Chapter 832: Chapter 374: One Man, One Sword—Flattening the Western Frontier (Part 2)

The fighter jets urgently evaded, yet several were still hit and crashed.

Stark barely withstood the assault by deploying all energy shields. Anna and Barton hid behind a massive rock, but the shockwave still made them cough up blood.

When the storm of Sword Qi subsided, there was no sign of Ye Qingzhou in the desert center, only a sword mark stretching eastward.

On the Kun Fighter, Nick watched the scene, his solitary eye flickering with complex emotions: "He’s heading to Xinxiang... willing to expend his last life breath. Notify headquarters, prepare for the final defense. This isn’t a battle; it’s a death-bound revenge."

Xinxiang, Celestial Sword Bureau Headquarters.

One-Eyed Nick stood by the command room’s floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the rising sun over the distant Hudson River.

Overnight, that Eastern swordsman had crossed three states and was less than two hundred miles from Xinxiang.

Behind him, Deputy Maria Hill was anxiously reporting the latest situations.

"The Pennsylvania defense line has collapsed, and the 28th National Guard Division is out of contact. X-Men’s Laser Eye and Storm Lady were severely injured and retreated; the target is expected to reach Xinxiang’s outskirts within two hours."

Hill’s voice held a slight tremor: "Director, I suggest we immediately evacuate the headquarters and relocate to the underground bunker."

Nick did not turn around, his remaining eye reflecting the blood-red sunrise: "He won’t give us that time."

"But the space airship is ready, we could evacuate through the air..."

"Hill."

Nick suddenly interrupted her: "Did Ye Qingzhou ever hide his tracks on his way here? Ever ambushed? Ever avoided any defense line?"

Hill was stunned: "No... he broke through head-on every time."

"Exactly."

Nick turned around, every wrinkle on his face etched with resolve: "He wants the whole world to watch, to see how one man with one sword levels the Celestial Sword Bureau. If we retreat now, even if we survive, the Bureau’s reputation will be disgraced, unable to stand in the Martial Arts World ever again."

Hill still wanted to argue, but the alarm suddenly rang throughout the headquarters.

The holographic projection automatically expanded, showing the scene outside Xinxiang.

A white figure was rapidly approaching at an incredible speed, and wherever he passed, the final line of defense’s armored vehicles were overturned by Sword Qi like toys.

"He’s here."

Nick pressed the communicator, turning around to issue combat orders: "All units, execute ’Twilight of the Gods’ final plan. Repeat, execute the final plan."

Above Xinxiang, the clouds were suddenly torn apart by an invisible force.

A massive shadow covered half of Manhattan, and citizens looked up in horror to see a colossal warship descending slowly—a first appearance of the Celestial Sword Bureau’s secret space airship, "Olympus."

This flying fortress, as large as five football fields, opened hundreds of launch ports at its base, unleashing a swarm of drones that formed a three-dimensional web of death in the air.

At the same time, the airship’s main cannon began charging, blue-white energy gathering at the muzzle, emitting a spine-chilling hum.

On the ground, Ye Qingzhou halted his steps.

He looked up at the sky-covering space airship, the golden poison lines spreading to his neck, each heartbeat accompanied by excruciating pain. Yet, he simply wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, angled his longsword toward the ground, and continued forward.

"Ye Qingzhou."

A gentle yet powerful voice resonated directly in his mind.

Ye Qingzhou frowned slightly, seeing a team of figures appear on the road ahead—a bald old man sitting on a flying battle chair, surrounded by mutants dressed in various styles.

Dr. X Eriksen was communicating with Ye Qingzhou using his formidable telepathy.

"I can feel your pain and anger."

Dr. X’s voice was filled with compassionate empathy: "But such revenge will only bring more pain. Please stop, maybe we can help you resolve the Laws Destruction Golden Arrow issue."

Ye Qingzhou let out a cold laugh: "Help me?"

He loosened his collar, revealing the golden lines spreading across his chest: "For years, the Celestial Sword Bureau has been secretly assassinating the talents of the Dongji Kingdom’s Martial Arts World. Have you ever spoken against this? Now that I’m here, you suddenly cloak yourself in mercy?"

Dr. X’s expression changed slightly; evidently, he glimpsed Ye Qingzhou’s murderous intent akin to mountains of corpses and seas of blood through telepathy.

Lei stepped forward: "Director, his mind is filled with hatred, communication is impossible."

"Then proceed as planned."

