Supreme Sword Exalt

Chapter 268 - The Demon Monarch’s Real Name

After hearing that Ah Sha had been taken away, the already extremely weak black shadow flew into a rage, jumping and cursing loudly. It was to the point where even the last wisp of his soul power showed signs of dissipating.

“Damn it!!! I’m the only one who takes from others! Never has anyone dared to take what belongs to me. Just wait! Whatever damned Yue Clan, whatever ancient clan, once I recover, they’ll be in for a world of misfortune!”

Gu Han voiced his concern. “Something’s not right about this. I wonder if Ah Sha going back will be a problem.”

Steward Yue was strange in every way. Though he hadn’t stated it explicitly, Gu Han sensed that the death of Ah Sha’s parents was anything but simple. Otherwise, why would Steward Yue so strongly oppose his search for Ah Sha?

The shadow let out a cold laugh. “There’s no need for you to worry about that little girl’s safety. With such heaven-defying bloodline, they’ll definitely worship her like an ancestor, unless they’re unbelievably stupid. As for the rest, these damned clans have plenty of strange rules. Why bother with so much? If you find them disagreeable, just one sword strike over there, and everything will be peaceful!”

Gu Han was silent for a moment. “Ah Sha is mine, and mine alone.”

The shadow was displeased. “Who?! She’s also my disciple! That was settled long ago, it cannot change! Also, what you should be worried about right now isn’t that girl, but yourself. First, think about how you’re going to survive.”

Gu Han didn’t speak. His condition was actually more serious than Zuo Yang had imagined. In fact, he could only retain his consciousness by relying on the remaining flicker of spirit light. It most likely came from the divine sense seed the shadow had mentioned. However, he had just tested it out. The time required for this seed to hatch would be immense, not to mention the difficulty.

The shadow understood this perfectly well. ”Making a divine sense seed hatch is as simple as it is difficult. You can nourish it with an unending stream of soul power, slowly grinding away at the outer shell. Or, you can sense that indescribable, unclear opportunity in the void, allowing this seed to break through its shell, take root, and sprout.”

Gu Han asked, “What’s the difference between the two?”

“The former is safe and steady, but it takes a very long time. Even back then, it took me a full year. As for the latter, it all depends on luck. If you can grasp it, the seed can instantly break through its shell. If you can’t, then you’ll have to use the first method.” Seeing Gu Han fall silent again, the shadow shook his head. “Actually, if you could find that top-tier herb for nourishing soul power, breaking through within a month or two isn’t completely impossible. For example, the soul crystal you mentioned that sealed that little girl—”

Gu Han interrupted him. “That’s what saved Ah Sha’s life!”

The shadow sighed. Under normal circumstances, condensing the divine sense seed would be an immense stroke of luck, but now it was like a death warrant.

Gu Han asked, “What about you? You’re really not planning to leave?”

The shadow shook his head. “I think a scourge like you will definitely survive. Besides, where would I even go? Even if I could find a body, it wouldn’t be my own in the end. It would mean starting everything over from scratch. Even with the golden seal’s help, returning to the peak would be incredibly difficult. As for revenge... heh, that’s even more hopeless!”

For a moment, he was moved by his own feelings. He even sounded uncharacteristically sincere. It seemed the consumption was indeed too great. His soul body was becoming increasingly unstable.

The shadow’s voice grew weaker as he drifted slowly toward the depths of the space. “Enough. This time, you’ve really screwed me over. For a long time to come, I’m afraid I’ll have to sink into a deep slumber. Kid, don’t you dare die. Finding another quiet place won’t be easy in my current state. Oh, and don’t lock me in that damn cage anymore. I’m a person, not a dog!”

Gu Han sighed softly. “Don’t worry. I won’t...”

From their initial fight to the death, to mutual wariness and exploitation, and now to gradual trust, perhaps neither of them had even noticed the shift in attitude between them. Or perhaps they had long noticed, but neither was willing to be the first to concede, stubbornly refusing to admit it.

The shadow hesitated for a moment. “Also, if you can survive, you should not miss a single Supreme Stage. If... Nevermind, forget it, this is too far off for you. You just need to know that the secret of the Supreme Stage is not as simple as you think.”

Gu Han understood very well. “I won’t.”

Aside from the mysterious Great Evolution Sword Scripture, the Supreme Stage was his biggest trump card. No matter how difficult, he had to cultivate toward it.

Upon seeing the shadow growing increasingly faint, Gu Han said, “If... If I can survive, I’ll help you get your revenge in the future.”

The shadow froze. “Think about how you’re going to survive first.”

Gu Han murmured, “I’ve known you for so long, but I still don’t know your name.”

“Qian... Ye.”

Accompanied by the hoarse voice, the shadow instantly dispersed, transforming into a wisp of light. It wrapped around the golden seal, gradually diving into the deepest part of the consciousness space.

Gu Han nodded. “Qian Ye. Indeed, it’s a hundred times better than the name Fu Yulin.”

***

After seeing Gu Han silent for so long, Zuo Yang couldn’t help but feel worried outside. “Junior Brother, let’s head back first. We can also look for those two along the way...”

Gu Han came to his senses, looking into the distance. “Senior Brother, I want to go see him.”

Zuo Yang sighed and didn’t stop him. “Alright.”

Although Gu Han’s divine sense was gone, most of his cultivation remained. In just a moment, he arrived at the place where the pill tower was located. His expression shifted many times. Bloodstains and fragments of shattered dao artifacts, including pieces of Yang Ying’s spear, littered the ground.

The man himself was nowhere to be found.

***

Beyond the infinite celestial domains, a magnificent white palace hung high beyond the heavens. Around it, auspicious clouds drifted and ethereal mists swirled. As the clouds and mists rose and fell, the main gate of the palace was faintly revealed, engraved with the words “Heavenly Palace.”

Below, mountain ranges stretched as far as the eyes could see. Spirit qi was abundant, along with rare birds and exotic beasts. Countless cultivators dressed in black robes came and went. Their auras were profound, making it difficult to discern their true cultivation realms.

Suddenly, a faint bell sound rang out. The chime seemed to carry an inexplicable Dao resonance, causing a crowd of rare birds and exotic beasts to pause and listen attentively. Some with particularly clear spirit nature even shed their beastly forms on the spot. They transformed into humans, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed incessantly.

At this moment, all the black-robed cultivators stopped in their tracks and bowed deeply toward the Heavenly Palace. Their voices resonated continuously, ringing through the heavens.

“Greetings to the young venerable in exiting seclusion!”