Chapter 208: I Hope You’ll Look Back—Never Use the Demon Sword to Conquer the World

By this time, Liu Yi had completely transformed into another person. There was not a trace of emotion in his eyes; a blood-red glow covered everything. The murderous aura around him grew denser with the accumulation of that demonic energy, becoming almost tangible. Even those immortal ghostly figures ceased moving. The killing intent filled the entire space, spreading throughout the world…

Liu Yi slowly reached for the sword hilt with his right hand. Soon, the long black sword emerged from its sheath. Four dragon shadows clearly coiled around the blade of “Sorrowful Dream.” As his powerful vital energy gathered, the sword emitted a black light—deeper than the darkness before dawn. Its eerie and mysterious glow contrasted with the blood-red surroundings.

With his energy following his will, his will following his thoughts, and his thoughts following the sword, Liu Yi held the hilt with both hands. As he turned his body, he swung the sword downward with a loud shout, saying, “No form.” The sword itself had no fixed form. His immense vital energy, combined with the power of the Four Desolate Divine Dragons embodied in “Sorrowful Dream,” delivered a devastating strike to the world.

A black half-moon of light flashed by in an instant, followed by a dragon’s roar that echoed across the heavens. Four divine dragons emerged from the sword and merged into that black half-moon of light. As the dragons disappeared, the black half-moon reappeared, this time spanning the heavens and earth. As that powerful force swept forward, the four dragons appeared and disappeared intermittently.

In an instant, the world trembled. Around that black half-moon of light, countless red ghostly figures were instantly reduced to dust. Then, the half-moon of light vanished from the sky.

With a clang, the sword was sheathed. As his vital energy gradually dissipated, the red glow in Liu Yi’s eyes faded as well. Yet his heart seemed to be boiling. A sense of killing surged through his mind, causing his left hand to clench the sword even tighter.

At that moment, a white light descended from the sky, shining diagonally across the world. As the light spread, Liu Yi was struck by an idea and glanced in its direction. The light came from an arc that connected the heavens and earth. The wall ahead was also split open. An idea flashed through Liu Yi’s mind: “It worked.”

At least the world had been split open. At least Ye Luobaihua could leave now. Though he didn’t know what the guardian was doing, it hadn’t made any sound so far. Even more strangely, those red ghostly figures were completely shattered the moment the sword’s light pierced the sky, vanishing without a trace, as if they had never existed.

Ye Luobaihua looked at the suddenly disappeared ghosts and asked, “Can we leave now?”

Liu Yi didn’t answer her. By now, he couldn’t hear her words anymore. When he broke free from the frozen force, the third-stage demonic cultivation technique, “Heart of Killing,” had already begun to blur his consciousness. By using massive amounts of vital energy, that relentless killing desire buried his heart and soul.

Liu Yi’s eyes were now completely blood red. There was no trace of expression in them. He stood there like a stone statue, utterly motionless.

At this moment, Ye Luobaihua also stopped asking questions, realizing something was wrong with Liu Yi. Although those countless red ghostly figures terrified her and this nightmare filled her with fear, it seemed as though they no longer existed. Her concern overshadowed everything else. Seeing Liu Yi standing motionless, Ye Luobaihua felt a badpremonition…

Liu Yi forced himself to break free from the frozen true energy force and pushed his demonic power to its highest level. It was very likely that he had lost his sanity. At this thought, Ye Luobaihua’s heart turned cold. She didn’t dare to think further—if that were indeed the case, it would be even more terrifying than this nightmare. Watching Liu Yi’s behavior at this moment, her panic surpassed her fear.

Worried about the person before her, Ye Luobaihua couldn’t help but take a few steps forward and asked urgently, “What’s wrong with you?”

As her pleasant voice reached Liu Yi’s ears, he slowly turned his body. His blood-red eyes, filled with murderous intent, stared at her. His cold face showed no emotion. As he turned, his left hand instinctively clenched the sword in his grip.

