Chapter 7: The Sword of Fleeting Radiance

How to choose at this moment is now Zhuang Yunzhen’s burden to bear. Yet, even so, he chooses to stand with the Poison Sect to take down Bupo. At this juncture, there are truly no other options left. "Although I trust my woman, I must still step up at this time; otherwise, wouldn't I be looked down upon by you, a man?" Zhuang Yunzhen pushes his cultivation to the absolute limit and strikes with a sudden palm. Bupo shows no fear, countering with a strike of his own. His palm carries such immense, profound power that Zhuang Yunzhen is sent flying once again. "Go to hell, you brat!"

Bupo is now truly bent on killing; he can no longer afford to give this man any chance. The power in his palm is pushed to its zenith, unleashing his supreme lethal technique—the "Severing" move from the God-Destroying Arts, capable of snapping tendons, breaking bones, and severing meridians. Li Moqing lets out a cry of alarm, no longer caring for her own safety, and throws herself forward, intending to shield him from this overwhelmingly powerful strike.

Yet, just at this moment, Zhuang Yunzhen’s expression turns remarkably calm. The surrounding aura shifts, as if he had been waiting exactly for this moment. "Moqing, don't worry. Have you forgotten? I have already experienced battles like this many times. Now, I shall use the Immovable Golden Body. Moqing, isn't this what you have always been looking forward to seeing?"

Hearing this, Li Moqing is truly reassured. She pulls back, dropping her offensive stance. "Indeed, Brother. Ever since you learned our family’s Immovable Golden Body, you haven't seemed to use it at full strength in all these days. I have long wanted to see exactly how powerful it truly is."

The Su-Yi Pavilion has existed for many years, but since the time of their ancestors, no one has been able to perfectly master both the Immovable Golden Body and the Undying White Flame. All disciples have had to choose one. Even then, most chose the Undying White Flame, not because the Immovable Golden Body lacked power, but on the contrary, because the Undying White Flame’s power is so immense that it places extremely high demands on the practitioner.

That Brother Zhuang Yunzhen could master it was a matter of sheer coincidence. She mastered the Undying White Flame, and he the Immovable Golden Body; it seems heaven itself intended for them to be together. Thinking of this, a blush colors the young girl’s cheeks, making her look all the more radiant and moving.

"Hahaha! Now, you brat, no matter what skills you possess, today I will tell you this: they are useless against me! That the two of you can die under my God-Destroying Arts today is your greatest glory!"

*Boom.*

This is an incredibly thick and domineering palm strike. Were anyone else to be hit by this, they would surely be smashed to pieces. However, Zhuang Yunzhen shows no fear. At this moment, the man’s entire body turns black, as hard as rock. The force of the palm causes Zhuang Yunzhen no harm; it doesn't even make him take a single step back. "What? Is that all your cultivation amounts to, old man? It really isn't much to speak of!"

"Old man, have you ever heard of the Immovable Golden Body? This is the supreme art of the Su-Yi Pavilion. I am only just beginning to master it, so if there is anything I haven't executed perfectly, please forgive me. Now that I have mastered this skill, any move you make is ineffective against me. Very well, Senior, it seems we have both returned to the starting line. Everything is the same."

This is the first stage of the Immovable Golden Body, also known as the "Copper Wall and Iron Bastion." No matter how powerful or profound your strength, before such absolute defense, it is truly of no use!

At this moment, Zhuang Yunzhen displays a rare air of royalty. When he is serious, he carries a powerful sense of oppression. It is just that he usually faces only his closest friends and family, so he rarely has the opportunity to exert such power. But now, he faces Bupo, a man determined to kill him. If he were to admit defeat now, wouldn't this old man be smug beyond measure?

Zhuang Yunzhen walks forward slowly. His face bears no sign of anger, looking instead very gentle, as if bathed in soft light. Bupo’s God-Destroying Arts had always been full of power, never meeting a rival, but now things are different. He finds that all his techniques have lost their effect! He has switched through several styles, yet none have made the slightest impact. "Old man, you should know by now that your moves are useless against me."

He cannot land a hit. No matter what technique is used, he cannot move him. Even the most formidable attacks fall upon this man and achieve nothing. Is this the true strength of this brat? Bupo is deeply shaken. He has cultivated bitterly for so many years, thinking he was the greatest in the world, yet today he has finally met his match! "I don't believe it! I don't believe you possess such power. At any time, only I am the strongest! I am the strongest!"

