Chapter 134 - Cowardly and Fearful, Fleeing Without A Fight, The Terror of The Sword Tomb

Facing the mysterious woman before him, Yin Zhong felt an unprecedented sense of mortal danger.

If he kept fighting, he might actually die.

It was better to retreat and heal for now.

There was no way this woman would stay by Yin Tianxue's side forever.

He would have plenty of chances in the future.

Seeing Yin Zhong flee, Yin Tianxue was overjoyed.

The man who had been hunting them for days had finally run away.

She finally felt a sense of relief.

Just as she was about to step forward to express her thanks, she saw Mei Yinxue draw her sword again.

Yin Tianxue was startled, thinking this woman intended to strike at them too.

But then she saw that the sword energy wasn't aimed at them, but rather at a spot behind them.

Boom!

A terrifying explosion sounded.

In the next moment, a man wearing an icy mask revealed himself.

"Sneaky and underhanded. One look at you and I know you're not a good person."

Mei Yinxue's voice rang out coldly.

"Hahaha, how interesting. Another God Demon Realm cultivator appeared out of nowhere."

"You are... the Island Master of Thinking Yi Island, Mei Yinxue? Or the master of the Sword Tomb, Murong Xisheng?"

"No, your cultivation is only at the Intermediate God Demon Realm. Then you must be Mei Yinxue."

"Hahaha..."

"Mei Yinxue, how about joining my Heaven Gate?"

"If you do, you'll be second only to me and above all others."

Di Shitian spoke in a mocking, eerie tone.

"Absurd and senseless."

Mei Yinxue found Di Shitian utterly unlikable.

Without another word, she drew her sword in response.

"Upper Purity Cloud Breaking Sword!"

With a swing of her divine blade, several terrifying sword shadows shot toward Di Shitian from all directions.

Splat!

"How is this possible? You actually managed to injure me?"

Di Shitian looked on in disbelief.

"Are you crazy?"

"You're nothing special among God Demon Realm cultivators. Why wouldn't I be able to hurt you?"

Hearing Mei Yinxue's dismissive tone, Di Shitian was infuriated but laughed instead.

Just as he was about to use the Holy Heart Art, a wave of deadly danger swept over him.

Cowardly and afraid to die, Di Shitian's expression changed drastically, and he immediately turned and fled.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished from everyone's sight.

Mei Yinxue stood there dumbfounded, her expression turning strange.

He was a God Demon Realm cultivator, yet he fled so pathetically?

How did someone like him even reach that level?

"Thank you, senior, for saving our lives."

Yin Tianxue stepped forward and offered her thanks.

"Your name is Yin Tianxue? You're the one ranked on the Martial Force Ranking as the Manor Lord of the Sword Control Manor?"

Mei Yinxue nodded slightly and asked.

"Yes, I am Yin Tianxue."

"No need for formalities. It was just a coincidence that I happened to be here."

"I've just returned from overseas. Can you tell me what's been happening in the Nine Provinces and the Ming Dynasty?"

Mei Yinxue didn't stand on ceremony and began asking questions directly.

Yin Tianxue didn't hesitate. She had already figured out who Mei Yinxue was and began explaining everything in detail.

With such a cultivator beside them, their safety was temporarily guaranteed.

Even if Yin Zhong or Di Shitian returned, they had nothing to fear.

At the same time, Tong Bo, Tong Zhan, and Nameless also stepped forward to pay their respects.

All of them were extraordinarily talented. Even if they didn't reach the God Demon Realm in the future, their achievements would not be small.

Mei Yinxue didn't look down on them in the slightest.

She planned to stay with Yin Tianxue for a while, to get a sense of what the Martial World was like now.

After understanding the current state of the Nine Provinces, she would go find Zhu Houzhao.

As for the Dragon Essence that worried Yin Tianxue and the others, Mei Yinxue didn't care for it at all.

She didn't need it to improve her cultivation.

As for eternal life, that could be achieved step by step through cultivation.

Seeing that Mei Yinxue had no desire for the Dragon Essence, Yin Tianxue and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At least this Forbidden Land master was not an evil person like Di Shitian or Yin Zhong.

==========

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Ming Martial World, Sword Tomb Periphery.

