Chapter 392: A Sword

In the quiet, dim main hall, the last trace of golden light pierced through the entire room.

The two stood facing each other; the boy looked as if he were suppressing the trembling flames in his heart amidst the most brutal torment, while the girl watched him quietly, her sleeves fluttering in the light breeze.

"Before I came, weren't you also trying hard to kill it?" Pei Ye said in a hoarse voice, fearing she would refuse. "I come from 【Heart-Slaying】; I can help you, Miss Ming."

Ming Yun looked at him, her mirror-like eyes showing no surprise. She turned her head back and carefully arranged the last two small tiles: "I don't really want to kill it anymore."

". Hmm?"

"I don't want to destroy it." Ming Yun closed the box, tilted her head slightly, her eyes as quiet as a clear breeze. "You don't have to hate it so much either."

Pei Ye was slightly stunned.

He realized at this moment that his own intense emotions had painted everything in overly vivid colors. In the woman's state of mind, everything was so pure, distant, and calm; the girl had always had her own ideas.

"Then what do you think?"

Yes, the struggle between Mingxin and Guxie was indeed irreconcilable. The purpose of 【Guxie】 was to completely erase Mingxin. When they met in the realm, the woman on the clouds had completed the simplest and clearest exchange with him.

And Pei Ye only now realized that he had never asked the girl before him for her thoughts. She was the innate master here, and growing up practicing "Guxie" did not mean she held innate hostility toward the "Heavenly Heart."

"I just feel that it has 'crossed the line' a bit," Ming Yun said softly.

"."

"It is an interesting guest, a very beautiful garment, and also a very sharp and beautiful sword." The girl lowered her head and pushed the box into the drawer. "But it cannot turn everything here into the appearance of clouds."

"." Pei Ye was stunned. So, "Guxie" indeed had to hoe away Mingxin, but Mingxin was not incapable of coexisting with "Guxie." Yet, his mind was still a bit chaotic. "So... Miss Ming, you want to..."

"I just want to surpass it."

"."

"Because a 'sword' should be held in a person's hand, shouldn't it?" Ming Yun seemed to be stating the most ordinary truth. "'Guxie' insists that the 'Heavenly Heart' must dominate everything, but if there is a conflict, it destroys everything... Why?"

In this pure and thorough state of mind, the woman revealed to him her most rebellious thought regarding this immortal scripture: "Why can't the 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 dominate the 'Heavenly Heart'?"

She watched the boy quietly, and Pei Ye was completely stunned.

Yes, 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 was the best natural talent for practicing "Guxie." 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 would purify itself bit by bit during practice, turning into a "Heavenly Heart." But in "Mingxin's" own view, she was the master here.

Compared to completely erasing the traits of human nature and purifying it into the sharpest sword in the world, the girl believed that a bright and thorough human heart should truly dominate everything, while the desireless and objectless Heavenly Heart should instead become a part beneath it—just like a beautiful and sharp sword.

"But this should be the most difficult thing I have ever encountered." Ming Yun smiled lightly. "It is truly too pure and lofty. You see, if there is any discord, everything will collapse, won't it?"

". So, you can only compromise?" Pei Ye looked at her dejectedly.

"'Obsession' is something that 【Bright Ming Jing Bing Jian】 naturally pierces through." The girl tilted her head slightly. "I do not have the desire for 'victory or defeat' that you have."

"."

"Because this is the most suitable and only choice," Ming Yun said. "Having tried my best, and ultimately not succeeding, that is nothing."

When she said this, she watched the boy quietly, but Pei Ye had no heart to think about it. He pursed his lips and said hoarsely: ". But I think it matters."

"I refuse," he repeated, making the woman give up her pursuit, give up her humanity, and turn into a celestial being descending to the world to resolve this crisis—this was a path laid out before him, but, "I refuse, Miss Ming."

He said stubbornly.

". Good."

". What?"

"Good." The girl looked at him. "I said good—you are willing to help me, I am very happy."

Pei Ye met those bright eyes, and suddenly, for some reason, his nose felt sore.

"However, I must ask you one more time. Even if I surpass the Heavenly Heart, it is very likely I will not be able to immediately control 'Guxie'." Ming Yun looked at him earnestly. "Have you really thought it through?"

". I have thought it through." The pressure in his heart had not diminished at all; Pei Ye bit his lip and said hoarsely.

"Good." Ming Yun nodded.

She suddenly turned and walked out the door.

"Then, how do we fight..." Pei Ye was stunned for a moment and lifted his legs to follow.

The pale orange sunset draped a layer of thin gauze over the fragrant forest. The girl spread her hands toward the empty space and, hearing this, turned her head and smiled slightly: "I suppose you have not yet 'known the enemy'?"

". I don't know."

"She is the same age as me."

". What?"

