Blood River

"This is!" Song Yanhuai on the city gate was greatly shocked.

During the time when he and a group of martial heroes jointly resisted the Demon Sect, he had once seen a person wearing a ghost mask use this exact same sword technique. The sword was hidden within a paper umbrella, and when used, it bloomed like profuse flowers. With the left hand controlling seventeen sword blades and the right hand gripping the slender sword in the umbrella handle, this person could instantly slay a group of Demon Sect disciples. The killing intent was so intense that it even surpassed that of the Demon Sect members, striking fear into the hearts of the martial heroes on his side.

It was said this person did not come from any known sect.

But from the Dark River.

The most terrifying assassin organization in the entire world.

Later, this person also participated in the final battle to besiege the Demon Sect's leader, Ye Dingzhi.

Song Yanhuai once asked Li Hanyi, the Snowmoon Sword Immortal, who had fought alongside him. This was her evaluation of that person: Without him, that assassination plot would have undoubtedly failed. If he had not come from the Dark River, he would have become one of the few friends in Li Hanyi's life. If he had been willing to leave the Dark River and devote himself to the Sword Way, then the Five Great Sword Immortals should have become the Six Great Sword Immortals.

"Umbrella Ghost, Su Muyu." Song Yanhuai murmured the name softly.

The Sword Elder was also shocked upon hearing this: "You're saying this person is the Dark River's Umbrella Ghost?"

Song Yanhuai shook his head: "I've never seen his true face. I'm only speculating."

"Dark River, Dark River." The Sword Elder muttered under his breath, "If it really is the Dark River, then everything can be explained."

Song Yanhuai frowned at these words: "What does the Sword Elder mean by this? Does the Dark River have some connection with our Peerless City? And with Swordless City as well?"

Realizing he had spoken too much, the Sword Elder shook his head: "City Lord need not inquire further. These are all matters of the past."

But Song Yanhuai's mind was already forming conjectures. In its heyday, Peerless City had been at the peak of its power, yet during a certain period, numerous masters mysteriously disappeared. At the same time, Swordless City was annihilated overnight. This could not possibly be mere coincidence. Because Peerless City deliberately controlled the spread of information, people in the martial world did not overly associate these two events in discussion. But after becoming City Lord and gaining access to many secret records, Song Yanhuai discovered these two events had actually occurred on the same night. Now, combined with the Sword Elder's reaction, Song Yanhuai could even deduce the whole truth: Peerless City allied with the Dark River and, at great cost, annihilated Swordless City. He sighed deeply: "Sword Elder, do you know why our Peerless City's prestige has declined so drastically compared to its former glory?"

The Sword Elder's expression changed: "Why does the City Lord say this?"

Ignoring him, Song Yanhuai continued: "Because in terms of magnanimity, our Peerless City no longer lives up to its name of 'Peerless'."

Below the city gate, Su Muyu deployed the Eighteen Sword Formation, instantly trapping Liu Yunqi within the sword array.

Liu Yunqi could no longer maintain his earlier masterly demeanor. After just a few exchanges, several bloody wounds appeared on his body. His expression changed dramatically: "This is the Eighteen Sword Formation! The Dark River's Eighteen Sword Formation!"

"And also the world's most extreme killing technique," Su Muyu said calmly.

"You're not Zhuo Yuean! You're not Zhuo Yuluo's son! You're from the Dark River!" Liu Yunqi roared angrily, "Who sent you here!"

"Have you never considered that Zhuo Yuluo's son could also become part of the Dark River?" Su Muyu pressed forward with his attack.Liu Yunqi blocked an incoming blade with his sword, his expression shifting: "The child who escaped back then was actually saved by Dark River. What does The Head... seek to gain!"

"You fight for profit, and thus you will be betrayed by profit. You have only the sword, not the Way. Then you cannot continue to win, and once you lose, you will have nothing left," Su Muyu shouted.

"Master, the Sword Box—the Sword Box is getting out of control!" Wushuang, atop the city wall, was drenched in sweat, pressing down on the Sword Box with both hands, his voice tense.

"The Sword Box... wants to acknowledge an assassin as its master?" Sword Elder exclaimed in shock.

"Impossible. The Matchless Sword Box will only acknowledge one master. Unless Wushuang dies, it won’t open for anyone else. The Sword Box has merely sensed a worthy opponent and wishes to fight," Song Yanhui said, shaking his head as he looked at the Matchless Sword Box. "It’s just a pity you’re still too young. Otherwise, encountering such an opponent would indeed be worth a battle."

Wushuang wiped the sweat from his brow. "Master, what should I do?"

"Don’t worry. It’ll settle down after a while," Song Yanhui said, ruffling Wushuang’s hair. "When you grow up, you can take it and seek out such worthy opponents."

"Old City Lord, he is about to lose," Sword Elder murmured.

Song Yanhui sighed. "He was always meant to lose. It’s just that this defeat came over a decade too late. Had he lost back then, there would still have been a chance to rise again. But today’s defeat is final."

"You claim to defeat me with the Sword Way, yet you resort to assassination techniques?" Liu Yunqi tried to provoke him with words.

Su Muyu sneered. "I faced you with the Sword Way, but you forced me to use assassination techniques. Now that I’m using them to kill you, you want me to return to the Sword Way. The world doesn’t work so conveniently, letting you dictate the rules."

While stalling with words, Liu Yunqi secretly studied the intricacies of the Eighteen Sword Formation. "Your father was a master of the Sword Way. Seeing you wield such purely murderous swordplay must have disappointed him greatly."

Su Muyu remained unmoved, shaking his head. "I have a good friend who’s often called shameless, but even he would have to admit upon meeting City Lord Liu that Peerless City ought to be renamed Shameless City."

Liu Yunqi’s face flushed slightly. "Cheap talk!"

With a flick of his left hand, Su Muyu sent another blade slicing across Liu Yunqi’s shoulder. "Your swordsmanship falls short of my father’s from back then. Compared to Snow Moon City’s Li Hanyi, you’re even further behind. My father overestimated you—you were never qualified to stand beside him."

Liu Yunqi burst into laughter. "You think you’ve already bested me? You’re wrong. I’ve been feigning weakness all this time just to discern the flaws in your Sword Formation. The Eighteen Sword Formation—the world’s pinnacle assassination technique—is indeed exquisite. What a shame!" Liu Yunqi spun in place, a surge of Sword Qi swirling upward and knocking away all the blades encircling him.

"It’s coming. The City Lord’s strongest sword strike," Sword Elder said gravely.

"Ascend the Nine Heavens on a Sword!" Song Yanhui looked up.

Liu Yunqi swung his sword. "Dragon’s Roar Falls to the Yellow Springs."

Su Muyu’s half-mask slipped from his face as his Drizzle Sword thrust forward like a rainbow piercing the sun. "It is you who shall fall to the Yellow Springs. This ends now!""Jade Ruyi!" Wushuang exclaimed. The Matchless Sword Box opened with a sound, and a flying sword resembling a jade ruyi swiftly descended.