Chapter 877: What Deal? (1/2, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Fang Yue shouted repeatedly, but the parchment gave no response.

Fortunately, the Heaven Sword was also trembling, as if still under the parchment's intimidation, not daring to act rashly, silent and obedient.

Seeing this, Fang Yue lowered his voice and said: "Let's be clear—if you dare betray me, the parchment will definitely devour you."

The Heaven Sword trembled even more violently, and shook up and down as if to signal it understood, that it would never dare act out.

Next, Fang Yue used the Heaven Sword to perform several sword flourishes, even activating the Empty Ice Sword Art.

He discovered that whenever he used the Heaven Sword to cast sword techniques, the power of those techniques surged dramatically.

For example, the Empty Ice Sword Art—even without absorbing any other cultivation arts—when wielded with the Heaven Sword, reached the same power level as before when he had absorbed other arts!

This massive boost left Fang Yue wide-eyed, utterly enamored.

Who wouldn't love a sudden power increase of several times over?

But the Heaven Sword was strange, hiding hidden dangers—if not suppressed, it would only bring backlash.

Regardless, having claimed the Heaven Sword and destroyed Jian Wufeng, it was time to head to the Extreme Ice Sect.

As for Tian Ruichi and the matters of the Heaven Sword Sect… those would have to wait for another day.

With direction locked, Fang Yue departed swiftly.

What Fang Yue hadn't expected was that before he even reached the Extreme Ice Sect, while still halfway along the Official Road, he had already caught up with Weiba and the others.

From afar, he could see two women walking one behind the other, as if there was some tension between them.

Weiba looked lost in thought, walking slowly, head bowed, eyes red as if she had just finished crying.

Ni Dongmei, meanwhile, wore a grim expression, fists clenched, walking a distance ahead of Weiba in silence.

There was no communication between them; some rift clearly existed.

Fang Yue didn't overthink it—he called out to them directly.

"Ni Dongmei! Weiba!"

Weiba, who had been looking down, suddenly widened her eyes as if witnessing something unbelievable, turned around in delight, and upon recognizing Fang Yue, tears poured down her face.

"Ye Ge!!"

Weiba ran toward Fang Yue, threw herself into his arms, buried her head against his chest, her body trembling slightly.

"I thought… I thought…"

Fang Yue froze, surprised by Weiba's intense reaction.

He awkwardly glanced at Ni Dongmei, hesitated, then gently patted Weiba's head and comforted her.

"It's fine, I'm fine—it was just Jian Wufeng. He couldn't hurt me."

Ni Dongmei, too, widened her eyes, shock and disbelief flashing across her face. Finally, she clutched her left wrist with her right hand, standing frozen, biting her lip.

"Thank heaven! He's alive… he didn't die because of us!"

"But this kid actually blocked the Heaven Sword! He's grown this much already!"

"Could I have been wrong all along? Is the Destiny Pillar of the Extreme Ice Sect not meant for Weiba with her 【Spirit Root】, but for this boy?"

For some reason, she shouldn't have thought this—but after hearing Weiba's confession and seeing Weiba's cultivation speed steadily decline, Ni Dongmei couldn't help but spiral into wild thoughts, her mind repeatedly replaying 【Qi Ba Jiu Daren】's earlier words—【That's your ignorance. The Destiny Pillar never belongs to anyone outside the Epoch! One Epoch is five hundred years; I am from the previous Epoch, outside Causality—how could I be the Destiny Pillar?】

Weiba is of this Epoch, yet her power comes from the previous Epoch's Qi Ba Jiu Daren.

Is this a trick—or is Weiba truly not the one I'm seeking… the Destiny Pillar?

Thinking of this, Ni Dongmei couldn't help but glance at Fang Yue, trying to perceive his destiny.

"Micro Ice Divination Technique!"

This direct probing method was crude—anyone with even a little foundation would immediately sense being watched and easily counter it!

But if the target was Fang Yue, Ni Dongmei didn't think she'd suffer consequences.

Yet she didn't realize—until she looked, and then she was stunned.

She discovered she could perceive not a single thread of Fang Yue's destiny, nor even his existence.

It was as if Fang Yue had vanished entirely from the River of Fate, completely erased from record.

"Impossible! Back in Mo Cun, I still…"

Ni Dongmei clearly remembered—back in Mo Cun, her clone had effortlessly perceived Fang Yue's destiny, even uncovering his deepest secrets.

But now… in the realm of destiny, she could no longer perceive Fang Yue's very existence!

"This guy… could he really be…"

Ni Dongmei's emotions churned, but Weiba had already calmed down.

She had assumed Fang Yue stayed behind to hold the line—meaning he would die—so she had quarreled with Ni Dongmei and thrown a tantrum.

Weiba rarely lost her temper, but after learning Fang Yue had fought to the death to protect her, she truly became furious—furious beyond measure!

She knew Ni Dongmei leaving Fang Yue alone to hold the line was a last resort—but she couldn't suppress the surge of emotion!

In truth, what she truly hated… was her own weakness!

"Ye Ge nearly died for me!"

This game was no longer a game.

Death in the game meant death in reality!

If Fang Yue had died beneath the Heaven Sword, he would have truly died!

Who in this game didn't know the truth about death in the game?

So for Fang Yue to stay behind for her, to stand up for her—that was truly risking his life!!

Ask yourself: how many people in this world would sacrifice themselves for you? And how many could actually do it?

Weiba even doubted whether she herself was worth such a sacrifice from Fang Yue.

But she wasn't the kind of girl who exposed her emotions.

Suppressing the turbulent, complex thoughts in her heart, her cheeks flushed faintly, she released Fang Yue, lowered her head, and whispered: "Ye Ge, thank you… thank you for being alive… thank you for holding the line for me…"

"Tail, no need for that—given our relationship, I could never let you die."

Upon hearing this, Tail immediately lowered her head even further, clutching the hem of her skirt, her ears turning bright red.

After a long while, she suddenly seemed to remember something and snapped her head up.

"By the way, Ye Ge, how did you escape Tian Jian's pursuit? Is he still chasing you? We should leave soon and return to Ji Bing Sect as quickly as possible. Once we're back at Ji Bing Sect, the great array guarding the mountain gate will protect us—even Tian Jian Jian Wufeng can't… wait! What is that sword in your hand?!"

Before Tail could finish speaking, she suddenly noticed the sword in Fang Yue's hand, her eyes widening, her mouth gaping open, her face filled with utter disbelief!

Unlike Fang Yue, this "country bumpkin" who had just arrived in Jingcheng, Tail had already been in this region for about two months.

Moreover, as the Saintess of Ji Bing Sect, any information Ji Bing Sect could uncover would naturally flow to her if she wished.

Thus, Tail had a certain understanding of Jingcheng's situation, its power structures, and all its aspects.

As a renowned swordmaster in Jingcheng, a Rain-level cultivator, and the Sect Master of Tian Jian Sect, Tian Jian Jian Wufeng naturally fell within her sphere of intelligence gathering.

So she recognized the sword in Fang Yue's hand—it was none other than Tian Jian Sect's sacred treasure: the Tian Jian!

"What?! The Tian Jian? Wait! That's really the Tian Jian! Jian Wufeng's Tian Jian—why is it in your hands?!"

Ni Dongmei, hearing the commotion, also snapped back to attention and looked at the sword in Fang Yue's hand, her eyes widening in equal disbelief.

How could the Tian Jian—so inseparable from Jian Wufeng, said to be "the sword lives, the man lives; the sword dies, the man dies"—be in Fang Yue's hands?!

"Could it be… you made some deal with Tian Jian? You came here to kill us!"

(End of Chapter)