HSSB917: The end of the line for the Vast Yang Exalt
The wound inflicted by Long Xueji’s Immortal Ending Sword was hard to suppress as it unceasingly caused Pei Hua’s life force, essence and qi to deteriorate.
Not only had Pei Hua been gravely wounded in their earlier battle, he had lost many accompanying treasures of his as well.
In order to resist Long Xueji’s sword, many treasures of Pei Hua had already been destroyed by the Immortal Ending Sword.
Pei Hua had originally thought that even heavily injured, he should be able to deal with Yan Zhaoge and Fu Ting very quickly even if Yan Zhaoge possessed a treasure like the Extreme Yang Seal.
He had not thought that Yan Zhaoge would actually possess the Dim Radiant Wheel.
Despite having yet to become an Immortal Artifact, the Dim Radiant Wheel was still extraordinary.
It was just that Yan Zhaoge still lacked the ability to stimulate and activate it.
While he was not able to, his opponent possessed the ability to do so.
At this moment, the Dim Radiant Wheel seemed to possess a will and mood of its own as it rotated on its own accord to battle this descendant of the former Vast Yang Emperor, the current Vast Yang Exalt Pei Hua.
At the same time, Yan Zhaoge attacked with the Extreme Yang Seal.
Pei Hua who was hard pressed to extricate himself was forced to circulate the true essence of his entire body, externalising it to resist Yan Zhaoge and the Extreme Yang Seal.
If it was usually, Pei Hua was confident that never in a million years would Yan Zhaoge be able to break through his defences.
An Exalt of the Immortal Court was still an Exalt who presided loftily over the human realm. How would any of them be inferior beings?
Yet, the current Pei Hua was gravely wounded.
He had still been able to barely hold on earlier. Now, however, with all his efforts being used to deal with Yan Zhaoge, the Extreme Yang Seal and the Dim Radiant Wheel, his injuries instantly worsened yet further!
His other injuries aside, that wound inflicted by the Immortal Ending Sword of the eternal end would already be fatal if he let his guard down even in the slightest!
That being the case, with Pei Hua having to work on resisting Yan Zhaoge’s attacks even with this, his injuries which had already been grave originally deteriorated even further.
The white sword-qi sliced through his body, forming several terrifying, intimidating-looking sword scars!
Heavily injured, he was no longer able to sustain himself as the golden palace formed of his protective true essence finally collapsed.
As Pei Hua howled in rage and despair, Yan Zhaoge totally ignored it as he landed a Cyclic Heavenly Seal on the Extreme Yang Seal before the great golden seal smashed downwards.
Thereafter, there were no two suns in the sky.
The great sun hung high. The vast sun had set.
This Exalt of the Immortal Court’s lineage had his head smashed right in by the Extreme Yang Seal!
As Pei Hua died, his injuries ran completely amok as the terrifying white sword-qi spread, ripping his body apart as he died without an intact corpse.
Watching this, Yan Zhaoge shook his head slightly, “I don’t know if I should say that I am lucky or you were unlucky.”
The surrounding space was changing unceasingly as it appeared chaotic and disordered.
Yan Zhaoge did not have time to think too much on his victory as he hurriedly fled alongside Fu Ting.
The disturbance from killing Pei Hua was much more than that from killing Shang Jun.
Moreover, Long Xueji had also slain another Exalt of the Immortal Court here earlier.
As the Buddhists and the Immortal Court battled here in the Loathing Square Heavenly Realm, many top experts were gathered here as someone else from the Immortal Court could arrive at any time.
As they fled, Yan Zhaoge finally had the time to ask Fu Ting, “Who exactly was that expert of the Prime Clear lineage from earlier?”
Fu Ting said with a rather complex expression on her face, “Two hundred years ago, there was a supremely talented youngster who rose to prominence in the World beyond Worlds, his origins a mystery. His sword shook the world.”
“His name was Qian Xueji, and he travelled solitarily with his sword about the entire World beyond Worlds, being invincible amongst those of the same cultivation level. He was acclaimed as the ‘Little Sword God’. Some even nicknamed him ‘Three Swords Qian’ after how no martial practitioner at the same cultivation level as him could receive his three swords.”
Yan Zhaoge was interested by that, “Oh? For real?”
Fu Ting nodded, “In my knowledge, there was only one exception.”
“The Northern Exalt then restricted his cultivation base to the same cultivation level as Qian Xueji. The ensuing battle between the two exceeded three exchanges.”
