Chapter 259: The Duoqing Sword and the Phantom Sword

Peach Blossom Beauty Fan.

This is a unique weapon; the fan ribs are forged from Iron, and the fan face is woven from celestial silkworm silk, impervious to blades and swords, and resistant to water and fire.

Furthermore, the silk has been soaked in dozens of medicinal herbs, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance when fanned that can calm one's mind and spirit. It also conceals hidden weapons, capable of firing eighty-one Bone Piercing Needles. The tips of a dozen or so fan ribs can also eject sharp blades, wounding people invisibly.

This kind of unique weapon is difficult for ordinary people to master, and one might even suffer from it instead.

But if one can wield it with ease, it combines Rigidity and Flexibility Combined, possesses both offense and defense, and is full of variations.

This "Peach Blossom Beauty Fan" was originally a collection piece of Wuchen Gongzi, which Yu Liancheng took a liking to and requested for himself.

Although Yu Liancheng has not abandoned the "Duoqing Sword," he rarely carries it on his person now. This is because, at his level, even if he has no sword in his palm, all things in heaven and earth can be taken up and used as weapons at will.

And the heavy Duoqing Sword has instead become a burden.

This "Peach Blossom Beauty Fan" is small and exquisite, serving well as a substitute.

Shangguan Haitang naturally knows that this is an item of Wuchen Gongzi, and that he treasures it quite a bit.

Therefore, she not only knows that Yu Liancheng is a friend of Wuchen Gongzi, but also believes the two are of the same generation.

As for why he is so young, for such a martial arts master, the art of preserving one's youth is not a difficult matter.

Yu Liancheng chuckled and said, "Haitang, I imagine you also know that my 'Heaven Beyond Heaven' is very short of manpower. Are you interested in coming to 'Heaven Beyond Heaven' to work?"

Shangguan Haitang said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but currently I hold the responsibilities of the Master of the Number One Manor in the World and a Xuan-zi-hao secret agent. I am unable to spare myself, so I ask for your understanding, Senior."

"No matter, you will come to my Heaven Beyond Heaven in the future." Yu Liancheng was very confident about this.

His gaze swept over the three of them again: "I have always had no grievances with the Dragon Guarding Manor. Although I took over the Demon Sect and renamed it 'Heaven Beyond Heaven,' this is, after all, a matter of the Edo. It does not have much to do with your Dragon Guarding Manor, right?"

"The Dragon Guarding Manor protects the current Emperor, and under the vast heaven, is there any land that is not the King's? As long as the 'Heaven Beyond Heaven' you speak of is within the territory of the Great Ming, my Dragon Guarding Manor has the right to manage it." Guihai Yidao's eyes were cold and sharp, looking straight at Yu Liancheng. He was usually taciturn, but his words were extremely sharp at this moment, as if he were purely looking for trouble.

Yu Liancheng glanced at Guihai Yidao, his gaze as deep as the starry sky, as if he had already seen through his inner thoughts: "It seems you are not very satisfied with what I said earlier, believing that your blade will not lose to Ba Dao."

Guihai Yidao let out a cold snort.

He has always been very conceited, especially regarding the blade in his hand.

And since Yu Liancheng said that once Ba Dao picks up his blade, ten Guihai Yidaos would not be a match for Ba Dao, he was naturally very resentful in his heart.

"If you are not convinced, why not try attacking me? Let me take a good, careful look at your blade. If I am wrong, apologizing to you would be no trouble," Yu Liancheng said with a smile.

"Fine, watch the blade!"

Guihai Yidao is by no means a person who drags his feet. A bright light flashed in his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, the hand gripping the hilt moved violently.

Draw the blade!

Slash!

The long blade tore through the void, the blade light pouring down like the Milky Way, stirring up the sound of deep wind and thunder.

This slash was indeed tyrannical and peerless, mighty and unmatched, with killing intent condensed into substance, sharp to the extreme.

Yu Liancheng closed the iron fan and lifted it as if it were a light breeze.

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out.

This blade light, like an angry dragon, instantly stagnated.

