Chapter 123

As Su Ling retreated, the other long sword, which was lying flat on the stone table and was entirely crimson with a wide blade, also flew up and blocked Su Ling's path. The bright red light, like cinnabar, met the cold white light in the air, sparking violent flames and instantly raising a massive, overwhelming airflow, no less than the impact force generated by the explosion of five kilograms of explosives.

Su Ling could still stand steady, but Gu Yun could no longer hold on and took a step back.

After the dazzling light, the two long swords, one red and one white, stood in confrontation in the air, each serving its own master.

After a long while, Gu Yun finally recovered from the fantastical scene before her, and her heart slowly calmed down. Could this be what is called a divine artifact? Possessing spirituality like Gan Jiang and Mo Ye?!

Gu Yun was still guessing when Red Blood, sensing Su Ling's summons, instantly leaped into his palm, and Ice Refining also retreated into Gu Yun's hand the next moment.

Gu Yun had used many high-end weapons, but this was her first time using a divine weapon that seemed to have its own consciousness. She couldn't help but feel a little excited, and Ice Refining seemed to have not stretched its muscles for a long time; Gu Yun could feel its excitement, and she actually felt that at this moment, she and it were of one mind.

Gripping Ice Refining tightly, Gu Yun suddenly had the urge to have a good fight with Su Ling.

Su Ling naturally understood what Ice Refining's choice meant, and a raging fire burned in his chest. It actually recognized a master without his permission! Ice Refining was an object of extreme cold; even if it recognized this woman, if she herself did not have the ability, she would be unable to control the cold and would instead be injured by the chill. Su Ling really wanted to see if this woman was worthy of holding this sword!

Su Ling struck first. He swept the tail of the sword—a very ordinary move, but because it was infused with powerful internal energy and the scorching heat of Red Blood, this strike came like a fireball. Gu Yun was forced back several steps by the heat wave. The blade of Ice Refining in her hand vibrated, and white light suddenly appeared, enveloping Gu Yun. A cool breeze permeated from her fingertips to her heart, and the restless energy in her chest dissipated completely.

However, the stone table behind Gu Yun was not so lucky and was instantly scorched yellow by the heat wave.

When two strong forces clash, the brave one wins! Su Ling's strikes were clean and determined. If she showed even a hint of cowardice, she would undoubtedly lose. Ice Refining was doing its best to protect her, so how could she let it down!

Gripping the sword with both hands, Gu Yun rushed forward, leaped in, and slashed the long sword vertically into the ground from top to bottom. Gu Yun poured all her strength and courage into this strike. This was also the first time in years that Ice Refining had revealed its edge. The energy of this strike was imaginable; it felt like a glacier pressing down on her head. Su Ling had never witnessed Ice Refining's true strength and was momentarily dazed. Su Ling did not know Ice Refining's energy, but Red Blood, which had coexisted with it for thousands of years, knew it all too well.

Red Blood's already bright red blade suddenly became as scorching and red as flames. For the first time, Su Ling felt Red Blood so prepared for battle. He did not dare to be careless in the slightest. Facing the overwhelming frost, the red and white swords met again, and the sound of the blades colliding was piercingly abnormal.

The battle between ice and fire was hard to call, but Gu Yun's physical strength was ultimately not as good as Su Ling's, and her coordination with Ice Refining was not as good as that of Su Ling and Red Blood, who had been galloping on the battlefield together for many years.

After a while, Gu Yun already felt physically exhausted, but tenacity had always been one of her few strengths. Even though cold sweat broke out on her forehead again, Gu Yun vowed not to yield.

Su Ling was no better off. With the abilities of ice and fire acting on his body at the same time, he was also shaken to his core.

Seemingly sensing their masters' struggle at the same time, the red and white flowing lights flashed, and both felt a force pushing them backward. With great difficulty, the two finally separated.

Supporting herself on the ground with the sword, Gu Yun panted heavily. Damn it, she hadn't even exchanged many moves, and she was already this tired. This Ice Refining is so hard to control!

Su Ling was equally exhausted. Although his still-cold face didn't show his dishevelment, only he knew how much physical strength that one strike had cost him! She had such power the first time she used Ice Refining; if they reached the realm of human-sword unity, I fear only Red Blood and he could compete with her.

Even though both were exhausted to the point of death, their eyes still stared coldly at each other, and neither was willing to compromise.

It wasn't until hurried footsteps came from outside that the two noticed the situation around them.

Looking around the courtyard they were in, Gu Yun felt a mix of laughter and tears. How could it be like this—

They had only exchanged two moves just now, right?

The lush green pines on both sides of the courtyard, the ones near her side, had all been roasted into withered branches, while the ones near Su Ling's side had all been frozen into ice blocks. Even the only furniture in the courtyard, the stone stools and stone table, had become several pitch-black scorched rocks because they were too close, and their original appearance could no longer be discerned.

This is too exaggerated!

And seeing Su Ling's complexion change from cold and hard to dark and then to livid, Gu Yun laughed three times in her heart. It really feels great!

The footsteps were getting closer. Su Ling suddenly shouted, "No one is allowed to enter." He didn't want Ren or Yu to know about Ice Refining choosing Qing Mo, otherwise, if those old men in the family found out, it would be troublesome!

