Chapter 89: Black Iron Heavy Sword
Heavy black iron sword.
Those four words flashed through Bu Xingjin's mind, and his grip on the Blood River Knife tightened. His gaze fell on the two words on the hilt: Suppress Evil.
This sword is what Liu Liyue's family guards.
Bu Xingjin was about to step forward when Qing Yan raised his hand to stop him, his eyes sharp as he stared at the bottomless black cold pool below.
The water in the pond is pitch black, without a single ripple, yet it makes one feel uneasy.
Bu Xingjin followed his gaze and also noticed something was wrong. The chill within the ice cave emanated almost entirely from the icy pool, carrying a lingering sense of resentment. The heavy black iron sword hovered above, seemingly suppressing something.
At this moment, the rune mark on Bu Xingjin's forehead, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly felt a sharp pain.
The tingling sensation spread throughout his soul.
Bu Xingjin groaned, subconsciously took a half step back, and his face turned pale.
"What's wrong?" Qing Yan immediately noticed that something was wrong with him and turned around to ask.
"That mark." Bu Xingjin rubbed his brow and took a breath. "It's a warning. It's very dangerous."
This was the second time he had experienced such a violent reaction since the plain-robed man had injected the rune into his body. The last time was when they were about to be blocked by the two burly brothers.
Qing Yan's eyes flashed, and he no longer hesitated. With a twist of his wrist, he grasped the sword, a cold light emanating from its blade.
He slashed out a sword energy from a distance at the black cold pool below.
The golden sword energy cut through the air and plunged into the inky pool of water.
No splash, no sound.
The sword energy that was powerful enough to cut through rocks disappeared without a trace in an instant.
There wasn't even a ripple on the surface of the cold pond.
Bu Xingjin's pupils shrank.
Qing Yan's brows knitted tightly together. He was certain that beneath the water lay something even more terrifying than the olm.
The heavy black iron sword is the core of the formation that maintains this seal.
Taking the sword away would release what lies beneath.
The two looked at each other and saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.
Just as they were thinking about countermeasures, a communication jade talisman in Bu Xingjin's arms suddenly lit up, the light flashing rapidly and incredibly hot.
It is the jade talisman left by Liu Liyue.
Bu Xingjin immediately injected his spiritual power into it, and Liu Liyue's anxious voice came out from it.
"Master Bu! Senior Qing Yan! Have you got the sword?"
Bu Xingjin replied in a deep voice, "Not yet. Something has happened here. The Black Iron Heavy Sword is a seal used to suppress a powerful being. We cannot touch it lightly."
On the other end of the jade talisman, Liu Liyue's voice trembled, "It's too late! Our family's Locking Demon Formation is about to collapse! The Heavenly Demon Soul within the formation has suddenly rioted for some unknown reason. It seems to have resonated with something, and its power is constantly increasing! Without the return of the Black Iron Heavy Sword, our entire clan is doomed!"
resonance.
Bu Xingjin and Qing Yan instantly understood that the thing under the pool was resonating with the Liu family's demon soul.
Liu Liyue's voice rang out again, pleading in her voice, "Half a month is meaningless. Please, take the sword immediately! I can use my family's secret technique to hold out for another quarter of an hour. After a quarter of an hour, the formation will be broken!"
As soon as the words fell, the light of the jade talisman dimmed. Liu Liyue had reached her limit and could no longer concentrate on communicating.
A quarter of an hour.
Bu Xingjin looked at Qing Yan, his eyes full of questions.
Qing Yan's gaze swept between the heavy black iron sword and the cold pool below, and he made a decision in just a moment.
"I'll suppress it, you go get the sword." He said without hesitation.
"Okay." Bu Xingjin didn't ask any more questions, just nodded heavily.
Qing Yan said no more, took a deep breath, took a step forward, and the sword in his hand shone brightly.
A powerful sword intent surged from his body into the sky, and golden spiritual power gathered behind him to form a huge phantom.
"town!"
Qing Yan uttered a word and pressed the sword in his hand hard towards the cold pool below.
No sword energy slashed forth, but the air within the entire ice cave seemed to freeze at that moment. A heavy force pressed down fiercely upon the black water.
“Gurgle…Gurgle…”
The previously tranquil cold pond reacted for the first time. The surface of the water violently churned, countless black bubbles emerged, and an even more violent aura surged up from beneath the water, fiercely clashing with Qing Yan's sword intent.
