"That’s the Eldest Prince’s Sleeve Sword! It’s incredibly vicious. Many famous Celestial List Powerhouses have been assassinated by that move!"

"That sword is a Royal Family’s Top-Grade Weapon, and it has killed many people. At such a close distance, this young man is a dead man!"

...

Seeing the sudden killing blow, the guards’ faces all flushed with excitement.

The Eldest Prince’s Sleeve Sword technique was traceless and as swift as the wind, making it impossible to block. Especially with the young man this close, it was certain that a stab to the throat would be fatal!

"Nie Yun, be careful—"

In contrast to the guards’ excitement, the expressions of Baihua Xiu and the others changed instantly.

"Heh heh, it’s too late to be careful now..."

It all happened in a flash. Seeing that the young man before him had no guard up, the Eldest Prince let out an excited cry. The crimson Sword Aura intensified as he thrust straight for Nie Yun’s neck.

In his mind, as long as the sword connected, the young man’s head would undoubtedly fly, no question about it.

CLANG!

The Longsword struck the young man’s neck, just as his eyes widened in delight. However, that delight quickly turned to shock and terror.

"This... This is impossible..."

His all-out strike had landed squarely on the young man’s neck, yet not only had it failed to kill him, it hadn’t even left a red mark!

"You think you can kill someone with this thing? Are you dreaming?"

Nie Yun smiled faintly. He flicked a finger forward, and the Longsword before him shattered, piece by piece. At the same time, he spread his five fingers and, in a single motion, seized the Eldest Prince by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"You have a defensive treasure? No, that’s not right. There’s nothing on your neck! How could you possibly block an assassination attempt from a Royal Family’s Top-Grade Weapon..."

The Eldest Prince felt like he was going insane.

From the moment he was born, his exceptional talent had earned him the title of a peerless genius. He had grown up participating in countless competitions and trials, always taking first place. By the time he was in his thirties, he had become the number one expert on the Celestial List, with hopes of breaking into the Secret Realm!

For such a powerhouse, it would have been one thing if his most powerful sneak attack had missed. But to have it land squarely and not even break the skin... The immense shock and blow to his pride were more than he could accept!

In truth, he couldn’t be blamed. Nie Yun had reached the Great Success Level in the fourth layer of the Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique, and his body was now comparable to a Royal Family’s Top-Grade Weapon. Even if Nie Yun stood perfectly still and let him attack, he wouldn’t be able to cause an injury, let alone with a sneak attack!

"The Fifth Prince had his limbs casually severed, and the Eldest Prince was grabbed without even using a single move..."

"The Eldest Prince is the number one super expert on the Celestial List! How is this possible? I must be seeing things!"

"It’s a good thing we didn’t attack just now. Otherwise, we’d all be corpses..."

Unlike the Eldest Prince, who was merely shocked, the guards to the side were completely stupefied. Their mouths hung open as if stuffed with duck eggs, unable to close.

In their eyes, Ultimate Venerable Peak Powerhouses like the Eldest and Fifth Princes were already the most elite figures in the world. Yet, in this young man’s hands, such figures were no different from cockroaches or rats, to be crushed or killed at his whim. The sheer impact of this reality was too much for them to process.

PHEW!

Seeing that Nie Yun was unharmed, Baihua Xiu and the others breathed a sigh of relief, though their eyes also filled with deep shock.

They had originally thought that as their own progress quickened, the gap between them and the young man would shrink. Only now did they realize that the distance had actually grown even wider!

Since leaving Divine Wind City, although Nie Yun’s physical strength hadn’t increased much, his soul had reached Qi Sea Great Perfection, boosting his combat power by more than tenfold. Before, even Celestial List Powerhouses were no match for him. Now, forget the Celestial List—it was questionable whether even the experts on the Secret Realm Potential List could withstand a single punch from him.

