Defeat and unconsciousness

Whoosh-

After a brief hush, the entire scene erupted into an uproar.

Poisoned by the Sorrowful, Crispy Breeze, the Western Xia experts had tears streaming down their faces like rain and could barely see. Yet they had dimly glimpsed a seductive white figure being sent flying by a sword strike-and that person seemed to be their royal consort, Li Qiushui!

For a moment, their gazes went blank with utter disbelief.

Yan Shisan, Lu Xiaofeng, and the others, who had chosen to stay and watch rather than leave after Li Qiushui appeared, were silently dumbfounded, their hearts equally shaken.

With their discerning eyes, they could naturally tell that Li Qiushui was a Great Grandmaster.

In this era, with no Celestial beings appearing, Great Grandmasters already represented the pinnacle of martial arts.

Rumor held that a single Great Grandmaster could rout armies of thousands. That might have been exaggerated, but it still showed the gulf between a Great Grandmaster and an ordinary martial artist: they were beings who had transcended the mundane.

Yet now, this mighty Great Grandmaster, the royal consort of Western Xia, who had arrived looking down imperiously on everything, had been sent flying by Yu Huatian's sword like some ordinary third-rate martial artist, her fate unknown.

How could they not be shocked?!

"The Fourteenth Sword..."

Yan Shisan gazed at the python-robed figure standing atop the golden roof and murmured, his eyes burning with fervor. His mind held nothing but that breathtaking sword strike.

He had known the Fourteenth Sword was powerful. Once mastered, it would surely shake heaven and earth and make ghosts and gods weep. But even he had never imagined that it could wound a Great Grandmaster!

This only strengthened his resolve to follow Yu Huatian and comprehend the Fourteenth Sword as soon as possible.

Fu Hongxue looked down at the saber in his hand, then raised his head to gaze at the python-robed figure atop the golden roof. No one knew what he was thinking.

Lu Xiaofeng glanced at him, seeming to see through his thoughts, and suddenly said:

"That strike succeeded by seizing the initiative. The sword move was also filled with vitality, making it impossible to guard against beforehand. That was how it achieved such a result. But once an enemy knows to prepare for it, its power will inevitably be greatly diminished."

"In terms of sheer power, your saber-drawing slash has boundless potential. Once you perfect it, it won't be inferior to that strike, so you needn't belittle yourself."

Fu Hongxue froze at his words, then gripped his scabbard tightly, a little more resolve entering his eyes.

Lu Xiaofeng looked toward the silent golden roof of the palace and continued, "Besides, Great Grandmasters aren't so easy to kill. That strike was powerful, but it probably wasn't enough to kill her..."

Boom-

As though to confirm Lu Xiaofeng's words, the instant he finished speaking, a tremendous crash erupted from the mountainside behind the golden roof, sending shattered stone flying everywhere.

Amid the flying rubble, a somewhat bedraggled figure shot out of the cliff. Seething with rage, she became a blur and swept toward Yu Huatian, her murderous intent soaring to the heavens.

A Great Grandmaster was still a Great Grandmaster. In the end, they were not so easily slain.

Yu Huatian was not surprised. He had kept himself at peak readiness precisely to guard against Li Qiushui's fury after being wounded. The instant she attacked, he reversed his hand and thrust his sword, once again using a move from the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords-Godslayer, Buddha Destroyer.

But this time, with the enraged Li Qiushui taking the initiative, the preemptive advantage of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords failed to take effect.

Another immensely powerful palm strike sent a long rainbow piercing the sky. Godslayer, Buddha Destroyer was forcibly shattered, and Yu Huatian's body trembled before he was driven backward against his will.

The disheveled woman in white pressed her advantage relentlessly. With uncanny footwork and an elusive figure, she appeared before Yu Huatian again in an instant, joined two fingers into a sword, and stabbed toward his chest.

On closer inspection, this strike actually bore a faint resemblance to the Fourteenth Sword.

"Formless Skill..."

Yu Huatian's gaze sharpened. Formless Skill truly deserved its reputation as a first-rate martial art, said to be capable of imitating any move beneath heaven. He had painstakingly comprehended the Fourteenth Sword, yet after seeing it just once, Li Qiushui had already reproduced it with Formless Skill.

