Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Master, are you really taking that person with us…"

Yaoguang suddenly heard a conversation coming from the neighboring room. He sat up abruptly. Could it be that Li Wenjia and his disciple were also staying at this inn? What an incredible coincidence! The walls of this inn don't have good soundproofing, so please don't talk ill of me, or it'll be awkward.

Li Wenjia was teaching his disciple again. Yaoguang heard him say, "When traveling, there will always be hardships. Remember, if you can help, do so without being bound by past events. Those incidents took place over a hundred years ago. What would a newly initiated disciple know about them?"

The young boy fell silent, ending the conversation. It was clear that despite his lively and mischievous nature, he held great respect for his master.

A moment later, just as Yaoguang was drifting off to sleep, he heard the voice from next door again.

"Stop fidgeting," Li Wenjia said. "Go to sleep quietly."

"Mm…" The youngster yawned in response.

Lying in bed, Yaoguang couldn't help but sigh. He felt a sense of loneliness. Why did he feel so isolated in the real world, only to find the same feeling in this book? He couldn't help but envy the companionship they shared.

The next morning, Yaoguang checked out of his room early, not wanting Li Wenjia and his disciple to know they had been staying at the same inn. He waited outside for their scheduled meeting time. As the appointed hour approached, the master and disciple pair arrived.

"Little brother is all set?" Li Wenjia asked.

Yaoguang hurriedly nodded, while the young lad wore a distrusting expression, clearly feeling a tinge of jealousy. Yaoguang felt guilty in his heart for intruding on their master-disciple duo's private time. ...But he really didn't want to spend three years just walking! He could only apologize to the little brother; there was no other choice.

"This is my disciple Lin Qin," Li Wenjia said. "To which real master does little brother owe your tutelage?"

"Hmm, I'm not yet an official disciple," Yaoguang replied. He knew that Sky Sword Sect disciples didn't have a master for the first two years after entering the sect. They would only be assigned one after passing their assessments, at which point they would receive formal teachings. It was just a random backstory he'd made up, but now it seemed he had dug himself into a hole.

Lin Qin remained silent, simply nodding in response to Li Wenjia's gaze, doing his best to appear polite.

With a casual hand gesture, Li Wenjia summoned a sword formation, causing his sword to fly out of its scabbard and emit a radiant glow. The blade widened, hovering a foot above the ground, allowing Yaoguang to step onto it. As Li Wenjia took flight with the sword, they swiftly left Wind Continent City with a whoosh.

From high above, Yaoguang gazed at the land and the world below, experiencing it in an entirely new way. Layer upon layer of clouds passed beneath them as Li Wenjia ascended higher, activating a wind-deflecting spell to prevent his hair from being tousled by the speed, spoiling his appearance.

Lin Qin lagged slightly behind, and Li Wenjia occasionally glanced back.

"What's the matter?" Lin Qin asked.

"I'm afraid you might sneak off to play again halfway through," Li Wenjia said with a gentle smile.

Yaoguang didn't dare to put his arms around Li Wenjia's waist, for fear that Lin Qin might become jealous and strike him down with a sword halfway through the journey. He jestingly asked, "Brother Wenjia, do you only have one disciple?"

"That's right," Li Wenjia replied. "I took in a disciple three years ago. Why did you join the Sky Sword Sect? Your eyes shine bright, and your talent seems extraordinary. I'm sure you'll pass the probationary period quickly."

Little did Li Wenjia know that the passenger riding with him was actually the Creator of this world.

"Sincerely hoping so," Yaoguang mused. He thought to himself, If I'm the Creator, why can't I do as I please in the world I've created? That doesn't make any sense! Can't I just modify my stats or adjust my combat abilities on the spot? Was it already predetermined when I designed this NPC disciple to fall into that cave, what his initial values would be?

Then perhaps I should have let the peerless master with the pendant fall into the Gorge of the Single Thread... But that wouldn't make sense either. A peerless master should be able to escape without the help of a devil, right?

Two hours later, the mist in the distance cleared, revealing a colossal city nestled along a river, six times larger than Feng Zhou. At its center stood magnificent structures, surrounded by towering spires that seemed to float in the air, resembling an imperial city from a fantasy game. The city walls stretched to the northern mountains, resembling the grandeur of the Great Wall.

This was the heart of the Divine Land, where eight broad avenues extended into the horizon.

"Is this Yong'an City?!" Lin Qin exclaimed with a smile. "How bustling! Much livelier than our place!"

