Chapter 886: Sacred Sword
Bi Linglong was completely baffled. She had no idea what in the world Zu An was doing right now. He had asked them who they thought the strongest was, and then said that he was that person? What does that mean? Don’t tell me he really thinks this will scare Xu Fu away?
Mi Li was also confused, but she had already stuck around Zu An for so long, so there were almost no secrets between them. She quickly recalled the Keyboard Come skill and was horrified.
Even though Keyboard Come could speak things into existence, the side-effects were just as crazy! With Zu An’s current soul, he couldn't use it much at all, and he could only use it for some smaller tricks. And yet right now, he was going to become Ying Zheng? Even if he really managed to kill Xu Fu, he wouldn’t be able to escape the powerful rebound! He might burst into ashes immediately…
She was about to stop him, but she saw that he had already used the skill. Her expression became extremely conflicted. He clearly could have run, but he did this just because he didn’t want me to self-destruct… But does he not know that because of our life and death pact, if he dies, I’ll die too?!
But she felt relieved soon afterward. Dying like this wasn’t so bad. At the very least, they were going to fight to the death.
Xu Fu was stunned at first, but he roared with laughter immediately afterward. “Is it you who has gone crazy, or is it me? Do you really think that you’ve become Ying Zheng after saying that?”
Zu An didn’t reply. Instead, he stared coldly at Xu Fu. Xu Fu was about to mock him again when his expression changed. He sensed the other party’s change in aura.
A loud explosion suddenly rang out nearby. Those present subconsciously turned around. They saw that the lid of the coffin under the five-colored tree had flown into the air, as if it had been kicked flying by someone.
Xu Fu frowned. He looked in that direction in utter shock as a faint soul body flew out from within. Mi Li’s eyes widened in shock. Even though its form was blurry, she could still tell that it was precisely what Ying Zheng had looked like in the past.
Xu Fu didn’t dare to show the slightest bit of carelessness. He quickly waved his hand. Several tentacles took form from the pool of blood and flew toward the soul body. So what if it was Ying Zheng’s soul? His formation specialized in suppressing souls!
Unfortunately, the soul seemed to be completely intangible. The tentacles passed right through it. It soon arrived by Zu An’s side and entered his body.
What the hell was going on? Xu Fu was stunned. He could vaguely sense that an even higher order of power was breaking through the laws of the world.
Zu An finally opened his eyes again. However, the expression in his eyes wasn’t that of his usual playful and unruly self, but rather one of ruthless power.
“Xu Fu!” Zu An spoke. However, his voice was completely different from his usual one.
Bi Linglong subconsciously backed up. Even though this man’s appearance hadn’t changed, she felt an unprecedented feeling of estrangement. In the past, she had always thought that Zu An was a bit too frivolous and indecent. But when she saw the dignified and steadfast man before her, she suddenly felt that the previous Zu An was better.
Mi Li was also looking at Zu An with a complicated expression. This man’s presence and voice were completely identical to that man from the past.
Xu Fu’s heart pounded. He subconsciously backed up, but he quickly felt ashamed. What the hell do I have to be scared of? He straightened his back and stuck out his chest before looking at the other party again. “Ying Zheng?”
Zu An said coldly, “Preposterous. You dare call this emperor by my name?”
Xu Fu roared with laughter. “Do you still think you’re the first emperor who unified the world? Wake up; the times have already changed.”
Zu An frowned and looked around him, as if he were trying to recall something. His expression turned cold when he saw Mi Li. “Empress, you’re here as well?”
Mi Li remarked with a snort, “What, you didn’t expect me to escape that seal? Even though I hated you for sealing me before, I’ve always felt respect for you. Who could have thought that you had actually been betrayed by your own people and toyed with like this. To be honest, I have nothing but contempt for you now.”
Zu An’s brows were filled with anger when he heard what she said. However, he looked as if he had remembered something. He didn’t direct his anger at Mi Li and instead turned around to look at Xu Fu again. He was like a tiger eyeing his prey.
