Misty Rain of the Old Times

As if in a hurry, Chen Xuan, who had been talking nonsense just a moment ago, made his move without warning. The old folks only felt a gentle breeze pass by, and in the blink of an eye, Chen Xuan's figure had disappeared from the spot.

The longsword he had picked up was already full of nicks and chips, its blade gleaming with subtle sharpness, yet it remained still. What was once a piece of scrap metal became a peerless divine weapon in his hands, appearing instantly before the man in black robes and slashing down.

This strike was straightforward and unpretentious, displaying only a relentless and ruthless force that cut through everything in its path.

Chen Xuanhui certainly knew more than one sword technique. He had used the Dawn Sword Technique to kill Wei Wuyai, a meddlesome person, in the capital. Although people at a certain level never mentioned it, it was common knowledge. He was now the Great Sword King Wu, so naturally he needed to change his sword technique. Although it didn't make much sense, what did the Great Sword King Wu's business have to do with Chen Xuanhui?
It was still the first move of the Nine Absolutes Saber Technique, but Chen Xuan executed it in a completely different way.

The same strike, which Chen Xuan used before with great momentum, the blade light seemed to tear the heavens and earth apart, was just a casual help to Xuan Yang and the others. Now it seemed ordinary, but its power was on a completely different level.

True masters are adept at controlling every ounce of their power, wasting not a single bit, and striking their enemies with precision. Only half-baked individuals enjoy flashy and showy techniques. Chen Xuan, on the other hand, had already honed his martial arts to a level of unparalleled mastery, returning to a state of profound simplicity.

Since his opponent was indeed a grandmaster, he became serious. Confidence is not the same as arrogance; it was a matter of respect for the enemy and also a matter of being cautious and responsible for himself.

It's common knowledge that he didn't use his signature Qingyun Piaoxu lightness skill. The fact that he appeared in front of the black-robed man almost instantly and slashed down was simply due to the dash technique inherent in the Nine Absolutes Blade Technique; otherwise, the opponent probably wouldn't have even had a chance to react.

To the others, Chen Xuan seemed to appear out of thin air in front of the man in black robes. Although his seemingly ordinary slash was not aimed at them, it made everyone feel that the whole world had become dull and colorless under that slash. The blade became extremely dazzling, making people feel despair and unable to see anything else. They could not look directly at it, dared not look directly at it, avoided their gaze, and even dared not think about it. It was as if just thinking about that slash would jump out of their consciousness and kill them.

They felt despair at just one glance, and the slash wasn't aimed at them; it was merely influenced by a slight element of martial will.

The black-robed man who faced the blade directly had a completely different feeling. At the same level, he knew how terrifying that blade was. It was as if the entire world was filled and torn apart by the brilliant blade light, which came down with the decisiveness to cut down everything. It was ruthless and merciless, leaving only pure killing.

The word "absolute" in the Nine Absolutes Blade Technique was fully displayed under Chen Xuan's blade.

The man in the black robe felt a chill run down his spine and alarm bells rang. Knowing he couldn't dodge, he could only meet the attack head-on. Why was the same strike so different in such a short time? In this moment of crisis, he had no time to think. He channeled his true energy to the fullest extent, causing his black robe to flutter wildly and revealing a thin, aged face with deep, furious eyes.

As Chen Xuan slashed at him at close range, he saw the reflection of the blade in the man's eyes, as well as the flash of shock and anger in them. He watched as the man rapidly formed hand seals in front of his chest, each hand making a different gesture. In an instant, dark golden light surged around him, and a solid, ten-foot-tall dark golden figure enveloped him.

The figure that enveloped him was humanoid, but covered in scales and sharp claws, with a head that had a sinister and ferocious long horn. It held a black skull in one hand and a blood-red battle blade in the other, and its body was engulfed in black flames, like a legendary Yaksha demon. The moment it appeared, it swung its blade to block Chen Xuan's attack.

Upon seeing this, Chen Xuan's eyes flashed, and he thought to himself that the traces of the Buddhist technique were too obvious. It was similar to the Golden Body Protection, but it was presented in a completely different way. It did not appear to be compassionate and upright, but was full of evil and ferocity.

