Sword Ascendance of the Five Elements Chapter 104: Oath of Allegiance

“Since you’ve come all this way, don’t be in such a hurry to leave…”

The sacred maiden stood seven feet tall, clad in a sleek black silk robe embroidered with mandarin ducks, her figure tightly contoured, curves both alluring and graceful. Her countenance was fair and delicate.

Her large, lively eyes spoke volumes of feminine tenderness.

Though her features and figure were somewhat less striking than Luo Jinghong’s, she was still undeniably a beauty.

Compared to her, Su Ye found himself more intrigued by the cave dwelling the sacred maiden occupied.

On the northern terrace, there was a high-backed stone chair adorned at the top with crimson flames. The aura emanating from it rippled like water.

Behind the chair, a three-zhang-long hanging scroll was suspended on the cliff face, depicting a goddess with flowing sleeves ascending toward a celestial sky at the painting’s summit.

Peering through the rippling aura, the artwork seemed almost like a living scene.

At the bottom of the scroll, wild cursive script read: “The Great Night’s Dream Returns, Goddess Flies to Heaven — Qian Daoqing.”

Two square ancient seal stamps, one reading “Painting Sage,” the other “Seal of Qian Daoqing,” were affixed in vermilion and white.

Observing the flowers, trees, and ink-drawn passersby on the ground, it was clear this was an authentic masterpiece by the Painting Sage.

Its value was considerable.

“You three, help me grind the evil poison flower into powder,” the sacred maiden’s clear, commanding voice reached Su Ye’s ears, pulling him back from his reverie. “Be quick about it. Don’t starve my gu insects.”

Gu cultivation, a mysterious sect imported from the Western Regions.

The three unfortunate souls, having just stepped down from the altar, sat before the mortar and pestle and began their laborious task.

Soon enough, the careless one accidentally shattered the mortar.

The mortar reformed, the herbs returned to their places.

Zhou An seized the opportunity to slip into a corner and hide, shirking the work.

The only one willing to endure hardship, Zhang Qiang, accustomed to masonry work, produced crushed herbs that were not finely ground.

The sacred maiden and Su Ye sat opposite each other at the stone table on the high terrace, their backs to the three men. Their movements unfolded vividly within Su Ye’s spiritual perception.

“Don’t you fear that entrusting these three with your task will spoil everything?” the sacred maiden’s bright eyes studied Su Ye.

She not only kept over a hundred male companions but also slept with prominent figures throughout the sect.

Called dual cultivation, in truth it involved using gu insect substitutes to seize the essence of prey targets.

From the moment Su Ye first saw her, he knew she was a flawless gem.

Her reputation as one who allowed herself to be plucked was merely a ruse to snatch essences.

Even so, forgoing the pure reputation held dear by worldly women marked her as ruthless.

The sacred maiden’s single sentence revealed myriad truths.

Su Ye grasped it instantly.

He summoned a boundary compass, setting up a relatively weak shielding array.

It blocked sound but did not obstruct spiritual perception.

“The basic formation was reconstructed by Zhang Qiang, Zhou An scattered the silencing cloud powder,” Su Ye chuckled lightly, “as for Brother Careless, as long as he can read, that’ll do.”

“Not sure he can read,” the sacred maiden doused him with cold water.

Beneath her alluring exterior was the heart of a mischievous girl.

“That doesn’t matter,” Su Ye said confidently.

“I have already discerned your entire plan… If you want it to proceed smoothly, you must offer me a treasure,” the sacred maiden lifted her chin slightly.

This reminded Su Ye of his friend, Mo Chen.

Su Ye smiled and shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot comply.”

The sacred maiden leaned forward, her gaze turning icy cold.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll cast a lifetime-controlling gu on you?”

“You possess the Miao Zhen realm cultivation… If you intended to cast a gu on me, I would be powerless to resist,” Su Ye replied calmly. “Ultimately, you don’t truly desire that.”

The sacred maiden straightened, smiling seductively.

“Captain Qi said you are exceptionally clever; seeing you today, it’s certainly true.”

“Fair lady, you are also a clever one.”

“You should know, the one speaking with you now is your future self,” the sacred maiden’s voice carried a faint aloofness. “With your current cultivation, you are not even a true cultivator, hardly worthy to sit at my table…”

“Since this is a conversation with my future self, ask whatever you wish.”

