The entire sky was obscured by a fine mist, with the tendency to grow heavier.
Yet, within several hundred zhang of Liu Nanfeng and his companions, not a single drop of rain fell.
They seemed to be in another dimension, surrounded by blooming halos of light, so dazzling that a mere glance could induce dizziness.
Furthermore, the very ground beneath them warped. The permeable paving stones were not merely uneven; many were twisted into spirals, monstrous and bizarre, as if imbued with life and ready to pounce and tear.
Little Koi, startled, clung to Liu Nanfeng’s leg, peeking cautiously.
Su Huamei, from an unknown source, produced a red silk ribbon several zhang long, which coiled like a dragon, protecting them in the center.
Opposite them stood a man in black, his face hidden by a mask. Countless tadpole-like white runes writhed across his body like living creatures. He leaned on a long sword with both hands, standing there, silently observing everyone.
“Feng Wuji, you’re not dead yet?”
Upon seeing the newcomer, Su Jinxiu was somewhat surprised.
Feng Wuji was not always called Feng Wuji. His original name was Zhao Wuji, a sword fanatic, incredibly powerful, with few rivals in the world.
Yet, he remained unsatisfied. To break through his limits, he sought a woman, hoping to temper his swordsmanship through emotion.
This approach was not without merit. Buddhism itself speaks of entering the world to transcend it. Only by possessing something can one learn to let it go.
The ultimate path of swordsmanship was certainly not merely about wielding a sword or possessing immense destructive power. To limit it to such would forever keep it at a lower echelon.
It was akin to a painter who, in addition to wielding a brush to depict what they see and imagine, must also imbue their work with fervent emotion. Only then would their paintings resonate with others.
Swordsmanship was the same.
He was fortunate to encounter a woman who instantly captured his heart.
The woman loved him dearly, even bearing him a child.
But what the woman did not know was that he was a demon, and it was impossible for him to have a normal child with a human.
He also loved the woman deeply, never revealing his secret. He even abandoned his swordsmanship for her, living a simple life with her.
Then, one day, he discovered that the woman not only loved him but also many other men. To the point where she had personally killed their crying child to be with other men.
At that moment, Zhao Wuji could no longer bear the mental torment. He killed the woman and all her lovers.
However, Zhao Wuji could never escape that relationship.
But Zhao Wuji could never escape that relationship.
Yet, emotions are not solely positive; negative emotions are also emotions.
Hate, anger, jealousy, pain—these were all emotions.
These emotions tormented him day and night, driving him to madness, but also making him stronger.
His deranged spirit was fused into his sword intent.
The disorienting lights surrounding them and the warping of the scenery were all anomalies caused by Feng Wuji’s mental essence seeping out and permeating the surroundings.
Therefore, Feng Wuji was very powerful, exceptionally so.
But he had vanished many years ago, and everyone assumed he had perished. To think he was still alive and had been recruited by the Tide Society to be their tool.
However, no matter how powerful Feng Wuji was, he still couldn’t affect Su Jinxiu.
This was partly due to her profound mental cultivation, her steadfastness like a mountain, making her mind difficult to shake.
The other part was her confidence in her own strength.
She lightly flicked the bone swords in her hands, and a bone-chilling coldness rapidly crawled across the ground in all directions. The sharp sword energy made one’s skin tingle.
But those standing behind Su Jinxiu were unaffected. A gentle radiance enveloped them, making them feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Behind them, a colossal phantom of white bones materialized. The great skull of the bones, much like a Buddha’s, was encircled by a halo, but this halo was composed of gleaming white bones, emanating waves of surging sword intent in all directions.
“Husband, how do you like my swordplay?” Su Jinxiu suddenly spoke with a hint of seduction.
Then, she leaned forward, dual swords in hand, attacking her opponent. Wherever she passed, everything was split in two and then ground to dust.
“Heh heh…”
Feng Wuji opposite her seemed to be laughing, or perhaps crying, with a hint of joy.
He gripped the hilt of his sword, and countless whispers echoed in everyone’s ears, like the most venomous curses in the world, or the whispers of demons. Merely hearing them could drive ordinary people to madness.
It was unfortunate that no one present was ordinary, not even Little Koi.
Yet, even so, Liu Nanfeng and the others felt a surge of anxiety and unease in their hearts, as if something terrible was about to happen.
Little Koi tightly clutched her Gua Gua Hammer, her face pressed against Liu Nanfeng’s leg, too afraid to look. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
However, the Gua Gua Hammer soon transmitted a warm aura to her, and gentle Buddhist chants resonated in her ears, soothing her fearful spirit and stabilizing her emotions.
She even looked at the scene before her with curiosity.
“Clang~”
The collision of blades produced a piercing sound. The surrounding halos began to warp, and the whispers in their ears seemed to transform into wails.
But soon, they morphed into a woman’s seductive gasps, evoking a heat that rushed up from the abdomen upon hearing them.
Liu Nanfeng quickly reached out, intending to cover Little Koi’s ears, only to see her body enveloped in a Buddha’s light, as if she were oblivious to the sounds, curiously observing her surroundings.
The metallic clangs continued like rain on banana leaves, accompanied by the demonic whispers, further agitating the nerves.
“Feng Wuji is indeed formidable. Even in his madness, he is still so strong,” commented Su Huamei, who was concentrating and on guard, with a hint of admiration.
“Will Jinxiu be in danger?” Liu Nanfeng asked with concern.
Su Huamei lowered her head, looking at the short sword Liu Nanfeng had inexplicably grasped, and smiled, shaking her head.
“Feng Wuji is strong, but my sister is stronger,” Su Huamei said with great confidence.
As expected, Su Jinxiu stopped her assault when it became clear she couldn’t achieve victory.
“It’s my turn now.”
Seeing Su Jinxiu cease her attack, Feng Wuji spoke for the first time. His voice was peculiar, not unpleasant, but rather quite captivating, yet it always carried an undertone of madness.
Feng Wuji swung his sword at Su Jinxiu.
His sword seemed to distort, like a monster’s tentacle, emitting a sharp shriek. Though a straight thrust, it formed a circle, like a monster with its mouth agape, swallowing the opponent whole.
It also evoked a sense of dread, as if all things were collapsing and the void was being consumed.
Su Jinxiu held her dual swords, not immediately counter-attacking. An invisible aura swept through the space, rendering everything colorless wherever it passed, leaving only white.
Little Koi curiously raised her palm. Her small hand had also turned white, a crystalline jade-like white.
Su Jinxiu was the same, her entire being resembling a jade statue. The colossal bone phantom that had been behind Liu Nanfeng and the others had, at some unknown time, moved behind her, mirroring her posture as if they had become one.
“All is white.”
The entire world seemed to invert in an instant, turning from white to black.
Similarly, Feng Wuji’s body suddenly split into several pieces, falling to the ground.
The entire world began to collapse accordingly. Colors instantly returned, and countless raindrops descended from the sky, catching everyone off guard and soaking them thoroughly.
Little Koi, like a little puppy, vigorously shook her head but couldn’t shake off the rainwater.
At that moment, a colossal figure rose from the river.
ps: Today’s update is a bit late. There’s one more chapter, which will be updated later.