Yang Hao let out a light whistle, and as Shadow Moon left its sheath, a dazzling brilliance erupted forth, enabling Yang Hao to unleash the Lightsaber Style’s ultimate technique, “Aurora.”
Although this Aurora wasn’t as powerful as when executed with the Treasure Sword, Shadow Moon was still a divine weapon. In an instant, tiny, flame-like sword beams shot forth in all directions, scattering toward the God’s Wrath Sword Group.
Aurora was an indiscriminate area attack, targeting not only Haik but also the hostages in his hands.
Yang Hao’s assault caught Haik completely off guard. He had assumed Yang Hao would never dare harm his own comrades, but who could have predicted such a powerful attack right from the start?
“Damn it! Just like me, he betrays his brothers without hesitation,” Haik inwardly cursed. But with Aurora approaching, he had little time to think and shoved the hostage forward as a human shield.
Since Yang Hao had already decided to betray his comrades, the hostage was now useless. Not only Haik thought this way; the other deputies of God’s Wrath did the same, using the hostages as shields.
Therefore, people with different personalities make different judgments. One who betrays his brothers will assume everyone else is the same.
But how could Yang Hao ever do such a thing?
Just as the Aurora was about to pierce the five hostages, Elder Hertz suddenly appeared from nowhere, wielding a long axe and delivering a seemingly casual slash.
The cleaving strike, like a heaven-splitting blow, struck the Aurora head-on. The thousands of sword beams Yang Hao had launched vanished simultaneously.
At the same time, Yang Hao’s body turned pale, and a faint shadow darted out—his Yuan Ying. It shot forth at lightning speed and rescued the five hostages in an instant.
This entire sequence of actions, though described slowly, actually occurred within a single second.
Just as Haik and the others pushed the hostages forward, their vision blurred, and when they regained their senses, the five captives of God’s Wrath were already standing behind Yang Hao. The swordsmen of Hao Sword Group immediately draped new cloaks over them.
“Dan Ding!” Yang Hao clenched his fist.
“Hao!!” The response echoed through the heavens.
Haik was stunned.
He felt his personal tragedy was about to begin. He had never regretted anything more than provoking Yang Hao, that little demon star.
Experience had already proven that anyone who crossed Yang Hao was doomed, and any sword group that opposed him had been wiped out.
Among the Ten Sword Schools, those who had fought against Yang Hao had lost their divine swords and fallen into oblivion. Even the Beast Heart Sword School had been completely annihilated. Yet Haik still dared provoke Yang Hao, essentially throwing himself into a volcano.
The heat of Fire Sand Star paled in comparison to the blazing fury in Yang Hao’s eyes. Haik’s demeanor as a grand swordsman gradually crumbled, and cold sweat soaked his pants.
“Y-Yang Hao, what are you going to do?” Haik’s voice was hoarse, each word emerging with a painful sensation from his throat.
But Yang Hao ignored him completely and continued with his own task.
With a casual wave of his hand, he uprooted a fire cloud herb from the ground nearby. Under the guidance of Hun Yuan Zi, he poured silver dew into his palm, combining several medicinal herbs together. The silver dew quickly enveloped them, forming a perfectly round ball.
Yang Hao exhaled his true energy, causing the silver dew ball to spin rapidly. The herbs inside were stripped apart, and their most potent essences merged together.
Yang Hao’s audacious alchemy left Haik and his group uncertain whether to advance or retreat, clueless about their impending fate.
However, the members of Hao Sword Group gazed at them with the eyes of people watching corpses.
Clearly, Yang Hao intended to test his new sword dan and sword techniques using the entire God’s Wrath Sword Group.
“Fire Sword Dan, Third Stage,” Yang Hao’s chilling voice rang out. “Done.”
A pale red pill, resembling a living fire soul constantly spewing flames, flew out from the silver dew and landed precisely into Yang Hao’s mouth.
From the moment the sword dan entered Yang Hao’s mouth, his entire being transformed. Haik and his group experienced an illusion—as if Yang Hao had grown larger, his body becoming colossal, enveloped in a towering inferno, exuding the majesty of a fire deity.
Thus, the third form of the Fire Sword Dan, a legacy of the Dan Ding Sect spanning millennia, was displayed by Yang Hao.
“Three Sword Flames of the Inferno!” The fire deity roared in a voice filled with authority.
Then, Shadow Moon and the fire deity merged, making it impossible to distinguish man from sword. Charging into the God’s Wrath Sword Group formation, boundless flames spread with the sword techniques.
The Three Sword Flames of the Inferno consisted of three forms. Legend had it that this sword technique was bestowed by a celestial fire deity, hence why after consuming the sword dan, Yang Hao transformed into a figure as majestic as a fire deity.
The flames spewing from Shadow Moon were adhesive. Once someone laid eyes on them, the flames would cling to their bodies like shadows, persistently burning until the person was entirely consumed.
The three relentless forms culminated in the final strike. Yang Hao’s body had transformed into a blazing fireball as radiant as a small sun, crashing down into the midst of the God’s Wrath swordsmen. Accompanied by a violent explosion, a massive crater formed where the swordsmen had stood.
The once-renowned God’s Wrath Sword Group of the Ten Sword Schools was now reduced to a pile of ash within that crater.
The Three Sword Flames of the Inferno was the second most powerful offensive technique in the Dan Ding Sect, second only to the highest fire-based sword techniques. Yang Hao’s first use of this technique completely eradicated the entire God’s Wrath Sword Group.
Thoroughly—leaving not even crumbs.
Of course, Haik did not die. His survival was undoubtedly due to Yang Hao’s deliberate decision.
Within a crater over fifty meters in diameter, Haik knelt at the center, his God’s Wrath Sword already in Yang Hao’s possession.
Haik’s entire body was charred black, his mouth and nose reduced to a lump of blackened flesh. He opened his eyes in confusion, unable to comprehend why Yang Hao had spared him.
“The Ten Sword Schools wouldn’t station a top-tier sword group here merely for a few fire cloud herbs,” Yang Hao stood before Haik, Shadow Moon dancing above his head. “Mr. Haik, what is your true mission on Fire Sand Star?”
Haik’s heart trembled violently. His mouth cracked open, revealing a few teeth in a pitiful grimace. Once the arrogant and tyrannical leader of the Ten Sword Schools, he now stood before Yang Hao, not even having the chance to beg for death.
Even if he killed Haik, he wouldn’t dare reveal the true secret of Fire Sand Star. It was a top-secret matter repeatedly emphasized by the Elders, unknown even to the Senate.
If Yang Hao obtained that object, given his current strength, he would undoubtedly become even more formidable, perhaps even beyond the Elders’ control.
Therefore, Haik couldn’t speak. What little dignity remained as a grand swordsman compelled him to defiantly shout, “I lost to you. Just kill me already.”
“Killing you is easy, but there must be something else here,” Yang Hao exchanged a glance with Elder Hertz. Both powerful beings sensed a force deep within the planet’s core—an unfathomably vast power pulsing with life.
Since arriving on Fire Sand Star, Yang Hao had felt an extraordinary sensation, as if the planet itself were alive. Deep within its core, something was emitting an immense energy.
In fact, the heat of the entire Fire Sand Star, the magma beneath its surface, all originated from this object.
If every planet’s energy came from the Creator’s bestowed celestial force, then this planet’s energy was supplied by something else.
Especially when Yang Hao unleashed the Three Sword Flames of the Inferno, a gift from the fire deity, his connection with the object deep within the planet intensified. Endless fire power surged into Yang Hao’s body, amplifying his sword techniques.
Haik desperately wanted to die. He couldn’t bear the thought of this secret leaking out. If Yang Hao truly obtained that object, judging from the fire power he had just displayed, it could potentially cause unimaginable harm to the Elders.
Haik knew better than anyone that Yang Hao was already infinitely close to the secret. In fact, Fire Sand Star hadn’t always been like this. According to the Senate’s historical records, thousands of years ago, Fire Sand Star was originally called Sea Sand Star. Over 80% of its land was covered by water, giving rise to abundant life. Countless creatures evolved on their own paths. If nothing had intervened, new intelligent species might have emerged millions of years later.
But something unexpected did happen. One day, a strange object flew out from Earth. It seemed almost alive, directly burrowing into Sea Sand Star.
Any planet in the universe suffers external meteor impacts, but they usually have self-adjustment mechanisms and aren’t significantly affected.
However, when that strange object, accompanied by raging flames, struck Sea Sand Star, it directly penetrated into the planet’s core. The impact itself didn’t seem particularly powerful, merely causing a month-long series of tsunamis and hundreds-of-meters-high waves—an insignificant change for a water-covered planet.
The real transformation occurred months later when the object entered Sea Sand Star’s core, beginning to radiate endless heat. This heat first liquefied massive amounts of rock and soil into magma. The magma flowed into rivers, pouring into the oceans.
From then on, the fire-formed magma and water-formed oceans began their millennia-long battle for dominance over the planet. Eventually, the oceans disappeared entirely, even the last drop of water evaporated. Sea Sand Star transformed into the current Fire Sand Star.
The Elders had repeatedly sent people to retrieve the object, but each time they approached, massive magma eruptions occurred alongside intense fire defenses, making retrieval impossible. Over time, the Elders gradually abandoned the idea of seizing the treasure. But recently, the Senate faced a powerful enemy, prompting them to recall the object and dispatch Haik to guard it.
Seeing Haik’s stubborn refusal to speak, Yang Hao’s gaze shifted past him, focusing on the bottom of the massive crater created by the Three Sword Flames of the Inferno.
There, the scorching energy became even more apparent. Moreover, when Yang Hao extended his perception, he received a joyful response, as if something was waiting there, anticipating discovery.
“You think I can’t find it if you don’t speak?” Yang Hao coldly snorted. With a flick of his hand, he hurled Haik’s broken body out of the crater, then swallowed several sword dans.
