CH 43

The front yard of Broken Sword Manor very quickly dissolved into chaos.

The sound of yelling, footsteps, and swords being drawn was heard one after another. Dim red rays of light shot from swords into the air, transforming into threads in the sky above the manor. Then they fell down together like a spider web and enveloped the entire manor. 

This was the sword array that Feng Ci had recently taught them.

Feng Ci knew very clearly in his heart, this did nothing but stall for time.

But he didn’t care.

He only looked at Pei QianYue patiently, his serene eyes brimming with gentleness and warmth as he quietly waited for Pei QianYue’s reply. 

Unexpectedly, Pei QianYue actually pushed him away softly.

Feng Ci raised his eyebrow: “You don’t want it?”

“No.” Pei QianYue sounded like he has already regained a lot of his composure. He smiled faintly and said quietly:” If Master wants to make me happy, you should show some sincerity.”

Feng Ci felt somewhat dumbfounded by his criticism: “How am I not sincere?”

“I don’t want it.” Pei QianYue said: “If it’s fake.”

In this matter, Pei QianYue possessed a stubbornness that Feng Ci never understood.

To Feng Ci, a physical body was nothing but a shell that housed the soul. Changing physical bodies was just like changing clothes. He might be concerned with whether or not this outer skin looked good, or if it suited him, but that’s all.

Pei QianYue clearly cared about it much more than him. 

So concerned that even though he had transformed into his original appearance, Pei QianYue was still unwilling to act too intimately.

Who knows where this fixation came from.

“Forget it then.”

With great difficulty, Feng Ci had finally lowered his pride to coax the other man; yet this was the result that he received. Unable to understand if this was the feeling of annoyance or embarrassment,, Feng Ci immediately turned to leave. 

But Pei QianYue yanked him back.

Fingers following the path of Feng Ci’s arm upwards to reach the back of Feng Ci’s neck, Pei QianYue leaned forward slightly: “But not doing anything at all…… seems a bit of a pity.”

Saying this, he lowered his head slightly.

And pressed a kiss to the corner of Feng Ci’s eye. 

Over there, there was an extremely light colored, little beauty mark that was impossible to notice unless close up.

There was a sudden loud rumble in the air above the two people’s heads, like the explosive claps of thunder, one after another. This was someone currently forcing their way through the sword arrays from the outside. The dark clouds churned in agitation in the air. The flashes of light created from the clash of spirit energies were bright and dazzling.

Meanwhile, under this little piece of heaven, in this corner that no one knew about, two young men were quietly embracing.

Pei QianYue was very gentle. The slightly cold and moist sensation to the corner of his eye made Feng Ci feel a bit ticklish. 

He couldn’t help but shudder briefly. Pei QianYue released him.

“Once you regain your physical body, Master.” Pei QianYue raised his hand and placed a finger on that tiny beauty mark to caress it softly, saying quietly: “I will take back everything that should be mine.”

At the front mountains of Broken Sword Manor, the disciples lined up, waiting in formation.

Shoulder to shoulder, the two brothers Xiao ChengXuan and Xiao ChengHuan stood in the middle of the crowd, holding their breath in rapt attention as they gazed unblinkingly towards the direction of the mountain gate. 

In the last few days, a total of 32 defensive barriers were laid down with Feng Ci’s assistance. They spanned from the foot of the mountain to the mountain gate of Broken Sword Manor, one at each passage point. With the activation of the last sword array, Broken Sword Manor was practically wrapped up like an iron barrel.

Flashes of bright light exploded continuously on the horizons. Xiao ChengHuan asked with an anxious expression: “Elder brother, will this sword array really hold up?”

Can it hold up?

And for how long? 

Xiao ChengXuan has asked Feng Ci these questions before.

Feng Ci’s answer at that time was ‘if he were the one breaking through the barriers, with Broken Sword Manor’s current strength, it’d obstruct him for at most an incense stick of time‘.

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It’s not that Feng Ci’s sword array wasn’t strong enough. It’s the people holding up the array who were too weak.

The defensive magic arrays in the cultivation world right now all revolved around the same few types: sword arrays, talisman arrays, spell arrays, and equip arrays.

And the strongest amongst these, naturally, belonged to the various sword arrays created by Grandmaster QianQiu.

Different from other defensive arrays, sword arrays required the combined strength of the collective. As long as the fundamentals were set up properly, even low level cultivators could create a powerful sword array together. 

This was the only way for the weak to win against the strong.

More and more disciples maintaining the sword array collapsed in exhaustion. Xiao ChengHuan hastily took two steps forward and held up a disciple: “Elder brother, they can’t hold on anymore. At this rate—”

“Even if they can’t hold on, they have to hold on.” Eyes reflecting the dim red light of the sword array, Xiao ChengXuan gritted his teeth: “Drag it out.”

“That’s right. Drag it out.” A voice spoke up behind the crowd. 

Feng Ci and Pei QianYue finally made their late arrival.

