Chapter 298: Just One Sword

["Spend more time comprehending the sword intent I left at the peak."]

[You added, and your figure vanished from the spot.]

[Only the deeply reverent True Monarch Tianshuang and the other sword cultivator True Monarchs remained.]

["The Sword Lord... has left..."]

[True Monarch Tianshuang steadied himself and exchanged glances with the other sword cultivator True Monarchs.]

[Only after seeing you with their own eyes did they fully confirm that the Sword Dao Lineage had birthed a sword cultivator Heavenly Monarch.]

[In the west of the Central Continent lay the sacred land of the Soul Dao Lineage, home to the Soul Capital.]

[The Soul Capital was a massive immortal city spanning hundreds of thousands of miles, resembling a giant True Spirit beast lying prone and exuding a soul-stirring aura.]

[Beneath the Soul Capital lay the Human Realm's only Youming Earth Vein. Influenced by this vein, the Soul Capital had become an exceptionally ideal environment for soul cultivators, which was why it had evolved into the sacred land of the Soul Dao Lineage.]

[The entire Soul Capital was shrouded in layers of Tier 5 grand arrays, allowing this soul dao sanctuary to flourish.]

[The subterranean Youming Earth Vein produced an abundance of soul dao treasures and spiritual items capable of enhancing a cultivator's soul. These were not only beneficial to soul cultivators but also offered significant help to those on other paths—dharma cultivation, body cultivation, talisman cultivation, pill cultivation, and more.]

[Regardless of the path, the soul was the foundation of all living beings. A powerful soul boosted any form of cultivation.]

[Therefore, a massive number of cultivators gathered in the Soul Capital at all hours to trade various soul dao spiritual items and wondrous objects.]

[Furthermore, with Heavenly Monarch Wanhua holding the fort, many hidden dangers were eliminated, allowing the Soul Capital to prosper even further.]

[At the center of the Soul Capital lay a giant rift leading straight down to the Youming Earth Vein.]

[Core soul cultivators of the Soul Dao Lineage continuously entered and exited. As a top-tier auxiliary branch ranked alongside the pill, talisman, array, and artifact paths, the Soul Dao Lineage was flourishing as never before. Traveling soul cultivators could walk unopposed through the Central Continent, provided they avoided disciples of the Dharma and Body Lineages.]

[A figure quickly arrived before the giant rift.]

[A figure wearing a black robe walked out of the rift and asked, "Great Grandmaster Rank Situ, why are you so anxious?"]

[The Great Grandmaster Rank Situ he mentioned was a Fourth Tier High Grade divination grandmaster cultivated by the Soul Dao Lineage, one who had mastered the many heavenly secret foundations they had left behind.]

[The current generation of the Soul Dao Lineage lacked a Tier 5 Divination Heavenly Master to hold the fort. However, by relying on the methods and foundations left by past Divination Heavenly Masters, even a Fourth Tier High Grade divination grandmaster could provide significant heavenly secret concealment and protection for the lineage.]

[Great Grandmaster Rank Situ said in a deep voice, "Capital Lord, the Mirror of Heaven's Secrets is showing an omen of great disaster..." The Mirror of Heaven's Secrets had been left behind over a hundred thousand years ago by a Divination Heavenly Master of the Soul Dao Lineage, and it was connected to the providence of the Soul Capital.]

[At the time, that Divination Heavenly Master had warned that if the Mirror of Heaven's Secrets showed any reaction, they must take it absolutely seriously.]

[For over a hundred thousand years, the Mirror of Heaven's Secrets had remained calm, until just recently, when Great Grandmaster Rank Situ discovered it giving a warning of great disaster.]

[The black-robed Capital Lord fell silent. "An omen of great disaster?" This was the Soul Capital, the sacred land of the Soul Dao Lineage. Untold numbers of powerful soul cultivators held the fort here. Layers of Tier 5 grand arrays filled the area, and they even had the protection of Heavenly Monarch Wanhua.]

[An omen of great disaster? What disaster could possibly threaten the Soul Capital?]

[Could Ethereal Peak be making a move against the Soul Dao Lineage? That shouldn't be the case. The Soul Dao Lineage had always maintained a good relationship with Ethereal Peak. Why would they attack the Soul Capital?]

[The black-robed Capital Lord looked at Great Grandmaster Rank Situ, wanting to ask if something had gone wrong with the Mirror of Heaven's Secrets, but he ultimately held his tongue. When it concerned a Divination Heavenly Master from the Soul Dao Lineage's past, later generations of soul cultivators dared not be disrespectful.]

["I will report this to the Heavenly Monarch immediately," the black-robed Capital Lord said. He turned right around to enter the rift and pay his respects to Heavenly Monarch Wanhua, who was cultivating within the Youming Earth Vein.]

[Of the two Heavenly Monarchs in the Soul Dao Lineage, Heavenly Monarch Wanhua was in secluded cultivation within the Youming Earth Vein, while the other was absent from the Soul Capital.]

[A moment later, the black-robed Capital Lord hurried back up. Looking at Great Grandmaster Rank Situ, he said, "The Heavenly Monarch has emerged from seclusion and is taking this matter very seriously. I will now activate the many Tier 5 grand arrays in the Soul Capital at full power and expel all cultivators who are not part of the Soul Dao Lineage."]