Elder Hertz sensed Yang Hao’s power rapidly increasing, feeling deeply concerned and urging the Hao Sword Group members to retreat. “Step back, retreat five hundred meters. Damn it, Yang Hao is going crazy.”
The group, along with the captured Haik, fled like rats, stopping only after reaching a kilometer away, their scalps tingling as they gazed at Yang Hao.
Yang Hao had transformed into a pillar of fire. Swallowing several sword dans at once was originally a forbidden act, yet this guy never followed logic. Instantly, the fire energy within his body reached its peak, initiating a continuous series of… explosions.
“This is… Flame Blast?” Even Hun Yuan Zi was stunned.
“Flame Blast” was the second form of the Fire Sword Dan, previously used by Yang Hao in the arena. Whenever Flame Blast was activated, hundreds of meters around Yang Hao would be engulfed in fire explosions, leaving nothing alive.
However, even the most powerful Flame Blast techniques passed down from the Dan Ding Sect only caused a single explosion.
During Yang Hao’s previous battle against the four Wind-Running Dragons, a single Flame Blast had annihilated hundreds of magical beasts.
“This world is truly insane,” Hun Yuan Zi genuinely doubted whether his apprentice was a madman. He had swallowed several sword dans, continuously unleashing dozens of Flame Blasts.
Please, that wasn’t just a fart—it was an unparalleled sword technique.
Each Flame Blast capable of eradicating all life within hundreds of meters was concentrated by Yang Hao, targeting the bottom of the massive crater. He bombarded it repeatedly over a dozen times. The crater grew deeper and deeper, resembling a vertical, bottomless abyss.
Eventually, each strike required several minutes before an echo was heard from within the cave. The depth had already reached several kilometers.
Yang Hao had used Flame Blast to dig a several-kilometer-deep hole into this scorching planet. Was he truly planning to bore through the entire planet?
Yang Hao let out a light whistle, and the unsheathed Shadow Moon erupted with a dazzling radiance, allowing him to unleash the ultimate technique of the Light Sword Style—”Aurora.”
Though this Aurora wasn’t as powerful as when wielded with the Treasure Sword, Shadow Moon was still a divine weapon. In an instant, countless tiny, flame-like sword beams scattered in all directions, shooting toward the Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
Aurora was an indiscriminate area attack, targeting not just Haike but also the hostages in his grasp.
This assault from Yang Hao took Haike completely by surprise. He had assumed Yang Hao would never strike against his own brothers, yet who could have predicted such a devastating attack right from the start?
“Damn it! Just like me, willing to betray his own brothers,” Haike cursed inwardly. But with Aurora bearing down on him, he had no time to hesitate. He immediately shoved the hostages forward as human shields.
Since Yang Hao had already decided to betray his brothers, the hostages were useless now. Not only Haike thought this way—the other lieutenants of Divine Mercy did the same, using their captives as shields.
Thus, people with different personalities make different judgments. Those who betray their own brothers assume everyone else is the same.
But with Yang Hao’s character, how could he ever do such a thing?
Just as Aurora’s countless sword beams were about to pierce the five hostages, Elder Hede suddenly appeared, wielding a long axe. With a seemingly casual swing—
“Gold-Splitting Cleave”—a strike as if splitting heaven and earth—landed squarely on Aurora. The countless sword beams Yang Hao had unleashed vanished without a trace.
At the same time, Yang Hao’s body flickered white, and a faint shadow darted out—his Nascent Soul. It shot forth at lightning speed, rescuing all five hostages in the blink of an eye.
The entire sequence, though described slowly, was completed in just one second.
By the time Haike and his men had pushed the hostages forward, their vision blurred. When they regained focus, the five captives were already standing behind Yang Hao, swiftly draped in new cloaks by the swordsmen of the Hao Sword Corps.
“Dan Ding!” Yang Hao clenched his fist.
“Hao!!” The resounding response shook the heavens.
Haike was stunned.
He felt the tragedy of his life was about to begin. Never had he regretted anything more—why had he provoked this little demon, Yang Hao?
History had already proven that those who crossed him were destroyed, and sword corps that opposed him ceased to exist.
Among the Ten Sword Styles, those who had faced Yang Hao had lost their divine swords and never recovered. Even the Beastheart Sword Corps had been utterly annihilated. Yet Haike had still dared to provoke him—it was like throwing himself into a volcano.
No matter how scorching the climate of Fire Sand Star was, it paled in comparison to the fury burning in Yang Hao’s eyes. Haike’s demeanor as a Grand Sword Master crumbled bit by bit, his pants soaked with cold sweat.
“Yang… Yang Hao, what are you doing?” Haike’s voice was hoarse, each word scraping painfully from his throat.
But Yang Hao ignored him, focusing on his own task.
With a casual gesture, he plucked a Fire Cloud Herb from the ground nearby. Under Hunyuanzi’s guidance, he poured Silver Dew onto his palm, combining several medicinal ingredients. The Silver Dew swiftly enveloped them, forming a smooth, spherical mass.
Yang Hao exhaled his true energy, spinning the Silver Dew sphere rapidly. The medicinal essences within were refined, merging into their purest form.
Yang Hao’s nonchalant alchemy left Haike and his men uncertain—should they advance or retreat? What fate awaited them?
But the members of the Hao Sword Corps looked at them as if they were already dead.
Clearly, Yang Hao intended to test his new Sword Pill technique on the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
“Third Tier of the Fire Sword Pill,” Yang Hao’s chilling voice declared. “Done.”
A pale-red pill, alive like a flame spirit, spewing fire, shot out from the Silver Dew and landed directly in Yang Hao’s mouth.
From the moment the Sword Pill entered his body, Yang Hao transformed. Haike and his men had an illusion—Yang Hao seemed to grow, his body expanding, engulfed in towering flames, making him as majestic as a Fire God.
The Dan Ding Sect’s millennia-old Third Form of the Fire Sword Pill was now fully displayed by Yang Hao.
“Three Swords of the Sea of Fire!” The Fire God-like Yang Hao boomed with authority.
Then, Shadow Moon and the Fire God merged, making it impossible to distinguish man from sword. Charging into the Divine Mercy formation, boundless flames spread with each sword stroke.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Fire consisted of three forms. Legend had it that this technique was passed down by a Fire God descending from the heavens. Thus, after consuming the Sword Pill, Yang Hao took on the Fire God’s majesty.
The flames spewing from Shadow Moon were adhesive—once seen, they clung relentlessly to their victims, burning them to ashes.
By the final form, Yang Hao’s body had become a blazing orb, as bright as a miniature sun. It crashed into the midst of the Divine Mercy swordsmen, and with a deafening explosion, the ground beneath them collapsed into a massive crater.
The once-renowned Divine Mercy Sword Corps of the Ten Sword Styles was reduced to charred dust in that pit.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Fire was the Dan Ding Sect’s most devastating offensive technique, second only to the highest-tier Fire Sword Arts. In his first use of it, Yang Hao annihilated the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps in a single sequence.
Utterly. Leaving nothing but ashes.
Of course, Haike wasn’t dead. His survival was entirely by Yang Hao’s design.
In the center of the fifty-meter-wide crater, Haike knelt, his Divine Mercy Sword already in Yang Hao’s grasp.
His body was charred black, his mouth and nose fused into a single burnt mass. He opened his eyes dazedly, unsure why Yang Hao had spared him.
“A top-tier sword sect from the Ten Sword Styles wouldn’t station here just for a few Fire Cloud Herbs,” Yang Hao said, standing before Haike, Shadow Moon dancing above his head. “Haike, what’s your real mission on Fire Sand Star?”
Haike’s heart pounded violently. His lips cracked, revealing a few teeth in a ghastly grin. Once an arrogant, domineering leader of the Ten Sword Styles, he now had no chance even to beg for death before Yang Hao.
Even if Yang Hao killed him, Haike wouldn’t dare reveal the true secret of Fire Sand Star. The Elder Council had emphasized its confidentiality countless times—even most of the council remained unaware.
If Yang Hao obtained that thing, with his current strength, he’d become unstoppable—perhaps even the Elder Council couldn’t suppress him.
So Haike couldn’t speak. The last shred of his dignity as a Grand Sword Master made him defiant. “I lost to you. Just kill me.”
“Killing you is easy. But there’s something else here.” Yang Hao exchanged a glance with Hede. Both powerhouses sensed something immense, pulsing deep within the planet.
Since arriving on Fire Sand Star, Yang Hao had felt an odd sensation—as if the planet was alive. At its core, something radiated an unimaginable energy.
Even the planet’s heat and underground magma seemed to originate from it.
If most planets operated on the Creator’s celestial energy, this one was powered by something else entirely.
Especially when Yang Hao used the Three Swords of the Sea of Fire—passed down by the Fire God—his connection to the core intensified. Infinite flames surged into him, amplifying his techniques.
Haike longed for death, unwilling to let the secret slip. If Yang Hao truly grasped that power, given his earlier display, the Elder Council might face unprecedented devastation.
Haike knew better than anyone—Yang Hao was perilously close to uncovering the truth.
Fire Sand Star hadn’t always been this way. According to the Elder Council’s records, millennia ago, it was called Sea Sand Star, with over 80% of its surface covered in water. The abundance of life had thrived here, evolving toward intelligent species.
But then, an anomaly occurred.
One day, a strange object shot from Earth and embedded itself into Sea Sand Star’s core.
Planets often endure meteor impacts, adjusting naturally without catastrophic consequences.
But this object, carrying furious flames, struck Sea Sand Star’s core. The initial impact wasn’t extreme—just a month of tsunamis and hundred-meter waves. For an oceanic planet, it was minor.
The real change came months later. The object began radiating endless heat, liquefying rock and soil into rivers of magma that flowed into the seas.
Thus began a millennia-long war between fire and water. Eventually, the oceans vanished entirely, every drop evaporated. Sea Sand Star became Fire Sand Star.
The Elder Council had sent many expeditions to retrieve the object, but each attempt triggered massive magma eruptions and fierce flame guardians, making retrieval impossible. Over time, they abandoned the endeavor.
