Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Seeing Ang Xiao Again

World Purger Fei Xue did not deliver her words via voice transmission. Instead, in her usual style, she announced them openly for all the world to hear.

In that instant, qi traces fluctuated across the four corners of the world.

The Fruit of Roof-Top Earth and the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire?

What did she mean?

True Monarch Gangxing had attained the Fruit of River-Sand Gold, then taken the Fruit of Roof-Top Earth and the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire to combine Three Elements, finally achieving the Late Stage of Golden Core.

This was a well-known fact, yet World Purger Fei Xue’s scornful tone made all the True Monarchs across the world wonder—could there be a problem with his path of attainment? No one had noticed anything in years past, but True Monarch Gangxing had indeed become a recluse in recent years...

"Silence!"

The most vehement reactions, naturally, came from the two Sword Pavilion True Monarchs who cultivated the Fruit of Roof-Top Earth and the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire. Both roared in rebuke at the same time.

The two True Monarchs each had their own Daoist titles. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

One was True Monarch Gai Shuangling Feng, and the other was True Monarch Teng Guangye Hui. They both struck at once, and a heaven-shaking sword cry suddenly rang out between Heaven and Earth!

"Hmph..."

Seeing this, World Purger Fei Xue was utterly disdainful. Sword Intent might be a trump card for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but at her level, it was nothing special.

Unless it was a Fruit of Sword Dao, where the Sword Intent gained the Fruit’s blessing and manifested a Divine Effect, it might be worth a second glance. Otherwise, it was just an ordinary technique. What truly made her wary was the Divine Sense hidden within the sword cry—a Divine Sense from the depths of the Sword Pavilion, which had locked onto her, ready to strike at any moment.

’Trying to brute-force a kill on me?’

An intense sense of crisis washed over her, but World Purger Fei Xue showed no sign of panic. Instead, the corners of her lips curled into a grin, her expression one of eager anticipation.

"Come and try me!"

BOOM!

The sky-blotting World Purifying Light erupted, like a sun igniting in the heavens, instantly suppressing the piercing sword cry.

"Crazy! She’s a Mad Woman!"

At this moment, all the True Monarchs of the Sword Pavilion cursed her in their hearts. True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde even silently used his Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth to make himself less conspicuous.

However, at this moment...

CLANG! CLANG!

Finally, a sword cry rang out from the depths of the Sword Pavilion. In an instant, the shadow of a sword naturally appeared in the Spiritual Space of every True Monarch.

It was an Enchanted Sword, a clear, brilliant gold, yet covered in a web of fine cracks.

Sword Intent!

And a True Treasure refined from a Heaven and Earth Fruit Position!

Its name subconsciously surfaced in World Purger Fei Xue’s mind: ’The Celestial Talisman Firm Brilliance Divine Heroic Qi Sword... That old bastard is getting serious!’

The Sword Intent upon the blade was called Victory!

A Sword Intent in no way inferior to Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s Non-Killing Sword Intent, now erupting with peerless Sword Power under the enhancement of a Late-stage Golden Core Great True Monarch!

Almost simultaneously, high in the heavens, the Fruit Position Imagery for the Fruit of River-Sand Gold flared brightly.

"Slash!"

A sword strike, built up to its absolute peak, was unleashed with a clear, sharp cry. It was as if it lashed Heaven and Earth themselves, causing the very light of the sky to dim in an instant.

All else faded into nothingness.

Across the heavens and the earth, the only thing visible was the edge of that blade, slashing out from the depths of the Sword Pavilion. It was bright to the extreme, brilliant to the extreme, and swift to the extreme!

By the time you saw it, it had already struck you.

SQUELCH!

The long blade tore through her protective qi, and the sword light pierced her body. The World Purifying Light that World Purger Fei Xue had summoned was shattered as easily as paper.

The next second, her graceful body was sliced in two at the waist. An endless torrent of Sword Qi, Fruit Position Imagery, and even Sword Intent poured out, about to completely obliterate World Purger Fei Xue. But what greeted this assault was a long laugh, and a dazzling burst of blood-red light!

She had brazenly self-destructed!

The exploding blood-light mixed with the World Purifying Light, pushing this imagery to its absolute limit, forcing the Sword Light to retreat unsuccessfully and erasing all other lingering phenomena.

Immediately after, a Soul plunged into the Netherworld.

The next second, in the lands North of the River, a baby girl was born. She opened her eyes, instantly returned to her Fruit Position, and hit the ground as a fully grown adult—still bearing the face of World Purger Fei Xue!

