Free Web NovelChapter 386: Chapter 245: The Secret of the Sword Talisman (2)
"How audacious! You dare speak His Majesty’s sacred name!"
Du Hongming glared, viciously unfurling the imperial decree.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Marquis Xuanya, Du Haixian, has colluded with the Demon Dao, secretly stockpiled arms, and plotted rebellion. His treason is heinous, the evidence irrefutable. He is condemned by heaven and earth alike!"
"Today, he is to be stripped of his marquisate, his title revoked, and his cultivation crippled, to serve as a warning to all! So it is decreed—!"
RUMBLE!!!
The words of the imperial decree were like the law of heaven!
Thick streams of golden imperial fortune descended from the void, tearing through the demonic light that filled the sky.
A majestic and righteous Power of Laws enveloped the entire area, forcefully suppressing Du Haixian’s Golden Core, which had been on the verge of exploding.
"No, I cannot accept this!" Du Haixian wailed.
Du Hongming’s expression was cold as his Early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation erupted forth.
He was actually a Nascent Soul Daoist Monarch as well!
Du Hongming formed a sealing technique with his hands, and a golden chain, blood-red and covered in inscriptions of law, materialized from thin air.
"Chixiao Decree, Spirit-Seizing Forbidden Technique."
"Profound Cliff Blessed Land, heed my command! Hah!"
As his voice fell, the golden chain emitted a strange ripple that resonated with the entire Profound Cliff Blessed Land.
The control over the Blessed Land, which had been connected to Du Haixian’s mind, was forcibly stripped away by the imperial fortune and the Power of the Law.
"No—" Du Haixian let out a roar of despair.
He could clearly feel his control slipping away from the foundation his family had built over a thousand years.
In the instant his mind wavered and his resistance hit rock bottom—
SHINK!
An ancient demon sword wreathed in domineering blood-red runes appeared silently from behind him, its tip piercing his heart and emerging from his chest.
The one who struck was none other than the Chief of Criminal Law Hall of the Holy Sect, Chen Xuanba, who had remained hidden until now!
Chen Xuanba was dressed in a black robe, his expression tyrannical and ferocious, exuding an intimidating aura even without being angry.
"You..."
Du Haixian’s body trembled violently. He looked down at the sword tip protruding from his chest as the tyrannical blood-red runes instantly spread across his entire body.
He opened his mouth, but before a single word could escape, his head separated from his body and rolled to the ground.
A hereditary Marquis, a Golden Core Peak True Monarch, was thus decapitated!
The turn of events was so abrupt that even Qin Xuan was shaken to his core.
’Fucking hell, Chen Xuanba is involved in this too?’
Du Hongming reached up and wiped his face. A transparent mask, thin as a cicada’s wing, was peeled away, revealing the pale, beardless, and effeminate face of a middle-aged man.
Ji Boyan sheathed his sword and cupped his hands. "We’ve troubled Eunuch Zhang to make this trip personally and put on such a good show."
Eunuch Zhang let out a shrill, piercing laugh. "Prince Consort Ji is too kind. It is my duty to alleviate His Majesty’s worries and eliminate traitors."
The chill in Qin Xuan’s heart grew even colder.
’The Holy Sect and the Imperial Court... they actually reached a tacit understanding on this matter?’
However, something even more shocking occurred.
The Blood Tyrant Demon Sword in Chen Xuanba’s hand, after completely drinking the Essence Blood of the Golden Core Peak True Monarch Du Haixian, suddenly began to hum on its own.
The body of the sword flared with a brilliant crimson light, as if an ancient, slumbering Demon Spirit was awakening.
Incredibly complex, blood-colored Runes, suffused with an aura of destruction, appeared on the blade, emitting a pressure that made one’s Divine Soul tremble.
The blood and soul of a hereditary Marquis as the guide, the resentful Evil Qi of a Golden Core Peak cultivator as the fuel...
BOOM!
In the distant sky, a shocking crimson rainbow pierced the clouds, and a vast, karmic power vibrated violently.
A vast Demonic Essence erupted from Chen Xuanba’s body.
The restraints of the Nascent Soul Blood Talisman shattered inch by inch, and his cultivation brazenly broke through to the Mid-stage Golden Core realm.
Ji Boyan looked at the Demon Sword in Chen Xuanba’s hand and smiled. "Congratulations, Master Chen, on successfully slaying a First-Grade Official of Daqian. You’ve finally completed the karma of this Nine Tribulations Blood Universe Sword Talisman."
"All that’s left is to return to the Blood Pool Sword Tomb. With this Talisman as your proof, you can attempt to awaken the Blood Tyrant Sword Demon True Spirit."
Chen Xuanba stood suspended in midair, his Evil Qi soaring to the heavens, radiating a tyrannical and wild arrogance.
"Many thanks to Senior Brother Ji for protecting me on my path."
Qin Xuan’s heart pounded upon hearing this.
’...A First-Grade Official?’
’So, the annihilation of the Profound Cliff Du Family wasn’t just to save me, but also to resolve the karma of Chen Xuanba’s Nascent Soul Sword Talisman!’
In a flash, as if struck by lightning, everything clicked into place for Qin Xuan.
A wisp of black candle smoke dissipated.
’Du Haixian may be at Golden Core Peak, but as a Marquis of Daqian, he is a Junior First Grade official. Empowered by the Chixiao Decree, his cultivation could temporarily reach the Late-stage Nascent Soul realm.’
’And from the moment I obtained the Golden-Breaking Blood Talisman and later witnessed Chen Xuanba form his Golden Core at the Blood Pool Sword Tomb, I was already being set up!’
BOOM!
With Du Haixian’s death,
the karmic backlash from the Golden-Breaking Blood Talisman that had long entangled Qin Xuan was also forcefully wiped away by an invisible hand, vanishing in an instant.