Qing Yan's face turned pale, and beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead. Maintaining such suppression was extremely exhausting for him.
"Go!" he growled.
Now is the time!
Bu Xingjin's figure moved the moment Qing Yan finished speaking. He stepped forward and launched himself forward, crossing the boiling water and charging straight towards the heavy black iron sword suspended in mid-air.
His hand firmly grasped the heavy hilt of the sword.
The moment he took possession of the sword, he felt a sense of heaviness. The aura of the sword, which suppressed everything, flowed through his arm and into his limbs.
At this moment, the heavy black iron sword left its position and the cold pool below went out of control.
"boom--!"
With a loud bang, the entire pool of water rushed up into the sky and turned into a huge black water column.
A gigantic demonic shadow roared out from the water column. It had no fixed form, merely a mass of resentment and demonic energy. Two points of scarlet light shone within the shadow, like two eyes.
The pressure of the fusion period swept across the entire space.
Under this pressure, the walls of the ice cave made a "cracking" sound as if they could not bear the heavy weight, and countless cracks spread out.
Bu Xingjin felt tremendous pressure in his soul under this pressure.
At this moment, a golden light flashed across the system interface in his mind.
[Special Mission: Obtain the Black Iron Heavy Sword Completed]
[Reward: Small Realm Upgrade Card x1, Heavenly Dao Fragment Perception Acceleration (One-time) x1]
He had no time to check the rewards, because the huge demonic shadow had already locked its scarlet gaze on him and Qing Yan.
"Go!" Qing Yan's shout exploded in his ears.
He flashed to Bu Xingjin's side, grabbed his shoulders, and tried to rush out.
But the demonic shadow was even faster. It let out a deafening roar, and its huge body turned into a black light, instantly blocking the path they came from.
The retreat route was cut off.
"Kid! Use what that Su gave you! Pour all your spiritual power into it!"
The sleeping tomb spirit, the Seven Treasures Red Mysterious Seal, roared anxiously in Bu Xingjin's mind.
Bu Xingjin did not hesitate at all, and almost instinctively channeled the spiritual power in his body that had just broken through to the Spirit Severing Stage, flowing unreservedly towards the rune mark between his eyebrows.
Buzz!
There was a burning sensation between his eyebrows, and the rune mark suddenly burst out with dazzling golden light.
In the light, several golden chains composed of runes shot out, wrapped around the huge demonic shadow, and tied it tightly in place.
"roar!"
The demonic shadow roared angrily and struggled frantically. The golden chain was stretched straight, making a harsh sound, and even tiny cracks began to appear on it.
This rune can't trap it for too long.
The demonic shadow that was temporarily restrained stared at Qing Yan with its scarlet eyes. From its surging demonic energy came a roar full of resentment, which was composed of countless overlapping sounds.
"God of War...Qing Yan!"
Qing Yan's body stiffened for a moment, and the knuckles of his fingers holding the sword turned white.
He knew this thing.
"Walk!"
Qing Yan didn't delay any longer. He grabbed Bu Xingjin, who hadn't reacted yet, and turned to rush in another direction.
He swung his sword, and the violent sword energy forcibly opened a passage in the ice wall on the other side.
The moment the two rushed into the passage, the golden chains behind them shattered completely with a "bang".
The escaped demonic shadow let out an earth-shaking roar and tried to chase after him.
Qing Yan didn't even turn his head and swung another sword.
The sword struck the top of the passage they had just opened.
“Boom—”
Countless huge blocks of ice and rocks collapsed, and the entire Sword Burial Cave began to collapse violently.
Bu Xingjin rolled out of the crack in a panic. The dazzling sunlight made him close his eyes, and all he could hear was the roar of the collapsing glacier behind him.
The strong smell of snow mixed with cold air filled his lungs, and he realized that he had escaped danger. He half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, and the tip of the heavy black iron sword was deeply embedded in the snow, barely supporting his body.
He turned to look at Qing Yan beside him. His face was paler than ice and snow, with a trace of blood hanging from the corner of his lips. Just now, in order to destroy the passage, Qing Yan had slashed out with a sword that exceeded his own limits.
"Let's go!" Qing Yan's voice was low and anxious.
He glanced at the distant skyline; there was nothing there, but the knuckles of his hand gripping the sword were white from the effort.
Bu Xingjin understood what he meant. Although he had destroyed the Soul Chasing Disk and temporarily escaped Luo Tianmen's pursuit, the commotion just now was too loud and would definitely attract other cultivators.
