Jiang Zhiwei gripped the sword with her left hand, altering her inner world with the sword intent of “Sword Emanates Without Self,” resonating with the external world, and unleashing the “Yama Edict.” Compared to the technique “Sword Emanates Without Self,” this move was relatively simpler, almost clumsy in its variations, making it suitable for her currently unskilled left hand.
Her heart remained calm, reflecting the subtlest changes. Her sole thought was to cut through everything before her, eliminating all obstacles, without any concern for life or death, victory or defeat, nearly achieving unity with heaven and earth, and oneness of sword and mind!
Once this sword was unleashed, there was no retreat, only advance; though it was rigid and easily broken, it remained unbowed to its true nature.
The sword light was bright and dazzling, as if a celestial immortal had flown down from the sky—ethereal and beautiful, without self or form—but it was cold and pure, filled with the aura of death, as if it were the judgment of heaven and earth upon life itself.
Boerbba felt a chill pierce his heart, experiencing an unprecedented sense of impending death. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Yet, just as the “Thunderclap” had passed, waves scattered in four directions, and he could barely swing his steel fork in an attempt to deflect the sword.
Clang!
The metallic clash rang out far and wide, and Meng Qi’s heart sank. Had it been blocked?
His spirit once again drained, his body exhausted, only his true energy remained at its peak. If Jiang Zhiwei could not kill Boerbba or severely wound him, the situation would inevitably spiral into disaster.
The sword light dissipated. In the end, because Jiang Zhiwei was wielding the sword with her left hand—an unfamiliar technique—her speed slowed for an instant. Her sword was slightly deflected by the steel fork, missing the crucial point between Boerbba’s brows that would have destroyed his soul. Instead, it pierced his right temple, piercing through his hard skull and lodging there.
The sword energy surged, penetrating bone and brain. Jiang Zhiwei did not give up, attempting to kill Boerbba this way.
Aaah! Boerbba let out a piercing scream, blood streaming from his eyes, his mouth opening to spew out essence-blood, and the fragments of demonic essence he had previously swallowed were expelled.
At this point, he could no longer hold anything back!
Several pieces of black demonic essence transformed into streaks of light, hurtling toward Jiang Zhiwei. Clenching her teeth, Jiang Zhiwei did not dodge, continuing to unleash sword energy through the bone, ravaging Boerbba’s brain.
Just as the demonic essence fragments were about to strike Jiang Zhiwei’s left chest, suddenly, a hand shot out, blocking the attack. It was Meng Qi, who had just delivered a slash and had not retreated!
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The demonic essence pierced Meng Qi’s unprotected left hand, tearing it into a bloody mess. However, slowed and intercepted by his flesh and the Undying Seal Art, the fragments had lost most of their force. They merely sent Jiang Zhiwei flying backward, failing to pierce her body or her heart.
Jiang Zhiwei’s sword was her life. She gripped it tightly, and as she flew backward, the White Rainbow Piercing the Sun sword was pulled from Boerbba’s head, leaving behind a grotesque wound through bone.
The demonic essence was completely shattered. Boerbba’s power dropped further; he could no longer draw upon the might of heaven and earth. Coupled with his head injury, his wounds were severe, his mind blurred. He could only barely endure with his deep demonic energy and his powerful demonic body.
But he was not yet dead!
“Hahahaha!” He threw back his head and laughed maniacally, blood streaming from his forehead, staining his face red, looking like a demon or ghost, terrifying and grotesque.
“Want to kill me?”
“Do you even deserve to?”
“I’ll make you regret you ever lived!”
Wildly swinging his steel fork, he charged at Meng Qi before him.
Meng Qi’s head throbbed, wishing he could smash it against a wall. His spirit was drained, making it impossible to grasp complex techniques. He could only raise Qingyu, matching force with force, and fury with fury, fighting Boerbba to the death.
“Kill!”
He roared, his true energy surging, his blade cleaving down like Mount Hua, striking the steel fork.
Clang!
Both retreated a step, Meng Qi swaying slightly, slightly inferior.
Jiang Zhiwei struggled, but her chest and abdominal injuries were severe, temporarily preventing her from rising.
