Volume One: The Emperor’s Sword Chapter 109: The Boundary-Defining Disk

The last segment of the primordial spirit body suffered an unexpected rupture.

It shattered of its own accord. From the bursting remains, a fist-sized orb of light shot out, fleeing like a bolt of lightning. This orb was the final remnant of the Fire Yaksha’s primordial spirit; it had been biding its time, waiting precisely for this moment to escape.

Because the space within the sea of consciousness was vast and entirely encircled by the River of Styx sword-light, the orb had no choice but to cross the river’s surface to flee. Yun Que unleashed several sword qi strikes in rapid succession, hoping to intercept it, but he was unable to keep pace. The speed of the orb was simply too great; with his current level of sword qi manipulation, he could not block it.

Just as the orb was about to vanish, the black-robed figure in mid-air finally moved. Kong Wang extended a hand, fingers splayed toward the fleeing light, and suddenly clenched his fist!

Whoosh!

A staggering sight unfolded across the calm River of Styx. As Kong Wang’s fingers closed, thousands of water spouts erupted from the river’s surface, each as thick as a pillar, connecting the heavens to the earth. Endless sword souls wandered within these columns, and an infinite surge of sword qi erupted in that singular moment. It was as if a boundless purgatory had been forged out of the river itself.

Yun Que felt his mind go numb, his thoughts momentarily frozen. The anomaly within his sea of consciousness lasted only an instant before vanishing without a trace. The sword-qi water columns collapsed into a torrential downpour, falling back into the heart of the river. The surface returned to stillness.

Yun Que regained his senses, feeling both amazed and envious of Uncle Wang’s prowess. When would he ever be able to command the River of Styx with such mastery? Once he could, never mind the Yakshas of the Underworld—even if the Yakshas' own father came, he would be sent scurrying away in terror.

Plop.

A splash sounded from the center of the river. Yun Que looked toward the noise and saw a circular disc floating there, though he could not identify what it was. Summoning his weakened alien sword soul, he directed it to dive into the Styx and retrieve the object, dragging it back to the shore.

"What is this?" Yun Que examined the disc. It was the size of a palm, dark silver, and felt like stone. Both sides were etched with strange, intricate, and ancient totem-like patterns. The disc was weightless in his hand, yet it exuded a sensation of extreme, biting cold—as if he were holding a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ice that would eventually freeze his very soul. Because Yun Que was currently in his primordial spirit form, he was even more sensitive to the chill, and after a moment of observation, he set it aside.

Aside from the disc, the final remnant of the Fire Yaksha’s spirit was nowhere to be found.

"This object is called the Realm-Setting Disc," Kong Wang’s voice echoed, ethereal and distant. "It can open a temporary gateway, connecting to the Underworld."

After a brief explanation, Yun Que understood the utility of the disc. This tiny stone plate was effectively a key to the gates of the Underworld.

"No wonder that Fire Yaksha dared to enter the mortal realm; it had a backup plan," Yun Que said, picking up the stone disc again. "So, that last part of its spirit must have used the disc to escape back to the Underworld."

Kong Wang nodded expressionlessly. He had been able to use the power of the sword river to seize the disc, but he could not prevent the Fire Yaksha’s spirit from fleeing into the Underworld through it.

Yun Que felt no disappointment. If Uncle Wang hadn't intervened, the Fire Yaksha would have escaped with the disc entirely. As it stood, the spirit had fled, but its precious treasure had been left behind. The Fire Yaksha was truly unlucky. It had come to the mortal realm, failed to consume a single living soul, lost the majority of its primordial spirit, and even forfeited its treasure. A device capable of connecting two worlds was a treasure beyond measure; the Fire Yaksha must be furious to the point of death.

"Uncle Wang, is this Realm-Setting Disc dangerous?" Yun Que asked.

"As long as you do not use it, it is not dangerous," replied Kong Wang.

"I understand. It’s a tool to open and close a door. The initiative lies with the holder. As long as I don't open the door, nothing from the Underworld can come through," Yun Que reasoned.

"Correct." Kong Wang remained concise as ever.

Reassured, Yun Que stored the disc in his storage ring. It was a rare treasure, and while he had no use for it now, it might prove useful in the future. At the very least, he could trade it for spirit stones. Given that it involved a gateway to the Underworld, Yun Que was certain that revealing the disc would cause a sensation in the cultivation world. *Wealth should not be flaunted,* he thought, *I must keep this well-hidden.*

***

In the dim, secret chamber, Si Ruonan began to sense that something was wrong. Yun Que had been standing motionless, like a statue. There was no sign of the Fire Yaksha’s aura; he appeared to be in deep meditation.

*What is happening? Did the Fire Yaksha fail to seize his consciousness?* A glimmer of hope stirred in her heart. She knew that Yun Que was a neighbor to Hu Tieshan and Hu Congming and that they had a good relationship; otherwise, Hu Tieshan would never have given such a precious inner armor to Yun Que. Si Ruonan did not want Yun Que to come to harm; she hoped he would survive.

Ignoring her own injuries, she struggled to stand, only to collapse heavily. Her wounds were too severe. She had not only lost flesh to the Fire Yaksha’s bite, but her spiritual energy had been completely exhausted by the formation. Her vision blurred, and she felt incredibly weak.

A faint, shuffling sound echoed from the corner of the room. A small, dark shadow crept forward—it was the hidden Black Doll. The doll could not speak and lacked consciousness, having been too terrified by the Fire Yaksha’s aura to move. Only now, sensing the threat was gone, did it dare approach Si Ruonan.

Reaching her side, the Black Doll used its small hands to pull at her, trying to help her up. But it was too small, and after a long, arduous effort, it failed. The doll grew anxious, crawling beneath her and trying to nudge her toward the door.

"Don't waste your strength," Si Ruonan whispered sorrowfully. "As a dead infant, your soul force is weak. If you drag me out, you will perish instantly."

Her words did not stop the doll; it continued to crawl forward with all its might.

"Let it go," she said, tears in her eyes. "Go on your own. See the world outside, witness the lives of others, and find a place with mountains and clear waters to build yourself a grave. Hide away, and do no harm to anyone."

At this moment, she had reached a profound realization, finally understanding the true meaning of life and death. She had exhausted everything to resurrect her brother, only to summon a Yaksha from the Underworld and drive herself into a desperate impasse. Yet, the "dead infant" she had used for experiments—a creature she had been ready to discard at any moment—had never left her side, just like her brother who had always followed her regardless of the danger.

Life and death had shifted for Si Ruonan. What she had once disdained had become the embodiment of familial love, while what she had once prized had become a manifestation of evil.

"Fate is capricious... Si Ruonan, you have turned your own life into a joke..."

Tears blurred the woman's vision as she was dragged along by the Black Doll. In her haze, she saw her brother standing in the sunlight, reaching out his hand toward her.

"Si Chen..."

She instinctively reached out to grasp it. She expected it to be nothing more than a phantom, but to her surprise, she truly grabbed a hand. A warm hand.

"Sister, I’m back."

The figure before her smiled, revealing white teeth, as the blurred image gradually sharpened. Si Ruonan finally saw him clearly. It was not Si Chen, but Yun Que. She felt no disappointment; instead, she smiled with a sense of relief.

"It is good that you are back."

Grasping his hand, she finally stood up. She was now outside the secret chamber. The surroundings were peaceful, and the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees. Having returned from the gates of death, Si Ruonan breathed in the fresh air she had never paid attention to before, feeling a sense of tranquility.

"From now on, you are my brother."

The woman gently released his hand, looking at the youth before her with eyes filled only with the tenderness of familial love.