Chapter 127 : Intent to Slay the Emperor
Chapter 127: Intent to Slay the Emperor!
“Clang!”
At the very moment everyone was filled with fury and the Sword Saint and Sword God shouted in rage, an incomparably crisp sound rang out from Li Yunqing’s fingertip.
In that instant, everyone froze and instinctively looked toward where the sound had come from.
“She blocked it?”
Seeing that arrow, wrapped in the momentum of heaven and earth, actually being stopped by Li Yunqing with a single finger, everyone stood stunned.
That was the Arrow Demon—though only at the lower tier of the Profound Realm, his archery had reached a level of divine mastery, ghostlike and demonic.
Such a hidden arrow—even a mid-stage Profound Realm Grandmaster, if careless, would suffer severe injury.
“Cry!”
A phoenix’s cry rang out from within Li Yunqing. At the moment her finger stopped the arrow, she borrowed its force, her figure instantly turning into a wisp of light smoke.
She then reformed on the arena several zhang away.
“What a powerful arrow!”
Li Yunqing’s heart tightened. At her fingertip, a trace of blood had appeared.
Yet she did not hesitate in the slightest. She raised her right hand again, the Five Elements Return to Origin circulating as the Melting Heaven Finger reappeared.
That finger strike was powerful, but after all, she was not a Profound Realm Grandmaster and could not shatter the force within the arrow in one strike.
The black arrow still shot toward Li Yunqing at extreme speed.
Seeing this scene, everyone’s eyes widened.
The Arrow Demon’s shot had only injured Li Yunqing’s finger, drawing a trace of blood?
“This…?”
For a moment, everyone was dumbfounded.
That was the Arrow Demon’s arrow. Combined with an army, even a high-tier Profound Realm Grandmaster could be besieged and killed.
Against opponents of the same realm, under assassination, almost no one could block a single arrow.
Yet now, it had only caused Li Yunqing to bleed slightly.
“Amitabha!”
Just as the black arrow once again reached Li Yunqing, a Buddhist chant sounded, carrying the momentum of heaven and earth as it gently brushed past.
It softly pushed Li Yunqing aside.
In the next moment, an old monk stood where Li Yunqing had been.
“Great Vajra Finger!”
Golden light radiated from the monk’s finger, as if forged from gold and iron, surrounded by Buddhist chants as it struck directly onto the arrow.
“Boom!”
The arrow exploded, instantly turning into powder.
All things in the world restrained one another.
Though the arrow was terrifying, it was somewhat countered by the Buddhist Great Vajra Finger.
Yet the old monk’s expression changed slightly—he had already sensed that less than half of the arrow’s power remained.
Perhaps without his intervention, Li Yunqing’s Formless Tribulation Finger could have resolved the crisis.
“Many thanks to Master Liaofan for your assistance!”
Seeing Master Liaofan act, the Sword Saint finally let out a long breath.
Although he had informed Master Liaofan in advance, an accident had almost occurred.
If Li Yunqing had not blocked the first strike, that arrow would have severely injured her—or even killed her.
“This old monk dares not claim credit!”
“The young lady benefactor possesses extraordinary strength!”
Liaofan said no more. He nodded toward Li Yunqing before turning and drifting away.
He had fulfilled what he had promised the Sword Saint and did not wish to linger further.
“Master?”
Below, the young monk Wunian was stunned, filled with confusion at his master’s sudden action.
He even felt that his earlier encounter with Li Yunqing had not been a coincidence.
But seeing that Li Yunqing was unharmed, everyone finally relaxed.
On the contrary, those Divine Realm experts now grew even more excited.
“She actually blocked an arrow from the Arrow Demon!”
“She still has hidden strength!”
“Hiss… this talent—it truly makes one envious!”
For a moment, several Divine Realm consciousnesses collided in the void, whispering among themselves.
Though the Third Prince and Sixth Prince had appeared to be in the Profound Realm, they had been forcibly elevated by pills. Their control over the momentum of heaven and earth could never compare to that of true Profound Realm experts.
The Arrow Demon, however, was genuinely at the lower tier of the Profound Realm and on the verge of stepping into the mid-stage.
To block his assassination arrow was enough to prove that Li Yunqing’s potential and talent were far from as simple as they appeared.
“Especially her mindset—I now believe she will surely be able to open a new path!”
A Divine Realm expert spoke softly, yet with absolute certainty.
Ordinary women, for the most part, thought only of marrying a good man.
