# Chapter 1708: No Debt
Jun Wuming and his disciple Jun Xilei also chose not to go and bid farewell or witness the departure of Jie Tian Mo Di.
They saw Luo Changsheng and Huo Poyun, and naturally also saw Yun Che unconscious in Huo Poyun's arms… as well as the hatred and dark demonic aura that still permeated even in his unconscious state.
Huo Poyun finally stopped. With the Sword Lord and his disciple ahead and Luo Changsheng behind, he gritted his teeth, but his whole body was filled only with a deep sense of powerlessness.
Luo Changsheng quickly caught up. His cultivation allowed him to refrain from immediately restraining Huo Poyun or seizing Yun Che. Instead, he bowed respectfully to Jun Wuming: "Junior Luo Changsheng pays respects to Senior Sword Lord."
Jun Wuming nodded slightly. He glanced at Jun Xilei beside him, sensing the chaos and turmoil in her aura and heart.
"Lei'er," Jun Wuming spoke calmly, "In the three thousand years of Zhou Tian, your Xuan Dao cultivation has been gratifying to me as your master, but your 'Sword Heart' has never truly taken shape. Because your Sword Heart has always been trapped in the 'shackles' imposed by the secular world, unable to break free and be born."
Jun Xilei: "..."
"Following your heart is following your Sword Heart," Jun Wuming said softly.
Jun Xilei's hand slowly rose, grasping the nameless sword strapped to her back.
Clang!
The nameless sword was drawn, and instantly the sword might filled the heavens. Countless meteorites in the surrounding space were annihilated into dust by the invisible sword aura.
Back in the Feng Shen Platform battle, Jun Xilei had forcefully drawn the nameless sword and severely wounded Yun Che with two strikes. The third strike was blocked by Yun Che and never landed, but it led to a serious consequence that troubled her for three thousand years… imprinting Yun Che's figure into her "Sword Heart."
Now, Jun Xilei could fully control the nameless sword. In the God Realm, she had earned the title "Little Sword Lord."
Without a word, the nameless sword was drawn, a sword domain formed instantly, and ten thousand swords hung in the sky… but they pointed straight at Luo Changsheng.
At the same time, a surge of air struck Huo Poyun, pushing him far away.
Huo Poyun was stunned for a moment, then his profound aura erupted, and he sped away like a fleeting meteor.
Luo Changsheng's heart startled. Just as he was about to give chase, he was already trapped within Jun Xilei's sword domain.
With his cultivation, defeating Jun Xilei was not difficult. But with the Sword Lord nearby, how could he dare to retaliate? He quickly neutralized Jun Xilei's sword might and said urgently: "Senior Sword Lord, Lady Jun Xianzi, you may not have been at the border of Chaos and may not know, but Yun Che is actually a demon! Now the various Divine Emperors, including the Dragon God, have all ordered that Yun Che must be killed, or the consequences will be endless."
Jun Xilei's sword aura became even more violent. Jun Wuming also showed no reaction—but if one looked closely, they would see three faint needle-like sword glints in his aged eyes.
Luo Changsheng's expression shifted slightly. At this point, how could he not understand? The Sword Lord and his disciple were not ignorant—they were clearly shielding Yun Che, who had become a demon.
His voice sank, no longer showing respect for his elders: "Senior Sword Lord, do you know what grave crime it is to shield a demon?"
"He is a demon," the Sword Lord's voice drifted calmly, carrying the might of his sword, "but he is also a benefactor, and moreover a savior of the world. The 'evil' he has done to the world, compared to his kindness, is like a speck of dust beneath the blazing sun."
"Those who want to kill him are not driven by hatred of demons or so-called protection of the world, but by jealousy, and the ugly desire to not be surpassed."
Hiss!
With a piercing sound, Luo Changsheng was pierced through the shoulder by a sword glint, and in an instant, dozens of deep, bone-deep blood wounds appeared on his body.
He had been struck at close range by Huo Poyun's palm, suffering considerable injury, and then had not attended to his wounds while giving chase with full force. Now, facing not only Jun Xilei but also the immense pressure from the Sword Lord, he was in constant danger while only defending.
Luo Changsheng's eyes showed ferocity. The Sword Lord's words continued to echo in his ears: "I, Jun, have lived for fifty thousand years, experienced countless vicissitudes, bestowed countless favors, and can be considered virtuous and prestigious. All my life I have been alone, yet the world honors me with the character 'Jun.'"
