Chapter 1172: The Falling White Cranes (I)

That azure-white sword at his waist must be the legendary Qingche.

Baibin sighed inwardly as he watched the man battling within the Yongjing[1] Profound Ring's spiritual light.

Li Chejing was never a man of the Sword Gate, nor had he reached the Purple Mansion Realm. A hundred years had passed, and any bond tied to that sword immortal had long since faded. There had been no contact between the Sword Gate and the Li Family in all of the years since either. Most likely, the gate had only felt regret over that young sword immortal's early death, not lingering affection.

Back when Baibin was only at the early Foundation Establishment Realm, assigned to guard Changxiao Gate's holdings in the Chengshui Tomb Market, he had once heard of another man, the sword immortal's elder brother, Li Tongya.

Li Tongya, the Celestial Moon Sword, had slain Maha and caused a great stir. His deed had been recorded in the Sword Gate's Chenghua Hall as a model for all disciples, and was praised throughout the sect.

Baibin understood then that the man before him, Li Zhouwei, was not only the head of the Li Family and a descendant of a sword immortal, but the direct and rightful bloodline of Li Tongya himself.

If such a figure, wearing Qingche at his waist, the sword that once belonged to a sword immortal and a virtuous master, were to be slain by the Purple Mansion Realm within the Sword Gate's own territory... Wan Yu would surely be shamed, and the Sword Gate's moral standing and reputation would crumble completely!

Baibin had yet to receive even a single word from his gate master. It was not hard to guess that the Daoist Master must be in some trouble within the Great Void. Still, since it was his own gate's Daoist Master, Baibin forced himself to think kindly. Perhaps the Daoist Master was 'locked in a standoff' with the head of the Sword Gate.

There's no relying on the Daoist Master now...

Baibin momentarily lost focus in midair. Black flames surged beneath the swirling spirit light as Li Zhouwei withdrew most of his spell arts. His halberd thrust and swept, causing dark shadows to ripple as he used his flame of spell-breaking to resist the spiritual radiance. He was holding his ground despite being encircled by five opponents.

What is Baibin doing dazing off?!

Master Yunan battled while fighting off the frustration and fury burning within him. The young man before him had almost no weaknesses to speak of. His spell arts were formidable, and his halberd carried the power to shatter spells. Every sweep and thrust shattered flames and dharma light alike, forcing Yunan to use his dharma sword purely to disrupt his opponent's rhythm.

Daoist Zhuang beside him was renowned for his skill in spell arts. In the Eastern Sea, his raging Radiant Fire usually subdued all foes with ease. But against one who feared no flame and wielded a spell-breaking flame that eroded techniques, he could not even exert half his full strength.

Master Yunan finally gave in to his fury. He leveled his sword, pressed two fingers down together upon the sword, and chanted under his breath. Talisman slips shook free from his sleeve.

Having fought alongside him, Daoist Zhuang reacted instantly, producing a green gourd and shouting, "Bind him first!"

The cultivators on either side exchanged glances, then each drew out a chain of purple water-pattern sigils from their sleeves. They gripped their dharma artifacts and started chanting incantations.

Li Zhouwei seized the opening, pulling his halberd free from the mire of layered spells. The flames of his Armor Cycle Soul-Refining Halberd Art blazed higher, finally subduing the five or six surging tempests of Radiant Essence swirling beside him.

It happened in the span of a mere lift of the hand and a step of the foot. Li Zhouwei suddenly raised his halberd, radiance bursting from between his brows. Four opponents drew back to strike, leaving only one Changxiao Gate cultivator in misfortune. The elderly man, standing on wind and holding a brown-lacquered peachwood staff, was forced to grit his teeth and face Li Zhouwei head-on.

Catching a breath, Li Zhouwei's assault turned even fiercer. The blazing aura struck the old man before the halberd edge ever swept over him. He hastily raised his tortoise-shell-shaped defensive dharma artifact, but a thunderous crash rang out. White flames burst upon it, sending him hurtling backward. Only then did the halberd thrust forward, the surging black flames carrying a tide of turbulent mana.

Freed from the interference of numerous spell arts, Li Zhouwei struck with his full might. Golden flames seemed to leap from his twin golden pupils. Terrified, the elder raised his brown-lacquered peachwood staff high, circulating his Immortal Foundation as a wave of earthy brown light surged out.

Boom!

The elder was no expert in artifact arts. His few spell arts had long been dispelled, and the sudden onslaught left him helpless. Fortunately, his peachwood staff still held some defensive measures. The dharma artifact let out a low, mournful hum.

Crack!

The halberd suddenly swept sideways, its crescent-like branch gleaming. A tremendous, uncontrollable force surged through the old man's arms; the peachwood staff slipped from his grasp, hooked by the halberd and flung into the sky.

"Not good!"

The staff thrashed wildly in midair. As a core disciple of Changxiao Gate, the elder quickly formed seals and cast a spell; the staff turned into a brown speck of light, attempting to pierce through the air back into his palm.

Bang!

A brilliant white radiant pass appeared above the light and slammed down on it. The spell shattered instantly beneath the crushing force, revealing the dharma artifact's true form and pinning it firmly down.

It seems the fondness Wei’s Li had for the halberd was not without reason. Combined with the Immortal Foundation, it truly embodies the path of suppression...

The elder, having lost his dharma artifact, was left disheveled and pale. Luckily, Daoist Zhuang had already raised his green gourd. A torrent of white water infused with surging mana poured out into the air.

Li Zhouwei suddenly sensed the spiritual wind beneath his feet, upheld by heavenly light, beginning to fade. In that instant, he understood,

A Mansion Water dharma artifact!

The roaring Mansion Water coiled beneath his feet; the spiritual wind around his body dispersed completely even before it could surge upward, leaving only a trace of heavenly light beneath his soles to keep him suspended.

He stepped down through the air, and a jade mountain emerged beneath his feet. It expanded rapidly, shrouded in clouds and mist, as cranes and ancient pines manifested upon it. It took mere breaths to anchor itself firmly within the water.

Standing atop the Jade Smoke Mountain, Li Zhouwei's genuine jade dharma artifact shone brilliantly, forcing the surrounding Inferior Water to part. Yet two purple-patterned chains came flying toward him, twining to bind him. This sort of binding artifact had always been his greatest annoyance. He could only raise his halberd and sweep both ends aside.

"Haah!"

A loud shout echoed through the air. Master Yunan had already drawn his sword, drawing a mouthful of clear water and spitting it upon the blade. A dark, greenish-blue radiance burst forth from it.

Swoosh...

The profound glow seemed to take its spirit light with it as it left the sword. The luster of Geng Metal that once covered the blade vanished completely, leaving behind a dim, hollow sword body.

Master Yunan cultivated True Essence and had practiced spell arts to the point where he could execute them rapidly. Leaving the sword hanging, he drew a jade talisman from his waist, gripping it in his palm as if to cast another spell immediately.

Li Zhouwei grew solemn. The Yang Radiant Red Sparrow Banner[2] flared violently, unleashing five-colored Radiant Fire that temporarily blocked the violet chains. His halberd rose in a sharp thrust, clanging as it struck the dark green radiance from midair. The profound glow flickered once and vanished.

1. 雍 (Yōng) is an ancient geographical name; in Chinese history, Yong referred to the region around modern-day Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, once the seat of several dynasties (like the Zhou) and 京 (jīng) means capital or metropolis. ☜

2. Previously known as Yang Li Red Sparrow Banner ☜