The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

His relaxed expression instantly turned grim. His gaze sharpened, and just as he drew his sword, he saw Su Qi bathed in the morning light, his eyes flashing like lightning, charging towards him with a fierce aura like raging waves crashing to the sky and thunder splitting the earth.

At that moment, he seemed to see the imposing and wrathful Fudo Myo-ō descending upon the world, his wisdom sword raised high, standing tall and reaching to the sky, ready to annihilate him with a single strike!

A fleeting dream!

Caught off guard, Soichiro could not defend against ordinary sword techniques and could only use the Dream Bubble, which was controlled by divine will.

At the same time, Su Qi cleaved through the vacuum and struck down with his sword. His mind, however, was like a dragon that had been lying dormant in the abyss for a long time. When the wind and clouds gathered and the spring thunder awakened the insects, he took advantage of the moment and soared straight to the heavens.

At that moment, his spirit seemed to resonate with a mysterious point in the universe, suddenly rising infinitely, expanding, and merging and resonating with the rising sun on the horizon. In an instant, all the negative emotions accumulated from hundreds of cycles of life and death were released in one go, and his heart was like a pearl covered in dust, suddenly shining brightly after the dust was cleared, illuminating countless mountains and rivers.

Favorable timing... advantageous location... harmonious relationships... all in one consistent way...

In this state of spiritual fusion with the great sun, Su Qi suddenly grasped a mysterious inspiration.

The interaction between heaven and man, seizing the opportune moment and taking advantage of the situation, to strike the best blow at the best time and in the best condition, is the right timing.

With a path leading to the gate, one can take advantage of the terrain to launch a high-altitude attack, leaving the enemy in a difficult position from all sides. This is a strategic advantage.

Through countless battles, one learns to know oneself and one's enemy, but the enemy knows nothing about oneself and is caught off guard, thus being suddenly attacked. This is a matter of human factors.

With the right timing, favorable location, and harmonious relationships, and by focusing on one skill, one sword, and one's heart, one can achieve... the Dreamlike Bubble: The First Blade!

In the next instant, the time that had been stretched out in the spiritual world resumed its flow. Su Qi's mind, skill, body, sword, man, earth, and heaven... all seven dimensions merged into one, and he slashed down with a single strike.

boom!!

The two sword intents collided like heaven and earth. In their eyes, the world shattered with a deafening roar. Then, mountains of corpses rose, rivers of blood split the land, and a dark sun shone across the sky. A cruel and bloody Asura hell rapidly emerged in the void.

But then, the world trembled, a deafening roar shook the heavens, and a massive landmass rose high from the center of the earth, collapsing dramatically. A huge red sun suddenly leaped out, illuminating the entire world. A vast wave of light exploded outwards, leaving behind endless mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Black sun and white bones all burned, like a paper painting, instantly incinerated in the boundless light, turning into ashes.

boom! !

The remaining world shattered once more, and the two returned to reality.

In the next instant, Su Qi subtly shifted the length of his longsword. Meanwhile, Zong Yilang, already reeling from the backlash of his broken sword intent, was once again a fraction slower. But that single fraction of a second separated them by a world of life and death.

hum! !

With a clear, resonant tremor, Su Qi's blade, like a butcher carving an ox, slid down close to the opponent's blade with effortless precision, without the slightest friction. A beautiful arc flashed, as if disemboweling an ox, and the tip of the blade easily sliced ​​a large gash in Zong Yilang's chest and abdomen.

If not for the power of the Shikon Jewel, he would probably have died on the spot from ruptured intestines. For this reason, no blood splattered from the wound; only through the torn clothing and skin could one vaguely see that the abdominal cavity was empty, with only pale ribs and spine visible.

How could this be?! My dream has been shattered?! Who is he?!

Before he even saw Changgu Bayun, he was cleaved in two by a powerful figure who suddenly appeared. Soichiro was shocked and his eyes were filled with astonishment.

escape!!

He felt as if an air sac had been ripped open, and some vital force was rapidly leaking out through the wound. He felt a urge to retreat, but…

"die!!"

In an instant, a blinding flash of light appeared again, slashing through the air.

Helpless, he could only forcefully adjust his posture and swing his sword to meet the attack.

Ding ding ding ding ding...

