Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 461 On the Martial World (10,000 words)
*Swish-swish*—*Click!*
The killing intent of the two top martial artists of the era soared to the sky. This aura alone was enough to influence heaven and earth. The wind grew stronger, causing the flame-shaped banner in front of the Fire Worship Palace to flutter loudly before snapping in half with a 'crack'.

Half of the flagpole rolled and slid down in the White Stone Square. The square, which was filled with more than 10,000 people, was deathly silent, making the clanging sound of the flagpole extremely jarring.

At this moment, no one paid attention to the sound; the whole world seemed to have fallen silent, except for the two figures on the high platform.

Xiao Yuanmu, along with Luo Chaoyan, Ji Zihuai, Su Qingqi, and several other women, stood on a palace wall, looking towards this place from afar, without uttering a sound.

Uudam carried no weapon, his arms hanging down. With his martial arts skills, he had already reached the point where he could use thousands of techniques at will, so whether he carried a weapon or not made little difference.

Zhao Wumian was no different. He often used the Qingxu Sword, which was nothing more than a way of missing Jiu'er.

Uudam's refined face was calm and composed, but his eyes revealed a murderous intent as he stared intently at Zhao Wumian. His gaze seemed to penetrate Zhao Wumian's mortal body, allowing him to see the jade pendant within Zhao Wumian's body and the ethereal aura it exuded.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and for some reason, his expression was somewhat dazed, as if he were seeing a very distant memory of his own.

Perhaps in this ethereal atmosphere, he saw the shadow of his master, Ji Yingshi, and recalled the childhood scenes of practicing martial arts under his tutelage.

Zhao Wumian had no interest in what Uudam was thinking, but a slight sense of melancholy still lingered in his heart.

He had a different stance from Uudam, but he also knew that Uudam had lived his whole life for only one goal: to restore the Rong people.

Now, fighting abroad, he is betrayed by his own people, giving him a somewhat tragic figure-like appearance.

So before the fight began, he asked softly:
"With your martial arts talent, if you had abandoned the secular world and focused on cultivating immortality like Shaman Tian... you would probably have already ascended to heaven... Why are you so determined to make the grasslands prosperous?"

"Why are you so persistent?" Even as he prepared to fight Zhao Wumian to the death, Uudam remained refined and amiable. He raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled gently and replied:

"I am a human being."

Zhao Wumian was silent for a few seconds, then asked curiously, "Don't you want to become an immortal?"

"Does the shaman who most desires to become an immortal have no other obsessions?"

Zhao Wumian recalled the scene before Shaman Tian died... He could have delayed a little longer, but he was willing to die because of a human skin drum.

Uudam continued:
“Master always said that immortals should be free from desires and have hearts as clear as crystal, like Abbot Dongwen of Little Western Paradise… Without this state of mind, no matter how high one’s martial arts skills or how deep one’s foundation, it is impossible to attain immortality… For this reason, he did not hesitate to seal his memories and return to his childhood, but in the end…”

Uudam glanced at Ji Zihuai from afar, then suddenly smiled and said.

"My master sought immortality his whole life, and for it, he gave everything... his family and relatives, a hundred years, and he even used the Pearl Relic Pagoda to abandon his human emotions... but in the end, he still failed to become an immortal."

Zhao Wumian frowned slightly. He had thought his scumbag father-in-law had already ascended to heaven...

"Let's discuss this in detail."

Uudam remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"You'll know."

Zhao Wumian did not come here to discuss philosophy with Uudam. Seeing that Uudam was unwilling to talk, Zhao Wumian was too lazy to ask any more questions.

After the words were spoken, both of them fell silent, their deep, weathered eyes gazing at each other.

The wind is blowing again, and countless flags in the square are fluttering in the wind.

As the two remained silent, Shen Tu Bu Zui, carrying the Demon-Slaying Sword, stood silently behind Wu Da Mu. His knuckles on the hilt of the sword were white. Although he was no longer a match for Zhao Wu Mian, he was still qualified to join forces with Wu Da Mu.

By providing support from the sidelines, all that is needed to distract Zhao Wumian, even for a moment, is a decisive opportunity for Uudam.

Shen Tu Bu Zui said softly, "Xiao Yuan Kong... you've practiced martial arts all your life, and as fellow martial artists, I'd much rather fight you one-on-one... Unfortunately, last time it was for the Nine Bells, and this time it's for the world..."

"Whether it's for the sake of the Nine Bells or for the sake of conquering the world... always liking to join forces with others just shows that you lack self-confidence." Zhao Wumian glanced at Shen Tu Buzui.

Shen Tu Bu Zui remained silent, regardless of the circumstances... this time it was still a joint effort by the same people to besiege Zhao Wumian.

But this time, Zhao Wumian had an accomplice.

