In the End, There Are Always Flaws — I Found You
In the End, There Are Always Flaws — I Found You
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s expression shifted between dark and light, hesitation written across his face—and at this very moment, all of it fell into the eyes of countless people in the outside world.
From the images manifested within the Colorful Exquisite Black-Yellow Treasure Tower, it was clear that Tuo Ba Xiaoyao had definitely received his sister Tuo Ba Qing Yu’s distress call.
Yet at this moment, he had fallen into hesitation, seemingly deliberating over whether or not to go save her.
This indecisive display made even Tuo Ba Yuntian, who had long been disappointed in him, unable to keep watching. He turned his eyes away, sighing deeply in his heart.
The world says a tiger father sires no dog son.
So why was it that he, Tuo Ba Yuntian, who had dominated his whole life and commanded the winds and clouds, had produced such a worthless son?
It seemed this Third Young Master of the Tuo Ba household was clever enough—he understood that even if he went to rescue his sister, it would be of no use. After all, his strength was far too meager.
“His own sister couldn’t defeat that scarred man—what good would it do for him to go?”
The surrounding ministers murmured among themselves, their voices carrying faint sighs and a touch of schadenfreude.
Although they could understand Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s behavior, that was his own flesh-and-blood sister, after all. To be so cold-blooded and selfish, to watch her die without lifting a finger...
After today, if Tuo Ba Qing Yu perished in the depths of the Great Wilderness, the Tuo Ba household’s reputation would surely be dragged through the mud.
“How about... this Emperor makes an exception for General Tuo Ba today, just this once,” Emperor Yu spoke, carrying a few traces of sighing regret.
Hearing this, Tuo Ba Yuntian’s expression shook, somewhat moved, but he still firmly shook his head. “Your Majesty, please reconsider. Such a precedent cannot be set lightly. The traditions of Great Yu cannot be ruined because of this humble servant. If there is truly no turning point... then perhaps this is simply Qing Yu’s fate.”
As he spoke, he seemed to age many years in an instant, the hair at his temples turning white all at once.
The many ministers fell silent as well, filled with admiration for Tuo Ba Yuntian.
If it were them, they would surely have tried every means to stop all this—it would be impossible to watch their own children perish within with their own eyes.
“Actually, Emperor Yu, General Tuo Ba, there is no need to worry. In my view, this Third Young Master of the Tuo Ba household is not so simple.”
“What he’s struggling with is probably not whether to save her or not, but something else entirely.”
“In a little while, there might even be a pleasant surprise.”
At this moment, Gu Changge suddenly shook his head, smiled faintly, and spoke.
His words left Emperor Yu, Tuo Ba Yuntian, and the others all stunned in unison, while the rest of the ministers wore faces full of confusion.
Struggling over something other than saving her? Then what?
There might be a surprise in a while?
“Young Master Changge, what do you mean by that?”
Tuo Ba Yuntian held great respect for Gu Changge, and hearing this, he couldn’t help but ask in confusion.
These words kindled a faint spark of hope in his heart.
“General Tuo Ba, as his father, do you really not understand your own son?”
“Though I have not judged countless people, I do have some eye for character. This Third Young Master of yours is a hidden dragon in the abyss, deeply concealed without leaking a thing,” Gu Changge said with a light smile.
“Xiaoyao... deeply concealed?” Tuo Ba Yuntian and the others were completely dumbfounded, their faces full of bewilderment.
At this, Emperor Yu also gazed thoughtfully toward the scene within the Colorful Exquisite Black-Yellow Treasure Tower.
Thinking carefully about it, Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s expression just now had indeed been somewhat strange. Though it appeared to be inner conflict, in truth, anger made up the greater part of it.
A normal person’s reaction at such a moment, even if conflicted, shouldn’t involve that much anger.
Unless Tuo Ba Xiaoyao regarded his sister Tuo Ba Qing Yu as a burden, a deadweight dragging him down.
But if that were the case, why would he be so conflicted? After all, with his strength, going would only mean death—and if he didn’t go, no one would blame him.
