Chapter 259 — Killing the Immortal
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 5 of 10
Though the Abbess Shuijing had driven back the enemies around them, her face was ashen, and she was gasping for breath; yet the light in her eyes remained firm as she called out loudly to Lu Xueling: "Xueqi, live on—remember your master's words, live on well..."
Before she could finish, the Abbess Shuijing's body gave a violent shudder, her face draining of all color in an instant. Lu Xueling turned deathly pale and cried out in terror: "Master, what—what's happened to you..."
Her voice suddenly choked off. A keen-edged long saber, streaked with blood, had thrust out through the Abbess Shuijing's chest. The Abbess swayed once, then abruptly gave a furious shout.
She whirled and struck out with her palm, sending the assassin behind her flying several zhang, blood gushing from his mouth—plainly he would not live.
Yet the man was fierce even in death; though his life was forfeit, as his body flew he still gripped the long saber fast, and with a burst of bloody spray the blade tore free of his body. The Abbess Shuijing gave a groan of pain, spun twice on the spot, and at last could hold out no longer—she collapsed.
Lu Xueling's mind went blank in an instant; she did not know from where in her body the strength surged up, but the Divine Sword Tianxuan blazed with brilliant light like a furious phoenix soaring to the heavens, and in a moment drove back every demon cult minion within a zhang around her, flesh and blood flying in all directions as countless numbers failed to evade in time and perished beneath Tianxuan.
Having driven back the demon cult minions, she staggered to Shuiyue's side and flung her arms around her, tears blurring her eyes as she wept and cried: "Master, Master... what's happened to you, don't leave me..."
The wound in Shuiyue's chest was too deep; blood fountained out, and at a glance it was plain that nothing could be done.
Even the light in her eyes was fading swiftly, yet it seemed she still heard her beloved disciple's weeping, for a final trace of a smile appeared on her pale face. Looking at Lu Xueling, she said in broken snatches: "Xueqi... remember... live on well..."
The word "well" barely forced its way out, and the Abbess Shuijing seemed to have lost all strength; her body trembled faintly, then went limp, and her eyes slowly closed.
Lu Xueling felt as though a thunderbolt had struck her; her whole body swayed on the verge of collapse. But the demon cult members around them would give her no time—seizing this brief moment, another great host of enemies came surging forward. Lu Xueling's face was deathly white, as though for the moment she could not bear the fact of her master dying before her eyes, or as though she had at last lost all will to live; she stood woodenly, making no move to resist.
But suddenly a figure darted past and pulled her clear of the danger. Lu Xueling started and turned to look—it was her senior sister Wen Pei, likewise drenched in blood. A pang seized Lu Xueling's heart, and choking back tears she said: "Sister, Master, she—she..."
Wen Pei's eyes too were brimming with tears, but she clenched her teeth, drove back the enemy before her with a single sword stroke, gripped Lu Xueling's hand tightly, and cried out loudly: "Sister, obey Master's words—we must live on well!"
Lu Xueling's body shuddered; she turned and cast one look at that figure now slowly swallowed by the crowd of the demon cult, that figure already bereft of life, and it was as though two flames suddenly kindled in her eyes.
Gritting her teeth, she once more swung up the Divine Sword Tianxuan; back to back with Wen Pei, she poured out every last ounce of strength in her body, fighting desperately, holding on, enduring bitter hardship for every shred of hope to live.