Chapter 74
It's not over yet.
"You'll be scared to death when the time comes."
But even the most relaxed tone and the faintest smile couldn't match the unrestrained, flamboyant, and bright years.
It turns out that she never looked down on him from beginning to end.
Feng Qingli suddenly laughed.
He casually wiped his mouth and said to Sheng Ningyu, "I did indeed abduct the 'Sword Master Reincarnation'."
Sheng Ningyu stopped in her tracks, her grip on the sword tightening even more.
Feng Qingli said softly, "But actually, it was your second senior brother's doing."
As soon as he finished speaking, something seemed to suddenly shatter within his meridians, and the surrounding magic array shattered instantly. The cultivators who surged forward all stared in horror at the Qingniao Yiyehua Sect Leader, who was dressed like a demon.
The spiritual energy surged forth, almost uncontrollable... This... this is the meridians reversing their flow?!
Among them, the elders of Qingniao Yiyehua stepped forward: "Sect Leader..."
"It's alright."
Feng Qingli was calmer than ever before.
He stood up and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.
Her entire body, including her internal organs, felt like it was being scraped by a knife; she was in pain and bleeding everywhere. Yet, Feng Qingli still calmly opened her mouth.
"You shall lead all the disciples of the Azure Bird and One Leaf Flower to remove the obstacle."
He doesn't care about the world.
But if she wants peace and stability in this world, he must lend her a helping hand.
...
The Mirror of Heaven and Water presents the scene of yesteryear in its entirety.
From the massacre of the Xie family to the Sword Master's entrapment, aside from all the twists and turns, one person's figure is present throughout the entire story.
"The Chu family!"
Within the immortal sect, someone immediately roared, pointing the finger directly at Chu Jiye behind him: "No wonder this trip has been so unpredictable... How does Patriarch Chu explain the reason why the former patriarch, Chu Yuandao, has been frequently appearing in this Heavenly Water Mirror?!"
However, Chu Jiye did not speak this time.
Even when surrounded by members of the Immortal Sect, Chu Jiye showed no sign of panic or tension.
He forced a smile, his face still pale, but his expression was relaxed, and there was no emotion in his eyes.
“If you want to live, get out of here now,” Chu Jiye said. “Otherwise…”
"Otherwise, they will all be dead under my sword."
A cold voice rang out, and Feng Xiaosheng suddenly turned around, only to see "Sheng Ningyu" holding a sword, gracefully arriving.
Amidst the sea of fire, it was as if the cool moonlight was shining down.
In an instant, the entire venue fell into a deathly silence.
In the midst of this silence, someone exclaimed, "It's the reincarnation of the Sword Master!"
Before Chu Jiye could even raise the corners of his mouth, he heard another hoarse voice.
"Not the Sword Master."
Feng Qingli channeled her spiritual power and floated up to the front of everyone.
Once again, a cynical smile, all too familiar to those in the cultivation world, appeared on his face.
“That reincarnation of the Sword Master is a complete fabrication,” Feng Qingli said. “It’s just…”
"It is merely a substitute puppet that I created because I miss my junior sister."
A gentle voice came over the crowd.
Everyone turned around and saw the acting leader of the Sword Pavilion walking slowly towards them.
For the first time, the usually gentle and refined young master of the pavilion had an icy expression, completely devoid of any smile.
"But the puppet was not yet completed, yet it was mistaken for the reincarnation of Mingyue. So I decided to play along, but I never expected that the Chu family would have such a plan."
Rong Que's actions were completely unexpected by everyone.
The elders of various sects in the cultivation world had no doubts. Feng Xiaosheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Rong Que: "What does the acting sect leader mean?"
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Jiye's expression suddenly changed.
The "Sheng Ningyu" beside him suddenly transformed into five demonic seeds, all of which resembled "Sheng Ningyu"!
"How can there be so many demonic seeds!?"
"Charge!"
This time, Feng Xiaosheng was truly enraged!
As the young lord of the Phoenix Clan, dealing with one or two demonic beings was naturally no problem for her. However, this time, the puppets transformed from the demonic beings were somewhat different.
She was holding the remains of Sheng Ningyu's natal sword.
For a moment, Feng Xiaosheng, who was in the lead, was somewhat hesitant to act rashly.
