Devotion often meant focus, and concentration. When one was concentrated, their sword essence was purer.

Pure sword energy, quiet but tenacious, charged out of Zhang Yi’s sword tip and flew into the sky. There was immediately wetness higher up.

Then in the next moment, Zhang Yi unhesitatingly swung his sword in front of him.

Sharpness fell rapidly from a tall height.

Feeling that pure sword essence and the sharp intent, Xu Lianhua, perched on Zhang Yi’s back, immediately showed shock. He knew that Zhang Yi had once been the top student of White Goat Cave, yet, he had not expected Zhang Yi to have such skill in swordsmanship.

But Zhang Yi did not cease to surprise him.

As Zhang Yi swung his sword devoutly and his vital energy surged into the Zhao Sword Furnace, a vast heat wave slammed outwards. The crimson blade grew brighter, turning completely red like it had just come out of the furnace. The sword energies flowing out of the completely red blade grew hotter, and with a string of pops, it finally started to burn.

Zhang Yi’s eyes showed his great shock. In his perception, the seal scripts created by the sword energies started to burn up in the sky. In the next moment, countless burning lines of fire appeared in his sight.

The red fire lines fell from the sky, turning the hard blue armour of the imperial insects red. Yet, these lines of fire were extremely regular, and constantly absorbed the wet moisture gathering in the surroundings.

Seeing the bright red lines of fire in the sky and the moisture gathering towards the fire, Zhang Yi finally realized.

“So it is like this,” he couldn’t help but mumble in shock.

Xu Lianhua, who had never seen this sword form of Ink Garden, was slightly slower than Zhang Yi to react.

He instinctively looked up. He saw glowing lines of rain suddenly appear in the clear sky.

At the center of the glowing rain was also a glowing red line of fire. Fire and water were magically blended and became one.

But these two kinds of energies were naturally incompatible so this wondrous scene only lasted for a short moment.

In the next moment, the edges along the meeting point of fire and water started to explode.

The murderous lines of rain fell towards the imperial insects in front of him and Zhang Yi. As they fell, these glowing lines of rain exploded with stunningly hot steam.

Boom boom boom boom!

The glowing lines of water became pillars of steam that crashed onto the hard carapaces of the imperial insects, collapsing on impact at an alarming speed, but still giving off heavy muffled sounds like a hammer.

None of the cultivators on the cliff could hear the sound, but the moment Zhang Yi and Xu Lianhua heard the dense sounds, many stopped breathing. Their eyes instinctively widened, but their pupils contracted.

In the hundreds of feet in front of Zhang Yi, all of the imperial insects had been shrouded in white steam in a breath. In the next moment, the white steam started to twist violently.

All of the imperial insects were jumping out wildly, not just the ones jumping before, making it appear like even if there was a cliff in front of them, they would still jump without any care. And because it was so urgent and they jumped so hard, these imperial insects were in strange postures that could be described as twisted.

Because it was so urgent and they jumped so hard, these imperial insects were in strange postures that could be described as twisted.

The falling rain and the white mist pillars had been unable to penetrate through the hard carapaces. These imperial insects did not even show any visible marks. Even so, the sapphire-like eyes of these imperial insects had become a muddy black, bringing to mind century eggs at a glance.

Xu Lianhua’s body started to tremble violently. The deep impacts, like countless racing carriages crashing together caused his heart and scalp to prickle.

At least a dozen standing imperial insects were knocked down by the imperial insects wildly charging out of the white mist. These racing imperial insects, after coming out of the steam, had no sense of direction and jumped around madly in twisted postures.

Xu Lianhua knew that these imperial insects were blind, and the heat contained in the white mist had invaded through the cracks in the carapaces, creating serious injury and intolerable pain to these insects.

Right now, these imperial insects were the same as people who had been thrown into hot oil and climbed back out.

The substantial white mist stopped in front of Zhang Yi.

This white steam still contained astounding heat that he did not dare to easily touch.

The path ahead was blocked, but the imperial insects in the rear were unaffected.

Zhang Yi did not need to turn around to know that there were dozens of imperial insects falling towards him and Xu Lianhua, and behind these imperial insects were more insects flooding over.

But Zhang Yi was unusually calm, and his eyes even showed some joy. He swung his sword and then sliced backwards.

More red lines of fire appeared high in the air again. These lines of fire were seal lines that formed a complete sword essence.

The rain of death once again fell, turning into terrifying white steam.

Zhang Yi quickly bent forwards. An imperial insect charged madly out of the white steam above him and Xu Lianhua with a familiar cooked scent.