The long blade struck the fan ribs, sparking a flash of fire, but could not move a fraction further downward.

Yu Liancheng flicked his arm and guided it.

Guihai Yidao suddenly discovered that his blade was out of his control, slashing back toward his own neck.

He hurriedly retreated with heavy thuds, cracking the floorboards, and shook his wrist violently, spinning his body to finally neutralize this strange force.

The next moment, Guihai Yidao roared.

The long blade came out again, the cold killing intent carrying a tyrannical and peerless blade Qi as it slashed down. The rising and dancing blade light submerged every inch of space around Yu Liancheng in an instant.

If it were an ordinary person, suddenly facing this fierce and tyrannical move, they would inevitably have to avoid its edge first, then find a way to counterattack and regain their footing. But Yu Liancheng remained as motionless as a mountain, as if he saw the blade light as nothing.

But just as Yu Liancheng was about to be submerged in the endless blade light, the folding fan in his palm danced, instantly transforming into thousands of black lights that clashed with the blade light.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!!

The streaks of blade light clashed with the folding fan, and the escaping airflow vented in all directions, whipping up a fierce wind.

"Yidao, stop quickly!"

Shangguan Haitang and Duan Tianya looked at the two anxiously, but neither rashly attacked to help Guihai Yidao jointly assault Yu Liancheng.

Not only because doing so would intensify the conflict between the two sides, but also because both were familiar with Guihai Yidao's personality.

Guihai Yidao is arrogant, aloof, and has extremely high self-esteem.

If they attacked, Guihai Yidao might turn the blade light toward them first.

Ignoring the constant calls of his two companions, the long blade in Guihai Yidao's palm continued to swing, each slash being tyrannical and peerless, carrying a cold and ruthless aura.

Yu Liancheng wore a smile; he seemed to have been submerged in the endless blade light, but the folding fan would occasionally pierce, hack, lift, press, parry, or point... easily neutralizing the long blade's offensive.

"Senior Yu is using Yidao to adapt to the 'Peach Blossom Beauty Fan'." Shangguan Haitang's beautiful eyes flashed. Her martial arts were the lowest among the Three Great Secret Agents, but her insight and discernment were far superior to the other two.

After all, it was Yu Liancheng's first time using a folding fan as a weapon, and he was still slightly unfamiliar with it. But amidst Guihai Yidao's storm-like attacks, he became increasingly smooth and at ease.

However, Shangguan Haitang and Duan Tianya could see that Yu Liancheng had no killing intent and was truly just testing Guihai Yidao's blade technique, so they felt relieved.

Suddenly, the folding fan in Yu Liancheng's palm turned into a streak of black light and shot out like a startled swan or lightning, instantly shattering all the blade Qi, dispersing the sky-filling blade light, and then thrusting straight out, as if nonchalantly tapping onto Guihai Yidao's chest.

Guihai Yidao was immediately struck as if by lightning, his body trembling violently, and then he was sent flying backward like a cannonball, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face pale to the extreme.

"Yidao, are you alright?"

"Yidao, don't fight anymore, you are not his match." Shangguan Haitang and Duan Tianya hurriedly walked over to check Guihai Yidao's injuries.

Guihai Yidao, however, propped up his body, his eyes bloodshot.

He could not believe that his blade technique, which he took pride in, even if not a match for Yu Liancheng, could not possibly be defeated so miserably.

"You lost, and I have also seen your blade technique clearly." Yu Liancheng stood high above, looking down at Guihai Yidao indifferently: "My words earlier were not wrong; ten Guihai Yidaos would not be a match for Ba Dao."

"I haven't lost yet! I still have one blade move you haven't seen."

Guihai Yidao's gaze suddenly turned deathly still and waveless, yet that face, as if carved from stone, was filled with murderous intent; he broke free from the restraint of Duan Tianya and Shangguan Haitang, and abruptly launched himself into the air.

He was seen suspended in mid-air, holding his blade high toward the sky, stirring up gale-force winds; boundless murderous intent converged into a blood-red blade light that descended from the sky, slashing down from above.