She feared that Sheng Ningyu still needed the sword, and also had to protect those behind her, so she dared not act rashly for a moment. Those around her tried to act but lacked the ability, and when the demonic energy surged, it affected the disciples who had transformed into Thousand Mountain Cranes.
The elder of the Half-Body Sect angrily retorted, "Are there any members of your Chu family among them?!"
The fact that the demon seed used the face of the former Sword Master to fight against the enemy already put immense pressure on many elders.
Faced with the terror of the demonic seed, countless people felt fear welling up in their hearts, and even an uncontrollable longing for the former Sword Master Mingyue.
Was the Bright Moon Sword Master back then all alone when facing such a terrifying creature?!
The clouds on the horizon were eroded by darkness, as if they were being kneaded and twisted into bizarre shapes by an invisible giant hand. Black mist surged in from all directions like a tide, almost enveloping the entire Heavenly Water Realm.
The sword light, like a bolt of lightning, pierced the darkness.
In a suffocating atmosphere of oppression, the Netherworld Fire burned, and the withered branches of the trees crackled and groaned as they burned, as if countless vengeful spirits were wailing within.
A sense of fear welled up uncontrollably in Feng Xiaosheng's heart.
It wasn't directed at the demon seed, but at Sheng Ningyu.
Suddenly!
The sword light, like a bolt of lightning, ripped through the darkness, carrying an overwhelming rage that seemed poised to shatter the sky completely!
Sheng Ningyu hovered in mid-air. The tip of her sword pointed to the sky, and the light on the sword instantly became incredibly hot, as if it would set the entire world ablaze.
Wherever the sword light reached, all the disciples who had transformed into cranes were restored to their original forms.
They looked up in surprise, only to hear the man's playful and carefree tone.
Feng Xiaosheng suddenly turned around and saw someone carrying a head and throwing it in front of Chu Jiye, rubbing their hands with their sleeves as if disgusted.
"Disgusting." Sheng Ningyu twirled her sword, pointing the blade at the ground. "I'd like to trouble Patriarch Chu to identify whether this is your father."
This statement is nonsensical, even extremely heretical.
Where in the world is there anyone who would carry their father's head and throw it at their own son's feet for him to identify? Even the Demon Lord probably wouldn't do that!
But precisely because of this, a familiar sigh welled up in the hearts of all the older elders.
So absurd...
The elder could no longer care about his composure and stammered, "Sword... Sword Master."
Sheng Ningyu ignored her.
She looked past the crowd at Chu Chang'an and said with disdain, "Seriously, how many clones did Chu Yuandao create for himself? They're hiding here and there, like rats, and it takes forever to kill them all."
Chu Jiye remained silent, stunned.
The puppet stared at her for a long while, then burst into laughter: "Sheng Ningyu! Hahahaha, what a Sword Master Sheng Ningyu! You were skinned and had your bones pulled out, yet you're still alive!"
Sheng Ningyu shrugged and sighed, "Heaven favors me so much, what can I do?"
The puppet seemed to be enraged by these few words. It suddenly raised its hand and tore off its face, revealing a bloody mess. Instantly, demonic energy surged, and almost everyone present was horrified!
And beneath that face was a face that resembled the head beneath their feet!
The elder of the Nine Heavens Pavilion was shocked to discover that this person actually possessed a cultivation level above the eighth stage of cultivation. He exclaimed, "You demon, what kind of heretical path have you been cultivating?"
If what the young lord of the Phoenix Clan said earlier is true, then each of Chu Yuandao's clones that were stopped earlier had at least the peak of the seventh stage of cultivation!
In the realm of cultivation, those who reach the seventh level are already few and far between, let alone those who have achieved such high cultivation levels after reaching the Nascent Soul stage!
For a moment, everyone was filled with excitement, and those whose minds were not stable showed signs of falling into demonic possession.
They cultivated diligently for many years, yet they couldn't even fall into demonic possession as quickly as others. How could this not shake one's resolve?!
"A heretical sect?" Chu Yuandao laughed heartily. "Of the three thousand great paths, how do you define a 'heretical sect'? It's simply a matter of the victors being called 'righteous,' and the losers being labeled 'demonic'!"
