"Today I'm going to kill someone."
In the pitch-black, lightless cave, Chu Liuxiang uttered such a shocking statement.
Because everyone knows that this marshal among bandits, this charming young rogue, has never killed anyone.
Hidden in the darkness, surrounded by countless 'bats', the Lord of the Demon Cave seemed to have heard a joke.
"You? Including Hu Tiehua, you only have one helper."
Zhang San was not considered an accomplice, and Dong San Niang was not considered a person.
Under his design, Hua Zhenzhen should rightfully regard Chu Liuxiang as an enemy.
Gao Yanan will not take action, under the orders of her master, Master Ku Mei.
The Jin Lingzhi belongs to him.
"That's enough." Chu Liuxiang took out a snuff bottle.
An ordinary snuff bottle, engraved with landscapes that can be seen everywhere.
It was the only solace for a blind orphan girl.
She doesn't smoke.
You can't see it either.
But she could feel it; she knew it depicted mountains and rivers, just like the mountains and rivers of her hometown. When she touched it, it felt as if she had returned home, as if she had come back to life from the dead.
But even this only hope, dignity, is to be stripped away, and the only response is a clean and decisive slap, followed by words that reduce it to the dust.
The blind girl who longed for her hometown died.
Only this snuff bottle remains.
A snuff bottle that is not particularly valuable.
Is it worth exposing it to the 'bats' and letting the Lord of the Demon Cave see it?
Is it worth it for a blind girl who has already died?
Aren't the lives of those heroes and outlaws in the martial world more important than the life of this master thief?
As long as you don't kill people, everyone is equal, and no one has the right to deprive others of their dignity and life. Isn't faith more important?
Chu Liuxiang seemed to hear another version of himself questioning him.
But he merely stroked the landscape on the snuff bottle.
He seemed to see the blind girl's hometown.
He moved, toward the light in his heart.
Only bats can fly using their sense of touch.
Bats always make a peculiar sound when they fly, and if this sound touches something else, the bat will immediately sense it.
Strange sound waves, strange sensations.
The 'bats' opposite might not be frightening in the sunlight, but in this darkness they were already familiar with, they were enough to take anyone's life.
They all firmly believed this.
The Lord of the Demon Cave shared the same view.
However, his noble, elegant smile froze.
As the master of the Demon Cave and the strongest of all the bats, his senses and sound waves have failed.
Chu Liuxiang disappeared into the darkness.
In this darkness, their friends have become their enemies.
They could only discern the possible location of Chu Liuxiang through the passing of each life.
This man, as gentle as a spring breeze, has now transformed into the cold wind of a harsh winter that takes away life.
Closer, closer!
Despite the passing of his servants, the Lord of the Demon Cave, the Bat Prince, remained expressionless.
They are risking their lives to remind him.
He drew his sword.
His most powerful weapon.
The strongest of the thirty-three martial arts he was proficient in, and the most powerful weapon he wielded.
A Gentle Breeze Comes Slowly.
The opening of the "Thirteen Forms of Gentle Breeze".
The first sword technique he learned.
He raised his left hand to his brow, and slashed out with his longsword, just like the sword technique he was taught when he first met Master Ku Mei, the sword technique that seemed to bring him light, the sword technique that brought two broken hearts together.
The story revolves around a swordplay performed by the blind youngest son of the Yuan Dongyuan and the elderly, disabled but determined female leader of the Mount Hua Sect.
The sword light seemed to appear and disappear, the attack seemed fast and slow, the sword path seemed real and illusory, and the moves seemed to change but did not.
It eroded towards where Chu Liuxiang was.
In the darkness.
In the absolute darkness.
A Dodge light burst forth.
It's a sword!
The face of the Lord of the Demon Cave remained hidden in the darkness, but the light and shadow of the sword were only an inch away from Chu Liuxiang's figure.
No one in the world can escape this sword strike.
Such a sword strike that there was no way to dodge!
Hua Zhenzhen and Hu Tiehua couldn't help but exclaim in surprise!
Gao Yanan's tears gushed out, sparkling like diamonds in the light of the sword.
Driven by that Setsuna of brilliance, they rushed forward.
Even though they knew it was too late.
No one saw that Chu Liuxiang's face, with his back to them, remained calm and composed, even showing a hint of relaxed ease.
In mid-air, his body twisted in an indescribable way, the sword tip missed its mark, and his slender fingers fell like shooting stars to the spine of the sword, flicking it lightly.
The sound was like a death knell.
The sword broke free from the Demon Lord's grasp.
The sound of the sword shattered his ears.
The venomous dragon broke free from its master's restraints and turned to bite him.
The sound of the sword piercing the body was followed by the almost desperate cries of Hu Tiehua and the others.
