Chapter 355: New Peach Replaces Old Talisman, Six Years for One Slash

Left-hand saber.

The stream cascaded down on both sides. Fifth Reindeer, like a steadfast pillar in the current, squinted at the young saber master who was steadily building momentum. Had it been the Mountain Master of Tibing Mountain twenty years ago, he would have acted swiftly to break the momentum and kill him in one blow. However, after Fifth Reindeer attained the Zhi Xuan realm, his horizons broadened dramatically, like a long scroll unfurling. Its theme was the attainment of immortality, beginning with the question of immortality and concluding with the path to it.

Having studied this scroll for over a decade, Fifth Reindeer's disposition subtly changed due to the influence of his realm. He grew more patient. This didn't mean he was becoming righteous or benevolent; rather, reaching the Zhi Xuan realm allowed him to perceive all things in the world with discernible patterns and applicable methods. Although Fifth Reindeer didn't know that Xu Fengnian was using his Dragon Tendon Stream Slash to cultivate his spirit, Fifth Reindeer was, in fact, waiting for Xu Fengnian to help him identify gaps and shortcomings in his own Zhi Xuan scroll of immortality. The left-hand saber, Spring Thunder, and a sleeve full of verdant energy from the stream, appeared to Fifth Reindeer as a splendid process of dismembering divine will into techniques. Precisely because this "Sleeve of Azure Dragon," derived from Li Chungang's "Two Sleeves of Green Snakes," was so profound, Fifth Reindeer's patience was exceptional. For every increment of power Xu Fengnian gained, Fifth Reindeer could understand two parts more thoroughly, benefiting by three parts afterward. Just as Fifth Reindeer didn't kill the Green Bird to grasp the essence of the Arc Character Spear, he kept Xu Fengnian alive because he didn't believe an unknown junior could threaten him. He was happy to slowly entice him, allowing him to display his ultimate techniques for his own contemplation.

Fifth Reindeer had comprehended a Zhi Xuan realm ability, "Scooping the Moon with a Bamboo Basket," usually only attained by a select few True Immortals. Simply put, it was a skill akin to copying something precisely. When one scoops the moon from the water with a bamboo basket, the water ripples, the moon's reflection shatters, and one is left with empty hands. Yet, Fifth Reindeer could mentally reconstruct a smaller, spiritual moon. This ability far surpassed photographic memory; it was indescribably profound. In a century of the pugilistic world, those with the talent to "remember immortality at a glance" were exceedingly rare, truly once-in-a-century occurrences. Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City was one such person, and no second individual had been heard of to this day. This was also the root cause of Wang Xianzhi's fondness for observing master duels before his fame. What could an outsider discern from watching first-rank masters fight, beyond the spectacle, even if they stared for a hundred times? Fifth Reindeer's Zhi Xuan, however, was the fruit of persistent effort, like water eroding stone. He read texts hundreds of times for their meaning to reveal itself. Combined with his unique talent and various opportunities, he finally attained the Zhi Xuan realm.

The saber momentum was already like a lake overflowing with floodwaters.

Fortunately, there were no spectators; otherwise, Fifth Reindeer's next action would have been astonishing. Fifth Reindeer subtly bent his knees, mimicking Xu Fengnian's stance as if holding a saber, pointing directly at Xu Fengnian. However, Fifth Reindeer quickly abandoned the idea of immediate imitation. Achieving a superficial resemblance was easy, but true spiritual likeness proved unexpectedly difficult. This puzzled Fifth Reindeer: what kind of saber technique could be so challenging to mimic even for someone in the Zhi Xuan realm? He had underestimated this young man, who was proficient in both saber and sword, and at most only a beginner in the Vajra realm. Fifth Reindeer had initially thought he could effortlessly grasp eighty percent of the divine will. The moment Fifth Reindeer "retracted his saber," the Spring Thunder Saber, transformed into a "Sleeve of Azure Dragon," suddenly swept before the Mountain Master of Tibing Mountain.

