A Bitter Reunion

With a low roar, more than a dozen figures rushed forward. They refused to sit and wait for death, unleashing their full power.

These dozen were all experts—four among them had reached the Perfected Man realm, and the rest were at the Fish-Leap realm. But formidable as they were, they were no match for Xiao Chen. This was a man who could contend with half-ancestors.

Xiao Chen strode through the void, walking calmly to the center of the battlefield. His long sword swept out, and a waterfall of light cascaded across the sky—a dazzling, blinding sword radiance like a great river, like the rolling Yangtze, roaring and howling through the heavens. In an instant, it crushed three Fish-Leap cultivators to dust. Before that immense white torrent, they were utterly powerless.

The cold light of the War Sword shone for miles. In the face of such killing intent, a Fish-Leap realm expert, not even yet within striking distance, had his life force snuffed out by the formless murderous aura, shaken to death by the sheer force of the killing thought.

A casual swing of the sword, and the sword-light arced like a rainbow, instantly cleaving a Perfected Man expert in half. A backhand strike sent three Fish-Leap experts flying, their blood painting the sky.

It was a slaughter without suspense. The vast, white river of sword-qi scoured the heavens clean, and all more than a dozen enemies were annihilated, body and soul.

"Did the Tiger Clan's elite escape?"

"Boom!"

With Xiao Chen at its center, the massive, majestic castle split apart in an instant and collapsed. A dazzling sword-light erupted like a volcano, sweeping in all directions. Under the might of a single sword strike, Tiger Fortress was utterly shattered, reduced to rubble.

Broken walls and ruined foundations bore witness to the castle that had once stood there. Nearly all the Tiger Clan experts had fled into the sky, staring in shock at the scene. Xiao Chen stood alone in the middle of the ruins, his Dark-Iron War Suit gleaming, the War Sword in his hand blazing with killing light.

"Have all the Earth-Penetrating realm Tiger Clan masters fled? Not a single one dared to stay?" Xiao Chen surveyed the gathered Tiger Clan cultivators before him.

The clan's elite and direct descendants had long since abandoned Tiger Fortress. These people before him were not the true core of the Tiger Clan.

"I truly do not wish to massacre indiscriminately. I only want to rescue a woman named Su Ying and hand over the Tiger Clan's third-generation elite, Hu Ben. I will not trouble anyone else."

Years ago, it was Hu Ben, the third son of the White Tiger Saint Emperor, and Olito, the Sun God's Child, who had destroyed Xiao Chen's homeland and seized Su Ying. Later, he had heard that Su Ying had died, but that news had been false. The poor woman had been held by two great families all along, and a hundred and fifty years ago she had even been used as bait to lure him—though he had not known at the time that she was still alive.

"The third ancestor Hu Ben left Tiger Fortress long ago. As for that woman, she disappeared a hundred and fifty years ago."

"I don't believe it. How could a weak woman like her disappear from your Tiger Clan?"

Xiao Chen strode forward. With a single sweep of his sword, several people were cut in half, blood spraying and staining the sky red.

In that moment, even the most iron-willed among them were shaken. Many shot into the air, trying to flee, but under a single great sword-light, all paths of escape were severed. The brilliant divine rainbow split the earth, forcing them back.

"Speak. Where is Su Ying?"

"She really did disappear!" Some of the weaker-willed Tiger Clan cultivators were already sobbing. The man before them was a devil—he would not blink at killing them.

Xiao Chen said nothing, just stared at them silently. The overwhelming pressure of his divine consciousness drove some of them to the brink of collapse.

"Even if she disappeared, there should be a reasonable explanation. Is there no one here who knows the truth?"

"I know something," said an elderly Tiger Clan cultivator, stepping forward. "In those days, my Tiger Clan and the Sun God Church jointly held that woman. My clan did nothing underhanded. Whether the Sun God Church did the same, I cannot say."

"Even now, you still try to shift the blame." Xiao Chen gave a cold laugh. He drew his sword and struck, cleaving the man in half.

With his powerful divine consciousness, he began to search the memories of several old cultivators among them. In the end, he had no choice but to accept that Su Ying had indeed disappeared. Though fury burned within him, he ultimately spared the hundreds of people there. The Tiger Clan's elite had all fled long ago; these unwitting men were merely scapegoats. Killing them would serve no purpose.

