My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

The paper goddess stared wide-eyed at the sword tip piercing the coffin lid, watching the golden-red flames seep into the paper coffin along the cracks.

She sensed that her connection with the Thousand Souls Paper Coffin was being rapidly severed.

The resentment of the thousand souls that she had painstakingly collected and refined over ten years was now wailing and dissipating in the flames.

The Blood Vengeance Spirit Pivot Array, which she had painstakingly set up, was collapsing at its core.

"No...no..."

The paper goddess reached out her hand, trying to grab something, but her fingers only touched the air.

Ye Qingfeng sheathed his sword.

The moment the sword left the coffin, the Thousand Souls Paper Coffin collapsed with a roar, turning into countless pieces of paper.

The paper scraps were ignited by the golden-red flames in mid-air, burning into countless tiny sparks, like a reverse-rising rain of fire, scattering across the night sky.

The paper goddess fell from mid-air.

She crashed heavily to the ground, her black veil ripped apart, revealing her body covered in blood-red runes.

The runes were rapidly dimming and dissipating, and with each rune that disappeared, her aura weakened further.

Ye Qingfeng landed lightly, standing three steps in front of her.

The flames on the Autumn Water Sword had subsided, and he remained in his gray-blue Taoist robe, with a calm expression.

It was as if the overwhelming power that had just scorched the heavens and boiled the seas was merely an illusion.

The paper goddess struggled to raise her head, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Ye Qingfeng, and her voice hissed:

"Who...are you...?"

Ye Qingfeng did not answer.

He simply raised his left hand, palm down, and aimed it at the paper goddess.

A wisp of golden-red flame ignited in the palm of his hand.

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes," he said softly. "A monster like you should not exist in this world."

The flames drifted down and landed on the paper goddess's brow.

She let out a short, sharp shriek, and then her entire body began to burn—purifying herself completely from the inside out, starting with her soul.

Three breaths later, only a clump of white ash remained on the ground.

A gust of wind blew through the room, and the white ash scattered, leaving no trace.

......

The fire at Lan Yue Fang is nearing its end.

The golden-red Samadhi Fire, having completed its mission of purifying evil, gradually withdrew its power and transformed into ordinary flames, flickering on the ruins of the building.

The wood crackled and splintered, beams and pillars tilted and broke, and the entire three-story wooden building groaned under the weight of its weight, threatening to collapse completely at any moment.

The doorway to the lobby on the first floor had been mostly engulfed by flames, leaving only a narrow gap about three feet wide on the left side that was barely passable.

The street outside was crowded with guests who had escaped and onlookers, all holding their breath and staring intently at the gap.

There are still people inside who haven't come out.

That Taoist priest, and the two bodyguards behind him.

Suddenly, the flames inside the doorway automatically parted to both sides.

It was as if an invisible hand had parted the curtain of fire.

A figure in gray-blue stepped out calmly.

Ye Qingfeng held the Autumn Water Sword in his hand, his Daoist robe was spotless, not even a bit scorched at the hem.

His expression remained calm and composed, as if he had not just emerged from a sea of ​​fire, but had simply stepped out of his room.

Behind him, Lin Zhenyuan and Zhao Damang followed closely. Although they were somewhat disheveled, with cigarette ash on their robes, their expressions were resolute, and their hands holding the knife were as steady as a rock.

The moment the three stepped out of the gate, a deafening roar came from the Moon-Embracing Boat behind them!

"BOOM—!!!"

The main beam broke, and the entire building tilted and collapsed towards the entrance!

Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, and broken wood and bricks fell like rain.

The guests who fled to the other side of the street screamed in terror; some crouched down with their heads in their hands, while others turned and ran.

The most dangerous are those who haven't escaped far and are still standing near the doorway—

This includes Lü Yang.

He had been staring at Ye Qingfeng, and when he saw the three of them walk out, he was overjoyed and was about to step forward when a terrifying cracking sound came from above.

Looking up, he saw a beam as thick as a bowl, engulfed in flames, falling from mid-air and crashing straight down on him!

The crossbeam was over two zhang long and weighed no less than several hundred jin. With the force of its fall, it could crush not only flesh and blood but also a bluestone slab.

Flames roared across the wood, and waves of heat washed over him; Lü Yang could even smell the burning of his hair.

"Young master, be careful!" Zhou the Fat Man behind him shouted in alarm.

Lu Yang's body stiffened, and his mind went blank.

It’s over.

That was the only thought in his mind.

A gasp of horror rang out from the crowd, and many people closed their eyes, unable to bear witnessing the horrific scene that was about to unfold.

At this critical moment—

Ye Qingfeng, who had already walked three zhang away, did not stop or even look back.

He simply loosened his right hand.

The Autumn Water Sword, which he had been holding in his hand, slipped from his grasp.

As if it were alive, the sword drew a beautiful arc in the air, changed direction, and flew backward!

The sword was not moving fast, and everyone could clearly see the trail left by the azure light of the sword in the night.

The sword reached a point three zhang above Lü Yang's head, where it met the falling, burning beam.

There was no loud crashing sound.

The tip of the Autumn Water Sword lightly touched the middle of the crossbeam, and a spark of golden-red light shot out from the tip and disappeared into the wood.

The next moment, the sword began to spin.

It was as if an invisible hand was holding the hilt of a sword, drawing perfect arcs in the air.

With each arc of the sword, a thin golden line appeared on the crossbeam.

In the first lap, the crossbeam broke into two sections.

The second lap, the two sections become four.

In the third lap, the four sections became eight.

……

The sword light flowed like clouds and water.

The burning beam was broken into more than a dozen pieces of wood, each about a foot long, in mid-air, with each break as smooth as a mirror.

The wooden block fell and hit the ground with a dull thud, sparks flying, but not a single piece could harm Lü Yang below.

After completing all this, the Autumn Water Sword gently vibrated, and all the golden and red sparks disappeared, restoring its original azure color.

Like a fledgling returning to its nest, it drew an arc in the air and flew precisely to Lü Yang's side.

The sword, upon reaching his side, automatically returned to its sheath.

"Clang."

With a soft click, the sword was completely sheathed.

From throwing the sword to sheathing it, the entire process took no more than three breaths.

Ye Qingfeng didn't stop walking, only turning half his face to glance at Lü Yang, who stood there dumbfounded, his voice as calm as the night wind blowing through the ruins:

"Thank you for the sword, benefactor."

Dead silence.

The streets were deathly silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed and gaped, looking at the gray-blue figure, then at the dozen or so neatly arranged pieces of wood on the ground, and finally at Lü Yang, who stood frozen in place.

Lü Yang himself was dumbfounded.

He stood there blankly, his face still pale with fear, the blood on his forehead already congealed.

He could feel the heat waves falling from above, smell the burning odor, and hear his heart pounding wildly.

But he is still alive.

The burning beam that had been powerful enough to smash him into a pulp was now just a pile of broken wood.

What saved him was that sword—the Autumn Water Sword, which he had bought from the capital for eight hundred taels of silver and usually only used as a showpiece.

In the hands of the Taoist priest, it became a true divine weapon.

Lu Yang slowly turned his head to look at Ye Qingfeng's back.

"Sword Immortal..."

Lü Yang muttered to himself.

These two words exploded in his mind.

This is not a fantasy, not a legend, but a real sword immortal appearing right before my eyes, wielding a sword to split fire and killing people in ten steps!

A surge of heat rushed to my head.

Lu Yang abruptly pushed away Fatty Zhou, who was supporting him, and staggered after him.