Bitter Realm: My Feet Step Through the Flames of War

"He assumed you would definitely seek revenge for him?"

"Indeed. Upon receiving the news, I traveled thousands of miles to reach the summit, only to find Hong'er sealed within the ice, her face lifelike, yet devoid of any sign of life."

"The death of my beloved student must have caused me immense grief."

“Hong’er was obsessed with fame and fortune. I warned him several times, but he never listened. His final fate was as expected. However, besides Hong’er, my good friend Jiang Ouzi also lost his life because of this. I am truly ashamed.”

At that time, Ling Jueding had already met Chang Ri Kunwu at a roadside noodle stall. They hit it off immediately and became close friends. He saw that Chang Ri Kunwu's swordsmanship had gone astray and wanted to guide him back to the right path, so he began to forge swords for him.

Ling Jueding's blacksmithing method is unique. He uses his own life essence to forge swords, and every time a sword is forged, a portion of his life essence is depleted.

Jiang Ouzi had not seen Ling Jueding make a move for a very, very long time. He only saw him burying himself in forging a sword, his internal energy declining day by day.

Ling Jueding and Changri Kunwu were destined to have a fight to the death. In order to ensure a fair battle and to protect her friend, Jiang Ouzi chose to challenge Changri Kunwu ahead of time, allowing her opponent to deplete his strength first.

The furnace roared, and molten iron splattered everywhere.

As the two close friends faced off in a life-or-death struggle, inside the Sword Pavilion, the masterpiece of the Sword Master also reached its final moment, with each strike imbued with his own inner energy.

Ling Jueding showed no mercy, striking down with each heavy blow of his hammer.

Changri Kunwu was the purest swordsman Ling Jueding had ever seen. The sword was born because of him, the sword fought because of him, and the sword existed because of him.

The moment Mingfeng was born, the world lost its color and the mountains and rivers trembled.

"Having received the sound of thunder, transforming yin into yang, it has no name to give, so I call it—the God of Names!"

Having forged his divine power, Ling Jueding finally discovered the two fiercely clashing sword intents. He rushed to the scene, only to be met with Jiang Ouzi's sword piercing through Changri Kunwu.

However, Jiang Ouzi, amidst the long, desolate days, experienced a separation of soul and body.

Before the old grudges were resolved, a new regret arose. His old friend sacrificed his life to ensure a fair fight, leaving Ling Jueding with no room for maneuver.

On that day, Ling Jueding regained his identity as a swordsman and challenged Chang Ri Kunwu.

We met by chance and became friends, but now we are forced to clash like swords.

The wind in the wilderness made Long Rikun's disheveled hair look like a raging lion, and made Ling Jue's white robe as cold as ice and snow. The two strongest swordsmen in the world wielded their supreme sword power, making everything pale in comparison.

The first sword strike of the exchange was as powerful as a surging wave.

"Fighting you was truly exhilarating, like never before! Drink!"

The power of the cliff-slaying sword reached a new level; the second sword strike shook heaven and earth, startling the sun and moon, forcing Ling Jueding to retreat step by step.

The third sword strike was delivered with all his might. Just when the outcome was about to be decided, Ling Jueding's eyes narrowed and his divine spirit flashed. The result was a cliff-splitting strike!

"Le Xun knows the result of that battle. Chang Ri Kunwu lost, and the senior left behind a divine artifact, instructing him to draw it out and challenge him to another duel."

“The gods were originally created for him; leaving the gods behind is only to hope that he can reflect on why he failed.”

"If that's the case, why did you end up in such a predicament, senior?"

Le Xunyuan looked around the Prison of Creation. The iron walls on all sides reached straight into the clouds, making it impossible to climb. It was remarkable that He Shaohong had found such a perfectly natural prison.

"Next came the appearance of the Kanli Twin Irons. Naturally, I would not miss such a rare treasure and went to Zhangjian Peak to retrieve the iron. Unexpectedly, the Kanli Twin Irons were Hong'er's way of luring me here. The Kanli Twin Irons are one hot and one cold, and they repel each other. I was instantly severely injured. He then had the sword masters of the four major sword sects ambush me here and knock me into the valley."

