The Shadowless Sword left its sheath, yet not a glimmer of its blade could be seen.
Where the sword fell, the lake shattered like countless shards of crystal scattering toward the rising sun.
Wuxiang did not engage, swiftly retreating instead: "You wish to see my true form? But I am you!"
With hands forming seals, the Three Lives Stone at the lakebed trembled violently, releasing ten thousand crimson rays that pierced the water's surface.
The Three Lives Stone erupted from the lake, rising high like the morning sun.
The clear blue waters and surrounding green mountains were bathed in an eerie red glow, distorted and chaotic, as if this Domain had been severed from the world, transformed into a sea of blood and a forest of blades.
Song Qianji met the giant stone's gaze and felt his spirit tremble.
From all directions, countless droplets of water refracted the bloody light, each revealing scenes of the blood-soaked seas he had crossed and the killing fields he had traversed in his past life.
It was as if an invisible force dragged him into the sea of blood.
In the depths of the blood sea, another "Song Qianji" approached with cold indifference, holding the Solitary Light Sword step by step:
"You wield a sword meant for killing, yet you harbor a heart that seeks to save. A beast that loses its fangs will die at the hands of its natural enemy; a killer who loses the will to kill will be slain by others! Song Qianji, you have already formed attachments, grown soft-hearted, and developed sentimental tenderness. How can you still be 'undying in a hundred battles'?!"
In the sea of blood and forest of blades, the harsh cry echoed relentlessly:
"You will surely die today—"
The Shadowless Sword clashed with the "Solitary Light Sword," emitting a resounding ring that shook heaven and earth.
Song Qianji felt as if a net of swords had descended upon him from all sides. He slashed and hacked with his sword, struggling like a live fish caught in a net. His enemy anticipated every move, rendering his swordplay as futile as mud oxen drowning in the sea.
It was as if he were fighting another version of himself.
The "Solitary Light Sword" erupted in a dazzling brilliance, like a blazing golden sun. Its strikes were ruthless and solitary, carrying an unparalleled confidence and domineering aura.
Meanwhile, the Shadowless Sword, light and swift yet dull and unreflective, was momentarily suppressed by the opponent's frenzied assault.
Song Qianji fought bitterly.
Bloody waves splashed, and amidst the mist, scenes of slaughter flashed—Imprisoned Doom Mountain, Blood River Valley, the Dead Sea, the Tomb of the Thousand Canals King, the edge of the snow plains...
He did not know how much time had passed, but his sword grew heavier, and his enemy stronger with each exchange.
He was already covered in wounds.
Was being "undying in a hundred battles" truly an honor, or was it a curse?
How could he defeat his past self?
No! This isn't real.
Song Qianji bit the tip of his tongue, and as blood gushed forth, his muddled mind cleared instantly.
He not only saw his opponent clearly but also understood his past and present lives.
"The earth can nurture towering trees and ancient vines, as well as small flowers and grasses. The sky bestows sunlight and rain impartially upon every stalk of wheat in the field. If this world can accommodate you, it can accommodate me! In this life, I need not fight a hundred battles to remain undying!"
"Beware, the scoundrel is using the power of the Three Lives Stone to create an illusion to deceive you!" Suddenly, an aged sigh sounded, and a ball of white light shot out from behind Song Qianji, hurtling straight toward the Three Lives Stone.
The phantom pierced through the sword net, its speed and ferocity like an eagle slicing through the sky.
"Senior Hua Wei!" Song Qianji exclaimed in shock, unable to stop him in time.
"Lingering for so long, clinging to a fading breath, I shall go first. Do not forget your vow—"
"Boom!"
The remnant soul collided with the Three Lives Stone and exploded violently.
The giant stone shook momentarily, the crimson light dimming, and the illusions of the blood sea wavered.
Seizing this fleeting opening, Song Qianji raised his hand and hurled the Shadowless Sword with all his might!
Wuxiang recoiled in terror, instinctively stepping back.
