Chapter 234: Mixed Doubles (Revised)

Huhuhu~

Cold winds swept through the endless snowfield, carrying heavy snowflakes.

Li Huaichuan walked alone through Jianchuan, sword in hand, his cloak snapping behind him, fingers lightly brushing the hilt at his waist, memories of the pursuit he’d followed since childhood flashing once more through his mind.

The sword at his waist was named “Ting Xue,” the final famed blade forged from Jianchuan stone, the very sword that launched the Lishan Sword Cottage, first wielded by the Founding Master, then carried by Emperor Zhou Taizu in founding the empire, later held by the third Sect Master, who wielded it throughout the entire Witch Cult Rebellion, and after his martyrdom, recovered by allies of the Righteous Alliance.

Though not ranked as a celestial artifact, it was a genuine legendary sword, its defeated foes and the turbulent eras it had endured no less illustrious than the divine weapons of famed sects.

The name “Ting Xue” carried a peculiar meaning.

Snow falls in silence, just as a sword passes unseen—how could ordinary mortals hear it?

But those who leave behind sword intent—those whose single strike cleaves a river, whose sword intent lingers for a thousand years before fading—this final remnant of intent was forged into this blade, still allowing later generations to feel its edge.

This “Ting Xue” does not hear the sound of falling snow, but the faint, ancient sword intent buried within the blizzard.

Li Huaichuan longed for the day when he too could cleave a river with one sword, so that future generations, a thousand years hence, would still feel the peerless brilliance of his strike.

But sadly, he was clearly unworthy of this sword.

Though he had long held the rank of Supergrade, he remained the weakest master this sword had ever known—though this was only temporary.

Just now he received an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch: Lu Yan of Wuling Mountain had arrived in Lizhoucheng, inquiring everywhere about Xie Jin’s whereabouts; according to scouts, Xie Jin might be patrolling near Jianchuan for demon bandits.

Li Huaichuan, seeking to advance further, had long monitored the movements of the Five Divine Gifts; after Lu Yan’s incident, he inquired with the Daoist sects and learned roughly that Lu Yan had been bested by Xie Jin.

If the intelligence was true, Lu Yan was coming to settle old scores and reclaim the Lingguang Divine Gift.

If Lu Yan could take it, why couldn’t he?

Moreover, as the elder guardian of Lizhou, upon receiving word that outside cultivators were sneaking about within his jurisdiction, wasn’t it more justified for him to investigate than for Lu Yan?

If he truly found Xie Jin—a southern court cultivator who didn’t accompany the envoy team but slipped across the border secretly—who knew what he intended? Wasn’t it reasonable for him to arrest and interrogate him?

Xie Jin would surely refuse to cooperate, perhaps even resist, or attempt to flee; if he killed him to prevent escape, wouldn’t that be acceptable?

As for why he must kill—reason was simple: either don’t take it, or take it completely; if you seize a prodigy and don’t silence him, you’re inviting trouble.

Even if southern sects later demanded justice, they couldn’t reach into Beizhou.

As for Beizhou’s imperial court demanding accountability, he could simply apologize and offer compensation; Empress Dowager Guo wouldn’t execute a meritorious elder over a careless mistake made while patrolling demon bandits to appease the southern court.

Though risky, if he found Xie Jin before Lu Yan, he’d secure his ticket to the Fifth Realm; compared to slowly withering toward death, this risk meant nothing.

As Li Huaichuan walked, he silently hoped the outside intelligence was true—that Xie Jin was indeed near Jianchuan.

But the facts proved the scouts outside weren’t all useless.

After traveling deeper along Jianchuan, faint footprints appeared on the ice river below.

Li Huaichuan’s gaze sharpened; he flashed through the swirling snow, following the tracks, and moments later arrived before an abandoned mine entrance—on the snow at the mouth were two fresh sets of footprints, with no exit prints.

Li Huaichuan wasn’t certain this was his target; he’d planned to enter and search, but soon, faint wind-noises came from within the cave:

Huhuhu~

From the sounds, two people were moving swiftly toward the cave’s mouth, suppressing their presence.

Li Huaichuan immediately fell into stillness, sword in hand, waiting quietly beneath a hundred-zhang cliff.

But just as the footsteps neared the cave mouth, they vanished abruptly.

?

Li Huaichuan was certain he hadn’t been detected; puzzled, he didn’t move…

—

Tap-tap-tap…

Xie Jin sensed something was off; he hurried back along the same path, alert for possible ambushes.

Bu Yuehua realized her trail had been exposed and went on full alert; seeing light ahead and sensing no one at the cave mouth, she prepared to fly out and scan the surroundings.

But before her feet even left the ground, the child behind her suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her in a bear hug, right arm around her chest, left hand clamping over her mouth.

Boom~

Both froze in place.

Bu Yuehua noticed Xie Jin’s technique for embracing a woman was extremely practiced—he’d seized her with no hesitation, gripping tightly, fingers sinking into soft, resilient flesh; her face flushed crimson. She tried to break free, but then heard:

“Shhh~ There’s an ambush outside.”

“?”

