291: The sword strikes against my will, and my heart is broken as I travel the world!

Centered on the point of contact between the Sword Qi and the Saber Qi, a terrifying energy storm, indescribable in words, erupted like an out-of-control primeval beast!

Crimson-gold light and golden Saber Qi furiously intertwined, collided, and annihilated each other, transforming into destructive ripples that rapidly spread in all directions!

The guest room, bearing the brunt of the impact, instantly turned to dust as if struck by an invisible giant hammer!

Beds, tables, and chairs were instantly shredded, scattering into countless fragments!

The storm of Saber Qi and Sword Qi continued relentlessly, sweeping through the entire “Fengsha Ferry” inn like a raging sea!

The second floor, the first floor… the wooden structure was like paper in the face of this power; beams snapped, walls collapsed, and debris flew everywhere!

The inn's staff who hadn't fully left, and a few guests still groggy from a hangover, were swallowed and torn apart by this destructive force before they could even scream!

Boom—!

Accompanied by a deafening roar and sky-high dust, the entire “Fengsha Ferry” inn completely collapsed in the darkest hour before dawn, turning into a pile of ruins!

The immense commotion woke the entire border town; shouts, dog barks, and hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance.

And in the center of that ruined area.

Lu Jiuyuan still maintained his lying posture, but the ground beneath him was strangely intact, forming a circular safe zone about ten feet in diameter.

He slowly retracted his joined sword fingers, the crimson-gold light on his fingertips gradually fading.

A trace of blood appeared on his fingertip.

The dragon soul blade was incomparably sharp, indeed living up to its reputation, almost breaking his skin.

“To injure me even slightly, the dragon soul blade… lives up to its name.”

He spoke in a calm tone, sitting upright and looking at Sima Changfeng.

Sima Changfeng knelt on one knee amidst the shattered gravel, the dragon soul blade plunged into the ground before him, supporting his tottering body.

Covered in blood, his instant noodle-like hair was disheveled, and blood continuously seeped from his mouth, nose, and ears, staining the front of his clothes.

He tried to raise his head to look at the figure who remained spotless, a hint of unwillingness in his eyes.

Godfather, I'm sorry, asking me to kill him was a bit too much! Even if I gave my all, I couldn't even hurt him!

Lu Jiuyuan stood up and walked in front of Sima Changfeng, extending his right hand to grasp the hilt of the dragon soul blade that was stuck in the ground.

The moment his fingers touched the hilt, the dragon soul blade vibrated violently, letting out an unwilling hum.

A surge of fierce Evil Qi, like a final burst of life, shot skyward, attempting to resist its new master!

“Hmph.” Lu Jiuyuan snorted coldly, and crimson and black lights rotated in his palm.

One moment scorching hot, the next icy cold!

After nine cycles, the vibration of the dragon soul blade abruptly stopped, all resistance vanished, and the golden light on the blade completely receded, becoming simple and unadorned, utterly docile.

He gently pulled it out, holding the dragon soul blade in his hand.

He flicked his finger, then casually twirled the blade, feeling the immense power contained within its body and the strange Qi mechanism vaguely connected to a distant place.

“The blade is good, but it's a pity it followed a foolish master.”

The moment Lu Jiuyuan drew the dragon soul blade, Sima Changfeng seemed to have the last shred of his supporting strength drained away.

His eyes quickly dimmed, his supporting arms went limp, and he collapsed forward onto the ground, his breath completely cut off.

The number one assassin of the Western Regions, the instant noodle-haired Sima Changfeng, who even ghosts feared, met his end at Fengsha Ferry in this battle.

Lu Jiuyuan casually sheathed the dragon soul blade and carried it on his back; the ancient scabbard seemed to completely isolate the Evil Qi of this fierce blade, preventing it from revealing any of its sharpness.

The earth-shattering collision just now had long alarmed the entire border town; figures flickered in the distance, yet no one dared to approach this area, only fearful gazes glimmered in the darkness.

Lu Jiuyuan also had no desire to get entangled with these ordinary people; his figure flickered, and he vanished from the small town.

