Chapter 78: Peerless Sword Emperor, Incomparable Divine Maiden
A dead end, a true dead end.
Boom!
Xia Jiuxuan’s aura erupted, his soul on the verge of igniting, and the shadow of slaughter began to coalesce once more.
“Ranen, in this life, your second uncle failed to protect you. I’m sorry.”
Xia Ran lifted her small face. For the first time, she saw helplessness in her second uncle’s eyes—a deep, overwhelming helplessness.
“Second uncle, are we going to die?”
“Yes.” Xia Jiuxuan did not deny it.
“Then in the next life, can I be your daughter?”
Her words pierced Xia Jiuxuan’s heart like a blade.
“Can’t I, second uncle?”
Receiving no reply, Xia Ran pouted, tears welling in her eyes.
“Silly girl, in this life you’re already my daughter—closer to me than anyone else.”
A wretched smile twisted Xia Jiuxuan’s lips as he ruffled her hair.
All around, the Imperial Capital’s guards halted their attacks, awed by the terrifying aura radiating from Xia Jiuxuan. The memory of that blood-armored specter appearing was still seared into their minds—a nameless terror.
“Hold your hands!”
Suddenly, a middle-aged man, a mage, descended from above, coming to a halt several yards from Xia Jiuxuan. He studied Xia Jiuxuan before speaking: “This child is most peculiar. Might I suggest we spare him, and allow me to take him back to my sect?”
At this, two elderly cultivators at the peak of the Mortal Transcendence Realm exchanged glances and hesitated. “Lord Yu Cang, this… this may not be appropriate…”
He had killed the Third Prince and left the Crown Prince near death. If they didn’t seize and execute him, the royal family’s authority would be undone. Yet this Yu Cang was no ordinary man—he cared little for royal face.
Yu Cang’s gaze was unwavering as he said coldly, “What, you two are unwilling to turn him over?”
The elders shuddered. One stammered, “We wouldn’t dare. Perhaps, Lord Yu, we should wait for the Crown Prince to awaken and consult him before making a decision.”
The other bowed hastily. “We beg your understanding, Lord Yu. If His Highness were to blame us, we could not bear the responsibility.”
“Hmph.” Yu Cang snorted. “Are you trying to use the Crown Prince to pressure me?”
At once, the two elders knelt in midair, repeatedly insisting they dared not.
Yu Cang’s expression softened. “Rise. I do not wish to make things difficult for you. This boy’s constitution is unusual, his power mysterious. I intend to take him back and use him to cultivate spiritual medicines. Once the herbs are matured, I’ll flay him alive and see what secrets his body holds.
“Such a fate is far more agonizing than an ordinary execution. Do you think the Crown Prince would object?”
At this, the elders smiled in relief. “So that’s your plan! Forgive our foolishness, Lord Yu. We thought you intended to accept him as a disciple. Ha!”
Yu Cang spared Xia Jiuxuan a contemptuous glance. “Such an arrogant wretch—he must have stumbled upon some rare elixir to boost his strength. He’s fit to be a medicine vessel, nothing more. As for being my disciple, even ten lifetimes of cultivation wouldn’t make him worthy.”
“Of course. In that case, we leave him in your hands, Lord Yu.”
The elders bowed.
“Boy, don’t even think of taking your own life. Obediently come with me—I’ll let you heal for half a month before using you as a vessel for my medicines.”
As Yu Cang spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell on Xia Ran.
“Hm?” He let out a surprised cry, then beamed. “This little girl… she’s a dual spirit of ice and flame! What a delightful surprise!”
A dual spirit of ice and flame—perfect for nurturing rare medicines!
Yu Cang felt this trip had not been in vain. He had stumbled upon an unexpected treasure.
“Hurry, bring the girl over—don’t harm her!”
Delighted, Yu Cang issued the order.
“What sort of dog are you? How dare you lay a hand on my niece?!”
Xia Jiuxuan’s killing intent surged, flooding his soul once more.
