Chapter 250: The Juice of the Soul, Pour It Out!

Leaves spun in the air.

Min Kuang Siliang's sword arrived with his body, reaching Gu Qing's front; his blade path was bizarre and illusory, a swirling mass dissolving into specks of light, stirring a cloud of dust.

Gu Qing held his sword, effortlessly extricating himself from Min Kuang Siliang's sword circle; no matter how Min Kuang Siliang slashed left or right, Gu Qing remained calm and composed, drifting past like a wisp of wind—Min Kuang Siliang's relentless strikes proved useless, and as he watched Gu Qing holding the sword, he understood: this level of lightness alone had already placed Gu Qing in a position of invincibility.

"I heard there's a number-one mansion in the Central Plains—could your lightness be called the number-one lightness skill in the world?"

Iga Musō asked coldly.

"I don't know."

Gu Qing said.

In the Heavenly Dragon world, after mastering all of the Xiaoyao Sect's martial arts, Gu Qing's lightness advanced another step, taking on an ethereal, wind-surfing, effortless demeanor; though Min Kuang Siliang's sword rain was dense, Gu Qing could always slip free at will.

"Shhh!"

Min Kuang Siliang struck again.

Gu Qing didn't dodge or evade; he raised his sword—and instantly, as if reflecting the blow, Min Kuang Siliang's body reeled backward, his defense wide open; Gu Qing's blade followed swiftly, aimed at Min Kuang Siliang's throat.

"Clang!"

Iga Musō's long sword arrived just in time, blocking Gu Qing's blade.

If he hadn't intervened in time, Gu Qing's sword would have severed Min Kuang Siliang's head!

"I told you both to attack together!"

Gu Qing shook his sword, expanding the sword circle, drawing both Min Kuang Siliang and Iga Musō into it; a dense downpour of blades poured forth.

Watching this scene, the Japanese ninjas and ronin surrounding them erupted in uproar; they had come to observe the duel between a Central Plains swordsman and Japan's top swordsman, Min Kuang Siliang—but never expected the opponent to be so ferocious, forcing Japan to deploy two masters in tandem!

"Boom boom boom boom!!!!"

The stray sword qi slammed into the ground, forcing the watching ronin and ninjas to retreat; all they could see were three blurred figures entwined, where they passed, trees and rocks shattered alike.

Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, Returning Phoenix Willow Sword, Divine Sword Technique…

Gu Qing rarely held a sword, yet applied each technique with effortless spontaneity—one moment it was the Dugu Sword Art, the next it was Fei's swordplay, then the Quanzhen Sword Method, then it shifted to Ximen Chuixue's technique… Each sword intent differed, each internal energy varied—but in Gu Qing's hands, they fused perfectly, flawlessly fluid.

This was the power of the Xiao Wu Xiang Gong.

No obstruction, no hindrance, no boundaries.

Min Kuang Siliang and Iga Musō, fighting Gu Qing, watched him wield a single sword as if simultaneously facing over a dozen of the world's strongest swordsmen; their former dignity and pride crumbled before Gu Qing like a three-foot dike against a mountain flood, leaving not a trace—despite their combined efforts, they could only dodge and evade, leap and scramble within Gu Qing's sword strikes, and fine threads of blood, carried by the wind, splattered onto the ronin at the periphery.

"Who's wounded?"

The ronin and ninjas outside trembled with dread, knowing the wounded must be either Min Kuang Siliang or Iga Musō—but their blows came too fast for them to discern.

"Clang…"

A dagger flew out, zipping straight into the chest of a watching ninja, sending him flying backward, landing on his back.

The Iga ninjas nearby turned to see the dagger embedded in the ninja's chest—it was Iga Musō's weapon. Before they could react, a series of tearing sounds echoed from the center; figures separated abruptly. Gu Qing stood with one hand behind him, his sword dripping blood; Min Kuang Siliang had lost his left hand, and Iga Musō bore a massive gash from shoulder to waist.

"Master!"

"Master!"

The Iga ninjas rushed forward to support Iga Musō, but his intestines were torn through—he was beyond saving; his final breaths were spent simply trying to open his eyes and see the outcome.

"This was a sparring match—stop when it's enough!"

Min Kuang Siliang glared at Gu Qing. "You could have held back on him!"

It was deeply shameful: Min Kuang Siliang and Iga Musō, fighting together, still found Gu Qing capable of holding back in his swordplay.

"Because this isn't just sparring," Gu Qing said.

Then what is it?

Min Kuang Siliang sensed something ominous, but couldn't grasp it.

"Yagyū Tatsumasa wants to become the martial leader of Japan—I naturally support him fully."

Gu Qing said: "So you must die."

The Iga ninjas, upon hearing this, flew into rage, stepping forward to shield their master, swords drawn in readiness.

Min Kuang Siliang's heart darkened; Yagyū Tatsumasa had always been ambitious—if he became Japan's martial leader, it would be disastrous for Japan.

Gu Qing held his sword, gazing calmly at Min Kuang Siliang. "I'll give you one chance: if you can block my single slash, I'll return to the Central Plains at once and never set foot in Japan again—I won't interfere in your affairs."

Min Kuang Siliang widened his eyes, gripped his sword in his right hand, shifted slightly, and assumed a defensive stance facing Gu Qing.

Gu Qing raised his right hand high; faint arcs of electricity flickered along his sword.

"The Thoughtless Slash!"

!

Gu Qing looked at Min Kuang Siliang and brought the slash down.

Once, in the Lu Xiaofeng world, Gu Qing had shouted "The Thoughtless Slash" while sweeping through Japan; now, Gu Qing had truly gained some command over electricity—when fused, this slash descended, and Min Kuang Siliang, preparing to block, suddenly felt his thoughts stretch infinitely long, his mind blank for a fleeting instant.

This was precisely the sensation of electrocution.

"Clang!"

One slash passed.

Min Kuang Siliang's sword snapped, falling to the side.

Gu Qing didn't even look; he calmly sheathed his blade. The battle between a Central Plains swordsman and Japan's top swordsman was decided.

"Husband!"

Among the ninjas, the black-robed, masked Yagyū Piaoxu leapt out, rushing into Gu Qing's arms; she had watched every moment of this battle, and her admiration for Gu Qing was absolute.

Gu Qing ruffled Yagyū Piaoxu's hair. "How's it going over there?"

"He still won't agree."

Yagyū Piaoxu spoke obliquely.

This Yagyū family's scheme was too vast; their coordination required constant communication.

"Good."

Gu Qing embraced Yagyū Piaoxu and walked away calmly; the surrounding ninjas and ronin dared not pursue. Turning back, they saw Min Kuang Siliang and Iga Musō both dead—frozen in confusion.

The Shogunate.

When Gu Qing arrived, the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu sat kneeling, unmoving, enduring the pressure from Yagyū Tatsumasa and the others, steadfast as a mountain, preserving his dignity.

Gu Qing stepped forward, took the celebratory wine offered by Yagyū Tatsumasa, and said calmly: "Min Kuang Siliang and Iga Musō are dead." Then he poured the wine over Tokugawa Ieyasu's head.

The cool wine trickled down Tokugawa Ieyasu's skull, making him shudder; the dignity he had clung to was trampled utterly, and the last flicker of hope within him vanished.

"Awake now?"

Gu Qing patted his head.

(End of Chapter)