Nightwatcher

# 372. Sovereign Sword

“The Blood Pill!”

The azure giant gazed at the sky above the city, his eyes glimmering with greed as he stared at the enormous sphere of blood.

A blood pill refined from the life essence of tens of thousands of people was an unparalleled medicine for a martial artist seeking to break through bottlenecks. Even if it couldn't ensure advancement, it would significantly bolster one's strength.

With this blood pill, he was confident he could ascend to second rank within sixty years. If Zhenbei King acquired it, the Northern garrison would gain a Rank Two martial artist, transforming him from a thorn in their side into a mortal threat.

After the battle of Shanhai Pass, the barbarian clans had lost their second rank expert, and suffered devastating losses among their mid- and high-ranking warriors. The Northern Yao clans were similarly weakened. Of their original two Rank Threes, only Zhujiu remained.

The barbarian and Yao alliance desperately needed the rise of a new Rank Two master.

“Breach the city!”

Jili Zhigu roared, his massive sword swinging wide as he clashed fiercely with Zhenbei King.

Behind him, the cavalry of the Qingyan Tribe reached the city walls. Clenching their scimitars between their teeth, they pulled out clawed picks resembling daggers and began scaling the walls like ants.

These barbarian riders were far from ordinary soldiers; they didn’t need siege equipment to ascend the walls.

On the ramparts, the defenders hurled logs, boulders, and arrows to repel the barbarian assault.

Meanwhile, a colossal crimson python, seeing the blood pill forming in the sky, flew into a frenzy. Its single eye emitted golden beams that hammered against the city's defensive array, causing the walls to crumble bit by bit.

Yet the Yao forces faced an unexpected dilemma. While under attack from the city's defenders, they also had to fend off their own fallen comrades, who suddenly rose from the dead to assault their former allies.

…

As time passed, the blood sphere in the sky stopped expanding. Instead, it began to condense, growing smaller but denser, with an increasingly intense radiance of blood.

Waves of powerful energy emanated from it.

“Gulp…” Yang Yan swallowed hard, staring upwards, feeling as though the sphere was the most enticing treasure in existence.

The same yearning filled Constable Chen and the other martial artists, their eyes fixed on it with barely concealed hunger.

However, ordinary individuals like the High Court’s deputy justice and the two censors seemed unaffected. Instead, they took cautious steps backward, alarmed by the ravenous expressions on the faces of Yang Yan and the others. Their wild, wolfish gazes, dripping with desire, were terrifying.

Yang Yan felt an uncontrollable craving well up within him—a yearning to seize and consume the blood pill.

He was about to act when a few figures suddenly leaped into the air, hurling themselves at the blood pill without hesitation.

As they neared it, their bodies instantly withered into skeletons, their blood essence devoured by the pill.

Yang Yan snapped out of his daze, shuddering violently. He realised this was far beyond his reach. Approaching recklessly would lead to irreversible consequences.

“Stop looking! Lower your heads!” Yang Yan roared.

His thunderous shout exploded in the ears of the martial artists in the delegation like a bolt of lightning.

Constable Chen and the others jolted awake, hastily lowering their heads, not daring to look again.

At that moment, laughter like a silver bell echoed across Chuzhou City, resounding in every corner. The voice carried an irresistible allure, compelling all men to lift their heads in search of its source.

From the heavens descended a misty figure. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but her allure was even more striking. The wind played with her flowing hair and gown, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly presence.

It was as though a celestial maiden from the nine heavens had stepped into the mortal world.

“Such a peerless beauty…” The same thought crossed the minds of all the men, no matter their origin.

The woman, draped in flowing white, walked gracefully through the air. Her voice was soft and enchanting, imbued with a seductive charm, as though a lover were whispering in one’s ear. Yet her words carried across the entire city:

“My thanks to Zhenbei King for preparing this wedding garment for me.”

…

Above the sea of clouds.

A white-robed figure stood on the clouds, gazing down at Chuzhou City. His face was indistinct, his form blending seamlessly with the surrounding mist, as though he didn’t truly exist in this world.

The figure stood motionless, almost imperceptible, his presence as muted as his hazy visage.

“After massacring the city, the souls were sealed back inside their bodies, and secret magicks used to maintain the bodies’ vitality. Then, all of Chuzhou city was turned into an alchemical furnace, using souls, blood, and life essence as ingredients … before the great pill was finished, everything seemed as it always was. With the Church of the Warlock God’s techniques concealing heaven’s secrets, with the great formation inside the city maintaining its fortune. What a masterful deception, what a cunning Master of Wisdom.”

