I had no intention of entering the martial world.

Chapter 41 White Rainbow Sword

Upon seeing him, everyone knelt down:

"Greetings, Eunuch Qin!"

Even Zhao Wanshan and Zhao Yuanjing knelt down.

Only Lu Chenzhou and Chu Xueya remained standing.

Eunuch Qin walked to the edge of the arena, looked at Lu Chenzhou, and stared at him for a long time.

Then he laughed:

"Master of the Azure Sword, we've finally met."

Lu Chenzhou's pupils contracted:

"You know me?"

"Of course," Eunuch Qin said slowly, "I knew it from the moment you swallowed the jade pendant. I've been waiting for you."

"wait for me?"

"Yes," said Eunuch Qin, "We're waiting for you to come and complete what was left unfinished a hundred years ago—to open the Heavenly Gate."

He paused, his voice becoming fervent:

"Lu Chenzhou, join me! Together we'll open the Heavenly Gate, achieve immortality, and rule this world!"

Looking at his fervent face, Lu Chenzhou suddenly understood.

Now I understand why Zhao Wanshan was able to climb to his current position.

Now I understand why the Immortal Seeking Society and the Shadow Hall are both looking for the Three Swords.

I understand why... all of this happened.

It turns out, this is the person behind it all.

Eunuch Qin.

Mr. Hai.

The source of all evil.

"What if I say no?" Lu Chenzhou asked.

"Then you will die." Eunuch Qin's smile vanished. "Moreover, you will die a horrible death. Your friends, your family, everyone you care about will be buried with you."

Lu Chenzhou remained silent for a moment.

Then he said:

"Then let's give it a try."

Before he finished speaking, he had already moved.

The sword flashed like lightning, aiming straight for Eunuch Qin's throat!

But Eunuch Qin did not move.

With just a gentle wave of the whisk.

"clang!"

Lu Chenzhou's sword was knocked away by the impact.

He was sent flying backwards, sword and all, crashing into the wall and coughing up blood.

"Overestimating yourself," Eunuch Qin said coldly. "Take him away."

Several men in black stepped forward to grab Lu Chenzhou.

But at that moment, Yuehua spoke:

"Wait a minute."

She walked to the center of the room and looked at Eunuch Qin:

"My lord, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion has taken this person under its protection."

Eunuch Qin stared at her, his eyes icy cold:

"Lord Yue, do you want to be my enemy?"

"It's not about being enemies, it's about making a deal," Yuehua said calmly. "You release him, and I'll give you what you want."

"What is it?"

"A clue to the White Rainbow Sword."

Eunuch Qin's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Do you know where the White Rainbow Sword is?"

"I know." Yuehua nodded. "Release him, and I'll tell you."

Eunuch Qin remained silent for a long time.

Then he laughed:

"Alright. I promise you. But only for three days—if I don't see the White Rainbow Sword after three days, I will massacre the Sword Inquiry Pavilion."

"Deal," Yuehua said.

She helped Lu Chenzhou up, then pulled Chu Xueya up, and walked towards the door.

No one dared to stop them.

Because Eunuch Qin didn't speak.

It was still raining when I left the Sword Debate Manor.

The rain patters down, as if it will never stop.

Lu Chenzhou turned around, glanced at the lights in the villa, and then at Chu Xueya and Yuehua beside him.

Then, he said softly:

"Thanks."

Yuehua didn't say anything.

He just stared at the rain curtain in the distance, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Chu Xueya gripped his hand tightly:

"let's go."

The three disappeared into the rainy night.

Behind them, the lights of the Sword Debate Manor gradually blurred.

---

The long street was deserted on a rainy night.

Supported by Yuehua and Chu Xueya, Lu Chenzhou walked unsteadily on the bluestone slabs. Blood mixed with rainwater dripped down his clothes, meandering into a pale red stream at his feet, which was quickly washed away by the new rain.

"Can you still walk?" Chu Xueya's voice rang in my ears, trembling with suppressed emotion.

"Yes." Lu Chenzhou gritted his teeth and squeezed out the word.

With each step, the excruciating pain in his chest intensified. Qin Gonggong's seemingly casual flick of his whisk actually contained a vicious internal force, causing him to feel as if his internal organs had shifted. But he couldn't stop—behind him, the lights of the Sword Debate Manor were still on, and Qin Gonggong's men could catch up at any moment.

"Go to the south of the city," Yuehua suddenly spoke, her voice calm as if she had just experienced a life-or-death situation. "I have a safe house there."

The three turned into a narrow alley, winding their way through several bends, and finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard. Yuehua took out her key and opened the door. Inside was a small courtyard with three simple but secluded side rooms.

"Come in." Yuehua lit the oil lamp.

Chu Xueya helped Lu Chenzhou sit down in a chair, then immediately went to look for medicine for his injuries. Yuehua walked to the window, cautiously observing the movements outside.

