"Let's go!"
The remnant soul of Man Yuan roared with laughter, dragging the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel and soaring into the sky, as if no one in this world could stop him anymore.
However, just as the remnant soul of Man Yuan ascended, golden light flashed from within the clouds in the sky. Immediately, dozens of golden lightning bolts descended from the heavens, their thunderous roars unceasing. These golden lightning strikes, as if with eyes, all bombarded Man Yuan. Man Yuan, as a mere remnant soul, was a creature of the ghostly and ethereal kind. He could not withstand the might of these heavenly lightning bolts. His body was instantly shattered, and he wailed repeatedly.
"Boom!"
A figure shot up from the ground, enveloped in a dense sword intent. With a heavy kick, they struck the tip of the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel. It was an all-out attack from Tuo Zhi. The Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel was immediately flung from its wielder's grasp and plunged back into the lakebed. Yu Wan Ning then fiercely thrust upwards, bathed in the power of the Heavenly Lightning Talismans ignited by Lin Zhao. With each punch, she drove the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel deeper. Even as her fists became bloody and her bones were exposed, she did not stop. She knew that Lin Zhao, Tuo Zhi, and the others were all fighting desperately, and this undertaking to stabilize the sea was a matter of utmost importance for their very lives.
In the sky, Lin Zhao ignited six Heavenly Lightning Talismans in one breath, nearly exhausting his physical strength. Once all six talismans had burned out, he drifted down onto the water, with only a sliver of strength left to sustain his journey across the waves.
But in the sky, the matter was far from over.
The remnant soul of Man Yuan reformed, though his body was at least eighty percent smaller. Yet, his demonic aura still lingered.
"Yu Wan Ning!"
Lin Zhao looked up at the sky and said, "Intercept Man Yuan and let Tuo Zhi focus on sending the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel back underground!"
"Alright!"
Yu Wan Ning turned and left, her Soldier God Core humming. Her fists struck Man Yuan's remnant soul like lightning. Man Yuan, wielding a phantom red cudgel, swept it out, sending Yu Wan Ning hurtling back and spitting blood. However, Yu Wan Ning's strength finally prevailed. In a moment, she shattered Man Yuan's illusory form, grinding it to dust.
"Lin Zhao..."
She looked at the lake, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
But at that very moment, with a "hiss," a blood-red sword tip protruded from Yu Wan Ning's chest. Behind her, Gu Yan Shu chuckled sinisterly, "Sister, how can you be so careless?!"
He drew his Xun Lu Sword and violently slammed its hilt onto Yu Wan Ning's head. The pitiful Yu Wan Ning instantly turned into an arrow of blood and plunged into the lake. Immediately after, Gu Yan Shu swept his sword horizontally, forcing Tuo Zhi to retreat repeatedly. Tuo Zhi hurriedly summoned the remaining five Demon Soul Swords and attacked Gu Yan Shu. At this moment, only Tuo Zhi could stand against the murderous Gu Yan Shu.
"..."
Lin Zhao watched Yu Wan Ning plummet into the depths of the lake, goosebumps rising all over him, his heart filled with a mixture of grief and rage.
...
"Swish—"
Just as Lin Zhao despaired, a figure drifted into view amidst the wind. Their cultivation was not high, only at the Ninth Realm. It was Liu Xing Shu, a disciple of the Confucian Academy. He radiated starlight markings, and his cloth shoes stepped onto the tip of the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel. Instantly, the cudgel, as if pressed by a thousand tons of mountains, began to sink rapidly. Liu Xing Shu's body sank, and he knelt on the tip of the cudgel. Starlight and threads of golden Confucian script emanated from him, burning his life essence to forge the "Heaven and Earth United in Strength" formation. For a moment, the power of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky seemed to be drawn, merging with the landscape and stabilizing it.
Liu Xing Shu's face rapidly aged, his life force rapidly depleted. He knelt on one knee on the cudgel tip, his eyes looking at Lin Zhao not far away. He wept and smiled, "Lin Zhao, it's been a long time. Liu Xing Shu, farewell..."
"Ah?!"
With those words, Lin Zhao’s tears almost fell. He recalled the pleasant conversations when Liu Xing Shu helped build the teleportation array at the Snow Territory Heavenly Pool, the memories of past years, Liu Xing Shu's scholarly spirit, and the things he had discussed with him about scholarly ambition. Now, this reunion with his fellow disciple was a farewell.
"Die!"
Gu Yan Shu leaped into the air and slashed at Gu Yan Shu with his sword!
Lin Zhao's heart nearly stopped. He instantly activated his invincibility skill and used his remaining stamina to ignite a Speed Talisman. With a "boom," his body was enveloped in swirling golden and white energy. He raised his hands horizontally to shield Liu Xing Shu. As long as he could block this attack for Liu Xing Shu, Liu Xing Shu might not have to die.
However, Gu Yan Shu's sword strike was extremely vicious. As a sword qi swept out, it suddenly split into two. The first section of sword qi was indeed blocked by Lin Zhao's invincibility skill, but the second section of sword qi swept past. The next moment, as Lin Zhao turned his head, he could only watch helplessly as Liu Xing Shu's body was pulverized into a rain of blood on the tip of the cudgel.
His body trembled, overcome with unbearable grief.
Although Liu Xing Shu was dead, his life imprint had already been left on the cudgel tip. The Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel continued to sink, completely realizing the Confucian literary world's formation to stabilize the land.
"How is it?"
Gu Yan Shu smirked and said, "The people around you are being killed off one by one. It must be painful, right? At this moment, what can you, Lin Baiyi, do? In the end, you are nothing but a mortal, a flesh and blood being. Under the steps of immortals contending for the Heavenly Dao, you are but an ant. What right do you have to point fingers here?!"
Lin Zhao frowned, his gaze cast low.
