Chapter 104: That Sword's Charm

At the Southwest Gate, the battle was fierce, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.

On the city wall, Lin Nian's body pulsed with powerful Origin Qi. Each strike contained an overwhelming force, capable of shattering mountains and splitting the earth. Around him, experts of the Heavenly Pass Realm, such as Lu Tieshan, fearlessly charged forward in succession, continuously entangled him, trying to prevent him from freeing his hands.

However, an expert of the Grand Initial Realm was clearly not so easily restrained. Of the seven Heavenly Pass Realm experts, one was already dead and two were injured; the rest were covered in blood and appeared extremely disheveled.

It was evident to everyone that Lu Tieshan would soon be defeated. This scene did not escape the notice of the strong combatants on both sides.

"Haha, it seems your Southwest Gate won't hold up," Wang Chaotian, who was fiercely clashing with Zhou Yuan, repeatedly sneered, attempting to disrupt Zhou Yuan's composure with words.

However, Zhou Yuan showed no panic in the face of such tactics; instead, his offensive grew even more ferocious. Though he knew the Southwest Gate was a weak point, they could not afford any distraction at this moment. Only by quickly defeating their current opponent could they turn the tide.

"You want to defeat me quickly? You ignorant child, how arrogant!" Wang Chaotian sneered, having discerned Zhou Yuan's intention. Being cunning and shrewd, he naturally avoided a head-on confrontation with Zhou Yuan. Instead, he opted for a guerrilla-style fight, clearly intending to tie down Zhou Yuan so that Lin Nian could break through the Southwest Gate, thereby causing panic and disarray among the Great Zhou's powerful figures.

Zhou Yuan's eyes were cold; he paid no heed and intensified his assault.

Violent Origin Qi swept across the Southwest Gate, knocking Lu Tieshan and the others backward. They crashed against the city wall, each spitting out a mouthful of blood. At this point, these Heavenly Pass Realm experts were all weakened, their Origin Qi diminished, clearly having suffered severe injuries. Outside their immediate circle, the defending soldiers watched the invincible Lin Nian with fear in their eyes. Even Heavenly Pass Realm experts couldn't stop him; ordinary soldiers would only be throwing their lives away.

"Everyone, the King has always treated us well. Now is the time for us to repay our country with our lives," Lu Tieshan said, his voice hoarse, a determined look flashing in his eyes.

The other Heavenly Pass Realm experts nodded heavily, resolve in their eyes. Even if it meant dying in battle today, they were determined to hold back Lin Nian.

And so, under the gaze of countless eyes, Lu Tieshan and the others shakily rose to their feet once more.

Lin Nian stood with his hands behind his back, casting an indifferent glance at Lu Tieshan and the others. He shook his head, saying, "Fools who don't know their place. You think you can stop me? That's pure delusion."

Lu Tieshan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled, "Even dying in battle is better than being a traitor who deserted the battlefield back then!"

Lin Nian's eyes turned cold, murderous intent seeping into them as he stared at Lu Tieshan. He said grimly, "So, your bones are tough, are they? Then I'll have to see if I can crush every single one of them, inch by inch."

Powerful Origin Qi suddenly erupted from his body like a storm, causing cracks to spider across the bricks beneath his feet. He moved, transforming into a shadow that shot straight towards Lu Tieshan.

"Stop him!" roared the other Heavenly Pass Realm experts, as their Origin Qi surged and fierce attacks barraged Lin Nian.

However, Lin Nian's Origin Qi swept outward, directly blasting them away. His figure flickered, appearing instantly before Lu Tieshan, his hand shooting out like an eagle's talon to seize Lu Tieshan's throat and lift him slowly into the air.

Lin Nian tilted his head slightly, staring at Lu Tieshan. "With this much strength, why pretend to be tough?"

Lu Tieshan returned his gaze with contempt, showing no fear of death in his eyes.

Countless Great Zhou soldiers around them watched the scene with bloodshot eyes, roaring as they charged at Lin Nian. However, the Origin Qi erupting from Lin Nian's body acted like a storm, blasting them all away.

"Your eyes truly displease me. In that case, you may die," Lin Nian said, murderous intent surging in his eyes. "Don't worry, your master will soon come to join you." Origin Qi was about to activate in his palm, ready to shatter Lu Tieshan's head.

"If I were you, you'd best release him." However, just as Lin Nian was about to deliver the killing blow, a cold, clear voice suddenly echoed across the blood-soaked city wall.

Lin Nian paused slightly, then turned his head. He saw a girl in blue and white standing gracefully amidst the blood not far from the city wall, her bright eyes seemingly fixated on him with a sharp intensity.

"Were you speaking?" Lin Nian asked, staring at Su Youwei with interest. He sized up the delicate, well-proportioned figure of the girl before him, a flicker of unusual light in his eyes. He smiled, saying, "This little girl is quite beautiful. I happen to need a concubine; it seems you'd be a perfect fit."

Seeing Su Youwei's appearance, Lu Tieshan struggled violently, his face flushed as he hissed, "Miss Su, leave quickly!"

Su Youwei was Zhou Yuan's friend, and more importantly, she was only in the Qi Nourishing Realm. She would be utterly useless here and would only throw her life away for nothing.

However, Su Youwei's delicate face remained calm. Her bright eyes, like tranquil lakes, quietly stared at Lin Nian. Suddenly, she gently broke into a smile.