Li Wenjia explained, "Legend has it that after the ancient battle between gods and demons, General Chou Xin, under the command of the Heavenly Lady, led humans to build this settlement, naming it 'Yong'an,' signifying eternal peace. The current ruling family, the Chous, still oversee the city, protecting the mortals."

Yaoguang was aware of this, as he had done his homework on the main city. The Chous were said to possess a bloodline known as "Semi-Immortals." The current head, in search of immortality, had wandered off, leaving no trace. Of the three brothers, the eldest, Chou Jun, managed the city's affairs, while the youngest, Chou Zhi, had joined the righteous cultivation sect, the Azure Feather Sect, becoming the disciple of its leader, Immortal Ferryman.

As Li Wenjia was explaining to his young apprentice, Yaoguang added, "Qiu Saiming, the second son of the Qiu family, is in charge of the city's security. But three years ago, he fell under the allure of the Demon Sect and planned to kill his elder brother to seize power."

"What?" Li Wenjia abruptly halted his conversation with his disciple, his expression shifting as he turned to Yaoguang. "Where did you hear this?"

Suddenly, Yaoguang remembered that this was a plot point from his story. Logically, Qiu Saiming's betrayal had yet to occur, and characters like Li Wenjia, an NPC, would have no knowledge of it!

Yaoguang had completely forgotten about this detail and inadvertently revealed a secret. Now, there was no way to backtrack, so he remained silent.

Li Wenjia pondered. As an unregistered disciple, Yaoguang shouldn't know such insider information. Perhaps he overheard a conversation by chance. "Brother Yaoguang, did you hear this rumor within our sect?"

"Maybe," Yaoguang replied uncertainly. "It might not be him. I could've misunderstood."

Li Wenjia immediately warned, "Don't spread this around. It could lead to dire consequences. Remember that."

"What did he say?" Lin Qin asked, having missed the conversation.

Li Wenjia waved his hand, indicating it was nothing important. They landed on a platform in the northern part of the city, a designated area for disciples using various flying artifacts or swords for transportation.

Li Wenjia continued, "We've arrived at Yong'an. Young Brother, if..."

Yaoguang, now eager to leave, hurriedly said, "Then I'll be on my way. I've truly troubled the both of you, and I'm deeply sorry."

Li Wenjia replied, "We'll be staying at the Radiant Splendor Inn within the city. If you have any need, feel free to look us up anytime, young brother."

"Alright, thank you very much!"

As he spoke, Yaoguang straightened his robe and gave a formal bow. Li Wenjia and his disciple returned the gesture with equal formality. By now, Li Wenjia's gaze toward Yaoguang had shifted, holding a subtle depth. His previous words had hinted at an invitation, "If you have no other matters, would you accompany us on our journey?"—for Yaoguang had inadvertently revealed an immensely significant secret.

However, judging from Yaoguang's demeanor, it seemed he too had pressing affairs. Thus, the three had no choice but to bid temporary farewell on the Edge of Immortality Platform.

Yaoguang hurried away, fearing that Li Wenjia might press him for more details about the story's progression.

On the Immortal Gazing Platform, a few scattered disciples from various cultivation sects stood, dressed in hues of pale yellow or lavender. Both men and women stood separately, seemingly awaiting someone. Yaoguang mused that perhaps in a few days, he could visit this place to see if he could catch a ride with any cultivators heading north towards the Northern Sea.

Yong'an City was bustling with prosperity, home to millions of inhabitants, making it the largest city in the entire land. Naturally, the main city was vast; Yaoguang descended thousands of steps from the Immortal Gazing Platform before entering the city. He then walked for nearly an hour before reaching the main thoroughfare. Fortunately, horse-drawn carriages crisscrossed the city, and for a single coin dropped into the bamboo basket upfront, one could travel to another district.

Observing the cityscape, Yaoguang now seamlessly assimilated into this ancient society. Apart from being unaccustomed to the formal demeanor of the cultivation disciples, occasionally appearing somewhat uncouth, he was essentially a man of this era.

"Tea, please," Yaoguang requested, "and two steamed buns, along with a stir-fried vegetable dish."

Yaoguang still had five taels of silver left, but that would only sustain him for another two or three days. When he left Yong'an, he would need to stock up on supplies, as the northern journey would lead through barren and frigid lands with only a few solitary hermits. The road to Longguang Mountain was desolate, with perpetual snowfall, making it easy to starve or freeze to death.

So his next goal was clear: where could he get some money?

