Chapter 1977: Drastic Measures The moment Fairy Myria obtained the Soaring Emperor Sword, the hearts of the Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader and Ancestor's heart shook, and their worries were not unfounded. "Pui!" They spat out a mouthful of blood at the same time. Not only them but the majority of the elders and disciples of the Emperor Sword Sect all vomited blood, their hearts shaken. "Rayn! Retreat!" Just when Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader realized what had just happened, he bellowed on top of his lungs. However, the Soaring Emperor Sword had already pierced through Rayn Shard and caused his entire body to explode into a mangled mess of flesh. "…!?" He became stiff, his eyes becoming bloodshot. "My son!" Unleashing a heart-wrenching scream, his figure flashed as he appeared before the barrier. However, his scalp turned numb as he saw the Soaring Emperor Sword approaching him. *Puchi!~* The Soaring Emperor Sword pierced through the barrier as though it was tofu before piercing towards Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader. However, the Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader was able to dodge in time. But contrary to his expectation, the Soaring Emperor Sword didn't even glance at him but shot towards the skies and left in a straight line. 'That direction… the Emperor Sword Sect...' Everyone couldn't help but be stunned. Was the Soaring Emperor Sword leaving the battle arena just like that after killing its master? It shot past the New Era Battle Arena and left the region. They could no longer sense its presence. However, a stiff silence remained that even the sound of a gulp was loud and clear. Someone had died in the Eight Stage Segment! "The Soaring Emperor Sword was even willing to use its core energy to kill Rayn Shard and retreat to the Emperor Sword Sect. It seems like it was really unwilling and angered to be used by such a lowly person." Ellia's voice resounded in the excruciating silence. Even she was a bit astonished to see the Soaring Emperor Sword kill one of its own but understanding what they all did to it; she was not surprised. "Bullshit! You killed him!" The Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader pointed at her face with a furious look on his face, his eyes still bloodshot. His son had died! How could he not be furious? "Then that would mean that I managed to control the Soaring Emperor Sword to kill one of its people." Ellia asked in an unsure tone, "Is that sword truly trash, as I said?" "You-" She waved her sleeve, cutting him off. "Heh, making threats is child's play. This hand of mine slapped much trash away, and if you come here..." Ellia paused before she smirked, "Careful, I might do the same." The Emperor Sword Sect's Sect Leader trembled in rage. However, within that insanity was a semblance of sanity. Was he more powerful than the Vast Sky Emperor? No! He dared not approach her. However, he couldn't let go of this matter either. "Since you want to court death, fine." His eyes blazed with fury before he rushed somewhere else. When people looked where he moved, they were shocked to find out that he was heading towards the Mystic Ice Sect's seating area! However, a mighty figure quickly blocked the path and coldly uttered. "Adamantus Shard, what are you doing!?" Adamantus Shard's expression became nervous, but he didn't seem to cower in fear as he looked at the one who blocked him. "Mandate Emperor, that witch killed my son. It's obvious she used her mysterious arts to somehow control the Soaring Emper-" "Shut up. Do you think you're qualified to lie in front of me!?" The Mandate Emperor waved his sleeve, looking angered. His words shut up Adamantus Shard as he became a bit terrified in his heart. He was not a match for the Mandate Emperor. "Fairy Myria, what do you think happened?" The Mandate Emperor turned to look at Ellia, who shrugged. "I only removed the blood seal that restricted the Soaring Emperor Sword's will. The rest is as you can see." She disdained to explain as she was not worried about the consequences whatsoever. Forgetting Myria, there was someone who said that he would take responsibility, so she was completely relaxed about Adamantus Shard targeting her Mystic Ice Sect, chilling inside the barrier. The Mandate Emperor helplessly sighed, but he felt that was enough as he turned to look at Adamantus Shard. "Back then, the Soaring Emperor Sword was something even we highly respected. Your internal squabbles aren't our affairs, so I didn't interfere, but if you harm even a single strand of hair of the geniuses here, I, the Mandate Emperor, will personally visit your Emperor Sword Sect and-" "Try it if you can, old man." Abruptly, a stern yet old voice of a person echoed. Everyone turned to look at the Emperor Sword Sect's seating area, their eyes radiating disbelief. A white-robed old man floated in front of the seating area, appearing old yet graceful. However, his looks at his age weren't enough to warrant their shock, but his powerful undulations were. "I see." The Mandate Emperor's eyes brightened, "No wonder the Shard Family was able to wrest away