At this point in the story, Yue Xunyuan finally understood the cause and effect, and couldn't help but feel deep sympathy for Ling Jueding.

As night gradually falls, only the last rays of twilight remain atop the mountain peak.

"I see that you are not very old, perhaps about the same age as Hong'er. Perhaps you can answer my question: why is Hong'er scheming against me like this?"

"Ha, well..."

Speaking of which, Le Xunyuan had also schemed against his elders, and upon hearing this, he smiled wryly.

"Ok?"

“When Xun Yuan’s master was instructing his two younger brothers, he said that every child goes through a rebellious phase of adolescence. The more the elders oppose it, the more the child wants to do it. However, once the result of his reckless actions is exactly what the elders predicted, the child will instead blame the elders and develop hatred.”

Le Xunyuan was unaware that this phenomenon was called "hatred of relatives" in psychology. He Shaohong's behavior was quite in line with what his master had said. When he compared it with his master's teachings to Liaotian and Xianling, he was surprised to find that his master seemed to have never restricted his two sons.

"It's too late."

Before he knew it, Ling Jueding had finished all the wine in the pot, and his expression became even more dejected. He slid down the iron stone and simply lay down on the ground.

This won't do.

Le Xunyuan pondered inwardly. The terrain of the Prison of Creation was so steep that even birds could not cross it. If he did not want to be trapped here to die, he would have to rely on Lingjue Peak to get out. He wondered how his injuries were.

"Senior, drinking alcohol is bad for your health, so it's best to drink less."

"What can we do if we don't drink? This place is a dead end; we'll never be able to get out."

"But instead of reflecting on his swordsmanship, Chang Ri Kunwu has become even more ruthless, turning into a notorious villain who terrifies the martial world. Now he has made a wild claim that if you refuse to fight, he will massacre the martial world."

Ling Jueding's expression changed at first, then he smiled weakly and said nothing.

Le Xunyuan walked to the iron wall, took out the Minghong Blade and tapped it one by one. Listening to the heavy echo, a thought gradually emerged in his mind.

"Senior, please teach me blacksmithing!"

Chapter 467 When in doubt, go to Shuli Mountain

Above the clouds of Shuli Mountain, pavilions appear and disappear, jade trees and fireworks, pavilions and rosy clouds, all seeming both real and illusory.

The Lord of Time led the Most Time into one of the most mysterious rooms, which was also a forbidden area of ​​Time City.

"You never let me set foot in this house, why are you being so kind today?"

Zui Guangyin looked around with great curiosity, only to find the room empty and as white as snow.

Suddenly, the Lord of Time waved his hand, and scenes appeared on the four walls, depicting the comings and goings, the bustling crowds, and the endless vicissitudes of life, the joys and sorrows.

In addition, many of the figures in the images felt familiar to me, as if we were reuniting after a lifetime.

"Could this be the legendary space between heaven and earth?"

The Lord of Time City laughed and said, "The term 'between the heavens and the universe' is merely used by the people of the Bitter Realm. This place is actually a time tunnel formed by a secret technique of time, which can lead to countless parallel worlds."

Zui Guangyin rolled her eyes at him: "I don't understand."

"Look at this picture, and then compare it with another picture."

With a light tap of his finger, the Lord of Time magnified two of the thousands of images, presenting them to the eyes of the most luminous time.

The scene shows two people forging iron. One person holds a hammer high while the other points the way. Both of them look very serious, as if some divine weapon is about to be created.

"I know this person. He is Ye Xiaochai, the sword maniac."

"Another one?"

"Strange, it's the same person who's instructing Ye Xiaochai, but Ye Xiaochai has been replaced by Yue Xunyuan. Who's the real one and who's the fake one?"

When Zui Guangyin was traveling the world, Yue Xunyuan was not yet born, but the relationship between Time City and Tiandu was extraordinary. Zui Guangyin often slipped down the mountain to visit Lianzhuang, so he naturally knew this outstanding disciple of Wu Jun.

"Both are true and happening simultaneously; this is the secret of time."

"You still don't understand. Why don't you go and call Qi Luosheng?"

