Chapter 91 : Divine Realm Shackles

Chapter 91: Divine Realm Shackles

Qingzhou City.

The Sword Saint of Cangshan stood in midair, gazing from afar in the direction Li Yunqing had departed.

“Two months to reach the middle tier of the Qi Realm, Innate Sword Bones, forming a Sword Heart within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea… with such talent, I hope my choice was not wrong!”

The Sword Saint of Cangshan murmured softly, “And I hope your choice was not wrong either.”

The crime of defying an imperial decree—he could indeed block it, but that did not mean the imperial clan would simply give up.

Ruling such a vast imperial dynasty, if anyone dared to disobey an imperial decree, it was equivalent to trampling the dignity of the imperial clan into the dirt.

The current emperor was also a Profound Realm Grandmaster and could be considered wise; it was absolutely impossible for him to tolerate such a thing.

If Li Yunqing did not choose to go to the capital, trouble would inevitably follow in the future. He could block it once or twice, but it would be impossible to block it a third or fourth time.

For the sake of imperial dignity, even the hidden sect experts who supported the imperial clan would be mobilized by the emperor.

At that time, if he were restrained, Li Yunqing’s fate could be easily foreseen.

Only by stepping into the imperial capital—only by letting those people witness her talent, see that her pursuit of the sword within the dynasty held the potential to open a new path—could the imperial clan be forced to lower its head.

“I should also begin preparing for battle.”

The Sword Saint spoke softly, and his figure vanished in a flash.

At the same time, in the capital of the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty.

The sky seemed torn open, torrential rain pouring down like a waterfall connecting heaven and earth.

The vast imperial palace crouched like a giant beast within the storm, silent and still.

Imperial Study.

“Useless!”

A light rebuke like heavenly sound resounded like thunder.

The entire palace trembled as invisible sound waves instantly spread across heaven and earth.

The endless rain suddenly halted, expanding like a dome of light before shattering, as violent winds roared and ravaged, as if the heavens themselves were enraged.

“Clatter…”

The guards around the Imperial Study all dropped to their knees under that rebuke, their armor humming.

Their bodies trembled, cold sweat streaming down their foreheads.

“Who has provoked such fury from His Majesty?”

This thought arose in every guard’s mind, yet none dared to raise their heads even slightly. With their foreheads pressed to the ground, they did not dare move.

Inside the Imperial Study.

“Pfft!”

The Sixth Prince seemed as if struck by lightning, coughing up a mouthful of blood as his body flew backward several meters. He scrambled back up, crawling and prostrating himself on the ground.

His face was pale as paper, his body trembling, as if an endless sea of blood appeared before his eyes.

The scene of an emperor’s wrath—corpses stretching for thousands of miles—seemed vividly present before him.

Beside him, two attendants exuding the aura of the Profound Realm also knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

It was as if the figure seated behind the desk was not a member of the Human Race, but a true dragon overlooking the mortal world.

“The Sixth Prince has disgraced the imperial clan. Confine him for three months, cut off all stipends—get out!”

Yu Taiyan’s voice rang through the Imperial Study, filled with deep disappointment.

A dignified prince of the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty had failed to even subdue a single woman and had allowed her to openly defy the imperial decree in front of all of Qingzhou.

This was simply pressing the dignity and authority of the imperial clan into the dirt.

Knowing she had the Sword Saint of Cangshan behind her, no matter the method—even if it meant force or drugging—

As long as he had taken her, even merely ruining her reputation, Yu Taiyan would have regarded him more highly.

Yet now, he had slunk back to the capital in disgrace, becoming a complete joke.

At such a time, if the imperial clan showed weakness, what would be the consequence?

Would that not clearly tell the entire world that the imperial clan was in decline and chaos was about to engulf the land?

And thus cause the major hidden sects to grow divided?

Such a price was one the imperial clan could not afford.

That woman must pay a price.

Moreover, was it truly difficult to deal with a woman?