In the blink of an eye, the blades clashed repeatedly, sparks flying like rain. The two attacked and retreated fiercely, exchanging hundreds of blows in one go.

Originally, Soichiro had the advantage of the Shikon Jewel, giving him superior speed and strength. However, he had lost the initiative, was injured, and was now in a favorable position, subjected to close-quarters attacks, preventing him from fully utilizing his abilities. He quickly fell into a disadvantageous position, and the situation continued to deteriorate.

Su Qi, on the other hand, felt incredibly agile. He wielded the longsword with exceptional ease, fully grasping the timing and location, and completely controlling the enemy's movements. Every strike he made was executed with maximum power, the sword's momentum like the Yangtze River, vast and unstoppable.

A moment later, Soichiro was cleverly cornered by Su Qi in a recessed area. Because he was completely focused on countering Su Qi's moves, he accidentally stepped into the air and finally lost his footing, revealing an opening.

laugh! !

The blade flashed through the air like lightning, and in the blink of an eye, the left arm was severed at the shoulder and crashed to the ground.

Damn it!!

Soichiro was both shocked and furious. Seeing the blade flash back and slash down again, he could only roll lazily into the roadside bushes.

But the next moment, Su Qi swung his sword and cleaved through the air, the sword energy splitting the ground and instantly cutting through the grass, slicing it in half.

No!! My back! My legs! How could I collapse here!!

With disheveled hair and covered in mud, ash, and grass, Soichiro sat up and looked at his severed lower body. His face was twisted in a ferocious grimace, like a demon who had just crawled up from the eighteenth level of hell only to be kicked back down.

He realized he might die here. But having barely escaped the abyss of death, and without even facing his destined nemesis, how could he accept defeat here?!

But Su Qi didn't care about any of that. Knowing that villains die from talking too much and that dawdling leads to their downfall, he didn't hesitate for a moment, nor did he have any intention of listening to the other party's backstory or seeing if he could be redeemed. He simply stepped forward and attacked from the side, slashing horizontally with his sword.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

Knowing he was about to die, Soichiro fought like a cornered beast, roaring madly as he swung his sword at Su Qi.

The next moment, blades clashed, arcs of light flashed, and a head spun and fell, only to be easily caught in the latter's hand.

The headless creature at his feet paused for a moment, then finally collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Su Qi held Zong Yilang by the hair, staring at the despair, madness, and resentment frozen on the severed face. The anger burning deep in his eyes gradually subsided, and an unexpected clarity and tranquility filled his heart. He simply said calmly, "I won... I finally won... Thank you for bringing me so much training and growth, but... only a dead enemy is a good enemy."

Chapter Forty-Nine: A Man Like the Wind

Two days later, at a crossroads outside the city, Ishii, Ruri, and Changgu Balun saw Su Qi off as he prepared to leave.

"Kenshin, take this with you."

As Chang Guba Lun spoke, he handed over the sheathed longsword in his hand.

"This is... spring rain?"

Su Qi glanced at it and knew it was Soichiro's sword, a weapon forged from a dragon's tooth.

He didn't accept it immediately, but said, "This was given to Soichiro by my master, right? Is it alright to give it to me?"

“Take it. That guy has no family. Leaving it here will only leave it to gather dust in the warehouse.” Chang Gu Hachirin pushed the sword forward again and said seriously, “Besides, your sword is an old one. Even if it has been enhanced with spiritual power, it’s already a bit dull. Taking this sword will be a good replacement. Also, I hope you can take this as a warning and always carry this sword with you to remind yourself not to go down the evil path like Soichiro.”

He's right. The sword Su Qi is using now was brought from Hinako's village. Even though it was well-maintained before, the spiritual energy he used to enhance it in battle has caused noticeable dulling and nicks, so it's about time to replace it.

"Alright, then I'll accept without hesitation."

Since things had come to this point, Su Qi naturally wouldn't be coy anymore and immediately took Chunyu and held it in his hand.

“Kenshin…” Ishii stepped forward, his expression complex, and said, “The thing I’m most grateful for is meeting you and guiding you onto the path…”

Before he could finish speaking, Chang Gu Balun grabbed his collar from behind and pulled him back. "Alright, we're all grown men, no need for all this fuss. That's enough. Let's leave the time for him and Liuli."

After saying that, ignoring his struggles and protests, she forcibly dragged him away from the scene.

