Chapter 244: Sword Mad Breaks Long Life, Whale Fishing Finally Appears

The sword qi roared, but even this roar of sword qi could not suppress the ringing of the bronze tripod in Li Guanyi's ears; the Qin Yulong power he had absorbed was instantly crushed, and fine strands of emerald-green qi gathered like storm clouds within the bronze tripod.

Yet it could not coalesce into jade nectar.

It merely circulated and transformed in its primordial qi state, as if impossibly heavy.

The bronze tripod rang continuously.

As if struck by a massive hammer!

Previously, when Li Guanyi drew power from this bronze tripod, only his blood and qi would respond—but now, even during the stage of gathering primordial qi, it directly shook his entire body's qi; Li Guanyi grunted in pain.

His own qi surged violently.

And in the next instant, the green-robed Longlife Guest's cultivation base restored to its original state.

Unceasing, endless, pure and flawless—this was the ultimate; even as he turned his palm to press down upon Jiankuang, Elder Murong was here waiting for martial masters to challenge him; if you came in friendship, this place had wine, tea, and freshly peeled lotus seeds.

But if you came like this one, striking straight for Li Guanyi's face from the first move—

Then there was also Elder Murong's sword.

The green-robed Longlife Guest's palm technique was ethereal and composed, as if brimming with endless vitality; it unfolded before Li Guanyi's eyes, and with his current level of Wu Gong, he could discern countless variations—this single palm strike alone seemed to contain over a hundred distinct trajectories.

Each path held infinite follow-up changes.

So endless, so unbroken.

Li Guanyi imagined himself within it—even with Fire Qilin power and the backing of a military formation—he could not survive a single strike; he would be struck directly and die instantly.

Elder Murong shifted his body technique, appearing at the Longlife Guest's side with a speed Li Guanyi could not track; he raised his hand and struck with a sword, its qi sharp and chilling, piercing into the top martial artist's wrist, then slicing outward—flesh and muscle from wrist to arm were cleanly severed.

Blood gushed freely, yet did not drip; it moved like a living thing.

The Longlife Guest's cultivation base was shattered.

But what stunned them more was that Elder Murong had not merely cut flesh—he had severed the very trajectory of the Longlife Guest's qi circulation!

How does one observe martial arts to comprehend the Dao?!

By fully revealing martial arts in their purest form!

Elder Murong's sword techniques shattered the Longlife Guest's defenses repeatedly; yet each time Jiankuang's sword qi slashed out, the Longlife Guest's wounds instantly healed, and he countered with a palm strike of exquisite precision—Jiankuang dodged the move.

The Longlife Guest's palm struck empty.

It landed upon the water's surface.

The river current collapsed instantly, holding the palm imprint for several breaths before surrounding water surged in, colliding into a vortex-like whirlpool, roaring like thunder; this boat, capable of holding about ten people, was no small vessel—it bobbed violently within the churning waters.

Li Guanyi endured the surging blood and qi caused by the bronze tripod drawing primordial qi.

He clutched Yao Guang with one hand and retreated backward, raising his battle halberd and swinging it—the Dharma Form roared, tearing apart the stray qi scattered nearby; when he looked up again, he saw Master Siming panicking and shouting: "Hey hey hey, you two fighting, don't drag old man me into this!"

"I don't have your kind of Wu Gong!"

"Damn it, I'm dodging!"

Master Siming rolled and scrambled, utterly disheveled, yet somehow evaded residual attacks from impossible angles; even when he faced blows he truly could not dodge, he raised a hand and grabbed—

The old man seized his own Xuan Gui Dharma Form.

Held it up in front of him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Numerous residual attacks struck the Dharma Form—but the old man remained unharmed.

Seeing Master Siming, though disheveled, was unharmed, Li Guanyi exhaled slightly in relief, then turned his gaze to the battle ahead—Elder Murong and the Longlife Guest had left the boat and were fighting everywhere; Jiankuang's sword qi slashed and tore—

Tracing the Longlife Guest's qi circulation path to dissect his meridians and bones.

Thus any martial artist could directly observe how this legendary figure manipulated his cultivation base.

Meanwhile, the green-robed Longlife Guest unleashed one astonishing technique after another.

Jiankuang had to dodge his deadly moves and evade his ultimate arts.

One was a peerless swordsman, his strikes either brutal or domineering, fluid and effortless; the other showed no concern for his wounds, fighting head-on with overwhelming, majestic momentum, gradually reclaiming the upper hand.

Li Guanyi saw that Elder Murong was wounded.

He worried—until he saw the old man laugh loudly, and his wound healed instantly.

He countered with a single sword slash.

The momentum was vast and majestic.

