The spectators were momentarily dazed—had Lu Beichen, the so-called "genius cultivator" and "foremost of his generation," truly met his end just like that?
Come to think of it, both of them had once held the title of "foremost of their generation"…
The former prodigy, long overshadowed and forgotten, had suddenly made a dramatic comeback, slaying the current top figure.
From another perspective, it was the newlywed Lu Beichen, at the height of his joy, being assassinated by his own concubine on their wedding day.
The sheer theatricality of the twists and turns made this wedding banquet a spectacle worth attending.
Among the women led by Bai Roushuang, some knelt beside Lu Beichen’s headless corpse, weeping mournfully, while others stood motionless, their expressions unreadable.
Of course, compared to Luo Fusheng, who couldn’t suppress the smirk tugging at her lips, standing still was already a sign of respect.
Fan Yang, enraged, slammed the table and roared at the disciples of the Lingxiao Sect, "What are you all standing around for? Xu Shulou has murdered the sect leader! Execute her on the spot!"
"Yes!"
Fan Zhi also turned to the guests, her voice sharp. "And all of you—you’re honored guests of the Lingxiao Sect. Will you just stand by and watch as our sect leader is slain and our elders humiliated?"
…Well, you never mentioned that attending a wedding banquet would involve bodyguard duties.
The crowd snapped out of their shock, but no one spoke up immediately. Had this woman still been the useless waste they once knew, many would have rushed to cut her down to curry favor with the Lingxiao Sect. But now, witnessing her terrifying strength, hesitation took hold.
The cultivation world revered power above all else—brutal and unyielding.
Still, since Fan Zhi had spoken, they couldn’t exactly reply, "We’re busy feasting at Lu Beichen’s funeral, so handle it yourself." Some reluctantly rose, preparing to make a token effort.
Others remained unmoved, while those with closer ties to Lu Beichen seethed with fury, eager to join the assault on Xu Shulou.
"Perfect. I’m in a hurry—come at me together." Xu Shulou stood tall, her sword steady, unflinching like a mountain peak. Her hair and robes fluttered despite the absence of wind. The red bridal gown, once a symbol of joy, now dripped with blood, lending her an air of lethal grace.
Her righteous aura was so overwhelming that it made her attackers seem like the villains.
Feng Jiuyou, Lu Beichen’s friend, let out a furious roar upon seeing his death and hurled a blast of phoenix flame at Xu Shulou without a second thought.
The fire came swift and scorching, its heat capable of incinerating the world, drawing gasps from the crowd.
But Feng Jiuyou had already been one of her defeated opponents in another realm—why would Xu Shulou fear him now?
With a flick of her sleeve, she wrapped the flames in her own spiritual energy and hurled them straight at Qi Wutong, striking that pretty, stunned face with pinpoint accuracy.
Qi Wutong, lax in her cultivation, had no hope of dodging. She burst into flames instantly, writhing in agony on the ground as nearby cultivators scrambled away, terrified of being caught in the phoenix fire.
Feng Jiuyou, still mid-attack, froze in shock—only for Xu Shulou’s sword to pierce his chest. A piercing phoenix cry echoed, and the crowd collectively sucked in a breath.
Xu Shulou moved like a reaper, felling foes one after another without pause.
The third sword of Creation—Judgment.
After slaying a truly wicked soul, the sword briefly activated its Judgment Domain, doubling the wielder’s combat prowess within its bounds.
Xu Shulou didn’t know the exact criteria the Creation Sword used, but this world’s Lu Beichen had undoubtedly earned the title of "wicked."
"Fan Yang and Fan Zhi, guilty of poisoning minds with love charms—death is their due."
"Feng Jiuyou and Qi Wutong, murderers and thieves—no mercy shall be shown."
"Shen Zhuang, hands stained with countless lives—no atonement suffices."
"Gao Zhang, who usurped his elder brother Gao Zhuo’s place as master of the Black Tortoise Tower—deserves death."
"…"
One judgment after another rolled off Xu Shulou’s tongue, each pronouncement followed by a swift execution. With every sentence, the crowd stirred anew.
The onlookers’ faces cycled through a kaleidoscope of expressions, as if performing an elaborate theatrical act—shock, bewilderment, panic, dread, and even exhilaration. One spectator slapped his thigh in excitement, lamenting only that he hadn’t brought enough melon seeds for the show.
Before the wedding hall, a red carpet of blood spread from Xu Shulou’s feet, stretching outward, its hue mirroring the scarlet drapes overhead. The world itself seemed dyed crimson.
This was, without a doubt, the most unforgettable wedding banquet any of them had ever attended.
By the time Xu Shulou halted, fewer than half the guests remained.
Not all had been slain—many had fled in terror, fearing she might lose control and strike indiscriminately. Only the most thrill-seeking dared to stay.
Their worries proved unnecessary. Xu Shulou merely knocked out the Lingxiao disciples whose morals were unclear, sparing their lives.
With her targets dealt with and no further challengers stepping forward, Xu Shulou finally sheathed her sword. Standing atop the dais, she surveyed the remaining guests and cleared her throat.
The crowd trembled. Yes, yes, no need to explain—they understood. They were expected to stay and feast at Fan Yang’s funeral banquet too, right?
Instead, Xu Shulou merely smiled amid the sea of blood. "Anyone else care to try?"
The sword in her hand transformed back into a folding fan, which she flicked open with a casual wave.
