Chapter 247: Kneel or Not Kneel

Zha Rongzu’s fists exploded like thunder against Xu Fengnian’s chest. The mirage, which border bandits had taken a long time to cut through with their large axes, was instantly breached by this imperial attendant. He had been slightly surprised that the young swordsman could emit such full internal energy, but never expected that the successful first strike was merely a show. His airborne body suddenly stretched out like an ape’s arm, adding force to the blow aimed at the young man’s chest, intending to kill this fool who dared to directly block his fists. Xu Fengnian’s body bent into an arc like a drawn bow, his head and feet still, using the concave curve of his chest and back to resist the tidal wave of fist energy. In an instant, his right hand pressed onto Zha Rongzu’s head, ready to crush it. Zha Rongzu sensed danger; this young man was vicious, willing to destroy himself to destroy others right at the start of the fight, using a tactic that would harm himself as much as his opponent. He pulled his head back, leaning away, and kicked out with both legs, which Xu Fengnian blocked with his left arm.

Zha Rongzu used the momentum to shoot backward like lightning. His body stuck to the wall, his hands forming claws that dug into the wooden planks. Just as he was about to launch a second counterattack, a searing pain shot through his chest. He looked down, his eyes wide with horror, seeing that his chest had been pierced by a sharp hidden weapon at some unknown moment. The young man clearly hadn't drawn his sword. The reason Zha Rongzu didn't realize it immediately was because Xu Fengnian's move was incredibly sinister, cunning, and unheard of. First, he feigned the posture of a novice intending to confront Zha Rongzu's fists and feet head-on, then he deployed Pifu, the sharpest and smallest of the Twelve Flying Swords, silently "placing" it about ten feet behind Zha Rongzu.

This sword was crystal clear, its killing intent extremely restrained. If Xuanlei, fresh from the forge, was full of killing intent, like a swordsman who slays from a thousand miles away, and the longest flying sword, Tai'a, surged with energy like a celestial being lifting a cauldron, and the Peach Blossom Sword's body was as alluring as a blooming maiden, then Pifu was too inconspicuous, as simple as a baby. Even placed directly in front of an ordinary person, without careful concentration, they would only see a blurred reflection, like a small ripple in clear water. When Zha Rongzu missed his attack and retreated, Xu Fengnian only needed to subtly shift Tai'a's position, aiming it at the chest. It was as if Zha Rongzu himself fatally crashed into it. His heart was pierced by Tai'a without suspense. Unless one possessed an indestructible Vajra-level body, death was inevitable.

When masters fight to the death, it's never as poetic and picturesque as described by storytellers or in biographies of wandering heroes; the victor and the vanquished are always decided instantly, and life and death are revealed in a flash. Unless forces are perfectly matched, who would willingly fight for three hundred rounds?

Murong Jiangshen, watching the fight, didn't even know what had happened. All he saw was Zha Rongzu, practically invincible on the battlefield, die unexpectedly after a single exchange and retreat. His body fell to the bottom of the stairs, clutching his chest from which blood gushed like a spring. The residual sword energy of the Pifu flying sword remained in his body, preventing Zha Rongzu's futile attempt to mend his vital energy before death. It could be said that after Pifu's cut, though it only created a narrow slit, it was like the ends of the earth, separating life from death. This was also the symbolism behind naming the flying sword Pifu: mayflies do not know the changes of seasons; they are born in the morning and die in the evening. Murong Jiangshen, bewildered, felt a mix of rage and a hint of terror upon seeing the head of Tao Qianzhi’s widow. To be able to kill an imperial attendant with a flick of a finger, and so young at that, could he be a direct disciple from a prestigious sect like Chess-Sword Music Manor? He had heard that Dong had good personal relations with Troop-Raising Mountain and Chess-Sword Music Manor, two of Beiliang's five great sects. The daughter of the Troop-Raising Mountain master had even been "ruined" by Dong, the deed already done. Even a martial arts grandmaster like the Troop-Raising Mountain master, with all his talent and strategy, had to grudgingly accept his daughter becoming a concubine to that fat man. But would Dong, who was best at weighing pros and cons, truly dare to mortally offend the Murong clan?

