Ximen Chuixue’s killing of a peak Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator piqued the Azure Emperor’s curiosity. The Azure Emperor immediately stepped forward.
Buzz!
The Azure Emperor arrived in Borderless Heavenly Capital’s sky, shining with azure light. Although his aura was not as intense as that of the red-clad commander from earlier, he just stood there, and Dongfang Bubai, Ximen Chuixue, Dugu Qiubai, and Zhang Sanfeng all stood up with sullen expressions.
“One with heaven?” Zhang Sanfeng said.
Ximen Chuixue’s face sank. Although the Azure Emperor just stood there, he gave Ximen Chuixue an inconstant feeling, as though he was there yet not there.
When Ximen Chuixue faced the red-clad commander earlier, he could thrust his sword at the commander’s throat with his eyes closed.
However, the Azure Emperor seemed like he was both there and not there as he stood there. If Ximen Chuixue sent out a sword strike, the blow might not land on him.
“Mister Gu, killing our men comes with consequences,” the Azure Emperor said indifferently.
Buzz!
The Azure Emperor’s voice spread throughout Borderless Heavenly Capital. His voice seemed to contain an ineffable quality that made everyone’s heart skip a beat when they heard it.
Many officials had gathered before the Soaring Palace Hall.
“Your Majesty, it’s the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s Azure Emperor. He sent a projection!” the officials said worriedly.
The Han Royal Dynasty had been collecting intel from all over the world. Naturally, they had plenty of information on the Azure Emperor. This was a Yan Heavenly Dynasty imperial lord, someone of equal status to a crown prince of the Qian Heavenly Dynasty. How could the officials not know of an expert with such a status?
Now, the Azure Emperor sent his projection here, and Ximen Chuixue had killed his subordinate. This was akin to the sky falling on the officials, horrifying them.
However, Gu Hai simply remained in the Soaring Palace Hall, not showing any intention to come out despite the officials’ cries.
“Oh?” The Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing his gaze on the Soaring Palace Hall.
This caused the four cloud beast experts’ faces to sink.
Ximen Chuixue took a deep breath as he stepped forward. “You all protect the place. I’ll deal with the Azure Emperor.”
Dongfang Bubai, Zhang Sanfeng, and Dugu Qiubai nodded. The three understood that they had to guard not only the Soaring Palace Hall but also the restricted area. Nothing could go wrong.
“Hah! You alone?” The Azure Emperor revealed a faint sneer.
“I alone am enough!” Ximen Chuixue said indifferently.
“That’s fine. Bring it on, Ximen Chuixue. We have never heard of you before. Humph!” the Azure Emperor snorted coldly.
Suddenly, Ximen Chuixue’s figure flashed. A beam of white light shot out from his sword, appearing to pierce through time and space, then immediately arriving before the Azure Emperor.
The sword strike was extremely fast; no one saw it clearly, not even the Azure Emperor. He could not tell that the sword strike had arrived, which prompted him to raise his eyebrows.
Perhaps the only one who could see it clearly was Dugu Qiubai. Dugu Qiubai did not see with his eyes. His eyes were shut; he used his heart to see the sword strike.
“Excellent sword strike!” Dugu Qiubai said gravely with a frown.
Shing!
What seemed like a bright rainbow arrived before the Azure Emperor in a heartbeat.
Ding!
Suddenly, metallic clangor rang out as a wave of sword qi erupted from Ximen Chuixue’s sword tip.
The Azure Emperor had not moved. Thus, that sword strike landed on his forehead. However, his forehead was overly tough, resisting the sword strike.
“Huh?” Ximen Chuixue’s face sank.
“Excellent sword technique, excellent sword Dao! Unfortunately, our projection is made from Azure Iron Divine Wood. It also possesses the strength of an Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. As a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator, you cannot pierce our skin at all,” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
“Humph!” Ximen Chuixue snorted coldly.
Shing!
Ximen Chuixue suddenly thrust his sword again, stabbing twice at the Azure Emperor’s eyes this time. Even though the eyes were the weakest spots of the body, he still failed to damage them.
The Azure Emperor smiled coldly as he threw a palm strike.
Boom!
A manifested palm immediately clashed with a manifested sword. This clash knocked Ximen Chuixue back while the Azure Emperor held his ground.
Ximen Chuixue showed a cold expression.
“Excellent sword conception! What a fast sword strike! To think that we could not dodge your attack on our eyes. It surpassed the perception of our eyes. Unfortunately, what is the point? You are just in the Middle Heavenly Palace Realm, unable to break our body. Humph!” the Azure Emperor snorted coldly.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Ximen Chuixue moved very quickly. This time, his sword moved even faster. His figure left afterimages.
The afterimages were dense and appeared material as if there were eight Ximen Chuixues in the Azure Emperor’s cardinal and intermediate directions, quickly attacking the Azure Emperor.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
The barrage of attacks produced loud clangor. It sounded like hundreds of sword strikes landed in an instant, striking every part of the Azure Emperor’s body.
“I do not have any barriers around me. You are not qualified. Break!” the Azure Emperor shouted, and his body shook hard.
Boom!
The eight afterimages exploded, and the Azure Emperor immediately knocked Ximen Chuixue away.
Blargh!
Ximen Chuixue spewed a mouthful of blood. Then, he looked at the Azure Emperor coldly.
“What a fast sword strike and strong sword Dao! Unfortunately, you are only in the Middle Heavenly Palace Realm. If you were in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, few in the world would be a match for you.” Some shock flashed in the Azure Emperor’s eyes.
“If I were in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, I would be able to chop you down with one sword strike,” Ximen Chuixue said coldly.
