Chapter One Hundred: Departure (Second Update, an Extra for Monthly Votes—Thank you to all the readers for your support!)

"I must say, Ancestor Li, you are truly impressive. With that single move of yours, you knocked down all the other flying swords, leaving the top thirty-six spots entirely to the Xuanmen of Shu. When we reach the sword-fighting arena, the ones in the spotlight will all be our own people. Simply marvelous, truly marvelous!"

Among the thirty-six flying swords flying side-by-side, an orange sword emitted this thought.

This was no easy feat. It required a high level of mental power, especially at such a high altitude. The scorching sun, the howling winds, and the chilling clouds could all damage one's consciousness, which is why many could not reach such heights while controlling a sword. Yet, this person could still express their thoughts clearly.

Hearing this, Li Yingqiong smiled. Although it had not been her original intention, she saw no reason to explain otherwise; she would simply accept the credit. She recognized this flying sword—it belonged to Yuan Yongzhen of Mount Qingcheng.

Within the Xuanmen of Shu, Mount Qingcheng, though overshadowed by Mount Emei, had never been truly submissive. They constantly compared themselves to Emei in every matter, always hoping to surpass them. They were the sect that gave her Master the most trouble.

Today, Li Yingqiong had conceived a brilliant idea and taken the lead. In the midst of ten thousand swords flying, to strike down all others and keep only those of the Shu Xuanmen—what a glorious feat that would be. In today's world, which sect practiced the art of the flying sword as universally as those in Shu? With everyone in the sect practicing, it was easy for them to team up and suppress others.

In fact, that was exactly what they had done.

Once word of this returned to Shu and to Emei, who would not owe her a debt of gratitude? Her Master and Mistress would surely be proud of her!

A thought also emanated from the "Taibai Zhirui," demonstrating Li Yingqiong's equally formidable mental power: "Master often says that the Xuanmen of Shu are bound together like branches of the same tree. Only by uniting can the power of the Xuanmen reach beyond Western Shu and spread across the world. What I have done is merely my duty."

Yuan Yongzhen felt like laughing; she was really getting carried away with her own importance. Still, having such a headstrong person was useful. If the owners of the fallen swords or their sects later voiced any complaints, they could simply shift the blame onto Emei while they reaped the rewards.

He then added, "Ancestor Li, that first flying sword was indeed difficult to deal with. Your insight was sharp to have your fellow disciples surround him from the start. It is a pity that it cost your two companions their swords, but it did leave us with two extra spots. Do you know what his background is?"

Yuan Yongzhen smiled. This was what satisfied him most: of the thirty-six swords flying high, Emei only had three. But Mount Qingcheng had sent fifteen disciples, and thirteen of their swords were still flying! The other two had only fallen behind due to a lack of mental stamina, not because they had been struck down.

Of the remainder, Mount Heming held eight, Qingyang Palace held seven, and Jinniu Palace held five. In truth, there were others from these three sects who could have stayed aloft, but they had been persuaded to descend through appeals to emotion, reason, and the greater good.

Each sect shared a tacit understanding. Thanks to Emei's reasonableness this time, there had been no dramatic gaps in performance; those with greater ability had deliberately throttled their speed to accommodate those with less. The thirty-six swords remained at nearly the same altitude, advancing in lockstep.

Thirty-six meant exactly thirty-six—not one more, not one less—neat and orderly, perfectly demonstrating their control over the sword-fighting arena! It was a message to the world: the true art of the flying sword comes from Shu!

However, Li Yingqiong was most dissatisfied with the small number of people, so she immediately said, "He has no significant background; he merely relied on a high-grade flying sword. Now that his sword is broken, he is of no consequence. As for my two companions, that was merely due to their carelessness!"

Yan Renying and Zhou Qingyun remained silent, letting Li Yingqiong continue her banter with the other sects.

Just then, Yuan Yongzhen spoke again, "Ancestor Li is right. A great teacher produces brilliant students. Speaking of which, we are all in awe of the grand gesture and grand style of Master Miaoyi, actually merging the Biyun Nunnery into Emei. The rising momentum of Emei is truly startling!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the "Xuansha" sword, which had been flying steadily, suddenly shuddered, disrupting the formation.