Xu Fengnian descended the stairs and sneered, "Murong Zhangtai, stop pretending to be asleep. Keep it up, and Manager Xie might dig out your heart and liver for a tonic."

Murong Zhangtai, lying on the table, still showed no movement. Xie Ling walked over and first placed the landlady's head on the table. His five fingers curled like hooks, pulling the heart of the handsome Murong clan member, whose acupoints had been sealed when he was carried downstairs, from his chest cavity and chewing it with loud bites. Murong Jiangshen watched, his liver and gall splitting with fear, and roared furiously, "Xie Ling, how dare you harm my Murong brother?!"

Xie Ling’s eyes were blood-red, his mouth full of blood. While holding the heart and liver and gnawing at it, he looked at Murong Jiangshen, whose scalp was tingling with fear. This demon, who had gone astray with no path back, spoke without emotion, "So, it's a swordsman from Chess-Sword Music Manor. The hearts and livers of righteous people are truly delicious. Even though it's all about devouring hearts and livers, with experience, you learn that the tastes vary. Some are like fat geese, greasy and nauseating, of little benefit. Some are like snakes or turtles, slightly poisonous, but can cure ailments. Some are like crab meat, tasting better after frost, already top-grade, able to restore sinews and bones, just like this one in my hand. As for the gentleman with the saber, his is phoenix marrow and dragon liver—rare and sought-after. I, Xie Ling, never judge a person by their outward appearance, only by the heart and liver within."

Everyone at Duckhead Green Inn knew Manager Xie as a quiet, good-natured old man, a sickly figure who was always amiable in his dealings with people. But they didn't know his good temper was cultivated by devouring a hundred sets of hearts and livers each year. Xie Ling, for once, spoke at length, ignoring the fearful Murong Jiangshen. He turned to Xu Fengnian and said, "Since you can both nurture and control swords, your background must be good. These two Murongs might not even compare to you. Why didn't you leave your sect a bit later, at least waiting until you reached the Vajra realm? You killed someone but didn't flee, clearly sensing I was heavily wounded, thinking you could bully a tiger fallen on flat ground? Later, I will peel open your chest with my fingers, and I guarantee you'll be alive to see your own heart beating. I will eat your heart and liver very carefully and slowly. Due to the intense pain, your vital energy will concentrate in your heart's meridians, making the taste even better."

The unsettled Murong Jiangshen, hearing that Xie Ling had old, severe injuries, grasped onto it like a drowning man grasping a straw. He no longer cared about Murong Zhangtai's heart being gouged out, nor the young woman's head still at his feet. He quickly turned to Xu Fengnian and said with immense sincerity, "Sir, how about you and I join forces to deal with this demon, whom everyone should rightfully kill? My Murong clan will surely reward you handsomely! Murong disciples always keep their word, valuing promises more than their own lives..."

Xu Fengnian remained silent, watching Xie Ling move like a cheetah bursting from the jungle, rushing towards Murong Jiangshen. With one hand, he twisted Murong Jiangshen's neck, and with the other, he hammered his waist, using external force to accelerate the flow of blood and vital energy within Murong Jiangshen's body. He lowered his head and bit into Murong Jiangshen's chest, swallowing the second heart of the day whole, like drawing water. Casually, he discarded Murong Jiangshen's still-warm corpse. Xie Ling tilted his head back, his face a picture of ecstatic, almost demonic, satisfaction. This scene, no less cruel than Buddhist scriptures' descriptions of hell, would have made the faint-hearted faint long ago.

Xie Ling's pair of eerie, crimson eyes made people afraid to meet his gaze. On the second floor, a dizzy child, peering through the railing, saw the great demon spot her. The little girl burst into loud sobs. Her delicate body curled up, as if believing that if she couldn't see the demon, the demon wouldn't see her. Xie Ling let out a sinister laugh and darted towards the second floor, only to be intercepted by Xu Fengnian's horizontal thrust. He stomped Xie Ling's side waist, knocking him into a pillar. A single stomp would have cracked an inch-thick bluestone slab, but Xie Ling's body was soft and boneless. He wrapped himself around the pillar, head and feet connected, staring at Xu Fengnian with a slight smile, chuckling mockingly, "Young man, so impatient! I thought this little brat, who least deserves to live, was your bait, but a quick test revealed the truth. I understand now: you weren't trying to kill Tao Qianzhi's widow. Rather, she knew she was merely surviving, and sought to clear her name by dying, but asked you to protect this child. From this, it seems you are indeed sent by Dong, Tao Qianzhi's sworn brother. Are you from the pretentious Chess-Sword Music Manor, or the fox-borrowing-tiger's-might Troop-Raising Mountain?"

