Chapter 58 The Unstoppable Blade!

The Flawless Manor, situated in Suzhou, was magnificent and imposing.

Ever since the ancestor of the Lian family founded the Flawless Manor, for the past three hundred years, the descendants of the estate had been admired and respected by people, regardless of when or where they went.

Its current master, Lian Chengbi, had already earned the reputation of a prodigy by the age of six, and by ten, his swordsmanship had reached profound heights.

Inside the Flawless Manor at this very moment, within a guest room in the west courtyard, Zhao Wuji, Hai Lingzi, Tu Xiaotian, Situ Zhongping—known across the martial arts world as "As Steady as Mount Tai"—alongside Li Gang, one of the "Six Gentlemen" of the pugilistic realm, and another guest, Liu Seqing, the legacy disciple of the bygone Daoist Gu of Bashan, were all seated.

These individuals were all renowned knights-errant and friends of Lian Chengbi, so Lian Chengbi naturally sat alongside them as their host.

Situ Zhongping slowly said, "The grand thief Xiao Shilang has seized the Deer-Slaying Saber. It is a pity that even with our combined efforts, we have yet to win the blade back."

Zhao Wuji said fiercely, "It is truly hateful that we failed to eliminate those two!"

Li Gang kept his mouth shut and said nothing. But his gaze was like a blade... sharp, venomous, and filled with hatred. His right arm had been crippled by Ren Yi, and his once-celebrated "Monument-Crushing Strike" had now become a joke.

Lian Chengbi said, "Seven days ago, the Meng family estate was completely ransacked. More than a hundred people of all ages, men and women alike, were brutally and cleanly slaughtered. Of course, you all know who is responsible for this vicious act!"

Zhao Wuji said, "The 'grand thief' Xiao Shilang!"

Lian Chengbi said, "The 'grand thief' Xiao Shilang not only stole the Deer-Slaying Saber, but also committed such a heinous crime. Does he truly possess such formidable ability that he could escape even when besieged by the few of you?"

Liu Seqing spoke indifferently, "That Feng Siniang is beyond saving, yet the fact that the several of you could not even deal with a single Xiao Shilang leaves me somewhat disappointed."

Tu Xiaotian said, "Young Master Liu's 'Forty-Nine Styles of the Wind-Returning and Willow-Waving Sword' has fully captured the true essence of Daoist Gu. However, just in case Young Master Liu has forgotten, that woman repeatedly claimed to be the wife of that fiend."

Zhao Wuji's expression shifted slightly, and he forced a smile. "When I went to the Shen family estate that day, I indeed saw her together with that fiend."

Liu Seqing calmly said, "So what? I did not attend the Saber-Viewing Conference. If I had gone, how could he possibly have been allowed to run rampant?"

Li Gang sneered and said, "If he were here right now and you could still speak such words, I would certainly express my admiration to Brother Liu."

Liu Seqing said faintly, "It seems Brother Liu has been frightened out of his wits... Very well. I have heard that man is exceedingly arrogant. If that woman truly is his wife, she will surely come looking for trouble, and I shall see for myself what he is truly made of."

Hai Lingzi smiled and said, "There is no need for Young Master Liu to grandly display his skills. The Flawless Manor has no fewer than two hundred guards, plus over three hundred disciples within the estate. Trained under Young Master Lian, every single one of them possesses extraordinary martial arts. For that fiend to dare come knocking on our door would be no different from seeking his own death."

Just as his voice fell, someone abruptly burst through the door.

"This is bad, Young Master!"

Lian Chengbi frowned slightly and said, "Chen Qi, why are you in such a panic?"

Chen Qi said in terror, "Someone... someone has fought their way in."

"Who is it?"

"He has silver hair and white robes, but he did not say who he is. It seems... it seems to be that fiend from the rumors."

Li Gang abruptly stood up and blurted out, "He... he actually came?"

Liu Seqing smiled faintly and said, "Good, it is wonderful that he has come. Let us go out and greet him!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out: "There is no need to trouble yourselves!"

The voice echoed right in front of them. Before anyone could see the person, the voice arrived first. Then, a flash of blade-light soared—a single sheet of brilliance that sheared off Chen Qi's head!

Following the flash of the blade, a figure appeared right before them.

He was around twenty years of age, dressed in long-sleeved white robes, with silver hair draped over his shoulders, an unhurried demeanor, and an exceptionally detached gaze. No one had any idea how he had appeared; he seemed as though he had been standing there the entire time.

He held a blade in his hand. From pommel to tip, the weapon was scarcely two feet long. A single droplet of blood slowly fell from the tip of the blade, while its edge shone as bright as a clear autumn pool. They all recognized this weapon.

Short and delicate, a blade meant for a woman—it was precisely the weapon of Feng Siniang.

Sounds of slaughter suddenly erupted. Hundreds of disciples of the Flawless Manor had already tightly surrounded the guest room.

Someone retreated slightly, and Ren Yi's figure flickered.

Tu Xiaotian shouted, "Watch out!"

A blade-light flashed, and Li Gang hurriedly leaped backward...

