Chapter 100
Yu Sui did not die.
So the other World Destroyers would not experience this death either.
Xue Mushi took a deep breath, picked up the Wind-Listening Ruler that had fallen to the ground, and stood up again.
He remembered Yu Sui had gone to Mechanism Island to visit Mei Liangyu. After coming out of the dragon head, Yu Sui's condition had been somewhat off. She and Mei Liangyu were both Ghost Way School disciples. Had something happened in Three Thousand Divergent Paths?
Strange Fire could cause disturbances in Dragon Slaying Cave. Mei Liangyu might have seen something while beside her.
Could it be Mei Liangyu who attacked?
If Mei Liangyu knew Nangong Sui had Strange Fire, he wouldn't be bold enough to handle it alone. He would definitely tell Saint Chang Gen, and then all the academy's Saints would mobilize.
But the academy was currently calm without any abnormalities.
Yu Sui going to Mechanism Island today, was it her own idea, or had someone deliberately lured her there, deciding to act on Mechanism Island?
Xue Mushi's brain was usually in an empty state, exactly opposite to Mei Liangyu.
One needed to keep his brain constantly working, the other had to empty his mind, only willing to think during critical moments. Otherwise, thinking too much would make him lose control.
Going to Mechanism Island now would be too late. The Fire Spirit Orb had disappeared, there was no death resonance. Perhaps as Nangong Sui said, she wouldn't die.
Xue Mushi could only wait for Yu Sui to contact him actively.
He had just stood up when he heard knocking at the door.
Xue Mushi asked warily: "Who?"
Wei Ren's voice came from outside: "Me."
Xue Mushi stepped forward to open the door. Wei Ren was examining the long lines of talismans strung above the corridor and in front of each dormitory door. The corridor's lighting was dim, and he couldn't help saying: "This floor is all occupied by Taoist School disciples, right? Why make the place so gloomy and terrifying, like a Taoist execution ground suppressing demons and ghosts?"
"What's the matter?" Xue Mushi wiped sweat from his forehead.
Wei Ren tilted his head toward the inside, indicating he wanted to speak inside.
Xue Mushi let him in and stood by the door himself, looking up at Wei Ren. Wei Ren didn't waste words, simply explaining: "Wasn't Nangong Sui supposed to monitor Brother Gu's group going to Inverted Moon Cave? One of them, Wenyang Hui, returned to Mechanism Island today. He might have gone back to his family to get mechanism arts to help Brother Gu. She went to Mechanism Island and could investigate this by the way, but I sent messages and she never replied."
Wenyang Hui?
Xue Mushi's eyelid twitched.
What Wei Ren meant was that he couldn't contact Yu Sui himself, so he came to see if Xue Mushi could.
Was she too busy to check her Wind-Listening Ruler, or just not replying to me specifically?
"She might be busy. She didn't reply to my messages either," Xue Mushi stared at Wei Ren. "Did she bring an Agricultural School Transmission Beast?"
Wei Ren extended his hand. In his palm was a Transmission Beast sleeping quietly. He said: "She didn't."
Xue Mushi asked again: "What did your Transmission Beast hear? Did Brother Gu have Wenyang Hui return to Mechanism Island?"
Wei Ren sat at the table in the main room, pouring himself a cup of water. Discovering it was Xue Mushi's cup, he didn't drink, looking around for other cups: "I think Wenyang Hui couldn't bear yesterday's humiliation and planned to return to his family home on Mechanism Island to make trouble for Mei Liangyu. Getting mechanism arts for Brother Gu is secondary. Brother Gu only said to rest and recover for these two days, then act on the 15th."
Xue Mushi listened in silence.
Wei Ren examined the dormitory where only Xue Mushi lived. Four large rooms for just one person, luxurious and enviable.
"Don't you have any other cups?" Wei Ren frowned.
Xue Mushi shook his head, sitting across from him, also frowning: "Is there a possibility that Wenyang Hui also resents Nangong Sui for eliminating him, and when making trouble for Mei Liangyu, he won't spare her either?"
Wei Ren looked thoughtful, tapping the table with his knuckle. Thinking of Wenyang Hui as a person, he couldn't help nodding: "That's quite possible."
Xue Mushi looked down at the Wind-Listening Ruler in his hand, falling into hesitation.
Should he trust Nangong Sui or trust his own judgment?
……
Within the second layer of Mechanism Island, wind and snow struck face-on. Beneath the snow mountain, one couldn't feel warmth from the suspended sun's light, only bone-piercing cold that penetrated the heart. But Yu Sui also couldn't feel this coldness.
Golden Five Elements Energy transformed into countless threads, repairing Yu Sui's fatal chest wound. Returning life force let her feel her heart's slow beating. Each beat was incredibly clear, and the burning sensation from Strange Fire also became obvious.
All of Yu Sui's strength was used to condense new Five Elements Light Cores.
Every Five Elements Light Core born from Strange Fire came with a little Five Elements Energy. Yu Sui had noticed since childhood that generating new Five Elements Light Cores related to her body's strength and weakness.
The first time she generated new Five Elements Light Cores from Strange Fire, she was so mentally exhausted that she only produced three to five light cores before fainting.
She was only six years old then.
A six-year-old girl would lose her balance and fall just from running too fast.
As she grew day by day, year by year, learning more things and experiencing more hardships, with her body growing stable, she could generate 300 Five Elements Light Cores daily when first entering Taiyi.
After Second Layer Soul Control it was 600, after Third Layer it was 900.
The night she sealed Breath Soil, Yu Sui condensed 300 light cores into "one," transforming them into Five Elements Light Cores for cultivating Ghost Way School Nine Schools Arts.
Thinking back now, she could feel the "gaze" from Heavenly Eye even then.
Divine Mechanism: Heavenly Eye could see through all illusions, divinations, and Military Formations, and could capture Five Elements Energy, seeing what ordinary people couldn't see.
The Heavenly Eye's gaze at this moment was capturing the flow of Five Elements Energy around her body, gathering the dispersed Five Elements Energy back into her dying body, reconnecting flesh, blood, and bones.
Yu Sui stood in the wind and snow without moving. White snowflakes fell on her black hair, disappearing instantly.
