This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable-Chapter 1671 - 30: It’s Not Too Late Even Now

In the snow.

The Asura King of the Black Armor Domain and the new Sect Master of the Sword Sect lay motionless.

"That final sword... how did it come?" Luo Qiantuo, almost unrecognizable and resembling a corpse picked apart by vultures, rasped.

Even the peerless sword, hailed as truly invincible, did not directly send Luo Qiantuo to his death.

Of course, the only difference between Luo Qiantuo and the dead now is that he can still speak.

Lu Qingshan was not surprised.

Because when he noticed no notification of gained experience points, he knew Luo Qiantuo was still breathing.

His consciousness already beginning to blur, Lu Qingshan faced Luo Qiantuo's question without responding.

First, he didn't want to; second, he couldn't.

His condition was not much better than Luo Qiantuo's.

The remaining shred of strength Lu Qingshan had, he didn't intend to use for bickering with Luo Qiantuo.

How did this sword come?

This unparalleled sword at the end of the road, burning unimaginable life force in an instant; balancing it slightly with his mastery of the Unbreakable Vision of the Divine, Lu Qingshan estimated that a single sword strike had cost him about thirty percent of his life force.

Both the brevity of time and magnitude of thirty percent represented an absolute price.

If not for Lu Qingshan's youth and abundant vitality, he might have perished on the spot—much like how an adult might bear donating a thousand milliliters of blood in batches over a year, but losing a full thousand milliliters in one go would surely endanger his life.

Moreover, blood at least can regenerate... whereas the loss of life force is irreversible.

Having paid such an enormous price, how can you not die?

Lu Qingshan grinned.

"I'll leave the rest to you," he thought to himself. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Okay." A muffled voice responded.

In the next moment, red light spread.

A woman in a red dress with a red sword appeared in the snow, resembling a Fire Lotus blooming amidst the ice.

Luo Qiantuo suddenly raised his eyes, staring blankly and then awoke to bitter realization.

He didn't really ask how Lu Qingshan's sword came out of genuine curiosity, though he was somewhat curious.

The main purpose was merely to test and buy time.

Undoubtedly, Luo Qiantuo's injuries were far more severe than Lu Qingshan's, with only a breath left.

Even if he miraculously escaped this tribulation and returned to Buddha King City, with the resources of a domain, it would take at least a century to heal his injuries.

But he was the Asura King, famed for his physical prowess among the Demonic Cultivators; even with such heavy injuries, as long as he had half a moment, he could recover a bit of strength, barely stand, and then finish off that young man.

Luo Qiantuo couldn't help but sigh.

Because, there was none.

No half-moment of time.

Let alone half a moment, Lu Qingshan wouldn't even give Luo Qiantuo half a breath's time.

Having been through so many life-and-death perils, Lu Qingshan's greatest lesson was never to give the enemy even a moment to catch their breath.

In fact, every formidable foe he overcame was defeated precisely at this point.

Luo Qiantuo was no exception.

In the twenty-day-long fierce battle, had Luo Qiantuo been willing to sacrifice burning his life force, enduring grave injuries, during Lu Qingshan's Spell Breaking cooldown, he forcefully faced him once exchanging injuries under Heavenly Punishment's might, Lu Qingshan would have died.

But he was unwilling.

Luo Qiantuo deemed himself as a top Demon Lord, as the Asura King; if killing a Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivator required such a huge price, what would be left?

Does it make sense?

It seems reasonable.

But reason always belongs to the final victor.

"Does being an Asura King make you exceptional? Allow you to refuse any price? Young Master was willing to sacrifice his life for this sword, if you don't die, who will?" Qin Yitian, suddenly appearing, gritted her silver teeth and murmured.

In reality, Lu Qingshan's current condition was only marginally better than dying on the spot.

How could Qin Yitian not harbor hatred?

Qin Yitian's combat power was insignificantly minor in this battle of invincibility, yet it was insignificant Qin Yitian who was about to conclude everything.

At this moment, Luo Qiantuo recalled his attendant's suggestion to inform Luojia and have him bring others.

If he had followed that suggestion, Lu Qingshan might have been the one dying now?

But alas, there are no ifs.

Does he regret it?

Somewhat, but not excessively.

The near overwhelming gap between him and Lu Qingshan in combat power, ultimately reduced to this hopeless state, relying on others, left Luo Qiantuo filled mostly with frustration and shame.

Luo Qiantuo closed his eyes, waiting for death's arrival.

Qin Yitian did not hesitate; the Dragon Sparrow suddenly shot forth, piercing the snowy night, aiming for the spot between Luo Qiantuo's brows full of black blood.

Suddenly.

A tall figure appeared in front of Luo Qiantuo, extending two fingers to effortlessly catch the Dragon Sparrow.

The Dragon Sparrow trapped in his hand buzzed and struggled incessantly, but could not escape.

The man's fingers were like a pair of iron pincers.

Lying in the snow, retaining the last trace of consciousness, Lu Qingshan looked with difficulty at the newcomer.

Four eyes and four arms, his complexion was dark and ugly, with numerous dense and malevolent marks on his face.

Luohu... Incarnation.

A familiar yet strange enemy.