Xu Fu reacted to what had happened too. “I didn’t expect that brat to actually be able to summon your soul in this way.”
“Soul summoning?” Bi Linglong realized what was happening as well. So Ah Zu summoned Ying Zheng’s soul! My goodness, I thought he became someone else.
Only Mi Li alone knew that wasn’t the case. But to a certain degree, it was close enough.
Zu An looked at Xu Fu as if he were looking at an ant. “Speak; have you decided how you want to die yet?”
“Were you expecting me to get on my knees and beg for mercy?” It was as if Xu Fu had heard the funniest joke. “I really might have felt fear if it were in the past, but now…” He paused for a moment. His voice also became cold. “Even though we suffered disastrous losses back then, you lost everything. For fear that we would use your body for this formation, you even destroyed your own body. Your soul has also scattered into nothing.”
Xu Fu frowned as he spoke. Back then, he had even made sure that there was nothing left of Ying Zheng. So what was the deal with this fractured soul? Even so, Ying Zheng’s strength was already incomparably weaker than before, so he didn’t mind those details too much as he remarked, “All that’s left is a soul fragment attached to the body of another. You have but a tenth of your past strength. I really want to know where you’re getting your confidence from!”
“It looks like you’re quite confident. Do you feel as if this emperor can’t do anything to you?” Zu An retorted mockingly.
Xu Fu stood with his arms behind him and exclaimed proudly, “Is this not the case?”
“This emperor was indeed deceived by you back then, but I sensed that something was off toward the end. That was why I sealed up the empress beforehand.” Zu An gave Mi Li a look as he spoke, and Mi Li looked away. He continued, “I left behind half of my legacy for someone fated to obtain it in the future, and then I told them to find Westhound Tomb. That was all precisely so that if something unexpected did happen, they could lend this emperor a hand.”
Mi Li suddenly realized what had happened. No wonder there had been so many trials set up, and that soul fragment had urged Zu An to find Westhound Tomb!
The dangers here weren’t something that could be faced if a mediocre person obtained his legacy. Only someone like Zu An could defy the heavens and change his fate. Unfortunately, he lacked the time to grow.
Xu Fu saw through that point as well. He laughed and said, “What a pity. The one you waited for all this time for wasn’t anything special.” He had obviously noticed that Zu An cultivated the Primordial Origin Sutra after facing him all that time. But so what?
He didn’t want to stall for time anymore. His arms unfolded, and the pool of blood became chaotic. Endless blood tentacles shot out from behind him. “I could kill you back then, so I can naturally kill you a second time now!”
Following his movements, the entire place became dyed blood red. The terrifying pressure made it difficult to even breathe for someone like Bi Linglong with weaker cultivation.
But Zu An looked as if he hadn’t even noticed anything happening. He muttered, “His cultivation is a bit lower than I expected, but it’s barely enough.” He reached his hand out. “Sword, come!”
The Tai’e Sword that had been dropped earlier vibrated. Then it whizzed over, turning into a streak of light and flying into his hand.
Xu Fu’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t pay it too much attention. “The Tai’e Sword is a great treasure, but you’re no longer the same first emperor as before! Your cultivation is far from the past. Forget about a single Tai’e Sword, it wouldn’t make a difference even if you had ten.”
Zu An gently caressed the Tai’e Sword. He looked as if he had reunited with an old partner. “You only understand common swords that cleave necks and pierce innards, so of course you can’t comprehend the true power of this sacred sword.”
He intoned, “The sacred sword divides the clouds above from the earth below. When this sword makes its appearance, all nobles will rise up, and the world will submit.” As his fingers caressed the blade, the Tai’e Sword’s vibrations became louder and louder. It formed the sound of jubilant cheering!
He raised the sword high up, and it erupted with blinding radiance. Voices called out, “How can we remain as ghosts past the nine springs? We shall be free from the shackles of soil once more! The soldiers of Great Qin will heed your call!”