What's going on? How dare someone demand a piece of the sky from the Divine Realm?
When the Emperors of the Divine Realm heard this statement, they were immediately astonished. Initially, they thought it was a joke.
But looking at the grandeur and the swirling sword aura, it didn't seem like a joke, so they began to converge towards the source of the sword aura, quickly taking up their positions.
They saw before them a figure wielding a divine sword, exuding an extraordinary presence, but they couldn't see the true appearance, nor did they know the exact origins. They were puzzled and asked:
"May we know your name, Fellow Daoist, and why did you utter such a shocking statement? Or was it just a joke?"
Asking the Divine Realm for a piece of the sky is either not taking the masters of the Divine Realm seriously or just a plain provocation.
“Call me the Herbal Ancestor.” Chen Xia smiled lightly, raising the divine sword. The sword aura flowed from the sword tip, resembling a writhing dragon coiling around his arm, and then he continued:
"Since I've said it, it's definitely not a joke. I truly want to borrow a piece of the sky from your Divine Realm. But don't worry, I'm certainly not someone who borrows without returning. I'll only borrow it for one hundred thousand years, and I promise to return it after that time."
This statement was quite exaggerated. Borrowing a piece of the sky and promising to return it after one hundred thousand years—it seemed like he truly regarded the Divine Realm as a place that could be easily manipulated.
The Emperors of the Divine Realm faced Chen Xia, their expressions grave. They did not act immediately, but they bowed politely and said:
"We presume you are the Herbal Ancestor of Heaven Pill Gate. It's unexpected to meet you today, especially under such circumstances."
"Your reputation is indeed loud, and your strength formidable, but you should not be powerful enough to lay claim to the Divine Realm. If the masters of the Divine Realm become aware, your outcome might be dire."
"If you leave now, we can overlook this incident, and the masters of the Divine Realm may not hold this small transgression against you."
This was both a warning and advice.
Chen Xia looked up at the sky, then lowered his gaze, raising his sword and pointing it at the Emperor while frowning:
"I don’t need you to tell me. Have I not been nice enough to you? If you don't scram again, I'll slice you in half with one strike!"
When it came to the Emperors of the Divine Realm, Chen Xia was all about temperament and being crude.
The Emperor’s brow furrowed, and his hands extended, covered with spiritual energy, purple light flowing, ready for action.
Behind him, several other Emperors prepared themselves, already assuming their combat stances.
They were all very cautious about the legendary Herbal Ancestor, not daring to underestimate him. After all, the rumors claimed that Chen Xia had slain three Emperors.
"If no one's leaving, then I'll be the one to disturb." Chen Xia said this final word before raising his flying sword with his right hand, the overwhelming sword intent circulating, yet not yet releasing his attack. With his left hand, he suddenly formed a shape with his index finger and thumb, making a gesture resembling an eye.
Roar!
A roaring dragon cry vibrated through the heavens and earth.
The ancestor dragon's head emerged from the sky, swallowing this part of the world, including Chen Xia and the group of Emperors of the Divine Realm, containing them within its mouth—a small heaven and earth!
Chen Xia looked at the shocked Emperors of the Divine Realm and chuckled, sweeping his sleeve and stated:
"Welcome to the trap. Closing the door to beat the dog."
The divine sword resonated fiercely, and three million sword intents swirled madly. Chen Xia's eyes turned gray-white, and the Time Dao manifested.
Bang.
The giant ancestral dragon's head closed its final gap, sealing everyone inside its small heaven and earth.
Outside, the sky darkened as if it were about to descend, and violent winds howled, with rivers and mountains reversing their flow. Practitioners fled in terror from this area, not daring to linger.
Suddenly, a violent thunderstorm descended, like a flood from the sky to the ground.
As the thunder and rain fell from heaven, a portion of it suddenly twisted, swirling mid-air like a pool of water, carrying residual lightning intent, forming a figure in mid-air.
"Am I too late?" The figure made of thunder and rain frowned, asking the question, examining the massive ancestral dragon's head before him. Discovering the dragon's extremely white eyes were also observing him, he raised an eyebrow in astonishment and spoke sternly:
"The ancestor of all dragons, this is rare. Has it gained intelligence through the Dao's manifestation or is it truly what it is?"