Just then, as if infected by his emotions, the Dragon Slaying Sword behind him vibrated, and immense sword intent surged forth. Deep within Lin Zhao's spiritual void, there seemed to be a resonance. He could draw his sword. Although this was not a true sword-drawing this time, it was enough to resolve the current crisis.
"Clang!"
Lin Zhao raised his hand. This time, he held not the hilt of the Zhan Lu Sword, but the hilt of that ancient sword.
"Hmm?"
Gu Yan Shu raised an eyebrow slightly, "You want to draw the Dragon Slaying Sword? Do you have the ability?"
Lin Zhao smiled bitterly, "The pain experienced by those who died tragically, you Gu Yan Shu will not escape either!"
Saying this, with a "buzzing" hum, Lin Zhao drew not the true Dragon Slaying Sword, but a divine intent of the Dragon Slaying Sword, a phantom Dragon Slaying Sword held in his hand. Although it was only a wisp of divine intent, the moment Lin Zhao drew it, the world's aura transformed magnificently. Countless rays of light surged from the horizon, and the entire Shu Prefecture trembled slightly. Lightning and rain poured down between heaven and earth, like a divine decree.
"Good!"
Gu Yan Shu smirked, instantly pushing his sword intent to its peak. Holding the Xun Lu Sword, he roared, "Let us face this sword strike! Whoever loses, dies!"
Lin Zhao soared into the sky, raising the wisp of divine sword intent in his hand. Without waiting for Gu Yan Shu to draw his sword, he directly slashed down in a straight line across the sky. At this moment, he only wanted to destroy Gu Yan Shu. As for whether to meet the sword strike, whether to pit the foundations of the two divine swords against each other, he cared not at all. Gu Yan Shu, this person, was destined to die!
"Hiss!"
A sacred and blinding white sword intent descended from the heavens. Gu Yan Shu, holding the Xun Lu Sword, didn't even have time to draw his sword before the Dragon Slaying Sword cleaved him in two from head to toe. Where the sword light passed, Gu Yan Shu's body, still holding the Xun Lu Sword, remained suspended in mid-air, not split in two, but his entire mind was blank. Lin Zhao's sword strike did not target Gu Yan Shu's body or soul, but his Great Dao. After this sword strike, Lin Zhao planted a Heavenly Dao Suppressing Seal mark deep within Gu Yan Shu's soul. In this world, he could fear no one, but towards Lin Zhao, he must revere him as if he were a god!
With a "bang," Gu Yan Shu, having taken Lin Zhao's strike, transformed into a bloodline and plunged into the lake. Lin Zhao shook his palm, and the divine intent of the Dragon Slaying Sword instantly dissipated. He gently raised his finger, controlling the flying sword Xin Huo, and prepared to enter the water to finish off Gu Yan Shu. But just as he was about to strike, his mind suddenly wavered. He sensed a change deep within his spiritual void. The bottleneck of his Nascent Soul realm seemed to be loosening. If he could break through, he would become a Tenth Realm Sword Cultivator. And Gu Yan Shu was the catalyst for this breakthrough.
"Should he really be killed?"
A voice echoed deep within Lin Zhao's heart.
Lin Zhao frowned, "Should he not be killed?"
"Who can determine the distinction between good and evil?" the voice asked again.
Lin Zhao fell silent. Yes, he had followed Long Zaitian to practice martial arts since childhood, secretly studied under Mr. Qin, but had he truly understood the good and evil of human nature? If he were to define good and evil solely by his own preferences, would that be true good and evil?!
Gu Yan Shu, for now, will not be killed!
The next second, Lin Zhao plunged into the lake and embraced the dying Yu Wan Ning, carrying her out of the water. He looked at the sword wound on Yu Wan Ning's chest, his heart aching terribly. Although Yu Wan Ning had hesitated when facing Gu Yan Shu, she had ultimately appeared in the battle. She had not disappointed Lin Zhao; instead, it was Lin Zhao who had disappointed Yu Wan Ning.
"Tuo Zhi..."
Lin Zhao looked at Tuo Zhi, who was covered in blood not far away, and asked, "Are you alright?"
"I won't die."
Tuo Zhi smiled faintly, "Don't worry."
A simple "I won't die" was enough.
...
Just then, a figure appeared above the lake. The person was wearing a green-vine colored long gown, with a sword on their back. Despite being a demon, they possessed the aura of a human sword cultivator.
Lin Zhujie had arrived.
And at this moment, Lin Zhao had exhausted his Dragon Slaying Sword and Heavenly Lightning Talismans, leaving him with no trump cards. Yu Wan Ning was severely injured and unconscious, and Tuo Zhi was heavily wounded. No one could withstand this Twelfth Realm demon sword cultivator.
"Rest assured."
Lin Zhujie glanced at Lin Zhao, but spoke through their mind, "I am not Gu Yan Shu. I do not kill for pleasure."
Saying this, Lin Zhujie drew his sword and pointed it to the sky, shouting, "Lord Yu Zhi, Lord Ning Yuan Sheng, Lin Zhujie has come to assist!"
A streak of sword light pierced the sky, creating a small opening in the Mountain and River Diagram. Instantly, a wisp of flame seeped out, transforming into the form of the great demon Yu Zhi. She cast an annoyed glance at Lin Zhujie, then raised her hand and waved, rescuing Ning Yuan Sheng, Long Zheng, and Feng Quan from the Mountain and River Diagram. Yu Zhi turned and looked at the Sun-Moon Water-Fire Cudgel that had sunk into the water. Under Liu Xing Shu's "Heaven and Earth United in Strength" formation, the Sea Stabilizing Formation was incredibly solid and difficult to break.
"Go!"
Yu Zhi shouted, "All demons, retreat to Ancestral Mountain!"