Zui Guangyin honestly said that in recent years, he has become increasingly reluctant to use his brain, and he has left all matters that require thinking to Lord Jiuqiansheng.

"I've been too lenient with you..."

The Lord of Time City suddenly sighed, looking somewhat forlorn.

Zui Guangyin had never seen the city lord like this before, and was startled: "Hey, don't scare people like this."

"In the most precious time, have you ever thought that one day I too will grow old, and the vast city of time will be handed over to you?"

"What a joke! If anyone's going to hand it over, it'll be Yin Sui. He loves his job, works overtime willingly, and will definitely make Time City a great success."

The city lord glared angrily at Zui Guangyin.

"You brat, if Yin Sui could manipulate time magic and master the accuracy of time, why would I need to place my hopes on you?"

"Are you serious?"

"It is noted that at some point, under the guidance of Ling Jueding, Ye Xiaochai forged the Kan and Li dual artifacts, and used them to break the prison of creation and save himself and Ling Jueding."

Following the finger of the City Lord of Time, the most luminous moments watched the evolution of the first image—

In order to escape the prison of fate, Ye Xiaochai decided to use the dual energy of Kan and Li within his body to forge weapons. Ling Jueding taught him everything he knew, and together they forged a sword and a saber.

Then, Ye Xiaochai, wielding two weapons and combining the Heart-Binding Sword with Buddhist holy energy, unleashed a desperate attack, shattering all the surrounding iron walls and finally freeing the master and disciple.

But just as they were freed, the swords and blades fell to the ground with a thud, and a golden ray of light shot straight into the sky, quickly disappearing without a trace.

Only Ling Jue Ding remained, gazing blankly at the horizon.

As the scene rapidly shifts, Ling Jueding returns to the Sword Pavilion, forging iron, forging iron, his martial arts deteriorating day by day... until he finally becomes a hunched, white-haired old man.

Many years later, a young man with a scar on his face was chased to this place and fell in front of the furnace, his eyes fixed on the pair of swords that were gradually taking shape under Ling Jueding's hammer.

Zui Guangyin exclaimed in surprise, "Is this Ye Xiaochai when she was young?"

"Of course."

"Reaching the very top will leave you half a cripple!"

"Ye Xiaochai was chased to the Sword Pavilion by Yi Jian Wansheng, where Meng Lingjue rescued him and taught him unparalleled swordsmanship, thus becoming the sword maniac he is today."

"taste."

Their master-disciple story reminded Zui Guangyin of his two lifetimes of entanglement with Lord Jiuqiansheng.

"The two are interdependent. Ye Xiaochai's return to the past to save Ling Jueding is the cause, and being saved by Ling Jueding many years later is the effect. Conversely, Ye Xiaochai's rescue and instruction by Ling Jueding many years later is the cause, and returning to the past to save Ling Jueding is the effect."

"I understand. This happened in the Bitter Realm. So, what about Le Xunyuan?"

At this moment, Yue Xunyuan was putting all his effort into forging iron.

Despite his unwavering determination, even when faced with the hellish situation of returning to the past, falling into a deadly predicament, and having only one injured teammate, he still actively seeks a way to escape.

First, he painstakingly persuaded Ling Jueding to cheer up, stop drinking alcohol for now, and gradually recover his strength by forcing out the Kan and Li Qi within his body.

After the Kan and Li irons clashed, their energy entered Ling Jueding's body, rendering the irons useless. Le Xunyuan had no choice but to give up and instead seek the Kan and Li energy within Ling Jueding's body.

After all, there is the successful case of the Five Elements of Chaos permeating Jidu. In terms of casting skills, Ling Jueding should not be inferior to Master Jidao.

After much persuasion from Le Xunyuan, Ling Jueding finally agreed to the plan. He then focused on recuperating his own physical abilities while instructing Le Xunyuan on the most basic sword-making methods.

"Senior, Tiandu has an extremely magnificent and complete foundry, as well as countless rare materials and treasures, and several unparalleled craftsmen. Once we are freed, senior can accompany Le Yuan to Tiandu for a visit."

"Didn't you say you're from sixty years in the future? Even if we can escape the Prison of Creation, how can we go back hundreds of years?"