The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The elegant room on the second floor had its beaded curtain half-rolled up.

Feng Zhuo, dressed in red, leaned against the railing, her fiery robes shimmering with golden patterns under the bright lights.

He came here specifically to fight because he heard that Qi Wang, that icy-faced guy, would be coming to the Asura Platform tonight.

The two were old rivals who had fought each other on the battlefield for many years. When ice and fire met, there was only explosive sparks and the sound of swords.

"Praying, vain!"

The two words were squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying three parts anger and seven parts fighting spirit.

It was this perpetually expressionless face that had clashed with him dozens of times at the border, each time wishing he could beat the other into the ground—though usually neither could gain the upper hand.

However, when his gaze inadvertently swept over the white-clad figure on the stage, his anger inexplicably faltered.

That boy... he looks so familiar.

Feng Zhuo paused, and his heart, hidden beneath the red dress, suddenly skipped a beat for no apparent reason, then began to pound like a drum.

Although he couldn't see the face behind the mask, the way the fan was held, the arc of the clothes fluttering when the person turned around, and even the occasional glance from behind the mask—all of these were like a very fine feather, gently brushing against his heart.

It was itchy and tingly, making his breathing a little erratic.

"Damn it..." Feng Zhu cursed under his breath, then pressed his hand sharply to his chest.

His heart was pounding rapidly and heavily beneath his palm, making his fingertips go numb.

He stared intently at the figure in white on the stage.

My heart pounded again, this time accompanied by a slight pain.

Feng Zhuo gasped, a ridiculous thought suddenly popping into his mind:

Could it be... that I've fallen for someone else?!

And this was directed at a kid whose face I hadn't even seen clearly?!

They've...done a homosexual relationship?!

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and even his red robes seemed to dim slightly.

He dared not look at the white-clad youth any longer, and could only glare fiercely at Qi Wang with his eyes.

"My sword is named Tan Hua. My name is Qi Wang."

Qi Wang is pure; his eyes are only focused on the sword's edge and becoming stronger.

The world's troubles are like fleeting clouds to him; only a battle of equal strength is the kind of encounter he truly desires.

"please."

With a single word, the sword was already drawn.

The move is a single, unadorned wind-slicing technique, devoid of any fancy moves or feints.

The sword's edge pierced the air silently, yet it startled the resting moonlight.

The sword energy condensed into a wisp of flowing silver, which coiled around the sword.

It only takes a moment for the breath to change.

"All colors are illusions, all return to this sword."

It was no longer a weapon, but a flowing spring of cold water condensed on his wrist.

"Whoosh—"

The folding fan made of cold jade and snow-soul in Tang Xixue's hand unfolded in response.

With white jade as its core and ice silk as its surface, it exudes a cool, refreshing crabapple fragrance when gently swayed.

However, when the edge of the fan transforms into a blade, the crescent-shaped sword energy is unleashed with deadly force, killing without a trace.

At this moment, the shadows of the fan and the light of the sword intertwined, and the battle between them and Qi Wang was evenly matched.

With a light touch of snow beneath her feet, pale blue clouds rose from the soles of her feet—this was the first realm of "Immortal Cloud Steps," the "Cloud-Treading Steps," where one could walk on clouds without leaving a trace.

The next moment, his figure transformed, and several afterimages appeared, one real and one illusory, like butterflies entering a dream, which was the second realm, "Dream Butterfly Shadow".

"Impressive footwork!" A burning light suddenly shone in Qi Wang's eyes, the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent and the fighting spirit of seeing a prey.

"However," he slightly twisted his wrist, the sword's edge flashing like autumn water across the sky, "can you dodge it?"

The second move of the sword technique, "Shadow Slash".

The sword energy, like a net, swept across all the afterimages, as precise, sharp, and without mercy as autumn wind sweeps away fallen leaves.

This sword strike targets the trajectory of light and shadow—once the sword is drawn, it follows like a shadow.

The two figures intertwined and shifted on the arena, their sword light and fan shadows weaving a dazzling silver net.

Gasps of surprise erupted from the stands, and everyone held their breath, not daring to blink.

"Number Nine is actually on par with the God of War!"

"He's really getting strong... I can't believe I've actually witnessed Qi Wang meet his match in my lifetime!"

"That's Yun Jue's ultimate technique, 'Immortal Cloud Steps'! I've seen it described in ancient scrolls, but I've never seen anyone master it to this level!"

"But Qi Wang's sword is too fierce... Can he dodge it all?"

