Chapter 454: Holding the Girl in My Arms (Two-in-One)

Under the gaze of who knows how many people here and in the outside world, this farce unfolded without a care for the onlookers.

Surrounded by heavy layers of armored soldiers, the young man and woman staged an ambiguous game of cat and mouse.

The girl, looking like a sword, pursed her lips with an expression of ridding the people of a scourge, and thrust her sword toward the bewildered and confused boy.

"Wait a second! What exactly did I do wrong?"

"I don't think my crimes warrant this!"

What exactly did Huhu do wrong?

You should at least tell me!

"Why are you stabbing me?"

Li Qiushui pursed her lips and did not answer, pretending she hadn't heard Ren Yidao's wailing, and buried her head as she increased her speed by another ten percent.

In truth, even Li Qiushui herself was somewhat unable to understand why she was making such an undignified move.

She was happy that Ren Yidao could come to help her; she was truly happy.

On the other hand, she also harbored a great deal of dissatisfaction in her heart regarding Ren Yidao having disappeared for such a long time.

When these two emotions collided, Li Qiushui did not know how to handle them for a moment.

After some strange reaction that she didn't understand, her emotions ended up being expressed in this manner.

Li Qiushui could not figure it out herself, but Ren Yidao, who was being chased, had roughly understood.

Strictly speaking, although others might not be able to tell, this was actually a form of acting spoiled, similar to how other girls might say, "I'll beat your chest with my little fists!"

It was just that, in Li Qiushui's case, this way of acting spoiled was a bit hardcore.

She was holding a sword.

Although Ren Yidao was not afraid of the Long Sword in Li Qiushui's hand, he had no interest in being stabbed by anyone.

He generally preferred to be the one doing the stabbing.

Besides, Ren Yidao asked himself what crime he had committed that deserved this sword.

Even if Huhu is guilty, it doesn't warrant this!

Thus, he fled.

Thus, she chased.

They unfolded a thrilling chase and escape battle within the encirclement of the Divine Guards.

The surrounding Divine Guards were not dead; it wasn't that they hadn't thought of intervening, but they had failed every time they tried.

Whenever they prepared to strike, they would be blocked by that flickering, giant white fox.

Yuwen Tianye: "..."

And the Nine Princes from the Southern Border Divine Dynasty did not speak a word the entire time, his pair of mysterious Double Pupil eyes filled with confusion.

What is this?

What is all this!

Yuwen Tianye had always prided himself on being able to see through the essence of things.

But this time, he... was somewhat unable to understand.

What, what, what, what is all this!

And after chasing and fleeing for a long time, Ren Yidao, who was running with ease as the fleeing party, suddenly realized a problem.

"No, why am I running?"

"If I run, doesn't it make it look even more like I have a guilty conscience?"

"I should stand my ground!"

Right!

I am innocent.

After thinking this through, Ren Yidao's footsteps came to an abrupt halt; he stood still a few dozen meters away from Li Qiushui and turned back to glare at her.

"I'm warning you, if you keep this up, I'm going to fight back!"

"Stop! You..."

Whoosh—

But unfortunately, Li Qiushui, who was truly angry after chasing for so long, paid him no mind.

Gritting her teeth, she thrust directly at him!

After dodging a sword strike aimed straight at his lower abdomen, Ren Yidao's expression changed once again.

Damn it, she's not falling for this!

Fine.

Since kind words are useless, don't blame me for not playing by the rules!

He shouted loudly and unleashed a forbidden Secret Technique.

"You can't treat me like this! I'm your father's good brother!"

How bold of you, Li Qiushui, to defy the natural order!

To actually attempt to assassinate your uncle!

It would have been better if Ren Yidao hadn't spoken; once these words were out, Li Qiushui, who was already angry, became even angrier.

"Shut up!"

The bashfulness and annoyance in her heart immediately transformed into genuine killing intent.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

One sword strike was faster than the last, but all were dodged by Ren Yidao at the very last second.

Ren Yidao saw the situation was not good, once again transformed into Ren the Runner, and put distance between himself and the Demon Sword Li Qiushui.

While running, he warned her again:

"This is my last warning to you! Do not force me any further!"

To this, Li Qiushui's response was still a sword strike.

"Hmph!"

Li Qiushui was so angry her teeth itched.

I am forcing you, so what!?

While running and dodging swords, Ren Yidao still had the energy to look back and sneer:

"Even if you are the strongest sword, so what? I am going to take out my strongest shield, and you definitely won't be able to achieve Broken Defense!"

"Once I take it out, you will definitely beg me to put it away!"

Li Qiushui sneered, not answering at all.

If I ever ask you to put it away, I won't be surnamed Li, I'll take your surname from now on!

