What a remarkable display of mutual respect and admiration! Truly befitting a martial artist who has painstakingly climbed to the pinnacle of the Zhixuan realm. Aside from that nearly fatal, chillingly cold initial strike, the subsequent few blows failed to elicit any visible reaction from Fifth He’s face; he merely gazed down calmly at this young man who seemed to have succumbed to madness. However, Fifth He’s King Kong physique, though shattered by that first strike, still harbored formidable internal energy. The real trouble lay in how his killer intent surged like a broken willow branch—sudden and fierce. Despite his immense internal power, he couldn’t immediately gather his scattered energies, much like a great river fragmented into multiple channels by a swordsman’s blade. Moreover, each of the following strikes was meticulously aimed at critical acupoints, like water flowing into diverging streams, only to be further channeled into deep wells. Though Fifth He showed no sign of weakness, he knew his own pain. This time, he had truly capsized in a shallow ditch.
The leader of the Tishe Mountain, his voice hoarse, finally spoke: “Where did that final strike come from?”
Xu Fengnian stared coldly at the Zhixuan master without uttering a word, then simply delivered another slash.
This strike was hard-earned, beyond what outsiders could imagine. He borrowed the Green Snake from Li Chungan’s Two Sleeves, the Heaven-Sundering Sword, the Nine Swords from Old Huang, the skills of Deng Tai’a from the battle outside Dunhuang, the demonic might of Luoyang, the Lion’s Roar of the Buddhist monk Longshu in the canyon, and even the dream of slaying dragons atop the mountain that night. Everything he had witnessed firsthand was condensed into that single slash. When the venerable monk Zhao Xituan of Longhu Mountain first visited the Northern Liang Prince’s Mansion, he had privately divined Xu Fengnian’s fate. He hadn’t spoken plainly, only hinting that if the young prince avoided calamity, he would live at least sixty years. Xu Fengnian never put much stock in fate or prophecy, but this slash cost him dearly. Even as someone well-versed in the pros and cons of the Great Huangting Reversal, he estimated that it had shaved off six years of his life—reducing his lifespan from sixty to fifty-four. Thinking of such a loss, and how he never made unprofitable deals, Xu Fengnian gave Fifth He another slash.
“You and I both know the truth—only by sparing me can you leave Rouran Mountain alive. The eight hundred armored soldiers are already on the mountain. Even if you were a swordsman possessed by a sword immortal, you couldn’t possibly slay the six thousand cavalry pouring in from the Rouran garrison. That’s likely why you’ve slashed at me so often yet refrained from taking my life.”
Xu Fengnian grinned and drove the blade once more into a vital acupoint on the purple-robed man. Fifth He, his neck gripped tightly, was truly formidable. Even in such dire straits, he remained composed, exuding the calm confidence of a grandmaster. His composure was chilling.
Blood trickled from Fifth He’s lips, yet his expression remained serene. “I can promise you this: I won’t seek vengeance today. I will send assassins only after you’ve left Rouran Mountain.”
Fifth He didn’t utter lofty words about forgetting past grievances, nor did he boast of keeping his word with a thousand taels of gold. Yet precisely because of his blunt honesty, amidst such deadly enmity, his words carried a grudging air of credibility.
Xu Fengnian raised his head and asked, “Don’t you believe I’ll plunge this blade into your heart again?”
Fifth He remained silent, his lips curling into a mocking smile.
Xu Fengnian paused but did not withdraw the blade, smirking bitterly, “There’s no such thing in this world as being allowed to cheat fate without consequence. I know you have tricks to save your life or trade one life for another. But you are the leader of Tishe Mountain, a man of great power and influence. You’re even on the verge of reaching the realm of a land-bound immortal. Don’t think about going down with me in a blaze of mutual destruction—it’s simply not a profitable deal. As for me, I’ll keep stabbing you without hesitation. I hope you, a great master, can forgive such rudeness. Otherwise, once you recover your energy, I’ll never stand a chance against a grand Zhixuan master. Surely, you, the mountain lord, can understand this little request?”
Fifth He chuckled, coughing slightly, yet still nodded, his demeanor exuding the aura of a ruthless warlord.
