Chapter 134: Ji Qing Draws Sword To Slay The Resentful Demon, Demon Saber Advances!
Outside Jingxiu Palace, guards, eunuchs, and palace maids were all frozen into ice sculptures in the cold wind.
Their bodies were covered in thick ice crystals, with only their heads remaining intact.
Jingxiu Palace also fell into a dead silence.
Until an old man descended from the sky.
The elder saw the numerous “ice sculptures” and then opened his mouth to blow at everyone.
“Whoosh…”
This breath immediately stirred up a warm breeze.
The ice crystals on the guards, eunuchs, and palace maids who were blown by the warm breeze melted away.
Even the frost on the ground melted and disappeared without a trace.
Afterward, the old man stepped into Jingxiu Palace.
“Swish.”
Ji Qing, who had his eyes closed, immediately opened them.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
An invisible momentum was clashing.
It was as if sparks were flying in the void.
“What a formidable ‘Astonishing Swan Saber’.”
The old man retracted his momentum.
“I am Shang Yutai, you have been waiting for me, haven’t you?”
“Emperor, you take Consort Liang and leave first.”
“Yes, Old Ancestor.”
The Emperor also breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that the Old Ancestor was here, they were safe.
Thus, the Emperor, along with Consort Liang and a group of eunuchs and palace maids, left Jingxiu Palace.
At this moment, only Ji Qing and the old man remained in the vast Jingxiu Palace.
“Ji Qing, what brings you to see me?”
Shang Yutai asked.
Clearly, Shang Yutai was the Imperial Ancestor, a genuine Grandmaster!
“Ji Mou has only one purpose for this trip, which is to have the Emperor issue an imperial decree for ‘Deification’. Everything was going smoothly, so why did you intercept the ‘Deification’ imperial decree?”
“So it was you who wanted the ‘Deification’ imperial decree…”
Shang Yutai narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Ji Qing from head to toe.
“Ji Qing, you are a martial artist from the Jianghu and may not know that unauthorized ‘Deification’ will harm our Great Shang Imperial Court’s national fortune! Especially now that spiritual energy is gradually returning to the world, and some ‘Deities’ are starting to get ideas. I naturally won’t let them have their way.”
Shang Yutai said directly.
“Then why was it possible to deify people before?”
“It was the Era of Spiritual Depletion back then. Even if the Emperor issued an imperial decree for deification, it was merely symbolic and would not harm the national fortune in the slightest. But it’s different now that there’s spiritual energy. Once an imperial decree is issued, true deities will be born.”
Ji Qing fell silent.
What Shang Yutai said seemed to have some reasoning.
Harming the national fortune, it was no wonder Shang Yutai would intercept the deification imperial decree.
But Ji Qing desperately needed that “Deification” imperial decree now.
“What if, Ji Mou must have the ‘Deification’ imperial decree?”
“Deification” might indeed harm some national fortune.
But certainly not much.
Given the current situation of the Great Shang, where the national fortune was draining away daily, why would they care about a mere “Deification” imperial decree?
Ji Qing slowly stood up.
Even his hand gradually gripped the hilt.
“Boom.”
Ji Qing’s Saber Intent was unleashed.
The terrifying Saber Intent instantly caused Shang Yutai, who had been calm, to change his expression slightly.
Even a Grandmaster would not dare to ignore Saber Intent.
After all, Saber Intent was also a power of the Innate Level.
It was even the most supreme power of the Innate Level!
It was thanks to his Saber Intent that Ji Qing was evaluated by Ling Xiao Pavilion as being comparable to a Grandmaster!
“Saber Intent…”
A sharp glint flashed in Shang Yutai’s eyes.
He slowly extended his hand.
Ji Qing immediately felt a great sense of danger.
This danger emanated from within Shang Yutai.
It seemed there was a terrifying power within Shang Yutai.
Once unleashed, Ji Qing’s Saber Intent might not even be able to block it.
Ji Qing had also learned about Grandmasters.
He knew what they were.
“Innate True Qi!”
Ji Qing’s heart tensed.
