After days of refining his skills, Li Xun could now travel seventy or eighty thousand li on his sword in just one day and night. He set out at noon, and by nightfall, he had already arrived at the Ninefold Stone Mines, where he had been serving his punishment for the past three months.
He understood that this speed came from the influence of NetherYin Qi on his Lingxi Art, which was once again approaching a state of purity and clarity. Only with this level of refinement could he use the sword-riding method of the Mingxin Sword Sect without hindrance, moving freely as he pleased.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder. Could his progress in the Lingxi Art end up dragging down the NetherYin Qi instead? And if there was interference, how would he deal with it?
This was a problem only he had to face. Yet it was already far beyond his current level to fully grasp, let alone solve. Not only did he not dare ask anyone for help; even if he did, there might be only a handful of people in the entire Tongxuan Realm who could give him an answer.
Maybe this was heaven's way of punishing those who always want more.
He picked up the last two blocks of Ninefold Stone, each weighing nearly two thousand pounds, as if they were nothing. Walking one final lap around the mines, he quietly reflected on the hardships of the past three months. Then, gathering his spirit, he cast aside all his worries, let out a low whistle, and prepared to take to the skies.
His low whistle echoed deep into the night, carried far by the silence. But compared to the vastness of Zuwang Peak, it was still barely a whisper.
As far as Li Xun was concerned, his whistle might just startle a few birds or beasts at most. But to his surprise, mixed in with the wild beasts' calls across the mountains, there was also a faint, almost whisper-like sound of bells.
He abruptly stopped whistling. Right after that, the bell sound vanished too, making him wonder if he'd imagined the whole thing.
But just as that thought surfaced, a new wave of soft, delicate chimes reached his ears.
It clearly wasn't some bell on a household pet. This sound had a strange rhythm to it. Though faint and fleeting, it didn't feel scattered or broken. Instead, it wove a continuous melody, threading its way through the space between sound and silence.
Li Xun had never heard anything like it; it was so eerie, yet strangely beautiful. He couldn't even tell where it was coming from. He circled around in the air a few times, scanning the vast sea of dark trees below, where birds and wild animals occasionally darted in and out of view.
The night wind stirred the forest, and startled creatures scattered through the underbrush, casting a blur of flickering shadows. Trying to spot a human figure in all that was like chasing a dream.
A feeling stirred in his chest. Almost involuntarily, his gaze drifted toward the patch of forest he'd long suspected.
An enemy?
That was the first thought that popped into his head. But really, who in the world would dare stir up trouble on Zuwang Peak, with Zhong Yin watching over it?
He scratched his head, wondering if he should report this.
And just then, another chime rang out.
This one was much clearer than before. Li Xun could hear it distinctly, as if a string of invisible wind chimes were hanging right above his head, tinkling softly in the night breeze.
But no ordinary wind chime in the world could carry this kind of force. The moment the sound reached his ears, his mind went blank. Then something deep in the most fragile part of his brain suddenly swelled. It was so sharp and violent it felt like his skull might shatter on the spot.
Li Xun coughed up a mouthful of blood. The attack had come so suddenly, he hadn't expected his opponent to strike with such ruthless precision.
Caught completely off guard, he plummeted like a stone. Thankfully, at the last moment, he'd instinctively let go, allowing the Ninefold Stones to fall ahead of him. Had they landed on him, no matter how strong his cultivation, he'd have been crushed to death on the spot.
The impact slammed through his entire body, every bone groaning in protest. But in this situation, pain was the least of his concerns.
The instant he hit the ground, he activated an earth-escape technique, plunging headfirst into the soil.
But the bell sound followed him like a parasite clinging to his bones. Though faint and fragile, on the verge of fading, it remained razor-sharp in his ears; like a steel wire tightening around his throat.
Li Xun spat out another mouthful of fresh blood, looking utterly battered. The kind of terrifying enemy who could snatch a life without even showing their face was what Li Xun feared most of all.
Two years ago, Shui Die Lan had shaken the world with her unbelievable speed. Now this person had come for his weakest point using sound as a weapon, draining his spirit and scattering his focus. Even his unparalleled Nethemyst Puppets were useless. What good were they if they couldn't even hit the enemy?
