Lu Xiaochan’s morale surged, knowing he had Shu Wuxi as his support, what was there to fear!
He flicked the Tailing Zhenyuan with one hand, and rolling floods descended from the sky like giant water dragons, rushing into the Xiyuan’s cracks.
No one had ever seen such water force before, it was deafening!
Lu Xiaochan’s Wuhen Sword formed a great formation, barely visible, transparent like water, yet as changeable as water, plunging downward. The great waters surged into the sword formation, multiplying its power hundredfold.
The Xiyuan shook as the sword formation and great waters complemented each other. Lu Xiaochan devoted his full attention to the sword formation until he felt the torrential waters pour into the purgatory’s karmic fires!
“Hold the formation!” Lu Xiaochan commanded coldly.
The sect masters spared no effort in deploying their sword formations. Countless formations layered down, crushing and refining the escaped evil spirits.
Their howling voices were drowned by the layers of sword formations.
Ling Nianwu lowered his head and gently touched the glazed bell on his sword hilt.
The bell seemed to gather the sound of the rushing waters, then suddenly rang out, amplified by Ling Nianwu’s Roaring Sword Formation, pressing downward abruptly. The sound reverberated, countless dust particles were stirred up, and the formation’s power was immense, like a boundless ocean striking land, magnificent and unending.
The Demon Capital’s purgatory was split and shattered.
Mo Qianqiu grabbed Haofu’s collar. Before he could speak, Haofu said, “If you want to borrow my spirit, just do it. This is… the only thing I can do now.”
“That you can think this way, I can respect you a little more.”
The Qianqiu Sword drew out Haofu’s spirit, and the sword formation entered beneath the Xiyuan.
Shu Wuxi closed his eyes, sensing his Wuxi Sword far above in the Wuyi Jingtian.
His spiritual sea burst forth around him like universal atmosphere, rolling into the clouds as if it would devour the sky!
People looked up, their breath caught in their throats.
Though they all claimed to have at least achieved minor accomplishment in cultivation, under Shu Wuxi’s sword formation, they felt as insignificant as ants.
Yet this wasn’t Shu Wuxi’s most powerful sword formation, but rather the one that best complemented Lu Xiaochan’s formation – the Rushing Rapids.
All the water in the clouds was drawn into the formation. The sword formation fell like the sky collapsing, its powerful spiritual pressure nearly sweeping away all the sect leaders!
Meanwhile, Shu Wuxi’s robes fluttered as he firmly held onto Lu Xiaochan.
Lu Xiaochan drew in a sharp breath. His wisdom eyes could clearly see the spiritual energy contained within this sword formation – it was driven by the great forces of heaven and earth!
Shu Wuxi’s Blocking One’s View with a Leaf technique also broke due to releasing spiritual energy. His face, which made all living beings pale in comparison, was seen by everyone, even Lord Miaochen showed surprise.
The purgatory’s karmic fire was struck and swept away by the world’s waters carrying layers of sword formations. Wave after wave came without pause. The evil spirits and demon lords trying to resist were firmly suppressed, crying and howling as if doomsday approached.
“Miaochen! Strike with your sword!” Lianyue called out loudly.
The Twilight Sword and Lianyue Sword struck together. The extreme heat of the blazing sun became extreme cold, and the Northern Sea’s cold air also merged into the sword formation. In an instant, the entire Xiyuan was frozen, its cracks like mirror surfaces.
Below the ice were evil spirits in various grotesque poses, as if frozen in time, sealed within.
For a moment all was quiet, yet no one dared relax their guard, as if the ice seal might break at any moment.
Lu Xiaochan used his spirit-discerning ability and saw the Demon Capital was scattered in pieces, the purgatory’s karmic fire had been extinguished.
“From now on, there will be no more Demon Capital,” Shu Wuxi said.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was like a divine decree. Everyone let out a breath.
Lu Xiaochan could only hear his own heart pounding as he gripped his sword tightly, not daring to let go.
Shu Wuxi took his hand into his own and whispered in his ear. “Xiaochan, you can disperse your Huanze Sword Formation now.”
Only then did Lu Xiaochan release that breath and slowly let go of the sword hilt, blood between his fingers.
Shu Wuxi’s brows furrowed as he lifted Lu Xiaochan’s hand to his lips.
“Brother Wuxi, I’m not in pain,” Lu Xiaochan showed a big smile.
The sect masters were all counting their disciples. After this battle, they were all apprehensive about the Demon Capital and even more in awe of Shu Wuxi.
“Who would have thought Yang Cang could unleash such powerful sword formations even without the Wuxi Sword at his side!”
“Truly worthy of being the person closest to divinity among the sword masters!”
Then, they became increasingly curious about Lu Xiaochan’s identity.
“Who is that youth by Lord Yang Cang’s side? Could he be Lord Yang Cang’s disciple?”
“No, no, no! Didn’t you hear how Lord Lianyue addressed him? ‘Liche’! That’s Lord Liche of the Tailing Pavilion!”
“Wasn’t Lord Liche supposed to have died over a thousand years ago?”
People speculated endlessly, but Lu Xiaochan had no intention of explaining.
After all, let others wonder about his identity! He just wanted to live as himself!
