An Old Woman

Amid the light shooting into the sky, the most dazzling thing was a glint of cold light.

There was no unusual display, nor anything else—only a single ray of light.

In an instant, everyone felt an inexplicable chill. Amid that bone-deep sense of danger, a clear sword cry rang in their ears.

Everyone made way, because its edge was impossible to resist.

That frigid radiance had not come from within the crowd, but descended from the heavens. More precisely, it had been peeled away from the Azure Deep Sea, descending upon the human world with overwhelming power.

Its glow burned like a soul, stinging everyone's eyes.

—Azure Lotus Sword Song.

The sword cry echoed by everyone's ears. Though there was only one, it seemed layered and rhythmic, overlapping with itself.

It was as though it had crossed the shackles of time and space, bringing the music of the flourishing Tang era into the human world—the image of five fingers gently plucking at zither strings, the grandeur of iron staffs striking bronze drums, and the radiant splendor of phoenix-feather robes swirling in joyous abandon.

A thread of cold light cleaved the entire sky, yet in its wake, it only formed ripples like water. It was as though the prosperity of the mortal world, with its songs and dances, had been reflected in water—until the sword light descended and reduced that beautiful human world to powder.

Within that powder, azure lotuses bloomed one after another, surrounding Zhu Sha.

They also kept everyone else outside.

"What is that?!"

Jon, the only one not blocked off, froze. Though the lotuses had not touched him, their piercing killing intent was conveyed with startling clarity, unimpeded by the force field.

In that brief moment of hesitation, he realized what it was.

The Azure Lotus Sword Song,