Sovereign Of The Three Realms Chapter 261-270

                

Sovereign Of The Three Realms

(SOTR)

Chapter 261: Visiting the Honored Tutor

Dan Fei didn’t seem to know much about the great selection either. What she did know came from snippets gleaned from the honored tutor.

“Jiang Chen, the honored tutor told me to come. He would like you to visit him tonight.”

Jiang Chen naturally couldn’t refuse the honored tutor’s invitation. And honestly speaking, he was quite interested in the great selection of the four sects.

“Alright, I will be sure to visit.” Jiang Chen agreed readily.

Come to think of it, it was time to visit the honored tutor after all. When Elder Iron had oppressed Jiang Chen last time, he might’ve been forced to expose the Goldbiter Rats if it hadn’t been for the honored tutor coming to his rescue.

Life wouldn’t have been that easy for Jiang Chen if that trump card had been exposed. Many old pract.i.tioners may have set their sights on him after that.

When Dan Fei took her leave, Jiang Chen thought for a moment and felt that he couldn’t go empty handed to visit the honored tutor.

But with the honored tutor’s level of existence, he may not be interested in any gift that Jiang Chen brought. He thought for a moment and took out brush and paper.

He first outlined thoroughly all the information about the Five Winged Lesser Dragon, including key areas to note when raising and awakening them.

Although this material may not aid the Five Winged Dragon in awakening immediately, there would be greater hope for it to awaken if the honored tutor kept to these instructions for a prolonged period of time.

Otherwise, with the honored tutor’s inexperienced way of raising the Five Winged Dragon, it was indeed wasting its ancient bloodline.

With the way things were, there wasn’t even much hope for it to break through to the saint rank.

But how was the true potential of the Five Winged Dragon only at this level?

Apart from the methods to raise the Five Winged Dragon, Jiang Chen also outlined the ways to raise the Silvermoon Monsterapes, holding nothing back.

There was no need to conceal anything. Jiang Chen rather admired and was generous to his own people.

The honored tutor and Dan Fei didn’t count as outsiders anymore.

Setting aside their pre-existing relations.h.i.+p, the fact that the honored tutor had helped him out this time was enough to warrant Jiang Chen bringing a great gift.

Jiang Chen put away this material carefully when he finished.

He didn’t bring any personal guards with him when night fell and set off for the tutor’s manor alone.

The tutor’s manor was in a quiet and beautiful place. Everytime he came here, he had the feeling that he was on an island of quiet within the city. He was also curious that with the honored tutor’s power, why did he insist on remaining in seclusion in an ordinary kingdom instead of entering a sect? This didn’t make any sense from the angle of martial dao training.

Dan Fei leaned against the doorframe. Her lithe figure looked even more slender and tall beneath the dusk, giving others a feeling of mysteriousness.

“Tsk tsk, Sister Dan Fei, are you really trying to charm people to death? How will the men pa.s.sing by on the street bear to return home with you standing here like this?”

Jiang Chen joked when he saw Dan Fei.

In actuality, there was no one who would pa.s.s by where the tutor manor was. Ordinary people couldn’t even enter this neighborhood at all.

It wasn’t that Ye Chonglou put on airs or wanted special treatment, it was that the royal family didn’t allow interruptions to disturb the honored tutor’s life.

When she heard Jiang Chen make fun of her, Dan Fei gave t.i.t for tat as her charming eyes rolled and she smiled slightly, “Then don’t go home. You wouldn’t miss those two followers now, would you?”

“As charming as they are, they’re not as charming as you, sister Dan Fei.”

Dan Fei smiled with pride, “You have an eye for beauty after all. Come, the honored tutor has waited a long time for you.”

Jiang Chen didn’t dare linger when he heard that the honored tutor had been waiting for him, and he followed Dan Fei inside.

“Haha, Jiang Chen, you’re here.” The honored tutor was in a great mood when he saw Jiang Chen. “Come come come, I couldn’t bear to drink the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine that you gave me last time. That’s what we’ll be drinking today!”

Jiang Chen hastened to say, “We can drink the wine, but we can’t drink yours, we should drink mine. The honored tutor should keep the jug that I gave you.”

Jiang Chen quickly took out a flask of spirit rank wine from his storage ring.

“Alright, alright, then this old man will take advantage of you one more time.” The honored tutor was in fabulous spirits as he put out three cups of old vines. “Come, little Dan, taste this too. This kind of wine isn’t easily procured.”

Dan Fei usually didn’t dare to sit in front of the honored tutor, but she had to listen to the honored tutor’s words.

Jiang Chen moved adroitly when he saw Dan Fei sat down. He immediately filled the cups of old vines with wine.

Dan Fei had heard the honored tutor compliment this wine before but she had never had the chance to taste it. However, anything that Jiang Chen brought out would most likely be astonis.h.i.+ng.

Of this, the effect of the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill on Elder Ning was the most prominent.

Indeed, Dan Fei immediately felt a wondrous sensation that she’d never experienced before as soon as the wine slid into her mouth.

Dan Fei had never been interested in drinking before, but not only did she not frown this time, her lips grew even more urgent as she drained all the wine within the cup.

“Well?” Even the honored tutor asked with a smile.

Dan Fei placed her cup down as a strand of red floated onto her cheeks, making her appeareven more alluring.

“Mm, this wine is more than ten times better than the ones you used to drink.” Dan Fei nodded.

“Haha, Jiang Chen, you should be proud of yourself! Little Dan has always viewed drinking wine as a burden. You’re the first to ever make her feel that wine tastes good.”

Jiang Chen smiled, “The saying goes that ‘fine wine goes with great heroes’. It looks like it’s a bit inaccurate. Fine wine and beautiful women bring out the best in each other as well.”

“Hahaha, well said, well said!” The honored tutor laughed heartily.

Dan Fei wasn’t the sort to become bashful or feel awkward like a little girl when Jiang Chen complimented her.

“Come, Jiang Chen, I’ll drink with you.” Dan Fei poured a gla.s.s of wine as her usually straightforward demeanor made an appearance again.

“Sure.” Jiang Chen was also similarly decisive.

Dan Fei raised her gla.s.s, “This wine is to thank you for accompanying me in the maze realm.”