Feng Ci walked next to the two brothers and looked up at the horizon. Even now, that mysterious murderer still has not showed their face. However, just by the light of the spirit energy hitting the sword array, it’s already possible to see the strength of the other’s cultivation.

Such a powerful cultivation… couldn’t be stopped by merely relying on defensive arrays.

Feng Ci had never intended to stop the opponent at the doorstep either. 

All these defensive fortifications were for one purpose.

Attrition.

Mobilizing the power of the entire Broken Sword Manor to desperately consume the opponent’s strength at all costs.

The spirit energy hitting the barriers of the sword array was thunder, striking one after another, deafening to the ears. Yet under this terribly cacophonous noise, everyone present suddenly heard an extremely soft and brittle sound. 

Pupils constricting abruptly, Xiao ChengXuan yelled loudly: “Back off! Back off!”

But he was a step too late.

The faint red light of the sword array shattered in response. As if struck by a burst of violent energy, all the disciples within the manor, who were still maintaining the sword array, were knocked over and flung away. Xiao ChengXuan hastily took two steps forward and grabbed the disciple closest to him. However, he was also struck by the tremendous force and sent flying. Falling hard to the ground, he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

When he looked down at the disciple that he caught, the disciple was already bleeding from all orifices, unconscious. 

The remnant spirit light from the sword array shattered in the sky and fell downwards like shooting stars.

Xiao ChengXuan saw a figure arriving by flight in the distance.

Alone.

Breaking through the 32 layers of fortifications that they had arranged meticulously and even injuring half of the Broken Sword Manor disciples in an instant. 

The opponent was actually only one person.

Just who was this person?!

An unprecedented sense of ice-cold terror emerged in the depths of his heart. Xiao ChengXuan actually didn’t even see clearly who had arrived. He only managed to see the other’s white robes, which fluttered wildly in the gale.

Like a god descending upon this world. 

An incorporeal sense of fear and dread descended down over Broken Sword Manor. In this deathly stillness, only one person stepped forth with quickened steps.

It was Feng Ci.

Expression heavy like water, Feng Ci swiftly gave a powerful smack to the nine stone pillars in the front yard and made a seal in front of his chest with both hands: “Activate!”

The nine stone pillars abruptly pull out of the ground. 

The pillars flew into the air in a spiral and formed an indestructible cage, which instantly enclosed the flying figure in the air.

After Feng Ci’s enhancements, the formidable might of the Nine-Revolving Trap Array far exceeded the past. The cage rotated rapidly and 9 different attacks shot towards the center simultaneously. A brilliant light instantly engulfed the figure completely.

Was it successful?

Xiao ChengXuan subconsciously looked towards Feng Ci. The youth looked at the cage in the air. With a slight frown, he said with an almost imperceptible sigh: “It’s not going to hold.” 

As soon as he spoke, one of the pillars suddenly exploded and the cage was forcibly ripped open by a crack.

Feng Ci changed his hand seal.

He recited an incantation and the remaining pillars swiftly closed up in all directions towards the center, tightly restraining the opponent’s four limbs.

Immediately afterwards, several pillars burst into raging flames. Captive, the figure was dragged from the skies swiftly into the ground. 

Boom—

The shattered gravel flew in all directions. The earth quaked and the mountains shook.

Regardless of one’s cultivation level, people were shackled within a mortal body; it was impossible for someone to defend against this kind of violent impact. Feng Ci gazed ahead unblinkingly, but when the dust finally settled and dissipated, a figure still stood upright in the ruins in front of the mountain gate.

A raging flame engulfed the figure of that person, sending plumes of black smoke straight into the air. Their entire body was burned beyond recognition, not even an inch of untouched skin could be seen. 

Within the flames, the person looked up and met Feng Ci’s gaze from afar.

His eyes were still terrifyingly bright.

An extremely eerie feeling appeared at the bottom of Feng Ci’s heart.

Then, that person moved. 

He raised his foot and walked forward, leaving behind black scorched footprints on the ground where he stepped on. However, as he moved forward step by step, the flames on his body subdued quietly; rotten flesh fell, and brand new skin and hair grew.

A plain white robe covered the youth’s swiftly regenerating body. His long lush hair flowed downwards freely, practically falling to the ground. The youth stopped and stood not far in front of Feng Ci, calmly looking at him.

Eyes serene; a peerlessly handsome face.

That was Feng Ci’s original appearance. 

The air was filled with the smell of fresh blood and scorched flesh. A breeze lifted the youth’s plain white robes. A glow encircled the youth’s body. He looked just like a banished immortal who had descended upon this world.

Really unable to stand the eerie feeling of looking into that face, Feng Ci withdrew his gaze and looked towards Pei QianYue.

“This is your so-called stolen by someone?” Feng Ci said indignantly: “Liar.”

Pei QianYue’s lips moved, almost as if he wanted to say something, but he said nothing in the end. 

Feng Ci noticed that his complexion had become extremely pale white.

“You don’t need to ask him.” The young man spoke. Even his voice was exactly the same as Feng Ci’s original voice: “He was of great assistance for me to stand here today.”

