Chapter 388 - 189: A Blade
Chapter 388: Chapter 189: A Blade
After just a few steps, they saw corpses scattered across the ground.
Without exception, they were all members of the Heaven-Slaying Sect.
Fang Shuwen even spotted the two men Zhao Ziying had earlier called "vile beasts."
Their heads had been cut off and were placed side by side at the roadside.
Long Qingzhi was worldly enough by now to not be afraid of corpses. She was merely curious.
"Who killed them?"
Fang Shuwen clicked his tongue, his gaze lifting as he spoke softly.
"They were killed by the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber.
"And as for who had the motive to kill them... there’s likely only one person."
Long Qingzhi’s expression changed subtly.
"Zhao Ziying? He... he’s that capable?"
"Not in the past. But now... it seems I’ve underestimated him."
Fang Shuwen looked toward the center of the town.
"He’s still here. Come on, let’s go see him."
Upon hearing this, Fang Dabao quickened his pace. They soon arrived at the center of town.
There, on the roof of an intact building, a blood-stained Horizontal Saber was embedded in the tiles. Zhao Ziying sat beside it, gazing into the distance.
With a light leap, Fang Shuwen landed beside him. He followed Zhao Ziying’s gaze, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"What are you looking at?"
"There."
Zhao Ziying pointed.
"That’s where the Zhao Clan is based. It’s also the so-called headquarters of the Heaven-Slaying Sect."
"I see killing intent in your eyes."
Fang Shuwen sat down.
"You want to slaughter them all?"
Zhao Ziying nodded without any hesitation.
"You’re not me. You don’t know what I’ve been through...
"The Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber should not exist in this world.
"The members of the Zhao Clan... Not one of them is innocent."
"What about the infants in their cradles?"
"..."
Zhao Ziying faltered. The conversation ground to a halt.
Fang Shuwen didn’t press the point. Instead, he asked:
"When did you first decide to do this?"
"A long time ago. The night my mother was killed, the moment I was nearly murdered by my own father...
"The moment I saw them stop at nothing for the sake of the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber.
"That was when I decided I would annihilate the entire Zhao Clan."
At this, he looked over at Fang Shuwen.
"I won’t hide it from you. I had the idea back then, but not the ability.
"It wasn’t until we were on Celestial Martial Peak, when you asked me about Zhao Wuji, that I finally came up with a perfect plan."
Fang Shuwen smiled.
"So, you gave up on the Sentimental and Righteous Red Dust Saber and chose to cultivate the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber instead?"
"I wanted to live a life of sentiment and righteousness, to roam the mortal world freely,"
Zhao Ziying murmured.
"But... I couldn’t resign myself to it..."
When Fang Shuwen had asked him about Zhao Wuji, he knew a battle between the two of them was inevitable.
So, even though he knew the secrets of the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber must never be revealed, he told Fang Shuwen anyway.
This was a betrayal of the Zhao Clan, but it was also the very nourishment the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber required.
It was because of this thought that he had wanted to accompany Fang Shuwen to Cold Valley Town.
He just hadn’t expected Fang Shuwen to leave without him.
He had tracked him this far and run into his own clansmen. Then, by a stroke of luck, he happened to run into Fang Shuwen right here in Cold Valley Town.
Talk about a coincidence.
Fang Shuwen’s smile suddenly turned icy.
"You couldn’t resign yourself to it, so you used me?"
Zhao Ziying pursed his lips.
"If you’re going to kill me, can you at least wait until after the Zhao Clan is annihilated?"
"You’re really going to wipe out your own clan?"
"That’s right!"
"You’re a ruthless one."
Fang Shuwen lightly patted Zhao Ziying’s shoulder.
"Let’s do this. You only have this power because of me.
"I won’t kill you. But after you’ve exterminated the Zhao Clan, your life belongs to me.
"When I have need of you, you will be my blade."
Zhao Ziying was startled.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean, ’huh’?"
Fang Shuwen sneered.
"A ruthless man who would wipe out his own clan, who firmly believes the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber should not exist, and who is convinced every member of the Zhao Clan deserves to die.
"And you are both a member of the Zhao Clan and a wielder of the Seven Emotions and Seven Sins Heaven-Slaying Saber.
"I don’t believe you’ll be able to live with yourself after wiping out your entire clan.
"Since you used me to achieve your goal, how could I possibly walk away with nothing?
"Killing you... wouldn’t that be letting you off easy?"
"..."
A strange expression crossed Zhao Ziying’s face. It seemed he hadn’t expected Fang Shuwen to see right through his plan.
But he had forgotten that it wasn’t actually that difficult to see through.
The moment he admitted to himself that wiping out his clan was a sin, it became clear that even as he carried it out, his heart was in torment.
And once he’d gone that far, how could he possibly allow a "last remnant of evil"—himself—to survive?
Following that line of reasoning, his intentions weren’t hard to guess.
Seeing his expression, the coldness on Fang Shuwen’s face intensified.
"You used me to perfect your Martial Arts, and in the end, you wouldn’t even have to kill yourself—you could die by my hand instead.
"Bringing your life to a perfect, tragic close.
"Zhao Ziying, what a clever scheme.
"I doubt even Jin Youdao of the Golden Bell Tower could scheme as well as you."
"You give me too much credit."
Zhao Ziying scratched his head.
"But what use could you have for me?
"Zhao Wuji sharpened his blade for twenty years and couldn’t even leave a scratch on you.
"I can’t imagine what in this world you would need my help for."
"The Jianghu is vast and unfathomable. There’s always a higher mountain. Sometimes, one man’s strength is simply not enough,"
Fang Shuwen said.
"Since you’ve sharpened this blade of yours to such a fine edge, it would be a terrible waste to simply let it be destroyed.
"Better to let me put it to use."
Zhao Ziying was silent for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Alright. I agree."
After speaking, he stood up.
He pulled the Horizontal Saber from the roof, wiped the blood from its blade with his sleeve, and then sheathed it.
"I am heading to the Heaven-Slaying Sect. Once everything is finished, I will come find you."
"Don’t bother. When I need you, I will send someone to summon you."
Fang Shuwen waved his hand.
"You may go."
"...Alright. Farewell."
With that, Zhao Ziying said no more. With a light push of his foot, his figure receded into the distance.
The reason he hadn’t left Cold Valley Town after slaughtering the Heaven-Slaying Sect members was that he had been waiting for Fang Shuwen.
Now that their meeting was over, it was time for him to do what he had to do.