Chapter 258: One Sword

The old man looked extremely aged, his head full of messy gray-white long hair, his eyes devoid of light and his face withered, as if he were on the verge of death.

He wore the old robes of an ordinary disciple of the Falling God Peak, appearing utterly unremarkable, seeming merely an old servant guarding the sect's ancestral hall.

However, Sikong Xuan and the others inexplicably felt a mental warning; they simply stood still in silence, daring not to move a single inch.

At this moment, Yuwen Chengqing's expression shifted; he immediately stepped forward, approached the blind old man, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said:

"Chengqing pays his respects to the senior. Since our last parting, many years have passed without us meeting."

Hearing this, the blind old man slowly turned his head to face Yuwen Chengqing and emitted a hoarse voice like dry wood cracking against silk, saying:

"You should not have come here. This old one only wishes to quietly spend his remaining life here and does not wish to be drawn into the conflicts of this worldly martial world."

Yuwen Chengqing's expression changed slightly; he raised his eyes to look at the blind old man, then immediately showed a look of deep sorrow and hurriedly explained:

"Chengqing knows the senior stands aloof from worldly affairs, wishing only to devote himself to deep cultivation in the martial arts. In fact, Chengqing also wishes to focus on martial arts cultivation like the senior, but alas, things did not go as wished. The Great Li court suddenly attacked the Falling God Peak, massacring the sect disciples."

"Now the sect is on the verge of destruction; even the Zhang Sect and the Four Great Venerables have..."

However, before he could finish speaking, the blind old man raised a hand to stop him and slowly said:

"You need not explain. This old one already knows of the Zhang Sect and the others. You came here intending to make this old one act; this old one actually knows this clearly."

Upon hearing these words, Yuwen Chengqing's expression changed abruptly; he immediately clasped his hands and bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly as he said:

"Chengqing acknowledges his guilt, but Chengqing truly had no other path, so he resorted to this desperate measure. He only hopes the senior, considering the bond of the sect, can preserve a retreat route for the Falling God Peak. In return, Chengqing is willing to accept any punishment the senior deems fit."

Hearing this, the blind old man fell silent for a moment and did not reply.

Not far away, Sikong Xuan's face was solemn; he observed the blind old man from a distance, detecting not a trace of true qi within the other's body, nor any leakage of martial arts aura or pressure.

Yet, judging from the fact that the other had silently acted just now without Sikong Xuan noticing, effortlessly neutralizing his and Yuwen Chengqing's attacks.

The other was certainly no ordinary old servant of the Falling God Peak but must be a master with extremely profound martial arts cultivation, even possessing strength surpassing that of him and Yuwen Chengqing.

And Yuwen Chengqing's posture of utmost respect toward the blind old man left no doubt, all signaling the other's immense power.

More importantly, in all the Juan Sect files regarding the Falling God Peak, Sikong Xuan had never seen any information about this person.

He truly did not expect that, besides the Zhang Sect and the Four Great Venerables, the Falling God Peak actually hid a master whose martial arts strength surpassed that of the peak masters of all peaks.

Meeting the other at this moment, to be honest, Sikong Xuan did not know whether it was good news or bad news for him.

Sikong Xuan's gaze grew heavy and restrained; he was already considering whether to strike first.

He was not afraid of death; after all, he had little time left, but if the difference in strength between them was too great, it would truly be meaningless.

At the same time, the Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi, who had followed from behind, were also observing the blind old man from a distance.

Especially Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi; after hearing the rumors about Yuwen Chengqing, he understood the principle that there is no wind without waves.

Previously, someone had specifically searched the Main Peak for the master who had granted Yuwen Chengqing his opportunity, but unfortunately, the search ultimately returned empty-handed with no results.

He had also come to this ancestral hall, but had never seen this blind old man before.

Now it seemed the other's martial arts cultivation was probably even higher than his own, allowing him to easily evade his search.

"The rumors are indeed true; our Falling God Peak actually hides such a senior master."

The Jade-Faced Beauty's expression showed surprise and doubt; naturally, she could also guess that the martial arts cultivation of the blind old man before the small hall was unfathomable.

Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi's eyes flickered slightly as he shook his head and said:

"It is a pity. Even if such a senior truly exists, he is likely still no match for the Eighth Imperial Prince of the Great Li. The destruction of the Falling God Peak is already destined."

Hearing this, the Jade-Faced Beauty nodded slightly but did not refute.

Clearly, Li Musheng's feat of single-handedly suppressing and killing the Zhang Sect and the Four Great Venerables was too terrifying; even though they knew the martial arts strength of the blind old man before them was formidable, they did not believe the other could be stronger than Li Musheng.