The thief who survived both the Bewitching Cave of the Shi Guanyin and the Shenshui Palace of the Jellyfish is dead.
The onlookers, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help but show sorrow on their faces.
Although Chu Liuxiang was not liked by everyone, no one wanted to see the martial arts world lose such a wonderful person.
Even these hypocrites and villains, blinded by greed and with a dark side, are no different.
But then the sound of a sword rang out, breaking their moment of silence.
It came from above their heads.
Like the roar of Thor.
It was as if the heavens were mourning the passing of Chu Liuxiang.
The rocky mountain where they were, this den of demons, seemed to tremble with fear of the impending judgment.
The glory of the trial shone from the dome.
The light shone on the face of the Lord of the Demon Cave.
It was a face that made everyone hold their breath and dare not shout.
It was also a face that surprised people.
Yuan Suiyun.
The owner of this earth-shattering name is none other than the master of the Demon Cave, the Bat Prince.
And, surprisingly, it was him who died.
Beside him, Chu Liuxiang lowered his head, seemingly unharmed, but still stroking the snuff bottle.
Not far away, Hu Tiehua and others appeared to be both crying and laughing.
They wanted to laugh, but the deep-seated grief that had previously erupted made them look strange.
"You're not the murderer?" Hu Tiehua belatedly looked at Hua Zhenzhen. Although she was still masked, her beauty could not be concealed by the black veil.
"No!"
A familiar, mournful wail echoed throughout the cave.
"Master Ku Mei!" Hu Tiehua looked at Gao Yanan, who was avoiding his gaze.
"You're the traitor!" He staggered, unable to accept it.
Not far away, Jin Lingzhi also appeared to be both crying and laughing, and no one suspected anything.
The person she was infatuated with died, but the person she loved is still alive.
The white-haired old woman with only one eye, more scars than wrinkles on her face, and a charred hand stumbled toward Yuan Suiyun's corpse.
Out of respect for Gao Yanan, no one stopped her.
Master Ku Mei held Yuan Suiyun's body in her arms as if it were a precious treasure, and then stopped breathing completely.
Why would the Iron Immortal Aunt, who lost a hand and an eye for the Mount Hua Sect and was covered in wounds for the sect, and who was upright and righteous throughout her life, do such a thing?
What exactly is her relationship with Yuan Suiyun?
Was she originally from the Yuan clan?
Still?
These secrets were buried deep with her death.
"Not Yuan Suiyun?"
"Is it Chu Liuxiang?"
Two melodious, moving, yet cold female voices, coming from high above and from the light, broke the momentary silence in the cave.
"Who are you?" Chu Liuxiang asked, looking at the newcomers.
They were a pair of Qing Leng twin girls, as if they were the transformed form of the cassia tree in the moon palace.
For some reason, he always felt a sense of déjà vu about them.
"Amber."
"Die Wu".
The two people standing in the light seemed to be radiating light themselves, with a luster more beautiful than the purest pearl.
But the others in the cave only had eyes for that pale blue porcelain sword.
Even though her eyes were gouged out and her eyelids were stitched up, Dong San Niang, who was still attached to her body, could still see the sword.
It was flying slowly toward Chu Liuxiang with unstoppable momentum, aiming straight for his heart.
They all wanted to remind each other.
But the Setsuna the thought arose, it was extinguished by the murderous intent that filled the world.
Their bodies seemed to lose weight, their senses bursting forth at their limits; the sounds of the wind, the tide, and three footsteps approaching were all crystal clear.
Strangely, as the sword drew closer to Chu Liuxiang's heart, all sounds and movements began to slow down.
When it pierced Chu Liuxiang's heart, everything seemed to freeze.
In this frozen world, only Chu Liuxiang and the two girls could move.
"Goodbye."
"Chu Liuxiang".
Upon hearing this, Chu Liuxiang seemed to have just discovered the porcelain sword in his chest. He lowered his head, and his eyes showed not fear of death, but rather a regret that he himself did not understand.
The Setsuna he discovered it, everything was able to move again.
Li Hongxiu and her two companions finally reached the top of the stone mountain, where the porcelain sword had cut a huge gash.
The joy on their faces vanished, as if their lives had been completely ripped away in that instant.
The same applies to Hu Tiehua, Dong San Niang, Gao Yanan, Jin Lingzhi, and Hua Zhenzhen.
Their Shendu seemed to turn into raging flames as they glared at Amber and Die Wu.
He's still alive!
Despite losing her eyesight, Dong San Niang also learned the skills of a 'bat' in the darkness, and she heard the heartbeat that was etched deep into her soul.
Before anyone could react...
"I see."
A sound that should never have been heard again has appeared.
