Chapter 428: Crimson Sand

Surviving In A Martial Arts World To Become A Saint

Lingxiao Giant City, Tiger Hall, Shen Qinghong's residence.

The window lattices were half-open, afternoon sunlight streaming in.

The interior furnishings were simple and imposing, with scrolls and correspondence piled like mountains on the bookshelves and desk.

Shen Qinghong sat behind a broad rosewood desk, her silver hair still bound with just a single wooden hairpin. In her hands was a document concerning a property transfer dispute involving a certain Dragon Hall enterprise.

Ever since the dust settled on the Dragon-Tiger conflict and the Sect Master clearly ordered the two halls to begin integration, the affairs on her desk had never decreased. On the contrary, they had become increasingly complex and thorny.

Could grudges spanning several hundred years be easily eliminated with a single decree?

Interest transfers, personnel deployments, resolution of old grievances, establishment of new rules... each and every matter touched the nerves of countless people.

The merger of the Dragon and Tiger Halls was far from being as simple as changing a name. The waters ran deep.

Just then, a series of light footsteps came from outside the door, followed by Mei Yingxue's voice, "Master! Your disciple has returned."

The door was pushed open. Mei Yingxue, wearing a goose-yellow fitted outfit, appeared travel-worn yet spirited.

She first performed a proper bow to Shen Qinghong, and when she raised her head, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift into a smile.

"Master, your disciple has lived up to your expectations!" Her tone was cheerful, carrying a hint of small pride.

Shen Qinghong put down the document in her hands, her gaze falling on her disciple's face, "Oh?"

She seemed to have already guessed something from Mei Yingxue's expression, "...That old fellow is willing to come?"

When she asked this question, a trace of surprise actually flashed through Shen Qinghong's heart.

She understood Luo Zhixian's temperament all too well, stubborn and obstinate, extremely difficult to turn back once he'd made a decision, and even more reluctant to speak of the past.

When she sent Yingxue to deliver her message using Chen Qing as an excuse, she hadn't held much hope. She had even secretly planned that if the Dragon-Tiger Hall integration affairs could temporarily conclude, she would personally make a trip to Tianbao Upper Sect.

"That's right!"

Mei Yingxue nodded vigorously, the smile on her face growing, "Senior Brother Chen personally promised! He said that after the Six Sects Grand Market concludes, he will come to our Lingxiao Upper Sect, and at that time, he will ask Master Uncle Luo to come together!"

She briefly yet clearly recounted Chen Qing's words at the time, as well as how she and Zhou Xiang had found Chen Qing, and how they had tactfully proposed Shen Qinghong's request to meet Luo Zhixian.

Finally, she added, "Senior Brother Chen agreed very readily, and even said 'At that time, please ask Master to accompany me.'"

Shen Qinghong listened quietly, her expression still calm, but the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes relaxed somewhat.

She shook her head and said, "That boy Chen Qing... is quite clever indeed."

"Yes,"

Mei Yingxue nodded repeatedly and said, "This is really thanks to Senior Brother Chen. If we had gone directly to find Master Uncle Luo, I'm afraid we wouldn't have known how to broach the subject. Even if we had, given Master Uncle Luo's temperament, he might not have easily agreed."

"Senior Brother Chen's reason of 'on the way' was just perfect."

Shen Qinghong's gaze turned toward the flowing clouds outside the window as she said slowly, "This also shows that Luo Zhixian is quite attentive and caring toward his disciple."

"I think it's not just that," Mei Yingxue blinked, suddenly smiled with pursed lips, "Master, in this disciple's view, what kind of person is Master Uncle Luo? His mind is crystal clear. How could he not see through this 'scheme'? Although Senior Brother Chen's reason was clever, if Master Uncle Luo truly didn't want to come, he has a hundred ways to refuse. That he was willing to agree to come along, in my opinion..."

She paused, boldly saying in a soft voice, "I'm afraid he deliberately 'went along with the plan,' and in his heart, he also cherishes... coming to see you, Master."

"Such loose lips!" Shen Qinghong glared at Mei Yingxue, but there wasn't much anger on her face, "You even dare to tease your master now?"

Mei Yingxue playfully stuck out her tongue and quickly bowed, "This disciple wouldn't dare!"

She keenly sensed that her master's mood at this moment was far from displeased. On the contrary... it seemed quite good.

Shen Qinghong didn't ask more, instead inquiring about what she had witnessed at the Six Sects Grand Market.

Naturally, Mei Yingxue held nothing back, describing everything vividly.

After listening to Mei Yingxue's account, Shen Qinghong nodded lightly, "This time Luo Zhixian has secured two good opportunities for his disciple. This Chen Qing has an immeasurable future ahead."

Her tone carried appreciation for the younger generation, as well as a trace of emotion.

"Alright, you've worked hard traveling all this way, and I know everything now."