Speaking in an authentic Beiliang accent, Xu Fengnian smiled faintly and said, "What if I told you I'm from Beiliang? Would you believe me?"

Black blood seeped from the corners of Xie Ling's mouth; whether it was from a backlash of his dark cultivation or some hidden secret, he calmly said, "Even if you said you were the emperor of the Liyang Dynasty, I would believe you."

Xie Ling's body glided eerily like a snake, finally bending his knees, hands, and feet to firmly affix himself to a wooden beam. Dark blood mixed with saliva dripped to the ground. The demon, who devoured human hearts and livers to boost his power, forced a smile and said, "No matter who you are, your heart and liver are mine. I will hang your corpse in the desert to dry in the sun. If you're unlucky, I'll let eagles peck you clean."

Xu Fengnian remained expressionless, his eyes clear. Perhaps because the demon Xie didn't see the expected despair and fear, he became enraged. He broke the thick roof beam with his feet and shot rapidly towards the young gentleman who wore a short saber but controlled flying swords. The two collided, the immense impact forcing Xu Fengnian to crash through the wall behind him. Xie Ling, whose agility was beyond imagination, almost instantly, after breaking through the wall and exiting the inn, delivered a knee strike that could crack iron and stone, but it was held back by Xu Fengnian's hands. Xie Ling's fist still solidly struck Xu Fengnian's forehead. As Xu Fengnian's body recoiled, he also struck the demon's temple with a palm. One flew backward like a kite with a broken string, the other spun in the air a few times. In that flash of lightning, both unleashed their full power in close combat. After they landed, neither showed any signs of discomposure, indicating that this deathmatch would be difficult to conclude quickly without prolonged struggle.

Red-eyed Xie Ling spat out a mouthful of blood, leisurely shook his neck, and squinted to see that the gentleman's forehead, which had gathered bruises, turning from bright red to purplish-blue, was rapidly fading away at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. If Xie Ling's punch had landed on a martial artist like Murong Jiangshen, it would not have been surprising for all their meridians to be severed.

Then Xie Ling saw the fellow take off his sheathed short saber, first twisting it with two fingers, then flicking the scabbard with a bent finger. The ancient short saber circled like a spirit swallow around a beam. Xie Ling frowned. The technique of letting go of weapons like sabers, spears, and axes was not rare in the martial world; it was merely a crude form of sword control and unworthy of grand stages. Firstly, in the eyes of grandmasters, without sufficient internal energy as a foundation, a weapon released from the hand, no matter how dazzlingly it was wielded, was all show and easily shattered. Secondly, as the saying goes, "an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous." A weapon released from hand had pros and cons; while it extended attack range, it implicitly revealed a fear of close-quarters deadly combat. Therefore, this technique was always scorned by renowned swordsmen, viewed as a laughable, low-level heterodox path.

Xu Fengnian charged forward, flicking his finger whenever Xuanlei revolved, the short saber continuously circling around him, its rotation speed increasing. Eventually, it looked like a gracefully swirling firefly. Initially, it showed no prowess, but when it was less than fifty feet from Xie Ling, both the man and the saber revealed their full sharpness. The yellow sand and dust on the ground were swept up by Xuanlei.

