n

n

n

nThe dark clouds accumulated in the night sky made the atmosphere suffocatingly tense as if the looming clouds over the earth were about to destroy an entire city.

nThe two swords hovered on both sides of Chao Xiaojian. He had both hands on his back, his white robe billowed in the air, looking as unruly as ever.

nIt was as if the whole world was silent to pay homage to Chao Xiaojian for fighting off the transcendental cultivator’s attack in one move.

nAll of the disciples on the wide plains of Mount Tongtian were dumbfounded.

nChao Xiaojian obliterated the two earth dragons with one wave of his sword.

nHe destroyed the ancestor’s attack from the transcendental realm!

nThey were like celestial beings fighting in a battle!

nThe old man smiled casually on the mountaintop.

n“Fighting the transcendental realm with a ninth-class cultivation. You’re ambitious and brave. I’ll give you that.”

nHe did not recognize Chao Xiaojian since a lot had changed in two centuries.

nHe thought that Chao Xiaojian must be someone new that was born within these two centuries while he was away.

nHowever, unless the Emperor and the female blade lord came in person, it would not be an issue for the old man.

nOnly a cultivator of the same realm can threaten or kill those in the transcendental realm!

nOnly a transcendental being could acquire the truth and witness the eminence of this world.

nThe old man looked at Chao Xiaojian calmly.

nHis divine sense seeped out of him like a stream of flowing water, causing the space around him to ripple.

nThe old man raised his hand and formed a rune instantly.

nHe tightened his grip.

nSuddenly, a thunder dragon could be faintly discerned behind the thick dark clouds in the night sky.

nThe old man lifted his palm and his energy started expanding. A ruthless lightning bolt struck the peak of Main Path Guild and exploded into a brilliant white light in a thunderous roar.

nWhen the light faded, the old man was holding a thunderbolt spear covered in electrifying sparks.

nThe old man stared calmly at Chao Xiaojian, who was hovering above the night sky.

nThen, he arched his back and hurled the thunderbolt spear forward.

n…

nIn the Imperial City, Changan.

nThe streets of Changan were drenched from a sudden downpour in the winter.

nThe rain droplets that hit the moat of Changan City formed ripples as if it was boiling.

nInside the city, the wheels of the carriage rolled across the puddles on the street, splattering water along its path.

nA convoy of carriages carrying all the imperial officials headed towards the palace like hundreds of streams merging into the sea.

nThe carriages stopped before the Vermilion Bird Gate and the curtains of the carriage were lifted up.

nImperial officials dressed neatly in uniform received the oil-paper umbrellas from the coachmen and opened them to shelter themselves from the rain with its shiny surface.

nThe opened oil-paper umbrellas looked like flowering quinces blooming in the rain.

nIn the long hallway before the Taiji Palace, the old eunuch stood before the vermilion carved wooden door that was sealed shut.

nOld Man Gao was unfazed by the assembling officials.

n“Old Man Gao, we need to see the Emperor!”

n“The third prince went against your orders and escaped the Cold Palace. He joined Asi Luoshan’s army and they departed from the Western Demon Portal and are currently heading towards the land of the Tang Dynasty! This is treachery!”

n“With the third prince’s alliance, Asi Luoshan’s army had already conquered several cities and they’re marching straight towards Changan!”

n“Asi Luoshan boasted that he will restore balance to the Tang Dynasty. He also said that the Emperor has changed. He had caused quite a stir among the common folk.”

n“We hope that His Majesty will make a public announcement to calm the public.”

n…

nThe imperial officials spoke one after another.

nTheir voices filled the front of the Taiji Palace and even drowned out the pouring rain from the outside!

nOld Man Gao remained silent. The horsetail whisk hung vertically from his arms as he raised his head and looked at the rainy sky.

nSuddenly, his eyes narrowed.

nThe veil of rain seemed to be ripped apart by a terrifying force. The rain droplets exploded into a blurry mist.

nThen, the deep chime of an ancient bell sounded from the deep end of the palace, which triggered a cascade of chimes from the ancient temples outside Changan City.

nThe blabbering officials fell silent.

nThey turned their heads very slowly as if they were being strangled by someone and stared at the sky above the palace with widened eyes.

n“Bong…”

nThe sound of an ancient bell echoed for eight to nine breaths before it gradually faded into the earth.

nThe Code had been dormant since the resource battle started to rise above the palace.

nThe imperial officials shuddered in fear.

n“Something triggered the Code. Did someone violate the Code?” One of them asked.

n“The ringing of the Code lasted for eight to nine breaths. Either a royal member has been hurt, or… a transcendental force has emerged without permission from the Code!”