He understood even more clearly what Liu Liyue's word "a quarter of an hour" meant.
Bu Xingjin said nothing more, stood up, and slung the heavy black iron sword behind him. He walked over to Qing Yan and put one of his arms on his shoulders to share the weight.
"Hold on tight." Bu Xingjin said in a deep voice.
He summoned his flying sword, pouring his spiritual energy into it without reservation. The sword uttered a clear cry, carrying the two of them in a stream of light, careening across the vast snowy plains in the direction of the map Liu Liyue had given them.
The wind whistled in my ears, and the snow-capped mountains on both sides retreated rapidly, turning into blurred white lines.
Bu Xingjin's expression grew increasingly solemn as time passed. He pushed himself to maximum speed, consuming a tremendous amount of spiritual energy. The light from the jade talisman in his arms, which belonged to Liu Liyue, had dimmed to the point of being extinguished.
Time passes by every second.
Just when Bu Xingjin's spiritual power was about to run out, a group of buildings shrouded by a huge light curtain finally appeared at the end of the horizon.
Countless mysterious runes were circulating on the light curtain, but black cracks were spread all over it, and strands of black demonic energy were overflowing from the cracks, carrying ominous and malicious intent.
Beneath the light curtain is an ancient house built against the mountain.
Countless members of the Liu family, dressed in uniform, sat cross-legged, channeling their spiritual energy into the formation beneath them. Many, exhausted, collapsed to the ground, only to be dragged aside by their companions.
At the core of the formation, atop a high platform, Liu Liyue, clad in white, her face translucent, blood smeared at the corners of her mouth. She formed hand seals, a compass-shaped center hovering before her. Using her own lifeblood essence, she painstakingly maintained the formation's last ray of light.
When Bu Xingjin and Qing Yan appeared on the horizon, a glimmer of light finally appeared in her almost distracted eyes.
"Here it comes!" She shouted hoarsely with all her strength.
Bu Xingjin's figure descended from the sky. When he was still ten feet away from the ground, he took off the heavy black iron sword behind him and threw it fiercely towards the platform below.
"Catch the sword!"
The heavy black iron sword drew a straight black line in the air and whizzed down with a heavy aura that suppressed everything.
Liu Liyue stretched out her trembling hands and took the heavy hilt of the sword.
The moment she took action, she groaned and staggered back a step, but without stopping, she bit her tongue and sprayed a mouthful of blood onto the sword.
"Buzz—"
The heavy black iron sword made a low humming sound, and the two words "Zhenxie" on the hilt suddenly lit up, emitting a firm light.
"Return!"
Liu Liyue raised the sword with both hands and used up her last bit of strength to thrust the heavy black iron sword into the groove of the compass array in front of her.
Fits perfectly.
"boom!"
A tremendous force, centered on the black iron heavy sword, swept across the entire Demon-Locking Formation. The black cracks that covered the light curtain began to heal at a visible speed, and the escaping demonic energy was suppressed back into the formation. The precarious light curtain once again became stable.
All the members of the Liu family breathed a sigh of relief, and many of them collapsed to the ground.
Bu Xingjin and Qing Yan also fell to the ground.
However, before the joy on everyone's faces could last a moment, an accident happened.
"roar--!"
A roar suddenly erupted from the depths of the formation, even more violent than before.
The entire Demon-Locking Formation trembled violently. Black demonic energy surged wildly across the newly healed light curtain, condensing into a distorted human face.
The source of this power was the demonic spirit suppressed deep within the formation. It shared the same origin as the demon beneath the Buried Sword Cave, and though it had lost resonance with it, the chilling aura of Qing Yan, the God of War, was like fuel, completely igniting its madness.
Above the light curtain, the demonic energy that was originally rushing everywhere madly suddenly retracted, and then condensed into a pitch-black spear, wrapped in all its strength, fiercely stabbing at the center of the formation where the black iron heavy sword had just returned to its position!
“Crack—”
A crisp cracking sound was heard.
The light curtain that had just stabilized suddenly cracked again at that position.
Liu Liyue was hit hard and suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood. Her body softened and she fell backwards.
"Not good!" Qing Yan's eyes narrowed, knowing that the demon's soul was coming for him. The spiritual power in his body was instantly raised, and he was ready to attack forcefully regardless of the damage to his meridians.
A hand pressed on his shoulder.
"I'll do it."
Bu Xingjin's voice was calm, but he did not allow for any objection.
