A Mother’s Sacrifice, A New Threat

“Mother, I beg you, tell me everything.”

“You are so deeply concerned for humanity, yet am I not also a member of the human race, your own child? Why do you refuse to tell me even these things?”

“I have consistently honored your wishes, remaining here to guard this place, establishing the Sword Sect, and protecting the humans behind me. Why, then, do you still withhold these truths?”

“If you do not tell me now, I… I shall flee far away! I will leave this place, the Sword Sect, the human race, the demon race—let whoever wishes to take charge do so!”

Many years ago, Sect Leader Murong stood before a crystal coffin, within which lay a white-haired old woman. At that moment, Sect Leader Murong’s face was etched with resolute determination; she had clearly made up her mind.

She had long since sensed a peculiar truth: it felt as though she were an earth-bound spirit in this world, forever cycling between the human and demon races.

Even after all these years, her cultivation had not advanced in the slightest.

“Ah, your temperament is still lacking—”

Just then, an aged voice echoed into Sect Leader Murong’s ears.

After so many years, she had finally received a response from her mother, the old woman lying within the crystal coffin. Her mother, knowing her lifespan was dwindling, had sealed herself within this peculiar sarcophagus.

Her purpose was to offer aid should the Sword Sect ever face a great catastrophe, though emerging would also signal her demise.

This was nothing short of self-inflicted torture!

Sect Leader Murong gazed at her mother before her, certain that she herself could never emulate such an act; to torment oneself even unto death. ‘When one dies, that’s the end of it,’ she thought, ‘who cares if floods rage behind them?’

Yet, this was not merely clinging to life; it was burning away one’s very last vestiges of strength for the sake of humanity.

****

The Myriad Insect Hall unleashed its Ancestor, slaying the Thousand Bird Cave’s Master with the swiftness of lightning.

The events unfolded so rapidly that even Sect Leader Murong failed to react in time. Recalling the happenings of the past few days, a bitter smile touched her lips; indeed, her temperament was still lacking.

Her mother must have long since realized the truth—that they were merely characters within a painting—yet she remained willing to sacrifice for the humans of this world.

Sect Leader Murong was different; she yearned to escape. She refused to protect the ‘humans in a painting’ of this realm. Surely, she should be protecting true humanity, should she not? Her mother’s perspective, she felt, must be utterly misguided.

At this moment, Qin Yan and Fangyuan had already returned to the Sword Sect.

“Sect Leader Murong, are you still not using your trump card?!”

As everyone stood atop the Sword Sect’s mountain, watching the approaching insectoid cultivators from afar, Fangyuan let out a resounding shout.

‘How did she know I had a trump card?’ Sect Leader Murong had no time to ponder, for the Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall and the massive insect with a Nascent Soul body had already locked onto her and the entire Sword Sect!

This was a moment of critical survival; even the Peak Golden Core Hall Master of Thousand Bird Cave had perished at their hands, let alone her.

“Mother, save me!”

She cried out, her voice echoing with desperation.

In a flash, a Nascent Soul aura abruptly erupted from the Sword Sect’s heartland, instantly stunning the attacking insectoid demon cultivators. A white-haired old woman materialized high in the sky.

Seven breaths; she had only seven breaths of time.

She cast a glance back at Sect Leader Murong behind her, at the Sword Sect cultivators, and at the cultivators from the Northern Lands.

“So be it. I once followed that cultivator to vanquish demons, and today, for the sake of these human prodigies, this True Monarch shall meet a worthy end!”

The old woman sighed softly, her gaze fixed on the charging demon race.

The Hall Master of Myriad Insect Hall was about to flee, realizing too late that their schemes had only sealed their own fate.

After all, this was a true Nascent Soul True Monarch. Yet, within a single breath, the Hall Master perished, followed by the colossal insect with a Nascent Soul body, which, deprived of its master’s control, naturally disintegrated into several pieces, instantly annihilated.

In merely two breaths, the seemingly invincible Myriad Insect Hall crumbled into dust.

However, before anyone could rejoice, another Nascent Soul aura surged from the distance, striking out from the direction of Thousand Bird Cave. The old woman also turned her gaze toward that ominous location.

“What?!”

Fangyuan’s face was a mask of disbelief.

The appearance of the Sword Sect’s Ancestor should have marked the end, yet who could have imagined there was another master?!

A cultivator, also clad in simple white robes, appeared before their eyes. With a human body and a cat’s face, she resembled a standing tanuki, radiating a formidable Nascent Soul aura.

“Centuries ago, this True Monarch pursued a Golden Core cultivator to this very place, only to fall victim to the cunning schemes of some bird demons here, who trapped me. I never imagined I would see the light of day again.”

“Now, observing you, old woman, I’ve come to a realization: those bird demons, knowing they couldn’t defeat me, must have wished for me to intervene, dragging you all down to Huangquan with them.”

“Hahahahaha—”

“This True Monarch shall grant their wish! You all shall perish! Remember the one who slays you: call me Elder True Monarch!”

Having uttered these words, Elder True Monarch lunged toward the old woman.

The old woman wasted no further words, directly drawing out her Nascent Soul, preparing to self-destruct. This caused the smile on Elder True Monarch’s face to freeze instantly. ‘Are Nascent Soul cultivators outside truly so wild now?’ she thought.

‘This defies all reason!’

One must understand that even if a Nascent Soul cultivator couldn’t win a fight, they possessed numerous means of escape. Who would resort to detonating their Nascent Soul right from the start?

“Murong, protect these human prodigies!”

The old woman cried out, then, clutching her Nascent Soul, charged toward Elder True Monarch.

“Yes, Mother!”

Sect Leader Murong watched this scene, tears streaming down her face. Her own mother had gone to such lengths for the human cultivators. She had long known her identity as a ‘person in a painting,’ yet she had never once considered leaving. Even facing death, she was determined to burn herself out to protect the humans here, and now, for the sake of these human prodigies, she was even willing to detonate her Nascent Soul.

With a thunderous crash, Sect Leader Murong exerted herself, unfurling the sect’s grand formation.

The entire space groaned under the immense pressure, emitting a creaking sound as if on the verge of collapse. Everyone felt their vision dim, their ears roared, and their very souls seemed to invert. The spiritual energy within their bodies became wildly unstable, with many spitting blood and their vital energy flowing erratically, appearing as if they had succumbed to cultivation deviation.

As the explosion subsided, a colossal, bottomless pit materialized, and the sky above seemed to have a hole torn through it. Such was the terrifying spectacle that greeted their eyes.

All onlookers stared at this horrifying scene, understanding clearly that the self-detonating Nascent Soul old woman had aimed herself at Elder True Monarch; otherwise, everyone present would have surely perished in that place.

The surrounding spiritual energy surged like an ocean caught in a tempest, flowing wantonly. The entire Sword Sect was tossed about like a sailboat adrift on such a tumultuous sea.

“Cough, cough—”

“Are cultivators nowadays all so short-tempered?”

Just then, a voice resonated through the space. The great Nascent Soul demon who had called herself Elder True Monarch slowly clawed her way out of the enormous crater.

Her aura was chaotic, a clear sign of severe injury.

“No good! Kill it!”

Fangyuan was the first to react, shouting loudly. If they allowed this ancient Nascent Soul demon to recover, everyone present would surely perish.

She was the first to charge toward the ancient Nascent Soul demon, followed by Qin Yan. Sect Leader Murong, too, had clearly snapped back to reality, and then the Northern Land cultivators joined in. In that moment, everyone finally united their efforts.