“So that’s how it is. Young Master Changge’s observation is as fine as a hair’s breadth—this Emperor is truly in awe.”
Having figured this out, Emperor Yu couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
He then turned to look at Tuo Ba Xiaoyao within the image, deeply curious about what he would do next.
Gu Changge smiled faintly and said no more, only the expression in his eyes growing even more intrigued.
What he had said just now was merely a casual remark.
Emperor Yu had instead followed his words and reasoned it all out—this was somewhat beyond his expectations.
Meanwhile, deep in the Great Wilderness, Tuo Ba Xiaoyao still had no idea that he was being watched by so many people in the outside world.
He transformed into a streak of flowing light, leaving the stone cave where he had been resting, and sped rapidly toward the direction where his sister Tuo Ba Qing Yu was.
After struggling and deliberating for a while, he stopped overthinking it.
After all, time was pressing. Every extra breath he spent hesitating meant one more measure of danger for Tuo Ba Qing Yu.
As her older brother, he would never let Tuo Ba Qing Yu fall into danger. If he simply watched her die without helping, it would breed inner demons in him, affecting his future cultivation.
“No matter who is scheming against me in the shadows, as long as I carefully rush over, secretly deal with those troubles, and then have that girl Qing Yu keep it secret for me, there should still be room to resolve this.”
“I just hope not too many people in the outside world notice me, otherwise all these years of hiding will have been for nothing.”
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao thought this in his heart, comforting himself.
After all, in the Great Yu Imperial Capital, he was nothing but a mediocre nobody. Who would pay attention to his situation at a time like this?
That, of course, would be the best outcome—the one Tuo Ba Xiaoyao most wished to see.
He had absolutely no idea that, under Gu Changge’s deliberate guidance, nearly everyone in the outside world was closely watching his side of things.
Even the changes in his expression just now had been seen by many.
The Colorful Exquisite Black-Yellow Treasure Tower had originally been taken out from within these very ruins, and after being refined by the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty, it possessed the power to peer through heaven and earth.
No clue or trace, however faint, could escape its shrouding range.
Hong!
Terrifying black saber qi pierced through heaven and earth, cold and merciless, like an autumn wind sweeping across the land, carrying away endless life.
Every mountain along its path collapsed and shattered, all reduced to ash, leaving behind horrifying great ravines.
Some violent qi even burst out from the cracked space rifts, easily capable of tearing living beings apart.
This was an extremely terrifying battle. The scarred man led his people in pursuit, their momentum surging, exuding a dreadful intent to slaughter everything.
“Wah...”
Tuo Ba Qing Yu flew at the front, struck by the saber qi, and spat out another mouthful of blood. Her face was pale as she tumbled to the ground, hair disheveled, in an utterly wretched state.
She had fled all this way, sacrificing numerous life-saving treasures, but every one of them had been destroyed by her pursuers.
At this point, she had exhausted her magic power and could flee no further.
“At this point, I’d like to see how you run now!”
“Today I’ll avenge my little brother, to put his soul in heaven at rest!”
The scarred man descended from the high skies, a cold smile on his face, the scar making his expression all the more hideous.
The several people behind him landed in all directions, surrounding Tuo Ba Qing Yu completely to prevent her escape.
Seeing this scene, Tuo Ba Qing Yu felt a measure of despair. Remembering what the other party had said earlier, she felt all the more humiliated.
Her nature would never allow her to suffer humiliation before death. At this moment, thoughts of suicide had already sprouted in her heart.
Tuo Ba Qing Yu knew her second sister had also encountered enemies and couldn’t break free to come save her.
As for her third brother Tuo Ba Xiaoyao, she held no hope in him at all.
On the contrary, she prayed he wouldn’t come. Otherwise, if he personally witnessed her being humiliated, he would definitely fight these people to the death, only to be killed by the scarred man in the end.
“Even if I die today, I won’t let you have your way.”
With that, Tuo Ba Qing Yu let out a low shout, her entire body beginning to glow, red blood mist surging and billowing like great waves.
She was activating a secret art, intending to destroy her own physique and perish together with the scarred man.
