Starting with the divine power of the Great Vajra, he traversed the heavens.

Chapter 574 Two Swords in a Flash Upon Meeting

Seeing that Jin Tai was in high spirits and no longer depressed, Ren Shaoyang and Xiaoyaozi both laughed heartily.

Completely forgetting the formidable enemy at their side, they all unleashed their skills, attempting to rival Xiao Sheng's might.

Then, the roar of the waterfall, the clear sound of a flute, and the high-pitched howl rose up together, as if three giant dragons were crashing into the sky, flying higher and higher, with extremely powerful momentum.

The three competed with each other. Xiaoyaozi's flute playing became more urgent, but the sound of the waterfall and the howling nearby suppressed it. Ren Shaoyang used the waterfall as a drum, and the two attacked from both sides, forcing him to return to his original state. Jintai howled until his face turned red and his neck thickened. In no time, white steam was rising from the top of his head.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard.

Behind Ren Shaoyang, the waterfall flowed backwards, soaring into the sky; with a "crack," Xiaoyaozi's bamboo flute shattered; Jintai, having exhausted too much energy, staggered back a few steps and leaned against the railing, panting.

In an instant, all three of them froze, with only their panting remaining.

At that time, the sky was just beginning to lighten, the sun and moon were shining brightly, and birdsong gradually filled the air around the waterfall. The green bamboo was lush and the leaves were as sharp as knives and scissors.

"Heh, this is really interesting." Ren Shaoyang wiped his sweat with his sleeve. "A lose-lose situation?"

Xiaoyaozi looked at his bleeding fingers, expressionless: "Look what you've done!"

Jin Tai, having recovered, laughed and said, "I feel pretty good, so what?"

"Enjoy?" Xiaoyaozi turned around, staring at him with a murderous aura between his brows. "Did you know that the Kinnara King has arrived?"

Jin Tai laughed and said, "That's better than two against one!" As he spoke, he leaped forward and swung his palm at Ren Shaoyang.

Ren Shaoyang smiled calmly, and without even moving, he was already several feet away, raising his hand and waving his sleeve.

Chi Chi!

Two strands of sword silk emerged from the sleeves and stabbed towards the two men.

Jin Tai's palm strike missed its mark. He was alarmed and his figure flashed, suddenly leaping more than ten feet away.

With his sleeves billowing, Xiaoyaozi leaped and flew straight at the white-robed man, shouting, "Sword God Ren, you are truly being unreasonable!"

Ren Shaoyang chuckled: "My surname is Ren, the willful Ren!" With a casual flick of his wrist, sword threads split and shot out like a dense rain.

Unexpectedly, the sword threads shot out, but only flew to within five zhang of Xiaoyaozi before slowly falling down.

Without pausing, Xiaoyaozi suddenly flicked a finger towards Ren Shaoyang's chest. The force was gentle, yet it could pierce through metal and stone.

Unexpectedly, just a few feet away, a "clang" was heard, and a crimson sword shadow appeared, sparks flying everywhere.

Xiaoyaozi was surprised to see that the Dragon-Capturing Sword moved like a dragon, capable of transforming into silk to subdue enemies when advancing and turning back to protect himself when retreating.

Seeing the white-robed figure standing with his hands behind his back, glancing sideways at him, Xiaoyaozi felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

But Ren Shaoyang's eyes gleamed with a divine light as he chuckled and said, "Senior, may I take your 'Wind and Moon Sword'?" He raised his sleeve, revealing his slender right hand.

In an instant, a dappled moonlight enveloped him, casting shimmering shadows that illuminated every detail of his surroundings.

Ren Shaoyang simply looked down at his right hand, yet he inexplicably felt as if an arrow was on a bowstring, ready to be released.

In an instant, Xiaoyaozi felt a chill run down his spine, straight to the top of his head, and a faint stinging pain between his brows. He even had the illusion that someone was pointing an arrow at him.

On the other side, Jin Tai's advance slowed down, also due to some inexplicable apprehension.

"Boundless romance."

With a soft sigh, Ren Shaoyang raised his hand and waved it.

Xiaoyaozi and Jintai's expressions changed. With a light touch of their toes, they leaped onto the mountaintop like flying geese.