Jiang Chen smiled, “I think I should be the one to thank you instead. I’ve heard from the others that you’ve always been a lone, heroic damsel, and that you have never formed teams.”

Dan Fei smiled faintly, “It’s not that I don’t form teams, it’s that there’s no one worthy of me forming a team with them.”

Ye Chonglou chuckled, looking at Dan Fei and then at Jiang Chen, his smile became more and more meaningful. However, the old tutor was quite shrewd and only smiled without saying anything.

Jiang Chen tossed his head back and drained his cup. “Alright, one should see good deeds through to the end. Honored tutor, sister Dan Fei, I’ve come in a rush this time and haven’t prepared many gifts. These two sets of information may be of some use to you. I hope you like it.”

“I don’t even need to look at it to know it’s something good. It’s a gift from you after all.” The honored tutor smiled. “Little Dan, take it, take it.”

He reminded Jiang Chen at the same time, “Heh heh, Jiang Chen, come and visit often if you have nothing to do in the future.”

Jiang Chen was momentarily speechless. He seemed to see old man Fei’s devilish shadow on the honored tutor’s figure for a second. This kind of smile was one from poor relations welcoming a rich man to come visit their house often.

What for? Because he came bearing good gifts.

Dan Fei took the sheaf of papers and flicked a cursory glance through it, her body stiffening slightly she sent a look of surprise towards Jiang Chen.

“This is so you don’t say I kept things to myself. I’ve taught you everything. It’s up to you how you raise it.” Jiang Chen smiled.

Dan Fei nodded multiple times in quick succession. She then puffed her chest out as if declaring war on Jiang Chen, “With these exclusive methods, the Monsterapes I raise will absolutely not lose to yours! Want to bet on it?”

“Let’s not, if we really let awakened Monsterapes meet, they’ll definitely fight to the death. We wouldn’t be able to separate them at all.” Jiang Chen hastily waved his hands.

“Right, honored tutor, you can study the material with regards to the Five Winged Dragon in greater detail. I once heard an expert say that it’s a given that a Five Winged Dragon will evolve to the saint rank. The saint rank is only its starting point, and stronger Five Winged Dragons can evolve to the earth, heaven, and even divine ranks.”

The honored tutor yanked the papers out of Dan Fei’s hands when he heard these words and started reading them with wide eyed wonder.

It’d been at least a hundred years since a look of such impatient enthusiasm had appeared on the old tutor’s face.

If anyone else in the Skylaurel Kingdom witnessed this scene, their jaws would’ve likely dropped with astonishment.

The honored tutor read without stopping for almost an hour, becoming more and more excited the further he read on. His long, white brows were almost dancing with eagerness.

The honored tutor finally put the materials aside when he was finished as he looked at Jiang Chen with eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Jiang Chen, this old man rather admires you now. The unearthly expert whom you met when you were young was absolutely at the peak of existence in the world. Fortuitous, what a fortuitous turn of karma!”

Jiang Chen was likely the only person in all of the sixteen kingdoms that would cause the honored tutor to sigh with amazement and look at him with jealousy.

“What a pity, what a pity. If that expert had been willing to take you with him, that would’ve been an even more wondrous twist of fate. Jiang Chen, you were young then, if you were older and begged him to take you as his disciple, then your achievements in this lifetime would be even more extraordinary. Sigh!”

The honored tutor did indeed feel regretful on Jiang Chen’s behalf.

To run into such a turn of fate had indeed been luck, but what a pity it was that he hadn’t been accepted as a disciple!

When Jiang Chen had spoken of this last, the expert had only been in Jiang Chen’s life for a few years and hadn’t purposefully taught him anything.

Even so, Jiang Chen had become so uncommon with just a few casual years.

If the expert had kept Jiang Chen by his side and seriously taught him for a decade or two, wouldn’t Jiang Chen conquer the world in the future?

Jiang Chen smiled, but kept a composed expression on his face.

Of course he was composed. What expert was there? That was just an unavoidable excuse he’d had to make up to rationalize his incredible performance.

If he had to pinpoint an expert, then he himself would be the one.

But since the honored tutor had said thus, Jiang Chen decided to continue in the same vein and perpetuate the lie.

“Honored tutor, how much fortune one has in life is all preordained by destiny. Perhaps my fate with the expert is just to this level. If I become greedy, then the loss may outweigh the gains?”

A strange light shot out of the tutor’s eyes when he heard these words as he looked at Jiang Chen with admiration.

He hadn’t thought that Jiang Chen would be so enlightened at such a young age!

To have such an easy, carefree sense of awareness and reflection within a youngster -- this was even more rare than uncommon potential!

Enlightenment, this was absolutely great enlightenment! The honored tutor’s view of Jiang Chen grew greatly once again.

Chapter 262: Rumors of the Upper Eighth Region

That a young man with such potential and enlightenment had come from a third rate kingdom like the Eastern Kingdom made the old tutor sigh with amazement. Life certainly worked in wondrous ways, and sometimes there really was no logic to it.

He also privately felt that it was a shame such a young talent hadn’t been recognized in the Eastern Kingdom, and that this young genius had drifted outside instead. No wonder this Eastern Kingdom was a third rate kingdom.

“Jiang Chen, you absolutely cannot speak of this wondrous encounter of your youth to anyone else. To do would bring disaster to you.”

The old tutor truly cherished talent. He was discovering more and more interesting facets of this young man.

These aspects destined this young man to soar to prominence with a single leap, eventually rising to the heavens.

The great power held within this youth and his enormous luck wasn’t something that the so-called geniuses of the sixteen kingdoms could measure up to.

The old tutor’s heart suddenly warmed when he thought of this. Perhaps some new hope and possibility could be found in Jiang Chen?

“Jiang Chen, I’ve heard from Dan Fei that your recent demand for spirit ingredients is quite high. Logically speaking, you shouldn’t need that much with your current level of training.”

Jiang Chen smiled and didn’t hold anything back, “Honored tutor, I’ll be frank and admit that recent circ.u.mstances have woken me up to the principle that before I reach great heights with my training, I must endeavor to raise the strength of those around me. In this way, I can ensure their personal safety when situations arise.”

