Eternal Life as False Emperor-Chapter 174 - 141: The Ferocious Might of the Cultivator
"Elder Fa Jiang..."
The monk before him, named Fa Jiang, was the head of the Vajra Hall in Tianlong Temple and a newly ascended Innate Powerhouse!
To resolve Xu Mujun and sever one of Great Yu’s major arms, the various Rebel Kings had long reached a consensus in secret, planning to ambush and kill Xu Mujun while he was traveling alone to Nanyue!
In this way, not only would Emperor Zhengyong lose an Innate Realm Master, but the Great Yu Army would also lose a powerful Commander-in-Chief!
This shift in power would greatly empower their rebel forces, surpassing both Emperor Zhengyong and Great Yu.
Besides Fa Jiang, there were two other Innate Realm Powerhouses.
They were all Innate Powerhouses gathered from various southern rebel forces!
One of them, about forty years old, wore a brocade robe, looking more like a rich family master.
In his hand, he toyed with two jade Hand Spin Balls, emitting a faint glow, clearly valuable treasures.
Tuoba Huanmie, an elder of the Exoteric Buddhism from the Tuoba Clan, was also an Innate Powerhouse specializing in external affairs for the Tuoba Clan.
"Although Xu Mujun has been in the Innate Realm for more than ten years, today, with the cooperation of my fellow cultivators and Elder Ban Yuan here, Xu Mujun is undoubtedly doomed!"
The third was an older middle-aged woman, with a cold expression and narrow eyes. On the table lay a blood-colored long sword, and she wore colorful clothes, very striking.
From the Shushan Sword Sect, one of the Supreme Elders, Liang Hongxia.
She was also dispatched by King Shu to assist, an Innate Powerhouse!
The Shushan Sword Sect had always been a leading force in the Shuzhou Martial Arts, and it was unknown why they agreed to cooperate with King Shu.
With the Shushan Sword Sect joining, King Shu’s forces significantly increased.
When they marched out of Hanzhong, they seized several cities in a very short time.
This time, as Xu Mujun traveled alone to Nanyue, many saw an opportunity, including King Shu and the Shushan Sword Sect.
She rasped, "General Xu Xuanwu, you summoned us, and now it’s you who hesitates."
"What exactly do you want?"
Xu Xuanwu took a deep breath and said, "Elders and fellow cultivators, all I seek today, Xuanwu does not wish to harm my father’s life, just capture him."
"After all, he is my father, and once he is captured, I will persuade him with both emotion and reason; sooner or later, he will be convinced."
"The current Emperor of Great Yu is foolish and tyrannical, and the world rebels against him, which is his own doing."
"My father is deeply righteous, and I believe he will come to understand."
The group exchanged glances and then looked towards Elder Ban Yuan.
Ban Yuan chuckled, "Want to kill Xu Mujun, I can do that. Capture him alive... I won’t agree!"
"This Little Emperor’s hidden forces are not to be underestimated. On the surface, Xu Mujun only brought over 300 personal soldiers south, but how could those hidden escape my perception?"
"Two Innate Realm Masters! Truly a grand gesture, secretly protecting Xu Mujun all along."
"You... truly want to capture Xu Mujun alive?"
Xu Xuanwu’s expression changed slightly, implying they were now facing three Innate Realm Masters?
Tuoba Huanmie spoke blandly, "Five against three, the odds are in our favor. What do you all think?"
"Amitabha."
"And how should we deal with the two Innates?"
Xu Mujun first spoke, "Everyone, this General can handle one of the Emperor Zhengyong’s Innate subordinates, and for the other... how about Senior Liang Hongyu handles it?"
The group exchanged glances and nodded.
"Since it’s decided, then let us..."
"Boom!"
Before the word was finished, a blood-colored streak descended from the sky, fiercely smashing into the center of the Government Office.
Xu Mujun had struck!
Five figures soared into the sky, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Everyone, it’s up to you!"
Xu Xuanwu shouted, rapidly retreating, Liang Hongyu following closely.
"Xu Xuanwu!"
In the distance, Xu Mujun’s presence immediately locked onto Xu Xuanwu.
After three years without meeting, this son he had high hopes for now carried a strange aura.
"Father..."
After a moment’s silence, Xu Xuanwu spoke, "I am right. With Emperor Zhengyong facing abandonment, the virtuous shall rule this realm!"
"In time, you will understand."
"Stop right there!"
Xu Mujun took a step forward, ready to pursue.
But almost simultaneously, a golden light suddenly exploded in front of him.
Fa Jiang’s figure instantly appeared before him, his Kasaya completely shredded, revealing a sturdy and muscular upper body.
The bronze and golden lights intermingled, like a Buddha statue in a temple.
"Donor Xu, today..."
"Seeking death!"
Xu Mujun roared, the blood-colored streak slicing downwards.
"Vajra Subduing Tiger!"
"Buddha’s Light Shines Everywhere!"
Fa Jiang cried out, like an angry Vajra, clasping his hands like a devotee worshipping Buddha, surprisingly clamping Xu Mujun’s blood-colored long saber.
He chuckled coldly, "Master Xu, the sea of suffering knows no bounds, turn back..."
"Poof!"
Before the words had fully settled, Xu Mujun opened his mouth and spat, a red sword light flickered past, instantly piercing through Fa Jiang’s body.
"My Buddha...!"
Fa Jiang shuddered, his eyes filled with disbelief, his massive body swayed, then crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Instant kill!
Xu Mujun, with one move, instantly killed Fa Jiang!
