Chapter 889
Sword Intent Does Not Harm the Body
He didn't brush it away.
I simply looked up and gazed into the distance.
Broken Sword Valley.
Four hundred li.
A half-day journey.
The team sets off.
Footsteps tread on the snow.
It makes a slight "creaking" sound.
It felt like something had been crushed.
It's like... pioneering a new path.
Thirty miles outside Broken Sword Valley.
The snow has stopped.
But it was even colder.
The valley entrance is an extremely narrow crevice, with towering cliffs on both sides that seem to reach into the clouds. The cliffs are covered with sword marks, as if they were cleaved by countless swordsmen at the same time. A faint purple-gold glow emerges from the crevice; the glow is not dazzling, but it carries a sense of oppressive unease that makes one's heart tremble.
Outside the valley entrance, thirty or forty groups had already gathered.
The most conspicuous group was the Qingyun Sect's team, consisting of over thirty people. Leading them was a middle-aged man in white robes, with a long sword at his waist, the scabbard engraved with the characters "Qingyun." Behind him, his disciples stood in two rows, their auras calm and composed, clearly the sect's elite.
Beside them stood the Blood Wolf Gang, a black market mercenary group of over forty men, each with scarred faces and weapons stained with dried blood. The leader, a one-eyed burly man, had a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his voice hoarse:
"Elder Liu of the Qingyun Sect, we discovered this secret realm first, didn't we? You arrived quite quickly."
The middle-aged man in white robes—Elder Liu—sneered:
"Iron One-Eyed of the Blood Wolf Gang, the secret realm is unclaimed, first come, first served. Too bad... no matter how early you arrive, you can't beat us."
On the other side, a group of family cultivators stood with the character "Han" embroidered on their banners.
The leader of the Han family was a young man in brocade robes, with a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and his voice carried arrogance:
"Gentlemen, the entrance to the secret realm is narrow; a direct assault will only result in mutual destruction. Why not join forces, break through the entrance barrier first, and then rely on your own abilities once inside?"
Blood Wolf spat at Iron One-Eyed:
"Join forces? Your Han family intercepted a shipment of our goods at the Blackwater River last time, and you want to join forces?"
The young man from the Han family's expression changed slightly, but he forced a smile:
"Let bygones be bygones. Now that the secret realm is at hand, who wouldn't want a piece of the pie?"
Just as everyone was arguing.
In the distance, through the snow and mist, a small team slowly approached.
Twenty-three people.
not much.
Yet his aura was calm and composed.
The young man in the black robe at the head of the group wore a gray-blue cloth shirt with a fox fur coat over it, and his right hand was on his sword.
Snowflakes fell on his shoulder.
He didn't brush it away.
It simply stopped fifty feet away from the valley entrance.
His gaze swept over everyone present.
The voice was not loud.
Yet it pierced through the wind and snow:
“Hongyun City, Zheng Yi.”
"Coming to investigate."
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Elder Liu of the Qingyun Sect's pupils contracted slightly.
The Blood Wolf Gang's Iron One-Eyed Grass Stem fell out of its mouth.
The young man from the Han family's expression changed drastically.
"Zheng... Zheng Yi?!"
Someone exclaimed in a low voice:
"That's the Dark Night who killed Li Wuji?!"
"He actually came in person..."
Zheng Yi ignored the comments.
He simply looked at the crack at the mouth of the valley.
A purple-gold glow surged from the crack, like a dragon come to life, swimming in the mist.
His voice was calm:
"The secret realm is unclaimed."
"Whoever arrives first gets in first."
"but……"
He paused.
His gaze swept over everyone present.
"Who dares to stop me..."
"Kill without mercy."
The wind and snow intensified.
Snowflakes fell on everyone's shoulders.
But no one dared to make a move.
Zheng Yi turned around.
He addressed the crowd behind him:
"Set up the formation."
"Wait."
Zhao Sanhuai grinned, and drew his short sword:
"Order."
The twelve cultivators stepped forward simultaneously.
Magical artifacts, magic arrays, and auras are all connected.
Like an invisible wall.
It blocked the entrance to the valley.
The others looked at each other in bewilderment.
Elder Liu of the Qingyun Sect looked grim.
