My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 672 - 442: Thoughts of a Speck of Dust, Wu Buxu (Two in One)_2

The two accomplished immortals, though standing on level ground, seemed as if they were overlooking the world.

Zhou Yitang slightly lowered her gaze.

At that moment,

the previously still wind suddenly stirred.

A massive and imposing thunder pillar descended from a thousand feet above, penetrating the sea of clouds and striking powerfully upon the mountaintop!

The entire world was illuminated in pure white.

Within that stark whiteness, a white-haired figure suddenly landed at the end of the mountain path.

The two immortals both halted involuntarily.

Min Ning's sword slashed forth once more, yet Ming Dao Yuanjun completely ignored it and focused on mobilizing the ancient sword. A dense purple aura surged to the skies, as Li Zheng Yuanjun's radiant purple treasure umbrella instantly unfolded, spiraling out myriad intricate halos.

At that moment, the figure passed between the two.

The white-haired elder extended his hand from within his sleeve, and two streams of dazzling golden blood splashed high into the air, ahead of both the ancient sword and the treasure umbrella!

The blood of the two immortals sprayed forth, staining and decimating the yellow-purple vestment robe, whereas their flawless jade bodies fractured into thousands of cracks. The Six Yang Leader silently toppled, hitting the muddy ground with a dull thud.

The white-haired elder wiped the blood off his face; drops of immortal blood fell to the ground, boiling like molten gold.

Min Ning's eyes widened in shock, and the two women behind him shared similarly petrified expressions.

Only the elder's calm voice resounded:

"Who among you bears the legacy of Yin Sword Mountain?"

...…

Wu Buxu.

His mere appearance struck the minds of the three like a thunderous explosion.

Golden blood flowed like streams, pouring downward and running along the mountain path to pool at their feet. The elder who had so effortlessly slain two powerful immortals—bearing thick brows lined with three to four layers of wrinkles—stood under the rolling thunder as flashes of lightning lit up his face intermittently.

Min Ning's breath grew labored.

The three had seen the abilities of the two immortals firsthand, yet in this man's hands, their lives had been taken as easily as slaughtering chickens. What terrifying might could allow someone to instantaneously behead two immortals?

Whether his actions were hostile or friendly mattered little now, as the overwhelming disparity left no room for deliberation.

The key question was: why had he suddenly appeared?

Yin Weiyin was equally stupefied at this moment. Faced with the two immortals invited by Chongyang Temple, she had even fleetingly considered abandoning the other two women and fleeing.

Seeing no reply, the white-haired elder asked once more:

"Among you… who bears the legacy of Yin Sword Mountain?"

There was an undertone of impatience in his voice. The elder offered no explanation for why he sought a successor of Yin Sword Mountain, as if it was self-evident, or required no justification.

Lu Ying hesitated momentarily, then stepped forward and said, "I…"

The white-haired elder gazed deeply at Lu Ying, his brows furrowing tightly as he remarked:

"Mere dust and smoke…"

His gaze was as sharp as a sword, seeming to pierce through flesh and soul, observing only the essence of one's mind.

The elder asked again, "Can you see the sword?"

Lu Ying, somewhat baffled, replied, "Old sir, are you referring to… those lines?"

"Still able to see. Indeed, a pearl shining brightly, yet dulled and shackled by dust. Yin Sword Mountain's squandered potential is truly lamentable…"

Lu Ying, once praised with the words "Dao Heart as serene as a crane," now found her soul trapped in the mire of uncertainty. She had felt her own wavering conviction for some time, and the elder's remark made her face turn several shades grayer.

Lowering her head, Lu Ying muttered, "I don't understand…"

The elder's expression turned to disappointment, and he shook his head to himself.

"Never mind. The Sword Pool will collapse soon; time grows short. Since you are of Yin Sword Mountain… I shall let you try. If you prefer to die now, say the word, and I'll provide a clean end. The woods of this mountain are rich in timber for coffins."

His increasingly chilling words left Lu Ying bewildered and horrified. "Try what?" she asked, puzzled.

A burst of light erupted in the elder's clouded eyes as he stated:

"Defeat my swordsmanship."

At those five words, Lu Ying's breath caught in her throat, Min Ning's heroic brows furrowed tightly, and even Yin Weiyin struggled to maintain her outward calm.

The earlier rumors shared by the Taoists combined with the legends surrounding Chongyang Sword Pond—all pointed to this white-haired elder being none other than the Sword Demon Wu Buxu.

Once hailed as the world's greatest swordsman a generation ago, Wu Buxu, the One Thought of Dust and Shadows.

Realizing this sent an unrelenting weight crashing down upon Lu Ying's heart. Though she couldn't understand why Wu Buxu sought challengers to surpass his swordsmanship, her instincts warned her...

