Chapter 77: The Shattering of the Sword Heart [Two-in-One Chapter]

Lu Ning was completely dazed after hearing Su Yuexi’s claim of assuming a false identity.

When she snapped back to reality, Su Yuexi’s smiling gaze had already swept over her, carrying an unmistakable sense of warning.

Lu Ning immediately sent a transmission to her, her tone laced with a hint of madness.

[Master Su! What is the meaning of this? Impersonating Qinghuan? If she finds out later, how are we going to settle this?]

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yuexi’s gentle and pleasant transmission sounded in Lu Ning’s ear, accompanied by a light, nonchalant chuckle.

[My dear Master, what is the rush?]

[Sister Qinghuan and I are like real sisters. Why would she care about such a small matter?]

[Besides, in the current situation, someone has to play the villain, right?]

[With your current “frail and unable to care for yourself” appearance, you can’t possibly expect to take action personally, can you?]

[So, I must ask you to cooperate properly, Master, and solidify my identity as your “eldest disciple.”]

[Once your disciple has resolved this trouble, you cannot go back on the “reward” you promised me earlier.]

Lu Ning was left utterly speechless by this transmission, which was a mixture of threats and banter.

But given the current situation, Lu Ning had no better choice.

Letting Su Yuexi take action was much safer than using that unreliable Blind Box Card herself.

Lu Ning took a deep breath, and the composure and calm belonging to a Master returned to her face.

She looked at the Xuan Tian Saintess, whose fighting spirit was soaring because she had mistaken Su Yuexi’s identity, and slowly nodded.

“Correct.”

“She is indeed this seat’s personal disciple, Gu Qinghuan.”

“Murong Xi, if you can last three moves against my disciple, this seat will personally step onto the field and fight you.”

Upon receiving Lu Ning’s affirmative answer, a more intense fighting spirit instantly erupted within Murong Xi’s brilliant eyes.

It really was her!

The Saintess of the Tianmo Sect, Gu Qinghuan!

The peerless genius who shared her fame and was hailed as the future of the Demonic Path!

“Good!”

As the word left her lips, the Wuntian immortal sword in Murong Xi’s hand let out a clear, sharp ring, as if it too were excited for the upcoming duel of destiny.

“Sect Master Lu, I hope you can keep your promise.”

“Of course.”

After Lu Ning finished speaking, the sallow and thin “small maidservant” who looked completely unremarkable slowly retreated, leaving the battlefield to the two women who were about to clash.

She backed far away, fearing that when the fight started, she would be caught in the crossfire.

In the mountain forest, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Su Yuexi looked at Murong Xi’s fighting stance and a flicker of playfulness passed through her eyes.

She gently hooked her finger at Murong Xi, a gesture full of provocation.

“Saintess Murong, I advise you to use your full strength from the start.”

“Otherwise, after one strike, you will die.”

Upon hearing those words, a towering rage instantly ignited within Murong Xi’s brilliant eyes.

Arrogance!

Utter madness!

She, Murong Xi, had never been so underestimated!

“Gu Qinghuan! You are too arrogant!”

Murong Xi shouted in anger, no longer holding back in the slightest.

Hum — !

An incredibly sharp sword intent erupted from her body!

Behind her, that pure sword intent continued to condense, finally gathering into a massive Immortal Sword Dharma Image that was 100 zhang tall, looking as if it would pierce the heavens.

The Immortal Sword Dharma Image radiated a brilliant white light.

Upon the blade, mysterious sword runes flowed, emitting a terrifying power capable of slaying all things.

The entire forest trembled violently due to the appearance of this Immortal Sword Dharma Image, causing countless birds and beasts to flee in panic.

“The Eternal Sword Body truly lives up to its reputation.”

Su Yuexi looked at the massive Immortal Sword Dharma Image, a hint of approval appearing on her gentle face.

She knew that the power of Murong Xi’s strike was comparable to the full-strength blow of an ordinary middle-stage Great Ascension cultivator.

However, to her, who was at Great Ascension Perfection, it posed no threat at all.

Su Yuexi’s lips slowly curled into an arc.

She unhurriedly raised her right hand.

