Chapter Fifteen: Heart of Boyun

“Second Senior Brother.” Shen Ling’er murmured softly.

Sun Fanbai gently patted Shen Ling’er’s head. “It’s all right.”

With that, he flashed to the side of the restrained man in black, his sword pressing coldly against the man’s throat.

Sun Fanbai spoke, “Tell me, what was your purpose?”

The man in black trembled, stammering, “Sir Taoist, we are disciples of the Divine Blade Sect. Earlier tonight, we had a dispute with you three. My companion and I drank a bit and thought to teach you a lesson, but… but we didn’t expect your powers to be so formidable. We admit our mistake now.”

“You!” Shen Ling’er, having learned the truth, was furious. She snatched the sword from Sun Fanbai’s hand and lunged toward the man in black, intent on stabbing him.

Sun Fanbai quickly stopped her.

“Senior Brother!” Shen Ling’er protested.

Sun Fanbai replied, “Sister, cultivators should avoid bloodshed whenever possible. Besides, they’ve already been subdued.”

“Amitabha.” Yuanwu stepped forward as well. “Young lady, they have not committed an unforgivable crime. Where mercy can be granted, let it be granted. Do not take life needlessly.”

“Hmph!” Shen Ling’er handed the sword back to Sun Fanbai, her voice sharp as she said, “If not for Senior Brother and the master pleading for you, I would have killed you on the spot!”

The man in black hurriedly said, “Yes, yes, thank you, Taoist, thank you, Master, thank you, Lady Taoist, for sparing our lives.”

Sun Fanbai waved his hand, and the spell binding them vanished.

The man in black realized he could move again, quickly lifted his unconscious companion, and took flight to the west.

Sun Fanbai sheathed his sword and bowed to Yuanwu. “Thank you, Master, for your assistance.”

Yuanwu returned the gesture. “You are too courteous, Taoist. I…”

Before he could finish, Yuanwu frowned and gazed westward.

Sun Fanbai and Shen Ling’er, noticing Yuanwu’s expression, turned to look as well.

They saw the man in black carrying his companion as they flew westward. Suddenly, a white sword energy streaked through the sky toward them.

Before the two could react, the sword energy struck, severing them into four pieces!

Sun Fanbai’s pupils dilated. “That sword energy!”

Shen Ling’er cried out, “It’s our Eldest Senior Brother!”

With that, Shen Ling’er took flight toward the west.

“Sister, wait!” Sun Fanbai called, following closely behind.

Yuanwu stood where he was, frowning and muttering to himself, “The power within that sword energy is unsettling.”

He too strode forward, following after them.

Shen Ling’er flew ahead and soon saw, deep within the dense forest, a figure in red robes, hair disheveled, sitting on the ground. Beside him lay another person.

Before Shen Ling’er could approach to investigate, the figure in white abruptly turned, and from his hand, a longsword slashed through the air toward her.

It was the very same sword energy that had just slain the men in black!

Shen Ling’er froze in place.

The sword energy was nearly upon her, poised to cleave her in two, when suddenly a monk’s robe flew from behind, shielding Shen Ling’er.

A thunderous clang resounded as the sword energy crashed against the robe, sending Shen Ling’er flying backward.

Sun Fanbai caught up and caught her in his arms.

The robe soared through the air and returned to Yuanwu, draping itself upon him once more.

Shen Ling’er was dazed. “Is… is that really Eldest Senior Brother? Second Senior Brother, what’s happened to him? What’s happened to Eldest Senior Brother?”

Sun Fanbai frowned. “I’m not sure. Let me go see.”

Sun Fanbai approached the figure, but before he could draw near, another surge of sword energy blasted toward him.

Sun Fanbai stamped his foot on the ground, and a massive diagram of the Eight Trigrams appeared beneath him. He moved according to its positions, narrowly evading the sword energy.

The figure unleashed several more sword strikes in rapid succession.

Sun Fanbai danced nimbly across the diagram, weaving through the attacks and closing the distance.