But recently, facing new threats, the council remembered the object and sent Haike to guard it.
Seeing Haike’s stubborn silence, Yang Hao’s gaze shifted past him, focusing on the crater’s depths.
The heat there was intensifying. When Yang Hao cast his detection spell, it responded eagerly—as if something awaited discovery.
“You think silence will stop me?” Yang Hao snorted. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled Haike’s broken body out of the crater. Then he swallowed several more Sword Pills.
Hede, sensing Yang Hao’s surging power, grew alarmed. “Fall back! Five hundred meters! Damn it, Yang Hao’s about to go berserk!”
The group, dragging the captive Haike, scrambled away, stopping only a kilometer distant. There, they watched in awe as Yang Hao transformed into a pillar of fire.
Consuming multiple Sword Pills at once was taboo—but Yang Hao never followed logic. Instantly, his fire energy peaked, triggering a chain reaction of… explosions.
“Flame Burst?” Even Hunyuanzi was stunned.
Flame Burst, a Second Tier Fire Sword Pill technique, had been used by Yang Hao in the Beast Arena. Each burst incinerated everything within hundreds of meters.
But traditionally, Flame Burst was a single explosion.
When Yang Hao fought four Wind Drakes, one burst had annihilated hundreds of beasts.
“This world’s gone mad,” Hunyuanzi muttered. His disciple had swallowed multiple pills, unleashing dozens of Flame Bursts in succession.
These weren’t mere explosions—they were supreme sword techniques.
Each Flame Burst, capable of wiping out all life in its radius, was concentrated into the crater’s depths. After over a dozen blasts, the pit had become a bottomless abyss, plunging kilometers deep.
Yang Hao was literally drilling through the planet with Flame Burst.
Haike, half-dead, wailed in horror. He no longer feared his own fate—it was sealed.
What terrified him was the Elder Council’s future. Provoking a mad genius like Yang Hao—barely twenty, already at the peak of the Saint Realm, with loyal followers—if he obtained that artifact, who could stop him?
Only the Supreme One could intervene now.
After his thirtieth Flame Burst, Yang Hao sensed violent tremors beneath the surface. Even he hesitated—no matter how bold, facing a planet’s wrath unprepared was suicide.
He swiftly retreated to his allies a kilometer away.
Just in time.
The moment he landed, a twenty-meter-high geyser of magma erupted from the crater.
Yang Hao let out a light whistle, and the unsheathed Shadow Moon erupted with a dazzling radiance, allowing him to unleash the ultimate technique of the Light Sword Style—”Polaris.”
Though this version of Polaris wasn’t as powerful as when wielded with a treasure-grade sword, Shadow Moon was still a divine weapon. In an instant, countless tiny, flame-like sword beams scattered in all directions toward the Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
Polaris was an indiscriminate area-of-effect attack, targeting not just Haike but also the hostages in his grasp.
This assault from Yang Hao caught Haike completely off guard. He had assumed Yang Hao would never strike at his own brothers. Yet, to his shock, the very first move was an attack of such devastating power.
“Damn it! Just like me—betraying his own brothers,” Haike cursed inwardly. But with Polaris bearing down on him, he had no time to hesitate. He immediately shoved the hostages forward, using them as human shields.
Since Yang Hao had already decided to betray his brothers, the hostages were now useless—or so Haike thought. The other lieutenants of Divine Mercy followed suit, shielding themselves with the captives.
Different personalities lead to different judgments. Those who betray their brothers assume everyone else is the same.
But someone like Yang Hao would never do such a thing.
Just as the countless sword beams of Polaris were about to pierce the five hostages, Elder Hede suddenly materialized a long axe and swung it casually.
The “Gold-Splitting Cleave” struck like a divine intervention, landing squarely on Polaris. In an instant, the countless sword beams Yang Hao had unleashed vanished without a trace.
At the same time, Yang Hao’s body flickered white as a faint shadow—his nascent soul—shot out at lightning speed, rescuing all five hostages in the blink of an eye.
The entire sequence, though described in detail, took no more than a second.
By the time Haike and his men realized what had happened, the five captives were already standing behind Yang Hao, draped in fresh cloaks by the warriors of the Hao Sword Corps.
“Dan Ding!” Yang Hao clenched his fist.
“HAO!!” The resounding cry shook the heavens.
Haike was stunned.
He felt the tragedy of his life was about to begin. Never had he regretted anything more—why had he provoked this little demon, Yang Hao?
History had already proven that those who crossed him met their end, and the sword corps that opposed him ceased to exist.
Among the Ten Sword Styles, those who had faced Yang Hao had lost their divine swords and never recovered. Even the Beastheart Sword Corps had been utterly annihilated. Yet Haike had still dared to provoke him—it was like throwing himself into a volcano.
No matter how scorching the climate of Fire Sand Star was, it paled in comparison to the fury burning in Yang Hao’s eyes. Haike’s demeanor as a grandmaster swordsman crumbled, his pants soaked with cold sweat.
“Y-Yang Hao… what are you doing?” Haike’s voice was hoarse, each word scraping painfully from his throat.
But Yang Hao ignored him, focusing instead on his own task.
With a casual gesture, he plucked a Fire Cloud Herb from the ground nearby. Following Hunyuanzi’s guidance, he poured Silver Dew onto his palm and combined several medicinal ingredients. The Silver Dew swiftly enveloped them, forming a smooth, spherical mass.
Yang Hao channeled his qi, spinning the Silver Dew sphere rapidly. The ingredients inside were refined, their purest essences merging into one.
Yang Hao’s nonchalant pill-refining left Haike and his men uncertain—should they advance or retreat? What fate awaited them?
But the warriors of the Hao Sword Corps looked at them as if they were already dead.
It was clear: Yang Hao intended to test his new Sword Pill technique on the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
“Third-tier Fire Sword Pill,” Yang Hao declared in a voice that sent chills down their spines. “Done.”
A pale-red pill, pulsing like a living flame, shot out from the Silver Dew and straight into Yang Hao’s mouth.
From the moment the Sword Pill entered his body, Yang Hao transformed. To Haike and his men, it seemed as if he had grown—his body towering, wreathed in towering flames, exuding the majesty of a fire god.
The third form of the Fire Sword Pill, a legacy of the Dan Ding Sect spanning millennia, was now fully displayed by Yang Hao.
“Three Swords of the Sea of Flames!” The fire god that Yang Hao had become boomed with authority.
Then, Shadow Moon and the fire god merged, making it impossible to distinguish man from sword. They charged into the Divine Mercy formation, and endless flames spread with each sword stroke.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Flames consisted of three forms. Legend had it that this technique was bestowed upon the Dan Ding Sect by a fire god descending from the heavens. Thus, after consuming the Sword Pill, Yang Hao took on the fire god’s divine might.
The flames spewing from Shadow Moon were adhesive—once seen, they clung relentlessly to their victims, burning them to ashes.
By the time the third and final form was executed, Yang Hao’s body had become a miniature sun, crashing into the midst of the Divine Mercy swordsmen with a deafening explosion. The ground where they stood collapsed into a massive crater.
The once-renowned Divine Mercy Sword Corps was reduced to charred remains within that pit.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Flames was the Dan Ding Sect’s most devastating offensive technique, second only to the highest-tier fire sword arts. In his first use of it, Yang Hao had annihilated the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps in a single sequence—leaving nothing but ashes behind.
Of course, Haike wasn’t dead. His survival was entirely by Yang Hao’s design.
At the center of the fifty-meter-wide crater, Haike knelt, his Divine Mercy Sword already in Yang Hao’s grasp.
His body was charred black, his mouth and nose fused into a single burnt mass. He opened his eyes in confusion, unsure why Yang Hao had spared him.
“A top-tier sword sect from the Ten Sword Styles wouldn’t station itself here just for a few Fire Cloud Herbs,” Yang Hao said, standing before Haike as Shadow Moon danced above his head. “Haike, what’s your real mission on Fire Sand Star?”
Haike’s heart pounded violently. His lips cracked open, revealing a few blackened teeth in a ghastly grin. The once-arrogant leader of the Ten Sword Styles now had no chance even to beg for death before Yang Hao.
Even if Yang Hao killed him, Haike wouldn’t dare reveal the true secret of Fire Sand Star. The Grand Elders had drilled its confidentiality into him countless times—even the Council of Elders didn’t know.
If Yang Hao obtained that thing, with his current strength, he’d become unstoppable—even the Grand Elders wouldn’t be able to suppress him.
So Haike couldn’t speak. The last shred of his dignity as a grandmaster swordsman made him defiant. “I lost to you. Just kill me.”
“Killing you is easy,” Yang Hao said, exchanging a glance with Hede. Both sensed something beneath the planet’s surface—an unimaginable, pulsating power.
Since arriving on Fire Sand Star, Yang Hao had felt something strange, as if the planet itself was alive. Deep within its core, something emitted an immense energy—so vast that it might be the source of the planet’s heat and magma.
If most planets operated on the cosmic force bestowed by the Creator, this one seemed powered by something else entirely.
Especially when Yang Hao used the Three Swords of the Sea of Flames—a technique said to have been taught by the fire god—his connection to the planet’s core intensified. Endless flames surged into his body, amplifying his sword techniques.
Haike, desperate to die, couldn’t bear the thought of the secret leaking. If Yang Hao obtained that thing, given his mastery of fire, he could inflict unimaginable harm upon the Grand Elders.
Haike knew better than anyone that Yang Hao was on the verge of uncovering the truth.
Fire Sand Star hadn’t always been this way. According to the Council’s records, millennia ago, it was called Ocean Sand Star, with over 80% of its surface covered in water. The abundance of life here had been on the verge of evolving intelligent species.
But then, one day, something strange emerged from Earth and embedded itself in Ocean Sand Star’s core.
Planets often endure meteor impacts, adjusting naturally without catastrophic consequences.