If she failed, she'd perish.

A hand rested on her shoulder.

Turning her gaze, she saw it was Min Ning who had stepped forward, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat before facing Wu Buxu and saying:

"Can one more person join?"

Lu Ying's pupils contracted. Even the female crown stood slightly stunned.

Wu Buxu glanced at Min Ning, his expression finally softening somewhat.

"Your sword heart falls short, but your nature aligns well. Alright, you may try too." He sighed deeply and continued, "Since the battle at Dangyang Lake decades ago, promising heirs have dwindled to a mere half. Though the river of time births one talent after another, even if some prove exceptional in a thousand years, I'll have long become dust in the earth."

...…

What Wu Buxu sought was a challenger capable of surpassing his swordsmanship—a task only achievable by an unparalleled genius in Sword Dao.

The half-promising heir he referenced, Min Ning pieced together from his remarks, was none other than Yin Sword Mountain's current Sword Armor, Zhou Yitang.

"Swordsmanship is different from Sword Dao. I will not use my power to suppress; whatever rank you hold in martial arts, I shall lower mine by one. If you're Fourth Rank, I'll take Fifth Rank. If Fifth Rank, I'll take Sixth Rank. And so on."

Leading the three towards the mountaintop, Wu Buxu spoke as if offering comfort:

"In theory, it should not be difficult."

At the mountaintop's plateau, wild blades of grass seemed to bow against the wind.

Along the way, countless swords of various designs could be seen embedded within the pale grasslands.

Wu Buxu said, "These are the swords of those who came after me."

Lu Ying recognized one among them, her face paling slightly. "That's… the sword of Green Beard Peak's leader. So someone from Yin Sword Mountain has come here before…"

Wu Buxu responded, "I have awaited challengers from Yin Sword Mountain many times. Though they were women, their aspirations for the sword surpassed many men. Each emerged from the Absolute Sword Cavern."

Lu Ying's face turned even whiter. Perhaps she was yet another destined to perish here among Yin Sword Mountain's challengers.

Min Ning brushed her fingers over one of the swords, its blade still chillingly sharp. A faint yet deadly crack ran along the blade, severing half of the guard and staining the grip with muddied blood.

The sword-bearer had died; Min Ning could even deduce the sequence—a severed arm first, followed by death thereafter.

This led her mind to Zhou Yitang's missing arm...

Min Ning's gaze darkened further. Even Zhou Yitang, ultimately considered only half a promising heir, had survived only barely. Though she occasionally boasted of her Sword Armor status and claimed she might someday surpass Zhou Yitang, could she truly prove stronger?

Deep down, Min Ning lacked confidence.

She might be deemed a Sword Dao prodigy...

But as she looked up once more,

swords filled the land, their dim lights buried among the swaying grass, indistinguishable amidst the heaps.

Everyone who died here had been remarkable in Sword Dao.

The swords strewn across the ground resembled a concentric pattern of years marked in tragic cycles, encircling the mountaintop's central area, where hardly a single blade of grass grew. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"When the time comes, I'll stand right there, completely still," Wu Buxu pointed toward the layers of swords as he continued, "Some died ten paces from me, not because of a direct fight, but because they perished before reaching closer. The closer they got, the closer they came to surpassing my swordsmanship. The most regrettable was him, named Xiao Daoping—he learned ninety percent of my swordsmanship…"

Wu Buxu pointed to a sword of dark greenish-black. Its blade was riddled with cracks, while its tassel on the hilt had half-rotted and lost its color.

Yin Weiyin scrutinized the sword inscribed with the characters "Xuan Ming" and finally lost her composure, exclaiming:

"The northern Xuan Ming Xiao Daoping, the Sword Immortal who revitalized the Northern Hu Snow Mountain Taoist Court. Xiao Daoping—wasn't he said to have ascended to immortality?"

Wu Buxu replied indifferently, "When I killed him, he was indeed on the verge of ascending."

Lu Ying suddenly recalled that name. Xiao Daoping had been a peerless figure in the mountains, traveling northward to restore the Quanzhen Sect, emulating Qiu Chuji's famed snow-capped discourse.

Such immense accomplishments nearly earned him status as the next Sect Leader of Quanzhen at Chongyang Palace. Yet, as the time came for him to assume leadership, a sudden phenomenon occurred—he ascended during the day… If Wu Buxu was not lying, then Chongyang Palace had fabricated this tale to preserve their reputation.

For someone like him to also perish here...

Lu Ying felt an even colder dread creeping over her.

The white-haired elder turned back for a glance, conveying even deeper disappointment within his eyes.

"Seven days. I will give you seven days to surpass my swordsmanship. For now, remain in the Absolute Sword Cavern, and after seven days, face me atop this mountain."