Innate True Qi was unique to Grandmasters.
Grandmasters underwent Acquired to Innate transformation, absorbing Spiritual Energy from Spiritual Objects to convert it into Innate True Qi.
However, in the Dharma-Ending Age, Innate True Qi could only be obtained from Spiritual Objects.
Once depleted, it would be extremely difficult to recover.
Therefore, once one achieved the Grandmaster level, they would not be as active.
They would also not casually use Innate True Qi.
Innate True Qi could only be used in a life-or-death struggle.
“Aren’t you afraid that if you use your Innate True Qi, it will be completely depleted, resulting in a mutual destruction?”
Ji Qing still held the hilt of the Demon Saber.
He was not confident that he could defeat the Grandmaster before him.
But similarly, Shang Yutai should not unleash his Innate True Qi for a desperate fight.
After all, there were many forces eyeing the Imperial Family.
If Shang Yutai were to suffer any harm, it would likely be a great trouble for the Imperial Family.
“Now that Heaven and Earth are gradually regaining spiritual energy, depleted Innate True Qi can naturally be restored. However, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy is still very scarce. It takes a long time to recover a strand of Innate Qi. Otherwise, I would have acted long ago.”
Shang Yutai said this, but his heart was far from as relaxed as he made it sound.
He was extremely wary of Ji Qing.
Just now, Ji Qing’s Saber Intent had given him a strong sense of crisis.
“I must obtain the ‘Deification’ imperial decree!”
“Since that is the case, Ji Mou has a saber strike; please, Old Ancestor Shang, appraise it!”
Ji Qing’s aura continued to climb, becoming more and more terrifying.
His Saber Intent also grew larger and larger.
Seemingly, invisible forces enveloped the entire Jingxiu Palace.
Those outside Jingxiu Palace, looking from afar.
Seemed to “see” a terrifying saber suspended above Jingxiu Palace.
It was unscrupulously exuding a sharp edge.
Shang Yutai’s expression was solemn.
He could vaguely sense that if Ji Qing’s saber were to be drawn, it would undoubtedly be earth-shattering.
If he did not unleash his Innate True Qi, he definitely would not be able to block it.
It was even uncertain if he could block it even if he unleashed his Innate True Qi.
The Emperor had already left Jingxiu Palace.
He had given the order, and three thousand Imperial Guards had arrived outside Jingxiu Palace, fully prepared.
If Ji Qing dared to come out, they would immediately unleash a volley of arrows.
The entire Imperial Palace seemed to fall into a deathly silence.
“Forget it.”
“Since you want the ‘Deification’ imperial decree, then I shall give it to you!”
Suddenly, Shang Yutai spoke.
And his words suggested a concession?
Ji Qing, however, only stared at Shang Yutai.
The will of a Grandmaster was incredibly firm; they would not easily “back down.”
“However, if you wish to obtain the ‘Deification’ imperial decree, you must help me with one favor. Or rather, help the Imperial Court.”
As expected, the “Deification” imperial decree could not be obtained for free.
If Ji Qing wanted the “Deification” imperial decree, he would have to “trade” with Shang Yutai.
“What do you want Ji Mou to do?”
Ji Qing asked directly.
“As the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy recovers, some powerful demons are gradually awakening or being born. Some of these demons are not too strong but are extremely bizarre. It is difficult for both Demon Slayers and Grandmasters to kill these special demons.”
“Currently, there is a demon in Shangdu called ‘Resentment Demon’. This Resentment Demon can absorb the resentment of the entire Shangdu and grows stronger every moment. Shangdu has a large population, and as long as there are people, there will be resentment. With all this accumulating, who knows how strong this ‘Resentment Demon’ will become in time? When that happens, if the ‘Resentment Demon’ goes berserk, the entire Shangdu will be plunged into misery.”
“Originally, a mere ‘Resentment Demon’ would not be difficult for an Innate Grandmaster; it could be eliminated by unleashing Innate True Qi. However, in the Dharma-Ending Age, Grandmasters have very little Innate True Qi, and each strand of Innate True Qi is a lifeline. I have made several attempts, unleashing a few strands of Innate True Qi, but I still couldn’t destroy the ‘Resentment Demon’. By the time I finally managed to recover my Innate True Qi and went to deal with the ‘Resentment Demon’ again, it had recovered even faster, and was even stronger.”