It was unclear whether it was a saber technique or a sword intent, but the overwhelming surge of verdant energy before Fifth Reindeer possessed the grandeur of stirring three thousand *li* with a single breath. The head of this azure dragon lunged directly at Fifth Reindeer. Its body, dozens of feet long, rolled forward, engulfing the murky, yellowish stream water, much like an azure dragon drawing water. Wherever the azure dragon passed, the stream water was entirely lifted from the riverbed, either integrating into the dragon's body as scales or splashing onto the banks, making this "Sleeve of Green Snake" truly astonishing. Regardless of its destructive power, its spiritual essence was profound. Fifth Reindeer was secretly amazed and resolved to eliminate this young man. A rising star in the pugilistic world, he might well become a future contender for one of the ten coveted seats among the world's top ten masters.

Wielding a sword differs significantly from controlling a sword telekinetically, a distinction subtle in name but vast in practice. Generally, a swordsman capable of wielding a sword from several *zhang* away is considered a minor grandmaster. However, exceptions exist; there's an exaggerated tale from the Wu Family Sword Tomb about a child controlling a sword to pierce butterflies. Thus, for the experienced Fifth Reindeer, Xu Fengnian's previous display of injuring people with a flying sword wasn't particularly astonishing. But this "Sleeve Saber," which Fifth Reindeer found himself unable to replicate, was an entirely different matter!

For the first time, Fifth Reindeer showed a serious expression. He extended a palm to block the azure dragon's head, only sliding his left foot back a few feet. The greenish-yellow "Sleeve Dragon" writhed ferociously. The space a *zhang* in front of Fifth Reindeer seemed to be violently agitated, like a storm. Fifth Reindeer had no choice but to strike the solid, materialized azure dragon head with his left fist. The massive head crashed sideways into the streambed, forcibly carving out a deep well that instantly filled with surging water. "Three feet of green blade, three feet of energy; for every foot it advanced, it killed three *zhang*." The true killing blow was fully revealed after Fifth Reindeer dispersed the leaking energy. The tip of the Spring Thunder Saber, which had been pointing at Fifth Reindeer, was now within five feet. His wide purple robes vibrated violently, and the hair at Fifth Reindeer's temples all swept backward. With two fingers of his right hand, he clamped down on the tip of the Spring Thunder Saber!

"Zhi Xuan, Zhi Xuan"—this realm possessed the supreme divine ability of "tapping immortality with a bent finger."

The Spring Thunder Saber, still in Xu Fengnian's left hand, pressed forward.

This time, Fifth Reindeer's body was forced back several *zhang*. During this retreat, he flicked the saber's body over a hundred times with his fingers. With each flick, thunder unexpectedly rumbled somewhere near them. In the blink of an eye, there were a hundred claps of thunder. Each flick of Fifth Reindeer's finger struck the Spring Thunder, "tapping immortality," and more importantly, probing for gaps in Xu Fengnian's energy circulation. As long as the slightest clue was revealed, Fifth Reindeer would seize the opportunity, making it impossible for the young man to abandon his saber, thus trapping him, and also severing all his meridians and shattering his acupoints. What astonished Fifth Reindeer a second time was that this formidable young man before him not only adopted an unconventional approach with his sword but also wielded his saber with even greater ferocity. Crucially, his vital energy was incredibly abundant, reaching an unbelievable level. Fifth Reindeer, a late bloomer himself, admitted that at the young man's age, he probably wouldn't have possessed even half that much energy. After nearly a hundred flicks without finding a single flaw, Fifth Reindeer was genuinely enraged. He glared and let out a soft cry, no longer simply blocking the Spring Thunder's tip. Instead, he pulled the short saber and the young man towards his side, delivering a punch to the temple.

Xu Fengnian, who had been meditating with closed eyes, twisted his wrist. The Spring Thunder Saber rotated in his left palm and then slashed directly at Fifth Reindeer's waist!

A life for a life.

Xu Fengnian dared to do it; Fifth Reindeer did not have the heart to.

Fifth Reindeer's body twisted like a coiling pine, but his punch, its sharpness greatly diminished, still landed on Xu Fengnian's head. Simultaneously, Xu Fengnian retaliated. His body swayed and leaned like a swinging bell on Mount Wudang, striking without falling. Seizing the opportunity, he stomped again on Fifth Reindeer's chest. This kick was infinitely more vicious than his initial soft one, causing the purple-robed Mountain Master, who had previously moved with ease, to stumble. Xu Fengnian, eyes closed, retreated a few steps, unharmed. This was thanks to the Great Yellow Court within him, which nurtured one hundred and eight golden lotuses that bloomed in a single breath, fifty-four withering and fading in an instant, only to furiously re-bloom fifty-four more in the next moment, constantly maintaining one hundred and eight swaying Immortality Lotuses.

