Chapter 243: The Herb Gatherer

Chapter 243: The Herb Gatherer

Ning Xiaochuan stood atop the towering Sacrificial Altar, enveloped in swirling Blood Qi. The Demonic Sword within him activated autonomously, forming a ghastly tableau of mountains of corpses and seas of blood beneath his feet.

High above, an ethereal Celestial Palace grew increasingly solid under the assault of the Blood Qi. This palace bore a striking resemblance to the legendary Heavenly Emperor's Divine Palace, complete with towering Celestial Pillars, hanging Heavenly Steles, and radiant white clouds that shimmered with divine light. The air resonated with the enchanting melodies of Divine Music.

Boom!

A colossal figure rose from the Sacrificial Altar, hovering in the void. A divine sword hung at his waist, and a Five-Pointed Star gleamed between his brows. His long hair cascaded like a waterfall, exuding an aura of supreme majesty. A sacred presence radiated from him, instilling reverence in the hearts of all who beheld him.

"This... this is the Heavenly Emperor manifesting!"

"The Heavenly Emperor has descended!"

Everyone prostrated themselves, kowtowing fervently toward the figure.

The Heavenly Emperor was the sole deity worshipped in the Yulan Empire. Even the true gods enshrined in the Taoist temples were none other than the Heavenly Emperor himself. For the Heavenly Emperor to manifest during the sacrificial ceremony was an event of unparalleled significance.

This was the Ancestral Grounds of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House. For the Heavenly Emperor to appear here—could it be an omen of something momentous?

Meanwhile, in the northwestern district of the Imperial City, a frail-looking Herb Gatherer emerged from a humble shack. A bamboo basket hung on his back, and a hoe rested on his shoulder. Squinting, he gazed toward the Sacrificial Altar and murmured, "So this is the Heavenly Emperor's homeland? How wonderful."

With a sudden leap, the Herb Gatherer soared into the sky and landed within the Ancestral Grounds of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House in the blink of an eye.

"Who goes there? The Jian Pavilion Marquis House is conducting a sacred sacrificial rite. No one is permitted to trespass!"

Two Martial Artists astride Iron Lion Profound Beasts brandished massive silver blades, blocking the Herb Gatherer's path.

The Herb Gatherer grinned. "A sacrificial rite? Excellent! Heaven and Earth are our parents, and the gods are our faith. I, too, wish to pay my respects."

One of the Martial Artists sneered. "Sacrifices require offerings—blood, human souls, and refined spirits. What do you have to offer?"

The Herb Gatherer scratched his head awkwardly before chuckling. "How about... offering the two of you?"

"Insolence!"

The two Martial Artists swung their blades simultaneously, unleashing terrifying waves of sword energy. They were high-level Martial Artists tasked with maintaining order during the ceremony.

Yet, their blades froze mid-air. A gaping hole had appeared in each of their chests—their hearts had been plucked out by the Herb Gatherer.

Holding the still-warm hearts in his hands, the Herb Gatherer compared their sizes before shaking his head in disdain. "Too weak. Too mundane. Not a trace of spiritual energy. Pathetic. You’re vulgar, and so are your hearts. Shouldn’t have bothered."

He tossed the bloody hearts aside, wiped his hands on his robe, and then casually lifted the two corpses by their collars, striding boldly into the sacrificial ceremony.

"Who dares?!" The Old Marquis, seated at the head of the gathering, roared in fury as he spotted the Herb Gatherer dragging two lifeless bodies into the sacred rite.

The Herb Gatherer smiled. "Just delivering gifts."

With a careless flick, he hurled the corpses onto the Sacrificial Altar.

The corpse was instantly refined by the sacrificial altar, transforming into droplets of blood.

Xuan Qingzi stood atop the altar, his gaze darkening as three divine lights emerged above his head, coalescing into the Three-Flower Divine Lotus. He spoke solemnly, "How audacious! To dare disrupt the Heaven Worship Ceremony is an affront to the heavens and the gods!"

