Chapter 372: Inserting the Carefree Willow

On the ancient path, willows billowed like smoke.

The heavy night pressed down on the dust-filled twilight. The lamplight was as tranquil as ever in a post station of an old city. Ning Changjiu stood in the long corridor, gazing at the starry sky. The vast night sky, like an inverted conical hat, held a crescent moon, thin as a hook, separated from him by an unreachable distance. He could hardly imagine that just a few days ago, he had temporarily stayed there.

Summer had quietly arrived. The temperature had noticeably cooled, yet a faint, dry heat still swirled in the air, like fine sand rubbing against the skin.

Ning Changjiu watched the moon for a while, then turned and returned indoors, where a wave of coolness greeted him.

No candles were lit inside the room. Only Siming sat motionless in quiet meditation. Her sleeves hung low, her jade fingers shifting within them, and cold mist swirled around her eyes and brows, carrying delicate ice crystals.

Ning Changjiu sat beside her and likewise entered meditation, calming his mind and dispelling the day’s fatigue.

Although they had constantly flirted and bickered during their journey, their speed had not slackened in the slightest.

On Tianzhu Peak, he and Xiang’er had merged the divine scrolls of Pure Yang and Taiyin, stepping into the Five Paths realm. After a few days of unobservable rest, he had fully replenished and perfected this power. Only now did he finally have some leisure to observe the true changes within his body.

He had entered the path as an Asura.

He could feel a golden core condensed in his sea of consciousness. This golden core resembled a sun suspended above his sea of consciousness, its light pure gold, yet seemingly containing myriad colors within.

His sea of spiritual energy, when viewed now, was boundless. The water within it had become denser, like a liquid purified hundreds of times over. Each small extraction could unleash a power several times stronger than before.

Another powerful aspect of the Five Paths was their mastery over the world. Before the Five Paths, humans were guests kneeling beneath the sky. The Five Paths, however, acted as a ladder to the clouds, raising a person to extreme heights to gaze upon previously unseen sights.

For instance, as he looked at the long street now, he could sense the flow of elements and see the earth veins, spring veins, and spiritual veins buried deep underground. He could naturally merge into this world, or effortlessly shatter space to reach deeper layers of the cosmos.

However, because he entered the path as an Asura, this world exhibited a clear repulsion towards him. It was conceivable that if his life were ever in peril, he might, like Siming, suffer the backlash of the entire world.

Of course, for those in the Five Paths, the greatest enhancement was their Authority.

This was an incredible thing—an entity formed from the world's fundamental elements and laws, transcending any cultivation technique.

He seriously examined his Authority.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact location of his Authority, yet it was embedded firmly within his body like a nail, affecting his entire being with even the slightest movement, its presence constantly felt.

This sensation was different from his previous half-baked "time" Authority, which had been plundered. His current Authority felt more like an organ unique to him.

Ning Changjiu perceived his Authority… and then, he felt as if his eyes were burning.

He suddenly opened his eyes, sat upright, his body tense, adopting a posture as if drawing a bow.

His palms held nothing, yet it was as if a venomous snake was poised to spring. His body remained still, yet it seemed like a leopard about to unleash its coiled, spring-like physique.

Siming felt a prick of alarm and instinctively opened her eyes, looking at the young man who had fallen into such a strange state.

It was a long while before Ning Changjiu emerged from this state.

"What's wrong? Can't control your Authority?" Siming asked.

Ning Changjiu shook his head and said, "I feel like I have an extra eye."

"What?" Siming reached out, brushed aside his messy hair, and stared at his forehead for a moment, saying, "Where's an eye?"

Ning Changjiu smiled, took her hand, and gently placed it on his thigh. He said, "Look at me."

Siming didn't understand why, but did as told, staring at him.

Ning Changjiu met her gaze calmly, appearing to look at her with deep affection.

A moment later, Siming let out a soft "Oh."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Did you feel it?"

Siming's expression was slightly unusual. She said, "I feel like someone's watching me from behind!"

Ning Changjiu nodded and said, "That's my Authority."

This was a true Heavenly Eye. He didn't need to divert his concentration to extend his divine sense, nor would it be obstructed by anything else. He could lock onto anyone from any angle or direction… And he even had a premonition: if he shot an arrow towards the location his Heavenly Eye observed, that arrow would absolutely never miss!

A strange expression bloomed between Siming's delicate brows. Her silver teeth unconsciously grazed her red lips as she asked, "Your Authority… is it peeping?"

As Siming spoke, she instinctively pulled at her robe, finding it highly illogical, yet also feeling that the person was indeed like their Authority.

