Embers of Sword

Chapter 643
After the great battle, the Great Eagle Sword Palace was almost reduced to ruins. Several main peaks still stood, but the mountain gate was severely damaged.

Although the main battlefield of this battle was located at "Lotus Peak".

However, after the Great Mountain-Suppressing Formation was shattered, the Imperial City Guard's treasure ships launched several volleys of fire, smashing all the buildings within a radius of several miles. In addition, the Zhu Yan's military disaster magic raged afterward... Now, the only parts of the Great Sui Sword Palace that are still intact are those few main peaks.

After Ci Jing and Xie Xuanyi joined forces to kill Zhu Yan.

The outcome of the battle on the outside world is no longer in doubt.

After dealing with the remaining cultivators on the treasure ship, the group formed a formation to rest, anxiously awaiting any movement from the Lotus Forbidden Land.

Ci Jing proposed to use the Vermilion Bird Divine Power to lead everyone to evacuate the mountain gate... This suggestion was rejected by several young mountain lords. Neither Qi Lie nor Huang Su were willing to flee at this moment. Their lives were tied to the Great Sui Sword Palace. If their master was defeated, they would have to "take over".

Even if the end result is an unjust death.

They will not back down an inch.

The battle did not keep everyone waiting for long... Although the Lotus Forbidden Land was sealed off, strange changes occurred in the "Renshou Palace" floating in the sky.

After the Great Phoenix Cave Heaven burned down.

Renshou Palace began to collapse.

The celestial music echoing from the heavens turned mournful and shrill, and finally the entire celestial palace collapsed and shattered in the clouds, turning into countless rubble that fell toward the earth.

"Did we...win?"

Si Qi helped Huang Su up, looking dazed and in disbelief.

"...We won."

Ci Jing gave an affirmative answer, and he let out a long breath, finally putting his mind at ease.

To be honest, even before the Renshou Palace collapsed, he wasn't entirely confident—

After all, that old witch in the imperial city has already cultivated to the perfection of Yang God and has also gathered the power of the dragon vein, so it is very likely that she will step into the "realm of heaven and man".

Even so, he still couldn't defeat Zhao Chunyang?
Sure enough, that old guy is "invincible"!

Many disciples helped each other up, looking up at this magnificent and dazzling scene. Renshou Palace was in ruins, and Lotus Peak shot out a ray of golden holy light that reached the top of the sky, and the dark clouds for thousands of miles were dispersed inch by inch.

"..."

Ci Jing squinted at the holy light, a sense of vigilance rising in his heart.

If I'm not mistaken.

This ray of holy light must have been the work of the old witch before her death, returning all her cultivation to heaven and earth... But the direction in which this energy swept made Ci Jing feel vaguely uneasy...

There was no time to think.

The sound of a stone gate opening came from the direction of Lotus Peak.

Then came shouts.

"Brother!"

"Senior Brother Xuan Yi!!"

ka ka ka-

As the forbidden stone gate opened, a young and tall figure in black slowly emerged from it.

Xie Xuanyi, holding the sword energy dragon vein in both hands, walked out of the dark and shattered lotus forbidden land. The little dragon raised its flat head, squinted at the outside world, and seemed somewhat "flattered".

The outside world is bathed in light.

Countless eyes are eagerly awaiting its arrival.

As Xie Xuanyi stepped out of the forbidden area, he was greeted by thunderous cheers.

"..."

He looked at the crowd in front of him, but did not rush to speak. Instead, he fell into thought.

Having survived life and death, the first tribulation has been overcome.

Although the brothers and sisters' faces were filled with joy, they were also exhausted.

This is a catastrophe!
A catastrophe concerning the very survival of the Great Eagle Sword Palace!

"The wicked queen... has been executed."

After a few breaths, Xie Xuanyi said softly, "Da Sui has won this battle."

Lotus Peak was completely silent.

You can hear the needle drop.

The moment Xie Xuanyi spoke, all other sounds vanished.

now.

All the disciples of the Sword Palace watched the new master of Xuan Shui with bated breath.

They are waiting for further developments.

"Everyone need not worry... The Master is unharmed. He is currently in meditation in the Lotus Forbidden Land. He asked me to send his regards to you all and to ask you to take good care of your injuries."

Xie Xuanyi smiled.

These words shattered the deathly silence of Lotus Peak.

Many sighs of relief rang out from the crowd.

Some people couldn't hold back their tears and started crying.

Some people even lay on the ground in a spread-eagle position, disregarding decorum.

Xie Xuanyi looked at the crowd.

At the very back of the crowd, Qi Lie, Si Qi, Huang Su, and Ci Jing all breathed a sigh of relief.

Although they were unable to participate in this battle, they were well aware of its perilous nature.

Even if they could defeat the Holy Empress.

The Great Sword Palace... will surely pay a terrible price.

Although the battle was won, only Xie Xuanyi has shown up, and everyone is worried about the sect leader's safety...

Now we have received news that the sect leader is alright.

