Chapter 108: Stirring the World’s Valor, Daring Mortals to Slay Gods and Demons [Please Vote!]

Hua Jiebing was a disciple of Ganye Temple, mastering the Mind Sword of that order. Within the vast expanse of Ganye Temple, few could truly refine the embryo of a Mind Sword into a purely perfected blade.

Hua Jiebing’s talent for the Mind Sword was beyond question; had it been otherwise, Venerable Suzhu, one of the temple’s Great Masters, would never have personally visited to accept her as a disciple and pass down the methods of Mind Sword cultivation. In this world, many practiced the Mind Sword, but those who could truly forge one were few and far between.

Venerable Suzhu had long intended to bring Hua Jiebing back to Ganye Temple to focus on her refinement, aiming for the Ninth Realm of the Mind Sword, which would have granted Ganye Temple another Great Master. Yet, Hua Jiebing could not bear to leave the Lin family, fearing that in her absence, they would face endless obstruction from Qin Lishi in Lin’an Prefecture. As long as she remained, she could at least serve as a deterrent. Venerable Suzhu had initially disagreed with this, but unable to sway Hua Jiebing, she allowed her to remain in Lin’an to continue her practice.

Today, feeling the aggressive and overbearing aura of the Zhao Emperor—a pressure clearly intended to force her hand—Hua Jiebing would no longer endure it. She had no desire to suppress herself any longer. When one’s patience reaches its limit, one must release all the anger within. She refused to hold back; the grievances she had suffered in Lin’an over the years, and the stifling frustrations she had witnessed within the Lin estate, were all to be unleashed on this day.

If rules were used to suppress her, she would slay those rules. If darkness descended, she would cut through that darkness. Even if she knew the Zhao Emperor had long since laid his plans, what of it? Who among us lacks the courage to perish alongside our enemy?

Dense, interwoven sword qi blanketed the space above the white jade plaza. The pristine surface seemed to shimmer with a hazy mist, which rose in pillars like raindrops falling upward into the firmament. It was the omnipresent power of the spirit—it was Hua Jiebing’s Mind Sword.

A colossal statue of Guanyin pierced through the clouds, seemingly as tall as the towering Phoenix Mountain. The Guanyin held a sword as if it were a flower; a sharp, formidable Mind Sword hovered within her grasp. It was resplendent, as if polished from crystal, reflecting the sunlight pouring down from the vast heights, casting a dazzling, seven-colored brilliance that mesmerized the eyes.

As infinite sword qi converged, the Guanyin loosened her grip, and the Mind Sword plummeted with ferocious force. It was a majestic sword intent, as if to cleave heaven and earth asunder, striking toward the magnificent Tianxuan Palace.

*The Guanyin holds the flower and raises the sword, testing its edge against the sea of clouds to shear the great whale!*

In that moment, it seemed that this single sword strike was all that remained in the eyes of everyone present. It was a strike filled with anger and catharsis.

Inside Tianxuan Palace, a hiss rang out!

Eunuch Tong flew out from the palace at lightning speed, his body instantly surging with black miasma. It transformed into countless phantom figures that climbed and scurried from all directions, rushing to tear apart the colossal jade Guanyin’s sword qi. Finally, it coalesced into the purple-robed figure of Eunuch Tong, who clapped his palms together, forcibly catching the strike!

Instantly, endless black energy erupted from behind him; the sword qi and the black miasma tore at each other in a roiling conflict. The formidable Eunuch Tong, having charged out, was actually forced back to the entrance of Tianxuan Palace by this blow. His feet slammed into the ground, shattering the stone tiles.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

He retreated three steps, leaving three craters in the floor of the great hall, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading from the edges. The diamond-like Mind Sword continued to press against him. Eunuch Tong’s eyes betrayed his disbelief. This peak practitioner, who had already stepped into the Ninth Realm, was actually being forced back by a Mind Sword of the Eighth Realm!

An Eighth Realm forcing back a Ninth! It was truly rare.

With a resonant hum, the Mind Sword, gripped between Eunuch Tong’s palms, began to dissipate, vanishing like boiling spring water evaporating into the air. Such was the nature of the Mind Sword: formless, intangible, and untraceable. It existed within the mind and roamed the heavens and earth.

