Volume 5 Chapter 12 - Fear of Defeat
Chapter 12: Fear of Defeat
The silver light came from a wall in front of her. It would be more accurate to say it was an enormous monument.
She was located in what appeared to be an enormous underwater cave with a giant monument stuck into the centre of this cave from above. It seemed as though this giant monument was half in the ground and half in the water, right in front of her
This enormous monument was made from a special kind of blue-gray metal. The surface had many deep seal lines, and the blinding silver light flowed in the seal lines before radiating out.
This was a lifeless giant monument. Compared to the monument, Zhao Si’s body was like a little fish facing the bottom of a giant ship.
Yet looking at this giant monument, she laughed enthusiastically. “We meet again,” she said to the monument.
Then she released the accumulated energies of her body along the meridians in a wild and violent manner! She had broken through the rock this entire way. When she reached this spot, the water from the underground yin river also had arrived here.
There were black and sticky lines within the water. When her sword essence activated, the black lines suddenly broke through the water. They were black oil.
When the black oil came into contact with her surging primal energies of the universe, it was like one life encountering another. Heat formed, and then with a boom, the lines of black oil became swords of fire.
This was a scene hard to describe in words.
The numerous swords of fire moved through the water, with a presence to pierce the sky as they stabbed towards the seal scripts of the giant monument. Numerous air waves exploded on the giant monument. Sprays of water exploded outwards like fine powder. Silver sparks flew out of the seal scripts. The silver scripts shone so brightly the underground cave looked like a dazzling starry sky. But there was no warmth, only coldness and destruction.
This presence was the presence of Empress Zheng who she was familiar with.
A crack appeared in the monument’s seal scripts. The flowing silver light disappeared. Zhao Si’s presence fluctuated violently. Blood leaked from the corners of her mouth, but she still wore a proud smile.
She had been defeated by Zheng Xiu’s sword on the Wei River. But in the subsequent matches with Zheng Xiu, she had won.
The Zhao Sword Furnace will take back the lost swords with their own hands! She said to herself determinedly as she looked at the enormous monument.
When the sparks flowing on the monument dissipated, many invisible rays of starlight that fell down towards this Great Floating Water Prison were suddenly cut off.
This naturally could not escape the attention of the empress in the palace. No anger appeared on her perfect face, only a cold smile. She thought her predictions were correct. Just like that person had known her best back then, she knew that person the best.
Now, the Nine Death Silkworm’s conduct was very similar to that person. So she was able to predict.
She did not care about this momentary victory. She felt, as she tightened her net, she would capture all these great rebels. She even started to imagine how she would see all these people in the Great Floating Water Prison together.
As the silver sparks on the monument dissipated in front of Zhao Si, the silver sparks that flowed like blood invisibly through Great Floating Water Prison also disappeared.
An unique tremor and explosions sounded in the Great Floating Water Prison.
Bai Shanshui stood in front of the Thirty Thousand Catty gates. Behind her, the commander who had been sent flying had struggled upright.
The army had regrouped to form a semi-circular encirclement to surround Bai Shanshui. Yet without the commander’s next order, they did not attack immediately.
These Dongling Army soldiers had not heard Bai Shanshui’s words like the general did. But they had a strange feeling when they saw Bai Shanshui standing in front of the gates. They all felt that the gates would rise in the next moment.
Suddenly, their breaths stilled.
Bai Shanshui smiled.
A wave of dust appeared on the ground ahead of her. The gates lifted.
She stepped forward without hesitation. Her beautiful and indescribably rebellious presence passed through the gates.
The strange tremors emerged from the Great Floating Water Prison. The entire prison was trembling.
The inside of the Great Floating Water Prison was usually ignored by Changling’s people, but there were many terrifying officials within.
Feeling the entire Great Floating Water Prison trembling, these terrifying officials started to feel terror. But not all.
When Bai Shanshui walked towards the second gate, the water filling the tunnel suddenly pressed outwards, and hit this gate like an enormous fist.
Then the gates curved, and gave enough space for Bai Shanshui to pass through. The flowing water docilely flowed by her side and moved away.
A layer of waves rose on the dusty ground outside the Great Floating Water Prison. The usually dry earth was like a beach right now.
The water in front of Bai Shanshui had completely disappeared, leaving behind uneven stones. At the end of the tunnel was a figure standing there without fear.
Bai Shanshui had defeated the Dongling Army and passed through the Thirty Thousand Catty Gates to arrive here. Her presence had reached a peak. But the figure blocking her had no terror. His presence surged towards her as though to suppress her.
This person was not Shen Xuan.
He was an old man in blue robes. His features were small but his face was long, causing his face to look like a flat bamboo board.
Looking at this old man, Bai Shanshui laughed. “Du Qingli, you think you can stop me?”
The old man imperceptibly frowned. Perhaps there were people in the world who knew there were two imperial academicians of the Qin Dynasty, but people rarely knew their names, much less recognize them at a glance.
“I am not of the Qin, and cannot know your name. Before I prepared to come here, I did not even know that you and Du Hongtan existed.”
Seeing that the old man did not respond immediately, Bai Shanshui laughed more happily. “You should know who told me. I can tell you very clearly he will not come today. We are able to come here. You should understand his abilities … even if we are defeated today, you cannot escape his retribution.”
As the entire Great Floating Water Prison trembled, this old man who was not weaker than Bai Shanshui at her peak suddenly felt a hint of terror.
“Nine Death Silkworm …” He knew who the “he” Bai Shanshui spoke of referred to and unconsciously uttered.
This was the time Bai Shanshui had been waiting to attack.
Bai Shanshui attacked. Her green longsword disappeared from her hand.
In front of the old man’s forehead, a dot of green rippled. At the center of the green waves was a green needle.
“Even if it’s the Nine Death Silkworm, if you cannot even win against me, why fear the retribution of the Nine Death Silkworm?” Bai Shanshui said mockingly.
The pupils of the old academician of the imperial palace contracted. He sensed the focused sword essence of that thin needle. Not caring about Bai Shanshui’s response, he shouted harshly. “That Nine Death Silkworm heir told you this tactic!”
As he shouted, a narrow green sword appeared in his hand, looking like a thin stalk of bamboo. It did not fall towards Bai Shanshui’s sword essence, but his left eyebrow.
With a soft sound, Bai Shanshui’s sword essence inexplicably disappeared.
A wound appeared on his left eyebrow. Blood flowed down and covered his already small left eye. Shrill screams echoed through the tunnel.
Bai Shanshui launched her second attack.
Her lifebond sword appeared again in her hand. In an instant, seventeen green beads of water appeared in front of her sword.
The seventeen beads of green water started to accelerate and elongate.