Supreme Sword Exalt

Clamor from afar echoed even through the dilapidated, half-collapsed street. The potholed ground was covered in foul and stagnant water. The more Gu Han looked, the more solemn his expression became.

He knew very well that everything was fake. There was no way such a place could exist inside the Dragon Seal. Yet everything he saw seemed very vivid and lifelike, suggesting it wasn’t merely an illusion.

As he was thinking, two cries reached his ears. He shifted his gaze and saw the demoness weeping profusely, her eyes filled with grief and longing. With a dazed expression, she walked toward that shabby, rundown courtyard.

Gu Han frowned deeply. “Don’t go! There’s something strange about this place...”

The demoness acted as if she hadn’t heard him and walked straight in. Gu Han, who was full of vigilance, followed her in.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds. It seemed to have just rained, as the ground was muddy and impassable. Two of the three thatched huts had collapsed, and the remaining one was in shambles, barely able to shield from wind and rain. The simple wooden door was on the verge of giving way, leaving the scene inside completely exposed. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Inside the hut, there was an old man and a young girl. The old man’s age was impossible to determine. His complexion was gray and dull, with little luster left in his eyes. Beside him was a young girl of about ten. She was thin and frail, her coarse clothing covered in patches. Smeared with plant ash, her petite face was black and messy, leaving her indistinguishable.

“Grandfather!” She knelt before the old man, overjoyed. In her hand was a broken porcelain bowl missing several chips. “You’re awake! Drink some water!”

The solemn look on Gu Han’s face deepened. His divine sense determined that the two were both real, living people. He could even perceive that the old man’s life force had ceased. Like oil running dry and a lamp burning out, he could die at any moment.

Beside him, the demoness stared blankly at the old man as her grief intensified.

Gu Han hesitated for a moment before asking, “Do you know them?”

Just then, the old man coughed violently, causing the young girl to continuously pat his back to ease his breathing.

After a while, the old man gradually stopped coughing, the light in his eyes almost gone. “Ah Yin... I’m going to die. I won’t be able to take care of you anymore...”

The girl shook her head desperately. “Grandfather, you won’t die! You won’t die! Y-you’re hungry, right? You haven’t eaten for days. Wait for me. I’ll find you something to eat! Once you’re full, you’ll get better...”

With that, she rushed out like a mad person. Strangely, she seemed completely unaware of Gu Han and the demoness’ presence.

The girl muttered under her breath without pause, “Full... Grandfather will get better once he’s full...”

Inside the hut, the old man also murmured to himself, “I’m going to die... Who will take care of Ah Yin after I’m gone...?”

His expression was stiff as he repeated this phrase over and over. His voice grew softer, and the light in his eyes dimmed further, until he fell completely silent.

The demoness sat beside the old man, hugging her knees helplessly. Bewilderment and endless pain swirled within her eyes.

Gu Han had mixed feelings. “Was he your grandfather? And that little girl was you?”

The demoness buried her head deep between her knees as she trembled slightly. “Yes.”

It seemed that single word had exhausted all her strength. Gu Han sighed softly. Even though he knew this was very likely an illusion, he still wanted to see what had happened. With a flicker, he arrived outside the street.

It was ten times more prosperous and livelier than that shabby little street. Pedestrians came and went constantly, yet no one noticed Gu Han’s existence.

“Hand it over!”

“Do you know whose territory this is?!”

“How dare you beg on this street! We will teach you some rules!”

At the street corner, the girl was completely surrounded by a group of beggars.

Looking at the steaming hot bun in her hands, a beggar laughed sinisterly and reached out to snatch it. “Give it to me! This is—ARGH!!”

In the next moment, he let out a heart-wrenching scream. The girl had bitten down on his hand. She ignored the kicks and punches from those around her, refusing to let go of the bun. In her eyes, the bun was her grandfather’s life. She would rather die than hand it over.

Gu Han’s fingers twitched as he felt the urge to draw his sword.

Just then, the beggar leaned back, his hand bloody and mangled. The girl had actually bitten off one of his fingers!

Taking advantage of the few people’s panic, she endured the pain and sprinted back. After a moment’s hesitation, Gu Han still followed because he couldn’t bear to see what came next.

The girl ran into the hut out of breath, filled with boundless joy. “Grandfather, I found food! A kind person gave me a bun. Once you eat it, you’ll get better!”

Then, she saw the old man, who had been dead for some time. His cloudy eyes, still unwilling to close, were filled with worry and grief.

The bun fell to the ground. The girl stared blankly at the old man with hollow eyes that were devoid of any light or luster. Her world had collapsed with the death of her grandfather.

Gu Han sighed softly. “Is this your past?”

The demoness murmured to herself, her expression mirroring the girl’s, “Back then, I blamed myself terribly. If I had gone out to find food earlier, he... might not have died.”

Gu Han remained silent. It wasn’t even because he starved to death...

He couldn’t help but ask, “What about your parents?”

“I never met them. Grandfather said they died on the road while fleeing famine... Grandfather was my only family. After he died, there was no one left in this world who would treat me well...”

Gu Han said no more. Based on his judgment, this place was likely a poor, remote corner. The demoness’ parents had died early, and her grandfather had raised her on his own.

Suddenly, the half-door was kicked open with great force. Several fierce and vicious beggars burst in from outside.

“So you’re here!”

“What a shithole!”

“Damn it, I’m going to kill her for biting me!”

The few men stormed inside, cursing and shouting. Without a word, they grabbed the girl and began kicking and punching her. They seemed determined to beat her to death. From beginning to end, the girl did not utter a single word. As if she couldn’t feel the pain at all, her hollow gaze never left the old man.

Gu Han’s eyes turned cold as a flicker of killing intent arose in his heart.

Just then, a middle-aged man landed inside the hut. He was dressed in a cotton robe, with three long wisps of beard. His expression carried a natural authority even without anger. In silence, all the beggars turned to ash.

Gu Han instinctively felt that the man had a very high cultivation level. Who is this?

Moreover, the timing of his appearance was far too coincidental. The moment the demoness saw him, her eyes were filled with resentment.

Seemingly unaware, the man glanced coldly at the old man. He reached out and extracted a wisp of gray qi from the body.

Gu Han’s eyes turned cold. Remnant soul?

After death, the souls of mortals without cultivation would dissipate into the world. Since the old man had just died, his soul hadn’t completely scattered, but it seemed the man had forcibly drawn it out.

His action seemed to fully ignite the demoness’ anger. Everything before her became distorted, as if about to dissipate at any moment.

Just as the illusion was on the verge of fading, the man looked at the girl. His expression changed, concern filling his eyes.

Gently, with a voice that seemed to carry a magical power, he asked, “Little girl, what is your name?”

The girl dazedly looked up and mechanically replied, “Mo Chenyin.”

Gu Han glanced at the demoness. Mo Chenyin? Is this her name?