Firmament Sword

Wang Hai shot up like a startled rabbit. A Long Sword, its blade glinting coldly, materialized in his hand, and he thrust it toward the source of the sound with lightning speed.

His sword met nothing but air.

Nothing was there.

Wang Hai glanced around, alarmed and suspicious. He spun around to find a masked man in black standing right behind him. The man's eyes, visible through the mask, gleamed with cold mockery.

'Those eyes… so familiar,' Wang Hai thought. A chill ran down his spine as he asked aloud, "Just who are you?"

The man in black slowly removed his mask, revealing a pale, youthful face. His lips curled into a slight sneer as he looked at Wang Hai. "You've known who I am all along. Why pretend you don't? Does it... calm your nerves?"

"No... impossible! You're not him! You can't be!" Wang Hai roared. "He's dead! He died right in front of me! So... you're an impostor! A fake!"

"There's no need to shout. Relax, there's no one else here. So, just act natural." The man in black ignored Wang Hai's wary expression, casually sat down in a chair, and looked at him expectantly. "Have a seat."

Wang Hai took a deep breath, trying to force himself to calm down. He repeated a mantra in his mind: 'Even if he really is my junior brother, there's nothing to fear. My power has always far surpassed his!'

After a moment of self-reassurance, Wang Hai finally sat down, staring coldly at the young man in black. "Speak. Who are you, really? Who sent you? What do you want, coming here disguised as my dead junior brother?"

"I am Lu Qi. I follow no one's orders. I am your junior brother, so how can this be a disguise?" A mocking smile appeared on the man in black's pale, cold face as he looked at Wang Hai. "As for why I'm here... it's for revenge, of course. You killed me with your own hands. You did the deed, but do you dare admit it?"

"..." Wang Hai's mouth fell open, his eyes wide with disbelief. Deep down, he already believed this was his dead junior brother, Lu Qi. The problem was... the whole thing was just too bizarre!

Once a cultivator reached the Saint Realm, they could indeed regrow a severed limb with some Top-Grade Medicinal Materials. As long as they were still breathing, they usually wouldn't die.

But if one's heart was pierced, not even a Great Saint could survive!

Never mind a Saint. Even a Sword Venerable, who knew the human body like the back of his hand, would make no mistake with such a thrust!

Lu Qi, the man in black, looked at the speechless Wang Hai. "There's no need for doubt. I really did die. But my resentment was too strong; no one dared to claim my soul. Heh heh... We were such good martial brothers. Even in death, I have to drag you along with me. Otherwise, you'd be so lonely... left all by yourself in this world!"

"Stop playing games!" Wang Hai roared. "If you were really Lu Qi, you wouldn't treat me with this attitude! My junior brother... was willing to die for me at a moment's notice!"

"Heh heh, such... moving words!" Lu Qi, the man in black, couldn't help but cackle, his voice laced with a terrifying, deathly aura.

As he spoke, Lu Qi raised his head, his pale face filled with scorn. "The man I once was... yes, he would have died for you. But not at your hands! Wang Hai... we grew up together. I was completely loyal to you. I would have done anything you asked without a moment's hesitation! But for your own selfish desires... you killed me. Do you have any idea... how much I hated you in that moment?"

"I don't just hate you for your extreme selfishness, your heartlessness, and your treachery. I hate myself even more! I hate myself for being so blind that I couldn't see what kind of person you truly were after all those years..."

"Especially... after you killed me, those things you said right to my face... Wang Hai... heh heh. My dear senior brother, I really have you to thank. If you hadn't confessed your true thoughts as I lay dying, I probably wouldn't hate you nearly as much, even after coming back to life."

"Look here..." Lu Qi brushed the hair from his forehead, revealing a distinct, round scar, like the imprint of a copper coin. He looked at Wang Hai mockingly. "Piercing my heart wasn't enough for you. You were so afraid I wouldn't die that you had to smash my skull too. And in the end... you left my corpse to rot in the wild!"

"Wang Hai... my dear senior brother. Tell me, is the hatred between us... immense, or not?"

"How did you survive? It was impossible... absolutely impossible for you to have lived through that!" Wang Hai frowned, completely baffled.

"How I survived is none of your concern. What I *do* know is that you never got that inheritance in the end. Heh heh, that news kept me happy for a long time. You schemed so hard, only to end up with nothing. It must feel awful, right?" Lu Qi, the man in black, taunted.

"Enough!" Wang Hai slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. Staring at Lu Qi, he said, "You're too naive. You've given me all this time to prepare. I don't care who you are, you're not getting out of here today!"

As he spoke, an old man slowly materialized behind Wang Hai.

It was none other than Wang Daoming, who had just left.

