Firmament Sword

The moment this voice rang out, the entire restaurant fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even Xu Luo, seated on the second floor, was slightly taken aback, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

By now, even ordinary mortals knew the rumors about Beidou’s Eighth Star. In fact, Xu Luo had even heard this particular claim circulating among the common folk.

”There’s a person in the world right now, a legend, the reincarnation of a Celestial Star. Whoever finds him and eats his flesh can achieve immortality!”

Hearing this kind of talk, Xu Luo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and a sense of bleakness washed over him.

Perhaps the people who said such things weren’t necessarily wicked beyond redemption. They might have lived their entire lives without a single guilty deed.

Yet, when the topic of immortality came up, they could speak of eating their own kind with such nonchalance...

On one hand, it showed just how much weight the topic of immortality... held in people’s minds. On the other, it also proved one thing—morality has no true bottom line. It’s just a matter of not having faced enough temptation.

In the face of immortality, no one could remain indifferent. Even saints and sages would lament the fleeting nature of time... cursing its brevity.

Therefore, to a certain extent, Xu Luo didn’t hate those who were clamoring to hunt him down and kill him. Of course, not hating them... didn’t mean he would forgive them.

If anyone still tried to make a move on him, wanting to refine him, Xu Luo would show no mercy.

After all... everyone had to take responsibility for their own actions.

Xu Luo had heard countless rumors, but this was the first time someone had called him wicked beyond redemption...

So, he decided to get a good look at this person denouncing him and see who this paragon of virtue was. He rose from his seat on the second floor, went down to the bustling main hall, found an empty table, and had the waiter bring a pot of tea. Then, Xu Luo looked toward the speaker and froze for a moment.

The man looked... incredibly familiar. Thinking back, he finally remembered. Wasn’t this the same young man surnamed Cai who had clashed with Qianqian last time in Tianya City?

Beyond that, Xu Luo had no other impression of the man.

A playful smile touched the corners of Xu Luo’s lips as he watched the Cai youth, who was still vehemently denouncing him.

’Heh heh, wicked beyond redemption... killing me is enacting justice on behalf of heaven. I’ve slaughtered countless people... and will surely face divine retribution!’ Xu Luo muttered to himself, a cold, mocking smile on his face. ’What a righteous and awe-inspiring display! To be this shameless... that’s a feat not just anyone can achieve!’

As if on cue with that cold laugh, a young man with blind eyes stood up from a corner of the main hall. He turned his face to the crowd. ”He personally dug out my eyes and pushed me off a ten-thousand-zhang cliff! By a stroke of luck, I escaped death, and today, right here, I will expose the ugly truth about Beidou’s Eighth Star!”

The Cai youth declared loudly, ”When I set out to travel the world, I wasn’t looking for Beidou’s Eighth Star. For one, I have no interest in refining others; everyone has their own destiny. For another, I actually pitied him. In this... I’m different from most people. I felt that no matter what, Beidou’s Eighth Star is a person... a living, breathing human being, yet he’s being treated as prey by his own kind, who want to refine or even eat him. I couldn’t bear the thought. In fact... I wanted to help him back then!”

As soon as he said this, many in the restaurant showed looks of shame. After all, not one of them had ever thought of helping Beidou’s Eighth Star.

”So, I followed a large group of people to the Sect Continent. As fate would have it... or rather, as my misfortune would have it, I happened to run into Beidou’s Eighth Star!”

The Cai youth said this with great conviction.

A low murmur immediately swept through the restaurant. By this point, Xu Luo’s fame had spread throughout the entire Sect and Ancient Race Continents. Among Martial Artists, there was no one who didn’t know his name.

You could be ignorant of the names of the top Sect Leaders, but if you didn’t know the name Xu Luo, it couldn’t even be described as being out of touch—it was the height of ignorance!

Thus, everyone was shocked when the Cai youth claimed he had met Beidou’s Eighth Star.

The Cai youth continued, ”But at the time... I didn’t recognize him. I just thought he was an ordinary scholar. I can tell you all right now, that Xu Luo is handsome, exceptionally talented, and speaks with great eloquence. If you ever meet a scholar like that in the future, you must be extremely careful. Don’t, whatever you do, repeat my tragic mistake!”

”Oh!” the crowd in the main hall responded, seemingly lost in thought.

The corner of Xu Luo’s mouth twitched. He had no intention of alerting the Cai youth; he wanted to see what the man was really up to.

’Slandering me?’

’Is there even a need for that?’

’The name Xu Luo, Beidou’s Eighth Star... hasn’t it already made me a public enemy across the entire Sect Continent and Ancient Race Continent?’

”I saw that he was extraordinary and decided to befriend him. As I was talking to him about Beidou’s Eighth Star and sharing my views, he suddenly asked me if I knew someone named Su Celestial Maiden...”

”Su Celestial Maiden? You mean the one from the Ancient Race’s Su Family?” someone in the restaurant asked.

The Cai youth nodded. ”Yes, that’s her. To be honest... I know the Su Celestial Maiden. And... and I happen to be quite fond of her.”

A round of good-natured laughter came from the crowd. Someone said, ”Men and women are meant to marry. There’s nothing wrong with liking someone!”