Suddenly, several powerful figures appeared, all wearing blood-red robes and strange masks.

"Lord Ghost Emperor, this is very likely the location of the Rank 2 Forbidden Land, the Sword Tomb."

"And Murong Xisheng should be within it."

"Mount Tai King, are you certain this is the place? It looks rather ordinary."

"Ghost Emperor, you must not underestimate the Sword Tomb. We are only at the outer edge where the mist poses little threat to us. But once we step into the inner zone, even those at the Land Immortal Realm may not leave with their lives."

"We must proceed with caution."

"Interesting. Let us go in now."

"They say this Rank 2 Forbidden Land can even kill those at the God Demon Realm. I find that hard to believe."

"We have nothing better to do. Let's take a look."

Mount Tai King hesitated for a moment but ultimately gave in. For this mission, he had no choice but to follow the Eastern Ghost Emperor of the Earth Mansion.

Still, he felt uneasy. This Eastern Ghost Emperor did not seem very reliable.

But since he was weaker, he could only obey.

"All soul reapers, follow me and Mount Tai King into the Sword Tomb."

"If we of the Earth Mansion want to recruit the master of this Forbidden Land, we must show her what we are capable of."

"Otherwise, she might underestimate us after joining."

Despite the Sword Tomb being deadly enough to kill God Demon Realm cultivators, the Eastern Ghost Emperor showed no fear.

In fact, he seemed eager and excited.

Without any hesitation, he stepped boldly into the mist.

"How amusing. This mist contains elements that cloud the mind. It only works on ordinary people."

"To someone at the Land Immortal Realm, it is nothing at all."

The Eastern Ghost Emperor strolled along as if taking a walk in the park, pausing now and then to offer commentary.

Behind him, Mount Tai King and the soul reapers were trembling in fear.

This Eastern Ghost Emperor was truly eccentric.

"Pathetic."

"The formation is crude and barely worthy of notice."

He scoffed again and again.

With his level of strength, he indeed passed through without any danger.

Soon, they had moved from the outer perimeter into the inner region of the Sword Tomb.

"Ahhhh!!"

As soon as they entered the inner zone, blood-curdling screams echoed through the air.

All the soul reapers, except for the Eastern Ghost Emperor and Mount Tai King, were instantly killed.

None had any chance to resist.

The deaths were strange and horrifying.

Even the cause of death could not be determined.

"Th-this..."

"Ghost Emperor, we should turn back. It seems the master of the Sword Tomb is enraged."

"Mount Tai King, what are you afraid of?"

"You and I represent the face of the Earth Mansion. We cannot show weakness."

The Eastern Ghost Emperor's tone turned stern.

"Move forward!"

Without giving Mount Tai King a chance to object, he pressed ahead.

But the scene that followed was beyond anything they could have expected.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sharp slicing sounds shot through the air.

In the next moment, sword energy pierced directly through Mount Tai King's body.

Even the Eastern Ghost Emperor narrowly avoided being struck.

"Are you alright, Mount Tai King?"

"I'm fine. These sword energies only affect Great Grandmasters. I am a Heavenly Human Realm cultivator. It's just a minor wound, I–"

Before he could finish speaking, Mount Tai King began to convulse violently.

Then, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Under the shocked and helpless gaze of the Eastern Ghost Emperor, he exploded and died.

He did not even understand how he died.

"How can this be?"

"How did he die?"

Only now did fear truly grip the Eastern Ghost Emperor.

His arrogance and calmness vanished completely.

"Master of the Forbidden Land!"

"Lady Murong Xisheng, I am the Eastern Ghost Emperor of the Earth Mansion. I have come to invite you to join us."

"Would you grant me an audience?"

His loud voice echoed through the air, causing a strange silence to settle over the land.

He waited for a long time, but there was no response.

The Eastern Ghost Emperor felt deeply insulted.

Unbelievable!

The master of the Sword Tomb didn't regard him as anything!

Should he retreat, or keep pushing forward?

When he turned around, he discovered the path they had entered from had completely vanished.

"Master of the Forbidden Land, must you truly make an enemy of the Earth Mansion?"

Still, there was no reply.

He was ignored completely.

Of course, Murong Xisheng, at the core of the Sword Tomb, was fully aware of the intruders from the Earth Mansion.

