Chapter 617: Living Only for You in the Next Life

Chapter 617: In the Next Life, I Live Only for You

Tang Wanzhuang did not reply to Wang Daoning’s words. The sword trapped between his fingers suddenly flared with light, thrusting straight for his throat.

Wang Daoning sidestepped to avoid it, his protective qi already shaved thin—only a hair’s breadth from actually wounding his throat.

He touched his throat, somewhat astonished: “I’ve always seen Chief Tang in her frail, sickly state and assumed her strength was limited, that even after a breakthrough she’d be just so-so… I never imagined she’d be this powerful. The Chaos World Ranking does not deceive.”

Anyone would think that Tang Wanzhuang, in such a condition, even after a breakthrough, would be weaker than an ordinary Third Secret Depository cultivator. Yet she seemed even stronger than Wang Daoning had been when he first entered that realm…

To put it plainly, she was like someone who had fallen from the Third Secret Depository—her experience, insight, and martial knowledge had always been at that level. She had been honing herself in this realm for years, not a novice.

When the seal was broken and surging power flooded in, her body could not bear it—she might explode within an hour—but at this moment, the swelling of her strength was precisely her peak.

Only a pity that, facing a Domain Master, the gap was still stark.

Wang Daoning spoke while dodging, as if strolling through a garden. The rippling Spring Water Sword technique merely cast shadows around him, achieving nothing.

“Though I’d love to observe the Chief’s exquisite swordsmanship longer—it might even benefit my Wang family arts—unfortunately, I truly have no time.” Wang Daoning sidestepped a thrust and suddenly struck a palm slantwise toward Tang Wanzhuang’s lower abdomen.

If that palm landed, forget an hour—she would die now.

But Tang Wanzhuang did not dodge or evade. She continued her sword’s arc toward Wang Daoning’s throat.

Wang Daoning withdrew his hand and dodged, frowning.

Tang Wanzhuang’s intent was clear: attack without defense, caring nothing for her own life, only hoping to inflict even a scratch on him… For Xia Longyuan’s battle, if a Domain Master like Wang Daoning suffered even a minor wound, it could tip the scales.

Against someone who never bothered to defend, her offensive power could indeed be counted double. As long as he feared even the slightest injury, a quick resolution became difficult.

But if he delayed much longer, and someone else couldn’t hold against Xia Longyuan, everything would collapse!

Wang Daoning lightly flicked his finger.

Tang Wanzhuang suddenly felt as if walls had closed in from all sides. Invisible waves of air pressure pressed down layer upon layer, suffocating her. Her movements slowed, and her body felt as if it might be crushed.

Was this Wang Daoning’s Domain secret art?

“Suppressing the sea to still the waves”—relying on air pressure?

No wonder the Wang family’s intent was to suppress the sea, not command water… If Wang Daoning had broken through to Domain Master relying on the Sea Clan’s intent, it shouldn’t have been so stable—because his intent wasn’t fully aligned, somewhat plausible yet false…

These thoughts flashed through Tang Wanzhuang’s mind, but in that instant of restraint, Wang Daoning’s hand blade had already chopped toward her neck.

With no time to think, Tang Wanzhuang suddenly leaned back. The hand blade grazed past the tip of her nose.

In Wang Daoning’s eyes, she seemed to dissolve into flowing water—formless, unfixed.

Just as suppressing the sea cannot still the waves, a stream still runs through the mountains—like an elephant struggling to crush an ant.

Then, all around, specks of light bloomed—water-ripple sword beams that likewise constrained Wang Daoning’s surroundings. He had already lifted a foot to kick, but forcibly withdrew it.

That kick could indeed land on Tang Wanzhuang’s lower body, but he would surely take a sword strike in return.

Was it worth it?

Half a quarter-hour ago, Wang Daoning had never imagined this woman could be so troublesome—she seemed to have touched the edge of the Domain, nowhere near a mere Third Secret Depository novice!

“You… how can you be a Domain?” Wang Daoning stared at Tang Wanzhuang, trapped within the air wall. She had not broken it, yet still made things so difficult for him.

Tang Wanzhuang said softly: “A fine spring rain can nourish all life; a trickling stream can seep into mountains and rivers. Turning to mud, turning to water, this heart remains—that is it.”

A headache.

Wang Daoning was anxious to return and join the siege on Xia Longyuan. He had no mind to waste time here. Knowing now that he could not end this quickly without suffering some injury, he nodded: “The Chief is worthy of respect. It was my mistake to seek a bloodless quick resolution. Watch out.”

