Chapter 552 - 552 552 Begging for Mercy

Chapter 552: Chapter 552 Begging for Mercy Chapter 552: Chapter 552 Begging for Mercy A wave of earth-shattering terror swept across the land!

The gorge trembled violently, the heavenly clouds shattered.

The ancient ice layers exploded in unison.

Amid the boundless, unrivaled celestial might.

A thousand-foot phantom of an ancient sword, bathed in spirit light, stood tall against the heavens.

It seemed as though it would pierce through the firmament, obliterating the sun, moon, and stars.

As Jiang Fan swung his arm downward with savage intent.

The thousand-foot ancient sword shadow slashed down upon the heavens!

This strike.

The cold gleam illuminated a thousand miles, its sword qi shaking the Nine States!

The dark gorge momentarily brightened like midday.

Fang Taiji looked up, his face pale with terror.

He cried out in panic, “No, no, don’t do this!”

“I only acted impulsively, Jiang Fan, retract your attack now.”

“I’m the Supreme Elder of the Nine Sect; I’m one of your own!”

Jiang Fan roared with uncontrollable fury.

“To hell with you!!!”

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—

The thousand-foot colossal shadow thundered down.

Straight onto Fang Taiji.

His expression froze with despair.

He retrieved a jade shield known for its astounding defensive capabilities, capable of withstanding a Ninth Layer of Core Formation strike of perfect mastery.

It had once rescued him from countless crises.

Yet.

In the face of the descending sword shadow, the jade shield crumbled like clay.

Without the slightest resistance, it shattered into fragments on the spot.

Immediately after, Fang Taiji was mercilessly engulfed.

“No~”

Fang Taiji screamed in agonizing despair.

He summoned every ounce of strength within his physique.

*Desperately attempting to halt the sword’s shadow.*

But in the end, it was futile.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—

The colossal sword struck the ground.

Flattening Fang Taiji along with the thousand-foot span of ice, carving an endless rift in the earth.

The ice layers melted under its impact, releasing massive amounts of steam.

Yet, Fang Taiji did not perish!

A faint golden glow flickered within his body, faintly indicating that he had touched the threshold of the Golden Body.

This allowed him to cling to life.

But it left him with merely a shred of life.

His entire body was bloodied and mangled, not an inch of skin unscathed.

His chest, abdomen, arms, and thigh muscles had been torn apart, exposing the grim remains of his bones.

His right leg was mutilated, everything below the knee missing.

A section of his scalp was sliced off, blood cascading uncontrollably to soak his face.

His breath was feeble beyond measure.

Even so.

*He exhibited an unyielding will to survive.*

Struggling to climb out of the chasm.

He staggered toward the depths of the gorge, crying out in a hoarse voice:

“Concubine Yunxia~ Save me~”

Jiang Fan’s icy gaze burned with frost!

Still alive!

He leapt into the air, deploying his movement technique, skimming across the ice wall with nimble precision.

His palm extended in command.

The Five Magnetic Yuan Mountain appeared in his grasp.

With a fierce toss, it transformed into a mountain that thundered down upon Fang Taiji.

Fang Taiji exerted all his strength to lift both arms in futile resistance.

Had it been at his peak, a single punch could have thrown it away.

But now.

This time, the Five Magnetic Yuan Mountain crushed both arms instantly, pinning half his body under its overwhelming weight.

No matter how much he struggled.

He couldn’t free himself, nor could he budge the Five Magnetic Yuan Mountain.

Until a chilling sound reverberated through the air.

Jiang Fan appeared before him in a flash.

Fang Taiji’s pupils constricted sharply, pleading, “Jiang Fan, give me a chance to redeem myself.”

“With my strength, I can still make substantial contributions to the Human Clan.”

Jiang Fan’s expression remained as cold as frost.

His voice dropped to a chilling tone,

“What did Elder Zhao Wuji want you to tell me before he died?”

Fang Taiji hesitated, his eyes darting evasively.

He dared not respond.

CRACK—

Until Jiang Fan raised his foot and crushed Fang Taiji’s right hand beneath it.

His face was contorted with fury, resembling a voracious feline, as he roared, “SPEAK!!”

Fang Taiji reluctantly muttered:

“He said… Green Cloud Sect’s Carefree Peak has no cowards.”

“‘Not going is your loss.'”

Jiang Fan froze in place.

*He remembered the day he joined the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.*

*The elders from other peaks had dismissed him entirely.*

*It was Elder Zhao Wuji and Wen Hongyao who wouldn’t abandon him, openly fighting to take him in.*

*They restored the dignity of a poor boy with no background.*

*He believed the matter had long since passed.*

*Never had he expected that his refusal to become Zhao Wuji’s disciple would linger as the elder’s dying regret.*

Qiu Shengnan hobbled toward him, clutching her wound.

Her expression was bereft with sorrow: “Jiang Fan… Elder Zhao was never afraid of death.”

“But he was afraid you’d die.”

“Afraid Green Cloud Sect would lose you.”

*Jiang Fan’s chest felt as though it was filled with seawater—bitter and unbearably heavy.*

Qiu Shengnan’s gaze hardened as it landed on Fang Taiji’s battered, pleading, old face.

The boundless hatred within her boiled to the surface.

“This bastard is to blame!”

“To save himself, he betrayed your whereabouts. Elder Zhao had no choice but to sacrifice himself.”

“He did it all to buy us precious time and warn you to escape.”

*The hatred in Jiang Fan’s eyes erupted like a flood.*

He crushed Fang Taiji’s chest with a heavy stomp.

“Fang Taiji!”

“Are you worthy of being a Nine Sect Supreme Elder? Are you even worthy of being human?”

COUGH COUGH—

Fang Taiji spat out a chunk of bloody flesh.

*He understood his survival was now impossible.*

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze grew vicious:

“I only wanted to live! Is that a crime?”

THUD!

Jiang Fan stomped his head into the icy ground, pressing half his face tightly against its frigid surface, and roared:

“What about the elders you killed—what crime did they commit?”

HAHAHA!

Fang Taiji burst into maniacal laughter.

Even with his mouth pressed against the ground, he sneered defiantly:

“Their only crime was being too weak!”

“Weakness is an original sin!”

“Your uncle Zhao Wuji? I crushed him like an ant, killing him with ease.”

“And to think, his dying wish was to delay me for a moment longer.”

“What a pathetic fool!”

*Jiang Fan’s fury surged uncontrollably.*

*Images of Zhao Wuji’s gruesome demise flooded his mind.*

*Hatred consumed his consciousness.*

Thankfully, Qiu Shengnan intervened with a sharp reminder: “Jiang Fan, don’t fall for his schemes.”

“He’s deliberately provoking you, trying to trap you in a life of anguish and regret, corrupting your Martial Path’s heart.”

“Even in death, this wretch remains vile and cunning!”

She motioned to sever his neck, to end him for good.

Jiang Fan restrained himself.

He stopped her and said coldly, “Letting him die like this would be far too merciful!”

Fang Taiji sneered, “You think you can torment me?”

“If I wish to die, I can sever my meridians and self-destruct at any time!”

Jiang Fan said nothing more.

Nor did he resort to torture.

Instead, he slowly drew out a Purple Sword.

He held it before Fang Taiji, speaking icily, “Recognize this sword?”

Fang Taiji squinted at it, his elderly eyes widening in shock: “The Purple Sword?”

Jiang Fan’s cold smile deepened: “That’s right. It’s the Purple Sword.”

“And it’s the very sword your Giant Sect has been desperately searching for—the one that killed Tie Bubai.”

“You!” Fang Taiji screamed.