A sliver of moonlight rises over the lake, its soft glow illuminating the water and casting a dazzling, vibrant glow, while the mist rises and swirls endlessly.

call out!call out!
The moon's shadow split into two, sweeping across the sky.

Jin Tai was about to use the "Heavenly Cycle" to shift the Yin and Yang energies, but he was surprised to find that the moon shadow was not formed by true energy, but was actually real moonlight.

His pupils suddenly contracted as he watched the shimmering light before him flicker in and out of existence, both real and illusory.

Jin Tai unleashed both palms simultaneously, shouting, "Boundless Heaven and Earth!" A tremendous, unparalleled force swept across the area.

boom!
A loud bang erupted, and a halos of Bagua light rose out of thin air, rapidly rotating between the two.

Jin Tai suddenly shouted loudly, and his whole body flew straight into the sky, falling far off the peak.

Ren Shaoyang's figure floated backward, his hands trembling.

Suddenly, a loud "crash" was heard, and the arched bridge suddenly exploded and fell into the lake.

On the other side of the waterfall, Xiaoyaozi's figure was ethereal, flashing and leaping on the mountain wall.

But that sliver of moonlight followed him relentlessly, eerily so. Suddenly it turned, winding like a snake, circling around Xiaoyaozi incessantly.

The cliff face was covered in flying shards of rock, with a constant hissing sound.

"Such bizarre swordsmanship, unlike anything from the Central Plains!"

Seeing that Yueying was getting closer and closer, Xiaoyaozi immediately rushed over with his sword and swept three palms towards Ren Shaoyang.

Ren Shaoyang remained motionless. When the palm strike arrived, his robes expanded and contracted, calmly deflecting the incoming force.

Xiaoyaozi was secretly surprised and wanted to step forward to fight, but then he saw Ren Shaoyang suck in the moon shadow.

In an instant, Ren Shaoyang's seven orifices shone with white light, which shot towards him.

The two had fought once at Yanziwu and knew each other well, so they didn't hesitate to attack now.

While Xiaoyaozi's moves were indeed cunning and elusive, with unpredictable advances and retreats, Ren Shaoyang's sword strikes were even more lightning-fast, powerful and heavy, capable of dragging oxen and crouching elephants.

Even with Xiaoyaozi's abilities, he felt a tightness in his chest after taking several sword strikes. The opponent's strange force remained in his meridians, impossible to expel or dispel, and accumulated over time, eventually causing blockages and stagnation.

Just then, Jin Tai descended from the sky again, unleashing a series of powerful punches.

In an instant, the situation became one where the two of them joined forces against the Sword God.

Ren Shaoyang's eyes gleamed, and he burst out laughing: "Good, interesting!" But his movements were both real and elusive, anticipating the enemy's moves and dodging numerous attacks.

Seeing that Jin Tai and the other man's attacks were slightly weaker, he immediately closed in, his swordsmanship strange and mysterious, full of wild ideas, always striking from unexpected angles.

Xiaoyaozi and Jintai grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed, having already harbored doubts. They had both fought against Ren Jianshen before, and were not only intimately familiar with his swordsmanship but also quite knowledgeable about it.

This person is skilled in swordsmanship, with the "Kunlun Three Elements Sword" being the best. The "Kunlun Three Elements Sword" is based on the principles of heaven and earth, exhausting the three realms of existence. It is profound and extensive, and only those with extraordinary talent can practice it.

In Ren Shaoyang's hands, this sword, wielded with the "One Thought at a Time" technique and combined with the miraculous power of capturing dragons, was truly unrestrained and infinitely wondrous. Jin Tai and Xiaoyaozi had previously fought against it and, though horrified by its terrifying power, believed that with their profound divine skills, they could easily suppress it and defeat it.

Unexpectedly, when they met, Ren Shaoyang pulled out the powerful move "Wind and Moon Sword Qi". Especially now that he was surrounded by moonlight, his moves were even more flexible, mysterious and unpredictable.

The three figures flickered on the lake, in the sky, and amidst the waterfall.

Before fifty moves were up, Jin Tai and Xiao Yaozi were suppressed and their momentum greatly diminished. They felt white light swirling before their eyes, and figures and sword shadows flickering all around them, as if they were in an invisible cage, making it difficult for them to exert their full strength.

