The Calamity’s Echo and Azure Domain’s Call

Spiritual Domain.

Within a secluded mountain courtyard, veiled in mist.

A graceful woman, clad in a form-fitting emerald green dress, was meticulously tending to the Ancient Divine Cauldron before her.

Her slender, jade-like fingers moved with delicate precision.

A white spirit pill, crystal-clear on the outside and imbued with profound Daoist charm within, flew out from the cauldron.

She cradled it gently in her palm.

The woman’s willow-like brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of displeasure flickered across her refined, ethereal face, which resembled a flawless piece of jade.

“It’s not enough. A pill of this grade is insufficient to completely control the soul of an immortal.”

“It needs to reach the immortal pill grade, at the very least.”

She then put away the spirit pill, carefully placing it into a brocade box.

“However, this should be enough to exchange for a single use of the Ancient Cross-Domain Teleportation Array.”

Her silver hair cascaded to her waist as she took light, lotus-like steps.

She gazed at the clear, azure sky, stretching cloudless for miles, and a longing shimmered within her cerulean spiritual eyes.

It was as if her gaze could pierce through the myriad stars above.

“The world honors me as the Dual Saints of Alchemy and Martial Arts.”

“They call me a reincarnation of an Immortal Saint, a person of great fortune.”

“But who among them knows…”

“…that before all this…”

“…I was merely a Calamity’s Poison Source, destined to bring disaster upon the world?”

“Heh…”

After a moment of contemplation, the woman sighed deeply and shook her head, turning away from the sky.

Her gaze then settled on the small cauldron hovering in her palm, her eyes now filled with a profound serenity.

“When, oh when…”

“…will I be able to refine a pill capable of making even an immortal of Master’s caliber obey my every command?”

“…”

Putting away the small cauldron and her thoughts, the woman lightly traced a finger across the empty space before her.

A deep spatial rift materialized in front of her.

“Nevermind. I’ll head to the Azure Domain first to see if I can find the spiritual materials I need.”

****

Myriad Devil Ancient Domain.

The sky was a vivid, blood-red hue. Countless high-level cultivators soared through the air, forming an immense, overwhelming force that blotted out the sun and clouds.

Their sword tips all pointed down at a disheveled, white-haired woman in a black robe with golden trim. They collectively roared, “Demoness, hand over the Primordial Ancient Sword and restore peace to the world!”

“…”

“Hahahaha!”

“What a grand declaration of ‘restoring peace to the world’! What a magnificent, self-righteous justification!”

The woman’s lips curled into a sneer as she let out a few scornful laughs and shouted a retort.

Her face, once as pristine as a celestial lotus, now burned with indignation.

Yet, her tattered, blood-stained robes spoke of her utter disarray and solitary courage.

“Demoness, your Divine Profound Sword Pavilion is destroyed. Hand over the ancient sword, and we might grant you a complete corpse!”

Just then, an eagle-browed man in a python robe descended from the sky, his body radiating an immense and majestic dragon qi.

His presence cleaved the air, shaking the heavens and imposing his might upon the world.

“…”

“Dream on…”

The woman stood firm, gripping her sword. The blood-stained ancient sword gleamed brightly, like an an ancient pine tree supporting the heavens and earth.

The Primordial Ancient Sword…

It was the sole memento her most important Master had left her.

How could she possibly surrender it?

To allow such a sacred blade to be tainted by the defilement of these individuals…

“Very well. As expected of the calamity-bringing demoness, seen once every ten thousand years. You still possess some backbone.”

As the man finished speaking, a powerful and vast force of heaven and earth surged from him, pressing down upon the woman.

“Ugh!”

She gritted her silver teeth, her expression twisting slightly as trickles of blood seeped from the corners of her mouth.

“…”

‘Why be so stubborn? Hand over the ancient sword to me. Perhaps I can still intercede for you with them.’

‘They might strip you of your cultivation and let you live as a mortal, sparing you the agony of death.’

Listening to the man’s telepathic message, her mind drifted back to the past.

She recalled her Master, who had confronted all the innate martial artists in the world for her sake, taking her with him to wander the ends of the earth.

Finally…

In that chaotic realm, he had drawn the ancient sword, sacrificed himself to it, and sharpened its edge with his own crimson blood.

He had ‘forced’ her to take it, to carve out a blood-soaked path to the heavens.

She had once believed that by ascending to the Upper Realm, she might find a way to revive her Master.

However, when she learned…

…that once a cultivator died, their soul would enter the cycle of reincarnation, never to return as their former self…

…that once unyielding conviction of hers began to slowly dissipate.

