Chapter 129 : A Worthwhile Journey
Chapter 129: A Worthwhile Journey
“Boom…”
A thunderous roar resounded across the heavens.
In that instant, before the palace gates, it was as if a sun had exploded.
Endless sword light streaked across heaven and earth, pouring out in all directions.
“Puff, puff, puff…”
On the ground, on the arena, on the palace walls—holes appeared everywhere.
Holes pierced through by Sword Qi.
Everyone’s minds trembled violently. Eyes wide, they stared toward the exploding light, their faces filled with shock and fear.
“Boom!”
Within the radiance, it seemed as if countless swords were colliding, roaring without end.
To their horror, everyone saw that the Emperor of Great Yu—the Heaven who ruled over all—had a grave expression, being forced back continuously by that Sword Qi.
His pristine bright yellow dragon robe fluttered wildly, swelling and shaking, already torn open with cracks by the Sword Qi.
Even the imperial crown atop Yu Taiyan’s head bore sword marks, tilting crookedly, strands of hair flying in disarray.
His entire body shot into the sky, avoiding the central edge, standing in midair, breathing heavily, his face dark.
His body trembled slightly.
“Boom…”
At the instant Yu Taiyan evaded, that terrifying sword light surged forward, tearing through the palace gate tower.
“Boom…”
The tower split apart, countless blue bricks and red tiles shattering, blasting outward like bullets.
The massive vermilion iron gates were cleaved apart, buried beneath the ruins.
The soldiers standing atop the tower fell like dumplings, one after another, blood splattering.
Yet even so, that sword light did not stop, continuing to blast into the palace.
The ground was overturned by the sword light, countless floor tiles shattered, dust rising everywhere.
In the end, that strand of sword light severed the long staircase before Fengtian Hall and split the plaque of Fengtian Hall in two before gradually dissipating.
Seeing this scene, the entire area before the palace fell into complete silence.
One sword strike spanning three to four hundred zhang—breaking the palace gate tower, splitting the earth, severing the long steps, and even dividing the plaque symbolizing imperial authority in two.
At this moment, not only the Jianghu figures—even the Divine Realm experts were stunned.
But just as everyone thought it was over, atop that sword scar stretching hundreds of zhang across the earth, a sky-reaching chill suddenly erupted.
“Crack, crack, crack…”
Transparent ice spread outward at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In the blink of an eye, centered on the sword scar, everything within three to four hundred zhang was frozen solid.
Those Imperial Guards on the tower who had not managed to escape and were gravely injured instantly turned into ice sculptures.
Cold air drifted through the sky, frost and snow descending.
For a moment, it seemed as if the world had entered a frozen winter.
“Hiss…”
Seeing this, everyone sucked in cold breaths, eyes wide, unable to utter a single word.
Even the Sword Saint and Sword God felt shock in their hearts.
In midair, Yu Taiyan, somewhat disheveled, trembled, his eyes blood-red, his aura increasingly chaotic.
He stared in disbelief at the scene.
One sword spanning three hundred zhang, freezing all things.
Was this truly something a Qi Realm martial artist could achieve?
Even a Profound Realm expert, using the momentum of heaven and earth to draw in cold energy, could not freeze the ground like this.
The cold of heaven and earth could never possess such power.
“So it still couldn’t kill him…”
“Of course—if he wished to escape, who but the Divine Realm could stop him?”
“And I am still only in the Qi Realm, lacking the crucial momentum of heaven and earth!”
“He only avoided it because he feared losing imperial dignity before everyone. If he had risked everything, he might have been able to block it!”
“But even so… this is enough!”
Li Yunqing stood with her sword, looking at the devastated palace, a sense of exhilaration rising within her.
This was the imperial palace—the face and dignity of the imperial family.
And now, before the Emperor of Great Yu himself, she had destroyed it with a single strike.
With this sword unleashed, her thoughts became completely clear, finally releasing all the frustration and grievance in her heart.
It also made the world understand that she, Li Yunqing, was not a woman to be seized, coerced, or tempted.
Not even the ruler of a nation—the Emperor of Great Yu—could do so.
No matter how beautiful she was, how gentle, how alluring her figure—enough to daze all who saw her—she could only be admired from afar.
No one would ever possess her.
No one would ever make her bear children.
No one would ever press her beneath them and take from her at will.
However, Li Yunqing also felt that the Immortal-Martial Power within her chest was nearly exhausted.
Yet under the enhancement of Pure Yin True Intent,
her Frost Sword Intent and Five Elements True Intent had merged into one, producing such power—something even she had not expected.
If her Five Elements True Intent were stronger, if her Pure Yin True Intent were stronger, if her Immortal-Martial Power were greater—
this strike would be even more powerful.
The Thousand-Year Cold Poison, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Soul—this Ice Soul Sword Body carried an extremely terrifying chill.
Nurtured by the Pure Yin Body, it would only grow stronger in the future.
“So this is Pure Yin True Intent—capable of containing all things. What if I could comprehend all intents of heaven and earth?”
“Just because I cannot now does not mean I never will!”
At this thought, Li Yunqing raised her head, looking toward Yu Taiyan in midair, his face ashen.
Her tone remained calm—no shouting, no anger—gentle and serene.
“If such thoughts arise again, I will slaughter the entire imperial family and let the imperial city run with rivers of blood!”
Her soft, graceful voice echoed through heaven and earth, instantly bringing everyone back to their senses.
All eyes converged upon Li Yunqing.
