Chapter Sixty-Five: The Flying Sword Cannot Fathom the Shadow’s Intent, the Doppelganger Is Seven of Nine Removed

When the golden wind and jade dew meet, it surpasses countless encounters in the mortal world.

Jiang Wanyi stood proudly, sword in hand, her gaze brimming with murderous intent as she looked at Lord Xiaoshan, Zhao Yueshu, and Shu Mingli, the three demons.

“How did you get in here? Where are Little Gold and Little Silver?” Zhao Yueshu broke free from Shu Mingli’s grip and stepped forward to ask.

Jiang Wanyi paused in surprise, then replied, “You mean those two golden and silver children?”

“That’s right. What did you do to them?” Zhao Yueshu’s beautiful eyes were frosted, her face as cold as snow.

“Killed them.” Jiang Wanyi answered impatiently, clearly irked by the fox woman’s questioning.

“You—you—damn you!” Zhao Yueshu shouted, her right hand forming a palm as she struck at Jiang Wanyi.

“Fox sister, she’s lying to you. Little Gold and Little Silver were just captured by her,” Lord Xiaoshan stepped forward, fearing Zhao Yueshu might get hurt, and blocked her path.

Only then did Zhao Yueshu steady herself, scrutinizing Jiang Wanyi from head to toe, where she saw two paper figures hanging from Jiang’s waist.

Who else could they be but Little Gold and Little Silver?

“Hurry and release Little Gold and Little Silver, or I’ll take their lives!” Zhao Yueshu’s slender fingers were strikingly beautiful, but the target she pointed at was anything but.

Because her finger was directed at Song Mo, Tang Yi, and Xia Yu lying on the ground.

Well, Song Mo could only smile bitterly at this—so now they were hostages.

“A demon is a demon, after all. Even if you wear a beautiful skin, you only bring harm to humans,” Jiang Wanyi looked at Zhao Yueshu with disdain, her voice cold and steady.

Zhao Yueshu’s face turned deathly pale. Standing beside her, Zhang Xiaoguang’s expression also changed; he had long since been frightened out of his wits by Lord Xiaoshan’s ruthless methods. Now, with Jiang Wanyi’s reminder, he remembered that his beloved Zhao Yueshu was also a fox demon. The affection in his gaze dimmed, replaced by wariness and distance.

Zhao Yueshu saw it all and felt the pain deep in her heart, her eyes filled with helplessness.

“Perhaps my brother was right—humans and demons truly walk different paths…” The thought surfaced quietly in Zhao Yueshu’s mind.

“Are you from the Demon Suppression Bureau?” The always silent Lord Xiaoshan now spoke, his face cold and severe.

“Demon Suppression Envoy, Jiang Wanyi,” she replied, standing tall with her sword, making no effort to conceal her sharpness.

“How did you get in? Why did I not sense a thing? Forgive my bluntness, but your cultivation shouldn’t be high enough to infiltrate this mountain estate illusion without a trace,” Lord Xiaoshan stared directly at her.

“A mere demon illusion—if I wish to enter, I enter,” Jiang Wanyi scoffed, then continued without hiding anything, “As for why you didn’t notice, it’s because I used a Concealment Talisman.”

As she spoke, Jiang Wanyi revealed a jade-green talisman at her waist, its surface etched with intricate, minuscule patterns.

“Concealment Talisman?” Lord Xiaoshan murmured, then fell silent.

“Was it him who hurt you?” Jiang Wanyi looked at Tang Yi, her eyes full of concern. Naturally, her gaze did not fall on the somewhat superfluous Song Mo and Xia Yu.

“This girl’s eyes are quite big, but her sight’s not so good…” Song Mo glanced at the broken blade that had pierced through him and muttered under his breath.

“Did the coroner Liu Qi from Changning County tell you?” Tang Yi deliberately changed the subject.

Jiang Wanyi nodded. “Yes, the coroner guessed from the county annals you consulted that you might come to Sheep Gut Mountain. I followed the aura of demonic energy and found this place.”

“So you’re the only Demon Suppression Envoy to come to this mountain?” Lord Xiaoshan raised his head and continued, “That must be so, otherwise you wouldn’t have used a talisman as rare as the Concealment Talisman to find your way here.”

Here, Lord Xiaoshan’s lips curled into a sinister smile, the murderous intent in his eyes as unbridled as his wicked grin.

“Your smile is truly revolting,” Jiang Wanyi replied, sword in hand, preparing herself for the coming battle.

“Be careful—this shadow demon is no simple foe,” Tang Yi warned gravely.

