Chapter Sixty-Two: The Ultimate Realm

“Wonderful, truly wonderful! Who would have thought you’d have such a fortuitous encounter, with someone even telling your fortune? Yet, why didn’t they foresee that today we’d come to claim your life?”

Rain poured down relentlessly as the familiar voice echoed. Xu Xing and Zi Yan had already stepped out from under the eaves. Turning back, Xu Xing saw that it was the swordsman they had met before.

Confused, Xu Xing hesitated for a moment. “What… What do you mean by this?”

Clear applause sounded out as two swordsmen emerged from the rain, wearing conical straw hats and chewing on bits of wild grass, their steps splashing through the puddles. One of them moved in a flash, blocking the pair’s escape.

“You really think I don’t know who you are? Your jade bracelet gave you away. Did you think I truly had no money that day?” The swordsman smiled, his face marked by a knife scar, and a bright gold token hung at his waist.

Xu Xing glanced down at the jade bracelet in his hand. It was a gift from Zhou Yuan. How could it now become the evidence for the fall of the Nine Swordsmen?

“Look closely at your bracelet. Isn’t there a streak of crimson gold on it?”

He looked down, and indeed, there was.

He hadn’t paid it any mind before. Who would have thought it could become the pretext for murder? But how did the swordsman find him?

A startled cry escaped Zi Yan’s lips as she suddenly collapsed against him. The hairpin Xu Xing bought for her had transformed into a long worm, greedily draining her essence. Xu Xing hurriedly gathered his spiritual energy to pull the worm away.

But to his shock, Zi Yan did not awaken—she had fallen into a deep coma.

“Hahaha! That is a Golden Core Parasite. Even if you destroy its body, it has already left its progeny in this woman’s body… Before long, she’ll be nothing but a rotting corpse.”

Xu Xing’s throat tightened as he listened. Carrying Zi Yan beneath a nearby eave, he gently caressed her cheek.

Then, he strode into the rain, fixing the swordsman with the gaze of a prowling tiger.

“Is it that you’ve lived too long?”

Xu Xing spoke coldly, closing his umbrella and gripping it in one hand, holding it like a sword across his body.

“Haha, how amusing! Do you even know who we are? Jianghu swordsman, Wu Si! I’ll take your head and claim my reward. With that, I’ll break through to the Golden Core stage in one fell swoop. Your appearance is heaven’s blessing for me!”

Xu Xing said nothing more, simply rolling up his sleeves as his clothes became flecked with rain.

Onlookers noticed the brewing confrontation—some shouted and tried to flee, while others gathered, eager to witness the coming battle.

They looked at the swordsman, exclaiming:

“Who in our city could possibly force the Azure Sun Swordsman to draw his blade? This is going to be something to see.”

“Did you know? The Azure Sun Swordsman’s true name is Wu Si. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because in his heart, he is merciless, desireless, without reason—motivated only by profit.”

“No, you’re missing one.”

“Of course! Invincible! You can only blame this lad’s bad luck for provoking the Azure Sun Swordsman. He stands above the Nine Swordsmen and has reached the late Foundation Establishment stage.”

“Look at him! He’s not even using a weapon, just a battered bamboo umbrella. He’s probably only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Is he that poor? Anyway, I hope he lasts more than five seconds.”

Xu Xing heard the crowd’s discussions but had no interest in responding.

So what if it’s so-called fame? Invincible? In this era, who truly dares to claim invincibility?

Bamboo umbrella in hand, he gazed up at the stormy sky, thoughts swirling.

This journey had been anything but peaceful. Why do people so easily lose their hearts for the sake of profit?

“As a swordsman, you’re no different from the Nine Swordsmen—doing nothing to change the world’s coldness and instead only making it worse…”

With those words, Xu Xing vanished. The water in the alley, churned by his steps, rose into a curtain, shielding the fight from outside view.

“Wow, did you feel that? The Azure Sun Swordsman’s sword intent is overwhelming—I feel like my hair is being sliced by it.”

“The clash of swords is piercing—I can hardly bear it. The Azure Sun Swordsman is incredible.”

