Frightened into Retreat

Frightened into Retreat . . .

The aerial battle appeared to grind to an abrupt halt, with all eyes fixated on Qin Wentian, hearts pounding with anticipation. His single sword stroke had sundered the Star-Seizing Manor's constellation in two. The sheer potency of that earlier attack left them awestruck.

Qin Wentian's gaze swept over the assembly. While he may not have exuded an overwhelmingly formidable aura, a mysterious energy enveloped him, an energy so potent it sent shivers down the spines of the ascendants, making them acutely aware of the looming threat.

Advancing with the demon sword in hand, Qin Wentian's every movement left traces of light particles in the air. His destructive energy pervaded the space entirely, an intensity so great that it seemed anything brushing against it would disintegrate, much like the Star-Seizing Manor ascendant.

"This is the result of fusing true intents, an absolute attack." The enemy ascendants' faces contorted with displeasure. The most powerful among them had fused just two true intents to form their constellations. To put this into perspective, a significant number of ascendants in Grand Xia condensed their constellations with only one true intent, categorizing them as the weakest tier of Celestial Phenomenon Ascendants. Yet here stood Qin Wentian, already achieving the fusion of two or more true intents while still at the Heavenly Dipper Realm. The prospect of his Celestial Phenomenon Realm power sent shudders through their hearts.

The demon sword hummed softly, its melody echoing through the wind. Sword scars in the fabric of space grew longer as Qin Wentian advanced toward the battlefield's center. His gaze swept across the assembly, his voice resonating with overwhelming dominance, instilling fear in the enemy ascendants.

"Attempting to eliminate me while I'm wounded? An excellent choice. Now, I present you with two options: First, continue trying to kill me. Second, scram immediately and attend my forthcoming grand wedding. I will address your fates then."

Qin Wentian's voice was infused with an undeniable authority, so tyrannical it sent tremors through the enemy ascendants' hearts. Fear of Qin Wentian had begun to take root among them. Since his return to Grand Xia, he had accomplished numerous astounding feats: defeating the Ouyang Aristocrat Clan's ascendants, reorganizing the Azure Emperor Palace, relocating it to the ancient kingdom, and declaring his intent to reunify Grand Xia. The various factions had even hired the Darkshadow Sovereign to assassinate him, yet the Darkshadow Sovereign had ultimately failed, fleeing after sustaining heavy injuries. It seemed even the Darkshadow Sovereign harbored a degree of fear towards Qin Wentian.

In fact, many had the opportunity to attack him upon their arrival but refrained from doing so. Crafty old foxes they were, each hesitant to risk facing Qin Wentian's potential hidden trump cards. The death of the Star-Seizing Manor ascendant only deepened their apprehension.

Qin Wentian, standing at the battlefield's center, demon sword in hand, sent chills down the spines of these seasoned veterans.

"I refuse to believe he can deal with all of us. Don't be fooled by his bravado; he's merely trying to intimidate us," a voice rang out, the Greencloud Sovereign observing Qin Wentian from a distance, his gaze ice-cold.

Qin Wentian turned his gaze toward the Greencloud Sovereign, taunting, "Why remain so far away? Come, end me."

All eyes shifted to the Greencloud Sovereign, and someone added, "Yes, eliminate him. We shall protect you."

The Greencloud Sovereign frowned and sneered inwardly. He wasn't a fool; these cunning old foxes expected him to take on Qin Wentian? What if Qin Wentian fought with reckless abandon? Even though he might be weakened now, there was still a chance he could overcome him.

Amidst the tense standoff, Qin Wentian took a bold step forward, closing the gap between him and the Greencloud Sovereign. His demon sword carved scars into the air as destructive currents swirled around him. His piercing gaze locked onto the Greencloud Sovereign, sending shivers through the latter's heart.

The Greencloud Sovereign's face turned ashen as he stammered, "Everyone, let's attack together. I'm sure he won't last much longer."

However, no one paid him any heed. It was evident that these people cared little for the Greencloud Sovereign's fate, preferring to use him as a test of Qin Wentian's strength.

Frustration painted the Greencloud Sovereign's face as he muttered, "If none of you will act, then prepare to meet your doom."

With those words, he swiftly turned and fled, vanishing in an instant.

Qin Wentian didn't bother giving chase. Instead, he surveyed the other ascendants, who were now too frightened to make a move. It was ironic how their selfishness had rendered them immobile, even after witnessing the Star-Seizing Manor ascendant's demise.

"No one dares to kill me, yet none of you have the courage to leave either?" Qin Wentian scoffed as he shifted his attention to another ascendant, this time from the Multidirectional Thunderwind Sect. The chosen victim turned pale, glancing at the others, who remained paralyzed by indecision. Caught in this deadly dilemma, they hesitated, unsure which path to choose.

"Very well! I'll act!" the chosen ascendant bellowed in frustration. His constellation manifested, unleashing a tempest of wind and thunder that swept the surroundings, closing in on Qin Wentian.

In response, Qin Wentian's aura of destruction intensified. Anything approaching him faced instant annihilation. With the demon sword in hand, its radiance now blinding as the sun, he advanced, seemingly unstoppable.

