Feeling the potent killing intent of tens of thousands of warriors, Guangchengzi frowned. How could this fellow grasp the Way of the Emperor at this moment? Could he truly be the true Lord of the Three Realms?
No, he absolutely could not be allowed to live; otherwise, all the fortune and destiny would fall to their side.
With this thought, a fierce killing intent flashed in Guangchengzi's eyes. With a single grasp, the Male and Female Precious Swords appeared in his hand. He slashed directly at the void, carving out a long fissure. A rift in space materialized out of thin air. Luo Ruofeng and the others had no time to react at all before they were swept inside, or rather, enveloped by this expanse of world.
This was a new world—blue skies, white clouds, trees, flowers, and grass—everything was present. Although it was not as vast as the world Tongtian had casually created, this world resembled the outside world closely enough.
This was not a world formed merely from the power of a domain; it was a complete, tangible world. To conjure a world from nothing—had Guangchengzi's cultivation reached such a height?
Immediately upon entering this world, Luo Ruofeng and the others sensed something was deeply wrong. The spiritual energy in this realm was extremely thin. With every breath and exhalation, they absorbed no energy whatsoever; even the immortal power within them was continuously draining away.
This was Guangchengzi's created world; all the rules within it were dictated by him. Faced with this situation, Luo Ruofeng and the others were utterly helpless. The only thing they could do was focus all their strength to shatter this world in one burst, lest Guangchengzi wouldn't even need to act—the energy in their bodies would completely vanish, becoming the richest nourishment for this world.
However, Guangchengzi clearly did not have time to wait for the power in Luo Ruofeng and the others to slowly dissipate; he still needed to seize the Eastern Emperor Bell.
His figure stepped in. Purple-gold light emanated from his purple-gold robes, and he stood upon a green lotus beneath his feet. The entirety of his bearing suggested an immortal sage, yet the murderous intent in his eyes burned fiercer than the most malevolent demon.
As soon as Guangchengzi appeared, a general beside Luo Ruofeng named Xibie raised a massive scimitar and led a contingent directly charging forward.
They all understood they were no match for Guangchengzi, so none of them harbored any thought of a one-on-one duel.
Luo Ruofeng was their Emperor; they had to protect their Emperor.
"You mere dust motes dare to contest the brilliance of the sun and moon... Begone..." Seeing these fools prioritizing attack over conserving their immortal power, Guangchengzi coldly snorted. He tapped a single finger, and ten thousand streaks of lightning flashed across the sky, plunging straight down. The entire area became a zone of pure lightning. The more than a thousand warriors led by Xibie didn't even manage a cry of alarm before they were pulverized by the lightning.
The gap in their cultivation was simply too vast; how could they possibly contend with Guangchengzi?
Yet, even so, the warriors who followed Luo Ruofeng into this place charged towards Guangchengzi like hornets kicked out of a nest, defending their lord with lives they seemed determined to sacrifice. Many even began unleashing the power within them as they rushed forward, opting for immediate self-detonation...
Yes—essence, energy, spirit, and blood—from flesh to soul, they self-destructed without reservation...
On every face was etched unyielding determination; on every face was reflected absolute loyalty. The obsession in their hearts intensified to an unprecedented degree.
Waves of power erupted continuously. Their individual cultivation levels were low; the power of a single self-detonation would not be significant, easily swallowed by a casual wave of Guangchengzi's sleeve. But their numbers were overwhelming.
One person, ten people, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand...
What power would manifest when tens of thousands detonated simultaneously?
Puffs of mushroom clouds rose from the void. Violent energies overlapped ceaselessly, and streaks of black lightning tore through space. Such energy was sufficient to shred the very fabric of the Heavenly Realm, let alone the world Guangchengzi had conjured himself?
Especially since these warriors harbored no distracting thoughts. Their self-detonations were performed with such fervor and without the slightest hesitation. That unified belief flowed entirely into Luo Ruofeng's body. His cultivation surged forward at the speed of light... With every influx of belief came a deeper comprehension; the imprints of the warriors' entire lives merged into Luo Ruofeng's consciousness...
His divine sense expanded ceaselessly, his physical body was constantly tempered, and his Emperor's Heart grew ever more solid. Unknowingly, he had arrived at a threshold. Taking just one more step forward, he would completely shed the Heavenly Dao, becoming the first person since Liang Xiaoke to escape the constraints of cosmic law.
Witnessing his warriors choose self-immolation without complaint, seeing them defending him and the honor of the Southern Cloud Empire with their lives, two streams of blood-tears sprang from the corners of Luo Ruofeng's eyes...
"I shall be with you, forever..." Luo Ruofeng let out a long chant. The Emperor Sword in his hand lifted straight up, cleaving towards Guangchengzi with a sweep across the heavens.