Only then did they dare to relax.

This catastrophe is truly over.

"Go."

Xie Xuanyi patted the sword energy dragon in his palm. The little dragon coiled in Xie Xuanyi's palm, looked back, and was reluctant to leave. It was formed from the luck of the Sword Palace and had faintly developed intelligence... Although the luck of the Great Spike Sword Palace was abundant, this "young man" had a [Tree of Immortality] hidden in his body. Compared to the Great Spike Sword Palace, it wanted to stay in the Tree of Immortality.

Unfortunately.

This "young man" seemed determined to make him leave.

The little dragon sighed softly and smacked its lips. It wanted to stay a little longer... but the old man on Lotus Peak might not agree. With that thought in mind, it no longer hesitated. It immediately spread its body and soared into the sky, revealing its imposing figure. In an instant, the little dragon transformed into a blue dragon and crashed into the Great Eagle Sword Palace sect.

Rumble.

A muffled thunderclap exploded above the Great Jade Sword Palace—

The sound was fleeting.

It's as if nothing has changed.

However, those disciples with keen senses had already vaguely noticed that the spiritual energy between the peaks of the Sword Palace, which had been damaged in the great battle, had become even more abundant.

Although this dragon vein was extracted, it absorbed the blood of the phoenix and the spiritual essence of the immortal tree.

Misfortune comes with blessings, and blessings come with misfortunes.

This great disaster ultimately turned into a stroke of good fortune.

Followed by.

Suddenly, a delicate, snow-white "rain of the Dao" began to fall from the heavens, where holy light poured down.

This "rain" contained vitality, falling on everyone's heads and shoulders.

"This is... the Realm of the Way of Life?"

An elder from True Hidden Peak couldn't help but speak up.

They had witnessed this technique before in the Sword Forest.

Several elders looked towards the exit of the Lotus Forbidden Area in unison. The young man in black had disappeared at some point, leaving only a golden flying sword, which swayed like a stream of light above the Great Spike Sword Palace, sprinkling rain of life.

Xie Xuanyi did not go too far.

He stood atop the small hill where he had fought Zhu Yan, silently watching the Dao rain falling in the distance. Ever since he had "died" once, he had become reluctant to show his face in front of too many people. After leaving the Lotus Forbidden Land, fulfilling his master's instructions, and returning the sword qi dragon vein, he no longer needed to show his face for the rest.

now.

I have finally regained my freedom.

From now on, he will not need to use an alias, wear the "Characteristics of All Beings" item, or hide his natal flying sword.

Xie Xuanyi slowly exhaled a breath of frustration.

He had been holding onto this resentment for a very, very long time.

"congratulations."

A nonchalant voice sounded beside me.

Xie Xuanyi turned around and saw that the great demon Ci Jing had appeared beside him at some point.

"There's nothing to congratulate you on."

Xie Xuanyi shook his head and said sadly, "In this battle... many disciples of the Sword Palace died..."

After the mountain-suppressing formation was broken, although everyone retreated to the Sword Forest, they still eventually revealed a flaw.

As the rain of life enveloped the area, Xie Xuanyi saw one after another corpses that had died violently...

The peaks suffered heavy losses.

At this moment, everyone was immersed in the joy of a great victory.

In a short while, when the losses are tallied, we will know just how heavy this battle was.

"To win is something to be congratulated on."

Ci Jing stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "If you had been defeated in the North Sea, if we hadn't arrived in time, if your master hadn't won that previous battle... the number of people lying in pools of blood right now would be ten times, a hundred times more."

"..."

Xie Xuanyi fell silent.

Ci Jing is right.

For the Great Eagle Sword Palace, the Holy Empress's attack was practically a calamity that would destroy the entire sect!

He kept recalling the words his master had said to him in the Lotus Forbidden Land.

If there is another cycle of reincarnation in the river of fate... has the Great Eagle Sword Palace already met its demise?

"……you're right."

Xie Xuanyi rubbed his temples and said bitterly, "Although we won this battle, I don't feel relieved at all."

Xie Xuanyi rarely revealed these emotions to outsiders.

He and Ci Jing had only met a few times.

They had only truly "understood each other" in less than a day, but two life-or-death battles had brought them much closer...

"nature."

Ci Jing said sarcastically, "Now that old fellow surnamed Zhao has handed over the entire burden of the Sword Palace to you, do you think you can relax?"

"Look."

Ci Jing shifted his chin, gazing at the ruins not far away, his words laced with sarcasm: "Ten days ago, they called you 'Junior Brother Xie Zhen,' or 'Little Mountain Lord'... Now what should they call you? 'Senior Brother Xuan Yi,' 'Mountain Lord,' and in a few more days, they'll be calling you 'Sect Leader.'"

He had heard of Xie Zhen's "glorious deeds".

It's not that I'm genuinely interested.

