C1 A Sword to the Throat!

"Ouch, this is the esteemed Patriarch of the Liu Family. Why is he so frail?"

"I barely exerted any force, and you're already down?"

Liu Xingchang was still not fully conscious when the grating sound of mockery filled his ears.

Where am I?

What is this place?

Am I still alive?

"Thud!"

Out of nowhere, a heavy foot came crashing down on his head, followed by a cackle of strange laughter.

"Ahaha, come one, come all! Behold the dignified head of the Liu Family under my filthy foot, and his beloved woman wrapped in my embrace. What a delightful sight!"

In a flash, Liu Xingchang's eyes snapped open, emitting two sharp beams of light.

As the unrivaled sword god of the Northern Polar Heaven Domain, no one had ever had the audacity to step on his head.

He was about to channel the Spiritual Energy within him to retaliate when Liu Xingchang suddenly froze.

Third... Third Grade?

I am the preeminent warrior of the Northern Polar Heaven Domain. How... How could I possess only a third-grade cultivation level?

At that moment, Liu Xingchang let out a cry of disbelief as a surge of memories flooded his mind.

The Great Pine Kingdom?

Patriarch Liu Xingchang?

Seventeen years old?

A family in decline?

As his memories sharpened, Liu Xingchang's eyes grew wide with shock and disbelief at the realization that he had been reborn!

A wave of ecstasy and fervor swiftly overtook Liu Xingchang's gaze.

A voice thundered within Liu Xingchang's soul —

Ji Wu! How could you have imagined that I, Liu Xingchang, would be granted another lifetime!

You are the woman I cherish most, yet you betrayed and attacked me for another man. Was it because Shangguan Xing could take you to the Divine Realm you so desperately yearn for?

You've become the mistress of the Northern Polar Heaven Domain, yet can't you escape the harsh reality?

Now, reborn, I vow not only to reclaim my place atop the Northern Polar Heaven Domain but also to ascend to the Divine Realm!

This time, I will shatter the throne of the almighty Divine King before your very eyes and ask you once more if the gods groveling at my feet, tattered and begging for mercy, are as exalted as you once believed!

"Bam!"

Liu Xingchang, his fighting spirit soaring, suddenly felt the foot on his head lift off, only to be fiercely kicked back down again.

The force of the kick sent Liu Xingchang tumbling several feet away.

Overwhelmed by intense pain and humiliation, Liu Xingchang abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing with fury and madness.

From the memories of this body, Liu Xingchang recognized the young master before him as Dai Tianli, the second son of Lord Dai from the Royal Capital.

The woman nestled in Dai Tianli's embrace was Yu Qiuer, the woman Liu Xingchang had loved in this lifetime. She had not hesitated to leave for Dai Tianli's side at the first sign of his interest.

Since the mountain collapse ten years ago, which led to the disappearance of the Liu Family's patriarch and national guardian general, Liu Jitai, the family had steadily fallen into decline and obscurity.

Under Liu Jitai's leadership, the Liu Family had been unrivaled in the Royal Capital. His disappearance had left them vulnerable to the ambitions of rival powers.

Even someone as simple as Yu Qiuer could see the better choice between the waning Liu Family and the Dai Family, with its hereditary nobility.

Today, when Liu Xingchang encountered Dai Tianli and Yu Qiuer on the street and sought an explanation, he was beaten to death by Dai Tianli. It was then that the soul of the Northern Polar Heaven Domain's master was reborn into this body.

Dai Tianli looked down at Liu Xingchang with scorn, remarking, "The head of the Liu Family certainly has a robust constitution; to think you can still rise after such a beating. It's no wonder you trained Qiu Er so well. What a pity you can't enjoy the fruits of your labor!"

With that, Dai Tianli gave Yu Qiuer a pat, eliciting from her a demure blush.

Liu Xingchang's gaze flared with incendiary heat.

Such disgrace was intolerable, even for the reborn Liu Xingchang.

He fixed his eyes on Yu Qiuer and declared, "Liu Xingchang must have been blind to have ever fancied a woman like you."

Yu Qiuer, with haughty defiance, tilted her chin upward and retorted, "A loser always blames others for his own failures."

"Loser?" Liu Xingchang's eyes narrowed, and he spoke deliberately, "Do you... truly believe I am a loser?"

Yu Qiuer asked, "Isn't that the case?"

Liu Xingchang slightly bowed his head, then gradually lifted it. As he did so, his right hand also slowly drew the nearly rusted sword from his waist.

The instant the sword was unsheathed, Liu Xingchang's demeanor transformed, becoming as sharp as a freshly drawn blade!

In that moment, onlookers felt an inexplicable chill, though they couldn't pinpoint the cause.

Yu Qiuer involuntarily stumbled backward.

Dai Tianli scoffed and twisted his neck, saying, "Don't be scared, sweetheart. He's just giving me a chance to stretch my muscles!"

No sooner had he spoken than Dai Tianli burst into action, throwing a fierce punch towards Liu Xingchang's nose.

As a Rank Five Cultivator, Dai Tianli was confident in his preemptive strike, especially against Liu Xingchang, a mere Rank Three Cultivator. He had previously floored Liu Xingchang with a similar blow and expected the same outcome.

But the Liu Xingchang standing before him now was not the same man he had faced before.

Even with his current modest cultivation level, as the preeminent Sword God of the Northern Polar Heaven Domain, Liu Xingchang was unstoppable with a sword in hand!

Just as Dai Tianli was certain his punch would crush Liu Xingchang's nose, a flash of cold light suddenly filled his vision.

In the next instant, Liu Xingchang's sword was at his throat.