But this object, carrying furious flames, struck the planet’s core. The initial impact wasn’t devastating—just a month of tsunamis and hundred-meter waves.
The real change came months later. The object began radiating endless heat, liquefying rock and soil into rivers of magma that flowed into the oceans.
For millennia, magma and water waged war for dominance. Eventually, the oceans vanished, every drop evaporated, and Ocean Sand Star became Fire Sand Star.
The Grand Elders had sent many to retrieve the object, but each attempt triggered massive magma eruptions and fierce fire barriers, making extraction impossible. Over time, they lost interest—until recent threats forced them to recall its existence, dispatching Haike to guard it.
Seeing Haike’s stubborn silence, Yang Hao’s gaze shifted to the crater’s depths, where scorching energy pulsed. His keen senses detected something beneath—something waiting to be unearthed.
“You think silence will stop me?” Yang Hao sneered, tossing Haike’s broken body out of the crater. Then he swallowed several more Sword Pills.
Hede, sensing Yang Hao’s surging power, grew alarmed. “Fall back! Five hundred meters! Damn it, Yang Hao’s about to go berserk!”
The group, dragging the half-dead Haike, scrambled a thousand meters away, watching in horror.
Yang Hao had become a pillar of fire. Consuming multiple Sword Pills at once was taboo—but he never followed logic. His fire energy peaked, triggering continuous… explosions.
“Flame Burst?” Even Hunyuanzi was stunned.
“Flame Burst,” a second-tier fire sword technique, had once wiped out hundreds of beasts in a single blast. But traditionally, it only exploded once.
Yet Yang Hao, after swallowing multiple pills, unleashed dozens of Flame Bursts in succession—each capable of annihilating everything within hundreds of meters.
He directed all this power into the crater, blasting it deeper with each explosion. After over a dozen strikes, the pit had become a bottomless chasm, thousands of meters deep.
Was Yang Hao trying to dig through the entire planet?
Haike, barely alive, wailed in terror. He no longer feared his own fate—it was sealed. What terrified him was the future of the Council.
Provoking a mad genius like Yang Hao—a man in his twenties who had reached the pinnacle of the Saint Realm, with loyal followers—was suicide. If he obtained that artifact, who could stop him?
Only the Supreme One could.
After his thirtieth Flame Burst, Yang Hao sensed violent tremors beneath the surface. Even he hesitated—no matter how bold, facing a planet’s wrath unprepared was folly.
He retreated swiftly to his allies a kilometer away.
Just in time.
The crater erupted, spewing a twenty-meter-high geyser of magma.
Yang Hao let out a light whistle, and the unsheathed Shadow Moon erupted with a dazzling radiance, allowing him to unleash the ultimate technique of the Light Sword Style—”Aurora.”
Though this Aurora wasn’t as powerful as when wielded with a treasured sword, Shadow Moon was still a divine weapon. In an instant, countless tiny, flame-like sword beams scattered in all directions, shooting toward the Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
Aurora was an indiscriminate area-of-effect attack, targeting not just Haike but also the hostages in his grasp.
This assault from Yang Hao took Haike completely by surprise. He had assumed Yang Hao would never strike against his own brothers. Yet, to his shock, the very first move was an attack of such devastating power.
“Damn it! Just like me—willing to betray his own brothers,” Haike cursed inwardly. But with Aurora bearing down on him, he had no time to think. He immediately shoved the hostages forward, using them as human shields.
Since Yang Hao had already decided to betray his brothers, the hostages were now useless. Not only Haike thought this way—his subordinates in the Divine Mercy Corps did the same, all using the captives as shields.
Thus, people with different personalities make different judgments. Those who betray their own brothers assume everyone else in the world is the same.
But someone like Yang Hao—how could he ever do such a thing?
Just as the Aurora’s countless sword beams were about to pierce the five hostages, Elder Hede suddenly appeared from nowhere, wielding a long axe. With a seemingly casual swing—
“Gold-Splitting Cleave!”
The strike was like a divine force splitting the heavens. It crashed directly into the Aurora. The countless sword beams Yang Hao had unleashed vanished without a trace.
At the same time, Yang Hao’s body flickered white, and a faint shadow darted out—his Nascent Soul. The Nascent Soul shot forward at lightning speed, rescuing all five hostages in the blink of an eye.
The entire sequence, though described slowly, happened in less than a second.
By the time Haike and his men had barely pushed the hostages forward, their vision blurred. When they regained focus, the five captives were already standing behind Yang Hao. The swordsmen of the Hao Sword Corps immediately draped new cloaks over them.
“Dan Ding!” Yang Hao clenched his fist.
“HAO!!” The responding roar shook the heavens.
Haike was stunned.
He felt the tragedy of his life was about to begin. Never had he regretted anything so deeply—why had he provoked this little demon, Yang Hao?
History had already proven that anyone who crossed him ended up dead, and any sword corps that opposed him ceased to exist.
Among the Ten Sword Styles, those who had faced Yang Hao in battle had lost their divine swords and never recovered. Even the Beastheart Sword Corps had been utterly annihilated. Yet Haike had still dared to provoke him—it was like throwing himself into a volcano.
No matter how scorching the climate of Flamesand Star was, it paled in comparison to the fury burning in Yang Hao’s eyes. Haike’s demeanor as a Grand Swordmaster crumbled bit by bit, his pants soaked with cold sweat.
“Y-Yang Hao… what are you doing?” Haike’s voice was hoarse, each word scraping painfully from his throat.
But Yang Hao ignored him, focusing on his own task.
With a casual gesture, he plucked a Firecloud Herb from the ground nearby. Following Hunyuanzi’s guidance, he poured Silver Dew onto his palm and combined several medicinal ingredients. The Silver Dew swiftly enveloped them, forming a smooth, spherical mass.
Yang Hao exhaled a surge of Qi, causing the Silver Dew sphere to spin rapidly. The medicinal essences within were refined and merged into their purest form.
Yang Hao’s nonchalant pill-refining left Haike and his men uncertain—should they advance or retreat? What fate awaited them?
But the members of the Hao Sword Corps looked at them as if they were already dead.
It was clear: Yang Hao intended to test his new Sword Pill technique on the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
“Fire-Style Sword Pill, Third Tier.” Yang Hao’s voice sent chills down their spines. “Done.”
A pale-red pill, alive like a flame spirit, spewing fire, shot out from the Silver Dew and landed directly in Yang Hao’s mouth.
From the moment the Sword Pill entered his body, Yang Hao transformed.
To Haike and his men, it was as if Yang Hao had grown—his body expanding, wreathed in towering flames, making him appear like a god of fire.
The third form of the Fire-Style Sword Pill, passed down for millennia by the Dan Ding Sect, was now displayed by Yang Hao.
“Three Swords of the Sea of Flames!” The fire god that Yang Hao had become spoke with overwhelming authority.
Then, Shadow Moon and the fire god merged, making it impossible to distinguish man from sword. They charged into the Divine Mercy Sword Corps’ formation, and endless flames spread with every sword stroke.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Flames consisted of three forms. Legend said this technique was bestowed upon the Dan Ding Sect by a fire god descending from the heavens. Thus, after consuming the Sword Pill, Yang Hao took on the divine presence of a fire god.
The flames spewing from Shadow Moon were adhesive—once seen, they would cling to a person until they were utterly incinerated.
By the final form, Yang Hao’s body had become a blazing orb, bright as a miniature sun. It crashed into the midst of the Divine Mercy swordsmen with a deafening explosion, leaving behind a massive crater where they had stood.
The once-renowned Divine Mercy Sword Corps of the Ten Sword Styles was now nothing but ashes in that pit.
The Three Swords of the Sea of Flames was the Dan Ding Sect’s most powerful offensive technique, second only to the highest-tier fire-style sword arts. This was Yang Hao’s first time using it, and in a single sequence, he had annihilated the entire Divine Mercy Sword Corps.
Utterly. To the point of nothing but scorched remnants.
Of course, Haike wasn’t dead. His survival was entirely due to Yang Hao’s deliberate mercy.
In the center of the fifty-meter-wide crater, Haike knelt, his Divine Mercy Sword already in Yang Hao’s grasp.
Haike’s body was charred black, his mouth and nose fused into a single burnt mass. He opened his eyes dazedly, unsure why Yang Hao had spared him.
“A top-tier sword sect from the Ten Sword Styles wouldn’t station itself here just for a few Firecloud Herbs.” Yang Hao stood before Haike, Shadow Moon hovering above his head. “Haike, what is your real mission on Flamesand Star?”
Haike’s heart pounded violently. His lips cracked open, revealing a few blackened teeth in a ghastly grin. Once an arrogant, domineering leader of the Ten Sword Styles, he now had no chance even to beg for death before Yang Hao.
Even if Yang Hao killed him, Haike wouldn’t dare reveal the true secret of Flamesand Star. The Grand Elders had emphasized its confidentiality countless times—not even the members of the Elder Council knew.
If Yang Hao obtained that thing, with his current strength, he would become unstoppable—even the Grand Elders might not be able to suppress him.
So Haike couldn’t speak. The last shred of his dignity as a Grand Swordmaster made him grit his teeth and snarl, “I lost to you. Just kill me.”
“Killing you is easy. But there’s something else here.” Yang Hao exchanged a glance with Hede. Both powerhouses sensed it—something unimaginably vast pulsed within the planet’s core.
Ever since arriving on Flamesand Star, Yang Hao had felt an odd sensation, as if the planet itself was alive. Deep within its core, something radiated an immense energy.
Even the planet’s heat and the magma beneath its surface seemed to originate from that thing.
If every planet operated on the cosmic force bestowed by the Creator, then this one was powered by something else entirely.
Especially when Yang Hao used the Three Swords of the Sea of Flames—said to have been taught by a fire god—his connection to the thing inside the planet grew stronger. Endless flames surged into his body, amplifying his sword techniques.
Haike was desperate to die. He couldn’t let this secret leak. If Yang Hao truly mastered that thing, given the firepower he’d just displayed, the Grand Elders would face unimaginable devastation.
