Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 221 Time Stops!

Inside Daxing Palace, a cacophony of footsteps and screams mingled together.

North of Ganlu Hall, at the foot of the highest stone steps of Yanjia Hall, many palace maids were fleeing in panic, while the guards of the Left Feather Guard were constantly dodging the flying pebbles and wood chips that resembled hidden weapons.

A massive beam, too thick for one person to encircle, flew out of the hall with a whooshing sound and crashed into the crowd.

With a loud bang, several people outside the hall were unable to dodge in time and their armor was smashed to pieces. The terrifying force created a shockwave, causing the surrounding people to scream in agony.

The force was not yet neutralized; it was blocked and surged back into the beams and pillars, causing debris to fly everywhere.

"Get back! Get out of the way!"

Seeing that someone else was injured, Yuwen Shiji stared at the almost shaking Yanjia Palace with a look of horror, and kept giving orders.

Suddenly, a figure flew out of the hall, as if kicked in the stomach, and curled up like a shrimp.

It slammed down in front of Yuwen Shiji with a thud.

Upon closer inspection, the old man appeared strangely thin and short, with a broken sword in his hand and no sign of life.

Li Tiannan?
Yuwen Shiji looked again and, sure enough, it was him.

This man was a veteran expert of the Li clan, Li Yuan's cousin, and his martial arts skills far surpassed those of Yuwen Shiji.

He had originally intended to lead his troops to achieve merit, but now he was filled with apprehension.

The east and west sides of Ganlu Hall and Yanjia Hall are lined with numerous pavilions and towers, such as Chengxiang Hall and Lingqi Hall. These were originally the residences of concubines and palace maids, and outsiders were not allowed to enter. However, they have now been completely in chaos.

He was certain that the Grandmaster and the Shadow Assassin were among them.

It seems like there's been an internal conflict.

As Yuwen Shiji was debating whether to risk surrounding the area, a strange voice entered his ears.

In an instant, he felt as if he had been hit on the head with a club, his vision blurred, and his ears rang with a buzzing sound.

"Ouch!" The surrounding soldiers screamed, covering their ears.

Weapons clattered and fell to the ground.

"Ha, ha, ha~~!"

His unrestrained laughter, brimming with a strange, ecstatic energy, spread outwards, stirring up an exaggerated wind that caused the vermilion doors and windows of the surrounding palaces to burst open, creaking and groaning in rhythm with the laughter.

Fortunately, we had retreated some distance.

Otherwise, Yuwen Shiji would definitely be stunned. He gathered his inner energy, sealed his acupoints, and, ignoring the person who was still groaning, dragged Li Tiannan away and hurriedly retreated.

Just then, a large number of people surged in from the direction of Daxing Hall.

He turned around and saw Shan Xiongxin, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao and others.

There were also many familiar faces.

For example, Li Shimin and Li Xiuning.

Then, a soft "eh" sound suddenly reached my ears.

An elderly man in a brocade robe with an elegant face stood on the bronze dragon head on the roof of the hall, stroking his beard and looking towards the center of the battle.

He is Ning Sanren!

"Brother, what's going on?" After Li Xiuning finished speaking, he saw Li Tiannan being dragged out by Yuwen Shiji. Chai Shao quickly checked his pulse.

Li Tiannan had practiced external martial arts, so his bones and flesh should have been rough and solid, but at this moment they felt as soft and limp as cotton.

His internal organs and bones were all shattered; there was no pulse left.

Upon discovering the horrific injury, Chai Shao instinctively withdrew his hand.

"I was preparing to take over the Daxing Palace with my men, but I was stopped by the Imperial Guards, who said they were acting on the orders of Lord Li."

Li Shimin shook his head at Yuwen Shiji: "My father can no longer command the Imperial Guards, let alone order them to stop us. Do you know why they came to the palace?"

He spoke rapidly, his voice tinged with anxiety, and Yuwen Shiji responded even faster:
"I didn't see them, but I heard that Li Yuanji led the way, and the eldest young master and the Li family head rushed in."

"Don't go any further!"

