Before his words even fell, Cangshu Bai slightly retracted his left arm, firmly shielding Mu Ran behind him. The hem of his azure robe swept across the ground, sending crushed stones rustling in its wake.
With a flick of his wrist, his long spear thrust forward with a sharp, wind-piercing howl. The spear tip, tempered with a chillingly murderous aura, aimed straight for the vital point of Xie Guanxin's heart. Every move was a fatal strike that left no avenue for survival.
Although Xie Guanxin was not at his peak, his unyielding spirit remained unbroken. Tapping his toes against the ground, he spun to evade the sharp edge, his longsword weaving an airtight flurry of sword forms to block the attack. The piercing sound of clashing metal rang out incessantly.
Blood from his torn webbing soaked the scabbard. His breathing was slightly hurried, yet when he raised his eyes, his brow remained cold and stern, showing not a hint of panic or cowardice. He merely said in a deep voice, "Cangshu Bai, from the very beginning, you were only pretending to step into the trap and be captured by me."
Cangshu Bai replied, "If I hadn't, how else would you have lowered your guard and allowed this domain to be used by me?"
It was only then that Xie Guanxin sensed the anomaly.
Ever since he split his divine soul in two ten thousand years ago, he had been unable to return to his peak state.
This cave dwelling, modified by him over the past ten millennia, not only slowed the decay of his body but also harmonized with his divine soul. In other words, within this domain, Xie Guanxin could recover ninety percent of his former strength.
However, now, the ley lines of this cave dwelling had changed. The power seeping from them was no longer at Xie Guanxin's disposal; instead, it was entirely utilized by Cangshu Bai.
No wonder he had lost contact with his inner demon.
Xie Guanxin said, "Even the Mu Ran in the illusion couldn't make you sink into indulgence. Cangshu Bai, it seems the so-called true love between you and Mu Ran is nothing more than this."
"Ridiculous." The killing intent in Cangshu Bai's crimson eyes flared even brighter. His long spear swept horizontally, bringing with it a swath of chilling, murderous aura. Wherever the spear tip passed, the stone walls froze and cracked like spiderwebs.
His voice was as cold as ice. "If it weren't for my plan, the moment I saw you dare to imitate my wife's appearance, I would have shattered your divine soul with a single thrust. Why would I allow you to spout nonsense here!"
The momentum of the spear suddenly surged. Cangshu Bai leapt into the air, his white hair dancing wildly in the wind. The long spear, like an azure dragon emerging from the sea, pressed straight down.
Forced to raise his sword to block the heavy blow, Xie Guanxin's knees bent slightly, sinking half an inch into the ground. The spiritual energy around him churned chaotically, revealing clear signs of defeat. Yet, he still kept his back straight, his longsword tilting upwards as he tried to find an opening to counterattack.
His brows knitted tightly, still finding it hard to believe. Had the illusion he crafted—one he was so adept at using to bewitch people's hearts—actually been seen through by Cangshu Bai from the very first moment?
The first time he laid eyes on that "Mu Ran," Cangshu Bai had clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his monstrous killing intent.
Mu Ran was supposed to be a unique existence in this world. Anyone who dared to impersonate her deserved to die without an intact corpse.
But Cangshu Bai could only temporarily pretend to be completely unaware.
He needed to use this period of his divine soul's "slumber" to let his primordial spirit leave his body, completely altering the ley lines and taking them for his own use.
Cangshu Linfeng was no fool either. Having dealt with Cangshu Bai before, he knew that Cangshu Bai was full of wicked schemes. It was always him calculating others with an expressionless face; there was absolutely no way he would let himself be calculated by others.
Therefore, Cangshu Linfeng had always suspected that Cangshu Bai had a backup plan, which was why he kept stalling for time.
Facts proved that Cangshu Linfeng had gambled correctly.
Cangshu Bai was incredibly powerful, and his shrewdness was top-tier, making him truly terrifying. However, despite all his calculations, the one thing he hadn't anticipated was that Mu Ran would actually appear at Chongyang Mountain.
