Chapter 842: Severed Arm

Chapter 842: Severed Arm

What exactly the Sword Emperor intended to do remained unknown for now... In any case, with his carefree departure, the chaotic multi-sided struggle for the White Tiger had truly devolved into nothing but "civil war."

Ye Jiuyou stood with arms crossed, sneering coldly as he cast sidelong glances at Zhao Changhe. Han Wubing also stood silently in place, his thoughts inscrutable.

Yet Zhao Changhe paid no heed to either of them. He was holding Yue Hongling, channeling the Return Spring Art to heal her wounds.

Compared to the White Tiger, the core focus of all major affairs, Yue Hongling's injuries were what mattered most to Zhao Changhe. Ye Jiuyou's expression grew increasingly sour.

"Just that one strike, and the wound is this troublesome..." Feeling the sword qi churning within Yue Hongling's body, Zhao Changhe's face darkened. "Is that old man really so magnanimous? Or is he just putting on a show because he realized he couldn't gain the upper hand with so many of us here?"

Yue Hongling smiled. "He's practically your teacher from a generation past, having taught you quite a bit. Is this how you treat him?"

Zhao Changhe scowled. "It's not like I sought him out as a master, nor did he teach me willingly. We risked life and limb to break into that secret realm and obtain those things. If not for Little Sparrow's efforts back then, the entire Tang family, including us, would have been cleaved by that baleful sword. Should I be thanking him instead?"

Indeed, few people in the present day held much reverence for ancient inheritances, treating them as masters. The main reason was this: none of these inheritances were properly passed down; they were all fortunes earned at the cost of life and limb. In theory, it was no different from acquiring some rare treasure. Few were willing to acknowledge someone as a master just because they seized something. At best, they might think, "I'll carry on your legacy and see it flourish," or "I'll fulfill your unfinished wishes." That was already considered virtuous.

That was why the Azure Dragon Seal's inheritance had no dangerous obstacles—the Azure Dragon, knowing he might be utterly finished, had deliberately left a karmic bond. The result was that the Four Symbols Sect did indeed give his remains a proper burial, though they never expected Ye Jiuyou to turn him into a corpse puppet.

Zhao Changhe continued, "If we had met under normal circumstances, I might have shown him some respect. But he hurt you..."

Yue Hongling chuckled. "Sword qi is sharp and piercing; wounds from it have always been like this, unlike your various mystical techniques. He didn't do it intentionally, so stop scowling. On the contrary, I've gleaned much from his sword intent—things that were once hazy and unclear to me..."

"What did he mean by that last move?"

"The Sword Emperor is the synthesis of all sword paths under heaven, seemingly very close to the White Tiger. But the White Tiger is not merely about the sword; it encompasses far more. If the Sword Emperor wishes to break through his own limitations, perhaps incorporating the White Tiger's essence is the best path." Yue Hongling smiled. "Earlier, when I was asked to take the White Tiger's place, no one thought of this layer. Unknowingly, I achieved what the Sword Emperor had tried but failed to do since the last era... Today's battle—perhaps the most conflicted person is the Sword Emperor himself."

Zhao Changhe said, "He's already at the third level of the Imperial Realm, the pinnacle of the world. To break through further—is there a higher realm? Something like the Heavenly Dao?"

As he spoke, he finally turned to glance at Ye Jiuyou, who sneered without answering.

In the span of a few exchanges, Zhao Changhe had finally dispelled the sword qi within Yue Hongling. He gently bent down, kissed her still-pale lips, and helped her lean against a rock. "Though the sword qi is gone, your injured meridians and organs won't heal so quickly. Rest for now and don't use your true qi recklessly."

Cui Yuanyang appeared from somewhere. "I'll take care of Sister Yue."

"Thank you, Yuanyang." Yue Hongling also stole a glance at Ye Jiuyou and Han Wubing. "Do you really not need my help anymore? They're no pushovers..."