Being broke in reality was one thing, but being impoverished in his own created world was unacceptable!

"Long Jianlu," Yaoguang pressed the magical seal on his neck, "answer me."

Silence. Yaoguang tried again, "Your Majesty, the Demon King? Can you hear me?"

Long Jianlu remained quiet. After a simple meal, Yaoguang, clutching the last two taels of silver, began strolling around town as evening approached. While browsing in a clothing store, Long Jianlu suddenly spoke, "What are you doing now?"

"You're finally acknowledging me?" Yaoguang looked at the garments, all priced rather steep. If he bought clothes, he wouldn't have enough for a room or food, so he could only window-shop.

Long Jianlu: "I see you're quite close with that Hongying Sect disciple. Why not invite him for another bath?"

Yaoguang: "How am I close to him? I don't even dare touch him... Huh, are you jealous?"

"Enough nonsense!" Long Jianlu replied. "Why are you in a clothing store?"

"Buying clothes," Yaoguang said. "I'm heading to Beihai. Do you want me to freeze to death?"

Long Jianlu replied, "This robe doesn't fit your frame; it's not for someone as tall as you."

Yaoguang responded, "I'm showing it to you! Don't you need clothes?"

Long Jianlu said, "Why would I wear clothes when I've been trapped in a cave?"

Yaoguang argued, "You'll have to come out eventually!"

The shop owner interjected, "Young hero..."

Yaoguang raised his voice, attracting attention. "It's nothing, just talking to myself. I'll just browse around, you don't have to bother with me."

Before leaving, Yaoguang added, "Once you get the Heaven-Sealing Sword, you'll be free. Won't you need clothes then? Would the Devil King roam about naked?"

Long Jianlu replied, "In that case, get the black one; I prefer black."

"I like it too," Yaoguang said casually as he walked away. "But I don't have any money. Come on, let's figure something out. Where can we get some cash? Didn't you have quite a few followers of your demonic cult in Yong'an? How about we collect some 'taxes' again?"

Long Jianlu: "..."

Suddenly, Yaoguang remembered something. In his plot, at this very moment, beneath Yong'an City, the demonic cult was fervently conducting a grand sacrificial ritual - an epidemic was about to spread rapidly, and the souls of hundreds of thousands would be sucked into a magical array for the purpose of resurrecting an evil deity.

His protagonist, Shan Rong, was tirelessly working behind the scenes, investigating all of this while bearing the blame... Yaoguang realized he had forgotten about his main character! He should be somewhere nearby, right? !

Forget it, the protagonist would take care of dismantling the array; there was no need for the creator to worry about such details.

"You mentioned that..."

"I told you..."

Yaoguang and Long Jianlu spoke in unison, then fell silent.

After a few seconds, Long Jianlu said, "I mentioned to you before that there's a hidden location outside Yong'an City, where several magical artifacts and weapons are stored. Follow my instructions now and head to Mount Mang. I'll help you find them when you get there."

"Let's do it tomorrow," Yaoguang suggested. "It's too late already."

Long Jianlu's temper flared again. "Hurry up! Go right now!"

Yaoguang: "It's pitch black out here, can't we talk when the sun is up?"

Long Jianlu: "You're digging graves in broad daylight on a mountain. Aren't you afraid of being struck down by a sword from above? Can't you take this seriously, young man?"

"Fine, fine, I'll go! I'll go, okay?" Yaoguang had no choice but to yield and find a carriage to leave the city.

Long Jianlu spoke, "Why oversleep in life when you'll be at eternal rest in death? Head for the East Mountain Pass."

With his sword in tow, Yaoguang leaned against the carriage, thinking about how he had booked a room at the inn but wouldn't be staying, wasting a silver tael.

"Surely magic artifacts are worth quite a bit, right?" Yaoguang asked again. "Are you sure there's something valuable there?"

Long Jianlu was losing his patience and didn't want to respond to Yaoguang.

Yaoguang: "Hey, why aren't you talking anymore? Can you hear me?"

Long Jianlu: "Here's an idea, you go rob the treasury of the City Lord's mansion."

Yaoguang: "Aren't we looking for magic artifacts?"

Long Jianlu roared, "Money, money, money! Are all Sky Sword Sect disciples obsessed with wealth?!"

His bellow echoed through the cave, and even the Dark Overlord himself couldn't help but wonder if fate had a cruel sense of humor to have brought him across such a character.

With shackles dragging behind him, Long Jianlu paced back and forth in the cave, barely managing to suppress his frustration.