Having learned his lesson, Yuwen Shiji quickly reached out to stop Li Shimin as he strode into the court.

The experts inside are far beyond their capabilities.

Li Xiuning asked with a worried expression, "Is my father still inside?"

“I don’t know,” Yuwen Shiji looked at Ning Sanren. “I just heard a burst of laughter when I got close, and I almost fainted. I don’t know if it was a Great Venerable or a Shadow Assassin. One of them laughed, and my mind trembled and my true energy was agitated. Their power is truly terrifying.”

The group turned to look at Ning Sanren.

"good."

Ning Sanren responded to Yuwen Shiji's words, having clearly seen the fight in Yanjia Palace: "In terms of skill alone, they are probably even above me."

what? !

Chai Shao thought he had misheard.

"Huhu~!"

At that moment, a strong wind arose, and several figures appeared on the glazed tiles.

First came the Yin Queen and the Evil King, and then even the people in the coffin palace appeared.

Zhu Yuyan looked at Zhou Laotan, Emperor Ding, and others, especially Zhou Laotan. Since his visit to the Temple of the God of War, his demeanor had changed considerably, which surprised even Empress Yin.

"Are you here to arrest someone?"

"of course."

Yu Niaojuan's shrill voice was still unpleasant. He gestured towards the palace in front of him:
"This guy has lied to us several times. If he hadn't been here, we wouldn't have had time to join in the fun."

He didn't give Empress Yin a friendly look.

Having been relentlessly pursued until he jumped into the Three Gorges, it seems there's no chance of revenge now.

"Oh? Then why didn't you attack him when you saw him at the Temple of War?"

Old Zhou sighed and said matter-of-factly:
"The significance of comprehending the War God relief surpasses everything. This person was able to break out of the coffin palace back then, so his skills are not small. I want to see just how far he has mastered the sect's skills."

Empress Yin looked at Shi Zhixuan and suggested, "If you take advantage of the chaos now, you still have a chance to capture the traitor."

Shi Zhixuan smiled at her, not in a hurry at all: "Didn't Ning Sanren arrive earlier?"

"Ning still doesn't understand it."

Ning Daoqi's eyes were fixed on the two people fiercely fighting inside the hall, feeling the terrifying aftershocks emanating from them. He didn't hide his emotions, and with a look of surprise, he exclaimed:
"What a strange and bizarre technique."

Through the windows of the main hall, two dark figures could be seen moving quickly at times.

Each strike of fists and palms produced a sharp sound that sent shivers down one's spine.

More and more experts gathered at Daxing Palace.

"Boom~!"

Suddenly, a giant serpent formed from a tangible primordial spirit burst through the Yanjia Palace.

The giant serpent spread outwards, unleashing a mental storm.

Strangely, the imposing man in black amidst the storm seemed to be one with his external spirit, his body rushing towards the young man opposite him along with the giant snake.

In an instant, Yang Xuyan's body was bound by Xu Kaishan's physical spirit.

The power of their primordial spirits collided, and the Great Venerable's power was revealed to be superior to Yang Xuyan's.

"You think you can use the Zhijing (a classic text on Chinese philosophy) against me?"

Xu Kaishan smiled domineeringly:
"Were the last three pages of the Secret of Wisdom Sutra read for nothing? This time, you have ultimately made me who I am. Rest assured, now that you have become my demon seed, I will fulfill all the things you want to do for you."

"is it?"

Despite being in extreme danger, Yang Xuyan showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, his cold and stern face revealed an expression that aroused suspicion in the Great Venerable.

However, the Great Master is an expert at manipulating people's hearts.

He instantly realized this was Yang Xuyan's psychological warfare tactic, but with so many people around, he didn't want to delay any longer.

While testing him with words, the Great Venerable released all the power of his primordial spirit from the Great Aperture at the top of his head.

Furthermore, it absorbed a large amount of internal energy.

At this moment, the strong wind emitted by the combination of vital energy and spirit is enough to withstand the arrows shot from all directions, making many people unable to stand steadily!
"go to hell!"