“And against a spiritual demon like the ‘Resentment Demon’, your Saber Intent is its nemesis. You can completely suppress or even kill the ‘Resentment Demon’ without needing to unleash Innate True Qi. As long as the ‘Resentment Demon’ is eliminated, I will give you the ‘Deification’ imperial decree immediately.”
Ji Qing understood.
This “Resentment Demon” was a very troublesome demon.
It required the unleashing of Innate True Qi.
But the critical issue was that Shang Yutai’s Innate True Qi was not abundant.
Even if he unleashed all of it, he could not completely destroy the “Resentment Demon.”
Although there was Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy now, it was still very scarce.
By the time Shang Yutai painstakingly and slowly recovered his Innate True Qi and went to confront the “Resentment Demon” again, the “Resentment Demon” would have long since recovered.
It might even be stronger.
After several back-and-forth encounters, Shang Yutai was at a loss.
He couldn’t outlast the “Resentment Demon.”
On the other hand, Ji Qing’s “Saber Intent” was most suitable for eliminating this “Resentment Demon.”
“Agreed! Ji Mou will lend you a hand and eliminate the ‘Resentment Demon’.”
Ji Qing agreed immediately without much thought.
After all, Ji Qing was searching for demons all over the world.
Now that a demon had been delivered to his doorstep, he couldn’t be happier!
“Good, let’s not delay. Shall we go and eliminate the ‘Resentment Demon’ now?”
“Agreed.”
The two, who had been on the verge of conflict moments ago, immediately withdrew their auras and walked out of Jingxiu Palace together.
“Rustle.”
As Ji Qing and Shang Yutai walked out of Jingxiu Palace, the three thousand Imperial Guards outside immediately became tense.
Hundreds of archers drew their bows and aimed at Ji Qing.
As long as the Emperor gave the order, they would immediately release their arrows.
Ji Qing’s expression remained calm upon seeing the three thousand Imperial Guards.
However, Shang Yutai, who was beside him, remained silent.
Ji Qing understood.
This was an opportunity to witness his Saber Intent.
Although they had already clashed with their Saber Intent implicitly earlier.
Facing the encirclement of the army, Shang Yutai likely wanted to see it.
After all, Ji Qing was not a true Grandmaster.
A true Grandmaster could levitate in the air and fly directly.
They would appear and disappear without a trace.
A mortal army’s encirclement would be utterly useless.
Ji Qing had indeed comprehended Saber Intent.
But he was only “comparable” to a Grandmaster.
In the final analysis, Ji Qing was not a true Grandmaster!
“Hmph.”
Ji Qing took a step forward and let out a cold snort.
Instantly, his Saber Intent was ignited.
The terrifying Saber Intent instantly enveloped a portion of the Imperial Guards.
These imperial guards are just ordinary soldiers.
Ji Qing merely sent a slight vibration with his Saber Intent.
“Plop.”
Immediately afterward, a heart-pounding scene unfolded.
The densely packed imperial guards, one by one, collapsed to the ground.
They weren’t dead; they were still breathing.
It was as if they had fallen asleep.
They couldn’t be woken up no matter how much they were called.
“What?”
The Emperor’s heart trembled.
His eyes were fixed on the scene before him.
So many imperial guards had “fainted”?
What kind of method was this?
Ji Qing didn’t even pay attention to the Emperor at all.
He walked forward step by step.
With each step forward, countless imperial guards fell to the ground “unconscious.”
This bizarre and terrifying sight made the Emperor tremble all over.
“Old Ancestor…”
The Emperor looked towards Old Ancestor Shang with a pleading gaze.
“Disgraceful!”
Shang Yutai did not show the Emperor any pleasantries.
Emperor Yongchang’s reign had plunged the world into great chaos, causing people to suffer, with rebellions everywhere and the nation’s fortune in decline, which had long displeased Shang Yutai.