"..." Ning Changjiu was silent for a moment, then said, "Is my Authority really that vulgar?"

"Then what is it?" Siming asked.

Recalling the arrow he shot after opening his Taiyin Eye on Tianzhu Peak, Ning Changjiu answered earnestly, "I've decided to name it Taiyin."

Siming frowned, scoffed, and retorted, "You're just giving 'peeping' a new name! Do you think that will fool anyone? Hmph, what exactly do you intend to use this Authority for?"

Ning Changjiu took a deep breath and explained, "I'm not entirely sure of its exact function yet, so let's use this opportunity to test it."

"How will you test it?" Siming asked.

Ning Changjiu fetched a porcelain bowl and placed it behind the door. Then, he opened his Purple Mansion. With a flick of his wrist, the Golden Crow flashed across his palm, shedding the Yanghuang Cangyu Bow. He grasped the bow and stood upright on the ground.

He activated his Taiyin Authority, focusing his gaze on the bowl, which was out of sight beyond the corner.

At the same time, he drew the bowstring. The surrounding air twisted, condensing into a straight arrow.

He opened his right eye, staring at the straight arrow shaft.

His hand released the string.

The arrow transformed into a slender streak of light and vanished instantly. The next moment, the sound of the porcelain bowl shattering echoed from behind the door.

The door, ironically, remained perfectly intact.

Siming let out a soft sound of surprise.

"That is Taiyin," Ning Changjiu's expression was also grave. He explained, "During the act of shooting, Taiyin splits into two parts: one settles on the arrow shaft, and the other settles on whatever I wish to strike. And as long as the arrow, imbued with my Taiyin Authority, is shot, its destination will inevitably be whatever my Heavenly Eye gazes upon! It's infallible."

As Ning Changjiu spoke, his Taiyin Heavenly Eye instantly expanded, covering the entire city.

He hooked three fingers, plucking the bowstring three times as if playing a zither.

With each vibration of the string, three streaks of light shot from the bow.

He focused on a stone in the middle of the street; the stone shattered.

He focused on a slowly falling leaf; the leaf disintegrated.

He focused on a feather floating on the river; the feather was instantly struck and sank into the muddy riverbed.

Not a single miss.

This was less like archery and more like a convergence of Authorities. Wherever he peered, that was the arrow's inevitable landing point.

This meant that as long as he aimed the arrow at a person, the arrow would hit, no matter what! Because as long as a person existed between heaven and earth, it was impossible to evade his Taiyin Eye.

How terrifying would the destructive power of an arrow from a Five Paths Immortal, guaranteed to hit, be?

Siming also understood. She said, "This is similar to the Authority of an ancient Ghost King from primeval times… Ghost Sight. He could use his gaze to instantly slice any living creature he saw into a thousand pieces, leaving only bones. That Ghost King once dominated for a time, but his Authority had a drawback: it could only dissolve flesh and blood. Later, he encountered a spirit-form immortal who gouged out his eyes while he was still alive."

Ning Changjiu said, "Are you trying to scare me?"

Siming smiled and said, "Not really. Your 'eye' is formless, which seems even more formidable than a tangible eye. It wouldn't matter if your eyes were gouged out."

"..." Ning Changjiu sighed, "Why are you always trying to gouge out my eyes?"

Siming sat opposite him, legs crossed, and said in a cold tone, "With this Taiyin Authority in your hands, what if you have ill intentions and go peeking at other girls? I can't trust you!"

Ning Changjiu gave a helpless laugh and said, "What else can I do? Can I hand over my Authority to you like hidden pocket money?"

Siming's icy gaze grew colder, "You have hidden pocket money?"

"Oh, sigh..." Ning Changjiu rubbed his forehead and said, "Anyway, don't worry. After seeing a beauty like you, how could any other woman ever catch my eye?"

Siming was half-convinced. "Hmph, just be careful not to let me find out."

The two meditated for a while longer. Once their spiritual energy was replenished and their state returned to peak, they did not linger. After paying for the room, they ascended on their swords and vanished into the darkness.

The old city's lights were left behind.

They soared through the high skies, cutting through wind and clouds, the world's sounds hushed, and everything was silent.

Previously, their journey from the Ancient Spirit Sect to Myriad Demon City had taken nearly a month. Now, returning to the Ancient Spirit Sect would take at most ten days.

In the cold, thin sky, thunder rumbled.

Half an hour later, they would reach the Tianhu Mountain Range.

The Tianhu Mountain Range was where the two had once cut bamboo and boated.

Ten thousand miles of vast rivers encircled it, and countless bizarre peaks rose from the ground like azure swords, pointing straight to the sky.

