Volume 1, Chapter 62: The Power of the Sword Immortal

Hearing Su Nianyi's words, Li Hanzhou offered a bitter, helpless smile.

He had simply practiced the Grand Celestial Phenomenon Scripture out of sheer boredom. Finding the technique exceptionally smooth and convenient to use, it had naturally become a habit of his—only for it to land him in serious trouble now.

Su Nianyi was now completely convinced that he was a remnant of the Xingluo faction.

It seemed he would need to practice the martial arts of the Longevity Temple much more frequently in the future.

"If I told you I am not from the Xingluo Kingdom, would you believe me?" Li Hanzhou asked.

"No." Su Nianyi shook her head.

The moment the single word of disbelief left her lips, Su Nianyi drew her sword.

With a single stroke, the wind and clouds shifted dramatically.

A suffocating aura of slaughter enveloped Li Hanzhou, making him feel as though there was nowhere left to hide. Su Nianyi's blade had not yet reached him, but her sword intent had already locked onto his position.

"Golden Light Incantation."

Li Hanzhou cast the defensive golden light to shield his body.

The golden radiance trembled violently beneath the crushing weight of the sword intent.

At that moment, the sword glare cleaved downward like a rending of the firmament itself, and the azure sword Qi came within a hair's breadth of shattering Li Hanzhou's protective barrier.

Within the sword Qi, the very will of heaven and earth was condensed.

Su Nianyi executed her footwork, rising to stand mid-air. The bamboo sword in her hand traced a few strokes through the void, resembling an artist's brush sketching upon a canvas, and miraculously transformed the surrounding realm into a purgatory.

Li Hanzhou stood amidst this swaying, chaotic hellscape, his golden light blazing as he desperately held his ground.

Suddenly, several strips of talisman paper flew out from inside Li Hanzhou's robes. Soaring into the firmament, the talismans radiated an unfathomable and supreme might.

"Taoist talismans?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Su Nianyi's eyes as she saw the paper strips ascend.

The talismans blazed across the sky, swiftly forming an array that locked onto the eight cardinal directions.

At that very instant, numerous heavy chains burst forth from the talismans!

The sound of clanking chains resonated fiercely through the heavens.

Moving with blinding speed, the chains hurtled toward Su Nianyi, boxing her in from all eight directions and sealing her completely within!

The terrifying pressure emanating from the chains instantly materialized into a cage, trapping Su Nianyi tightly inside.

"Oh?"

A trace of astonishment colored Su Nianyi's expression. Trapped within the confines, she could actually feel the True Qi in her body losing its responsiveness, growing as sluggish and difficult to move as a traveler sinking into a quagmire.

"Eight-Gate Golden Lock Formation," Li Hanzhou said calmly. "Master Bamboo Sword, I believe there has been a slight misunderstanding between us."

***

The generals and soldiers stationed in Lingyan City stared at the spectacle in utter shock. It was their very first time witnessing anyone go toe-to-toe with the Bamboo Sword Immortal and actually manage to trap her.

Who on earth was this man?

"A misunderstanding?" the Bamboo Sword Immortal asked indifferently, her cold gaze fixed on Li Hanzhou as she slowly raised the sword in her hand.

At that moment, Su Nianyi's azure robes fluttered without wind, her posture standing straight and tall, exuding an aura of haughty defiance that looked down upon the entire world.

As the sword rose, Su Nianyi traced a phantom moon in the empty air with her blade!

In an instant, a brilliant full moon truly manifested behind Su Nianyi's back.

The moon illuminated the heavens and earth.

Set against the moonlight, Su Nianyi's silhouette was breathtakingly, stunningly beautiful.

Yet, the icy, freezing aura she exuded made it all the more bone-chilling.

"Moonless."

The two soft words slipped past Su Nianyi's lips.

Abruptly, a piercing, grating shriek echoed across the world.

The sound was so agonizing that even Li Hanzhou felt a sharp pain in his head. He watched as Su Nianyi's figure dissolved straight into the full moon. The next moment, the moon erupted with an extreme, blinding radiance that threatened to swallow the entire firmament.

Rumble!

The Eight-Gate Golden Lock Formation shattered instantly into dust.

Wherever that blinding light touched, there was nothing but endless sword Qi!

