HSSB283: The perilous sword
Shi Tie came before Shi Songtao, his great frame resembling a mountain.
However, Yan Zhaoge’s and Xu Fei’s hearts both fell.
While his back was still ramrod straight and his features still firm, one could clearly sense a seldom felt heavy air on Shi Tie’s body.
Shi Tie shook his head slightly, saying to Yan Zhaoge, “Hand him to me.”
Saying thus, he extended his hand, his fist-intent surging as it landed on Shi Songtao’s body.
Yan Zhaoge nodded, his palm leaving Shi Songtao’s neck as he retreated.
But just in the instant where Shi Tie’s fist-intent suppressed Shi Songtao, Shi Songtao’s face suddenly changed!
The expressions of Shi Tie, Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei also changed slightly at this moment.
From within Shi Songtao’s body, an immense force suddenly erupted!
As Shi Tie’s expression hurriedly changed, his fist-intent instantly manifested, clear light illuminating the surrounding area, enveloping Shi Songtao’s entire body, wanting to suppress that great force.
As fresh blood spurted madly from his mouth due to the rampaging force he felt within his body, Shi Songtao’s gaze revealed shock.
His entire body trembled, every single bone, every single blood vessel, every single acupoint resembling the eruption of a flash flood at this moment.
Just standing by the side, not having neared, Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei could already feel the infinite, boundless sword-intent appearing within Shi Songtao’s body.
At this moment, Shi Songtao’s entire person seemed to be formed of sword-qi and sword-intent.
Infinite sword-intent shot out from within Shi Songtao’s body in an unending stream.
All of Shi Songtao’s pores were dripping blood, seemingly about to erupt in simultaneous geysers, transforming into innumerable bloodied swords as his entire person broke apart.
That vast, majestic sword-intent evoked both the limitless height of the heavens and the dense heaviness of the great earth.
Amidst that sword, it was like a whole new heaven and earth.
It was just that at this moment, it seemed about to turn Shi Songtao’s body into a heaven and earth of flesh and blood.
And the target of this sword intent was Shi Tie!
The vast, powerful force left Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei unable to even near.
However, this sword-intent was definitely not foreign to them.
Of Broad Creed Mountain’s Three Supreme Arts, the Limitless Heavenly Sword!
Created by the Heaven Diviner Zhan Xilou that year, it was a supreme martial art ranked alongside the Heavenly Broad Creed Palm and the Immeasurable Heavenly Sabre!
However, at this moment, its target was a martial practitioner of Broad Creed Mountain!
Shi Tie’s gaze flickered with light as he sucked in a deep breath, his entire person exuding the appearance of Vajra as he was bright and transparent as glass.
His powerful fist-intent was circulated to the maximum, suppressing the force suddenly erupting from within Shi Songtao’s body.
But the first thing that this force emanating from Shi Songtao’s body wrecked was Shi Songtao’s body itself.
Shi Tie grit his teeth, and separated his palms, forming a distorting suction force. He was no longer only suppressing the sword intent, but guiding it as well.
The terrifying sword-intent condensed into a tangible sword-light, resembling an unstoppable steed as it shot out of Shi Songtao’s body, headed straight for Shi Tie!
Shi Tie’s features were tough as granite as he instead shed his high-grade spirit artifact, the Profound Light Divine Armour, at this critical moment.
The Profound Light Divine Armour transformed into a black light, enveloping Shi Songtao’s body, wanting to temporarily suppress his body that was on the brink of shattering.
However, just at this time, the clear, majestic sword-light flickered with strands of strange golden light.
The numerous strands of golden light actually entangled the Profound Light Divine Armour, obstructing it for a moment.
While that majestic-sword light struck Shi Tie’s vitals at his chest straight on!
A strong light erupted on Shi Tie’s body, flashing incessantly.
However, that sword-light seemed infinite and boundless as it unceasingly beat down mightily on Shi Tie’s body.
Roaring, Shi Tie punched mightily, shattering that sword-light.
Looking over, Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei saw that while Shi Tie’s chest was not bleeding, it appeared to have broken and caved in deeply as it was densely riddled with numerous cracks.