"The world is so vast, why can't it tolerate a demon's body? Even you, didn't you cooperate with that Demon Lord? Now that you see me, why do you look so fearful? You all appear righteous and awe-inspiring, but beneath your skin, who hasn't harbored resentment, hatred, and longing for separation?"
"We cultivators must uphold our original intentions! How can I not be acting in accordance with the Dao now?"
Chu Yuandao possessed a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance, and was always adept at using persuasive words. Coupled with the silent churning of demonic energy around him, he did indeed cause many disciples to be swayed by his charm.
But Sheng Ningyu did not react at all.
She just sneered, and in an instant, Yuan Shu below shuddered and slapped himself in the face.
The spirit beside him exclaimed in horror, "Senior Brother Yuan!"
Yuan Shuhe closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes held an unprecedented resolve: "I must never fall into demonic possession."
Above the crowd, Sheng Ningyu chuckled.
She hovered in mid-air and looked at Chu Yuandao: "Since True Person Yuandao is so frank, I would like to ask, were the events involving the Xie family and my being trapped in the Mitian Realm both your doing?"
Chu Yuandao laughed heartily: "Of course."
Upon hearing this, many cultivators were stunned for a moment before they understood what Chu Yuandao meant!
They really do eat human flesh and drink human blood?!
Sheng Ningyu remained unmoved and calmly said, "You infiltrated the Thousand Mountains Trial, do you want others to come here again to encounter you?"
Chu Yuandao said, "Just like the Thousand Mountains Trial, the Demon Seeds are most useful when all eleven are collected."
Just as I expected.
Sheng Ningyu sneered: "Using talented individuals to become demonic seeds, and using the blood and pain of others to consolidate your cultivation? Yuan Dao Zhenren, you truly have a clever scheme."
Upon hearing this, the disciples below, who had been somewhat agitated, instantly fell silent.
Those who are here are mostly righteous disciples who have been raised in a sect since childhood, following the rules and regulations.
No matter how sharp-tongued or scheming one may be on ordinary days, there are still things one should do and things one should not do.
Even if the great path is forged from the blood and tears of others, it will not succeed.
Even under the thunderbolt, they couldn't overcome their inner struggles.
Moreover...
All the disciples looked up at the figure floating in the air, and in their hearts, there was nothing but reverence and admiration.
If they had never met such people, they could convince themselves that all living beings are like this, and that if people don't look out for themselves, they will be punished by heaven and earth.
May the bright moon shine forth, illuminating the path ahead.
One of the disciples couldn't help but say, "Don't overthink it! Don't...don't cause trouble for your senior!"
He calmed everyone down so easily, without even saying a word.
The eleven elders of the Immortal Sect displayed a variety of expressions, but Chu Yuandao didn't seem to care.
His backup plan wasn't these people.
Chu Yuandao looked at Sheng Ningyu with a calm demeanor, and as he listened to her sharp and incisive remarks, a look of regret appeared on his face.
"So that's what you were thinking about."
It was almost exactly the same as what Xie Qianjing had said that day.
Sheng Ningyu smiled wryly, gripping the wooden longsword tightly in her hand. Under the stimulation of her spiritual power, the sword emitted a deep hum, as if responding to her. At the same time, the runes on the sword began to flash, the light growing brighter and brighter, and a sword cry resounded throughout the heavens and earth!
The next second, everyone watched in disbelief as a person appeared behind Feng Shaojun.
Feng Qingxing covered his face and did not speak. He simply picked up Jin Xianyao and flew straight to the location of the Eleven Immortal Sect, pouring all of their blood and spiritual power into it!
Xie Qianjing had previously mentioned in Zhuyue City that Feng Qingxing might be an old friend.
Sheng Ningyu never expected that this "old friend" would actually be an "old friend".
Feng Qingxing has the blood of the Chu family.
Chu Jiye saw it clearly, and for the first time his eyes flickered, but he still dared not recognize him. Sheng Ningyu seized the opportunity and pointed her sword directly at Chu Jiye!
This time, however, even as he heard his father's head slamming in unison, Chu Jiye did not move.
If only I could die by her sword...
"The Flawless Sword".
So that's how it is.
Sheng Ningyu stopped her sword strike and didn't even glance at Chu Chang'an.
She had already seen through Chu Yuandao's reliance; it was actually the remains of her sword.