When the two were about thirty feet apart, Xie Ling reached out and grabbed. Though he didn't grasp the scabbard of the saber, his five fingers suddenly exerted force, twisting away a hidden surge of vital energy laden with killing intent. Xie Ling tutted a few times, ignoring the bloodstains rubbed onto his palm by the surging vital energy. He extended an arm and slashed, shattering the second dragon-like surge of energy. Xu Fengnian arrived in the blink of an eye, raising his arm to perform the "Husband's Three Bows," a technique he had secretly learned and refined. The first two bows were blocked and deflected by Xie Ling's immense brute force. The final one involved joining the fingertips of both hands, holding Xie Ling's chin, and swiftly pushing, sending the great demon floating backward into the air. Xu Fengnian strode forward, two depressions appearing on the ground. The two surging vital energies carried by the Xuanlei scabbard entangled in the air, cascading like waterfalls towards Xie Ling. Xie Ling, suspended in the air, laughed loudly. He used one hand to support himself on the ground, spun his body like a top, and used his feet to crush the two ferocious vital energies that contained immense sword intent. After succeeding, Xie Ling wasn't in a hurry to stand. He maintained that peculiar posture, supporting himself with one arm, head facing the ground, and gazed at Xu Fengnian, sinisterly smiling, "Chess-Sword Music Manor has a ci-poetry tune 'Into the Wine' and a sword technique derived from Liyang Sword God Li Chungang's 'Open Shu Style,' I think it's called 'Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall.' What is your relationship with that manor lord's distinguished disciple whose sword qi is similar?"

The eight light cavalry finally could not hold back and charged into the inn. They saw both their masters had their hearts gouged out like oranges, and Zha Rongzu lay dead at the foot of the stairs, utterly shocked. Although they were Murong clan personal guards, exempt from the Northern Barbarian army's ironclad law of collective punishment (if a squad leader died, all four men under him were executed; if a platoon leader died, all squad leaders were executed), with the death of Murong Zhangtai and Murong Jiangshen, clan law was as strict as state law. The Murong clan's power had been deeply entrenched for centuries, their household rules no different from military discipline. Their own deaths were inevitable. After a brief exchange of glances, the eight cavalrymen unhesitatingly rushed out of the inn, mounted their horses, and rode towards Xie Ling and Xu Fengnian's battlefield, ready to fight to the death with their sabers raised. If they returned alive, their families would suffer terribly. If they died in battle alongside their masters, they would receive generous rewards. Indeed, Beiliang's rules did not allow them to cling to life.

Two of the cavalrymen were cut down by sword energy, both rider and horse severed. More had their hearts hooked out by Xie Ling and stuffed into his mouth. The last cavalryman, not afraid of death but afraid of his heart and liver being eaten, was about to retreat when Xie Ling grabbed his horse's tail and flung both rider and warhorse towards a chilling sword energy.

Xie Ling wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gazing at the young gentleman with a look of pity. He said, "As expected of the renowned Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall, it has some merit. Unfortunately, 'dragon' is its limit. I've already overcome all eight surges of vital energy. What other hidden abilities do you have, young man? Show them all before you die."

Xu Fengnian looked at the demon as if he were an idiot and softly said, "'Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall' indeed only has dragons, that's true. But can't I perform 'Rolling Dragon Wall' again? You've eaten hundreds of hearts and livers, but your cultivation hasn't increased. Did you eat your own brain too?"

Xie Ling, instead of getting angry, laughed and beckoned with a finger. "Stop trying to be clever with words. 'Sword Qi Rolling Dragon Wall' is a rare, superior sword technique that perfectly integrates sword intent and sword moves. But it also depends on who uses it. You're still too green, young man. If you don't believe me, try it again."

Xu Fengnian, with Xuanlei swirling beside him, smiled and said, "Oh?"

Red-eyed Xie Ling brought his fists to his chest and roared angrily. With him as the center, numerous tiny cracks appeared on the ground for ten feet around.

Xie Ling's eyes were cold, and he grinned sinisterly, "This skill of eating human hearts and livers to gain longevity is somewhat unsavory. I've only used it once in my life, against Luoyang, the leader of the demonic path. You should die without regrets, young man!"

Blood mist permeated the air.

Xie Ling self-mutilated over three hundred acupoints in his sea of qi. Countless strands of blood soaked his clothes, then burst from his body, scattering without disorder, finally condensing into eight thumb-thick crimson, swimming snakes. They writhed in the air, ceaselessly, like venomous pythons flicking their tongues, ready to devour. Xie Ling wasn't in a hurry to deliver a fatal blow to Xu Fengnian. Instead, he repeatedly "tapped" the corpses outside the inn, causing them to explode. Each time blood splattered, it was gathered by the swimming snakes, their bodies gradually growing from thumb-thick to the size of a woman's wrist. When Xie Ling stood atop a mangled cavalryman's corpse, the great demon, with eight crimson snakes coiling around his body, spread his arms, slightly bent his knees, and let out a roar to the sky, imbued with boundless grief, indignation, and hatred: "Luoyang!"

