Chapter 1117: Devil Palace

Proofreader: Papatonks

Not letting them out of his sight, Shangguan Feiyun’s eyes flashed with bloodthirst. But that kick told him the opponent was no pushover, of the same caliber as him.

He reached out with two fingers, focusing a concentrated sword energy at their tips until the very sky boomed with lightning. He was getting serious.

“Whoever you are, for the audacity of facing me, death is all you’ll get!”

The fugitives shook. Once a Sword-King-level expert goes wild, they would be nothing but dust in the wind from the aura alone.

“Ha-ha-ha, what an attitude you have, Sword King Feiyun. I might’ve fallen for it the last time, but I’m no longer a child. It’s too soon to tell how our fight goes!”

The youth grinned and the bones in his fists cracked as he tensed them, taking on a scarlet glow.

Shangguan Feiyun was confused, “Have we met? Why can’t I remember you? Who are you exactly?”

“Humph, you must’ve gone senile, Sword King Feiyun. Did you already forget the animosity born out of harming me?”

“I’ve killed more than I could count, hardly any could escape me. I can recall those that I’ve wounded, but I do not recall you. Did you escape my notice, crawling out from under corpses?”  

“He-he-he, right you are. I did crawl my way through death to you today so I can settle this!”

The youth reached out and flung the big man into the fugitives, “Leave, the Sword King and I have an old score to settle!”

“So soon? Think again! You’re all going to die here!” Shangguan Feiyun roared and unleashed the attack he prepared, “None can stop my Soaring Sword Art!”

Boom!

With the rumble of thousands of lightning strikes, the sword energy from above started hailing down along with his sword wave. The apocalyptic image threatening to bring about the end of days. 

Everyone panicked, their knees shaking, their hearts frantic.

The youth’s red glow exploded with a mighty bestial roar, smashing with his iron fist. The scarlet glow took the form of an ancient and peculiar beast, growing and growing into the sky.

Boom~

The punch struck the incoming sword wave, and the very space quaked, as if the world would disappear. All that remained was a thick blanket of dust. 

The fugitives and the Genesis experts were forced to cough blood under the tremendous impact, quickly becoming wounded and in pain. They were hanging on by a thread as it was.

They were fortunate enough that the shockwave did not continue and the curtain of dust descended.

Once the moon graced the battlefield with its light, the people were left speechless.

Shangguan Feiyun and the youth stood in the same spot without a single scratch on them. Only the space was constantly warping around, unable to find balance. 

This was a dead heat, with neither gaining the upper hand. They both went all out, yet the groups behind each of them were still alive.

They were the only ones harmed in this as well, but now they gulped from shock, their blood running cold.

These two were absurdly strong, making all the rest around them part of the scenery, insignificant and pointless. Either side needed but a fraction more strength and it would’ve wiped them out from existence. 

The dread the Genesis experts felt right then was so great their eyes looked ready to pop from shock. They had no clue what organization they were after when they came here to take these men. How could there exist any that could stand up to their Sword King?

There was no point in chasing, now was there? They couldn’t even question them, not when the big young boss was here and so tough.

Shangguan Feiyun was just as stunned, feeling a headache coming and his heart sinking.

His investigation into the hidden faction had been going for years now, but only today did he get the chance to touch them. Never in his wildest dreams did he think they would send someone of such power.

To make it worse, he was young to boot.

Shangguan Feiyun felt a shiver down his spine, unease taking hold of him.

The youth smirked, “Shangguan Feiyun, a hundred years have gone yet no progress in sight. I even asked to be in charge of this side just so I could fight you. Now though, ha-ha, it’s so much easier than I thought.” 

The youth looked back and smiled, “Didn’t I tell you to leave, already? I’m going to keep fighting with the Sword King and you’re just going to get dragged into it.” 

“Uh, oh…”

The men jumped then bobbed their heads before making a run for it.

Shangguan Feiyun was outraged, giving chase, “You’re not going anywhere!”

Bam!

The youth was there to get him to back off with a kick.

“Sword King Feiyun, your opponent is me, he-he-he…” The youth taunted.

Shangguan Feiyun was enraged, more so knowing he could do nothing against someone of equal strength. The elders that he brought along thought of chasing the fugitives, but a single glance into the youth’s eyes advised them against it.

A Sword-King-level expert could just flick their lives away.

Sword King Feiyun was sullen, his eyes bloodshot as he watched the bugs scurrying away and he could do nothing to stop them. He roared under the mounting frustration, taking it out on the youth. He rushed forward and unleashed sword wave after sword wave.

Bang~

The earth rumbled for thousands of miles under the heavy rain of attacks. The fugitives took a curious look behind to see a glorious blaze reflected in their eyes, overcome by reverence.

“Brother Lei, we did good by entering the palace. Our strength is beyond anything we thought.” One of them teared up and spoke with pride, “With the palace’s protectors, the Arts Kings, having such might, I just wish we could catch a glimpse of the revered Palace Lord!”

The men were getting rowdy and hopeful.

Bang~

Knocking their heads, the big man wiped the blood on his mouth, cursing, “Wake up! Palace Lord won’t appear just ’cause you lot want him to. I’m an elder and still haven’t seen him. He’ll be seeing me if that happens, and not you.” 

“Oh, right, brother Lei is right, ha-ha-ha…” The men chuckled, welcoming the coming dawn with hope. 

“Brother Lei, did you happen to hear that rumor spreading across the world? I wrote it off as nonsense, but the more I think about it the more I find it true…”

The big man flinched and stared in amazement at him, then his smile broke out into full blown laughter.

“Brothers, we will find only glory with the Palace Lord, ha-ha-ha…”

Bang~

Rumbling echoed behind them still, with the youth and Shangguan Feiyun having clashed hundreds of times by now. They were out of breath and glaring at each other still.

Catching sight of the rising sun shining on the land, the youth figured the men ought to be clear by now and grinned with a light wave, “Shangguan Feiyun, we’ll end it here. Let’s fight again later. Bye, ha-ha-ha…” 

The youth turned into a red glow and fled.

“Stop right there!”

Shangguan Feiyun roared with bloodshot eyes, but all he could do was gesticulate in anger.

[Just where did this hidden faction come from?]

“Report!”

A shout reached him as a manor guard bowed, presenting a jade slip, “Sword King sir, Prime Minister summons the Ten Sword Kings to the imperial capital to discuss how to deal with the recent Devil Palace growing in every land!”

“Devil Palace?”

Shangguan Feiyun frowned, looking where the youth took off, “Another Devil Palace showed up? Just what is this thing?”