Supreme Sword Exalt

Not far from Gu Han, Xue Yu stood on a cracked stone pillar. She was pale, nearly bursting to tears. In her illusion, Gu Han had rapidly broken through the Nine Great Heavenly Passes, leaving all the Heavenly Prides far behind. Having successfully seized the greatest opportunity, he ranked at the top of the Gold List, looking down on his peers.

The crowd gathered to congratulate him, but she did not. She only stood in a corner, quietly watching as they heaped praises on Gu Han. Joy and bitterness welled in her heart. After returning to the Eastern Wasteland, Gu Han stayed less than a month before he had to leave again. At the time of departure, she finally mustered the courage to find him.

Gu Han was as courteous as ever. “Miss Xue.”

Despite having suppressed the disappointment and sorrow of parting, she still dared not gaze directly into his eyes. “Young Master, I’ve recently composed a new piece. C-could you listen to it before you leave?”

Gu Han smiled. “Alright. I’ll call the others—”

Her face flushed, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz. “Young Master, I-I want you to be the first to hear it.”

Seemingly sensing her feelings, he finally agreed, “Alright.”

Taking out her jade zither, Xue Yu gently brushed her slender fingers across the strings. She suppressed her somber mood and began to play slowly. The music was faint and ethereal, almost celestial. Unlike before, this piece had no auxiliary effects whatsoever. Instead, she had subtly woven her longing into the music, entrusting it to convey her feelings.

Thus, her most beautiful pieces came into being. Even Gu Han found himself unknowingly entranced by them.

When it ended, she rose and gave a gentle, graceful bow like usual. “Young Master, forgive my poor performance.”

Gu Han praised, then softly sighed, “Excellent music.”

It seemed he had also clearly perceived the longing within the music.

After a long moment, he said slowly, “Miss Xue, I’m sorry, I—”

She bit her lip lightly. “Young Master, I’ve never dared to ask for much. Being able to play a solo piece for you is enough. I have no regrets.”

With a soft sigh, Gu Han cupped his hands, seeming unwilling to stay any longer and cause her more distress. “Miss Xue, until we meet again.”

She thought to herself, How could there truly be no regrets?

Lifting her head sharply, her eyes became blurry with tears, yet all she saw was his receding back. Within moments, he disappeared completely from her sight.

She murmured, “Until we meet—”

Her tears fell.

***

As it happened, Zhao Mengyou’s illusion was similar to Xue Yu’s. Gu Han claimed first place and became the center of attention for a time, leaving Fatty green with envy. Likewise, shortly after the gathering, Gu Han was leaving. He wanted to go to the outer domain to meet stronger Heavenly Prides and broaden his horizon.

Zhao Mengyou knew very well that given Gu Han’s ability, he would eventually leave sooner or later. She just hadn’t expected this day to come so soon.

At their parting, she also found Gu Han alone. “Leaving so soon?”

Gu Han didn’t hide it from her. “Only by going outside can I get better resources. Only then can I become stronger faster and find her sooner!”

Not only did she understand Ah Sha’s place in his heart, but she had also witnessed Ah Sha being taken away. “Be careful. You killed so many people from the outer domain. If they find out you’ve gone, they definitely won’t let you off easily...”

Gu Han smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid of them.”

Thinking of how even an Ascension realm cultivator wasn’t his match, she didn’t bring it up again. For a moment, she fell silent, unsure of what to say.

Gu Han seemed to try to lighten the mood. “Divine Maiden Zhao, until meet—”

Suddenly, she gritted her teeth, staring directly at Gu Han. “Do you still need a servant?”

Her face was impossibly red, but compared to Xue Yu, she was much tougher. Even though she felt ashamed inside, she still didn’t look away.

Gu Han sighed. “Divine Maiden Zhao, you’ve really changed a lot. But I’ve said before, things like servants were just jokes. You don’t need to take them seriously. We are friends.”

Her expression dimmed. Sure enough, just friends?

His words were essentially a veiled rejection toward her feelings. Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Gu Han touched his nose and was about to take his leave.

Still unwilling to give up, she asked again, “Will you come back? Will we see each other again?”

Gu Han paused for a moment, then nodded seriously. “Of course I will! My home is here. My family is here. My friends are here. There will be plenty of chances to meet!”

She breathed a small sigh of relief. At least we can still meet each other. That’s not too bad.

Then, she took the initiative to say, “Until we meet again.”

Gu Han smiled and shot up into the sky. “Until we meet again.”

She stood quietly for a long time before reluctantly looking away. I will wait for you to return!

Time flew by. Ten years passed, yet Gu Han never returned. Then came a hundred years, then a thousand. She had long become a renowned Saint realm expert, yet there was still no news of Gu Han. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

During that time, with everyone’s help, Xue Yu had also barely managed to step into the Saint realm. She wanted to go to the outer domain to find him, but then Fatty brought back some news. Several hundred years ago, Gu Han had mistakenly entered a dangerous place in the outer domain and had since disappeared without a trace, never to appear again.

She refused to believe Gu Han was dead. Thus, she waited bitterly. Two thousand years, three thousand years....

Five thousand years later, she had entered the Feather Transformation realm. As for Xue Yu, she had stagnated, her lifespan running out. Having accompanied each other for thousands of years, she and Xue Yu had long become like sisters. She stayed closely by Xue Yu’s side during her final days.

In the end, Xue Yu couldn’t withstand the limit of her lifespan. She passed away amid meditating in a secluded valley. After bidding Xue Yu a sorrowful farewell, Zhao Mengyou became even lonelier and more lost.

Time flew swiftly. Six thousand years, seven thousand years, eight thousand years...

One day, she noticed a single white hair appearing among her originally jet-black locks. Thinking of the regret and longing she had seen in Xue Yu’s eyes before she died, she panicked.

***

On the other side of the portal, Ah Sha was still sleeping soundly, completely unaware that Gu Han was watching her. Without hesitation, he stepped in and arrived before the jade bed. Gently lifting the bed curtains, he saw the familiar yet slightly unfamiliar face up close. His arm trembled slightly before reaching out uncontrollably.

The next moment, he touched Ah Sha’s hair, which was a bit messy.

He smiled with relief. The familiar texture...

Just then, an immense sense of danger welled up in his heart. Before he knew it, Ah Sha had opened her eyes. A faint light filled her eyes, brimming with cold indifference and sinister intent. However, when she clearly saw Gu Han’s appearance, her gaze turned wild with joy and cheers.

She cried and laughed at the same time, “Young Master!!! You finally came to find me! You don’t know how much, how much, how much I missed you!”

As if afraid he’d run away, she jumped out and clung tightly to Gu Han, refusing to let go. Feeling the fragrance and softness in his embrace, Gu Han’s expression was somewhat dazed. The last time Ah Sha hugged him like this had been over ten years ago.

His tone was complex. “Ah Sha, you’ve grown up.”

Ah Sha yelped in surprise and immediately let go. She spun around in front of him. As her white dress fluttered, she puffed out her chest proudly, her playful expression tinged with a bit of smugness. “Young Master, you have good eyes. I really have grown up!”

Gu Han’s face darkened. That’s not what I meant!