Remould the Glory of Sword Art

"This isn't real... not real..."

Daoist Chi Hun's face was pale.

He kept backing away, unwilling to look directly into Xie Xuanyi's eyes.

Ten years had passed since they last saw each other.

Xie Xuanyi not only had not died but had also become even younger.

How was this possible!?

The higher the cultivation realm, the better understood it was: the iron law of life and death could not be violated. Even those few top figures who had cultivated to the pinnacle could not defy "death".

Mortals must eventually die.

Xie Xuanyi steadily walked forward.

The main peak remained deathly quiet. Those subordinate disciples of Yin Mountain were all waiting outside the grand array... with dark clouds of crows circling above in the sky.

They had no idea to what extent the battle had progressed.

Everyone waited for Daoist Chi Hun to slay the external enemy!

But unfortunately, they would not have the chance.

"Chi Hun, I give you a chance to live."

Xie Xuanyi stopped in his tracks.

He looked towards the dark banner not far off and calmly said, "If I'm not wrong, you returned here wanting to rely on the 'Soul-devouring Banner' to break through to the Yin God Realm... right?"

Daoist Chi Hun, missing one wrist, stared up blankly.

Indeed.

That was his plan.

Upon seeing Xie Xuanyi's true face, he had completely lost the will to fight.

The only thing he could think of was to flee.

The farther, the better!

Perhaps... the only way to survive from Xie Xuanyi's hands was to advance to the Yin God!

That Soul-devouring Banner, which had stored ten years of Chi Hun's Blood Refining results, was also his last resort.

If he could take control of the grand array and devour all the blood-refined beings,

then he might have a chance to strike at the "Yin God"!

But Xie Xuanyi didn't give him that chance.

"I... can live?"

Daoist Chi Hun looked incredulously at Xie Xuanyi.

"Perhaps you could."

Xie Xuanyi indifferently said, "My real enemy is White Ghost, not you."

"Just answer me one question."

Xie Xuanyi smiled slightly and said, "I'll give you a chance to touch the Soul-devouring Banner and attempt to break through."

Daoist Chi Hun's face was pale.

Upon hearing Xie Xuanyi's words, far from seeing any hope,

on the contrary,

an uneasy premonition grew stronger in his Heart Lake!

He looked up at the slowly crouching figure in black and already had a guess, vaguely guessing... the question Xie Xuanyi was about to ask.

That journey to Qing State.

Master White Ghost led the team that surrounded Xie Xuanyi, who was healing, and caught him off guard!

Xie Xuanyi's hiding place was extremely confidential.

Some people used Divination Skill, merely wasting their life without discerning the heavenly secrets.

Over the years, many had been curious about how exactly White Ghost had learned the "truth"

As expected.

Daoist Chi Hun looked straight into the young man's eyes, and he heard the question he least wanted to hear:

"Back then... who revealed my whereabouts to White Ghost?"

Xie Xuanyi's head.

The Flying Sword gently swayed, as if sobbing, yet seemingly furious.

Daoist Chi Hun's body trembled.

"Don't say you don't know."

Xie Xuanyi calmly said, "That year you were White Ghost's most trusted disciple. Everyone might be clueless... but you alone couldn't be."

The Flying Sword slowly moved forward, its tip pressing against the spot between Daoist Chi Hun's eyebrows.

Though it did not continue forward,

a line of fresh blood slowly trickled out, covering his entire cheek.

"Ha... ha-ha..."

Daoist Chi Hun suddenly laughed. Looking up at the person he feared most in his life, he muttered, "Xie Xuanyi, the truth about this matter shouldn't be that hard to guess, right?"

Xie Xuanyi remained silent.

"The people who knew you were in Qing State were only so many."

Daoist Chi Hun's tone carried a tinge of sadness and a bit of sympathy, "In your entire life, did you even have other friends you could trust? After all the counting, it's just those few people. As for running to South Border... to press me for answers?"

"...So."

Xie Xuanyi said expressionlessly, "Who was it?"

"Sorry. I truly don't know."

Daoist Chi Hun gradually regained his composure.

Death actually wasn't that frightening.

What's truly dreadful... is the time just before dying.

Those who don't want to die will struggle desperately.

But now, Daoist Chi Hun had come to terms with it. He no longer resisted, no longer struggled, just staring dully at the Flying Sword, waiting for death that could come at any moment.

His time had come, so there was nothing to fear.

Upon reflection,

The ones he feared and hated most in this life were just two people.

One was Xie Xuanyi.

The other was White Ghost.

The "fear" for Xie Xuanyi was etched into his bones, a fear of power.

The battle at North Sea, Daoist Chi Hun was among the few lucky to have survived a strike from Xie Xuanyi.

This name had been mentioned by countless people over the past ten years in both casual and serious contexts, but only those who had truly crossed swords with him could understand the weight of the name Xuanyi.

Whereas the "fear" for White Ghost was a bit different.

The Yin Mountain Three Saints, standing high above, were such high-level cultivators that nearly every evil cultivator in South Border saw them as elusive beings beyond reach.

Being able to study under White Ghost was the greatest opportunity of Daoist Chi Hun's life.

It was also his greatest misfortune.

Becoming an evil cultivator, how could one be a normal person? The higher the realm, the more perverse the personality.

White Ghost was particularly fond of refining Yin corpses, and Daoist Chi Hun had acquired the art of "Blood Refining" by following White Ghost... and naturally, following White Ghost required a price ordinary people couldn't pay.