"You don't believe me, right? Fine! I'll let you broaden your horizons right now!"

Seeing she had no intention of repenting, Ren Yidao stopped his steps again, pulled an object from his sleeve, and decisively blocked it in front of him.

That shield was a full person tall, a person wide, a person thick, and a person heavy...

That's right.

It was Shi Xue!

"Alright, now it's your turn to deal with Demon Sword Li!"

"Ah?"

Shi Xue had been perfectly fine inside the sleeve, but was suddenly dragged out; before she could even see what the situation was, she felt a sharp, pressing aura rushing toward her.

???

What is the situation!?

"Again!!?"

You damn bastard, you're using me as a human shield again!?

Wait, why did I say 'again'???

On the other side, Li Qiushui, who had been full of confidence, also reacted and widened her eyes.

The next instant, the two women locked eyes, and then both instantly suffered a Broken Defense, shouting in unison:

"Ren Yidao!!!"

Are you sick in the head!

Are you even human?

Ren Yidao, being roared at like this, took a deep breath and felt his whole body was at ease.

"Yes, yes, yes, this is that familiar feeling."

"So refreshing!"

He shook his head with a sigh, threw Shi Xue behind him, sidestepped the sword edge that Li Qiushui had panicked and pulled back, and took a step forward, letting her crash into his embrace.

Thump.

"You!"

!!!

Li Qiushui's eyes widened; before she could react, just as she wanted to struggle and escape his embrace, she felt a pain in her wrist.

Clang.

Ren Yidao hugged Li Qiushui's waist with one hand and grabbed her wrist with the other, directly snatching the Sanlu Sword from her hand.

"Wait! No! It's dangerous! Let go quickly..."

Li Qiushui's expression changed; ignoring her shyness, she tried to snatch the Sanlu Sword back.

The Sanlu Sword has a spirit; if the wielder is not someone it recognizes, it will strike back at its master without hesitation!

"Oh, oh, oh, what a huge reaction!"

After grabbing the Sanlu Sword, Ren Yidao also discovered the problem; he felt it was like a boiler about to explode, constantly vibrating in his palm, struggling to escape his hand.

And then, there was no then.

Ren Yidao gripped his palm with force, relying purely on brute strength to suppress the vibration...

Not convinced?

You're the only one not convinced, right?

Kid, have you heard of convincing people with reason?

How about convincing people with force?

If you don't understand reason, then this Daoist also knows a thing or two about fisticuffs.

"This..."

Li Qiushui, held tightly in Ren Yidao's arms, forgot to struggle at this moment, staring blankly at the Sanlu Sword that had fallen silent after being suppressed by him.

"It was suppressed? No, it recognized him?"

Feeling the Sanlu Sword's emotions shift from anger to confusion, gradually turning into joy, and finally into ecstasy, Li Qiushui was stunned.

"Ah?"

"Is this possible?"

As the sword master recognized by the Sanlu Sword, Li Qiushui knew very well how terrifying its power was.

When the three ancestors of the Sword Casting Hut forged this sword back then, it was purely to show off their techniques and abilities; they didn't care at all how high the requirements for the user would be, blindly stacking its attributes.

In the end, they successfully created a quasi-Supreme Treasure that was extremely powerful, but also had extremely harsh requirements for the wielder.

One must cultivate spiritual power, the physical body, and Dao Technique simultaneously, and all must reach at least the Void Refinement level.

This requirement sounds simple enough, but in reality, there is almost no one who meets the conditions.

Dual cultivation of body and technique is already one in ten thousand, and triple cultivation is impossible to find among ten thousand people, let alone having all of them reach the level of Void Refinement.

The people of the Sword Casting Hut can use it because of their origin; the Sanlu Sword still has feelings for the sect that forged it and allows them to hold it.

They say they are wielding the sword, but in reality, the Sanlu Sword is cooperating with their attacks; they are just tool people holding the sword.

Li Qiushui can use it because she has a Heavenly Sword Spirit Body and is favored by the Sanlu Sword, which takes the initiative to lend its power.

Stronger than the people of the Sword Casting Hut, the relationship between them is that of comrades working together in full cooperation.

But in Ren Yidao's hands, the situation is different again.

The Sanlu Sword has recognized Ren Yidao.

That is recognition!

A distinction never before seen since the Sanlu Sword came into the world!

What does this mean?

It means that it will truly become a sword in his hands, hacking through thorns and thistles under his control.

Ren Yidao also noticed the unusual movement of the Sanlu Sword, but he did not care.

He also felt the ecstatic emotion coming from the Sanlu Sword and curled his lip.

Fallen so quickly?

