The sword intent was so glacial and grim, it felt like being plunged into a world of ice and snow.
It wasn't just an external coldness. If an ordinary person were enveloped by this icy sword intent, they would feel a chill radiating from within, similar to the effects of physical weakness, nervous tension, and poor circulation!
In that instant, Guinaifen, who had been listening attentively and was the weakest person present, felt a bone-chilling cold.
It was like being in the dead of winter, bundled up in a warm down jacket, only for someone to suddenly shove a piece of ice down the back of her neck. Guinaifen shivered violently several times, jumping and stomping her feet while hugging her arms and trembling.
"What's happening? What's happening? Did the Grotto-Heaven's climate control system break? Why is it so cold!"
Soon, she realized something was wrong. Snapping out of her panicked chill, she looked with astonishment in the direction the cold air was coming from—towards the white-haired beauty with her eyes covered by a black veil.
The swirling wind, ice, and snow erupted for only a moment before being retracted by Jingliu. During this process, she carefully 'looked' at the area around the brown-haired girl.
A bizarre, minuscule domain had formed around Moon Shade. To the naked eye, one could only see faint, distorted currents of air coiling around the girl's body, but not the faint brilliance blooming within them.
That brilliance protected both herself and Bailu, melting away the frost and ice.
"What kind of sword technique is this?"
The clarity and ethereal nature contained within that brilliance made Jingliu involuntarily turn serious.
"This is the Taixu Sword Ki."
Moon Shade 'met' Jingliu's gaze with a gentle smile.
"Taixu... Sword Ki."
Muttering the name, Jingliu raised a delicate eyebrow. She had heard this name before; as the former Sword Champion of the Luofu, she was knowledgeable about the myriad sword arts of the Xianzhou spanning ten thousand years.
The Taixu Sword Ki was a rather famous 'technique,' but the sword intent she sensed from Moon Shade and the Taixu Sword Ki she knew of... were not just wildly different, they had obvious distinctions one could see at a glance.
Was it just the same name?
If adding the word 'quantum' to something scientific makes it sound incredibly sophisticated, then adding the prefix 'Taixu' to an Eastern fantasy series achieves a similar effect.
Therefore, from ancient civilizations to the Xianzhou era, many had named their sword arts and Daoist techniques 'Taixu' to boost their prestige. There were even martial arts schools that renamed their techniques to sound grander to attract students.
However, such techniques and sword arts would never catch the eye of a true sword grandmaster. And the sword intent displayed by the brown-haired girl before her was certainly no cheap imitation meant to swindle people.
But why had she never heard of it before?
After a moment of silence, Jingliu asked again, "The martial arts of the Cloud Knights each have their own lineage. This... sister, from whom did you inherit your sword art?"
"Oh, my master's name is Cheng Lingshuang. I am the eldest disciple of the Supreme Freedom Sect, Li Sushang. Sister Jingliu, you can just call me Sister Sushang."
Moon Shade offered her identity with a brilliant smile.
"Cheng Lingshuang... Supreme Freedom Sect..."
A sword master capable of teaching such an outstanding disciple couldn't possibly be a nobody. Yet, after carefully searching her memory, Jingliu found no such person, nor had she ever heard of the sect.
Judging by her speech, attire, and sword stance, the other party was undoubtedly a Xianzhou native... Jingliu began to wonder if the Mara-struck affliction was causing her to lose some of her memories.
"With Sister Sushang's sword intent, I imagine you must be a strong contender for Sword Champion, aren't you?"
Caelus watched as the look in Jingliu's eyes gradually changed. Well now, he thought, she's getting more and more comfortable calling her 'sister'!
Just as I thought!
Every old lady is a pro at acting young!
Herta is, and so is Jingliu!
"Sword Champion? I remember, isn't that the title for the person with the most sublime sword skills in the Cloud Knights? Shangshang? Competing for Sword Champion?"
Guinaifen's eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had just heard an impossible fairy tale. She stared at Jingliu with a strange expression.
"My friend, are you serious?"
The title of Sword Champion was extremely famous on the Luofu. It was like how ordinary people might not know who the commander-in-chief of the army is, but they definitely know the position exists.
In fact, ever since the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae, the position of the Luofu's Sword Champion had remained vacant. Only when the Luofu Cloud Knights returned from their Hunt and the Martial Arts Ceremony was held again would the next Sword Champion be chosen.
It wasn't that Guinaifen looked down on Shangshang, but she had a pretty good grasp of what her best friend was like.
If Shangshang's Cloud Knight friends heard someone put the words 'Sushang' and 'Sword Champion' together, they would probably burst out laughing.
This could easily compete for the Luofu's joke of the year!
Setting aside sword skills, just the fact that the Sword Champion could barely read would be an embarrassment the Luofu couldn't afford!
Facing Guinaifen's peculiar gaze, Jingliu simply nodded slightly and continued looking at Moon Shade.
"I also know a little bit about swordsmanship. Since Sister Sushang has condensed her sword intent, why don't we have a friendly match to see whose blade is sharper? What do you say?"
Even for Jingliu, seeing a sword master who possessed sword intent stirred her warrior's spirit. She wanted to test Li Sushang's depth.
Unless she had truly succumbed to the Mara, how could Li Sushang possibly be just a Cloud Knight recruit?
Even a prodigy couldn't be this prodigious!
"Well~"
Moon Shade blinked gently and asked internally.
[My other self, what do you think?]
