A Pawn’s Passage

In terms of the subtlety and profundity of swordsmanship, Princess Tamako believed that Zhang Yuelu was truly the foremost among all her peers that she had ever encountered.

For an ordinary person, handling two tasks at once was already rare. Most gifted individuals could manage several at the same time. But compared to Zhang Yuelu's ability to turn one mind into a hundred uses, they were far inferior. She was truly gifted in every aspect.

Under such circumstances, Princess Tamako dared not hold back in the slightest. Her figure blurred, and her body split into three. This was, of course, not the Liberation Realm of Rogue Cultivators nor the Three Corpse Severance Realm of Banished Immortals, but rather an extremely advanced cloning technique.

The three clones of Princess Tamako stood back-to-back, each wielding two swords. With a total of six blades, they formed an impenetrable defense. But Zhang Yuelu's sword qi was finer than water. A few strands of fine sword qi slipped through Princess Tamako's defenses and landed upon her body.

In moments, several spots of blood appeared on Princess Tamako's body, yet none were vital wounds, and they did not hinder her movements.

Princess Tamako's sword flowed on without end as she gradually steadied her footing and blocked Zhang Yuelu's relentless assaults.

Zhang Yuelu did not grow impatient. She dispersed her Spiritual Body and flicked the blade of her sword with a finger.

It was as if a thunderclap exploded by Princess Tamako's ear, stunning her mind for a heartbeat.

By the time Princess Tamako regained her senses, Zhang Yuelu had already cut down two of her clones with a single strike, and her true body barely managed to block that sword.

Zhang Yuelu's sword flick was the Great Thunder Sword Technique from the Cihang Sword Sequence. It was akin to the Buddhist Lion's Roar, capable of shaking the opponent's spirit. At higher mastery, one could flick the sword and sing, combining the melody to bewitch the opponent's mind into dispersing killing intent and erasing all will to fight.

The Cihang Sword Sequence's Great Thunder Sword Technique was part of the Heart Series. It was considered the foundational prerequisite to the Buddha's Light of Salvation.

The Buddha's Light of Salvation was the most advanced technique of the Cihang Sword Sequence. Once shone upon by the Buddha Light, an opponent would fall to their knees in repentance on the spot. This was what the Buddhists called attaining Buddhahood, and this repentance could last for decades. The core principle was to use the Buddha's Light to completely suppress and bind the opponent's ego, then create an opposing inner demon, effectively turning them into an entirely different person.

Zhang Yuelu's sword strikes did not cease. Between strikes, Zhang Yuelu continuously vibrated her blade, sending out waves of thunderous boom, making it difficult for Princess Tamako to concentrate and soon driving her into decline.

Just then, three shadows surrounded Zhang Yuelu. Three ninjas leapt out, their blades aiming at her vital points, intending to cover Princess Tamako's retreat.

Zhang Yuelu showed no fear. She transformed the Amorphous Paper into three self-spinning paper lotuses, spiraling to intercept with unparalleled sharpness. The moment the ninja blades touched the lotus petals, they were shredded into pieces. One ninja had his entire arm caught within and instantly turned into a cloud of blood mist.

Immediately after, one large paper lotus split into three smaller ones, scattering through the air in an unpredictable pattern. The three ninjas were swiftly sliced into segments by the razor-sharp petals.

In both Daoist and Buddhist traditions, the lotus held a deep symbolic meaning. Yet at this moment, it had become a lethal weapon.

Still, these three ninjas' deaths were not without purpose. They had bought Princess Tamako a fleeting chance to breathe at the cost of their own lives.

Princess Tamako finally shook off the effects of the Great Thunder Sword and sheathed her dual blades. Instead, she drew a large bow and arrow from her magical receptacle. The people of Fenglin called it a daikyu. She bent the bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed it squarely at Zhang Yuelu from afar.

This was the Bow of Nasu no Yoichi, and by Daoist standards, it was considered a semi-immortal object.

Moreover, the arrows paired with it were of treasure quality, their power not to be underestimated. At the very least, they surpassed any bow and arrow formed from the Amorphous Paper.

The Amorphous Paper could take countless shapes, yet its versatility came at the cost of mediocrity in each form.

Miko generally had three types of weapons: tachi, bow and arrows, and the kagura suzu. This was why, when Qi Xuansu had met Asai To, he had asked if she knew how to use a sword or bow.

Compared to Asai To, Princess Tamako was, without a doubt, proficient in all three weapons. Should this arrow strike Zhang Yuelu, it could pierce even her Joyous Cloud Shield, so she might not escape unscathed.

Meanwhile, Qi Xuansu approached the black-robed monk. His demeanor carried a hint of domineering arrogance as he looked down and said, "Is that all you've got?"

The black-robed monk propped himself up and, to Qi Xuansu's surprise, spoke fluent Central Plains speech. "Such a formidable fist intention. Yet I cannot fathom how could a Martial Arts Practitioner with such strong blood qi travel underground using the Earth Escape Method?"

Qi Xuansu gave no answer and simply struck out with his fist again.