A crimson light flared in Eunuch Tong’s eyes. Exhilarated, he charged out, and countless black shadows erupted from behind him, swarming toward Hua Jiebing. Simultaneously, the four hidden Spirit-Refining practitioners lurking in the darkness of Tianxuan Palace released their spiritual power, once again weaving a great net that followed in Eunuch Tong’s wake, colliding with the countless invisible sword qi.

Rising from his imperial throne, the Zhao Emperor watched with gleaming eyes as the Mind Sword roamed between heaven and earth, the heat in his heart growing ever more intense. As the Zhao Emperor, having sat upon the throne for five hundred years, he was naturally well aware of the damage today’s actions would inflict upon his prestige.

However, he did not care. He knew clearly that no matter how great the prestige or how immense the power, if one’s life were lost, it would all vanish like dust. He did care for this power—otherwise, a typical Great Zhao emperor would have abdicated after a century—but he had sat upon this throne for five hundred years. Throughout those five centuries, he had endured criticism, yet he had also created the dreamlike prosperity of the Southern-migrating Great Zhao.

Northern Expedition? How could one launch a Northern Expedition when the Northern Yuan Emperor, the world’s foremost powerhouse who had broken the Tenth Realm, existed? The chances of failure were far higher than success! Would he shatter the prosperous golden age he had built with his own hands for a campaign of uncertain victory? The Zhao Emperor was unwilling.

As the heir to the Zhao throne, he possessed the blood of the Zhao ancestors and not insignificant talent. Yet, even the great Zhao ancestor, who had mobilized the power of the entire empire to breach the Tenth Realm, had ultimately fallen under the calamity of that realm. He harbored a specific fear of the Tenth Realm. He knew what kind of monster one had to be to break the Tenth Realm and withstand its catastrophe!

He had been stuck in the Ninth Realm for a long, long time. Even that once-dazzling Imperial Uncle, who had dared to challenge the world’s best with a bamboo sword, had faced his own end, filled with regret. The Zhao Emperor had no hope of breaking the barrier. Facing his own looming end, and unwilling to abandon the prosperous Southern Zhao dynasty he had created, he had climbed the summit of Phoenix Mountain behind the Imperial City to commune with heaven and trade with immortals, using secret immortal arts to extend his life by another five hundred years!

He needed a Mind Sword to suppress the immortal anomalies caused by the immortal blood within him, preventing his mind from falling into chaos and allowing him to consolidate his rule. Thus, he had set his sights on Hua Jiebing of the Lin family.

The Zhao Emperor was well aware that treating a military aristocratic family in such a manner would invite immense criticism and even damage his reputation. Yet, he still made this decision, which the world deemed foolish. He did not hide it; he did it openly before the civil and military officials, intending to seize the Mind Sword to suppress the immortal blood and extend his life for another five hundred years!

He wanted every official to know that he, Zhao Tianyan, could live for another five centuries! He remained the undying emperor of the Great Zhao!

The Zhao Emperor was confident that once it was confirmed he could live for another five hundred years, those civil officials who had always supported him, even if they had private grievances, would choose to stand by him. Under a golden age, the Academy could flourish. Under the Great Zhao’s long-standing policy of favoring civil administration over martial power, only civil officials could increase their status and voice; therefore, they did not want the court to fall into chaos and hoped for the continuation of Great Zhao’s prosperity!

Most military officials might feel angry or disappointed in him as an emperor, but excluding those unruly generals of the Martial Temple, most would still choose to support him as the orthodox ruler. Even if their loyalty were no longer pure, what did it matter? Time and years could wear away many things.

One Hua Jiebing of the Lin family in exchange for five hundred years of continued prosperity for the Great Zhao. Why not? Perhaps, with his life extended by another five centuries, he could even outlive that world-leading Northern Yuan Emperor! When that time came, the Great Zhao would launch its Northern Expedition! With the Northern Expedition as a rallying cry, those disgruntled generals of the Martial Temple would surely return to his side and pledge their allegiance once more. That would be the time to reclaim the Central Plains and create the true glory of the Great Zhao!

