"The Sword Saint," originally named Pei Han Zheng.

The cold gleam bearer, lofty and aloof.

Just from the name alone, it seems like a cold, emotionless sword fanatic, wholly devoted to the Dao.

But in fact, that’s not the case.

Under the title of "Sword Saint" lies the grand story of a youth avenging his master, wiping out all enemies with a single sword, then as a young man, joining the Demon Sect to escape pursuit, only to be falsely accused by malicious individuals of being a righteous spy, and in his rage, he wiped out the Demon Sect. As an adult, he hid his identity and joined the army for self-cultivation, slaughtering 300,000 night barbarians on the Northern Plains, pushing the frontier a thousand miles forward, and in mid-life, he attained enlightenment, directly entering the Dao Shore and sanctifying himself in seclusion on Void Mountain.

From this longstanding tale, it can be seen that Pei Han Zheng’s temper was not good; in fact, he was rather irritable and quick to anger, with a heavy inclination to kill.

Moreover, this person didn’t have much of a concept of right or wrong. Had it not been for a "good man" in the Demon Sect, it might be the "Demon Venerable" renowned today, rather than the "Sword Saint."

Therefore, when Chen Kuang discovered that the other party was still alive, he was startled.

One can’t blame him. If the other party truly wanted to stop him, he only needed to completely unfold his "Dao Realm," and Chen Kuang would naturally report himself at the mountain’s foot.

But Pei Han Zheng didn’t; instead, he even restrained his "Dao Realm," leaving only a small portion of power emanating outside Void Mountain.

That’s exactly why Chen Kuang mistakenly thought the other was already deceased.

Mistook what remained as merely the residual power on the Sword Saint’s remains...

Of course, the main reason was that according to records, the Sword Saint should have just about passed away by this time.

However, the slight surprise in Chen Kuang’s heart was already overshadowed by a greater shock.

Pei Han Zheng actually accurately named the cultivation technique he practiced!

At this moment, it was 2,300 years ago, and Pei Han Zheng absolutely couldn’t have known Huo Hengxuan, nor what cultivation technique Huo Hengxuan specialized in.

Chen Kuang didn’t believe the Sword Saint had mind reading skills that could discern his cultivation technique at first glance.

There was only one possibility—

This "Grass Cutting Song" was related to the Sword Saint!

It makes sense... Huo Hengxuan never mentioned the origin of the "Grass Cutting Song."

Chen Kuang thought, compared to the Sword Saint, Huo Hengxuan was just an insignificant junior. If Huo Hengxuan coincidentally obtained the Sword Saint’s legacy, it was entirely possible!

This would explain the Sword Saint’s eccentric and bloodthirsty nature.

The "Grass Cutting Song" was precisely about nourishing Qi through killing!

Chen Kuang even felt an epiphany, thinking perhaps Huo Hengxuan joining the army wasn’t just due to defecting from Jie Lan Temple, but also emulating Pei Han Zheng, finding a suitable path for cultivating the "Grass Cutting Song."

However, if the "Grass Cutting Song" was Pei Han Zheng’s own cultivation technique, then discovering a stranger like Chen Kuang also practiced it, he would certainly think theft of skills was the only possibility.

The Sword Saint, unruly throughout his life, would not be so friendly...

So there’s only one possibility left—the "Grass Cutting Song" was not created by the Sword Saint.

Thinking of this, driven by sudden inspirations without warning, Chen Kuang raised his head and looked at Pei Han Zheng, tentatively saying:

"Indeed... but I’ve only studied one Chapter."

Chen Kuang only obtained the Withered Prosperity Chapter of "Grass Cutting Song" from Huo Hengxuan.

The naming itself indicates the "Grass Cutting Song" he practiced isn’t complete.

Pei Han Zheng nodded and said:

"Which Chapter did you practice?"

This implied guidance!

Chen Kuang’s heart shook, and he respectfully clasped his hands: "The Withered Prosperity Chapter."

For someone sanctified in the Sword Dao to offer guidance, even just a word or two, would greatly benefit his current stage.

Pei Han Zheng’s expression seemed blank for a moment, then suddenly shook off the snow and stood up abruptly.

"The Withered Prosperity Chapter?"

Chen Kuang nodded, uncertain: "The Withered Prosperity Chapter."

He pondered, reciting: "Killing like cutting grass, withered prosperity in a breath... A living sword needs a dead person, cutting others also cuts oneself."

This Qi Nourishing Sword Formulas had now reached a bottleneck for him.

The killing sword necessary for living had long stopped producing new changes.

Chen Kuang sensed that the killing sword within his Divine Sense was seeking an opportunity for transformation. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Merely killing was no longer enough to satisfy its transformation.

To transform, it needed the scabbard from the river of time on the Pinggu Battlefield.

Though he didn’t know the connection between the killing sword and the scabbard, Chen Kuang vaguely felt they might originally be one...

The only way to re-enter the river of "time" lies in another part of Pei Han Zheng’s grand Dao.

Since the Sword Formulas were given, if seeking guidance, in-depth exchange is unavoidable.

Moreover...

Chen Kuang’s gaze fell on Pei Han Zheng’s body fully exposed to the outside.

The middle-aged man, buried in snow, was extremely withered, almost like a decayed wood, thin as bones, seemingly about to break at any moment.

His life force was exhausted; he was waiting for his lifespan’s final end on Void Mountain.

No wonder his demeanor was incredibly gentle... it turns out Chen Kuang wasn’t wrong, he’s just possibly the last person the "Sword Saint" saw alive.

Pei Han Zheng’s body swayed, barely supporting himself with the Te’e Sword in his hand.

