Chapter Seven: The Dark Fire Burns the Body

  Outside the town of Chi Jin, the wind and snow still lingered. Zhao Wuji was now trapped inside the ice wall, with no strength to fight back. The light of his Red Flame Sword had dimmed, his face was deathly pale, his lips were purple, and his eyes had lost their luster. He was truly on the verge of collapse, waiting to be captured.

  Guo Yunjie's body was several feet off the ground, his hands pinched together in a seal, and he muttered to himself. The Forgetful Fan hovered above Zhao Wujin's head, emitting a faint white glow. Below, the ice wall had already condensed into a large canopy that trapped Zhao Wujin inside.

  Guo Yunjie was over the moon with joy, unable to put his feelings into words. He really hadn't expected this victory to come so easily, and even now he couldn't quite believe it. Zhao Wuji's reputation had been too great, the Unrivaled Sword King's name had shaken the world for three hundred years, not something that could be achieved by luck alone. His own master had once said that Zhao Wuji's cultivation was so high that there were only a handful of people in the world who could defeat him, and those were all reclusive figures who rarely set foot in the mortal realm. In other words, among the current generation of top experts from the various sects, there were hardly any who could exchange blows with Zhao Wuji, let alone kill him. And yet now he was at Guo Yunjie's mercy - what a wonderful feeling! Rumors had it that Zhao Wuji had encountered a heavenly tribulation and suffered a great loss in power - truly the will of heaven! Thinking about this, Guo Yunjie burst out laughing.

  It's almost done, and Zhao Wuji has already been frozen into an ice sculpture by the cold air released by the Forgetful Fan. With a flick of his right hand, the Forgetful Fan flew back into his hand, and he walked towards the ice wall that trapped Zhao Wuji.

  He didn't know that a hundred feet above, a black-clad figure was standing in the howling wind, looking down at him from high above. The black-clad figure saw Gu Yunjie walking towards Zhao Wujin, and his eyes flashed with precision, as if he had moved. But then he lightly made a "hmm" sound, and didn't take any action.

  Guo Yunjie looked at Zhao Wujin, who seemed to have been frozen to death. Just as he was about to break the ice and go in, he thought better of it and decided to play it safe. This cunning fox wasn't called that for nothing. Afraid of being deceived by Zhao Wujin, Guo Yunjie snapped his fingers towards him, and a stream of yuan yin sword energy shot out from his fan, piercing through the ice wall and striking Zhao Wujin's heart. Zhao Wujin didn't react at all. It seemed like he was dead beyond dead.

  Guo Yunjie finally felt at ease, and with that one sword just now, Zhao Wujin would have become truly dead even if he had pretended to die. The Forgetful Slap was about to be unleashed to shatter the solid ice, when suddenly a thread of cold air pierced through his body, an air so familiar it couldn't be ignored. It was none other than the exclusive secret technique of the Yīn Shān Sect - the Innate Primordial Yin Sword Qi, and its mastery far surpassed his own. Guo Yunjie's face turned deathly pale, his soul shaken loose from his body.

  Logically speaking, since it's a secret technique of their own school, there shouldn't be anything to fear. However, this is precisely the thing that disciples of the Yin Mountain Sect fear the most, are most afraid of, and cannot resist.

  Originally, the Yīn Shān sect cultivated the pre-heavenly Taiyin energy as the foundation of various techniques. Whether it was absorbing the extremely yin energy between heaven and earth or cultivating through the method of supplementing yang with yin, they were all about absorbing more yin energy for their own use. The problem lies in that the more yin energy accumulated in the body, the more extreme the yin becomes, giving rise to yin fire. This yin fire spreads throughout the body and usually doesn't cause any harm. However, once it is triggered by the Yuán Yīn Sword Energy, the yin fire ignites instantly, and in an instant, all five organs are incinerated, seven orifices emit smoke, and finally turn to ashes. The taste is unbearably bitter, truly unbearable for a human. This was originally the most severe punishment of the Yīn Shān sect, used to deal with disciples who disobeyed orders, betrayed their master, and rebelled against the sect. Guō Yún Jié had once seen the old ancestor of Yīn Shān trigger yin fire to burn a fellow disciple alive into flying ashes. Although he didn't experience it personally, it made his liver and gallbladder split open with fear, making him shiver without being cold. However, this punishment of yin fire incineration requires the Yuán Yīn Sword Energy to reach the Taiyin realm to be executed. Apart from the old ancestor, only a few hidden elder masters in the Yīn Shān sect possess this ability. Who on the northwest border would have such skills? At this moment, he discovered that originally already dead Jié had actually opened his eyes.

