Chapter Seventeen: He Still Had One More Sword
As soon as he finished speaking, a tremendous force erupted from the ranks of the two hundred boys and girls. It sent flying the generals pinning down Tang Ruowei and the soldiers who had raised their blades. Then another, gentle wave of energy burst forth, lulling the remaining children to sleep.
"Hmph. My child, during my reign, I expanded Shangxuan's borders, adding two-thirds to the kingdom's territory. But the more I waged war, the more I realized that mortals had their limits."
"I'm not like you!"
Sima Yingbo also tried to persuade him. "Knowing when to retreat and when to bend—that's the proper way to conduct oneself. Besides, if His Majesty the True Ancestor grows stronger, that will be a great boon for Shangxuan."
Sword in hand, Tang Ruowei sprang into the air, pushed off the Mausoleum Guardian Beast at the Imperial Mausoleum, and landed before the two lines of soldiers.
Bai Qiuran tilted his head as he looked at her, saying nothing.
Tang Ruowei called out to stop him.
"You idiot."
"Hmph. You've got quite a temper."
Tang Ruowei stared at him in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"
"You know him?"
At that moment, a furious shout rang out from within the Imperial Mausoleum.
Tang Ruowei swung her sword downward. A streak of Sword Qi shot out, cutting down a line of soldiers.
"Where did you get that idea?"
Tang Zhouxie replied lazily, "I don't need people who won't obey. Besides, we've already transcended the mortal world and become Cultivators. We don't need to trouble ourselves over mortal relationships. If you want beautiful women, there'll be plenty in the future, whether from other kingdoms or the Cultivation World. Once you grow stronger, you can have them all. As for this disobedient girl, just eat her. You've done well by finding boys, girls, and Yao Mo for me. This is your reward."
"Qi Refining Stage?"
"You're the one who's full of hot air," Tang Ruowei snapped. "No decent person would say such a thing!"
A three-foot blade gleamed with cold light, steady as a mountain.
He raised his voice. "I have three thousand soldiers, sixteen retainers, and cultivation three levels above yours. I don't need to lift a finger. One word from me, and you'll lose your head. How can you possibly fight me?"
The voice made a brazen declaration.
"Bullshit!"
"Hm?"
"But Bai Qiuran still had one more sword in his hand."
Sima Yingbo's face, too, showed his astonishment.
Sima Yingbo took a Command Flag from inside his robe, then pointed at the two hundred boys and girls below the platform.
"Who goes there?" Tang Zhouxie spread his arms.
Once they realized something was wrong, quite a few of the children had tried to run. But the formation beneath their feet held them fast. When Tang Zhouxie turned his gaze toward them, the children burst into tears; a few of the more timid ones even wet themselves.
"You're still only a Qi Refining Stage cultivator, while I'm just one step away from forming a Golden Core," Tang Zhouxie said with a chuckle. "Attack."
"Master."
Tang Zhouxie burst into laughter.
Tang Zhouxie replied lazily, "I'm the emperor, and they're commoners. The people should devote themselves to their sovereign, body and soul, and die for him if need be. Becoming my blood food and helping me improve my cultivation is their honor."
Several generals stepped out of the ranks, drew their weapons, and lunged at Tang Ruowei. They were all martial masters at the Qi Refining Stage. Outnumbered, Tang Ruowei quickly fell behind and was captured.
She ran to the dazed Shangxuan Emperor and drew the long sword at his waist, worn for ceremonial purposes.
There were plenty of generals at the Qi Refining Stage among the army, and all sixteen retainers were experts at the middle stages of Qi Refining and beyond.
Tang Zhouxie asked.
Bai Qiuran's expression darkened.
"It's him?"
"You're the one who's full of hot air!" Tang Zhouxie's face fell.
Tang Zhouxie compared the two approaches in his mind and realized that Bai Qiuran's way was indeed much better.
"Sima Yingbo, you'll always be a coward."
"Good."
"Who's the one full of hot air?"
But the voice ignored him and continued, "Drinking royal blood can help you reach Foundation Establishment? How come I've never heard of that? You young fool, you practice a crooked, incomplete technique, and now you're standing here, pontificating about Foundation Establishment? The Demonic Path is the Demonic Path. You rely on harming others to benefit yourself to improve your cultivation, then expect to reach Foundation Establishment? Do you know how difficult it is to establish your foundation? Don't you dare look down on Foundation Establishment!"
"Master..."
The blade reflected a brilliant gleam, golden True Qi winding around it.
Tang Zhouxie nodded with satisfaction and waved his hand. "Begin. Bring me their blood."
Tang Zhouxie snorted. "I'm already at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Why can't I teach someone else how to reach it?"