The main problem was that when teaching Jiang Huang martial arts, the little girl would constantly nag. After all, Jiang Huang only had two older brothers. When Xie Xuanyi wasn't coming to the back mountain, Jiang Huang would chat with the disciples of Jin'ao Peak during her free time from practicing martial arts, and also try to gather information. The little girl would always boast and praise him, saying how amazing her brother Xie Zhen was, and how helpless Ci Jing was. After hearing it so many times, her ears were practically calloused.

Ci Jing initially looked down on this so-called elder brother Xie Zhen.

He himself was a dignified Yang God, a great demon.

How could he possibly lose to a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy who's still wet behind the ears?
He no longer has the same idea as before.

If... someone from the Great Eagle Sword Palace is to take over Zhao Chunyang's position in the future.

Looking at the mirror, it could only be Xie Xuanyi.

Putting aside factors such as aptitude and comprehension, what truly impressed Ci Jing was Xie Xuanyi's inner qualities.

This young man is tough and ruthless.

They dared to fight to the death with the Great Master of the Eighth Heaven and dared to force their way into the battlefield between the celestial beings.

In Ci Jing's view, although Xie Xuanyi is currently only a Yin God, he is destined to become a supreme cultivator who can rival or even surpass Zhao Chunyang in the future.

"What sect leader? I don't care..."

Xie Xuanyi shook his head helplessly and sighed, "I do hope that Master will continue to serve as the sect leader for a long, long time, and that it will never be my turn."

At this point, Ci Jing's expression became much more serious, and he frowned as he asked, "Is that old fellow really alright?"

The great battle ended, but Zhao Chunyang did not appear. Xie Xuanyi stepped forward on his behalf and managed to appease the Sword Palace disciples...

But I can't fool myself.

If you are truly alright, why not go out for a walk?

Even if the old man is incredibly powerful, could he really defeat the Empress without taking any damage and destroy her soul?
"I checked with my divine sense, and there's nothing seriously wrong."

Xie Xuanyi hesitated for a moment: "His aura is a bit unstable... it seems like..."

He paused for a moment.

Ci Jing picked up where Xie Xuanyi left off and cautiously asked, "Is your time coming?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi remained silent.

But the idea of ​​resigning from the mirror has already been proven true.

"That makes sense."

The Vermilion Bird Demon laughed self-deprecatingly, "Everyone says that a Yang Spirit can live for five hundred years, and the higher the realm, the longer the lifespan. But in reality, how can one live that long? When one's vital energy is depleted, cultivation is difficult, and achieving immortality is even more difficult... Having been tainted by karma and overdrawing one's lifespan, this old fellow has probably lived for two or three hundred years. If he continues to live, he'll be almost comparable to a Zen master..."

As they talked, they couldn't stop themselves and realized they had lost their composure.

Although I usually speak ill of Zhao Chunyang.

But the old man is, after all, the head of the Great Sui Sect, and he just fought a desperate battle to win.

What I said was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart, and it inevitably sounded somewhat sarcastic.

"I'm sorry, no offense intended."

Ci Jing coughed lightly, quickly interrupting.

This apology was half addressed to Xie Xuanyi and half to the person in seclusion. He knew that Zhao Chunyang was still alive and knew everything that was happening within the Sword Palace. He knew he couldn't afford to offend this old man, no matter who he offended.

As Ci Jing spoke, she cautiously glanced at the young man beside her, only to find that Xie Xuanyi's face did not show any displeasure, but remained as calm as ever, even casually uttering this response.

"Mortal life...has an end."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoshan fell silent.

The Vermilion Bird Demon fell silent.

Also.

How could Xie, that cunning fellow, not have thought of something that even he himself could have imagined?
"that……"

Ci Jing sighed softly, quickly changing the subject, and asked earnestly, "How is Jiang Huang? I saw a powerful aura emanating from Lotus Peak earlier..."

He pointed north.

Although the Empress Dowager died, the turmoil did not completely subside.

Coincidentally.

As soon as Ci Jing finished speaking, the Ruyi Token, which had been silent for a long time, began to vibrate.

Xie Xuanyi quickly used his divine soul to enter the token.

"Brother Xuanyi."

From the other end of the Ruyi Ling, Chen Jingxuan's voice came through. Although it sounded weak, it was steady: "Everything has settled down, and all is well. I'm doing well here. How are things on your end?"

"I'm fine here too."

Xie Xuanyi paused for a moment, then asked, "How is Jiang Huang?"

"Jiang Huang?"

Chen Jingxuan's voice was somewhat surprised. He really hadn't expected Xie Xuanyi to care so much about this young girl. He smiled and replied, "...Jiang Huang is with me and everything is fine. We're preparing to return to the capital."

All the trivial matters in Beihai have been dealt with.

Next, we will return to the capital and begin the final reckoning!

"That's good..."

Xie Xuanyi's tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He glanced at Ci Jing, nodded slightly, and after exchanging a look, the latter breathed a sigh of relief.

After confirming that Jiang Huang was unharmed.

Xie Xuanyi's eyes suddenly sharpened.

Imperial City Purge...

How could I be left out?
(End of this chapter)