Let Me Go

Celestial Master Mansion.

Gu Chengyin quickened his pace, walking outward.

Ancient cypresses were planted along the path. Their shadows, stretched long by the sunlight, looked like streaks of ink.

Everything seemed very peaceful.

Until...

A sound of tearing air.

Sharp, fierce, and carrying undisguised killing intent.

The hairs on Gu Chengyin's entire body instantly stood on end.

Almost instinctively, he turned sideways, retreated, and twisted his waist. The entire sequence of movements was completed in one smooth motion, so fast that it left an afterimage in the air.

Clang!

The blade brushed past his lapel, leaving a deep sword mark on the stone slab.

Crushed stones splattered, a few striking Gu Chengyin's calves with a stinging pain.

He steadied his posture and looked up.

In the sunlight, a scarlet-clad figure stood holding a sword.

Shangguan Yunying.

She stood thirty feet away. Her scarlet palace dress fluttered slightly in the wind, and her unpinned black hair cascaded over her shoulders.

Her usually gentle and beautiful face was now completely devoid of expression.

The sword trembled slightly in her hand, emitting a low hum.

This was the sign of the Azure Sword Art being circulated to its absolute limit.

Yunying...

Gu Chengyin had barely opened his mouth; before the second syllable could even be uttered, the second sword strike arrived.

This strike was faster and more ruthless than the first.

The tip of the sword aimed straight for his throat. There was nothing flashy about it, only pure killing intent.

Wherever the blade passed, the air was torn apart, letting out a sharp whistle.

Gu Chengyin's pupils shrank.

His right foot stomped fiercely on the ground, and his body flew backward.

The Azure Cloud Art circulated madly within his body. A massive amount of true qi surged from his dantian, pouring into the meridians of his legs.

But even so, dodging this sword strike was a perilously close call.

The blade skimmed past his neck. He could even feel its icy touch and the faint stinging pain of his skin being sliced open by the sword qi.

Listen to me explain!

Gu Chengyin shouted anxiously, his voice echoing along the spacious palace path.

But Shangguan Yunying did not stop.

A third sword, a fourth sword, a fifth sword...

The sword light poured down like a torrential rainstorm.

She had completely abandoned defense. Every strike was an all-out attack, and every strike aimed directly at his vital points.

The Azure Sword Art displayed an astonishing might in her hands.

Gu Chengyin did not draw his sword.

He knew he was in the wrong regarding this matter. No matter what his reasons were, it would be hard for Shangguan Yunying to forgive him.

What was more, he was the person Shangguan Yunying loved the most.

Therefore, Gu Chengyin only dodged.

With the Azure Cloud Art running at full power, his figure weaved, shifted, and evaded through the flashes of the sword.

Every time was incredibly dangerous; every time missed by merely a hairsbreadth.

The ancient cypresses on both sides were caught in the crossfire of the sword qi. Leaves rustled down, only to be shredded to pieces by the sword qi in midair.

Deep sword marks were left on the stone-paved ground as crushed rocks flew wildly.

The commotion was too great.

The cultivators of the Celestial Master Mansion were gradually alarmed.

Discussions arose from all directions, but no one stepped forward to stop them.

Are you kidding? A life-and-death struggle between two Mid Foundation Establishment cultivators—whoever intervened would be asking for trouble.

Soon, more and more people gathered to watch.

There were deacons from the Shrine Hall, guards on duty, and even a few alarmed royal enshrinements standing on a high pavilion, looking down at the battle with great interest.

Azure Sword Art against Azure Sword Art? Interesting.

A white-bearded old enshrinement stroked his beard and commented:

Lass Shangguan has truly inherited the essence of the sword art. Her sword qi is condensed and solid, and every move is lethal.

That Kid Gu... his movement technique is rather bizarre, and his true qi reserves are astonishing.

Why isn't he drawing his sword? someone nearby asked.

He knows he's in the wrong, another enshrinement laughed. Look at him, he's clearly only defending and not attacking.

He probably did something to wrong Lass Shangguan.

These words drew a round of low chuckles.

Indeed, anyone with discerning eyes could see it.

Shangguan Yunying was truly furious; every strike was aimed at taking his life.

Meanwhile, Gu Chengyin was merely dodging, not even drawing his sword.

But even if it was just evading, this battle was spectacular enough.

Clang!

A sword pierced diagonally. Gu Chengyin turned sideways to avoid it, and the blade brushed past his ribs, slicing an opening in his clothes.