The four disciples of the Sword Pavilion had already taken their positions in the mountains a day earlier.

Zhou Zhenyue guarded the main peak.

She was the Sword Saint's first disciple. The Sword Saint had given her the surname Zhou, derived from the 'Zhou' character in his own name, and because she was born in the first month, he named her Zhenyue (True Moon).

She sat withered on the mountain peak, meditating under the moonlight, waiting.

The surrounding peaks were lush and green, but the one she occupied was silvery white, as if doused in molten silver—these were all manifestations of her overflowing sword intent.

She presented the aura of a lone sword awaiting its opponent.

But her junior brothers and sisters had long since hidden themselves in various parts of the mountains, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

The Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother guarded a valley on the right flank. They plucked their swords, creating an invisible, interwoven net that formed an ambush. The moment the targets stepped in, they could immediately close the net.

At the foot of a mountain on the left flank, the Second Senior Sister, Liu Junzhuo, stood guard.

The river roared at that moment. Liu Junzhuo's clothes were neatly folded by the bank, a newly carved bamboo sword resting on top of them.

The First Senior Sister had calculated that, according to Siming's cultivation level, they would arrive here at the earliest by dawn today.

Moreover, that was Siming's peak cultivation level. In Myriad Demon City, she had nearly suffered soul annihilation. Now, barely pieced together, her cultivation must surely be lower.

Liu Junzhuo bathed in the clear river water, washing away the fatigue of the past two days of travel.

Of course, she did not let down her guard. Even while bathing, her divine sense still enveloped a thousand-mile radius, ready to detect any fluctuation in spiritual energy.

This was a simple and pure ambush, without any schemes or trickery. It was merely about dividing the land into a narrow gorge, and they would guard the only path through it, waiting for the enemy to intrude, then take their heads.

The Sword Pavilion had always killed in this manner; there was no need for elaborate plans. A flying sword from a thousand miles away could directly destroy a palace.

Liu Junzhuo's jade body radiated a shimmering sword light, illuminating the river. Her dark hair fanned out on the water, like spread algae, her graceful strands undulating with the current.

She imagined Siming, whom she had never met, wondering what kind of person she was… a beauty of captivating charm, or a monster with a green face and fangs?

Battle intent ignited in her heart.

At the same time, the image of the white-robed young man also appeared in her mind… Back when she first met him on the Heavenly Ranking, she had suffered her first defeat in life. She was astonished by his talent, yet she hadn't truly taken him seriously.

But ultimately, she had no grudge against him. To kill him like this, she always felt a sense of regret.

But then, who asked him to be a Usurper of the Way?

How could his solitary life compare to the lives of all beings under heaven?

Liu Junzhuo spread her arms, gently stirred the water, and began to swim towards the shore.

Outside Tianhu Mountain.

Siming stood with her hands clasped behind her back, the flowing river collapsing endlessly, yet unable to carry away her faint reflection in the water.

She was guarding Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu stood to her left, also lost in thought while gazing at the river.

"Did you see them?" Siming asked.

"Yes," Ning Changjiu's gaze remained on the river's surface, but his Heavenly Eye had invisibly expanded, covering all of Tianhu Mountain. He said, "Two male disciples of the Sword Pavilion are guarding our left, hidden at the edge of a large swampy valley, preparing to ambush us."

Siming looked to her left, mentally strategizing her response.

A moment later, Ning Changjiu added, "The Sword Pavilion's First Senior Sister is on the highest peak in the center, appearing ready for a direct confrontation."

Siming scoffed coldly, murmuring, "So many of them came, yet they pretend to face us alone with a single sword. How shameless."

Ning Changjiu remained silent for a long time.

Siming asked, puzzled, "Where's the Sword Pavilion's Second? The one you met on the Heavenly Ranking—didn't she come?"

Ning Changjiu's expression was normal. He said, "She's here."

"Where is she?" Siming asked.

Ning Changjiu hesitated for a moment, then said, "She's in the peak forest to our right. If we follow this river, taking the third river from left to right, we'll find her."

Siming asked again, "Why does your tone sound so strange?"

Ning Changjiu's voice was calm and unruffled: "Nothing, just a bit strange. Why didn't she bring a sword? She only carved a bamboo one. Isn't that a bit overconfident?"

Siming was even more puzzled. "Hmm? What's strange about that? Wasn't her sword won by you?"

"So that's it..." Ning Changjiu replied dryly, saying nothing more. He opened his right palm, and the Golden Crow rested there.

