One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Nie Lingfeng suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, took a deep breath, and looked at the stone box first. He reached out, and the moment his fingertips touched the lid, a chill ran through his body—not an ordinary chill, but a chill that had endured countless ages and accumulated over time.

Gently open the box lid.

Inside the box, three books of different materials were neatly arranged.

The top book, neither paper nor silk, was cool to the touch. Its cover was a peculiar silvery-white metal, as thin as a cicada's wing yet indestructible. A faint silver luster flowed across its surface, within which countless tiny runes flickered and faded. The cover bore three ancient seal characters—"The Sacred Heart Mantra." The calligraphy was elegant and ethereal, yet its sharp, powerful strokes carried a cold and aloof disdain for all living beings. This was the extraordinary feat created by Xu Fu—the Indra who had lived for nearly two thousand years—through the culmination of his life's work.

The middle book was made of some kind of pale yellow animal hide, its texture delicate and soft yet exceptionally tough. The edges of the hide were jagged, clearly torn off haphazardly rather than carefully trimmed. The cover was blank, but the moment Nie Lingfeng gently turned to the first page, four bold, powerful characters, brimming with sword intent, leaped into his eyes—"Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Source"! The characters were sharp and piercing, each stroke like a peerless divine sword, piercing straight to the heart. With just one glance, Nie Lingfeng felt as if his eyes had been pricked by needles, his mind reeling, as if ten thousand swords were roaring in his head. He quickly closed the book. This was the culmination of the lifelong swordsmanship of the martial arts legend, Nameless.

At the very bottom was a palm-sized, thin, black jade tablet. The tablet was jet black, its surface smooth as a mirror, devoid of any writing, yet it faintly exuded a chilling sword intent. The instant Nie Lingfeng's spiritual energy touched the surface of the jade tablet, a vast, obscure, and destructive force of sword comprehension surged into his mind like a flood bursting its banks! Countless fragmented images, scattered sword techniques, and profound insights flashed, intertwined, and merged in his consciousness—the desolation of Bu Jingyun sitting alone in his sword hut in his later years, the resolute determination of him wielding his sword against the heavens, the extraordinary phenomenon of the world changing color when his sword was completed. Finally, these chaotic images and insights converged into three large, blood-red characters, seemingly formed from countless sword intents—Sword Twenty-Three!

This is a forbidden sword that Bu Jingyun comprehended in his later years but never perfected. With a single strike, heaven and earth fall silent, and all things return to nothingness. Its power is terrifyingly unparalleled, but it is also extremely dangerous—the slightest carelessness will result in the destruction of the sword, the death of the person, and the dissipation of their soul.

Nie Lingfeng quickly put the three manuals into his Qiankun bag. He knew that these peerless martial arts techniques could not be mastered in a short time; each one required countless efforts and time to carefully study. Now, with danger lurking everywhere, it was definitely not the time to study them.

Then, his gaze fell once again on the peerless sword.

This time, he did not hesitate, and reached out to grasp the cold hilt of the sword.

It was incredibly heavy in his hand—far exceeding that of an ordinary sword, even beyond his expectations. In that instant, Nie Lingfeng felt as if he were holding not a sword, but a mountain, an ocean, a world. The weight transmitted through the sword was not merely physical, but also a weight of morality—the weight of Bu Jingyun's lifelong obsession, his lifelong commitment, and his entire swordsmanship.

The sword trembled slightly, and a deep, restrained sword intent, seemingly containing the power to create heaven and earth, flowed along the hilt into his arm and reached his mind. This sword intent was not violent, but rather extremely gentle and peaceful, yet it carried an undeniable and unyielding domineering force—it was Bu Jingyun's "Way of the Sword," refined through countless trials of life and death, surpassing all other sword techniques.

Compared to the icy sharpness and aloof pride of the Snow Drinking Blade, the sword intent of the Peerless Sword appears profound and restrained, like a deep pool of still water, calm on the surface but turbulent beneath. The two are completely different, yet they subtly complement and resonate with each other—wind and clouds are inherently interdependent, mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining.

"Old friend, it's been a long time," Nie Lingfeng said softly, a hint of emotion in his voice that he himself was unaware of. With a flick of his wrist, he channeled his inner strength and yanked the peerless sword up from the ground.

"Clang!"

