Chapter 41#

The Four Wilds are Silent#

Driven by a premonition, Xiao Man looked towards the southwest of Shenjing, where a mountain range stretched, bearing the somewhat peculiar name of Bugui Mountain (Mountain of No Return). Yan Wushu, at the emperor’s request, had expelled the Half-Step Tongtian Believer from Shenjing, and the confrontation was likely taking place there.

The Believer cultivated demonic arts, with one foot already across the threshold of the Taiqing Saint Realm; Yan Wushu was in the Upper Taixuan Realm, a step away from the Taiqing Saint Realm.

The two seemed almost equal, but in cultivation, the higher one ascended, even a slight difference represented an extremely difficult peak to surmount. It was perfectly normal for Yan Wushu to encounter danger while fighting the Believer.

This sudden premonition made Xiao Man aware. He couldn’t help but think, if Yan Wushu were to die now, would the karmic ties of their destined marriage be resolved?

But Xiao Man felt a little uncomfortable deep down.

Ultimately, Yan Wushu’s journey to Shenjing City and his involvement in this matter were partly due to him. In his previous life, these changes had not occurred. Yan Wushu went south, killed the Sword Saint, and became the undisputed number one in the world, living until the Dao-Demon War a hundred years later.

Furthermore, if Yan Wushu died, Gushan would surely fall into some disarray. He still wanted to cultivate peacefully in Gushan for a few years, and during this period, it was better for Gushan to remain stable.

With this thought, Xiao Man made a decision and said to the few people who looked at him with concern: “You go first, I have something to attend to.”

Qu Hanxing was very surprised: “Why the sudden errand?”

“Just a small matter, I’ll be back soon,” Xiao Man said lightly, without much explanation. He flicked his sleeve and flew away.

Midway, Xiao Man realized that he was only in the Baoxu Realm, and going there probably wouldn’t make much difference. It would be better to inform the Taixuan Realm Senior surnamed Zhou, but he was already halfway there. Turning back would require an explanation, so Xiao Man thought about it and decided against it.

Bugui Mountain, southwest of Shenjing, no one knows who did not return here, leaving such a name.

And tonight, the crescent moon hangs high, who else, will not return here?

The mountain forest was dark, insects and birds were silent, only the wind blew incessantly. On the rugged path, stones and sand flew. Above and below, swords clashed and shadows danced, two figures entangled in an endless battle.

From the outside, the Half-Step Tongtian Believer was no different from an ordinary old man, his limbs as thin as dry wood, his exposed skin covered in wrinkles. Yet, his swordplay was eerie, each move unleashing a sinister aura, further accentuated by the cold gleam from the string of Buddhist beads around his neck.

The Believer delivered a diagonal slash.

Yan Wushu’s face was expressionless. He turned his wrist and blocked with his sword. His dark robes fluttered in mid-air and had not yet fallen when the Believer delivered another strike. Yan Wushu spun to avoid it, and at the same time, he stepped back half a pace, raising his sword from bottom to top!

The battle had been going on for nearly a day and a night.

If anyone were watching, they would immediately see that Yan Wushu was at a disadvantage, but he did not retreat an inch.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the north of the city, shaking the heavens and earth, no less than a clap of thunder.

The people of Shenjing at the foot of the mountain began to scream in terror. The Believer suddenly stopped his sword, flew back several zhang, and glanced at the source of the sound.

“It seems the Shenjing City array won’t need to be activated,” the Believer said, his voice betraying no emotion.

Yan Wushu stood still in his original spot, his hand gripping the blade subtly shifted. He lifted his eyelids and said to the Believer, “In that case, it seems you have no reason to stay in Shenjing either.”

“Who says?” The Believer tilted his head to look at Yan Wushu, his eyes slightly narrowed. “To be able to kill you, Lord Lingguang, my journey as Half-Step Tongtian has not been in vain.”

“I’m not as easy to kill as you imagine,” Yan Wushu raised an eyebrow slightly, his words sounding a little helpless.

The Believer said: “How will you know without trying to kill me?”

With that, he gripped the hilt of his blade with both hands, and the long blade rose again!

His strike was extremely fast, the gleaming blade drawing a perfect arc in the void, like the moon falling into the mountains, but its light was blinding, making it impossible to look directly at.

The evil aura moved with it, and a fierce cold wind suddenly arose!

The atmosphere on Bugui Mountain changed. In the blink of an eye, time shifted from an autumn night to deep winter.

The blade light extended from the blade, and the blade intent spread across the sky. Yan Wushu immediately retreated, and the Believer also moved from his original position, chasing Yan Wushu like a shadow.

