Jing Quan looked down at the village. All the demons had vanished as if they had never existed. But the flames still consumed most of the buildings, and the injured civilians were clearly visible even from above.
He raised his sword once more. "Eternity Embrace!" Jing Quan shouted.
A golden divine radiance poured from his blade, filling the air above the village. As the light spread, it healed every wound—mending broken bones, repairing destroyed organs, and restoring the injured completely. The raging fires around him and throughout the village were extinguished.
Those whose legs had been broken now stood, uninjured, blinking in disbelief. Slowly, they turned to look up at Jing Quan, their voices rising in unison.
"Jing Quan! Master Quan! The greatest! We love you, Master Quan!"
The villagers cheered, their gratitude echoing across the village.
Jing Quan raised his sword again. "Barrier Creator!"
He traced a circle in the air, and as the motion completed, a vast barrier descended, enveloping the village. It formed a protective shield to prevent any attack during the ongoing battle between him and the Demon Lord.
Jing Quan looked down at the village. The demons had vanished, but flames still ate at buildings and injured people lay scattered. He raised his sword again.
"Eternity Embrace," he called. Golden light poured from the blade, filling the air. The radiance healed smashed organs and broken bones, extinguished fires, and restored the villagers. Those who had been on the brink of death stood and stared, stunned. Then they began to shout his name.
The Demon Lord watched without moving. He finally spoke, sneering, "Why didn't you attack when I created the barrier? I was surprised you had so much power left. And you didn't even heal yourself."
"Keep being surprised. Soon you'll be in the afterlife," the Demon Lord said as he leveled his sword and charged.
They clashed, blade against blade. Blood from their earlier blows took on the shapes of the fallen Sword Saints, a grotesque echo of enemies past.
"Are you just going to die? I never liked Sword Saints," the Demon Lord spat. "When I kill you I won't only copy your blade. I will take your soul and trap it inside my sword."
Jing Quan pushed forward despite bleeding heavily. "I only wanted to die," he murmured, but kept fighting. Lightning gathered in his palm, a vault of energy he hurled at the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord slashed it aside with Blood Veil, which twisted and spat void flames back at Jing Quan.
Jing Quan felt himself wearing down. His blood soaked his back. He knew he could heal now, but he refused. The last of his energy would go to one final strike. If he could erase the Demon Lord completely, undo everything the dark lord had done, it would be worth the cost.
Blade against blade, Jing Quan suddenly flowed faster than before. In less than a second he struck two hundred times. The Demon Lord struggled to defend, his face burned with strain. He tried to summon the devouring flame, but Jing Quan kept the pressure on.
"Eternity Sever, Sealing!" Jing Quan shouted. He poured his remaining will into the technique. A blade of pure, erasing light cut through the Demon Lord. The dark lord's body began to fade.
"What, how did you do this?" the Demon Lord gasped as his form collapsed and dissolved. His head fell. His body faded until he was gone. Jing Quan had erased him.
The villagers erupted in cheers. "He did it! He did it!" cried Deng Xia, the village elder. They gathered around Jing Quan. He managed a small smile, but his strength was gone.
"Lin Min, I'm coming," Jing Quan whispered. He had given everything. He dropped his sword. Blood ran from his mouth. He felt his consciousness slip.
The villagers rushed to him. "Get water! Help him!" someone cried. Deng Xia knelt, touched his forehead, and used a healing technique, but Jing Quan no longer had life force to restore. The old healer shook her head.
"He won't revive here," Chan Han said. "If he's to be saved, a reincarnation ritual is needed. He won't be reborn in this world without it."
Deng Xia began the ritual at once. Jing Quan's eyes fluttered as the chant surrounded him. He tried to speak, to tell them to let him go, to be left in peace with Lin Min, but his body would not obey.
"Stop! Don't, let me die!" he rasped. His voice was barely audible.
The ritual completed. Jing Quan exhaled once and died. The villagers were silent, then wept and prayed. The reincarnation ritual took hold and was successful.
The reincarnation ritual ended, and Jing Quan's final breath left his body. His sword lay beside him, its golden glow slowly fading.
Then, one by one, the villagers dropped to their knees. Some wept openly, some clasped their hands together, and others bowed their heads. Even children, too young to understand, pressed their palms together as they had seen their elders do.
"They all gathered around him, praying."