The Second-Most Beautiful Woman of Southbarren State, An Old Friend in Peril
The Second-Most Beautiful Woman of Southbarren State, An Old Friend in Peril
“This place is Southbarren State, one of the Thirteen States. When the Otherworldly Sky Demons first descended, they appeared from beneath the sky beyond Southbarren State.”
Gu Changge, the young girl Ah Qing, and Ah Da strolled casually across the battlefield, as leisurely as if taking a walk in a courtyard, as though an invisible domain surrounded them.
Even Cultivators of profound cultivation could not see their figures.
All offensive techniques and shockwaves, the moment they were about to touch the three of them, were dissolved by an invisible force, dispersing like ripples.
Ah Qing understood this was Gu Changge’s doing—mysterious and unfathomable, impossible to fathom. So, gazing at the great battle ahead, she spoke softly and began to explain.
She knew Gu Changge bore no ill will. After bringing her back to her homeland, he had come alone with only a single subordinate at his side, not marching together with the army of the Beyond.
To her, Gu Changge was a benefactor, completely different from the other Cultivators of the Beyond.
“That city in the distance is Southbarren City.”
Gu Changge nodded.
From Ah Qing’s words, he had learned that the Profound Sword World consisted of Thirteen States, each with an immensely vast territory.
Though it was far from comparable to the Beyond, it was unknown how many times vaster than the territories of other ancient worlds.
Moreover, ever since arriving in this world, he had sensed that this world possessed an extremely lucid will.
To be precise, this world had a spirit—it could even manipulate the world’s Principles to resist the supreme experts of the Beyond and block their descent. It was absolutely no ordinary World’s Will.
The cultivation method Gu Changge practiced was completely different from that of other Cultivators. When he concealed all of his aura, no one could probe his depths.
Thus, in the perception of this world, Gu Changge’s existence was more like a void—vast and unknowable.
He was not worried about being rejected by this world either.
Besides, he had come precisely for this world’s Source. If it possessed consciousness, all the better—it would be easier to deal with.
“Yes. But judging by the looks of it, it won’t be long before Southbarren City falls. Those experts were all sent by the Southern Light Empire of Southbarren State.”
“The Southern Light Empire is attached to the Sword Cliff and is a renowned superpower within Southbarren State. They have been the ones resisting the Otherworldly Sky Demons all this time,” Ah Qing said, looking at the ancient city ahead.
Although experts were being dispatched from all over the Thirteen States, the distances were simply too great. Even crossing through Space Altars midway consumed a great deal of time.
And the number of Otherworldly Sky Demons was simply too great—they could never be exterminated. Even if one wave was repelled, a second wave of beings would descend after some time.
The scorched earth outside Southbarren City was all the result of the battles of this period. In the past, many forces had been established here, with cities stretching on in great prosperity.
But now it was nothing but broken walls and ruins, everything reduced to rubble—not a single intact spot could be seen.
If not quite rivers of blood, it was close enough.
And just as the two were talking, a tremendous boom suddenly came from the towering ancient city in the distance. The tall city walls collapsed, and the barrier of light shattered, unable to withstand the surrounding attacks any longer.
From the sky above, a golden cauldron descended, carrying wind and thunder, brought forth by a powerful expert, smashing through that protective barrier.
The several young sword cultivators who had struck earlier all coughed up blood in unison, then were sent flying backward, their bodies drenched in blood.
Everyone was shouting—some in terror, some in despair, and some in vicious resolve, determined to fight the army of the Beyond to the death.
“Kill!”
The cries of slaughter shook the heavens. The ancient city was breached, and the army of the Beyond roared, charging forward like wolves and tigers, seizing absolute initiative, intent on taking Southbarren City.
On the other side, the defeated army collapsed like a landslide, the routed soldiers fleeing like a tide, their faces filled with terror and despair. However, the army of the Beyond focused on surrounding the powerful sword cultivators.
They paid little attention to the weaker soldiers.
“Cover the Fourth Princess’s escape!”
“Fight these Otherworldly Sky Demons to the death! We must never let the Princess fall into their hands!”
Someone within Southbarren City roared. Several terrifying streaks of Sword Qi burst forth as several figures, longswords in hand, charged toward the expert high in the sky.
For a moment, that area descended into chaos. Radiant light illuminated the sky, the gleam of blades and swords flashing in all directions as countless people fought and killed.
“The Fourth Princess of the Southern Light Empire is here too?”
Ah Qing looked up at the gradually collapsing Southbarren City, a trace of surprise appearing on her face.
Not only did she know the Fourth Princess—the two of them were actually on quite good terms. They had once discussed the sword together, deliberating on the Sword Dao, and found their aspirations well-matched.
But at this juncture, even if she wanted to rescue the Fourth Princess, there was nothing she could do.
