Chapter 122: The Sword Immortal Falls into the Mortal Dust, the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion Is Finished, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court
The cold wind howled, sweeping across the skies of Fanzhou. Clouds churned as the Soul-devouring Flood Serpent streaked through the heavens like a bolt of black lightning, vanishing into the distance.
Shen Yanzhou raised his hand and made a gesture. A thin, invisible mist rose and formed a barrier that separated him from Tantai Yuxian’s soul of humanity.
He sat cross-legged, his five hearts facing the sky. A golden radiance surged between his brows, illuminating his cheekbones until even they seemed transparent, sacred and resplendent.
In the next instant, a divine soul phantom, nearly identical to him, stepped forth.
Tantai Yuxian’s human soul stood suspended in the void. Her robes fluttered, her black hair danced freely, and though her gaze appeared cold and tranquil, within it lingered traces of hatred and complex emotion.
“The Dual Cultivation Method is the path of yin and yang between heaven and earth—it will bring you endless benefits in your cultivation,” Shen Yanzhou’s soul said with a faint, mocking smile.
Tantai Yuxian’s eyes frosted over, her voice biting. “Spare me your nonsense. One day, you’ll regret everything you’re doing now.”
Shen Yanzhou sneered. “I’ll see how hard that mouth of yours really is. Since you lack the courage to destroy your own future, why bother putting up this hypocritical facade?”
“You—”
Once again humiliated by him, Tantai Yuxian’s gaze grew even colder. Yet in the end, she said nothing more.
Falling into such a state—she could only accept her fate.
Seeing this, Shen Yanzhou’s smile deepened. He stepped forward, his wide sleeves sweeping out. Though Tantai Yuxian instinctively resisted, her soul body was quickly drawn into his embrace.
Thick fog surged violently, enveloping the two of them in an instant. The boundless void was shrouded; all sight disappeared.
The Sword Immortal had fallen into the mortal dust.
The so-called “Divine Union Method” was nothing more than Shen Yanzhou’s excuse.
After his journey through Wu Prefecture, he was determined to head for the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court to deal with Shen Tian—to drain the last traces of fortune from him.
It wasn’t that Shen Yanzhou took pleasure in cruelty. Rather, Tantai Yuxian was the key figure who could shatter Shen Tian’s mental state completely.
At that same moment, deep within the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court—in the Pure Pavilion.
The snow-white curtains swayed gently as Tantai Yuxian’s true body sat cross-legged upon a meditation mat. Compared to her soul of humanity, her true form was far more tangible, exuding an aura of cold detachment, utterly devoid of mortal desire—like a celestial maiden far above the world, untouchable and sacred.
Yet at this instant, her tightly closed eyes suddenly flew open. Countless strands of sword intent erupted around her.
The vast sword energy roared, blotting out the sky and crushing the heavens, rolling outward like a storm that shook the entire Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court.
Many sword cultivators shot into the air in alarm, gazing toward the Pure Pavilion, completely at a loss as to what was happening.
Even the current Sect Master of the Sword Court soared into the sky, shock written all over his face.
“What could have enraged Elder Yuxian so greatly?”
Tantai Yuxian, who had been in secluded cultivation in the Pure Pavilion for years, was a legendary figure known to all within the Sword Court.
Not to mention the Sect Master—even the veteran sword elders treated her with utmost respect.
She was among the rare few Second-Rank grand sword cultivators of this age, and in terms of attack power, she could even cross ranks to exchange blows with a First-Rank expert of another system for a short time.
In this era, where no First-Rank existed, a Second-Rank sword cultivator was tantamount to invincible beneath heaven.
“Courting death…”
Inside the Pure Pavilion, Tantai Yuxian’s phoenix eyes widened. Her delicate body, seated upon the mat, trembled as though struck by lightning. An icy aura surged from her body, roaring like a tidal wave.
Yet that chill lasted only a moment before her condition abruptly turned strange. A faint crimson blush appeared upon her crystal-clear cheeks. As she tried to stand, her steps faltered, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
The heavenly soul and human soul were one by nature—but through her special technique, she had forcibly separated them. Thus, everything that happened to her human soul now resonated back to her true body.
And the divine soul was even more sensitive than the flesh.
In all her years of cultivation, this was the first time Tantai Yuxian had encountered such a situation. Her entire body stiffened, goosebumps rising across her skin.
