Chapter 157: Bone Snake Carries the Candle

Eleven Words stared at the middle-aged man who called himself Lu Yuanbai. He had never heard of such a master in the Sword Mastery Heavenly Sect. Moreover, the man's sword energy was restrained, making him appear like a low-level cultivator.

But the more so, the more serious Eleven Words became.

Spiritual light, darting like swimming fish, lit up on his pale purple robe. The lights touched and separated, resembling ancient, profound characters carved on a great tripod.

Behind Eleven Words, purple spiritual energy split open, flattened, and then spun, like dancing butterflies. He seemed like a young master lingering in a garden of colorful illusions, only what slipped from his sleeve was not a carved folding fan, but a Daoist sword with a blade as sharp as water.

"I don't know you. Why were you waiting for me?" Eleven Words asked.

Lu Yuanbai grabbed his scabbard and cradled it. His face still showed signs of being slightly tipsy, and his body swayed unsteadily as he stood up from the ground. "It's you I'm waiting for."

"Why?" Eleven Words didn't understand.

Lu Yuanbai said, "A lord asked me to wait here today. Whoever arrived, that's who I was to wait for."

"May I ask who this esteemed person is?" Eleven Words asked.

Lu Yuanbai did not answer the question, only sighed, "You really made me wait a long time."

"Are you going to kill me?" Eleven Words asked.

Lu Yuanbai shook his head, saying, "I'm just blocking the way here, stopping anyone who wants to go down the peak. If you turn around and leave now, I'll go back to lying down and drinking, and we'll have nothing to do with each other."

Eleven Words thought in silence for a moment. The purple energy around him intensified, the substantial spiritual energy fluttering like butterfly flames, showing no intention of backing down.

Lu Yuanbai stood, arms crossed, embracing his sword, calmly watching him and waiting for an answer.

"May I ask what realm you are in now?" Eleven Words asked.

Lu Yuanbai said with some shame, "To be honest, I've cultivated for many years, but my talent has never been great. I've only relied on sheer, arduous courage. Younger generations don't care to associate with me; my daily companions are just my sword and wine. And when I drink too much, I get scolded and given dirty looks. Life is truly hard..."

"Do all you Sword Sect masters like to talk nonsense?" Eleven Words said coldly.

Lu Yuanbai scratched his head and smiled, "Isn't this me buying us some time? The longer we delay, maybe we won't have to fight, and I can save my own skin."

He mouthed the words "my own skin," but no sound emerged.

The already dim Hidden Peak grew even darker. All light and sound were invisibly devoured. The light purple spiritual energy scattered, the only visible light, swirling past Lu Yuanbai's side in wisps.

A Daoist spell formation.

In the darkness, Lu Yuanbai slapped his scabbard, and the great sword was drawn without a sound.

It slashed towards the darkness behind him.

In the profound silence of the darkness, a ripple finally appeared.

It was the ripple of sword meeting sword.

The moment the great sword and the Daoist sword clashed, many lights flared in the darkness. These were the spiritual energy butterflies that had previously surrounded Eleven Words. They surged out in great numbers, clinging to Lu Yuanbai's sword like ants, and then, as if catching fire, they exploded with a rumble into a swirling mist of spiritual energy.

Lu Yuanbai gripped the hilt of his sword and thrust forward.

A delicate, woman-like hand reached out from the spiritual energy mist, grasping the sword blade and cutting towards his throat.

The two swords crossed paths.

Killing intent melded together, then split into two distinct lines.

A dripping sound echoed from the ground—the sound of blood falling.

The surrounding darkness receded like a tide.

Both stood in their original positions, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusory dream.

"You must be the peak master of Sky Cavern Peak," Eleven Words said after a long pause.

Lu Yuanbai wiped blood from his sword blade with his sleeve, sighing, "Still, I couldn't kill you."

Eleven Words' fingers trembled slightly. Blood flowed down his pale arm like sticky red threads.

"If any of the other three had come, you would have died today," Eleven Words said. "I'm just not skilled at killing people."

"Ah, I know my skills aren't great," Lu Yuanbai grinned. "Then go call those three over. If they come, I... I'll obediently make way and let you in."

Eleven Words sighed, "Without the Heavenly Soul Lamp, Nine Infant's soul consciousness will be hard to gather and it will go mad. At that time, it won't just be a disaster for us, but for the entire Southern Province."

"Who's Nine Infant?" Lu Yuanbai asked. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Are you truly ignorant or just feigning ignorance?" Eleven Words frowned.

Lu Yuanbai said, "I'm just here on orders."

"On orders? Whose orders, exactly?" Eleven Words pressed.

"Someone I trust... you could say he's half my master," Lu Yuanbai replied.

"Half a master?"

