Chapter 40

I was astonished with Mo Qing's monstrous wrath and was once again shocked by his fierce power.

But he simply looked straight into my eyes and said:

"I'll take you away."

When Mo Qing profoundly released these four words, it was clearly not like the sweet speech and honeyed words of a secular lover, nor the softness and gentleness that half-hearted lovers should have. However, with just these four very ordinary words, it suddenly struck the softest place in my heart, and then wrapped around the center of my being.

I felt that he might have a hidden, repressive, very subtle, and deep affection for me. However, I told myself that this was just Mo Qing's feelings for Zhi Yan's body, not for me.

Because of these four words of his, I could not help it but be immersed in his limpid eyes and let his feelings be like a warm current that enveloped every necrotically dead and stiffly cold place in my heart. In an instant, it seemed to have turned all my sharpness into softness.

For just a moment, I actually felt somewhat like a beggar that was seeking the warm flow of feelings found between two people. Because… I could never have imagined that in this world, there would be someone who would willingly treat me in such a way.

I stared at him foolishly and could not move my eyes away.

But I could not dwell in absent-mindedness any longer. In the night sky, Mo Qing had just emitted a terrifying demonic aura, so the Demon Defensive Array had begun to activate the formation. The radiating golden light was almost dazzling with tens of thousands of long golden swords gathered together and slowly became a giant eight-sided sword, suspended high in the air. The brilliant light it emitted was even brighter than the scorching sun in midsummer. The sharp point of the sword quivered with a murderous aura that was aimed directly at Mo Qing.

While at the side, Shen Qian Jin's complexion became grave and yelled: "Not good, quickly dodge it!"

But where could I dodge to?

The Demon Defensive Array was here and on all four sides were the people of Jian Xin Sect. In the entire city of Jin Zhou City, there was no one who did not want to destroy the demonic path to defend their values. In this city here, everywhere was filled with great danger.

I did not move, nor did Mo Qing. But he turned his gaze away and raised his chin to look at the long sword suspended in the sky without the slightest fear of its power. His back was ramrod-straight standing in front of me. Looking at his back in this moment, I could not help but think of that day once again. Inside the Sword Tomb, I was also in a desperate situation. I was seriously injured and weak, half-lying half-sitting on the ground, and he stood in front of me just like this.

I laughed in my heart and just felt that fate was too coincidental.

But in the end, it was not the same as that time.

Mo Qing grasped Wan Jun Sword in his hand and drew it up in front of him. He swiped his palm on the edge of the blade and the sharp blade's edge immediately cut open his palm. Fresh blood stained the blade of Wan Jun Sword like a baptism. On the edge of the blade, a twisting vine of dense black energy came out and the aura in his entire body exploded. Strong winds swelled on all four sides, dragged his hair and clothes, and ripped his black robe made of mermaid's thread very violently.

At this time, a thin layer of black energy slowly appeared on my body and Shen Qian Jin's. It separated us from the gradually growing bone-plundering gale — It was Mo Qing protecting me and her.

He still remembered my words, must save Shen Qian Jin.

The gale was fierce, Wan Jun Sword suddenly went straight into the ground and the tip of the sword sunk into the earth. On the edge of the blade, Mo Qing's blood was completely absorbed by Wan Jun Sword and nothing was left to see. Then only the black vines intensified, it tangled and rotated, and a giant dragon emerged from the ground. It whizzed and circled around Mo Qing's entire body. As the giant dragon turned faster and faster, the black demonic energy and the golden light in the sky collided and attacked each other.

As the atmosphere all around became increasingly different, it became much heavier.

The black dragon rushed upward, crashed into the golden light, and finally disappeared silently in the sky. However, the hurricane twisted around Mo Qing's whole body still showed no sign of stopping. Instead, it looked like it had entered into another level. Suddenly, the surrounding wind shook and a "bop" sounded like a drop of water falling into the lake that caused the waves to fluctuate.

