Chapter 29: Broken Promises

The old man's guess was correct; it was indeed Xia Jiuxuan who was controlling this sword formation. With his current cultivation level, he could not have constructed the formation himself. However, to manipulate an already completed sword array was a trivial matter for him. In his previous life, he had ascended to imperial rank through the way of the killing sword; in the world of sword cultivators, whose sword arts were not under his command?

“Boy, who on earth are you?” the old man asked, fear written across his face.

This sword formation had existed for thousands of years, its power much diminished; otherwise, the old man would not have survived even a single strike, let alone have the chance to speak.

“Why do those about to die always ask such foolish questions? What good would it do you to know?” Xia Jiuxuan replied calmly.

“Hmph, don’t get ahead of yourself. The exit outside is guarded by my brothers. Unless you plan never to leave, you’re doomed,” the old man declared.

“That’s nothing for you to concern yourself with. Let me send you on your way first.”

As soon as Xia Jiuxuan finished speaking, twelve peerless black sword bodies condensed from the void.

The mere sound of their sword cries made the old man's head feel as though it might explode from pain.

“Ahhh!”

He howled in agony as the black sword bodies shattered his defenses.

“Die!”

Suddenly, the old man roared, his body swelling and emitting a burst of bloody light.

“Trying to self-destruct?” Xia Jiuxuan remained utterly indifferent.

He had encountered self-destruction tens of thousands of times. The sword formation activated again; black swords flew out, forming a defensive shield that enveloped Xia Jiuxuan and Xia Ran.

“Hahaha!” The old man laughed madly at the sight.

In the next moment, he unleashed his full strength, almost snapping every meridian in his body to deliver a final attack.

Boom!

His black-and-white disk clashed with the black sword and exploded, but he used all his might to dash toward the exit of the underground palace.

“Boy, you’re too naive! You thought I’d self-destruct, but never expected me to escape!”

It turned out the old man was cunning; he had feigned self-destruction to deceive Xia Jiuxuan, intending to flee at full speed.

If he could just break out of the underground palace, the sword formation would no longer be able to pursue him.

Xia Jiuxuan's gaze darkened.

He hadn’t anticipated this; he had underestimated the old man's craftiness.

In the blink of an eye, the old man had already rushed beyond the underground palace.

“Trying to escape?”

Xia Jiuxuan furrowed his brow, murderous intent boiling.

He could not let the old man escape; if he went outside to give warning, the other Transcendent cultivator would be far more cautious, perhaps even bringing a host of experts.

“Ranran, wait for me here.”

“Okay, Second Father.”

Swish!

Xia Jiuxuan became a blurred shadow, chasing after the old man.

Seeing Xia Jiuxuan in pursuit, the old man fled desperately.

“What’s happening!”

Ahead, a wall inscribed with mysterious patterns blocked his way.

“There was no such wall when I came in!”

The old man was terrified; had he wandered into another formation?

Before he could think further, Xia Jiuxuan landed behind him.

“Run, go on, run,” Xia Jiuxuan said, holding the Dragon Scale Spear with a mocking smile.

He vividly recalled that not long ago, these two old men had chased him while uttering those very words.

Now, the tides had turned.

The old man’s face was pale, blood pouring from his mouth, but his eyes were still sharp as blades. “Boy, do you think you can kill me just because I’m wounded? Don’t forget you were gravely injured yourself!”

Xia Jiuxuan did not answer. He raised the Dragon Scale Spear and flashed forward.

To ensure nothing went awry, he directly unleashed the power of the Ninefold Demonic Blood, pushing his strength to the peak.

Swish!

The spear flashed—an arm fell, then both legs were severed.

“Ah!”

The old man collapsed, writhing in agony.

Why did this boy not follow convention, why did he kill without hesitation!

The old man's plan was to exchange words, stall for time to heal; he never imagined this youth would refuse to play along, acting decisively and leaving him no opportunity.

At this point, the old man was nearly hopeless.

In this underground palace, calling for heaven or earth would avail nothing.

He never expected that the boy’s mastery of formations was so terrifying, that he could control even the grave-protecting sword formation left by a Sword Saint.

He had reached the end of the road.

To command a Sword Saint’s array—even the arcane arts teachers of the Imperial Capital’s Taixuan Academy could not do so!

