Chapter 62: Yearning for a Worthy Opponent, A Heart Sword Shattered
“Cough, cough!”
Yan Yi stumbled back, clutching his chest, his eyes wide with shock as he looked down at the gaping hole.
Although his body was rapidly healing thanks to the Crimson Sun Essence, the impact had felt like his entire being was being torn apart. He had been close to death.
“This… this power…”
To be able to break through his defenses so easily, Lin Tianlu’s cultivation must be beyond the Transformation Realm!
This unimaginable power filled him with a thrill of excitement and anticipation.
This man…
Could be the worthy opponent he had been waiting for all these years!
“So it was you two setting off fireworks on the shore, disturbing the peace?”
A calm voice rang out.
Yan Yi quickly looked up and saw Lin Tianlu stepping off the boat, walking towards them.
“Fireworks are indeed festive, but aiming them at others is a crime. You two might end up spending a few years in jail.”
Lin Tianlu approached, casually twirling a crimson sword in his hand, clearly retrieved during the attack on the river.
“Especially throwing such dangerous objects. That’s a serious offense.”
Snap!
Lin Tianlu snapped the sword in half and tossed it aside, his expression indifferent. “Was this what you used to attack us?”
“You’re truly powerful, Sir, worthy of all the rumors!”
Yan Yi took a deep breath and bowed respectfully. “I was blind and foolish to have offended you. Please forgive my disrespect, Sir.”
“Why are you here?”
Lin Tianlu’s eyes narrowed.
This effeminate man with a seductive aura was undoubtedly a demon or a ghost.
But he was different from any other ghost he had encountered before.
At least, ordinary ghosts couldn’t withstand his attacks.
He glanced at the Ascension Immortal Restaurant behind them.
Before they left, the restaurant had been bustling with activity, filled with laughter. But now, it was silent, its lights extinguished, a chilling Yin energy emanating from it.
“What have you done?”
“Mortal eyes shouldn’t witness the affairs of demons and ghosts. I simply put them to sleep. Don’t worry, Sir, they’re unharmed.”
Yan Yi’s voice was gentle and refined. “But I’m more curious about your origins, Sir. You’re so young, barely in your twenties, yet your cultivation seems unmatched in this world.”
“You can guess.”
Lin Tianlu’s figure vanished.
Yan Yi’s pupils constricted.
—Such incredible speed!
Jiang Zhi, who had been trying to slip away, froze, staring at the figure that had suddenly appeared before him.
Terror filled his heart as he reached for the nearby Ji Hang, hoping to take him hostage. But Lin Tianlu flicked his sleeve.
“Don’t come any closer— Argh!”
The Yin energy within Jiang Zhi’s body was forcefully expelled, his face rapidly withering and decaying. He collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life.
To Lin Tianlu, this man, although not a demon, ghost, or spirit, was still enveloped in a blood-red aura, even stronger than Cheng Yanghua’s. He must have countless lives on his hands, a heavy burden of sin!
There was no need to kill him outright. He would just cripple him, disperse his Yin energy, and hand him over to the authorities. Let the families and friends of his victims witness his fate!
Lin Tianlu turned to Ji Hang and said seriously, “Shopkeeper Ji, get away from here. It’s dangerous.”
“T-thank you, Master Lin!”
Ji Hang nodded repeatedly, scrambling to his feet. “Be careful, Sir!”
After watching Ji Hang flee, Lin Tianlu turned back to Yan Yi.
“You seem unfazed by his defeat.”
“He’s just a replaceable ghost practitioner. There’s no need for me to pity him. The moment they abandon their humanity for power, they become worthless.”
Yan Yi didn’t even glance at Jiang Zhi, his burning gaze fixed on Lin Tianlu, a smile playing on his lips. “Now, only you are worthy of my attention, Sir.”
“You’re different from other ghosts.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow.
All the ghosts he had encountered before were enveloped in a chilling Yin energy, their true nature easily discernible.
But this demon, ghost, or whatever he was, emanated a warmth similar to that of a living person. Even the blood-red aura around him was faint and subtle. It was quite strange.
“Naturally, I’ve lived for centuries, far surpassing the level of an Evil Spirit. My body has been reforged by the Crimson Sun Essence. And I’ve even reached the Savage Realm through a stroke of luck. Ordinary ghosts can’t compare to me.”
Yan Yi asked curiously, “May I ask your background, Sir?”
“Just a humble scholar from the mountains.”
“It seems you’re not willing to tell the truth.” Yan Yi chuckled softly. “But it doesn’t matter. Your terrifying power is enough for me!”
As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and the fan in his hand crackled with energy. Crimson flames erupted, transforming into a blazing sword amidst a swirling celestial phenomenon.
Then, he lunged forward, his figure blurring like a phantom, a wave of fire crashing towards Lin Tianlu!
—Clang!
Lin Tianlu caught the blade between his fingers, inches from his forehead. The heat wave dissipated, a powerful gust of wind erupting behind him, making his robes billow.
Yan Yi’s pupils constricted, his face filled with shock.
The terrifying heat surrounding the blade quickly vanished. Lin Tianlu’s fingers trembled slightly, and the flaming sword shattered, sending Yan Yi flying backward.
He stumbled, regaining his footing, and looked at his smoking right hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Even with fifty percent of my power, I can’t fathom your strength, Sir. It seems now… is the time to unleash my ultimate technique!”
Yan Yi threw his head back and laughed, his voice filled with exhilaration.
