Jin Quan was a first-stage Golden Core cultivator with a sixth-degree immortal root. He wasn’t weak, but neither was he overwhelmingly strong. Hence, Wu Yuan decided to engage him in close combat with his full power as a body refiner. The fact that he was a qi refiner was a crucial trump card, one that he wasn’t willing to expose unless necessary.
But the moment Jin Quan activated his Domain, this no longer applied. Just as Fang Xia was acknowledged as the world's number one expert by Daoist Wan Xing and Emperor Dong Pan upon showcasing his mastery of the Domain stage, Jin Quan's strength also multiplied exponentially, matching third-stage Golden Core cultivators.
"Green Wind Sword Array!" Jin Quan unleashed his full power, his killing intent palpable. His lifebound flying sword finally moved, and the swarm of flying swords originally attacking Wu Yuan quickly changed direction to surround the lifebound flying sword.
A sixth-grade lifebound flying sword was as strong as a fourth-grade spirit weapon. Alongside it were eight seventh-grade spirit weapons. Guided by strange intricate patterns, the green qi streams connected the nine flying swords, merging them into an ethereal green divine sword.
As the sword array took shape, the expressions of the Heavenly Rankers watching the battle shifted.
Jin Ji and Zhao Xing looked on eagerly, urging him on, "Kill! Kill Wu Yuan!"
“A lifebound flying sword at the Domain Stage? With the combination of a sword array, even a Spiritual Body devil soldier won’t survive an attack .” Fang Xia and the Arctic King's faces turned grave.
"Master, retreat now!" urged the Qiong Sea King, quickly transmitting a message to Wu Yuan's spirit. The sheer power of the sword array sent a chill down his spine.
How fast was the burst speed of a Golden Core cultivator who grasped the Wind Domain? The moment Qiong Sea King’s voice resonated within Wu Yuan's spirit, a sword array materialized in front of Jin Quan. A rain of swords descended, piercing through the air and hurtling towards Wu Yuan.
"Meet your death.” Instead of fleeing from the attack, Wu Yuan did the unexpected - he charged headfirst into the deadly storm of flying swords.
While Jin Quan assembled the sword array and the ethereal divine sword sent the volley of swords down on Wu Yuan, Wu Yuan sprinted forward, closing the distance between them to less than six li.
Both Wu Yuan and Jin Quan were able to cross dozens of li in a second, but flying swords were even faster. With only six li between them, it was basically a close combat fight.
The green divine sword sliced through the air.
"Dark Earth Sword Array." Wu Yuan faced the green divine sword without a hint of fear. In the blink of an eye, earthy-yellow flying swords emerged around him.
Nine Dark Earth flying swords! All of them were his lifebound flying swords!
Hum~ Wu Yuan's incredibly robust Soul Force surged into the flying swords, and strands of earthy-yellow aura instantly merged the nine flying swords into one entity – a massive earthy-yellow divine sword that shot across the sky.
Enveloped within the sword's aura, Wu Yuan radiated unfathomable sharpness and strength. It was the first step of the Dark Earth Sword Array: Sword Array Assembly.
Under the control of Wu Yuan's mighty soul, the Dark Earth divine sword streaked through the air like a beam of earthy yellow light, far quicker than the green divine sword.
“Not good.” Jin Quan’s face paled.
Boom! As the divine swords clashed, the green sword was shattered, and countless ordinary flying swords were sent spinning in all directions. Cracks marred the surfaces of the seventh-grade swords.
"Run!" Jin Quan immediately attempted to flee.
Whoosh~ The earthy-yellow divine sword accelerated once again, reaching an inconceivable velocity as it tore through the vast sky.
In an instant, it blasted right to Jin Quan’s position. That terrifying sharpness instantly penetrated through shield and armor, pulverizing Jin Quan's body! His flesh and blood exploded into gory splatters.
The next instant, the earthy-yellow divine light faded as Wu Yuan's lifebound flying swords returned to his body.
From his lofty vantage point in the sky, Wu Yuan looked down at the rapidly plummeting flying swords, battle armor, and other equipment in the distance. The hazy green light that once shrouded the Holy Capital also began to fade.
Having broken through the Golden Core phase and grasping the Domain stage, Jin Quan was brimming with pride and ambition to unify the Middle Land. However, his dreams were brutally crushed by Wu Yuan.
"Jin Quan, from the moment you convinced Jin Ji and Zhao Xing to betray the world, you were a dead man," Wu Yuan murmured to himself. "I just didn't expect that you would force me to use my trump card."
Wu Yuan's gaze swept across the onlookers. The world fell into utter silence!
"Master, hurry..." Qiong Sea King suddenly stopped his mental plea, his eyes widening as he gazed at the streak of earthy-yellow divine light carving through the sky.
