BOOM! Within Xu Yangyi’s heart, a flash arced through like a thunderclap. He’d never expected by any musing that Emperor Armaments… were actually even separated by life and death!

The doubt in his heart finally had an answer. Although this answer was quite superficial, it seemed to raise a corner and actually conceal even more secrets!

His gaze twinkled. An Animus Armament had identified itself with his own Dao? What Dao had it recognized of his? If there was certainly an activation opportunity, it was when those eight cultivators had confronted Vermilion Snow, giving him a kind of shock. But… what he came to be enlightened in was how a cultivator should be! What cultivation was!

Which Lord of the Nine Quiniums would acknowledge what a cultivator was?! As to the nature of cultivation? [1]

He was silent, not uttering a word. Jadewave gently flicked a finger and a lotus flower suddenly drifted out from the heavy mist. In a flash, it touched the Emperor Armament, and a sharp, grating noise similar to a sword strike quickly echoed through the air!

Dong! Although this noise was momentary, its lingering aura was prolonged. It seemed to have been heard from a thousand years ago, carrying an aura of endless murder, and causing the mind to shudder!

Xu Yangyi suddenly felt his heart madly palpitate, but it slowly settled as the ripplesque sound dissipated. It was as if… something was tightly clutching onto his heart, a kind of forceful squeezing. But as he sighed in relief, his pupils shrunk! Now, the Emperor Armament slightly trembled, and a bloody mist swiftly formed a movie-like curtain. Two figures emerged on its surface!

“This!” A violent trembling came from beneath Xu Yangyi’s feet, and Jadewave’s entire form shook severely as if it had laid eyes on some extremely terrible object, nearly throwing Xu Yangyi into the pool!

Above the sanguine curtain, images that smelled of wretched blood emerged like a wave. In the end…  they were clearly exhibited! 

“We… We are unreconciled…” Not a person was in sight. All that could be seen was a pale hand slowly rising upwards. “This immortal pill… how… how could…” [2]

Crash… The man’s hand hung powerlessly, streaking across an exquisite table. The elegant and ornate antiques clattered onto the floor, and an ear-piercing breaking sound followed.

At this moment, in front of Xu Yangyi, poised right at the night outside of the room, a brightness suddenly spilled forth like a ray of immortal light! It was like a sun in the blackness! It demanded absolute attention! In the sky, immortal light and golden rays gave birth to a lotus at each pace! In an instant, the sky was covered with a golden light, as if a golden tent had been hung! It was utterly intoxicating!

“Huff…” In the heavy mists, two green flames trembled fiercely. Even a thousand-year-old demon was simply unable to believe the object it was looking at. 

Swish! Without warning, the blood curtain shattered with a rumble. The mood was quiet, like death. Events had lasted no more than three seconds, and the time was quite short, yet the silence left behind seemed to last a century.

“Senior?” Xu Yangyi finally spoke because the Jadewave in front of him seemed to have died. There was no response, but Xu Yangyi seemed to hear the beating of a giant heart reverberating in the area.

“Senior?” After five seconds, Xu Yangyi cupped his hands again and made a second inquiry.

“I… I know…” Ten seconds later, Jadewave’s voice rang out again, yet the demon appeared somewhat terrified as if its soul had departed its mortal coil, its heart in distress.

“This is… a blood-drenched Emperor Armament…” Enormous green flames looked complicatedly at Xu Yangyi. “Just now… that was the implemented intent of this Emperor Armament’s master as he died… In the cultivation world, there is a special name for this… A Millennium Grudge…”

“It conveys an emperor’s execution of intent and resentments, crossing over a thousand years… Junior… be careful. Even I do not know more regarding Animus Armaments.” Jadewave’s tone of voice finally normalized. “Too many items, because the execution intent of their masters is incredibly intense, will have a final image sealed inside from the past, as it is looked upon…” 

“But this isn’t the most important thing,” Jadewave sighed deeply. “Junior, did you see the last beam of light?” Not waiting for Xu Yangyi to reply, Jadewave’s voice carried great cautioun. “That… is also an Emperor Armament!” 

“Before its master’s death, there was another Emperor Armament that struck this Emperor Armament!” Jadewave’s voice was already trembling imperceptibly. “Junior… remember this clearly… This attacking Emperor Armament… I have seen it during the time of my nascence… Witnessed it!” 

Xu Yangyi keenly felt it—was Jadewave’s body actually shaking right now?

This thousand-year-old greater demon was trembling because of this Emperor Armament!

He inhaled deeply and clasped his hands. “Please speak, Senior.”

“Remember its name… Junior…” Jadewave’s voice was wrought with hoarseness, as if it had sunk into its most terrible memory of the past. “Its name… is the Xia-Yu Sword.” [3]

Jadewave laughed wryly, “This is a name that perhaps you are a stranger to. However, it has another name that you are bound to have heard…”

“The Sword of Xuan Yuan…” Not waiting for Jadewave to finish speaking, Xu Yangyi smothered the shock in his heart and replied. [4]

Silence came again. After no less than a full minute passed, Jadewave continued to speak, “Starry Heavens Flower and Rootless Lotus… Golden light like muslin, a power shakes Xuan Yuan… It… is the Xuan-Yuan Sword! There’s no mistake… It is the strongest Emperor Armament since the beginning of history, the Xuan-Yuan Sword!” [5]

“Someone… used this Emperor Armament to kill this emperor! As for this little chest… it waged a battle against against the Xuan-Yuan Sword! Consequently, it was chopped into two parts! What you hold is the upper half!”

