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Before the ruins of the Bureau of Adjudication.
The black-robed Dark Vassal turned his head, his dust-colored eyes surging with imposing light as he gazed in the direction of the Cui Family.
“Why have so many Emperors appeared tonight?” he asked.
The Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow perched on his shoulder let out a strange laugh. “A few days ago, those prominent factions and I made an exchange. Our agreement was simple: I lead my army of evil spirits to attack Ziluo City, and they take down the Cui Family.
“With them holding the Cui Family’s forces back, we’ll have enough time to enter the ruins of the Bureau of Adjudication and retrieve that treasure!”
Its voice carried a hint of smug pride.
“Three of those factions once administered the Hell Bureau, the Hungry Ghosts Bureau, and the Beast Bureau. They once answered to the Bureau of Adjudication. Who’d have thought that now, they’d agree to assist you in taking down the Cui Family? 
the world really has changed
” said the Dark Vassal, his voice grim, yet rife with mockery.
The Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow said leisurely, “The Infernal Palace fell a long time ago. Once we’ve retrieved that treasure, we won’t need to hide in the City of the Wrongfully Dead any longer!”
Boom——!
A shocking energy fluctuation emanated from the distant Cui Family estate. Divine light soared into the heavens, and a formation stirred up currents of destructive power.
The Dark Vassal and the Nine Serenitie Netherworld Crow immediately realized that the Emperors had begun their attack on the Cui Family!
“We’ve got to hurry,” said the Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow.
The Dark Vassal flipped his palm, revealing a blood-colored Daoist Seal. He then looked up at the tightly-shut gates of the Bureau of Adjudication’s grand hall. “I’ll break this formation within ten minutes at most!”
Weng!
Bright crimson light flowed around the blood-colored seal as it rose into the air.
But just as the Dark Vassal was about to begin, the strange humming of a sword reverberated throughout Ziluo City.
The Dark Vassal stiffened, and the Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow raised its head.
The Sinful Ghost Monk and Child of Sin shuddered from head to toe as an indescribable terror arose within their hearts.






“So, it’s Yanzhi and the others!” Fei Kongdong recognized the distant Denglong Emperors at a glance.
Especially the leader, the early-stage Profound Serenity Fei Yanzhi. She was his niece!
“They haven’t forgotten me, and they still want to save me from the dungeons of the Bureau of Adjudication
” Fei Kongdong’s heart shook.
But then, he sighed.
He knew better than anyone that even if Fei Yanzhi had allied with far more Emperors, they would surely fail.
Because
 that person was here!
Old Monster Su obviously plans to gather all his opponents in one place. If I warn them and alert the other faction’s Emperors, I’m afraid I’ll anger him

I have to find a way to make Yanzhi and the others leave Ziluo City as soon as possible. Or else

He’d only just thought this when

Boom!
Off in the distance, the Emperors had already taken action, activating their various treasures and Daoist magics to attack the Cui Family’s defensive formation.
Shit!
Fei Kongdong’s expression changed dramatically.
It was then that a strange sword hum rang out.



“You three,  go defend the eastern gates. If anyone escapes through the east, I’ll hold you accountable,” said Su Yi from the rooftop.
“Yes, sir!” The thin old man, the Tianji Yao Empress, and the man in Confucian robes acknowledged their orders and dashed off.
“What about me, Uncle Su?” Cui Chang’an couldn’t help but ask.
“Once we’ve routed our enemies, use the Golden Crow Annihilating Calamity Formation, as well as the Xiezhi and Bi’an statues, to clean up the riffraff,” said Su Yi.
He then gazed at the Emperors attacking the Cui Family. His eyes glinted with cold light.
The Heaven’s Writ Lotus Lantern floated above his palm.
Su Yi reached out and tapped the wick.
Whoosh!
A sword appeared in his grip.
“Moonlit Shadow!” Cui Chang’an couldn’t help but look surprised.
The blade was radiant and ethereal, like an illusion or a shadow, yet as radiant as the full moon.
In Su Yi’s past life, it accompanied him in battle throughout the Netherworld. It had taken the heads of countless powerful enemies!
“Old friend, I’ll be relying on you tonight,” said Su Yi leisurely. He tapped the flat of the blade.
Clang!
An ethereal hum rang out, as if the sword were awakening from its long dormancy. The sound reverberated throughout the darkness shrouding Ziluo City.
The humming seemed excited, as if the sword were whooping for joy. At first, it was so soft that it was barely audible, but with time, it got louder and louder.
In the end, the humming of the sword reveberated throughout heaven and earth!
In a flash, it illuminated the entire city, like the incomparable brilliance of the moon expelling the darkness.
Near the ruins of the Bureau of Adjudication, the Dark Vassal, the Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow, and the powerful evil spirits accompanying them shook.
Where had this terrifying humming come from?
Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.