Su Yu, who had already reached the door, paused and asked urgently, "Big Brother, what happened?" He couldn't describe the sound just now; an abnormally sharp noise came from Big Brother's Lingyun Pavilion. Not just the General's Mansion, but likely everyone within a five-mile radius could hear it. What on earth is going on?

Su Ren stood behind Su Yu, his face full of deep thought, not appearing particularly worried. Big Brother's shout just now was full of energy, showing that he was fine.

Inside the courtyard, Gu Yun looked down at the precious sword in her hand, which had returned to normal, was no longer causing trouble, but was still ice-cold all over, and asked, "Why did the sword..."

Who knew that as soon as she started speaking, Su Ling coldly interrupted her, "It does not belong to you, and you have no need to know."

Gu Yun's willow eyebrows tightened. She sheathed the long sword in her hand and angrily placed it on the scorched stone next to her, snorting, "Who cares!" What's so great about it! Although she liked this sword very much, she also knew the sword did not belong to her, and she had never thought of asking for it. He was simply measuring a gentleman's heart with a villain's measure!

Gu Yun turned to leave, but the long sword on the table suddenly flew out again, blocking Gu Yun's path, and even stabbed fiercely into the ground by her feet. Although it couldn't speak, Gu Yun felt its attachment. Half-squatting down, Gu Yun gently patted the hilt, said nothing, then stood up gracefully and left the courtyard without looking at Su Ling again.

Opening the courtyard door, she happened to run into Su Yu, who was still guarding outside. Su Yu asked curiously, "Qing Mo? Why are you here?"

Qing Mo ignored him and walked silently toward the backyard.

Su Yu was even more confused. What on earth is going on?

Inside the courtyard, Su Ling walked to Ice Refining and tried to pull it out of the ground, but no matter how hard he tried, Ice Refining wouldn't move, as if it were angry. He had angered away its master, so it wouldn't pay him any mind!

After trying several times, Su Ling also became annoyed, "You've made up your mind to choose her, haven't you?"

Ice Refining flashed fearlessly, as if telling him, I've chosen her, so what are you going to do about it!

Fine! Very well! Su Ling grabbed Red Blood, left behind a room full of mess and stubborn coldness, and flicked his sleeves as he left.

Su Ling walked out the door full of fury. Before Su Yu could ask, he coldly threw out a sentence, "I want to see it back to how it was when I return." His figure had already flashed three zhang away.

Watching Su Ling's angry back, Su Yu asked inexplicably, "What does that mean?" Has there been any change in Lingyun Pavilion?

A flash of insight crossed Su Ren's eyes, and he smiled faintly, "Go in and see for yourself."

The group entered the courtyard together, and a burnt smell hit their noses. Even so, the temperature in the courtyard was significantly colder than outside. Looking closely, everyone was stunned.

The lush pines in the courtyard were already in a mess. Being scorched like that could be from fire, but why were there thick layers of ice on some of the trees? It's the middle of the sixth month, the hottest time of the year!

In the center of the courtyard, there were several pitch-black lumps that couldn't be identified, and nothing else remained. It could be said that not a blade of grass grew.

"This, what on earth happened just now?" Su Yu really couldn't imagine how Su Ling had turned Lingyun Pavilion into this. Big Brother hadn't been back for even two hours, right?

Su Ren squinted and looked over. A clean white long sword was lying properly on the ground; it was Ice Refining.

Su Ren walked to its side and squatted down. Unlike in the past, if it were normal times, as long as you didn't touch it, you would at most feel cool, but at this moment, just squatting beside it, Su Ren already felt bone-chilling cold.

There must have been a good show just now, but unfortunately, he didn't get to see it. Su Ren looked around the tragic courtyard and had to say, it was really—explosive.

Entering the room to get the wooden box, he gently hooked the thin rope on the scabbard, put Ice Refining into the wooden box, and patted the box lightly. Su Ren whispered with a smile, "Ice Refining, don't worry, I will send you to your master."

A low smile lifted the corners of Su Ren's lips. Life in the future will be more worth looking forward to, won't it?

On that side, Su Ling left in a huff, and on this side, Gu Yun was also extremely unhappy.

Returning to the small house in the backyard, Gu Yun threw the long bow she had been carrying on her back onto the table fiercely. Damn peeper, damn Su Ling!

Staring fiercely at the long bow on the table that was swaying due to her rough treatment, Gu Yun's gaze deepened. After tonight, she deeply understood how important a handy weapon was. If she had a handy long-range shooting weapon, that rat tonight wouldn't have escaped. However, if she hadn't had Ice Refining's help tonight, she absolutely wouldn't have been able to contend with Su Ling!

A divine weapon like Ice Refining is hard to come by, and it's unlikely that a hot weapon like a pistol could be successfully manufactured here. Instead of thinking about those unrealistic things, it would be better to manufacture a practical, portable, continuous-firing, and more efficient long-range shooting weapon.

With this thought in mind, Gu Yun immediately took out the paper on the table and pushed the pen, ink, and inkstone aside. She had never liked using brushes and ink; the soft tip was too hard to control, and grinding ink was extremely troublesome. On her desk, there were always a few pieces of charcoal.

Studying the bow in her hand carefully for a while, Gu Yun seemed to have a flash of inspiration and began to draw on the paper.

(End of chapter)