As the screams ceased, the woman opened her eyes to a scene steeped in blood. A female attendant, who had been at her service, lay bisected beside her, dead beyond doubt, with a long, deep gash scored into the cabin wall behind her. Through it, one could see the cleaved bow of the ship, and beyond, a grisly tableau of more blood and bodies.
Her face was still drained of color, yet she sat upright, her posture unaltered despite the extinguishing of several lives before her. At that moment, the gaunt man with the piercing eyes of a hawk bore into her:
"Fair's fair in a wager, but even in loss, one must understand why. Manager Shen, would you care to enlighten me as to why you believed those incompetents would fail?"
The woman did not respond immediately, appearing to ponder. After a moment, she spoke, "Whether your subordinates are useless or not, Shen Wan does not know. My bet was placed based on my judgment of you, Brother Hun Liao."
Her tone, contrary to the smoothness honed from years of business dealings, unsurprisingly caused the irascible man seated in the place of honor to tighten his smile into a cold glare.
Behind Shen Wan, her bodyguard, who had been extremely tense, seemed on the verge of suffocation. If possible, the poor soul might have lunged forward to cover her mouth, but it was too late for that now. The woman took a moment to steady her breath, maintaining an even tone:
"The image of that Dragon-Serpent Creature bore a nine-part resemblance to the Fish-Dragon, a specialty of Sky Rift Valley, and it was of the same level as the Dragon Eye Formation. When Brother Hun Liao gave the order, he treated it as a Fish-Dragon. However, in my view, this 'Fish-Dragon' had an additional pair of sharp claws and spat out Pill Beads, drawing in the Moonlight Glow. Such alterations have never been documented. As the saying goes, a miss is as good as a mile, wouldn't you agree?"
In the opulent cabin, a chilling breeze swept through as the gaunt Hun Liao cracked a grim smile: "Why doesn't Manager Shen simply say 'The incompetence of one general is the downfall of an entire army'?"
His voice, like the cackle of a ghoul from the shadows, struck fear deep into the heart. Shen Wan was afraid too, but recalling this man's reputation for being as good as his word, as much as he was known for his love of killing and cruelty, and seeing the attendant's corpse still sprawled before her, she felt a surge of courage:
"Brother Hun Liao worries too much," she replied, her response as straightforward as her demeanor.
"Such courage. No wonder Random Heart Pavilion sent Manager Shen to preside over the North Wilderness!"
Hun Liao chuckled, standing up and heading towards the cabin door: "A loss is still good. Since we're in business, we of the Yin Mountain Sect are also willing to prosper with partners like Random Heart Pavilion and a Manager Shen. The goods from the ship that were withheld, I will return in full. I wish Manager Shen prosperity and a flourishing business!"
Shen Wan watched the retreating figure, finally exhaling the pent-up frustration that had been accumulating for a long time. However, just at that moment, a chilling and sharp voice rang in her ears:
"By the way, Manager Shen, with your keen insight, why not give me a hint? To capture that monster, what should be the approach?"
After a moment's thought, Shen Wan replied, "Despite all changes, the principle remains the same."
Hun Liao struck his palm with the scabbard, his laughter piercing and cold.
※※※
"Tsk, quite the troublesome fellow."
Seeing the prow of the boat torn by Sword Energy, Shadow Ghost cautioned, "The Cultivation Level is probably from the Initial Vacuum Walking Realm to the intermediate stage. That's not much, but that Sword aura is exceptionally pure…"
"Yes, I see it."
Yu Ci, combining observation with conjecture, could guess that there had been some infighting on the Floating Cloud Boat. That single sword strike had claimed at least seven or eight lives from among their own, including a Golden Elixir cultivator. To this moment, Malicious Qi still lingered, undispersed at the head of the boat.
Such ruthlessness in action! Yu Ci felt a measure of admiration. Of course, what he admired even more was the Sword aura's lethal force that sent a shiver down one's spine at the moment of the horizontal slash. He had intended to leave, but encountering such a character, it would be a pity not to meet face to face. The long body of the Fish-Dragon hovered in mid-air, observing for a while. On the Floating Cloud Boat, those who had survived were still in shock, paying him no mind.