The Zhao Emperor’s eyes flickered, and the aura upon him began to surge. One who could sit firmly on the throne was no weakling; he had access to the tilted resources of the royal family and possessed secret imperial treasures. His cultivation had reached the Ninth Realm; although he could not compare to the Northern Yuan Emperor, he still stood at the pinnacle of the world. Although his end was near, if he could extend his life by five hundred years, all doubts, criticisms, and everything else would vanish into smoke.

Therefore, he was determined to have Hua Jiebing’s Mind Sword! Furthermore, Hua Jiebing’s sword was merely a stepping stone; what he truly coveted was the Ninth Realm Mind Sword of Venerable Suzhu from Ganye Temple!

Looking at the sword-qi Guanyin shrouding the Imperial City, a smile of certainty played on the Zhao Emperor’s lips. He raised his hand and tapped gently into the void before him. His primordial spirit resonated like a strike against an invisible, massive bell, shattering the thick, layered clouds.

...

Accompanied by a booming bell toll, the white jade plaza outside Tianxuan Palace seemed to receive a signal. Primordial spirits floated into the air, trembling and vibrating. One after another, spiritual powers arranged themselves into a grand array, surging from all sides of the plaza into the clouds like a cage of heaven and earth, trapping the majestic sword-qi Guanyin.

There was a net inside Tianxuan Palace, and a primordial spirit array outside! This was a meticulously prepared scheme! The dense, interwoven array ultimately converged at its source: the Zhao Emperor, standing before his throne in the depths of Tianxuan Palace.

Li You’an frowned, tapping his finger against his blade, "Qianbaidu." Starlight erupted, shooting into the sky. However, before it could break through, Qin Lishi, who had been bowing his head in submission, moved. With a flick of his wide sleeve, an ancient bell crashed toward the starlight-drenched Qianbaidu.

*Clang!*

A sharp, violent sound echoed. The ancient bell was struck by Qianbaidu and swayed violently, ripples of energy distorting its surface, as if it could not withstand the sword qi and was about to shatter. In the center of Qin Lishi’s brow, his primordial spirit opened its eyes, his face turning slightly pale. Resisting one strike from Li You’an was still quite taxing.

"Where are the civil officials of Tianxuan Palace?!"

As the head of the officials, Qin Lishi was not afraid or retreating in the face of the incredibly powerful Li You’an. Perhaps he could not stop Li You’an alone, but at this moment, he was not the only one in Tianxuan Palace. After clarifying the Zhao Emperor’s purpose, Qin Lishi immediately made his decision: to continue supporting the Emperor. As the leader of the civil officials, he understood what it would mean for the Great Zhao if the Emperor could truly extend his life by another five hundred years.

The First Prince, the Second Prince, the struggle for the throne—all of it would lose its meaning! Only by following the Zhao Emperor’s lead could their families flourish and continue their glory. Qin Lishi had seen through the Emperor’s goal; forcing Hua Jiebing to act in public and shamelessly revealing his intent to seize the Mind Sword was a declaration. Once the Mind Sword was in hand, the Zhao Emperor would once again dominate the court!

Many civil officials also understood the connection. For them, who had emerged from the Academy, the Zhao Emperor remaining on the throne was naturally a good thing—a stable and secure good thing! The Academy could continue to flourish and suppress the Martial Temple. And as long as the dreamlike prosperity of the Great Zhao continued, they could continue to enjoy this intoxicating life.

The primordial spirits of many civil officials surged out, permeating the space around Qin Lishi. The ancient bell roared again, crashing into the famous weapon, Qianbaidu. This time, they were somewhat evenly matched. Qin Lishi narrowed his eyes, his primordial spirit pushed to the limit. He knew what he had to do and what would earn the appreciation of the Zhao Emperor at this moment.

Blocking Li You’an and preventing him from aiding Hua Jiebing was his task. Li You’an was indeed strong, but Qin Lishi had at least stepped into the Ninth Realm of Spirit-Refining, and with the added spiritual support of the entire court, he could hold Li You’an back. Moreover, Qin Lishi understood the heart of the compassionate Li You’an, who would certainly not strike with lethal force against the many officials who had stepped out.

