As her words fell, a golden gleam suddenly flashed between Jian Chou’s brows.

It wasn’t the Dijiang Wind Thunder Wings, but…

Dragon Scale Dao Seal!

A perfect feint!

Xie Buchen’s brows turned cold, while Jian Chou’s face showed complete disdain.

She had said she would reveal them one by one, not reveal her trump card all at once!

She unexpectedly summoned dragon scales directly, lightly turning them. With her brow as the center, fine and delicate dragon scales, carrying a mysterious and wild aura, covered the skin all over Jian Chou’s body.

She looked as if her entire body was wrapped in dragon scales, projecting an indescribable sense of powerful beauty.

From the first dragon scale’s appearance to the last scale’s coverage, the whole process took only a blink of an eye.

This speed was much faster than what everyone had seen at the small meeting.

Even…

Faster than Zhou Chengjiang back then, stronger, with purer and more terrifying aura!

In that instant, within the corridor flanked by painted walls, there seemed to be a dragon’s roar.

The preparation time for Dijiang Wind Thunder Wings would be much longer than the Dragon Scale Dao Seal. Xie Buchen had already prepared to receive her strongest attack, but unexpectedly she delivered the Dragon Gate’s Dragon Scale Dao Seal instead!

Without more terrifying attack power, it was replaced by faster speed!

Golden gale, golden lightning!

Jian Chou had already transformed into a ray of light, instantly arriving before Xie Buchen!

In her almost brilliant cold gaze, Xie Buchen’s figure was reflected.

She was like a meteorite falling from the sky, containing near-explosive power…

It was an almost heart-stopping momentum. Even standing here and watching her, Xie Buchen couldn’t suppress the sudden brilliant gleam that burst forth in his eyes: Such a nearly perfect opponent, she seemed to hide endless possibilities, always giving him…

Surprises!

“Thud.”

A soft sound.

In that instant, Xie Buchen actually threw the Human Emperor Sword in his hand cleanly toward the ground. The sheathed long sword inserted into the ground as easily as stabbing into tofu, meeting no resistance whatsoever.

All the spectators’ pupils contracted almost simultaneously: Abandoning his sword? What did Xie Buchen mean by this!

Before they could figure out the reasoning, Xie Buchen had already given them the answer!

“Hum!”

The entire painted wall corridor filled with roaring sounds.

Just as Jian Chou lunged forward, without glancing at his blood-flowing right arm, Xie Buchen’s left hand made a virtual grip, as if grasping an invisible sword in his palm.

Thus, his entire aura suddenly changed.

At this moment, the Xie Buchen in everyone’s eyes suddenly became ethereal. His azure robes fluttered, and he stood precisely under a carved old pine tree on the painted wall, as if mountain clouds shrouded his body, while his aura became hidden and obscure.

Jian Chou was already extremely close to him, yet deep in her mind, an extreme sense of bewilderment appeared.

She saw Xie Buchen standing under that carved old tree, but could no longer see any trace of being Kunwu’s thirteenth true disciple, not even the former Xie Buchen’s gentleness, nor the unfulfilled ambition of one who had once placed his hand deep in river water and chanted “Time flows like this,” only…

That feeling of merging with heaven and earth, hiding in the mountains, simple and peaceful to the extreme.

That was…

The obscurity and sharp wisdom belonging to a hermit!

A person stands under the pine, yet asks the boy: Where has your master gone to gather herbs?

All say: The person is in these mountains, but the clouds are too deep to know where.

Wind blew past Xie Buchen’s robe corners, yet didn’t stir any ripples.

Heart quiet as an ancient well.

It was an extremely difficult feeling to describe, as if suddenly falling into a mire, or suddenly reducing worldly desires, making all struggles cease to exist…

Xie Buchen calmly raised his hand, the Hidden Sword Intent in his palm, obscure and profound like ancient script. He seemed not to see Jian Chou’s attacking palm at all, only swinging forward with one slash!

Swish!

That sword qi floated and flickered in mid-air, appearing and disappearing, wavering uncertainly like a piece of driftwood floating on a river, making it difficult to track its trajectory.

Facing Jian Chou’s fierce and violent attack, normal people would choose to temporarily avoid the sharp edge and seek other attacking opportunities.

But Xie Buchen’s choice greatly exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Different from his previous defensive approach, after he set down the Human Emperor Sword, his entire momentum changed dramatically: advancing rather than retreating, attacking as defense!

With one sword strike, it was a direct frontal clash, attack meeting attack!

Fists and feet coming head-on, sword qi rushing face-to-face!

