The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

Jiang Xuan's expression was grim. He saw that the enemy had already rushed within thirty feet, and the advantage of long-range archery was diminishing.

Without hesitation, he sheathed the [Boundless Spirit Bow] and drew the [Flowing Light Battle Blade] from his back!
"Qiang!"

The blade was drawn from its sheath, emitting a clear, melodious sound, and its firefly-like cold light drew a stunning arc in the darkness.

Jiang Xuan's aura suddenly changed, transforming from a calm sniper into a war god about to unleash a bloody massacre!

One of the fastest assassins had already closed in, his longsword whistling as it thrust straight at Jiang Xuan's chest!

Before the sword even arrived, the sharp sword energy already made Jiang Xuan's clothes flutter loudly.

Jiang Xuan neither dodged nor evaded; his Flowing Light Battle Blade struck first, even though it was launched later.

The blade's trajectory was mysterious; it wasn't a direct clash, but rather a clever application of force to the side of the opponent's blade, unleashing a sudden burst of power that was both soft and strong!

"Crack!"

The long sword broke with a sound!

The assassin's eyes had barely shown any horror when the Flowing Light Battle Blade, with its cold blade, easily sliced ​​through his protective aura and grazed his neck!

"puff!"

A head flew off with an expression of disbelief, gushing blood!

With a single slash, Jiang Xuan killed one person. His figure was as swift as the wind, and he moved to the side without stopping, just managing to avoid the two vicious blades that came from behind.

From the left and right sides and the front, four or five more men in black, fearless of death, surrounded and attacked.

The flashing blades and clashing swords formed a deadly web, sealing off all his escape routes.

"Even a grain of rice can shine?"

Jiang Xuan snorted coldly, and the powerful spiritual energy within his body surged into his battle blade.

The profound meaning of "Shaking the Heavens and Collapsing the Dao" is incorporated into his self-created six-character sword technique.

With a flick of his wrist, the Flowing Light Battle Blade swept through the air and slashed out.

In an instant, several incredibly solid sword shadows materialized, each containing the tragic intent of shattering mountains, and each precisely slashed towards attacks in different directions!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Crack!"

The sounds of metal clashing and bones shattering erupted almost simultaneously!
The four or five assassins who were attacking suddenly felt an irresistible force accompanied by a terrifying shock.

Weapons in their hands were either knocked away or shattered, their tiger's mouths were split open, their sternums collapsed, and they were sent flying backward with screams, either dead or maimed!
Jiang Xuan was like a tiger among sheep; wherever his blade flashed, someone would surely die!
His swordsmanship was ruthless, precise, and efficient, without any unnecessary frills.

They turned killing into an art form.

In the blink of an eye, seven or eight more assassins fell into pools of blood. The edge of the depression was littered with corpses, and a strong stench of blood filled the air.

The remaining dozen or so assassins were finally stunned by this one-sided massacre.

The offensive faltered, and fear appeared in their eyes.

Just then, a whistle came from the darkness in the distance!
"Whoosh whoosh-!"

A sharp sound of breaking through the air suddenly rang out!

More than a dozen three-edged crossbow bolts, gleaming with a cold, eerie light and powerful enough to pierce through heavy armor.

Three different directions fired at Jiang Xuan! These were the standard military crossbows!

Faced with this sudden barrage of bullets, Jiang Xuan's pupils contracted slightly, but he did not panic.

With a mysterious movement of his feet, his body spun rapidly, and the flowing light battle blade in his hand drew perfect circular blade curtains!
"The Whirlwind Technique!"

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding..."

A series of sharp, rapid sounds, like raindrops pattering on banana leaves!
Those dozen or so deadly crossbow bolts, upon contact with the rapidly spinning blade curtain...

Some were cleverly steered off course and shot into open space, while others were precisely parried and deflected by the blade; none of them could get close to Jiang Xuan!

After using the "Spinning Technique," Jiang Xuan's blood and qi churned slightly.

But he forced himself to remain calm, standing proudly with his knife in hand, his cold gaze sweeping in the direction from which the crossbow bolts had come.

The surviving assassins saw that he could easily deflect even the barrage of crossbow bolts.

Finally losing all will to fight, he let out a shout and fled desperately into the darkness, not even caring about the corpses of his companions.

Jiang Xuan did not pursue them.

He knew the principle of not pursuing a cornered enemy, and the continuous bursts of energy he had just unleashed, especially the final deflection of the crossbow bolts, had significantly depleted his spiritual energy.

He stood still, calmed his breathing slightly, and then began to clean up the battlefield.

He found standardized crossbows, high-quality healing pills, potions to replenish spiritual energy, and some fine close-fitting soft armor on the bodies of the assassins.

