Chapter 393: Chapter 293: Ghost Sword’s Death Throws the World into Chaos Chapter 393: Chapter 293: Ghost Sword’s Death Throws the World into Chaos An Jing became surrounded by a myriad of nebulous purple qi, which directly enveloped his figure.

The tumultuous aura around the ghastly face didn’t swallow him, and then the ghostly face began to compress from the top down, its momentum unweakened in the slightest.

“Crack! Crack!”

An Jing stood on the ground, his arms bending as if unable to bear the burden due to the terrifying force attacking him, and suddenly the ground beneath him fractured, his legs sinking deeply into it.

An Jing’s face remained expressionless, not making a sound, as though he could clearly hear his own heart beating.

It was the same for the Immortal Qian Qiu; throughout the ages, he had encountered too many experts, including Martial Arts Emperors, true Sect Leaders, and top Swordsmen, but these beings eventually turned to ash in his presence.

Thus, he considered the fate of the Swordsman before him to be no different in the end.

An Jing took a light breath in and out, the purple qi around him pulsing more frequently, and with a fierce stomp of his foot, his body shot out like an arrow released from its bow.

Between heaven and earth, a collision occurred between one purple and one black qi, the purple vast and mysterious, while the black was sinister and overpowering.

A cold light flashed in An Jing’s eyes, and then his hand sweeping the Dulu Sword across the front.

The aura of the Sword Qi formed a large circle, resembling a bright full moon.

Under this sword, the giant ghastly face seemed almost immobile, and the world fell silent.

Then, a crisp shattering sound broke the silence, quickly followed by a succession of similar sounds, incessant to the ear.

The giant ghostly face showed countless cracks, like a spider’s web.

Those fragments turned into specks of fireflies, slowly rising to the sky, returning to the heavens.

In the next moment, the Immortal Qian Qiu stretched out his hand, absorbing the scattered aura into his body, now standing in mid-air like a celestial being descending onto the mundane world, looking down at An Jing, who was tightly holding the Dulu Sword, and asked, “Strike again.”

An Jing didn’t speak, his hand gripping the Dulu Sword tightly, his brow furrowed in silence.

The Immortal Qian Qiu before him was simply too strong, showing no flaws or weaknesses, and he seemed to have not yet displayed his full strength.

The Immortal Qian Qiu placed his hands behind his back, his eyes calm and ripple-free.

An Jing’s palm was on the hilt of the Dulu Sword; in that lightning-fast moment, he drew the Sword.

Sword Drawing Skill!

All the essence, spirit, and qi of the Swordsman converged to a single point, then was drawn forth; the sword blade gathered a cold glint, and the Sword Qi was even more bitingly cold and supreme.

With one sword strike, the world was astounded!

After reaching the Seventh Realm of Sword Dao, An Jing’s swordsmanship had also truly reached the pinnacle, turning decay into wonder.

The Immortal Qian Qiu clearly felt this Sword Intent and saw the Sword Light approaching, but he could not evade this streak of Sword Light, forced to endure the strike; his body and soul seemed about to be torn apart, nearly dissipating into the ether.

The figure of the Immortal Qian Qiu started to sway, and then a mist of blood exploded at the chest area; the injury he had forcefully suppressed now burst forth completely.

Such was the terror of the Seventh Realm; even the supreme expert of all time, the Immortal Qian Qiu, could not avoid this peerless sword strike. Were it not for his complete detachment from the world, its profound mysteries endless, this sword would have left him sprawling on the ground as a corpse like Zongzheng Huachun.

Naturally, An Jing would not miss this golden opportunity. He controlled the flow of True Qi, and the Evil Suppressing Sword turned into six beams of cold light sweeping towards the front, as if forming a Sword Qi river that swept across the heavens.

The Immortal Qian Qiu’s True Yuan churned, and black thunder surged around him, crackling loudly. Then, with a clap of his hand, the black thunder roared towards the front, its terrifying force resembling a meteor falling to earth.

In the instant the Sword Qi river collided with the black thunder, a streak of chill light surged out, and the Dulu Sword, with a formidable posture, advanced unstoppably from their center.

Invisible Sword!

The Immortal Qian Qiu sensed something but it was too late; a sword light, unseen and formless, came whooshing, submerging him in the tidal wave of Sword Qi.

An Jing, his body and sword united as one, entered a state of profound mystery.

Heaven and earth bore witness to only one sword!

This sword, swift as a shooting star, was such that not only was the sword unseen, its light unseen, but even the aura of the sword was imperceptible.

In the end, this sword pierced straight into the chest of the Immortal Qian Qiu.

“Teacher!”

Qi Xuan Dao, engaged in battle with Zhao Qingmei, cried out in shock at the sight.

The Immortal Qian Qiu, looking at the sword in his chest, said, “What a fast sword.”

Before the words fell, An Jing was about to pull the sword out of the Immortal Qian Qiu’s chest.

