The Zhuxian Sword—could this truly be the legendary Zhuxian Sword? The most malevolent blade from the Primordial Era, the personal treasure of the Master of Heaven!
Legend claimed that by finding the other three fierce swords that rivaled the Zhuxian Sword in fame, and combining them with the Zhuxian Sword Diagram, one could establish the Zhuxian Sword Formation—one of the three great ominous formations of the Primordial Age, rivaling even the Twelve Heavenly Witches Annihilation Array! He had never imagined he would obtain such a baleful weapon.
"But this young master prefers the Tianzun Blade!" Sensing the Tianzun Blade, which had melted into a puddle of iron in his Thunder Acupoint and was currently re-coalescing, Ye Jingyu mused aloud with genuine bewilderment.
If a certain someone had heard this remark, especially the true owner of the Zhuxian Sword, wouldn't they be so furious they spat blood for three feet? How could one utter such a thing? That sword—never mind the current mortal realm, even in the Primordial Era, countless immortals and gods desperately sought it! Now that he had stumbled into such good fortune, this brat dared to say he preferred using a blade? Was he asking for a beating?
"Big Brother, I'll give you this sword!" Ye Jingyu already possessed the Eastern Emperor Bell, the Chiyou Banner, and the Heaven Flipping Seal, and the Tianzun Blade was slowly mending. He had no immediate need for such a treasure, so he immediately summoned the sword from his Sea of Consciousness and offered it to Liang Xiaoke.
"Enough, enough! I’m busy studying this Haotian Pearl right now. Keep that rotten sword for yourself!" Liang Xiaoke was currently squatting mid-air, turning the golden Haotian Pearl over in his hands, paying no heed to Ye Jingyu’s offer.
"Fine, if you don't want the Zhuxian Sword, I'll keep it myself. After all, it is one of the four great Primordial Fierce Swords, isn't it?" Ye Jingyu sighed dramatically, slowly moving to put the Zhuxian Sword back into his Sea of Consciousness.
"Yeah, keep it your—Wait? What did you just say? Zhuxian Sword?" Liang Xiaoke hadn't paid much attention initially, but upon hearing the two syllables, "Zhuxian," he snapped his head up, his sparkling eyes locking intensely onto the black ancient sword in Ye Jingyu’s hand.
"Yes, the Zhuxian Sword. The Zhuxian Sword from the Four Swords of Zhuxian! The sword that slays immortals! Since you don't value it, I suppose I must keep it myself..." Ye Jingyu nodded earnestly, his expression one of deep contemplation, as if, in his view, the Zhuxian Sword was merely so-so.
"Damn it! Give it to me, quickly! My dear brother, my Brother Ye, I beg you, give me this treasure..." Liang Xiaoke shot up, leaping to Ye Jingyu's side, speaking with breathless excitement, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing Liang Xiaoke’s overwhelming emotion, Ye Jingyu lost all inclination to tease him. With a single point of his hand, the Zhuxian Sword shot out, launching directly toward Liang Xiaoke.
Liang Xiaoke cried out in alarm, hastily drawing his Crimson Blood Demonic Sword to block the incoming attack. A loud clang echoed, and the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword, capable of withstanding a full-power strike from Ghost-Sees-Sorrow, instantly snapped in half. The Zhuxian Sword, however, stopped mere inches from his brow, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.
Grasping the Zhuxian Sword, a flush of crimson rose on Liang Xiaoke’s pale face—a blush born of sheer excitement.
The Zhuxian Sword! The mythical Zhuxian Sword! When he was cultivating before, merely possessing one or two artifacts would send him into raptures; Immortal Artifacts and Divine Artifacts were beyond even his wildest dreams. Now, he held not just one Divine Artifact, but two top-tier ones!
He had thought obtaining the Haotian Pearl was his ultimate fortune, yet now he acquired the heaven-defying treasure that was the Zhuxian Sword! This was a true Innate Supreme Treasure! Who in the Primordial Era didn't know of that entity? That being was at the absolute pinnacle of the Three Realms' hierarchy. If Great Emperor Haotian was indeed Xuanyuan Huangdi, then he would be a junior disciple of his disciple's generation!
If the Haotian Pearl was an artifact of storage, capable of holding vast reserves of energy, then the Zhuxian Sword was undoubtedly a weapon of terrifying offensive might—didn't it just slice a top-tier weapon like the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword in two with a single stroke?
From a distance, Zhurong frowned slightly upon seeing the Zhuxian Sword in Liang Xiaoke’s hands, as if something long-forgotten had surfaced in his mind. Ye Jingyu noticed this and began to grasp the implications. The owner of the Zhuxian Sword and Zhurong must have been colossal figures from the same epoch. What ancient grievances tied them together was beyond his current comprehension.
But no matter what, this had been an overwhelming victory. Not only had they slain Xuanyuan Ruoxing and avenged Ling'er, but they had also acquired several heaven-defying artifacts. Should the Demon Seal truly break, they would at least possess the strength to fight back.
However, there was still one major task at hand: slaying Fang Zhentian and unifying the entire mortal realm. Facing the encroaching Abyss Demons, he had to consolidate all available strength.
Liang Xiaoke retracted the Twelve Heavenly Witches Annihilation Array but made no move to put away the Haotian Pearl or the Zhuxian Sword, continuously playing with them in his hands. Ye Jingyu paid him no mind, merely gesturing once. Dark clouds instantly blanketed the sky, unleashing a torrential downpour. Icy raindrops struck the molten lava below, raising plumes of thick white mist that enveloped the entire area.
This place had been ravaged too severely; they needed to cool the temperature down, at the very least.
Liang Xiaoke and the others, acting like nouveau-riche conquerors, returned to Yunjing City. Huangfu Buyue, defeated by Hanba, had retreated to an unknown location. With the arrival of Hu Yanqi, Hei Ming Shixuan, and Jiufeng, the True Immortals left guarding the city by Xuanyuan Ruoxing proved utterly helpless. Not a single one could evade the archery of Hu Yanqi or the blades of Hei Ming Shixuan.
As for the other million troops, they were little more than ants before these experts. The battle had concluded long ago. Ye Jingyu did not immediately pursue the matter of Huangfu Buyue; instead, he approached Zhuge Siyu, only to find her weeping profusely while embracing an elderly man whose hair was entirely white.
Luo Ruofeng and his son were also gathered nearby, their eyes swimming with sorrow.
Looking at the frail, wrinkled elder, Ye Jingyu felt a sudden, sharp pain pierce his heart.
"Yishi..." Without needing anyone to introduce him, the name escaped Ye Jingyu's lips. This man was Zhuge Yishi, who had risked burning his own soul to protect Yunjing City.
As if sensing Ye Jingyu’s voice, Zhuge Yishi’s tightly shut eyes slowly opened. Seeing Ye Jingyu so close, a look of solace crossed his features. His aged lips moved slightly: "Brother Ye, I did my best. I truly did my very best..."