**Sword Pavilion**
**Night**
**Under the Stars**
"To drinks!"
Amid piles of firewood, several clay pots of strong liquor, and a few smiling faces.
Who ever said the immortal road was a lonely one?
Right now, there were rivers and lakes, smoke and fire, and the bustling warmth of fellowship.
"Junior Brother Yun, I drink to you!"
"And I to you! In life, I accept no one—except you."
"Junior Brother Yun, I surrender to your spirit!"
The blazing fire cast a brilliant glow, its flames flickering on Yun Xiao's remarkable face. His features were sharp as pearls and jade, his eyes like starlit seas, with black hair cascading like a waterfall. Though his white robes were stained with blood, a lighthearted, drunken smile graced his lips.
He sat among his fellow disciples, looking carefree. With the wine jug in hand, his expression showed three parts charm and seven parts freedom.
In this immortal-like scene, he found joy in the common pleasures of life.
Who would have thought that this matchless young man, dressed in white, had only hours ago slain foes with his sword at Mount Ding, standing amidst a sea of corpses, his enemies falling at his feet?
A sword and a drink, soaring beyond the clouds, free to enjoy the world's lively chaos.
"With a sword and liquor, life isn't so empty after all."
With cheeks flushed red, Yun Xiao leaned against a tree, humming a tune, seemingly at ease.
White-robed, with an azure sword, he remained unbowed, treading the path to the highest heavens.
"My Junior Brother Yun, newly born on the path of immortality, wielding his sword boldly—who in Blue Soul could rival his spirit?" Cai Maomao, feeling tipsy, raised his voice with fervor, praising Yun Xiao.
"Kid, no need to flatter him! We all see clearly."
"Three years of restraint, tonight we're finally letting loose!"
"After witnessing Junior Brother Yun's battle today, even death would be worth it."
They toasted Yun Xiao with admiration, lifting their bowls of muddy liquor one after another.
"Junior Brother Yun, here's to you again!"
"Cheers!"
Yun Xiao, half-drunk, wore a content smile, raising his bowl to all who approached him.
"Refreshing!"
"Junior Brother Yun may look delicate, but he's a true man!"
"Who would describe him like that?"
"Hahaha…"
When the wine finally ran out, they gathered around Yun Xiao.
"Junior Brother Yun, do you fear death?" Cai Maomao asked.
"If I feared death, I'd be at home planting vegetables!" Yun Xiao laughed drunkenly.
"Junior Brother Yun, is there anyone in the world you'd worry about?" Qin Tong asked.
"Not a soul, haha." Yun Xiao chuckled, then paused.
Yes. No one.
Since his parents passed, he'd walked alone in this vast world.
"Then it's settled—I'll worry about you as your Senior Brother, at least to keep you fed!" Cai Maomao said with a hearty slap on his chest.
"Good! When I'm free, I'll make sure to worry about you." Yun Xiao laughed.
"And don't forget Senior Sister Zhao! She shielded you today, like a mother hen protecting her chick!" Cai Maomao added with a smirk.
"Who are you calling a hen?" Qin Tong glared at him.
"Senior Sister Zhao…" Yun Xiao trailed off with a shake of his head.
He looked around, catching sight of a black-clad figure by the cliff, standing quietly in the moonlight—a lone woman, beautiful as a dream.
Without a word, she watched the lively gathering from afar.
"Go to her!" Qin Tong nudged Yun Xiao gently.
Nodding, Yun Xiao staggered over to the cliff and sat beside her.
He leaned closer, taking in her serene face, her moonlit eyes gleaming like the sea.
"Senior Sister, care for a drink?"
The night breeze was a bit chilly, sobering him slightly.
Without a word, Zhao Xuanran reached into a small pouch, pulling out a small, black bone sword.
"For you." She handed the small sword to Yun Xiao.
"Sword Heart?" Yun Xiao asked, surprised.
She nodded, gazing peacefully into the distant ocean.
"This was left by your grandfather," Yun Xiao murmured.
"Take it."
"I shouldn't." Yun Xiao hesitated, feeling the weight of the gift.
It was a symbol of her family's profound care, something that couldn't be lightly accepted.
"It's been with me for 16 years. I've cherished it enough. It deserves to be used."Zhao Xuanran replied softly.
"Sixteen years?" Yun Xiao said, surprised.
She nodded, looking wistful. "If he were still alive, he would be your age now."
"... Don't get me wrong, I'm not your grandfather reincarnated," Yun Xiao said.
She looked at him with a light smile, biting her lip slightly.
"Just joking, trying to lighten the mood!" Yun Xiao scratched his head with an awkward laugh.
She rolled her eyes at him.
Even her annoyance was charming.
"Take it. Life is precious." She stood up, looking down at him. "Live well."
"And you?" Yun Xiao asked.
"I have my own family," Zhao Xuanran replied.
"Will he be alright?" Yun Xiao asked.
"He'll be fine. He promised he wouldn't enter the cycle of reincarnation until the enemy is defeated."
"Alright." Yun Xiao nodded.
"Don't go to the rankings tournament tomorrow," Zhao Xuanran said seriously.
Yun Xiao fell silent.
After a moment, he stood up and walked toward the shadows.
"Where are you going?" Zhao Xuanran called out.
"To train," Yun Xiao replied.
"If you leave my sight tonight, you might not survive," she warned, biting her lip.
Without turning back, Yun Xiao raised the Sword Heart in his hand with a laugh. "With Senior Sister Zhao's grandfather's protection, I'm sure I'll be fine."
His laughter echoed as he vanished into the night, his lighthearted facade slipping away.
---
Once alone, his expression turned cold, intense, and focused.
The air grew tense as he moved through the forest. The small black beast at his side sniffed the air, its expression fierce.