That smile was like a hundred flowers blossoming, radiant and captivating. For a moment, even the crimson carnage on the city wall seemed to dim in comparison.

Lin Nian gazed at her smiling face, licking his lips. Intense heat and possessiveness welled up in his eyes. He was fond of beautiful women, but the stunning beauties he had enjoyed over the years instantly paled in comparison to the girl before him. This wasn't merely a difference in looks, but a matter of aura.

"You, I want you," Lin Nian declared decisively.

However, the girl still did not reply. She simply raised her delicate hand, and a faint light seemed to appear in her palm. Vaguely, a sword shadow, black and white in color, slowly materialized.

The sword shadow trembled slightly in Su Youwei's delicate hand, and a sword hum resonated. The sword hum, initially faint, suddenly reverberated throughout the heavens and earth the next instant. An indescribably sharp sword qi erupted from Su Youwei's body at that moment.

Lin Nian's pupils suddenly constricted, and his advancing footsteps halted. He gazed at Su Youwei before him with an uncertain, startled expression. He couldn't imagine why such astonishing sword qi would erupt from a girl in the Qi Nourishing Realm. That sword qi made even him feel a profound threat.

Su Youwei paid no attention to the numerous gazes. Her mind was calm and focused as she tightly grasped the black-and-white sword shadow in her hand. The next moment, she struck, lightly slashing the sword shadow towards Lin Nian.

With that single slash, a black-and-white sword qi seemed to streak across the sky above the city wall. The black-and-white sword qi whistled towards him, causing Lin Nian's hair to stand on end, a look of horror in his eyes. Without hesitation, he activated all the Origin Qi in his body, forming a formidable, egg-shaped shield around himself.

The black-and-white sword shadow descended, touched the Origin Qi shield, and then, with a "swish," mysteriously vanished. The black-and-white sword shadow arrived swiftly and vanished even faster. Within mere breaths, it dissipated into the heavens and earth.

Countless eyes were fixed on Lin Nian's direction. Around him, the Origin Qi shield still pulsed, and he appeared to be completely unharmed.

Lin Nian's eyes darted around, filled with uncertainty and surprise. He did not, however, dispel his Origin Qi shield. Instead, he looked at Su Youwei with cold eyes, saying icily, "What did you do?"

"I originally didn't want to harm such a beautiful flower, but you make me feel uneasy. So, I think taking your corpse back would also be fun to play with!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he prepared to attack.

However, at that very moment, he suddenly noticed that the gazes of those around him seemed to have grown strange. A liquid also began to trickle down his forehead, obscuring his vision. He was startled, for it was unmistakably hot blood.

"You—what did you do?!" Lin Nian exclaimed in horror.

Blood poured down, revealing a single line of blood that stretched from the crown of Lin Nian's head, all the way down his body.

"It seems you won't be able to pass through this gate," Su Youwei murmured softly, the black-and-white sword shadow in her hand slowly dissipating.

Lin Nian's vision grew darker and darker. In his eyes, an expression of disbelief lingered. He had never imagined that the girl before him could unleash such a terrifying sword strike... And how, exactly, had that sword strike bypassed his defenses?

The powerful Origin Qi surging around Lin Nian's body completely dissipated at that moment. Then, under countless gazes filled with shock and horror, his body split into two, slowly collapsing amidst gushing blood. His face remained etched with confusion even in death.

The entire city gate seemed to fall silent at that moment.

In that silence, Su Youwei's delicate body slumped down. She was so weak that she couldn't move even a fraction. Her delicate hand trembled as she gently clenched it, and a joyful curve gently lifted the corners of her rosy lips.

"Ming Yang... thank you. In the future, I will definitely help you recover."

Within her Qi Mansion, the black-and-white sword shadow trembled, growing even fainter, its light completely fading away. She lifted her head, gazing at the distant city gate where Zhou Yuan was, and smiled faintly.

"Your Highness... I have helped you hold this city gate."

As her soft voice faded, her vision suddenly went dark.

The sudden turn of events at the Southwest Gate was noticed by all powerful figures on both sides, and they were instantly startled. No one had expected Lin Nian to die at the hands of a girl in the Qi Nourishing Realm. However, the powerful figures on the Great Qi side breathed a sigh of relief when they realized that after unleashing that astonishing sword strike, the girl seemed to have collapsed from exhaustion and was unconscious, unable to deliver a second strike.

Zhou Yuan also looked in that direction with complicated emotions, murmuring, "Youwei, thank you."

Without Su Youwei's intervention, the Great Zhou would undoubtedly have suffered even greater casualties. He took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions, his eyes becoming as calm as an ancient well. He looked at Wang Chaotian opposite him, whose expression was now uncertain and bewildered. With a clench of his hand, the Heavenly Yuan Brush expanded. Its sharp tip, like the head of a spear, slowly pointed towards Wang Chaotian. The murderous intent in Zhou Yuan's eyes was now so potent it almost overflowed. With no further concern for the Southwest Gate, he could finally concentrate all his focus.

"You like to play games, do you?"

"Then next... let's have a good game."

"I just wonder... if you can afford to play!"

(Yesterday's update was posted incorrectly. Also, some readers on Zhangyue mentioned duplicate subscriptions. Please check your consumption records. If there are indeed duplicates, I will have Zhangyue compensate you. Also, due to a system error, some readers subscribed to chapters 97 and 98. Please check, and if you have, Zhangyue will compensate you. I apologize for the inconvenience.)

(End of this chapter)