Chapter 2: Side by Side

07 Jul, 2025

Chapter 2: Side by Side

"That feeling…" The giant on the Heavenspan River murmured.

A hint of warmth flashed through his cold and deep abyss-like eyes.

"That feeling is unforgettable, isn't it?"

The old and hoarse voice echoed in the distance again.

The black-robed elder had appeared on the shore of the Heavenspan River at some point in time. He raised his head and looked at the giant in the river.

"Yes," the giant replied.

He seemed to be using the last of his strength to swim downstream. There seemed to be his obsession, as well as his unfinished mission.

"Is that feeling worth you giving up everything?" the black-robed elder asked again. He seemed very puzzled.

"I have nothing to begin with. What is there to talk about?" the giant replied.

"No, you once had everything. The famous Xue Han, Xue Hanzi," the black-robed elder said softly. His face was filled with pity and sorrow.

"Xue Hanzi…" The giant paused and raised his head. His eyes seemed to pierce through the purple clouds and see the clear blue sky.

There was nothing in the blue sky, and yet, he could see the Wildlands, as well as images from his memories.

In that memory, he saw a burly, rugged, and handsome young man. He held a blood-colored spear in his hand, and stood atop a towering Rockgem Peak.

He wore a blood-colored robe that rippled in the wind, and his hair whipped about him. It was impossible to conceal the arrogance and heroism on his face!

Beneath the peak, cultivators of all shapes and sizes could be seen. They were packed like an army of thousands upon thousands of men and horses, and all of them seethed with killing intent.

"Xue Han, you trespassed on Mount Nine Serenities, which is under the control of the Arch-Emperor. You stole the Profound Nine Serenities Blood, and injured many of our disciples.

What punishment do you think you deserve? "A white-haired old man in a white robe hovered there in midair, looking like a transcendent being.

"The Profound Nine Serenities Blood is something born of heaven and earth," Xue Han said, chuckling softly. "The Profound Nine Serenities Blood is something born of heaven and earth. It belongs to the strong. What crime do I commit?"

"Scum of the Heavenspan Daoist Society," the white-haired old man said coldly. "Hand over the Profound Nine Serenities Blood, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise, don't even think about escaping!"

"You people don't qualify," Xue Han said, his voice filled with arrogance.

"You overestimate yourself!"

The white-haired old man roared. He waved his sleeve, causing a silver heavenly saber to appear, blotting out the sun as it slashed down toward Xue Han.

The will of extermination exploded out, and the power of destruction rose to the heavens!

In the blink of an eye, an intense sensation of deadly crisis rose up within Xue Han. However, his expression didn't change in the slightest. Instead, he chuckled disdainfully. Veins bulged out on his right hand, which turned the color of blood, and he reached out to grab the silver heavenly saber.

BAM!

Accompanied by a loud boom, Xue Han used only one hand to catch the silver heavenly blade. The Glazed Rock Peak beneath his feet had already cracked under the intense impact, and the mountain rocks tumbled down.

"You caught my Silver Heavenly Saber with your bare hands?"

The white-haired old man said, his face flickering. "I never would have guessed that a scum like you would cultivate the Undying Technique to such a level."

However, what shocked him even more was that in the next moment, his Silver Mirror Heavenly Blade had already started to crack along Xue Han's fingertips, spreading out like a spider web!

KACHA!

In just two breaths, the Silver Heavenly Saber had been crushed by Xue Han. It turned into countless pieces and fell to the ground!

As the Silver Heavenly Saber shattered, Xue Han began to move.

He exerted force under his feet and soared into the air. His terrifying strength crushed the Glazed Rock Peak and caused it to collapse. At the same time, his entire body was like a blood-red hammer, creating a whistling sound as he charged towards the white-haired old man!

Heaven Shaking Tackle!

BAM!

Before the white-haired old man could react, Xue Han had already closed in. He used his terrifying physical body to smash the white-haired old man into pieces!

It was as if a blood-red flower had bloomed in the sky!

The surrounding disciples gasped at the sight. Their eyes were wide open. They couldn't believe that their Sect Leader couldn't even last one round against Xue Han.

However, it wasn't over yet. In the next instant, Xue Han activated the Undying Technique and his physical strength exploded once again. His entire body was like a blood-red meteor as he crashed into the ground.

This collision was like a collision between heaven and earth, like a collision between a mountain and a river. A deafening boom reverberated in the air. The ground couldn't withstand the impact and exploded.

The huge impact directly destroyed the bodies and souls of hundreds of disciples. Even from afar, thousands of disciples vomited blood!

"Quick, get the Heavenly King to come out of seclusion and kill the Blood Demon!" A disciple suddenly shouted!

However, just as the disciple was shouting, a sharp phoenix cry suddenly came from the sky. Then, a fiery phoenix spread its wings in the sky. Everywhere it passed, the ground was scorched. The feathers formed by flames landed on the disciple's body, instantly incinerating him!

"The Heavenly King that you're talking about won't be able to come out of seclusion for the rest of his life."

Accompanied by a cold female voice, in the next instant, a fairy-like young girl in a green muslin dress walked over from the sky.

In her hand was a bloody old woman's head.

