At Wanyu Sword Gate, within Chenghua Hall, a man clad in Daoist robes leaned against a door pillar, his eyes slightly narrowed as he pinched his fingers in divination.
"Qingsong Temple... things have relaxed quite a bit now. It seems the five True Monarchs did not find the one they were waiting for. Having claimed the Buyu Bell, they calculated that he would not appear no matter what, so they naturally dispersed."
He yawned, then suddenly grew solemn as a rustling sound echoed from within the hall. Greatly startled, the middle-aged man strode quickly inside. In a few paces he reached the dais and found a Daoist scripture resting upon it.
The scripture had a navy-blue cover and pale yellow pages, unremarkable in appearance, yet it fluttered open of its own accord without any wind.
After flipping for a moment, the book stopped on a certain page, radiating an azure-white glow. Several characters brightly lit up:
*Qingchi.*
A few lines below, two smaller characters also shone:
*Yueque.*
The azure-white light flickered and finally vanished. The two characters *Qingchi* remained fairly bright, but the two characters *Yueque* had already faded into ordinary, dull gray ink.
The middle-aged man was taken aback, then sighed softly in lament, "The last Yueque sword intent no longer exists in this world!"
His brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of doubt surfaced. "Perhaps a wisp still remains with Little Wang Sword Immortal. Unfortunately, he is now studying the Dao before a True Monarch, so even the Wanyu Sword Tome cannot divine him!"
***
*Too close...*
Too close!
Only now did Yu Muxian understand why Tu Longjian had gone to such painstaking, thankless lengths to shatter his Heavenly Gold Cymbals—that man actually carried an ancient Foundation Establishment magical artifact on him, and a rare concealment artifact at that!
Even less had he expected that someone holding such a potent sword intent would sneak to such proximity before unleashing it. Though Yu Muxian gripped a life-saving talisman in his palm and had three precious herbs in his storage bag, it was too late for any of it.
Yu Muxian pinched his sleeve, as if he still had a hidden card, yet despair already filled his eyes.
The sword intent before him surged forth, instantly coalescing into an azure-white crescent that cleaved through the air.
When the Li family obtained the sword, they did not truly know its full might; even descriptions of its power had come from others. Years ago in Yishan City, Li Chijing's strike had not fallen, dispersing only as a gentle breeze. Xiao Yuansi had delivered the sword home, judging from that past battle that the sword intent could slay a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. Later, when he met Wang Xun of Yinghua Commandery and had him examine the sword intent, Wang Xun had likewise said it could slay a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Back then, the Li family had not paid it much mind. Though they held Wang Xun in high regard, estimating him between mid and late Foundation Establishment, Wang Xun was the direct grandson of Tu Long and the flesh-and-blood son of a Real Person; his insight and prowess were at the pinnacle of this realm. The "mid Foundation Establishment" he spoke of was likely benchmarked against the northern superior sect, Mount Luoxia.
Moreover, this strike stored within the Qingchi Sword was one that Li Chijing had polished and honed in his cave dwelling for several full years—far stronger than the strike back then! That strike had been released on impulse, yet it had still bested the Qingchi Sect's young master Chi Zhiyun, scattering his fiery cloud sword origin and winning that contest.
Li Yuanjiao channeled his entire store of magic power into the blade and unleashed that strike. He only felt that between heaven and earth the clear wind was endearing and the bright moon delightful, while a hazy figure slowly surfaced behind him, lingering for only an instant before dispersing.
Was that... sword intent?
The azure-white crescent sliced open the sea of clouds, flying into the lower realm, then reflected as it soared into the void, vanishing into the boundless night.
The radiance of the sword rapidly expanded before Yu Muxian's eyes. In an instant, he caught sight of Li Yuanjiao's eyes—completely unlike when he had received tribute on the lake years ago, when those eyes were filled with respect; now they were brimming with deep ruthlessness and resolve.
For the first time, despair showed openly upon his face, yet it froze there forever as head and body separated. That strike directly severed his life force, leaving him no opportunity to turn the tables. In the end, he had actually died at the hands of that tiny Qi Refinement cultivator from back then!
With his death, his spells dispersed and his corpse slowly fell. Beside him, Tang Shedu stood in a daze, hands trembling as he touched his own cheek. The blood from that strike had splashed across his face, and boundless terror welled in his heart, almost instantly transforming into endless fury.
That strike had left Yu Muxian no time to react, but it had also placed Li Yuanjiao directly in front of Tang Shedu's halberd. The heavy momentum left him no chance to escape.
Tang Shedu was both overjoyed and enraged. His halberd thrust toward Li Yuanjiao's back. Li Yuanjiao only then turned around, yet the scene before him was even more desperate.
Li Yuanjiao's magic power was exhausted. After retreating only a few paces, the halberd was already thrusting at his chest. A Foundation Establishment talisman he had prepared long ago leaped from his person, turning into a white shield of light.
Yet how could the Foundation Establishment talismans he obtained compare to those of immortal sect disciples? It barely slowed the halberd before instantly shattering into specks of light.
Li Yuanjiao's condition was already poor. When the Qingchi Sword in his hand clashed heavily against the halberd, it was knocked aside, and his heart sank. Almost instantly, he thought of another possibility.
Li Yuanjiao barely mustered his magic power, and the sheathed Qingchi Sword leaped out once more, radiating an azure-white glow. That strike was not spectacular—due to his exhausted magic power, it was not even up to his usual standard—yet it made Tang Shedu's eyelids twitch, nearly prompting him to pull his halberd back. But a veteran of countless battles, Tang Shedu was certain in his heart: *Just now, this Li Yuanjiao must have used the sword intent stored in the sword! How could he use it again? I can't let him bluff me!*
Sure enough, Li Yuanjiao's sword-light snapped clean in half. His face turned pale, and he executed the River-Crossing Torrent Steps. Fortunately, Tang Shedu's brief hesitation just now finally allowed him to brush past the halberd by a hair's breadth.
In the distance, Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian were already rushing to the rescue with their magical artifacts. Tang Shedu stood between them, seemingly unguarded, yet the shaft of the weapon extending behind him appeared to shield him completely from both.
Both struck at Tang Shedu at the same time, yet Tang Shedu ignored them, relentlessly thrusting at Li Yuanjiao, the rage in his eyes mixed with fear, as if fighting to save his own life.
The ring Halting Warfare seemed infuriated at failing to protect its master. Without needing any manipulation, it turned its aperture toward him, the residual pale gray flames within pouring out in a torrent.
*Damn it! Since the golden ring spirit artifact continues to attack me, the flying daggers must be coming too!*
Fortunately, although Tu Longjian was a little farther away, he had already sent the Bading Combined Fire Token forward. The flames reached Li Yuanjiao's face, scorching his robes to ash, but then hesitated and drew back, drawn into the token.
Halting Warfare would not let the matter rest, but the Combined Fire Token entangled it once more, making it thrum incessantly in midair. Every hair on Li Yuanjiao stood on end—Tang Shedu's weapon was already right behind him...
Chapter 468