Chapter 218

The two were puzzled, yet they saw a fierce flame dragon with bared teeth and claws fly out of the heavy black clouds.

The flame dragon roared, a vicious menace filling the air with a despairing qi that drove one mad, shaking Xu Fengnian so he spat a mouthful of blood.

Jian Jiu Huang's qi surged, and another sword flew from his sheath, unleashing four strands of sword qi that drifted unpredictably like four clouds, spreading as he wished around him to block the rampaging murderous qi.

"Your true name should be Huang Zhen Tu, originally a citizen of the fallen Xishu, a nameless foot-soldier swordsmith, you forged swords for thirty years, self-taught in the sword Dao, then became a disciple of the Sword-Eating Ancestor Sui Xie Gu."

"You also have a senior brother known as the Xishu Sword Emperor; years ago, when the Xu family's cavalry attacked Xishu, he alone with his sword held off their cavalry, slaying six hundred before dying."

Deng Ta'a

"You clearly went to Bei Liang to seek vengeance against Xu Xiao, yet how did you become a loyal old servant of the Xu family?"

"The world's tide: what unites must divide, what divides must unite; it's merely each serving their lord. Xishu has fallen, so we must look ahead." Jian Jiu Huang spoke solemnly.

Wang Cai

"You're surprisingly open-minded; others turn weapons into jade and silk, but you directly become an ox and horse for your enemy."

As the words fell, the sky's flames again let out a dragon's roar, a surging fire like a vast sea spreading across heaven and earth.

The sheath again emitted a sword, slashing forth with the force of wind and snow; a blade of icy sword qi was instantly swallowed by the sea of fire.

Jian Jiu Huang's qi sank and condensed; six swords circled his body, emitting six strands of sword qi bearing six paths of life-and-death-reincarnation sword intent, forcibly splitting the incoming sea of fire in two.

The fire, split in two, instantly turned into two brilliant sword lights, accompanied by a shrill cry and a muffled groan at the same time.

Yet Xu Fengnian and Jian Jiu Huang's right arms were actually melted like molten lava by the sword intent, the severed limbs exuding the scent of roasted meat.

"You've already unleashed six swords, I only added two more—why are your expressions so complex and full of resentment?"

The gray-clad, hemp-shirted youth's bewildered expression grew ever more intense:

West Shu Sword Emperor

Sword-Eating Old Ancestor

Li Yang Zhao clan

Peach Flower Sword God

"By then, not only will you die, but I will exterminate your whole clan, and the hometown that gave you life will hang the Bei Liang blade!"

True Martial Great Emperor

"Heh, if your words had any semblance of reason, it wouldn't be completely baseless, leaving me only to find it laughable."

Northern Liang Iron Cavalry

Deputy Chief of the Rouge List

Former Sect Master of Guanyin Sect

"Someone like you could never be an obscure nobody, or perhaps you are an assassin secretly cultivated by the Zhao clan of Li Yang?"

"Where does all this nonsense come from? I just want to seek justice for my dog."

Zhuang Buran's eyes flickered with a spark of flame; the flame dragon's fire intensified, spewing out a torrent of blazing inferno.

Jian Jiu Huang's qi surged; he drew his sword in the pattern of the Seven Stars, seven strands of sword qi shooting skyward like a string of pearls, a mighty sword intent seemingly capable of plucking stars from heaven, almost instantly drowned in the torrent of blazing fire.

In an instant, a mournful melody rang out across the field—yet it was the eight long swords inhaling and exhaling icy sword qi that produced the tune.

Life-and-Death Reincarnation Sword Intent

Diamond Realm

As the torrent of blazing fire collided with the eight strands of sword qi fused as one, the white mist and heat wave it emitted scorched the grass within a hundred-zhang radius to ash.

Flaming Giant Dragon

Jian Jiu Huang stood on one leg, leaning on his sword, emitting a heart-rending cough of blood.

Xu Family Iron Cavalry

Sword Crown

What a loyal old dog protecting its master, even while taking this blow head-on, it still didn't forget to shield the spoiled young master behind it, but your mind is flawed, you can't unleash your full strength, and now you're exhausted, with no strength left to resist.

Zhuang Buran gave a faint smile:

Seeing your demeanor, I can't help but recall some past events in this world—my Wangcai, the yellow dog you ate, once protected its master with such loyalty, so I'll simply spare you today.

Suddenly, Xu Fengnian felt his body lose control and lift off the ground.

Xu Fengnian, your father joined the army at ten, slaughtering foes; from killing the Xiongnu in northeastern Jinzhou, to wiping out the big and small six states in the south, slaughtering over seventy cities, then suppressing the sixteen barbarian tribes in the southwest as the King of Northern Liang, commanding three hundred thousand Northern Liang iron cavalry, and earning the title of the man‑slayer who quiets infants' night cries.

Your mother is the sword‑crown of the Wu family's sword tomb, one of the three great forbidden lands of the world.

You have an uncle who is the world‑renowned Peach Blossom Sword God Deng Tai'a; the blade‑jia Qi Lianhua of the Spring and Autumn Thirteen Jia is your maternal grandfather; and the current head of the Wu family sword tomb, Wujian, is your great‑great‑grandfather.

You also have a younger brother born with the Diamond Realm; your eldest sister Xu Zhi Hu was enamored for eight hundred years by a false Daoist on Wudang Mountain.

Your second sister Xu Wei Xiong is the top deputy judge of the Rouge List, a famed talented woman across the world, excelling in swordplay and strategy.

Not only do you enjoy wealth and honor in this life, but you also have many past lives—such as a former sect master of the Guanyin Sect, a nameless Daoist who arose with the times, or the Qin Emperor who swept the eight wastes to found the Great Qin, even the so‑called True Martial Great Emperor.

Zhuang Buran's thoughts stirred slightly; the blazing flame dragon drew near Xu Fengnian, the scorching sensation on his body making him involuntarily utter a mournful howl.

Since you dared to eat my dog, you shouldn't be so useless; you can summon your myriad past lives, so as not to let me lose interest like this.

After hearing this in excruciating pain, Xu Fengnian discovered that the gray‑clad hemp‑clothed youth knew him even better than he did himself, yet he felt much of it was nonsensical ravings, and so he spoke, word by word:

You madman, if I were truly the True Martial Great Emperor, I would surely tear out your tendons and bones, hack you to pieces, and leave you no chance to survive.

Ah!

Before he could finish speaking, he let out a shrill wail, and his remaining arm melted away at a speed visible to the naked eye.

I fear even the Northern Liang mansion thinks you are merely feigning to be a foppish good‑for‑nothing, while actually harboring deep schemes and sound strategies—indeed, you yourself likely think so as well.

The gray‑clad hemp‑clothed youth smirked:

But pretending to be a good‑for‑nothing for too long makes you truly one—just like you now; apart from spouting harsh words, what else can you do?

The blazing flame dragon's fire grew ever hotter, Xu Fengnian's wails ever more shrill; indeed, his legs melted into blood, which then evaporated into mist with each breath.

Surely just a good‑for‑nothing, only capable of making noise.

Zhuang Buran's face was indifferent; a ferocious skull smashed onto the ground, and a flame strike hit Sword Nine Huang, who was leaning on his sword, half-kneeling, his face showing despair.

After a while, however, he discovered he was still alive, and his body felt unusually hot.

"Old Dog Huang, I'll give you a chance. I want to see the madman butcher, to see if he will disregard the Northern Wasteland Army, lead the Northern Liang's 300,000 iron cavalry, and come to avenge his son."

"By the way, tell him this: the dog of a poor peasant's son is worth far more than the life of the Northern Liang heir."

(End of chapter)