Chapter 167: Unhindered Sword Aura

　　From time to time, there would be a sonic boom that explodes through the thick white fog and the fog would then gather together.

　　Within this instance, Shen Lian and Chao Xiaoyu had come to grips many times.

　　There was a crisp humming of the blade appearing in midair, and suddenly it resounded through the entire surface of the lake. The groaning of the sword was unending amongst this ever going blade sounds.

　　It then resumed to silence as Chao Xiaoyu and Shen Lian remained in mid-air. The thick fog and dark sky could not block both their line of gaze.

　　The pair’s gaze became brighter and then it condensed into a physical substance that extended into the physical world. It hit against each with shock within the thick fog.

　　Because the two’s ‘shen’ had surpassed the usually Huandan cultivators, they were the rare ones who were strong. They actually reproduced the result of Chen Jianmei and monk Baoguang’s confronting gaze, which aroused a lightning-like spark at the same time. Since the white fog was spreading continuously, as though weaving a big electric network with Shen Lian and Chao Xiaoyu being two individual hubs in this electric network.

　　“Shen Lian, there is no need for you and I to duel to the death. The confrontation we had is just right. You can also feel that if this continues, the best results would be neither side wins.”

　　Chao Xiaoyu spoke softly. She still treasured her life. Furthermore, there was no benefit to her to win. If it meant that Shen Lian could change his mind with her admitting her mistake and defeat, she was more than happy to do so.

　　Therefore, from a certain sense, she is a simple person. The simpler the person is, the scarier they are.

　　It is like when the ever-changing moves are then refined into a few moves when it is being used, there is almost no stopping it and it was also hard to find flaws in it.

　　Shen Lian’s Dao robes fluttered. The cloud-like fog under his feet gathered and dispersed, dispersed and gathered again. It was as though there was a spray of a tornado of air flow which made his form appeared to be at ease. But if one noticed his facial expression, there was an unexplainable excitement on it, which filled his temperament with a sense of contradiction and complication. He borrowed the dissatisfaction from when Chao Xiaoyu trounced him in Shendu and transformed it into his desire to do battle while combining it with the sword will of the grand master.

　　He finally controlled this sword will and understood the prospect of taking a life.

　　Killing a life was not the path of the demon, but it was doing the universe a favor by getting rid of vile spawn and the grievances of the living creatures. How could it blind his inner heart? He would not have given that young man in bloodied clothes to strike again if he was to kill Xiao Shiyi again.

　　This desire to do battle started with Chao Xiaoyi so it should end with her, which they can only cause Shen Lian to regain inner peace.

　　Now, he had already forgotten about the worries of life and death. He only wanted to have a simple and direct fight for once.

　　So far, this has been one of the moments where he vigorously desires to do battle, even though the other was a female.

　　Shen Lian, filled with confidence, said, “Do not think of other things. If you even slightly hold back, whatever hard work you put in this lifetime would be for naught.”

　　Chao Xiaoyu sighed softly and with the change of her facial expression, there was no more emotion appearing on it. She was cold like a god as she watched from above.

　　She was not Chao Xiaoyu but a god that is worshiped by many. Like in the beginning of time, she is everlasting and established, even indestructible.

　　Chao Xiaoyu waved the lotus blade in her hand and a bright light exploded from her body, as though the gods wanted to punish Shen Lian. The knife sliced through the air and the sounding of stringing rang through the air, heavenly sounds like a Buddhist chant. It was unknown where it began or where it ended.

　　If there was an end, it would be the blade taking Shen Lian’s life.

　　There was a concentrated of Qi and spirit in this blade, it was absolutely terrifying to a point. Even though it came in a straight line, the pressure that it produced churred through the air and came squeezing down on Shen Lian. This caused his mind and spirit to vibrate while his body experienced immense pressure.

　　Shen Lian still remained empty-handed, he did not use the Xuande sword.