Looking at the equipment, Jiang Xuan's eyes grew even colder.

The other side not only deployed a large number of well-trained assassins, but also equipped them with such sophisticated military equipment.

The preparations were far more thorough than those for an ordinary vendetta; it resembled a premeditated military operation.

"The Chi family... really thinks highly of me."

Jiang Xuan sneered inwardly and quickly collected the useful spoils of war.

This place is not safe to stay for long. The smell of blood will soon attract monsters from the wilderness, and there may even be a second wave of enemies.

Without further delay, he vanished into the thick darkness and continued his stealthy journey northward.

……

Inside the Forbidden City, at the Chi family residence, in that study with a somber atmosphere.

The guard who had previously reported the failure was now holding a fist-sized, crystal-clear bead in his hand.

A clear light screen was projected onto the surface of the bead, showing Jiang Xuan in the Blood Wolf Plains depression.

The battle footage shows the leader being sniped with the [Boundless Spirit Bow], followed by close combat with a sword, slaughtering the black-clad assassins!

The image is somewhat blurry and was taken from a very high altitude.

But Jiang Xuan's ghostly movements and ruthless, precise swordsmanship...

And the scene where he easily deflected the barrage of crossbow bolts with the "Spinning Technique" at the end is still breathtaking!

When the last assassin in the light screen fled in panic, and the image of Jiang Xuan coldly sheathing his sword froze on the screen, the study fell into a deathly silence.

Those deputies who were initially skeptical about the news of the defeat were now deathly pale, sweat beading on their foreheads, and their eyes filled with utter horror!
"Thirty...thirty elites! Five of them were experts at the Heavenly Gang Realm! Just like that...just like that, they were all wiped out by a mere Heavenly Gang Realm kid?"

A deputy muttered in a hoarse voice, sounding incredulous.

"His bow...and his swordsmanship...it's simply...it's simply monstrous!"

The other person's voice trembled.

They originally thought it was just a routine interception mission, at most with a slightly more challenging target.

But no one expected it would end in such a one-sided massacre!
Jiang Xuan's displayed combat prowess completely overturned their understanding.

Standing in front of the sand table, Xu Qianjing watched the battle replay on the light screen, but his face remained calm and unsettling.

He didn't even flinch, as if he were watching a drill unrelated to himself, rather than a bloody battle.

"Mr. Xu, this..."

One of the deputies couldn't help but glance at Xu Qianjing, awaiting his decision. With such enormous losses, should the plan be adjusted?
Xu Qianjing shifted his gaze from the light screen back to the sand table, his tone flat and emotionless.

"It was just a tentative contact, and the losses were expected. There's no need to make a fuss or change the established plans."

"A test?!"

Several deputies almost thought they had misheard. The cost of thirty elite soldiers, merely for a "test"?
Is Mr. Xu's heart made of stone, or does he simply not care about those people's lives?

A chill ran through them, and they felt a deep sense of dread towards this seemingly frail tactical mastermind.

Xu Qianjing seemed oblivious to the change in their expressions and continued to give orders.

"Execute the original orders. Increase the surveillance density on the Wind Shadow Harrier; I need to know its exact movements every step of the way. The Purple Ying warship will proceed to its designated position as planned. All of you, disembark."

"Yes Yes!"

The deputies dared not say another word, suppressing the turmoil in their hearts, bowed and accepted the order, and hurriedly left the study.

……

At the heart of imperial power, atop the observatory.

An elderly man dressed in a star-patterned sacrificial robe, exuding an ethereal and vast aura—the Heavenly Priest.

He stood alone by the railing, looking down at the vast Forbidden City, which resembled a sea of ​​stars.

The night wind ruffled his long, snow-white beard, and his deep eyes seemed to contain the birth and death of the universe.

Footsteps sounded, and a young man dressed in a nine-dragon python robe, with an extraordinary noble bearing, walked over. He was none other than the Ninth Prince of the Empire.

He approached the priest behind him, bowed slightly, and spoke with a mixture of confusion and urgency.

"High Priest, now that it has been confirmed that Jiang Xuan is a remnant of the Jiang family from back then, why allow the Chi family to make such a big fuss? Why not just send a strong army to kill him on the way, so as to avoid any unforeseen complications!"

The heavenly priest did not turn back; his aged and serene voice drifted on the wind.

"Your Highness, this matter is far-reaching and cannot be resolved simply by fighting and killing."

The cause and effect of this matter are predetermined. Since His Majesty has entrusted the matter to the Observatory, Your Highness need not worry further.

The Ninth Prince frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something more.

"But…"

"Your Highness."