Soon, the source of the Malevolent Sword Intent began to move, reaching the prow of the boat in no time and stopping there.
Yu Ci concentrated his divine consciousness, trying to discern the appearance of the person, but at that moment, the moonlit night sky suddenly darkened, and sword light flashed like thunder and lightning, tearing through the sky.
"This fellow... quite decisive!"
In terms of Cultivation Level, Yu Ci was still outmatched. He had no desire to engage in a life-and-death battle with a Vacuum Walking Cultivator for no good reason. With a single flick, the long body of the Fish-Dragon, the fluctuations of Primordial Qi around him suddenly became insubstantial, the effect on the nearby void vanished in an instant, and correspondingly, the surrounding environment could no longer affect him.
Though visible to the eye, he was now in a world both real and illusory.
The sword light sliced through, distorting the very fabric of the void. The Fish-Dragon seemed to warp in shape, yet in reality, it remained unscathed... Huh?
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Yu Ci, whose spiritual perception had been honed through relentless trials, reacted instinctively without a moment to ponder. He fiercely elevated the level of his divine consciousness, and the Fish-Dragon raised its head in a prolonged howl. The long-dormant True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon burst forth, clashing at the boundary of reality and illusion with a force so ferocious and overpowering.
The expanse of the void was suddenly tinged with a layer of blue-gray.
Oh!
Yu Ci exclaimed in surprise. Setting aside the sheer ferocity and strength of the opponent's sword aura, this reaction was beyond his expectations.
The Mental Image indeed shifted freely within the inner and outer voids, but since it manifested here, it had to leave behind some Divine Intent Marks. The opponent had precisely pinpointed this, striking directly with their sword aura, targeting the unchanging fulcrum amidst his myriad transformations. What was especially rare was that the opponent, amidst the shifting of reality and illusion, accurately sought out the location of his elusive divine intent. Such skill was almost on par with his own ability to perceive the "fine line between life and death."
Had it been the True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon from when he first emerged from Return Village, Yu Ci would not have feared such a head-on collision. However, since invoking the Vast Canon True Intent, which led to the manifestation of his Dragon Slaying power, that most pure True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon had been destroyed. The current essence, which Yu Ci had slowly nurtured over two years, was indeed vigorous, but in terms of being staunch and pure, it still fell short. Struck by the opponent's fierce sword aura, the manifested Fish-Dragon Outer Form flickered uncertainly.
The opponent was also taken aback, but then, on his gaunt face, he flashed a toothy grin. The sword was poised but not released; instead, the sword aura surged, a mournful wind swept through the void, the blue-gray deepened, and piercing wails filled the air, as if malevolent spirits roamed, tumbling into the abyss.
"What a splendid sword!"
Shadow Ghost praised loudly, not for anything else, but for the opponent's ability to shake the void with his Demonic Ghost Sword Intent. Though it was brimming with sinister energy, the sheer purity and might of it would have been commendable even among the ranks of the Sword Competing Pavilion back in the day.
Yu Ci remained silent. If the opponent believed that by capturing his Divine Intent Mark, they could break his art of "Inner and Outer Completion," they were oversimplifying the matter. However, to be honest, upon witnessing this person's exceptional swordsmanship, Yu Ci felt an urge to test his own skills stirring within him.
"Inner and outer completion," no matter how profound, how could it compare to the directness and exhilaration of a sword determining life and death?
Such a pity, such a pity!
At that moment, Yu Ci finally caught sight of his opponent's face. It was a man who could only be described as gaunt; from a distance, he was the very image of skin and bones, with deeply sunken eye sockets and protruding skeleton, leaving one to wonder if there was even a couple of ounces of flesh on his body, the epitome of a Starved Ghost.
Yu Ci memorized that face, without further delay. The long shadow of the Fish-Dragon twisted once more, plunging into the Black Furious Tide below.