"Senior, I have no more time to play. I will send you to see your children now. When the time comes, you must make it clear: not only did you cause their deaths, but you also caused your own by my hand." This is only the first stage of the Immovable Golden Body, and it already possesses such astonishing power. If this art were fully unleashed, there would be no need for any other techniques.

When defensive capability reaches its limit, no techniques are needed. That is what Senior Li Feichen once said. At the time, he did not understand, but now, it seems it is indeed true. "Three seniors, you should believe it now. With me suppressing this man, you can rest easy. Come, old man, at this point, whatever skills you still have, you might as well bring them all out and see how I break them!"

Zhuang Yunzhen strikes with a palm, which Bupo naturally cannot block. Just at this moment, he feels a surge of blood in his body and spits out a mouthful of blood—a truly miserable sight. Perhaps this man, famous for many years, never imagined that he, who possessed such a supreme art, would be restrained to this degree. Yes, in this man’s heart, there is true frustration. But who is Bupo? The one thing this man never lacks is fighting spirit.

As long as he wants to achieve something, he will certainly achieve it. No matter how powerful a technique in this world may be, there must be a flaw. The only thing he needs to do now is find it. "Old man, we are at this point, and you still refuse to believe it? Very well, I know you have been searching for the flaw in the Immovable Golden Body. But I tell you now: after countless predecessors have studied and perfected it for so many years, it no longer has any flaws!"

"Sky-Burning!"

A palm technique infused with flame roars forth once more. Zhuang Yunzhen realizes that using the Immovable Golden Body in conjunction with the Sun and Moon Radiance Palm yields excellent results. Aside from the last two moves—"Azure Sea" and "Sun and Moon"—which Zhuang Yunzhen still cannot use, he is now incredibly proficient in the other six. Combined with the Immovable Golden Body, there is truly nothing to fear.

Bupo is no fool who only fights with his fists and not his head. He knows clearly that he has fallen into a passive state. If he continues to seek opportunities while in a rage, there is basically no chance of winning. Yet at this moment, his previous internal injuries show signs of flaring up. He cannot allow that. This time, he must kill everyone here before his injuries incapacitate him. Though he does not want to use the souls of the demonic beasts he has gathered over many days, in this situation, he has no other choice.

"Brat, you seem quite smug right now. Good, very good. I have one last move I haven't used yet. Today, I will let you experience it. Do you know why I have such powerful cultivation? It is because, over these years, I have absorbed a vast number of demonic beast souls!"

"These beast souls were my best companions; we once lived and died together. Now, all the beasts in this world were sealed away during that great storm. My life has long held no meaning. If I can kill all of you today, it will be a tribute to my old friends. Old friends, at this late hour, I must use your power to win. I am truly sorry to you all!"

"Bupo, do not be sad. When we gave you all our power back then, we already knew that one day in the future, you would have to use it. Rest assured, we were already just remnants of souls. If these remnant powers can help you in the end, it is our final gesture as brothers."

At this moment, countless heroic spirits appear around Bupo. Looking at the still-handsome faces of his old friends—they remain so young, while he is so incredibly old. Those familiar with Bupo know that this man cherished his appearance above all else; he pursued beauty at all times.

The countless spirits do not spare a glance for Zhuang Yunzhen. Such pressure from the spirits is something Zhuang Yunzhen cannot withstand. An invisible wall of air seems to appear between him and Bupo. No matter how powerful his cultivation, he cannot break through. "Bupo, after so many years, have you fallen to this? Now, even such a small thing can handle you at will? Where is that heroic spirit you had back then? You used to be truly powerful, but look at you now—how did you become like this? Although you were always like this—looking formidable, but falling apart at the critical moment."

"Although we are quite unhappy about it, since you have summoned us, we will help you one last time. Look at yourself; there is not much beast blood left in your body. How can your God-Destroying Arts still exert their former power?"

Threads of powerful, pure energy pour into Zhuang Yunzhen’s body like a tide. What is happening? Zhuang Yunzhen feels a hint of terror.

"Hahaha! Brat, since I am restoring my old friends' power, I must first borrow some of yours. You said before that the Immovable Golden Body has no weaknesses, right? You are wrong. This art has always had one greatest weakness. Do you know what it is? I suspect you never knew: this art has a deep connection to the demonic beast clan. Once you start practicing it, if you encounter a master with demonic beast attributes, no matter how powerful you are, the result is the same: death."

"What? You still don't believe it? Little Zhuang, half of your cultivation has been devoured by the beast souls. Only now can this battle be considered equal. Good, look at your opponent; he is finally young again. Bupo, now that you have recovered your former strength, I think you know exactly what to do next."

