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Chapter 1: The Sword Breaks, the Man Departs
The Elder sprang up from the ground, his next attack even more ferocious.
"Clang!"
The Elder's sword struck horizontally against Ji Zichen's Demon-Slaying Sword. Ji Zichen focused intently and kicked towards the Elder's abdomen. The Elder hurriedly raised his sword to block, but Ji Zichen's kick landed on the blade. The Elder's internal energy sent Ji Zichen flying back three paces, and he rolled on the ground. Seizing the opportunity, the Elder threw three flying daggers. Ji Zichen flipped and jumped up, swinging the Demon-Slaying Sword to deflect the daggers.
Ji Zichen thrust forward, exclaiming, "Burn you!"
A fire dragon leaped forth, and the Elder chuckled lightly as he conjured a Sword Wall wide enough for both of them to stretch their arms. It blocked the fire dragon. When the fire dragon collided with the Sword Wall, countless Sharp Swords materialized from it, slicing towards the fire dragon. The Elder laughed, "Your fire dragon is useless against me!"
Ji Zichen smirked, "It's not over yet."
The Elder suddenly sensed something approaching from behind. He turned to see several Water Ropes slithering towards his ankles like snakes. Without hesitation, he threw a dagger to sever the advancing Water Ropes. However, these Water Ropes were no ordinary ropes; once cut, they reconnected moments later. The Elder realized that to truly deal with these Water Ropes, he needed to focus on Ji Zichen.
The Water Ropes coiled along the ground like water snakes. Facing Ji Zichen head-on made it easy for him to defend against attacks. The Elder began attempting to move behind Ji Zichen while jumping and dodging the Water Ropes.
Seeing that the Elder was constantly moving to avoid being ensnared by the Water Ropes, Ji Zichen said, "Elder, you can run all you want, but you won't escape the Water Ropes."
The Elder observed that no matter how he tried to maneuver around Ji Zichen, her body moved in tandem with his own. As he reached for a flying dagger to shoot at her, three Water Ropes lunged into empty space and ensnared his thrown dagger, dragging it back towards a Water Lotus that exploded upon impact.
At this moment, panting heavily, the Elder finally replied to Ji Zichen, "I am no longer just an Elder; don't you understand? I came here with Ling Xuan. Do you think I could return if Ling Xuan dies here?"
The Elder glared fiercely at Ji Zichen and continued, "I have waited three years for this opportunity; every step has been meticulously planned. I never anticipated you as a variable. My original plan was for Ling Xuan to be killed here by a Demon Beast while Jiang Chun controlled my other false body and brought it back to Western King City."
"If Ling Xuan dies here, I would naturally meet my end as well. Soon after, Western King will decree my death; he will behead a body identical to mine. In that case, I would no longer exist in this world and could retreat into the shadows to assist Lin Kou in seizing the city. Ji Zichen, I have no enmity with you; why must you ruin my plans?"
The glint of malice gradually emerged in the Elder's eyes. "Jiang Chun has already left me; he was crucial to this plan. You have disrupted everything! I will personally eliminate this unforeseen variable!"
"Sword Qi Solidification!"
Elder unleashed a killing move that left no escape for the enemy. With a flick of his wrist, the long sword sliced through the air, creating an illusory sword shadow that formed a fan-shaped arc, presenting a sweeping blade with a one hundred eighty-degree angle aimed directly at Ji Zichen.
The sword fan suddenly expanded, making Ji Zichen's body appear as small as a bug in comparison. No matter how agile Ji Zichen was, there was no way to escape such a vast area of attack in an instant.
From the forefront of the sword fan, a row of sharp sword tips surged toward Ji Zichen. Elder laughed maniacally, "This time, let's see where you can hide!"
Ma Tongwei stood five zhang away from Ji Zichen, and even at this distance, he could feel the pressure exerted by the descending sword fan. The sword fan was now less than half a zhang away from Ji Zichen. In that moment, Ji Zichen took several steps back, and with a flicker of the Thunder Buddha Bead, Furnace Thunder struck down from above. Ma Tongwei could only watch as countless bolts of lightning rained down, his eyes filled with flashes of electric light.
Ji Zichen directed the lightning not at Elder but at the sword fan itself. Within that illusory fan, there had to be one real sword; as long as the lightning struck the real blade, Elder would surely be electrocuted to death.
Elder had not anticipated that Ji Zichen could summon lightning. Shocked, he immediately released his grip on the sword. The thunder roared incessantly, and moments later, the sword fan was completely shattered by the lightning.
As the sword fan dissipated, it revealed Elder's once Sharp Sword now broken into two pieces on the ground.
Ma Tongwei exclaimed in astonishment, "What powerful lightning!"
With Elder's Sharp Sword severed in two, his face instantly became extremely haggard. Ji Zichen held the Demon-Slaying Sword pointedly at Elder and declared, "The sword is broken; you have lost."
---
Xia Zhou and Jiang Dahuzi stood on either side of Zhu Qi in opposition. Xia Zhou said, "Zhu Qi, stop resisting. Hand over Dan Ding, and you can leave here just like Jiang Chun."
Zhu Qi's gaze was drawn to an unusual sight in the distant forest. At that moment, thunder rolled ominously from afar; the sound echoed through the clear blue sky. This thunder must have originated from some magical artifact. Xia Zhou and Jiang Dahuzi heard the thunder but did not turn around. Jiang Dahuzi curiously remarked, "What is this thunder..."
Xia Zhou seemed to have had an answer all along. He deliberately raised his voice so that Zhu Qi could hear him clearly. "That Elder uses a sword while Ma Tongwei wields an axe; they cannot summon such thunder. This must be summoned by Ji Zichen."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Dahuzi found it quite reasonable and replied, "Brother Ji, you truly are full of surprises."