It was only due to the “ancestral instructions” that Shang Yutai hadn’t intervened.
Otherwise, he would have already carried out the act of deposing and replacing the emperor.
“Young Friend Ji’s Saber Intent is truly unpredictable! Allow me to lead the way.”
Shang Yutai’s figure flickered, and he flew out of the Imperial Palace.
Ji Qing also used a Lightness Skill and disappeared.
The Emperor’s expression was grim.
For the first time, he felt that the identity of “Emperor” was not supreme.
When Martial Arts reach a certain level of power,
What is an Emperor?
He is utterly disdained!
“Investigate for me, who exactly is this person?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor watched the receding figures of Old Ancestor Shang and Ji Qing, his face exceptionally grim.
At this moment, Ji Qing was using the Lightness Skill “Thousand Mile Divine Movement,” his figure like a gentle breeze, weaving through the streets of Shangdu.
However, he raised his head and looked at the figure in the sky.
It was getting smaller and smaller, almost to the point of being invisible.
Ji Qing shook his head.
He was not a Grandmaster, after all.
Even though his Lightness Skill had reached Major Accomplishment, no matter how fast he was, he couldn’t match a Grandmaster’s ability to float in the air.
How could “running” compare to “flying”?
Therefore, in terms of absolute speed, Ji Qing was completely defeated!
Soon, Shang Yutai stopped.
“Young Friend Ji, do you sense anything?”
Ji Qing looked ahead.
It appeared to be a ruin of crumbling walls.
Yet, within the ruins, Ji Qing sensed a dense wave of Resentful Energy.
The sheer magnitude of this Resentful Energy was staggering.
Moreover, the Resentful Energy was accompanied by a strong Malevolent Energy.
If an ordinary person stood near these ruins, they wouldn’t see anything, but they would feel a chill or a sense of unease.
If they stayed too long, they would fall gravely ill upon returning home.
This was the result of the erosion by Resentful Energy and Malevolent Energy.
“Why is there such strong Resentful Energy?”
Ji Qing asked.
Shang Yutai’s expression turned serious, and he explained, “This place was originally inhabited by a family of over a dozen people who ran a cloth shop for a living. But the trouble began with the youngest daughter, who was exceptionally beautiful. Some scoundrels saw her and harbored wicked intentions, abducting the young girl…”
“After the scoundrels achieved their goal, they returned the young girl. In those difficult times, many common folk would endure such matters, but this family had integrity and sought justice everywhere. In the end, those scoundrels sent people to set a fire and burned the entire family alive.”
Ji Qing frowned; he had seen such things many times.
In fact, when he had traveled the world as a refugee, he had witnessed far more tragic events than this.
But how many had developed into vengeful demons?
Not a single one!
“The crucial point is that a well in this family’s home was actually a sealed Spirit Demon by a Cultivator during the great era of cultivation a thousand years ago. Unexpectedly, the thousand-year seal could not erase this Spirit Demon. Instead, the intense Resentful Energy after the family’s death stimulated the Spirit Demon, causing it to break through the seal.”
“Moreover, the Spirit Demon rapidly grew by borrowing the Resentful Energy. By the time I discovered it, it was too late; the Spirit Demon had already become a force to be reckoned with.”
“Why doesn’t the Spirit Demon leave Shangdu?”
Ji Qing asked.
“This Spirit Demon is an earthbound spirit; it cannot leave this place!”
Ji Qing understood.
“Old scoundrel, you’ve come again! Hehehe, you can’t do anything to me.”
“When I devour all the resentment in this city, I will devour you in one gulp, and you will taste the torment of a thousand resentments eating your heart.”
Ji Qing heard a sharp voice.
He saw that in the ruins, the infinite Resentful Energy had condensed into a tall and terrifying figure.
It was enveloped in terrifying resentment and Malevolent Energy.
“Young Friend Ji, you’ve also seen it, this Spirit Demon hates me to the bone, but unfortunately, I am truly helpless, so I can only rely on you.”
Ji Qing asked no further questions.
