Grandpa, times have changed.

So you were really planning to chop me up after all that?

Hongzun glanced again at the long sword she was holding in reverse.

Actually, he sensed something was wrong the moment he saw them.

"But your current state..."

He had just attained immortality and ascended to heaven, and had just been entrusted with the responsibility of suppressing the will of heaven.

"It doesn't affect it."

"it is good."

Hongzun agreed anyway.

Although he didn't know why Chen Huan wanted to fight him, he could sense that Chen Huan was very determined about this matter.

He certainly wouldn't refuse to cooperate.
……

……

The time came to noon.

Beside a lake that resembles jade, on a path paved with deep blue spiritual jade, two figures walked side by side.

"It's not over yet..."

Xu Xing looked up at the sky above the Star Ancestor Hall.

Beyond the celestial canopy, which is difficult for ordinary practitioners to perceive, lies a peculiar realm that has recently been created and exists between the real and the illusory.

Its interior is filled with flickering light, as brilliant as stars, and its colors surge like living things, creating a bizarre and wonderful scene that is difficult to describe in any language.

He noticed it as soon as the two started fighting.

However, he thought the two would just have a simple exchange of blows.

After all, Junior Sister Chenhuan had just attained immortality and returned to the sect. Various things happened one after another, and she didn't have time to verify the changes after her enlightenment.

It's understandable that Hong Zun wanted to try his hand at fighting after arriving at the Sword Sect.

But looking at it now...

Did the two of them really go all out?
It was also thanks to Hongzun being a true immortal who mastered the Dao of 'illusion and reality', whose cultivation was much higher than that of ordinary Daoists, and the fact that although both of them used ruthless methods, they still knew their limits.

otherwise……

These are two true immortals!
Even the slightest dissipation of Dao essence could trigger a catastrophe that would engulf the entire Sword Sect.

Ning Ruo, who was walking with Xu Xing, remained silent, but also looked towards the Star Ancestor Hall.

But I don't know if it was a coincidence or what.

The very next second, that peculiar realm, existing independently of the real world and existing between the virtual and the real, began to collapse.

Whether it's the flickering starlight or the vibrant, surging colors, the bizarre and wondrous scene, indescribable in words, gradually dissipates, like the receding tide.

call out!
A faint streak of light shot out from behind the sky, like a pale white line suddenly drawn across the azure sky, and fell straight into the Star Ancestor's Palace.

Throughout the entire process, there was not a trace of energy leaking out; on the contrary, the strange, collapsing layer was still filled with the residual Dao essence from the two people's battle.

If one hadn't happened to be watching, even a true immortal would probably not have noticed this streak of light bursting forth from behind the sky.

Even if they saw it, no other true immortal could possibly observe what happened within that stream of light.

"They...they've come out?"

Ning Ruo said somewhat uncertainly.

“…” Xu Xing hesitated for two seconds, then nodded slightly, “Yes.”

"Hopefully they can overcome their differences."

"I hope..."

Xu Xing seemed unwilling to continue on this topic and immediately said:

"Let's not talk about this anymore. You haven't left Lingyinfang for many years. Let me show you around."

"Ah."

Although she sensed something was amiss, Ning Ruo didn't delve into it. Instead, she looked at the jade-like lake on the other side.

"Brother Xu brought me here first. Is there any special significance to this place?"

"On the contrary," Xu Xing explained, "compared to other places, this lake has no special meaning whatsoever."

The Sword Sect has been around for so many years, and there are stories to tell about it.

There are many scenic spots with special significance, such as the Four Seasons Garden and Yingxin Lake.

Or rather, within the Sword Sect's territory, there are relatively few places where no legendary stories have ever occurred.

This lake is one of them.

It appeared after many years of natural geological evolution of the Sword Sect's inner sect continent.

If I had to point out anything special about it...

The only notable features are that the water-attribute spiritual energy is relatively active here and the fish in the lake have delicious flesh.

Would you like to visit some of the more famous tourist attractions?

"No need, I'll just follow your arrangements."

The two chatted as they walked, and soon came to a fork in the road, where a small path led directly to the lake.

Just as the two walked along the path toward the lake, that peculiar realm, separate from the real world and existing between reality and illusion, finally collapsed and disappeared completely.

As mentioned before, even if other True Immortals saw that streak of light, they wouldn't be able to observe what happened within it.

But Xu Xing was an exception.

After all, his cultivation level is high.

It wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't been paying attention, but I was watching at the time.

So Xu Xing saw it in that streak of light that shot out...

Don't overthink it.

