Chapter 125 - You Do the Killing, I Make the Money
The Sea of Swords, Spirit Treasure Walk... Dawn was gently breaking, and the sun began its ascent. Mist swirled around the Divine Dawn Pavilion. On a white jade bed, a young maiden's dress spread out like a bouquet of fresh flowers, covering the entire bed. She looked like a gleaming pearl set at the heart of the blossoms.
"You're upset!" The little white tiger said, positioning itself on the girl's chest. Truth be told, before the tiger's eyes, that chest looked quite delicate yet unmistakably vast... like the open plains of the thousand mortal nations.
"I'm not," her eyes were deep, reminiscent of the shifting clouds and fog.
"You definitely are," the white tiger responded, shaking its head.
"I said, I’m NOT!" With a sharp raise of her eyebrow, the entire Azure Kite Street shook violently! CRASH! In an instant, all the surrounding buildings except for the Spirit Treasure Walk collapsed. Azure Kite Street was reduced to rubble.
Many Sword Cultivators emerged, covered in dust and utterly dumbfounded. Who did this? No one knew!
"If someone caused this, they're frighteningly powerful!" Many whispered in shock, their hearts uneasy for a long time.
Inside the Divine Dawn Pavilion, the young maiden stood up. With a gesture, the white tiger transformed into a mask that attached itself to her face.
"This person's audacious! They deserve punishment!" The white tiger mask surprisingly spoke.
The maiden in the white dress shook her head. "I was too impulsive."
"Eh, he sure doesn't know what he's missing out on," the white tiger mask quipped.
The maiden held onto the pavilion's railing, lost in thought for a while.
"There's no rush. On our journey to the Heavenly Realm, opportunities will arise," the white tiger mask tried to assure her.
The maiden's gaze grew colder. "Forget it, it's not worth it."
"No way! This is a big opportunity! Please!!" the mask pleaded.
"We'll see," she replied dismissively.
"If you think forcing him isn't sweet, why not become Dao Companions? After all, you have the identity of the Chen Clan. When the time comes, if he willingly becomes your man, it wouldn’t be forceful, right?" the mask suggested cheekily.
"Dao Companions? Why would he agree?" she questioned.
"Because he's powerless and insignificant. And the Chen Clan is a powerhouse in the Heavenly Realm! Give him a chance, and he'll come running," the mask insisted.
"Hmm." She didn't say much more, her beautiful eyes glancing at the bathtub next to her, growing more irritated with every passing moment.
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"Sovereign Dragon Realm." Yun Xiao stood atop a cliff, dawn's light casting fragmented shadows upon him. Reinvigorated by the morning's embrace, he stood amongst the clouds, drawing the essence of heaven and earth, absorbing the divine light of the sun and moon, and swallowed handfuls of Heavenly Dao Sariras.
Within his renewed Dantian, the Origin Core that had stabilized his realm exploded with accumulated magic power. It shattered into nine fragments, transforming into nine Primordial Void True Dragons!
That night, he consumed tens of thousands of Heavenly Dao Sariras alone!
The nine white dragons roamed within Yun Xiao's Dantian, releasing deafening roars that resonated in every direction.
"With the attainment of the Sovereign Dragon Realm, combined with my hundred layers of Sword Aura and four nine-thousand-year-old Sword Rings, my strength is incomparable to what it once was," he mused.
"I've conquered the Azure Spirit Sword Sect and Sea of Swords in only half a month. Now, with countless Spirit Stones and treasures in hand, all that's left is to ascend to the Heavenly Realm!" Overflowing with ambition, Yun Xiao turned his gaze to the humble abode below.
In the courtyard, a woman in a black gown leaned against an osmanthus tree, her legs trembling slightly.
"Senior Sister Zhao, I promise I'll return soon," Yun Xiao called.
"No... Take your time, I could use a longer rest," she responded, seemingly overwhelmed by the young powerhouse before her.
Yun Xiao grinned, then, mounting his Sovereign Sword, he floated amongst the clouds and asked, "Will you wait for me?"
Softly, she replied, "If you don't come back, I'll wait for you for three lifetimes."
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At the easternmost point of the Sea of Swords, there stood a pier atop this floating island.. Now, the sun finally rose from the eastern sea, its blazing glory illuminating the Sea of Swords, painting the sword city in a hue of gold.
