I Have Also Lived for a Thousand Years

Hah, an ignorant brat who doesn't know his own limits.

The crimson longsword in Long Aoyun's hand gleamed with a chilling light, white radiance swirling at its tip.

Light spiritual power flickered along the blade.

Chen Bing pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, "I'd like to see for myself where the legendary strength of the Great Xia's thousand-year-old legend truly lies."

Hearing this, Long Aoyun, who had been nonchalant, turned serious, his eyes growing solemn as he said in a deep voice, "You know about that?"

"The number one on the Great Xia's Celestial Ranking, the master of the Divine Hall... it's been the same person for a thousand years. If this got out, I'm afraid many would find it hard to believe."

Chen Bing raised his hand, the lenses of his glasses reflecting a white light.

Transparent threads faintly floated in the dim moonlight.

The entire island was enveloped by countless threads!

Long Aoyun's eyes finally showed a look of genuine focus. "I'd like to see where you get the guts to challenge me!"

As he spoke, the crimson longsword moved!

A flash of white light erupted!

Chen Bing's gaze was sharp as he stated calmly, "I... have also lived for a thousand years!"

While speaking, Chen Bing manipulated the threads.

The entire island began to move under Chen Bing's control. Lines sharp as blades, like cutting edges, spread out, forming a blockade.

Long Aoyun's crimson sword struck the threads, sending a shower of dazzling sparks flying.

An invisible thread sliced down!

Long Aoyun raised his hand, caught it, and snapped it with a sharp tug. His domineering figure shot towards Chen Bing.

A single slash came down!

It was steadily blocked by four threads held between Chen Bing's fingertips!

"You're strong!"

Long Aoyun said slowly, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

It had been a long time since he'd gotten serious.

Chen Bing's eyes were icy.

In that looping July, he had challenged Long Aoyun no less than a thousand times!

He understood the terror of this man.

Even now, facing Long Aoyun again, he could still feel the timidity welling up from deep within.

This was his closest attempt to success. He absolutely had to win!

Behind his glasses, Chen Bing's gaze grew increasingly intense!

He stomped on the ground! Yellow spiritual power surged forth!

The earth suddenly cracked, waves of soil churned, and threads shot forth like arrows!

Long Aoyun's figure weaved through the air, his trench coat fluttering as he moved like a ghost, evading all attacks, and delivered a slash.

His timing and control of the blade were simply perfect!

Chen Bing suddenly made his move. Yellow spiritual power vibrated, forming a spiritual shield. An earthen wall surged up, steadily blocking Long Aoyun's attack.

With that one slash, the earthen wall shattered!

"I'm starting to believe what you said a little."

Long Aoyun said lightly, holding his longsword.

This kid... he's at the peak of Spirit Gathering!

Moreover, his control over the details of that earthen wall technique was extremely precise.

For someone in his early twenties to master this... it was hard to believe.

Chen Bing pushed up his black-framed glasses and said calmly, "There's more to come."

"I'll be watching."

Long Aoyun said with a light laugh.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Bing unleashed a dazzling array of attacks.

But Long Aoyun's responses were simple.

He merely relied on the force of his swings, not even using spiritual power!

"That's about enough."

Chen Bing gasped for breath, his eyes suddenly turning sharp once more.

The entire ground shook, and thousands of threads enveloped the area!

"So the killing move was here all along."

Long Aoyun looked at the crisscrossing threads that completely sealed off the island and tightened his grip on the crimson longsword.

Chen Bing's lips moved slightly: "Dragon Binding Restraint!"

Abruptly, the countless threads in the world contracted inward, enveloping Long Aoyun.

At that moment, a brilliant white light erupted...

Boom!

Chen Bing, covered in sword wounds, fell to the ground, gasping heavily.

Defeated!

He was still defeated!

On the other side, Long Aoyun was also somewhat disheveled, but showed no signs of injury.

He glanced at Chen Bing, slowly sheathed his sword, and prepared to leave.

"Why did you spare me?"

Chen Bing asked through gritted teeth, his voice low.

In his thousand-year cycle, he had challenged the world's strongest man over a thousand times.

But without exception, he would ultimately be killed by Long Aoyun.

The sensation of that longsword cutting his throat... he had experienced it countless times.

"You seem to have the wrong person."

Long Aoyun turned back, staring at him thoughtfully. "I don't know what's going on. Or perhaps, your so-called 'thousand years'... isn't real."

Isn't real...

Those words struck Chen Bing's ears like a morning bell and evening drum, exploding in his mind!

Chen Bing's pupils contracted sharply.

"Goodbye."

Long Aoyun said flatly, then turned and drifted away.

A cold glint appeared in his eyes.

Some bastard set up this whole situation, actually making me the final boss!

Jiangbei City.

A small rented room.

"This... this is exactly the same as before!"

Shen Muxuan looked around the room in amazement, her beautiful eyes sparkling with excitement.

The old TV, the outdated sofa, the slightly rusty windowsill, and that security door that occasionally locked her inside... everything was just as she remembered it when she left.

"Well, do you like it?"

An Yi watched Shen Muxuan's joyful, leaping figure and couldn't help but smile.

Restoring all this was much more complicated than rebuilding from scratch.

How complicated exactly, An Yi wasn't sure.

All he knew was it cost him a pretty penny!

Shen Muxuan eagerly turned on the TV.

After being away for over half a year, aside from missing An Yi and Aunt Zhou, what she missed most was this television.

Familiar static snow appeared on the screen, flickering intermittently. Then, with a crackle, smoke started rising from the TV.

"An Yi..."

Shen Muxuan looked at An Yi with a pitiful, aggrieved expression.

An Yi rubbed his temples. "Let's go to the villa. The TV there is at least five times bigger!"

When restoring the place, to preserve the original feel, the TV was practically on its last legs anyway.

"An Yi..."

Shen Muxuan wrapped her arms around An Yi's neck, her bright, watery eyes gazing directly into his.

"What do you want now?" An Yi asked helplessly.

"A kiss!"

Shen Muxuan said in a sweet, coquettish voice, acting cute.

An Yi smiled, looked at her exquisitely beautiful face, and leaned down for a light, dragonfly skimming the water peck. But he lost control, and it turned into a wolfish kiss.

At the same time, Shen Muxuan's jade-like arms tightening around his neck.

This girl is getting better and better at this...

An Yi opened his eyes slightly, looking at the utterly adorable Shen Muxuan, feeling as if he were falling deeper and deeper, like being poisoned.

Then, his large hand reached for Shen Muxuan's ancient-style clothing...

Clang!

The security door made a noise.

An Yi and Shen Muxuan jolted awake, both startled.

"That An Yi kid is such a fool. I knew he had a screw loose when I saved him. Why spend so much money fixing up this dump? Now I have to come back and clean it. It's so old and in such a remote location, no one will rent it..."

Aunt Zhou's voice sounded.

Then, with another clang, the security door opened.

Seeing the young couple inside, Aunt Zhou's eyes lit up.

"Aunt Zhou, long time no see!"

Shen Muxuan said happily, her charmingly naive face blinking at her.

"Oh, my dear girl, you're finally back! I've missed you so much!"

Aunt Zhou hurried over, took Shen Muxuan's hands, her eyes reddening. "I told you long ago, going back to your hometown isn't as good as staying here. Look at An Yi—tall, handsome, rich, and clever to boot."

An Yi: "..."

That's not what you were saying a moment ago.