Chapter 1 The Sky is Still Overcast

The air was thick with palpable killing intent, permeating the streets of Linlu Town, unyielding even to the fierce northern wind.

Amidst the wind's howl and the encroaching killing formation...

The seven figures stood poised, arrows nocked and ready.

While outside the circle of battle, Oda Ai and Sasaki Mei were wholly focused, vigilantly watching for movement... They understood that the true threat lay with the players; as for the martial artists of the Jianghu… they were no match for He Yang Xinci.

Whoosh—

In that instant, the wind ceased.

And with it, the swords began to dance.

The first to draw her blade was Poisonous Spider Sword, Tang Ling.

Among the five great swordsmen, she was the only woman, her qinggong unmatched, her swordsmanship unpredictable, and her skill with poison unparalleled. At times… she didn't even need to wound her opponent with her blade to send them to their demise.

In the blink of an eye!

Tang Ling had already appeared behind He Yang Xinci.

She wielded a light, swift sword, its tip aimed at her opponent's heart.

"The blood of swordsmen…" He Yang Xinci murmured, his tone almost wistful, "Is like the most exquisite flower in the world…"

Clang—

Even as he spoke, he parried the attack from behind with the long, dull sword in his hand.

His parrying stance appeared peculiar; no form of Central Plains swordsmanship would incorporate such a posture. Yet this seemingly impossible movement proved remarkably effective… Without moving his body in the slightest, He Yang Xinci, through the movement of his wrist and the unique shape of his weapon, managed to block the swift strike of a top-tier swordsman.

This single maneuver sent a ripple of unease through the other six who surrounded him.

"And this flower… blooms only in the space between life and death…" As the second half of the sentence left his lips, He Yang Xinci… finally drew his sword.

When he severed Luo Can's arm, he hadn't used his sword, but merely his hand…

And the parry just now barely qualified as "drawing his sword," he was simply defending himself.

His true skill was about to be revealed…

Hum—

A strange sound sliced through the air.

It didn't sound like a sword, but rather like a heavy, long weapon being swung.

"Careful!" A shout rang out, followed by a blur of motion.

The one who cried out had clearly seen He Yang Xinci's technique.

Of the six—the five great swordsmen and Feng Meiyu—only two… could decipher the move.

The first was Zizhu Hermit, Meng He, but he remained silent.

Therefore, the one who shouted "Careful!" and rushed forward was the other—Nanhai Camel Immortal, Ma Tayun.

Throughout the martial world, Ma Tayun's martial arts talent was considered second to none. He began training at seven, and by fifteen, he was already a rising star. Unfortunately, he suffered from a rare congenital disease that was unnoticeable in his youth, but after twenty, his back began to hunch, growing increasingly deformed. In less than three years, his back resembled an overturned wok, rendering him unable to stand straight.

Thus, a martial arts prodigy who might have achieved greatness was hampered by his physical limitations.

Fortunately, Ma Tayun didn't give up. Through years of arduous training and adaptation, he created a unique "Wok-Back Swordsmanship." This style could only be used by those with severe hunchbacks like himself, and was impossible for normal people to execute… or to defend against.

Because 99% of "martial arts techniques" were created based on the assumption that the opponent was standing upright. If the opponent's body deviated from the norm, many techniques would lose their effectiveness.

For example, the same strike aimed at a man of 1.7 meters might hit the heart, but aimed at a man of 1.4 meters, it might merely graze his shoulder. Similarly, if aimed at a man of 2 meters, it would likely puncture his stomach or intestines.

Therefore, when facing a practitioner of Wok-Back Swordsmanship, even the most skilled martial artist would feel powerless. These experts, accustomed to fighting upright opponents, found it difficult to deal with someone who was constantly hunched over and adapted to fighting in that posture.

However… He Yang Xinci's swordsmanship was unaffected by such things.

"Take this, villain!"

Though Ma Tayun had come for the *Jian Wu Cao Ji*, he was a righteous man at heart. Seeing the danger in He Yang Xinci's attack, and realizing that Tang Ling might not be able to withstand it, he immediately intervened. Using his unique posture, he launched himself like a slingshot, striking first… aiming his Pine-Patterned Ancient Sword at He Yang Xinci's lower ribs.

His attack was a classic example of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao." Ma Tayun reasoned: He Yang Xinci was, after all, fighting against multiple opponents; he wouldn't risk serious injury to kill a single one. Therefore, he would surely try to defend against his attack, and that moment of dodging, blocking, or hesitation would be enough for the agile Tang Ling to escape the slash of the dull sword.

"Well done…" He Yang Xinci said calmly, unhurried, neither warm nor cold, "I'll just take care of both of you at once…"

Hum hum—

Two more strange sounds rang out in quick succession.

He Yang Xinci sunk into a deep horse stance, his wrist shifting…

In an instant, the long, heavy, dull sword vanished from sight!

Whoosh—

In that fleeting second, the strange sound of the dull sword suddenly transformed into the swift rush of wind.

Then, Tang Ling and Ma Tayun's movements… ceased along with the wind.

"Shintenchuge-ryū·Iai·Rikifūjin (God-given Ultimate Sword Style, Iaido, Power Seal Flash)." As He Yang Xinci sheathed his sword, the dull blade reappeared in the eyes of the others.

The moment he finished announcing the name of his technique, Tang Ling and Ma Tayun's bodies… were simultaneously severed in two.

Perhaps… He Yang Xinci was right.

The lives of the two swordsmen, in the instant they vanished, transformed into two spots of crimson, blooming on the cold earth.

"What an incredible monster…" Oda Ai murmured softly from her vantage point in the rear. "'A drawing sword technique that requires no sheath'… I've never even heard of such a thing, and now I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Indeed…" Sasaki Mei replied quietly, hearing her teammate's words. "Not to mention… he's wielding a weapon of such exaggerated size and weight…"

"Heh…" He Yang Xinci chuckled softly, a rare occurrence. "Abandoning the sheath… is merely the beginning of mastering Iai. When your wrist strength and control over power reach a certain point… the length of the hilt, the sharpness of the blade, and even the sheath itself… become meaningless."

Clearly, he had overheard the players' conversation and offered them a few pointers. His effortless demeanor undoubtedly stemmed from his confidence in his own strength…

He had the right to be confident…

The corpses of the two great swordsmen and the blood-soaked earth behind and before him were ample proof of his earth-shattering martial arts.

"Come now, surely this isn't the end?" After a few seconds, He Yang Xinci looked at the four remaining opponents, his tone calm yet challenging.

Just then, suddenly!

"The four of you!" A loud voice called out from an alleyway nearby. "Allow Tu to lend you a hand!"