Xia Jiuxuan walked over, pressing the spear to the old man's throat.

With death so near, the old man could no longer maintain composure.

“Don’t kill me, young friend! I have techniques, pills, and spirit stones—take them all!” he begged, having no other recourse.

It was not cowardice; when a person is cornered, this is a natural reaction.

“No need for your charity. Once you’re dead, your belongings are mine all the same,” Xia Jiuxuan replied coldly.

The old man rolled backward, pleading, “Young friend, with my limbs severed and meridians shattered, I am a cripple, no longer a threat to you. Please, have mercy and spare me. If you kill me, my spatial storage will explode and you’ll get nothing.”

Indeed, high-grade spatial storage would self-destruct upon its owner's death, erasing all its contents.

“How many spirit stones do you have?”

Xia Jiuxuan paused, refraining from killing.

“Seven—seven mid-grade spirit stones, worth seventy thousand Xuan Crystals! And other treasures besides. Spare me, and they’re all yours!” The old man saw hope when Xia Jiuxuan hesitated.

“Quite wealthy.”

Xia Jiuxuan lowered his spear. “Hand them over, and I won’t kill you.”

“No, not now. Take me to the tomb exit, and I’ll give you everything there,” the old man said.

“Do you have the right to bargain?” Xia Jiuxuan’s cold gaze swept over him, then his voice snapped, “I, Xia Jiuxuan, have always kept my word—do you think I would deceive a useless old man like you? Live or die, it’s your choice.”

Hearing this, the old man trembled, hesitated, and said, “Then… swear an oath.”

Xia Jiuxuan scarcely paused, “I, Xia Jiuxuan, swear: if I take your resources and do not spare your life, may I die a miserable death.”

He sounded like a simple youth who honored his promises.

“Truly, heroes rise from the young. Fine, I believe you.”

It was not foolishness; he simply had no choice and could only gamble.

A spatial ring flew from the old man’s chest into Xia Jiuxuan’s hand.

Xia Jiuxuan smirked; the old man had left a trick, imbuing it with his spiritual sense, ready to detonate the storage.

But that feeble trace of spiritual sense was easily erased by Xia Jiuxuan.

“You may die now.”

He thrust his spear, piercing the old man’s abdomen.

“You! You scoundrel! You broke your promise! Die with me!” The old man, desperate and furious, tried to detonate the spatial ring. Even if he couldn’t kill the youth, he might wound him.

Unfortunately, the storage in Xia Jiuxuan’s hand did not react at all.

“Despair?” Xia Jiuxuan smiled. “You are thousands of levels beneath me, yet you thought to contend with me?”

Face ashen, the old man collapsed, murmuring, “Who are you, really?”

Throughout his life, he had met many capable and cunning people, but none as calculating and flawless as this youth.

“The dead have no right to know who I am.”

Xia Jiuxuan raised his spear and severed the old man's head, capturing his soul as a puppet.

He examined the contents of the storage; indeed, there were many treasures.

Over a hundred thousand Xuan Crystals, hundreds of pills, rare herbs and medicines, weapons and armor.

Most importantly, seven mid-grade spirit stones.

Packing away his spoils, Xia Jiuxuan returned to the underground palace.

Extending his spiritual senses, Xia Jiuxuan sensed the situation outside.

Both exits were now tightly guarded, and three more Transcendent experts had arrived.

With so many masters, Xia Jiuxuan would surely die if he tried to force his way out.

Therefore, he planned to leave through another exit, though it was slightly more troublesome.

“The Sword Intent Tower—only by fighting out through it.”

The Sword Intent Tower was the legacy left by the deceased Sword Saint.

Passing the tower’s trials would grant the legacy and transmit one outside.

“His sword legacy is too meager for me. But Ranran can temporarily accept it.”

Xia Jiuxuan himself could not accept such a low-level sword inheritance; doing so would hinder his future cultivation in the sword arts, which was unacceptable.

Thus, Xia Jiuxuan intended to give the Sword Saint’s legacy to Xia Ran. Once she received it, even at just five years old, she would be considered a little expert.

“Ranran, shall Second Father take you to find something delicious?”

Curled up in a small bundle, Xia Ran’s eyes sparkled at her father’s words, especially at the promise of tasty treats.