Clenching his teeth, he fled in desperation while forcing himself to stay calm and think of a way to counter the attack.
The third wave of force crashed down on him before he had time to form a plan. He quickly formed a hand seal and shouted, activating the Supreme Clarity Divine Sound.
It was one of the few sound-based killing techniques in the Mingxin Sword Sect. It wasn't necessarily very advanced, but in a moment like this, it was all he had.
The instant he released the Supreme Clarity Divine Sound, he knew he was in trouble. What should have sounded like metal striking jade was instantly shredded by the enemy's terrifying bell sound. The backlash struck hard. A cold flash ran across his neck, and it felt like a blade had slit his throat clean. The remaining force didn't stop there; it barreled straight into a vital acupoint in his chest.
Under this external force, his Yellow Court Golden Core suddenly expanded and contracted, sending the true breath throughout his body into complete chaos, tangled like a knotted mess.
This injury was more than a hundred times worse than the last two combined.
Li Xun's body suddenly grew heavy. He couldn't even activate his earth-escape technique anymore. The earth and stone that had been parted by his technique now surged back together, threatening to crush him into pulp.
Get me out of here.....now!
Blood poured from his mouth in great heaving gulps. At that moment, his mind held only one thought: survive. Nothing else mattered. With a desperate shout, Nether One and Nether Two appeared out of thin air. Each grabbed one of his arms , and in the blink of an eye, they tore through the crushing weight of earth and stone, hauling him out.
The moment fresh air hit his face, Li Xun felt a wave of relief. Without waiting for orders, the two puppets vanished.
Li Xun let out a rough gasp as he tumbled down the mountainside, falling more than ten zhang. He hit the ground hard, dizzy and disoriented, and what little strength he had left was completely drained away.
His injuries were far too severe. He no longer had the strength to activate the Heaven's Nether Yin Pearl. No matter how hard he tried, the puppets wouldn't respond again.
Then the bell sound started up once more.
It's over. Li Xun had never imagined he would die like this. Just as despair was about to consume him, a sudden chill spread across his chest. A surge of cold energy poured into his body, racing through him in an instant before swelling slightly.
Li Xun thought he heard a faint pop. And suddenly, a layer of invisible, colorless qi membrane enveloped him.
In an instant, all the sounds of the outside world faded away, including that death-chasing bell. A moment later, another wave of cool, clear energy entered through his heart aperture, followed the flow of his blood and qi, swept gently through his mind, passed through several key meridian acupoints, and finally sank into his Yellow Court.
In just a flash, the Golden Core, which had been on the verge of collapse, returned to stability.
Li Xun's whole body shuddered violently, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. But this time, it was congealed, clotted blood.
In the blink of an eye, the life-threatening injuries that had nearly ended him were healed by 70 to 80%. He still couldn't move, though. His body felt completely limp, and even lifting a finger seemed difficult.
This is… the Jade Bixie? Li Xun was stunned. He knew what the treasure was capable of. It was powerful, no doubt. But he had never seen it act this fast, or this effectively. What was going on?
"A treasure's been in your hands for three years, and you still don't know how to use it? Isn't that a bit pathetic?"
The sudden voice drifted in easily, slipping past the protective qi shield created by the Jade Bixie, and struck Li Xun dumb on the spot.
He turned toward the voice, wide-eyed. From the forest off to the side, a woman in plain green robes stepped out, a bamboo basket hooked casually on one arm. The shadows blanketing the mountains seemed to shrink back ever so slightly at her presence.
Her long, dark hair was tied into a simple bun, held in place by a slender bamboo tube. The strands were still damp with the fresh scent of the mountain air. A few wisps fluttered across her forehead in the night breeze, adding a dreamy softness to her already ethereal presence.
That effortless grace, so natural and untouched, left Li Xun dazed for a moment.
"Immortal Master Qingyin."
Li Xun was overwhelmed by a wave of pure happiness. Not the joy of surviving a brush with death, but something much simpler, much more direct: Immortal Master Qingyin. I saw Immortal Master Qingyin. She saved me....