In just a split second, Chen Xuan brought his sword down, and before he could even finish speaking, his words had reached them.

Before his extremely ruthless strike, the blood-red sword of the 'Dark Golden Body' held aloft by the black-robed man cracked open, and then his entire body, along with the black-robed man and the withered black dragon below, was sent flying diagonally by Chen Xuan's single strike.

The black dragon, hundreds of feet long and seemingly cast in steel, was cleaved away, demonstrating just how terrifying Chen Xuan's strike was. Both sides meticulously controlled their power, but Chen Xuan's attack was superior, preventing any significant aftershocks.

However, as they flew out diagonally, they lost control of their bodies. As they retreated, the dark golden body outside the black-robed man shattered, revealing his pale face, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, and a look of horror on his face.

He survived taking a blow from Chen Xuan, but one of his arms was severed from his shoulder. That kind of blow is not easy to catch; there's no such thing as catching it without paying a price.

Although their initial attack did not cause much of a shockwave, the subsequent destructive power was still astonishing, especially when the massive black dragon's body crashed down. Fortunately, Chen Xuan had calculated the angle well, minimizing the impact on others.

They crashed into the lake, which was more than ten miles away, creating towering waves. The lake water around the island was indeed deep, and the receding tide almost submerged the massive black dragon's body.

'He survived my attack, only losing an arm. He's got some skill, even if he used some secret technique to let the black dragon beneath him absorb some of the power.'

Chen Xuan had to admit that his opponent was quite strong, even though he hadn't used his full strength. After all, he had killed Wei Wuyai with a single strike back then, and his cultivation was increasing day by day. Moreover, the Nine Absolute Blade was in no way inferior to the Dawn Blade Technique.

With a flicker of thought, just as he was about to press his advantage and kill the man in black to finish the job quickly, his eyebrows shot up and he stood suspended in mid-air.

In the direction of the black-robed man who crashed into the lake, amidst the surging waves, the lake water turned pitch black, then began to boil and surge. Black flames surged and soared into the sky, dyeing a section of the horizon black. In short, it was a scene of raging demonic flames.

Then, amidst a chilling roar, the black dragon soared into the sky once more. Above it, a black-robed man with a severed arm sat cross-legged in mid-air, his entire being sinister and eerie, turning pitch black—the kind of presence that would make even a black man bow down in fear. Black flames rose from his body.

To his astonishment, the direction he was in was filled with raging demonic flames and utter darkness, with a blazing black sun hanging in the sky behind him. Despite the surging black flames, the sun appeared incredibly cold, eerily like a black hole that seemed poised to devour everything.

Adding to the terrifying sight was the enormous black dragon coiling around and protecting them, as if evil spirits were ruling and eternal night was about to begin.

"I don't know where you came from that you want to oppose me. You are so arrogant and do you really think I'm afraid of you? Since you want to die, then I will grant your wish. It would be an honor for you to die under my Great Burning Heaven Palm!"

'Does the "black image" thing have to involve something so sinister?'

Chen Xuan couldn't help but mutter a curse in his heart. The other party had been completely enraged and unleashed his ultimate move. However, he could still see that the so-called Great Burning Heaven Palm was still a modified version of Buddhist techniques, clearly a dark style cultivated from the light and compassionate side.

In a flash of inspiration, he instantly understood what path the other party was taking. Buddhism teaches that one should lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot. This was clearly a plan to "become a demon first and then a Buddha." If one does not experience darkness by becoming a demon, how can one attain transcendent enlightenment and light?

So, do people like to shout when they're about to unleash a powerful attack? Chen Xuan, who was complaining again, thought about how he used to yell "Bomb!" when playing cards and realized it made sense.

As the black-robed man, who was sitting cross-legged in mid-air and supported by the dark sun, spoke, he struck out with a palm towards Chen Xuan. The black sun, with its rising black flames, twisted and transformed into a massive handprint that blotted out the sky and pressed down from the sky, its raging demonic flames seemingly about to obliterate the world.