He wasn't in a hurry to leave the Western Regions; having obtained the dragon soul blade, he had a faint premonition in his heart.

It was as if someone vaguely said to him in a dream: Master, do you want a wife? I've brought her to you.

Three days passed in a flash.

The morning sun cast its golden glow across the boundless Gobi Desert; the wind blew, stirring up gusts of yellow sand, making the world appear especially vast and desolate.

Amidst this desolation, the sound of clashing weapons and a cold, muffled groan came from ahead.

Lu Jiuyuan quickly approached and looked up, only to see a woman in black fiercely fighting dozens of assassins not far away.

The woman's face was exquisitely beautiful, as cold as ice, with an enduring sorrow and resilience in her brows.

The long sword in her hand danced like the wind, glowing red, like a Phoenix dancing in the Nine Heavens; it was precisely the phoenix blood sword, renowned alongside the dragon soul blade!

“Goddess Dragon, Shangguan Yan.” Lu Jiuyuan immediately recognized the woman.

However, Shangguan Yan's situation was clearly dire at this moment.

Although her swordsmanship was superb, her steps were unsteady, and her pale face had an abnormal greenish tint.

Her attacks were also greatly diminished in power, clearly at the end of her rope, either poisoned or suffering from severe internal injuries.

The black-clad men surrounding her had vicious and cunning martial arts styles, cooperating tacitly; they were all highly trained assassins, their every move aiming for Shangguan Yan's vital points, their intention clear: to kill her.

“Are they Ouyang Flying Eagle's men, or Half Moon's men?”

Lu Jiuyuan immediately thought of Ouyang Flying Eagle, the current overt ruler of the Western Regions and lord of Sifang City.

There was a deep entanglement of grievances between Shangguan Yan and Ouyang Flying Eagle; it was perfectly normal for Ouyang Flying Eagle to send people to intercept her and seize the imperial seal.

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze narrowed, realizing that Shangguan Yan was afflicted with an extremely insidious mixed poison that not only corroded her Internal Energy but also continuously damaged her Meridians and internal organs; if not for her profound Foundation and tenacious will, she would have collapsed long ago.

The assassins clearly intended to exhaust her to death, or capture her alive when the poison rendered her powerless to resist.

Lu Jiuyuan turned to look at the dragon soul blade on his back, “Is the effect so powerful?”

With a thought, his figure floated into the field.

He walked into the battle circle as if strolling in a leisurely garden, casually flicking his sleeves.

“Bang bang bang!”

The assassins surrounding Shangguan Yan only felt an irresistible immense force; their weapons either flew out of their hands, or they, along with their weapons, were sent flying backward, their muscles and bones broken, and they instantly fell in a heap.

The remaining few, seeing the unfavorable situation, let out a shout and turned to flee.

Lu Jiuyuan's eyes turned cold, “How audacious! Not only do they not kneel and surrender upon seeing me, but they dare to turn and flee?”

He flicked his fingers repeatedly, and several sharp Sword Qi shot through the air, accurately piercing the backs of the fleeing assassins.

Their bodies stiffened, they fell to the ground, and there was no further sound.

In an instant, dozens of elite assassins were all killed.

Shangguan Yan held on with her last breath, her phoenix blood sword propped against the ground, barely preventing her from falling.

She looked at this stranger who had suddenly appeared and easily resolved her deadly predicament, her eyes filled with vigilance and a hint of imperceptible shock.

This person's martial arts were simply incredible.

“Thank you… Your Excellency, for your assistance.”

Her voice was weak, yet she maintained her cold demeanor.

Lu Jiuyuan walked up to her, his gaze sweeping over her pale, greenish face, and said indifferently, “You are deeply poisoned; if you don't detoxify soon, even immortals cannot save you.”

Shangguan Yan naturally knew her own condition; this “Yellow Springs” poison was extremely potent, and she had tried several Medicinal Pills, all to no avail.

She pursed her pale lips, saying nothing; her nature was aloof, unwilling to show weakness in front of strangers, and even less willing to easily ask for help.