A soul at the Peak of Qi Sea using the power of 5,000 Elephant True Qi was like a baby wielding a sledgehammer. While the hammer was powerful, the baby would struggle to lift it. Even if it managed to, its only attack would be a clumsy smash, devoid of any technique. But Qi Sea Great Perfection was different. It was like a man of great strength wielding that same hammer—it would feel like a toy, and its power would increase by far more than just double!

This was Nie Yun’s current state. With his will at Qi Sea Great Perfection controlling his power, he was like a fish in water or a tiger with wings. Although the Eldest Prince was strong, his soul was only at the Qi Sea High Level, a world of difference from Nie Yun’s. They weren’t even in the same league.

"Your Majesty Nie Yun, I pray you show mercy!"

Just as Nie Yun was about to turn the Eldest Prince into a human cudgel as well, an old man shot out from the depths of Di Lin Villa. He hadn’t yet arrived, but his voice, like a soaring dragon, thundered in their ears.

’An expert!’

Hearing this voice, Nie Yun knew the newcomer was an expert. Even if his soul hadn’t reached Great Perfection, it was likely at the Peak of Qi Sea!

"Heh."

Nie Yun had only injured the Fifth Prince to establish his dominance. Seeing that an expert had appeared and was showing a respectful attitude, there was no need to be aggressive. With a flick of his arm, he tossed the Eldest Prince aside.

"Elder Bi, this bastard has no respect for the authority of the Divine Holy Empire! Kill him, quickly!"

The Eldest Prince struggled to his feet. Seeing the newcomer, his face lit up with joy as he cried out.

"Insolent!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Elder Bi slapped him across the face, sending him flying to the ground.

"This is the Emperor of Nie’s Empire, His Majesty Nie Yun, a noble guest personally invited by the Emperor. As the Eldest Prince, not only did you fail to help the Empire welcome our guest, but you even obstructed him at every turn! The Emperor has decreed that starting today, you are to leave the Imperial Capital immediately and be exiled to Vulture Mountain to herd sheep! You are never to return!"

Elder Bi snorted coldly.

"What? Herding sheep on Vulture Mountain?" The Eldest Prince’s face instantly turned pale.

Vulture Mountain was overrun with Demon Beasts. Being sent there to "herd sheep" was tantamount to exile. Once this punishment was carried out, he would be completely removed from the Empire’s center of power, with no hope of ever vying for the throne again.

"I won’t accept this! I’m going to find Father and demand an explanation! Why—"

The Eldest Prince roared, unable to believe he would receive such a sentence.

"There’s no need to go. This is a direct, secret order from His Majesty himself. See for yourself!"

Elder Bi casually tossed over a jade tablet. Ignoring the Eldest Prince, he turned back to Nie Yun. "Your Majesty Nie Yun, I was late in arriving. I apologize for the fright you’ve endured."

"No matter." Nie Yun sneered. This fellow could have come at any time, but he had only shown up after seeing the Eldest Prince was no match for him. He truly had no idea what the Emperor of the Divine Holy Empire was plotting.

"His Majesty is currently in Yuhua Hall with the emperors of the other five nations. He has sent me to invite you. Please, follow me!"

Elder Bi bowed deeply.

"Nie Yun, be careful. I’m afraid they don’t have good intentions!"

Before Nie Yun could reply, Baihua Xiu’s Sound Transmission echoed in his ear.

"Heh." Nie Yun nodded at Baihua Xiu, giving her a reassuring look, then turned to Elder Bi with a faint smile. "Lead the way."

"Yes!"

Elder Bi turned and shot forward.

Nie Yun followed closely behind, flying at high speed.

Seeing that the young man had made his decision, Baihua Xiu and the others couldn’t argue and followed along as well.

In truth, Nie Yun’s decision to follow Elder Bi directly wasn’t a rash one. He had considered that they might be planning to turn on him after a show of courtesy or have some other ulterior motive, but it didn’t matter. Worst case, he would just fight. With his current strength, plus Xiaofong and the Demon Saint Ancient Corpse, he was confident he could charge into even a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den, no matter how powerful the Divine Holy Empire’s Imperial Family was. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian.com with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)