But in the next moment, a shocking scene unfolded–the Immortal Qian Qiu actually grasped the blade of The World’s First Sword tightly with his hand, black thunder flickering in his palm, and upon colliding with the blade of the Dulu Sword, countless sparks flew.

“Not good!”

In that sudden moment of crisis, An Jing did not hesitate to let go of the Dulu Sword and retreated backwards, nearly at the same time as the palm holding the Dulu Sword, the Immortal Qian Qiu flipped his hand, and the world seemed to turn upside down.

An Jing, standing between heaven and earth, also turned upside down, his blood flowing in reverse.

An Jing’s body made cracking sounds, seemingly struck by an invisible, weighty force, as if a vast mountain had been placed upon his shoulders.

An Jing’s body channeled the “Nameless Heart Scripture,” and the purple True Qi within his Qi Sea surged like the vast channels of rivers and lakes, blocking the overwhelming momentum descending like mountains.

Then, these two forces intertwined continuously before actually surging into An Jing’s body.

In an instant, the seemingly calm surface within his body became tumultuous, filled with murderous intent. If these two forces were to explode, even An Jing’s flesh would probably perish in an instant.

Those two streams of Qi Mechanisms moved back and forth without end, as if ceaselessly. An Jing’s divine soul began to show signs of wavering. Although it had only been a moment, An Jing felt as if years had passed, and the scene before his eyes started to blur.

“I cannot allow this pressure of an everlasting immortal to overwhelm me,” An Jing silently resolved, focusing on rotating the “Nameless Heart Scripture.” All the acupoints in his body began to pulsate as a profound sense of mystery overwhelmed him, with the heavens, earth, sun, and stars under his feet.

The “Nameless Heart Scripture” is known as the foremost Heart Method Martial Arts of the time, so mysterious and enchanting that it immediately unraveled the formidable pressure from the eternal immortal.

Boom-! Boom-!

Between heaven and earth, the sound of dull, thunderous impacts resounded incessantly.

The eternal immortal took advantage of the time to suppress his internal injuries.

Having reached the Grandmaster Realm, the True Qi within the body had transformed into True Yuan. In addition to refining the physical body, the recovery speed of True Yuan could be seen by the naked eye, transforming decay into something miraculous. Coupled with the formidable physical body of a Grandmaster, it was almost impossible to kill them unless the injury was fatal.

The eternal immortal before him had not died for a thousand years, and his body’s blood, flesh, and bones were very different from those of others.

Seeing how quickly An Jing freed himself, a hint of solemnity emerged in the immortal’s heart.

In the next moment, hundreds of An Jing’s afterimages appeared before the eternal immortal, solid and lasting.

An Jing held the Dulu Sword in his hand, striking non-stop. Each of the hundreds of silhouettes was unique in form, with each move differing from the next, yet each shadow’s technique was more exquisite than the most skillful sword manual in the world.

The eternal immortal witnessed the sharpness of the Immortal Sword and the Dulu Sword and chose not to engage directly, instead continuously retreating.

As one advanced and the other retreated, countless afterimages stretched across half the mountain peak.

Behind An Jing, the afterimages began to fade, merging into a figure swift as the wind.

“Shi!”

Ultimately, An Jing pointed his sword at the eternal immortal’s glabella, and it seemed as if the whole world came to a halt.

An Jing held the Dulu Sword while looking at the eternal immortal before him.

The expression of the eternal immortal was unfathomable as a still ancient well, calmly making eye contact with An Jing.

One was a vibrant young man, while the other was a decrepit old one.

Two of the greatest masters of their time stood opposing each other, a match for the other, each dominating half of the world.

…..

Yujing City, Dragon Locking Well.

The sky was clear and cloudless, bright and sunny.

The events in Houjin had not yet spread throughout the world, so Yujing City was still very peaceful.

At the bottom of the Dragon Locking Well, a place that had never seen sunlight, darkness reigned, and one could not even see their own fingers; it seemed like the darkest place in the world.

The Earth Vein Spirit that had taken form lay at the deepest part of the Dragon Locking Well. Its massive dragon body was already covered in black imprints, having been tainted by evil spirits to the point of rotting and even decaying.

One could see the pain in its expression, a torment it had endured for hundreds of years, to the point where it had become numb.

Just then, a ray of light seemed to pierce the darkness from afar, filtering down from the massive crack above and illuminating the Earth Vein Spirit with the light of billions of stars.

All twelve bronze pillars lit up, profound and inscrutable.

With the light of the stars, one could finally see inside the Dragon Locking Well, a vast and grand space resembling an imperial sacrificial array of ancient times.

The well was surrounded by eighty-one ancient bronze pillars, which stood in a staggered formation. Iron chains wrapped around every bronze pillar, converging towards the center and plunging into the obscure void.

The interior of the Dragon Locking Well had threads extending outwards, sporadically marked by four Sun God Patterns corresponding to the eight directions of Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun.

