Two Heavenly Palace Realm masters clashed high in the sky, exchanging hundreds of blows in a short time. The battle had already moved them to a deserted area beyond the city outskirts.
Birds and beasts scattered in terror; mountains and rivers seemed to crumble.
With another clash of palms, the two retreated several steps.
Xiao Lin's breath was ragged, the corner of his mouth stained with blood, and his body already wounded. The black-robed elder, in contrast, was unharmed. His eyes, like a hawk's, were fixed intently on Xiao Lin.
Or more accurately, he was staring at the long, black-cloth-wrapped object on Xiao Lin's back.
The reason he hadn't used his full strength was to guard against it.
No master, no matter how powerful, could face it without apprehension.
For that was the Dragon Sparrow, one of the few divine weapons in the world and one of the three great treasures of the Imperial Court. Forged entirely from meteoric iron, its blade was engraved with a dragon and a sparrow, and it was said to be able to sever any other blade in the world.
Rumors in the common world also claimed that decades ago, the Dragon Sparrow had not belonged to the court, but was the most prized treasure of the Duan Yue Valley, a sect in the Martial World.
But the Great Jin Dynasty proclaimed that the Dragon Sparrow had been the court's blade since ancient times, merely lost to the outside world for several hundred years...
"Ugh!"
After dozens more exchanges, Xiao Lin's body was covered in more and more wounds. In terms of raw power, he had few rivals in the Heavenly Palace Realm, yet his confidence was being brutally crushed by the black-robed elder before him.
Every time, his twin blades were caught barehanded by the elder, unable to advance an inch. Instead, the rebounding force would injure him.
*Pfft!*
Xiao Lin spat out a mouthful of black blood, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the black-robed elder, his pupils trembling.
"I never would have thought... the Mingdu Elder, who struck terror into the hearts of the Martial World a century ago, a man rumored to fear neither ghosts nor gods, has become a dog for the Imperial Court's Pei Family..."
His identity exposed, the black-robed elder showed no surprise, only chuckling darkly.
"The Mingdu Elder died long ago from his own Nether Poison. From that day on, there has been no Mingdu Elder in this world, only the 'Martial Saint' in the service of the Pei Mansion."
Xiao Lin's expression darkened, his pupils quivering as if recalling some terrible memory. He lowered his voice.
"That incident... was your Pei Family involved?"
The moment his words fell, the black-robed elder lunged forward. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as a thick black mist billowed out, surging toward Xiao Lin.
This was a strike that no one below the Faxiang Realm could possibly receive.
Though covered in blood, Xiao Lin suddenly spread his arms, letting his twin blades fall.
He reached a hand behind his back, seeming to grasp a hilt.
The black cloth was blown away by the wind, revealing a massive ancient blade. It was five feet long and three feet wide, its body black as lacquer, exuding a heavy, powerful presence. A single glance felt like it could cut one's eyes.
The moment it was unsheathed, the vast sea of clouds seemed to be torn open, and the very color of the heavens and earth changed.
The black-robed elder gave a cold, sharp laugh.
"Heh! So this is the Dragon Sparrow."
"Miss Liu, you should head back first. The provincial guards are waiting for you two li east of here."
Hearing Pei Su's words, Liu Zhi left immediately. She didn't spare Zhao Lan a single glance as she departed, leaving him heartbroken.
"Alright," Pei Su said, clapping his hands with a smile. "You can make your move now."
Zhao Lan, who had been gripping his saber hilt, wore a grim expression. He growled, "Pei Su, what are you trying to do?"
"I can see you harbor some resentment toward me. Liu Zhi is gone now. Aren't you going to strike?"
"Are you trying to provoke me?"
"Provoke you?"
Pei Su couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't answer, simply turning his back and walking away.
Zhao Lan watched his retreating back, his face twitching. The urge to draw his saber grew stronger and stronger, veins bulging on his arm. He snarled, "Pei Su, you despicable bastard! I'm in the Xuanyuan Realm too, don't you think..."
Suddenly, Zhao Lan's mind went blank. All he saw was a palm strike coming at him like a thunderclap. The next thing he knew, he was flying backward, landing hard on the ground. His consciousness was muddled, and his entire body was wracked with unbearable pain.
He struggled to open his eyes, only to see Pei Su retracting his right palm.
What the hell! When? How is this possible!
