Chapter 1167: A Single Sword Light, Infinite Meaning
At Mysterious Capital Observatory, beneath a peach blossom tree, Yao Qing met the City Lord of White Emperor City, who wore a green Daoist robe.
The delicate youth with a tiger-head cap, expression cold and aloof, greeted Yao Qing briefly before taking his leave. Yan Fatty immediately followed, after much hesitation, still feeling unable to figure out the answer to that question on his own, he decided it was better to directly consult Mr. White, who was now also a swordsman.
Zheng Juzhong got straight to the point, asking: "May I ask the Elegant Prime Minister, in this time of chaos, across these fourteen prefectures of Azure Under Heaven, are there more strong states or fewer strong states?"
Yao Qing remained silent. Naturally, he understood Zheng Juzhong's implication: in an age of great contention, if there are many strong states, a latecomer can dominate. If strong states are few, the first mover can become king. So what are your plans, Yao Qing of Bing Prefecture, and that Azure Deity Dynasty which has been sharpening its swords for many years?
Zheng Juzhong said: "The Elegant Prime Minister need not rush; you can take your time to think. But before White Jade Capital discovers my trail, you must give me a clear answer."
Yao Qing asked: "If the answer I give does not meet Mr. Zheng's expectations, what then?"
Zheng Juzhong replied: "Once you give your answer, you will naturally know mine."
Yao Qing sneered: "Is this how Mr. Zheng always recruits potential allies?"
Zheng Juzhong said nothing, strolling into the peach blossom grove, and Yao Qing walked shoulder to shoulder with him.
Yao Qing looked back at the path.
He had long been hailed as the Elegant Prime Minister of Azure Deity Dynasty, but it was hard to imagine that in his youth, he was a dissolute young noble, roaming the marketplace, gathering friends and indulging in drinking, gambling, and debauchery—especially fond of gambling. He had no ambition to become a marquis or minister, no thought of seeking Dao and immortality. Becoming a Daoist official? Forget it; that depended on birth. Every day, the market youth thought only of having better luck tomorrow, winning back what he had lost today, with interest.
If Yao Qing looked back at his younger self, would that youth have believed he would become Yao Qing?
Yao Qing slowly rolled up both sleeves of his Daoist robe.
At first, Zheng Juzhong thought Yao Qing was determined to defect to White Jade Capital, helping Yu Dou suppress the rebellion, raising troops to purge the rebels in neighboring prefectures.
But unexpectedly, this Daoist, who had already reached the Fourteen Realm, seemed to have kept a "youth" within him, and now both his arms were covered in crude tattoos.
Even Zheng Juzhong found it surprising.
That dissolute youth from the past turned out to be a man with tattooed arms?
Yao Qing shook his arms and smiled: "Hey, Zheng, we're both fellows on the road. When you're out in the world, you have to be loyal, don't you think?!"
If not for Priest Sun bringing him into the mountains, Yao Qing would have been a youth with tattooed arms to bolster his courage all his life, drifting through the streets, from youth to middle age to old age to reincarnation... The Azure Deity Dynasty would never have had an Elegant Prime Minister, and Bing Prefecture would not have a Daoist "guarding the tomb." So this trip to Mysterious Capital Observatory was to see an invisible, inner "sacrificial" character.
Thinking back to that time, the tattooed youth sat on a crumbling wall of his own dilapidated home. The weather was scorching hot, his chest and belly bare, drinking wine bought on credit, and he said to the tall old Daoist beside him: "Priest Sun, since you think I'm someone special and will surely become great in the future, take me to your Daoist temple. Otherwise, you're just lying to me. You say your temple is small; that's no excuse. Don't worry, I won't despise its shabbiness. Just give me three meals a day."
But the old Daoist didn't respond. He slapped the youth's shoulder and said with a laugh: "Good lad, you even got a dragon crossing your shoulder tattooed."
The youth's shoulder stung painfully, and he grimaced.
The old Daoist chuckled: "My temple isn't just small; it also forbids meat and alcohol, serving only notoriously terrible vegetarian meals. Still want to go?"
The youth replied: "Forget it. I'll just stay here and make my way. When I make a big name for myself, I'll go to your little temple and eat some vegetarian food, see how terrible it really is."