the entire Emperor Sword Sect from the other families. Not only did you, Ancestor Shard, scheme against them, but your prowess has also reached a level equaling us large-sized Territory Hegemons. Well hidden. Well hidden." The Mandate Emperor shook his head. With the presence of this Ancestor of the Shard Family, Nereus Shard, things became even more complicated and difficult. The defensive formations of the Emperor Sword Sect were not to be underestimated. "Scheme? You are kidding me." Ancestor Shard chuckled lightly, "They all collectively headed into the Emperor Sword Mini Realm for their own greed and ended up dying there for better or worse. I found some of their corpses later and managed to tell what they were after. Those greedy fellows actually blasphemed the founder's tomb and unearthed a few more terrifying sword arts, but they all died to the founder's curse. That incident unwittingly caused my Sword Laws to further its heights, allowing me to increase my prowess, so what is there to scheme against?" The Mandate Emperor could only stare. The internal matters of the Emperor Sword Sect are widely unknown. Even with his intelligence halls, he could only know what the Emperor Sword Sect spilled out. Their defensive formations were almost perfect, and those who used swords wouldn't be willing to be spies since their characters are mostly straightforward as the sword edge, but exceptions do always exist as there are cunning characters as well. What could he say when the winners write history? Only the ones with the Transcendent Truth Eyes could see through the veil of lies. However, he wasn't going to bring out Clara at this moment because she was even more important. Instead, he glanced towards the Emperor Sword Sect's seating area, looking at the bloody mist spanning in the air. "What about the blood essence you all spat out?" "Of course." Ancestor Shard nodded, "I won't deny that we had to use some tricks, but that was because the Calamity Light is near and needed to take drastic measures. If the Soaring Emperor Sword doesn't accept a new master even in this calamitous era, then we have no choice but to bend its will." "Drastic measures…" The Mandate Emperor's eyes became cold. These so-called drastic measures caused so many lives to die or ruin when powers scrambled to latch onto someone's legs. Even he was forced to recede the ban on consuming Peak-Level Spirit Stone Vein Sources. As an end result, this might hasten the rate of resource depletion, even more, leading to a desolate era, but he hoped the new era would be a prosperous era with heaven and earth energy pouring in like a major magical beast tide after the calamity. Perhaps, that would set his heart at ease. Or else, he would become the sinner who pushed the human race to a desolate era by using the so-called drastic measure. Nonetheless, his coldness towards this word stemmed from the fact that people started using it as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, even if it was despicable. It really made his heart turn cold, sometimes making him think what exactly was the use of protecting these people. However, he dared not shake his law heart for fear of being accursed with a heart demon. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 In his eyes, bending the will of the sword was acceptable, but the price they had to pay for it was steep and despicable because many were probably forced. He could see the disciple and elders of the Emperor Sword Sect appear aghast, not because their genius disciple died but because their blood essence was sacrificed. Most likely, they had all lost twenty to thirty percent of their blood essence. Fairy Myria's actions of freeing the Soaring Emperor Sword resulted in a significant backlash against the ones who were involved in suppressing it. Possibly, a lot more were injured back in the Emperor Sword Sect, perhaps even dead, but it was assured that they all had their growths stunted unless they could restore their blood essence, but the backlash was at least a level above Peak-Level Ninth Stage. Therefore, just how were they going to restore their blood essence? It was just not possible. Because of this, he knew that the current Emperor Sword Sect could act crazily, committing slaughter to bring the geniuses down along with them, so he dared not confront them here. "Fine, since Fairy Myria's words align with yours, this matter ends here." He declared. However, Ancestor Shard snickered. "Hmph! If you say it is over, then does that mean that it's over?" "Don't go too far." The Mandate Emperor's gaze became colder, his expression becoming solemn as his energy began to undulate. It cast immense pressure on Ancestor Shard, who wasn't on par with the Mandate Emperor. However, he didn't even exude a hint of nervousness but only possessed a smile on his face, appearing to be crazed as he grabbed the hilt of the sword, daring the Mandate Emperor to attack him. Their clash of pressure caused numerous people to feel stifled and terrified that they didn't know what to do. Those two were outside the barrier, so if they truly clashed, just the shockwave would be enough to crush them to death!