Just then, the blind old man suddenly slowly turned his face; those gray, lightless eyes, though unable to see, were looking toward Sikong Xuan, the Jade-Faced Beauty, and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi.

Then, facing Sikong Xuan with his lightless eyes, the blind old man suddenly spoke:

"This old one is unwilling to fight. This place is the ancestral hall of the Falling God Peak disciples and also the place where this old one cultivates in seclusion; outsiders are not welcome. You must withdraw immediately."

Hearing this, Yuwen Chengqing, who had been keeping his head bowed in a bowing posture, immediately showed a shift in expression. Since the blind old man had spoken these words, it was obvious the other intended to protect him.

At this moment, Sikong Xuan narrowed his eyes; he could feel that the blind old man did not seem to take him seriously, but he did not withdraw immediately. Instead, he spoke in a deep voice:

"If you can withstand one palm strike from this old man without retreating, then I might consider leaving."

Sikong Xuan naturally would not be scared away by the other's light remark; on the contrary, he had already decided to gauge the blind old man's martial arts strength.

If the difference in strength between them was indeed vast, he would naturally withdraw, but if there was a fight to be had, he would certainly not retreat a single inch.

Hearing Sikong Xuan's words, the blind old man's face remained calm; he simply shook his head slowly and said:

"Your martial arts aura is decaying, your blood qi is deficient, and your life pulse is weak; you already show the signs of a dying man and cannot withstand even one sword strike from this old one."

Speaking thus, the blind old man slightly turned his face, as if looking past Sikong Xuan toward the Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi behind him, and said:

"This old one can discern your two identities. You were once peak masters of the sect, but now that you have pledged allegiance to the Great Li court, you should attack together."

"In that case, perhaps the three of you might have a slim chance of blocking one sword strike from this old one."

Hearing this, the Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi both immediately changed expressions.

They had followed Sikong Xuan on this journey with the thought that perhaps they could lend a hand in case of the other's distress, thereby gaining the merit of a timely favor.

But they never thought they would actually risk getting involved in a fight, especially since the strength of the blind old man before them was obviously unfathomable; naturally, they did not wish to truly confront the blind old man.

Immediately, Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi spoke out to Sikong Xuan:

"My Lord Sikong, now that the three of us have ventured deep into the Main Peak without any reinforcements, we truly should act cautiously. It would be better to withdraw temporarily and wait until the Commander and the various Tianjin Guards arrive."

At this time, the Jade-Faced Beauty also spoke with a solemn face:

"My Lord Sikong, I had long heard the rumors about Senior Brother Yuwen and this senior. This senior once guided Senior Brother Yuwen's cultivation, and his martial arts strength is unfathomable."

"It is not that I belittle myself, but I fear that even if the three of us join hands, we would still be no match for this senior."

Then, the Jade-Faced Beauty turned and bowed respectfully from a distance to the blind old man, saying solemnly:

"We hope the senior can understand. With the deaths of the Zhang Sect and the Four Great Venerables, the destruction of the Falling God Peak is unstoppable. We had no choice but to pledge allegiance to the court to barely preserve our lives."

Hearing this, the blind old man's aged face remained as calm as an ancient well, seemingly ignoring the Jade-Faced Beauty's explanation.

Regarding the Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi's betrayal of the Pan Sect and surrender to the court, his true attitude was not visible at all.

The blind old man's lightless eyes merely faced Master Sikong, as if waiting for the other's decision.

And at this moment, Master Sikong gazed at the blind old man, clearly hesitating.

The fact that the other could discern his current state had already made his heart sink, yet he was not certain whether the other's boastful claim that he could not withstand a single sword strike was truly an exaggeration.

Moreover, the blind old man's words had indeed provoked him somewhat.

After all, Master Sikong had once been the dignified Commander of the Great Li Tianjin Guard; his Martial Way cultivation back then was no weaker than Fu Qiwen's present level, but only because of advancing age had his Martial Way cultivation regressed, falling far short of his former self.

Yet the pride in his heart still remained; furthermore, if he were to survive, he would naturally assess the situation and withdraw.

But now, his heart only desired a satisfying battle before death, having cast aside most reservations.

In the end, Master Sikong still did not choose to withdraw; instead, his expression grew solemn as he looked at the blind old man and spoke:

"Then let this old man test your skills! Even if I truly perish beneath your single sword strike, I will accept it!"

Having said this, Master Sikong hesitated no longer and immediately attacked with full force.

In an instant, he raised both hands; palm lines deeply embedded with azure light, his robe sleeves billowed, and the fierce wind tore through the air, causing the space within dozens of zhang to suddenly solidify.

And in the next moment, Master Sikong crossed his palms and thrust them forcefully toward the blind old man.

