105: Chapter 105 The Golden Core Illusion Shatters in an Instant, A Fifth-Rank Divine Weapon Severs Yin and Yang!

[A waterfall of swords grinds down overhead.]

[Phantom Raid activated.]

[Your figure vanishes from directly beneath the sword waterfall.]

[Your entire body shifts three zhang, dodging out of the core kill zone.]

[The sword waterfall slams into the spot where you were originally standing.]

[The bluestone floor explodes into a three-foot-deep crater, stone fragments flying everywhere.]

[Ling Qingmeng side-steps simultaneously, her boot soles grazing the ground as she retreats to the side of the palace gate.]

[The moment she lands, the Army-Breaking Explosive Killing Array rises.]

[Twelve Gang patterns explode from your dantian, pale gold Gang Qi manifesting against your skin.]

[Greased Soles activated, speed pushed to the limit.]

[First Rainbow Sword Intent pours into the jinhong sword, and the sword radiance surges.]

[The male cultivator's sword momentum is heavy, while the female cultivator's sword Qi is thin.]

[You twist your figure, charging straight at the female cultivator.]

[The jinhong sword transforms into a golden arc of light, its inch-by-inch sword radiance forcibly tearing into the female cultivator phantom's sword Qi barrier.]

[Pfft, pfft, pfft—]

[Three gaps open in the sword Qi barrier in succession.]

[The female cultivator phantom blocks horizontally with her sword.]

[Your sword momentum does not stop; you strike down continuously, one sword after another.]

[With a flash of an afterimage, the male cultivator has forced his way to the female cultivator's side.]

[Double Swords Combined!]

[Two translucent longswords suddenly lock together in mid-air, their Sword Intent merging.]

[Two streams of spiritual power twist into a violent, giant sword radiance, stabbing straight at your chest.]

[You root your feet, nailing yourself firmly to the spot without retreating an inch.]

[Thirteen Gale Strikes.]

[The first breath.]

[Seven golden sword radiances slash out in a fan shape, meeting the combined sword light head-on.]

[Boom—!]

[Spiritual power collides, and a shockwave explodes. The stone shelves in the hall are shaken, retreating repeatedly.]

[The second breath.]

[Six swords.]

[Each sword is wrapped in Gang Qi amplification; the golden radiance and the combined sword light are locked in a death struggle, emitting a piercing metallic screech.]

[The thirteenth sword falls.]

[The two forces stalemate for only an instant.]

[A crisp shattering sound comes from the combined sword radiance.]

[The two phantoms are knocked back three zhang, their formation torn apart.]

[You press down on your sword edge, stopping without pursuing.]

[Phantom Raid cooldown has thirty breaths remaining.]

[Ling Qingmeng's finger seal is complete.]

["Thunder-Binding Lock!"]

[Eight thick purple lightning chains explode through the air, locking onto the limbs of the two phantoms respectively.]

[Lightning flashes violently, and purple electricity pours madly into the phantoms' bodies.]

[The phantoms struggle violently, and the combined energy flow is forcibly cut off.]

[Thirty breaths have passed.]

[Your figure vanishes.]

[When you reappear, you are at the neck of the male cultivator phantom.]

[The jinhong sword slashes horizontally.]

[Severing the neck.]

[The male cultivator's head flies off, dissipating into specks of light filling the sky.]

[At the same moment, Ling Qingmeng changes her hand gesture.]

["Thousand-Thread Thunder Net!"]

[Lightning gushes out from her ten fingers, covering the female cultivator phantom from above.]

[The lightning net tightens firmly.]

[The phantom twists, expands, and explodes within the lightning.]

[Blue light dust settles across the palace hall.]

[The palace hall returns to dead silence.]

[You sheath the jinhong sword, your Gang Qi dissipating, and your right arm holding the sword feels slightly sore.]

[Most of your spiritual power is exhausted, and your meridians are faintly burning.]

[Ling Qingmeng lands, thin sweat clinging to her temples.]

[The two exchange a look.]

[She lifts her chin, pointing toward the white jade pedestal.]

[—]

[You walk toward the white jade pedestal.]

[The Supreme Sword Bone resonates violently, shaking your jaw until it goes numb.]

