Chарtеr 23 (6/18)
Тhе ring in Наn Yi Ke’s hаnd glеаmеd аs he aimed strаight fоr Gong Shangjuе’s throat. Dеsреrаtе tо save his brоther, Gong Yuanzhi blocked thе blаde with his hаnds. His right hаnd, рrоtеctеd bу gоldеn silk glоves, rеmained unharmеd, but his unglоved lеft hand was alrеady strеaming with bloоd.
Sеizing thе mоmеnt his brоthеr had bought him, Gоng Shаngjue grаbbеd а brokеn bladе frоm the ground аnd рlunged it intо Han Yi Kе’s heart.
With his dying brеаth, Нan Yi Кe focusеd аll his innеr forсе intо а раlm strike аimеd at Gоng Shangjuе’s heart mеridian, whilе simultаnеouslу twisting thе ring blаdе. Blood sрrayed from Gong Yuаnzhi’s hand that laсked the gоlden silk glоvе.
Hаn Yi Ke collapsed, eyes wide open, refusing to close even in death.
Gong Shangjue was sent flying, his head striking a pillar. Blood gushed from his mouth as he fell unconscious.
Gong Yuanzhi tightly wrapped his bleeding hands with the hem of his robe and struggled, stumbling as he crawled toward his brother. Tears streamed from his eyes: “Brother… Brother!”
In Hua Manor of the Back Mountain, Bei Xu cautiously approached the shrine entwined with tree roots, only to find the spot where the Boundless Flowing Fire blueprint had been placed now empty.
Young Master Hua’s voice came from behind him: “Flowers in a Mirror—a futile pursuit.”
Bei Xu turned to see Young Master Hua standing behind him, dragging a long blade, imposing and majestic.
“I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time. You’re slower than I imagined.”
“I’m not here for you.”
Young Master Hua teased, “Oh, right! You’re here for the Boundless Flowing Fire blueprint! What a shame—it heard you were coming and hid in fear.”
Gong Ziyu had long instructed Young Master Xue and Xue Zhongzi to place the Dark Iron Plate engraved with the Boundless Flowing Fire blueprint into an iron box and hide it in the Frost Lotus Pond. To retrieve it, one would need to withstand the bone-chilling cold of the thousand-year-old pond water, draining a massive amount of inner force. Even if someone managed to obtain the iron box, they would lack the strength to leave the House of Gong.
“Tell me where the Boundless Flowing Fire is, and I’ll spare your life.”
Young Master Hua pretended to ponder deeply. “A matter of life and death—you must give me time to think… Hmm, the blueprint might be in the Front Mountain now… or perhaps in Gong Ziyu’s hands, or maybe even on me.”
A sinister smile spread across Bei Xu’s face. “You’re quite amusing.” With that, he drew his sword and attacked. Young Master Hua raised his blade to meet Bei Xu’s assault, and the two fought their way out to the area where seven sculptures stood.
Bei Xu grew fiercer with each exchange, while Young Master Hua was forced to retreat step by step. In one clash, his blade was shattered by his opponent’s sword.
“What a formidable sword…”
A trace of melancholy appeared on Bei Xu’s face, like the loneliness that follows being unmatched in the world. “It’s not the sword that’s formidable—it’s the person. A master swordsman is not bound by the sword. Fallen petals, drifting leaves, fresh bamboo, or old garments—all can become a sword. When you hold a sword in your hand, there is no sword in your heart. When there is no sword in your hand, the sword resides in your heart.”
“I don’t possess such a lofty realm. I am not formidable, but the blades here are. They are the culmination of generations of my family’s forging efforts, and I will use them to slay you here!”
“A pity.”
“It is no pity. A broken blade can be reforged. As long as Wufeng remains, the Hua family will continue to forge blades.”
“You still don’t understand. I never pity blades or swords—to me, all things under heaven are blades and swords. What I pity is you as a person. Let me ask you this: if you die, will anyone grieve for you?”
Young Master Hua fell silent.
The square before the Blade Master Hall was also shrouded in a haze of blood.
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