Immortality begins with the Swordsman.

Chapter 56 Deadly

The wind grew stronger, and the snow fell more heavily.

On Jade Maiden Peak, the world is quiet and all sounds are still.

More than 600 Huashan disciples held their breath and remained focused. Snowflakes fell, landing on their shoulders but no one brushed them away. Their postures were as stiff as statues, too tense to move an inch.

"Clang!"

A sword cry, like a dragon's roar across the heavens, instantly shattered the silence.

Cai Qingyan's fingertips twitched slightly, and the longsword was drawn from its sheath, flashing with a cold light.

He was usually dressed in coarse linen, simple and taciturn, just like an old farmer who made a living by tilling the fields.

However, at this moment, with the longsword in his hand, he seemed to have been reborn. His eyes were sharp as lightning, revealing his sharp edge, like a sleeping dragon suddenly awakening, with overwhelming power!

"Haven't we had a good fight in a long time?"

"What? Haven't you lost enough yet?"

The Purple Cloud Daoist remained calm and composed, his gaze as still as a deep pool. His grey-white Daoist robe fluttered slightly in the wind, yet he stood as steady and unmoving as a pine tree in the mountains.

Cai Qingyan gave a soft "heh," held his sword horizontally to his chest, and slowly formed a sword incantation with his left hand, his finger movements as steady and unrestrained as if he were wielding a brush.

This move is the opening stance of "Poetry and Sword Gathering" in the Huashan beginner swordsmanship. This stance implies using the sword as a pen and martial arts to make friends, just like how literati exchange poems, stopping short of a point, focusing on mutual learning.

However, when this move was executed by the Sword Sect Master, it was no longer peaceful. The sword aura was as cold as frost, and the killing intent was surging, revealing a sharp and murderous intent.

Zixiao Daoist remained unmoved. He flicked his longsword and slashed out diagonally, his body sliding forward as if walking on a rainbow. With a move called "White Rainbow Piercing the Sun," he thrust out swiftly, breaking through Cai Qingyan's menacing sword aura.

Cai Qingyan's eyes turned cold, and his swordplay suddenly changed.

The sword, which had been thrusting straight out, suddenly turned, circled halfway around the body, and then swept out from the side of the waist, transforming into a faint, cold glint.

"The green hills are faintly visible."

This move is difficult to discern as real or feint, concealing its power invisibly; offense and defense are both decided in a single thought.

Zixiao Daoist shifted his body to the side to avoid the attack, and then swung his sword backhand with the move "Ancient Cypress Forest," his stance as steady as an ancient cypress, seeking neither merit nor fault.

Instead of retreating, Cai Qingyan advanced, his toes barely touching the ground as he leaped into the air like a fleeting shadow. With a light flick of his longsword, he unleashed the move "White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain Peak."

The sword light flashed like clouds, appearing and disappearing without a trace, its true nature difficult to discern.

"when--!"

The swords clashed, producing a sharp, clear ringing sound.

Daoist Zixiao retreated only half a step, his figure as steady as a rock.

Cai Qingyan took three steps back, leaving three deep footprints in the snow, before finally regaining his footing.

In just one exchange, the two had already exchanged three moves.

The crowd watched in horror, only then realizing that the two were using basic sword techniques from the Huashan sect.

But when these sword techniques fell into their hands, each move and stance was completely renewed, their power as strong as a sudden thunderclap, terrifying people to the core.

After three moves, it was just like three rounds of drinks.

The real competition has only just begun.

Cai Qingyan took a deep breath, his aura becoming steady. With each strike, the sharpness of his sword diminished, while the speed of his sword increased, making his swordplay increasingly fierce, like a deep, still current concealing deadly intent.

Later, he lost all his imposing aura and transformed back into that simple, unassuming old farmer. Only his sword remained, moving so fast that it was almost impossible to catch a glimpse of him, like a flash of lightning in the void, disappearing in an instant.

"After all these years, is this all you've got?"

The Purple Cloud Daoist remained unchanged, as steady as a towering mountain, with purple aura swirling around his face, and a faint purple light emanating from the Purple Cloud Sword in his hand.

His swordplay suddenly became clumsy and slow, like a novice swordsman performing the most basic sword moves.

Yet each sword strike contained the force of a raging storm, a force that could shatter the heavens and earth, making it unstoppable.

"And how much better can you be?"

Cai Qingyan raised the corner of his mouth, his tone revealing a hint of disdain.

Before he finished speaking, his long sword was already thrust out. The sword followed the sound, moving continuously and swiftly like lightning, without ever stopping.

when!when!when!

Master Zixiao calmly responded, using stillness to control movement and clumsiness to overcome skill, dissolving the storm-like attacks one by one.

The two have very different styles, yet they are fierce rivals, their exchanges intense and evenly matched.

Fast and slow, skillful and clumsy.

They both pushed the Huashan sword technique to its extremes, yet both were incredibly powerful, leaving people in awe.

Everyone was extremely shocked, and before they knew it, their palms were covered in cold sweat.

"It's an act, right? They must both be acting, right?"

Gu Changfeng's expression was solemn as he muttered to himself, but he already had the answer in his heart.

If it's not a real contest, how can it deceive everyone's eyes?

He thought to himself, "Today's sword competition went smoothly. Although the sword and qi sects were arguing amongst themselves, it was far from reaching the point of a full-blown battle. So, in the end, it all depends on the outcome of the match between Master and Uncle-Master Cai. Given their friendship, there shouldn't be any surprises, right?"

"Why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"

Just now.

In the field—

Cai Qingyan's originally calm and still aura suddenly surged, erupting like a volcano, wildly surging and unstoppable, and faintly revealing a sense of determination.

Master Zixiao raised an eyebrow, as if sensing something. His Zixia True Qi surged out from within his body, surging and roaring, like a ferocious beast that had been dormant for a long time awakening, its aura violent.

"Take this!"

Cai Qingyan let out a low shout, and his sword aura suddenly surged to its maximum.

In an instant, he transformed into a dazzling sword light, tearing through the swirling snow and slashing straight down.

—The Deadly Triple Immortal Sword!

This was a killing move that he had painstakingly studied for years and had never shown in front of anyone. Today, it was revealed for the first time, and it was aimed directly at Daoist Zixiao with an indomitable and resolute momentum.

This sword technique consists of only three moves.

The three moves are linked together, executed in one smooth motion, leaving no way out once the attack is launched; only life and death await!

This swordsmanship has already fallen into the demonic path!

Facing the Sword Sect Master's sword strike, which was imbued with all his might and killing intent.

Master Zixiao remained calm, but his full-force sword strike, which was originally poised to strike, showed a moment of hesitation at this crucial moment.

In that moment of hesitation...

Cai Qingyan's first sword strike came crashing down, the sword light like a waterfall, swift as thunder.

Master Zixiao frowned slightly, a fleeting look of surprise flashing in his eyes, and he could only dodge to the side.

This was exactly what Cai Qingyan wanted. He immediately swung his longsword and slashed horizontally at the waist, forcing Zixiao Daoist to leap up. His figure swayed, and he narrowly escaped the blade.

Cai Qingyan's expression was cold and stern as he thrust his longsword back.

This sword move was extremely fast and ruthless; it was the real killing move.

In that instant, everyone present was utterly astonished.

Chu Qingkuang was the first to jump up, exclaiming in alarm, "Be careful—"

But the sword had already arrived!

--laugh!!!

A cold glint flashed, and blood splattered!

The cold blade had already pierced deeply into the back of the Purple Cloud Taoist...