After walking for a while without shaking him off, Yan Wushu simply stopped dodging, turned to face the Believer, and swung a sword from the side, attempting to break his move.

Weapons clashed, creating a sharp sound. Their stern eyes met, and in the next instant, Yan Wushu spun and moved past, reaching the Believer’s side, intending to strike his back.

But at this moment, the wisps of evil aura scattered in the void suddenly gathered, rushing towards the long sword like a punch!

The force carried by this punch was too overbearing. Yan Wushu grunted, immediately retracted his sword, and retreated to another spot.

A sweet, metallic taste surged up, which Yan Wushu suppressed. He stared at the fist formed by the evil aura, suspended behind the Believer, which remained unscattered despite the fierce wind, and chuckled: “As expected of someone who has entered the demonic path.”

“If you’re interested, you can join me. The gates of the Demonic Sect are always open to you,” the Believer turned to look at Yan Wushu, not rushing to attack.

“What if I’m not interested?” Yan Wushu asked.

The Believer raised the blade in his hand, turning it left and right, and said: “That strike just now is a new move I’ve comprehended in recent years. It doesn’t have a name yet. What do you think of ‘Half-Moon Slash’?”

“Half-Moon Slash, Bugui Mountain, it does have a certain catchy ring to it.”

“Indeed catchy,” Yan Wushu lowered his gaze.

When he looked up again, his long sword was raised, and a chilling light burst forth!

This was an extremely cold and fierce move. The sword light was like a burning flame, mercilessly scorching this night, and when it fell, it was like a thunderclap, a deafening crash that almost cut the entire mountain in half.

Behind the Believer, the fist formed by the evil aura was shattered by a sword strike, and the Believer himself flew backward.

He opened his eyes, watching as the sword was about to strike his face. He raised a hand, placed it in front of him, and recited a Buddhist mantra. In the next moment, the string of Buddhist beads around the Believer’s neck flew into the air, and the Dharma Body was unleashed, violently colliding with Yan Wushu.

This was the moment the sword strike was about to land, and there was no time to retract it. Yan Wushu also did not expect that Buddhism would be so tolerant, allowing a demon-possessed person to manifest a golden body. There was no defense, no evasion. He was struck by the golden body and sent flying dozens of feet, falling like a kite with a broken string.

Unstoppable fresh blood spurted from his mouth, the blood droplets arcing through the air and disappearing into the tangled weeds.

Before Yan Wushu even hit the ground, the Believer was already upon him, the cold blade reflecting the moonlight, almost blinding him.

“I didn’t expect you to force out my Dharma Body,” the Believer whispered.

A blade fell.

In a critical moment, a wisp of deer soul suddenly entered the dark mountain. Its entire body emitted a pure white glow, and its eyes were clean and innocent. Yan Wushu caught a glimpse of it from the corner of his eye, and his left hand suddenly rose, grasping at the air.

The dharma tool on the deer’s neck fell to the ground, and A’tu’s realm surged. It suddenly raised its front hooves and let out a roar towards the sky.

Fuzhu is a divine deer on Mount Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru is a sacred mountain of Buddhism, possessing a natural advantage in demon-extermination. Coupled with A’tu’s innate abilities, it disturbed the Believer’s mind in an instant, causing his movements to pause.

It was at this moment that Xiao Man fired an arrow.

It was an arrow imbued with Phoenix True Fire, whistling through the air and aiming directly at the Believer’s throat.

The Believer was indeed worthy of being called “Half-Step Tongtian.” He could see through the divine deer Fuzhu’s moves in an instant. He raised his withered hand and caught the arrow just before it reached his throat.

Yan Wushu struck at this moment, sword light suddenly bursting forth, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue. In a flash, the evil aura around the Believer condensed into a fist, smashing fiercely towards Yan Wushu’s sword!

Yan Wushu had tested it once before and knew the power of this thing. He no longer chose to meet it head-on, avoiding it at an extremely twisted angle and then retreating.

When he landed back on the ground, Yan Wushu’s figure swayed slightly. After much hesitation, Xiao Man still reached out to support him, while his other hand held the teleportation talisman Qu Hanxing had given him, ready to crush it at any moment to help Yan Wushu escape.

Yan Wushu pulled Xiao Man behind him with a backhand, tilted his head, and shook it, “Your movements are not faster than his.”

Xiao Man looked up at the man. His face was pale, and his black clothes made it hard to tell if there was blood, but Xiao Man knew him so well, and with his keen sense of smell, he could tell with a slight discernment that this person had at least ten wounds on his front, all bleeding.

Looking at the Believer opposite, he also had several wounds, but his spirits were excellent.