Visible to the naked eye, the vast Martial Way true qi within his body condensed into nine emerald pythons; wherever they passed, they emitted a momentum capable of toppling cities and shaking mountains, while the very air of the surrounding world rose and fell like waves.

Master Sikong's palm strike was peerlessly fierce; the nine emerald pythons shattered several zhang of space in the blink of an eye, then descended to envelop the blind old man.

Under the terrifying pressure of his palm force, the air around the blind old man froze in an instant, as if filled with lead and mercury.

However, the blind old man merely stood silently in place, while Yuwen Chengqing, seemingly aware of the other's strength, stood expressionless to the side, making no move to intervene from beginning to end.

Instead, the gaze he directed at Master Sikong seemed already to regard him as a dead man.

And in the very next instant, the entire world seemed to fall silent.

At some unknown moment, a sword shadow, both illusory and real, suddenly appeared above the blind old man's head.

At that same moment, the air before the small hall became like a prison, with the intent of slaughter piercing through heaven and earth.

Then, the sword shadow hovering above the blind old man's head moved slightly, and at the tip of its blade, it seemed to transform into a vast Sword Prison of the Underworld.

At the same time, Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi both instantly changed color, utterly horrified!

For the two of them now discovered that the spot pointed to by the blind old man's sword had already encompassed them.

In the blink of an eye, before the two could react in any way, they were already within the terrifying Sword Prison.

In an instant, Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi felt a chill run through their bodies, their hair standing on end; each was submerged by an irresistible, invisible sword intent, and could only desperately activate their Martial Way cultivation technique to protect themselves.

And at this moment, the two finally understood the blind old man's attitude toward them.

Although the other had said nothing with his mouth, he was clearly seeing that they had pledged allegiance to the Great Li Court and intended to take this opportunity to eliminate the two of them as a side action.

At the same time, Master Sikong's face also grew extremely ugly; the nine emerald pythons he had previously unleashed had almost instantly shattered beneath that sword point.

Now, sword qi crisscrossed above his head like ten thousand locusts devouring the moon; it seemed he was within an endless Sword Domain, where the blind old man's terrifying sword intent spread out, with the imagery of slaughter as its edge, already descending upon his head, ready to cleave him in two in the next instant.

And no matter how Master Sikong activated his Martial Way Divine Technique and drove his true qi to resist, it was of no avail; he could only watch helplessly as that sword slowly descended.

"It seems I guessed wrong; he truly needs only one sword to kill this old man."

At this moment, a trace of fear appeared in Master Sikong's eyes.

Even though he knew deeply that this day would come sooner or later, when truly facing death, he still could not face it with equanimity.

At the same time, Jade-Faced Beauty and Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi also faced the same situation as Master Sikong.

It was just that at this moment, besides the fear of that sword, the two felt even more infinite regret for having followed Master Sikong here and provoked an existence they could never provoke.

However, just as Master Sikong and the other two were about to be slain by a single sword strike from the blind old man,

at this time, a large cat carrying a green-black jade tablet suddenly darted out from nowhere.

Its pair of green eyes, suddenly witnessing the scene before it, was also startled stiff, instantly freezing in place.

Clearly, the big black cat had only come to scout the path; upon suddenly seeing the blind old man unleash such a powerful and terrifying sword strike, it momentarily had no idea what to do.

However, at the very instant the big black cat appeared, everyone in the arena—whether Jade-Faced Beauty, Ouyang Beiqi Ming Qi, or Master Sikong, or even Yuwen Chengqing and the blind old man—

simultaneously turned their heads together, looking toward the big black cat.

A clear trace of shock appeared in Yuwen Chengqing's eyes, while Master Sikong and the other three all wore expressions of utter disbelief.

On the blind old man's normally calm and untroubled aged face, a rare ripple even appeared, revealing an expression of surprise and doubt.

At this moment, everyone could see.

After the big black cat suddenly intruded, the vast Sword Prison of the Underworld beneath the blind old man's sword seemed to be tightly gripped by a hand.

The entire world between heaven and earth froze motionless in an instant.

And that sword, originally striking toward Master Sikong and the other three, suddenly halted half an inch above their heads, never descending even a fraction further.

At this moment, Master Sikong and the other two, with sharp swords hanging above their heads and still caught between life and death, did not know what had happened.

But they could vaguely guess that all of this might be related to this suddenly appeared strange big black cat.

"Senior..."

Yuwen Chengqing frowned and looked toward the blind old man beside him, but was stopped by the other's outstretched hand.

At this moment, the blind old man seemed to be striving to perceive the situation of the big black cat.

But just at this time, the big black cat finally reacted slightly, then hurriedly turned its head and let out a soft meow toward the darkness behind it.

(End of this chapter)