Supreme Sword Exalt

The little figure appeared honest on the surface, but his eyes gleamed with cunning light, as if trying to find a way to escape from Gu Han’s grasp. Just like the demoness, the Soul Annihilation technique dealt significant damage to existences like them. If he didn’t flee, he would really lose his life.

Gu Han suppressed his doubts. “I’ll ask you. How long have you been here?”

The most urgent matter now was still to figure out the situation here first.

The little figure shook his head. “I don’t even know. I’ve been here so long I’ve forgotten the time... At least a few thousand years, probably?”

“How big is this place?”

“Very, very big, enough to rival a small world.”

“Are you the only one here?”

The little figure nodded repeatedly. “Yes! I’m the only one! Everyone else died. You guys are the only living beings I’ve ever seen!”

Gu Han sneered coldly as he didn’t believe a single word from this creature. So far, he had come across divine clans, nether clans, and even strange existences like Illusory Demons. There had to be other things he didn’t know about.

The little figure asked, “Don’t you want to get out?”

Gu Han was taken aback. “Oh? Do you know how to get out?”

The little figure puffed out his chest confidently. “Of course! I’ve been here for so many years, I’ve long since figured this place out completely. If you want to leave, I will take you out.”

The demoness shook her head. “Don’t believe him! If he could get out, he would have done so long ago! Why would he go as far as to transform into an Illusory Demon?”

The little figure cried out in protest, “You can’t wrong me like this?! My filial piety toward you guys is known to heaven and earth. I would never dare speak a single false word! I’ve been to that place many times. I dare to conclude that it is the hub of this small world.

“With the right method, we can definitely get out! The only thing is... I have an Illusory Demon Physique. Even though I’ve seen it, there’s no way for me to open that place...”

Gu Han’s heart stirred. “Where is the hub?”

He felt that the little figure wasn’t lying about this.

The little figure then pointed in a direction. “There... It’s about a hundred thousand li from here—”

Suddenly, the demoness trembled, and the light in her eyes faded rapidly. Perhaps she had been injured earlier, or for some other reason.

The little figure cried out in alarm, “What’s wrong with you?! How did you get so injured!”

Gu Han’s heart tightened and he instinctively glanced back.

The demoness was in pain. “D-don’t worry about me, he... is about to run...”

Damn it! A chill rose in Gu Han’s heart. He whipped his head back, but there was no sign of the little figure. All he saw was a towering pagoda piercing the clouds.

Before the pagoda, someone stood holding a spear with its back to him.

Yang Ying!

Gu Han’s killing intent surged rapidly, and the scene before him rapidly collapsed.

Hidden in the shadows, the little figure cursed incessantly, “Shit! Why is this guy’s mentality so strong?! He’s so much more troublesome than that young woman!”

He desperately wanted to flee, but with Gu Han’s speed, catching him would only take a moment. Just now, Gu Han had been worried about the demoness. His mental defenses had weakened briefly, allowing the little figure to slip through. He foolishly thought that he could entrap Gu Han for even a moment.

The little figure gritted his teeth. “Again!”

Based on the memories he had stolen, he constructed another illusion. This time, it was the capital of Great Qi. The illusion collapsed again in less than an instant. The secret realm, the Border Wasteland, the Wild Forest—one illusion after another was constructed, yet none lasted longer than half a second.

Suddenly, the scene shifted to the day Gu Han had found Ah Sha. It collapsed even faster than the previous ones.

The little figure gradually despaired. Could this guy have no weaknesses at all?

As he pondered how to respond, he casually constructed another illusion. And this time, the illusion unexpectedly did not collapse.

In a small courtyard, a little boy of four or five years old excitedly threw himself into a man’s embrace. “Father, you’re back!”

The man lifted him up with doting affection. “Han’er, didn’t I tell you? Your birth parents are actually someone else. From now on, just call me adoptive father, understand?”

The little boy was stubborn. “No! They abandoned me—”

The man sighed and took out a battered, worn-out sword. “You’re wrong. The hardness of this sword is unmatched in the world, yet now it’s become this battered. Clearly, your parents encountered some difficulty.

