A sword thrust brought forth a single tear.

Ning Jianke’s swordplay embodied the resentment of a woman secluded in inner chambers.

This move, "Regret Having Sought Titles for My Husband," was born of emotion transforming into rancor, naturally exquisite.

It perfectly succeeded the earlier move, "Autumn Waves of the Sword," ascending to new heights upon that foundation.

Like a poet’s inspired brushstroke, serendipitously crafted a line that resonated with the hearts of countless separated souls, destined to be sung through the ages. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Yet, Jiang Wang’s response remained ingeniously apt.

As if estranged lovers were engaging in dialogue, like a narrative that bridges beginning and end, like a story unfolding...

Your eyes brimmed with autumn waves, I drifted along with the current.

You resented my years without news, concerned only with titles and fame, forgetting old friends.

But in these years of roaming and exile...

I, too, never achieved nobility.

I’ve been nothing but down and out for a decade, my life in disarray; now that you’ve called me to account, I answer with a sword stroke across, letting life and death strike off our debts of gratitude and grievance.

The horizontal line was drawn in midair.

As if, in the moment of deepest intoxication, inspiration struck to wield the brush.

It split the single "tear" that Ning Jianke had sent flying into two halves!

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

Engrossed in the profound harmony of sword techniques, Ning Jianke felt as if she had found a kindred spirit across the world, a great emotion taking root within her. At that moment, she was utterly lost in the wondrous world of swordsmanship.

The flick of her wrist followed the trail of the cleaved tear, dividing the sword light into two paths.

She unleashed two moves simultaneously!

To the left was "Enquiring of an Old Friend."

To the right was "Dwelling Not on Thoughts."

Both sword lights shared the same origin, one sword harbored longing, and the other sword cut through it.

Though regretting the pursuit of titles for her husband, she could not help but ask, "Is the old friend well?"

Yet as she yearned, she also reminded herself to cut ties with the past, to refrain from further pondering.

This was an extension of the previous Sword Intent but with two sides of the same coin, two feelings coexisting.

It didn’t undermine the previous move, yet it paved the way for a myriad of possibilities.

It was a sword strike where momentum, intent, and technique converged, nearing perfection!

Ning Jianke was overjoyed, exhilarated by today’s battle. Having met a worthy opponent in the realm of the Sword Dao, she had encountered a truly worthy talent.

Though her adversary’s mastery of swordplay might not match hers, his spiritual energy and natural flair were breathtakingly stunning.

She eagerly anticipated what kind of brilliant counter would come next.

She also looked forward greatly to the amazing version of herself that would emerge, expounding on the excellence of her swordplay.

Only by crossing swords with such an opponent and engaging in a duel of understanding with such a confidante, would all her years of sword training not be in vain. Only then could she spark even more inspiration for her sword techniques.

She was filled with anticipation!

Even fixating intently on her foe’s sword, unable to look away.

Then she saw it... fire.

Crimson flames swept across everything.

Streaking across the sky were meteoric fireworks; churning upon the ground were tidal waves of fire; the screeching Flame Sparrows, trailing slender flames, soared freely between heaven and earth.

Heaven and earth, fire with fire.

Flames filled her entire field of view.

It was a world of extreme splendor and dazzling radiance.

It was the world of fire!

Fire was born at the beginning, and it ended at the close.

It embraced and consumed all — the geniuses, the brilliant, those who conceded and those who did not.

Ning Jianke should not have made such a mistake. But just moments ago, she had indeed been engrossed in the dissecting play of sword techniques, touched by "finding a confidante in a distant land," and still anticipating the surpassing display of her opponent’s swordplay...

The Fire Realm Art descended.

Engulfing both her and her sword.

So abrupt, yet so fitting!

Retreating from the vast expanse of the Star River, back into her own private space.

Ning Jianke looked at her own sword, speechless for a long while.

She finally realized that the apparent perfect harmony, the so-called "meeting a confidante in a sea of people," was merely her own illusion.

From beginning to end, she had been immersed in the beautiful world of swordplay, trapped in the delightful intricacies of sword moves, unable to extricate herself.

While her opponent, evidently... only wanted to win.

I’d turned my heart to the moon at its brightest, but alas, the moonlight shone only on gutters!

...

...

[Dugu Wudi has advanced to the premier position among the Five Elements! Achieving the title: The Strongest in the Taixu Inner Mansion!]

[Earning this title for the first time awards two thousand merits and two thousand laws.]

[Upon maintaining this title, in the middle of every month, an award of one hundred merits and one hundred laws.]

[Possession of this title adds an extra layer of effect at the Daoist Platform.]

The battle for the title of The Strongest in the Taixu Inner Mansion was won a bit too easily.

The opponent’s sword art was indeed very powerful, and one sword move stacking upon another was not just about the convergence of Sword Qi, or the precision of the sword moves; she had to have a very vast Sword Dao world to allow her sword art to continually emerge and evolve throughout the fight, one move advancing beyond the next, making her sword momentum increasingly expansive.

Jiang Wang admitted that in a pure exchange of swordplay, he was no match. In fact, by the end of her sword momentum’s evolution, he was already unable to catch up. It was hard to imagine the strength to which her sword momentum could evolve if the fight continued.

But this was a battle for life and death.

Even in the Taixu Illusion Realm, where life and death are not truly at stake.

Yet stepping onto the Discussion Platform meant striving for victory or defeat.

Thus, Jiang Wang had long been brewing his secret technique, and at the right moment amid the transformations of his opponent’s swordplay, he unleashed the Fire Realm Art. He had even prepared other fallbacks, but to his surprise, this ended the fight already.

The strength of the Fire Realm Art was certainly one factor, but in Jiang Wang’s view, the primary reason lay with his adversary herself. At that very moment, she was still caught up in the dissection of sword momentum, clearly having made the wrong choice.

It was hard to imagine that such a battle decision would arise in the contest for the distinguished title of The Strongest in the Taixu Inner Mansion.