Chapter 1690: Subduing Mount Kou Sword Saint!

Chapter 1690: Subduing the Sword Saint of Koushan!

Zhou Shiyi saw this and inwardly scoffed.

This man truly had spent too long in the Great Everlasting Holy Realm—so much so that he had no idea what his current situation even was.

In a circumstance that was clearly dire, he refused to remain hidden or humble, daring to challenge me outright?

All due to his arrogance!

In previous times, Zhou Shiyi would have already struck and eliminated him.

But in the end, he did not.

After all, this man was a key general of the Great Everlasting Holy Realm. If he were to kill him outright, any trace left on his body might be discovered by the Great Holy Emperor in the future—leading to certain trouble.

Legend has it that the Great Holy Emperor possessed the power of nearly immortality, only one step away from breaking through his current barrier and entering the realm of true eternal immortality.

Though Zhou Shiyi had grown immensely powerful, he still lacked the confidence to fight this man and emerge victorious.

Wait first.

Until the true realm of the body ascends to the level of lower will transcendence.

Then,

perhaps I might dare to challenge that Great Ever-Constant Sage.

At that moment,

the Day-Wielder Saint, observing the scene from afar, quickly interjected:

"Wait, Your Highness."

"What is it?"

Zhou Shiyi halted, turning to face the sword saint from Koushan. He asked.

He still held a favorable opinion of this Kou Shan Master of the Sword.

After all, an enemy of my enemy is a friend.

And moreover, the subtle way he had just recently supported his words made Zhou Shiyi feel a genuine liking toward him.

"Are you truly going out?"

Kou Shan Master asked, "It's extremely difficult to leave. We've been trying for a long time—both I and this one haven't managed to get out."

"Then let's just try it," said Zhou Shiyi, smiling faintly.

Then he stepped to the edge of the core region and extended his hand.

Ripples formed in the void, invisible yet potent.

These ripples carried a counterforce so strong that even with the terrifying power of Zhou Shiyi's lower-tier Supreme Saint body, he nearly lost his grip from the sudden recoil.

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, watched this scene with growing concern.

The Heavenly Might Saint General sneered inwardly.

He and Kou Shan, after spending countless years, had failed to breach this barrier—how could he believe this man could break through?

Even if he were stronger than me?

Still, he’d just have to stay trapped here, helpless.

Why not simply detonate his duplicate right now? Save himself the torment of being confined.

The Heavenly Might Saint General’s cheeky spirit flared again, instinctively reaching for a mocking remark.

But suddenly, he recalled what Zhou Shiyi had just said to him—immediately closing his mouth, afraid to speak further.

He truly feared that this top-tier Saint King might, in a sudden fit of madness, actually kill him.

And indeed, the other had the capability to do such a thing.

Though the other party might also be aware of the risks involved in killing themselves, and thus choose not to act.

But I cannot risk my life on such a gamble.

At this very moment,

Zhou Shiyi naturally didn’t care what Kong Shan, the Sword Saint, or Tian Wei, the Holy General, were thinking.

He gazed at the invisible barrier before him, his mind murmuring in astonishment.

What a formidable barrier technique.

It’s no wonder these two have been stuck here for so long without being able to escape.

Though this barrier technique isn’t quite among the eternal, unbreakable methods of the Immortal Realm, it absolutely stands as one of the highest-tier manifestations of transcendent will.

Well.

Then I shall test your true strength.

Zhou Shiyi grew intrigued, silently drawing upon all of his strength, then channeling that power into the celestial Xiasa Sacred Sword in his hand. With a slow, deliberate motion, he drove the blade forward toward the barrier.

Pop!

The barrier, initially offering resistance, then gave way and was pierced through with ease.

Zhou Shiyi’s expression remained unchanged. With a firm stroke, he tore a visible scar into the invisible screen before him.

He turned his gaze toward the distant, stunned figures of Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, and Tianwei, the Sacred General, and said softly, “It doesn’t seem so difficult after all.”

As he spoke, they prepared to cross the rift and return to the world of the living.

"Your Majesty!"

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, shouted, drawing the attention of Zhou Shiyi and the others.

"What is it?"

Zhou Shiyi spoke softly, yet his steps did not cease.

"Your Majesty, take me with you!"

The Master of the Sword, Kou Shan, shouted.

"Come on by yourself," Zhou Shiyi said.

Kou Shan's face lit up with joy, and he quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty," then swiftly followed behind Zhou Shiyi and the others, crossing the rift and stepping out of the core zone.

"Is that all?"

The Master of the Sword turned to look back at the rift behind him, now restored to its original state, murmuring in disbelief.

He could see—

Within the core zone, the Heavenly Might General stared with a longing face, wanting to emerge but unable to do so, appearing both eager and trapped.

Indeed, that's right.

The only possible chance that could have arisen was sealed shut by Him himself, with His own crude mouth—how could this creature possibly be happy?

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What are your plans after this?"

At that moment,

Zhou Shiyi looked at Him and asked.

