Simultaneously traversing: traversing countless heavens

Chapter 8: The Scattered King Sword Formation

"Take you? Master just wants to see you." Zhou Yi stood still, not even moving the hem of his clothes.

Li Muxuan was taken aback. Brother Yuan had clearly told him that Zuo Ruotong had threatened to get rid of him. But Zhou Yi had no reason to lie to him. Judging by their character, Li Muxuan still trusted Zhou Yi more. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it was just that Zuo Ruotong didn't necessarily want to kill him.

But who is Li Muxuan? He's a stubborn mule.

"See me?" He scoffed, raising his chin. "Who does Zuo Ruotong think he is? Just because he says he wants to see me, I have to fawn over him? The leader of the Trinity Sect, what a show of power!"

"Whether you see me or not is none of my business." Zhou Yi's tone remained calm, but the moment he uttered the last word, his figure vanished.

It wasn't a high-speed moving afterimage, but a true "appearance" in front of Li Muxuan, almost like spatial teleportation, right up close!

"Get out of my way. I didn't come here for you today."

Before the words were even finished, Li Muxuan didn't even see how the other person moved. He only felt an irresistible, gentle yet powerful force envelop his entire body, and he was lightly "swept" away like a pebble in the roadside. He rolled around on the ground several times in a disheveled state, his head, feet, and facial muscles and bones twitching slightly. The "Zhang Yunsheng" face that he had maintained with a secret technique actually collapsed under this casual sweep, revealing his original appearance.

"You—!" Li Muxuan was both shocked and furious. His blood rushed to his head, and he scrambled to his feet, ready to charge forward without a care in the world.

Wugensheng raised his hand to stop him.

He sighed softly, his fingers pinching the triangular talisman in his pocket. With a slight exertion, the talisman turned to ashes. At the same time, his bones emitted a faint crackling sound, and he grew taller, regaining his original imposing stature. He casually took out gold-rimmed glasses from his suit pocket and put them on, his gaze behind the lenses deep and unfathomable.

"You've come specifically for me," Wugensheng said, his voice regaining its original magnetic and steady tone. "But I don't recall ever meeting you before, let alone provoking you."

"I've heard of your name before. Wugensheng, the leader of Quanxing Sect, the great demon, the troublemaker..." Zhou Yi surveyed the cave, his gaze sweeping over Jin Feng and Xia Liuqing, who had quietly moved to the Zhang brothers' side, seemingly holding them hostage, but he paid them no heed. His posture was even somewhat relaxed, one hand casually behind his back. "You're right, you haven't provoked me. But I still came." He paused, his gaze locking onto Wugensheng again. "Wugensheng, just think of it as me... seeing the future. I came here specifically to stop you from climbing the mountain. Because if I let you go up, something I don't want to see will happen."

"A sorcerer?" There are countless extraordinary people in the world of supernatural beings, and it is not uncommon for them to be able to predict good or bad fortune, or even glimpse fragments of the future. Wugensheng only categorizes the Book of Changes into this category.

"No need to listen anymore, I'm the only one who came." Zhou Yi suddenly turned to Gu Jiting, who was about to close his eyes and concentrate.

Gu Qiting paused for a moment, but still used his methods. After a moment, he whispered to Wugensheng, "Outside... there really is only him."

"Hmph! You have some nerve, daring to block the leader of our Quanxing Sect all by yourself?" Xia Liuqing shouted, her voice stern but her tone weak.

"Do you think you can take me down with all my followers surrounding me?" Wugensheng pushed up his glasses, his tone completely calm.

"I told you, I just wanted to stop you from climbing the mountain."

"What if I insist on going against the grain?"

Zhou Yi and Wugensheng stared at each other silently, and the air in the cave seemed to suddenly freeze and become heavy.

"Then your path in this life," Zhou Yi said, enunciating each word clearly, "has come to an end."

As soon as the words were spoken, they were not empty threats! A chilling, tangible killing intent silently permeated the air, not ostentatious or violent, but icy cold and penetrating to the bone.

Wu Gengsheng remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Does Your Excellency intend to make me back down with just a few words? I, Wu Gengsheng, am not easily intimidated. If the Great Ying Immortal Zuo Ruotong were to come in person, perhaps things would be different, but..."

The word "you" has not yet been uttered.

Wu Gensheng's words came to an abrupt end.

He froze on the spot, his pupils behind his glasses suddenly contracting!

Not only him, but everyone in the cave witnessed a sight they would never forget in that instant—

Behind Zhou Yi, in that seemingly ordinary wooden box, a radiant light shone—no, it was no ordinary light! It was a sword, condensed to its ultimate form, so pure it sent shivers down one's spine!

The Three Truths and Ten Thousand Laws Sword!

There was no earth-shattering display, only a flash of sword light illuminating everyone's eyes.

Silently.