The more they fought, the more uncomfortable they became, realizing that Ren Shaoyang's swordsmanship was far superior to Murong Longcheng's, and that his level of skill and the strangeness of his moves were something they had never seen before.

Even more so, Jin Tai felt that this person was holding back in every move, as if he still had some trump cards up his sleeve.

As a result, the two men's morale was further dampened, and they encountered a series of dangerous situations.

Ren Shaoyang unleashed several sword strikes in quick succession, like towering peaks piercing the sky, a truly magnificent sight. The two men were awestruck by the spectacle, marveling at his feats repeatedly.

Suddenly, he twisted his sword, using the energy he had generated earlier to stir up the wind and rain, which in turn drew the waterfall and transformed it into a white dragon that roared towards him. The dragon employed a technique of concealing its presence before revealing its power, which was extremely mysterious.

"What a sword god! Truly, there is no one like him before or since!"

Jin Tai punched the dragon head twice, but he was also shocked and his whole body went numb. He fell backward into the lake.

It truly lived up to Xiaoyaozi's words—he lost face big time.

At the same time, Ren Shaoyang thrust his sword back, and the scattered water dragon transformed into thousands of glittering, slender water swords, shooting out like lightning and stabbing towards Xiaoyaozi's body.

With a sweep of his sleeves, resembling the wings of a roc spreading its wings, Xiaoyaozi absorbed countless water swords. He chuckled, about to utter some witty remarks, when suddenly he felt a violent jolt within his body. The previous blockage and stagnation erupted abruptly, causing him to scream in agony and collapse to the ground.

Ren Shaoyang landed leisurely on the water, rolled up his sleeves, and stood with his hands behind his back.

The vast lake suddenly fell silent. After a while, a loud splash was heard, and Jin Tai burst out of the water, laughing loudly, "Shao Yang, I am convinced! You are truly the best in the world!"

Ren Shaoyang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

“Indeed.” Suddenly, Xiaoyaozi said quietly, “Back then, I didn’t admire Zhao Da, but I admire you!”

Ren Shaoyang turned his head and saw that Xiaoyaozi was standing to one side at some point, his eyes bright as stars.

"Do you understand why I'm fighting you now?" Ren Shaoyang said with a smile.

Xiaoyaozi laughed and said, "I still don't understand." Ren Shaoyang looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly, the wispy clouds were still, the birds chirped softly all around, and the green shade, like a knife or scissors, cut the blue sky and white clouds in a natural and exquisite way.

"I don't pursue winning, nor do I pursue losing." The man in white robes stood with his hands behind his back, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I don't pursue happiness, nor do I pursue tears."

Jin Tai and Xiaoyaozi exchanged glances and asked in unison, "Then what are you pursuing?"

Ren Shaoyang turned to look at them and laughed, "Two sword strikes in a flash upon meeting."

The scene remained silent for a long time. After a while, Xiaoyaozi, feeling a bitter taste in his mouth, said, "Is that all?"

Ren Shaoyang, shrugging, said, "What else?"

Xiaoyaozi was taken aback and didn't know how to answer.

“I understand.” Jin Tai sighed. “You have actually reached the state of ‘not being attached to external things.’ How wonderful.”

Ren Shaoyang waved his hand and laughed, "I'm still a little short."

"Life is short, barely a hundred years." Xiaoyaozi sighed, "My name is Xiaoyao, yet I cannot be carefree."

“Yes.” Jin Tai looked at him with a complicated expression. “If only I could be as carefree as you, Shao Yang.”

Ren Shaoyang shook his head and said, "I am a man without a ruler or father, and I am lawless. The world would be better off with fewer Ren Shaoyangs and more Jin Tais!"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyaozi's expression became complicated.

Jin Tai, his blood boiling, exclaimed, "Excellent! To receive such praise from Shao Yang, I am overjoyed!" He smacked his lips, "It's just a pity that the jar of fine wine is gone; I wonder what it was called?"

Ren Shaoyang shook his head: "I don't know, I just found it in a tree nearby."

Jin Tai and Xiaoyaozi were caught off guard and paused for a moment before asking, "Which tree is it on?"

Ren Shaoyang pointed to a shady spot beside the waterfall and said quietly, "There it is."

