Chapter 123
Chapter 123: Subjugation
The Imperial Dragon Divine Sword seemed alive, trembling restlessly as it drew closer to Cang Yin Yue.
Countless blades of azure light gathered upon its body, gleaming sharply, ripping through space itself, eager to destroy and kill everything around.
Li Mu Sheng raised his brows slightly. Instantly, an immense, majestic current of Qi enveloped the sword.
The sword’s jade-green body, visible to the naked eye, suddenly bore an overwhelming power. It swiftly bent at an impossible angle.
For a moment, within the bronze palace, the sword let out mournful hums. The brilliant sword light rapidly dimmed, and its huge, dazzling blade looked ready to snap in the very next instant.
“Move again, and I’ll snap you in two,” Li Mu Sheng casually warned.
Nearby, Bu Cheng Yang and A’Bin both felt their hearts clench sharply. They feared that Li Mu Sheng might truly destroy such a divine sword before their eyes.
For warriors dedicated to swordsmanship, witnessing such a thing would hurt more than breaking their own bodies.
Fortunately, the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword truly lived up to its name as a divine artifact, wise enough to sense Li Mu Sheng’s terrifying strength. It instantly quieted down.
The fierce Sword Qi dispersed, and even its brilliant azure glow quickly withdrew.
Eventually, only the translucent jade-like sword remained, suspended in the palace’s air, still bent at that strange angle.
Li Mu Sheng relaxed his brows, flicking a finger gently. At once, the sword straightened with a sharp sound and obediently floated toward Cang Yin Yue.
Facing this massive blade, Cang Yin Yue realized Li Mu Sheng’s intentions. Feeling she did not deserve such a precious gift, she immediately turned her head, wanting to refuse.
Yet Li Mu Sheng’s voice quickly reached her ears. “Miss Cang, don’t move now. If it scratches your pretty face, I won’t be responsible!”
At once, Cang Yin Yue found herself unable to move even a finger, completely frozen in place.
Soon, the jade-green sword lightly touched the space between her brows.
A cool sensation flowed through her. In an instant, the martial Qi inside her body drained away completely, fully absorbed by the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword.
For a brief moment, her consciousness blurred. She seemed to hear the majestic roar of a dragon, followed by an overwhelming pressure that felt strong enough to crush mountains and subdue seas, threatening to destroy her utterly.
However, this sensation vanished as quickly as it appeared. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on the floor of the bronze palace.
Next to her lay the same massive, azure sword.
Suddenly, Cang Yin Yue felt a strange sensation. It seemed there was now an invisible bond connecting her and the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword.
“You awake? You slept for nearly half an incense stick’s time. We must now retrieve the Azure Dragon Qi.”
At some point, Li Mu Sheng had come to stand beside her, looking at her carefully.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then asked curiously, “How do you feel?”
Quickly rising, Cang Yin Yue anxiously bowed and said, “Your Highness, about this sword…”
But Li Mu Sheng waved his hand and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be so fussy. Just take what’s given. It’s more important you work diligently for me in the future.”
The Imperial Dragon Divine Sword was useless to Li Mu Sheng. Rather than leaving it unused or benefiting someone else, it was better given to Cang Yin Yue, whose martial dao cultivation currently left much to be desired.
Cang Yin Yue opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something more, but seeing Li Mu Sheng’s firm gaze, she quietly lowered her head.
Since her mother and brother had departed, she had always been alone, with no friends, no family, and a heart filled only with vengeance. For many years, she had not experienced kindness from another soul.
But ever since meeting Li Mu Sheng, her cold heart had once again felt warmth she hadn’t known for a long, long time.
Yet the kindness he showed was far too much, perhaps more than she could repay in an entire lifetime.
“According to those remnants of the Great Qi and those two old eunuchs, the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword can indeed enhance the martial dao cultivation of its owner, but it still requires a certain opportunity. Spend some time bonding with the sword. You might be surprised,” Li Mu Sheng advised her thoughtfully.
Then, turning to Bu Cheng Yang and A’Bin nearby, he waved them over and said, “Stop gawking; there’s still work to be done.”
Bu Cheng Yang and A’Bin hurriedly acknowledged him and quickly approached.
But when their gazes landed on Cang Yin Yue and the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword, envy and jealousy flared wildly in their eyes, as if they’d eaten a hundred sour lemons.
They had thought, despite Li Mu Sheng’s power, it was impossible to force such a divine sword to recognize someone as weak in martial dao as Cang Yin Yue as its master.
Yet reality slapped their faces hard. Li Mu Sheng hadn’t even spent significant effort or resources—just a simple display of overwhelming strength—and easily accomplished what seemed impossible, leaving them utterly shocked.
Witnessing this, A’Bin immediately resolved to abandon his sect and cling to Li Mu Sheng’s leg. Sadly, he was outright rejected.
The reason given was that his martial dao was too weak. But seeing Cang Yin Yue’s stunning beauty, he understood everything instantly, his heart sinking with despair.
Beauty was everything. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a woman, nor was he attractive.
Though Cang Yin Yue’s martial dao was even weaker than his, she had won Li Mu Sheng’s favor. Clearly, there must be something special between the two of them.
Li Mu Sheng, of course, was unaware of A’Bin’s strange thoughts. Now that Qing Shan House’s people had been dealt with, his main priority was to claim the Azure Dragon Qi sealed beneath the earth.
This matter was crucial for martial dao transcendence. Naturally, he cared greatly about it.
“To help Azure Dragon Elder obtain the Azure Dragon Qi, we previously investigated the mechanisms beneath the Dragon-Locking Well Manor. If my guess is correct, the core of the mechanism lies directly beneath the ancient well within the manor,” Bu Cheng Yang willingly shared all his knowledge.
“This core area is the most critical and yet also its weakest point, perfectly suitable for using the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword to guide the Azure Dragon Qi.”
“However, the mechanisms created by the Temple of Master Lu are extremely unique. Even though it is a core area, it cannot be easily damaged. Doing so might trigger the mechanism, destroying the entire place.”
Hearing this, Li Mu Sheng nodded gently. “Let’s first go and examine it, then test your method.”
Turning back to Cang Yin Yue, he said calmly, “Miss Cang, bring the Imperial Dragon Divine Sword. I’ll need it again shortly.”
After speaking, he led Bu Cheng Yang out of the bronze palace.