An Jing had seen this scene before, not only the first time he entered the Dragon Locking Well but also vaguely when he was in Yu State City.

The starlight shone on the Earth Vein Spirit’s body, burning like flames, causing it to roll in pain. The black areas on its body grew, and the rotten parts decayed further, presenting a ghastly sight.

Then, a change occurred!

The entire bottom of the Dragon Locking Well trembled, shaking as if the earth dragon turned over.

“Booming sounds echoed, causing the flesh of the Earth Vein Spirit to become increasingly enshrouded in black. The surrounding nature’s spiritual energy began to vanish, replaced by dense evil spirits spreading in all directions.

The Earth Vein Spirit attempted to struggle, but trapped under the ray of starlight, it had nowhere to hide. It could only allow the starlight to burn its transformed body like a fierce fire.

Under the illumination of the starlight, the Earth Vein Spirit underwent a drastic change, its golden brilliance fading away in an instant, leaving behind a sinister and eerie black glow.

Subsequently, all the spiritual energy of the Dragon Locking Well disappeared, and the evil spirits flooded every corner like a rolling tide.

Out of sight, below the ground, the black mist began to spread in all directions.

At the same time, above the Dragon Locking Well, dark clouds seemed to rise up.

These clouds were pitch-black, blanketing the sky and casting the world into a dusk-like gloom. The darkness continued to spread, encroaching upon the entirety of Yujing City.

“What… what’s happening?”

“Dark clouds press down, hiding the sky; it seems an ill omen is about to unfold.”

“What exactly is happening!?”

……

The civil and military officials of Yujing City, as well as the commoners, all looked up at the gloomy clouds above, feeling an indescribable oppression that made it difficult to breathe.

Emperor Yong’an stood beyond the balustrade, gazing at the sky above and murmuring to himself, “It looks like they’ve truly come.”

Zhuo Yuchang said quietly beside him, “Your Majesty, the weather is turning chill. It would be best to rest early.”

Emperor Yong’an took a deep breath and asked, “How is Ming Gong’s health?”

Since returning from the Dragon Locking Well, the health of the white-browed eunuch had collapsed, causing him to become utterly exhausted. This old eunuch had served three emperors, two of whom had reigned for over sixty years each.

But no matter how one looked at it, he was still a Four Qi Grandmaster, and it was not possible to treat him as an ordinary human with a normal body.

Zhuo Yuchang quickly responded, “After taking the Red Jade Pill bestowed by Your Majesty, grandfather has felt somewhat better, but he is still feverish.”

Emperor Yong’an’s brow lifted slightly as he thought, “The leakage of Yin Evil Qi is getting more and more severe.”

The white-browed eunuch wasn’t suffering due to old age or ill health, but rather, it was apparent he had been invaded by Yin Evil Qi. If even a grandmaster like the white-browed eunuch had been penetrated by such Qi, what about others?

Should this Yin Evil Qi completely saturate the world, a period of great chaos would undoubtedly ensue.

Zhuo Yuchang stood respectfully to the side with a slightly bent waist.

Emperor Yong’an placed his palm on the balustrade and then looked to Tianpeng Ancestor, saying, “Has An Jing returned yet?”

For some reason, at this moment, she truly hoped to see that person immediately.

Right away!

Without a single moment’s delay!

Tianpeng Ancestor replied, “To report to Your Majesty, he is already on his way back.”

“Good, inform me immediately once he returns.”

Hearing this, Emperor Yong’an nodded slightly and then walked toward the interior of the palace.

…..

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the outsiders, atop the mountain range of Beihuang Dao, a grand battle was unfolding.

Atop the mountain peak, An Jing once again gripped the Dulu Sword and, with a form as fleeting as a flowing splendor, thrust the sword towards the throat of the Undying Qian Qiu.

This strike was so piercingly cold that even the Undying Qian Qiu, should he be hit, would die and his path would be extinguished.

The Undying Qian Qiu retreated once more, scraping a long trace on the ground with his feet – not daring to confront the Dulu Sword head-on.

Holding the Dulu Sword, An Jing appeared like an Immortal descending from the heavens, unstoppable and cutting through all resistance.

The Undying Qian Qiu could only extend his palm, attempting to fend off the frigid Sword Qi.

“Crack! Crack!”

The Sword Qi swept through the robes, and how could mere cloth hold back the sharpness of the world’s foremost swordsman and the foremost sword?

When the Undying Qian Qiu halted his retreat, his right sleeve was already torn apart, revealing a withered and pale arm, a sight of embarrassment and awkwardness.

Moreover, one could see fresh, red blood penetrating his chest clothing, signifying the severity of his injuries.

This figure, who had historically slain numerous Great Grandmasters, now seemed to face a humbling setback before this Five Qi Grandmaster swordsmanship expert.

An Jing remained silent, his white robe dancing wildly with the wind, whipping around with rustling sounds.

The Undying Qian Qiu took a deep breath and then exhaled a murky breath.

