Chapter 154: The Real and Fake Sword Manuals

He had exhausted all his efforts and thought of every method. In the end, it was all for nothing, and his work went to waste!

Seeing Yanyulou, whose strength was unfathomable and who coldly blocked the way, Mu Feng felt his hands and feet turn cold. In that instant, he even felt a sense of complete despair.

The three Late Elite Realm experts, Flying Sky Bat, Fourth Lady Mei, and Feng Qianjin, joined forces to attack, but they could only barely block Yanyulou, the Honored Guest Elder of the Sword Hall. Mu Feng was badly injured and had to protect the fragile Jing Wushuang and the powerless Old Man Li. On this wide river surface, how could they be a match?

They couldn’t even counterattack; there was nowhere to hide!

“Brilliant, impressive! The person Daoist Mayi has his eye on is indeed extraordinary!”

Yanyulou looked over Mu Feng, who stood at the bow of the boat. Her usually cold eyes held a hint of admiration. “You had the carriage take the land route to lure away the strong enemies, then suddenly changed to the water route to evade the surprise attack of the cold-blooded killers. After that, you disguised yourself and took the land route again, sowing discord to start a battle between the Immortal Sword Sect and many Devil Leaders. You broke through the siege in the chaos and switched back to the water route. Impressive! To have such skill and wisdom at such a young age, both brave and clever—truly worthy of the title Jianning First Scholar of a millennium. It’s a pity that geniuses often don’t live long, blooming briefly like a flower!”

Daoist Mayi?

Mu Feng was startled, unable to understand how he was suddenly connected to that mysterious Daoist. At this critical moment of life and death, there was no time to ask more. He took a deep breath and quickly calmed down.

Looking at the cold Yanyulou, he said sincerely, “Sir, this is just a misunderstanding. I’m only an ordinary scholar who has never traveled far since childhood. How could I possibly have the so-called Great Extinction Sword Manual? This is just a scheme of the great Devil Leader Blind Master Bi Luotian. It’s a rumor he spread to make my enemy Mu Tie focus on his training, a case of using another’s hand to kill!”

“A misunderstanding?”

Yanyulou gave a cold laugh, unmoved. “Young man, I have to admit, you are outstanding. But no matter how outstanding you are, it won’t change your fate of dying here. Whether it’s a rumor from the great Devil Leader Bi Luotian or whether the sword manual is on you—once I kill you, everything will be clear!”

Clang…

As soon as she finished speaking, Yanyulou coldly drew the sword at her waist. She lightly stepped on the water’s surface with her right foot, splashing water, and in the next moment, her body leaped high.

In a few leaps, she treaded the waves and arrived before Mu Feng, thrusting her sword straight at his brow. Before the sword even reached, a hum sounded, and mist rose around the small wooden boat. Mist rose with the rain, and rain formed with the mist. Thick fog enveloped a hundred meters in all directions, turning everything white and suddenly trapping them in a world of mist with no escape.

Mist-Locked Cold River!

Yanyulou was merciless. With her first move, she used the powerful Misty Rain Sword Art, full of killing intent.

Ding…

Just as her sword was about to strike, Mu Feng, standing at the bow, moved. In a rush, he almost instinctively raised his own sword. The two swords collided with a sharp, crisp sound, stirring up swirling mist.

At the critical moment, Mu Feng had no time to think. He also used the first stance of the Misty Rain Sword Art, Mist-Locked Cold River, and similarly brought forth swirling mist.

It was the same move, but after the swords clashed, Yanyulou was unstoppable. She stepped onto the bow and thrust her sword into Mu Feng’s brow. Mu Feng felt his hand go numb, and a stream of sword energy rushed into his body, wreaking havoc. At the same time, fine cracks appeared on his sword. A cold wind blew, and the entire sword turned to dust and vanished.

Among people, the tower stood tall and aloof; among swords, the misty rain—the mist never perished, the rain never ceased, and no one could match it!

With just one sword strike, Yanyulou made Mu Feng understand what the true Misty Rain Sword was! The sword art Mu Feng used looked similar in form, but it only resembled the surface. He was far from comprehending the essence of the Misty Rain Sword!

