Martial Cultivator

Chapter 456: Imperial Decree

Chen Chao wanted to leave the mountain, and Yang Furen could not stop him, nor did he have a reason to. In fact, even he did not have a way to reforge that broken saber. To accomplish this task, he would need to seek the assistance of a senior who had long since stopped forging swords on the mountain. And in front of this senior, even as the Mountain Lord, his words might not carry much weight.

Although Chen Chao's earlier words had upset many of those present, he had not killed anyone after ascending the mountain, so they did not have a reason to detain him. Furthermore, even if they had such intentions, it would not have been prudent. While there were sword immortals on the mountain, their intervention would give rise to accusations of bullying a junior. Yet, if the sword immortals refrained from acting, could the cultivators at the Great Beyond truly detain this young martial artist?

Since that was the case, turning a blind eye to Chen Chao's departure seemed like the best course of action.

However, soon after, a series of hurried footsteps could be heard coming from the mountain path. Several disciples from Sword Qi Mountain arrived at the front of the hall, their faces uneasy as they looked at Yang Furen.

Yang Furen glanced at them and asked, "What's the matter?"

The disciple seemed momentarily unsure of how to respond, but he quickly gathered his courage and said, "Mountain Lord, a messenger from the Great Liang Dynasty has arrived at the mountain gate with an imperial decree from the Great Liang Emperor!"

"Imperial decree?!"

Not only Yang Furen but all the swordsmiths present were taken aback by this announcement. Sword Qi Mountain had stood for many years without any connection to the secular dynasties. Forget about receiving an imperial decree, even officials from various dynasties had rarely set foot on this Sword Qi Mountain dedicated to sword forging. Why was there now an imperial decree delivered to the mountain?

At the beginning of the Great Liang Dynasty's establishment, they had convened a meeting with the cultivators from the foreign lands. Many foreign cultivators signed agreements with the Great Liang Emperor, nominally recognizing the Great Liang Emperor as their common ruler and agreeing to abide by the laws of Great Liang. However, this was merely a nominal arrangement. In reality, over the two hundred years since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty, the dynasty had never interfered with the affairs of the foreign lands, and the foreign cultivators had never paid much heed to the laws of Great Liang. They coexisted peacefully, and in many cases, when foreign cultivators committed atrocities in the secular world, the Great Liang Dynasty turned a blind eye.

The issuance of an imperial decree to a cultivation sect was unprecedented.

But now...

Yang Furen remained silent, and the swordsmiths behind him also said nothing.

The disciple bit the bullet and said, "Mountain Lord, the messenger is still at the mountain gate."

Yang Furen found himself in a difficult position. If it had been previously, rejecting the decree would have been straightforward, why would there be so much trouble? But now, could they really afford to reject the decree of this current Great Liang Emperor?

But if they really allowed this Emperor's decree to enter the mountain, what then? To accept or not to accept the decree?

No one knew the content of this decree, but it was already a huge problem placed in front of Sword Qi Mountain.

Yang Furen glanced at Chen Chao, thinking that this decree was likely related to this young martial artist standing before him.

Chen Chao had stopped in his tracks. Even he did not know why an imperial decree had been sent at this moment.

Yang Furen's expression was complicated. At this point, things had become considerably tricky. No matter the choice made, Sword Qi Mountain would likely encounter significant trouble.

He hesitated to speak for a long time. As the Mountain Lord, he found himself unable to make a decision at this moment. After a long silence, Yang Furen sighed softly and said, "Let the messenger come in."

The Great Liang Emperor held the title of common ruler of the realm and was a peerless martial artist. If he refused to let the imperial decree enter Sword Qi Mountain, who knew what actions this Emperor might take afterward? He even dared to fight the Demon Emperor, let alone a Sword Qi Mountain. If he were to truly act, could all the sword immortals on Sword Qi Mountain combined be a match for him?

As for those sword cultivators who were on good terms with Sword Qi Mountain, whether they would intervene was also another story altogether.

At this moment, Yang Furen truly understood the meaning behind Chen Chao's earlier words.

The reason for Sword Qi Mountain's existence had nothing to do with anything else, it was just because the world needed Sword Qi Mountain.

However, he did not know that his decision was still a little too late.

……

……

In front of the mountain gate, the messenger holding the imperial decree waited for several minutes. After a few minutes, he released the imperial decree. Instead of falling, it began to rise slowly, moving towards the gate of the mountain. At the same time, the entire Sword Qi Mountain felt an immense pressure enveloping its summit.

Countless disciples on the mountain were startled by this pressure and looked up at the sky at that moment.

Within the canopy of the Sword Qi Mountain's summit, there was only a shining imperial decree.

That was the will of the human race's monarch, the will of the Great Liang Emperor!

This human monarch, who once battled the Demon Emperor in the desolate north, appeared for the first time in the foreign lands, and chose Sword Qi Mountain!

As the imperial decree floated slowly, a sword cultivator furrowed his brows and could not resist drawing his sword. A brilliant sword radiance streaked across the sky in an instant, confronting the imperial decree!

As foreign land cultivators, no one would think that imperial authority was truly unattainable, truly invincible!

Although the Great Liang Emperor was formidable, he had not arrived personally at this moment. There was only an imperial decree descending upon Sword Qi Mountain, attempting to press down the mountain so it could not lift its head. How could these sword cultivators accept this?

Even if it was the will of the Great Liang Emperor, they were unwilling to bow their heads, so someone drew his sword!

The flying sword erupted with an incomparably brilliant sword light, soaring upward. However, it did not touch the imperial decree; it was suppressed in an instant. The flying sword let out a mournful cry as it fell heavily. The sword owner was connected to the flying sword mentally. As it fell, he spurted blood, evidently seriously injured.

The sword cultivator looked incredulously at the sky, his expression ugly. Just an imperial decree, yet it possessed such immense power?!

A flying sword fell, but at this moment, countless other flying swords swarmed upward, heading towards the imperial decree in the sky. Everyone wanted to intercept this imperial decree before it reached the main hall.

However, despite the countless flying swords carrying endless sword qi, the outcome was roughly the same. As they approached the imperial decree, they all let out a mournful cry and fell one by one.

For a moment, the Sword Qi Mountain was filled with the lament of flying swords.

The swordsmiths in front of the main hall watched this scene, their faces livid. None of them had expected that just an imperial decree would be so powerful and so domineering!

Chen Chao watched this scene. It was unknown what he was thinking.

But the corners of his mouth curled up slightly; he was a little happy.

……

……

The imperial decree finally reached the air in front of the main hall.

Yang Furen and the swordsmiths all looked up at it, each with complicated emotions. Regardless of the decree's content, Sword Qi Mountain had already lost enough face today.

But Yang Furen was no longer thinking about what had just happened. He was thinking that given the decree's overwhelming dominance, who could possibly receive it?

In other words, who on the entire Sword Qi Mountain could withstand the will of this Great Liang Emperor?