The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 375: The Beloved One?

The Beloved One? . . .

"I surmise you hail from the Qing-Yun Realm, don't you?" Xiu of Heavens spoke in an even tone. Her words carried an air of indifference, but her gaze pierced with sharpness as it rested upon the woman in white. "Have you ever heard of the massacre that unfolded seven thousand years ago within the Qing-Yun Realm?"

Though Xiu-Er's voice bore a dispassionate facade, her eyes gleamed with intensity. She continued her unrelenting scrutiny of the woman in white and cautioned, "I urge you not to push me too far. Otherwise, once I unravel your identity... Your sect, your family, your friends, your siblings..."

She took measured steps forward, her speech deliberate and measured. "They shall not perish. I can assure you that those individuals will enjoy long lives—ten thousand years, to be precise. Not a single day less."

With each word, she inched closer to the woman in white, her voice unwavering. "For that is my destiny. Do you comprehend the weight of my words?"

The woman in white trembled, comprehending the gravity of Xiu-Er's message. She fully understood.

Seven thousand years prior, a gruesome event had transpired in the Qing-Yun Realm—an event defined not by hyperbole but by bloodshed. A girl had singlehandedly annihilated the formidable Authority Sect, leaving no survivors. This included the Authority Sect's leader, as well as all the branch sects affiliated with it, totaling no fewer than seven million lives extinguished in that catastrophic event.

Seven million accomplished cultivators perished, their blood transforming the Qing-Yun Realm into a landscape of crimson rivers. The perpetrator was none other than Xiu of Heavens, the very individual the woman in white presently sought to obstruct.

Had the bloodshed not occurred, the sects that now thrived in the Qing-Yun Realm would not exist. They had risen to prominence in the wake of the Authority Sect's demise, and the woman in white hailed from one of these successor sects.

The catalyst for the gruesome bloodshed had been startlingly mundane—a mere romantic pursuit. The son of the Authority Sect's headmaster had coveted a particular girl, and that girl was Xiu of Heavens. The Authority Sect had protected its heir, shielded him, and aligned itself with him repeatedly. Ultimately, the young man had bribed one of Xiu-Er's acquaintances, leading to her drugging.

The substance in question? An aphrodisiac.

Despite her great power, Xiu of Heavens remained unaffected by the substandard drugs.

Once she realized what had occurred, she exacted retribution upon the young man and all who had been involved.

The Authority Sect seethed with rage due to the shame of their actions and initiated a pursuit against her. However, they had gravely underestimated Xiu-Er, provoking her wrath, and in her fury, she massacred seven million individuals.

"I will exterminate those who dare mistreat women!" That had been her solemn vow.

This massacre led to the establishment of a rigorous edict within the Qing-Yun Realm: "No one may forcibly take a woman. They may kill her, but they must never defile her in any reprehensible manner." It was the first and most rigorously upheld rule within the Qing-Yun Realm for seven thousand years. No one dared to transgress it.

Nonetheless, as the saying goes, "When the forest grows larger, it accommodates all manner of birds." The Qing-Yun Realm was an expansive realm, and no matter how strictly forbidden it was, violations persisted. The rule could not entirely suppress such transgressions. Nevertheless, the sects near the location of such crimes would conduct thorough investigations. No matter the perpetrator, the sects would put forth every effort to eliminate them. No exceptions were tolerated. No one desired a repetition of the horrific bloodshed—it had sent shockwaves through the world and instilled terror in all who heard of it.

Now, the girl responsible for that gruesome event stood face to face with the woman in white.

The woman in white perspired.

She perceived a disquieting similarity between her present actions and those of the young man.

However, it was fundamentally different. Why did she find them similar?

Numerous sects had conducted investigations into the bloodshed and found that the enigmatic girl possessed no inherent propensity for violence. While she may have been proud and headstrong, she did not harbor a predisposition for brutality. Her chief abhorrence was the violation of her deeply-held boundaries.

The woman in white was teetering on the brink of crossing that threshold.

In fact, she had mulled over the decision numerous times. Was it worth the considerable risk?

Eventually, she had arrived at her decision.

She now stood before a legendary figure—an individual she recognized from the annals of history.

"I know who you are, and I know what you have done," the woman in white inhaled deeply and proclaimed, "But I... cannot permit you to return."

They stood face to face.

The space between them spanned less than three feet.

The woman in white grappled with an internal struggle, her crystal-clear eyes revealing her inner torment and indecision. "I have a compelling reason for not allowing you to pass... The situation in Chen-Xing City... With Wan of Clouds present, there is hope for things to improve. However, if you, Xiu of Heavens, were to join them... I fear that the situation would spiral into catastrophe, becoming utterly unpredictable."

As she articulated her stance, the woman in white exuded an air of unwavering determination. "I cannot grant you passage."

Xiu of Heavens regarded the woman in white, noting that her counterpart possessed the same unyielding resolve she did.

"Why do women confound one another?" Xiu of Heavens mused gently, her sigh imbued with a sense of tenderness.

She recognized that resolute spirit.

She comprehended it fully.

It mirrored her own feelings toward her master.

It represented the profound devotion she held for the person she cherished most.

"I would do anything for you, even forfeit my life and eternal redemption," the sentiment echoed.

It was an identical emotion.

Xiu-Er sighed softly, her gaze taking on a gentler quality as she ventured, "Among those men, is one of them the person you love? Is that the case?"

She posed the question simply, without seeking to extract any information, though the inquiry had the potential to unveil a wealth of details.

Behind her mask, the woman in white experienced a sensation akin to Xiu of Heavens. Her hidden visage conveyed a mix of embarrassment and bashfulness. "Is he the one I love?"

Her thoughts were muddled, her certainties fleeting. Yet, after a period of hesitation, she offered a confirming nod.

Deep within her heart, she whispered to herself, "It was merely an excuse.".