Without hesitation, Meng Po stood beside Zhao Wumian, coldly staring at Shen Tu Buzui without saying a word, but her meaning was clear... If you want to interfere, you'll have to get past her first.

Upon hearing this, Shen Tu Bu Zui first glanced at Xiao Yuan Mu on the palace wall in the distance, thinking to himself that he seemed to be about to be besieged and killed by these two vixens.

Just as they were pondering this, a sword rang out suddenly, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present. Even Zhao Wumian and Wudamu turned to look.

A sword light shot into the sky from the crowd, heading straight for Shen Tu Bu Zui. The newcomer had white hair and a youthful face, wore a Taoist robe, and his wrinkled hands gripped the Tai Chi Zhenwu Sword tightly, exuding a sharp killing intent.

Meng Po and Shen Tu Bu Zui's eyes simultaneously turned cold, "The True Man of Returning to One..."

Zhao Wumian narrowed his eyes slightly, not expecting that the missing Master Guiyi would appear here.

But now he suddenly attacks Shentu Buzui...

Zhao Wumian knew that even though Guiyi Daoist had countless disagreements and grudges with him, this centenarian was still the martial arts champion of the Central Plains. Before Zhao Wumian became famous, he was the face of the Central Plains martial arts world and the leader of the righteous path.

He had many grudges against Zhao Wumian, but he saw that the world's affairs were gathering in the Western Regions, so he came here.

It wasn't to take advantage of the chaos to kill Zhao Wumian, but to take the heads of Shen Tu Buzui and Wudamu amidst the confusion.

Let peace return to the world.

He was able to go to Taiyuan to join forces with Qiang Kui to besiege Wudamu... so of course he will come again now.

But Meng Po didn't care... She only knew that her master, Yan Rongfei, had died, and that Guiyi Zhenren had contributed to that.

The sword was too fast and had been planned for a long time, so Shen Tu Bu Zui had no choice but to temporarily avoid its edge and retreat to the side. Gui Yi Zhenren and Meng Po followed closely behind.

In the blink of an eye, they stirred up a storm and began a fierce battle in the vast temple.

This battle between the three was roughly the same as the battle between Yan Yun Zhao Wumian and Mo Jingxue, Sha Mantian and others... each fighting their own battle, a pure chaotic fight.

Zhao Wumian glanced back at Xiao Yuanmu, her childhood sweetheart Zhu Li slightly pursed her lips, and slowly moved to the side... With her supporting her from the side, Meng Po would certainly not be in danger.

Su Qingqi also stared intently into the distance, her gaze fixed on Zhao Wumian and Uudam... her young master, who was about to kill her father's killer.

The fight between these martial arts masters had no effect on the two of them at all... They only had eyes for each other.

Zhao Wumian's blue robe fluttered in the wind.

Damu's hands, hidden beneath his sleeves, were clenched into fists, veins bulging.

Boom!

A loud bang suddenly came from the palace not far away, as if Shen Tu Bu Zui had been forced to smash through the wall by Gui Yi Zhenren's sword.

Right now!

"drink!"

Uudam's eyes narrowed, and he roared. The floor tiles beneath his feet suddenly shattered, sending shards of stone flying and piercing the air with a piercing 'whoosh' sound.

Uudam himself has disappeared without a trace.

Before the white-robed scholar could even be seen, the air in front of Zhao Wumian visibly began to cave in!

Uudam's seemingly ordinary punch was a display of his full strength, his muscles bulging beneath his white robe... but Zhao Wumian's sword was even faster.

Zhao Wumian's sword was originally held in his hand, but suddenly, the elegant blade was already at the side of Wudamu's neck.

On the side of the neck? But Zhao Wumian originally intended to pierce Uudam's throat directly.

With his martial arts skills, there was no way he could miss. Uudam's speed was also slightly inferior to his. Even if he could dodge the attack, he would not be so leisurely walking around...

Uudam's martial arts skills are indeed somewhat strange, seemingly even able to influence Zhao Wumian.

Zhao Wumian narrowed his eyes slightly, showing no panic. He immediately changed his move, turning his longsword from a thrust to a slash.

But Uudam switched from attack to retreat, lightly touching the ground with his toes and leaning back, his power shifting smoothly and without any obstruction.

The clear, beautiful sword light flashed past Uudam's throat in the blink of an eye, leaving a crescent-shaped, cold gleam in the air, but it accomplished nothing.

Immediately following, Uudam's aura changed abruptly. With a thud of his white robe, cracks appeared on the floor tiles beneath his feet. He shifted forward three steps from his original position, and then delivered a powerful, bell-striking elbow strike to Zhao Wumian's chest.

boom!
The stone platform beneath their feet suddenly cracked inch by inch, and an unparalleled gust of wind caused the surrounding flagpoles to break instantly, and the flags were shattered on the spot.

