Sword Aura to the Heavens

Chapter 483: Chapter 478: Holy Empress Dowager

Cangli Palace derives its name from the sky and Da Li, signifying the common people. It is the palace of the Emperor of Da Li, reaching to the heavens.

Li Fan was brought to one of the grand halls of Cangli Palace. Ye Changge escorted Li Fan to the entrance of the hall, saying, "Rest and wait here."

With that, Ye Changge left without saying anything else, leaving only Ye Qinghuang and Li Fan.

Li Fan glanced into the hall, which was empty. A massive Bagua diagram was engraved on the floor, and above, he could see the two characters "Kun Qian" inscribed on the plaque outside the hall.

Ye Qinghuang naturally recognized this place. Although she hadn’t been to Cangli Palace for a long time, she was familiar with everything here.

Her father used to come here for meditation, and she didn’t understand why Li Fan was brought here.

"Xiao Fan, don’t wander off; I need to go out for a bit," Ye Qinghuang said to Li Fan.

"Alright." Li Fan nodded as Ye Qinghuang turned and flew off into the sky. She was heading to see the Empress Dowager; if anyone intended to kill Li Fan, the only one who could protect him would be the Holy Empress Dowager.

After Ye Qinghuang left, Li Fan cast a glance toward the towering Cangli Palace, feeling the constant oppressive aura, as if the True Dragon Eyes from the heavens were watching him.

If he intended to see me, why not meet directly?

However, he couldn’t fathom that person’s thoughts and thought it best to remain calm in the situation.

Li Fan stepped into the grand hall, walked straight to the center of the diagram, and sat down cross-legged.

After entering meditation, Li Fan entered a state of cultivation.

The battle at Qiyun House had left his Primordial Energy severely depleted, but he also achieved a breakthrough during that fight. However, he hadn’t had the opportunity to calm down and cultivate.

Though his current fate was uncertain, he temporarily put everything aside.

In the silent hall, Sword Intent flowed, circulating within the empty grand hall, with Li Fan at its center, forming a sword-shaped aura.

Li Fan operated the Sword Scripture. Sword Intent flowed through the Sword Bone, his entire being like a sword, the light dazzling. In his consciousness, he stood alone under the starry sky, cultivating.

Starlight flowed across the sky, transforming into Sword Intent cascading down, resembling characters suspended in the heavens.

Li Fan’s figure transformed into a sword, absorbing the power of all things, growing bit by bit, seeming both reborn and reshaped.

The sword grew continuously brighter, emitting the most brilliant sword radiance, with ancient characters engraved on its blade, giving this newly born Divine Weapon an aura of antiquity.

Starlight cascaded down, bathing the sword, and the world seemed to fall into boundless silence.

In this starry sky, time was imperceptible; it was unknown how long had passed. The characters on the sword were as sharp as blades, emitting sword radiance that illuminated the galaxy.

A phantom gradually formed, encompassing the sword. This figure was ethereal as a Sword Immortal, with flowing long hair, precisely the transformed Li Fan. At the instant he opened his eyes, his gaze was like a Divine Weapon, and suddenly sword beams, like the starlight from nine heavens, fell in splendor across the starry sky.

Outside, the previously empty grand hall was now enveloped by sword light. The sitting Li Fan emitted blinding sword radiance, seeming to have become a Divine Weapon itself, his form akin to a sharp blade, with the sword ubiquitous.

Finally, Li Fan opened his eyes, his gaze as piercing as a sharp sword, exuding a formidable aura, no longer showing any sign of his prior, injury-ridden state.

He withdrew his aura, and immediately the sword light in the hall dispersed, sword radiance flowed in Li Fan’s eyes, surprisingly realizing he had stepped to the peak of the Sixth Realm, merely a step away from the Seventh Realm Great Cultivator.

"Senior Sister."

Li Fan stood up, his form flickering to the outside of the hall, where Ye Qinghuang quietly waited, seemingly for a long time.

Seeing Li Fan emerge, Ye Qinghuang smiled and appraised him, "A breakthrough?"

"Yes." Li Fan nodded.

Ye Qinghuang slightly nodded. She hadn’t expected Li Fan to enter a meditative state of cultivation within the Imperial Palace, losing seven days in the process.

Inside the palace was tranquil, but outside, the palace was in a state of unrest.

The entire Capital awaited news of whether Li Fan was alive or dead.

"Let’s go."

Ye Qinghuang said, "Come with me to see the Holy Empress Dowager."

"My grandmother." Ye Qinghuang added, noticing the slight smile rising on Senior Sister’s face. Perhaps the Holy Empress Dowager was the only person in the palace who could make her feel some sense of kinship.

