Chapter 22: Fifteen Years

This casual attack shattered his lifebond sword, inflicting in him a fatal damage. An Baoshi knew his only hope was in the void realm behind the Sword Washing Pool.

For ordinary cultivators, the void realm was filled with terrifying unknowns. Disregarding the unknown nature of the black river in the void realm, that seemingly simple mirror-like light contained danger that even realm sevens did not dare to rashly try. No one knew if they could easily pass through the light, or be torn apart by the energy contained within before flowing along with the primal energies towards different corners.

That would truly be a body in a thousand pieces, and that possibility far surpassed the chance of passing safely. An Baoshi knew this from the start. But to him, Master Qi was so terrifying this had become his only hope.

Qi Jinshan frowned slightly. When his hand left the head of the Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple, he floated into the temple ahead like weightless energy. The gems, spirit medicines, metals, and spirit bones in the temple were cut by his sharpness, turning into crystals of many colors that stabbed towards An Baoshi who was fleeing for his life.

For An Baoshi, this looked like a casual blow. But for a grandmaster like him, an attack with killing intent would be with full power. The feeling of casualness would just mean the sword essence was complete. More than a realm lower and able to resist a blow from him was not because he was seriously injured, but because An Baoshi’s strength surpassed his expectations.

He knew what An Baoshi wanted to do. There was one thread among these crystals that did not search for An Baoshi’s body, but purely travelled fast, leaving his perception and falling in front of the void realm based on his memory.

The void realm was just a blurry and half-transparent light that was upright. It had no color. The light was inside, and there seemed to be a black river flowing within. Yet as the crystal descended, many criss-crossing crystal lines appeared in front of the half-transparent light. Each crystal line felt extremely sharp, and straighter than the lines that craftsmen masterfully carved.

An Baoshi could smell the unique presence of the Sword Washing Pool. He could even sense the tangible water about to ripple on his back. But at the same time, despair appeared in his eyes.

When the crystal flew by him, his clothing tore. He knew the other had sealed away his retreat, and he definitely could not withstand the power of this crystal.

He gave a miserable howl. The moment before his body hit the criss-crossing crystal lines, he turned himself forcibly. He used his feet as the sword tip, and he treated himself as a sword. At the same time, his vital energy flowed out through his fingers. Immediately, his fingers broke apart, and the vital energy mixed with fresh blood caused his hand to look like ten bloody ribbons.

These ten streams of blood flew out, and smashed onto the crystals coming behind him. As they broke apart, a lot of crystal dust was swept up, and followed hiss feet to crash onto the crystal lines.

A great boom!

The fine crystal dust collided with the fine crystal lines, and gave off an enormous roar like the giant ships crashing together.The stone temple trembled violently. The pool water in the Sword Washing Pool was sent flying upwards. The treasures embedded in the wall fell down like rain, and were mostly crushed by great force.

Half of the net of crystal lines broke apart, but they did not completely collapse. Dozens of crystal lines in front of the void realm cut through An Baoshi’s feet and then his energy sea and his entire body.

An Baoshi’s robe had shattered, and now, his white skin showed lines of blood. He screamed in pain, and his blood-dripping body charged into the void realm. He originally wanted to survive to enter the void realm at the price of his feet, and even legs, being crippled. Yet the power disparity was so great even with all his means, he could not defeat the other’s sword energy.

These sword threads cut through from his feet to his head. Because they were so slender, sharp, and fast, he could not feel pain reach his brain. But he knew, these sword threads had cut through his energy sea, and his entire body. In the next moment, these blood lines would break into terrifying wounds, and then his entire person would become pieces of flesh.

To him, Ding Ning was dead, and he had defeated Jing Liuli. There was no talent in the world that could match him. Especially with the empress’ will, he could become the next master of Spirit Void Sword Sect.

Falling down from such a height, and losing his life in an instant, how could he not be in pain?

As he screamed, his body passed through the blurry light. Many powers hard to describe stabbed through his body. In the next moment, he heard the sound of glass cracking inside him. True terror filled his mind. He felt he was thrown up high over the clouds like a stone, and what followed was not a fall, but ascending even higher.

Then in the next moment, all his consciousness disappeared. Ripples appeared on the faint layer of light.

Qi Jinshan tapped on the water of the Sword Washing Pool with the tips of his feet and stood in front of the void realm. The dozens of sword threads were still stubbornly existing, blood dripping off them.

Qi Jinshan was silent. What was behind the faint light was a completely unknown world to him.

An Baoshi’s body passed through the light and disappeared from his sight. The scene of the black river behind the light seemed to not have changed. These sword threads were slender but contained great power. Being cut by these threads was equivalent to being cut by dozens of large swords.

Any cultivator whose body was cut into dozens of pieces could not live. But a ripple still formed in his mind at being unable to see An Baoshi’s corpse. This was not a good feeling. But a person like this did not linger on this moment.

At the gates of Spirit Void Sword Sect, in the white mist, there was a golden flame that was burning. Inside the golden flame was a longsword shaped like a withered piece of wood. The hilt of the sword was in the hand of the disfigured woman.

A cultivator in purple robes slowly fell down in a puddle of blood, covering his abdomen. He wore a purple jade coronet in his hair, and his purple robe was a grand purple that flowed like starlight. He struggled to lift his head. Blood dripped from his teeth. He grimaced. “Fifteen years ago, I could easily defeat you. Fifteen years later, you are so strong.”

Ji Qingqing, whose violent presence had not yet dissipated, heard the last breath from this cultivator and slowly said, “Fifteen years ago, my face was not disfigured, and you would not use your sword against me. Fifteen years later? Just this hate is hard to express. How can you win against me?”

Translator Ramblings: An Baoshi went through a laser cutter. larkspur edited this and the previous chapter with a hurt hand. Get better soon!