Chapter 248: Shattering... and the Conjecture of the Sixteenth Sword (Volume Finale)

Autumn.

Waning autumn.

Setting sun, maple forest.

The setting sun is as red as blood, and the maple forest is also as red as blood.

This desolate scene is inherently filled with killing intent.

Not to mention that there are two such people between heaven and earth.

Amidst the mountain of Hong Ye, two black human silhouettes have appeared.

Yan Shisan likes black.

What black symbolizes is sorrow, ominousness, and death.

Black also symbolizes loneliness, pride, and nobility.

The meanings they symbolize are just like the life of a swordsman.

When he walked the Edo, he never wore clothes of any other color.

Now he has returned to this attire, as if he has returned to years ago, becoming that invincible swordsman with a sword in hand, traversing the world.

As for Yu Liancheng, he wears black because of a habit from his previous life, and the reason is also very simple—it is dirt-resistant.

The two stand under the rustling maple leaves; they themselves seem filled with killing intent, as if they have already merged with the omnipresent killing intent between heaven and earth.

Yan Shisan fixes his gaze on the sword inlaid with thirteen bright pearls, as if looking at another version of himself. This sword was once famous throughout the Edo, remains a nightmare for countless people to this day, and also symbolizes ominousness and death.

And today, this sword might bring ominousness and death to him, its master.

But he does not care; he has already dedicated his entire life to the sword.

What's more, it is not necessarily certain death.

Yu Liancheng also has a sword in his hand.

—Duoqing Sword.

This sword was also once invincible, sweeping across the world.

But he has no confidence in whether he can defeat the Fifteenth Sword.

If a person only does something when they have absolute confidence, it only proves that this person cannot accomplish anything.

Yan Shisan slowly shifts his gaze to Yu Liancheng and says, "Although the Fifteenth Sword is complete, I cannot control this sword. Once this sword is unleashed, either you die, or I perish."

Yu Liancheng smiles slightly: "This sword inherently represents death, and death is also an unavoidable matter; no one can truly control death."

Yan Shisan says: "You must be careful, because it may take your life."

Yu Liancheng says: "You must also be careful, because it will likewise take your life."

Yan Shisan is silent for a long while, then says: "Please."

Yu Liancheng says: "Please."

At this point, any words are already superfluous.

A gust of wind blows by, and the killing intent between heaven and earth suddenly becomes even more intense.

The setting sun spills through the gaps in the maple forest, shining on the two of them; their bodies, along with their swords, have already been dyed red.

—Blood red.

Clang!

Clang!

The two make their moves almost simultaneously.

Both swords are unsheathed at the same time.

Li Zhenzhen and Murong Qiudi watch the two from afar.

Li Zhenzhen is already a top-tier expert of the younger generation, and Murong Qiudi's internal and external skills have reached the pinnacle, making it hard for her to find an opponent.

But they cannot see the movements of Yu Liancheng and Yan Shisan drawing their swords, nor can they see the way the two strike; the swords of these two people suddenly transform into two peerless rays of sword light, thrusting out like lightning.

—Heaven Beyond Heaven, Person Beyond Heaven. Divine Sword Beyond Heaven, one sword separates the heavens.

Anyone in the Edo with ears has heard this saying.

Everyone knows that Yu Liancheng's sword technique is very brilliant, but no one knows exactly how powerful it is.

Li Zhenzhen and Murong Qiudi had already imagined Yu Liancheng's sword technique to be very brilliant, but at this moment, they discover that they still underestimated Yu Liancheng's sword technique.

Yu Liancheng's sword momentum is ethereal and sharp, changing unpredictably, already exceeding what ordinary people can imagine, just like an antelope hanging by its horns, leaving no traces to be found.

And within his sword technique, there is an even greater, overwhelming momentum, like an angry Flood Dragon or a wild dragon, striking while carrying lightning and thunder. When ordinary people encounter his sword, before the sword even arrives, they are already too terrified by the sword momentum to move.

Swish!

Yu Liancheng strikes again.

The sword light is like the Milky Way pouring down, descending from the sky. It is also like a meteorite falling, with the air condensed into true Qi. The power is so strong that even Li Zhenzhen and Murong Qiudi, standing far away, cannot help but feel a sense of heart-stopping shock.

And Yan Shisan's Life-Taking Thirteen Swords are also extremely astonishing; once triggered, endless killing intent erupts.

As the long sword in his palm thrusts out, the earth and the firmament seem to be stained with blood and ominousness because of this sword.

The sword light is like a tide, each sword faster than the last, each sword more swift than the last. The killing intent surges in layers like waves, until it drowns everything.

It is as if the Life-Taking Thirteen Swords were created specifically to bring slaughter and ominousness to the world.

"No wonder Yan Shisan could have such a reputation back then, almost not inferior to Xie Xiaofeng; his fame is truly extraordinary," Li Zhenzhen mutters to herself.

When Yan Shisan was famous throughout the world, she had only just joined the Emei Sect. By the time she became renowned in the Edo, Yan Shisan had already retired. Although she had heard of Yan Shisan's name, she did not necessarily take it to heart.

