Chiyou's Demon Sword

Just as the Qin Army was about to attack, the Temple square in Rōran City was packed with people and bustling with activity.

At the Temple's summons, ordinary residents of Rōran left their homes and gathered in the square beneath the goddess statue, awaiting the grand sacrificial ceremony that Rōran's high priestess would personally preside over.

"It's been a long time since we held such a grand ceremony."

"Yes, what could have happened to warrant this?"

"I heard from my older brother, who serves as a guard at the Temple, that they captured enemies who invaded Rōran."

Unaware of the truth, the people of Rōran chattered among themselves, while those with connections flaunted their inside information. Only when the high priestess appeared on the goddess statue's palm with Tianming and the others did they fall silent.

"People of Rōran, our city was built in the desert. For thousands of years, it has endured every kind of calamity. The loss of the Dragon Soul years ago brought an unprecedented disaster upon Rōran. We could only watch helplessly as the desert crept closer and swallowed our towns."

The high priestess's emotional speech struck a chord with the people below. The disasters Rōran had suffered over the years remained vivid in their minds, impossible to forget even now.

Once the crowd's emotions had settled somewhat, the high priestess pointed her staff at Xiao Li, Tianming, and the others, then declared passionately, "This time, the wisdom bestowed upon us by our ancestors has protected us once again. It allowed us to see through our enemies' schemes and capture the invader from the Chiyou Clan and her three accomplices."

"Damn the Chiyou Clan!"

"Kill them!"

"Yes, kill those villains from the Chiyou Clan!"

The Chiyou Clan was Rōran's sworn enemy. Driven by hatred, the people called upon the high priestess to inflict the harshest punishment upon them.

The high priestess gestured for silence and continued, "While thwarting our enemies' plot, we also recovered the Dragon Soul, which had been lost for so many years."

Taking the little divine beast Pixiu, which held the Dragon Soul's power, from a guard, the high priestess recited the incantation passed down through generations at the Temple.

"When stars fall and mountains and rivers lose their light,

The Goddess's Tear becomes a dragon in the heavens.

Draw power from the flames, point the sword at the wicked king,

Together, with one great deed, save our homeland."

As the high priestess finished the incantation, the sleeping little Pixiu rose high into the air and settled into the forehead of the enormous goddess statue.

Activated by the Dragon Soul's power, the goddess statue began to perform its purpose. Vast quantities of clear water poured out of thin air beneath the goddess's Temple behind it, flowing into Crescent Lake within Rōran City.

While the people of Rōran rejoiced at the goddess statue's restoration, the Qin Army that had marched to the outskirts of Rōran City launched its attack under Wei Zhuang's command.

Much of the credit for Qin's conquest of the six states and unification of the realm belonged to its loyal, courageous soldiers.

Although their individual strength fell far short of martial artists, once they assembled into a large-scale Qin Battle Formation, even Kazuhiko Uchiha at his current level dared not underestimate their power.

The Rōran soldiers, who had lived in their secluded paradise, collapsed almost at first contact with the ferocious Black-Armored Qin Army, utterly incapable of resisting.

With little effort, the outer and inner cities fell in succession. Only the crowded Temple square remained in the hands of the people of Rōran, who knew nothing of the Qin Army's arrival.

"I'll take the Dragon Soul. You handle everything else." Seeing the Dragon Soul, Gai Nie, and the others on the goddess statue, Wei Zhuang left them with those words, then pushed off a wall and leaped toward the statue.

"Hehehe, Lord Wei Zhuang certainly is impatient. All troops, surround the square and eliminate every enemy. Another squad, follow me into the Temple. Let's meet Rōran's ruler."

After Wei Zhuang left, Gongshu Chou took command. Once he had assigned the Qin Army its tasks, he entered the enormous Temple above under the protection of Kazuhiko Uchiha and the others.

"Who's there?!"

Only after they entered the Temple did its slow-witted guards notice the intruders. Against the powerful Qin Army, however, they followed their comrades from the inner and outer cities to their deaths, making a considerable contribution to the Qin soldiers' advancement in rank.

