Chapter 166: The Sword King Descends: Are You Worthy?

Sanqian Dao Prefecture, Sword Prefecture.

Here borders the Thunder Prefecture and Fire Prefecture, which were once seized by the Crimson Sky Immortal King's massive hand.

In the center of Sword Prefecture stands a gigantic mountain—Zangjian Mountain—made of countless broken swords piled together.

A Sword Intent seemed to sense something being slightly stirred.

Above the dome of the Sanqian Zhou Celestial Realm, the Hentian Sword King abruptly opened his eyes, countless sword lights swirling within.

He sensed that in Sanqian Zhou, the Sword Intent he left was being disturbed by someone.

"Is that group returning?"

He murmured to himself.

These past days he has fared terribly.

Within the Celestial Realm, many Immortal Kings blamed him for losing two Dao Prefectures.

Outside, the foreign Crimson Sky Immortal King, for reasons unknown, launched a frenzied assault on the domain he guarded, leaving him with no good news these days, and the Sword Gate suffered countless casualties.

He does not care about the gains or losses of those two prefectures.

On the contrary.

The Hentian Sword King actually admires those people.

Especially the elder who dared to snatch food from his own palm.

He respects his courage.

More importantly, the opponent's strength… and the strange bronze ancient bell in his hand.

It could threaten his own Immortal King realm, surely its grade is not low.

If that person is willing to submit to him.

The Hentian Sword King could reluctantly not hold him accountable for that day's incident.

Thus he left the Sword Intent, its purpose also to monitor the entire Sanqian Dao Prefecture.

To prevent similar incidents from occurring.

And now…

That mark he left seems to have been triggered!

Li Hentian's fingers that were stroking the sword paused slightly.

He slowly opened his eyes, and within them seemed two sharp swords piercing the heavens, instantly locking onto the source of the voice.

At the edge of Sword Prefecture, within a desolate mountain range.

A raggedly clothed, nauseatingly rotting, corpse‑like monster who was frantically devouring the world's spiritual qi ran like a mad dog while spitting curses.

"Gu Cangsheng… old scoundrel…"

"Gu Yuan… little rabbit brat…"

"When this emperor becomes a true immortal… I will kill your entire family…"

After hearing clearly what this person was cursing, Li Hentian's eternally icy face showed a strange expression.

This aura…

Does not belong to Sanqian Dao Prefecture, nor to the Celestial Realm.

It carries a heavy dusk aura, like a corpse crawling out of a grave, yet a broken yet domineering Imperial Dao law circulates within its body.

"Another one from the outside?"

"But the Dao rule is somewhat similar in Sanqian Prefecture."

Li Hentian instantly made a judgment.

And it came from a lower realm where the law is extremely broken, having struggled up.

Only such places can spawn this kind of deformed powerhouse. Though its realm rivals that of a supreme, the internal law is rotten like a clump of paste.

He did not tear the void, nor cause any earth‑shattering phenomena.

He only took a step forward.

Shrinking the earth to an inch, a world away in an instant.

On the other side, Shi Huang was still dreaming of his true immortalhood.

He had just devoured an outer elder of a minor sect, feeling his inner source swell a bit more.

The exhilaration of that power returning made him feel somewhat elated.

"At this rate, in less than a month I can restore to my former pinnacle!"

"No, to surpass the pinnacle!"

Shi Huang stood atop a hill, overlooking the myriad beings below, his heart brimming with ambition.

"The people of this world, though born with strong constitutions, lack combat experience. That elder, all godly power, was snapped at the neck by this emperor with a single feint."

"This place is literally a dining hall tailor‑made for this emperor!"

Just as he was about to continue searching for the next prey.

Suddenly.

The wind stopped.

The once noisy mountain forest instantly became deathly silent.

Even the sound of leaves falling vanished.

An indescribable chill, without warning, surged from his tailbone straight to his celestial crown.

It was not a drop in temperature.

But a feeling… of being coldly observed by some supreme being.

