Taoist priest in the foggy capital

The dense pine and cypress trees blocked out the sunlight and people's faces. Ren Qi stood in the pavilion.

He was familiar with every tree here and could almost know where they were with his eyes closed.

But his mind was not here. Instead, he was staring at the thunderclouds in the sky that were about to fall at any time. The source of the thunderstorm was the Imperial Observatory.

At this time, Ren Qi was already somewhat doubtful as to whether he should have followed Ma Xiaoyu to the Imperial Observatory instead of coming to Prince Yu first.

Before he could think any further, Di Wei had already brought Prince Yu over.

He was a young man who looked much younger than his actual age, with a handsome face and eyes that had a feminine softness.

Prince Yu, judging from his age, he must be nearly a hundred years old.

"Ayi, that's my nickname."

He was playing with the jade ruyi in his hand, talking to himself, and then looking at Ren Qi in the pavilion.

"Ren Qi, long time no see."

"Long time no see?"

Ren Qi's original boiling anger disappeared without a trace at this moment, and he was very calm.

"When I was a child, you had already died many years ago and were only a legendary figure passed down by the older generation. I didn't expect you to crawl out of the pile of old papers now. It's really unpleasant."

Prince Yu smiled, "It doesn't matter. When I was alive, many people hated me, and I hated others in the same way. But later I found that it was all meaningless."

He stroked the jade ruyi, which was something he always carried with him and the only thing he took away from Prince Yu's palace.

"Now I only care about what's on the tip of the sword. Everything else is just passing clouds."

"So you chose me?"

Ren Qi's eyes flickered. "If you want to fight me, I will fight you. Why do you persecute me and my family like that?"

"Do you think you were a good fighter seven years ago?"

Prince Yu sneered, "Ren Qi, I want an equal opponent, not a soul killed by my sword.

You have talent, but you don't know how to stimulate your talent. It's like a piece of black iron. Without a swordsmith to polish it, it's just a stone on the side of the road."

"So, you mean to say that you used your own methods to hone me?"

"Yes."

Prince Yu nodded, "Only when a swordsman cuts off all emotions and love can he reach the highest realm."

"Prince Yu, do you think you have reached the highest level?" Ren Qi asked him back.

"I don't know, because kendo is really a very mysterious thing. But what I can be sure of is that those who were related to me are no longer in this world.

Now, Ren Qi, you and I are the same, at least in this respect, both of us have the opportunity to reach the highest level."

Ren Qi looked at him coldly, "But I have never thought of becoming a sword immortal or sword saint."

"That's because you are not aware enough and you haven't recognized yourself yet."

Prince Yu turned his head and looked up at the sky. At this time, the lightning had dissipated and the sky returned to peace, but there was an extra layer of haze that made people confused.

"I have sparred with many people. They usually have a resounding title, just like what you just said. They are called Sword Saints or Sword Immortals. They are regarded as the leaders of swordsmanship, but the title does not match the reality.

Guan Zuo Sword Emperor, I defeated him in three moves and broke his dragon bone sword.

The Nine Swords of Tianshan, each of them fought with me with a sword, and I made them never dare to come down the mountain again in their lifetime.

I ruined his good teeth."

Each of the series of names mentioned by Prince Yu is a well-known and awe-inspiring legend.

However, in Prince Yu's mouth, these strong men seemed to be just ordinary defeated generals. Apart from their names, there was nothing worth remembering for him.

“I haven’t met these people.”

Ren Qi said coldly: "But I know that with your ability, you can easily kill them."

"Anyone."

Prince Yu put his hands behind his back and said, "I have seen all the swords in Kyushu."

"I'm still missing this one!"

Ren Qi walked forward and passed behind the two eunuchs who were leading the way.

The two eunuchs quickly turned around and rushed towards each other. At the moment of encounter, they reached out their hands to take out daggers from each other's sleeves and stabbed Ren Qi's ribs from left and right at the same time.

A flash of cold light!
Ren Qi unsheathed his sword, took a step forward, and passed the two eunuchs.

Then the blood of the two eunuchs splattered three feet away, and they fell to the ground and died.

Prince Yu cast an admiring glance at it. He put the jade ruyi in his arms, then took the wooden box handed to him by the eunuch behind him, opened it, and took out the sword.

