Supreme Sword Exalt

Within a hastily constructed military camp, Gu Han held the Void Essence Crystal, continuously pondering its secrets.

The Soaring realm used the divine sense as a guide, constantly merging one’s aura with the surrounding space to improve harmony with it. By analogy, cultivators were like fish, and space like water. Achieving such harmony allowed one to roam freely through the heavens and draw lightning to temper the body.

Since it was honed at the Supreme Stage, his divine sense was far more stable than that of ordinary cultivators. Sensing space was also far easier. Now, with the help of the Void Essence Crystal, his speed of breaking through realms would far exceed anyone’s imagination.

As he focused on his study, a faint commotion came from outside. “Hmm?”

When he went outside, he saw Murong Yan, Fatty, and the others just arriving.

“What’s going on?” Gu Han asked.

Murong Yan wasn’t too pleased. “It’s those barbarians again! After every battle, they always come to provoke us!”

“Provoke?”

She proceeded to explain. The barbarian tribe had something called a War God Hall, consisting of nine young war gods, ranked from lowest to highest cultivation level.

A few years ago, Feng Xi beat the top young war god to death before both armies. Since then, the others have tried to reclaim their lost reputation. After each battle, they would challenge cultivators of the same realm, until it nearly became a tradition.

However, these young war gods were all carefully selected. Moreover, as body cultivators, their formidable defenses gave them a natural advantage. Over the years, the Great Flame Empire had lost more often than they won.

Last time, Murong Yan stepped forward and nearly beat their sixth young war god to a pulp, greatly boosting the army’s morale. To regain their footing, they returned not long after the major battle. And this time, it was the fifth young war god.

Fatty curled his lip. “Boring. Body cultivator? Peerless defense? If they’ve got the guts, bring over the first one. Let me compare defenses with him!”

The nine young war gods’ positions were fixed, but the people were not. If one died or was crippled, another would take their place.

Gu Han remained nonchalant. “Let’s go take a look.”

Soon, they arrived at the site of the confrontation. A large number of cultivators had already gathered around. Judging by the dejected looks on their faces, along with the few patches of blood staining the ground, the situation was grim.

A hundred zhang away, a barbarian youth stood resting with his eyes closed. He was exceptionally tall and sturdy, with bulging muscles. Brown battle armor enveloped him, while several golden bangles adorned his arms. Over a hundred barbaries stood beside him. Their builds were even more exaggeratedly robust, making Murong Yan appear petite in comparison.

“Trash!”

“Not a single one of you can fight!”

“Call out that woman, Feng Xi!”

“She’s so pretty, tell her to come out and dance for our war god’s entertainment!”

Various obscenities and insults continued to pour out. When it came to insults, these barbarians were a bit lacking in creativity, only repeating the same few lines. Still, two straight losses had crushed the empire cultivators’ morale, leaving them without the confidence to retort.

“Oh?”

“Sister Murong?”

“And Young Master Gu? You’re here?”

Upon seeing Gu Han and the others arrive, the cultivators’ spirits lifted instantly, and they quickly parted to make way. Murong Yan’s achievements were there for all to see.

Fatty glanced casually. “Pathetic excuse for a war god. With such meager skills, they dare to show their faces. Too bad my cultivation is too high and unsuitable for the field, or they’d be nothing more than a pinch for me!”

Murong Yan slammed her wolf-toothed club down, ready to take the field. “I’ll go!”

Gu Han swept his divine sense forward and grasped the opponent’s true strength right away. He immediately stopped her. “If you fight him, you can win, but you can’t kill him.”

As if hearing Gu Han’s voice, the young war god opened his eyes and sneered. “Another bunch of trash! Where’s Feng Xi? Tell that woman to come out and dance for me! If she pleases me today, I’ll let you off. Otherwise—hmm?”

He stopped mid-sentence as he suddenly spotted Zhao Mengyou.

His eyes lit up and he laughed heartily. “This woman is very pretty. Very good. Tell her to come keep me company, and I’ll show you mercy!”

Zhao Mengyou’s face paled with anger, ready to fight. “I’ll go! I will kill him!”

Fatty was stunned. “Oh? Divine Maiden Zhao’s changed her tune? I heard from that Yun Fan kid that you—ahem.”

Upon seeing Gu Han glare at him, he quickly shut up.

Zhao Mengyou gritted her teeth. “On the battlefield, there’s no such thing as Divine Maidens or anything. Everyone’s the same. Since I decided to stay, I won’t be just a decoration. I need to adapt, it’s inevitable.”

Gu Han stared at her with surprise, which made Zhao Mengyou blush slightly, before turning her head away.

Gu Han shook his head. “You can’t either. Although you could kill him, it wouldn’t be satisfying enough.”

Fatty’s eyes lit up. “Hmm? Are you going to fight?”

Gu Han ignored him and smiled at the young war god. “How about I fight you instead?”

Although this barbarian was strong, his strength lay in his physique. His actual cultivation level was only at the Soaring realm.

The young war god sneered. “You? With your pretty boy looks—”

Before he could finish, an astonishing aura exploded, and Gu Han vanished from his spot. When he reappeared, he stood just a few chi in front of the barbarian. Waves of sharp intent radiated from him, stinging the barbarian’s face.

The group of barbarians was stunned. What?! So fast!

Seasoned in battle, the young war god was only briefly stunned before his cultivation burst forth. The golden bangles on his arms clinked, and a pale red blood aura erupted around him.

He taunted. “Come! Let me see what you—”

In the next moment, streaks of formless sword qi slammed against his blood aura barrier, leaving bloody gashes on him. Gu Han didn’t even seem to be moving at all!

The young barbarian let out a wild laugh. “That’s it? Not enough! I am mighty!”

Seeing his arrogance, the barbarians behind him also grew excited, chanting incessantly.

“War God is mighty!”

Their elation lasted only half a moment.

“Kill!”

A chilling voice full of killing intent rang out, drowning out their shouts.

The barbarians saw a flash of light as Gu Han vanished, then reappeared where he stood. In his hand was the bloody, severed head of the young war god. There was only a headless corpse before them. From the moment Gu Han moved to the moment he took the barbarian’s head, less than two breaths had passed.

The barbarians were dumbfounded. Our War God... dead?

Gu Han said calmly, “Such pathetic trash and you dare to provoke me?”

With a sweep of sword qi, the head exploded into a mist of blood.