But while a sword move could be imitated, the true essence of swordsmanship could not. Li Qiushui's strike merely copied its outward form, substituting her vast Great Grandmaster True Qi for its sword intent.

Yet was a sword move without sword intent still a sword move?

Clink-

Her finger sword struck the edge of the Heavenly Sword, producing a clear metallic ring.

Yu Huatian staggered again, driven back by the terrifying force within it. Fortunately, Li Qiushui's imitation with the Formless Skill contained no sword intent. Otherwise, with the Fourteenth Sword's dreadful sword qi unleashed by a Great Grandmaster, that strike would have left him gravely wounded, if not dead.

Even so, Yu Huatian was far from unscathed.

A Great Grandmaster's tremendous True Qi was not so easily withstood, especially when his opponent was an enraged Great Grandmaster. Though wounded, her fighting strength still could not be underestimated.

After taking that palm strike and sword strike head-on, Yu Huatian's meridians burned with pain, and his internal organs felt as though they had all been knocked out of place.

Li Qiushui, however, still looked determined not to stop until he was dead. The moment her finger sword was thwarted, she closed in with another uncanny movement. Her slender, fair hand became a blur, slipping past the Heavenly Sword's edge at a treacherous angle and driving straight toward his vital point.

Boom!

At this moment of life and death, Yu Huatian seemed to break past his limits. He shifted as much of his body-protecting astral energy as possible to his chest, while a glint of madness flashed through his eyes. The Heavenly Sword's keen edge gleamed again as he thrust it fiercely forward.

He had chosen to trade injury for injury. Since he could not match Li Qiushui's footwork and speed or block her offensive, he would see which of them was more ruthless.

Even a Great Grandmaster could not withstand the Heavenly Sword's sharpness. If it pierced a vital point, even a Great Grandmaster would die!

Yu Huatian refused to believe that Li Qiushui would dare perish with him.

And he had indeed gambled correctly-

Watching the razor-sharp sword qi surge toward her chest, Li Qiushui's pupils contracted. Her furious gaze cooled slightly as a trace of reason returned. Just before the sword qi pierced her heart, she immediately withdrew her attack and shifted sideways, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.

Yu Huatian's thrust failed, but the sense of mortal danger weighing on his heart temporarily dispersed, and he too breathed a sigh of relief.

This time, however, he dared not wait for Li Qiushui to attack first. Seizing the instant when she evaded his blade, he twisted his right hand, swiftly changed sword moves, and attacked again.

After their brief exchange, Yu Huatian knew that the murderous techniques of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords could gain no advantage against Li Qiushui's uncanny footwork unless he continually used the Fourteenth Sword.

But the Fourteenth Sword consumed too much True Qi. With his current reserves, he would be drained before he could unleash two strikes. If he failed to kill his enemy, he would only die sooner. Thus, this time he chose the Seventy-Two Sword Forms of the Sunflower Manual.

Although the Seventy-Two Sword Forms in the Sunflower Manual's second half were not as insidious and vicious as the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords, they emphasized peerless finesse and unpredictable variations. They should be just the thing to counter Li Qiushui's uncanny footwork.

Hiss-

The blade swept out, trailing a streak of white vapor above the golden roof battered by the autumn wind. Drawing on the powerful True Qi of the Great Grandmaster Realm, Li Qiushui shattered the sword qi with her hand, then prepared to repeat her earlier tactic and seize the initiative.

Yet this time, Yu Huatian seemed to know her attacks in advance. No matter which direction she attacked from, his sharp sword light always swiftly found the corresponding move to counter her.

Those exquisitely deft, nimble, rapidly changing sword forms were like a tortoise shell, defending him without the slightest gap. Whatever moves Li Qiushui used, she could not break through. Instead, she had to guard against the Heavenly Sword's edge to avoid being wounded.

Swish, swish, swish-

Bang, bang, bang-

Above the shattered golden roof, fierce winds stirred by their force swept in every direction. Broken walls and ruins crumbled into fragments that flew wildly on the gale.