The entire city had become a massive alchemical furnace. The "spiritual pill," infused with the essence of 380,000 lives, had been refining for a full month and was now nearing completion.

Arcanists were the professionals of refining medicine. Such a monumental pill — taking a month wasn’t strange at all.

In the instant he saw the scene in the city, the arcanist, ever experienced in scheming and calculation, instantly understood the truth.

The Zhenbei King had colluded with the Church of the Warlock God. The latter aided him in refining the life essence and concealing heaven and earth.

The Zhenbei King’s goal was clear: to devour the essence and elevate his cultivation to the peak of third rank. He would then claim the Princess Consort’s spiritual energy to ascend to Rank Two. But what was the Church of the Warlock God’s true aim?

“It’s Zhujiu…” the white-robed arcanist murmured in realisation.

The Great Feng dynasty and the Church of the Warlock God had a long-standing enmity. Yet, as the northeastern kingdoms were predominantly human and rich in resources, there had been little appetite for large-scale wars. Even though they coveted fertile lands, the people overall preferred a peaceful co-existence.

Much the same could be said about the Great Feng. Hence minor skirmishes were common, but major conflicts were rare.

In contrast, the Northern Yao clans were highly aggressive and relished consuming humans, often invading border regions and plundering towns.

“To assist Zhenbei King’s rise to Rank Two and then form an alliance, combining forces to march north and slay Zhujiu. But now, Zhujiu has come…”

The arcanist’s expression suddenly darkened. “Wait, this formation wasn’t set up by the Church of the Warlock God.”

…

The woman in white reached out, her hand aiming for the blood pill, ready to seize the prize of victory—when a sudden change occurred.

Below, a black lotus spanning dozens of miles emerged and began to unfurl slowly. The lotus exuded a viscous black liquid, with each petal symbolising corruption and malevolence.

The woman in white froze as her fingertips were tainted with an inky blackness that rapidly spread. Her fair, delicate arm turned pitch black and grotesque, while her eyes involuntarily turned red.

In an instant, the ethereal, celestial beauty was transformed into a hideous, sinister witch.

Behind her, a large, fluffy fox tail appeared, followed by a second, a third, and more. With each tail that emerged, the blackness receded bit by bit. When all nine tails manifested, she expelled all the corruption from her body.

Her nine fox tails fanned out behind her like a peacock’s display, swaying gracefully.

At the center of the black lotus, the viscous liquid gathered into a humanoid shape. This figure, formed entirely of black sludge, radiated sinister intent and malevolence through its eerie eyes.

The woman in white narrowed her eyes and stared at the black figure in surprise. “Are you the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect, Jinlian?”

The black figure replied indifferently, “I am Heilian.”

The woman in white clicked her tongue. “So, you’ve succumbed to demonic corruption after all.”

Heilian sneered. “Sowing seeds of virtue yields no virtuous fruit. Darkness persists in this world, for human nature is inherently evil. I merely align myself with the times and emerge as destiny dictates.”

Standing on the clouds, the woman in white swayed her nine tails gently and laughed behind her hand. “If the Daoist Leader of the Heaven Sect heard your words, they’d likely challenge you to a philosophical debate first.”

Heilian snorted. “I have harnessed the greatest evils of this world, advancing further along the demonic path. It is only a matter of time before I unify the Daoist sects and reign supreme.”

The woman in white let out a cold scoff. “A mere avatar dares to boast so wildly.”

With a flick of her tail, she launched herself downward. Instantly, it felt as though the heavens were collapsing. The entirety of Chuzhou City trembled; houses shook violently.

At the center of the lotus, the black figure raised a hand and retorted mockingly, “A single fox tail dares to act so recklessly.”

Dark radiance surged from the lotus petals, exuding a power that corroded and defiled everything in its path. This force surged upward to meet the woman in white.

Their powers clashed midair, colliding with an earth-shattering impact.

The resulting shockwaves turned into a raging tempest, toppling nearby houses, sending bricks and debris flying, and leveling everything within a ten-mile radius.

The duel between these two top-tier combatants were like a calamity.

…

In the inn.

The princess consort sat by the window at the dressing table, lost in thought.

That scoundrel had left in the morning, and now it was evening. She had asked the innkeeper earlier and learned that this was Binzhou, located in the heart of Chuzhou, over three hundred miles away from Chuzhou City.

Judging by her calculations, Xu Qi’an would need three or four days to reach Chuzhou City. He should still be on the road, but she was already beginning to worry.