"Fellow Daoist Zheng... are you going to take it all for yourself?"
Zheng Yi turned around.
Calm gaze:
"It's not something I'm keeping for myself."
"Yes... we'll scout ahead."
"If anyone has any objections..."
"You can bring it up now."
During the half-hour standoff, the snowstorm at the valley entrance intensified, turning from goose feathers to down, and then into a dense, impenetrable white curtain, dyeing everyone's cloaks, hair, and eyelashes the same shade. The purple-gold glow emanating from the cracks was refracted by the snow mist, transforming into shifting beams of light, like countless sticks of incense lit in the fog, then swaying precariously in the wind.
Elder Liu of the Qingyun Sect was the first to break the silence. He took a step forward, his boots crushing the snow beneath his feet, and his voice, imbued with spiritual energy, emanated a tone that was no longer as aggressive as before:
“Since Fellow Daoist Zheng has come, he can’t just leave after a quick look. The valley’s restrictions are complex, and it would be difficult for a single city to take it all by itself. How about… we join forces to break through the outer restrictions first?”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Iron One-Eye of the Blood Wolf Gang spat, a blade of grass falling from the corner of his mouth into the snow.
"Join forces? Your Qingyun Sect intercepted three cartloads of our goods at Black Wind Ridge last time, and now you want a share? Dream on!"
The young man in the brocade robe from the Han family's trousers changed his expression slightly, but immediately echoed Elder Liu:
"Chief Tie, we can settle old scores later. With the secret realm at hand, whoever breaks the seal first will gain the upper hand. If we fight our own battles, it will only benefit those who come later."
Iron One-Eyed sneered, about to curse again, when Zheng Yi suddenly raised his hand.
His movement was so subtle that it instantly silenced the entire room.
Zheng Yi's gaze swept across the three directions, his voice not loud, yet it pierced through the wind and snow:
"Joining forces is an option."
"But I'll set the rules."
Elder Liu raised an eyebrow slightly: "Fellow Daoist Zheng, please speak."
Zheng Yi pointed to the relatively flat snow slope to the left of the crevice. The snow on the slope was only ankle-deep, and with the cliff backing it, it could block most of the north wind:
"First, acquire land."
"This area, fifty zhang in circumference, will serve as a temporary foothold. No one is allowed to make a move inside. Anyone who does will be kicked out of the valley."
Iron One-Eyed sneered, "You think this is your backyard?"
Zheng Yi didn't look at him, but only at Elder Liu and the young man from the Han family:
"I disagree. We can try it now."
The wind and snow suddenly stopped for a moment.
Elder Liu and the young man from the Han family exchanged a glance and nodded almost simultaneously.
"Alright, we'll do as Fellow Daoist Zheng says."
Iron One-Eye wanted to say something, but his deputy grabbed his sleeve tightly. The deputy whispered a few words in his ear, and Iron One-Eye's expression changed. Finally, he snorted:
"Fine! I'll see what tricks you guys have up your sleeve."
Zheng Yi stopped wasting words and turned to Zhao Sanhuai, saying:
"Land grabbing".
Zhao Sanhuai grinned, his right hand drawing his short sword and carving a deep mark in the snow. The twelve cultivators simultaneously dispersed. Master Kulian raised his hand, scattering a cloud of azure mist that instantly condensed into a half-foot-thick layer of ice, perfectly encircling a fifty-foot radius. Lady Bixiao lightly tapped her flute, the sound waves transforming into an invisible barrier that traveled along the edge of the ice, forming a second line of defense. Iron Arm Marquis slammed his hammer down, cracking the snow but also precisely creating a shallow trench at the edge of the ice. This trench was immediately filled with Ghost Shadow Elder's eerie blue ghost fire, the flames burning softly, not hot, but carrying a chilling aura.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the fifty-zhang snow slope was completely surrounded by four magic arrays.
The outermost layer is the ice layer of the withered lotus immortal, the middle layer is the sound barrier of the green flute lady, the inner circle is the earth and stone ditch smashed by the iron-armed marquis, and the innermost layer is the ghost fire of the ghost shadow old man.
Four layers of protection, progressively stronger than the last.
Upon seeing this, the other cultivators all gasped in shock.