It was the Heavenly King that the disciples had been talking about.

"How dare you bully my Junior Brother while my Master is in seclusion? Do you think I, Zhen Ling'er, don't exist?"

Then, Zhen Ling'er crushed the old woman's head in her hand. With a wave of her hand, countless phoenix feathers fell, instantly turning the entire ground into a sea of fire.

Nightfall.

Moments ago, the land had been filled with howls and screams, but now it was completely silent. Not even the cries of beasts could be heard.

A bonfire seemed to have become the only embellishment in this darkness.

Inside, two heroic faces could be seen. They were Xue Han and Zhen Ling'er.

"Little Junior Brother," Zhen Ling'er said, her voice filled with righteous indignation. "The Arch-Emperor Dynasty sees the Heavenspan League as a remnant evil, and wants to kill us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!"

"The way I see it, the only reason they dared to bully you is because your name isn't domineering enough. Hmm… from now on, you'll be called Master Xue Hanzi.

"Master is currently in secluded meditation, building up power. The time has come for us to join forces and slaughter the Arch-Emperor Dynasty.

"Once Master comes out of seclusion, we'll definitely be able to drive the Arch-Emperor Dynasty out of the Heavenspan River in one fell swoop. When that time comes, I'll found a paragon sect. We'll call it… the Frigid School. What do you think, Little Junior Brother?"

Zhen Ling'er continued to speak, clearly looking forward to the future.

"Frigid School?"

"That's right," Zhen Ling'er replied. "As in Xue Han." With that, she tossed a silver pearl over to Xue Han.

"What's that?" Xue Han asked, catching the pearl.

"I don't know," Zhen Ling'er replied casually. "I found it on that old woman. It seems to be very precious."

Xue Han gripped the pearl tightly and scanned it with divine sense. Unexpectedly, he could sense that the pearl contained a sealing power that not even his Master would be able to break through.

…

Back on the Heavenspan River, the giant looked away, and then back at the black-robed old man.

"Ever since then, the name Master Xue Hanzi has been with me for the rest of my life. Some people fear me, and others revere me."

"Presumably, that was the most glorious moment of your life," the black-robed old man said, sighing.

"I didn't care about glory. The only thing I cared about was her," the giant said weakly.

The giant mumbled weakly. It struggled to move forward, and with every step, it felt as if its life force was being drained away. Blood continued to flow out of it.

His life force was completely gone, and his vision was blurry. The road ahead of him was long and arduous, and countless memories flashed through his mind. As of this moment, he wasn't sure whether he had been glorious, or miserable.

…

Endless sounds of fighting and roars reverberated throughout the world.

As far as the eye could see, the earth had already been dyed the color of blood.

Life was like fireworks, constantly blooming and falling, beautiful yet cruel.

"We cultivators will fight to the death! We will defend Spirit Specter City to the death! We will never let the Arch-Emperor's bloodline take it back!"

"We can't hold on much longer! The arch-emperor has already sent heavenly kings!"

However, at this moment, the distant sky was suddenly dyed blood-red, like a blood-red sunset.

In the next moment, a blood-red giant appeared in the sky. He had a jade-inlaid gold-threaded crown on his head and a blood-red glazed armor on his body. He held a hundred-foot-long blood-red spear in his hand. The blood-red sunset behind him was like a cloak.

He was like a God of War that had descended. His aura was monstrous, and everywhere he passed, all living beings would submit to his aura!

"Look, it's Xue Hanzi!"

"That's right. It's Senior Brother Xue Hanzi. He's finally out of seclusion!"

In the blink of an eye, the Heavenspan disciples on the city walls were all excited, and their eyes shone with unprecedented brilliance.

As far as they were concerned, there was no one more reliable than Elder Brother Xue Hanzi.

In contrast, the hundreds of thousands of cultivators from the Arch-Emperor Dynasty looked on in fear. As far as they were concerned, Xue Hanzi and Zhen Ling'er were like gods of slaughter.

"How could this be, Xue Hanzi?

You've mastered the Undying Technique, and are now a demigod! "

One of the heavenly kings from the Arch-Emperor's army had a look of disbelief on his face.

"The tyranny of the Arch-Emperor arouses the indignation of both man and god," Xue Hanzi said, his voice booming like thunder!

He waved his blood-colored spear, causing wild colors to flash in heaven and earth to flash. A huge vortex appeared, and blood-colored lightning bolts shot out like dragons, filled with the will of magical law of extermination.

Wherever the lightning touched, all living things were destroyed!

Down below, the cultivators from the Arch-Emperor's bloodline began to cry out in anguish.

At the same time, Xue Hanzi took a step forward, drawing on his Undying Technique.

His enormous frame seemed to teleport, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of one of the heavenly kings.

With a casual sweep of his blood-colored spear, the heavenly king was completely impaled!

"Xue Hanzi…" the heavenly king murmured, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the blood-colored giant.

"The Arch-Emperor is dead," Xue Hanzi said. "Change the heavens of this world!"

With that, he waved his blood-colored spear, and the heavenly king was ripped to shreds, killed in body and soul.

Moments ago, the army of the Arch-Emperor had been so overbearing, but now, they were in complete disarray.