Ling Tian Sword God-Chapter 713 - 711: New Variable_1

The sound of the earth-shattering explosion echoed across the hundred-mile radius, as if some terrible cataclysm had occurred.

Terrifying ripples spread through the air like raging tidal waves.

All the experts, whether from the Righteous and Devil Alliance or the Divine Intent Sect, desperately activated their True Qi Defenses or formed groups of two or three to defend themselves, barely managing to withstand the terrifying impact.

Everyone felt a storm sweep past before they finally opened their eyes. The overwhelming shockwaves had dissipated, revealing two figures amidst the dust and fog.

Xia Yunxin's body plummeted from mid-air, and Ling Chen caught her.

"You... why are you so foolish?"

Holding Xia Yunxin, Ling Chen felt the Life Force in her delicate body rapidly slipping away. A sharp pang of heartache suddenly welled up within him, causing his body to convulse. For the first time, he felt such profound sadness, akin to losing a loved one.

"Am I foolish?"

Xia Yunxin's beautiful face was as pale as paper. She forced a smile. "I just couldn't bear to watch you die at Shentu Yan's hands. I couldn't... let him kill you."

With those words, the light in Xia Yunxin's beautiful eyes dimmed considerably, a sign that her life was fading.

"Hold on!" Ling Chen vigorously shook Xia Yunxin, trying to prevent her from losing consciousness. If she fainted now, she might never wake up again.

"Xiner, I'll definitely find a way to save you!"

Holding Xia Yunxin in his arms, Ling Chen felt a wave of panic for the first time in his life.

So this was the agony of impending loss.

"It's no use."

Xia Yunxin shook her head. "When I used the Holy Spirit Talisman, I had already given up on living. To unleash its true power, one must sacrifice their soul. Two Saintesses of the Holy Church died this way in the past. There's no cure."

"No, there must be a way! Trust me." A resolute glint flashed in Ling Chen's eyes. If such evil arts as soul sacrifice existed, then surely there were arts to bring the dead back to life! He refused to believe there wasn't a way in this world to save Xia Yunxin!

"COUGH, COUGH..."

Xia Yunxin suddenly coughed violently, a brief resurgence of color appearing on her deathly pale face. Her expression softened as her delicate hand caressed Ling Chen's cheek. "The promise I made to Master... I've finally... fulfilled it."

Then, she gazed at Ling Chen, a heart-wrenching yet beautiful smile gracing her lips. Softly, she said, "To die in the arms of the one I love... isn't that a blessing in itself? It's just... a little regrettable... that I can't spend the rest of my life with you…"

As she spoke, the light in her eyes flickered and dimmed, her Life Force rapidly draining away until it was almost gone.

"Ling Chen… I hope… I can meet you… in the next life…"

Xia Yunxin's voice grew fainter and fainter, until it finally trailed off into silence. Her hand fell limply to her side.

Ling Chen took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to suppress the overwhelming sorrow in his chest, but tears welled up in his eyes.

Strong as Ling Chen was, he hadn't shed a tear in years. Not even when he fell down the Soul-Burying Cliff, nor when Liu Xiling left him, had he shed a single tear.

But now, Ling Chen wept.

A man doesn't cry easily, only when his heart is truly broken.

Xia Yunxin... Only at the moment of her death did Ling Chen truly understand that she was one of the most important people in his life.

In the Demon Forest, when he was nearly trapped by Prince Tai, it was Xia Yunxin who had saved him.

Later, as he roamed the Jianghu and made enemies of the Saint Witch Religion, it was again Xia Yunxin who had secretly protected him.

And when he was consumed by emotion, acting irrationally and charging into the Sky Void Palace, Xia Yunxin, knowing full well he was walking into death's embrace, had unhesitatingly accompanied him.

Apart from his parents, Xia Yunxin was the kindest person Ling Chen had ever known.

She had always given silently, never uttering a word of complaint.

Yet he had never once told her he loved her.

It was only as Xia Yunxin lay dying that he had finally managed to say he 'liked' her. Before that, he had always turned a blind eye to her affections, never clearly accepting them.

The entirety of Green Cloud Mountain fell into a stunned silence. Everyone stared blankly at the mountain's center, where the Cyan Robe Association's main hall and plaza once stood. Now, it was nothing but ruins. The earlier explosion still left everyone reeling from the shock.

But what shocked them even more was Xia Yunxin's final act: she had sacrificed her own life to protect Ling Chen. The incredible power of the Holy Spirit Talisman was astonishing, but Xia Yunxin's unwavering resolve was even more so.

What kind of conviction could drive someone to sacrifice their life for another?

It was beyond their comprehension. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Even Xu Ruoyan could only offer a bitter smile and shake her head. She had once believed she could do anything for Ling Chen. For his sake, she had willingly ventured into the Ice Dome Prison to cultivate, ready to face death without regret. But she had never imagined someone could surpass her devotion.

Xia Yunxin's love for Ling Chen ran far deeper than her own.

"Brother Ling Chen."

Ling Yin had never seen Ling Chen like this. She wanted to go to him, to offer some comfort.

"Let him be alone for a while."

Just as Ling Yin was about to rise, Liu Feiyue appeared at her side, gently stopping her and whispering softly.

A complex emotion flickered in Liu Feiyue's beautiful eyes. She understood a fraction of what Ling Chen must be feeling. At a time like this, no words of comfort would reach him. To overcome such sorrow, he could only rely on himself.

Love was truly the most troublesome thing in this world.

Some were wounded by it, others died for it, loving to the point of utter despair.

She suspected it would be incredibly difficult for Ling Chen to move on this time.

RUSTLE...

Just then, a slight sound came from the ruins. A hand suddenly thrust out from amidst the dismembered remains of the Exotic Demon Beast. The next moment, a charred figure struggled to climb out from beneath the debris.

After emerging, the figure stared at Ling Chen with dark, malevolent eyes. "Damn little whelp... to think you're still alive after all that..."

"Shentu Yan? He's still alive?!" Liu Feiyue's expression changed drastically as she watched the charred figure emerge.

For Shentu Yan to survive after self-destructing his body... it was simply unbelievable.

"He only detonated the Exotic Demon Beast's body," Xu Ruoyan said, gritting her teeth. "He must have used some technique to separate himself from it at the last moment, thus avoiding the blast."

Shentu Yan didn't appear to be severely injured by the self-detonation; his aura remained potent. Perhaps he even absorbed some of the Exotic Demon Beast's power to heal his injuries. His appearance now, when everyone was exhausted, undoubtedly introduced a new, dangerous variable.