After disposing of all the Temple guards, the group reached the goddess statue's palm, where they found the high priestess and Tianming's group bound.

"Hehehehe, we meet again."

Gongshu Chou sneered at Tianming and the others, then ordered the Qin soldiers behind him, "Capture the high priestess alive. She's still useful to us. As for the rest, kill them all. Leave no survivors."

A small squad of Qin soldiers advanced at his command, only to be swiftly wiped out by Tianming and the others. Just as Gongshu Chou was about to ask Kazuhiko Uchiha and his companions to act, Wei Zhuang, who had moved ahead of them, reached the goddess statue's forehead.

Wei Zhuang removed the Dragon Soul from the goddess statue and tossed it down to Lesser Siming for safekeeping. Then he leaped onto the statue's head and drove his sword forcefully into its crown.

With a boom, the tremendous force shattered the goddess statue's head, sending it crashing toward the palm where everyone stood.

Seeing this, Gai Nie immediately leaped to the top of the goddess statue and began fighting his junior fellow disciple, Wei Zhuang.

Kazuhiko Uchiha ignored the Ghost Valley Brothers and their love-hate struggle. In a flash, he seized Rōran's high priestess and Xiao Li in the distance, then followed Gongshu Chou and the others back into the safety of the Temple.

Seeing that Tianming and the other companion were in danger, Gai Nie exchanged a blow with Wei Zhuang, then took both of them and leaped into Crescent Lake, escaping underwater.

Their escape had little effect on the mission, so Gongshu Chou did not send Qin soldiers after them. Instead, he interrogated the Temple personnel and obtained information about the Chiyou Sword and the War Demon God.

Lesser Siming used Yin-Yang Arts to extract the Dragon Soul from little Pixiu's body, then handed it to Gongshu Chou, who was responsible for activating the War Demon God.

Led by Gongshu Chou, the group reached the sealing grounds deep in the mountains outside Rōran City, where they saw the Chiyou Sword sealed by countless black iron chains and ancient runes.

Wei Zhuang gazed spellbound at the Chiyou Sword, which radiated an intense aura of bloodlust, and murmured, "Is this the legendary Chiyou Sword that severed ten million heads and was hailed as the Lord of a Hundred Weapons?"

"Indeed. This is the Chiyou Sword of our Chiyou Clan." Kazuhiko Uchiha moved in front of Wei Zhuang, blocking his view, and used the identity assigned to him by the system to assert ownership of the divine weapon.

"This sword doesn't belong solely to the Chiyou Clan. It belongs to whoever is strong enough to master it." Wei Zhuang had clearly set his heart on the Chiyou Sword and had no intention of yielding it to Kazuhiko Uchiha.

"Master it? Hehehehe. Then go ahead and try. Let's see whether you can master it."

Remembering how Wei Zhuang had been demonized under the Chiyou Sword's control in the original story, Kazuhiko Uchiha gave a cold laugh and stepped aside to clear the way.

Wei Zhuang approached the Chiyou Sword and swung Shark Teeth, severing the chains that bound it and releasing it from its seal.

Freed from the seal, the Chiyou Sword let out an excited growl like a wild beast. It turned into a streak of blood-red light and slaughtered the Qin soldiers who had entered the hall, hungrily drinking their blood.

After drinking its fill of blood, the Chiyou Sword rose again and shot toward Wei Zhuang, who caught its blade in a firm grip.

After a brief struggle, the Chiyou Sword allowed Wei Zhuang to grasp its hilt. Its bloody aura seeped through the hilt into him, granting him power while enslaving him to the sword.

Demonic markings of the Chiyou Clan appeared across Wei Zhuang's body, looking distinctly sinister. Unaware that the Chiyou Sword already controlled him, he reveled in the immense power coursing through his body.

Once Wei Zhuang left with the Chiyou Sword to seek Gai Nie, Gongshu Chou used the Dragon Soul's power to awaken the War Demon God. The mightiest weapon of war from ancient times appeared before the world once more.