The moment the sword left the ground, a clear and resonant sword cry echoed throughout the stone chamber! The sound was incredibly penetrating, like a ferocious beast that had slumbered for a thousand years finally awakening and letting out its first roar. The sword cry reverberated back and forth between the four walls of the stone chamber, lingering for a long time. The air inside the stone chamber seemed to freeze for a moment, and then, centered on the sword, a visible shockwave suddenly spread outwards!

The sword had no sharp edge, yet in Nie Lingfeng's hands it naturally exuded a sharpness capable of cutting through everything. That sharpness was not ostentatious, but it was omnipresent, as if even a glance would be severed.

He turned around and handed the peerless sword to Chen Duo behind him.

"Chen Duo, you take this sword for now."

Chen Duo was stunned for a moment, looking at the heavy, black, and seemingly unremarkable longsword handed to her. Her emerald eyes were full of doubt: "Give it to me? But... I don't know how to use a sword." She reached out and took it. As soon as she held the sword, her petite body visibly slumped slightly, and the stone ground beneath her feet was creaked with tiny cracks.

"I'm not asking you to use swordsmanship," Nie Lingfeng explained, his eyes solemn and profound. "Senior Bu sealed three 'sword intents' within the sword, each containing his life's worth of sword intent. These three swords are extremely powerful, each capable of splitting mountains and cleaving rivers. In critical moments, they can be used in conjunction with my Snow Drinking Blade to unleash the true 'Mahayana Boundless.' Right now, it's just the two of us. If we encounter that thing below, or some other unexpected situation, we need sufficient strength to deal with it. You take this. If the situation becomes dire, listen to my instructions and channel your inner energy into the sword, activating one of the sword intents. I will then use the Snow Drinking Blade in conjunction to unleash Mahayana Boundless—this is our strongest trump card right now, without exception."

Chen Duo understood. This wasn't about sending her into battle, but rather entrusting her with the safekeeping and use of her most important "weapon"—a profound act of trust. Without further hesitation, she solemnly accepted the peerless sword with both hands, her emerald eyes meeting Nie Lingfeng's before she nodded emphatically.

As the sword returned to her grasp, Chen Duo felt a sudden weight on her arms, almost causing her to fall forward. She gritted her teeth, her face tense, and the Phoenix True Fire within her surged wildly. The pale blue flames spread along her arms to the sword, easing the weight and allowing her to hold it steadily. Strangely enough, in Chen Duo's hands, the domineering sword intent of the peerless sword seemed to subside considerably, becoming gentler. A faint warmth, originating from the same source as the Phoenix True Fire, emanated from the blade—as if it too had acknowledged the swordsman who possessed the blood of the phoenix.

Seeing this, Nie Lingfeng nodded slightly. It seemed that the phoenix bloodline and this divine weapon were indeed not incompatible, and even had some kind of natural affinity.

The instant Chen Duo received the peerless sword, its blade gleaming with a pale blue light—

A sudden change has occurred!

The stone box was taken away, the peerless sword was drawn, and the stone platform completely collapsed... The seal and balance that had been maintained for countless years were utterly shattered at this moment!

"Boom—!!!"

The solid ground beneath their feet suddenly began to tremble violently! The tremor came without warning, yet was incredibly fierce, like an earth dragon turning over. The luminous pearls on the four walls of the stone chamber flickered wildly, their light fading and shifting like candles in the wind. Countless fragments of stone fell from above, crashing to the ground with dull thuds.

The cave revealed after the stone platform collapsed—the pitch-black entrance that had previously only exuded a faint, malevolent aura—was now like the gates of hell had been opened! A terrifying, scorching, insane, and violent aura filled with endless destructive desire erupted like a volcano that had been dormant for thousands of years! Dark red shockwaves, mixed with the pungent stench of sulfur and the smell of rotting corpses, shot skyward from the depths of the cave!

"Roar—!!!"

A deafening roar, utterly unlike any living being, but rather a mixture of countless vengeful spirits, demonic thoughts, and pure destructive will, echoed from the depths of the cave! The roar was shrill and piercing, yet also deep and heavy, like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts or the furious roar of a demon god, causing rubble to fall from the walls of the stone chamber. The evil and madness contained within the roar caused Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo to simultaneously turn pale, their blood surging, and an uncontrollable tremor running through their very souls!

That is the fear that comes from the instinct of life—the fear deep in the blood of living beings when faced with a higher level and purer evil.