After all, an inch longer means an inch stronger, and sword qi was an ethereal thing. At this critical moment, Xie Buchen’s sword slash would almost instantly reach Jian Chou’s body, while her attack was actually a beat slower.

If she didn’t retreat, this sword would directly strike her!

Retreat?

Or not retreat?

In that instant, this question appeared in everyone’s minds below.

But there was no hesitation in Jian Chou’s heart.

None at all.

In battle, never retreat even unto death, let alone when facing Xie Buchen!

This mortal enemy?!

Fight!

Why fear this hermit’s sword?

Sword intent carries sword qi, merely using “intent” to disturb the human heart, but her heart was cold as ice and firm as iron – who could disturb it?

In the ethereal sword qi containing fierce killing intent, striking directly at Jian Chou’s head, she neither dodged nor avoided, but instead accelerated her speed.

“Boom!”

“Bang!”

Almost simultaneously, Jian Chou swept out with a Heaven-Overturning Seal leg strike, her vast spiritual power directly hitting Xie Buchen’s entire body, while Xie Buchen’s Hidden Sword also struck Jian Chou’s shoulder!

“Splurt…”

Blood flowers that made hearts tremble immediately scattered in mid-air.

No one could tell whether it was his blood or hers.

The gray-green robes fluttered in the wind, already stained with bright red blood. In that near-otherworldly coldness, rich color was suddenly added, making his entire face look more like an ordinary person.

An…

Ordinary person harboring killing intent and battle spirit!

Standing with an ethereal sword in hand, Xie Buchen looked toward Jian Chou opposite him.

Similarly, her moon-white robes were stained with blood, silver embroidery soaked with blood that burst from her wounds.

The dragon scales covering Jian Chou’s shoulder had been slashed with a deep gash by Xie Buchen’s previous sword, penetrating deep into flesh and blood, looking completely blurred.

Only…

Jian Chou didn’t care at all.

Under Xie Buchen’s watchful gaze, that wound actually began wriggling bit by bit, and the bloody flesh automatically healed at a visible speed!

That area of skin was smooth as new in the blink of an eye.

Swish.

Dragon scales covered it again, and in an instant there was no trace left.

If not for the large patches of blood still on her body, probably no one would think she had just been wounded by Xie Buchen’s sword!

Recovery ability so strong it was almost insane!

The spiritual power in his body disrupted by Jian Chou’s Heaven-Overturning Seal strike hadn’t completely settled yet, his palm slightly trembling. In Xie Buchen’s gaze toward Jian Chou, there was no longer admiration or complexity, only a sincere battle spirit.

A qualified opponent, a perfect opponent, an opponent with deep hatred.

Having such a battle just at the entrance to Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm might not have been in his plans, but it didn’t affect anything.

Sooner or later, wouldn’t there be such a battle?

As this thought flashed through his mind, the moment Jian Chou’s figure transformed into lightning again, Xie Buchen also directly advanced with his sword!

Every sword was the ultimate expression of his comprehended Hidden Sword Intent; every strike was her power refined to the critical point of explosion.

Punch and kick, swing and slash!

Neither yielding to the other!

Jian Chou and Xie Buchen were like opponents who had been locked in conflict for years, understanding each other to the extreme, striking with speed far beyond everyone’s imagination.

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

…

Fighting from the ground to the dome of the painted wall, from one painted wall to another.

The air waves from punches and kicks destroyed countless carvings on the painted walls; the residual power of crisscrossing sword qi left terrifying sword marks on the dome!

A deadly struggle!

Not hunter versus hunted, but a battle between two hunters.

If initially Jian Chou still had a heart full of hatred, by now she was completely immersed in this battle.

Without hate, without self, only the word “fight” remained in her heart!

The selfless state made all emotions fade away from her.

Acute perception and understanding gained from past intimate association with her opponent allowed her to accurately predict Xie Buchen’s every sword strike and meet them head-on!

The Hidden Sword Intent, arguably the most unconventional in the Nineteen Continents, was even more startling in its strikes.

Hermit words are often unknown to others.

Each of Xie Buchen’s swords carried extremely profound and obscure aura, taking the most perilous and extraordinary path. When reaching Jian Chou’s front, it was like thousand-ren cliffs suddenly toppling down, ten-thousand-zhang waterfalls cascading fiercely, with sword qi surging between heaven and earth.

“Splurt…”

Several stone fragments flew, several sword qi scattered.

On that still-unopened black stone gate, the fat gatekeeper pig watched with bulging eyes. After shouting for so long with no one paying attention, it felt its pig life had been insulted.

