This is an illusion.
But within the illusion, the power of the mind is boundless, enough for a Martial Emperor to peer into the future from the past, to glimpse all that is to come!
"That person..."
The Martial Emperor's expression wavered slightly.
With his Immortal-Demon level martial prowess, he had actually seen an outsider within the river of time formed by the power of his mind.
The outsider's aura was discordant, unlike the vital energy of this world. It was like a ferocious beast crashing into a pen of young animals, leaving too many traces, which would naturally be perceived by an Immortal-Demon level martial artist.
"Fang Ming."
The Martial Emperor uttered the name.
An Immortal-Demon level martial artist had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, nearing a state of omniscience and omnipotence.
By merely thinking of a name, sensing an aura, one could, in the unseen realm, command the will of heaven and have complete knowledge of this person's past and future development.
At this moment, Fang Ming's aura was unhidden. To an Immortal-Demon level martial artist, it was the distinct aura of an emergent outsider.
Naturally, this aura was instantly grasped by the Martial Emperor, who then searched for it. Subsequently, he naturally learned Fang Ming's name.
With a roar, a clear image appeared before the Martial Emperor.
The Martial Emperor saw Jiang Caiying, the thief, slain by a streak of azure light.
He saw the county magistrate and most of the constables perish by the child's palm.
Tracing back further, he saw Jiang Caiying, the thief, attempting to steal Fang Ming's belongings.
He even saw Fang Ming studying the history of this world, poring over historical texts.
Martial artists who achieved the Immortal-Demon realm, when observing others, were like reading books, able to reveal all of a person's past.
However, due to Fang Ming being an outsider, the Martial Emperor's omniscient state was weakened.
He only saw a portion of Fang Ming's arrival in this world, unable to see scenes from other worlds through the veil of this one.
Yet, from Fang Ming's sudden appearance in this world, and the absence of his presence or any traces of him in countless past periods, the Martial Emperor understood that this child came from another world.
"A traveler from another world?"
"An outsider from another world?"
"What is his purpose?"
As the Martial Emperor's words fell.
The river of time, formed by the power of his mind, surged.
As it flowed, it evolved into numerous timelines, manifesting various scenes.
A clear image appeared before the Martial Emperor.
The Martial Emperor's eyes were deep, gazing at this clear image.
Blood.
Endless blood.
Within the imperial palace, countless imperial guards resisted a single figure.
They formed formations, intending to use their martial arts to confront that person.
But they all failed.
They failed before a streak of azure light.
That was the most terrifying sword light in the world.
That was not a mere illusion created by someone with profound spiritual cultivation, but a tangible sword light.
A real flying sword.
Under this real flying sword, all martial arts were futile.
He stormed into the imperial palace.
And stood before the Emperor—the Martial Emperor.
That azure streak of light, the flying sword from another world, attacked the Martial Emperor.
The Martial Emperor did not use the power of his mind to evade.
Instead, he met the attack head-on with a punch.
The Martial Emperor's physical body cultivated the Immortal-Demon Eight Extremes—the profound techniques of the Barbarian North Xuanjing Dharma King. In terms of physical tempering, it was already known as indestructible and eternally alive.
But it was still flesh and blood after all.
A person's body, limited by physical conditions, no matter how much they cultivated, remained flesh and blood, not steel.
Flesh and blood, not steel, could not directly confront a flying sword.
Under the sweep of the flying sword, that substantial虹光 (hong guang - rainbow light),
The Martial Emperor's body, that eternally undying, indestructible, and impervious to all evils physique, was completely pierced through.
His heart was pierced.
There was no longer the power to sustain the physical body.
The Martial Emperor died.
An Immortal-Demon level martial artist had perished.
He did not last long.
And the entire imperial palace turned to ashes.
The Great Yi Dynasty perished three months later.
Warlords rose in rebellion, vying for dominance, plunging the world into chaos and suffering.
Time and space, at this moment, completely froze.
The Martial Emperor, standing in the river of time, immediately understood that he absolutely could not confront the flying sword head-on.
"A flying sword from another world."
"Possessing formidable substantive power."
"Instant death upon contact."
"Even my indestructible body would struggle to resist."
"This is a killing power that surpasses Immortal-Demon level martial artists."
The Martial Emperor commanded the will of heaven.
Thus, he understood everything, knowing that if events unfolded as they were,
The county magistrate would die, and he would naturally order the encirclement and killing of this person.
As the killing continued, Fang Ming would slaughter his subordinates and directly storm the imperial palace.
If he were to confront him head-on, rather than using other methods.
And try to withstand the flying sword with his physical body.
He would surely die.
And after his death, ambitious individuals, seeing his demise, would rebel, sweeping across provinces and vying for imperial power.
The most probable future had been foreseen.
The Martial Emperor would naturally not choose this path.
"What if I evade?"
As this thought arose in his mind.
The river of time began to churn even more violently.
The Martial Emperor then observed another future.
In that future, after the county magistrate's death, he had indeed ordered the encirclement and killing of Fang Ming.
Fang Ming broke through the encirclement, heading straight for the imperial palace.
Fang Ming stormed into the imperial palace, intending to find him, the Immortal-Demon level expert, and slay him. But he was no longer there.
Fang Ming searched in vain, scouring the world, but could find no trace of his whereabouts.
And because he was still alive, not dead, Fang Ming did not slaughter all his civil and military officials. The Great Yi Dynasty remained, not truly perishing.
No one dared to rise in rebellion.
For years, even decades, no unrest would occur.
"So that's how it is."
"I just need to evade."
With this understanding, the Martial Emperor actively left the imperial palace to avoid the confrontation.
Immortal-Demon level martial artists were called Immortal-Demons not merely for their power, but for the strength of their spiritual cultivation.
Breaking through the void, seeing the divine, the path of utmost sincerity, allows one to know the future.
Immortal-Demon level martial artists had reached an extremely high level in spiritual cultivation. All Eight Extremes of the Immortal-Demons possessed the ability to know the future.
This was also why the Martial Emperor, as the foremost Immortal-Demon level martial artist, had never killed any of the other Immortal-Demon level experts among the Eight Extremes from beginning to end.
It was because whenever the Martial Emperor harbored killing intent, the other Immortal-Demon level experts would have a premonition, knowing the Martial Emperor's target. Naturally, they would not engage him in combat but would directly evade.
As a result, in this world, there were still only eight Immortal-Demon level experts.
None could kill the others.
Since ancient times, there were only records of Immortal-Demon level experts dying of old age, not of being killed.
The Martial Emperor wished to create a miracle and kill other Immortal-Demon level experts, but this hope was very slim.
The precognitive ability of Immortal-Demon level experts had always been a source of headache for the Martial Emperor, as it allowed the other Eight Extremes of the Immortal-Demons to escape his grasp.
But the Martial Emperor had not expected that today, he himself would be saved by this precognitive ability.
Without this ability to know the future, the Martial Emperor, as the world's foremost expert, would naturally not fear Fang Ming, an unknown outsider. As a result, the power of his mind had foreseen that the development of events would lead to his death.