Chapter Forty-Two: The Blade of Shadow and the Sword of Flame

After careful planning and deliberately revealing his presence by sneaking alone onto Moonwatch Peak at night, Qi Fei defeated Fang Yunhai, the prodigy of the Seven Absolutes Sect renowned for his Thunder Palm, and “delivered” the Dao Xuan Zhen Monastery’s messenger talisman into the hands of the sect’s disciples.

Beneath the shroud of night, faint, intermittent footsteps echoed through the forest, while above the thickets, the air was repeatedly sliced by rapid, whistling movements. Having evaded several patrols of the Seven Absolutes disciples along the way, Qi Fei silently recalled the details of Moonwatch Peak his master had imparted before his ascent. He thought to himself that if he could just pass the open plain ahead—Clearwind Terrace—he would at last catch sight of the sect’s headquarters atop the summit.

With a deft motion, Qi Fei crept to the edge of the undergrowth. Channeling his innate energy to vital points behind his eyes, he peered out to see an open slope beyond the trees: this, he surmised, was the unavoidable path to the peak—Clearwind Terrace.

Qi Fei was just about to employ his Bloodshadow Evasion to slip past the sect disciples guarding the terrace when he noticed something unusual among them: two formidable experts whose cultivation he could not gauge. In the martial path, once one forms a Martial Soul, one can vaguely sense another’s level of attainment. Now, having reached the Fifth Heaven of Martial Dao, Qi Fei realized these two must be his equals, or perhaps even greater.

As if sensing someone’s gaze, the tall, lean man in black drew the longsword from his back and fixed his eyes on the thicket. Beside him, the man in white stood poised, a faint, inscrutable smile on his lips. He gazed at Qi Fei’s hiding place and spoke slowly: “My friend, was it you who defeated my junior nephew just now? Since you’re here, why skulk in the shadows? Weren’t you quite brazen earlier?”

Qi Fei mused that these two were likely elders of the sect, both at the Fifth Heaven. He knew that to further his own cultivation, he must challenge true experts—only through life-and-death combat could he shatter the next barrier, as he had once done in the cave beneath the Cliff of Penitence. Confident in his unparalleled command of elemental energy and mastery of both righteous and demonic martial arts, Qi Fei felt no fear of the two experts before him, even if he had yet to face the sect master himself.

Another purpose in coming tonight was to test himself against the Seven Absolutes’ finest. With unwavering resolve, Qi Fei laughed heartily and strode out from the shadows. “The two of you must have waited here quite some time?”

Though they had heard from Fang Yunhai that their intruder was a youth barely out of boyhood, the two sect experts could not help but feel astonished upon seeing Qi Fei. Unable to discern the depth of his cultivation, they realized he must be at least their equal; for one so young to reach such heights, he must either be a prodigy from a famed sect or a master of some secret technique of longevity.

The white-robed man, unwilling to bring disaster upon his sect, called out tentatively, “I am Gongsun She, elder of the Seven Absolutes. May I ask what business brings you to our sect tonight?”

Feigning surprise, Qi Fei retorted, “Did your junior nephew not tell you? I’m here to cause trouble for your sect, of course.”

Gongsun She and the man in black remained composed, but the disciples behind them were incensed; who would dare so brazenly declare his intention to make trouble for the Seven Absolutes?

Gongsun She smiled faintly, praising, “Such boldness. Yet you are unfamiliar to us—where do you hail from, honored guest?”

“Looking to uncover my origins? Why not ask with your blade?” Qi Fei replied, his arrogance unabated and a trace of mockery in his eyes.

Though Gongsun She’s strength rivaled Qi Fei’s, he took note of the youth’s insolent glance in the dim night. Without anger, he gripped his saber solemnly. “I cultivate the Supreme Art of our sect: the Yinshade Saber. Blades are blind—take care.”

Qi Fei beckoned dismissively, uttering another maddeningly arrogant remark, “Show me your Yinshade Saber. Let’s see if your so-called supreme art is more than just a name.”

A flicker of anger flashed in Gongsun She’s eyes as he raised his saber and, in an instant, darted before Qi Fei.

Though Qi Fei maintained his air of arrogance, he was on full alert. As the saber cleaved through the night, he unleashed his own internal energy in response to the elder’s attack.

The saber’s arc split the darkness, weaving a web of cold, sinister light—Gongsun She had clearly mastered a venomous Ice Martial Soul. To the untrained eye, it was but a flash, but Qi Fei saw clearly how the saber’s trajectory twisted six times mid-air, each movement channeling a torrent of force aimed directly at his arm.

He suddenly realized the elder’s saber aura completely enveloped him. Unwilling to use his life-saving Bloodshadow Evasion so soon, Qi Fei let out a roar, his fists surging with domineering force, and struck at the afterimages of the saber.

Gongsun She was inwardly elated, thinking this reckless youth must be woefully inexperienced to meet his saber barehanded. Truly, ignorance knows no fear.

But in the next instant, Gongsun She’s expression changed dramatically. Not only was Qi Fei unfazed by the chilling force of his Ice Soul, but his fist manifested a wind as sharp as sword energy, crashing directly against the blade.

A piercing clang erupted as fist met saber. Though Gongsun She’s weapon was no ordinary blade, Qi Fei’s elemental energy—imbued with both fire and ice—shattered it completely under the force of his blow.

In a single exchange, Gongsun She was disarmed, his face ashen.

Before Gongsun She could recover, Qi Fei pressed his advantage, unleashing a relentless barrage of fierce punches that kept the elder utterly suppressed. The domineering wind of his fists left Gongsun She, armed only with half a broken saber, no match whatsoever.

Seeing the crisis, the black-robed man shouted and sprang forward to assist his embattled comrade. “I am Yang Hui, elder of the Seven Absolutes. Please grant me your instruction!”

At the sound of his cry, Qi Fei became instantly alert. In the next moment, Yang Hui’s sword unleashed waves of searing energy, surging toward Qi Fei. Having already witnessed Qi Fei’s prowess, Yang Hui did not expect to win in one stroke—he simply sought to force Qi Fei back and relieve Gongsun She.

From his master, Qi Fei had already learned of the Seven Absolutes’ renowned martial arts. The moment Yang Hui attacked, Qi Fei deduced that not only had this elder awakened a Fire Martial Soul, but his dominating sword technique must be the sect’s famed Fiery Sword.

Qi Fei thought to himself that Yang Hui’s warning before attacking was at least honorable. Moreover, never having faced the combined might of the sect’s supreme saber and sword arts, Qi Fei felt a surge of eagerness. With a sudden leap, he withdrew from Gongsun She and retreated to the edge of the woods.

Gongsun She, having narrowly escaped disaster, quickly dismissed all underestimation. Accepting a new saber from a disciple, he fixed his gaze on Qi Fei with grim caution.

“What formidable fists! Your supreme art contains the force of wind and thunder—could it be the Eight-Armed Gale Fist or the Storm Thunder Fist? And what Martial Soul do you possess, that you can shrug off the icy chill of my Ice Soul?”

For all his youthful years, Qi Fei’s heart surged with battle-lust at the chance to spar with these two masters. His long-restrained mischief bubbling to the surface, he replied with a straight face—a remark so audacious it left all present dumbstruck.

“Why don’t you guess?”

Gongsun She and Yang Hui stared in disbelief, then—like the disciples behind them—were left completely exasperated.

Just what kind of madness was this?