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange.
Had this ghost gone mad?
But he quickly sensed something amiss.
It wasn’t coming from himself, but from his surroundings.
…
The dark and deserted riverbank had vanished, replaced by a vast expanse of wilderness, shrouded in a faint mist. The scent of earth and the chirping of insects filled the air.
“Master Lin, I’m in awe of your extraordinary power. I’ve lived in this world for centuries, but I’ve never encountered anyone like you. If we weren’t on opposing sides, I would love to sit down and have a drink with you.”
A gentle, refined voice echoed through the air, its source impossible to pinpoint.
“There’s no need to search, Sir. My Yin techniques are far beyond those of ordinary spirits. Yin and Yang intertwined, my soul realm manifests as a world of its own. Even you can’t find me here.”
Lin Tianlu’s gaze swept across the landscape, seeing a thick gray mist everywhere.
As the voice had said, every inch of land, every tree, seemed to be a part of its manifestation, its power unfathomable. It was far more realistic and intricate than the illusion Xiao Lanzhu had created.
But…
“You can come down from the tree now.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “Be careful not to fall.”
He could still see him.
“…”
The surroundings fell silent for a moment.
“…You can see through my soul realm, Sir? Truly remarkable.”
“But it would be rude of me to keep hiding. I’ll come down and meet you face to face.”
As soon as the voice finished speaking, a figure descended from above.
Lin Tianlu looked up, his expression turning to surprise.
The person who appeared before him wasn’t the handsome man he had seen earlier, but… a woman.
Her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, a seductive smile on her beautiful face. Her thin, revealing robe danced in the wind, accentuating her alluring figure.
As she landed gracefully, she brushed her hair back, her attire even more revealing now. The golden trim of her bodice had slipped down her arm, and the sash around her waist highlighted her captivating curves.
“You…”
“This is my true form. The appearance you saw before was just a disguise to avoid trouble. If you want to address me properly, call me ‘Yan Yi’.”
Yan Yi smiled seductively, her hand on her hip. Although she wasn’t making any overt gestures, her charm was undeniable.
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange. “If you dressed more modestly, I think you’d have a lot less trouble.”
Her outfit was quite revealing.
“Hehe~ You’re even more interesting than I imagined, Sir.”
Yan Yi’s eyes sparkled like the moon as she chuckled softly. “No wonder those three women are so smitten with you.”
“What are you planning to do now?”
“Naturally… fight you!”
Yan Yi smiled brightly, her hand clenching into a fist. A flash of light materialized, forming a translucent sword.
“This is the power I gained upon reaching the Savage Realm… No, this is the path I, Yan Yi, have forged with my entire life… a path different from any other ghost. This is my unique technique.”
Her eyes, like those of a beast, gleamed with a fierce light.
“I’ve lived in this world for five hundred years, witnessing the rise and fall of empires, the joys and sorrows of humanity. As time passed, I abandoned everything in pursuit of immortality, but I also lost myself along the way.
Until today, the only thing that remains with me is this ‘Heart Sword,’ a sword that yearns for a worthy opponent.”
“I’ve traveled far and wide, searching for the strongest, seeking that thrill that could reawaken my dormant heart.
And you, Sir… are the first person, the first being, who has made my heart tremble!”
Yan Yi casually raised her ethereal sword, her posture that of a delicate woman.
But at that moment, Lin Tianlu sensed a shift in her aura. It became deeper, more profound, as if she had poured her entire five hundred years of experience and loneliness into the blade, yet it was also calm and serene, like a still lake.
He could sense her loneliness and longing.
Flashbacks of her life, filled with joys and sorrows, flickered behind her like an illusion.
This world was her will, and this sword… was the culmination of her life’s cultivation!
“Please accept my challenge, Sir.”
“…Alright!”
Words were unnecessary.
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned serious, a thrill of anticipation stirring within him.
Yan Yi tilted her head slightly, her eyes widening.
In a daze, she saw a vision behind him: vast, ancient mountains stretching to the ends of the earth, shrouded in ethereal mist, their peaks bathed in a radiant glow, a breathtakingly beautiful sight. A powerful aura, like a passing wind, swept across the world, its force capable of leveling mountains and cleansing the world of demons.
An oppressive pressure descended upon her, threatening to crush her soul!
Just one glance was enough to make her lose her focus, cracks appearing on her ethereal sword!
“Sir, you’re truly…”
She was speechless for a moment.
Only now did she truly understand the vast difference between them.
But after a moment of silence, she tightened her grip on the sword, a joyful smile appearing on her face, a smile she had never shown before. “This… this is the meaning I’ve been searching for!”
She had searched for five hundred years, and the answer she had been seeking was right before her eyes!
It wasn’t about being human or a ghost, but about her own yearning, her desire as Yan Yi!
Hum—!
With a flick of her wrist, the sword shot forward, stirring the leaves and distorting the air around her. The tip of the blade, as light as a feather, touched Lin Tianlu’s forehead.
“…”
Ripples spread out, stopping just an inch away, unable to penetrate any further.
Crack!
The ethereal sword shattered, dissolving into specks of starlight.
Yan Yi closed her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face, her body fading along with the sword.
…
On the dark and deserted riverbank…
Two figures passed each other, the air still and silent.
—Thud!
Yan Yi’s body trembled as she collapsed to her knees.
There was no need to resist, no need to pretend any longer.
She sighed softly, a look of relief on her face.
“—I’ve lost.”