"I am back! Hahaha! My former strength has finally returned! Zhuang Yunzhen, what other skills do you have now? Prepare to die!"

The Bupo at his peak feels completely different. His movement is like the wind, his momentum like thunder. Every strike carries the force of a lightning bolt. Zhuang Yunzhen has no idea what is happening. The situation, which was once so favorable for him, is now disastrous. He suffers the heaviest blow he has endured in a long time!

This palm strike is truly powerful. There seems to be scorching fire around him, while the center is bone-chillingly cold. Is this his own "Sky-Burning"? What is going on? Why can Bupo use his techniques now?

"Brat, you must be very confused. This 'Sky-Burning' was originally your move, but in my hands, it can unleash such power. Want to know why? It is simple: this palm technique originally belonged to my demonic beast clan. During the great storm, the Su-Yi Pavilion ancestor, Li Suyi, played a major role. After many demonic beasts were sealed, this man actually obtained the art passed down through generations of beasts."

"This art originally had no name. After Li Suyi strengthened it, it transformed into the supreme art of the Su-Yi Pavilion. Of course, after all these years, this art has no connection to us beasts. But I wanted to try and see what it feels like to defeat you with our old techniques. Of course, we never intended to succeed on the first try."

"Li Suyi was truly a man of genius. He changed the entire practice of this art, yet he died because of it in the end. Think about it—that is retribution, isn't it?"

*Whoosh.*

The air wall vanishes. Zhuang Yunzhen feels a blur before his eyes. He has no idea what happens next; he loses consciousness. He hears a faint, distant scream—it is Li Moqing’s voice.

How long has he been asleep? He has no idea. Zhuang Yunzhen awakens slowly. As his consciousness returns, he remembers: he lost consciousness at the most critical moment. How are the others?

He looks around. The three disciples of Duzhong seem to be in a state of meditation, surrounded by large numbers of beast souls. Li Moqing is covered in blood, her aura pushed to the absolute limit. How long have they been fighting? Her momentum hasn't wavered in the slightest; instead, it has become even sharper.

Seeming to sense Zhuang Yunzhen waking, their eyes meet in the air. Li Moqing finally smiles. Even though she is in a disheveled state, in Zhuang Yunzhen’s eyes, she remains the most beautiful girl in the world. Since Moqing is fighting so hard, he cannot just lie here.

"Hahaha! Zhuang Yunzhen, have you woken up? But even if you have, you cannot change anything. Your woman is truly impressive. I never knew that after so many years, the disciples of the Su-Yi Pavilion could become so strong. Even with all my strength, I cannot defeat this woman. It seems you are destined to hide behind a woman after all. Hmm, that is actually good; hide for the rest of your life. Li Moqing, look—this is the man you chose. Is there really not a shred of regret in your heart right now?"

"Brother, get some rest. I will tell you what happened in a moment. Bupo’s power is truly formidable. I have been fighting him for three hours, and I still don't have absolute certainty of defeating him. However, it won't be easy for him to win against me either."

Li Moqing previously thought she wouldn't need to use the Undying White Flame, but after clashing with Bupo, she realized that there is no other art in this world that can cause him harm. It seems Bupo has transcended martial arts and reached the level of the "Martial Dao."

But how is that possible? If he had really entered the realm of Martial Dao, he would have been assimilated by now. How could he fight her for so long? There must be something strange about this!

"It seems you have truly discovered it. Indeed, I have entered the realm of Martial Dao. As for why I haven't been assimilated by the environment, you don't need to know. You only need to know that in my eyes, you are already a dead person. This is for the best; your man is right before your eyes. If you die, he will surely be devastated."

A sword, cold to the absolute limit, is pressed against Bupo’s neck. Zhuang Yunzhen’s legs are weak. To unleash this ultimate strike, he relies not on his own strength, but on sheer willpower. Even so, this final strike consumes all his energy.

Yet, this strongest sword strike cannot cause Bupo any damage. His powerful protective *qi* dissolves the attack. "This so-called strongest sword strike... it seems it is nothing more than this. My last shred of patience is running out. You must die for everything to end!"

Bupo’s finger condenses a powerful sword *qi*. This strike pierces through not only Li Moqing but also Zhuang Yunzhen. Lovers always hope to stay together forever; at this moment, these two lovers can finally be together. There should be no power in the world that can separate them.

Blood drips onto the ground, blooming like beautiful flowers. Zhuang Yunzhen smiles, and Li Moqing smiles too. She had hoped to finally help Zhuang Yunzhen this time, but this was the outcome. Her lips move silently. Though wordless, as Zhuang Yunzhen falls, he understands.

