Firmament Sword

The moment the middle-aged man was beheaded, Phoenix’s heart felt as if it had been viciously seized, plunging her into unbearable anguish.

Then, she charged forward recklessly. She wanted to kill the Black Armored Knight, to stop this from happening. However, it was all in vain—utterly useless.

At that moment, Phoenix suddenly thought of the beautiful young wife hiding in the shop. In her heart, Phoenix had already accepted this couple as her own mother and father.

’In all the world, is there anything more cruel? Anything more tragic?’

She watched her parents die, yet she was completely helpless, unable to do a thing...

Phoenix drifted into the shop, devastated. She saw the beautiful young wife, with the help of the shopkeeper, carefully hiding a baby under a large pile of cloth, leaving only a small gap to breathe.

Then, the shop door... was split open by a single slash!

Several Black Armored Knights walked in with sinister grins. When their eyes fell on the beautiful young wife, they were all struck by her beauty. Then, they exchanged glances, knowing smiles playing on their lips.

The beautiful young wife shouted, ”What have you done to my husband?”

”He’s dead. If you’re willing to come with me, I can spare your life,” one of the Black Armored Knights said, eyeing the gorgeous young woman with a playful look.

”What... Feng... he’s... dead?” The beautiful young wife swayed, her eyes filled with disbelief. Then, with a look of grief and fury, she stared at the Black Armored Knights before her. ”Who in the world are you? Why are you so cruel? We have no quarrel with you, so why are you doing this!”

”Heh heh, is who we are really that important?” the same Black Armored Knight sneered, his smile lewd.

”You dare to go on a massacre, yet you don’t even have the courage to reveal your identities?” The beautiful young wife buried her sorrow deep in her eyes, lifted her head, and looked at the Black Armored Knight. ”Or are you afraid that a weak woman like me will take revenge?”

”Hahaha, afraid? What do we have to be afraid of?” The Black Armored Knight laughed with contempt. ”After today, this entire city will be a city of the dead. You think I’d be scared? I’ll tell you the truth, I’m from—”

”Silence!” a furious shout came from outside, and a tall Black Armored Knight strode in.

Though he wore the same black armor, the other Black Armored Knights in the room seemed to fear this man. When he entered, a flicker of dread appeared in their eyes.

”Captain, what brings you here?” the previous Black Armored Knight asked with a dry laugh.

”Our mission is to slaughter everyone in this city. If you dare get any other ideas, watch out, or I’ll kill you!” the tall Black Armored Knight said coldly. He glanced at the beautiful young wife, a hint of admiration also appearing in his eyes. Then he said with some regret, ”What a pity. You’re quite the beauty. But I can’t let you live. Don’t blame me. If you must blame someone, blame yourself for being born in this city! Blame yourself for being a person of Cangqiong!”

The beautiful young wife froze for a second, then asked, ”You’re from Da Han?”

The tall Black Armored Knight was surprised that this woman was so perceptive. He nodded, not bothering to deny it. In his eyes, there was no need to hide anything from a person about to die. ”That’s right!”

”You’re demons!” the beautiful young wife said through gritted teeth. ”Even if our nations are at war, your actions are worse than those of beasts!”

”Heh,” the tall Black Armored Knight gave a cold smile and said, ”Suddenly... I’m a little reluctant to kill you. Take her back with us. If anyone dares to lay a finger on her, they’ll be dealt with by military law!”

A flash of unwillingness passed through the eyes of the other Black Armored Knights, but none of them dared to disobey their captain’s order. They rushed forward and seized the beautiful young wife.

”As for the others, kill them!” the tall Black Armored Knight ordered coldly, glancing at the people cowering in the room.

”No, don’t kill us!”

”Spare us!”

”Please don’t kill us...”

The people in the shop let out terrified pleas, but they failed to move these iron-hearted men in the slightest.

With swift slashes of their blades, the Black Armored Knights cut them down.

Tears streamed from the beautiful young wife’s eyes as she cried out in sorrow, ”I’m sorry, my child. Feng... I’m coming to you!”

’Mother! No!’ Phoenix, who had been watching from the side, let out a heart-wrenching scream, wanting to stop the beautiful young wife from taking her own life.

But... it was still no use. The beautiful young wife, held by two Black Armored Knights, bit her own tongue and committed suicide.

”No...” Phoenix felt like she was about to collapse. She nearly fainted as she coughed up another mouthful of blood.

”Quite a fiery personality,” the tall Black Armored Knight remarked, slightly surprised. Then, with a look of indifference, he said, ”Burn this place down.”

With that, he turned and walked out.

Next, a large throng of Black Armored Knights surged past, and thick black smoke began to rise from the shop.

The infant was not fated to die. As the fire raged, a woman happened to be passing by. Hearing the sound of a baby crying inside, she didn’t hesitate for a moment. She immediately activated her True Essence Protection and rushed in, emerging with a baby in her arms.

Through her tear-filled eyes, Phoenix recognized the young woman who had saved the baby at a glance. It was none other than her own master... Li Wenxi!

