Song of Adolescence

Chapter 88 Eighteen-Blade Array

Nan’an City

Gloomy with incessant rain.

However, the ground right under the city gate was oddly silent. There was only the sound of rain hitting a paper umbrella.

Drip, drip, drip.

Li Hanyi watched the man in black with a watery complexion standing in front of her and said, “Have you already retrieved your own identity? You’re no longer Kui?”

Su Muyu nodded and his oil-paper umbrella tilted slightly, hiding his face, and Li Hanyi couldn’t see his expression clearly. Su Muyu started walking slowly towards Li Hanyi, every step ending with a splash. However, his footsteps were very light, and also didn’t make a sound. Only the sound of the rain hitting the umbrella could be heard clearly.

“So, are you presently the Head of Su House?” Li Hanyi continued asking.

Su Muyu stopped five paces in front of Li Hanyi and nodded.

“You’re standing here in my way, because you’re here to kill me?” Li Hanyi asked in a faint voice.

Under the umbrella, Su Muyu did not reply, neither confirming nor denying.

“Well, it couldn’t be to reminisce.” Li Hanyi grinned.

Su Muyu raised his oil-paper umbrella, also with a smile. “There’s probably no one in this world capable of killing the Snow Moon Sword Immortal. I’m here just to stop you.”

“Stop me?” Li Hanyi raised an eyebrow.

“To stop anyone on this road leading to the Lei Clan. Could I invite the Sword Immortal to please return to Snow Moon City.” Su Muyu’s words were spoken with great respect, but his meaning was rather presumptuous.

“You invite me?” Li Hanyi smiled coldly. “On what basis?”

Su Muyu gently twirled the umbrella in his hand. The splashes of raindrops also began to flow with the rotation of the umbrella. “On the basis of my blade. I have seventeen blades, one sword. Even if they should all be broken today, I will still stop you.”

Li Hanyi didn’t say another word. Slowly, she raised the sword in her left hand.

Su Muyu’s gaze travelled to that sword. “The third-ranked sword on the list of top ten famous swords, Armoured Glacier. I’ve heard that the sword’s power is tyrannical, like armoured cavalry trampling over a wasteland, yet at the same time hellishly sharp. Once the sword leaves its scabbard, it can cut through a snowflake in midair.”

“Su Muyu, to be honest the last time we met, I really wanted to have a duel with you. It’s a shame that we were allies at the time. Now, I can fulfil this regret from back then.” Li Hanyi gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, and all of a sudden, a cold energy emitted from the sword.

Su Muyu returned a smile. His hand continued to gently twirl the handle of his umbrella, except the speed was getting faster and faster. “The same regret has also existed in my heart for many years.”

Li Hanyi didn’t speak further. The viciousness that emitted from her body filled up the robes that hung loosely on her frame and her sleeves began fluttering wildly.

Su Muyu’s hand suddenly stopped twirling. At that moment, the raindrops which were rotating with the umbrella fell in a whoosh. Also in that moment, that umbrella suddenly burst open with a “bang”, like a flower which decided to bloom instantaneously. All the ribs of the umbrella ruptured at the same time, revealing the metallic gleam of thin swords. When the seventeen ribs of the umbrella exploded, seventeen thin swords shot out and embedded into the city wall. The umbrella handle in Su Muyu’s hand was revealed to be a sharp sword. He leapt into the air, wielding his sword and stabbed it straight at Li Hanyi.

“My sword is called Drizzle. Your Armoured Glacier can cut through a snowflake, but what about rain? Rain cannot be cut.” Su Muyu\'s straightforward stab was easily dodged by Li Hanyi. He flashed to his right and avoided Li Hanyi’s counterstrike.

“Hah!” Li Hanyi suddenly cried out. Her right hand swung Armoured Glacier and formed a sword flower, followed immediately by slicing down with a strike.

