Chapter 111 - The Deposed Emperor of a Certain Small Nation
Half an hour later, the Tower Lord of the Forbidden Tower and the Sword Lord of Sword Heaven jointly issued the first decree in the Sea of Swords!
「Rebel Yun Xiao recklessly ignited conflict between Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower, killing the innocent in cold blood! From this day forth, he is stripped of his title as the Young Sword Lord of Sword Heaven and declared an enemy of the entire Sea of Swords. The one who captures or kills him will be awarded 10,000,000 Spirit Stones. Anyone reporting his whereabouts will receive 1,000,000 Spirit Stones!」
This decree sent shockwaves throughout the Sea of Swords.
The initial conflict between the Forbidden Tower and Sword Heaven was already the talk of the town. Just when people were speculating if the battles would continue, they were stunned by Yun Xiao's punishment!
"Yun Xiao killed six Great Elders of the Forbidden Tower. Of course the Forbidden Tower would be furious... but Sword Heaven holds the upper hand right now. Why would they throw Yun Xiao under the bus to appease the Forbidden Tower?"
"I can't figure it out! Could this be a strategic move by the Sword Lord?"
"A strategic move for what? Ye Guying will be out soon! When that happens, do you think the Forbidden Tower will swallow their anger?"
"I'm lost!"
And they weren't the only ones. Even those from Sword Heaven were stumped.
Everyone knew the Sword Lord held deep affection for Yun Xiao. Why the sudden change of heart?
Many felt the same way, their spirits ignited by Yun Xiao's fiery resolve, ready to take on the Forbidden Tower and challenge the very heavens!
Now, what was all this about?
The entire Sea of Swords was abuzz, with countless theories and speculations.
Meanwhile, atop the Jade Sun Tower in Sword Heaven, it took the Sword Lord, the Tower Lord, and Madame Xiao a full half hour to finally regain their composure.
Below the Jade Sun Tower, the Sword Cultivators of both Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower, who had just been in fierce combat, were now coexisting in an uneasy truce. But those not privy to the details still eyed each other warily.
"The matter of the sword bone must not be leaked." The Sword Lord sighed deeply. So, he couldn't explain his actions to others. From the beginning, only the three of them knew, and it had to stay that way.
"He played you like a fiddle. Do you still have hope now?" The Tower Lord coldly questioned, hands behind his back.
"The Sword Heart Spring is gone, but we still have the Heart Eroding Bone Poison. If we can capture him, we can risk using it! But the success rate would be less than fifty percent," the Sword Lord replied gravely.
Before, with the combination of the Sword Heart Spring and the Heart-Eating Bone Poison, there was a guaranteed success rate of silently extracting the bone in three days.
"At this point, we can only take the gamble," Madame Xiao uttered shakily.
"We must capture him," the Sword Lord declared, eyes icy, filled with surging hatred.
"My son, my daughter, the five-thousand-year-old Sword Rings... I have made immense sacrifices to Sword Heaven!" The Sword Lord gritted his teeth. Each revelation felt like a sword, one after the other, stabbing into his heart. His heart, it seemed, was now riddled with wounds.
"I checked. Besides his connections with the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, the only other contact he had in the Sea of Swords was with the Spirit Treasure Walk," the Forbidden Tower Lord said with a shadowed gaze.
"Do you think we can capture that Qian woman to force Yun Xiao out?" Madame Xiao spat bitterly.
"That's out of the question! Firstly, this woman has a significant background. Secondly, she possesses a Sword Heart which holds tremendous power!" the Sword Lord interjected quickly.
"A Sword Heart from the Heavenly Realm?" Madame Xiao's eyes flashed with intrigue.
"Yes." The Forbidden Tower Lord nodded, "However, I've already set up a perimeter around Spirit Treasure Walk. If Yun Xiao dares to approach, we'll be alerted."
"Why would he go to the Spirit Treasure Walk?" Madame Xiao furrowed her brows.
"Because of the Sword Tempering Pill. Currently, in the Sea of Swords, only you, me, and Spirit Treasure Walk have access to it," the Forbidden Tower Lord said with an icy stare. "I've just received word that his master, Zhao Jianxing's Sword Soul, is already three-quarters shattered. Without the Sword Tempering Pill, he won't survive long."
