The martial artist, perhaps considering himself skilled enough to be a notable figure, thought that even if he couldn’t interfere in this level of combat, he could at least speak up, right?
So he simply opened his mouth to inquire.
Emperor Zhende’s gaze turned to the expert, who was at least of the fifth rank. He merely narrowed his eyes, without making a move or releasing any aura. The high-ranking expert who had leaned out to ask loudly suddenly fell from the city wall.
His primordial spirit was extinguished, dying silently and without a sound.
The city wall fell silent. Both ordinary soldiers and martial artists who had gathered to watch the commotion uniformly stepped back, looking fearfully at “Prince Huai,” then quickly averting their gazes in the next moment. They didn’t dare to draw the attention of this terrifying figure, afraid of becoming the second pitiful soul to die silently.
“Xu Qi’an, don’t you claim to act for the people? Aren’t you the conscience of Great Shang? Isn’t your reputation alone greater than that of the imperial court?” Emperor Zhende’s gaze was fierce, filled with jealousy, anger, hatred, and contempt. Wielding the sixty-zhang giant sword, he shouted:
“If you dare to dodge this sword strike, do you know how many people in the city will die?”
The details of the city massacre case had always been a thorn in Zhende’s heart that he couldn’t remove. He had schemed for years, refining blood and soul pills, only to have his plans thwarted. Prince Huai’s avatar had died in Chu Province, and his efforts had been in vain.
For a “demonic cultivator” with such a flamboyant evil nature, this was enough to drive him mad with rage.
Moreover, Xu Qi’an had stormed into the Wumen Gate, slain the Duke with his blade, and severely slapped the face of, the Son of Heaven, in front of the common people.
How did it feel to be so humiliated by a nobody?
Later, the Supervising Censor, Zhao Shou, and the civil and military officials forced him to issue an edict of self-reproach, once again tearing off his face and trampling it.
Even someone with the deepest schemes would be enraged, let alone someone who never concealed his evil intentions. Like the Earth Sect’s demonic cultivators, Emperor Zhende firmly believed that human nature was inherently evil.
“You can try to stop me from gathering my sword energy, but you won’t be able to catch up with me. Of course,” Emperor Zhende paused, then laughed somewhat maniacally, “you can also dodge!”
As he spoke, more iron swords flew through the air, merging into the giant sword, further increasing its momentum.
On the city wall, a soldier tremblingly preheated a cannon with shaking hands, loading ammunition.
But the centurion kicked him down, shouting sternly, “Run!”
These godlike figures were not something that cannons could deal with.
In an instant, soldiers and martial artists scattered in all directions along the city wall, fleeing like birds and beasts. The city wall behind Xu Qi’an was left empty.
The giant sword’s aura was overwhelming, sixty zhang long, with sword energy piercing the clouds. It contained sword qi, the full power condensed by a second-rank Human Sect cultivator.
If Luo Yuheng’s talisman sword was a casual strike from a second-rank Human Sect cultivator, then Zhende’s sword was a full-power strike from a second-rank Human Sect expert who had been gathering strength for a long time.
The reason Emperor Zhende had gathered such a large number of iron swords was purely because ordinary weapons couldn’t withstand his overwhelming sword intent, leaving him no choice but to do so.
This sword not only contained magnificent sword qi but also the power of the mind sword that specifically targeted primordial spirits.
Even though Xu Qi’an had merged with Shen Shu, raising his aura to the peak of the third rank, he felt immense threat and pressure when facing a second-rank Daoist expert, a Human Sect sword cultivator whose attacking skills were no weaker than those of a martial artist.
If he were to take this strike head-on, his physical body might survive, but his primordial spirit might not.
Under normal circumstances, he could dodge, but Zhende was using the civilians in the city as hostages, forcing him to take the strike head-on.
This was Zhende’s purpose in pushing him outside the city.
If he took it, he would have to endure this world-shaking sword strike.
If he didn’t, leaving aside his reputation, Xu Qi’an’s own martial heart would be tainted, making it difficult for his thoughts to remain clear.
Xu Qi’an, under enormous pressure, searched his mind for his available techniques. The Buddhist precepts would be ineffective against Zhende unless he was also a second-rank or first-rank Buddhist cultivator.
The Zen meditation technique definitely couldn’t withstand this sword strike.
He couldn’t use Confucian magic. If he were to use the “words become reality” technique to nullify this sword strike, the backlash afterward wouldn’t be much weaker than taking the strike itself.
The Supervising Censor hadn’t intervened, apparently truly entangled by Saren Agu. Although the Supervising Censor had a home-field advantage in the capital, Saren Agu was a first-rank cultivator who had lived for thousands of years. Even if he couldn’t defeat the Supervising Censor in Great Shang, he could certainly keep him occupied for a while.