“That would depend on whether you can reach the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm or not,” the Azure Emperor sneered.
As the Azure Emperor sneered, he suddenly raised his eyebrows as he looked down. Ximen Chuixue had managed to rip a hole in his right sleeve earlier.
“Humph! I have no time for you. Ximen Chuixue, you have angered us!” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
As the Azure Emperor spoke, he waved his hand.
Boom!
An overwhelming number of whips suddenly appeared out of nowhere and lashed at Ximen Chuixue.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Ximen Chuixue quickly swung his sword, breaking many whips. However, the Azure Emperor approached and sent a palm strike at his face during this time.
“Be careful!” The distant Dugu Qiubai made a move to help.
Shing!
Dugu Qiubai’s manifested sword clashed with the Azure Emperor’s manifested palm.
Boom!
Dugu Qiubai’s manifested sword shattered. The manifested palm was too strong; the shock waves knocked back Dugu Qiubai and Ximen Chuixue.
Blargh! Blargh!
The two spewed a mouthful of blood.
“To think that you managed to evade it? Humph! Another swordsman?” the Azure Emperor said with a cold expression.
“Dugu Qiubai? Excellent sword technique!” Ximen Chuixue looked at Dugu Qiubai.
“One sword of life and one sword of death. We walk different paths, but they are both the sword Dao. Let’s exchange moves after today if we have the chance. I only seek honorable defeat,” Dugu Qiubai said in anticipation.
“Alright!” Ximen Chuixue nodded.
“Humph! So, it is two sword-obsessed idiots? To think that you still want to duel each other? You can forget about it. You no longer have a chance,” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
As the Azure Emperor spoke, an azure flame burst out of him, emitting surging energy that shook space. Intense winds swept through the place. It looked like the Azure Emperor would attack with his full power.
Although the faces of Ximen Chuixue and Dugu Qiubai sank, they showed no fear as they held their swords but intense battle hunger.
Just as the two sides were about to continue fighting, a cold voice suddenly rang out in the sky.
“Azure Emperor, did you travel so far just to bully two Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators with your Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivation? How awe-inspiring of you!”
“Huh?” The Azure Emperor raised his eyebrows as he lowered his head to look.
The officials at the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza bowed respectfully to Gu Hai as he walked out, looking up with a cold expression.
“Emperor Gu!” Ximen Chuixue and Dugu Qiubai bowed slightly.
Gu Hai nodded. “It has been hard on you two!”
The Azure Emperor looked at Gu Hai in surprise. Didn’t Gu Hai manifest these two with his ritual array? Why is he so polite to them?
“Mister Gu, you finally are willing to come out,” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
“Indeed. We have come out. Had we not, Azure Emperor would have shown off more of your awe-inspiring abilities,” Gu Hai said coldly.
“Mister Gu, we were just excited by the hunt. Ximen Chuixue and Dugu Qiubai? Excellent sword skills, but they are too weak,” the Azure Emperor said with a cold smile.
“Oh? Too weak?” Gu Hai said coldly.
“Mister Gu does not accept that? Would you like to try?” the Azure Emperor said with a cold smile.
“Azure Emperor? You are currently just a projection. There’s no need for us to take personal action in Borderless Heavenly Capital,” Gu Hai said.
“No need to take personal action? Who else is there in Borderless Heavenly Capital? With just these four? They are probably already the strongest in your Borderless Heavenly Capital, right?” the Azure Emperor sneered.
Dugu Qiubai, Ximen Chuixue, Zhang Sanfeng, and Dongfang Bubai showed cold expressions as they looked at the Azure Emperor.
“There is still one more person in Borderless Heavenly Capital. If the Azure Emperor can block him, how about we invite you in as an honored guest?” Gu Hai said with a cold smile.
“Oh?” The Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly.
Gu Hai guessed the Azure Emperor’s purpose in coming here. However, he had no intention of wasting time. He had an inextinguishable grudge against the Azure Emperor. He would definitely kill the Azure Emperor the first opportunity he could.
The Azure Emperor looked at Gu Hai with disdain.
However, Gu Hai waved his hand. Then, ripples appeared in the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza. The Life Trapper Saber suddenly manifested amid the ripples, shining green.
Then, Gu Hai extended his hand, holding three hundred Heavenly Go Stone fragments, which he merged into the Life Trapper Saber. The Life Trapper Saber immediately flared with dazzling light and vibrated intensely, sending ripples into the surroundings.
The ripples reached the four cloud beast experts. Due to their previous experience, they did not resist. The four’s bodies became more solid in the blink of an eye.
“The Thirty-Two Line-Pair World Go Puzzle? No, that’s not right. It’s not the Thirty-Two?” The Azure Emperor suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“It is not Old Mister Guan Qi’s Thirty-Two. It is my Thirty-Two. Come out, Great Sage!” Gu Hai glared.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
A spatial whirlpool suddenly appeared in the center of the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza. It pulsated, alternately growing and shrinking, slowly forming a vague figure.
This vague figure seemed to be a monkey wearing golden chainmail and a phoenix-wings headdress, with a large banner fluttering on its back.
Before the monkey fully manifested, it already emanated a horrendous aura that shook the surroundings. This aura seemed even stronger than the Azure Emperor’s.
The monkey’s overwhelming might made the citizens’ hearts pound heavily.
Before anyone could make out the monkey’s appearance, the magnificent words on the banner materialized.
“Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”
[TL Note: The Great Sage Equal to Heaven is a title that the Monkey King adopted. The Monkey King’s name is Sun Wukong, the Japanese transliteration of which is Son Goku. Here is the Wikipedia entry on Sun Wukong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_King.]
Chapters for June: 25 / 30