Familiar because the Luohu Incarnation was the first true formidable enemy Lu Qingshan encountered after coming to this world.

Strange because it had been a long time since then.

The end of Chang'an Years, the beginning of turmoil.

The first meeting with the Luohu Incarnation could be traced back to the Chang'an Years, and the last meeting was in the Wilderness during the Tianyuan's first year.

Since then, the Luohu Incarnation had completely vanished from Sky Dome Heaven, and with Lu Qingshan's cultivation advancing rapidly, he had almost forgotten this once formidable enemy.

Until thirty years later, it appeared again.

Upon reappearing, it brought Lu Qingshan a deeper despair than at the end of Chang'an.

Though Qin Yitian's combat power could not compare to his, his cultivation was equal to his.

The Flying Sword sent forth with Seventh Tribulations cultivation, so effortlessly trapped between two fingers by the Luohu Incarnation... The combat power of this Luohu Incarnation could be glimpsed, and even in his prime state, Lu Qingshan dared not face it.

The Luohu Incarnation smiled at Lu Qingshan.

Whether due to his sinister appearance or other reasons, the smile felt eerie and cold.

"Many years have passed; you've grown quickly." The Luohu Incarnation spoke familiarly to Lu Qingshan, even initiating casual conversation.

If Lu Qingshan wasn't lying on the snow, the scene would seem calm and harmonious.

"Speaking of which, your achievements today owe somewhat to me," continued the Luohu Incarnation. "I never intended to appear so soon, but your defiance is such that if I hadn't arrived in time, Luo Qiantuo would have fallen into your hands."

Though the Luohu Incarnation praised Lu Qingshan with no restraint verbally, it showed no mercy visually; after a light flick of his fingers at the Dragon Sparrow, his two fingers merged and a visibly twisted Demon Qi Spear sliced through the sky.

Where the Demon Qi Spear reached, the vacuum rippled and twisted.

Like a comet, it shot directly at Lu Qingshan's chest, intending to shatter him to pieces.

Lu Qingshan had no time to ponder how the Luohu Incarnation had become so powerful, attempting to muster breath to resist, but he felt completely powerless, let alone able to wield a sword.

No more cards left.

Facing the Asura King, having fought to this point, all his cards were already played; aside from a remnant half-life, nothing remained.

Qin Yitian instinctively stood before Lu Qingshan, shielding him from the Demon Qi Spear's trajectory, trying to protect him.

Lu Qingshan's lips moved slightly, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

This time, it was truly over.

In the isolating, perilous alien domain surrounded by demons, against an overwhelmingly strong foe impossible to defeat even in his prime, not even Lu Qingshan's indomitable will could find the slightest hope.

His already hazy consciousness became even more unfocused.

Without any energy or strength, he should've lain down to die, but perhaps out of resentment, or perhaps the desire to die standing, he inexplicably found a trace of strength, shakily standing up with the Demon Suppressing Scepter as support.

Gazing at the red dress shielding him upfront, his vision gradually blurred, his mind overwhelmed with memories, and he inexplicably pondered many things.

He recalled Xu Hao, who shielded him in Zhenjiang City's stone chamber, recalled the clasped hands and mutual thriving in the small world, recalled the days at Sword Sect's Qingya Terrace, recalled his promise to Gu Yiyi on Mount Tai, recalled the sword opening Heaven's Gate atop Chang'an City, recalled the old Sect Master's Sword Coming Peak, the sword going elsewhere, recalled the struggles endured in the Dao Source Realm...

Though his life was short, he had experienced too many people and events, too many grand and tumultuous moments; now, they fleetingly flashed before his mind.

Now, facing the end, looking back on it all, it seemed complete except for entrusting Xie Qingyun with Fuyou, and Sword Sect...

Sword Sect; though there would be no more Lu Qingshan, Sword Sect still had Yu Canghai, Xue Wujian, and...

Finally, Lu Qingshan recalled a very special woman to him.

Perhaps a Sword Cultivator cherishes only the sword; he had encountered many remarkable women, not to say he wasn't concerned about them, but they never quite compared to the sword. Only she was different.

The stunning first encounter at Sword Coming Peak, the sword wiping out the Origin Demon King's protectiveness, the twice firm "If you wish for me to win, I shall surely triumph over him," willingly losing to send him off; the long-standing rapport, the long-term mutual exchange, transcending mere "master and disciple."

At last, Lu Qingshan thought of the words she spoke at their final parting.

Time flies, and some words ought to be said sooner.

Lu Qingshan thought of her mountain-river-like beauty, and suddenly felt deep regret.

"That sentence should've been said to you back then." He murmured.

The Luohu Incarnation maintained his eerie smile, looking coldly at the staggering Lu Qingshan, "To die at my hand at last, your life has ended fittingly."

Yet, in the next breath, his smile vanished.

A Sword Light shattered the Demon Qi Spear about to pierce Qin Yitian's chest.

A woman stood atop the long sword, descending from the sky, landing in front of the doomed Lu Qingshan.

Then, Lu Qingshan heard two sentences.

One was meant for himself.

"It's not too late even now."

The other was meant for the Luohu Incarnation.

"With me, Xia Daoyun, here, no one can kill him!"