"They're getting closer," came Lanxing's voice.
"Who?" Yun Xiao asked, his tone low and sober.
"The ones tracking you aren't Blue Soul's cultivators."
"They're not?" This revelation made Yun Xiao stop in his tracks.
Lanxing had sensed someone watching him, so Yun Xiao had chosen to draw them out alone, hoping to claim their Sword Soul. But if they weren't Blue Soul's…
"Then the Sword Heart shouldn't be wasted on them," Yun Xiao muttered, glancing back. There wasn't much time.
"I have a plan," Lanxing whispered.
"Let's hear it."
"Draw them into the coffin. We can weaken them inside, and you can finish them off!"
"Good!"
Yun Xiao, trusting Lanxing completely, stepped into the shadows. The black beast darted forward, transforming into a large, dark copper coffin.
He left it partially open.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged—a man dressed in black.
Seeing the mysterious coffin, the figure's confidence grew as he approached, clearly eager to inspect it.
But as he neared, the lid of the coffin slammed shut with a loud bang, trapping him inside.
Inside the coffin, a dense black mist surged up, enveloping the figure.
"What is this?" The man gasped, his surprise turning to horror.
As the black mist poured into his mouth, nose, and ears, his skin turned as dark as ink.
The mist's deadly effect quickly became evident.
"Now!"
----------
The white-clad Yun Xiao stood at the entrance of Scarlet Melt Pavilion, his gaze cold and fierce as he scanned the ostentatious display before him. Inside, the third sword reveres, Wu Wu, and his kin toasted with smug, sneering expressions, unaware of Yun Xiao's presence. They had just made a vow to take down the Sword Pavillion and anyone who dared defy them.
"Have you finished drinking?" Yun Xiao's voice was low, trembling with restrained fury, as he stepped forward.
"Yun Xiao!" One of Wu Wu's clansmen shouted, his eyes widening in disbelief. It seemed impossible—wasn't Yun Xiao supposed to be dead?
Yun Xiao stood there, the anger steaming off him like a blazing aura. He looked around the room filled with fine wine and delicacies, and his fists clenched. These people had sent assassins after him, yet they sat here feasting, living in luxury in their scarlet-gilded palace while he struggled to survive in his humble thatched hut at the Sword Pavilion.
Even Wu Wu, the third sword reverer himself, squinted to confirm that he wasn't seeing things. Then, a slow, mocking grin spread across his face, echoed by his wife, his sons, and the rest of his loyal men.
"Yun Xiao, did you really come here alone to challenge my clan?" Wu Wu sneered, barely holding back laughter. His son, Wu Jianxiong, shook his head in amusement.
"Father, this foolish little rabbit just delivered himself. The night is young; we could make this fun." Wu Jianxiong's cold smile suggested more than a casual jest. His mother's voice, icy and cutting, chimed in.
"First sever his hands and feet. Let's see if his courage matches his words."
But Yun Xiao's anger only grew fiercer, his gaze more deadly. He watched their mocking faces with a dark glint in his eye. "You think you can cut my hands and feet? We'll see who bleeds."
"You think you're going to reason with us? This isn't your backwoods village brawl, boy!" Wu Jianxiong taunted him, but Yun Xiao's scornful smile only widened.
Then, in a single, deliberate movement, Yun Xiao drew a small black sword from his robes.
"Is that—Sword Heart!" Wu Wu's face dropped as he recognized the weapon. The laughter stopped, replaced by tense silence.
In Yun Xiao's right hand glowed his Heaven-Burying Sword Soul, a shimmering azure blade that pulsed with power. And now, in his left, the black Sword Heart—the very essence of a master sword cultivator's lifetime power, gifted to Yun Xiao by Zhao Xuanran. The Wu Clan was shaken; they knew the immense power Yun Xiao wielded, and a ripple of fear passed through them.
"Don't be a fool, Yun Xiao!" Wu Wu barked, his confidence faltering. "Sword Heart can only injure one person, but there are many of us. Once you strike, you'll be torn apart!"
Yun Xiao's only answer was a dark smile.
Before anyone could move, he plunged his Heaven-Burying Sword Soul into the black Sword Heart in his left hand. A surge of power erupted from the Sword Heart, releasing the profound sword energy of an ancient master—a strength that had been locked away for sixteen years.
A devastating wave of black sword intent exploded outwards, filling the entire scarlet-gilded pavilion with a darkness like a howling storm. It crashed through the opulent chamber, the once-luxurious decorations now torn apart by the deathly energy swirling around Yun Xiao. Black tendrils of energy coiled around the azure blade of the Heaven-Burying Sword Soul, forming a massive, twisting tornado of black and blue, dark and light.
The scarlet pavilion, with its jewels and gold, turned into a nightmarish vision of the underworld. It was as if the room itself had descended into the depths of hell, every corner now thick with deathly air. Wu Wu's laughter had long since died, replaced by terror as he watched this horrifying spectacle. He had unleashed a killer on Yun Xiao, only to be met with an avenger wielding the power of death itself.
In the dead silence that followed, Yun Xiao's voice rang out, cold and thunderous: "You wanted blood? Then tonight, it is your blood that will stain this earth!"
"Tonight, you fall," Yun Xiao said, his voice filled with quiet menace.
One by one, the others in Scarlet Melt Pavilion fell, their boasts silenced forever. When the last of them lay defeated, Yun Xiao sheathed his blade and stood amidst the aftermath, gazing at the now-empty hall. The once-proud, glittering mansion was silent, and a cold wind stirred the crimson lanterns hanging above.
With one last look at the fallen remnants of Wu Wu's ambitions, Yun Xiao turned and vanished into the night, leaving only the echo of his vengeance behind.