Chapter 18 Fire in the Stone: Are you really Xu Yi?
Midnight, at the Moon Gazing Cliff.
After the snow stopped, the sky became even brighter.
As the fifteenth day of the lunar month approaches, the moon grows ever fuller, like a warm, round disc, hanging quietly on the cliff. Its bright light illuminates the waterfall before the cliff, the water shimmering, so tranquil and beautiful that it even adds a touch of elegance to the steep and precipitous waterfall.
Wangyue Cliff and Feitai Waterfall are both located in the Suijin Mountains, but the former is a beautiful natural landscape, while the latter is a more magnificent landscape meticulously crafted by Liyang Valley.
Xu Yi faced the inverted, clear waterfall, holding the Broken Goose Blade, his black clothes fluttering in the wind.
Zhou Ziheng, holding the crimson Red Dust Sword, arrived at Moon Gazing Cliff. He looked at Xu Yi's back and chuckled, "Xu Yi, you've come so early, couldn't wait any longer?"
“You’re late.” Xu Yi turned around, his eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, facing Zhou Ziheng from afar.
"Who exactly are you?" Xu Yi suddenly asked.
To this day, he still doesn't know Zhou Ziheng's identity, let alone his purpose. The identity of "Zhou Ziheng" is an unknown mystery to him.
Zhou Ziheng did not answer. He slowly drew the Red Dust Sword, its sharp light like an elusive red line under the moonlight.
"who I am?"
"Young Master, you really do have a bad memory."
He stood alone, sword in hand, his tone calm: "But why care about names? I just want to spar with Duan Yan Dao."
"Red Dust," Xu Yi murmured, recognizing the strange, menacing sword. Although he didn't believe Zhou Ziheng's purpose was merely a simple spar, he still drew his Broken Goose sword. Their eyes met, and a fight was about to break out.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Duan Yan. She's still so beautiful." Zhou Ziheng's gaze lingered on the knife that resembled a goose, his eyes filled with admiration.
The handle of the Broken Goose Knife is shaped like a lifelike goose wing. The entire blade is thick and simple, carved with waves, reeds, and sunset, making it a knife with a strong artistic flair.
The midnight hour was deep, yet the moonlight was bright enough. Both men gripped their prized weapons, their eyes wary, their bodies tense, waiting for the right moment—
The waterfall crashes against the boulders, creating a thunderous roar.
Now!
The two moved at the same time. Zhou Ziheng was agile and nimble, and his swordsmanship was unrestrained and unrestrained. Xu Yi was calm and composed, and his knife skills were simple and grand. But the two were equally determined to move forward!
Swords clashed, producing a crisp, sharp sound. Duan Yan suppressed Hong Chen, relentlessly slashing and hacking, launching a fierce attack.
Xu Yi found his rhythm, and his Broken Goose Saber Technique became increasingly refined. Although it was only half-finished, its majestic momentum was still evident.
Xu Yi deals with pirates every day, and each time he faces a life-or-death choice. His Broken Goose Blade is more ferocious than a poetic wild goose; it's more like an unstoppable raging dragon!
Zhou Ziheng was forced into a defensive posture, but his mind remained clear, and he showed no panic in the face of the rapid attacks of the Broken Goose Blade.
Xu Yi revealed a mysterious smile, and Zhou Ziheng's hair stood on end. In a flash, the Broken Goose Blade changed its sweeping and powerful movements and suddenly became soft and gentle, striking Zhou Ziheng's face from an exceptionally tricky angle!
Zhou Ziheng reacted incredibly quickly. The moment he realized something was wrong, he immediately switched from defense to offense, abandoning his attempt to resist. His Red Dust Sword, like a fragrant breeze, pierced towards Xu Yi's heart!
As long as Xu Yi cuts off his head, the mortal world will pierce his heart. Zhou Ziheng never cared about life or death; he rationally chose a path that would result in mutual destruction.
In an instant, the two stopped moving. The surroundings were silent, and even the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops could be clearly heard.
The lone goose hovered in front of Zhou Ziheng's neck, and the mortal world also stood still in front of Xu Yi's heart; neither of them took another step forward.
The two reached an agreement: Zhou Ziheng bent over to avoid Duan Yan, and Xu Yi also created distance at the same time. In the first round of their exchange, neither of them gained an advantage.
“You really underestimated your opponent.” Xu Yi looked coldly at Zhou Ziheng. “What disgusting arrogance…and enviable talent.”
Zhou Ziheng remained calm and took Xu Yi's words as a compliment with great satisfaction.
He touched the mortal world, and in an instant, the person who was originally relaxed and at ease suddenly started to move!
The Red Dust Sword Technique lives up to its name, with its continuous and relentless sword strikes amidst the rolling red dust. What appears to be a gentle offensive is actually an endless barrage of blows once you're drawn into it!
Xu Yi wasn't too surprised. He had long since mastered the technique of using Duan Yan as if it were his own arm. In terms of weapon coordination, Zhou Ziheng was far inferior to him!
Faced with the onslaught of worldly affairs, which resembled spring rain, willow branches, and blooming flowers, Xu Yi remained calm and unhurried. His Broken Goose Blade, like a wild goose resting on a lake, used softness to overcome softness. The two completely different yet incredibly similar sword techniques collided, creating ripples.
The essence of the half-finished sword technique that Xu Yi possesses is the wild geese returning to the south, representing the continuous flow of life.
Although he lost the other half, through daily life-or-death struggles, he also came to understand his own true nature, filling the void left by the Broken Goose Blade. The fusion of two completely different styles made the Broken Goose Blade exceptionally unpredictable and impossible to defend against.
“You mortal world—” Xu Yi once again confronted Hong Chen head-on. Unlike Zhou Ziheng’s passive defense in the first round, he was both offensive and defensive, and was subtly gaining the upper hand.
