System Possession, One Sword Shocks the Gods

84: The embers were not yet coldThe dark fissure closed completely, and the last trace of heart-palpitating shadow aura dissipated between heaven and earth. The afterglow of the brilliant sword light fell upon the devastated Liuyun City, reflecting off the ruined walls and the dazed yet hopeful faces of the survivors.

Ye Chen hovered in the air, the dazzling Primal Light around him now fully restrained, his aura stabilized at the Peak of the First Grade Spiritual Gang Realm. He slowly descended to the ground, his footsteps slightly unsteady. Forcing the True Spirit of the Sword Sovereign to strike those two world-shaking blows was a massive burden on his newly reshaped Physical Body and Soul. Now that he relaxed, a bone-deep fatigue surged through him.

But he could not collapse.

His gaze swept across the ruins. Elder Liu Qingfeng was directing the surviving Disciples and the City Lord’s guards to treat the wounded, count the losses, and stay alert for any potential Dark Hall remnants. Seeing Ye Chen land, Liu Qingfeng immediately came forward, his gaze incredibly complex—filled with shock, relief, and a deep sense of inquiry.

“Ye Chen... you...” For a moment, Liu Qingfeng didn’t know how to speak. That majesty that transcended heaven and earth, that supreme Dao of the sword that severed the Demonic Lord’s will and closed the spatial passage, was definitely not something an ordinary Spiritual Gang Realm Cultivator, or even one in the Earth Fiend Realm, could possess! It was a fundamental transcendence!

Ye Chen saw Liu Qingfeng’s confusion. He shook his head slightly, his voice tired but still clear: “Elder Liu, this matter involves some... ancient secrets and has great implications. Allow me to explain slowly in the future. For now, the crisis in Liuyun City is not fully resolved.”

He shifted the subject, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the spot where Elder Blood Dove had been. It was already empty, leaving only a pool of dark blood and a fragment of a torn robe.

“Blood Dove escaped?” Ye Chen frowned slightly. Although the old devil had been heavily injured by him and suffered the backlash of the Demonic Lord’s will, he still had a deep foundation and had managed to flee amidst the Chaos at the last moment.

“Yes.” Liu Qingfeng nodded with a grave expression. “The Dark Hall’s plan failed, their core was destroyed, and the passage was severed; they will certainly not let this go. Since Blood Dove escaped, he will definitely return. Furthermore...”

He paused and lowered his voice: “Based on our previous investigation within the academy and how the Dark Hall could set such a massive trap in Liuyun City, their infiltration is deeper than imagined. I’m afraid... there is more than one ’Blood Dove’.”

Ye Chen remained silent. He understood Liu Qingfeng’s meaning. The Dark Hall’s power was deeply rooted like a tumor hidden beneath the light; cutting off only the exposed part was far from enough. The so-called ’mobile carrier’ was still a mystery and could be hidden in any corner.

“The priority now is to stabilize Liuyun City, treat the wounded, and repair the defenses,” Ye Chen said solemnly. “At the same time, we must report the situation here to the Dean as soon as possible, strengthen the academy’s security, and unite with surrounding forces to jointly face the Dark Hall’s next counterattack.”

Liu Qingfeng deeply agreed: “I have already sent someone to contact the Dean through emergency channels. As for Liuyun City, although the City Lord is seriously injured, he can still manage the overall situation. I will leave some Disciples behind to assist. Ye Chen, you...”

He looked at Ye Chen with a questioning gaze. With the strength Ye Chen had shown and his mysterious background, his status was now different; Liu Qingfeng could no longer treat him as an ordinary Disciple.

Ye Chen understood Liu Qingfeng’s meaning. After a brief deliberation, he said: “I need to return to the academy as soon as possible. On one hand, to consolidate my cultivation and fully digest what I’ve gained; on the other hand, the matter of ’Guixu’ and the changes in me need to be reported to the Dean in person. Moreover, I suspect the Dark Hall’s next target will likely still be the academy, or... related to me.”

He had a premonition that the awakening of his Sword Sovereign True Spirit and the reappearance of the guixu sword in the world must have caught the attention of the Dark Hall’s highest levels. They would never allow a ’variable’ like him to grow.

“That is for the best.” Liu Qingfeng nodded. “The academy indeed needs you. With me here, you can return without worry.”

Just then, a Disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall rushed over, reporting with a grim face: “Elder Liu, Senior Brother Ye, while clearing the battlefield, we found that the bodies of those Dark Hall Deacons and Blood Blade Leaders killed by Senior Brother Ye... most of them have turned into black ash, as if their essence was completely drained by some force! Only a few bodies with lower cultivation remain intact!”

Ye Chen and Liu Qingfeng exchanged a look, both seeing the alarm in each other’s eyes.

“Is it a consequence of that shadow energy erosion, or... some secret method of the Dark Hall to destroy evidence?” Liu Qingfeng speculated.