The remnants of her past spiritual sword energy have become her greatest obstacle at this moment.
That's ridiculous.
Sheng Ningyu's sword tip did not move again. She simply stared quietly at her old sword, which was suspended in mid-air, and chuckled.
"come over."
No one can see her.
Even her past self is not acceptable.
At the same time, Chu Yuandao also wielded his sword. His swordsmanship was equally amazing. The sword light suddenly spread out, and the light was so dazzling that it almost made people feel like it was daytime!
The eleven immortal sect elders protected the formation, while the surrounding cultivators and elders worked together to deal with the scattered demonic energy and the demonic seeds. Before everyone, Chu Yuandao laughed loudly: "Sword Master, your sword was once the world-renowned 'Moon Without Flaws'. Some people once said that it was a 'sword without flaws'!"
"Even so, you have reduced it to just a section of the sword. This is enough to show that your swordsmanship is not perfect and is a wrong path! Only I am invincible and stand on the right path!"
Even Yu Qinqiu couldn't help but raise his head, a strange smile appearing on his lips.
The Nine Netherworld Flames were sinister and eerie, and amidst the clamor of demonic energy, the world seemed on the verge of collapse.
But at that moment, Sheng Ningyu suddenly smiled softly.
"Chu Yuandao, you've guessed two things wrong."
She slowly raised her hand, inch by inch.
"First of all, my swordsmanship has never been perfect."
Sheng Ningyu suddenly flipped her wrist, and the tip of her sword drew a series of complex trajectories in the air. Each trajectory was filled with powerful sword energy. In an instant, all the swords in the hands of countless cultivators rushed to her side!
Including the one in Chu Yuandao's hand!
"I am the Sword Master."
His calm tone carried an unquestionable authority.
Under the Sword Master, all swords under heaven obey!
Chu Yuandao's usually composed expression finally cracked slightly.
He originally only wanted to trap the person here and did not want to use the Chu family's magical artifacts, but at this moment, he could no longer wait!
Chu Yuandao was utterly devastated!
The spiritual bone of Sheng Ningyu, which was inlaid on the Yin-Yang Mirror, has disappeared without a trace!
Holding the Yin-Yang Mirror, Chu Yuandao shouted to Sheng Ningyu, "During the trial, I fought with your senior brother and planted a puppet barrier on him! If you kill me now, your second senior brother Rong Que will also die without a burial place!"
At this moment, Sheng Ningyu had already raised her long sword high, the tip of which pointed to the sky.
A surge of sword energy swept in like a whirlwind, and Rong Que's face turned pale.
He didn't utter a single word, but merely turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Sheng Ningyu's profile.
Amidst the swirling winds, everyone wore different expressions, their shallow faces frozen in an absurd arc, except for one person who remained unmoved.
Only her.
Sheng Ningyu stood alone before the crowd, with a formation of ten thousand swords poised to strike behind her. Upon hearing these words, her expression remained unmoved, growing even colder. Every movement she made seemed to carry the wrath of gods and Buddhas from the highest heavens; even a simple gesture of raising her hand to swing her sword exuded boundless power and majesty.
As Sheng Ningyu moved, all the swords in the sword formation instantly converged into a huge pillar of sword energy, as if it could tear apart anything that stood in its way!
A deafening roar!
Wherever the sword energy passed, the demonic energy vanished instantly, all the Netherworld Flames were extinguished in an instant, and all the evil spirits disappeared in an instant!
The eleven elders of the Immortal Sect shouted loudly, "Fellow Daoists, follow me and break the formation!"
A golden light flashed, and in an instant, everyone emerged from the trial in a disheveled state.
Although they were in a sorry state, at least no one was injured.
It's unclear how Chu Yuandao cultivated, but each of his clones possessed cultivation levels around the eighth stage of cultivation. Coupled with the surrounding demonic seed, it was already a great stroke of luck that he was able to lead his group of junior disciples to escape unscathed.
Moreover, with Xie Qianjing's plan, finding Chu Yuandao's true identity is only a matter of time.
After escaping, the group was still shaken. They looked at the person in front of them, but for a moment they dared not go forward.
Knowing that Sheng Ningyu must be worried, Feng Xiaosheng said in advance, "The trial is fragmented, and we are guarding different areas, so you don't need to worry."