A girl in a white dress stood there. The sun's rays highlighted her flawless skin, making it shine with a divine glow, an eternal brilliance unparalleled in the world.
WHOOSH! An azure sword streaked by, and Yun Xiao landed behind her.
"You've been waiting," Yun Xiao stepped forward to stand beside her. Glancing her way, he noticed she wore the white tiger mask, giving her an unapproachable air.
"Why didn't you come last night?" she asked gently, her tone soft.
"I ate something off. Stomach troubles. Threw up all night," Yun Xiao said with a deadpan face.
"..." the girl blinked, at a loss for words.
Blue Star scratched its head, taken aback. "Classic mortal moves!"
Red Moon chuckled. "Good one!"
"Miss Chen, did you have something crucial to discuss with me?" Yun Xiao inquired.
"No longer," she replied. Gazing ahead into the heavens, she pointed, "The celestial ship from the Heavenly Realm will be here shortly. Those boarding for the War of Immortal include geniuses from every corner of the Immortal Empire and scions of heavenly noble families. Prepare yourself."
Yun Xiao shrugged, "No preparation needed. When I draw my sword, I kill."
Just as his words settled, the celestial ship that Chen Xi mentioned arrived.
BUZZ! An immense white vessel descended from the sky, appearing majestically before their eyes. Marvelous runic patterns adorned its hull, with sixteen shimmering wings of light. A single flap could stir tempests in the clouds, making even the Sea of Swords quiver.
"Warriors of the Sword Realm, board now!" a youthful, resonant voice echoed from the ship.
Without hesitation, Yun Xiao and Chen Xi soared, landing gracefully upon the celestial vessel.
The moment they set foot, dozens of intense gazes weighed upon them.
"Quite the lineup," Yun Xiao realized instantly that every being on this ship was a cultivator of the Sovereign Dragon Realm or higher—no weaklings in sight.
Standing before them were ten young individuals draped in alternating black and white robes. They exuded a profound aura, and although their garments were simplistic, the shining patterns on them were undoubtedly top-tier protective talismans.
In contrast, Yun Xiao's plain white outfit looked worlds apart. It was a difference as stark as day and night—class distinctions, evident in the very fabric they wore.
Apart from these ten, there were others in unique attire, displaying distinct demeanors. While they were engrossed in their tasks, they now lifted their heads, glancing briefly at Yun Xiao and Chen Xi, their eyes filled with scrutiny.
It was clear as day. They were all competitors, and the spirit of rivalry was evident. A certain comparison and striving to outdo one another was only natural upon meeting.
"State your names," instructed one of the ten robed youths, distinguished by his striking white eyebrows. He emanated a scholarly presence, an aura of both wisdom and grandeur.
From beneath the folds of her white dress, the girl replied, "From the Forbidden Tower in Sword Realm, I'm Chen Xi."
Hearing her comply, Yun Xiao said, "I'm Yun Xiao, a disciple from Sword Heaven."
"That's not right." The white-eyebrowed youth consulted a list in his hand and remarked, "The list here states a Lin Chen from Sword Heaven."
"I killed Lin Chen and am taking his place. Is that permissible?" Yun Xiao responded.
A hint of amusement crept onto the faces of the white-eyebrowed young man and his companions. "Very well. You may participate," he said, a playful edge to his voice.
Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow, "You're allowing that?"
"Indeed. Killing to take someone's place is the rule of the War of Immortals in the Heavenly Realm," the scholar-like youth explained.
"I see. My gratitude," Yun Xiao said with a nod, thinking to himself: The folks from the Heavenly Realm sure are a friendly lot.
"However," the youth with the white eyebrows added with a sly grin, "the participation list can't be altered. Henceforth, you'll have to go by the name Lin Chen."
He was about to leave when Yun Xiao queried, "A name change?"
"Yes." He chuckled. "The name Lin Chen has the air of someone feigning weakness to deceive others. It's more straightforward than your original name."
"That won't do!" Before Yun Xiao could voice his opinion, Chen Xi suddenly interjected.
The cluster of young men and women halted. With a swift pivot, their glances turned icy as they zeroed in on Chen Xi.