Dr. X nodded gravely.

In an instant, five Spiritual Mages, including Lei, activated their abilities simultaneously, and an invisible spiritual force surged toward Ye Qingzhou like a tidal wave. Ordinary people would instantly lose consciousness under such a Spiritual Shock, even powerful mutants would find it hard to resist.

Yet Ye Qingzhou merely closed his eyes, concentrating his spirit, his longsword held upright in front of his chest.

Infinite Swordsmanship, Sword Heart Clarity.

Sword Heart Purity, Unassailable by All Laws.

The waves of spiritual energy dispersed around him like water around a reef, unable to affect him in the slightest.

"This is impossible..."

One Spiritual Mage exclaimed in shock: "His spirit is as hard as steel!"

Red light flashed in Lei’s eyes: "Then use stronger power!"

She unleashed the Power of the Black Phoenix within her, red spiritual energy transforming into fire, pouncing toward Ye Qingzhou.

This time, Ye Qingzhou opened his eyes.

He saw that ancient force from the Feather Race within Lei, and the pain she struggled to control.

Just as the Phoenix Fire was about to touch him, he tapped the ground lightly with his longsword, his figure flickering past the Spiritual Mages’ encirclement, leaving behind only an afterimage to be consumed by the Phoenix Fire.

"Watch out! He’s broken through the spiritual lock!"

Dr. X shouted, but it was too late.

Ye Qingzhou was already behind the Spiritual Mages, his longsword like a dragon, Sword Qi rampant.

All five Spiritual Mages fell to the ground, dead almost simultaneously, only Lei managed to barely dodge thanks to the premonition from the Power of the Black Phoenix, but a streak of Sword Qi grazed her shoulder, instantly staining her uniform with blood.

"Lei!"

Dr. X exclaimed.

Ye Qingzhou did not pursue further; he looked up at the airship above: "One-Eyed Nick, is this your entire hand?" His voice wasn’t loud, yet through Inner Strength, it echoed across the sky above Xinxiang.

As if responding to his provocation, the space airship’s main cannon finally completed charging, and a ten-meter diameter energy beam descended from the sky, directly striking Ye Qingzhou’s location.

Where the beam passed, the air ionized, the ground melted, its power comparable to a small nuclear explosion.

In that split second, Ye Qingzhou pointed his longsword skyward, all remaining Innate Qi within him erupting.

Stepping on Gang and Fighting, the sword breaks through the void!

At the moment the sword tip collided with the energy beam, the entire space seemed to be half suspended by powerful forces.

Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded—the energy beam, powerful enough to vaporize steel, was split into two by the seemingly fragile sword light, like a stream cleaved apart, sweeping past Ye Qingzhou’s sides, creating two thousand-meter-long lava trenches behind him.

However, Ye Qingzhou paid a price.

He knelt on one knee, spitting out a mouthful of blood, the golden poison lines spreading to his chin, the Death Domain of the Laws Destruction Golden Arrow encroaching on his last heart vein.

On the airship, Nick watched this through the monitors, his solitary eye filled with unwavering resolve to kill: "All drones, saturation attack! Exhaust his stamina!"

Hundreds of drones simultaneously opened fire, missiles, lasers, and electromagnetic cannons rained down like a storm.

Ye Qingzhou struggled to rise, his longsword forming a light curtain to block most attacks, yet some pierced through the defense, landing on him and leaving streaks of wounds.

As he was preoccupied with dealing with the drones, a gold-red figure suddenly dove from the airship—Iron Man Stark clad in the latest "Anti-Sword Saint" armor, high-frequency blades ejecting from his arms, charging straight for Ye Qingzhou’s neck.

"This time, I won’t let you succeed, Eastern Wizard!"

Stark roared.

Ye Qingzhou sidestepped, the high-frequency blade grazing his hair, severing a few strands.

He countered, stabbing at Stark’s chest, only to be blocked by an energy shield that unfolded suddenly.

In an instant, the two exchanged dozens of blows, steel clashing with sword blades, sparking intense flashes.

"Your actions are slowing down."

Stark noticed Ye Qingzhou’s breathing becoming rapid, his brain immediately analyzing various possibilities: "Has the spread of death disrupted your central nervous system?"

Ye Qingzhou did not respond; he suddenly switched tactics, his longsword weaving like a serpent around Stark’s defense, straight for the armor’s neck junction. Stark retreated urgently, yet the sword tip still grazed a gash, blood instantly seeping from the wound.