With corpses strewn across the ground and black smoke billowing, the three men were on full alert.
After the mountain had invisibly moved behind them, the path ahead finally revealed itself. The dense, pitch-black forest, layer upon layer, was eerie, and from time to time, the eerie cries of crows could be heard. Xie Lian, alert and vigilant, unintentionally reached for Hua Cheng's hand. Unexpectedly, this contact revealed ominous information.
Hua Cheng was clearly a ghost, yet at that moment, his body temperature was scorching hot, as if he had a high fever. Xie Lian was immediately startled and immediately whispered, "Sanlang, are you... going to transform back?"
Although Hua Cheng felt a burning sensation from forehead to fingertips, his expression remained unchanged as he said, "It's almost there."
Hua Cheng was about to transform back, which was definitely great news in the current situation. However, the moment before he officially returned to his true form was bound to be the most crucial and critical moment. Xie Lian made a quick decision and said, "Set up the formation! I'll protect you."
He immediately attacked. He ordered Ruo Xie to circle Hua Cheng in a four-meter circle, then inserted Fang Xin in front of the circle as a "lock." Hua Cheng sat down on the ground and said, "Brother, use Fang Xin for self-defense."
Xie Lian said, “No, this formation can’t be sloppy. We must have a weapon stained with human blood to support it…”
Before he could finish, he felt something rub against him from behind. He turned around and was speechless. A small silver scimitar stood behind him, blinking its large silver eyes. It was rubbing against him with its handle, as if offering itself.
“…” Xie Lian squatted down and said, “Eming, how come you’ve become like this too?”
The infamous Scimitar Erming, with its slender blade and devilish charm, had shrunk by at least half. Those silver eyes, once narrow and long, now seemed like those of a child, large and round, blinking. Hearing Xie Lian's words, it seemed a little aggrieved, but it still tried to push the hilt into his hand. Pei Ming also squatted down and asked, "Is this the infamous Scimitar Erming?"
As he spoke, he seemed to reach out and touch her, but Erming suddenly turned hostile, pointing the blade threateningly at him. Fortunately, Pei Ming pulled his hand away quickly, otherwise he would have been bloodied on the spot. Xie Lian touched Erming and said, "Let Fangxin take over."
Her heart remained unmoved. Having offered herself only to be flatly rejected, E Ming leaped back to Hua Cheng, sobbing. Hua Cheng didn't even look at her, but slapped her back, saying, "Why are you crying? It's all because you're useless. Waste!"
Erming fell to the ground like a piece of unwanted rag, seemingly knocked unconscious by his blow. Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He quickly picked up Erming, put him in his arms, and stroked him twice, saying, "No, no. Don't listen to him. You're not useless. You're very useful!"
Pei Ming couldn't stand the atmosphere in the circle any longer. He stepped outside and slowly drew his sword again. He said, "I wasn't supposed to be so nervous. I didn't expect to encounter such a formidable and powerful character right away. Your Highness is truly lucky."
Their group had come to Tonglu Mountain specifically to eliminate any inhuman beings with the potential to become extinct. They were looking for powerful individuals, and Xie Lian couldn't figure out whether this was good luck or bad luck. Hua Cheng asked, "Why does General Pei take it for granted that it was just the Crown Prince's luck? Hasn't it occurred to you that the Deadly Blade Demon might be coming for you?"
Pei Ming laughed and said, "If that was a female ghost, I would believe it was coming for me."
Unexpectedly, before he could smile for long, his expression suddenly changed and he leaped to the side. When he looked up again, blood was slowly flowing down his cheek.
There was actually a blood mark on Pei Ming's face!
He touched his face in disbelief, his entire palm stained red with blood. This was no mere scrape. Both men had been on high alert, yet Xie Lian remained unharmed. He sensed no trace of murderous intent directed at him. He spoke honestly, "It looks like... it's definitely aimed at you, General Pei."
Pei Ming was about to speak when the sound of a blade slicing through the wind struck again. This time, he was prepared and swung his sword down. The strike indeed struck something, and a figure appeared in the air, split in two. It landed with a thud, the upper half, the lower half. The upper half lay on the ground, glaring menacingly at Pei Ming. It was the deadly blade demon!
Pei Ming walked over and stepped on his chest, holding the tip of his sword against his throat. He asked, "Who the hell are you?"
