Martial Cultivator

The incomplete sword left the Sword Sect’s Sect Master utterly devastated.

Before today, he had placed the greatest hope in this battle, believing that he could comprehend the unprecedented sword through this battle. Yet, when that sword was finally unleashed, he realized he had failed to grasp that sword from start to end.

That sword was ninety percent complete; just short of ten percent.

In this battle with the Great Liang Emperor, he unleashed that sword, but it was still ninety percent.

Ninety percent versus one hundred percent, the difference of ten percent was a difference like heaven and earth.

Why?!

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master turned pale, nearly consumed by madness. He could not bring himself to believe the current outcome.

He resembled a climber scaling a mountain, fully convinced he would reach the summit. After enduring countless hardships, when he was only one step away and joyfully stepped forward, he discovered he had not reached the peak, and was still one step away from the summit.

In this moment, the Sword Sect’s Sect Master’s sword heart was on the verge of collapse.

The sword qi within the sea of clouds began to dissipate.

He had lost.

Perhaps today, he might even perish.

But the Sword Sect’s Sect Master no longer cared about such things. He could think of nothing else as he stood in the sea of clouds, murmuring ceaselessly, ”Why?!”

”Why... why is it?”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master closed his eyes in despair, wishing for death at this very moment.

”Sect Master’s heart contains only the sword.”

A voice sounded out in the sea of clouds.

The Great Liang Emperor stood not far from the Sword Sect’s Sect Master, looking calmly at him.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master opened his eyes, looking at the Great Liang Emperor with a trace of confusion.

”Much like how a swordsman believes that having only the sword in their heart, free of distractions, will allow them to go further on the path of the sword. This reasoning was likely imparted to Sect Master by a senior sword immortal when you first joined the Sword Sect.”

The Great Liang Emperor spoke calmly, ”Having no distractions and devoting oneself solely to the sword can indeed lead one to Nepenthe, to the very end of Nepenthe. It can even make Sect Master the number one person in Sword Dao under heaven, standing at the pinnacle of Sword Dap. But that is all.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master muttered in a daze, ”What does Your Majesty mean to teach me?”

”We have but a few words to share with Sect Master.”

The Great Liang Emperor smiled as he spoke. His voice carried no killing intent or other emotions, only a breeze-like gentleness that stirred the heart.

”Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master looked at the Great Liang Emperor earnestly. Even knowing death was imminent, he still wished to understand before his death why his sword had not been achieved.

”A sword is more than just a sword.”

The Great Liang Emperor uttered these words very casually.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master froze. Before leaving the Sword Sect, Yu Xiyi had said something similar, but the Sword Sect’s Sect Master had dismissed his words.

Now, hearing a similar statement from the Great Liang Emperor gave those words a completely different weight.

”Sect Master’s sword must always carry something.”

The Great Liang Emperor smiled and said, ”Since ancient times, cultivators have regarded the secular world as a flood or a fierce beast, always seeking to sever ties with it. But to live within the secular world while aspiring to be an immortal cast down from the heavens, is that not laughable?”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master frowned, lost in thought.

Soon, his brows relaxed. Exhaling a breath of turbid air, he nodded involuntarily. These words were like an epiphany.

”Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty. I can now die without regret.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master exhaled a turbid breath. Though there was some regret in realizing this only at the brink of death, it was far better than dying with unresolved confusion.

”Why would We kill you?”

The Great Liang Emperor stood with his hands behind his back amidst the sea of clouds. Though his emperor robe was tattered, his bearing remained undiminished, radiating an unmistakable imperial breadth of spirit.

The Great Liang Emperor said calmly, ”We also wish to see, one day, the splendor of that unprecedented sword.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master looked at the Great Liang Emperor with some shame.

Compared to this emperor, he was far inferior in both breadth of spirit and magnanimity.

”I have already committed a grave mistake today...”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master had just begun to speak when the Great Liang Emperor interrupted him, ”Just promise a few things.”

The Great Liang Emperor smiled and said, “Sect Master has made some mistakes and must pay a price.”

The greatest battle of the human race went unseen by all.

The cultivators of the world could only catch glimpses of the scene through the faintly discernible sword light in the sea of clouds.

But when those sword lights dissipated and the sea of clouds finally calmed, everyone knew the battle had ended. Yet, no one knew the final outcome.

In the Imperial City of the Divine Capital.

The Ministry of Works had already conducted a preliminary restoration of the plaza, and the court officials had long gathered there.

The Minister of Works sighed incessantly, lamenting that half of the imperial city had been destroyed. Fully repairing it would take countless days and funds.

The officials were all silent, their expressions complicated.

The events of today had spread far and wide, even to those with the worst access to information. Everyone knew their Emperor had successively fought the Temple Master of the Infatuation Daoist Temple and the Sect Master of the Sword Sect.

Many of them had never embarked on the path of cultivation, yet they were aware of these two genuine prominent figures.

One was the leader of the current era’s Daoism, and the other was the number one sword cultivator of the present.

Both were among the strongest powerhouses in existence. Even though their Emperor had once fought the Demon Emperor without being defeated, could he truly emerge unscathed from successive battles against these two?