Zhao Wumian did not suffer any obvious injuries thanks to his external martial arts and internal energy protection. However, once the energy entered his body, it was difficult to reduce its force at will.

The brute force spread throughout his body, then backward, causing him to fly uncontrollably backward.

With both feet off the ground, Wudamu flew less than two meters before his body suddenly dropped down and sprang up again, like a tiger climbing a mountain or a dragon emerging from the earth. He turned his hands into claws and chased after Zhao Wumian.

"Here you go!"

Uudam roared again, giving Zhao Wumian no chance to catch his breath. His palm struck down like a cannonball towards Zhao Wumian's heart. The air even drew out a pure white stream of air beside his palm, producing a sonic boom.

Uudam's elbow strike earlier was a test of Zhao Wumian's physique and internal energy. Now that he understands this better, he knows that this palm strike could not simply send Zhao Wumian flying backward.

Now, Zhao Wumian was forced back by his elbow and had not yet dissipated the force, falling into a disadvantageous position. He could only be relentlessly pursued by Wudamu and barely managed to parry.

Suddenly, a thick black aura surged from Zhao Wumian's chest, resembling a human figure that shot out from Zhao Wumian's body and heavily imprinted a foot on Wudamu's chest, like a black clone.

boom!
Uudam was caught off guard by the force, his movements faltering, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

This is clearly just internal energy being released externally, yet Zhao Wumian has already reached the point where he can control it at will.
It should be noted that even the shaman Tiandu could only use his palm as a medium to release his internal energy from the three Yin meridians in his palm, but Zhao Wumian had no such restriction.

Zhao Wumian's eyes turned slightly cold. His 'black clone' spun in the air and disappeared into his body.

Then a black line suddenly emerged from his back, piercing into the floor tiles, causing Zhao Wumian to be pulled into a right angle in the air and crash into the floor tiles, dissipating the force in an almost brutal way and regaining his center of gravity.

Then, with a stomp of his boots, his movements were fluid and graceful. He spun around, raised his leg, and with a scorpion-tail kick, his boot struck Uudam hard on the side of his face.

With a loud 'bang', even though Uudam's external martial arts skills were also quite good, he couldn't help but turn his head to the side. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhao Wumian press down with his body, raising one fist to his lower abdomen.

Then, he sprang up from his spot like a spring, and before Uudam could fall to the side, his uppercut slammed heavily into Uudam's chin.

"You think you only know how to use fist and palm techniques!?"

boom!
Uudam flew like a wild goose in broad daylight, crashing onto the eaves of the Fire Worship Palace, shattering the roof bricks. But just before that, silks and satins fluttered down from inside the palace, like countless large nets, trying to catch Uudam.

Even though in the end it was nothing more than a few 'ripping' sounds as the silk tore, it still relieved a lot of the force on Uudam.

Having gained the upper hand with one move, Zhao Wumian secretly frowned... The feel of that punch was off.

Just like his sword strike just now.

As soon as Uudam came to his senses, he saw Zhao Wumian leap into the air, raise his hand, and shoot out a jet-black thread made of his inner energy, intending to wrap it around Uudam's neck.

But just then, a stray rock appeared in front of Uudam. Although it pierced through him in the blink of an eye, it still bought Uudam a moment of time.

He raised his hand and slapped the ground beneath him, causing him to flip to the side. He raised his hand to slap the ground to dodge, his body moving like a crouching dragon and tiger, leaving three marks more than ten feet long on the black tiles of the eaves as he retreated to the side.

Kakaka————

Tiles flew everywhere. Uudam released his force, raised his hand that had been pressing down, slowly stood up, and shook off the black dust with his five fingers clenched loosely.

Zhao Wumian followed closely behind, landing on the head of the Vulcan statue and sheathing his sword... The Vulcan statue had already collapsed to the side, smashing down half of the palace.

One person stands on the still intact eaves of the palace, and another stands on the top of the golden statue, while the surrounding buildings are dilapidated.

They stood facing each other, gazing at one another, but without prior agreement, they both refrained from making a move.

"Your luck... seems to be pretty good," Zhao Wumian said meaningfully.

Su Qingqi, watching from afar, bit her lower lip tightly. Based on the intelligence sent by Asur, they knew why…

The Imperial Seal of the State... This nine-bell vessel is rumored to have the power to determine the rise and fall of dynasties and alter destiny.

In layman's terms, it's about manipulating fate... Whoever possesses it can be called the true 'chosen one'.

Destiny!
Ordinary people who obtain it will not know how to use it, and may even bring bad luck upon themselves... But Uudam has possessed the Imperial Seal of the State for nearly a hundred years.

He had already thoroughly studied it... His so-called method of manipulating fate was by no means inferior to Zhao Wumian's spacetime technique.

This is far more obscure and mysterious than the Dao of Time and Space, but unfortunately, Uudam has cultivated for a much longer period than Zhao Wumian, a full hundred years.

