From the fake emperor to the concubine

"Useless!" Li Xiaoyao slammed his fist on the tea table beside him, shattering it in a fit of rage. "That idiot Xue Wuqing can't even defend his own lair!"

But amidst his anger, a chill also crept into Li Xiaoyao's heart.

Zheng Yi's ability to infiltrate Blood Fiend Valley silently and kill Xue Wuqing demonstrates that his strength is even more terrifying than anticipated. Even more frightening is that if Zheng Yi continues this assassination tactic, leaders of other factions may face the same danger.

"Immediately notify all other factions to strengthen their defenses!" Li Xiaoyao hurriedly ordered. "We absolutely cannot allow Zheng Yi to succeed again!"

The news quickly spread to other factions.

At the headquarters of the Blazing Fire Sect, Master Blazing Fire was discussing countermeasures with several elders.

"Everyone, you've all heard about Xue Wuqing's assassination, haven't you?" Master Liehuo said with a solemn expression.

"I've heard about it; it's truly unexpected," an elder sighed. "Who would have thought Zheng Yi would resort to such methods?"

"The problem now is, how should we respond?" another elder said worriedly. "What if Zheng Yi's next target is us?"

"Don't be afraid!" Master Liehuo forced himself to remain calm. "I've already ordered the defenses of the mountain gate to be strengthened. Zheng Yi's attempt to infiltrate Liehuo Sect won't be so easy!"

Despite this, Master Liehuo was also quite uneasy. Blood Fiend Valley's defenses were no weaker than Liehuo Sect's, yet Xue Wuqing still died. This showed that conventional defensive measures were ineffective against Zheng Yi.

The situation is similar at the Shuiyun Sect.

"Sect Master, should we temporarily withdraw from the alliance?" an elder suggested, "Zheng Yi is acting like a madman right now. Who knows who he'll kill next?"

"Withdraw from the alliance?" Shui Wuhen, the sect leader of Shuiyun Sect, frowned. "Withdrawing now would be a sign of weakness to Zheng Yi, wouldn't it?"

"But Sect Master, although Xue Wuqing's strength is not as great as yours, he is still at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, yet he was still killed with a single sword strike," the elder continued to persuade. "This shows that Zheng Yi's strength has reached an extremely terrifying level."

"Besides, our participation in the siege of the Zheng family was entirely for profit. What's the point if we have to pay the price with our lives?"

Shui Wuhen fell silent.

Indeed, joining the alliance is about getting a share of the profits; if you can't even save your life, then all the benefits are meaningless.

Meanwhile, several other factions were also having similar discussions.

The Poison Scorpion Sect has been wiped out by Zheng Yi, and the Soul Severing Sect has suffered the same fate. Now, the leader of the Blood Hand Gang has been assassinated, leaving the remaining forces in a state of panic.

Those forces that were relatively weak, in particular, began to back down.

In this tense atmosphere, Zheng Yi was already secretly choosing his next target.

After returning to his family, he carefully studied the intelligence of various forces and finally focused on a sect called "Iron Sword Sect".

The Iron Sword Sect's leader, Tie Wushuang, is a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, ranking in the middle among the top ten powers. More importantly, the Iron Sword Sect is located in a relatively remote area, and its leader, Tie Wushuang, has always been a loner, rarely interacting with other powers.

"This is a perfect target," Zheng Yi thought to himself. "After Tie Wushuang dies, other forces might not be willing to risk their lives to avenge him."

The following night, Zheng Yi embarked on his assassination journey once again.

The Iron Sword Sect is located on Iron Sword Mountain in the southeast. The entire mountain is made of black rock, and it looks like a huge black sword stuck in the ground.

"That really suits the Iron Sword Sect's style," Zheng Yi thought to himself, looking at the distant mountains.

Unlike Blood Fiend Valley, Iron Sword Mountain's defenses are relatively simple. There is only one winding road leading up the entire mountain, with some simple formations and traps set up on both sides of the road.

But this level of defense was nothing to Zheng Yi.

Instead of taking the winding mountain path, he climbed directly up the cliff face on the other side of the mountain. With his current strength, walking on the vertical rock face was as easy as walking on flat ground.

Soon, Zheng Yi arrived at the Iron Sword Sect headquarters on the mountaintop.

The Iron Sword Sect's architecture is extremely simple, constructed entirely of black stone without any decoration. Yet, every building exudes a sharp sword intent, demonstrating the Iron Sword Sect's profound swordsmanship.

"As expected of a sect renowned for its swordsmanship," Zheng Yi said, sensing the surrounding sword intent. "It's a pity they chose the wrong opponent."

He cautiously crept through the Iron Sword Sect, searching for Tie Wushuang's location.

According to intelligence, Tie Wushuang cultivates every night in the Sword Tomb on the back mountain. The swords of the Iron Sword Sect's past masters are buried there, imbued with intense sword intent, making it the perfect place for cultivation.

