.
"Senior..." Chu Yao managed a stiff salute, "Thank you for the help."
Lingxuzhi waved his hand: "No need to thank me. The Tiansha Alliance is staging a comeback, and the cultivation world is about to face a great calamity. As the successors of Jiuxiao and Hanyue, you shoulder heavy responsibilities."
He took out a sword-shaped jade slip and handed it to Yun Qingyu: "In three days, the Taixu Sword Sect will hold the 'Demon-Slaying Assembly'; I hope you can come."
Yun Qingyu took the jade slip, exchanged a glance with Chu Yao, and nodded in unison. The shadow of the Tiansha Alliance had already enshrouded them, and the only way out was to face it head-on!