The rocks, soil, trees, and everything within a radius of several dozen feet above them seemed to have been gently wiped away by an invisible giant hand! Their vision suddenly opened up, and the afternoon sun poured down without any obstruction. They found themselves on a "platform" that had been smoothed out like a mirror. The original cave and the upper part of the mountain had completely disappeared!

And this is just the beginning.

Central Divine Power - Three True Kings Sword Formation Talisman!

"Buzz—!"

An indescribable hum resounded throughout the heavens and earth. From the sword casket behind Zhou Yi, thirty thousand dazzling sword lights surged forth like a reversed celestial river! These were sword lights transformed from ten Three True Kings Sword Array Talismans, each light as solid as a tangible substance, containing a sharpness capable of cleaving through the void. They were not chaotic, but rather flowed and intertwined automatically during their ascent, instantly forming a majestic sword array that enveloped the entire sky and covered all directions!

Sword light flashed like a forest, blotting out the sun. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the sword formation, transforming into countless dancing golden spots. A vast, majestic, and chilling aura filled every inch of space; the air felt heavy and solidified, and even breathing was excruciatingly painful.

The magnificent sword formation was a divine power that none of the people present had ever seen, let alone dared to imagine!

"Thump." Li Muxuan's knees buckled, and he knelt down on the ground, his face ashen, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Wu Gensheng's tall and straight body swayed almost imperceptibly. He looked up at the sword formation that covered the sky, and for the first time, a look of "trembling" appeared on his usually calm and composed face.

The old steward had already dragged the utterly bewildered Yunze and Yunsheng to the ground, where they repeatedly kowtowed, tears streaming down their faces, and murmured, "The immortal... the immortal has descended..."

Is that enough?

Zhou Yi's voice rang out, and he casually placed his left hand on the hilt of the sword that had already been put back into the wooden box, slowly pushing the Myriad Laws Sword back.

"...Enough." Wugensheng's Adam's apple bobbed as he uttered a single word, his voice dry. Faced with this situation, what could he say? Thank you for sparing his life?

In the sky, the 30,000 breathtaking sword lights moved at the sound, like rivers flowing into the sea, or like time flowing backward, transforming into streams of light that orderly entered the seemingly ordinary wooden box behind Zhou Yi. In an instant, the sky became clear again, as if the world-destroying scene just now was just a collective illusion.

"Find someone to get the child safely up the mountain." Zhou Yi stopped looking at him, turned around, and walked steadily down the mountain. His gray jacket silhouette gradually disappeared into the sunlight and soon vanished around the bend in the mountain path.

They act decisively and efficiently.

The tense atmosphere around them only dissipated when the figure disappeared completely from sight.

"My God..." Xia Liuqing's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground like a rag doll, her back already soaked in cold sweat.

Gu Qiting and Gao Gen were in no better shape; their faces were pale, and they were panting heavily. The invisible pressure emanating from the Scattered King Sword Formation almost crushed their will.

"Sect Leader..." Jin Feng's voice trembled as she looked at Wu Gengsheng, "What... what kind of technique is this? An ancient... ancient sword immortal?"

Wu Gensheng remained silent for a long time, the mountain wind ruffling the hem of his suit jacket. After a while, he slowly removed his glasses, gently wiping them with the corner of his jacket, his voice low and deep: "Even if a true ancient sword immortal were to be resurrected... he might not possess the same charisma as the one just now." He put his glasses back on, turning to Li Muxuan, who was still kneeling on the ground, utterly dejected, his tone calm yet undeniable: "Li Muxuan, the Sanyi Sect... I can't afford to offend them. I can't interfere in your affairs. Please find someone else."

Li Muxuan shuddered violently, as if those words had pulled him from an icy abyss. He scrambled to his feet, his face a mixture of despair and pleading: "Sect Leader! Sect Leader! You know I've always respected you the most! You can't...you can't abandon me! I...I..."

"Li Muxuan!" Jin Feng interrupted him, both shocked and furious. "You still want to drag the sect leader down with you? Didn't you see the scene just now? Do you think we can afford to offend someone like that? If he's unhappy, he can unleash a barrage of swords. Even if all of us from the Quanxing Sect were tied together, we wouldn't be enough to withstand a single strike from him!"

"Then... what should I do..." Li Muxuan stammered, looking around blankly.

"Can't you see clearly yet?" Gao Gen's cold, hard voice rang out, carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery, but deeper, it revealed his annoyance at Li Muxuan's repeated trouble-making. "From beginning to end, he hasn't paid any attention to you. He's here for the sect leader's sake, to prevent the sect leader from coming up the mountain."

He grew angrier as he spoke, still shaken by the towering sword formation he had just witnessed. Seeing Li Muxuan's distraught state and his attempt to cling to him, his anger surged: "You? Get out of here!"

Before he could finish speaking, he had already launched a flying kick, landing a solid blow on Li Muxuan's side, sending him tumbling away again. This kick was a mixture of anger at the source of the trouble before him and, perhaps, a bit of vindictive anger at surviving a close call.