The old Daoist raised his hand, and the youth laughed, reaching out his palm to clap in agreement—a pact sealed.
In the desolate wilderness, when the burly woman reached the summit, an entire sect had been cleansed. From the foot of the mountain to the Patriarch Hall at the peak, hundreds of demon-cultivators lay dead, not one left alive. Some Fifth Realm cultivators tried to escape using teleportation arts, but Xie Shiji punched them from afar, tearing them apart on the spot.
This demon sect, which had contributed significantly in the Battle of Bright World, vanished in an instant like smoke and clouds.
Chen Qingliu stood on the summit, sneering: "These beasts don't even deserve to know my Dao name."
The previous sect, which hadn't heard the Azure Lord's Dao name, deserved death. And this sect, which had reported his Dao name, also deserved to be killed?
Xie Shiji waved her hand to disperse the blood aura and said: "Master, it seems Bai Ze is on his way."
Chen Qingliu said calmly: "As for the hangers-on around Bai Ze, I trouble Senior Sister to delay them a bit. Let them fight one-on-one; I'll engage in a sword duel with him—cleaner."
His implication was simple: leave Bai Ze to him.
Xie Shiji nodded: "The sword duel should happen as soon as possible."
If they delayed further, the more great demons of the wasteland died on the battlefield, the more Bai Ze's power would grow. Over time, in the Wasteland World, Bai Ze would be forced to ascend to the Fifteenth Realm.
Chen Qingliu squinted, looking ahead.
He would use three thousand years of sword techniques to weigh more than ten thousand years of Dao power.
---
Chen Ping'an withdrew his mustard-seed mind and exited that heart-phase world, which had opened like chaos giving birth to a single aperture.
Inside the room, Liu Xianyang and the others saw him with a smile on his face. Cui Dongshan couldn't help but whisper: "Is Master indulging in false cheerfulness, or laughing out of extreme anger? I'll go and give Jiang She a thorough beating right now, so Master and the brothers can have some fun?"
Now Jiang She was like a man without realms, not worth much, but his Dao partner, the woman with the Dao title "Immortal of the Terrestrial Realm," was still a tough nut.
Chen Ping'an sat up straight, did not respond, and asked: "Where is this Night Traveler ship now, at sea?"
Xiao Mo said: "It just emerged from the Guixu channel surface, heading south toward Dragon Elephant Sword Sect on Bōsuō Continent. After picking up the Mountain Lord's wife and Patriarch Pei, we can return to Vase Bottle Continent. While you were in seclusion, the ship owner sent a message from Entry City that if you wanted to dock at Tongye Continent first, that's fine; the Night Traveler can wait offshore for a bit. Jiang She and Wu Yan are shamelessly staying on board, refusing to disembark."
Chen Ping'an nodded: "No need to go to Tongye Continent. Xiao Mo, go to Entry City immediately and find City Lord Zhang. Tell him we'll dock at the territory of Deity Lord Tong of West March in Vase Bottle Continent. Also, there's another matter to discuss with City Lord Zhang. I want to open a small shop there. Location doesn't matter; size doesn't matter either."
Xiao Mo stood up, acting swiftly, striding out the door, transforming into a beam of sword light, cutting through layers of restrictions, crossing several cities, and landing directly inside Entry City, where he re-condensed his form. A powerful dragon does not oppress a local snake; Xiao Mo did not use his voice to call the two city lords to meet him—that would be too arrogant. Instead, his sword aura spread like a white spider's web, reaching every corner of Entry City. Xiao Mo focused his gaze and found the most heavily obscured mountain-and-water pavilion. Having a target, he shrank the earth and went straight there.
Inside the pavilion, two Confucian scholars looked at each other with bitter smiles. They saw the swordsman of the "Wan" generation outside, wearing a yellow hat and green shoes, but said nothing. They had witnessed the previous storms and didn't mind this "tiny ripple." Xiao Mo clasped his fists outside the pavilion: "I am Mo Sheng, a guest elder of Fallen Mountain. My master sends word to your ship owner: We dare not trouble the Night Traveler further; no need to detour to Tongye Continent. Just dock at the West March territory. Additionally, my master wishes to open a shop in Entry City; size and location don't matter—just a place to set foot on the ship."
Cui Dongshan, using the lingering sword light to shade his eyes with his hand, looked at Entry City and chuckled: "Brother Xiao Mo is quite heated."