[The black-robed Capital Lord paused for a moment before continuing, "I will operate all the Tier 5 grand arrays at full capacity. The Heavenly Monarch also wishes to see exactly who can bring an omen of great disaster upon our Soul Dao Lineage."]

[The Capital Lord's last sentence was a direct quote from Heavenly Monarch Wanhua. Clearly, the Heavenly Monarch took the looming disaster very seriously and had made ample preparations.]

[Great Grandmaster Rank Situ's heart settled. "That is good." Expelling all outside cultivators would at least eliminate any hidden internal dangers, ensuring the threat remained on the outside.]

[With all the Soul Capital's Tier 5 grand arrays fully activated, and with Heavenly Monarch Wanhua standing guard, Great Grandmaster Rank Situ breathed a sigh of relief.]

[With such rigorous preparations, Great Grandmaster Rank Situ could find no flaws.]

[Buzz. Layers of array power suddenly surged across the hundreds of thousands of miles of the Soul Capital.]

[In that instant, under the vast power of the grand arrays, every non-soul cultivator was summarily expelled, reappearing outside the Soul Capital.]

[Only the countless soul cultivators of their own lineage remained within.]

["What happened?"]

["Why am I outside?"]

[The cultivators were bewildered. They had just been inside the Soul Capital, and some of them even owned businesses there.]

[After hundreds of thousands, even millions of years of development, the Soul Capital had long since become a massive cultivator hub fashioned after an immortal city.]

[Very quickly, some cultivators noticed that the Tier 5 grand arrays spanning the hundreds of thousands of miles of the Soul Capital were operating at full capacity, cascading layers of defensive light barriers. "The Soul Capital expelled us."]

["What is the Soul Dao Lineage trying to do?"]

["Unclear. Did they encounter an enemy?"]

["What enemy? A Heavenly Monarch? Even a Heavenly Monarch wouldn't force the Soul Dao Lineage to act like this. They have their own Heavenly Monarch. Heavenly Monarch Wanhua, who holds the fort in the Soul Capital, even advanced to the Deity Transformation Middle Stage not long ago..."]

[The numerous cultivators discussed the matter in low voices, constantly guessing at the possibilities.]

[And right amidst the crowd of cultivators, space twisted slightly, and you appeared in silence.]

[You looked into the distance at the massive immortal city spanning hundreds of thousands of miles, noticing its fully operational Tier 5 grand array defenses. "The Soul Capital?"]

["Did they sense the danger in advance through foresight and divination?" You weren't surprised by the Soul Capital's actions. The path of Divination observed heavenly secrets and the future; if they possessed methods left by a Tier 5 Divination Heavenly Master, sensing danger before it arrived was perfectly normal.]

[Suddenly, your heart stirred, and you looked in another direction.]

[A man dressed as a middle-aged scholar stood in the crowd, glaring at the distant Soul Capital with a cold, gloomy gaze.]

[In a flash, you appeared beside the middle-aged scholar and carefully sized him up.]

[The middle-aged scholar's heart jolted. "Who are you?" He stared fixedly at you, faintly finding you familiar, before finally saying in disbelief, "Are you Wuyou?"]

[The middle-aged scholar was deeply moved. Although you had grown up significantly, the contours of your brow matched his memories.]

["Elder Yang," you said.]

[The middle-aged scholar before your eyes was none other than Elder Yang, who had fled with you via Artifact Forging Valley's Minor Teleportation Array decades ago.]

[At the time, knowing the enemy would pursue you, Elder Yang had intentionally split up and left behind traces to buy you a sliver of survival.]

["Wuyou, it really is you." The middle-aged man wept tears of joy, subconsciously ignoring how you had managed to recognize him.]

[The current Elder Yang was completely different from the Elder Yang of the past. Decades ago, Elder Yang had undergone soul possession and survived with a brand-new identity. In both appearance and build, he was vastly different from before.]

[Elder Yang's eyes turned red. "I always thought you were dead..." He had later visited the Bixin Lake Lu Family, only to find that they had long since been wiped out as well. He assumed you had perished alongside them.]

[Over the past few decades, Elder Yang had blamed himself constantly. After all, having you seek refuge with the Lu family had been his idea.]

["Wuyou, how have you been all these years?" Elder Yang took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.]

["Not bad," you nodded slightly.]

["That's good. That's good," Elder Yang muttered to himself.]

[Then, Elder Yang suddenly remembered something. His lips moved slightly as he communicated via voice transmission, "Wuyou, back then, True Monarch Chiyun destroyed our Artifact Forging Valley for the sole purpose of claiming the subterranean Flame Crystal Mine."]

["Unfortunately for him, the Valley Master had long since taken the Flame Crystal Mine Core nurtured within the mine and hidden it. After I survived, I recovered that Flame Crystal Mine Core..."]

["That Flame Crystal Mine Core was a Tier 5 resource of incredible value. Through an auction house, I bartered it for a Fifth-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman."]

