I tried to kill the heroines of destiny, but they ended up chasing after me.

"Hmm?" Huang Quan raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

"You should know that in one of your previous reincarnations, you were born into the Emperor Sword Clan. Therefore, you are not strangers to the Emperor Sword Clan. You possess the bloodline of the Emperor Sword Clan, and it is the purest first lineage bloodline. It is because of this that you were able to unlock the legendary Emperor Sword. Now, in your current lineage, one of your descendants will encounter an unprecedented calamity in half an incense stick's time. I hope you can help him this once..."

"Help my descendants from my past life?" Huang Quan immediately understood.

“That’s right! But to be precise, it’s also about helping your descendants. You are related to him by blood; you are his father. If you don’t help him, he will definitely die after half an incense stick’s time…” the woman in purple said with great certainty.

"But if I help him, it's like pushing your causal thread forward, right?" Huang Quan asked, somewhat conflicted.

“Yes!” the woman in purple said without denying it. “But even so, I believe you will help him, because you are not the kind of person who would stand by and watch someone die. Besides, he is your son. And don’t overthink it. With your current strength, it’s impossible for you to kill me. I know you hate me, but let’s put that hatred aside for now!”

Huang Quan gritted his teeth slightly, and his body began to tremble again. Even though his current strength was enough to fight against an early-stage Heavenly Monarch, he felt powerless due to his lack of power. He was frustrated, but there was nothing he could do.

"Tell me! Who is he?" With bloodshot eyes, Huang Quan asked the question he was bound to ask.

……

In the sky above the Imperial Sword Clan, the battle between Zhang Shen and Jue Yi continues.

Perhaps influenced by Zhang Shen, the three people in the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation—Zhu Yongri, Dao San, and Yan Tian—also emitted black energy from their bodies. They were panting heavily, their faces pale, and they looked extremely painful, as if they wanted to wake up but couldn't.

Under these circumstances, the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation also showed signs of shaking. Although it was very subtle, it was indeed present, indicating that this formation probably wouldn't last much longer.

On the other hand, the small golden sword that Jueyi had transformed into was also close to Heiye. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he rushed towards Zhang Shen once again. But during this time, he waved his left hand and once again conjured a small golden sword.

"Oh? You use one golden sword to block my attack, and then use another to attack me? That's quite a trick, but unfortunately... can you really break through my defense?" Zhang Shen's eyes flashed, and as the black mist surged, it directly conjured a black wall, blocking in front of the golden sword.

"The Heaven and Earth Profound Formation won't last much longer either. I must win this battle before it loses its effectiveness, but it doesn't matter, because the goddess of victory... has already smiled upon me! Hehehe..." Zhang Shen thought to himself as he watched Jue Yi get closer and closer to Zhang Jian.

In his view, as soon as Jueyi gets close, he will be able to use his secret technique to control the second golden sword in Jueyi's hand, and once Moye comes into contact with the first golden sword that Jueyi throws out, he will inevitably be able to control it as well...

In this way, he would be able to control two golden swords at the same time. If he could use these two golden swords, along with his secret technique, to form a three-way attack, then his chances of victory would be self-evident.

"Come on! This battle... should end!" Zhang Shen's thoughts raced, as if he could already see the dawn of a goddess smiling at him.

Just as he had expected, as Jueyi approached with the second golden sword, his black mist came into contact with the golden sword in Jueyi's hand and corrupted it at the fastest speed. Not only that, the demonic leaves in the sky also came into contact with the first golden sword and began to corrupt at the same time. Presumably, soon, these two golden swords will be under Zhang Shen's control.

The situation was extremely critical, like a fire burning one's eyebrows, but Jueyi did not give up. He knew that once Zhang Shen controlled the two golden swords, death would be inevitable for him. Therefore, he had to defeat Zhang Shen before the two golden swords were corrupted. This was a difficult task, but it was not impossible.

"It's time to end this!" Jue Yi roared, his expression ferocious. He decisively abandoned the golden sword in his hand, and then, taking advantage of the brief moment when the two golden swords were demonized, he frantically circulated his last bit of cultivation power as if he had been prepared in advance. This sudden action caused a golden giant sword of the same size as the original one to appear in front of him and Zhang Shen in the blink of an eye.

"What?!" Upon seeing the golden giant sword appear, Zhang Shen's expression changed drastically, his disbelief evident.

But Jue Yi didn't hesitate. Instead, he directly controlled the golden giant sword and slashed it fiercely towards Zhang Shen's location!

In an instant, the heavens and earth roared and space trembled.

At this moment, the black mist around Zhang Shen was corrupting the second small golden sword, and the demonic leaf was corrupting the first small golden sword. So, on the surface, there was nothing around him that could stop this decisive sword strike.