The old tutor quite understood this sentiment.

“I can help you a bit with spirit medicine ingredients, but the level of resources I command in a mundane kingdom is naturally of a completely different league than the Precious Tree Sect. Therefore, if you want spirit medicines, you must enter the sect. To put it in a nice way, you’ll be entering the sect to obtain resources, and to put it bluntly, you’ll be entering to fight other geniuses for resources. On the path of training, the majority of people are cannon fodder and green leaves. Their true purpose are to offset those few red flowers.”

The old tutor offered an interesting and quite fresh perspective.

“I’m not being an alarmist. Although sect disciples look lofty from the surface, the great majority of them are slaves and sacrifices of the sects. However, they bear the banner of the sect and can also swindle many gains for their efforts. The true winners are the few who hold the resources of the sect in their hands. That would be those senior executives and those particularly special geniuses.”

The old tutor looked at Jiang Chen when he was finished. He was worried that his perspective would appear absurd and ridiculous in Jiang Chen’s eyes.

He did think that Jiang Chen would smile and have an expression of deep agreement on his face.

Dan Fei could help but raise her eyebrows, “Jiang Chen, do you understand the honored tutor’s meaning?”

Jiang Chen smiled, “The weak are food for the strong. Such are the rules of nature. If everyone is treated equally, how would that be a sect then? It’s just like how ordinary people make up the vast majority of this world.”

The old tutor was speechless once more. And to think that he’d been worried that a young man like Jiang Chen wouldn’t accept his viewpoint!

After all, young men wors.h.i.+pped sects like they were sacred ground. In the hearts of most youngsters, a sect was a holy ground that could not be polluted at all.

The old tutor had truly been anxious that Jiang Chen wouldn’t accept the true side of a sect after he’d voiced it.

But now he discovered that he’d been thinking too deeply.

With “the weak are food for the strong”, Jiang Chen had summarized the true nature of the sects.

The old tutor couldn’t help but ask, “Even so, are you still willing to join a sect?”

Jiang Chen didn’t even blink. “I must join the Precious Tree Sect.”

Even if you’ll be held to the rules of the sect once you do? The grudge between you and the Iron family will make your path even narrower. As an outsider, I wouldn’t be able to speak up on your behalf…”

Jiang Chen smiled. “Just like the honored tutor said, I’m joining a sect to seize resources. Rules are dead whereas people are alive. Besides, I’ve heard that the Iron family doesn’t rule the Precious Tree Sect. As for the honored tutor, this junior here does have a few questions.”

“What are they?” The old tutor smiled.

“With the lordmaster’s strength and position, why are you not a heavyweight of the Precious Tree Sect?”

This question had circulated in Jiang Chen’s heart many times, but he’d never been able to find a definite answer. Jiang Chen rather wanted to get to the bottom of this since they were already discussing the matter.

The old tutor sighed, “This is a long story. I think it was two hundred years ago? I made a bet with a sect elder once that whoever loses will leave the sect, never to return. I was the one who lost.”

The old tutor’s tone was bleak. He’d never spoken of this to the outside world, and it was even Dan Fei’s first time of hearing such a secret.

Her beautiful eyes swept Jiang Chen, faulting him for mentioning the old tutor’s painful past.

The old tutor chuckled, “Don’t be angry at Jiang Chen, Dan Fei. It’s not that I don’t wish to talk about them, but that I’ve never felt a need to. However, Jiang Chen is worth making an exception for.”

“In the end, I actually didn’t lose on the basis of strength. I learned after the fact that my opponent had cheated. And actually, quite a few of the senior executives knew that he had cheated, but no one had stood out to say anything. This also made me dispirited.”

Jiang Chen sighed lightly. He didn’t know how to comfort the old tutor.

As an outsider, it really wasn’t his place to say anything about these events in the distant past.

It was the old tutor who smiled forthrightly, “It’s nothing much really. Several hundred years have gone by and I’ve long since thought through it. Besides, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The person who bet with me died in a sect mission thirty years later. You tell me, was it a good or bad thing that he won his bet with me?”

Jiang Chen smiled ruefully, “Fortune and disaster go hand in hand. It’s difficult to say if one or the other is good or bad. It’s just that it’s a bit of a pity that a personage such as the honored tutor isn’t part of a sect.”

“It was a pity and regretful as well. After losing that bet, this old man left in anger, leaving the sixteen kingdom alliance and traveling throughout the world. It was only after leaving the sixteen kingdoms that I found out how much I was a frog at the bottom of a well. But after running to resistance everywhere I turned, I returned to the Skylaurel Kingdom, training diligently behind closed doors before finally obtaining my t.i.tle of spirit king today.”

The old tutor also laughed self deprecatingly. “The t.i.tle of spirit king seems like an insurmountable place within the sixteen kingdoms, but I’m just an ordinary pract.i.tioner in the greater world. Putting aside the greater world for a moment, even the Myriad Domain that our sixteen kingdom alliance resides in has multiple factions like our four great sects. Our sects are just a small, third rate faction.”

“The Myriad Domain?” Jiang Chen was slightly surprised.

If one were to say that the four great sects were just a third rate faction, Jiang Chen would believe that and think that there was nothing untoward about that.

But, the name of Myriad Domain made Jiang Chen recall the “Upper Eighth Region” in his father’s letter. Was there a connection between the two?

“You’ve heard of the Myriad Domain?” The honored tutor started. “The great senior expert told you about the Myriad Domain?”

Jiang Chen shook his head. “The expert didn’t tell me anything about the outside world. He said he didn’t want his perspective to affect my perception of the world.”

Ye Chonglou smiled wryly, “The senior expert does indeed act differently from ordinary folk.”

“Senior, I did rather hear him mention something about an ‘Upper Eighth Region’. Can it be that the Myriad Domain is part of the Upper Eighth Region?” Jiang Chen probed.

“The Upper Eighth Region?” The old tutor’s body trembled as a sharp light shot out of his eyes. “Jiang Chen, that senior really mentioned the Upper Eighth Region?”

Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced when he saw the honored tutor’s strong reaction. He understood that perhaps he’d been a bit brash and shouldn’t have mentioned the name.

