Melancholy and Soul-Shattering

Spring waters tinkled cold, spring waters ran clear, spring waters flowed on without end.

Since achieving success in her cultivation, this was the first time Yin Jiuli had encountered a sword cultivator with such exquisite swordsmanship. The Five Elements Wuji Sword in Gao Xian's hand transformed into a pool of spring water—its sword light clear, its sword qi cold and tinkling, its sword intent unending.

Trapped within the spring-water sword light, Yin Jiuli faced a dense, cold radiance devoid of the slightest edge. Like mercury spilling across the ground, it seeped and soaked toward her endlessly from every direction.

Gao Xian clearly possessed a fifth-rank top-grade divine sword, yet he did not use its peerless sharpness to break her. Instead, he sought to subdue her through the subtle, supple transformations of spring water.

It was like a commander leading an army to besiege a single man: victory was already assured, yet the commander insisted on personally entering the field to duel the enemy one-on-one.

In Yin Jiuli's view, Gao Xian was a little too confident to cast aside his greatest advantage. The battle had thus become a contest of swordsmanship.

Battle was the pursuit of victory by every possible means, while a contest of swordsmanship carried the nature of exchanging pointers and debating the Dao.

The Nine Provinces Assembly might be said to be for discussing the Dao and comparing arts, but in such an important gathering, who would dare not go all out? Yet Gao Xian's move gave her a chance to win.

The twin swords in Yin Jiuli's hands, one yin and one yang, formed a perfect Two Principles Taiji, becoming a heaven and earth of their own. Like a stone in a pool of spring water, no matter how the waters seeped and soaked, I remained immovable.