Chapter 192: Resurgence of Consciousness, A Sword Slices the Moon
“…”
The First Elder stared at the scattered soul fragments, her expression frozen in shock.
The essence of countless souls, gathered over centuries, had been…
…crushed in his bare hand?!
“This is impossible! How could the sacred souls—”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Lin Tianlu smiled coldly, channeling his spiritual energy into his palm and striking the back of her head without hesitation.
Hum!
The First Elder grunted, a surge of warmth spreading through her body, like a soothing balm.
“Ugh—”
Her eyes widened in shock, her voice hoarse and filled with disbelief. “W-what is this…? Such pure… spiritual energy?!”
Her body trembled uncontrollably, the sinister markings on her skin writhing as if trying to escape the encroaching warmth.
“Impossible! Where did this pure energy come from—Aaaaaah!”
As the spiritual energy filled her body, she let out a cry of anguish and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Blood-red mist rose from her skin, like steam, then was forcefully expelled from her body.
This mist wasn’t formed from conscious souls or ghosts, but from pure hatred and resentment, a curse that had festered for a thousand years. Even a trace of it could drive an ordinary cultivator mad.
And if this concentrated aura was allowed to spread unchecked…
It would transform the surrounding area into a nightmarish realm, driving all living creatures insane.
Without hesitation, Lin Tianlu flicked his sleeve, annihilating the blood mist. A faint, angry roar echoed through the air, then faded into silence.
“—Cough!”
The First Elder coughed, her eyes fluttering open as her consciousness returned.
She touched her forehead, her expression dazed. “W-what happened…?”
“It’s over. Time to wake up.”
Lin Tianlu released her, his voice calm. “That Soul Moon wasn’t a source of power, but a curse, leading you down a path of destruction, turning you into a puppet of the Moon Soul Sacred Sect.”
“…”
The First Elder bit her lip, her expression changing.
Her mind was clearer now, and she realized what had happened.
That ancient curse had been consuming her, twisting her thoughts and emotions, taking control of her actions. If he hadn’t intervened, the consequences would have been disastrous.
But with the curse dispelled, she felt the immense power she had wielded fading away.
—She had failed.
Both as the First Elder of the Lunar Valley and as a descendant of the Moon Soul Sacred Sect, she had been utterly defeated.
But her heart was filled with a sense of emptiness and resentment.
Had her decades of planning been for nothing, a mere illusion, a fleeting dream?
Was her ambition to revive her ancestors’ legacy, to restore their glory, destined to end in failure?
How could she accept this, after witnessing the tragic events of a thousand years ago, the sacrifices of her ancestors?
They had sacrificed everything, even their own souls, clinging to their hatred and resentment, refusing to give up. How could she abandon their cause now?
“Even if… it means descending into hell, I will be the fuel, the spark that ignites the path for the Sacred Sect—”
Her eyes hardened with renewed determination, and she secretly began channeling her Yin energy, trying to break free.
“…”
But after struggling for a while…
She realized she was still trapped, her body pinned to the ground.
“W-what’s happening? Why aren’t my techniques—”
“I’ve learned from my mistakes, First Elder. I won’t let you escape again.”
Lin Tianlu smiled and pressed his hand on her shoulder. “Give up. There’s no escape.”
“You!”
The First Elder’s face contorted with rage, and she lashed out with a wave of blood-red energy.
But before her attack could fully form, Lin Tianlu caught her hand, and it dissipated.
She gritted her teeth, flipping over and punching him with her left hand, but he effortlessly blocked it.
She struggled with all her might, but he held her firmly, pinning her to the ground. Her chest heaved with frustration, and she shouted, “Let go of me!”
“You still refuse to give up?”
Lin Tianlu’s smile faded, his voice serious. “This will only bring you ruin and disgrace, not glory. Your actions are reckless and foolish, driven by the Soul Moon’s corruption.”
“Is your life solely defined by your ancestors’ desires, by the pursuit of a lost legacy?”
He pulled her up, his gaze piercing. “Then what was the point of your life in the Lunar Valley these past few centuries? What meaning did it hold?”