Sheng Ningyu nodded slightly but did not speak.
A metallic taste surged in her throat, and the wound on her wrist throbbed faintly. Sheng Ningyu leaned on her sword, her knuckles turning white from the force.
The light before my eyes flickered, and deep within my consciousness, it felt as if a million swords were churning simultaneously.
The lotus crown on her head had been shattered by the sword energy just now, with only the jade hairpin barely holding up her hair...
wrong!
Sheng Ningyu's gaze, which had been scattered by the movement of ten thousand swords, suddenly focused.
How can something from an illusion be brought out?
"Junior sister."
Almost simultaneously, a slender, fair hand landed on her head, loosened the strands of hair on the top of her head, and began to comb her hair again.
His tone carried a helpless sigh: "Why are you always getting hurt?"
Sheng Ningyu subconsciously stood up and took a step back: "Second Senior Brother, there's no need for this. I'm not a child anymore."
Rong Que seemed taken aback by her reaction, and then chuckled softly, "It's me. I always treat you like a child, but just now, Junior Sister saved my life."
He paused for a moment, his gaze passing over Sheng Ningyu and looking at the frightened junior disciples in front of him. As if he had thought of something, he smiled slightly, but then sighed softly and shook his head.
"As we've grown up, we've indeed become quite estranged." The "Number One Young Master" in the cultivation world sighed as he spoke, his expression tinged with melancholy, soft and ethereal, like a jade hairpin falling onto the white silk covering his eyes.
"I even thought that my junior sister wouldn't have held back just now."
Sheng Ningyu lowered her eyes and did not answer, continuing to walk forward: "When did you recognize me, Senior Brother?"
Seeing that she didn't turn around, Rong Que didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he followed behind Sheng Ningyu and said softly, "Before entering the secret realm."
Sheng Ningyu was taken aback and subconsciously turned around: "How did you see that, Senior Brother...?"
“It’s not about looking.” Rong Que shook his head.
He was dressed in the robes of a Sword Pavilion elder, yet there was something different about them. The deep blue silk, like flowing clouds, was adorned with pearlescent shimmer, and as he walked, it fluttered along with the white silk, like falling stardust.
Sheng Ningyu paused for a moment, then smiled.
"If my senior brother says it's not true, then it's not true."
She didn't press further, nor did she follow Rong Que's words. Instead, she raised her hand and pulled out a sword from her waist: "This is Senior Brother's Sword of Rules. I summoned it just now. Please forgive me, Senior Brother."
The elegant and beautiful immortal reached out his hand, but did not take the sword. His jade-like fingertips went to Sheng Ningyu's right side. Sheng Ningyu's wrist was still in pain, and she subconsciously dodged. Rong Que's movements stopped in mid-air.
He curled his lips into a smile, but his voice was cold.
"Junior sister, don't you believe me?"
Upon hearing this, Sheng Ningyu felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she tensed her back and remained silent.
In an instant, the tenderness that the two had been trying so hard to maintain was finally shattered, leaving only a snowstorm.
Just then, Feng Xiaosheng finally calmed everyone down and came to Sheng Ningyu's side.
She stood intentionally or unintentionally beside Sheng Ningyu, only to hear Sheng Ningyu transmit her voice: "Where is Xie Qianjing?"
Two voices rang in her ears at the same time, but the Qinggui Sword in her left hand was taken away by someone, and Sheng Ningyu turned her head sharply.
She looked at Rong Que beside her and suddenly remembered that his eyes seemed to have always been blurry.
Rong Que smiled slightly at Sheng Ningyu's gaze, and it was unclear how long he had been watching her.
His gaze remained as gentle and indulgent as ever, just like the ethereal immortal standing beneath the high platform of Jian Ge in those days.
In front of Sheng Ningyu, Rong Que raised his hand again and tucked the stray hairs on her left side behind her ear.
Sheng Ningyu lowered her eyes, her gaze devoid of much emotion.
Yes, Second Brother's ability to hear sounds is always accurate.
It's likely that after entering the secret realm, if the second senior brother is indeed hiding there as those people say...
"No."
Rong Que raised his hand and touched Sheng Ningyu's earlobe gently, like a flower falling in the wind.
