幽明剑洞天界域。

江定并不知道自己已经被许多人挂念，只是隐匿自己，默默地搜寻着，在心中思索天剑剑术的精要。

不知不觉，已经过去了百余年。

江定已经完全把幽明剑洞天两个界域数百个小千世...

幽明剑洞天界域。

JiangDefeignianstoodattheedgeofthevast,starryexpanse,hiseyesfixedontheswirlingenergiesthatdancedacrossthefabricofspace.Theairwasalivewiththewhispersofcountlessworlds,eachoneatiny,shimmeringthreadinthegrandtapestryofexistence.Hebreatheddeeply,feelingthefamiliarthrumofpowercoursethroughhisveins.

Despitetheweightofcenturiesbearingdownuponhim,JiangDefeignianseemedtohaveagednotatall.Hishairwasstillblackascoal,hiseyesstillbrightasstars,andhisswordarmstillstrongasever.Theweightofhisyearsonlyaddedalayerofdepthtohisgaze,awisdomthatspokeofcountlessbattleswonandlost,oftriumphsandtragedies.

Ashestoodthere,thewindwhippinghishairintoafrenzy,JiangDefeignianfeltapresencebehindhim.Hedidn‘tneedtoturntoknowwhoitwas.Theairseemedtovibratewithanticipation,asiftheveryfabricofrealitywaswaitingwithbatedbreathfortheswordmaster‘snextmove.

Withaquietsmile,JiangDefeignianturnedtofacehiscompanion.Itwasawoman,herfaceanintricatemosaicoftattoosandscars,hereyesburningwithaninnerfirethatseemedtorivalthestarsthemselves.Sheworeasuitofarmorthatshonelikepolishedsilverinthemoonlight,andonherbackshecarriedamassiveswordthatlookedalmostaslargeasaship‘smast.

“Ah,Lian,“JiangDefeigniansaid,hisvoicelowandsoothing.“Iseeyou‘vearrived.Iwasn‘tsurewhenI‘dfinallyfindsomeonewillingtosharemyburdens.“

Thewomansmiled,herlipscurlingupwardinafierce,wolf-likegrin.“Youknowmebetterthanthat,Jiang,“shesaid,hervoiceliketherumbleofthunderonasummer‘sday.“I‘vebeentrackingyouforyears,followingthewhispersofyournamethroughtheages.“

JiangDefeignianchuckled,alow,rumblingsoundthatseemedtoshaketheveryfoundationsoftheearth.“You‘reaspersistentasever,“hesaid,hiseyesglintingwithamusement.“ButIsupposeit‘sonlyfitting.You‘vebeenmycompanion,myfriend,andmyfoeforsolongnow.“

Thetwowarriorsstoodthereinsilenceforamoment,theonlysoundthesoftrustleofthewindthroughthetrees.Then,withoutanotherword,JiangDefeignianreachedoutandgraspedLian‘shand.

“Together,“hesaid,hisvoicelowandurgent.“We‘llfacewhateverliesahead,sidebyside.“

Liannodded,hereyesneverleavinghis.Sheknewthatlook,thattoneofvoice.Itwasthesameoneshe‘dseencountlesstimesbefore,thesameonethatmadeherbloodrunhotwithanticipation.

Withafiercecry,JiangDefeignianlaunchedhimselfintotheunknown,Lianathisside.Together,theychargedforwardliketitans,theirswordsflashinginthemoonlightastheytorethroughtheshadowsandleftthedarknessbehindthem.

Theworldseemedtocomealivearoundthem,thestarspulsatingwithenergyasiftheveryfabricofrealitywasrespondingtotheirpresence.JiangDefeignianfeltasenseofexhilarationwashoverhim,afeelingthathe‘dbeenmissingforsolongnow.

Thiswasit,hethought.Thiswaswhathe‘dbeensearchingforalltheseyears.Thethrillofbattle,therushofadrenalineastheyclashedwiththeirenemies.Theroarofvictoryastheyemergedtriumphantfromthefray.

WithLianbyhisside,JiangDefeignianfeltinvincible.Heknewthatnomatterwhatlayahead,hecouldfaceithead-on,armedwithnothingbuthisswordandhiswits.

Andso,together,theyplungedforwardintotheunknown,theirswordsflashinginthemoonlightastheycarvedapaththroughthedarknessandlefttheirmarkupontheworld.

Astheymoveddeeperintotheunknown,JiangDefeignianfeltastrangesenseofcalmwashoverhim.Itwasasifhe‘dfinallyfoundwhathe‘dbeensearchingforalltheseyears-notthesworditself,buttheunderstandingthatlaybehindit.

Thepoweroftheswordwasn‘tjustaboutwieldingitsbladeorcastingitsspells;itwasaboutchannelingitsenergyintoaforcegreaterthanhimself.Itwasaboutembracinghisowndoubtsandfears,andusingthemasfueltodrivehimforward.

Andso,JiangDefeignianrealizedthathe‘dbeenwrongallalong.Hedidn‘tneedtheswordtosavetheworld;hejustneededhimself.Thepowerlaywithinhim,waitingtobetappedinto.

Withthisnewfoundunderstanding,JiangDefeignianfeltasenseoffreedomwashoverhim.Itwasasifhe‘dfinallyshedhisoldskinandemergedanew,likeabutterflyemergingfromitscocoon.

HelookeddownatLian,hereyesgleamingwithexcitementasshewatchedhimtakethelead.Hesmiled,feelingadeepconnectiontothiswomanwhohadbeenbyhissidethroughthickandthin.

Together,theywouldfacewhateverlayahead,theirswordsflashinginthemoonlightastheycarvedapaththroughthedarknessandlefttheirmarkupontheworld.

Inthatmoment,JiangDefeignianknewthathewasready.Hewasreadytofacewhateverchallengeslayahead,armedwithnothingbuthisswordandhiswits.

Andso,together,theyplungedforwardintotheunknown,leavingbehindtheshadowsandembracingthelight.