Chapter 58: Well-Played

Standing knee-deep in the river with a fish in her arms, Nangong Lin suddenly felt a chill sweep over her, goosebumps rising across her skin.

She scrambled to the shore with the fish and barely set foot on solid ground when a figure crashed into her, nearly knocking her over.

Blinking in shock, she stared at Gu Qingxiao, who was clinging to her, and asked in confusion, “Xiao’er, what are you doing here all of a sudden?”

“Sister Nangong, my brother’s gone missing and Mother is so worried something’s happened to him.” Gu Qingxiao immediately launched into her performance, tears and snot running freely.

“So she let me come look for him, and just as I arrived I bumped into you. Guess it must be fate, right?” As she spoke, she kept sneaking glances at Nangong Lin’s face.

Nangong Lin’s smile froze. Panic flickered in her eyes. “No way… He should be fine. He’s so strong, who could possibly do anything to him?”

Gu Qingxiao stayed glued to Nangong Lin’s arms, the corner of her mouth twitching up in a sly little smirk. She secretly flashed an ‘okay’ gesture to Gu Qingyi, who was hiding not far away.

“Sister Nangong, could you help me look for my brother?” Gu Qingxiao pinched her thigh hard and, with tears brimming in her eyes, looked up at Nangong Lin, her voice choked with emotion.

“Don’t cry, I’ll help you,” Nangong Lin said after a hesitant pause, unable to resist the sight of Gu Qingxiao sobbing in her arms.

As soon as she heard Nangong Lin’s promise, Gu Qingxiao broke into a bright smile. She gently brushed her fingers against Nangong Lin’s cheek and, in a tender voice, teased, “Sister Nangong, you really get prettier every time I see you. I wonder who the lucky one will be in the end.”

Nangong Lin blushed deep as an apple at Gu Qingxiao’s playful antics and stammered, “Oh, hush! You’re the one who doesn’t know who’s going to end up lucky!”

The two of them joked back and forth, their laughter echoing across the riverbank.

…………….

Watching from behind a tree, Gu Qingyi felt the urge to step out, but clenched his fists and held himself back. He knew this wasn’t his moment to appear. It would only ruin the atmosphere.

“Xiao’er, let’s grill some fish together later.”

Nangong Lin, catching sight of the fish still flopping beside her, suddenly remembered she hadn’t finished dealing with it.

Gu Qingxiao perked up at the idea and immediately volunteered to help. The pair set about their task, sealing the fate of the fish together.

The fish wanted to scream, “Curse you two, have you ever thought about how I feel?”

A moment later, the fish felt its belly split open—and in a swift motion, it was gutted and flipped, its life over.

The fish was cleaned in no time, then skewered on a long stick and sprinkled with seasonings before being laid over the fire.

The mouthwatering aroma drifted along the river, quickly catching the attention of the Nalan siblings as they fished nearby. They stared, their mouths instantly watering.

They hurried ashore with their own two tiny fishes in hand.

Compared to the big fish being grilled, theirs looked pitiful—like bringing a pebble to a boulder. After all that effort, all they managed were these two little things.

The siblings couldn’t help but ask, “Sister, how did you catch such a big one? Why can we only manage tiny fish?”

Grinning, Nangong Lin patted their heads. “Small ones are great too, you can make a nice soup out of them.”

“I thought you were saints but turns out you’re demons!” squeaked the little fish, suddenly flopping in protest. “How can you eat me when I’m this tiny—can’t even let me off the hook, have to make soup!”

“Who among you is going to survive, big boss!”

Everyone eyed the glistening, freshly-roasted fish, drooling as they waited for their turn to taste it.

Seeing their impatience, Nangong Lin quickly tore the fish into several pieces and handed everyone a share.

After the meal, all were full of praise for Nangong Lin’s cooking.

“Sister Nangong, it’s unfair for you to be this gorgeous,” Gu Qingxiao said with a sigh, savoring her piece. “And such an amazing cook, too. The thought of you marrying someone else just makes my heart ache.”

Just as they were bantering—

……………

The leaves on a nearby tree suddenly rustled violently.

With a flurry, leaves rained down, covering the ground.

A gust of shadows—over a dozen black-clad men, their presence chilling—appeared before them, exuding a menacing aura.

The moment they landed, each one unleashed their cultivation. Under the massive pressure, leaves fell from every tree around them, leaving only bare trunks.

Nangong Lin and the others turned pale at the sight. She trembled, her lips quivering. “This isn’t good—they’re all Sword King Realm, two-fold. The leader is fifth-fold!”

“We’re in serious trouble!” Nangong Lin shoved the Nalan siblings behind her, ready to shield them.

