The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

The girl in black was even faster, and the distance between them not only didn't shorten, but actually widened.

"wrong."

Jiang Chuan's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

“A-Gui’s movement technique is not like this.”

He suddenly recalled the moment of disorientation he felt when he rushed out of the town, as if he had pierced through some invisible barrier.

The girl in black suddenly changed direction and sped towards the county town.

Alarm bells rang in Jiang Chuan's mind as a terrifying thought surfaced.

If she weren't Ah Gui, but rather the Ghost Emperor Ning Jing
"impossible!"

Jiang Chuan immediately rejected the idea.

"If Ning Jing were here, he would have taken over the prison long ago."

The Yin Iron-forged Demon Prison holds a fatal attraction for the Ghost Clan, let alone for beings at the Ghost Emperor level.

The wind howled, and Jiang Chuan's black hair danced wildly behind his head.

He abruptly stopped, drew his black jade sword, and pointed it directly at the figure in front of him.

"Halt! Who are you? Why are you impersonating Ah Gui?"

The girl in black paused, then slowly turned around.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating her eerie white fox mask.

She didn't answer, but simply raised her right hand slightly, and the surrounding spiritual energy gathered wildly, condensing into a semi-transparent qi sword.

"Sword Qi Realm Perfection!"

Jiang Chuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Agui doesn't know how to use a sword at all!"

His last shred of hope vanished; this was definitely a trap.

"One sword, a thousand dragons!"

Jiang Chuan struck first, and the instant he swung his black jade sword, hundreds of azure dragon sword energies roared and pounced on the girl in black.

This is the strongest area-of-effect sword technique he currently possesses; each azure dragon contains the power to tear apart metal and stone.

The girl in black snorted coldly and casually slashed horizontally with her sword.

A black crescent-shaped sword aura swept out, and wherever it passed, the Azure Dragons disintegrated, turning into specks of azure light and disappearing into the night sky.

"How can it be!"

Jiang Chuan's tiger's mouth cracked from the shock, and the black jade sword let out a mournful cry, unable to bear the weight any longer.

The opponent's sword strike not only broke his ultimate move, but the residual force also forced him to retreat several steps, his chest heaving with blood and qi.

Before he could catch his breath, the girl in black had already closed in.

The sword of energy sliced ​​through the air with a piercing whistle, aiming straight for Jiangchuan's throat.

"clang!"

The black jade sword barely managed to parry, and spiderweb-like cracks immediately appeared on its blade.

Jiang Chuan used the momentum to leap backward.

He stared intently at the other person.

"Supreme Ruler of the Four Realms, who exactly sent you?"

The girl in black remained silent, but her attacks grew increasingly fierce.

Each swing of the sword left a black afterimage, its path unpredictable and treacherous.

Jiang Chuan was struggling to stay afloat, and in the blink of an eye, he had seven or eight wounds on his body. The deepest one stretched from his left shoulder to his chest, and blood stained his robes.

"They're doomed if this continues."

Jiang Chuan gritted his teeth and urged the little true energy left in his dantian; the black jade sword was already on the verge of breaking.

He suddenly remembered the instructions the sword spirit had given him before it fell into a deep sleep.

"When faced with a life-or-death crisis, one can use Wufeng."

The girl in black seemed to sense his intention, and her sword suddenly surged, aiming straight for his heart.

Jiang Chuan suddenly crushed the jade pendant at his waist.

"Spirit Void Shield Armor!"

"Om-"

The semi-transparent light shield unfolded instantly, and the qi sword pierced it, creating ripples.

The girl in black was somewhat surprised, but then changed her move, turning her sword energy into a rain of swords that poured down from the sky.

"It's now!"

Jiang Chuan took the opportunity to bite the tip of his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto his palm.

"Without a blade, draw it!"

The dormant natal flying sword within his dantian suddenly awakened, transforming into a hazy gray sword light that burst forth from his body.

The moment this seemingly clumsy flying sword appeared, the spiritual energy within a ten-foot radius immediately stagnated.