The Zhao Emperor’s actions had greatly disappointed Li You’an. With a cold expression, Li You’an felt, for the first time, a sense of disgust toward this court.

*Exchanging the ten-thousand-word strategy for peace for a book on how to plant trees for the master!*

Scenes from the precipice surfaced one by one, impacting his spirit; every destruction had its cause. Everything in the future had long been ordained. Li You’an even felt a sense of bewilderment. For such an empire, was there even a need to change its destiny?

An Le, holding the future sword qi, with the character of a youth who refuses to bow or scrape, holding the proud bones of the green mountains—could he really struggle and fight to change the fate of such an empire? It was impossible...

Li You’an understood this, and An Le understood it too. Thus, Li You’an suddenly wondered: what was An Le trying to change by wielding the future sword qi left in the mortal world by the Saint?

*A single spark, falling upon the wasteland, igniting a sky-shattering fire!*

Even as powerful as Li You’an was, his heart could not help but leap when this emotion surfaced in his mind. A flash of brilliance crossed his eyes. The Confucian-clad martial general, Li You’an, coldly scanned the many civil officials led by Qin Lishi who were restraining his spirit. The center of Li You’an’s brow opened slightly, and a terrifying sword qi, nourished to the extreme, seemed about to descend at this very moment.

Qin Lishi, dressed in his grand red robes, felt his expression shift slightly. This Li You’an... seemed different.

...

"Absurd, truly absurd to the extreme!"

Di Zang’s face, etched with scars, twisted constantly. A sense of anger, like a volcano about to erupt, roiled in his chest. The Zhao Emperor’s actions toward the military aristocratic families made it impossible for Di Zang to suppress his blood and qi.

The Great Zhao Dynasty followed a policy of favoring civil administration over martial power; this was the foundational state policy set by the Zhao ancestor. The Martial Temple would not change this—one dynasty had its own way of governing. In previous dynasties, the Martial Temple had once been glorious while the Academy had declined. Since the Academy and the Martial Temple were tied to the dynasty, they naturally rose and fell according to the state’s governing methods. As the Martial Chief of the Martial Temple, Di Zang only needed to uphold the core will of the Temple.

However, today, Di Zang truly could not bear it any longer. His heart turned cold, filled with disappointment and disgust beneath the absurdity.

*Boom!*

He turned without looking back and walked toward the exit of Tianxuan Palace. He was going to help Hua Jiebing, to help her leave Lin’an. *When a commoner is enraged, blood will splatter five steps.* As a peerless martial artist of the Martial Temple, he could not simply stand by and do nothing in the face of such injustice. The blood and qi within him surged and roared, like a suppressed giant beast about to be unleashed.

However, Di Zang soon stopped. Before the gates of Tianxuan Palace stood the Second Master of the Academy, Pang Ji, his back hunched, his hair white and sparse, his face lined with deep furrows, wearing an expression of helplessness and a sigh.

"You old thief, are you trying to stop me?"

Di Zang’s gaze fell upon Pang Ji, his words—filled with fiery rage—impacting the space inside and outside the Tianxuan Palace. The Second Master, Pang Ji, sighed softly. His gaze fell upon the Zhao Emperor standing before the throne. He did not approve of the Emperor’s actions today, but if the Emperor could continue to sit firmly on the throne and truly extend his life by five hundred years, then the Academy could enjoy five hundred years of prosperity and supremacy within the Great Zhao.

With a long sigh, the Second Master, Pang Ji, seemed to age significantly. Because he had concerns, he was constrained.

"Di Zang, let us fight in the sky. Do not get involved in today’s affairs," Pang Ji said.

Beneath Di Zang’s armor and skin, a blood-colored dragon coiled and surged. "This is the 'benevolence and righteousness' that you Academy scholars are always spouting."

"Pah!" Di Zang spat in anger.

His aura exploded suddenly, colliding with the Second Master. The two transformed into a streak of blood-red light and a streak of white light, intertwining as they charged into the sea of clouds.

...

Inside Tianxuan Palace, Old Matriarch Yu opened her eyes, gazing at the Zhao Emperor with aged eyes.

"Your Majesty, why must you force my Lin family so?"