"Master Jinlian forged three heavy swords, two soft swords, one double-edged sword, and six fast swords in his lifetime. He regarded these weapons as treasures."

Prince Yu removed the scabbard and held a dull sword in his hand.

"The world's most powerful sword, look back."

Looking back, the sword was not sharpened, and in Prince Yu's hand it was just like a piece of iron bar, but the chill emanating from the sword made Ren Qi not to underestimate it.

Seeing this, Di Wei retreated quietly. He had always regarded himself as an outsider and naturally did not want to be involved in the duel between the two swordsmen.

Prince Yu leaned the heavy sword against the ground, his eyes fixed on the sword. He observed, watched, and sensed Ren Qi's actions with his heart instead of his eyes.

Ren Qi took out a red long sword and held it in his hands, forming a double sword, one in front and one behind.

laugh!
Smoke came out from under Ren Qi's feet, and an arrow shot out, and a sword stabbed at Prince Yu.

Prince Yu's ears seemed to be blown by the wind and began to sway violently. Then he swung out with his heavy sword, arriving first.

Ren Qi's pupils suddenly shrank, he retracted his sword, and returned to his original position in the blink of an eye.

It was not until this time that a sound like a cannonball breaking through the wind was heard in the courtyard, and Ren Qi's collar shattered.

Just one step away, the heavy sword in Prince Yu's hand would have taken his life, cutting Ren Qi's throat.

Zheng!
Ren Qi grabbed with his hands, and the other four swords on his back fell down together and stuck at his feet.

Prince Yu still maintained his previous posture, as if he had not swung out the sword that seemed to tear the thunder apart.

Sword Four!

Six swords came out at the same time, and Ren Qi followed the swords and suddenly crashed into Prince Yu's arms. At the same time, he stretched his hand back and a sword fell into his hand. He held it back and slashed it towards Prince Yu.

drink!
Prince Yu raised his sword, swung away the swords that were stabbing at his vital points, drew an arc in the air, and then slashed towards Ren Qi.

Ren Qi's eyes were about to curl up, and he raised his sword to block.

Under his feet, the ground immediately cracked and shattered.

Ren Qi felt depressed when the heavy sword pressed him down, and he felt like he was about to spurt out blood.

He took a deep breath and suppressed the injury.

"Two moves."

Prince Yu was very dissatisfied, "If you can't take my three swords, then you are no better than Guan Zuo Jian Huang. In that case, how can you be my opponent?"

He seemed to realize that he had made a mistake and became even angrier.

This emotion was reflected in the sword, and when it turned around, the sword began to hum.

Sword Three!

Ren Qi threw away a sword, placed his palm against the sword, and using his clever strength, turned the heavy sword in Prince Yu's hand over. He took advantage of the situation and pushed the sword towards Prince Yu with his palm.

Prince Yu struck again with his sword. Ren Qi stretched out his sword and tapped the heavy sword lightly. With the rebound force, he changed direction and stabbed towards Prince Yu's throat.

Prince Yu dodged the sword and passed by Ren Qi.

As a piece of his sleeve fell, Prince Yu smiled.

"Yes, you are already the best among the swordsmen in Kyushu."

Prince Yu spoke in a relaxed tone, but Ren Qi looked serious.

Because his back had been slashed by Prince Yu's sword during the brush against each other just now, and his clothes were stained with blood.

Prince Yu strolled leisurely in the garden. As he walked, he used the sword in his hand to knock the sharp swords that fell on the ground back to Ren Qi, as if he wanted to return the sword to Ren Qi and ask him to use the sword move again.

"What is a sword? It is nothing but the soul of a person. To use a sword is to be a person. Swordsmanship is also to practice one's creed and ideals."

Prince Yu leaned his sword against the ground again, defending himself like an iron wall, waiting for Ren Qi's attack.

Facing this unsolvable iron wall, Ren Qi had no intention of retreating. He was determined to crash into it like a bull that couldn't see the way forward. Either the wall would be shattered or his skull would be smashed.

Sword Six!

Ren Qi once again drove the six swords to attack Prince Yu, with the angle and speed being exactly the same as before.

Prince Yu waited leisurely for his attack.

Just as the six sharp swords were about to fall, Ren Qi changed his tactics again.

Sword One!

