Farewell to Demon-Slaying

Inside Demon-Slaying City's Number One Forging Workshop, Xu Xian was busy packing his belongings.

The spirit furnace and the forging table had been given to him by his master. Xu Xian was a sentimental person, so he had to take them with him.

As for the rest, there didn't seem to be much else worth taking.

Zhou Yashan and the others waited quietly by his side. They exchanged glances, looking from one to another and then back to Xu Xian. Their eyes were full of hesitation, yet none of them dared to speak up first.

Xu Xian spoke bluntly without looking up, "If you have something to say, just say it. At this point, there's no need to hold back..."

Zhou Yashan steeled himself and spoke, "Master Xu, I'll be direct then. The one-year term we agreed upon is almost up, but now that Demon-Slaying City has ended up in this state, you see..."

He trailed off, leaving the implication hanging.

Xu Xian naturally understood what they meant. His movements paused slightly as he looked out toward the workshop's entrance.

Snow fell in flurries upon the desolate streets. He let out a sigh and said, "Indeed, man proposes, but Heaven disposes. In just half a month, who could have imagined that the once-thriving Demon-Slaying City would fall into such a miserable state?"

He paused, then looked at the ten of them with a smile. "I understand what you mean. I haven't forgotten my word, but none of us could have predicted this sudden catastrophe. It wasn't what you wanted, nor was it what I wanted."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yashan and the others sighed repeatedly.

"If you want to blame me, then go ahead. In the end, I am the one breaking my word," Xu Xian said.

Zhou Yashan quickly clarified their intent, "We have no such intention. Master Xu is right; no one could have foreseen this situation. Naturally, we don't blame you. We didn't come here today to demand accountability. We simply thought that since we've worked together and you've always treated us well, we should be fair. Since we can't continue, we came to tell you properly. We'll part on good terms and head our separate ways."

Xu Xian was slightly taken caught off guard. His gaze shifted, slowly scanning the group.

Their expressions were sincere, confirming their words.

"Do you truly think that way?"

Zhou Yashan affirmed, "Naturally!"

Xu Xian burst into laughter. "In that case, I was judging the hearts of gentlemen with the mind of a scoundrel."

The group grinned.

"Master Xu is joking. We aren't unreasonable people."

To be fair, they had indeed been treated quite harshly by Xu Xian at the beginning. But ultimately, they were the ones who had initiated the conflict, and their skills had simply been inferior. There was nothing to complain about.

Later on, while it was true that Xu Xian had taken advantage of their situation, he had also genuinely saved them from dire straits.

It was like someone giving them a cup of water in the desert and asking for ten cups back once they were out. Although it was ten times the amount, that one life-saving cup made the ten cups trivial in comparison.

Xu Xian had indeed treated them well.

Now that this unforeseen disaster had occurred, there were losses, but they couldn't blame the youth.

Moreover, after this ordeal, they couldn't help but feel a few more degrees of respect for Xu Xian.

Two divine swords.

Sweeping through the eight directions.

That command to 'get back.'

It still echoed in their ears.

To have worked with such a person would be something they could boast about for the rest of their lives.

Xu Xian finished packing, clapped the dust off his hands, and walked over to them. He took a deep breath and smiled frankly.

"Very well. Since you are all so open-minded, let's leave it at that. Past grievances are wiped clean, and our previous contracts are hereby void. We part on good terms."

Zhou Yashan led the response, "We will follow your arrangements, Master Xu."

With a wave of Xu Xian's sleeve, ten storage bags appeared out of thin air. Controlled by his spirit power, they floated toward the ten men.

The ten of them took the bags, looking puzzled. "Master Xu, what is this?"

Xu Xian said, "Each of these storage bags contains the corpses of two seventh-grade beast emperors. One bag for each of you. Consider it severance pay, compensation, wages, or simply my final gift to you."

The ten men were visibly shaken.

Even Wen Qingxue, standing to the side, couldn't hide the change in her expression.

Complete corpses of seventh-grade beast emperors. Two of them.

That was an exorbitant price.

