Chapter 797: Fulfilling a Promise

Tang San nodded slightly and said, "I understand. The reason the Sword Saint Demon Emperor doesn't divert his energy to external matters is that he's always nurturing his sword—the sword in his heart, or you could say, the sword in his divine consciousness. He constantly maintains a unified state of body, bloodline, and spirit, and all that power is devoted to nurturing his sword intent. Once his sword intent erupts, it will surely be a force that shakes heaven and earth. How could I underestimate such an Emperor? But he is a very pure character—once he's moved, his support won't be swayed by any other factors."

The White Tiger Demon Emperor nodded in approval. "It seems you understand him well. Go ahead, then. But be careful not to reveal your transcendent bloodline. There's no telling what might happen otherwise."

"Understood!"

The reason Tang San wanted to meet the Sword Saint Demon Emperor before leaving was to fulfill a previous promise. The Sword Saint Demon Emperor had cast his vote for Mei Gongzi because Tang San had promised to show him what true judgment sword intent looked like.

A promise made must be fulfilled; integrity is the foundation for future cooperation.

***

Three days later.

Sword Saint Palace.

Tang San and Mei Gongzi, hand in hand and both wearing hooded cloaks, arrived at the foot of the Sword Saint Sacred Mountain.

Their auras were concealed by Tang San's Discerning Eye of Heaven. With his power, even Emperors wouldn't be able to tell who they were unless they directly engaged them.

Tang San took out the Sword Saint Token he had gotten, which allowed them to pass by the guards unimpeded and climb the stairs undisturbed all the way to the palace.

The Sword Saint Palace was still as simple and austere as ever, and the piercing sword intent remained as sharp as before.

Tang San released a wisp of his aura, sending it into the palace.

Moments later, the grand doors of the Sword Saint Palace slowly opened, and a cold voice from within said, "Enter."

Tang San led Mei Gongzi into the Sword Saint Palace. The interior was serene, though not as quiet as the White Tiger Palace. The Red-Crowned Cranes within moved about silently, barely making any noise, as if they didn't even notice the two visitors.

Tang San and Mei Gongzi climbed upward until they reached the topmost level of the Sword Saint Palace.

The ancient doors were open. The two of them stepped inside together.

With a creaking sound, the doors automatically closed behind them, causing the hall to dim slightly.

In the next moment, they saw a sudden flash before their eyes as a figure radiating an incomparably sharp aura appeared not far in front of them—it was none other than the Sword Saint Demon Emperor.

Tang San and Mei Gongzi bowed slightly. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor nodded and said, "You're alive, as expected."

His gaze locked onto Tang San. In an instant, an incredibly sharp aura pressed directly upon Tang San.

Tang San did not retreat; instead, he stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Mei Gongzi. A faint golden glow erupted from his body, not the Golden Armor Transformation but the aura of the Sea God.

With the support of his divine seat, he forcefully resisted the pressure from the Sword Saint Demon Emperor, not retreating a single step in the face of that sharp aura.

Mei Gongzi moved behind him, placing her hands on his back and channeling her bloodline power into Tang San through the Peacock Transformation.

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor spoke up again. "Was the Ancestral Court's tribulation related to you?"

Tang San replied calmly, "Yes! I faced the tribulation together with the Crystal Demon Emperor."

Before that incident, Tang San had met with the Sword Saint Demon Emperor and secured his support for Mei Gongzi. No Emperor was a fool, and even this one, who dedicated all his focus to his sword, was no exception. Tang San naturally expected him to have guessed some of the truth, and the fact that Tang San was now standing here alive confirmed it; how could it not raise suspicion?

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor said solemnly, "So it was really Crystal?"

"The Crystal Demon Emperor was involved, yes. And she... is no longer among us."

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor sighed, and the pressure on Tang San vanished. "Only she could achieve such things. This was a struggle against fate. Even Emperors are not exempt. Unfortunately, she did not succeed...."

Tang San said nothing more, remaining silent. He understood that the Sword Saint Demon Emperor had likely believed him. After all, even if he said that the tribulation was entirely his doing, the Sword Saint Demon Emperor probably wouldn't believe it.

He was not technically lying, either; the tribulation was indeed related to the Crystal Demon Emperor. Crystalline was a part of his body, and the Crystal Demon Emperor's support was an essential trump card. He had merely...

guided

the Sword Saint Demon Emperor's deductions in the right direction.

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor snapped out of his thoughts. "Anyway, are you here to fulfill your promise?"

Tang San nodded "Exactly. A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. I'd like to combine our strengths to demonstrate that judgment sword intent for you. And while we are at it, we would like to ask for your guidance."

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

He had already been impressed by Mei Gongzi during her evaluation. This young girl had managed to defeat a Great Demon King of the Immortal Flame Phoenix clan while still at the Demon King level, and she had later become a Great Demon King herself—she was a true prodigy. And now, Tang San had clearly broken through to the tenth order as well. Having sparred with Tang San before, he understood that this young man could not be treated as an ordinary individual.

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor nodded toward Tang San. "Good. Then let's begin."

Tang San frowned slightly. "Here?"

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor understood Tang San's meaning from his gaze. After a moment of thought, he said, "Here is fine."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and in an instant, his aura soared, rising like a towering mountain.

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor still looked like himself objectively speaking, but to Tang San and Mei Gongzi, it felt as if a great mountain shaped like a sword had appeared before them. Everything around them seemed to vanish; it was as if they were standing in a desolate wilderness, with only the imposing sword mountain before them.

"Very well, then. Let us begin, Your Majesty.."

As he spoke, Tang San slowly closed his eyes, and behind him, Mei Gongzi did the same.

In the next moment, their auras seemed to merge into one.

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor's gaze burned as he watched them. In his perception, both Mei Gongzi and Tang San were undergoing transformations.

Tang San stood there, straight as a blade, his aura unchanged in quality but far more intense. Boundless majesty erupted from him as vast energy converged toward him from all directions.

This energy was unlike anything the Sword Saint Demon Emperor had ever encountered—vast, grand, overwhelmingly pure, and aligned with yang.

As this energy gathered, the majesty emanating from Tang San grew ever stronger, as if he were connected to the heavens and earth. The Sword Saint Demon Emperor even felt that Tang San was taller and more imposing than his own sword mountain.

At this moment, Tang San appeared to connect the heavens and the earth, his entire being suffused with an extraordinarily unique aura that the Sword Saint Demon Emperor had never experienced before. This aura pervaded everything around him.

Though he was nothing but a newly-ascended Demon King, his aura was elevating rapidly under the influence of this energy, seemingly surpassing the boundaries of normal power and continuing to rise.

This... Why is this happening? What's going on with him? What kind of transformation is he undergoing?

The Sword Saint Demon Emperor's eyes shone brightly. It was precisely because he had never seen something like it that his interest was piqued. In this world, very few things could intrigue him anymore, but at this moment, Tang San had truly captured his fascination.