"Oneness of man and sword..."
Bai Zihe looked at Qin Changkong, who was wide-eyed with astonishment, and said casually, "Is it that difficult? Worth making such a fuss about?"
Difficult?
Was it difficult?
Difficult?
Qin Changkong nearly spat out a mouthful of blood upon hearing this.
One must know.
He had spent fifty years in seclusion back then, only to painstakingly grasp the oneness of man and sword. This allowed him to take a brand new step on the path of the sword, and also to ascend to the Tribulation Crossing stage, becoming one of the foremost experts of the current era!
Even...
Within the entire Tianshan Sword Sect.
The number of people who had comprehended the oneness of man and sword did not exceed five!
With the oneness of man and sword, he had effortlessly crushed many experts who had entered the Tribulation Crossing stage much earlier than him.
Yet Bai Zihe said...
Was the oneness of man and sword stage that difficult, worth such a big fuss!
Qin Changkong stared at his smug face, wishing he could slap him a hundred times.
But.
His strength did not permit it!
The two were still in the midst of battle, and he hadn't gained the upper hand!
"Waaah..."
Stoked by Bai Zihe, Qin Changkong was instantly enraged.
"Boom!"
In the next moment, Qin Changkong unleashed a fierce palm strike.
Although he was a sword cultivator, his hand-to-hand combat skills were not far behind.
As this palm strike came out...
The world shook instantly, mountains collapsed and seas roared, as if the end of the world was nigh, making one tremble with fear, daring not to speak loudly!
"Boom!"
Bai Zihe did not yield, striking out with a palm of his own.
His immense palm force poured out.
Both figures swayed for a moment, then retreated dozens of feet respectively.
"Swish..."
This was precisely Qin Changkong's intention.
After creating distance between himself and Bai Zihe, he did not pursue immediately.
Instead, he stood in the air, raising his right hand towards the sky.
Powerful auras continuously gathered.
In just a few breaths' time.
A strange, long sword suddenly appeared in Qin Changkong's hand.
This sword...
Unlike Bai Zihe's Zhu Tian Sword, which was sharp and bright, making it obvious at first glance that it was a peerless good sword of unparalleled might.
Quite the opposite.
This sword exuded an incomparably eerie and sinister aura.
So much so that, just by its appearance in mid-air, the sun dimmed considerably, and the temperature in the vicinity dropped by an unknown amount.
Endless phantom figures even flickered incessantly around them, causing one's scalp to tingle.
Bai Zihe's senses were exceptionally keen.
At this moment, his pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze fixed on the sword in Qin Changkong's hand, not daring to shift even an inch.
The sword was about seven feet long, its blade a pale white, as if pieced together from segments of bone.
Especially...
At both ends of the hilt were two skull-like appendages.
Undoubtedly, they added a touch of sinister and demonic color to the sword. A single glance sent chills down one's spine, hinting at ill fortune.
"Bai Zihe."
Qin Changkong gripped the hilt with his right hand, while his left hand continuously caressed it, with extreme gentleness, as if stroking a lover's face.
His mouth did not stop either.
"This sword is named 'Bone Spirit Sword'!"
"It was acquired by this old man three hundred years ago from an unorthodox demonic cultivator."
"At that time..."
"This Bone Spirit Sword had already slaughtered thirty thousand lives!"
"Among them."
"The vast majority were innocent civilians, and a small portion were powerful cultivators, from both righteous and evil paths."
"This is a treasure sword stained with blood."
"However..."
Qin Changkong's lips curved slightly, a look of pride evident, "Back then, this old man fought its master, Bone Spirit True Person, and slew him."
"This sword eventually fell into this old man's hands."
Bai Zihe snorted coldly, remaining silent.
Bone Spirit Sword...
Even if it were an immortal sword, stained with the blood of thirty thousand people, it would have long since become utterly sinister and bloodthirsty!
Not to mention that the material used to forge the sword was human bone itself!
From this, one could infer.
To what depths had this sword's demonic energy reached!
"Since I obtained it..."
Qin Changkong spoke as if reminiscing, but in reality, with pride, "This old man has killed nine hundred and ninety-nine opponents!"
"Among them, the entire Crazy Saber Sect, numbering over seven hundred cultivators, was annihilated by me. With a single strike, all their vitality was absorbed, leaving them as dried husks of bone."
"Following that, this old man struck again, burying the entire sect!"
"From then on, my reputation soared, and I became renowned throughout the Longevity Realm. No one dared to oppose me, nor dare to disobey me."
"You are the first!"
Upon saying this.
Qin Changkong looked at Bai Zihe, a chilling arc forming on his lips, his eyes growing colder, murderous intent radiating from him.
"However..."
"After that battle, I discovered that although the sword's power was formidable, it subtly tempted one's mind and risked leading them astray."
"Therefore."
"I sealed it away and have not used it for many years."
"With my cultivation at the Tribulation Crossing stage, I am more than capable of dealing with the vast majority of opponents and crushing them with ease."
"Today!"
Qin Changkong's voice suddenly rose, filled with fury and venom.
"I shall summon this sword once more, to use it to slay you, to mince your three souls and seven spirits, to drain your flesh dry!"
"Only thus..."
"Can I avenge the deep hatred of my brother's death at your hands!"
"To be able to die by this sword..."
"You should be proud enough!"
After speaking.
A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Qin Changkong's eyes.
Like lightning in a vast night, it suddenly split the boundless eternal darkness, revealing a sliver of light.
This was...
The light of endless slaughter!
The light of boundless hatred!
"Swish..."
Simultaneously, the Bone Spirit Sword blazed with light.
This light...
Was vastly different from the majestic brilliance of ordinary treasured swords. It was an eerie light, a sinister glow that sent tremors from the very depths of one's soul.
For those with a weaker state of mind...
It was highly probable that they would be terrified out of their wits on the spot, their souls then completely absorbed into the Bone Spirit Sword, dying a most irreversible death!
But his opponent was Bai Zihe!
"Swish!"
Bai Zihe, too lazy to speak further, raised his right hand slightly.
The Zhu Tian Sword immediately erupted with a magnificent radiance, dispelling the gloomy atmosphere.
"Hum!"
"Hum!"
The vastly different lights emanating from the two swords began to collide.
One, with a ghostly aura, sinister as hell!
The other, with resplendent divine might, majestic and awe-inspiring!
The clash of the two instantly created an extremely eerie zone.
It contained both strangeness and murderous intent.
With the slightest carelessness, one would face the risk of instant demise if they fell into either!
"Swish..."
After a moment of stalemate, Qin Changkong moved.
With a mere raise of his hand, countless phantoms gathered around the Bone Spirit Sword.
These phantoms...
Were precisely the souls of the beings who had met a tragic end by the Bone Spirit Sword.
They wailed.
They bared their fangs and brandished their claws.
They roared towards their surroundings!
Each one, like a vengeful spirit, regarded Bai Zihe as an enemy, intending to claim his life!
Not only that.
All sorts of screams poured in, entering Bai Zihe's ears, piercing his sea of consciousness, aiming to make Bai Zihe lose his soul!