"If the old don't strive, the young can only mourn in vain. I wonder when Grandpa Butcher will finally pioneer an Emperor's Throne saber technique?"
Quinn Shepherd stepped down from the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin. Raised by the maimed elders of Oldridge Village, he'd trained in countless disciplines since childhood. As a result, he forged fifteen Heaven Palaces, but eight of them—the Palace of Painting, Saber, Medicine, Divine Arts, Forging, Buddhism, Thievery, and Formations—were only half-complete, unable to fully take shape.
Even after inheriting the Creators’ wisdom and pushing his Divine Arts into eightfold Dao-entry, Quinn’s Divine Arts Palace was still incomplete.
Of everything the Oldridge elders taught him, only the Sword Palace was perfected—and not thanks to the village chief, but to Quinn’s own mastery of the sword-Dao.
Quinn’s Overlord Body Three-Core Art was also deeply shaped by Butcher, Grandpa Ma, and the others. Their influence ran through every part of his training.
Only when Butcher and Grandpa Ma pioneer Emperor’s Throne-level techniques can Quinn draw on their breakthroughs and perfect his eight Heaven Palaces.
Otherwise, he’d struggle to break through the Revered God realm and achieve True Godhood.
This journey to the lower realms wasn’t just to dodge Heavenly Court’s power games—Quinn also came to prod Butcher, Granny Si, Grandpa Blind, and the rest of the Oldridge elders to train harder and reach Emperor’s Throne-level techniques.
Yong River Academy had been renamed Yong River Sect, but little else had changed. Lately, the disciples were abuzz, thrilled to witness a three-way clash between legendary saber masters.
Heavenblade the Butcher, Demon Saber Zechariah Lee, and the mysterious one-armed saber master—Logan Cross—were all present.
The duel between these three saber gods was a spectacle: Butcher’s Heavenblade was bold and unrestrained, Zechariah Lee’s Demon Saber was cunning and unpredictable, and Logan Cross’s one-armed saber was exquisitely precise yet possessed a heroic flair.
Before Quinn even entered Yong River Academy, he saw the three saber masters dueling overhead. The saber lights danced spectacularly, splitting the sky and leaving streaks of darkness in their wake.
Five years had passed, and Zechariah Lee’s skills had grown tremendously. Not only had his cultivation advanced, but his saber-Dao had reached new heights; he’d finally entered the Dao with the saber, and developed techniques uniquely suited to himself.
Zechariah Lee learned from Logan Cross and the demon clan’s master Bound Sunro. He possessed both demonic and divine qualities, but struggled to enter the Dao with the saber—until he met Butcher and witnessed the Heavenblade, which shattered his doubts and led him to breakthrough.
His saber technique combined Logan Cross’s precision, the demon clan’s ferocity, and Butcher’s grandeur—truly formidable.
Yet his experience was still shallow, and he was the first to be defeated.
Only Heavenblade the Butcher and Logan Cross remained locked in combat in the sky.
Quinn looked up and saw Logan Cross wielding saber-Dao at the Fourteenth Heaven, his technique growing ever more refined and the saber-firmament’s power astonishing.
Butcher blocked every strike, his saber-Dao wild and direct—one force breaking ten thousand techniques, one blade shattering all arts, returning to simplicity.
Suddenly, Logan Cross’s saber intent surged—he’d comprehended the Fifteenth Heaven of the Saber-Firmament!
Quinn was astonished: "When I kicked Logan Cross into the Origin World, he’d only grasped the Fourteenth Heaven. How did he reach the Fifteenth so quickly?"
The two saber gods clashed overhead. Butcher faltered but grew even bolder, laughing: "Your saber is too refined—even with its heroic flair, it’s still a craftsman’s blade at heart!"
His saber light exploded, sweeping wide and hard, trying to split Logan’s saber-firmament in two.
Logan sneered: "Heavenblade, your saber’s too domineering. You know how to strike but not how to withdraw. If you master that, you’ll be the world’s top saber god—above even me!"
The two saber gods clashed again, their blades dazzling all who watched.
Both men were wounded and fell from the sky.
Quinn, full of admiration, stepped forward—just as Butcher recited old battlefield poetry: "A roan horse newly saddled in white jade, the battle done, the moonlit field is cold!"
Quinn replied loudly: "On the city wall, iron drums still thunder; in the sheath, the golden saber is still stained with blood!"
Butcher, both surprised and delighted, rushed out of Yong River Academy, laughing: "It’s Quinn back at last!"
As they met, Quinn opened his arms for a hug, but Butcher swung his saber instead: "Quinn, draw your blade!"
Zechariah Lee walked over, shaking his head with a smile: "He’s no longer my teacher, but my Dao companion—I can’t persuade him. Shepherd Heavenly Venerable Quinn, your reputation is impressive, but how strong is your saber technique?"
Quinn snorted. Logan Cross glanced at God-Queen Langwo, startled: "Is that Elaina Cloud? Madam Yuanmu?"