At such a critical moment, Song Qianji had actually abandoned his sword?What does he want to do? Besides this sword gifted by Xian Jianchen, what else does he possess?
"Domain! Open!" Song Qianji formed hand seals, and dazzling golden light erupted from him, instantly submerging the sea of blood.
A brilliant golden wheat field surged like a tide, overwhelming the blood sea and mountain of blades.
"Ah!" Wuxiang couldn't dodge in time and was engulfed by countless wheat awns.
The illusion shattered, leaving him severely wounded.
"You are not me." Song Qianji tossed away the flower pinned to his lapel. "Have you already forgotten yourself, only capable of transforming into others?"
As if realizing something, Wuxiang stared at him with disbelief, his gaze gradually turning fanatical before he burst into laughter:
"It's the power of the Fountain of Immortality!!"
He suddenly understood, enunciating each word clearly: "So this is your ultimate trump card. No wonder you seem divinely aided, blessed with such profound luck."
Song Qianji neither denied nor confirmed it.
His daily healing, nurturing the land of Thousand Canals, all relied on the Fountain of Immortality. Even his Wheat Field Domain was created using its power. Through it, he had also taken in wandering souls to work, adding countless texts and cultivation insights to Thousand Canals.
But if one claimed he entirely depended on the Fountain of Immortality—that without this supreme treasure of heaven and earth, he would be nothing and achieve nothing—he would absolutely never accept that.
"The Fountain of Immortality actually chose you as its master. You truly are an anomaly." Wuxiang grinned, blood streaming from his mouth and staining the wheat field: "Let me tell you a secret."
"Go ahead." Song Qianji felt somewhat relaxed within his own domain, casually sitting on the wheat stalks.
"The two illusory worlds you experienced while saving people were both your real past lives."
Song Qianji thought, Is that all?
I've seen the River of Time so much I'm sick of it.
Wuxiang laughed: "I've also seen the Three Lives Stone. In our past life, we chose a savior, and it wasn't you."
Song Qianji thought, Isn't it just Wei Zhenyu? Nothing new.
"'We'?" He focused only on this word.
"Yes, we. Upon reaching the Transformation Stage, one can perceive the decline of the world's Spirit Qi and the fading vitality of the Sky-Supporting Tree, deducing the time of this world's destruction. In our past life, they operated in the open while I worked in the shadows. Each of us used our own methods to select the same person. Leaving him with the legacies of past experts wasn't enough—I gave him the accumulated talents of his peers, concentrating the era's luck into one individual..."
Wuxiang's smile carried malice, like a victor flaunting his achievements.
Song Qianji's expression turned cold: "It was all you?"
"It was me." Wuxiang laughed heartily.
Song Qianji's eyes lost all warmth, just like when he killed in his past life.
So there was a hidden hand behind fate.
That explained why Ziye Wenshu died early, Ji Chen went mad, and Meng Heze fell to demonic cultivation.
And no matter how tenacious his own life was, he ultimately couldn't escape the snowy plains ambush.
Wuxiang laughed wildly: "They played mentors, played sages—I handled the dirty work. But what difference is there between us? In this life, you even acknowledged Xian Jianchen as your master and took his sword."
Song Qianji stood up: "Regarding matters between Xian Jianchen and me, I'll seek the truth myself."
As Wuxiang's life force faded, his hair grew wildly like sprouting branches, his skin turning into deep green bark.
He once again wore Song Qianji's appearance, making Song Qianji feel extremely eerie, as if watching himself transform into a mere branch.
When he spoke again, his voice became hoarse, like the rustling of wind through a forest:"Laughable how all our efforts in our previous lives were in vain. No matter how powerful the luck, no matter how extraordinary the geniuses emerging, they couldn't prevent the apocalypse. In this life, having seen the Three Lives Stone, I've resolved to take a different path—to let this world be destroyed and reborn, to start everything anew."
