No one could describe the magnificent sight of that wing shaking the heavens, no one could imagine the imposing might of that sword galloping forth.

The massive Wind Thunder Wing collided with the brilliant Human Emperor Sword!

One meant to obliterate, the other to dominate!

The cracked ground had already turned to dust; the collapsed painted walls were beaten into countless fragments. Without the obstruction of ground and painted walls, the world around everyone suddenly became clear and expansive.

An endless, boundless void.

Or rather, the universe!

In the dark space, far and near, countless stars were twinkling, revolving, forming and perishing…

The “realm” of realm cultivators was formed by people, yet it was born from comprehending the rules of the entire world, connected to people, and existing in the vast universe. But it was as tiny as a mustard seed, like a grain of sand, a speck of dust in this infinite universe…

People within the grain of sand and mustard seed were even smaller, yet they could possess the infinite power to create worlds!

How profound was this symbiosis between humans and the universe?

Not one person present was shallow in vision or knowledge, yet at this moment, all could barely conceal the shock in their hearts.

“Rumble!”

Like countless meteors falling from the sky, the Human Emperor Sword displayed clear mountains and rivers on its surface. Xie Buchen held the long sword as if he were an emperor who possessed ten thousand li of territory, overlooking his domain.

Even if the Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing possessed the might to shake heaven and earth, he was the Human Emperor of ten lifetimes—how could he submit?

Not submitting to the world!

When the Son of Heaven rages, a million corpses fall and blood flows for a thousand li!

If there are those who block the path, cut them down with one sword!

Where the long sword points, thousands of troops and ten thousand horses!

The roaring sword qi and the phantom of the Wind Thunder Wing crashed together with a thunderous collision, tearing each other apart while being torn apart themselves.

Jian Chou stood before the thousands of troops and ten thousand horses that the long sword pointed to, feeling as if countless iron hooves were thundering toward her like a crushing stampede. She was merely a commoner’s bastard child—before his path, she could only become an inconspicuous pile of bones…

What an absolutely domineering sword intent!

Wu Duan had said that Xie Buchen practiced three sword intents: Outstanding, River Flow, and Hermit. But the truly most formidable was what was now displayed before her—the “Human Emperor Sword Intent”!

Strong.

He truly deserved to be called Kunwu’s greatest genius in a hundred years, truly capable of fighting Zhou Chengjiang three days after Foundation Establishment and seizing the title of first place on the second tier of the Heavenly Tablet…

Indeed, he was the enemy she should kill!

Under that overwhelming pressure, Jian Chou felt her blood surging like riding the wind, and she suddenly raised her head that had nearly been pressed down by the sword intent.

In that instant, the power of the Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing that had been suppressed completely erupted!

“Boom!”

It was the purest power, the purest killing intent, and the purest exploding meteor stream!

The Human Emperor’s sword qi also scattered thunderously under this explosion.

Xie Buchen was struck by the remaining force of the Wind Thunder Wing’s phantom, his face immediately turning pale as gold paper. Though he forcibly suppressed the surging blood qi, he could no longer control his body and flew backward.

“Bang!”

An invisible barrier behind him blocked his momentum, causing him to crash into it.

The fresh blood he had held back for so long finally couldn’t be suppressed anymore.

Xie Buchen pressed his Human Emperor Sword against the transparent barrier, his eyes still filled with undiminished killing intent as he raised his head to look at Jian Chou—

“Bang!”

The same terrifying sound of impact!

Jian Chou fared no better—half her body had been struck by the sword qi. A sword had savagely cut down from her shoulder, instantly turning her moon-white long robe into a blood-stained garment!

However, there was no trace of pain on her face. The moment she stabilized, she looked up!

Their four eyes met, revealing killing intent that had not diminished after the battle, but had instead become more intense.

So evenly matched, so difficult to resolve!

Half of Jian Chou’s body was in severe pain, but she clearly knew that Xie Buchen was now at the end of his strength. If she rushed forward and gave him another axe blow, she would definitely kill him on the spot!

The killing intent in her eyes needed no concealment and couldn’t be hidden.