But at this moment, she finally knows the terror of Yan Shisan and the terror of the Life-Taking Thirteen Swords.

Sword light swirls, and Sword Qi soars into the sky.

In front of the two Divine Swords that can carve up the world, maple tree after maple tree falls, and the sky full of maple leaves drifts about, resembling a rain of blood.

Yan Shisan's eyes turn sharp, his body leaps into the air, and he thrusts out another sword.

This sword strike was not only as fast as lightning, but also carried an infinitely fierce murderous intent; under the reflection of the setting sun, the sword seemed to be stained blood-red, as if it had been fished out from the netherworld hell.

Clang!

Yu Liancheng swung his long sword, his figure unmoving, his sword momentum like a mountain; a crisp clashing sound exploded, and sparks flew out like fireworks in the dark night.

And this sword strike, filled with murderous intent, had already been blocked.

This was already the thirteenth sword.

Yu Liancheng's arm vibrated again, and Yan Shisan only felt a massive, immense force transmitted over, his figure unable to help but retreat several steps. With every step he retreated, a shallow footprint was imprinted on the hard ground.

"Brother Yan, why waste more effort? Use your final two variations." Yu Liancheng's face was filled with fighting spirit.

Yan Shisan did not speak; he only stared at the sword blade in his hand, as if flames were burning in his eyes, and as if cold ice were congealing.

He had already thrust the fourteenth sword.

This sword strike was exquisite to the peak, its technique approaching the Dao, just like the axe of Lu Ban or the brush of Xi Zhi.

And at the very moment this sword was thrust, Yan Shisan had entered a state of "no person, no self, no forgetting, no intention," his expression no longer having the slightest ripple, just like a deity on an altar.

And when the momentum of the fourteenth sword fully unfolded, it was as if the gates of hell had been completely opened; white bones hid in the wilderness, and fierce ghosts ran rampant, whistling and pouncing toward Yu Liancheng.

Li Zhenzhen and Murong Qiudi were already chilled to the bone.

Under this sword strike, they only felt an indescribable fear, as if engraved in their souls, suddenly surge up, making them unable to stop themselves from shivering.

What a terrifying sword strike this was.

Was there really anyone in the world who could receive it?

Fortunately, fortunately there was still a Yu Liancheng.

A fine Yu Liancheng indeed.

One saw a burst of brilliant light shoot from his eyes as he thrust his sword backhanded.

This sword strike was plain and unremarkable, thrusting straight out without any variations.

Only a "ding" sound was heard, and this sword had extremely cleverly pinned the fourteenth sword in place.

If one said that these fourteen variations of Yan Shisan were a poisonous snake, choosing people to devour.

Then Yu Liancheng's sword was a nail.

A nail that happened to be driven into the snake's seven-inch vital spot.

It had already completely and thoroughly nailed the poisonous snake to death.

This battle should have ended here.

But everyone present knew that this battle had only just begun.

The sword that had originally been nailed to death suddenly began to vibrate strangely.

Yu Liancheng had already discovered that his sword simply could not pin down Yan Shisan's sword.

Because Yan Shisan's sword already possessed an inconceivable change.

It was as if it had transformed from a poisonous snake into a poisonous dragon.

A nail could pin down a snake, but it could not pin down this poisonous dragon.

And at the very moment the poisonous dragon appeared, everything else also underwent an inconceivable change.

The fallen leaves dancing across the sky suddenly all scattered.

Things that were originally moving suddenly all came to a standstill.

Absolute stillness.

No change, no vitality!

Life ends, all things perish.

What this sword brought was only—death!

This was the flower that bloomed from the Thirteen Death-Dealing Swords, a flower representing death, and also representing the end of all things.

Under the shroud of the Fifteenth Sword's momentum, Yu Liancheng seemed to have "died," unable to move even a single finger, as if his life had been frozen.

He even inconceivably gave rise to a feeling of fear that spread from the bottom of his heart.

This was a long-lost emotion.

It even made him feel somewhat unfamiliar.

Yan Shisan had already thrust a sword at Yu Liancheng.

He was thrusting at his throat.

This was a vital point of the human body.

Yu Liancheng had already attained the Vajra Indestructible Body, but facing this sword from Yan Shisan, he did not have any certainty that he could block it with his physical body.

The next moment, his fear had transformed into excitement.

As if a mass of flames had ignited his entire body.

Death was also a kind of stimulation.

A tremendous stimulation.

For him, it was a rare feeling.

At this moment, he felt his blood boiling, as if his whole person had suddenly caught fire.

Boom!!

Although Yu Liancheng could not move, fortunately he had not completely "died"; the Qi and Blood within his body surged, churning like the Changjiang and Dahe, vigorous to an inconceivable degree.

His Qi and Blood exploded continuously, like streaks of thunder and lightning; every time it exploded, his momentum increased by a fraction.

His heart thumped like thunder, radiating endless life force, instantly penetrating his internal organs and his entire body.

When Yan Shisan's long sword was less than an inch from his throat, Yu Liancheng suddenly let out a roar, the sound of which shot straight into the sky, leading up to the nine heavens.

