"So, you also think your father is a bastard?" Wu Tian glanced at Dugu Zheng, his tone playful.

"Yes... he’s a bastard," Dugu Zheng said, lowering his head. In order to survive, he had no choice but to agree with whatever Wu Tian said. Maybe if I do this, he’ll let me go!

As for dignity? He rationalized it away. Throughout history, haven’t all who accomplished great things endured countless hardships? Emperor Gaozu of Han faced the humiliation of seeking peace at Baideng, and Emperor Gaozu of Tang suffered the disgrace of submitting to the Tujue. If they had all just taken a sword to their own necks, seeking death like some narrow-minded fool, how could they ever have founded their nations? They would have been worse than even Goujian or Han Xin. Truly the height of ignorance.

He recalled this as a line from a novel, where Murong Bo comforts Murong Fu. To Dugu Zheng, it sounded absolutely right.

Why have I cast aside my dignity? To endure humiliation just to survive? No. It’s not because I’m a coward who fears death. It’s because I am destined for great things! That’s why I must do this—learn from Goujian, who slept on brushwood and tasted gall, and endure humiliation as Han Xin did! This is what proves that I am a man destined for greatness!

But deep down, he was also shocked by Wu Tian’s power. Wu Tian hasn’t even acted personally. His subordinates alone killed the six Sword Slaves. That’s something my father, Dugu Fa, probably couldn’t accomplish. How can Wu Tian’s forces be this powerful? I originally thought his strength was, at most, on par with my father’s—evenly matched. I never expected him to be this powerful.

For now, however, he pushed those thoughts aside. He just wanted to survive.

Staring at Dugu Zheng, Wu Tian saw right through his intentions. His voice turned ice-cold. "You really want to live, don’t you? Unfortunately, I’ve already decided that you will die. You must die."

"No!" Dugu Zheng wanted to beg more desperately, even if it meant licking Wu Tian’s shoes like a dog. Which founding Emperor didn’t suffer hardship? They all lowered their heads and pleaded for peace! He wasn’t ashamed. He was simply doing what the great founding emperors of history had done. He, too, would be an Emperor one day. With that thought, any sense of shame vanished completely.

"Get lost." Wu Tian couldn’t be bothered to watch the pathetic display any longer. He lashed out with a single kick.

BOOM!

Dugu Zheng was blasted into ash.

Wu Tian frowned slightly. "The air in these hotels is never good. I don’t like it. Let’s go."

"Yes, sir!" Liu Tianji and the others nodded.

Xiao Liang’s group also followed Wu Tian out of the hotel.

Outside, reporters were swarming, eager to ask what had happened inside. But the moment Wu Tian stepped out the door, his brow furrowed again. He could hear sounds from within the hotel that were inaudible to mortals.

From one room: "Song, what if Qiang comes back and finds us like this? You’re his agent, after all!"

"Don’t worry. I’ll arrange an ’accident’ for him."

From another room came a different voice: "Lily, hurry, use your finger... it feels so good!"

"Okay!" a woman replied with delight.

And from a third room: "What are you doing here? What if someone sees you?"

"We’ll just say we were going over a script."

Then, the lights went out.

Wu Tian shook his head slightly and muttered, "A filthy world. If the heavens won’t punish it, then I will."

With a snort, a streak of Blood Glow shot out from his body. It soared high into the sky before plunging back down with vicious force.

BOOM!

The hotel exploded under the impact of the Blood Glow, and everyone inside was annihilated.

「...」

News that all of the Sword Demon’s disciples in Yang City had been killed—along with his two sons—spread like wildfire, shaking the Dragon Country to its core.

Shortly after Wu Tian vanished from the public eye, the Sword Demon had descended from his mountain retreat, seemingly invincible. The Sword Demon was tyrannical and overbearing, with a notorious fondness for other men’s wives. Now that his lineage was extinguished, many people privately rejoiced. But they also knew the Sword Demon was hot-tempered and petty. He was nothing like the hypocritical Sword Emperor; the Sword Demon killed whenever he pleased, never bothering to manufacture a noble cause. He had no illustrious reputation, only one of infamy.

With his sons dead, how could the Sword Demon possibly fail to react?

As expected, a live broadcast appeared across all major platforms the very next day.

The broadcast showed the Forbidden City. Standing before it was a man who looked to be in his forties, still young, yet his hair was completely white. His long hair hung over his shoulders, and he wore a white robe. He stared into the camera and spoke, his voice cold. "On the fifteenth of August, the night of the full moon, a sword comes from the west, a Flying Immortal from beyond the heavens! Wu Tian, I hear you are also skilled in swordsmanship. Come and face me at the Forbidden City.

"In Mr. Gu’s novel, Ximen intercepted City Lord Ye. Will you be able to intercept me?

"If you cannot, the Lord of the Four Seas of the Dragon Country will die by my sword. From that moment, the Dragon Country will be mine. In my name as Monarch, I will suppress the Boundless Corporation. At the same time, I will introduce new taxes: a beverage tax, a takeout tax, an express delivery tax, a haircut tax... all of which will be enacted!

"The people will be plunged into an abyss of suffering!

"Wu Tian, this will all be your fault!

"Come and stop me, if you have the courage!

"For over thirty years, I have roamed the Jianghu, slain all my foes, and defeated every hero. There is no one left in this world who can challenge me. Wu Tian... ah, Wu Tian... you are my only worthy opponent on this earth!

"Come and stop me! If you can!"

Naturally, the military was dispatched to suppress such an act before the Forbidden City. However, some soldiers had secretly become the Sword Demon’s disciples. A deadly fight suddenly broke out within the army’s own ranks. In moments, the Sword Demon’s followers had surrounded the Forbidden City.

Before its gates, rivers of blood began to flow.

The live broadcast ended abruptly, leaving the entire Dragon Country in a state of stunned silence.

Every citizen felt a helpless fury burning in their hearts.

"A person like that can’t become our Monarch!" many lamented.

"Exactly! A haircut tax? A takeout tax? An express delivery tax? If someone like him becomes Monarch, he won’t give us any way to survive!"

"We can only hope the Martial God defeats the Sword Demon!"

Across the Dragon Country, both online and in reality, discussions raged before finally converging on a single, unified hope.

"The Martial God must win!"

"The Martial God must win!"

"The Martial God must win!"

This single cry echoed throughout the nation.

「...」

Back in Yang City, Wu Tian was at home and had, of course, seen the broadcast.

"That old man is so full of himself," the little girl on the sofa said with a look of pure disdain. "He thinks he’s Dugu Qiubai and Ye Gucheng all rolled into one. That level of narcissism is just sad. Dad, let me go knock some sense into him."

Qin Yuhan and Murong Yezi grew anxious. The Sword Demon’s reputation was immense; could their daughter truly be a match for him?

Wu Tian simply smiled. He took out a Ginsengfruit and handed it to her. "Eat this, then go to Longjing. Your task is to beat him until he kneels before me. Only then will you have passed." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Okay!" she responded instantly.

After swallowing the Ginsengfruit, she felt a miraculous change surge through her power over wind and clouds. Her strength now reached the Foundation Establishment realm.

Defeating the Sword Demon would be a piece of cake.