Chen Ping'an smiled dismissively.
Chen Ping'an remembered something and spoke to Liu Xianyang via heart voice: "Last time, Xiao Mo revisited old haunts, going to Bright Moon and Clear Radiance to drink with the old temple master, intending to retrieve an ancient ruined palace to give as a congratulatory gift for your marriage to Yu Qianyue."
Liu Xianyang stomped his foot in frustration: "I spoke too harshly earlier. You should apologize to Brother Xiao Mo later. If you hadn't messed around, I wouldn't have fallen out with Brother Xiao Mo."
Chen Ping'an suggested: "After Xiao Mo delivers his sword, he'll go to Azure Under Heaven again. Do you want to accompany Yu Qianyue to Bright Moon and Clear Radiance? While Xiao Mo and the old temple master go to Suichu Palace, you can tour the moon."
Liu Xianyang thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Forget it. We'll go later eventually."
Chen Ping'an was about to speak further, but Liu Xianyang waved his hand: "No more nonsense."
Jiang Shangzhen, having learned he was not the "wooden memorial" of the Second Patriarch of the Military School, became lively again, crossing his legs and thinking: worldly affairs are truly light and carefree. Changing from Fallen Mountain's Chief Guest Elder to Deputy Mountain Lord of Green Lotus Sword Sect? A promotion in name but a demotion in reality—only a fool would accept that. Me, Jiang, voluntarily spending money to add bricks and tiles to Fallen Mountain is not the same as being constantly targeted for my purse by Brother Cui at the subordinate sect.
The sable-hatted girl sauntered into the room, sat in Xiao Mo's seat, and asked: "Did the Mountain Lord really become the new lord of that place?"
Chen Ping'an nodded: "Don't get any ideas. If you're not a pure martial artist, don't ascend the mountain."
Xie Dog asked: "What realm is the Mountain Lord at now? Broke through two martial realms, reached Eleventh Realm?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head: "Still the perfected stage of Return to Truth, the full circle."
Xie Dog lamented: "What a disappointing fight. I thought even if the Mountain Lord couldn't become the first new Martial God, he should at least break through to Divine Reach, with one foot over the threshold, and then quickly meet Cao Ci—that non-loss fight would have been a huge win, and I could have earned a little from Chief Zhou."
Jiang Shangzhen looked panicked, coughed to warn her, but Xie Dog had already spilled the beans.
Cui Dongshan explained briefly: "The martial body also depends on the perfection of the earthly mountains and rivers, and the unobstructed flow of veins. Master's natal objects and energy palaces were destroyed, which naturally affects the circulation of pure true qi. To be honest, don't even hope for Master to ascend; if he doesn't descend in realm, I, as his student, would be burning incense of thanks."
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Repairing a road is always easier than building one from scratch."
"Besides, I happened to find several adjacent energy palaces. In the chaos of the human body's inner world, they naturally separated into upper clear and lower turbid patterns, like a self-created heaven and earth, giving rise to the changes of Yin and Yang of the Dao. They are most suitable for building alchemy chambers where 'grotto-heavens and blessed lands interconnect.'"
Xie Dog was just making conversation, but in truth, she was anxious because Wu Yan had begged her to act as a mediator, hoping the couple could go to Fallen Mountain together.
Using a sword to fight or assassinate someone was her specialty, but acting as a peacemaker was incredibly awkward. If she were eloquent, she would have long since learned from the Mountain Lord to casually chat and reason with people, easily obtaining Dao titles.
Xie Dog had refused at first, but the woman looked truly pitiful, with red eyes and on the verge of tears, wanting to speak yet hesitating.
Bah, you woman, shameless, you know I can't stand this! Fine, fine, Xie Dog had to steel herself and meet the Mountain Lord.
In ancient times, her Dao companion Wu Yan had never been so weak. Thinking back, Bai Jing had charged up the mountain with her sword, seeking only a thrilling kill, pursuing speed to break formations, reaching the summit first—even if only for a glance! Nothing else mattered. On the path to heaven, the grand arrays were slashed open and closed again, but Bai Jing never looked back at the scene behind her. Occasionally, she turned to glance, seeing not far away another woman, an Immortal of the Terrestrial Realm, exchanging a glance, telling Bai Jing to keep climbing, not to worry about the rear battlefield...
