Celestial Dragon Sword Venerable

"I’m not trying to take her life. But if she stays with you, she’ll lose it soon enough! Give up the Mechanical Heart. Let her go. I’ll intervene on your behalf and save your father."

"I will not give up on the Little Dragon Girl!"

"Are you trying to drag her to her death? When she’s not with you, she’s recovering. With you, she’s constantly suffering damage. If this goes on, there’s no hope for her."

"You’re so powerful, yet you can’t save her? You can’t help her?"

"That’s right, I can’t help her. The circumstances are far too complex for you to understand right now. All you need to know is that letting her go is the greatest act of love and care you can show her—the best way to repay her."

...

Ye Tianling fell silent. He had never expected this outcome.

"My life isn’t worth anything? Then what price can I pay?"

Ye Tianling felt a pang of despair.

In his heart, the Little Dragon Girl was repeatedly pleading with him not to listen to her father, not to abandon her... But Ye Tianling felt that everything Ji Tianxie said was correct.

"I’m willing to give up the Mechanical Heart, but not as a bargaining chip. I won’t use it to make a deal with you. The Little Dragon Girl is not a commodity, nor is she a price to be paid."

After some thought, Ye Tianling spoke with conviction.

Even though he was utterly destitute, he had finally realized what price he could offer.

"Oh? And you think that will move me to help you for free?"

Ji Tianxie said with a sneer.

"I never thought that for a moment. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. Elder Tianxie, what about my other family and friends?"

Ye Tianling felt his chest tighten, his heart pounding with immense tension.

"I sense some sincerity in you, so I’ll be direct. Based on my sensing of the Demon Heart Sword Body and the situation at the scene, Long Tianyu and Long Tianmo are likely still within the Heart Stone. However, their souls are fragmented, and they are on the brink of death.

Like Ye Fengyang, your decision represents their only chance at survival. If you give up, I can tell you with absolute certainty that they will die. The Heart Stone is almost completely destroyed; it won’t last much longer.

Furthermore, Ye Yueling and Lin Yuchan have undergone the Transformation Dao to take the place of Ouyang Ruoxue, who was saved through a method of Reincarnation. Ouyang Ruoxue herself possesses the Returning Butterfly Cocoon Technique, which is why she could be rescued. However, this substitution was performed using methods from the Celestial Secret Dao and within the Holy Dao Space, and it was also done under the influence of the Ancient Soul Extinction Forbidden technique.

The Ancient Soul Extinction Forbidden acts as a powerful prison. While it has shackled them, it has also protected them, preventing them from dying completely. Their situation is the same as Ye Cangqian’s. They can be saved as well, but their rescue would cause Ouyang Ruoxue to suffer even greater harm.

But I can save Ouyang Ruoxue as well.

As for Que De and Wan Jimie, their injuries can heal on their own. They were life-threatening, but not to the extent that they won’t survive. My intervention is not required.

They are in the Celestial Secret Divine Land and will receive treatment there.

Yue Lintian, being a Sacred Artifact, possesses self-healing abilities, so you needn’t worry about it.

The Ancient Fairy’s situation is more complex. She withstood the blow that pierced the Holy Dao Space and then expended a massive amount of energy to heal Ouyang Ruoxue, severely damaging her own Talent. The Jade Fox Race is a very pure, Profound Yin race. Once their Talent is shattered, recovery is nearly impossible.

If she isn’t healed, she can survive. But without her Talent, she will inevitably be captured and used as a plaything for others to vent their frustrations on, until she dies from the abuse. For her, living without her Talent would be a fate worse than death..."

A look of Netherworld Illusion Destruction, as if it could pierce through the Celestial Dao itself, appeared in Ji Tianxie’s eyes.

Deep within that gaze, Ye Tianling felt as if he were witnessing the entire ordeal that had torn through the Dragon Race play out once more.

And so, Ji Tianxie knew everything that had happened.

Ye Tianling’s heart trembled. He had thought Ye Yueling, Lin Yuchan, and the others had merely exhausted their energy. He never imagined they had actually traded their lives for another’s.

He felt a pain like a sharp sword piercing his heart, so intense it made him shudder.

Just then, the Little Dragon Girl, Ji Yueqi, immediately flew over. Transforming into a small Elf, she drew close to Ye Tianling’s neck to comfort him.

A peculiar glint flashed in Ji Tianxie’s eyes. His sharp brows knitted together, a clear sign of his displeasure.

"Tianling... don’t be sad. Father said there’s hope!"

The Little Dragon Girl choked back a sob, her voice filled with worry.

"Sigh... I know."

Ye Tianling sighed. His gaze then became unshakably firm as he declared, "I am willing to pay with the price of my future achievements! I’m willing to become your guard and serve you for one hundred years!"

Ji Tianxie shook his head. "You might not even live for ten years, let alone a hundred. I cannot see your future, so I will not agree to a promise that offers me no benefit."

Ye Tianling gave a bitter smile. "In that case, I will pay with my ’will’ in exchange for the recovery of every one of them."

Ji Tianxie shook his head. "It’s not worth that price. For my daughter’s sake, pick two of them. I’ll act now. Any further delay, and the price will only be greater."

This time, however, Ye Tianling was exceptionally resolute. "My will can crush all of creation. If I say it’s worth the price, then it is."

Ji Tianxie’s eyes gleamed as he stared intently into Ye Tianling’s.

Ye Tianling didn’t back down an inch.

VMMMM—

A terrifying force of will descended upon him.

Ye Tianling’s entire body shuddered. He staggered back seven or eight steps, blood trickling from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth, but his gaze remained utterly unshaken.

"Surrender your will, your opportunities, and your Qi Fortune. In exchange, I will grant Ye Fengyang, Long Tianyu, Long Tianmo, Ouyang Ruoxue, Ye Yueling, and Lin Yuchan—all six of them—a chance to escape their current mortal peril. Agree, and we have a deal. Refuse, and there is nothing more to discuss."

Ji Tianxie had given his ultimatum.

His tone was just as resolute.

The moment the words were spoken, Ye Tianling knew there was no room for negotiation.

"Just escape their mortal peril?"

Ye Tianling frowned.

"Correct. They will merely escape their mortal peril. After they recover, they will be nothing more than ordinary people."

Ji Tianxie replied with certainty.

Ordinary people.

’In this world, once you’ve become a Swordsman, can you ever go back to being an ordinary person? Any Cultivator reduced to a mortal would never survive more than three days!’

’There has never been an exception.’

"And what if I want their abilities restored?"

Ye Tianling asked.

’If I give up my will, my opportunities, and my Qi Fortune, what else do I, Ye Tianling, have left to offer as payment?’

"To restore their abilities, you must surrender the Mechanical Heart and the Nine-Orifice Exquisite Demon Heart. You must also give up your aptitude for the Eight Great Ancient Sword Bodies: the Emperor’s Qi Sword Body, the Thunder Flame Sword Body, the Void Sword Body, the Great Dao Sword Body, the Destruction Sword Body, the Devouring Sword Body, the Soul-Controlling Sword Body, and the Demon Heart Sword Body. Offer them all up in a Blood Sacrifice."

Ji Tianxie stated flatly.

"I possess all these constitutions?"

Ye Tianling found it hard to believe.

"If I say you have them, you have them."

Ji Tianxie’s tone was absolute.

"I have all these Divine Bodies, and I’m still a good-for-nothing? My life is still worthless?"

Ye Tianling grew even more suspicious.

"Correct. You are a good-for-nothing, so they are completely wasted on you. That is why your life is worthless. These hidden Talents, however, are valuable enough to warrant my intervention."