Her moon-white outer robe fluttered, her purple dress swayed, her hair danced wildly—her figure as alluring as ever, stirring endless imagination.
Yet now, no one’s gaze held any lewd curiosity—only shock and fear remained.
This single sword strike had shown the entire world that Li Yunqing meant every word she said.
It made everyone understand that this girl—no matter how gentle or tender—was not someone anyone could bully or tease.
Even the Emperor had paid a tremendous price.
The grand tower symbolizing imperial dignity had been destroyed.
The plaque representing imperial authority had been split.
Such a scene would be etched into everyone’s hearts for a lifetime.
“Exhale…”
Yu Taiyan took a deep breath, hiding his bloodstained hand within his sleeve.
True Qi and the momentum of heaven and earth wrapped around his arm, suppressing the piercing cold, forcibly stopping his trembling.
He turned to look at Li Yunqing, his raging anger forcibly suppressed.
With her talent and current strength, she was no longer someone he could suppress or conquer.
Especially that sword—more stunning than even the Sword God and Sword Saint in their Qi Realm.
Even as a mid-stage Profound Realm Grandmaster with the backing of a nation’s momentum, he had nearly been severely injured.
If he had not instinctively evaded, he might already be gravely wounded and utterly humiliated.
With Li Yunqing’s talent, stepping into the Profound Realm was almost guaranteed.
Even now, after witnessing that strike, he doubted he could capture her.
Moreover, seeing such talent, the Sword God and Sword Saint would never stand by—they would oppose him to the end.
Having come this far, witnessing her temperament and character—
without the aid of Divine Realm ancestors, even as Emperor of Great Yu, he had no means to conquer her.
He even feared that if Li Yunqing unleashed a few more strikes without restraint and destroyed the palace entirely, it would no longer be a matter of face.
“Hahaha…”
Yu Taiyan burst into laughter and said, “I had long intended to rebuild this palace.”
“Today, having the number one beauty under heaven, Fairy Yunqing, personally take action—this too can become a fine story!”
As an emperor, he knew when to bend and when to yield, excelling in outward appearances.
At this moment, he displayed it to the fullest.
Yet his praise carried layered meaning as he continued, “Fairy Yunqing’s beauty and figure truly deserve the title of number one beauty under heaven.”
“I believe no man in this world could resist your charm.”
“Even I was shaken, which led to my earlier rash words. I hope you will forgive me!”
Hearing the Emperor of Great Yu soften his stance, everyone froze.
Just moments ago, he had wielded the might of a nation to suppress her.
And now, the ruler of a nation had bowed his head to a woman in public.
An unprecedented event.
Even as Yu Taiyan tried to salvage the situation, praising her as much as possible to smooth things over, the truth unfolded clearly before all.
After a long silence, someone finally spoke.
“With such beauty and bearing, Fairy Yunqing is indeed the number one beauty under heaven!”
“Not only that—I believe her sword deserves the title of Ice Sword Immortal!”
In an instant, the area before the palace filled with praise.
Fairy Yunqing, Ice Sword Immortal, Number One Beauty Under Heaven—various titles were acknowledged by all.
They spread rapidly throughout the capital.
After today, they would spread even faster across the entire Great Yu Imperial Dynasty.
This was inevitable.
Witnessed by the Jianghu, major sects, hidden sects, and the imperial city—it would become a warning to all.
If she dared destroy the palace and strike the Emperor, who would dare provoke her?
“The Emperor bowed… she has become what all women wish to become!”
Some Jianghu women, as well as women watching from boudoirs and estates, gazed with shining eyes full of longing.
From childhood, they had been taught that women existed to bear children for men.
To manage the household, raise children, please their husbands, serve them in every way.
Even without love, they were expected to give everything.
To demean themselves, to use their bodies to bind a man’s heart.
“But if one could live like her, how magnificent would that be?”
“All men in the world would wait for her to choose them instead!”
The women of the capital saw another way of life.
A way envied by all women.
To control one’s own fate, to make one’s own choices, to say no to all that was unreasonable or unwanted.
Yet they also understood—such a life was not something every woman could achieve.
Women of such brilliance had existed throughout history, but their endings were rarely good.
Death was often the best outcome.
More often, they became playthings in men’s hands, tormented endlessly, unable even to die.
“Heaven truly favors the Sword Dao!”
“No—not just the Sword Dao. She will surely be one who opens a new path!”
“With her own strength, borrowing only a bit of momentum, she forced the imperial family to bow. Her talent makes it only natural for her to open a new path!”
“Hahaha… I never expected to witness her true strength today!”
“With such strength, even ordinary mid-stage Profound Realm experts would struggle against her!”
“It’s just that her temperament… truly makes one’s heart tremble!”
At this moment, the Divine Realm experts felt a trace of relief, sending messages of thanks to Feng Lao.
If not for his reminder—if they had schemed to guide Li Yunqing’s path, even arranging men to humiliate her—
then her words of “slaughtering the imperial family, rivers of blood” might have fallen upon them.
Forget the future path—whether they could even survive would be uncertain.
With the Sword God and Sword Saint protecting her, and now displaying such talent—
they would never stand by and watch her be bullied.
The Sword God might even pass on everything he had.
“Everyone!”
At this moment, the Sword Saint and Sword God spoke in unison, their voices spreading across the capital.
“Tomorrow at noon, we shall engage in a full battle!”
“We hope all of you will gain insight—and that this journey will not be in vain!”