Li Muxuan groaned and collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to even refute.

"I never imagined that what I saw today... would be enough for me to brag about for a lifetime, no, for ten lifetimes." Master Liu, the dough figurine maker, slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. His hands, which had been sculpting dough figurines all his life, were now trembling slightly, whether from excitement or lingering fear, he didn't know. He had traveled the world for many years and had seen countless strange and ingenious skills, but the earth-shattering, godlike methods he had just witnessed had completely overturned his understanding.

Wu Gensheng had regained his composure. He straightened his suit cuffs, and his voice returned to its usual order: "Gao Gen, you personally lead the men and ensure these three are safely delivered to the San Yi Gate." His gaze swept over the still-shaken butler and the two boys. "I don't trust the others. Make sure they are unharmed and have a safe journey."

Gao Gen nodded solemnly, his face no longer bearing any trace of his previous sneer: "Rest assured, Sect Leader, I will personally oversee things, and there will be absolutely no mistakes."

Sanyi Gate, main hall.

As Lu Jin listened to the old butler's incoherent narration and then looked at the two boys beside him who were nodding in agreement, he felt a chill run down his spine.

What are you saying? I recognize each word individually, but I can't understand it when they're put together.

What do you mean by saying that the three of you were kidnapped by a man named Wugensheng and his gang? What do you mean by saying that the immortals of the Sanyi Sect descended at the critical moment? What do you mean by saying that a small mountain was chopped down with a single sword? What do you mean by saying that tens of thousands of sword lights blotted out the sky?

Lu Jin prided himself on being a young and promising man from a prestigious family, well-informed and knowledgeable, and had heard many legends about the world of supernatural beings, but this description... had already exceeded the scope of "legends" and was almost like mythology and strange tales!

He managed to calm himself and repeatedly asked for details, even having the three of them recount their experiences separately. Although the answers differed slightly in their wording, the core content was strikingly consistent—it was a scene that could not be explained by imagination or collective hallucination.

Lu Jin dared not delay and immediately found his two senior brothers, Shuiyun and Changqing, who were supervising their disciples' practice.

He recounted everything he had heard, and the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Upon hearing this, Shuiyun frowned, his first reaction being absurdity: "Are you sure?" He looked Lu Jin up and down, almost thinking that his usually composed junior brother was playing an extremely clumsy joke on him.

How could this be true? Besides, he was very familiar with the protagonist of the story, Zhou Yi? The Zhou Yi who had cultivated on the mountain with him and Chang Qing back then, but whose talent was mediocre and who went down the mountain to seek another way out?

"I've asked three times already. None of the three seem to be the ones in the story, and there's no need for them to tell such an easily exposed lie," Lu Jin said.

"Changqing, do you believe it? Zhou Yi has such methods..." Shuiyun turned her head and asked.

Changqing remained silent, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously, his eyes filled with disbelief and contemplation: "To be honest, I don't believe it."

"But, as Lu Jin said, what's the point of the three of them fabricating such an easily debunkable lie to deceive us? And it's one thing for them to know Wugensheng and Li Muxuan—the former is the leader of Quanxing Sect, and many people know him, while the latter has caused a lot of trouble in recent years and is quite famous. But how do these three ordinary people know about Guzaki Ting, Gao Gen, Master Liu the Mud Man, and even Xia Liuqing, whose names I've barely even heard of?"

The two then realized that something was amiss.

Shuiyun paced back and forth, trying to recall the image of her taciturn junior brother. "Zhou Yi has been down the mountain for about twenty years, hasn't he? I remember he was an orphan who grew up on the mountain just like us. Later, because of his cultivation... sigh, he couldn't see a future. So Master allowed him to go to the school run by his junior brother Dongshan to find a job."

"It's been more than twenty years," Changqing added, his tone filled with emotion. "Over the years, I've occasionally received letters, but they rarely mention myself; they only talk about what I've seen and heard and offer greetings."

Lu Jin didn't know anything about the Book of Changes, and seeing that his two senior brothers had gone off on a tangent, he couldn't help but say:

"Senior brothers, regardless of whether this matter is true or false, it involves Wugensheng, the leader of Quanxing Sect, and especially that Li Muxuan! In any case, we must report to Master for a decision."

Upon hearing this, Shuiyun revealed a hint of helplessness: "Master sensed a disturbance in the Xuan Pass a couple of days ago and has already entered the back mountain for seclusion. His return date is uncertain. Uncle-Master Si Chong, along with Senior Brother Chengzhen, has also been away from the mountain for some time in search of clues about Li Muxuan and has not yet returned."

Changqing said, "We can only wait. I'll tell Master as soon as he comes out of seclusion. In the meantime, I'll write to Zhouyi to inquire about the truth of the matter. I hope he's still at the academy."

Shuiyun said, "Alright, Lu Jin, you will personally take care of Yunze and Yunsheng during this time. Inform us immediately if anything happens."

"I understand," Lu Jin said.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The contract has been signed.