Chapter 28: Slaying the Firmament

As if glimpsing the essence of the Dao, Li Ruoyu watched the sword descending upon him—a strike so ordinary, yet so final, as if all beings beneath its blade would return to dust.

Li Ruoyu vaguely sensed the path Kill Heaven traversed, the Dao Kill Heaven cultivated. Those who attain the Dao always command respect. A surge of reverence rose within Li Ruoyu toward Kill Heaven—not for any other reason, nor because Kill Heaven had struck down Wang Bo, but because this was a sage who comprehended the Dao, and Li Ruoyu respected his steadfast adherence to his own path.

Kill Heaven, having only recently begun his cultivation anew, was in a period of weakness. He could have escaped; given time, Li Ruoyu would surely have been unable to stop him. Yet Kill Heaven did not shrink from the road ahead.

“To remain true to one’s original intention is to see it through to the end,” but how many truly persevere? Perhaps ten years, a hundred years, one may remain unchanged, but Kill Heaven had cultivated for over two millennia and still walked the path he chose. Such was the man Kill Heaven was: if he retreated today, his Dao would be extinguished.

“Sword cleaves the world, Dao governs the four seas,” these words described his life. Even within the Corpse Sect, that great evil sect, he still preserved his heart and was worthy of such praise.

Li Ruoyu summoned all his strength, channeling the wild energy into the Great Soul Banner to meet the incoming sword. The banner’s tip, imbued with the power of the ages, collided with the blood-red blade—two forces clashing, yet silent, each eroding the other. In an instant, they parted. Kill Heaven’s sword did not harm Li Ruoyu; Kill Heaven remained calm, his expression unchanged.

“Pierce the heavens.”

Another sword was unleashed—sword leading, person following, as if an immortal descending from beyond the sky, stabbing toward Li Ruoyu.

Li Ruoyu watched as the sword came, wielding the Great Soul Banner. The tip of the banner met the sword’s point, and a surge of force transmitted through the banner into Li Ruoyu’s body.

Li Ruoyu knew that his internal organs had been injured.

“Sever the heavens.”

No sooner had the previous sword passed than Kill Heaven attacked again. This sword was utterly different from the Dao-severing strike; within it was contained a diagram—a Dao Diagram, the fruit of cultivation after attaining the Dao Body realm. In the Dao Foundation realm, cultivators begin to understand their own will, their desires, and use their will to manifest, thus forming a powerful Dao Diagram.

The sword, imbued with the Dao Diagram’s power, slashed toward Li Ruoyu. Li Ruoyu realized ordinary means could not block it; he spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the Great Soul Banner. The chains of divine order, forged from celestial metals, wrapped around the banner, wild energy flowing, the banner shimmering with blue-gray light as it met the severing sword.

To Li Ruoyu’s surprise, the sword before him was but an illusion—the real sword was already at his chest. Its speed was so great that Li Ruoyu’s senses failed him. Seeing the danger, Li Ruoyu quickly used the banner’s shaft to block, but could only deflect part of the blow.

The severing sword still wounded Li Ruoyu; a three-inch gash appeared on his chest, black mist seeping out, intensifying his injury.

“Before my parents’ lives end, I cannot die. If you believe you can kill me, then come forth! I accept your challenge.” Li Ruoyu gripped the Great Soul Banner, his gaze resolute, pointing it at Kill Heaven.

“Sever the heavens.”

Kill Heaven, clad in red, raised his sword for another strike, as if intending to split the world open.

Unable to follow the sword’s speed with his eyes, Li Ruoyu simply closed them. He stood, banner in hand, its tip lightly touching the incoming blade. No wild energy, no reinforcement from the divine chains—just a simple, gentle touch.

“Entering the Dao? How can it be…”

Kill Heaven stared at Li Ruoyu, incredulous.

“You bear your burdens, and I uphold my promises. I once gave my word to Mo’er: I will cleave down every enemy before me. I will fulfill it, even if her soul has departed, I shall keep my vow.” Kill Heaven pointed his sword at Li Ruoyu.

“Every soul who comprehends the Dao deserves respect. I shall face you as an equal; now watch as I kill, as I sever the world.”

One man, one sword—simple, pure, a solitary strike that seemed to encompass all creation.

One touch of the banner, calm as water. A gentle point, and as sword and banner met, storms erupted from their contact, sweeping outward. White bones were reduced to dust, the heavens and earth diminished to a grain.

After the clash, Kill Heaven stabbed again at Li Ruoyu.

“Pierce all beings.”

This time, Li Ruoyu did not defend; instead, he wielded the Great Soul Banner and pointed it at Kill Heaven.

A sound like a sword entering flesh echoed, and Kill Heaven was pierced by the banner.

In an instant, Li Ruoyu withdrew the banner, riding a stream of light toward the depths of the earth. Kill Heaven tried to pursue, but a mouthful of blood burst forth, halting him. Powerless to chase, he watched as Li Ruoyu escaped.

Li Ruoyu found himself in a strange state.

In ancient times, three states were spoken of, called the Three Realms—one of which was the Dao Realm. Heaven had its Dao, humanity theirs, all things their own. Entering the Dao Realm meant touching the threshold of the Dao.