This thing had previously claimed to be a demon transformed from an executioner's knife. If that were true, after being cut in two by Pei Ming, it should have been reduced to its original form and was doomed. What kind of knife could still act so arrogantly after being broken into two?
Unexpectedly, the Swift Blade Demon suddenly opened his eyes wide, sneered, and cut off Pei Ming's sword with his bare hands!
With a clang, Pei Ming's eyes suddenly widened.
Not only him, Xie Lian also had a similar reaction.
Pei Ming is, after all, an officially ascended Martial God. Even if he is in Tonglu Mountain and his magic power is suppressed to the minimum, his magic weapon should not be cut off so easily!
The Deadly Blade Demon laughed out loud, "How could you possibly come up with such a useless sword!"
The sword had broken, and Pei Ming immediately used his fist instead. The Swift Blade Demon slapped the ground with his left hand, leaped into the air, and with his right hand, he clasped his fingers together and slashed out with a palm strike. Wherever his palm struck, a cold metallic gleam shone, carrying the wind of a sharp blade. Clearly, his true form was indeed a sharp weapon!
Xie Lian stood inside the circle, wanting to go out and help, but Hua Cheng stopped him and said in a deep voice, "Brother, look carefully."
Pei Ming also shouted, "Don't interfere!" He was the dignified Northern Martial God. If he couldn't even defeat a sword demon in the outermost layer of Tonglu Mountain, how could he overcome this hurdle in his heart?
However, although the Swift Blade Demon only had an upper body, he was extremely agile. No matter where Pei Ming struck, he seemed to anticipate it, which was very disadvantageous to Pei Ming. After hundreds of strikes, Pei Ming's body was already covered with dozens of wounds. Xie Lian could no longer bear it and said, "General Pei, please come in first!"
Pei Ming's expression grew increasingly grim. He refused to retreat, and Xie Lian couldn't just rush in and help him in a two-on-one fight. For some Martial Gods, asking for help in a one-on-one fight was an insult. Xie Lian could only say, "General Pei, please come back! Don't you notice something strange? This man knows your swordsmanship and body movements like the back of his hand!"
Pei Ming naturally noticed this, but he just couldn't believe it for a moment. But even Xie Lian, who was watching from the sidelines, saw it, so he had to believe it. Xie Lian pulled out the heart, briefly opening a gap. He took the opportunity to jump back into the circle, his face extremely grim. Xie Lian inserted the heart again and said, "General Pei, won't you pick up your broken magic weapon?"
Pei Ming wiped the blood from his forehead and said in a deep voice, "That's not my magic weapon. I just picked one up at random that I think is quite handy."
Hearing this, Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief. While the sword Pei Ming had casually picked up was certainly valuable, it couldn't be compared to a magic weapon. He then asked, "General Pei, why didn't you bring a magic weapon with you?"
Pei Ming said: "I didn't practice it."
Xie Lian was even more curious: "Why?" Generally, a Martial God would choose to refine their most powerful weapon into a magical weapon, thus naturally giving them greater power in their attacks. Before Pei Ming could reply, the Deadly Blade Demon snorted coldly and said, "That's because his best sword is long gone!"
Pei Ming's brows furrowed as he asked, "Who are you?"
Xie Lian asked, “Aren’t you going to ask what he is?”
The Deadly Blade Demon snorted, "Who am I? Ha! Pei Ming, when you cut me in half with one palm strike, did you ever imagine this day would come?"
Xie Lian opened his eyes slightly and asked, "General Pei, do you know him?"
Pei Ming thought for a long time, his expression becoming increasingly serious. He asked tentatively, "Are you... Mingguang?"
Hearing this name, the Deadly Blade Demon stopped laughing. He looked completely different now than the insignificant little devil he'd been at the beginning. Xie Lian asked, "His name is 'Ming Guang'? General Pei, aren't you the General Ming Guang?"
In an instant, countless bizarre stories raced through his mind, such as impersonation, substitution, and so on. However, since he had a history of such incidents in the Heavenly Court, they weren't considered bizarre. He couldn't help but wonder, "Could this be another Earth Master Yi?"
Pei Ming seemed to have seen through his thoughts. He clutched his wound and said, "Your Highness, what are you thinking? I've already said I'm the real General Pei. It's me!"
Xie Lian asked, “Then why do you call him Ming Guang?”