"Hahaha!"

World Purger Fei Xue threw her head back and laughed, but as she did, countless cracks appeared on her exquisite, jade-like face, with faint golden glimmers shining through from within.

A strike from a Great True Monarch—especially one that had been charged for so long and was brimming with killing intent—was not something one could simply escape by self-destructing. This was particularly true of the Victory Sword Intent. As its name implied, it had the effect of "seizing victory." Once struck by this sword, the victim would forever be at a disadvantage when facing its wielder.

The effect was akin to a Weak Mark.

Once entangled and marked by the Sword Intent, the victim could at most unleash thirty percent of their Abilities when facing the attacker in the future. On a conceptual level, defeat would be a certainty!

"But... that was the only strike he’ll get!"

Her smile turned frigid. Although she had been killed once and implanted with the Sword Intent, her Grotto Heaven was undamaged, and her own combat strength had not weakened in the slightest.

’But you’re a different story compared to me!’

World Purger Fei Xue stood tall, chest out, and gazed toward the Sword Pavilion as if staring down a sick tiger. While wary, she was also eager to make a move.

’Forcing himself to wield power at the Great True Monarch level must have only worsened his condition. He’s just hiding it well, probably borrowing the imagery of the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth, making it difficult to discern his true state... I shouldn’t push him too hard. A moderate approach is best. If I truly drive him into a corner, the losses would outweigh the gains.’

With this in mind, World Purger Fei Xue retracted her Abilities.

’Anyway, the goal of this trip has been achieved. I’ve already destroyed that Grotto Heaven Fragment of Fortune’s... Hmm? Am I forgetting something?’

World Purger Fei Xue’s movements suddenly froze.

Her beautiful eyes blinked, a trace of suspicion clouding them... but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t put her finger on anything. It was as if it were all just her imagination.

........

On Gantang Dao, a faint glimmer of light was buried deep underground. It had avoided the cleansing of the World Purifying Light, and now it lay hidden, silent, right under the noses of all the True Monarchs.

"Phew... Good."

Ang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

He had used the cover of the great battle and the Veil of the Trees to preserve this last tiny piece of the Grotto Heaven Fragment, ensuring he would not lose his connection to the current world.

Then, Ang Xiao stroked his chin, a look of admiration on his face. "...Interesting. That termagant’s Cultivation is much higher than I expected. She actually saw through the old undying bastard from the Sword Pavilion. Fortunately, she hasn’t discovered me, otherwise it would have led to endless trouble."

He had no desire to reveal himself before his grand plan came to fruition.

Thinking of this, he glanced toward the Sword Pavilion again and sneered. "The Fruit of River-Sand Gold... Hmph. For him to reach the Late Stage with such a shallow Cultivation, I’d say he was incredibly lucky!"

He, of course, could also see what World Purger Fei Xue had seen.

Why was True Monarch Gangxing in poor condition and unable to act freely? Because he had used the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire and the Fruit of Roof-Top Earth to break through to the Late Stage of Golden Core!

’The Fruit of River-Sand Gold and the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire are compatible. That’s very good.’

’The problem, however, is that the Fruit of Roof-Top Earth is countered by the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire—it is the most calamitous of combinations. To seek the Late Stage with such a foundation, it would be a miracle if there *weren’t* hidden dangers!’

Ultimately, his Cultivation just wasn’t deep enough.

He saw the synergy between the Fruit of River-Sand Gold and the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire, but he failed to see that the Fruit of Roof-Top Earth was countered by the Fruit of Stove-Inside Fire. As a result, his clever plan backfired spectacularly.

He most likely only managed to reach the Late Stage by using some kind of Supreme Treasure.

But that was as far as he could go. Not only did it leave a massive hidden flaw, but his path on the Dao became impossibly difficult, to the point where he was now confined to the Sword Pavilion, essentially living as a hermit.

"In the end, he’s no match for me!"

Ang Xiao smiled arrogantly. Reversing the Earth of Chen to achieve Five Elements Perfection and then using an Emperor Fruit to reach the Late Stage of Golden Core—this was the proudest achievement of his life.

Of all the heroes in the world, who could possibly be his rival?

None were worth mentioning...

The next second, the Grotto Heaven Fragment that Ang Xiao’s Divine Sense was inhabiting—the one he had barely managed to preserve with the Veil of the Trees—was snatched up and held firmly in a large hand.

Lü Yang’s face was filled with admiration. "As expected of Senior Ang Xiao, you really had one."

Ang Xiao: "....???"