Chapter 43: The Celestial Empyrean Saber

"Even your Grand Elder is no match for me. Do you still intend to resist stubbornly?"

Hong Qingtao swept her gaze over the crowd from above, but just as her words fell, an even more formidable attack struck toward her from the opposite side.

"What?!"

Hong Qingtao’s expression changed drastically in alarm as she hurriedly channeled her spiritual energy to defend herself. However, the opposing spiritual energy surged like a raging flood, instantly shattering her defense.

"Pfft—"

Hong Qingtao was sent flying backward, slamming heavily onto the ground as a large mouthful of fresh blood gushed from her lips.

"Divine Transformation Realm! The Profound Dan Sect actually has a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator! Who on earth are you?"

She stared in disbelief at the beautiful young matron standing among the crowd whose charm was in no way inferior to her own. When had the Profound Dan Sect ever possessed such a powerful figure?

"Profound Dan Sect, Second Elder."

Li Rou spoke with a frosty expression, and then once again condensed a surge of spiritual Qi to launch at Hong Qingtao.

"Holy Son, save me!"

Terrified, Hong Qingtao cried out loudly for rescue.

Boom.

An attack neutralized Li Rou’s spiritual Qi.

An extraordinarily handsome young man in white appeared. Two dragon-like horns adorned his forehead, and his expression was brimming with unconcealed arrogance.

His appearance caused many of the female disciples to blush and their hearts to flutter.

"Useless trash."

Su Yu had originally not wanted to reveal himself, as he feared word of this matter might reach his master's ears and leave a bad impression.

Yet, he had not expected the Profound Dan Sect to possess an elder at the Divine Transformation Realm.

"It's you!"

Upon spotting him, Chu Linyun immediately understood that Su Yu was the mastermind behind the framing of Chen Xuan.

"Who is he?"

Hongluan and the others looked toward Chu Linyun.

"His name is Su Yu. He claims to be the Holy Son of the Empyrean Holy Land. He previously tried to get me to join the Empyrean Holy Land, but I refused," Chu Linyun explained.

"What? The Empyrean Holy Land!"

Li Rou’s expression shifted dramatically.

As a Divine Transformation expert, how could she have never heard of the renowned Empyrean Holy Land?

"Granny, what is the Empyrean Holy Land?"

Noticing the change in Li Rou's expression, Hongluan felt a bad premonition stir in her heart.

"The Empyrean Holy Land is a sacred ground that has been passed down for tens of thousands of years. Its foundation is unfathomably deep, and its Sect Master is at the Transition to Immortality Realm. Even the lowest-ranking outer sect elders are at the peak of the Divine Transformation Realm," Li Rou said with extreme solemnity.

Although the Profound Dan Sect possessed a vast number of saint artifacts and saint-grade cultivation techniques, its foundational heritage was lacking, relying entirely on the individual cultivation of Chen Xuan. It was simply no match for a Holy Land.

Now, Chen Xuan was missing.

The Holy Son of the Empyrean Holy Land had also set his sights on the Profound Dan Sect.

They were completely doomed.

"Tens of thousands of years! The Transition to Immortality Realm!"

Hearing Li Rou's words, everyone was struck with profound shock. Such a formidable enemy was simply not something the Profound Dan Sect could hope to rival.

"I didn't expect you to have heard of the Empyrean Holy Land."

Standing with his hands behind his back, Su Yu looked at Li Rou with an arrogant posture. "Since you know my identity as the Holy Son, you surely know what you must do."

"As long as you submit to me, you will become the Sect Master of the Profound Dan Sect in the future. Once I ascend to the position of Holy Land Sect Master, I can even allow you to enter the Holy Land and become a Holy Land Elder."

"The Holy Son is offering you such a wonderful opportunity, why aren't you kneeling down to submit immediately?" Hong Qingtao scrambled up from the ground and sneered at Li Rou.

The members of the Profound Dan Sect also watched Li Rou anxiously. At present, only Li Rou could hold off Su Yu; if she surrendered to him, the Profound Dan Sect would be completely finished.

Yet the terms Su Yu offered were far too tempting.

That was the position of a Holy Land Elder.

Countless talented individuals lacked even the qualifications to cross the threshold of a Holy Land, let alone attain the status of a Holy Land Elder.

