Xuanhuan: The Empress and I Swapped Bodies - Chapter 17

“Whew! Close call, close call! Thank goodness I was quick-witted enough—otherwise, I wouldn’t have survived today!”

“Being the Grand Elder is way too hard!”

The Grand Elder knew his uncle’s personality all too well—the man was obsessed with face.

If his reputation were truly at stake, he wouldn’t hesitate to silence anyone who threatened it.

So, the Grand Elder reminded himself: This secret must never be revealed. Not to anyone.

Then, glancing in the direction where Sect Leader Zong had left, he felt uneasy again.

“No, I can’t stay here too long. What if Uncle changes his mind and comes back? If he finds me still here, I’m dead!”

“I need to memorize the Supreme Dao Scripture and study it later!”

Since Ye Wushuang’s All Laws Return to One only contained the general outline, memorizing it wasn’t difficult.

Once he finished, the Grand Elder didn’t linger for even a moment—he hurriedly left the Scripture Pavilion.

For now, he decided to stay far away from it. Survival first.

To the outside world, he announced he was going into seclusion to cultivate the Supreme Dao Scripture.

Meanwhile, Ye Wushuang remained unaware of all this, still engrossed in his sword techniques.

The deeper he delved, the more fascinated he became.

The Scripture Pavilion housed countless sword manuals, more than enough for Ye Wushuang to study.

So, he immersed himself completely.

His swordsmanship improved at an astonishing pace, with sword intent naturally manifesting.

This left Murong Wan’er, who had been accompanying him, utterly envious.

She had heard that the Divine Dragon Empress had taught the Prince of Qin sword techniques, allowing him to merge three styles into one, drastically increasing their power.

This planted a seed of desire in Murong Wan’er—she, too, wanted the Divine Dragon Empress to instruct her in swordsmanship.

She had practiced the Three-Life Sword Technique for years, yet her progress remained limited.

While she had mastered One Sword Severs the Present, the other two techniques—One Sword Severs the Past and One Sword Severs the Future—eluded her.

These techniques weren’t just about swordplay; they involved the laws of space and time.

Even as a Heavenly Immortal, comprehending these profound laws was no easy feat.

After much hesitation, Murong Wan’er finally spoke up.

“Your Majesty, this subject has an impertinent request!”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Your Majesty… could you teach me the Three-Life Sword Technique?”

As she said this, Murong Wan’er was incredibly nervous.

Even though Ye Wushuang had been very amiable toward her lately, she still felt her request was far too presumptuous.

After all, the Three-Life Sword Technique had been passed down to her by the Divine Dragon Empress herself. Asking for personal instruction now was practically demanding to be spoon-fed.

But her longing to advance her swordsmanship outweighed her hesitation.

So, she stared at Ye Wushuang with a mix of fear and hope.

To her surprise, Ye Wushuang didn’t find her request strange at all.

Unaware that the Three-Life Sword Technique had originally come from the Divine Dragon Empress, he simply assumed it was just another manual in the Scripture Pavilion.

“Sure. But first, I’ll need to study the technique myself.”

With that, he went to retrieve the Three-Life Sword Technique manual.

Murong Wan’er assumed he was merely refreshing his memory and didn’t think much of it.

Her mind was still clouded with anxiety.

Soon, Ye Wushuang returned with the manual in hand.

Under Murong Wan’er’s watchful gaze, he began flipping through its pages.

At first, everything around him was still.

But gradually, a spectral sword materialized above his head.

The sword moved on its own, swinging through the air with terrifying force.

Initially, its movements were sharp and precise—each slash like an autumn gale stripping leaves from trees.

Then, the swordplay grew more intricate.

Some strikes seemed harmless at first glance, yet whatever they touched crumbled into dust instantly.

This was One Sword Severs the Past—a strike infused with the power of time, cutting down enemies in their past.

A single hit would reduce the target to nothingness.

Next, Murong Wan’er felt as though a colossal titan had manifested beside Ye Wushuang.

Its eyes were deep, brimming with the weight of ages.

The spectral sword flew into its grasp, transforming into a gargantuan blade.

With one swing, it annihilated everything in its path—erasing the enemy’s very future.

Such overwhelming power instilled sheer terror, sapping even the courage to resist.

Yet, Ye Wushuang’s demonstration wasn’t over.

The swordplay continued evolving until it settled into something deceptively simple—each stroke resembling an ordinary practice swing.

But when one such “ordinary” strike landed on an object, the object vanished before Murong Wan’er’s eyes.

Not just destroyed—erased.

Gone from existence entirely, untraceable even across the river of time.

Murong Wan’er’s jaw dropped.

Then, she sucked in a sharp breath.

“This… this is the true power of the Three-Life Sword Technique?! This is beyond terrifying!”

“No wonder it’s said that when all three swords unite, even gods and demons must retreat!”

“With a technique like this, even divine beings would meet their end!”

Murong Wan’er had always known the Three-Life Sword Technique was formidable. She had trained diligently in it for years.

But she had never mastered it fully—nor had she ever witnessed its complete might.

Only now, after Ye Wushuang’s demonstration, did she truly understand its horror.

And it only strengthened her resolve: I must master this technique.

The moment Ye Wushuang opened his eyes, Murong Wan’er eagerly spoke up.

“Your Majesty, please teach me! I want to learn this supreme sword art!”

“Very well. We’ll spar while I guide you.”

Neither of them found their exchange unusual.

Murong Wan’er assumed Ye Wushuang had already mastered the technique long ago and was merely showcasing it now.

Ye Wushuang, believing the Divine Dragon Empress’s body granted him natural talent, saw nothing strange in instantly grasping the technique.

Only the Divine Dragon Imperial Seal, ever watchful of Ye Wushuang, sensed something amiss.

It knew the Three-Life Sword Technique all too well—a peerless ancient art, as difficult to master as any primordial scripture.

It also knew that achieving mastery required unparalleled fortune and comprehension.

Yet Ye Wushuang had mastered it after a single read.

This defied all logic.

“This kid… he’s truly defying heaven itself.”

The Imperial Seal couldn’t help but suspect: If Ye Wushuang wished, he could master any primordial scripture—even the Ancestral Dragon Art, the very technique the Divine Dragon Empress cultivates.

But it kept this thought to itself.

Some things were better left unsaid—especially if they might shatter the Empress’s confidence.