In the flickering ghostly flame, Yaoguang asked again, "Then, can these magic treasures help me improve my cultivation?"

Long Jianlu replied, "No."

Yaoguang responded, "Then why should I bother with them?"

Long Jianlu was left speechless.

The carriage stopped at the entrance to the gorge, and Yaoguang began his ascent up the mountain. It was pitch dark around him, so he cast a Light Spell with one hand to illuminate his surroundings. A strong wind blew through the pass, and below him, the great river rushed by. As night fell, the stars shone bright, and the distant city of Yong'an was illuminated with its city lights, presenting a beautiful scene.

After walking along the narrow path for a while, Yaoguang climbed close to the peak. The only benefit of being at the Qi Refinement stage was that he didn't tire easily. His stamina was far superior to that in the real world, and he also didn't feel hungry often.

"Where is it?" Yaoguang asked once more.

Long Jianlu replied, "Descend along this abandoned ancient path."

Yaoguang grumbled, "Can't we find another way? You made me climb all this way..."

Long Jianlu challenged, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Yaoguang sighed, "No."

Leaving the Gorge Gate Trail, Yaoguang stepped onto the dilapidated old path. The rotten wood creaked under his feet, and in many spots, it was broken, forcing him to leap across.

"Be careful," Long Jianlu warned. "A fall from here would shatter your bones."

"I'll be fine," Yaoguang assured, feeling as light as a feather. Although he couldn't wield a sword, leaping between cliffs was still within his capabilities. He'd likely have to change clothes again, and he only had two clean sets left.

"As for now?" A couple of hours later, nearing midnight, Yaoguang entered the deserted mountains within the Gorge Gate area. This was truly a desolate land, devoid of any dwellings or paths.

Inside his cave abode, Long Jianlu observed the surroundings through Yaoguang's eyes, muttering to himself, "Where could it be?"

Yaoguang sat on a rock, fetched water from his personal space, took a sip, and dozed off.

"Found it," Long Jianlu said. "Take a look across the heart of this land. Is there a deserted graveyard?"

Yaoguang followed the instructions and replied, "What place is this? Your cult's hidden treasure site?"

Long Jianlu responded, "Under the Qingyi River was once the Xiangsi Palace, where an ancestor of mine attained enlightenment a thousand years ago. But he fell in a great battle, and his disciples built his cenotaph at the spot where the earth's energy converged. As his descendant, using his belongings doesn't count as much."

Just then, Yaoguang sensed something and looked up to see two flying swords crossing the night sky.

Fortunately, he had already concealed his divine light technique; otherwise, he would have been discovered.

"Who's that?" Yaoguang asked.

"Just passersby," Long Jianlu answered. "Don't look around so much. Go to the other side of the river and check if there's a large stone shaped like a tiger."

Yaoguang cautiously made his way down to the riverbank and indeed spotted a tiger-shaped rock on the opposite shore. Long Jianlu confirmed, "Yes, it should be somewhere nearby. Let me think for a moment..."

"Someone has been here before?" Yaoguang said. "Look, there's a bamboo raft."

A bamboo raft was stranded amidst the rocky shallows by the riverbank, still stained with blood.

Long Jianlu: "Mm."

Yaoguang: "Could someone have already taken the magical treasure?"

Long Jianlu: "Impossible. No one but I could open that last door."

Following the tracks, Yaoguang discovered a crevice on the riverbank cliff. It seemed like someone had entered from this point.

"What's this?" Yaoguang proceeded along the cliff. The passage was initially narrow but widened as they went deeper inside.

It was a long, narrow cave wall with water dripping down. Long Jianlu commented, "Try walking further. I suspect this is it, but over time, landslides might have buried the entrance."

Activating his Divine Light Spell, Yaoguang illuminated the cave wall and walked for a while. The passage eventually descended, revealing steps.

"Even if this isn't the Love Nostalgia Palace you mentioned, it's likely an ancient ruin," Yaoguang recalled. He had vaguely mentioned in the game's setting that Yong'an City was a blessed location surrounded by various caves and ruins.

Excited by the idea of a dungeon generated by the system based on his initial design, Yaoguang's drowsiness vanished.

Yaoguang whispered, "Someone has been here before."

"Leave him be," Long Jianlu said. "Keep moving forward."

The steps led to an enormous underground area, and a faint light appeared ahead. As Yaoguang turned around, he saw graves stretching in every direction!

Yaoguang wasn't particularly afraid of ghosts, given that this was the world within his book. However, the place was so eerie that it made one feel uneasy.