He coughed twice, his gaze burning as he looked at Chen Kuang:

"I thought I’d never see the complete ’Grass Cutting Song’ in my lifetime."

Chen Kuang’s pupils contracted: "Complete?"

Pei Han Zheng nodded, sighing: "The Withered Prosperity Chapter is the summary of the ’Grass Cutting Song,’ leading the later Scorch Ink Chapter and Luxuriant Chapter. When I encountered this cultivation technique in my youth, I found no matter how I practiced, I couldn’t grasp its essentials. Whether it’s life Qi or death Qi, it just developed on their own with no possibility of forming a cycle."

"I am deeply aware of the profoundness of this cultivation technique, thus it is with even greater regret that I thought the main text was lost. But unexpectedly, at this moment... you came to find me."

Pei Han Zheng laughed, "Haha, could this be... fate?"

Chen Kuang was greatly surprised.

Pei Han Zheng had never seen the Withering and Flourishing Chapter, meaning the Chapter in Huo Hengxuan’s possession did not come from Pei Han Zheng?!

Then where did he acquire the Withering and Flourishing Chapter?

"Young friend, could you pass on the Withering and Flourishing Chapter to me?"

Pei Han Zheng surprisingly tidied his clothes, leaned on his sword and shakily clasped his fists towards Chen Kuang, his eyes extremely bright.

"I, Pei Er, am willing to exchange it with all I have learned in my life!"

Chen Kuang hurriedly said, "I wouldn’t dare!"

"If the senior wishes to learn, naturally I am willing to share everything I have."

For this elderly Sword Saint to salute him, it really was overwhelming...

Chen Kuang stepped forward trying to support Pei Han Zheng, but the latter suddenly flicked his sleeve, glaring his eyes wide, "I have not yet reached the point where I need help just to stand, if you’re tired, just let me know and I’ll support you!"

Chen Kuang: "..."

This old man is really stubborn!

Since Pei Han Zheng had said so himself, Chen Kuang could only comply.

He taught the Withering and Flourishing Chapter to the other, and Pei Han Zheng contemplated with eyes closed for three days and nights. Just when Chen Kuang was almost worried that the former might have passed away, the middle-aged man suddenly opened his eyes wide.

"So that’s it! So that’s it!"

Pei Han Zheng danced around excitably, then eagerly picked up the Ta’e Sword, ceaselessly practicing extraordinary swordsmanship.

On Void Mountain, snowflakes fluttered and blended with the glow of the sword, untouched and unscathed.

Every single sword strike in it could be called the pinnacle of Sword Dao!

Chen Kuang watched as his eyes dazzled, his heart deeply shaken.

Pei Han Zheng practiced a total of three thousand sword techniques before he stopped, looking towards the sky, murmuring:

"I spent three thousand years, exhausting my mind to think of where the Great Dao is, only to find out in the end..."

"There is no path ahead at all."

"In this world, there is fundamentally no ’Dao’! The world is without Dao, hahaha!"

Pei Han Zheng laughed uproariously under the sky full of snowflakes.

Chen Kuang, fearing he might laugh himself to breathlessness, hurriedly said, "Senior! Teach me the Dao of ’Time’!"

Pei Han Zheng through the wind and snow, said surprisingly:

"You’re already amidst it, why ask me for instruction?"

"Wha...?"

Chen Kuang was taken aback, only to suddenly realize that he was surrounded by the wind and snow, and the snow beneath his feet was gradually passing over a layer of blood-red viscous liquid.

Massive waves of a sea of blood came crashing forward, breaking all the scenery in front of him!

Pei Han Zheng, Void Mountain, all were instantly torn apart!

The wind and snow dissipated.

As Chen Kuang blinked again, the whole world abruptly changed; he found himself still floating in that sea of blood, with countless images appearing and disappearing in the water, turning into bubbles one after another.

He saw a fleeting image in one of the bubbles.

Pei Han Zheng on Void Mountain caught a snowflake with his fingertip, engraved the ’Song of Grass Cutting’ upon it, then allowed it to return to the natural world, gently falling and fluttering.

In the last moment of Pei Han Zheng’s life, he sighed, "Seek your own destiny..."

This insignificant snowflake, through the passage of time, turned into wind, turned into rain, turned into dust, turned into morning dew, unnoticed by anyone.

Finally, it turned back into an ordinary snowflake.

Two thousand three hundred years later.

This snowflake, mixed in the coarse cold wind, swept across the boundless battlefield of slaughter, gently landing on the dry lips of a young soldier half-buried in a pile of corpses.

The snowflake melted into a drop of water, mixed with the scent of sweet blood, swallowed by the soldier.

The soldier’s helmet was crooked, revealing a scalp with freshly grown, bluish stubble.

This was actually a monk!

Chen Kuang’s pupils suddenly contracted.

In a vague sense, the familiar brows and eyes of that soldier in his mind merged with the old face of Huo Hengxuan.

Huo Hengxuan, thus obtained the ’Song of Grass Cutting’ in this way!

In other words, the end of this causality, ultimately, was Chen Kuang himself!

"Boom——!"

In the sea of blood, it seemed there was a sound of a whale’s cry, as if the whole river of ’time’ was releasing sounds of joyful delight.

In Chen Kuang’s mind, the Ancient Killing Sword had already appeared in his hand, grasped by him.

The waves of the sea of blood receded to both sides, while the waves behind pushed him forward.

And just a short distance in front of him, the mysterious sword sheath hovered in mid-air, as if waiting for its owner.

Chen Kuang took a deep breath, flew forward, and grabbed the sword sheath.

Holding the killing sword in the other hand, he naturally joined the two together as one.

"Snap!"

A perfect fit.