A graceful, mature woman appeared at the entrance of the throne hall just then. Seeing Yan Taizi Dan coughing blood on the floor, she hurried to his side.
Goku blinked. "Oh? It's you…"
Watching how she rushed to Yan Taizi Dan, understanding dawned. "You must be the Yan Crown Princess Consort—that explains the Yin–Yang arts. My apologies. It's been a long time, and I didn't recognize you at first."
It wasn't surprising. Goku had traveled through several different worlds by now, and the princess consort had only flashed once through his memories.
---
"You know each other? And what did he mean by 'Yin–Yang arts'?" Yan Taizi Dan's gaze sharpened as he looked at the princess consort supporting him. He gently pushed her hand aside, a guarded light entering his eyes.
At Goku's casual mention of her ability, the princess consort's face went pale. Seeing the suspicion in Taizi Dan's eyes, sorrow welled up within her. He had never truly trusted her. That was why she had never dared reveal her Yin–Yang techniques: this look—this moment—was exactly what she feared.
"What!" the dim-witted Yan King exploded. "She's from the Yin–Yang School? So you were hiding it well! Speak—why did you come to Yan? What's your real purpose?"
"I… have no ulterior motive." Knowing she could hide it no longer, the princess consort shook her head, then dropped to her knees before Yan Taizi Dan. "Your Highness, I never meant to keep this from you…"
"Enough! Guards! Drag this woman out and behead her!" the Yan King cut her off, roaring.
The hall fell silent. Ministers and generals stared at the Yan King as if he were a fool. Do you have any idea where you stand? Did he not see the slaughter-god standing only a few steps away?
Catching their looks, the Yan King came to his senses, a chill racing down his spine. He wiped cold sweat from his brow and shut his mouth.
"Hmph. Quite the swagger," Goku said mildly, eyeing the Yan King.
"N-no, I wouldn't dare…" The king kept dabbing at his forehead, mumbling excuses like a scolded servant.
"You truly are Yin–Yang School?" Yan Taizi Dan asked, face tightening. He felt deceived—and he knew what this meant. Once Goku left, there would be no place for her inside the palace. The Yan King had already revealed his intent: if the king wanted her dead, even Taizi Dan might not be able to protect her.
The princess consort lowered her head. She was clever enough to know that words would not help her now.
Goku cast the Yan court a look of disdain, then turned his eyes back to the king. "Now then… it's time to settle accounts. Kneel, and I'll spare your life."
"What?!"
The simple words sent a shock through every official present. To make a king kneel? If that spread, Yan's face would be lost forever.
"If you won't kneel," Goku said evenly, "I'll level the entire Yan Kingdom."
Xue Nu's eyes shone as she watched him. To demand that a sovereign kneel—how wildly audacious.
"Arrogant!" a general burst out. "I admit your martial skill is unmatched, but to destroy Great Yan with only one man—ridiculous! Do you think our million-strong army is for show?"
"You think… I can't?" Goku glanced at him. The Demon Sword, still stabbed into the hall floor, thrummed. With a resonant clang, it tore free, coiling through the air in a ribbon of light before settling into Goku's hand.
He flicked his wrist.
A thread of cold sword-light flashed and vanished. A heartbeat later, the entire throne hall shuddered. Thunder rolled as the ceiling began to shift. Before their horrified eyes, the vast roof detached—cleanly sheared from the structure. Blinding sunlight speared down through the cut.
With a deafening crash, the roof slammed to the ground outside, kicking up a storm of dust.
They stared up at the open blue sky, faces washed in sunlight and fear. A breeze whispered across the hall, and the chill in their hearts only deepened.
One casual stroke—and the throne hall was cleaved in two.
A master might slice the tip off a tower; famed swordsmen like Gai Nie could perhaps manage that.
But to shear the entire royal audience hall, a structure stretching for Hundreds of meters and interlocked with palaces on every side? That was beyond the reach of mortals.
The Yan King's knees buckled. He collapsed, unable even to form words. His mind was a blank, caught in a waking nightmare.
Even Xue Nu was stunned. If this was Goku with a light swing… how deep did his strength truly run?
"Let's go," Goku said softly, taking Xue Nu's hand.
Feeling the warm grip, Xue Nu's heart grew utterly calm. This… this is the safety she sought. She had found him.
They had taken only a few steps when Goku spoke again, without looking back, his voice drifting away:
"Do you… want to leave with us? There's no place for you here anymore."
The princess consort's brows knit. She glanced at Yan Taizi Dan, hesitating—then rested a hand on her slightly rounded belly. Her eyes hardened with resolve, and she followed after Goku.
"Go, then," Yan Taizi Dan murmured, watching her back with desolate eyes. "Staying… I can't protect you."
As she disappeared from view, his gaze only grew colder and more focused. With nothing left to tie him down, he could finally wager everything.
---
"Did you hear? A swordsman stormed the Yan royal palace yesterday—caused chaos in the capital!"
"Who hasn't heard? It's the only thing anyone's talking about! That swordsman was incredible—one strike and he split the palace in two! Absolutely insane!"
"I heard he killed Yan Chun-jun, got put on the wanted list, and then tore through the palace to protest."
"Yan Chun-jun? That scum deserved it! Who knows how many families he ruined… and he even set his sights on Xue Nu. Serves him right!"
"Agreed. Getting rid of him spared the people a calamity."
"Sigh… pity we may never see Miss Xue Nu's unmatched beauty again…"
"Hold on—I heard a different version. They say he did it all for a woman."
"Oh, I know that one. The woman was one of Yan Taizi Dan's consorts—people call her the Yan Crown Princess Consort."
"Right! Apparently Yan Taizi Dan coveted her beauty and used his status to force her into his harem."
"No way. Would Taizi Dan really do that?"
"Who knows? Those in power don't treat us commoners as people. Just look at Yan Chun-jun—good riddance!"
"So what happened to the princess consort?"
"Obviously the swordsman rescued her! He swept through the palace like a god descended, unmatched in might. With a single stroke he split the palace in half—what a sight! The whole capital nearly wet themselves!"
"Is that for real? You're not exaggerating?"
"If you don't believe me, climb Gaofeng Mountain and look down at the palace yourself… tsk tsk, the view will shut you up."
"I'm going right now!"
One mouth became ten, ten became a hundred, and the truth twisted along the way. Poor Yan Taizi Dan—caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile, Goku and the princess consort were painted as a pair of star-crossed lovers.
"They say he trained day and night after his beloved was taken, mastering the sword at last. Then he stormed the palace, walking through armies as if no one existed. In the end, the lovers were reunited…"
"A man who draws his sword for the woman he loves—now that's a man! What was his name again?"
"People call him… Goku."
"You mean that Sword God?"
"Sword… God? I've only ever heard of Sword Saints."
"You really don't know the title the jianghu gave him? He cut an entire palace in half. We're talking buildings stretching for Hundreds of meters! If that's not divine, what is?"
"…Fair. That's pretty godlike."
"That's why everyone calls him the Sword God—one of a kind, beyond compare!"
....
T/N: yo guys where is the support for the new fic. It's already there look.