Taking advantage of the momentum to retreat, he tapped his right foot on the ground, and his body drifted backward like a willow catkin.

But Shangguan Yunying's next sword strike had already arrived. This strike slashed upward from below, sealing off all his avenues of retreat.

Gu Chengyin's pupils shrank.

He took a sharp breath, forcefully twisting his body in midair. His left foot kicked off the trunk of an ancient cypress on his right, using the force to change direction and narrowly avoiding the blade.

Beautiful!

Someone among the spectating cultivators could not help but cheer.

But Gu Chengyin knew that this could not go on.

There were too many onlookers.

If they kept fighting, the news would spread, and who knew what kind of rumors and gossip would circulate.

After dodging another sword strike, Gu Chengyin suddenly changed his strategy.

He did not continue to circle around on the palace path of the Celestial Master Mansion. Instead, running the Azure Cloud Art at full power, his figure transformed into a streak of azure light, sprinting rapidly toward the outside of the mansion.

His speed was so fast that it pulled an afterimage through the air.

Shangguan Yunying's sword struck empty air, the tip piercing into the bluestone ground and sending crushed rocks flying.

She raised her head, saw the back of the fleeing Gu Chengyin, and a cold light flashed in her eyes.

Trying to run?

Tapping her toes on the ground, the scarlet figure chased after him like an arrow released from a bowstring.

Both of their speeds were extremely fast. One after the other, they dashed out of the gates of the Celestial Master Mansion in the blink of an eye.

The streets and alleys outside the mansion were much more complex.

This was the inner city of the imperial capital, where streets crisscrossed and alleys ran deep.

Gu Chengyin did not run toward the main roads; instead, he specifically darted into secluded small alleys.

His speed alternated between fast and slow. When fast, he pulled the distance to over a hundred feet apart.

When slow, he let Shangguan Yunying close in to within thirty feet.

He was controlling the rhythm, and he was also choosing a location.

Shangguan Yunying did not notice this.

At this moment, only Gu Chengyin's back was in her eyes, and only raging fire was in her heart.

The sword was still gripped in her hand, and sword qi surged through her meridians, ready to strike again at any moment.

The two of them, one chasing and one fleeing, passed through three streets and alleys and turned five corners.

The surrounding buildings became increasingly secluded, and pedestrians grew fewer and fewer.

Finally, Gu Chengyin turned into a dead-end alley.

The alley was very narrow, flanked by high walls with withered yellow weeds growing on top.

At the end was a mottled brick wall covered with withered vines.

Shangguan Yunying closely pursued him inside.

Seeing Gu Chengyin's back stop at the end of the alley, she felt a surge of joy. Running into a dead end—let's see where you can escape to now!

Her sword rose again, sword qi condensing.

But at the exact moment she was about to strike.

Gu Chengyin suddenly turned around.

He wasn't running away; he was charging right at her.

The distance between them had only been thirty feet to begin with. With this dash, Gu Chengyin instantly closed it to within ten feet.

Shangguan Yunying's sword had already thrust out, but Gu Chengyin did not dodge.

He raised his hand and accurately grabbed the wrist holding her sword.

The force was so great that it made Shangguan Yunying's wrist go numb, and the sword nearly slipped from her grasp.

Immediately after, his other hand pressed against her shoulder and gave a forceful push.

Bang!

Shangguan Yunying's back slammed into the brick wall of the alley, shaking the dust off the wall in a rustling shower.

She let out a muffled groan and was just about to circulate her true qi to resist, but Gu Chengyin had already pressed his body against hers.

His left hand pinned the wrist holding her sword against the wall, and his right hand did the same to her other arm.

The distance between them was so close that they could feel each other's breathing.

You...

Just as Shangguan Yunying was about to speak, Gu Chengyin's voice rang out:

Yunying, I'm sorry. His voice carried sincere guilt.

Shangguan Yunying trembled.

She lifted her head, looking at the face mere inches from her own.

The hand gripping her sword involuntarily loosened a fraction.

"Let go of me," Shangguan Yunying said coldly.

"Listen to my explanation first, then decide whether you want to kill me," Gu Chengyin said.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I won't let go."

It was a rather shameless thing to say, but Gu Chengyin's expression was completely serious.

Shangguan Yunying stared at him for a long time.

Eventually, she averted her eyes to the mottled wall beside them, her tone complicated.

"Speak."