The aura upon Old Matriarch Yu began to permeate the air bit by bit: "My Lin family has been loyal for generations, never having done anything to betray the court... Your Majesty’s actions today are truly chilling."

Before the throne, the Zhao Emperor’s gaze fell upon the Old Matriarch. "If I obtain the Mind Sword today, I will ensure the Lin family’s prosperity for five hundred years."

*Thump!*

Old Matriarch Yu, her hair white as snow, shook her head: "The Lin family cannot afford this prosperity."

Having spoken, she turned and headed toward the outside of Tianxuan Palace. Duke Wang stepped out, gesturing for her to stop, but the Old Matriarch ignored him entirely. She swung her dragon-headed cane and charged toward the white jade plaza, intending to help Hua Jiebing break the cage created by the primordial spirit array. Duke Wang was instantly annoyed and struck out fiercely to block her path, and the two elders soared into the sky to fight among the clouds.

...

Outside Lin’an Prefecture, Fourth Master Lin arranged for Lin Qingyin, Lin Zhuifeng, and the remaining young masters of the Lin estate to board a luxurious carriage. He patted the head of a neighing steed. Dressed in simple robes with a wood-chopping knife at his waist, he smiled and said, "Go to Lanke Temple and wait for me."

Inside the carriage, Lin Qingyin, Lin Zhuifeng, and the other Lin descendants remained silent, each biting their lips and clenching their fists.

"If we do not return, go to the Canglang River battlefield and find General Ye Longsheng. He will protect you."

Fourth Master Lin’s gaze turned soft as he looked at each of his descendants. Even the frail Lin Qingyin nodded seriously and solemnly at this moment. Lin Zhuifeng’s face was flushed red, clutching a fire-poker, and she stood up, wanting to climb out of the carriage. However, Fourth Master Lin tapped her back into the carriage with a single finger.

His voice was hoarse, but it lacked its usual sternness, filled instead with endless gentleness.

"Behave."

The steed neighed, and the wheels rolled over the dust. They galloped toward the distance, vanishing at the end of the road in the blink of an eye. Fourth Master Lin’s hand rested on the wood-chopping knife at his waist. He looked toward the city gate, where a man in green robes stood quietly. The spring breeze stirred the willow catkins at the gate, fluttering his green robes.

"The Sima family has three literary stars hanging in the clouds; today, perhaps I shall chop one down." Fourth Master Lin grinned as he looked at the man.

...

Qingbo Street. The Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The old man sitting in a rocking chair, swaying gently, opened his eyes slightly.

"The more a person fears death, the more likely they are to reveal their ugly side when facing their end. In this world, all things, in their hustle and bustle, are merely for profit, centered on one’s own gain..."

"But truly... this is just too shameful to witness."

The old man stood up, grabbed a bamboo staff, and took a step out of the temple. With another step, he ascended into the clouds, and with a third, his aura suddenly became like a peak piercing the sky, his graying temples imbued with sharp sword qi.

However, he soon looked up toward the Phoenix Mountain foothills, which towered into the clouds behind the imperial palace. Upon those foothills, two figures, aged to the extreme, seemed to open their eyes simultaneously. Gravel rolled, and the long-sealed earth seemed to shatter; two coffins buried in the imperial tomb suddenly surged up from the foothills. Purple lightning descended from the clouds, swirling around the two coffins.

Within the coffins, immense spiritual power intertwined, transforming into two white light shadows that hovered before the old man from the Ancestral Temple. Zhao Huangting tilted his head, looking at the two white light shadows; the sense of absurdity in his eyes grew even stronger. He had not expected those shameful things in Tianxuan Palace to bring out the long-decaying will of the ancestors from the imperial tomb, hoping to use them to stop him, Zhao Huangting?

Did these decrepit existences really think that one Hua Jiebing could truly trade for another five hundred years for the Great Zhao?

"Truly... becoming more and more shameful."

As the words fell, he swung the bamboo staff in his hand toward the two white light shadows without hesitation. Those who abet evildoers should be struck.

...