Haike knew better than anyone: Yang Hao was on the verge of uncovering the secret.
In truth, Flamesand Star hadn’t always been like this. According to the Elder Council’s records, millennia ago, it was called Seastar, with over 80% of its surface covered in water. The abundance of life had fostered countless evolving species. Given time, intelligent life would have emerged.
But then, the unexpected happened.
One day, a strange object shot out from Earth and embedded itself in Seastar. It seemed alive, burrowing straight into the planet’s core.
Cosmic impacts were common—planets usually adjusted without major consequences.
But when this thing, wreathed in furious flames, struck Seastar, it drilled straight into the core. The initial impact wasn’t catastrophic—just a month of tsunamis and hundred-meter waves. For a water planet, it was barely a ripple.
The real change came months later.
The object began radiating endless heat, liquefying rock and soil into magma. Rivers of molten stone flowed into the oceans.
From then on, a war raged between fire and water for dominance over the planet. It lasted millennia. The oceans vanished, every drop evaporated. Seastar became Flamesand Star.
The Grand Elders had sent many expeditions to retrieve the object, but each time, eruptions of magma and overwhelming flames barred the way. Eventually, they gave up.
But now, facing a powerful enemy, the Elder Council had remembered the object and sent Haike to guard it.
Seeing Haike’s stubborn silence, Yang Hao’s gaze shifted past him, focusing on the crater’s depths.
The heat there was intensifying. When Yang Hao cast his detection spell, it received an eager response—as if something awaited discovery.
“You think silence will stop me?” Yang Hao snorted. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled Haike’s charred body out of the crater. Then, he swallowed several more Sword Pills.
Hede sensed Yang Hao’s energy skyrocketing and grew alarmed. “Fall back! Five hundred meters! Damn it, Yang Hao’s about to go berserk!”
The group, dragging the captive Haike, scrambled away until they were a kilometer distant, watching in horror.
Yang Hao had become a pillar of fire. Consuming multiple Sword Pills at once was taboo—but he never followed logic. Instantly, his fire energy peaked, triggering continuous… explosions.
“Flame Burst?” Even Hunyuanzi was stunned.
“Flame Burst,” a second-tier fire-style technique, had been used by Yang Hao in the Beast Arena. Each burst incinerated everything within hundreds of meters.
But traditionally, Flame Burst was a single explosion.
When Yang Hao fought four Wind Dragons, one burst had annihilated hundreds of beasts.
“This world’s gone mad.” Hunyuanzi wondered if his disciple was insane. He’d swallowed multiple pills and unleashed dozens of Flame Bursts in succession.
These weren’t mere explosions—they were supreme sword techniques.
Each burst, capable of wiping out all life within hundreds of meters, was concentrated into the crater’s depths. After over a dozen blasts, the pit had become a bottomless abyss, plunging kilometers deep.
Yang Hao was literally digging through the planet with Flame Bursts. Did he intend to pierce its core?
Haike, half-dead, wailed at the sight. He no longer feared his own fate—it was sealed.
What terrified him was the future of the Elder Council. Provoking a mad genius like Yang Hao, who had reached the peak of the Saint Realm in his twenties, with a loyal following—if he obtained that artifact, who could stop him?
Only the Supreme One could intervene now.
After his thirtieth Flame Burst, Yang Hao sensed violent tremors from below. Even he hesitated—no matter how bold, facing a planet’s wrath unprepared was suicide.
He swiftly retreated to his allies a kilometer away.
Just in time.
The moment he landed, a twenty-meter geyser of magma erupted from the crater.
Had Yang Hao been slower, he’d have been engulfed.
Now, the true trial awaited.
What lay beneath Flamesand Star?
And what would happen once Yang Hao claimed it?
The answers were coming—soon.
Yang Hao gritted his teeth and hurled the thirtieth Flame Blast into the massive hole, sensing intense eruptions both on and beneath the surface. He was startled too. Even with his boldness, he dared not recklessly confront an entire planet unprepared.
Thus, Yang Hao swiftly flew back to his camp a kilometer away.
Fortunately, Yang Hao escaped quickly. As soon as he stabilized his stance, a jet of magma over twenty meters high erupted from the previous crater.
Thousands of degrees Celsius molten lava rained down from the sky, nearly engulfing Yang Hao and his group.
“Dan Ding Barrier Art!” Yang Hao raised his hand to the heavens, unleashing a continuous stream of protective energy from his palm, enveloping everyone within a shield.
The lava cascaded like a waterfall, yet upon contact with the barrier, it slid off helplessly like raindrops on glass. No matter how fiercely the blazing magma surged, it could only pile up around Yang Hao’s barrier, unable to penetrate even the tiniest opening.
Witnessing this, Haik surrendered mentally. Yang Hao had defeated him and the Ten Sword Style through sheer power alone. In the past, the Ten Sword Style had repeatedly sent people here to retrieve the treasure, but each time, they were swallowed by the lava, even when wearing the finest heat-resistant armor.
Yet Yang Hao had protected dozens of subordinates unscathed with just one technique. Such power was beyond Haik’s comprehension.
Not only Haik, but the members of the Sword Group also looked at Yang Hao with reverence, as if he were a god. Standing at the forefront of the crowd, one hand raised high to the sky, Yang Hao seemed to bear the weight of the entire world, protecting everyone with his own strength—something only a god could accomplish.
For three full hours, lava erupted across the planet, creating a magnificent firework display. But this spectacle had once evaporated all the oceans covering the planet.
Eventually, volcanic rock formed around Yang Hao and his group as the once relentless lava fountains began to subside.
Yet deep within the planet’s core, an even more spectacular eruption was reaching its climax.
“Look quickly!” Yang Hao sensed the force breaking free, a feeling of liberation after long imprisonment.
An earth-shaking explosion split the ground into pieces, nearly every landmass was restructured, and magma spewed from every crack.
The huge pit Yang Hao had created was expanded dozens of times by the explosion from within the planet, forming a terrifying sinkhole.
A fireball nearly a hundred meters in diameter was launched into the sky.
The star’s light was completely swallowed by the brilliant, blinding radiance, proudly releasing its energy without restraint.
The few creatures that had existed on Huoshaxing were completely eradicated by this energy surge.
The fireball roared and twisted in the air, as if containing a defiant soul struggling fiercely.
“Old Bear!” Yang Hao suddenly shouted.
Helplessly, Elder Hede conjured his axe again, casually swinging it.
Yang Hao’s barrier vanished, along with the rivers of molten lava surrounding them.
Haik shuddered, his trembling body too exhausted to express further astonishment.
Previously, Yang Hao’s displayed power had already exceeded imagination. Yet this old bear casually used a technique that was equally miraculous, clearly no less powerful than any Elder or Executor.
Unbeknownst to Haik, Hede’s Golden Severing Axe was an inheritance from the Dark Angel King Saan’s Night Axe. Among the universe’s legends, few could rival Hede.
After Hede cleared the surrounding threats, Yang Hao flew into the sky, diving straight into the frenzied fireball.
This action made everyone’s hearts leap to their throats.
No one knew what was inside that fireball, but its energy was evident. If it suddenly exploded, could Yang Hao really withstand it?
If it were only Yang Hao alone, he probably wouldn’t dare take such a risk. However, he had the old immortal of the Dan Ding Sect inside him—upon Hunyuanzi’s command, Yang Hao had no choice but to charge in.
Strangely, although the raging fire seemed unstoppable, it became as docile as a kitten once Yang Hao entered. It even transformed into tiny flames, slowly flowing into Yang Hao’s body.
These flames became a new source of energy, cycling through his meridians repeatedly.
Soon, the massive fireball was entirely absorbed by Yang Hao.
Within the fireball, the treasure finally revealed its true form.
For thousands of years, this artifact had been considered unparalleled and unseen. Its power even surpassed any divine artifact created by the Creator himself.
This object had slain gods and dragons multiple times thousands of years ago, eventually becoming the catalyst for a divine and demonic war that annihilated countless lives.
By chance, it fell into Huoshaxing, granting the universe peace for many years.
Even the leaders of the Elder Council only knew of the treasure on Huoshaxing without knowing its exact nature. Otherwise, they would have mobilized the nation’s full strength to seize it.
This heaven-reversing divine treasure was now in Yang Hao’s grasp—a blood-red longbow nearly a meter in length, crafted from an unknown metal heavier than the finest sword steel. On the bow, an intricate carving of a monstrous three-faced, six-armed, six-legged deity with a fiery mouth, wielding a fire sword, and riding a flaming wheel.
More terrifyingly, this three-faced god seemed alive, its gaze exuding extreme ferocity. Holding the bow, Yang Hao could feel the fierce and terrifying soul roaring within.
“Hmph!!!” Hunyuanzi nearly fainted.
“Wait, don’t faint yet,” Yang Hao, still unaware of the treasure’s true nature, asked, “What exactly is this thing? Is it powerful enough?”
“Powerful?” Hunyuanzi struggled to contain his excitement. “How can you describe it with just ‘powerful’? You idiot, this is the Yanrong Bow, the Yanrong Bow!!!”
“Yanrong Bow?”
“Do you know what the strongest weapon in the world is? Do you know what divine artifact could turn the tide of a divine and demonic war?” Hunyuanzi roared impatiently. “Compared to the Yanrong Bow, Saan’s Night Axe is merely a child’s toy, and all other divine swords and artifacts are trash—complete trash.”
Yang Hao took a deep breath, not overly surprised, as he could feel the Yanrong Bow pulsing under his control, brimming with inexhaustible energy like an endless treasure trove.
“The Creator forged thirty divine artifacts, each with immense power, mutually restraining one another, none dominating all,” Hunyuanzi continued.
“Saan’s Night Axe and the Ten Great Divine Swords are merely among the Creator’s thirty artifacts. The Yanrong Bow was once only one of these thirty.”
“And now?”