[You hook your five fingers around the edge of the sword box.]

[You lift the lid.]

[A sword light like the polar day shoots up from inside the box.]

[The sword radiance slams directly into the dome, shattering the ore and causing rubble to rain down.]

[In the center of the intense light, a flying sword entirely made of purple-gold hovers above the sword box.]

[The sword body is slender, and the spine is engraved with the Yin-Yang Taiji diagram, with Yin and Yang flowing endlessly.]

[The spiritual pressure exhaled by the blade cuts the air within a ten-zhang radius into shreds.]

[A fifth-grade flying sword.]

[It far exceeds any weapon you have ever seen in your life.]

[You steady your breathing, your gaze falling to the bottom of the sword box.]

[A yellowed letter is pressed at the bottom of the box.]

[You take the letter and unfold it.]

[The handwriting is wild and cursive; having weathered the ages, the remaining Sword Intent in the strokes still stings your fingertips.]

["I am the sword cultivator Liu Shiliu; the sword is named the Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword, a fifth-grade weapon."]

["In the life-and-death battle between humans and demons, my Daoist companion Qin Qing and I saw our origins collapse, and we have little time left. I leave this final note here, along with the gains of my life. Since those who come after have obtained this sword, do not tarnish the backbone of a sword cultivator."]

[You finish reading the letter and hand it to Ling Qingmeng.]

[She scans it quickly.]

["Ancient sword cultivator Daoist companions." She folds the letter and places it back. "No wonder the killing array and the Soul-Suppressing Beast outside were both in pairs."]

[She turns her head, looking around at the stone shelves on both sides of the palace hall.]

[The shelves are filled with resources enough to make outside sects turn green with envy.]

[A fourth-grade 'Lishang Sword', two fourth-grade defensive spiritual artifacts, three auxiliary spiritual artifacts, a stack of ancient talismans, as well as rows of jade slips and high-grade ores.]

[Ling Qingmeng glances at you.]

[Her gaze falls back to the hovering Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword.]

["The fifth-grade Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword belongs to you."]

[You turn your head to look at her.]

["The fourth-grade Lishang Sword, spiritual artifacts, talismans, jade slips, and ores all belong to me." Her tone is flat, as if she were talking about what to eat today. "How about it?"]

["Deal."]

[Both sides contributed equally on this trip, each taking what they need.]

[A fifth-grade flying sword is priceless across the entire Xuanming Continent. This deal is extremely fair.]

[She nods and walks straight to the stone shelves on both sides, beginning to clear and collect the items.]

[You reach out and grasp the hilt of the Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword.]

[The sword body trembles, and a tyrannical spiritual power surges into your palm, attempting to backlash, but it is immediately suppressed by the aura of the Supreme Sword Bone, falling into silence.]

[A fifth-grade flying sword requires the Golden Core Realm to unleash its full power; currently, you can only utilize a fraction of it.]

[You place it back into the sword box, lock the lid, and solemnly store it in your storage bag.]

[—]

[Thirty-one years old. The first day of the fourth month. The Hour of the Dog (19:00-21:00).]

[Two sword lights break out from the southern sea of clouds, speeding back to the sect.]

[After half a day of flight, you and Ling Qingmeng each regulate your breathing on your swords.]

[The silhouette of the Tianxuan Sect mountain gate appears in the night.]

[The two land on the bluestone square in front of the sect gate.]

[Ling Qingmeng puts away her flying sword, takes out a blank jade slip from her storage bag, inscribes it with a divine sense mark, and tosses it to you.]

["Communication jade slip. Contact me directly if you need anything in the future."]

[You raise your hand to catch it, then take out a jade slip, inscribe a mark into it, and toss it back.]

[She puts the jade slip away, turns around, takes two steps, and stops.]

[She does not look back.]

["Shen Ji."]

["Hm?"]

["Next time there is a secret realm, I will call you again."]

[As her voice falls, a silver-white sword light shoots into the sky, disappearing into the night.]

[You stand on the square, tuck the communication jade slip into your sleeve, and turn to walk into the mountain gate.]

[Inside your storage bag, the sword box of the Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword pulses slightly; the sharpness of the fifth-grade sword weapon pierces through the fabric, radiating warmth against your leg bone.]