Chapter 85: How Could Yan Huaixuan Die

Chapter 85: There's No Way Yan Huaixuan Dies

Shen Lian didn't know why, but the unease in his gut kept growing stronger and stronger.

Then the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Thunder came crashing down—aimed right at Yan Huaixuan.

He Ci's eyes narrowed. "Demon-Slaying Heavenly Thunder—it kills demons and evil. But isn't he the Tianheng Sect's top genius?"

Cold sweat broke out on He Ci's forehead, his eyes locked on Yan Huaixuan.

"Could it be that Yan Huaixuan..."

Shen Lian was right there, so He Ci didn't dare voice it.

But Shen Lian had already caught it.

Fu Lan, sprawled on the ground, saw the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Thunder and let out a laugh. "Your time's up."

Facing the fierce Heavenly Thunder, Yan Huaixuan's face stayed blank. He formed hand seals, and the silver phantom sword in midair started to take shape again.

But this time, it still didn't form.

And the Heavenly Thunder was just about to fully form.

Shen Lian frowned and tossed his sword, Chen Xue, over. "Yan Huaixuan, use this."

Yan Huaixuan immediately caught Chen Xue.

Chen Xue surged into the silver phantom sword, and in an instant, clusters of frost flowers bloomed all over it. The blade turned nearly transparent. In that instant, all the white snow across heaven and earth surged into Chen Xue.

He Ci pressed his lips together. "Your sword's ice-attuned."

And now, the sky wasn't fully dark yet—a sliver of dawn light still hung over heaven and earth.

Yan Huaixuan raised his hand, as if gripping the massive silver sword out of thin air.

"Wuwang."

"Guiyi Sword."

As Yan Huaixuan's words fell, Chen Xue became unstoppable, driving straight through Fu Lan's heart.

Fu Lan let out a muffled groan, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes. But as he looked at Yan Huaixuan, his gaze held something between pity and... something else.

"Sooner or later, you'll learn what it means to wish you were dead."

In his final moment before dissipating, he closed his eyes, his gaze full of peace.

Seeing Fu Lan dead, Shen Lian immediately moved to rush over.

But Yan Huaixuan raised his hand, and a barrier slammed down in front of Shen Lian. "Don't come over."

Even Chen Xue was sent flying back by Yan Huaixuan.

"Why—"

Shen Lian had just spoken, Chen Xue in his arms, when he saw the golden Demon-Slaying Thunder crash down above Yan Huaixuan's head.

That move—Wuwang Guiyi Sword—had already drained every last bit of Yan Huaixuan's spiritual power.

The golden thunder fell like a waterfall, swallowing Yan Huaixuan whole.

Shen Lian could only catch a flash of purple energy.

"Yan Huaixuan!"

Shen Lian's eyes went wide. The thunder was even more ferocious than the bolts that had purged his demonic energy back then.

Only now did Shen Lian realize that those few thunderbolts back then were nothing but a warm-up.

Every single one now was as thick as three people hugging, and they came one after another, with no end in sight.

Shen Lian wanted to charge over, but the barrier held him back, hard.

"What the hell did Yan Huaixuan do to attract this much thunder?"

He Ci glanced at Shen Lian and pressed his lips into a thin line.

No one knew how long it took—a full ninety-nine bolts of thunder finally faded away.

And in midair, there was no trace of Yan Huaixuan left.

Shen Lian's face went pale. His mind hadn't even caught up when his body instinctively shot forward.

"Yan Huaixuan?"

But no matter where Shen Lian searched, there was no sign of Yan Huaixuan anywhere.

He Ci couldn't help but say, "With that many thunderbolts, he should've been dead long ago."

Shen Lian pressed his lips together, refusing to believe it. "Impossible. Yan Huaixuan can't die."

He was Dragon Proud Heaven—in the original plot, the Dragon Proud Heaven who sailed through everything smoothly and never knew defeat.

Even so, Shen Lian couldn't help but think of that strange power inside Yan Huaixuan, and the purple light that had flashed on the Guiyi Sword.

But Shen Lian scoured every inch of the ground and still found no trace of Yan Huaixuan.

He Ci, though reluctant, said, "Once the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Thunder appears, it won't stop until it's completely slaughtered its target."

Shen Lian's fingers trembled. He pressed his lips together and looked away.

He Ci added, "It's getting dark. Let's find somewhere to hide. We can search again tomorrow?"

Shen Lian just nodded.

Sitting in the cave, Shen Lian was a little dazed. He hadn't gone far—he stayed right there.

The lingering aura from the True Immortal battle that had taken place here during the day kept other demon creatures from daring to come near.

Shen Lian stared at the endless white snow.

He didn't know what he was thinking about.

He Ci watched him. "Shen Lian, stop thinking about it. He's got zero chance of survival."

Shen Lian said nothing. He'd searched again all day and still found no trace of Yan Huaixuan.

Only then did he finally accept that Yan Huaixuan was dead.

He Ci noticed Shen Lian had slipped back into his old self—cold and distant, polite to everyone, but keeping everyone at arm's length.

He Ci gripped his sword—maybe Shen Lian didn't even realize it.

Only around Yan Huaixuan did he seem truly alive, like an actual person.

He had feelings, ups and downs—not like this cold shell.

"What's wrong?" Shen Lian held a compass in his hand, turning back to look at He Ci.

He Ci murmured, "It's nothing."

Shen Lian nodded, face blank. "We're almost out."

He Ci's voice came out rough. "Okay."

Once they got out and found that big demon, his connection with Shen Lian would be over.

But unexpectedly, just as they were about to reach the border.

The sky abruptly changed, and countless demon creatures crawled up from the earth.

Shen Lian frowned. "Run."

He yanked He Ci along, using a speed technique the whole way, but just as they were about to make it, countless earth spikes burst from the ground.

Stretching endlessly, blocking their way, the spikes seemed alive, writhing.

The pressure of the first Void Immortal realm filled the air.

Shen Lian's expression turned cold. He grabbed He Ci's shoulder and slapped a Teleportation Scroll into He Ci's chest.

"You go ahead, find the big demon. I'll catch up."

Before He Ci could even speak, he was whisked a thousand miles away.

"Shen Lian—"

Shen Lian stayed behind by himself, watching a figure slowly rise from the earth spikes.

"Who'd have thought a place like the Barren Wastes would have someone—"

Before the figure could finish speaking, Shen Lian was already on him.

The figure: "?"

Shen Lian had heard that line so many times it went in one ear and out the other. Face blank, he raised his sword without a word. One reason he'd stayed behind alone was that he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

And another—

Shen Lian dropped his gaze to Chen Xue, whose blade had turned transparent after Yan Huaixuan used it.

Something flickered in his eyes.

Shen Lian gripped Chen Xue tightly.

Chen Xue spoke up too. "Master, I feel different now. I've soaked up so much spiritual energy here."

Its voice was tinged with excitement, raring to join the fight.

It had always worked in perfect sync with Shen Lian.

Now it was even smoother. Shen Lian cut through the enemy with almost no effort, and Yan Huaixuan's sword strike flashed through his mind.

Along with that world-shattering sword intent.

In that instant, Shen Lian felt like he'd grasped something.

In a haze, he seemed to brush against a sliver of the laws of heaven and earth.

With a low hum, the barrier in Shen Lian's Spiritual Sea shattered in an instant.