“Die!” Boerbba thrust his steel fork forward, his eyes bloodshot, tears and blood streaming down his face.
“Kill!” Meng Qi did not retreat. His blade swept sideways, carrying the domineering force of thunder and the might of the blade’s path as it struck the steel fork.
Clang!
Both retreated again. Blood spurted from Meng Qi’s mouth, but relying on the Undying Seal Art’s ability to transform death into life, he maintained his true energy, though still slightly inferior to Boerbba.
Suddenly, a pleasant zither sound echoed in Meng Qi’s mind, like sweet rain, clearing his mind as if a spring gushed forth.
Ruan Yushu sat cross-legged, her ancient zither beside her, her left hand motionless, her face serene and aloof, her silent zither sounds entering Meng Qi’s heart.
Born with a zither heart, she could practice the Ruan family secret technique “Heart Zither,” using her heart as the zither, her seven emotions as strings, playing with true intent, producing silent celestial sounds that resonated with others’ hearts!
With each note she played, Ruan Yushu’s face grew paler. The “Heart Zither” consumed immense mental energy, beyond normal endurance, especially while still recovering from severe injuries.
Meng Qi felt his true energy surge, his spirit slightly restored, his strength enhanced. Instantly, he roared: “Kill!”
His blade swung like a thunderbolt from the heavens, overwhelming with sheer momentum.
Boerbba stepped back, his steel fork blocking sideways, roaring: “Die!”
Clang!
Qingyu and the steel fork collided again, the sound echoing far away. This time, Meng Qi did not retreat, while Boerbba staggered back three steps!
“Kill!” Meng Qi activated his body technique, chasing forward, his blade like a raging dragon.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Meng Qi’s strikes grew fiercer, while Boerbba could barely hold on.
Ruan Yushu’s nose bled, her mental strength unable to sustain, and she fell unconscious, tilting her head back.
With this shift in momentum, Boerbba’s demonic energy could no longer match Meng Qi’s continuously replenished true energy and enduring stamina. The only problem was that Qingyu, after repeatedly colliding with Boerbba’s steel fork—a nearly divine weapon—had developed cracks along its edge!
Meng Qi’s hatred surged, his fighting spirit blazing. The last remnants of Purple Thunder Energy in his dantian erupted—insufficient to unleash “Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens,” but enough to empower this final strike.
“Die for me!”
He roared, shaking the temple itself, his blade cleaving downward like a storm, seemingly both fierce and gentle, yin and yang, chaotic and indistinct.
Yin and Yang merge in three harmonies; what is the origin, what is the transformation?
Boerbba thrust his steel fork, meeting Qingyu, but felt the blade insubstantial, yielding with extreme yin softness, and was immediately thrown off.
“Die for me!”
Yin and Yang rooted in each other, yang turning yang, softness transforming into hardness. After deflecting the fork, the blade surged forward, striking Boerbba’s head with fierce might, targeting the wound!
“Die for me!”
The voice echoed, the blade fierce. Meng Qi resembled a thunder god from the ninth heaven, purple lightning surging from his palms, circling Qingyu.
Death’s crisis pierced Boerbba’s heart. He suddenly sobered, blurting out: “Mercy…”
Clang!
The blade struck his head, sounding like metal and stone, only slicing off scales, but purple lightning surged into the wound, rampaging wildly within Boerbba’s skull.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Purple electric snakes spewed from his eyes, nose, ears, etc., as if exhaling light smoke.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
His demonic energy collapsed from within. Black qi surged from Boerbba’s body.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Qingyu in Meng Qi’s hand shattered completely, silver light scattering to the ground.
Boerbba’s face froze in a pleading expression, with traces of madness lingering. A burnt smell wafted out, and his skin appeared darker.
His eyes turned completely lifeless. With a splash, he collapsed before Meng Qi, silent, the only sound the steel fork clattering to the ground, echoing far away.
Finally… dead. A wave of joy and relief washed over Meng Qi. Only now did he realize his body was powerless, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground.