Zhao Changhe shook his head, rose, and walked toward Han Wubing, stopping before him.

Han Wubing was no longer the cold swordsman he once was. A faint ferocity flickered in his eyes, and his sea of consciousness seemed to churn with boiling waves—clearly a side effect of merging with the maddened White Tiger, though he managed to suppress the madness. His appearance remained that of Han Wubing, meaning the mad White Tiger had fused into him, with Han Wubing as the dominant consciousness, rather than Han Wubing becoming the White Tiger's spine.

The two stared at each other for a long time before Zhao Changhe finally spoke slowly. "With all that chaos just now, you could have easily slipped away. Why didn't you?"

Han Wubing said, "I had to face it."

"Face the conflict between us and the White Tiger? Or face the fact that you saw me fleeing for my life but didn't lift a finger? Or perhaps face the fact that you just pointed your sword at Chichi?"

Han Wubing was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "All of it."

"The most important thing I've been trying to resolve lately is to separate Yuanyang and Piaomiao into two distinct individuals," Zhao Changhe said. "What I didn't expect was that someone here doesn't want to remain independent but instead seeks to merge."

"It's different..." Han Wubing sighed. "I was originally part of the White Tiger. Neither of us is complete without the other. Without me, the White Tiger, madness aside, would at least lose his sword bone, skulking around day after day. Without the White Tiger, my soul is flawed, leaving me vulnerable to possession—turning me into a sword slave. That means facing soul-based opponents would be a massive weakness. Merging into one is the only way to be whole—it's necessary."

"So... what the White Tiger wants is what you want."

"Yes."

"So you're no longer the Han Wubing I knew—just the White Tiger, is that right?"

"Not entirely... Aside from what the White Tiger wants, Han Wubing's will remains dominant."

"What does the White Tiger want?"

Han Wubing fell silent again, then said after a long pause, "First, I will never willingly become part of the Four Symbols Formation, let alone see it destroyed. So I won't submit to the Four Symbols Sect—meaning I won't obey you."

"Is that why you pointed your sword at Chichi? You hate the Four Symbols, especially the one who replaced the White Tiger."

"Yes."

Xia Chichi sneered coldly.

Zhao Changhe pressed on, "And your inaction while I was in danger—was that related?"

Han Wubing sighed. "I had faith in you. Mara couldn't kill you."

"That's not certain." Zhao Changhe stared at him coldly. "I am the new Night Emperor. You can't stand that system. You might not want to kill me yourself, but if someone else did the deed, it wouldn't be your concern, would it?"

Han Wubing said slowly, "To be honest, I didn't think that way at the time. But whether it lurked in the depths of my subconscious, I can't say."

In truth, it was almost certain.

If it weren't for that subconscious factor, seeing a friend in danger would instinctively prompt action, without a second thought about whether they could handle it themselves.

If Zhao Changhe had seen Han Wubing being hunted, he would have intervened without hesitation, not even considering anything else. Even now, with their relationship already strained, he had decisively ordered Piaomiao to stop Ye Jiuyou from capturing the White Tiger—not out of concern for Ye Jiuyou's safety, but to prevent Han Wubing from becoming a corpse puppet. The severity of injury paled in comparison to becoming a puppet.

Han Wubing knew this, which was why he hadn't fled in the chaos. He understood that staying here in the current situation was extremely dangerous—he was no match for this group. But he had to stay and face his friend's accusations.

Zhao Changhe said slowly, "The White Tiger's madness and desire for destruction—whether aimed at the Night Emperor system, the Four Symbols, or the entire world—I vaguely understand the reasons. From his perspective, there's nothing wrong; he's a pitiable figure. I don't blame him at all."

Han Wubing looked up into Zhao Changhe's eyes.

Zhao Changhe continued, "But I blame you. No matter the reason, even if we have fundamental conflicts, if you considered me a friend, you should have told me in advance and sought a solution we could both accept. But you didn't. You hid in silence until today, turning a conflict that could have been discussed between friends into this mess... Do you know how much effort I put into searching for you in secret? Did you think my goal was to kill you, so you hid even more tightly, preferring to collude with Mara and Snow Owl rather than say a single word to me?"

