Chapter 1662

Hu Xiaotian could understand his sorrow; it was said that Dongfang Wowo had an eccentric temperament, in this life he had only accepted one disciple, Lin Bautao, and had never heard of him having any other relatives.

Dongfang Wowo said: "It was only that night when I met with misfortune that I finally understood the true essence of the sword Dao; do you know the realms of sword Dao?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "At first there is a sword in hand and a sword in mind, then no sword in hand but a sword in mind, and the highest realm is no sword in hand and no sword in mind."

Dongfang Wowo was astonished, then exclaimed in disbelief: "I painstakingly studied my whole life before grasping this realm; I never expected you to think of it so easily."

Hu Xiaotian secretly laughed; it wasn't that he had easily thought of it—he had read many martial arts novels, it's easy to say but hard to do; the so-called highest realm, no sword in hand and no sword in mind, isn't that just passively taking blows? He honestly said: "I've only heard others mention it, but I myself don't truly understand its meaning."

Dongfang Wowo said: "Having no sword in hand and no sword in mind actually means subduing the enemy without battle; once others see you, they lose their fighting spirit, so you need not lift a hand."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I cannot reach this realm in this lifetime."

Dongfang Wowo said: "I also cannot reach it, so I condensed the Seven Slaughter Swords into one sword, capable of defeating an opponent without moving; then who would still strike? If one sword can defeat the enemy, why use the other six?"

Hu Xiaotian seemed to have an insight: Exactly! If one move can solve the problem, why waste so much effort? Dongfang Wowo's words indeed make sense.

Dongfang Wowo said: "Although the Seven Slaughter Swords of Heaven are powerful, if given to someone unable to project sword qi outward, even if they learn the Seven Slaughter Swords, they cannot exert their proper power; my move is the same. With this move I can stand invincible, because my internal strength is great; if another person used it, they would likely still be unable to decide the battle's outcome."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Oranges grown south of the Yangtze are oranges; north of it they are bitter citrons. Likewise, the same sword technique wielded by different people naturally yields different power."

Dongfang Wowo said: "So this move I devised is useless for others; it only works for you."

Hu Xiaotian vaguely guessed that this move must consume a tremendous amount of internal energy.

Dongfang Wowo said: "Let's call this move the Heaven-Splitting Sword; listen carefully..."

Qin Yutong waited in the distance for a full hour before seeing Hu Xiaotian slowly walk back toward her; she softly asked: "Finished talking?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and then said: "My master has passed away."

Qin Yutong looked toward the Sword Demon Dongfang Wowo's direction, only to see Dongfang Wowo lying on the ground as if asleep, completely still.

Hu Xiaotian's face showed no sorrow; he whispered: "He told me to burn his corpse and take it away." Only then did he realize he could not even fulfill his master's such simple wish, for he had no means to start a fire.

Qin Yutong said: "We can cremate his body with phosphorus bombs."

Hu Xiaotian turned to Qin Yutong, she having said that; she must possess such a thing. Recalling her complicated grudges with the Wuxian Sect leader Lady Meizhuang, Qin Yutong likely still harbors many unknown secrets, but Hu Xiaotian had no intention to press her—even lovers should keep some space for each other, let alone that they are not even lovers now.

Qin Yutong approached Dongfang Wowo's side, confirming he had passed away. After obtaining Hu Xiaotian's consent, she ignited his corpse with a phosphorus bomb; a green light instantly enveloped his body, and soon his sturdy form turned into a pile of ashes.

Qin Yutong handed Hu Xiaotian a leather sack to collect Dongfang Wowo's ashes. Seeing his downcast expression, she softly advised: "Everyone has their fate; Senior Dongfang no longer desires to live, so his departure may also be a satisfactory conclusion for him."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and continued gathering Dongfang Wowo's ashes, but discovered a green translucent crystal scattered among them; he was astonished—Dongfang Wowo had actually left behind a relic. He reached to pick it up, and Qin Yutong exclaimed: "Wait!"

Hu Xiaotian stopped, his face full of surprise as he looked at Qin Yutong.

Qin Yutong put on a pair of silver gloves, carefully picked up the crystal from the ground, and placed it in her palm. Hu Xiaotian looked up and saw the green crystal resembling a cat's eye; even in darkness it shifted unpredictably like a living thing. He felt as if an eye were staring at him, sensing the object was extremely strange; just as he wanted to examine it closely, Qin Yutong had already clenched it in her palm and whispered: "Phantom Magic Eye."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "What is the Phantom Magic Eye?"

Qin Yutong said: "This object should have been implanted in Senior Dongfang's skull; it can control the mind and spirit."

