Lu Xiaoluo sat cross-legged, her consciousness sinking deep within.
She struggled against the madly multiplying dark thoughts and the constantly eroding gray mist.
Outside, Xu Yujun's fierce attacks were blocked by her instinctively triggered absolute defensive barrier.
It fused the Mountain-Guarding Sword Intent with the essence of the Heaven-Supporting Sword.
But the attack from within was far more perilous.
Just as her spirit wavered, nearly consumed by the despair of being "unloved" and "abandoned"—
A light, melodious singing voice, filled with infinite tenderness and nostalgia, quietly resonated deep in her heart.
"Gathering wei, gathering wei, the wei plants have just sprouted. Saying return, saying return, the year is drawing to a close..."
This song... so familiar...
Lu Xiaoluo suddenly froze.
Because this singing wasn't coming from outside, nor was it her imagination.
It originated from... the ancient Mountain-Guarding Sword floating and humming before her!
The sword itself was softly singing!
In an instant, countless sealed memory fragments, like a flood breaching a dam, surged wildly into her mind!
She remembered her mortal mother.
In her memories, Mother was always gentle, yet carried a faint melancholy.
She loved sitting beneath the snow pine in their small Kunlun courtyard, softly humming this "Gathering Wei."
Young Lu Xiaoluo had always thought her mother was singing to that immortal father she'd never met, expressing her longing.
But now, cleansed by this song, she suddenly understood.
Every time Mother sang this song, it was when she returned from playing outside!
The hope and calling in that voice, those words "saying return, saying return"...
Weren't they also sung for her?
Wasn't this her mother's deepest concern and love?
Then, the contents of that final letter her father had left behind, every word and phrase, emerged clearly in her heart like an imprint...
Each sentence was filled with her parents' deepest, inexpressible love and hope for her in that life-or-death choice.
'Am I... truly unloved?' Lu Xiaoluo asked herself in her heart.
Though that strange gray mist still frantically tried to whisper in her ear, repeating those vicious suspicions...
The "Gathering Wei" song from the Mountain-Guarding Sword, the warmth and reluctance flowing through the lines of that family letter...
These began like sunlight to disperse the gloom in her heart.
Suddenly, she felt something, as if enveloped in a warm halo of light.
Though her eyes were closed, she clearly "saw"—
A tall figure, his face blurred yet radiating infinite love and a gratified smile.
He stood quietly behind her, his broad warm palm gently resting on her head.
He conveyed silent encouragement and affirmation.
And another gentle, loving figure, her gaze brimming with tenderness, embracing her from behind.
She pressed her cheek against Lu Xiaoluo's temple, humming precisely that "Gathering Wei"...
Father... Mother...
They had never truly left!
Their love, their protection, was hidden deep within this Mountain-Guarding Sword.
It was in every note of this "Gathering Wei."
All along, silently accompanying her, guarding her!
"BOOM—!"
An indescribable, pure and vast warmth and power erupted from the Mountain-Guarding Sword.
Like a dormant volcano awakening, it instantly flowed through her entire being, cleansing all gloom and filth!
That gray mist plaguing her met its absolute nemesis!
To outside observers, they only saw the gray mist desperately trying to burrow into Lu Xiaoluo's body.
It twisted and writhed—
Then let out a sharp, mournful shriek.
It was violently expelled by the pure, dazzling white holy light bursting forth from within her!
The gray mist writhed and struggled in the air like ice exposed to blazing sun.
Rapidly melting, dissipating, completely vanishing into nothingness!
Lu Xiaoluo's tightly closed eyes suddenly flew open!
Those eyes, once slightly confused and pained from struggle, were now as clear as the cold springs of the nine heavens.
They were as steadfast as eternal bedrock.
They held an unprecedented wisdom that saw through all illusions to the truth of the self!
She slowly stood, her figure straight and proud like a Kunlun snow pine.
The Mountain-Guarding Sword emitted a joyful, impassioned humming.
It was as if celebrating the awakening of its guardian.
It flew automatically into her hand, its blade flowing with brilliant light, perfectly merging with her presence.
She raised her head, her gaze calm and profound.
She looked toward Xu Yujun ahead—whose attacks had been blocked.
His face now showed uncertainty and even disbelief at this prolonged stalemate.
No words, no gathering momentum, no earth-shattering eruption of aura.
She simply took one step forward, her stride steady and determined.
Then, naturally, she swung her sword.
This strike appeared utterly ordinary, returning to simplicity.
It had no sharp sound of cutting air or dazzling brilliance.
But in that instant when the ancient blade parted the air, her "Mountain-Guarding Sword Intent" underwent a fundamental transformation and sublimation!
Originally heavy as a mountain, focused purely on absolute defense.
Now it was no longer merely passive defense.
It incorporated the endless longing and tender protection from the "Gathering Wei" song.
It carried the deep hope and supreme love from her parents crossing the boundary between life and death.
And her own supreme will and steadfast dao heart that had severed all illusions and seen the truth!
The new sword intent was vast and magnificent.
It seemed it could bear the weight of heaven and earth, yet was warm as spring sunshine.
It was heavy as the towering Kunlun, yet agile as snowflakes drifting from the nine heavens!
It seemed to contain the supreme law of protecting all that was beautiful and destroying all evil!
Where the blade pointed, it wasn't slaughter, but... cleansing and protection!
Xu Yujun's face changed drastically, his pupils contracting!
He felt an unprecedented fatal threat emanating from the depths of his soul!
That seemingly plain sword strike made even his spiritual power stagnate!
He roared, suppressing his terror.
He explosively unleashed every bit of his late Heavenly Realm cultivation without reservation.
Layer upon layer of sword light instantly formed countless dazzling, rune-covered defensive sword screens before him.
This was the strongest defense he could muster!
The sword light shot toward the sky, its aura magnificent!
Yet—
"PSSSH—!"
A soft sound, so faint it was nearly imperceptible.
When the tip of Lu Xiaoluo's slowly advancing Mountain-Guarding Sword touched those overlapping, seemingly indestructible sword screens...
It was like a red-hot blade cutting through cold fat.
Silently, effortlessly passing straight through!
Those layers of sword screens, which seemed strong enough to withstand any attack below the Saint Realm...
They crumbled like paper before this sword intent imbued with ultimate emotion, ultimate purity, transcending ordinary laws!
Unable to block for even a moment!
The sword tip stopped steadily, precisely, at Xu Yujun's throat.
Not a fraction more, not a fraction less.
The cold sword intent made the skin on his neck instantly break out in dense goosebumps.
The terror of death seized his heart like ice water poured over his head, freezing his blood!
His entire body stiffened like iron, his pupils contracted to pinpoints.
All his arrogance and anger utterly vanished.
Only boundless horror and incomprehensible shock remained—unable to move a single inch.
[
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