“Shen Yanzhou…”
Tantai Yuxian clenched her teeth, suppressing the heat in her chest. The frost emanating from her body seemed cold enough to freeze a thousand miles.
The sudden surge of icy pressure within the Pure Pavilion also startled Shen Tian, who was cultivating in secret within the Sword Court.
At present, he had changed both his appearance and his name—now calling himself Tan Tian.
He was standing before the Sword Shrine, meditating upon a sword form.
Having been taught by Tantai Yuxian since childhood, his comprehension of the sword path was profound. Thus, he easily joined the Sword Court under a false identity as an outer disciple, later earning fame in a grand competition to enter the inner sect.
Shen Tian’s ultimate goal was to become the Sword Heir of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court—so that he could return to the Great Qian Dynasty’s Imperial Capital and reclaim everything that had once been his.
Everything so far was unfolding according to his plan, awaiting only the day his name would shake the world.
“Could it be that Master is in trouble?”
Frowning deeply, Shen Tian rose from the Sword Shrine.
He knew that Tantai Yuxian had been preparing for a breakthrough to First Rank, remaining secluded within the Pure Pavilion for years without leaving even half a step.
Unless something extraordinary had occurred, she would never emerge early—nor unleash such fury.
“No, I must return to the Pure Pavilion. I cannot allow Master to be disturbed.”
Without hesitation, Shen Tian turned to contact his Wet Nurse.
…
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
The Soul-devouring Flood Serpent carried Shen Yanzhou swiftly out of Fanzhou and toward Yun Prefecture.
Relying on his knowledge of the original story, Shen Yanzhou soon located Yunshen Village with little effort and bought several jars of Pear Blossom Wine.
During their journey, he hadn’t spared Tantai Yuxian—both of them continued to “cultivate” the so-called Divine Union Method.
At first, Tantai Yuxian resisted with fierce hatred, wishing nothing more than to kill him.
But Shen Yanzhou cultivated The True Explanation of Primordial Unity, a transcendent art foreign to this world. The divine strength of his soul, in Tantai Yuxian’s eyes, rivaled that of the ancient innate deities spoken of in myths.
How could a soul contain the Breath of Chaos?
How could one temper their divine soul with it—and not have it explode?
Instead, his soul brimmed with endless, self-generating chaos, as though capable of birthing all matter itself.
At one point, she even doubted—was Shen Yanzhou truly human?
Later, she had to admit that during their cultivation, the long-stagnant bottleneck in her divine soul had indeed begun to loosen.
Even the faintest sign of progress was enough to astonish her.
She knew well her current situation—in this age, the fortune of the sword path had withered. To advance further was as hard as ascending the heavens.
Yet through this absurd “Divine Union Method,” she truly saw a glimmer of hope.
It was, impossibly, more effective than her long practice of dividing the human and heavenly souls.
Shen Yanzhou’s divine soul nourished hers in return, and from it she gained much—feeling a higher, purer energy that filled the deficiencies within her own soul.
“Up ahead lies the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court…”
Shen Yanzhou opened his eyes, gazing toward the vast mountain range veiled in clouds and sunlight—the sacred land of the sword, where the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court resided.
Tantai Yuxian’s human soul also opened her eyes, a faint complexity flickering within.
“It has been a long time since I last saw Shen Tian… I must admit, I do miss him somewhat.”
Shen Yanzhou smiled, guiding the Soul-devouring Flood Serpent to land some distance from the Sword Court’s mountain gate.
He didn’t wish to waste time. He walked directly to the gate and produced the identity token of a Thousand-Household Commander of the Chilin Guards of the Great Qian Dynasty.
The disciples guarding the gate dared not neglect him and hurried inside to report.
As a sword sect within the Great Qian’s borders, they understood well what the Chilin Guards represented.
Before long, the Sect Master of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court and several elders arrived, streaking through the sky as sword-light rainbows.
“I wonder what brings Commander Shen to our Sword Court today.”
The Sect Master, named You Hanyin, wore wide robes that framed his tall figure. His gaze shimmered with sword light, the sharp aura of a swordsman surrounding him.
He was no stranger to worldly affairs and naturally recognized Shen Yanzhou—the famed young commander of the Chilin Guards, known throughout the Imperial Capital. Thus, hearing that Shen Yanzhou had come secretly to the Sword Court, he was inwardly alarmed.
