Chapter 280 - 174: Seeing the Female Sword Immortal Again, Dreadful Secret Words

Chapter 280: Chapter 174: Seeing the Female Sword Immortal Again, Dreadful Secret Words

A single streak of silver light cut through the air, like a taut silk thread stretching from Wan Ze’s waist to the Deceitful Beast’s neck.

Then came a soft hiss.

It was like the sound of tearing silk, or of water being severed.

Wan Ze’s figure appeared three steps behind the Deceitful Beast. His back was to the creature, his right hand holding the sword with the blade facing down, its tip three inches from the ground.

He slowly raised his right hand, the blade flashing with cold light under the Red Moon. Then, with a gentle flick, he shook off the blood from the blade. The droplets traced a dark red arc through the air before landing on the ground with a soft splat.

He sheathed his sword.

CLICK.

The blade slid home into the scabbard, making a crisp metallic sound.

Behind him, the Deceitful Beast’s head slid from its neck.

The cut was as smooth as a mirror—perfectly clean.

Black blood sprayed from the wound like water from a burst dam, forming a dark fountain in the air.

The headless body swayed on the spot, its limbs twitched a few times, and then it crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The head rolled twice on the ground before coming to rest at the roots of a large tree. Its mouth was still opening and closing, but it could no longer make a sound.

The Broken Sword began frantically slapping the ground, its blade bouncing up and down as if applauding vigorously.

Wan Ze looked over...

’Applause?’

’This sword’s method of celebration... is a bit unconventional.’

He chuckled, shook his head, and turned to the Female Sword Immortal.

The Female Sword Immortal stood there, motionless, as if deep in thought. Her "gaze" shifted from the Deceitful Beast’s corpse, landed on Wan Ze, and lingered for a moment.

Wan Ze walked over, cupped the sword in both hands, and presented it to her.

The Female Sword Immortal reached out and took the sword.

The sword trembled slightly in her hand.

"The Core of the Heaven and Earth Sword Pulling Slash is to harness an explosive burst of Qi to its absolute limit." The Female Sword Immortal began to speak, her voice cool and detached, but every word was crystal clear. "Your current approach is correct—compressing the Qi within the scabbard and releasing it the instant you draw the blade.

"Compression is stuffing the Qi into a tiny space. Building Momentum is making the Qi rotate, accelerate, and build upon itself within that space, like a vortex. When you pour water into a funnel, it naturally spins as it flows downward, faster and faster, more and more violently. By the time it reaches the exit, its Power is no longer something you can control."

She paused, then continued slowly, "What you’re doing now is pouring water into a cup and then forcefully splashing it out. Building Momentum is about letting the water find its own exit, accelerate on its own, and erupt on its own. Your job isn’t to ’push’ it out, but to ’let’ it out."

Wan Ze nodded thoughtfully.

He suddenly recalled the vision he’d seen earlier while Stealing Celestial Secret...

That ethereal man... with just a casual clench of his fingers, the sword had flown out, growing as it met the wind, transforming into a colossal hundred-zhang-long blade.

The Power of that slash didn’t come from the sword; it came from the world itself. The sword was merely a catalyst, a switch, a channel to unleash the Power of Heaven and Earth.

But Wan Ze never expected that the Female Sword Immortal’s next words would instantly make his blood run cold.

"The Breathing Technique you cultivate is unusual... What do you know about it?"

Wan Ze’s expression flickered. "I don’t know much about it. Senior, could you please elaborate?"

"The Red Moon is a taboo in this world, yet you are able to capture It... That means others may be able to capture you," the Female Sword Immortal said slowly.

Wan Ze fell silent.

’Memories surfaced... The Taiyin Breathing Technique came from Tao Zhixi.’

’Tao Zhixi was already dead.’

’He still had no idea what power had been behind her.’

’Miss Ling’s second personality once said... she had briefly visited Huangliang and found everything completely different from how it was before.’

’Miss Ling herself had also mentioned... the place she arrived at... was filled with dead bodies.’

’Could that have been the Sect that backed Tao Zhixi?’

’But Wan Ze knew nothing about the circumstances of that Sect.’

He raised his head and looked at the Female Sword Immortal anxiously. "Senior, do you know the origin of the Taiyin Breathing Technique?"

The Female Sword Immortal shook her head. "There is no shortage of extraordinary arts in this world. We cultivators often say that man can triumph over the heavens. Your Breathing Technique is ingeniously designed, certainly not the creation of an ordinary person. To use Moonlight as a catalyst and the Divine Soul as a furnace, refining the most dangerous thing in the world into your own personal tonic... The one who created such a Technique was either a madman or a genius. Or perhaps both."

She paused, her tone softening slightly. "However, while the Red Moon may be taboo, cultivation depends on the cultivator. The key to wielding a Dharma is in the ’wielding.’ As long as you remain true to your own heart, you can turn anything to your advantage. A blade can kill, but it can also save. Fire can burn a city, but it can also provide warmth. What matters is the one who wields the blade, the one who commands the fire."

Wan Ze was silent.

The night wind died down.

The Red Moon emerged completely from behind the clouds, its crimson light blanketing the entire land.

The Broken Sword hung motionless in mid-air, as if waiting for something.

Wan Ze looked at the Female Sword Immortal and suddenly spoke up. "Senior, is your Sect looking for new members?"

His words were so blunt that even the Broken Sword was stunned.

It froze in mid-air for a second, then its blade began to quiver slightly, as if it were stifling a laugh.

’This kid really knows how to seize an opportunity.’

’When it came to asking for tutelage, anyone else would have built up to it first, expressing their admiration, talking about how diligent and hardworking they were, before finally, carefully, testing the waters.’

’But not him. A direct "are you looking for new members?" Truly, the great path is simple.’

’Then again,’ the Broken Sword thought, ’it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if this guy actually joined.’

’The Female Sword Immortal traveled through Huangliang Village alone. Though her power was peerless, there were always things that required someone to run errands. This Wan Ze kid might be a little weak, but he was quick-witted, bold, and unafraid of death—more than enough to work as a gofer.’