Outside the city of Heyang, within the desolate burial ground, a moonless night thickened with clouds, blotting out the faint stars. The dilapidated courtyard plunged into darkness. The wild laughter of the Daoist was swallowed by the blackness, but the broken sword in his hand glowed eerily, as if it were alive and stirring in the dark. A faint red light shimmered from the blade, illuminating the hand that held it and a small portion of the wielder’s body. In this half-lit, half-dark scene, the broken sword and the Daoist seemed incredibly sinister.
The wind ceased, and the ruined courtyard fell silent, save for the heavy breathing of the short, stout Daoist who had been thrown back. After more than a century in the Azure Ethereal Conclave, rising from a disciple to the head of Dazhu Peak, he had always known that their sect possessed the most renowned celestial sword, Immortalbane Nexus. He had even witnessed his elder brother, the Sect Leader, wield this sword to repel the Ghost King of the Demon Sect and defeat the Beast God. Yet, he never imagined facing Immortalbane Nexus himself, or that his master brother would be transformed into such a state.
Immortalbane Nexus lived up to its reputation as the first among celestial swords. Even as a broken blade, it almost shattered his entire cultivation with a single strike. Tian Yibian watched the glowing sword with a bitter smile, unseen in the darkness.
Not far away, Zhou Yixian and his companions were left speechless, their minds blank, even forgetting to flee.
They had stumbled into the burial ground, encountering a mysterious figure of unfathomable power. Just as they were cornered, a short, stout Daoist emerged from a coffin, radiating righteousness and a powerful sword energy. The mysterious man revealed the legendary Immortalbane Nexus, severely injuring the stout Daoist. The ancient sword appeared in the abandoned courtyard, broken and yet still formidable. From their conversation, they learned that the mysterious man was the Sect Leader of Azure Ethereal Conclave. These surreal events overwhelmed Zhou Yixian’s mind.
The three parties stood in tense confrontation, the dark courtyard resembling a grim underworld.
Suddenly, a cold drop fell on Xiaohuan’s face, but she stood there, unaware, as more drops fell, followed by a rumble of thunder and a downpour. The rain intensified, lightning flashing and thunder rolling, transforming the gentle shower into a torrential storm.
The stout Daoist suddenly spoke, his voice calm and resonant, as if his wounds had instantly healed. His words carried clearly through the storm: “Master Brother, do you know why I am called Tian Yibian?”
Daoxuan was taken aback. Over the centuries, he knew Tian Yibian of Dazhu Peak to be resilient and unyielding, with a cultivation equal to any of his peers, but he had never known the origin of his name.
Tian Yibian continued without waiting for a response:
“There is nothing softer and weaker than water, yet nothing can surpass it in attacking the hard and strong, for there is nothing that can change it. Master Brother, now do you understand why I am called ‘Yibian’?”
“Nothing can change it, nothing can change it…”
Daoxuan repeated the phrase, his expression somber, the red glow in his eyes dimming. The broken sword in his hand trembled slightly. The rain, though heavy, was deflected by an invisible force, not a drop landing on the blade.
“Master Brother, with Immortalbane Nexus in your hand, I cannot win, but my name is ‘Yibian.’ I will die fighting to prevent you from falling to the dark path.”
As he spoke, Tian Yibian rose amidst the storm, floating in the air, stepping on the seven-star formation, and chanting a spell. A red sword materialized in his hand, and he recited:
“Nine heavens’ divine thunder, transform into the wrath of the gods.
Mighty heavenly power, summoned by the sword!”
The storm intensified, the sky roiled with dark clouds, and thunder rolled. Lightning flashed, tearing through the heavens. The rain, wind, and thunder created a chilling atmosphere. Tian Yibian, his face stern, stood tall, his short, stout form transformed by the storm, exuding a fierce and commanding presence.
A concentrated bolt of lightning, ancient and powerful, pierced the sky and struck Tian Yibian’s red sword, channeling the energy of the heavens. The red glow brightened, and a dragon-like shape formed, its roar echoing through the storm. The heat from the sword vaporized the rain, and the storm raged with unprecedented ferocity.
Zhou Yixian, squinting at the figure in the sky, muttered, “The True Thunder Incantation, the True Thunder Incantation…”
Daoxuan’s expression changed, his disdain gone. He leaped into the air, drawing a Tai Chi symbol with his left hand and holding the broken sword with his right. Dark energy swirled, shrouding the courtyard in a heavy, ominous aura. Black smoke thickened, evoking the depths of hell. Suddenly, a dragon’s roar echoed, and a burst of white light erupted, dispersing the darkness. The rain, now guided, shot towards Daoxuan, who captured it in his left hand, shaping it into a transparent ice sword. The broken sword in his right hand glowed brightly, blood-red, and emitted eerie cries, as if alive. Daoxuan suppressed its movements with a Tai Chi symbol, and the ice sword aimed at Tian Yibian, its red glow intensifying. Daoxuan, once a serene sage, now appeared as a demonic figure.
With a hearty laugh, Daoxuan launched his attack, his laughter full of unrestrained joy. His lifetime of cultivation, his mastery of the elements, his wanderings across the lands—all culminated in this moment. The lightning, imbued with the might of the heavens, surged towards Daoxuan, and he countered with a defiant laugh, his expression reflecting his ruthless nature. The water sword, imbued with destructive power, clashed with the lightning, and the broken sword, released, charged towards Tian Yibian.
The collision brought a sudden silence, as if the world had frozen. Zhou Yixian and the others, paralyzed, stared at the sky. The stillness was shattered by a loud crack, and the impact sent shockwaves through the area. The raindrops turned to mist, and the abandoned courtyard crumbled, reduced to rubble.
Zhou Yixian and the others were flung back, and as they landed, Zhou Yixian felt something placed in his hand, a voice whispering, “Azure Ethereal Conclave, Dazhu Peak.” A gentle force lifted them, carrying them away towards the conclave. Zhou Yixian, with a sudden insight, cast a talisman and fled with the group.
Behind them, another deafening explosion rang out, as the broken sword and the red sword clashed mid-air. The rain and lightning scattered, and a red light broke into tiny fragments, emitting a sorrowful cry. Tian Yibian, feeling the frosty chill, fell to the ground, unable to stand. Daoxuan, staggering, caught his breath.
After a long while, Tian Yibian summoned the red sword, but it was lifeless, cracked and crumbling. The fragments littered the ground, and he held only the hilt, filled with a sense of loss.
Thinking of his wife, a faint smile crossed his face. He looked at Daoxuan one last time, then his life drained away, his head turning towards the direction Zhou Yixian and the others had fled, his smile widening.
In the distant Dazhu Peak, Su Ru felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Daoxuan, after a long recovery, found himself depleted. The battle had drained him, and Immortalbane Nexus had been difficult to control, nearly absorbing his energy. He could not pursue the fleeing group. As he pulled the sword from the ground, he heard a crack, and an object fell from the broken tip.
The rain continued, the burial ground no longer existed, its ruins telling the story of a forgotten place. Tian Yibian’s body lay in the rain, his blood mingling with the water. Daoxuan, with a complex expression, sighed deeply and buried Tian Yibian, placing a wooden marker with the broken hilt of the red sword.
Gazing at the storm, Daoxuan’s face showed a mix of sorrow and determination. The broken sword, defiant, remained in the earth, its light dimming as if in rest. The once mighty leader of Azure Ethereal Conclave, now a weary old man, felt a strange movement in his spirit, a sense of both compassion and deadly resolve.
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