Chapter 16: Battle with Heaven

【"Great Zhou Military God? Three Teachings Expert? That's all!"】

【You laugh recklessly.】

【Dense streams of Qi converge toward the Heavenly Dome, forming a massive Divine Sword, its light illuminating the night sky.】

【Countless people in Great Zhou or Nan Jiang saw the sword.】

【It was like a heavenly punishment.】

【In the dream, Lin Chuan could not see the whole picture, but his subconscious could know everything happening in the world.】

【He could even sense the emotions of the supporting characters in the dream.】

【In the Xishu Juedi, far from Nan Jiang, Yun Zhi Yi, who had just beheaded the Great Liang Emperor, suddenly looked up.】

【"What is this..."】

【"A Chuan's sword!"】

【Yun Zhi Yi wept bitterly.】

【She knew what this sword meant.】

【It meant that all the schemes she had plotted since childhood turned to bubbles, everything became meaningless.】

【The gift Yun Zhi Yi intended to give Lin Chuan ended up becoming the gift Lin Chuan gave to Yun Zhi Yi.】

【The Divine Sword, like a heavenly punishment, fell; even the top Three Teachings masters—Tianqing Daoist, Huishen Monk, and Yi Lian Layman—could not resist.】

【They strained to hold on.】

【The earth-shaking Sword Intent pressed them down, sinking ever closer to the dying Ximen Wuxue.】

【Over Great Zhou's lands, black clouds pressed the city, lightning flashed and thunder roared.】

【This sword would not only slay Ximen Wuxue, but also cut the fate of the Great Zhou dynasty.】

【Watching the Divine Sword descend.】

【Rumble—!】

【A tremendous sound echoed above the Heavenly Dome; the night instantly turned to daylight, and a mist-wreathed gate slowly opened.】

【Dozens of rays of light fell.】

【"Celestial Immortal? Descended?"】

【You gaze at the scene, your heart sinking to the bottom of a valley.】

【There are rules in the world: Celestial Immortals may not directly interfere with Ren Jian affairs; an Immortal Descends is bound by the laws of Heaven and Earth.】

【Even so, for you now, it remains hopeless.】

【"Celestial Immortal, why disturb Ren Jian affairs?"】

【A cold voice cracked through the Heavenly Dome, one person with a sword, black silk winding around the eyes, stepping forward from the south.】

【It is your Close Friend, the deposed Blind Swordsman.】

【The Immortals have no physical form, attached to the bodies of Ren Jian guests, their faces twisted and fierce, looking less like Immortals and more like demons.】

【"Lin Chuan, you should ascend now."】

【"You may no longer take part in Ren Jian affairs."】

【The Immortals ignored the Blind Swordsman; their sole goal was to make you ascend, cutting off all Ren Jian matters.】

【You gave them no reply.】

【Only the increasingly raging Sword Intent responded.】

【"What can Immortals do? There are many who hold the title Number One Under Heaven; those who dare to confront Immortals are not few. An Immortal that comes to the mortal land is not a true Immortal."】

【"Lin Chuan, I urge you to return from the lost path."】

【"Kill Ximen Wuxue, cut Great Zhou's fate, and the Heavenly Gate will never open for you again."】

【"Ascending is your only way to live."】

【The Immortals glared at you.】

【"Do I cherish being alive? I have no desire to go to a world of Immortals like you; begone!"】

【You despised the Immortals.】

【The contempt for these Immortals came not only from the dream Lin Chuan, but also from Lin Chuan's subconscious.】

【Such Immortals were far from what he imagined.】

【They were merely Fake Immortals, deceiving the world.】

【Angered by your contempt, the Immortals struck.】

【"Are all Immortals so impolite?"】

【The Blind Swordsman muttered curses.】

【Since the battle at Jiu Xiancheng, the Blind Swordsman has drawn his sword again.】

【He named this move "Blind Sword Technique".】

【Chaotic and unstructured, Blind Chaos Sword Technique.】

【Yet such a sword even Immortals could not counter.】

【"Chuan, go do what you wish."】

【The Blind Swordsman, one sword in hand, blocked the Immortals; it was his final strike, the last dance of his life.】

【"Fine."】

【You nodded, and on a whim added, "You still owe me many lives; remember to repay them in the next life."】

【"You really..."】

【The Blind Swordsman spat at you, then casually cut down an Immortal.】

【An Immortal Descends, breaking the rules, should be prepared to be slain.】

"Ren Jian is truly in chaos."

"The Immortal sighed, 'You two don't want to ascend, so bury yourselves in this world to warn those who come after.'"

"Turns out the Immortal loves to brag, even more than the clients in a brothel."

"Xia Zi spewed vulgarities, just as he once cursed the dog emperor; he has never feared imperial authority, nor will he fear the Immortal Deity."

"The Immortals fell silent, transforming into two White Waves that charged at you and Xia Zi."

"I've said it already—don't disturb my Close Friend."

"Xia Zi drew his sword again, the playful expression gone from his face; with a single strike, heaven and earth turned black and white."

"Immortal Gate by day, Ren Jian by night."

"Between black and white, rolling clouds were inlaid with an endless Sword Scar."

"Xia Zi raised his middle finger at you, jeering, 'Who isn't a Number One Under Heaven?'"

"You laughed, 'I hope you're stronger than me.'"

"Xia Zi gave a knowing smile, 'Just see if the Immortals can withstand the torment.'"

"You used vulgar language to insult the Immortals, just as you once judged a young lady's white thighs while wandering the martial world."

"Another great battle unfolded."

"This time, the only one fighting beside you was your Close Friend, Xia Zi."

"What you face is the fortune of all under heaven, and the Immortals coming from the heavens."

"Just as the heavenly punishment's great sword fell again, the Confucian, Buddhist, Daoist Three Teachings Expert could not stop you; together with Ximen Wuxue, all four were slain by you on the shores of Wujin Hai."

"In the other world illuminated by Immortal Light, Exiled Immortals fell like rain."

"Amid the dissipating white mist, the Immortal wailed, specks of scarlet dotting it—Xia Zi's blood bursting forth."

"The world shone with utmost brilliance, yet he could not see this Shi Jie."

"But Xia Zi's life, Xia Zi's sword, were far more splendid than this Shi Jie."

"The earth-shaking battle had ended."

"The Immortal Gate slowly closed; the two who were destined to ascend tonight as Number One Under Heaven gazed at the shutting Immortal Gate and smiled at each other."

"You and Xia Zi paid no heed to the so-called ascension."

"To gain such a Close Friend in life is enough."

"The line between black and white blurred once more, the rolling clouds merged into one, night gave way to dawn, and the Morning Star rose."

"Xia Zi dragged his broken body to your immobile form."

"'How about it, bro—am I handsome?'"

"'You're far worse than me.'"

"'You're just stubborn!'"

"Xia Zi knocked on your head with a wooden sword."

"You chatted from all over."

"You asked, 'Xia Zi, do you have any last wishes?'"

"'Yes.'"

"Xia Zi nodded heavily, 'I want to marry a lovely maiden and have a big, fat son, but alas I am a blind swordsman—I'd only bring harm.'"

"You fell silent for a long while, then softly said, 'In your next life, come find me, brother—I'll play matchmaker.'"

"In the distance, a graceful figure came galloping."

"Xia Zi rose, cursing, 'Damn! Truly enviable!'"

"Your consort Yun Zhi Yi arrived, she wept into tears; the more you laughed carefree, the more she sorrowed."