With just a bit of involvement, spreading some rumors until everyone knew—

Even with the Sword Saint of Cangshan, so what? Holding the moral high ground, backed by the entire imperial clan and the whole world, that woman would have to marry whether she wished to or not.

How could it be her place to defy an imperial decree?

He had once thought the Sixth Prince was at least hardworking, with decent strength. Yet when faced with a matter of great importance, he had lost all courage.

He was not even as bold as the woman who defied the decree.

The Sixth Prince crawled out of the Imperial Study, stepping into the heavy rain with a lifeless expression, all light gone from his eyes.

“It’s over.”

Yu Xuanfeng turned back to glance at the Imperial Study, his entire being collapsing into dejection.

After this incident, it would be extremely difficult for him to rise again. Even if he reached the Profound Realm, he would likely have no chance at all.

What he could not understand even more was this—was it truly such humiliation for a woman from a small clan in a provincial city to marry into the imperial clan?

Why defy the decree?

And cause him to suffer such a disastrous downfall.

Inside the Imperial Study.

“Your Majesty, the Sword Saint of Cangshan has sent word—he will fight the current Sword God of the Sword God Sect in the imperial capital in one month.”

The kneeling attendant spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

He could already imagine what kind of fury the emperor would feel upon hearing this.

“Bang!”

Yu Taiyan’s eyes flickered, and the desk before him exploded instantly. “A duel in the imperial capital… is that woman his illegitimate daughter? He’s risking his life for her!”

Hearing the emperor’s words, the two attendants lowered their heads in silence.

They could not fathom the Sword Saint of Cangshan’s intentions.

A duel in the imperial capital—this was openly slapping the imperial clan in the face before the entire world. If it was merely to support that woman, it was indeed excessive.

The Profound Realm was not invincible. If not for the ability to fly, even hundreds of thousands of troops charging forward could surround and kill them.

Yet it was precisely because they could fly that Profound Realm Grandmasters possessed immense deterrence and extremely high status.

As long as the Divine Realm did not appear, the Profound Realm was invincible.

“Your Majesty, investigations reveal that the woman possesses Innate Sword Bones, has condensed a Sword Heart, and has astonishing medical skill. She once cured the Sword Saint of Cangshan of the Poison of Nine Infants.”

“She indeed reached the middle tier of the Qi Realm in two months—her talent is extremely high.”

“Though the Sword Saint’s true intentions are unclear, judging by the temperament of martial world figures, he is most likely simply supporting her and paving the way.”

“He is likely clearing all obstacles for her, allowing her to focus entirely on cultivating the Sword Dao.”

“With Innate Sword Bones combined with a Sword Heart, along with such cultivation talent, her future achievements… even among the major hidden sects, there are those who look forward to it.”

“It may even be possible… for her to break the shackles of the Divine Realm and open a new path of cultivation.”

Hearing this, Yu Taiyan’s gaze flickered. “Divine Realm shackles? Open a new path? Just a woman?”

His tone revealed neither joy nor anger, but clearly, he did not believe it.

It was not that he looked down on women, but throughout history, very few women possessed such a disposition.

The women in the harem—each one was a genius, even including fairy maidens from the Hundred Flowers Sect.

Yet once they entered the harem, were they not all scheming against one another, solely to gain his favor?

A woman’s nature—once entangled in love—became irrational.

Once they bore children, they became deeply consumed with plans for their offspring.

Such a disposition could never break the shackles of the Divine Realm or open a new path.

Thinking of this, Yu Taiyan spoke again, “Ten years ago, the Sword Saint lost. One month from now—does he have any chance of winning?”

The two attendants exchanged a glance, not daring to speculate recklessly. They answered truthfully, “The Sword Saint has created Sword Ten and should have the strength for a battle. Victory or defeat is difficult to determine.”

The current Sword God of the Sword God Sect, with Innate Sword Bones, should not be defeated.