"In any case, a master's command is hard to defy. I don't want to go to great lengths to kill you. Just go back," Lu Yuanbai yawned, sheathing his sword.

Eleven Words looked at the sword in his embrace, resentfully saying, "Your sword is too good."

Lu Yuanbai made a gesture to see him off.

Eleven Words sighed. He knew he couldn't defeat the man before him.

He hadn't expected that after years of planning by the Daoist sect, everything they were so certain of achieving would end like this.

Still unwilling to leave, he sheathed his Daoist sword. His five fingers opened and closed like a blooming flower, and the spiritual butterflies around him simultaneously shattered, transforming into a pulpy light that coalesced in his hand, forming a blade three or four times longer than before. He slowly swung the long blade, its edge cutting through the chosen stalactites like tofu, and surged towards Lu Yuanbai.

Lu Yuanbai no longer had the dejected look of someone who drank daily. His expression was extremely serious, his facial features as sharp as if carved by a knife or chisel, his brow exuding more heroic spirit than sword energy.

The great sword emerged from its sheath, appearing very short compared to Eleven Words' spiritual butterfly blade.

The moment the long blade swept towards him, he squatted down, then gathered strength and leaped up fiercely. The great sword was dragged up by his rising form, arcing steeply through the air before crashing down heavily.

Countless stalactites in Hidden Peak were shattered, and the falling fragments sounded like pattering rain.

White sword energy and the purple spiritual butterfly blade intertwined and clashed in the dim Hidden Peak. The two sounded like clappers striking each other, each clang causing earth-shattering tremors within the peak.

Eleven Words burned his spiritual power, blood flowing from his seven orifices, fiercely pushing his body to gain the temporary strength to kill.

Each fluttering spiritual butterfly was a sharp flying blade. They wrapped around Lu Yuanbai like sword energy, and after three moves, Lu Yuanbai switched from offense to defense. Within a few breaths, dozens of cuts of varying depths appeared on his body.

"What did the Daoist sect give you that makes you fight so desperately?" Lu Yuanbai couldn't help but curse, leaping to step on Eleven Words' blade.

"What did the Heavenly Sect give you that made you willing to live in anonymity for so many years?" Eleven Words shot back coldly, flicking his wrist. The spiritual butterflies shattered beneath him, transforming into dozens of long blades that descended like divine punishment.

"Just repaying my master's great kindness," Lu Yuanbai swept his right arm outward, swinging his sword to violently parry the falling blades. However, his arm was still invaded by the spiritual butterflies, almost severing the veins in his wrist.

"What if your master is an evil spirit?" Eleven Words' blade came down with him.

"Hah, that old man is full of integrity. Who are you to point fingers?" Swords and blades collided, forming a cross. Their faces were very close, both splattered with blood.

The battle, at its peak, took a sudden downturn.

Eleven Words was decapitated.

It was Lu Jiajia who struck the blow.

They had originally intended to go to the peak valley, and the sudden commotion from Hidden Peak made them arrive faster.

Eleven Words' body leaned back, the shattered spiritual butterflies covering him like withered flowers. He was like the young master who had lingered in flower gardens for decades, finally dying quietly in a flower bed one morning, only the separated body erased all intoxicating beauty.

The spiritual butterflies turned into fire, quickly consuming his body, leaving nothing behind.

Standing beside Lu Jiajia were the peak masters of Sun Return Peak and Hanging Sun Peak.

"Lu Yuanbai?" Lu Jiajia looked at the scarred man holding the sword, calling out his name in surprise.

The serious expression on Lu Yuanbai's face vanished. He wiped the blood from his face, smiled, and said, "Greetings, Peak Masters."

Xue Lin chuckled, "The atmosphere of a peak truly reflects its master. The master hides their skills, and so do the disciples. Now another one appears. Who will dare believe what you people from Sky Cavern Peak say in the future?"

Xue Xunxue looked at the sword in his hand, finding it somewhat familiar. She asked, "You... I think I've seen you before."

Lu Yuanbai said, "Indeed, indeed. Every time the Four Peaks Sword Convention is held, I get to witness Peak Master Xue's remarkable demeanor."

Xue Xunxue gently shook her head and asked, "Didn't you pursue a woman from our peak once?"

Lu Yuanbai's expression stiffened. He squirmed for a while before uncertainly saying, "It seems... there was something like that."

"What happened then?" Xue Xunxue asked with a smile.

Lu Yuanbai said, "How could someone as good-for-nothing as me hold a woman's heart? Please don't make fun of me, Peak Master."

Xue Xunxue gazed at him deeply and said, "Giving up so much, what was it for? Surely it wasn't just to guard Sky Cavern Peak in obscurity?"