Until today…

…she was again being hunted by high-level cultivators from across the world, her Sword Pavilion, built over a century of arduous effort, was gone.

And that person was gone too.

A profound weariness suddenly welled up within her heart.

“So, you want this sword that badly, do you?”

“Fine then…”

“I’ll satisfy your desires!”

“Go to hell and take it!”

The woman’s fingertip traced the sharp edge of the ancient sword, and a burst of blood energy erupted from her body.

‘By my blood sacrifice, slay immortals and suppress devils!’

Instantly, the sky for a hundred thousand miles turned blood-red, and a terrifying, sword-wielding blood-hand extended from within it.

It seized souls and spirits, sealing off heaven and earth.

Accompanied by peals of thunder, it threatened to shatter the souls of everyone present.

“You madwoman! Are you trying to bring about mutual destruction?”

The python-robed man roared in fury, immediately soaring into the sky.

He prepared to forcibly break through the sealed space, desperate to escape the divine sword-strike being brought down by the blood-hand from above.

“…”

Meanwhile, the woman slowly closed her eyes, and two streams of clear tears trickled down her face.

‘Master…’

‘I’m sorry…’

‘I still couldn’t ascend the path to immortality you spoke of.’

‘Yun’er…’

‘This time, I will disappoint you.’

*Buzz~*

The ancient sword suddenly let out a resonant hum, and an incomparably handsome, ink-robed male figure stepped out from the void.

He silently glanced at her death-defying expression, then with a single wave of his hand, he blocked the sword-strike that threatened to annihilate all life between heaven and earth.

“…”

“…”

“My foolish girl, you’ve finally reached this point.”

His gentle, yet slightly doting and helpless tone, made her dust-laden eyelashes tremble faintly.

“A wisp of my divine consciousness will preserve your life. This is the last thing your Master can do for you.”

“Henceforth, do not be so reckless with your life.”

“…”

“Master!”

The woman’s eyes snapped open, a tremor flickering within her pupils. She instinctively reached out, desperate to grasp the figure standing before her.

Yet, her hand closed on empty air.

“…”

“Master…”

“Yun’er… knows her mistake…”

“But…”

“Yun’er truly wishes to see you again…”

“…”

The man’s figure was on the verge of fading away, his hazy face obscuring his expression.

He sighed, finally leaving her with four words.

“Within the Azure Domain.”

“…”

The woman stood rooted to the spot for a long time.

After the world had returned to peace…

Looking around, corpses lay scattered for thousands of miles, and the pungent stench of blood permeated the air.

She took a step, the ancient sword in her hand now gleaming anew, untainted by dust.

Finally, her gaze settled on the dead python-robed man. She looked up at the cloudless sky, lost in thought.

‘Master…’

‘So you were from the Upper Realm.’

‘No wonder, when I ascended to this realm…’

‘…I could sense a faint soul resonance between the Primordial Ancient Sword and you.’

“…”

“But the Azure Domain…”

“It seems a bit far from here.”

The woman suddenly smiled sweetly, and an unusual red spiritual light once again bloomed within her pale golden pupils.

“But none of that matters anymore.”

“Once I settle the grievances of this realm, I will come find you.”

“Master…”

****

Azure Domain.

Divine Swallow Kingdom.

Taiyang City.

Zhuang Xun, who was strolling through the city, enjoying tea and watching an opera, suddenly shivered and sneezed.

“Achoo!”

“Ugh…”

Zhuang Xun rubbed his nose, a speechless expression on his face.

‘Why have I been sneezing so much lately? Could it be that some woman has set her sights on me again?’

The opera on stage continued its ceaseless performance, recounting the melancholy tale of star-crossed lovers.

“My humble self and you, my lord~↘, are fated not to be in this life~↗.”

“I only wish~↗ that in the next life~↘ we may meet again~↗.”

“…”

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Seeing the opera nearing its conclusion, Zhuang Xun joined the crowd, clapping three times in applause.

‘Honestly, it really feels like watching an opera on TV back in the day.’

*Crack!*

He spit out a sunflower seed shell and took a sip of cool, refreshing tea.

However, the very next moment, Zhuang Xun seemed to sense something.

He abruptly ducked his head, looking like a turtle retreating into its shell.

Even the pink-furred fox in his arms startled, thinking something terrible had happened.

‘Damn it!’

‘What the hell is going on?’

‘Do you have to mess with me like this?’

‘I was just casually out on the street, listening to some tunes.’

‘How can I run into *her* even here?’