The leader of the group, known as Hei San, gave the Nalan siblings a strange look, then flashed a sinister smile. “So, the rats in hiding are finally found.”

He slowly drew a massive blade from his back, each step forward radiating deadly intent.

“No good, he’s Sword King Realm, fifth-fold.” Gu Qingxiao felt an ominous dread welling up. “I can handle him, maybe, but there’s no way I can protect the others too. If I use my true strength, I’ll blow my cover. What do I do?”

Gu Qingxiao hurried to shield Nangong Lin, whispering, “Sister Nangong, these people are too strong. We’re not a match—we’ll have to play it by ear.”

With a collective swish, over a dozen swords flared as the black-clad men closed in step by step behind Hei San.

The pressure as they advanced was suffocating.

Nangong Lin looked at the trembling Nalan siblings and bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm. She stepped forward and called out to the black-clad group, her voice tentative, “May I ask who you are, seniors? Did we offend you somehow?”

“Why must you strike us down today?”

“You’re asking me?” Hei San halted, a crooked grin flashing across his face as he raised a hand to stop his men.

“Well, since you’re all about to die, I’ll let you know anyway.” He sneered at the shivering group before announcing, “We are the Nalan family’s Shadow Guards—the family’s sharpest blades, handling all the dirty work in the shadows.”

“It’s a pity, really. Such pretty girls, but you had to get mixed up with the wrong people.” He sighed. “Maybe your next life will go better, so choose your friends wisely!”

“Blame your father, Nalan Qiang—he threw away the family’s honor to run off with a mortal!” He stepped forward, his voice cold. “Nalan blood can’t be tainted by ordinary folk.”

“The Nalan siblings must die today. And since you’ve seen us, you’ll have to be silenced too!” His eyes flashed with murderous intent. “Kill them all!”

In a burst of lethal intent, the black-clad assassins exploded into action. Swords in hand, they charged at the group with a frenzy of swirling leaves.

Seeing how desperate the situation was, Gu Qingxiao had no time to worry about revealing herself. She roared, “Stop right there!”

A sword suddenly materialized in her grip as her aura soared, blasting up to Sword King Realm, fourth-fold.

She leapt ahead, intercepting the attack and blocking the oncoming onslaught.

With a flick of her wrist, her sword danced in her hands and met the attackers blow for blow—never falling behind for a second.

A cold gleam flashed in Gu Qingxiao’s eyes as she sliced down, cutting through a black-clad man whose blood spilled in an arc. From shoulder to belly he split in two, drenching Gu Qingxiao in blood.

In that moment of shock, she lunged again, slashing through two more, cutting them clean in half. Chunks of entrails spilled across the ground, staining the dirt red.

Watching nearly half their number fall, a wounded black-clad man let out a furious roar: “We’re outmatched! Retreat!”

The fallen assassins lay dead, eyes wide in disbelief, as if trying to make sense of how carelessness had cost them their lives.

“Is that really my little sister?” Gu Qingyi, still behind a tree, couldn’t help but marvel at Gu Qingxiao’s strength. “Looks like there’s no need for me to step in now.”

Hei San, realizing something was wrong, roared, “It’s just a Sword King Realm, fourth-fold! All of you—attack together!”

Several brutal waves of assault followed, and soon Gu Qingxiao was covered in wounds and struggling to hold out.

Gu Qingxiao wiped the blood from her mouth, spat onto the ground, and lifted her sword in defiance. “A group of big men attacking a girl like me—do you even have any shame left?”

Nangong Lin drew the Nalan siblings behind her, shielding them the best she could.

Hei San, frustrated by Gu Qingxiao’s resilience and his own wounded men, finally said, “Kid, you’re strong, but you can’t take us all at once. If you refuse to back down, then I’ll cut you down first—and then the Nalan siblings!”

Blade in one hand, his other palm radiated a crushing force as he lunged at Gu Qingxiao with brutal fury.

Seeing the vicious Hei San charging her, Gu Qingxiao shouted in desperation, “Hey, stupid brother, how long are you going to stand there and watch? If you don’t help, your little sister’s going to die!”

“If you dare hurt my little sister, this place will be your grave!” A thunderous voice rang out.

A crushing wave of pressure washed over the black-clad men—they felt as if a mountain was pinning them in place. No one could move.

A figure appeared in the air, long hair fluttering, clad in green robes, barely touching the ground—handsome and youthful, brimming with heroic spirit.

Nangong Lin stared, dazed. “It’s him. He’s back.”

The black-clad assassins recognized their new foe and knew instantly they were hopelessly outmatched.

“Eat Must-Boost Pill!” Hei San barked in fury, spinning around.