“Killed by an immortal artifact, this emperor carried a Millennium Grudge. As he approached death’s door, he used his spirit to nourish the rise of an unparalleled hatred… It was then that the sole Animus Armament in China’s five thousand years of history was created!”

“This is how it is… It surely is... Beyond a doubt…” Jadewave’s voice had already fell into a loop, however, this answer rendered the greater demon incredulous!

Who was it? So fearless to commit regicide!

Moreover… the Emperor Armament actually taken out was the presently-long-lost Xuan-Yuan Sword, the strongest Umbran Armament! And as for the Xuan-Yuan Sword… it was actually dyed with an emperor’s blood! Who was the departed soul that had met a wrongful death beneath this sword?

And while this Animus Armament in itself was ordinary, after it had been cleaved in two by the Xuan-Yuan Sword, it continued to silently be passed down to the modern age, bound with an endless grudge.

Jadewave sighed deeply. It dared not ponder the direction of this secret. It was too terrible, simply exceeding the scope that Jadewave was able to participate in.

“Junior, even now… you still dare to hold it?”

Xu Yangyi calmly studied the simple chest, taking a long and unhurried sigh in his heart. Striding across a millennium, an execution of will left unscattered. With inexhaustible resentment, hatred, and injustice, this will was forged a life into this Emperor Armament?

Which emperor were you? In history, what splendor and magnificence did you leave behind? A deep sigh seemed to stride across from ancient to modern times. Soon after, he tightly clutched the chest, absent of hesitation. 

But, you’ve come to me on this day! Regardless of who forged you, no matter who you once were, you’re only my, Xu Yangyi’s, fortune!

Jadewave’s gaze continued to shimmer, as if it was considering something. Finally, the demon faintly nodded its head. 

A good resolute nature… or perhaps it could be said… a newborn calf does not fear a tiger? Forget it, never mind… There exists no destiny between me and this object. An Animus Armament… A taboo in China’s 5,000 years… Since a master has been recognized, it is not worthwhile for me to set hands on it, Jadewave mused to itself.

The greater demon sighed with extreme reluctance in its heart. Between its life and opportunity, Jadewave chose the former. In its thousand-year-old gaze, a wisp of envy appeared, but eventually Jadewave pacified its mind and coughed lightly, “Each Emperor Armament has a successor. In present day China, there are over thirty successors. However, successors of Umbran Armaments cannot leave their province. So long as they are within their province, they can then awe those who cultivate within the province.”

Xu Yangyi cupped his hands. “Many thanks, Senior, for dispelling my confusion.” He looked down at his watch. There was still half an hour. “Junior still has a few questions.”

Seemingly nodding, Jadewave said in turn, “I know what you’re going to ask. I am not finished speaking, either. You’re going to ask about the carved image on the Emperor Armament, yes? Who it originates from?” 

Xu Yangyi nodded. This was the part he was puzzled over.

“Hehehe… Young fellow… I don’t know whether I should say your luck is too good or too bad… You might believe the line of runes carved on the edge of your sole Animus Armament to be a decorative design, but I just happen to recognize these markings.” 

Laughing, Jadewave’s voice turned grave. “This is a hieroglyph. Its meaning: to unravel its secret!”

“Junior, the Emperor Armament in your hands is badly damaged. I do not know why, but you have stirred it to life and assumed the responsibility of its destiny and karma. However, you best find its other part as soon as possible, otherwise…” The demon shook its head. “An Animus Armament… In five thousand years, a nation, and over a billion people, this item has barely come about… Dead in the hand of its emperor, how great is the hatred and thirst for vengeance carried? Who is it? For it not to disperse in a thousand years? As for what will happen, none are any the wiser.”

“Is there a clue?” Xu Yangyi’s gaze flickered, and he immediately questioned.

“Of course…” Jadewave began to laugh, “but don’t we have to discuss your condition now?”

Xu Yangyi chuckled, “Since I’ve come, I naturally know the rules. Please speak, Senior.”

Jadewave almost said without the slightest hesitation, “The hidden secret of the Animus Armament… You must share it with me!”

“Not a joint collaboration of you and I, but rather… from your mouth, orally narrated to me, without any remaining vestiges of pen and paper allowed! In addition, establish a Dao-heart oath that you will voluntarily enjoy the pleasures with myself! All karma shall be of your undertaking!” 

This was Jadewave’s price!

Jadewave didn’t risk striking any thoughts towards the Animus Armament. Especially once it knew this artifact had been used to murder a ruler, it simply dared not imagine what kind of aftermath would come about from the karmic retribution lying in the darkness!

Fortunately—Jadewave narrowed its eyes at Xu Yangyi—this little Qi Condensation cultivator was unable to know of such a thing like karma. Whether or not karma was real or existed, Xu Yangyi was far from the time of touching these things through his own cultivation and knowledge… 

Only Core Formation and above had the qualification to begin searching for karma, to trace the origin before the cause… What was there even to deceive a trifling Qi Condensation cultivator about? In particular about this overt plot. 

All was in Jadewave’s hand. What it grasped was nothing else but the most significant knowledge and information! This was the advantage of living so long!

If Xu Yangyi didn’t agree, this most crucial item would forever be left unknown to him! 

If Xu Yangyi did agree, this hidden treasure would be jointly shared, and he would be saddled with the karma. This was a perfect method of evading causality. 

Jadewave had fished for several centuries and finally… at long last, a true big fish had taken the bait! With this sum, it had gained a complete return on investment! 

Xu Yangyi didn’t speak. In his mind, he was swiftly considering everything. Without a doubt, there was obviously a huge pitfall to this condition, but it was necessary for him to make this promise now.

Be it cultivation or knowledge, Old Demon Jadewave was on a completely different level from him.