Before ascending, they had agreed: if she, Wu Yan, died on the way, the Dao title "Immortal of the Terrestrial Realm" would be transferred to Bai Jing.
As long as Bai Jing reached the summit, all that nonsense about "Heavenly Court"—Dao title "Immortal of the Terrestrial Realm," Bai Jing was here! This place was the terrestrial realm, the mortal world!
Xie Dog rubbed her sable hat hard, fuming with anger, too embarrassed to speak. If she hadn't lent her natal flying sword to Zheng Juzhong, which had helped the Mountain Lord a bit, she would be even more mortified.
Jiang Shangzhen's expression shifted, and he quickly asked via heart voice: "Deputy Chief Xie, could it be that Patriarch Jiang has some hidden, sinister methods to save his life, and you got caught?"
Chen Ping'an leaned against the chair back, gently rubbing his brow with his eyes closed, and said: "I'm not inviting them to Fallen Mountain as guests either."
Xie Dog felt dejected, understanding: "Oh."
Liu Xianyang rolled his eyes: "Doggy, since when are there not uninvited, unwelcome guests in the world?"
Xie Dog was startled, then overjoyed, face brightening: "Ah?"
Liu Xianyang waved his hand dismissively: "Don't stand there like a post. Go report the good news. Remember to say that Liu Zongzhu of Dragon Spring Sword Sect, though young, has remarkable sword skills, and he said many good things, argued fiercely with that Chen fellow, almost came to blows... In short, Doggy, you can improvise. Just don't overdo it. Stick to the facts."
Xie Dog stood up, clasped her fists to Brother Liu, grateful beyond words. Doggy I will remember this!
Xie Dog left her seat, about to swagger out of the room, but she rolled her eyes, put on a downcast look, rubbed her sable hat, stomped her foot, and heaved a heavy sigh. The woman and Jiang She naturally couldn't easily probe the room's affairs. Seeing Bai Jing looking sick with guilt, the woman understood—it was reasonable that it didn't work out, and if it had, it would have been an unexpected joy. So she thanked Bai Jing and said it was fine. Meanwhile, the man, who had been feigning indifference, sat on a corridor bench, not glancing at the main room, hands resting on the railing, but now he lightly clenched his fists.
Xie Dog, with a sorrowful expression, lowered her head dejectedly: "Our Mountain Lord gave me a thorough scolding. Luckily, Liu Zongzhu fell out with him and fought, making mountains and rivers change color. Several chairs inside were smashed. I even risked being expelled from the Jise Peak Patriarch Hall, threatening the Mountain Lord that I would take Xiao Mo and leave Fallen Mountain in anger. In short, it was a heart-stopping, perilous situation. After much persuasion, the Mountain Lord finally turned a blind eye and tacitly allowed you not to leave the Night Traveler, to come ashore with us at West March and head to Fallen Mountain... Hahaha, Jiang, Wu Yan, how will you thank me for this great kindness?!"
Inside the room, Chen Ping'an glared darkly at Liu Xianyang, who rubbed his chin in admiration: "Doggy has talent—she's suited for writing travelogues and strange tales. You've found a treasure at Fallen Mountain."
Xiao Mo returned to the courtyard on his sword, entered the room, and produced two land deeds: "Master, it's settled with the Night Traveler. Entry City agreed to buy one, get one free."
Chen Ping'an took the two deeds and put them into his sleeve: "Then I'll trouble you to make another trip to Azure Under Heaven for two matters. Regarding the ownership of Bi Xiao Mountain, no need to say nice things to Celestial Chant Village or Liu Tui. Just tell the truth. If the old temple master doesn't want to accompany you to Suichu Palace, don't press. Mind your boundaries."
Xiao Mo smiled: "Master worries too much. If I were to be reserved with Brother Bi Xiao, that would be a lack of discretion."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment: "Handle it as you see fit."
Damn it, he still didn't know exactly how Chen Lingjun had offended the old temple master.
Cui Dongshan took out two dimensional-pockets from his sleeve and used water art to create a translucent table of verdant jade.