Though it was merely sword qi, when it descended, the roar echoed like thunder.

Li Guanyi finally realized one thing: Jiankuang was famed for lethal combat power; the Longlife Guest for unceasing vitality—but their so-called strengths were merely relative advantages at their level.

Jiankuang's lethality, the Longlife Guest's immortality—these were techniques that shook the world.

Yet Jiankuang's vitality, the Longlife Guest's slaughter—

Could also crush other Grand Masters.

"Boy, come this way!"

Master Siming's voice rang out; Li Guanyi and Yao Guang went to him, and the old master flipped his Xuan Gui Dharma Form around, pointing its shell outward toward the battle—this Dharma Form was said to be the one from ancient times that bore the He Tu and Luoshu.

It was enormous, nothing like Li Guanyi's own spirit projection.

When traveling, Master Siming often rode atop the Xuan Gui Dharma Form, letting it carry him at full speed; now, the old man pulled Li Guanyi and Yao Guang close, hiding them behind the Dharma Form—perfectly concealed.

Li Guanyi said: "Great-grandfather, this is…"

Master Siming grinned and said: "He's tempering his blade."

"If a skilled chess player only plays against amateurs, he'll only grow worse. Jiankuang must maintain his peak state before the Scholar Palace battle—the best way is to fight his way forward, step by step."

"I didn't expect the Longlife Guest to attack you the moment he saw you."

"That's not like him—I recall he's similar to the Dao Sect; if he sees someone he likes, he teaches them his methods; even the sorcerers of the jianghu, he's willing to give them all his knowledge."

"Do you have a grudge with him?"

Li Guanyi shook his head: "No."

He hesitated, then said: "But I killed a man named Hou Zhongyu."

"You swallowed the Elixir of Immortality from Hou Zhongyu's lineage."

The old Master Siming wore a look of utter disbelief, staring up and down at Li Guanyi, then grinning: "Ah, the Elixir of Immortality? Then it's no problem. With that kind of immortality, seeing you would be no different from seeing a walking pill."

"Hou Zhongyu's lineage was deliberately passed down by Changsheng a hundred years ago—like planting a seed, waiting all this time for it to sprout and bear fruit, only for you to swallow it whole."

"That Hou Zhongyu was kind to you, giving you something like this to swallow."

The old Master Siming teased, then adjusted the angle of the Black Tortoise Manifestation to block the residual waves: "Originally, Elder Murong might have wanted to spar with him, then openly share his own Wu Gong, exchange techniques, and have him pass his Wu Gong to you, strengthening your physique one step further."

"This was the second method he mentioned for rapidly enhancing your physique."

"As soon as Changsheng arrived, he reached for you."

"Elder Murong chose another method to transmit his technique."

"By tracing the flow of his meridians and energy pathways, he dissected them for you, letting you see with your own eyes how the meridians and energy channels changed—and thus you naturally learned."

"Boy, watch closely. Learn well."

"This is the direct transmission of two legends from the martial world."

As the old Master Siming spoke, his expression was strangely odd; Li Guanyi stared fixedly at the battle before him, unable to make out the details—until suddenly, a soft, delicate sensation brushed his temples.

The silver-haired girl pressed both hands against Li Guanyi's temples.

Her voice was calm, unruffled: "I'll help you."

It seemed to be some kind of extraordinary technique.

Li Guanyi's perception suddenly expanded, as if linked to Yao Guang's senses—he could even sense the girl's steady breathing, and perceive, at more than six times his usual acuity, the flow and shifts in the Qing Robe Changsheng's energy.

Added to this, Elder Murong deliberately unleashed his sword art, drawing out Changsheng's cultivation foundation.

Three times over.

The Qing Robe Changsheng's meridians and energy currents were severed one hundred and eight times by the sword's wild strikes.

Each time, the internal energy pathways cycled thirty-six times, each cycle distinct—within Li Guanyi's bronze cauldron, the jade fluid at last began to show signs of coalescing into its first drop; within the cauldron, the jade fluid gathered, faintly shifting with a bluish-purple Lei Ting.

Master Siming sharply sensed something amiss and turned to look at Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi raised a hand to his forehead—suddenly, a clear, resonant phoenix cry echoed through the void, like shattering jade. Master Siming froze; the tail feathers of a green phoenix swept past his vision, then rapidly, endlessly expanded.

The gentleness of wind, the vitality of wood.

The Green Qilin Manifestation appeared spontaneously.

After Li Guanyi obtained this Green Qilin Manifestation, it had never before been so active—now it transformed into a massive, visibly tangible Green Qilin, circling Li Guanyi without pause, wings beating.

"This is…!"