Shen Qinghong waved her hand, resuming her usual tone, "Go back and rest well. There's still much work ahead with the Dragon-Tiger Hall integration. Restore your energy."

"Yes! This disciple takes her leave." Mei Yingxue bowed respectfully and turned to exit.

The study returned to silence once more, with only the faint birdsong occasionally drifting in from outside the window.

In a trance, scenes from decades past quietly surfaced in her mind.

Time was like sand, burying so much spirit and regret.

After a long while, the corners of Shen Qinghong's mouth slowly curved upward. That smile rippled from the depths of her eyes.

She shook her head and murmured softly, "Old, so old, yet still so stubborn, still so concerned about face and pride... Can't you just come on your own? Must you use your disciple as a cover?"

Shen Qinghong drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled, feeling much more at ease.

Outside the window, the sky was high and clouds broad. It was a fine season indeed.

…

Crimson Sand Town, usually a bustling and lively town, was now a scene of devastation.

Yellow sand flew everywhere, churned into chaotic vortexes by the aftershocks of Grandmaster clashes.

At the town's center, ice flowed turbulently.

It was Li Qingyu's Frost Cold Sword Domain, mixed together with the thunder power from Luo Zhixian's Nine Heavens Thunder Pool that had yet to completely dissipate after collapsing.

The cold was suffocating.

Chen Qing and the others exhaled white mist. Even while circulating their True Origin for protection, that bone-deep chill continued to invade relentlessly.

Fine ice crystals condensed on their skin, only to be shattered by their blood qi and True Origin, repeating the cycle endlessly.

At this moment, everyone's eyes converged.

On Luo Zhixian's chest, a sword wound three inches long was clearly visible.

The wound wasn't deep. The edges of the flesh hadn't split open. Instead, they were covered with a layer of light blue ice crystals.

Beneath the ice crystals, one could vaguely see fine sword qi moving like living things.

That sword wound flickered with icy cold qi. With each breath, it brought subtle stabbing pain from the wound.

Li Qingyu stood thirty zhang away, the True Martial Demon-Quelling Sword in his hand humming. Sword qi filled it like a pillar of light, surging from the sword tip straight up into the ninth heaven!

That sword qi pillar of light stirred the cold mist in the sky, actually tearing open a pale scar over a hundred zhang long in the dusky desert sky, as if the firmament itself had been wounded by this sword.

"Master..." Chen Qing's heart tightened with alarm.

He could sense that the sword wound on Luo Zhixian's chest was definitely not simple.

It wasn't merely an external injury. The extreme cold sword intent contained within had already invaded his body and was fiercely confronting Luo Zhixian's own True Origin.

Li Yujun's heart was also tense to the extreme.

Azure sword light flowed around her body as she prepared to act at any moment.

Not far away, the four Grandmasters, Di Cang, Duanmu Hua, Nine Nether Ghost Lord, and Chi Lie, had also temporarily ceased fighting. Their gazes turned toward this peak confrontation that would decide today's situation.

"Peak of Grandmaster..." Duanmu Hua thought to himself, a trace of gravity flashing through his eyes, "For Li Qingyu to have escaped from Tianbao Upper Sect alive back then, he is indeed extraordinary."

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that in the previous exchange, Li Qingyu had gained a slight advantage.

For experts of their caliber to clash, even a slight advantage was remarkable.

It meant mastery over heaven and earth's elemental qi, understanding of one's own power.

Li Qingyu's cultivation had reached the peak of Grandmaster.

Even... he had half a foot stepping into that legendary realm.

That brilliant, unstoppable might couldn't be truly sensed by those who hadn't reached such a realm.

Luo Zhixian's strength was not lacking. He too was an existence close to the peak of Grandmaster, his spear Dao attainments reaching perfection. However, in terms of cultivation realm, he was still slightly inferior to Li Qingyu.

This slight difference, in a life-and-death struggle, could be an insurmountable chasm.

At the battlefield's center.

Luo Zhixian's expression was calm.

The True Origin within his body surged like a great river. True Origin rose from his dantian, rolling along his meridians toward the wound on his chest.

"Hiss..."

The layer of light blue ice crystals on the wound began to melt, transforming into wisps of white vapor that rose.

The sword qi moving beneath the ice crystals was ground apart inch by inch by the violent True Origin.

The entire process took no more than three breaths.

When the last trace of icy cold sword qi was forced out of his body, the flesh at Luo Zhixian's chest wound rapidly healed.

Li Qingyu didn't take advantage to press his attack. He merely watched quietly.

"The supreme Dao of the sword is to sever the seven emotions, extinguish the six desires. With only the sword in one's heart can one glimpse the true essence of the sword."

His voice seemed ethereal in the wind and sand, yet clearly transmitted into everyone's ears, "I didn't understand back then. I thought that when people have emotions, the sword has spirit. But later I understood..."