The shackles were gone. His majestic Demonic Essence surged without obstruction, his aura climbing steadily until it broke through the barrier, reaching the Purple Mansion Ninth Level!
However, the exhilaration of this breakthrough felt like a fishbone stuck in Qin Xuan’s throat.
’Damn it, damn it all! I should have known. How could the Holy Sect possibly give me a Sword Talisman for no reason?’
’I’ve been royally screwed!’
Qin Xuan roared internally.
Every gift from fate has long had a price tag secretly attached.
A powerful figure like Chen Xuanba, second to only one man and above tens of thousands in the Holy Sect, had the Demon Monarch’s assistance to complete the karma of his Sword Talisman.
What about me?
The moment the karma of the Giant Spirit dissipated...
Qin Xuan felt the Golden-Breaking Blood Talisman, far from falling silent, tremble slightly, as if something dormant within had been disturbed and was slowly awakening.
An icy aura, far more subtle than that of the Golden-Breaking Blood Talisman itself, began to emanate from within the Sword Talisman.
It was like a demonic eye quietly opening.
A bitter expression appeared on Qin Xuan’s face.
For the first time, he felt no joy from a cultivation breakthrough.
’Once the karma for a Sword Talisman from the Blood Pool Sword Tomb is completed, it awakens a dormant Sword Demon True Spirit.’
’Does that mean... I’m going to be haunted by a Sword Demon?’
The Golden-Breaking Blood Talisman was merely at the Blood Fiend Level.
Divine Blade, Ten Thousand Forms, Profound Turtle... these were higher-grade, Nascent Soul Level Purgatory Sword Talismans.
And I have three of them inside my body!
Every single one of these Sword Talismans was no weaker than Chen Xuanba’s Nine Tribulations Blood Universe.
...
「Blood Demon Sword Sect, Celestial Demon Hall」
In a dust-covered meditation chamber,
a middle-aged man with a wizened face, high cheekbones, and a clay-like complexion abruptly opened his eyes.
"Chen Xuanba... broke through to Mid-stage Golden Core?"
The man’s voice was hoarse. Dust cascaded from his body, revealing a dark green robe beneath.
Despite clearly having only a Purple Mansion Peak cultivation, he showed no fear toward Chen Xuanba, a dignified Golden Core True Monarch.
The man waved his hand, and the light before him shifted, showing him all the major and minor events that had occurred in the Holy Sect over the past fifty years.
"I’ve only been in seclusion for fifty years, and they’ve already chosen a new Demon Child?"
The man’s face was grim. His eyes were long and narrow like a snake’s, his pupils a strange, dark green.
"Damn it... It would be one thing if they chose one, but two? Liu Mobai is the reincarnation of a Venerable, but where did this Qin Xuan come from? Does some wet-behind-the-ears brat think he’s worthy of stealing my position as Demon Child?"
BOOM!
The entire chamber trembled as a clear, piercing sword cry rang through the clouds.
The middle-aged man reached out his hand, and a long, narrow Lifebound Longsword—jade-green in color with a single, blood-red tip—landed in his palm.
Sword Qi raged, vast and ferocious!
"I’ll go kill Qin Xuan right now and take back the position of Demon Child!"
The middle-aged man stood up, his gaze frigid.
To speak so casually of killing a Demon Child—the middle-aged man’s identity was astonishing!
...
「Du Family Ancestral Hall」
Countless pavilions and halls had been reduced to rubble.
In a side hall that was still relatively intact, Ye Qingxuan and Qin Xuan stood facing each other.
Ye Qingxuan held a cyan Jade Talisman. Cloud patterns flowed across its surface, and the Dao Rhyme of the three words "Little Cloud Peak" was faintly discernible.
She looked at Qin Xuan, her eyes filled with joy.
"Miss Xuan’Er, Du Leishi is dead. The trial spot for the Little Cloud Peak Celestial Realm, personally granted to him by Elder Zhao Qingyang of the Cyan Cloud Sect, is now vacant."
Ye Qingxuan paused, gently pushing the Jade Talisman toward Qin Xuan, her gaze clear.
Within her seemingly calm eyes, an inexplicable emotion seemed to stir.
"...Miss Xuan’Er, you came to my aid, and you were trapped in the dangerous Du Family estate because of me. I have felt guilty about this matter ever since."
"Within our Daoist Sect’s Little Cloud Peak Celestial Realm, there is a Yi Wood Spirit Acupoint. It would be of great benefit for you to heal your old injuries, stabilize your foundation, and even form your Golden Core..."
"Miss Xuan’Er, would you be willing to accompany me to the Cyan Cloud Sect and participate in this Little Cloud Peak Celestial Realm trial?"
Qin Xuan didn’t immediately take the Jade Talisman. He simply raised an eyebrow, looking at Ye Qingxuan.
"Fellow Daoist Ye, I’m afraid giving such a precious spot to me will cause you considerable trouble, won’t it? Won’t there be dissent within the Cyan Cloud Sect?"
Ye Qingxuan smiled faintly, the corners of her lips turning up slightly.
"When I, Ye Qingxuan, do things, why would I need to explain myself to others? I can still decide who gets a single trial spot."
Qin Xuan fell silent for a moment, his thoughts racing.
’The hidden danger of the Holy Sect’s Sword Talismans has not been eliminated. I urgently need to increase my strength, and this Yi Wood Spirit Acupoint is indeed an opportunity.’
’Besides, infiltrating the Cyan Cloud Sect under the identity of "Qin Xuan’Er" might allow me to learn more...’
Just then, however, the massive sphere of light in his mind suddenly began to flicker.
Three ancient bamboo sticks flew out from it.