The young man’s gaze landed on Pei QianYue as he said warmly: “Xiao Hei, you did very well.”

“…… Shut up.” Pei QianYue said coldly. 

Feng Ci frowned slightly.

“But you shouldn’t be enemies with me.” A trace of regret appeared in the young man’s eyes: “You know as well that this is the Will of the Heavens.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp sword intent suddenly surged around Pei QianYue.

Since reuniting with Pei QianYue, Feng Ci has always jokingly said that his Xiao Hei was both childish and petty, and really loved randomly throwing unexplained temper tantrums at him. But this time, what he felt from Pei QianYue wasn’t the usual small-scale anger. Instead, it was complete and utter rage. 

“Pei QianYue.” Feng Ci called out quietly, but he didn’t receive an answer.

Pei QianYue’s robes and hair were both moving spontaneously inside that sword intent despite the lack of wind. With a dark and heavy expression, he raised his hand and slowly drew with a slender black sword from the void.

The slender sword hummed and released a loud cry in response to its master’s murderous fury. The sharp sword intent was so oppressive that the other people within the vicinity practically couldn’t breathe.

“That…… That’s—” Feng Ci heard someone exclaim quietly behind him. 

Even if they didn’t know what Pei QianYue looked like, they knew the LangFeng City Master’s special characteristics. Even more so, they recognized the handle of the sword personally forged by Grandmaster QianQiu, which was passed onto his disciple— the sword that’s gone through the hands of every LangFeng City Master.

—Lone Shadow.

Holding Lone Shadow tightly, Pei QianYue darted forward. The slender blade ripped through the air, an unstoppable force.

The young man carried no weapon in his hands. With a wave of his wide sleeve, he actually forcibly blocked this cold, cutting blow with his bare palm. 

Ss laa—

The plain white robes ripped into pieces under the might of the sword aura, the collision of spirit energy creating a swirling vortex that ripped through the already devastated courtyard. Every one of Pei QianYue’s strikes contained an extremely terrifying killing intent. Only defending without attacking, the young man was forced to back up step by step.

Sleeves fluttering and hair dancing in the wind, the young man looked at Pei QianYue. His gaze remained soft and even carried a slight hint of approval: “Compared to 300 years ago, your cultivation has improved a lot.”

“……You. Shut. Up.” Pei QianYue’s expression was stretched taut, his voice practically squeezed out between his teeth. 

The young man still wanted to say something, but his expression suddenly changed.

In the air, a pure and refined sword energy suddenly struck from the side. The youth hastily backed up. Strands of hair were cut off by the sword aura and floated gently to the ground.

Pei QianYue was also affected by the spread of this sword energy. His body swayed, but he was stabilized from the back.

“Why are you so impulsive?” Feng Ci grabbed Pei QianYue’s sleeve with one hand. In his other downward hanging hand, he unexpectedly held a long sword that glowed faint gold. 

He huffed softly: “Leaving me aside to pick a solo fight with him, what do you take this Master for?”

In this instant, Pei QianYue’s fury actually pacified completely.

He called out quietly: “Master……”

Feng Ci: “En.” 

Pei QianYue’s brows soothed out as he called out quietly again: “Master.”

A smile appeared in Feng Ci’s eyes: “En, I’m here.”

He was here. Not anyone else. And definitely not the who-knows-what front of them.

Feng Ci turned his head slightly and whispered in Pei QianYue’s ear: “Once this issue is resolved, I’ll definitely punish you severely if you don’t give me a good, proper explanation.” 

Pei QianYue: “Okay.”

Finally, Feng Ci raised his eyes to look at the young man not far away.

The young man had just received a strike from him. An extremely deep cut was drawn from his shoulder to his arm. Fresh blood gushed outward, staining a large area of his robes red.

He pressed a hand to the wound. Drops of blood had splattered on the side of his face, yet his countenance was so beautiful it was shocking: “You shouldn’t obstruct me.” 

Feng Ci looked at him coldly: “You’re bullying what’s mine in front of me. Why shouldn’t I obstruct you.”

The youth straightened up slowly. That wound, which was originally so deep it reached the bone, swiftly regenerated. The damaged robes were restored. Very quickly, even the blood stain on his robes disappeared without a trace.

Feng Ci frowned: “What exactly……are you?”

His body definitely didn’t have the ability to recover automatically. No matter how high his cultivation level, and how long he had lived, he was only a mere mortal. 

But this thing in front of him.

Had no Divine Consciousness. No signs of life. And was nothing but an empty shell that can move.

“You shouldn’t obstruct me.” The young man continued to repeat the same thing.

“Because……” 

The youth raised his hand. Spirit energy surged within his palm. A slender long sword, that was exactly the same as the one in Feng Ci’s hand, appeared from the void.

He pulled out the long sword inch by inch. The roaring sword intent that surrounded his body shot towards the sky like a whirlpool.

The youth stood at the center of the whirlpool, the dazzling sword light reflecting an eerie shadow in his eyes.

He gazed at Feng Ci from a distance and said calmly: “I… am you.”