"What did you say?"

Yan Renying's thought emanated from the "Xuansha" sword. Thoughts could convey not just words, but deep emotion, and this statement was filled with Yan Renying's shock and a trace of anger.

"Oh? Friend Yan, you didn't know?" Yuan Yongzhen's thought was filled with surprise, though it was unclear if this emotion was genuine or feigned. "We heard it while we were still in the lower realm before the sword-fighting assembly began. Now, there is no longer a Biyun Nunnery on Dujun Mountain—there is only the Emei branch office on Dujun Mountain!"

*No more Biyun Nunnery on Dujun Mountain... No more Biyun Nunnery on Dujun Mountain...*

The phrase echoed repeatedly in Yan Renying's mind, and the "Xuansha" sword began to wobble precariously.

***

"Brother Yan! Brother Yan!"

Li Yingqiong's thoughts echoed in the high sky, attempting to rouse him. But Yan Renying could only repeat that one phrase in his heart, unable to hear or think of anything else.

Consequently, "Xuansha" plummeted.

Yuan Yongzhen was somewhat surprised; he had not expected such a strong reaction from Yan Renying. He was happy to see Emei lose a sword, but now the thirty-six swords were no longer complete.

Everyone was watching "Xuansha," but no one noticed that "Yuepo" was also in turmoil. Zhou Qingyun could not help but wonder: would there come a day when Mount Huang would also become a branch of Emei?

At that very moment, two fiery red flying swords suddenly intruded into their formation, appearing in the Reflection Mirror. Before the thirty sword-owners could process what was happening, the two crimson swords spun horizontally, their wide blades slapping against "Taibai Zhirui" from left and right.

They did not slash; they slapped.

The immense force, the piercing sound, and the scorching solar fire essence nearly dissipated the consciousness Li Yingqiong had attached to "Taibai Zhirui." She immediately transformed the sword into a sphere of golden essence, wrapping her weakened consciousness within it, and attempted to flee.

However, as if they had anticipated this, a section of the "Taodu" erupted with a burst of solar fire, instantly enveloping the fleeing white golden essence. The Taibai Geng metal qi struggled violently.

Simultaneously, the phantom of a red-robed Taoist flickered within the flames. The golden sunlight in the high third heaven was immediately drawn to the fire; the light around it began to distort as if being sucked into the blaze, causing the fire to expand further. The solar fire spread, keeping the Taibai golden qi trapped.

When the "Taodu" had fallen earlier, he had suddenly realized something: in a sword fight, one does not always need to break the sword; destroying the consciousness is just as effective. Even if he could not refine "Taibai Zhirui," the consciousness attached to it should not have such resilience.

Watching the surging solar fire, the other flying swords fled frantically. No one wanted their consciousness tainted by the solar fire, and they could not comprehend how this person’s consciousness could command and absorb such terrifying flames.

"Senior Sister Zhou! Save me!" Li Yingqiong's thought emanated from the fire.

But even before she could call out, another blade of the "Taodu" had already attacked "Yuepo." This blade contained only Cheng Xinzhan's *shuangling* (one of the three souls)—no *youjing* (another soul), no sword spirit. Consequently, the attack came with incredible speed, without a moment's hesitation.

This time, the half-blade did not thrust straight, nor did it flicker or leap. Its trajectory was not the familiar Li-fire hexagram pattern that Zhou Qingyun knew; it was a beautiful arc, like an antelope hanging by its horns, like a free-spirited ink wash, like the boundary between yin and yang in Taiji. It swept through the air in a way that left her unable to predict its next move.

This was the Way of Hunyuan, the transformation of flying Qi. Her "Iron Crutch Li's Scripture of the Soft Sword of Kan Water" was of no use here.

The half-blade slashed diagonally downward at "Yuepo." Though it was only a short fragment, it carried such immense weight that "Yuepo," which had been flying with its tip pointed upward, tumbled as it fell. Just as Zhou Qingyun struggled to stabilize the falling sword, the half-blade of "Taodu" followed up with another strike.