The joints of Qi Xuansu's entire body exploded in a crackling sound, his spine writhing and twisting like a dragon. The snapping and popping echoed without pause. He used not a shred of true essence and relied solely on his physique. His surging blood qi roared to the heavens. Were they not deep underground, even the clouds in the sky might have been scattered by it.

Every punch Qi Xuansu unleashed tugged at the elemental energy around them, creating swirling currents of air that ultimately merged into a vortex. It did not just target the black-robed monk but also pulled in all within range whose cultivation was inferior to Qi Xuansu's, dragging them within one meter of his body.

Once they entered this range, Qi Xuansu needed only to keep punching.

One man's punch was like a hundred men striking together. One man's step was like a hundred men marching in unison. The momentum of one man was like the force of a hundred.

His fist intention and blood qi merged as one, and a strange sight appeared. Red mist surged upward around Qi Xuansu's body.

The black-robed monk used the Giant Imprint, a technique from the Western Region Buddhist Sect. With each palm strike, ripples shaped like a giant handprint radiated outward, becoming as vast as a canopy, with black mist billowing in waves.

After more than a dozen exchanges, Qi Xuansu, still firmly in the upper hand, found his opening and gathered his power. A flawless fist roared toward the monk, instantly blocking his vision and overwhelming him from all directions.

However, the black-robed monk showed no fear. With a flick of his sleeve, the black smoke formed an invisible curtain before him, separating him from Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu's fist landed heavily on the curtain, but this barrier absorbed his immense force, completely dispersing his strike and overcoming hardness with softness.

The shift between hardness and softness was just a thought away for Martial Arts Practitioners in the Everchanging Realm. As his palm passed, ripples spread like the lifting of a curtain, revealing the figure hidden behind it.

Qi Xuansu's five fingers were spread wide, transforming into the Manly Immortal's Dragon Claw. He reached forward, his arm suddenly lengthening as he seized the monk's chest.

The black-robed monk gripped Qi Xuansu's wrist with one hand while keeping his other hand at his abdomen to guard against a Martial Arts Practitioner's double-arm strike from beneath the ribs.

Qi Xuansu twisted his wrist, the Dragon Claw vanishing. His entire arm slipped from the monk's grip like a snake.

Then Qi Xuansu suddenly spun around. A somewhat illusory dragon tail stretching 10 meters long appeared behind him, sweeping toward his foe.

This was the Manly Immortal's Dragon Tail.

Caught off guard, the black-robed monk was struck in the chest by the heavy, forceful Dragon Tail. His entire chest caved in, countless bones shattered, and his feet lifted from the ground as he was hurled backward.

The tail's momentum did not cease. It smashed through several stone pillars supporting the ceiling, sending massive chunks of rock crashing down amid a billowing cloud of dust.

Several shinkan and ronin who failed to dodge were buried alive beneath the falling debris.

Qi Xuansu himself was not spared. He, too, was buried under the debris. But in moments, a surge of overwhelming force burst from within, blasting apart the piled stones.

A giant Shaman rose from the rubble. This was the Manly Immortal's True Form.

Qi Xuansu strode forward. Though his figure was massive, there was no heaviness to his movements. Each step seemed to shrink the ground beneath him. In an instant, he arrived before the black-robed monk and once again manifested the Dragon Claw that was nearly indistinguishable from that of a true dragon, striking down fiercely.

The black-robed monk never expected Qi Xuansu to be so overbearing and unpredictable with his attacks. Left with no other choice, the monk activated his Buddhist Golden Body to withstand the blow.

A layer of golden lacquer coated the monk from head to toe, his entire body radiating golden light. His figure also swelled larger, resembling a gilded Buddha statue in a temple.

Under the force of Qi Xuansu's claw, the monk was driven deep into the ground, leaving only the upper part of his chest and head above the surface.

Qi Xuansu opened his mouth and spat forth a spiraling burst of qi, surging outward like a tornado. Sand and stone flew wildly, scattering in all directions.

The collapsing stones did not affect Princess Tamako.

She drew the Bow of Nasu-no-Yoichi to its maximum length and gathered a surge of divine power into the arrow's tip.

Zhang Yuelu had no way to evade.

In the next moment, Princess Tamako released the bowstring.

The instant her fingers loosened, the arrow had already pierced straight through Zhang Yuelu's heart.

Amazingly, the Joyous Cloud Shield could not block this arrow.

Zhang Yuelu's face turned deathly pale, her body swaying as if she could barely remain standing.

Princess Tamako's expression eased slightly, and she let out a breath of relief.

The miraculous quality of the Bow of Nasu-no-Yoichi was that it never missed its mark. Unless the difference in cultivation between the wielder and the target was overwhelmingly great, avoiding it was impossible.

Zhang Yuelu's figure turned ethereal, as though she might dissipate at any moment.

Suddenly, Princess Tamako sensed something was wrong. Zhang Yuelu's body seemed far too fragile. How could she disintegrate from a single arrow? This was not the physique a Heavenly Being should possess.

However, her realization came too late.

Although Princess Tamako immediately abandoned the Bow of Nasu-no-Yoichi and grasped the Kiku-ichimonji Norimune once more, she was still a step too late. A longsword was already pressing against the center of her back.

Princess Tamako could clearly sense the thunderous power gathered at the sword's tip. It was none other than Purple Afterglow.