By the end of his speech, his voice had faded to a faint whisper:
"The first time I gave you a choice, it was to test you. The second and third times were because I acknowledged you and sincerely wished to cooperate. I chose you to be the god of the new world, yet you remain obstinate, determined to oppose me. Since that's the case, I can no longer spare you this time..."
"Strange—I'm just a farmer, why would I want to be a god? I've killed you three times already, and I'm tired of it." Song Qianji reached out his hand, and the Shadowless Sword hummed as it flew through the air toward him: "This avatar of yours was created from a branch of the Sky-Supporting Tree—your true form must be connected to it. Even a clone has the will to survive. Take me to see your true form, and I'll spare you once!"
"You could kill me three times, thirty times, three hundred times—even if you win every battle, you'll still inevitably lose." Wuxiang shook his head and smiled, "If this avatar perishes together with you, it would still be making the most of its purpose."
"Not good—the Three Lives Stone!" Song Qianji formed hand seals and withdrew his Domain.
In this battle, the other party never intended to defeat him. The illusion was merely a diversion to buy time; from beginning to end, the Three Lives Stone had been a ticking time bomb.
As the thought flashed through his mind, the Three Lives Stone shattered. The world-destroying force erupted in deathly silence.
Fragments of the giant stone fell like a soundless heavy snow.
In that moment, Song Qianji saw the shadow of death rise up, covering heaven and earth.
...
In the dark river of the Blood River Valley's Underground Palace, the current rushed fiercely as a fleet of boats struggled forward.
Over ten vessels of varying sizes, with the largest ship at the forefront breaking through waves and driving away demonic beasts in the river, flew the golden wheat ear flag of Thousand Canals at its bow.
Bringing up the rear was an amphibious Cloud Shuttle bearing the black sword and flame flag of the Northern Desert.
Although the fleet gathered people from all walks of life and various factions, instead of fighting among themselves, they shared growing anxiety due to the strange occurrences in the secret realm:
"King Song saved my life earlier, so I naturally trust him. But what exactly is happening in the secret realm? Why is he urging us all to leave as soon as possible?"
"I was about to leave anyway. The Chaos Beast is so terrifying—if Painted Spring Mountain can't suppress it and it breaks free, even nine lives wouldn't be enough to feed it!"
"Do you people from Thousand Canals know something? Can you give us some clarity?"
The dark river was pitch black and lightless, with ferocious iron-backed crocodiles and black-toothed fish constantly leaping onto the decks, attempting to attack the cultivators.
"Can we really get out? Where does this dark river lead?"
Meng Heze gazed at a faint glimmer of light ahead and coldly uttered two words: "Dead Sea."
While the major sects remained calm, several groups of Rogue Cultivators cried out first:
"Dead Sea? Isn't that going to our deaths?!"
"I'm not going! I'd rather return to Blood River Valley!"
Li Ciquan shouted loudly: "Our only chance of survival is to charge forward! With Wei Wang here, we live and die together today—what is there to fear?"
Wei Zhenyu's sense of unease grew increasingly heavy.
What is Song Qianji doing now? He should have left already, right?
If I turn back to look for him, he'll surely blame me for being incompetent, not as reliable as Meng Heze or Ji Chen.
Wei Zhenyu's expression remained impassive, his entire being enveloped in the blazing aura of the Inexhaustible Fire, as he declared loudly:
"Anyone unwilling to proceed is free to turn back."Before the words faded, the cultivators suddenly fell silent in unison.
Everyone felt an unstoppable, violent force erupting within the secret realm.
It was as if the power of creation at the dawn of heaven and earth, or the destructive force of gods and demons, had burst forth from Blood River Valley and surged out along the underground river.
Even from a great distance, it evoked a profound fear from the depths of their hearts.
The underground river churned, with heavy ink-black waves rolling and crashing.
...
Ji Chen was not on Thousand Canals' boat. He had found the Green Cliff contingent and requested to see Ziye Wenshu.
Before he could speak, Ziye Wenshu asked, "Is something wrong with Song Qianji?"
