Chapter 223 Jinling Cannot Cross (Qi Flow) "If it's you, it's definitely possible..."

Lin Feiran's sword was as swift and powerful as ever; the moment the sword light appeared, the blade was already upon him.

The man paused slightly, barely managing to dodge to the side. Although his skin and flesh were unharmed, a long gash had been cut into his collar.

He immediately moved the dummy in his arms to the left, took a half step back, drew the soft sword from his waist, and met the attack with a backhand.

And so that coldness washed over Lin Feiran once again.

There was a soft ding.

The soft sword, like a swimming water snake, tightly gripped the incoming sword light. In that instant when the sword met his, the coldness in his body vanished, and he seemed to pause for a moment, but he quickly deflected her sword with ease.

He wasn't injured, but the force still knocked him back several steps, sending him back into the hidden formation.

The attack failed.

Without further hesitation, Lin Feiran immediately turned and retreated, pointing his right hand together. The surrounding white sand surged and rose up in an instant, silently forming a four-sided locking array that trapped people inside.

He looked up and, through the hazy dust, saw the dark figure standing with a sword in hand.

She was still dressed in an inconspicuous black outfit, her face half-covered, and the long sword in her hand was also very ordinary, but the focused gaze in her eyes was not to be underestimated.

"..." He lowered his gaze and swept it over the magic array, then asked, "And who are you, sir?"

Lin Feiran did not answer. The hand seals in her hands changed again, the dust and sand shifted, and her figure disappeared outside the formation. But the next moment, a clear sword intent came from behind her.

He immediately dodged to the side. She used almost 90% of her sword power in this move, and even he had to deal with it seriously.

But a question still flashed through his mind: why leave that one point?

A hazy white dust rose, and the sand flowed like a long rope, trapping a person inside. It was eerily silent, and amidst the swirling mist, only tiny specks of light could be seen flashing by, like flickering, hidden stars.

Taking advantage of the current trap and cover, Lin Feiran launched a series of surprise attacks, and his sword became faster and faster.

She used the Daohe Palace's fast sword.

This person's swordsmanship is gentle and fluid, and he is extremely adept at using the opponent's force against them. His fast swordsmanship is even more capable of breaking through their defenses.

But the reasons for using this sword technique are not limited to this.

She couldn't explain it clearly, or perhaps she didn't want to, but at this moment, she used this tactic.

Her swift swordsmanship was taught by Ji Changying.

Even though he has surpassed his teacher by now, the feel of the sword is still familiar.

But no matter how long they sparred, their swordplay remained unchanged, one fast and the other soft. Gradually, one of them began to lose ground.

With another clang, the Golden Wave Sword snapped back and broke the man's soft sword in two!

The man was knocked back two steps, the dummy he was holding making a thud as it hit the ground. He steadied himself and then looked at the other man.

A moment later, he raised one of his hands in surrender.

He asked, "Tired? You admit defeat. What do you want from this aggressive approach?"

Lin Feiran's doubts deepened.

Even if swordsmen have different sword styles, their moves are nothing more than the four basic techniques of slashing, thrusting, and parrying. As long as they fight, there will always be a point where their swords intersect.

Unless, of course, the other party is also intentionally hiding it.

She remained expressionless, only looking at the opposite side before flashing back outside the formation. Her hand gestures changed again, and the array patterns on the ground crisscrossed, transforming from a net into a chessboard, with him landing precisely at the center position.

Only now is the formation truly complete!

In an instant, the man froze, his hands fell limply to his sides, and even the dummy in his arms slipped and fell off.

However, it did not completely fall to the ground.

He used the last of his strength to hook her collar, preventing her from falling into the white sand.

Lin Feiran was completely focused on his every move, forgetting that it was a puppet that resembled her.

This person is at least a level above her, and she won't let her attention wander until she has him completely under her control.

At this moment, in addition to trapping him, the magic array, positioned at the Heavenly Origin position, could also sever his spiritual power.

Finally, she spoke up: "Can't you tell what I'm going to do?"

"You've come to kill me? I don't think I've offended you, young lady. My crime doesn't warrant death."

As she said this, she stepped into the formation, her boots crunching on the white sand, making a rustling sound, finally breaking the silence that had preceded her.

She stepped forward, and when she was an arm's length away from the man, she did not draw her sword, but instead reached out and covered his mask, lifting it off with an indescribable force.

Behind the mask lies an even more perfect mask.

"..." Even a serious person like Lin Feiran showed a speechless expression, which was rare for him.

"Why don't you try again?" he suddenly said.

Let's give it a try.

Smiling, sorrowful, angry, and bitter faces appeared one after another. Lin Feiran lifted the mask five times in a row, finally revealing his true face when he removed the last mask.