She slowly raised her hand, gently placing it on her chest where the Golden Crow Red Arrow had pierced through, but her gaze looked toward the other side of the snow mountain. Golden light illuminated the mountaintop, and the snow peak shrouded in black, white, and gold was majestic and solemn.
When fighting Wenyang Hui up close earlier, Yu Sui had taken the opportunity to place two Five Elements Light Cores on him.
Although destroying light cores instantly could make them explode, causing small-range damage, it might not break through Wenyang Hui's Five Elements Energy protection.
Someone like Wenyang Hui, who clearly knew what he was doing yet disregarded consequences, was the first Yu Sui had encountered.
The people around her were all good at calculating, would avoid things unfavorable to themselves, would wait patiently, endure when necessary, and act when the time was right. They wouldn't act impulsively, having thought of all countermeasures before acting.
Yu Sui had already explained things clearly to Wenyang Hui, but he simply wasn't afraid.
He was certain the Mechanism Family was more important than Saints, certain that Wenyang Zhi wouldn't kill his biological son for Mei Liangyu.
Wenyang Hui also knew his uncle, mother, and some clan elders would protect him.
When the time came, he only needed to play pitiful and cry a bit, telling of his grievances over the years to earn the clan elders' sympathy.
Perhaps Wenyang Hui wasn't ignorant of consequences, but believed he could bear them.
Yu Sui tried taking a step forward but stumbled and fell as her legs gave out.
She stopped trying to get up, instead lying on the ground, squinting at the sky light while feeling Five Elements Energy return. Because of falling, her face was stained with black sand particles. Yu Sui reached up to gently wipe them away. She didn't even have the strength to use Second Layer Soul Control to see the other side of the snow mountain.
Yu Sui still felt extremely tired and weary, but she couldn't rest yet.
She had to find a way to leave here.
Wenyang Hui hadn't come to the second layer of Mechanism Island alone. He should have had help from close elders, otherwise he couldn't have obtained the mechanism nine-sided die that controlled Golden Crow Red Arrow.
The more formidable Wenyang Family elders were obviously on Senior Brother's side.
If Senior Brother died, then he died.
She could barely help with revenge.
The prerequisite was that she had to stay alive.
Thinking of Mei Liangyu, Yu Sui closed her eyes briefly, then used the Five Elements Light Core to check Wenyang Hui's situation.
……
On the other side of the snow mountain, there wasn't exposed black sand everywhere, but thick snow layers covering everything in white. Walking in the snow would make crunching sounds.
Mei Liangyu stood in the center of the snowfield, surrounded by majestic snow mountain ranges. The snow mountains of varying heights blocked all escape routes.
He saw the crimson suspended sun, falling between the snow mountain ranges. The massive, flame-filled suspended sun looked like the sun from afar, but was actually a killing weapon capable of slaying Saints with one strike. What hung in the air was a burning Golden Crow Red Arrow.
Wenyang Hui's attempt to kill him this time was quite ambitious.
Even using the Mechanism Family's Golden Crow Red Arrow.
Not many people even knew Mechanism Island had such a formidable killing weapon. Wenyang Hui shouldn't have been able to obtain the mechanism to use Golden Crow Red Arrow either.
Mei Liangyu withdrew his gaze from the suspended sun, glancing sideways as a figure walked down unhurriedly from a low mountain ridge.
Lord Sui's face was naturally dignified without anger, wearing a black robe with auspicious cloud patterns. The silver threads on his head made him appear somewhat aged. Combined with his hot temper, always getting angry at the drop of a hat, his face looked very fierce.
He walked down from the snow mountain, standing in the snowfield while maintaining distance from Mei Liangyu, hands behind his back, examining Mei Liangyu with critical eyes.
Seeing the arrival was Lord Sui, Mei Liangyu was even more certain tonight was Wenyang Hui's scheme.
Lord Sui said with disgust: "No matter how I look at it, there's no reason to spare your life tonight."
Mei Liangyu smiled: "I'd like to know how you're looking, old man, with your eyes open or blind?"
Lord Sui couldn't stand anyone being more arrogant than him. With his explosive temper, his aura immediately darkened, with boundless pressure surging toward Mei Liangyu from all directions, forcing him to instantly ignite Five Elements Energy for defense.
"Before killing you, I'll only ask once: how exactly did you bewitch Brother Zhi and others, making him tolerate your repeated harm to Hui'er?" Lord Sui asked coldly.
Mei Liangyu stood in place without moving, his mind thinking of ways to solve the current trouble, while his mouth still replied unhurriedly: "Second Head Wenyang has his own thoughts. How could he be so easily bewitched? I don't need to do such things. Seeing his son grow into such a broken state, Second Head becoming disheartened and unwilling to manage him anymore is reasonable."
"You still have the face to speak of Hui'er! If not for your repeated attacks and humiliation of Hui'er, alienating their father-son relationship, how would it come to today's outcome!" Lord Sui was furious, his voice making the falling snow tremble and scatter. "No matter what, Hui'er is Brother Zhi's biological son, raised with hundred-fold love under his parents' care and clan's attention. You, this bastard with no father or mother, must be jealous of Hui'er."
Since Mei Liangyu's talent emerged and his cultivation became increasingly powerful, and after killing people several times in the outer city, no one at Taiyi dared call him a bastard anymore or mock him for being fatherless and motherless.
Wenyang Hui also didn't dare say such things about Mei Liangyu openly.
He only dared on Mechanism Island.
Hearing someone say this again after several years, Mei Liangyu, who originally didn't care, frowned due to recent memory recovery.
Lord Sui was unwilling to waste more words, only wanting to vent his anger and kill Mei Liangyu to restore Wenyang Hui's face.
He raised both arms and spread them. All the falling snow around him was shaken away. Golden Five Elements Energy flowed around his body, emitting sharp whistling sounds, stirring up snow fragments rising from the ground. Heaven and earth rang with the crisp sounds of mechanism operation. In the underground depths invisible to the naked eye, mechanism gears and axles stained with Five Elements Energy spun rapidly.
Mechanism Family people all had treasures.
As a Thirteenth Realm Mechanism Family practitioner, Lord Sui wasn't skilled in physical combat, but his ability to construct mechanisms was very strong. In battle, he never needed to personally engage in hand-to-hand combat, only needing to bring out the mechanism treasures he made.