..
“Moonlit Shadow!”
“So, Old Monster Su is about to take action
”
The old monsters shooting toward the eastern gate suddenly stopped in their tracks and looked toward the source of the humming. Terror arose in their expressions.
Earlier, they’d questioned whether the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force was still that invincible existence whose sword had once dominated the heavens.
They’d also wondered why the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force had mere Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivation.
And they’d questioned why he’d retreated as soon as the Dark Vassal appeared, without even trying to fight.
It seemed they’d soon have their answers!

..
Within the Cui Family’s estate.
As hostile Emperors attacked on all sides, the experts of the Cui Family were all frantic.
Even Xue Huaning couldn’t help but feel tense and nervous.
But then, the clear humming of a sword and sword light reminiscent of the ethereal radiance of the moon spread throughout Ziluo City.
Everyone’s heart shook. An indescribable, stifled, terrified sensation arose within their hearts.
And outside the Cui Family estate, the Emperors attacking the formation with various treasures and abilities stiffened. All of them felt chills course down their spines.
“What’s happening?”
“Look!”
“What unbelievable sword light
”
All of the Emperors looked over and saw illusory, ethereal sword light spreading through heaven and earth, blanketing Ziluo City like the misty glow of the moon.
Wherever the sword light passed, it dissipated the darkness.
Throughout the streets and alleys, the veritable flood of evil spirits fell, dissipating into black smoke.
Much like how ice and snow melted beneath the heat of the sun.
But this was merely a display of sword light!
All of the Emperors instinctively looked toward the source of the light. There, they saw a tall, upright figure dressed in blue.
He looked like a young man. As he gripped his sword, his entire body was bathed in misty, ethereal light, like god or immortal.
“This
”
“Who exactly is that!?”
“Watch out! There’s something strange about him!”
The Emperors led by Qu Changhen, Tantai Ye, Hong Zhiwen, and Fei Yanzhi were inwardly solemn. All of them realized that something was amiss.
Then, they saw that the tall, upright young man’s presence had changed. All of a sudden, he seemed incomparably grand.
Boom!
Heaven and earth trembled, and throughout Ziluo City, countless buildings swayed.
Starting around the young man, terrifying power suppressed the nearby skies. The air collapsed with a bang, creating ripples of energy that spread out in all directions.
“He really is Old Monster Su!”
The gaunt old man was visibly astonished, but his expression showed faint signs of excitement.
How many years had it been? That unparalleled legend of the Dao of the Sword had finally returned on the night of the Lantern Festival!
The Tianji Yao Empress and the man in Confucian robes felt their hearts and minds shake. Their expressions shifted, filling with awe, respect, and astonishment

Only old-timers like them knew just how contemptuous, proud, and terrifying the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force once was


.
“Dammit! Who is that guy?”
Near the ruins of the Bureau of Adjudication, the Nine Serenitie Netherworld Crow let out a shrill cry. It was visibly uncertain.
“He’s strong! Unfathomably so!” muttered the Dark Vassal. A rare trace of emotion appeared in his indifferent grayish eyes.



Both the Cui clansmen and the Emperors attacking their defensive formation felt their hair stand on end, and their hearts shook.
The aura of that person’s Dao of the Sword seemed intent on slashing through heaven and earth and suppressing the world! As if it transcended the heavens and viewed all of history with pride and contempt!



“Uncle Su
”
Cui Chang’an was the closest. His heart welled with excitement and joy, and even the rims of his eyes reddened.
The leader of the Cui Family had no words to describe his emotions. It was as if he’d returned to his youth. The man he’d once worshiped now stood before him once more!
Even Su Yi looked a bit dazed.
When he activated the Dao-Bearing Stone in Moonlit Shadow’s hilt, the power he’d sealed there in his past life flooded into him.
This power was more familiar than any other. This was a portion of his past incarnation’s cultivation base!
Although the Dao-Bearing Stone sealed less than a tenth of his former strength, at his peak, he was the sovereign of the Wilds, someone who’d reached the very end of the Profound Dao!
Ten percent of his power was enough to gaze down upon the vast majority of Emperors with contempt!
It didn’t matter that the Dao-Bearing Stone’s influx of power would only last about ten snaps of the finger before disappearing.
Ten snaps of the finger! How fleeting was that?
But to Su Yi, that was plenty of time.
Because sometimes, a snap of the finger was enough time to determine victory and defeat!
Weng!
Moonlit Shadow quivered with excitement, as if sensing Su Yi’s cultivation. The dreamlike, ethereal blade burst with radiance as intense as the light of the sun, illuminating the entire landscape.
This sword light was incomparably stronger than before, radiant beyond measure. The darkness covering the city receded completely, and the skies were as bright as at midday!
All remaining evil spirits let out miserable shrieks as they were reduced to ash. Similarly, the horde of spirits surging in from beyond the gates was instantly reduced to nothingness.
Even the countless Celestial Lanterns of the Grand Dao seemed dimmer by comparison, like fireflies before the light of the full moon!
Su Yi, meanwhile, drained his jug of wine, then gazed down at Moonlit Shadow and whispered, “Tonight, we ought to kill to our hearts’ content.”