Chapter 549: Sword Resonance

Yu Mujian's eyes widened. He pushed both palms forward, releasing two bursts of golden light. Li Xijun, however, possessed excellent swordsmanship, which had long surpassed the conventional Moon Gate Sword Arc. His longsword, halfway through its swing, could still subtly shift, allowing the converging sword light to slip through the gap between Yu Mujian's hands.

The sword arc he unleashed responded to every move, instantly becoming dynamic. Though its power hadn't significantly changed, its threat had greatly increased. Yu Mujian, momentarily careless, struck at empty air. A white sword light pierced through his chin, exiting from his upper jaw and behind his neck, nearly tearing off his entire head.

Yu Mujian reacted extremely quickly, his bronze sword flaring up and forcing Li Xijun to retreat and sheath his sword. Beside them, Li Ximing was slightly startled and redirected the Mingguan to suppress him once more.

Although Li Ximing did not cultivate swordsmanship, he was astonished by his younger brother's technique. He thought to himself, "Junior Brother Jun's swordsmanship has already surpassed Uncle Er's from back then. Now that Zhi cannot fully concentrate on swordsmanship, there is no one else in our family, apart from the two ancestral founders, who can rival him."

This time, Yu Mujian was prepared. He narrowly avoided the Mingguan by forming a hand seal, quickly widening the distance. His eyes glowed as he softly said, "Indeed, I underestimated you..."

Sword light still shimmered on his chin, showing signs of healing only after a considerable time. As magical light converged in his hand, the troublesome Mingguan urgently pressed down again. Yu Mujian had no choice but to resist, feeling a sense of frustration.

Suppressed by the Mingguan, Yu Mujian lost the initiative and endured a series of attacks from both opponents. Realizing this wasn't sustainable, he avoided the Mingguan, immediately formed a hand seal to cast a spell, and shot out three drops of golden tears.

These three drops of golden tears rolled and fell through the air, continuously shifting. In an instant, they transformed into three figures, each holding a bronze sword, and moved in different directions.

Having fought countless battles, large and small, in the North, he understood that both suppression spells and artifacts feared concealment and illusory bodies. It would take an unknown amount of time to maneuver around them. So, his true body immediately concealed itself among them, and he began to regulate his breathing, preparing to draw his sword.

As soon as he cast the spell, Li Xijun sheathed his sword, and a snow-bright radiance lit up in his eyes. With the Ming Shuang Song Ling blessing his Clear-Sight Spiritual Pupils, he saw through the illusion at a glance. His spiritual sense moved, and he transmitted a thought: "Upper left."

Li Ximing understood, activated the Mingguan, and directly suppressed it, forcing Yu Mujian to reactivate his golden shield to block. Facing Li Xijun's bright pupils, Yu Mujian felt a great constriction in his chest.

"This Li Xijun's ocular technique is formidable."

Yu Mujian had only made one sword move before being suppressed by the Mingguan, leaving him bound and restricted. The Mingguan's brilliant light possessed astonishing erosive power. If there had been a method to break through it with a precise strike, it would have been better, but his bronze sword was primarily a heavy-hitting weapon. He thought to himself, "The Mingyang lineage... must have achieved some sort of divine ability, a foundation of immortality, and its rank is definitely not low... A normal Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely be ground to dust..."

Li Ximing, however, gradually discerned the intervals of his escapes and the duration of his spellcasting, becoming more adept. Meanwhile, Li Xijun activated his Kui Light spell, drawing his sword and weaving streaks of light, continuously hindering him.

Although the two brothers rarely fought together, Li Xijun's timing was exceptionally precise. He always managed to perfectly fill Li Ximing's openings, causing white energy to surge within Yu Mujian and his face to flush red.

Yu Mujian paused in mid-air for two breaths. The Mingguan pressed down again, its bright, pristine gateway shimmering with light, finally suppressing him directly beneath it.

