Volume 4 Chapter 2 - Celestial Fire (1/2)

“Your flying sword is very strong,” Bai Shanshui said to the person in the courtyard, “but it is likely you will die.”

“I was a dead man long ago.”

The cultivator in the courtyard shook his head at Bai Shanshui and said softly, “Do not misunderstand. I just want to make sure you will not end up in their hands alive. If the time comes, I will kill you first. Please treat me the same, and do not let me land in their hands alive.”

Despite the impolite words, Bai Shanshui laughed in satisfaction, raised her head and said, “Very good.”

A wild wind rose. A dozen white lines appeared in the sky, falling towards the courtyard. These white lines, regardless of whether they were a sword formation the cultivators of a sword school were creating together or a powerful weapon, contained great power even at a great distance.

But the cultivator by Bai Shanshui’s side ignored these white lines. Even as he was talking with Bai Shanshui, his mind was completely focused on his thin light flying sword.

His flying sword was extremely short and was mottled when it flew out of the muddy water. Yet, after it cut off the head of Liang Lian’s strongest subordinate, his sword became a subdued dark purple.

During his talk with Bai Shanshui, his flying sword had broken free of a bright white flying sword, entered a house, and passed through the body of a grey robed elder.

Blood sprayed behind the grey-robed elder. The little sword that had floated like a dried leaf in the gully fell to the ground.

Boom!

The grey-robed elder fell like a mountain in what looked like a narrow space filled with junk. He looked at the fatal wound to his heart and shouted in discontent. “Fan Zhuo is dead, where did you come from?”

All the people participating in this attack were shocked and bewildered by the young cultivator who was standing in the darkness next to Bai Shanshui.

No one knew that this young person came from the Chu. No one knew that his name was Li Yunrui.

This nameless cultivator out of nowhere was like nonexistent air to Changling before this.

Bai Shanshui ignored Li Yunrui’s flying sword and looked into the sky.

The white lines in the sky had a holy aura. These were a dozen bolts of celestial fire formed from the primal energies of the universe.

Feeling the exceptionally distant, cruel and perfect presence, Bai Shanshui was certain that the celestial fire was from Zheng Xiu’s hands. But she could not understand why the celestial fire she felt now felt less natural and more stiff compared to the presence she previously felt on the river. Zheng Xiu’s cultivation would not inexplicably decrease.

But this was not the time to ponder Zheng Xiu’s cultivation.

She could not contend with the power of the celestial fire but she had to block it. She focused on the cold celestial fire and swung her sword again.

A blue wave surged off her sword, turning into a furious waterfall that rolled up into the sky.

These dozen fires were originally going to land at the same time, falling towards her and Li Yunrui next to her. She could not resist such power. But as the waterfall moved, the dozen fires were separated after breakthroughs through the water.

Then, the deep green lifebond sword disappeared from her hand.

She flicked all ten fingers. A dozen glowing water droplets formed in the air and went to meet the dozen celestial fires. Each collison was like a fight between mountains. Chaotic primal energies of the universe exploded like fireworks.

The dozen residences around this small courtyard collapsed like paper.

Bai Shanshui’s face was pale. She barely managed to stand against Zheng Xiu’s celestial fire and felt slightly proud. But at this moment, she suddenly felt a warning sign.

A black flying sword moved through the broken tiles. This black flying sword was extremely ordinary in presence, so ordinary it looked like ordinary tile. It had not previously attracted her attention and she had not even sensed it.

This black flying sword was perfectly timed, plain and restrained, just like Ding Ning’s timing during his victories at the Min Mountain Sword Trials. Even more importantly, this sword was not targeting her but Li Yunrui.

She had no time to use her sword to parry it. She felt very cold.

A soft hiss sounded in the air. It was the sound of sword piercing flesh.

But this sword did not pierce Li Yunrui’s body.

Bai Shanshui had reached out with her left hand in front of Li Yunrui.

The black flying sword pierced her left arm. The master of the black flying sword knew she had won the time she needed and did not continue to attack Li Yunrui. The sword gave a sharp cry, and then charged up into the air as though it would fly beyond the limits of control.

Li Yunrui looked at Bai Shanshui’s arm in front of him and the terrifying wound with gushing blood without much change in expression.