“Now the Yanrong Bow in your hand is no longer the same as the Creator’s original creation,” Hunyuanzi exclaimed. “Whoever possesses it controls the world. Once, a divine and demonic war was fought over this bow. No one expected it to end up on this small planet.”
“Why did the Yanrong Bow become so powerful? Can weapons actually cultivate on their own?” Yang Hao asked, puzzled.
“This bow is one of the Creator’s fire-element divine artifacts, using fire arrows with tremendous power, always in the hands of the Fire God Zhurong,” Hunyuanzi explained.
Yang Hao nodded in understanding. Zhurong belonged to the Fire God Race of the Milky Way, a peculiar race with only one main god, while the other fire gods were merely countless manifestations of this main deity.
Legend had it that the founding ancestor of the Dan Ding Sect once encountered the main deity Zhurong and received the Three Fire Sword Techniques from him.
“Although the Yanrong Bow in Zhurong’s hands was a divine artifact, it always ranked at the bottom among the thirty divine artifacts, not the most powerful weapon,” Hunyuanzi’s voice slowed, turning ominous. “But the Yanrong Bow in your hands has become the most powerful weapon since the creation of heaven and earth. Because within this bow, the god Zhurong’s divine power, soul, and godhood are sealed.”
“What?!” Yang Hao shouted in shock, nearly falling from the sky. “A god is sealed inside this bow?”
“Precisely. The former master of this bow was completely sealed, not a single trace remaining, forever unable to rise again. Zhurong’s divine power, godhood, and the resulting fury multiplied the Yanrong Bow’s power tenfold, making it the most powerful weapon in the universe,” Hunyuanzi replied.
“If the Elder Council knew about this, why didn’t they come to retrieve it sooner?” Yang Hao cast a glance at Haik, puzzled.
Hunyuanzi sneered, “Those old fools might know there’s a treasure here, but they certainly don’t know what it is or the bow’s secret. Because in this world, aside from the divine race and our Dan Ding Sect, no one truly understands the Yanrong Bow.”
“How does the Dan Ding Sect know this great secret?” Yang Hao felt something wasn’t quite right.
Hunyuanzi hesitated, “Actually, the Yanrong Bow’s creation has a little to do with our Dan Ding Sect.”
“A little?”
“A significant little.”
“How significant?”
“Er… about a hundred percent,” Hunyuanzi finally admitted. “Actually, the new Yanrong Bow was entirely created by the Dan Ding Sect.”
“You mean…” Yang Hao sweated profusely, like a waterfall, “You mean the Dan Ding Sect sealed the Fire God into the Yanrong Bow?”
Hunyuanzi awkwardly hummed, “Remember the origin of the Three Fire Swords? At that time, our Dan Ding Sect’s founding ancestor encountered the true form of the Fire God Zhurong. Zhurong has countless manifestations, but meeting his true form was rare. Our ancestor begged him for martial arts, and Zhurong taught the Three Fire Swords. Later… later, our ancestor somehow convinced Zhurong to enter the Yanrong Bow voluntarily, then sealed the true god inside. Since then, the Yanrong Bow became the Dan Ding Sect’s treasured artifact, helping our founding ancestor establish the sect and dominate the four seas.”
“People become invincible when they are despicable enough!” Yang Hao was both amused and horrified. A god had kindly taught sword techniques, only to be deceived into an irreversible fate, forced to become the driving force of someone else’s weapon—truly the greatest tragedy imaginable.
It seemed the Dan Ding Sect’s founding ancestor was indeed an extraordinary figure.
“Regardless, this supreme divine artifact was indeed created by the Dan Ding Sect,” Hunyuanzi quickly regained his pride. Dan Ding Sect members indeed lacked any sense of morality. “Although later seized by the divine race, now it has returned to the hands of a Dan Ding Sect disciple. Truly fate, what a fate.”
Yang Hao gripped the longbow, took a few deep breaths, and exerted his full strength, attempting to draw the Yanrong Bow.
“Hai ya!” Yang Hao’s face turned red with effort. The force he exerted could even split mountains, yet the bowstring remained immovable, merely flashing an eerie glow, coldly facing Yang Hao.
“Why can’t I draw it?” Yang Hao examined the bow from all angles, searching for any forgotten incantation.
The lava, with temperatures reaching thousands of degrees, poured freely into the air, almost covering Yang Hao’s position.
“Dan Ding Barrier Technique!” Yang Hao raised a hand to the sky, and an endless stream of barrier energy erupted from his palm, enveloping everyone within.
The magma cascaded down like a waterfall, but upon hitting the barrier, it slid off helplessly, like raindrops on glass. No matter how scorching or intense the magma was, it could only pile up around Yang Hao’s barrier, unable to breach even the smallest opening.
Seeing this, Haike had completely resigned himself to fate. Yang Hao’s ability to defeat him—and the Ten Sword Stream—was purely a display of strength. The Ten Sword Stream had sent people here multiple times to retrieve that treasure, but every time, the envoys were swallowed by the magma, even when wearing the best high-temperature-resistant suits.
Yet, Yang Hao protected dozens of his subordinates with just a single technique, completely unscathed. This power was beyond Haike’s imagination.
Not just Haike—even the disciples of the Hao Sword Group looked at Yang Hao as if he were a god. Standing at the forefront, one hand raised high as if supporting the entire world, Yang Hao shielded everyone with his own strength. This was something only a deity could achieve.
For three full hours, the magma eruption painted a grand fireworks display across the planet. But these “fireworks” were the same force that had once devoured the oceans covering the planet.
Only when volcanic rocks formed from cooled magma piled up around Yang Hao and his group did the surging lava fountains begin to slow.
But deep within the planet’s core, an even more spectacular eruption was brewing to its peak.
“Look!” Yang Hao sensed the force within the planet breaking free—a sensation of long-imprisoned power finally unleashed.
A cataclysmic explosion shattered the earth, rearranging the landmass entirely. Magma seeped from every fissure.
The massive crater Yang Hao had created was now expanded dozens of times by the planet’s internal explosion, forming a terrifying sinkhole.
A colossal fireball, over a hundred meters in diameter, shot into the sky.
The brilliance of the stars was completely eclipsed by the blinding light, which arrogantly spewed forth, unrestrained in its energy release.
The already scarce lifeforms on Fire Sand Planet were utterly annihilated in this torrent of energy.
The fireball twisted and roared in the sky, as if containing an unwilling soul struggling fiercely.
“Old Bear!” Yang Hao suddenly shouted.
Elder Hede sighed and summoned his axe again, swinging it casually yet precisely.
Yang Hao’s barrier vanished—along with the river of scorching magma that had piled up around them.
Haike trembled, too stunned to even react.
Yang Hao’s earlier display of power had already exceeded imagination. But this old bear’s casual strike was equally divine, no less impressive than any elder’s.
What Haike didn’t know was that Elder Hede’s “Gold-Splitting Cleave” was the legacy of the Dark Angel King Saan’s Night Axe. In this universe, few legendary warriors could rival Hede.
With the surrounding threats cleared by Hede, Yang Hao soared into the sky and plunged straight into the frenzied fireball.
Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.
No one knew what lay within that fireball, but its energy was undeniable. If it exploded, could Yang Hao withstand it?
Alone, Yang Hao might not have dared take such a risk. But with the Dan Ding Sect’s old immortal, Hunyuanzi, inside him, he had no choice but to charge forward at the command.
Strangely, despite its overwhelming fury, the fireball became docile as soon as Yang Hao entered, even dissolving into tiny tendrils of flame that flowed gently into his body.
These flames transformed into new energy within Yang Hao’s meridians, circulating endlessly.
Soon, the massive fireball was entirely absorbed by Yang Hao.
And within the flames, the treasure finally revealed its true form.
For the first time in millennia, someone laid eyes on this artifact, considered unparalleled in history. Its power surpassed even the greatest divine weapons crafted by the Creator himself.
Thousands of years ago, this object had slain gods and dragons, sparking a war between deities and demons that claimed countless lives.
By sheer chance, it had landed on Fire Sand Planet, bringing peace to the universe for many years.
Even the leaders of the Elder Council only knew of a treasure here—not its true nature. Had they known, they would have mobilized the entire empire to claim it.
This artifact, capable of reshaping the heavens and earth, was now in Yang Hao’s grasp.
It was a blood-red longbow, a full meter in length, forged from an unknown metal heavier than the finest sword steel. Carved into its curved frame was a ferocious, three-faced deity with six arms and six legs, standing on flaming wheels, wielding fiery swords, and spewing flames from its mouths.
Even more terrifying, the three-faced god seemed alive, its gaze filled with malice. As Yang Hao held the bow, he could feel the savage and terrifying soul within roaring.
“Hah!!” Hunyuanzi nearly fainted.
“Wait, don’t pass out yet.” Yang Hao still didn’t know what he was holding. “What is this thing? Is it powerful?”
“Powerful?” Hunyuanzi struggled to contain his excitement. “You fool, this is the Flame Fusion Bow! The Flame Fusion Bow!!!”
“Flame Fusion Bow?”
“Do you know what the most formidable weapon in the world is? Do you know what artifact can turn the tide of a divine war?” Hunyuanzi roared impatiently. “Compared to the Flame Fusion Bow, Saan’s Night Axe is a child’s toy. Every other divine sword or artifact is garbage—utter garbage!”
Yang Hao took a deep breath but wasn’t overly shocked. The Flame Fusion Bow pulsed restlessly in his grip, its energy like an inexhaustible treasure trove.
“The Creator left behind thirty divine artifacts, each with immense power. They counterbalance each other—none stands above the rest.”
Hunyuanzi continued, “Saan’s Night Axe and the Ten Divine Swords are just two of them. The Flame Fusion Bow was once just one of the thirty.”
“And now?”
“Now, the Flame Fusion Bow in your hands is no longer what the Creator made.” Hunyuanzi declared, “Whoever wields it can rule the world. A divine war was once fought over this bow—who knew it would end up on this tiny planet?”