Seeing Zhu Qi remain silent, Xia Zhou continued, "Zhu Qi, you heard the thunder, right? Elder has already been defeated."
Zhu Qi sneered and retorted, "Do you take me for a three-year-old? You think this can scare me!"
Xia Zhou speculated about the lightning, but he couldn't be sure if it was truly summoned by Ji Zichen. He only intended to mislead Zhu Qi, hoping to make him surrender.
However, Zhu Qi was no fool; he wasn't easily deceived.
Zhu Qi touched the Dan Ding in his arms and said, "The Dan Ding is right here. If you want it, you'll have to show your true skills."
Jiang the Bearded One replied, "Then I won't hold back!"
He sidestepped and struck with an open palm directly at Zhu Qi's chest.
Zhu Qi shifted his feet, drawing the Burial Sun Blade. The blade's shadow erupted outward from Jiang the Bearded One, creating a dazzling display that could confuse the eyes. Only one of those shadows was lethal.
Jiang the Bearded One didn't take Zhu Qi seriously. It wasn't due to arrogance; he wanted to project confidence to intimidate his opponent.
Zhu Qi noticed that Jiang showed no signs of fear. Feeling a pang of anxiety, he shouted and swung the Burial Sun Blade. Jiang did not withdraw his hand; instead, he met the blade head-on with his palm.
"Clang!"
Jiang's hand remained unscathed.
Zhu Qi stepped back, his face flushed with embarrassment. He shook himself and steadied his blade.
Zhu Qi coldly glared at Jiang and said, "Take another hit!" He stepped forward with his left foot and brought the Burial Sun Blade down in a powerful strike. The three movements flowed seamlessly together, creating an overwhelming momentum that made it seem impossible for anyone to counter before they were completed.
Xia Zhou watched from the side, his expression shifting slightly. Jiang the Bearded One felt this pressure even more intensely.
Unfazed, Jiang threw a punch with astonishing force. Suddenly, Zhu Qi changed tactics; his blade's momentum shifted from wide arcs to intricate patterns. As the blade trembled, blossoms of light erupted around it, enveloping every angle from which Jiang might attack.
"Ding ding ding!"
Jiang transformed his fist into a palm and then into claws, bending his fingers to deflect the blade's edge. He blocked Zhu Qi's assault with five rapid strikes against the sword's tip.
Zhu Qi chuckled lightly, shifting his blade from a direct strike to a sweeping slash. The long sword tilted skillfully, its blade reflecting the bright sunlight onto the eyes of Jiang Dahuzi.
Jiang Dahuzi's vision was disturbed, and for a moment, he couldn't discern the approach of the Burial Sun Blade. Alarmed, he instinctively stepped back.
As Jiang Dahuzi retreated a few steps, his angle was lost, and the light no longer blinded him. In a fit of anger, he lunged with his left claw towards Zhu Qi.
Zhu Qi sidestepped and retreated to a safe distance.
Jiang Dahuzi would not allow him to escape unscathed; a storm of fists erupted. Zhu Qi raised the Burial Sun Blade horizontally, blocking the exposed gap in front of him.
Jiang Dahuzi suddenly fell back, and the two resumed their standoff.
Zhu Qi's face showed no signs of distress, but inwardly he felt uneasy; he couldn't gain any advantage against Jiang Dahuzi.
At that moment, the Elder suddenly laughed maniacally. "Lose? This isn't a competition; there's no winning or losing here—only life and death!"
Ji Zichen was greatly alarmed. He saw that there was no hatred between himself and the Elder; the Elder was merely consumed by a desire for revenge. Ji Zichen said, "Do you really want to die here?"
The Elder laughed heartily but then abruptly ceased his laughter. He slowly walked toward the broken sword. The sword was damaged and rendered useless, so Ji Zichen did not stop him.
The Elder wasn't picking up the sword; for him, the broken blade held no value anymore.
He approached the broken sword and coldly remarked, "Dying here is no different from dying outside. Come on, let's fight! What are you waiting for?"
It turned out that the Elder's approach was meant to make it easier for Ji Zichen to kill him. Ji Zichen then said, "Looking for death? But don't pretend to be so righteous; what you're doing isn't about revenge—it's merely satisfying your own desires."
The Elder shouted furiously, "What do you know? You don't understand anything!"
Ji Zichen replied, "I may not know everything, but I know that if you want revenge, you should seek out those who deserve it. You shouldn't drag so many people into this."
"Elder," he laughed painfully, "You think everything is too simple. Your plans have been ruined, and if you want to kill me, go ahead, but do not insult me!"
Ji Zichen replied, "Isn't it true? The Eldest Son made a mistake, so you should seek him out. If you're only after revenge, why escalate the situation? You're not just seeking vengeance."
The Elder's face turned pale. "Then what are we fighting for?"
"Of course, it's for the position of Western King!" At that moment, Ling Xuan arrived with a group of soldiers. She wasn't returning to the camp to gather troops.
Instead, she had encountered Chen Er and Chen Si on her way back. Each of them led fifty elite soldiers out of the camp, and Chen Si had already followed Ling Xuan's orders to head towards Xia Zhou.
Worried about Ji Zichen's safety, Ling Xuan decided to come here with Chen Er and their troops.
Ling Xuan glared at the Elder in anger. "I could never understand why you would let your daughter become a maid. Now I see it was all part of your plan! You know the Eldest Son's character too well; you knew he wouldn't be able to control himself upon seeing Chang's beauty."
With a pointed finger, Ling Xuan commanded, "Seize him!" The soldiers immediately surrounded the Elder, who sneered, "You think you can catch me? No way!"
Seeing a short sword lying on the ground, the Elder grabbed it and plunged it into his own heart.
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