As the last iron sword merged in, Zhende finally completed gathering his sword energy. His sword-pointing finger trembled slightly as if even he couldn’t control this enormous power.
The entire capital, with its three million lives, was under the pressure of this sword energy, filled with anxiety and fear.
This was the power of a second-rank cultivator.
It was like the majesty of heaven itself.
“Strike!” Zhende roared, a flash of satisfaction crossing his face as his sword-pointing finger controlled the giant sword, swinging down with all his might.
Xu Qi’an’s eyes widened as he watched that world-cleaving sword descend. He stepped forward, opened his hand, and bellowed:
“Knife, come!”
From the horizon, a streak of clear light whistled through the air. Like a meteor, it was wrapped in layers of surging clear clouds.
The Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife.
The first treasure of the Confucian School was once used by the Confucian Sage to carve out classic texts on bamboo slips that would be passed down through the ages.
The carving knife hummed and vibrated with unprecedented joy. It no longer appeared as if it were merely fulfilling a duty, as it had the previous two times.
This time, the carving knife transmitted intense emotional waves. It was cheering, rejoicing, blood boiling with excitement as if it had returned to its master’s hand.
Xu Qi’an gripped the carving knife, his eyes bursting with clear light. He stepped forward once more, thrusting the Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife forward.
The sword energy and knife intent collided head-on.
Before the collision, the energy fields between them erupted in dazzling flames, like two domains of opposite properties merging, producing a violent reaction.
Boom!
The collision of the two energies produced a terrifying explosion. The entire space seemed to collapse, with destructive force sweeping outward.
Soldiers and martial artists on the city wall fell in swathes, meeting untimely deaths.
Behind Xu Qi’an, the city wall’s protective formation first collapsed, then the wall itself cracked, fissures spreading, and finally, it crumbled.
Half of the city wall thunderously collapsed.
Layer after layer of dust was scraped off the ground, swept up into the sky by the surging air currents, like a sandstorm.
Another thunderous boom and the ground collapsed into a crater more than ten meters deep. Xu Qi’an and Emperor Zhende remained motionless, standing on thin air.
Emperor Zhende’s face suddenly contorted, the muscles in his cheeks bulging, blue veins popping on his forehead. His right arm, which was holding the sword-pointing finger, trembled violently, extremely unstable.
The clear light in Xu Qi’an’s eyes flashed again as he growled deeply: “In this life, I do not believe in emperors!”
With this roar, above his head, an image of a thousand-armed magical being with twelve pairs of arms flashed briefly, followed by an image of an old man wearing Confucian robes and hats.
Both the Confucian Sage and Shen Shu found this very impressive.
Crack… At the point where the carving knife and the giant sword clashed, a sound that set teeth on edge rang out.
Iron swords shattered one after another, either exploding into iron fragments or melting into molten iron.
Mortal iron was ultimately just mortal iron. After the sword energy of the second-rank Human Sect expert was exhausted, they quickly disintegrated, starting from the point of impact and spreading to the entire giant sword.
Xu Qi’an advanced through the falling red-hot molten iron and iron fragments, thrusting the carving knife into Emperor Zhende’s chest. Amidst the latter’s painful roar, he forcefully lifted.
He lifted out a body.
This body was torn apart by the knife intent of the carving knife.
Emperor Zhende’s physical body.
The Yang Spirit, shrouded in golden and black light, separated from the physical body. On his chest, a streak of clear light clung like a bone-deep curse, impossible to remove.
Zhende screamed in agony.
Just as Xu Qi’an was about to seize the opportunity to destroy this Yang Spirit, he suddenly sensed danger in his mind. He turned and swung the Taiping Blade, clashing sounds rang out as the two figures separated instantly after contact.
Prince Huai slid back, and during this process, Zhende’s Yang Spirit entered him, merging with this last body.
Xu Qi’an calmly swung the Taiping Blade, chopping Zhende’s physical body into fine pieces, completely depriving him of his original body and eliminating any possibility of resurrection.
“Luo Yuheng told me that for Daoist experts in the Tribulation Crossing stage, losing their physical body is the most feared thing. The secret of becoming a first-rank Terrestrial Immortal is the re-fusion of the Yang Spirit and the physical body.
“Zhende, without this body you were born with, you’ve lost the chance to advance to the first rank. Even if you possess another body, it won’t be compatible with your Yang Spirit. Unless you’re willing to spend hundreds of years slowly adapting.”
Xu Qi’an held the carving knife in his left hand and the Taiping Blade in his right, his expression calm.
