This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 168 Who is it?

As the blood of the Quasi-Saint splattered into the void like a fountain, the crowd was once again stunned as if struck by lightning. Everything that had happened today was beyond their imagination. What should have been a competition of talented individuals, though without major incident, had turned into this mess.

First the Heavenly Sword, then the Sword Immortal, and now even a mysterious and unpredictable Ghost Sword has slain a Quasi-Saint. This has utterly astonished everyone present.

Moreover, the Ghost Sword is shrouded in mystery. Although legends about the Ghost Sword circulate throughout the world, very few people have actually seen its true form.

The Ghost Sword Immortal has always existed only in legends, but I never expected him to appear in Yong'an City today.

Dali was the first to lose his composure. Li Jinxian jumped up as if his pants were on fire, shouting at the top of his lungs for Nan Jian.

"Nan Jian, come back here right now!"

Nan Jian was also stunned by the words of the sage about the ghost sword. Everyone was desperately searching for the ghost sword, but how could they find it?

"Li Jinxian, you're trying to kill me! Why didn't you tell me beforehand that there was a Ghost Sword here? I definitely wouldn't have come here. The Heavenly Sword is good, but my life is more important."

Nan Jian landed beside him like a startled rabbit, her face still showing lingering fear.

He was already somewhat drunk, but the fright jolted him completely awake.

"How could I have known that so many things would change? You should think carefully. You were the closest to it just now. Where did that sword come from? If we could subdue a ghost sword, we would make a fortune on this trip."

Li Jinxian was so excited he could hardly contain himself. That was the Ghost Sword! Although the Ghost Sword Immortal was also known as the Sword Immortal, most people preferred to regard him as the King of Assassination.

"You really overestimate me. That's the Ghost Sword Immortal, a being as elusive as a ghost. How could I possibly detect him?"

Nan Jian said indignantly,

"Ghost Sword Immortal?" Yan Yi stared at the Princess with suspicion for a moment, but seeing that she remained as steady as Mount Tai, she finally dispelled her doubts.

The Saint was furious; his chest was stained crimson, and drops of blood even fell from the sky like broken pearls.

This was the first time in his life that the drunkard had lost his composure like this. He could feel deeply that if that person had wanted to take his life, he would probably already be a cold corpse by now.

That sudden sword strike was more like a stern warning, telling him not to interfere in the battle for the Heavenly Sword.

How could he swallow this humiliation of being stained with blood in front of everyone?

His gaze swept over the sword immortals below like a hawk's, especially Wu Xie. A bitter smile appeared on his lips. It seemed that the quasi-saint lingered on him the longest.

"It's not good,"

Wu Xie sighed inwardly, his brows furrowed.

"What is a Ghost Sword?" Just as everyone was puzzled, the Crown Prince's voice rang out like a great bell.

On the viewing platform, a group of court officials, led by the Crown Prince, finally raised the question that had been puzzling the people.

The princess glanced at everyone with a half-smile. She wanted to answer their questions, but then thought it best to avoid trouble.

However, her gaze was fixed on Yan Yi. This woman seemed to have a strong interest in her, so she wanted to cause her some trouble.

Then, the eldest princess immediately spoke up: "The envoy of Great Yan, Miss Yan, not only brought out the Heavenly Sword, but is also a sword immortal herself. Surely you can answer our questions?"

Yan Yi was taken aback, never expecting the topic to return to her. Seeing Huangfu Lingxue's ambiguous smile, she made no attempt to hide it.

She said loudly, "Since Your Highness has given the order, I dare not refuse. I have only heard a little about the Ghost Sword Immortal, but seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved."

"Tell us more details, can't you see how curious we are?"

"Then I'll have to teach you my humble skills, everyone."

"Among the nine great sword immortals in the world, the four sword immortals of wind, fire, water, and qi are the most common sword immortals we encounter. Of course, there are countless other sword immortals like the one we encounter. You must have all heard of these five types of sword immortals. Apart from these five types, the other four types of sword immortals are like legendary gods, existing only in vague and ethereal legends."

"Ghost Sword, Spirit Sword, Immortal Sword, and Heavenly Sword—these four types of sword immortals are said to exist as if they do not exist in the mortal world, hence few people have ever seen them. Among these four types of sword immortals, the Ghost Sword Immortal is considered the most mysterious, as his name reflects his appearance; he is like a hidden evil spirit from the underworld, almost impossible for anyone to capture, and is universally recognized as the king of assassins. Just now, even a Quasi-Saint could not detect the existence of the Ghost Sword, which is the most mysterious aspect of the Ghost Sword. Once targeted by the Ghost Sword, there is almost no way to survive."

"Now, do you all understand how terrifying the Ghost Sword is? In the past, the Great Li Kingdom was plagued by Ghost Swords, and that time the Great Li Kingdom suffered heavy losses, with many reportedly losing their lives. Perhaps no one understands the Ghost Sword better than them. Do you agree, Li Jinxian?"

Yan Yi slowly recounted that Dali had mobilized the entire nation to suppress Ghost Sword, but whether they ultimately succeeded was unknown.

Clearly, Li Jinxian was unwilling to mention this past, and therefore ignored Yan Yi's words.