At that moment, every hair on Stone Emperor's body stood on end.

He was far too familiar with this feeling!

He felt the same when he was at the Primeval Mine at the dawn of time, at the end of the path to Immortality, facing that old man of the Gu Family!

No, it was even sharper and more piercing than that old man!

"Who?!"

Stone Emperor spun around abruptly; although the Sky‑Abyss Halberd was gone from his hand, he instinctively formed a black spear of law and stared intently at the void behind him.

"Stop playing god! Get out of my sight!"

He roared, fierce on the outside but trembling within, trying to mask his inner fear with his voice.

Could the old immortal from the Gu Family have chased after him?!

Impossible!

He had clearly teleported randomly from a rift in the void; how could they have caught up so quickly?!

"You're noisy."

A detached voice sounded from above his head.

The voice was soft, yet it rang like clashing metal, making Stone Emperor's eardrums ache and his spirit tremble.

Stone Emperor lifted his head stiffly.

Three feet above his head, a figure had appeared, though he couldn't tell when.

Black robes, black sword, black hair.

He seemed like a peerless demonic sword planted between heaven and earth, exuding an aura of solitary arrogance.

He hovered there silently, releasing no pressure.

But in Stone Emperor's eyes, this person was the sky, the earth, the very center of the universe!

"You... who are you?"

Stone Emperor swallowed, his throat dry.

His proud Imperial Dao perception told him that the man before him was extremely dangerous.

More dangerous than any creature he had encountered in the Imperial Burial Star Realm!

Even... more inscrutable than that Gu Cangsheng!

"Who am I?"

Li Hentian lowered his head, looking down at the ragged, blood‑stained emperor, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes.

"Weren't you just cursing quite happily?"

"What, now you're mute?"

Stone Emperor's heart lurched.

Cursing happily?

Could this person be a helper of the Gu Family?!

It's over!

Just left the wolf's den, now into the tiger's jaws!

What rotten luck is this?!

"I... I don't know any Gu Family!"

Stone Emperor instinctively tried to argue, but his body honestly began to retreat, the laws within him raging, ready to ignite his core and flee.

"Misunderstanding! Senior, it's all a misunderstanding!"

"I, the junior, was merely... venting, spouting nonsense..."

"Nonsense?"

Li Hentian looked at him with a half‑smile, half‑sneer.

"I never said anything about the Gu Family."

"You, however, just confessed on your own."

Stone Emperor's complexion stiffened.

Got played!

"I have no interest in the life or death of a mere ant like you."

Li Hentian slowly extended a finger; at its tip, a wisp of jet‑black sword aura flickered indecisively.

The sword aura was only an inch long, yet it caused fine cracks to spider across the surrounding space.

"But I am very interested in the Gu Family you mentioned."

"Especially the one called Gu Cangsheng."

Hearing that, Stone Emperor froze.

Not a member of the Gu Family?

From that tone... it seems they have a grudge with the Gu Family?

The enemy of my enemy!

Stone Emperor's heart, which had long sunk to the bottom of a valley, suddenly revived.

His eyes flicked, his back straightened a little.

Since they're not from the Gu Family, it's easy to handle.

Looking at his bearing, though strong, he was once an ancient emperor who commanded ten thousand tribes; if he revealed his identity and coaxed a bit, perhaps he could turn this man into a weapon against the Gu Family!

"So you're a fellow practitioner!"

Stone Emperor clasped his hands, forced an ugly smile onto his face, trying to project the demeanor of a strongman.

To be frank, I am the lord of Undying Mountain, the Stone Emperor!

Once I ruled the world, all races revered!

That Gu Family grandfather and grandson are despicable and shameless; they took advantage of my secluded cultivation to launch a sneak attack and destroyed my dojo...

Since you also bear a grudge against the Gu Family, why not join forces...

Join forces?

Li Hentian seemed to have heard an enormous joke.

He interrupted the Stone Emperor's words, and that finger lightly pressed down.

You also worthy?