The Believer was also looking at Xiao Man. He scrutinized him from head to toe, his eyes gleaming, and took half a step forward.

The fist formed by the evil aura behind him followed.

“You cultivated Buddhism, and now you cultivate Daoism,” the Believer stared at Xiao Man and suddenly burst into laughter. “A malleable talent… a true talent! Why not cultivate demonic arts with me?”

He reached out to Xiao Man, making a gesture of extreme sincerity.

Yan Wushu picked up his sword, took half a step forward, blocking Xiao Man, and said: “Do you ask everyone you meet that question?”

“Are you willing? I guarantee I can make you stand at the pinnacle of the world,” the Believer moved to the side, changing his angle to stare at Xiao Man, his tone could be described as eager.

“He’s not willing,” Yan Wushu said expressionlessly, his wrist turning, and his long sword suddenly rose.

The Believer raised his blade to meet the attack, sneering: “Do you think you can protect him, just you?”

The two fought again, with even greater intensity than before.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of clashing blades and swords was incessant. The crescent moon in the sky shifted slightly. Xiao Man stood among the mountain rocks, his mind racing. He wasn’t sure why he had become the Believer’s target, but perhaps this could be an opportunity.

Yan Wushu had enough skill and judgment; all he lacked was an opportunity.

Thinking this, Xiao Man put A’tu, who was guarding him, back into the Buddhist beads. He glanced at the battle and took out the previous teleportation talisman.

It looked exactly like he was preparing to escape.

Both the Believer and Yan Wushu noticed this. The former narrowed his eyes, dissatisfaction welling up.

“I’ll make him mine first, then kill you,” the Believer said in a deep voice, flying towards Xiao Man, while simultaneously unleashing his Dharma Body to cut off Yan Wushu’s pursuit.

Xiao Man grabbed a sword with his backhand.

This was an iron sword, a standard issue for low-level Gushan disciples, of inferior grade. The Believer merely glanced at it, and it broke.

“Young man, so you want to kill me? A Baoxu Realm trying to kill me, a Half-Saint, what a pipe dream,” the Believer slowed his pace, put his hands behind his back, and sneered at Xiao Man.

“I am indeed in the Baoxu Realm,” Xiao Man lowered his gaze and said softly.

But his realm had once reached Taixuan.

Breaking through realms, what is broken through is not only the mortal body but also the character.

Xiao Man’s original body was a phoenix, capable of rebirth through fire. The impacts and scourges during realm breakthroughs were insignificant; as for character… a person who has reached the Taixuan Realm, with a pair of eyes and a heart, would they regress because their realm has fallen? He did not fall in realm due to damage to his Dao heart.

So as long as there is sufficient spiritual energy, Xiao Man can break through realms at any time. Although Shenjing has no spiritual veins, he had stayed by the Dan’er, which was filled with spiritual stones and energy, for a long time. Even if he did not intentionally absorb it, he still took in a lot into his body.

It was enough to reach the Shouyi Realm.

Xiao Man took a deep breath and lifted his eyelids.

The Baoxu Realm is cultivating with a scattered mass of spiritual energy within the body, stumbling like a toddler learning to walk; while Shouyi is refining that scattered spiritual energy with the laws of heaven and earth, integrating it into one, returning it to the Dantian. At this time, the cultivator has a stable foundation, broadened horizons, and a clear spiritual platform, allowing them to advance on a wider and longer path.

There is a qualitative change between the two.

In an instant, his aura changed.

From the Upper Baoxu Realm to the Early Shouyi Realm, from the Early Shouyi Realm to the Middle Realm, and finally stopping at the Upper Realm.

His plain white sleeves billowed in the wind, his dark hair scattered. Xiao Man dropped the broken sword in his hand and looked at the Believer: “When I was in Baoxu, I could kill Guiyuan across realms. Now that I’m in Shouyi, I suppose I can try to kill you.”

“Interesting, then let’s try it,” a hint of interest appeared on the Believer’s face.

Suddenly, a crimson pattern appeared on Xiao Man’s forehead, spreading all the way to the corners of his eyes. Then, with a roar, flames erupted around the Believer.

Xiao Man’s eyes reflected the leaping flames.

At the same moment, the Believer sensed that these flames were unusual and retreated. The evil aura that moved with him, however, was a step slower, and under the scorching Phoenix True Fire, it vanished instantly.

A little further away, Yan Wushu drew a second sword.

He held two swords in both hands, tapped his toes, and soared into the void—

Then he struck down with his sword.

This was a sword strike he unleashed by mobilizing all his spiritual power. As it fell, Phoenix True Fire suddenly attached itself to the sword, and together with the chilling sword light, it slashed towards the Dharma Body unleashed by the Believer!