Before a blade is drawn, who can truly comprehend its romance and terror?

After the blade-light flies, who can ever understand its brilliance and swiftness?

Li Gang retreated two steps, but his figure suddenly froze. He turned as pale as death and looked down at his chest... There was nothing there initially, yet an astonishing transformation suddenly took place.

Blood had yet to spill only because it had not had time to flow.

A thin streak of a blade-cut bloomed across his chest, spurting a spray of blood before tearing open into a massive wound, revealing the flesh and bone within.

Terror gripped everyone's hearts, but the man had vanished once again.

The blade-light swept forth anew, the man disappearing within its radiance as the weapon hurtled toward the head of Hai Lingzi.

Because Hai Lingzi had also moved, and the moment he stirred, the blade-light was already upon him!

A blade-light of peerless beauty, a supreme swordsmanship, a ruthless blade...

Woven with a touch of breathtaking elegance and romantic flair, just as Hai Lingzi was about to strike, the blade descended, cleaving his body into two halves as a flower of blood burst into the air!

Ren Yi turned his head and cast an indifferent gaze toward him.

He was Tu Xiaotian. The very instant that gaze landed upon him, he nearly burst into tears.

Before he could weep, he hurriedly drew his sword. Finally, he had the chance to strike; sword-light surged like lightning, slashing toward the figure.

Yet Ren Yi casually flicked his wrist, and the edge of his blade coiled straight into the blossoming light of the sword.

The sword-light abruptly fractured, scattering like a storm of light across the sky.

The sword in Tu Xiaotian's grip suddenly shattered into thousands of fragments, scattering into the air. Terrified beyond measure, he flashed backward in a desperate retreat, but the blade-light still found him.

The blade-light came too swiftly, catching up to him in an instant.

The blade-light vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.

Tu Xiaotian retreated seven paces; after the seventh step, fresh blood gushed from his throat.

One by one, men collapsed. Three corpses now littered the floor, leaving only Zhao Wuji, Situ Zhongping, and Liu Seqing alive. At that moment, Ren Yi began to smile.

His smile seemed like a form of mockery—mocking every single one of them. Zhao Wuji and Situ Zhongping no longer dared to move; only Liu Seqing let out a low cry.

With golden words passing his lips, his long sword flashed outward. As his figure surged into motion, his robes fluttered lightly, and in the blink of an eye, he unleashed eight consecutive strikes. Each move followed the last in rapid succession, and every single strike shifted midway, exhibiting a bizarre and unfathomable nature.

Yet not a single one of those eight strikes achieved anything. Amidst Ren Yi's casual steps and pivots, all eight sword-strikes missed completely, failing to touch even a flap of his clothing.

Sword-light filled the sky like lightning.

Just as Liu Seqing thrust out his ninth sword, the blade was swung as well...

The moment the blade-light rose, the weapon itself vanished.

Liu Seqing's expression changed drastically. In that sudden, fleeting instant... the brilliance and speed of that moment were entirely beyond his imagination, and utterly beyond his ability to block.

No one knew what had happened, but Liu Seqing's sword had stopped, and everyone guessed what had transpired.

As fresh blood burst forth, Ren Yi was already standing before Situ Zhongping.

No one could describe the speed of his footwork, just as no one could describe the speed of his single strike... Situ Zhongping wanted to parry, but had no idea how, for the blade had not even been drawn; he wanted to dodge, but it was already too late, for the blade had already fallen.

Such blade-art was simply not of this mortal world; its transformations and might were likewise beyond human reach.

Between heaven and earth, there was no longer anyone capable of blocking a single strike from his blade!

The blade pierced inward, then was withdrawn... Watching on, Zhao Wuji knew he was next. He wanted to run, but he did not dare to make the slightest rash movement. Those who had moved were all dead; whoever moved first died first. The only reason he had survived until now was because of his terror.

Yet even though he remained still, Ren Yi walked toward him.

His footsteps were unhurried, his expression unconcerned, his hands moving without a trace of panic...

"Spare... spare me, I... I..."

Before Zhao Wuji could finish his plea, he watched in horror as that short, lightweight curved blade swept across his throat before being smoothly snapped back into the sleeve.

The blade-light flashed six times in rapid succession, then instantly retracted.

Six martial arts experts had gathered in this room; whoever moved first met the blade-light. Six men, six blades, and after six strikes, six corpses.

Ren Yi tucked the blade back into his sleeve and spoke thus: "You are cleverer than the other six. I will not kill you. Do you know why?"

Lian Chengbi kept his lips tightly sealed, his mouth parting slightly.

Ren Yi sighed softly, "If I were to kill you now, it would clearly show that I lack confidence in myself and my own strength. You do not need to understand this reasoning, because you would never comprehend it anyway."

With those words, he turned and walked away.

As he stepped out the door, everyone retreated. No one dared to block his path, and no one could keep him. Not only did he treat the hundreds of Flawless Manor disciples guarding the outside as if they were nothing, but he did not even deign to look at Lian Chengbi.

This caused Lian Chengbi far more agony than if he had simply been killed.