The figure wielding the golden cauldron in the sky was simply too powerful. Just standing there, he exuded an invincible might, single-handedly sweeping through the many sword cultivators around him without falling behind in the slightest.
They were currently in the midst of the chaotic army. Although everyone around them turned a blind eye to them, Ah Qing could still feel the terrifying and tragic state of it all.
“That Fourth Princess is an old friend of yours?” Hearing her words, Gu Changge smiled faintly.
Ah Qing nodded, her gaze turning to Gu Changge. “Yes. She is the Fourth Princess of the Southern Light Empire, and also its number one prodigy and second-most beautiful woman.”
“Number one prodigy, second-most beautiful woman?” Gu Changge seemed somewhat surprised.
“Xuan Die is a very good person. When she learned of the Otherworldly Sky Demon invasion, she was the first to follow the army to defend the borderlands,” Ah Qing said.
The fluctuations erupting ahead grew ever more terrifying. The mountain-like walls crumbled and finally collapsed, endless radiance shattering—utterly unable to resist the army of the Beyond.
Boundless Sword Qi surged skyward, each strand as massive as a mountain ridge, slashing across.
But before that figure wielding the golden cauldron, they burst like bubbles, turning to ash.
Everyone coughed up blood and retreated. Even fighting with all their might, they could not halt the enemy’s advance.
It was a scene of despair and trembling.
Soldiers riding ferocious beasts attacked in great numbers, their battle cries shaking the heavens. Everything that resisted along their path was destroyed, like a terrifying sharp sword that nothing could stop.
From within the city on the verge of collapse, a carriage rose into the sky, surrounded by many figures protecting it, seemingly attempting to break through the encirclement.
Beside the carriage, an old man with a white beard stood in the air holding a Dao Sword, moving to block the terrifying figure wielding the golden cauldron.
“You shall not pass!”
He shouted low, and the Dao Sword shone brilliantly, bursting forth with streak after streak of dreadful sword light, illuminating all directions.
“Ignorant ant—you dare block me?”
The terrifying figure holding the golden cauldron said coldly. His appearance was not human-like; a vertical eye grew between his brows, wreathed in lightning patterns.
There was no doubt his strength was immense—he was one of the experts sent by the Beyond to the Profound Sword World this time.
In that direction, the two quickly clashed. Terrifying shockwaves swept across heaven and earth, and the countless surrounding mountain ranges trembled, splitting open with grey fissures that spewed endless baleful qi.
A battle of this level—even a single aftershock was a catastrophic disaster for all living beings and Cultivators below.
Facing the merciless slaughter of the Beyond’s army, the Cultivators of the Profound Sword World had almost no room to resist. They retreated step by step, collapsing continuously.
Southbarren City, which had stood so towering just moments before, completely crumbled in that instant, reduced to ruins.
The young girl Ah Qing watched this scene, her small hands clenched tight, her heart unable to bear it, and she turned her head away.
A battle this tragic—the Profound Sword World simply had no way to resist it.
Moreover, she knew very well that the army before her was only a small portion of the forces the Beyond had dispatched this time.
Even more of the army was stationed in the Outer Territory, where even more experts gathered.
“It seems your old friend won’t be escaping.”
Gu Changge’s expression did not change. He smiled faintly and led Ah Qing across the ruins of the ancient city ahead. His speed was not fast, but the ground beneath his feet seemed to shift, and in the next moment they had already appeared ten thousand li away.
“Benefactor... can you help her?” Ah Qing had also noticed the change in the battle situation over there, her gaze carrying a trace of pleading.
The white-bearded old man was clearly no match for the man from the Beyond. He was already coughing up blood and falling into a disadvantage, his body soaked in blood, his aura withering—even the Dao Sword in his hand had shattered.
The next moment, the golden cauldron descended from the sky, carrying terrifying thunder.
Death Qi surfaced on the old man’s face. With a miserable scream, he was directly shaken into a mist of blood, body and soul annihilated.
This scene plunged the army on the tragic battlefield into even deeper despair. However, after killing the old man, that figure did not linger. He brought out the great cauldron once more and gave chase forward.
He could tell there was someone extremely important in the carriage ahead—otherwise, that old man would not have bought time with his life.
In the sky, more riders charged down. A great bell tolled, its sound waves like blades, spreading out like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, madly reaping lives.
Not only were many sword cultivators in the air shattered, but the armies on the ground also fell in swathes.
An aura of despair filled heaven and earth.
“Fourth Princess, Elder Yuan has fallen—he was killed by the Otherworldly Sky Demon.”
The several people inside the carriage sensed the disturbance in the distance and could not help but show grief on their faces.
A pretty-faced maid turned pale with fright, trembling uncontrollably.
In their eyes, Elder Yuan was already among the ranks of supreme experts, which was why the Emperor of the Southern Light Empire had sent him to the Princess’s side to protect her.