As this blade was slashed out, everything between heaven and earth seemed to lose its color, all becoming dim.

All light converged upon this single blade.

Of all things in heaven and earth, there was only this one blade.

Severing God, severing Demon, severing Heaven, severing Earth.

This blade was precisely—the Heartless Slash.

In years past, the Tyrant Blade rampaged through the pugilistic world, an invincible and supreme technique.

Later, it was learned by Guihai Yidao, who used this very move to defeat the Tyrant Blade, causing the Tyrant Blade to live in seclusion and never pick up a blade again.

"The Heartless Slash is indeed a domineering blade technique, but it is a pity..."

Yu Liancheng sighed lightly, and the Folding Fan in his hand was suddenly thrown, transforming into a lightning-like black light, crashing straight toward the blade light of the "Heartless Slash."

Whoosh!

The Folding Fan sliced through the airflow, the air whistling.

This throw not only secretly contained a hint of the charm of the Little Li Flying Dagger, but also contained an unimaginably astonishing force as it flew through the air.

This was no longer a Folding Fan, but a meteorite descending from the sky. The air seemed to turn into flowing water, ripples spreading out in circles, as if unable to withstand the power of this strike.

Clang!

The black light transformed from the Folding Fan collided with the blade light.

Accompanied by a crisp, booming sound, the force swept out in all directions, whipping up a violent gale.

That blade light that severed Heaven and Earth, after this collision, although it still slashed straight down, had already become dim, while the Folding Fan was knocked back, spinning through the air.

Yu Liancheng's expression remained unchanged; his left hand reached out and caught the Folding Fan, while his right hand suddenly opened, seemingly possessing a power that could encompass the world and cause the universe to lose its luster.

He covered the blade light with a single palm.

The already dim blade light collided with this flesh palm and collapsed with a boom; the long blade also shattered into pieces, shooting out in all directions. Finally, this hand, as crystalline as white jade, pressed against Guihai Yidao's chest.

Bang!

As the palm force was released, Guihai Yidao was sent flying back again like a ragdoll, on the verge of crashing into the wall. Shangguan Haitang and Duan Tianya had already drifted out simultaneously, their palms pressed against Guihai Yidao's back to help him dissipate the force.

But even so, the power carried by this palm was truly too immense, causing them to retreat repeatedly; finally, amidst a "rumbling" sound, they crashed through the wall and were forced back another four or five steps before finally stopping.

Guihai Yidao was not lightly injured, and the other two also felt their Qi and Blood surging incessantly within their bodies.

"It is just a pity that you are no longer truly heartless and devoid of righteousness, and you can no longer execute the blade that defeated the Tyrant Blade back then."

Yu Liancheng lowered his sleeves and said slowly.

The Tyrant Blade's blade technique required one to be heartless and devoid of righteousness, to sever all emotions, and then transform them into a peerlessly stunning, peerlessly domineering blade.

In those years, the Tyrant Blade made his disciples pair up, eating and living together to become the closest partners and friends. At the end of every year, he would make them kill each other, leaving only one person alive.

Guihai Yidao stayed in Jueqing Shanzhuang for seven years, killed seven good friends, and finally comprehended the mental cultivation method of the Heartless Slash himself. With one slash, he was heartless and devoid of righteousness.

At that time, he was entirely an incomparably sharp blade, a blade without any emotions.

It is just a pity that this blade now has emotions.

From a sharp blade, he has become a cold person.

Perhaps his Internal Force is stronger and his blade technique more proficient, but his blade Qi is weaker, and he lacks the original mindset of being heartless and devoid of righteousness; how then could he execute the Heartless Slash that severs Heaven and Earth?

"I originally did not want to take action against you, but since I have already done so, then I might as well be more thorough." Yu Liancheng shifted his gaze to look at Duan Tianya: "Duan Tianya, you should take action as well."

Duan Tianya was startled: "Tianya is no match for Your Excellency, so why bother with such a futile effort."

Yu Liancheng said indifferently: "You are of course no match for me, but I wish to see the Phantom Sword that is famous throughout Dongying."

"Why must this be?"

