204: Chapter 204 It's not the theft itself that's scary, it's having someone's eye on it.

[Ye Gucheng retreated to the seventh step and suddenly stopped.]

[The position he stepped on was exactly the node of a sword formation he had secretly laid down when entering the palace.]

[A faint, almost imperceptible spiritual light flashed on the ground, like a string that had been stretched for too long, finally being plucked.]

[Nine Earth Rank peak-grade Flying Swords burst out from beneath the ground.]

[The sword bodies were slender and entirely silver-white, each engraved with dense runes.]

[They did not stab toward Feng Qingyang, but instead hovered around him in the positions of the Nine Palaces, trapping him in the center.]

[This was something Ye Gucheng had prepared before entering the Sealed Land.]

[Nine swords, Earth Rank peak-grade; a single one was not worth mentioning, but nine appearing together to form a sword formation was enough to trap a Spirit Nurturing expert.]

[Moreover, the formation eye of these nine swords was not on the outside, but the inside.]

[The Peak Master of the Tenth Peak's expression changed drastically, his voice sounding somewhat dry: "You knew all along that something was wrong with Feng Qingyang?"]

[Ye Gucheng did not answer.]

[There was no expression on his face, like a stone statue.]

[He simply activated the sword formation, and the nine swords simultaneously emitted a low hum.]

[Feng Qingyang struggled within the sword formation.]

[His fists were covered in black scales, and every punch that smashed into the sword formation produced a dull, thunderous roar, making the entire palace tremble.]

[But the sword formation remained motionless, like an iron cage trapping a cornered beast inside.]

[The Void Beast King's voice squeezed out of Feng Qingyang's throat, hoarse and crazed: "Ye Gucheng! You cannot kill me!]

[I have lived in symbiosis with him for a hundred years; killing him is killing your Junior Brother!"]

[Ye Gucheng's sword paused for an instant.]

[An extremely short instant, so short that most people present did not notice.]

[But Chu Sheng saw it.]

["Junior Brother?" Ye Gucheng's voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.]

[He looked up, staring at Feng Qingyang's burning red eyes, "My Junior Brother Feng Qingyang died a hundred years ago.]

["You are nothing more than a beast surviving by borrowing his corpse."]

[His finger drew a rune in the air.]

[The nine Flying Swords simultaneously stopped humming, and the runes on the sword bodies brightened to the extreme, like nine suns about to explode.]

[Chu Sheng's pupils shrank suddenly—he understood.]

[These nine swords were not meant to trap Feng Qingyang; they were meant to be detonated.]

[The power of an Earth Rank peak-grade Flying Sword's self-detonation was enough to destroy a Body Cultivator's Physical Body from the inside.]

[Feng Qingyang was a Body Refining cultivator with a powerful Physical Body; spiritual power attacks had their effectiveness halved against him.]

[But exploding from the inside, no matter how strong his physique was, he wouldn't be able to withstand it.]

[The nine swords exploded simultaneously.]

[Only nine beams of white light burst forth from within Feng Qingyang's body.]

[Feng Qingyang's body began to disintegrate.]

[There was no pain on his face, even a hint of relief as if a burden had been lifted.]

[He opened his mouth and silently mouthed a single word: "Thanks..."]

[The light swallowed him.]

[Ye Gucheng raised his hand and struck; the wentian sword unsheathed, its sword light like a bolt of silk, pinning that cloud of black mist to the ground.]

[The black mist emitted a sharp hiss, like a cat that had its tail stepped on.]

[Ye Gucheng took out a jade bottle from his robes, pointing the mouth downward; a suction force slowly drew the Void Beast King's remnant soul into the bottle.]

[His movements were as practiced as if he had done this countless times.]

[Chu Sheng stood to the side, using the zhu xian sword to protect himself, with only one thought in his mind: this man is truly ruthless.]

[Nine Earth Rank peak-grade Flying Swords, detonated just like that.]

[His Junior Brother's life, taken just like that.]

[And he had calculated it all along, even before entering the Sealed Land.]

[Every step was within his plan: Feng Qingyang would volunteer to guard the rear, would be possessed by a Void Beast, and would attack him.]

[Then he could rightfully eliminate this rival who had plagued him for decades while simultaneously capturing the remnant soul of the Void Beast King.]

[Killing two birds with one stone.]

[Ye Gucheng's face still bore no expression.]

[The Old Grandfather said in a low voice from within the ring: "This old man saw people like this back in the day."]

["They are ruthless to their enemies, and just as ruthless to their own."]

[Chu Sheng did not speak.]

[Ling Wushuang looked at Ye Gucheng's back, her voice somewhat cold: "You planned this all along, didn't you?"]