The Cai youth blushed and nodded. ”Yes, that’s what I thought too. So, I honestly told Beidou’s Eighth Star that I admired the Su Family Celestial Maiden. But then, he suddenly attacked me...”

The crowd in the restaurant gasped, everyone seemingly picturing the scene.

Two young men, deep in pleasant conversation, smiles on their faces, chatting about everything under the sun, discussing life and ideals—a perfectly harmonious and enviable sight.

Then, one of them suddenly turned vicious, striking the other, who was completely defenseless... It was simply too horrifying, too despicable!

”Because I had my guard completely down, he blinded both of my eyes on the spot. Then, he told me with a sinister grin that the Su Family Celestial Maiden could only be the woman of Xu Luo, Beidou’s Eighth Star! It was only then... that I realized he was Beidou’s Eighth Star. How laughable... I had actually pitied him before that. I was even thinking that if I had the chance... I would protect him...” As the Cai youth spoke, tears, tinged with blood, began to flow uncontrollably from his empty eye sockets.

The crowd sighed in sympathy. Someone said angrily, ”I never thought Beidou’s Eighth Star would be so treacherous! He deserves to die!”

”That’s right, he’s too shameless! He has no honor at all. A sneak attack from behind—is that something a real man should do?”

”What right does he have to say the Su Family Celestial Maiden... is his woman?” someone suddenly asked.

The Cai youth seemed to have been waiting for this very question. He gave a sorrowful laugh and sighed. ”At first, I couldn’t understand it either. I thought he was just spouting nonsense. After all, in my eyes, the Su Family Celestial Maiden is like a fairy from the heavens. How could she possibly be involved with such a demon?”

”Yeah, there’s no way the Su Celestial Maiden could be involved with Beidou’s Eighth Star!”

”Huh? Actually... I think there is a connection! I seem to have heard... that the Su Celestial Maiden publicly stated she would protect Beidou’s Eighth Star!” a voice suddenly piped up from the crowd.

The Cai youth nodded emphatically. ”Exactly! I once had a misunderstanding with the Su Celestial Maiden right here in Tianya City. Even back then, she said she would protect Beidou’s Eighth Star... I thought she was just saying it out of anger and didn’t take it seriously. It wasn’t until... until I was harmed by Xu Luo that I understood. That despicable pair... they were in cahoots all along!”

”What? That’s... impossible, right? Xu Luo is supposedly from the Central Plains Star Continent, while the Su Celestial Maiden is the young mistress of the Ancient Race’s Su Family. How could their paths have ever crossed?” someone questioned.

The Cai youth sneered. ”What you don’t know is that the Su Celestial Maiden was originally from the Central Plains Star Continent! She was from a branch of the Su Family. After her family was wiped out, she came to the Ancient Race’s Su Family to seek refuge with her relatives. The Su Family Master treated her very well. Seeing her exceptional talent, he made her the young mistress of the current generation. Who knew that bitch...”

Hearing this, Xu Luo basically understood why the Cai youth was saying all this.

His goal wasn’t just to slander him, but to completely ruin Su Qianqian!

Without even needing to ask, Xu Luo could guess that Su Qianqian had a lot to do with the Cai youth ending up in his current state.

Su Qianqian was naturally quirky and mischievous. Although she had matured after the profound tragedy of her family’s annihilation, at her core, she still had the personality of a Little Witch.

So, even if Qianqian hadn’t personally been responsible for the Cai youth’s misfortune, she was undoubtedly involved.

With that thought, Xu Luo decided not to give the Cai youth any more chances to slander him and Qianqian. He stood up, walked over, and planted himself right in front of the man.

Although the Cai youth was blind, his strength remained, and his Spiritual Sense was sharp. He instantly became wary and said coldly, ”My unfamiliar friend, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to bully me, a blind man?”

”Heh, I’m just curious,” Xu Luo said, a faint smile on his face as he looked at the Cai youth. ”Since you were blinded by that Xu Luo and pushed off a ten-thousand-zhang cliff, how did you recover? And how did you make it back to the Ancient Race Continent?”

”What’s that got to do with you?” The Cai youth’s expression stiffened as he spoke coldly.

”Just curious... You’ve already said so much. What’s the harm in clearing up a little confusion for me?” As Xu Luo spoke, he glanced at the others. ”I’m sure everyone here... has the same question, don’t you?”

A few people nodded, muttering under their breath, ”He does have a point... A ten-thousand-zhang cliff, my goodness. He was lucky not to be smashed to bits. How did he get back...”

The Cai youth said coldly, ”There were tree branches on the cliff that caught my fall, so I was lucky to survive. Although my eyes were blinded, my power is still intact. Don’t you know that when a Martial Artist cultivates to a certain level, they can perceive their surroundings even without opening their eyes? How naive!”

With that, he turned his empty eyes toward Xu Luo. ”Is that explanation sufficient for you?”

Xu Luo laughed heartily. ”You certainly are tough to kill. But running into a great, unpardonably wicked villain like me today... well, that’s just your bad luck. Do you have any last words? Better hurry. You can have these people pass them on to your family. Otherwise, you’ll never get another chance to speak!”

The Cai youth’s expression changed instantly. He demanded, ”Who are you?”

As he spoke, his hands formed into eagle claws, striking toward Xu Luo’s throat and heart with the speed of lightning!