Of course, just as Zhao Wumian would suffer a backlash when using the Time-Space Immortal Technique, Uudam's move could not be used as easily as he wished.

Otherwise, he would have become the ruler of this world long ago.

But when Uudam is mobilized, it is only a matter of a thought, and the effect can be achieved in an instant.

When Uudam was in Taiyuan, he wasn't killed instantly by the Prince of Jin's gunpowder; he only suffered minor injuries... all thanks to a moment of 'good luck'.

Good luck is nothing special, but too much luck can determine many things... ensuring that Uudam's attacks always land on Zhao Wumian's weakest point.

This would make it difficult for Zhao Wumian to touch him every time he drew his sword.

He would always manage to escape danger for various reasons.

If he can't do these things... then it just proves that he's not lucky enough, and Uudam still needs to practice.

The world, the flags, the buildings—everything in sight is cheering for Uudam and doing everything possible to protect him from all risks.

Even the winds sweeping around him would brush against his back with each punch he threw, adding to his power.

Uudam did not deny it, saying, "So what if it is? The Imperial Seal of the State is just like that."

He said softly, "So you can't kill me, Zhao Wumian... No one can kill me. Heaven and earth will not allow me to die. No matter how high your martial arts are, you are still just a mortal. How can you defy the fate of heaven and earth?"

Zhao Wumian remained silent.

A smile involuntarily appeared on Uudam's face.

The two stood high atop the Fire Worship Palace. The more than ten thousand believers below the White Stone Square, as well as the common people in the inner and outer cities, could all see two black dots on the rooftop, which looked like two figures.

In the city of Baihuo, some people couldn't help but look up and gaze at it. The news spread like wildfire, and soon there was much discussion and the whole city was in an uproar.

The sun was blazing brightly in the sky.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wumian simply raised his eyes and gazed at the clear sky, as if complaining about why the heavens were so biased.

It is often said that Heaven is ruthless, yet Heaven has shown favor to Uudam.

Uudam gazed at him silently.

Uudam admired Zhao Wumian and sincerely hoped that he would know about this matter, stop resisting, and surrender.

But heaven and earth are on his side, fortune is on his side, and everything will lend him a helping hand, except for Zhao Wumian.

Gao Tian stood behind Uudam, both of them hostile towards Zhao Wumian... so Zhao Wumian should naturally be hostile towards Gao Tian.

To disrupt the world.

Zhao Wumian suddenly raised his hand, and a lamp that seemed to be bathed in the glow of the sunset drew a crimson arc in the air and flew into his hand.

“The ever-burning lamp of rosy clouds…” Uudam’s eyes narrowed.

Zhao Wumian withdrew his gaze from the sky, glanced sideways at Uudam, and suddenly said:
"Within the nine bells, there seem to be many opposing elements: killing and destruction versus restoration and rebirth, the flow of time versus the shifting of space."

"What do you want to say?" Uudam frowned.

"Your Imperial Seal should perhaps have a counterpart, just like... fate and variables."

Boom——

No sooner had he finished speaking than a bolt of lightning streaked across the sea of ​​clouds, imprinting itself on the back of Zhao Wumian standing before the golden statue.

Uudam was taken aback.

hum!
Then, Zhao Wumian's ever-burning lamp suddenly trembled, and the lamp cloth, which was like a robe of rosy clouds, suddenly became dark and pitch black, like night. Then, the Milky Way turned and the stars were like a woven tapestry.

Boom————

Several more claps of thunder resounded, and the clear sky, which had been scorching hot under the sun, suddenly darkened in the blink of an eye, accompanied by churning thunderclouds.

tick, tick-

A few drops of water fell from the sky, landing on the back of Zhao Wumian's hand before sliding off the scabbard.

A beggar, bowing his head and begging in the outer city, suddenly felt a chill. He raised his mud-covered face and looked up blankly.

Boom.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard, followed by thunder. A white light briefly illuminated the sky and earth, then the rumbling of thunder snakes continued incessantly, and the dark sky suddenly resembled a silver river hanging over the fields.

Countless raindrops pelted down, causing the surface of the oasis lake to churn in the blink of an eye. The fluffy date palms, like umbrellas, were pressed down by the raindrops, then bounced back, shaking off the water droplets.

The smell of earth mixed with water, like a sky full of yellow flowers, seeped into my nose in a hazy gray.

The city of Baihuo, with its million inhabitants, fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

Even Shen Tu Bu Zui, Meng Po, and Gui Yi Lao Dao, who were fighting fiercely, stopped fighting upon seeing this strange phenomenon. They were extremely shocked and looked up at Zhao Wu Mian standing on the golden statue.

The ever-burning lamp in his hand emitted a hazy, clear light, and as he stood on high, he resembled a crescent moon.