Compared to dealing with third-rank martial artists, the Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife was more lethal to Yang Spirits. This was what Zhao Shou had told him.
The carving knife was one of Xu Qi’an’s trump cards, a part of his plan to kill the emperor.
This strike not only cut off Zhende’s “future,” but also severely wounded his Yang Spirit.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it…” Emperor Zhende cursed through gritted teeth, the malice in his eyes almost tangible.
“Xu Qi’an, the thing I regret most is letting you live until today. I should have killed you at all costs when you killed Duke Cao and the Protector Duke!”
This emperor, corrupted by the Earth Sect’s Sect Leader, had lost his ability to manage his emotions and was now in a state of fury.
Xu Qi’an coldly observed his loss of composure, his chest heaving violently as he practiced breathing techniques to recover his strength.
Prince Huai’s aura was no longer at its peak, and Zhende had also been severely wounded by the carving knife. Although Xu Qi’an’s strength had been greatly consumed and his aura had slightly decreased, the balance of victory had begun to tilt in his favor.
After roaring for a while, Emperor Zhende regained some composure and fixed Xu Qi’an with a malice-filled stare:
“After entering the second rank, like Luo Yuheng, I sought ways to quell the karmic flames. Her idea was to dual cultivate with the emperor, taking it a step further to use the imperial fortune to quell the karmic flames and successfully cross the tribulation.
“For the first ten years, my thoughts were the same as hers. However, the subsequent Shanhaiguan battle caused the Great Shang to lose nearly half of its fortune. This both delighted and disappointed me. I was delighted because I saw the desire for immortality; whether martial artists or Daoists, none could manipulate fortune.
“Even if I cultivated to become a first-rank Terrestrial Immortal, I would still eventually die. It was truly heaven-sent. The disappointment was that Luo Yuheng subsequently abandoned the idea of dual cultivation with me. This made me lose the opportunity to seize her spiritual essence. For twenty-one years, no matter how I demanded, she refused.
“So, I changed my mind. If the Human Sect path couldn’t be taken, why not blaze a new trail? I could take the path of a martial artist, using Prince Huai’s avatar as the main body, refining blood pills, absorbing the reincarnation of the Flower Goddess, advancing to the second rank, and then incorporating the Yang Spirit, becoming the world’s only first-rank martial artist.
“Martial artists have almost no weaknesses, naturally not fearing the scorching of karmic flames. But the price is cutting off the possibility of becoming a Terrestrial Immortal in the Daoist system. Because my ‘one qi transforms into three pure ones’ technique creates primordial spirits, Prince Huai and Yuan Jing are my sons, but ultimately not me.
“The physical body simply cannot fully merge, so I have to abandon my original body. Today, you’ve helped me make up my mind.”
He narrowed his eyes, looking towards the imperial palace, slowly saying:
“Calculating the time, it should be about right! The capital’s citizens see you as a hero. Today, I shall slay you, the hero of Great Shang.”
He stopped speaking and began to merge the two primordial spirits within his body.
The elements of earth, wind, water, and fire fused, transforming into streams of “turbid” colored energy, circling around his body.
His blood essence remained unchanged, but his aura began to surge.
But Xu Qi’an still didn’t focus on this suddenly strengthened enemy. Instead, he turned his head, looking towards the imperial palace.
…
In the imperial palace, civil and military officials, meritorious nobles and royal clan members, imperial guards… everyone simultaneously heard a shrill dragon’s roar coming from Emperor Yuan Jing’s bedchamber.
Countless people turned their heads towards the sound.
At this moment, the royal clan members and relatives suddenly felt a pain in their hearts, overcome by an inexplicable fear.
It was as if the world was ending, as if great calamity was imminent.
In Shaoyin Palace, Biaobiao lay on the table, her brows furrowed tightly, clutching her chest and crying out:
“It hurts so much, this princess is dying of pain…”
On the square behind the Wumen Gate, the Crown Prince clutched his chest, bent over, his face pale and lips drained of color.
“Your Highness, what’s wrong with Your Highness?” The guards behind him were greatly alarmed, and the group of officials turned their attention back to the Crown Prince’s condition.
Outside Jingyang Hall, Huai Qing leaned against the white jade railing, her autumn waves gleaming with tangible pain, but she didn’t clutch her chest. Instead, her delicate fist was tightly clenched as she stared intently at Jingyang Hall.
“Roar…”
Amidst the deafening dragon’s roar, a golden dragon burst through the roof of Jingyang Hall, clearly visible to everyone in the imperial palace.
“A dragon, a dragon?!”
Exclamations arose everywhere.
The spirit of the dragon vein had left the underground, departing from Great Shang.