“They didn’t abandon you. If anything, I imagine they protected you. Remember, this sword is the only clue to your origin. Take good care of it, understand?”

The little boy seemed to understand. “Mhm. I’ll remember... Adoptive Father.”

Even Gu Han, resolute of mind as he was, vaguely felt himself sinking into the illusion. Ah Sha and the demoness both knew who their birth parents were, but what about himself?

Hidden in the shadows, the little figure was ecstatic and cheered inwardly, So this is the obsession in this guy’s heart? Birth parents? Interesting!

Originally, he could have taken this opportunity to escape completely, but now he changed his mind. Wait! Let me dig out all your memories! I called you daddy so many times. You’d better call me a few good times too!

He hesitated no longer and altered the illusion. Soon, Gu Han found himself amid a hazy mist of light that seemed to exist yet not exist, hovering between reality and illusion.

Faintly, the sound of a baby’s cry could be heard. A woman’s fragmented voice sounded in his ear, gentle yet sorrowful to the extreme. “So... rry...”

Gu Han grew dazed. He had heard this voice only once, yet for some reason, he felt an inexplicable closeness to it.

Who is this? Could it be...?

His eyes flashed with excitement as he prepared to step into the hazy light. Suddenly, the illusion which had only just begun to form, rapidly collapsed. Immediately after, a miserable, piercing scream rang out.

The little figure didn’t even leave behind a wisp of green smoke and dissolved into nothingness. “Daddy, spare me...”

Gu Han’s face fell with disappointment. In the end... I still couldn’t find it. There seems to be a great secret hidden within me. Otherwise, the illusion wouldn’t have collapsed completely after forming just a little, taking even that little figure with it. “Sorry...” Was she saying that to me?

“Are you alright?”

He didn’t know when, but the demoness had already come to his side. A trace of pain still lingered in her eyes. She had been calling out to Gu Han constantly, but there had been no response at all.

Gu Han sighed. “I’m fine. I did it on purpose.”

The demoness seemed to want to say something but held back. “Y-you’re searching for your own origins?”

Gu Han had been able to see her memories, so of course the opposite was true.

He gave a bitter smile. “What a pity. I still couldn’t find it. It’s a bit disappointing.”

For a time, the two remained silent, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.

After a long while, Gu Han seemed to think of something. “By the way, what happened to you just now? Did your injuries relapse? If you don’t have enough pills, I still have many here.”

The demoness didn’t speak because her problem wasn’t as simple as just being injured. The path of the Heavenly Demon was originally the path of emotionlessness. If one developed feelings, it would harm one’s own foundation.

Gu Han felt a bit unaccustomed to it. The demoness now no longer teased nor seduced him. Her behavior resembled the old Mo Chenyi more, which made her a bit unfamiliar.

He couldn’t help asking, “Are you Mo Chenyin now, or... ahem, Sister Demoness?”

The demoness glanced at him. “Well... That depends on which one you like more.”

She exuded every kind of charm—innocent, seductive, yet tinged with a hint of cold aloofness.

Gu Han was full of regret. Why did I even ask?! I was just asking for trouble! I’ve gone and summoned Sister Demoness again!

The demoness suddenly leaned close with a radiant smile. “Or maybe, you like both?”

Her features slowly began to change into that of Mo Chenyin. She was radiantly beautiful, unparalleled, and capable of toppling nations. It seemed even the darkness within the Dragon Seal was somewhat dispelled by her looks.

***

At this very moment, in a place extremely far from the two, a humanoid figure staggered forward. Calling it a humanoid figure was generous, because it was more like a skeleton. Its skin clung tightly to its bones, thin as paper.

As it walked, the sound of joints rubbing against one another could be heard. The occasional glimmer of light in its eye sockets showed that it still retained a final shred of life.

This skeleton was extremely tall, making the barbarian tribe appear a full size smaller. Even so, it was extremely fast, unmistakably heading to where Gu Han was.

As it moved forward, it constantly emitted strange, eerie noises from its mouth. If one listened carefully, they could tell these noises were just two words.

Yun Ao.