Lu Yuanbai laughed, "Give up? What abandonment? I've been very happy in the peak these years. What happened with Wanqin was just a farce back then. I don't even remember her name, haha..."

Lu Yuanbai's laughter faded. Hidden Peak fell into a brief silence.

Lu Jiajia's surprise lessened as she listened to their conversation. She asked, "So, what exactly are you doing here?"

Lu Yuanbai said, "If intruders come, of course I have to help block them."

Lu Jiajia glanced behind him and asked, "How much do you know about the peak valley?"

"Peak valley?" Lu Yuanbai rubbed his eyebrows. He smiled as he slung the great sword onto his back and said, "Do the Peak Masters really think I'm some kind of master? I'm just here on orders to guard this place."

"Guard here?"

"Yes, no one can go to the bottom of the peak today," Lu Yuanbai straightened his back, then suddenly sighed, "Alas, Master clearly told me to guard just one person. How did so many come all at once? This is going to be the death of your disciple."

"Master?" Lu Jiajia's heart trembled slightly. Lu Yuanbai's master was also her master. But her master had died years ago, so... could he still be alive?

Lu Yuanbai said, "Peak Master, don't misunderstand. The master I speak of is someone else, but for now, it's a secret I can't tell you."

Lu Jiajia didn't press the matter. She said, "There might be evil spirits hidden beneath the peak. We need to enter the peak and search."

Lu Yuanbai shook his head, saying, "That won't do."

Lu Jiajia said, "I don't know when you secretly broke through to such a realm, but trying to stop us is probably impossible."

Lu Yuanbai chuckled, "Of course, I wouldn't be so foolish as to challenge the Peak Masters. It's just... I have my reasons."

Lu Jiajia said, "Reasons? While you have rendered meritorious service by stopping the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect, do you know that the evil spirit hidden beneath the peak could very likely cause a catastrophic destruction of the peak!"

Lu Yuanbai shook his head, "You've all misunderstood. There's no evil spirit beneath the peak."

"Why should we believe you?" Xue Xunxue asked.

Lu Yuanbai said, "Whether the Sword Mastery Heavenly Sect can become the greatest sect in the Southern Province hinges on today. Right now, you are confused, but after today, you will know if your choice was correct."

Lu Jiajia said, "I am the Peak Master of Sky Cavern Peak. I dare not gamble with the fate of the entire peak. I only believe what I see with my own eyes."

Lu Yuanbai said, "Since you don't want to gamble, then just do something that is absolutely correct."

"Absolutely correct?"

"The Purple Heaven Daoist Sect is resurrecting an evil spirit. Killing that evil spirit is the correct thing to do," Lu Yuanbai stated.

Lu Jiajia knew his words had merit, but Nine Infant was far away in Lotus Field Town, while the legendary Ba Serpent was right under their noses. Both were great fires, but surely one should extinguish the closer one first.

"Your master might not be an evil spirit, but he must be a madman."

A voice sounded from behind Lu Jiajia. Ning Changjiu walked over. He looked at Lu Yuanbai and said, "Martial Uncle Lu, long time no see."

Lu Yuanbai looked at him, chuckled, "I knew you weren't simple, but I didn't realize you were this extraordinary."

Ning Changjiu said, "I, on the other hand, didn't perceive your extraordinary nature, Martial Uncle. Now it seems, you hid it better."

"Because I am but a common man," Lu Yuanbai laughed. "If there's an opportunity in the future, we can drink together."

Ning Changjiu smiled but didn't respond. Instead, he got straight to the point: "I once went to the bottom of the peak. There, I met an old man who claimed to be a tomb guardian, watching over a serpent skeleton in the mausoleum. He said he would teach me supreme sword techniques, but I refused him."

Lu Yuanbai listened to his words, showing astonishment, then regret: "It seems you missed a great opportunity."

"I don't think so," Ning Changjiu gently shook his head. "I was thinking just now, when did such a master appear in the peak? For this, I even went to look at the stone tablet behind the Sword Hall for a while. I originally had some answers in mind, but after seeing you, I suddenly realized they were all wrong."

"Oh? What's your insight?" Lu Yuanbai also became interested.

Ning Changjiu continued, "My guess about his identity was based on what he told me. Generally, for someone to believe a statement, it's a mix of truth and falsehood. So I started thinking about which parts of what he said were true. But after seeing you, I suddenly realized a key point—I didn't believe him at all back then!"

That's why he delivered two consecutive sword strikes, both using his sure-kill techniques.

"What are you trying to say?" Lu Yuanbai asked.