As the blinding radiance poured down, Yu Mujian's expression gradually darkened. Li Ximing sat squarely on the gateway, cross-legged, eyes tightly closed, hands forming seals, single-mindedly continuing the suppression.

Beside him, Li Xijun, in his flowing white robes, held his sword behind his back. With two fingers together, he formed a hand seal and cast a spell. The spiritual energy of Qingdu Mountain nearby underwent a dramatic change; ten cold rays rapidly ascended, forming a vast azure light curtain that flowed down from the zenith.

"Morning Haze."

Li Xijun lightly formed a hand seal, and a grey, misty fog immediately rose from the lake. It spread rapidly, isolating spiritual sense probes, and began to entwine around Yu Mujian.

Li Xijun had specifically invited him to fight on the lake, having already made arrangements. Liu Changdie's Five Water Control Heaven Array had been prepared for a long time but never used. It was specifically saved for this moment, precisely to destroy Yu Mujian's body in one swift blow. The spells in his hand continuously changed: "Hui Stream, Clear Essence, Non-Buoyant."

In an instant, killing intent surged, and a multitude of magical water pythons, condensed from power, leaped from the lake. Their grey-green light shimmered. Yu Mujian's feet sank, and he was further suppressed by the Mingguan, feeling unable to escape.

His expression gradually turned grim as he realized he had been somewhat overconfident: "I thought Li Ximing was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator who knew alchemy, and I underestimated his suppression technique. Now I've fallen into Li Xijun's trap and entered the formation... If I don't show some real skill, I'm probably in trouble."

He sat cross-legged in the air, hands forming a lotus seal before his chest. Golden light runes barely held, and lines of golden patterns appeared on his face. His eyes sparkled, emitting two brilliant golden beams, and he solemnly declared: "The Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form attained through empowerment... Vimu obtained it, seeking possession today... Manifest!"

His pronouncements were urgent and rapid, solemn and severe. As he chanted the incantation under the golden light shield, his eyes turned golden-yellow. His two hands moved forward, his back arched, flesh receding, and two golden hands emerged.

"By decree, the Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form is attained!"

His upper garments burst open, revealing a muscular waist and back. Each of his two chests emitted golden light and opened an eye, staring coldly. The long cloth that had previously released golden runes was wrapped around his waist, gradually turning golden.

All four of Yu Mujian's eyes stared intently. His two back arms stretched upwards, golden patterns erupting as they propped up the Mingguan. His other two arms, working together, gripped his sword and pointed directly at Li Xijun.

Li Xijun's expression gradually grew solemn. He slowly pulled his sword back, preparing for battle. He thought: 'Vimu is, after all, a Dharma Master before the Five-Eyed Compassionate Seat. He does have a trump card... Buddhist cultivators rely on each other for cultivation. This appearance... must be a borrowed power.'

Yu Mujian had already manifested his Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form. His hair and beard disappeared, and he resembled a golden Arhat. His eyes glowed golden, and his eyelids and face were covered in golden lacquer. He roared like thunder: "Hah!"

Immediately, it was like a dragon's roar and a tiger's growl, mountains and seas churning. Li Ximing and Li Xijun both gasped. Yu Mujian pushed hard with his hands, white steam erupting from his mouth, pushing aside the Mingguan. White steam and golden light intertwined, and his eyes gleamed as he shouted: "Draw the sword!"

He had surprisingly placed his bronze sword at his waist. All four of his arms gripped the hilt, and he slowly drew out a long, thin golden light, inch by inch. A sharp aura permeated the air, intertwining with the runes on his body, causing waves to surge across the lake.

It turned out that during the earlier fight, this bronze sword had never been unsheathed! The sword and scabbard were a single, indistinguishable entity.

"No wonder every sword strike was so powerful... yet lacked sharpness. So this is how he concealed his sword!"

Yu Mujian's expression was icy cold. The golden light on his body seemed to burn, all converging into his sword. Disregarding the Mingguan pressing down again, he stated deeply: "I have already entered the Buddhist path. The matters of the Yu family are in the past. This sword is only to sever mortal ties and repay the senior's guidance from that day."

