Chapter 148: Sword Master and the Little Palace Master

Sword Master gazed affectionately at the Little Palace Master; he knew she was determined to settle the score with him, and since that was the case, dragging it on would be pointless—everyone was a sensible person.

Sword Master held the "long iron rod" across his chest and said to the Little Palace Master, "Come on, let's finally settle this!"

The evening breeze made the long hair at Sword Master's temples tremble; as his hair floated up, faint wrinkles appeared on his forehead—everyone grows old, and even someone like Sword Master is no exception. He too had grown old.

The Little Palace Master finally broke into a brilliant smile; she could finally enjoy a hearty battle.

"Come on!" Sword Master took the initiative, the tip of the "long iron rod" lightly grazing the water's surface, stirring the calm lake—ripples were no longer concentric circles but elongated triangles, as sharp as Sword Master himself.

The entire lake was shrouded in Sword Master's sword intent! It resembled a dignified, kind old man, looking down upon its crossed legs, begging for a playful grandchild—the most orthodox sword under heaven, none other than Sword Master!

"Sword Locks Heaven and Earth!"

Though the "long iron rod" had not yet reached the Little Palace Master, it instantly split into countless rods, like a dense iron net, like an iron lock capable of sealing everything, enveloping the lake and the world beneath its sword aura.

Seeing this, the Little Palace Master did not panic; she raised both hands to the sky, and "Five Absolutes Return to One" surged forth again—rolling thunderous power descended from heaven, passing through her head to meet her palms, which she absorbed entirely; the lake beneath her feet was drawn in by a tremendous pull, growing from a tiny vortex into a massive pit, many times her size in an instant.

The vortex surged upward, its splashing water raging wildly, joining forces with the lightning to encircle the Little Palace Master!

In this forest, branches and leaves flew, trunks shattered—everything lay in destruction, no longer peaceful.

Sword Master leapt high, the "long iron rod" spinning over his head, striking a single blow upon the vortex entwined with lightning!

The Little Palace Master instantly felt a destructive sword aura! Her slender hands struck the vortex from within, her scarlet long skirt flaring like flames in an instant—and she was the one rising amidst the fire!

"Five Absolutes Eight Wilderness!" the Little Palace Master roared.

Even someone as cold as she would roar—perhaps she had been infected by that overwhelming sword intent.

"Boom boom boom!!!"

Countless lightning bolts, mixed with splashing lake water, came and went like a heavenly deluge, striking the sword aura filling the sky!

Palms, fists, legs, needles, lightning—the power of the Five Absolutes is all contained in this move.

It all comes down to this final move.

At the final moment, the sword aura was completely shattered.

Sword Master was surrounded by the Five Absolutes—"Thud!" his body was pierced through by the Five Absolutes in an instant!

He gave a miserable laugh, laughing as he gazed at the astonished Little Palace Master.

The Little Palace Master had no time to retract her true energy; this move, "Five Absolutes Eight Wilderness," was no longer under her control—it was like a runaway wild horse, frantically crashing into Sword Master's body.

In that brief moment, Sword Master's body was threaded through by the Little Palace Master's true energy tens of millions of times back and forth.

Once the power of the Five Absolutes had gradually faded, the vortex finally settled.

I don't know which tree shattered at that moment, but it was then that Sword Master fell into the lake with a splash.

The Little Palace Master watched Sword Master fall, her eyes flickering with emotion, yet she turned and left the forest without looking back.

The Little Palace Master sat on horseback, motionless for a long while; one hand gripped the reins, the other gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Why am I crying?"

This is a question even the Little Palace Master doesn't know; she recalls never having shed a tear since she could remember, as her mother told her—how could a member of the Five Absolutes Palace possess something as complex as tears?

But tonight she wept, wept helplessly.

The Little Palace Master won by sheer luck, even an unearned victory. Had Sword Master not withdrawn all his sword aura at the last moment, she would surely have been run through by his blade.

The Little Palace Master never expected Sword Master to repeatedly let her off. How proud and haughty she was—she had never been so contemptuously treated. On the brink of a life‑and‑death duel, he would rather die than harm her.

She drew from her sleeve that black‑red token and flung it far away.

The Deadly Kill Order fell amid the lush thicket.

"Giddyap."

Not long after leaving, she rode back on horseback.

"Sigh." The Little Palace Master lamented her helplessness, then dismounted, walked into the thicket, and retrieved the Deadly Kill Order.

The Five Absolutes Palace demands absolute obedience; she must obey without condition—there is no room for resistance.

Previously, those she killed with the Deadly Kill Order were all deserving of death; this time, however, it was different.

"Forget it, thinking too much is useless—my mother ordered the kill, I cannot disobey; if blame is due, blame him for offending the Five Absolutes Palace and my mother. He wasn't showing me mercy; he wasn't my opponent!" The Little Palace Master kept urging herself, and soon she succeeded in letting her thoughts follow orders.

"Giddyap!" The urgent task was to return to the Five Absolutes Palace and make her report.

……

Imperial Capital, inside the Western Depot.

The lights were as dim as the mansion, heavy curtains drooping, not even moonlight could seep in.

Zhang Huayu, seated in meditation, slowly opened his eyes; a sense of fluke rose in his heart. After years wandering the jianghu, this was the first time he had come so close to death.

Fortunately, that was only a clone.

"The Clone Technique" exacts a huge toll on the body; since ascending to the Seventh Heaven, aside from growing older, he had for the first time sensed death's approach.

"Come here!" Steward Zhang shouted.

Immediately, an Embroidered Uniform Guard walked in.

"Go to Dong Hai at once and see what's happened," Steward Zhang ordered.

That Embroidered Uniform Guard was still there—midnight, and yet Steward Zhang suddenly ordered him to send someone to Dong Hai. "Yes."

Steward Zhang needed to know immediately what had occurred in Dong Hai—whether Dongfang Wuji was alive or dead. So too his "ally."

"Heh heh..." Steward Zhang's laugh lingered long and deep; this time he would surely grasp the whole world firmly in his hand.

He was determined to succeed.

He had not intended to act so quickly, but Dongfang Wuji had already threatened his position—under heaven, there could be only one who now stood at the Seventh Heaven, and that was him!

"Come here!" Steward Zhang called again.

Another Embroidered Uniform Guard walked in.

"Has Chen Yi He been located?" Steward Zhang asked. His clone and Chen Yi He had happened to be out of sync, so he didn't know Chen Yi He was also in Dong Hai at that time.

"Not yet."