"He shouldn't be fighting for glory in the Heavenly Realm under a dead man's name," Chen Xi said with unwavering conviction.
The youth with the white brows stared at her, taken aback. Then he turned to Yun Xiao, asking with an air of sarcasm, "Has your lady companion recently come down with this audacity, or has she been this way for some time?"
Yun Xiao merely gazed back, not uttering a word.
Growing impatient, the white-browed youth addressed two of his cohorts, "Crush the hearts and lungs of these two from the Sword Realm and toss them to the dogs."
Yet, at this threat, Yun Xiao grinned cheekily, "Over a mere name change, you folks get so upset you're ready to kill? My, what saints you are!"
It felt like charity was being thrown their way.
At first, he'd thought this lot was quite agreeable. Turns out, they were simply wolves in sheep's clothing. Ruffle their feathers just a tad, and they'd fly off the handle.
The onlookers aboard the celestial ship exchanged incredulous looks. "The Grand Temple of the Immortal Realm personally came to pick them up. The lad broke the rules by fighting on someone else's behalf. They only asked him to change his name. Why stir up unnecessary trouble?"
"Three of the Grand Temple's students surpass the Sovereign Dragon Realm. They're the cream of the heavenly crop!"
When someone extends an olive branch, why snap it?
At that moment, a man and a woman from the Grand Temple, their magic powers swirling around them, lunged menacingly at Yun Xiao and Chen Xi.
"If they touch me, that's one thing," Yun Xiao thought, "But don't they recognize the Empress of the Heavenly Realm?"
Sure enough, a terrifying surge of magic power emanated from Chen Xi. With a steely gaze, she gently exhaled a breath infused with Immortal energy, slamming it right into the two assailants!
The soft hum of power filled the air.
The two students from the Grand Temple froze, and before anyone could react, their bodies crumbled like sand castles, disintegrating into two heaps of decayed yellow dirt. And just like that, they were gone.
"Impressive." Yun Xiao mused, looking nonplussed. He had known all along; if anyone vexed Chen Xi, they were in for it. "You just don't poke a tiger's rear," he thought, "especially not if that tiger is, in reality, a ferocious tigress."
"You dare kill students of the Grand Temple?" The white-browed young man gritted his teeth, raising a glowing red stone high above him. It illuminated the heavens with a brilliance that made even the bravest souls wince.
The remaining eight in black and white robes shifted nervously, clustering together, their eyes fixated on Chen Xi with a mix of awe and dread.
From Chen Xi's eyes emanated an endless storm of lightning and fire. She looked down at them as if gazing from a cloud. "You think that the Sky Shining Stone is your trump card?" she remarked with a hint of amusement.
"Yes!" The white-browed youth responded with bravado. "In the Grand Temple, if you can't win, call for backup!"
No sooner had the words left his lips than Chen Xi flicked her finger.
The very air hummed with power again. A streak of dark red flame ignited right through the white-browed youth's chest, spreading instantly to the other eight, consuming them in its fiery rage.
"Who is this demoness?!" they screamed, their agonized cries cutting through the silence before they disintegrated into black sand, gone without a trace.
The cultivators from various Immortal territories who had witnessed this gory scene could only shrink back, their mouths firmly shut, eyes widened in shock.
"If you've killed all the crewmen, who's going to steer this celestial ship?" Yun Xiao inquired, his voice betraying a hint of amusement.
He hadn't planned to kill them over a disagreement, but it seemed Chen Xi had a bone to pick with the Grand Temple. Was it because she didn't want him to change his name? An excuse, surely. Perhaps, he mused, she's still upset about what happened last night.
Needless to say, she was powerful. Unimaginably so. And he had heard that this was just a fraction of her true strength, without even tapping into her Divine Dawn Empress powers.
"I can steer," Chen Xi replied nonchalantly, stepping over the ash of the fallen and heading into the interior of the celestial ship. "The families and elders behind these students will soon descend upon us.
"Let them come. We'll just kill them," she added, gripping the ship's helm, her gaze fixed on the horizon, "It's been ages since I had a good slaughter."
"How wonderful!" Yun Xiao chuckled, swiftly looting the undamaged Pouches of Holding from the ten Grand Temple students. With an unflinching face, he pocketed their treasures. "You do the killing; I make the profit."
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