“Word on the street is, they know your Bloodshadow Fury Blade and blade techniques come straight from Blade Sect. They aim to squeeze Blade Lord until he spills the secret to counter your blade mastery.” Aubrey Snyder revealed.
“These idiots are really playing with fire!” Billy’s eyes gleamed with a deadly intent.
It made sense; while he had absorbed diverse martial arts, only his Bloodshadow Blade Technique was widely known. His other God-Emperor Realm skills were kept secret, revealed only to those in Ink Pavilion and Place of Darkness. With the imminent selection competition for the national destiny, learning to counter his techniques beforehand would be a significant advantage.
“Why do they need half a month?” Brigham Bush pointed his saber at Aubrey Snyder, questioning.
“I overheard… it’s Blade Lord’s eightieth birthday in half a month.” Aubrey Snyder explained.
“Damn it!” Brigham scowled.
“End him!” Billy’s voice chilled the air.
“Understood!” Brigham nodded, saber poised to strike.
“…” Aubrey Snyder opened his mouth, but before a sound escaped, a chilling sensation cut through his throat. His mouth opened again, blood gushing from the wound. A few convulsions later, he fell silent.
“Commander, I’ll inform Blade Sect to cancel the birthday celebration!” Brigham sheathed his saber, turning to Billy.
“No,” Billy shook his head, coldly declaring, “If they’re courting death, let them have no way back!”
He added, “Get Wally Hammond to station a team in Blade Town. Observe but don’t alert. Report any suspicious figures.”
Blade Town was located at the junction of the South District and the West District, precisely where the Blade Sect was situated. The town’s name was derived from the presence of the sect. Despite being a small town with a population of less than three hundred thousand, Blade Town had a considerable reputation in Glavale. This was due to the nationally renowned arms trading market that operated there. Throughout the year, martial artists from the ancient martial arts world travelled to and from Blade Town to select and purchase weapons. If lucky, one might even discover a genuine divine weapon in this town. The majority, about sixty to seventy percent, of Blade Town’s residents earn their livelihood through blacksmithing, making it a distinctive and characteristic small town.
Brigham nodded. “Got it.”
“By the way, call Alban Carroll and the others,” Billy instructed. “Bring them to Heartbreak Valley Town, conduct thorough searches. Punish lawbreakers according to SHADOW laws.”
“Yes, Commander!” Brigham Bush dialed the number.
“Mr Cohen, please tell Revenge and elders to patrol. Keep an eye on martial artists above War Grandmaster realm, no recklessness!” Billy turned to Scarletwind Cohen.
“Understood!” Scarlerwind made the necessary calls.
Billy approached the injured brothers as thousands of SHADOW members combed Heartbreak Valley, swiftly dealing with criminals. Revenge and elders executed formidable offenders on the spot.
By the next morning, Heartbreak Valley was purged. Hundreds of SHADOW-listed criminals were dead, and thousands with criminal backgrounds were arrested. Alban Carroll and Brigham Bush escorted them back to SHADOW.
The once ominous atmosphere in Heartbreak Valley dissipated.
In the following days, Billy secluded himself in a forested valley, honing his martial skills. Using the Five Elements Secret Art, he gained new insights and approached the peak realm. The opportunity spurred him to delve deeper.
Scarletwind Cohen respected Billy’s focus, leaving him undisturbed. He even delivered spirit fruits before heading to town. Billy, after consuming the fruits, meditated on a large stone, entering deep concentration.
Time flew, seven to eight days passing swiftly.
Boom!
A colossal explosion rocked the valley at noon, a mushroom cloud soaring. Rocks and trees within a large radius shattered, creating a military-grade explosion scene. The oppressive aura engulfed the entire valley. Simultaneously, a boundless pressure spread. Birds and small animals burst, larger beasts bleeding, madly fleeing into the forest.
“Congratulations, Commander Gardner, peak War God-Emperor achieved!” Scarletwind arrived with Revenge. A profound sense of shock flashed in his eyes. Despite being at least two hundred meters away from Billy, he could still sense the overwhelming oppressive aura emanating from Billy’s body.
Although his injuries had almost completely healed by now, and his cultivation had recovered to the mid-to-late stage of War God-Emperor, Scarletwind Cohen had a strong premonition that Billy, at this moment, might be able to crush him even without revealing his full strength.
“Thank you.” Billy stood up.
He had indeed broken through, reaching the pinnacle of the War God-Emperor realm. Days of cultivation had granted him confidence in mastering the Five Elements Secret Art.
“How long was I here?” Billy asked.
“Eight days!” Scarletwind replied.
“So fast?” Billy was surprised. “Good. They should be done. Let’s check on them.”
He walked toward the town.
Thirty minutes later, they reappeared in the stone cave behind the fall.
Entering the cave, Scarletwind was shocked. All the spirit fruits on the trees were gone, leaving him on the verge of tears.