Chapter 537: A Single Sword Splits Clouds, Severs the Shadow of Geese

Amidst scattered clouds like fluff, Zhou Fu stepped forward, his robes snapping in the wind, his gaze deep and profound.

A faint glow, invisible to the naked eye, clung to his body—smaller than fireflies among grass, as if extinguished by the slightest breeze.

Yet this unremarkable light effortlessly blocked A Bi’s full-force slash, leaving Zhou Fu’s stance utterly unmoved.

“Sword Qi Armor Light…”

In a palace pavilion, He Lizi, seated on a jade couch to recover from injuries, forced himself upright.

He waved off several maidens who rushed to assist, his eyes fixed on the celestial diagram above, a flicker of contemplation in their depths.

Earlier, Zhou Fu had taken his long-prepared “Changgeng Zhen” strike without so much as a flinch—surely he had used this sword technique.

His “Changgeng Zhen” could even cleave through Wang Xiu’s “Ten Thousand Demonic Robe,” his true trump card, yet against Zhou Fu’s sword technique, it achieved nothing, like a man trying to shake a mountain.

Could Chen Hang’s sword art break through Zhou Fu’s Sword Qi Armor Light?

At this thought.

After a moment of silence, He Lizi turned his gaze outward from the hall.

Since Zhou Fu had unleashed this sword, even the presiding Elders had resumed their murmurs, let alone the other cultivators.

At this moment, Ying Ji Chuan was a riot of voices, clamor rising in all directions.

He Lizi’s gaze swept past the stunned outer celestial cultivators, paused briefly on those near Lidao and Xuankong Daochang, then settled on a boat suspended high in the azure depths, glowing like a golden sun.

At its prow stood Xue Jing, Yang Kezhen, several Elders of Yuchen, and other abbots whose names He Lizi could not recall.

One among them appeared ethereal and transcendent, bearing the aura of a perfected immortal, yet a trace of slyness occasionally slipped through—he had vaguely heard this man was named Cai Qing, and he cast him a second glance.

The great immortal vessel was filled entirely with Chen Hang’s household guests.

Logically, these people ought to have some knowledge of Chen Hang’s abilities.

Yet whether it was Cai Qing and the abbots of other Dao lineages, or Yang Kezhen and the other Yuchen Elders, none showed any sign of relief upon seeing the Sword Qi Armor Light again.

Only Xue Jing…

He Lizi noticed that though Xue Jing’s expression tightened, his eyes held an inexplicable calm, as if utterly confident in Chen Hang’s abilities.

“Chen Hang… what other trump card does he still hold?”

He Lizi murmured to himself.

Sensing He Lizi’s gaze, Xue Jing, standing at the prow, lowered his eyes, nodded, and smiled.

He Lizi returned the gesture, then let his gaze linger briefly on He Manzi among the crowd before withdrawing it, no longer looking.

Ever since Chen Hang entered Xiao Ming Daze, He Manzi, bound by their bond forged in Liuhuo Honghua Cave, had grown close to him; now that Chen Hang had become a True Disciple, He Manzi, under Shen Cheng’s influence, seemed inclined to join his household—this was only natural.

“This is well.”

He Lizi ceased his musings and turned his gaze once more to the heavens, watching intently.

“Sword Qi Armor Light…”

Shen Xingcui and Lu Tingyun exchanged glances.

The “Three Lights Nine Transformations Sword Scripture” of Zhongyi Zhen Shi contained no such technique.

Clearly, this was a sword art Zhou Fu had spontaneously awakened from the half-scroll of the celestial sword scripture.

“Even if I and Shen Xingcui one day master the ‘Sun Palace Flame Light,’ we may still struggle to break this defense…”

Lu Tingyun glanced at Shen Xingcui’s solemn face beside him, his eyes flickering as he sighed inwardly.

Meanwhile, no one spoke of how Lu Jie, presiding Elder of Zhongyi, nodded in approval, nor of what the other Elders in the hall thought.

In an instant, the A Bi Sword unfurled in midair, its crimson light splitting into dozens of streaks, like lightning racing toward Zhou Fu.

Though only thirty-six A Bi Sword Qi were visible, their assault carried the weight of a sky-shattering tide, as if danger came from every direction, leaving Zhou Fu no escape.

Facing this furious onslaught, Zhou Fu, protected by his Sword Qi Armor, stood firm, raised two fingers into a sword shape, chanted a secret incantation, then slashed forward with a level motion.

An invisible force erupted—yet the thirty-six sword lights passed through unimpeded, striking straight toward Zhou Fu’s body without resistance!

“As expected… it seems even the fragments of A Bi are superior to ordinary flying magic treasures.”

Zhou Fu was unsurprised; as the sword qi neared his body, he swiftly used a sword evasion to dodge.

The secret incantation he had just used was a sword divine art of Zhongyi, called “Yi Xin Duan Nian”—its purpose was not to control others, but to command weapons.