At this time, shouldn’t Shen Yanzhou be in the Imperial Capital?
Why come here?
Could it be that he was investigating the Sword Court?
“Must the Chilin Guards explain themselves to Sect Master You when handling official matters?” Shen Yanzhou asked with a faint smile.
You Hanyin’s expression shifted. He knew of Shen Yanzhou’s arrogance and of the Chilin Guards’ ruthless methods, but he hadn’t expected him to be so brazen—even before the Sect Master himself.
Behind You Hanyin, the elders and disciples of the Sword Court all felt their pride bruised.
Some of the younger disciples’ swords hummed sharply on their backs, their eyes gleaming like blades fixed upon Shen Yanzhou—one wrong word, and they would draw.
A swordsman’s essence lay in his sword spirit—unyielding, unbending, never broken even if it must shatter.
“Ha, what? Do you all intend to rebel?”
Shen Yanzhou sneered, his gaze sweeping toward the young disciples glaring at him with hostility. Within his eyes, it was as though two celestial swords descended, and a vast sword intent burst forth, pressing down upon all directions.
In an instant, everyone present—except for You Hanyin—felt as if two divine swords were slashing toward them.
The sword energy roared like crashing waves, suppressing them like the weight of the heavens, pressing so fiercely that their very spines seemed about to shatter.
Several weaker disciples groaned aloud, blood spilling from their noses and mouths as their bodies were swept away like leaves in a storm, thrown flying across the courtyard.
Even the more powerful elders staggered, their faces changing drastically.
You Hanyin’s pupils contracted sharply as he realized the truth, his heart filled with shock and disbelief. The refined young man before him possessed strength so unfathomable that he might already be nearing the very summit of the mortal world.
What kind of monster was this? How could anyone be so terrifyingly strong?
“Commander Shen jests. The Chilin Guards handling a case—how could the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court possibly question it?” You Hanyin quickly replied.
The young disciples who had been flung back were trembling with fear. None of them had expected Shen Yanzhou, who appeared to be their age, to possess such terrifying cultivation—stronger even than their elders.
They lowered their heads at once, no longer daring to meet his gaze.
A moment ago, they had assumed Shen Yanzhou relied merely on his Chilin Guard status. Who would have imagined that his personal strength was even more dreadful?
With such power, arrogance was only natural.
“Take me to the Pure Pavilion.”
“Tantai Yuxian of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court divided her soul into two. One of those souls is entangled in a secret case within the Imperial Capital. I require her cooperation for investigation.”
Shen Yanzhou’s tone was calm and detached.
At those words, You Hanyin’s expression shifted again. The matter of Tantai Yuxian splitting her soul was an absolute secret within the Sword Court. Aside from himself, only two Second-Rank Supreme Elders knew.
For Shen Yanzhou to speak of it publicly could only mean that something had gone wrong with Tantai Yuxian’s other soul.
No wonder there had been such an uproar near the Pure Pavilion a few days ago.
He himself had gone to inquire what had happened, but Clear Mountain had been sealed off, and no one was allowed entry. He could only let the matter rest.
The elders of the Sword Court looked at one another in confusion.
But seeing that their Sect Master made no objection, they realized it was likely some hidden matter beyond their knowledge.
“May I ask, Commander Shen, is this case of great significance?”
You Hanyin dared not show neglect and personally led the way for Shen Yanzhou, though inwardly he was uneasy.
Shen Yanzhou replied lightly, “Not too large, not too small. Sect Master You should know—the Empress’s birthday approaches, yet agents from Beiyu have been conspiring to sabotage it within the capital. The Chilin Guards captured several spies and interrogated them. From their confessions, one name surfaced—Tantai the Sword Immortal.”
Of course, all of this was pure fabrication.
You Hanyin’s expression changed once more, and he sighed inwardly. This was exactly why the Sword Court avoided involvement in imperial factional disputes—one wrong step could drag them into whirlpools from which none could emerge intact.
Before long, news of Commander Shen Yanzhou’s arrival at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court spread widely, stirring commotion everywhere.
Many elders and disciples across the peaks were shocked, especially those from Great Qian noble families studying at the Sword Court.
Thus, word quickly reached the Imperial Capital.
Only then did many realize why Shen Yanzhou had been unseen lately—he had left the Capital altogether.
