A fierce sword aura swirled around Song Qingxing, and in that moment, his eyes, once as still as dead water, burst into dazzling light.
It was the sharp brilliance that belonged to a true swordsman.
Standing to the side, Song Qingxi covered her mouth in shock. This was the first time she had ever seen such intense emotion from Song Qingxing.
His sudden transformation left her at a complete loss.
"He still has strength to spare? His talent is even greater than I imagined." Watching Song Qingxing's steadily rising aura, Song Changsheng's astonishment only deepened. This level of power was already beyond the limits of the Qi Refining stage.
Keep in mind Song Qingxing was only at the ninth layer of Qi Refining. If he were to break through to the peak of the Qi Refining stage, or even form his Foundation… just how strong would he become?
"Fighting against a Foundation Establishment cultivator while still in Qi Refining, it's no legend. What a monster. Good thing I'm no slouch either."
He calmly observed Song Qingxing, while a mighty force began to stir within him. He still hadn't used any of his Foundation Establishment strength after all; he had his pride.
At this moment, he was merely unleashing all the power he once wielded during the Qi Refining stage. He wanted to test Song Qingxing's limits.
"You're the first real opponent I've ever faced. You're strong. If I don't use this sword technique, I may not be able to win."
Staring straight into Song Changsheng's eyes, Song Qingxing spoke. His voice was calm, yet the sword in his hand, wrapped in visible strands of sword aura, let out a high-pitched, resonant hum.
"How rare. He said something that long… and even more surprising is what he said."
Facing him, Song Changsheng felt a strange, indescribable emotion rise in his chest.
But he didn't reply; he simply held his broken sword and watched silently.
Song Qingxing, too, remained expressionless. Yet his figure gradually began to blur, fading at a speed visible to the naked eye.
It was only now that Song Qingxi realized what had been standing next to her all along was just a remnant shadow.
No one knew when he had moved, and no one could tell where he was now. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
But Song Changsheng knew he was nearby, waiting for the perfect opportunity to land a fatal strike.
Song Changsheng slowly closed his eyes. His world instantly plunged into darkness, but it was still filled with noise that clouded his senses.
So, he shut off his hearing.
His heartbeat disappeared.
Song Qingxi's breathing disappeared.
The roar of the waterfall vanished.
The flutter of butterfly wings faded away…
In this moment, his world became an empty void.
It was the first time he had faced the world in such a state.
"Clang"
A barely audible sword hum echoed, as if from the distant horizon, yet also as close as a whisper at one's ear. The sound surged toward Song Changsheng from all directions.
Yet he remained motionless, like a scarecrow standing alone in a rice field, utterly still.
"Whoosh, whoosh…"
Suddenly, a gentle breeze stirred this void-like world.
Song Changsheng slowly extended his left hand. He could feel the wind brushing against his fingertips, soft and light, carrying a faint chill.
"Shraaak"
Abruptly, he raised his right hand, which tightly gripped a broken sword, and slashed forward.
This pitch-black, formless world was like coarse cloth, and his broken sword tore a slit through it. A burst of dazzling light burst forth from the tear like the first ray of dawn breaking through darkness, so bright it made one yearn to embrace it…
"Clang!"
The sound of metal colliding rang out. The broken sword in Song Changsheng's hand clashed directly with that brilliant light.
"Whoooosh"
The darkness around him receded like retreating tides, and the world was restored to color. The clamor of noise returned once more.
Unaware of when he had opened his eyes, Song Changsheng now calmly stared ahead.
Just a few feet in front of him stood Song Qingxing, clad in black battle gear, thrusting a sword at him.
The sword tip, less than an inch from piercing his heart, had been stopped cold, blocked firmly by the broken sword crossed in front of his chest.
For the first time in his life, a look of shock flashed across Song Qingxing's eyes.
"He blocked it… How did he do that?"
No one answered the question in his heart. All he saw was the man opposite him, Song Changsheng, beginning to smile, revealing two rows of neat, white teeth.
With his left hand, he formed a sword with his fingers and gently drew it across Song Qingxing's neck.
For the first time, Song Qingxing felt the presence of death. But there was no fear in his heart, not even a flicker of emotion.