He wore a green jade ring on each thumb. The ring faces were slightly wide, glowing with lustrous green light, full and round in color. The ring faces were carved with different long swords and scabbards.
The left hand jade ring carved scabbards of various styles, the right hand jade ring carved 18 fierce swords.
Lord Sui had lived for decades, collecting 18 sword souls, each a famous killing sword in history.
After these killing swords' bodies were destroyed, he collected the sword intent and killing aura they had left in the world, reshaping and perfectly replicating the powerful force of 18 killing swords, naming them Sword Rings.
This was Lord Sui's life's masterpiece and his personally strongest attack technique.
To kill Mei Liangyu, Lord Sui believed two swords would suffice.
Two sword shadows full of murderous aura appeared behind Lord Sui, one black and one red, one heavy sword and one light sword.
Also appearing were countless black columns breaking through snow from the ground. The columns were built from ancient wood, each carved with fierce ghost faces. Snow was carried skyward by fierce wind. The black columns rising from the ground had their snow fragments melt and scatter.
Mei Liangyu's eyelid twitched watching this. The dense black columns covering the ground made dodging difficult. When sealing his positioning, these Wind Thunder Columns carved with fierce ghost faces also restricted his Ghost Way School Soul Control and Soul Fixing Nine Schools Arts, preventing him from evading or transferring damage. If hit on the flesh, it meant certain death.
These Wind Thunder Columns existed specifically to target Ghost Way School.
Lord Sui wasn't afraid of Mei Liangyu knowing other schools' Nine Schools Arts. He believed restricting Mei Liangyu's Ghost Way School techniques was enough.
Snow particles transformed into snow blades in the fierce wind, attacking Mei Liangyu. He used Wind-Riding Techniques to rise and avoid them, retreating behind several Wind Thunder Columns.
At this moment, wind and snow were violent. Several snowflakes fell on his sleeves in the chaos, instantly freezing and binding his clothing. Mei Liangyu reacted quickly, directly abandoning his left sleeve to avoid being frozen.
Wind and snow couldn't be touched, or one would be frozen into ice columns and die when the columns shattered.
Mei Liangyu, with one bare arm, drew Departure Trigram: Surrounding Heaven Fire. Fierce flames swirled and burned around him, preventing wind and snow from approaching.
He listened calmly. Any mechanism array had a central point. Large mechanism arrays like this would also have countless connecting axles. Though mechanism arrays were built with exquisite ingenuity, destroying just one connecting axle could disrupt the entire array's operation.
The black heavy sword behind Lord Sui hummed with sword song, black murderous aura surrounding him made even wind and snow retreat. Lord Sui raised his hand pointing toward Mei Liangyu, saying in a deep voice: "Go."
Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero, Light Sword: Snow Wave.
Mei Liangyu didn't hold back either. Standing on Wind Thunder Columns amid wind, snow, and flames, he raised his hand and unleashed a star array flickering with deep blue light.
Yin-Yang School Black Tortoise Star Array: Void Constellation General.
A frost-white python spat crimson snake tongue, its massive body nimbly weaving through Wind Thunder Columns, disrupting wind and snow. Moving extremely fast, wherever it passed, snowflakes in the air were frozen and couldn't fall. The crisp sounds of breaking icicles continued endlessly.
Its red-gold vertical pupils stared at Lord Sui on the ground ahead. Mei Liangyu's Thunder Trigram: Thunder Snake lurked beneath the frost-white python's belly, trying to approach Lord Sui.
The flying Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero and Light Sword: Snow Wave intersected before Lord Sui. The dual swords struck horizontally with heavy blows, their sword songs making the ground tremble. In an instant, they struck out ten thousand sword shadows, black and red interlacing as they shot toward Mei Liangyu's location.
The snowflakes frozen in air by the frost-white python were instantly shattered and disappeared by the dual swords' sweeping sword energy. Even wind and snow seemed driven back as ten thousand sword shadows killed toward Mei Liangyu from all directions.
They pursued Five Elements Energy. As long as they didn't disappear, they would definitely hit their target.
The sweeping sword energy also sent Mei Liangyu flying from atop the Wind Thunder Columns. With his peripheral vision, he saw the ten thousand sword shadows already close. In midair, he twisted his body sideways, avoiding several shadows that grazed his cheeks and throat, using Wind-Riding Techniques to retreat several meters.
The Wind Thunder Column array restricted Ghost Way School Soul Control, preventing Mei Liangyu from using multiple Nine Schools Arts simultaneously.
The frost-white python charged out of the Wind Thunder Column mechanism array with a divine dragon's tail sweep. Just as it emerged, it was struck on the head from above by Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero, pinning it dead to the ground with a crack as it completely shattered.
The blue-glowing Thunder Snake bypassed Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero. The small snake with exposed venomous fangs had reached Lord Sui's brow position. Surprise flashed in Lord Sui's eyes. He turned his jade ring, and the Wind Thunder Column mechanism array also turned.
The fierce ghost faces carved on the black columns all turned their eyes toward Mei Liangyu. The fierce light bursting from their eyes suppressed Mei Liangyu's Ghost Way School Nine Schools Arts, preventing him from capturing the Life Talisman within Lord Sui's body.
The frost giant python shattered, the star array was subsequently smashed by sword shadows, and the Thunder Snake was also blocked by Light Sword: Snow Wave.
Mei Liangyu was pursued and besieged by ten thousand sword shadows. Now only Surrounding Heaven Fire remained, shattering wind and snow to protect him from being frozen. If he stayed long in this mechanism array, it would indeed be a dead end.
The black and red light and heavy sword shadows surrounded and killed Mei Liangyu, forcing him to dodge pathetically. Seeing Wind Thunder Columns suppress his Ghost Way School Nine Schools Arts, Mei Liangyu's gaze turned cold. Sharp sword shadows slashed across his throat, cutting off a strand of hair. The hair strand floated in the wind, not yet fallen when several sword shadows reached his front, slashing across his hands and feet. Even just touching a piece of clothing on his body, the sword shadows completed their mission.
