Chapter 768: Death by a Single Sword

But at that moment, the Iron Sword Emperor didn’t know what to do.

If he teamed up with the young man, they would be facing a Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor. Even with his two disciples, their chances of victory were slim.

As for teaming up with the Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor, that man would most likely refuse.

“I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?” Seeing Ye Xuan’s silence, the Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor’s expression darkened as he snapped.

The man was far too rude. Ye Xuan was already annoyed. From the man’s eyes and tone, he could tell that he was coveting his possessions.

“Whether I have any treasures is none of your business. If that’s all, I’ll be on my way.”

“Insolent! Did I say you could leave? You dare to be so arrogant before me, the Red Palm Emperor? Which power are you a disciple of? Have you no manners?”

The Red Palm Emperor bellowed again, his voice cold.

As he berated Ye Xuan, he unleashed his Martial Emperor’s might. Instantly, the aura of a Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor pressed down like a great mountain.

The Iron Sword Emperor’s heart sank as he felt this might. He had never heard of this Red Palm Emperor, but the man’s strength was even more terrifying than he had imagined. He was definitely a Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor, leagues stronger than himself.

The Iron Sword Emperor had considered trying to negotiate, but he now understood that it was impossible. The Red Palm Emperor’s cultivation was so high that even if he was injured, he was by no means an opponent the Iron Sword Emperor could face.

The Iron Sword Emperor decided it was time to leave.

Enveloped by the man’s Martial Emperor might, Ye Xuan grew even more displeased, his gaze turning cold. ‘Does this guy think I’m an easy target just because I’m a First Layer Martial Emperor?’

“Oh, so it’s the great Red Palm Emperor. To what do I owe the pleasure of your inquiry about my treasures?” Ye Xuan said, his tone laced with sarcasm.

The Red Palm Emperor snorted. He had clearly caught the sarcasm in Ye Xuan’s voice. However, he also noticed that Ye Xuan was completely unaffected by his Martial Emperor’s might, and there was not a trace of fear in his eyes.

This made him somewhat wary. He worried that Ye Xuan might be a disciple from some major power; after all, he looked far too young.

Besides, the Iron Sword Emperor was watching. If he killed Ye Xuan, he would have to silence the Iron Sword Emperor and his disciples as well. Otherwise, if the young man truly had a powerful backer, he would find himself in a very difficult situation.

Therefore, the Red Palm Emperor’s plan was to take the treasures from Ye Xuan without having to fight for them.

Otherwise, he would have attacked long ago instead of wasting his breath on Ye Xuan.

With this in mind, the Red Palm Emperor said coldly, “This Celestial Yin Valley is fraught with danger. I am merely concerned for your safety. If you carry too many treasures, you’re bound to attract unsavory characters. So, how about this: let me take a look at your Storage Ring. I will hold on to some of your treasures for you, to keep them from being coveted by those with ulterior motives.”

Ye Xuan was left speechless. He’d never heard someone try to justify robbery in such a sanctimonious way. This Red Palm Emperor was unbelievably shameless.

He said coldly, “Why in the world would I show you my Storage Ring? You idiot.”

“You’re courting death.”

The Red Palm Emperor’s expression changed. He felt he had been more than reasonable. For a Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor like himself to speak so civilly to a mere First Layer Martial Emperor, and this was the thanks he got?

A glint of killing intent flashed in the Red Palm Emperor’s eyes. He decided to kill Ye Xuan. No matter what his background was, anyone who dared to speak to the Red Palm Emperor like that was simply asking to die.

With a furious roar, the Red Palm Emperor threw a punch at Ye Xuan without a moment’s hesitation.

Though it seemed like a simple punch, the moment he unleashed his Peak of Second Layer power, the very space before him seemed to tremble. Backed by his powerful Domain Realm, the attack was like a meteorite crashing down from the heavens—enough to pulverize not just a young man, but an entire mountain.

“What terrifying fist power.”

The Iron Sword Emperor’s expression changed once again. He was glad he hadn’t been the first to make a move.

What the Iron Sword Emperor failed to see, however, was that the moment the Red Palm Emperor threw his punch, his own expression became even more contorted than the Iron Sword Emperor’s.

The Red Palm Emperor had just thrown his punch when he felt a powerful spatial restraint. In the next instant, his fist slowed, and even the Profound radiance erupting from it began to dim.

Trapped by the terrifying spatial restraint, Ye Xuan’s gaze was cold. The Sword of Judgment on his back had already slashed out—Star Sword Skill.

He showed no mercy to anyone who tried to kill him.

In an instant, a blinding, azure-blue streak of lightning-like sword light illuminated the gloomy valley. The moment it appeared, the world seemed to lose all color, leaving only that single, brilliant flash reflected in the eyes of the Iron Sword Emperor and his disciples.

The Red Palm Emperor felt his very soul shudder. The sword light seemed deceptively simple, dazzling but otherwise unremarkable. Yet the power contained within it sent an inexplicable tremor of fear through his heart.

He had a sinking feeling that he would be utterly unable to block this strike.