"Stop playing tricks, you ghostly figure, don't run!" The person behind shrieked in pursuit.
Yu Ci acted as if he were deaf to the calls, diving headfirst into the Deep Black Fury. The true illusionary qualities of his form were unmistakably revealed at this moment. The swirling black sands, though capable of piercing metal and stone, could not harm him in the slightest, not even offering the slightest resistance. In just an instant, he had left his pursuer nearly a thousand feet behind.
The wailing from behind grew more piercing, with the fierce and domineering sword aura slashing through the sky. The overflowing Sword Energy clashed with the flying sands, wailing like a myriad of ghosts, shaking one's soul.
Yet Yu Ci's mind remained unusually calm, and he did not bother to counter with the True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon. Just as the sword aura was about to touch him, he gently activated a Seed True Talisman, which had been formed long ago, outside of the Life Death Talisman, with a clear ringing sound.
Behind him, the pursuer, who had been fervently channeling his sword aura, suddenly let out a surprised yelp, his figure abruptly coming to a halt, his long sword raised horizontally in a defensive posture. A strand of Sword Energy that touched it dissipated into a wisp of smoke.
This was normal; the Golden Elixir level Sword Energy, sharp as it was, could not penetrate his Protective True Evil. However, what he could not ignore was that the Sword Energy contained a sword aura that pierced directly into the weakest link of his swordplay, like a sharp needle thrust into his heart. Even without causing physical harm, it was enough to send a shiver through anyone.
After a long moment, he came to his senses, staring into the obscuring black sandstorm. Of course, his target was long gone. The expression on his gaunt face grew more ferocious.
"Why do you run, why do you run, why do you run, why do you run!"
Hun Liao looked up to the sky and let out a piercing scream. Wrapped in his Demonic Ghost Sword Intent and fueled by his fury, his power cut across ten miles, stirring the surrounding black tempest into a howling surge, flinging sand and stones in all directions.
A short distance above, within the Flying Shuttle, Chu River's face turned ashen as he cursed loudly, "It's Hun Liao of Yin Mountain, that madman! Go, go, go!"
Without needing further instruction, his subordinates already spurred the Flying Shuttle into motion, disregarding the direction of Yin Cave City, seeking only to put as much distance as possible between themselves and Hun Liao. After a mad flight of over a hundred miles, barely discerning east from west, Chu River finally caught his breath. Just as he was about to order his men to confirm their course, a "thud" resounded by his ear.
Chu River jerked in shock, turned around, and saw a gaunt face pressed against the observation port, meeting his gaze before giving a grim smile:
"Who said I was a madman?"
※※※
Yu Ci opened his eyes, the echoes of the wailing of myriad ghosts still resonating in his ears, the scene of the clashing sword auras vivid before him. He stretched out his hand, mimicking a movement. Had his true body been there, drawing his sword to face the challenge, how would he have responded?
The only answer was a shake of his head.
He was naturally talented with the sword, having early on grasped the mechanism of "life and death," and with the catalysis of Ye Bin's Half-Mountain Mirage Sword Intent, his starting point was exceptionally high. In past encounters, he had faced many whose cultivation levels far surpassed his own, but on the plane of sword aura, he had always held the advantage.
This was to be expected. Generally, for a cultivator, the formation, stabilization, and purification of sword aura is a lengthy process. At the Golden Elixir Stage, it is still rudimentary. To truly mature, reaching the Vacuum Walking Realm is the bare minimum, and there are many who only achieve completeness in the True Immortal Realm.
Thus, it was only today that he had truly met an opponent who could match him on the level of sword aura. Without the need for anything else, the blood and qi burnt by the Marrow-Burning Curse was already boiling.
Yet, at the same time, reason told him that even if his sword aura could contend with that person, there was still an insurmountable gap in cultivation level. To face that person in a sword fight now would be almost hopeless; it wouldn't be a duel, but a masochistic endeavor.
Hurry, hurry and Form the Golden Elixir!
Yu Ci braced his hands on his knees, slowly clenching his fists.
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