However, he’d already said it and couldn’t back down now.

He nodded, “Yes, he mentioned it but wouldn’t say anything else.”

The honored tutor stared fixedly at Jiang Chen and only slowly relaxed after seeing his nod. Ye Chonglou murmured, “Can it be that the rumors are true?”

An agitated light shone in the old tutor’s eyes. “Does the Upper Eighth Region really exist in this world?”

“What rumors?” Jiang Chen really wanted to know more about the Upper Eighth Region.

When he saw that someone like the old tutor was overreacting like this to the name, Jiang Chen worried that this Upper Eighth Region was really something quite different.

This made him worry even more for his father.

“I’ve actually only heard of some rumors. Something about a universe of a thousand universes, 32 lower regions, 16 middle regions, and 8 upper regions. There was some more that I absolutely can’t remember. It was the upper, middle, and lower regions as well as some other places that form the structure of our entire world.”

The old tutor could only speak vaguely of these matters. He truly knew too little.

The old tutor was at the most supreme level of existence within the Skylaurel Kingdom.

However, he was nothing in the greater picture of the world.

It was obviously the first time that Dan Fei was hearing these rumors, so she asked out of curiosity, “Teacher, then is our sixteen kingdom alliance part of the Myriad Domain? What level region is the Myriad Domain part of?”

“What level? The 32 lower regions. And our sixteen kingdom alliance is the most marginalized, lowest level of existence in the Myriad Domain. If we were to be generous, we can claim to be part of the Myriad Domain, but frankly, we’re a completely useless member. There’s no difference if we’re present or not. In fact, we may even be discarded one day.”

“Discarded?” Dan Fei’s long eyelashes fluttered. “What talk of discarding can there be? We can still live without each other. Not to mention that many within the alliance don’t even know about the Myriad Domain? We’ve still lived on just fine?”

The old tutor laughed wryly when he heard these words. “Little Dan, you’re young after all. Don’t voice these words outside, you’ll bring trouble down on yourself. Who says we can live without each other? Our sixteen kingdom alliance will be surely dead if we left the Myriad Domain.”

“Why?” Dan Fei couldn’t quite understand. “Can it be that they’ve given us some support all along?”

“Support is out of the question. On the contrary, our alliance has to offer up great amounts of tribute and beg for them to help us.”

The old tutor sighed. “Some things should not have been spoken of, but now that we’ve reached this point, there’s no point in keeping quiet. Why are the four sects holding an open selection this time? Why is it that the usually antagonistic four sects have the same att.i.tude this time? What has caused them to set their differences aside? There’s a reason for all this!”

“What reason?” Even Jiang Chen was curious.

Since he’d come to this world, he naturally needed to know more about it. He didn’t want to blunder around in ignorance. And judging from the old tutor’s tone, Jiang Chen could clearly feel that this time’s public selection was quite different!

When he connected this to Luo Huang and Zhou Yi’s conversation, Jiang Chen felt that there was certain to be a significant amount of activity going on behind the scenes in this year’s selection.

Chapter 263: The Great Selection, the Legacy Territory of Ancient Times

The old tutor stretched out three fingers and said with a grave tone, “There’s only three words for it—sense of danger.”

“The sixteen kingdom alliance has had a decreasing presence within the Myriad Domain. Once the sixteen kingdom alliance is deemed useless, with no point to existing at all, it’ll be ostracized by the other powers, and will be listed as a land of desolate wildlands.

“Ostracized? desolate wildlands?” The confusion in Dan Fei’s beautiful eyes became stronger.

“Yes, it’s called a land of desolate wildlands because it’s been abandoned at that point, exiled by its own race with no one left caring about it. In this way, the land in question will become a delicacy for the alien races—something to be divvied up, served, and devoured. The humans who are lucky will become slaves, while those who aren’t will be directly devoured and slaughtered. Once we become a land of desolate wildlands, we’re doomed, unless no alien races invade us.”

Ye Chonglou’s tone grew grave, “And this is absolutely not just the ravings of an alarmist. More and more of the various factions of the Myriad Domain have begun to think that the sixteen kingdom alliance is useless. If we don’t show something worthwhile soon, then we’ll truly be tossed aside, and become a desolate wildlands. If that becomes the case, then the consequences will be beyond our imagination.”

“So, this is to say that the great selection of the four great sects is born out of this sense of danger?” Jiang Chen raised his own question.

“Yes, a thorough sense of danger. Otherwise, what other matters could bring the four sects together under one accord? Make them lay aside their grudges? Make them host this great selection together? This is a momentous occasion that only comes about once every hundred years. Jiang Chen, this old man has invited you here this time to tell you that partic.i.p.ating in this great selection is a chance for you. Not only is it a matter of resources, but it can also help you soar to new heights with one move, and enter an even higher level, inviting even more attention onto yourself. You might even attract the notice of venerated origin realm pract.i.tioners.”

The old tutor continued speaking, “Jiang Chen, don’t underestimate the opportunity presented to you this time. Once you’ve managed to attract the attention of an origin realm pract.i.tioner, things will truly be different. Origin realm pract.i.tioners are as rare as phoenix feathers, or the scales of a dragon within the sixteen kingdoms. These old monsters are senior level characters, even when placed into the greater Myriad Domain. Although there are stronger levels of existence in the Myriad Domain, to make it to the origin realm means that one will be able to walk with pride no matter where one goes. You will absolutely become a target that all of the great powers will aim to recruit.”

“Jiang Chen, the honored tutor has said so much, you should say something as well.” Dan Fei was a bit irked to see Jiang Chen remain so stoic, without even a hint of fervor in his expression. Just what’s with you, must you always appear so calm?

Jiang Chen saw that both the old tutor and Dan Fei were looking at him with great expectations.

“Just tell me whether or not you’re going to partic.i.p.ate.” Dan Fei asked huffily.

“I will.” Jiang Chen nodded his head resolutely.

Dan Fei waved her feminine fists. “Remember, you’re not only partic.i.p.ating, but are also trying your best to stun all those present in the most overwhelming way possible! Trample all of those overweeningly arrogant sect geniuses beneath your feet, otherwise don’t say you know me or the lordmaster!”

