The brilliant, golden sword qi left Li Yingqi trembling with an instinctive urge to kneel. Her master, Grandmaster Longbrow, had always told her that the Heavenly Hit and Thunder-Flame twin swords were the supreme weapons of this world. Yet, the blade in the stranger's hand radiated an aura that felt ancient, sacred, and utterly inviolable.
Is this truly a weapon of the mortal realm? she wondered, her worldview fracturing.
"The contract is fulfilled, young lady," Zhongli said calmly, sheathing the golden light. "Where are the archives?"
"My Senior Brother... is he...?"
"Rest assured. His primordial spirit was merely suppressed by filth. With the Xuanyuan Sword present, all evil is purged. He will awaken in the time it takes half an incense stick to burn."
"I see... Thank you, Senior!" Li Yingqi bowed deeply. With such a powerful ally, defeating the Blood Demon suddenly seemed possible.
Zhongli offered a faint smile. "There is no need for thanks. We are simply exchanging what we need."
[The Archives of Emei]
As they flew toward the Library of Scriptures, Zhongli gathered more information about this fractured world. It was exactly as Su Han had described: the situation was dire.
After the Kunlun Sect fell, its spiritual energy was devoured. Now, the demonic forces had turned their sights on Mount Emei. The demon Youquan was cunning; knowing the righteous sects had gathered their strength here, he had faked a retreat to lure them into a trap before diving into the Chiyou Blood Spring to refine his ultimate form.
They reached the grand hall at the summit, the former residence of Longbrow. Aside from a flickering Nanming Primordial Fire, the hall was barren of treasures.
Li Yingqi led Zhongli to a hidden chamber. Pointing at rows of ancient jade slips and scrolls, she said, "This is our collection. You may take it all."
"Oh? Do you not wish to keep copies?"
"If we fail to survive this calamity, these books are useless," Li Yingqi replied somberly. "If we succeed, our Ancestor can transmit the knowledge back from the Celestial Realm. Take them. If you help us defeat Youquan, you may even take the thousands of flying swords embedded in the Sword Peak."
Zhongli's smile brightened. "Very well. I shall deal with the Blood Demon. Once he is purged, that mountain of blades shall be mine."
[The Awakening of the Thunder-Flame]
As they stepped back into the main courtyard, Dan Chenzi began to stir. His face was pale, his cultivation significantly drained, but his eyes were clear.
"This Senior is...?"
"This is Senior Zhongli," Li Yingqi explained. "He comes from the distant Liyue Peaks. It was he who purged the Red Corpse Demon Lord from your body."
"Dan Chenzi thanks Senior for the life-saving grace," the swordsman said, bowing despite his weakness. "It was my arrogance that allowed the demon entry. I am ashamed."
"Your sect's techniques are strong, but your heart requires tempering," Zhongli advised. "True strength comes from within. Even a blade of grass can slay a god if the spirit is firm."
"I shall remember your teachings!"
Li Yingqi turned to her brother. "How much of your strength remains?"
"Perhaps five parts. The Red Corpse devoured much of my essence; recovery will be slow."
Zhongli looked down the mountainside, noticing a figure hanging precariously from a cliff. "That man... the one hanging there. Is he the master of the Thunder-Flame Sword?"
"Yes," Li Yingqi sighed. "That is Lian Xing. He has been reborn, but he has yet to master the blade. Without the twin swords merging, we stand no chance."
She looked at Zhongli with a sudden spark of hope. "Senior, could you... stimulate him? If you provide a threat of death, his soul might finally resonate with the sword. My master is gone, and I am too familiar to him. A stranger's killing intent might be the catalyst he needs."
"A threat of death, you say?" Zhongli mused. "Very well. I shall provide the necessary... pressure."
[Planet Befall]
Zhongli descended toward the cliff where the young man was suspended. Before he was even in range, his eyes flashed with a cold, golden light.
"Planet Befall."
BOOM!
A massive meteorite, a thousand meters in diameter, manifested in the clouds and began its descent. Lian Xing, hanging upside down, stared up with bulging eyes.
"What the—?! HEY! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" he screamed, thrashing against his restraints.
The meteorite grazed a nearby peak, pulverizing the granite into dust. The sheer weight of the rock was absolute.
"I'm gonna die! I'm actually gonna die!" Lian Xing shrieked as the burning rock aimed directly for his head.
In that moment of pure existential terror, the primordial spirit within him roared. The Thunder-Flame Sword sensed the threat to its master and awoke.
CRACK-THOOM!
A pillar of crimson flame and purple lightning erupted, shattering the chains and blasting Lian Xing away from the cliff just as the meteorite struck. The impact shook the entire mountain range.
Lian Xing landed roughly, panting and covered in cold sweat as he watched the cliff he had just occupied turn into a smoking crater. "Bloody hell... I almost met my ancestors! But this power... hehe..."
Before he could celebrate, Li Yingqi landed beside him and promptly slapped him across the face.
"Get up! We have three hours before the Blood Spring ruptures," she snapped. "We need to practice the Twin Sword Merge. If we fail, we die. If we succeed, we might just save the world."
"Do I have to? You're always trying to kill me—"
"Look south!" Li Yingqi pointed. "That is the Chiyou Blood Spring. When that demon comes out, there will be no 'running away.' Everyone dies."
Lian Xing looked at the horizon, where the mountains were turning a sickly, pulsating red. The demonic energy was already warping the landscape. He gulped and nodded. "Fine. Let's do it."
[The Blood Spring]
Deep within the subterranean sea of gore, Youquan and the Blood Demon were fusing into a single, horrific entity.
"Tch... the Red Corpse was a waste. To think she was killed so easily," one voice hissed.
"Women can rarely handle the grand design," another voice replied. "No matter. We have the protection of Chiyou's blood. Once we emerge, the entire world shall be our feast."
The two laughed, a sound like grinding bone and bubbling blood. They felt their power surging with every drop of essence they devoured.
"We must still be wary of Longbrow," Youquan noted. "We devoured his Haotian Mirror, yet there has been no word from him. He is surely plotting something."
"Let him plot. When we break through, the heavens themselves will tremble before us!"
They didn't realize that a God of War from another world was currently looting their rival's library, waiting for the perfect moment to drop the sky on their heads.
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