"Emotions are the most useless things. They only become your weak point."

He admitted he was a selfish person.

Everything he had done, betraying his sect, killing his master, was all for advancement, to take another step forward, to walk toward the highest place of the martial Dao.

So he didn't need any emotions to become his weak point.

Luo Zhixian looked at Li Qingyu. The Meteor Star Spear in his hand had its tip pointing to the ground, thunder light faintly flickering on the spear shaft.

"Emotions indeed are a weak point."

"But similarly, they can also become armor. You have no weak points, but at the same time, you've also lost a suit of armor."

Li Qingyu was startled upon hearing this, then let out a laugh.

"You people... still retain a trace of naive fantasy."

He shook his head, "But I'm different. I only believe in myself."

The instant his words fell, the True Martial Demon-Quelling Sword in Li Qingyu's hand rang out again!

"Clang!"

The Frost Cold Sword Domain erupted thunderously!

This time, it was no longer the gradual spread from before, but like a volcano that had accumulated power for ages, erupting violently!

With Li Qingyu at the center, the ground within a radius of fifty zhang instantly froze into black ice three feet thick!

The ice layer wasn't smooth. Instead, it transformed into countless sharp ice spikes and ice peaks, jagged and interlocking, forming a terrifying icy hell!

The water vapor in the air was forcibly extracted by the extreme low temperature, transforming into a sky full of ice crystal snowflakes that fell rustling down.

The temperature plummeted!

Luo Zhixian moved.

He stepped back half a step with his right foot. His form sank slightly. The Meteor Star Spear in his hand traced a heavy arc from bottom to top.

Wherever the spear shaft passed, the air was compressed into visible ripples.

Nine Heavens Thunder Pool, rise again!

"Boom crack...!!!"

The sand and stones frozen on the ground all exploded in unison!

Not shattered, but bursting forth with violent purple thunder from within!

Every grain of sand, every piece of stone, became a foundation stone for the Thunder Pool!

This time, there was no more probing.

Li Qingyu moved.

He took a step forward.

The black ice beneath his feet exploded. Borrowing the rebound force, his form transformed into a blurred white afterimage, instantly crossing thirty zhang!

The True Martial Demon-Quelling Sword in his hand thrust straight out!

This sword was simple to the extreme.

No flashy sword light divisions, no complex trajectory changes, just a straight thrust.

True Martial Demon-Quelling! One Sword Returns to Ruins!

Where Li Qingyu's sword intent reached, all laws returned to ruins. Even thunder, such violent power of heaven and earth, had to be forcibly extinguished!

Facing this terrifying sword, thunder light exploded in Luo Zhixian's eyes.

He didn't dodge. He also couldn't dodge.

This sword had already locked onto his entire qi mechanism. No matter which direction he evaded, the sword edge would follow like a shadow.

Luo Zhixian's Meteor Star Spear suddenly struck the ground!

"Dong!"

The earth shook violently!

East, south, west, north, the twenty-eight floating thunder pearls all simultaneously blazed with radiance!

Inside each thunder pearl, a blurred phantom of a constellation deity vaguely appeared, some dragon-shaped, some tiger-formed, some dancing phoenixes, or turtle and serpent coiled together.

The Twenty-Eight Constellations Thunder Command operated at full power!

The qi mechanisms of the thunder pearls from all four directions connected, transforming into a thunder net covering a hundred zhang.

At the center of the net was Luo Zhixian.

And the Meteor Star Spear in his hand was the core of this thunder net!

At the battlefield's edge.

A flash of resolution crossed Li Yujun's eyes.

She suddenly spoke in a low voice, her words transmitting into the ears of Nan Zhuoran, Chen Qing, Luo Ping, and the others behind her, "Zhuoran, Chen Qing, Luo Ping, take all the disciples and leave Crimson Sand Town immediately."

Nan Zhuoran's entire body shook, "Master..."

"Go!" Li Yujun cut off his words, "The situation currently cannot be called clear. Although the Sword Lord's strength is formidable, his original intention isn't to kill Li Qingyu, but to prevent others from interfering with their duel. The circumstances still can't be considered improved."

She quickly analyzed, "Di Cang and Chi Lie are here, Nine Nether Ghost Lord watches like a tiger eyeing its prey... If a true melee breaks out, the three of us, Duanmu Sect Master, the Sword Lord, and I may not be able to protect all of you."

"Especially you, Zhuoran. Your presence here makes you the biggest target."

Nan Zhuoran was Tianbao Upper Sect's foremost of the current generation. Moreover, he was a successor of the Nine Heavens lineage. By nature, he had an inextricable enmity with Li Qingyu.

Nan Zhuoran looked deeply at Li Qingyu in the distance.

He knew that staying here now was futile and would only become a burden to his master and martial uncle.