When he reached the figure, Sun Fanbai finally saw that the person lying on the ground was his Fifth Junior Brother, Li Zhen!

Li Zhen lay in a pool of blood, his body covered in sword wounds. He was already lifeless.

“Eldest Senior Brother! What happened here?” Sun Fanbai shouted.

The disheveled figure stood and turned to face Sun Fanbai.

Sure enough, it was his fellow disciple, Eldest Senior Brother Bai Yunxin, ranked sixth among the ten greatest young masters.

Yet his eyes had turned crimson, vacant and unseeing. He gripped his sword, staring vacantly at Sun Fanbai.

“Eldest Senior Brother!” Shen Ling’er saw Bai Yunxin’s condition and tried to rush forward.

“Don’t go!” Yuanwu, the young monk, called from behind, then stepped forward in a flash, appearing beside Sun Fanbai.

Yuanwu said, “Taoist Sun, he has fallen into evil.”

Sun Fanbai asked, “Fallen into evil?”

Yuanwu replied, “Yes. I have opened the eyes of the Buddhist heart and perceive that this Taoist’s body is suffused with demonic energy. He has likely been corrupted for some time.”

Sun Fanbai protested, “Eldest Senior Brother and I grew up together, cultivating the orthodox Primordial Heart Method. How could he fall into evil, Master, he…”

Before he could finish, Bai Yunxin charged at Sun Fanbai, sword raised.

Yuanwu pulled Sun Fanbai back and, wielding the Buddhist heart technique, swept his robe up to meet the attack.

A resounding clang echoed once more, and Yuanwu was sent stumbling ten meters back. Shocked, he thought to himself that the Buddhist heart technique was immensely powerful, yet he was being pushed back again and again. Were it not for the protective robe, he would surely have been wounded.

“Master!” Sun Fanbai called, “Whatever the case, please help me restrain him, so we can sort this out.”

He raised his sword, moving fluidly and shifting positions as he advanced.

“Master, force him back a few steps for me!”

“I will do my best,” Yuanwu replied calmly.

He spread his fingers and slowly raised his right hand. Though the movement seemed slow, before he had even finished, a massive Buddhist palm appeared before Bai Yunxin, striking him squarely in the chest.

Bai Yunxin staggered back several meters under the force of the blow!

At that moment, golden light shimmered beneath Bai Yunxin’s feet—it was Sun Fanbai’s Eight Trigrams technique!

Dui trigram, lacking at the west!

Dui trigram, located in the true west, its number is two, and its element is metal.

Bai Yunxin stood directly atop the Dui trigram!

“The Dui trigram! The Art of Dissolution!”

Sun Fanbai sealed Bai Yunxin’s sword, though he felt it was not fully sealed.

For one thing, Bai Yunxin’s cultivation was higher than Sun Fanbai’s.

For another, Bai Yunxin’s swordsmanship was extraordinary—he cultivated the Dao of the Sword, and the deeper his practice, the greater his affinity with the sword, making it difficult to bind completely.

But Sun Fanbai had no better option, for the best way to restrain a sword cultivator was to control his sword.

Bai Yunxin’s sword trembled in his hand but did not fall.

Seizing the moment while Bai Yunxin was suppressed, Sun Fanbai and Yuanwu wasted no opportunity and rushed forward together!

Sun Fanbai summoned the Divine Binding Chain, tossing one end to Yuanwu. Yuanwu caught the chain, and together they rushed to Bai Yunxin, wrapping the chain around his chest and swiftly binding him.

“Phew…” Sun Fanbai breathed out. “Thankfully, Eldest Senior Brother lost his reason after succumbing to evil. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to subdue him so easily.”

Bang!

Suddenly, crimson light surged from Bai Yunxin’s body, shattering the binding chain. With a sweep of sword energy, he forced Sun Fanbai and Yuanwu back and immediately flew westward.

“After him! Junior Sister, check on Fifth Junior Brother!”

The two took flight, chasing after Bai Yunxin.