Sovereign of the Sword

Chapter 8: The National Heroine

Silence gripped the training ground.

Every Ye clansman stared, their eyes wide with shock and terror. They all knew Ye Xuan’s fierce protectiveness towards his sister – the man was practically a sister-obsessed guardian! But no one expected it to go thisfar. Ye Feng was the Grand Elder’s own grandson, Ye Lang’s blood cousin! And Ye Xuan had just... killed him!

Ignoring the stunned crowd, Ye Xuan strode directly towards the Ye Manor’s medicine hall. An elder emerged, blocking his path – Ye Qing, the steward of the apothecary.

“Ye Xuan!” Ye Qing frowned deeply. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Ye Xuan brushed past him, his sharp eyes scanning the shelves. He stopped before a specific compartment and yanked it open. Empty.

His expression turned icy. He spun towards Ye Qing. “Mind-Nourishing Pills.”

Ye Qing narrowed his eyes. “I’ve locked them away. The clan has suspended your sister’s pill allocation. You can’t just–”

WHAM!

Ye Xuan snatched a heavy counterweight from a nearby scale and hurled it at Ye Qing’s head. The elder barely twisted aside in time. But the distraction cost him. Before he could recover, Ye Xuan was there.

A fist, swift and brutal, rocketed towards Ye Qing’s face!

Instinct kicked in. Ye Qing gathered his Qi and punched back, meeting force with force.

CRACK!

The air boomed with the impact. Ye Qing staggered backwards, his arm numb. He slammed against the wall, cornered. Before he could blink, Ye Xuan was upon him again, another devastating punch aimed squarely at his skull.

Panic flared. Ye Qing shouted, “Alright! Alright! I’ll give them to you!”

The fist halted, inches from his nose.

Ye Qing gasped, terror in his eyes. He was a true Qi Transformation Realm cultivator! Ye Xuan was supposed to be crippled, stuck at the 5th Layer of the Unceasing Realm! Yet, he’d been utterly overwhelmed in a single exchange. This power... it was monstrous!

Ye Xuan extended his hand. Ye Qing, trembling, didn’t dare scheme. He quickly produced a small White Jade Vial. Ye Xuan snatched it, uncorking it swiftly. Only fifteen Mind-Nourishing Pills lay inside.

“This is all?” Ye Xuan’s voice was dangerously low.

“Th-these pills are priceless!” Ye Qing stammered. “Impossible to source locally in Qingcheng! These are remnants from our last external order!”

Ye Xuan paused, then pocketed the vial. “I’ve bled for this clan for years. Taking these? Not excessive.” He met Ye Qing’s gaze. The elder looked away, silent.

Turning, Ye Xuan exited the hall. Outside, the Grand Elder and a group of clan elders blocked his path, their faces thunderous. News of Ye Feng’s death traveled fast.

The Grand Elder’s voice trembled with suppressed rage. “My grandson... he only spoke a few harsh words! And you killedhim?!”

Ye Xuan walked calmly towards him until they stood face-to-face. “Your grandson. You failed to discipline him. So, I did.” His eyes were flat, devoid of emotion, but a chilling promise of violence simmered beneath the surface.

The Grand Elder’s fists clenched, knuckles white. A savage snarl twisted his lips. “Seize him! Beat him to death!”

Ye Manor guards surged forward.

A grim smile touched Ye Xuan’s lips. He shifted his weight, body becoming a blur. Before anyone registered the movement, the lead guard flew backwards, crashing meters away. Ye Xuan didn’t pause. He spun, a whip-kick catching the next guard charging him.

THUD!The man crumpled.

Then, Ye Xuan chargedthe Grand Elder himself.

The Grand Elder’s face contorted in fury. He lunged, channeling his Qi into a powerful palm strike aimed to crush. Ye Xuan met it head-on – not with technique, but pure, focused power. His fist collided with the palm.

BOOM!

The Grand Elder was hurled back a dozen staggering steps. Ye Xuan didn’t budge.

“Impossible!” the Grand Elder choked out, eyes wide with disbelief. “Your Dantian is shattered! How can you still possess such strength?!”

Ye Xuan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “How do youknow my Dantian is broken?” Understanding dawned, cold and lethal. The mysterious assassin who crippled him... the Grand Elder’s doing. Murderous intent erupted from Ye Xuan like a physical wave.

A voice cut through the tension. “Ye Xuan. Leave. Now.”

All eyes turned. Ye Lang stood nearby.

Ye Xuan shot him a cold, dismissive glance. Without a word, he turned and walked away. The guards hesitated, looking to Ye Lang. None dared move.