"I intend to follow the Emperor, so I beg your permission!"

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, immediately knelt halfway, bowing with solemn sincerity.

"Why do you wish to follow me?"

Zhou Shiyi stared at Kou Shan, smiling faintly. "Your strength, even across the entire Ultimate Void Cosmos, still places you among the very top few."

"You could have enjoyed the glory and privileges befitting a top-tier master. Why must you follow me and live in subordination?"

"Your Majesty, you are absolutely right."

The Sword Saint Kou Shan smiled, then shook his head. "But the life you describe—life I've already lived to exhaustion. I seek something different."

"Such as…"

"Creating a new era, one uniquely yours, under Your Majesty's guidance!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shiyi raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "I like your answer."

"From this day forward, you shall be a Supreme Will Consecrated Servant of the Sun-Emperor's Realm, standing beside me to conquer the Ultimate Void Cosmos!"

"May I be honored!"

The Sword Saint bowed respectfully at once.

Then he added, "Your Majesty, under my command there exists another Supreme Will Consecrated Force known as the Kou Shan Holy Sanctuary. Within its walls lie vast resources, and many powerful disciples follow me. Among them, there are five Supreme Will Masters, roughly thirty Masters of Unparalleled Will, and countless gods—both at the peak of divinity and below!"

"I willingly offer all resources of the Kou Mountain Sacred Sect to the Emperor!"

"Good!"

Zhou Shiyi admired the Kou Mountain Sword Saint with deep appreciation. "Since you've made such a choice, I won't fail to honor you."

With a single motion of his right hand, a golden fist appeared before the Kou Mountain Sword Saint.

It was the lineage of the Break Heaven Fist Sect, just received from the Heavenly Might Sacred General.

"This is yours."

"All the teachings contained within this lineage, I have memorized fully. Take it and study it diligently."

"Your Majesty... is this truly so?!"

The Kou Mountain Sword Saint stammered, his words disordered.

Gazing at the golden fist before him, his eyes burned with intense passion and excitement.

This is an inheritance of transcendent will—of the highest rank.

Even for a master of such supreme transcendent will, this lineage is exceedingly rare.

Now, the Emperor has entrusted this immortal inheritance to himself merely because of a sacred site on Kuo Mountain?

The Emperor is truly generous.

Compared to this immortal lineage, Kuo Mountain's sacred site is nothing but dust.

With the Emperor's power, a single finger could obliterate Kuo Mountain's sanctuary in an instant.

"Is what I have said to be false?"

Zhou Shiyi smiled, gazing at him.

"Thank you, Emperor, for your generous gift!"

The Kuo Mountain Sword Saint spoke with fervent and humble reverence.

Then He eagerly received this golden fist, absorbing it into his own being, to be slowly digested later, the inheritance of the Broken Sky Fist Sect now within him.

Zhou Shiyi watched the scene with a gentle smile.

Though at present, due to the other's overwhelming strength, it was impossible to gauge the extent of their loyalty.

Yet Zhou Shiyi could feel that, through this present gift, the other's loyalty had significantly increased.

The way to elevate loyalty in this world was as simple and straightforward as that.

Either build emotional bonds to strengthen loyalty, or bestow greater benefits, or both—combined, to raise loyalty.

Zhou Shiyi didn’t have the time to cultivate emotional ties with his subordinates. Thus, he had to rely solely on the path of gifts.

Fortunately, He possessed an exceptional talent in this regard—making such gestures effortless.

Most lords simply couldn’t manage it.

"Let’s go."

Zhou Shi-11 spoke.

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, nodded, then followed Zhou Shi-11 and the others, departing from the place where the celestial corpse lay.

Yet they did not return to the vast cosmos, but instead flew toward a direction within the Ultimate Void Cosmos.

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, restrained himself for a while, but eventually could no longer hold back and asked, "Your Majesty, where are we going?"

"To the Huang Tian Great Cosmos."

Zhou Shi-11 did not conceal it, simply stating it plainly.

"Huang Tian Great Cosmos?"

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, was startled, then said, "I know this place. I've been there before. I used to be friends with the Huang Ri Xuan Emperor there."

"Oh?"

Zhou Shi-11 stared at him in surprise, "Then, in your opinion, what is the strength of the Huang Ri Xuan Emperor and the other two masters of the Huang Tian Great Cosmos?"

"The power of Hao Ri Xuan Di is roughly on par with mine."

"Among the other two masters of the Yellow Heaven Great Universe—the Master of Zi Wei and the Dao Patriarch of Tian Mo—the Master of Zi Wei is slightly stronger than Hao Ri Xuan Di, though the difference is not great."

"But that man, the Dao Patriarch of Tian Mo, is a freak."

"The Dao Patriarch of Tian Mo's power rivals that of the Third Sacred General of the Great Everlasting Ultimate Holy Nation."

"To confront the Dao Patriarch of Tian Mo, both the Master of Zi Wei and Hao Ri Xuan Di would have to unite their forces."