Everyone could tell at a glance that such miraculous feats of controlling the wind and rain must have been the work of this person.

As a capital city steeped in religious atmosphere, Zhao Wumian's act of appearing divine in front of people undoubtedly left a deep impression on many.

As they watched Zhao Wumian stand on the statue of the Fire God and summon a great rain with a flick of his finger, they were momentarily convinced that Zhao Wumian was a true immortal.

As for that so-called God of Fire... he was trampled underfoot by this true immortal. What more needs to be said?

The beggars in the outer city, who could barely afford a sip of water, suddenly burst into tears and knelt down to pay their respects to Zhao Wumian.

"A celestial being! This is a true celestial being!"

More and more people started making these calls, and soon it became uncontrollable.

Uudam silently raised his eyes and looked at the sky. Raindrops wet his face, causing the few strands of his neatly combed hair to stick tightly to his face.

As a top martial artist who had glimpsed the realm of immortals, how could he not know the effect of Zhao Wumian's actions?

It was a bright, sunny day, but suddenly it started to rain. It seemed like the wind and rain were being summoned, but in reality, it was because the laws of heaven and earth had been disrupted.

Everything was in chaos, as if a primordial chaos, from before the creation of heaven and earth, had descended upon the world.

This is the Everlasting Lamp of Flowing Clouds, this is the Nine Bells.

The things created by heaven and earth are meant to change the world; it just happened to affect Uudam incidentally.

In this environment, so-called luck has long lost its power... Heaven and earth are too busy taking care of themselves to have any time to favor others.

The very foundation upon which he had built his reputation for decades was suddenly exposed by Zhao Wumian.

This situation seems to be hinting at some kind of ending.

As a martial artist who has deeply studied the art of destiny, how could he not realize it at this moment?

There is a sense of something in the universe.

So his expression at that moment was indescribably desolate.

He seemed to know his own fate, and also the fate of the grasslands. Zhao Wumian suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, then slowly released his grip, but the ever-burning chamomile lamp still hung high in the sky.

He stood ramrod straight, one hand gripping the sheath, the other raised to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth before slowly placing it on the hilt of his sword. His expression was cold as he said:

"As a martial artist, you always think about whether you're lucky or unlucky when you fight me... Now, it's different. Between us, we don't care about luck. We can decide life and death based solely on our martial arts skills."

Uudam was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Even without his luck, he still possessed the martial arts skills he had painstakingly cultivated for a hundred years.

Having relied on this path for so long, he had almost forgotten how he had managed to break through the enemy lines, become Ji Yingshi's disciple, reach the position of Imperial Preceptor, and gain insight into the Imperial Seal.

Nothing more than the knife in my hand.

He smiled, regaining his usual nonchalant demeanor.

Some say that cultivating immortality is about going with the flow, riding the wind, taking advantage of the opportunities of heaven and earth, following the changes of yin and yang, like sowing in spring and harvesting in autumn, like the ebb and flow of tides, and finding a glimmer of immortality in the trajectory of all things.

Some say that the path to immortality is to defy the heavens, sever ties with the mortal world, break through the tribulations of life and death, resist destiny with a mortal body, and point a lone sword at the heavens.

Few people in the mortal world truly cultivate themselves to become immortals, hence the differing opinions.

Udam was originally the former, but now he has no choice but to become the latter. But regardless of the former or the latter, there is no reason for him to surrender without a fight at this moment.

He glanced sideways at the entire city, hearing the deafening roar of immortals, and smiled at Zhao Wumian:
"You wish to become an immortal... Zhao Wumian."

"I came to the Western Regions not to become an immortal."

"Oh?"

"I'm here to kill you."

After the words were spoken, the two fell silent, an unspeakable stillness enveloping them. A few seconds later, their eyes suddenly narrowed, and they vanished from the spot almost simultaneously.

thunderbolt!

A lightning bolt suddenly streaked across the sky, its blazing light briefly illuminating the heavens and earth. Countless people kneeling on the ground looked up at the highest palace roof in the city, and two figures rushed towards each other.

Zhao Wumian stomped heavily, his body crashing through the rain curtain. The raindrops shattered and transformed into a hazy, pale vortex behind him.

His longsword suddenly flew out of its sheath, without a flash of light or a sound, yet the tip of the sword was already at Uudam's throat, the sharp killing intent making Uudam's skin sting.

He knew that Zhao Wumian was proficient in the art of time and space, and that any external martial arts technique would be ineffective against his sword, so he dared not take it head-on.

With his knees bent, his figure resembled a crouching tiger or a dragon. His boots slid three steps across the roof tiles, and with a sudden movement, he raised his arm and delivered a punch to Zhao Wumian's wrist. The punch then flashed back to his waist and abdomen in the blink of an eye, like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan.