"And you—everyone knows you have a grudge against Yun Che, while Huo Poyun of the Flame God is his closest friend. If you accuse Jun and Huo Poyun of crimes, and I deny it, and testify for Huo Poyun, who do you think the world will believe? You, or scorn you?"
For an instant, Luo Changsheng's eyes seemed to split at the corners.
In his youth, he was the famed Young Master of the Eastern Domain. After three thousand years in Zhou Tian, his cultivation at the seventh level of the Divine Lord Realm was hailed as a miracle, shaking all divine regions.
But when it came to prestige, he was more than a hundred thousand miles inferior to the Sword Lord.
If he declared that the Sword Lord and his disciple had shielded the demon Yun Che, unless he had sufficient proof, the Sword Lord only needed to deny it with a single word, and the accusation would backfire on him.
With a hardened resolve, Luo Changsheng's body erupted with lightning, tearing space and forcing Jun Xilei far away.
He gasped for breath and said in a low voice: "Fine, I admit defeat today. I will withdraw now and will not reveal a single word of having seen you, Senior… and the same goes for Huo Poyun."
But the sword might pressing down on him did not disappear. Jun Xilei's nameless sword still pointed at his heart.
"Master, I don't trust him," Jun Xilei said coldly.
"Not trusting" was just an excuse. With the prestige of Sword Lord Jun Wuming, he had no fear of Luo Changsheng's "slander."
But if Luo Changsheng were allowed to leave now, he might very well track down Huo Poyun and Yun Che.
Luo Changsheng was anxious inside, but his expression remained calm. Just as he was about to give another assurance, his face suddenly changed drastically.
Because three tiny sword glints appeared around him.
These three sword glints were colorless, formless, and even without aura. But Luo Changsheng's trembling intuition told him they were clearly present, and each one seemed to be directly pressed against his lifeblood.
"Illusion… Heart… Sword," Luo Changsheng muttered, but his voice was trembling visibly.
Jun Xilei's movements also froze, staring blankly ahead.
"You actually recognize this sword," Jun Wuming said indifferently. "It seems your master indeed keeps little from you."
Under the Eastern Divine Region's Wang realms, Luo Guxie was first, and the Sword Lord was second.
The world had never seen a battle between the Sword Lord and Luo Guxie.
The Sword Lord was originally the number one under the Wang realms, later replaced by Luo Guxie because after she returned to the Holy Universe Realm, her Xuan Dao aura was clearly a notch above the Sword Lord's.
But Luo Changsheng had heard Luo Guxie say very clearly that before returning to the Holy Universe Realm, she had challenged the Sword Lord…
And had almost died under his "Illusion Heart Sword."
Afterward, Luo Guxie was acclaimed as the number one under the Wang realms, and the Sword Lord never disputed it. To him, whose lifespan was nearly exhausted, fame was but smoke and cloud. At the end of life, his greatest desire was to find a worthy successor.
And Jun Xilei was heaven's gift to him.
That was also why Luo Changsheng was always extremely respectful before the Sword Lord, and why the various Wang realms clearly valued the Sword Lord more than Luo Guxie.
Seniority? Ridiculous! Strength is what truly determines how others see you.
The power of the Sword Lord's lineage could never be measured merely by Xuan Dao cultivation. Because compared to Xuan Dao, the most terrifying aspect of the Sword Lord's lineage was the Way of the Sword.
"Senior Sword Lord… are you trying to silence me?" Luo Changsheng asked in a low voice, not daring to move a muscle.
He had not been surprised that the Sword Lord had not acted before. As the Sword Lord, how could he personally strike at a junior?
But he would never have dreamed that the Sword Lord had been silently condensing the "Illusion Heart Sword," which even his master spoke of with fear.
Too absurd… He even felt a bit unworthy of such treatment.
"Haha," Jun Wuming laughed lightly. "I have a slight friendship with your father and your master, and have no enmity with you. I have no reason to kill you. Forcibly taking your life would only bring endless trouble to me and my disciple."
The Sword Lord's figure flickered, appearing beside Luo Changsheng. He extended his aged, withered hand: "Allow me, old man, to erase half an hour of your memory."
"…" Luo Changsheng gritted his teeth, his face turning pale.