She herself definitely couldn't fight Jingliu; it had to be Li Sushang.
[No problem, I'm also quite curious about this world's swordsmanship.]
Just as Jingliu could sense the ethereal wonder of the Taixu Sword Ki, Li Sushang could likewise sense the sharp edge of Jingliu's frosty sword intent.
In the martial arts world, she would absolutely be a peerless expert. Judging from her sword intent alone, she was comparable to her six martial uncles, and perhaps even superior.
I wonder what her inner energy cultivation is like?
[She should be stronger than the Grand Master you remember.]
Moon Shade's calm words made a question mark pop up over Li Sushang's head.
[Huh? Stronger than Grand Master? For real?]
Li Sushang was incredulous. In her mind, her Grand Master was a true immortal, someone no one could surpass.
[The Paths and Honkai are two different kinds of energy. If you brought your Grand Master to this world to walk a Path, it would be a different story. She'd be fine then, but I don't know if Jingliu would still fight her.]
Based on the power boost Old Yang got from treading a Path, if Fu Hua came over, she would definitely be on the same level as Marshal Hua.
[But you don't have to sell yourself short. The Honkai energy in our body is different from the inner energy you had before. You should have noticed by now, right?]
Since Li Sushang's consciousness was brought over, Moon Shade had spent most of her free time cultivating the Taixu Sword Ki in the body's 'background.'
With the body's innate complete Sword Heart passive, Moon Shade's cultivation speed was astronomical, enough to leave any previous cultivator, even Azure Empyrea herself, dumbfounded.
The essence of Taixu Sword Ki is to subtly transform the human body.
The previous standard was based on the nature of Honkai energy from the Cocoon of Finality. But as Moon Shade re-cultivated it, the Taixu Sword Ki was remodeling this body according to the source Honkai energy from an unknown place, the very origin that created the Honkai universe.
Moon Shade's re-cultivation was causing another metamorphosis in this body. Once Moon Shade's own consciousness cultivated a Taixu Sword Heart from the source Honkai energy, she herself had no idea what she would become.
[Mhm.]
Li Sushang could sense the change in the energy within her body.
[However, is this Sister Jingliu really okay? Through the touch of our sword intents earlier, I could vaguely sense the state of her body.]
Hearing this, Moon Shade's feelings became complicated. It seemed Li Sushang really did see Jingliu as a younger sister.
"Sister Jingliu, you should probably take a few courses of Bailu's medicine first to regulate your body. As for the spar, maybe next time, for sure."
The mental exchange was swift, and Moon Shade replied with a light laugh.
She knew Jingliu's physical abnormality was due to being Mara-struck; this was just a polite excuse.
Moon Shade was also very interested in a match between Jingliu and Li Sushang, but Caelus had just received a message from Stelle and March 7th. Neither the time nor the place was right for a spar.
"...Alright."
After the initial thrill of the challenge, Jingliu also calmed down.
In her current state, if she got serious, she might not be able to hold back. This time and this place were indeed unsuitable for a duel.
"I look forward to our next meeting."
"Mm."
Moon Shade responded with a smile before being dragged away by a hurried Guinaifen.
During their earlier conversation, Guinaifen and Caelus had exchanged contact info and added each other as friends. Now she had to hurry and pack up the equipment and juggling props she'd left at her performance spot.
If left unattended for too long, they might get stolen. It would be even worse if they were confiscated by city enforcement.
Little Bailu had come with 'Sister Sushang,' so when Sushang left, she naturally followed.
Before leaving, she instructed Jingliu to find her at the Alchemy Commission later for a more detailed physical examination and diagnosis, promising to prescribe her a few remedies to calm her spirit and strengthen her qi.
Towards Bailu, Jingliu's attitude was as gentle as ever, and she nodded in agreement.
After the three left, only Jingliu and Caelus remained in the Slanted Moon Pavilion.
"Who... are you, exactly?"
Jingliu frowned. The reason she was still suppressing her temper and speaking calmly with Caelus was because of the method he had shown to inhibit her Mara-struck state.
Otherwise, she would have drawn her sword and charged at him long ago!
"I'm a Nameless from the Astral Express? Heard of Akivili? Heard of the Trailblazer?"
Caelus sat on the stone bench, crossing his legs.
"..."
Jingliu was silent.
She was, of course, aware that the Astral Express had arrived on the Luofu, and that Imbibitor Lunae was among them.
It was just that the grey-haired man's laid-back, cosmic-loafer-with-a-touch-of-gangster vibe didn't quite match her impression of a Nameless.
"Miss Jingliu, would you be interested in making a deal?"
Just as Jingliu was contemplating whether to turn and leave, Caelus's aura changed once more, becoming that of a refined and courteous gentleman.
"...What deal?"
Jingliu asked flatly.
"The Mara-struck condition must be quite troublesome for you, Miss Jingliu, isn't it?" Caelus offered a polite, gentle smile.
"You could tell, as I thought."
The signs of one succumbing to the Mara were obvious: either incoherent speech and deranged thoughts, or a mutated body and terrifying appearance.
And yet, even Bailu, the Medica and Dragon Lady of the Vidyadhara, hadn't detected the late stage of her Mara-struck condition when taking her pulse just now, but Caelus had seen it in a single glance.
Jingliu wasn't surprised. After all, Caelus had previously suppressed the negative emotions that triggered her Mara, so it was only natural that he could see her true state.
"What is this deal you speak of?"
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