It was an extremely smooth face without any features. Even the eyes that had been vaguely visible before were nowhere to be seen. Only a fairly thick head of black hair remained on top of the head.

"Sigh." The man suddenly sighed, the sound coming from who-knows-where.

“I’ve looked like this since I was a child. I don’t have eyes, ears, nose, or mouth, which is why I wear a mask to avoid scaring people. If you insist on seeing, I can’t stop you.” Lin Feiran frowned slightly and even reached out to touch his face a few times, finding no trace of it.

But she didn't listen to the man's complaints. Instead, she pondered for a moment and asked, "Are you not human?"

The man gasped and praised her repeatedly, "Young lady, you are so clever. Most people would only feel sorry for me, but only you could think of such a thing. This is not something that humans can do."

Lin Feiran wasn't very familiar with the demon race, so he couldn't immediately figure out which tribe it was, but it didn't matter.

No matter how much you doubt it, Ji Changying cannot be a demon.

She subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

But then the gaze slowly traced across this completely exposed surface.

Although they have now located the source of the fire, after experiencing that inescapable place, she couldn't help but guess that the fire must have a more secretive way of hiding, and she might not be able to find it in a short time.

If there happens to be someone in the know, how can we not ask them?

Then, she took out a pill from her mustard seed bag, intending to give it to him, but she couldn't find the entrance. After a moment, she took out a bottle of liquid medicine and poured it onto his wrist.

After doing all this, the sword was placed against the side of his neck.

"I'll give you a chance to live. Tell me, what valuable treasures are hidden in the main hall?"

The man sat down unhurriedly, picked up a mask from the side, patted it off and covered his face before looking up and saying, "So you've come to steal the treasure."

There have been people like you before.

"You might as well just tell me what you want. Maybe if you ask, I'll be too scared to tell you."

Lin Feiran did not answer: "Of course I want everything, but your main hall has a strange feel to it. The treasures are hidden deep inside and will not be easy to find."

"It's a secret religion, after all..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Golden Wave Sword moved an inch closer, pressing a bloody gash into his neck, the bright red blood staining the blade.

Lin Feiran looked down at him: "I'm not here to exchange pleasantries. The poison I gave you is unique in the world. Apart from the antidote I have here, I guarantee that no one else can cure you."

I'll ask, you answer.

The seventh room on the third floor in the east, the sixth room on the fifth floor, the first room on the sixth floor in the west, the third room on the seventh floor, the second room on the third floor in the southeast, the first room on the sixth floor, the third room on the seventh floor, and so on…

Lin Feiran rattled off more than a dozen rooms, almost all of which were places she had visited while setting up the formation.

There were some oddities here; she had checked some things, but not others, so she decided to question them together with the people from the Southeast.

With such a mix of truth and falsehood, his statement, whether true or false, can be temporarily corroborated.

She won't say much until something is really over.

The man listened to her for a long time, and finally gasped slightly: "Young lady, you have already searched so many places without being discovered during the sect's patrols. This is enough to show that you are highly skilled."

The man only said a few words, most of which were compliments to her. Lin Feiran didn't feel happy; she just thought he was being glib and didn't take it to heart.

"Just tell me how you solved the treasure theft problem."

As soon as he finished speaking, the blade plunged even deeper into his duty.

"Swords have no eyes, so be careful. I don't have any spiritual energy protecting me right now, so I'll do whatever you say."

He sighed slightly, calling her "Miss" and "Your Excellency" in a confused manner.

"But if I tell you, would you really spare my life, young lady?"

Lin Feiran's gaze flickered uncertainly.

"If everything you say is true, I might spare your life after the treasure is stolen, but if I were you, I wouldn't ask such a question."

If I don't speak now, I'll die right now.

If I speak up now, I can buy myself some time, and I might even be able to escape later.

I'll count to three, give me the answer, three, two..."

"I'm not stupid, of course I'll choose the second one."

After a while, he finally regained some strength, so he stood up, picked up the dummy, and patted the white gauze on the side of her skirt.

"You've drained my spiritual power, so I don't have the strength to say much right now. Come closer, and I'll tell you slowly."

Lin Feiran paused for a moment, stared at him, and then slowly leaned forward.

I'm surprised you found this place.

But I guess you're looking for that treasure in the southeast... Swords have no eyes!

He immediately raised his hand to block the blade.

“Not everyone likes Tantric Buddhism. If you can really steal it, I don’t mind telling you. But I want you to do something for me.”

He tilted his head slightly, leaned close to Lin Feiran's right ear, and whispered something. His voice was not as rough as before, but it was also unfamiliar.

Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran raised an eyebrow, stood up, and quietly looked at him for a moment, her gaze unfathomable.

Even if he hadn't said it, she had already planned to do this.

"Since you dislike Tantric Buddhism, why not defect?"

"Some people in this world are destined to be like kites on a string or fish in a tank, having wings but unable to soar or swim freely."

I was born and raised in a pond or vat, only able to see the world at the bottom of a well.

After saying that, he took the initiative to move closer and said softly, "What I can't do, you definitely can."

Lin Feiran sheathed the Golden Wave Sword, looked him up and down, and suddenly asked, "Since you say so, then I have a question to ask. You don't like the Secret Sect, so I suppose you'd be willing to tell me."

"What?"

She looked straight ahead: "Besides these treasures, I want to know what price one has to pay for making a wish to Tantric Buddhism."

"I can't say this out loud," he continued before Lin Feiran's gaze could change slightly, "but I can write it down for you to see."

He grasped her wrist, then moved down, his index finger lightly touching her palm. As he made the first stroke, his hand began to tremble uncontrollably, and the strokes he made were very hesitant, requiring a great deal of effort for each one.

It took him almost fifteen minutes to finally finish a few strokes, and fine cracks like wood grain appeared on the back of his bare hand.

As he staggered, exhausted, Lin Feiran instinctively raised her hand to support him, but her hand slowly clenched as she pondered something.

He wrote "炁".

The so-called Qi is something that a person is born with. It circulates in the body, is stored in the blood, runs outside the meridians, and gathers at the acupoints.

With Qi, life flourishes; without Qi, life gradually declines.

Therefore, when people make vows to esoteric Buddhism, they are essentially offering their lives as a sacrifice.

He leaned against Lin Feiran, paused for a moment before speaking, his voice already somewhat hoarse: "It is such a simple and precious thing that everyone has, but for those who desperately want to fulfill their wishes, it is worthless."

Seeing his reaction, Lin Feiran couldn't help but believe that he truly loathed Tantric Buddhism.

It's true that not everyone is loyal to the Nine Swords of Fengtian.

"...Are you alright?" she sighed softly and finally asked.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little exhausted. These cracks are just punishment, they'll heal soon." He looked up at the bright moon in the sky and said for no apparent reason, "It's been a long time since I've enjoyed the moon so quietly with someone."

"Let me stay here for a while, and after I tell you about the treasures, you can arrest me again, okay?"

Lin Feiran wasn't a cold-hearted person, so he could agree to this request.

The two sat on the white sand and finished telling the secret of the treasure. Afterwards, Lin Feiran still did not remove the magic array, but moved the array and the person together to the furnace room, trapping him there.

"You can stay here for a few days without them suspecting anything. After it's done, I'll come back here, and whether or not I release you then will depend on the situation."

Lin Feiran made further arrangements, and had done everything he could. If he still had a way to escape, then there was nothing more to say.

Before leaving, Lin Feiran glanced back, but said nothing more. After closing the furnace as instructed, she quickly left.

In the dark room, only the fireworks beside it burned warmly.

He leaned back against the table, looked at the similar-looking but somewhat crudely made doll beside him, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"If I had known this would happen, I would have put more effort into carving you back then. You wouldn't be so crudely made and carelessly stuffed into that mountain of flesh. But it's not too late now. It's just you and me here, so let's use this time to repair you properly."

He picked up the tools beside him and began to re-carve the dummy's randomly sculpted, indistinct fingers, gradually shaping them into slender and powerful forms. He then rubbed the base of the palm a few times to create calluses.

"Now, only you are with me."

...

Lin Feiran returned to her residence with many worries on her mind. She knew that they would make their move the day after tomorrow when Qingque would send a signal. She couldn't help but mentally rehearse the possible unexpected events, and she was far from sleepy.

She sat on the roof for a while before turning over and going inside. As soon as she landed, she smelled an enticing aroma.

Looking up, I saw that Ru Niang and Xun Feifei were still awake. They were sitting by the stove in the kitchen, with a pot of boiling water in front of them.

The room was lit with warm-colored lights, casting a warm, cozy glow on their faces.

Ru Niang was rolling out dough and muttering something to herself, while Xun Feifei stood quietly to listen. Lin Feiran watched quietly, and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

In her memory, her mother's noodles were also extremely delicious; she didn't know what she put in them, but they always had a unique umami flavor.

But now, she can hardly remember what it tasted like.

"Are you hungry?" The sword spirit appeared beside her, looking out the window with her. "You've only just gotten back from being busy. Want to grab a bite to eat?"

Before Lin Feiran could speak, Ru Niang froze and fell over.

Author's Note: [Heart emoji]