Volume One: The Turmoil of Yan and Yun Chapter Eighty-Four: Myriad Stars and Celestial Phenomena (Part Five)

If Feng Qi understood the current situation in Yanbei, he would surely think the person who devised this plan was a fool. Bohai intends to rebel—what does that have to do with Yanbei? Risking the condemnation of the world by attacking Yanbei, only to ultimately let those barbarians into the heartland—what is the purpose?

Yet, upon closer consideration, it’s not entirely incomprehensible. Bohai borders Yanbei; if they cannot swiftly capture Wuyang by a long-range assault, a prolonged tug-of-war could easily result in Yanbei striking at their home base. But is Guangnan incapable of doing the same? Guangnan has its own King, General Mao Zhimin, and the sects Xueyun, Tianxiang, and Wuxing are all stationed there. Should Guangnan intervene, what could Bohai possibly do?

Unfortunately, Feng Qi is unaware that Yanbei is currently beset on all sides. He is now preoccupied with dealing with the astral projection—his second self—barely able to spare a thought for anything else.

It must be said, melodrama has its justification. What challenge is greater than surpassing oneself?

He repeatedly employed the Great Monument Shattering Palm, the Trace-less Sword Eye, the Lifeless Sword Vault, Sword Shoes Across Rivers and Mountains, and even Sword Pavilion’s One Sword Through Time and Treading Snow Peak’s Swallow Returning to the Sun, yet none could secure victory.

Once the Astral’s eyes began to shine, his attacks rarely landed, as if punching into cotton. He considered resorting to tricks, but each attempt was anticipated and dismantled at the outset.

At first, he didn’t understand, but eventually realized: human calculation cannot outpace celestial calculation. The Astral is, after all, a reflection of the stars; its computational prowess is—indeed—celestial calculation.

With this in mind, Feng Qi abandoned strategy, relying entirely on instinct for every move. For a time, he managed to wound the Astral several times, but no matter how keen his combat intuition, it lacked thoughtful deliberation. Acting without reflection, he made mistakes, and in a moment of carelessness, suffered several blows from the Astral, sustaining serious injuries.

Looking at his opponent, Feng Qi thought this fellow was truly a headache—more daunting than facing the divine guards of the Hunyuan Realm.

In attack, defense, and speed, the Astral matched him perfectly. Even when he broke through a realm, the Astral would instantly advance as well. But this was not the fatal issue. The real problem was that his own strength diminished over time, while the Astral did not.

It was as though he faced a version of himself with boundless energy and spirit.

How does one fight a cheater?

Is there any way left to defeat him?

No sooner had these thoughts arisen than Feng Qi was startled, realizing he had almost broken his invincible resolve over a mere Astral projection.

He felt a lingering dread, but was already at a complete disadvantage. How could he possibly secure victory?

His aura was waning; his invincible self was on the verge of collapse.

When that happened, how could he withstand the Astral’s relentless attack?

No time to ponder further—several sword lights shot toward him. Feng Qi tapped his toes, dodging each one. As he prepared to counterattack, he noticed the sword lights, once evaded, now turned and charged at him again.

Swallow Chasing the Moon?

Feng Qi mused that even he hadn’t fully mastered this move, rarely using it against opponents. Why was it so effortlessly wielded by the Astral?

Fortunately, though Swallow Chasing the Moon was cunning, its countermeasures were clear. He shifted slightly, and as the sword lights neared, he retreated several steps, leaving behind a proportional afterimage. The sword lights struck the afterimage, emitting a dazzling glow before vanishing.

Swallow Returning to the Sun can break Swallow Chasing the Moon—it’s a tale recorded in the Dao Canon.

Not only Swallow Chasing the Moon; except for a few techniques like Trace-less Sword Eye, Swallow Returning to the Sun is said to break all others.

One peril evaded, another arrived.

A new sun suddenly rose behind the Astral.

Radiant light flooded forth.

“Great Radiance Sword?” Feng Qi was shocked. “Weren’t we supposed to be equals? Why are you suddenly using moves I haven’t learned? That’s rather unfair!”

The Astral ignored him.

From the light, three swords shot forth.

Cloud Platform’s Three Falls of Snowcloud Sect.

Feng Qi countered with Tai Xuan Mountain’s Dao Techniques.

The Astral stepped forward.

Three more swords emerged from the light.

Three Pine Swords of Five Terrace Mountain.

Feng Qi responded with Zen’s Monument Shattering Palm.

The Astral stepped forward again.

Countless sword lights appeared in the radiance, finally converging into a single blade.

Feng Qi sighed, thinking that sword possessed the peerless grandeur of Sword Shoes Across Rivers and Mountains, yet the delicate elegance of Little Sword of Cold Cottage. How could he deal with it?

He drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and struck with his sword.

Thousand Edge Sword.

In an instant, the Thousand Edge Sword was utterly overwhelmed, forcing Feng Qi back several steps. Blood spurted from his mouth, nearly shattering his Invincible Golden Body.

Perhaps the taste of blood awoke something in him; his eyes burned with wild battle spirit. He stepped forward again and struck.

Sword Shoes Across Rivers and Mountains.

It didn’t end there; borrowing the momentum, Feng Qi unleashed thirty-three consecutive strikes—the utmost he could manage, matching the thirty-three sword techniques he had mastered.

Each of the thirty-three swords bore the essence of Sword Shoes Across Rivers and Mountains, yet each displayed its distinctive character.

“How could it be used this way!” Forcing together so many disparate sword arts, though altering the flow of energy, still placed enormous strain on Feng Qi’s body. He looked wretched—bloodied all over, sword robe torn to shreds by conflicting sword energies, resembling a beggar’s rags. Yet his eyes were bright, his laughter hearty.

“This sword is called Sword Sweeping Eight Wilds!”

Great Radiance Sword was blocked by Sword Sweeping Eight Wilds; thirty-three streams of sword energy intertwined within the newborn sun, finally slicing it into droplets of radiant rain, scattering over the Astral.

“I knew it—you couldn’t possibly wield the Great Radiance Sword.” Feng Qi laughed bitterly. “Turns out you’re just a pretender.”

If it were truly that one’s Great Radiance Sword, how could it crumble under such an assault?

“A pretender?” For the first time since the battle began, the Astral spoke. “Now you are gravely wounded, your very core harmed. How can you still fight me?”

Feng Qi neither affirmed nor denied, simply saying, “That is a problem.”

He paused, then grinned, pointing at the Astral, “But you can’t be faring much better.”

The Astral was taken aback, about to retort when he noticed points of starlight appearing over himself.

What was happening?

He looked down and found his body dissolving into starlight.

“What did you do?” The Astral was silent for a moment, then asked, “Have you discovered the solution?”

Feng Qi shook his head, “I don’t know, but it must be related to Sword Sweeping Eight Wilds.”

The Astral’s expression was one of understanding. “Seems you still haven’t comprehended it.”

Feng Qi said, “But I will, eventually.”

He stepped forward, slowly plunged his sword into the Astral’s heart, and watched as the Astral dissolved into starlight.

“All phenomena are broken; next comes the stars.” Feng Qi tossed a few pills into his mouth to steady his injuries, then looked toward the sky.

The Astral was gone, but the stars remained.

He gazed at them, lost in thought, until the ache in his wounds pulled him back.

“It hurts. I’d better heal, or else breaking this formation won’t be easy.” Feng Qi muttered between gritted teeth. “Never expected to actually harm my Dao foundation. Luckily, I was born with affinity for the Dao—otherwise, this would be nearly impossible.”

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