Xu Kaishan reached out and grabbed at Yang Xuyan's crown, while the primordial spirit serpent opened its blood-red maw, about to swallow Yang Xuyan whole.

At this critical juncture of life and death.

Suddenly, Yang Xuyan reached out and grabbed at the giant primordial spirit serpent. A sinister and eerie black giant hand suddenly formed and firmly gripped the serpent's neck.

What horrified the Great Venerable was that when the black hand grabbed the giant primordial spirit serpent, it was like a red-hot iron touching ice and snow; the serpent's body continuously melted and shrank in his palm.

Yang Xuyan's aura suddenly intensified, while the Great Venerable's aura rapidly weakened.

In the blink of an eye, the snake's body binding Yang Xuyan had loosened and drooped down.

The Great Venerable One trembled, his face showing disbelief. He could no longer regain his composure.

"How is this possible!"

"Hahaha!"

Yang Xuyan laughed wildly, looking at Xu Kaishan with a smug expression: "Great Venerable, you've finally fallen for my trick!"

"No, impossible. How could your primordial spirit power be stronger than mine?"

“Because,” Yang Xuyan took a deep breath, his eyes icy cold, “my pain is greater than yours.”

"Feel it for yourself, this is the ultimate dark magic!"

The black hand destroyed the giant primordial spirit serpent, then reached over the Great Venerable's body. With a scream, the Great Venerable's imposing body rapidly shrank to the horrified eyes of the people, becoming nothing more than skin and bones.

The two share the same martial arts origin, and Xu Kaishan's power was completely integrated into Yang Xuyan's body.

In an instant, his eyes became even brighter, and his whole being gave off a pure and clear feeling amidst the thick black demonic energy.

This sense of clarity comes from the primordial spirit.

The most powerful of the Great Venerable's three treasures was his primordial spirit, which at this moment became nourishment.

Yang Xuyan glanced at Ning Daoqi and the others, but said nothing. He then turned and returned to Yanjia Palace.

The hall was filled with corpses; Eunuch Wei of the Yin Gui Sect, Poisonous Water Xin Naya, and Changsun Chang of the Demon Xiang Sect were all shriveled up.

Li Yuan was full-figured, but his skin was pale, the kind of paleness that comes from being squeezed dry to the extreme.

All members of the Li clan, including Li Yuanji, died in one place.

Yang Xuyan pulled a beautiful woman with blood spilling from her mouth from the pile of corpses. A flash of pain crossed his eyes, and he leaped to the top of the main hall.

The south wind blowing from the north of the Wei River, carrying the sweet scent of locust blossoms, swept across the gray tiles of the 108 wards of the outer city, passed over the Vermilion Bird Gate of the imperial city, and finally, beside a white jade dragon head, scattered the hair of Dong Shuni and Yang Xuyan.

The wind grew stronger, and the two of them flailed their hair wildly.

Sensing his difference, the others did not dare to make a move.

If the person in his arms were still alive, Yang Xuyan would enjoy this moment even more.

He looked at the dense crowd surrounding him, showing no fear whatsoever.

As the most famous assassin in the world, once he makes a move, he should flee regardless of whether he kills his target or not.

But at this moment, he seemed to have forgotten the professional ethics that an assassin should have.

"Master."

Yang Xuyan stroked Dong Shuni's face and looked directly at the Evil King.

Shi Zhixuan calmly asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Anyone could tell that he was being asked to give his last words.

“In this world, I have no relatives other than my master,” Yang Xuyan said with a hint of melancholy. “Why don’t you stand on my side? Out of consideration for our master-disciple relationship, I will let you teach me all my martial arts and I will never make things difficult for you.”

Shi Zhixuan remained calm: "Speak after you've sobered up."

Yang Xuyan chuckled. He turned to look at Old Zhou and sighed:

"Sect Master Zhou, my extraordinary power is thanks to your unique Dao Heart Seed Demon, so you have done me a favor. If the Coffin Palace submits to me, I will become emperor in the future and let you enjoy worldly riches."

"Worldly riches?" Old Zhou sighed, his face filled with disdain. "Would this sect master care for them?"