　　He chanted out loud and crossed the horizon, “Strolling the mountains of Hubei in the morning, traveling to Cangwu in the evening, subduing the green snake in my sleeves has given me courage.” His flocket moved like a green snake, his facial expression was serene and his vigor that could cross the four seas showed.

　　From his flocket, there were uncountable sword auras, which were Chi, Cheng, Huang, Bai, Qing, Lan, Zi, Hei, flew out like snakes and lingered in midair all of a sudden. Chao Xiaoyu together with the blade was about to slice through the air and end Shen Lian, but within the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by all sorts of sword auras which represented Tian, Di, Shan, Ze, Feng, Lei, Shui and Hui. The many sword auras all surged together and wanted to grind her to pieces.

　　These sword auras were traces and they moved in a strange pattern. They existed between shapes and shapelessness as it changed over and over again, there was no way to fully grasp the rule of it.

　　The eight Qi moved together which naturally caused a change in the flow of the surrounding. With the sky and land as both swords holding onto the yin and yang. There were the vastness of the sky and the heaviness of the ground, followed by feng, lei, shui, huo, shan, ze. They emerged from nothingness and within this chaos formed a perfect Qi dynamic, even if they had exterminated some of it, it was still fine.

　　Chao Xiaoyu could not help but admire him. What qualifications did Shen Lian had to blend these two supernatural powers of the dao techniques into one and could perfectly interpret the abstruse theory of the evolution of the universe.

　　While she does admire him, she did not let her guard down either. If the sky stops me, then I shall break the sky. If the ground blocks me, then I shall hack it open. AS long as there are obstacles in this world, it would disappear with a swing of the blade.

　　The churr in midair never stopped and with the gleam from the blade lit up half of sky all of a sudden. The gleam of the blade appeared on Shen Lian’s face, highlighting his features.

　　No matter how serene he was, his expression still showed some hanges.

　　The gleam of the blade came from the sky and suddenly blanketed the ten directions [2].

　　With Chao Xiaoyu as the center, the gleam of the light exploded violently, as though a round ball had burst open. Countless fine and closely woven Qi of the blade were uniform and without a mistake, it went head on with Shen Lian’s ‘Being and non-being sword aura’. No matter whether the sword auras were real or unreal, no matter whether they were shaped or shapeless, the Qi of the blade collided with the sword aura as it passed through.

　　Chao Xiaoyu overbearing consciousness was fully shown at this moment. She was able to control this sharp and decisive blow and produce countless Qi of the blade while letting it burst out to her surroundings.

　　Shen Lian’s brows crinkled. His Dao robes swayed as he reached out with one hand in midair and grabbed onto something, as though he was tightening a fist.

　　Those sword auras that had not been destroyed compiled themselves together and with a haughty dragon roar, it spiraled in front of Shen Lian like a giant dragon.

　　The blade that was transformed from the lotus lost its bright white lights after the explosion of the Qi of the blade. The smooth body of the blade showed, as though it was a masterpiece by the divines that many would be willing to die for. The blade pointed directly at Shen Lian in midair while it remained in front of Chao Xiaoyu.

　　The two gaze met again but it was not as intense as before. However, the excitement on Shen Lian’s face did not show signs of decreasing.

　　His eyes were clear. His pupils spun and later became oval. It became an exceptionally sharp stiletto. The gleam of the blade was displayed, the sword will be biting cold. Following his spiritual consciousness, it exploded into Chao Xiaoyu’s bier.

　　This was the Deity Vanqushing Sword that had not been used by Shen Lian for a long time. Furthermore, this Dao technique had also undergone a massive change.

　　As for Shen Lian, he wanted to change his method to settle the score with Chao Xiaoyu.

　　

1. 朝游北海暮苍梧,袖里青蛇胆气粗 is a verse taken from The Three Drunk Times in Yueyang (岳阳三醉), a music composition for the qin. It sounds way cooler in the original text.

　　

2. 十方上下 The ten directions (north, south, east, west, northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, above and below)