But a sudden, brute force surged through his forearm, causing even Zhao Wumian to release his grip, and the longsword flew from his hand.

"drink!"

Zhao Wumian remained unmoved, let out a loud shout, and the roof ridge beneath his feet instantly shattered. Power rose from the ground, and with one arm sweeping through the torrential rain, he slammed heavily into Wudamu Tianling, creating a hole in the rain.

Uudam's fist and palm skills were far more profound than he had imagined.

He suddenly sprang up, his toes lightly touching Zhao Wumian's forearm, his body climbing upwards, his boots spinning in the air, and kicking the hilt of the spinning sword.

call out!
The Qingxu Sword drew a blinding white line through the rain, and in the blink of an eye, it grazed Zhao Wumian's face, piercing the golden statue without any obstruction, leaving a gap.

He tilted his head slightly to dodge the sword, but secretly frowned.

The ever-burning rosy lamp not only affected Uudam, but also him... At this moment, the world seemed to be in a state of spatial and temporal chaos, and even if he wanted to use the technique of dissolving illusion, it would be somewhat difficult for him.

However, it's not entirely unusable; it just requires some getting used to... Perhaps this is also the case with Udam's so-called method of destiny.

There was no time to think further. Uudam kicked out his longsword as a feint, but in reality, he spun around like the wind and slammed down with one arm.

The raindrops shattered and swirled along Uudam's arms on both sides.

Zhao Wumian neither dodged nor avoided, but suddenly met him head-on. However, his movements were like a swimming fish or a willow swaying in the wind. He brushed past Wudamu's arm like a water droplet and raised his knee.

The powerful, bell-like knee strike landed on Uudam's chest.

A terrifying force struck, and Uudam left a trail of water in the air before crashing into the inner city wall like an arrow. The wall instantly cracked, sending rubble and debris flying everywhere, startling the crowd into a panic.

Uudam pierced through the thick city wall and landed on the inner city's main street with undiminished momentum. He slid backward uncontrollably, unable to dissipate the force.

A slight look of surprise crossed his eyes. The rain had already soaked his hair and clothes. Before he could think further, he suddenly raised his palm and slapped the ground, then nimbly moved to the side.

Immediately afterward, Zhao Wumian suddenly appeared where he had been standing, his boots abruptly pressing down and landing on the street tiles.

Boom!

Like an earth dragon turning over, a deep pit more than ten feet long was formed at its center, leaving behind countless spiderweb-like cracks.

The vibrant colors of the flowers on both sides of the street were now fluttering down, their petals shooting out in all directions along with the raindrops and pebbles.

Uudam rolled several times on the ground, then smoothly flipped himself up and, without pausing, burst forward again in the rain, cracking the white stone tiles as he ran.

In the blink of an eye, a seemingly ordinary move, the Golden Dragon Mouth Closing, arrived in front of Zhao Wumian.

He had no doubt about the power contained in Uudam's every move, but he was also eager to try. He shouted "Well done!" and raised his fist to meet the attack. The two were like needles against wheat awns, their fists colliding!

boom!
A deafening roar, far surpassing the thunderous roar of the churning clouds, suddenly resounded throughout the City of Fire Worship.

Within a radius of three zhang (approximately 10 meters), water droplets, yellow flowers, and street buildings all turned to dust simultaneously, becoming flat ground in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Wumian, who had been uninjured for a long time thanks to his strong physique and internal energy, was now bleeding. His tiger's mouth split open, blood droplets splattered, and even the skin on his palm was peeled off, revealing the stark white bones.

Uudam suffered the same fate; his forearm bone even broke on the spot, twisting into an inhuman arc, with blood splattering everywhere.

Due to the reaction force, the two people were suddenly thrown in the opposite direction as soon as they made contact, smashing countless buildings along the way and leaving two human-shaped holes in the rain.

Zhao Wumian crashed into the inner city wall, causing the already large hole in the wall to tremble again.

His hands trembled, but a surge of heat rose within him, spreading throughout his body. The wounds and bloodshed only fueled his ferocity as a member of the martial arts world.

"Come again!"

"it is good!"

Uudam shouted, twisted his forearm, and tore his arm off, blood gushing out, yet he remained defiant.

The two had barely flown off for a moment when they stomped on the ground again with their boots, like bloodthirsty deep-sea dragons, rampaging through the houses and buildings, neither dodging nor avoiding them, simply smashing them open and clearing away obstacles.

There were still drops of blood in the air, left from the two's earlier exchange. They hadn't even landed yet, and they were already close to each other again.

Zhao Wumian threw a cannon punch at Wudamu, but Wudamu roared. Although he was now only one arm, his momentum was rising steadily. He took the punch head-on and crashed into Zhao Wumian's arms. He suddenly sprang up and his knee strike landed on Zhao Wumian's jaw.

Zhao Wumian raised his hand to block, but the powerful force still sent him flying.