As if unfearing of pain, Jian Chou was about to rise again. Xie Buchen’s killing heart also boiled, and though countless meridians throughout his body had been shattered, he too raised his sword again, preparing to lift the Human Emperor Sword once more to sever this final bond!

They still wanted to kill!

These were no longer two people who could be described as rational—they could only be called two madmen!

Having only entered the Hidden Realm dozens of zhang and not even reached the second gate, they had already fought to the death…

The Hidden Realm shook precariously!

“I can’t take it anymore, it hurts so much—my butt, my legs, my ears…”

Agonized screams rang out, extremely pitiful.

Under the previous terrifying shock, cracks had actually appeared on the black stone gate. The gatekeeper pig carved on the stone gate was born depending on the gate—it was part of the gate itself.

Now not only had cracks appeared on the stone gate, they were even spreading to the stone where he was carved.

One crack, then another…

Pig hooves, pig belly, pig ears—as cracks formed one after another, there was heart-rending pain.

The gatekeeper pig desperately placed its two lower hooves on the ground, standing on tiptoes and continuously shuffling toward both sides of the gate. The pig’s body actually split in half directly from the gate’s seam. As the two pig feet automatically took small steps toward either side, this stone gate that had been tightly closed for so long finally slowly opened…

“Li—jun—”

The moment the stone gate thunderously opened, the gatekeeper pig was about to cry out, stretching its voice and shouting in grief and indignation.

Both Jian Chou and Xie Buchen heard this cry.

The gate was open.

But so what?

The Hidden Realm was a small matter, and the “Nine Curves River Map” had nothing to do with them!

Heaven and earth were vast, but killing was most important!

The Ghost Axe sensed her ferocious killing intent and its blood patterns brightened; the Human Emperor Sword burned with his boiling slaughter intent, and the sword intent actually rose another level!

These two were about to fight again in a tangled mess—

But just then, a long sigh came from within the stone gate—

“Uninvited guests…”

Gentle and soothing, with a slight hoarseness, as warm as a spring breeze.

Suddenly, the world spun!

From that three-zhang gate, a thick darkness actually poured out, like mist, enveloping everyone within.

Even extending one’s hand, the five fingers couldn’t be seen.

It was a fear rising from the human heart, unable to distinguish up from down, left from right, even causing immediate dizziness!

The Ghost Axe had already been raised high, about to strike down at Xie Buchen, but in this instant, Jian Chou suddenly couldn’t see anything; the Human Emperor Sword had already been tinged with cold, sharp blood light, about to sweep across Jian Chou’s slender neck, but at this moment, there was nothing there…

Whether sword or axe, what they struck was only emptiness!

In a daze, there was a feeling of stars shifting and worlds changing.

The darkness like thick ink swept across the entire void outside the gate, wrapping everyone within it, like a fierce beast swallowing people whole.

All fighting disappeared, and all people also disappeared.

When that darkness dispersed, the area before the three-zhang gate had actually returned to its original appearance.

The painted walls stood on both sides with countless carvings, the ground was flat below, still unclear in appearance.

However, if one looked carefully, there were cracks on the painted walls, and through the crevices in the ground, one could vaguely glimpse patches of black void…

On the three-zhang gate, the gatekeeper pig was breathing heavily. Having opened the gate was equivalent to disemboweling itself. Now half its body was on the left and half on the right. Its left eye looked at its right eye on the opposite side, and with lingering fear, it used its pig hoof to pat its fat-covered chest, making the sound of stone being struck.

“Sow! You should have grabbed them into the Hidden Realm long ago and let those old hags and old turtles deal with them. I’m such a pure pig—how could you bear to let me suffer such torment?!”

“…When calling me sow, do not speak to this lord.”

The sighing voice that had just sounded echoed faintly again.

The gatekeeper pig stood with its feet on the two gate panels, tiptoes touching the ground, slowly shuffling toward the center.

Rumble…

The great gate slowly and laboriously closed toward the center, and the gatekeeper pig’s two body halves also drew closer and closer, finally combining as the gate closed.

“Ooh, I’m whole again!”

In this moment, the gatekeeper pig was moved to tears, as if it hadn’t heard the other’s words at all. It waved its still-cracked pig hoof and cried: “Sow! Don’t make me guard the gate next time, find someone else…”

The probability of encountering perverted humans was high, and each time it had to disembowel itself—no pig could stand it!