It wasn't anything restricted; it was just Hongzun holding Chenhuan, who looked shy...

That's it.

Yes, that’s all!

(_`)
What puzzled Xu Xing was that they hadn't even talked things out yet.
How could a single battle produce such an effect?

(@_@)?

……

……

Meanwhile, halfway up the mountain where the Sword Master's Hall is located.

A clearing in the bamboo grove.

Meizu sat by the pool, holding a handful of fish food, tossing it into the pool one by one.

After a while, there was still more than half of the fish food left in my hand.

She suddenly sat up straight and glanced in the direction of the Star Ancestor Hall.

"Hey! It seems that Fellow Daoist Xingzu and Fellow Daoist Hongzun have ended their relationship."

Yuanjun: "..."

These words make it sound like they've completely lost their chance.

With that thought in mind, she glanced in the direction of the Star Ancestor's Hall.

I wonder if my brother and sister-in-law Chenhuan will be able to talk things out this time...

"Why am I sitting here while Spirit Ancestor can sit with Brother Dao?" Meizu suddenly complained.

Yuanjun turned and glanced at her, then said calmly:
"I didn't see you object just now."

"It's just that I feel sorry for the Spirit Ancestor because she hasn't come out for so many years!"

They've been sitting here for ages, and these two haven't said a single word.

boring.

After scattering most of the fish food into the pool in front of her, she clapped her hands, looking very serious.

"All four of us came, this shouldn't be happening!"

"What do you want?"

"This is a battleground!" Meizu said seriously. "Shouldn't there only be two outcomes in a normal development? Either the Daoist fails to win over the Daoist and gets hurt, or he succeeds and then unlocks special features in sequence..."

"Shut up!"

Yuanjun was speechless.

Meizu is really never still for a moment.

"If you don't want to talk, then don't talk. Why are you shouting like that..."

"What's so special about it?" Bie Xuening asked, puzzled. "Why didn't you let her finish?"

Yuanjun paused in surprise.

Meizu was also taken aback, looking at Bie Xuening with utter confusion.

"Don't you go online all the time? You didn't know that?"

In her mind, Sword Master was a shut-in who stayed in his coop all day.

In real life, he's like a toad, only moving when poked. But online, he's a real "keyboard warrior," incredibly irritable, though occasionally a bit childish...

Bie Xuening frowned.

Is there any necessary connection between the two?
Seeing that she still didn't understand, Meizu fell silent.

But think about it...

Sword Master posts her little yellow duck emoji in the group every day, so it seems perfectly reasonable that she doesn't know these things.

However, while she remained silent, the highly proactive Bie Xuening had already found the relevant information through the Immortal Network, and her expression immediately became subtle.

"So that's what it meant."

She looked at Yuanjun.

"You seem to know a lot. You knew what she meant before she even finished speaking."

"..."

For a moment, Yuanjun didn't know how to answer.

He simply turned his head to look at the bamboo frame placed in front of the wooden house.

"What do you use this bamboo frame for?"

“You’re changing the subject,” Bie Xuening said calmly.

"Hmm, but your topic change was too abrupt, even less smooth than Brother Dao's," Meizu chimed in.

As she spoke, she also looked at the bamboo frame.

"Actually, I'm quite curious too. What are you doing putting this bamboo rack here?"

She noticed it when she first arrived, but she never had a chance to ask.

Is it for drying clothes?

Give me a break.

She's a true immortal!
Upon hearing this, Bie Xuening didn't make things difficult for Yuanjun any further, and calmly replied:
"Hanging fish."

Hanging fish?
Yuanjun couldn't help but look at the spirit fish in the pool.

The Sword Master is utterly ignorant of all skills, and even more so in terms of common sense...

When did you start learning how to make dried fish?

Moreover, putting aside whether the dried fish she made is edible, given her own nature as the Lord of Limitless Slaughter, and considering that her two disciples are not even at the Dao Integration stage, eating one bite of it would probably bring them a month of bad luck.

While Yuanjun was still pondering the issue of dried fish, Meizu had already guessed it.

"Is it the Nine Fishing Pavilion?"

He got up and walked to the bamboo frame, circling it and examining it.

"She often complains to me that you hang her up and beat her, and I think that's what you meant by hanging her up here?"

This traitor...

“I only hung her up here once, and I didn’t hit her.”

Previously, they would hang from a tree and smoke it.

"Tsk tsk! You're such a cruel master. Remember to take a video and send it to me next time."

Meizu criticized Bie Xuening and took the opportunity to kick her while she was down.

"It's a pity that Jiu Yu participated in the Immortal Sect Competition, otherwise I could go and have some fun with her now."