Ye Luobaihua was shocked, sensing something terrifying. At this point, Liu Yi no longer had any human emotions. She understood the sign of him gripping the sword—it confirmed that he must have forced his advanced true energy force to its limit, and now his mind was obscured by the demonic power, leaving him unconscious.

Without caring about anything else, Ye Luobaihua reached out and placed her hands on Liu Yi’s shoulders, saying, “Liu Yi, don’t you recognize me? I’m Ye Luobaihua. We came to this dream together to find the prophet and help you regain your eyes.” Her voice was urgent; her excessive worry made her speak quickly and simply.

Yet, no matter how urgent Ye Luobaihua was, it seemed Liu Yi didn’t hear her at all. On the contrary, her words prompted him to act. His left hand tightened around the sword hilt, while his right hand slowly emitted red light, creeping toward the black sword handle.

Ye Luobaihua grew anxious. Although she hadn’t spent much time with Liu Yi, she was all too familiar with this gesture. The movement of his right hand meant he was about to draw his sword, and drawing his sword meant he intended to kill. By now, Liu Yi had no consciousness left; his kindness had been completely overwritten by the demonic power. All he wanted was destruction and slaughter—killing every living being, creating a path with blood and white bones.

Ye Luobaihua shook Liu Yi’s shoulders repeatedly, saying, “Liu Yi, wake up! What’s wrong with you…?”

Despite shaking Liu Yi’s body and calling his name over and over, it was all in vain. Liu Yi’s right hand continued to move toward the black sword handle. He no longer had any emotions—only the desire to kill, to kill every living being in front of him.

Ye Luobaihua was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. She kept shaking Liu Yi’s shoulders, saying, “Wake up quickly! If you keep like this, you’ll lose your sanity forever. You’ll be trapped in the path of darkness, with no chance of redemption. You can’t become a killing demon king—you still have so much to do.”

Yet these words were of no use at all; it was as if Liu Yi hadn’t heard them at all, or as if Ye Luobaihua had never spoken them. Liu Yi’s right hand slowly reached for the black sword hilt and gently placed it on it. Watching Liu Yi’s actions, Ye Luobaihua seemed utterly desperate. She knew his next move would be to draw his sword and kill her. But she didn’t want to die, nor could she. She would rather risk her life than see the man before her turn into a murderous tyrant.

But nothing could be undone anymore. By now, Liu Yi had his hand on the sword hilt, and the next moment would be the moment of a life’s end. Ye Luobaihua’s heart was filled with despair. Since she couldn’t prevent his descent into darkness, let her be the first to die under his sword. If her life could bring back even a sliver of his consciousness, it would be worth it. Ye Luobaihua didn’t know why she thought this way; perhaps her own explanation was that she had gone mad.

Just then, Ye Luobaihua suddenly remembered something—a painting of Liu Yi competing with Yu Chenxing on the marriage selection arena. At this critical moment, she seemed to recall many things, and it was this painting that gave her hope. The figures in the black-and-white painting were clearly Liu Yi and his wife. If he truly cared, perhaps those memories could restore his soul. Though uncertain, Ye Luobaihua still wanted to try…

Seeing Liu Yi’s right hand on the sword hilt and his life about to end, Ye Luobaihua became much calmer. Her eyes, bright as stars yet filled with complex emotions, looked at Liu Yi and said, “Do you still remember? You have a wife. Will you just sink forever and forget her?” Her voice was calm and beautiful. Already desperate, she spoke those words slowly, without any expectations.

Hearing Ye Luobaihua’s words, Liu Yi seemed to regain a bit of consciousness. The red light in his eyes flickered slightly. His wife… the celestial maiden? Was that person, who seemed so close yet so far away, doing well? As her voice reached him, a hint of sorrow arose in his heart. That sorrow seemed to restore his senses, overshadowing the bloodthirst and desire to kill for a moment. But this was only temporary. After a brief pause, Liu Yi tightly gripped the black sword hilt. His eyes turned blood-red, his murderous intent fully revealed, and a murderous aura seemed to materialize around him…

Yet at this moment, Ye Luobaihua’s heart was as calm as autumn waters, without the slightest ripple. Watching Liu Yi’s behavior, she held no more expectations. She couldn’t restore his consciousness. Seeing him descend into darkness, she even felt like giving up her own life. As that feeling surged within her, she remembered a line from the painting’s memory. Unconsciously, the words from the painting surrounded her as she spoke, “In this war that desecrates true love, you are my beloved. I am willing to sacrifice everything for this life, for this destruction…” After saying that, she gently closed her eyes, waiting for death to come.