Xie Ling, in his life, to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, had not hesitated to walk this despised, winding path. He had faintly seen the hope of reaching the mountain's peak to survey the world's grand currents, but Luoyang, a demon a hundred times worse than him, had forcibly struck him down from the Profound Finger realm into the dust. Luoyang was so high above him that Xie Ling hated him to the bone. He hated this person who called himself a fool, one who foolishly dreamt of a snake swallowing an elephant. Xie Ling could tolerate losing to a young grandmaster who was already above thousands. But he could not endure this young man's contemptuous gaze and indifferent tone.

"The most delicious heart and liver in the world is yours, Luoyang!"

Xie Ling looked back at the inn, blood tears streaming ceaselessly.

How many women in this world, with charming smiles and seemingly heartfelt words of love, would truly offer their hearts and livers for their beloved?

Xu Fengnian, in his black and white attire, though tattered from long journeys and fierce fighting, stood quietly in place, his demeanor still captivating.

Xie Ling's red eyes fixed on this dashing young gentleman, who was as odious as Luoyang. He said stiffly, "Any last words?"

Xu Fengnian re-sheathed Xuanlei at his waist and smiled, shaking his head.

Xie Ling charged forward, sand and wind surging where he passed.

Xu Fengnian closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, his breath extending endlessly, like a dragon drawing water to spit pearls.

The second to last stage of the Great Yellow Court cultivation was the "Mirage Arising in the Sea of Qi," which was the true profound realm comparable to the indestructible Golden Buddha.

The two collided. Xu Fengnian's feet seemed to root to the ground as he slid backward through the yellow sand, yet never lifted from the surface. The eight crimson blood snakes whipped the mirage. Two inherently opposing streams of internal energy rubbed and clashed, burning with a hissing sound. The smoke carried a pungent, bloody smell. The blood snakes were temporarily unable to approach, but Xie Ling's fists and feet struck without restraint, each blow heavy and powerful enough to topple a city wall. Each time Xu Fengnian resisted, he was overwhelmed and sent flying backward, sliding dozens of feet. Xie Ling gave no quarter, his fists and feet whistling past before Xu Fengnian could steady himself. Outside the inn, the ground was crisscrossed with ravines, a scene of devastation. Amidst the sandstorm, Xie Ling's face twisted like an ancient beast escaped from a cage. Blood streamed from his eyes, covering his normally dull-looking face. He seemed to have completely succumbed to his demonic cultivation, mistaking the nearby young man for his nemesis, Luoyang, and roared, "Outside Xuande City, you killed over a thousand people! Combatants, bystanders, innocents—everyone within sight was killed by you! What a river of blood! I used that momentum to break through the Vajra realm in one go, achieving Profound Finger, reaching the 'Eight Snakes Swallowing Elephant' described in the manual! How old are you? How many human hearts have you eaten? How can you possibly defeat me?! Because of you, my realm fell to the bottom of the Vajra Valley! My act of eating human hearts and livers was exposed to the world, and I nearly became a pariah! And I was ranked among the top ten demons with you, tenth? If I'm not first, what good is being second?! Luoyang, do you know how much your heart and liver would boost my cultivation?! I want to eat you day and night, not just your heart and liver, but your entire being must be swallowed whole to sate the hatred in my heart!"

Amidst the intermittent ravings, the two finally created some distance. Xie Ling stood still, like a demonic god descended, his eight crimson snakes still writhing.

Xu Fengnian knelt on one knee, his face as thin as gold leaf.

Due to the chaotic vital energy, the skin rooted to his face became rootless duckweed, turning into a cloud of powder before it could even fall.

Xie Ling's crimson eyes gleamed, and he said in a sinister, hoarse voice, "You are indeed not Luoyang. You are far too inferior."

Xu Fengnian looked up, smiled faintly, and slowly stood up. "Tired?"

He cupped his hands into a circle over his abdomen, expelling a breath of stagnant qi, sword qi, and death qi.