Hu Ben, the third son of the White Tiger Saint Emperor, and Olito, the Sun God's Child—their names had long been on his death list. Those two must die, no matter what. Years ago, they had personally slaughtered so many of his fellow villagers.

Xiao Chen vanished into thin air, leaving the hundreds of Tiger Clan cultivators on the ruins feeling as though they had woken from a nightmare. Then they all fled toward the distant sky.

A flash of light, and Xiao Chen arrived at the headquarters of the Sun God Church, a thousand li away.

It was a golden heavenly palace, blazing with radiance, perched atop a snowy peak as if cast from pure gold. Its divine light shone like a sun, staining the surrounding white snow with a layer of gold.

Xiao Chen had lost all patience. The knowledge that the poor woman had disappeared filled him with a heavy gloom. Standing before the golden Sun Divine Palace, he directly raised his War Sword and slashed downward.

"Boom!"

The sword-qi was like the Milky Way pouring down—dazzling, boundless, and vast. A great fissure spread across the earth, crackling as the mountain was split in two. The Sun Divine Palace above it was equally cleanly severed.

In an instant, hundreds of figures surged out, encircling Xiao Chen.

"It's Xiao Chen!"

When that name was shouted, the Divine Knights all recoiled.

"If you don't want utter destruction, all of you stay out of my way." Xiao Chen's words were simple but carried overwhelming authority.

"I came here to find a woman named Su Ying. Also, hand over the Sun God's Child Olito. Otherwise, this Sun Divine Palace will be leveled to the ground."

"Arrogant!"

"Oh?" Xiao Chen turned. A young knight with radiant golden hair gripped a war lance tightly, glaring at him with hostility. Beside this golden knight stood a dozen more young Divine Knights.

"I challenge you!" The young golden knight, his hair flying, stepped forward. He looked impressive, filled with powerful confidence.

"You?" Xiao Chen looked at him calmly. That single, hesitant syllable stabbed at the proud golden knight's pride. He bellowed, "You may not remember me, but I remember you. Back then, I was ranked first among the top ten experts of the Roman Empire in the World of Immortality, and you were ranked below me among our generation!"

"Those days are past glory. What about now?" Xiao Chen watched him serenely.

"Now, I have reached the Perfected Man Ninth Heaven!" The golden knight shouted. "If you take off that Ancestral God War Armor, I won't lose to you!"

"As you wish."

Light flashed, and the Dark-Iron War Suit vanished from Xiao Chen's body. It did not leave him entirely, of course—if a half-ancestor lurked in the shadows, the suit could reappear in an instant.

The golden knight urged his savage mount forward and charged across the sky. The golden war lance in his hand blazed with light, spitting fierce golden energy. "Sss!" The golden rainbow pierced the air, the sound like tearing silk.

In that moment, Xiao Chen put away his War Sword. Facing the charging knight, he raised his palm and struck directly forward.

"Boom!"

A massive Heavenly Stele materialized and sent the knight flying. The savage beast beneath him exploded into pieces, while the knight himself coughed up blood uncontrollably.

"Ah!"

With a great roar, the knight charged again with his golden war lance. At the same time, the several young Divine Knights who had been standing with him all urged their mounts forward to join the assault.

Xiao Chen took a single step that spanned a hundred zhang, charging into their encirclement. The Four Killing Moves swept out in succession.

"Boom! Boom!"

Massive Heavenly Stele imprints appeared one after another, smashing them all away. Every one of them was broken, their bones snapped, their savage beasts killed where they stood. The former number one of the Roman Empire's younger generation, once ranked above Xiao Chen, was now nearly crushed into paste by a few heavy slaps.

"I have no time to waste with you."

The Dark-Iron War Suit reappeared on Xiao Chen's body. The twenty-seven War Swords transformed into streaks of multicolored light. With a single charge through the golden heavenly palace, nothing remained. Even the great mountain was severed in half.

"Form up! Surround him!"

Years ago, during the calamity of the false gods, many Sun Divine Knights had perished, but most of the elite had survived—especially those ancient knights who had existed since primordial times. By now, they had reached the Heavenly King level. But even so, most of the elite had already evacuated in advance. Even if these remaining men encircled him, they could not pose the slightest threat to Xiao Chen. Still, the Divine Knights had their pride—every one of them was unafraid to die.

Xiao Chen killed more than thirty before seizing an old knight and searching his memories with divine consciousness. What he found matched what the Tiger Clan had said: Su Ying had truly disappeared.