Ning Changjiu said, "I didn't believe a single word he said, so everything he said could be false. The tomb guardian is false, the three-hundred-year-old senior is false, the unique inheritance is also false. He didn't harm me, perhaps because of my sword techniques, or perhaps because our master is a stubborn person. If something had happened to me, she would have found a way to seek me out, and then the secret of the peak bottom might have been exposed."

Lu Yuanbai shook his head, "It's not what you think. That one... is a very great figure. I respect him greatly, and everything he does is for our sect."

Ning Changjiu ignored his words and continued, "After I realized that everything he said could be false, I thought of something else."

"What?"

"The assassination incident in Hidden Peak back then," Ning Changjiu said. "At that time, I fell into the peak valley and, by all accounts, shouldn't have survived. And it was then that Master stubbornly went down the peak to find me... that's when many elders harbored killing intent towards Master.

I never understood why they chose that specific time, and why their opinions were so unified, as if they had planned it long ago. The only explanation is that they indeed planned it! Someone once told them that anyone who went to the bottom of the peak must not be allowed to live, just as he had you guard here today."

Lu Yuanbai frowned, saying, "I know about the internal strife in Hidden Peak. They were just coveting the position of Peak Master."

Ning Changjiu gently shook his head: "At that time, a rebellious elder, just before his death, uttered one word, 'Han.' Then the Cold Prison broke. We all thought he meant 'Cold Prison'."

"Was it not?" Lu Jiajia was equally confused.

"No," Ning Changjiu shook his head, but didn't directly state the answer. Instead, he recalled another matter: "Later, I was trapped in Lotus Field Town. At the time, I didn't understand why I was trapped, or what was special about me. Now, thinking back, it must have been because he was worried I would regain my memories, cause complications, and disrupt his plans—just like... now.

So he wanted to prevent me from returning to the peak today, the day of the Four Peaks Sword Convention. And Zhang Qieyu once unintentionally mentioned to me that he had an old friend in the Sword Mastery Heavenly Sect. I originally thought that today's Four Peaks Sword Convention was a joint effort between Zhang Qieyu and the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect. Now it seems I was wrong again. The true collaborator with Zhang Qieyu should be the one at the bottom of the peak... they conspired together to trick the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect."

"What a grand scheme."

Ning Changjiu's words, like a somewhat clumsy and stiff story, evoked different emotional responses in the ears of different people.

Lu Jiajia instantly remembered the scene at the last moment, when the black-clad youth clutched his head, screaming in pain.

Xue Xunxue frowned: "You've said so much, but what exactly are you getting at? Who exactly is the person at the bottom of the peak? If it's an evil spirit, then the three of us should go down and kill him. Every minute we delay lessens our hope."

Ning Changjiu sighed. The reason he said all this was simply because, knowing the person's identity, he understood that even if they combined their strength, they would absolutely not be his opponent.

Rather than entering the peak to seek death, it was better to wait quietly here.

Xue Xunxue didn't receive an answer from Ning Changjiu, but instead felt a minor earthquake within Hidden Peak.

After a brief moment of panic, everyone's expressions turned together towards the direction of the Dragon-Coiling Pillar.

That Dragon-Coiling Pillar, which pierced through Sky Cavern Peak, was also trembling non-stop. It had withstood the force of the entire mountain without ever swaying, but now it finally let out unsettling groaning sounds.

Everyone understood—something was rapidly climbing up along this Dragon-Coiling Pillar.

No one knew whether it was a god or a demon climbing up.

Lu Yuanbai had already turned around, placing his great sword in front of him, and knelt down.

Ning Changjiu sighed weakly. He bowed towards the Dragon-Coiling Pillar, saying, "Welcome, Sect Master, upon your emergence."

"Sect..."

"Sect Master? Han... Hanchi!"

"Didn't True Master Hanchi go to the Central Lands to seek opportunities? How could he..."

All the surprised exclamations and questions were swallowed by the approaching colossal roar.

Up the Dragon-Coiling Pillar, a colossal white bone serpent coiled its way up. It was like a hornless dragon, monstrously clinging to the great pillar, traversing the vast, endless mist of dead spirits. Then, the mist adhered to its body, becoming its flesh and blood, while in its enormous maw, lined with sharp, serrated fangs, was an ancient lamp, just like the true dragons of mythology that held candles in their mouths.

The ancient lamp burned silently, its flame not trembling in the slightest.

The white bone serpent crossed the ten-thousand-zhang abyss and arrived in Hidden Peak.

This great serpent was already terrifying, but what shocked them most was the old man standing on its spine.

The old man's face was stiff like a stone statue, but his white linen robe fluttered uncertainly, like the flowing garments of an immortal.

"Greetings, Sect Master."

After a moment of silence, everyone in Hidden Peak simultaneously bowed.

He was the Sect Master of the Sword Mastery Heavenly Sect, True Master Hanchi.