Lying flat, gazing at the sky, the cold blue bricks beneath him, Meng Qi felt safe and joyful. This was what surviving near-death should feel like!
But he did not indulge in this feeling, for Ruan Yushu and Jiang Zhiwei were unconscious and gravely wounded, awaiting his aid.
Relying on his genuine qi to sustain himself, he barely managed to stand. Seeing Jiang Zhiwei had sealed her acupoints and was meditating in a cross-legged position, he first approached Ruan Yushu, lifted her up, and placed his palm on her back, channeling his inner energy to protect her heart.
Ruan Yushu’s body alternated between cold and hot, shivering. After a while, she awoke. Meng Qi quickly said: “Are you okay? Hurry, take out the healing pills.”
They had already consumed all their externally carried pills.
Ruan Yushu, weak, told Meng Qi the incantation, letting him retrieve them from the Jizi Ring himself.
Meng Qi silently recited it once, memorizing it, then opened the Jizi Ring, retrieving Fu Zhenzhen’s leftover healing pills.
But Ruan Yushu did not open her mouth. Her clear, bright eyes stared at Meng Qi, insisting: “Dried Dragonfish!”
Meng Qi was momentarily embarrassed. Even now, she was thinking about snacks?
He tried to persuade her gently: “Take the medicine first. Eat the dried dragonfish after your injuries stabilize.”
“Eat the dried dragonfish first!” Ruan Yushu stared at Meng Qi stubbornly, refusing to yield.
“Alright.” Wiping cold sweat, Meng Qi retrieved the dried dragonfish, feeding it into Ruan Yushu’s mouth, then administering the healing pill, using true energy to accelerate its effect.
Shortly after, the medicine spread, Ruan Yushu’s injuries stabilized, and she began meditating on her own. Meng Qi took the pills to Jiang Zhiwei.
“At last, it’s settled.” Jiang Zhiwei had meditated briefly earlier, her injuries not worsening. After taking the pill, she exhaled deeply, a sincere, radiant smile appearing on her face. It had truly been difficult!
Meng Qi was equally delighted: “Didn’t expect us to kill a demon at the Outer Scenery level.”
Pausing, he showed concern: “Wonder how Senior Brother Qi and Lao Luo are doing…”
He didn’t know where Qi Zhengyan and the others had fled; finding them in the perilous depths of Ling Mountain was impossible.
“Hope they’re alright.” Thinking of this, Jiang Zhiwei’s expression also dimmed.
“Yeah, the fortunate will find their way…” Meng Qi helped Jiang Zhiwei up, heading toward Ruan Yushu, then similarly assisting her, moving toward the Mahavira Hall.
“There was a reanimated Arhat outside. With its might, there should be no other monsters inside the Mahavira Hall. Outside, we might easily encounter wandering zombies, but within the hall, we should be safe.” Meng Qi explained.
Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu had no objections. Passing by Boerbba, the trio paused, bending down to gather his steel fork, fallen scales, and the glazed sarira left by the Arhat, placing them into the Jizi Ring.
As for Boerbba’s chainmail armor and purple-gold crown, Meng Qi was too exhausted to remove them now, planning to return after resting. Otherwise, Boerbba carried nothing else on him.
Gazing at Boerbba’s lifeless body, Ruan Yushu suddenly let out a sigh, her voice tinged with remorse as she murmured: “It’s all ruined now…”
“Jiao… what are you thinking…” Meng Qi was momentarily speechless, then led them into the Mahavira Hall. In an instant, their surroundings brightened.
On the incense table, a dim green lamp flickered warmly and peacefully, sharply contrasting the dark, cold world outside.
This green lamp was covered in cracks, its flame dim, yet it had burned for centuries without extinguishing.
Suddenly, faint footsteps approached from outside the hall, as if someone were drawing near.
Meng Qi was startled and shocked. In their current condition, how could they possibly fight off enemies?
He had Ruan Yushu and Jiang Zhiwei lean against a pillar, then drew out “Ziwu,” unwilling to wait passively for death.
The person entered the hall. Meng Qi was first startled, then overjoyed:
“Senior Brother Qi!”
It was indeed Qi Zhengyan!
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