Wanyu Sword Gate, Chenghua Hall.
A man in a Daoist robe leaned lazily against the doorframe, his eyes half-closed as he calculated with his fingers, "At the Green Pine Temple… things seem to have settled quite a bit. It seems that the five True Monarchs did not encounter the person they were waiting for and have since taken the Unspeaking Bell away. No matter how I calculate, he would never have appeared there, so naturally, they dispersed."
He yawned, but suddenly his expression grew serious. A clattering sound erupted from inside the hall. Startled, the man hurriedly stepped inside. In just a few strides, he reached the upper dais, where a Daoist scripture rested.
The scripture had a deep blue cover and pale yellow pages, appearing utterly unremarkable. Yet, without wind, its pages fluttered and turned on their own.
The pages finally settled, glowing with a faint green-white light as a few characters shone brightly— Qingche.
A few lines down, two smaller words lit up— Celestial Moon.
The green-white light flickered a few more times before fading away. The word Qingche remained faintly illuminated, while Celestial Moon quickly dimmed into dull gray ink, lifeless and ordinary.
The man paused, a subtle trace of sorrow in his voice as he muttered softly, "The last trace of Celestial Moon Sword Intent… is no longer in this world."
He furrowed his brow but soon revealed a hint of hope, "Perhaps that young Sword Immortal Wang might still have a lingering trace of it… but alas, he is currently learning the Dao before the True Monarch. Even the Wanyu Sword Book cannot calculate his fate!"
————
Years ago, when Li Chejing had raised his sword in Yi Mountain City, he had not struck, letting the blade's intent dissolve into a gentle breeze.
That strike had been executed on a whim, yet it was enough to surpass Chi Zhiyun, the young master of the Azure Pond Sect, scattering his fiery cloud sword essence and securing victory in that duel.
However, the sword intent within the Qingche Sword was one that Li Chejing had spent years refining within his cave dwelling. It was far stronger than the casual strike he had delivered that day.
When the Li Family obtained the sword, they had no real understanding of its power. Even their descriptions of it were derived from others.
Xiao Yuansi had returned the sword to the family based on his observations of that duel, estimating that the sword intent could slay a mid-Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. Later, encountering Wang Xun in Yinghua Prefecture, Xiao Yuansi had shown him the sword intent. Wang Xun had evaluated it as capable of slaying a mid-Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator as well.
The Li Family had not thought much of this evaluation at the time, overestimating Wang Xun slightly and placing him on the level of mid- to late-Foundation Establishment Realm. However, Wang Xun was the great-grandson of a True Monarch and the direct child of a Daoist Master. Whether in strength or perspective, he was among the very best in this realm. The mid-Foundation Establishment Realm he referred to likely aligned with the standards of the northern sects, such as the upper sects on Mount Luoxia.
This… is sword intent, Li Yuanjiao thought, pouring all his mana into the strike. He felt the world filled with gentle breezes and radiant moons, and a hazy figure emerged behind him, lasting only a fleeting moment before dissipating.
The sword intent surged forward, erupting into a crescent of green-white light that tore through the air. Yu Muxian instinctively reached into his sleeve for something, perhaps a hidden trump card, but his eyes were already filled with despair.
It was too close!
Only now did Yu Muxian understand why Tu Longjian had gone to such lengths to destroy his Heavenly Golden Cymbal spell. This man possessed an ancient Foundation Establishment Realm artifact—a rare item capable of concealing his presence!
What Yu Muxian hadn't anticipated was that, despite wielding such a potent sword intent, this man had still crept so close before striking. Though Yu Muxian's hand clutched a life-saving talisman, and his storage pouch held three precious pills, none of them could be used in time. 𝖗Ａ𝐍Ò฿Ëṩ
The green-white crescent expanded in his vision. In that moment, Yu Muxian caught sight of Li Yuanjiao's eyes—so unlike the reverent gaze he'd worn years ago while accepting offerings at the lake. Now, they brimmed with ruthless determination.
In the end… I'm to die at the hands of a mere Qi Cultivator from those days! Yu Muxian lamented.
The green-white crescent shattered the sea of clouds, descending slowly into the lower realm before rising again and vanishing into the boundless night sky.
For the first time, despair was etched visibly on Yu Muxian's face, a despair that would remain frozen forever. The strike severed his vitality entirely, leaving him no chance to turn the tide.
As Yu Muxian fell, his spells dissipated, and his body plummeted. Tang Shedu, standing nearby, seemed dazed. His hands trembled as they reached for his face, now spattered with Yu Muxian's blood. A wave of overwhelming terror surged within him, quickly transforming into boundless fury.
Li Yuanjiao, having expended all his mana, managed to step back only a few paces before a halberd thrust toward him. A Foundation Establishment Realm talisman he had prepared in advance activated, forming a shield of white light.
But how could this talisman compare to those wielded by the disciples of the great immortal sects? The shield barely slowed the halberd's momentum before shattering into scattered motes of light.
"Too close..." The sword strike left Yu Muxian with no time to react, but it also placed Li Yuanjiao directly within the reach of Tang Shedu's halberd. The slight hesitation it caused did nothing to grant Li Yuanjiao a chance to escape.
Li Yuanjiao barely managed to gather some remaining mana, causing the sheathed Qingche Sword to leap out once more, releasing a flash of green-white light.
This strike was far from dazzling—due to his depleted mana, it was even weaker than his usual strength. Yet it made Tang Shedu's eyelids twitch, and for a moment, he almost withdrew his halberd. However, his experience from countless battles steadied him, and he resolved firmly in his heart, That earlier strike must have exhausted the sword intent stored within his blade! He can't possibly use it again! I can't let him bluff me!
Indeed, the glow of Li Yuanjiao's sword shattered abruptly, leaving his face pale. Activating his River Crossing Torrential Step, he narrowly slipped past the halberd by a hair's breadth, thanks to Tang Shedu's brief hesitation.
Tang Shedu was simultaneously pleased and furious. His halberd immediately thrust toward Li Yuanjiao's back. As Li Yuanjiao turned to counter, the sight above filled him with despair.
The Binding Ring , seemingly enraged for failing to protect its master, no longer required any guidance. It directed its opening toward Li Yuanjiao, unleashing the lingering remnants of faint gray flames in an uncontrollable torrent.
Fortunately, Tu Longjian, though some distance away, had already commanded the Six Ding Merging Fire Token to intervene. The flames scorched Li Yuanjiao's robes into charred tatters but hesitated and retreated, ultimately being absorbed back into the token.
The Binding Ring , however, refused to relent. It was immediately entangled by the Merging Fire Token, both artifacts clashing fiercely as they leaped and flared in the sky. Li Yuanjiao felt his hair stand on end as a chill ran through him—Tang Shedu's halberd was already closing in from behind.
In the distance, Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian both rushed forward, wielding their dharma artifacts in an attempt to rescue Li Yuanjiao. Yet Tang Shedu intercepted them with ease, positioning himself between the two and guarding his rear with the halberd's extended shaft, creating an impenetrable defense.
Both Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian struck at Tang Shedu simultaneously, yet he ignored them completely, focusing all his effort on driving his halberd toward Li Yuanjiao. The fury and fear in his eyes betrayed his desperation, as though he were fighting for his very life.
Li Yuanjiao, already in poor condition, found his Qingche Sword repelled with just a light clash against the halberd. A sinking feeling overtook him, and in that instant, another possibility occurred to him, Damn it! If this golden-ring spirit artifact is still attacking me, the short sword must be coming too!