In Ren Yidao's perception, this sword is a spineless thing; he only used a little intimidation, and it exposed its belly to surrender.

Heh.

Another sycophantic sword.

He didn't take this sword to heart at all.

Just like many things, the more something is given for free, the less easy it is to cherish.

And while Ren Yidao was disdaining the Sanlu Sword for its fawning, Li Qiushui suddenly realized another thing.

"Wait, since he can be recognized by the Sanlu Sword, that means... he has broken through to Void Refinement? And he broke through all three paths!!?"

Ah???

This shocking fact left Li Qiushui dazed for a moment, and she looked up at Ren Yidao blankly.

He... Void Refinement?

Triple cultivation, the number one person under the Heaven Realm?

In Li Qiushui's impression, although Ren Yidao was often not very reliable, he was very powerful in terms of strength and should have the strength of the Transformation Realm.

Strong, but not to the point where he couldn't be caught up to.

Li Qiushui stepped into the Transformation Realm, and relying on the advantage of her Sword Spirit Body, she had the confidence to fight anyone in the Transformation Realm.

She originally thought she had caught up to Ren Yidao and had the qualifications to talk to him as an equal.

But now, you suddenly tell me that he is actually not in the Transformation Realm, but in Void Refinement?

A breakthrough in a major realm like Void Refinement is not a simple, small matter; it is impossible for all three paths to have broken through in such a short time.

So, has he always been in Void Refinement?

Is he lying to me?

After realizing this, the huge shock left Li Qiushui a bit dazed, and she couldn't stop her mind from wandering along this line of thought.

Then, was he just playing with me all this time before?

That demon ghost of the Transformation Realm back then, was it actually something he could have solved without any effort?

Then my resolutions, in his eyes, were they just as ridiculous as a child's joke?

And what about his feelings for me?

Are they also fake?

Am I just a child who can be teased at will?

I...

"What's wrong?"

Ren Yidao's voice, gentle yet carrying a hint of playfulness and teasing, rang out, bringing the wandering Li Qiushui back to her senses.

"Oh, don't cry, I'll return it to you."

He smiled bitterly, inserted the now-conquered Sanlu Sword back into the scabbard at her waist, and said coaxingly as if to a child:

"Be good, I won't snatch it from you, I'm returning it, returning it."

Looking at Ren Yidao's cautious appearance, afraid of making her cry, and the reluctant wailing of the Sanlu Sword in her ears, Li Qiushui burst into laughter.

Pfft, haha.

Foolish people trouble themselves.

Some things, why look back and think about them again?

Since things have come to this, he is standing right in front of me; what is there that I cannot ask clearly?

Thus, she spoke.

"Ren Yidao."

"Hmm?"

Li Qiushui spoke, only to find her voice strangely hoarse, but she ignored these small matters and stared into Ren Yidao's eyes, asking earnestly.

"Have you ever lied to me?"

Li Qiushui was not as good at speaking as her brother, nor did she know how to read people's hearts; she only knew how to use her own way to ask clearly and directly.

This body is like a sword, this heart is like a sword.

Sensing Li Qiushui's seriousness, Ren Yidao put away his unserious attitude and thought about it just as seriously.

"I have deceived you, but I didn't do it on purpose; there were just many things I didn't deliberately explain."

"Is that so..."

Seeing Ren Yidao admit it so frankly, Li Qiushui did not know whether she should be happy for his honesty or sad for this deception.

But just as Li Qiushui's head gradually lowered, Ren Yidao spoke again.

"If you don't like it, I will try my best not to deceive you in the future."

He said it lightly, but it carried an extremely heavy weight.

He was not just brushing her off, but seriously making a promise.

"At a time like this, shouldn't you say you won't deceive me again?"

"Then I really can't guarantee that; there will always be times when I have no choice."

Ren Yidao shook his head; he would not make that kind of meaningless promise.

"If you deceive me..."

Ren Yidao blinked, smiled easily, and said nonchalantly:

"Well, when that time comes, I won't run; I'll just stand there and let you stab me with a sword."

"... Heh."

Li Qiushui's lips moved, and finally, she broke into a smile through her tears, casting him a tearful, reproachful glance.

But she quickly put away her smile and muttered:

"And, I didn't cry."

"Yes, yes, yes, you didn't cry, you didn't cry; it was me who cried, and it all flowed onto your face... hmm?"

Thump.

Just as Ren Yidao was speaking, he felt his backside get kicked hard by the tip of a shoe.

"Hey!"

Turning his head, Ren Yidao saw Shi Xue, with blood vessels about to burst on her head, glaring at him with a displeased expression.

"Oh, you're still here?"

"Hey!!?"