Xu Fengnian sighed inwardly. How could someone endure such grievous wounds and still joke so casually? It was almost unbearable. Yet, he gently released his grip, letting Fifth He’s feet touch the ground. However, the Spring Thunder blade remained embedded in the man’s Jueque acupoint, with no intention of being withdrawn. Only this way could Xu Fengnian feel at ease. If not for being on Fifth He’s own territory, Xu Fengnian would have carved through every acupoint on his body. The crimson-faced Yuanling child, his belly already full of the blood of Rouran soldiers, returned with Xu Beizhi in hand. Qing Niao packed the belongings onto her back, and the three Qin-era iron swords were hidden away once more. Caution was always wise—Xu Fengnian retracted nine flying swords, while the three fully matured swords, Tai’e, Chaolu, and Jinlǚ, were driven into three major acupoints of Fifth He: Xuanji, Jiuyi, and Shenque, working in tandem with Spring Thunder to completely seal his energy sea. The leader of Tishe Mountain smiled faintly, offering no resistance as the young man meticulously laid his trap.
The more composed and unruffled Fifth He appeared in his tattered purple robes, the more cautious Xu Fengnian became.
Without needing a word from Xu Fengnian, Fifth He waved off the encircling soldiers.
The group descended the mountain and reached its base. The Tishe Mountain retainers, following Fifth He’s command, brought four warhorses. After confirming they were unharmed, Xu Fengnian and Fifth He rode one horse together, while they requisitioned four more from the Rouran cavalry. Qing Niao, the crimson Yuanling, and Xu Beizhi each rode one and led another behind.
Fifth He made no move to have the Rouran cavalry tail them. The mounted force that had suffered the Yuanling’s ambush remained at the mountain’s foot, awaiting orders.
They galloped southward.
Fifth He, as if leisurely traveling, chuckled softly, “Wang Xiu, in his old age, gained a daughter and took Chen Zhibao as a secluded disciple. For Wang Xiu’s daughter to risk her life for you, and for you to wield so many tricks—especially mastering Li Chungan’s Two Sleeves of Green Snake so thoroughly—it’s not hard to guess your identity. In Beiliang, there’s no one else quite like you. Truly, the son of the Butcher of Men, Xu Fengnian.”
Perhaps to show sincerity, Fifth He didn’t even bother wiping the blood from his face. “Both Liang and Liyang spread rumors that you are all show and no substance. You’ve hidden your true self well all these years, haven’t you? To be honest, though we are now irredeemable enemies, if I had met you earlier, I would have gladly given you my daughter, Que’er. That battle at the bottom of the stream opened my eyes. Though I lost and feel humiliated, I don’t feel wronged.”
Xu Fengnian replied in a flat tone, “You’re on a horse, jostling about with a blade still lodged in you. Even though you’re a Zhixuan master, wouldn’t it be better to speak less and suffer less?”
The burly man in purple said, “This little pain is nothing. I rarely ask the same question twice, but I truly am curious about that final strike of yours.”
Xu Fengnian, ever watchful of his surroundings, ignored the question and frowned, “You didn’t even bring Liu Qingyan with you? You’re really going to let me leave the southern foothills of Rouran so openly?”
Fifth He sneered, his tone growing colder. “Why would I play tricks with you? I lost. That’s that.”
Xu Fengnian asked, “Aren’t you afraid that in some secluded place, I’ll strike the final blow and end your life?”
Fifth He laughed heartily, “Xu Fengnian, Xu Fengnian, if you truly dare, go ahead and try.”
Xu Fengnian laughed too, “Forget it. They say one doesn’t truly understand the mysteries of Zhixuan without entering it. Your kind of top-tier masters have countless tricks. When I was certain of death, I had no qualms about fighting to the end. But now that I’ve found a sliver of hope, I’m not so eager to sacrifice myself to bring down an emperor.”
Fifth He clicked his tongue, “Heir to the Northern Liang throne, Xu Fengnian, how shall I kill you next?”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Changing your mind?”
Fifth He gazed at the rare green fields lining the road in the Northern Wilderness and murmured, “That way, it’ll be more interesting. Don’t forget, I’m still a Northern Liang general. From Rouran Mountain to the Northern Liang border, it’s nearly a flat plain.”
