Chapter Forty-Seven: You Actually Hit Me?

"Heh, whatever! If you all think it's awesome, then so be it. Anyway, I've had my fun! Heh... Who would have thought, in this day and age, that simply having an iron sword could make you look so impressive? This is just too enjoyable. Looks like I'll have to make a few more in the future..."

Ye Qiu smiled to himself, caring nothing for what others called true immortal swords or fake ones. In his eyes, such things were worthless.

He could make as many as he liked, and since they were so enamored, he might as well let them be.

Liu Jianchen gazed at the sword in his hand with great excitement, vowing, "Rest assured, Senior. With this sword, I, Jianchen, will exterminate all the dark fiends roaming the world and restore peace to the Great Wilderness..."

A truly peerless sword! He never expected the senior to be so generous—this time, he had really hit the jackpot.

Liu Jianchen was overwhelmed with emotion. Ye Qiu's generosity far exceeded his expectations; indeed, he was the peerless master Liu so deeply admired.

To bestow such a legendary immortal sword in one move—who could possibly measure up to that?

"Heh, I've scored big! And for free too, getting my hands on such a treasure. Zhenyue, was it? Excellent. With this sword, let's see which fiend dares bare its fangs before me..."

He carefully put away the Zhenyue Sword, then bid Ye Qiu farewell and set out alone to hunt down the fiends that still lurked outside.

With this matter settled, Ye Qiu turned his gaze to Tianyi and Fengxiao and felt a headache coming on.

"How should I deal with them?"

Ye Qiu could sense the icy, unblinking stare of that cold woman fixed firmly upon him, making his heart race with anxiety.

It was all because of his reckless youth—why, of all people, had he chosen to provoke such a formidable woman?

But then again, who could have imagined that the once innocent, naive little girl would grow into such a brilliant, awe-inspiring empress?

No one could have foreseen it, not even Ye Qiu himself. He stole a cautious glance at her—over a meter seventy tall, a figure of perfect proportion, draped in flowing white celestial robes.

As the breeze stirred, her exquisite features and slightly melancholic gaze seemed to pierce the autumn waters—utterly irresistible.

Ye Qiu felt a tremor deep within.

"So beautiful! She must be the main character's destined wife—there's simply no one else in the Great Wilderness who could compare.

If she's not the main wife, then where's the justice? What is the world coming to?

No, no, I must not be tempted! If I draw the protagonist's ire, wouldn't I be beaten to death, grave dug up and corpse whipped?"

Ye Qiu was terrified—but to this day, he still didn't know who the protagonist really was.

There were a few candidates, such as Liu Jianchen... But was he truly the one? That remained to be seen.

If it really was him, that would be fine! After all, he was obedient, and Ye Qiu had saved his life—he shouldn't be too ruthless, right?

Yes... probably not.

But some might ask, why don't you consider that you could be the protagonist?

Ye Qiu could tell you with absolute certainty, "Me, the protagonist? Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen a protagonist who, after more than twenty years, is still just the manager of a tavern?

A protagonist who can't cultivate? A protagonist who spends all day idling about, boasting to the world?"

Ye Qiu's heart was filled with bitterness. Others who crossed over became war gods or dragon kings, but he was the most pitiful—just a cowardly show-off.

But back to the matter at hand...

He looked at Tianyi and Fengxiao, who were trembling with fear, and steeled himself. "You two opened the breach to the Dark Forbidden Zone. You should be the ones to close it. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

At these words, the old Tianyi shuddered, realizing his fate was sealed, and hastily pleaded, "Senior, we know our mistakes. Please, spare our lives!

Our strength isn't even enough to approach the boundary river, let alone seal the breach. Please, have mercy..."

"Yes, Senior, we know we've erred. Sending us to close the breach is no different from sending us to our deaths..."

Their lives hung by a thread; to seal the breach would be suicide—there was no difference.

Hearing this, Yuechan’s face turned cold, and she barked, "If you wish to die, I shall oblige!"

As she spoke, a green lotus burst forth, sending out several vine-like tendrils toward them.

Ye Qiu panicked and shouted, "Stop—"

But he was already too late; even if Yuechan wished to withdraw, it was impossible now.

Yet something astonishing happened. Under Yuechan’s cold gaze, a surge of boundless, righteous energy swept toward her and enveloped her completely.

"Hmm?"

Yuechan’s face blanched, and in an instant, all her power was scattered—save for the celestial lotus beneath her, everything vanished.

"My god... forcibly suppressed? Damn, that's ruthless..."

Daoist Fufeng could only marvel, utterly shaken.

He exclaimed, "This guy really is addicted to showing off! He acts all weak—'Come, hit me'—but then, with a single word, severs the other's spiritual power?

Even the empress herself can't resist? My god, this is true divine might..."

Whether it was Fufeng or the crowd watching, all were stunned speechless—even Ye Qiu’s pet, the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow, was dumbstruck.

This was simply inhuman. With a single word, he’d stripped Empress Yuechan of her power?

Yuechan turned deathly pale and looked at Ye Qiu with deep confusion.

"What terrifying intimidation! Is this his true strength? His words become law? With just a sentence, he forcibly suppressed all my spiritual power. Such celestial power is truly rare in this world.

So, he really is a peerless master. No wonder the painting he gave me back then contained the highest immortal law..."

At that moment, Yuechan finally understood—Ye Qiu was indeed the same Ye Qiu from years past, whether he admitted it or not.

All those years ago, Ye Qiu had gifted her a scroll of the Chaos Green Lotus, containing supreme intent. It was by grasping a sliver of that true meaning that she achieved what she had today.

But if he was so powerful, why did he always pretend to be weak? Could it be... just a personal quirk?

Yuechan's face darkened. "Very well, you dare to strike at me? I’ll remember this..."

Suddenly she recalled a line from Ye Qiu’s writings: If you hate someone, then marry him, bear him a brood of sons...

Scoundrel, I’ll remember this! You dared to attack me? You’re finished...

With a scheming glint in her eyes, Yuechan’s sympathy for Ye Qiu vanished—she was now determined to make him pay, to oppose him at every turn, to make him suffer...

Ye Qiu was utterly baffled. What had he done? Why were they all staring at him in shock?

He had no idea what had happened or why everyone was so astonished.

"Hey, Little Red! Do you know what just happened?"

He asked, confused. The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow shot him a look. "Hah... still pretending? You really are addicted to putting on a show. I can't even be bothered to respond to you..."

The Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow’s attitude was clear: it despised his behavior. Why pretend? If you can't control your own strength, at least be self-aware.