Chapter 128: Mastery of the Divine Arrow – Gaining One Thing While Losing Four Techniques

A cry of shock made everyone retreat, including the guards by the furnace. It wasn’t the sound that made them back away—it was the furnace’s temperature, which rose rapidly in just the time it took to brew tea, creating such intense heat that those nearby were forced to step back quickly.

At that moment, all eyes were fixed on the furnace. The trees surrounding it began to wither, the ground beneath cracked, and the temperature continued to climb. The massive furnace emitted a red glow, caused by the extreme heat inside. Gradually, its color turned purplish-red, almost transparent.

The people near the furnace stepped back several more times. The heat was unbelievable—even from thirty feet away, there was still a pressing sense of heat. As the purplish-red color deepened, the steel walls of the furnace became nearly transparent. Everyone saw what seemed to be a purplish-red dragon writhing inside, soaring up and down. The furnace’s extreme temperature was caused by that strange entity.

Although many still didn’t understand, Liu Yi knew it was the “Sorrowful Dream”—the “Sorrowful Dream” that had completely freed itself from its former body.

The Wolf King glanced at the furnace, now purple in color, and nodded. “Good. Such intense flames will surely melt that ‘Heavenly Essence Ore’ quickly. As for the arrow shaft, we’ll go to the other side to forge it now. Though that material is also rare, finding it takes a thousand years, it’s much easier to work with compared to this ore born from the heavens. We just need to add some materials to raise the temperature.”

Liu Yi nodded. “Bai Hu, Qi, Lin—go with the Wolf King to forge the arrow shaft. It seems we have a chance to seal the Nine Nether Demonic God again today. It’s only a temporary seal, and we don’t know when it will awaken, but I think it won’t stir for at least a thousand years.”

The Wolf King nodded. “Let’s go…”

As the Wolf King and his companions left, Lan Ren rushed over. “How did you refine your sword? It’s amazing—it can even change!”

Liu Yi looked at the beautiful girl with blue eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know either.”

Lan Ren pouted. “Cheesy! Where’s my book?”

Liu Yi reached into his chest, but strangely, after searching for a long time, he found nothing. He blurted out, “It’s gone.”

Lan Ren widened her blue eyes and shouted, “What? You lost my book? Do you know how long it took our clan’s elders to create it?”

Liu Yi tried hard to recall, but his memory held no trace of it. He truly didn’t know where the book had gone. This reminded him of the memories he had lost over those five days. Where had those memories gone? Now, not only had he lost five days of memory, but he had also lost that strange book. Moreover, the “Sorrowful Dream” before him now had a soul and had become a strange sword. All of this left Liu Yi confused—what exactly was going on…

Blue Blade shouted, “Hey, what are you thinking? Speak up! If the book is lost, how am I supposed to read the story? How will you compensate me?”
It was only then that Liu Yi realized how troublesome this blue-eyed girl could be. Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t know. Tell me what kind of compensation you want, and I’ll do my best to pay it.”
Blue Blade rolled her big blue eyes and smiled slyly, saying cunningly, “You lost my ‘love.’ Now, I want you to compensate me with love!”
Liu Yi never expected this blue-eyed girl to propose such an impossible condition. Looking at her, he asked in surprise, “Are you joking? Love? How can I compensate for that?”
Blue Blade quickly replied, “It’s simple. Make me fall in love with you, or have you fall in love with me. That would be compensation. What do you think of that?”
Liu Yi couldn’t believe that this crazy blue-eyed girl could say such absurd and unbelievable things. Meanwhile, some curious onlookers also cast strange looks at them. Of course, the old folks from the righteous and demonic factions weren’t interested in this.
But because of Blue Blade’s words, Liu Yi remembered what July had said to him ten years ago: “I don’t ask you for anything, nor do I expect you to fall in love with me. All I want is your open heart, a little compassion, to let me experience what love is before I die! Can’t even that be done?” It seemed that sentence had become part of Liu Yi’s memory…
Unconsciously, Liu Yi looked in the direction where July stood, and at that moment, July was also looking at him… That moment of gaze made Liu Yi feel a pang in his heart. Ten years of love had always remained an unattainable cruel memory. But it seemed the person who should hear those words was July.
Blue Blade glanced at Liu Yi, then at July, and said, “Hey, why are you like this? Just say whether you’ll compensate or not! If you refuse, I’ll ask my brother to split you in two.”
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t compensate for your love, but I promise that if I meet someone truly outstanding, I’ll introduce them to you as my compensation.”
Blue Blade stamped her hooves in anger and cursed, “You dead fool! Jiliel has been dead for so long, and you still can’t forget her. Really… It drives me crazy.”
Seeing Blue Blade’s angry and sulky expression, which resembled that of a child who wanted something but couldn’t get it, Liu Yi found it somewhat amusing. It seemed that love was just a toy in this blue-eyed girl’s heart.
As Liu Yi was lost in thought, there was a loud “bang,” and a crack appeared on the huge furnace. With that sound, a purplish-red light shot into the air, stopped, and headed straight for Liu Yi like a purplish-red meteor, glowing brightly as it approached.
Everyone was stunned by this strange sight. What… was that?

Liu Yi knew that was his “Sorrowful Dream,” another layer of the Sword Cultivator’s path known as the “Sorrowful Dream.” Liu Yi flipped the sword scabbard and spun it on the back of his hand before saying to Blue Blade, “Back up…” As soon as his words faded, with a clang, the purplish-red light pierced straight into Liu Yi’s sword scabbard. Everyone looked toward the furnace and saw a white arrowhead shining with a dazzling light… At that moment, Blue Blade felt the oppressive heat and quickly retreated three zhang. Those around Liu Yi also stepped back three zhang. The ground beneath Liu Yi’s feet gradually cracked under the purplish-red flames. As time passed and the flames cooled, they turned dark red, then from dark red to greenish-yellow, until they finally disappeared. A warm sensation spread from the sword, and Liu Yi could no longer sense its sorrow. At that instant, an idea struck him—if he couldn’t feel the sword’s sorrow or its sword intent, then what did that mean? Would the “Four Sorrowful Forms” also disappear forever with the disappearance of the sword intent? He would no longer be able to use the “Four Sorrowful Forms.” In an instant, Liu Yi seemed to have lost something. What came from the sword now was not sorrow but warmth. Did that mean he could no longer use the “Four Sorrowful Forms”? Liu Yi seemed terrified by this terrifying warmth… Without the “Four Sorrowful Forms,” relying only on the 12th-level mental technique of “Lanerfina Qing,” revenge seemed even more difficult for him. But why? If the “Sorrowful Dream” had entered the Sword Cultivator’s path, it should have grown stronger, not the other way around—losing the sword intent of those four forms? Lost in thought, Liu Yi was suddenly pulled back to reality by a voice. It was the Wolf King, who was holding a black ancient bow and a dazzling arrow, staring at him…