Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Chapter Thirteen: Delusions Unveiled

A/N: All rights to the original content are reserved by the respective copyright owner.

Chapter Image Source: Pixiv Artist "Naru" / Pixiv Art Code "104892360"

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The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie pallor over the deserted streets of Xianzhou Luofu. The city had retired to a tense slumber, its inhabitants unaware of the imminent clash that would shatter the stillness.

In the heart of the city, a confrontation was brewing—one born of obsession, hatred, and an unquenchable thirst for vengeance.

Yexian, her crimson hair cascading like a fiery waterfall, brandished her sword with a malevolence that seemed to taint the very air around her. The blade, a masterpiece of jade and intricate dragon-like features on the guard, glinted with an otherworldly aura. It was a weapon designed not only for physical harm but also for psychological warfare, a reflection of its wielder's madness.

Opposite her stood Jingliu, her Shard Sword in hand. She had chosen not to unleash her formidable powers, fearing the catastrophic consequences in the heart of the city. Destruction of innocent lives was an outcome she couldn't allow, no matter the provocation.

The clash of steel seemed imminent as Yexian unleashed a series of brutish slashes, her movements wild and unpredictable. Her voice echoed through the night, a chorus of madness as she shrieked at Jingliu to die repeatedly.

Jingliu, her pale hair shimmering like moonlight, moved with an uncanny grace. Her years of combat experience had honed her instincts to a razor's edge. She anticipated Yexian's every move, sidestepping strikes and deflecting attacks with a calculated precision.

Yexian, driven by her unrelenting hatred, snarled, "Is this all you've got, Jingliu? I expected more from Xianzhou's pet."

Jingliu's gaze never wavered as she countered Yexian's strikes. "Your madness blinds you. The Denizens of Abundance are becoming reckless."

The duel paused momentarily, the combatants circling each other with a deadly intent. Jingliu couldn't help but wonder at the depth of Yexian's obsession. It wasn't in line with the calculated actions of the Denizens they had encountered thus far.

Yexian, her eyes burning with an unholy fervor, pointed her sword at Jingliu. "This isn't about the Denizens, Jingliu. It's personal. You took Y/N away from me."

Jingliu's narrowed eyes betrayed her anger. "Y/N? What do you mean?"

Yexian's laughter was chilling, the sound echoing through the deserted streets as their deadly dance continued. Her eyes, once filled with madness, now gleamed with a disturbing devotion.

"I loved him, you know?" she whispered, her voice taking on a disturbing tenderness. As she spoke, Yexian embraced herself, hugging her own body tightly, almost as if she were shivering with ecstasy. Drool trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes shook with a perverse pleasure. "Y/N was everything to me. Every moment I spent watching /him was a cherished memory. I would've given him the world!"

Jingliu's pale features contorted with a mixture of anger and bewilderment. Yexian's words painted a twisted picture of love, one that had driven her to madness.

"You could never understand the depths of my love for him," Yexian continued, her voice quivering with an intensity that bordered on hysteria. "I would have been his devoted companion, his confidante, his everything. And he... he would have been mine, forever."

In her eyes, her love for Y/N was a force of nature, one that transcended reason and morality.

"My love for Y/N is pure, Jingliu," Yexian insisted, her voice growing more desperate. "I would have done anything for him. Anything to keep him by my side. And you... you took that away from me."