"Granny."

Hongluan gently tugged at Li Rou's sleeve. "The Sect Master bestowed cultivation techniques upon us and showed us great grace..."

Li Rou nodded.

If she had not joined the Profound Dan Sect, she would never have obtained the coveted *Wind, Spirit, and Moon Shadow Art*. If she were to forsake the Profound Dan Sect's kindness toward her simply out of fear of offending the Holy Land, she would never find peace in her cultivation of the *Wind, Spirit, and Moon Shadow Art* either.

"Thank you for the Holy Son's kind offer," Li Rou said. "However, the Profound Dan Sect has bestowed upon me the grace of heritage, and I cannot abandon it. I ask that the Holy Son please return."

Liyangzi and the others let out a collective sigh of relief.

Chu Linyun also cast a few more approving glances at Hongluan and Li Rou. Given that the two of them had not betrayed the Profound Dan Sect, she decided that next time, she would just let them warm her master's bed.

"Hmph, unappreciative fools."

Su Yu's expression instantly turned ugly.

He had actually been rejected by people of the Profound Dan Sect time and time again—first Chu Linyun, and now this Li Rou as well.

Just what kind of charm did Chen Xuan possess?

Even though he was already dead, these women were still clinging to him stubbornly.

"Do you really think that based on your strength alone, you can stop me?!" A powerful surge of spiritual energy suddenly erupted from Su Yu's body.

"The Nascent Soul Realm!"

Liyangzi was utterly astounded.

Early Nascent Soul.

This was already the level of strength possessed by elders of top-tier sects, every single one of whom was an ancient monster who had lived for hundreds of years.

He himself had only managed to barely break through to the Nascent Soul Realm by relying on Chen Xuan's medicinal pills.

Yet Su Yu was under fifty years of age, and his cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Such cultivation talent could no longer be described merely as genius.

He was an absolute monster.

Was this the true foundation of a Holy Land?

If one day he could manage the Profound Dan Sect to the level of a Holy Land, he would die without regrets.

"I never imagined the Holy Son of the Holy Land would be such a monstrous talent, breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm before the age of fifty. But Elder Li Rou is at the Divine Transformation Realm; surely he still won't be able to defeat Elder Li Rou."

"That's right. There is an abyss of difference between the Nascent Soul Realm and the Divine Transformation Realm."

"Holy Son, perhaps we should leave first. This woman is ungrateful, and with our current strength, we simply cannot beat her."

Hong Qingtao also chimed in to persuade him.

As a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who had just clashed with Li Rou, she knew all too well the gap between the Nascent Soul and Divine Transformation realms.

They simply belonged to entirely different tiers.

No matter how talented Su Yu was, it was impossible for him to bridge such a vast disparity in cultivation.

"Leave?"

Hearing Hong Qingtao also urging him to retreat, Su Yu curled his lips in disdain. "A bunch of shortsighted fools! What does a mere early Divine Transformation cultivator amount to? Let me show you the true power of this Holy Son!"

"Empyrean Sky Blade, come forth!"

A ringing sound like a sword's cry echoed, and a crimson curved blade instantly materialized in Su Yu's hand. Its oppressive aura immediately caused the hearts of everyone present to tighten.

"A—a saint artifact!"

Hong Qingtao shrieked in alarm. "And the pressure emanating from this saint artifact is so immense; it is definitely not an ordinary saint artifact."

The expressions of all the disciples turned pale with fright.

Previously, they had only ever heard legends of saint artifacts; they had never imagined they would personally experience the terrifying pressure of one.

Truly, it was horrifyingly powerful!

"Crimson Flame Sky-Slicing Blade!"

Su Yu's lips curved upward as he wielded the Empyrean holy blade and slashed toward Li Rou.

"The Crimson Flame Sky-Slicing Blade! Rumor has it that the founding patriarch of the Empyrean Holy Land once used this very slash to slay a Transcending Mortality expert!" Hong Qingtao's face lit up with joy; she had not expected Su Yu to have already mastered the supreme ultimate technique of the Empyrean Holy Land.

Li Rou's heart skipped a beat.

She likewise summoned her own saint artifact, channeling her internal energy to parry Su Yu's attack.

The two saint artifacts collided.

A crisp sound of shattering echoed in the ears of everyone present...