Jiang Chen smiled, “That’s asking for a bit much, huh!”

“I’m precisely asking for just that much!” Dan Fei’s lips quirked as she snorted lightly. “You’re always looking to slack off. How would you exert all of your strength if I didn’t ask this of you!”

The lordmaster took Dan Fei’s side this time, “Jiang Chen, I too would like to see just how unfathomable your potential is!”

“Honored tutor, I’m just lucky, and had some fortuitous happenings when I was young. It’s not that much.”

The honored tutor’s expression suddenly turned grave as he spoke some words of advice, “Jiang Chen, I also wanted to tell you something regarding that as well. Those happenings of your youth have given you an unparalleled advantage over others. Thus, I hope that the fortuitous occurrences you’ve experienced won’t become the obstacles in your forward progress. You can’t lose sight of the ground just because of having an elevated worldview. I’m precisely afraid that your standards are too high and that you’ll think too little of the sects, instead choosing to retreat from the world and insisting on doing things alone. If this is the case, then the great prime of your life will be unknowingly spent, wasted, and even ruined by you yourself. That would be much too much of a pity if that were to become the case. Once you age beyond thirty, many opportunities will slowly begin to disappear. Remember, you truly cannot waste your current age, and also can’t be repulsed by the sects just because your standards are high.”

The old tutor spoke both gravely and seriously, voicing these words with intense sincerity.

He had also thought for a long time, and had considered much, before he decided to speak it.

He also truly admired Jiang Chen, and his starting point was for Jiang Chen to not lose himself or be blinded by the lucky happenings of his youth, to not go too far due to being hotheaded, and forget the importance of keeping his feet planted on the ground.

Since the wondrous occurrences of his youth were all in the past, he needed to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground while on the path of the martial dao.

Joining a sect was a martial dao genius’s best choice.

The old tutor was worried that Jiang Chen would be too proud, and would in turn be too prejudiced against the sects to enter them.

If this happened, he’d lose many opportunities because of his own biases.

One had to say, the old tutor was truly quite sincere. Jiang Chen could feel the depths of his emotions.

He felt his heart resonate with these words. One also had to say, the old tutor’s words were worth reflecting in. He was, more or less, subconsciously against the sects mentioned.

It was simply because too many sect disciples had disappointed him and had made him feel speechless with their actions.

Come to think of it, although he had the memories of his past life, he needed to keep both of his feet firmly planted on the ground whilst on the path of the martial dao. He wouldn’t ascend to a divine realm for no reason or out of nowhere.

He had to walk down the road step by step. This was something that he couldn’t ignore at his current level.

Honestly speaking, he did plan on joining a sect.

However, he still had a few prejudices within his heart that he’d yet to set aside.

When he heard the old tutor’s words, Jiang Chen’s heart thoroughly calmed down and he completely put down his biases.

In that moment, he became absolutely lighthearted.

He stood up respectfully and bowed towards the old tutor. “The lordmaster’s sharp warning today has opened this child’s eyes. This child thanks you.”

Jiang Chen also felt a bit embarra.s.sed at this moment. He’d always felt that, although the old tutor had a high ranking, he had no right to be Jiang Chen’s teacher.

This line of thought was true enough.

But regarding this issue, the old tutor’s reminder had indeed woken him up and had helped his entire being relax when he let go of his preconceptions.

Right, it was he who’d come to this world, so he should be the one to a.s.similate into this world.

So why should he have any prejudices at all? The advantages of the memories from his past life would enable him to walk down his path faster, but they wouldn’t necessarily ensure that he’d have a smooth road ahead of him, or that he’d be able to rise to the heavens with a single step.

If he didn’t adjust his mentality, then how would he be able to face the challenges and myriad s.h.i.+fting possibilities that could appear in the future?

Jiang Chen felt that he’d truly gone a bit overboard in the past.

Perhaps...all the smooth sailing that had happened before had made him think that everything in this world was naturally just as easy?

The old tutor saw that a sense of realization and youthful sincerity had suffused Jiang Chen’s bright eyes.

He was greatly comforted, “Why is it that I say that your powers of comprehension are high, and that you have great potential? It seems that you’ve understood my words. Very good. Then, I will wait to admire your incredible performance for now. Hahaha, this is wonderful! To think that I, Ye Chonglou, would one day wait with bated breath for the performance of a youngster? When I was young and c.o.c.ky, I thought that there’d be no one else like me in the sixteen kingdoms. Now that I think about it, I was truly comically childis.h.!.+”

The old tutor started laughing at himself.

Since he’d decided to partic.i.p.ate in the great selection, Jiang Chen naturally wanted to know more about it.

“Honored tutor, when will the great selection begin? How will the selection be made? Are the great sects selecting their own in separate sessions or altogether? How are they choosing the location of the selection?”

Jiang Chen asked a string of questions, all of which had to do with what he wanted to know the most.

A look of admiration appeared on the old tutor’s face again. These questions all hit the most important points.

“As the name indicates, the great selection is a combined selection process of all four great sects. There are no sect boundaries, or kingdom borders, so everyone is partic.i.p.ating in it together. As for that location, there’s only always been a single set location.”

“And where is that?” Jiang Chen was curious to find out.

Dan Fei spoke up in surprise, “Lordmaster, do you mean that legacy territory from ancient times?”

The old tutor nodded. “Yes, precisely that.”

“But there’s a huge price that has to be paid to open it, and there are restrictions on the timing as well.”

“The timing restriction isn’t a problem. It can be opened once every hundred years, so it’s about that time. However, the price to open the legacy territory is truly enormous, and it’d be impossible to open it without the combined might of all of those old origin realm monsters. The four venerated origin realm pract.i.tioners of the four great sects must join forces to crack the territory open. The longer that it needs to remain open, the greater the price that they pay.”

“Price? What price?”

“Spirit stones, spirit items, and doors of spirit formations that support the legacy territory. Without these doors, it’d be impossible to enter the territory.”

“It’s that harsh?”

“It wouldn’t be called a legacy territory of ancient times if it wasn’t harsh. This is also why those old origin realm monsters can’t go inside to train. The cost for them to enter is too high. And if everyone’s mindset isn’t of the same accord, then they wouldn’t be able to open the territory.”