The young man from the Han family's expression changed slightly, and he whispered to the elder beside him:
"...This formation is so formidable that even a late-stage Mahayana cultivator would find it difficult to force their way through."
Elder Liu's gaze was gloomy, but he did not speak again.
Zheng Yi stood in the center of the ice and looked back at the crowd:
"The shelter has been decided."
"Anyone who wants to go in to rest, heal their wounds, or store food is welcome."
"But there's only one rule—no fighting inside."
"Whoever breaks the rules dies."
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and waved.
Zhao Sanhuai led ten swordsmen to be the first to step into the ice layer.
The swordsmen moved with lightning speed, clearing a space in the middle of the snow slope in the blink of an eye. They paved a temporary campsite with bluestone slabs taken from their storage bags and set up eight military tents. The tents were surrounded by iron stakes with thin steel wires wrapped around them, and simple warning symbols were engraved on the wires.
Guo Tianyou, along with two young men, began distributing supplies: tinder, compressed rations, medicine, and water bags, one by one, to each person.
Zheng Yi himself did not enter the tent.
He stood at the edge of the camp, his gaze piercing through the wind and snow, looking into the depths of the crevice.
The purple-gold glow was even brighter than before, and a stone staircase could be vaguely seen in the crack. The staircase was covered with moss and broken sword blades. At the end of the staircase was a wall of mist, and behind the mist wall, the outline of a palace could be faintly seen.
He suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone in the camp to hear:
"There are at least three layers of restrictions within the valley."
"The first layer is mist, which can confuse the mind and soul."
"The second level is the Sword Tomb, with its sharp sword intent."
"The third layer... is not visible for the time being."
He paused, then looked at the twelve cultivators:
"Esteemed seniors, who would like to go in and explore with me first?"
Master Kulian was the first to step forward:
"This old man is willing to go."
Lady Bixiao followed closely behind: "Count me in."
Ghost Shadow Elder's figure flashed, and he appeared beside Zheng Yi:
"I am the most suitable person to scout ahead."
Iron-Armed Marquis hoisted his warhammer:
"I'm going too! If there's anything tough to deal with, I can smash it!"
Zheng Yi nodded:
"Alright. Please follow me inside, seniors."
"The rest of you, hold the camp."
"If there is any unusual activity, blow the whistle as a signal."
Zhao Sanhuai immediately took out a short bronze whistle from his waist and hung it around his neck.
Zheng Yi looked at Elder Liu and the other two:
"If you wish to join us, you may do so now."
"But the rules remain the same—no fighting is allowed inside the camp."
Elder Liu's expression shifted between light and dark, but he finally gritted his teeth and said:
"Okay! We'll follow."
Blood Wolf Gang's Iron One-Eyed sneered:
"I'd like to see what tricks Hongyun City has up its sleeve."
The young man from the Han family also nodded:
"I am willing to accompany you seniors on this exploration."
So the team regrouped.
Zheng Yi, four of the twelve cultivators, the two swordsmen led by Zhao Sanhuai, plus ten people each from the Qingyun Sect, the Blood Wolf Gang, and the Han family, totaling thirty-nine people, crossed the ice layer and headed towards the crack.
The crack was extremely narrow, allowing only two people to walk side by side.
Zheng Yi walked at the front, his right hand on his sword and his left hand forming a simple mind-clearing seal.
As soon as you step into the crevice, the fog immediately becomes ten times thicker.
The field of vision was instantly compressed to within three zhang (approximately 10 meters).
A faint smell of rust filled the air, like the bloody stench of an old sword.
The stone steps underfoot were slippery, and each step was engraved with fine sword marks, some deep enough to see bone, others as shallow as scratches.
With each step Zheng Yi took, he would pause for a moment, the tip of his sword lightly touching the stone steps.
Golden threads seeped from the tip of the sword, tracing the sword marks as if testing something.
Master Kulian walked in second place and whispered:
"These sword marks... were not formed naturally."
"It was carved there by someone using sword intent."
"At least a sword cultivator at the late Mahayana stage or above."
Zheng Yi nodded:
"Be careful."
The line continued downwards.
The stone steps became steeper and steeper, and the fog grew thicker and thicker.