He stood in front of Qing Yan, took a step forward, and looked up at the monstrous demonic energy that was about to break through the formation.
Right now.
Bu Xingjin muttered to himself and used the reward card he had just obtained.
[Successful use of Heavenly Dao Fragment Enlightenment Acceleration (One-time) x1]
In an instant, the world in front of Bu Xingjin changed.
The wind, spiritual energy, demonic energy and formations all turned into clear lines of laws and appeared in his mind.
He saw clearly the energy circuit of the Demon Locking Formation, and also saw how the power of the Heavenly Demon's soul was attacking the weak points of the formation.
He could even see that the fragment of the Heavenly Dao that he had stored in his storage ring was emitting a rhythm that was incompatible with the entire world, yet was superior to everything else.
Bu Xingjin raised his hand and gently extended a finger towards the source of the evil energy that was about to tear the formation apart.
He did not mobilize any spiritual power, but simply transmitted the certain order that he had sensed at that moment through his will.
A clear syllable uttered from his mouth.
"town."
There was no earth-shattering roar, no devastating power.
Just one word.
The moment these words fell, the entire Liu family forbidden area was filled with silence.
The wind stopped, the roaring demonic energy solidified, and even the light flowing on the formation stopped for a moment.
The demonic power that was violent enough to tear the space apart was like being strangled by an invisible giant hand. All the violence and chaos were forcibly calmed down at this moment, and then, forcefully, bit by bit, were pushed back into the deepest part of the Demon Locking Formation.
The huge crack on the light curtain slowly closed and returned to its original state under the horrified gaze of all the Liu family members.
It was as if the devastating scene just now had never happened.
Crisis, resolved.
The feeling of knowing everything in his mind receded like a tide, and a huge feeling of mental fatigue surged in. Bu Xingjin's body swayed and he took a half step back.
A hand caught him in time.
Bu Xingjin turned his head and met Qing Yan's gaze.
Those indifferent eyes were now filled with shock. He looked at Bu Xingjin as if he were looking at a completely unfamiliar being.
Liu Liyue, who had fallen to the ground, and the remaining conscious elders of the Liu family all stared at Bu Xingjin with the same gaze. There was gratitude, bewilderment, but mostly awe.
The entire Liu family forbidden area fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone stopped what they were doing, their eyes focused on the young man in black standing alone in front of the platform.
He simply raised a finger and said a word.
The violent demon that was powerful enough to tear the heaven and earth apart was suppressed.
The Liu family elders gaped, their facial muscles twitching slightly in shock. They had lived for hundreds of years and had never witnessed such an incredible method.
"Ahem..." Bu Xingjin coughed softly. The mysterious feeling in his mind was rapidly fading, followed by a wave of exhaustion that seemed to drain his soul. He swayed and took a half step back.
A hand held his arm in time.
Bu Xingjin turned his head and met Qingyan's gaze. A rare flicker of emotion appeared in those indifferent eyes. He looked at Bu Xingjin as if he were examining a stranger.
"Thank you...both...Takagi."
A weak voice came.
Liu Liyue managed to stand with the help of her tribesmen. Her face was pale, but her eyes were unusually bright. She bowed deeply to Bu Xingjin and Qing Yan.
"This is not the place to talk. Please move to the secret room and allow the Liu family to have some time. This is a small token of our gratitude."
Bu Xingjin nodded and did not refuse.
Qing Yan glanced at the mixed gazes of awe and inquiry around him, and realized that now was not the time to talk.
An elder of the Liu family with white hair and beard immediately stepped forward, respectfully made a gesture of invitation, and personally led the way.
The Liu family's secret room is located deep underground in the ancestral hall. It is carved from a single piece of cold iron jade and can block all spiritual detection.
The three of them sat down. Liu Liyue dismissed all the servants and personally poured spiritual tea for Bu Xingjin and Qing Yan. Her hands were still shaking, and some of the tea spilled.
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you two." Liu Liyue put down the teapot and said apologetically.
"Miss Liu, you're too polite." Bu Xingjin spoke. He had regained some spirit, but his face was still a little pale.
The secret room became quiet.
Liu Liyue took a deep breath, her gaze finally landing on Qing Yan. She remembered the roar of the demon in the Buried Sword Cave, and the madness of the demon in her own formation after sensing Qing Yan's presence.
"May I ask... Senior Qing Yan," she chose her words carefully, her tone tinged with uncertainty, "Is the 'God of War Qing Yan' that the demonic figure in the Buried Sword Cave mentioned, Senior?"
