The yellow sands roared under the fiery sun.

Waves of air bellowed across the land, bringing with it an unbearable heat.

However, Sushang felt like she was freezing from the murderous aura that emanated from the man.

 The man was of an unknown age and kept a stubble. A striking scar scrawled across his face like a crimson lightning bolt, only to abruptly end at his lower jaw… It was as if it were falling forever. If one looked closely, the man had an innumerable number of scars on his body. Without them, he would surely be a handsome man, but those red branches that spread across his body didn’t leave him as a frightening demon. On the contrary, it added to a sort of nobleness about him. [Sushang, be careful.] The Raksha slowly came down from the carriage and carefully placed the coffin on the sand. [He wants your sword.] [What? My Xuanyuan?] She was confused at first, but quickly connected the dots. Sushang stared at the strange man and noticed that his glowing eyes were focused on the Raksha. Suddenly, the man laughed.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards, moving along with that red scar of his. It looked a little unnatural, but he let out a hearty laugh.

By the time he was finished, the man somehow looked gentle:

 [Hey little girl! Are you Lingshuang’s disciple?] [I’m not telling you!] Her anger widened her eyes to the size of saucers: [What’s with you?! Can’t give me a heads up before you wanna talk?!] [Looks like it.] Instead of getting angry, the man laughed. He reached out his hand and pointed at the Raksha. [Apologies, I have a couple things to say, and then I’ll get right to the fighting— mhm, I want to fight that Raksha demon.] [Huh… Huhhhhhh… What are you trying to do?!] Sushang quickly returned to the Raksha’s side. [He’s not going to fight you, he… What are you trying to do? Why are you trying to fight?]

[I’m sorry, little girl, for breaking your carriage.

As compensation, I’ll let Erebus take you the rest of the way.]

 The man cracked his joints as he spoke to Sushang: [The Raksha demon’s actually not wrong. Yes, I want your Xuanyuan sword, but I won’t take it from you by force… At least not right now. Tell me, little girl, that is your sword, yes?] [Of course it’s mine!] [Heh, no wonder you looked familiar, you’re Lingshuang’s disciple after all. Very well. By seniority, you should call me Senior Uncle. After I get done with goldie over here we can catch up. I was just on my way to see your Master too.] [He won’t fight you.] [Aye, he’ll fight cause that’s all he will know how to do.] The man looked the Raksha up and down: [Cause I want to.] [You—]

—Suddenly

The sky was encompassed by killing intent, but disappeared just as quickly. [\s]

There didn’t seem to be any traces of the man left in the world.

 Li Sushang looked at the Raksha, who was as calm as ever. That’s right, the Raksha wouldn’t understand. Only she knew that this meant their opponent had entered the Blade Mantra state.

The abandonment of all useless emotions. The abandonment of all meaningless thoughts.

With no greed or anger, no obsessions or hate, still like water with no dust, like a clear mirror and nothingness.

This is the Taixuan Blade Mantra, created from Empyrea Phoenix's legendary arts!

 There’s no doubt about it: the strange man in front of them was the disciple to the Celestial herself, the sole man in the Seven Disciples of Taixuan:

[Tireless Courser] Ma Feima.

 Sushang remembered meeting him at the Issen Villa when she was younger. The way he carried himself as a peerless co-leader of the School of Taixuan was unforgettable. [em italic]…… Did she have a chance against someone on the level of the Six Great Sects?[/em] [Raksha… Step back, let me handle this.] Sometime in between, the girl had been overwhelmed by the man’s presence, leaving her voice as quiet as a mosquito. [Okay.] The Raksha nodded since he had no intention of fighting to begin with.

He took a couple of steps back and looked at Ma Feima.

He said nothing but looked at Ma Feima with an empty stare.

 [...Pussy.] The man sighed and said to Sushang: [You’re not going to kill him?] [Hasn’t Lingshuang taught you that the duty of the Taixuan lineage is to slaughter any and all demons?] [He hasn’t fallen to that point yet.] [Haha, it’s bound to happen. By the way he’s doing things, he’ll become much more evil than a demon. Aye, why are you trying to cover for him? The powers that this Raksha demon’s hiding… Heh, it’s far more than anything you can imagine.] [...Oh well, who am I to tell you what to do.] [...] Li Sushang looked at the towering man and held her ground. [Aye, it’d be way easier if you just killed him] Ma Feima shrugged.

[Fine. If you’re so intent on protecting him… Then I’ll let you start.

Not ready? I’ll let you take as long as you want to get back to prime condition.

Remember, fight this battle with the resolve to kill me. I won’t hold back.]

 [Why do we have to fight?!] [...] He stared at her and smiled. That’s it. He’d said everything already, so why say anything else? Ma Feima had already decided, and whatever he decided, he will do. The girl bit her lip and despite being unsatisfied, complied with his instructions.

This wasn’t some common rabble.

There was very little chance of winning even if she gave her all.

After all— he was the Sixth Sword of Taixuan, an expert who could rival her master!

[em color=#FAFAD2](Aiya, I have to duel again only a couple of days after dueling for the first time in my life?)[/em]

Even worse, her opponent was one of the strongest seven in these lands …

[em color=#FAFAD2](It’s like the books say. Once you enter these lands, there’s no getting out.)[/em]

Li Sushang felt all of those thoughts flow through her and turned them into her will for fighting.

Her Mind Lake was calm and waveless, it was clean and clear like a mirror.

This was a state even higher than Ma Feima’s [Still Water]:

Blade Mantra · Clear Mirror.