Even women of the Jianghu, devoted to martial arts, would ultimately be moved and conquered by men.
Even a single loss of chastity during their travels could make them cling to a man, willing to sacrifice everything.
From the moment they could remember, women were taught countless rules of propriety.
Even if they initially lacked romantic feelings, once they had physical intimacy with a man, their thoughts would mostly revolve around him.
With love would come the desire for more love.
After bearing children, most of their attention would be devoted to their offspring, planning for their future.
This was a woman’s nature—the maternal instinct embedded deep within the soul after being granted the ability to bear life.
It was fundamentally different from a man’s state of mind.
It could be said that eighty percent of women in the world could not escape such a fate.
Even in the Age of Immortals and Gods, it had been the same.
Those revered fairies and immortals, usually aloof and detached from worldly affairs, would still change once they fell into love.
Hearing this, the other Divine Realm experts all nodded in silence.
There was little difference between the Human Race and the Demon Race.
Males hunted and fought, while females bore offspring—this had been predetermined since birth. It was the balance of yin and yang of heaven and earth.
Otherwise, why would there be distinctions of male and female at all?
While the Divine Realm experts discussed quietly—
“Buzz!”
A vast and overwhelming momentum rose between heaven and earth.
It was as if the entire world had been ignited by flames, an invisible and boundless sea of fire spreading outward.
A figure stepped through the void, bathed in the sea of fire, walking out from the palace step by step.
Clad in a golden dragon robe, wearing an imperial crown, hands behind his back, his majesty was boundless.
Like a true dragon awakening, overlooking heaven and earth.
In just a few moments, Yu Taiyan arrived above the palace gates, nodding slightly toward the Sword Saint and Sword God.
“To slaughter imperial offspring—this crime deserves death!”
Yu Taiyan’s voice thundered, spreading across the capital with boundless authority.
An emperor ruled over all under heaven. With a single word, he determined the fate and life or death of all people.
This gathered momentum was far beyond that of ordinary Profound Realm experts.
Combined with his own mid-stage Profound Realm cultivation, the momentum of heaven and earth emanating from him was like invisible flames igniting the entire sky.
However, when his gaze fell upon Li Yunqing, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She truly was an extremely beautiful woman.
Clearly gentle and serene, yet possessing an attraction that seemed to originate from the depths of the soul and bloodline, making one unable to resist drawing closer.
It was not seduction.
Nor was there any trace of cultivating charm techniques.
It was beauty at its absolute peak—naturally enchanting, without the slightest artificial refinement.
Even her dress was looser and more conservative than that of ordinary women, yet it could not conceal a figure that stirred the hearts of men.
Her chest rose high, her hips were full and rounded, her waist slender enough to be grasped in one hand—delicate and exquisite, her curves captivating.
That allure, partially concealed yet faintly revealed beneath her garments, gave the illusion of refusal and invitation, of words left unspoken.
Instead, it stirred a subtle itch in the heart, evoking an inexplicable impulse—one that made a person want to violently tear apart those garments to behold all her hidden charms.
“Pure Yin Body?”
“So it is this legendary physique!”
Yu Taiyan paused, finally recognizing the constitution, his heart suddenly pounding.
As an emperor, how could he not know of certain special female physiques?
Among his harem, there were also women with special constitutions that aided cultivation.
Especially the consorts sent by the Hundred Flowers Sect—charming and varied, with excellent physiques.
This was also why, at the age of forty, he had reached the mid-stage Profound Realm.
The cultivation techniques of emperors themselves often included dual cultivation and harvesting methods.
This was also why he had so many women in his harem.
Those consorts were both tools of political alliance and stepping stones for his cultivation.
Now, upon seeing Li Yunqing, his thoughts suddenly changed.
Rather than killing her, it would be better to bring her into the palace and make her a tool for his cultivation.
This would not only uphold the imperial family’s dignity but also grant him tangible benefits.
Once she entered the palace, the entire palace would be under his control.
He could even vent all his anger upon her without restraint.
Not only would he make her a tool, but he would also make her bear his children.
Having lost two sons, he would have her bear ten or eight more—such talent must not be wasted.
More importantly, if he could break into the Divine Realm through this, Great Yu could prosper for another four hundred years!
And he might rival the Dragon Emperor of a previous dynasty, his achievements surpassing all ages.
At this thought, Yu Taiyan suppressed his excitement and his tone suddenly turned forceful.
“Now, I give you two choices!”