He was puzzled and didn’t understand. His hand transformed into a convergence of thunder and rain, preparing to open the ancestral dragon's mouth to investigate.
However, before he could act, another figure appeared before him. The black robe fluttered wildly in the wind, the face unclear, only the pair of crimson eyes visible.
"Others are fighting—it's better not to interfere, don't you agree, Four-Dao Great Emperor?"
The Inner demon grinned, his blood already boiling with excitement. His killing intent surged like a storm about to burst forth.
Four-Dao Great Emperor, if he could kill one of them, Chen Xia's fame would undoubtedly echo across the myriad of worlds, wouldn't it?
The Inner demon's excitement grew to the point that interface will surged out, climbing up his body, enveloping him. At this moment, it was as if an entire interface was confronting the Four-Dao Great Emperor.
The outcome was uncertain.
The Four-Dao Great Emperor lowered his eyes, his hand summoning the power of thunder and rain, while the other hand manifested golden light. The wind began to howl as he addressed the Inner demon:
"My four Dao are not particularly impressive — let me be upfront: wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. The fight is even, but if you plan to kill me, you'll need to measure your strength first. Also, don't be so overt with your killing intent — in head-to-head combat, it won’t do any good."
The Inner demon’s grin widened, his crimson eyes oozing palpable killing intent. His gaze was wild and sharp as he retorted:
"I enjoy it."
He transformed into a streak of light, carrying the will and weight of an entire interface as he lunged towards the Four-Dao Great Emperor. His initial move seemed capable of tilting half of the Divine Realm.
The sky altered incessantly, with wind, rain, thunder, and lightning interacting. The Four-Dao Great Emperor's face was heavy; he wasn't taking the Inner Demon lightly, treating him as an equal opponent.
Boom!
The explosive sound propagated through the entire void. If one were to observe from the outskirts of the Divine Realm, they'd see the entire realm tilting slightly, causing immense shockwaves.
The battle between the Four-Dao Great Emperor and the Inner demon had surpassed ordinary battles, escalating to the most peak, most extraordinary level across the myriad worlds.
Carrying the strength of an entire interface, the Inner demon could rival the Four-Dao Great Emperor, but ultimately, his foundations were slightly weaker. Prolonged combat would leave him at a slight disadvantage.
Fortunately, it was just a slight disadvantage for now, so the Four-Dao Great Emperor didn't dare risk everything; he engaged in constant tactical pulls with the Inner Demon.
About an hour passed.
The dragon head suddenly lifted, its pale eyes gleaming as it stared directly at the Four-Dao Great Emperor, pulling its head back into the sky, its whereabouts unknown.
Chen Xia holding the Immortal Sword, standing on the spot, his sword stained with blood, a smile on his face, addressed the Four-Dao Great Emperor:
"No wonder you're called Four-Dao Great Emperor—fighting is indeed your strength. But unfortunately, this isn't a one-on-one. It’s an arrangement against you in combat."
The Four-Dao Great Emperor's expression darkened to its utmost as he looked over, then asked:
"Where are the other Emperors?"
"Half-dead—don’t worry, they’re not outright dead." Chen Xia replied with a smile. He had left all the Emperors with their lives intact, using the Time Dao to send them to various parts of the Divine Realm. After all, this was just a provocation against the master of the Divine Realm, not a fight to the death with him. Therefore, he wouldn't make unnecessary moves.
On hearing this, the Four-Dao Great Emperor felt relieved, rolling up his sleeves that contained wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. He spoke loudly to Chen Xia and the Inner demon:
"Today, let me experience your fighting methods!"
“Good.” Chen Xia agreed with a smile. The divine sword resonated; the sword aura stretched like a rainbow.
He and the Inner demon stood shoulder to shoulder, their figures vanishing simultaneously, the lethal moves already unleashed, shattering the sky to reveal the void.
The heavens and earth were unable to withstand such conflict; the essence of the interface was exposed.
From that day onward.
The Divine Realm gained an indelible scar, a hundred-thousand-mile sword mark, later known as the Heng Sword Valley.
According to later rumors.
This place was the power mark of a supremely talented Sword Master who, using a single sword strike, forcefully cut out a valley within the Divine Realm. This is the Great Sword Immortal!