A woman in mid-air, a fleeting glimpse.
In the distance, in a graveyard near the back mountain, a young sword cultivator, carrying a long sword wrapped in white cloth and a basket of offerings, had just paid respects to his parents. He then walked to the front of two other graves, the resting places of Su Liang, commander of the Iron Cavalry Battalion of the Heavenly Pool Army a century ago, and his wife.
"Uncle Su Liang! Madam Su!"
Lin Zhao placed the offerings while smiling, "Rest in peace in the heavens. Don't worry too much about matters on earth. Little Jiu'er has heard that she is now a twelfth-realm Sword Immortal. Our Little Jiu'er has grown up and can take care of herself now, so you two don't need to worry too much."
After lighting three incense sticks and looking around for an incense burner, he found none. He then walked to his own cenotaph and unceremoniously picked up the old bronze incense burner. Returning to the front of Su Liang and his wife's graves, he planted the three incense sticks and began burning paper money, doing so meticulously and without haste.
For a moment, Su Qingjiu looked at the young sword cultivator in the distance, her nose suddenly stinging. Although he was completely different from the youth in the small town, Su Qingjiu knew it was him. She recognized him almost at a glance.
So, Brother Lin Zhao was still here!
Su Qingjiu revealed a smile. In a hundred years, there was no better news. As her smile grew, the golden aura in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by more of a maiden's charm.
It seemed those three were targeting Brother Lin Zhao.
After understanding this, a hint of killing intent appeared in Su Qingjiu's eyes. She wouldn't rush to reveal herself to Brother Lin Zhao; she would deal with these three first. Thinking of this, Su Qingjiu's lips curved slightly, as if it were fate's arrangement. When she met Brother Lin Zhao again, she had to do something for him, didn't she?
...
Washing Sword River.
Golden ripples appeared on the surface of the river. A river goddess, clad in golden armor and a golden cloak, soared from the water. Her cloak spread slightly, trailing wisps of water transport Dao aura from its hem. She opened a pair of golden eyes and looked into the distance, sensing that the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region was about to undergo a great change.
"Clang~~"
She lightly drew her golden ceremonial sword, but the moment she drew it, she let out a "Oh?" and noticed the woman ascending the mountain. Lin Xingchu's lips curled. "It seems I don't need to act!"
Saying this, she stood proudly in mid-air above the Washing Sword River, looking north towards the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region. Although she didn't make a move, she began to observe the battle, and if any variable arose, she would arrive at the battlefield immediately.
Fusu Great Wall.
On the desolate ramparts, a group of martial artists were practicing fist stances, enduring the baptism of the cold wind.
To the east of the group of martial artists, a woman Sword Immortal, dressed in white as pure as snow, rose with her sword in hand, looking north. She couldn't help but frown. This wasn't good. Those three were ascending the mountain, and one of them was Wu Li, a twelfth-realm demon cultivator. Their intentions were obvious.
"Aunt!"
Qin Ran, who was following his aunt to cultivate sword intent, suddenly stood up and also looked north. "Did something happen at the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region?"
"Mhm."
Lin Wanhua said calmly, "Two twelfth-realm cultivators and one eleventh-realm cultivator have ascended. They are not here with good intentions!"
"Ah!?"
Qin Ran gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Lin Zhao, will he be in danger? How about... you go to the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region to duel, and I'll follow and cheer for you?"
Lin Wanhua looked north, her eyes already detecting the young woman Sword Immortal riding a white horse up the mountain. Her heart stirred. The opponent's sword intent was incredibly strong, no less than her own, and she was also a twelfth-realm cultivator. She knew who it must be. Lin Wanhua smiled faintly, "You really want to fight, but there's no chance. There's a peak twelfth-realm Sword Immortal ascending. With her here, no one can touch Lin Zhao in the slightest."
"Ah!?"
Qin Ran's eyes shone with excitement. "The Sect Master of Mount Changming, the peak twelfth-realm Su Qingjiu, Great Sword Immortal Su? My heavens, Aunt, let's go to the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region. If I can witness Great Sword Immortal Su's swordplay, I will have no regrets in this life!"
Lin Wanhua glared at him impatiently, then swept forward and placed a hand on Qin Ran's head, gently pressing him back onto the rampart. "Your aunt's sword skills are no worse than hers, and you get to witness your aunt's swordplay every day! Stay on the ramparts to nurture your sword intent, you're not going anywhere. Your father said that before the fifth realm, if you dare step out of the Fusu Great Wall, he'll break your legs!"
Qin Ran looked helpless. "Ascending to the fifth realm, Sword Immortal... it's so difficult..."
Lin Wanhua ignored him and looked up at the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region again, her sword hanging low, ready to strike at any moment to support the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region. After all, there were two twelfth-realm and one eleventh-realm cultivators on the other side. Honestly, even though Su Qingjiu was powerful, she might not be able to suppress them all.
...
The Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region was as peaceful as ever.
Su Qingjiu moved with the wind, gently pushing her sword sheath with her right hand. With a soft "clang," rolling sword energy permeated the world. In an instant, a golden glow enveloped the entire Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region. Within the realm of the high-grade magic artifact "Empty Mountain," Su Qingjiu had opened up a new world, covering the entire Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region!
Suddenly, Wu Li, Zhao Suiguang, and Zhao Guangyi stopped in their tracks. Before their eyes, the camps, cavalry, and warhorses on the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region all disappeared. Only a barren Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region remained.
"This is bad!"
Wu Li frowned. "Someone is ascending the mountain!"
The three turned back together and saw the exceptionally beautiful figure in a red skirt and white robes. Her entire body was enveloped in dense sword intent, the strongest sword intent that Wu Li, Zhao Suiguang, and Zhao Guangyi had ever seen in their lives!
