Volume 1, Chapter 137: Have You Gained the Recognition of the Emperor's Sword?

"What?!" 

The Han Emperor's face changed drastically, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. Emperors know no mercy. When he convinced himself to poison Qu Lingxian, he used the excuse that her death would let him obtain the Enlightenment Lamp and become a peerless expert. 

If Qu Lingxian had told him about the lamp intending to give it to him, did that mean he had senselessly poisoned a Ninth Rank Myriad Phenomena expert who loved him deeply? What then was the point of all he had done? 

"Impossible! That woman would never give me a treasure like the Enlightenment Lamp!" 

The Han Emperor looked up at Lin Yu, roaring in a deep voice. He was the type who, if holding a treasure, would never tell anyone. Thus, he couldn't believe someone might selflessly gift him a supreme treasure. 

Lin Yu shook his head slightly. Qu Lingxian had been dead for years, and the truth could never be known. Today, he only wanted to kill this heartless wretch and seek justice for the poor woman he had never met. 

"I care not about right or wrong. Today, I avenge my mother!" 

Lin Yu looked at the Han Emperor, the cyan light on the Windrider Sword before him surging as Wind Sword Intent converged. 

"To avenge her, you must first have the ability!" 

The Han Emperor laughed wildly, looking at Lin Yu with triumph: "Little abomination, did you think the Demon-Suppressing Array only seals and weakens? 

"Today, witness the array's secret!" 

Before his words fell, a thick golden light descended from the center of the golden shield笼罩 (enveloping) the imperial city, shrouding his figure. Bathed in golden light, his aura suddenly暴涨 (surged), breaking through Ninth Rank Myriad Phenomena and climbing toward the Void Transformation Realm. 

"Little abomination, didn't you expect this? The Demon-Suppressing Array is a national defense because it not only weakens enemies but also boosts my power. As one side weakens and the other strengthens, no one can defeat me within this array!" 

Mockery filled the Han Emperor's eyes: "So what if you can defeat a Ninth Rank Myriad Phenomena warrior at Seventh Rank? Now, above Ninth Rank, I can advance further. If you're so capable, try defeating me in the Void Transformation Realm!" 

"What? The array can also boost cultivation? This spells trouble for the Third Prince!" 

"If His Majesty advances to Void Transformation with the array's boost, the Third Prince has no chance!" 

"Who knew His Majesty hid such a powerful trump card? I think the Third Prince will lose!" 

The ministers shook their heads and sighed. Unbeknownst to them, they had already begun to hope Lin Yu would win. If the Han Emperor triumphed, all who knew he had poisoned Qu Lingxian would struggle to leave the imperial city alive. 

Just then, the golden light around the Han Emperor suddenly dissipated, and a terrifying aura swept out like a hurricane. Ministers staggered back, only barely blocking the hurricane by retreating into the Hall of Supreme Harmony. 

Lin Yu stood like a reef in the hurricane, coldly eyeing the Han Emperor. The emperor raised his sword, his expression ferocious as he laughed wildly: "Little abomination, die!" 

Rumble! 

Violent thunderbolts surged from his body like enraged dragons dancing around him. These silver dragons unleashed countless thunderbolts that scarred the ground, shattering it within a radius of tens of zhang (hundreds of feet) as thunder raged. The Han Emperor now seemed like a thunder god descending to earth, exuding invincible might. 

"Die!" 

He roared, stepping toward Lin Yu. The surrounding thunder exploded in dazzling light, blinding all. The next instant, the silver thunder vanished as if entering the void. Before anyone could react, a silver light burst forth in front of Lin Yu, and the Han Emperor's figure emerged from the thunder. 

Grinning maniacally, he raised his sword and slashed down. Hundreds of thunderbolts converged into a river, surging toward Lin Yu. The river carried a terrifying aura, as if the thunder would never cease until Lin Yu perished. 

Lin Yu remained calm. With a thought, the Windrider Sword imbued with Wind Sword Intent howled out like a rainbow, shooting toward the thunder river. 

Boom! 

Thunder in the silver river relentlessly冲刷 (eroded) the Wind Sword Intent on the blade. In an instant, the intent dissipated, and the sword flew back to Lin Yu under the thunder's bombardment. 

"Little abomination, you're doomed!" 

Seeing this, the Han Emperor grew more triumphant, his expression ferocious—he might as well have been slaying an enemy, not his own flesh and blood. 

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Yu's eyes. He raised a finger toward the oncoming silver river and flicked. 

Fire Sword Intent, Wind Sword Intent, Thunder Sword Intent, Water Sword Intent, Earth Sword Intent. 

Five intents successively shot from his fingertip, bombarding the surging river. Violent rumbles erupted within the silver current as scarlet Fire Intent, cyan Wind Intent, silver Thunder Intent, blue Water Intent, and yellow Earth Intent annihilated the thunder. In an instant, the imposing river collapsed under the barrage of five intents. Hundreds of thunderbolts danced like silver snakes across the square before fading away. 

"What... What did I just see? How many sword intents did the Third Prince use?" 

"Fire, Wind, Thunder... What else? Did you see other intents?" 

"Earth and Water too! What kind of monster is the Third Prince? How can he master so many different sword intents?" 

The ministers were dumbfounded. A sword cultivator who masters one intent is a peerless prodigy, but Lin Yu seemed proficient in all intents—a骇人听闻 (shocking) feat. 

The Han Emperor also stared at Lin Yu in astonishment. He had poured all his strength into that strike, only to be blocked. Stepping back a hundred zhang on thunder, he frowned and gazed at Lin Yu: "Little abomination, how did you gain such cultivation?" 

Only now did he realize something was amiss. The Luoshui Qu Family had thought Lin Yu's power came from the Enlightenment Lamp, but he knew better. Now, seeing Lin Yu's strength comparable to Void Transformation, the Han Emperor was jolted. When Lin Yu returned from the Southern Wasteland, his dantian had indeed been destroyed, making cultivation impossible. What adventure had allowed him to rise again and even match the emperor? This adventure must be no less than the Enlightenment Lamp. 

"Wait... The Emperor's Sword! Little abomination, have you gained the Emperor's Sword's recognition?" 

A thought struck the Han Emperor, and he couldn't help exclaiming at Lin Yu.