“How did the Flame Fusion Bow become so powerful? Can a weapon cultivate itself?” Yang Hao was puzzled.
“This bow was one of the Creator’s fire-attribute divine artifacts, using flames as arrows. It was originally wielded by the Fire God Zhurong.”
Yang Hao nodded. Zhurong was the fire deity of the Milky Way, a unique race with only one true god and countless avatars.
Legend had it that the Dan Ding Sect’s founder once encountered Zhurong’s true form and was granted the “Three Flaming Seas” sword technique.
“Zhurong’s Flame Fusion Bow was a divine artifact, but it ranked low among the thirty—far from the strongest.” Hunyuanzi’s voice darkened. “But the Flame Fusion Bow you hold now is the most powerful weapon since the dawn of creation. Because sealed inside it are the Fire God Zhurong’s divine power, soul, and divinity.”
“What?!” Yang Hao nearly fell from the sky. “A god was sealed inside a bow?”
“Exactly. The bow’s former master was completely and irrevocably sealed within, never to escape. Zhurong’s divine power and the bow’s newfound fury multiplied its strength tenfold, making it the universe’s ultimate weapon.”
“If the Elder Council knew about this, why didn’t they come for it sooner?” Yang Hao glanced suspiciously at Haike.
Hunyuanzi sneered. “Those old fools might know there’s a treasure here, but they wouldn’t know its secret. In this universe, only the gods and our Dan Ding Sect truly understand the Flame Fusion Bow.”
“How does the Dan Ding Sect know such a secret?” Yang Hao sensed there was more to this.
Hunyuanzi hesitated. “Well… the Flame Fusion Bow’s creation is somewhat related to our sect.”
“Somewhat?”
“Very much so.”
“How much?”
“Uh… one hundred percent.” Hunyuanzi admitted. “The truth is, the new Flame Fusion Bow was born from the Dan Ding Sect’s hands.”
“You mean…” Yang Hao’s sweat nearly poured like a waterfall. “You mean the Dan Ding Sect sealed the Fire God inside the Flame Fusion Bow?”
Hunyuanzi coughed awkwardly. “Remember the origin of the Three Flaming Seas technique? Our founder met Zhurong’s true form—a rare encounter. Zhurong taught him the technique, but later… our founder somehow tricked Zhurong into entering the bow and sealed him inside. From then on, the Flame Fusion Bow became our sect’s treasure, helping our founder establish our legacy and dominate the world.”
“Absolute shamelessness is invincible!” Yang Hao was torn between laughter and tears. A god kindly teaches you swordsmanship, only to be tricked into eternal imprisonment as a weapon’s power source—what a tragedy.
The Dan Ding Sect’s founder was truly a legend in his own right.
“Regardless, this supreme divine artifact was born from our Dan Ding Sect.” Hunyuanzi quickly regained his pride—typical of the sect’s lack of moral restraint. “Though the gods later stole it, fate has returned it to our descendant’s hands. Truly heaven’s will!”
Yang Hao gripped the bow, took a deep breath, and channeled his energy to draw it.
“Haah!” His face turned red with exertion. The strength in his hands could tear apart mountains, yet the Flame Fusion Bow’s string remained immovable, shimmering eerily as if mocking him.
“Why won’t it open?” Yang Hao inspected the bow, wondering if he’d missed an incantation.
If this bow truly had god-slaying power, it would be a game-changer for Yang Hao. With it, even the Elder Council’s leaders would be no threat—perhaps even the Supreme One could be challenged.
But no matter how hard he tried, the Flame Fusion Bow remained unyielding, as if reminding him that the universe’s strongest weapon wouldn’t submit easily.
“After sealing the Fire God, the bow’s mechanics changed entirely.” Hunyuanzi, as the Dan Ding Sect’s grandmaster, knew its secrets well. “Its former master’s imprisonment filled it with rage. The old methods no longer work—only true fury can activate it now.”
“Fury?” Yang Hao didn’t understand.
“A state where even your blood burns with anger. You’re not there yet.” Hunyuanzi said. “Like when I watched your master’s wife die—if I’d had this bow then, that bastard wouldn’t have lived to this day.”
“Whether the Supreme One is alive is still debatable.” Yang Hao scoffed.
He aimed the bow at the barely conscious Haike and pulled with all his might.
The Flame Fusion Bow twanged but remained unmoved.
The capital, in a season of hushed fear.
Though the Elder Council’s siege of the palace was kept secret, rumors spread. The people, though afraid to speak openly, were deeply discontented.
No matter how revered the Elder Council was, the Heroic Emperor was still the empire’s ruler.
Over decades, the Heroic Emperor had expanded the empire’s borders to the edge of the universe, cementing his image as a superhuman hero. Nobles with even a shred of loyalty hoped he wouldn’t fall.
Fearing rebellion, the Elder Council imposed strict control. Ten Sword Stream enforcers patrolled everywhere, dispersing gatherings.
Influential nobles were confined to their estates, including the Privy Council’s leaders.
In some areas, clashes between Ten Sword Stream swordsmen and noble youths had turned bloody, with descendants of warriors refusing humiliation and paying the price.
Yet no matter how hard Yang Hao tried, the Yanrong Bow remained unmoved, as if reminding him that the universe’s most powerful weapon would not be wielded casually.
“After the Fire God was sealed into the Yanrong Bow, its operation method completely changed,” Hunyuanzi, being the Dan Ding Sect’s Grandmaster, was well-versed in the treasured artifact. “The former master was imprisoned within his own weapon, making the bow even more furious and violent. The old methods can no longer draw the bow; only true rage can activate the Yanrong Bow.”
“Rage?” Yang Hao was puzzled.
“A state where even your blood exudes anger, a feeling you have yet to experience,” Hunyuanzi explained. “Like when I watched your master’s wife die before my eyes. If I had the Yanrong Bow then, could that bastard have lived until today?”
The lava, with temperatures reaching thousands of degrees, poured freely into the air, almost covering Yang Hao’s position.
“Dan Ding Barrier Technique!” Yang Hao raised a hand to the sky, and an endless stream of barrier energy erupted from his palm, enveloping everyone within.
The magma cascaded down like a waterfall, but upon hitting the barrier, it slid off helplessly, like raindrops on glass. No matter how scorching or intense the lava was, it could only accumulate around Yang Hao’s barrier, unable to penetrate even the smallest opening.
Seeing this, Haike had completely resigned himself to fate. Yang Hao’s ability to defeat him—and the Ten Sword Stream—was purely a display of overwhelming strength. The Ten Sword Stream had sent people here multiple times to retrieve that treasure, but every time, they were swallowed by the magma, even with the best high-temperature protective suits.
Yet Yang Hao, with just a single technique, protected dozens of his subordinates without a scratch. This level of power was beyond Haike’s imagination.
Not just Haike—even the disciples of the Hao Sword Sect looked at Yang Hao with reverence, as if he were a god. Standing at the forefront, one hand raised high as if supporting the entire world, Yang Hao shielded everyone with his own strength—a feat only a deity could achieve.
For three full hours, the planet witnessed a grand fireworks display of erupting magma—a force that had once devoured the oceans covering the planet.
Only when the volcanic rock from the cooled magma piled up around Yang Hao and his group did the relentless lava fountains begin to slow.
But deep within the planet’s core, an even more spectacular eruption was brewing, reaching its peak.
“Look!” Yang Hao sensed the planet’s energy being unleashed—a feeling of liberation after long confinement.
A cataclysmic explosion shattered the land, rearranging the terrain as magma seeped from every fissure. The massive crater Yang Hao had created earlier expanded dozens of times, forming a terrifying sinkhole.
A fireball, over a hundred meters in diameter, shot into the sky.
The brilliance of the stars was completely eclipsed by the blinding light, which radiated with unrestrained energy. The few remaining lifeforms on Flamesand Planet were utterly annihilated in this energy surge.
The fireball twisted and roared in the sky, as if containing a defiant soul struggling violently.
“Old Bear!” Yang Hao suddenly shouted.
Elder Hede sighed and summoned his axe once more, swinging it casually yet precisely.
Yang Hao’s barrier vanished—along with the rivers of scorching magma that had piled up around them.
Haike trembled, his body too weak to even express shock.
Yang Hao’s earlier display of power had already surpassed imagination. But this old bear’s effortless strike was equally divine, rivaling even the mightiest of the Elders.
What Haike didn’t know was that Elder Hede’s “Gold-Splitting Cleave” was the legacy of the Dark Angel King, Saan’s Night Axe. In this universe, few legendary warriors could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hede.
With the surrounding threats cleared by Hede, Yang Hao soared into the sky, plunging straight into the frenzied fireball.
Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.
No one knew what lay within that fireball, but its energy was undeniable. If it exploded, could Yang Hao withstand it?
If he were alone, Yang Hao might not have dared take such a risk. But with the old immortal of the Dan Ding Sect, Hunyuanzi, inside him, he had no choice but to charge forward.
Strangely, the raging fire, once untamable, became docile as a kitten when Yang Hao entered, dissolving into tiny tendrils of flame that flowed gently into his body.
These flames transformed into new energy within Yang Hao’s meridians, circulating endlessly.
Soon, the colossal fireball was completely absorbed by Yang Hao.
And within the flames, the treasure finally revealed its true form.
For the first time in millennia, someone laid eyes on this artifact, considered unparalleled in history—its power surpassing even the Creator’s own divine weapons.
Thousands of years ago, this object had slain gods and dragons, sparking a war between deities and demons that claimed billions of lives.
By sheer chance, it had landed on Flamesand Planet, bringing peace to the universe for many years.
Even the leaders of the Elder Council only knew of the treasure’s existence, unaware of its true nature—otherwise, they would have mobilized the entire empire to claim it.
Now, this world-altering artifact rested in Yang Hao’s grasp.