In the mouth of this golden dragon was a pearl, and within the pearl was an eye, as deep as a vortex.
In a certain lake in the imperial city, the spirit dragon’s eyes, like black buttons, stared fixedly at the golden dragon undulating in the sky. It bared its teeth, appearing extremely angry.
At Sangbo, the bronze sword held by the statue of the founding emperor emitted a piercing sword cry.
…
“Look, is that a flood dragon?”
“Everyone, look quickly, there’s a flood dragon in the sky.”
On every street, every pedestrian at this moment looked up, watching that golden dragon continuously undulating in the sky above the capital, emitting constant dragon roars.
Ordinary people only knew of flood dragons, the flood dragons from the northern demon tribes that often played the role of evil villains in picture books and storytelling scripts, with very vivid images.
“What exactly has happened?”
“What was with those swords just now?”
“I don’t know, let’s see what the court says. Everyone, let’s wait by the notice board.”
The various anomalies, as well as the pressure that made people’s hearts palpitate and feel uneasy just now, were perceptible to every living being.
At the Star-Observing Tower, the moment the dragon vein spirit appeared, the Supervising Censor seemed to finally be unable to contain himself. His eyes, usually as calm as an ancient well, shot out dazzling clear light.
The Supervising Censor raised his hand, reaching out to grab the golden dragon.
But he caught nothing. The golden dragon seemed to exist in a different world from him.
Saren Agu, holding a shepherd’s whip in his hand, smiled and said:
“In Great Shang, although I’m not your match, I can still manage to stop you.”
The Supervising Censor remained silent.
…
Emperor Zhende rose into the air and shouted: “Come!”
The golden dragon, responding to his summons, twisted its body and came soaring through the clouds.
Zhende stood on the dragon’s head, looking down at Xu Qi’an from high in the sky.
“What’s the point of standing so high?”
Xu Qi’an floated in the air, facing off against Emperor Zhende from a distance.
Emperor Zhende, standing on the dragon vein spirit, with the fortune of the nation upon him and the power of the Shaman God by his side, felt unprecedented confidence:
“As long as Great Shang does not perish, I am still the ruler of a nation, blessed with its fortune. Xu Qi’an, what do you have to contend with me? You have the Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife, but I have the Nation-Stabilizing Sword.”
His voice rolled like thunder.
With this, an uproar arose throughout the capital.
People gazed at the golden dragon in the distant sky. Although they couldn’t see the figure on the dragon’s head, they heard Emperor Zhende’s words loud and clear.
“That person referred to himself as ‘Zhen’, is that person His Majesty?”
“He’s fighting with Constable Xu…”
In Great Shang, only one person dared to refer to himself as “Zhen”.
“What do I have to contend with you?”
Xu Qi’an’s gaze was level as he calmly said:
“There are some things I need to tell you, so you can die with understanding.”
His voice was neither loud nor soft, only allowing Emperor Zhende to hear. The common people in the city didn’t have such keen hearing.
Emperor Zhende coldly looked at him.
Xu Qi’an smiled meaningfully: “Do you know why Luo Yuheng was unwilling to dual cultivate with you? Because the man she truly fancied was me.”
Zhende snorted in disdain, coldly laughing: “Provocation? Foolish. If you think saying such shallow words can anger me, feel free to continue.”
Xu Qi’an looked at this emperor who had sat on the dragon throne for sixty years with pity and said:
“You’ve been fighting with me for so long, haven’t you noticed that I can also use the mind sword?”
Zhende’s face darkened.
“Chu Yuanzhen and I are on good terms, but he’s a registered disciple of the Human Sect. Without permission, he wouldn’t privately pass on sword techniques. In Sword Province, I once used a talisman to summon Luo Yuheng, and of course, she came, because her man was in danger. Otherwise, given her character of staying in Lingbao Temple for twenty years, never going out, never intervening, why would she act for no reason?
“Furthermore, you think she interfered in our battle to help the new emperor ascend the throne, but what if I tell you that she acted because of me?”
With each sentence Xu Qi’an spoke, Zhende’s face grew darker.
He had coveted Luo Yuheng for a long time. For twenty years, he had been obsessed with the idea of dual cultivating with her but was rejected every time.
Now, Xu Qi’an was telling him that the woman who coldly refused him, who seemed as otherworldly as an immortal, actually favored him and wanted to dual cultivate with him.
Even though Zhende only harbored ill intentions towards Luo Yuheng, hearing such words still inevitably ignited a raging fire in his chest.
“Oh, there’s one more thing.”
Xu Qi’an smiled: “You already know that I killed Prince Huai and that the sealed object beneath Sangbo is inside me. So, I’m sure you’re clear about the whereabouts of the Princess Consort.”
