The torment of the traitors continued mercilessly as Yun Xiao's vengeance unfolded.
The Blue Soul flag, now an instrument of boundless suffering, held the wailing spirits of those who had betrayed their oaths. The traitors' souls, spared from true death, were condemned to be burned endlessly by the Blue Soul Cauldron's flames, enduring a ceaseless agony. The shame would linger not only for them but for their ancestors, tainting their once-honored lineage. Even reincarnation would bring no respite; their very lineage would suffer this dishonor for generations.
"Please… forgive us…" the remaining traitors begged, their mutilated voices pleading with whatever strength they could muster.
Yun Xiao's gaze was as unyielding as steel. "I am not the one to forgive you," he replied coldly. "Seek forgiveness from the innocents you condemned, from the people of the thousand nations you betrayed."
With a swift motion, Yun Xiao yanked Ye Xuanying to the ground, his expression twisted with scorn. "Old man, your family's legacy will forever be enshrined in disgrace," he sneered. In a single strike, he ended Ye Xuanying's life, his soul drawn into the cursed flag to share the fate of his comrades.
Next was Yao Manxue, once a figure of elegance and pride, now reduced to a pitiful wretch. Her screams echoed as Yun Xiao's sword cut her life short. One by one, Yun Xiao delivered judgment, each name falling like a death sentence as their souls were bound to the flag.
Finally, only Jiang Yue remained. As Yun Xiao lifted her by the neck, her once-radiant face was now drained of all color, her eyes wide with terror. She struggled to speak, her voice a faint, trembling whisper. "I… I made a mistake…"
"Do you even understand what your mistake was?" Yun Xiao's tone was cold and merciless as he looked into the eyes of the woman who once should have been his closest ally.
She managed to speak, her voice cracked with fear. "I should… not have opposed you. I didn't know… you were so powerful…"
Yun Xiao shook his head, his gaze full of disdain. "No, Jiang Yue. Your mistake was not merely challenging me." His voice dropped, each word filled with fury. "Your mistake was sacrificing the lives of over ten thousand innocents from my kingdom for your ambition, using their deaths to pave your way into Blue Soul."
At this revelation, Jiang Yue's eyes widened in shock, and a horrified recognition spread across her face. "Yun Xiao… it's really you…" she whispered, her body convulsing in terror. Her mind reeled as memories flooded back—the white-robed youth whom she had betrayed, the one whose life she had shattered. She finally understood the depth of the hatred burning in his eyes.
As she tried to muster a plea, she whimpered, "Yun Xiao, give me… give me a chance. I—I still love you…" Her trembling voice reached out in desperation.
In one swift motion, Yun Xiao's sword pierced her, silencing her forever. "Do you think you deserve even my contempt?" he spat. "You and Ye Tiance will suffer the same fate, your souls condemned to burn alongside the monsters you consorted with."
With a final gesture, Yun Xiao drew her soul from her body, pressing it into the Blue Soul flag. Now, bound together with the others, their voices joined in an endless chorus of agony.
As the flames of the Blue Soul Cauldron awaited, Yun Xiao stood amidst the carnage, his vengeance complete. This, he declared, was the true "immortal road" for those who dared betray the innocent.
As Jiang Yue's desperate cries faded, Yun Xiao clutched the Blue Soul flag, its eerie wails echoing around him. The flag now bound over a hundred souls, each voice a painful testament to the judgment he had executed. The defeated Ye Tiance, stripped of his power, was finally at his mercy. Yun Xiao took his golden Sword Ring, marveling at how his Heaven-Burying Sword Soul could bear the weight of two Sword Rings—symbolic of his dual mastery over life and death. As he held the flag aloft, the Blue Soul sword cultivators cheered, relief and joy washing over them.
"Ye Tiance, bound to evil spirits for eternity!" they laughed, satisfaction clear in their voices. Senior Sister Zhao suggested exploring the area's hidden caves—home to treasures and evil spirits alike.
Yun Xiao, who trusted Senior Sister Zhao's instincts, agreed. "You're right," he said with a grin. "After all, these spirits plundered countless riches. They'll fuel our training well."
Amid the battlefield's stench, Senior Sister Zhao's calm strength drew his gaze, and he felt a moment's calm in her presence. Their shared glance held a quiet understanding, unspoken in the aftermath of battle. Yun Xiao couldn't resist teasing her, but before he could pursue the thought, the sword cultivators returned, laden with spirit crystals and treasures.
Just as they prepared to return, an elegant woman in a black robe descended before them. Her presence silenced the crowd as they recognized her: Ning Yan, a Sword Cloud master from the revered Ten Thousand Swords Sea. Her dignified gaze settled directly on Yun Xiao, her authority unyielding.
"Yun Xiao," Ning Yan spoke, her voice filled with rare warmth. "Come with me to the Ten Thousand Swords Sea. I will personally oversee your training within Sword Cloud."
The sword cultivators' eyes widened. The offer held profound implications, promising Yun Xiao not only greater power but also a connection to the fabled Sword Cloud—a faction that could stand against the might of the dreaded Taboo Tower. Yun Xiao was calm, though he felt the weight of the decision.
But a glance at Senior Sister Zhao stayed his words. He couldn't ignore what this choice might mean for her and the bond they had shared in their battles. Before he could speak, Ning Yan, sensing his hesitation, added, "If your Sword Soul has true potential, you may rise to the highest ranks within Sword Cloud. You would become known throughout the Ten Thousand Swords Sea."
Yun Xiao considered her words carefully. This was a path to unmatched power, one that could fortify him against all who threatened the Blue Soul and its people. Yet he knew that every step he took would impact the world he was about to leave behind.