Liu Shinian and Xue Gucheng returned to the royal palace to find a crowd gathered before a sleeping chamber called Xiu Fang Ge.
"Is Muye inside?" Liu Shinian approached and asked Hei Feng.
Hei Feng looked towards the chamber with a worried expression and said, "She is inside."
"Can I go in?"
"You'll probably have to wait a bit longer."
A moment later, Lin Er's voice was heard from within, "You can come in now."
The crowd surged into the room. Fortunately, the room was spacious enough; otherwise, it would have been difficult to accommodate so many people.
Liu Shinian moved closer and saw a person he was all too familiar with lying on the ornate bed. Around her wound, dark, ribbon-like black energy was swirling.
The black energy circled Muye, and anyone who approached would be met with fierce attacks.
Liu Shinian asked with confusion, "What is that?"
Lin Er explained, "That is resentment."
"Resentment?" everyone echoed, their curiosity piqued.
"Yes, it is the resentment from the Chi Xue Sword."
"Chi Xue Sword?" The crowd became even more curious and worried.
"Yes, the Chi Xue Sword is here," he said, pointing to a large brocade box on the table.
The crowd gathered around and gently opened it. Instantly, several streams of black energy shot out, revealing a completely red sword and the Long Yin Sword.
Lin Er stepped forward and closed the brocade box. He said to everyone, "This item is heavily demonic. You can only look at it once. That entirely red demonic sword is the Chi Xue Sword."
Yue Jiu, looking somewhat confused, asked, "So, who exactly left the Chi Xue Sword behind?"
Lin Er sighed slightly and replied, "We will tell you the full story when the Demon King wakes up."
At this point, the gazes of the crowd gradually shifted towards Muye.
Little did they know, I had already arrived somewhere else entirely.
I awoke from a dream to find myself surrounded by thick fog. My head felt heavy. I struggled to get up and called out, "Elder, Elder," but no one responded.
With no other choice, I pressed forward. Suddenly, I heard faint laughter and the clash of swords from deep within the mist.
Following the sounds, I discovered a small courtyard nestled in the depths of the fog. Beneath a sturdy cherry blossom tree sat two men, one in green and the other in red.
Despite it not being the blooming season, the cherry blossom tree was covered in vibrant, delicate pink flowers.
Petals drifted down and settled before the two men. Through the blossoms, I saw them each holding a sword and a pot of wine.
After taking a large gulp of wine, the man in green drew his sword and began to dance beneath the tree. His movements were fluid, like a dragon playing with a phoenix, with forward thrusts and backward parries.
The man in red clapped his hands gleefully. He then kicked his sword into the air, leaped up, caught the hilt, and thrust his sword forward. The man in green deflected the attack with his sword, and they both spun, their swords clashing again.
Watching from outside, I became engrossed and unconsciously began to mimic their movements. Though I had no sword in hand, I had the spirit of one, and I swayed my hands, imitating their dance.
Suddenly, the mist beneath my feet surged, lifting me up. Startled, I tumbled out of the fog and rolled down to the entrance of the courtyard.
Struggling to my feet in pain, I suddenly heard a loud voice, "Who goes there?"
My identity exposed, I pushed the gate open and walked towards them, bowing respectfully.
"I am Liu Muye. I don't know how I arrived here. I request both seniors to show me the way out."
"Liu Muye?" the man in green pondered the name.
The man in red smiled slightly and said, "Your name is quite similar to someone we knew before."
"Many people share similar names; it's not unusual. May I ask for your esteemed names?"
The man in red replied, "My name is Mo Zhidou."
The man in green added, "I am the Scarlet Flame Dragon King."
Mo Zhidou, the Scarlet Flame Dragon King – weren't these the owners of the Long Yin Sword and the Chi Xue Sword? I exclaimed in surprise.
"Are you perhaps the owners of the Long Yin Sword and the Chi Xue Sword?"
The two men laughed heartily and teased, "We never expected that even after our demise for so many years, someone would still remember us."
"Demise?" I felt a headache coming on; I couldn't understand what they were talking about.
Mo Zhidou said to the Scarlet Flame Dragon King, "I suspect the Long Yin Sword and the Chi Xue Sword have reappeared. It seems the world is about to be plunged into a bloodbath again."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King nodded in agreement and then asked me, "May I ask, young lady, what year is it outside?"
"I heard that you both died ten thousand years ago. It is now Tian Gu 3714, the Era of the Four Cities."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King sighed deeply and murmured to himself, "To think that ten thousand years have passed. These ten thousand years feel like a dream."