Only by succeeding with this one sword can one turn the tide and win!

"Die!" Jue Yi roared fiercely as he stared at Zhang Shen in front of him.

However, things are not that simple.

The sword emerged from the heavens and earth, its golden light gleaming.

The dark barrier trembled violently, and the eastern part of the Heaven and Earth Profound Array showed a slight crack. Space was distorted to the extreme, and the eastern district of Emperor Sword Village ceased to exist, and even more so.

Previously there was at least some ash and dirt, but now there is nothing left, because this sword strike really exhausted all of Jueyi's power. Presumably even a strong person in the early stage of Heavenly Monarch would be seriously injured and forced to retreat step by step.

As for Zhang Hu and his group, they were just there to make up the numbers. When the aftershocks and storms dissipated and the space shattered, they could only barely hold on by combining the strength of five people. Otherwise, they would probably be wiped out without a trace.

"Damn it! What terrifying power is this?!" Zhang Kun cursed, his mind reeling. However, a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, indicating that he had been injured.

"This is just the aftermath. We'll stay put and we'll be fine..." Zhang Hu said through gritted teeth, but he looked extremely unwell, his face pale.

As for Jueyi and Zhang Shen, after this sword strike, countless void cracks appeared, like gaping maws that could devour everything, filling the entire field of vision for everyone present.

Zhang Shen was surrounded by a cloud of golden smoke, making it impossible to see what was inside. Even his divine sense was severely hampered. The black mist and demonic leaves he controlled, as well as the two golden swords that he had almost corrupted, were also rapidly dissipating under this powerful force. So, judging from this alone, his situation should not be very optimistic.

After Jueyi unleashed his final sword strike, he immediately appeared disheveled. His eyes trembled uncontrollably, his body swayed precariously, and his breathing was extremely unstable, as if he might fall from the sky at any moment. However, he did not relax, because he wanted to find out exactly how Zhang Shen was doing.

"At such close range, with such immense power, even with that terrifying secret technique protecting him, he couldn't possibly be unharmed. Moreover, after fighting me for so long, his stamina and true strength must have reached their limits..."

"There's also the Heaven and Earth Without Mystery Formation. It can only transfer the power of everyone within the formation to Zhang Shen. Once he uses up all that power, the formation will naturally break down on its own. Shouldn't that time have come by now?" Jue Yi thought to himself, a smile gradually appearing on his lips.

But before his arc could fully rise, his expression froze, and his mood changed completely in that instant. He was a little complicated, a little incredulous, and his mind was shaken. He even subconsciously took two steps back in mid-air.

There stood two people, one alive and one dead. One of them was someone I didn't recognize. He was an old man in a green robe. But if Huang Quan and Zhu Nu were there, they would be shocked, because this man was none other than Zhu Yongyue, who had been missing for a long time. But now he was lifeless and had become a corpse with a broken body.

As for the other person in front of Jueyi, there was no suspense either. It was Zhang Shen. Zhang Shen, who survived Jueyi's fiercest attack, used Zhu Yongyue's body to block Jueyi's sword at the last moment. So at this moment, although he also looked very uncomfortable, he was much better off than Jueyi.

"What?! You..." Jue was speechless, seemingly unable to utter a word.

Despite his weakened state, Zhang Shen revealed a sinister smile: "Hahahaha! Didn't expect that, did you! I had a trick up my sleeve! I told Zhu Yongri before that although this guy was killed by us together, his corpse would definitely be useful one day! Sure enough! Sure enough!! My body, at the mid-stage Heavenly Monarch level, may not be able to withstand the full power of your golden giant sword, but at least it can keep me alive!"

"I was right! I was right!!" With that, Zhang Shen waved his left hand and casually tossed Zhu Yongyue's corpse aside. But with that toss, the corpse began to evaporate rapidly, turning into countless specks of dust in less than two breaths, drifting across the sky. Unfortunately, it could not return to dust.

Jue Yi remained silent, panting heavily. He knew he was at a disadvantage, that Zhang Shen had definitely reserved some of his strength, and that the tide of the battle had truly turned in Zhang Shen's favor. But he was helpless, because he had no means of retaliating.

“I’m not in a hurry anymore.” Zhang Shen slowly calmed himself down and looked at Jue Yi, who was silent, and said softly.

Zhang Shen understood very well that Jue Yi could not recover his cultivation in a short time, let alone have the ability to resist him again. From this point of view, the battle was already decided. However, he was unwilling to kill Jue Yi just like that because there were still two things he had not figured out, namely the question of the beginning and the end.

"I want to know what secrets this Emperor Sword Clan still holds that I don't know. I hope you can tell me, and if you do, I might spare your daughter," Zhang Shen threatened in a very normal way.