Ji Chen nodded, thinking how refreshingly cool it was near this person—more effective than a summer cooling array. However, the underground river was already chilly, and he had no desire to linger. He said concisely, "This is something Brother Song asked me to deliver to Fellow Daoist Ziye. He said you would understand once you see it."
Ziye Wenshu took the jade box without a word, gently weighed it in his hand, and suddenly frowned. "Not good."
Two abrupt, cryptic words.
Ji Chen was puzzled and glanced inquiringly at Qingzhai and Zimo—what did their Courtyard Overseer mean?
Qingzhai and Zimo shook their heads, equally shocked.
They noticed Ziye Wenshu's expression had changed, a complex mix of regret, anguish, and anger appearing on his face.
The Courtyard Overseer of Ziye actually had such rich emotions.
He could actually feel anger.
But why was he angry?
Ji Chen's heart sank, his face turning pale. Just as he thought to turn back, the explosion occurred.
...
The shattering of the Three Lives Stone triggered the collapse of Blood River Valley, nearly destroying the secret realm.
Only a few large demonic beasts with robust constitutions, Chaos protected by Painted Spring Mountain, and the cultivators who had escaped via the underground river survived the catastrophe.
Three days after the disaster, many risked entering the secret realm to search diligently, but no trace of Song Qianji was ever found.
The lake surface spanning thirty miles had been flattened, with no signs of life remaining.
The cultivators who had escaped gathered spontaneously, lighting eternal candles amid the ruins to pray for the Thousand Canals' Song King.
As Blood River Valley continued to tremble, cultivators with weaker cultivation dared not re-enter. Instead, they lit eternal lamps by their windows or on their desks.
For a time, it seemed as if heaven and earth shared in the mourning, with tens of thousands donning white garments.
It was at this moment that True Person Xuyun of Huawel Sect emerged from seclusion, having reached the half-step Transformation Stage.
Huawel Sect held a grand founding ceremony, with guests arriving like clouds. Previously subordinate sects and territories, trembling with fear, came up the mountain once again to offer tribute.
True Person Xuyun publicly announced that the Thousand Canals Immortal Official had perished in Blood River Valley and that Huawel Sect would reclaim Thousand-Ditch Prefecture.
The Thousand Canals King, Song Qianji, was dead?!
That fertile, productive land of a thousand miles, rich with Spirit Stone mines and abundant Spirit Qi—would it become ownerless?!
The news spread rapidly across the world, driving some to ecstatic joy and filling others with furious rage.
Two factions stood in opposition, and the Cultivation World braced for impending storms.
...
The Shadowless Sword swayed precariously, carrying Song Qianji silently through the vast sea of clouds.
Song Qianji lay on his back on the sword, hands pillowed behind his head, resting as he gazed at the sky.
He hadn't expected Wuxiang to use himself as fuel to detonate the Three Lives Stone.
Scattering the fragments of the statue into the cloud sea, he found solace in hardship: "This, after all, is my final trump card."
An unremarkable little statue, neither a Magical Artifact nor a treasure of heaven and earth, had radiated golden light in the final moment, allowing him to cheat death and reclaim his life.
Song Qianji had restored life to a dead land, and in return, the mortal world had given him back his life.
As the Flying Sword pressed forward, the fragments of Immortal Official Song's statue drifted backward, streaking across the sky like the long tail of a meteor.Song Qianji murmured softly, "...Thank you."
He had entered the secret realm to kill, expecting to retread the bloody path of his past life, yet through a series of misunderstandings, he ended up saving people along the way—ultimately saving himself.
With a sharp sword in hand and a divine statue in his embrace, the only one who could kill him was himself, and the only one who could save him was also himself.
The morning sun rose, painting the clouds in brilliant hues.
The Shadowless Sword soared past white seagulls, flying between sea and sky, gradually slowing until it hovered mid-air.
"I know you're here—come out!" Song Qianji stood up, shaking his sleeves as he shouted, "Come out!"
Waves rolled endlessly, stretching to the horizon.
Was he searching for something, or for someone?
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