Uudam followed closely behind, his cannonball bouncing off the ground and leaving a crater. Before he could make a move, Zhao Wumian raised his hand and shot out a black line that wrapped around Uudam's waist and abdomen.

Before Zhao Wumian could stop leaping into the air, he raised his hand and pulled Wudamu sharply towards him. He was like an arrow on a taut bowstring, suddenly released, leaving a white trail in the rain, his boots imprinted on Wudamu's chest.

With a powerful stomp, Uudam coughed up blood and crashed to the ground, causing the water on the paving stones to instantly rise into the air.

"it is good!"

Uudam's eyes were bloodshot. He raised his palm and slammed it into the ground, using the force to spring up. Then, with an extremely powerful Iron Mountain Lean, he landed on Zhao Wumian's chest. Blood accumulated in his throat, making his voice hoarse and muffled.

Boom——

Zhao Wumian inevitably slid backward, his back crashing into the houses along the way, and he also coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Before the remains of the houses even hit the ground, Uudam rushed over again, arriving in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Wumian laughed loudly, "The Grand Preceptor of the Grasslands lives up to his name... Take this!"

Zhao Wumian turned his palm backward, and suddenly heard a 'hum' from Tianjie Street. In the blink of an eye, Qingxu Sword pierced through the buildings along the way and landed in Zhao Wumian's hand.

As Uudam approached, Zhao Wumian's sword was already thrust out!

It was as if Uudam had taken the initiative to greet him.

But Uudam seemed to have been prepared for this. His movements were like flowers in the rain. He slightly turned his body, and the sword just missed his neck by a hair's breadth. Then he raised his hand and gave the sword a jolt.

The only thing Jiu'er left for Zhao Wumian turned into dust on the spot.

"How can worldly weapons compare to our physical strength?!"

Uudam roared, his face covered in blood. With a single sword strike, he suddenly curled his five fingers up like a white snake spitting out its tongue, drawing five white lines through the rain with his fingertips, aiming straight for Zhao Wumian's neck!

Thunder roared, the sky darkened, and a bolt of lightning pierced the heavens once more.

Suddenly, Zhao Wumian gripped the empty hilt of the sword with his other hand, lowered his body, and made a move to strike.

The lightning flashed brightly, and the fragments of the sword in the rain, reflected by the lightning, twinkled like a sky full of stars.

The stars paused in the sky, and instead of scattering, they suddenly returned to the sword hilt.

Before the sword fragments could completely revert to the sword body, Zhao Wumian had already pierced through Wudamu's side!

Rumble————

As the lightning faded and darkness returned, it took a moment to adjust to the change in visibility from extreme brightness to extreme darkness.

The scene in the rain blurred briefly before returning to view.

Zhao Wumian's clothes were tattered, but a blue robe was still visible. He stood behind Wudamu, holding a sword in one hand. The scattered fragments of the sword in the air brought droplets of blood, which slowly restored the sword to its hilt.

The sword was covered in cracks and blood.

The torrential rain poured down from the sky, quickly washing away the blood from the sword and the cracks, restoring it to its pristine and brand-new state.

Uudam stood behind Zhao Wumian, his back to him, looking down slightly.

A line of blood ran down his waist, as if he had been severed at the waist.

It wasn't the sword that cut him... it was a fragment of the sword that passed through his body.

Therefore, it remained connected to the bone and was not cut in half at the waist...

This preserved the last shred of dignity he had left as the Grand Preceptor of the Grasslands.

Uudam smiled with relief, but his eyes were unfocused as he murmured to himself.

"What a fast sword."

Every martial artist who fought against Zhao Wumian would share this sentiment.

They couldn't see the sword clearly.

Of course you can't see it clearly.

How can you see clearly a dead person?
Wipe—click.

Zhao Wumian slowly sheathed his sword.

The long street suddenly fell silent.

The two were surrounded by the ruins of houses.

Zhao Wumian, covered in blood, took a few breaths and looked back at him, saying, "You've lost."

“Hmm…” Uudam was not surprised. He turned to look at Zhao Wumian, the bloodstains on his face quickly washed away by the rain, and his expression was calm.

"Where is the Azure Destiny Sword?"

"You will find it inside the central command tent of Xiliang."

"Where are the Imperial Seal and the fragments of the Eastern Emperor Bell?"

Uudam chuckled, "You're actually more concerned about that sword than the Nine Bells?"

"The lady is more important than nine bells."

"Hahaha..." Udamu couldn't help but laugh and truthfully told the whereabouts of Jiuzhong without hiding anything.

With his death, no one in the world could restrain Zhao Wumian, so it was only a matter of time before Zhao Wumian found these things.

Whether he's tough or not is obviously irrelevant.

Fresh blood flowed down from Uudam's waist and abdomen, quickly forming a pool of blood beneath him.