Lord Lianyue sheathed his sword and walked to Kunwu.
Kunwu returned the young beast to him. “Sword Master Ye sacrificed his cultivation to purify the evil energy that had entered your elixir core. Though I could heal his physical injuries, without cultivation…”
“Without cultivation, one cannot maintain human form, correct?” Lianyue asked.
“Yes,” Kunwu nodded, “Perhaps a hundred years, perhaps a thousand years, perhaps ten thousand years…”
“Then for those hundred years, thousand years, or ten thousand years, he can just stay by my side.”
Lianyue turned his face to press against Ye Linshuang’s cheek, feeling his heartbeat.
Ye Linshuang obediently rubbed his nose against Lianyue’s nose. His large bright eyes were filled with only Lianyue’s image, and Lianyue finally showed a smile.
This smile was completely different from the ones Lu Xiaochan had seen before – it was a smile of genuine contentment.
“Lord Lianyue, what are your plans now? Will you return to the Nanli Jingtian?” Lu Xiaochan asked.
Lianyue gently stroked Ye Linshuang’s head. Perhaps due to losing his cultivation, Ye Linshuang seemed to tire easily, and soon his eyelids drooped as he made soft snoring sounds, extremely adorable.
Lu Xiaochan swallowed, what should he do, he also wanted to hug him so badly…
But Lianyue definitely wouldn’t allow it. Anyone who dared to touch Ye Linshuang would surely be frozen into an ice block by his Lianyue Sword.
“Though the Nanli Jingtian is where I grew up, the Northern Sea is Linshuang’s homeland. Moreover… since I am the Sword Master of the Northern Sea, I naturally should go there to guard it.”
“The Northern Sea…is cold, very harsh…” Lu Xiaochan suddenly felt sympathy for Lianyue.
But Lianyue smiled. “The Wuyi Jingtian is also an empty place, but with just one person as company, it becomes more satisfying than ten thousand worlds, isn’t that right?”
“That’s true,” Lu Xiaochan nodded, stepping back deliberately into Shu Wuxi’s embrace, “I used to think the Wuyi Jingtian was terribly boring. But now thinking back, every word Brother Wuxi said to me, everything he did, is worth savoring.”
Lianyue smiled knowingly and came before Lord Miaochen.
“Sister, thank you for worrying about me these thousand years. But all good things must come to an end, and I’ve decided to take Linshuang to the Northern Sea. Sister, with your undivided attention, you’re probably the one among the current Sword Masters most likely to break through the great power realm.”
After all, though Shu Wuxi’s cultivation had reached the peak, his heart was with Lu Xiaochan, making it difficult to transcend the Ninth Heaven of great power.
And Haofu had been possessed – though the evil energy was gone, his cultivation had scattered and wouldn’t recover for a thousand years.
Lianyue was content with freedom, not seeking to reach the peak, only wanting to nestle with Ye Linshuang in the cold night.
Miaochen lowered her eyes, showing a rare expression of loneliness.
“Actually, you don’t know that I too have an obsession.”
“Sister, what obsession could you have? Or did you just see Lord Yang Cang’s true form, find him devastatingly beautiful, and develop worldly feelings?” Lianyue asked with an expression of shock.
Even Lu Xiaochan, hearing this from afar, became nervous, shouting for Shu Wuxi to reapply the Blocking One’s View with a Leaf technique and not let others see his appearance anymore.
Miaochen laughed. “You still love to tease me. I’ve always envied your free and unrestrained nature, not bound by conventions or rules, not pursuing cultivation. How I wish I could live like you.”
“Sister… living as yourself is true freedom.”
After speaking, he supported Ye Linshuang, gently tossed him up, then shook him. “Linshuang, isn’t that right?”
Ye Linshuang had already fallen asleep but was awakened by Lord Lianyue, and immediately swung a paw down, giving Lianyue a big slap across the face.
Lianyue pretended to look hurt. “Linshuang! You’ve changed! You used to be so good and sensible! When I told you to look east, you wouldn’t even glance west! But now you even hit me!”
Ye Linshuang glanced at Lianyue, his little ears twitched then drooped down again, looking drowsy.
Lianyue gently stroked his little head, treasuring him dearly.
Lu Xiaochan couldn’t help but speak up. “Lord Lianyue, let me give you some sincere advice.”
“What advice?”
“You absolutely must not only pet Linshuang’s head, it will go bald! This is from my personal experience!” Lu Xiaochan walked up to Lianyue, finally finding an excuse to reach out and stroke from Linshuang’s head all the way to his neck and back, “You should pet like this! Evenly!”
Wow, it felt so good!
Lu Xiaochan had always thought that since Linshuang was a spirit beast of the Northern Sea, his body would be cold too, and his fur would be rough from the cold winds, but unexpectedly it was sleek and glossy, making him want to raise a little spirit beast too!
“Thank you for your reminder.” Lord Lianyue freed a hand to rub the little spirit beast’s belly, and unexpectedly Ye Linshuang let out a light grunt and moved his hind legs, apparently enjoying it!
With farewells said, Lord Lianyue departed on his sword. He bowed distantly to Lu Xiaochan and Shu Wuxi in farewell, then disappeared at the horizon.
