I Have A Sword-Chapter 1259: Someone Wants to Kill You

The sudden turn of events shocked everyone.

Ye Guan, Fan Shan, and Fan Shan's grandfather were no exception. In a flash, the ground beneath their feet began to collapse, and the trees nearby were uprooted from the earth before crashing down on them.

"Grandfather!" exclaimed Fan Shan. Her face was pale because the tree above her grandfather was falling toward the latter.

At the critical juncture, Ye Guan pushed off the ground with the tip of his foot, soaring into the air. He caught the old man just in time before he hit the ground.

The old man glanced at Ye Guan but said nothing.

Ye Guan, however, felt something was off. When the old man was falling, his face was completely calm—too calm, almost unnaturally calm.

Fan Shan let out a sigh of relief and hurried over. "Grandfather..."

The old man gave Ye Guan another look before turning toward the Desolate Border Wall in the distance. His brows furrowed deeply, and a trace of concern flickered in his eyes.

Ye Guan followed his gaze.

The wall hadn't collapsed, but a strange glow filled with rune-like shapes was emanating from it.

An array was activated!

The old man's expression grew more somber as he looked at the wall.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing Ye Guan and Fan Shan before swiftly turning around to leave.

***

At the Desolate Border Wall..

Tian Chen and Ah Weng stood atop the wall, and their faces were more serious than ever. Surrounding them were over a dozen elite warriors clad in black armor—the Desolate Border Guards.

This was one of the most elite military forces in the Heavenly Tomb Empire.

The leader, a middle-aged man with a composed gaze, stared into the distance and calmly remarked, "Your Highness, the Ancient Demon Clan is about to rise again."

He was Xuan Jian, one of the two commanders of the Desolate Border Guards.

Tian Chen turned to Xuan Jian with a solemn face. "I need to meet the Border King."

Xuan Jian shook his head. "The king is currently in seclusion. He won't see anyone."

Tian Chen frowned slightly, and a trace of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, though he hid it well. He nodded and replied, "Understood."

Without saying anything, he turned around and left with Ah Weng.

Xuan Jian didn't see them off or bow. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the desolate land beyond the wall.

***

"Your Highness, don't let it upset you. The Desolate Border King…" Ah Weng trailed off.

Tian Chen chuckled. "Why would I dare to be upset?"

The Desolate Border King was no ordinary figure. He was the only non-imperial king left in the Heavenly Tomb Empire, and he had been protecting the border for millions of years.

His strength was ranked among the top five in the empire, and his status was so high that even Tian Chen's father, His Majesty the Emperor, had to show him respect.

A man like him was a cornerstone of the nation.

Even if Tian Chen were the crown prince, he still wouldn't dare to act arrogantly in front of the Desolate Border King.

If the Desolate Border King were to express any dissatisfaction with him, it would be enough to shatter Tian Chen's ambitions of ever becoming the crown prince.

Not even the emperor's favor could save him then.

Hearing Tian Chen's words, Ah Weng let out a quiet sigh of relief. The Desolate Border King's position within the Heavenly Tomb Empire was indeed untouchable.

Not only was he allowed to carry weapons into court, but he was also one of the few who didn't have to kneel before the emperor. In the eyes of the empire's people, he was a hero, a guardian of the world.

Tian Chen's expression suddenly darkened. "Did you see the attacker?"

Ah Weng shook his head. "I didn't."

Tian Chen's frown deepened.

"We should report this incident as soon as possible," Ah Weng suggested.

Tian Chen nodded without any further comments.

***

There was chaos in town. While there weren't any casualties, the unsettling events had left the townsfolk in a state of panic.

The earlier explosion from the direction of the Desolate Border Wall made everyone feel on edge. Although they didn't know exactly what lay beyond the wall, they were sure that it was home to terrifying creatures.

Rumors spread wildly, growing more exaggerated with each telling.

When Ye Guan returned to the town, he noticed that the old man's face was grim. He turned to Ye Guan and said, "Come with me."

He then led Ye Guan toward the house.

Fan Shan tried to follow them, but the old man stopped her. "You stay here."

"I want to—"

"Do as I say!" the old man barked sharply.

Fan Shan froze, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Her grandfather had never spoken to her so harshly before.

The old man's face softened briefly, but he quickly turned away and walked into the house.

Ye Guan patted Fan Shan on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll tell you everything he says later, alright?"

Fan Shan's tears dried as a small smile crept onto her face. "Go on, then."

Ye Guan nodded and followed the old man inside.

The old man sat down, and his expression was serious.