"Putting you in a coffin would actually pique my interest."

"And what makes you think you can be emperor?"

"Why can't it be done?"

Yang Xuyan frowned:
“This empire should have belonged to me! Emperor Wen was blind and could not see that Yang Guang had harmed my father, which led to his loss of favor and the loss of his position as crown prince. If it weren’t for that, the empire would have been in my father’s hands, and there would have been no wars everywhere.”

"If my father succeeds to the throne and passes it to me in the future, wouldn't the world belong to me?"

Most people in Daxing Palace learned of his identity for the first time.

Unexpectedly, the peerless assassin who attempted to kill Yang Guang was actually Yang Yong's son!

Everyone was astonished by his unfathomable skill at this moment, and was also repeatedly moved by his identity.

Yang Xuyan's gaze swept around, and a terrifying spiritual power was unleashed. He opened his mouth as if he hadn't made a sound, but it exploded in everyone's ears: "I will start anew in this world and rebuild the Great Sui Dynasty."

Ning Sanren stepped forward: "The outcome is decided, let's stop."

"Is the outcome already decided?"

Yang Xuyan looked at Ning Sanren:
"Emperors are inherently lonely figures. I am all alone, isn't that perfect? ​​Anyone who dares to resist will be killed. Kill one group, then another, until everyone submits. So-called armies are nothing but clay oxen and wooden horses in the face of absolute power, mere decorations."

Old Zhou sighed, his tone dripping with sarcasm: "Is this all you aspire to?"

"Do not."

Yang Xuyan's eyes revealed a chilling ruthlessness: "I possess a long lifespan, which will be an exception in this world. Before I am destroyed, I will make this world submit to me for a thousand years."

Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground, his words sent a chill down one's spine.

If someone with such a bloodthirsty nature were to become emperor, who knows what the world would become?

"Insanity!"

Ning Daoqi rarely put on a stern face, adopting a serious expression.

After speaking, his body moved lightly, carrying a carefree spirit, and he unleashed his full power by channeling pure Taoist true essence.

He unleashed a powerful palm strike with incredible force, covering a distance of thousands of miles!
This palm strike came from afar, the powerful wind suddenly transforming into a roc, then into a bird.

As the saying goes, "The little sparrow is carefree, while the roc soars to the sky."

Ning Daoqi's Eight-Pounce Stance was clearly a step further; his powerful Daoist true essence was pure and solid, instantly breaking through the demonic energy gusts surrounding Yang Xuyan and striking him.

Got it!
Ning Sanren's true energy entered Yang Xuyan's body and circulated through the Shaoyin Heart Meridian on both hands, causing the clothes on his arms to bulge continuously.

The Eightfold True Qi has no fixed form, and is neither large nor small.

Once the protective energy breaks through the body and enters the body, the outcome is almost certain.

However, no matter how much energy surged through him, Yang Xuyan's expression remained unchanged.

Ning Daoqi sensed something was wrong and unleashed another powerful punch that created a vacuum in the surrounding area!
Strangely enough, the force of the punch passed right through Yang Xuyan's body without harming him in the slightest.

At this moment, Old Zhou sighed and leaped up.

Unleash the Crimson Evil Palm!

The surging demonic energy, appearing as a thick fog, swept in from all directions. Before the palm strike even arrived, the stone steps on the ground crumbled inch by inch.

But Yang Xuyan's body was like a giant black hole vortex.

He couldn't absorb the true essence of these people, but he could neutralize it with a strange method.

Like the Eight-Pounce Strikes of the Scattered Hands, the Crimson Evil Palm was blocked by Yang Xuyan.

Shi Zhixuan, Yin Hou, and even Master Jiaxiang and Master Zhihui all joined in.

One time
The true energy of the Buddhist, demonic, and Taoist sects struck Yang Xuyan from all directions.

A terrifying shockwave exploded, the ground shook, and Yanjia Palace shattered on the spot!

"Whoosh~!"

A dark figure trailing demonic energy darted out from the smoke and dust, stepping onto the roof ridge beast on the other side. To everyone's surprise, he was not only unharmed, but also wore a smug and triumphant smile.

