I Have A Sword

Chapter 562: Surrounded

The Temple Master rose from his seat, his benevolent expression hardening.

"Begin the Divine War."

The Divine War!

The elder's demeanor darkened.

The Divine War meant unleashing divine power. Within the Temple of the Gods, divine power, bestowed by the gods to safeguard humanity, reigned supreme. Its use was restricted to moments of dire need.

Initiating the Divine War meant tapping into that sacred power.

Stepping toward the divine statues, the Temple Master bowed respectfully, his expression devout. "May the gods watch over us."

The Divine War.

The Temple of the Gods had attempted it twice before, but both times ended in defeat.

This would mark their third attempt!

"As the saying goes, the third time's the charm." The Temple Master truly believed this time would be a success.

Once Ye Guan and those behind him had been eliminated, the entire universe would finally belong to the Temple of the Gods.

The Past Clan’s Clan Leader had promised them so.

Now, he intended to make good on that promise and usher in an era where divine light illuminated the universe.

From within the Temple of the Gods, a powerful army led by the Temple Master himself soon set forth for the Divine Ruins. This pivotal mission demanded his personal leadership. After all, it could secure his place in history.

...

In an empty void, a woman took deliberate steps.

Clad in white robes and wearing a half-mask, she exuded an aura of tranquility.

The Past Clan’s Clan Leader!

As she continued forth, she traversed the void and reached a vast expanse of starry space. In front of her stood a bronze coffin. Beside it was a hunched old man bound by layers of iron chains, one end of which was tied to the coffin.

The old pallbearer.

The elder slowly opened his dull and lifeless eyes.

"You still can’t let go?” the woman asked.

Raising his head, the elder's gaze grew firm. "Why should I?"

"The Old Era has passed. Some gods have perished, others have fled," the woman calmly replied. "What purpose does your resistance serve?"

The elder's resolve hardened. "The Old Era is not yet over. The gods and Ancient arts will return to this world!"

The woman shook her head. "As you wish."

As she continued her journey into the distance, the elder said, "Sifan Jing, the gods are always present."

Sifan Jing stopped and contemplated for a moment. She then answered, "Among the gods, only the First God truly commands respect in my eyes. As for the rest..."

She faintly shook her head. "They deserve to die."

The old pallbearer slowly knelt down. "Clan Leader Jing, you're the only mortal since ancient times to rival the gods. Your power knows no bounds. Can you perhaps open the Divine Dao and allow the First God...”

Sifan Jing shook her head. "Elder, the Old Era has passed."

The elder fell into a somber silence.

Sifan Jing continued, "Go beyond. There are many out there beyond your imagination."

She then resumed walking.

The old pallbearer's expression dimmed as he sighed softly.

Not long after, a figure materialized beside Sifan Jing. As she received a few whispered words, her brows furrowed. "Courting death."

She turned back.

...

Two men, one clad in a blue robe and the other in a robe with cloud patterns, strolled across the Divine Ruins.

At the far end of their gaze lay an expanse of endless ruins. At its heart stood two towering stone pillars, soaring thousands of meters high.

"There's something peculiar about this place, Brother Xiao," the blue-robed man remarked.

The Unfettered Swordsman subtly nodded. "I sense it too."

The blue-robed man chuckled. "I wonder what those so-called gods were really made of back then. Do you truly believe in their existence?"

"It matters not. All that does is the sword."

"You're becoming quite the master of pretense."

The Unfettered Swordsman smiled. "No pretense, just stating facts."

"You're at it again with the pretense."

Taking in the view of the ruins, he softly added, "I've often pondered about how this universe and its myriad beings came into existence. The origin of life..."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Despite already becoming quite powerful, he still hadn't found the answer to that.

Who was the first being?

How did the universe come to be?

Surely, there was a purpose behind it all.

This was mere curiosity, however. Such matters held little importance to him. With their current might, they had nothing to fear. Even if they one day discovered that they were mere frogs at the bottom of a well, they'd likely welcome it with open arms.

They were on a constant quest for greater challenges even if it meant having to fight gods or other beings. They yearned to be mere frogs at the bottom of a well!

Anything else would simply be too boring.

The Unfettered Swordsman looked at the vast sky.