With those words, another palm struck, like mountains toppling and seas overturning.

As the palm emerged, flowers and grass along the palace path withered. The clouds in the sky scattered, revealing bright moonlight.

Sky-Splitting Cloud-Pushing Palm! An utterly unreasonable, terrifying brute force. Within several zhang, everything fell under the palm’s might. Whether one turned into boneless water or filled the path with sword thorns, the palm crushed all to dust!

Tang Wanzhuang desperately wove layers of sword qi. The qi pierced the air wall, and one could see Wang Daoning’s palm already cut with several wounds, but it did not hinder him for a moment. The palm wind reached her face from afar.

Tang Wanzhuang barely raised her sword before her, knowing there was no way out this time… Trapped by this air wall, she could not dodge far enough. She had truly done her best… Could she only buy His Majesty this brief moment?

Just as Wang Daoning’s palm was about to meet the Spring Water Sword, a sudden alarm flared in his heart. He did not complete the strike but swiftly recoiled.

Tang Wanzhuang spat blood and staggered back.

“Boom!” A pale golden arrow shot down from the sky, as if the palm had swept away the heavy clouds, and the moonlight pouring through had turned into a sharp arrow!

The palm wind and arrow light collided, setting off a thunderous explosion. Dust and smoke billowed. The surrounding halls and pavilions shattered under the residual energy of that strike. A wooden arrow was knocked aside.

Wang Daoning’s heart pounded with lingering fear. The power of that arrow was absurd!

From the sky came the neigh of a warhorse. Tang Wanzhuang looked up.

Under the moon in the vast sky, someone rode northward. A half-moon saber light fell from the horse, and the flying horse followed behind the blade light. The rider on the horse raised his long saber and galloped swiftly, like a god descending to the mortal world.

Zhao Changhe…

Tang Wanzhuang stared blankly, almost entranced.

Wang Daoning drew another sword and parried the saber light. The light vanished. Dark Steed departed, and Zhao Changhe leaped down from the horse. The Dragon Sparrow blade itself arrived!

“Clang!” Sword and saber clashed. Zhao Changhe could not withstand the force and tumbled backward. At the same time, a sword light shot from his left hand, ambushing Wang Daoning’s ribs.

Wang Daoning dodged. A chill rose behind him—the Spring Water sword light was at his neck again. Tang Wanzhuang struck while wounded. One could almost feel her transformation from despair and death-wish to surging battle intent—in an instant!

Wang Daoning was both angry and anxious. How had Zhao Changhe appeared here out of nowhere? What was this flying horse? He himself had only just learned to fly as a Domain Master, and Zhao Changhe’s horse was already airborne?

Now the issue was no longer killing Tang Wanzhuang. Even if he could kill Zhao Changhe too, how much time would that take? What about the battle with Xia Longyuan?

Half a cup of tea had already passed. If he delayed any longer, that front would surely collapse! And if that front collapsed, everything would fall apart. If Xia Longyuan got out, his entire clan would be exterminated!

Wang Daoning made a swift decision. He suddenly expanded the air wall, trapping Zhao Changhe, who was trying to reach Tang Wanzhuang, inside as well. Then his figure flickered and vanished.

Those who had not reached the Domain would need at least half an incense stick to break through the air wall. And Tang Wanzhuang had only an hour to live to begin with; now wounded, she might not last even half a cup of tea. Why waste time here? The battle there was far more important!

“Bang!” Zhao Changhe viciously kicked the air wall. It did not budge. He could not get out.

He turned to look at Tang Wanzhuang. She leaned weakly against the air wall behind her, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, silent.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath. His eyes held reverence, pity, and anger—he could not sort out his feelings, nor did he know what to say. He stepped forward, took her wrist, and felt her pulse.

“Congratulations. You have half a cup of tea left to live.” Zhao Changhe finally spoke, irate: “You’re willing to die for him, but not to live for me?”

Tang Wanzhuang replied frankly: “I’m sorry.”

Seeing her so straightforward in her apology, Zhao Changhe’s bellyful of words—whether reproach or not—could not be spoken. After a long pause, he forced out: “Any last words?”

Tang Wanzhuang smiled weakly, but her eyes shone brightly: “You say I’m dying for him—that’s not quite right. I should say I’ve lived my whole life only for the Great Xia. Thank you for your anger. I’m sorry… If there is a next life, I am willing to live for you.”

Zhao Changhe stared at her steadily and said softly: “No need for a next life. The second half of this one will do.”