Decisive, effortless dominance.
Were it not for the river of blood beneath her boots, her poise might have won countless admirers.
"Damn it all, I’ve had enough of that hypocrite Lu Beichen!" someone shouted. "Xu Shulou is the true foremost of our generation!"
The crowd side-eyed the speaker—wasn’t that laying it on a bit thick?
Still, they couldn’t help comparing the two "foremost" figures.
Lu Beichen had always played the part of the elegant scholar, clad in white jade-adorned robes, his smile meticulously practiced to charm hearts.
Xu Shulou, on the other hand… Well, let’s just say her methods were far more ruthless. Inspiring awe, yes—but winning affection? Unlikely.
One thing was certain: today’s events would dominate cultivation world gossip for years to come. Xu Shulou’s name would resound through the ages, reborn as a legend of an entirely different kind.
Xu Shulou tossed the Golden Bell Flame Shield—dropped beside Lu Beichen’s corpse—back to Luo Fusheng. The artifact’s activation flaw shifted each time, ensuring her survival.
"Miss Xu," stammered the elderly matron who had escorted her earlier, her legs now weak with fear. Seeing Xu Shulou’s gaze, she hastily deflected, "What should be done with… them?"
Xu Shulou glanced at the gathered women. "Why should I decide their fate?"
…Because your history with them, especially Bai Roushuang, is practically common knowledge.
Xu Shulou stepped forward. Bai Roushuang collapsed to the ground, trembling as she looked up in terror.
Instead of striking, Xu Shulou simply offered a hand to help her up. "You’re not so devoted as to seek death for Lu Beichen’s sake, are you?"
Bai Roushuang had no doubt that a nod would earn her an immediate beheading. She shook her head frantically.
"Then go back to Bright Moon Peak with..." Xu Shulou glanced around and spotted Ji Ci among the guests, "that little brat."
"...You're not going to kill me?"
Xu Shulou gave her a disdainful once-over. "No need. With that mess of cultivation you’ve got, you probably can’t harm anyone anymore. Hurry back and focus on proper training."
Ji Ci stammered out, "...Senior Sister."
"No need to call me that," Xu Shulou shook her head. "In this timeline, our master-disciple bond has ended."
"..." Ji Ci called after her again, "Was the love poison real?"
Xu Shulou walked away without turning back. "Whether it’s real or not, I don’t owe you—or anyone—an explanation."
Arrogant, indeed. But the onlookers quickly realized she had a point. She’d already dealt with the perpetrator herself, didn’t need anyone to seek justice for her, so why bother with empty words?
They watched as she strode down the blood-red carpet, her departure carrying the air of someone who had settled their affairs and walked away untouched. Killing one person would have marked her for eternal pursuit by the Lingxiao Sect. But challenging an entire sect? No one dared to trouble her after that.
———
Xu Shulou activated the Void Chain Ring and left that world behind.
She expected to return to reality, but instead, she found herself facing the same endless dark corridor. Pausing, she seemed to grasp something and ran to the left side of the nearest door. If each door represented a point in time, perhaps she could reach the very beginning—before any tragedy had unfolded—and rewrite everything.
After passing dozens of doors, she finally stopped. Cautiously, she carved a mark into one before pushing it. To her surprise, it didn’t budge. Stunned, she tried the surrounding doors, but none moved—as if they were mere decorative paintings on the wall, stripped of their function as actual doors.
She had no choice but to retrace her steps, testing each door along the way, until she returned to the one that led to the wedding banquet.
Xu Shulou sighed softly and pushed it again. Still no response. Undeterred, she tried the door directly opposite. This time, with a creak, the wooden door swung open, and a familiar white light engulfed her. She tumbled through it.
Dustless Island?
She steadied herself, taking in the familiar scenery.
Before she could fully process when or where she was, someone rushed past, dragging a pale-faced Bai Roushuang along. "Junior Sister Bai, hide quickly! The demons are attacking!"
The clashing of weapons echoed from below the mountain. Xu Shulou understood—this was the demon invasion, before the wedding banquet. After Lu Beichen used Ling Yuechan’s intel to retrieve demon corpses, he’d invited retaliation. When the demons struck, Lu Beichen had been in Dustless Island for discussions, and both Bai Roushuang and Xu Shulou were caught in the siege. The sect had prioritized protecting Bai Roushuang, leaving Xu Shulou to suffer at the demons’ hands.
Xu Shulou took a deep breath and clenched her fists.
"Where’s my husband?" Bai Roushuang pressed.
"Leader Lu is fighting! Just come with me!" The disciple clearly noticed Xu Shulou standing there but didn’t pause, pulling Bai Roushuang away without hesitation.
Just then, a squad of demons passed by. The disciple reacted swiftly, yanking Bai Roushuang behind a boulder to hide.
Xu Shulou, however, found herself surrounded. The lead demon eyed her. "One of Lu Beichen’s people. Capture her!"
"I hold no weight in Lu Beichen’s heart," Xu Shulou said coolly. "Using me as leverage won’t work."
"Then who does?"
Behind the boulder, the two trembled in fear. The male cultivator hissed, "It’s obviously Junior Sister Bai! Xu Shulou is definitely going to betray you!"
But to their shock, Xu Shulou laughed. "The one who matters most to him is himself. What’s the point of taking me hostage? How about I just deliver him to you instead?"
