Chapter 302: Rage Awakened His Killing Intent

Chen Changsheng shook his head after hearing this and said, “That reason isn’t enough to convince me.”

‘Yu Xuan’ paused slightly. Her eyes fixed on Chen Changsheng as she continued, “She told me about your first meeting. She truly didn’t want you to forget her back then.”

“For herself too, of course. And there were other reasons as well.”

Chen Changsheng asked, “What reasons?”

‘Yu Xuan’ replied, “She spoke of you often. The phrase she repeated most was her hope to help you break the Curse someday. That way, you could truly live in the present.”

“Live in the present…”

Chen Changsheng swayed dazedly but quickly steadied himself.

He frowned slightly. “How much do you know about this Curse?”

‘Yu Xuan’ gazed at him. “I am curious too. What exactly is this Curse upon you? Something even she couldn’t overcome? And this ‘Death Barrier’ she mentioned—what is it?”

“Death Barrier…”

Chen Changsheng hesitated.

Lived like mayflies, born at dawn and perishing by dusk. Lifespan ends at thirty-three, washing clean the past. Reincarnation unstoppable; longevity and vision endure.

Perhaps thirty-three years was his Death Barrier.

Chen Changsheng asked, “Did she ever say… how long my Death Barrier lasts?”

“Yu Xuan” watched him. “She never did specify. But over many years, she spoke of you often. From the first time she mentioned you, to the moment she told me you hadn’t passed the Death Barrier… roughly ten thousand years passed…”

“Ten thousand years… in this realm?” Chen Changsheng questioned.

“Yes,” ‘Yu Xuan’ nodded.

Chen Changsheng pondered briefly, muttering, “Outside this realm, one cycle of sixty years equals three thousand years here. So ten thousand years… is two thousand years… thirty-three cycles of sixty.”

So, the true meaning of “lifespan ends at thirty-three”… was two thousand years. Thirty-three cycles of sixty years!

It meant, every two thousand years, he would encounter a great calamity. His memories erased, his cultivation lost—everything about him washed clean. And after a period, he would reappear in the Mortal World!

Therefore… what ‘Yu Xuan’ was doing was helping him survive this so-called ‘Death Barrier’?

The purpose behind this world forged by the Sutra of Rebirth… was for him.

Chen Changsheng’s gaze shifted toward the distance. The screams of carnage from the Desolate Plain seemed to echo right beside his ear.

Had billions of humans and demons died… for his sake over these five millennia?

‘Yu Xuan’ raised an eyebrow.

Suddenly, she sensed something wrong with the Chen Changsheng before her.

Chen Changsheng gripped his sword, his eyes locked on ‘Yu Xuan’, his voice cold and detached:

“The Old Dragon King. Zhao Yuqing. Tianji Mountain. Thirty-Three Heavens. Southern Garden. Hu Yu… and now, you.”

“Why do all the answers emerge only now for me?”

“If she said she wanted me to ‘live in the present’… why force me to endlessly relive the past!?”

“Tell me!”

Chen Changsheng took a step forward. “I will ask her myself!”

‘Yu Xuan’ retreated a step.

For some reason, Chen Changsheng’s current state filled her with dread.

Red light pulsed from the sword in his hand. Chen Changsheng’s fury had awakened the blade’s killing intent!

‘Yu Xuan’ cried out, “Chen Changsheng, calm yourself! You are a projection, not your true self! Don’t let the Taiqing Sword dictate your emotions! Don’t become a slave to the sword!”

Seeing it was ineffective,

She gritted her teeth, ignoring ‘Yu Xuan’s’ previous instructions. Gripping the Shangqing Sword, she slashed at the Taiqing Sword in Chen Changsheng’s hand.

“Clang!”

Chen Changsheng raised his blade to block. Blood-red light erupted, blasting ‘Yu Xuan’ backward.

‘Yu Xuan’ frowned, then chanted softly:

“Wind and Thunder! Mountain and Forest! Water and Flood!”