"Who are you?"
Wu Li narrowed his eyes, his demonic energy surging. A golden spear, gleaming brightly, slid out from his sleeve. Zhao Suiguang also summoned his green treasure cauldron as if facing a great enemy. Zhao Guangyi was almost unable to lift his head under the opponent's sword intent, his sword heart trembling as if his opponent could crush it without even drawing her sword.
"You guys?"
Su Qingjiu held her long sword, standing within her own small domain, and said with a smile, "What are you doing at the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region? Killing Lin Zhao? Or killing Zhuo Zhi and Mu Zha?"
"May I be so bold as to ask, who are you, miss?"
The opponent's sword intent was so powerful that even Wu Li, a peak twelfth-realm great demon, had to speak cautiously. He said in a deep voice, "Judging by your cultivation, there is no one like you in the Northern Region besides Lin Wanhua of the Fusu Great Wall. I have met Lin Wanhua, are you perhaps..."
"Mhm."
Su Qingjiu smiled, pointed her sword forward, and said, "Dachen Dynasty, Su Liang's daughter, Su Qingjiu, challenges the three of you!"
"Buzz~~~"
Zhao Suiguang's mind went blank, and he was utterly confused. So this woman was Su Qingjiu! When she announced her identity, she didn't mention the Sect Master of Mount Changming at all, only stating that she was the daughter of Su Liang of the Dachen Dynasty. Did this need further explanation? She valued her status as a descendant of the Dachen Dynasty more than being the Master of Mount Changming!
And who was present at the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region? Lin Zhao, Zhuo Zhi, Mu Zha, and Chu Yu, weren't they all considered remnants of the Dachen Dynasty by the Great Shang Dynasty?! Now, these remnants had gained power. It was one thing for Zhuo Zhi and Mu Zha to reach the eleventh realm, but now there was also a peak twelfth-realm Sword Immortal, Su Qingjiu. This was a true Great Sword Immortal. What could be done?
Zhao Suiguang glanced at Wu Li. This deal seemed to have been a loss. If he had known Su Qingjiu was coming, he wouldn't have come!
"There's no turning back!"
Wu Li said to the other two in his heart, "We can only fight to the death and defeat Su Qingjiu to survive. Don't forget, second brother, Su Qingjiu is the Master of Mount Changming, one of the strongest sword sects in the southern human realm, with deep foundations. The sect's secret treasures might all be on Su Qingjiu. If we kill Su Qingjiu, why would we worry about not making a substantial profit this time?"
Zhao Suiguang and Zhao Guangyi looked hesitant.
Wu Li gritted his teeth. "Don't you two forget, when Su Qingjiu's parents died at the Heavenly Pool in the Snow Region, it was Lin Zhao who raised her. Now we are going up the mountain to kill Lin Zhao. Do you think she will let us go if we don't kill Su Qingjiu?"
"Indeed."
Zhao Guangyi frowned. "Sect Master, we can only fight!"
Zhao Suiguang was in a difficult position. "Then... let's fight!"
"Attack together!"
The next second, Wu Li soared into the air and kicked out fiercely, unleashing a Dharma image of a sweeping Ura barracuda tail. The tail already had a few golden patterns, and the force of the strike was heavy and fierce. Zhao Suiguang charged out, enveloped in dense spiritual energy, his green treasure cauldron emitting a sky-piercing radiant glow as it smashed towards Su Qingjiu's head. Zhao Guangyi drew his sword and thrust forward twice, while simultaneously, two flying swords from his sword lake rose and spun, heading towards Su Qingjiu's right flank.
All three used their desperate moves!
...
"They've all decided to kill me?"
Su Qingjiu stood suspended in mid-air and said with a smile, "In that case, I don't need to be polite."
As she spoke, she gently raised the sword in her hand, and countless sword energies shot out in all directions. With a loud bang, Wu Li's kick felt like it had slammed into an indestructible golden sword Dao barrier, making his leg bones ache and his internal energy churn. In just one blow, his strength seemed to be slightly suppressed by the opponent's sword Dao!
"Clang!"
The green treasure cauldron collided with Su Qingjiu's sword tip, causing the cauldron to hum and vibrate. Zhao Suiguang circulated his divine abilities to protect himself with the cauldron's power, but his heart trembled. Who exactly was this Su Qingjiu? Her cultivation was even more terrifying than Lin Wanhua of the Fusu Great Wall!
Amidst the dense sword energy, Zhao Guangyi's eleventh-realm sword strike was in vain.
As he rapidly retreated to avoid the onslaught of sword energy, he glanced up and saw the golden aura surging in Su Qingjiu's eyes. In an instant, Zhao Guangyi's heart turned cold. Just a fleeting glimpse, and he felt as if he were looking not at a human Sword Immortal, but at a true deity. How could an ordinary human possess such profound divinity?
"It's you."
Su Qingjiu's delicate body soared, and the peach branch in her left hand was thrown out. Instantly, the peach branch no longer looked like a peach branch but like a flying sword, covered in thick sword intent.
"Puff!"
With a soft sound, the eleventh-realm Sword Cultivator Zhao Guangyi stumbled, his chest pierced by the peach branch. A large amount of blood sprayed from his back, and he trembled uncontrollably, falling down with utter unwillingness. He never dreamed that he would die not by Su Qingjiu's sword or flying swords, but by a few peach branches. What kind of sword Dao cultivation was this?
...
Su Qingjiu stood suspended in mid-air, sword intent swirling around her, and the golden aura surging in her eyes.
In this world, other Sword Immortals cultivated "sword heart clarity," but she was different. Su Qingjiu cultivated "sword heart connected to the divine"!