Chapter 41: A Letter Falls from Beyond the Heavens, The Upper Realm Demands Retribution

On the thirteenth day of the New System's implementation, Heaven changed.

At noon, a golden crack suddenly appeared in the sky above Capital City.

The crack was small, yet it caused every sword in the entire city to tremble and hum simultaneously.

The Green Bamboo Sword drew itself from its sheath automatically.

Jiang Che, who was at the Council Hall drafting the proposal, suddenly looked up.

Xie Wuya's face grew grave: "A letter from the Upper Realm."

A beam of golden light fell from the crack, suspending itself above Zhuque Gate.

The golden light transformed into a scroll of the Heavenly Book.

The characters on the scroll burned like fire, illuminating the entire city.

"Jiang Che of the Lower Realm, Shattered Heaven Gate, you severed the Reception Gate, killed the Heavenly Son, and disrupted the Royal Family's power. Your crimes are unforgivable."

"You are given thirty days to bind your Sword Qi, surrender the Northern Border Sword Vein, and restore the Royal Family."

"Otherwise, Heavenly Punishment shall descend upon the world."

Every character that fell sounded like thunder striking the hearts of the People of the Capital.

The hearts of the people in Capital City, which had just stabilized, were once again thrown into turmoil.

Some felt fear.

Some felt anger.

Some murmured: "Heavenly Punishment... will it slaughter the city again?"

Jiang Che stood atop Zhuque Gate, looking at that scroll of the Heavenly Book, his expression calm.

Chen Shanhe roared: "These dogs still dare to threaten the Human Realm!"

Xie Tingxue asked: "What do we do?"

Jiang Che did not answer, but instead asked Xie Wuya: "What is Heavenly Punishment?"

Xie Wuya spoke in a heavy voice: "The Upper Realm cannot send its true form down to the Lower Realm on a large scale, but it can descend calamities through the Remnant Gate, the Altar, or Earth Vein Rifts."

"Thunder Fire, Plague Poison, Drought Demon, Demon Puppet—all are possible."

Gu Chongming's face turned ugly: "The Human Realm has just established the New System; if a calamity truly arrives after thirty days, the people will surely revolt."

Shen Wanjin spoke softly: "Moreover, the grain routes in various regions are not yet stable; if another heavenly disaster strikes..."

Jiang Che nodded.

This move by the Upper Realm was not to kill him.

It was to make the world afraid.

To make the people feel that without the protection of the Heavenly Gate, the Human Realm would suffer disasters.

This was to force the Human Realm to kneel once more.

Jiang Che suddenly drew his sword.

The Green Bamboo Sword pointed directly at the Heavenly Book.

Below Zhuque Gate, countless people looked up at him.

Jiang Che opened his mouth, and his voice spread throughout Capital City.

"The Heavenly Book says I am guilty."

"I will also reply to the Upper Realm with three sentences."

He slashed his sword out.

Below the Heavenly Book, three lines of green sword characters appeared.

"First, the Human Realm is innocent."

"Second, the Sword Vein will not be surrendered."

"Third, if you wish to punish, then come."

The entire city fell deathly silent.

Then, a thunderous roar erupted from below Zhuque Gate.

"If you wish to punish, then come!"

"If you wish to punish, then come!"

The people who had just stepped out of the shadows of the Old Dynasty were afraid as well.

But seeing Jiang Che standing there, they suddenly felt that Heaven was not so high after all.

The golden Heavenly Book trembled violently, as if enraged.

Another line of characters floated onto the scroll:

"All who follow Jiang Che share the same guilt."

Jiang Che sneered coldly.

"Then you have written too few crimes."

He turned to look at the People of the Capital.

"Are you afraid?"

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

An old woman from Luo'an shouted first: "I am afraid!"

Everyone was stunned.

The old woman leaned on her cane and spoke shakily: "But if we kneel, we will die; if we stand, we might also die."

"This old one chooses to stand."

These words were like fire.

A blacksmith raised his hammer: "Stand!"

A scholar raised his scroll: "Stand!"

The Northern Garrison Army drew their blades: "Stand!"

The Sword Pavilion Sword Cultivators unsheathed their swords: "Stand!"

The roar of the entire city converged.

"Stand!"

The golden light on the Heavenly Book began to flicker.

Jiang Che drew his sword again.

This strike split the Heavenly Book directly to pieces.

Golden shards fell like rain, turning to ash in midair.

Behind the crack, a cold gaze seemed to fixate on Jiang Che.

Jiang Che looked up.

"Go back and tell your master."

"In thirty days, I will wait at Tian Duan Cliff."

The crack slowly closed.

The Capital City returned to clear skies.

Yet everyone knew the true great war was coming.

That day, Jiang Che issued a new order.

The Human Assembly Hall prepared without ceasing.

At the same time, the Anti-Heaven Bureau was established.

Xie Wuya was appointed to lead all Sword Cultivators under Heaven, with Xie Tingxue as his deputy.

Chen Shanhe commanded the military affairs of the Northern Border.

Shen Wanjin scheduled the grain supplies for the world.

Gu Chongming presided over the drafting of the New System.

Jiang Che then decided to return to the Northern Border.

Xie Tingxue asked, "Why Tian Duan Cliff?"

Jiang Che said, "There lies the source of the Sword Vein."

"It is also the place the Upper Realm most desires to seize."

He gazed northward.

"They intend to punish the Human Realm."

"So I will place the battlefield right at the door they most wish to enter."