Volume 1, Chapter 148: The Execution of Wang Changqian

As they spoke, the airflow within the Third Space surged violently, reaching a point where it formed a vortex before Lin Changxiu. The high-speed rotation of the air currents generated a formidable suction force.

Wang Changqian’s body was drawn uncontrollably toward the vortex, and he struggled to stabilize himself using his spiritual energy.

"Anger turned into shame? It seems your little apprentice is dead, then? Hahahaha!" Wang Changqian unleashed a quintessential villainous laugh.

Lin Changxiu’s lips curled, and he let out a cold snort. "Who do you think that apprentice belongs to?"

"What do you mean?" Wang Changqian’s eyes widened. "She isn't dead?"

He immediately dismissed the thought himself. "Impossible! I placed the highest level of restriction within the baleful energy. The moment she triggered it, her spiritual energy would have been drained, and she would have withered away and died!"

Lin Changxiu gave a wicked grin and showed no mercy, launching a vortex attack directly at him.

Wang Changqian did not back down. He pressed his palms together, and a jade-green treasure sword emerged from his palms; its ethereal glow spoke of its extraordinary nature.

Lin Changxiu’s expression changed drastically as he gazed at the sword, his eyes filled with shock, confusion, and disbelief.

Wang Changqian swung the sword, and the fierce sword energy cleaved the incoming vortex in two. The vortex did not vanish, but instead grazed past Wang Changqian, tearing his outer shirt away.

Wang Changqian was currently inhabiting Wang Siying’s body; with his shirt gone, he stood there in only his undergarments—a truly bizarre sight.

He was highly satisfied with Lin Changxiu’s reaction. He chuckled lowly, wearing a young girl’s face while displaying a treacherous expression. "Familiar with this sword, aren't you? That’s right, it belonged to that old man!"

"Impossible!" Though it was identical, Lin Changxiu stubbornly refused to believe it. The Bixia Sword would only recognize one master in its lifetime. Apart from his Master, no one else could wield it!

"Do you know how Master died?" Wang Changqian was extremely excited, his beautiful, large eyes gleaming. "The moonlight that night was incredibly beautiful. The old man divined that his favorite little apprentice was in danger of a bloody calamity. While he was rushing to provide support, I saw him... care to guess what happened next?"

Wang Changqian’s eyes curved into crescents.

Lin Changxiu’s hands trembled with rage. That night, he had been lured out by a letter sent by Wang Changqian. In the letter, Wang Changqian had tearfully repented and begged him to put in a good word with their Master to mend their relationship.

He had truly believed the prodigal son had returned, so he went alone to the meeting as instructed. He never imagined he had walked into a trap. He fought a nightmare ghost all night, ending up severely wounded and barely escaping with his life.

He remained in a coma for three days and nights. By the time he returned to the sect, news of his Master’s death had already spread. He hadn't even seen his Master one last time.

The disciples in the sect said the Master had been drained of his blood by a wild beast and turned into a dried corpse. Though he didn't believe it, he had examined the body and found bite marks consistent with a beast; his spiritual probes had detected nothing but the aura of a beast.

"You must be unable to figure it out, right? Let me solve the puzzle for you." Wang Changqian said, using Wang Siying’s face with a playful tone. "He wanted to save you, but I ambushed him halfway. Do you know what I saw in him? He actually had two hundred years of lifespan left!"

Lin Changxiu had a foreboding feeling, and as expected, Wang Changqian continued, "Compared to my mere eighty or ninety years, two hundred years was far too tempting. So, I decisively decided to swap lifespans with him!"

"Master’s cultivation was so high, how could you possibly steal his life?"

"That’s right! It would be impossible! But what if I had a Bone-Eroding Beast?"

"How could you possibly possess such an ancient, fierce beast?"

Wang Changqian was quite smug. "Then what do you think I was expelled from the sect for?"

Lin Changxiu suddenly realized the truth. "You peeked at the Forbidden Books! And made a pact with a devil? You sold your soul?"

Wang Changqian’s expression suddenly turned malicious. "We were both his apprentices, and we both read the Forbidden Books! Why was I the one expelled while you remained the Master’s favorite? He was biased! He gave all the good things to you!"

Lin Changxiu felt profound disappointment. "Do you know why Master named you 'Changqian' (Long-term Humility)? Because you were too arrogant, always striving to be first. He hoped you would learn to conduct yourself with humility."

It was precisely because of Wang Changqian’s intense desires that the Master had been wary of him. He never expected that despite all his precautions, he hadn't stopped Wang Changqian from secretly reading the forbidden texts or making a deal with a devil.

"To hell with humility! I just wanted to become strong! What did I do wrong? This world is about the survival of the fittest! You are inferior to me in every way; why were you the one to receive his high expectations? Just because you lack ambition? I refuse to accept it!" Wang Changqian roared in fury, his face twisted.