In the next moment, a terrifying demonic energy—diametrically opposed to her gentle temperament and filled with an aura of tyranny and destruction—was released from her body!

Behind her, a 100 zhang tall demon god Dharma Image emerged.

It was pitch black all over, radiating endless demonic might and possessing three heads and six arms.

The three heads of the demon god Dharma Image displayed three distinct expressions: joy, anger, and sorrow.

Its six arms held six different demonic weapons: a saber, a spear, a sword, a halberd, an axe, and a battle-axe.

It just floated quietly behind Su Yuexi, yet its world-destroying pressure caused the entire heaven and earth to lose their color.

“This… this is…”

The moment Murong Xi saw that demon god Dharma Image, her pupils suddenly contracted.

For the first time, a look of unbelievable shock appeared on her cold face.

“The Three-headed and Six-armed Demon God Dharma Image!”

Murong Xi became even more certain of the woman’s identity.

In all the world, besides the core disciples of the Tianmo Sect, it was impossible for anyone to manifest such a pure demon god Dharma Image!

She really was Gu Qinghuan!

Moreover, she was even more powerful than the rumors suggested!

At this moment, the fighting spirit in Murong Xi’s heart climbed to its peak.

“Slay!”

Murong Xi let out a delicate cry, and the Wuntian immortal sword in her hand merged with the Immortal Sword Dharma Image behind her.

A brilliant sword light, capable of tearing the sky apart and carrying a momentum of relentless determination, hacked down fiercely toward the sky-towering demon god Dharma Image!

This strike was her all-out effort!

It was the ultimate manifestation of her heart of the sword!

She believed that even a true middle-stage Great Ascension powerhouse would have to temporarily retreat when faced with this strike!

However, a scene that made her feel despair occurred.

Facing her strike that was enough to cleave mountains and rivers, that three-headed and six-armed demon god Dharma Image did not even bother to move.

It simply slowly extended one arm holding a giant axe and casually met that brilliant sword light.

Clang — !

An ear-piercing sound of metal clashing rang through the clouds.

The moment the Immortal Sword Dharma Image, which was capable of tearing the sky, touched the demon god’s arm, it was actually forcefully blocked, unable to advance even a single inch.

“How… how is this possible?!”

Murong Xi’s eyes were filled with shock.

But what caused her even more despair was yet to come.

The demon god’s arm suddenly squeezed.

Crack — !

A crisp sound of shattering rang out.

The Immortal Sword Dharma Image, which condensed all of her essence, energy, and spirit, actually shattered inch by inch before that demon god’s arm like fragile porcelain!

Finally, it turned into countless spots of light, dissipating into the air.

No, they did not dissipate.

Those shattered spots of light were actually swallowed in one gulp by the wide-open mouth of the demon god Dharma Image!

Pfft — !

With the Immortal Sword Dharma Image destroyed, Murong Xi’s soul suffered unimaginable trauma.

She violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

The Wuntian immortal sword in her hand also let out a wail, its light dimming as it fell beside her.

One move!

In just one move!

This favored daughter of heaven, hailed as the number one sword cultivator of the younger generation in the Northern Region, had actually been defeated!

She had been defeated so thoroughly that she didn’t even have the qualification to make her opponent move a single step.

Murong Xi stared blankly at the distant “Gu Qinghuan,” who remained calm and composed, and a look of fear finally appeared in her brilliant eyes.

“You…”

Murong Xi’s voice was hoarse and dry.

“Your strength… is not at the Body Integration Realm at all!”

“You are at the Great Ascension Realm!”

“Moreover, you are at least at the peak of the late stage of the Great Ascension Realm!”

She finally understood.

She had been monstrously wrong from the very beginning.

Rumor had it that Gu Qinghuan’s cultivation was only close to the Great Ascension Realm.

But the strength this woman displayed was far beyond her imagination.

Peak of the late stage of the Great Ascension Realm!

What kind of terrifying level was that?

She had actually attempted to challenge such a being?

It was laughable to the extreme.

Su Yuexi slowly walked up to her, looking down from above.

Beneath her veil, a faint, mocking smile appeared on her gentle face.

“Saintess Murong, it seems you have some eyesight after all.”