Hu Xiaotian sucked in a breath of cold air; thinking about it, he felt a lingering fear—the thing seemed alive. Seeing Qin Yutong wearing gloves made him dare to grab it; if he had touched it directly with his hand just now, would it not burrow into his body and turn him into a walking corpse? He cautiously asked: "Could this thing possibly have vitality?"

Qin Yutong did not answer his question, instead pointing to the light sword hanging at Hu Xiaotian's waist.

Hu Xiaotian lowered his gaze and saw the blue light on the sword's hilt flashing ever more rapidly; he immediately thought of Ji Feihua, guessing she had arrived nearby. He drew the light sword and used its signal to search for Ji Feihua's possible location.

Although Qin Yutong did not know what treasure he held, seeing the light sword's incessant flashes change rhythm with direction, she also guessed Hu Xiaotian had found a way to escape.

The crystal on Hu Xiaotian's sword hilt flashed continuously; he deduced another light sword might be located somewhere, and feeling his way forward in the cavern, when the light's flashing grew ever more urgent, a massive boulder blocked the path ahead. Hu Xiaotian dared not recklessly move the light sword; whether he could escape this pitch-black cavern depended entirely on the sword's crystal markings, so he must conserve enough energy. He had Qin Yutong step back a little, preparing to deliver a heavy punch to the boulder, but seeing the stone layered and interlocking, he feared that striking it might trigger a rock collapse; if that happened, both he and Qin Yutong would likely be buried alive.

Qin Yutong saw Hu Xiaotian's worry and whispered: "You're afraid of causing a landslide? Why not choose another route?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, looked at the hilt and said: "The way forward is the passage." From the extremely rapid flashing of the light sword's crystal, he judged he should be close to Ji Feihua; perhaps passing through this boulder would reveal the exit.

Qin Yutong said: "Unless we can dig a hole in the rock."

Hu Xiaotian raised the light sword and said: "It's a pity this sword's energy is nearly exhausted; otherwise there might still be hope."

Qin Yutong said: "Nothing should be forced; let's keep looking—maybe there is another passage."

The two searched the surroundings in a circle, to no avail, so they returned to the rock. Hu Xiaotian, with the idea of giving it a try, twisted the light sword; its blade remained like a lighter's flame—such a blade could hardly carve a tunnel in rock, let alone dig a small pit.

"Let me have a look!" Qin Yutong reached out, and Hu Xiaotian handed her the light sword.

Qin Yutong gripped the sword, but unexpectedly her leather sack at the waist burst with brilliant green light, startling both of them.

Qin Yutong was so startled she almost dropped the sword; she hastily returned it to Hu Xiaotian, and the green light in the sack faded. She immediately realized the light came from the Phantom Magic Eye; she took the eye from the sack, only to see strong green light radiating around it.

The green light drifted like wisps of smoke into the air, actually encircling the light sword in Hu Xiaotian's hand.

Although Qin Yutong recognized the Phantom Magic Eye, she did not understand why it was undergoing this change; Hu Xiaotian had a sudden inspiration—could this thing recharge the light sword's energy? He said to Qin Yutong: "Why not put the two together and see?"

Qin Yutong placed the Phantom Magic Eye on the ground; Hu Xiaotian brought the sword's hilt near it. When they were still about a foot apart, an invisible force drew the eye to the hilt's end, but they did not fully attach, leaving a gap of about a finger's width. The Phantom Magic Eye spun rapidly along the hilt's axis, and instantly the entire hilt flowed with iridescent light, appearing almost transparent.

The green light, like a thin mist gauze, completely wrapped the hilt; as time passed the light grew brighter, gradually becoming a dazzling white.

Qin Yutong warned Hu Xiaotian: "Don't stare; this Phantom Magic Eye is very strange and can bewilder one's will."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I won't look at it; I'm looking at you! You're far more beautiful than the Phantom Magic Eye."

Qin Yutong's pretty face flushed; at such a moment he still had the mind to tease her.

Hu Xiaotian added: "But you seem to bewilder me even more than it does."

Qin Yutong had her own way of dealing with Hu Xiaotian; she pretended not to hear.

The green light waxed and waned, then faded again; Hu Xiaotian and Qin Yutong both approached the sword's hilt, seeing the Phantom Magic Eye's light dimmed, having lost its former vivid liveliness. Qin Yutong stored the eye away, and Hu Xiaotian twisted the hilt—out sprang a three-foot blade of light. Overjoyed, he reflected: "When mountains run out and rivers end, doubt there's a way; when willows darken and flowers brighten, another village appears." This Phantom Magic Eye could indeed recharge the light sword's energy; it seems everything has its pros and cons, whether person or matter, there are always two sides.

Hu Xiaotian returned once more to the boulder, raised the light sword, and thrust it into the stone. (To be continued~^~)