Once sword intent and magic power were fused and this “Yi Xin Duan Nian” was cast, it could plunge a magic artifact’s spirit into chaos, rendering it unable to obey its master’s commands, allowing the caster to secretly seize control—or even turn it against its owner.

With Zhou Fu’s current realm and sword mastery,

Even a top-grade magic treasure could be immobilized for several breaths.

But “Yi Xin Duan Nian” met A Bi like a punch thrown into cotton—utterly useless.

Whether A Bi’s fragment lacked a true spirit, or whether its quality was so supreme that even a single shard was beyond the reach of “Yi Xin Duan Nian,” Zhou Fu could not tell.

Seeing this, Zhou Fu shook his head inwardly, set aside other techniques capable of influencing weapons, and relied solely on his refined, masterful sword art to clash once more with Chen Hang!

Instantly, golden and crimson sword lights danced wildly across the sky, thunderous clashes merging into a continuous, piercing din.

Mountains shattered mid-height or exploded outright; rivers were severed; winds howled like boiling seas!

This assault left many sword cultivators outside stunned, their faces blank.

Even He Lizi could not help frowning, his body motionless.

After unleashing Sword Qi Armor Light, Zhou Fu had fully unleashed himself, attacking without defense.

Every strike was a killing blow, each move lethal!

Zhou Fu’s only weakness had always been his physical body—though this weakness was only relative to Chen Hang and Yin Wuji.

Against any ordinary martial furnace cultivator, Zhou Fu could crush them effortlessly with sheer bodily strength, leaving them no chance to resist.

Now, with Sword Qi Armor Light active, even this rare weakness was compensated—no matter how fierce the assault, it was deflected by this sword art, his body unharmed, his soul undamaged.

If Zhou Fu had already been formidable before,

A sword cultivator who could effortlessly wield sixth-rank magic power had few equals within the Huanglao Sheji Map.

But now, having spontaneously awakened “Sword Qi Armor Light” from the half-scroll, Zhou Fu had the potential to challenge the Golden Core realm, ready to test his blade against all heroes!

BOOM—

Waves of purple divine thunder were cleaved apart by Zhou Fu’s blade, exploding into countless fine sparks in midair.

The residual shockwaves reached far, shattering nearby broken peaks with crackling violence.

After using his sword to dispel the thunder, Zhou Fu faced the Moon Mirror’s next strike without dodging or parrying, letting its light slam into his chest and abdomen.

Simultaneously, he pressed forward with a swift slash, forcing Chen Hang’s Five Qi Qiankun Ring to tremble violently again, its brilliance dimming further.

Since activating Sword Qi Armor Light, Zhou Fu had performed such risky maneuvers more than once.

This complete abandonment of defense had once forced Chen Hang to rein in his assault.

After several attempts, Chen Hang no longer met Zhou Fu head-on, instead using sword evasion to skirmish at a distance.

Zhou Fu understood Chen Hang’s intent—he guessed Chen Hang planned to stall, waiting until Zhou Fu’s magic power was depleted and he could no longer sustain Sword Qi Armor Light, then strike with a thunderous final blow.

This strategy was sound—if it were any other sword cultivator, Chen Hang might have succeeded.

After all, sword evasion techniques varied wildly depending on the user.

But now Zhou Fu faced Chen Hang—his sword evasion was no less skilled than Chen Hang’s.

Thus, this strategy of delay and maneuvering proved futile…

At this moment, crimson and golden sword lights raced like flying rainbows and darting lightning, crossing countless green peaks in the blink of an eye, impossibly swift.

Since entering the Huanglao Sheji Map, this was the first time Chen Hang had ever held back his offensive.

In the hall, the presiding Elder of Wenhuang Sect paused, then turned to Lu Jie and said:

“Zhou Fu’s self-awakened sword is truly extraordinary—but I have a question: what is the origin of that half-scroll of celestial sword scripture? I beg your enlightenment.”

At these words, all other presiding Elders stirred, their gazes fixed on Lu Jie.

…

…

Sword Qi Armor Light—

This sword art, spontaneously awakened by Zhou Fu from the half-scroll, was not only extraordinarily defensive, but its duration was also astonishingly long.

Regardless of other factors, merely by this technique, Zhou Fu’s name was destined to spread across the Yang World, heard by all celestial realms!

Then, where did the sword scripture that enabled Zhou Fu to awaken Sword Qi Armor Light originate?

Was it from Fuchu Mountain, Zhengxu Dao Court, or some other great power beyond the heavens?

And did Zhou Fu obtain this treasure by chance, or was there a deeper meaning behind it?

“How could I possibly know every detail of a young cultivator’s fortune? Brother, you jest.”

Lu Jie smiled faintly, evading the question.

The Wenhuang Sect’s presiding Elder chuckled, unperturbed:

“Brother Lu, don’t take it to heart—I merely marveled at such a fine sword art.

