NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60
Chapter 60: The Barrier is About to Open! The Power of the Empires Revealed!
Outside the Profound Heaven Sword Sect
“Nun Shi!”
“Why is it that no matter where I go, I always run into you?”
Wanwan (绾绾, Wǎnwǎn) rolled her eyes theatrically, her voice laced with mockery. Truthfully, she had expected Shi Feixuan to appear here. But given their long-standing rivalry, Wanwan had no intention of being polite.
“You misunderstand me, Senior Sister Wanwan.”
“I did not come here because of you.”
Shi Feixuan gently shook her head, her voice soft yet firm. The immortal inheritances she and Wanwan had received were far too unique—so much so that no one else could cultivate them. Because of this, neither of them had been targeted for their inheritances. However, their respective sects were far from pleased with this outcome. After all, having another top-tier expert within the sect was certainly beneficial. But if the rest of the sect could not cultivate alongside them, that joy was greatly diminished. With the emergence of the Profound Heaven Sword Sect, many saw a new hope for cultivation.
Thus, both Cihang Jingzhai and the Yin Gui Sect had sent their newly ascended immortal cultivators to seize this opportunity. To them, given the strength of Wanwan and Shi Feixuan, obtaining the inheritance of the Profound Heaven Sword Sect should be effortless.
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“Tch!”
“Then let us see who emerges victorious in the end!”
Wanwan scoffed, shooting Shi Feixuan a deep glance before closing her eyes.
She did not voice it, but she knew—Shi Feixuan would be a formidable opponent in this battle.
“Ah…”
Shi Feixuan sighed softly and said no more. She and Wanwan shared the same understanding—both acknowledged each other’s strengths. Thus, Shi Feixuan had already mentally prepared herself for an inevitable clash.
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“If I could obtain an immortal inheritance, I would not be inferior to them.”
Murong Fu (慕容复, Mùróng Fù) stood among the gathered martial artists, gazing up at Wanwan and Shi Feixuan with envy in his eyes.
At twenty-six years old, he had successfully broken through to the Grandmaster Realm of Celestial Phenomena just last month. And yet, when Wanwan had arrived, he had not even been able to withstand the mere sound of her laughter. This left him feeling bitter and frustrated.
Still, Murong Fu was not foolish enough to reveal his thoughts. He was well aware that he was no match for Wanwan. But if he could become an immortal cultivator, he swore to settle the humiliation one day.
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“Young Master!”
“The officials of the imperial court have arrived!”
At that moment, Feng Bo’e (风波恶, Fēng Bō’è)—who stood behind Murong Fu—spoke in warning. At exactly thirty years old and a Finger Profundity Grandmaster, he was eligible to accompany Murong Fu into the Profound Heaven Sword Sect.
“Oh?”
Upon hearing Feng Bo’e’s words, Murong Fu turned his gaze towards the approaching figures. A large group of young warriors, led by several high-ranking court officials, was making its way towards the barrier’s entrance.
“The imperial court’s revered Earthly Immortal!”
Ouyang Feng’s pupils shrank as he stared at the leading official, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes. At present, his cultivation was only at the late stage of the Grandmaster Realm of Celestial Phenomena—still far from reaching the realm of Earthly Immortals.
In the past, he had never considered the imperial court a significant force. But now, he realized how mistaken he had been. To think that the court conceas such a powerful figure!
“Ke’er!”
“If you enter the Profound Heaven Sword Sect, avoid conflict with the imperial court unless absolutely necessary!”
Ouyang Feng shifted his gaze and solemnly instructed his nephew, Ouyang Ke (欧阳克, Ōuyáng Kè).
Having seen the court’s hidden strength, he now believed it was wiser to keep a low profile.
“Yes, Uncle.”
Ouyang Ke forced a bitter smile. His uncle had so much faith in him. He was merely a late-stage Finger Profundity Grandmaster—how could he possibly afford to antagonize the court? The warriors they had summoned vastly outnumbered him in both strength and number.
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On the other side, Huang Shang led a procession of warriors to the barrier’s entrance. As he approached, the surrounding martial artists instinctively stepped aside, making way for the court officials. Ordinary citizens could not oppose the government. This was an undeniable truth. No single martial artist could hope to contend with the might of an empire. Thus, no one felt any shame in yielding to the officials. Even the Earthly Immortals present tacitly acknowledged this reality.
“Rest here for now.”
“Once night falls, you will be able to enter the Profound Heaven Sword Sect.”
Huang Shang came to a halt and instructed the gathered warriors. Since the Song Empire had issued an imperial decree, they had successfully recruited a large number of young Grandmasters from the martial world. Among them were even two Celestial Phenomena Grandmasters. To further prepare them, Huang Shang had personally trained these warriors over the past few days.
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“The warriors of the Qin Empire are here!”
“Who is that elderly leader? I’ve never seen him before.”
“It doesn’t matter who he is—just know that he is an Earthly Immortal!”
As another group approached, murmurs of shock spread through the crowd.
Most martial artists knew that the Qin Empire boasted formidable military strength.
However, they also knew that many of its most powerful experts opposed the imperial court.
Thus, the appearance of a high-ranking Earthly Immortal from the Qin Empire left them deeply unsettled.
“Ying Chen (赢辰, Yíng Chén)!”
“That old monster has emerged from seclusion?”
Huang Shang furrowed his brows, his eyes flashing with wariness.
The common martial artists might not recognize the man, but as a high-ranking court official, Huang Shang certainly did. Ying Chen was a late-stage Earthly Immortal—a powerhouse of the Qin imperial family. Although he seldom appeared in the martial world, his strength was undeniable.
“Fusu!”
“You still have time before nightfall. Use it to study your opponents carefully.”
Ying Chen scanned the gathered warriors before turning to the young man beside him. Ying Chen’s seniority within the Qin imperial family was immense—two generations higher than Emperor Ying Zheng himself. For years, he had remained within Xianyang Palace, cultivating in seclusion while ensuring Ying Zheng’s safety. Even when Ying Zheng personally confronted Donghuang Taiyi, Ying Chen had been guarding him in secret.
If Ying Zheng had lost that battle, Ying Chen would have stepped in and slain Donghuang Taiyi on the spot. This was why Ying Zheng had dared to challenge Donghuang Taiyi in the first place—he had never been in any real danger.
“Understood, Ancestor!”
Fusu nodded solemnly. Though he was not the strongest warrior in the Qin Empire, his status as the Crown Prince elevated him above the rest. This trial in the Profound Heaven Sword Sect was Ying Zheng’s test for him.
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“Another empire has arrived!”
“It’s Zhu Wushi (朱无视, Zhū Wúshì)—the Ming Empire has come!”
“And they have brought more than a hundred warriors!”
Another large group appeared on the horizon, led by the renowned Iron Courage Marquis.
Behind him, Zhu Di (朱棣, Zhū Dì) strode forward, his gaze burning with ambition.
“Profound Heaven Sword Sect!”
“I will claim its inheritance!”