"Because the 'sword' is my brightest thing, our duel is divided by the sword." Ming Yun said. "When I entered seventeen and cultivated the 'Ice and Snow Body,' starting to move toward the second realm, she was already there."

Pei Ye understood; so, he was facing Ming Qitian at seventeen.

"You don't need to participate in too many sword fights." Ming Yun looked at him, and a clear whistling sound rang out in the forest. "Just catch one sword for me at any moment you feel you can intervene."

Pei Ye was stunned: "Just... catch one sword is enough?"

"Just catch one sword is enough."

The whistling in the forest swept before them, and a clear, transparent light stopped in the girl's palm—that was 【Heart-Slaying Glaze】.

In the west, the cool, round sun was sinking bit by bit beneath the clouds, and the cold moon in the east was rising; the world was transforming into another color.

Ming Yun turned the sword onto her back: "Really decided?"

"Decided."

"Alright." The girl stroked the clear and beautiful blade of the glaze sword, tilted her head, and raised her eyes toward him: "Then if you can't do it, don't cry."

"."

She took the first step toward the clouds.

——————

Pei Ye followed behind the girl, ascending the stairs as if experiencing a reversal.

The higher they went, the more the scenery of forests, stones, water, and bamboo faded away, leaving only pure, pale clouds swirling around them.

Passing through the clouds, the girl in front did not speak, and Pei Ye himself actually had no desire to speak. If it could be said that just now in the main hall, as the sunset approached, his heart and lungs were being ravaged in suppressed pain, now his entire body's tendons and bones were tightening bit by bit—this was pure and thorough nervousness.

Accompanying nervousness was often extreme solemnity and seriousness. He lowered his head, his hands constantly rubbing the sword hilt, going over every sword move he knew in his heart... until suddenly, his vision widened. He looked up; the stone stairs had reached their end, and he had returned to this round-walled sword platform.

The woman, god-like in white, still stood quietly beneath the wall.

Pei Ye noticed this time that the sword she held was indeed not glaze.

Seeing Pei Ye again, there was no expression on this god-like face; she accepted everything before her calmly—no, to her, there was no such thing as "accepting" in the first place.

The sun sank beneath the clouds.

Above the sea of clouds, a bright moon shone for ten thousand miles.

The girl walked up from the long stairs.

This was the fixed way to start their sword duel. The girl did not want the sharp cloud Qi to destroy everything below, so she always walked up—even though that seemed to be an unavoidable consequence.

Between the bright moon and the sea of clouds, two figures in white stood facing each other. Ming Yun performed a simple sword salute, and the person opposite nodded slightly.

Two equally stunning sword lights pressed toward each other in an instant.

Pei Ye narrowed his eyes and gripped his sword, watching the sword light splashing out. As the two swords unfolded, he immediately understood what a sword duel in the heart was.

No profound Qi, not even that iconic snow-white cloud Qi.

Only true Qi, but there was no concept of "realm," or rather, everyone was in the exact same realm. In short, this was a pure competition of swords.

That was why the girl said "help me catch one move," because in such a sword fight where no other means or factors played a role, before such two ultimate sword practitioners in the world... one move was enough to determine absolute victory or defeat.

The moment the word "victory or defeat" rose in his heart, Pei Ye immediately felt the heavy pressure on his body.

No matter how light and indifferent the girl in the main hall was just now, he knew what he was facing now.

Relying on life in the deep and remote Cangshan mountains with the woman, serious injuries, hiding, exhaustion, backlash... behind every word was enough to be fatal.

They were in a true predicament... and he had abandoned the almost only chance of survival that was within reach, rejected the girl's idea, and willfully started this sword duel.

And this sword duel was based on the further collapse of the "Ice and Snow Body."

So he must win... he had to win.

The long sword slowly left its sheath, and before him, Ming Yun was thrusting a sword straight toward Guxie. Guxie tilted her body to parry, and the sword light drifted toward the girl's face.

Pei Ye felt his hair stand on end at this moment, and subconsciously had the urge to strike, because this was a gap where a 【Holding Xian Xinshi】 could truly be inserted.

But he still held back, staring at their exchange of moves. He must not have the slightest impatience for the advantage of one sword.

And as more sword moves appeared before him, he truly fell into complete breathlessness.

The boy was already in the Spirit Realm. When facing a more excellent Spirit Realm sword practitioner, he might indeed be defeated by sword moves, but he would absolutely no longer be confused by sword moves.

Now, the two girls' sword strikes were also clearly falling into his eyes move by move. The 【Holding Xian Xinshi】 move he had just wanted to join was precisely born from such a clear and bright sword sense.

But after watching for a long time, he suddenly discovered that some things that seemed clear and distinct suddenly became not so clear.

Clearly, the sword moves were still falling distinctly into his eyes, but a hazy feeling that could not be described began to cover them. Pei Ye did not know how to describe this feeling, but... in the world of a blind person, what he touched was a clear and distinct pillar.