It was a blood-red longbow, a full meter in length, crafted from an unknown metal heavier than the finest sword steel. Carved into its curve was a terrifying three-faced, three-headed deity with six arms and six legs, standing on wheels of fire, wielding fiery swords, and spewing flames from its mouths.
Even more horrifying—the deity seemed alive, its gaze filled with malice. As Yang Hao held the bow, he could feel the ferocious and terrifying soul within roaring.
“Ah!!!” Hunyuanzi nearly fainted.
“Wait, don’t pass out yet.” Yang Hao, unaware of what he held, asked, “What is this thing? Is it powerful?”
“Powerful?” Hunyuanzi struggled to contain his excitement. “You fool, this is the Flamesoul Bow! The Flamesoul Bow!!!”
“Flamesoul Bow?”
“Do you know what the most formidable weapon in the world is? Do you know what artifact can turn the tide of a divine war?” Hunyuanzi roared impatiently. “Compared to the Flamesoul Bow, Saan’s Night Axe is a child’s toy. Every other divine weapon is trash—utter trash!”
Yang Hao took a deep breath but remained calm. The bow pulsed restlessly in his grip, its energy like an inexhaustible treasure trove.
“The Creator left behind thirty divine artifacts, each immensely powerful, counterbalancing one another—none truly supreme,” Hunyuanzi continued. “Saan’s Night Axe and the Ten Divine Swords are just among them. The Flamesoul Bow was once just one of those thirty.”
“And now?”
“Now, the Flamesoul Bow in your hands is no longer what the Creator forged.” Hunyuanzi declared. “Whoever wields it can rule this world. A divine war was once fought over this bow—yet it ended up on this insignificant planet.”
“How did it become so powerful? Can a weapon cultivate?” Yang Hao asked, puzzled.
“This bow was originally one of the Creator’s fire-attribute divine weapons, using flames as arrows, wielded by the Fire God Zhurong.”
Yang Hao nodded. Zhurong was the fire deity of the Milky Way, a unique race with only one true god and countless avatars.
Legend had it that the Dan Ding Sect’s founder once encountered Zhurong’s true form and was granted the “Three Flaming Seas” sword technique.
“Zhurong’s Flamesoul Bow was powerful but ranked low among the thirty divine weapons,” Hunyuanzi said darkly. “But the one you hold now is the most formidable weapon since creation—because it contains the Fire God Zhurong’s divine power, soul, and essence, sealed within.”
“What?!” Yang Hao nearly fell from the sky. “A god was sealed inside a bow?”
“Exactly. The bow’s former master was utterly sealed within, never to escape. Zhurong’s divine power, essence, and the resulting fury increased the bow’s strength tenfold, making it the universe’s most powerful weapon.”
“If the Elder Council knew about this, why didn’t they retrieve it sooner?” Yang Hao glanced at Haike suspiciously.
Hunyuanzi sneered. “Those old fools might know of a treasure here, but they wouldn’t know its true nature or secrets. Only the divine races and our Dan Ding Sect truly understand the Flamesoul Bow.”
“How does the Dan Ding Sect know such a secret?” Yang Hao sensed something deeper.
Hunyuanzi hesitated. “Well… the Flamesoul Bow’s creation is somewhat related to our sect.”
“Somewhat?”
“Very much so.”
“How much?”
“Uh… one hundred percent.” Hunyuanzi admitted. “The truth is, the new Flamesoul Bow was born from the Dan Ding Sect’s hands.”
“You mean…” Yang Hao’s sweat nearly poured like a waterfall. “The Dan Ding Sect sealed the Fire God inside the bow?”
Hunyuanzi coughed awkwardly. “Remember the origin of the Three Flaming Seas technique? Our founder encountered Zhurong’s true form—a rare occurrence. He begged for divine techniques, and Zhurong taught him the sword style. Later… well, our founder somehow convinced Zhurong to enter the bow, sealing him inside. From then on, the Flamesoul Bow became our sect’s treasure, helping establish our dominance.”
“Utter shamelessness!” Yang Hao laughed bitterly. A god generously teaches you, only to be tricked into eternal imprisonment as a weapon’s power source—what a tragedy.
The Dan Ding Sect’s founder was truly a legend in infamy.
“Regardless, this supreme artifact was born from our sect,” Hunyuanzi boasted shamelessly. “Though the gods later stole it, fate has returned it to our heir. Divine providence!”
Yang Hao gripped the bow, took deep breaths, and channeled his energy, attempting to draw it.
“Hyah!” His face reddened with effort—strength that could move mountains—yet the bowstring remained immovable, glowing eerily.
“Why won’t it open?” Yang Hao inspected the bow, searching for hidden mechanisms.
If the Flamesoul Bow truly had god-slaying power, it would make Yang Hao unstoppable—even against the Elders or the Supreme One.
But no matter how hard he tried, the bow resisted, as if reminding him that the universe’s strongest weapon wouldn’t yield easily.
“After Zhurong’s sealing, the bow’s activation changed,” Hunyuanzi explained. “Its former master’s imprisonment filled it with rage. Old methods no longer work—only true fury can unleash it.”
“Fury?” Yang Hao frowned.
“A state where anger burns in your blood. You’re not there yet.” Hunyuanzi said. “Like when I watched your master’s wife die—if I’d had this bow then, that bastard wouldn’t live today.”
“Whether the Supreme One lives is still uncertain,” Yang Hao scoffed.
He aimed the bow at the barely conscious Haike and pulled with all his might.
The Flamesoul Bow vibrated but remained unmoved.
Meanwhile, in the imperial capital, fear reigned.
Though the Elder Council’s siege of the palace was kept secret, rumors spread. The people, though silent publicly, seethed with discontent.
No matter the Council’s status, Emperor Yinglie was still the empire’s ruler.
For decades, his conquests had expanded the empire to the universe’s edge, cementing his heroic image. Nobles with any pride hoped he wouldn’t fall.
Fearing rebellion, the Council enforced strict control. Ten Sword Stream enforcers patrolled, dispersing gatherings.
Influential nobles were confined to their estates, including the Privy Council’s leaders.
In some areas, clashes between nobles and enforcers had turned bloody, with descendants of warriors refusing humiliation.
He aimed the bow at the dying Haik and pulled with all his might.
The bow rang out, yet remained completely still.
The Imperial Capital was in a season of silence and fear.
Although the Elder Council’s siege of the palace was strictly confidential, the news still spread. Despite the citizens’ reluctance to speak openly, they were deeply dissatisfied in private.
Even with the Elder Council’s high status, the Emperor Yinglie was still the empire’s sovereign.
Moreover, over the past decades, Emperor Yinglie had expanded the Galactic Empire’s territory to the universe’s edge, solidifying his image as a superhuman hero in the people’s hearts. The nobles still possessing a shred of passion did not wish for Yinglie’s downfall.
Fearing the escalation of such resistance, the Elder Council imposed a high-pressure policy on the capital. The Ten Sword Style’s swordsmen patrolled everywhere, dispersing any gatherings.
Powerful nobles were confined to their homes. Including the former Chief of the Secret Council, the empire’s backbone forces were locked within their estates, forbidden from leaving.
Rumors spread that in several sensitive areas, the Ten Sword Style’s swordsmen had already clashed with noble youths, resulting in many noble descendants sacrificing their lives unwillingly enduring humiliation.
The imperial capital nowadays resembled a powder keg on the verge of explosion, oppressively silent and heavy, as if the darkness before dawn had already crushed the breath out of its people.
Jia Yunye was also a member of the passionate nobility. As a distant royal descendant, he did not reside in the palace. However, his father, a high-ranking minister with influence in the Privy Council, had been placed under house arrest by one of the sword sects within the Ten Sword Sects alliance. Fortunately, since Jia Yunye had always been living outside the palace, he narrowly escaped the same fate.
Yet, despite the vastness of heaven and earth, the faction of elders had already completely seized control of Earth and the Milky Way. Where could Jia Yunye possibly flee? In anger, he decided to gather a group of noble youths and charged straight toward the palace to rescue the emperor.
Whether it was good or bad luck, before these dozens of hotheaded nobles could reach the palace and throw their lives away, they encountered sword masters from the Ten Sword Sects’ Huan Yu Sect. After several fierce battles, Jia Yunye’s group was utterly defeated and left with no choice but to flee.
Thus, Jia Yunye led dozens of battered followers to escape to the Nico Commercial Duchy.
“What do we do now?” asked a wounded noble, panting heavily.
Jia Yunye turned around and looked at his childhood companions, all of whom were exhausted and unable to continue. Their families had been placed under house arrest by the elders, and their strength was insufficient to protect their loved ones. Despite his helplessness, Jia Yunye still tried to encourage morale: “It’s okay. The emperor is still alive, and so are we. As long as we live, there is hope.”
“But where do we go now? The entire empire is under the elders’ control. Where else can we run?”
Jia Yunye had already thought of a plan, though even he wasn’t very confident about it:
“Let’s seek refuge with the Dan Ding Sword Sect. Right now, only Yang Hao can save the empire.”
“Yang Hao?” Another noble sighed. “He might not even be alive himself. The executive elder said he died long ago. Besides, the Dan Ding Sword Sect has been completely overwhelmed by the Ten Sword Sects. I heard that the Haotian Sword Corps is barely holding on. If we go there, we’ll just die with them.”
“Yeah, the Ten Sword Sects are so powerful now—Huan Yu Sect, Xiu Shilin, and even Haake from the Divine Retribution Sword Corps are top-tier experts,” said the youngest noble, still trembling at the memory. “I even saw Commander Haake demonstrate his power near here not long ago. He destroyed half of Dan Ding’s pharmacy with a single sword strike. It was just too incredible.”
What he referred to happened before Yang Hao was captured and taken to the palace for trial. At that time, Haake led the Divine Retribution Sword Corps to attack Dan Ding’s pharmacy, and the disciples of the Haotian Sword Corps who were left behind fought back fiercely, eventually perishing together with the pharmacy.
This incident was widely known throughout the empire, and everyone admired the bravery of Dan Ding’s disciples.
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