A small town, a bookstore.
The white tree had grown, its entire trunk shimmering like jade, its leaves radiating auspicious light. A spiritual branch of the World Tree had re-nurtured magnificent vitality in the lower realm, something the saints of the upper realm likely never anticipated.
The main hall of the bookstore.
Qin Suihan tidied his robes. A scholar should carry himself like a scholar; etiquette was still important. Once the Confucian robe was perfectly pressed, the scholar rose, took a sip of freshly brewed tea, then reached up to take his sword from the wall. A gentleman carried a sword, as had been the tradition since ancient times, and Qin Suihan, the Confucian Sage, was no exception. Moreover, this sword was no ordinary one.
The Han Niu Sword, the Sacred Sword of the Confucian Way.
On the list of famous swords in the world, the Han Niu Sword ranked just below the Dragon Slaying Sword, though it rarely appeared. As a Confucian Sage's sword, scholars generally avoided fighting if they could, but this time, it was truly unavoidable.
Qin Suihan carried the Han Niu Sword, as white and lustrous as jade, out of the bookstore. This time, not only would there be fighting, but he might also die. The grand vow he had made back then had to be honored.
At the bookstore entrance, Doctor Zhang glanced at Qin Suihan and said, "Going to your death?"
"What else?"
Qin Suihan said with a laugh, "Are you going to collect my corpse?"
"Hmph..."
Doctor Zhang scoffed, "Do you think any corpse would remain if you were killed by those taboos from the Sea of Heavens?"
"Indeed."
Qin Suihan smiled slightly and said, "Aren't you leaving? Be careful not to get caught in the crossfire."
"That shouldn't happen. No matter how unreasonable those taboos are, they wouldn't spare an old doctor, would they?"
"Hmph, suit yourself."
As the scholar, sword in hand, stepped out of the bookstore, his body suddenly expanded and grew, transforming into a Dharma image tens of thousands of feet tall. He looked up at the inverted Sea of Heavens above and laughed heartily, "Qin Suihan is here! If you wish to fight, then fight! But if you seek to reclaim the creation of heaven and earth that belongs to the mortal realm, it will be absolutely impossible!"
"You court death!"
In the sky, a golden giant hand descended from the heavens, reaching directly for the white tree within the bookstore.
"Chop!"
The Han Niu Sword was unsheathed. Its blade was crystal clear and smooth. As it swept through the air, the golden palm was directly severed. The severed part turned into countless shattered starlight, scattering over the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
"You court death?!"
Another voice roared from above, and immediately, a sword aura descended from the sky.
Qin Suihan's giant Dharma image raised his sword, thrusting out a massive golden energy shield that enveloped the entire world. Confucian texts appeared on the shield, vast and profound.
With a rumble, a strand of sword aura struck the golden energy shield, causing fine cracks to appear. Qin Suihan still held his sword pointed at the sky, his expression calm, unmoved.
"Seeing is believing?"
In the sky, another saint roared, followed by a palm strike descending from above.
Instantly, the golden energy shield collapsed with a bang. But Qin Suihan also struck out with a palm, causing the earth to shake. Qin Suihan's palm forcefully blocked the immense and mighty palm strike for the mortal realm.
"Qin Suihan."
A woman's voice came from the sky, "You are merely a downgraded Confucian Sage. Do you truly think you can seek justice for the mortal realm? The heavenly way is as it is. Why must you defy it so?"
Qin Suihan frowned, "Fight or get lost?"
"You..."
The woman was so angry she choked. The next moment, a golden whisk struck down from the heavens.
Qin Suihan blocked it with the Han Niu Sword. Sword light filled the air, forming a screen that propped up the sky.
...
"Confucian Sage, you are seeking your own demise."
Someone shouted low, followed by the descent of Taoist imprints from the sky, transforming into countless sword lights that incessantly attacked the heavenly screen. In an instant, the screen was pierced with innumerable holes, and sword energy continuously assaulted the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
"Su Shanjun!"
Qin Suihan shouted, "What are you waiting for?"
"Coming!"
A white-robed Dharma image rose with a roar, transforming into the appearance of the Mountain God Su Fu. He wielded a golden greatsword and unleashed dozens of consecutive strikes, shattering all the scattered sword energy in the sky. After neutralizing this attack, Su Fu's expression changed drastically. He gasped, "What is this? The peak of the fourteenth realm in Taoism, that's terrifying!"
"Su Fu!"
Someone in the sky roared, "On account of your friendship with Ding Muchen, do not interfere in this matter. We will not trouble you!"
"Why should I give face to my Xi Ge?!"
Su Fu laughed heartily, "Isn't it because you cowards can't beat my Xi Ge? Hahaha, you're making me laugh to death~~~"
"You court death!"
In the sky, dozens of fist imprints rained down, each striking directly at Su Fu.
Su Fu was merely a divine being who had attained enlightenment as an earthly Yin God. How could he withstand these taboos who had achieved sainthood as Yang Gods? Although he continuously blocked with his sword, his body was still repeatedly struck. His golden body rapidly disintegrated, dropping from the fourteenth realm to the eleventh, and further to the middle five realms. He immediately withdrew his Dharma body and fled into the Mountain Lord's Shrine.
"Mr. Qin, I can only help you this much. I have more important matters to attend to. The grand task of protecting all living beings in the world, I leave to you..."