Sure enough, when Zheng Yi arrived at the back mountain, he sensed a powerful sword intent surging within him.

In the center of a densely packed cluster of sword mounds, a middle-aged man dressed in black sat cross-legged. He was tall and thin, with a serious expression, and exuded an aura as sharp as a sword.

"That's him." Zheng Yi confirmed the target's identity.

Tie Wushuang is currently cultivating with the sword intent of the Sword Tomb, which has indeed reduced his perception of the outside world. However, as a cultivator specializing in swordsmanship, his perception of sword intent is extremely sharp.

If Zheng Yi approaches rashly, he is likely to be noticed.

"It seems we need to change our strategy," Zheng Yi thought, considering a countermeasure.

Suddenly, an idea came to him. Since Tie Wushuang was sensitive to sword intent, he would use sword intent to confuse him.

Zheng Yi quietly took out several ordinary longswords and then used his Zheng Yang sword intent to perform a simple refining process on them. These longswords instantly bore the imprint of his sword intent.

Then, he planted these longswords in different locations in the sword mound, simulating a scene where multiple sword cultivators were practicing at the same time.

Sure enough, sensing the change in the sword intent around him, Tie Wushuang opened his eyes.

"Huh? Why are there so many junior brothers cultivating at the Sword Tomb tonight?" Tie Wushuang muttered to himself in confusion.

Just as he was trying to discern the source of these sword intents, Zheng Yi silently approached from behind.

"Zhengyang Sword Technique - Silent Slash!"

The transparent sword light reappeared, silently slashing towards Tie Wushuang's back.

However, Tie Wushuang was, after all, a master swordsman, and he keenly sensed the danger just as the sword light was about to strike.

"Who goes there?" Tie Wushuang whirled around, drawing his sword at the same time. "Iron Sword Thirteen Forms - Wind and Thunder Sword!"

A silver sword light arrived first, colliding with Zheng Yi's attack.

"Zheng Yi?" Tie Wushuang was shocked when she recognized the attacker. "How did you get here?"

"I've come to take your life," Zheng Yi said coldly. "Xue Wuqing is dead; now it's your turn."

"Xue Wuqing is dead?" Tie Wushuang's expression changed drastically. "Did you kill him?"

“That’s right.” Zheng Yi nodded. “Since you dared to besiege my Zheng family, you should be prepared to pay the price.”

"Arrogant!" Tie Wushuang roared, "Even if Xue Wuqing is dead, you can't kill me!"

"Thirteen Forms of the Iron Sword - Heaven and Earth Sword!"

Tie Wushuang unleashed his full power, and a massive sword light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire Sword Tomb as if it were daytime.

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - The Great Sun Shines in the Sky!"

Zheng Yi was not to be outdone, and the golden sun and the silver sword light clashed fiercely in the air.

"boom!"

A huge explosion rang out, and the entire Iron Sword Mountain shook.

"Oh no! Enemy invasion!"

"The sect leader is in danger!"

"Quickly, go and support the sect leader!" The explosion alarmed the entire Iron Sword Sect, and countless disciples rushed towards the Sword Tomb.

"Damn it!" Zheng Yi cursed inwardly, "Tie Wushuang's attack was too powerful."

However, he couldn't worry about that now; the most important thing was to deal with Tie Wushuang as soon as possible.

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique: Ten Thousand Swords Return to Their Origin!"

Countless sword shadows rained down on Tie Wushuang, each one containing terrifying power.

"Thirteen Forms of the Iron Sword - Ten Thousand Swords Pay Homage to the Source!"

Tie Wushuang also unleashed the same move, with countless silver and golden sword shadows colliding in the air.

"Jingle bells!"

The dense crashing sounds were like a sudden downpour on banana leaves, sparks flew everywhere, illuminating the entire night sky.

Both men's swordsmanship was extremely exquisite, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.

However, as the battle progressed, Tie Wushuang gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

Zheng Yi's cultivation level was one minor realm higher than his, and the power of the Zhengyang Sword Technique was also superior to that of the Iron Sword Sect's sword techniques.

"Impossible!" Tie Wushuang stared incredulously at his own retreating defeat. "I've cultivated the sword for hundreds of years, how could I possibly lose to you?"

"Because you only cultivate mortal sword techniques, while I cultivate immortal sword arts," Zheng Yi said coldly. "Different realms, different results."

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - The Sun God Sword!"

A gigantic lightsaber, thousands of feet long, condensed in the air, radiating earth-shattering power.

"What kind of sword technique is this?" Tie Wushuang felt the power of the light sword, and his eyes were filled with fear.

"A sword technique to send you on your way!" Zheng Yi pointed a finger, and the Sun God Sword whistled as it slashed towards Tie Wushuang.