Inside Tianxuan Palace, the Zhao Emperor’s eyes were like torches, his aura climbing step by step. The entire Lin’an Prefecture was already in chaos. He had plotted for this day and had naturally prepared much, considering every means and opportunity Hua Jiebing might have to escape. He had arranged for people to intercept the helpers Hua Jiebing had sought; indeed, her connections were good, and many powerful figures were willing to act for her. But the heritage of the Zhao family was not to be underestimated.

After he demonstrated his determination and plan to borrow the Mind Sword to extend his life by five hundred years, those officials, as expected, all stood out to defend and support him. Because, when weighing the pros and cons, they would always stand on the side of gain.

Above the white jade plaza, the massive spiritual cage circled the sword-qi Guanyin that overlooked the Imperial City. Several powerful Spirit-Refining practitioners released their power without reservation, activating the primordial spirit array on the plaza.

Hua Jiebing’s expression was cold, yet she remained largely unchanged. She had prepared for the worst long before today.

Eunuch Tong charged frantically, his black figure appearing repeatedly from all directions. This Ninth Realm eunuch was the Zhao Emperor’s favored servant, and his strength was formidable. Hua Jiebing, with her Mind Sword at the limit of the Eighth Realm, was only able to fight him to a draw. But if this continued, as time passed, she would gradually fall into a disadvantage and eventually be suppressed by the fully formed primordial spirit array and net.

In this situation, she might truly only have the path of perishing together. However, there was not a hint of fear in Hua Jiebing’s heart. The sword furnace at the center of her brow clanged incessantly; the Guanyin glared with rage, and sword qi bloomed like lotuses and Buddhas!

Hua Jiebing saw the Zhao Emperor sit back on his throne, a smile of total control on his lips. He raised his hand from afar and suddenly splayed his five fingers. Instantly, a massive hand seemed to span the sky above the white jade plaza.

...

In the white jade plaza, a youth in white stood, looking up, watching the terrifying battle whose mere dissipated aura made it difficult to breathe. The two swords at his waist clanged incessantly, emitting sword hums. But no matter how intense the sword hums were, in the midst of the escalating battle, no one paid him any mind.

A mere Fourth Realm youth, in this long-plotted grand scheme, was like a tiny, inconspicuous pebble that could not attract anyone’s attention! Because even if this pebble were thrown with all his might, it could not stir up high waves in this lake-like situation. Everyone thought so. Including the Zhao Emperor, Li You’an, and Madam Hua. Even Ye Wenxi, by his side, felt the same. Even An Le himself thought so.

However, An Le looked up, staring at Madam Hua, who was being constantly suppressed under the primordial spirit array, and at the overwhelming hand raised by the Zhao Emperor from Tianxuan Palace.

An Le suddenly laughed.

But what of it?

If one does not try, perhaps everyone will continue to assume according to their own perceptions. But perhaps, there might be a miracle?

An Le gripped the bamboo sword "Qing Shan" at his waist and raised it bit by bit.

*There are many injustices in the world; I shall use my sword to slay the absurdity!*

Carrying this tattered bamboo sword, an invisible wind and wave suddenly rose. Vaguely, An Le’s figure seemed to overlap with the figure from the past who, wielding a broken bamboo sword, dared to kill the Northern Yuan Emperor.

A sense of heroism spread from beneath his feet. Then, it continued to grow, finally becoming like a pillar of smoke, rising ten thousand feet into the air, rolling into the sky.

But, this was not enough!

An Le carried the bamboo sword in one hand, while his other hand clenched into a fist, as if grasping a fruit. He exerted force suddenly, as if to crush the "Heroic Spirit" Dao fruit, squeezing every last bit of heroism out of it!

*Summoning the world’s heroism, daring to let a mortal slay ghosts and gods!*

...

A single spark, though inconspicuous. On the vast wasteland, who would dare to ignore it?

A clear, crisp sword hum, wrapped in a majestic sword qi, hissed from above the white jade plaza. Then, the youth whom everyone had ignored stepped into the sky from the plaza, step by step, his white clothes as pure as snow, his sleeves filled with the spring breeze!

Facing the hand that the Zhao Emperor had拍out from Tianxuan Palace, which covered the sky, he delivered a sword strike as if intercepting it halfway. A peerless, mountain-like peak seemed to rise from the ground, breaking through the earth.

And it pierced that massive hand... into a complete mess.