Chapter 6733
He is my savior!
The moss on the blue bricks was instantly turned to dust by the sunlight, and a burnt smell filled the air, which was pungent and unpleasant.
Qin Lingling's words were abruptly cut off by the light, and she could only stare blankly at her master, her eyes filled with fear and awe.
Time seemed to be held tightly by an invisible hand, frozen in this moment.
The room was eerily quiet; everyone's breathing could be heard clearly, as if even the air itself had stopped moving.
Five minutes later, the ticking of the clock, which had been barely perceptible, suddenly became deafening, striking everyone's hearts with each beat, causing their heartbeats to involuntarily quicken to match the rhythm.
The air seemed to be under a spell, suddenly becoming thick and sticky, and every breath felt like it took all the strength in the body.
The oil lamp flame began to flicker eerily. Even though the doors and windows were tightly closed, a chilling wind swirled and raged inside the room.
The cold wind carried a chill that sent shivers down one's spine, as if countless eyes were watching from the shadows.
Xu Qingyuan, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes, like two bottomless, icy pools, now shone with a sharp light.
Two sword energies shot out from his pupils, like two bolts of lightning piercing the darkness.
With a "whoosh," the sword energy left two sword marks about an inch deep on the opposite wall. The edges of the marks were neat, as if they had been cut by the sharpest sword.
The plaster fell away in a flurry, revealing the dark red bricks underneath. The sword marks on those bricks looked like two hideous wounds, inspiring fear in those who saw them.
Immediately afterwards, he pressed down with his palm, and the whisk in his sleeve moved automatically without any wind.
The silk threads of the whisk danced wildly like snakes, drawing strange arcs in the air.
As the duster swept across the surface, fine cracks appeared on the porcelain pieces on the display shelf. These porcelain pieces, which were originally priceless antiques, now looked like fragile glass, as if they could shatter at any moment.
With a deafening roar, a shockwave exploded outwards like a tidal wave.
The shockwave carried a powerful impact, causing the entire hall to tremble violently.
The sandalwood beams groaned under the weight, as if they might break at any moment.
The crystal chandelier hanging from the beam swayed wildly, its glass beads colliding with each other and scattering tiny shards of glass like sharp bullets flying through the air.
The roof tiles fell off with a rustling sound, hitting the ground with a dull thud and creating deep craters.
The hard blue brick floor cracked like a spider web, with dozens of cracks spreading out from Xu Qingyuan as the center.
Strands of golden light even seeped from the cracks, a mysterious and dazzling light that made people afraid to look directly at it.
The celadon vase on the altar shattered with a loud clang, its fragments embedding themselves in the wall like bullets.
The copy of the calligraphy and painting "Pine and Crane Longevity" was also torn into pieces and fell to the ground in a flurry, like a poignant snowfall.
Qin Fang's face was deathly pale, devoid of any color.
His hand, gripping the corner of the table, trembled uncontrollably, as if that corner was his only support.
The expensive silk jacket was soaked with cold sweat, leaving a large dark water stain on the back, like a strange ink painting.
He staggered back half a step and accidentally kicked over the copper brazier at his feet.
The charcoal embers were sprinkled on the Persian carpet, instantly igniting several flames that grew stronger and stronger, as if they were about to engulf the entire room.
Qin Lingling was so frightened that her face turned deathly pale. As she staggered backward, she accidentally knocked over the antique display shelf behind her.
A dazzling array of antiques crashed to the ground with a clattering sound.
A priceless Song Dynasty official kiln porcelain bowl shattered into dust at her feet, the fragments gleaming coldly under the light, as if telling the cruelty of the disaster.
"Master! You...you've broken through?"
Qin Lingling stared wide-eyed at the golden vortex surrounding Xu Qingyuan in disbelief. The vortex was like a mysterious little universe, slowly rotating before her eyes.
She could clearly hear the faint sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling from within the vortex; the sounds were powerful and majestic, as if they came from the ancient, primordial world.
The air was filled with a mesmerizing spiritual energy, so rich it was almost tangible. With a gentle inhale, one could feel every pore on their body opening up, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.
To her even greater surprise, the originally damaged walls began to slowly repair themselves.
The cracks slashed by the sword energy healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, the plaster re-coagulated, and the wall surface gradually returned to its original smoothness, as if time had reversed and everything had returned to its original state.
She glanced at her master instinctively, and what she saw almost made her cry out in shock.
A few strands of black hair had sprouted from the master's originally gray hair, shimmering with an unusual luster under the golden vortex.
Her previously loose skin became firmer, and the wrinkles on her face seemed to have faded, making her look several years younger.
Xu Qingyuan slowly stood up, his slightly faded Taoist robe fluttering in the wind, as if a strong wind was surging within his sleeves.
He let out a long breath, which condensed in the air into the shape of an ancient sword, lingering for a long time.
The sword-shaped object emitted a faint light, as if it contained endless mysteries.
At this moment, he had white hair and a youthful face, and his eyes were like lightning. Wherever his gaze swept, it seemed to be able to penetrate all illusions.
He exuded an aura of dominance over the world with every gesture, and even the dust in the air seemed to swirl around him, as if submitting to him.
He suddenly strode forward and tightly grasped Qin Fang's hand.
The force was astonishing; Qin Fang felt as if his wrist was being clamped by iron clamps, and he couldn't help but groan.
Looking down, I saw that my wrist was instantly swollen and turned a deep purple-red.
Xu Qingyuan, oblivious to the danger, cried out in a trembling voice, "Old Qin! Take me to the person who left this thing! He's my savior!"
The voice was filled with excitement and gratitude, and tears welled up in the cloudy eyes. The tears streamed down the wrinkles on the face and dripped onto the Taoist robe, spreading a dark stain.
Qin Fang endured the pain, his face filled with shock.
He stared at the pattern on the wall with a puzzled look, thinking hard but unable to figure out what it meant.
The pattern's lines were intricate and seemingly random, yet it subtly exuded a mysterious aura.
He frowned and muttered to himself, "Old Xu, what's the deal with this weird pattern? Why are you so excited?"
Xu Qingyuan slowly released Qin Fang's hand, put his hands behind his back, and stood tall and straight like a pine tree.
He stood there quietly, his gaze passing through the carved window lattice, looking out at the gradually setting sun.
The setting sun cast its golden rays upon him, but could not conceal the profound感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing sorrow, regret, and a touch of melancholy) in his eyes, a reflection of a life weathered by time. (End of Chapter)