Yet under the hands of that terrifying Otherworldly Sky Demon, he was quickly killed—unable to even buy time.
From within the carriage came a calm voice. “The Otherworldly Sky Demons descending this time are far more terrifying than before. Elder Yuan was already a Seventh Level expert, yet he was still no match for that person.”
“The opponent has likely already stepped half a foot into the Eighth Level.”
In the Profound Sword World, cultivation realms were divided into nine great realms. Only by perfecting all nine realms could one have the possibility of stepping into the Earth Sword Immortal Realm.
The Seventh Level was already enough to look down upon the world, with few rivals to be found.
The young woman who spoke had hair like black clouds, bright eyes and pearly teeth, a smile that could topple a city—so stunningly beautiful it seemed dreamlike. Her dark tresses fluttered, like a banished immortal treading on waves.
It was none other than Southbarren State’s number one prodigy, the one hailed as its second-most beautiful woman—Princess Xuan Die.
Even facing such a desperate situation, she maintained a calm far beyond ordinary people. Her gaze watched the scene behind them, a Sword Pill hidden within her sleeve.
She would not let the enemy capture her. If faced with a deathly situation, she would end her own life at the first moment.
As a princess, she would never suffer humiliation even in death—she would depart with her dignity intact.
“Princess, what should we do? That Otherworldly Sky Demon will catch up very soon.” The others in the carriage had pale faces filled with fear, frightened by the scene just now.
Although the carriage had the ability to traverse the void, the opponent’s speed was clearly very fast as well. Catching up was only a matter of time.
They did not have many guards at their side to begin with, and none could possibly be the opponent’s match.
The Deathsworn who had once accompanied Princess Xuan Die here had all died during this period. The people remaining by her side now were few, and that Elder Yuan had been their last trump card.
Unfortunately, he too was dead, body and soul annihilated.
Now, only two roads lay before all of them—either be captured, or be killed.
“Don’t be afraid. At worst, we die. As subjects of the Southern Light Empire, why should we fear death?” There was no despair on Princess Xuan Die’s face; instead, she was utterly composed, showing not the slightest fear at this juncture.
However, her words clearly did little good. The others trembled even more violently, able to feel the terrifying pressure pursuing them from behind, sweeping across heaven and earth, making their very skin feel as if it would collapse.
“Let’s see where you can flee today!”
The figure wielding the golden cauldron caught up. With a single palm stretched across, he sealed off this stretch of void, making the area turn stagnant, impossible to move an inch.
“Protect the Princess!”
“Don’t let him take another step!”
The several figures around the carriage roared, their eyes reddening as they charged out, determined to fight the opponent to the death.
Princess Xuan Die also stepped forward of her own accord at this moment, calm between her brows, gripping an exquisite longsword in her hand, a jade-green light flickering upon it, facing everything head-on.
A heroine no less than any man.
Even knowing she was no match and might perish here, she was completely at peace.
“So it’s a princess. Seems you’re still worth something.”
The figure holding the golden cauldron sneered, standing in the air, a terrifying might spreading from his body that made hearts tremble.
Princess Xuan Die looked at him calmly and said, “What exactly are you plotting by invading our world? What is your reason?”
“When we crush ants, do we need to care about a reason?”
The figure sneered, with no intention of wasting words. He directly reached out a large hand, stretching across the distance, attempting to seize Princess Xuan Die. His attitude was one of utter contempt and casualness.
The others, seeing this, were so enraged their eyes nearly split. They tried to block him, but under the enormous gap in power, they could only cough up blood and fly backward, their bodies covered in wounds, on the verge of shattering.
Princess Xuan Die’s expression changed. She wanted to strike back, but quickly found her surroundings were like a quagmire—she simply could not resist.
As for activating that Sword Pill, it was even more impossible.
“Could it be that today, I can’t even die?” A wave of helplessness rose in Princess Xuan Die’s heart—helplessness at her own weakness.
But the next moment, that large hand, about to reach her, suddenly stopped.
The figure with the golden cauldron suspended above his head also froze, his expression seemingly somewhat uncertain and alarmed. Then his face changed, and he cupped his hands toward a certain direction. Not daring to linger, he hastily transformed into a divine rainbow and fled.
“What happened?”
Princess Xuan Die’s face was also full of uncertainty, not knowing what had occurred.
The others were equally baffled, completely unable to understand why that expert had suddenly left, sparing their lives.
“That direction...”
Princess Xuan Die suddenly recalled that just now, that expert had glanced in a certain direction, and only after his expression changed did he flee.
Her gaze looked over, carrying doubt and confusion.
But very quickly, she could not help but widen her beautiful eyes, somewhat unable to believe it, her words filled with delighted surprise.
“Ah Qing?!”