The jade fluid within the bronze cauldron gathered and began to condense.

At the same time, within Li Guanyi, the power of the 【Wan Gu Cang Yue Elixir of Immortality】 had not been exhausted—he had been barely at the Entry level when he swallowed it; such a wonder could never have been fully consumed by him then.

Yet now, as the bronze cauldron absorbed the aura of martial legends, it was triggered.

The Qing Robe Changsheng seemed to sense something.

He took Elder Murong's sword strike directly with his body.

His own continuous, unceasing cultivation state was once again disrupted.

In an instant, he appeared beside Li Guanyi, seized the Black Tortoise Manifestation and Master Siming with one palm, shook them to scatter their energy, then casually hurled them toward Elder Murong.

The Qing Robe Changsheng lowered his gaze to Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi clearly saw the Qing Robe Changsheng's appearance: clad in green robes, his cheeks Bai Xi, his eyes dark yet devoid of ripples; in hand, a bamboo flute pointed toward Li Guanyi's heart—the location of the bronze cauldron.

"What is here?"

"It seems to be draining my vitality…"

He did not know what it was, but with Changsheng's profound sensitivity and control over vitality, he clearly sensed his own energy being pulled like a vortex, sinking toward the boy's heart.

He seemed puzzled, then asked in a questioning tone:

"Does the Elixir of Immortality have such abilities?"

Li Guanyi's expression changed slightly—he finally saw Changsheng's Manifestation: towering, ancient trees, upon which coiled a colossal, ancient dragon, its scales gleaming, radiating boundless vitality.

The Green Dragon of Wood!

The highest-tier existence!

Li Guanyi's body was instantly locked down, his vitality severed; facing a martial legend head-on, Li Guanyi finally understood why these beings towered above Masters and Sect Heads—slowly, a hand reached toward him, and though his right hand gripped his weapon, he could not move.

He could only watch helplessly as the Qing Robe Changsheng's hand slowly extended toward his heart.

Suddenly, silver hair stirred.

The girl lunged forward without hesitation.

She spread her arms, placing herself between Li Guanyi and Changsheng's fingertip, her expression serene, utterly expressionless.

Yao Guang seized Changsheng's palm.

Then she opened her mouth and bit down hard!

Master Siming couldn't bear to watch—but the next instant, Li Guanyi, jolted from his paralysis, grabbed Yao Guang with one hand, twisted his body, pulled the girl into his arms, drew the Qiushui Sword that Elder Murong had returned to him, and slashed upward in a final, lethal strike!

The power of Qin Yulong erupted fully.

【Dao Sect · Great Zai Qian Yuan】!!!

A faint gasp seemed to sound.

The Qing Robe Changsheng flicked his wrist; the bamboo flute shattered Li Guanyi's lethal strike.

Yet the green bamboo bore not a single mark.

The clear chime of the sword rang again.

Again, a speed Li Guanyi could not perceive.

In Li Guanyi's eyes, everything that had just happened was like teleportation—unseen by the eye, incomprehensible to the soul—before he could even struggle, the Qing Robe Changsheng who had just reached out was trampled into the water, and Elder Murong, in one reverse motion, struck with his divine weapon.

Pierced directly into the palm of the Longlife Guest who sought to strike Li Guanyi.

White hair vast, the Sword Madman's gaze calm and defiant.

Boom!!!!

The Longlife Guest who had activated his Dharma Form was impaled through the boat by the Sword Madman's sword and driven into the waters; the vessel suddenly tilted and crashed sideways. Li Guanyi suppressed the churning energy within him, extended his left hand, and seized Yao Guang.

His arm encircled the girl's waist.

The silver-haired girl's limbs and hair hung limply downward.

Like a puppet.

Swinging, swaying.

His right hand thrust his battle halberd upward, hooking the old Master Siming's belt. The old Master Siming turned pale with shock, hurriedly reaching out to clutch his belt—but before he could resist, Li Guanyi summoned his last strength and surged upright.

Stepping on raging winds, he activated his movement technique and shoved away, walking atop the waves as he raced toward the land. Only when he turned around did his expression change abruptly: they had traveled by water, and Dajiang had surged wildly, its banks two or three li wide in narrow places, ten or more li wide in broad stretches.

Now the current roared without cease.

The river flows on both sides surged inward, then plunged straight downward.

The water sprayed like Bai Xue.

It had become two waterfalls!

This Dajiang had been split open by the Sword Madman's sword!

Suddenly, blood drifted into the air, sweet as a million floral and fruity scents; something flew upward, spinning—long fingers gripping a bamboo flute, its crack dripping blood, drawing countless fish from both sides of the Dajiang waterfalls to surge forth.