Qing Yan's fingers gripping the teacup paused for a moment. He raised his eyes and looked at Bu Xingjin, seeing only calmness and trust in his eyes.
Then he understood.
Qing Yan put down the teacup, his voice emotionless: "Yes."
That one word exploded like thunder in Liu Liyue's heart.
The God of War Qing Yan. That was a legend that existed only in ancient mysteries. He was a renowned God of War in the Changsheng Immortal Realm of the Upper Realm. He had once slashed down stars from the sky with a single sword strike and quelled unrest that had ravaged several realms.
Liu Liyue's chest heaved violently. She looked at the man in blue who had the aura of only the Spirit Severing Stage in front of her, and for a moment she was unable to connect him with the legendary figure.
"I was hunted down by the people under the Lord God, so I ended up in this world." Qing Yan simply explained his situation.
God.
Liu Liyue's pupils shrank at this word. She instantly understood everything. Why had the legendary God of War fallen into such a state?
She stood up again and bowed solemnly to Qing Yan. "My Liu family has guarded the Heavenly Demon's soul for generations, and has taken it as our responsibility to protect this world. The God-Sovereign's perverse actions are no different from the Heavenly Demon, and we are all enemies. Senior, please do whatever you want, and Liu Liyue will do it even if it means death."
Qing Yan looked at her and nodded slightly, accepting the alliance.
"What kind of power did you use today?" Qing Yan turned around and asked Bu Xingjin. The power was so strong that even he felt palpitations.
Bu Xingjin did not hide anything and briefly recounted how he had obtained the Heavenly Dao fragments in the secret realm and how he had just used the Enlightenment Card.
"Fragments of the Heavenly Dao..." Liu Liyue muttered to herself, with a look of realization in her eyes.
"The Divine Lord is hunting me because I wield the Samsara Mirror and saw the truth behind his replacement as Immortal Emperor." Qing Yan's voice brought them back to their senses. "He's a survivor from the previous era. He continues his existence by constantly devouring the essence of the world."
Qing Yan's gaze penetrated the walls of the secret room, as if he saw the distant starry sky.
"And the origin and core of our world is the World Tree."
World Tree.
These three words struck Bu Xingjin's mind like a bolt of lightning.
He remembered the words of the Tomb Spirit's Seven Treasures Red Mysterious Seal.
[Your system is essentially a leaf from the World Tree.]
[Its function is to absorb energy and transform it into the purest source of life.]
I see.
At this moment, Bu Xingjin finally understood the whole story. The Divine Lord's goal was the World Tree of the entire world. And his own system was part of the World Tree.
He and the Lord Haotian, whom he had never met, were mortal enemies from the very beginning.
"There is a way to shake the foundation of his rule." Qing Yan's voice sounded again.
Bu Xingjin and Liu Liyue looked at him at the same time.
"Repair the Samsara Mirror and make public the truth about how he devoured the world." Qing Yan said word by word.
"To repair the Samsara Mirror, three things are needed."
"First, it is the heart of the World Tree." Qing Yan's gaze fell on Bu Xingjin.
Bu Xingjin's heart sank, but he didn't say anything, just nodded calmly.
"Second, it's the origin of Jianmu." Qing Yan pointed at himself. Jianmu was his true body.
"Third," Qing Yan paused, "you need a complete Epoch Key."
Neither Bu Xingjin nor Qing Yan retreated, and their eyes were equally determined.
"The Key of the Epoch..." Liu Liyue suddenly spoke, her breathing a little rapid. "In a fragmented ancient book of my Liu family, it was recorded that the so-called Key of the Epoch was composed of fragments of the Heavenly Dao."
"You need to collect all nine pieces to make it complete."
Nine dollars.
Bu Xingjin touched his storage ring, where a piece of stone was lying quietly.
"The Lord God must be collecting them as well." Qing Yan calmly analyzed, "If he wants to completely control this world, he must gather all the fragments of the Heavenly Dao."
This is a race against time.
Bu Xingjin, Qing Yan, and Liu Liyue's gazes met in mid-air, a tacit understanding already reached.
"My clan's ancient texts mention that the fragments of the Heavenly Dao can sense each other, but actively searching for them is difficult." Liu Liyue frowned and said, "There is only one place that may hold a clue."
"Where?" Bu Xingjin asked immediately.
"Ghost Market." Liu Liyue spat out two words, "And the Ghost Market's... Rebirth Pawn Shop."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
