Chapter 2618: Chapter 2618: The Last Resort

The wide, white ship blended in with the clouds, flying up steadily before dashing towards the north.

Back then, Athemar had eyed Seven-Star Province as an appropriate site to hold the Lofty Sword, for the purpose of building a direct path from the south to the north. Of course, Ingram would now choose to head north.

Some disciples in the ship were in anguish, knees dropped to the floor.

Although Sword Light Palace wasn't known to be a great force in the human race, the Seven-Star City was their home.

Leaving their family burning was nothing but pure horror, and yet escaping was the only choice they had.

Faegan sat still in a corner, a dull look in his eyes. Nobody could read his expression.

Suddenly, a figure darted across the room and grabbed him by the neck. Faegan's back slammed against the ship, a loud clunk ringing in everyone's ears.

Elgin tightened his grip around Faegan's throat. His voice, laced with ferocity, echoed across the room. “It's all your father's fault! He did all of this to us!”

“That's right!”

“What Reynald Qiu did is unforgivable!”

“Let's kill his son!”

The disciples of the Yuebai Clan and the Qiu Clan were indignant. Grief filled their hearts with nothing but retaliation. And who was more fitting on the receiving end than Faegan, the perpetrator's son?

The whole atmosphere turned tense. For a moment, it really seemed that they intended to kill him.

Just then, Elgin felt a fist strike hard against his chest. The force was enough to briefly halt his breathing.

The punch sent Elgin flying across the length of the ship. He could do nothing as he collided against the reinforced wall, creating an even louder, resounding thud.

As he held the baby in one hand, Zen looked indifferently at Elgin, who grasped his stomach in extreme pain. In a low voice, Zen addressed the room. “I don't know this feud within the Sword Light Palace, but Faegan is not at fault here. If anything, he is also a victim.”

Faegan resigned to the floor, making no effort to compose himself. “If my death means the safety of the Sword Light Palace, then by all means, please kill me,” he said, voice trembling.

As he heard Faegan's defeated voice, Zen felt immense sadness.

The prosperous Sword Light Palace was eradicated overnight. A place that had been a peaceful, stable home for many was no more—even the disciples had to flee.

The human race was truly too weak.

At the ship's bow were Ingram and Laura. They both sighed and shook their heads as they watched everything unfold.

They were more attached to the Sword Light Palace than the younger ones. Its destruction brought them far greater pain and misery.

Agony also tormented Kenelm and his friends.

As natives of Excellence City, they had always dreamed of joining the Sword Light Palace. It felt so surreal when they finally achieved their goal. There were so many things to do! And yet, after they had cultivated in front of the Lofty Sword just once, disaster immediately tore their dreams to pieces.

Kenelm was most frustrated. Zen had asked him to give up the reward for finding the former palace leader's belongings. But he had been unwilling to do so. ṙᴀ𐌽ổᛒĚ𝘚

After all, he had extraordinary talent. If he had used enough resources on himself, he believed he could have achieved anything he wanted.

Just as everyone fell quiet, the ship shook.

That was when they felt the impact.

Almost instantaneously, the speeding ship cracked.

“Guys, look out!” Laura screamed.

She leapt up in the air with a grim expression.

Fortunately, all the disciples were able to fly. Instincts enabled them to quickly stabilize themselves as they floated in air.

As Zen secured his grasp around the baby, he saw six or seven figures emerge not far away.

At the center stood Reynald Qiu, leading members of the Black Armor race. Each of them was at least 30 feet tall and had achieved the Other Shore Realm.

“Laura, you are the person in the Sword Light Palace I most want to kill. How can I let you escape?” Reynald Qiu sneered.

Ingram glared at him, eyes filled with anger. “What did you do to Elder Perceval?”

“Oh, him? He's dying, I guess,” Reynald Qiu replied, waving his hand indifferently.

Laura felt so defeated as the devastation paralyzed her. For once, she could not think to reply to his taunts. Not far away from them, Faegan cried out, “Dad! Stop! You are accomplishing nothing by ruining the Sword Light Palace.”

Reynald Qiu did not acknowledge his son. In fact, he did not react at all, as if he heard nothing.

Laura lowered her eyes at them intently. She stretched her fingers and pale green light materialized into a wisp, which sprouted until it turned into a sword. As it did so, she said, “All the disciples, run for your lives...”

At this point, even she, the leader of the cultivation palaces, couldn't protect the disciples. The only thing remaining was the last resort—to sacrifice her life.

The disciples knew they were of no match, and obeyed Laura instantly, fleeing the scene in fear.

“Kill everyone except my son,” ordered Reynald Qiu.

The Black Armor race members grunted as confirmation. As if there was no time to waste, they rushed towards the disciples.

“It seems you all want death!” Laura roared.

With a savage look in her eyes, she pointed her blade towards one of the men from the Black Armor race.

Before the man could react, however, Laura had already hurled her blade towards him. He could barely blink as it traveled thousands of feet, puncturing his head.

The man was merely a warrior in the second stage of Other Shore Realm and was thus no match for Laura. He took his last breath as he fell down from the sky.

He was only one of them all, however. Other members of the Black Armor race had already charged at the disciples.

Just as she was about to storm towards them, Reynald Qiu blocked her path. He sneered at her with utter smugness. “Where do you think you are going? I'm your opponent, not them.”

Laura's mind raced. These disciples were the best ones in the Sword Light Palace, but how could they escape the pursuit of the strong warriors at the Other Shore Realm?

The Black Armor men flew so fast as they chased the disciples it seemed as if they had turned into rays of speeding light. They were unstoppable. Every disciple that crossed their paths perished.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of disciples turned into no more than spurts of blood spattered in the air.

“Come with me!” Zen called towards those who remained.

Tens of disciples, including Faegan, Jago, Beldene and Elgin, followed Zen closely.

They knew of Zen's capabilities.

Among these people, only he had the strength to contend against Other Shore Realm warriors.

At that moment, Zen sensed a trace of space fluctuation from above.

He looked around and spotted Kenelm flying near him. Eyebrows raised, Zen shouted at him, “Kenelm, catch!”

He threw the baby in his arms to Kenem, and then a long sword materialized in his hand.

Not far away, a slender arm stretched out from the space wave and tried to grab Beldene.

Zen, who had been falling rapidly, caught sight of the trouble. He stomped lightly, and all of a sudden, he halted mid-air. Ways-blending Energy simultaneously began to burst out of him.

“The Ways-blending Strike!”

Swish!

A gleam of sword radiance shot out.

Crack!

The sword radiance cut off the arm cleanly, as if it could have just easily split heaven and earth.

The Black Armor man came out of space screaming. He had never thought that these disciples could hurt him, much less cut off one of his arms. He shrieked, “Brat! You're wishing for death!”

Zen did not stop after striking. He activated Grand Teleportation, then went into the jungle below.

They were not in the divine land. With his current strength, it would be difficult to battle against powerful warriors at the Other Shore Realm.

However, he had another advantage he could rely on: the Imperial Sword Seal, courtesy of Athemar.

Athemar had told him that the power of the Imperial Sword Seal depended on the sword's grade. As such, Zen wondered how powerful it would be if activated by the Soaring Snake Sword.

However, the Soaring Snake Sword was too valuable to unveil in front of others. It was thus a last resort, saved for the most desperate moment.