inspire-indiana Chapter 264 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 38
Chapter 264 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 38
Their original plan was to have the Su family swordsmen charge into the group first, creating chaos, and then take the opportunity to attack Xiao Ruofeng and Baili Luochen.
To everyone's surprise, the Imperial Guards in front of them were not as weak as rumored. Each of them wielded two swords and was exceptionally brave. They were not flustered when facing the Su family's swordsmen. The entire battle was chaotic yet orderly, and they did not reveal any flaws.
Su Muyu said, "These are not the Imperial Guards; he secretly replaced them on the way."
“That’s right, they are my Tiger Warriors!” Xiao Ruofeng looked coldly at the people who suddenly appeared in front of him, his hand gripping the long sword at his waist tightly.
"This is the Heaven-Slaying Sword, the number one sword in the world." Su Changhe and Su Muyu were not surprised to see the long sword at his waist and couldn't help but exclaim: "It is said that when Prince Jingyu Xiao Ruojin ascended to the number one pavilion in the world, he obtained the legendary Heaven-Slaying Sword. However, after leaving the pavilion, he gave the sword to his younger brother, Prince Langya. It turns out that this story is true."
In fact, they had already heard about this matter, or rather, no one in the martial arts world was unaware of it.
But before they saw it with their own eyes, they still couldn't quite believe that someone would actually give away the Heaven-Slaying Sword that they had already obtained.
Xiao Ruofeng's lips curled up, and he leaped into the air, simultaneously drawing his Heavenly Slash Sword and slashing fiercely at the two people in front of him.
No one dared to directly confront the Heaven-Slaying Sword, and Su Changhe and Su Muyu were no exception.
Su Changhe gave Su Muyu a look, then quickly retreated to avoid the sword strike. He then swiftly moved forward, his short blade fluttering like a butterfly, leaving afterimages on Xiao Ruofeng's chest. After Xiao Ruofeng dodged, Su Changhe immediately followed up with two palm strikes.
Xiao Ruofeng dared not be careless. With a light flick of his toe, he retreated three zhang away.
Just as he retreated, Su Muyu folded her umbrella and transformed into a shooting star, rushing straight towards the carriage in the procession.
The carriage curtain was gently lifted, and Li Changsheng stepped out of the carriage with a leisurely air. His white clothes fluttered without wind, and his white hair gave him an indescribable ethereal aura.
Faced with Su Muyu's swift attack, he remained calm and composed, standing leisurely atop the carriage shaft. He raised his right hand slightly, his fingertips moving slightly, as if he were smiling as he plucked a flower. His powerful true energy surged out like a river bursting its banks, firmly suppressing Su Muyu to the ground. Its force was like Mount Tai pressing down, suffocating everyone.
Just then—
In an instant, the sky changed color; the once magnificent clouds were quickly swallowed by dark clouds, and a fine drizzle quietly descended.
At the edge of the chaotic battlefield, a dozen or so women dressed in white stood silently, exuding a chilling aura.
They spread their arms wide, their ten fingers deftly manipulating the air as if pulling on invisible threads, weaving together a vast net that tightly bound this world.
Baili Dongjun stepped out from behind Li Changsheng and looked at the sudden darkening of the sky, feeling an indescribable sense of familiarity welling up in his heart.
He had seen this move before, but back then he didn't know martial arts. He ran a Donggui Tavern in Chaisang City. When he first saw the people from the Dark River use this move, he was so shocked that he thought he had seen a ghost.
“Master, look at the sky.” He pointed to the sky and said to Li Changsheng.
Li Changsheng looked up and saw nothing but darkness: "Among the three families of the Dark River, the Mu family is skilled in these strange and secret techniques. But to be able to cover the entire mountain, I'm afraid the Mu family is going to mobilize all its members."
After saying that, he withdrew his hand, his eyes searching for something in the darkness, and his languid demeanor suddenly turned into one of solemnity.
Su Muyu struggled to get up.
With his current strength, facing Li Changsheng would be like throwing an egg against a rock, but he felt no fear whatsoever; instead, he felt a resolute fighting spirit.
If he weren't an assassin, he should have been a swordsman.
For a swordsman, having the opportunity to challenge Li Changsheng, the number one swordsman in the world, would be an immense honor.
"Eighteen Swords Formation, activate!"
As his cold voice fell, the oil-paper umbrella in his hand suddenly burst open with a "bang," all the ribs shattering to reveal a thin sword inside, its tip gleaming coldly.