Ye Luo Bai Hua had no intention of saying those words. At that moment of life and death, with no other attachments, the sorrow and helplessness in her heart merged perfectly into the words of the celestial maiden. Her gentle words were heart-shattering, each one striking deep within his heart. She hoped he would turn back and live in the human world, avoiding killing with the demon sword and bringing chaos to the world. The emotions in Ye Luo Bai Hua’s heart were clearly expressed through the words of the celestial maiden.

As that sorrow and helplessness came to an end, Liu Yi’s mind was struck as if by lightning from the heavens, instantly becoming clear. The red light in his eyes vanished instantly, and his gaze returned to its normal state. Looking at the person before him, Liu Yi slowly released the hilt of his sword. Everything became real again. The desire to kill in his heart was covered by sorrow and disappeared without a trace. Liu Yi said softly to Ye Luo Bai Hua, “Go quickly. The path out is where I split open.”

Ye Luo Bai Hua, who had been in despair and waiting for death, heard Liu Yi’s words. It seemed she forgot everything. She opened her eyes, looked at Liu Yi, and said, “You’re awake. It’s okay now. Let’s go together.” Seeing Liu Yi’s bright eyes, Ye Luo Bai Hua couldn’t control her joy, and tears streamed down involuntarily.

Liu Yi gently released his sword with his left hand and shook his head. “No, I can’t leave.” As soon as he finished speaking, there was a thud, and Liu Yi’s body seemed to lose its support. He knelt down weakly and then fell forward.

Liu Yi knew best that he had used a great deal of his vital energy in this nightmare, employed advanced sword techniques repeatedly, and even broken through the freezing force, turning into a demon. While forcing his way through this dream world, his vital energy had been exhausted. What kept him standing was solely the killing heart of the demon king. But now, with Ye Luo Bai Hua awakening his soul with memories, that killing heart had long disappeared, and his true self no longer had the strength to stand, so he knelt down.

Seeing Liu Yi fall, Ye Luo Bai Hua also knelt down immediately and asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?” Watching Liu Yi collapse, perhaps due to excessive worry, tears streamed down Ye Luo Bai Hua’s face again.

Liu Yi slowly raised his head and looked at Ye Luo Bai Hua. It seemed he had many things to do, but the changes of fate had brought too much helplessness. He no longer had the strength to do anything. Ye Luo Bai Hua was originally the princess of the City Without Tears, but how could she be without tears in this dream? Was it all arranged by fate? Or was it an irony?

If she hadn’t met me in her life, perhaps there would be no sorrow, no tears either. The City Without Tears would have been her happiness. Thinking of this, Liu Yi felt sorrow well up in his heart. Everything was his fault. Too many accidents had led to too many stories, and those stories left indelible marks on people.

As endless guilt and sorrow overwhelmed Liu Yi, there was a loud rumble, and the ground began to shake. As that sound gradually faded, the three walls surrounding Liu Yi and Ye Luo Bai Hua also slowly disappeared. As the distorted space continued to shake, those three walls could no longer be seen.

