Chapter 131

Chapter 131: My Common Sword Lends You Its Edge

An silver spear appeared in Gu Xie’s hand. The shaft resembled a bone, and gripping the handle was a ferocious skull. This was his magical weapon… the Ghost Valley Spear.

With a flick of his wrist, the Ghost Valley Spear shot straight toward Lou Yun like a bolt of lightning. Yet Lou Yun remained frozen, seemingly oblivious to the attack, standing motionless as a statue.

Ge Jianfeng, watching from behind Lou Yun, saw it all clearly. He shouted urgently: "Careful!"

Though the spear thrust appeared casual, its speed was extraordinary. Ge Jianfeng desperately wanted to block it but knew he couldn’t close the distance in time. In a panic, he swung his arm, hurling his own magical weapon—the silver whip—through the air.

By then, the spear tip was less than half a centimeter from Lou Yun. Ge Jianfeng’s whip was too late. But suddenly, Lou Yun, who’d been motionless, finally moved.

Lou Yun raised his empty left hand and caught the whip Ge Jianfeng had thrown. Simultaneously, the Dream Emperor Sword in his right hand darted out with startling swiftness.

"Clang!"

A clear, sharp sound echoed as the tip of the Dream Emperor Sword met the point of the Ghost Valley Spear perfectly. The two magical weapons locked together, freezing in mid-air.

This strike shocked Gu Xie once more. Lou Yun’s reaction speed, the precision and ferocity of his counter-thrust under such circumstances, were utterly inconceivable!

Gu Xie snorted coldly, yanking back the Ghost Valley spear. He didn’t attack again immediately, instead scrutinizing Lou Yun from head to toe, trying desperately to see through Lou Yun’s true magical weapon realm.

Though he seemed distracted, Lou Yun hadn’t truly ignored Gu Xie. His spiritual sense had locked onto his opponent the whole time, ready to react instantly to any aggression.

Throwing the silver whip back to Ge Jianfeng with a backwards flourish, Lou Yun gave a confident smile. "Gu Xie! You hold the honorable station of a sect guardian, yet you resort to tricks favored by snakes and rats—sneak attacks. Color me unimpressed!"

Unmoved by the jab, Gu Xie sneered. "Sneak attack? So what? Any means are justified to kill the foe. Since I’ve earned your distinctive evaluation, I mustn’t disappoint. I’ll show you my true ferocity!"

As his words hung in the air, Gu Xie flicked his wrist again. The Ghost Valley Spear in his hand began to spin wildly, faster and faster, until it became nothing but a blur.

A whirlwind manifested around the spinning spear shaft. Within the vortex, countless ghastly, skull-like phantoms began to materialize, mirroring the skull upon the spear’s haft.

Lou Yun had never seen such a bizarre weapon technique before. He steadied himself, focusing intently as he observed.

Gu Xie gave a sudden, cruel laugh. With a vibration of his wrist, the whirlwind detached from the spear shaft and hurtled toward Lou Yun. Innumerable phantom skulls within it bared their horrifying grins in unison, opening wide maws as they surged forward. Their apparent aim was to literally devour Lou Yun alive!

This was one of Gu Xie’s famous signature moves, the sun-tier lower-level weapon technique…"Ghost Wave Cut" of the "Wicked Ghost Spear"!

The countless skulls appeared spectral, illusory. Yet, if any one bit its victim, it induced soul-rending agony. Worse, the others would instantly swarm in with thunderous speed, quickly shredding the victim’s entire body into fragments.

Facing such a dreadful tide of phantom skulls, most would be paralyzed by terror, just like Ge Jianfeng who stood utterly frozen nearby, his face etched with dread. But Lou Yun stood utterly calm, steady as a mountain, his gaze sharp as lightning, watching the Ghost Wave Cut approach without a flicker of emotion.

Just as the legion of skulls almost washed over him, Lou Yun finally moved!

A seemingly casual flick of his wrist set the Dream Emperor Sword gleaming with golden light swaying left and right. As Lou Yun channeled spiritual energy into it, the sword’s oscillation grew increasingly frantic. Soon, it seemed not one sword, but thousands!

A star-tier upper-level weapon technique…"Sword Dance of Wind and Thunder"!

Lou Yun had unleashed this move against Qian Ruming’s abacus, splitting his sword then. One blade had shattered into a rain of droplets to assault. But today, Lou Yun was transformed. Having devoured the Heavenly Fire Fusang, his Dream Emperor Sword had ascended to the advanced one-star plateau. Releasing this same technique now, he unknowingly drove it to its pinnacle. The sword didn’t split into two; it multiplied into countless blades attacking as one, surging towards the skull-filled whirlwind barreling at Lou Yun.

His hands gripping the Dream Emperor Sword’s hilt as if exerting every ounce of strength, Lou Yun slowly thrust the blade forward.

Instantly, sharp popping sounds, like bubbles bursting, erupted as countless illusory Dream Emperor Sword blades struck each swirling skull with flawless accuracy.

As the last phantom skull exploded, the ghostly whirlwind vanished completely. Lou Yun remained planted where he stood, the Dream Emperor Sword’s tip pointing downwards. A faint smile touched his lips.

That clash finally made him understand: When a cultivator’s power reached such heights, even lower-tier weapon techniques could unleash astonishing destruction.