Emperor Zhende’s face suddenly stiffened.
Xu Qi’an continued leisurely: “She’s now my concubine.”
Blood rushed to his face. If Luo Yuheng’s actions were a slap in the face, then the Princess Consort becoming Xu Qi’an’s concubine was a naked humiliation, a trampling of his dignity.
The Princess Consort was his woman, a woman in his harem. Even though she was later given to the Northern Border King, wasn’t the Northern Border King also him?
As the ruler of a nation, he absolutely could not tolerate such humiliation.
“Xu Qi’an, I will tear you into ten thousand pieces, ten thousand pieces!!”
Zhende completely lost control, his face contorted, his hair standing on end with rage as he roared: “Sword, come!”
In Chu Province, that mysterious expert had picked up the Nation-Stabilizing Sword. Zhende had been puzzled by this for a long time, until Xu Qi’an’s identity was revealed, and he finally understood.
Just as the demon monk beneath Sangbo had his fate obscured by the Supervising Censor, Xu Qi’an’s ability to wield the Nation-Stabilizing Sword that day was probably also due to the Supervising Censor’s help.
If anyone outside the royal family could wield the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, it could only be the Supervising Censor.
But this time was different. Prince Huai that day was a prince, but now he was the true emperor.
Moreover, he was the ruler of a nation standing on the dragon vein spirit.
In all of Great Shang, this fortune was unique.
The Supervising Censor was now entangled with Saren Agu and could no longer intervene.
Boom!
At Sangbo, the Eternal Mountain River Temple exploded, and the bronze sword shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of light flying away.
This streak of light crossed the sky, passing through the pupils of everyone who looked up. Countless gazes followed that streak of light.
The Great Shang’s supreme treasure, the Nation-Stabilizing Sword!
During the Shanhaiguan battle years ago, the emperor had taken the Nation-Stabilizing Sword from the Eternal Mountain River Temple and given it to the Northern Border King.
This beautiful story had spread far and wide.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword was a symbol of the Great Shang royal family, a common knowledge even among ordinary people.
Outside Jingyang Hall, Huai Qing’s expression suddenly changed: “The Nation-Stabilizing Sword… this is bad!”
“The… the Nation-Stabilizing Sword…”
The Crown Prince’s face turned as white as paper, looking at Prime Minister Wang with extreme anxiety.
Everything that had happened completely exceeded the limits of his imagination – the golden dragon suddenly appearing in the sky, his father the emperor suddenly displaying such majestic power… and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, the symbol of the royal family and Great Shang’s peerless divine weapon.
His recent action of closing the palace gates and the small intentions hidden behind it couldn’t possibly escape his father’s notice.
Great calamity was imminent.
Prime Minister Wang didn’t respond, only nodding to him calmly, indicating that he shouldn’t lose his composure.
In a small courtyard in the inner city.
A woman in a cloth skirt carefully climbed up a ladder onto the roof.
She gazed towards the horizon, still unable to see the battle scene, only occasionally hearing explosions that sounded like muffled thunder.
I knew this day would come sooner or later. After Wei Yuan’s death, I knew you would commit regicide… She clenched her delicate fist.
You must survive.
…
In the outskirts of the capital, Black Lotus Daoist, his energy weakened to the extreme, once again regained his form. Looking at the overwhelmingly fierce and beautiful woman, he laughed wildly:
“Luo Yuheng, did you hear that? The Nation-Stabilizing Sword specifically breaks the physical bodies of martial artists. With the Supervising Censor unable to intervene, within the capital’s boundaries, no, within Great Shang’s boundaries, Zhende is invincible.”
Invincible? Luo Yuheng snorted: “Then I’ll allow you to live for a moment longer.”
She immediately turned her head, looking towards the capital, narrowing her beautiful eyes.
After this battle, you will be mine.
The corners of her mouth turned up.
The Supervising Censor walked to the edge of the Eight Trigrams Platform, watching that streak of light that originated from Sangbo and swept across half of the capital.
Saren Agu tightened his grip on the shepherd’s whip in his hand.
The two first-rank experts hadn’t engaged in combat, but their domains were already clashing fiercely, silently, and invisibly.
Everyone’s gaze was following that streak of light. In this pinnacle duel, the Nation-Stabilizing Sword was the key, the key that would influence the entire outcome.
The light of the Nation-Stabilizing Sword shooting towards him was reflected in Xu Qi’an’s pupils. His pupils dilated slightly, appearing unfocused, showing a hollow state of dispersed attention.