He reached his hand into the golden light that formed the divine bird and took out the Yulei Sword, handing it to Siming. He said, "A sword formed from condensed spiritual energy can't compare to a true divine sword. Take this instead."

Siming did not decline. She knew that if Ning Changjiu focused on shooting arrows, he wouldn't have time to draw a sword.

Hmph, he gets an arrow and abandons his sword... Truly fickle!

Siming took the sword and executed a flourish in the air. It felt quite comfortable in her hand.

Ning Changjiu retrieved the Yanghuang Cangyu Bow from the Golden Crow.

He held the bow upright before him, aiming it towards Tianhu Mountain.

His left hand rested on the bow limb. The limb felt like the glazed surface of fish scales, seemingly smooth, yet rough like sandpaper to the touch. This roughness pressed against his palm. He held the bow very steadily.

Ning Changjiu's right hand rested on the invisible string, drawing the bow back with a creaking sound. The entire bow bent and deformed with the movement of his arm.

Unbeknownst to them, a golden arrow had already materialized on the string.

The spiritual energy within Ning Changjiu's body surged as he drew the bow. In his spiritual sea, it seemed as if a great whale was about to arch its back and rise at any moment.

"Have you selected a target?" Siming asked.

"Liu Junzhuo," Ning Changjiu said.

"Why her?" Siming did not understand.

"Because she's ambushing us, and yet dares to be distracted..." Ning Changjiu's voice was like an arrow, condensing into a single thread.

"Hmm, in any case, the first arrow must be precise," Siming did not ask further, merely offering a reminder.

This was an unexpected situation for the enemy: they were in the light, while Ning Changjiu and Siming were in the dark.

There was no better time to inflict damage than with this arrow.

The Authority of Taiyin enveloped the arrow.

The arrow's position was the starting point, and the place his Heavenly Eye gazed upon was the inevitable destination of this arrow.

With his gaze, he drew a straight line for this arrow, binding it to the enemy like causality.

"Understood!" Ning Changjiu pressed his lips together tightly, his eyes closing and narrowing, responding earnestly.

The night grew heavier.

The sound of the river rushing past their ears roared like thunder.

This was Ning Changjiu's second time shooting an arrow, yet his movements were incredibly practiced, as if he had rehearsed tens of thousands of times.

All things lost their color. The power of a million jin strained within the string. The surrounding space trembled ceaselessly, as if being sliced into countless pieces.

The bow was drawn to its fullest.

Liu Junzhuo felt someone watching her!

That person could be the roaring river flowing past her feet, or the drops of water falling from her hair and tracing the curves of her body, or every blade of grass and tree around her.

This feeling was very unsettling.

Her bamboo sword flew up, and her white robe and black skirt swirled up with a rustle. As she spun her body, the clothes wrapped around her. Just as her sash was being tied, her pupils constricted in horror.

On the river surface ahead, a slender golden light suddenly streaked across, appearing out of thin air, like lightning igniting from the riverbed.

When the lightning reached her, it had already grown into a colossal python.

There was a sudden, deafening roar.

Without the slightest warning.

The golden light exploded, and countless electrical spheres burst forth, crashing into the water or embedding themselves in the canyon walls. They collided, splashed, tearing everything apart like a destructive force. In an instant, the golden light enveloped the entire river and water, as if three hundred thunder gods and lightning goddesses were simultaneously beating drums and gongs, unleashing countless divine punishments. The dazzling lightning and golden light instantly filled the entire canyon, and a terrifying aura surged outward wildly.

The immense explosion was immediately drowned out by the sound of the wind.

The sound of the wind came from the arrow.

The electricity and flames swept past like a proud torrent, and at its very center, the rapidly spinning arrow stirred up an even more powerful storm, continuing to surge forward.

A dark figure was forced out of the fiery current by the arrow.

The dark figure was Liu Junzhuo.

Her long hair was disheveled, the water on her hair and clothes already evaporated, and her sword-like eyes seemed to be burning.

She had sensed the arrow the instant it arrived.

At that moment, her figure shifted thousands of times.

But the arrow also shifted thousands of times along with her.

It seemed to have eyes, piercing through layers upon layers of space, shooting straight at her.

What kind of arrow was this?!

Liu Junzhuo could not comprehend.

Her bamboo sword clashed with the arrow and was immediately destroyed.

The arrow itself was mostly depleted, but her resistance had been hasty, and her spiritual energy had not yet been fully marshaled into a complete defense. Amidst the deafening roar of the arrow shattering the sky, her body was flung backward, crashing against the cliff wall like a meteor.

The might of this arrow startled Zhou Zhenyue.