“Not good—this wench is going to kill herself!”
This scene made the scarred man’s expression change drastically. He glanced into the distance, his heart growing uneasy.
He still remembered that person’s mission. If he killed Tuo Ba Qing Yu just like this, he would fail that person’s task.
At the thought of the consequences of failure, he couldn’t help but shudder.
“You girl, truly you’d rather die than yield. Fine, I respect you as someone of character—I’ll grant you a quick end.”
“But you have to agree to one condition of mine.”
As the scarred man retreated backward, he shouted sternly, stalling for time while waiting for the others to come rescue Tuo Ba Qing Yu.
After all, his mission was only to use Tuo Ba Qing Yu to test the depths of her third brother Tuo Ba Xiaoyao—not to kill her.
Tuo Ba Qing Yu, who had been about to destroy her own body, froze at his words and halted the secret art she was activating.
Even an ant clings to life, let alone her.
At this moment, she naturally didn’t want to die.
As long as she stalled for time, she might just last until someone else came to save her.
“What condition? Speak.” At once, she watched the scarred man warily, fearing he was playing some trick.
Hong!
But before her words had even fully fallen, from the sky not far away, surging golden mist suddenly came sweeping in.
It was as if an unsheathed divine sword was slashing over, sword light piercing the darkness, dazzling and resplendent, making one’s very hair stand on end.
“What...”
“How is this possible... Third Brother?!”
Tuo Ba Qing Yu stared blankly in that direction, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Within the golden mist stood a figure she knew all too well.
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao had arrived. He now stood in the void, golden great waves surging and churning around him. He was like a sword god descending upon the world, his dominance and might displayed to the fullest.
Qiang!
In his hand appeared a black iron sword, forged from black iron tempered tens of thousands of times, heavy as a mountain, its weight nearly crushing the void itself.
It was pitch-black as ink, its sword light surging, its surroundings like a black hole devouring one’s mind and soul.
“You court death—daring to hurt my sister!”
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s gaze was ice-cold as he stared at the scarred man, killing intent spilling everywhere, as if he wished to hack the man into a thousand pieces.
He had originally not planned to reveal himself directly, intending to observe from the shadows first.
But the scarred man’s words had truly enraged him, filled him with hatred—this man actually wanted to humiliate his sister. Tuo Ba Xiaoyao naturally could not endure it.
Even though he knew all of this might be someone scheming against him from the shadows...
“How is this possible... how can Third Brother’s aura be this powerful?”
“Could it be that all these years of Third Brother practicing the sword... were for this?”
Tuo Ba Qing Yu still hadn’t processed the scene before her, somewhat dazed.
At this moment, Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s aura swallowed mountains and rivers, sharp and forceful like an unsheathed divine sword—completely different from the dull, honest third brother in her memories.
“Oh? Isn’t this the good-for-nothing Third Young Master of the Tuo Ba household? So he turns out to be someone who hides his depths.”
The scarred man was not the least bit surprised by Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s arrival, grinning widely.
“Cut the crap. Today, all of you will die here,” Tuo Ba Xiaoyao said coldly. His methods were incomparably forceful and decisive—he directly chose to strike.
He wanted to capture the scarred man and interrogate him about who had sent him after Tuo Ba Qing Yu.
Having arrived here, he had already thought it through. If his strength was exposed today, that was simply unavoidable.
Might as well strike with everything he had and slay this hateful scarred man right here.
“What big talk. I’d like to see what you’re capable of,” the scarred man sneered, full of disdain.
As a seedling of the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion, he had cultivated the Killing Emperor True Sutra since childhood. Even among his peers in the current Beyond, he ranked among the finest, capable of slaughtering all the young talents of the myriad realms.
The only reason Tuo Ba Qing Yu had been able to flee for so long was that he had allowed it, never striking with full force.
“Kill!”
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao didn’t waste another word on him. He brought out the Black Iron Sword and slashed forward.
Ten million strands of sword qi erupted instantly, as if blotting out heaven and earth—incomparably terrifying.