And the baby who had miraculously survived the fire... was her!

’Father... Mother... This isn’t real. It can’t be real!’ Phoenix was overwhelmed with grief. She collapsed to the ground, watching the ancient city burn to ruins.

’I must avenge you!’

’I swear it!’

Phoenix burned the faces of those Black Armored Knights into her memory. Though she didn’t understand how this Illusion Array could have sent her back here, she couldn’t be bothered to think about it anymore. All she wanted now was to avenge her parents!

She would kill her enemies with her own hands!

She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, and the illusion before her eyes suddenly shattered.

Phoenix swayed slightly. She looked down at the large bloodstain on her chest—the blood she had just coughed up.

When she looked up, the Illusion Array had vanished at some point. She was no longer in her original location, and all her fellow disciples were nowhere to be seen.

’What’s going on?’ Phoenix hadn’t fully emerged from the illusion. With sorrowful tears still in her eyes, she gazed at her surroundings in a daze.

”A young girl bearing a blood feud. Interesting.” A voice suddenly rang out, desolate and ancient, as if it had weathered countless ages.

”Who are you?” Phoenix was startled and immediately went on guard.

”Who I am is not important. What’s important is, are you willing to inherit my legacy and become my successor?” The desolate voice held a hint of longing. ”Only a soul that has experienced the mortal world yet remains pure... and also carries an unforgettable, bone-deep hatred can become my disciple. Are you... willing?”

”I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Phoenix said, bewildered.

”Everything you saw in the Illusion Array was, in fact, your own experience. It’s just that you were too young at the time to remember any of it. But in their dying moments, your parents’ concern for you and their hatred for their enemies engraved it all deep within your soul. I merely extracted those memories for you to see,” the desolate voice explained. ”Now, can you understand?”

”I think I understand,” Phoenix said softly. ”Everything I saw... was real.”

”Correct. So now, are you willing to become my disciple and inherit my legacy?” the desolate voice asked.

”But... I already have a master,” Phoenix said, troubled.

’Master probably never told me the details of my past, nor how she saved me, because she didn’t want me to bear a burden of hatred too heavy for my age.’

Only today did Phoenix realize that her master had literally pulled her back from the Ghost Gate.

Without her master, she... would have long since become a wandering, vengeful spirit.

”That doesn’t matter. As long as you remember to pass on my legacy in the future, should the opportunity arise, that will be enough.” The desolate voice carried a trace of sorrow. ”This... is perhaps a lingering obsession of mine.”

”Then, I am willing!” Thinking of the hatred she felt for her parents’ murderers, and of that receding back she could never catch up to, a look of determination filled Phoenix’s eyes. She repeated, ”I am willing!”

”Haha, good! Now, follow my instructions. Walk ten steps forward, three steps left, five steps right...”

As she followed the desolate voice’s guidance, the scenery before Phoenix changed. She found herself in a picturesque valley where birds sang and flowers bloomed.

The valley was covered with flowers she had never seen before. Halfway up the mountain, there was a thatched hut. A white-haired, white-bearded old man sat peacefully on a blue-gray stone at the hut’s entrance, smiling at her.

”Senior...”

”Still calling me Senior?” The old man’s voice seemed to echo from ancient times. Though he was right in front of her, he felt incredibly distant.

”Ma... Master!” Phoenix hesitated for a moment. ’If Master Li Wenxi knew about this fortuitous encounter, she surely wouldn’t blame me.’

”Haha, good disciple, my good disciple! Come, come, your master will pass on to you the Phoenix Race’s Cultivation Technique, the Nirvana Skill, and the Phoenix Dharma Aspect!” The old man suddenly became as cheerful as a child, bursting into laughter.

But his voice still carried that desolate and lofty tone, as if coming from somewhere far, far away.

”The Phoenix Race’s Cultivation Technique... the Nirvana Skill... the Phoenix Dharma Aspect?” Phoenix was stunned. She never imagined she would receive such a miraculous opportunity.

”Is it so strange? You are a member of the Phoenix Race. The blood of the Phoenix Race flows in your veins. Otherwise, how could you have possibly entered this place?” A smile appeared on the old man’s benevolent face. ”This... is an opportunity that belongs only to the Phoenix Race!”

The old man then said softly, ”There isn’t much time, child. Focus your mind, quiet your spirit, and listen as I impart my teachings!”

Phoenix had just quieted her mind when she suddenly felt a vast amount of knowledge flooding into it.

It felt like an instant, and yet it also felt like a very, very long time had passed.

This knowledge was profound and complex. Deep down, Phoenix felt it would be impossible to master, yet whenever she put her mind to it, she understood it instantly.

The feeling was so wondrous that it made Phoenix temporarily forget even the bloody feud concerning her parents.

She was completely immersed in an ocean of knowledge.

’I must become stronger!’ Phoenix’s heart grew completely serene as she carved this thought deep into her soul.

At that moment, the benevolent old man sitting on the blue-gray stone by the hut’s entrance smiled at Phoenix and said, ”The legacy has been passed to you. Now, your teacher will give you two final gifts.”