It was indeed difficult to achieve a consensus if the conditions to open the territory were this strict.

Otherwise, it’d absolutely be better for origin realm pract.i.tioners to train inside, as opposed to cultivating within the sect.

However, the materials needed to open the doors, as well as the time and energy needed to set up the formation, plus the fact that it could only be opened once every hundred years, meant that this legacy territory was only suited for large ma.s.ses of people.

It was only worth opening for large scaled activities.

“The legacy territory of ancient times…” Jiang Chen discovered that there were indeed, quite a few interesting things about this world.

According to the memories of his past life, the more maze realms and legacy territories that existed in a world, the longer the world’s history was, and the more secrets it had.

These pockets of s.p.a.ce would only form after experiencing countless changes in the world, and after going through numerous cycles of reincarnation.

“It looks like this world isn’t as simple as I thought it was. That a small, sixteen kingdom alliance would have a legacy territory, this means that in the ancient times of this world, there must have been a wondrous history!”

Jiang Chen came to this preliminary conclusion in his heart.

However, he had no time to spare on this now. What he cared about right now were the rules of the great selection.

The honored tutor actually couldn’t reveal much of them.

After all, something like the great selection was absolutely a brainchild from those old origin realm monsters, that they’d agreed upon after much discussion, negotiation, and conflict.

These rules would never be leaked beforehand.

Even Ye Chonglou didn’t have the right to gain advance knowledge of them.

Chapter 264: Dan Fei Falls in Love

“Jiang Chen, you needn’t overthink this. I just wanted to give you a word of advice to thoroughly use this great selection to soar into the skies. You’ve been repressed far too long in a mundane kingdom and the time has come for you to astound them all with one brilliant stroke. However, this great selection is sure to be chaotic and I cannot promise that there will be no one holding malicious intentions towards you. I’m almost certain that you’ll run into much obvious and covert oppression. You’ll have to employ your intelligence then. Once you enter the legacy realm, this old man will have his hands tied even though he wants to be your backer.”

The old tutor did indeed view Jiang Chen with different eyes. He had never before voiced these words to a youngster in all his years.

None of the royal sons of the Skylaurel Kingdom had received such treatment.

Jiang Chen was quick on the uptake and understood the old tutor’s meaning. He nodded and said with grat.i.tude, “I understand the old tutor’s meaning, I will adapt my strategy and momentum according to the changes in circ.u.mstances.”

“Yes, that’s precisely it. Control your pace well and don’t start off going at it with hammer and tongs, but don’t drag things out either. Keep a low profile when appropriate, show your s.h.i.+ne when you must. Only in this way will the splendor of your genius illuminate the sixteen kingdoms!

The old tutor could only give these words of advice.

“Jiang Chen, this old man has a feeling that you will be as the morning sun rising in the east this time, inevitable your rise as your glory spreads over the sixteen kingdoms!”

Dan Fei stood silently off to the side with a strange light dancing in her eyes as she listened to the old tutor praise Jiang Chen. Strange feelings rippling through her heart.

Come to think of it, although she too had been happy before when the old tutor praised her, her emotions had never been this agitated.

It was as if this young man called Jiang Chen had unknowingly grabbed ahold of one of her heartstrings deep within her heart and commanded the gamut of her emotions with it.

However, Dan Fei allowed this thought to flash through her mind without looking at it face on.

She was unwilling to admit to herself that she cared so much about this fellow.

Perhaps she only admired his potential, his talents? There was nothing to do with any of the other random things in her mind, right?

But if this was the case, why did those strange feelings rise in her heart whenever she saw him with his charming follower?

“Little Dan, see Jiang Chen out for me.” The old tutor smiled.

Jiang Chen hastily rose to bid his farewell. “Honored tutor, your words today have enlightened me. I will be sure to try my best during the great selection to not insult the honored tutor’s high opinion of me.”

“Haha, not an insult, not an insult at all. I only have one wish now, and that is to see a young man whom I favor surpa.s.s me whilst I am still alive.”

The old tutor creased his eyes into slits after speaking, seemingly sinking into meditation.

Jiang Chen smiled after following Dan Fei out the door, “Sister Dan Fei, here is good.”

“I’ll accompany you a few steps further.” Dan Fei sighed hiddenly. “Jiang Chen, perhaps you’ll rise to the sky after the great selection, and we’ll be on different planes. By that time, will you still remember me, a woman that you sometimes disliked?”

“Dislike?” Jiang Chen couldn’t help but laugh. “Who dares take a disliking to the first beauty in the Skylaurel Kingdom? Sister Dan Fei, I’ve never spoken words like those. I don’t want to become the public enemy of the kingdom.”

Dan Fei broke out in a smile, “Alright, stop your flattery. You speak one set of words and think another set, but you’re different from those rascals.”

“Rascals?”

“Hmm, those dandies. Their mouths are as sweet as honey whenever they see me, but devious intentions fill their minds.” A displeased ring was evident in Dan Fei’s tone when she spoke of those good-for-nothings.

“It’s hard to blame this one on them. Sister Dan Fei is thus extraordinary that it only proves that there’s nothing wrong with their eyes!”

“This is why I say you’re different from them. Although your words are equally sweet, I know that you’re just humoring me. In your heart, I am likely far below your sweet and quiet little follower? Not to mention that feisty and gracious big follower.”

The sweet and quiet little follower was naturally Wen Ziqi.

The feisty and gracious big follower was Gouyu of course.

This question truly did stump Jiang Chen. He’d never compared them in his heart before.

If he really had to talk about rankings, he felt guilt towards Gouyu and thus likely placed the greatest importance on her.

As for Dan Fei, Jiang Chen viewed her as a friend, an ally, and different from his followers.

“You can speak frankly, don’t worry of hurting my feelings.” Dan Fei tried her best to project a calm demeanor.

“Sister Dan Fei, the nature of a friend and a follower is different. I’ve never really compared the two. Besides, there’s no point in doing so. I can lay down my life for my followers in the Skylaurel Kingdom, and I also put my life on the line to save you from the Silvermoon Monsterape in the maze realm. Therefore, I really can’t answer your question when it comes to importance. Besides, this question isn’t important, is it?”