Upon hearing this, Jue Yi sneered and replied disdainfully, "You're really delusional! Do you think I don't know who you are? I bet even if I told you those secrets, you'd still eliminate me completely!"

"Tsk tsk! It seems I am truly worthless in your eyes! But you are right, I will never let go of anyone who might become my enemy, but there are exceptions. As long as you tell me those things, I will erase your daughter's memories and cultivation, expel her from the Emperor Sword Clan, and let her live out her life quietly as an ordinary person. How about it?" Zhang Shen said again.

"Hmm?" At this moment, Jue Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was somewhat tempted, and he fell silent.

"Think it over carefully! This is the biggest concession I can make. You know, if you die, you're gone, taking those secrets with you to dust. But your daughter is innocent!" Zhang Shen continued to tempt her.

"And I know that your father originally wanted you to live your life as an ordinary person, but unfortunately, he never achieved that. So, shouldn't you consider inheriting your father's last wish? Although she would lose her cultivation and the chance to live forever, she would also gain a lot!"

“For example, she no longer has to get involved in our grudges, no longer has to think so much, no longer has to live in fear. And these... aren't these exactly what you want to give her? I'm a father too, I understand…” Zhang Shen’s eyes flickered, as if there was a hint of seriousness in them.

But just as Zhang Shen finished speaking, Jue Yi suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

"Hmm?" Seeing Jueyi's change, Zhang Shen frowned, a hint of doubt rising in his heart: "What are you laughing at?"

"What are you laughing at? Hehehe! I'm laughing because you really underestimate me! Did you think I didn't consider what would happen if I failed before I came here?" Jueyi suddenly retorted.

"What?" Zhang Shen's eyes narrowed, and a thought flashed through his mind, as if he had made a guess.

"Hmph! Let me tell you the truth! What you've thought of, I've already thought of long ago. Before I came, I had already erased my daughter's memory, and secretly sent her out of the Emperor Sword Clan. Judging by the time, she should be in the Heavenly Profound Realm now, living a new life of her own..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shen was startled and said, still somewhat incredulous, "Impossible! How could you be so heartless?!"

"It's not that I'm heartless! It's that I saw through it all long ago. I will never let my daughter repeat my mistakes. I want you to live a happy life, even if I'm not by her side, even if I never see her again, I will be willing..."

"And you!" With that, Jue Yi stretched out his left hand and pointed it sharply at Zhang Shen: "Just for your own selfish desires, you abandoned your children and your identity as a member of the Emperor Sword Clan. You are not only unworthy of being a clan leader, but you are also unworthy of being a father. No wonder Zhang Jian dislikes you so much. You are not worthy of being liked by him at all!"

"Shut up!!" Perhaps enraged by Jueyi's words, Zhang Shen shouted, and with a flick of his left hand, a powerful force instantly transformed into a wind blade, hurtling towards Jueyi's position.

In the blink of an eye, Jueyi's left arm was completely severed by the wind blade. The severed arm flew into the sky and fell directly into a spatial rift, accompanied by blood and flesh. Such a sudden attack caused sweat to pour down Jueyi's forehead, and intense pain assaulted his heart.

However, he did not scream in pain. He just gritted his teeth and covered the wound with his right hand. His willpower was extremely strong. It was impossible for him to shout and scream because of an arm. However, his injury was aggravated to some extent under this change. Perhaps because of this, his consciousness became a little blurred.

At this moment, Zhang Shen seemed to have given up on continuing to press Jue Yi about the secrets of the Emperor Sword Clan. He calmed his mind, smiled slightly, and said, "Forget it! Since I can't get you to open your mouth, I don't want to know what kind of secret it is. Anyway, as long as you disappear, those so-called secrets will disappear with you."

"Oh? Is...is that so?" Jueyi, still panting heavily, forced a smile and said, "You really like to deceive yourself! But you're right, if everyone who knows the secret is dead, then the secret will naturally cease to exist. So...what are you waiting for? Make your move!"

“You don’t need to rush me. When it’s your time to die, you will die. But before that, I have one more question…” As he spoke, Zhang Shen suddenly looked at Jue Yi with a serious expression: “I’m asking you, are you my biological brother?”

Upon hearing this question, Jueyi was taken aback at first, and after a few moments of silence, he replied, "Hmph! This is quite an interesting question! Don't you know that your real brother has been dead for a long time?"

“Of course I know, but I always feel that you have a bit of my brother in you,” Zhang Shen said.

"Is that so? Heh!" Jue Yi sneered, "Actually, what you said makes a lot of sense. Although I look old, in terms of cultivation age and birth age, you are indeed older than me. More importantly, your father and my father were indeed true brothers, so we can be considered blood brothers..."

"It's just that we've followed the same path they did. Back then, your father attacked my father, and now, as his son, you want to kill me. It's like a cycle!"