The Ancestral Grounds of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House had gathered most of the empire's strongest elites, with dozens of Martial Venerables present. Even the Demon Emperor of the Demon Sect would hesitate to charge in alone.

What was the origin of this Herb Gatherer? How dare he act so brazenly before so many Martial Venerables?

The Herb Gatherer stared at Xuan Qingzi for a long moment before nodding, then furrowing his brow. "Old Taoist, your cultivation is decent—seems you’ve inherited the true teachings of the Taoist lineage. But... your heart is rather weak. Without a Martial Arts Heart Palace, your mental strength is too feeble, lacking nourishment. Ah, disappointing."

Xuan Qingzi replied, "You speak with quite the arrogance."

He opened his mouth, exhaling a vast mist, from which a purple flying sword shot forth, leaving a trail of sword light as it pierced straight through the Herb Gatherer’s forehead.

The purple flying sword, now stained with a trace of blood, returned to Xuan Qingzi’s hand.

The Martial Artists present let out a collective sigh of relief—such an easy kill.

"Just a false alarm. Turns out it was just an overconfident madman."

"State Preceptor Xuan Qingzi’s Purple Cloud Flying Sword was forged from celestial iron. It can slay enemies from thousands of kilometers away, even carry a person through the skies or burrow into the earth."

Just as the crowd was discussing, something eerie happened.

The Herb Gatherer raised his hand and rubbed his forehead—the bloody hole vanished instantly, along with the exit wound at the back of his skull.

The entire ceremony fell into silence, so quiet that no one even dared to breathe loudly.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis and the Great Golden Roc King sat rigidly, utterly astounded.

No matter how strong one’s martial arts were, a pierced skull should have been fatal without question.

The Herb Gatherer nodded approvingly. "The Taoist Sword Control Technique is indeed more orthodox than that of ordinary Martial Artists."

Xuan Qingzi had never witnessed such a bizarre phenomenon. His heart lurched violently as he sensed danger. Immediately, his ten fingers formed a Taoist seal, summoning the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to condense into a massive protective formation.

Boom!

The Herb Gatherer struck the formation with his hoe, shaking the Ancestral Grounds of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House violently. The sacrificial altar nearly collapsed as the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi roiled chaotically.

The Herb Gatherer’s power continued to intensify, distorting the formation. He chuckled, "Not bad, old Taoist."

Xuan Qingzi, one of the Nine Dukes of the court and ranked among the top ten sages of the Taoist lineage, was a figure capable of summoning wind and rain, omnipotent in his own right.

Yet now, cold sweat drenched him. His body felt as if it would explode, his strength completely suppressed. His heart, in particular, pounded at least ten times faster, as if it might burst from his chest.

Boom!

The Herb Gatherer shattered the formation, his clawed hand lunging toward Xuan Qingzi’s heart. Space itself tore open under the sheer force, the power reaching an unimaginable extremity.

Xuan Qingzi’s expression twisted in horror. He thrust out his index and middle fingers, directing the Purple Cloud Flying Sword to stab at the Herb Gatherer’s palm.

Boom!

The sword was enveloped in a surge of Blood Qi and sent flying back, slamming into Xuan Qingzi’s body and hurling him high above the altar—on the verge of plummeting into the blood sea below.

Ning Xiaochuan stood at the edge of the sacrificial altar when he suddenly snapped awake. Shattering the Blood Qi around him, he activated Rainbow Teleportation and soared into the air above the altar, catching the severely injured Xuan Qingzi before flying back to the altar's edge.

The Herb Gatherer fixed his gaze on Ning Xiaochuan, extending a finger as he remarked, "You seem somewhat familiar."

Ning Xiaochuan glared coldly at him, immediately concealing his presence with the power of the Demonic Sword.

The Herb Gatherer was far too eerie, evoking an instinctive sense of danger.

Seated upon his imperial carriage, the Jade Emperor's expression darkened as he flung out an imperial decree. "The Imperial City is the foundation of our empire. How dare anyone act so brazenly in my presence? This is lawless defiance! Whoever slays this madman shall be rewarded with 10,000 taels of Green Gold and granted ten fiefdoms."