Before he could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred on the arena.

At the moment the sword net closed, the white-robed youth's figure faded away like ink meeting water, then solidified quietly three feet away—as if he had broken through the boundaries of space, and the distinction between reality and illusion had become blurred.

"Stepping in harmony with the Heavenly Way, yet worlds apart..." someone exclaimed in a trembling voice, "That's the third realm of 'Immortal Cloud Steps'—Void Wandering!"

The entire audience erupted in uproar!

"The Void Journey?! The legendary, closely guarded secret of Lord Yunjue?!"

"Just who is this Number Nine?"

"Heh..." Inside the elegant room, Bei Chenji lightly tapped the window frame with his fingertips, chuckled, but his eyes darkened. "Yun Boyan keeps saying he doesn't know me... is he just playing with me?"

The person he had just considered recruiting had suddenly become so deeply involved with Yun Jue.

Hua Rong smiled gently, holding a teacup.

"Cousin, since Brother Yun says he doesn't know him, that means he's open to recruiting. As long as you wield the hoe well, why worry about not being able to dig down a corner?"

He blew away the tea smoke, his eyes sparkling.

"However... if Number Nine only knows how to dodge, he will ultimately be no match for Qi Wang."

On the arena, Qi Wang's swordplay changed again, relentlessly pursuing his opponent like a persistent boil: "If you have no other moves—your defeat is inevitable."

"Defeat?" Tang Xixue suddenly stopped, a faint smile curving her lips beneath the mask. "I haven't learned that word yet."

Qi Wang is indeed very strong.

She's strong enough to warrant a serious fight from her.

"Click".

A very faint click of a mechanism.

Under the spotlight of countless eyes, the ribs of the cold jade folding fan overlapped, rearranged, and extended.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a long sword that was pure white and had a restrained luster!

As the sword was forged, the temperature on the arena plummeted, and a chill began to set in.

"The wind blows and the snow falls."

Tangxi Xue drew her sword.

This was the first time anyone had ever seen her use a sword.

The sword light flashed like snow swirling in a winter night, disorderly and unpredictable.

Qi Wang parried with his sword, but the sword energy seemed to have a life of its own, bypassing the blade and gently grazing his cheek.

A thin line of blood quietly appeared.

Please stop your delusions.

He raised his hand, his fingertips slowly wiping away the warm bloodstains on his cheek.

The crimson hue reflected in his alluring eyebrows and eyes, giving his handsome face a breathtaking glaze.

In his eyes, beneath the frozen pool, the blazing flames finally ignited completely.

"Ha..." he chuckled softly, his voice full of satisfaction, "That's more like it!"

The battle fanatic met the light.

"It is said that the God of War only seeks one defeat in his entire life."

Tangxi Xue pointed her long sword diagonally, her voice clear and melodious like jade stones striking each other.

"Today, I will grant your wish."

As soon as she finished speaking, she moved.

Like snow blown by the wind, like clouds chasing the moon.

When the "Immortal Cloud Steps" technique is used to its fullest extent, clouds and mist rise beneath one's feet.

And at this moment, the cold jade longsword in her hand shone with a brilliance that made the world pale in comparison.

"Ten thousand butterflies take flight."

With a single sword strike, thousands of light butterflies burst forth from the sword's tip, fluttering their wings and taking flight!

That wasn't sword energy; it was moonlight condensed into form, a dazzling killing intent.

Countless pure white butterflies burst forth around her, each wing as thin as a cicada's wing, yet with edges as sharp as blades.

Their flight paths are mysterious and unpredictable, like a sudden blizzard, or a grand yet silent dance of death.

Qi Wang's pupils suddenly contracted.

He swung his sword, its light as brilliant as a fleeting ephemera, attempting to cleave the sea of ​​butterflies.

But there are too many, too dense, and too beautiful butterflies—so beautiful that they are mesmerizing, and so beautiful that danger lurks beneath every vibrating wing.

"Hiss—hiss—"

The sound of tearing fabric was as fine and dense as rain.

Qi Wang's sword momentum was gently swallowed by the sea of ​​butterflies. He was like a kite with a broken string, pushed backward by that powerful yet light force, and finally fell off the edge of the arena.

The longsword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.

The luminous butterflies gradually faded away, like waking from a dream.

The young man in white stood holding a sword, his robes fluttering in the breeze, his silver mask gleaming with a cool light.

His gaze was arrogant, looking down upon all the heroes under heaven!