The two flew, leaving Cangli Palace, arriving at Taichu Palace, where the Holy Empress Dowager resided.

Outside Taichu Palace, an elderly man awaited. Seeing Ye Qinghuang and Li Fan arrive, the old man bowed to Ye Qinghuang, "This old servant greets the Princess."

His body bent very low, his voice slightly sharp, and his frame thin, appearing frail.

"Has the Holy Empress Dowager not rested?" Ye Qinghuang asked.

"The Holy Empress Dowager is waiting for the Princess." The old man turned slightly, gesturing to lead the way, Ye Qinghuang nodded, "Lead the way."

"Alright." The old man still slightly bowed as he led the way. As he rose, Li Fan sensed the elder glance at him, just a single look, yet Li Fan felt a strong sense of danger, as if being watched by a fierce predator. That gaunt body seemed to hold a beast within, extremely perilous.

At his current realm, he’s at the peak of the Sixth Realm; for him to feel this way, the other must be at least a cultivator of the Middle Seventh Realm.

The terror of the Capital lies within this Imperial Palace.

Within the palace, some seemingly unknown individuals could be top-tier cultivators.

If this old man is like this, what kind of figure would the Holy Empress Dowager be?

Taichu Hall had a massive lake, above which arched a long bridge extending tens of miles across the water.

The elder led the way ahead, walking on the bridge over the lake. As Li Fan walked on the bridge, he glanced at the lake, his eyes gleaming with golden light.

And in the lake, a pair of ferocious and terrifying eyes stared back at his gold-tinged eyes, causing Li Fan’s Primordial Spirit to tremble, and another wave of intense crisis washed over him.

"Great Demon." Li Fan’s heart shuddered slightly; he hadn’t yet met the Holy Empress Dowager but had already sensed threats twice.

The great demon in the lake turned out to be a Demon Dragon.

The sound of splashing water echoed as the water rolled, and the demon dragon moved through the water, heading forward, calming down upon reaching the shore. Li Fan looked toward that direction, vaguely seeing a figure standing at the lakeside.

As they approached, Li Fan saw more clearly.

He saw that the figure looked to be around forty years old, dressed in a dark long robe, wearing a phoenix crown, elegant and noble. At this moment, she was feeding, the demon dragon submissively crouching in front of her, a sight hard to imagine for such a mighty great demon to act so humbly.

The elder brought Ye Qinghuang and Li Fan to a stop a short distance behind the woman, without disturbing her.

This woman was the Holy Empress Dowager of the Great Li World, the current Emperor’s mother.

In the silent scene, Li Fan felt an invisible oppressive force.

The demon dragon’s huge eyes glanced in his direction.

"What do you think he’s thinking?" The Holy Empress Dowager softly spoke, her voice clear and tranquil, yet carrying an inherent authority.

Silent, no one responded.

Ye Qinghuang looked at Li Fan.

"Speaking to me?" Li Fan looked at the Holy Empress Dowager, bowed, and replied, "This junior does not know."

The Holy Empress Dowager was his senior sister’s grandmother, thus he naturally showed respect.

"Naturally, he wishes to eat you." The Holy Empress Dowager calmly replied, "Don’t be deceived by his current fawning, but if he were stronger than me, he’d likely eat me too."

Li Fan quietly listened, the Holy Empress Dowager seemed to be explaining a simple truth.

"So, why do you dare come to the Capital?"

The Holy Empress Dowager continued feeding the dragon, speaking calmly.

In the Capital, there are many who wish to devour Li Fan.

"My elder is trapped, I dare not ignore." Li Fan replied.

"As far as I know, you are the heir to the Li Mountain Sword Dao, your life should be more important than his." The Holy Empress Dowager continued.

"If weighed by such means, then the lives of common people are like grass, whereby those in power show weakness to ants? Even if devoured by demons, they remain indifferent, some even collude with demons."

Li Fan replied, "If my Li Mountain Sword Dao were so, then what is the purpose of passing down my sword dao?"

"You are quite bold."

The Holy Empress Dowager glanced at Li Fan, just one look, and he felt a heavenly might descend upon him, the world darkening, his Sword Intent involuntarily circulating, yet tightly suppressed as if he couldn’t unleash his sword.

However, this feeling lasted only a moment.

"I met your master in his youth, quite alike." The Holy Empress Dowager turned and said, "Back then, your grandmaster struck a single sword into this Imperial Palace, how magnificent. You’ve inherited the sword of your grandmaster, the Eternal Sword Saint; surely, Li Mountain and sword cultivators worldwide have high hopes for you, yet there are many who want you dead."

"However, how could my Da Li not accommodate a young person?"

The Holy Empress Dowager said, waving her hand, "Go."