Lingyun Cave, Fire Qilin

North of the Imperial City in Chaoge City, stands the Imperial Guards' headquarters.

The air in the room seemed to be swallowed by the heavy curtains, causing the normally bright sunlight to vanish into the dim atmosphere. Only a faint beam of light pierced through the gap in the curtains, as if trying to break the eerie silence within, making the entire space appear even more mysterious.

In the dim light, a figure with blood-red hair, resembling a child in appearance, could be vaguely seen standing in the center of the room. The voice that emanated from it was indistinguishable from that of a middle-aged man: "What kind of trash are you looking for? You can't even kill a mere Postnatal Peak brat!"

"I apologize, my lord. It was my subordinate's poor judgment in selecting and employing people," replied an old woman. She had silver hair, a face full of wrinkles, sunken eyes, and pale skin.

Her back was slightly hunched, but her amber-like eyes still gleamed with a cunning light. Her wrinkles seemed like a painted scroll, telling tales of the passage of time and the richness of life.

She leaned on a wooden staff adorned with a porcelain bowl and a gourd, exuding a terrifying killing aura.

"I don't need your apology; I want the final result!"

"Please rest assured, my lord. I have reassigned personnel. This time, Black and White Impermanence will personally handle it, guaranteeing success."

"Foolish. A failed attempt only alerts the enemy. Do you think they won't be vigilant, won't be prepared? Your people are already being watched!"

"Then what does my lord mean?"

"Kill with a borrowed knife, kill two birds with one stone!"

"My lord is brilliant. Your subordinate understands what needs to be done!"

In Chuan Prefecture, Leshan County, at the confluence of the Dadu River, Min River, and Qingyi River, there is a colossal Buddha statue carved into the mountainside, known as the Leshan Giant Buddha.

In the early days of the Great Shang dynasty, a monk named Haitong began traveling the land. Upon reaching Lingyun Mountain, he deemed it a place of abundant resources and spiritual energy, and thus built a thatched hut to practice his cultivation.

Later, observing the deep, swift currents that frequently swallowed passing ships, leading to the saying, "Boats are swept away by the waves, and people perish with them."

To mitigate the water's ferocity and save all living beings, Monk Haitong resolved to carve a statue of Maitreya Buddha into the rock of Lingyun Mountain, intending to rely on the Buddha's boundless divine power to "transform raging waves into calm currents."

After nearly a century of work, the Leshan Giant Buddha was finally completed. The entire statue leans against the cliff face of Lingyun Mountain's Qixia Peak, overlooking the river. It is carved into the mountain and sits as if part of it, becoming one with the rock. As the saying goes, "The mountain is a Buddha, and the Buddha is a mountain."

Today, Qin Shuang and Nie Feng have arrived here, not to admire the Leshan Giant Buddha, but to venture into Lingyun Cave halfway up the mountainside to explore its depths.

The entrance to Lingyun Cave was covered in tangled vines, and no birds or beasts were in sight, clearly indicating that no one had entered for many years. Qin Shuang and Nie Feng exchanged a glance and resolutely stepped inside.

The two were well-prepared. Qin Shuang drew his Dingguo and Polu sabers, slashing left and right to clear the path ahead, while Nie Feng lit a torch and followed closely behind, providing illumination.

The interior of Lingyun Cave was winding and intricate, with numerous branching paths. Qin Shuang and Nie Feng proceeded cautiously, step by step.

After walking for an unknown duration, a surge of heat suddenly erupted from ahead.

"Roar!" A thunderous roar echoed from the depths of the cave, shaking their very souls!

Immediately after, a continuous sea of fire surged towards Qin Shuang and Nie Feng. Within the inferno, a fierce beast appeared, possessing the head of a dragon, the horns of a deer, the eyes of a lion, the back of a tiger, the waist of a bear, the scales of a snake, the claws of an eagle, and the tail of an ox. It was engulfed in flames, roaring and thrashing—the Fire Qilin!