Li Hanzhou’s heart leaped in his chest; the Golden Light Incantation protecting his body shattered on the spot!

Before his eyes, countless streams of sword Qi surged forward for the kill.

"Ten Thousand Miles of Glacial Ice!"

Daring not to hold back, Li Hanzhou unleashed the spiritual power within him, driving the Grand Celestial Phenomenon Scripture to its absolute limit. Countless droplets of water converged before him and froze instantly into solid ice, desperately attempting to block Su Nianyi's terrifying strike.

The layers of ice splintered and crumbled entirely, sending Li Hanzhou blasting backward through the air.

Simultaneously, he kept a tight grip on the Autumn Burial Sabre, sweeping his hands upward to slash out several blade auras. The razor-sharp crescent-shaped blade Qi carved a violent breach right through the blinding expanse of sword light.

Yet, at that exact moment, the pervasive sword intent blanketing the sky vanished completely.

Su Nianyi's figure materialized at the center of the receding sword Qi, her gaze locked firmly onto the weapon in Li Hanzhou's hand.

"The Autumn Burial Sabre?" Su Nianyi frowned, asking, "Are you Li Hanzhou of the Longevity Temple?"

"I am surprised the Bamboo Sword Immortal has heard of me," Li Hanzhou replied, slightly surprised himself.

"Ah, Song Yitao is my disciple. I learned about you through her," Su Nianyi nodded. "It seems this truly is a misunderstanding."

"Phew."

Li Hanzhou let out a long breath of relief. If he had known earlier, he would have simply taken out the Autumn Burial Sabre right from the start.

Su Nianyi's strength was genuinely terrifying.

Just now, he had practically been forced to use his full strength. If she had continued to press the attack relentlessly, he would have had no choice but to resort to his ultimate trump cards.

Still, he could tell that Su Nianyi had not unleashed her full power either.

Continuing the fight would have yielded no benefits whatsoever.

Now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, there was no need to keep exchanging blows. However, Su Nianyi still advised him, "Temple Master Li, now is not the right time to leave the city. You should head back in for now. Though I don't know what business you have in the Great Zhou Kingdom, you simply cannot enter Great Zhou at present."

"Why is that?" Li Hanzhou asked.

"Wanshui Prefecture is the only mandatory route into Great Zhou. Stationed there right now is the Blade Immortal, Wu Heng. You won't get through," Su Nianyi explained. "Great Zhou is likely worried that after these recent events, I might follow their example and cross over to slaughter people in their territory. Therefore, Wu Heng is holding the fort there, waiting for me to make a move. Right now, none of us from the Divine Palace can pass through. You will have to wait a few days."

"The Blade Immortal, Wu Heng?"

Li Hanzhou had heard of this figure's renown.

Since Su Nianyi had put it that way, he had no choice but to return to Lingyan City for the time being.

Anyone who could earn the title of an Immortal possessed immense power. Li Hanzhou, having just exchanged blows with Su Nianyi, understood this all too well.

"You needn't worry. Wu Heng will stay there for at most three days before leaving. After three days, you will be free to head to Great Zhou," Su Nianyi said. "I have matters to attend to, so I must take my leave."

With those words, Su Nianyi departed.

Left with no other option, Li Hanzhou brought Shi Ming back into the city, finding an inn to stay at temporarily.

"Uncle-Master, you are truly amazing! To think you could actually fight evenly with a Sword Immortal!" Shi Ming looked at Li Hanzhou with eyes full of utter adoration.

"I couldn't beat her," Li Hanzhou stated honestly.

"Sword Immortals are practically among the strongest beings in this world. It's completely normal that Uncle-Master couldn't defeat her," Shi Ming said consolingly. "Master told me that back in the heyday of our Longevity Temple, whether it was Sword Immortals, Blade Immortals, or Spear Immortals, they all had to obediently lower their heads when they came to our temple."

"Is that so?"

Li Hanzhou fell into a brief contemplation.

Then, a smile touching his lips, he said, "The Bamboo Sword Immortal is indeed immensely powerful. If we could somehow convince her to accompany us to Great Zhou, our chances of securing the Immortality Spring for you would be much higher."

"Have the Bamboo Sword Immortal accompany us to Great Zhou?" Shi Ming didn't even dare to dream of such a thing.