Su Muyu was caught off guard and quickly fell back. “Back then, whenever you made a move, you’d bring forth the whole mountain of camellia blossoms. I always thought your swordsmanship was made of such graceful and meaningful moves. I never imagined that the move you just made would be so vicious. Such a move is more suited to a heavier blade!”

“When facing an assassin, what’s graceful or meaningful to discuss?” Li Hanyi raised her sword and pressed forward with another slash.

Su Muyu bent forward. His entire rhythm was thoroughly suppressed by Li Hanyi, and he was unable to fully utilise his own sword. All he could do was dodge. The rain suddenly became heavier, and the raindrops were beating down on the bluestone slabs, giving off a harsh sound. But, at that moment, Su Muyu could only hear the sound of his own harsh breaths.

Li Hanyi swung her Armoured Glacier fiercely, her power like thunder. She no longer resembled her usual sword immortal appearance. Instead, she looked like a ferocious beast on a battleground with all its fangs bared. She said with a cold smile, “Didn’t you say you’re going to make me return to Snow Moon City? Then you’d better show your sincerity.”

Su Muyu whirled the sword in his hand, and the sword he called Drizzle suddenly became extremely flexible. It tangled with Li Hanyi’s Armoured Glacier. Li Hanyi could feel the power in her sword being drained in an instant. In shock, she lashed out with a fist. Su Muyu also withdrew his own sword at that moment and swept back.

Li Hanyi stood there, holding her sword, and suddenly closed her eyes. Her fluttering sleeves suddenly became quiet, as if she’d suddenly lost all the power of thunder in her body. Su Muyu knew, however, that Li Hanyi was gathering her own energy, and then she would become even more terrifying.

"In that case, I shall show the Sword Immortal more of my sincerity!" Su Muyu\'s left hand suddenly moved, and the seventeen thin swords that had shot out from the paper umbrella and embedded into the city wall suddenly moved. Li Hanyi opened her eyes and found numerous extremely thin, almost transparent threads weaved together with Su Muyu\'s left hand and the seventeen thin swords.

“Blade wires.” Li Hanyi breathed out.

The Hidden River’s blade wires. The only weapon in the world that had the edge of a blade but no blade.

Su Muyu exclaimed "hah!" and pulled hard with his left hand. Seventeen thin swords flew down from the wall and shot towards Li Hanyi’s back. Li Hanyi turned around and flipped her sword, and those seventeen thin swords collided with her Armoured Glacier, and scattered again. Li Hanyi stopped suddenly.

The seventeen thin swords began to dance in the rain, a dance without rules, flying rampantly as if they were being controlled by a deity. But in fact, the one who was controlling them was Su Muyu\'s left hand which was twitching continuously.

However, Li Hanyi fell silent again. Those flying swords revolved around her, but did not attack. Finally, a single thin sword stabbed towards her, and Li Hanyi moved. She suddenly began to dance. With long sleeves flying, black robes dancing, Li Hanyi waved her sword, and began an incredible sword dance. Surrounded by the seventeen thin swords, she began to dance, swung her sword, sleeves dancing, and leaned over. The tingling of metal colliding was as exquisite as the sound of a qin. Li Hanyi became more and more spirited, a dance with a sword that was almost god-like. The seventeen thin swords approached again and again, but could not find a single opening, while Li Hanyi wielded her incredible sword dance in this forest of glinting metal.

Su Muyu pulled his left hand vigorously, and then suddenly let go. The thin swords that were flying in the air suddenly lost their support, and poured down like the evening rain. The man waved the sword in his hand and leaped towards Li Hanyi. However, Li Hanyi just stopped. She thrusted Armoured Glacier into the ground forcefully, the sword’s power gushed out in an instant, and the seventeen thin swords pouring down were all deflected in an instant. At that moment, Su Muyu\'s sword penetrated the curtain of rain and pointed right at Li Hanyi\'s throat.

"The thin swords are rainbows, and when it’s time to kill, they pour down like the evening rain. It\'s an excellent name." Li Hanyi nodded slightly.