Quinn quickly stopped him, shaking his head: "No, this is the real one."
Logan Cross was stunned: "Is there really such a woman in the world?"
Quinn stayed at Yong River Academy. God-Queen Langwo was intrigued by how Quinn battled the three saber gods daily, always battered and bruised.
With Quinn’s abilities, he could easily defeat Logan Cross with divine sense arts, but he stubbornly fought with the saber and suffered for it.
After five days, Butcher gave up: "Your foundation is excellent and you learn quickly, but you’re too distracted by side paths to enter the Dao with the saber. Go on your way."
Quinn had no choice but to take his leave, riding the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin away.
"Shepherd Heavenly Venerable Quinn, come duel sabers with us again when you have time!" Zechariah Lee waved.
Quinn snorted, clearly displeased.
The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin traveled for days, nearing Fallen-God Valley—which was now leveled. Quinn planned to detour to Goldenridge Academy in search of the former Imperial Preceptor, but saw a thatched hut and a youth emerge.
The youth was a Heaven-Guide Venerable.
Quinn paused and told the Demon King to halt.
Aiden Starr saw him and smiled: "Cult Master Quinn, it’s been a long time."
A chest ran out of the hut and circled Quinn’s legs affectionately, then dashed to the Dragon-Qilin, opening and closing its lid as if eager to speak.
The Dragon-Qilin jumped onto the chest, which gleefully carried him around.
Quinn stepped down, asking God-Queen Langwo and the others to wait in the carriage. He approached Aiden Starr: "Aiden, have you unlocked the secrets of this body?"
Aiden glanced at the palanquin, then invited Quinn inside: "I’ve mostly figured it out. This body contains all kinds of ancient god runes, forming Heaven Palaces and ancient gods—a marvel of craftsmanship! Cult Master Quinn, take a look."
The hut looked small outside but was vast inside, filled with bookshelves packed with tomes. Quinn picked one up—each page detailed ancient god rune paths.
Quinn closed the book: "Aiden, your talent is unmatched, but you’ve used it in the wrong place."
Aiden raised his brows, proud: "I haven’t done much good, and I didn’t save people during the Everpeace calamity, but unlocking this body’s secrets will benefit the world! You’re just jealous, Quinn!"
Quinn shook his head, producing a mirror: "This mirror contains jade slips recording all the runes in that body. It’s yours."
Aiden was stunned, hurriedly examining the jade slips in the mirror—they were even more precise than his own records, refined by Quinn’s micro-numerology.
He was left speechless, unable to recover for a long time.
"You’re too isolated, Aiden. You need more contact with the outside world."
Quinn looked at him with pity: "I’ve already given these records to the Everpeace reform leaders. If you’d reached out more, you wouldn’t have wasted five years here alone."
Aiden snorted, putting away the mirror: "Using the body as a Dao base, hiding ancient gods within—is that something you’ve mastered too?"
Quinn’s aura surged, nearly two thousand ancient gods appeared within his body. He smiled: "Is this what you mean?"
Aiden was dumbfounded, unable to speak.
Quinn dispersed the visions: "You discovered how to hide ancient gods in the body on your own—a true genius. You should join Dao Lord Lucas Lin, his micro-numerology surpasses mine. With your talents combined, you’ll accomplish much more."
Aiden Starr was silent for a while, then packed up his hut and prepared to leave.
Quinn reached out to stop him; Aiden looked puzzled.
Quinn smiled: "When we explored Fallen-God Valley, you captured this body—it still contains a wisp of a Heavenly Venerable’s consciousness. Is it still there?"
Aiden nodded: "I couldn’t refine it, so I sealed it."
"Hand it to me," Quinn said, eyes gleaming.
Aiden produced a jade bottle, handed it to Quinn, then called his chest and left.
Quinn watched him go, then returned to the palanquin, tossing the jade bottle and pondering.
Uncle Jun eyed the jade bottle: "Saint Baby, what’s inside?"
"A wisp of a Heavenly Venerable’s consciousness," Quinn replied.
The palanquin set off. Quinn gazed at Fallen-God Valley, lost in thought: "Five years ago, after the Heaven-Guide Divine War-Body was created, a Heavenly Venerable immediately came here to see if Venerable Skysoar was truly dead. Back then, I entered Fallen-God Valley with Yan Qiling and Aiden Starr. If he cared so much about Skysoar’s fate, he was either the Heavenly Emperor or Supreme Emperor. Since the Emperor sent Yan Qiling, it must have been Supreme Emperor."
He pondered the jade bottle: "The Emperor wanted his own body; Supreme Emperor wanted to confirm Skysoar’s death. At the time, I wondered why everyone arrived in Fallen-God Valley together—it seemed too coincidental. Now I see, Supreme Emperor and the Emperor calculated that only I could open the valley. They arrived with me. But Supreme Emperor never expected his consciousness would end up in my hands."
"You mean Supreme Emperor’s consciousness is in this bottle?" God-Queen Langwo’s eyes flashed.