"Thank you for your concession."

As soon as the two words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

"Bang!"

Bei Chenji suddenly stood up, and the sandalwood table was cracked like a spider web by the force of his palm.

He stared intently at the white-clad figure on the stage, his eyes churning with turbulent emotions.

"Cousin, cousin..."

"He...he's so handsome..."

Hua Rongshi's teacup tipped over, the tea soaking her robes, but she was completely unaware, only murmuring to herself.

"I think I might be falling in love again..."

"Indeed, true love can overcome everything!"

The brilliance of that sword strike resonated deep within everyone's soul, even from afar.

"Damn it—where is he going to slash with his sword? Could I really be gay? No way, this can't be..."

On the other side of the Accord, Feng Zhuo opened his mouth, almost forgetting to breathe.

Cardiac arrest, scalp tingling.

"I never liked men before..."

"I clearly like Xue."

Feng Zhuo constantly doubted his life, even his own sexual orientation, and questioned his own male virtues.

"Ten thousand butterflies taking flight..."

Si Xingzhou stood by the window, a deep blue unease rising in his eyes.

"The unique skill of Xie Jinlian, the number one swordsman in the world."

He had personally witnessed the white-haired swordsman cleave through a thousand troops with a single strike of his sword in the snowy northern plains.

That scene was breathtaking; the landscape changed color, and the sun and moon lost their light.

Si Xingxuan's pale fingers gripped the window frame tightly, his thin lips pressed into a thin line: "Tsk, Xie Jinlian... he actually takes on disciples?"

His gaze fell on the white-clad youth—at this moment, the man stood amidst the ashes of the vanished light butterfly, as if he himself were the radiant light of the heavens.

"It seems that tonight, my Shura Platform is truly going to be completely overrun."

Moreover, the one who stirred things up was Xie Jinlian's successor.

This is a huge problem, a massive problem.

Below the arena, Qi Wang pushed himself up to stand.

The bloodstains on his cheeks were still wet, his robes were torn in many places, and his beloved sword lay alone three steps away.

But he seemed oblivious to the pain, and didn't even reach for the sword immediately.

Her phoenix eyes shone brightly, fixed intently on the white-clad figure on the stage.

My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, making my bones ache.

Was that a sword light that caused thousands of butterflies to fly together just now, or his out-of-control heartbeat?

"Ha, those people from Shan Hai, they deserved to lose."

Kong Sangyu, with her blue hair as blue as the sea, sat in the elegant pavilion, holding a white fox in her arms, smiling brightly with a hint of amusement.

"Aaaaaah! The God of War, Qi Wang... lost?!"

"Could this be... the successor of a reclusive swordsman?!"

"Why doubt it? Besides that white-haired sword immortal, who else in this world could wield such a sword!"

"Absolutely stunning..."

"Tonight, the Seventh Pavilion is likely to suffer a devastating loss..."

"We lost terribly too, okay? Who would have thought the God of War would lose? I bet everything on him."

"We have to swallow this bitter pill. After all, the title of the best in the world was earned by Xie Shen sword by sword; who dares to disagree?"

Amidst the clamor of discussion, someone suddenly asked in a trembling voice:

"But... but why does he know Yun Jue's 'Immortal Cloud Steps'? Is he Yun Jue's man, or Xie Shen's man?"

An older man beside me took a deep breath and lowered his voice:

"Boy, you don't know this. Yun Boyan, the Lord of Yunjue, and Xie Jinlian, the Celestial Sword Immortal, are twin brothers."

"If not, how could Yun Jue firmly hold the position of Supreme Ruler of the Dark Realm?"

"It's because the Lord of Clouds in the Dark Realm is stirring up trouble, while in the open across the Nine Provinces... there is also a white-haired sword immortal who can slaughter a city with a single sword strike."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

All eyes once again focused on the center of the arena.

The white-clad youth returned the sword to the fan, and with a soft "click," the jade-like frame transformed back into the seemingly harmless folding fan of cold jade.

Tang Xixue raised her eyes, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over a certain elegant room on the second floor.

There, a figure with snow-white hair stood by the window, her icy eyes gazing into the distance.

Eyes facing each other.

Yet it was as if an invisible string had quietly tightened at that moment.

After tonight, the name "Little Sword Immortal" will surely resound like thunder breaking through the clouds, shaking the dark realm and the netherworld. Its voice will also travel with the wind and snow across thousands of mountains and rivers, echoing throughout the nine provinces.