Seized by a sudden panic, the Red Palm Emperor tried to retreat, only to discover in horror that the space around him had completely solidified. His own Domain Realm shattered like a soap bubble, rendered useless.

What followed was excruciating pain.

BANG!

Ye Xuan’s Sword of Judgment cleaved down upon his right fist. The Red Palm Emperor’s fist instantly shattered, as if it were made of glass. An even more astonishing surge of lightning power shot up his arm and coursed into his body.

“No!”

The Red Palm Emperor’s eyes flew wide as he let out a desperate, furious roar.

“Pfft!”

A spray of blood erupted. The Red Palm Emperor, who had just been planning to rob Ye Xuan, was bound by Ye Xuan’s Domain Realm and slashed into a bloody mist before he could even execute a single complete Fist Skill.

The azure sword light faded. Ye Xuan sheathed the Sword of Judgment, and the entire valley fell silent.

“GULP!”

Not far away, the Iron Sword Emperor swallowed hard, his eyes bulging as wide as eggs. His two disciples, both Tier Seven Third Layer Martial Kings, were utterly dumbfounded, stunned into silence by the scene.

Ye Xuan glanced at the Iron Sword Emperor and his disciples, then said slowly, “It looked to me like you were also thinking about robbing me a moment ago.”

“No, no, absolutely not!” The Iron Sword Emperor broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, “Young Hero, you’ve misunderstood! We had no such thoughts, I swear it on my life!”

Facing an expert who could instantly kill a Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor with a single sword strike, how could the Iron Sword Emperor dare reveal his true intentions? That would be suicide.

“Good.” Ye Xuan snorted. “Do you have a map or any information on the Profound Domain? Hand it over and let me have a look.”

Not daring to delay for a second, the Iron Sword Emperor hastily retrieved a jade slip. “Young Hero, this is the map I have. It’s not very comprehensive, I hope you’ll forgive its shortcomings.”

Ye Xuan took the jade slip and submerged his Profound Sense within it. A map clearly formed in his mind—a simple map of the Profound Realm Third Heaven.

The Profound Domain is divided into the Nine Heavens. It is a place fraught with danger and fierce competition.

The top-tier powers were relatively stable, boasting long histories and deep-rooted legacies. However, the smaller powers and even second-rate forces in the lower three heavens changed constantly.

Ye Xuan hadn’t been back to the Profound Domain in over a century. Though he was once very familiar with it, he knew that the political landscape of a place like the Third Heaven would have changed dramatically in that time.

Unfortunately, the map in the Iron Sword Emperor’s jade slip was mediocre at best, and the accompanying information was even less impressive. It wasn’t very useful to Ye Xuan.

“Young Hero, may we leave now?” the Iron Sword Emperor asked timidly.

“Leave whenever you want,” Ye Xuan said coolly.

He was also preparing to leave. The Ancient Fiend Land had suddenly vanished, sealed away once more. Many experts who had arrived late at the Celestial Yin Valley would surely be feeling frustrated. If someone like him, who had actually been inside, didn’t leave soon, he would inevitably attract more malicious experts like the Iron Sword Emperor and the Red Palm Emperor.

Ye Xuan wasn’t afraid of ordinary experts, but he would be in grave danger if he ran into a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor.

The Iron Sword Emperor was overjoyed. He hadn’t expected Ye Xuan to let him go so easily. Just as he was about to lead his two disciples away, an astonishing wave of spatial power washed over them, and three panicked streaks of light shot toward them from the distance.

BOOM!

An astonishing pressure swept out. The three streaks of light were moving at incredible speeds, tearing across the sky with an overwhelming momentum that seemed to crush everything in their path.

The Iron Sword Emperor held his breath, his focus absolute. The might emanating from these three figures was staggering. The weakest of them was on par with the late Red Palm Emperor, while the strongest was far beyond him. This was a level of pressure that only a Tier Eight Third Layer Martial Emperor could possess.

Yet these three terrifying individuals were currently fleeing in a panic, their expressions alarmed. They must have encountered a terrible crisis. The Iron Sword Emperor didn’t dare get involved, praying they wouldn’t even notice him.

“Huh? Lin Bo, what’s wrong with you all?”

Seeing the three streaks of light, Ye Xuan’s face showed a hint of surprise. He abandoned his plan to leave and called out to them.

He recognized them. They were from the Lin family of the Celestial Capital Prefecture. Furthermore, Lin Tian’s grandfather, Lin Bo, was on good terms with his Profound Light Pavilion.

“Young Master Ye, what are you doing here?”

The three figures had now spotted Ye Xuan below. With a cry of surprise, they swooped down to land before him.

The one in the lead was the Lin family’s ancestor, Lin Guangyuan. The other two were Lin Bo and another core elder of the Lin family who seemed to be named Lin Zheng.

The Lin family had sent a team of five to explore the mysterious land, but now only three remained. Ye Xuan didn’t have to guess to know that the other two had likely perished.

And it wasn’t just that they had lost two members; Lin Guangyuan and the others were clearly not out of danger. Their robes were tattered and stained with blood, clear evidence of a fierce battle. Lin Zheng was even missing an arm, and his aura was dangerously weak.