Han Wubing sighed. "Where are you going with this? I just didn't want to put you in a difficult position. The Four Symbols are ultimately your women."

"And now I'm not in a difficult position?" Zhao Changhe said coldly. "Your conflict with the Four Symbols was once only conceptual, not unsolvable. But ever since you pointed your sword at Chichi, it's become real. What do you think I should do now?"

Han Wubing was silent.

Zhao Changhe said in a low voice, "You and I once agreed to a duel... But because of Chichi and the others' interruption, it turned into a perfunctory affair. Neither of us was satisfied. Later, as our friendship deepened, it became even harder to fight."

Han Wubing said flatly, "There was another reason: you improved too quickly later on. I was no match for you, so there was nothing to fight."

Zhao Changhe slowly drew Longque, pointing it at Han Wubing. "Now, you're at the third level of the Imperial Realm, though it seems unstable. I'm at the peak of the second level—isn't that just right?"

Han Wubing did not draw his sword. He stared fixedly at Zhao Changhe's familiar broadsword, silent for a long time.

Call it a duel, but it was really a rupture.

When friendship was strong, they couldn't fight. Even sparring would be restrained; moves that could cause serious harm were never used recklessly. But in a duel like this, anything goes—no longer caring if the other is maimed. That is a rupture.

Compared to what the White Tiger deserved, at least there was no Four Symbols Formation ganging up on him—just Zhao Changhe alone. Should that be considered a better outcome? But Han Wubing showed no trace of joy.

He was silent for a long time, then suddenly drew his sword and slashed it across his own forearm.

The severed arm flew through the air, blood spraying.

The watching women all stirred. The arm landed precisely before Xia Chichi, who instinctively reached out and caught it, hesitating.

Was this an apology?

But Han Wubing offered no words of apology. The severed arm left his face pale, yet his expression remained unchanged. He said flatly, "This chaotic battle might not be as it seems. The Sword Emperor appeared to want me dead, but in truth, we were colluding in a ruse—targeting Ye Jiuyou. You ruined it... So it's not entirely that I owe you."

Ye Jiuyou looked at him with a strange expression. Zhao Changhe turned to gaze at the severed arm, saying nothing.

Han Wubing said flatly, "Of course, Ye Jiuyou is no ordinary man. Our schemes might not have succeeded regardless. In any case, your interference derailed the plan, and whatever outcome might have been is now irrelevant. What matters now is that this severed arm can give you the complete White Tiger inheritance. You've obtained what you wanted. So whether you kill me or not, Ye Jiuyou won't get me—correct?"

Zhao Changhe was silent for a long moment before replying, "Correct."

"Then will you kill me or not?"

Zhao Changhe did not answer.

Han Wubing smiled faintly, turned, and walked away. "This duel between us still can't happen. Perhaps next time we meet, it will... I'm actually looking forward to it."

Zhao Changhe suddenly tossed two bottles from behind. "One for external use, to stop the bleeding from the severed arm. The other calms the soul—the White Tiger's madness may be incurable, but it can soothe the turmoil in your sea of consciousness, so you don't have to suppress it so hard. Next time we meet, I hope your third level of the Imperial Realm is stable."

Han Wubing caught both bottles in one hand and strode away.

Ye Jiuyou seemed to stir, as if to give chase, but Zhao Changhe, back turned to her, suddenly swept his blade to the right, barring the way.

Ye Jiuyou did not move, however, and said coolly, "So the Sword Emperor is a magnanimous elder, and Han Wubing a former friend. Only I, Ye Jiuyou, am your enemy, is that it?"

Zhao Changhe sighed. "Did you not hear Han Wubing say that they conspired to kill you, and we thwarted them? We clearly saved you."