Mo Zhidou patted his shoulder to comfort him, "It's good I'm here, so you're not lonely. It's enough that we have another companion now."
"You are right."
Saying this, the two men walked arm-in-arm towards the thatched hut, completely ignoring my presence. I could only look around the courtyard on my own.
After an unknown amount of time, Mo Zhidou emerged from the hut, chuckling. Seeing me sitting energetically under the peach blossom tree, he asked,
"Aren't you tired?"
I frowned, unsure of what he meant. He explained, "A day and a night have already passed."
I looked up; the sky was still the same. He said to me,
"There is no night here, so you have to rely on your own senses."
Filled with questions, I asked him, "Seniors, where exactly is this place?"
At that moment, the Scarlet Flame Dragon King emerged from the hut and said, "This place is called Youmingjian, a place only the dead can come to."
A cold sweat broke out on me, and I quickly asked, "Then, am I dead?"
He scrutinized me and then said, "You are not quite dead yet. It seems the twin swords sent you here."
"Is there still hope for me?" I asked urgently. How could I leave before my great undertaking was complete?
"There is hope, but..." Mo Zhidou interjected, hesitating.
"But what?"
"But if you don't return within ten days to half a month, you might never be able to go back."
Hearing his words, my heart sank. I knew I was destined to die eventually, but since I wasn't completely dead yet, I had to live. Liu Shinian, Xue Gucheng, Lin Er – they were all waiting for me to return.
"Is there any way to return faster?" I asked.
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King shook his head helplessly.
"For ten thousand years, no one who has set foot in Youmingjian has been able to leave. Even the Lord of Xuanyuan Kingdom, with his immense power and ability to fight a hundred men, could not escape from here."
"Alas!" I sighed, feeling a pang of sorrow.
Mo Zhidou smiled slightly and comforted me, "Don't worry. At worst, you can stay here with us, drinking and enjoying ourselves, chatting about life."
"I refuse!"
He shrugged helplessly and then returned to the hut.
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King invited me, "We have an empty room here. If you are tired, you can come and stay."
"Okay, thank you."
Then, he too went inside.
I sat under the tree, contemplating my predicament. If I couldn't go back, would I be forced to stay here forever? Lost in thought, I gradually drifted into a doze.
In my sleep, I suddenly heard the sound of swords clashing. I opened my eyes and looked up to see Mo Zhidou and the Scarlet Flame Dragon King sparring before me.
Mo Zhidou's sword strikes were powerful and swift, moving left and right. The Scarlet Flame Dragon King wielded his sword with grace, his movements like a dragon's, striking out with force.
I watched with great interest, unconsciously clapping and cheering. Then, it struck me: why not learn their sword techniques?
So, I stepped forward and pleaded,
"Seniors, I wish to learn your sword techniques. Could you teach me?"
Mo Zhidou laughed heartily and stopped his swordplay, tossing it to me. "You try it."
I caught the sword and began, my movements fluid, my sword rising and falling, my parries and thrusts precise.
Mo Zhidou shook his head and said, "Your swordsmanship is not very good. You can only reach the level of a knight."
"Can you teach me? I really want to learn," I pleaded.
Seeing my sincerity, the Scarlet Flame Dragon King said to Mo Zhidou, "I think she genuinely wants to learn. Why don't we teach her?"
Mo Zhidou agreed it was feasible and asked me, "Whose sword technique do you wish to learn?"
"I want to learn both of yours."
"You have quite an appetite. Then, demonstrate the sword techniques we just performed."
"Alright."
I then began to dance with the sword, mimicking Mo Zhidou's powerful strikes, his left and right sweeps, his spinning attacks. Then, I emulated the Scarlet Flame Dragon King's graceful movements, his structured swordplay, his forceful strikes, and his unexpected techniques.
After the two sword dances, Mo Zhidou praised, "You've captured it quite well."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King also commented, "She does possess some ability."
"Then we shall teach her."
"Agreed."
"You teach the Long Yin Sword technique, and I will teach the Chi Xue Sword technique."
"Alright."
Having agreed, they looked at me. I returned the sword to Mo Zhidou, who smiled slightly and said,
"We've made our decision. Scarlet Flame will teach you the Long Yin Sword technique, and I will teach you the Chi Xue Sword technique."
Upon hearing this news, I was overjoyed. "Excellent, excellent! That's wonderful! Thank you both, seniors."
"Let's rest for today and practice tomorrow."