Lin Changxiu shook his head. "One day, when you understand Master’s true intentions, you won't say these things."

Wang Changqian sneered. "I don't need to understand him! He is him, and I am me! I will walk my own path! I have no regrets! I can swap lives with whoever I want now! I can live forever! And you, Lin Changxiu? You only have a few years left! How can you compare to me?"

Lin Changxiu raised his sword, his aged features filled with killing intent. Looking closely, the aura about him was remarkably similar to that of Qin Yu.

"I have never thought of competing with you. Everyone has their own path. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be strong, but there is nothing wrong with choosing to lay low either. Regardless of the path, all living beings have a right to exist! Your greatest crime is treating life like grass! This is something the Way of Heaven cannot tolerate! Ask yourself, hasn't your pursuit of power long since surpassed your pursuit of the Tao?"

Every word of Lin Changxiu’s was resonant and powerful, striking hard at Wang Changqian’s heart. Especially the line, "I have never thought of competing with you."

It felt as though one had been a rival for a lifetime, only to be told: I never even had you in my eyes.

The mask of composure on Wang Changqian’s face shattered rapidly. "Lin Changxiu, stop preaching that bullsh*t Way of Heaven to me! To me, man can conquer heaven! I am the Way of Heaven! Everything else is nonsense!"

The two clashed, and the tension in the Third Space reached its peak.

After a fierce battle, Lin Changxiu held his sword at Wang Changqian’s throat. "Any last words?"

Wang Changqian grinned, blood staining his teeth. "Do you know why I gave up Master’s body? Because his own abilities were too immense! Even with the Bone-Eroding Beast, I couldn't claim his life! So I could only swap out his spiritual energy! I didn't expect the Bixia Sword to recognize that energy and change ownership to me! Hahahahaha!"

Lin Changxiu’s gaze grew increasingly fierce.

Spiritual energy is the most important thing for anyone in the mystical arts; it is connected to the very bones and blood. To forcibly swap it is nothing short of scraping bone and drawing blood! One could only imagine the agony the Master endured before he died.

"Beast!" Lin Changxiu cursed and swung his blade, severing his head.

Bright red blood sprayed over him. A wisp of green smoke drifted from the body, taking the form of a trembling, weeping young girl.

Lin Changxiu sighed and cupped the girl in his palm. "As long as you are obedient, I will arrange for your reincarnation."

Ghosts whose lives had been swapped like this could not enter the cycle of reincarnation unless introduced by a powerful ghostly official. The girl bowed repeatedly in gratitude.

Lin Changxiu closed the space and used an invisibility charm to depart. Halfway through, a stern reprimand flashed in his mind.

"I know you feel for your apprentice, but doing this was too risky! If you had been exposed, wouldn't our entire plan have fallen apart?" The voice on the other end was furious.

"Wang Changqian has been executed on the spot. No third person will ever know of this."

"Are you certain he is truly dead?"

"The Bixia Sword never misses."

Hearing this, the person on the other end calmed down slightly. "Changxiu, never act so rashly again!"

Lin Changxiu agreed, but he knew in his heart: if anyone dared to touch his precious apprentice again, he would strike without hesitation.

—

Lu Jinyuan looked at the winding, convoluted route on the navigation system and glanced at Xingqiao with suspicion. Before he could ask, Xingqiao answered as if he could read his mind: "I am not lying to you."

Only then did Lu Jinyuan feel at ease and continue driving.

The car ventured deeper into remote, desolate areas where even birds wouldn't dare to land. He drove for so long that his entire tank of fuel was exhausted. With no other choice, he stopped by the side of the road.

Xingqiao looked at their surroundings and suddenly spoke, "This is the place."

Lu Jinyuan frowned in confusion. Why was this inconsistent with the destination on the navigation?

"As long as we are in this direction, the place where the car stops is the destination."

Xingqiao was not a man of many words, but his explanation was just right. Lu Jinyuan didn't understand the logic behind it, but seeing Qin Yu fast asleep in the backseat, he instructed Xingqiao, "Stay in the car with her; I'll go scout the path."

Xingqiao nodded and stayed behind obediently.

Lu Jinyuan was worried about leaving the two children in the car, so he didn't dare wander too far. Fortunately, there was a small town nearby.

Before Lu Jinyuan could even get close, the villagers swarmed around him with excessive enthusiasm.

"Outsider, where are you from?"

"Don't push, don't push! I saw him first! Outsider, look at me!"

"What's yours! I was the one who spoke to him first!"

"..."

The villagers' fervor made Lu Jinyuan deeply uncomfortable. He frowned in displeasure, and the baleful energy within him surged out instantly, occupying more than half the sky above.

The powerful pressure caused the villagers’ enthusiastic expressions to freeze, and the chattering crowd instantly fell silent.