Boom!

Another deafening sound. The golden body, radiating brilliant golden light, shattered into specks of light.

Yan Wushu delivered a second sword strike from the same angle. The Believer grabbed his blade with a backhand, blocked it with an uncanny posture, then stabilized himself and went on the offensive.

The Believer unleashed another Half-Moon Slash, aiming for the spot where Yan Wushu was about to land. Yan Wushu stomped fiercely in the void, retracting his falling momentum, and raised his sword again, striking at the Believer’s face with lightning speed!

Clang—

Blade and sword clashed again, and their figures intertwined once more.

“Besides the Half-Moon Slash, I also have the Full-Moon Slash,” the Believer retreated several steps, then suddenly charged forward, simultaneously twisting the blade in his hand.

The arc of light from the falling blade instantly met end to end, like its name, shaped like a full moon, with terrifying momentum. This was probably the culmination of the Believer’s life’s work, and a fierce wind howled across Bugui Mountain.

Yan Wushu held two swords level in the fierce wind and smiled: “Is this what you call a killing move?”

With that, he went towards the full moon, using one sword to parry and the other to attack, slashing fiercely at the Believer.

Both moved quickly, everything happening in an instant. It was at this moment that Xiao Man summoned the Phoenix True Fire again.

Crimson flames, like a wall, blocked the Believer’s path, and Yan Wushu’s figure emerged from the full moon, his cold sword light pressing against the Believer’s face.

The flames rose, seemingly reaching for the clouds above.

Within the flames, black robes fluttered and danced, and a long sword cut through the Half-Saint’s body, splitting him in half.

The next moment, Yan Wushu retreated from the fire.

The body, split in two, fell to the ground with a thud. Xiao Man extinguished the True Fire.

The howling wind gradually subsided. Yan Wushu walked towards Xiao Man, looked into his eyes, and whispered: “I almost got burned to death too.”

“Take your own medicine,” Xiao Man said indifferently.

The only light left on Bugui Mountain was the moonlight. Many places in the mountains were deeply scarred by sword slashes, and the weeds and rocks were scattered by the strong wind. Dust was everywhere. Xiao Man disliked such an environment and walked away.

Yan Wushu followed behind him, his tone faint: “I was cut several times in the back.”

Xiao Man: “There are medical cultivators in the city.”

Yan Wushu put away the sword in his left hand, sighed, and then said: “Little Phoenix, three years ago I was almost cut in half, and you personally bandaged me.”

Xiao Man stopped, looked him up and down, and said: “You’re not cut in half now.”

“Are you despising me, despising me… for being old and faded?” Yan Wushu tilted his head to look at the dark mountain forest, speaking softly, with a hint of grievance in his tone.

“Let’s go,” Xiao Man was too lazy to say more to this person. He flicked his sleeves and took out a teleportation talisman.

Just as Xiao Man was about to crush the teleportation talisman, Yan Wushu suddenly stepped forward, hugged him from behind, and said: “Little Phoenix, you’re angry with me. If I did something wrong, you should tell me directly.”

Hearing this, Xiao Man frowned slightly, lowered his eyes to look at the hands wrapped around his waist, removed them, and then turned to look at Yan Wushu.

To the east of Bugui Mountain, the vast Imperial City was bathed in lights, with pavilions scattered high and low, and houses arranged like fish scales, resembling a celestial city. The cheers of those who didn’t know what had happened behind the scenes rose and fell, and the wind was filled with their lively clamor.

But Bugui Mountain was extremely quiet, with no birds chirping or insects buzzing.

Xiao Man looked at Yan Wushu for a long time. Some questions and doubts arose in his mind, but after some hesitation, he didn’t ask them. Finally, his dark eyes fixed on Yan Wushu, and he said calmly and coldly:

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You have your path. I chose the wrong one.”

Yan Wushu was stunned for a moment: “…What do you mean?”

Xiao Man averted his gaze: “You don’t need to understand.” After speaking, he crushed the teleportation talisman and disappeared from the spot.

Yan Wushu lowered his gaze. Since he came out of seclusion, Xiao Man’s attitude towards him had changed. He was still that little phoenix, but much colder and more distant.

What exactly happened to make him change so much?

And what happened to make his fate line disappear from the star charts, making him unfathomable?

Truly unfathomable, and impossible to fathom completely.

A person stood alone on Bugui Mountain. A gust of wind blew, and Yan Wushu’s figure swayed.

Yan Wushu’s expression remained unchanged. He pointed his sword at the ground, raised his left hand, and pressed it against several major acupoints on his chest. However, he couldn’t suppress the pain, and in the next moment, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted onto the ground.