Fu Ting said admiringly, “Yet, it is said that that battle ended with the Northern Exalt nearly dying beneath Qian Xueji’s sword. It was only by releasing the restrictions on his cultivation base at the crucial moment of life and death that he managed to avert that crisis.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “What level was Qian Xueji’s cultivation base at then?”
Fu Ting said, “Fourth level of the Martial Saint realm, early Seeing Divinity stage.”
Yan Zhaoge looked thoughtful, “That’s indeed very remarkable then.”
With the huge disparity between their cultivation bases, even if the Northern Exalt had restricted his own cultivation base, his knowledge, experience and techniques would be sufficient for him to crush most Seeing Divinity Martial Saints.
Even so, however, the victor had been that young swordsman.
Fu Ting sighed, “Still, no one saw him again following that battle with the Northern Exalt. This genius who reigned over a generation was rather like a shooting star as he suddenly appeared in the World beyond Worlds out of nowhere before then suddenly vanishing again.”
Back then, everyone had thought that this person had died young, having felt this to be a great pity.
Yet, it was evident now that he was really of the Prime Clear lineage.
Yan Zhaoge said, “It is probably that he had to go all out in that battle against the Northern Exalt, his background as a descendant of the Prime Clear lineage hence being revealed. Afterwards, he had no choice but to leave the World beyond Worlds and return to the Roving Jade Heavens.”
Fu Ting pondered, “From the looks of it now, Qian Xueji should be an alias. Maybe his real name is Long Xueji? If he is surnamed Long…”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “I hear that the Dragon Spring Emperor is surnamed Long?”
Fu Ting said slowly, “Maybe, he and Senior Brother Lin…”
Yan Zhaoge said, “From the past battle achievements of this Senior Long and the strength that he displayed earlier, an Emperor of the external dao should really not be able to kill him. There is no need for us to feel worried for him.”
Fu Ting sighed, “Although he is a martial practitioner of the Roving Jade Heavens, we are all of the orthodox tradition of the Three Clear lineages at the end of the day. I hope he manages to escape without major incident. His opponent is an actual True Immortal, after all.”
The distance between humans and Immortals was as great as that between the heavens and earth.
Powerful Martial Scholars might be able to kill Martial Grandmasters.
Powerful Martial Grandmasters might be able to kill Martial Saints.
Even though such cases were rare indeed, it was not impossible.
Yet, ever since ancient times, there had never been a Martial Saint who had been able to slay a true Immortal alone one versus one without relying on any external aid at all!
In order to attain Immortality, one had to first surpass the Immortal Mortal Tribulation.
If one surpassed it, they would have attained Immortality. If they failed, they would perish, their dao hence dissipating.
After surpassing this tribulation and entering the realm of Immortals, no longer would one be mortal as all tribulations within the mortal world would no longer be able to easily harm them.
In other words, however powerful mortals were, just based on their strength alone, they would still be hard pressed to slay True Immortals.
All their attacking methods would be ineffective on True Immortals.
This was a true heavenly gulf that one could only gaze at the sky and sigh at. There had been never been an exception to this.
“It is fine,” Yan Zhaoge said, “While the methods of Martial Saints are ineffective against Emperors, this does not entail that the methods of these True Immortals cannot be withstood by anyone. With those methods of that Senior Long, Emperors of the Immortal Court should be helpless against him.”
Even though True Immortals would not be defeated, this did not entail that victory was set in stone for them.
Of course, this actually entailed absolute victory most of the time.
There were just a mere few exceptions.
Still, the Long Xueji they had met that day was clearly a Human Exalt who could be this exceptional.
Fu Ting nodded silently, “Perhaps…”
……
The Roving Jade Heavens, a world which was just as vast and endless as the World beyond Worlds.
The spiritual qi here was abundant as boundless phenomena could be seen all around.
Green Duckweed Mountain, named after the sword of the founder of the Prime Clear lineage, the Lord of Numinous Treasure, was precisely the location which housed the orthodox tradition of the Prime Clear direct lineage in the Roving Jade Heavens following the Great Calamity.
In front of a cavern on the mountain currently stood a youth who was sharp and domineering as a sword. This was none other than the Shadow Mountain Sword King Lin Hanhua who had previously left the World beyond Worlds’ Golden Court Mountain.
Now, the figure of a youth wearing white clothes and a jade crown appeared before him without any prior indication whatsoever.
Little Sword God, Long Xueji.
Seeing him, Lin Hanhua bowed respectfully.
“Father.”