"This time, it was a misjudgment on the part of our Blade Domain's leadership," the one called Junzilan said calmly. "The Sword Domain now boasts three Sword Emperor–level cultivators. You are fully qualified to establish yourselves as the Fifth Domain. Therefore, I'm willing to represent the Blade Domain and propose a temporary alliance: for the next ten thousand years, our domains shall be allies—no more bloodshed or war. What say you, Sword Emperor Fengyun Wuji?"
"Who are you to speak for the Blade Domain?" Fengyun Wuji slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bypassing the Blade Emperor and settling squarely on Junzilan.
"He speaks for us," the Blade Emperor declared before Junzilan could respond. The moment his qi surged outward, Du Guxiubai and Ximen Chuixue instinctively struck with their swords. But both recognized that now was not the time for battle, and at the last moment, they withdrew a third of their strength.
As the Blade Emperor spoke, he flung a blade strike and retreated rapidly. Junzilan suddenly stepped between the three masters. Fengyun Wuji and the others were shocked—thinking the man meant to betray them and launch a surprise attack. But instead, Junzilan's wide sleeve swept outward. With a single motion, he dispelled the sword strikes from Du Guxiubai and Ximen Chuixue, and with another wave, effortlessly nullified the Blade Emperor's attack.
Standing calmly between three peerless cultivators, Junzilan showed no sign of exhaustion—his poise, unshakable. The bearing of a true sovereign.
All eyes turned to the Blade Emperor, but he offered no explanation. Instead, he dropped to one knee and bowed solemnly. "Your Majesty."
This sudden act stunned everyone. Even Fengyun Wuji, though injured and meditating, was taken aback—as were Ximen Chuixue and Du Guxiubai. A father kneeling to his son? For ascendants, this was nothing short of unthinkable.
"Stand," Junzilan said in a steady voice, utterly devoid of pretense. His eyes turned back to Fengyun Wuji.
"This is your decision to make," Ximen Chuixue said to Wuji via sound transmission.
Wuji looked to Du Guxiubai. Though they were both extraordinary cultivators who had pledged allegiance to the Sword Domain, this was no small matter. He needed their consent.
Du Guxiubai gave a calm nod and a faint smile. His message was clear: Do what you believe is right—I have no objections.
The Blade Emperor's proposal was straightforward: no conflict between the domains for ten thousand years. But what happens after that? The balance of power among the four domains is delicate; no one could say what ten thousand years might bring. To ancient humans of this world, ten millennia was a blink of an eye—nothing against the backdrop of hundreds of millions of years. But for Fengyun Wuji and the current cultivators, ten thousand years was a generous stretch of time—enough to raise the Sword Domain to a new level of power. He had confidence that, given such time, the Sword Domain would firmly take its place as the Fifth Domain.
Fengyun Wuji was proud—but not foolish. After listening to Junzilan, he finally spoke:"As you wish. For ten thousand years, our two domains will no longer be enemies."
Junzilan smiled. "Excellent. Your vision is admirable, Sword Emperor. I understand that the past actions of the Blade Domain may have led to some misunderstandings. But all misunderstandings will be cleared, eventually. This meeting has been a pleasure. I look forward to our true encounter in the future."
As he finished speaking, Junzilan's expression suddenly shifted. The color drained from his face, and his eyes fluttered shut. The aura of power—the commanding presence—vanished in an instant like a receding tide. When his eyes reopened, confusion filled them.
"Father? What's going on? Why am I here?" Junzilan looked around in bewilderment. When his gaze landed on Du Guxiubai, he recoiled instinctively and stumbled backward, finally darting behind the Blade Emperor for protection.
The Blade Emperor gently patted Junzilan's head, a complex expression crossing his face. Then he waved a hand."All disciples of the Blade Domain, withdraw!"
A realization began to dawn on Fengyun Wuji. He glanced at Junzilan again and understood: the youth had been possessed by the divine sense of someone the Blade Emperor had addressed as "Your Majesty." That was how the Blade Emperor had been saved. Whoever this person was… they possessed unfathomable cultivation and an incomparably powerful divine sense.
Fengyun Wuji had long believed that, apart from that mysterious elder in the Water Realm of the Demon World, no one could rival his mental and spiritual mastery—he had cultivated the formidable Sword-Body Unity of Will technique, after all. Yet this encounter proved there were always higher mountains. To remotely possess someone's body from millions of miles away? That was beyond even his capabilities.
Who was this man? The Blade Emperor had called him "Your Majesty"… Could he be the Blade Emperor's superior—the Blade Sovereign? An emperor-level cultivator?
If a Sovereign possessed such strength, how terrifying would their true might be? Fengyun Wuji's heart was filled with conflicting emotions. The foundations of the four domains were deep and ancient. Even with Ximen Chuixue, the Sword Devil Du Guxiubai, and Yiyun of the Zixiao Sword Sect on his side, the Sword Domain was still just beginning. They couldn't compare to the Four Domains—yet.
Under the Blade Emperor's command, the forces of the Blade Domain began to retreat like receding tides. Throughout the process, the Blade Emperor remained at the rear—constantly on guard. After all, the presence of four Sword Emperors in one place was a dangerous variable. And now that the Blade Sovereign's divine sense had departed, who could guarantee they wouldn't strike?
Junzilan stood quietly beside the Blade Emperor. Once it was clear the Sword Emperors had no intention of pursuing, the Blade Emperor suddenly swept Junzilan into his arms and shot away like a bolt of lightning. After traveling tens of thousands of meters, the Blade Emperor abruptly dropped from the sky and crashed heavily into the ground. Hunched over, he hadn't even taken a full breath before vomiting a mouthful of blood.
"Old man! What happened to you?!" Junzilan was terrified. The Blade Emperor was his protector, his pillar of strength. And now, without warning, he was spitting blood—again and again.
The Blade Emperor placed a trembling hand on Junzilan's shoulder. His lips were bright red with blood, his face ghostly pale. He gave the boy a weak smile and muttered:
"Lan'er… did you really think your father was invincible? Facing three Emperor-level cultivators—I'm lucky to have escaped at all. That last sword strike… Yiyun had concealed it. Though it seemed caught, I was wounded before it even hit. Lan'er… I told you before: you must train harder, increase your strength. The world is teetering. The four domains could go to war at any moment. In the past, the Holy Domain kept them in check. But their influence fades by the year. If I die one day, the law of the jungle will reign… and you… you're the only thing I worry about."
Splurt! Another mouthful of blood. The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. Junzilan slapped his back repeatedly, trying to ease the pain.
"Father, you're the lord of the Blade Domain. Is there truly anything you can't handle?"
The Blade Emperor's breath steadied somewhat. He gave a bitter smile."Lord… just one? Does a domain need three lords? …Forget it. There's no point telling you this now. You lack the strength—it would only harm you. When the time comes, you'll learn what the Blade Domain really is… Come. We must leave. That Zixiao Sect master… I don't trust him."