The two looked in that direction and saw that the flowering trees were lush and rustling in the wind, everything was so natural.

Suddenly, a voice came from the waterfall: "This wine is called 'Tears of Parting,' a product that rivals even the finest immortals. Every jar you drink is one less jar available."

someone!

Someone really is hiding in the waterfall!
Xiaoyaozi and Jintai felt a chill run down their spines and turned to look at the waterfall.

Ren Shaoyang laughed heartily and said, "Since the divine monk has come, why not show yourself?"

"They actually came!" Jin Tai scoffed, "They've been hiding all along, haven't they?"

The man snorted coldly, stepped out of the waterfall, and looked at the three of them, his eyes gleaming with a deep purple light.

It was none other than the Sweeping Monk!
He said softly, "Greetings, three peerless masters." His voice was not loud, but gentle and soft, reaching everyone's ears.

But when it travels far, it sounds like a great bell, resonant and deep, shaking mountains and valleys.

Amidst the mountains, a buzzing sound echoed incessantly, reverberating with only two words.

"The pinnacle, the pinnacle, the pinnacle."

Hearing the sound approaching from afar and then returning, Ren Shaoyang frowned, took out a jade flute from his sleeve, brought it to his lips, and began to play it in a mournful tone.

The sound of the flute resounded across the lake, the notes stirring the spirit of heaven and earth. A gentle melody, as ethereal as smoke, intertwined with the words "Summit," flowing back and forth.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyaozi and Jintai exhaled a long breath, feeling as if the clouds had parted and the sun had finally come out.

The two exchanged glances and thought to themselves, "Just now, our blood was churning and our minds were unsettled, which gave this old bald monk an opportunity to take advantage of us. If Ren Shaoyang hadn't broken the spell with his flute, we would probably have been in serious trouble."

"Amitabha!"

Seeing that his scheme had been foiled, the sweeping monk clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha's name, his voice like a Buddhist chant, lingering in the air and echoing through the valley.

Ren Shaoyang stood against the wind, elegant and unconventional.

He raised his flute and played, the music soaring from the holes like a thousand phoenixes, circling the heavens and earth, sometimes far, sometimes near, blending into the roar of the waterfall, exceptionally ethereal and beautiful.

The music played by both a layman and a monk was driven by supernatural powers, shaking the soul and making it extremely difficult to bear.

Xiaoyaozi tried his best to resist, but he couldn't help but become engrossed in the music. It was as if his soul and spirit were leaving his body and dancing along with it. When he thought of Canghai dying to save him, he felt a pang of sorrow, his blood rushed to his head, and tears streamed down his face.

Because of insufficient vital energy, he wanted to cry but could not. The sorrow in his chest grew thicker and thicker, and he could not vent it. Gradually, his face turned pale and his eyes became dull.

Xiaoyaozi stared fixedly ahead, tears streaming down his face, and cried out, "Canghai, why did you take that poisoned needle for me? Why did you die for me? Do you know how much I've suffered all these years?"

This old Taoist priest, though seemingly carefree, was actually filled with self-pity and suffering, but due to his status, he always kept it to himself.

Suddenly, it burst forth, becoming unstoppable.

Just then, Jin Tai burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the valley. He clapped his hands and laughed, "Old bald monk, Sword God Ren, Confucius said, 'Sorrow without despair.' You are a living god and a living sword god! Instead of comparing kung fu, you're comparing this messy, sour music. Doesn't that make people burst out laughing?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Shaoyang's flute playing gradually subsided, the sweeping monk also stopped speaking, and the chanting dissipated.

Jin Tai was overjoyed to see that he had resolved such a critical situation, and he couldn't help but press his waist and let out a long roar: "Strike down the Yin Emperor, bravely attack Jingchu!" The murderous aura in his song soared straight to the sky.

Ren Shaoyang held the jade flute and said with a smile, "Marshal Jin is as bold as ever, congratulations."

Jin Tai stopped singing and laughed heartily, "I love listening to Shao Yang! Once this matter is settled, let's drink to our hearts' content, three hundred cups!"

"Alright." Ren Shaoyang chuckled. "I'll invite my sister and Ding'an, and we'll drink together."