The girl in black showed a serious expression for the first time and retreated rapidly. But it was too late; Jiang Chuan had already clasped his hands together and pointed his sword at the sky.

"Boundless Sword!"

This was the signature move of Sword Master Wang Zhihuan, of which Jiang Chuan only had a superficial understanding. Suddenly, the bladeless sword expanded, transforming into a three-zhang-long (approximately 10 meters) giant sword that cleaved down. Before the sword even arrived, its sharp sword energy had already carved a deep trench in the ground.

"boom!"

The girl in black parried with her sword, shattering the sword upon impact. The violent sword energy sent her flying, her white fox mask splitting in two, revealing a pale, exquisitely beautiful face.

Before Jiang Chuan could see clearly, he felt as if his internal organs had been struck by a giant hammer, and a mouthful of blood spurted out several feet away.

The sword with the bladeless blade groaned as it retracted into the dantian, and the shocking crack on the spiritual shield armor was slowly spreading.

"boom!"

Jiang Chuan crashed heavily into the grass ten feet away, the black jade sword breaking in two and falling beside him.

He struggled to get up, but found that his meridians felt like they were on fire, and he didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

In the distance, the girl in black slowly stood up, and fragments of her mask peeled off her face.

Blood kept spilling from the corner of his mouth. Jiang Chuan knelt on one knee, his broken sword stuck in the soil, barely supporting his body.

The black-clad girl's sword was pressed against his throat, the black light emanating from its tip stinging his skin.

"Ah Gui, or Ning Jing?"

Jiang Chuan looked up, panting, and saw a face behind the shattered mask in the moonlight that was both familiar and strange.

His left eye was the amber color of Ah Gui's, but his right eye was tinged with the scarlet ghost pattern unique to Ning Jing.

The sword energy drew closer, and blood seeped from Jiang Chuan's neck.

He suddenly grinned.

"Looks like we have no choice but to take a gamble."

The dormant Five Elements Sword Formation within his dantian suddenly erupted, with the five colors of sword energy—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—swirling wildly.

The black-clad girl's pupils constricted sharply as she thrust her sword of energy towards her throat—

"boom!"

A roar like a dragon's cry erupted from Jiang Chuan's body, and Xuanhuang Qi surged out from every pore of his body.

The sword of energy pierced the suddenly appearing dragon scales, sending sparks flying.

The girl in black was pushed back three steps by the recoil, her mask shattering completely, revealing a shocked expression.

How dare you!

Jiang Chuan's voice became low and hoarse, and golden dragon patterns appeared on his neck.

"Wake it up"

Excruciating pain exploded from the depths of my bone marrow, and every inch of my flesh was being rebuilt.

Jiang Chuan knelt on the ground and roared. His clothes on his back tore open, and two dragon spines pierced his skin and slowly grew out.

The girl in black did not take the opportunity to attack. Instead, she sheathed her sword and watched the scene thoughtfully.

"Trying to escape now? Too late!"

Jiang Chuan suddenly looked up, his eyes now vertical pupils.

He reached out and grabbed, and the broken sword on the ground flew back into his hand, enveloped by the primordial energy and extended into a complete sword shape.

The girl in black gazed at the distant night sky, her brows slightly furrowed.

She suddenly turned around, and in the blink of an eye, her black robes fluttered as she leaped more than ten feet away.

"stop!"

Jiang Chuan pursued in a rage, each step leaving cracked dragon claw marks on the ground.

With the blessing of dragon blood, the "Dragon Elephant Divine Demon Art" was pushed to its limit, and its speed was more than three times faster than before.

The night wind whistled in my ears, and Jiangchuan's vision was tinged with a pale gold.

He could see the black-clad girl's flowing hair three hundred feet away and hear the sound of owls flapping their wings a mile away.

What's terrifying is the colossal creature awakening in the sea of ​​souls—the Xuanhuang Dragon Soul, entrenched deep within consciousness, its golden vertical pupils meeting his gaze through the sea of ​​souls.

"Kid, you've finally let me out."

The dragon soul's voice exploded directly in Jiang Chuan's mind, making his temples throb.

He then realized with a start that the distance between him and the girl in black was widening.