Because of the reckless self-detonations of these men, the world Guangchengzi had created was on the verge of being completely torn apart. Facing the sword strike launched by Luo Ruofeng, he merely drew back his left hand; the Male and Female Precious Swords met the attack head-on.
Meanwhile, Luo Ruofeng’s other hand shot high into the air, delivering an empty-handed strike across the distance...
The Imperial Seal...
A colossal palm materialized in the sky, and the collected mental power of those warriors continuously converged into this massive hand, slamming down mercilessly upon Guangchengzi.
"The Imperial Seal? So what if you've grasped the Way of the Emperor? Do you forget that I am the Imperial Tutor?" Facing the descending Imperial Seal, a dismissive smile curved Guangchengzi's lips. He was the Imperial Tutor, the teacher of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan; who understood the heart of an emperor better than he?
With one hand, he drew a circle in the void, manifesting a Tai Chi diagram. Then, with a single downward point, the Tai Chi diagram shot out, landing directly onto the palm of that gigantic hand.
Though it started small, the Tai Chi diagram imprinted itself onto the center of the massive palm. The hand, which had been plunging downward, froze mid-air...
"The Imperial Seal? Today, I will show you what the true Way of the Emperor is..." Guangchengzi coldly snorted again. Suddenly, he took a step forward, grasping at the void with one hand. A colossal greatsword appeared in his grasp—a blade taller than he was, the Sword of State and Fortune (Sheji Sword)...
The mountains and rivers of the realm, the foundation of a state—what was most vital to an Emperor? It was his domains, his empire...
The Sword of State and Fortune...
The immense blade shot toward the sky, instantly shattering the Imperial Seal Luo Ruofeng had projected. Then, like a falling meteor, it plunged directly toward Luo Ruofeng.
This giant sword was formed entirely of magical power, yet the pressure it exuded was so intense that Luo Ruofeng felt it was even greater than the oppressive force of the Heaven-Seizing Pearl.
Facing such a strike, he could only instinctively summon the Imperial Seal of the Jade Emperor that had merged with his body...
The golden-yellow Jade Emperor's Seal appeared in the sky, blocking the path of the Sword of State and Fortune. However, the seal that had withstood the full force of the Heaven-Seizing Pearl seemed utterly irrelevant; it was pierced directly by the Sheji Sword...
"State and Fortune, State and Fortune—this is the essence of the Way of the Emperor, formless and intangible! How could an external artifact like the Jade Emperor's Seal possibly stop it? Today is the day of your demise..." Hearing Luo Ruofeng attempt to use an external object like the Jade Emperor's Seal to block the Sword of State and Fortune, Guangchengzi's voice carried ridicule.
Upon hearing this, Luo Ruofeng seemed to grasp something: the state and its foundations were the root of an emperor, the burden an emperor must bear. Aside from his own acceptance, what external thing could possibly withstand it?
Abandoning any thought of using further magical artifacts—for he had none left to summon—he resolved that since it was the Sword of State and Fortune, he would bear the entire world's burden himself.
With sudden clarity, Luo Ruofeng straightened his chest and charged toward the descending Sword of State and Fortune. He decided to take the terrifying strike upon his own body...
"Your Majesty, no..." Seeing Luo Ruofeng swayed by Guangchengzi's words, Yan Senxu and Ni Bo were startled, but Luo Ruofeng's speed at this moment was too great for them to intervene.
With a "Shhh..." sound, the Sword of State and Fortune plunged into the center of Luo Ruofeng's heart, yet not a drop of blood spilled. It was a sword of the mind, invisible and intangible—it did not wound the flesh, only the spirit...
"Ah..." Having endured this blow, Luo Ruofeng's mind was suddenly flooded with visions of the Southern Cloud Empire's defeat, of his countless citizens being brutally massacred under the enemy's blade, of smoke rising everywhere across his lands, of war blazing in every direction...
This sensation caused him excruciating pain, as if several knives had been driven into his heart and were now being dragged in different directions...
Pain... pain beyond description...
After the pain came numbness, despair, and a profound, deep hopelessness...
The weight of the realm—how could he possibly shoulder it?
Yes, it was truly too heavy...
So heavy...
Luo Ruofeng's consciousness began to blur. His powerful divine sense rapidly ebbed away...
At this moment, Yan Senxu and Ni Bo saw Luo Ruofeng’s body lose balance after being struck by the greatsword and begin to fall. His physical form showed no injury, yet for some inexplicable reason, both men felt his vital energy draining away.
"Your Majesty..." Yan Senxu rushed forward to catch Luo Ruofeng, crying out, but Luo Ruofeng could no longer hear anything.