Chapter 35: Azure Lotus Sword Song's Second Form — Two Elements! Ye Lingling Arrives, Li Dixian Accepts the Challenge
That night.
The cold pond reflected the moon, and hot springs steamed with clouds.
The mist from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well intertwined and rose under the starlight, distinct yet a unified whole.
A white-robed swordsman arrived, treading on the moon, his toes shattering a pond full of starlight.
Li Dixian floated down gracefully to the center of the spring eyes.
His thoughts were clear, his gaze like lightning, captivating the soul.
The Azure Lotus Sword sensed its master's clear sword heart and let out a clear, long hum.
With the sword in hand, Li Dixian's body moved slightly.
The sword's blade swept from the fire spring to the cold spring, the water rippling in circles.
"Forged into a blade by ice, tempered to a sharp edge by fire, the harmonious blend of hard and soft reveals the true essence of the Sword Dao."
Whoosh whoosh—
Whoosh whoosh—
The wind suddenly picked up, as if in response.
The three-foot, six-inch Azure Lotus Sword was as clear and pure as jade.
The sword's spine split in the middle, one side crimson like surging lava, the other icy blue like the chill of the polar regions.
"The Yang is scorching; the sword emerges like a great sun descending!"
Li Dixian's wrist flickered, and the sword's crimson flames erupted violently.
Each strike carried the force of a meteor falling to earth, and the air twisted like transparent snakes wherever the scorching waves passed.
"The Yin is frost; the sword retracts as if sealing an eternal night!"
Li Dixian's sword momentum suddenly shifted, and a deep blue cold light condensed at the tip.
Where the sword qi swept, frost patterns spread like a spiderweb, plants instantly crystallized with frost, and the wind shattered them into powder.
Boom—!!!
Ice and fire colored sword qi intertwined and shot into the sky, tearing through the night sky.
Li Dixian leaped up.
When he landed, within ten feet of him, the left half of the soil was scorched black and cracked, while the right half had formed inch-thick ice shards.
It was as if a Tai Chi Two Elements diagram had appeared, centered on him.
The sword's tip vibrated slightly, and the ice and fire phenomena on the blade receded, restoring its cool jade-like color.
Li Dixian ran his fingers over the newly formed Yin Yang fish patterns on the sword's spine, pondered for a moment, then chuckled:
"The second form of the Azure Lotus Sword Song is called..."
"Two Elements."
"This 'Two Elements' form is divided into the Sword of Scorching and the Sword of Frost."
"The sword has three realms: the lower sword slays people, the middle sword slays oneself, and the upper sword slays the night."
"If…"
"The first form of the Azure Lotus Sword Song—Shaking Light—was a wisp of starlight I stole, where the sword's edge not only took lives but also stole heavenly light."
"Then this second form of the Azure Lotus Sword Song—Two Elements—is a thread of Yin Yang I intercepted, meant not only to sever life and death but also to glimpse creation."
"Hoo..."
Li Dixian exhaled the stale air from his chest and tilted his head back, taking a large gulp of wine.
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
"The second form of the Azure Lotus Sword Song is complete!"
"I, Li Dixian, have finally emerged from seclusion!"
The next day.
The sky was faintly dawning.
Li Dixian returned to his small courtyard.
From a distance, he saw a slender figure, carrying large and small bundles, standing quietly at the door.
This person was Ye Lingling.
Li Dixian walked closer, noticing that the girl hadn't yet noticed him.
He felt playful.
He leaned close to the girl's ear.
And let out a loud "Aow!"
"Ah—!"
Ye Lingling shivered in fright.
Everything in her hands fell to the ground.
She didn't say a word, but just kept her cool, delicate face taut, and bent down to pick them up.
Li Dixian pouted, flicking his fingertip, and a wisp of pliant sword qi rolled up the items on the ground, gently delivering them into Ye Lingling's arms.
"Ye Lingling, why are you at my house?"
Ye Lingling pursed her lips, her azure eyes quickly glanced at Li Dixian, then lowered, offering the items in her hands, her voice clear like an icy spring:
"For you."
Li Dixian didn't take them but instead scrutinized Ye Lingling, looking at her blue hair, damp with morning dew, and asked:
"Did your mother send you?"
Ye Lingling was silent.
Li Dixian understood and asked again:
"Do you come every morning?"
Still no reply.
"Sigh..."
Li Dixian sighed softly, unlocking and pushing open the door himself.
"Go back and tell your mother that I have no interest whatsoever in the old grudges between the Nine Star Begonia and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
As his voice fell.
He stepped into the courtyard.
Ye Lingling followed close behind.
Bang—!
