National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

From the moment of their creation, the souls of these monsters had been etched with a brand of loyalty to the old man.

"Are you planning to unleash all these blood-red humanoid monsters?"

Seeing this, Amaterasu’s brow furrowed slightly.

The old man, Xu Fu, slowly raised his head. His gaze, warm with the weight of ages, swept across the various machines on the construction site—the fruits of modern technology.

A look as complex as an overturned paint palette flashed in his eyes.

It was a mixture of emotion and sorrow, as if in that single moment, he had traveled through time to witness the world’s dramatic transformation.

He let out a soft sigh. It was like the low beat of an evening drum, drifting through the night air, carrying with it an endless desolation and resentment. "Back then," he said slowly, "all you could think about was suppressing me in this place."

"So what if I unleash all these humanoid monsters now?"

"This land of yours... its name should be the White-Red Empire now, shouldn’t it?"

"I can barely remember how many years I’ve been suppressed here by all of you."

"Time flies, and nothing is as it was. Looking at it now... the world has truly changed beyond recognition..."

A corner of Amaterasu’s mouth lifted into a mocking smirk. "Hmph, no need to get so sentimental. You’ll be turning to dust soon enough."

With that said, Amaterasu had no desire to waste any more words.

She elegantly raised a hand and made a grasping motion in the empty air, as if taking hold of creation itself.

In an instant, a Grass Cutting Sword, radiating a piercing, cold light, materialized from thin air and settled firmly in her palm.

The sword was translucent and crystalline, its blade covered in flickering runes.

Amaterasu gripped the hilt, her eyes instantly becoming as sharp as a hawk’s locking onto its prey.

She slashed down fiercely at Xu Fu from across the distance.

The blade tore through the thick, inky air, letting out a sharp, ear-piercing whistle that seemed to rip the night sky asunder.

It carried an immense pressure, transforming into a world-ending bolt of lightning that surged toward Xu Fu.

Xu Fu’s ancient robes billowed in the night wind, his silver hair dancing wildly.

His hands were empty, holding no weapon, yet his expression was one of absolute calm and composure.

He looked as if this apocalyptic strike was nothing more than a gentle spring breeze, unworthy of his concern.

He simply raised his right hand and gave it a casual, almost dismissive, wave.

Instantly, the energy between heaven and earth answered a king’s summons.

It instantly recognized Xu Fu as its master, surging madly toward him like a torrential tide.

It rapidly converged before him, forming a Light Shield made of pure Heaven and Earth Energy.

The Light Shield was like a giant mirror, radiating a soft yet resilient glow as it steadily protected Xu Fu.

Amaterasu’s powerful sword strike slammed into the Light Shield.

A deafening CRACK, like the roar of the Thunder God, erupted on impact.

Fine cracks instantly spiderwebbed across the surface of the Light Shield, spreading out in a dense network.

But miraculously, it held fast against the blow, its defenses not completely shattered.

"It seems you’ve made some progress over the years."

Xu Fu tilted his head back slightly, a faint smile on his face.

’How many years has it been since Xu Fu’s time? He’s actually still alive!’

Zheng Bolan stood to one side, his eyes wide with shock. A storm raged in his heart; no one else could possibly fathom his astonishment.

In the history books he had read growing up,

Xu Fu was always depicted as an unforgivable charlatan.

In his mind, if people like Xu Fu hadn’t deluded Qin Shi Huang with an obsession for longevity and cultivation,

that great dynasty would never have fallen into decline and ruin.

Therefore, looking at the living, breathing Xu Fu, Zheng Bolan felt not a shred of goodwill.

Instead, a sense of loathing welled up inside him, and his gaze unconsciously betrayed his disgust.

Chu He stood quietly nearby, his gaze fixed on Xu Fu with deep scrutiny.

He frowned slightly. ’Is this Xu Fu truly the reborn historical figure, or is he some new creation, a product of the Mysterious Power’s invasion?’

With this in mind, he gently tapped Xia Chengli’s shoulder and asked in a low voice, "Does Xu Fu still have any Emperor’s Qi? Amaterasu mentioned earlier that he shouldn’t have much of it left."

Upon hearing this, Xia Chengli immediately closed his eyes, focused his mind, and used all his power to perceive him.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his expression grave. "He does, but Amaterasu wasn’t wrong."

"The amount of Emperor’s Qi that Xu Fu currently commands is indeed quite small."

"Back in the day, he must have relied on that incredibly domineering Emperor’s Qi,"

"to gain the upper hand against Amaterasu."

"But now, not only has Xu Fu’s strength failed to advance, it has actually been weakened."

"Amaterasu, on the other hand, has grown even stronger than before after all these years of cultivation."

"Hmph, how many more of my strikes can you withstand?"

Amaterasu could also see that Xu Fu’s strength was a far cry from what it once was, and a flash of contempt crossed her eyes.

She tightened her grip on the Grass Cutting Sword, her body transforming into a streak of golden lightning that instantly appeared above Xu Fu.

The Grass Cutting Sword in her hand began to dance wildly, striking down at Xu Fu again and again,

a furious storm of blows.

With each swing, a brilliant light of interwoven gold and white coalesced on the blade’s edge.

The radiance was like a living, flickering creature, so dazzling it was impossible to look at.