Like carp leaping the Longmen, they flew out from the waterfalls carved by the Sword Madman, racing toward the dripping blood—beautiful, majestic, yet carrying a chilling horror upon deeper thought.

But Master Siming and Li Guanyi immediately recognized what it was.

The Qing Robe Longlife Guest!

His arm had been severed by Elder Murong's sword!

The Sword Madman had reached the level where sword and no sword were indistinct, yet as a swordsman, wielding a suitable mysterious weapon still surpassed pure qi in lethality. The old Master Siming, watching the carp leap from the waterfalls, twitched his eyelid, momentarily stunned.

He sighed complexly: "Elder Murong… Elder Murong."

"On the final path of your two-hundred-year life, you first shattered the strongest body of the Divine General's Martial Family, then severed the immortal body of the Longlife Guest—what will you do next?"

"Are you truly determined to swallow all eight hundred years of Jianghu's elegance with this body and this sword?"

"Will you only rest when every swordsman who follows knows your name and burns with fervor, bitterly regretting they were not born in your age?"

Boom!!!

The Qing Robe Longlife Guest's qi first poured forth—vast, overwhelming, nearly suffocating; even Jianghe seemed pressed lower. Yet at their level, top experts possessed the legendary flawless body.

All essence, energy, and spirit condensed within, as Master Zhang Ziyan of the Daoist sect said: 【One golden Jin Dan swallowed in the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's】—this was the level. Seemingly plain and humble, it was the purest Dao; once it showed off its might, it leaked primordial qi.

That would be disastrous.

Just as the Qing Robe Longlife Guest's qi spilled wildly, Li Guanyi's bronze cauldron finally condensed a single drop of jade nectar, crashing into his body. Instantly, the meridian pathways the Sword Madman had displayed using the Longlife Guest's body as a scroll appeared in his mind.

That sword intent, sharp and chilling, was seared into his mind.

【Longlife Elixir】【Indestructible Body】【Qing Robe Longlife Guest's Meridian System】

Merged as one, the clear cry of the Qing Luan bird echoed.

This single drop of jade nectar flowed rapidly through Li Guanyi's body, showing no sign of depletion. His own vitality erupted—dragon sinews, tiger marrow, golden glass body—fed by this overwhelming vitality, his physique rose at a visible pace.

If a martial artist's body becomes too strong without matching vitality, his lifespan is consumed.

But now, the Longlife Guest's qi itself propelled and supplied vitality to Li Guanyi's body; in an instant, his physique surged from its previous state to the absolute limit of the Fifth Heaven.

Dragon sinews, tiger marrow, golden glass body—now given vitality, revealed their true potential. The power of the Dragon-Tiger Dharma Form augmented his body. Li Guanyi's hand instinctively pressed against the ground, unable to control his strength.

The ground beneath his feet instantly caved into a pit, cracks spreading like spiderwebs outward. He gasped heavily, his exhaled breath seeming scorching as fire. The old Master Siming stared at Li Guanyi as if seeing a ghost:

"????? What the hell? Indestructible Longlife Body?"

"Wait—you were just supposed to watch and learn, and you actually learned it?!"

The Qing Robe Longlife Guest also looked stunned.

Only Elder Murong burst into loud laughter: "When I was young, I could master three hundred sword techniques in a single day. Only such talent could be my child."

The old Master Siming suddenly snapped to.

He reached out, seized his Black Tortoise Dharma Form, and hurled it with all his might—

"Old Tortoise, go!"

The Black Tortoise Dharma Form seemed to curse aloud.

Then it was flung away, spinning through the air, striking the severed arm of the soaring Longlife Guest. The arm fell, its severed end sharp, still radiating the Sword Madman's indomitable aura.

The old Master Siming snatched the bamboo flute and tossed it into Li Guanyi's arms:

"This is a divine weapon—pure wood, its vitality never fades. They say it was born from the ancient dwelling of the Azure Dragon, capable of purifying the spirit. Take it and run!"

"Go to our destination!"

The old Master Siming had witnessed what the Longlife Guest did—flesh refined into pills, immortality, countless methods originating from him. The old man couldn't defeat him, but when an opportunity arose, he had no qualms about kicking hard.

Hard kick!

The old Master Siming seized the Longlife Guest's severed arm and shoved it into his own chest.

Then he rode his Black Tortoise Dharma Form at full speed: "This damned arm's vitality never stops…" The severed arm clenched its fist and smashed straight into the old man's face. The old man, a Grand Master of Yin-Yang, was left with a swollen, bruised face from a single severed limb.