Beside Ye Lang, the Grand Elder seethed. “Ye Lang! Even with your life-and-death pact... he killed your cousin! This grievance... we cannot swallow it!”

Ye Lang silenced him with a raised hand. “Patience, Grand Elder. In two days, I will settle this debt for you.” His gaze followed Ye Xuan’s retreating figure. “I know he’s arrogant. Deserves death. But now isn’t the time. In two days, summon all of Qingcheng to witness our duel. I will use him as my stepping stone. Crushing him publicly will be my declaration. My name will echo.” He smiled faintly. “To catch the eyes of those forces from beyond the mundane world... one needs fame. He is the first rung on my ladder.”

The Grand Elder’s frown eased slightly. “True. Those lofty powers rarely notice us small folk without significant commotion.”

Ye Lang nodded. “Rest assured, Grand Elder. On that arena, I will make him suffer unimaginable humiliation before his death. Your vengeance will be complete.”

The Grand Elder finally nodded, though concern flickered. “Don’t underestimate him. Crippled or not, his combat prowess is significant.”

Ye Lang gave a faint, dismissive smile, saying nothing. Internally, he scoffed. Weak old man.He’d seen the brief clash. To him, it wasn’t Ye Xuan’s strength, but the Grand Elder’s profound weakness. An elder grown soft and slow. A relic. Just like the rest of the Ye clan leadership. His gaze returned to the path Ye Xuan had taken, a cold smirk forming. Be honored. Becoming my stepping stone is your only worth.

Back in his room, Ye Xuan carefully fed a Mind-Nourishing Pill to Ye Ling. He watched her anxiously, guilt gnawing at him. How could I forget her pills?He was beside himself with anxiety.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. Seeing him, a sweet smile bloomed on her pale face. “Ge... seeing you... really is the best.”

Relief washed over him. He squeezed her hand gently. “Feeling better?”

She gave a tiny nod. “Not so cold now.”

“My fault,” he murmured, voice thick with emotion. “I promise you, Ye Ling. Never again. Never.” His grip tightened, a silent vow.

Ye Ling looked at him, tears welling suddenly. “Ge... before... I wanted to die. Didn’t want to be a burden.” A sob caught in her throat. “But... just now... I was so scared. Scared that if I died... Ge would be all alone.” She wiped her cheeks fiercely. “I... I want to stay with Ge! Always!”

Ye Xuan’s own eyes stung. He forced a smile. “You’ll be fine. We bothwill be.” He hooked his little finger around hers, an old gesture. “Promise? Neither of us leaves first.”

Ye Ling gave a watery giggle. “Ge! Finger-pulling is for kids!”

Ye Xuan laughed, the sound genuine. “To me, you’ll always be my little girl.” Seeing the pure joy light up her face warmed his heart.

He decided training could wait. She’d been cooped up too long. Time for Qingcheng. In his world, nothing mattered more than his sister.

The small city, home to barely twenty thousand, bustled with street performers and vendors. Ye Xuan carried Ye Ling on his back, ignoring her weak protests about walking. He knew her fragile state. Behind them, shadowy figures trailed at a distance – the Grand Elder’s watchers. Ye Xuan ignored them. Let them watch, as long as they didn’t interfere.

As dusk painted the sky, they neared the city gate on their way back. Hooves drummed on the packed earth outside. A figure on horseback galloped through the gate, moving with breathtaking speed.

She wore a spotless white robe. In her right hand, a silver long spear gleamed, its spearhead like a captured shard of ice. Her face was perfection – a swan-like oval, dominated by piercing phoenix eyes. Stunning. Unforgettable.

Every eye in the gate vicinity snapped to her. She commanded the space.

Her horse slowed abruptly beside Ye Xuan and Ye Ling. Her gaze, sharp and assessing, locked onto Ye Xuan. Surprise flickered in her eyes. “Hidden Realm!” she breathed.

Ye Xuan’s heart lurched. She knows? And she can see through the concealment?Even the clan elders were fooled. This woman was extraordinary.

“You must be Ye Lang,” she stated, her voice clear and cool. Her spear tip lifted, pointing directly at him. “The one who triggered the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon. Cultivating a Hidden Realm... solid foundation. Worthy of my spear.” She sat tall in the saddle. “I am An Lanxiu. Now. Receive my strike!”

“An Lanxiu!”

Gasps erupted from the crowd. “Heavens! It’s her! Jiang Kingdom’s once-in-ten-millennia genius!”

“The Ruler himself named her National Heroine! Eighteen years old! Unprecedented!”

“They say she’s challenged talents across thirty-six cities... not one survived a single strike! She came for Ye Lang! If sheacknowledges him... the Ye name will blaze across the land!”