Kill!
Kill!
Kill!
The slaughtering apparition was nearly complete.
“Little brat, still resisting?” Sensing something was wrong, Yu Cang hastily cast a spell. “Imprison!”
Instantly, the space within ten feet of Xia Jiuxuan began to solidify.
“Will that work?”
Xia Jiuxuan lifted his head, his eyes blood-red.
The hour of slaughter was at hand.
“Hmph! Attack—break his spine! Just don’t harm the girl!”
The two peak Mortal Transcendence elders rushed toward Xia Jiuxuan.
Just then, crystalline ice began to fall from the sky, and a figure of unparalleled beauty descended like a phantom before Xia Jiuxuan.
Her hair flowed like a waterfall, her violet gauze dress fluttered in the wind, her form regal and perfect—she stood as though a goddess had descended.
“Who dares touch my young lord?”
Her voice, cold and merciless, pressed against every throat like a blade.
At that moment, all those of the Mortal Transcendence Realm present felt their minds shatter.
Never before had they experienced such terrifying sword intent—never even dared imagine it.
It was the aura of a sovereign—the supreme sovereign.
Even Yu Cang, full of self-importance, couldn’t help but tremble.
“Who… who are you?” Yu Cang’s throat bobbed as he forced out the words.
“My sword will tell you.”
Li Luoyan spread her snowy-white palm and murmured, “Sword, come.” A violet longsword appeared in her grasp.
“You—!”
Yu Cang, recognizing the sword and its intent, flew backward in terror.
As for the imperial guards, they crumpled beneath the pressure, their bones shattering as they knelt in midair.
Too powerful!
Unimaginably powerful!
“Die.”
Li Luoyan uttered a single word and flicked her violet blade.
Boom!
A tidal wave of sword intent swept forth, engulfing Yu Cang like an unstoppable flood.
“Wretched woman, I’m not afraid of you!”
Yu Cang roared, pouring all his magic into a protective shield.
The sword intent, silent and inexorable, sliced through his shield.
Before their eyes, Yu Cang’s body shattered, then dissolved into a mist of blood, and finally vanished altogether.
Nothing remained—not even a scrap.
The wave of sword intent continued, ripping through the palace ahead and even splitting the earth, leaving a bottomless chasm.
“Luoyan, enough.”
Behind Li Luoyan, Xia Jiuxuan stood frozen.
He could sense the Sword Sovereign’s aura in Li Luoyan.
But he could also sense that Li Luoyan was not truly the Sword Sovereign.
This was not a contradiction. Only he knew—Li Luoyan was dying, about to vanish into dust.
This time, Li Luoyan ignored Xia Jiuxuan’s words.
“Come, then—come and kill my young lord!”
Her icy voice echoed, and the entire Crown Prince’s residence fell silent.
“Why aren’t you moving? All together now—maybe you’ll manage to kill me.”
With that, she tapped her sword. The two peak ninth-realm elders ahead were instantly shredded by sword intent, dissolving into a mist of blood.
“None of you dare move? Ha! Kill! Aren’t you the royal family? Didn’t you want to kill? Do it!”
Li Luoyan’s voice rose to a near-roar.
Then she raised her sword, unleashing her sword intent.
Screams filled the air, and the Crown Prince’s guards were annihilated, unable to resist.
This was the Sword Sovereign’s realm—a realm that could look down on all life in this land.
“Immortal Martial Dynasty, royal family—heh, all of you, perish.”
Li Luoyan’s cold gaze swept to the distant imperial palace, her eyes seeming to pierce space itself.
She raised her sword, intent on striking the palace.
Boom!
The earth shook, and over a dozen figures soared up from beneath the palace grounds.
“Protect the palace! I’ll go find the intruder!”
Swish, swish, swish!
Of the dozen, two remained above the palace, while the rest flew toward the Crown Prince’s residence.
“Who dares defy the emperor’s majesty?!”
Each wore dragon-patterned armor and wielded a mighty halberd, their mere presence enough to overawe a nation.