Bu Yuehua had entered the Supergrade and was no stranger to vigilance, yet she hadn’t sensed anything amiss at the cave mouth; her eyes narrowed in confusion.

But the precedent of Huifeng Valley gave her no reason to doubt Xie Jin’s judgment; she instantly silenced her presence and quietly pressed his large hand down on the snow.

Xie Jin hadn’t sensed anyone outside either, but had suddenly heard the “A Piao Radar” alarm; seeing the Immortal Bu preparing to rush out, he’d hastily pulled her back.

As for where he’d grabbed—habit. After being slapped by Senior Bu, he quickly released his full grip, his peripheral vision fixed on A Piao.

Ye Hongshang drifted beside him, carefully sensing the outside:

“A Supergrade swordsman is blocking the left side of the cave mouth, twelve zhang away. Doesn’t look like a good person.”

Supergrade swordsman…

Hearing this description, Xie Jin guessed it must be Li Huaichuan; after all, Jianchuan, like the seven-hundred-li Zihui Mountain, was under Lishan Sword Cottage’s jurisdiction, and Lizhou was a frontier prefecture—only Li Huaichuan was a Supergrade here.

Realizing the Lizhou authority was lying in wait outside, Xie Jin knew the situation was grim.

He’d nearly been destroyed last time in the southern frontier; this journey, he’d learned his lesson, traveling under aliases with no trace left.

For them to pinpoint his location and ambush him here, it could only be a “luring the snake from its hole” scheme.

For instance, spreading rumors widely across Lizhou’s border about the “Soul Binding Chain,” luring them to Baihua County, then using corpses and other clues to draw them to Jianchuan and the mine—once he appeared in Jianchuan, they’d shut the door and crush the dragon.

But to pull this off, they’d first need to know Bu Yuehua’s family vendetta, second, know she was traveling with him, and third, deduce his approximate location.

Bu Yuehua’s vendetta and movements could be uncovered by the southern Witch Alliance.

His approximate location could be deduced by the Great Qian’s high command.

Spreading rumors widely and mobilizing Beizhou Supergrades for an ambush—only a power deeply rooted in Beizhou could do this.

If this was truly a setup, the force behind it was terrifyingly vast.

Xie Jin didn’t believe such a colossal dragon could still hide in today’s world—but the only explanation left was that demonic Daoist forces spanned both north and south.

And Li Huaichuan outside—whether pawn or demonic Daoist hound—was here to kill him; if there were the slightest chance he was an ally, he wouldn’t be at this critical position.

Though aware of the man’s intent, Xie Jin didn’t alert him; instead, he called out: “Are you Senior Li Huaichuan?”

Outside the mine, Li Huaichuan stood amid silent snowfall; hearing his name spoken directly, he paused, then replied coldly:

“Who are you, villain, causing trouble here?”

“Senior Li misunderstands—I’m not a villain. I’m Xie Jinhuan, military officer of the southern court envoy team. I trust Senior Li has heard my name.”

“Oh?”

Li Huaichuan realized Xie Jin was truly here—and alone; his eyes burned hot, his long-cooled blood boiling at once!

But this youth’s perception was too sharp; to avoid mishaps, Li Huaichuan didn’t act rashly, instead walking slowly toward the cave mouth with a paternal smile:

“You’re the Xie Jinhuan, the young hero who rose to fame at Sanjiangkou? I’ve long admired your name; I never expected you’d come to Lizhou…”

“Senior Li is too kind…”

Xie Jin responded with equal enthusiasm, stepping quickly toward the cave mouth.

Bu Yuehua followed behind, intending to warn Xie Jin not to be careless—but in the next instant, her face turned pale!

Xie Jin appeared eager, brandishing his spear and sprinting forward—but as Li Huaichuan’s silhouette neared, he suddenly stomped his right foot!

Dong—

The rock beneath shattered; a muffled thunder erupted without warning from within the mine; his Black Dragon Spear surged like a black dragon smashing into a pillar, the thrust shattering surrounding stone walls, forming a whirlwind of shattered rock and ice crystals, slamming into the cliffside!

Gonglong—

Li Huaichuan had indeed planned to kill and seize the treasure—but he hadn’t even shown his face; he never expected this youth to strike first!

By the time the explosion sounded, the two-chi spearhead had already shattered three chi of rock, pointing straight at his throat!

The sudden, terrifying assault made Li Huaichuan’s hair stand on end; had this been an ordinary warrior, this lightning-fast killing strike would have been utterly unavoidable.

But even if Li Huaichuan was mediocre among Supergrades, he still stood worlds apart from First Grade cultivators.

In the instant the spear pierced the rock, Li Huaichuan’s body moved against all logic—blinking sideways at light-speed, instantly creating distance; his waist-sheathed sword, Ting Xue, drew and swept horizontally toward the mine:

Sa—

The three-chi blue blade swept through the falling snow; the ice river beneath shattered completely; a terrifying sword cry carried a suffocating sharpness, carving a two-chi-wide horizontal groove into the cliff walls, slicing diagonally into the mountain stone!

Xie Jin’s spear missed; he didn’t retreat—he advanced, nearly crouching beneath the mountain-shattering sword qi, and as he passed, whispered softly:

“Yao Guang!”

