Chapter 271 - 202: A True Monarch Falls

"Junior Brother Qin, congratulations."

Sunx Miao approached, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes on his face. "However, I’m afraid a mere Purple Mansion cultivator like you can’t protect such a valuable treasure."

"Why not hand it over to me, your Senior Brother, for the sake of our fellowship?"

Before he even finished speaking, a cold glint flashed in Sunx Miao’s eyes.

The Shadow Snake Sword Talisman he had just subdued was suddenly unleashed!

HISS! HISS!

A jet-black, snake-like sword shadow, as fast as lightning, shot forward with cunning viciousness, aiming straight for Qin Xuan’s back.

The sudden turn of events took many by surprise.

Qin Xuan, however, seemed to have anticipated it, reacting with extreme speed.

BUZZ!

An Ink Jade Turtle Shield materialized behind him.

CLANG!

The snake-like sword shadow slammed viciously against the Turtle Shield, creating the crisp sound of metal striking metal!

Sunx Miao’s expression changed. He flipped and twisted the Lifebound Longsword in his hand.

The Shadow Snake Sword Talisman conjured dozens of illusory and solid sword shadows, which swarmed toward Qin Xuan from all directions like a den of snakes.

But Qin Xuan didn’t face them head-on.

The Ink Jade Turtle Shield solidified in an instant. The profound patterns on its surface shone brilliantly, faintly forming a defensive Array Map resembling the River Map and Luo Book—an image akin to a Spirit Turtle carrying a sacred text!

BOOM!

The black light crashed into the Array Map with a muffled thud and vanished as if a clay ox had entered the sea, all of its power completely absorbed.

Sunx Miao suffered a backlash. He violently spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, his eyes filled with resentment as he stared at Qin Xuan.

"Fellow brothers, since this man was able to gain the recognition of the Mystic Turtle Sword Talisman, he must have a great treasure on him! We can’t let him get away so easily. Why don’t we join forces to break his turtle shell? After that, it’s every man for himself for the treasure!"

"Agreed!"

"Junior Brother Sunx has a point!"

The words had barely faded when two figures immediately responded and stepped forward.

They flanked Qin Xuan on his left and right, forming a pincer attack and surrounding him.

The person on the left was tall and thin with a sinister expression. It was Li He, an Inner Sect Incense Master on good terms with Sunx Miao.

A wisp of crimson flame leaped in his cupped palm, emitting a violent aura. It was the Heaven-Burning Sword Talisman from before!

Li He spoke with a chilling tone, "Qin Xuan, hand over the Mystic Turtle Sword Talisman, and I might leave your corpse intact."

The person on the right was sturdily built with a cruel smile on their face. Their name was Tu Gang.

"Why waste words on him? If the Blood Pool Sword Tomb weren’t suppressing our Positional Divine Techniques, he’d already be dead... This lady’s Gu Dream Sword Qi will be perfect to test that turtle shell of his!"

Tu Gang licked their lips. Their voice was soft and effeminate, a stark contrast to their appearance.

Before them, a colorful, illusory Gu Dream Sword Talisman floated, emitting a cloyingly sweet, dreamlike fragrance.

In that instant, all three attacked at once!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

A snake shadow, a fire python, a poisonous mist...

The three great Sword Talismans were unleashed together in an incomparably fierce assault.

"Such powerful Sword Qi! Qin Xuan is done for!" The surrounding Demon Cultivators’ faces paled as they scrambled back, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

Faced with such a siege, Qin Xuan seemed immersed in a profound and mysterious world.

The Mystic Turtle Sword Talisman shone brilliantly, and the Ink Jade Turtle Shield suddenly expanded, forming a translucent barrier of light.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The light barrier trembled violently, emitting a continuous series of thunderous roars.

The Turtle Shell patterns flowed across its surface, with the image of the River Map and Luo Book faintly appearing and disappearing.

’I see... The defense of this Mystic Turtle Sword Talisman isn’t just about passively blocking... To defend is to nurture. To shield is to live!’

Qin Xuan’s eyes suddenly shone like stars as an epiphany exploded in his mind.

He seemed to see another path.

A path of slaughter and plunder, a way of fueling war with war!

The Lifebound Longsword in his hand grew ever more brilliant. In the past, in the Bone-Eroding Demon Sea, in the Vermilion Bird Star Domain, and then in the East Sea Dragon Palace...

If not ten thousand, then at least eight thousand Demon Cultivators had died by his sword.

Countless vengeful souls coiled around his Lifebound Longsword, their ghostly wails and howls echoing incessantly.

Yet, Qin Xuan only grew more excited.

’It’s that Second-Grade Opportunity! My path of the Sword Talisman lies within it!’

A crazed thought began to sprout in his mind.

’I’ve killed so many Cultivators of the Demon Race, but I’ve only ever devoured their vital essence and blood.’

’But their Demon Souls, their bodies, and their original Demon Power were all wasted...’

’Could I use them to nourish myself, increase my Cultivation, and forge a supreme slaughter Talisman capable of devouring the sun, moon, stars, and the essence of all demons?’

The moment this thought arose, the Nurturing Technique within Qin Xuan’s Purple Mansion—which he had obtained from the Mystic Turtle Sword Talisman—began to operate automatically, but in a completely different direction.

"It looks like Qin Xuan has entered a state of epiphany..."

A Demon Cultivator exclaimed, "He’s about to forge his own Lifebound Sword Talisman and become the first to do so in this Blood Pool Trial!"

"Wishful thinking."

Unable to break through after so long, Sunx Miao was losing face and grew furious.

Streams of sword light transformed into Shadow Snakes and merged with the crimson Heaven-Burning flames, forming a black-flame fire python.

Li He gritted his teeth. "Let’s see how long you can last... Heaven-Burning, detonate!"

BANG!

The black-flame fire python contracted violently, then exploded with a deafening roar!

The raging shockwave of fire slammed into the Turtle Shield’s light barrier.

"CRACK!"

A faint crack finally appeared on the light barrier!

Seeing this, Sunx Miao and Tu Gang were overjoyed and pressed their attacks even faster!

Just then.

A brilliant light erupted from Qin Xuan’s eyes. He formed a sword with his fingers and thrust them forward decisively.

"This Talisman... shall be named... Demon Slayer!"

BUZZ!

A dim, blurry, blood-red Sword Talisman burst forth from Qin Xuan’s fingertips, carrying a primal, greedy aura.

The Sword Talisman was illusory and unstable, looking as if it might dissipate at any moment.

But at its core, it faintly manifested into an Ancient Fierce Beast with a sheep’s body, a human face, tiger’s teeth, and human hands, emanating an intent of slaughter and plunder.

"That Sword Talisman’s manifestation... it’s the Ancient Fierce Beast, the Paoxiao!"

A sharp-eyed Demon Cultivator cried out in alarm, "I’ve seen it in ancient records before! It’s a greedy creature that loves to eat people and can devour the essence of heaven and earth to empower itself..."

"The intent of this Sword Talisman is so similar to the innate Bloodthirsty Sword Talisman on his Lifebound Longsword!"

At that moment, another Demon Cultivator cried out.

"No, this Demon Slayer Sword Talisman is even stronger than the Bloodthirsty Sword Talisman! It can devour not only Demonic Essence and vital blood, but also Flesh Body remains, and even... cultivation insights!"