Chapter 702: Husband-and-Wife Duo

“You... How are you here?” Zhao Changhe asked, a mix of shock and joy in his voice. If not for the familiar presence she exuded, he might have thought he was hallucinating.

Her body bore injuries, hastily and crudely treated. It was evident she had been teetering on the edge of life and death for quite some time, barely having the chance to tend to her wounds, let alone take a bath.

The beauty of the

jianghu

was truly a lie... but even so, Zhao Changhe still felt that this rugged image was precisely what made the

jianghu

most beautiful.

And for a swordswoman who had spent so long on the brink of death, her cultivation would undoubtedly progress faster than most. Just the precision and ferocity of her earlier strike had made Zhao Changhe’s scalp tingle from a distance—a level that even he, already planning his breakthrough to the Profound Control Realm, found daunting.

He could not even begin to imagine what kind of life Yue Hongling had led through the past six months since they parted. People often praised her as the most gifted of the younger generation, but few truly understood the perilous path she had walked.

His own rapid progress had been due to the benefits of the Heavenly Tome and a fair share of fortuitous encounters. But Yue Hongling? She had none of these advantages. She relied entirely on herself. She was, without a doubt, the most exceptional genius in this world.

“I’ve been roaming the Western Regions,” Yue Hongling replied, still nestled in his embrace, her eyes sparkling. “What about you? How did you end up here?”

“The Western Regions?”

“Uh, yeah? We’re in the Kunlun Secret Realm, aren’t we?”

“...” Zhao Changhe’s mind raced. “Then... when you attacked me, who did you think I was?”

“For the past few months, I’ve been dealing with all sorts of strange beings—humanoid, beast-like, even some inexplicable spirits and spectral entities. Many of them are skilled in illusions, and sometimes... Sometimes, I’ve seen you appear before me...” Yue Hongling trailed off, her voice faltering as her cheeks turned faintly red.

It was apparent that the reason she had seen illusions of him was because she had been thinking of him a fair bit. Perhaps even imagining certain embarrassing scenarios. Or maybe her enemies, knowing her “weakness,” had deliberately used Zhao Changhe’s image to deceive her.

She quickly cleared her throat and continued, “The illusions could even almost perfectly simulate your vicious blood qi. It was really easy to fall for it. So when I saw you lurking here, I couldn’t believe it was actually you and thought it was another illusion.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “And how did you realize it was actually me?”

Yue Hongling blinked but did not answer.

She herself was not sure how to explain it... Much like the time she had encountered an illusion of him but had not been deceived. Back then, her sword heart had instinctively activated, quickly discerning the illusion to be fake. No matter how closely the illusion resembled Zhao Changhe, they could never evoke the real feeling he brought her. They always seemed hollow.

This time, though, her sword heart responded with tenderness, and she could sense the unrestrained joy radiating from him, as well as the sudden surge of emotion within herself. It was as though she were a wanderer suddenly finding her way back home after an endless journey.

It was indescribable. Even now, she felt languid and at ease, as if his mere presence had somehow swept away all the frosts and storms of the past six months. With him nearby, she felt as though there was finally a roof to shield her from the elements once more.

How annoying. I’m supposed to be the older sister, yet look at me.

Zhao Changhe glanced at the ongoing struggle between the Buddha and Dark Oblivion, then lowered his voice, “Let’s save the catching-up for later. Right now, we need to deal with what’s in front of us. They haven’t noticed us yet. Since you’ve been in this area for a while, how do you think we should handle this?”

Yue Hongling replied, “We must save this Buddha. From what I’ve seen and learned in the Western Regions, if this Buddha is completely drained and possessed, a demon will soon take on his form, don his robes, and lead the Buddhist sects into utter ruin. It would be a catastrophe for the common people as well.”

“Got. it.” Zhao Changhe nodded and gripped his saber tightly. Without another word, he surged forward.

Yue Hongling grabbed his wrist, whispering, “Let me be the one to go. Before seeing you, I hesitated, thinking this might be a trap meant to capture me. With my injuries, I might have had no choice but to retreat... But with you here, we can actually plan something...”

She smiled softly, her voice gentle. “You’re here... That’s all that matters.”

Zhao Changhe smiled back. Without thinking, the two of them leaned in toward each other and shared a kiss.

In the void nearby, the blind woman shuddered, goosebumps forming all over her body.

What in the world is wrong with these two? Have they forgotten where they are and what’s happening just a bit away? How can they make out in a situation like this? The stench of their love really is just sickening.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

But the two who were kissing did not think much of it, feeling the act to be completely natural. Zhao Changhe said matter-of-factly, “But the commotion we’ve already caused might make it hard for us to set up any trap.”