The scarred man, gripping the Black Heaven Saber, cleaved straight down.
A black tide surged skyward—that was destructive aura, like a vicious god that had been lying dormant in the Nether emerging into the world, slaughtering all between heaven and earth.
Hong long long!
The surroundings blurred. This stretch of heaven and earth was instantly chopped to pieces, like a tattered scroll painting flapping and rustling in a violent wind.
The Black Heaven Saber was indestructible, sweeping aside everything in its path.
At this moment, Tuo Ba Xiaoyao felt the web of his hand go numb, invaded by a powerful killing aura, ice-cold to the bone.
His opponent’s strength was anything but simple. The divine abilities and techniques he cultivated could rival those of successors of the immortal great sects.
That Black Heaven Saber was equally extraordinary.
Seeing the scarred man charge at him again, Tuo Ba Xiaoyao met him in battle once more. His long sword swept across the sky, blocking the invasion of the peerless heaven saber, emitting qiang qiang sounds, sparks flying in all directions, shattering the clouds at the edge of the sky.
The scarred man sneered, standing high in the air, wielding the black heaven saber and chopping down again and again.
This was no single-minded assault—the weapon contained the Great Dao of heaven and earth, and Killing Principles had been refined into it as well.
Hong!
At this moment, endless saber radiance broke through the air, transforming into a black river as massive as a mountain range.
On the spot, it shook several great mountains below into collapse, surging forth to submerge Tuo Ba Xiaoyao.
For this was a murderous weapon interwoven with the rules of heaven and earth. Held in hand, it could unleash endless vicious might—it would attack of its own accord, matchlessly powerful.
Qiang qiang qiang...
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s expression was grave as he continuously slashed and clashed with the scarred man, sparks flying everywhere, the sky becoming a zone of utter chaos.
“This vicious weapon of his is extraordinary. Some person’s terrifying killing will is sealed within it. Even my Black Iron Sword—tempered a thousand times over, nurtured for all these years, interwoven with the sword intent of heaven and earth—can hardly withstand it.”
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao’s heart turned cold with dread; he dared not underestimate his opponent.
Moreover, somewhere in the depths of his intuition, he had a feeling—the killing will sealed within that vicious weapon was definitely connected to the person scheming against him from behind.
After that, an even more terrifying battle erupted at this place. Tuo Ba Xiaoyao had no choice but to bring out his true methods.
In the world he once came from, he had cultivated many sword techniques and divine abilities revered as god-tier. Even in the current Beyond, they were extremely extraordinary, comparable to the inheritances of great sects—and they suited him perfectly.
At this moment, all manner of sword techniques erupted, their radiance illuminating the night sky, turning everything within tens of thousands of li as bright as day.
The range of the two’s battle was extremely terrifying—so much so that it drew many of the surrounding young prodigies over, converging toward this location.
Tuo Ba Xiaoyao felt this was intentional on his opponent’s part—deliberately trying to draw other people over.
And while Tuo Ba Xiaoyao and the scarred man battled, the outside world was also thrown into tremendous uproar.
Many people felt boundless shock, eyes wide, truly never expecting that Tuo Ba Xiaoyao had hidden himself so deeply.
Judging from the strength he displayed, even his second sister was probably no match for him now.
“We were all blind! This strength can probably already stand shoulder to shoulder with the several princes!”
Many ministers were incomparably astonished, stunned by the images within the Colorful Exquisite Black-Yellow Treasure Tower.
“Xiaoyao... he hid it this deeply? Even I was kept in the dark.”
Tuo Ba Yuntian’s eyes went wide, equally shocked.
“So this Tuo Ba Xiaoyao has been hiding his talents all these years. Such a young hero—how did we fail to notice him sooner?” Emperor Yu watched the battle between Tuo Ba Xiaoyao and the scarred man, strands of golden light flickering in his eyes, unable to hold back his praise.
“If a person truly wishes to hide, it is indeed very difficult for others to notice.”
“But there are exceptions to everything. In the end, there are always flaws.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge nodded in agreement, then smiled lightly, likewise watching the scene within.
“I found you.”