Suddenly, a very faint "clang" came from within the wall of fog ahead.
Like the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath.
Immediately afterwards, a very faint sword aura shot out from the mist, heading straight for Zheng Yi's brow.
Zheng Yi didn't even raise his head; his right hand drew his longsword half an inch from its sheath.
"Ding."
A crisp sound.
The sword energy was blocked by the scabbard and dissipated as specks of golden light.
The team tensed up instantly.
Ghostly Old Man whispered:
"The first level of the Sword Tomb".
Before the words were even finished, hundreds of sword lights simultaneously lit up within the fog wall.
The sword light was as fine as cow's hair, yet as dense as a torrential rain, piercing from all directions.
Zheng Yi suddenly took a step forward.
The longsword was fully drawn.
The golden flames surged.
He swept his sword across the room.
The sword light flashed like a bolt of lightning, instantly sweeping out a thirty-zhang arc.
"Clang clang clang clang—"
Countless sword energies were crushed by the golden flames, turning into tiny specks of light, like fireflies dancing in the mist.
But the sword energy did not stop.
On the contrary, there are more.
From the depths of the fog wall, from both sides of the stone steps, from the cliff face overhead...
It was as if an invisible mountain of swords was awakening at the same time.
Master Kulian whispered:
"Form ranks!"
The twelve cultivators simultaneously formed hand seals.
Azure lotus, sonic waves, warhammer, bone blade... twelve spells connected to form a light screen, blocking the way in front of the team.
The sword energy struck the light screen, producing a series of impact sounds.
The light screen trembled violently, yet remained firmly blocked.
Zheng Yi seized the opportunity to step forward.
The tip of the sword touched the wall of mist.
Golden flames seeped into the wall of mist along the tip of the sword.
The wall of fog surged violently, like a living thing that had been scalded.
suddenly.
A crack appeared in the center of the fog wall.
Behind the opening was a spacious stone platform.
In the center of the stone platform, a broken sword is stuck.
The broken sword was only three feet long, and the blade was full of nicks, yet it still exuded a sharp sword intent.
A purple-gold thread was wrapped around the hilt of the sword, and a jade slip was attached to the end of the thread.
Zheng Yi's gaze sharpened.
"Opportunity".
His voice was very low.
But everyone behind him heard it.
Elder Liu's breathing became rapid:
"Fellow Daoist Zheng, this sword..."
Zheng Yi didn't let him finish speaking.
He stepped into the crevice.
A long sword was held horizontally in front of him.
Golden flames protect the body.
The rest of the group followed closely behind.
As soon as I stepped onto the stone platform.
The broken sword suddenly trembled.
The sword hummed.
The purple-gold thread taut instantly.
The jade slip lit up.
An aged voice came from the jade slip:
"If any junior sees this sword, it means he is destined to be with me."
"This is the broken sword of 'Broken Mountain,' which contains the sword intent of my entire life."
"To obtain this sword, one must pass three tests."
"The first challenge - Heart Sword".
"The second challenge - Intent Sword".
"The third challenge - the Sword of Fate."
"Those who pass the test will inherit my legacy."
"Those who do not win... will have their souls scattered."
The sound faded.
The mist gathered again around the stone platform.
It trapped everyone inside.
Zheng Yi looked at the broken sword.
His gaze was calm.
He suddenly spoke:
"First stage, begin."
The voice just fell.
The broken sword in the center of the stone platform trembled violently.
An invisible sword intent surged towards everyone like a tide.
The sword intent does not harm the body, but only attacks the soul.
Everyone present groaned in unison.
Some people were sweating.
Some people gritted their teeth.
Some people turned pale.
Zheng Yi stood at the very front.
The sword intent, like a tsunami, struck his brow first.
He closed his eyes.
Golden flames seeped from between his brows.
It transformed into a golden curtain of light.
The sword intent collided with the light barrier.
It makes a "buzzing" sound.
The light screen trembled violently, but did not shatter.
Zheng Yi opened his eyes.
The voice was calm.
"First hurdle passed."
The broken sword trembled.
The purple-gold thread loosened slightly.
The aged voice from the jade slip sounded again:
"The second challenge - Intent Sword".
The words fell. (End of Chapter)