Gathering, dispersing, and gathering again, it is like a flower blooming, flourishing and withering, dazzling the eyes.

Sword Five!

However, Prince Yu stood still in this iron rain that was like a rainstorm, allowing the cold light to pass through his body, eyes, and face.

Each of Ren Qi's swords was precise and almost fast, but in the end, none of his swords could pierce Prince Yu. Prince Yu was like a waterfall falling from a thousand-foot-high stone wall, which could neither be cut off nor pierced.

Bang!

Prince Yu raised his sword and swept it over. Six swords scattered and fell out. Ren Qi was also smashed away with the swords and fell to the ground.

"You lose." Prince Yu said coldly, with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Ren Qi was lying on the ground. The gray sky was just a pale expanse. He couldn't tell where the sun was or where the clouds were.

He did not feel frustrated or panicked, but said calmly: "I haven't lost yet."

Prince Jade frowned, "Hmm?"

In response, Ren Qi raised the sword in his hand.

A swordsman does not lose as long as the sword in his hand has not fallen to the ground.

Prince Yu knew from this that Ren Qi was going to continue fighting with him.

"I have seen all your sword moves. After all, they are only the pinnacle of mortal swordsmanship. No matter how fast or strong you are, you are still just a mortal."

"Then what do you think a sword immortal is?"

Ren Qi stood up, "Do you think you are a sword immortal?"

Prince Yu simply replied, "I have seen swords all over the Nine Provinces, but no swordsman in history has ever been able to hurt me."

"So you think you have seen through the swords of mortals, and feel that these sword moves are completely unoriginal and unspiritual, right?"

Prince Yu nodded, "What I want to see is the sword of the immortal."

As he said this, he began to pace again, dragging his sword.

"The immortal's sword can move mountains and fill the sea, kill ghosts and gods, and slay dragons. Perhaps that sword is not dazzling or majestic, but it is a rare sword technique in the world that future generations will never be able to imitate. I am waiting for this sword."

"Neuropathy!"

Ren Qi spat, "You don't treat people as human beings, and you don't treat yourself as a human being.

The meaning of your existence is to wait for this sword to appear, so you have killed countless swordsmen in the name of learning from each other.

And in order to wait for this sword, you killed my family, and even my men died tragically.

You are not some self-proclaimed sword master, you are just a monster."

Prince Yu didn't care what Ren Qi thought of him, because he knew that Ren Qi would soon die under his sword.

He just felt disappointed. "You are obviously free from love and affection, so why can't you be invincible?"

“I originally thought that I was bloodless and tearless.”

Ren Qi said coldly: "Especially after all my relatives died, the whole world is hunting me down and using me as a stepping stone for promotion.

I spent seven years in depravity on Hong Kong Island, using drugs and alcohol to numb myself every day. Sometimes I would do just one of them, sometimes both, or I would find a woman who was just as bad as dirt and have fun with her for a whole day and night.

I often lose consciousness, and when I wake up I don’t know what time it is, whether it is day or night, or whether I am still alive or in hell.

One day when I was sleeping on the side of the road, an old newspaper flew over and covered my face, almost suffocating me.

I took down the newspaper. It was covered with dirty water and dust, and most of the words were no longer legible.

The rest are just news from a few months ago.

However, I saw in one of the editions that there was a boxer named Emperor in Kowloon Walled City who won consecutive victories and became the last champion of the Kowloon boxing ring.

I was thinking at the time, these bastards are really throwing their lives away. Their nicknames are like Prince, Emperor, etc. They really don’t want their relatives and friends to live long enough.

But somehow, I developed a little interest in that person.

That was the first time I took the initiative to do something, to leave that mud pile and go out and take a look.

I thought if the man called the emperor had no ability and only a false name, I would kill him. "

"And then?" Prince Yu became interested.

"Then?"

Ren Qi smiled, "I came all the way to Yujing."

He pointed to the ground below and said, “When I got here, I already understood that a person without blood and tears cannot become a true swordsman.

A man is invincible only when he wields a sword to defend something."

"I drew my sword only to protect my position," Prince Yu retorted.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about morality, responsibility, friends, and family. Only by drawing the sword for these people and for these things can you be invincible."

"Heh, I'm surprised that Ren Qi, a master of the Imperial Palace, would say something like this."