Cui Dongshan said with a smile: "Palace Lord Wu has already removed the thirty-six restrictions from each item. He said that when you go into seclusion to meditate on the Dao, you can study them carefully. The process of re-setting the layers of restrictions is equivalent to studying an Daoist scripture on formations and artifact crafting. Of course, this book is not part of the agreed-upon Daoist scripture; it's a little extra from a mutually agreeable good bargain."
Chen Ping'an didn't rush to open the dimensional-pockets, asking: "Are these two items also extras?"
Cui Dongshan smiled: "Palace Lord Wu didn't mention whether they were extras or items to be returned, nor did he give any hints."
Chen Ping'an understood: Wu Shuangjiang intended to give them to the registry officer. Probably thinking that since she was living at Fallen Mountain as a "guest," she shouldn't be financially strapped, forced to wait for the monthly "stipend" from the Patriarch Hall. Could it be that one of these priceless dimensional-pockets was meant to be handed over to the old zither girl, who would then use it as a courtesy gift for her direct disciple Yao Xiaoyan?
The battle with Jiang She had drained Chen Ping'an of spiritual energy for the first time. When the battle ended, besides the five suspended rivers of spiritual energy, there were also several "streams" that had gathered in the ravines and a few small lakes filling the potholes. All together, they probably added up to the water volume of one suspended river?
This also showed Chen Ping'an the vast gap between a Celestial Immortal's spiritual reserves and a Fourteen Realm cultivator's.
Indeed, a visible chasm between heaven and earth.
A scholar must be broad-minded and persevering; the road is long and the burden heavy. From now on, he must both observe the Dao and cultivate it, and also earn money, lots of money.
Chen Ping'an opened one dimensional-pocket and with a grain of mustard-seed mind observed its interior. Sure enough, in a hazy realm like ten directions of emptiness, there hung a volume of golden characters inscribed on a jade tablet of verdant color—the most conspicuous item. It was emanating strands of the purest, most refined purple-gold Dao aura, like hundreds of thousands of dragons and serpents riding thunder and lightning, through clouds and mist.
With a slight thought, his mind manifested a palm as white as jade, cleaving through the illusory void, ignoring the lightning, and grasping the golden-character jade tablet. Unexpectedly, he couldn't lift it, couldn't move it an inch, and it was even a little hot to the touch!
Chen Ping'an didn't rush to take it out. He released his grip, shifted his gaze, reached for a stack of green talisman paper from a distance, and took it out of the dimensional-pocket. It was also quite heavy, but at least he could retrieve it without obstruction. My goodness, the moment these talisman papers appeared, the room was filled with flourishing Dao aura and boundless green light.
Chen Ping'an sat upright with focused expression and bright eyes... He moistened his finger and began to count the talisman papers deftly.
Jiang Shangzhen said quietly: "Isn't it just twenty-seven sheets? A glance would do. Need to count?"
The Chen accountant, halfway through counting, glanced at the interrupting Deputy Mountain Lord, then immediately closed the papers into a stack, moistened his finger, and started all over again.
Xie Dog tattled maliciously: "Sitting at the same table with someone like Old Patriarch Jiang, who doesn't know the value of money, really doesn't work."
Whether or not he became Deputy Mountain Lord, and where, this time the Fallen Mountain Guest Elder didn't care, but the Chief position had to be vacated for her.
The sable-hatted girl pressed her advantage: "Counting money is a big deal. Some people are more and more unaccustomed to the local conditions."
Xiao Mo, sitting beside her, frowned: "Say less strange things. Don't always covet Chief Zhou's position. Have some measure in your jokes."
Unexpectedly, the Mountain Lord nodded, agreeing with the Deputy Chief Guest Elder: "Since we've split from Fallen Mountain, we're no longer of one mind."
After counting, Chen Ping'an placed the stack of talisman papers by his hand, being careful to even them out perfectly, then gently pressed down.
Jiang Shangzhen was bitterly miserable and tested: "Miss Xie, how about we swap chief and deputy? That would be fine, right?"
If he was really sent to the subordinate sect on Tongye Continent, the jokes from two continents—no, three, including Beiju Continent—would be endless.
Not one less, not one more: exactly five hundred gold-copper coins, piled into a mountain on the table with a clatter.
Jiang Shangzhen tried to make amends: "Palace Lord Wu is very cunning. Earlier, he said that crossing two worlds, he couldn't carry anything with him, yet he had everything on him."
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Alright, continue as the Chief."