As her voice faded, the Dao Rhyme of Heaven and Earth stirred.

The sky darkened. Mountains trembled. Torrents of water surged skyward.

“BOOM!”

Thunder cracked. Winds howled like screaming cranes. Forests collapsed. Raging waters charged forward.

Red light flickered in Chen Changsheng’s eyes.

Sword Qi surged from him, slashing outwards.

His Sword Qi shattered the wind and thunder, cleaving the collapsing Green Mountain in two—yet it couldn’t halt the flood bearing down on him.

“CRASH…”

Chen Changsheng crossed his blade before him.

Washed by the flood, the red glow in his eyes dimmed slightly.

But it wasn’t enough.

“Celestial Fire!”

‘Yu Xuan’ uttered two more words.

Ghostly blue flames erupted beneath Chen Changsheng, instantly engulfing him.

“TELL ME!!”

Chen Changsheng’s eyes burned crimson. He stomped the ground. Red light burst from his sword, suppressing the Celestial Fire.

‘Yu Xuan’ thought, ‘This is bad!’

It exceeded her expectations.

She had heard of this Taiqing Sword countless times from Yu Xuan.

Yu Xuan always warned: The Taiqing Sword, as a blade of war, is uniquely dangerous. Far from an ordinary Immortal Sword. The Sword Qi essence it harbored was terrifying—best not touched.

Now ‘Yu Xuan’ witnessed it firsthand.

This power surpassed what Chen Changsheng’s projection should possess.

She hadn’t expected Chen Changsheng to lose control in such a state.

Just how much had Yu Xuan hidden from him? To leave him vulnerable to being consumed by the sword’s energy through rage?

The Taiqing Sword trembled.

Fueled by rage, its killing intent invaded Chen Changsheng’s Soul Spirit.

The Taiqing Sword had long awaited this moment, frustrated by the lack of opportunity. Now, this dialogue with the Heaven and Earth… finally provided an opening.

It had never truly acknowledged the current Chen Changsheng as its master!

“Chen Changsheng! Wake up!”

‘Yu Xuan’ commanded sharply, gripping the Shangqing Sword tightly as she lunged forward.

“Spirit of the Taiqing Sword! Aid me in breaking its Sword Qi essence!”

“SHIIIING!”

A clear sword cry rang out.

The Shangqing Sword shimmered, ethereal blue light emanating from its blade.

“Calm the Heart and Spirit!”

‘Yu Xuan’ swung her sword toward him.

Chen Changsheng countered with his own slash.

A strand of Sword Qi from the Shangqing Sword passed through Chen Changsheng. He visibly jolted. The red in his eyes weakened perceptibly.

‘Yu Xuan’ seized the opening, unleashing three swift strikes.

Unexpectedly! The Taiqing Sword convulsed violently. A pillar of bloody light rocketed skyward, blocking all three Sword Qi streams this time.

“WHERE — IS — SHE!”

Chen Changsheng advanced step by menacing step, relentlessly repeating the question.

‘Yu Xuan’ involuntarily retreated another two steps.

Her brow furrowed deep. She’d sorely underestimated the Taiqing Sword’s power.

‘Yu Xuan’ held her sword before her, fingers lightly brushing its blade.

The Heavenly Dao’s Dao Rhyme surged, amplifying her Sword Qi and Sword Essence.

“Sever Heart and Spirit!”

With a low shout!

Sword Qi flowed like a furious river, striking directly at Chen Changsheng’s core consciousness.

“HUM…”

The Taiqing Sword interposed itself before Chen Changsheng.

“KILL!”

Chen Changsheng breathed the word. Under the Sword Essence, the “Sever Heart and Spirit!” strike shattered, dissipating before reaching him.

‘Yu Xuan’ staggered, force of the Sword Essence throwing her back several paces.

“Chen Changsheng!!”

‘Yu Xuan’ called out, her face pale.

But Chen Changsheng walked toward her, sword in hand.

The killing intent around him… had reached absolute intensity.