Suddenly, Fifth He spoke again, “I hear that at the far end of the Liang-Gan Corridor, near the western highlands, there’s a group of six thousand unruly tribesmen, a mixed lot who refuse to be tamed. With swords at their waists and horses beneath them, they are first-rate warriors. Weren’t they once driven away by the Poison Scholar Li Yishan?”
Xu Fengnian was puzzled. “What are you getting at?”
Fifth He fell silent, lost in thought.
They rode through the night without pause. As dawn broke, the fertile lands of southern Rouran were long gone, replaced by endless yellow sands. Xu Fengnian finally halted his horse and turned around. Fifth He, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them.
Xu Fengnian dismounted with the Spring Thunder blade in hand and asked, “Shall we part ways here?”
Fifth He replied calmly, “Very well. Let us part here.”
“One question—answer or not, it’s up to you.”
“Ask, and I shall answer.”
“If I change my mind after I pull the blade from your body, turn back and kill you, what are our chances?”
“With your skills, plus Wang Xiu’s daughter and her Arc Gun, and that crimson Yuanling, you could slay a seriously wounded Zhixuan master without cavalry protection. Your chances are high.”
“And what if I add the three hidden guests from Tishe Mountain that you’ve sent to follow me?”
“You noticed them?”
Fifth He laughed heartily upon being exposed. “Even odds. That way, we can part on good terms.”
Xu Fengnian laughed too.
So, was this to be a smile that erased old enmities?
Fifth He, now with eyes turning from red to purple, maintained a steady breath, though his inner energy was already surging.
A lifetime without such humiliation—how could the leader of Tishe Mountain not leave a parting gift for the future King of Northern Liang?
He would plant one foot in Zhixuan and forcefully step into Tianxiang.
A false realm’s aftermath was a small price to pay compared to the head of the future King of Northern Liang.
The three hidden guests were merely a facade, a convenient illusion to preserve appearances. Fifth He was waiting for that single moment when Xu Fengnian would withdraw the blade and shift his energy.
And indeed, Xu Fengnian slowly pulled out the Spring Thunder blade.
As the blade left his body, before Xu Fengnian could recall the three flying swords, Tai’e, Chaolu, and Jinlǚ erupted from his body. Fifth He, his hair wild, stretched out his arms and laughed to the heavens.
A laugh of supreme arrogance.
Even if it was a false Tianxiang realm, it was more than enough to deal with the three of them together.
Xu Fengnian whispered, “Lotus of Longevity blooms.”
In an instant, Fifth He’s purple eyes turned golden.
A deafening thunderclap split the sky. Dark clouds gathered.
Fifth He’s energy surged wildly, completely beyond his control. His head turned with slow, stiff movements.
Just give me another incense stick’s worth of time!
The leader of Tishe Mountain would ascend momentarily into a false immortal realm.
Xu Fengnian stepped forward with a sinister smile. The Spring Thunder blade crept toward Fifth He’s neck, slowly slicing off his head. The crimson Yuanling floated behind him, sinking its teeth into the headless purple figure, greedily devouring his cultivation.
Xu Fengnian severed the head.
A great weight lifted.
“What’s a Tianxiang false realm to me? I’ve condensed my Great Huangting Golden Lotus into a single seed of Longevity, planted in one of your acupoints. When it blooms is up to me. Isn’t that a grand gift?”
“On Rouran Mountain, had you been willing to fall from Zhixuan to Jin Gang instead of forcing your way into Tianxiang now, choosing the lesser of two evils between a false realm and a fallen one, I would have surely perished on that mountain.”
“Is being a Zhixuan master so special that you can seek perfect solutions and avoid all losses? I’ve already sacrificed six years of my life and even lost my Great Huangting. Fifth He, if you don’t deserve death, then who does?”
Xu Fengnian muttered to himself, gazing at the severed head in his hand, then at the crimson Yuanling, its robe fluttering and its two faces glowing golden.
One great Zhixuan had vanished from the world. Another had risen in his place.
At the same time, Xu Fengnian fell.
Not from the initial stage of Jin Gang to the second rank.
But into a false Zhixuan realm!
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