Jiang Shangzhen, once bitten twice shy, immediately asked: "Still the Chief of Fallen Mountain, correct?"
Chen Ping'an said: "If you want to swap with Mi Yu as Chief, I can make an exception and decide with one word."
Cui Dongshan said: "Welcome, welcome. It's best if Brother Mi keeps his position; I'll also make an exception and allow two Chiefs in one sect."
Jiang Shangzhen said helplessly: "Chief Cui, why bother? Even our deep brotherly bond can't withstand this kind of torment."
Chen Ping'an "closed the door" on that dimensional-pocket, putting it and the gold-copper coins into his sleeve: "There are also some Grain Rain coins inside. Do we split them equally between Fallen Mountain and Lotus Root Grotto-Heaven, or between the main and subordinate sects?"
Cui Dongshan shook his head: "I'm not short of money for now. By the way, Master, besides the Grain Rain coins, did Palace Lord Wu send that immortal weapon?"
Jiang Shangzhen, however, asked: "How many 'some' is a few?"
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Ten thousand or eight thousand."
Cui Dongshan pressed both hands on the table: "How many?!"
Jiang Shangzhen was overjoyed—safe as Chief. Becoming Deputy Mountain Lord might still be possible?
Chen Ping'an ignored Cui Dongshan and opened the second dimensional-pocket. Just one glance left him horrified.
A dragon-resting platform, with two vast rivers of spiritual energy coiling around it like dragons.
At the center of the platform stood a banner, a long white banner fluttering as if in the wind, covered in writing. The banner crackled in the air, weeping, a ten-thousand-year sob.
Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze and said: "Xiao Mo, no need to wait until we reach Fallen Mountain to deliver the sword."
Xiao Mo didn't ask why: "Do it now?"
Chen Ping'an nodded: "Just strike."
Xiao Mo didn't hesitate either. He went to the courtyard, manifested an ethereal form, hovering above the tail of the Night Traveler. A beam of sword light surged forth, shooting into the sky, arcing near the canopy, then plummeting, circling the nine continents, passing through countless clouds, soaring above all mortal green mountains, temples, cities, and dao fields, finally slanting into the sea, raising hundred-foot waves. The sword light followed the Guixu channel, startling millions and millions of water spirits into fleeing and hiding. Occasionally, a massive water spirit on the verge of forming a human shape, seeing the sword light, stood frozen, as if enlightened, its mind purified, following the light that illuminated the seabed like daylight, unwilling to look away. The sword light burst out on the wasteland earth, racing toward the heart of the world, pausing briefly at several remaining dao veins, remaining a single line of majestic sword light, never dispersing. Thunder followed successively, shaking the skies for a long time. The sword light swept across the wasteland interior, drawing a long, upward arc in the sky, piercing through the lone remaining wasteland moon, straight through the canopy, heading beyond the heavens, wantonly cutting through the River of Time, unbounded, skirting the edge of a martial-arts cloud sea, descending to the Western Buddhist Kingdom, then to the Five Colors World, circling Flying Rise City once, then touring that world again, before going to Azure Under Heaven. The sword light dropped straight, nearly brushing the ground, passing through the fourteen prefectures. During that time, it slowed near a temple in Qi Prefecture, flying close to the ground in a gesture of respect, then abruptly accelerated, heading straight for White Jade Capital. The sword light flew past Purple Mist Tower among the five cities and twenty towers, so close, dazzling, carrying wind and thunder, returning to Bright World, passing through the sky gate of Vase Bottle Continent, and just as it nearly hit the ground, it abruptly turned, leveling out over the territory of Red Candle Town, charging directly at Fallen Mountain, greatly reducing its sword intent, passing through the mountain gate archway, climbing the mountain, reaching the summit in an instant, drawing a circle, then flying off to Tongye Continent, arriving at Green Lotus Sword Sect, passing by the mountain gate without entering, sweeping past the thatched hut at the base of the mountain where treasures fell, leaving the continent, crossing the sea, and returning to the Night Traveler.
A single, extremely high and long sword light traced a perfect circle across five worlds.
Countless cultivators and mortals across the world looked up at this celestial phenomenon.
In the courtyard of Lingxi City, the Fourteen Realm pure swordsman Xiao Mo reached out and caught the returning sword light.