In his mind flashed images: the civilians falling one by one like worthless grass in the Chu Province massacre; the salutes of respect from the soldiers on the city wall after he killed the Northern Border King; the desolate figure of Zheng Xinghuai running around the capital, seeking help in vain; his eyes unable to close as he died in prison.
The reverent gazes at the execution ground; the Great Shang soldiers outside Yuyang Pass, eager to protect their homeland and repel the enemy.
Finally, he thought of that figure in green robes.
Neither reputation nor self-interest was what that person cared about.
That person lived his entire life for only two things: one was love, and the other was belief.
The former was himself, the latter was the country and its people.
What have I lived for in this life?
He reached out his hand and shouted: “Sword, come!”
That streak of light whistled towards him, falling into Xu Qi’an’s hand.
It had never changed its trajectory. From beginning to end, it had chosen Xu Qi’an.
This peerless divine weapon that had accompanied the founding emperor in his conquests had abandoned the bloodline of the founding emperor and chosen an outsider.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword had chosen Xu Qi’an… All who saw this scene widened their eyes in disbelief.
Xu Qi’an gripped the bronze sword, and in the face of Emperor Zhende’s stiffened expression, he shouted again: “Spirit Dragon!”
Roar!
In the imperial city and palace, countless people heard the Spirit Dragon’s roar.
The Spirit Dragon burst out of the waves, soaring through the clouds. Purple energy puffed from its nostrils and its scales were surrounded by purple light.
Its bones made crackling sounds as they underwent an astounding transformation. Under its scales, muscles bulged one by one, its dragon body elongating, becoming more slender and agile.
The horns on its head forked, a layer of thick mane grew around its neck, and its claws and fangs became sharper.
Those eyes, like black buttons, contracted and elongated, turning into vertical pupils.
It became more dragon-like, a dragon in the truest sense.
The Spirit Dragon soared through the clouds at extreme speed, seemingly eager to pounce toward its “master”.
Xu Qi’an lightly landed on its back, holding the Nation-Stabilizing Sword in his right hand and the Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife in his left, standing atop the Spirit Dragon.
“Impossible! This is impossible!”
Emperor Zhende’s face turned extremely ugly. He widened his eyes, his pupils trembling slightly.
“By what right do you command the Spirit Dragon? By what right do you wield the Nation-Stabilizing Sword?!”
He felt a rage as if he had been betrayed by the entire world.
This feeling was like the sharpest weapon, piercing deep into his heart.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword was left behind by the founding emperor. It had a spirit and only recognized members of the royal family. The Spirit Dragon, even more so, depended on the royal family to survive by consuming purple energy.
But now, neither of these things had chosen him.
Emperor Zhende was shocked, and certain people in the capital were even more shocked, such as the Crown Prince, Huai Qing, the fourth-rank martial artists, and the royal clan members.
…
In the imperial palace.
The Crown Prince led the civil and military officials up to the city wall of the Wumen Gate. From the top of the wall, they could faintly see the two parties engaged in fierce battle in the distant sky.
“Why… why did the Nation-Stabilizing Sword choose Xu Qi’an? Why did the Spirit Dragon choose Xu Qi’an?”
The Crown Prince looked around, his voice shrill, “Who can tell me? Who can tell me?”
Especially regarding the Spirit Dragon, the Crown Prince had loved riding it as a child and had been proud that the Spirit Dragon only approached members of the royal family. This was a privilege unique to royal family members.
The royal clan did not possess this privilege.
Those princesses, young lords, and children of meritorious nobles could only watch enviously from the shore.
But now, what did he see? He saw the Spirit Dragon willingly becoming the mount of a “commoner”, fighting bloody battles for him.
He saw Xu Qi’an riding the Spirit Dragon, engaged in fierce combat with the ruler of the nation.
The Crown Prince was greatly shocked.
The civil and military officials around him had complex expressions, but no one could give him an answer.
Indeed, why had the Spirit Dragon chosen Xu Qi’an?
Why had the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, summoned by His Majesty, also chosen Xu Qi’an?
Who exactly was Xu Qi’an?
A series of questions flashed through the minds of the group of officials.
Xu Qi’an’s identity was certainly not simple, otherwise, how could the Spirit Dragon and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword choose him over His Majesty?
“Who… who exactly is he? Is he… His Majesty’s illegitimate son?” a civil official said in a low voice, his expression complex.
The surrounding officials, upon hearing this, fell into deep thought.
The Crown Prince’s heart suddenly tightened.
“No, Xu Qi’an is over twenty years old, while His Majesty has been cultivating for twenty-one years, to be precise, twenty-one and a half years.”
“Then how do we explain the current situation?”
The Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief. His earlier loss of composure was due to the same speculation.
“Because His Majesty has lost the Way!”
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice – it was Prime Minister Wang.
