Xuanhuan: The Empress and I Swapped Bodies - Chapter 86

They had no idea what state Ye Wushuang was currently in, but his attack carried a lethality that sent chills down their spines.

Retreat was their only option now.

But it was already too late.

From within the dissipating storm of Daoist energy, a colossal divine sword emerged without warning.

In the next instant, it came crashing down upon one of the Vermilion Bird Supreme Elders.

The strike was instantaneous—the elder was split in two, his primordial spirit obliterated before he could even react.

The suddenness of it all left everyone stunned.

The Vermilion Bird Clan’s supreme experts had been certain that Ye Wushuang was either dead or on the verge of death.

Who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye, he would unleash such a devastating counterattack?

It was precisely because they hadn’t anticipated this—because they had let their guard down—that one of their Supreme Realm experts had been bisected in a single slash.

The surviving elder recoiled in horror, retreating hundreds of miles in an instant.

When the shockwaves finally settled, his gaze locked onto Ye Wushuang—and his mind went blank.

The man they had assumed would be crippled, if not dead, stood before him completely unharmed.

It was as if their earlier assault had never even touched him.

And yet, their fellow Supreme Realm elder had just been annihilated by Ye Wushuang’s full-powered strike.

A cold dread crept into his heart.

“What… what kind of treasure did you use to block our Vermilion Bird Slaughter without taking a single scratch?”

Ye Wushuang smirked. “Guess.”

In truth, he hadn’t relied on any artifact to withstand their attack.

His secret lay in the Eighth Layer of the Immortal Rebirth Art, a cultivation stage that granted him bloodline resurrection—the ability to regenerate from a single drop of blood.

Even if his body had been torn apart in the explosion, he could have reconstructed himself instantly.

The Vermilion Bird experts, oblivious to this, had assumed him defenseless.

Now, however, things had changed.

With another Supreme Realm elder slain, the remaining Vermilion Birds would no longer underestimate him.

And they weren’t just being cautious—they were calling for reinforcements.

“Ancestor! Emerge from seclusion! Third Elder is dead! Our clan faces annihilation!”

Ye Wushuang’s assault on the Vermilion Bird Sacred Mountain didn’t mean every last expert had shown themselves.

Deep within the mountain’s heart, one supreme being still slumbered in meditation—the Vermilion Bird Ancestor, the true pillar of their clan and the strongest existence in their history.

The plea echoed across the skies, and the heavens themselves seemed to respond.

The once-calm sacred mountain trembled anew.

Then, from the highest reaches of the firmament, an unfathomably massive figure emerged.

His wings stretched 99,900 zhang (≈ 333,000 meters), and with a single beat, he could traverse 108,000 li (≈ 54,000 km), leaving behind hurricanes capable of erasing all life in their wake.

Even a single feather from his body carried enough weight to crush a 10,000-zhang mountain.

His presence alone dwarfed the auras of every other being present—including Ye Wushuang’s.

This was the Vermilion Bird Clan’s indomitable pillar, their ultimate trump card.

The moment he appeared, every member of the clan prostrated themselves in worship.

Then, hovering above the nine heavens, his gaze fell upon Ye Wushuang.

“So you are the new emperor of the Divine Dragon Empire?”

His voice rumbled like distant thunder. “You’re certainly more impressive than the previous rulers.”

Having lived for untold millennia, the Vermilion Bird Ancestor had interacted with countless monarchs—including past emperors of the Divine Dragon lineage.

His tone carried the weight of absolute authority, as if issuing a decree rather than negotiating.

“Since your Divine Dragon Clan has delivered itself to our doorstep, you will now return our sacred heirloom—the Vermilion Bird Divine Spear.”

“Additionally, you will cede twenty major realms as compensation and swear annual tribute to our sacred mountain.”

“Only then will this matter be settled.”

“Refuse… and none of you will leave here alive.”

His words were calm, yet they carried unshakable finality, pressing down on everyone like an invisible mountain.

Even Liu Shan and Liu Ning, locked in their own battle, froze under the weight of his killing intent.

For the first time, they felt true mortal peril.

Yet, Imperial Clan Elder Liu Ning refused to yield.

“Impossible! The Divine Dragon Imperial Clan will* never become vassals to the Vermilion Birds!”*

The Ancestor’s eyes narrowed. “Then your imperial line will be* erased.**”*

“Do you truly believe your Divine Dragon Clan can withstand our wrath? Do you think you can walk away from here today?”

His tone remained eerily composed, but the unspoken threat was unmistakable.

Liu Ning and the others felt an invisible grip tighten around them—as if the Ancestor could snuff out their lives with a mere thought.

It was a sobering realization:

Even among Supreme Realm experts, the gulf in power could be insurmountable.

The Vermilion Bird Clan’s status as one of the Ten Great Sacred Mountains of the Demon Race was no accident.

Yet, amidst the tension, one person remained unfazed—Ye Wushuang.

Though the Ancestor’s aura was overwhelming, Ye Wushuang had yet to reveal his full hand.

He had long since mastered the “Secret of Universality”, a forbidden technique that could instantly amplify his combat power tenfold.

He had kept it hidden, as per Liu Ning and the Divine Dragon Imperial Seal’s warnings—but now, faced with annihilation, he was ready.

“So you’re certain you’ve got us cornered?” Ye Wushuang asked, his voice laced with amusement.

The Ancestor scoffed. “Do you honestly see a way out?”

“Whether there’s a way out isn’t for you to decide.” Ye Wushuang’s grin turned razor-sharp. “We’ll only know after we fight.”

For the first time, the Ancestor’s composure flickered—then twisted into something darker.

“Good. Very good.” His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. “You amuse me, little emperor. Since you’re this entertaining…”

His colossal wing blurred—

“—then stay here FOREVER!”

A taloned hand, large enough to crush mountains, descended toward Ye Wushuang with apocalyptic force.

The Ancestor was done talking.

He would bury this upstart where he stood.

And he was certain it would take nothing more than a single strike.