Volume One, Chapter Eight: The Immortal Slaughters the Village

Tang Xi ran for a long distance before stopping in a safe location.

Holding the Crimson Fruit in his hand, he saw it was a deep, vibrant red, the size of a duck egg, and covered in intricate patterns. It emitted an exotic fragrance that made his mind clear and his spirit sharp. He almost lost control of his desires, tempted to swallow it in one gulp. However, he possessed strong willpower; gifting it to his girlfriend, Jian Qingyu, was the best choice.

"System, redeem a three-minute communication talisman and gift the Crimson Fruit to Jian Qingyu."

...

Jian Qingyu was by a small stream, cleaning the meat of a savage beast. Suddenly, a golden vortex appeared in the space before her. She stood up at once, ecstatic, as a red fruit radiating an exotic aroma manifested in front of her.

"Senior, you have come."

"Little girl, you have not disappointed my expectations. In just one day, you have broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refining."

"It is all thanks to the resources you provided, Senior. Otherwise, I could never have reached this level."

"Haha, this fruit is called a Crimson Fruit. Its grade is mediocre; usually, I wouldn't even glance at it, but it will be beneficial for you. Remember, in cultivation, one must not be greedy for quick results. A ten-thousand-foot tower rises from the ground; only with a solid foundation can you reach infinite possibilities. Do you understand?"

"Thank you, Senior. Qingyu will never forget your instructions."

"Alright, alright, I am going to sleep. I will gift you a celestial technique; go play with it."

He instructed the system to gift the Spirit-grade celestial technique to Jian Qingyu. Even if it did not provide him with a feedback reward, increasing her means of survival was enough.

"Senior, Senior!"

"Sigh! The Senior's demeanor is truly extraordinary. I have been too impatient lately; this Crimson Fruit can help me consolidate my realm and ensure my foundation remains flawless."

...

"Ding! The host has gifted his girlfriend, Jian Qingyu, a century-old Crimson Fruit. Triggering a thirty-fold reward, you have received one two-hundred-year-old Crimson Fruit."

A slightly larger Crimson Fruit appeared in Tang Xi's palm. He returned to the reception space and swallowed it. A quarter of an hour later, the aura Tang Xi exuded surged once more, reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining (79%), on the verge of breaking through to the sixth.

*If these two days of cultivation resources were given to those geniuses, they would likely have reached the ninth level of Qi Refining or even the Foundation Establishment stage by now. And here I am, only at the fifth level.*

【System: Sword Immortal Girlfriend System】
【Host: Tang Xi】
【Realm: Qi Refining Fifth Level (79%)】
【Celestial Technique: Desolate Thunder Sutra — Qi Refining Chapter】
【Physique: Chaos Sword Body】
【Celestial Points: 105】
【Celestial Skill: One Sword Across the Sky (Spirit Grade)】
【Celestial Artifact: Dragon Embryo Sword (B-Grade)】
【Celestial Mount: None】
【Items: Pig whip, Tiger whip, Wolf whip...】
【Bound Girlfriend: Jian Qingyu, Celestial Technique — Thunder Pellet Method (Incomplete), Realm — Qi Refining Sixth Level, Physique — Innate Sword Embryo...】

...

At Dahe Village, a handsome young man with long hair, possessing an ethereal and immortal aura, stood atop a celestial sword, hovering above the village. The villagers exclaimed that an immortal had descended. Yi Chen enjoyed the vanity of being worshipped by mortals. In the Eternal Sword Palace, he was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator with low status; he would never experience such vanity there.

It took a full five minutes before he allowed the villagers to rise. Aunt Juan held a glass bead in her hand—it belonged to little Yinyin, who had gone off to play somewhere. It was a tragedy she wasn't here for the arrival of an immortal; if the immortal took a liking to her and taught her cultivation, Yinyin wouldn't have to stay in Dahe Village forever like her, growing up to marry and repeat a life of hardship.

"I heard an immortal has come to your village? Tell me quickly."

Facing the youth's question, the village chief, a kind old man who always wore a smile, replied, "Replying to the immortal, the situation is as follows..."

Upon hearing this, the youth felt relieved. It was just a Qi Refining cultivator, nothing to fear. He casually cast a formation to seal off Dahe Village, revealing a sinister smile.

"Everyone, this immortal invites you to... perish. Come out now."

As soon as he finished speaking, a ten-meter-tall ape dropped from the heights, smashing a deep crater into the ground. The villagers were terrified. "It’s a savage beast! It’s a savage beast!"