“It seems he’s never lost since coming to Lantern City.”

“Terrifying! Not only his sword energy, but the leakage of his spiritual power makes the air here suffocating.”

“He’s just too strong—I hope that kid doesn’t die too horribly.”

Within the watery barrier, Xu Xing became a gust of wind, attacking the swordsman again and again.

His cultivation realm was lower, but his understanding of the Way of the Sword surpassed the swordsman’s by a full level.

Yet, what puzzled Xu Xing was the swordsman’s impenetrable defense; he couldn’t find a single opening.

“Give up. It’s a gap in cultivation. Did you think I’m one of the Nine Swordsmen? I’m not that foolish. They lost to you because they didn’t know how to wield mythical weapons!”

The swordsman shouted, dripping blood onto his sword.

A silver dragon erupted from the blade, awe-inspiring in its majesty. The dragon merged into the sword, which now glowed with a chilling light, startling Xu Xing.

He had to admit, this swordsman was truly formidable—a deadly opponent.

“Using an umbrella as a sword? You think too highly of yourself.”

“Don’t belittle yourself. An ant trying to shake a tree. The gap between us is a chasm. I won’t give you a chance. Next, I’ll present your head to the Lord of Zhuoding Sect and claim the bounty.”

The swordsman stamped his foot. Instantly, the water barrier dissipated, and the crowd could see the fight clearly.

The rain fell heavier, the wind wilder, making the lanterns hanging from the branches sway perilously, illuminating the scene.

With a flick of the wrist, the swordsman swept up a pool of water, sending it slashing at Xu Xing.

Xu Xing closed his eyes, listening intently. Gripping his umbrella, he attuned himself to every ripple, extending the handle.

A sharp clang resounded, echoing through the streets as Xu Xing slid back several zhang.

The swordsman pressed his assault. Though his attacks were swift, Xu Xing’s defense was always precise.

Frustrated, the swordsman paused, staring at the umbrella in Xu Xing’s hand in disbelief.

“How is this possible? That battered umbrella—how could it be so sturdy? It’s just an ordinary umbrella. How?”

“A single lamp can rival the sun, moon, and stars. In my hands, anything can block your sword—even a fallen, withered leaf. Your swordsmanship is feeble.”

More and more onlookers gathered, making the already lively Lantern City even noisier.

“How can this boy be so strong? He actually blocked the Azure Sun Giant with just a bamboo umbrella? And he’s only at the early Foundation Establishment stage!”

“What! The Azure Swordsman is late Foundation Establishment, and his swordsmanship is at the level of a mortal master. How could this be? Is the boy at the extreme state?”

“What!?”

“Impossible! It must be his umbrella. How could a youth like him reach the ultimate state?”

The crowd watched in awe, yet in their hearts a question burned:

Who is this youth with the bamboo umbrella, and how can he be so terrifying?

“I’ll get serious now.”

The swordsman smiled faintly, channeling spiritual energy into his sword. In that instant, the silver blade shone with a brilliance like starlight, radiating a suffocating aura.

“Oh, is that so?”

Xu Xing smiled softly, setting aside his umbrella and gesturing at the rainy night with a gentle laugh.

“What’s he doing? He’s not even using a weapon—what’s going on?”

“Maybe he wants to fight bare-handed?”

“No, look! He’s trying to gather the falling rain and condense it into a weapon.”

“What!? That’s impossible! An early Foundation Establishment cultivator can’t do that, unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless he’s reached an extraordinary level in a certain Dao.”

“That’s impossible! Could he really be at the extreme state?”

The crowd’s amazement only grew as Xu Xing acted, their tongues wagging in disbelief.

At that moment, Xu Xing, without using any spiritual energy, employed the secret art of Prime Spirit.

He stood as if alone in the world, quietly sensing the rain.

Perhaps because Zi Yan loved rainy days, Xu Xing now found himself enjoying them as well.

Gradually, the raindrops settled onto his hands as he tried again and again…

In his hands, the rain seemed to pause, defying the laws of nature, gathering in midair and slowly forming a long sword.

“What!? Impossible! Is this youth truly an extreme adept?”