Sword Coming

When over a dozen Heavenly Monarchs and hundreds of Celestial Beings appeared, everyone was stunned.

They stared blankly at the group of powerful figures kneeling at Gu Qingfeng’s feet, their minds utterly blank.

Such a force could easily sweep through the entire Verdant Wood Domain.

Leaving aside the hundreds of Celestial Beings for now, just the dozen or so Heavenly Monarchs alone were enough to shock the world.

The entire Verdant Wood Domain might not even have as many Heavenly Monarchs as Gu Qingfeng had underlings.

For any faction, having just one Heavenly Monarch was enough to rank among the top powers of the Verdant Wood Domain. A dozen? That was beyond imagination.

And the most astonishing part was that such a formidable force was kneeling before Gu Qingfeng, addressing him as "Your Excellency"!?

Dugu Wei and the others stared dumbfounded at Gu Qingfeng, basking in the worship of the crowd, as if they were seeing him for the first time.

"Rise," Gu Qingfeng said coldly, flicking his sleeve.

"Thank you, Your Excellency!"

The Heavenly Monarchs and Celestial Beings stood in unison, bowing respectfully.

"Gu... Gu, Junior Brother, who are these people...?" Dugu Wei stammered, his face twisted in shock.

Gu Qingfeng glanced at him with disdain, as if looking at a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. "Isn’t it obvious? They’re all my subordinates."

"No, I mean—where did they come from? How could the Verdant Wood Domain have so many Heavenly Monarchs?"

"Naturally, they came seeking me. The world knows I possess the bearing of a Heavenly Emperor. Wherever I go, people kneel in reverence—no one can resist." Gu Qingfeng declared arrogantly.

Dugu Wei: "..."

At this moment, Sword Demon saw through the truth. After all, he was the one who first invented the method of controlling enslaved cultivators with demonic seeds.

"These are all enslaved cultivators from the Primordial Forbidden Land? I never thought you’d also know the Demon Seed Heart Control Technique!" Sword Demon’s brow furrowed slightly before relaxing again.

"Interesting. This actually works out perfectly. I’ve schemed for centuries, and today, I’ve finally succeeded. But it felt too easy—lacking any sense of achievement. Now, slaughtering over a dozen Heavenly Monarchs at the story’s climax? That would make for a truly thrilling finale.

"Senior Brother, it seems the most successful thing you did during your tenure as sect master was recruiting such an outstanding Imperial Heir for the Sword Sect."

Dugu Wei snorted coldly. "The affairs of the Sword Sect are none of your concern, traitor. And don’t get too cocky. Even if you’ve reached the Half-Step Heavenly Venerable realm, you might not be a match for a dozen Heavenly Monarchs working together!"

Sword Demon shook his head. "Senior Brother, you seem to have forgotten one thing—where is the Demon Emperor Sword?"

Dugu Wei’s expression darkened, but he forced himself to remain composed. "I know you’re behind the sword’s disappearance. But without the sect’s secret method, you can’t possibly control the Demon Emperor Sword!"

Sword Demon suddenly chuckled. "Senior Brother, do you remember why you became sect master in the first place?

"Back then, our master had to choose between the two of us for the position. The final test was to see who could wield the Demon Emperor Sword.

"And my most respected senior brother—you graciously let me be the first to attempt it. At the time, I was too naive and believed your act of humility.

"But the moment I touched the sword, I fell into demonic corruption and was immediately disqualified. Meanwhile, you didn’t even have to take the risk before becoming sect master."

"Junior Brother, you’re still holding onto that grudge after all these years. In terms of talent and strength, you surpassed me. Back then, I had no intention of competing with you for the position. That’s why I let you go first—not out of humility, but because I genuinely wanted you to have it," Dugu Wei said solemnly.

Sword Demon burst into laughter. "Dugu Wei, you truly are a hypocrite. Do you think I don’t know what you were really thinking?

"But I won’t argue with you. There’s no point arguing with a dead man.

"Still, I should thank you. Because of you, I gained the demonic nature of the Demon Emperor Sword. Everyone assumed I purged it, but how could I, when hatred still burned in my heart? That demonic nature was my only chance.

"So I spent—"

"Spent your mother!"

A crude, vulgar insult abruptly cut off their conversation.

It was Gu Qingfeng.

His face twisted with impatience and disgust as he glared at the two men. "Who the hell wants to listen to your sappy love-hate drama? What a cliché, garbage-tier story.

"Can’t you idiots see who’s in charge here?"

Dugu Wei was stunned.

Sword Demon frowned. He had schemed for over a century, and now, at the climax of his triumph, he wasn’t even allowed to monologue?

"Gu Qingfeng, it seems a dozen Heavenly Monarchs have given you quite the confidence. But soon, you’ll learn that your so-called backing is nothing before the Demon Emperor Sword."

"Keh keh keh... Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. Honestly, I was worried you two would suddenly reconcile.

"Wouldn’t it be boring if you just turned good all of a sudden?" Gu Qingfeng sneered.

"I hope you’ll still be laughing later." Sword Demon shook his head.

Then, he raised his right hand and uttered softly, "Sword, come."

Dugu Wei’s face paled. "Junior Brother Gu, stop him! Don’t let him get the Demon Emperor Sword!"

"Shut the hell up! None of you seem to understand who’s in charge here! Men, get these fools out of my sight!"

"As you command, Your Excellency!"

A bizarre scene unfolded—the dozen Heavenly Monarchs and hundreds of Celestial Beings, who were originally part of the Sword Sect’s forces, suddenly turned on Dugu Wei and his group.

A dark tide of cultivators forcibly drove them away, preventing them from interfering in the battle.

Once they were gone, Gu Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction, his grin widening as he turned back to Sword Demon.

"Finally, some peace and quiet. But... where’s your Demon Emperor Sword?"

Several seconds had passed since Sword Demon extended his hand, yet nothing happened.

Even with his emotionless sword heart, Sword Demon couldn’t help but feel awkward.

"Sword, come to me!"

Gu Qingfeng didn’t interfere, watching with amusement. After all, Sword Demon was a demon, and the Demon Emperor Sword was a demonic weapon. Combining the two could lead to some delightful surprises.

But after another moment of waiting, Gu Qingfeng lost patience. "The hell’s wrong with you? Can’t even summon a sword properly?"

Sword Demon lowered his hand, his expression darkening. "Ling Fei'er!"

At that moment, light footsteps echoed from within the Sword Sect.

A graceful figure emerged, holding a dark golden sword in her hands.

The Demon Emperor Sword!

But Ling Fei'er was no longer her usual self. Dark demonic energy coiled around her, her lips blood-red, her eyes glowing with an eerie light. Thick tendrils of demonic energy framed her eyes like dark makeup, transforming her into a bewitching demoness from the depths of the underworld.

Gu Qingfeng’s eyes gleamed with excitement at the sight of her new appearance.