Firmament Sword

Yingying looked at Xu Luo and spoke softly, ”Though I may reside in a house of pleasure, I am still pure. Not even... my hand has been held by another.”

”If you are willing to help me, Sir, I will do anything at all!”

”Even... to stand behind you, Sir, and be a humble Maid... I... would do so willingly!”

Yingying’s words were spoken with deep sincerity, without a hint of pretense.

Xu Luo looked at Yingying, frowning slightly. ”What makes you so sure that I can actually help you?”

”Yes, I am a Heavenly Brilliance Disciple, that much is true. But I’m not one of the senior figures. I don’t possess overwhelming strength, nor do I have a terrifying background.”

”So... if you ask for my help, you will most likely be disappointed.”

”That... I know, of course.” Yingying glanced at Xu Luo and said, ”What if I told you that I possess an Exquisite Heart, which allows me to sense a person’s ultimate aura? Would you believe me, Sir?”

”Exquisite Heart?” Xu Luo’s brow furrowed slightly. He had heard of various miraculous Divination Skills, such as his master Yuwen Ji’s Heart Inference Skill. He had also witnessed other powerful abilities, like Xie Yurou’s eyes that could see through all illusions, and even his own... eyes that could perceive the true essence of all things.

But he had never heard of an Exquisite Heart, let alone anyone who could perceive the magnitude of another’s ultimate aura.

”That’s right, the Exquisite Heart. It’s an innate ability that can sense... the magnitude of a person’s ultimate aura.” Yingying looked at Xu Luo and said softly, ”The auras of the other young masters here—oh, and the young lady... they’re all about the same. Roughly... spanning millions of miles in every direction!”

”They are all born to be great figures. Their future achievements will surely reach heights unimaginable to ordinary people!”

”But your aura, Sir... it astounded me.”

Yingying lowered her beautiful head to look at Xu Luo. ”You may call me opportunistic, Sir, but it has always been true that for a femme fatale... if she cannot find a strong shoulder to lean on, her fate will be utterly tragic.”

”In truth... I do not ask for much. I only wish to find a safe place where I can live in peace. That would be enough!”

Xu Luo asked, ”My aura... how large is it?”

”Immense!” Yingying raised her head, her bright eyes fixed on Xu Luo. ”No matter how large another’s aura is, it has a boundary. But yours, Sir... I cannot see its edge. It is like the vast cosmos, without end. I exhausted all of my spiritual energy, and still, I could not perceive its limit.”

Xu Luo smiled faintly, not taking Yingying’s words to heart. He figured she was just flattering him. Still, after all she had said, it would be rather cold of him to remain indifferent. So, he smiled and asked, ”Alright, then. Tell me, what kind of trouble are you in?”

Just then, a clamor erupted from outside. A furious roar suddenly rang out, ”Yingying! Yingying! Where are you?”

”Come out! I’m here to see you! It’s me!”

”Get the fuck out of my way! Are your dog eyes blind?! You dare to block me?”

”Yingying, come out! I’d like to see which son of a bitch dares force you to keep him company. I’m going to kill him!”

Xu Luo and Yingying exchanged a glance. The corner of his mouth twitched. ”Is this the trouble?”

The light in Yingying’s eyes dimmed, and she gave a bitter smile. ”Indeed. The trouble arrived before I even had a chance to tell you about it.”

At the same time, the voice of the glamorous Fuqu followed. ”Lord Du... Yingying is inside with a distinguished guest. You can’t just barge in!”

”Fuqu, get the hell out of my way! I’ll deal with you later! How dare you make my woman entertain a guest? You must have a death wish!” The furious, tyrannical voice approached, reaching the room where Xu Luo and his companions were. With a single kick, he shattered the door and stormed inside.

By this time, Yingying had already drawn back the curtain and was sitting quietly beside Xu Luo. She was, in fact, telling him about the man who had just arrived.

This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. She had long been determined to leave the Divine Maiden Tower, but she had never found someone she could rely on.

That is, until she met Xu Luo. After using her Exquisite Heart to perceive the auras of everyone in the room, Yingying had been stunned.

She had never imagined that this group of people, all of whom looked so young, could possess such terrifying auras.

Especially the slender, handsome young man she was accompanying—his aura was as deep and profound as the cosmic expanse, completely without boundary!

’This is a truly great figure!’

’Even if he’s penniless right now... I have to seize this chance!’

’If I let a man like this slip away, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!’

’I don’t need to become his lover. A man like him will never lack for female confidantes!’

’I only pray I can become an aide by his side... someone who can do things for him!’

’Even as a Maid, tending to his daily needs!’

Therefore, after making her decision, Yingying prepared to tell him the whole truth. She didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings.

”That man is named Du Qingteng. He is the contemporary representative of Weiyu Mountain in the mortal world!”

”Weiyu Mountain... Have you heard of it, Sir?”

The corner of Xu Luo’s mouth twitched violently. He nodded, speechless. ’Weiyu Mountain...’ He’d been with Celestial Brilliance for a year now. How could he not know of Weiyu Mountain, one of the three great Holy Lands of Jiuzhou?