"Having form but no spirit, one can only presume to discuss the mortal world."
Zhou Ziheng's face suddenly darkened; those words were like slapping his face into the ground!
However, in that instant, the Broken Goose Blade struck like a raging dragon, slicing open Zhou Ziheng's upper arm and leaving a deep, bloody gash.
Ignoring the deep, bone-revealing wound, Zhou Ziheng quickly retreated, staring intently at Xu Yi. Touched by the phrase "having form but no spirit," he suddenly remembered why Lin Youbie had forbidden him from taking Hongchen with him.
Winning the laurel wreath gave him unparalleled talent, but at the same time robbed him of his ability to perceive emotions.
The mortal world is the anger and resentment of the world, the core of which he could never comprehend in his lifetime. Even though Zhou Ziheng could use every move of the mortal world sword technique with his talent, as Xu Yi said, it was all form and no spirit. From the moment he chose the mortal world, his achievements in the path of swordsmanship were already destined.
But he still revealed a smug smile: "Even so, it's more than enough to defeat your half-broken goose blade."
The exchange between the two sides has once again reached a fever pitch!
The two were like wild beasts fighting for their lives. At this point, neither wanted to hold back and both used their full strength. Occasionally, they would glance at each other and see the same killing intent in each other's eyes!
After the Xu family was wiped out, no matter how hard he cultivated the "Broken Goose" technique, the only thing people talked about was his budding talent in the "Red Dust" world.
They praised him, saying, "He shines brightly in the mortal world; a new talent is about to stir up the winds and clouds in the martial arts world!"
They sighed at him: "Although the legacy of the Broken Goose has not been broken, it is a pity that it is only half-finished..."
They praised him: "As expected of the Sword Master of the Mortal World, he single-handedly stirred up the entire martial world with just his sword!"
They sighed at him, saying, "He was a pitiful man, his family destroyed, living as a dependent..."
Their rivalry began when Duan Yan and Hong Chen first gained fame in the martial arts world.
Perhaps neither of them cares much about material possessions, but Xu Yi has his own burdens, and Zhou Ziheng has his own pride. This sparring match should have taken place long ago, and it's not too late to compete now.
On the Moon Gazing Cliff, the two left behind worldly affairs and engaged in a joyful and unrestrained exchange of skills.
Xu Yi had never felt so exhilarated. After his family was destroyed, he couldn't sleep day and night. Even though he worked hard to learn the Broken Goose Technique, he still had to work hard to repay Zhang Yuanqian's life-saving grace.
He was a lonely ghost in the world, and Zhang Yuanqian gave him a place of peace, but Zhang Yuanqian also bound him from the path of liberation.
Tonight, standing before the waterfall, on the cliff, under the full moon, he seems truly ready to disregard everything and escape into the distance.
Previously, Zhou Ziheng mostly killed his enemies like an assassin, using his swift movements and elusive sword techniques.
Tonight, he is a true swordsman; every strike is an affirmation of his swordsmanship. With flicks, spins, and thrusts, the Red Dust Swordplay is fluid and gentle, perfectly complementing his excellent footwork. He seems to see through everything, always managing to evade Duan Yan's attacks.
Amidst the flashing swords and the rain of arrows, Zhou Ziheng suddenly asked, "Aren't you curious about who I really am?"
The advantage of a lone goose lies in its weight, strength, and momentum. Even if it resembles a soaring goose, it cannot change its comparative characteristics. "Flying" is merely a means; "returning south" is the ultimate goal.
Xu Yi found it difficult to fathom the ways of the mortal world and was momentarily at a loss. He slowly asked, "Is that important?"
With a "whoosh," Hongchen moved as fast as a red shadow, flashing like lightning in an instant, and the clash of swords produced a loud sound.
Zhou Ziheng's eyes were cold as he stared at Xu Yi and said in a low voice, "Aren't you ever curious about where that half of the sword technique is?"
With a clang, the broken goose tore through the mortal world's web, roaring like a ferocious beast as it bit open the hole.
Xu Yi's hand went numb, but he remained relatively calm: "So what if I know?"
Like a gentle mist in the mortal world, it seeps into the flaws of the broken goose, stabbing, slashing, and thrusting upwards, striking through the surface with a single point, specifically targeting the weak points.
Zhou Ziheng said, "Really? Aren't you curious why I know so much about the Broken Goose Blade?"
Exhausted from being stabbed by Hongchen, Duan Yan's eyes flashed with ferocity. At the same time, Duan Yan's sword energy surged like a rainbow, and a giant dragon soared into the air, delivering a devastating blow to Hongchen!
Xu Yi said in a low voice, "So what if you know? I am the successor of Duan Yan, and I will write the future of Duan Yan!"
But in an instant, Hongchen revealed its true, ferocious nature! A crimson light, like a blood moon, cleaved the broken goose in two, biting off its neck. The broken goose's blade wailed, and with a clash, Hongchen hurtled straight towards Xu Yi!
Xu Yi caught a glimpse of Zhou Ziheng's eyes amidst the flashing red sword light.
Those were eyes that saw through everything, calm and indifferent, becoming the only clamorous focal point under the sky and in the moonlight.
He heard Zhou Ziheng's calm voice:
"Are you really the successor of the Broken Goose? Are you really Xu Yi?"
The entire world fell completely and utterly silent.
The waterfall emitted a silent lament, which flowed back into his heart.
Is he Xu Yi?
The man gazed at the flash of sword light in the mortal world. Not far away, the broken goose blade, knocked down, resembled a defeated goose. In his unfocused pupils, he once again saw the eyes of his parents, who had tormented him day and night.
They said, "Please, take Xu Yi away."
A note from the author:
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