Ten thousand sword shadows came ferociously with dense attacks. Even with Mei Liangyu's Wind-Riding Techniques used to the extreme, he couldn't dodge them all.
While dodging, Mei Liangyu's mind raced. Besides Ghost Way School Death Symbols that could handle the current situation, what else was there?
Mei Liangyu, moving on Wind Thunder Columns using Wind-Riding Techniques, was surrounded by ten thousand swords. Heavy sword shadows brought more fierce impact than light swords. With too many in number, they brought thick oppressive feeling before even approaching, making one feel suppressed.
Mei Liangyu was struck in the shoulder blade by a heavy sword shadow. His dodging speed, fast to the point of being nearly invisible, paused. When falling, two more swords flew past his front and back. He was forced to block the swords, and light sword shadows left deep wounds in his palm as he landed with blood splattering everywhere.
But his hand gripping the sword shadow didn't loosen. Instead, he forcefully inserted it into the ground.
Military Formation: Ancient Battlefield.
With the Military Formation's deployment, the venue transformed.
Dark, heavy sky, floating ash, armor and corpses covering the ground, the ancient battlefield filled every corner with killing intent.
Mei Liangyu stood before the city gate looking back, gazing at the sword shadows still pursuing him relentlessly and saying in a deep voice: "Three armies."
Following his command, countless bone warriors grew from the blood-stained defeated armor on the ground.
Ten thousand sword shadows and the ancient battlefield's undead warriors collided, both vanishing in an instant. Just these bone warriors weren't enough. Mei Liangyu commanded city wall soldiers to shoot arrows. Thousands of flaming arrows made sharp sounds, clashing with sword shadows, the burning firelight illuminating the dark, gloomy sky of the ancient battlefield.
Defending generals were killed by sword shadows. The entire process took less than three instants. The Military Formation was broken. The sword shadow Mei Liangyu gripped tightly in his hand disappeared and scattered. Half his body bloodied, he stood up from the snow with a cold expression.
Now he stood alone in the tall, dense Wind Thunder Column array, ten zhang away from Lord Sui at the edge.
Lord Sui's expression wasn't good at this moment. He had thought just two swords would resolve Mei Liangyu. How could he have the ability to avoid ten thousand sword shadows?
Ghost Way School power was already suppressed by the Wind Thunder Column array. Even if he knew other schools' Nine Schools Arts, he shouldn't be able to resist. But unexpectedly, as a Ghost Way School disciple, he could still deploy Military Formations!
Using Military Formation puppets to resist sword shadows was a move he hadn't anticipated.
If not for Mei Liangyu knowing Nine Schools Arts beyond Ghost Way School, he would have died ten thousand times tonight.
Though he resolved the ten thousand sword shadows, Mei Liangyu wasn't in good condition either. He frowned and glanced at sword wounds on his arm and palm. The wounds were wrapped with murderous aura belonging to Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero and Light Sword: Snow Wave. When he circulated Five Elements Energy, they invaded his body, disrupting his Five Elements Energy circulation, causing chaos.
Lord Sui walked forward, shouting loudly at Mei Liangyu in the array: "You blocked once, but there's a second time, a third time! Let's see how long you can persist!"
Five Elements Energy chaos was something every Nine Schools Arts practitioner feared.
Even Medical School disciples, though their skillful hands could eliminate the chaos, couldn't heal themselves.
He absolutely couldn't survive a second ten thousand sword attack.
Just as Lord Sui was about to launch, he suddenly felt something unusual above. The Golden Crow Red Arrow's cry came from the suspended sun. Both were startled, looking up simultaneously to see a dazzling golden streak cross the sky, falling to the other side of the snow mountain.
Mei Liangyu had an ominous premonition.
If tonight was Wenyang Hui's certain-kill trap for him, this Golden Crow Red Arrow should have been aimed at him.
What was on the other side of the snow mountain?
……
Those who detected the Golden Crow Red Arrow's anomaly weren't just people within the second layer of Mechanism Island.
Mechanism Island had thunderstorms and wind tonight. Sea waves rolled dozens of feet high. The black-feathered white-headed sea eagle flew far away in the thunder and rain, flying up to the Situ Family situated above the eastern celestial palace.
Grandmother Situ's open-air courtyard was planted with many flowers and plants, with several towering trees at the center of the flower clusters.
Each was thousands of years old, with deep roots and lush leaves, sitting in the vast flower and grass courtyard with intertwined roots.
The sea eagle landed on the bare ancient tree branches, rolling its eyes as it stared at the white-clothed girl cleaning a chess board at a stone table beneath the tree.
Thirteen-year-old Situ Ling had all her hair tied up, wrapped into two flower buds, fixed with hairpins, then bound with two golden hair ribbons embroidered with patterns hanging behind her, looking very cute.
Situ Ling looked up at the sea eagle and waved at it. The sea eagle lightly landed on the stone table's edge, its claws pitifully gripping the table edge, not daring to step on her unfinished chess board.
"You haven't come here for quite a while," Situ Ling said thoughtfully. Seeing the sea eagle raise its head to look at her with unblinking eyes, she took out two slender golden needles from her sleeve, poking along the sea eagle's left eye edge to remove its mechanism eyeball.
Situ Ling held the black mechanism eyeball with golden needles, squinting one eye while staring at it. The mechanism eyeball contained a strand of golden Five Elements Energy. Her own eyes also flickered with golden light as she glimpsed the scenes recorded by this strand of Five Elements Energy:
Mei Liangyu being called away, Wenyang Hui holding the nine-sided die.
"Oh no!" After watching, Situ Ling hurriedly ran toward the courtyard's depths, shouting as she ran: "Grandmother! Something terrible! Wenyang Hui took the mechanism nine-sided die and brought Brother Liangyu to the second layer island!"
In the Ingenious Pavilion, Grandmother Situ with her temples full of silver hair stood under the eaves watching distant lightning. Her withered, wrinkled face showed no joy or anger. From appearance alone, she looked like a centenarian in twilight, but her straight back was like a young person's. Her hands exposed outside her sleeves had fair skin with distinct joints. Looking closely, one could see faint golden threads in the skin's texture.
Grandmother Situ heard Situ Ling's shouts and only moved her dark eyes.