The Demon Record in his mind had already begun to vibrate violently.
Clearly, this Spirit Demon was a demon!
Since it was a demon, what more was there to say?
“Boom.”
Ji Qing’s Saber Intent erupted without reservation, instantly.
The Saber Intent instantly covered the entire ruin.
The Spirit Demon was also brought within the range of Ji Qing’s Saber Intent’s shredding.
The Saber Intent, again and again, ferociously shredded the Spirit Demon.
“Ah…”
“What is this thing?”
“Damn it, I will devour you…”
The Spirit Demon wailed and screamed.
The Saber Intent was extremely condensed.
Within the range covered by the Saber Intent, it felt as if it was being sliced by the Saber Intent over and over again.
It was like being skinned alive.
That feeling was not pleasant.
However, Saber Intent alone could not destroy the Spirit Demon.
Saber Intent could only weaken and suppress the Spirit Demon.
So, Ji Qing drew his saber.
“Clang.”
Ji Qing drew his saber from its sheath.
In the pitch-black night, it was as if a dazzling light suddenly appeared.
This Blade Light was as magnificent as a galaxy.
It was also like the Milky Way descending from the heavens, instantly striking the Spirit Demon.
“Swoosh.”
The Spirit Demon was easily sliced.
The Spirit Demon, which was originally Immortal, could no longer recover after being sliced.
This Blade Light contained Saber Intent.
As the Blade Light fell, infinite Saber Intent also erupted.
The Spirit Demon was instantly suppressed by the Saber Intent.
Therefore, with one strike, the Spirit Demon was split in two.
Then, all the Resentful Energy dissipated.
The Spirit Demon was dead.
“Killed a Spirit Demon, gained 20 Origin Points.”
This Spirit Demon also belonged to the category of “Spirit Demon.”
And to gain 20 Origin Points at once.
Clearly, this was no ordinary demon.
Ji Qing’s mind moved, and he flipped through the Demon Record.
“Origin Points: 58 points.”
His Origin Points had reached 58.
This trip to Shangdu was indeed worthwhile.
Not only did he successfully obtain the Imperial Decree of Deification, but he also unexpectedly gained 20 Origin Points.
Shang Yutai, standing beside him, saw Ji Qing’s saber strike and his pupils sharply contracted, his heart trembling!
“What a terrifying saber strike…”
Shang Yutai put himself in Ji Qing’s shoes and wondered if he could block this strike.
“Perhaps I could block it, perhaps not…”
Shang Yutai knew the terror of Saber Intent.
But he hadn’t expected that once Ji Qing drew his saber, with the enhancement of Saber Intent, the Might of his Saber Technique could become so powerful?
That Spirit Demon was not weak at all!
And Ji Qing killed it with a single strike?
Even though the Spirit Demon was countered by Saber Intent, Ji Qing’s Saber Technique was definitely among the top-tier Saber Techniques in the Jianghu.
As the Spirit Demon was slain by Ji Qing.
He prepared to sheath his saber.
“Hum.”
Suddenly, an unforeseen event occurred.
After the Spirit Demon died, the infinite Malevolent Energy and Resentful Energy surged madly towards the Demon Saber.
Under the impact of such a massive amount of Malevolent Energy and Resentful Energy, the Demon Saber also began to vibrate slightly.
Vaguely, Ji Qing seemed to see countless terrifying human faces appearing on the saber’s body, roaring and wailing in madness.
“Divine Weapon advancement?”
Shang Yutai’s heart trembled.
He hadn’t expected Ji Qing to possess a Divine Weapon?
Now that the Divine Weapon had absorbed the Malevolent Energy and Resentful Energy of the Spirit Demon, it had clearly advanced.
Once Ji Qing enhanced the Divine Weapon with Saber Intent and then used his Saber Technique, its Might… was unimaginable!
“Clink.”
With a soft sound.
Ji Qing decisively sheathed his saber!
The boundless Malevolent Energy, Resentful Energy, and those terrifying illusory human faces instantly vanished without a trace.
Everything seemed to return to tranquility!
