“Bai Liang!! Your despicable soul will perish in hell fire and never to reincarnate again!”

In the sky, a figure clad in white hovered as his robe danced from the turbulent wind. His pure white hair was swept ever so grandiosely under the brewing storm and rumbling thunder above him. In his hand was a sharp long sword, glinting as cold as ice with the blood of his enemy trickling and dripping to the grasses below.

He was like the embodiment of ice and snow itself. Like the fiercest blizzard, he had claimed the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands of people in his frenzy massacre in mere 2 nights.

His demonic red eyes which were previously as clear as a spring swept the hundreds of people surrounding him on their respective swords. Within his indifference was a hint of resentment and hatred which was only the tip of the flaming fire that was engulfing the cold heart within him.

“Condemn me all you want. I do not care,” he spoke without any fluctuation. “You killed my master and I will have you atone for it with your life.”

“Your master was a traitor. His death was his just deserve,” an elderly spoke. “3 righteous sects have fallen under your hand. You have delivered retribution to those who are responsible for your master’s death. How much more destruction do you wish to cause!?”

“You may treat me as nature itself,” Bai Liang raised his sword. “I am just another cycle of destruction the wheel of fate brought to you. I will not stop. This world should cease to exist without my master in it.”

The people were alarmed and were about to launch an attack to stop him when suddenly, without any warning, blinding white lightning bolted down from heaven. It struck right towards Bai Liang and blasted him down with sky-splitting thunder that rippled the space itself.

With nothing anchoring down their swords, the shockwave threw everyone within its vicinity hundreds of meters away. The forest below them was burnt and scorched, leaving a large patch of a barren area with no life within it.

Not even a trace of the white-haired man himself.

***

Inside a space enclosed with countless mirrors, Bai Liang lay motionlessly. His jade, faultless skin wasn’t injured one bit from heaven’s supposed wrath and he seemed as if he was merely sleeping.

His long white eyelashes trembled and fluttered like the most delicate butterfly wings as he slowly regained consciousness and opened his eyes. The first thing that greeted him was his own reflection which made him momentarily think that he had died and he was looking at his own body as a soul.

But this thought was soon proved to be wrong when a deep, magnanimous voice resounded throughout the space.

“You are awake,” it said.

Bai Liang slowly propped himself up. His silken white hair slipped down his shoulder like a curtain of milk until he properly straightened his back, “Where am I?”

“This is the mirror space. I have no choice but to put you in confinement.”

“I see…” Bai Liang lowered his gaze, meeting his reflection yet again below him. “One’s greatest enemy is oneself.”

“Heaven will not wrong you, Bai Liang. Your master’s death should not have happened. It strayed from the world’s trajectory of fate which would have resulted in the collapse of the world by your hand if we have not intervened,” the voice continued.

“If you could intervene, why did you not prevent my master’s death altogether?” Bai Liang asked with empty eyes.

He could no longer feel any emotion. His happiness, sadness, anger…Everything had been taken away by his master to his grave. With his master gone, the world didn’t deserve to exist. Nobody deserved to continue their life as if his master’s existence meant nothing to them.

If he could, he would also destroy the sun and the moon that continued bringing days and nights to the world despite his master’s death.

“Our intervention is very limited and restricted. Even our decision to confine you right now is already treading the thin line of heavenly laws.”

Bai Liang couldn’t care less. He leaned to one side of the small space and brought his knees up, curling his thin body like a pitiful child. He rested his head on his knees with a tired heart.

“Is this an eternal confinement? If so, I rather you claim my life so I can be by my master’s side.”

“Bai Liang, your master is not completely lost yet,” the voice suddenly said.

“…?” Bai Liang raised his head, choosing to look up to where he felt that the voice was coming from, “What do you mean?”

He witnessed the last of his master’s breath with his own eyes and even cremated him as his master willed it. He stored some of his ashes in his amulet while he scattered the rest to the spiritual spring at the highest point of the sacred mountain.

“Before his soul can be claimed by the spirit guide, your master scattered himself to several words. As of now, he has already reincarnated himself in these worlds.”

Bai Liang’s heart shook. A smile finally bloomed on his frozen face like the arrival of early spring with the blooming of plum flowers in the midst of winter.

“Is that so?” he rested his cheek back to his knees, contented with this fact.

His master was indeed the most powerful. He wasn’t the least bit surprised that he could reincarnate himself.

Seeing his reaction, the voice asked, “Do you not want to return to his side?”

“As long as my master is alive and happy, nothing else matters. He suffered enough in our world. He should live carefreely in these other worlds,” Bai Liang looked at his hand. “If it wasn't because of me…"

“Unfortunately, he is destined to not be able to live carefreely for long,” the voice suddenly informed.

Bai Liang frowned and straightened back, “What do you mean?”

“The trajectory of fate is a very delicate thing. With his forceful insertion into these worlds, it is bound to stray from its predetermined path and will lead these worlds to their doom instead. Just like what happened with your world,” the voice informed. “Before your master is able to live a full life, the world will collapse ahead.”

Bai Liang stood up with a heavy expression, “This is not merely a threat, is it? Is there a reason why you confine me like this instead of claiming my soul?”

“Yes,” the voice never intended to hide it. “In exchange for preserving your soul, we want you to maintain the trajectory of these worlds and prevent its collapse. In a way, this is also for your master’s sake.”

“With what my master is causing, are you going to exact punishment on him once he returns?” Bai Liang didn’t immediately agree.

“If you successfully prevent their collapse, we are willing to pardon him since the root of this issue is our negligence,” the voice promised. “You will also be pardoned since the number of lives of all the living in those worlds will outweigh the blood you have spilt.”

“Heaven certainly is merciful,” Bai Liang said in distrust.

“This is a special case. Still, it doesn’t mean you are fully pardoned. In exchange, both of you will not be allowed to enter your next cycle of reincarnation and will forever be the servant of heaven to guard the River of Reincarnation,” the voice added. “With the soul of 7,000 worlds being gathered in one place, there are many unruly beings and creatures coveting to steal them. We never have enough personnel.”

Bai Liang thought about it for a long while. If his decision would only affect himself, he wouldn’t hesitate to accept these terms. But this also involved his master.

“If you are still unsure, let me give you one more piece of information,” the voice helplessly said. “Your master has used up all his reincarnation cycle. If you do not accept this, once his soul is restored, it will be neutralized to be recycled into a new one.”

Once he heard that, Bai Liang finally agreed to accept the task. If his master was dissatisfied with this arrangement later, he would bear everything and let his master go.

The voice’s tone lightened in appreciation, “Your master scattered himself to the worlds of a lower plane than yours because of his severe injury. He does not have any memory of his previous lives, so avoid mentioning anything involving it. This also goes for our existence and this arrangement.”

Bai Liang gave a nod in understanding. Not long after, the surface of the mirror right across him rippled and his reflection somewhat swayed as if he was looking at himself through a water surface.

“The sword spirit inside of you will assist you through your task. Each world has a law of its own to maintain its balance, so do be careful not to break it or else you will be expelled,” the voice warned. “Heaven is with you, Bai Liang.”