"How could it be!"
Tuoba Huanmie, intent on a sneak attack, exclaimed, what happened, just a flash of blood-colored light, and Fa Jiang was killed?
This...
"Screech...!"
Almost simultaneously, a piercing sound of something cutting through the air came.
He instinctively turned back, only to see a small blood-colored light speeding toward him, incredibly fast.
"What the...!"
With an angry roar, the True Qi within him surged instantly, pouring into the Hand Spin Ball in his hand.
He then let out a loud shout, and the two Hand Spin Balls transformed into two beams of light, meeting the blood-colored light.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Two dull noises sounded, and the Hand Spin Balls he had played with for decades were instantly destroyed, turning into a cloud of smoke and disappearing.
The blood-colored light shot towards him at an unbelievable speed, giving him no time to react.
"Puff!"
The blood-colored light pierced through again, directly through Tuoba Huanmie’s chest, causing a spray of blood.
"That is..."
He trembled as he turned around, reaching out as if to grasp something, but could only powerlessly fall down.
"...a Flying Sword!"
Before Tuoba Huanmie died, he saw that the blood-colored light was shockingly a miniature blood-colored Flying Sword.
"Flying Sword?!"
"Fellow Daoist?"
From afar, Elder Daoist Ban Yuan also clearly saw the blood-colored light, full of surprise and realization in his eyes.
"No, wait!"
"You’re not a cultivator!"
"That Flying Sword lacks any magical power fluctuations, instead brimming with rich blood-colored aura and True Qi."
"As expected of Xu Mujun, using his own True Essence and Essence Blood to nurture the Flying Sword, achieving the effect of Sword Control Technique."
Elder Daoist Ban Yuan chuckled, "I am indeed lucky, a Flying Sword spoiled by mortal warrior’s Essence Blood, yet still retaining its spirituality, is at least of top-grade quality!"
"Die for this old Daoist!"
He abruptly flung his robe, releasing a surge of black fog, killing towards Xu Mujun.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."
Almost simultaneously, a series of piercing buzzing noises arrived.
A closer look revealed it was not black fog, but a large swarm composed of tiny insects!
"Cultivator?!"
Xu Mujun frowned, unexpectedly there was a cultivator here?
Yet he did not flinch, today he came for Xu Xuanwu, anyone blocking his path was the enemy!
"Go assist the two eunuchs, leave this one to me."
"Understood!"
Dozens of personal guards swiftly pulled their reins and retreated.
They knew well that against a cultivator, they had no chance.
Only Innate Realm Martial Artists could resist cultivators.
"Buzz!"
Xu Mujun pointed again, sending the blood-colored Flying Sword shooting towards Elder Daoist Ban Yuan.
Elder Daoist Ban Yuan sneered and patted his waist with one hand, another wave of black light surged out.
Simultaneously, his other hand rapidly formed a seal, conjuring intense magical fluctuations before him.
Instantly, the black fog surged, revealing a black short blade, shrieking as it swiftly slashed towards Xu Mujun.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."
With the Flying Sword no longer holding them back, the black fog, made entirely of black insects, engulfed Xu Mujun.
"Puff!"
Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber!
The blood-colored beam spread wide, immediately slaying seven or eight black insects.
But the remaining insects, seemingly attracted by the scent of blood, swarmed forward again.
"Hehehehe..."
An eerie laugh echoed from Elder Daoist Ban Yuan, as the black short blade he controlled entangled the blood-colored Flying Sword, continuously attacking and sparking brightly.
In comparison, Xu Mujun’s blood-colored Flying Sword was clearly sluggish, only charging back and forth, endlessly knocked back by the black short blade.
"Xu Mujun, using mortal’s soul to control the Flying Sword must be exhausting, even if you’re using Essence Blood instead of Divine Thought."
"Die!"
"Clang!"
The black short blade charged fiercely, igniting with black flames as it pounced onto the blood-colored Flying Sword, engulfing it in fierce flames.
"Screech~!"
The blood-colored Flying Sword emitted a piercing sharp cry, surged towards Elder Daoist Ban Yuan by more than ten meters, but ultimately trembled powerlessly, clanging to the ground.
Without the Flying Sword’s restraint, Elder Daoist Ban Yuan laughed again, forming a seal with his hand, pointing towards Xu Mujun.
The black short blade shot out, tearing through the air with an ear-splitting whistling, almost instantly reaching Xu Mujun.
"Clang!!!"
An utmost sharp collision sound resounded, and Xu Mujun’s whole body was enveloped in a dense blood-colored aura.
Holding a blood-red long knife, he swung it mightily through the black insect fog, landing steadily on the blade of the black short blade.
Blade against blade!
"Creak...!"
With a cold gleam in Xu Mujun’s eyes, the blood-red long knife in his hand emitted a clear friction sound.
The blade began to show intricate cracks, spreading towards the knife’s body.
"Hahaha... what 天下第一? What Great Yu War God? What half of Great Yu Realm, daring to use an ordinary mortal weapon against my Magical Artifact?"
Elder Daoist Ban Yuan laughed, "My Magical Artifact may be a Mid-grade Magical Artifact, but it isn’t something mere mortal weapons can withstand."
"Die!"
"Boom!"
The blood-colored short blade burst into raging black flames, instantly engulfing Xu Mujun.
Within the black flames, faint blood-colored mist roiled.
"Heh~"
"Burning Essence Blood to resist my Red Evil Fire, let’s see how much Essence Blood you have to burn?!"
"Die!"
"Boom!"