Where Lou Yun stood pleased and composed, Gu Xie’s expression darkened into a scowl. The Ghost Wave Cut wasn’t his ultimate technique, but Lou Yun had dismantled it with ease. Unease prickled him. What was the true magical weapon realm of this unfathomable boy standing before him? What if, today… instead of killing Lou Yun, he died instead?

Seeds of retreat sprouted in Gu Xie’s mind. Why trade more blows? His earlier boasts about killing Lou Yun? Mere bluster to be discarded. His gaze shifted quickly, scanning his surroundings for escape routes away from Lou Yun.

Lou Yun’s sharp mind instantly grasped Gu Xie’s intention—his opponent sought retreat. This suited Lou Yun perfectly. He’d intervened only to save Ge Jianfeng; reuniting with Leng Cangqiong was his priority. If Gu Xie fled now? All the better.

Gu Xie’s darting gaze eventually landed on Ge Jianfeng. He realized Lou Yun and Ge Jianfeng were strangers; Lou Yun acted only on chivalry. To escape unscathed, he needed leverage. Grabbing Ge Jianfeng as a hostage was his safest path. It might even let him capture Ge Jianfeng later as planned. A perfect win.

A cunning grin twisted Gu Xie’s features. He launched into the air, raising the Ghost Valley Spear high as his body and spear became a single unified force, stabbing violently toward Lou Yun.

This thrust held no refined art nor named technique, appearing brutally straightforward. Lou Yun accepted it without hesitation, raising his sword to meet it. But Gu Xie slammed forward with his entire body weight behind the spear, generating immense force. Upon blocking it, Lou Yun was shoved sideways by the impact, compelled to shift his footing.

Previously shielding Ge Jianfeng completely, Lou Yun’s displacement exposed the young man perfectly. Snickering, Gu Xie landed precisely where Lou Yun had stood moments before. He reached out and seized Ge Jianfeng in a heartbeat.

This attack hadn’t been meant to harm Lou Yun. It aimed solely to displace him, opening the way to seize Ge Jianfeng as a human shield.

Ge Jianfeng had been utterly entranced by the duel’s ferocity. He’d never expected Gu Xie to instantly abandon Lou Yun and target him. Caught unprepared, he was captured instantly.

Lou Yun, equally blind-sided by Gu Xie’s ploy, saw its shape only afterward. By then, Ge Jianfeng was firmly in Gu Xie’s grip. The Ghost Valley Spear shrank slightly, its tip pressed against Ge Jianfeng’s dantian region.

A smug grin spread across Gu Xie’s face. “Kid, you stepped in to save him? Well, I’ve got him now. Back off… politely. Or who’s to say my Ghost Valley Spear won’t slip… pierce right through him?”

Gu Xie was shrewder than to demand Lou Yun surrender for a stranger’s life. He just demanded passage. Escape.

Lou Yun inwardly cursed his momentary lapse. Now he had little choice but to comply. Retreating several meters, his expression radiated disdain. “Gu! Even I didn’t expect you to sink this low! Fine. Step back? Done. But when you leave… you let him go. Or… as you so aptly put it earlier… I guarantee you’ll die screaming!”

Holding Ge Jianfeng, Gu Xie barely registered Lou Yun’s scorn or threats. He laughed harshly. “Brat! Your words carry zero weight right now!”

Then followed an inexplicable moment. The instant his taunt faded, Gu Xie’s expression froze. It held only briefly. When his features shifted again, they held… triumph?

Watching this transformation unfold, alarm bells screamed inside Lou Yun… the why remained a mystery.

Without warning, Gu Xie hurled Ge Jianfeng violently to the side! Simultaneously, he raised his right hand! The Ghost Valley Spear spun wildly towards Lou Yun like a striking dragon!

Always alert, Lou Yun met the assault with a cold snarl and his Dream Emperor Sword. Fine. Show me this trick you’re so pleased with!

But at that precise instant…

An utterly terrifying pressure suddenly radiated towards Lou Yun… from the opposite direction! Accelerating at immense speed!

Lou Yun’s mind clicked instantly. Gu Xie’s smug thrill? A hidden ally. Unbeknownst to him, the pair had coordinated strikes! Right and left. Trapped.

Had it been earlier, the Stone Sword could handle it—common weapon in the left, magical in the right! But the Stone Sword was long gone; Lou Yun hadn’t wielded a common weapon in ages. Now… the Dream Emperor Sword was locked against Gu Xie’s spear! He couldn’t parry both!

He could channel spiritual energy outwards—like Han Tianxiao taught—and shape a temporary secondary magical weapon… but… this onslaught’s aura proved daunting. Any temporary construct would likely shatter on impact, absorbing minimal force before the real blow pulverized Lou Yun’s left arm! Shattering bones… crippling him!

Lou Yun saw the grim inevitability instantly. Still, knowing the outcome, he must act. Even a weakened blow was better than taking its full force naked.

Just as Lou Yun began gathering energy to forge the spectral Dream Emperor Sword…

The voice rang sharply in his mind: “My common sword lends you its edge!”

With Chang Xiang’s words, something tangible manifested in Lou Yun’s hand.

A sword. Solid. Undeniable.

A common sword!