Yet the Sword Saint had pioneered the path of the Sword Heart—his talent was no less than the Sword God’s. If they truly fought, no one could predict the outcome.

But no matter how one looked at it, the Sword God’s chances of victory were greater.

After all, ten years ago, the Sword God had already won once. With his talent, defeating the Sword Saint again would not be difficult.

“The Sword Saint of Cangshan must lose!”

Yu Taiyan declared. “Block that woman for one month. Before their battle, she is not allowed to enter the capital.”

“If the Sword Saint loses, capture her and bring her to the capital, announce it to the world. With such talent, she may serve to bear heirs for the imperial clan.”

“If the Sword Saint wins, she must still pay a price.”

“The dignity and authority of the imperial clan must never be trampled by a single woman.”

“And the world must not descend into chaos because of this!”

At this point, a trace of mockery appeared in Yu Taiyan’s tone. “Kill all members of the Great Yu imperial clan? Naive!”

If such a vast imperial dynasty could be threatened by a single woman, that would be laughable.

No matter how great her talent, she had not yet grown.

Without entering the Profound Realm, she posed no threat at all. Under the encirclement of tens of thousands of heavy-armored troops, even those at Qi Realm Perfection would surely die.

Or rather, from the moment she defied the imperial decree, unless protected by someone in the Divine Realm, her fate had already been sealed.

Either she would marry into the imperial clan in glory, or she would be humiliated and then carried into the imperial clan in a small sedan chair.

The dignity of the imperial clan—and the stability of the entire world—would never be shaken by a single woman.

Not to mention a woman—even the Sword Saint of Cangshan would not dare claim he could slaughter the entire imperial clan.

Profound Realm Grandmasters were powerful, capable of flight, able to advance or retreat freely, posing great threats.

But before the Divine Realm, they could still be killed with a flick of a finger.

Otherwise, Divine Realm experts would not be called pillars of national destiny.

Moreover, this Divine Realm was the highest realm reached after ten thousand years of exploration by countless remnants of immortals and gods, as well as martial prodigies, following the collapse of the Age of Immortals and Gods.

“Even if someone opens a new path of cultivation, it will certainly not be here!”

Yu Taiyan stood up, his gaze shifting toward the torrential rain outside.

The opening of a new cultivation path would inevitably lie beyond the forbidden land of the Evil God, in a more vast and prosperous world.

When one day the forbidden land of the Evil God disappeared, perhaps that would be the moment when a new cultivation path emerged.

Li Yunqing naturally knew nothing of what was happening in the capital.

Nor could she possibly know that, at this moment, the imperial clan could not tolerate a woman who defied an imperial decree.

If she had known, she would likely feel immensely fortunate that she had chosen to head toward the capital.

Of course, even if given another choice, she would still choose the same.

A one-time solution was far more worthwhile.

Especially since her defiance of the decree, once it spread to the capital, would inevitably attract the attention of more forces and families.

She did not want anyone else to rely on power to forcibly form a marriage with her.

Inside the carriage, Li Yunqing stretched lazily and asked, “Where have we reached?”

Xiaolan rose and stepped out to inquire. After a moment, she returned and said, “We’ve only traveled about five hundred li. We haven’t left Qingzhou yet.”

Hearing this, Li Yunqing glanced at the sky and said, “It’s getting late. Find a place to rest.”

The carriage stopped near a dilapidated temple. As guards and servants busied themselves, Li Yunqing remained half-reclined inside the carriage.

Her Yin Spirit, however, leaped out, riding the wind and rising into the air, surveying the surrounding mountains.

“Nice scenery!”

Looking at the rolling green mountain ranges, Li Yunqing sighed softly.

But just as she turned around, a disturbance suddenly arose in the distance.

“People—and quite a few.”

“At this hour…”

Li Yunqing was startled. Her Yin Spirit instantly returned to her body as she opened her eyes and looked at the guards in the ruined temple.

“Someone is approaching—everyone be on guard!”