Li Ruoyu sensed that power. In truth, he had already glimpsed it three years ago when he returned home, but could not cross the threshold. After being wounded by Kill Heaven, facing death, he finally entered the Dao Realm.

He knew clearly—the force that truly harmed Kill Heaven was the Dao power on the banner, but Li Ruoyu himself had been wounded by Kill Heaven’s sword, Dao power invading his body. If he did not flee, he would surely perish. So he decisively escaped. Even as he fled, Li Ruoyu remembered to swallow a healing pill, clinging to a shred of hope.

Reaching a place strewn with rocks, Li Ruoyu spotted a stone three yards tall. He dug beneath it, burying his tracks, and fainted in the underground darkness.

“Where am I?” Li Ruoyu looked around, seeing a bamboo grove ahead, with a man and woman standing within. He gazed into the grove. The man bore a resemblance to Kill Heaven. “Is this Kill Heaven’s past?”

The woman spoke: “Chang Kong, you wish to cultivate the Dao. I won’t stop you. I’ll wait for your return here in this bamboo grove.”

“Sister, no one can hinder my Dao—not even you. But I promise you, I will cut down every enemy I face,” the man in the grove replied.

Li Ruoyu’s vision darkened, and he found himself once more in the bamboo grove—the same man and woman, but now the bamboo leaves had begun to yellow, the sun nearing dusk. The man remained vigorous, but the woman’s hair had turned white though her face was unchanged. She lay in his arms, gently caressing his face. With labored breaths, she whispered a few words, so faint that the man had to lean close to hear: “Chang Kong, I finally waited for you.”

Li Ruoyu’s vision darkened again. This time, he was in a desolate place. Gentle rain fell without end.

A tree, with several crows perched atop.

A grave, with a tombstone before it.

A man, hair white as snow.

“Mo’er, how long has it been since I visited you? Do you blame me? I found my Dao—it’s you!” Rainwater slid down the white-haired man's face, reaching his lips, which he gently tasted. It was salty.

The man softly stroked the tombstone. “See, even the inscription I carved for you back then has faded. Let me restore it.”

With that, he pointed his sword at the stone and moved his wrist. “Here lies my wife, Mo’er,” appeared upon the stone. The man screamed toward the sky, “From this day, I am no longer Yan—I am Kill. I will break through the heavens, shatter reincarnation, and bring you back to the world!” His cry sent the crows fleeing from the tree, heightening the desolation.

From that day on, the world gained Kill Heaven and lost Yan Chang Kong.

Li Ruoyu realized his spirit had fallen into Kill Heaven’s Dao. To break free, he had to use Dao to overcome Dao. Such was the terror of the Dao—if one had not entered it, one could never awaken, doomed to remain trapped in the enemy’s Dao until death. But Li Ruoyu had already comprehended the Dao.

Three days later, Li Ruoyu awoke. The wound on his chest had not yet healed and throbbed with pain.

“There must be another battle,” Li Ruoyu knew. Between himself and Kill Heaven, another confrontation was inevitable; only one would survive. Kill Heaven was a worthy foe, admirable even within the demonic sect, ever cleaving the world, ever governing the four seas with his Dao.

Compared to some so-called righteous paths, Kill Heaven seemed more like a man of true virtue.

Once his injuries improved, Li Ruoyu headed toward the fissure he had come from. He worried about Wang Bo, whose wounds had been dire. Emerging from the crack, arriving at the Abyss, Li Ruoyu carefully searched and discovered the trail Wang Bo and Jing Hong had taken, following their path.

He lost their tracks in a mountain forest. As he searched, a voice called out:

“Little carrot, over here, inside the tree.” Jing Hong’s voice reached him.

Li Ruoyu entered the large tree, broad enough for three people to embrace. Wang Bo sat cross-legged inside; his wounds had clearly improved, proof of the Little Medicine King’s effectiveness.

Jing Hong then pulled Li Ruoyu into her arms, resting her chin on his head. “Sister is your benefactor now, little carrot, how will you repay me? Should you offer yourself in gratitude?” Jing Hong clearly had a mischievous fondness for Li Ruoyu, always teasing him.

“If you insist on such repayment, I will…” Li Ruoyu’s tone was unusually calm.

“Boring, I won’t tease you. Here, these are what’s left.” Jing Hong produced two stalks of Little Medicine King.

“Take them!” Li Ruoyu slipped free of Jing Hong’s embrace and went to Wang Bo. “How are you? Not dead yet?”

“You’re still as sharp-tongued as ever,” Wang Bo replied, spreading his hands. He noticed the wound on Li Ruoyu’s chest. “How’s the injury? Not fatal, I hope?”

“It’s alright.” Normally, Li Ruoyu would have joked with Wang Bo, but now he had no such mood.

Looking at Wang Bo and Jing Hong, Li Ruoyu fell silent.

“Little carrot, don’t get all melancholic,” Jing Hong teased, seeing his expression.

“With you two here, it’s truly good,” Li Ruoyu said, his eyes calm, tinged with warmth as he looked at Jing Hong and Wang Bo.

“Get lost with your sentimental nonsense, you bookish scholar,” Wang Bo retorted without hesitation, bestowing another nickname.