Now that the battle was over and the Emperor had yet to appear, a growing sense of unease filled their hearts.

Perhaps His Majesty the Emperor had already passed away...

Looking at the chair placed before the great hall, many officials felt an overwhelming sorrow in their hearts.

The Temple Master of the Infatuation Daoist Temple had risen to his feet but had not left the Imperial City. He stood at a distance, his pale face devoid of emotion, lost in thought.

This leader of Daoism did not intend to leave just yet. Perhaps he needed to personally confirm the corpse of the Great Liang Emperor before he could be at ease.

Chen Chao and Xie Nandu stood beside the chair. Xie Nandu stared at the sky for a long time before lowering her gaze, saying rather seriously, “The Sword Sect’s Sect Master might truly be the number one sword cultivator in these thousand years.”

Chen Chao nodded. He had also sensed some of that terrifying sword intent earlier. Surely, no one else alive could possess such Sword Dao cultivation.

”His Majesty...”

Xie Nandu wanted to speak but swallowed her words back, somewhat hesitant.

Chen Chao said, “He said he would return to hold a court session.”

Chen Chao tried his best to remain calm, but in reality, his body trembled ever so slightly.

The Great Liang Emperor was unmatched in the world, but the terror of that sword strike, Chen Chao truly could not fathom how anyone in the world could withstand it.

“If His Majesty truly…”

Xie Nandu began softly.

“He won’t.”

Chen Chao shook his head, unwilling to entertain the thought.

Xie Nandu looked at him and said nothing more, only gripping Chen Chao’s hand tightly.

Chen Chao’s palm was full of sweat.

“What else does Temple Master wish to see?”

A voice suddenly sounded in the Temple Master’s ear, and a towering figure slowly took shape nearby.

The somewhat exhausted Great Liang Emperor appeared, his emperor robe already changed to a brand new one.

The Temple Master looked at this emperor and lamented with vicissitudes of emotion, “Your Majesty’s cultivation has truly exceeded this penniless daoist’s expectations by far too much. The Sword Sect’s Sect Master’s sword strike was nearly unrivaled in the world, yet it still failed to kill Your Majesty.”

The Great Liang Emperor smiled faintly. “Sect Master’s Sword Dao cultivation is profoundly high, but We stand higher than him.”

The Temple Master chuckled. “But Your Majesty, it seems unlikely you’ll survive today.”

The Great Liang Emperor clearly understood what the Temple Master meant, but he remained indifferent, replying calmly, “There’s still time. We can still accomplish a few things. What does the Temple Master think of that?”

The Temple Master frowned. “Does Your Majesty still intend to kill this penniless daoist?”

“There will always be another leader for Daoism, and the Infatuation Daoist Temple will not remain without a temple master forever. We presume Temple Master understands this principle.”

The Temple Master’s expression grew complicated as he stared at the Great Liang Emperor with a strange look.

“It seems that while this penniless daoist was plotting against Your Majesty, Your Majesty was also plotting against this penniless daoist,” the Temple Master suddenly said, a hint of admiration in his tone.

”If you promise Us a few things, We can leave Temple Master a glimmer of hope.”

The Great Liang Emperor did not beat around the bush, stating his conditions.

The Temple Master frowned. ”Your Majesty is already in a certain death situation.”

The Great Liang Emperor replied, ”But Temple Master wants to live.”

Hearing this, the Temple Master remained silent for a long time, saying nothing.

The Great Liang Emperor waited patiently and was not in a hurry to speak.

After a long time.

”Your Majesty, please speak.”

The Temple Master had bowed his head.

Outside the Divine Capital, the cultivators who had come to witness the unparalleled battle had already left, while other cultivators harboring different motives had made their moves.

Zhou Gouqi was already exhausted to his limits. He was destined not to be able to stop those people with his strength alone.

This scholar, who had only recently attained sainthood, looked at the paper kite he had tied to a pillar and fell silent for a long time.

If he returned today, so be it.

But the next moment, a figure suddenly appeared on the city wall.

An emperor robe billowed.

This common ruler of the world looked at the cultivators who wanted to enter the Imperial City without uttering a single word more.

”Scram!”

In that instant, whether they had just climbed onto the Divine Capital’s city walls or were about to climb up, none of the cultivators hesitated, retreating swiftly one after another.

Some cultivators who left a little too slowly turned into a mist of blood in an instant.

The entire city wall of the Imperial City began to flow with fresh blood.

The court officials had been waiting for a long time, and their agitation only grew.

The longer they waited without seeing the Emperor, the more pessimistic they became.

Until a certain moment, when Li Heng suddenly called out loudly, ”His Majesty has arrived!”

Hearing this, the court officials were stunned for a moment, then instinctively turned their heads. At the end of their sight, a figure clad in an emperor robe slowly appeared.

The pale-faced Great Liang Emperor finally came into view in front of the officials.

”Your Majesty...”

The officials gasped, seemingly unable to believe that the Emperor could still appear here.

Chen Chao let out a sigh of relief.

But Xie Nandu remained somewhat troubled.

The Great Liang Emperor slowly walked to the chair and looked at these court officials.

Then, he slowly sat down.