Chapter 154: The Heavenly River of Ten Thousand Swords

Qin Chuan returned to Shenxia Mountain, preparing for a few peaceful days of relaxation, a rare luxury.

On the other hand, things weren't going well for Qin Zi…

He was being hunted by some of the most terrifying pursuers he had ever encountered. Just the number of Ninth Heaven Saints chasing him had reached five!

There was a burly blind monk with a skull prayer bead the size of a fist around his neck, radiating golden light.

An elderly poison master dressed in a green robe, riding on a massive green serpent.

A short, white-bearded old man carrying a giant wine gourd, from which the elements of wind, fire, and lightning poured out.

A sinister middle-aged swordsman in red, with a delicate orchid-shaped hand gesture.

And an old, hunched woman with a face full of wrinkles, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, her hair snowy white.

These five pursuers appeared one after another.

After Qin Zi managed to escape each time, the group, fearing Qin Chuan's retaliation, decided to join forces to hunt him down and eliminate him.

"Boom! Boom!"

Qin Zi, his hair turned golden, was fleeing on a fire dragon formed from his Emperor Weapon spear.

He darted through forbidden lands, but the five pursuers behind him were so fearsome that they leveled those forbidden lands as they chased him!

Mountains collapsed, rivers were severed—the destruction was beyond terrifying.

Eventually, luck was on Qin Zi's side. Gritting his teeth, he dove into a broken, ancient teleportation array and narrowly escaped.

Buzz!

A white pillar of light enveloped Qin Zi, and in the next moment, he vanished.

"Follow him!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"This kid cannot be left alive!"

The five pursuers, confident in their strength, weren't afraid of being transported to dangerous places and prepared to follow him into the light.

However, they were too late. The already damaged teleportation array couldn't handle the strain and shattered into rubble.

The five of them howled at the sky in frustration, but there was nothing they could do. Defeated, they dispersed and went into hiding once more.

The Heavenly River of Ten Thousand Swords was one of the most famous death zones in the Eastern Domain. It spanned a thousand meters across, a majestic sight where, when the wind blew, the waves could surge a hundred meters high, rolling like mountains!

But the most terrifying thing about this river was the infinite sword energy contained within. No one knew where the sword energy came from, but once someone entered the water, countless sword energies would gather along the current, endlessly flowing until the intruder was sliced apart.

Anyone below the level of an Emperor would die upon entering!

A thousand years ago, when the Feather Emperor ascended to Emperor rank, he believed he could traverse the entire world unchallenged. He attempted to force his way across the Heavenly River of Ten Thousand Swords.

He ended up gravely injured!

Had it not been for the Sword Emperor stepping in at the last moment, blocking the sword energies with a single strike, the Feather Emperor would have perished there.

And now, for the past few days, a massive whirlpool had suddenly appeared at the center of the river, seemingly revealing an entrance.

Some brave souls flew over the whirlpool to investigate.

They were shocked to discover a grand stone gate beneath the swirling waters—a relic!

News of this discovery quickly spread, sold to the major powers of the Eastern Domain through secret channels.

Yes, sold!

Such valuable information was never freely given but treated as a resource to be sold for a hefty profit.

And so, as of now, the banks of the Heavenly River of Ten Thousand Swords were teeming with powerful factions—three great imperial families, two sacred lands, six fallen imperial clans, and other top-tier forces.

Most of the attendees were young cultivators.

Ordinarily, in such significant events, the older generation would step in, and even Emperors might personally attend. However…

The Heavenly River of Ten Thousand Swords was too dangerous.

Based on past experiences, if the relic contained traps, even Emperors would be at risk of dying. So, rather than sending their strongest to perish, they opted to let the younger generation use this as an opportunity for training.

After all, it took centuries to cultivate a Ninth Heaven Saint, requiring vast resources, whereas a new generation of geniuses could emerge every couple of decades.

The choice was clear.

This was why, in cases like this, it was usually the younger generation sent in to explore dangerous relics and secret realms.

Of course, to save face, they all claimed it was to "train the young talents…"

It wasn't too different from Qin Chuan's method of "training his son."

And these young cultivators, full of youthful vigor and brimming with confidence in their destiny, were all too eager to challenge the dangers.

After all, great danger meant great opportunity!

"Everyone, we've waited here long enough and observed for quite some time. I think it's time to go in, don't you agree?"

A young man in an opulent purple robe spoke. He wore a golden crown, and the illusion of the sun, moon, and stars circled around him, adding to his air of nobility and authority.

He was Ji Xuanyuan, the young master of the Ji family!

The Ji family was one of the three great imperial families and was even considered the oldest family in the Eastern Domain, with deep, unfathomable roots.

"How about you lead the way, Brother Ji?"

Another young man, dressed in a mysterious yellow robe, responded with a smile. His eyes were eerie, each pupil containing the image of a yin-yang fish, a seemingly innate trait.

This was Xuan Tianji, the senior disciple of the Eastern Victory Divine Sect!

"I think that sounds like a good idea."

Chu Zhongtian, the young master of the Chu family, chuckled. His mane of purple hair, slightly curly like a lion's, was crowned by a purple lightning bolt mark between his brows, radiating dominance.

However, the sly gleam in his eyes detracted somewhat from his otherwise imposing aura.

Ji Xuanyuan glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "Very well. I'll go first."

Why wouldn't he? Was he afraid?

Without hesitation, he led a group of followers toward the whirlpool, with his subordinates wisely flying ahead to clear the way.

Buzz!

As they approached the portal beneath the whirlpool, they passed through a shimmering barrier without issue.

"Heh."

Ji Xuanyuan looked back at the others with a mocking smile and quickly stepped through the gate.

"It seems safe."

Xuan Tianji and Chu Zhongtian exchanged glances, chuckling as they followed him into the portal.

"Let's go as well."

Qi Huang smiled at Shui Qinghan beside him, his expression ever composed and unhurried.

"Let's move!"

"Follow them!"

Other factions quickly followed suit. Among them were the fallen imperial clans: the Yang, Xue, Chen, and Wei families. While their status wasn't bad, they lacked the prestige to stand out in such a gathering.

Soon, everyone had entered the relic.

Whoosh!

A vast, mysterious world unfolded before them.

The sky was like a dark night, with a faint light glowing from above. Massive, black boulders floated in the air, like giant suspended mountains or islands.

Boom!

A river of silver-white swords surged through the floating islands, winding like a river of fish, or perhaps a coiling dragon.

"This is massive."

"What terrifying sword energy."

"Just a single thread of this sword energy could annihilate us all."

"Could the deadly sword energy of the Heavenly River be coming from this very place?"

"Amazing craftsmanship, truly awe-inspiring!"

Everyone was in awe, some even feeling the urge to kneel in reverence.

"Look ahead! There's light!"

Someone suddenly pointed toward the far depths of the mysterious world, drawing everyone's attention.

In the distance, amidst the darkness, stood a towering golden structure, glowing brilliantly like a divine altar.

"There… there's someone up there!!"

Another shocked voice rang out, causing a wave of astonishment among the crowd.

"Someone got there first?!"

At this realization, everyone rushed forward, like a swarm of locusts, all flying toward the glowing structure.

Meanwhile, atop that very altar, Qin Zi stood in a daze.

Where am I?

Everything around him was dark, like the starry void of space, and above him floated an enormous river of swords. This place was beyond anything he had ever heard of.

At that moment, a commanding voice rang out: "What have you found here? Hand it over."

Qin Zi turned to see a purple-robed young man, his body surrounded by the celestial illusion of the sun, moon, and stars, descending from the sky, looking down at him arrogantly.