Chapter Sixty-Nine: A World Astounded

"The sword’s momentum, the sword’s momentum! Heavens, I understand now—this is what I have been searching for all along! The mightiest sword does not come from external things, but from within the heart! Draw the sword, draw the sword… I finally understand."

With a cry of excitement, Liu Jianchen soared from the restaurant, transforming into a sword in an instant. In a flash, tens of thousands of majestic celestial swords manifested, their presence overwhelming.

"This… this fellow, he really broke through his shackles and stepped into the Immortal Realm…”

The Sky-Swallowing Sparrow stared dumbfounded at the white-robed, ethereal sword immortal in the sky, its heart trembling with fear.

As Liu Jianchen moved, the entire wilderness was thrown into turmoil. Every sword within hundreds of miles was drawn by his call, flying uncontrollably toward him.

"What’s happening? Why won’t our swords obey and why are they flying that way?"

"This is bad, that sword intent—wait… a sword immortal? Someone has truly entered the Immortal Realm through the Way of the Sword, breaking a record held for millions of years in the Great Wilderness?"

In that moment, no one could remain calm. All rushed toward the disturbance, powerhouses from every quarter converging on the wilderness to witness this marvel for themselves.

To step into the Immortal Realm through the sword, to throw open the gates of heaven…

The phenomena Liu Jianchen had stirred were sensed by every strong cultivator across the Great Wilderness, each feeling a complex mix of emotions.

Far away in the mysterious ancient land of the Ageless Mountain, an elder who had long been dormant suddenly opened his eyes, gazing icily in the direction of the wilderness.

With a voice cold as frost, he murmured, "A Sword Immortal walking the earth! A taboo unbroken for a million years has finally been shattered! And by a peerless genius who entered immortality through the sword?"

He gave a chilling laugh. "It seems the coming chaos will be even more interesting!"

His eyes shone with a strange light as he stepped out from his ancient bronze coffin, gaze sharp and unwavering.

"In this era, it seems many heaven-blessed prodigies have appeared. Perhaps the curse that has lasted since time immemorial will finally be broken in this epoch. It looks like I need not feign death any longer, nor hide from calamity!"

With a sinister laugh, the old man, seeing a glimmer of hope for the first time in a million years, stepped out from his sealed cave.

Elsewhere, in the distant Wild Heavens, another elder was similarly awakened by confusion and finally decided to leave his tomb.

The impact of Liu Jianchen’s breakthrough was too great to ignore. He was the first ever to shatter the curse that the Way of the Sword could not lead to immortality, an event whose significance would shake the world for ages to come.

"A Sword Immortal walking the earth?"

Above the Celestial Palace, Moon Chan sat alone in her vast, deserted hall. Solitude suited her nature, and in all her days in the palace, she spent most of her time sitting in silence.

She had just repelled the southern barbarians’ invasion and had scarcely rested when she sensed the sword energy Liu Jianchen released, astonishing her deeply.

"Master, it seems a Sword Immortal has appeared in the mortal realm. Should we investigate?"

A group of women entered and spoke respectfully.

Moon Chan waved her hand dismissively, her tone cold. "No need. I know who it is. In this world, there are but a few who could break the curse..."

Even without witnessing it herself, Moon Chan was certain who had shattered the curse—no one but Liu Jianchen.

This generation’s elders were stubborn and hidebound, incapable of further progress. Among the younger generation, few possessed such cultivation at this age—only those who once braved the forbidden zones alongside Empress Moon Chan herself.

In that trial, Moon Chan had taken first place, Liu Jianchen second. As for the rest, few could even catch Moon Chan’s eye.

Thus, she was certain: the one who broke the shackles could only be Liu Jianchen.

She was not surprised by Liu Jianchen’s ascension to Sword Immortal; what astonished her was what Ye Qiu had done to enable Liu Jianchen to become immortal in such a short time.

She recalled that when they parted, Liu Jianchen had left with Ye Qiu. Clearly, Ye Qiu was involved.

"Heh… fascinating. More and more fascinating. I truly wonder, just how many secrets are you still hiding?"

Moon Chan gazed toward the wilderness, rising from her seat as she spoke coldly, "Tian Shuang! The southern barbarians have been utterly destroyed. For the time being, nothing will threaten the Celestial Palace. From today, you will act as its regent. I am leaving for a while—should anything arise that you cannot resolve, come find me in the wilderness."

"Master!"

As Moon Chan turned to go, the stunning woman named Tian Shuang panicked and cried out, "Master, why are you leaving so suddenly? The southern barbarians may have fallen, but the sisters report that just now, disturbances erupted across all forbidden zones in the Great Wilderness. The situation is precarious—great turmoil could break out at any moment. If you leave now, the Celestial Palace will be in grave danger..."

It was not cowardice on Tian Shuang’s part. In recent years, Empress Moon Chan’s ruthless decisiveness had made her many enemies. Countless eyes watched hungrily, held at bay only by fear of Moon Chan. The moment she left, the palace would surely face invasion.

Just like last time—Moon Chan had barely set foot outside to investigate the forbidden wilderness when the southern barbarians attacked. Had she not returned in time, the Sky City would already have fallen.

At her report, Moon Chan’s face turned cold. "Let them try!" she said icily.

Then, thinking it over, she realized this was not the first time such a thing had happened, especially at this critical juncture.

Indeed, Liu Jianchen’s breakthrough had caused her to sense mysterious, powerful energy surges from all the great forbidden zones—disturbances she could not ignore.

Moreover, the Celestial Palace stood alone against the world. The great sacred lands, with legacies stretching back millions of years, had long coveted its destruction.

If Moon Chan’s suspicions were correct, those energy surges signaled that the ancient monsters of the holy lands were stirring from their slumber—nothing else could have triggered such turmoil.

"Hmph… I know what you fear! Now that I have entered the Immortal Realm, there are only a handful in this age who can stand against me. You need not worry—many know of my breakthrough, and none would dare act rashly..."

She spoke with confidence. Her confrontation with the God of Darkness had been a warning to all, and it had worked. Even if those old monsters emerged, they would not threaten her. They were, at heart, cowards—otherwise, why would they seal themselves away to avoid death?

Such men, afraid as they are, would act with caution, not recklessness.

The Celestial Palace would not come to harm. On the contrary, her departure this time would not plunge the palace into peril, but would benefit it instead.

"Enough. My mind is made up—no more words!"

Moon Chan was never one to explain herself. Tian Shuang and the others could not know that, far off in the distant wilderness, lived a truly peerless master…