“Friend?” A sliver of a rueful smile swept past Dan Fei’s heart as she chuckled. “Alright, Jiang Chen, I’ll see you off to here. I hope your future is ill.u.s.trious and that you rise above all through the great selection!”

“My appreciation for your auspicious words. I wish Sister Dan Fei to remain forever young and enjoy eternal life, haha!”

“What is the point of long life without someone who understands? Without someone to share eternal youth, all is as meaningless as the floating clouds…”

Dan Fei lightly waved her hand after speaking and turned to leave, leaving Jiang Chen with an indecipherable back.

Jiang Chen had long since become used to Dan Fei’s fluctuating personalities. So when he saw her suddenly stop and leave, he didn’t think it odd and turned his head as well with a wry smile.

However, he hadn’t imagined that Dan Fei would stop beneath a laurel tree after turning the corner, a few crystalline tears sparkling in the corners of her eyes as she leaned against it.

Tears that she hadn’t shed once in twenty some years slid down her cheeks, appearing all the more moving beneath the moon’s radiance.

“Jiang Chen, Jiang Chen… you brat. I really want to split your heart open to see what kind of woman can enter it.”

Dan Fei murmured softly. She had brought up those topics just now in order to test Jiang Chen, hoping that he would voluntarily reveal something.

In that moment, she had already opened her heart. As long as Jiang Chen expressed his feelings, Dan Fei would accept him without hesitation, accept the only young man she had ever admired in her life and let him walk into her heart.

But…

It seemed that Jiang Chen didn’t return her feelings.

Friends. The carelessly spoken word “friend” had pulled Dan Fei back to reality. Jiang Chen viewed her merely as a friend.

Not all the young men of this world would flock to her like those n.o.ble sons and disciples of the Skylaurel Kingdom.

Of course, Dan Fei had never cared about that so-called admiration and flattery.

For an extraordinary woman like Dan Fei, the love and adoration of thousands was less than a single word of love from the one she loved.

But Dan Fei knew that she may wait in vain all of her life for that single word of love.

“Jiang Chen, ah Jiang Chen, just what kind of man are you?” Dan Fei murmured in her heart. Before she’d met him, she’d never believed that there would be a man within the sixteen kingdoms that would make her expose her weak side and think of him in the depths of her heart. She felt rather self-conscious.

Indeed, when she thought of Jiang Chen’s incredible feats, Dan Fei would sometimes compare herself with him and become despondent afterwards.

Jiang Chen was indeed at a level in which even she was hard-pressed to reach.

No matter from what angle she looked at it, Jiang Chen seemed far above the bottom line of the sixteen kingdoms.

Beneath the splendor of the moon, under a laurel tree, Dan Fei stood lost in her thoughts until the deep of night…

Jiang Chen actually had no idea of Dan Fei’s sentiments. Dan Fei was different from Gouyu; although Dan Fei was similarly gracious, she had a certain reservation and pride within her heart that set them apart.

This sense of pride made her always carefully hide her thoughts. Whenever she felt that she wanted to come clean, she would subconsciously hide them again.

In contrast, Gouyu had openly declared to Jiang Chen that she would only be his woman in this life. Even if she was unsuccessful, she wouldn’t look at other men. She was happy and content being his follower as well.

The news of the great selection quickly spread throughout the Skylaurel Kingdom. Many rumors and hearsays surfaced, causing a great clamor.

But Jiang Chen had no interest in these little tidbits.

All rumors were meaningless before any official news were revealed.

As opposed to trying to hunt out rumors, he preferred to spend the time training seriously and raise his strength, meeting the arrival of the great selection at his peak.

Finally, after half a month, the official authorities announced news of the great selection.

The news electrified both hearts and minds.

Any who had reached the level of the advanced realm of true qi and belonged to any of the sixteen kingdoms could partic.i.p.ate.

Of course, only those below the age of forty could partic.i.p.ate.

Forty years was actually already relaxing the rules. Usually speaking, the flexibility of someone past thirty years decreased greatly.

They had raised the bar to forty years old in order to make sure that no late-blooming geniuses would slip through the cracks.

The heart of this great selection was to unearth and recruit geniuses.

Therefore, all those above the advanced realm of true qi could partic.i.p.ate.

There was no registration fee and no restriction based on birth set for this time’s great selection. Whether one was of a rich or a poor house, so long as their martial dao potential reached the requirements, they would be able to partic.i.p.ate.

There was also no limit to the number of people. Come if you meet the conditions!

Such lax conditions made all the pract.i.tioners that fit the bill in the sixteen kingdoms descend into frenzy.

Everyone knew that this was a once in a hundred years experience, and likely the only chance they would have to attract the attention of a sect.

Under normal circ.u.mstances, sects very rarely took in mundane pract.i.tioners. They believed in the theories of bloodlines and heritage. It wasn’t that there weren’t any geniuses in the mundane world, just that there were too little of them.

The sects wouldn’t waste effort on such low probability.

After all, finding a needle in a haystack never led to a great payoff.

Chapter 265: The Law Enforcement Disciples of the Sect

“Young master Chen, this is a great opportunity. The Crown Prince has said that you can raise any requests or speak of any difficulties you may have in the great selection. He’ll help you in any way possible within his power.” Tian Shao was also extremely supportive of Jiang Chen when he spoke of the great selection.

“The Crown Prince means well. Since this is the case, I will put on a thick skin and ask for anything I need.”

Tian Shao was even happier when he heard Jiang Chen’s words. He was worried that Jiang Chen would regard them as outsiders.

“Young master Chen, I believe that you will emerge from the ma.s.ses this time and you will become the most accomplished genius in the sixteen kingdoms. You will be the subject of everyone’s gaze!” Tian Shao also had utmost confidence in Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “I’ll try my best. Since I’m going to partic.i.p.ate, I will naturally bring all my efforts to bear.”

“If it wasn’t for young master Chen, even I would want to partic.i.p.ate this time. With young master Chen present, I know that I would have no hope of rising to the top. So I might as well not bother, haha.”

Tian Shao was only half joking. To be honest, he had been rather tempted by the scale of this year’s great selection.

