Yet, Yan Ying did not stop here. He looked at Emperor Yuanwu and continued. “But you are human and not god. The ‘Universe Gold Body’ is magical, but it must follow the rules governing the primal energies of the universe. Your seemingly unaffected tolerance is just opening a meridian point in your body to contain your opponent’s killing intent and power. The killing intent and power will exist in your meridians and will not disappear for no reason. One day, they will explode.”

The peak of Deer Mountain grew quieter. Every gaze was extremely complex, for these words concerned the secrets of Emperor Yuanwu’s cultivation. A grandmaster like Yan Ying was speaking so confidently that there would be no mistake.

Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes narrowed slightly, like two thin swords. In his eyes, Emperor Chen of Han and Yan Ying were naturally not worthy opponents, yet, he could continue to grapple with them.

It should be finished. He slowly thought inside, as he raised the yellow sword in his hand.

For a powerful swordsman, their sword essence was the best expression of their minds. The moment he lifted his sword, everybody present knew the time to decide the battle had arrived.

Countless rays of light fell down from the sky where no one could see. They flooded into his body at a speed surpassing a cultivator’s perception. Emperor Yuanwu’s body completely disappeared into the bright rays of light. But everyone could sense that Emperor Yuanwu seemed to be expanding and growing taller and bigger.

Emperor Yuanwu’s body seemed to grow until it was as tall as the sky.

Emperor Chen of Han knew the final moment had come. He had no fear, only the joy of release on his face.

He took a deep breath. Borrowing the pressure of the energies that Emperor Yuanwu was giving off, he gathered all of the pill energies deep into his body. His body started to contract, like it was shrivelling. The red light on the surface of his body decreased.

As his presence pulled back, his body floated forward towards Emperor Yuanwu.

At this moment, Emperor Yuanwu’s halo of light was emitting an aggressive presence that seemed able to fend off gods and ghosts. The power at the tip of his shining blade surpassed the limits of what all cultivators present could comprehend and approached the ethereal path of heaven.

This sword seemed to have the power of the heavens, and could not be stopped by human power. Just facing this was difficult. However, Emperor Chen of Han’s body crashed towards the tip of the sword, his eyes flashing with a strange light.

Through the curtain of light, Emperor Yuanwu glanced at Emperor Chen of Han, his brows furrowed.

.

He sensed what Emperor Chen of Han was doing, however, this was his strongest moment. This ethereal sword that seemed to have the power of all life was one that even he could not change.

He swung the yellow sword forward, accompanied by inhuman power.

Dozens of feet away from the sword tip, Emperor Chen of Han’s body already showed hundreds of wounds.

Countless transparent blades seemed to fill the air and dance silently in front of the yellow sword. No pill energy seeped from Emperor Chen of Han’s wounds.

At this moment, he only turned his head, flashed an indiscernible smile and nodded at Yan Ying behind him.

His body was cut into countless pieces and scattered in this moment. The last emperor of a dynasty, in this brief moment, disappeared from the world.

And yet, an exceptionally hot crimson pill light crashed onto the tip of the yellow sword and exploded.

Boom!

The world shook.

All those around felt a mountain was pressing down. The cultivators who were closest to the battle, retched up blood.

The crimson pill fire rolled outwards like a meteor exploding. The piercing light invoked instinctual tears, but they still forced their eyes open, not wanting to miss a second.

Emperor Yuanwu felt there was an enormous mountain pressing towards him. The yellow sword in his hand dimmed slightly.

Back when Emperor Chen of Han had charged towards his sword, he had sensed the other was going to explode with the full power of the Heaven Stealing Pill. So his mind was absolutely calm, his presence shuddering slightly as he swung his sword even more aggressively.

The fierce pill fire was cut smoothly like two solid hemispheres, separating at his side before becoming numerous dragons of fire.

At this time, Yan Ying’s left thumb curved slightly and plucked in the air.

A dark and cold black sword light appeared in the raging air.

This black sword light was like a snapped zither string. Its origins were unknown and untraceable as its flew and accurately cut towards Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes.

Emperor Yuanwu had not dodged when he had faced the onslaught of fingers, but now, Emperor Yuanwu closed his eyes abruptly and bowed his head slightly.

A bang sounded at the corner of his left eye.

The moment the black sword light and his left eyebrow made contact, his body became an empty and vast world again. He was going to absorb the power of the black sword light into him. But everyone could clearly see a thread of blood seeping down from a wound on his left eyebrow.

His left eyebrow had been cut.

“Following the mind, untraceable …”

The emperor of Chu and some of the older people present could see that Yan Ying’s sword essence still came from that person. In the past, Yan Ying had cultivated with that person as the goal. He had spent unknown amounts of effort on grasping that person’s tactics.

At this time, no one knew if Yan Ying was purposefully angering Yuan Wu or he felt that this was the best tactic to use against his enemy. Even so,there was no time for anyone to consider this.

A black orchid bloomed on Yan Ying’s hand.

This black orchid seemed to be alive, giving off a greedy presence towards the blood spilling from Emperor Yuanwu’s brow. In the next moment, the black orchid disappeared into streams of black energy. They entered the blood, and the light around Emperor Yuanwu’s body.

Nobody was able to sense the kind of tactic Yan Ying was using at this moment. Many looked towards Emperor Yuanwu with anticipation, hoping to see him fall to the ground or retreat.

But Emperor Yuanwu only shook slightly.

The yellow sword in his hand still swung, he completed the swing to its fullest.

The space between him and Yan Ying twisted fiercely. With a loud crack, everything was completely separated.

Yan Ying’s body completely stopped. He frowned slightly and bowed his head calmly.

Emperor Yuanwu had put his sword away.

The lights falling from the sky started to fade; his enormous presence that felt taller than the sky, urgently shrank.

The front of Yan Ying’s body showed no abnormality. But as he bowed his head, a bright line of light appeared on his back.

Pew pew pew pew …

Dark yin energy shot out along this bright line of light.

Although the dark and heavy yin energy contained a mountain of power, all those around could sense a power, even stronger and more terrifying, flying through the world.

.

That was a sword light.

Someone looked towards the mountain peak opposite Deer Mountain that Emperor Yuanwu was facing. Someone finally understood that the sword light went through Yan Ying’s body in an attempt to force the power out of Yan Ying.

Now, the straight sword light landed on the opposing mountain peak.

That mountain suddenly shook.

A wave of dust shot out near the peak of the mountain. In the next moment, the mountain gave off numerous cracking sounds.

The cracking sounds gathered into a terrifying roar.

Everybody was shocked speechless.

Following the circle of dust, the mountain split into two. The enormous mountain peak slid backwards, colliding with the body of the mountain below and giving off an enormous sound no one had ever heard before.

The cut mountain was as smooth as a mirror.

That mountain had originally been taller than Deer Mountain. Now, the parts of it taller than Deer Mountain had been cut off by this sword strike and the peak was smoother than any flat land.

An enormous wave of dust rose.

Without the obstruction of the mountain, a wild wind surged from the back of the mountain. The dust was blown away, and their sights were no longer obstructed

To the read of that mountain was a flat river valley. Through this river valley, it was possible to attack the Chu, the Yan, or the Qi.

The yellow sword in Emperor Yuanwu’s hand disappeared.

He looked at Yan Ying who hung his head, looked at the shocked spectators, and the mountain he had flattened with a blow.

He said, “This Lonely One wants that mountain.”

Translator Ramblings: This isn’t as much flattening a mountain as … giving it a chop.