Xie Biyou charged at Su Muyu, his blade descending with thunder-like force. Su Muyu still hadn’t raised his right-hand sword, instead pushing off the ground to leap backward, avoiding the blade. His left hand swept out, sending the dozen flying blades crashing toward Xie Biyou, who dodged sideways with a slight smile.
Su Muyu halted, lowering his head slightly.
“That previous strike…” Su Changhe frowned.
“I dodged it.” Su Muyu looked at his chest, where a faint bloodline had appeared.
“We’ve witnessed your Eighteen Sword Formation. But you haven’t yet seen my blade technique.” Xie Biyou first crouched, then spun up sharply, deflecting all of Su Muyu’s pursuing blades.
“The Xie Family’s [Xuandi Dao] Ground-Spinning Blade,” Su Muyu called out.
A blade wind swept past as Xie Biyou appeared before Su Muyu again: “Still won’t draw your sword?”
“I will!” Su Muyu finally moved his [Xiyu Jian] Fine Rain Sword, but as he thrust forward, it was deflected before even reaching Xie Biyou. Startled, he saw Xie Biyou’s blade sweeping in. Unable to strike back in time, Su Muyu could only retreat forcefully, deliberately stepping back one pace further than his previous retreat.
Yet the blood mark from before deepened slightly.
“A very perceptive young man,” Xie Biyou smiled.
“In Dark River, those who live to our age all have such perception,” Su Muyu said gravely.
“I understand now—that’s the Xie family’s lost blade technique, the [Yinren Shu] Shadow Blade Art,” Su Changhe suddenly said.
“Shadow Blade Art…” Su Muyu frowned slightly. He had heard of this technique—though the wielder held only one blade, it seemed to have shadows. One shadow before the strike, another after, showing the power of three blades in a single stroke.
“So this blade technique has been lost to the current Xie family? Not surprising, as it was never easy to master,” Xie Biyou laughed heartily, then struck again. “One more strike and we’ll see the life and death you seek.”
Su Muyu sighed softly, then swung his Fine Rain Sword. This strike came more strangely, first blocking the initial blade shadow, then rising to block the actual blade, and finally launching a third movement to dispel the final shadow. While ordinary sword techniques would gradually weaken, Su Muyu’s grew stronger with each strike.
Like ocean waves, each surges higher than the last.
“This is…” Mu Fusheng couldn’t help stepping forward.
Su Changhe also stepped forward with his dagger. Among the three, he could tell Mu Fusheng was strongest—the moment he moved, Su Changhe would unhesitatingly help Su Muyu.
“This is the Spring Rain Sword technique, Tidal Surge!” Su Ziyan shouted. “Boy, who exactly are you?”
After dispelling Xie Biyou’s blade technique with one sword strike, Su Muyu followed through by piercing Xie Biyou’s shoulder: “You’re wrong. This blade technique wasn’t lost in Dark River because it was difficult to master.”
“Then why?” Xie Biyou asked.
“Because it’s not suited for killing. No matter how exquisite a blade technique, if it’s not ultimately an art of killing, it will be forgotten in Dark River.” Su Muyu curved his left hand, calling the flying blades back.
“Grandfather!” Seeing that Su Ziyan and Mu Fusheng showed no intention of helping, Xie Zaiye immediately picked up fallen arrows and shot them at Su Muyu.
Su Muyu frowned slightly, waving his left hand to block the arrows. Xie Biyou took advantage of this moment’s respite to withdraw his blade and retreat. Xie Zaiye quickly went forward to support him: “Are you alright, Grandfather?”
“Spring Rain Sword technique, Tidal Surge! What relation are you to the Lord of No Sword City?” Xie Biyou stared intently at Su Muyu.
“Now that you mention it… there is some resemblance,” Mu Fusheng said quietly.
Su Ziyan nodded: “Indeed. Who would have thought the Lord of No Sword City still had descendants, and that descendant would become a Nameless One of Dark River? How interesting.”
“Kill him,” Mu Fusheng stepped forward. “We have no other choice.” He struck out with a palm radiating purple-red true qi.
Su Changhe sneered, also stepping forward to block Su Muyu, countering with his palm strike, similarly wreathed in purple-red energy.
Their palms collided. Su Changhe stood firm while Mu Fusheng stumbled back three steps.
“You know the [Yanmo Zhang] Demon Subduing Palm as well!” Mu Fusheng exclaimed in shock. “Even if the Dark River Patriarch can learn this technique, you’ve only been Patriarch for months!”
Su Changhe stroked his small mustache, smiling: “Because I’ve long been preparing for the day I’d become Patriarch.”
“Making theft of secret manuals sound so elegant.” Mu Fusheng sneered. “Fine. Let me see just how much power you’ve truly gained.”
“Just now I didn’t retreat a step, while you fell back three. Isn’t the gap between us clear enough?” Su Changhe moved to fight, but Su Muyu held him back. Su Changhe turned to see Su Muyu shaking his head slightly.
“Changhe, step back,” Su Muyu said slowly.
“These two together will be difficult to handle,” Su Changhe frowned.
“As long as I stand, you need not fight,” Su Muyu stepped forward with his sword. “Tonight we still have one final enemy who hasn’t arrived. Wait for him to come before you engage.”
Su Changhe paused, then shook his head with a smile: “Very well, I’ll follow your lead.”
“Feeling underestimated here,” Mu Fusheng shrugged.
“Let me experience your Spring Rain Sword technique then.” Su Ziyan attacked with his sword, his style extremely graceful and light—the sword style of the Su family.
Su Muyu knew this style intimately. He temporarily abandoned the Eighteen Sword Formation, wielding only his Fine Rain Sword to match him strike for strike. Their sword movements appeared almost identical.
Su Changhe watched and gradually relaxed: “No wonder Muyu was so confident.”
“You’re using the Su family’s Flower-Scattering Sword technique? You think this alone can defeat me?” Su Ziyan sneered. “I’ve practiced this technique daily for sixty years.”
“Is that so?” Su Muyu’s sword slashed through Su Ziyan’s sleeve.
Su Ziyan frowned slightly: “This isn’t the Flower-Scattering Sword technique?”
“Do the Three Families of Tianqi City truly understand what it means to kill?” Su Muyu’s sword intent changed, instantly suppressing Su Ziyan. “You live in luxury in Tianqi City, studying martial arts. Generation after generation, you’re no longer shadows in darkness but noble clans in the light. The act of killing—hasn’t it become too distant from you?”
“But it remains close to me! Though I hate that fact myself!”