The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 907: Dreadful Sword

Proofreader: Papatonks

Whoosh~

Hundreds of men in black landed in a wide space, with the moon hanging overhead. Before them were a row of buildings, though not the watery paradise they all were aiming for.

“Clan Head, this place isn’t right. It’s not what it says on the map!”

One man looked around before going to Shangguan Feixiong to express his doubts.

Shangguan Feixiong frowned, his face unnatural. He was getting a really bad feeling.

There were some heavy sounds that cut off his thoughts. The black rows of houses all were filled with candlelight and an age voice sounded, “Shangguan Clan Head, it’s been ages. Have you been well?”

Shangguan Feixiong shuddered at the familiar voice. His face grew hard as he stepped back in terror.

The rest were shocked at seeing their calm Clan Head out of his element. 

[Just who is in there?]

Creak~

An old man slowly stepped out of a lit house.

With him came hundreds of Genesis and Soul Harmony experts, all releasing their power and bloodthirst.

“Former best in western lands, now Dragon Cleaving Sword King of central area, Danqing Shen. Y-you didn’t leave?”

Eyes shaking, Shangguan Feixiong gnashed his teeth, his suspicions confirmed, yet his heart sank.

[Trap!]

Three days ago, their scouts watched Danqing Shen and Baili Jingwei leave. Yet here he was now.

It was all just a cover Baili Jingwei set up. Making a show of leaving and then returning to kill them. 

[Everything was fake so we’d take the bait.]

Danqing Shen’s mere presence confirmed Baili Jingwei was the one running the show.

He was in the worst danger possible, far beyond just fighting two Sword Kings, but also being snared by Baili Jingwei’s trap. It just didn’t get much worse than this.

Shangguan Feixiong was soaked in sweat, his eyes frantic as panic and despair set in on his face.

Danqing Shen easily read his mood, sighing, “Shangguan Clan Head, I have nothing against you but as we stand on opposite camps, I’ll have to offend you.”

“Retreat!”

Shangguan Feixiong shouted in anger, his eyes bloodshot. He was wrecked with regret, over his lapse in judgment, over his carelessness in getting his clansmen into this danger. If they were all to perish here, Shangguan clan would be threatened, eastern lands would be threatened, and he would become his homeland’s stigma.

Shangguan Feixiong’s guilt was so deep his eyes looked dead. He would not hesitate to give his own life if it could save everyone else out of this disaster.

His men were startled at first, but then realized from Shangguan Feixiong’s ashen face that they had been trapped. 

They trusted their Clan Head’s decision and withdrew at once from where they came.

Danqing Shen shook his head, “Sorry, but my position demands me to stop you. You’re never going to leave this place…”

Danqing Shen hacked with two fingers.

A draconic roar echoed as the world changed. An outrageous flood of sword energy came, turning into dragons and converging into a half kilometer long draconic sword.

With the howls of dragons sounding in the background, the gigantic sword’s might spread terror into its quarry. It felt like it could split the world in two.

Sss~

Every man there gasped, feeling for the first time a power like no other robbing their courage and draining their resistance. It was akin to the three venerables’ combined attack, just that it came from one man and was on a much more insane scale.

[Is this the power of the central area’s Nine Sword Kings?]

The people watching the gargantuan sword hanging overhead were overwhelmed with fear.

Shangguan Feixiong watched their shocked faces, the terror in their eyes and roared, “Don’t stand there! Wake up and flee!”

[Uh, right…]

Startling awake, the men gave Danqing Shen one last look of fear then fled with all they had, even as their backs were icy-cold.

“I never wanted to harm anyone. But it’ll be up to your luck…”

Danqing Shen sighed and his hand shone as he hacked.

Hu~

The grand sword descended upon the earth like a cataclysmic meteor, its pressure robbing the men of breath and the ground of stability, making it crack and pieces beginning to actually float.

While the true targets, the men that wanted to follow their Clan Head in fleeing, found themselves under a mountain, sinking into the earth and unable to budge an inch.

Panic dominated their hearts, all stemming from the obscene power such a skill could unleash, from looking death in the face.

This strike would kill most of them and put an end to their mission, all in one move.

[Dragon Cleaving Sword King’s power is terrifying!]

Fear had reached a breaking point in their minds, now giving way to despair…

Shangguan Feixiong gnashed his teeth in defiance, cursing the sword as it came for them. He drew his fingers and made a circle, unleashing a scarlet sword wave, filling the air with life and smashing into the huge sword.

“Danqing Shen, enough of your contempt. I may not be the best in eastern lands, but I’ve earned my name through the years learning the Soaring Sword Art from the Soaring Sword!”

“Great, I can’t wait to spar with a fellow insightful cultivator in divine weapons, ha-ha-ha…”

Danqing Shen chuckled at the challenge.

Bam!

The two sword attacks smashed into each other, unleashing a violent pressure and blinding light. 

Only Danqing Shen still walked with ease, his fingers pointing out casually while Shangguan Feixiong bled from everywhere and fought to just stand upright.

Danqing Shen sighed, “Shangguan Feixiong, you’re a Clan Head but haven’t grasped even a third of Soaring Sword’s nature. If it were your brother, this clash would’ve ended in a draw. A shame you have yet to catch up to him, or maybe you never will. Insight is beyond our grasp.”

Danqing Shen felt regret as he shook his finger.

Bam!

Shangguan Feixiong’s Soaring Sword wave was crushed and the huge sword continued its descent.

Shangguan Feixiong spat thick blood, his eyes filled with guilt and regret.

He knew Shangguan Feiyun was better than him, and he only got to lead the clan because the elders wished it.

Now, with his clansmen about to be slaughtered, he was weak to stop it. This feeling of futility broke his soul and filled him with shame as a Clan Head. 

[Feiyun was right, the strong are kings. If I had stepped down from my seat, he wouldn’t have betrayed us and the Shangguan clan wouldn’t be in such a crisis. It’s all my fault.]

Lamenting his decisions, Shangguan Feixiong closed his eyes and awaited his death…

“Clan Head!”

His men watched Shangguan Feixiong collapse and cried out. All their struggle to go to him was rendered futile by the sword’s power.

Danqing Shen’s sword was about to end them as the clansmen shouted for their head, for his name…

Whoosh!

But then, a bright green glow shot from afar, like a shooting star cutting the night air, and smashing into the sword.

Bam!

A deafening ringing sounded, but with a totally different outcome than before. The dreaded sword of a Sword King had been stopped…