Ch. 82 - Heavenly Sword Sect's Annihilation

The moment the black axe appeared, the world fell into a dead silence.

Yue Buli, who had studied the life of Grand Emperor Tun Ri in detail, turned pale with shock. His voice trembled as he said, “The Sun-Devouring Axe.”

“What’s the Sun-Devouring Axe?” an elder nearby asked curiously.

“It’s a Grand Emperor True Treasure,” Yue Buli replied concisely with just four words.

But those four words were enough to drain the color from every face in the room.

Only weapons engraved with Grand Emperor Runes and refined through Heaven’s Will Tempering could be called Grand Emperor True Treasure.

Typically, a Grand Emperor could refine two weapons during the process of shouldering the Heaven’s Will.

One was their Lifebound Treasure, which referred to a weapon that had accompanied the Grand Emperor since youth, fighting and growing with them.

Like Xu Zimo’s Shadow Tyrant, or Chu Yang’s Wandering Dragon Sword.

After ascension, a Grand Emperor would usually take their Lifebound Treasure with them.

The second was a replica of the Lifebound Treasure, also engraved with Grand Emperor Runes and tempered by the Heaven’s Will.

This replica would become the Grand Emperor True Treasure, left behind for future generations.

Its power surpassed even Universe-grade weapons.

Only the Lifebound Treasure itself was stronger.

…

It’s important to understand: Grand Emperor Runes and Heaven’s Will Tempering are things no ordinary weapon can endure. Only a Grand Emperor could perform such a process.

The moment the Sun-Devouring Axe appeared, in the courtyard where the outer sect disciples stayed, the old man in Chu Yang’s ring, the Lord of Samsara, shouted urgently, “Run! Run now! Leave the Heavenly Sword Sect!”

“What’s wrong, Teacher?” Chu Yang asked in confusion.

“That’s a Grand Emperor True Treasure! With that thing in his hands and his current strength, he’s not even afraid of Imperial Meridian Realm powerhouses. He could destroy the entire Heavenly Sword Sect!” the elder cried out in panic. “If you don’t leave now, everyone’s going to die!”

“Then I’ll go warn Master,” Chu Yang said quickly, looking toward Yue Buli on the distant mountain peak.

“There’s no time! I don’t have the strength right now to protect you,” the Lord of Samsara spoke anxiously. “You have to get out, if you don’t, no one’s escaping.”

“But Master’s been good to me. If I just leave like this, wouldn’t that be heartless?” Chu Yang hesitated.

“You’re looking at it the wrong way. If you stay, everyone dies. Who will avenge them, the disciples, your master?” Old Mo explained. “If you leave now, and one day grow strong, then you can avenge them. That’s the best way to repay their kindness.”

Chu Yang still looked reluctant, staring at Ren Pingsheng’s figure floating back into the air.

The Sun-Devouring Axe was raised high above his head, as waves of baleful energy engulfed the sky. Deep within the clouds, black fog boiled, like the end of the world.

“Teacher, if you lend me your power like you did at Blackwater Mountain, and we fight alongside the White Cloud Sword Master and the Heavenly Sword Ancestor, do we have a chance?”

“Little Yang, you still don’t get it,” the Lord of Samsara sighed. “Today, even if three Imperial Meridian powerhouses showed up, it’d be useless.

Unless someone had another Grand Emperor True Treasure.”

“It’s just a weapon. Can it really be that powerful?” Chu Yang said in disbelief, watching Ren Pingsheng’s terrifying momentum grow stronger by the second.

“You think it’s just a weapon?” the elder said, voice full of emotion. “Everything has a soul, plants, beasts, people. Even a sword, or a piece of scrap iron, after being inscribed with Grand Emperor Runes and tempered by destiny, becomes something far more than a weapon. You could even say it has broken free of its limits. It's practically half a living being.”

…

Above the Heavenly Sword Sect, the black fog thickened, completely blotting out the sun.

A beam of black light shot into the sky from the Sun-Devouring Axe, followed by a tempest and a burst of baleful energy.

A terrifying, grotesque face, formed entirely of demonic aura, condensed over the sky.

“Who has awakened me?!”

A booming voice exploded across the heavens.

“Senior, I am a descendant of Ancestor Tun Ri,” Ren Pingsheng responded quickly.

“A descendant of Old Man Tun Ri?” The face of mist stared at Ren for a long moment, finally sensing his bloodline aura.

“Since you are a descendant, by our pact, you may call upon my power ten times. After ten times, I am free,” the face slowly declared.

…

A Grand Emperor True Treasure possesses a soul. In terms of thought and intelligence, they are not inferior to humans.

Even though their powers were granted by the Grand Emperor, that didn’t mean they would serve his descendants forever.

If gaining sentience meant losing their freedom and becoming someone’s tool of slaughter, Then they’d rather be destroyed. That was their final pride.

Thus, every Grand Emperor made a deal with their weapon spirit: help their descendants ten times, and then be free.

Of course, not all spirits would leave after ten uses. In sects like the True Martial Sacred Ground, they’d strike long-term deals, such as being offered cultivation resources in exchange for help in times of need.

But in Ren Pingsheng’s case, with the decline of the Ren Clan, it was unlikely the spirit would be willing to stay.

…

As the sky was completely swallowed by darkness, the Heavenly Sword Ancestor and the White Cloud Sword Master exchanged heavy looks.

“Master, this might be the last time we fight side by side,” the White Cloud Sword Master said with a carefree smile.

“Better to die against a Grand Emperor True Treasure than rot away in the Blood-Dust Coffin!” the Heavenly Sword Ancestor laughed heartily.

Men like them had long since cast aside fear of death. They had only remained in that coffin to serve their sect for a little longer.

Yue Buli, meanwhile, was helping the other elders evacuate the disciples. Whoever could escape, must.

Chu Yang looked at the chaos unfolding in the sect and shook his head with a bitter smile.

He hadn’t been here long, but he had formed deep feelings for this place, it had become like a home.

He knew he couldn’t change anything. He was simply too weak.

After a few moments of reflection, Chu Yang turned to leave, but then he saw Yue Buli flying through the air toward him.

“Master, you, ” Chu Yang looked at him in confusion, not sure why Yue Buli had sought him out.

“If the sect is destroyed today, the blame is mine alone. I will be the sect’s eternal sinner, the one responsible for this disaster. I hope you will be ashamed of me...” Yue Buli said seriously. “Kid, we haven’t known each other for long, but I trust I haven’t misjudged you. If you ever achieve something in the future, I hope you will restore our sect.”

As he spoke, Yue Buli removed a ring from his right hand and handed it to Chu Yang.

“This is the Sect Master’s Ring. If you’re willing, then from this moment on, you are the fourth Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect. If not, that’s okay too. Everyone walks their own path. Just follow your Dao Heart, don’t let anything bind you.”

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