"Not good! It's coming out!" Nie Lingfeng shouted sharply, his voice filled with unprecedented solemnity. He flashed forward, grabbed Chen Duo's arm, and used his footwork to its fullest extent, his figure retreating rapidly like a ghost, instantly retreating ten feet away and into the shadows at the edge of the stone chamber.

At the same time, he suddenly looked up at the sky above the stone chamber.

The three orbs of Qilin marrow, phoenix blood, and dragon essence, which he had temporarily balanced with his internal energy, began to fluctuate violently under the impact of the violent aura below! The three-colored light flickered wildly, its speed of change increasing, and the triangular balance teetered on the brink of collapse! The golden runes within the crimson light began to become disordered, the icy blue mist surged violently, and the golden ripples turned into raging waves—once these three were out of control, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Chen Duo, get ready! We might make our move at any moment!" Nie Lingfeng shouted urgently to Chen Duo, his voice filled with an undeniable urgency. At the same time, he frantically circulated his internal energy, the rotation speed of his dantian reaching its limit, almost breaking through the barrier. The internal energy in his meridians surged like a river bursting its banks, all poured into controlling the three divine objects!

He raised his hands slightly, his ten fingers trembling rapidly as if playing a piano. Each tremor drew upon a thread of internal energy, barely maintaining his fragile balance. Veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat poured down his face. The sweat evaporated into a white mist as soon as it seeped out, enveloping him in a thin layer of moisture. His face was as pale as paper, clearly indicating immense pressure; he had reached his limit.

Chen Duo nodded emphatically, gripping her peerless sword tightly, and stood in front of Nie Lingfeng. Her feet were planted firmly, her emerald eyes fixed on the cave entrance from which dark red energy and a terrifying aura continuously spewed forth. Her face was taut and bloodless. Phoenix True Fire rose from her body, the pale blue flames growing stronger until they enveloped her entirely. Within the flames, the phantom of a phoenix could be faintly seen flapping its wings and letting out a long cry—she was prepared to fight to the death.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Deep within the cave, heavy, muffled thuds, like the stomping of a giant beast, echoed. With each thud, the entire stone chamber—no, the entire mountainside—trembled violently, like a heartbeat. Dark red, scorching heat waves, carrying the stench of sulfur and a thick aura of death, spewed out of the cave entrance like hurricanes, scattering the jade fragments scattered on the ground, which crashed against the rock walls with a series of crisp, rapid sounds.

The terrifying roar grew closer and clearer. With each roar, the madness and malice intensified, almost solidifying into a tangible form, leaving black streaks in the air.

"It's coming up..." Nie Lingfeng said through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse. He struggled to maintain the balance of the three divine objects in the air while his senses were locked onto the direction of the cave. He could clearly feel—a massive, evil, and fiery life form—no, it should be called an undead entity—rushing upwards along the cave at an astonishing speed! The power of that aura far surpassed any opponent he had encountered before!

"laugh--"

The rocks at the edge of the cave entrance suddenly began to soften and melt into dark red magma at a speed visible to the naked eye. Drops of magma fell to the ground with a hissing sound, scorching black pits into the stone floor.

Immediately afterwards—

A huge claw, covered in dark red, cracks, and charred marks, suddenly emerged from the dark hole and slammed against the edge of the hole!

The claws resembled those of a Qilin (a mythical Chinese creature)—five distinct toes with large joints—but the nails were jet black and sharp, like five curved daggers wreathed in ominous blackish-red flames. The muscles on the clawed arms were bulging, yet possessed a deathly gray hue, covered with crisscrossing marks of decay and burns; in some places, the flesh had completely disappeared, revealing the stark white bone beneath. The bones were etched with eerie black patterns, which seemed to writhe slowly, emanating a nauseatingly malevolent aura.

A stench, a mixture of the burning smell of corpses, sulfur, blood, and some indescribable putrid odor, spread out and instantly filled the entire stone chamber, almost suffocating people.

The part of this claw that was protruding was even larger than the unicorn monster leader we encountered outside!

"roar--!!!"

With another deafening roar, another giant claw emerged from the other side of the cave! The two claws exerted their strength simultaneously, gripping the edge of the cave entrance and tearing it apart with force. The hard rock was crushed and melted like tofu!

Immediately afterwards, a huge, ferocious, and terrifying monster head slowly rose from the cave and gradually appeared in Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo's sight.