And he finally broke free from the shroud of the Fifteenth Sword's deathly Sword Intent, his figure suddenly retreating to barely avoid this sword strike.

Although he had dodged this sword, Yu Liancheng still exerted his Qi and Blood to the fullest, for if he paused even slightly, his body would immediately be enveloped by the "death" Sword Intent once again.

Whoosh—

His vigorous, surging Qi and Blood, like a volcano, erupted outwards; the temperature within a ten-zhang radius rose abruptly, and the weeds beneath his feet withered rapidly.

Such terrifying Qi and Blood, erupting like a volcano—let alone having seen it, one had never even heard of it.

But the look in Yan Shisan's eyes did not waver in the slightest.

The long sword in his hand still thrust straight out.

The "death" intent contained within that sword was still soul-stirring. Once struck by this sword, even if one invited all the famous doctors in the world, there would be no way to save them.

It was not difficult for Yu Liancheng to avoid this sword, but his eyes turned sharp, and he thrust his sword out horizontally.

As this sword unfolded, it was as if a scroll had been spread open.

——Mountain and River Scroll.

Rushing rivers, ten-thousand-zhang cliffs, the vast sky, the solid earth, drifting white clouds... every single scene unfolded slowly with this sword.

Clang!

The two swords clashed.

There was no earth-shattering power, but a strange ripple emanated from where their sword tips met, expanding in all directions.

And wherever this ripple passed, all scenery lost its color, turning into the primordial chaos of black and white; it was only after a long while that this area returned to color, though it remained much dimmer than the surrounding scenery.

Crack, crack, crack!!

At the same time, spiderweb-like cracks appeared within Yan Shisan's physical body, spreading across him in an instant; he looked just like a porcelain Wawa.

And from within the cracks, brilliant, sharp rays of light shot out.

That was the peerless sword radiance that only the most brilliant swordsman could unleash.

Fragments of his body peeled off continuously, turning into fly ash before they even hit the ground.

Soon, an illusory figure was revealed.

This figure seemed to be composed of incomparably brilliant sword light, piercing to the soul.

"Shattering the Void, Shattering the Void, I understand, I understand."

This illusory figure was actually Yan Shisan, twenty or thirty years younger; he muttered to himself, a brilliant light shining in his eyes, as if he had gained some incredible insight.

Yan Shisan looked at Yu Liancheng again and cupped his hands: "Many thanks for Brother Yu's help; if not for this, the Poison Dragon would have devoured its master, and I, Yan, would have already been reduced to dust."

Yu Liancheng examined this Yan Shisan, a sense of enlightenment faintly appearing in his eyes, and he returned the salute: "Brother Yan is exceptionally talented; I merely gave a helping hand."

Yan Shisan cupped his hands and said: "Brother Yu's great kindness, I, Yan, will keep in my heart. In my thatched hut, there is the manual for the Thirteen Swords of Death, as well as my insights on practicing the Fifteenth Change. I hope they are useful to Brother Yu. May we meet again in the future."

Having said this, he completely transformed into a stunning, brilliant, soul-captivating sword light, flew up into the sky, and disappeared into the endless void.

"The body is destroyed, the Primordial Spirit is like a sword." Yu Liancheng gazed into the void and muttered to himself: "But if the body as a vessel is missing, can he truly complete the Shattering?"

Soon, he shook his head; with his current cultivation realm, he feared he would not be able to understand this problem even if he racked his brains.

However, if Yan Shisan truly shattered into another world, perhaps he could unleash his Fifteenth Change to his heart's content; I wonder if we will have the chance to meet again.

And witnessing Yan Shisan's shattering and ascension this time was, for him, an unprecedented realization.

"Yu Liancheng, what is going on?"

"Who lost, and who won?"

Murong Qiudi and Li Zhenzhen walked over together.

They had witnessed the entire battle, so naturally, they were very concerned about the result.

It was just a pity that the final sword strike between Yu Liancheng and Yan Shisan truly exceeded the scope of ordinary understanding; it was a collision that was profound and mysterious.

In the end, Yan Shisan's Primordial Spirit shattered, which left the two of them dumbfounded, so they did not know who had won or lost, or what exactly had happened.

"Haha, wait until you come to my room tonight, and I will tell you then."

Yu Liancheng laughed loudly, and regardless of how the two women reacted, his figure flashed as he flew toward Yan Shisan's thatched hut.

Before long, Yu Liancheng walked out of the thatched hut; he had already read the manual for the Thirteen Swords of Death, and combined with his experience of fighting Yan Shisan, he feared there was no one in the world who understood the Thirteen Swords of Death better than him.

He could even, if he wished, spend some time and figure out the Fifteenth Sword.

And with the sturdiness of his physique, he would never end up like Yan Shisan, gray-haired and on the verge of death.

A look of contemplation appeared in Yu Liancheng's eyes.

"The first thirteen swords are the roots, and the Fourteenth Sword is merely the branches and leaves. But the Fifteenth Change is the true flower; the flower blooms, brilliant and eye-catching. But I wonder if there is a Sixteenth Sword... after the flower blooms, there is the fruit; perhaps that is the ultimate sword."