"Then we should just go straight to the Spirit Treasure Walk and lay in wait! We don't need many people this time. Only the elite," Madame Xiao hissed.
Last time, the abundance of their force led to the chaos that allowed Yun Xiao to escape.
"Spirit Treasure Walk is one method, but I have another strategy." The Forbidden Tower Lord smirked.
"Brother Tian, do tell," the Sword Lord urged.
"I heard those backwater Sword Cultivators of Azure Spirit ventured into the thousand mortal nations to slay demons. We can deploy some forces to capture some demons and unleash them there. If we're lucky, perhaps we might snag a big fish. Yun Xiao's relationship with Azure Spirit's people is said to be close. That's his weakness!" the Tower Lord said with a sly smile.
"Unleash demons into the mortal realm?" The Sword Lord frowned. "Wouldn't that bring massive calamity to the mortals?"
"So?" The Tower Lord looked at him. "Mortals live brief, inconsequential lives, bound from birth to death. Do their lives have any real significance?"
Madame Xiao scowled and slapped the Sword Lord on the shoulder. "Are you out of your mind? At this juncture, is it your life or the lives of thousands of mortals that matter more?"
"To me, Lil Feng's life matters the most!" The Tower Lord replied earnestly.
The Sword Lord sighed deeply, finally nodding. "Sword Heaven can provide more people. I'll send five hundred to aid your operations."
"That's more like it!" The Tower Lord sat next to him, resting his hand on the Sword Lord's shoulder. "Why should we cultivators concern ourselves with mortal suffering? While mortals bathe in blood in the world below, immortals seek longevity in the mountains. After all, everyone has their fate, riches and prosperity are predestined, and frankly, it's none of my business!"
With that, he chuckled and continued, "From the moment we established the Grand Wasteland Pact, humans and demons in the Sword Realm ceased their wars. By that measure, our contributions have been monumental. So what if a few mortal lives are lost? Who would dare to criticize us?
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In the mortal realm stood a city. With its red bricks and green tiles, the aging walls contrasted against its bustling streets, brimming with life.
A woman in a black gown and a wide-brimmed hat strolled through the streets. Tall and gracefully slender, she exuded an exceptional aura. Even in her simple attire, she drew many admiring gazes.
Entering a teahouse, she ordered a pot of clear tea and took a seat by a street-facing window, watching the world go by.
"Junior Brother Yun mentioned that while riding a sword in the mortal world, I shouldn't drink alcohol..." She had a longing for a drink, but remembering the reminder from the young man in white robes, a smile crept onto her face. Taking a sip from her tea, her crimson lips delicately met the cup's rim, encapsulating a taste of life.
As she surveyed the busy streets, she saw the townsfolk's beaming faces, the carefree laughter of children playing, and the merchants and soldiers, each engrossed in their own lives.
Such was the mortal world.
"Excuse me," she inquired gently, addressing the idle innkeeper, "Is this place the Cloud Nation or Jiang Nation?"
The innkeeper, an elderly man with white hair, responded with a kind smile, "It's hard to say."
"Why is that?" Her curiosity was piqued.
There weren't many patrons in the teahouse, so the shopkeeper, having a free moment, sighed, "It used to be Cloud Nation. The Yun Family had ruled for five hundred years. Everything was peaceful until a few months ago..."
"Oh?" She sipped her tea, waiting for him to continue.
"That sixteen-year-old prince, Yun Xiao, made the grave mistake of harboring demons, causing the death of tens of thousands. Thankfully, an Immortal by the name of Ye happened to pass by. He vanquished the naive ruler and took away the prime minister's daughter, who was supposed to become the Empress. They left to cultivate immortality!" The innkeeper shook his head with a heavy sigh, a hint of regret in his eyes.
"And the prime minister's daughter, what was her name?" She arched her brows.
Looking around to ensure they were alone, the innkeeper whispered into her ear, "Her name is Jiang Yue. But don't utter it carelessly. Nowadays, she's ranked among the Immortals, a celestial being in the heavenly palace."