Prince Yu sneered and said, "However, I am disappointed that you said such a thing, because you are no longer worthy of being called a swordsman."

Prince Yu raised his sword and pointed it at Ren Qi, just like a craftsman raising his hammer and pointing it at a defective piece of porcelain fired in a furnace.

Ren Qi had entered a state of clarity at this time, and everything in the world seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Putting the sword back into the scabbard, he withdrew his mind from the duel and remembered the question Liu Banxian had asked him before.

"Brother Master, your name is Ren Qi, why don't you use seven swords, but only six?"

"What is my name? What does it have to do with how many swords I use? Just because you are called Liu Banxian, does that mean you are really a half-immortal?"

"I think I am a half-immortal. Wait, don't go, Master Brother. I'm not talking about this. I mean, your last name is Ren, which means blade. That's why I'm wondering why you are called Ren Qi, but you only use six swords?"

"Then why do you think that is?"

"It's possible, that's because your destined seventh sword has not yet appeared."

"The seventh sword? What kind of sword do you think it is? A quick sword? A heavy sword? A double-edged sword?"

"No, what I mean is that your swordsmanship should have reached perfection. If you want to take another step forward, the change in quantity is meaningless. The seventh sword should be hidden on your body, which is [Blade] Seven."

Ren Qiping concentrated his mind for a long time, then opened his eyes and said to Prince Yu: "Prince Yu, I don't think the so-called immortal sword is so great, even if I lose here, it doesn't seem to matter much.

But I remembered that my friends are still here, and I can't ask you to go and cause trouble for them, so I will ask you to see this sword and don't blink. "

As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Qi's face quickly lost color and his body stiffened.

!!!

Di Wei had killed countless people and his perception of death was extraordinary. He immediately felt keenly that Ren Qi had died.

Ren Qi, who was still talking to Prince Yu a second ago, suddenly died?

This made Di Wei feel unbelievable, but it was the fact that Ren Qi had stopped breathing.

Prince Yu also realized this fact. Was it an escalation of his injuries or was he running out of energy?
The blade of the Huishou Sword began to hum, and the five swords that fell to the ground were also shaking.

Prince Yu widened his eyes and saw a phantom emerging from Ren Qi's body and floating towards him.

That was Ren Qi's soul, which had left his body.

Prince Yu could see it, and Di Wei could see it too, and both of them held their breath.

Ren Qi floated in the air, turned around, and six swords flew out at the same time, floating beside him.

Sword Seven!

Ren Qi paid the price with his life and unleashed the most brilliant sword in his life.

The unparalleled sword pressure was coming towards him, Prince Yu's eyes flickered, and he raised his sword and slashed forward.

After a burst of white light, Ren Qi's soul dissipated, and the six swords lost control and scattered on the ground.

Prince Yu still kept his sword raised, recalling the sword strike just now, his face full of reverence.

"The flowers in the hall intoxicate three thousand guests, and the sword lights up nineteen continents."

The jade ruyi in Prince Yu's arms shattered to pieces, and when he turned back he saw his sword breaking into several pieces.

Yin Xiu was trapped within the palace walls when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He couldn't help but bend over and started coughing violently.

"Cough! Cough!!"

Ren Qi opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood foam, his face still pale.

He raised his head and looked at Di Wei, whose face looked even uglier than his.

"You didn't take the opportunity to kill me?"

"You were already dead."

Di Wei was sweating profusely, "But I don't know why you are alive again."

"Is it hard to explain?"

Ren Qi glanced at him and said, "I have obtained the three great secret treasures."

"The realm of heaven and man?"

Di Wei didn't know what to say, so he just murmured, "Synesthesia, spiritual consciousness, incarnation...

I heard that obtaining the three great secret treasures will open all the mysteries in the body and will allow you to ascend to heaven. But why are you still here?

You have obtained the three great secret treasures, and by now you should have become an immortal and ascended from the mortal world."

"Isn't it simple?"

Ren Qi smiled and said, "Because I refused."

With that said, he turned and left.

"By the way, I have a favor to ask of you. Tell Yin Xiu and the others that I'm going back to Southern Xinjiang."

"Shouldn't you still..."

"What should I do? Kill you?"

Ren Qi walked further and further away, "I'll leave the rest to him." (End of this chapter)