"It was before entering the secret realm."
Sheng Ningyu was a beat too slow in turning away.
With a slight movement of her sleeves, she resembled a jade hairpin flower that had once fallen in the Sword Pavilion.
She looked up and saw Rong Que staring intently at her, his grayish eyes seemingly brimming with countless emotions.
"Bright Moon".
His hand landed on the top of her head, straightening the jade hairpin, and he said softly, "Among all living beings, I recognized your heartbeat."
Now, even Feng Xiaosheng, who was standing to the side, was speechless, and could no longer find an excuse to make Sheng Ningyu leave immediately.
After all, everyone knew how close these two senior and junior siblings were back in the Sword Pavilion.
Yan Ruchao's words on the spirit boat were not unfounded.
But when Sheng Ningyu looked up at Rong Que, another white figure unexpectedly came to mind.
Compared to his second senior brother's boundless tolerance, Xie Qianjing in his memory seemed colder, like snow on a mountain peak, and his temper was also very rigid, far less gentle and kind than his second senior brother.
...She was going to find him.
Almost before the thought even crossed her mind, Sheng Ningyu had already turned around without hesitation, just like a ray of moonlight.
No one can capture her.
She can leave at any time.
Rong Que's pupils constricted. He disregarded everything else and used his spiritual power to block Sheng Ningyu's path. His voice, which had been gentle and mild just moments before, now revealed a rare display of emotion as he asked, his face pale, "Where are you going again?"
As soon as he said this, he felt he had said too much: "No, you don't need to go anywhere anymore... Mingyue, come back to Jian Ge with me."
"I'm not going back." Sheng Ningyu took a step to the side and said, "Senior brother, I need to go find someone."
Rong Que still wouldn't let go. His face was as pale as paper, but he still used the strings of his zither as threads of spiritual energy to block Sheng Ningyu's path: "Where are you going? Who are you going to see?"
Sheng Ningyu paused, looked up and met Rong Que's gaze for a few seconds, then sighed helplessly.
Putting aside all those messy things, why is Second Brother starting to worry about them again?
It was as if she were still a child, when she was thin and small, and the youngest disciple. Her second senior brother was always afraid that she would be bullied by others if she was not careful.
But things are different now, and she's not young anymore.
"Senior brother," Sheng Ningyu said, "I need to go find my fiancé, he..."
Sheng Ningyu didn't know how to describe it, so she scratched her head, her expression shifting unpredictably, but in the end she only said one sentence.
Rong Que paused, then suddenly gripped the hilt of the Qinggui sword tightly.
Perhaps Sheng Ningyu herself didn't know that when she mentioned her "fiancé," a faint and gentle smile appeared on her usually sharp face, which knew nothing of hiding her true feelings. And when she talked about "bullying," a genuine worry welled up in her usually indifferent eyes.
Even though such worries may seem ridiculous to others.
But she... she treated that person differently from everyone else.
“Okay.” Rong Que looked at Sheng Ningyu, his gaze fixed.
"I await my junior sister's return so we can meet again."
Rong Que watched Sheng Ningyu leave without looking back. After a long while, he finally released his grip on the sword hilt. When he turned around, his face was once again adorned with the gentle smile that everyone praised.
"Acting Pavilion Master! Sword Pavilion disciples..."
"Lord Dai, should we...?"
"Immortal Master Rongque, the Pavilion Master of the Nine Heavens Pavilion cordially invites you..."
Countless voices flooded his ears, and Rong Que responded to them one by one. As he walked, he naturally exuded the dignified air of the Sword Pavilion, and his steps were unhurried, as if he were flying up like a fairy, as if he had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, and in a flash, he had already landed in the city.
Rong Que raised his hand, and his flowing sleeves resembled a multitude of stars rising up.
He flipped through the invitations and said gently, "Young friend, please tell your master that I will certainly meet with him."
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Author's Note: Double update of 10,000 words! Hehehe! Because I received praise from Bao on Weibo [sunglasses] I'm so happy!
"The strict rules are beyond description; let us use a jade pot filled with ice."
I wonder if anyone has ever thought that besides the commonly understood rules and regulations, "qinggui" also has another meaning: the moon.
Still offering 24-hour comment bonuses! [Sunglasses]
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