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Half a month later, Ye Zichen was returning to the River Styx once more. As soon as his foot entered the river water, he felt two presences lock onto him.

Those sharp auras only lasted an instant, but it was enough for Ye Zichen to realize that the river's defenses had become even more impenetrable.

Countless armed fishmen and aquatic beasts swam through the current on patrol.

The atmosphere throughout was as tense as the night before a battle. Now that he was smack dab in the middle of it, Ye Zichen couldn't help but worry about humanity's future.

The demons were eying them hungrily from afar, while the yao could force their way across the river anytime now.

The River Styx was their last line of defense. If it crumbled, then yao and demons could surge directly into human territory, forming a pincer attack. Humans would be attacked from both sides.

Ye Zichen was even more concerned about those two overbearing presences within the river. He hadn't sensed their existence during his last visit.

"Master, Ye Zichen is here." Inside the palace, Su Yiyun bowed and announced their guest.

Before long, Emperor Hades and Xue Yang walked side-by-side. When he saw Ye Zichen, Xue Yang glared at him without even bothering to hide it.

"...." Ye Zichen felt deep exasperation. He sighed inwardly, then greeted the two emperors. "Emperor Hades, Great Emperor Xue Yang."

Xue Yang didn't so much as look at him, but Emperor Hades flashed him a warm smile then indicated to a chair. "Sit."

"No need. I'm just here to retrieve the Xuan-Yuan Sword, then head back to the Divine Mountain with Guangfa. Besides, it seems like I'm not all that welcome here."

He glanced vaguely at Xue Yang, who naturally knew that Ye Zichen was referring to him. The great emperor narrowed his eyes….

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning coursed through Ye Zichen's sea of consciousness. The blood drained from his face, and sweat poured down his back.

"Xue Yang, you're overdoing it," growled Emperor Hades.

"You're too lenient with him; he's a member of the younger generation, yet he's so ill-mannered. I was merely teaching him how to address his betters, what to say, and what not to say, and how to know his place."

Xue Yang's gaze was somewhat unfriendly. Ye Zichen's sea of consciousness still felt a piercing pain, but he looked up. His gaze was unresigned, but he gnashed his teeth, bowed at the waist, and said, "Thank you, Senior, for instructing me."

Atop his throne, Xue Yang's face was as cold as ice. Emperor Hades couldn't help but shake his head. He took out a bottle of pills and tossed them to Ye Zichen. "Take these. The sea of consciousness is at the root of cultivation. If you leave any injuries behind, it won't do you any good."

This was also why Emperor Hades was so displeased with Xue Yang. It was okay to be angry or suppress Ye Zichen. Emperor Hades wouldn't have said anything even if he hit Ye Zichen.

But he'd gone for Ye Zichen's sea of consciousness! That was both the most important and the most vulnerable part of a cultivator.

Ye Zichen was just a sky supreme while Xue Yang was a ruler.

If Xue Yang weren't careful, that one attack could have crushed Ye Zichen's sea of consciousness, turning him into a cripple.

Ye Zichen was also keenly aware of the sea of consciousness's importance, so he didn't hesitate to take the pills.

As soon as they entered his mouth, the medicinal power transformed into threats and surged into his damaged sea of consciousness. Before long, it was fully healed and good as new." "Thank you for the medicine, Emperor Hades."

'It was nothing." Emperor Hades nodded slightly, then said, "You too know that I invited you here today to give you back the Xuan-Yuan Sword."

As he spoke, a beautiful woman entered the main hall from the rear entrance.

She wore a pale blue, simple dress. She was tall and slender, with skin as white as snow. Her tender neck wore a silver necklace. Her nose was high-bridged, and her eyes were black as night.

On her forehead was the imprint of a sword, and it was this imprint that revealed her true identity:

She was a sword spirit.

The sword spirit carried a longsword in her right hand. It was seventy-two by twelve, with twin dragons coiled around the hilt.If you listened carefully, you could even hear them roar.

The Xuan-Yuan Sword.

The sword was now fully unsealed. The woman carrying it was none other than Xuan-Yuan Xiang.

When she first appeared, Emperor Hades' eyes filled with faint nostalgia, and a warm smile tugged at his lips.

When Xue Yang saw her, he froze despite himself, then instinctively glanced at Emperor Hades.

"Big Sister Xiang!" When Ye Zichen saw her, his eyes lit up with delight. She dashed towards him, but in her tight dress, she couldn't take overly large steps.

After just a few steps, she furrowed her brows. At around the same time, Ye Zichen rushed up to her. "Big Sister Xiang, why are you in a dress?"

Ye Zichen had practically no memories of her in a dress. But to tell the truth, she looked awfully feminine in one.

"Do you think I wanted to wear this?" Xuan-Yuan Xiang rolled her eyes irritably and glared at Emperor Hades. "It was him! He insisted I wear this. I put it on, but it's awful!"

She lit up, and when the light fated, she was in her usual warrior robes.

旋即，轩辕香身体周围金光闪烁变成了跟之前相仿的武者劲装。

"This is still more comfortable."

When Emperor Hades saw that, he shook his head and smiled bitterly. Ye Zichen noticed, and his expression contorted somewhat.

Emperor Hades made her wear that. He…. no, no way!

As soon as the thought popped into his head, Ye Zichen gasped despite himself. The top emperor of the ancient era, the man who used the River Styx to intimidate the entire Yao Realm… Had he really taken a shine to Xuan-Yuan Xiang, his sword spirit?

He sucked in a breath of cold air. Xuan-Yuan Xiang, meanwhile, arched her brows, smiled, and passed him the sword. "Go ahead and try it."

Just how strong was the complete Xuan-Yuan Sword? Ye Zichen wanted to try it too.

He accepted it, and as soon as it entered his hand, he felt it connecting with his blood. It felt natural and comfortable to weild.

When he clenched its hilt, he heard the faint sound of distant roaring.

Power surged from the sword and into his hand. His body welled up with power, and he couldn't help but want to release it.

Boom!

He swung the sword against the ground.

"So this is the complete Xuan-Yuan Sword!" This outflow of power made Ye Zichen exclaim in shock, but when he turned to Emperor Hades to express his gratitude…

The man's face was ashen.

It was only then that Ye Zichen noticed he'd accidentally cleaved the great hall in two, and the floor had a newfound chasm easily tens of thousands of feet deep.

Ye Zichen swore that it wasn't on purpose. "Senior Emperor Hades, I…" He smiled at the emperor and scratched his head.

Emperor Hades' chest heaved as he forcefully repressed his fury. After a while, he closed his eyes and sighed. "No harm done!"

When he said "No harm done," he gnashed his teeth. Although this temporary palace was just an ordinary treasure, barely even a divine artifact and not that valuable, he'd had it for a full hundred thousand years.

"Thank you, Emperor Hades, for forgiving my foolishness." Ye Zichecn grinned, then said, "Now then, Emperor Hades, if you find Chen Guangfa in the River Styx, the two of us will be on our way."

"Of course, but before that….." Emperor Hades glanced at Xue Yang.

Xue Yang rose to his feet. "Want to take the Xuan-Yuan Sword and leave? Fine! Defeat me first!"