She suddenly stood up and looked in Liu Junzhuo's direction.

Two mountain peaks, affected by some terrifying force, were slowly collapsing towards the middle.

"Junior Sister?" She immediately understood that battle had erupted there.

Zhou Zhenyue did not hesitate and immediately flew towards it on her sword.

By the wide riverbank outside Tianhu Peak.

Ning Changjiu leaned on his bow, his face pale.

The Yanghuang Cangyu Bow was a Saint's divine artifact.

He had only just entered the Five Paths, and even with his Asura enhancement, drawing this bow to its full extent proved arduous.

Siming asked, "How is it?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Liu Junzhuo is wounded."

Siming's face showed a strange expression.

For someone in the early stage of the Five Paths to wound someone at the peak of the Five Paths with a single arrow, even under the absolute element of surprise, was still incredibly astonishing.

"Move out!" Ning Changjiu said immediately.

Siming asked, "Are we going directly to pursue and kill Liu Junzhuo, pressing our advantage?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Let's go find the Sword Pavilion's Third and Fourth Senior Brothers."

As he spoke, he propped his bow against another rock, standing the long bow upright, and rotated its head, pointing it towards the other side of Tianhu Mountain.

A golden arrow condensed once more, its light serene.

His posture, drawing the bow andching the arrow, was like a fierce deity.

In the night, the killing intent instantly grew heavy. Though not as formidable as the previous arrow, it was still terrifying.

Siming immediately understood. That arrow not only wounded Liu Junzhuo but also drew the Second Senior Sister away. Now was the best time to attack the two weaker male disciples!

On the other side of Tianhu Peak, in a large swamp, the Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother stood facing each other, cradling their ancient swords.

"Someone seems to be here," the Third Senior Brother suddenly said.

"Who?" the Fourth Senior Brother asked, puzzled.

"There seems to be some commotion on Senior Sister's side," the Third Senior Brother said.

"Hmm? So early?" the Fourth Senior Brother mused. "But they have really bad luck, crashing directly into the two Senior Sisters. I hope they haven't been defeated by the time we arrive."

The Third Senior Brother said coldly, "Their ability to reach Tianhu Peak before dawn has already exceeded our expectations. We must not be overconfident."

The Fourth Senior Brother responded lazily.

He was about to speak.

Light swallowed the sound.

"Watch out!" the Third Senior Brother suddenly roared.

The arrow appeared almost out of thin air before them.

It was a golden arrow.

The arrow passed over the great river, stirring up water currents. It passed through cloud layers, stirring up lightning. It passed over mountain peaks, stirring up rock fragments. It traversed the sky, vibrating and roaring wildly.

The arrow cut through an invisible void, yet what it carried was real elements.

They condensed into an arrowhead and exploded as they approached the two men.

Another unexpected arrow.

In the golden light, the sword net they had condensed was instantly torn apart.

The Sword Pavilion's protective sword intent was activated. The impact force of the golden arrow pushed them, sweeping them both high into the sky.

The Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother stumbled out of the golden light in disarray.

They had jointly resisted the arrow and were not too severely wounded, but their previous ambush was completely destroyed.

They exchanged a glance, filled with shock and bewilderment.

What was going on?

How did the opponent find them?

And where did this arrow come from? There was no angle nearby from which an arrow could have been fired in ambush...

Just as they were pondering, a chilling killing intent pressed upon them once more.

In the swamp where they had just been flung, a female figure suddenly appeared.

The woman was exquisitely beautiful. The fragmented swamp raged like a storm, yet not a speck touched her robes. As the two men looked at her, they couldn't distinguish whether this was the arrival of the God of Death or a projection of a divine being from heaven onto the mortal realm!

Siming held Yulei. She was a goddess, and also a ghost wielding a netherworld sword.

She coldly raised her head and lifted her sword towards the sky.

On the other side, Zhou Zhenyue arrived at the cliff where the light had exploded.

She looked at the collapsed giant peaks, the severed river, and the piled-up boulders, unable to hide her shock.

"What on earth happened?!" Zhou Zhenyue's figure streaked across.

Liu Junzhuo's face was pale, and a little blood seeped through her chest… it was an arrow wound.

She said coldly, "They found me first. When that arrow came, I couldn't set up my defenses in time..."

"Arrow?" Zhou Zhenyue was even more perplexed. "Where are they?"

Liu Junzhuo pondered for a moment, just about to say that they might be coming to kill her, but just as her voice began, the two proud disciples of the Sword Pavilion both turned their heads simultaneously.

In the east, dawn seemed to arrive early. Instantly, sword light illuminated the day.