“Either enter the palace and become a consort, or be buried alongside the princes!”
“Where are the Imperial Guards!”
As Yu Taiyan’s voice echoed through the palace—
In an instant, countless Imperial Guards clad in armor, wielding spears and bows, filled the city walls.
They surrounded the area from all directions.
“Creak…”
On the palace walls, massive bed crossbows and divine bows were revealed.
The Arrow Demon, along with three other Profound Realm Grandmasters within the palace, all appeared at once.
Seeing this scene, the entire area before the palace fell into deathly silence.
Even the Jianghu martial artists, the Profound Realm Grandmasters, and disciples of hidden sects all had their expressions change.
To oppose the imperial family was to inevitably face such a situation.
The imperial family had ruled Great Yu for over three hundred years, nearing four hundred—their foundation was naturally deep. These were the very roots of their dominion.
If the Divine Realm did not intervene, the Profound Realm ruled supreme.
Now, within the capital, there were nearly twenty Profound Realm Grandmasters. If a true battle broke out, the outcome would be unimaginable.
“These cannot stop us!”
The Sword God and Sword Saint exchanged a glance and spoke in unison, completely unsurprised.
If an emperor would bow so easily, he would not possess such immense momentum and authority.
Moreover, the talent and strength Li Yunqing had displayed had surely already been seen by those Divine Realm experts regarded as the guardians of national destiny.
Even Yu Taiyan, as the Emperor of Great Yu, would not dare act recklessly before them.
Some outcomes were already destined. The process might fluctuate, but it did not matter.
Though the scene was grand, it was unlikely to truly erupt into battle.
“Li Yunqing, are you certain you want those around you to die for your sake?”
“Two paths—choose for yourself!”
Yu Taiyan did not respond to the Sword Saint and Sword God. Instead, he addressed Li Yunqing directly.
With three thousand beauties in his harem, even if he did not fully understand women, he grasped them well enough.
He was willing to wager that someone as gentle as Li Yunqing would never allow those around her to die because of her.
“So it has come to this?”
Li Yunqing’s heart remained calm as she slightly raised her head, looking directly at this so-called Emperor of Great Yu.
From a small place like Qingzhou, step by step, she had come face to face with the strongest and greatest power in the world.
She had done it in just three months!
The kindness of upbringing, the bonds of friendship, the survival of her family—she could not easily let them go.
Nor did she wish for these people to die because of her.
Even her master—she did not want to implicate him.
Especially since the Sword Saint had helped her reach this point—she had already repaid most of those debts.
She could not drag these people into a life of flight and death alongside her.
Moreover, deep in her heart, she had always believed that relying on others, on external forces, would ultimately place one under another’s control.
It would never… compare to relying on oneself!
And all of this made her see the truth—
“My sword is still not sharp enough!”
“Not enough to make the world fear me!”
“My sword technique to Pacify the World… is still not enough!”
At that moment, the battles of the past few days flashed through Li Yunqing’s mind.
One sword to suppress Jianghu martial artists, one sword to defeat hidden sect inheritances—even princes had been slain with a single finger.
Over a hundred opponents, over a hundred battles—the momentum accumulated over three days surged forth from her body at this moment.
It was an invincible momentum, just beginning to reveal its brilliance.
Like a blazing sun rising into the sky, facing endless darkness—tearing everything apart, sweeping away all demons and monsters, never compromising.
“If my sword is not sharp enough, then I will continue to sharpen it!”
“If people do not fear me, then I will kill until all fear me!”
“If my sword techniques are insufficient, then I will continue to create!”
“The path I walk—no one can block it!”
At the instant these thoughts converged, Li Yunqing felt that beyond her One Sword Pacifies the World,
there were even stronger, greater techniques waiting to help her sweep across the entire world.
“Under my sword…”
“Heaven and earth shall be pacified, all living beings brought to order, all things destroyed, all rules erased!”
“When the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands behold me… they must lower their heads!”
At the moment this thought arose, Li Yunqing suddenly raised the long sword in her hand, pointing it toward the void, her sharpness fully revealed.
As if at any moment, she could unleash a world-shattering strike!
Her voice—soft and gentle, unique to a young woman, yet each word ringing like the cry of a sword—echoed through the sky.
“Two paths? You want me to choose?”
“Then first, ask the sword in my hand!”
At that moment, an uncontrollable thought surged within Li Yunqing—
What was a prince?
Only by slaying this tyrant emperor would this journey be complete!