Upon hearing the name "Ding'an," a purple light flashed in the sweeping monk's eyes.

"That's great!" Jin Tai clapped his hands and laughed, then turned to Xiaoyaozi, "Senior, didn't you also lose face?"

Xiaoyaozi covered his face with his sleeve and said awkwardly, "With a formidable enemy at hand, let's not say anything more!"

"Hahaha!" Jin Tai laughed heartily. He turned his gaze to the sweeping monk and said with a smile, "Divine monk, we meet again."

"Amitabha." The sweeping monk chanted a Buddhist prayer and calmly said, "Marshal Jintai, a ruler's word is law. You are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. How do you plan to explain this to the emperor?"

Master Jin laughed and said, "The divine monk underestimates the Emperor, and he also underestimates me!" Suddenly, his smile vanished, and he roared angrily, "I would like to ask you, how do you plan to explain your use of magic to influence the Emperor?" This angry roar soared into the sky, resounding through the clouds, causing the lake water to ripple and the rocks to shake.

The old monk remained silent, then looked at him closely and said, "Who is helping the official?"

Jin Tai smiled and said, "Zhang Jingduan, the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain."

The old monk sighed, "It's him!" He shook his head and smiled, "Young Zhang's magic is nothing special, but he has the 'Jade Wind Hammer' and 'Kui Thunder Drum' in his hands. These two magical artifacts have great fortune and broke my spell, which leaves me speechless."

"So, it wasn't me who deceived the emperor," Jin Tai said with a shrug and a smile. "It was you who deceived the emperor!"

"Deceiving the emperor?" the old monk laughed. "It's just a bit of fun with a child."

Upon hearing this, Jin Tai's face darkened: "What a shameless living god or Buddha!"

The old monk didn't look at him, but instead looked at the smiling white-robed man, and sighed, "Many are human but not human, I am not human but resemble human. Alas, how can Buddha possibly save all people in this world?"

"You want to transcend the world?" Ren Shaoyang asked with a smile.

"In this vast world, I have seen far more non-human beings than true men," the sweeping monk sighed, bowing his head. "How dare I claim to have saved the world?"

Ren Shaoyang understood and laughed, "So you're waiting for that dragon in Suolong Town, wanting to enlighten it before returning to the Buddhist Kingdom."

The old monk looked up and sized him up, as if only then seeing him clearly, and said, "So you have a background. No wonder you don't fit in with the world. You should find a place to go."

Ren Shaoyang, with his hands behind his back, asked, "What do you mean?"

The old monk smiled and said, "Back then, Benefactor Ren had a snake-like mark on his mouth, a sign of illness, poverty, and a violent death. Now, with your kidney water rising and your metal energy returning to its origin, it has formed the shape of two dragons holding a pearl. This shows that you have made progress in your cultivation. As the saying goes, 'My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven.'"

Ren Shaoyang clapped his hands and laughed, "Indeed, your insight is remarkable, truly admirable." He then changed the subject, "So, Master, are you going to enlighten me?"

The old monk shook his head and said, "You are not a Buddhist or Taoist, but you have an affinity with them. I will not harm your physical body." He paused, "but I will not allow you to become a 'true person' either."

Ren Shaoyang narrowed his eyes, then put his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky, and the scene quieted down again.

At this moment, the sun shines brightly in the sky, and auspicious clouds fill the air—it's truly a beautiful day.

The old monk laughed and said, "Sword God Ren, leave now."

Ren Shaoyang glanced at him, then suddenly laughed, "You're domineering and cunning, not someone who's easy to talk to." He chuckled mischievously, "Are you afraid of my powerful backer?"

Upon hearing this, the old monk sighed inwardly, "It's a pity this person has an affinity with Buddhism but hasn't taken refuge. Otherwise, with his help, how could he not smoothly return to the Buddhist realm? It would be better than wallowing in the mire of this mortal world."

"Oh, by the way," Ren Shaoyang said with a smile, "is the person you want to enlighten surnamed Shang?"

The sweeping monk suddenly revealed an extremely strange expression, seemingly both frightened and joyful, his mouth agape and eyes wide open, standing there dumbfounded.

"You actually knew that?" The old monk shook his head. "You shouldn't know!"

(End of this chapter)