Through his clothing, one could see that the wound on his chest was healing at an astonishing rate, as if rapidly regaining its original condition, even generating new flesh and bones. Any observer would be greatly astonished at this sight.

Yet, An Jing’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, a sense of crisis flooding into his consciousness.

Above the Undying Qian Qiu’s standing area, the sky churned, the originally pitch-dark clouds now shone with iridescent colors, transforming from a dark cloth to a magnificent brocade, resplendently radiant.

In the path of cultivation, one must undergo the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top and the Five Qi Chao Yuan to become a Great Grandmaster and reach the Land Immortal Realm. A Land Immortal, after all, remains just that, always a whisper away from a true Immortal.

But at this moment, the Undying Qian Qiu had entirely detached himself from the worldly plane, his majestic aura swelling and spreading boundlessly, the oppressive force far surpassing anything previously felt.

The Undying Qian Qiu indifferently stated, “While not all my strength, it is sufficient for pride.”

After speaking, he stretched out his hand, and a glimmer of glass-like radiance appeared.

That was a Jade Ruyi, and in the moment it appeared, a myriad of auras surged forth.

A sudden wind rose from all directions, and amidst the heavens and the earth, a fierce gale swept through, forming a series of storms. The towering light from the Jade Ruyi swept out, transforming into a curtain-like dome above.

Thirty-six towering green peaks, with the Ruyi’s landing, steadying heaven and earth.

Zhao Qingmei swept her hand, and a jade-colored light surged forth, cascading down like from the highest heavens, dying the entire world in a jade hue.

Boom! Boom!

Within dozens of miles around, the sky above seemed on the brink of collapse, inducing feelings akin to the coming of the apocalypse, instilling an irresistible dread.

In this moment, Zhao Qingmei and Qi Xuan Dao both ceased their confrontation to witness the scene.

In the distance, several Jianghu experts were also stirred, and when they saw the whimpering Black Flood Dragon beneath the mountainous ruins, they were utterly shocked.

There was no one under the heavens who didn’t know what a Black Flood Dragon was, but now this creature lay gasping for breath, clearly close to its end.

Rumors claimed the Black Flood Dragon had the strength of a Four Qi Grandmaster, so who could have inflicted such heavy damage on it?

A few Jianghu experts mustered their courage and proceeded forward, and upon witnessing the scene, they were utterly terrified.

The Ghost Swordsman was actually in a duel with someone!?

One must know the Ghost Swordsman was capable of slaying a Great Grandmaster with a single strike; how many people in this world would dare to cross swords with such a master?

Above the ruins, the two were locked in a fiercely intense stage of combat.

The jade sky thundered down, the momentum so terrifying that it seemed unstoppable as the world might shiver and quake.

An Jing stepped forward, purple True Qi surging from his Dantian, instantaneously funneled into the Dulu Sword, then he thrust it unyieldingly forward.

By reaching his realm, a Swordsman no longer clung to specific moves and techniques, but rather the essence within the sword, the intent, the path.

This was the heart of swordsmanship.

With a single slash, the Sword Qi instantly surged like the great tide of the East Sea; within its waves, a Full Moon Sword Light rose, like the moon ascending in the vast ocean.

Moonlight bathed everything, overflowing the eight corners of the world.

Between the strike of the sword, it seemed as if heaven and earth resonated, as if a thousand armies charged thunderously.

Without the thunder of a drawn sword, without the surge of Sword Qi, only the vast Sword Intent remained, with the boundless Qingming above and the vast earth below, unresisted by anyone in the human realm.

No Heavenly Dao Sword, no King Sword, no Human Dao Sword, and no Holy Dao Sword could relate to this path of the sword; this was an Immortal Sword, a creation of An Jing’s own Immortal Swordsmanship.

Within the world, a streak of light flashed through.

This sword had no flourish, it simply thrust forward.

“Buzz! Buzz!”

As the sword tip struck the jade curtain in the sky, it instantly emitted a sound like water ripples, which then unsteadily spread in all directions.

This immense momentum caused the mountain to tremble continuously–not just the illusory quivering before, but a real and acute trembling.

Even a few cliffs had utterly collapsed, and countless boulders peeled from the cliffside, plunging into the abyss below.

Their collision carried the force of moving mountains and overturning seas, not a whit inferior to Zongzheng Huachun’s duel, and with such a fierce onslaught even a Great Grandmaster at the epicenter would find their soul scattered and dispersed.

This was a battle to the death, both sides harboring a merciless intent to kill.

The power wielded by both was certainly among the utmost pinnacle of their time, such life-and-death duels being a rarity in history.

The sword tip continued to clash against the jade-colored sky, with shockwaves spreading to the distance, and the mountain was whittled down by a good thirty feet.

An Jing, upon seeing this, raised his Dulu Sword, the blade falling like the torrents of the Milky Way from the ninth heaven.

The whole mountain abruptly sank ten feet, and amid the thunderous roar, dust billowed around its base, not only shrouding the villages below but also spreading upwards along the mountainside.