If he allowed someone to invade his soul, as long as they had any ill intent, they could easily destroy his soul sea.
The Sword Lord indeed had no reason to do so. For the sake of Jun Xilei's future, he would not dare do so… But if he agreed, he would be placing the initiative completely in another's hands.
If he refused… the Illusion Heart Sword that had nearly taken his master Luo Guxie's life was locked onto his lifeblood!
"Very well…" Under the might of the Illusion Heart Sword, Luo Changsheng weighed the options briefly and finally spoke through gritted teeth: "Junior… will comply with Senior Sword Lord's will."
The Sword Lord nodded. With a point of his aged finger, a wisp of soul took the form of a sword, directly entering Luo Changsheng's soul sea.
Moments later, Luo Changsheng trembled all over and fell unconscious.
The Illusion Heart Sword also dissipated, but Jun Wuming's complexion was clearly more pallid than normal.
"Let's go."
Jun Wuming turned and walked in a direction opposite to Huo Poyun's.
Jun Xilei followed behind. Finally, she raised her eyes and asked: "Master… why did you use the Illusion Heart Sword? Why…"
As the word "why" fell, tears dropped from her eyes.
Condensing the Illusion Heart Sword would severely damage one's lifespan.
Jun Wuming's lifespan was already nearly depleted…
But Jun Wuming only smiled faintly and said: "He is, after all, Luo Changsheng. Without the Illusion Heart Sword, he would not have submitted so quickly. And a little more time would have invited more variables."
Jun Wuming raised his hand, catching the teardrops falling from Jun Xilei's eyes on his palm. His body felt the exhaustion of approaching lifespan, but the smile on his lips grew even more gratified and gentle: "Without Yun Che's kindness back then, your talent would have been severely damaged beyond recovery."
"You are the continuation of your master's Sword Heart and life. Kindness to you is kindness to me. To be able to repay this kindness before I return to dust is a great comfort for my remaining years. You should not be sad; rather, you should be happy for your master."
"…Yes, Master." Jun Xilei bowed her head in response, but starlike tears fell again.
How she regretted her youthful willfulness… But the cruelest part of fate is that no matter how deep the regret, one can never go back.
"That you can defy the secular world and follow your heart is a great comfort to me. But…" Jun Wuming gazed into the distance, his dim eyes holding fifty thousand years of vast vicissitudes. He let out a long sigh: "The world no longer accepts him now. What his future holds, no one can fathom. Alas…"
——
Before the Liuguang Realm, Huo Poyun stopped. Before him finally appeared the person he had been calling with all his power using sound transmission.
Shui Yingyue.
The moment Shui Yingyue appeared, she sensed a dark aura from afar. As she approached, her eyes only lingered on Huo Poyun for an instant before fixating on the unconscious Yun Che.
Huo Poyun pushed with his palm, sending Yun Che toward Shui Yingyue. Panting heavily, he said weakly: "You will take him in, won't you?"
Shui Yingyue quickly raised her hand, forming a thick water curtain barrier that tightly sealed Yun Che's figure and aura. She asked in a deep voice: "Is anyone tracking you?"
"I don't know," Huo Poyun said.
"…Much obliged." Leaving those three words, Shui Yingyue was about to quickly take Yun Che away.
"Wait." Huo Poyun stopped her, saying in a low voice: "Don't tell him I brought him here… Also, after he wakes up, please tell him this for me."
"Flee. Flee to the Northern Divine Region, and never come back!"
"Alright."
With only that one word of response, Shui Yingyue left with Yun Che hidden in the water curtain, moving with extreme speed. Because every moment they lingered increased the danger.
Huo Poyun turned around, his hands clenched. He stared at the vast starry sky and murmured to himself: "Yun Che, remember this… I no longer owe you!"
——
"Yes… I no longer owe you!"
Facing the ice branch engraved with Yun Che's name, Huo Poyun recited in a daze. His hand unconsciously reached out, grasping for the ice branch and snowy leaves that were both pure and dazzling, yet also piercingly bright.
Why?
He had already become a demon…
Why!!!
"Flame God Realm King?"
The moment his hand was about to touch the ice branch, a cold, heart-freezing woman's voice suddenly sounded from behind and to the side.
Huo Poyun's fingers halted, but the flame aura at his fingertips leaked out somewhat uncontrollably, melting most of the ice branch before him in an instant.