Below, the soldiers of Dragon Gate Pass worked feverishly to carry away the gold. Occasionally, a particularly loud disturbance made them glance upward, but they could see nothing clearly-only two white figures darting among the golden roofs.

Whoosh-

The wind gathered strength, and boundless dark clouds pressed overhead, heralding the arrival of a second storm.

The longer Li Qiushui fought, the more anxious she became. The terrifying sandstorm gradually forming within the distant clouds had already made even her sense danger.

When the storm arrived, she might be able to retreat beforehand using Lingbo Microstep, but the hundreds of Western Xia experts here would certainly die. Her purpose in coming would then be thwarted.

More than half the experts of the Western Xia First-Class Hall were gathered here, poisoned and unable to move. If they all perished, it would be a devastating blow to Western Xia.

But to rescue them, she first had to deal with Yu Huatian. At this moment, he was like a tortoise shell, refusing to engage her head-on and concentrating solely on defense. She had no idea where someone so young had learned such exquisitely refined sword moves. They left her no opening whatsoever.

At this rate, she might still be unable to kill him by the time the storm arrived!

Clang-

She shattered another of Yu Huatian's sword strikes with her palm, but Li Qiushui's fair hand was also jarred red by the Heavenly Sword's edge.

Her hair had come loose, and her exquisite face, which should have radiated unrivaled beauty, was now filled with rage and ferocity.

"Are you a tortoise hiding in its shell? Is dodging all you can do?!"

Clang-

The answer was another keen strike from the Heavenly Sword, once again blocking her uncanny move.

Yu Huatian's expression remained cold, his thin lips pressed into a line as his sword countered Li Qiushui's attack. Yet as he watched her, hair disheveled like a woman possessed, a flicker finally appeared in his eyes, cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice-

Has her composure finally begun to unravel?

Hiss-

His figure flashed, and Yu Huatian finally changed his sword technique. The Seventy-Two Sword Forms became the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords-the Fourteenth Sword!

Swish, swish-

A shrill wind swept outward. Boundless vitality appeared from nowhere, all things revived, and terrifying sword momentum gathered within it.

But at this sight, a gleam of delight immediately appeared in Li Qiushui's eyes. She had been waiting for Yu Huatian to attack so that she could find an opening and kill him swiftly.

As for the strike that had wounded her at the beginning, after that first lesson she had already discerned its true essence. Its strangest aspect was that boundless vitality. As long as she was not deceived by it, she had no fear of the sword qi's power alone.

Li Qiushui guarded her mind, fixing her gaze on the white figure ahead and refusing to let the illusions created by this strike affect her.

Soon, her gaze sharpened. Looking through the sword qi field, she spotted the flaw in this strike: the instant of weakness after he unleashed it.

Strictly speaking, this was not a flaw. The strike was simply too powerful. Once it was unleashed and the enemy died, even if its wielder was briefly weakened, no one would remain to threaten him.

But Li Qiushui was already prepared, and with her martial attainments, she did not fear the terrifying power within this strike. Thus, that instant of exhaustion after he attacked became his deadliest opening!

Boom-

After gathering briefly, terrifying sword qi swept across the vast sky and hurtled toward Li Qiushui.

At the same time, Yu Huatian swayed slightly, his face turning pale as though he had expended an enormous amount of energy.

Now!

A chill instantly flashed in Li Qiushui's eyes. She plunged forward, becoming a blur as she charged straight into the sword qi field. Gathering all her True Qi, she swept out her palm, sending a white rainbow across the sky, intent on tearing apart the sword qi and killing its wielder as quickly as possible.

Yet the moment she unleashed her palm force-before even more than its ripples had touched it-the boundless sword qi suddenly scattered as though startled. With nothing for her White Rainbow Palm Force to strike, even Li Qiushui froze for a moment.

Coming to her senses, she looked ahead. The white, python-robed figure still stood quietly on the cliff behind the golden roof, holding his sword in one hand. He still looked terribly weak, yet for some reason, Li Qiushui saw a trace of mockery in his eyes...

"This is bad..."

Li Qiushui's heart jolted as she suddenly realized something was wrong. But before she could work out exactly what, she felt a gust sweep past before her, sharp enough to pierce her bones. It was too close, and utterly silent. By the time she reacted and tried to dodge, it was already too late...

