Chapter 1776: Reduced to Ashes

"Is it really an Ancient Divine Artifact?"

Another Heavenly Realm Late Stage Cultivator murmured, seemingly voicing the speculation in everyone’s hearts. At this moment, the entire scene was filled with the sound of people gasping.

Ancient Divine Artifacts are exceedingly rare even in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. It is said that they are peerless weapons lost from ancient times, each possessing immense power.

If an ordinary cultivator could own one of these Ancient Divine Artifacts, their combat power would definitely be multiplied, granting them a significant advantage when facing off against a fellow cultivator of the same level.

Unfortunately, Ancient Divine Artifacts are hard to come by. On the surface of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, there are probably only as many as can be counted on one hand, the most famous of which is naturally the "Emperor Dragon Spear" held by the Sovereign of the Emperor Canglong Palace.

There is even a saying that Emperor Canglong is invincible at the same level because of this Emperor Dragon Spear, which is why he ascended to the position of the sovereign of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. One can only imagine how much a Divine Artifact enhances combat ability.

However, what these cultivators of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud do not know is that these so-called Ancient Divine Artifacts passed down from ancient times actually originated from the Li Yuan Realm. In that higher plane, such weapons are everywhere to be seen.

Yet at least on this Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, Ancient Divine Artifacts are extremely rare. No one expected to see one in the Drunken Immortal City today. The appearance of such an artifact led everyone to wildly speculate about the origins of the coarse-clothed youth.

To own such an Ancient Divine Artifact Wooden Sword and exhibit combat strength that surpasses ordinary cultivators, no one would believe he comes from a common family sect.

However, these subtle thoughts were temporarily set aside as Ma Nanfeng fell from the sky. The significant event unfolding before them was now what demanded their attention.

Clearly, Yun Xiao had just executed the second form illusion of the Dragon Taming Nine Swords, and he was undoubtedly extremely satisfied with the execution of this illusion.

Back on the Tenglong Continent, Yun Xiao’s Dragon Taming Illusion did not reach such a level. His speech and actions were slightly stiff, never as vivid and lifelike as just now.

In the previous instance, when the Dragon Taming Sword transformed into Shan Changxin, it even imitated some of his habitual actions, which dispelled Ma Nanfeng’s slight doubts and ultimately led to success.

With Yun Xiao’s advancement in Meridian Qi Cultivation, his unrivaled techniques seemed to grow stronger by the day. Easily killing the Heavenly Realm Peak Ma Nanfeng at this moment was a signal.

"You... you... you..."

Ma Nanfeng, weakly falling from the sky, was not yet dead. He looked up at the increasingly blurred coarse-clothed youth, seemingly wanting to say something.

To tell the truth, Ma Nanfeng now felt regretful, regretting why he had provoked that seemingly harmless young lad, or he wouldn’t be facing this catastrophic disaster.

However, Ma Nanfeng never anticipated that a young lad, just in his early twenties, could be such a terrifying figure, not even himself, an expert at the Heavenly Realm Peak, was a match.

Ma Nanfeng, having seen much in his lifetime, had already guessed from that eerie transformation of the wooden sword that it was an Ancient Divine Artifact. Given this, the coarse-clothed youth must certainly have an extraordinary background.

A young man with such an extraordinary background, who did not regard even the Emperor Palace or the Canglong Emperor Palace at all, and even destroyed the statue of the Canglong Empress, what did this signify? In his final moments, Ma Nanfeng thought very clearly.

The incident clearly hinted there was a powerful family or great sect secretly plotting against the Emperor Canglong Palace, and he had been caught right in the eye of this storm, leading to his demise today.

Considering the deaths of those influential figures from the Emperor Palace and feeling his own dissipating life force, Ma Nanfeng knew he was ultimately utterly defeated, in a most comprehensive manner.

The vast Drunken Immortal City Emperor Palace, where most power holders of the Heavenly Rank Third Realm had nearly all perished, led Ma Nanfeng to believe that after his own death, the vast Drunken Immortal City Emperor Palace would inevitably collapse.

Even if later the Canglong Emperor Palace sent people to rebuild the Emperor Palace, Ma Nanfeng’s once glorious days could never be recovered. This heralded the end of an era in Drunken Immortal City; as for when a new era would begin, that remained unknown.

"Ma Nanfeng... is dead!"

Only when the last wisp of life faded from Ma Nanfeng’s eyes, leaving his head slumped on the ground, did a voice murmur in realization, pulling the crowd’s attention back to reality.

Many onlookers in the crowd were native cultivators of Drunken Immortal City. Over the years, the Emperor Palace had acted arrogantly, with Ma Nanfeng being especially dismissive of others, leaving them too afraid to even express their anger.