From afar, half the mountain had become buried in the billowing dust.

Qian Qiu, the Undying, continued to wield his Jade Ruyi, then extending his right hand, formed a vortex in its center that vacuumed all air from the surroundings, and then he fiercely slapped towards the sky dome.

“Not good!”

Zhao Qingmei mentally exclaimed, feeling a huge pressure from that palm strike; she abandoned her fight with Qi Xuan Dao and rushed toward Qian Qiu, the Undying.

Before Qian Qiu’s overwhelming presence, An Jing’s sword gripping hand trembled slightly, and then he took out the Imperial Jade Seal from his bosom.

Boom! Boom!

Yin Evil Qi swept through, and innumerable ghost soldiers surged out like a tide.

Qi Xuan Dao’s Minghong Blade let out a crisp sound as it charged towards the countless ghost soldiers.

Given the multitudes of ghost soldiers, even Qi Xuan Dao, a Five Qi Grandmaster, would surely die if the battle prolonged; however, he believed his master would resolve the current peril.

With a flick of a finger, Qian Qiu projected a column of light from the sky, effortlessly shattering Zhao Qingmei’s Sword Qi and even forced her back dozens of steps.

“Ahh!”

Zhao Qingmei’s face was somewhat pale. If the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture” hadn’t diminished most of the force in that move, she might have been severely injured.

Qian Qiu, the undying, was expressionless as he looked at An Jing.

The sky canopy, now bolstered by the handprint, erupted with a thunderous roar that was indescribably awe-inspiring and crashed down immediately.

“Go!”

An Jing’s robe fluttered as he pushed Zhao Qingmei away, and then his aura burst forth. All the swords surrounding his body flew out and rushed forward in a magnificent manner.

In midair, these swords flew surrounded by a purple halo of qi mechanism, becoming larger and forming a complex and profound sword array.

These swords clustered together, connecting to form a vast expanse of sword qi that pierced towards the sky canopy.

Onlookers from a distance were shook to their core by this scene.

It was as if meteors fell from the sky, and the Ghost Swordsman faced the challenge, but can man triumph over the might of the heavens?

Next, a palm reached out from the sky canopy, darkening the sky and causing the earth to crack open inch by inch, then raising a terrifying dust storm.

The swords in the array carried a mighty sword qi, creating a metallic storm, and then pierced through the colossal handprint.

“Not good!”

Qian Qiu, the undying, held his breath. He never expected An Jing’s sword to be so sharp, directly piercing his handprint. The sword light continued towards him, and he quickly placed the Jade Ruyi before his chest.

As the True Yuan circulated, several Jade Light Shields formed in front of him.

“Hiss! Hiss!”

Then the sword light relentlessly pierced through, drilling holes in the Jade Light Shields formed by the Jade Ruyi, which also manifested a fine crack, but the piercing cold of the sword light was eventually thwarted, nailing itself firmly into Qian Qiu’s chest.

Qian Qiu’s face changed drastically, and his pupils contracted slightly.

His clothes ripped apart, revealing horrific and fearsome wounds.

At that moment, the giant palm fell, slamming down on An Jing, completely submerging his figure within it.

“Boom!”

The ground trembled violently, the mountains crumbled, and giant rocks tumbled down, with the Black Flood Dragon getting struck by several and letting out a pitiful cry.

The aura dissipated quickly, and in the dust, a figure drenched in blood emerged, lying straight on the ground, their life force utterly extinguished.

Because of the blood covering the whole body, their face was unrecognizable, but beside them lay a shattered sword box and the Dulu Sword, which identified the figure as none other than the Ghost Swordsman, the World’s First Sword.

And then the Yun Dust Pearl slowly rolled out of his embrace, further confirming his identity.

“My lord!”

Seeing this, Zhao Qingmei felt as if thousands of knives were plunged into her heart, her grief suffocating, and she rushed towards An Jing like a madwoman.

She channeled her True Qi into An Jing’s body, only to discover that An Jing’s meridians were completely broken, and his internal organs had shifted out of place.

Zhao Qingmei was stunned. In such a state as An Jing’s, even if a Daluo Immortal appeared, it would be to no avail.

“His internal organs have been shattered by me, even the Paperman Substitute Death Skill would be useless,” Qian Qiu, the undying, said, trembling as he reached out with his palm to catch the falling Yun Dust Pearl and said, “Let’s go.”

At that moment, all he wanted was to leave this place quickly to avoid any further complications.

After all, Xi Hafu might be nearby, and now that he was severely injured, it would be difficult for him to contend with this living Buddha.

His millennium’s worth of planning couldn’t be ruined now.

“Yes!”

And with An Jing no longer controlling it, the shadow soldiers that emerged from the Imperial Jade Seal also dissipated completely. Qi Xuan Dao cast a glance at Zhao Qingmei, then saw Qian Qiu, the undying, staggering towards the distance. Although reluctant, he still followed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, the two vanished amidst the ruins.

