Chapter 113: Forced Fusion

At the sound of that voice, Long Yun trembled violently. It was Zhong Xuan’s voice. He had been watching from the shadows all along—but what exactly did he mean by those words?

Long Yun had no time to think further. The Azure Emperor’s pressure had rendered them both completely immobile.

As the Azure Emperor slowly approached, murderous intent filling his greedy eyes, Long Yun bit down on his lip. Sword intent burst from his body and surged toward the Immortal Embryo within his arm.

He had no other path left. He had to forcefully merge with the Immortal Embryo. According to Zhong Xuan, it had once been the spirit of the Reincarnation Mirror that he himself had refined.

Moreover, when they had drawn near the Reincarnation Mirror, the Immortal Embryo had reacted strangely. It was worth a try.

Carrying Long Yun’s emotions, his sword intent poured into the Immortal Embryo. As an artifact spirit, it possessed considerable intelligence, and because of the aura of reincarnation within Long Yun, it was exceptionally close to him.

Sensing Long Yun’s summons, the Immortal Embryo abruptly awoke. It detached itself from his arm and transformed into a small, slender cylinder, floating before him.

The moment the Azure Emperor saw the object appear before Long Yun, he froze. Then ecstasy flashed across his face.

“The Immortal Embryo! It really is the Immortal Embryo! Hahaha! The Reincarnation Mirror is mine!”

With that, he reached out and seized it.

Yet the Immortal Embryo seemed to possess a will of its own. Its body twisted, avoiding the Azure Emperor’s grasp, and floated into the air. At the same time, the pressure weighing down Long Yun and Yan Qingqing vanished.

“Now!”

Long Yun raised his hand and struck forward. The power of reincarnation surged forth like waves crashing against the shore, while life and death formed a perfect cycle in that instant.

Sensing the familiar aura of reincarnation, the Immortal Embryo cried out joyfully. An enchanting radiance rippled across its entire body before it transformed into a streak of light, shooting into the surging waves of reincarnation power released by Long Yun’s palm.

The Azure Emperor’s brows drew tightly together, and his gaze once more became cold and murderous.

“The power of reincarnation? He actually passed it on to you?”

Long Yun did not answer. He continuously poured the power of reincarnation into the Immortal Embryo. The Immortal Embryo seemed to relish the baptism, greedily absorbing every trace of it.

At the same time, the entire stone chamber began to tremble violently. The ground heaved, as though everything before them were on the verge of destruction.

Countless streams of pure origin power converged upon them, enveloping all three of them. That origin power was like an invisible hand, tentatively reaching toward the Immortal Embryo nourished within the power of reincarnation.

From within the reincarnation power came wave after wave of delighted cries from the Immortal Embryo. The origin power began to fluctuate as well, gradually merging with the power of reincarnation.

Long Yun’s heart leaped. These signs seemed to indicate that the origin power was about to merge with the Immortal Embryo, and this eased his mind considerably. That origin power should be the source of the Reincarnation Mirror itself.

At that moment, it was completing its final fusion with the Immortal Embryo. The power of reincarnation served as a conduit, drawing forth the Reincarnation Mirror’s source through the Immortal Embryo and allowing the two to merge completely.

“Bastard! I waited all these years, willingly helping you guard the Tomb of Life and Death for a thousand years without ever leaving. Yet you passed the Reincarnation Art to this boy and even used me to help him obtain the Immortal Embryo. What a scheme! But I, the Azure Emperor, will never resign myself to this fate!”

The wrinkled face of the Azure Emperor twisted violently.

With a single motion, he summoned the Qinghe Nameless Sword from behind Long Yun. It transformed into a streak of azure light and flew into his palm.

Long Yun’s gaze stiffened. During the time he had spent with the Qinghe Nameless Sword, his sword intent had allowed him to sense its emotions—a lonely, sorrowful melancholy.

Now that the ancient sword had been seized by the Azure Emperor once again, Long Yun felt an inexplicable reluctance to part with it.

“Die!”

A powerful killing aura exploded from the Azure Emperor’s body. Gripping the hilt, he swung the sword, intending to cleave both the Immortal Embryo and Long Yun in two.

However, the moment his true energy entered the Qinghe Nameless Sword, he felt a force of rejection surge from within it. Caught off guard, he was unable to prevent the sword from dispersing all of his true energy.

The Azure Emperor’s eyes flickered. Roaring furiously, he moved the fingers of his left hand with blinding speed, striking the Qinghe Nameless Sword repeatedly.