Old Zhou was greatly surprised and couldn't help but ask, "How did you do that?"

Another person probably wouldn't have answered him in this situation.

However, Yang Xuyan has an unexpected desire to share.

The gazes of Shi Zhixuan, Yin Hou, Ning Sanren, and those around him, in particular, made him feel incredibly pleased.

"Sect Master Zhou, this is all thanks to you."

"tell me the story."

Yang Xuyan smiled with reminiscence:
“Back then, I obtained the fragment of the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique from you and learned an alternative method of planting demons. Later, I also obtained the fragment of the Longevity Technique. The Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique requires first cultivating the orthodox Xuanmen mental method to establish one's own Dao body and Dao heart. So I suddenly had a whimsical idea to try and see if the Longevity Technique could be used.”

"Although I have managed to grasp some of the principles through the study of the Wisdom Sutra, it is still far from perfect."

"Later, I risked entering the coffin palace again to discuss the Dao with you. This time, I still won after breaking out of the coffin. With the progress of your research on the cultivation method, plus the method of the same flow brought by Zuo Youxian, I finally realized the truth!"

"I used this method of aligning with the flow to activate the fragments of the Longevity Dao Technique and the Demonic Technique Manual, and by utilizing the Wisdom Scripture's ability to transform between the real and the virtual in spirit, I achieved a state of simulation, thus skipping the so-called sixth stage of planting other things and the seventh stage of nurturing demons."

"Let the demonic seed and the Dao heart blend together, and use the Undying Seal Technique to transform the life and death energies, forming a yin-yang cycle. In this way, only the primordial energy and primordial spirit need to accumulate and unleash their power to skip the ninth stage of becoming a demon and enter the tenth stage, so that the demonic seed can be used freely and completely contained, reaching the peak of the fusion between the demonic seed and the Dao heart."

"Although I am not practicing the orthodox Dao Heart Demon Seed, I am grateful for this alternative method. As long as I devour demon seeds of the same origin, my three treasures can grow infinitely stronger."

Yang Xuyan gazed at Elder Zhou and sighed, "Sect Master Zhou, you are right. This is the intoxicating feeling of pursuing the ultimate martial arts, because you can never see the end, and the world is getting bigger and bigger in front of you."

He stretched out his hand, and a chilling demonic aura covered his palm:

"This is the ultimate dark magic technique I have created by using the Daoist and Demonic books, based on the Wisdom Scripture of the Origin of All Laws. This technique can absorb the three treasures of the same origin and can also make all laws return to nothingness."

"With the help of the Great One, my primordial spirit has been completely perfected and is now without any flaws."

"Do you understand now? No matter what kind of true essence techniques you use, they are useless against me, while I can kill you all one by one."

After listening, Old Zhou suddenly understood.

Yang Xuyan possessed more than him the "Scripture of Wisdom that Exhausts the Roots of All Dharmas".

Use this secret method to transform the abstract into the concrete, and construct those unattainable ideas based on your own foundation.

Then, with extremely rich primordial spirit and vital energy, the ethereal part is combined with substance, ultimately achieving perfection.

Thinking of this, he stared at Yang Xuyan, his face full of shock.

Shi Zhixuan frowned slightly and calmly said, "He used the Undying Seal Technique. This technique has its limits. Everyone, attack together."

These words from the creator of the Undying Seal Technique immediately alleviated much of the worries in everyone's hearts.

In an instant, not only the few people from before made their moves.

The master swordsman watching the battle also drew his sword and used his swordsmanship!
The convergence of various energies created a vortex in the space, enveloping Yang Xuyan. Ordinary people would not only be unable to fall into it, but would also be shattered into blood even if they approached the edge.

People around could no longer see clearly.

Under intense mental fluctuations, all five senses were in chaos.

"Hahaha!"

The demonic power circulated, dissolving all kinds of energy. Then, a long laugh was heard, and the black shadow rushed out of the terrifying vortex of energy formed by the combined efforts of the grandmasters.