“Don’t worry. Other than me, anyone who dares to hurt you will pay the price,” Jiang Wanyi glared frostily at Lord Xiaoshan.

“How amusing. One pines with longing, but the beloved remains indifferent—such an amusing thing,” Lord Xiaoshan replied with a playful sneer, his wicked smile deepening.

“Courting death!” Exposed by his words, Jiang Wanyi’s anger flared. Her sword moved with tremendous force, thrusting straight at Lord Xiaoshan.

Lord Xiaoshan dared not be careless, his wrist blades swirling and demonic fire blazing.

The two exchanged blows in a furious duel, while Song Mo, Tang Yi, and the others stood anxiously by.

As the battle reached a stalemate, Jiang Wanyi worried that Zhao Yueshu and Shu Mingli might join the fray. After forcing Lord Xiaoshan back with a sword stroke, she immediately unleashed her Sword Command Technique.

She called out, “This sword is no ordinary iron. It gains spirit through the wielder, moves with the heart, lives through blood, and dies by evil intent—Sword Command Technique!”

Her longsword soared into the air, gathering murderous energy from all sides, its gleam growing ever brighter.

A grave look appeared in Lord Xiaoshan’s eyes. He formed a hand seal and shouted, “Shadow is myself; all things are myself—Armor of Possession!”

With these words, the Shadow Armor spell was cast.

Song Mo and Tang Yi felt the shadows at their feet begin to twist and sway as if summoned by some force. Once the disturbance settled, they saw every shadow in the mountain estate stir to life.

All the shadows swiftly attached themselves to Lord Xiaoshan, their illusory forms coalescing under the trio’s astonished gazes into a solid, impenetrable suit of black armor clinging to his body.

Lord Xiaoshan tapped his chest with a wrist blade, and ghostly blue demonic fire sprang up over the black armor, making him appear even more formidable.

“Such showy tricks! Go!” Jiang Wanyi raised her hand, pointing as if wielding a sword. The longsword, like a white rainbow, darted forward at Lord Xiaoshan.

White rainbow against black armor, demonic fire raging.

“Break for me!” Jiang Wanyi slashed forward, the sword gleaming fiercely, forcing its way several inches further.

Without warning, cracks began to appear in Lord Xiaoshan’s black armor, which splintered inch by inch as the demonic fire scattered.

With a grim face, Lord Xiaoshan crossed his blades and pushed the flying sword away, though the sword itself was now spent, its brilliance fading.

Jiang Wanyi circled her sword hand, and the longsword flew back to her.

“So, you’re Lord Xiaoshan? Is this all you’ve got?” Jiang Wanyi stood with her sword, calm and proud.

“Arrogant!” Lord Xiaoshan’s dark robes fluttered without wind, his face ashen.

“The sun rises and sets over Tang Mountain, yin and yang unite, and I become the incarnation!” He chanted, then transformed into a mass of shadow where he stood.

Before anyone could react, the shadow split into nine.

As the shadows solidified, Song Mo stared in disbelief—for all nine were identical Lord Xiaoshans, from their eyes and brows to their inky garments.

The Shadow Clone Technique!

Jiang Wanyi frowned slightly, her sword hand circling as the flying sword hovered in midair.

She examined them closely, but could not distinguish the real Lord Xiaoshan.

“Do you think this means I can’t get you?” she scoffed.

With a flick of her sword hand, Jiang Wanyi called out, “Strange and mighty is the Dao, great and glorious is the Dao. Heaven attains unity and is clear, earth attains unity and is tranquil, spirit attains unity and is intelligent, valleys attain unity and are full, all things attain unity and live—Ten Thousand Swords Technique!”

Her longsword split in midair into a hundred invisible blades, swirling downward.

With another sweep of her sword hand, countless sword-qi rained down upon the nine Lord Xiaoshans.

In an instant, seven were destroyed, leaving only two, who charged at Jiang Wanyi with ghostly speed.

Jiang Wanyi remained unflinching, her gaze sharp.

Suddenly, a glint caught her eye. “There’s the flaw!” she thought.

She saw that the Lord Xiaoshan on the right wore a wicked grin on his lips.

She pointed her sword right, sending all remaining sword-qi at that figure.

With a strike, both Lord Xiaoshans vanished.

“So the shadow demon is nothing much after all,” Jiang Wanyi murmured, about to recall her sword—when a chill suddenly swept over her back.

“I’m right here,” came Lord Xiaoshan’s voice, as he appeared like a specter behind her, his wicked smile gleaming as he raised his wrist blade engulfed in ghostly blue fire.