Ye Jiuyou sneered. "Did you not hear him say their scheme might not have succeeded? Besides, I cannot die at all. In my view, you were entirely meddling."

"Is that so?" Zhao Changhe finally turned to look at her. "Aside from meddling, do you not know we had another choice from the start?"

The Four Symbols Sect and Ye Jiuyou were natural adversaries; even the unification of the divine realm was stalled because Ye Jiuyou backed the Guanlong faction. The other choice, of course, was to take advantage of the Sword Emperor and Han Wubing's conspiracy against Ye Jiuyou and join in beating her. Whether or not Ye Jiuyou had contingency plans, this time she would have been doomed.

But they did not do that. Earlier, they had shifted from shadow to light and intervened only to save her. Later, Zhao Changhe and Piaomiao appeared likewise to prevent her and Han Wubing from mutual destruction.

"So I should thank you for sparing my life, then?" Ye Jiuyou said coldly. "Now that you stop me from chasing the White Tiger, you are an enemy on the path of cultivation. This enmity is irreconcilable—do you understand?"

"I understand." Zhao Changhe said very calmly. "But I believe your direction may not be correct. When you do these things, are you truly resolute in your heart, without a shred of hesitation?"

Ye Jiuyou sneered. "You think you know a lot?"

"I at least know that this is the trash Ye Wuming discarded. Not only do you pick it up, but you pick up dead trash."

"..."

"No matter how you look at it, this cannot be the right path... Of course, perhaps you seek not this, but only to probe and reference. But if that is the case, there are many more avenues." Zhao Changhe said earnestly. "For instance... the living Four Symbols stand before you—is that not a better path?"

Ye Jiuyou was startled, and her expression finally shifted slightly.

"I said I would help you, but you did not believe me." Zhao Changhe paused, turned to look at the severed arm, and his voice carried a hint of melancholy. "Just now I told Wubing that if he had told me these things earlier, we could have found a better solution, not waited until now when it is irreconcilable. It is the same with you. When you abandon slaughter and annihilation, we will no longer be opposed. If you are willing to be open and honest, what cannot be resolved? Many conflicts stem only from arrogance and unwillingness to trust."

At this point, his voice grew louder. "Some people are blind enough, and their mouths are as if sewn shut—less useful than another's anus. An anus at least can fart. I wonder what use she has for a mouth. Utterly senseless."

Ye Wuming: "..."

Ye Jiuyou thought he was scolding her, and she fumed, "Your mouth is the anus! I told you long ago to let your wives accompany me in research—how could you ever agree? What are you pretending for?"

"Why not? You did not try to capture and kill them for research; instead, you aimed at the bones of the ancient Four Symbols—is that not already goodwill?" Zhao Changhe said. "I never even imagined you would do this. I had always suspected your plan was aimed at San Niang and Qing'er, but it was not."

"You guessed correctly." Ye Jiuyou sneered. "Why do you think I trapped you in the abyss? Was it not because I thought that if I had the chance, I could capture these women of yours?"

The women all smiled faintly and said nothing.

Perhaps she had intended that, but her recent behavior did not suggest it. Of course, it might also be because everyone had appeared from the start to save her, so she could not bring herself to repay kindness with enmity. Regardless, Ye Jiuyou's attitude was vastly different from the great villain they had imagined.

Truly, the dark and fickle nature of the ancient Netherworld would not hesitate over repaying kindness with enmity.

"Is that all?" Zhao Changhe said. "The Azure Dragon corpse puppet could have caused great chaos in the capital. Your original plan must have been that—stirring up the realm to your advantage—yet you abandoned it... Why?"

Ye Jiuyou still sneered. "Because I regard you as an ally, and in the short term, I do not wish to fall out with you. Naturally, I would not do that."

"Perhaps..." Zhao Changhe said very seriously. "Whatever you think, what you have done is enough for me to owe you a debt. Then nothing is beyond negotiation. The question now is: are you willing to be open and honest with me about what you know?"