For a moment, only Su Qi and Liu Li stood facing each other at the intersection.

Today, the young woman was unusually not wearing her kendo uniform. Instead, she had her long hair tied up, adorned with a flower hairpin, and wore white socks, wooden clogs, and an exquisite white cherry blossom kimono. Her face was free of makeup, clear and flawless, making her appear exceptionally beautiful, radiant and captivating.

However, Su Qi didn't dare to look too closely. He glanced at it briefly, then turned around, gazing at the distant mountains and the rising sun, and fell into silence.

At this moment, the morning light is faint, a gentle breeze is blowing, the surrounding grass is lush and green, dewdrops are glistening, the air is fresh and clean, and the surrounding fields are quiet and peaceful... Immersed in this comfortable atmosphere, one's mood will unconsciously calm down.

The two stood by the roadside. Liuli looked at Su Qi, and Su Qi looked at the rising sun. They remained silent for a long time, but surprisingly, they did not feel awkward.

However, the sun will eventually set, and parting will eventually come. Indecisiveness is not in Su Qi's nature, so he spoke first: "I'm leaving."

"Oh."

A pair of bright eyes stared quietly at Su Qi's face. Although the girl's tone was calm, her eyes held an undisguised reluctance and anticipation. The reason why this usually reserved girl could be so "open" was naturally because her feelings had undergone a strange change after the conversation about life and death and reincarnation before the decisive battle.

"Is there anything else you want to say to me? After all, once you leave, it will probably be difficult to see each other again in this lifetime."

Su Qi deliberately ignored the other person's gaze, while intentionally defining this parting as a final farewell.

He understood the other person's feelings, but he also understood that he was unable to reciprocate them.

Firstly, he was a time traveler whose future was unknown, making it virtually impossible for him to stay in this place and spend his remaining years with Liuli. Secondly, he was well aware that although he had feelings for Liuli, they were definitely not yet at the level of "love."

He didn't want to deceive himself, nor would he. In this respect, he was rather traditional, and he disdained being a womanizer.

Therefore, unless it's the person he's set his sights on, he will never compromise his principles out of sympathy or pity. As for those scumbags who only want sex and don't want to take responsibility, they are among the species he despises the most, and of course, he would never choose that approach.

"Yes." The girl kept her eyes fixed on Su Qi's and asked earnestly, "Can you take me with you?"

"Huh?" The latter was slightly taken aback. "Weren't you supposed to stay here to take care of your father?"

“He suddenly came over last night and said he wanted to turn over a new leaf and take over the temple again, so... I am now free.”

Seeing the longing overflowing in those bright eyes, Su Qi couldn't help but look away. After a moment of silence, he finally said softly, "I'm sorry, I don't want to drag you into danger too."

"Is that so..." The girl's eyes dimmed, and she forced a bitter smile. "I knew you would say that."

Su Qi remained silent, unsure how to respond.

The girl didn't care. She simply lowered her head, stared at a small white flower at her feet, and said to herself, "Don't worry, I won't cry."

"Yes, I'm not worried. You're much stronger than most men."

"If you complete your mission, will you return to the dojo?"

"Haha..." Su Qi chuckled twice, then said in a comical tone, "I'm a man like the wind, I like to roam the world and see scenery I've never seen before, so I probably won't be coming back."

"How heartless."

"That's right, men are all heartless bastards, so you must keep your eyes open in the future and not be fooled."

"Like you deceived me?"

He paused, then sighed deeply, "I'm sorry... so be especially careful of people like me."

"You're right, but... I'd like to see you lie to me one more time."

Su Qi didn't reply, remaining silent for a long time. After a while, as the sun gradually climbed higher in the sky, he finally said, "I should go."

The girl slowly raised her head, her eyes like water, and looked at his back. She said softly with a smile, "Well... I wish you a safe journey."

I also wish you a lifetime of happiness.

After speaking softly, Su Qi tied up his bundle, put on his bamboo hat, and was about to leave.

"and many more."

The voice came from behind, and he stopped in his tracks. "What's wrong?"

"Could I keep that old knife?"

Su Qi glanced at the old knife at his waist, hesitated for a moment, and finally untied it, placing it on the ground. Then, without looking back, he stepped onto the main road, walking at a leisurely pace, gradually disappearing from the girl's sight.