  Originally, Zhao Wujin thought he would surely die. When he heard Xiaoshi say the Yin-Yang Harmony Great Method, his heart was greatly shocked, and he scolded himself for being muddled: "Zhao Wujin, you've lived for over 300 years, and yet you're getting more and more muddled with age! Not to mention the Yin-Yang Harmony Great Method, even the Jiling Pearl that combines with your primordial spirit can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Why not use it to absorb the extreme yin energy of the Forgetful Fan and the yuan yin sword energy, making yourself invincible?" As he thought this, his mind gradually calmed down, using the Yin-Yang Harmony Great Method to slowly absorb the surrounding cold yin energy into his body with the Jiling Pearl. From the outside, it seemed as though he had been frozen to death by the yin energy.

  The little stone felt the change and was overjoyed. He knew that Zhao Wuji had already found a way to subdue his enemy, so he wouldn't die after all. In his heart, he thought "Still, big brother is amazing, I said that being this small would definitely not lead to death"

  Zhao Wujin silently used the Yin-Yang Harmony Great Method to gather all the surrounding yin energy into the Ling Gathering Pearl, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to Guo Yunjie. Guo Yunjie thought he had already won and came forward to inspect, but was given another dose of Primordial Yin Sword Energy. He then absorbed this Primordial Yin Sword Energy into the Ling Gathering Pearl, which now contained an extreme amount of energy. Zhao Wujin used his opponent's own method against him, silently releasing the Primordial Yin Sword Energy that had reached the Taiyin realm, severely injuring Guo Yunjie and stirring up the yin fire.

  Guo Yunjie saw Zhao Wujin open his eyes and knew he had been calculated, but where did Zhao Wujin's original yin sword energy come from? He couldn't figure it out until he died.

  Zhao Wu Jin shook off the surrounding cold ice, and these cold ices were no different from ordinary ice blocks after he absorbed the yin energy. At this time, the yin fire in Guo Yun Jie's body had been activated, and his five internal organs, skeleton, and whole body were all moving with yin fire, burning everything to ashes wherever it passed, and wisps of smoke emerged from his seven orifices as he let out a heart-wrenching scream.

  The little stone stared with wide eyes and said, "What's going on?"

  "Drawing fire to his own body! He's indeed brought about his own doom and cannot be saved!"

  Look at Guo Yunjie again, the dark fire has burned from inside to outside, and the green flames have spread all over his body. Guo Yunjie can no longer be called out. There is only a moment of counting breaths, and the whole person turns into flying ash in an instant, blown away by the strong wind in all directions.

  In mid-air, the man in black saw everything and couldn't help but say "The carefree sword king is indeed famous for a reason!" After finishing speaking, his figure flashed and disappeared into the wind and snow. Zhao Wuji's mind moved, having some feeling. Looking up at the sky, the dark night was deep, with wind and snow filling the sky, what person was there? Looking around, the white snow was vast and the world was a single color, even more empty without a thing.

  Guo Yunjie has turned to dust, Zhao Wujin secretly thought he was lucky, this battle was truly perilous. Just then, Xiaoshi shouted "Big brother, quickly take a look at Xiaolan!" It turned out that the little girl Guo Yunjie had kidnapped from the town was actually Wang Dajie's daughter Xiaolan.

  "Big brother, it's been so long, won't you... freeze to death?" Little Stone worried.

  Zhao Wuji opened the quilt wrapped around Xiaolan and looked at her, saying "Don't worry, Xiaolan's whole body meridians were closed by Guo Yunjie with Yuan Yin sword energy, she won't feel cold, once I absorb the yin energy out of her, she'll be fine."

  The little stone said with relief, "Big brother, it's almost dawn!"

  Zhao Wuji nodded and said, "Let's go back immediately." After finishing speaking, he looked around again, his eyes moved, and he picked up two things from the snowy ground and put them in his bosom. He hugged Xiao Lan and rushed back to Chijin Town.

  The sky brightened, and Xiao Shi Tuo stretched his waist comfortably. Ah, it feels so good to be alive! Last night, he sent Xiao Lan back home and returned to his room for a good sleep. Now that he's awake, thinking about what happened last night is like a dream. "Life is indeed like a dream!" he exclaimed.

  Zhao Wu Jin smiled and said "This sentence is well said!"

  "Hehe, this is what Liu Pangzi often says!"

  Zhao Wu Jin was somewhat surprised and said "Really? I couldn't see that this chubby kid had such a state of mind"

  "What realm! His meaning is just eating and sleeping, having a dream and waking up, being hungry and continuing to eat. This is life like a dream!"

  Zhao Wuji heard this and burst out laughing. The two of them laughed together for a while.

  Zhao Wu Jin said, "Were you scared last night, little stone?"

  "A little, but I don't feel anything now."