The ends of the eighteen slender swords were connected by extremely fine silk threads, which, under his control, wove into an impenetrable forest of swords that swept towards Li Changsheng like a sudden storm.
He himself, wielding the Twilight Rain Sword, moved with incredible speed, transforming into a streak of light as he charged straight at Li Changsheng.
Baili Dongjun sensed the intense killing intent permeating the air, and his hand unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his spotless sword. He tried his best to find a flaw in the sword formation, but in the end, he was unsuccessful.
"Interesting." Li Changsheng smiled slightly. Facing the sword formation filled with killing intent, he remained calm. He gently rolled up his sleeves in front of him, and as his true energy surged, a cold light flashed, and the rain of swords subsided.
All eighteen rapiers were knocked to the ground, and the thin threads connecting their ends were also broken.
Su Muyu paused for a moment, but then his gaze became even more determined. At this moment, only Li Changsheng remained in his eyes.
The Twilight Rain Sword was already very close to Li Changsheng, just one step away from piercing him.
It was so close.
"Untainted by dust!"
Li Changsheng called out softly, and before he finished speaking, Baili Dongjun's Undying Sword at his waist seemed to be summoned, and it was drawn on its own, turning into a streak of cold light, and accurately met Su Muyu's Twilight Rain Sword.
"Ding!"
The two swords clashed, a crisp sound resounding through the sky. The collision of their inner energy stirred up visible shockwaves, culminating in a resounding boom of the swords.
Su Muyu fell to the ground, her chest heaving with blood and qi, and in the midst of the turmoil, she spit out a mouthful of blood.
Untainted by dust, it circled twice in the air before steadily returning to Baili Dongjun's scabbard, emitting a soft "hum," seemingly also praising this wonderful duel.
Li Changsheng flicked his sleeves, looked at Su Muyu on the ground, and said with a hint of admiration, "You have good talent. At such a young age, you have actually mastered the Eighteen Sword Formation, which has been lost for a long time in the Dark River. It's a pity you're an assassin."
Li Changsheng considered himself the number one person in the world and always regarded all things in the world as mortal dust, rarely praising others.
Now, the fact that he sighed "what a pity" to Su Muyu was already a great compliment to her.
Upon hearing this, Su Muyu, who was lying on the ground, thought to herself: Mr. Li is not only the best in martial arts, but also surpasses everyone else in spirit.
"Mr. Li, you flatter me."
Su Muyu gave a bitter laugh and staggered to her feet: "The Eighteen Sword Formation is powerful, but in front of you, it's like child's play, utterly vulnerable. I accept my defeat today wholeheartedly. However—"
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging pain within his body, straightened his back, and said with a firm gaze, "Dark River has never failed in its killings. Now that Dark River has accepted the orders to assassinate the Prince of Langya and the Marquis of Zhenxi, it will definitely do it. Therefore, as long as I have a breath left, I will never give up."
Li Changsheng shook his head. Dark River's style of doing things was always ruthless and merciless; they would not give up until they achieved their goal. He had only sighed just now; he hadn't expected that a single sentence would make Su Muyu abandon the mission.
However, he cursed Emperor Tai'an a few times in his heart.
Emperor Tai'an had clearly favored his seventh disciple, but things have changed drastically in just two or three months. He wondered if the arrangements he had made for Ruofeng would still be useful.
Just as Li Changsheng was lost in thought, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, the breeze stopped flowing, and everything was immersed in an eerie stillness.
Suddenly, a powerful sword aura erupted without warning, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the night sky, breaking the tranquility and instantly attracting the attention of everyone present.
They turned around simultaneously, their gazes fixed on the breathtaking scene, their heartbeats quickening with the fluctuations of sword energy.
On the dark and oppressive battlefield, thunderclouds rolled and lightning flashed, as if even heaven and earth were trembling in anticipation of the impending battle.
Xiao Ruofeng appeared as if a war god had descended, hovering proudly in mid-air. His true energy surged around him, and he gripped the Heaven-Slaying Sword tightly in both hands, the tip of the sword pointing straight to the sky. The fiery red sword energy illuminated the dark night sky, condensing into the phantom of a giant dragon.
The golden sword displayed its sharpness without restraint, each ray of light like the whisper of death, sending chills down one's spine.
"Break the wind!" With Xiao Ruofeng's deep and powerful shout, the entire space seemed to tremble. His eyes burned with an undying fighting spirit, and as he swung the Heaven-Slaying Sword, a strong hurricane was created, swirling the surrounding leaves and dust into the air.