They then walked back into the hut, and I followed, entering the empty room that the Scarlet Flame Dragon King had mentioned. He hadn't lied; it was indeed bare.
Other than a plain wooden bed, there was nothing else. Did they sleep on these bare beds every day?
I lay down on it and found it acceptable, though not as comfortable as a padded mattress. I dozed off for a while. Soon after, I heard the sound of swordplay from outside.
I got up and looked out the window, seeing the Scarlet Flame Dragon King practicing his sword. Mo Zhidou sat under the cherry blossom tree, watching with great interest.
I slowly walked out of the room and joined them. Mo Zhidou saw me emerge and said,
"You're awake. Perfect timing to practice your sword."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King also stopped and tossed his sword to me.
"Here, I will teach you the Long Yin Sword technique."
"Senior, don't you use a sword?" I asked.
He casually swung his hand, breaking off a branch, and caught it.
"I'll use this. Watch closely. The first move I'll teach you is 'Dragon Emerging from the Sea'."
Saying this, he leaped up with agility, his movements graceful, the branch dancing in his hand as if it were a dragon freely swimming in the sea.
After demonstrating, he asked me to try the move. I followed his example, and then we practiced it together.
Mo Zhidou clapped his hands and exclaimed,
"Excellent, excellent! It seems you are truly a martial prodigy. You've grasped the essence after just one viewing. Remarkable, truly remarkable."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King continued, "Now, I will teach you the second move, 'Startling Dragon, Terrifying World'."
With that, he leaped into the air and unleashed a series of rapid strikes.
The branch whirled in his hand like an invisible umbrella. Then, he leaped to the side and struck, landing gracefully.
"Did you see that?" he asked me.
I nodded and said, "More or less."
"You try it." He then gestured for me to come forward and demonstrate. So, I drew my sword, leaped forward, and executed my moves quickly, but I still couldn't match his speed.
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King shook his head and said, "Not good enough. Your attack speed is slow. You need more practice."
Mo Zhidou encouraged, "It's alright. The Long Yin Sword techniques are inherently fast and complex. You won't master them without practice. Take your time."
The first two moves were passable. Seeing this, the Scarlet Flame Dragon King decided to teach me the third move.
"This third move is the ultimate technique of the Long Yin Sword, 'Dragon's Roar'. I suspect you've already seen the silver dragon on the Long Yin Sword, haven't you?"
I nodded.
He continued, "That silver dragon represents the final move, 'Dragon's Roar'. I will teach you."
With that, he swung the branch, leaped sideways, spun around, and struck with the branch. A gust of wind erupted, forming a faint, illusory dragon that flew forward.
Mo Zhidou clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Good! I never thought after so many years, this is the first time I've seen you use this move. Are you afraid I'll steal it?"
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King retorted, "Stop interrupting. You try it." He then looked at me.
I stepped forward and, following his posture, executed the move, but no illusory dragon emerged.
He explained, "This move requires powerful internal energy and sufficient frost power to unleash its full potential."
I nodded, indicating I understood.
Mo Zhidou chuckled and walked towards the hut, "Watching you practice swordsmanship makes me sleepy. I need to go back and get some rest."
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King ignored him and said to me,
"These three moves are the essence of the Long Yin Sword. Once you master them, you will be able to wield the Long Yin Sword freely."
"I will practice diligently."
Mo Zhidou reached the doorway and looked back, saying, "Practice these three moves well for the next few days. I'll teach you the Chi Xue Sword technique in a few days."
"Alright, thank you, seniors."
With that, he leisurely returned to the hut to sleep.
The Scarlet Flame Dragon King instructed me, "Practice these three moves diligently, and you will master them. I'm going to rest as well."
After they left, I sat alone under the cherry blossom tree, contemplating the three moves.
"Dragon Emerging from the Sea, Startling Dragon, Terrifying World, Dragon's Roar. If I can master these three moves, I will be able to wield the sword freely."
Thinking this, I couldn't help but feel happy, and I resumed practicing. After an unknown amount of time, my body ached, and I finally stopped. I returned to the hut and lay down on the bare bed to rest.
At this moment, a strange wind blew from a distance, carrying with it faint weeping sounds.
I dismissed it as my imagination and rolled over, falling into a deep sleep.
After sleeping for an unknown duration, I vaguely saw a red figure appear before me. Mistaking it for Liu Xiang, I called out,
"Liu Xiang, Liu Xiang."
Mo Zhidou stood by my bedside. Hearing the familiar name, he was startled and murmured to himself,
"She knows Liu Xiang?"
He then left me undisturbed and quietly walked out.