Prime Minister Wang looked around at the assembled officials and said loudly: “What Xu Qi’an said outside the imperial city is all true. His Majesty colluded with the Shaman God Cult, cut off the army’s supplies, and worked with the Shaman God Cult to kill Wei Yuan. The emperor has lost the Way, and Xu Qi’an is overthrowing him.”
The group of officials began to stir.
They had to admit that Prime Minister Wang’s words were highly credible.
His Majesty possessed unparalleled cultivation, which they had witnessed with their own eyes. The choices of the Nation-Stabilizing Sword and the Spirit Dragon also validated this claim.
The divine weapon and spirit beast that only recognized the royal family had both chosen Xu Qi’an.
This was more effective than any evidence.
“A benighted ruler!” This phrase flashed through the minds of the officials.
…
In the outskirts of the capital, Luo Yuheng slashed away a large area of thick liquid with her sword and sneered, “How about that?”
Black Lotus didn’t answer. There was malice and madness in his eyes, but even more so, there was wariness.
He no longer fought with disregard for his life, only entangling, harboring thoughts of retreat.
His fortune is indeed strong, whether it’s the Spirit Dragon or the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, they all chose him… Luo Yuheng pursed her lips, her smile deepening.
…
Similarly in the outskirts of the capital, in another location.
Chu Yuanzhen sat cross-legged on the sword’s spine, gazing at the distant battle. Even just a tiny fraction of that terrifying fluctuation made the four of them tremble with fear.
“Is this his trump card?”
Chu Yuanzhen looked towards the Heaven Sect’s Holy Maiden beside him, his expression incredibly complex: “He… what exactly is his identity?”
Once he thought Number Three was Xu Xinnian, then he discovered Number Three was the womanizer Xu Qi’an. Now he felt that Xu Qi’an was still Xu Qi’an, but not necessarily the Xu Qi’an of the Xu family.
“How would I know?” Li Miaozheng rolled her eyes.
She wasn’t concerned about Xu Qi’an’s identity; she only cared whether Xu Qi’an could defeat Zhende, and if anything unexpected might happen.
“It’s too incredible, too incredible…”
Chu Yuanzhen muttered.
It wasn’t hard to understand that Emperor Zhende had lost the Way and was abandoned by all, but that didn’t mean the Spirit Dragon and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword would choose Xu Qi’an.
There had been many incompetent and tyrannical rulers throughout history, but these two beings had never been so proactive.
So the issue still lay with Xu Qi’an.
In the serious atmosphere, Lina mumbled, “I’m so hungry.”
…
“On what grounds? Because you have already been abandoned by all. It’s not that the Spirit Dragon and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword chose me, but that they chose Great Shang.”
Xu Qi’an finished gathering his strength and calmly thrust out the carving knife, aiming for Emperor Yuan Jing’s brow.
The Confucian Sage’s Carving Knife, the Heaven and Earth Slashing Blade, the Mind Sword, the Lion’s Roar, and Nurturing Intent were all melded into one.
Jade Shattering!
A dazzling clear light burst forth.
A person in desperate straits with nowhere to retreat would rather be jade shattered than pottery intact.
This strike could not be avoided.
Earth, wind, water, and fire fused into a four-colored, slightly turbid barrier in front of the carving knife.
From the mouth of the dragon vein spirit, in that transparent pearl, the Shaman God’s eyeball shot out a beam of black light.
“Roar!”
The Spirit Dragon spewed out a large amount of purple energy, infusing it into the carving knife, causing the purple energy to merge with the clear energy.
The black light scattered upon hitting the carving knife.
The power of earth, wind, water, and fire dissipated.
The foreheads of Emperor Zhende and Xu Qi’an cracked one after another, blood flowing freely.
“Ah!!!”
Emperor Zhende screamed in agony.
His Yang Spirit suffered severe damage.
A pawn that has crossed the river has no way to retreat, but can still slay the king!
Ignoring the blood flowing from his forehead, Xu Qi’an raised the Nation-Stabilizing Sword. The Spirit Dragon turned its head and spewed another mouthful of purple energy, enveloping the sword.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword hummed and vibrated.
“Spirit Dragon!”
He shouted.
The Spirit Dragon roared as it charged towards the golden dragon, towards Emperor Yuan Jing. Xu Qi’an, riding this spirit beast, thrust out the Nation-Stabilizing Sword.
Jade Shattering!
Another Jade Shattering.
A black light flashed repeatedly, the Shaman God’s eyeball continuously shooting out the black light, but it could neither erode Xu Qi’an’s will nor the purple energy spewed by the Spirit Dragon. It had no choice but to scatter upon hitting the Nation-Stabilizing Sword.