Yet he clung to it tightly:

"If he retrieves it, just placing it back on the stump will heal it completely—even if the Sword Madman pierced a hundred holes into the meridian system, it would fully restore to its original state."

"Like an old gecko."

"I'm taking this thing, Elder Murong!"

"You go the other way!"

"Damn it, don't hit my face!"

Elder Murong laughed heartily in agreement; the green-robed Longsheng Guest's gaze was calm, but Li Guanyi understood at once—he seized the Fire Qilin and Yao Guang and sprinted straight toward the distance, while the fish coated with the Longsheng Guest's aura leapt into the air and lunged at Li Guanyi.

The Fire Qilin opened its mouth and spat a blast of Fire Qilin Flame, igniting the night sky.

These fish, coated with the Longsheng Guest's aura, exploded in unison like the legendary Xiyumo Sect, sending up waves of blood that turned instantly to bloodwater upon hitting the ground, soaking the surrounding plants and animals.

Thus, snakes and wild beasts all went mad, charging toward Li Guanyi.

After several such episodes, he realized the blood-crazed beasts were growing more numerous.

Even the Fire Qilin was beginning to feel uneasy.

Li Guanyi rolled on the ground with Yao Guang, then snatched the pouch at his waist, his fingers nimble as he gripped a porcelain vial and smashed it hard against the earth—the final portion of Corpse-Dissolving Powder, personally prepared by Hou Zhongyu, scattered outward.

The snakes and wild beasts that passed over it stiffened suddenly, then exploded into bloodwater.

The bloodwater splashed onto other beasts, and within moments, they too exploded.

He turned all those frenzied creatures into bloodwater.

Only then did Li Guanyi exhale in relief, sprinting dozens of miles with Yao Guang in his arms: "We've finally shaken them off—I never expected it to end like this… Yao Guang…?!!"

Li Guanyi suddenly noticed the girl in his arms was unnaturally still. He found a safe spot and set her down—only then did he see her face flushed crimson, her forehead slick with sweat.

Li Guanyi suddenly realized something—he reached out and pressed his hand against Yao Guang's lips.

Then he gently pulled down her lower lip—blood streaked her corner, carrying an uncanny fragrance. Just now, Yao Guang had bitten the Longsheng Guest's palm, and he had deliberately let a drop of blood drip into her mouth.

But the girl was clever—she spat it out immediately. Even so, some poison had already seeped in. Li Guanyi immediately used the Yidao Sect's sacred imperial scripture, Ze Tian Guai, to heal her and purge the poison. By sunrise, Yao Guang's breath had stabilized.

Li Guanyi asked anxiously: "Are you alright?"

Yao Guang looked at him, quietly closed her eyes, and spoke in a tranquil voice:

"As long as you're unharmed, that's enough."

Seeing Yao Guang return to her normal state, Li Guanyi knew the Yidao Sect's Ze Tian Guai had worked—he exhaled in relief, slung her onto his back, and grumbled: "Why did you bite him?!"

Yao Guang's voice was calm. After a moment's thought, she said:

"You were being suppressed by his aura—I had to find a way."

"Even a moment's delay would help."

Li Guanyi said: "Biting him won't delay anything—what good is that…?"

"Alright, a cultivator bitten like that would probably freeze for a second."

Li Guanyi thought back—the Longsheng Guest had paused for an instant upon seeing Yao Guang's silver hair.

If he imagined himself in a fight, and his opponent drew his sword—he'd likely react nothing. But if a girl with silver-white hair and no expression suddenly opened her mouth and bit down with a crisp crunch—he'd probably freeze.

Li Guanyi had no rebuttal.

So the silver-haired girl, expressionless, merely gave a soft hum.

Li Guanyi said: "Still, with Grandpa Tai here, we'll be fine—just a scare."

He carried Yao Guang toward the town beyond, warning:

"Next time something like this happens, don't rush forward so recklessly."

"Your strange arts can get you away—but if the enemy turns on you, what then? Are we going to die together?"

The silver-haired girl's tone held no ripple. She merely wrapped her arms around Li Guanyi's neck and answered naturally:

"Then let's die together."

Li Guanyi froze. He said nothing, only tightened his grip on Yao Guang and walked toward the town, planning to inquire about their location before heading to the Gongsun Clan to await Grandpa Tai and Master Siming—meanwhile, the Sword Madman and the Longsheng Guest had already truly clashed, their whereabouts unknown.

At the site of yesterday's battle, the waterfall had crashed down and returned to the normal flow of Dajiang; all was quiet. A silver-haired man walked slowly forward.

The Four Legends: Whale Fishing.

He lifted his head.

No calculation was needed.

He simply walked forward, following the direction of Li Guanyi and Yao Guang.