None had ever imagined that a force for justice would emerge out of nowhere, uprooting the tyrannical Emperor Palace in Drunken Immortal City. To them, this was an unexpected joy.

Though even if the Canglong Emperor Palace might soon send someone to rebuild the Emperor Palace here, at least they would have a few days of peace. At worst, the new Director of the Emperor Palace might not be as arrogant as Ma Nanfeng.

"Brother Yun Xiao, he really did it!"

Within the crowd below, a figure with an extremely pale complexion managed a faint smile with the help of someone beside him; it was none other than Lu Ye, who had had his limbs broken by the Emperor Palace earlier.

If Yun Xiao noticed this side, he would realize the person supporting him was Manager Zhou of the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, the only person in Drunken Immortal City who didn’t have to look at the Emperor Palace’s face.

To be honest, Manager Zhou has always been unclear about the events happening outside. It wasn’t until the impending battle that he hurriedly emerged from the restaurant to witness the breathtaking scene.

When Manager Zhou saw those cultivators of the Emperor Palace being engulfed and incinerated by blood-red fire dots, he knew a major event was about to occur in Drunken Immortal City, and at the same time, harbored a hint of unusual anticipation.

Because of this, Manager Zhou chose to bring Lu Ye to watch the spectacle, and the final outcome didn’t disappoint him. That young man in coarse clothing truly destroyed the overbearing Emperor Palace with a single reversal.

Even Supervisor Ma Nanfeng was pierced through the heart by a bizarre and eerie flying sword, leading to the collapse of the vast Drunken Immortal City Emperor Palace from this day forth.

From that young man in coarse clothing, Manager Zhou saw not only an incredibly powerful strength but also a confidence in his abilities. His consistent composure made him keenly aware that the young man probably hadn’t exerted his full strength.

If a mere fraction of his power could annihilate the Emperor Palace, then what level would this young man reach if he went all out? Could he even contend with those super experts at the initial stage of Sanctum Ascension?

Manager Zhou thought deeply about this, further solidifying a particular idea in his mind. If he previously took Yun Xiao’s words lightly, now he definitely wouldn’t think the same way.

"I wonder if the master, upon seeing such a demon, might want to take him as a disciple?"

Manager Zhou thought about the elusive master, suddenly feeling a touch of anticipation. However, he didn’t know the deeper intricacies, nor did he understand the true relationship between the young man in coarse clothing in the sky and his master.

"Clack... clack clack... clack clack..."

Unlike Manager Zhou and Lu Ye’s mix of shock and delight, another figure on one side couldn’t help but shake violently; this person was Yu Xu, who had always been at loggerheads with Lu Ye.

To be honest, when Yu Xu saw Lu Ye’s limbs broken by the Emperor Palace, he was quite thrilled, feeling that his scheme to get someone else to do the dirty work was truly remarkable.

Little did he know, that young boy beside Lu Ye, upon emerging from the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, swept across like a storm, uprooting the entire Emperor Palace in no time.

Yu Xu was merely a Heavenly Realm Middle Stage cultivator, far inferior not only to Ma Nanfeng but also to the elders who had previously died in the Emperor Palace.

Thinking about the sarcasm he had thrown at Yun Xiao inside the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, Yu Xu felt his body tremble uncontrollably.

His upper and lower teeth clattered, prompting nearby cultivators to look at him with odd expressions.

As for minor characters like Yu Xu, Yun Xiao had no mood to bother. Shifting his gaze to the majestic Emperor Palace hall, a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes.

Whoosh!

A blast of blood-red light burst from Yun Xiao’s fingertips and expanded in the air before accurately landing inside the Emperor Palace hall.

Moments later, huge flames spread out, causing some low rank cultivators to scream and flee, not daring to glance at the young man in coarse clothing up in the sky.

These low rank cultivators from the Emperor Palace had naturally witnessed the battle between Yun Xiao and Ma Nanfeng. At the time, they never imagined Ma Nanfeng would be defeated.

No one expected Ma Nanfeng not only to lose but to lose so quickly. Now with the Emperor Palace’s hall in jeopardy, they genuinely feared the ruthless young man would wipe them out completely.

Yet Yun Xiao cared little for these small fry; he always only punished the principal culprits. Had these Emperor Palace fellows not aided Ma Nanfeng in his misdeeds, he wouldn’t have killed more.

The grandiose Emperor Palace hall reduced to ashes signified the absolute end of Ma Nanfeng’s era. From today, that tyrant who ruled over Drunken Immortal City for decades would finally cease to exist.

Flames blazed across the sky, painting Drunken Immortal City’s heaven in blood-red!