Long Jianlu remarked, "You do have quite some courage."

Yaoguang replied, "Well, I'm glad you're here. Otherwise, I might have been scared coming in alone..."

The scene was surreal, with hundreds of graves nestled within a vast cavern.

Long Jianlu instructed, "Keep going, head for the center and climb up that platform."

"What's that sound?" Yaoguang suddenly heard a groaning noise, which sent shivers down his spine. "Who?! Who's there?!"

He spun around, and the sound grew louder—it was emanating from the graves.

"Z... Zombies?!" Yaoguang thought to himself, I don't recall any resurrection of corpses in my storyline!

Yet, in the next moment, he noticed a faint glimmer of light emanating from the pendant hanging around his chest, illuminating the area. Behind a few graves a short distance away, a figure was stirring, seemingly struggling with great difficulty.

It's a person! Yaoguang hastened his steps immediately.

"Who are you?" Recalling the footprints and signs of a fire at the entrance, Yaoguang realized that someone had entered before him – it was this fellow right before his eyes!

The man was dressed in filthy clothes, his hair disheveled. He was huddled behind the graves, attempting to sit up with effort.

"Hey, are you alright?" Yaoguang reached out to help the man, who appeared to be a severely ill vagrant or a beggar. In that instant, the man abruptly grabbed Yaoguang's hand.

Yaoguang jumped in surprise. Long Jianlu's voice echoed, "You'd better mind your own business."

"How can I not?" Yaoguang replied.

"To whom... are you speaking?" The young man asked, his voice strangely sounding somewhat familiar.

"You're..." Yaoguang suddenly recognized the voice. The pendant in front of him emitted light, illuminating the man's face.

The man's countenance was haggard, covered in dirt, with numerous scars across his body. Squinting against the strong light, he averted his head uncomfortably, but his eyes were bright and clear.

"Shan Rong?" Yaoguang murmured. "How can it be you?! How did you end up here?"

Shan Rong's hand trembled as he lifted it several times, as if trying to hide his face.

Long Jianlu asked, "Is he from your Sky Sword Sect?"

Yaoguang replied, "Y-Yes."

Shan Rong turned to look at Yaoguang, watching him warily, attempting to discern with whom he was speaking.

Under the pendant's glow, Yaoguang and Shan Rong locked eyes. Shan Rong's gaze lingered on the pendant, momentarily distracted.

He reached out, seemingly about to touch Yaoguang's pendant.

Long Jianlu inquired, "Do you know each other?"

Just as Yaoguang was about to say "no," voices echoed from the entrance of the underground chamber.

"Many thanks, young brother, for leading the way."

It was Li Wenjia's voice!

Yaoguang immediately rose to his feet, staring in disbelief at the entrance as a radiant aura spread, illuminating the vast cavern.

"Is it you?" Yaoguang asked. "Have you been following me all along?"

As Li Wenjia and his young disciple descended the steps, Yaoguang recalled the two sword glows he had seen in the valley, streaking across the sky.

"Did the Sky Sword Sect send you to investigate Shan Rong's whereabouts?" Li Wenjia asked politely.

"No," Yaoguang replied. "I just came here to investigate and stumbled upon you by chance. What are your intentions?"

Both Li Wenjia and Lin Qin held their swords, and Yaoguang sensed danger. Behind him, Shan Rong, leaning on a tombstone, struggled to stand unsteadily.

Li Wenjia: "You know who he is, don't you?"

Protecting Shan Rong, Yaoguang thought to himself that this character was the protagonist of his story. He couldn't let Li Wenjia kill him; otherwise, if the story ended abruptly, who knew what consequences would follow.

Li Wenjia: "Let's step aside for a private word, young brother."

Li Wenjia, seeing Yaoguang seemingly intent on protecting, and considering they were all from the Sky Sword Sect and likely unaware of Shan Rong's identity, spoke with an advisory tone, "You may not know me, but as your senior brother, I must say that I still hold some influence among the major sects..."

Lin Qin interjected, "Master! They're clearly in cahoots!"

Yaoguang replied, "No, no... listen to me, Li Wenjia. It's like this..."

Yaoguang, being fully aware of the situation he had created, stood in front of Shan Rong without drawing his sword, explaining, "Senior Brother Shan Rong has merely fallen victim to a trap. He's not what you think!"

With one hand slowly reaching for his waist, Shan Rong paused upon hearing this.