Furthermore, if not for the appearance of the auspicious beast during this battle—which caused beast emperors, beast sovereigns, and even beast gods to manifest frequently—such beings were usually impossible to find.

The value of demon beasts increased exponentially with their grade.

A fifth-grade beast was only worth about a thousand spirit stones.

A single beast king could sell for tens of thousands.

As for a beast emperor... you could easily get several hundred thousand, if not a million, for one.

Two of them were definitely worth over a million.

"Master Xu, this is far too valuable."

"Indeed, I don't even know what to say."

They were overwhelmed and pleasantly surprised. While they offered polite deflections and exclamations of shock, without exception, every single one of them only said the first half—that it was too valuable.

None of them said the second half: 'we cannot accept this.'

Their eyes were filled with the desire for those beast emperor corpses and a fascination with the wealth they represented. It was as if they were afraid that if they were too polite, Xu Xian might actually take the bags back.

Xu Xian saw through their little thoughts and waved his hand. "Enough. If I give them to you, take them. I get peace of mind, and you get a reward. It's a win-win."

The ten men hurriedly stowed away the storage bags, their smiles stretching from ear to ear.

"Since Master Xu is so generous, we won't refuse."

"Thank you, Master Xu!"

"Thank you, Master Xu!!"

They offered their thanks, filled with joy.

Wen Qingxue watched from the side, her eyes full of disdain. People always said men were greedy for wealth, and it seemed that was entirely true.

Xu Xian faced the group and cupped his fists. "Now that we are even, everyone, our paths will cross again. Until we meet again!"

The group hurriedly returned the gesture with various parting words.

Some said, "Until we meet again!"

Others offered a send-off, "Safe travels, Master Xu."

There were also those who were more sentimental, offering condolences: "Master Xu, regarding your senior brother... please take heart."

Xu Xian accepted each sentiment, then led Wen Qingxue and the red-haired boy away.

They left behind that legendary forging workshop, now buried under the falling snow.

The ten men watched them go, their expressions and words varied.

"Master Xu is truly a hero among youths."

"They say the Wendao Sect is full of gentlemen and that only Xu Xian is a scoundrel. Looking at it now, those rumors are entirely false. Xu Xian is the true gentleman—loyal and broad-minded. Who can compare to him?"

"I have a feeling that within a hundred years, whether this world falls into chaos or remains at peace will be decided by a single word from Master Xu."

Zhou Yashan said in a low voice, "I think it won't even take a hundred years."

After leaving Demon-Slaying City and crossing Boundary Mountain, they encountered someone who had been waiting for them for a long time.

Qingshan had specifically left instructions before departing to provide a Cloud Boat to escort Xu Xian back to the sect.

He invited Xu Xian to board.

Xu Xian did not refuse. He boarded the boat, set the sails, and began the long journey back to the sect.

After days of battle and exhaustion, he was indeed quite tired.

On the Cloud Boat, the red-haired boy was perfectly at ease, curled up into a ball.

Wen Qingxue, however, had a hint of sourness lingering on her brow.

The youth noticed the girl's mood and asked, "Little Wen, what's making you so unhappy?"

"Nothing."

"Is it because you think I shouldn't have given them those things?"

Wen Qingxue said insincerely, "Little Grand-Uncle is wealthy and generous; this disciple wouldn't dare speak out of turn."

Xu Xian chuckled and handed over a storage bag.

"Here."

"What is it?"

"It's for you."

Wen Qingxue took it blankly. When her divine sense scanned the contents, she was slightly stunned.

"Why are you giving me this?"

Xu Xian smirked, saying meaningfully, "There are three inside. One more than they got."

Wen Qingxue blinked.

Xu Xian added, "Just so you don't get jealous."

Wen Qingxue's face flushed as she denied it, "Who's jealous? I'm not!"

Xu Xian teased her, clicking his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. I'm impressed. It's one thing to be jealous of outsiders, but you're even jealous of men."

Wen Qingxue said in annoyance, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Xu Xian reached out his hand. "If you don't want it, give it back."

Wen Qingxue rolled her eyes. "Only a fool passes up a freebie."