In my view, if Zhou Fu one day ascends to the higher realms, he might refine this ‘Sword Qi Armor Light,’ delve deeper into its mysteries, and perhaps use it as a foundation to create his own sword scripture.

But now…”

The presiding Elder of Blood River interjected solemnly:

“But now, this sword art remains crude, incomplete—Zhou Fu himself surely knows this.

Let us see if anyone within the Huanglao Sheji Map can pierce its secrets!”

At these words, several presiding Elders nodded in agreement.

Lu Jie frowned slightly, glancing at the silent Xun Bing—his gaze had barely shifted when the battle within the map pulled his attention away.

“These two are finally going to use their sword arts…”

Lu Jie’s expression grew even more serious, he thought inwardly.

At this moment, chaotic clouds roared, and killing intent filled the heavens!

After a brief struggle, Zhou Fu sacrificed himself to withstand Chen Hang’s thunder arts, finally trapping Chen Hang in the battle circle, making it hard for him to break free.

As both men simultaneously formed sword fingers, two sharp sword intentions surged forth at once—their sword hums came fast and urgent, shaking the heart with dread.

With a long roar from Zhou Fu, a brilliant, righteous, yang sword qi shot skyward, slicing the heavens in two in an instant.

Its radiant, pure light surged like the sun traversing the heavens, unstoppable, meant to subdue all evils and exterminate every monster.

At the same moment, another sword qi slashed out—dark, profound, silent, as lifeless as death.

Where the blade passed, heaven and earth lost all vivid color; vitality drained rapidly, leaving only cold gray.

Sixth Realm’s Art—

Sun Palace’s Flame Light versus Northern Dipper’s Death Gaze!

The two sword lights clashed head-on, yet no cataclysmic celestial spectacle erupted—only everything around them shattered soundlessly, reduced to formless ruin.

“Good!”

Zhou Fu laughed aloud, spun his sword light, and plunged downward with ferocity.

Chen Hang unfurled Anbi, transforming it into a dense veil of sword shadows to guard his front.

No matter how fiercely Zhou Fu urged his flying sword, Chen Hang held a ten-zhang radius with impenetrable defense, like an iron barrel.

Yet beneath that storm-like assault, Chen Hang’s heart remained calm, undisturbed.

Sword Qi Armor—

Though this sword technique was formidable, Chen Hang had already found a way to break it.

After testing it, Chen Hang discovered that whenever Zhou Fu endured a certain limit of attacks, the Sword Qi Armor would inevitably reveal a flaw, weakening its defense at that point.

Zhou Fu then needed to realign his magic power to restore it fully.

But the flaw vanished in an instant, nearly imperceptible.

Zhou Fu was also aware of it; even when pressing the offensive, he kept distance from Chen Hang, denying him the chance to form seals and strike at his weakness.

But in Chen Hang’s eyes, that was enough.

He now knew precisely how to defeat Zhou Fu with his flying sword…

And even without it.

He could unleash Grand Yi Divine Thunder, or maintain the current state, continue dodging and harassing Zhou Fu until the Sword Qi Armor collapsed from exhaustion, then strike with overwhelming power.

But the former was his winning trump card for this Golden Core Assembly—he did not wish to reveal it yet.

The latter would drain his own magic power severely, and he still had to face Yin Wujie and others afterward—he did not wish to exhaust himself to that degree.

Thus…

After enduring several cuts from Chen Hang, Zhou Fu finally shattered the Five Qi Cosmic Ring and his robe, bringing down one final sword strike that sent a gush of blood soaring from Chen Hang’s body.

Before he could summon his sword again for another strike, the Sword Qi Armor had reached its limit once more.

But this time, before Zhou Fu could realign his magic power—

A sliver of sword qi suddenly erupted from his side, pierced through the flaw, and struck into Zhou Fu’s body, turning his face pale and inflicting a light wound.

“So you’ve noticed this flaw… even faster than I expected…”

Zhou Fu thought to himself.

After another hundred exchanges, the two once again clashed Sun Palace’s Flame Light against Northern Dipper’s Death Gaze.

A thunderous boom rang out—the heavens and earth blazed bright, blinding all who watched, then instantly darkened, as if dark clouds converged and death surged everywhere.

When vision gradually cleared again—

High in the azure sky, Chen Hang and Zhou Fu faced each other across several li.

Their feet seemed rooted; neither moved.

A gentle breeze drifted by, stirring their robes.

Crack—

Suddenly, Chen Hang’s glowing jade light shattered like a bubble.

A deep sword wound slowly appeared, stretching from chest to neck, grotesque and horrifying, flesh and blood torn apart.

Chen Hang lowered his gaze slightly, unconcerned, and said:

“Zhou True Person, you’ve lost.”

Zhou Fu lifted his head, fell silent for a moment, then spoke:

“I’ve lost.”

As soon as he spoke, his flying sword emitted a soft, mournful cry.

In the blink of an eye, half his body was violently torn apart—white bone exposed, flesh and blood sprayed everywhere.