Just then, Zhao Qingmei suddenly snapped out of her grief, an idea striking her, and immediately called forth the Honghu that had landed at the foot of the mountain.

“Chirp!”

The Honghu cried out, descending in front of Zhao Qingmei.

Zhao Qingmei, holding An Jing’s corpse, mounted the Honghu, and then turned into a streak of light headed into the distance.

Watching this, several Jianghu experts shuddered.

The Ghost Swordsman dead!?

The unparalleled Great Sword Immortal who had slain those in the Grandmaster Realm had actually died!?

Who exactly was the person by Qi Xuan Dao’s side, possibly the Elder of the Ten Directions?

If this news spread across the world, what magnitude of shock would it cause!?

Everyone seemed petrified by the scene before them, motionless.

After a long while, one of them regained their composure and said, as if in a dream, “The Ghost Swordsman… The Ghost Swordsman is dead?”

One of the swordsmen shook his head and said, “Impossible, I don’t believe it, he definitely isn’t dead.”

Another companion took a deep breath and analyzed calmly, “That person next to Qi Xuan Dao must be Elder Shi Fang. If his internal organs are shattered, even with the Paperman Substitute Death Skill of the ‘Ghost Valley Heart Method,’ he’s undoubtedly dead.”

In Jianghu, it was common knowledge that the Ghost Swordsman practiced the “Ghost Valley Heart Method” and had mastered the Paperman Substitute Death Skill from it. But for the skill to work, one’s body had to be intact. If one could be revived with shattered internal organs, that would require the hands of an Immortal, unless the “Ghost Valley Heart Method” was an Immortal Heart Method.

The swordsman paused for a breath, then fell silent. Even though he was reluctant to believe it, he knew in his heart that this was not a single bit wrong. After all, the “Ghost Valley Heart Method” was not an Immortal Heart Method. How could it possibly regenerate a person’s internal organs?

If that were the case, organs would never fail, and people would never die.

The group exchanged glances, each revealing a spark of insight.

“Quick, this news is worth its weight in gold! If it spreads, it will surely cause a major upheaval in the world.”

“That’s right, the Black Flood Dragon’s body is also full of treasures, let’s not forget that.”

…..

Yun Hua Road, Jinling Tavern.

Outside the tavern, the noise of people was deafening, with the cries of vendors coming in waves, and inside the building, beautiful women with fair jade hands played the zither, attracting countless passersby.

In a private room on the second floor of the tavern, the noise was even more raucous, as waiters bustled about continuously. The table was laden with delicious dishes, the fragrance of which made people linger and forget to return.

At this moment, one swordsman, with a long sword on his back, sat carefreely on a stool, watching the busy streets below.

This person was Xie Ying, a very famous swordsman from Yun Hua Road, who also had a considerable reputation in Jianghu. He was known as the Seven Stars Sword.

“Brother Xie, Brother Xie….”

Just then, a burly man brandishing a meteor hammer rushed frantically to the second floor.

“What’s the matter? Come on, Fatty Wang, let’s drink first. What could be more important than us having a drink?”

Xie Ying waved his hand and said, “These past few days, I don’t know why, but my energy points have been opening and closing, as if I’m about to breakthrough to the Second Grade Realm. But it feels somewhat strange…”

Fatty Wang swallowed nervously, a look of terror on his face, “It’s a big deal, a huge deal has happened!”

Xie Ying, unconcerned, picked up a jar of wine and said, “Why the fuss? Is there anything bigger than an Earth Vein Spirit?”

By this time, the words of Wutu had already spread throughout Great Yan, still fermenting without cease. Almost all of the experts around the world were heading toward Yujing City. In a short time, the entire Great Yan was in chaos.

On the official roads and in the dense forests, sounds of fierce fighting and corpses could be heard everywhere.

The experts of the Xuanyi Guard were also overwhelmed, withdrawing to the area near Capital Road. A Quan, who was in charge of guarding Capital Road, was now facing a difficult time with the influx of Jianghu experts, and maintaining peace would be challenging.

Today, Xie Ying had invited his good friend, Fatty Wang, to travel with him to the Dragon Locking Well in Yujing City for mutual support.

Fatty Wang spoke in a low voice, “The Ghost Swordsman died in Northern Wilderness Road!”

“Bang!”

The wine jar in Xie Ying’s hand dropped to the ground as he said, “What did you say? Who died!?”

The entire tavern fell silent, turning their gaze toward Fatty Wang, then the murmurs began to resound.

“How is that possible? The Ghost Swordsman was a swordsman who had slain a Great Grandmaster. How could he possibly die?”

“Who in the world could kill him?”

“It’s not possible unless he killed himself.”

……

Everyone doubted Fatty Wang’s words, obviously thinking he was seeking attention.

After the Ghost Swordsman had slain Zongzheng Huachun, his reputation had peaked. Now many considered him to be the world’s foremost expert, with enough years left to dominate the Jianghu for decades.