"Sit," he said, pointing to the chair across from him.

Ye Guan complied, sitting down across from the old man.

The old man studied Ye Guan intently. "Can I trust you?"

"What is it you want to say?" Ye Guan asked in a steady tone.

Lighting his pipe, the old man exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Let me tell you a story. Long ago, there was an empire ruled by two brothers. Both were extraordinary talents, but the younger brother had a half-demon lineage and was closer to the demon races.

"The brothers eventually clashed, leading to a civil war within the empire. The younger brother was defeated and fled with the empire's demon clan, eventually founding a new clan, the Ancient Demon Clan, in the harsh lands beyond the border."

Ye Guan's eyes narrowed. "So, beyond the wall lies the Ancient Demon Clan?"

The old man nodded.

Ye Guan eyed him warily. "You're not about to tell me you're one of them, are you?"

The old man gave him a meaningful look but said nothing.

Ye Guan's heart skipped a beat. "You…?"

The old man suddenly extended his hand, and a storage ring floated toward Ye Guan.

The old man explained, "There are ninety thousand Creation Spiritual Crystals, along with various pills and cultivation techniques. Everything I have accumulated over the years is stored in there."

Ye Guan's expression stiffened.

The old man said calmly. "I only have one request. Take it and leave with Little Shan. Go to the capital's Xuanyun Residence and ask its master to look after her for my sake."

Ye Guan's expression changed drastically. "No matter what it is, it can't be so extreme. Are you…?"

The old man shook his head. "Sit down, boy."

Once Ye Guan was seated again, the old man continued, "Over these past few days, I've seen enough to know that you're not a bad person. I'm entrusting Little Shan to you. Take her and leave immediately."

Ye Guan wanted to argue, but the old man's tone left no room for discussion. "Take the storage ring and leave with her now."

Ye Guan's eyes narrowed, but he didn't hesitate. He grabbed the storage ring and left the house.

Fan Shan was waiting for him outside.

"Come with me," Ye Guan said.

However, Fan Shan shook her head.

"If you knock me out, I'll never forgive you," Fan Shan said softly.

Ye Guan sighed.

"You should go by yourself."

Ye Guan shook his head, but before he could reply, the sound of footsteps interrupted them.

A figure in a black robe appeared, walking toward them. Draped entirely in shadows, their face was impossible to discern.

Ye Guan tensed, and he raised his guard.

The figure stopped and spoke in a deep voice. "Qu Xu, it's been a while."

The old man stepped outside with an expressionless face.

"It has indeed been a while, Jie Gu," he said.

Jie Gu asked, "Has the Ancient Demon Clan ever wronged you?"

"No, they haven't."

"And how has the lord treated you?"

"His kindness is beyond measure."

"Then why would you betray the clan?"

The old man shook his head again. "I haven't betrayed anyone. I'm just... tired."

Jie Gu sighed. "Qu Xu, have you ever thought about what this means for our people?"

"Let these two go, and I'll accept whatever punishment you decide."

Jie Gu glanced at Ye Guan and Fan Shan standing nearby and chuckled. "How ironic. Even now, you're pleading for outsiders, humans, no less."

"Jie Gu, for the sake of our past, let them go. They have nothing to do with this."

Jie Gu's expression remained calm. "Do you really think I'll agree to that?"

The old man suddenly turned to Ye Guan. "Take her and leave. Now!"

Swoosh!

The old man's figure blurred, and he vanished in an instant.

A cold flash sliced through the air; the cold gleam was coming from a sharp blade.

Jie Gu disappeared as well.

Meanwhile, Ye Guan carried Fan Shan on his back and bolted.

Fan Shan was about to speak, but Ye Guan cut her off. "If you want your grandfather to survive, just trust me. Hold on tight and don't move."

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Fan Shan nodded quickly. "Alright, Ye Guan. I'll listen to you. I promise."

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed through the air.

The old man staggered backward, and blood slowly dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Just as he prepared to fight back, Ye Guan's voice rang out in the distance. "Old man, stop fighting! Come with me, hurry!"

The old man hesitated for a brief moment, but then he darted toward Ye Guan.

The black-robed man frowned slightly before vanishing again.

Ye Guan carried Fan Shan, running as fast as he could, until they reached an official residence. A guard stepped forward to block him, but before the man could speak, Ye Guan shoved his way through, shouting, "Brother Chen! Someone's after your life, run!"

Tian Chen, who was packing his belongings to leave the town, immediately frowned upon hearing that. Someone's trying to kill me? Who would dare?