Not long after, the fluctuating tremor surged once again; it became more and more, faster and faster. From the beginning, the sound of raindrops had changed into the sound of striking hails, and then finally turned into the sound of roaring drums. The sounds were muffling, it made the eardrums ring, and even plucked the heartstrings tight.

However, it did not simply just stop at the sounds. Following the sound of tremors, as it became deeply resounding, the fluctuations caused by the growing wind became even more intense. Sound by sound, layer upon layer, between heaven and earth there were thousands of pressure with the power to topple the mountains and overturn the seas coming from the Wan Jun Sword in Mo Qing's hand.

The first impact was on the plants, followed by the pressure on the buildings, and then the earth shuddered. As the earth shook, it not only affected the foundation of the Demon Defensive Array, but also rocked the entire Jin Zhou City's Demon Defensive Array which caused the golden light to tremble, the earth to quake, and the land to slide.

This heaven-defying earth-shattering tremor was just like the roar in the Sword Tomb, when Wan Jun Sword reappeared in the world.

The Demon King's King of the Sword was even more powerful in the hands of the Demon King's son.

It was unclear where the immense power in the sky had swept away the surrounding people of Jian Xin Sect and that Liu Wei. But if the entire Jin Zhou City was experiencing violent earth quaking and mountain shaking, then all the houses and everything would be razed to the ground.

Mo Qing appeared to want… To shatter the Demon Defensive Array directly from inside Jin Zhou City!

This was just an assumption that had already broken through the horizon and he actually did just that! Even… To the point that it was about to succeed in the very first place!

Even though, the Demon Defensive Array was shaken up; in the sky above, that gigantic golden sword was still dazzling the eyes. Even the brilliant rays were brighter than a moment ago. It was because of Mo Qing's demonic aura that had further stimulated the magical array.

All of a sudden! The long sword shot down and ruthlessly slammed into Mo Qing. I clenched Liu He Tian Yi Sword in my hand, and wanted to stand up and help him take on the burden, but I could not make the move.

Then I only heard the sound of a "dong" like the clear bell sound that rang inside the temple at daybreak. The tip of the gigantic golden sword of light stopped about five zhang above Mo Qing's head with much difficulty and collided with the black energy that swirled around his entire body.

* Zhang – Chinese measurement of length, 1 zhang is 3.3 meters

The powerful impact formed an energy wave that swept across the entire Jin Zhou City in midair; it knocked against the turbulating golden light that surrounded the city and emitted an enormous cry of drones.

Between the gigantic golden sword of light and Mo Qing it had temporarily reached a kind of strange balance. However, even separated at such a long distance, that luminous celestial energy could still prick my skin.

I narrowed my eyes and gazed blankly at the sky, but saw the black dragon made from demonic energy that had just disappeared reappeared again. It twined around the gigantic golden sword like it was wrestling with the gigantic sword; it tangled and confronted, and pulled the gigantic sword back into the air.

As Mo Qing stood in his original place, he held Wan Jun Sword with his facial features slightly languished like an emperor that had hid all of his emotions to calmly and collectedly resist all of the hostility in this world.

However, it was also due to the overly intense golden light in the sky that I became aware of his back. That robe made of mermaid's thread was soaking wet, but because the color was so black, it was unclear what had gotten his back wet. But I knew that under his expressionless face was a wound hidden deep within his bones.

That would not do…

If currently Mo Qing's body was completely in tip-top shape, then perhaps he could really try to break down this Demon Defensive Array of Jin Zhou City. However, he was seriously injured and for him to be able to do this much already, others would never have dared to imagine it. But if he continued like this, then his body would suffer a great burden and he would not be able to fight for much longer.

I must figure out a way…

Just as I was pondering about it, in this moment, I suddenly saw another black energy that was abruptly floating in the sky of Jin Zhou City. I observed it; that black energy was actually coming from outside the golden light of Jin Zhou City's Demon Defensive Array!

It was someone from the outside! Outside, there was a demonic cultivator who was also trying to destroy the Demon Defensive Array!