[Must-Boost Pill: Consumes the user’s lifespan and blood essence to temporarily raise any cultivation below Sword Emperor Realm by three minor realms, fully healing all wounds. The consumer will die exactly one hour after ingesting.]

All the surviving black-clad men, except for Hei San, swallowed the pill at once—their faces defiant, ready to face death. They had no choice: refuse and die now, or delay it at best.

Their auras exploded—the entire group reached Sword King Realm, fifth-fold!

The invisible force restraining them all but vanished. With a roar their sleeves tore apart, muscles bulged, and wounds instantly healed. With voices like thunder, they charged Gu Qingyi, “Die, brat!”

The sight made Nangong Lin’s heart pound. She quickly started healing Gu Qingxiao while asking, “Your brother—will he be okay?”

“Don’t worry, my big bro’s got this,” Gu Qingxiao replied as she struggled to sit up, relief flickering in her eyes.

Gu Qingyi stared down the oncoming swarm, eyes cold with murderous intent. He spoke with steely calm: “Ten Thousand Swords Return, kill!”

The black-clad men froze in shock. Their swords slipped from their hands—then, thousands upon thousands of blades materialized out of thin air, swirling around Gu Qingyi.

Cries of despair rang out. “We’re doomed!”

They wanted to move but couldn’t—their bodies locked by a power they couldn’t break. All they could do was watch as the storm of swords closed in.

In an instant, the swords tore into them like hornets, leaving not even a chance to scream—one by one, their throats were slit, bodies vanishing into clouds of blood.

Hei San, hiding behind a tree, watched in horror as his men were annihilated, his legs shaking uncontrollably with fear.

But then rage overtook him. “How can this be? So many Sword King Realm, fifth-fold killed in a second—what kind of attack is that? I’ve never even heard of it!”

Hei San spotted Nangong Lin and the others nearby. With a vicious glare, he swallowed a Must-Boost Pill.

His cultivation shot up to Sword King Realm, eighth-fold.

“If I can’t kill you, I’ll kill all of them!” he yelled.

Moving swift as lightning, he drew a ribbed fan-sword from his robes and lunged at Nangong Lin.

Gu Qingyi, flickering between states, saw what was happening and dashed forward, blocking Nangong Lin just in time.

With a sharp hiss, the fan-sword pierced straight through Gu Qingyi’s chest.

Blood sprayed across Nangong Lin’s pale face, painting it red.

“How did you… move so fast?” Hei San stared in disbelief at Gu Qingyi’s sudden appearance.

Gu Qingyi’s eyes flared with killing intent as he called his last strength into a palm strike, slamming it into Hei San’s temple.

With a dull thud, Hei San crashed to the ground, his eyes glazing over while blood poured from his mouth. The side of his skull had caved in, death looming with every heartbeat.

Even as he died, Hei San fired a signal flare into the sky, his voice ghostly: “You may have killed me, but there are thousands more behind me. As long as those siblings live, the murders will never end. I’ll be waiting for you in the afterlife, hahaha!”

With that, he died, eyes fixed and empty.

“Brother Gu, hang in there! I’ll get you to Uncle Nalan—you’ll make it!” Nangong Lin cried, powerless, clutching the blood-soaked Gu Qingyi.

Gu Qingyi, blood dripping from his mouth, looked at her with sorrow. “Lin’er, I hurt you that day. I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” His eyes fluttered closed as he finished.

Nangong Lin broke down, holding Gu Qingyi in her arms. “I forgive you! Don’t sleep—open your eyes and look at me, please!”

Though his eyes were shut, Gu Qingyi’s lips twitched up in a subtle grin—one that looked suspiciously like the smile of a schemer who pulled off his plot.

Watching this act, Gu Qingxiao sighed in exasperation. Her brother could outdo her at this whole drama thing.

She came over to Gu Qingyi.

With a hiss, she yanked the fan-sword out of his chest. Gu Qingyi gritted his teeth, not making a sound the entire time.

Gu Qingxiao shook her head, unable to stop a smile as she opened a small brocade pouch, took out a bottle of medicine, and sprinkled the powder on Gu Qingyi’s wound.

“Don’t worry, Sister Nangong,” she told her, finally relaxing, “my brother’s not going anywhere yet.”

Nangong Lin, stunned by the string of unlikely events, had no energy to question it. She helped carry the ‘unconscious’ Gu Qingyi away.

[Sword Qi Continent Realm Divisions: Ordinary Person, Sword Practitioner Realm, Sword Qi Realm, Sword Sea Realm, Sword King Realm, Sword Emperor Realm, Sword Saint Realm, (Demi-God Realm), Sword God Realm]

[No one in history has broken through to Demi-God Realm, so it’s been forgotten. Also known as ‘False God’, it’s recorded in the Ancient Inheritance Scrolls.]