But to her, they were merely ants, not even worth her attention.

They couldn't even get past the outer formations. What gave them the right to act so arrogantly?

Ridiculous.

She would not go out of her way to harm those who entered.

But asking her to rescue them? Impossible.

Those who came here were either treasure seekers, the overly curious, or those with malicious intent.

If someone could overcome the outer formations and reach her, then she might consider speaking.

Otherwise, they were on their own.

"Ah, my cultivation!"

"Why is my inner energy draining so fast?"

"No, I can't accept this!"

"I am a mighty Mythical Realm cultivator. How can I die here?"

"I have great ambitions yet unfulfilled. I don't want to die!"

"Master of the Forbidden Land, let me live. From now on, I will obey your every command."

"I'll do whatever you ask. Just please spare my life!"

The more arrogant he was before, the more pitiful he was now.

A more scheming individual might consider taking him as a servant.

But to Murong Xisheng, such a person held no value.

Even the strongest, if lacking character, was beneath her notice.

No matter how much he begged, no voice answered.

As time passed, the formation continued to devour the Eastern Ghost Emperor's energy.

In barely ten minutes, he was reduced to ashes in endless despair, regret, hatred, and agony.

Gone without a trace.

Not even bones remained.

A Mythical Realm, a Heavenly Human Realm cultivator, and over a dozen Great Grandmasters were completely annihilated in less than an hour in the Sword Tomb's inner region.

They never even saw the master of the Forbidden Land.

It was total annihilation.

At the core of the Sword Tomb.

"The Earth Mansion, huh? What do they want with me?"

"They want me to join them?"

"Whether it's the Heaven Palace or the Earth Mansion, neither are good places. Best to stay away."

"If they become enemies of the Ming Dynasty in the future, it would put me in a difficult position."

"Besides, at my current level, neither the Heaven Palace nor the Earth Mansion holds any appeal."

"It's better to focus on my cultivation and reach the Sage Realm as soon as possible."

"Worldly power struggles have nothing to do with me."

Murong Xisheng gave a quiet sigh at their deaths and paid them no mind.

Those outer formations alone were enough to destroy Mythical Realm cultivators.

What about the inner ones?

And those were set up when that man was only at the God Demon Realm.

Now that he had reached the Sage Realm, what kind of terrifying formations could he lay?

She continued studying the celestial Sword Technique hidden in the Yin Yang Twin Swords, comprehending the deeper meaning of swordsmanship.

Perhaps before reaching the Sage Realm, she could elevate her swordsmanship to the Fourth Cycle with 30% mastery.

==========

Ming Imperial Palace.

"Dark One, how is the investigation I tasked you with?"

"Your Majesty, I have confirmed it. Tang Dynasty's Bad Marshal Yuan Tiangang indeed plans to take action against the Empress."

"He intends to fully control her, using her as a piece to check King Jin Li Keyong and King Liang Zhu Wen."

"However, his plan was delayed after being wounded by Yin Zhong during the Dragon Essence conflict."

"What about Yuwen Tuo of the Sui Dynasty? Did he participate?"

"No, Your Majesty. There's no sign of him, but the Empress Xiao Meiniang of Sui Dynasty is involved."

"Huang Shang of Northern Song Dynasty is also a schemer. We must not overlook him."

"Indeed, Your Majesty. Huang Shang has not given up. Furthermore, the Qin Dynasty's Black Ice Platform and Yuan Dynasty's Phagpa have all gotten involved."

"They are all trying to create problems for Yuan Tiangang. Whether it's real or staged remains unclear. I suspect much of it is a show."

"No one knows who the enemy or ally truly is until the end."

"Keep monitoring the situation. And remember, if the Empress is ever in danger, intervene immediately. I will take responsibility for whatever happens."

"This is all a game, but the Empress's life must never be at risk."

"I understand, Your Majesty."

==========

Boom!

While Zhu Houzhao was discussing the next steps with Dark One, a new announcement resounded in the heavens.

The number one on the Sword Immortal Ranking was finally about to be revealed.

Whether it was Zhu Houzhao or everyone else across the Nine Provinces who was watching the ranking, all eyes turned toward the sky.

The Golden Ranking began to refresh and update!