"The sword has been hidden for many years; today, it moves."

His eyes grew even brighter as he slowly drew his sword. Li Xijun stood silently in the air, gripping his sword hilt tightly. The final formation of the Five Water Control Heaven Array emerged in layers of flow, and the vast, deep blue lake water gradually enveloped him.

Provoked by Yu Mujian's sword energy, Hanlin was already eager for battle. The longsword in his hand let out a sharp howl. Li Xijun watched silently, swallowing the elixir in his mouth without speaking.

The grand formations of Qingdu Mountain and the various peaks lit up, stimulated by the energy, appearing bright or dim. Various colors of light intertwined, emitting waves of fluctuations in the air. Li Ximing felt as if his face was being cut by knives, but Yu Mujian was directly targeting his younger brother. How could he retreat? Hardening his resolve, he channeled his magical power, and the Huangyuan Pass burst forth with brilliant light, smashing down fiercely.

"Clang!"

Golden light erupted, clouds dispersed, and mist vanished. The Mingguan in the sky emitted a crisp sound; the light within the gate brightened for a moment, then dimmed. Inside the gate, mountains collapsed and seas roared, erupting with a burst of golden sword energy.

"Boom!"

The sword energy whistled out from within, and the plaque on the gate swayed. The bricks and stones were covered in cracks, suddenly dimming and shrinking into a bright stream of light that fell back onto Li Ximing.

"Pfft!"

The Mingguan was damaged, and Li Ximing spat out blood, a mixture of gold and red. Before it could fall into the lake, the blood transformed into golden streams of light and scattered. He had no time to attend to his own injuries; he merely drew out talismans and pursued the golden light.

Li Xijun poured all his cultivation into his sword. The lake water beneath his feet had already turned into a sheet of ice. In his pupils, only the golden sword energy remained, which was the culmination of the Golden Arhat Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form's lifelong swordsmanship cultivation.

He felt as if the talisman seed in his Qi Sea acupoint had been stimulated, gushing forth pure energy. His mind became sharper than ever before, countless profound truths emerging in his thoughts. His consciousness seemed to fall into a mirror, glimpsing the azure sword on the stone.

There was also a man in a long, bright white robe, with a clear and ethereal face, standing alone atop an ancient and weathered grand city. A phoenix of fire, obscuring the sky, streaked across like a meteor. The man lightly drew his sword, and an azure-white phantom light surged forth.

An azure-white sword shadow slowly appeared in Li Xijun's eyes. His hands, glowing almost white, unexpectedly put away his sword and summoned something from the air.

"Clang!"

A sharp whistling sound echoed, and an azure-white sword light actually flew from the mountains, leaping rapidly and landing in his hand. Its sword tassel swayed—it was precisely the Azure Ruler Sword!

The moon-white sword light brightened again, and the luster on the lake surface suddenly dimmed.

Golden light erupted from several miles away, accompanied by the roaring sound of massive rocks rolling. Yu Mujian stood in the air, staring blankly.

Li Xijun stood quietly opposite him. Yu Mujian slowly put away his sword, stood for two breaths, his expression gradually changing, and then abruptly said: "I have no regrets."

As soon as his words fell, countless dense cracks appeared on his face. His body solidified for a moment, then instantly disintegrated into countless fragments, scattering across the sky. These rapidly transformed into streams of light, then into flying ash, which drifted down in a grey haze.

The dull yellow bronze scabbard lost its luster, falling from the air and smashing into the lake, breaking into two pieces. After half a turn, it rapidly sank into the lake water.

Li Ximing only felt Li Xijun's aura growing dim and unstable. Without time to attend to him, he quickly rushed over to protect him, only to see swirling wind and snow, and bloodstains all over Li Xijun's mouth.