Now seeing these two humans fighting with their lives, it became excited, stretching its voice to roar: “Ohhh fight well, fight wonderfully, fight until you’re squealing!”

Xiao Jin and the others couldn’t hear its shouting at all.

No one could spare additional energy to observe anything else.

The battle between these two was too fast and swift, each collision and strike like lightning, yet containing myriad changes in an instant.

Often when one person attacked, the other seemed to have already guessed what their opponent would do, immediately devising countermeasures, and from these countermeasures, the opponent would immediately change their attack route…

Endlessly changing, thrilling!

“This feeling…”

Young Master Ruhua’s thin lips were pressed against the fan’s bone, exploring bit by bit.

He couldn’t help but bite the fan bone, normally vulgar with worldly rouge powder scent, but when he did it, it suddenly had a refined taste, carrying indescribable allure.

Only Young Master Ruhua was completely unaware of this.

His eyes only held that white-hot battle.

Or rather, war.

How many times must they have fought to understand each other’s every word, deed, and movement so well?

Every exchange was no longer merely a contest of strength.

Intelligence, calculation – nothing was lacking!

That strange feeling grew stronger and stronger.

Young Master Ruhua was almost certain: Their understanding of each other had reached a terrifying level, otherwise this nearly deadlocked perilous battle situation shouldn’t appear at all!

This feeling was like…

Arch-enemies.

Mortal arch-enemies!

But these two geniuses from Kunwu and Yashan, who entered their sects and became famous one after another, where did they get the chance to know each other? Why did they understand each other so well? And why were they now mortal enemies?

A series of doubts swirled in Young Master Ruhua’s mind.

Each of their exchanges was like lightning and flint, yet each left deep shadows in his heart.

Having fought to this point, what Young Master Ruhua could see, how could Lu Xiangleng not see as well?

The hidden undercurrents beneath the surface when Xie Buchen and Jian Chou first met, the confrontation that nearly erupted into fighting on Kunwu’s main peak under everyone’s watchful eyes, and the indescribable words and interactions between them throughout the journey…

The most worried thing had finally become reality.

Standing in place, the purple light in her palm had long since dissipated. In Lu Xiangleng’s beautiful eyes, several traces of inexplicable bewilderment suddenly appeared.

“Boom!”

A ball of spirit fire suddenly exploded in mid-air!

The sword qi that had reached Jian Chou’s eyes was suddenly scattered by the spirit fire.

This situation had continued for three or five rounds.

Xie Buchen’s sword could break the Heaven-Overturning Seal but couldn’t resist the power of Jian Chou’s spirit fire.

With wind surrounding her body as she moved, giving people a feeling of being hidden between heaven and earth, her skill in “riding the wind” had remarkable similarities to the Hidden Sword Intent.

Thoughts constantly emerged in his mind during the fighting.

The bright light in Xie Buchen’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

A qualified opponent could make calm blood explode and burn. He had never thought before that the opponent standing before him would be his former wife, matching him in strength, making his blood boil, even giving him new inspiration in this life-and-death battle.

There were many enemies in the world, but worthy opponents were hard to find.

Let alone such a ruthless opponent who almost understood his every weakness, every strike aimed at his vulnerable spots.

She showed no mercy in her attacks, every move pushing him to desperation.

Only…

He understood her just as well.

Xie Buchen’s striking speed was no less than Jian Chou’s.

Hidden Sword was his main attack, but River Flow Sword Intent occasionally emerged, catching Jian Chou off guard with interlaced attacks.

Troublesome.

So troublesome that Jian Chou had the urge to twist his head off his neck with one hand!

But at the same time, she seemed to understand something new.

No sword in hand, sword in heart – this was sword intent.

Though Xie Buchen held no real sword, because he comprehended sword intent, he grasped an ethereal sword to battle her. This was both his cultivation reaching the peak in this area and his extremely deep comprehension of sword intent.

She was a swordless person, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t use a sword.

In her mind, it was as if a great door suddenly opened…

Jian Chou’s eyes also flashed with brilliant light—

By now, they had exchanged countless rounds, yet victory and defeat remained unclear.

The two figures separated after a clash, but their gazes remained fixed on each other.

Jian Chou looked at Xie Buchen, the excitement on her face not diminished at all, but her eyes held sharp cold light – sword leaving sheath, nothing surpassed this!

On that ice-cold face, a smile suddenly bloomed.

A calculating smile!

