Three days later…
"Have you heard?"
"These past couple of days, there's been a purple-robed masked figure in Nanjue, challenging experts everywhere."
"I've heard too. Nanjue hasn't been peaceful lately—first Yusheng Mo took his disciple and swept through the experts of Nanjue, and now this mysterious person has appeared."
"This purple-robed masked figure is nothing like Yusheng Mo. Though Yusheng Mo was called a demonic overlord, he only defeated people without killing them. But this masked figure is ruthless to the extreme—every fight ends in death or crippling injuries. And the martial arts used are completely unfamiliar, incredibly sinister."
"In my opinion, compared to Yusheng Mo, this purple-robed masked figure is far more like a real demon!"
"..."
At a roadside teahouse, several passersby were discussing the major events that had shaken Nanjue recently.
At this moment—
the very purple-robed masked figure stirring up chaos in Nanjue
was walking through a lush bamboo forest.
"Stop right there!"
Suddenly,
a figure dragging a massive blade appeared, blocking the purple-robed masked figure's path.
"You… who exactly are you?"
"Why are you showing such cruelty toward Nanjue's experts?"
"The fate of Nanjue's martial world has already run its course—stop here!"
The purple-robed masked figure replied indifferently:
"You think invoking Nanjue can scare me? What is Nanjue, anyway?"
"Whoever blocks my way—I kill."
She lifted her eyes, looking at him as if he were already a dead man.
"Nanjue's Tyrant Blade, Dantai Jinyue?"
"I was just about to look for you. Didn't expect you'd be so eager to come and die."
"What arrogance!" Dantai Jinyue's voice turned icy.
"Even Nanjue's number one expert, Yusheng Mo, couldn't claim a sure victory over me—
and you think you can?"
"A coward who hides behind a mask!"
"I'll split that mask open with a single strike and see who you really are!"
As his words fell—
Dantai Jinyue raised his massive blade.
Despite its sheer weight, its speed was astonishing.
A flash of cold light—
the great blade tore through the air toward the purple-robed masked figure, the terrifying force whipping up countless bamboo leaves.
This blade strike was like thousands of soldiers charging together—
overwhelming, domineering, unreasonable in its danger.
There was nowhere to dodge, nowhere to defend.
The only way to break it
was with an even stronger attack!
Yet—
the purple-robed masked figure merely drew a thin, cicada-wing–like short blade from her waist.
With a light flick of her wrist, she danced out exquisitely beautiful blade patterns—
one bloom, two blooms—
then instantly transforming into thousands, like lotus flowers blooming in an instant.
Between the blossoms, eerie purple-black light flickered.
And unbelievably—
it firmly blocked the terrifying great blade.
"What?!"
Dantai Jinyue's tiger eyes widened in shock.
He was a top-tier expert of Nanjue,
at the Great Free and Unfettered Realm.
Never before had anyone dared to take his blade head-on—
yet this person before him had stopped it so easily.
"How could he not be stunned?"
"Who are you?!" he roared.
The purple-robed masked figure replied calmly:
"The one who will kill you."
With that—
her left hand struck the short blade still suspended in midair,
while her right hand twisted.
The short blade shot forward at terrifying speed.
Dantai Jinyue raised his weapon to block—
but the force contained within the blade was like a mountain collapsing.
His arm shook violently,
and the massive blade was knocked straight out of his grasp.
His heart was filled with horror.
With just a single exchange,
his weapon had been blasted away.
Without his blade, he could barely display even thirty percent of his strength—
left only to be slaughtered.
Gritting his teeth, he acted decisively.
He slammed his chest with all his strength, forcing out a mouthful of heart's blood.
"PUFF!!!"
The blood sprayed onto the massive blade lying on the ground.
Immediately after—
Dantai Jinyue unleashed his strongest move.
Once this strike was used,
even if he survived,
he would suffer severe backlash and have only a few days left to live.
But now—
he had no other choice.
This was a do-or-die attack.
Empowered by the heart's blood,
the massive blade seemed to come alive, floating into the air.
A crimson glow lit up along the broad blade as it charged straight toward the purple-robed masked figure.
Facing this desperate counterattack—
the masked figure waved her hand.
Countless swords surged forth like waves, flickering with eerie purple-black light, crashing toward the great blade.
In an instant—
within the bamboo forest,
a crimson glow and a violet glow collided in midair.
Sword qi roared, tearing apart clouds and mist.
Yet moments later—
the purple-black sword qi surged like a tide, layer upon layer,
quickly swallowing the crimson-glowing great blade whole.
"How is this possible?!"
Dantai Jinyue stared in utter disbelief.
His strongest move—
had been dismantled with such ease.
Something even Yusheng Mo, Nanjue's number one expert,
could not have done so effortlessly.
"Crack!"
A light sound rang out.
Within the bamboo forest, blade qi raged violently.
Even the mask could no longer endure it.
A crack suddenly appeared across the purple-robed masked figure's face.
The mask split in two—
revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.
"Yan Lingxia?!"
Dantai Jinyue froze, eyes filled with disbelief.
No matter how he thought about it,
he could not understand why the person beneath the mask was Yan Lingxia.
Unfortunately—
he had no chance to ask any further questions.
A flash of cold light.
A head flew into the air, landing on the ground and rolling far away.
...
Late at night.
Ye Dingzhi carried his sword, walking alone along a forest path.
Suddenly—
a graceful, alluring figure emerged from the depths of the woods, blocking his way.
"Your master has just passed away,"
"and the woman you love is about to marry another."
"Don't you hate it?"
The woman's voice was crisp and melodious, like silver bells.
Ye Dingzhi's gaze was indifferent as he sized her up.
The woman was sweet and lovely in appearance—
astonishingly similar to Yin Luoxia, who often stayed by Baili Dongjun's side.
Ye Dingzhi asked coldly:
"Who are you?"
The woman did not answer directly.
Instead, she said,
"I know you want to become stronger."
"And I just happen to possess a martial art—"
"one that can make you even stronger."
Ye Dingzhi frowned slightly.
"I said,"
"who are you?"
"Heaven Beyond Heaven, a land beyond the mortal world," the woman replied.
"My name is Yue Qing."
"Never heard of it."
"Not interested."
Ye Dingzhi spoke calmly and brushed past her.
"How can you not be interested?!"
Yue Qing turned around, looking at Ye Dingzhi's back, her tone tinged with urgency.
"Your master fought Li Changsheng his entire life."
"Don't you want to fulfill his lifelong wish—"
"and defeat Li Changsheng's disciple, Baili Dongjun?!"
Ye Dingzhi's eyes turned cold.
In an instant, he drew his blade and spun around, pressing it against Yue Qing's fair neck.
"You know Baili Dongjun?"
"You look like Yin Luoxia—are you sisters?"
Yue Qing pursed her red lips and remained silent.
Ye Dingzhi asked indifferently:
"What—couldn't take Baili Dongjun away, so now you've set your sights on me instead?"
Having seen through Yue Qing's intentions,
Ye Dingzhi looked at her delicate, attractive face, his gaze subtly shifting.
"Y-you… what are you doing?"
Under his gaze, Yue Qing couldn't help but tremble, fear flashing through her eyes as she asked softly.
For the first time—
she regretted provoking him with those words.