Sage Monarch

In the Sage Sword Heaven, the top organization was the God-Slashing Sword Sect, and their bells were tolling to summon the other sects to a meeting. Almost immediately, the elders, sectlords, and other important people were on the move. Refusing to comply with the God-Slashing Sword Sect's orders was considered outrageous rebellion, and no one would ever risk incurring their wrath.

That said, the God-Slashing Sword Sect wouldn't just casually call for a big meeting like this. The alarm bells would only be sounded in the case of a major event. After all, there was always the remote possibility that the other seventeen sects could rally against the God-Slashing Sword Sect and strike such a grievous blow they would lose their position as the top sect.

The God-Slashing Sword Sect was powerful, but not powerful enough that they could ignore the anger of the masses.

"Come on, let's go," Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit said. "If the God-Slashing Sword Sect wants to call for a meeting, fine. I'm very curious to see what they're up to. They know that Castle Heaven-Devil was set to erupt in a few dozen years, and most likely, they sent me there to stand guard in the hopes I would get killed. Did they really think I wouldn't figure that out? I'm definitely going to get justice! They'll submit to me and prosper, or oppose me and perish!"

Her imposing display immediately lifted the spirits of everyone in the Ice Spirit Sword Sect, filling them with confidence and tenacity.

RUMBLE!

The top leaders from the Ice Spirit Sword Sect transformed into a draconic beam of sword energy, bursting with power as it shot out of the warding magics protecting their mountainous headquarters.

As soon as they left, the warding magics activated again and sealed the mountain tight. At the same time, a teleportation portal appeared, a glittering immortal formation that the leaders flew into without hesitation.

Creak. Crack.

They emerged in a central region of the Sage Sword Heaven.

Yang Qi had his divine will out, just as he had from the moment he arrived in the Sage Sword Heaven, assessing and analyzing the immortal world around him. And he had King Heaven-Devourer's talismans and the Sagely Sacrifice ready to unleash at a moment's notice.

If things went bad here, and the Sage Sword Heaven as a whole turned against him, he could simply disappear into an illusory fold of space-time, then use the Sagely Sacrifice, the Wheel of Fate, and the imperial snakecharms to quickly eat away at the essence of the immortal world.

By the time people realized what was happening, the immortal world would be withering away, and before they would be able to react it would become a land of death, devoid of life force. Then it would crumble like dust into the universe.

Of course, Yang Qi would only do that as a last resort if things went really bad.

From what he could tell, the Sage Sword Heaven was enormous, and was likely built on an ancient dao of the sword, and godrelics of some sort of a sword god.

'I wonder what would happen if I really used Sagely Sacrifice on this place,' Yang Qi thought. 'Would it become a sword pellet that could be refined into a spectacular god sword?'

Upon stepping out of the teleportation portal, Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit said, "Here we are, Daoist Brother. The God-Slashing Sword Sect."

Yang Qi shook his head to clear his thoughts, then looked around and saw that he was in front of an enormous rift that led to parts unknown. It bubbled with the sharpest power imaginable, something that surpassed even the essence of the Sage Sword Heaven.

"This is the headquarters of the God-Slashing Sword Sect," Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit explained. "One of their top experts slashed open this rift with a sword, connecting this location to a mysterious plane of existence comprised of a godrelic. It continuously emits power that we can use for cultivation. It's because of this rift that the God-Slashing Sword Sect produces so many top talents, and the fact that they control this area is one of the reasons their sect leads the others."

"Oh?" Yang Qi nodded. "Were the eighteen sword sects always separate?"

"No. In the ancient era, there was only one sect, which carried on the core teachings and doctrines left behind by one of King Life-Killer's apprentices. Later, the sect fragmented into eighteen factions, which eventually became standalone sects. Technically speaking, we still consider ourselves united and don't generally wage war against each other. That said, we're always scheming and plotting against each other. And we do have a mutual enemy, the Ancient Beast Heaven. They're always invading and raiding us, causing chaos of all sorts."

RUMBLE!

All of a sudden, the teleportation portal activated again and more sword experts emerged, obviously members of one of the other sword sects. They wore black garments and had long swords strapped to their backs, swords that were surrounded by the vengeful souls of innumerable slain enemies. Apparently, these people cultivated a dao of the sword focused on pure killing.

"The Emptydeath Sword Sect!" Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit said, her eyes glinting with a cold light that seemed to indicate she viewed this sword sect as an enemy.

"Aiyo!" said one of the black-robed figures, an old man with a particularly sharp gaze. "I can't believe you returned early, Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit. What incredible gall! According to the rules, you should still be standing guard at Castle Heaven-Devil. Instead, you abandoned your post? What if one of the monsters breaks free and goes on a rampage? If people end up in a terrible situation as a result, you'll take the blame."

Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit snorted coldly. "Simmer down, Sectlord Emptydeath. I completely sealed Castle Heaven-Devil as a whole, so drop the talk of me abandoning my post. If there are any problems with monsters in the future, I'll take full responsibility. By the way, I haven't forgotten about the issue of your male disciples harassing my female disciples. You still owe me for that."

Sectlord Emptydeath burst out laughing. "Harassment? Come now, you've heard the saying young gentlemen love to pursue fair maidens. If there's any harassment going on between our sword sects, it's because your female disciples are too flirtatious. They cultivate a bewitchment technique designed to seduce male disciples, thus, the blame lies with you."

"I should have expected shamelessness like this from you, Sectlord Emptydeath. It's obvious why your disciples act the way they do—they learned it from you." Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit's heart was pulsing with killing intent, although she didn't let it show on her face.

Sectlord Emptydeath's expression suddenly turned very cold and his eyes glittered. "You really like to run your mouth, don't you, Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit? Considering how rudely you're throwing around insults, I think I'll have to teach you a bit of a lesson today."

"You're going to teach me a lesson? Sounds good! Bring it on, you old codger! Just who the hell do you think you are? Let me put this all out in the open. You're an absolutely shameless piece of trash, and yet you think you deserve to lead the Emptydeath Sword Sect? As far as I'm concerned, we might as well remove your sect from our immortal world. It's a good thing we're having this big meeting; it'll be the perfect situation to settle accounts. And it's going to end with your sect being dismantled and your disciples demoted to slave status. As for you, since you're a dog bastard, I'll see you turned into a sect watchdog. You can sit around the front entrance, and when visitors show up you can bark a bit to announce their arrival."

The rest of the young women from the Ice Spirit Sword Sect all burst out into laughter.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. It'll be great to have the disciples from Emptydeath Sword Sect be our pet dogs. Whenever we go out on training, we can bring our leashed dogs and sic them on our enemies. That will be amazing."

"Yes, turning them into dogs is the perfect idea. Make them crawl on their bellies all day and night in front of us."

"Exactly. Soon there won't be an Emptydeath Sword Sect anymore."

"I think we should just take everyone from the Emptydeath Sword Sect and cut off their tongues and limbs. Turn them into human monstrosities."

The laughter and sarcastic comments coming out of the mouths of the female disciples were so humiliating that the people from the Emptydeath Sword Sect fumed with rage. Sectlord Emptydeath couldn't contain his anger, and let out a wolf-like howl of fury. He was so infuriated that he was literally seeing red.

Historically speaking, the disciples of the Ice Spirit Sword Sect feared those from the Emptydeath Sword Sect. But the young women knew that their sword matriarch had reached the Tempered God level and obtained a host of King Life-Killer's sage swords. Because of that, they weren't worried at all about the Emptydeath Sword Sect.

"I can't believe you would actually say something like that, Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit. You slut! Since when did you become so audacious? Do you really think you can defy laws and principles, even those of heaven? You know full well that our Emptydeath Sword Sect outranks your Ice Spirit Sword Sect. If you try to force a conflict here, you're going to be like an egg thrown against a boulder."

"Is that what you think?" she replied coolly. "Alright, make a move and see what happens. Disciples of the Ice Spirit Sword Sect, draw swords and prepare to fight. When I say the word, slaughter everyone from the Emptydeath Sword Sect. Don't even spare chickens or dogs!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Chink. Swish. Snick.

In the blink of an eye, a host of swords left their sheaths, and killing intent boiled.

"What?" The people from the Emptydeath Sword Sect were shocked as they realized that this group of leaders from the Ice Spirit Sword Sect really were dead set on winning this fight. And they weren't sure what to do about it.

"Attack!" Sectlord Emptydeath said. He knew that he couldn't allow himself to seem weak in this moment, otherwise it would be a huge loss of face that he might never recover from.

RUMBLE!

Suddenly, a shout of rage drifted out from the nearby rift, "Enough with the melodrama!"

An enormous figure appeared, bursting with energy. He was a middle-aged man in a voluminous robe, with sword-like eyebrows and eyes that were vortexes of killing intent. After coldly looking around, his gaze came to rest on Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit.

"This is the entrance of the God-Slashing Sword Sect. And I, Inexorable Slasher, hereby prohibit any fighting. You two are supposed to be sectlords, but here you are squabbling like children?"

This was the third-most powerful person from the God-Slashing Sword Sect, the famous Inexorable Slasher!

A Tempered God!

Everyone from the Emptydeath Sword Sect bowed their heads.

"Sword Matriarch Ice Spirit, you owe us an explanation. Why did you return early from Castle Heaven-Devil!? First, you abandoned your post, and then you showed up at the entrance of our sect, stirring up trouble. Do you admit your crimes?"