The explosive power brought about by the burning dragon blood began to decline, while the dragon soul in the soul sea became clearer and clearer.

"Get back!"

Jiang Chuan roared in his mind, desperately activating the "Mysterious Heaven Refining God Technique" to suppress the dragon soul. His consciousness continued to sink, and the surrounding scenery gradually blurred.

In a daze, he saw the girl in black suddenly stop on a distant hill and look back.

The night wind lifted her black robe, revealing a familiar bronze token at her waist—a token of Sword Spirit Mountain!
"Wait"

Jiang Chuan tried to shout, but found that his throat could only produce a hoarse dragon roar.

His consciousness sank completely into the depths of his soul sea, and the surroundings turned into an endless expanse of dark yellow mist.

The dragon soul swam in the mist, each scale clearly visible.

It hovered around Jiang Chuan's consciousness, emitting a low laugh.

"What a perfect shell, waiting for me to devour your soul."

Jiang Chuan struggled desperately, but was like a flying insect caught in a spider web.

The dragon soul opened its massive maw, and a terrifying suction force emanated from it. He felt his consciousness being torn apart and disintegrated.

Just as consciousness was about to dissipate, a clear and melodious poem resounded throughout the soul.

"A single sword's light chills nineteen provinces, its aurora eternally illuminates the nightless sky!"

A flash of golden light appeared, transforming into countless sword shadows that forced the dragon soul back.

Jiang Chuan vaguely saw a white-clad phantom walking through the air. With a wave of its sleeves, the "One Page Book" that suppressed the dragon soul suddenly burst into light.

"Xu Jingting?!"

The dragon soul let out a resentful roar, but was locked back to the bottom of the soul sea.

Jiang Chuan's consciousness finally returned, only to find himself kneeling in the wilderness, bleeding from all seven orifices, his dragon transformation features fading.

Even more strangely, the girl in black had vanished without a trace, with only a faint fragrance lingering in the night breeze as proof that she had once existed.

"That was close."

Jiang Chuan tried to stand up, but fell to the ground.

Only then did he notice that an aurora-shaped sword mark had appeared on his palm.

The sword seal suddenly became hot, and Jiang Chuan's vision went black.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself on a vast, icy plain. The wind and snow howled, and the aurora borealis stretched across the night sky like a ribbon.

On the icy cliff ahead, a white-robed swordsman stood with his hands behind his back.

"Xu Jingting, the Aurora Sword Immortal?"

Jiang Chuan asked tentatively.

The man in white turned around, his face shrouded in a hazy halo.

He raised his hand and tapped lightly, and the sword mark between Jiang Chuan's eyebrows lit up.

"This sword technique should not have been passed on to you now."

"Senior wants me to kill Ning Jing?"

Jiang Chuan recalled the name that the dragon soul had called out.

Xu Jingting's illusory figure nodded slightly, and a dazzling sword light flew out from his sleeve.

"The Aurora Heavenly Sword can sever cause and effect. If Ning Jing does not die, the Nine Provinces will surely face a great calamity."

The sword light hovered before Jiang Chuan, transforming into a three-foot-long green blade. The blade was as transparent as ice, with what appeared to be a flowing galaxy within.

"why me?"

Jiang Chuan did not immediately accept the sword.

"because."

Xu Jingting's figure began to disappear.

"You can control the Xuanhuang Dragon Soul and survive."

The Aurora Sword suddenly pierced Jiang Chuan's brow!
Amidst the excruciating pain, Jiang Chuan heard his last words.

"Remember, when you draw your sword, make sure you see clearly who she is."

The icy world collapsed, and Jiang Chuan suddenly sat up, only to find himself still kneeling in the wilderness.

The sky was already turning a pale white in the east, and the sword imprint on my palm was slightly warm.

Within the sea of ​​souls, a page of light shone brightly, illuminating the dormant dragon soul and leaving it nowhere to hide.

Jiang Chuan's consciousness returned to his body.

Jiang Chuan opened his eyes, and the golden light in them faded.

He stood there, dazed, as if he had just woken up from a deep dream.