"No one followed." She breathed a sigh of relief, turned to look at Lu Chenzhou, "You are badly injured and need immediate treatment."

Lu Chenzhou nodded, sat cross-legged, and began circulating the "Ice Heart Technique." But as soon as he started, it felt like a thousand needles were piercing his chest; the intense pain made him groan, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Don't force yourself." Chu Xueya walked over with the medicine bottle, knelt in front of him, and carefully tore open the front of his clothes.

The wound was horrific—a clear mark from a whisk, the flesh torn open, surrounded by an eerie bluish-black hue, the insidious poison contained within Eunuch Qin's inner strength.

Chu Xueya gasped, her eyes instantly reddening. But she bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down, and poured out the medicinal powder, sprinkling it evenly on the wound.

The moment the powder touched the wound, it hissed softly and emitted white smoke. Lu Chenzhou trembled, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

"This is a special 'Heart-Clearing Powder' made by the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, which can neutralize Yin poison." Yuehua walked over, placed her hand on Lu Chenzhou's back, and slowly channeled a gentle internal force into him. "But it can only suppress it temporarily. To completely eliminate it, you need a more domineering Yang internal force—such as the Azure Nether Sword Qi."

"But we can't use sword energy now," Chu Xueya said urgently. "If we use it, the sword spirit will awaken faster, and he..."

"I know," Yuehua interrupted her. "So there's only one way—to use the lightning power of the Purple Lightning Sword to forcibly dispel the Yin Poison. But doing so is very risky; you two could both get injured."

Chu Xueya replied without hesitation, "I'll do it."

"Have you thought it through?" Yuehua looked at her. "The Purple Lightning Sword is extremely yin and cold, while the Azure Nether Sword Qi is extremely yang and strong. When these two forces collide within your body, the slightest carelessness could sever all your meridians."

"I've thought it through." Chu Xueya unsheathed the Purple Lightning Sword from behind her back, holding it with both hands. "Come on."

Looking into her resolute eyes, Yuehua sighed:

"Alright. Sit opposite him, palms facing each other, and use the inner force of the Purple Lightning Sword to guide the Azure Nether Sword Qi, dispelling the Yin Poison little by little. Remember, be slow and steady, absolutely do not rush."

Chu Xueya nodded and sat down opposite Lu Chenzhou, placing her hands on his palms. The Purple Lightning Sword rested across her lap, its blade beginning to glow with a faint purple light.

Lu Chenzhou looked at her, wanting to say something, but in the end he just nodded.

Both of them closed their eyes at the same time.

Yuehua stood to the side, solemnly protecting the Dharma.

Time passed little by little.

The rain pattered outside the window, while the candlelight flickered inside.

Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on Chu Xueya's forehead, and her face grew paler and paler. The internal force of the Purple Lightning Sword was extremely yin and cold, colliding with the extremely yang and strong force of the Azure Nether Sword Qi within her body, like two torrents fighting in a narrow river channel, each collision bringing tearing pain.

But she gritted her teeth and persevered, guiding that chilling power slowly into Lu Chenzhou's body to fight against the poison left behind by Eunuch Qin.

Lu Chenzhou felt even worse.

Two forces clashed in his chest, like two blunt knives slowly scraping his flesh. He could almost hear his veins being torn apart and feel his blood flowing backward.

But he couldn't give up.

Because Chu Xueya is fighting desperately.

He couldn't let her hard work go to waste.

After an unknown amount of time, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The rain stopped.

The morning light streamed in through the window and fell upon the two of them.

Chu Xueya swayed, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, but she persisted until the bluish-black bruises on Lu Chenzhou's chest completely faded, then she suddenly let go and collapsed limply.

"Xueya!" Lu Chenzhou quickly helped her up.

Chu Xueya weakly opened her eyes and forced a smile:

"You...are alright..."

He fainted before he could finish speaking.

Lu Chenzhou held her in his arms, looked at her pale face, and felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart.

Very sharp, very clear.

This was the first time he had felt such a clear pain since the sword energy began to erode him.

It wasn't for myself, it was for her.

"She's fine, just overexerted her internal energy. She'll be alright after a few days of rest." Yuehua walked over and took Chu Xueya's pulse. "But how are you feeling?"

Lu Chenzhou examined his internal condition—the Yin poison had indeed dissipated, but the Azure Nether Sword Qi had also been aroused, now acting like a restless beast, rampaging through his meridians.

"The sword energy... I can't suppress it anymore," he said hoarsely.

Yuehua's expression changed, and she reached out to press her hand on his wrist pulse. After a moment, her brows furrowed.

"Ten days at most. If you cannot find the White Rainbow Sword and complete the Three Talents Seal within ten days, the sword spirit will be fully awakened."

Ten days.