"If you do not take action, I shall."

Duan Tianya was silent for a moment, then stood up and said: "Very well, since that is the case, Tianya will be impolite."

"Draw your sword!"

Clang!

The sword was drawn.

The sword light was like a pool of autumn water.

It was indeed a fine sword.

This was the fine steel soft sword that Zhu Tiedan gave to Duan Tianya the year he traveled far to Dongying to learn martial arts at the age of sixteen.

"Be careful."

With a hum, the void trembled, and Duan Tianya had already thrust out a sword. This sword came very fast; once struck, it was like lightning, and in an instant, it had reached before Yu Liancheng. Moreover, the sword took an unconventional path, filled with a sense of bizarre trickery.

Just as Yu Liancheng was about to move, Duan Tianya flicked his wrist, and the long sword immediately shimmered with thousands of sword lights, magnificent and brilliant; in just a single moment, it could dazzle anyone's eyes.

"Is this the Phantom Sword?"

Yu Liancheng's vision was limited, but a very faint sound suddenly arose, as if a venomous snake were flicking its tongue, coming from his left side.

But how could it escape his senses? He backhanded a finger strike.

With a "ding" sound, the sky full of sword light collapsed, and Duan Tianya's figure appeared, his footsteps staggering.

Before Yu Liancheng could even move, those hundreds and thousands of brilliant sword lights rose again, like countless golden galaxies.

At the same time, Duan Tianya's figure changed like a ghost, and in coordination with the sword light, it was even more dazzling and mesmerizing, causing one to feel dizzy.

Shangguan Haitang helped Guihai Yidao sit on a stool to the side, and only then did she cast her gaze toward the place where they were fighting.

Duan Tianya's Phantom Sword was not aimed at Shangguan Haitang, and furthermore, she focused her power into her eyes, so she was barely able to see the two of them fighting; once she saw the state of the battle, she could not help but be slightly shocked.

She saw that Yu Liancheng had his eyes closed, his figure standing motionless, only the Folding Fan in his hand striking out continuously.

Every time he tapped or deflected, he would beat back the sword that thrust out from the void.

Although Shangguan Haitang did not know what had happened to Duan Tianya in Dongying, she had heard of the name "Phantom Sword," which was the ultimate technique of the former number one master of Dongying, Mian Kuangsilang.

Yet, looking at it now, this ultimate technique did not seem to have much effect on Yu Liancheng.

Moreover, every time the soft steel sword clashed with the Folding Fan, the sword light dimmed by a fraction. This was because the force behind Yu Liancheng's Folding Fan strikes was astonishing, causing Duan Tianya's physical strength and True Qi to be consumed rapidly.

I fear that before long, these countless sword lights will shatter into nothingness.

"The sword light of the Phantom Sword dazzles the mind, and when combined with ghost-like footwork, it is indeed a rare ultimate technique in the world," Yu Liancheng suddenly said. "I also have a move here that is a Phantom Sword... no, it should be called a Phantom Fan. Come and take a look."

His Folding Fan suddenly thrust forward, using a sword move.

But the moment it was thrust out, countless graceful artistic conceptions emerged, beautiful to the extreme, causing one's heart to involuntarily sink into them.

Duan Tianya's mind wavered, as if he had already seen a scene filled with cherry blossoms, where a beauty playing a Dongying short flute was looking at him with deep affection, her eyes as gentle as water.

"Big Brother, watch out."

Shangguan Haitang's voice rang out, pulling Duan Tianya out of the illusion, and that Folding Fan was already about to strike his throat.

Duan Tianya had no time to dodge and could only close his eyes and wait for death.

Having fought Yu Liancheng for some time, he naturally understood the terrifying power of every strike from the Folding Fan. Since the throat was a vital point of the human body, how could he survive?

However, the expected sharp pain did not come. When Duan Tianya opened his eyes again, he saw that Yu Liancheng had already walked out the door, seemingly waving at them as he did so.

"Stop sending people to follow me, otherwise don't blame me for being impolite. Goodbye."

PS: 8,000 words today, at least 10,000 words updated tomorrow.