The Divine Domain was limitlessly vast, and the Human Race occupied but a quiet corner. This corner was divided into the Nine Provinces, and within Jiuzhou, there were nine supreme sects.

Celestial Brilliance was the Supreme Great Sect of Xi Hezhou!

But within Jiuzhou, there were also the three great Holy Lands!

They were Weiyu Mountain, Ancient Celestial Valley, and the Eternal River.

Judging by their names, they sounded rather ordinary, not the least bit intimidating.

In reality, however, these three Holy Lands were supreme powers that ranked above the nine great sects!

The three Holy Lands did not have many disciples. Weiyu Mountain, for example, only sent two or three disciples to walk the world every millennium. The numbers from Ancient Celestial Valley and the Eternal River were similarly small.

But every single one of their disciples possessed world-defying talent!

If the disciples of a Supreme Great Sect like Celestial Brilliance were considered geniuses, unparalleled prodigies, then the inheritors of the three Holy Lands were the ones who stood head and shoulders above them!

Therefore, every inheritor from the three Holy Lands who walked the world was respectfully addressed as ”Lord”!

This Du Qingteng hailed from one of the three Holy Lands, Weiyu Mountain. He was Lord Du!

In the instant the door was kicked to splinters, Yingying finished conveying Du Qingteng’s identity to Xu Luo.

A bitter smile plastered Xu Luo’s face. He looked at Yingying and sent a telepathic message, ”You’ve really put me in a tough spot, asking me to provoke a ’Lord’ like him?”

Yingying looked at Xu Luo with a pitiful, doe-eyed expression and replied telepathically, ”I’ve seen his aura. It is powerful and terrifying, yes, but... I can see its limits...”

PHEW!

Xu Luo let out a long breath and turned to face the young man who had stormed in.

He was fair-faced and beardless, looking to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine, with a shaved head. A vicious light glinted in his eyes. His build was average, and he looked... unremarkable, with quite ordinary features.

It was hard to believe that such a person could be one of the worldly inheritors from Weiyu Mountain, one of the three great Holy Lands.

Xu Luo and Yingying were sitting very close, giving off an air of intimacy. Yingying, especially, was looking at Xu Luo with that pitiful, doe-eyed expression, her exquisitely beautiful face tinged with a faint sorrow that would inspire a protective urge in any man.

The light in Du Qingteng’s eyes grew more intense. He stared death at Xu Luo but didn’t say a word.

The glamorous Fuqu entered from behind them, her expression bitter. Her gaze toward Xu Luo was filled with apology; she truly hadn’t expected Du Qingteng to arrive so early in the morning.

Fuqu was also seething inwardly. ’There must be a traitor in the Divine Maiden Tower!’

’Otherwise, how could he have shown up right after Yingying came out to entertain a guest?’

In fact, Du Qingteng hadn’t been in Qingchuan Ancient City for very long at all—he had only arrived three days before Xu Luo!

After arriving at the Divine Maiden Tower and catching an unexpected glimpse of Yingying, he was utterly captivated, as if he’d seen a goddess. He immediately revealed his status as a Holy Land Inheritor and demanded to take Yingying with him on the spot!

Although the Divine Maiden Tower was considered one of the top factions in Xi Hezhou, they were ultimately not a power that specialized in martial might. They certainly lacked the backbone to confront one of the three great Holy Lands.

They had no way of dealing with a brute like him, who completely lacked the poise and restraint expected of a Holy Land inheritor.

Although Yingying had long wanted to escape the Divine Maiden Tower’s control and gain her freedom, Du Qingteng was not her type. He was far too aggressive and domineering, making it nearly impossible for anyone to develop any fondness for him.

But Du Qingteng couldn’t care less what others thought. Perhaps many people believed that an inheritor from one of the three Holy Lands must have exceptional character and cultivation, must have poise, must be a certain way...

But in Du Qingteng’s view, all of that was goddamn bullshit!

’Why the hell should I have character?’

’What do I need refinement for?’

’Can you eat poise?’

’This is who I am!’

’I’m a worldly inheritor from Weiyu Mountain! And I’m just this damn arrogant!’

’Don’t like it... then come and try to kill me.’

Perhaps someone really could kill him, but the silent Guardian who followed him like a shadow only needed to release the faintest trace of his aura, and everyone would immediately lose their nerve.

He was a Celestial Venerable!

With a Celestial Venerable as a Guardian, he didn’t need to worry about a single thing!

Even if he provoked someone from a Supreme Great Sect, the Guardian could step in and smooth things over completely.

Not to mention that Du Qingteng’s own strength had long since surpassed the Initial Tier of the Ultimate Venerable Realm!

How many people... would dare to provoke such a truly powerful young master?

The Guardian following Du Qingteng said nothing and showed no reaction. He simply trailed behind like a shadow, releasing no pressure whatsoever.

But Du Qingteng alone was enough. His gaze was sufficient to make these peerless prodigies from Celestial Brilliance feel immense pressure.

Xu Luo’s gaze was calm as he met Du Qingteng’s stare, betraying no hint of hostility. He suddenly smiled. ”Friend, you’ve come uninvited. Perhaps you’re hoping to beg a cup of wine?”