"Really? She's achieved such a status?" The woman in the black gown suppressed a chuckle, her heart releasing a quiet sigh.
Yun Xiao had once mentioned his homeland, Cloud Nation.
The young monarch, Jiang Yue, and that immortal with the surname Ye...
With these clues, everything began to make sense.
She continued to inquire about the tale of the day Immortal Ye descended, and after listening, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Do you believe he's a bad person?" she softly asked the innkeeper, the hem of her black gown brushing the floor.
"Ah, it's hard to say! That lad became an Emperor at twelve and never once let his people down. But the judgment came from the Immortals above. They have divine sight. Could they be wrong?" The innkeeper sighed.
"Do Immortals never make mistakes?" The grip on her tea cup tightened. "What if it wasn't an Immortal, but just a slightly more powerful cultivator?"
"Hush! Be careful with your words!" the innkeeper exclaimed, alarmed. "Our ancestors always said, those who can ride the sword and fly, they're all Immortals, descending to banish demons!"
"I see..." She observed the innkeeper, then turned her gaze to the bustling street outside, remaining silent.
"Young lady, earlier you asked if this place is Jiang Nation or Cloud Nation. You're not from around here?" The innkeeper inquired.
"No," she shook her head lightly, "So, which is it?"
"Let's say Cloud Nation," the innkeeper replied after a moment's hesitation.
"Why?"
The innkeeper scratched his head, chuckling awkwardly, "Well, after Jiang Yue ascended to immortality, the dynasty changed. The entire Jiang Family vanished overnight. With the Jiang Family gone, how could there be a Jiang Nation? Now, it's governed by the once loyal general of the Yun Family, General Yun Hai. Life's been peaceful."
"I see." She smiled faintly, then suddenly seemed to recall something. "Innkeeper, have you heard about a Sword Immortal from the Northern Wastelands who single-handedly vanquished a hundred thousand demons?"
"Of course! The tale's famous!" The innkeeper's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Do you know the Sword Immortal's name?" she pressed.
"Indeed!" The innkeeper chuckled, "Coincidentally, he shares the same name as our young and misguided monarch."
"How amusing," she replied, sipping her tea. "I'd love to hear more about this young monarch. Would that be alright?"
"Of course! I have plenty of free time. Ask away!" The innkeeper grinned.
"How many concubines did he have when he was the monarch?" she probed.
The innkeeper blinked, not expecting such a gossipy question. "He was still a child and had no concubines, just a group of palace maidens to attend to him."
The lady tensed, "How many?"
"With imperial blood, at least a hundred beautiful maidens, I'd guess?" the innkeeper said with a hint of envy.
The lady paused and muttered under her breath, "So young, yet so frivolous."
Their conversation meandered through various tales of the young monarch.
Gazing out of the window, she finally asked, "So before Immortal Ye's arrival, he was a noble, brave boy, dedicated to his country and people, right?"
"Absolutely," the innkeeper sighed. "Who knew he would lose his way?"
"He didn't," she retorted with a fiery intensity. "It's this world that has lost its way."
The innkeeper remained silent.
"He'll come back home," she stated.
"Who?" The innkeeper was puzzled.
"The young misguided monarch."
"Hmm." The innkeeper shook his head with a bitter smile. "Perhaps in his next life."
As dusk settled, it was the hour when demons roamed.
The lady in the black gown seemed about to say something else when suddenly, a woman in yellow robes rushed in, exclaiming, "Senior Sister Zhao! A five-hundred-year-old blood demon has been spotted in the north. Hurry!"
"A five-hundred-year-old blood demon? How can such a powerful demon still exist?" The lady's eyebrows shot up.
"Quick, many villagers have already perished," the woman in yellow robes cried, her eyes reddened.
With a buzzing sound, the lady in the black gown darted out of the window, mounted her sword, and transformed into a streak of black, shooting towards the north.
"An Immortal!" the innkeeper exclaimed, collapsing to the ground in awe.
As the streak of sword light passed, the people knelt in reverence.
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