He let out a roar that shook the four directions, echoing through the mountains. "I do not wish to slaughter the innocent needlessly, but Olito, the Sun God's Child, must die. As long as he remains anywhere in this world, he cannot escape my pursuit!"

Xiao Chen released all his War Swords at once, severing more than twenty great mountains around him. The knights, their faces ashen with terror, scattered.

Letting the Divine Knights go, Xiao Chen stood alone on the ruins of the Sun Divine Palace, silent for a long time.

Now he could contend with half-ancestors, yet he still could not protect the people of his past.

Su Ying—a talented woman of her time, her life had been so tragic. Her fate should not have been like this, but she had been dragged into such suffering. Su Ying, the little shadow of his youth who had followed him everywhere, yet her path had been so harsh. When she grew into a young woman, she married in tears after waiting in vain for his return. Then came one tribulation after another, endless torment. For so many years, she had been imprisoned, a captive.

Xiao Chen blamed himself for failing to protect her.

Life is always full of regrets. There are always things that are hard to let go of, memories that refuse to fade, people one cannot forget without grief. Though he had always seen her only as a little sister, he still felt a profound debt to this woman etched in his memory. He yearned to seize Hu Ben and Olito at once.

A cold wind howled; leaden clouds churned. Heavy snow fell in thick flakes, blanketing the mountains in white.

Xiao Chen stood there silently, his body covered in snow, slowly becoming a snowman.

From the distant sky, several figures flew over. At the front was a white-clad young woman, her features beautiful and ethereal, radiating a purity and lightness that was indescribable. She was like the crystalline snow itself, giving a feeling of pristine freshness. Her smile was so innocent, as if untouched by any worldly trouble, carrying an infectious quality that calmed the soul.

Xiao Chen looked through the wind and snow. When he saw the white-clad girl, his expression froze. Was that not Su Ying?

He had destroyed Tiger Fortress and cut down the Sun Divine Palace to save her, yet found no trace. How had she appeared on her own?

Behind her were actually Qi'er, Tianya, and the others, along with Wu Zhanhun.

"Eh? Uncle, why are you standing here alone in a daze?" The white-clad girl was pure as white paper, her smile very bright.

Xiao Chen, with his unkempt beard and haggard appearance, did look like an uncle. He stared fixedly at this ill-fated white-clad young woman.

"Don't you recognize me?"

"Uncle, you're so strange. We've never met before."

Behind her, Wu Zhanhun sent a secret transmission to Xiao Chen: "Over a hundred and fifty years ago, I rescued her. I erased the memories of her hardships and suffering, and today I brought her here to meet you."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen stared at the white-clad girl once more. Her innocent smile stirred an indescribable ache in his heart.

"Yes, we have never met before." As he said these words, he felt his eyes blur. A glistening shimmer appeared. He whispered to himself: Yes, you will never know who I am.

"Oh? But I feel like you're very familiar." The girl tilted her head, looking at him.

Remembering all that had passed, Xiao Chen felt a deep sadness. He knew he would never see the old Su Ying again. The little shadow of his past was gone forever.

"I failed to protect you…" he murmured in a voice barely audible, his words choked with tears.

"What's wrong? You feel so strange," the white-clad girl asked innocently.

"Nothing. I'm very happy to see you." Xiao Chen forced himself back to a calm, emotionless state, then revealed a bright smile. "I sincerely wish you eternal happiness."

"Thank you!" The white-clad girl gave a pure smile. "I also wish you eternal happiness."

"Goodbye. May we both always remember the joyful smiles of days past." Xiao Chen turned abruptly and flew into the distance without looking back.

A reunion in the snow. A bright smile. A fleeting eternity. It sealed the haziness of the past.

"I wish you eternal joy," the white-clad girl waved unconsciously, then looked slightly bewildered. "Such a strange feeling."

Xiao Chen vanished into the white vastness. A pleading message sounded in Wu Zhanhun's heart: "Thank you. Please take care of her, and let her be happy forever."

"What is this? I'm not the you of the past. I am an independent martial soul. Where will you go from here?" Wu Zhanhun shouted.

Where would he go from here? Xiao Chen asked himself, then answered: He would forcibly set aside all that had passed and prepare for an even harsher future. From this moment on, he would become stronger.

Though there were regrets in his heart, as long as the flower of his wish did not wither, there would always be brilliant fragrance. His path lay ahead. He would charge forward, advancing without falter.