And the only reason that could make her take such a risk was simply because of him.
The moment Cangshu Bai finished modifying the ley lines, he immediately tore everything in the illusion to shreds, impatiently rushing to Mu Ran's side. But then he heard the person impersonating him actually dare to seduce his wife into abandoning him. At that moment, the hostility deep in his bones could no longer be hidden.
"You deserve to die."
The tip of Cangshu Bai's spear suddenly changed its trajectory, bypassing the sword's defense to thrust straight at Xie Guanxin's shoulder and neck. The sheer force of the blow caused Xie Guanxin's longsword to deflect once more. He staggered but forced himself to stand firm.
He had never once allowed Mu Ran to be exposed to even the slightest danger. Every move and stance was ruthless and decisive, his killing intent locked onto Xie Guanxin, denying his opponent any chance to catch his breath. In his crimson eyes, there was only the vicious desire to crush his enemy and the unwavering resolve to protect the person behind him.
Xie Guanxin's chest heaved. The weakness from his depleted spiritual energy became increasingly obvious, yet he continued to wield his sword in response, his proud bearing remaining majestic.
Mu Ran stood outside the circle of battle, watching the two identical figures entangled in combat with a spear and a sword. Cangshu Bai's flamboyant white hair danced amidst the freezing killing intent, while Xie Guanxin's azure robe, billowing in the cold wind, seemed tinged with frost.
No matter how one looked at it, this confrontation seemed somewhat absurd.
A streak of blue light approached her like a shooting star, transforming into a blue Little Fish.
Mu Ran reached out in pleasant surprise. "Little Fish!"
The frost fish obediently swam over and lay in Mu Ran's palm. It wagged its tail and blew a string of small bubbles, showing that it was perfectly fine and uninjured.
Not long ago, due to someone's deliberate trickery, it had been forced to separate from Mu Ran. Unable to find her scent no matter how hard it tried, it had been worried sick.
If anything had happened to Mu Ran, when its master returned, skinning it and pulling out its tendons would be considered a light punishment.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before it sensed the auras of Mu Ran and Cangshu Bai again, allowing it to quickly return to her side.
Meanwhile, the outcome of the battle on the other side was gradually becoming clear.
The black spear pierced through the gaps in the sword shadows, ignoring Xie Guanxin's parry to thrust straight into his heart.
In that instant, the clash of weapons was replaced by the sound of tearing flesh.
The spear tip broke through skin and muscle, passing through the gap between his ribs and sinking in more than half an inch. Warm blood meandered down the patterns on the spear shaft, dyeing Xie Guanxin's azure lapels red.
Xie Guanxin's defeat was fully revealed, yet it wasn't a miserable sight; rather, it was a deathly stillness, like embers burning out.
"You..." Xie Guanxin tried to inhale and speak, but he coughed first. Blood seeped from the corners of his lips, and his breathing instantly fell into chaos. Yet, he smiled. On his pale, bloodstained face, that smile looked exceptionally tragically beautiful and mad.
"Cangshu Bai, if this were ten thousand years ago, it's hard to say who would have won and who would have lost."
The black spear in Cangshu Bai's hand drove another inch forward. The bone-piercing tip sank deeper into the flesh, spurting a fountain of scalding blood. "Losers always have all sorts of excuses to comfort their ridiculous pride."
Xie Guanxin coughed up more blood, yet he still had the strength to raise his eyes and glance at Mu Ran behind Cangshu Bai.
Mu Ran stood in a safe place, her hands cupping the gently tail-wagging Little Fish.
She was completely out of place amidst the bloody slaughter before her, as if the patch of earth beneath her feet was the only pure land untainted by blood.
Xie Guanxin's bloodstained lips actually pulled into another dismal, mocking smile. His breath was as fragile as a candle in the wind, yet every word was clear: "You protect her... you protect her so tightly..."