Zhou Shiyi nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So, if I were to launch an attack on the entire Yellow Heaven Great Universe, what would be my chances of success?"

"Your Majesty, what is your current level of power?"

The cautious Kuo Shan, the Sword Saint, inquired.

"I'm not entirely sure."

Zhou Shiyi shook his head. "Among all the opponents I've encountered so far, none have compelled me to deploy my full strength. I don't even know where my own power limits lie."

"But, I suspect, it would not be weaker than the Third Holy General as you described."

"If that is the case, then I dare suggest to the Emperor that we temporarily abandon the plan to conquer the entire Huangtian Great Universe."

"Master Koushan, the strength of the Tianmo Sect Patriarch is equivalent to that of the Third Holy General of the Da-Heng Ultimate Holy Nation."

"But that is not the most crucial point."

"Does the Emperor know who originally created the Huangtian Great Universe?"

"The Huangtian Dao Master."

Zhou Shiyi replied.

He was well aware of this information.

Master Koushan nodded, then spoke softly, "Your Majesty, it is now widely rumored across the Ultimate Void Great Universe that the Huangtian Dao Master failed in his attempt to transcend the state of eternal immortality and perished as a result."

"But that is not true."

"I was once an unbreakable brother to the Azure Sun Emperor."

"The Azure Sun Emperor, in a drunken moment, once confided in me a secret."

"In truth, although the Yellow Heaven Master failed in his ascension, at the very moment of that failure, he activated a forbidden and eternal secret technique, dividing himself into three parts, each preserving a fragment of his original will—fragments that have endured to this day."

"These three surviving fragments of original will are now the Azure Sun Emperor, the Ruler of Ziwei, and the Heavenly Demon Patriarch."

"Ordinarily, they maintain a strained relationship, even engaging in occasional conflicts."

"But when true peril arises, they set aside their differences and unite to face external threats together."

"If even their combined efforts prove insufficient to repel an enemy, they may ultimately abandon their individual identities, merge into one, and reawaken the Yellow Heaven Master."

"While the Yellow Heaven Master has not yet reached the level of quasi-eternal immortality, it is said he has come astonishingly close to attaining it."

"Later, it is rumored that he obtained a certain divine artifact, allowing him to directly transcend the state of eternal immortality—without first reaching the quasi-eternal immortality stage."

"And in truth, he once fought the Great Hong Emperor himself."

"Though we only exchanged a few dozen moves before being defeated."

"In the ultimate void cosmos, those who have faced the Great Immortal Emperor for even a few dozen moves—there are probably no more than a handful."

"Even the legendary First Saint General would not have lasted a single move against the Great Immortal Emperor."

"How formidable the Yellow Heaven Master truly is."

"Your Majesty, you must think carefully."

The Sword Saint Kou Shan spoke earnestly, his words laced with genuine concern.

He truly feared that his own sovereign would rashly charge forward and meet death.

The Yellow Heaven Master was no mere rumor—his power was real, merciless.

Your Majesty, so young yet possessing such astonishing strength—given time, it is entirely possible that you could surpass the Yellow Heaven Master, even challenge the Great Immortal Emperor directly.

Why, in this moment, would you choose to become an enemy of such a force?

There’s no need at all.

"I understand."

Zhou Shiyi nodded, thinking deeply.

With Kou Shan's sword saint's explanation, he now had a clear grasp of the strength of the rulers of the Yellow Heaven Great Universe.

It also made him realize that, although he didn't fear any one of the three powerful figures at present, if all three of them came together, his side might find itself in serious trouble.

Still, he had never intended to swallow the entire Yellow Heaven Great Universe in one go.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have only brought a few elite warriors—instead, he would have brought the entire main combat force of the Jiaoyang Divine Nation to confront them.

He had simply asked Kou Shan the sword saint about this to gain a better understanding of the Yellow Heaven Great Universe.

Seeing Kou Shan's face filled with anxiety, he couldn't help but smile lightly, "Don't worry."

"I shall not hastily conquer the entire Huangtian Great Universe."

"But within the Huangtian Great Universe, I possess another avatar, the sovereign ruler of a primary divine realm."

"I intend to use that divine realm as my base, gathering resources necessary for upgrading my territories, and swiftly elevate my Prajāya Divine Nation in the Supreme Great Universe to a will-transcendent power."

"My current nation and territory rankings are too low."

Zhou Shiyi shook his head.

"Ah, now I understand."

Kou Shan, the Sword Saint, suddenly realized, then added:

"Your Majesty, if the goal is merely to collect resources, there's no need for such complexity."

"Your Majesty is wealthy beyond measure—why not simply purchase them?"

"I happen to know Hao Ri Xuan Di. I can facilitate a connection between Your Majesty and that sovereign, arranging a transaction that will fulfill Your Majesty's need for upgrade resources."

Zhou Shiyi stiffened, then slowly sipped it in, the more he thought, the brighter his eyes became.

This method... seems feasible, after all.