How could such a person possibly die?

Who could kill him?

Fatty Wang snorted coldly, then said, “It’s true, the Ghost Swordsman really is dead. I saw the corpse of the Black Flood Dragon, and you all know what that represents, right?”

The crowd still didn’t believe it, and they continued to drink on their own.

Only Xie Ying knew his friend Fatty Wang’s personality. He opened his mouth and said, “Really?”

Just at that moment, a shrill voice rang out.

“The Ghost Swordsman is dead! The Demon Sect’s Ghost Swordsman is dead!”

A burly man with a long whip in hand ran in, panic-stricken.

“Really or not?” someone asked with skepticism.

If it were just Fatty Wang alone, people might still have doubts, but with another person claiming the same thing, it made others reconsider.

The man holding the long whip hurriedly said, “I never spread rumors, it’s not only the body of the Black Flood Dragon that has been found, but all the experts of the Demon Sect have returned to You Mountain. How could this be false?”

For a moment, the entire tavern fell silent once again, even the sound of heartbeats could be heard clearly.

“Let’s go take a look.”

Upon hearing this, many hurried out of the tavern, their confidence obviously shaken.

“Xie Brother!”

Wang Fatso looked at Xie Ying with his head bowed, not speaking, and immediately walked over to pat his shoulder, “I know you have always looked up to the Ghost Swordsman…”

Suddenly, Wang Fatso felt a chill, and it was already too late for him to try to retreat.

A streak of cold light suddenly struck, almost at the limit of his ability to dodge.

“Pff!”

The sword was extremely fast, directly severing Wang Fatso’s throat, and immediately bright red blood spurted out like a fountain.

At this moment, Xie Ying stood up, his eyes flashing with a crimson light, his facial expression twisted, devoid of any sense or reason.

Wang Fatso stretched out his hand, his eyes filled with disbelief, and said, “Xie…”

In the end, his hand only reached halfway before he fell heavily to the ground.

Until the moment of his death, he didn’t understand why Xie Ying had suddenly decided to kill him.

After killing Wang Fatso, Xie Ying’s expression became even more fierce as he turned his head to look at the people around him.

A martial hero, as if realizing something, cried out, “Run! He’s been possessed by the evil spirits…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Ying had already attacked, and blood-curdling screams echoed immediately. The tavern turned into a river of blood, a veritable hell on earth.

And this scene was now being played out all over the world without cessation.

…..

Jiangnan Dao, Qinghe Sect.

The Qinghe Sect was not particularly famous within the Great Yan Dynasty, but it had a certain standing within Jiangnan Dao. Originally, Liu Qingshan had wanted to recruit the Qinghe Sect into the Cao Gang, but the Qinghe Sect, with its Mountain Opening Order signifying legitimate settlement by the dynasty, had refused.

Later when Zhao Country attacked, the experts of the Qinghe Sect joined the army of Great Yan to resist the Zhao forces.

The army of Yan Country kept retreating and had now retreated to the area around Qinghe Sect. With Lijiang City completely fallen, if Qinghe Sect were taken next, Yu State City would follow.

Qinghe Sect had thus become the encampment of the Great Yan army, with the sect’s entrance turned into the central army camp.

At this moment, inside a pavilion of Qinghe Sect, the sect leader Xu Yue was holding a letter.

A handsome young man sitting below hurriedly asked, “Father, what should we do now? The situation in the north has been decided, with Houjin completely annihilated. Without the threat from the north, it would be very difficult for Zhao Country to swallow Great Yan. We need to make a choice soon.”

“What to do? Zhao Country will surely come to a standstill.”

Xu Yue sneered, grabbing the letter and crushing it into powder, saying, “Pretend this secret missive never arrived. We need to prepare to go to Yujing City.”

The letter was a secret offer from Zhao Country to surrender, and Xu Yue had been hesitating because of Great Yan’s constant defeats. But now that the news of Houjin’s great victory had spread, the entire world was in an uproar, and his heart was free from any further doubts.

After all, who would want to become a traitor if they could live without becoming one?

Moreover, the world’s experts were now all chasing after the Earth Vein Spirit, flocking towards Yujing City, each fantasizing about being the fated one, obtaining the Earth Vein Spirit, ascending to heaven in a single step, and defying fate.

After all, it was rumored that the Earth Vein Spirit could grant immortality and turn one into a true Immortal. Who in the world wouldn’t be moved by that?

Even some ordinary citizens joined in the excitement, heading towards the direction of Yujing City.

Xu Yue thought of something and looked at his son, saying, “And about this matter, you must not mention it to anyone, not even to Xiao Yu.”

Xu Ran chuckled twice and said, “Father, rest assured, I naturally understand the priorities and will not tell anyone.”

“Good.”

Xu Yue took a deep breath and then sighed, “With the Ghost Swordsman like this guarding our Great Yan, we have nothing to worry about.”

