He focused on the youth’s exposed neck, raised his sword, channeled mana into it, and swung with all his might, striking the youth’s throat.
Sparks flew through the air as the longsword got stuck at the throat. His hands trembled as it took him three tries to pull it out. He struck twice more before finally severing the youth’s head.
The sullen old man’s legs trembled as he stared blankly. The burly man surnamed Rui let out a breath of relief. When he was just about to put away his sword, he saw the severed head shift downward an inch on its own and reattach seamlessly to the body. The skin was smooth and flawless, showing no trace of a cut.
"Ah!"
A cold chill surged through his body. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground. His teeth chattered uncontrollably as the world spun around him. His eyes couldn’t leave the neck.
All color drained from the old man’s face, leaving him pale as a corpse. When he heard Rui’s teeth chatter, he stammered, "What... what is... going on?!"
"How... How would I know?!" Rui snarled. The old man inched away, his hand outside his robe shaking violently, lips trembling. Rui faltered, "I... I’ve never killed a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator before..."
But seeing that the youth had not awakened, the burly man gradually regained some courage and muttered, "What’s done is done... what’s done is done..."
He actually picked up the longsword again, measured the position, changed to a vertical grip, and struck the center of the brows three times until he split the head in two with a sharp clang.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" The old man’s paper-white face regained a hint of color. Already hunched over, he leaped up like a startled toad and cried out in alarm, "You’re going to die! You’re going to die!"
The old man immediately rode the wind and sped northward, his escaping light tinged with streaks of red. He had clearly used a blood escape technique, as if something terrifying were chasing him.
His light bobbed erratically through the sky, accompanied by howling cries echoing through the heavens, "You’re going to die!"
The burly man surnamed Rui was nearly scared into wetting himself by those crazed shrieks. The severed head had somehow rejoined the body again.
Stars danced in his eyes as he stared at the handsome face before him and muttered, trembling, "It’s not like I haven’t practiced devil techniques... reattaching a head... what’s so strange about that..."
He tried to reassure himself, but knowing the Li Family was a righteous family made the scene before him even more terrifying. The burly man raised his sword for the third time and struck at the neck again.
It took Daoist Rui three slashes to open the neck again. This time, he was ready. He lunged forward, lifted the head, and moved it away from the neck, intending to toss it aside.
But then he froze. The head in his hand had its eyes open. Those pale grey pupils stared quietly at him. That handsome face, paired with those eyes, exuded an eerie sanctity. Despite the colorless hue, Daoist Rui clearly sensed an icy chill within them. His heart felt like it would shatter; his head felt like it had been plunged into icy water; and every part of him shivered from the cold.
The next moment, the youth spoke.
A burst of snow-white sword energy surged from his lips and teeth, transforming into countless blades of frost and snow that blasted forward. Daoist Rui’s scream caught in his throat, and he was obliterated from head to toe. Only swirling snowstorms remained, stirring waves across the sea.
Splash!
Two storage pouches fell to the ground and rolled twice. The head floated back to the body and fit perfectly onto the neck once more. The youth let out a breath, and only then did his pale grey eyes close.
————
Great void.
Tu Longjian had already sensed something was wrong when Daoist Rui entered the game. The situation had turned out completely contrary to expectations. Hengzhu Dao Gate clearly hadn’t made a move to assist. They had not even sent a single message.
Tianwan was not surprised. Tu Longjian’s gaze swept across a certain place in the manifest world, and he too came to understand.
"Changxiao!"
Changxiao, who had previously been delayed by Chengyan’s matter, had clearly been feigning ignorance all along. Now he suddenly struck at Wang Fu, going with the flow and tying up Hengzhu Dao Gate's cultivators.
With this, the Hengzhu Dao Gate could no longer pull Tu Longjian to their side. His only means of saving Li Xijun was to hand over the Six Ding Merging Fire Token. But after bungling the situation, Hengzhu Dao Gate, though they killed Wang Fu, had now made an enemy of Tu Longjian...
So Daoist Master Tianwan stood before him, holding the winning hand, waiting for Tu Longjian to yield the Six Ding Merging Fire Token. Yet Tu Longjian remained unmoved, and thus Li Xijun was beheaded three times.
But Tu Longjian remained calm, seemingly unconcerned. He didn’t even open his eyes to look at the scene in the manifest world. He only gazed quietly at his opponent, in stark contrast to his prior behavior.
Daoist Master Tianwan stared fixedly at him silently sitting in the void, seemingly in disbelief. She sighed deeply and said, "Junjian, you are truly patient and calculating."
Tu Longjian’s voice was calm and steady as he replied, "Senior flatters me. I owed the Li Family a favor. This Radiant Sky Stone repays it in full. From now on, we are even. The rest is none of my concern."
Daoist Master Tianwan glanced at the frost and snow on the sea, shook her head softly, and murmured, "Everyone calls you a chivalrous man, Tu Longjian, but in the end, this is all there is to it."
Having said that, she suddenly felt disinterested.
I had hoped to use the currency of favor to gain the Six Ding Merging Fire Token in a deal without cost. But who would’ve thought he’d be so cold when it came down to it. I’ll have to come up with another plan.
She sighed in regret. After waiting so long with nothing to show for it, and with Changxiao only able to buy limited time, dragging things out would only put her into a passive position. She glanced coldly at Tu Longjian, then vanished in the great void.
Tu Longjian revealed himself above the sea, looked down at Li Xijun, formed a hand seal, and commanded, "Scarlet Sparrow, bear fire and deliver my order."
A hazy flame flew from his sleeve, transforming into a huge sparrow the size of a tiger or leopard. It circled him once, then opened its beak and inhaled. The Radiant Sky Stone, the storage pouch, Li Xijun, and everything else on the sea surface all flew into its belly.
Tu Longjian said softly, "The Radiant Sky Stone is here. Now we’re even."
The bird took his words into its belly as well and rode the wind southward. Tu Longjian glanced around, aware that many were watching from the great void, then turned and left.
He returned all the way to his cave dwelling, where a young man in blue and white robes was already seated. He was handsome with slightly feminine features, and was examining the collection within the cave.
Tu Longjian showed no surprise as he said calmly, "Thank you, Senior Pu Yu."
This man was none other than Daoist Master Pu Yu, his long-time friend. Pu Yu took a seat by the jade table and said casually, "I’ve preserved the soul. After all, he hasn’t learned divine abilities and his name isn’t on the rolls, so he was easy to catch. A few old fellows have died. In all the mainland, I doubt anyone knows more about this than I do. They won’t be able to tell! But you... going to all this trouble, you really thought it through."
Tu Longjian’s handsome face revealed a wry smile as he replied, "There were too many Purple Mansion Realm cultivators watching. If I’d protected him directly, I’d never have peace with the Li Family from then on... It would only convince those scheming against me to go deal with the Li Family instead!
"Only now do I understand Daoist Master Xiao’s way. He wanted to protect, but couldn't be close. Know when to let go... or else you end up harming the very ones you try to help!"
He sighed softly and continued, "Now that’s settled. Li Xijun ‘died’ in front of them, and my debt to the Li Family is cleared. I no longer need to stand openly behind them. They also know now that trying to scheme against the Li Family won’t work on me... It’ll be much easier to maneuver things moving forward."
The black-robed youth shifted the topic and spoke solemnly, "Senior, you master Yin and Yang, life and death. As for Xijun... I leave it in your hands, Daoist Master!"