nThe officials could feel a chill run down their spines.

nAsi Luoshan’s army was nearing the borders. Now another cultivator from the transcendental realm had appeared and triggered the code.

nAll these were signs of chaos. There seemed to be an impending war ahead of the Tang Dynasty after two centuries of peace.

nOld Man Gao let out a long sigh, his eyes deepened.

nAs expected, an imperial censor kneeled before the Taiji Palace and kowtowed.

n“The Code has risen. It had been two centuries since a transcendental being emerged. Your majesty, we beg you to bring along the Code and capture the criminal!”

nThe other imperial censors and officials followed suit and begged.

nThe rumor that Asi Luoshan instigated spread like wildfire and finally, it was able to shake the people’s faith.

nEven the imperial officials started to waver.

nThey needed the Emperor to do something to soothe their worries.

nHowever, as they were kneeling down, an eunuch announced, “Empress Pei has arrived! The fifth princess has arrived!”

nHis sharp voice pierced through the rain and the officials’ plea.

nEveryone halted their movements.

nThey turned around and saw a lady dressed in a magnificent robe with a phoenix crown on her head walked in.

nBeside her were a frail-looking fifth princess who was coughing and the second prince with a foolish smile on his face.

nThe lady stood there in an aloof manner as she stared at the hovering Code.

nAfter a long pause, she said, “The Emperor does not need to use the Code to capture someone as unworthy as him.”

nThe officials fell silent. Only the surrounding noises of the breeze and rain could be heard.

n…

nEven the night sky could not chase away the tension in the atmosphere caused by the looming clouds.

nThe heavy clouds were so oppressive that it was difficult to breathe.

nChao Xiaojian tilted his head in the air and checked on Fang Lang, who was hovering in the air from afar with the Reincarnating Lotus Sword in his hand.

nThe energy in Fang Lang was growing steadily like a ferocious lion gradually opening its eyes from its slumber.

nThe sea of clouds was roaring above the sky.

nZhao Zhenshi’s strength was greatly enhanced with the support from the divine sense of their first sect leader. He had received enlightenment on several hindrances that he faced previously while controlling the Mountain Shield Rune.

nHuang Zhihe who had the upper hand in the battle with Zhao Zhenshi had reached a stalemate!

nChao Xiaojian tore his gaze from Fang Lang and frowned.

nThe old man hurled the thunderbolt spear from the peak of Mount Tongtian into the air, tearing through the night sky, sending aftershocks that ripped through space.

nIt was charging towards Chao Xiaojian at an incredible speed like a meteor.

nChao Xiaojian slowly raised his hand and knocked gently.

nThen, the two swords merged into one and landed in his hand. He tossed it at the direction of the incoming thunderbolt spear.

nThe moment the sword and spear collided, massive energy erupted from the blast.

nChao Xiaojian’s body was pushed back almost 30 meters, leaving a white trail before him!

n“Young man, you need to respect the energy,” the old man said from the mountain peak.

nWith a clench of his fist, the dispersed energy from the thunderbolt directed their aim towards Chao Xiaojian like 10,000 arrows being launched at once as if they were going to pierce through every inch of his body.

nChao Xiaojian channeled a surge of blade energy in his chest and gently knocked with his curved fingers. The green steel sword vibrated slightly.

nThen, the sword started circling his body at an extreme speed. Every time it flickered, it was able to block a strike of the thunderbolt.

nChao Xiaojian grabbed onto the sword, leaving only a corner of his sleeve billowing in the sky.

nHis body had disappeared.

nHe was sprinting through space with the sword in hand.

nHe lifted the sword and aimed it at the old man on top of the mountain from a distance.

n“Old man, do you dare to take on one of my attacks?” Chao Xiaojian shouted as he sprinted.

nThe old man placed a hand on his back and smiled, “If it’s not because of the Code’s suppression, the transcendent energy at full capacity would definitely kill you.”

nChao Xiaojian was unfazed when he heard him.

nHe waved his sword and his body started to flicker continuously!

nAfter flickering several times, he appeared right in front of the old man.

nOn the other side, Zhao Zhenshi, who was in the middle of the battle with Huang Zhihe appeared within the sea of clouds. He scoffed when he heard Chao Xiaojian ignorantly threatened the ancestor.

nThen, he glanced at the five elders of the Main Path Guild who were idly spectating the battle. He narrowed his eyes and yelled, “What are you guys waiting for? Capture Fang Lang and retrieve the Reincarnating Lotus Sword!”

nAt that instance, the silence was interrupted by Huang Zhihe.