In his soul sea, the unruly dragon soul had been temporarily suppressed, but the residual fluctuations still made his temples throb.

"Aurora Sword Seal"

Jiang Chuan murmured to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the space between his brows.

There is now a cold mark there, like a brand that someone carved into his soul with ice.

The scene from eight hundred years ago is still vivid in my mind—Xu Jingting's proud figure stands in the void, his white hair like snow, his sword pointing to the sky.

"With this sword seal, slay demons and monsters, especially her."

The sword immortal's last words struck Jiang Chuan's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Ghost."

Jiang Chuan smiled bitterly, the name lingering on his lips, carrying an indescribable bitterness.

Three years ago, on that rainy night, a girl covered in blood grabbed his clothes, her eyes filled with the will to survive.

Now, Xu Jingting wants him to settle this karmic debt himself.

Jiang Chuan's internal energy suddenly became disordered, and he groaned as he knelt on one knee.

The battle with the dragon soul had taken a heavy toll on him. Trembling, he took out a jade bottle from his robes and poured out a crimson pill.

The Great Rejuvenating Elixir entered the throat and transformed into a warm current that flowed to the limbs and bones.

"Senior Brother Su's pills are indeed extraordinary."

Jiang Chuan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling the pain in his body gradually subside.

He looked down to examine the Spirit Void Shield Armor, the spiderweb-like cracks making him frown.

"It seems I need to find an opportunity to go back to Chiyang Peak."

A night breeze swept by, carrying the coolness of early autumn.

Jiang Chuan then realized that he was standing on the official road three miles outside the city of Longhai County.

In the distance, the city walls resembled a giant beast lying prone, with lights dotting the landscape like stars.

"I need to change my clothes first."

Jiang Chuan took out a black robe from the ink jade chess piece on his wrist.

This is a storage artifact given to me by my master before I left the mountain. It has a space of three feet square inside.

His blood-stained white clothes were put away, and he was dressed in a black robe, instantly blending into the night.

On the city wall, a squad of county soldiers were changing shifts.

Jiang Chuan held his breath and focused his mind, channeling his true energy to the soles of his feet. With a light leap, he soared over the three-zhang-high city wall like a roc spreading its wings.

The soldiers on night patrol felt a gentle breeze, and the squad leader turned around alertly, only to see the moonlight as clear as water.

"Shadow Escape."

Jiang Chuan made a hand seal and gave a soft shout, his figure instantly blending into the shadows beneath the city wall.

In a few leaps and bounds, he had already moved away from the heavily guarded city walls and slipped into the bustling streets.

The nightlife in Longhai County was just beginning. Lanterns hung high along the long street, and vendors' cries rose and fell.

Jiang Chuan found a dark alley, completely changed out of his blood-stained clothes, and transformed into a handsome young man.

With his hair tied up in a jade crown and a sword at his waist, anyone who saw him would have to praise him as a handsome young man.

"Tanghulu——"

"The finest Yun brocade—"

Despite the cacophony of city sounds, Jiang Chuan found them strangely comforting.

Three years ago, when he came to participate in the mountain gate conference, he was busy catching demons and monsters all day long. He never had the opportunity to properly appreciate the prosperity of this first city in the western region.

"Young master, are you lost?"

A clear, crisp female voice rang out.

Jiang Chuan turned his head and saw three well-dressed young women standing in front of the rouge shop. The woman in pink, who was in the lead, was looking at him shyly.

He then realized that he had been standing in the middle of the street in a daze for a long time.

"I am new here and would like to ask where the largest market town is?"

Jiang Chuan cupped his hands in greeting and gave a perfectly timed smile.

The girl in pink's eyes lit up.

"Young master, you've come at an inopportune time; most shops are closed at this hour."

She mustered up the courage.

"If you don't mind, I can show you the way tomorrow."

The girl in the green dress next to her quietly tugged at her sleeve, but was shaken off.

Jiang Chuan watched this with amusement. These ordinary women probably mistook him for some young master from a noble family.

"Then thank you very much, young lady."

Jiang Chuan readily accepted the good advice. (End of Chapter)