"Me?" A smile appeared on the youth's face, and he said, "I'm Zhang Mo. I used to have a nickname, the Small Sword Emperor. However, there's no way I can keep that nickname anymore. This is the Immortal Realm, and if I still dare to call myself the Small Sword Emperor, someone will eventually beat me to death!"
"Heaven's Sword Sect!" Ding Ping said in a low voice.
He finally understood that the five sects were the ones behind the hidden turbulences swirling in the government.
'Are these people pigheads?'
They already knew that the five sects had wanted to refine them into a Realm Pill, yet right now, they were still listening to their encouragement! They were going to betray Ling Han! Were fame and power truly that attractive? Could it really cause one to become so stubborn?
"Heh, what a coincidence," Zhang Mo said indifferently. "We had wanted to trick you into coming back, but who knew that you would come running back yourself?"
Ding Ping's feeling of apprehension disappeared now that the true culprits had revealed themselves. He had already reached the third layer of the Shattering Void Tier, and coupled with his devastating explosiveness, he could achieve a battle prowess of 12 stars. In addition, he could still draw on the power of the nation, and he furthermore possessed treasures that had been gifted to him by Ling Han. He wasn't afraid of anyone at the Shattering Void Tier.
Ding Ping wore a composed expression, and said, "I'll never betray my master. So what if you guys capture me?"
"Hahahaha! We only need a puppet!" Ding Chang burst into laughter, and continued, "You're Ling Han's disciple, so it's well within reason for you to ascend the throne!"
His face flushed red with excitement. He had never dreamed that a day would come when he could become the ruler of an empire.
In fact, even his "old buddy" which had shriveled long ago became reinvigorated with life. He felt an urge to find some young woman to root.
Sure enough, power was the strongest aphrodisiac for man.
"Retard!" Zhang Mo casually waved his palm, instantly forming a sword light that decapitated Ding Chang.
Peng!
Blood sprayed through the air.
Ding Chang's head rolled along the ground for a few seconds before coming to a stop. A look of shock and surprise was frozen on his face. He couldn't understand why Zhang Mo had suddenly attacked him. Weren't they allies? Weren't they going to rule the Great Ling Empire together?
Ding Ping didn't have a shred of sympathy for him. This person had betrayed Ling Han, and he had already been lenient by not personally killing him. He shook his head, and said, "Seventh Great-grandfather, you were making a deal with the devil. They merely wanted to use you guys to lure me back."
A glimmer flashed across Ding Chang's eyes. Then, it disappeared—forever.
He could have enjoyed an extra 200 years of peaceful life, and because of his relationship with Ding Ping, he even had an opportunity to reach the Deity Transformation Tier or Heaven Tier. This was the Immortal Realm, after all, so treasures at the mortal level were widely available!
However, he had lusted after power, a power that far surpassed what he could wield. In the end, his dreams were shattered, and he paid for it with his life.
"Are you going to surrender, or do I have to use force?" Zhang Mo asked calmly.
He had always been a prodigy, and he had already reached the Shattering Void Tier prior to Ling Han opening the sky. Now that he had cultivated in the Immortal Realm for almost two years, his cultivation level had already shot up to the ninth layer of the Shattering Void Tier, his battle prowess soaring to 15 stars. This was thanks to the richness of the Spiritual Qi here, and also thanks to the fact that the five sects had quite some resources.
This wasn't Zhang Mo's limit, though, and thus he didn't hurry to break through to the Mountain River Tier. Instead, he planned to accumulate his cultivation and attempt to reach the supreme battle prowess of 20 stars.
15 Stars of the Shattering Void Tier wasn't enough to satisfy him.
Ding Ping roared with laughter, and said, "We'll only know who's stronger than who after we do battle!"
"Heh, our intel is wrong. Who would've thought that you'd reach the Shattering Void Tier so quickly!" Zhang Mo smiled, and continued, "This attribute is quite similar to your master's. The speed of your cultivation is truly troublesome. I genuinely want to kill you now lest you become a larger threat in the future!"