Only when a certain figure flashed briefly through his mind did a faint ripple stir within him.
He didn't know what that feeling was; it was something he had never experienced before…
"Swish."
The finger sword brushed lightly across his neck.
But death did not come.
Instead, a single strand of hair drifted down from his temple and fell softly to the ground.
"…What…"
He stared at his opponent, eyes full of confusion and doubt. Emotions he had never once experienced now appeared again and again.
Facing his gaze, Song Changsheng casually tossed aside the broken sword, gave a slight nod, and said gently:
"You did well. Just one more inch, and your sword would've pierced my heart.
But there's something you still need to work on.
When your sword was blocked, you froze. You shouldn't have. You should've pressed on. Instead, you just stood there like a block of wood.
Looks like Xier was right, 'cold as a log' suits you perfectly."
Song Changsheng's words snapped Song Qingxing back to reality. Only then did he realize that his opponent was completely undefended before him. One slight motion of his hand would drive the sword tip into his heart.
But in that moment, he no longer had the desire to strike.
As he watched Song Qingxing withdraw his sword, Song Changsheng slowly removed the mask from his face, revealing his true appearance. In a soft voice, he said:
"I thought you'd be angry.
But you're calmer than I expected."
"What was that?" Song Qingxing sheathed his sword, quietly watching Song Changsheng. His cold face showed not even a hint of emotion.
"Call it a test," Song Changsheng replied. "And you did better than I imagined, especially those last two strikes.
One sliced open my skin, and the other nearly pierced my heart. Did you come up with those yourself?"
He crossed his arms and looked at Song Qingxing with curiosity. Although he had never practiced swordsmanship himself, he had reviewed all the clan's sword techniques while guiding Song Qingxing's training. He had never seen these two moves before.
"Yes," Song Qingxing replied flatly, as if accepting the notion of a "test."
"The first one is called 'First Sword'?
And what about the second?
Though stronger than 'First Sword,' it's less refined. I assume it's still incomplete?"
Seeing Song Qingxing affirm his guess, a spark of interest flared in Song Changsheng's eyes.
He wasn't speaking without reason. The only reason he was able to break the second sword was that it still had flaws.
"Second Sword."
As usual, Song Qingxing was sparing with his words, even naming his moves in a blunt, straightforward way. But he didn't answer Song Changsheng's second question.
"Not bad at all."
Song Changsheng didn't press further. He simply nodded in satisfaction.
At this moment, Song Qingxi finally snapped out of her earlier fear. Just a moment ago, she had truly thought Song Qingxing was going to die. She hadn't expected things to turn out like this at all.
Looking at Song Changsheng's handsome face, for the first time in her life, she had the strong urge to punch it.
"Uncle, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" she asked with a bright smile, her voice soft and sweet.
But for some reason, Song Changsheng suddenly felt a chill on his face. Feeling a bit guilty, he replied, "I just wanted to see if you guys had been slacking off in your training. Looks like you're doing great, haha…"
As soon as he said that, Song Qingxi's expression darkened immediately. She scolded angrily, "What kind of elder does something like this? You're too much!"
"Uh…" Song Changsheng gave an awkward laugh. "But no one got hurt, right?"
"Hmph! I don't want to talk to you anymore!"
Stomping her foot in frustration, Song Qingxi turned around with a huff, summoned her paper kite, and flew off toward Little Azure Mountain.
"Sigh, she's mad this time," Song Changsheng muttered, rubbing his forehead. If he had known, he would've picked a time when she wasn't around.
Watching her figure disappear into the distance, a ripple passed through Song Qingxing's eyes. He glanced at Song Changsheng and said, "One day, I will surpass you."
With that, he stepped back into the waterfall, enduring the overwhelming pressure as he continued to practice his sword technique.
"I'll be waiting for that day. But you've still got a long way to go. When you're done, head back. We're leaving for Heavenly Sword Sect tomorrow."
Stretching lazily, Song Changsheng flew his sword toward Little Azure Mountain. After all, if he caused trouble, he had to fix it himself…
A wise man once said that a woman's heart is like the sea, ever changing and hard to predict.
Song Changsheng agreed. Like now he had no idea why Song Qingxi was this angry.
He just hid his identity and tested them a little. Was that so terrible?