As she spoke, she said to Yuanjun:
"Let me tell you, Sword Master's disciple is quite a fun person."

Then, Meizu looked toward the Supreme Dao Sect, or more accurately, toward the main venue of the Immortal Sect Grand Competition.

She planned to observe Jiu Yu's performance.

However, the next second, she seemed to see something unbelievable, and her expression immediately became serious.

Bie Xuening and Yuan Jun also noticed her unusual behavior and immediately looked in the direction she was looking.

Because of her higher cultivation level, Bie Xuening noticed the anomaly first, but she couldn't help but frown:

"That is……?"

"The karmic tribulations of past lives..."

Meizu's tone was solemn.

"Inner Demon Tribulation!"

……

……

Mu Wujie, the True Void Dimension.

Due to the different flow of time, two days had passed since Chi Jiuyu's sword spirit body was discovered to have infiltrated the Zhengxu Dao Palace.

Zhengxu Hall.

A young man dressed in a blue robe sat upright on the platform, his expression extremely complicated.

But it was Mu Chengfeng.

Before him, a cyan jade tablet floated silently, with a sword mark in the middle. Pure and chilling sword intent lingered, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to emit faint hissing sounds.

"The Sword of Annihilation..."

This sword strike was given to him by Chi Jiuyu.

Two days ago, although she rejected Mu Chengfeng's conditions, she gave him the fifth sword of the "Seven Swords of Moon Mist".

That is, the Sword of Annihilation.

This sword strike was created after she experienced three mission worlds and specifically went through several trials of secret rituals and scriptures. She combined her own understanding of swordsmanship with the core essence of the "Nine Thunderbolts Secret Ritual Scripture".

The advantage is that the barrier to entry is very low; anyone with a little kendo talent can learn it.

Its drawback is that its power is only average, ranking in the lower middle of the "Seven Sword Styles of Moonstorm", comparable only to the Four Symbols Annihilation Sword Wheel.

Of course, this is only in the context of "Seven Swords of Moonlit Mist".

It was created after referencing the Secret Ritual Classics, and for cultivators and extraordinary individuals in this world, it was already an unimaginable supernatural power.

More importantly, this sword technique combines some of the advantages of the ritualistic transcendent system, which is of great significance to Mu Wujie's current situation.

"It's amazing."

He had lost count of how many times he had expressed this sentiment.

He raised his right hand and gently drew a line in front of him with his fingers like a sword, outlining the shape of thunder patterns.

Stab it!

Tiny sparks of lightning flickered, emanating a chilling aura of annihilation and destruction. A visible black mark appeared in the void, emitting a burnt smell.

"The fusion of cultivation and ritual... can actually be achieved." Mu Chengfeng's expression grew increasingly complicated.

In fact, he had studied the ritual system of superhumans over the years, but had not gained much.

Moreover, he believed that Mu Wu, the strongest near-saint among the extraordinary beings, had also studied the cultivation system.

Why has Mu Wujie evolved into this situation?
The reason for this lies in the differences between the systems of cultivators and extraordinary individuals.

Both sides have their own paths to follow, which are incompatible. Compromise would mean certain death, so it can only be a fight to the death.

but now.

"With this sword, isn't it..." he murmured softly.

Both cultivators and extraordinary individuals have staked everything on this.

From those at the Void Refining stage to those at the Qi Refining stage, anyone could die in this war.

If given a choice, most people would not want to get vaccinated.

He didn't want to either.

He just wanted to live a peaceful life, undisturbed and free.

We didn't have a choice before, but now do we have a chance?
Feeling the sword intent contained within the jade tablet's sword mark, Mu Chengfeng's thoughts were racing, but he didn't notice a flash of black light in his eyes.

If only this sword had appeared sooner.

If this sword strike was created by myself.

If the hope for reconciliation between the two parties comes from oneself...

Such a thought couldn't help but arise in his mind.

But I can't do it myself...

The structure of this sword is incredibly ingenious, beyond compare.

He earned his place purely through his exceptional kendo talent.

Showing off skills...

No, that's more like showing off talent.

why?

Don't I possess an unprecedented and unparalleled talent?
But why, why wasn't this sword strike created by myself?
Even he himself didn't realize that a hint of jealousy had risen in his heart.

Chi Jiuyu's decisive rejection of his conditions, her nonchalant attitude in giving him the Sword of Annihilation, and her fearless confidence...

Scenes flashed by.

It was as if the filth flowing from the darkest abyss was gradually staining the whites of his eyes black. (End of Chapter)