"Brother Yang, I want to face my end," he whispered.

Yang just quietly listened.

He understood his friend’s sentiment all too well.

Over the years, Xiao had truly been seeking death. His travels with the Unfettered Swordsman were an attempt to alleviate the latter's loneliness, but it seemed to have little effect. His sole desire was the embrace of death. Unlike him and Plain Skirt Destiny, who had attachments and aspirations, the Unfettered Swordsman had none. His only obsession was his own end, which naturally led to profound loneliness.

The Qingshan Sword Master's ties to his family prevented him from asking for death. Plain Skirt Destiny's fixation on her brother had the same effect. For as long as he was around, she wouldn't entertain thoughts of ending her life. However, the Unfettered Swordsman was different. His one and only obsession was to draw his final breath.

"Brother Xiao, why don't you find yourself a wife?"

The Unfettered Swordsman shook his head. "Women slow me down when I draw my sword."

The blue-robed man chuckled in response. While others would only utter such words in jest, he knew that his companion was serious. Besides his sword, the Unfettered Swordsman had no interest in anything else.

"Destiny..." the Unfettered Swordsman muttered.

"Do you think she can let go of her obsession?"

He couldn't answer.

No one knew for sure if Destiny could really let go of her obsession. He truly hoped that she could since that would undoubtedly lead to earth-shattering changes, but would she truly let go?

The Unfettered Swordsman sighed softly. If it were anyone else, Destiny might be able to, but... that little man had quite a lot on his mind. He was truly capable of handling Destiny even though that was only because Destiny willingly allowed herself to be handled.

The Unfettered Swordsman sighed again.

Eventually, the two arrived at the center of the ruins. Not far ahead of them stood a grand hall, its gates towering a thousand meters high.

Inside the hall were several broken statues and a colossal, blood-stained altar.

After carefully inspecting the altar, the blue-robed man remarked, "This thing might come in handy for my grandson in the future."

With a flick of his sleeve, he enveloped the altar in a mysterious force. However, just as he was about to take it away, a furious roar erupted from within the altar.

"How dare you touch a sacred artifact!"

A terrifying aura surged forth and bore down on him. As his brows furrowed, he flicked his sleeve.

Boom!

The terrifying aura was instantly shattered.

"You...!" the voice inside the altar exclaimed in horror.

The blue-robed man chuckled. "My grandson is a great guy. Follow him, and you'll live a comfortable life, understand?"

He then proceeded to retrieve the altar.

The Unfettered Swordsman shook his head as he laughed. "Brother Yang, why is there such a big difference in how you treat your son and your grandson?"

Back then, the blue-robed man had truly left Ye Xuan to his own devices.

"Destiny spoiled him when she was with him. If I were to spoil him too, wouldn't he think he's invincible?" After a deep sigh, he continued, "My grandson is the really unfortunate one. He was left alone from a really young age. He didn't have anyone by his side. If I don't lend him a helping hand, how is he supposed to survive?"

Rendered speechless, the Unfettered Swordsman simply smiled.

No wonder your son holds such a grudge against you!

The two stepped into the grand hall. The statues lined up inside were in horrible condition, some even missing limbs.

Glancing at the statues, the blue-robed man exclaimed, "These must be some of the gods that people worshiped in the past!"

The Unfettered Swordsman nodded in agreement. He extended his divine sense toward the statues but found nothing—no souls, no consciousness. They seemed to be mere lifeless objects.

Disappointment flickered in the Unfettered Swordsman's eyes at the sight. What a futile trip it had been!

The man in the blue robe shook his head, sharing the sentiment. They had hoped for something divine, but all they found were lifeless statues.

With his interest waning, the Unfettered Swordsman suggested, "Let's move on."

Brother Yang nodded. However, just as they were about to depart, he turned toward a specific spot in the hall, seemingly noticing something. With a casual flick of his sleeve, an ancient book materialized in his hand.

"This will come in handy for my grandson!"

As he stowed the book away, the Unfettered Swordsman shook his head in amusement.

Upon exiting the temple, they were met by a group of elites led by none other than the Temple Master.

With a faint smile, the leader said, "Gentlemen, you've been surrounded."