Faced with this dark and sinister palm strike, Chen Xuan simply swung his sword again. The blade still flowed with subtle sharpness, yet under this strike, it was as if the wind had subsided and the waves had calmed, even giving people the illusion that time itself had frozen at this moment.

A faint, almost imperceptible blade of light flashed across the sky, its elusive presence shattering the seemingly frozen tranquility with a sharp, all-encompassing edge.

"Nine Absolute Blades, Second Form: Shadowless Blade," Chen Xuan silently chanted in his mind, barely managing not to shout it out, just like he had only silently recited it in his mind before, like the first form, Voidless Blade.

This second move, "Shadowless Strike," bears some resemblance to his other martial art, "Invisible Finger Sword." However, unlike "Invisible Finger Sword," it doesn't emphasize being invisible or formless. Instead, it's characterized by extreme speed, ferocity, and decisive killing. Under his strike, the massive, sky-covering black handprint seemed to freeze for a fleeting moment, failing to truly land. It was torn open by the blade's light and dissipated into the void. The surging black demonic flames vanished like ice melting and snow melting away, and the world seemed to regain its light under Chen Xuan's strike.

However, even after tearing apart the giant handprint, the blade continued its momentum, heading straight for the black-robed man whose face had changed drastically in shock.

He couldn't understand why, despite using all his strength and trump cards, he hadn't been able to harm his opponent in the slightest. Instead, the opponent's attack was so overwhelming that he couldn't even withstand it. Where did this monster come from? Judging from his words and actions, he was definitely not very old.

A chill ran down his spine. The swift, unpredictable strike sent a shiver down his spine, threatening him with death. He had no time to think. He unleashed 'Dark Gold' once more, simultaneously using a secret technique to control the black dragon beneath his feet to block the attack.

Roar~, the black dragon roared, its steel-like body coiling around and emitting a cold sound, protecting the black-robed man inside.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Xuan's slash tore through the incoming giant handprint. A faint sound, like glass being cut, could be heard. A smooth crack appeared on the incredibly sturdy and massive dragon body. A section of the dragon's tail, several tens of feet long, and a dragon claw were severed off. The severed dragon claw and tail turned into ashes and dissipated as quickly as rotten wood.

The black-robed man, who had initially thought the dragon's body could help block the blade, was horrified. The blade's power was only reduced after it cut through the dragon's body, and it still slashed down with unparalleled ferocity.

In the critical moment, he activated his Dark Golden Body with all his might, but under that slash, the Dark Golden Body was shattered in the blink of an eye.

Despite being repeatedly blocked, the blade's power was already at its limit, yet it still struck him, tearing open his chest and abdomen. He was sent flying backward, spitting blood, his 'forged' ribs shattered, nearly injuring his internal organs and severing his body in two.

"and many more……"

The horrified man in black robes coughed up blood and screamed in despair.

However, when Chen Xuan saw that his second strike, which he had put on a slightly more serious face, had failed to kill it, he couldn't help but frown slightly, wondering if he had become a little weak from indulging in pleasure with his wife recently.

Impossible, absolutely impossible!
His gaze sharpened, and he raised his blade again. A chilling bloodstain flashed on the tip of the blade. He silently chanted "Take this, I'll sever your heart!" and his figure vanished in an instant. Only a barely perceptible bloodstain remained in the world. The next moment, Chen Xuan appeared behind the man in black robes. The man's expression froze, and there was only a tiny, barely perceptible crack between his brows. A drop of blood spilled out, and he was dead.

Turning around in mid-air, Chen Xuan, with a jagged piece of iron on his shoulder, watched the black-robed man's corpse fall downwards. He flicked his finger, and the man's body turned into a bloody mist and dissipated. Although the man was already dead, Chen Xuan still knew the importance of finishing him off.

His third strike was devastating; his opponent didn't even have time to react.

It was late when Chen Xuan scratched his butt, muttering to himself, "What was that guy trying to say last? Oh well, it's not important. He's already dead, what else can I do?"