"No regrets." These four words, heavy as a thousand jun, represent love and Li Moqing’s greatest resolve. As he falls, Zhuang Yunzhen suddenly thinks of his junior brother, Liang Xi. If Liang Xi were here, what would he do in the end?

Should he admit defeat? No. Zhuang Yunzhen has failed many times before; he is used to failure. But to accept defeat? He absolutely cannot. If he must fail in the end, he will never fail at the hands of Bupo. Does he remember his promise? He promised never to let Li Moqing fall into danger again. Has he broken his word? No, he has not!

"Ah!!!"

A roar of fury finally restores Zhuang Yunzhen’s consciousness. His hardened fist strikes Bupo once more. This time, his fist ignores the protective *qi*. Zhuang Yunzhen has made up his mind: to abandon everything unnecessary to achieve the final victory. His face, beneath the blood and grime, no longer has a trace of confusion, only constant tenacity and determination.

"Hahaha! Well struck! That’s right!"

Bupo spits out blood. He, too, has abandoned everything impractical. In these few moments, countless iron fists have pounded into Zhuang Yunzhen’s body. Even now, Bupo still possesses such astonishing power. It seems absorbing all those beast souls was truly effective. These powerful souls grant Bupo extreme recovery capabilities; no matter how severe the internal injury, he can recover in an instant!

"Hahaha! You should realize by now that you are simply no match for me. Why do you refuse to believe it? If we keep fighting like this, the final result will be your death!"

Madness—besides madness, there is only madness. Zhuang Yunzhen is beaten into unconsciousness again. But this time, he will not let himself fall. Yet, he overestimated himself. It turns out he has always been that unremarkable, insufficient person. He promised to protect everyone, but in the end, he failed. Master, you saved me years ago. Though you never said it, I could feel it—the person back then was you. But now, it seems I will disappoint you after all.

A warm embrace. Duzhong holds Zhuang Yunzhen, while Mansheng holds Li Moqing. "Good boy, good girl. Thanks to you both. Leave the rest to me. You have already worked hard enough."

Duzhong has found his former self, and because of this, only today has he truly completed the practice of the "Other Shore Flower" art. Now, he can finally say loudly that he is the only person in the Poison Sect who has mastered it!

*Boom.*

A shocking impact explodes behind Duzhong. The pillar of fire reaching toward the sky illustrates how intense the previous battle was. "Brat, get some rest. Neither you nor Li Moqing will be harmed."

"It’s a good thing I made it in time, otherwise this battle would have been truly troublesome. Su Wen, how are you?" Su Wen has paid a great price this time. To restore Duzhong to his peak, he absorbed all the toxins from Duzhong’s body—a necessary condition for the "Other Shore Flower" art to reach perfection. From being poisoned to having someone willingly bear the poison for him—if not for absolute trust, no one would do such a thing. Duzhong himself never imagined that at the very last moment, the only person he could trust was Su Wen.

They grew up together; no one knows the other better. "You brat, considering I’ve suffered so much for you, if you fail in the end, you’ll truly be sorry to me, and I won't let you off even as a ghost." Even at this moment, he still has the strength to complain; only Su Wen could do that.

"Old friend, rest assured. For the sake of how well you’ve treated me, I will not lose." Duzhong’s eyes are full of contempt. When everyone reacts, Duzhong has already reached Bupo’s back with extreme speed. His palm, like a blade, strikes toward Bupo’s heart. Although Bupo has strong protective *qi*, it can only defend the front. His back is his greatest weakness. That is why Bupo has such high movement speed; he excels in speed combat to minimize the chance of his weakness being exposed.

*Puff.*

Bupo spits out a mouthful of blood, wanting to counter-attack. However, his power has been depleted too much in the continuous battle, and he can barely sustain himself. Now, being struck by this powerful blade-hand, his protective *qi* is truly useless. "Hahaha! How long has it been? It seems it has been many years since I suffered such an attack. Duzhong, you have truly surprised me. Many years ago, I knew you would not live long, so I was enduring you. But now, you have actually recovered as if nothing happened."

"You never expected that Su Wen, whom you always looked down upon, would be the one to help you in the end. Your heart must be full of things you want to say to him, right? But it seems this man can no longer hear you. Look, he has already lost consciousness."

"And now that you have recovered, from this moment on, you are my opponent. That brat Zhuang Yunzhen is finished. I suspect that after this battle, he will not be able to recover for a long time. It’s a pity Liang Xi didn't see this; otherwise, I could have dealt with him as well."

The beast souls inside Bupo repair his body once more, temporarily restoring his strength. However, this power cannot last long. Before it fades, he must kill these detestable people!

