Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 395 381: Trial of Heart Tribulation (Conclusion): Fan Xuan: Pei Yuhang, We Will Meet Again...

"Cold Sun Sword Immortal, Pei Yuhang!"

The young man let out a long cry, his voice shaking the nine heavens.

A cold light flared in his eyes as the longsword in his hand erupted in a blinding brilliance. Everywhere its edge passed, the very air was torn apart with a piercing shriek.

The disciples blocking his path had no time to react before they were utterly crushed by the unstoppable beam of light from his sword!

And Golden Core was still not the peak of Pei Yuhang's rising aura!

In an instant, though there were over a hundred disciples from the Yin Yang Sacred Land surrounding him, they were completely routed by Pei Yuhang and his single sword.

"Don't fall back! Pei Yuhang's Breakthrough Realm is strange, but it didn't trigger a Celestial Tribulation! That means this aura is only temporary! Sisters, charge!"

"Get lost—!"

Pei Yuhang swept aside more than a dozen people with his sword, a bead of cold sweat forming on his brow.

Fan Xuan, being the closest to him, felt it most clearly.

Although Pei Yuhang's presence was still growing stronger, his body was already failing to bear the ever-increasing load of Spiritual Power.

"Pei Yuhang, let me go. You could definitely break through on your own, right?"

Fan Xuan looked up at him, her voice as faint as a breeze that could scatter at any moment.

"Shut up! If I were going to let you go, why would I have come back for you?!"

Shang Miaoyan had also joined the fray. Her red lips curled into a smirk, her eyes flashing with crazed delight. She summoned one bizarre Magical Treasure after another, and amid swirling Honglian petals, a sinister Spiritual Power coiled toward them like a venomous snake.

Armed with only a sword, Pei Yuhang was hard-pressed, his footwork growing chaotic.

But Fan Xuan, as if oblivious, continued to murmur, "Because… because there's no value in you coming back to save me!"

Her fingertips trembled lightly, as if wanting to touch his face but not daring to. In the end, they just fell limply to her side.

"You're the one who's alive, and I… I'm just a fake!" She closed her eyes as a tear slid silently down her cheek.

"Xiaoxuan, what do you mean?"

Pei Yuhang subconsciously tightened his grip on his sword.

"My sister… When I sent my sister into the Lanjiang River, she vanished in an instant."

"There's nothing outside the Yin Yang Sacred Land, only darkness. The endlessly flowing Lanjiang River is just a moving canvas. It's all fake."

She looked up at Pei Yuhang, her eyes filled with an inseparable affection, as if trying to carve his image into the depths of her soul.

"Pei Yuhang, I finally understand why you were planning to leave the Yin Yang Sacred Land from the very beginning… Because you don't belong here at all."

Shang Miaoyan's cold laughter came from behind. The Bone Whip in her hand struck like a venomous snake, tearing a bloody gash across Pei Yuhang's back. He let out a muffled grunt and staggered, but only held the person in his arms tighter.

"I can't get out. You're the only one who can leave… That you even thought to bring me with you, Xiaoxuan is already very happy."

Another flash of Magic struck, leaving Pei Yuhang's left shoulder drenched in blood.

"But Xiaoxuan can't hold you back any longer. You have to go… Please. I'm begging you."

Fan Xuan's voice grew fainter, carrying a heart-wrenching sense of release.

"Shut up."

Pei Yuhang suddenly roared, a terrifying fury blazing in his eyes. He swung his sword, unleashing a vast river of Sword Qi that forced Shang Miaoyan back.

"Do you think you're being so noble right now? Sacrificing yourself, is that it? Just like in your past life."

"Enough! Just shut your mouth, you self-righteous woman!"

An astonishing aura erupted from Pei Yuhang. A whirlwind of Spiritual Power materialized around him, shredding all the incoming Magic to pieces.

"From now on, you do exactly as I say!"

He shot into the air, completely ignoring the countless attacks that rained down on him.

With just his sword, Pei Yuhang fought desperately to break out of the encirclement.

...

...

「Two hours later.」

A gentle breeze swept by. Ripples spread across the lake, making the reeds sway softly.

