Chapter 1492: Give Up That Thought

"Indeed, with your personality, how could you ever spit out what you've already swallowed? Back then, I shouldn't have been soft-hearted. If I had contested the position of Sect Master with you, the Yunlu Abode wouldn't have ended up in this state today." Li Hongyu sighed slightly: "Since it has come to this, there is nothing left for us to say. Let us begin."

"Heh, I heard that during the time Senior Brother was locked in the Blood Spring, you realized quite a few things." Qingsong said leisurely: "It just so happens that today I shall also learn from you and see exactly how you, the Senior Brother once hailed as having the greatest talent in the sect, are doing now."

"Very well, Qingsong, I never imagined that there would actually be such a day between us." Li Hongyu's expression was desolate, and he sighed slightly: "So be it. The sect is already a foul miasma now. Since that is the case, let us resolve all our past matters together."

Qingsong did not say a word. He beckoned with his right hand, and the sword in his hand left its sheath. The three-foot-long blade radiated a biting chill. He slowly raised the sword in his hand and pointed it at Li Hongyu.

"Senior Brother, where is your Zongyi Heshan Pen? That is your most prized Dharma Artifact. Take it out now and let me have a look." Qingsong said with a chuckle.

"It has been decades since we last met, and your sword is still as sharp as ever." Li Hongyu nodded slightly: "However, I no longer use my Zongyi Heshan Pen."

"You don't use it?" Qingsong's brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze toward Li Hongyu turned strange.

"Correct, I don't use it." Li Hongyu laughed: "Having been locked in that place for so long, my state of mind has changed, so I no longer have any use for that thing."

"That is your Life Dharma Artifact; you say you don't use it, so you just stop using it?" Qingsong found it somewhat hard to believe.

Because he knew clearly how important that object was to Li Hongyu's heart, and it was something he had used his entire life. To abandon it just like that? This made him feel it was somewhat inconceivable.

"People, after all, must change." Li Hongyu smiled slightly: "Clinging to the past without change has no meaning. Moreover, being locked in the Blood Spring for decades, I have had some realizations; I no longer have a use for those things."

"Then what do you use now?" Qingsong raised his head and looked at Li Hongyu with a solemn expression.

"I use this." Li Hongyu beckoned with his right hand, and seven wooden puppets appeared from his body, then took steps forward and lined up in front of Qingsong.

Looking at these several wooden puppets, Qingsong's brows locked tightly. These puppets were exquisitely carved; although they were not large, they were extremely agile. Most importantly, he vaguely sensed a trace of the power of the Heavenly Dao from these puppets.

"These things, did you realize them yourself?" Qingsong naturally knew these puppets were not that simple.

"Yes, I realized them myself." Li Hongyu nodded slightly and said: "To me, these things are also a form of cultivation."

"As expected of the Senior Brother; even in the harsh environment of the Blood Spring, you were able to realize such things." Qingsong nodded slightly and said: "It seems you have had further insights into the Heavenly Dao. Very well, since that is the case, let me experience Senior Brother's brilliant techniques."

"Please." Li Hongyu smiled slightly, watching Qingsong unhurriedly, signaling for Qingsong to strike first.

Qingsong did not stand on ceremony. He grabbed with his right hand, and the three-foot-long blade appeared in his hand. Then, he brandished the sword and slowly attacked toward Li Hongyu.

His movements did not look fast, but in reality, they had reached the extreme. Almost in an instant, he arrived before Li Hongyu.

The seven wooden puppets before Li Hongyu also moved in this instant. The puppets whistled away, meeting Qingsong's attack. The puppets' forms were extremely agile, and Qingsong was no pushover either. His sword made a circular turn, and a Taiji appeared before his eyes. He brandished his sword, one strike and one stance; although slow, it was airtight.

The water vapor in the surrounding air was condensed, forming small ice beads. The sky full of ice beads whistled like hail.

Qingsong's Cultivation was truly not low. Although he had been greedy for power all these years, his Cultivation had not fallen behind in the slightest. The Primordial Qi on the sword in his hand whistled, sending out ripples one after another.

With one sword strike, he forced back the puppets before him. Qingsong let out a deep shout, his figure flickered, and he conjured three afterimages. The three afterimages merged into one, and he thrust his sword toward Li Hongyu.

Li Hongyu did not dodge or evade, letting him pierce his chest with this sword.

Qingsong felt a surge of joy, thinking this battle had ended right there. But just at this moment, the figure before his eyes flickered, and the Li Hongyu he had pierced slowly vanished. What he saw instead was an afterimage.

With a flicker of a figure, Li Hongyu's form appeared at the other end, still wearing that chuckling expression.

"Senior Brother, it seems the Blood Spring not only failed to affect you, but instead allowed your strength to advance even further." Qingsong stared at Li Hongyu: "No wonder the masters favored you so much. You truly are an anomaly; even in that situation, you could keep yourself from becoming a Demon."

"Heh, originally I was going to become a Demon, but I was unwilling to just become one like that, so I realized a few things myself. What I didn't expect was that these things would be so useful to me." Li Hongyu laughed: "I realized another 'me' to take the punishment in my stead."

"If it weren't for this, I fear I would have already become a Demon by now. I must thank you." Li Hongyu raised his head and looked at Qingsong: "If it weren't for you, perhaps I wouldn't have been able to realize this method of cultivation."

"No need to thank me." Qingsong gritted his teeth as he looked at Li Hongyu. He finally understood the feeling of hating someone to the core but being unable to do anything about them. The sword in his hand flickered slightly, and he attacked toward Li Hongyu again.

The two fought together once more. Li Hongyu was clearly holding back; otherwise, with his current strength, Qingsong could not have held out for so long.

However, in other places, the battle had already reached its final stages. Qingsong knew that the general trend had left him, so his movements became increasingly desperate.

"Junior Brother, why must you be so obsessed and refuse to repent?" Li Hongyu shouted deeply, and with a beckon of his right hand, all seven wooden puppets stepped forward.

The seven wooden puppets represented the Seven Emotions. In an instant, Qingsong's emotions were affected. As the sword in his hand moved, his Primordial Qi lost control. With a buzzing sound, the sword in his hand snapped into three pieces.

Staring blankly at the sword hilt in his hand, Qingsong spat out a mouthful of blood. His appearance aged at an extremely rapid speed; a moment later, he was already white-haired and aged.

He had lost all his Cultivation. That high-and-mighty image was actually maintained by his own Cultivation. Now that his Cultivation was gone, he could no longer maintain that image.