["This spirit talisman is extremely special. It was created by a certain Heavenly Master of the Talisman Dao Lineage, and even a Core Formation Stage cultivator like myself can activate it..."]

[Elder Yang gazed coldly at the distant Soul Capital. "For the past few decades, I've been requesting an audience with True Monarch Chiyun under the pretext of offering him a treasure. The moment he leaves seclusion and summons me, I will activate that Tier 5 spirit talisman. I will avenge the Valley Master and the disciples of Artifact Forging Valley..."]

[As a Mid Nascent Soul Stage soul cultivator, it was perfectly normal for True Monarch Chiyun to remain in secluded cultivation for decades. Thus, Elder Yang had simply waited.]

[As long as they met face-to-face, the might of the Fifth-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman would undoubtedly kill the Mid Nascent Soul Stage True Monarch Chiyun.]

[Of course, Elder Yang wouldn't survive either. Whether from True Monarch Chiyun's dying counterattack or the subsequent fury of the other soul cultivators, Elder Yang was doomed.]

[But Elder Yang didn't care. As long as he could kill True Monarch Chiyun and avenge the disciples of Artifact Forging Valley, what did death matter?]

[If he feared death, he would have hidden far away long ago. Why else would he dare to come to the Soul Capital?]

["Wuyou, you... reached the Core Formation Stage?" Elder Yang finally processed his shock, looking at you in disbelief.]

[Overwhelmed by the sudden realization that you were still alive, he hadn't even noticed how you appeared.]

[Now that he had recovered, he realized he couldn't see through your cultivation, naturally assuming you had also reached the Core Formation Stage.]

[After all, as a Core Formation Stage cultivator himself, he could see through Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators at a glance.]

[Elder Yang's expression fluctuated. He was pleasantly surprised; he knew you were only sixty years old.]

[A sixty-year-old Core Formation Stage cultivator was absolutely a True Monarch seedling.]

[Beneath the surprise, however, hesitation welled up in his heart. With your aptitude and proper nurturing, you definitely had hope of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.]

[But if he used the Fifth-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman to perish alongside True Monarch Chiyun, what would happen to you? He had bought that talisman with the Flame Crystal Mine Core. If he traded it for resources to aid your cultivation, wouldn't that be far more useful than killing True Monarch Chiyun?]

[Even if True Monarch Chiyun died, Artifact Forging Valley couldn't be brought back. But as long as you lived and progressed, becoming a Nascent Soul Stage True Monarch the likes of which the valley had never seen, the Valley Master's spirit would rest content and without regrets.]

[Yet for all these years, Elder Yang had survived solely on his hatred for True Monarch Chiyun. Could he really give up on revenge now?]

[Elder Yang's expression shifted, a fierce struggle raging in his heart.]

["Elder Yang..." you finally spoke.]

["Wuyou, what is it?" Elder Yang snapped back to reality.]

["True Monarch Chiyun destroyed our Artifact Forging Valley, yet you merely wish to kill him for revenge, Elder Yang?" Your gaze remained calm as you looked at the distant Soul Capital.]

["..." Elder Yang blanked for a moment. He knew True Monarch Chiyun had dozens of disciples, but he only possessed a single Fifth-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman. Given the environment within the Soul Capital, he could only strike once.]

["What do you want to do, Wuyou?" Elder Yang asked in a low voice. He was already considering abandoning his hatred to trade the Tier 5 spirit talisman for your cultivation resources.]

["True Monarch Chiyun destroyed our Artifact Forging Valley, so I will wipe out the Soul Dao Lineage."]

[You gazed at the distant Soul Capital, your expression indifferent. "From now on, there will be no more soul cultivators in the Human Realm."]

[You reached out your right hand, grasped a seven-foot-long sword, and slashed down toward the Soul Capital.]

[A slender ray of sword light emerged. In an instant, it split from one into two, then two into four, and four into eight. Within breaths, the sword light became endless and inexhaustible. Beneath the firmament, densely packed rays of sword light blotted out the sky.]

[As the sky-filling sword light slashed down, layers of grand array power flared to life across the hundreds of thousands of miles of the Soul Capital. However, it was instantly annihilated under the descending barrage. The entire Soul Capital began to collapse. Before the countless soul cultivators could even realize what was happening, their physical bodies, souls, and wills were cleaved in two.]

[Whether they were Qi Refining Stage, Core Formation Stage, or Nascent Soul Stage soul cultivators, all perished beneath the slender sword lights.]

["Who is it?!"]

[From within the massive rift at the center of the Soul Capital, a figure suddenly charged out. Exuding an unimaginable soul dao aura that seemed to rival heaven and earth, he attempted to rush out of the area covered by the slender sword light. In the very next moment, however, he was likewise cleaved in two, his soul rapidly annihilating as the sword intent spread.]

[Ultimately, all the slender sword lights merged into a single ray and slashed into the depths of the earth.]

[The depths of the earth trembled, as if a giant dragon had been struck down.]

[You retracted the seven-foot-long sword.]

[After a single sword strike, the hundreds of thousands of miles of the Soul Capital were erased, countless soul cultivators were wiped out, and the Human Realm's only Youming Earth Vein was severed deep underground.]

[Elder Yang stared in utter shock.]