He did find it odd that Qingyin had appeared at such a perfect moment, but that thought didn't stand a chance against the sheer elation of seeing her again.
The protective qi shield around him quickly faded. And....he didn't even know where the strength came from, but he somehow flipped to his feet in one motion. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, not knowing what to do with himself, until Qingyin's gaze swept across him with a look he couldn't quite describe. That brought him back to his senses, and he quickly bowed.
"Many thanks, Immortal Master, for your help."
His words were clear and well-organized; if only his voice hadn't been trembling, it would've been perfect.
Qingyin gave him a slight nod, her eyes drifting away. Li Xun, hanging on her every movement, instinctively followed her gaze, and caught a brief glimpse of a shadow vanishing in the distance.
He scowled. "That man's definitely on the level of a sect master, yet he hides in the dark like a rat. What is that about?"
Because Qingyin was present, he bit back the more colorful curses that came to mind. But inside, he was absolutely fuming.
Qingyin glanced at him and, to his surprise, smiled faintly. Then she shifted the topic. "It's only been a few years, but you've changed so much I almost didn't recognize you."
Before Li Xun could answer, a sound echoed faintly in the distance. It was a sword's moan.
It wasn't loud or piercing; instead, it blended softly with the night breeze, drifting from who knows how far away, gently lingering by his ear.
In response, from somewhere unknown, a faint, almost silent string sound spread out, gently touching the distant sword's moan. The final note suddenly rose, ringing out with a clear, bright chime.
The two waves of sound tangled together. The sword's moan continued on, but the string's voice suddenly fell silent.
Qingyin's eyes flickered. She gave a small shake of her head. "Zuowang Peak isn't a place just anyone can barge into. Someone's fighting your battles for you."
Li Xun's heart skipped. He quickly realized that the sword wielder had to be Zhong Yin. And judging by how fast it ended, Zhong Yin had won the fight in mere moments.
But… the summit of Zuowang Peak was nearly five hundred thousand li away from here. No matter how powerful Zhong Yin was, he couldn't just ignore that kind of distance… could he?
The doubt didn't last long. Once the two waves of sound faded, all that remained in Li Xun's ears was the rustling of pine trees in the mountain wind. It was as if that mysterious and haunting clash of sound-based techniques had been nothing more than a hallucination.
As he stood there dazed, Qingyin gave a quiet sigh. "She left."
Li Xun, of course, clapped his hands and praised, "Immortal Master Zhong Yin's swordplay is truly extraordinary…"
Qingyin cast him a sidelong glance, and the faint curl of her lips carried a meaning he couldn't quite pin down. Li Xun chose to interpret it as some kind of mockery, though he wasn't sure who it was aimed at.
No matter what, that kind of attitude made people want to keep their distance. Li Xun lowered his head, trying to look like a good junior. He kept it down for a while, but then something didn't feel right. When he finally looked up, the place was empty. No one was around. Qingyin had already slipped away long ago, right after he dropped his gaze.
Li Xun stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly felt a heavy tightness in his chest. He wasn't surprised that Qingyin came and went without a trace. But still, would it have been so hard for her to say goodbye?
She was someone who had guided him, gifted him with treasures. One of the few people in the world he most longed to be close to. And yet, whenever he actually stood before her, he could never find a way to bridge the distance.
Maybe… Qingyin had never seen him as someone worth paying attention to in the first place?
Without thinking, Li Xun touched his face. He wasn't an idiot. After all the life-and-death chaos on Tiandu Peak, if he still didn't understand what was really going on, then he'd truly be beyond saving.
He couldn't help but dwell on it: if he didn't have this face that resembled Jade Wanderer's, though now it didn't seem to be much of a resemblance anymore, would Qingyin's attitude toward him have been any different?
Wait… Jade Wanderer....
A thought flashed through his mind like lightning, but he couldn't quite grasp it. He was still lost in that haze when, all of a sudden, a sigh came from beside him.
"My junior sister's nature still hasn't changed… I suppose I'll never see her again…"
....
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