"We are both in the Xuanyuan Realm, yet you can't even take a single palm strike from me?"
Pei Su looked down at him, his gaze devoid of its previous warmth, humility, and casualness. All that remained was a cold indifference.
His entire demeanor had changed in an instant.
If the Pei Su from before was a graceful, noble young master of the mortal world, then in this moment, Zhao Lan felt as if he were looking at a lofty, ancient god.
Just meeting his gaze for an instant made him tremble uncontrollably. What was more terrifying was that Pei Su was now walking toward him.
What should I do? Is he going to kill me to silence me?
So this is his true face. The whole "graceful Heir" thing was just an act for others to see!
Zhao Lan closed his eyes.
His last thought before losing consciousness was: *Xiao Bo, I... I still believe you are innocent!*
…
Pei Su gazed at the unconscious Zhao Lan, his eyes cold and detached.
If all went according to plan, Old Wu would have already planted the poison seal on Xiao Lin. It was time to arrange for the two of them to meet. The show he had been planning for so long could finally begin...
Suddenly, a rustle came from the peach blossom grove not far away.
Pei Su glanced into the distance, as if sensing something. A dark, thoughtful glint passed through his eyes.
Then, with a palm strike carried on the wind, he shattered Zhao Lan's meridians and lungs.
The next moment... his body seemed to be enveloped by the wind, fading from view as his aura vanished completely.
It was a pity no powerful expert witnessed this scene, or they would have cried out in shock, "Nirvanic Obscurity?!"
The world was full of diverse breath-concealing arts, each with its own strengths and weaknesses—some better for hiding one's aura, others for altering one's appearance. But when it came to the ultimate state of breath concealment, all grandmasters would mention only one name.
An ancient text read: "Submerged in darkness, yet unstained; hidden, yet never seen."
To achieve this state of breath concealment was to merge completely with the heavens and earth, to vanish without a trace.
If Xiao Lin had mastered this state, he could have evaded detection by the Heavenly Palace Stone. He would be free to go anywhere in the vast world, and the Imperial Court would be powerless against him.
Unfortunately, no one had achieved this ultimate state of concealment for several hundred years. Many in the Martial World even suspected it was nothing more than a baseless legend.
But Pei Su, upon breaking through to the Xuanyuan Realm a year and a half ago, had experienced a sudden epiphany. He mastered the Pei Mansion's long-hidden *Xiao Wuxiang Gong* to the ninth level, achieving Nirvanic Obscurity.
Even his grandfather, Pei Zhao, had been profoundly astonished, even more so than when Pei Su had perfected the art of Qi Observation.
******
The death he had imagined never came. Zhao Lan felt a sharp pain in his consciousness and opened his eyes, but the face he saw was not Pei Su's. It was...
A dream? Or paradise?
Before him was a young woman—a young woman so breathtaking that the mere sight of her stirred the soul.
Her brows were like the faint shadows of distant mountains, her eyes like twinkling stars. She had a delicate nose and lips like cherries. Her features were like a perfect work of art sculpted by the heavens themselves. Dressed in a light gauze skirt, she seemed ethereal, like a dream.
Zhao Lan's mind went blank. He even forgot the pain, his vision filled only with her graceful figure. Her skin was like flawless jade, her beauty pure and otherworldly.
As she stood between heaven and earth, the peach blossom grove lost its color, the green mountains bowed their heads, the clouds fell silent, and the wild geese flew away in shame.
"A... a fairy?"
Zhao Lan murmured, then fainted.
Standing over him, the young woman frowned slightly and said to the old woman beside her, "His meridians are shattered and his lungs are injured. If we don't save him, he will surely die. Spirit Granny..."
The old woman, dressed in a green robe with a full head of white hair, looked at the young woman's pure, clear eyes and sighed softly.
"Someone, come."
A squad of guards immediately came forward from behind them and helped Zhao Lan up.
The old woman sighed again. "Your Highness is kind-hearted, but you must always remember that the hearts of men are difficult to fathom..."
After the old woman had left with her entourage, the empty patch of grass suddenly distorted, and Pei Su's figure slowly reappeared.
His eyes were fixed on the direction they had gone, a flame of excitement flickering within them.
He never would have imagined— that he would encounter such a massive surprise here.
The previous dynasty's— remnant of the Imperial Family
Proofreader: Peter Pan