“King Huai is a third rank—the peak existence among the martial artists of Great Feng. Xu Qi’an mustn’t act recklessly. If he dies, I…”

The princess consort suddenly froze, sitting there in a daze. After a moment, she emphasised to the reflection in the mirror, “I’ll be left with no support if he dies. After all, I’m just a weak woman with no money. If he dies, what will I do?

“Yes, that’s it. I’m worried about my future.”

Finally, she sighed softly. “Punish Zhenbei King, but you must remember to come back.”

…

Li Miaozhen descended into a valley atop her flying sword.

Initially, she had planned to capture a few barbarian riders at random, reveal some critical information to them, and let them report back to their tribe—simple and straightforward.

However, as she neared the border, she was shocked to discover the cavalry of the Qingyan Tribe advancing southward en masse, charging toward Chuzhou City with great urgency.

She had nearly been discovered by the leader of the Qingyan Tribe’s forces—perhaps she had already been noticed, but they simply didn’t bother with her.

Taking a cautious approach, she continued flying northward. Several dozen miles away, she spotted the crimson serpent on a mountain road. The massive snake slithered through the mountains, resembling a crimson river winding through the terrain.

This sight prompted Li Miaozhen to instinctively analyse the situation. After a quarter-hour of reasoning, she arrived at a series of question marks. Then, in a panic, she hurried back to report her findings to Xu Qi’an.

…

Within the cavern, the commotion drew out Shentu Baili, Li Han, and others, who emerged with wary expressions. Upon seeing Li Miaozhen, they sighed in relief.

Li Miaozhen glanced over them and looked toward the cave. “Where is Silver Gong Xu?”

Administrator Zheng, stepped out of the cave and replied, “Silver Gong Xu said he was going to Chuzhou City to investigate the case. He told us to wait here.”

“…”

Li Miaozhen’s face froze for about three seconds. Then, before anyone could react, her eyes reddened, and she flew off on her sword.

“Wretched man, wretched man, wretched man…” she muttered through clenched teeth, an inexplicable sense of grievance and fear welling up in her heart. The grievance came from feeling deceived by him again—though the grievance itself seemed irrational. But she had no time to ponder this deeper.

The fear stemmed from the dread of witnessing another scene like that in Yunzhou.

The image of his body riddled with arrows, propping himself up with a blade amidst a mountain of corpses, was indelibly burned into the mind of the Holy Maiden.

*You must survive. You must survive. I don’t want to see a repeat of Yunzhou.*

…

Clang!

With a single slash, Zhenbei King deflected Jili Zhigu’s greatsword. He ceased their battle, took to the air, and rushed back into the city, heading straight for the blood pill that had grown more solid and exuded an increasingly tantalising aura.

Just as he neared the blood pill, a golden beam of light shot in from the north, enveloping him.

The light melted his heavy armour and scorched his skin. But not even such power could halt a third rank martial artist’s advance.

The Zhenbei King stretched out his hand in a grasping motion, and the blood pill flew toward him.

At the same time, the woman in white extended her hand, twisting the surrounding qi into a giant palm that reached out from the side, attempting to intercept the blood pill.

The black figure at the centre of the lotus formed seals with both hands, unleashing a filthy, malevolent torrent that corroded and dissolved the translucent giant palm.

“Huff…”

At that moment, just as Zhenbei King was about to seize the blood pill, a massive sword came spinning toward it—not targeting Zhenbei King, but the blood pill itself.

Bang!

The blood pill shot away, embedding itself into the ground while continuing to radiate its silent, bloody glow, unscathed.

Amid the rumbling, the azure giant broke through the city gates and charged into Chuzhou City. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his greatsword back into his grip.

To the north, the crimson serpent scaled the city walls, slithering along the parapet. The raised crenellations crumbled like paper, and the wall beneath its immense weight began to collapse.

The protective formation of Chuzhou City was breached.

This was expected; the formation was never meant to withstand a third rank expert indefinitely.

The Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect, the new sovereign of the Wanyao Kingdom, the Zhenbei King of Great Feng, a mysterious expert from the Church of the Warlock God, the rank three expert of the barbarian clans, and the crimson giant serpent of the Yao clans... countless experts converged on Chuzhou City. Their terrifying auras shrouded the city, causing the surviving jianghu figures within to tremble and fall to their knees.

"So this is the confidence behind your attempt to break through to second rank—you have help."