Ye Chen shook his head. He knelt down and touched the dark bloodstain belonging to Blood Dove on the ground. Feeling the extremely subtle fluctuation within it—one that shared the same source as the shadow energy but was even more refined—he said solemnly: “I’m afraid it’s not that simple. I feel... this is like a kind of ’reclamation’.”

“Reclamation?” Liu Qingfeng was startled.

“Yes.” Ye Chen stood up, his gaze deep. “The Dark Hall trains these experts perhaps not just for combat. Their flesh, Souls, and even the power of the Cultivation Techniques they practice might be ’reclaimed’ in some way after death to become ’nourishment’ for higher-level beings or to maintain certain rituals.”

He thought of the Myriad Sword Demon Puppet that tried to devour his flesh and Soul in the Secret Realm, and the hungry will of the Shadow Demon Lord. This organization, from top to bottom, exuded an air of evil and madness.

This speculation sent a chill down Liu Qingfeng’s spine. If it were true, the Dark Hall was even more terrifying.

“This must be reported to the Dean immediately!” Liu Qingfeng said sternly.

Ye Chen nodded and did not delay further. He needed to return to the relatively safe environment of the academy as soon as possible to clear his thoughts and prepare for the coming storm.

He bid farewell to Liu Qingfeng, his figure turning into an inconspicuous but extremely fast sword light, quietly leaving the wounded land and speeding toward Tianfeng Academy.

On the way back, he flew while inspecting his inner self.

His cultivation at the Peak of the First Grade Spiritual Gang Realm was rock-solid, his spiritual power vast and pure, far exceeding his peers and carrying a hint of the Dao rhyme of Nirvana and rebirth. In his Dantian, the ancient sword phantasm had completely fused with his Soul core, no longer separate. However, it still appeared quite fragmented, with most areas shrouded in mist. Only the previously lit portion transmitted ancient sword dao information.

Holding the guixu sword, the feeling of being connected by blood became clearer. He could feel the guixu sword ’breathing,’ slowly absorbing some kind of Origin power from heaven and earth to repair its own damage. Though the progress was extremely slow, it was indeed moving in a positive direction.

“The road ahead is long...” Ye Chen sighed softly. The awakening of the Sword Sovereign True Spirit brought powerful strength and a supreme Legacy, but it also brought heavier responsibilities and more terrifying enemies. The Shadow Demon Lord would never give up, the threat of the Dark Hall was like a thorn in his back, and the so-called ’Moment of Nirvana’ seemed to be accelerating with his return.

He had to become stronger quickly!

Just as his thoughts were drifting, suddenly, from the clouds ahead, a fierce and peerless sword qi carrying a chilling intent of death tore through the sky without warning, stabbing straight for his brow!

This strike was fast! Ruthless! Precise! The timing was perfect, occurring at the exact moment his mind was slightly distracted!

Moreover, the power of this sword strike had actually reached the Early Stage of the Earth Fiend Realm!

Another ambush!

A cold light flashed in Ye Chen’s eyes. The guixu sword instantly appeared in his hand, and without looking, he swung the sword upward in a backhand strike!

“Clang—!”

The sound of metal clashing exploded, and sparks flew everywhere!

The incoming sword qi was precisely parried by the guixu sword, but the terrifying power it contained still made Ye Chen’s blood surge, and his figure stalled slightly in the air.

He looked ahead and saw the clouds disperse. An old man dressed in gray with a withered face and eyes like ten-thousand-year-old ice stood in his path, holding a slender gray sword. The aura emanating from him was cold and deathly, somewhat similar to ’Faceless’ from before, but more condensed and... pure!

“Dark Hall, ’Steward Ying’,” the gray-robed old man’s voice was dry, without any emotional fluctuation. “By order of the Hall Master, I am here to take your life and bring back the ’key’.”

Steward Ying? His status seemed to be above an Earthly Fiend Emissary! And he mentioned the ’key’! As expected, the high-level members of the Dark Hall had already noticed the guixu sword!

Ye Chen’s gaze was icy as he pointed the guixu sword at his opponent: “You want it? Let’s see if you have the ability!”

“Stubborn.” Steward Ying indifferently spat out two words. His figure blurred, and he actually conjured dozens of afterimages, difficult to distinguish from the real one, attacking Ye Chen from all directions! Each gray sword thrust by an afterimage carried a chill that could freeze the Soul and a sharpness that could tear space!

At the same time, Ye Chen felt the surrounding space being locked by an invisible force, forming a massive cage!

A Domain! Another Domain! And it was more refined than Blood Dove’s, closer to being substantial!

Facing this lethal situation, Ye Chen took a deep breath, and the Chaos light on the guixu sword lit up once again.

He had just started his return to the academy, and trouble was already following him.

But this time, he was no longer passively receiving the challenge.

Spiritual Gang Realm versus Earth Fiend Realm, guixu sword versus Shadow Killing Sword!

The battle erupted instantly!