Chu Liuxiang, who should have lost his life, raised his head.
The porcelain sword that pierced his heart materialized in his palm out of thin air. "I am [Hongyan], and I am also Li Lin."
He woke up and understood everything.
Interfering with Li Lin, who is a sword, is to bring him together with himself.
If the sword is Li Lin, it is a manifestation of Li Lin's reclusive nature.
Li Lin in Chu Liuxiang is the embodiment of Li Lin's literary youth, a literary youth who creates trouble and constraints for himself.
As Chu Liuxiang, he was far more popular and outstanding than the Chu Liuxiang in the novel.
Gao Yanan, who should have liked Hu Tiehua, was liked by Jin Lingzhi.
Shi Guanyin, the Water Mother Yin Ji likes him.
Even though she was already disfigured and over fifty years old, Qiu Ling su would sigh when she saw him, "You were born before I was born, and I was born after you were old."
But he was only slightly better off than his good brother Hu Tiehua.
Hu Tiehua is the type of girl who, once someone she likes falls for her, immediately runs away and distances herself, completely disregarding how selfish her actions are. This world is so harsh on a girl who takes the initiative.
He was merely polite and courteous, and did not overstep any boundaries.
He sleeps with beautiful women, but it's all just fleeting encounters.
He hesitates to pursue the woman he truly likes, saying she's just a younger sister.
Even his favorite Su Rongrong, he could only admit that his life could not be without her.
She can be described as a male version of Lin Xian'er who is not casual about dating.
Therefore, it is quite normal for him to be targeted and awakened by himself.
"Chu Liuxiang's role-playing has come to a complete end," Chu Liuxiang sighed. "But the story of the sword must continue."
Sword, Die Wu, and Amber have left this world.
It was as if they had never been there.
Only the Wuzheng Villa, razed to the ground by a meteorite, proved their arrival.
[Wuzheng Villa] is not without conflict; beneath its glamorous facade lies the blood and tears of countless people.
Bat Island has always existed; it just wasn't always home to bats.
It's not called that either.
Chu Liuxiang continued his killing spree, killing Yuan Suiyun.
The owner of that snuff bottle did not die this time.
All the blind women on the island regained their sight thanks to Su Rongrong's superb medical skills.
Chu Liuxiang returned to his small boat, this time with three more people on board: Hua Zhenzhen, Gao Yanan, and Jin Lingzhi.
From Jin Lingzhi, he learned about the twisted relationship between Master Ku Mei and Yuan Suiyun.
And Yuan Suiyun's penchant for people with disabilities.
It was precisely because Jin Lingzhi was in good health that she hadn't made up her mind, which is why Yuan Suiyun hadn't accepted her.
She was also very fortunate.
That's why she was able to give herself completely to Chu Liuxiang.
After Su Rongrong and the others.
Hu Tiehua and the others all believed that it was his experience on Bat Island that changed him.
But in fact, the male version of Lin Xian'er is completely 'dead'.
Only Li Lin exists in this world.
But with the help of the Chu Liuxiang who died before his death, the story of the sword continued.
——
"The sword of old age."
"A renowned sword in its twilight years."
Emerald Cloud Peak, Green Water Lake.
The two girls looked across the river at the Divine Sword Manor, nestled in the heart of the mountain.
This is a sacred place in the martial arts world, a forbidden area for those in the Jianghu.
There are no restrictions on the Divine Sword Manor. Only a river surrounds half of the manor, while the other half is isolated by towering mountains and cliffs.
The cliffs are sheer and towering into the clouds. The surface is so slippery that even monkeys cannot climb over it. Therefore, in theory, there should only be one way to get to the Divine Sword Manor.
To see the divine sword among swords, there is only one path among men to become the sword god.
But these two girls managed to find a second path.
A path that no one else could possibly take.
Two girls appeared from the golden ribbons that fell from the sky.
They arrived at a forbidden area called [Hidden Sword Pavilion], which even Xie Xiaoyu, the nominal owner of the Divine Sword Manor, was unaware of.
This place is nothing more than a dilapidated courtyard.
But as long as its location and its owner are known, no one will ever underestimate it.
Because there truly is a divine sword of earth-shattering power hidden here.
Even without names, those who are merely referred to by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and dare not call their swords sword Sword Slave who can roam freely in any region if they wish to venture out.
However, they willingly remain here as Sword Slave.
The story revolves around a man who has lost his thumb and can no longer wield a sword.
Even seeing the two girls appear in such a wondrous way, enough to captivate any man's face, the four Sword Slave remained unmoved, simply drawing their swords—swords that were not called swords—from their waists with a speed and technique that most masters in the martial world could not detect.
It pierced straight towards the person who came.