The courtyard door slammed shut instantly.
It nearly hit her upturned nose.
The girl's eyelashes were lowered, her slender figure stubbornly stood in place, still clutching tightly to the gifts her mother had told her to deliver.
There was no expression on her exquisitely beautiful face.
She was cool and ethereal, yet she looked like a small animal abandoned in the wind and rain.
Lost and helpless, alone and without reliance.
Li Dixian cast the Ye family's matters to the back of his mind.
He hadn't returned for days.
Thick dust had already accumulated in the room.
He pointed his fingers like a sword, sweeping through the air, and a strong gust of wind rose in the room, swirling dust everywhere.
Then he waved his sleeve, and the wind gathered the dust into a ball, which he casually flicked out of the room.
After tidying up the corners and arranging his clothes, half an hour had passed.
Looking at the refreshed small house, Li Dixian nodded with satisfaction.
Next, it was time to tend to the courtyard.
Li Dixian pushed open the door and entered the small courtyard.
At this moment, his brows furrowed, and his gaze turned towards the courtyard gate; that faint aura outside the door was still there.
"Still not leaving?"
Li Dixian walked forward and pulled open the courtyard door.
With a creak, Ye Lingling's cool yet delicate face appeared again.
"For you."
Sweat beaded on her forehead as she offered the gifts to Li Dixian.
"Ye Lingling, are you really this stubborn?"
Li Dixian's brows were tightly furrowed, his words leaving no room for negotiation.
"I cannot accept anything from your Ye family."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Ye Lingling's gaze fell on the clear spring wine pot tucked at his waist, and she blinked her blue eyes, suddenly saying:
"Inside... there's aged wine my mother gave you."
—
The air solidified for a moment.
Li Dixian suddenly turned around, a spring-like, gentle smile blooming on his handsome face:
"Oh, isn't this Ye Lingling!"
"You said you were just coming, why bring anything?"
Ye Lingling's red lips were slightly parted, staring blankly at the white-robed youth's sudden change of heart.
Li Dixian picked through the pile of heavenly treasures, finally selecting a small wine pot, and happily entered the courtyard.
And this time, the courtyard door remained open.
Ye Lingling silently followed him in.
Seeing the dusty courtyard, she silently rolled up her sleeves and began to clean.
Li Dixian didn't stop her, but instead sat on the stone stool in the courtyard, uncorked the wine pot, and took a delightful sip.
He smacked his lips.
"Hmm, not bad, it has some of the lingering charm of flower wine."
"Too bad, it's still a bit lacking to be poured into my clear spring wine pot."
Watching Ye Lingling clumsily but earnestly wield the broom.
Li Dixian casually swiped his fingertip, and an invisible sword qi swept through the courtyard, gathering all the dust into a corner.
Ye Lingling sat opposite him, her eyes downcast, silent.
"Can you drink?"
Li Dixian pushed the wine pot towards her.
"It's from you, after all."
Ye Lingling took the wine pot and tilted her head back, taking a large gulp.
"Cough cough!"
"Cough cough!"
The pungent alcohol fumes rushed straight to her lungs; she covered her mouth, coughing, her cheeks flushed, and her blue eyes clouded with a shimmering mist.
Li Dixian took back the wine pot, frowning:
"If you can't drink it, then don't."
"I was asking you just now, not forcing you."
Ye Lingling wiped the wine stains from the corners of her lips, her voice carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible gasp:
"Mother told me to listen to you."
"Whatever you tell me to do, I will do."
Li Dixian's brows furrowed even deeper.
"What about you? Don't you have anything you want to do yourself?"
Gazing at the girl's face, which was less cool and more devoid of spirit, leaving only numb obedience, Li Dixian waved his hand:
"Forget it, let's not talk about this."
"Hmm, anything new happening in Heaven Dou City recently?"
Ye Lingling thought for a moment.
"Yes."
"A fat man calling himself the Evil Fire Phoenix arrived in the Imperial City and has won nearly fifty consecutive matches in the Soul Arena."
"He declared that he wants to challenge Jian Jiu."
She paused, looking at Li Dixian.
"He wants to break Jian Jiu's sword and overturn his wine."
Li Dixian's motion of raising the pot paused slightly, then he calmly brought the wine to his mouth.
Clack—
The wine pot was placed on the stone table.
He stood up, tall and straight.
Ye Lingling also rose.
"Where are you going?"
"The Soul Arena."
Thank you, dear readers, for your enthusiastic support. Starting tomorrow, there will be three updates a day.
I'll thank those who gave rewards tomorrow, okay~~
The humble author bows with chest exposed~~
Please vote~~