Then he slapped his face, thinking to himself how shameful it was. He was a grandmaster with many unique skills, yet he had taken three strikes to kill this guy. Shouldn't he have killed him with one strike each?

But what could he do now that things had come to this? When he finally got serious and unleashed the Nine Absolute Blades, he didn't use his full strength for the first strike, Absolute Void. The second strike, Absolute Shadow, was greatly reduced in power due to the Great Handprint, the Black Dragon's body, and the opponent's protective techniques. It was only with the third strike, Absolute Heart, that he finally killed him. So, rounding up, it was basically just one strike.

After figuring it out, he immediately stopped worrying and realized what had happened. He disgustedly removed his hand from his face, realizing he had been scratching his butt.

It's a long story, but the whole process only took a few breaths. He slashed three times in less than a breath, and even wasted some time watching what his opponent would do with his ultimate move.

As he killed the black-robed man, the waves that had surged across the lake after his first strike hadn't completely subsided. The black handprint in the void was cracking and spreading. The dark sky, ripped open by his second strike, had a huge gap where sunlight streamed in and dispelled the darkness. He had picked up an old habit from Geng Hong when he was a child, and he was now hovering in the air right under the crack, with sunlight shining on him. This scene was deeply imprinted in the minds of the remaining people.

He didn't do it on purpose; it was just a bad habit he picked up as a child.

After killing the man in black robes, Chen Xuan, carrying a chipped broadsword on his shoulder, looked at the black dragon with the severed tail and thought to himself, "Now it's your turn. Without the man in black robes to control it, it seems I still can't get my hands on it. To prevent it from getting out of control and causing widespread destruction, I'll just have to destroy it."

"Big Knife Wang Wu, are you interested in joining our Black Map Society?"

Just as Chen Xuan was about to make a move, the ferocious black dragon suddenly spoke in human language.

Chen Xuan's eyes flashed as he thought to himself, "There's actually someone acting as a backstabber behind the scenes? This seems a bit familiar. Oh right, I had a similar experience when I caught that Black Diagram Society member. It's a common tactic of the Black Diagram Society." Moreover, he could tell that the person speaking now was clearly the same person as before. The difference was that back then it was just a "process," while now the other party was having a conversation with him from a distance!
Without saying a word, Chen Xuan swung his sword and struck, using the fourth move of the Nine Deadly Blades, a deadly move that can indirectly injure people from a distance through mental will.

Realizing that he had spoken with the other party before, Chen Xuan wouldn't waste any words. Some things are better left unsaid, and everyone understands without saying a word. Just like Chen Xuan knew that the Black Diagram Society was backed by Buddhism, how could the other party not guess his identity? Before it was revealed, it wasn't a matter between Chen Xuan and Buddhism, but rather between Big Knife Wang Wu and the Black Diagram Society.

He responded with action. The moment he struck, the black dragon, even with a severed section of its body, was still hundreds of feet long and spoke again in human language: "It seems you have refused. I look forward to the day we meet again, but I wonder if you will recognize me then."

As it spoke, golden, mysterious runes flashed on the black dragon's head, and its enormous body rapidly shrank, becoming as thin as a chopstick in the blink of an eye. It dodged Chen Xuan's knife and instantly plunged into the churning lake below, disappearing without a trace. Chen Xuan could no longer sense any trace of its presence.

Having failed to land a blow, Chen Xuan flipped his hand and sheathed his longsword. With his precise control, it naturally caused no aftershocks. Standing on the water, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. Could that big, thick black dragon really change size at will?

Then I thought that since it was a dragon-like creature, capable of both great size and invisibility, even if it was just a corpse puppet, it should still retain those characteristics, which made sense.

'If only I had such a method, it would be so much easier to carry things. Although some martial arts techniques have similar methods, none are this exaggerated.'

A thought flashed through Chen Xuan's mind, and he wondered again. Judging from the tone, the other person seemed to know him.
Who is the one.

Chen Xuan went through everyone he knew and had met, but still couldn't come up with a single clue.

This is getting more and more interesting.

Eliminate all the impossible ones, and the least likely one becomes the most likely one.

Could it be Zhou Laowu?

...(End of chapter)