"The power of constellations won't touch him," the onlookers murmured in awe. Qin Wentian's third eye opened, his will penetrating the ascendant's consciousness. The ascendant's vision blurred, as though he existed in two realities simultaneously. Gritting his teeth, he resisted the pull of the dreamscape.

A white light streaked forth, its golden afterglow dazzling. A pair of vicious fangs, sharp as lightning, lunged at the ascendant's throat.

"Vile beast!" the ascendant roared, conjuring a Windthunder Diagram with his palms. Terrifying currents of energy coalesced into the diagram, deflecting the vicious creature. It lunged forward, jaws wide, aiming for the ascendant's throat.

Simultaneously, Qin Wentian's demon sword sliced through the air, leaving destruction in its wake. Every swing dissolved everything in its path.

The ascendant's expression contorted with terror. He shot upward like a lightning bolt, but Qin Wentian multiplied into numerous incarnations. An enraged howl, a barrage of palm imprints, and a devastating storm of destruction unfolded. The ascendant found himself trapped at the storm's center, overwhelmed by destructive forces.

"DIE!" Qin Wentian's palms struck with thunderous force, the skies quaking in response. The ascendant was engulfed by the immense power, and the sky changed color, leaving only an afterglow in its wake.

A bystander gulped, trembling at Qin Wentian's sheer might. It was overwhelming, as if he were the harbinger of death. Whoever he approached was destined for death.

The demonic creature perched on Qin Wentian's shoulder, seemingly innocent now. Yet everyone had witnessed its fearsome potential in the earlier attack.

The demon sword retracted, and Qin Wentian turned his gaze back to the ascendants. This time, none dared to meet his eyes directly.

t appeared that the desire to kill Qin Wentian had subsided among the ascendants. He turned his attention to yet another target and boldly strode toward them. The chosen ascendant panicked and pleaded, "Qin Wentian, our grudge isn't deep. I opposed hiring the Darkshadow Sovereign, but I was overruled. From this moment on, I won't interfere in your matters."

Without another word, the ascendant promptly departed, vanishing into thin air.

The Shi Ancestor wore an extremely unpleasant expression as he observed the unfolding situation. Earlier, they should have acted in unison when Qin Wentian faced the Multidirectional Thunderwind Sect ascendant. However, human nature was inherently selfish, and they had sought to assess Qin Wentian's combat abilities, avoiding risks. But even after their evaluation, they remained unable to gauge Qin Wentian's true strength, while their own forces had dwindled significantly.

Surveying the balance of power, the Shi Ancestor realized that their chances of killing Qin Wentian were dwindling.

"In that case, we will attend your grand wedding and eagerly await your 'guidance,'" the Shi Ancestor declared, resigning himself to the situation.

As the tension ebbed away, everyone heaved sighs of relief. They had grown accustomed to lives of ease and safety as leaders of transcendent powers. Qin Wentian's menacing presence and the looming threat of death had weighed heavily on them.

With a gust of wind, the Shi Ancestor was the first to depart, his robes fluttering. He sighed inwardly, knowing that they had missed their chance. Unless they waited for Qin Wentian's wedding day and incited all of Grand Xia's ascendants to act against him.

After the Shi Ancestor left, the other ascendants departed in quick succession, leaving the area behind.

Among those who remained, the ascendants from the Jiang Clan and Thousand-Jue Alliance wore contented smiles. They had placed their bets on the right person. As they observed the young man wielding the demon sword with arrogance, they couldn't help but feel their age. The future of Grand Xia seemed destined to belong to him.

Wait...no. Could this young man's destiny be confined to Grand Xia alone?

The Mo Clan members returned slowly, having observed the entire spectacle from a distance. Even though they had held Qin Wentian in high regard before, they now realized they had underestimated him.

The ascendants who had come earlier represented the cream of Grand Xia's ascendant crop. Even the likes of the Greencloud Sovereign were considered among the weaker ones.

However, in front of these ascendants, Qin Wentian remained as domineering and tyrannical as ever, showing no fear whatsoever.

Qin Wentian turned toward the ascendants of the Jiang Clan and Thousand-Jue Alliance, nodding at them. "On the day of my wedding, the Jiang Clan and Thousand-Jue Alliance shall be honored guests."

"Thank you, Palace Lord Qin. As long as you are safe, we are content," the four ascendants replied, their faces lit with smiles. It seemed that the reunification of Grand Xia was inevitable, but the question of who would hold sway in this new era remained uncertain.

"I'll return to my cultivation now," Qin Wentian announced calmly. He then descended and made his way back to the room he had occupied. This scene left the Jiang Clan and Thousand-Jue Alliance ascendants pondering what would have happened if their enemies had disregarded everything and attacked Qin Wentian with everything they had. What would the outcome have been?

But only Qin Wentian held the answers to these questions. His injuries remained a closely guarded secret, and what everyone had witnessed were the undeniable deaths of two Celestial Phenomenon Ascendants, a testament to his sheer dominance.