He quickly helped Li Xijun to the mountain and fed him a Wanling Flower. Only then did Li Xijun's expression change. Seeing a faint bloodline at his waist, likely pierced by sword energy, Li Ximing was stunned. He then saw Li Xijun swallowing blood, and hoarsely saying: "Earth Gaze Bloodstone!"

Li Ximing quickly took out the blood-glowing jade stone from his storage bag and handed it to Li Xijun. He then saw Li Xijun use his palm as a blade to cut off a small piece, opening his own abdomen, which was already a chaotic mess, fragmented and broken.

He placed the bloodstone inside, clasped his palms together, and spat out a mouthful of black blood, which created numerous dense holes in the bluestone it landed on.

Li Xijun gasped for a moment, then gradually showed a lively expression. He asked: "Is Yu Mujian dead?"

"At least this body should be dead..."

Li Ximing took half a breath to realize he needed to answer, his face covered in sweat. He hurriedly asked: "How are you?"

"With the Earth Gaze Bloodstone, there should be no danger."

Li Xijun, his face as pale as gold paper, leaned against the bluestone and replied. He used his magical power to reassemble the fragments of his internal organs, his eyes remarkably bright. He chuckled: "Brother Ming, there should still be a sword immortal's hidden move or a legacy within the Azure Ruler Sword!"

"What... legacy or not... just shut up for now..."

Li Ximing had no mind to listen further. He just took out elixirs from his storage bag, piling them in front of him, and only said: "Every time I come out of seclusion, something has already happened at home... I've been very uneasy. You should focus on healing..."

Li Xijun nodded, took several types of elixirs, and began to heal himself, cross-legged with closed eyes. After about ten breaths, Li Xuanxuan rushed up, calling out: "Ximing! Xijun! Are you alright?"

"Still well..."

Li Ximing quickly replied. He also slowly calmed down. As he went out with Li Xuanxuan, and after a few comforting words, he saw the old man holding two segments of the bronze sword, wet and dripping lake water, their cross-sections shining like mirrors.

Xu State, Grand Void.

Within the dark and vast Grand Void, golden clouds appeared auspicious, and white mist swirled. A colossal golden body sat enthroned, with three heads and six arms, numerous faces, shimmering golden lacquer, and waves of Sanskrit chants.

Amidst the golden lotus-like clouds, numerous "Compassionate Ones" stood at the feet of the golden body. They were only a tenth of its size, with varied expressions—some glaring furiously, others cold as ice—each holding knives, spears, axes, and halberds.

These Compassionate Ones were all motionless, their lotus-like palms frozen within the golden clouds. Their cold Buddhist artifacts released light, drawing one to stare deeply and become immersed.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, one Compassionate One opened its eyes—three on its face, two more on its chest—all wide and showing slight anger. Its lotus-shaped arms, previously posed in the air, quickly lowered, and it slowly began to calculate.

"Vimu is dead!"

A slight anger stirred in his heart. This person was someone he had painstakingly converted, a rare first-grade Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form among the "Empty Form" manifestations, truly a capable Arhat.

This was one reason, but in reality, it was far more than that. This person also possessed swordsmanship cultivation, was a cultivator from Jiangnan, and very likely reached the Sword Essence realm, making him an excellent subordinate... He had sent him south to settle his mortal ties, and now he had died so suddenly!

"That Li family... actually has the power to prevent an Abhicāra-siddhi-vajra-garbha form from even reincarnating!"

The three eyes on the Five-Eyed Compassionate One's face were slightly angry, while the two on its chest were cold. The lotus artifacts on its sides descended from above its head to its sides. After a moment of hesitation, it thought: "Most of Jiangnan's Golden Core cultivators have gone beyond the heavens, isolated without worry. This is a good time to make calculations... And Maha is nearby. I want to see what kind of fated individual this is! It would be best if I could bring them under my control..."

A hint of his regret was somewhat alleviated, and golden patterns appeared on his face. His five eyes slowly closed as he meticulously calculated with his fingers.