Because of her rapid retreat, wild wind howled past her ears, making her unable to hear if there were any other sounds in this corridor flanked by painted walls. She could only hear her own voice, carrying the coldness of a successful scheme.

“Sword!”

Sword?

Where did Jian Chou have a sword?

In this instant, everyone was stunned.

Only Xie Buchen heard bone-chilling coldness in her clear voice.

That trace of a smile…

Xie Buchen suddenly thought of something and was greatly alarmed. At this moment, he reached toward the ground below without hesitation!

“Whoosh!”

The Human Emperor Sword flew toward Xie Buchen like lightning.

Only…

It was too late.

“Pop…”

The sound of the first blue ice lotus blooming in the air was so startling, as if it would burst every pore on a person’s body.

They were shapes outlined by wind, yet instantly condensed into ice.

Jian Chou’s five fingers made a virtual grip, and suddenly throughout the corridor flanked by painted walls, there was a scalp-numbing series of explosive sounds!

Pop!

Pop!

Pop…

As if all the air in the entire space had exploded, endless ice lotuses bloomed in the air.

The Human Emperor Sword rushed forward, but just as it fell into Xie Buchen’s hand, Jian Chou’s virtually cupped five fingers had already clenched forcefully!

In that instant, all the ice lotuses in mid-air seemed to receive a command, blooming thunderously, rapidly bursting forth ice-blue long swords from their lotus hearts.

Those were countless lotuses floating in mid-air, countless swords!

A thousand swords singing together, their whistling filling the entire corridor—

Straight toward Xie Buchen!

What a magnificent scene!

Countless ice lotuses bloomed countless ice swords, and in a brilliant coldness, a thousand swords turned toward one person!

The Human Emperor Sword had just fallen into Xie Buchen’s palm, and with countless ice swords pointed at him, he momentarily seemed to be the enemy of a thousand swords!

His left thumb pressed at that moment, and suddenly there was a subtle sound that wasn’t covered by the thousand swords’ singing, but rather seemed to ring in people’s hearts, opening some sealed mark.

Click.

Between the perfectly fitted sword guard and sheath, under the thumb’s pressure, a gap suddenly appeared…

No need to fully draw the sword, and no necessity!

Thumb pressing, sword guard popping out, the Human Emperor Sword unsheathed three cun!

The black sword body, carrying solemn coldness, with mountains and rivers map showing the edges of its outline, like an emperor in the nine-layered royal palace drawing the Shangfang sword and pushing away the scroll before his desk, thus the exquisitely depicted ancient landscapes slowly unfolded before his eyes…

“Boom!”

Three cun!

Merely three cun!

The sword qi that had been constrained by the sheath for so long went wild, sweeping toward all directions before the sword was fully unsheathed.

Like thousands of troops and horses, conquering all!

A circle of sword qi spread out, and a thousand swords bowed their heads!

“Crack!”

The foremost ice sword actually shattered and exploded under the leaked sword qi from the Human Emperor Sword!

Then, countless ice swords that were about to fall on Xie Buchen’s body seemed to have been struck by something heavy, and in this lightning-flash instant, all exploded like thunder!

What he gripped didn’t seem like a sword, but endless thunder and countless storms!

None could withstand it!

The thousand swords, just as they were about to pierce his body, all flew wildly away!

Crack crack crack…

Countless uncontrolled ice swords struck into the painted walls, even falling on the people below.

Swords and blades have no eyes, let alone in this moment of lost control?

In an instant, the entire corridor was in chaos.

Xiao Jin and Zuoliu were completely caught off guard, immediately crying out in pain and howling.

“Puff puff.”

Several ice swords struck directly into the stone gate.

“So bloody, so brutal, keep fighting like this! Excellent! Ohhh—”

Suddenly a miserable wail.

That gatekeeper pig that had been waving its hooves and cheering for Jian Chou and Xie Buchen had one hoof actually nailed to the gate by a flying sword!

Its originally noisy cheering immediately turned into pitiful cries.

Before it could react, a second fragment of ice sword directly hit its water-bag-like belly.

“My heavens! My earth! My old sow, how can you treat this lovely pig like this? Boo hoo hoo, too bloody, too brutal…”

“Too bloody, too brutal!!!”

The gatekeeper pig was originally a carving, perfectly embedded in the position of the gate seam, responsible for guarding the gate. Even if it moved, it could only move its body and limbs but couldn’t leave this gate seam.

Seeing countless ice swords still attacking from above, it was scared pale, twisting its neck and buttocks.

“I dodge, I dodge, I dodge! Haha haha can’t hit me—owww!”