Bang—

With a burst of energy, his body accelerated, diving into the ice river within the crevice!

Bu Yuehua didn’t stand idle; the moment Xie Jin moved, she flew out without hesitation, dragging her long, curved blade behind her, spinning through the mine and releasing thick toxic mist, nearly synchronizing with Xie Jin as they leapt over the sword qi together.

Gonglong—

After his strike, Li Huaichuan heard an explosion from within the cave; a vast tide of emerald-green toxic smoke erupted outward, instantly spreading across the hundred-zhang crevice, turning the area into a misty sea.

The two who had just emerged vanished into the poison mist, their traces lost.

Li Huaichuan hadn’t expected Xie Jin to have a poison sect expert with him; he immediately sealed his body with Gangqi , sweeping one sword through the mist, carving a tear in the fog.

But the poison sect master who released the mist had clearly entered the Supergrade—he could control the fog over a wide area; the moment the sword qi tore open a gap, the swirling smoke instantly sealed shut, obscuring all sight.

?!

Li Huaichuan realized Xie Jin had a “guardian”; his caution surged. He guarded against the poison rat’s most feared curses and toxins, carefully sensing every whisper of wind in the mist:

“You brat, I treated you with courtesy, yet you launched a treacherous strike—you’ve brought death upon yourself…”

Huhuhu~

The mist in the gorge blotted out sky and earth, yet deathly silent—only the howling wind stirred by the Gangqi remained.

Xie Jinhuan stood atop the shattered ice river, spear in hand, his aura frozen still, his icy eyes fixed on the depths of the green mist.

Bu Yuehua held her single saber backward in her left hand, standing motionless at his side, her gaze asking whether to retreat or fight.

Xie Jinhuan had realized this was a trap—the one who set it clearly wanted him dead. Fighting here meant isolation with no backup; the enemy was hidden while he was exposed, and reinforcements could arrive at any moment. Fleeing was the safest option.

But Li Huaichuan, as an elder swordsman of Lizhou, was no weakling. If they ran, he couldn’t fly through the air, and Bu Yuehua carrying him would be caught. Once caught, turning to fight back would be far harder.

After a brief pause, Xie Jinhuan silently turned his head toward the side, signaling for a swift, decisive strike.

Bu Yuehua, a seasoned veteran, understood without words. Her body, boneless as a phantom, glided along the frozen river toward the right.

Ssshh—

Li Huaichuan, though elderly, was no slouch. At the very moment they moved, his gaze snapped to their location, and his three-foot sword rose instantly:

Ssshh—

Boom—

A chilling sword qi tore through the ice, carving a gap more than a zhang wide through the churning mist, reaching all the way to Xie Jinhuan’s position.

Simultaneously, Xie Jinhuan erupted forward in a sudden assault, raising his Minglong Spear mid-stride, his muscles bulging as he let out a thunderous roar:

“Hah—!”

The nine-foot Minglong Spear hurtled forward, its vortex of violent wind shattering the ice beneath into a swirling tornado of toxic mist and shattered ice, carving a spiral path through the mist straight toward Li Huaichuan, dozens of zhang away!

Boom—

This spear thrust was a killing technique from the outset, amplified by Xie Jinhuan’s inhuman physique—its power rivaled that of an ordinary Supergrade.

Li Huaichuan’s eyes flickered with surprise, yet he did not dodge. Instead, he raised his left hand, and his surrounding Gangqi instantly solidified into tangible form!

Creak—

The unstoppable Minglong Spear struck the invisible Gangqi —and lodged like a nail driven into an unseen wall.

The spear shaft halted, trembling violently, yet penetrated no more than two cun. The explosive force around it erupted outward, sweeping past Li Huaichuan, instantly shattering the ice river and sending up a torrent of flying water.

Boom—

Xie Jinhuan knew breaking a Supergrade’s defense was unlikely. As soon as he launched the spear, he charged forward with full force, nearly chasing after it. At the instant the spear stalled, he slammed his palm forward like a celestial dragon extending its claw, striking the spear’s tail.

Boom—

Under the heavy impact, the Minglong Spear drove forward another two feet, piercing through the protective Gangqi and reaching just before Li Huaichuan’s palm!

But Li Huaichuan was no fool standing idle. His movements flashed like thunder—he seized the spear shaft with his left hand, and his sword, Tingxue, swept forward in a tidal wave of blades, drenching Xie Jinhuan’s entire body.

Ssshh-ssshh-ssshh—

His sword strikes sounded like a hundred birds singing in unison; a thousand sword shadows bloomed instantly amid the wind and snow.

Xie Jinhuan stood more than a zhang away. Even with his physique pushed to its limit, facing this utterly unreasonable realm suppression, he felt the helplessness of gazing at an endless ocean.

Yet he made no move to block. Instead, his right hand reached for his Tiangang Iron Club.

Li Huaichuan saw this youth, facing a killing blow, not dodge but stand there fumbling for his weapon. A sneer rose in his heart—this is what they call the strongest First-grade martial artist…

But at that very moment, a silver lightning bolt flashed suddenly through the churning mist:

Ssshh—

(End of Chapter)