Saint Ascendant Realm!
Truly, the Saint Ascendant Realm!
In the Mortal Martial region, these were the most dominant cultivators—invincible within their domain.
These dozen formed the true foundation of the Immortal Martial Dynasty—the dynasty’s ultimate guardians.
“Demoness, prepare to die!”
One guardian, halberd in hand, leapt before Li Luoyan.
“The first sword,” Li Luoyan murmured, and delivered a simple stroke.
Clang!
Sword met halberd, and the halberd cracked in two.
“Courting death!”
The guardian’s terror gave way to battle frenzy.
Battle!
His fighting spirit soared to the limits of the Mortal Martial region.
Boom!
He raised a fist and struck at the unstoppable sword shadow.
Bang!
His fist exploded in a burst of lightning that illuminated the heavens.
He was utterly powerless.
“Roar!”
The guardian detonated his own core, burning his life’s blood.
“Kill!”
Bang!
His shout was cut short as the sword shadow pierced his defenses and skewered him.
He was helpless before it—no matter how he fought back, that sword pressed forward, as unstoppable as slicing through melons.
His corpse fell.
The other guardians were stunned.
Fear.
Confusion.
Despair.
In terror, they exchanged wry, hopeless smiles.
This woman was a goddess of the nine heavens. How could mere mortals hope to oppose her?
“Aren’t you going to attack? Come, kill me!”
Li Luoyan raised her sword, pointing at the guardians.
None dared answer.
This was the Sword Sovereign—the supreme Sword Sovereign!
“The second sword.”
In the silence, Li Luoyan swung her blade again.
Sword intent roared forth, cleaving another guardian in two.
At that moment, all across the capital, strong and weak alike sensed that unparalleled sword aura.
The city’s millions knelt in reverence, bowing toward the storm-lit heavens.
Within the palace, the elderly emperor lay on his bed, his eyes lifeless and gray.
“Hurry! Send word to the Lord of Jiuli Sect! Our dynasty is in peril—beg for his aid, cough, cough…”
Agitated, the emperor coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“Your Majesty, take care of yourself!” cried those around him, falling to their knees in tears.
“Hurry!”
The emperor’s eyes bulged in desperation.
Back at the Crown Prince’s residence, now a heap of ruins—
“The third sword.”
Li Luoyan raised her sword again, but a hand caught her wrist.
“Li Luoyan, stand down.”
Xia Jiuxuan stepped before her, the peerless beauty reflected in his eyes.
“My lord, I do not fear death,” Li Luoyan said coldly.
“But I forbid you to die, understand? Your life belongs to me, and without my command, no one will take it—not even you!”
Xia Jiuxuan met her gaze, his will invading her sword soul.
“You’re so domineering, my lord,” Li Luoyan’s eyes suddenly glistened with tears.
“That’s right. I am domineering. Don’t like it?”
Without another word, Xia Jiuxuan wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up. With his other hand, he took Xia Ran’s, and together they strode into the sky.
Behind them, the remaining guardians stood dazed, none daring to pursue.
“Don’t think I’ll let you go. Until the Yu clan is destroyed, I am not Xia Jiuxuan.”
As Xia Jiuxuan’s form vanished, his words echoed in the air.
Shock—beyond all imagining. Terror—unspeakable!
...
Half an hour later, in the imperial palace.
“Brother Yu, who was it that struck? Even the guardians have fallen!”
A middle-aged man in blue robes stood at the old emperor’s bedside.
The emperor’s lips were bloodless as he sighed. “I do not know which god descended. Guardians, report.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The remaining guardians had yet to recover. Using every word at their disposal, they struggled to describe Li Luoyan’s power.
When they finished, the blue-robed man’s face was grave and silent.
“I suspect that woman has reached the Sea-Cleaving Realm. Brother Yu, open the barriers. I’ll summon some Sea-Cleaving experts to ensure nothing goes awry.”
“Very well… with your help, I am reassured.”