Before it could be smug for a moment, ice swords had already stabbed into its raised buttocks!

Severe pain came.

The black carved stone pig’s two pig eyes actually bulged outward, like human eyes filled with bloodshot veins after extreme pain.

It was damn painful!

“Damn you two retards! Two retards!”

It no longer wanted to guard the gate, no longer wanted to deal with these brain-damaged humans!

“Boo hoo hoo, too bloody, too brutal, now I declare you’ve completed my requirements and can enter the Hidden Realm! Hey—did you damn well hear me! Did you hear me!”

“…”

No response!

Bang bang bang!

Plus countless ice swords piercing through!

Ahhhhhh it hurts!

The gatekeeper pig was now crying tears of blood…

“Too bloody, too brutal… boo hoo hoo…”

The angry shouting finally broke through the explosive sounds of countless ice lotus swords, reaching Xie Buchen and Jian Chou’s ears.

Only, who would care?

In their eyes and hearts, besides each other, there was no second person.

The Human Emperor Sword was only three cun unsheathed.

Yet Xie Buchen’s movements already showed an unhurried feeling. No more Distinguished Sword Intent, no more River Flow Sword Intent, no more Hidden Sword Intent, only—

Power of life and death, held in his grasp!

Lowered brows and eyes, like distant mountains painted in ink, condensed with cold air dampened by rain, but when he raised his eyes, all this disappeared.

His gaze toward Jian Chou was filled with eternal solitude.

It was…

Ten thousand people prostrating, while he sat alone in the high temple halls!

When the ruler wants a subject to die, the subject—

Must die!

No one can stand alongside me.

As emperor, one is alone.

Grasping the lives of all people, power covering the sky, a few words deciding life and death!

“Clang—”

It was sword song, also heart song!

What a hair-raising sword!

What a heart-chilling sword!

This was the Xie Buchen unfamiliar to Jian Chou, yet also the other side of Xie Buchen in her deep memories.

“Haha haha…”

After a moment of shock, Jian Chou couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

The people of the world, do you think you can kill whomever you want?

Even if ten thousand people prostrate at your feet, I will be the one to take your head!

Accompanied by instantly overwhelming killing intent, Jian Chou’s eyes filled with murderous bloodlust!

Battle disc!

Dao seed!

Dao seal!

The light never dimmed, and the burning sensation never faded from behind Jian Chou’s shoulder blades!

During the previous battle’s intervals, she had already activated the Dijiang Wind Thunder Wings Dao seal, power accumulating in secret for a long time.

Now with killing intent arising, the Wind Thunder Wings instantly moved!

She fiercely slapped the already crumbling painted wall behind her, immediately raising dust clouds, leaving only her residual shadow in place!

In mid-air, a magnificent phantom had already condensed and appeared!

Dense spiritual qi cast golden wings, carrying metallic luster, heavy yet sharp, making people unable to breathe just by appearing.

Absolutely extraordinary strength!

The thin lightning had become thick electric serpents, rapidly moving about, black hurricanes surrounding the wings, giving people a devouring sensation.

Dijiang spreading wings, half-wing covering sun, sweeping across great marshes!

She seemed to have transformed into Dijiang, diving down from high above!

The terrifying aura of Dijiang Wind Thunder Wings, as it advanced, already produced continuous air bursts, as if even the air would explode;

The Human Emperor Sword emerged inch by inch, and that sword song grew louder and louder, causing the surrounding void to tremble majestically.

Boom!

Wind and clouds surged!

The two auras immediately clashed, and within the entire corridor, heaven and earth instantly overturned!

“Rumble!”

Painted walls collapsed!

The ground beneath everyone’s feet actually developed huge cracks, revealing unknown black void below. The three-zhang-high black stone gate continuously swayed and trembled, ready to fall at any moment.

Young Master Ruhua suddenly thought: “This is bad.”

The gatekeeper pig wailed even more: “Stop fighting, stop fighting, I’ll open it, can’t I!”

Only this voice was buried in the collapse sounds, who could hear it?

The two people in mid-air held nothing back.

The person before them was no longer the former beloved who raised cases together and grew old together; the person before them was no longer the former confidante who added fragrance with gentle hands!

At this moment, only killing could eliminate the hatred in their hearts!

At this moment, only killing could prove the imperial way!

Wings raised high, possessing heaven-reaching and earth-penetrating ancient power; sword drawn from sheath, possessing the imperial career of ten thousand upon ten thousand people!

A thousand sorrows and ten thousand hatreds, just one kill!

“Boom!”