Until vaguely, as if... he heard the even and heavy breathing above his head.

Pei Ye was suddenly a bit nervous. He subconsciously took a step forward—on the cloud platform before him, snow clothes were like wind, sword light like the moon. He had never seen such a beautiful sword fight. He could not see any killing intent, but if one truly savored every move, it was also so soul-stirring.

This was no longer the same thing as the Yi Sword Pei Ye was familiar with, but... he also could not say what this was.

A completely unfamiliar realm. When he realized the existence of this "breathing" in the sword moves, he fell into complete confusion. The more he tried to analyze and see clearly, the deeper he sank. Every time he suddenly gained something, he realized he had only lifted another thin veil and seen a more real problem.

Looking up, it was even higher; drilling into it, it was even firmer; looking at it in front, suddenly it was behind.

What was in front of him seemed to be no longer two sword lights, but two bright moons. Every time he thought he was closer to it, he steadied his mind, and it was still hanging high in the distant night sky.

The more talented a sword practitioner was, the more they could experience the mesmerizing beauty from such a quest. Pei Ye had indeed been fascinated many times, but this absolutely did not make him happy as if he had "heard the Dao."

His body was cooling down bit by bit.

Facing Ming Qitian at seventeen, Pei Ye had never thought he could win. Through days of getting along, he had truly felt her breadth like mountains and seas.

But he had also never thought... there would be such a vast abyss.

He felt that by trying his best and blocking one sword... there would always be a chance. The "Snowy Night Flying Goose Sword Style" was after all on his body; no matter what, the woman would always have to spare one sword to deal with it.

She could break the move with one sword and then pierce his throat; anyway, after Ming Yun obtained the advantage of this move, she would definitely win.

But now it was a scene he had never thought of.

Earlier learning of the sword, more outstanding talent, more perfect education... the gap brought by these three advantages was far greater than he had thought.

—If he couldn't even understand it at all... how could he talk about striking?

He believed that after aiming the sword tip at the woman, he would only have one chance to strike.

He didn't know at all which sword was strong and which was weak, whether the woman wanted to attack or defend next. If his abrupt strike overlapped with the girl's, it would be a complete waste.

For the first time, Pei Ye felt flustered about the sword, and the hand gripping the hilt had forced out blue veins.

Until he suddenly realized that the girl seemed to have known this situation would happen all along.

From the beginning of this sword duel, she had been trying to influence its direction, not hesitating to give up some small advantages—anyway, as long as the boy succeeded in changing the sword, they would be easily covered.

Now this effort finally had results. Pei Ye suddenly felt his brows and eyes clear—she had turned this round into the clearest situation for the boy.

Ming Yun swept backward like a white crane, heading straight for Pei Ye, her long sword held obliquely across, and some mysterious quality began to circle around the blade.

Guxie thrust her sword to press.

Pei Ye saw with extreme clarity that Ming Yun would not have time to use this sword.

So he understood in an instant what she wanted him to do... it was time to strike, Pei Ye.

Now you don't need to break the opponent's sword, just move forward and use your strongest sword against her... as long as you can clash one sword with her, your task is completed.

Ming Yun's white clothes swept backward from above his head.

She could have not used it, but she still reached out and gently supported the boy's shoulder. Pei Ye knew that at this moment, those clear eyes were looking at him, but he didn't dare to look at her, all his body and mind were focused on the sword in his hand.

The last corner of the girl's dress retreated from his field of vision. In front of him, that familiar god-like face was already looking at him quietly.

Long sword like snow, grace like a god... this was the first time he faced this figure from such a perspective.

At this moment, the world truly only had the two of them left, standing alone facing each other.

So Pei Ye realized that everything was wrong.

He absolutely, absolutely, no matter what... could not possibly block this woman for even an instant.

If he hadn't stepped into the Spirit Realm, perhaps he could still have struck recklessly without knowing the height of the sky, but now... the entire sword field was left with only despair. No matter where he looked, the outcome of inevitable defeat was already written in his eyes.

Only at this time did he glimpse the truth of this sword duel, and that "breathing" revealed its face to him.

—What he had entered was a duel of two "hearts."

In the coldness of despair throughout his body, Pei Ye still gritted his teeth and unleashed the sword he had long prepared. That was the courage he had bestowed upon himself before stepping onto the path of cultivation.

【Cloud Heaven Obscures Eyes, Losing Feathers】

The stunning, cold, and suppressed sword light broke out from the darkness, but the level of "intent" could not reach here after all. Guxie casually broke his sword and cut his throat, the sword momentum not leaking in the slightest, and the white clothes swept past his field of vision just like that.

Pei Ye wanted to turn his head to look at the girl again in trembling, but his vision had already solidified, and his body began to shatter. No sound entered his ears. 【Heart-Slaying】 failed, and he was driven out of the Mind-Spirit Realm.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 393 =====