Chapter 597: Utterly Miserable

This sword strike seemed to tear the heavens and earth asunder. Eager to test his strength, Ye Xuan held nothing back. Driven by the Nine Stars Arrogant World Skill, he pushed the Profound within him to its absolute peak.

BOOM!

As if a giant iron pillar had pierced through a mountain, a tremendous roar echoed. The grayish-brown spirit snake let out a sudden, wretched cry. Starting from its head, its body disintegrated layer by layer as arcs of lightning coursed around it, unleashing immense energy.

In just an instant, the massive spirit snake was reduced to ash and dust, vanishing completely.

Not far away, Yan Song spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale as he swayed on his feet.

His gaze was filled with endless horror and disbelief.

Ye Xuan raised the Sword of Verdict, his gaze as sharp as lightning. He, too, was somewhat surprised.

’I know that with only my own Profound, that last strike shouldn’t have been able to shatter Yan Song’s attack so easily. At the critical moment, a massive burst of lightning energy erupted from my Sword of Verdict and combined with my own Profound, which is what caused such a terrifying outcome.’

"Sword of Verdict?"

Ye Xuan murmured.

He had obtained this sword from the treasury of the Yuan family in the Sky Empire’s Imperial Capital. The Yuan family’s Patriarch, Yuan Fei, and its Supreme Elder, Yuan Zhen, had told him the story. They had acquired it by chance at an auction. It was once the personal sword of a powerful emperor on the continent, but his empire was later engulfed in war and wiped from existence, allowing the sword to fall into circulation.

Because it had been an emperor’s personal sword and because the character for "verdict" was inscribed on its hilt, it became known as the Sword of Autocracy.

Yuan Fei and the others had estimated its grade to be around Tier Seven.

But now, Ye Xuan was certain. ’This sword has a greater origin. It’s definitely not just a Tier Seven treasure.’

’This Sword of Verdict was likely wielded by the emperor of the ancient Ancient Yang Empire. It might even be related to Zhan Shang of the Soul-devouring Race, whom the empire suppressed. After the Ancient Yang Empire fell, the sword found its way to the Dream Realm Plain. If that’s true, then this Sword of Verdict must be extraordinary.’

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Xuan’s eyes.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. He quickly refocused his attention on Yan Song.

"This ends now."

Looking at the horrified and disheveled Yan Song, Ye Xuan lost all interest in continuing the fight.

After this brief exchange, he could already tell his strength. ’Without any amplification from treasures, I’m about the level of a Tier Seven Third Layer. As for my true upper limits, Yan Song isn’t strong enough to test them.’

"Eye of Illusory Imprisonment!"

With a thought, Ye Xuan’s eyes instantly turned a mix of violet and azure, and a terrifying wave of Soul Power shot into Yan Song’s mind.

The dignified Vice Sect Master of the Nine Yang Sect, a Tier Seven Third Layer Martial Artist, yet Yan Song’s eyes instantly went vacant, as if he were a fool.

With his cultivation breaking through to Tier Seven and his Soul Power breaking through to the Seventh Grade, the power of Ye Xuan’s Divine Spirit Gaze had also increased dramatically.

"Carefree Wanderings—Great Wind Thunder Palm!"

Ye Xuan shouted loudly. The Profound in his body vibrated at a strange frequency. Arcs of blue-violet lightning coiled around him, pulsing erratically and creating a terrifyingly brilliant spectacle.

Arcs of lightning rapidly gathered in his palm. Ye Xuan raised his hand and thrust it viciously toward Yan Song.

RUMBLE!

A massive palm shadow, like a pool of lightning, suddenly materialized between heaven and earth. Countless bolts flickered within the palm’s imprint, creating a horrifying spectacle.

The Thunder Attribute Profound Qi in the air gathered violently, and a low rumble of thunder sounded in the sky.

Carefree Wanderings was the strongest set of martial skills Ye Xuan possessed in his previous life, and the Great Wind Thunder Palm was an exceptionally exquisite move within it, capable of drawing upon the power of heaven and earth and making it his own.

The rampaging Heaven and Earth Profound Qi made Elder Jian and the others, who were fighting Qiu Diantian nearby, turn their heads in utter shock.

Yan Song, too, suddenly snapped out of the trance from the Eye of Illusory Imprisonment, his face filled with terror.

"What is this..."

His scalp went numb with fear, and his mind went blank. He didn’t even have the courage to resist, only retreating frantically.

However, because of the daze from the Eye of Illusory Imprisonment, by the time he regained his senses, the terrifying attack had already completely enveloped him. There was no escape.

KRA-KOOM!

Thunder roared as Yan Song’s body was instantly enveloped by the giant hand of lightning. Amidst a piercing scream, his body was incinerated, killed in a single blow.

WHOOSH!

A light breeze drifted across the sky. Everyone stared blankly, their eyes fixed on two sights: the charred remains of Yan Song falling from the sky, and Ye Xuan. He stood proudly in mid-air, wreathed in lightning, his black hair whipping in the wind, his martial robes flapping, his gaze distant and profound. An indescribable shock shook each of them to their core.

In their minds, Ye Xuan’s figure seemed to grow infinitely large, an image from a dream that would be forever seared into their memories.

At this moment, everyone was dumbfounded.

The scene moments ago had simply been too shocking, defying all common sense.

A disciple who had just broken through to become a Tier Seven First Layer Martial King had actually killed Yan Song, the Vice Sect Master of the Nine Yang Sect and a Tier Seven Third Layer expert, with a single palm strike. No one would believe it if they were told.