Fang Xia and Arctic King were equally astonished as they watched the earthy-yellow divine light, which was surprisingly faster than Jin Quan's flying sword. All they saw was Wu Yuan transforming into a fearsome divine sword, then as the divine light swept past Jin Quan’s body, the imperator was no more.
Was it an artifact or something different altogether? Questions swirled in their minds. Could it be Wu Yuan's ultimate ability? The idea seemed unbelievable, given that Jin Quan was a Golden Core cultivator who could summon a Domain.
Meng Cai, Liu Junxing, Sang Gu, along with the other Heavenly Rankers, were shaken by the spectacle.
But one breath later, exhilaration swept through the Immortal Cultivators Alliance. Jin Quan's death signaled the downfall of the Great Jin Empire!
When Wu Yuan spoke earlier that day about the battle marking the “final battle before the unification of the Middle Land”, the group was initially skeptical. But now?
"Kill!" Fang Xia growled. "This is the day we obliterate Great Jin."
The six-legged golden mantis transformed into a flash of gold, charging towards the Holy Capital with unstoppable speed.
"Kill! Annihilate them all.” The Heavenly Rankers cried out in unison, jumping into the fray.
Everyone understood that this battle would decide the fate of the Middle Land once and for all. This was the time to go all out.
While Fang Xia and the Arctic King sprang into battle with high spirits, the Heavenly Rankers of Great Jin were paralyzed with fear.
"How... how is this possible? Wu Yuan he..." Zhao Xing's voice faltered with disbelief.
"Father." Jin Ji’s voice was a whisper, his mind still refusing to accept his father’s death, his heart throbbing with pain. For two centuries, he had unparalleled admiration for his father, his faith in the man beyond measure. In his heart, his father Jin Quan was his world!
But today, his world came crashing down.
"Run, Jin Ji!" Zhao Xing's panicked voice was cut short as he transformed into a streak of light, trying to escape the looming danger.
Despite his efforts, a blade ray sliced through the air with deadly precision, ending his life in a spray of blood.
Another blade ray followed, cutting down Black Snake King as he tried to escape, causing him to plummet towards the ground, lifeless.
Boom! Wu Yuan's wings quivered, and he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, instantly arriving in front of Jin Ji.
As for the ten or so mid-stage and early-stage Qi Sea cultivators from Great Jin, Wu Yuan couldn't be bothered to deal with them. That task was left for Fang Xia and the others to handle.
"Why aren't you running?" Wu Yuan looked down at Jin Ji.
"Will you let me go?" Jin Ji shook his head in resignation. "Even my father died at your hands, how can I escape?"
"I no longer wish to flee," Jin Ji sighed.
Wu Yuan looked at Jin Ji coldly and asked, "Do you have any final words?" Letting him go was naturally out of the question!
"Can you spare the Jin royal family's disciples?" Jin Ji murmured.
"They will be dealt with according to customs," Wu Yuan replied simply.
"Thank you, Wu Yuan, you may proceed," Jin Ji said, a faint smile of acceptance on his face.
Following the usual customs, all martial artists from the Jin royal family would die, but at least the bloodline of non-martial artists would be spared.
A blade ray shot past, sending his head flying.
With a wave of his hand, Wu Yuan gathered up the treasures left behind. His gaze swept across the Holy Capital, its walls broken and buildings reduced to rubble from the successive battles.
The previously destroyed imperial city had only been halfway repaired.
In the distance, Fang Xia and the Arctic King were in hot pursuit of the fleeing Heavenly Rankers, showing no mercy as they took them down one by one.
These Heavenly Rankers, who had once been loose cultivators, had defected to the Great Jin. The moment they made their choice, there was no turning back.
Wu Yuan's Soul Force swept over the Holy Capital, picking up on the fear and anxiety of its millions of citizens.
At least, we won’t have a war that sweeps through the entire Middle Land.
From ‘The Progenitor Chronicles’: The Progenitor hails from Li City in the Southdream Province of the Jiang Continent. His surname is Wu and his given name is Yuan...
In the year 3231 of the Eastern Martial calendar, the Progenitor led an attack on the Jin Empire, resulting in the defeat of Imperator Jin in the continental city of the Zhong Continent. Fang Xia, the Arctic King, and others spread the news across the Jin Empire’s territories, ultimately pacifying the Jin Empire.
As September came to an end, the land deities elected the Progenitor as the leader of the Middle Land Alliance.
By the following spring, peace had spread across thirteen continents of the Middle Land and beyond, with the Progenitor receiving great praise for his virtues.
The Wu Empire was founded, with Cloudhill City as its capital, ushering in a new era of peace and stability.
Despite calls to alter the calendar, the Progenitor declared: "The Martial King marked the dawn of civilization, his teachings have persisted for 3000 years and must not be discarded."
Year 3232 of the Eastern Martial calendar, also known as the first year of the Immortal Wu era...
Note: The Zhong Continental City is known by the people of Jin as the Holy Capital.