Xie Xuanyi furrowed his brow.

The Chen Ke Sword Qi pierced into Daoist Chi Hun's brow. It was then he realized that the body of this "Perfect Cave Heaven" evil cultivator was filled with numerous sinister auras.

These sinister auras conflicted with each other but had reached a delicate balance.

The master of Yin Mountain didn't leave his sealed mountain.

But Daoist Chi Hun could attain "freedom."

This matter was connected with the sinister aura within Daoist Chi Hun's body... Xie Xuanyi seemed to understand something.

White Ghost had planted a "Yin corpse" inside Daoist Chi Hun.

In other words.

Daoist Chi Hun himself was the target chosen by his master's Spirit Control Technique.

"You must have seen it too,"

Daoist Chi Hun muttered, "The reason White Ghost trusted me, keeping me by his side all the time... was merely because I was his pawn, one he could erase anytime he wished."

And now, he could freely leave the master sect.

It was because White Ghost had found a better pawn.

This also meant... he had lost his usefulness in White Ghost's eyes.

"These ten years, I truly didn't dare to advance. I was terrified that the moment I advanced, the Spirit Control Technique would seize my Heart Lake..."

Daoist Chi Hun mocked himself with a smile, "Even if you gave me a chance, I wouldn't dare."

Dying under Xie Xuanyi's sword was terrifying.

But dying at the hands of his master was even more terrifying.

Xie Xuanyi silently watched the man before him. Of course, he wasn't going to retract his Flying Sword just because of these words, but the Sword Intent born of Chen Ke slightly restrained itself.

"Regarding the matters of the past, I have nothing to say."

Daoist Chi Hun extended a finger, pointing towards his brow.

Xie Xuanyi understood what he meant.

White Ghost kept Daoist Chi Hun by his side only because Daoist Chi Hun was controllable.

In South Border, there were plenty of magic techniques like Gu Poison and Corpse Seeds.

Daoist Chi Hun's Heart Lake was probably already inscribed with "Secret Runes" by White Ghost.

If he leaked any secrets, they would explode.

"Things...are probably just as you imagined,"

Daoist Chi Hun took a deep breath.

Xie Xuanyi's words had hurt him but also made him decide.

There were things he had wanted to do for a long time.

He had just lacked the courage.

Daoist Chi Hun stared intently into Xie Xuanyi's eyes, clenched his teeth, and with great difficulty, spit out two words: "…Da Sui."

Xie Xuanyi silently gripped the Chen Ke.

Some answers are obvious—

only those who refuse to believe need ironclad evidence before them to believe.

"Is what you said true?"

His voice carried a hint of sorrow.

"For a man who's about to die, is there still a need to lie to you?"

Daoist Chi Hun grinned and retorted, "To solve this question, granting me a slim chance of survival... is what you said true?"

Xie Xuanyi stepped back, clearing the way to the Soul-devouring Banner.

Daoist Chi Hun, like a dog that had lost its home, stumbled and fled to the front of the Soul-devouring Banner.

He grasped the large banner with his remaining hand.

The fragmented Avici Cave Heaven spread out in the air, and countless Yin souls roaring and wailing poured back in!

Daoist Chi Hun spread his arms wide, his body trembling, welcoming the "rebirth."

This was what he had always wanted to do... although he knew that White Ghost had planted the "Spirit Control Secret Rune" in his Heart Lake, he still wanted to try.

If he could ascend to Yin God in his prime.

Perhaps, he might escape his master's control?

But unfortunately.

The ascension to Yin God was not that easy...

The more perfect the cultivation in Cave Heaven.

The harder the ascension to Yin God.

Xie Xuanyi stood silently behind Daoist Chi Hun.

He didn't interfere or draw his sword...but "honored his promise" and gave Daoist Chi Hun a chance to break through his limits.

The reason was simple.

Xie Xuanyi knew that this ascension was doomed to failure.

In just a few moments, numerous Yin souls surged out from the Soul-devouring Banner, engulfing the Perfect Cave Heaven man.

The shattered Avici Cave Heaven strained to open wide—

but after being destroyed by Chen Ke, it could no longer contain so many tainted souls, continuously cracking and heading towards destruction.

"Crack, crack!"

Daoist Chi Hun's robes were torn to shreds, and his skin swelled and bulged.

The entire mountain echoed with his roars.

Finally.

"Boom!"

The only outcome for a failed ascent from Perfect Cave Heaven to Yin God was explosion.

Daoist Chi Hun's body burst open, turning into numerous chunks of flesh, blood splattered everywhere, and Yin souls roamed above the mountain, frantically devouring the fleshly treasures left by this Cave Heaven Realm cultivator.

Xie Xuanyi watched the scene expressionlessly.

He slowly lifted his head while wiping his cheek with his hand.

Under the effect of all beings, he restored his original disguised appearance.

The Yin souls that swept out from the Soul-devouring Banner, devouring Daoist Chi Hun's body, streaked towards the sky.

"Booming thunderously."

A moment later.

Those Yin souls in the sky assembled into a cold and sinister pale face.

As soon as that face appeared.

The entire subordinate sect of Yin Mountain was enveloped by enormous authority.

All disciples, simultaneously knelt down.

Across South Border, no one was unaware of the identity of this face's owner.

Yin Mountain Three Saints.

White Ghost!