That concept, unbreakable, inextinguishable as Vajra, also dimmed greatly at this moment.
Shi Tie’s expression did not change in the least as it was like he completely couldn’t feel any pain at all.
He looked towards Shi Songtao, an irrepressible look of sorrow revealed within his eyes.
While he had guided the sword-intent to attack himself in time, also attempting to protect Shi Songtao’s body with the Profound Light Divine Armour, the sword-intent had originally been emitted from within Shi Songtao’s body. Whether or not it harmed Shi Tie, Shi Songtao would also have to bear this sword first.
And this sword was not something that Shi Songtao could withstand.
Whilst concealing sword-intent within Shi Songtao’s body, the other party had also secretly set up other traps within.
The essence of the unique flower Dormant Dragon’s Slumber, rare within this world, specifically suppressing the main material used in forging Profound Light Divine Armour, Profound Light Divine Iron.
While Shi Tie had been swift in his reaction, going all out, Shi Songtao had still received a heavy blow.
Shi Songtao opened his mouth, chuckling as he completely seemed not to mind the blood gushing unceasingly from within, “Unexpected, unexpected; senior apprentice-uncle Fang actually buried sword-intent within my body. I also don’t know when…”
He looked at Shi Tie, “Hah, looks like it was specifically prepared for you. Only your fist-intent could stimulate this sword-intent to emerge. After all, you cultivate in the Vajra Body, your fist-intent different from others, unique under these heavens…”
“That golden light, was Dormant Dragon’s Slumber? Also specifically used to deal with your Profound Light Divine Armour…”
Shi Tie held his injured chest with one hand, his other hand suppressing Shi Songtao’s body with his fist-intent, not letting it shatter.
He sucked in a deep breath, first swivelling his head to look at Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei as he said in a heavy tone, “Immediately report to the clan at the quickest speed, reporting the spy, whose identity is the Lord of the Decimating Abyss.”
Shi Tie paused with every word, “The Decimating Abyss’s Lord, is not junior apprentice-brother Fang, but senior apprentice-uncle Xin, Xin Dongping!”
Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei both raised their brows, whereas a stunned look appeared within Shi Songtao’s gaze.
“Hearing Songtao’s words, also bearing this sword, I can now confirm this matter,” Shi Tie shook his head slowly as he looked at Shi Songtao, “You have been misled.”
Shi Songtao met Shi Tie’s eyes, saying mildly after a long time had passed, “You are forever prioritising the clan’s matters before your own.”
“Why do you not feel that it was not me knowing the truth but intentionally withholding it, trying to mislead and deceive you?”
“You hold control over the clan’s punishments, knowing all of Broad Creed Mountain’s punishment methods, with interrogations being your speciality, but you have still yet to move. On what basis cam you determine that I did not cheat you, with I being the one who was misled?”
Shi Tie said calmly, “I can tell.”
Shi Songtao was silent for a while before he said, “To me, whether or not senior apprentice-uncle Fang is the Abyss Lord is actually not important.”
He swivelled his head to look at the two crystalline coffins which contained his wife’s and son’s bodies, “To me, what’s important is them.”
Shi Songtao looked at the third crystalline coffin, sighing, “After a fallen practitioner dies, he dissipates into nothing. Even in death, I will also be unable to accompany them.”
While being suppressed by Shi Tie’s fist-intent, Shi Songtao’s body which had originally been on the brink of collapse finally began to completely disintegrate at this moment.
His expression was mild, as though he didn’t mind this at all, only endless longing visible within his gaze that was on his wife and son.
Yan Zhaoge suddenly asked, “Senior apprentice-brother Shi, within your heart, is what you hate actually the fact that eldest apprentice-uncle prioritised his responsibility to the clan, setting his personal feelings aside back then, or is it your own powerlessness to protect your wife and child?”
Shi Songtao said in an indifferent tone, “It’s all no longer important…”
His voice lingered for a moment before dissipating within the air.
Shi Tie watched Shi Songtao’s body disintegrate.
His entire person resembled a statue.