Zhao Wumian, sword in hand, gazed toward the direction of the temple.

In the dim light, one could see that Shen Tu Bu Zui had been impaled on the statue of the Fire God by the Tai Chi Zhenwu Sword of the Guiyi Zhenren, his breath barely a whisper.

However, Master Guiyi was nowhere to be found... but Meng Po and Xiao Yuanmu stood in the palace and waved to him.

“Zhao Wumian.” Uudam is not dead yet.

"Hmm?" Zhao Wumian turned to look at him.

Can you answer a question for me?

"The question of the dead is never interesting."

"Hehe..." Uudam chuckled twice more before asking softly:

"The Imperial Seal of the State holds the power to govern the rise and fall of the nation. Even I, before meeting you, was undoubtedly the chosen one of destiny... Why is it that I cannot restore the previous dynasty?"

Zhao Wumian was silent for a few seconds before speaking:

"Perhaps your Rong people's national destiny was taken away by you. The Imperial Seal of the State holds the power of rise and fall, not 'prosperity'. As the saying goes, what goes up must come down, it is the destiny of the world. Can the Great Li Dynasty prosper for ten thousand years? Your Kun Kingdom and my Chen Kingdom are both gone."

Standing atop the palace walls, Xiao Yuanmu heard Zhao Wumian's words and her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of indescribable melancholy appearing on her face.

"Is my destiny the destiny of the nation?" Uudam asked softly after a long silence.

"So what? Heaven and earth rise and fall, in endless cycles... Besides, you are a human being."

Uudam was slightly taken aback; these were words he had said before.

He was silent for a few seconds, then smiled again, "You wish to become an immortal?"

he asked again.

"Ah."

"for what?"

"Find someone."

"Who?"

"Perhaps, it's a dead person."

"Oh? Can you find it?"

"It can be found."

"That's good."

Uudam nodded slightly, looked up at the falling raindrops, and stood there in silence for a moment.

Zhao Wumian glanced at him a few times, said nothing more, picked up his sword, and turned to leave.

Only after Zhao Wumian left did Uudam sit down on the ground, leaning against the broken stones and debris on the street.

He wouldn't sit down until Zhao Wumian left.

Never give Zhao Wumian the chance to look down on him.

Uudam couldn't see his sword clearly.

But he could choose to die a more dignified death.

……

At the wine shop in Huangshayi, the old woman continued pushing the abacus beads, completely unaware of what was happening in Baihuocheng.

Suddenly, someone lifted the wine curtain and slowly walked in.

As they walked, their boots, stained with yellow sand, left trails of bloody footprints.

The old woman looked up, her cloudy eyes twitching slightly.

The old Taoist priest, covered in blood, sat down at the table and smiled at her.

"Bring on a pot of wine."

The old woman paused for a moment, then, without saying much, filled a cup of sorghum wine from Jiangxi to the old Taoist priest Guiyi's cup.

When Master Guiyi was young, he always liked to drink this wine with her.

"Are you going to die?" the old woman asked.

"Meng Po and Shen Tu Bu Zui were no ordinary people. It's a pity they couldn't withstand Wei Ming Hou's sword before they died... Dying under Wei Ming Hou's sword would have been the most honorable thing."

"Oh." The old woman made a faint nasal sound and said, "Why don't you tell the Marquis that you have a relationship with me... I've met the Marquis, he's an excellent person. If you tell him, he might spare your life."

"My feud with Meng Po is a matter of the martial world... It has nothing to do with you, and it has nothing to do with him either. Besides, he killed two of my junior brothers. Today I killed Shen Tu without being guilty and survived. In the future, I will kill him anyway."

"After all these years, I'm so old I'm almost dead, and you're still thinking about these damned old stories of the martial arts world. Just die already, and I'll be at peace. It'll save you from bothering me every year."

"Annoying? I can tell you're clearly enjoying it."

"Even the stinking Taoist priests on Wugong Mountain are so shameless."

"You used to curse me like this when I was young, and now that I'm almost dead, can't you say something nice?"

The old woman stood up, sat down at the table, and sneered, "Why didn't you find a woman who knew how to sweet-talk you when you were young?"

"When you were pursuing me, you were always showing off your sword under the moon, and you even had a bunch of your brothers ambush me on the way. You even came to my rescue. Now that it's all over, you're starting to look down on me..."

The old Taoist priest Guiyi drank in silence.

The old woman, however, started talking non-stop.

"When he was young, he would fold paper cranes for me. Hey, a tough guy who was always fighting and killing in the martial arts world actually had some skill when it came to needlework."

"I prefer the red one. It's not that it's the best made, but back then, I liked red flowers, and you just happened to pick the color I liked..."

The old woman suddenly paused, glancing sideways.

The True Man of Returning to Oneness is dead.

(End of this chapter)