The azure giant, Jili Zhigu, swept his bell-like eyes over the lineup of opponents and sneered, "That warlock appears to be merely third rank. He may excel at strategising and commanding troops, but in single combat, he’s not even worth a single hand of mine."

The crimson serpent seemed to respond, its golden vertical pupils casting a beam of light that revealed a figure wrapped in a black cloak and hood.

The Church of the Warlock God’s warlock emerged from his concealed state.

"I’ll kill him!" The crimson serpent split open its dark red maw and spoke in human language.

The enmity between the Northern Yao and the Church of the Warlock God ran deep.

Faced with Zhujiu’s brazen tone, the mysterious warlock chuckled darkly and said slowly, "Today is auspicious for refining medicines, for waging war, and for slaying Zhujiu."

At that moment, Zhenbei King suddenly laughed and stretched out his empty left hand, commanding, "Sword!"

Rumbling filled the air as a golden streak of light flew from a distant tower, landing in his grasp.

It was an ancient bronze sword, its spine etched with primordial patterns, its blade sheathed in a faint golden light like a delicate membrane.

The moment Zhenbei King gripped the bronze sword, it let out a joyful hum, as though it had found its rightful master.

"The Sovereign Sword!!"

Jili Zhigu cried out in shock, his eyes brimming with tangible fear and hatred.

"Hiss..."

On the city wall, the giant serpent reared its head high, not in preparation to strike but in retreat, as if frightened.

High above, the nine-tailed woman ascended rapidly. Her exquisitely beautiful face turned solemn as she stared at the bronze sword in the Zhenbei King’s hand.

_The Sovereign Sword should be in the Great Feng captial. When was it secretly sent to Chuzhou...?_ Her delicate brows furrowed deeply, her gaze filled with intense wariness.

With one hand holding a sabre and the other gripping the sword, Zhenbei King scanned the gathered experts with a smile. "If I’ve resolved to ascend, why would I not make thorough preparations?

"If you all remained ignorant of Chuzhou City’s secrets, so be it. I would ascend unchallenged. Yet if the city’s secrets have been exposed, the Sovereign Sword awaits you here.

"And now that the princess consort’s whereabouts are unknown, I lack her spiritual essence. Thus, one of you will have to take her place."

The warlock in the black cloak and hood smirked coldly, his tone sinister. "I performed a divination today—great fortune. Otherwise, why would I remain here?"

As his voice fell, he raised his hand, pointing at the crimson serpent on the city wall, and intoned calmly, "Die."

_Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!_

The serpent’s scaleless body began to split open, blood gushing forth and dyeing the wall red.

By the time a warlock reached the higher ranks, curse techniques no longer required a medium, and became infallible offensive methods. Of course, if the caster possessed the opponent’s blood, flesh, or hair, the curse’s potency would increase exponentially.

Roaring in agony, the serpent twisted and writhed along the wall, suddenly leaping across half the city, pouncing toward the warlock. As it moved, its vertical eye emitted a beam of golden light.

The golden light struck like lightning, leaving the warlock no room to evade. Enveloped in the radiance, his body began to show signs of dissolution.

The warlock remained calm, forming a hand seal and summoning an illusory shadow from the void, which merged with him. Simultaneously, his blood energy surged, muscles ripping through the black robe as he transformed into a giant several meters tall.

> *Rank Nine Blood Spirit:* Maximally amplifies one’s potential. The degree of amplification depends on the individual’s cultivation. Boosts blood energy to match a martial artist’s vitality, with the extent dependent on the practitioner’s level.

>

> *Rank Five Miracle Priest:* Summons lingering spirits of the heavens and earth, or ancestral souls, to aid oneself.

>

> *Notes:* Typically, only the souls of martial artists, the Yao race, or one’s lineage can be summoned.

>

> Cannot summon Buddhist spirits.

>

> Confucian spirits may retaliate against the summoner.

>

> The ancestral spirit of the first Jianzheng cannot be summoned, as the current Jianzheng would obliterate it.

>

> Daoist spirits from the Earth Sect can be summoned but are highly dangerous—for instance, an Earth Sect Daoist Leader’s spirit might be demonic, or a Human Sect Daoist Leader’s spirit might be plagued by karmic fire.

>

> A Heaven Sect Daoist Leader’s spirit has never been successfully summoned.

The high-ranked experts clashed violently, turning Chuzhou City into a wasteland.

None dared approach the blood pill, yet all kept it firmly locked in their sights. Anyone attempting to seize it would immediately face the combined assault of everyone present.