“However, you are still too much like a frog at the bottom of a well.”

Su Yuexi paused, her gaze shifting to the nearby Lu Ning, who was still pretending to be a “small maidservant,” and a look of doting flashed in her eyes.

“My Master can single-handedly intimidate the entire Northern Region, making all you so-called leaders of the Righteous Path unable to lift your heads.”

“As her most beloved disciple, is it not reasonable for me to have the strength of the Great Ascension Realm?”

“You couldn’t even take one of my moves. Is this the only strength the so-called number one genius of the Righteous Path’s younger generation possesses?”

“It seems your so-called Righteous Path is nothing more than this.”

Indeed…

How elegant and magnificent was that man?

How domineering and peerless?

How could his disciple be an ordinary person?

She had been too naive, too self-righteous.

She had always believed she was at the very top of the Northern Region’s younger generation.

But now it seemed she was nothing more than a joke.

A pathetic joke who couldn’t even take a single move from the other person’s disciple.

The last light in Murong Xi’s eyes completely went out at this moment.

Her heart of the sword also shattered completely.

Pfft — !

She spat out another mouthful of blood, and her entire aura began to decline at an incredible speed.

Middle stage of the Body Integration Realm… early stage of the Body Integration Realm… Soul Transformation Realm… Nascent Soul Realm…

Finally, her cultivation actually plummeted all the way down to the initial Qi Refining Realm.

A genius of a generation had fallen just like that.

Lu Ning, watching from a distance, felt a wave of emotion in her heart.

‘Su Yuexi, this demoness, is far too ruthless.’

‘It seems she was hiding quite a lot. Is that the Dharma Image of a demonic cultivator among those who practice both immortal and demonic paths? Disguising herself as a member of the demonic sect is indeed flawless.’

‘But to think a supreme powerhouse at Great Ascension Perfection would bully a little girl at the middle stage of the Body Integration Realm.’

‘Furthermore, she used Gu Qinghuan’s name and those heart-wrenching words to completely destroy the other person’s Dao heart.’

‘Sure enough, she is the true Great Demon.’

‘She’s so talented; maybe she should just take the position of the Lord of Tianmo.’

Lu Ning complained silently in her heart.

She knew she had to make her appearance now.

If she didn’t step in to wrap things up, Murong Xi, the future number one sword cultivator of the continent, might truly be ruined.

Lu Ning slowly walked forward and arrived in front of Murong Xi, who was kneeling on the ground with hollow eyes and no will to live.

She reached out with her hand, which appeared somewhat rough due to her disguise, and held it out to Murong Xi.

“Murong Xi.”

“Losing to your Senior Sister was within this seat’s expectations.”

“But if you completely deny yourself and lose your spirit because of this one failure…”

“Then you don’t even have the qualification to be an honorary disciple of this seat.”

“True powerhouses never lack the courage to start over.”

“If the peak cannot be held, then retrace the path you came from.”

Lu Ning’s words were like a morning bell or an evening drum, booming within Murong Xi’s already dead sea of consciousness.

Retrace the path she came from…

Indeed…

Although she had lost, she was still alive.

As long as she was alive, there was still hope.

A flicker of light gradually reignited within Murong Xi’s hollow eyes.

She looked at the “ugly girl” in front of her who was reaching out and saying she would take her as a disciple.

Her shattered heart of the sword, at this moment, miraculously began to heal slowly.

Murong Xi never expected that after she was defeated and became a useless person, this man would still be willing to give her a chance.

Immediately, Murong Xi no longer hesitated.

She slowly lowered her head toward Lu Ning, performing the great salute of a disciple to a Master with an incredibly pious posture.

“Disciple Murong Xi pays respect to Master!”

When she lifted her head again, the confusion and despair from before were gone from her brilliant eyes, replaced only by pure determination.

However, when her gaze fell upon Lu Ning’s “ugly” face again, she still couldn’t help but be a little dazed.

She hesitated for a moment before carefully speaking.

“Master…”

“Disciple… Disciple was fortunate enough to see you once before.”

“At that time, you were… peerlessly elegant, like a god from the heavens.”

“I wonder… if this disciple might be lucky enough to see your true face once more?”