nHe bellowed, “Shameless fool!”

nChao Xiaojian, within a 30-meter radius from Zhao Taifeng faltered when he heard Zhao Zhenshi’s words.

nHe was about to turn around to assist Fang Lang, but the old man chuckled.

nHe took a step and left the Main Path Mausoleum for the first time.

nA spiritual sense as brilliant as starlight emerged from within the Main Path Mausoleum like a roaring sea or a pounding waterfall.

nBoom!

nThe old man’s robe billowed in the wind as he raised his arms. Endless spiritual sense energy started pouring out and froze the dimensions of space and time!

nChao Xiaojian felt as though his body had been stuck in a mud swamp. He was trapped, unable to move and the space sword intent had been suppressed.

nAn enormous figure of a taoist priest made out of spiritual sense stood above the peak of the Main Path Guild and trapped Chao Xiaojian within his palms.

nChao Xiaojian did not stand a chance to escape and assist Fang Lang!

n…

nSwoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

nThe five elders of the Main Path Guild finally snapped out of a daze.

nRunes appeared around them and darted towards Fang Lang, who hovered in the air.

nEach elder controlled a phase of the rune and transformed the Five Phase Rune into a five-sided cage that was coming straight towards Fang Lang!

nThey blocked all corners around Fang Lang.

nOn the fields of Mount Tongtian, An Fan, Li Yuanzhen and the other disciples looked conflicted.

nThey knew that it was over for Fang Lang when they saw the five elders cornered him.

nAfter all, Fang Lang’s cultivation was only a third-class sword world realm. It would be impossible to defeat five elders with the cultivation of a seventh-class cursed-heaven realm!

nA genius might be able to fight a battle beyond their realm, but a third-class versus a seventh-class was just too ambitious.

nEven Xuanyuan Taihua would not be able to pull it off.

nThe runes cast by the five elders were closing into Fang Lang.

nThey were snickering.

nIf Chao Xiaojian had not interfered, they would have captured and imprisoned Fang Lang earlier on.

nAt that instance, Chao Xiaojian was still trapped by the ancestor. Fang Lang’s fate was sealed.

n“Surrender, kid,” one of the elders said.

nThe emergence of the Main Path Guild’s transcendental ancestor meant that the Main Path Guild would be experiencing a revolutionary change.

nThey might be able to reclaim their glory back in the day when the eight dynasties were in chaos, break free from the shackles of the Imperial Court. They might even overrule the Imperial Court!

nThey knew about Fang Lang’s identity—Xuanyuan Taihua’s disciple, young fellow master of the Sword Guild, the grand champion of the Imperial Examination!

nThey would probably treat him better if the ancestor was not around. However, Fang Lang’s achievements were nothing in comparison to their ancestor.

nThe Main Path Guild would certainly rise up once again with the support of a transcendental cultivator!

nThe revolving runes of gold, wood, water, fire and earth formed the Five Phase Rune, engraved with mysterious and profound patterns.

nIt sealed off all possible routes, making it impossible for Fang Lang to escape.

nBoom!

nThe five elders stretched out their palms and the five runes kept shrinking around Fang Lang, extracting the energy from the world within as though it was about to confine him in an inch of space.

nHowever, a gentle breeze blew towards them and Fang Lang who was trapped within the rune, slowly opened his eyes.

nFrom the deep end of his eyes, there was a lotus blooming in his pupil.

nLotus Flower Blooming Within The Eyes!

nThere was a surge of blade energy.

nThe vibrating Reincarnating Lotus Sword in Fang Lang’s hand quietened down.

nThe moment Fang Lang reopened his eyes, Zhao Taifeng’s expression faltered.

nFang Lang curved his fingers and gently tapped on the Reincarnating Lotus Sword. The sword that had absorbed the Main Path Guild’s thousand years of reserve launched out like a shooting star.

nThe five elders of the Main Path Guild shuddered.

nThey looked down and noticed blade energy rising beneath their feet and bloomed into a lotus!

nFive lotus flower blade energy hovered below the five elders’ feet.

nThen, Fang Lang, with lotus in his eyes, curled all five of his slender fingers.

nThe screams of the five elders echoed through the earth as the blade energy beneath them engulfed them.

nThey were killed instantly!

nThe world fell silent.

nFive blood-red blade energy lotuses were blooming in the quiet night sky like confetti.

nFang Lang smiled at Zhao Taifeng who was standing above the mountain peak with the Reincarnating Lotus Sword in hand.

n“Old man, had your fun bullying a ninth-class cultivator from the transcendental realm?”

n