Hou Niao's soul body was fairly solid, enough to endure the torment of dying a dozen or more times within it. His sword skills improved through this cycle of life and death, which was also why, despite rarely sparring with his fellow disciples, he could kill the moment he struck.
This was precisely what had always puzzled Li Chuping: how had this fellow developed his swordsmanship? It also accounted for his low profile within Shanmen Quanzhen. Many people did not know him, because he always hovered outside the main stage. During his months in the Jade Capital, he had ignored countless occasions for sword duels. To him, what sword duel could be more thrilling and dangerous than fighting Sword Three?
Today's sword duel in the Soul Realm seemed vaguely different, as though an eye were watching him from the Unseen. Was this the scrutiny of the Heavenly Dao? Or some higher-level existence within the Soul Realm?
...At dawn, Zhao Xintong stepped out of her room, her mind somewhat dazed.
She had no idea how she had made it through the night. A sense of insecurity had surrounded her the whole time, so intensely; it had also made her fully understand her true feelings over all these years, that unease hidden in her subconscious.
Previously, she had simply been unable, or unwilling, to face any of it, always thinking that everything that had happened was already in the past and that she now had a new life.
Only when she saw this villain again did she understand what she had been worrying about all along.
She feared that this man would hurt her and the people around her. That was why she had kept a respectful distance despite Daoist Xi's kindness in raising her, and why she had turned a blind