Meng Fangying could not imagine it. He swung his sword again. His lifebond sword was first bathed in a patch of indigo light, and then his sword disappeared in a bright yet scorching light while the sword essence spread through the air.

This sword was called, “Spring and Summer.” It was also one of the Seven Swords of the Meng Family. It referred to the imperceptible and profound change when spring changed into summer, and was even harder to track. He was certain, among all of the grandmasters of Changling, over half would not be able to predict the true direction of this sword. This sword seemed to leave his body and completely merge into the warm wind of spring and summer.

But Li Daoji still did not change. The long sword in his left hand shook slightly, and his right sword was still the White Goat Hanging Horn, like a white goat on the cliff, facing any beast with its horn.

A boom sounded in the dust mountains again accompanied by Meng Fangying’s shocked shout.

The mysterious sword energy scattered, and only that sword light shaped like a goat horn remained in the air. His attack was once again blocked by Li Daoji using the same move. It appeared like Li Daoji only knew this one move.

But this one sword was enough to defeat all his sword moves!

“So it is like this.”

Tantai Guanjian relaxed. He knew where Li Daoji had gone after leaving Changling. No matter how mysterious the sword light was, the final destination was the enemy, to fall onto the flesh body of the enemy.

In the Liang Mountain on the border of the Qin, there was a grand master called Zhu Sanchi. The “Observe” sword essence he created was able to predict where the enemy’s sword move would land.

However, being forced to react was not as good as moving on one’s own. Tantai Guanjian knew of that grand master, but had not thought that the other “Observe” sword essence used with the White Goat Hanging Horn of the White Goat Cave would form such a perfect defense.

There was laughter in the depressed air.

Ding Ning laughed. “You should have heard that there was a swordsman in the Han Dynasty back then called Zhong Panshi.”

He laughed as he looked at Meng Fangying who had an ugly expression and said, “His original name was Zhong Xiaolou, but back then, all the swordsmen in the world liked to call him Zhong Panshi because when he defended, he stood unmoving like a rock.”

“His defense sword was able to guard against the waves of attacks from many swordsmen without exposing an opening, but in terms of the weak fending off the strong, that is not as good as my sect uncle’s sword moves. Back then, Zhong Panshi had been able to guard against the attacks of many swordsmen of similar level, but definitely could not hold against a swordsman far stronger than him.”

Ding Ning turned to glance at the Master of Fire and then laughed even more happily. “From this point of view, my sect uncle is very similar to the Master of Fire. If you want to kill me, I fear you must first expend your vital energy against my sect uncle.”

Ding Ning’s laughter echoed around everyone’s ears. No one doubted his words.

Meng Fangying knew he spoke the truth. “Spring and Summer” was already the most profound sword move of the seven. If even this move could not defeat Li Daoji’s defense, then the other moves were useless.

So he looked up. His gaze passed through the dust and the flickering light, falling into the endless sky, like his gaze would pierce into the cold space. At the same time, his body gave off an open presence like it could receive outside power.

Ding Ning was not unfamiliar with such a presence. Since Meng Fangying could not win against Li Daoji with his own power, then he would borrow the power of the mistress of the imperial city.

Zhangsun Qianxue’s eyes filled with disdain as she looked at Meng Fangying. In her view, these cultivators who had unique connections with Zheng Xiu were no different from being Zheng Xiu’s puppets.

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, when Meng Fangying’s presence was sent urgently into the air, no cold star fire fell down.

Meng Fangying’s body turned slightly stiff. The people on Ding Ning’s side were full of emotion and joy.

This meant that there were many changes occurring in Changling at this time. Zheng Xiu may have been killed by Baili Suxue. Even if she was not dead, she did not have the power to summon star fire at this time.

What if she was unable to protect herself at this time?

Then what should he do?

This was what Meng Fangying was pondering right now.

He slowly looked down. His silver white lifebond sword appeared once again in his hand. In a breath, he made his decision.

If the mistress of the imperial palace, as long as Yuanwu was around, then the empire would not change. And he would just fight for this empire, for the power of the empire. If he only had the path of using up Li Daoji’s vital energy, then he had no other choice. His fingers gripped the sword hilt tightly, and his vital energy was about to surge out.

“Wait for me.”

But at this time, an old and malicious voice sounded by his ear. He frowned. As his lifebond sword disappeared, his advancing figure retreated into the dust mountains behind him and disappeared.

He heard that this voice came from the Jiaodong Commandery who Ding Ning had cut off half of her body. The old monster was undoubtedly going to die, but from her voice right now, he knew that the old monster was suppressing her wounds, and preparing to activate her last power.

There would not be much time.

**

A dusty cultivator moved through the mountain. He was Fang Xiumu.

When he sent out the sword light of the Fang Marquessate Establishment, he saw many sword lights in response. Some were warnings, other threats, but some pointed the direction for him.

He was moving hurriedly. His vital energy and primal energies of the universe flowed out of his body like they cost nothing. Because there was no time to replenish his primal energies, his body seemed to turn empty and suck in the dust on the path.

He did not rest or sleep, but his eyes were exceptionally light and sharp, different from the time he was cultivating in the courtyard of Changling. Or rather, he was very different from the Fang Xiumu at that time.

He could make out the shape of the dust mountains in the distance. At this time, an army appeared in the wilderness in front of him. The leader was a general dressed in crimson-bronze armor.

Chi Ying, one of the three grandmasters under Meng Fangying’s command.

“Go!”

When he sensed the general appear, as space was being pulled close and far at the same time, Fang Xiumu gave a shout from the bottom of his heart. The fine dust that was on him and had been sucked into his body was forced out.

There was a splitting sound.

A dust sword more than a hundred feet long appeared in front of him and broke through the air.

“Die!”

When the second word was spoken, this dust sword had reached Chi Ying.

A blood rainbow appeared in front of Chi Ying. At the same time, the bronze armor on his body gave off fine sounds. Bloodstained dust spread behind him. His eyes were wide to their limits, and then even his eyes were filled with blood.

He lost consciousness and died.