And even more astonishing things happened one after another. As the ground continued to shake, a dark line appeared at the horizon. Ye Luobaihua turned her head in confusion and asked, “What’s that?”
Liu Yi had no strength left and shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Seeing Liu Yi’s weak state, Ye Luobaihua didn’t know what to say. Meanwhile, Liu Yi had already formed a plan in his mind. He knew that even if he recovered, it would take a long time, and the guardian was likely to appear soon. The only solution now was for Ye Luobaihua to leave this place and enter another dream, then find a way to wake up.
Liu Yi looked at Ye Luobaihua and pushed her with his last strength, saying, “Go quickly! Do you see that glowing gap ahead? Enter there—it’s another world. You can find a way to wake up there.”
Ye Luobaihua shook her head firmly. “No, if we’re leaving, we’ll go together.”
Just then, something strange happened again… The ground began to crack, the sunlight was covered by dark clouds, and a cold wind scattered the falling snowflakes. The horizon in the distance gradually became clearer—the darkness was the abyss where the land was disappearing. Everything was rushing rapidly toward Liu Yi and Ye Luobaihua.
It seemed Ye Luobaihua had found an answer. “You killed that guardian, and this world is going to be destroyed. Look, the land is disappearing. We must leave quickly, or we’ll fall into that bottomless abyss.”
Liu Yi didn’t reply. He had his own thoughts. He had thought the guardian wasn’t dead, and although dangerous, he could still find a way to escape—there was still hope. But now that the guardian was gone and the world was cracking, time was running out. The distance that seemed close actually required a long journey. If Ye Luobaihua took him with her, even using his true energy, they wouldn’t be able to leave. Moreover, she was injured. Liu Yi knew clearly that he could escape alone, but if they went together, they would be devoured by the bottomless abyss.
Ye Luobaihua looked at Liu Yi anxiously and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Liu Yi still didn’t answer. His gaze wandered around. He was extremely weak, with no strength left. Grief had numbed his thoughts, even driving him to despair. The wind scattered his white hair as he watched the snowflakes melt. With his last strength, he searched for an answer in his heart: “What is happiness? Is it the lightness of snowflakes in the air or the comfort when they touch the ground?”
Seeing Liu Yi’s confused eyes, Ye Luobaihua didn’t know what to say. But she had only one thought: if she couldn’t take him away, then let both of them fall into that bottomless abyss. Without further hesitation, she placed Liu Yi’s arm on her delicate shoulders and headed toward the gap in the high wall ahead.
Ye Luobaihua’s actions stirred turmoil in Liu Yi’s heart. He knew that continuing like this would never bring hope—both of them would surely be devoured by the abyss.

Yet, Ye Luobaihua’s decision at this moment was as firm as iron. No matter what Liu Yi said, she wouldn’t change her mind. She kept moving forward step by step. Although her wounds on her legs had been bandaged and the bleeding meridians sealed, as she continued walking, the wounds split open again, and bright red blood seeped down through her white cloth boots. With each step, droplets of crimson blood left marks on the snow-white ground.

The wounds were deep, especially after splitting again. Liu Yi could sense Ye Luobaihua’s pain. On her nearly perfect face, glistening sweatdrops slowly streamed down. Of course, Liu Yi knew it wasn’t due to heat, but from the pain.

At that moment, the ground shook even more violently. Liu Yi turned back and saw that the ground was disappearing rapidly. A bottomless abyss of darkness lay behind them. Looking ahead, there was still a distance to the exit of this dream. Liu Yi’s sorrow deepened. Ye Luobaihua shouldn’t die with her; she deserved her own world.

In an instant, Liu Yi tightly grasped Ye Luobaihua’s arm with her right hand. Some unknown strength surged within her, but her subconscious held only one thought—she had to survive. As Liu Yi held onto Ye Luobaihua’s arm, Ye Luobaihua was startled and asked, “What are you doing?”

Liu Yi looked into those beautiful eyes and smiled gently. “All the responsibilities, all the wrongs—these are all my fault. If there’s anyone who should bear them, it’s me.”

Ye Luobaihua seemed to understand what Liu Yi was thinking. With tearful eyes, she shook her head, not knowing what to say. “No. It was my choice to enter this dream. There are no responsibilities, no wrongs, and no need to bear anything…”

PS: The ground was cracking right before their eyes. The dark abyss seemed to lead to hell. Everything was unfolding—the gears of fate turning, creating one accident after another, testing life and also purifying it. The story had moments of sorrow and emotion, but how should one face fate in such a story? Perhaps… humans are truly insignificant.