Upholding righteousness and vanquishing evil was every Qingming Sect disciple's duty. The righteous path was a set of values that would remain unchanged even as time passed.
"Is something wrong?"
"Besides, look at the way you've arranged things today. You mean to use this blood food to break through to the Golden Core, don't you? But even I, a righteous cultivator, can't stand how full of holes this setup is! Don't you know the formation needs to be adjusted according to Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage? And you claim to understand Foundation Establishment? You only reached it because you got lucky as a dog!"
Tang Ruowei glanced at him, her eyes full of contempt.
"Don't move!"
Tang Ruowei pushed herself up with her sword and gave a bitter smile. "You have to know your own strength when vanquishing demons. This place is surrounded by thousands of Shangxuan's soldiers and half its experts."
"So what if you've reached the Foundation Establishment Stage? You don't understand Foundation Establishment at all!"
A breeze stirred his sleeves, making them snap in the wind. Bai Qiuran showed no fear, just as he had that day in the cave at Mang Mountain, when he'd stood in front of Tang Ruowei.
"What I'm trying to say is... I stopped being human a long time ago."
He traced a circle on the ground and drew a simple formation to protect Tang Ruowei. Then he stepped forward twice and looked up at Tang Zhouxie.
Tang Zhouxie snorted, raised a finger, and beckoned.
She ran up to Tang Zhouxie and demanded, brows raised, "True Ancestor, you were once the emperor of Shangxuan. Why are you now slaughtering Shangxuan's people?"
She ran to the blank-faced Shangxuan Emperor and drew the sword at his waist, worn for ceremonial purposes.
Just like the sky now: even when dark clouds obscured it, blending black and white beneath their gloomy cover, in every era, black could never become white. Slaughtering the innocent and bullying the weak would never earn praise.
"Ptooey!"
The two lines of soldiers kept advancing. Their gleaming blades reflected the terrified faces of the children, who trembled where they stood.
"Your Highness—stop!"
"So what?"
"I came here to vanquish demons and uphold righteousness."
"Not only am I a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage, I'm also the Emperor of Shangxuan."
Tang Zhouxie smiled. "Drink her blood, and your chances of reaching Foundation Establishment will improve greatly."
He untied the iron sword at his waist, drew it, and pointed its tip toward the ground.
Sima Yingbo hastily bowed. "Your Highness the Princess is young and hot-tempered. She's your descendant, after all. Please leave her to this disciple. I'll make sure she learns to obey."
Bai Qiuran silently looked around. The thousands of Imperial Guards within the mausoleum had all been taken over by Tang Zhouxie and were closing in around them. Beyond them, outside the Imperial Mausoleum, an army guarding it had also sealed off their escape.
"Bai Qiuran?"
"Master, he's only a cultivator at the Qi Refining Stage."
"I once met him at Mang Mountain." Sima Yingbo let out a sigh of relief.
"Yingbo, have you forgotten what I taught you?"
"What are you trying to say?!"
"Wait!"
At his command, two lines of soldiers stepped out from the ranks below the platform, drew their gleaming curved blades, and advanced toward the boys and girls.
A boy with a furious expression stepped out from among the children. With each step, he grew an inch taller, and his hair gradually changed color. After a series of sharp cracks and pops, he reached Tang Ruowei, transformed into Bai Qiuran, white-haired and white-browed.
Boom!
Even after being captured, the Grand Princess refused to bow her head. She spat crudely, then glared sideways at her ancestor and the traitor, seething with hatred.
"I have not only unified Guzhou, but even the mortal world across the Ten Lands of Jiuzhou. Yet there's still a group of people lording it over me. No matter how many soldiers I command, how sharp their weapons are, or how thick their armor is, they can't stand against those Immortals, who soar through the skies and can kill with a single careless sword strike. I won't accept that. As the Human Emperor, I'm more capable and talented than other people. I deserve to stand above them."
"Your Highness."
Tang Zhouxie paid his descendant no further attention. He looked up at the sky, then turned to Sima Yingbo and asked, "I'm hungry. Have you found the blood food I asked you to look for?"
When he saw Bai Qiuran's expression, he asked, "Well? What do you think, you ignorant young fool?"
"Coward, hiding your head like a turtle."
"True enough. Unlike you, Bai Qiuran has no power, no followers, no backing, and only the cultivation of someone at the Qi Refining Stage."
Sima Yingbo hesitated, visibly torn for several seconds, then bowed. "Yes. Thank you, Master."
"Good. You're about to reach Foundation Establishment, too. Once you do, you can officially begin cultivating the Blood God Immortal Technique."
Bai Qiuran replied with a faint smile.
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