“I never imagined that even you would betray me! I will not permit it!”

After sealing the Qinghe Nameless Sword, the Azure Emperor swung it once more. Sword energy transformed into a colossal blade of light dozens of yards long and crashed down upon the origin power suspended in midair.

“Boom!”

The earth shook and the mountains trembled. After so many years of secluded cultivation, the Azure Emperor’s strength had reached a terrifying level. All of his fury was concentrated into that single strike.

He showed no mercy whatsoever as the enormous blade descended in a frenzy.

The origin power surrounding the Immortal Embryo seemed to sense the approaching danger. It formed a thick barrier of energy, shielding the Immortal Embryo within.

The Azure Emperor’s sword energy slammed into the origin power, splitting the barrier apart inch by inch. Yet in the very next instant, the shattered origin power restored itself completely.

The Azure Emperor’s expression changed. He knew the might of the Reincarnation Mirror—something he was utterly incapable of resisting. His gaze immediately shifted to Long Yun.

A secret delight filled his heart, and he laughed aloud.

“Since that old fool chose you, it means you will become the master of the Reincarnation Mirror. His eyes must have failed him. I will kill you now. Let us see what he can do about it!”

With that, he flicked a finger, sending a streak of light shooting directly toward Long Yun.

The moment Long Yun saw the Azure Emperor turn his gaze toward him, he knew danger was imminent. Without the slightest hesitation, before the Azure Emperor could even release his attack, Long Yun wrapped an arm around Yan Qingqing’s slender waist and shifted several yards to the side by the narrowest margin, barely avoiding the killing blow.

At the same time, Yan Qingqing sensed the danger. She struck out with her palm, and the Nine-Turn Heavenly Flame transformed into a scarlet phoenix. It circled through the air, then opened its beak and spat a column of flame directly at the Azure Emperor.

“So you belong to the Phoenix Clan? Even so, you still cannot save your lives!”

The Azure Emperor snorted coldly and swept out with his sword. Sword energy surged forth, and the incoming flame, together with the fiery phoenix, was cut into dust by a single stroke.

Yan Qingqing’s face paled slightly, and she blurted out, “Brother, we are no match for him. What should we do?”

Long Yun’s brows were likewise tightly furrowed. He employed the Ascending Dragon Steps, shifting his position as much as possible so that the Azure Emperor could not easily lock onto him, while desperately searching for a way to escape.

“Qinghe Sword Net!”

The Azure Emperor softly uttered four words. The Qinghe Nameless Sword flew from his hand and hovered in midair, scattering streams of emerald light.

That emerald radiance seemed faintly capable of contending with the power emanating from the Immortal Embryo. With the downward-pointing sword tip at its center, rings of ripples spread outward.

A gigantic emerald prison formed, enclosing Long Yun and Yan Qingqing within.

Long Yun tightened the arm around Yan Qingqing. Of everyone he had ever encountered, the Azure Emperor possessed the greatest cultivation. At such a level, he was simply beyond Long Yun’s ability to resist.

“Hum—”

A violent hum suddenly rang out. The sky brightened abruptly, and the stone chamber exploded completely. Its entire roof collapsed, revealing the pitch-black heavens above.

A bolt of white lightning seemed to tear through the void. It circled in midair before transforming into a meteor-like streak and shooting downward, striking the Qinghe Nameless Sword.

“Boom!”

Radiance burst apart. The prison conjured by the Azure Emperor shattered into countless fragments the instant the white lightning struck, collapsing in every direction.

Yet the white lightning had not exhausted its momentum. It continued shooting toward Long Yun.

Long Yun felt a chill run through his fingers, followed by a sharp stab of pain. He frowned involuntarily as blood sprayed from his fingertip, staining the white lightning.

In an instant, the entire bolt was dyed crimson.

Under Long Yun’s astonished gaze, a phantom suddenly appeared in midair. It was Zhong Xuan, the same figure who had once appeared within the mural.

He stood motionless in the void with his hands clasped behind his back. The white lightning coiled around him, docile as a pet.

“Brilliant thinking in the midst of crisis. Even in a desperate situation, you were able to steady your mind and devise a countermeasure. By placing yourself in a dead end, you found a path to survival. Long Yun, you have not disgraced the bloodline of the Dragon God. Because of you, the Reincarnation Mirror will create a glory all its own. Now, I can rest easy.”