Li Wenjia continued, "He betrayed your sect, young brother. Don't be blinded by ignorance!"

Yaoguang countered, "A demonic cult has placed a curse within him, leaving him with no control over his actions. He hasn't truly betrayed the righteous path; he had no choice. Trust me, Brother Wenjia, he's not a bad person..."

Shan Rong listened silently, his gaze fixed on Yaoguang's back.

Angered, Lin Qin exclaimed, "Master! Stop talking to him! They've long been part of the demonic cult..."

Yaoguang's temper flared, "What do you have to do with my conversation with your master?!"

"Wicked cult scoundrels! They must be eradicated!" Lin Qin raised his sword, ready to engage them for practice.

Yaoguang mused, This line sounds so familiar. However, Li Wenjia wouldn't let Lin Qin have his way and sternly said, "Young Brother, though we've met by chance, it's still a fated encounter. My disciple and I only have Shan Rong in our sights. We don't wish to harm the innocent. I'll count to three. If you leave now, this will be as if it never happened."

Yaoguang protested, "What do you want to do to him? No way!"

The negotiation fell apart. As Yaoguang hesitated whether to draw his sword, Shan Rong placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you," Shan Rong said slowly, "Even though I don't know who you are, you're the only one who spoke up for me."

"Wait!" Yaoguang exclaimed, "What are you doing?!"

With a burst of energy, Shan Rong pushed Yaoguang aside and erected a spiritual barrier to protect him. Then, Shan Rong and Li Wenjia launched into battle simultaneously!

Li Wenjia summoned spells, causing a radiant explosion that transformed into countless blue flames surging towards Shan Rong.

Shan Rong levitated, surrounded by a myriad of flying swords. As he sidestepped and chanted a sword incantation, the swords streaked through the air like shooting stars, blazing with light as they descended upon Li Wenjia in a cataclysmic collision!

The depths of the cave trembled incessantly. Yaoguang continually sought cover. Being only at the Qi Refinement stage, his cultivation was far below Shan Rong and Li Wenjia, both at the Golden Core stage. In their fierce clash, there was no room for him to intervene.

Yet in a clash of experts, victory or defeat was decided swiftly. Shan Rong overwhelmed Li Wenjia, nearly crushing him. As Li Wenjia summoned countless tombstones within the cave to launch a fatal strike at Shan Rong, Shan Rong retaliated with an overpowering sword strike that shattered the massive boulder before him. A thousand flying swords converged into a colossal blade, trailing black flames as it blasted through Li Wenjia's protective true energy with a thunderous boom.

Li Wenjia crashed violently into the cave wall, spitting out blood.

"Master!" Lin Qin cried out in agony.

In Lin Qin's perception, his master was invincible. This belief was instantly shattered by Shan Rong, causing him immense pain.

Li Wenjia seemed determined to continue fighting, but his injuries were severe. Shan Rong's final blow had drained all his strength, successfully disabling an opponent but also inflicting great damage upon himself.

Supporting himself on the broken stone, he struggled to pull out his sword and slowly approached the master-disciple pair.

"Wait!" Yaoguang interjected. "There's no need for this! Are you going to kill them?"

Shan Rong turned to Yaoguang and replied in a slow, deliberate tone, "If word gets out that I'm hiding here, the righteous sects will immediately dispatch their elites to hunt me down. We'll have nowhere to bury our corpses."

"Don't do it!" Yaoguang pleaded urgently. "He's a good man!"

Long Jianlu could no longer tolerate the scene and intervened, "Whose side are you on?!"

"If it weren't for him flying me to Yong'an City on his sword," Yaoguang said, "I wouldn't have found you either. Let's just leave this place."

As Shan Rong hesitated, Yaoguang stepped in front of Li Wenjia and Lin Qin once more.

"I've already taken two lives," Shan Rong said coldly. "It doesn't matter if I add another here."

Yaoguang recalled the injustice Shan Rong had suffered, which included being hunted down by his own sect for the loss of life during a previous mission.

"I know they weren't killed by you!" Yaoguang declared earnestly. "Li Wenjia is a good person!"

Finally, Lin Qin couldn't take it anymore. "Are you insane?!"

Shan Rong looked at Yaoguang and finally spoke. "Come here, but don't turn your back on them."

Yaoguang maintained eye contact with Shan Rong, who nodded. "I won't kill them for your sake. Come here."

Thus, Yaoguang returned to Shan Rong's side. Shan Rong sheathed his sword with a resounding clang that echoed through the cavern.