Too cruel, too bloody!

“…You were carved on the gate by the master, I am also powerless to help…”

That voice drifted away, growing distant, leaving only the gatekeeper pig angrily shouting on the gate: “This is discrimination, discrimination! A dignified Lijun actually oppressing a dead pig, I’m going to complain to that old turtle, complain about you!!!”

…

However, no one responded anymore.

A dark river, with moist earth on its banks, and though there was grass, there were no insects chirping.

“Bang!”

A human figure suddenly fell from the void, crashing onto the ground by the shore, while a black long sword simultaneously fell near the riverbank.

“Splash.”

A light sound as water droplets splashed up, creating ripples.

Xie Buchen was in agony throughout his body. He pressed his five fingers against the ground beneath him, grasping the moist earth below to steady himself.

Staggering to his feet, the surroundings no longer had the black gate, nor the gatekeeper pig, and naturally no sign of Jian Chou either…

What met his eyes was a vast night sky without a single star, and before him a broad river flowing away, while the opposite shore was hidden in darkness, indistinct.

The blood from his body flowed into the river, a deep red.

Near the shore, two small wooden boats were side by side, floating on the dark river.

A gray-furred rat huddled in a gray robe, with a pointed head and two small claws holding a tiny wooden paddle, its two feet treading at the junction of the two boats like a qualified boatman.

When Xie Buchen looked over, this gray-furred rat squeaked twice, then actually opened its mouth and spoke human words: “Lijun has commanded that uninvited guests must walk the path of swords. To cross this river and enter my Hidden Realm, you must first board my boat. When person and boat unite, then you may cross the river. Uninvited guest, choose a boat!”

The shrill voice struggled with the formal language, even bobbing its head, exactly like a teacher in a school, creating an incongruous feeling.

But…

To cross this river, first board its boat?

What person, what boat?

Xie Buchen looked down and saw the two small boats floating motionlessly on the water surface. The left boat was carved with the characters “Youqing” (Having Feelings), the right boat was carved with “Wuqing” (Without Feelings), both in ancient and weathered script.

“Damn it…”

The Ghost Axe in her hand was still burning hot, and the killing intent in her heart had nowhere to settle. Just when she was about to finish off Xie Buchen with one axe blow, Jian Chou never expected that thick fog to appear and swallow everyone in the blink of an eye.

Opening her eyes again, the world around her had completely changed.

A rushing river under the dark sky only gave one a sense of oppression.

Jian Chou was now standing on this riverbank, and not far ahead diagonally, there was another figure—

A dark red long robe, emanating an oppression even denser than the sky above, a pale face with a blood-red mark from the center of his brow extending downward, crossing his straight nose bridge, creating a sense of cruel beauty.

Xia Houshe was watching Jian Chou, and Jian Chou was also looking at him.

Moving his gaze away from the blood stains covering Jian Chou’s robe, Xia Houshe’s brow also furrowed, but he said nothing.

Xie Buchen was not here.

Jian Chou restrained her killing intent, turned her wrist, and the Ghost Axe blade was directed toward herself as she asked: “Where are the others?”

“Gone.”

When Jian Chou and Xie Buchen had been fighting earlier, Xia Houshe and the others had been disturbed by the terrifying qi waves and hadn’t had time to steady themselves. Like Jian Chou and Xie Buchen, they had been enveloped in that ink-colored darkness, completely unaware of what had happened.

The Immobile Bell hanging at his waist only flickered slightly, indicating that his several companions were extremely far from them.

Jian Chou’s brow immediately furrowed tighter. Looking ahead, two single-log bridges spanned the river surface, thin and long, perilously leading to the opposite shore.

They looked identical, with only one difference: one bridge was carved with “Youqing” (Having Feelings), the other with “Wuqing” (Without Feelings).

One character’s difference, yet it gave people a thrilling sensation.

A seagull circled under the low sky, flying around these two single-log bridges.

After a long while, it finally flew over, flapping its wings and hovering not far in front of them. As if seeing through Jian Chou’s confusion, it spoke: “Lijun has commanded that uninvited guests must walk the path of swords. To cross this river and enter my Hidden Realm, you must first board my bridge. When person and bridge unite, then you may cross the river. Uninvited guests, choose a bridge!”

