The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

Danqing Shen's surge of power covered the entire realm as it shook under it. The biting winds brushed past the Exalted Double Dragons, forcing them to become grave as they faced this power.

Hundreds of years had passed and Danqing Shen, of course, had grown in power, so much so that they were having doubts of fighting him together.

The people looked tense, and a bit excited even, at the screen, showing a scene that could only be described as a prelude to total destruction.

Three Genesis Stage experts were about to fight. This was a once in a blue moon fight!

"Sheng, before we fight, I want to ask you something." Exalted Bai Mei began.

Danqing Shen grumbled something before finally saying, "Say it."

"After all these years, why did you come for the sword now? Did you meet someone strong or do you just want to rule some place? Give me a reason!"

Exalted Hei Ran looked straight at him, waiting for an answer as well.

Danqing Shen squinted and said, "Must I say it?"

"It's fine either way, since you're no longer our disciple. You have no reason to explain yourself to us." Exalted Bai Mei spoke coldly.

Exalted Hei Ran stared hard at Danqing Shen, "We must've taught you that regardless of what you do, you should always have a reason for doing it, even if it's wrong. That way, you at least won't feel lost."

As the exalted spoke, Danqing Shen felt he was in a particular mood.

They were clearly asking Danqing Shen if he still saw them as masters at his very core. They were testing his intentions for taking the sword and whether he was worthy of inheriting it.

Danqing Shen took a deep breath as he pondered, "To be honest, three years later, I will have a life and death fight with the old freak from the central area. I'm sure that if I have the help of western lands' treasure, the Atlas Sword, I will win!"

"Central area's Sword Star Empire's Invincible Sword?"

Exalted Bai Mei gasped in disbelief, "How did you end up messing with him? You're even having a life and death battle? Are you crazy?"

Exalted Hei Ran shook all over, his fists clenched tight as he cursed, "Rotten brat, you must be so damn cocky to think that being called the best in western lands means you're the king of the world! You think that that freak is someone you can toy with? Why do you think four areas joined hands to resist the central area yet were still at a disadvantage?"

Danqing Shen only took a long breath and made up his mind.

Exalted Bai Mei saw his determination and asked, "Sheng, you're not impulsive and should know when to step back. Why…"

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!"

Danqing Shen held his head high as he sighed, "What was it that I told Exalted before I left the western lands? That I had finally found my path."

The two nodded, "Peace on this world."

"Yes, that is my path, that is her path!"

Danqing Shen's eyes flashed, "It was both of our hopes to create a better world. Ever since she died, I have gone crazy and I have fallen into despair. But then I thought to myself, rather than go mad from the pain and hatred, it'd be better to achieve this dream she wanted to see. That's why, for the past centuries, I have created such a place, a paradise between areas!

"Alas, nothing good lasts forever. My strength keeps all those petty thieves away but I have been in constant conflict with the central area's Sword Star Empire's expansion, always wanting to wage war. I used to think that no matter how strong it was, my slice of heaven was insignificant, that they would at least talk with me on account of being a Genesis Stage expert. Yet I did not expect that old freak to come straight for me and make a bet. If I lose, my land will be razed to the ground. Hundreds of years, gone…"

The exalted picked up on his problem and said, "And the old monster is coming for you still?"

"Ha-ha-ha, that's right. Masters are the wisest."

Danqing Shen sighed, "My place is only the size of a small empire. It has no riches and no grudge with anyone. How could happy normal people incite the wrath of others? How could they get the great Sword Star Empire to come after them? Unless that old bag of bones…"

Danqing Shen's voice trailed off, switching to sending words instead.

The exalted sported an astonished look.

Danqing Shen sighed, "The old guy has been in seclusion for hundreds of years and now that he came out and is far stronger, he wants to go big. The four lands are in danger and I hope masters will be ready. With fortune, I saw that this time's Double Dragon Gathering has some good seeds that might give the western lands some hope."

The exalted nodded and sighed.

But then Exalted Hei Ran raised an eyebrow, "I just don't know if I should give you the sword or not anymore."

"Ha-ha-ha, yeah, it's quite the conundrum. Without the sword, I'll lose for sure. But if you do give it to me, maybe it will become the weapon by which the western lands would run with blood. I'd be just as conflicted by this if I were masters."

Danqing Shen chuckled, then his power exploded once more, "Since that's the case, just like the old agreement, strength will determine the victor!"

The exalted nodded and said, "Strength it is!"

The two exalted were showing off their strength as well, their dragon power tracing the lands and skies as it clashed with Danqing Shen's fierce sword waves.

With loud noises, the space began to shake from the impact, about to crack under their power.

The audience watched agape.

[Are these the strongest experts in the world? This is outstanding! If they fight, the world might be ruined!]

This was what everyone thought. Even if exaggerated, they knew a saying.

[The top of mortal domain are like gods!]

Only Zhuo Fan eased a breath.

[Fight, don't talk. And don't solve the riddle of the sacred weapon.]

Though it was too soon to celebrate. It all came down to how they fought, and if they would settle this problem instead.

So Zhuo Fan's eyes were fixed on the fight…

"Double Dragon Art, Double Dragon Emergence!"

The Exalted Double Dragons met their palms and shouted. Black and white powers came out as they spun on each other, just like a yin-yang symbol.

The world was filled with a majestic power as it gathered around them in the form of a black and white roaring dragon.

They then pushed out their palms and unleashed the dragon upon Danqing Shen. The mighty force kept pushing him back.

Danqing Shen pointed his finger at the skies and a draconic roar sounded. A dragon revolved high above around his finger, as if it was climbing the heavens.

The immense sword energy had reached its peak and gathered on his finger, forming an illusory Atlas Sword.

The huge dragon roamed on this sword as it kept roaring.

Under all of this immense power, the skies, the earth, everything was constantly shaking…

"Dragon Cleaving Art!"

Danqing Shen shouted and brought his sword down upon the black and white dragon.

The explosion from the impact was monumental. The skies dimmed, while the land around the sacred mine was leveled and barren.

It went on for hundreds of miles, leaving in its wake an apocalypse.

The crowd was overwhelmed. Just one blow from a Genesis Stage expert unleashed such deadly power. Zhuo Fan and Ye Lin's fight was astonishing in its own right, but not as frightening as this. They still had a way to go before they could burn the world to cinders.

Everyone paled after seeing such might for the first time.

[No wonder Danqing Shen could come and go in the western lands' ten sects as he wished. One snap of his fingers can erase a sect…]