Faced with the sudden appearance of the ferocious Fire Qilin, Qin Shuang showed no fear. He unleashed the Dream Slaying Saber Technique and charged forward.

Nie Feng reacted with incredible speed. His second stance of the Wind God's Leg, [Grass in the Wind], struck before the Fire Qilin could, its powerful leg force attacking the beast's head with astonishing speed.

However, the Fire Qilin was immensely strong, its scales impervious to blades and spears. It ignored their attacks, and with a swipe of its claws, it sent both of them flying and crashing to the ground.

The Fire Qilin lunged, pinning Nie Feng beneath its claws, and opened its maw to bite down.

Heavenly Frost Fist, Sixth Stance, [Numerous Frost Scars]! A chilling fist force slammed into the Fire Qilin's right neck, blasting it away and rescuing Nie Feng.

Seeing that blades were ineffective, Qin Shuang had put away his sabers and switched to using the Heavenly Frost Fist, intending to use its icy power to counteract the Fire Qilin's flames.

The two, along with the beast, engaged in a fierce back-and-forth battle. Initially, they were evenly matched, but after thirty exchanges, Qin Shuang and Nie Feng began to falter.

The Fire Qilin's scorching flames had already breached their protective qi. Their clothes were torn in multiple places, and their bodies were scorched black.

Meanwhile, the Fire Qilin seemed unaffected by the cold, possessing seemingly endless strength. Its attacks, from beginning to end, showed no signs of weakening.

How can we win this? Qin Shuang felt a hint of helplessness, but his hands dared not slacken. He poured all twelve percent of his strength into taking the Fire Qilin's attacks head-on.

Nie Feng also understood the gravity of their situation. Facing the terrifying Fire Qilin, he did not retreat. Instead, he used the Wind God's Leg to continuously attack the beast's body, searching for a weakness.

Even with their all-out efforts, they were still in grave danger.

Just as Qin Shuang and Nie Feng were on the verge of collapse, a long saber pierced through the air and embedded itself in the ground, temporarily separating the two and the beast.

The saber was three feet seven inches long, exuding a chilling aura. It was the Nie family's Snow Drinking Saber!

Following closely, a red light shot towards the Fire Qilin. It was a sword-wielding youth, about fifteen or sixteen years old.

The youth was dressed in red, with a pale face, gaunt cheeks, and gloomy eyes that radiated an intimidating aura.

He held a sword that was entirely red, with a scale embedded at its base, burning with a crimson flame similar to the Fire Qilin's.

"Snow Drinking Saber! Fire Qilin Sword! Are you Duan Lang?" Nie Feng recognized the saber and sword and, recalling the youth he had met years ago, blurted out the question.

The youth named Duan Lang did not reply. His expression was grave, and with the Fire Qilin Sword in hand, he unleashed the Duan family's hereditary swordplay, the Sun Devouring Swordplay.

Third Stance, [Sunlight in the Heavens]!

The sword energy from the Fire Qilin Sword was like the scorching midday sun, fierce and intense, striking directly at the Fire Qilin.

With a single move, he wounded the Fire Qilin, which Qin Shuang and Nie Feng had been unable to handle, causing its blood to splatter.

"Ah!" Unfortunately, a drop of the Fire Qilin's blood splashed into Qin Shuang's left eye, and the scalding droplet instantly burned his entire eyeball to a charred crisp.

Enraged by the pain, the injured Fire Qilin fiercely struck the distracted Qin Shuang, sending him flying.

"Go!" Duan Lang made a decisive move. Seizing the moment when the Fire Qilin was injured and disoriented, he grabbed Qin Shuang and fled. Nie Feng hastily drew the Snow Drinking Saber and followed behind.

However, misfortune struck again. As the three fled in haste, the ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed, sending them plummeting downwards.

Fortunately, all three possessed considerable martial arts skills. They channeled their strength into their limbs, pressing themselves against the rock face to slow their descent. After sliding several dozen feet, they finally landed on solid ground.