One strike after another. "Yuepo" fell even faster than the self-plummeting "Xuansha."

Cheng Xinzhan's *shuangling* did not know why "Xuansha" had fallen, nor did it care; it simply struck again and again, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

On the other side, within the solar fire, Li Yingqiong's thoughts gradually faded into silence. The Taibai Geng metal qi reverted to the true form of the flying sword.

It was at this moment that a massive burst of consciousness overflowed from "Taibai Zhirui," instantly dissipating the solar fire and revealing the true form of the "Taodu." The *youjing* soul within the "Taodu" was also shaken and injured.

"Who dares to seize my flying sword?"

A majestic female voice echoed across the third heaven. The consciousness manifested into the image of a woman. The woman looked at the half-blade of "Taodu" and her expression changed.

"Madam Miaoyi!"

The Master of Huanzhu Tower took a step forward, emerging from the tower to face the woman directly. "Madam Miaoyi, this is my sword-fighting arena, not an Emei discourse. You have come to the wrong place."

The Master of Huanzhu Tower looked at her coldly. Master Wu and Elder Jiao also ascended, but they kept their distance; this was the territory of Sword Immortal Li, and they could not overstep their bounds. Li Yuanhua, upon seeing the woman, also ascended and bowed.

Xun Yinlan took in the entire scene, then suddenly smiled. "In the presence of a senior, both my husband and I are but juniors; we hardly deserve the title of 'Madam Miaoyi.' I merely mistakenly thought that a demonic cultivator had harmed my disciple and seized her sword, which is why I appeared to investigate. Since it is a misunderstanding, this junior will take her leave to avoid disturbing your interest."

With that, Xun Yinlan's consciousness transformed into a ray of light and fled toward the southwest. Accompanying her departure were "Taibai Zhirui" and the "Yuepo," which had nearly crashed to the ground.

The Master of Huanzhu Tower let out a cold snort, looking quite displeased.

At this moment, a human-shaped light drifted out from the broken "Taodu" sword at his side, taking the form of Cheng Xinzhan. He bowed to the Master of Huanzhu Tower and said, "Senior, my flying sword is damaged and on the verge of collapse. I cannot participate in the remaining sword fights and have come to bid you farewell."

The Sword Immortal nodded, a look of regret on his face. "It is my fault for not establishing the rules more clearly; otherwise, you would have had a chance to win all three rounds."

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head. "I have gained much from this sword-fighting assembly, and I have learned that there are people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens. How could I dare to covet an unbroken streak of victories?"

The Sword Immortal’s admiration was evident. He then produced a compass and handed it to him. "This is a formation diagram—a void-shifting formation. Huanzhu Tower is not like Peacock City; it drifts aimlessly, and to be by the blue sea in the morning and the vast woods by evening is common. With this diagram, you can shift to Huanzhu Tower at any time to find me."

Cheng Xinzhan knew the value of this diagram. He used his spiritual energy to accept it and bowed in gratitude.

The Sword Immortal then opened his palm and offered one more thing. It was the fragment of the "Taodu" blade that had been bitten off by the snake shadow earlier.

"You did not win the three rounds, and instead, your flying sword has been broken into three pieces. Do you truly have no regrets?"

Cheng Xinzhan accepted the blade tip, smiled, and bowed in farewell. Without looking back at the other flying swords that were hiding far away out of fear of the solar fire, his soul merged back into the broken sword.

The broken sword descended, carrying the blade tip and the compass with spiritual energy, and flew toward Peacock City. As the broken sword passed, people faintly heard a poem being chanted in the air:

*Escaping the dust and toil is no ordinary feat;*
*Grasp the rope tight and play your part.*
*Without the biting cold of the winter wind,*
*How could the plum blossom smell so sweet?*

The Sword-Fighting Assembly concluded!

I finished this short segment of the sword-fighting assembly while on a business trip. It was difficult to write, but also very satisfying. The performance has been great these past few days, and there is hope for the new book to take first place in monthly votes. Thank you all for your support!

Charge on!