Chapter Twenty: Sword Deity, Po Jun

“He’s actually still alive!”
The disciples all gasped in shock. Though they could not see it, the voice echoing forth undeniably belonged to that demon.
“Everyone, do not be afraid! The demon is wounded and its strength is diminished. As long as we stand united, it can do nothing to us!” Fang Qiyang shouted.
A mocking voice resounded from beneath the cauldron, “When did I ever say I was injured?”
Fang Qiyang’s expression froze, his face shifting from ashen to livid. How many times had his judgments failed him now?
“But, in truth, I am gravely wounded at this moment,” the demon’s voice oozed with malice.
“If not for his appearance, you all would have become part of my demonic body by now!” The demon’s slow, resentful words hung in the air.
Foolish and reckless—especially the leader.
“Hmph, things have come to this, and I can only accept fate. I thought you would be fine offerings, allowing my demonic body to reach perfection more swiftly! Who could have known I’d end up trapped myself. Enough of this…”
“I shall find a secluded place to restore myself, and when my body is whole again, I’ll come for you all—especially you, boy in the blue robe!”
A wisp of black smoke rose from beneath the great cauldron, forming into a giant hand that hefted the vessel into the air.
Demon and cauldron floated midair, and a gaze, intangible yet more oppressive than steel, fell upon Shen Qingyun. Through gritted teeth, the demon snarled, “Today you ruined my plans—when my demonic body is complete, you’ll be the first human to taste its might!”
At these venomous words, everyone shivered involuntarily.
To be targeted by such a demon—truly, Shen Qingyun’s luck was ill-fated.
As for Fang Qiyang and Zhou Weiqing, seeing the demon’s hatred fixed upon Shen Qingyun, knowing he would be first to suffer vengeance, they could not help but feel a surge of satisfaction. Their gazes toward him brimmed with schadenfreude.
“How many more strikes can your demonic body withstand?”
Shen Qingyun’s voice was unexpectedly calm as he slowly tightened his grip on his sword, his tone light, as if discussing something utterly mundane.
“Not a single one!” The demon burst into laughter. Though its body was on the verge of collapse after resisting Shen Qingyun’s divine thunder, it showed no fear—on the contrary, it seemed delighted!
“Do you think you can call down divine thunder a second time?” the demon sneered from within the black smoke.
Shen Qingyun shook his head.
“Though I cannot summon it again, I still have a thousand ways to kill you.”
The demon cackled wildly, as if hearing the most ridiculous joke. Even the disciples gathered behind him looked at Shen Qingyun in disbelief. Such a heaven-defying power—once was more than enough…
“Sword God, Breaker of Armies!”
At Shen Qingyun’s low murmur, an immense aura surged skyward, piercing the heavens!
All across the sects and clans, those in secluded cultivation opened their eyes in shock and confusion, gazing in the same direction. Not mountains, trees, nor buildings could hinder their sight.
At that very moment, in a place wreathed in mist and lotus fragrance, like a paradise on earth, a figure seated cross-legged atop a lotus dais in the center of a pond slowly opened their eyes and looked southward, their profound gaze seeming to pierce the void.
“The prophecy… has come true…”
At this time, Shen Qingyun’s body became translucent and dazzling, swordsong ringing from within him. He seemed to transform into a peerless sword, poised to shatter the sky!
When Shen Qingyun became one with the sword, the heavens responded. Countless golden swords hung inverted above, each so brilliant that Fang Qiyang and the others dared not look directly upon them. Waves of shock and disbelief crashed through their hearts. Was it truly possible for a single person to wield such power?
Even the demon’s voice trembled with terror: “How can you still possess such strength? No… impossible! You cannot kill me, my power is supreme!”
“When I recover, boy in blue, you will be my first sacrifice!”
“It’s trying to escape!”
A cry of alarm sounded behind them.
Shen Qingyun slowly opened his eyes, now gilded with a golden hue, shining yet revealing deep exhaustion.
He spoke, his voice as solemn and commanding as an ancient sovereign:
“Escape? Can you truly escape?”
As his words fell, the swords suspended in the sky shrieked with piercing song. In an instant, countless golden swords descended, slashing through the black mist that was the demon. The very heavens and earth were left with golden scars that lingered, refusing to fade.
Sensing the terrifying power closing in from behind, the demon fled all the faster. But as the aura grew ever nearer, and realizing escape was impossible, it cried out, “Spare me! From now on, I will serve you as my lord!”
Shen Qingyun’s response was cold and emotionless: “If I spare you, how shall I answer to the innocent people you’ve slain?”
“They are mere commoners—this world’s lowest. Incapable of cultivation, their inferiority is inevitable; why not kill them?”
At these words, Qiao Xinran, Qiao Xinyu, and the others’ faces twisted with fury. If only they had the strength, they would risk everything to destroy this demon. Even Shen Qingyun’s expression grew colder as he declared, “Obstinate and unrepentant—be destroyed!”
With this command, the golden sword pursuing the demon suddenly accelerated, piercing through the black smoke in an instant. A shriek rang out as the sword returned, slicing the darkness apart until nothing remained.
The demon was utterly annihilated. The swords circling in the sky dissolved into golden motes, and Shen Qingyun returned to his original form.
…
“Where am I…”
A faint fragrance drifted into Shen Qingyun’s nose, clearing the lingering haze from his mind.
“I used the Sword God Codex and then…”
He tried to recall what had happened, but his memory faltered at the point where, having poured out all his strength—his very life force—he barely managed to unleash that final technique.
“So where am I now?”
As Shen Qingyun opened his eyes in confusion, a delighted face appeared before him. The scent he had noticed came from this very person.
“Brother Qingyun, you’re awake!”
Qiao Xinyu’s joyous voice rang out, drawing the attention of everyone in the ark.
Even those who had been at odds set aside their disputes for the moment, gathering around with concern in their eyes.
Three faces looked down at him, each possessing handsome features, but Shen Qingyun could not understand why even Wu Qing was watching him so intently.
Rising from Qiao Xinyu’s lap, he realized at last where the softness beneath his head had come from.
“What happened to me?”
His mind still felt heavy and muddled.
“You suddenly fainted—you scared me to death!”
Three voices cried out at once, making his head throb.
“What happened?” Shen Qingyun asked sternly, then added, “Let one person speak! Xinran, you tell me.”
At the mention of her name, Qiao Xinran cast a challenging look at Wu Qing, causing him to grit his teeth in frustration.
Then, Qiao Xinran recounted everything that happened after Shen Qingyun used the Sword God Codex.
It turned out that, after unleashing such a commotion, Shen Qingyun had already lost consciousness during the process, completely unaware of what transpired afterward. The demon had been slain, and even the great cauldron—the one piece of evidence they could have used to prove their accomplishment—had been reduced to dust by his own hand!
Scanning the interior of the ark, Shen Qingyun saw everyone’s eyes fixed on him. Many returned his gaze with kindness, but Fang Qiyang and Zhou Weiqing’s looks were complex and unreadable.
He did not care. As long as they did not blind themselves with further hostility, he would not force them down a dead end. But those who needed reminding would not go without their due.