Chapter 806: Lu Xiaofeng

The rising sun had just ascended from the verdant distant mountains; the morning breeze carried the fragrance of newly sprouted leaves from the hills, and dew drops sparkled in the sunlight like pearls.

This was the thirteenth day of Ye Gucheng's flight.

In these thirteen days, he had fought his way out of fifty-two heavy encirclements.

Blade light, sword shadows, hidden weapons, fists, poisons... there were too many, far too many, and he was already somewhat weary.

His lips were cracked from lack of water, and his frame staggered slightly from hunger.

His clothes were Broken, and there was blood upon them—some from his enemies, some his own...

He was truly in a wretched state now; even if he were to return to the Edo, it was doubtful anyone would recognize him as the White Cloud City Lord.

That White Cloud City Lord, whose white robes were like snow, ethereal as an Exiled Immortal.

Throughout this flight, this white-robed Sword Immortal had gained several more wounds, some of which were already festering. The wound on his left shoulder was the most prominent; it was the masterpiece of Tu Fang, the "Desert Divine Eagle," one of the four great experts of the Imperial Court.

This man's blade technique was unsuccessful and his sword technique was unrefined; Ye Gucheng had originally looked down upon him.

But unexpectedly, the sword strike this man unleashed before he died was quite brilliant, possessing both the domineering ferocity of a blade and the exquisite agility of a sword. Even now, Ye Gucheng could still recall that flash of lightning-like sword light, and that sharp, icy, stinging pain.

In reality, ever since the battle at Tianshan, Ye Gucheng had defeated Ximen Chuixue and swept away the final specks of dust from his heart; his sword technique had truly become transcendent and holy. The only people who could truly surpass him were the Xiao Laotou of Wumingdao and Yu Liancheng, who had stepped through the Heavenly Gate.

And these two individuals almost never emerged from their seclusion.

Which is to say, the current Ye Gucheng could also be considered invincible under heaven.

But what of being invincible under heaven?

Invincible under heaven is, in the end, still a mortal body of flesh and blood.

And let alone one man, even the Eight Great Sects of the Edo combined could not withstand the endless pursuit of a thousand armies and ten thousand horses.

"When the crafty rabbit is dead, the hound is cooked..."

Ye Gucheng sighed faintly; his disciple had now firmly secured his position and had finally begun to take action against those who had participated in that affair back then. In truth, upon learning that the eunuch Wang An had died of illness, he had sensed the undercurrents surging. His return to the Central Plains Edo from White Cloud City was also because he did not wish to implicate White Cloud City.

"It is a pity that my decisive battle with Ximen Chuixue..."

Ye Gucheng sighed.

After the battle at Tianshan, he and Ximen Chuixue would compare swords every so often; he had won more and lost fewer, and both had progressed rapidly through their exchanges.

But this time, he had missed the sword comparison, missed the death-pact appointment.

The so-called death-pact appointment was an appointment where, even if one died, one's corpse would still be carried to the meeting.

He wondered if the current Ximen Chuixue was once again killing and blowing blood from his blade.

Casting aside his chaotic thoughts, Ye Gucheng leaned against a tree and panted; this was a rare opportunity for him to catch his breath.

He knew that he would soon face heavy encirclements again, but he felt no fear.

Before deciding to do that thing, he had already foreseen this day.

Was the reason he did not set out to sea earlier not because he wanted to taste the feeling of one man opposing an entire nation?

Was it not that only in a difficult, desperate situation could a person's potential be released to the greatest extent, and their attainments in sword technique reach a higher level?

Ye Gucheng set out on the road again.

He chose a small path.

He felt that there were the fewest ambushers on this small path.

His feelings rarely went wrong.

This time, Ye Gucheng still did not go wrong.

On this path, there were only four ambushers.

—Or rather, only four remained.

Passing through the dense forest, the terrain remained narrow.

On this narrow path, fresh blood splattered; dozens of Imperial Court experts lay on the ground, all of them having only a single wound.

The wound was at the throat, a sword piercing the throat. Every expert's face still bore a look of astonishment, as if they could not believe there was such a fast sword in the world.

In the morning sun, there were four ambushers left from the pursuit, and Ye Gucheng still recognized these four.

Those who could be recognized by Ye Gucheng were naturally not nobodies.

These four people were all dressed extremely luxuriously and carried themselves with great air; the oldest one had hair and beard that were completely white, while the youngest one still appeared somewhat callow.

The oldest had been famous for forty years, known as "Flying Sword Comes and Goes Without a Trace"; his sword technique was high, his lightness skill even higher, and he had vanished three years ago—it seemed he had defected to the Imperial Court.

The youngest was a rising star of the Edo, with the nickname "Jade-Faced Thirteen Swords."

Since Yu Liancheng became famous, those who could include the words "Jade-Faced" in their nicknames not only had to be handsome in appearance but also had to possess a unique style in their sword technique. This person was not only extremely handsome but also possessed superb sword technique; every time he struck, he could take the opponent's life in at most thirteen swords, hence the nickname.

The other two were, of course, also experts.

The Divine Axe Cleaving the Mountain was naturally possessed of infinite strength, with vigorous and powerful moves.

The Clear Wind Sword was naturally ethereal and untraceable, coming and going without a shadow.

It was only a pity that their martial arts still had flaws.

It was only a pity that they were all still a distance away from being supreme experts.

Swish, swish, swish, swish! Four lightning-like sword lights suddenly pierced out.

Each sword pierced through a person's throat.

As each person fell, they wore an expression of astonishment, as if they refused to believe there were still flaws in their own moves, refused to believe there was such a fast sword in the world.

When the sword was pulled from the throat of the "Jade-Faced Thirteen Swords," there was still blood on the blade.

Ximen Chuixue blew on it lightly, and the fresh blood dripped from the tip of the sword in a continuous string, happening to fall onto a dew drop, and thus the dew drop also became the color of blood, like an agate.

The last four ambushers were also gone.

Ye Gucheng looked at Ximen Chuixue.

Ximen Chuixue also looked at Ye Gucheng.

After a long while, Ye Gucheng said, "You should not have come."

Ximen Chuixue said, "I have already come."

Ye Gucheng fell silent again.

He knew that Wanmei Villa was a vast family estate, and if Ximen Chuixue wanted to find someone, it would not be too difficult.

He also knew that once Ximen Chuixue became involved in this matter, there would be no turning back.

Ximen Chuixue said coldly, "Do you not ask why I have come?"

Ye Gucheng said, "Yu Liancheng has vanished without a trace, and Xiao Laotou has gone to sea and not returned; if I were to die, looking across the vastness of the world, how lonely you would be."

Ximen Chuixue's gaze flickered, like two cold stars, and also like two flashes of sword light: "They are not pure swordsmen; only you, in the whole world, only you are my destiny, and my only opponent. For your sake, this sword shall be stained with blood once more—it could be someone else's, it could be yours, or it could even... be my own."

Ye Gucheng did not speak again.

Ximen Chuixue did not speak again either.

And so.

A one-man journey of escape became a two-man journey of escape.

Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng joined forces; these were two peerless swords, and the effect they could unleash was one plus one equals two.

Logically speaking, as long as they did not deliberately seek death, joining forces to carve out a bloody path would not be difficult.

But unfortunately, the Imperial Court did not care for martial virtue.

Boom!

Boom-boom-boom!

In mid-air, it sounded like thunder.

A pitch-black sphere tore through the air and smashed down.