If they had been able to kill Ling Han, the Lower Realm would have still belonged to the small world. If that had been the case, the great elites from the five sects would have been able to refine another Realm Pill soon.
As for them, they would have also been able to enter the Immortal Realm soon—they wouldn't have ascended to the Joint Peace Planet, but instead to the ancestral grounds of the five sects!
They couldn't receive an inkling of the Immortal Realm's resources while on the Joint Peace Planet. Living here was like living in a barren land, and this left them feeling extremely suffocated. In fact, it even made them feel despair! Thus, after lying low for two years or so, they decided to launch a fatal strike and change the ruler of the Great Ling Empire!
They would first use Ding Ping as a puppet emperor, and then kick him off the throne in the future. There would eventually come a day when they would finally reestablish contact with the five sects in the Immortal Realm, which would allow them to return to their ancestral grounds.
Ding Ping balled his hands into fists, and said, "You can try if you want!"
He still had yet to battle against someone at an equivalent cultivation level after advancing to the Shattering Void Tier. Although Ling Han had once suppressed his own cultivation level and fought against him, his freakish master was absolutely inhuman. He had been pummeled until despair was the only thing remaining in his mind.
Zhang Mo chuckled coldly as he raised his hand, and said, "Heh, even your confidence is like that of your master. That makes me even more infuriated!"
Shua, shua, shua!
Several sword lights swept toward Ding Ping.
Zhang Mo was called the Small Sword Emperor, so it was only natural that he was supremely talented in the Sword Dao. Sword intent radiated from his body with his each and every action.
Ding Ping was unafraid. He let out a mighty roar as he threw his fists outward.
Peng!
A powerful force compressed the air, forming a shield before Ding Ping and obliterating the sword lights.
"Hmm?" An expression of astonishment finally appeared on Zhang Mo's face. The battle prowess of Ding Ping was a bit beyond his expectations.
'He's clearly only at the third layer of the Shattering Void Tier, so how can he be so powerful?'
"I'm still weaker than my master, but suppressing you should pose no problem at all!"
Pa, pa, pa!
Ding Ping cranked his neck, causing explosive crackles to sound from the joints in his body.
Although he hadn't been able to learn the Indestructible Heaven's Scroll, he had been able to learn the Nine Dragons Tyrant Body Art, which allowed him to set foot on a path of dual cultivation. This was also the reason behind his being able to wield power at Nine Stars of the Shattering Void Tier even though he was only at the third layer of the Shattering Void Tier. Moreover, his explosiveness could elevate his battle prowess to an even more terrifying level.
Zhang Mo seethed with rage. He came from the same generation as Ling Han, and there had even been a time when he had been able to suppress Ling Han. However, his opponent's disciple actually dared to say that suppressing him wouldn't be a problem?
'F*ck! He's far too arrogant!'
He drew his sword, and said, "Young man, you're far too arrogant!"
"I'm not arrogant, I'm confident!" Ding Ping was in high spirits, and wouldn't be afraid no matter what opponent he came across. This was another quality that Ling Han had taught him. Of course, not being afraid and needlessly charging toward death were two completely different things. If he knew that he was no match for the opponent, he would do everything within his ability to retreat. Only by staying alive would he have any chance of turning the tables.
"How infuriating!" Zhang Mo humphed as he lashed out with his sword.
He had nothing to worry about, and it didn't matter to him whether this was the Ding Clan and whatnot. A brilliant Sword Ray that stretched for almost 300 meters instantly wreaked havoc and destruction.
"Head out to fight!" Ding Ping roared.
If they were still in the small world, they could naturally soar into the sky to fight. However, their only option right now was to head outside.
"Petty kindness!" Zhang Mo couldn't care less. In his eyes, the people here were still ants from the small world. Before, they would still be useful as ingredients of the Realm Pill. Now, however, they had even lost this tiny amount of usefulness. That being the case, he had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Boom!
Buildings were destroyed and people were killed as the devastating Sword Ray swept through the Ding Clan. This was an overwhelming power.
"Damn you!" Ding Ping roared. He unleashed his full battle prowess as he charged toward Zhang Mo. He had to prevent him from indiscriminately massacring people.