Ning Daoqi and the others looked very unwell.

Yang Xuyan, who was unharmed, shook his head: "I admire your skills, but you are far from capable of killing me."

“Master, this is completely different from the Immortal Seal Technique.”

"The two energies of life and death are actually your simulation of the two energies of yin and yang, and naturally there is an upper limit. But I have mastered the yin and yang energy of the Dao and the Demon, and the two generate each other without end."

"Any method in the world that combines primordial spirit and primordial energy will be countered by my dark magic and instantly neutralized."

"This kind of self-control is even better than the Great Vehicle practice of the Ten Abodes."

"Have you all given up yet? Do you still think I'm being arrogant?"

The two consecutive questions annoyed You Niaojuan, who let out a strange cry:
"How do you know this isn't just empty boasting? You've never even stood before the Celestial Master, yet you dare to presume to be invincible?"

Upon hearing the words "Celestial Master," Yang Xuyan's expression turned solemn for the first time.

Soon, his brow relaxed, and he smiled confidently.

“Times have changed. No matter how strong he is, he only differs from others in the way he utilizes his vital energy and spirit. Ultimately, he has not escaped the realm of this world and is still no match for me.”

These words caused everyone to look on with surprise and doubt.

That's incredibly arrogant!
Yang Xuyan raised his voice and sent it towards Daxing Palace: "Where is the Celestial Master?"

The people surrounding the main hall looked around.

The clamor of tens of thousands of people was naturally immense, their minds thrown into disarray by the Shadow Assassin's formidable performance.

With such confidence, could he really be certain of defeating the Celestial Master?

If he were to win, wouldn't the world be plunged into darkness?!

I thought the world was at peace and everything was settled, but I never expected such a change.

For a moment, the discussions became louder and louder.

But at a certain moment, the noisy sounds from Zhaoyang Gate and Daxing Gate all the way to Daxing Hall on the central axis suddenly stopped.

Those who were speaking still had their mouths open, but strangely, they couldn't make a sound.

People's bodies are stiff, as if only their eyes can move.

A white-clad figure emitting a faint golden light flashed past them, flying past numerous palaces at an unimaginable speed!

South of the Ganlu Palace is the Beihai Pond, which was originally the imperial garden where the emperor and his consorts would stroll and rest.

At this moment, some people in Yanjia Palace had already noticed the unusual activity outside.

When they looked back, they suddenly seemed unable to move.

Or rather, time flows at an infinitely slow pace.

A pale golden shadow crossed the North Sea Pond, stepped over the Ganlu Hall, and arrived directly in front of the Yanjia Hall.

The Yin Queen, the Evil King, and the others all saw it.

That young face was so familiar that they naturally knew who it was.

Yet there's also a huge sense of unfamiliarity!

Has the Celestial Master arrived?
Arrived.

However, he himself is not here!
A sense of time freezing over swept over them, and even experts like them seemed to be restricted in their movements.

His gaze followed the man in white, who appeared before Yang Xuyan as if he had teleported.

This...this is the primordial spirit!

The shadow assassin's pupils dilate.

The man in white didn't speak, but stepped through the air and pointed his sword at Yang Xuyan with his right hand.

The next moment, countless golden lights shone brightly, dazzling the eyes, as if endless sword energy enveloped the vast world!
The Shadow Assassin, known for his unparalleled demonic powers, had countless cracks appear all over his body, starting from his brow, and spat out blood as he crashed into the ruins like a cannonball!
"Boom~!"

The air currents between heaven and earth suddenly trembled, the sense of time and space standing still disappeared, and everyone returned to normal.

But
They were in a state of confusion, frozen in place without saying a word.
……

"Yu~!"

At the entrance of Guangyang Gate, directly south of Daxing Palace, Commander Yun stopped the oxen as if stopping a horse.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived at Daxing Palace."

Yun Shuai lifted the carriage curtain and saw Zhou Yi walk out with a smile. He felt quite pleased with himself, guessing that Zhou Yi was very satisfied with his skills in driving the oxcart.
……

(End of this chapter)