"Reincarnation? Perhaps!" Zhang Shen murmured, but finally smiled nonchalantly and asked, "So... are you ready?"

"Enough with the nonsense. If you don't make a move now, you'll miss your chance!" Jue Yi said seriously, his eyes narrowed. But he wasn't wrong, because he was still secretly recovering his cultivation. In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he would be able to fight again.

But he also knew very well that Zhang Shen knew his situation and that Zhang Shen would never let him reach that point, which is why he said those words without any hesitation.

“Very good!” As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Shen no longer hesitated. With a wave of his left hand, a wind blade reappeared. This time, however, he was no longer attacking Jueyi’s arm, but Jueyi’s head.

And Zhang Shen did not hesitate for a moment during this process...

"Sigh!" Jue Yi sighed softly and closed his eyes.

But sometimes, things are prone to unexpected events, like... this very moment.

A black hole, about one meter in diameter, standing upright in mid-air, suddenly appeared in Jueyi's eyes and blocked the wind blade perfectly.

"Huh?" Upon seeing this, Jue Yi and Zhang Shen were both startled.

The wind blade made contact with the black hole in the next instant, but after a moderate rumble, the sky fell silent again, as if nothing had happened.

At that very moment, a man dressed in a green robe and wearing a mask emerged from the void, his expression a mixture of confusion and complexity, and slowly appeared beside Jueyi. Without a doubt, he was Huang Quan, who had come from the underground passage.

"It's you?!" Jueyi and Zhang Shen were surprised again, but more than that, they were filled with deep doubt.

Because they didn't know why Huang Quan was here, why he saved Jue Yi, or what his purpose was in being here. So overall, it was quite puzzling.

On the other hand, Zhang Hu and the others at the edge of the barrier knew that the masked youth was the one who won the Zhang Jian wedding ceremony, but they did not know his true identity or whether he was friend or foe. Therefore, they were also puzzled by his sudden appearance.

"Who is this person?" Zhang Lian asked as soon as the thought crossed her mind.

"I don't know, but since this person was able to enter this barrier silently from the outside, he's definitely not someone to be trifled with. So let's continue to observe and see what happens!" Zhang Hu shook his head and said.

"Tsk! Things seem to be getting more and more complicated!" For some reason, Zhang Xuan suddenly said this, but after he said this, the people present fell silent again, perhaps because they sensed that the real result was coming soon!

Meanwhile, Huang Quan, Jue Yi, and Zhang Shen faced each other in the sky, but Jue Yi and Zhang Shen's gazes were both fixed on Huang Quan.

"Kid! I don't know how you got in here! But I advise you to mind your own business and go back to where you came from!" Zhang Shen suppressed his doubts and spoke directly to Huang Quan, though there was a hint of force in his tone.

"Hmph! Go back to where you came from! Zhang Shen! You're so stupid, don't deny it. Do you think I would have come here if I were threatened by you?" Huang Quan sneered, replying with great confidence.

But his words made Zhang Shen and Jue Yi, who hadn't spoken, frown, as if they sensed something else in them.

"Oh? Heh! Kid! I advise you not to do the 'mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind' thing. Even if my strength isn't what it used to be, you still have no chance against me," Zhang Shen said confidently.

Of course, this is indeed the case. The gap between a cultivator who has reached the Nirvana Perfection and a powerhouse who is infinitely close to the Heavenly Monarch is as vast as an invisible chasm. If the latter wants to kill the former, he can do so with just a flick of his finger. However, Huang Quan is not an ordinary Nirvana cultivator, so there are still unforeseen circumstances.

"Come on! Your tactics are too outdated! If you were really confident in defeating me, why would you be wasting so much time talking to me? You're letting me leave because you don't want any more trouble, right?" Huang Quan said, hitting the nail on the head.

But he was right. From the moment Huang Quan appeared, both Jue Yi and Zhang Shen subconsciously probed Huang Quan with their divine senses. But apart from that little bit of Nirvana Perfection cultivation, neither of them could detect anything else from Huang Quan.

The Yellow Springs were like a bottomless abyss, so deep that neither of the two present could see the bottom. Based on this alone, Zhang Shen, who was seriously injured, could not attack rashly. Moreover, Zhang Shen was not stupid. The fact that the Yellow Springs could appear here silently without either of them noticing and block one of his attacks to save Jue Yi proved that the Yellow Springs' strength was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

"I'm giving you one last chance! Either get out or die!" Zhang Shen asked again, but this time his tone was more impatient, because he could see that Jue Yi, who had been silent by Huang Quan's side, was not silent because he was not puzzled by Huang Quan's appearance, but because he was taking this opportunity to secretly and quickly recover his cultivation.