Remembering this, Xu Ran said excitedly, “Yes, the Ghost Swordsman is simply divine. Even Zongzheng Huachun who advanced to the Grandmaster Realm couldn’t escape his sword.”

The news of Houjin’s destruction and the Ghost Swordsman slaying Zongzheng Huachun had spread throughout the world, and the Ghost Swordsman’s reputation had reached its peak.

Xu Yue solemnly said, “Such a swordsman as the Ghost Swordsman may never appear again.”

“Sect Leader, Sect Leader!”

Just then, an elder rushed in frantically, “Disaster! The Ghost Swordsman has been killed by the Old Man of the Ten Directions.”

Xu Yue’s eyebrows rose sharply, then he asked, “Lu, who did you say was killed?”

Elder Lu of Qinghe Sect said in horror, “The Ghost Swordsman! The Ghost Swordsman has been killed by the Old Man of the Ten Directions.”

“What!?”

Xu Yue and his son both reacted, as if struck by thunder out of a clear sky.

The ghost swordsman they had just been discussing was now killed by someone!?

After a long while, Xu Ran asked softly, “Elder Lu, are you telling the truth?”

Elder Lu nodded heavily, “Truly, this news has spread all over the world, absolutely certain without a shred of falsehood.”

Xu Ran swallowed and looked at his father, by this time Xu Yue was also looking at him. Both had looks of disbelief in their eyes and their hearts were stirring up tidal waves of shock.

Who would have thought that the ghost swordsman, having just slain a great grandmaster, would die at the hands of this old man from all directions?

Everything happened so fast, it was like a dream.

Just how terrifying is this old man from all directions?

Elder Lu continued, “Now the whole world knows that this old man from all directions is the true number one expert in the world, apparently appearing for the sake of the Earth Vein Spirit.”

Earth Vein Spirit again!?

The entire hall suddenly became very quiet, as the Earth Vein Spirit had now completely thrown the world into chaos. There were originally no great grandmasters at all, and now they were popping up one after another.

Suddenly, sounds of fighting came from outside.

“What’s going on?”

Xu Ran’s brow furrowed, and he walked toward the door.

The scene outside made him jump.

He saw that the forward camp was in chaos, countless soldiers fighting each other, the camp drenched in crimson.

Xu Yue stepped outside and upon seeing this scene, he trembled and said, “This is bad! Is this the influence of evil spirits!?”

If the army of Zhao Country found out about the mutiny within the Great Yan military camp, they would certainly send a large force to attack. How would the Qingshan Sect withstand it then?

“Perhaps, this is not the worst thing,”
Elder Lu shook his head.

The influence of these evil spirits would cause a chain of troublesome and terrifying events.

Xu Yue muttered to himself, “The world is going to descend into chaos, into a world where men devour each other.”

Xu Ran asked, “Father, what should we do now?”

Xu Yue snapped to his senses and urged, “Quick, let’s pack up and head to Yujing City.”

Hearing this, Xu Ran prepared to walk towards the back house.

At that moment, Xu Yue stopped him and quickly said, “Forget it, don’t pack anything, we need to go now.”

……

The news of Houjin’s overthrow had just spread, followed by the announcement that the ghost swordsman had been slain by the old man from all directions, and the whole world was suddenly in an uproar.

Everyone should know that the ghost swordsman had just killed a great grandmaster, at the height of his reputation, and now he had vanished from the world of the living; it was truly too incredible to believe.

If it weren’t for the discovery of the Black Flood Dragon’s corpse, and the rush of Demon Sect experts back to You Mountain, perhaps no one would believe it.

But as the situation fermented, everyone came to accept it.

Everyone was lamenting, not expecting that this peerless swordsman, who only ever suffered one defeat in his lifetime, would end up vanishing from the world.

And just at this time, an even more earth-shattering event occurred, leaving no time for people to reflect on the death of the ghost swordsman.

The pervasive evil qi began to overflow in the world; as many experts broke through their shackles, many others were completely tainted by the evil qi, losing their minds and casting the world into another great upheaval.

The first wave of evil qi had affected mainly the lower third-grade experts, but now it had reached the middle third-grade experts.

Suddenly, everywhere in the world, every corner was filled with slaughter.

Chaos!

The whole world was in disarray!

Great Yan, Zhao Country, Southern Barbarians; all the nations were in upheaval, each to their own concerns.

The horror of the evil qi had been witnessed, and the consequences of its influence were deeply frightening.

As the evil qi grew denser, would the upper third-grade experts, even the grandmaster-level experts, be tainted by the evil qi?

What would the world become then?

Rumors about the Earth Vein Spirit and the evil qi spread throughout the land, and at this time, countless masters began to converge on Yujing City in a frenzy.

Some sought the Earth Vein Spirit, while others wanted to investigate the relationship between the evil qi and the Earth Vein Spirit. In any case, Yujing City had become the center of the world.

And an unprecedented storm was brewing in Yujing City.

……