"He is no immortal! He is an evil cultivator! Run!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

The ape demon fed brutally. Trapped by the youth's formation, the villagers could not escape, forced to watch as their loved ones were devoured. In just a few minutes, the wails of the villagers vanished entirely. The ape demon wiped the blood from its mouth, tossed a red flower from its waist to the youth, and bounded into the depths of the Great Wilderness.

The youth looked at the spiritual herb with joy, the lives of over a hundred mortals failing to stir any emotion within him. "Foundation Establishment Flower. I have been stuck at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment for years. This flower can help me break through and improve my physical marrow."

The Foundation Establishment Flower was useless to beasts but invaluable to cultivators; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked cooperating with a beast. He looked at the silent, dead village and set it ablaze. Such small villages were wiped out every year; as long as no mortal towns were affected, no one would care.

After the youth left, the fire consumed the wooden houses. In one house, Yinyin lay on the ground, her body steaming, her face turning purple, as the flames crept toward her.

...

On her way back to Dahe Village, Jian Qingyu saw flames rising from the village's location. Her heart pounded; a sense of dread overwhelmed her. She pushed her speed to the limit, sprinting toward the village. She stared in disbelief at the ruins; she had only been gone for less than a day, and the village had met its doom.

"Aunt Juan! Yinyin! Village Chief!"

No matter how she called, there was no response. She searched like a madwoman, unable to see a soul. "No, they must be fine, otherwise why can't I see a single trace?"

Suddenly, a glowing stone caught her attention. It was the projection stone she had given Yinyin. It was useless to her, but Yinyin had cherished it, holding it all day and refusing to let it go. Jian Qingyu’s breath hitched as she checked the stone’s recording.

In that instant, her rage reached its peak. "Beasts! Inhuman beasts! The Eternal Sword Palace is rotten to the core."

"Yinyin! Yinyin!"

"BOOM!"

A pillar of light shot into the sky, blasting away the ruins as a Nirvana Phoenix hovered high above, letting out a phoenix cry. Yinyin’s figure appeared before her. Her eyes were closed, and a phoenix mark glowed on her forehead.

Yinyin was alive. Jian Qingyu felt a flicker of relief. It seemed Yinyin was awakening a powerful physique, but her expression was one of agony; she could not complete the awakening.

"Senior, please, save Yinyin!"

Tang Xi’s face was grim. He saw everything Jian Qingyu saw. He could not believe someone could be so devoid of humanity. Yet, he was powerless.

"System, do you have a way?"

"Ding! Everything has its cause and effect. The system cannot interfere with karma that does not belong to the host."

"Ding! Yinyin (Heavenly Mandate Phoenix Maiden). If she survives this, her future will be limitless."

"Ding! Yinyin shares a karmic bond with your bound girlfriend. The host indirectly bears the burden."

"Ding..."

"Damn it! System, did you crash? What do I do? Say something!"

...

Jian Qingyu waited for Tang Xi’s response, but none came. She felt a wave of despair. It was all her fault; she had brought calamity to Dahe Village. Just as she reached out to hold Yinyin, a cold snort echoed.

"If you move her now, she will surely die."

In the sky, a cold, beautiful woman dressed in black neon robes stood amidst the clouds. She appeared to be walking slowly, but each step covered ten thousand miles. She arrived beside Yinyin, waved her hand, and a red barrier appeared, easing Yinyin’s condition.

Yinyin’s figure vanished before Jian Qingyu’s eyes. Jian Qingyu knew Yinyin was saved.

"Senior, please, you must save Yinyin."

The woman in black glanced at Jian Qingyu. "Yinyin—a good name."

"This little girl and I have a bond. In this world, only I can save her."

"However, your luck is too thin; you cannot bear the karma of Yinyin. Leave this place at once. Those hypocrites of the Eternal Sword Palace will not let you go."

The woman’s figure vanished in the blink of an eye.

Jian Qingyu shouted, "Senior, how can I find you? One day, I will come for Yinyin!"

"Endless Demon Domain... Huang Ling."

"Endless Demon Domain... Huang Ling." Jian Qingyu repeated the words. She did not know what the Endless Demon Domain was, but one day, she would find out.

"Eternal Sword Palace, I, Jian Qingyu, swear an oath upon the Great Dao: I will surely annihilate your sect from top to bottom."

...

Not long after, Jian Qingyu erected a tombstone for Dahe Village and bowed deeply. She would not return here for a long time. When she finally did, she would turn the ten-thousand-mile territory of the Eternal Sword Palace into a land of blood.