At that same time, within the Chilin Guards’ Heavenly Prison, Young Duke Liu Fu finally broke under interrogation and confessed to colluding with the Foreign Demon Kingdom.
One by one, the secrets Liu Fu revealed were recorded and promptly submitted to the imperial court by Liu Ci, the Chilin Guards’ Pacifier.
The entire Imperial Capital erupted once more in a storm of uproar.
For this time, Liu Fu’s confession implicated another of the Capital’s great noble houses—
The Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion.
The revelations were explosive, shaking the capital to its core.
Within the Heavenly Prison, Liu Fu wept bitterly, saying he had betrayed the Duke’s Residence, his father, and the Great Qian court itself. For the sake of his own greed, he had conspired with the Demon Suppression King.
Tempted by the benefits promised by the Demon Suppression King, he had secretly used the Duke’s trade routes to smuggle large numbers of southern demons into Great Qian’s borders.
He also described in full detail the scenes he had witnessed of the Demon Suppression King’s dealings with the southern demon kings of various tribes.
Even the recent fall of Yao Pass and the resulting demon tide invasion were recounted clearly—how troops were withdrawn beforehand, how a city was deliberately abandoned…
Following Liu Fu’s testimony, the Chilin Guards raided the Duke’s Residence and discovered hidden records beneath the pillow in his private chamber—detailed ledgers of demon beast smuggling.
The documents recorded exactly when the beasts crossed the borders, when the Demon Suppression Army retreated, where they withdrew, and which node at Yao Pass had fallen—all meticulously noted.
Once these records were presented before the imperial court, the entire capital fell into stunned silence.
Everyone realized—the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion was finished.
No matter how much Emperor Mingde valued Shen Jingxiao, such ironclad evidence could not be denied.
That very day, the Chilin Guards surrounded the mansion. The Demon Suppression King’s heir Shen Tian, the Demon Suppression Princess Consort Yu Chenyu, and numerous clan elders were all taken into custody and imprisoned within the Heavenly Prison.
Shen Zhigao and the others were utterly dumbfounded. None had expected this disaster.
It was beyond everyone’s imagination.
The evidence could not be falsified. Even they believed Liu Fu’s confessions were true—that Shen Jingxiao had kept them all in the dark.
The Demon Suppression King Shen Jingxiao had, coincidentally, left the capital just days earlier, already returning to the Southern Border.
His timing was far too convenient—it was the very day after Liu Fu had been imprisoned.
“Jingxiao, you can’t abandon us…”
Shen Zhigao and the others panicked, convinced that Shen Jingxiao had sensed danger and fled first—sacrificing them to save himself.
That same day, outside the capital, Fu Yuying boarded a carriage bound for the Southern Border.
All of this had been within Shen Yanzhou’s plan. Even knowing beforehand, she still found it shocking and unbelievable.
The Demon Suppression King must now be equally stunned, unable to comprehend how perfectly the timing aligned.
No matter what explanations he gave, no one would believe him.
The most crucial detail lay in the Duke’s Residence controlling the trade routes connecting directly to the Southern Border.
With Liu Fu’s confession and the corroborating records sent by Fu Yuying’s agents from the south, the accusation of collusion with the Foreign Demon Kingdom was now unavoidable.
In truth, the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion was indeed guilty.
Meanwhile, within the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court, Shen Yanzhou received Fu Yuying’s transmission, learning all that had transpired in the capital.
His heart remained calm. He had said he would kill Shen Jingxiao—and this was only the first step.
Outside Clear Mountain—
Under his alias Tan Tian, Shen Tian stood beside his Wet Nurse before a small bamboo hut halfway up the slope.
A twin-tailed young girl stood anxiously by his side, clutching his sleeve as though afraid he would act rashly.
Down at the foot of the mountain, on the bluestone steps, a tall and elegant young man was walking leisurely upward. His black hair flowed freely, his bearing was refined, exuding a natural charisma that drew every gaze.
Even the Sect Master of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court seemed humbled before his radiance.
“Shen Yanzhou…”
Shen Tian nearly ground his teeth to dust as he spat out the name.
Never had he imagined that the man he hated most—his mortal enemy—would one day appear openly at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court, at Clear Mountain itself, escorted by the Sect Master no less.
“Brother Shen Tian, is that the great enemy you spoke of?”
The twin-tailed girl’s voice was soft. She only felt that the otherworldly young man looked striking—so beautiful and composed that one could never forget him.