Then he exhaled again, "Ascending Kunlun."

His face became rosy, and a red date-like mark appeared between his eyebrows.

If it were just this, Xie Ling would have merely considered it a dying surge of energy.

A third exhalation, "Roaming the Vast Sea."

In such a perilous situation, repeatedly pounded with domineering force, he opened the remaining tightly sealed major acupoints, the "Extreme Springs."

Xu Fengnian, his true face revealed, his sleeves fluttering, was incomparably graceful, like an immortal descended into the mortal world.

Xie Ling frowned, a suppressed sound coming from his throat, like a dull knife scraping against a whetstone, or a rat gnawing on a corpse, unusually grating.

Xu Fengnian calmly said, "I've heard of the Demonic Sect's 'Snake Swallowing Elephant' manual. The Tide-Listening Pavilion has half a copy. It claims that by regularly eating hearts and livers, one can achieve the realm of a land immortal with great longevity. But you've cultivated for many years; you should know the endless side effects. Do you truly believe the person who gave you this tattered manual had good intentions? Are you sure you weren't scammed by a street vendor selling fake remedies?"

Xie Ling was furious to the extreme, his eight malevolent crimson blood snakes gnashing their fangs and brandishing their claws.

Xu Fengnian asked, "Aren't you curious why I wear a saber but don't draw it? Do you think I'm as crazy as you?"

Xu Fengnian removed Xuanlei and tossed it high into the air.

Xie Ling's heart jolted.

Xu Fengnian, just like Xie Ling had earlier, charged head-on, using his accumulated momentum to attack Xie Ling with the intent of mutual destruction. Xie Ling, who had lived cautiously since entering the Vajra realm, rarely encountering opponents of similar level, and whose cultivation was profound, in terms of killing methods and combat strategy, was actually far less terrifying than his heart-devouring practice.

However, no matter how fierce this young man was, he was just a pseudo-first-rank novice fluctuating around the Vajra realm. Xie Ling truly didn't believe he would die here.

The saber-wielding youth, full of momentum, suddenly retracted his form, disregarding the stagnation and damage caused by the reverse flow of his vital energy. This young man, who had shown unwavering resolve countless times while facing Xie Ling's bizarre techniques and walking the line between life and death, stared wide-eyed in the direction behind Xie Ling and cried out in horror: "Luoyang!"

Luoyang. Two words.

The person Luoyang, even the name itself, was already a demon etched into Xie Ling's bones.

Xie Ling's thoughts raced. After a brief stun, he burst into maniacal laughter. This young man's deceptive trick was utterly ridiculous! Even if he were stabbed, what then?

Following the trace of vital energy, Xie Ling looked up and saw the swordsman gripping the scabbard with both hands, plunging it down!

If the demon Xie had the leisure to look around, he would have noticed that this one thrust had created an extraordinarily terrifying phenomenon.

The yellow wind for dozens of feet around seemed to instantly freeze, and much of the flying dust suspended in the air.

A moment of stillness, then a surge of motion, and turmoil suddenly arose between heaven and earth.

Following an invisible arc, all the vital energy flowing on the ground reversed and surged upward, like a boat against the current, gathering at the tip of Xuanlei's scabbard.

Everything happened in a flash.

But a flash was already creation and destruction.

Aside from Xuande City, Xie Ling, who for the first time in his life felt impending doom, raised both fists above his head, roaring with an open mouth, from which blood, not just sound, poured out.

It was hard to say if it was a saber strike or a sword thrust.

Xuanlei's scabbard simply plunged down.

It pierced through the eight coiling blood snakes, through the powerful internal force, through his fists, and through the demon Xie Ling's crown.

The world-shaking turbulence exploded, affecting the Duckhead Green Inn. The entire inn, sturdy enough to withstand storms, shook violently.

Xu Fengnian used the unsheathed Xuanlei to pin the great demon's head to the ground. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then quickly summoned a sleeve-sized emerald flying sword, "Bamboo Horse." He sat down cross-legged to nurture the sword, and while painstakingly feeding and cultivating it, he cursed, "This old man secretly learned a sword technique called 'Immortal's Kneel.' Are you going to kneel, damn it?"