"Iron Sword Thirteen Styles - Ultimate Technique - Heaven-Shattering Sword!"

Tie Wushuang exerted all his strength, unleashing the Iron Sword Sect's strongest technique. A silver sword light shot into the sky like lightning, meeting the Sun God Sword head-on.

"boom!"

The two ultimate techniques collided in mid-air, unleashing an unprecedented and terrifying power.

The entire Iron Sword Mountain shook violently under this impact, and some buildings on the summit even began to collapse.

When the light faded, Tie Wushuang was already severely injured and lying on the ground with a huge bloody hole in his chest. He clearly wouldn't live much longer.

"I'm not reconciled," Tie Wushuang said weakly. "Our Iron Sword Sect's thousand-year-old swordsmanship has actually been defeated by a young man."

"I'm not as skilled as them, there's nothing to be resentful about." Zheng Yi raised his longsword. "Go in peace."

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - One Strike to the Throat!"

The sword light, as thin as a thread, pierced through Tie Wushuang's throat, and this leader of the Iron Sword Sect followed in Xue Wuqing's footsteps.

"Sect Master!"

At this moment, the disciples of the Iron Sword Sect finally arrived at the Sword Tomb, but all they found was Tie Wushuang's corpse.

"Who? Who killed the sect leader?" an elder roared angrily.

But Zheng Yi had already left and disappeared into the night.

Within two days, the leaders of two different factions were assassinated, and the news shook the entire cultivation world.

"That's terrifying!"

"Is Zheng Yi going to kill all the leaders of the ten major forces?"

"Such assassination methods are impossible to guard against; who would dare to be his enemy?"

Various discussions arose one after another, and the remaining members of the ten major forces were filled with anxiety.

At the headquarters of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Li Xiaoyao convened an emergency meeting.

"Gentlemen, Tie Wushuang is dead too." Li Xiaoyao's face was terribly grim. "Zheng Yi is declaring war on us!"

"Sect Leader, what should we do?" Master Liehuo asked worriedly. "If this continues, we'll all be defeated one by one sooner or later."

“Yes, Zheng Yi’s assassination methods are terrifying.” Shui Wuhen also seemed uneasy. “Even a swordsman like Tie Wushuang couldn’t defend against him.”

"Don't panic, everyone!" Li Xiaoyao forced himself to remain calm. "Zheng Yi is powerful, but he's only one person. As long as we unite, we have nothing to fear!"

"But Sect Leader, the Blood Hand Gang has now withdrawn from the alliance, and the Iron Sword Sect is leaderless," a representative of one faction raised. "Our strength has been greatly diminished."

“Furthermore,” another representative added, “who can guarantee that Zheng Yi’s next target won’t be himself?”

This statement silenced everyone present.

Indeed, the deaths of Xue Wuqing and Tie Wushuang placed immense psychological pressure on them. No one could guarantee they would survive Zheng Yi's assassination attempt.

Just then, an unexpected voice rang out:

"I think we should consider withdrawing from the alliance."

The speaker was Qingmu Zhenren, the sect leader of the Qingmu Sect. His cultivation level was only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, making him one of the weaker members of the alliance.

"Master Qingmu, what are you saying?" Li Xiaoyao looked at him angrily.

"Sect Leader, I'm telling the truth," Master Qingmu said with a bitter smile. "Our Qingmu Sect joined the alliance originally to get a share of the profits. But now we can't even save our lives, so what's the point of talking about benefits?"

"Xue Wuqing and Tie Wushuang were no weaker than me, yet they were still killed by Zheng Yi. With my strength, if I became his target, I would have no chance of survival."

"Therefore, I have decided that the Aoki Sect will withdraw from the alliance."

These words were like a bombshell, causing an uproar throughout the conference hall.

"Master Qingmu, you have betrayed the alliance!" Master Liehuo angrily accused.

"It's not betrayal, it's for self-preservation," Master Aoki said firmly. "I don't want to follow in the footsteps of Xue Wuqing and Tie Wushuang."

"I also think Master Aoki makes a good point." Surprisingly, Shui Wuhen also expressed his support, "Zheng Yi's strength is terrifying; we simply can't handle him."

"Continuing like this will only lead to more deaths."

"You...you're deserting your posts!" Li Xiaoyao trembled with rage.

"Sect Leader, it's not that we want to escape, but that this alliance itself has problems," Master Qingmu calmly analyzed. "We underestimated Zheng Yi's strength, and we also underestimated his determination."

"The current situation has exceeded our expectations; continuing will only lead to our total annihilation."

"I agree with Master Qingmu's opinion," Shui Wuhen added, "The Shuiyun Sect will also withdraw from the alliance."

With these two forces taking the lead, the other weaker forces also began to waver.

"We need to think about it too." (End of Chapter)