Pei Ming said, "Because his original name was Mingguang. I gave him that name. He is my sword!"
Xie Lian exclaimed, “Ah!” and asked, “Could it be—‘General Broken Sword’?”
Pei Ming said, "That's right. 'Mingguang' was the sword I carried as a human. I broke it with my own hands hundreds of years ago!"
No wonder!
No wonder this "Deadly Blade Demon" knew Pei Ming's sword techniques so well, as if he could see his next move. No wonder he remained so free and unrestrained despite being cut in half, his abdominal wound unfazed. Simply because this sword had accompanied Pei Ming through countless battles, naturally knowing his attack patterns and routines intimately; after all, he had already been cut in two!
Xie Lian asked, “So, that sword wound from before, was it him stabbing himself? And what was that spiritual light on the wound?”
Pei Ming said, "Mine. After I defeated him, I ascended to heaven immediately. I think it must have been stained at that time, and it can't be erased."
The Deadly Blade Demon—no, Mingguang—began to use his hand as a blade, slashing at her heart again and again. His face was sinister, as if he were slashing at Pei Ming himself. Xie Lian couldn't help but ask, "Um... General Pei, why is your sword so resentful towards you? What did you do to it? What exactly is the meaning of 'General's Broken Sword'?"
Pei Ming fumbled for the medicine bottle on his body as he said, "That was a mess hundreds of years ago. Why bring it up now? Let's find a way to repel him first!"
Although Ruo Xie had set the circle, once Fang Xin was severed, the formation was largely broken, like a lock broken, leaving only the door. Xie Lian glanced behind him. Hua Cheng had already entered deep meditation, his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the outside world. He felt slightly relieved. But Pei Ming's voice brought him back to his senses. "Your Highness, can your sword hold up?"
Xie Lian turned around and said, "I don't know. After all, Fang Xin is quite old."
Pei Ming said, "It's okay. Mingguang is also very old."
Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief and said, “If that’s the case, as long as there’s no other help, we should be able to hold out for a while…”
Before they could finish their words, heavy footsteps were heard from the other side of the forest. A moment later, a burly man with a ferocious face and dark skin, wearing tattered armor, appeared before them.
The big man was incredibly tall, and upon seeing him, both Xie Lian and Pei Ming broke out in a cold sweat.
The large man, surprised to see someone slashing relentlessly with his bare hands at a sword stuck in the ground, approached. Xie Lian and Pei Ming simultaneously covered their faces and turned away. Ming Guang, seeing a giant corpse approaching, looked incredibly powerful and shouted, "Hey, big guy, help me! Help me knock this sword away, break this formation, and I'll give you half the heads!"
However, the large man seemed neither a native of the Central Plains nor a ghost of the Central Plains. He spoke a different language, and no one could understand what he was saying, but he just kept shouting at him. After a long while, neither side could understand what the other was saying, and their veins were bulging. Pei Ming tried to make his face-covering gesture look more natural and suave, whispering, "Your Highness, what is this barbarian yelling about?"
Xie Lian also whispered, “He thought your sword was provoking him, so he got angry and told him to kneel down and beg for mercy, or he would beat him to death.”
Pei Ming said, "That's great. I hope they start fighting soon."
Unexpectedly, the burly man seemed to have heard their whispers, turned around, and stared at them with a frown. Xie Lian and Pei Ming covered their faces even more tightly, no longer caring about pretending. However, the man recognized them and stamped his foot, making the entire ground shake. He roared, "It's you! The rag collector Taoist! Pei Su's boss!"
Seeing he had recognized them, the two men had no choice but to let go. After a moment's deliberation, Xie Lian said gently in Banyue language, "General Kemo, calm down."
This strange, large man was, of course, Ke Mo, who had escaped from his garrison after the demonic upheaval at Tonglu Mountain. He had been captured by Xie Lian, and later, during interrogation, he had seen Pei Ming siding with Pei Su. The encounter between these two enemies was filled with jealousy, and without a word, he launched a powerful kick towards her heart, instantly deflecting the sword by an inch!
Mingguang took one look and clapped his hands in applause, exclaiming, "Brave!" He also followed suit, continuing to chop palm after palm. Seeing his heart trembling more and more under the combined attack of these two, Xie Lian touched Huacheng's forehead, only to withdraw his hand instantly due to the heat, saying, "What should I do now?"
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