The black-robed youth Situ Jin standing beside her quietly sighed with relief. He had been here listening to Grandmother's lecture. Situ Ling's shout came at the right time, sounding like something big had happened. Grandmother definitely wouldn't have time to continue lecturing him.
Everyone knew about Wenyang Hui's hatred for Mei Liangyu. They were all children who grew up together in the same generation. Though they had no interaction now and lived separately at the academy, Situ Jin remembered those childhood events clearly.
Situ Ling ran over hurriedly, the mechanism eyeball held by golden needles didn't fall. She presented it before Grandmother: "Look at this."
Situ Jin also came over to watch the excitement but saw nothing. He looked at Situ Ling suspiciously, saw her shake the mechanism eyeball, frowning her delicate eyebrows with somewhat childish voice saying dejectedly: "Oh no, the Five Elements Energy in the mechanism eyeball doesn't preserve long, it disappeared."
"But I saw it! Really, Wenyang Hui had the mechanism nine-sided die and trapped a beautiful big sister inside too," Situ Ling said solemnly. "He wants to kill two people."
"The beautiful girl, it wouldn't be Nangong Sui, would it?" Situ Jin pondered. "I saw her come to Mechanism Island when I returned."
Grandmother Situ said quietly: "Qingyang's Nangong family?"
Her voice was hoarse with undisguisable aged vicissitudes.
Situ Jin nodded: "Nangong Sui is Mei Liangyu's Junior Sister. Given Wenyang Hui's temperament, he indeed might take out his anger on people close to Mei Liangyu."
He dared kill Mei Liangyu, so why fear killing one more Nangong Sui?
The more Situ Jin thought about it, the more correct it seemed.
Grandmother Situ's expression grew cold. The two juniors couldn't guess her attitude. After brief silence, Grandmother turned her hand and a mechanism nine-sided die appeared in her palm, then handed it to Situ Jin: "Go tell the Wenyang family: if these two children die on Mechanism Island tonight, the Wenyang family will also inevitably have deaths."
Situ Jin smiled and took it: "Yes, Grandmother, I'll go right away."
No more lectures, just running an errand and delivering a message, plus watching the Wenyang family's excitement, Situ Jin was blooming with joy inside.
"I want to go too!" Situ Ling chased after Situ Jin as they ran outside.
Situ Jin looked down at the girl who only reached his waist. This sister seemed to eat everything without growing taller. He pressed his finger against Situ Ling's forehead and pushed backward: "Adults are handling business, what's a little kid following for? Go, go, go."
"I want to go, want to go!" Situ Ling pushed forward against his finger's pressure, ramming into Situ Jin's waist with her head, making him bend over with an "ouch." The mechanism nine-sided die in his hand was snatched by Situ Ling as she ran forward like a gust of wind.
"Situ Ling!" Situ Jin gritted his teeth in anger and hurriedly chased after her.
……
Second layer of Mechanism Island.
Mei Liangyu was unwilling to think that Junior Sister Nangong Sui was on the other side of the snow mountain.
He wanted to climb over the snow mountain to the other side, but Lord Sui wouldn't let him pass so easily.
Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero and Light Sword: Snow Wave intersected and struck again, emitting stronger sword songs, summoning ten thousand sword shadows for the second time to surround and kill Mei Liangyu.
Mei Liangyu, who had just used Wind-Riding Techniques for a distance, was forced to turn back. He reached out to grab the fastest sword reaching him, once again deploying Military Formation: Ancient Battlefield, using thousands of troops to offset these ten thousand sword shadows.
With Five Elements Energy in chaos, Mei Liangyu tasted sweetness in his throat but swallowed it back. He emerged from the Military Formation, standing in wind and snow on black columns, his eyebrows cold as he looked toward Lord Sui also standing on Wind Thunder Columns in the distance.
Bloodied black hair strands flew up across his eyes. This glance from the distant black-clothed young man made Lord Sui's heart sink, his expression somewhat ugly.
This contemptuous glance seemed to say: You can't kill me with just two swords. Either let me go, or use a third sword, fourth sword, fifth sword, and see what extent you need to reach to kill me.
For someone as confident as Lord Sui, this was silent humiliation.
Lord Sui's eyes grew colder, but in his arrogance, he was unwilling to add another sword. Why would killing him require a third sword?
Wenyang Hui used Wind-Riding Techniques to cross the snow mountain, just in time to see the two standing on black Wind Thunder Columns in silent confrontation. Though Mei Liangyu was injured, he wasn't as pathetic as imagined.
Perfect timing, showing he hadn't missed anything.
Wenyang Hui's arrival was detected by both Lord Sui and Mei Liangyu. They saw him unhurriedly use Wind-Riding Techniques to land from the snow mountain, standing on a more distant Wind Thunder Column, holding the mechanism nine-sided die in one hand while leisurely looking at Mei Liangyu across from him.
"Good thing I didn't spend too long on Nangong Sui's side. Just in time to personally witness you being pierced by ten thousand arrows and dying," Wenyang Hui said with a half-smile, successfully drawing Mei Liangyu's attention.
Wind and snow fell on Surrounding Heaven Fire. Flames surrounded Mei Liangyu. His dark pupils reflected Wenyang Hui's disgusting face as he asked coldly: "You trapped her inside?"
Wenyang Hui answered straightforwardly: "Right on the other side of the snow mountain."
The other side of the snow mountain.
Mei Liangyu only stared at him without speaking. North wind howled, and with Five Elements Energy protecting his body, even the north wind couldn't blow his clothes and hair.
Yu Sui happened to start watching from here. The Wind Thunder Columns and sword marks covering the ground were shocking to see. Looking at Senior Brother's exposed left arm dripping with blood, she couldn't see any intact flesh. With his Five Elements Energy in chaos and poor condition, facing Wenyang Hui who could control Golden Crow Red Arrow, his chances of winning were essentially zero.
Senior Brother might really perish here this time.
Yu Sui couldn't think of how he could avoid the Golden Crow Red Arrow technique.
Perhaps Senior Brother would expose his Divine Mechanism Arts here, but even blocking once, there would be a second time. She didn't know where Senior Brother's limits lay.
Yu Sui saw Mei Liangyu through the Five Elements Light Core and recalled his knowledge of other schools' Nine Schools Arts, her brow slowly furrowing.