He was deeply worried about the current situation. With the Second Sage suffering such a blow, what would the Confucian Temple and Emperor Wu do next?

"I see. So, in other words, there's a king of assassins lurking here in Yong'an right now,"

The eldest princess was still unwilling to let Yan Yi go, and she continued to steer the conversation towards the Great Yan Dynasty.

"First, you took out the Heavenly Sword, causing everyone to scramble for it. Then, a Ghost Sword appeared out of nowhere, nearly killing a Quasi-Saint. Miss Yan, I am very curious. Everyone knows that the Heavenly Sword is the most precious treasure in the world. Why did you take it out here? Could it be that this was all a carefully planned scheme? And your purpose was to..."

"Your Highness, please be careful with your words. I am truly unable to bear such a blame. The Heavenly Sword is meant to be possessed by the capable. Since our Great Yan cannot fathom its mysteries, it is naturally taken out for heroes from all over the world to study together. You would not want the Heavenly Sword to be tarnished, would you? As for the Ghost Sword, I truly know nothing about it."

"If that's the case, then how strange! Our Great Qian has never heard of any Ghost Sword Immortal!"

The princess's words were like a sharp sword, piercing the hearts of many and causing them to furrow their brows.

Originally, everyone had doubts about the Great Yan taking out the Heavenly Sword, but they didn't have time to think about it deeply.

However, upon closer reflection, the actions of the Great Yan were truly baffling, and even the Quasi-Saint began to cast his sharp gaze toward the Great Yan.

Once suspicion takes root like a seed, it is difficult to eradicate. Whispers reached the ears of the demigod, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes, like a biting wind.

"Envoy of Great Yan, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

Seeing the situation take a sharp turn for the worse and turn in favor of the Great Yan, the Fourth Prince was completely convinced.

"Fight however you want," he said, exhausted, turning and walking away, clearly not intending to get involved any longer.

But the moment he considered backing down, Wu Xie stood like an insurmountable mountain in his path. The two were natural enemies, and once they opened their mouths, it was bound to be a war of words, with all sorts of provocative remarks flying out.

"Oh, is the Fourth Prince going to cower like a coward? How can the men of your Great Qian be so timid? You're just a spineless coward."

"Get out of here. If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll have someone deal with you right now."

"Heh, if it weren't for the fact that you are a prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, I would take your life right now."

The two were locked in a fierce battle, neither willing to yield, their tension palpable like fighting cocks, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder. These scenes resembled a chaotic farce, as if everyone present had their own nemesis.

However, for the onlookers who loved a good show, this was a real treat. The two prime ministers, along with their officials, started eating melon seeds, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they watched with great interest.

However, getting back to the point, Yan Yi's heart sank. She never expected that in just a few words, the Princess would so skillfully shift the suspicion onto her, which was completely different from her original plan. She didn't want to be targeted by the Princess, so she hurriedly began to explain.

“Sage, why would I have any reason to assassinate you? I have already drawn the Heavenly Sword, so why would I need to attack the Confucian Temple?”

"That's not necessarily true. Perhaps the Great Yan Dynasty was actually trying to make us kill each other."

Li Jinxian's well-timed interjection elicited a helpless smile from Yan Yi.

"Li Jinxian, have you forgotten the purpose of your visit to Daqian? Why are you even speaking up for Daqian? Are you trying to frame someone else?"

"Bullshit! I think you're the one causing trouble."

"You were the most arrogant person here, so why are you being so low-key now?"

"Yan Yi, you're asking for it!"

"Shut up, everyone!"

The sage was furious, his beard bristling and eyes bulging, creating utter chaos. He knew this couldn't continue; if everyone began to distrust each other, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Before the Poetry Festival has even started, it has already offended everyone. If they all walk away in a huff, wouldn't the Poetry Festival become the biggest laughing stock in the world?

At the sage's angry shout, the several opposing forces fell silent instantly.

At this moment, anyone who dares to stand out will surely become the target of public criticism, a fact they naturally understand.

However, the wind never ceases to blow even when the tree desires stillness. From the direction of the Heavenly Prison where Xiao Xingchen was located, an astonishing sword aura erupted once again, bursting through the Heavenly Prison like a volcanic eruption, piercing the sky, and forming another majestic sword pillar, echoing the Heavenly Sword.

"Holy crap, another Heavenly Sword Pillar?"

Exclamations rose and fell, and everyone stood up abruptly as if struck by lightning, their faces filled with solemnity.

This unparalleled sword energy surpassed even the Heavenly Sword. In fact, under the influence of this sword energy, all the swords present responded, as if subjects were paying homage to their monarch.

The sword pillar soared into the air, and as the sword energy dissipated, a jet-black aura surged out from the sword pillar, transforming into a black figure standing in the void.

Even from a great distance, everyone could feel the overwhelming pressure emanating from the black figure.

The Immortal Pavilion Master, who had been sent by Emperor Wu to hide in the shadows, appeared at the same time and rushed towards the black figure like an arrow released from a bow.

In the imperial palace, Emperor Wu stepped into the void for the first time, gazing at the direction of the Heavenly Prison from afar. After pondering for only a moment, he left the imperial palace and headed towards the Heavenly Prison.