Qin Suihan couldn't help but chuckle. He raised the Han Niu Sword again, condensing a heavenly screen with sword light. Not far behind him, the white tree in the bookstore appeared even more tender and delicate, its spiritual energy almost overflowing.
He was filled with hope, just a little more time was needed.
...
"To bear the will of heaven?"
An old voice echoed from the sky, "You, a mere Confucian Sage, can you bear it?"
"I have to try."
Qin Suihan continuously urged his Dharma body, his entire being radiating Confucian truth.
In the sky, an immensely powerful voice resounded. This time, multiple saints attacked together. Layer upon layer of pressure descended from above, and the Han Niu Sword was immediately bent by the multiple pressures in the sky.
Qin Suihan abruptly let go, allowing the Han Niu Sword to resist on its own. With his fingers spread wide, he controlled the Confucian Sage's sword from afar, his Confucian true energy gushing out, confronting the heavenly immortals with his cultivation.
"Can you bear it?"
A magnificent giant cauldron descended from the sky. With a "clang," the Han Niu Sword completely shattered. Qin Suihan's Dharma body retreated several steps, and he suddenly raised an arm, holding up the heavenly dome that was about to crush down.
"See that?"
A woman's voice sneered from the sky, "As a Confucian Sage, you failed to uphold the rules. Has anyone from the Confucian literary circles stepped forward to resolve this fatal predicament for you, Qin Suihan?"
Qin Suihan chuckled, "One man's actions, one man's responsibility."
"So?"
The woman sneered, "You're willing to give up being a Confucian Sage decreed by heaven and earth, and now you're even willing to give up your own life?"
"Kill me if you want, why the humiliation?"
Qin Suihan laughed to the heavens, "You aloof divine taboos are nothing but a group of filthy ants in my eyes, Qin Suihan. Do you really think I'm willing to reason with you?"
"Good."
The old man's voice sounded, "If you don't want to reason, then die."
"Whatever the consequences, I, Qin Suihan, will accept them."
...
In the sky, various magical artifacts attacked. Qin Suihan's Dharma image's arm instantly turned to annihilation, and then his entire body began to collapse. The fierce attacks from multiple fourteenth-realm taboos had made it impossible for him to sustain such a magnificent Dharma image any longer.
"Qin Suihan!"
A majestic male voice boomed, "You are a Confucian Sage. Why do you insist on seeking death? What is there left in this broken and dilapidated mortal realm that is worth your clinging to and protecting with your life?"
"There is."
Qin Suihan turned, his gaze piercing through thousands of miles.
He saw a little girl in a courtyard diligently practicing swordplay. Every swing was extremely serious. She gritted her teeth, her face already covered in sweat, yet she persisted. Her master, Lin Qing'er, frowned slightly and said, "Why not rest for a while? If you practice so hard... it's actually not necessary. There's always tomorrow..."
"No!"
Little Jiu'er pursed her small lips and said, "How can Brother Lin Zhao fight so many demons alone? I need to finish practicing my sword quickly to help him. Brother Lin Zhao needs someone to help him."
Lin Qing'er pursed her red lips, "Mm, I understand. Then practice."
In another direction, in Bai Di City, the Prime Minister's mansion.
Little Shi had changed into clean clothes and sat alone at the table by the window. On the table were various books on military strategy. While he cultivated his fist intent, he read those obscure military summaries.
"Shi Hu!"
A young man outside called out, "Come out and fly kites with us!"
"No."
Little Shi shook his head and said, "I'll read a bit more!"
"Why bother? You're already the top scorer in both the boxing and military strategy assessments for the Youth Camp. If you study this hard, won't you shame all of us?"
"No..."
Little Shi smiled shyly, "I was poor before and couldn't afford to study. Now that I have the opportunity, I want to catch up. You all go have fun."
In the small town, Qin Suihan saw a young man wielding a wooden sword, practicing with great effort in the courtyard. He actually knew nothing about swordsmanship but was studying it himself, figuring out how to swing his sword to kill demons without being touched by them.
"Lin Zhao, I will avenge you."
Zhang Liucheng gritted his teeth, his voice choked with tears, "If I can't avenge you, don't blame me. It's my fault for being a useless lackey. But it's okay, dying at the hands of the same great demon as you would be considered honoring you, right?"
Qin Suihan's gaze shifted. He then saw a boy, shrouded in mist, sitting dejectedly by the grave on the back of the mountain.
"Daddy, Mommy."
He frowned, scratched his head awkwardly, and smiled, "I've died now too, but I don't know where to find you. What should I do?"
...
Qin Suihan smiled slightly. The mortal realm still had hope!
Then, he turned around and looked at the Confucian taboos in the sky, saying, "Perhaps it's to preserve the last glimmer of hope for the mortal realm?"
"But you have no hope left!" the other party said sternly.
"It doesn't matter, to act righteously and die appropriately."
In the sky, a giant cauldron Dharma image descended, smashing half of Qin Suihan's Dharma image. Qin Suihan then turned and condensed a figure that descended into the bookstore. He lightly patted the white tree and said with a smile, "This is where it ends!"
...
The white tree, its spiritual energy fully nurtured, shattered in response, transforming into countless fortunes and streams of light that surged towards the human lands in all directions.
In an instant, spring returned to the earth, and all things revived.
The four-year-long harsh winter that had afflicted the world began to end at this very second.