Any of the dead cultivators could sweep through Eight Desolaces. They were absolutely apex cultivators.

Some were undefeated until they came here. Vajra Saint and his peers weren’t qualified to be spoken in the same breath.

Alas, they all had the same fatal injury - a hole in their chest. Upon closer inspection, their true blood and essences have been drained. Only their skin and bones were left behind. Something had devoured them during their last moment.

Those who could make it this far would think about turning back right away but Li Qiye kept his nonchalant demeanor. He still didn’t activate a barrier or ready a weapon just yet.

The farther he went, the fewer corpses he saw. However, the quality only improved. The marks of battle here were incredible.

The next thing he saw was a majestic fortress that could be clearly seen from a thousand miles away.

However, this was no fortress. Immense sword energies ravaged this area and didn’t allow any intruder.

The fortress turned out to be countless divine swords positioned into walls. Their auras alone would scrape any spectator despite the far distance.

It completely separated the realms - an ultimate defense. Most wouldn’t be able to get through this immaculate sword dao. They would think that they were in the presence of the greatest swordsman.

The destructive rays naturally couldn’t harm Li Qiye. He kept on walking and entered the fortress of swords.

He saw a tall middle-aged man wearing a simple white robe. His hair still fluttered as he held his sword - the source of this domain. Though millions of years have passed, his sword aura still persevered.

In reality, he was dead long ago. The thing keeping him standing was an indomitable will to fight.

The corpses prior have lost their divinity from being drained. On the other hand, this man’s aura and divinity remained dangerous and murderous. His corpse was relatively intact outside of the hole on the chest.

His expression was full of rage and indignation. This unwillingness to give up allowed his corpse to stand straight.

His title was Sword God, a cultivator who was actually unbeatable during his era in Eight Desolaces. Though he wasn’t a dao lord, others considered him to be on the same level.

He personally came to join the festivity during the foundation of Duality Academy. He also listened to the master’s lecture.

Who would have thought that the great sword god would be dead here?

“Death is unavoidable, return to the earth now.” Li Qiye chuckled and said.

He swung his hand, releasing a gentle breeze. It chased away the leftover snow from winter and called for spring.

With that, Sword God’s unwillingness and indignation dispersed along with the remnant sword energies.

“Clank! Clank! Clank!” The swords in the air came together to form a box. It took in his corpse and served as a steel coffin.

It then drilled into the ground and a memorial tablet made out of stone formed naturally. No words were engraved on it.

During this process, something fell off his body as if the box couldn’t take it in.

Li Qiye got down and picked it up for a look. He seemed amused and put it away before moving forward.

In the beginning, those who couldn’t get past the ocean would be corroded by the black water and turned into the undead. For example, the golem ancestor, dragon, and ape…

Those who made it to land were more powerful but still eventually died. Nonetheless, they kept their corpses instead of becoming undead.

It was obvious that the danger gradually increased as one delved deeper into this region. However, whatever killed these cultivators didn’t attack Li Qiye.

The reason was that Li Qiye’s visit was expected. The most dangerous things here couldn’t kill him and would only be asking for trouble.

“Rumble!” Loud bangs came from a distance in a rhythmic order. A giant seemed to be walking; each step caused an earthquake.

Li Qiye felt a supreme divinity - a sign of dao and cosmic mastery.

Others would immediately prostrate even before seeing the being after feeling this aura.

He chuckled and kept on walking forward. The sounds became deafening and once he got close enough, he saw the source.

“Rumble!” It was no giant, just another youth. His red robe was ripped and torn in many places, also covered in blood. The scars on his body must have been there years ago.

He didn’t need an imperial crest to let others know that he was the ruler of all beings. His aura alone spoke plenty - the aura of a dao lord!