“Not necessarily,” replied Yue Hongling, shaking her head, equally unfazed by what had just happened. “No one should have noticed your arrival here. They have been mostly focused on tracking me, and my earlier strike on you was an extremely restrained sneak attack. There was very little disturbance... I think there’s a good chance they haven’t noticed your presence. You can stay hidden for now. It might give us an edge later on.”

Before she had even finished speaking, she turned into a streak of light, shooting off like an arrow toward the battle. Her sword light pierced straight toward Dark Oblivion’s back.

The speed and power of her attack was breathtaking.

If not for the lingering essence of the setting sun, Zhao Changhe might have thought this strike to belong to Snow Owl. She had far surpassed Shi Wuding, who had once been her peer.

She’s at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. She’s already strong enough to be on the Ranking of Heaven!

How did she cultivate to this level so quickly? It’s no wonder she’s managed to survive in this strange place for so long, enduring countless attacks from all sorts of threats. No wonder they haven't been able to deal with her even after so long...

Clang!

Dark Oblivion spun, slapping the side of Yue Hongling’s sword.

“Heroine Yue, I’ve been expecting you.” Dark Oblivion snickered, his laughter eerie and sinister. As he spoke, shadows from the ground rose, encircling Yue Hongling in a deadly embrace.

Unlike Vermilion Bird, Yue Hongling’s cultivation was not as advanced and did not naturally suppress Dark Oblivion. Vermilion Bird’s raging flames could burn away any shadowy tricks, but Yue Hongling did not have that kind of power.

Instead, she relied on her exceptional agility, swiftly dodging the encroaching shadows. With a flash of movement, she appeared at the side of Dark Oblivion and the Buddha, her sword cutting between them, severing Dark Oblivion’s control over the Buddha and halting his siphoning of energy.

It was clear that her priority was to save the Buddha, but Dark Oblivion’s goal was her.

All around her, shadows of trees, rocks, and even her own erupted in a nightmarish onslaught—darkness as cold as a prison. The eerie wails of ghost filled the air, creating a horrifying inescapable net. Trapped right in the middle, Yue Hongling had nowhere to escape!

But Yue Hongling’s expression remained calm and resolute. Her eyes gleamed with a sharp determination as she suddenly merged with her sword, charging directly toward the Buddha’s remaining golden light. That light was where the shadows were weakest. If she could break through, she might be able to drag the Buddha out with her.

This was the conclusion she had predicted if Zhao Changhe had not arrived—her escape strategy.

But, as always, the unexpected happened.

Even in its maddened state, the Buddha still retained the most basic sense of awareness. It should have known who was draining its power, and who was trying to save it.

Yet, just as Yue Hongling broke toward the Buddha to break free, the Buddha’s eyes suddenly shone with murderous rage. With a deafening roar, its fist hurtled straight for her face.

Clang!

Yue Hongling quickly raised her sword to block, parrying the blow, but her forward momentum was halted. In that instant, the encroaching shadows completely engulfed her.

Meanwhile, from beyond the shadows, Dark Oblivion threw a punch at her ribcage. Hidden within the shroud of darkness, she could not even see the attack coming.

Zhao Changhe’s grip on Dragon Bird was slick with sweat. He could not stop himself from preparing to charge forward and save her.

But then, a brilliant light erupted from within the prison of shadows. Radiant light poured through every crevice, breaking through even the densest darkness. It was as if a blazing sun had risen in the infinite night, banishing shadows and illuminating everything.

Even the maddened Buddha hesitated for a moment, its eyes clouded with confusion.

Is this... the Vairocana?

Boom!

The sword light pierced the heavens, resonating with the fiery sun above. The boundless shadows could no longer contain Yue Hongling. She was like a lone goshawk breaking free from a cage, her figure soaring skyward.

Dark Oblivion’s hidden strike, as if it had been anticipated, missed her entirely.

Whoosh!

From above, another sword light descended.

Like snow falling from the highest heaven, its chilling intent seemed to freeze even space itself.

Yue Hongling barely managed to block the strike, but the immense force still sent her crashing back down into the prison of shadows below.

A voice rang out in the air. “Heroine Yue, as troublesome as ever, eh? But this time, you were too careless—”

Before the word “careless” was even completed, a golden arrow streaked toward the speaker’s face.

Startled, the assailant veered sharply to dodge. Below, Yue Hongling used the opportunity to leap off of the Buddha’s bald head, evading the countless shadows once more, her sword thrusting upward.

At the same time, a blood-red saber light tore through the void, reaching its target in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, the husband-and-wife duo joined forces. Sword and saber moving in harmony, trapping their foe in a seamless pincer attack!

The assailant was utterly stunned. “Zhao Changhe! How are you here?!”