This movement nearly flung Xu Lianhua off like a sack on the ground, but he felt no anger.

He saw hope!

The power of the Zhao Sword Furnace sword, and Zhang Yi’s sword moves caused Zhang Yi to jump from a non-threatening swordsman to a terrifying one.

It was not just against these imperial insects. Xu Lianhua was certain that Zhang Yi could fight above his realm with this sword and these sword moves. He could fight many cultivators of much higher realms than him.

**

The imperial insects, having become blind, rampaged around madly and threw this well-organized army swarm into utter chaos.

Zhang Yi swung his left hand and scattered the thinning white mist ahead of him. Then he sped up and passed through the area.

The hot white air blew at him and turned into comfortable moisture.

“Were you certain before this that the swarm you fought was the one that was active in this area and was looking for you?” Zhang Yi turned and asked Xu Lianhua.

“Why would you ask this?”

Xu Lianhua could not understand so he replied honestly. “You still have vital energy. even if you cannot kill the entire swarm, you can turn them all blind and half-cooked. Why is it important that this insect swarm is the one I encountered before?”

“With this sword, I can defeat this group of imperial insects,” Zhang Yi nodded as he moved forward and said, “but if we encounter two swarms like this consecutively, and I use up my vital energy, we still cannot pass.”

“Since Min Mountain Sword Sect has made such arrangements, I think there are many swarms in this sea of brambles. Maybe each student will encounter at least one or two.”

“But these numerous insect swarms did not form a bigger one. This means that these swarms have natural boundaries between them like the wolfpacks on the plains.”

“If you are certain that this insect swarm is the one that has been chasing you, I will suspect that these swarms will avoid each other to avoid conflict. Perhaps in this area that the swarm hunts, other swarms will avoid it.”

“If this is the case, I do not want to completely destroy this swarm. I want to keep a few so they are still able to pursue us. This way, a crippled swarm following us is not of much threat, they will help us avoid constant encounters with new insect swarms.”

Listening to Zhang Yi explain methodically, Xu Lianhua grew silent.

When Zhang Yi thought that he was unconscious and turned to look at him, he struggled to lift his head and said, “You are really strong.”

Zhang Yi stilled.

Xu Lianhua inhaled and said, “Not in swordsmanship or cultivation, your deduction and analytical abilities are very strong.”

Zhang Yi stilled. He unconsciously thought of “Little Sect Brother” Ding Ning and immediately felt ashamed.

“Just now, I thought we were absolutely safe and could pass. But after hearing your words, I understand we are truly safe.” Xu Lianhua took a deep breath and looked back at the sprinting imperial insect swarm. He said, “Some of the injuries in the swarm are by my hand, so I am sure that this is the one I encountered before.”

Zhang Yi seemed to understand his meaning and explained embarrassedly, “I am just guessing, I may not be completely correct.”

Xu Lianhua shook his head and said, “No, with the abilities you have shown now, I am certain that you will be able to carry me out, even if there are changes.”

Zhang Yi stilled again.

He found that he really did have confidence right now. While most of his confidence came from the sword in his hand like his devout prayer had been answered. Regardless, he really did have confidence right now.

“I have an important question.” Xu Lianhua’s voice sounded in his ear again. “I saw from your expression that you did not previously know that your sword and your sword move will create such a result?”

“I did not know before.” Zhang Yi nodded honestly.

Then he hesitated on whether he should tell Xu Lianhua that Ding Ning told him to pick this sword. If he were to say it, he would find it hard to explain.

Yet, Xu Lianhua seemed to only need to hear such an answer.

“I understand.” A thread of an indescribable emotion flashed through Xu Lianhua’s mind. “So you were not very confident, and wanted to try to take me out.”

Zhang Yi seemed to understand the meaning of Xu Lianhua’s questions. He explained in a panic. “Of course I did not have confidence before the fact, and did so deliberately to gain your gratefulness and good feeling.”

Xu Lianhua struggled to lift his head again and sneered at Zhang Yi. “Of course I understand. People like you have a harder time lying than anything else. Would I be unable to see and need you to explain?”

Zhang Yi was immediately embarrassed. “As long as you do not misunderstand.”

Xu Lianhua rolled his eyes and tiredly leaned his head against Zhang Yi’s shoulder. He said softly, “I will not say thanks.”

In Changling, great favors were not repaid with words of thanks.

Zhang Yi understood Xu Lianhua’s meaning. He was slightly terrified and wanted to speak.

But Xu Lianhua murmured weakly. “Stop wasting words, and use your sword well.”