"Yes!"

Nan Zhuoran finally took a deep breath and said in a condensed voice.

He turned to Luo Ping, Zhang Baicheng, Huo Qiushui and the others, "Let's go!"

Luo Ping nodded. He too understood clearly.

Today's situation had evolved into a Grandmaster melee.

With their True Origin realm cultivation, staying had no meaning whatsoever.

Zhang Baicheng, Huo Qiushui, and the other steward disciples also nodded one after another, preparing to withdraw.

Just as the Tianbao Upper Sect members prepared to withdraw, a violent shout rang out!

"Want to leave?"

Chi Lie's form was like lightning, instantly crossing dozens of zhang. The crimson long blade in his hand erupted with sky-reaching flames. One blade slashed toward Nan Zhuoran's back!

"Stay here for this old man!"

The blade light was like blood. The scorching heat wave burned the air along its path until it distorted.

Chi Lie's target was very clear, it was Nan Zhuoran.

This person was Tianbao Upper Sect's foremost of the younger generation, with outstanding talent. In the future, he would certainly be a major threat.

If he could capture or kill him, this trip would count as a great merit.

"Clang!"

An azure long sword, arriving later but reaching first, blocked the crimson long blade with perfect precision.

Fine electric patterns flowed across the sword body, completely dispersing the flames attached to the blade.

Li Yujun stood holding her sword, her gaze icy cold.

Chi Lie sneered, "Li Yujun, how many can you protect?"

Before his words finished falling, his blade momentum changed, transforming into a sky full of blood-colored blade shadows that completely enveloped Li Yujun, Nan Zhuoran, and the others!

Li Yujun snorted coldly. The Jade Water Sword's sword light surged, transforming into a deep blue light curtain.

The sword curtain and blade shadows collided madly, erupting with continuous metallic clanging sounds.

And just at this moment, a purple light descended from the sky, landing behind the Tianbao Upper Sect members.

"Buzz!"

Duanmu Hua's form appeared, purple qi swirling around his body like an immortal, like a god.

He blocked Di Cang, who was about to make a move.

"Duanmu Hua!"

Di Cang's face was grim, the purple markings on his forehead flickering with light, "Are you truly going to oppose my Jinting Eight Divisions, oppose Great Snow Mountain?"

After exchanging dozens of moves with Duanmu Hua, qi and blood surging within his body, he had already fallen slightly at a disadvantage.

This old fellow's strength was unfathomable. He appeared peaceful, but every strike contained the weight of mountains and rivers. In prolonged battle, he would certainly be defeated.

What alarmed him even more was that Duanmu Hua seemed to still be concealing his strength. Within the purple qi surrounding his body, there was faintly some kind of aura that made his heart palpitate.

People who had reached their realm wouldn't easily risk their lives against others.

So Di Cang tried to use interests to drive him, to make Duanmu Hua give up.

"You, Di Cang, can represent the Eight Divisions? Can represent Great Snow Mountain?"

Duanmu Hua said indifferently, his tone peaceful yet carrying unquestionable authority, "Even if you could represent them, so what? My Lingxiao Upper Sect, what is there to fear?"

The three words 'what to fear' echoed in the wind and sand, carrying a confidence and pride accumulated over hundreds of years.

Di Cang's face was iron-blue.

"Good, good 'what is there to fear'!"

A voice transmitted from the distance.

That voice seemed to come from several li away. When first heard, it was ethereal, but by the time the last word fell, it was already close at hand!

The voice carried coldness. Wherever it passed, the dust floating in the air instantly condensed into ice crystals that fell rustling down.

Chen Qing looked toward the source of the voice.

Not just Chen Qing. Everyone present, whether it was Luo Zhixian and Li Qingyu locked in fierce battle, or the confronting Duanmu Hua and Di Cang, or even the distant Xiao Jiuli and Nine Nether Ghost Lord standing quietly, all turned their heads in unison toward the northern sky.

They saw points of light.

No, it wasn't light, but countless fine ice crystals reflecting cold light under the dusky sky.

A white figure came through the air from the north.

She walked on air. With each step, an ice lotus three feet in diameter condensed beneath her feet.

The ice lotus bloomed for an instant, then shattered, transforming into a sky full of ice crystals that scattered. The figure had already borrowed the force to sweep out dozens of zhang.

Thus, step by step, lotuses bloomed. In just three breaths, she had already arrived above Crimson Sand Town from several li away.

The newcomer was a woman.

She appeared to be about forty years old, with above-average looks and a mature charm. She wore a long robe with wide sleeves that fluttered in the wind.

"Another Grandmaster expert?"

Chen Qing thought with alarm, "And coming from the northlands, her aura quite similar to the Profound Ice Dharma King who attacked Prison Peak. Could she be a true high-level figure from Great Snow Mountain?"