Squelch-

The sound of sword qi piercing flesh rang out alongside Li Qiushui's scream.

Blood gushed forth.

Li Qiushui's delicate frame trembled, and she staggered, clutching the right side of her chest as scarlet blood flowed between her fingers.

From behind, it was clear that a hole had been opened in her right chest, piercing through to her flawless white back. Sharp sword qi still ravaged the edges of the wound.

Innate Body-Piercing Formless Sword Qi!

The Fourteenth Sword had merely been a feint. Yu Huatian's remaining True Qi was already insufficient for a second strike, so he had used the Fourteenth Sword as camouflage, performing only its opening without actually unleashing it.

The invisible, soundless Innate Body-Piercing Formless Sword Qi hidden beneath the Fourteenth Sword was the true killing move!

Unfortunately, Li Qiushui truly was a seasoned veteran who had cultivated for nearly a century. Although she had initially failed to detect the danger, at the final moment she had instinctively shifted an inch to the side, narrowly protecting her vital point. Otherwise, that sword qi would have pierced her heart.

"Innate Body-Piercing Formless Sword Qi! You're Guan Qi's successor?!"

Pale-faced, Li Qiushui stared fixedly at Yu Huatian on the cliff, her eyes filled with wariness. She chose not to attack again.

Although that sword qi had not killed her, it had broken through her body-protecting astral energy. Combined with their fierce battle, it had left her considerably depleted. She had to find a way to stabilize her injuries first, lest they leave lasting damage.

More importantly, not only was Yu Huatian's swordsmanship exceptionally powerful, but his strange methods also seemed endless. He even knew the signature art of Guan Qi, the holy lord of the Heavenly Alliance in the Great Song Dynasty. This made her deeply wary.

Until she fully understood what he had up his sleeve, she dared not attack again, lest her boat capsize in a mere gutter.

Yu Huatian leaned on his sword with one hand and likewise refrained from attacking. He simply watched Li Qiushui calmly, offering no answer to her question.

Whoosh, whoosh-

The distant wind grew fiercer, and black clouds bore down on the city. A roar like a dragon's cry rose from the depths of the desert.

The second storm had arrived!

With all thirty thousand soldiers of Dragon Gate Pass at work, the palace had now been emptied of gold. Jiang Yan had not even spared the remnants of the golden roof shattered by Yu Huatian and Li Qiushui's battle, ordering everything carried away.

Everyone now waited outside Blackwater City, watching the battlefield anxiously.

The sprawling ancient city lay deathly still, with only the relentless rumble of wind and thunder.

Li Qiushui stared fixedly at the figure on the cliff, her gaze complex and cold. But as the distant storm drew ever closer, she ultimately dared not act rashly.

"Yu Huatian, overseer of Ming's West Depot-I will remember you!"

Gritting her teeth, Li Qiushui pressed tightly against the wound in her chest and gave Yu Huatian one last fierce look. Her figure flashed as she descended into the palace and seized Helian Tieshu, whose face had gone bloodless with fright. She flashed onto the rooftop, then used Lingbo Microstep to dart several times along the nearby cliff before disappearing into the desert.

Seeing that terrifyingly powerful enchantress finally leave, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

On the cliff, Yu Huatian also relaxed inwardly.

Glancing back at the approaching Black Sandstorm, he laboriously lifted his head and looked toward Jiang Yan and the others waiting ahead. He was about to speak when a sudden wave of weakness swept over him. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his hand slipped from the sword supporting him. The world spun, and unable to hold on any longer, he toppled backward.

"Overseer!"

"Lord Yu!"

"Quick! Get the overseer out of there!"

At the last moment, amid the startled cries and rushing sounds in his ears, Yu Huatian's consciousness began to blur. But he knew how gravely his body had been wounded in this battle. Summoning his final scrap of strength, he retrieved a Great Restoration Pill from his system space and forced it down before losing consciousness entirely.

--

Two chapters in one. The desert arc is over. There may be flaws overall, but I did my best to write it. My writing ability is limited, so if anything failed to meet your expectations, I sincerely ask for your understanding. Thank you.

(End of chapter)