Five Elements Light Core.
The Five Elements Light Cores of Nine Schools Arts practitioners stored and refined their own "energy."
Any Nine Schools Art was the materialized existence of Five Elements Energy.
The "energy" within the human body could change in countless ways. Taming, sensing, interacting, etc., were all cultivation methods for materializing Five Elements Energy. Different Nine Schools Arts had different Five Elements Energy flows.
Each school's Nine Schools Arts had different energy flows and materialized existences, but those with high talent had faster perception and comprehension than ordinary people, controlling Five Elements Energy more precisely.
Only those who entered schools could learn to control Five Elements Energy flow, materializing "energy." With the materialized forms of Nine Schools Arts given by schools, students could sense and manipulate accordingly.
When entering a school, one's personal "Five Elements Energy" direction was already decided. Only those with high talent, like Brother Gu, who had high compatibility with both School of Names and Legalist School Nine Schools Arts, could cultivate both schools' techniques.
Someone like Brother Gu practicing two schools was an anomaly. Someone like Mei Liangyu who could master almost all Nine Schools techniques and abilities was even more anomalous.
The Five Elements Light Cores within human bodies stored their owner's "energy," but the Five Elements Light Cores Yu Sui could limitlessly generate contained "masterless" energy.
Masterless energy, being heaven and earth's circulating energy, could be absorbed and integrated. Theoretically, it could also be materialized.
Materialized into any Nine Schools Art.
The life review during near-death made Yu Sui recall her childhood.
She had thought she couldn't cultivate. When first discovering Five Elements Light Cores, she thought if she couldn't learn other schools' Nine Schools Arts, she would create her own.
Thinking about it now, she found it somewhat amusing.
After entering Taiyi, being attracted by the power of countless techniques and abilities, she had long forgotten her former bold declarations.
But thinking about it now, it wasn't impossible.
Yu Sui struggled to sit up but found she couldn't. Her fingers had no strength. She tried generating new Five Elements Light Cores again and felt unbearable headaches, like ten thousand swords piercing her brain. The tearing pain nearly made Yu Sui faint.
Fainting now would mean she could do nothing.
Yu Sui's nose tip broke out in sweat. She took a deep breath. In this icy winter day, she was hot enough to sweat all over, her clothes and hair damp. When snow wind blew, it made her feel momentary bone-piercing cold.
Strange Fire seemed to be testing her endurance. When Yu Sui felt pain reach its peak, exceeding her tolerance, she finally saw a bit of silver-white in the Strange Fire's glow.
When the Five Elements Light Core separated into her palm, Yu Sui had sweat sliding down her forehead. She slowly raised her hand to place the Five Elements Light Core before her eyes, suddenly realizing that in childhood, she could even hold that cluster of flames in her palm.
When she was young, that cluster of flames in her palm was so small.
As she grew up, the flames remained small, but their power had far exceeded her.
Countless images flashed through Yu Sui's mind, from Strange Fire's arrival to being pierced by Golden Crow Red Arrow. She suddenly closed her hand to grip the Five Elements Light Core tightly, forcing herself to temporarily stop thinking about other things and first resolve the immediate trouble.
The Five Elements Energy in the light core was very little. Masterless energy hadn't been refined, so its power wasn't strong. Only when the light core was destroyed would the Five Elements Energy stored within burst forth.
Yu Sui wanted to try whether she could control the Five Elements Energy in the Strange Fire light core, materializing it into Nine Schools Arts.
Though it was masterless energy, it was still generated by her and should serve her purposes.
Yu Sui lightly rubbed between her fingers, crushing the Five Elements Light Core. Her eyes watched several barely visible golden threads overflow from the shattered light core, instantly transforming into small Thunder Snakes twisting their forms, revealing venomous fangs and making crackling hissing sounds.
She was severely injured, with depleted mental and physical strength, unable to use higher-level Nine Schools Arts. This level of Eight Trigrams Living Arts could only cause unexpected damage after Wenyang Hui's surrounding Five Elements protection was broken.
For example, destroying his Five Elements Light Core.
Masterless energy could be absorbed and integrated, therefore it could also invade Wenyang Hui's body. Damage caused inside the body was more lethal than external damage.
Yu Sui's eyelashes trembled lightly as she looked back toward the other side of the snow mountain, patiently waiting for the right moment.
Senior Brother also wasn't someone who would just wait to die.
……
On the other side of the snow mountain, the three still confronted each other without making a move.
Wenyang Hui believed Mei Liangyu didn't dare act rashly due to Five Elements Energy chaos and didn't even dare say much. But he couldn't hold back, lightly pressing his brow with one hand in a troubled, thoughtful manner: "How should I describe to you that I used the Golden Crow Red Arrow to kill Nangong Sui?"
Wenyang Hui thought Mei Liangyu didn't dare speak, but heard him ask back in a deep voice: "You used the Golden Crow Red Arrow to kill Nangong Sui?"
"I didn't originally want to kill her, only wanted to cripple her Five Elements Light Core, making her an ordinary person again. You didn't see how she looked when eliminating me in Dragon Slaying Cave. Even now remembering it makes me feel disgusted."
Wenyang Hui played with the mechanism nine-sided die in his palm, his gaze examining Mei Liangyu's every movement, not missing any moment of emotional fluctuation: "This Junior Sister of yours is more capable than you imagined, and her thoughts aren't simple either. She insisted on fighting me. Thinking carefully, if not for the matter of Nangong Sui eliminating me, you wouldn't dare strike me with Golden Thunder in front of so many people, making me lose face publicly."
Speaking to the latter half, sinister killing intent became prominent in Wenyang Hui's eyes, even his tone becoming ghostly.
Wenyang Hui said: "Since Nangong Sui was the cause of everything, she should bear the appropriate consequences."
Mei Liangyu asked again: "So you killed her?"
Wenyang Hui raised his eyebrows: "What, you seem to care about this very much."
Mei Liangyu's dark pupils only stared at him, speaking neither fast nor slow: "You killed Qingyang Nangong Manor's princess, Taiyi Saint's disciple, my Junior Sister. Do you think I care?"