*Bang, bang, bang!*

This battle, which was originally just Bupo’s revenge, has finally evolved into a battle of the peaks. What will be the outcome? As the supreme art of the Poison Sect, the "Other Shore Flower" has three realms, which are also moves: "Not on the Other Shore," "Not in the Heart," and "Still Like Myself."

"Not on the Other Shore" is a movement technique as well as a palm technique—a very complex one. But Bupo ignores how complex the moves are; he breaks them with brute force. Complex moves represent skill, but who is stronger between skill and brute force? This is hard to say. If their cultivation is equal, then the fight is a life-and-death struggle, just like now.

Bupo’s moves are like giant waves; every strike carries astonishing momentum. Duzhong, now that he has regained consciousness, has changed his temperament. He begins to win with clever force, using the least amount of energy to achieve the most—this has always been his principle.

In an instant, the two have exchanged thousands of moves, yet neither has the upper hand. "Good brat, you actually possess such powerful strength now. I am truly happy. Hmm, it seems fighting you is much more fun than fighting Zhuang Yunzhen! But Duzhong, do you think that by doing this, you can protect everyone? I tell you, that is absolutely impossible. I intended to destroy the Poison Sect!"

"The great storm back then kept our beast clan sealed until now. The loneliness and pain... a person like you could never understand. But I have changed my mind. I want to take over the Poison Sect, I want to absorb all your cultivation. Tell me, if I do that, will I be as powerful as you?"

Bupo’s moves become more and more formidable, but every one of them misses, failing to strike Duzhong. "Bupo, why don't you admit defeat now? If you admit defeat, this battle will have an outcome. It should be easy for you. But so many years have passed; why has your temperament never changed? You should know that you are simply not my match!"

"My 'Not on the Other Shore'—you can never catch up. In our fight, the only one getting hurt is you."

Bupo was once the King of Beasts, but look at him now—does he have any brothers left behind him? If he admits defeat today, how will he answer to his brothers when he dies?

"What? You refuse to admit defeat? Fine. Since you won't, then you only have a path to death!"

Both men have profound combat experience; in this regard, they are supreme masters. Yet, even among masters, there are gaps. Their cultivation has truly reached its limit.

Five high mountains have been leveled. Duzhong’s breath remains long and steady. "How is it? My cultivation has reached this point. You are no longer my match. Bupo, if you didn't have your protective *qi*, you would be nothing."

"Not bad, not bad. Although you shattered my protective *qi*, I still have a solid foundation. Relying on that, it won't be easy for you to win. What? You don't believe that? Duzhong, I remember we fought many years ago, and we didn't have a winner then. Even after so many years, I believe that will not change."

"The beast souls are my final resort. I know I will lose today, but so what? Before I fall, I will definitely kill all of you!"

At this point, Bupo repeats these words over and over. It seems he has truly become possessed by this goal. "You keep dodging; what kind of skill is that? If you have any ability, fight me fair and square. Do you dare?"

"Bupo, I know you have such power because of the beast souls. But these souls were your brothers. Now that you use their power, do you know the consequences?"

"Hahaha! My power now comes from my brothers! What? You seem very dissatisfied with that. I know you have no brothers, so you can never understand what it feels like to have them."

"Duzhong, I tell you: you have your persistence, and I have mine. I might admit defeat at any other time, but not now. If I admit defeat now, I have nothing left. Do you believe me?"

Zhuang Yunzhen truly has no strength left. He doesn't know what is happening. Is there really no way out?

*Stand up.* This is his own battle. Can he really not win? How long will he lie there before it ends?

"Zhuang Yunzhen, you spineless brat, I knew the result would be like this. But you really won't fight anymore? You put all your hope in others. Are you really not willing to protect your own woman?"

"No! My woman must be protected by me. This is my business, and no one can stop me!"

"Bupo, we are at this point, and you still refuse to admit your mistake? Why don't you dare tell everyone how those brothers who trusted you so much died? Wasn't it because of your selfishness and cruelty that they were left isolated and helpless?"

A voice like a thunderclap echoes across the sky. Soon, a figure walks slowly into view. His face is unclear, but he is clearly a man of immense power.

"You? You aren't dead yet?" Bupo’s face turns ugly as he sees the man.

"Yes, it has been so many years. You surely hoped I would be finished, but I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. Not only am I alive, but I have been looking for you all these years. Wasn't the sealing of the beast clan your fault? Yet, looking at you now, you seem like a victim."

The newcomer is Bupo’s former comrade, the Jinghong Sword.