Who could it be? How did that person know of the news of a battle breaking out in Jin Zhou City so soon? Besides, who would dare to meddle and help Mo Qing and I in this moment of uncertain outcome? Was it someone from Wan Lu Sect? No, it could not be; North Mountain Lord was imprisoned, Gu Han Guang was a homebody, and Sima Rong absolutely could not have a powerful cultivation such as this. Was it that crazy girl, East Mountain Lord? No… She would only use the most rudimentary method to smash directly into the city gates…

I could not think of anyone who it could possibly be; and in this moment, the concentrated golden swords of light of the Demon Defensive Array also had felt the demonic energy's attack coming from outside the city. The gigantic sword immediately parted and transformed into countless small swords with the blade's edge pointing outward and shot towards the demonic energy that was outside.

Mo Qing took the opportunity to close his eyes and pour even more power into Wan Jun Sword. The earth burst open and the Demon Defensive Array rocked violently, but it still did not shatter.

I clenched my teeth and in my heart, I knew that I could not drag this out any longer. With one hand, I pressed on the wound on my shoulder, then I took my bloodied thumb and smeared the blood onto Liu He Tian Yi Sword to carry out a simple blood sacrifice technique that would add mighty strength to the sword. Then regardless of everything, I mobilized all of the power in Zhi Yan's body. After that, I gathered it into Liu He Tian Yi Sword.

Beside me, Shen Qian Jin was staring at me. Her eyes showed astonishment, as if she was surprised at how I could know about this type of sorcery, the blood sacrifice. I did not pay any attention to her, turned around and stood in front of Mo Qing.

I glanced at him and in this moment, he looked even more similar to a god-like statue. It was just that he had black energy wrapped around his body that made him looked more like an evil god than an ordinary god. The corners of my mouth curled up and I smiled softly.

[Mhm, I like the evil god.]

I stood in front of him and just like him, I closed my eyes. Then I chanted an incantation and the light on Liu He Tian Yi Sword lit up. I calmed my heart, held the sword hilt, and then slammed the sword into the ground and firmly shouted: "Lightning!"

The entire length of Liu He Tian Yi Sword "crackled," as it trembled fiercely with brilliant rays of light. Brilliant blue rays of light as thin as threads rushed towards the horizon. I waited silently for a moment and then heard the summoning of huge lightning flashes and rolling thunder from outside Jin Zhou City, above the zenith.

Thunderbolts accumulated and rumbled, as if the roar came from the Ninth Heaven itself. Then a huge thunderbolt boomed and suddenly dropped down from above, smashing into the Demon Defensive Array from outside Jin Zhou City.

The brilliant blue rays of light intersected with the golden light of the magical array. The beautiful scenery surpassed any sunrise and sunset combined. However, in this moment, Mo Qing suddenly opened his eyes and the ground under his feet immediately cracked into pieces.

Along with the lighting and thunder in the sky, the Demon Defensive Array that was made in Jin Zhou City many years ago and was called an impenetrable defense by the celestial sects was finally broken.

For just a moment, all the restrictions related to magic no longer existed.

As soon as Mo Qing grabbed my hand tightly, he paid no heed to anything else. He did not care about how he had overturned the legend in the hearts of the celestial cultivators, nor did he care about how he had smashed the entire land into pieces.

He just gazed at me fixedly and softly said: "I'll take you away."

It was these four words again.

It was like a long-cherished wish that he had kept hidden within his heart and finally in this moment, he could have his heart's desire fulfilled.

I did not know why, but suddenly I was actually emotionally touched by him… And became speechless.

This was the first time that I was aware that I, Lu Zhao Yao, could have a moment where I would be perfectly happy to let another person's limelight surpass mine.

"Okay."

[I will let you take me away. I will let you protect me. I will let you love me.]

[Because I also want to follow you. I also want to be protected by you. I also want to let you…]

I lowered my eyes. Within a flash of using the Instant Travel Technique, I broke off that train of thought that appeared like the devil…

Translated by Sonrisa t.n.t