The First Elder collapsed to the ground, her eyes burning with resentment. “You, an outsider, can’t possibly understand my aspirations! I’ve waited for so long, and you’re trying to destroy everything I’ve worked for!”
“Then look around.”
Lin Tianlu’s voice was cold. “Look at what you’ve done to your precious Moon Soul Sacred Sect.”
The First Elder’s words died in her throat, and she looked around.
“This—”
She fell silent.
All she saw…
…was a desolate wasteland.
Half of the estate had been destroyed, reduced to rubble, the valley filled with a blood-red mist, echoing with ghostly wails, as if the tragic events of a thousand years ago were repeating themselves.
“Is this the future you desire?”
“I, no…”
The First Elder mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.
After a moment of silence, she felt a pang of guilt and regret, a strange sadness welling up within her.
She shouldn’t care about this insignificant valley. Once her grand plan succeeded, this place would be meaningless.
But why did she feel so much pain?
“Ugh!”
She clutched her forehead, a sharp pain piercing through her skull, her eyes flashing with a blood-red light, her mind filled with chaotic thoughts and voices.
Countless voices echoed in her head, accusing her of betraying her ancestors, of abandoning their legacy, their voices filled with anger and condemnation.
Lin Tianlu steadied her swaying body.
Seeing her fluctuating aura, his expression turned serious. “Is the curse still affecting you?”
He was about to channel his spiritual energy into her body, but—
The First Elder raised her hand weakly, stopping him. She gasped, her breath shaky.
“…You have no manners, boy.”
She looked up at him, a weak smile on her lips. “I’ve been patient with you, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult me… You almost made me cry.”
Her voice was hoarse and choked with emotion. “But thanks to you, I’ve regained some clarity. If you truly… refuse to help me achieve my goal… then destroy the Soul Moon, before I change my mind.”
“You finally understand?”
“Understand?”
The First Elder’s eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at him. “You’ve defeated me, humiliated me, pinned me to the ground like an insect. I have no choice but to understand.”
In short…
She couldn’t win.
Further resistance would only lead to more humiliation.
“But be careful…”
The First Elder sighed, her eyes downcast. “There’s something wrong with the Soul Moon. It’s no longer under my control. It’s incredibly dangerous. Don’t throw your life away.”
“Thank you for the warning, First Elder. I’ll be careful.”
Lin Tianlu smiled with satisfaction and patted her shoulder, then stood up. “But since you’ve given me your permission, I can finally unleash my full power.”
He looked up at the blood moon in the sky and saw a dark, inky blackness spreading through its crimson surface, as if a figure was emerging from a pool of mud. The figure spread its arms, and a network of blood-red runes extended outwards, engulfing the entire valley.
A wave of killing intent and malevolent energy surged towards them, threatening to crush the Lunar Valley!
“In the end… I’m the one who’s bringing disaster upon the Lunar Valley.” The First Elder chuckled bitterly, turning away from the blood moon, unable to bear the sight.
She closed her eyes, her voice a whisper.
“Lin Tianlu, this is the turning point for the Moon Soul Sacred Sect.”
“You’re Ruoyu’s elder, there’s no need for such formalities!”
Lin Tianlu stood tall, his back straight, his eyes gleaming. “First Elder, did you ask me how I escaped from the Moon Soul Prison?”
“Now, I’ll tell you—”
He raised his hand, and an ancient, broken sword appeared, spinning gracefully.
“With this sword, I’ll sever the chains of fate that have bound the Moon Soul Sacred Sect for a thousand years!”
He swung the sword.
A wave of ancient sword energy sliced through the night sky, piercing the shadowy figure entwined with the blood moon, shattering the crimson orb, tearing through the dark clouds that had enveloped the Lunar Valley.
“Gah…”
The shadowy figure within the Soul Moon reached out, as if trying to grasp something, then it began to dissipate, crumbling along with the shattered moon, the countless souls trapped within it screaming as they were released from their thousand-year prison.
The clear night sky reappeared.
A cool, refreshing breeze swept through the ruined valley.