On the city wall, Que Yongxiu, who was slicing through Qingyan warriors, felt neither anger nor sadness as the Chuzhou City he had guarded for over a decade turned to rubble.

*Let it all fall.*

*Chuzhou City was razed by the barbarians and the yao demons, the common people perished amidst the clashes of high ranked experts. All traces would be buried under the ruins of this battle.*

*What does it matter to me, Que Yongxiu?*

Having fought valiantly alongside the Zhenbei King, he would emerge with great merit, his name spread far and wide.

The battle's ripples surged to the city walls, and soldiers who failed to dodge in time were obliterated by the waves of destruction.

Yang Yan, leading the delegation, had already retreated to the base of the city wall. He attempted to guide his group along the wall toward the nearest gate, seeking an escape route.

…

"Clang... Puff..."

The Zhenbei King brushed past the azure giant. The massive sword in Jili Zhigu’s hands fractured, and a deep sword wound carved into his chest and abdomen, faintly exposing his organs.

The injury did not heal; a pale golden flame burned quietly, consuming his vitality.

Jili Zhigu let out a pained howl.

Wielding the Sovereign Sword, the Zhenbei King held an overwhelming advantage, leaving scars across Jili Zhigu's body with crushing dominance. Occasionally, he assisted the warlock by slicing through the giant crimson serpent’s body with the Sovereign Sword.

This was a carefully laid trap—a hunt inviting prey into the net. The Zhenbei King sought not only to ascend to Rank two but to slay the barbarian experts and cement his fame across the land.

The 380,000 citizens of Chuzhou were nothing more than stepping stones on his martial path, necessary sacrifices for his rise to the peak. Their deaths had meaning.

"Puff!"

The Sovereign Sword pierced Jili Zhigu’s heart, shredding the powerful organ to pieces.

Yet Jili Zhigu grinned ferociously, grabbing the hilt of the sword. At the same time, the crimson serpent ignored the warlock’s assault, its vertical pupils unleashing an unprecedented golden light.

Sizzle...

The Zhenbei King’s body began to show signs of dissolution in the golden light, with large areas of his skin melting away.

The nine tails of the woman in white swelled in the wind like tendrils, entwining the Sovereign Sword. Together with Jili Zhigu, she exerted her strength.

Boom!

In the deafening explosion of qi, the Zhenbei King could no longer hold onto the Sovereign Sword, allowing it to be hurled skyward and spin before embedding itself in distant ruins.

"Huff... Huff..."

Jili Zhigu panted heavily, his shattered heart slowly regenerating as the golden flames gradually dissipated.

Both Zhujiu and the woman in white finally earned a precious moment to catch their breath.

The situation was dire. If they continued vying for the blood pill, someone would undoubtedly perish. Yet retreating would mean that once the Zhenbei King consumed the blood pill, he would surely come for their lives, wielding the Sovereign Sword to claim Jili Zhigu's or Zhujiu’s blood essence.

He would not miss this opportunity to ascend to Rank two.

No room to manoeuvre.

The Zhenbei King sneered. "The Sovereign Sword is no dead object, it has a spirit. Only those of the Great Feng royal bloodline can wield it. Your futile resistance is nothing more than delaying your inevitable deaths."

As he spoke, he stretched out his right hand, as if making a display for all to see, and commanded, "Sword, come!"

A long, slender hand gripped the hilt of the sword and pulled it free.

The Zhenbei King looked at his empty right hand, then turned in stunned disbelief toward the distance.

On his stern face appeared an unprecedented mix of shock, fury, and bewilderment… For the first time, he witnessed someone outside the royal family lift the Sovereign Sword.

The gravely injured azure giant tensed, as if facing a mortal threat. Then, noticing the Sovereign Sword had not returned to the Zhenbei King's hand, he turned his massive head, his confused gaze following the direction of the sword.

Both the warlock and the serpent ceased their attacks, the former retreating several miles as his gaze fixed on a single spot—the location of the Sovereign Sword.

The serpent lifted its head, its golden eyes narrowing, as if struggling to focus on what it saw.

At the heart of the battlefield, the black humanoid figure exuded malice, staring at the Sovereign Sword and the one who held it.

Only the woman in white bore a complex expression. She gazed dazedly at the figure, her face a mix of joy and sorrow.

Gripping the Sovereign Sword was an unassuming man in azure robes, his appearance utterly ordinary. He pulled the sword free as if it were a trivial act.

His eyes locked onto the Zhenbei King, his lips curling into a smile that seemed to blend menace, fury, and grief.

"Good," he said. "This sword... I can use it too."