’I didn’t expect that after absorbing the power of the lightning, I’d be able to use the Great Wind Thunder Palm while only in the Tier Seven Martial King Realm.’

Ye Xuan let out a soft breath, a look of joy on his face.

"Yan Song!"

Seeing Yan Song’s death, Qiu Diantian let out a roar of grief and fury. He was already covered in blood, barely clinging to life under everyone’s combined assault.

However, Yan Song’s death was the final blow.

Just moments ago, he had been desperately holding on, trying to find a sliver of hope for survival, fantasizing about escaping this place. But now, he finally understood. His resistance was utterly pointless. No matter what, in the end, he was going to die.

At this thought, his expression twisted into a savage snarl.

"If I’m dying, don’t think you’ll get off easy."

Qiu Diantian roared, and a terrifying aura emanated from his body. His eyes were blood-red, and his entire body began to swell instantly.

"Not good."

"Qiu Diantian is going to self-detonate."

"Run!"

Horror filled the faces of Elder Jian and the others.

"Hahaha, die! Die with me!"

Qiu Diantian roared savagely. Knowing there was no hope of escape, he would rather die and drag a few people down with him.

BOOM!

Just two breaths later, Qiu Diantian’s body suddenly exploded. A wave of utterly terrifying power swept out in all directions with him at the center.

"Damn it."

"Block it!"

"We have to risk everything!"

Elder Jian and the others all cried out in terror, desperately using all sorts of defensive techniques as if their lives depended on it.

The self-detonation of a Tier Seven Peak Martial King was definitely close to the power of a strike from a Tier Eight Martial Emperor. If they made one wrong move, everyone present would die.

Just at this critical moment—

VMMMM!

Suddenly, a radiant light swept down, blocking the blast from Qiu Diantian’s self-detonation in every direction. It left only one opening—precisely where the Sky Empire’s Imperial Uncle Liu Chen and Protector Peng Xiang were.

In the terrifying blast, Peng Xiang, who was only a Tier Seven Second Layer, had no time to react and was blasted to dust. Liu Chen also screamed as half his body was nearly blown apart.

The explosion came and went quickly. The light dissipated, and the surroundings became completely quiet again.

Everyone else was unharmed. Of the Sky Empire’s contingent, only Liu Chen remained, and he was coughing up blood nonstop, grievously wounded.

"It’s Su Xiuyi from Gale Light Academy."

"Thank you for your help, Senior."

Elder Jian and the others looked up to see Su Xiuyi standing proudly in the sky, and they all voiced their thanks.

Just then, someone suddenly asked, "Senior Su Xiuyi, what happened to Elder Tianyi?"

Su Xiuyi sighed. "He got away."

What?

Everyone was a little stunned, but it wasn’t their place to press the matter, so they all began to tend to their wounds.

At this point, the battle of Ancient Yang City had finally come to a complete end.

In the end, Qiu Diantian and Yan Song of the Nine Yang Sect had both fallen, and Tang Zhao of the Profound Mystery Sect had not survived either.

But Elder Tianyi, after burning his blood essence, had managed a lucky escape.

"The only regret is that Elder Tianyi actually managed to escape," Ge Puzi said through gritted teeth, a look of helplessness on his face.

"It’s for the best that he escaped," Su Xiuyi said, shaking his head. "He was heavily injured and just used the Blood Burning Skill. His strength will plummet, and it’ll be hard for him to return to his peak within a year. Killing Tang Zhao was already a net gain for us. If I had been determined to stop Elder Tianyi, it wouldn’t have been impossible, but I’m afraid some on our side would have fallen in the process."

Elder Tianyi was a Tier Eight Martial Emperor. If he was determined to flee, it would indeed be very difficult for Su Xiuyi alone to stop him.

Of course, if Su Xiuyi had truly resolved to kill him, it wouldn’t have been impossible. It’s just that if Elder Tianyi knew there was no hope of escape and fought to the death, the Gale Light Academy’s side would likely have suffered many casualties as well.

That was an outcome Su Xiuyi was unwilling to accept.

After all, Elder Jian and the others had nearly been killed by Qiu Diantian’s self-detonation, to say nothing of a Tier Eight Martial Emperor like Elder Tianyi.

"What a brutal battle."

Someone sighed with emotion. Everyone looked back at the handful of survivors and at Ancient Yang City below, which had been almost reduced to ashes, and their hearts were filled with sorrow.

In this great battle, the entire Ancient Yang City was turned to ruins. Of the millions of citizens inside, few survived. Of the nearly one hundred Martial Kings from the various powers, only a dozen or so remained.

A battle this brutal hadn’t been seen in the Dream Realm Plain for hundreds of years.

Just then...

"Senior Su Xiuyi," Imperial Uncle Liu Chen of the Sky Empire said angrily, "you clearly could have saved Protector Peng Xiang of my Sky Empire just now. Why didn’t you act?"

When Qiu Diantian self-detonated, Su Xiuyi had intervened, saving everyone from the other sects. Yet he had conveniently missed those from the Sky Empire.

This directly resulted in the death of the Sky Empire’s Protector Peng Xiang. He himself, Liu Chen, was also grievously injured. His Profound Sea was destroyed, his realm fell to Tier Seven Second Layer, and he would be stuck there for the rest of his life.

This filled Liu Chen’s heart with an unacceptable, burning rage.

"Qiu Diantian detonated himself in an instant," Su Xiuyi said lightly. "I didn’t have time to react fully and missed your position in my haste. I ask for your understanding."

His tone was placid. Though he asked for understanding, his expression was one of complete indifference.