["Including letting Feng Qingyang enter the Sealed Land, and including using his hand to eliminate dissidents."]

[Ye Gucheng said indifferently: "The internal affairs of Wendao Palace are not for Heavenly Sword Pavilion to worry about."]

[Chu Sheng suddenly understood one thing: Ye Gucheng had known for a long time that there was a problem with Feng Qingyang.]

[But he didn't deal with it in advance.]

[He waited until today, until the Sealed Land, until he needed to use Feng Qingyang's life to exchange for the Void Beast King's remnant soul before he acted.]

[Killing two birds with one stone.]

[He both eliminated Feng Qingyang and obtained the Void Beast King's remnant soul.]

[As for those nine Earth Rank peak-grade Flying Swords, they were nothing more than nine tools to him.]

[If they were blown up, they were blown up; they weren't worth feeling distressed over.]

[He had just put the Jade Slip into his Storage Pouch and hadn't even had time to catch his breath when Ling Wushuang walked over.]

[She walked very slowly, each step very light, but her gaze was very heavy, heavy like two mountains pressing down on the zhu xian sword at Chu Sheng's waist.]

[There was light in her eyes, not the light of spiritual power, but greed, obsession, and desire, all mixed together, so thick they couldn't be dispersed.]

[She stopped in front of Chu Sheng, glanced at him, and then looked down at that sword.]

[The sword body was as black as ink, with dark red patterns flowing faintly in the light of the palace.]

["A fine sword," she murmured to herself, as if forgetting that there were other people present.]

[Chu Sheng took a step back.]

[It wasn't cowardice; it was a tactical retreat.]

[Ling Wushuang looked up at Chu Sheng.]

["Give me the sword," she spoke, "Spirit Stones, Cultivation Techniques, Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures—I will give you whatever you want.]

["I can let you enter the Heavenly Sword Pavilion's treasure vault to pick three items."]

["Not enough? Five items."]

["Still not enough? Ten items."]

[Chu Sheng shook his head.]

[Ling Wushuang bit her lip, a rare trace of urgency appearing on her face.]

[She took half a step forward, and Chu Sheng took another half step back.]

["Then... how about my body?" She said this without blushing or her heart skipping a beat, "I am still a virgin."]

["An Elder of Heavenly Sword Pavilion with a Spirit Nurturing Realm cultivation, paired with a Palace Building like you—it should be your gain."]

[The representatives of the various Sects present fell silent.]

[Ye Gucheng frowned but did not speak.]

[He was from Wendao Palace, and Ling Wushuang was from Heavenly Sword Pavilion; he couldn't control her.]

[Chu Sheng looked at Ling Wushuang's serious face and thought this woman was truly crazy.]

[To seize the sword, she was even selling herself.]

["Not for sale," Chu Sheng said, his tone very flat.]

[She didn't say anything more, only gave Chu Sheng a look; in that gaze was unwillingness, greed, and an indescribable—killing intent.]

[Chu Sheng understood that look.]

[He knew he had been targeted.]

[He rejected Ling Wushuang today; tomorrow, Heavenly Sword Pavilion would receive the news.]

[The day after tomorrow, some "expert" might come to find him to "exchange pointers."]

[Ling Wushuang withdrew her gaze, turned, and left.]

[Her back was very straight, like an unsheathed sword, but Chu Sheng noticed that her hand was always pressed against her sword hilt.]

[Chu Sheng looked down at the zhu xian sword at his waist; the sword body vibrated slightly.]

[Chu Sheng cursed in his heart: You caused the trouble, and you're saying it has nothing to do with you?]

[The Old Grandfather said in the ring: "This old man told you long ago that things like Magical Artifacts will attract disaster."]

["Even if it's only a quarter, you just had to bring it out to show off."]

[Chu Sheng said he brought it out for self-defense; who knew he would run into such a crazy woman?]

[The Old Grandfather said to stop being stubborn; what should be done now?]

[Chu Sheng said what else could be done; finish the business at hand first, and think of a way after returning.]

[He gripped the zhu xian sword tightly and followed Ye Gucheng toward the depths of the palace.]

[Behind him, Ling Wushuang's figure disappeared around the corner of the corridor.]

[Chu Sheng did not look back, but he knew this matter wasn't over.]

[Heavenly Sword Pavilion, one of the twelve giants of the Central Region, and a Sword Fanatic of the Spirit Nurturing Realm had set her sights on his sword.]

Chu Sheng sighed in his heart.

Not afraid of the thief stealing, but afraid of the thief coveting.

This simulation is getting harder and harder.