"No need to remind me of these things," Wenyang Hui sneered. "Blame her for being your Junior Sister."
Wenyang Hui lifted the mechanism nine-sided die in his palm, saying to Lord Sui: "Uncle, just watch from the side. Mei Liangyu, I'll also let you experience our Mechanism Family's most powerful killing weapon. Don't worry, I'll make it miss slightly, keeping you alive a bit longer, since I have many more things to say."
Mei Liangyu's figure disappeared. Five Elements protection burned golden around Wenyang Hui. He didn't hesitate, his finger about to press down on the mechanism nine-sided die.
Yu Sui also didn't hesitate.
The Five Elements Light Core as fine as dust on Wenyang Hui's fingertip shattered before he could act. The bursting masterless energy materialized into Wind Trigram: Hanging Wind, striking the mechanism nine-sided die away from under Wenyang Hui's finger.
Since the Five Elements Light Core couldn't break Wenyang Hui's protection, Yu Sui changed her attack target.
The mechanism nine-sided die being suddenly struck away stunned both Wenyang Hui and Lord Sui. This completely unexpected, even inconceivable development left both unable to react.
Wenyang Hui's eyes still reflected the scene of the mechanism nine-sided die flying forward, his gaze shifting from daze to shock.
When the two glimpsed Mei Liangyu's figure, their hearts trembled as they hurriedly flashed forward to compete for the mechanism nine-sided die.
What was happening?!
When Wenyang Hui moved to chase the mechanism nine-sided die, inexplicable fear arose in his heart.
Mei Liangyu saw the suddenly falling mechanism nine-sided die and had no mind to think about what was happening. Already advancing toward Wenyang Hui, he instantly changed targets, rushing to grab the falling mechanism nine-sided die.
The dual swords again rang with heavy striking sword songs, ten thousand sword shadows triggered. But Mei Liangyu also inserted the black Demon Sealing Pillar he held into a Wind Thunder Column. Golden barriers blocked Wenyang Hui's path as he opened his eyes in disbelief.
The Demon Sealing Array appeared triangular with a large range, perfectly encircling Wenyang Hui and Lord Sui.
Lord Sui was only stunned for an instant before reacting. When Mei Liangyu was dodging ten thousand sword shadows earlier, he had silently thrown two Demon Sealing Pillars at the edges.
The Demon Sealing barrier restricted all Nine Schools Heavenly Mechanism Arts.
In just this brief time difference, Mei Liangyu had already caught the falling mechanism nine-sided die and unhesitatingly changed the attack target, pressing the mechanism.
Wenyang Hui broke out in cold sweat, thinking for this instant that he was the Golden Crow Red Arrow's target. His face slightly twisted as he retreated, turning to shout at Lord Sui: "Uncle!"
Fear overflowed from his eyes. Lord Sui's expression changed as he also thought he was the Golden Crow Red Arrow's target.
But nothing happened.
The Golden Crow Red Arrow had been locked by Grandmother Situ.
Mei Liangyu was first to detect the Golden Crow Red Arrow's inability to activate. He decisively used Wind-Riding Techniques to first kill toward Wenyang Hui in the Demon Sealing barrier.
Lord Sui immediately reacted too, using Wind-Riding Techniques to rush toward Wenyang Hui. But another black, bloodied figure was faster than him, faster than anyone's Wind-Riding Techniques.
This shouldn't be possible!
He was still in Five Elements chaos!
Lord Sui's eyelid twitched as he suddenly realized: if Mei Liangyu wasn't using Five Elements Energy right now, then could it be... Divine Mechanism Arts?
Thinking the Golden Crow Red Arrow would kill him, Wenyang Hui desperately used Wind-Riding Techniques to flee, nearly crashing into Wind Thunder Columns. He ran to the barrier's edge, unable to exit, turning back both angry and fearful.
Believing he would be shot by Golden Crow Red Arrow, Wenyang Hui had no time to use other mechanism scrolls. Turning back, he saw Mei Liangyu reaching him before Lord Sui, his heart stopping.
Wenyang Hui's eyes reflected a blood-soaked man with murderous eyes, like an Asura demon walking from behind rows of black Wind Thunder Columns. The imposing, sinister Wind Thunder Columns behind him with carved fierce ghost faces all paled in comparison to Mei Liangyu at this moment.
Now Wenyang Hui finally reacted, grimly reaching for mechanism scrolls and purple talismans in his sleeve. A Golden Thunder bolt struck down from above, breaking Wenyang Hui's Five Elements protection and sending him flying. Wenyang Hui also flung out the purple talisman in his hand, and the Illuminating Divine General appeared again, protecting him.
Everything happened simultaneously.
Including Yu Sui crushing the last Five Elements Light Core left on Wenyang Hui's body.
Mei Liangyu crushed the purple talisman with his bare hands. Wenyang Hui, who had just climbed up from falling, saw this scene and looked in disbelief as the Illuminating Divine General dispersed amid thunder.
The Five Elements Light Core attached to Wenyang Hui's chest shattered. The overflowing masterless energy invaded his body. When the second Golden Thunder bolt fell on Wenyang Hui, he had just taken out a mechanism scroll but hadn't had time to use it. Thunder Trigram: Thunder Snake erupted from within his body. Countless tiny Thunder Snakes had already passed through his Five Elements Light Core, shattering together with the thunder's roar.
Wenyang Hui was again struck flying and thrown out, gripping the mechanism scroll in his hand. The moment his chest's Five Elements Light Core shattered, severe pain spread throughout his body. His mouth opening for help became a wail as he fell to the ground spitting fresh blood.
"Hui'er!"
Lord Sui, who had just summoned light and heavy dual swords to break the Demon Sealing barrier, looked up to see Wenyang Hui thrown out, vomiting fresh blood while his chest also bled profusely.
Mei Liangyu detected this wasn't his attack, but it posed no threat to him currently. When Lord Sui angrily used the third sword, he had already flashed before Wenyang Hui, grabbing the powerless Wenyang Hui to block in front.
Wenyang Hui looked at the sword shadow about to pierce through his skull, half weak and half panicked: "Uncle!"