Knowing he was being targeted, how could Wang Hai not have been prepared? Although Wang Daoming hadn't detected Lu Qi's presence earlier, he had still been cautious enough to remind Wang Hai to use the Life-saving Talisman if danger arose.

That Life-saving Talisman was, in fact, a Sound Transmission Talisman. The very instant Wang Hai had lunged to attack, he had activated it.

He had stalled for time, conversing with Lu Qi until he could finally confirm his identity. Only then did Wang Hai lay his cards on the table, wanting to avoid any further complications that might arise from delay.

Regardless of how Lu Qi had been resurrected, Wang Hai could not allow him to live. He didn't even entertain the notion of prying into the secret of Lu Qi's return from death. He just wanted this person, who should have been a faded memory, to vanish for good.

The sooner, the better.

Wang Daoming, however, watched Lu Qi with keen interest. He was fascinated by this young man who should have been dead, yet had miraculously appeared before them.

Anyone, even a master who had reached the Venerable Realm, would be interested in the matter of resurrection.

Lu Qi, however, remained perfectly calm. He said faintly, "Since I chose to appear here today, it means I've come fully prepared. Wang Hai, I learned a great many things during all those years I spent by your side."

At this point, Wang Daoming spoke up. "Lu Qi, is it? In this matter... Wang Hai was indeed in the wrong. Your hatred for him is understandable. However... you are, after all, a Heavenly Brilliance Disciple. As an Elder of Celestial Brilliance, I will not favor my own descendant in this affair."

"Great-Grandfather..." Wang Hai was aghast, never expecting his great-grandfather to side with Lu Qi.

"Silence!" Wang Daoming snapped. He then turned to Lu Qi, his expression earnest. "It is better to resolve enmity than to let it fester. Regarding this matter, how does this sound?"

"Let Wang Hai sever one of his own arms, and for the rest of his life... he will not be permitted to regrow it. In return... I will ensure that you... become one of the new generation of Celestial Brilliance Elders!" Wang Daoming's face was a mask of sincerity as he looked at Lu Qi. "Even if you kill Wang Hai now, you cannot escape from Celestial Brilliance. Your strength is impressive, but you should know... you cannot escape from me."

"Elder Daoming, you are a very just man. At least... in my eyes, you have always had a fine reputation." A faint smile touched Lu Qi's pale face. He continued, "However, please don't involve yourself in this matter. This is a personal grudge between Wang Hai and me."

"But Wang Hai... is my descendant," Wang Daoming sighed. "I have no intention of coveting your secret. I only wish to negotiate with you as an elder. Or, if you have other demands, you can state them. As long as my great-grandson's life is spared, anything is on the table!"

"Heh heh... Elder Daoming, you truly live up to your reputation as an Elder of Celestial Brilliance—exceptionally shrewd. In truth, you must know full well that with you here, how could I possibly kill Wang Hai?" Lu Qi smiled faintly. His face was so pale, utterly devoid of blood, that it was unsettling to look at.

Lu Qi continued, "That being the case, for you to still offer me such tempting terms... well, it makes it very difficult to believe that you aren't coveting my secret!"

Wang Daoming smiled faintly. "In this world, compromise and cooperation are the righteous path. Cold-hearted revenge is always a double-edged sword, harming others... and oneself."

"You are correct," Lu Qi said.

"Does that mean... you agree?" A glint of light flashed in Wang Daoming's eyes.

"No, I do not agree," Lu Qi said. "The hatred between Wang Hai and me is as deep as the ocean. He not only killed me with his own hands, but he... he also wanted to harm my family and even coveted my fiancée... How could I possibly make peace with scum like that?"

"In that case, there's nothing more to say. Die!" Wang Daoming barked, striking out with his palm, aiming to grab Lu Qi.

Even now, he still didn't want to kill Lu Qi outright. He wanted to uncover the secret of his resurrection!

A cold smirk flashed across Lu Qi's face. His figure flickered like a phantom, evading Wang Daoming's palm strike before he charged straight at Wang Hai.

"You dare!" Wang Daoming roared. If he allowed Wang Hai to be harmed while he was present, his lifetime of cultivation would truly have been for nothing.

A terrifying, world-shaking aura erupted from Wang Daoming's body, bearing down on Lu Qi with immense pressure!

The aura of a Venerable!

As heavy as a mountain, as deep as the sea!

Insurmountable!

Every bone in Lu Qi's body began to CREAK, as if he were about to be crushed into pieces. He stood rooted to the spot, completely unable to move.

"Hmph!" Wang Daoming snorted and strode toward Lu Qi.

'Under the aura of a Venerable, all living things must submit. How dare a mere Saint Realm youth act so presumptuously before me?'

The thought crossed Wang Daoming's mind, his gaze icy.

But at that very moment... something unexpected happened!

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