Bamboo Chest, Chapter Twenty-Nine: Falling
Dong Sangen and Lu Yun left Stone City, pressing onward toward Sword Qi Great Wall.
“Senior, how many more sword strikes can you still make?” Lu Yun’s expression darkened; he sensed several fierce auras relentlessly pursuing them from behind.
This journey was fraught with peril.
“So far, I can only manage one more strike,” Dong Sangen frowned. “These demons are holding back only because they fear their prey might resist. After all, none want to fail.”
“Shengge can only strike twice now. Earlier, I assimilated a few of your sword moves, which exhausted her greatly,” Lu Yun said.
“We must keep running for now.”
Both Dong Sangen and Lu Yun were cornered with no clear way out; neither dared to guarantee survival.
Doubt flickered in Lu Yun’s eyes—because of him, the story was shifting.
He had been confident that Dong Sangen could return to Sword Qi Great Wall, but as the number of formidable demons trailing them grew, panic began to grip him.
No! He hadn’t found his sister yet, nor brought her to Sword Qi Great Wall, to the vast and righteous world!
“Senior, this won’t do. We need to teach them a lesson; otherwise, we’ll never shake them off!” Lu Yun halted and, in a whispered tone, asked Shengge, “If you give it your all, can you kill a Jade Pu-level demon?”
Upon receiving an affirmative reply, Lu Yun steeled himself, locked onto one of the great demons, and swiftly struck, dragging it into an illusory realm.
Yet this Jade Pu-level demon had a counterattack; despite Shengge’s utmost effort, it was only severely wounded.
Fortunately, the other demons ceased their pursuit, choosing instead to watch from afar.
Lu Yun exhaled in relief.
Thankfully, the situation had improved.
But then Tao Ting’s aura surged fiercely; like a mad beast, the old dog charged directly at Lu Yun and Dong Sangen.
Lu Yun cursed loudly.
Dong Sangen frowned and grabbed Lu Yun, urging him to run.
“For some reason, those stronger Ascended beings haven’t intervened; only that one has acted. It’s not entirely hopeless,” Lu Yun said.
“How far to Sword Qi Great Wall?” he asked.
“Very close,” Dong Sangen replied, gripping the one-zhang-long sword at his waist.
At most, one strike remained.
After that, the sword would falter, and he would lack the strength for a second.
“Dong Sangen, you can’t escape!” Tao Ting shouted excitedly. Passing several demons, the old dog sneered disdainfully at them.
Look at those cowards—don’t even claim to hail from the Wild World in the future!
The great demons cast strange glances at Tao Ting’s retreating figure.
“Has he been guarding the Ten Thousand Mountains so long that he’s gone mad?”
“Possibly…”
Their reason for not chasing was fear of that mysterious youth and dread of Dong Sangen’s final sword strike.
A last strike from an Ascended sword cultivator could easily kill anyone below that level.
…
Closer—truly close!
Lu Yun gazed excitedly at the towering city wall in the distance.
Sword Qi Great Wall!
“He’s relentless; we must strike before reaching the wall,” Dong Sangen turned to Tao Ting, tossing the one-zhang sword to Lu Yun behind him.
“You go ahead to Sword Qi Great Wall. With this sword, no one will dare attack you.”
Lu Yun opened his mouth to protest.
“But senior…”
“A swordsman without his sword is no swordsman,” Dong Sangen chuckled. “Go.”
Hesitant, Lu Yun was soon sent off by the sword flying autonomously toward Sword Qi Great Wall.
…
“Hmph, saving a promising youth, huh? Dong Sangen, you’re quite the strategist,” Tao Ting stopped, staring at Dong Sangen.
Dong Sangen smiled faintly and asked, “I heard the renowned Tao Ting has been living luxuriously recently in the Ten Thousand Mountains?”
“Of course, but it’s not enough. That’s why I’m hunting you. An Immortal Realm swordsman isn’t bad either—enough for a little feast,” Tao Ting said coldly.
“Oh?”
Suddenly, Dong Sangen produced a small bamboo box.
“Want to see who’s inside?”
Tao Ting, unwilling to waste words, prepared to strike.
…
In the Wild World, Ten Thousand Mountains, an old blind man tapped his wooden chair and said calmly, “If you don’t want to die, come back.”
Far away, Tao Ting stiffened at these words.
The old blind man, rarely showing mercy, had just warned Tao Ting.
“You’ve lingered too long at Ten Thousand Mountains, unaware he’s already Ascended. Don’t believe me? Look inside that bamboo basket.”
Ascended?
Tao Ting stared at Dong Sangen in disbelief.
Only decades had passed, and he had risen from Golden Core to Ascended?
“Sword Immortal Dong, this is a misunderstanding…”
Suddenly, Tao Ting grinned broadly, wagging his tail at Dong Sangen.
An Ascended being pursued like this for so long must be gravely wounded, but Ascended is Ascended—especially the most unreasonable swordsman!
Just now, Dong Sangen had clearly been ready to fight to the death!
Seeing Tao Ting’s expression, Dong Sangen knew the old blind man of Ten Thousand Mountains had spoken.
“Thank you, senior.”
Dong Sangen cupped his hands and turned toward Sword Qi Great Wall.
The old blind man sighed, “After so many years, only one promising seed has sprouted, and Zhou Mi has ruined it.”
…
Sword Qi Great Wall.
Lu Yun fell from the towering wall, his eyes vacant as he looked up at the cold-faced Nascent Soul swordsman atop the rampart.
The youth’s abdomen bled profusely.
Lu Yun felt the enemy had struck mercilessly; his life force was fading rapidly.
“As expected.”
Lu Yun lowered his gaze, as if seeing Lu Cui’s face appear before him.
“Sis, it seems this world doesn’t welcome me…”
His vision blurred further; a woman in a white gown appeared faintly.
In the haze, she resembled the bright moon.
“Shengge…”
Tears streamed down the youth’s face.
“Shut up. I’m doing this for myself. After all, if you die, I die too. So, Lu Yun, for your sister... for me, live on!”
…
Dong Sangen stared blankly at his one-zhang sword.
After a long moment, he asked, “What about the youth?”
“The demon was killed,” the Nascent Soul swordsman said coldly. “All demons deserve death.”
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