A young woman in plain clothes supported a young man in a "red" robe as they walked slowly to the edge of the reeds.

"Pei Yuhang, are you still holding up?"

"I'm… holding on."

"Stop trying to act tough! The blood has soaked through your white robes!"

Fan Xuan huffed, gently setting the young man on the ground and letting him rest against her shoulder.

"Xiaoxuan… I can still walk."

The hoarse voice reached her ears, but Fan Xuan showed no intention of getting up to help him again.

She gazed at the endlessly flowing Lanjiang River before them and murmured, "I know you're tough and can still walk… but I want you to stay with me a little longer.

After all, we're about to never see each other again."

"..."

"Pei Yuhang, what's the difference between the outside world and this place? Is there… is there someone named Fan Xuan out there, too?"

Fan Xuan tilted her small face up, her clear eyes filled with curiosity, yet tinged with a faint unease. It was as if she was awaiting an answer she both anticipated and feared.

Leaning against the young woman, Pei Yuhang pursed his lips and said softly,

"This place is too real. It's no different from the outside world. To me, this *is* a real world. I'm just the one who doesn't belong here.

There is a Xiaoxuan on the outside… but she's already dead."

Hearing the last part, Fan Xuan trembled instinctively. She looked up at the azure dome of the sky and spoke in a soft voice,

"So… so you're so gentle with me… is it because you feel guilty about her?"

"Can you tell me… what did she do?"

Pei Yuhang managed to hug the young woman, smiling as he said, "She did the same thing you just did. Xiaoxuan… you *are* her.

Failing to save you from the Yin Yang Sacred Land… that is my Heart Demon."

"Now, I've finally succeeded in saving you."

As Pei Yuhang spoke, spiderweb-like cracks began to spread from the horizon.

Beyond the shattering pieces was a pitch-black void.

It turned out that simply escaping the Yin Yang Sacred Land wasn't the key to this Trial of Heart Tribulation. The answer was to bring Fan Xuan out with him.

Now that his Heart Demon was broken, the Trial of Heart Tribulation was about to end.

"I'm sorry, Xiaoxuan. I have to go now."

As strength returned to his body, Pei Yuhang regained his energy. The wounds covering him healed at a visible rate, and the bloodstains on his white robes gradually faded away.

He held Fan Xuan, his voice gentle and full of apology.

But Fan Xuan just gently kissed his lips, then gave him a radiant smile. "Pei Yuhang, what are you apologizing for?" she encouraged.

"This is clearly your reward for successfully Crossing the Tribulation. So why… why are you crying?"

"Don't cry. I'm sure we'll have a chance to meet again someday.

We will…"

The young woman's voice eventually scattered on the wind. Pei Yuhang watched Fan Xuan turn to dust and dissipate, then silently closed his eyes.

RUMBLE—

The terrifying sound of thunder, powerful enough to shatter the sky, exploded next to his ears.

Pei Yuhang opened his eyes and found himself back in the surging Cloud Sea of the Void Thunder Tribulation.

He touched the lingering warmth on his lips. Then, a shackle deep inside him shattered like a river breaking its dam. A vast wave of Sword Qi surged out from his body, powerful enough to overwhelm the roaring thunder.

'Now that the Heart Tribulation Thunder is over, there should only be one or two bolts left, right?'

'Let's end this… This Tribulation has gone on long enough.'

Pei Yuhang tightened his grip on the Silent Sword. Sword Qi surged and coalesced upon the blade, forming a giant sword that stretched for a thousand meters.

At the same time, the brilliant golden heavenly lightning in the Cloud Sea gathered into a five-clawed golden Dragon. It roared ferociously as it descended, carrying with it the might of heaven and earth.

"Xiaoxuan, I believe you. We will meet again."

Pei Yuhang murmured. In that instant, he felt the world open up, as if he had merged with heaven and earth themselves.

The thousand-meter-long giant sword in his hand surged and extended once more. The ten-thousand-meter beam of Sword Qi emanating from it looked, from a distance, like the Milky Way falling from the nine heavens.

Before that descending torrent of starlight, the majestic golden Dragon of lightning was no more than a mayfly.

The Cold Sun Sword Immortal, Pei Yuhang, had achieved Void Refining.