Blood River

This was the weakness of the three elders before him that Su Muyu had discerned.

Their swordsmanship and martial arts were exceptional, and over the years, they had been revered as honored elders by the Shadow Sect, living comfortably in Heaven Revelation City without engaging in true life-or-death battles. Thus, no matter how high their swordsmanship or how strong their martial arts, in the art of killing, they were far inferior to Su Muyu.

"Flower-Blowing Swordplay, Tenth Form—once named Falling Snow, a move of exquisite beauty, hailed as the most graceful sword technique of the Su Family." Su Muyu swept aside Su Ziyan's sword with a single stroke, then waved his left hand, sending the thirteen undamaged blades soaring into the air.

Su Ziyan coughed lightly, his sword hand trembling slightly.

"But it was later renamed. Now, it is called Falling Blood." Su Muyu raised his hand. "It has become a killing strike."

The swords rained down like a storm!

Su Ziyan tilted his head back, his sword spinning lightly as a surge of Sword Qi rode the wind: "Young man, don’t underestimate us too much." His Sword Qi held back the thirteen blades, and Mu Fusheng seized the moment to strike Su Muyu with a palm.

"Be careful! His Yama Palm has reached the eighth level!" Su Changhe warned.

Yet Su Muyu merely smiled, channeling his True Qi to withstand Mu Fusheng’s strike. With a thunderous boom, dust rose outside the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower. Mu Fusheng stared at Su Muyu in disbelief. "You didn’t dodge?"

Su Muyu drove his sword straight through Mu Fusheng’s body. "Before entering the Ghost Cry Abyss, the instructors of Dark River once told me something." At this moment, a sinister bloodstain marred Su Muyu’s chest, his robes drenched in red. Yet he still stood, while Mu Fusheng knelt on one knee.

Mu Fusheng gritted his teeth. "What did they say?"

"A killer succeeds as long as one thing is true: I am still alive, and you are dead!" Su Muyu withdrew his sword, and the rain of blades shattered into fragments, descending upon them. Su Ziyan, unable to resist, abandoned his sword and retreated, his body riddled with wounds from the storm of blades.

Mu Fusheng collapsed to the ground, clutching the wound in his abdomen. Su Muyu’s strike had missed his vital spot by an inch—had it landed even slightly off, Mu Fusheng would have died without question. He looked up at Su Muyu. "Yet you didn’t kill me."

"I spared you because it wasn’t necessary," Su Muyu said solemnly. "The three families of Dark River share the same origin as you. Such a fight to the death is meaningless."

Su Changhe protested irritably, "Hey, hey, hey. We don’t share the same blood as them!"

"Though the two of us are Nameless Ones, many of our companions bear the same surnames as you—Su, Xie, Mu. Dark River has always been an organization devoid of sentiment, but I hope that will change in the future." Su Muyu sighed softly. "I wish for them to live freely under the sun, just as you do now."

Su Ziyan and Xie Pi You exchanged glances before stepping forward together to help Mu Fusheng up. Su Ziyan began channeling his energy to heal Mu Fusheng, while Xie Pi You turned to Su Muyu.

"If the descendants of Dark River’s three families ever need assistance in the future, I hope you will aid them as kin," Su Muyu said to Xie Pi You.

Xie Pi You sighed quietly. "We were always one. The Shadow Sect commands the three families of Dark River, while in Heaven Revelation City, they honor us as their own.""I can't promise you anything else, but this I can guarantee." Su Muyu sheathed his sword. "After today, the Shadow Sect will cease to exist. If you withdraw now, no one will come after you."

Xie Pi You sighed deeply after a long silence. "Very well."

"Some things must change eventually." Su Muyu glanced at Su Changhe. "We must eventually cross to the Other Shore of Dark River. And on that shore, there shouldn't be only endless night—there should be light too."

"Good." Xie Pi You said solemnly. "I admire you, young man."

"Xie Pi You!" Su Ziyan shouted sharply.

"Enough." Xie Pi You shook his head. "Yi Bu was never a leader worth following—we three have known this for a long time. Besides, in Heaven Revelation City, the Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelation led by the Langya King now hold sway. The Shadow Sect has long lost its power. Rather than die with him, it's better to seek another path."

"Ah." Su Ziyan knew Xie Pi You spoke the truth and hesitated before falling silent.

"Then, Young Master Su, we shall take our leave." Xie Pi You stepped back slowly. "I hope you can realize your wish and bring forth a new Dark River."

"Dark River is already new. It's only the Dark River in people's hearts that hasn't changed yet." Su Muyu smiled faintly.

Xie Pi You and the two other elders, along with Xie Zaiye who had initially guarded the tower, swiftly departed. Su Muyu stumbled forward, nearly collapsing. Su Changhe stepped forward to steady him. "Why push yourself like this? If we had fought together earlier, it wouldn't have been so messy."

Su Muyu shook his head. "If you had joined the fight, it would have been a battle to the death."

"Hmph." Su Changhe shrugged. "I don't like these trivial complications. Kill them all, tear everything down, and start anew—simple as that."

"Some things can be torn down and rebuilt, others cannot." Su Muyu took a deep breath, circulating his True Qi before moving forward. He picked up a torch nearby. "For example, this Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower must be completely destroyed."

"Stop!" A deep voice called from behind them.

Su Muyu didn't turn around, continuing forward. "Chang He, now's your chance to act. I'm too exhausted to fight."

"For him, I can go all out, right?" Su Changhe licked his lips.

"Scatter his ashes to the wind!" Su Muyu pushed open the door of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower, torch in hand.

"Got it." Su Changhe took a few steps forward, then scratched his head. "Wait, Su Muyu. Why do I always feel like you're the real Grand Master, and I'm just the errand boy?"

This time, no one answered him—Su Muyu had already entered the tower.

"Tch." Su Changhe shook his head. "My dignity keeps slipping away."

"Move." The speaker from earlier stepped forward, sword in hand.

Su Changhe flicked a dagger, landing it at the man's feet. "Strictly speaking, though we've crossed paths indirectly many times, this is our first true meeting, isn't it? Leader of the Shadow Sect, Master Yi Bu."

Yi Bu paused, then said, "You are the Dark River Grand Master, Su Changhe.""Exactly right, the errand boy of Dark River, Su Changhe." Purple energy swirled around Su Changhe's hands. "By the order of Su Muyu, head of the Dark River Su Family, I am here to take your life!"