“If you leave now, I’ll pretend none of this happened,” Lan Juntian said calmly, turning his back.
“I just don’t understand. I’m the Demon-Slayer of this generation, so what exactly am I fighting for?” Lan Ke’er looked up and asked, staring directly at him.
“Ke’er, did someone say something to you?” Lan Juntian frowned. “Why are you suddenly bringing this up?”
“Father, I don’t want to be a demon-slayer anymore,” Lan Ke’er said quietly.
“I won’t interfere with your decision,” Lan Juntian replied flatly. “But the Demon-Slaying Banquet will proceed as planned.”
“The seven ancestors have already returned. We’ve invited forces from across the land. Do you want our Lan Clan to become a joke?
Do you want our family’s tens of thousands of years of dedication to be wasted?”
“What if that dedication leads to the destruction of our Lan Clan?” Lan Ke’er asked.
“Ke’er, don’t you understand? The moment we chose to be a demon-slaying family, we had no path of retreat,” Lan Juntian said, shaking his head. “There are no cowards in our Lan Clan. From the beginning, we were prepared to die for this path.”
“Is there really no other way?” Lan Ke’er asked painfully after a long silence.
“You’ve really disappointed me,” Lan Juntian said, waving his hand, refusing to speak further.
Lan Ke’er quietly left the room, gently closing the door behind her.
She looked up at the sky full of stars, feeling like fate had split into two straight yet completely separate roads in front of her.
Her figure slowly faded into the thick darkness of the night.
…………
The night passed quietly. A faint light began to appear on the eastern horizon.
The first rays of sunlight spread toward Bluesky City.
Many people didn’t sleep well that night. From the distant sky came the occasional roar.
Dark demonic energy mixed with vast golden light surged and rolled along the edge of the sky.
Even without seeing it, many could feel how powerful and dangerous it was.
When the sky fully brightened, the Lan Clan had already prepared breakfast for everyone.
Demon-slaying war drums were set up from the east of Bluesky City, stretching far into the distance.
Disciples in blue robes stood tall and proud in front of the drums, their eyes fixed toward the distant sky.
The wind was calm and still.
Elders and young cultivators from all factions were eating breakfast. Xu Zimo, however, went to the inner courtyard of the Lan residence.
To the place where he met Lan Ke’er the day before.
A gentle breeze blew, trees lightly swayed, and people seemed worn out.
Lan Ke’er stood under the Demon-Slaying Tree, her thin figure waiting there.
The tips of her hair were messy, and her face was pale, paler than her normally fair skin. It was the pale of exhaustion and despair.
“Ke’er,” Xu Zimo called softly.
His voice pulled her out of her daze.
As soon as she saw him, tears flowed uncontrollably from Lan Ke’er’s eyes.
She rushed into his arms, sobbing. “I’m done being a demon-slaying warrior.
You can’t go either. Our Lan Clan’s seven ancestors and other ancient sect elders are all here.
If you go, you’ll die.”
Xu Zimo gently stroked her hair, not answering, just smiling tenderly.
“Promise me, okay?” Lan Ke’er looked up, her eyes as clear as a spring. “Like the stories you used to tell me. Let’s leave this place, go somewhere hidden from the world, and live a quiet, ordinary life. Just the two of us, a simple life together, is that so hard?”
At that moment, Xu Zimo looked at the girl in his arms, and memories pulled him back to that spring day.
Falling petals, the small village of Zixun, the setting sun, it felt like the same scene all over again.
“Back then, I thought I had a bright martial future. I wanted revenge and refused to be tied down by anything.” Xu Zimo smiled lightly. “But this time, trust me. I will clear every obstacle. I swear it.”
“What if you die?” Lan Ke’er asked through tears.
“I’m not afraid of death,” Xu Zimo said softly. “What I fear is living this life with regrets, without truly experiencing it. There’s still the Outer Heavens, my origins, and so much left for me to explore.”
“First it was my father, and now it’s you,” Lan Ke’er said bitterly. “My father said he’s not afraid of death, he knew the consequences when he chose this path. And now you say the same thing. You say the world is worth the risk. So what about me? Am I supposed to just watch my father die? Or you? All I want is a peaceful, warm life. Is that really too much to ask?”
“I’m sorry,” Xu Zimo looked at her seriously. “But this path, I have to walk it.”
There were four people he had wronged in his life.
His mother in a past life fell into the demonic path, and his father’s hair turned white overnight.
Lin Ruhu, the brother who once blocked a fatal blow for him.
And the girl in front of him, someone he had hurt and disappointed more than once.
Xu Zimo had taken many lives, and cared little for the cost. But he was still human. And humans feel.
Without emotions, what’s the point of being human?
He was Xu Zimo. And yes, he felt pain.
…………
“Go then,” Lan Ke’er said, slowly letting go of him. She stood and looked him in the eyes.
“Just go. I’ll watch you leave.”
“If you want to hate me, then hate me,” Xu Zimo sighed.
Then he turned and left, without hesitation, firm and unwavering.
His blade aura stretched for tens of thousands of miles, cutting through the clouds.
His robe fluttered with the wind, his black hair rising on its own, his back straight and unshakable like a mountain.
It was as if he overlapped with the figure of his past self.
Only, back then it was a sunset.
Now it was blazing midday sun.
Back then, the wind felt peaceful.
Today, the wind was damn noisy!
…………
“Are we going to war?” the God Emperor suddenly appeared beside him and asked softly.
“Yes.”
Just that one word carried battle intent that soared to the skies. The will to fight echoed through the land.
Winds howled in every direction. The sun above burned like a blazing fireball.
The young man raised his head and walked forward proudly.
“This Lan Clan, I’m going to wipe them out. Even if a Grand Emperor comes, it won’t matter. I, Xu Zimo, said so.”
…………
The noonday sun shone down on the northern gate of Bluesky City.
The gate, forged from celestial meteorite, burned hot under the sunlight.
It was covered in countless imprints, palm marks, sword and blade strikes.
They were the marks of the Lan Clan’s fight against the Ancient Demon Race for tens of thousands of years, a symbol of glory and legacy.
They were witnesses to everything.
As the heavy city gate opened, Lan Juntian, dressed in a deep blue robe, stepped forward.
At that moment, the drums of war, already set on both sides, roared to life.
Their thunderous beat echoed into the heavens, filling the air with overwhelming power and stirring blood.