Was this the strength of the Late Elite Realm?

Mu Feng’s face was bitter. Feeling the cold sword tip pressed against his brow, he let out a long sigh.

Yanyulou’s speed was indescribably fast. From drawing her sword to attacking, it took only a thousandth of an instant, leaving no time to react. Mu Feng had thought his own speed was quite fast, but in front of her, he didn’t even have time to use the Blood Refining Art and form the Blood Armor.

Who could survive having a Late Elite Realm expert’s sword pointing at their brow?

Mu Feng couldn’t. He knew he didn’t have that ability, and even the equally powerful old man Flying Sky Bat probably couldn’t escape Yanyulou’s sword at this moment. After a long sigh, he simply closed his eyes, thinking he was doomed this time. Unexpectedly, after waiting a while, the sword at his brow still hadn’t pierced him. Opening his eyes, he saw Yanyulou standing motionless, lost in thought.

“Mist-Locked Cold River. Young man, has my Misty Rain Sword Manual fallen into your hands?”

Yanyulou’s face was cold, showing no expression, but inside, she was even more shocked than Mu Feng.

That night, not long after leaving Plum Blossom Manor, she discovered the Misty Rain Sword Manual was missing from her person. After a brief thought, she realized it must have been stolen by Feng Qianjin when he bumped into her. But she never expected the manual to end up in Mu Feng’s hands. Even more surprising, in just a day or two, he had practiced it to a semblance of proficiency, self-taught, far surpassing any of her former incompetent disciples!

“Yes, this Misty Rain Sword Manual has fallen into my hands!”

Mu Feng did not hide it. He quickly took out the sword manual given to him by Feng Qianjin. “Sir, all of this is my fault and has nothing to do with the others. These two—one is a book boy who knows nothing, and the other is a traveling merchant I met on the road. They know no martial arts. I beg you, after killing me, spare their lives!”

At the final moment of his life, facing the unfathomably strong Yanyulou, Mu Feng still stood tall and did not beg for mercy. His only wish was that the lofty Yanyulou would spare Jing Wushuang and Old Man Li behind him. The night wind howled, growing stronger, and the water vapor in the air thickened. The thin Misty Rain Sword Manual soon became soaked, its writing gradually blurring, with only the large swordplay diagrams faintly visible.

Hum…

The sword in Yanyulou’s hand let out a soft hum. Instead of piercing Mu Feng’s brow, she sheathed it. She reached into her robe, took out a Jade Pupil Tube, and tossed it to Mu Feng. “Young man, go. Don’t look back. Go directly downstream. The sword manual in your hand was only meant to deal with the Immortal Sword Sect’s inspections—it has the sword moves but not the corresponding heart techniques. This Jade Pupil Tube contains the true Misty Rain Sword Manual. Keep it safe!”

“Why?”

Mu Feng was greatly surprised. He caught the cold Jade Pupil Tube and looked curiously at Yanyulou standing before him.

“No other reason. I just don’t want the true Misty Rain Sword Art to be lost from the Great Thousand World.”

Yanyulou’s expression was calm. With a leap, she stood once more on the rippling water. The thick mist behind her quickly dissipated, clearing a path for the small wooden boat carrying the three. Looking at the puzzled Mu Feng, she continued lightly, “Of course, if you can survive and one day cultivate to the True Human Realm, I hope you can do something for me.”

“What is it, sir? Please command me!” Mu Feng bowed respectfully.

“It’s not the time yet. When you reach the True Human Realm, come find me at the Immortal Sword Sect!” Yanyulou’s face turned serious. As she spoke, she looked into the distance as if sensing something and said gravely, “Go, hurry, leave this place at once. Take this Misty Rain Bell as my gift to you. Go quickly!”

“Yes!”

Mu Feng took the jingling Misty Rain Bell. The situation was critical, so he asked no more and ordered Old Man Li at the stern to set off. Just as they straightened the small wooden boat that had been sideways on the river and were about to go downstream, an angry roar suddenly came from afar. The next moment, a tall, thin black figure rushed toward them. It was none other than the formidable Nine-Fingered Black Demon!