Lord Sui immediately withdrew his attack, looking at Wenyang Hui being used as a hostage by Mei Liangyu. His temple twitched violently as his eyes reddened with urgency, gritting his teeth: "Mei Liangyu, release Hui'er, I guarantee you won't die!"
"Your words come a bit late. Besides, you're not qualified to interfere with my life or death," Mei Liangyu kicked Wenyang Hui's back knee, making him kneel, then twisted both his hands behind his back. Listening to Wenyang Hui's screams, Lord Sui thundered: "Mei Liangyu! How dare you——"
"Hand over the Sword Rings," Mei Liangyu interrupted coldly. "If you don't surrender them after three counts, I'll kill him."
"One." Mei Liangyu broke Wenyang Hui's right hand.
Lord Sui roared, eighteen sword souls emerging together, killing intent pressing toward Mei Liangyu: "Stop!"
"He doesn't dare kill me!" Wenyang Hui shouted this in painful struggle. Mei Liangyu grabbed his hair, making him raise his head, and the black Demon Sealing Pillar in his hand precisely and forcefully pierced into Wenyang Hui's eye. Listening to his agonized screams, he looked up at Lord Sui: "Two."
Wenyang Hui fell to the ground, painfully curled up. Blood from his pierced left eye covered his face. He wanted to reach up and touch it, but his broken right hand wouldn't obey.
He couldn't understand how things had become like this.
From the moment the mechanism nine-sided die slipped from his grasp and was struck away, everything had spiraled out of his control.
Should he now beg Mei Liangyu for mercy?
Absolutely impossible!
Wenyang Hui screamed frantically in pain: "He dared destroy my light core, I'll never forgive him! Uncle, kill him!"
Mei Liangyu's tense forearm lines were all flowing with blood, but he himself seemed unchanged, even burning with golden Five Elements Energy around his body. The Five Elements Energy of heaven and earth seemed to be gathering toward him, giving him inexhaustible power.
Lord Sui saw Mei Liangyu's hand grip the Demon Sealing Pillar and pull it out. Wenyang Hui cried out to the sky in pain, while Mei Liangyu holding the Demon Sealing Pillar seemed about to pierce his throat.
"Stop! I'll give it to you!" Lord Sui finally couldn't hold on anymore, pulling off his Sword Ring and throwing it to Mei Liangyu. "Take it! Release Hui'er!"
He couldn't bear to let Wenyang Hui die, much less watch Mei Liangyu torture Wenyang Hui before his eyes.
Mei Liangyu lightly lifted his eyelids to look at Lord Sui. Seeing he only threw one Sword Ring, his eyes held mockery as the hand holding the Demon Sealing Pillar flexibly turned, about to blind Wenyang Hui's other eye.
"Stop!" Lord Sui angrily threw him the second Sword Ring.
The north wind blew these two Sword Rings before Mei Liangyu. He reached out to grasp them all, looking up at Lord Sui and speaking slowly: "How many swords would it take to kill you?"
Lord Sui said with a stern face: "They recognize their master."
"Really?" Mei Liangyu laughed. The Five Elements Energy surrounding him was too abundant and needed an outlet.
Mei Liangyu took the Sword Rings and released all eighteen sword souls.
Eighteen sword souls lined up behind him, carrying natural killing intent and humming with sword songs.
Mei Liangyu looked up at Lord Sui, just like his previous glance from atop the Wind Thunder Column, speaking clearly: "Rebel and Execute."
School of Names Word Command.
Lord Sui watched coldly. Wanting to use School of Names Word Command Arts to make sword souls rebel, how could it be so easy?
The eighteen sword souls stood motionless, but when the Five Elements Energy surrounding Mei Liangyu fell upon these eighteen sword souls, they began to tremble.
The Nine Schools Arts Mei Liangyu was deploying at this moment were more powerful than ever before.
The sword souls let out sharp cries, still almost losing control. Lord Sui went from initial cold disdain to current grave expression. He couldn't accept that the sword souls he had spent his lifetime creating would one day be turned and betrayed by someone!
"Impossible." Just as Lord Sui finished speaking, the eighteen sword souls moved.
The first to move were Light Sword: Snow Wave and Heavy Sword: Remnant Hero. Their dual swords combined attack, summoning ten thousand sword shadows, instantly swallowing Lord Sui.
Mei Liangyu was even too lazy to watch Lord Sui being forced into the Wind Thunder Column array by the sword souls. He bent down to grab the still-cursing Wenyang Hui and headed toward the other side of the snow mountain.
Even though his Wind-Riding speed was fast to the point of being invisible, the blood flowing from his body spilled all along the way, as if it could never be stanched. Even uninjured areas were bleeding outward.
This was the price of using Divine Mechanism Arts.
Premature consumption of lifespan.
Mei Liangyu stopped on the slope.
Wenyang Hui was trampled under his feet, in a wretched state, full of resentment. He had fainted from pain but was kicked awake by Mei Liangyu. His eyes mixed with blood opened with difficulty, struggling to look at Mei Liangyu's figure: "The Wenyang family... won't spare you. If you... dare kill me..."
Mei Liangyu looked down at him, chuckling softly, stepping on his face while bending down. The pressure under his foot increased, as if one could hear bones cracking. That originally delicate, beautiful face was now slightly deformed from being crushed.
"The matter of using Golden Thunder to humiliate you in front of so many people, why do you insist on finding reasons?" Mei Liangyu's dark pupils stared unblinkingly at Wenyang Hui's unwilling eyes. "Even if it wasn't for my Junior Sister, as long as I'm willing, I can do it anytime."
"After all these years, you still haven't figured out where the gap between you and me lies."
Mei Liangyu stepped on Wenyang Hui and crouched down. His heart's torturous killing intent toward him continued climbing, but he looked very calm, only striking increasingly harshly.
"Before seeing my Junior Sister, I won't kill you, because I haven't decided how to kill you yet," Mei Liangyu stood up, his expression cold. "After seeing Nangong Sui, I'll know how to kill you."
He kicked Wenyang Hui down, watching him roll down the mountain slope.
The blood flow on Mei Liangyu's body stopped somewhat. He stared intently at the area below the snow mountain, stepping forward.
If Nangong Sui was really dead——
He only thought this far.
He was unwilling to think about the rest.
Unless he saw the dead Nangong Sui.