Song Qingxing had only lost a strand of hair, while he had taken a sword to the shoulder. Technically, he was the real victim here, wasn't he?
Even though his heart was filled with enough grievance to feed a demon sword spirit, Song Changsheng was still thinking of how to make it up to her. He had promised his older brother he'd take good care of her.
The thought of Song Changming stirred a ripple of emotion in Song Changsheng's heart. It had already been ten years since they last saw each other.
According to the Grand Elder, Song Changming had taken on an external assignment to guard a mining area, but shortly afterward, he disappeared without a trace, almost as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. No clues were left behind.
The clan had tried searching, but to no avail. If not for the fact that his soul lamp was still lit, they might've believed he had been devoured by a demon beast.
At present, all they knew was that he was still alive, nothing more.
When that news came, Song Qingxi was only six years old. Song Changsheng hadn't told her.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed. That little girl had grown up. She'd never asked about it, but maybe deep down, she already knew she just never showed it.
Suddenly, Song Changsheng understood something. Over these ten years, he had rarely been around, and it was Song Qingxing who had been by her side. Two lonely souls, relying on each other, had walked through a decade together.
Though not related by blood, their bond had long surpassed even that of true siblings.
In today's duel, to fully draw out Song Qingxing's potential, that final blow had indeed carried real killing intent. Facing death, Song Qingxing had remained terrifyingly calm.
But in the very end, he had still revealed a trace of emotion.
That proved that Song Qingxing wasn't just an emotionless machine; he still had a "heart." For both him and the family, that was very good news.
At that moment, he had also found a satisfactory answer to his test.
But in the process, he had overlooked one person's feelings.
That strike of his didn't just make Song Qingxing feel the shadow of death; it also plunged Song Qingxi into despair. A despair that came from watching her spiritual pillar collapse.
After all, she was far too lonely, and Song Qingxing was one of the few family members she had left.
Perhaps that's why she was truly angry.
Realizing this, Song Changsheng felt a surge of guilt. He had indeed gone too far this time…
Song Qingxi sat by the lakeside, hugging her knees. The cool moonlight draped over her, casting a long shadow behind her.
She stared blankly at the surface of the lake, lost in thought.
Song Changsheng walked over and sat down beside her.
She immediately scooted away a bit, turning her face to the side.
Gently placing his hand on her soft, smooth hair, he ruffled it lightly just like when she was a child and said softly, "It was my fault this time. I promise you, it won't happen again.
Uncle owes you an apology. I've been too busy these past years and neglected you. I'm sorry."
Song Qingxi's body trembled ever so slightly, but she stubbornly kept her face turned away, saying nothing. Her eyes, however, began to sting inexplicably.
"Don't worry, it won't happen again. Tomorrow, I'll be taking Qingxing to the Heavenly Sword Sect, and you're coming too. Pack your things. We won't be coming back here. We're moving back to Cangmang Peak. Your great-aunt has been talking about you nonstop."
Song Changsheng's heart was filled with tenderness. Over the years, because of Song Qingxing, she had rarely returned to Cangmang Peak. Life on this quiet Qing Mountain had been far too lonely for her.
He should have realized this a long time ago.
"…It's actually kind of nice here," Song Qingxi said softly after a long silence.
"But Cangmang Peak is your true home," Song Changsheng replied gently. "There are many cousins around your age there. You'll make great friends.
In the past, the family was worried someone might harm you, so we kept you here. But things are different now that you've both grown strong enough to protect yourselves. And the family is strong enough now to protect you, too."
Song Qingxi turned her head, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. She had waited so long for these words.
She had been only eight years old when she came to Qing Mountain. In that strange new place, she had always waited for her little uncle to come take her home.
But he never came. So she kept waiting.
During those years, the Fourth Elder who took care of them passed away too, leaving only the two of them like two abandoned children.
Seeing those glistening tears, Song Changsheng felt a stab in his heart. With a choked voice, he said, "I should have realized it sooner. Forgive me for coming so late. Once we return from the Heavenly Sword Sect, I'll take you home."
Song Qingxi could no longer hold back. She threw herself into Song Changsheng's arms and sobbed silently.
Eight years.
At long last… they were going home.
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