Fifth Reindeer had the mentality of a wealthy heir who avoids danger, never believing he would put himself at risk.

Xu Fengnian, however, had been truly fighting for his life from the very beginning. The ability of the Immortality Lotuses to wither and re-bloom was something Xu Fengnian cultivated with his very life.

Spring Thunder was no longer in his hand, but his next move didn't require a saber in hand anyway.

Xu Fengnian gently pressed his hands downwards.

Behind Fifth Reindeer, Spring Thunder floated upward.

Murderous intent erupted from the earth, coiling for a thousand *li*.

Neither Xu Fengnian nor the Spring Thunder Saber moved, yet Fifth Reindeer repeatedly struck out with his fists.

The scene was absurd.

Some people and some things, if not mentioned, do not mean they are forgotten. Often, it is the easily spoken of people and events that tend to fade.

Xu Fengnian was not a calculating noble scion from the start, nor was he initially a prince's heir who deeply understood suffering through empathy. The refined Chen Zhibao, the fawning Chu Lushan, the stern Yuan Zuozong, and others—these inscrutable faces, whose true alignments of good or evil remained unknown, surrounded Xu Xiao in the Beiliang King's Residence. Xu Fengnian observed them from behind Xu Xiao, from childhood through his youth and into adulthood. Yet, the only two old men whom the naturally detached Xu Fengnian genuinely felt heartfelt gratitude for had both passed away. Old Huang, with his missing front tooth and love for yellow wine, never had the chance to know what kind of world-renowned master Li Chungang had been in his youth.

When Xu Fengnian led a scrawny horse to see Old Huang out of the city, before they left, Old Huang seemed to know he wouldn't return from Wudi City. He rambled on about many things, including one line: "Young Master, I, Old Huang, am not like other great swordsmen; I only know the sword, and the sword techniques I know, I only comprehended just before dying. Actually, it's not death I fear, but not being able to drink yellow wine again. Or thinking, I haven't taken a wife this lifetime; it would be a loss to just come to this world once. Back then, I always feared that after I died, there would be no one to visit my grave and pour wine during Qingming. This time, it's different. No matter how I duel, it feels worthwhile." At the time, Xu Fengnian commented that his words were ominous. Old Huang grinned, revealing his missing front tooth.

Xu Fengnian feared death more than anyone. If he died, would an elderly Xu Xiao really have to visit his grave?

After Li Chungang shattered a thousand armors with a single sword stroke at Guangling River, he escorted Xu Fengnian back to Beiliang. Along the way, Xu Fengnian asked the old man in the sheepskin robe who his most perilous opponent had been in his lifetime. The one-armed old man was picking at his feet in the carriage at the time. After a moment's thought, he pointed to his arm but didn't reveal the secret or utter the person's name. Instead, he smiled and changed the subject, saying, "Young Xu, remember one thing from this old man: when you are about to die, do not think about life or death."

These two old men, who had both reached the pinnacle of the martial world, were gradually being forgotten, just as new peachwood talismans replace old ones on every household's door during the Spring Festival.

Xu Fengnian slowly opened his eyes.

Between the mortal and the underworld, a breath subtly exchanged.

He had once, during a night on a mountain peak, seen as if in a dream, a Celestial Being's spirit emerge and travel, arriving on a dragon.

He had also stood between dragons and pythons.

He had once said he would slay dragons and celestial beings.

Li Chungang once said that when he first drew his sword, he already knew he would become the greatest swordsman in the world!

Xu Fengnian traded his life for a single saber strike.

The great python swallowed the celestial dragon.

Heaven and earth were silent, the stream flowed slowly.

Fifth Reindeer slowly lowered his head; an inch of saber tip protruded from his chest.

Xu Fengnian, black blood flowing from his seven orifices, pulled out the Spring Thunder Saber. He then turned the blade, grabbed Fifth Reindeer by the neck with one hand, and repeatedly stabbed him with the saber, strike after strike, plunging the blade into Fifth Reindeer's body again and again.