The Heavenly Priest slowly turned around, his eyes, which seemed to see through the long river of fate, calmly gazing at the Ninth Prince.

"Let me remind you, you must not interfere in this matter without authorization, and you must not send anyone to interfere with the Chi family's actions. Otherwise, the resulting changes may be unpredictable, even to me. Remember this well."

Under the intense gaze of the Heavenly Priest, the Ninth Prince felt an invisible chill rise from the depths of his soul, as if all his thoughts had been seen through.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. In the end, he could only bow and say...

"...Yes, I understand."

Watching the Ninth Prince's departing figure, filled with resentment and coldness, the Heavenly Priest sighed softly.

His gaze returned to the endless night sky, and he murmured in a voice only he could hear.

"The old scores from back then... it's time to settle them. But this outcome... alas, Lu Boyai, Lu Boyai, what was the purpose of your seclusion for so many years? And how will you deal with this turmoil?"

……

A dark castle, a deep and secluded hall.

The Queen of the Night sat high on her throne, listening to the report from the hunched old man below.

“Your Majesty, the attitude of the Observatory is ambiguous. They have not restricted the actions of the Chi family, and it seems that they are intentionally condoning them.”

The old man said respectfully.

The Queen of the Night's slender fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the throne, producing a crisp sound.

“Continue the investigation and make sure to find out the true intentions of the Star Gazing Platform. Also, send more people to find out the real reason why Lu Boyai suddenly went into seclusion back then. I always feel that this matter is inseparable from him.”

"Yes."

The old man nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said.

"Then...what about the Jiang family?"

The Queen of the Night was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Investigate that as well. We need to find out if any members of the Jiang family survived the calamity, especially... Jiang Xuan's mother. Even if she has a special background, there are some things she should know about her past. After all... blood is thicker than water."

"Old slave understands."

The old man bowed and accepted the order, then quietly withdrew.

Inside the grand hall, the Queen of the Night sat alone on her throne, her exquisite face flickering in and out of the shadows, lost in thought.

……

Jiang Xuan was completely unaware of the undercurrents that had been stirred up in the Forbidden City because of him.

After leaving the blood-soaked Blood Wolf Plains, he traveled alone for another seven days.

During those seven days, he did not take any more completely secluded paths.

Instead, they chose a route that was relatively close to the official road, but more rugged and difficult to traverse.

Even so, he still encountered several ambushes and attacks.

Sometimes it's assassins disguised as caravans launching a sudden attack, sometimes it's a hidden arrow in the Mi River, and sometimes it's even low-level monsters being used to harass them.

Each time, Jiang Xuan turned danger into safety thanks to his superb perception, sharp skills, and endless tricks.

However, the continuous battles and the constant tension took a heavy toll on his physical and mental health.

At this moment, an aura of chilling menace, almost tangible, unconsciously emanated from him.

Seven days later, at dusk, a simple inn built against the mountain appeared at the edge of the horizon.

This is the last place where we can rest and resupply before entering the continuous and treacherous Fengwan Mountains ahead.

Jiang Xuan strode towards the post station. Outside the post station, some merchants and a few cultivators were preparing to check in or set off.

As Jiang Xuan approached, the overwhelming stench of blood and chilling killing intent caused everyone to involuntarily stop what they were doing and look at him with fear.

His blue robe was tattered and stained with dark red blood.

The crossed swords and bows on his back exuded a chilling aura.

Especially the dark golden [Boundless Spirit Bow], even with its spiritual light concealed, still exuded a chilling aura that made one's heart tremble.

He was like a vicious blade just pulled from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, completely out of place in the peaceful atmosphere of the post station.

Pedestrians instinctively stepped back and made way, their eyes filled with fear.

Some lower-level cultivators turned pale, their hands unconsciously pressing on their weapons, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Jiang Xuan noticed the strange looks and reactions from the people around him, and paused slightly in his steps.

He looked at his blood-stained clothes and felt the murderous aura emanating from him that he couldn't completely suppress, and he understood.

He tried his best to suppress the surging blood pressure caused by days of killing, deliberately restraining the murderous aura he was releasing, and his eyes softened a bit.

He walked to the entrance of the post station, nodded slightly to the postman whose face was a little pale and who dared not meet his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse but apologetic.

"Excuse me, could you please provide a quiet room with some hot water and food?"

After saying that, he ignored the complicated and frightened looks around him and walked straight into the post station.

After Jiang Xuan suppressed the unsettling aura of killing intent emanating from him, the tense atmosphere in the post station finally eased somewhat.

Although no one dared to approach him easily.

But at least I'm not avoiding it like the plague anymore. (End of Chapter)