The confrontation was over as swiftly as it had begun.

Dai Tianli's back was drenched in cold sweat, and he dared not make a move.

The crowd around them gaped, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

This was the opulent Golden Street of the Royal Capital, frequented by the wealthy and influential. Many recognized Liu Xingchang and were familiar with the ways of cultivators, hence their gasps of astonishment were particularly loud.

"How... How is this possible?"

"How could a Rank Three Cultivator move so quickly?"

"A Rank Three Cultivator defeating a Rank Five? Has Liu Xingchang been concealing his true power all along?"

On the rooftop of the Phoenix Pavilion, overlooking the crowded streets below, two individuals raised their eyebrows in astonishment.

The onlooker, a woman clad in ethereal white, possessed a delicate and icy beauty, with a demeanor that seemed otherworldly. She was none other than Princess Qingyuan, one of the Royal Capital's three great beauties and a woman of esteemed status.

Standing by Princess Qingyuan's side was a man adorned in a first-grade brown robe embroidered with immortal cranes, identified as Liu Taihe, the Minister of War.

Liu Taihe exclaimed with amazement, "Such a sharp sword technique! To defeat an opponent of a higher grade in battle—how can anyone call him worthless? We clearly know too little about Liu Xingchang!"

Princess Qingyuan remained silent, her gaze fixed on Liu Xingchang, a flicker of intrigue passing through her eyes.

Although Princess Qingyuan had no direct ties to Liu Xingchang, her father had dealings with Old Master Liu and often spoke of his valor. She believed that the grandson of a hero should never be subjected to such disgrace.

Torn between sympathy for his plight and indignation at his lack of resistance, Princess Qingyuan contemplated whether to offer her assistance, only to be taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. Her interest in Liu Xingchang had been piqued.

Meanwhile, on the street below, Liu Xingchang turned to Yu Qiuer and challenged, "Now, do you still see me as worthless?"

Yu Qiuer was visibly shocked, responding incredulously, "Impossible... Aren't you just at the third grade?"

With a cold snort, Liu Xingchang retorted, "There's much you don't know! I'm asking you, do you regret betraying me?"

The astonishment in Yu Qiuer's eyes was fleeting, quickly replaced by scorn. "Liu Xingchang, what does it matter if you're not worthless? The Liu Family is in decline, whereas Brother Tianli, as the second son of Lord Dai's household, can offer me so much more! Can't you grasp that simple fact?"

"Brother Tianli? You do say his name with such endearment..."

Liu Xingchang's gaze dropped, laced with self-derision and a chilling edge, before lifting once more, now menacing and taunting, "Then, what if I were to kill him?"

Yu Qiuer was initially startled, but she quickly regained her composure and scoffed, "Brother Tianli is the second young master of the Dai Family. If you kill him, your own death is certain! Do you have the courage?"

Even a tofu vendor knows that for Liu Xingchang, killing Dai Tianli would be tantamount to suicide. How could anyone else be unaware?

At the Phoenix Restaurant, Princess Qingyuan arched her elegant, slender eyebrows, let out a sigh, turned, and prepared to depart.

Minister Liu inquired, "Princess Qingyuan, are you leaving?"

"Yes," Princess Qingyuan replied.

"Don't you wish to see what happens next?" Minister Liu asked.

"The upcoming scene won't be pleasant," Princess Qingyuan remarked.

"How so?" Minister Liu pressed.

"Dai Tianli is no match for Liu Xingchang, so I no longer need to hesitate about whether to assist Liu Xingchang. His timidity is well-known throughout the Royal Capital; he certainly wouldn't risk certain death to kill Dai Tianli. If this drama is destined to end with everyone going their separate ways, why should I bother staying to watch?" Princess Qingyuan explained.

Minister Liu nodded, beginning to say, "That makes sense..."

He intended to say "that makes sense," but before he could finish, a flash of cold light suddenly dazzled everyone's eyes in the sunlight.

In that instant, Minister Liu's eyes bulged, while Princess Qingyuan swiftly turned back, her pupils contracting as she looked down from the balcony.

A jet of blood erupted from Dai Tianli's throat, splattering across Liu Xingchang's body, face, and into the hearts of the onlookers!

Dai Tianli had been fatally struck in the throat with a sword!

Shock and disbelief filled everyone's eyes.

No one could have predicted that the once timid and reclusive weakling would suddenly display such fierce valor and towering spirit!

Was he truly unafraid of death?

Bathed in sunlight, Liu Xingchang stood alone, sword in hand, exuding the poise of a celestial warrior. His gaze was as piercing as the stars, his stature commanding, and his robes billowed as if he were a titanic demon god standing tall between heaven and earth.

In that instant, regret penetrated deep into Yu Qiuer's bones—not regret for betraying Liu Xingchang, but for having underestimated him.

Minister Liu's mind went blank, as if he were seeing Old Master Liu's youthful figure before him!

Princess Qingyuan's emotions were suddenly stirred.

As she observed the young man standing tall and proud in the sunlight, Princess Qingyuan's curiosity and interest in this infamous "waste" grew boundlessly.

Was this the Royal Capital's most notorious coward?

Could a coward stand fearless in the face of death?

Was this the so-called trash that everyone in the Royal Capital could trample upon?

Could someone deemed worthless fight across two realms and emerge victorious?

In that moment, everyone's perception of Liu Xingchang was turned on its head.

Amidst the stunned silence of the crowd, a voice filled with urgency and worry, almost a scream, erupted from the eastern side of the street.

"Family head, Family head! Disaster has struck! The Mysterious Immortal Sect has come to our residence, demanding that the Second Young Master break off his engagement!".

​