Great Emperor Tiance floated in the void, his eyes flashing with brilliance. His gaze occasionally shifted from Ling Feng to Tuoba Yan as he laughed maniacally, almost like a madman.
"None of this has been in vain. I have expended all my effort. The Great Prophecy Art, after a thousand years, will finally come to fruition!"
Great Emperor Tiance then descended before Ling Feng, standing with his hands behind his back. He said slowly, "The origin of this story must be traced back to ten thousand years ago."
Ling Feng and Tuoba Yan exchanged a glance. How could Great Emperor Tiance, who was merely a figure from a thousand years ago, be connected to events that happened ten thousand years in the past?
"Ten thousand years ago, in that chaotic era, various clans fought constantly, and wars raged endlessly. Amidst the endless slaughter and oceans of blood, a peerless demon sword was born!
"This sword was born from blood and bones, gaining power from the bloodlust of all the clans. It became a rare treasure in the world, one that could obscure heavenly secrets! Back then, I sought immortality and scoured the world for divine medicine but found nothing... Until I stumbled upon a fragment of this sword.
"I knew that this fragment was my only chance for survival!"
Great Emperor Tiance's eyes gleamed with fervor as he grinned menacingly. "When my life essence was nearing its end, I used the tomb my people had built as a medium to set up a grand reversal array. With it, I merged my soul with this demon sword. From that moment on, I became the sword's spirit!
"Through this sword, I could deceive the Heavenly Dao and escape the fate of the Tiance Clan. My soul will remain immortal!"
Great Emperor Tiance grew more excited as he spoke, his eyes turning blood-red as he raved like a madman. "Now, after a thousand years, I have become the sword's spirit, undying and indestructible! By absorbing blood, I can strengthen myself and truly become an eternal emperor. Under heaven, all will bow before me!"
As he continued speaking, Great Emperor Tiance's excitement grew. His face flushed, as if he could already see himself commanding armies with everyone submitting wherever his sword pointed.
He was insane. This man had completely lost his mind.
"You madman! Even if you have become the sword's spirit, you are still just a weapon. Moreover, you are nothing but a broken, incomplete sword. If no one wields you, you will remain in this underground palace forever. What kind of immortality is that?"
Ling Feng clenched his fists. He never imagined that someone of the Great Emperor's caliber would forsake his humanity to become a sword just to seek immortality.
Perhaps this was what people called a sword fanatic.
"Heh, heh, heh..." Great Emperor Tiance laughed wildly. "I, who have seen through the heavenly secrets, would never make such a foolish mistake!
"Do you think you obtained the Tiance Mirror by chance? And..." Great Emperor Tiance's gaze shifted to Tuoba Yan as he sneered coldly, "Do you think your extreme yin physique, your unparalleled natural talent, was a gift from the heavens?
"Hehe, the Heavenly Dao is merciless!"
With a wave of his sleeve, Great Emperor Tiance raised his voice. "All of this is the result of a Great Prophecy Art I performed a thousand years ago at great cost!"
"I foresaw that a thousand years later, a perfect vessel would be born in my clan. That vessel is you!"
Great Emperor Tiance laughed maniacally again. "And I also foresaw that that Tiance Mirror would fall into the hands of a child of the Heavenly Dao! I need the Blood of the Emperor flowing through a child of the Heavenly Dao's veins to accomplish my grand plan!"
Tuoba Yan's face turned deathly pale in an instant. Though she didn't fully understand Great Emperor Tiance's scheme, she realized that she had become a part of his plan.
Her ancestor had plotted against his descendants. What a pitiful clan!
"You old monster, what exactly do you mean?"
Ling Feng clenched his fists tightly. If he wasn’t trying to possess him, then was he meant to be a sacrificial offering? Or perhaps the one to wield the demon sword? And what role did Tuoba Yan play in all of this?
"Child of the Heavenly Dao, do not be hasty."
Great Emperor Tiance's cold gaze swept over Ling Feng like a venomous snake. He continued slowly, "My soul has already merged with the demon sword, making me undying and indestructible. But how could I, a Great Emperor, be content with being someone else's weapon? Therefore, I must create a perfect vessel for the demon sword to inhabit. Once that is done, I can fully control that vessel and achieve true rebirth!
"That perfect vessel will possess the strongest bloodline under heaven and the physique of my clan. It will perfectly align with my soul, allowing me to be reborn! With that perfect vessel, I can break through the realms and ascend directly to the divine realm!"
Great Emperor Tiance laughed sinisterly. "So, child of the Heavenly Dao, enjoy the gift I have prepared for you! This woman is the pride of my clan. Before you die, you must merge your yang with her ying and produce offspring. That offspring will be the perfect vessel I require!"
"You madman!" Ling Feng cursed, "I have no interest in becoming the father of some sword spirit!"
"This is your destiny! You cannot escape it!"
Great Emperor Tiance spread his arms wide, laughing heartily. "After a thousand years of planning, I shall finally be reborn!"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Tuoba Yan, and he sneered menacingly. "Descendant, being chosen as the perfect vessel by me is an honor! Once you give birth to the vessel, I will bestow upon you the title of Holy Mother. This vast imperial tomb will become your resting place, and you will sleep here for eternity!"
"Ancestor, in your eyes, what do we of the Tiance Clan even mean to you?"
Tuoba Yan bit her bottom lip hard. At that moment, the unwavering faith she had held for so long shattered completely, leaving her lost and confused.
"The Tiance Clan flourished because of me! Now, it's merely time to repay what is owed to me. You selfish descendants, do you only know how to take, but never how to repay?"
Great Emperor Tiance stared coldly at Tuoba Yan, his voice icy. "Everything you possess was given to you by me through the Great Prophecy Art. This is your destiny, and you have no choice but to accept it!"
"You're full of crap! I've seen shameless people, but none as shameless as you!"
Ling Feng immediately drew the Eradicator of Realms and shouted at Tuoba Yan, "Miss Tuoba, don't listen to this madman! He's gone insane in his pursuit of immortality. He's no longer your ancestor. He's nothing but a demon!"
With a flick of his robe, Great Emperor Tiance unleashed a terrifying aura that nearly crushed Ling Feng's internal organs.
However, because Great Emperor Tiance still needed Ling Feng's bloodline, he didn't deliver a killing blow. Instead, he reached out and grabbed Ling Feng by the throat while sneering. "Before you die, I'll allow you to enjoy the pleasures of life, child of the Heavenly Dao. You should be grateful!"
Ling Feng struggled to breathe, gritting his teeth as he growled, "You old monster! Others wouldn't become a sword, but you did! What a joke. Great Emperor Tiance? Ridiculous!"
"Ignorant fool! What do you know?" Great Emperor Tiance roared in anger. "As long as I can achieve immortality, what does it matter if I become a sword spirit? The Great Dao is formless, without self or appearance. You all cling to these mere bodies. How pathetic and laughable!"
"That's no excuse for becoming a wretched sword spirit!” Cough, cough!
Ling Feng cursed as Great Emperor Tiance tightened his grip, causing blood to trickle from the corner of Ling Feng's mouth.
In the presence of a Great Emperor, a being of such overwhelming strength, he had no chance of resisting.