Emperor Zhende’s Yang Spirit was damaged, and he was now powerless to control the four symbols of force fused from earth, wind, water, and fire. He instinctively threw out a punch, releasing his fist intent.
Puff!
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword ignored the black light. Xu Qi’an endured the punch, allowing the sword’s edge to pierce Emperor Zhende’s chest. Like a cavalryman wielding a long spear, he lifted his enemy high.
Fresh blood flowed from Xu Qi’an’s chest, which also bore a penetrating wound.
He paid no attention to it, pressing down on the sword hilt. The Nation-Stabilizing Sword advanced a few more inches, its sword energy eroding the life force of the third-rank martial artist.
Xu Qi’an smiled and said: “Your Majesty, in your twenty-one years of cultivation, did you ever hear the cries of the common people in your dreams?”
Gripping Zhende’s neck, he pulled out the Nation-Stabilizing Sword and cut off Zhende’s feet.
Emperor Zhende’s eyes were bloodshot. Under severe injury, his Yang Spirit erupted with potential. His right palm condensed earth, wind, water, and fire, fusing them into a four-symbol sword that stabbed into Xu Qi’an’s chest.
“Your Majesty, on behalf of Duke Wei and the eighty thousand soldiers, I’ve come to collect your debt,” he mocked.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword cut off his right arm again.
“You rebellious traitor!”
Emperor Zhende was in extreme pain and felt utterly humiliated. After dominating the court for sixty years, today he was lifted by a commoner using the ancestral Nation-Stabilizing Sword and berated to his face.
His remaining left hand clenched into a fist and smashed hard against Xu Qi’an’s temple.
Bang!
The huge sound echoed throughout heaven and earth.
Xu Qi’an instantly bled from seven orifices, the flame halo at the back of his head almost extinguished.
The Nation-Stabilizing Sword swung down, cutting off Emperor Zhende’s last arm.
All four limbs were now severed.
Xu Qi’an’s face, bleeding from seven orifices, slowly raised into an eerie smile:
“I forgot to tell you, Lin’an and I are already engaged. After I kill you, I’ll ascend the throne, replace your position, and marry your granddaughter, who is nominally your daughter.
“Everything that was yours will be mine. Today, everyone in the capital is watching me kill you!”
Emperor Zhende’s eyes bulged, his pupils trembling in their sockets.
Humiliation, unwillingness, anger, hatred… various emotions surged up. He had lived through two dynasties, had a glorious life, and held supreme power.
In the end, it was to conclude in such a humiliating manner.
Xu Qi’an placed the sword across his neck, feeling utterly gratified: “This time, I will destroy your body, making it difficult for you to be reborn.”
With a swipe, the head rolled off.
The Yang Spirit emerged and quickly fled. Zhende roared: “Come!”
The dragon vein spirit soared over, opened its huge mouth, and swallowed Zhende’s Yang Spirit.
“Xu Qi’an, I won’t let you off! I will kill you at any cost, kill everyone around you, make you restless for generations to come.”
From within the golden dragon came Zhende’s vengeful roar.
The dragon vein belonged to a type of fortune. Xu Qi’an couldn’t do anything to it; neither the carving knife nor the Nation-Stabilizing Sword could cut it. Although the Spirit Dragon could consume purple energy, the dragon vein spirit wasn’t pure purple energy.
Unexpectedly, the special nature of the dragon vein had become his last protective umbrella.
With his physical body destroyed, but his Yang Spirit still intact, he was still at the second rank.
At this moment, from Xu Qi’an’s bosom, a fragment of the Earth Book flew out on its own. A slightly curved dragon tooth flew out from the mirror, its surface inscribed with dizzying talismans that lit up.
The dragon tooth whistled away, easily catching up to the dragon vein spirit and piercing through it!
“No!!”
Zhende’s shrill scream rang out.
Then, with a “boom”, the dragon vein spirit exploded into fragments, scattering and shooting out, transforming into streaks of light that disappeared at the horizon.
Zhende’s Yang Spirit, now without support, suffered the dragon tooth’s attack. His Yang Spirit dimmed.
Xu Qi’an, riding the Spirit Dragon, charged over. The carving knife fiercely stabbed into Zhende’s brow, while the Nation-Stabilizing Sword pierced his chest.
The dazzling clear light and sword energy bloomed.
The Yang Spirit, like solid ice under the scorching sun, melted rapidly.
“Zhende, it’s time for you to depart.”
“Xu Qi’an…”
Amidst cries of unwillingness and pain, the Yang Spirit dissipated completely.
This emperor who had overlooked the court for sixty years had finally vanished into smoke and dispersed into clouds.