The sword energy, like a sharp blade tearing through a storm, struck Su Changhe with overwhelming force, seemingly cutting through the air and emitting a sharp shriek.
Everyone was awestruck by this earth-shattering sword strike, their faces filled with fear and awe as they retreated, afraid of being affected by the powerful sword energy. Only Li Changsheng's eyes showed a look of reminiscence as he gazed at the figure wielding the Heaven-Slaying Sword in the distant sky, as if he were seeing an old friend again.
"As expected, the Nation-Splitting Sword Technique must be paired with the Heaven-Slaying Sword!"
Su Changhe felt the sword energy pressing down on him like a mountain, and his nerves instantly tightened to the extreme.
He could clearly feel the approaching aura of death, as if even breathing had become difficult.
In an instant, he unleashed unprecedented potential, his body darting to the side like an arrow released from a bow, but even so, the sharp sword energy still followed him relentlessly.
The scent of death spread silently, so heavy it almost suffocated him. Every breath was accompanied by a violent pounding of his heart, and the air was filled with urgency and despair.
At this critical moment, a dark figure swept past with incredible speed, accompanied by a series of crisp and melodious sounds, and steadily blocked Su Changhe's path.
The man moved swiftly, lightly stroking his staff with his fingers, removing two golden rings and throwing them straight at the Heavenly Slash Sword.
However, the power of the Heaven-Slaying Sword is not something that ordinary things can withstand.
With two crisp "snap" sounds, the golden ring was instantly split in two by the sword, the fragments scattering and falling to the ground.
Afterwards, the Heaven-Slaying Sword continued its momentum, carrying a world-destroying aura, and rushed straight towards the two people on the ground, with a strong aura of death filling the air.
As the Heaven-Slaying Sword approached, the entire space seemed to tremble, and time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Everyone held their breath, watching this breathtaking scene unfold before them.
Upon seeing this, the man's expression changed drastically. He gripped his staff tightly with both hands and actually took the initiative to meet this earth-shattering sword strike.
boom--
The immense force stirred up visible shockwaves that spread outwards like ocean waves, causing vegetation to fly and dust to rise wherever they passed.
"puff--"
Su Changhe was closest to the source and was directly hit by the shockwave. His internal energy surged wildly, and he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.
The man was also unable to completely resist the force. Although he managed to stabilize himself with the support of his staff, he still couldn't help but take four or five steps back, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly.
He clutched his chest with his right hand, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, his face grave and pale, clearly indicating that he had suffered a considerable injury.
Amidst this chaos, the low-level assassins lurking in the underground river were not spared. They had intended to launch a sneak attack in the confusion, but instead, they were directly struck by the shockwave and severely injured, collapsing to the ground.
Xiao Ruofeng, who caused all of this, collapsed to the ground, somewhat exhausted.
That sword strike had drained most of his internal energy. Now he was like a leaf after a storm, swaying precariously, his face deathly pale.
Even so, Xiao Ruofeng's eyes flashed with shock and excitement.
That sword strike just now allowed him to truly experience the power of the Nation-Splitting Sword Technique.
The moment he swung the sword, he seemed to step into a completely new realm of martial arts. The dormant power within him was completely awakened, resonating with the Heaven-Slaying Sword in his hand, and thus unleashing an unimaginably powerful energy.
He had used the Split Nation Sword Technique before, but compared to that sword strike, it was worlds apart.
"The Prince of Langya is a man of extraordinary talent and has the countenance of an emperor. Now, he has gained the favor of the Heavenly Slash Sword, which further proves that he is the chosen one!"
Baili Luochen saw the sword from afar and was filled with emotion.
"It's a pity he has an older brother!" Baili Dongjun suddenly chimed in from the side, his tone laced with sarcasm. Even after all this time, he still harbored prejudice against Xiao Ruojin because of Ye Dingzhi and Yi Wenjun's affair.
Young people often act without regard for details, driven more by their passion and loyalty to their friends.
Baili Dongjun only believed what he saw and did not delve into the rights and wrongs of the matter. He only knew that Xiao Ruojin had stolen his good brother's woman, so Xiao Ruojin was not a good person.
Baili Luochen looked at his grandson with affection, hesitated for a moment, and finally let out a heavy sigh: "Yes! He also has an older brother!"
Therefore, the Prince of Langya could not become emperor.
Upon hearing this, Baili Dongjun's heart stirred slightly. He realized that although his grandfather's words were similar to what he had said before, they seemed to contain a deeper meaning.