The seagull could also speak human language…

Jian Chou was slightly stunned, suddenly remembering the bone jade whose eyes she had drawn crooked.

In that instant, as if sensing her thoughts, something in her sleeve moved.

Though Jian Chou had suppressed her killing intent, the blood stains on her body clearly showed the intensity of the previous battle.

Even her sleeves were covered with patches of blood.

The wound on her shoulder had flesh turned outward, still a bloody mess. That strike from Xie Buchen’s Human Emperor Sword had a sharp effect—after cutting through her muscles and bones, it had left a force within her body that even the powerful “Human-Weapon” technique couldn’t heal quickly.

The entire healing process was extremely slow.

Noticing this situation, Jian Chou’s eyes were covered with a layer of frost.

Reaching into her sleeve, she actually pulled out something like a brocade pouch, somewhat similar to a Qiankun Bag, but…

Xia Houshe recognized it immediately: a spirit beast bag specifically used by the Spirit Communication Pavilion, even embroidered with the Spirit Communication Pavilion’s emblem.

With a shake of her hand, Jian Chou opened the spirit beast bag. A gray shadow immediately leaped out, “whoosh”—turning in mid-air and landing on Jian Chou’s shoulder, draping its fluffy tail around her neck.

“Ao wu wu wu!”

This marten has slept enough and returns to the martial world again!

Having just called out once, the little marten, extremely familiar with the routine, directly extended its tongue to lick Jian Chou—

Jian Chou quickly pressed down on the marten’s head with her sharp eyes and fast hands, sending a threatening look: Try licking me!

Covered in blood, eyes fierce!

So scary!

“Wu!”

The little marten was almost immediately frightened, its fur standing on end. It instinctively clutched the bone jade in its arms, so the bone jade, which had just woken up, rolled its eyes and was immediately knocked unconscious by the little marten’s squeeze.

“…”

Poor thing.

Jian Chou suddenly felt a bit tired.

She raised her head and happened to see Xia Houshe, whose gaze fell on the spirit beast bag she was holding.

“After the small gathering not long ago, a gift from Fellow Daoist Jiang. Since I happened to have two little creatures to raise, I didn’t refuse his kindness.”

Jian Chou explained with a few words, casually stroking the little marten’s head. As for the bone jade, it wouldn’t die anyway, so no need to worry.

Jiang Wenchao?

The maple-leaf red figure flashed through his mind. Xia Houshe’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, but he suddenly remembered Young Master Ruhua’s recent teasing of Jian Chou: “Friends throughout the world.”

He remained expressionless, the gloomy oppressive air between his brows undispersed, but his complexion appeared particularly pale in this darkness.

Without taking up this topic, and seemingly completely uninterested in Jiang Wenchao’s gift of the spirit beast bag, he turned to look at the two single-log bridges. After seeming to hesitate for a moment, he asked: “Which one to choose?”

“When person and bridge unite, only then can one cross the river. Naturally, those without feelings choose the bridge without feelings, and those with feelings choose the bridge with feelings.”

Which one to choose depended on who it was.

Jian Chou stood behind, watching Xia Houshe’s back, but suddenly remembered that battle on the Empty Sea.

Thus, the question that had long lingered in her heart finally surfaced again.

That moment of strange hesitation should not have appeared by reason.

Jian Chou’s eyes showed some contemplation as she slowly walked to Xia Houshe’s side, standing perfectly before the single-log bridge carved with “Youqing” (Having Feelings), while Xia Houshe stood before “Wuqing” (Without Feelings).

“Speaking of which, there’s something I’ve always wanted to find an opportunity to ask Fellow Daoist Xia Houshe, but fearing it might be presumptuous, I’ve never found the right moment.”

Xia Houshe turned to look at her: “Please ask, Senior Sister Jian Chou.”

Senior Sister?

This title coming from Xia Houshe’s mouth was truly…

Rare enough.

For a moment, Jian Chou was amused and actually laughed: “Fellow Daoist Xia Houshe, now I really have to suspect that the heart pearl is with you.”