At the Jade Emperor's words, the crowd stirred with unrest—the rewards were far too lavish, even including fiefdoms.

"Your Majesty, this subject, Cloud Marquis Yue Wuyang, volunteers to capture and execute the criminal!"

Yue Wuyang brandished a divine spear, his Blood Qi surging like a rainbow. Above his head coiled a 21-meter-long true dragon, exhaling mist and baring its fangs—a sight both majestic and terrifying.

This was his Martial Soul.

Many nobles felt a pang of disappointment—such a lucrative task had been snatched away by Yue Wuyang.

In their eyes, though the Herb Gatherer's cultivation was terrifyingly powerful, he was still just one man. Even if he possessed earth-shaking strength, he would not escape death today.

Thus, the rewards bestowed by the Jade Emperor were simply too generous.

"Even State Preceptor Xuan Qingzi was grievously wounded. I fear Cloud Marquis may not be a match for this old farmer. This subject shall lend him aid!" The Heavenly Elephant Marquis unleashed his Martial Soul, stepping forth with divine might as he ascended the sacrificial altar.

"This subject shall also assist Cloud Marquis!" Another marquis flew onto the altar.

These nobles—especially the Non-Hereditary Nobles—eagerly joined the fray.

As Non-Hereditary Nobles, they normally had no chance of obtaining fiefdoms. Even if they performed extraordinary feats on the battlefield, the opportunity was slim.

Now, with such a chance before them, they would not let it slip away.

In the blink of an eye, five marquises had taken action, flying onto the altar to suppress the Herb Gatherer.

The Old Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House immediately ordered the activation of the Ancestral Grounds' barriers and formations.

"Boom—!"

Seventy-two blood-red pillars rose from the ground, encasing the entire Ancestral Grounds in a massive crimson cage that stabilized the land.

Without these barriers and formations, not only would the Jian Pavilion Marquis House's Ancestral Grounds be reduced to ashes, but the Imperial City itself would suffer catastrophic damage.

Standing at the altar's edge, Ning Xiaochuan stared at the Herb Gatherer when the Demonic Sword in his heart suddenly emitted a strange resonance—a warning.

"What a strange feeling. Why is the Demonic Sword warning me? Could it be that this Herb Gatherer is no ordinary Martial Artist?"

His gaze shifted to Xuan Qingzi.

The old Taoist had suffered severe injuries, particularly to his chest, where his flesh bulged unnaturally, his bones shattered as if his heart were about to burst out.

An ordinary man would have long perished.

Yet, Xuan Qingzi's supreme cultivation allowed him to seal his heart with his power, preserving his life.

Now, he was in the midst of self-recovery, surrounded by three distinct auras.

"Ah—!"

A scream erupted from the sacrificial altar.

The Heavenly Elephant Marquis flew out from the chaotic Blood Qi, his face deathly pale, his hand clutching his chest.

The spot over his heart was drenched in blood, now hollow and empty—his heart had been torn out.

The Heavenly Elephant Marquis widened his eyes as the Blood Qi around him grew weaker and weaker. He staggered back two steps before plummeting into the blood sea of the Sacrificial Altar, swallowed whole by its crimson depths.

"Crackle—pop—"

The power of the Sacrificial Altar refined the marquis's bones, turning them into a rain of blood that soared into the sky, staining the heavens a ghastly shade of red—a sight both eerie and terrifying.

Not long after, another marquis met the same fate—his heart ripped out, his body falling from the heavens into the Sacrificial Altar, dissolving into a pool of vivid Corpse Blood.

Two Martial Venerables had fallen in succession, both sacrificed with their hearts torn out.

This was simply an unacceptable truth. The Jade Emperor slammed his palm against the dragon throne, abruptly rising to his feet, consumed by fury.

Above his head, the divine manifestation of the Nine Dragons and Nine Elephants materialized, throwing the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi into chaos.

"I understand now," he declared. "This demon is none other than the Millennium Ancient Demon who escaped from the Demon Palace in the Fire Demon Mountain Range—a being suppressed for a thousand years. He has finally revealed himself!"