“If I were to save Zhu Zan…” the sacred maiden’s bright eyes fixed on Su Ye. “How would you respond?”

“If the remaining consciousness cannot be erased, the only way is to destroy the body that holds the spirit entirely,” Su Ye answered with calm composure. “Anything related to the Sword Demon… aside from the once-invincible legend, must not be allowed to remain.”

“The Demon Ancestor is not your parents’ killer,” the sacred maiden said. “The true enemy has already been buried by your own hand.

Your great vengeance has been fulfilled.”

“Many tragedies stem from the Great Formation of Creation. As long as the Demon Sect exists, the people will suffer endlessly,” Su Ye met the sacred maiden’s lively eyes with unwavering resolve. “Until your sect is destroyed, I will have no peace.”

“So you laid this trap to strike at the heart?”

“Whether the deity perishes, or both form and spirit are obliterated, the choice is yours.”

“Is this the future you?”

“No.”

“How would he answer?”

“With supreme divine power, he would wipe out the sect.”

The sacred maiden gazed at Su Ye’s composed face.

For a moment, she seemed to glimpse the once-mighty Demon Ancestor.

The difference between them lay only in the reasons for their slaughter.

This was why the line was drawn between the Sword Immortal and the Sword Demon.

——

Careless held the black-gold mortar with both hands, intoxicated as he presented the crushed herbs beside the sacred maiden.

She glanced at Careless’s unusually colored eyes but dared not hope for more.

With a wave of her right hand, the mortar was summoned onto the stone table.

“Go grind more herbs,” the sacred maiden gently commanded.

Careless closed his eyes, intoxicated by the fragrant aroma.

It was as if he had taken a great restorative pill, instantly revitalizing him.

“…A real talent,” Su Ye admitted with some embarrassment.

The sacred maiden’s right hand hovered above the mortar, engraved with a demon seal. Several gu insects of various colors slid down her slender fingers into the mortar, greedily devouring the pungent medicinal mixture.

“Mr. Su, you never leave empty-handed…”

“Let me put it another way.”

“Mr. Su’s obsession with magical treasures far exceeds that of ordinary men,” the sacred maiden smiled lightly. “May I have the honor of striking a deal with you?”

“A deal? Do tell,” Su Ye’s interest was piqued.

“I know you possess a certain demonic treasure,” the sacred maiden lowered her voice. “I’m willing to offer two spiritual treasures in exchange… Are you interested?”

“Two divine treasures, or mundane ones?”

“Buddhist treasures.”

Su Ye’s eyes suddenly brightened.

The Buddhist sect had long been suppressed by the Great Qian court, and many Buddhist treasures had flowed into the secular world.

Having deep connections with Buddhism, Su Ye was naturally curious about what treasures the sacred maiden held.

He immediately summoned the Eight Trigrams Prisoning Heaven Box, placing it beside the mortar.

Startled, the gu insects fled away from the demonic treasure.

A flash of golden light appeared in the sacred maiden’s hand, revealing two wooden boxes.

They were placed quietly to the right of the Eight Trigrams Prisoning Heaven Box, positioned between it and the black-gold mortar.

Su Ye cast a glance at the mortar and smiled faintly.

“I have a somewhat impolite request.”

“Please speak freely, Mr. Su.”

“How about considering this black-gold mortar as a gift?”

The sacred maiden smiled warmly.

“Mr. Su truly knows how to make a deal… It’s a deal.”

She opened the first wooden box.

Inside was a damaged scripture.

Upon closer inspection, it was titled The Great Luo Vajra Staff.

She returned it to the box and stored it in a jade gourd.

Opening the second wooden box, there lay a staff three inches long.

Subtle spatial forces compressed it from its original size.

Su Ye reached in and took out the staff.

It expanded with the breeze to about eight feet in length.

Wrapped with iron dragon bindings on both sides, the middle sealed with vermilion lacquer.

Five Sanskrit characters were carved in gold: “Dragon-Encircling Protector Staff.”

Su Ye looked up at the sacred maiden and spoke frankly.

“The value of these two Buddhist treasures far exceeds that of the Eight Trigrams Prisoning Heaven Box.”

The sacred maiden smiled with subtle charm, her voice lively and gentle.

“This is a trade, and also a token of allegiance to the future…”