  Zhao Wuji sighed, "In my entire life of great wars, last night was the most perilous. It's not that the opponent was too formidable, but rather that my own heart was already in disarray before the battle. You must remember, when facing an enemy in the future, you must calm your mind and not let anything affect you, even if it's someone closest to you. This isn't being heartless, but rather a way to better protect them!"

  Xiao Shi Tou nodded, knowing that Zhao Wu Jin had lost his composure for a moment last night, almost causing the two to be irreconcilable. As the saying goes, being overly concerned can lead to chaos, and sometimes being too mindful can result in losing even more.

  The little stone asked "What happened to that rascal?"

  Zhao Wuji burst out laughing and said, "Well, I suppose it's... the Yuan Yin sword energy of the Yīn Shān sect..." He then proceeded to explain the sect's techniques in detail.

  Xiao Shi Tou listened with relish, truly the world's greatest wonders are not to be found. And thinking again about the ruthless treatment of disciples by the Yin Shan Sect and the miserable state he saw Guo Yun Jie in, his heart couldn't help but feel some pity for them.

  "There are too many evil things in the world. When dealing with people and matters, you can't be too weak. You must be strong when necessary. Remember that!"

  The little stone got it and said, "I know! I won't let people bully me casually!"

  Zhao Wu Jin burst out laughing "Of course, who dares to bully my brother Zhao Wu Jin!!!"

  Xiao Shi Tou suddenly remembered something and asked, "Big Brother, why did that scoundrel call you the Carefree Sword King? I've never heard you mention this name before!!"

  "I've said it before. I have no sect and no school, just a carefree wanderer! As for the title of Sword King, I'm unworthy of it!"

  The little stone face envied, saying "I think it's pretty good, with a lot of momentum!"

  Zhao Wu Jin smiled and said, "What's with the attitude? Look at the good thing I found for you!"

  As he spoke, Xiaoshi took two things from the chair beside the bed. One looked familiar, a jade fan about one foot long, pure white all over, with a faint hint of blue air seeping through. It felt cool and refreshing in his hand. Xiaoshi exclaimed, "Isn't this that scoundrel's fan?"

  Zhao Wuji said, "This fan is called 'Forget Love', it's an ancient rare treasure. It was refined from the essence of ten thousand years of cold jade, and was unintentionally obtained by the Old Ancestor of Yīn Mountain, who then passed it on to Guo Yunjie. Now I'm giving it to you, and in the future, when you have the chance, you can refine it into your own magical treasure."

  The small stone loved it so much that he couldn't bear to put it down, and when he opened it, a blast of cold air hit him in the face, causing his whole body to shudder. It turned out that the fan was also made of cold jade, with an even heavier and colder aura. The small stone shook its head and said, "It's actually quite cool to use in the summer!"

  Zhao Wu Jin heard this and helplessly said, "This treasure is a precious object that cultivators dream of obtaining, not something to dispel the heat!"

  The little stone chuckled and said, "Big brother, is the treasure still needed to be refined?"

  Zhao Wuji said "Of course, you think that as long as it's in your hands, it's yours. Cultivating a treasure is supposed to be... never mind, there's no point in telling you this now, just take a look at that!"

  The little stone picked up another thing, which was a dagger. It was a bit longer than the Forgetful Grass, only one foot two inches long. The dagger was placed in an ink-green bag, and when it was pulled out, it looked dull and had no luster at all.

  "What's this? Can't even cut open a watermelon!"

  Zhao Wujin laughed and scolded, "Nonsense! You really don't know the value of things! I also don't know where Guo Yunjie got these two treasures from. It seems he doesn't know their value either, or else he wouldn't have put them out like this."

  Xiao Shi Tou almost burst out laughing "Treasures, there are two more! Big brother, don't cheat me!"

  Zhao Wu Jin's words were, "I didn't deceive you, this dagger is made from the horn of a thousand-year-old rhinoceros, and if it's refined into a magical treasure, its power won't be inferior to that of the Forgetful Fan. And this dark green bag is called Taiji, do you know what Taiji is?"

  Little Stone laughed and said, "I know this, sir has taught me. Taiji gives birth to two instruments, two instruments give birth to four images, four images give birth to eight trigrams. The meaning of 'tai' is ultimate, and the meaning of 'ji' is extreme, that is, it reaches the limit, there is no matching intention. It includes both the ultimate principle and the time-space limit of the greatest and smallest, put it out and it fills the six directions, roll it up and hide it in the heart." When he said this, Little Stone's face changed, and he exclaimed, "Big brother, you won't tell me that this bag can hold heaven and earth, will you?"

  Zhao Wu Jin let out a sigh and said "Although it's not that severe, it's almost the same"