However, he also knew that he has a military person and he couldn’t just partic.i.p.ate in something because he wanted to. His actions would involve too many implications.

However, he truly wanted Jiang Chen to partic.i.p.ate. Tian Shao had always viewed Jiang Chen as a good friend and he naturally hoped that his good friend would become ever stronger.

If Jiang Chen could emerge from the selection and stun all those present with an incredible feat, he could gain the favor of the senior executives of the Precious Tree Sect.

Even if Elder Iron wanted to oppress him then, he’d be unable to suppress Jiang Chen’s rise.

Besides, he’d also heard that during this selection, the origin realm pract.i.tioners from the sects would also be making an appearance.

With them in attendance, they would be a natural restraining force against Elder Iron and the others.

If they incurred the wrath of an origin realm pract.i.tioner, they would be slapped to death with one palm. So what if you were an elder? Big deal if your old man was an esteemed elder!

Of course, Ye Rong also wanted Jiang Chen to enter a sect and even become its preeminent genius, attracting the favor of the sect’s heavyweights.

In this regard, his position in the kingdom would be thoroughly consolidated.

Whoever wanted to make a move against him would first have to consider Jiang Chen. Who didn’t know by now that he had invited Jiang Chen here from the Eastern Kingdom?

It was he, Ye Rong, who had recognized value where it was and hosted Jiang Chen. Thus, successfully seizing the position of Crown Prince!

Tian Shao was naturally overjoyed to hear that Jiang Chen would be partic.i.p.ating and that he would strive to do his best.

“Young master Chen, since this is the case, I’ll return to the Crown Prince now and let him know about this. Please don’t hesitate if you have any requests at all!”

Knowing that Tian Shao had his duties to attend to, Jiang Chen didn’t keep him and sent him on his way.

Jiang Chen’s brow creased as Tian Shao was about to leave and he said lowly, “Ole Tian, come back.”

Tian Shao started and he didn’t react in time.

At this moment, dark clouds gathered in the sky as airborne spirit creatures shot down from the skies, stopping in the area above the Jiang manor.

There were sixteen flying beasts.

Men in uniform sat atop each of them.

“Tian Shao, you’re here alright!”

Tian Shao wrinkled his brow as he looked at them. These people were all unfamiliar to his eyes, and their uniforms didn’t belong to any organization in the Skylaurel Kingdom.

“Who are you to dare to act this wildly in the Skylaurel Kingdom? Do you have flight tokens for your steeds, flying through the capital as you are?” Tian Shao was a general of the Dragonteeth Guard after all, and he naturally possessed of a certain official authority.

“Flight tokens? What bulls.h.i.+t. What need do the law enforcement disciples of the Precious Tree Sect have for flight tokens?”

“Tian Shao, we’ve received a report that you partic.i.p.ated in an a.s.sa.s.sination operation a few days ago. The victims were the head of the Northern Palace, Liu Chengfeng, and his disciple Xiao Yu!”

“We are here on behalf of the law enforcement elder to arrest the suspect Tian Shao. Irrelevant bystanders, leave the premises!”

The law enforcement disciples of the Precious Tree Sect?

Jiang Chen’s forehead creased slightly. He knew that Elder Iron wouldn’t let the matter of Liu Chengfeng and his disciple’s death go easily. He’d finally grasped this opportunity and he was sure to make a big deal of it.

However, with the advent of the great selection, it surprised Jiang Chen that Elder Iron was trying to cause trouble at such a critical time.

Tian Shao spoke angrily, “This is slander, complete nonsense! What is your intention in framing me like this? Do you have evidence that I killed someone? Besides, the head of the Northern Palace is an earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner. You truly think too much of me, don’t you?”

The disciple leading the group was most likely a captain of law enforcement. He snorted in a cold, proud laugh. “What need do we have to prove anything to you when we’re carrying out the law? Shut up and come with us if you know what’s good for you. Come back with us to defend yourself if you didn’t do it. We’re just carrying out orders and we have no need to listen to your protests.”

“Carrying out orders? Do you have a warrant? Or the law enforcement elder’s written orders? Take it out and let’s have a look.” Tian Shao wasn’t someone who was completely unlearned in the ways of the world.

He didn’t believe that such a small matter would involve the law enforcement elder either.

Although the Iron family was strong, they weren’t strong enough to the point of ordering around the law enforcement hall!

The captain arched an eyebrow, “What?! Tian Shao, you want to go against the law? And who the h.e.l.l are you? A general of the mere Dragonteeth Guard dares question a disciple of the law enforcement hall?!”

Tian Shao also knew that if he went with them now, he most likely wouldn’t come back.

Once he was in their hands, they simply had too many methods to force him to confess.

He wasn’t unfamiliar with these methods. The Dragonteeth Guard also carried out the law and how would he not know what he would end up like if he left with them?

When he saw them bl.u.s.ter but fail to take out any warrant, Tian Shao felt slightly rea.s.sured. He knew that they were likely just here on a pretense and they didn’t have a warrant at all.

This meant that they were acting of their own accord and they didn’t represent the will of the law enforcement hall.

After all, even if they were carrying out the law in the mundane world, they had to first investigate, find evidence, and then carry out their mission.

Otherwise, they were sure to meet with a lot of protest if they ran amuck and disturbed the order of the mundane kingdoms.

The law enforcement hall had to be just.

If they carried out the law haphazardly without any reason, the public wouldn’t accept it, and the reputation of the sect would greatly decrease as well.

As a law enforcer, Tian Shao knew all about this.

If he were to fight back after they took out a warrant, then the consequences would be severe.

But since they were going rogue, he had no need to play along with them.

“Sir, since you’re carrying out the law, then you naturally have the law backing you up. You say you’re doing so, but you can’t produce any warrants. Then I’d like to ask, how am I supposed to believe that you’re disciples of the law enforcement hall given your unprofessional actions? How would I not think that you’re imposters?” Tian Shao spoke calmly and with reason.

Jiang Chen was inwardly stern. He knew full well that those who had come had not done so in peace or with friendly intentions. They were here to arrest Tian Shao in name, but it was more than likely that they were actually here for him.

The captain smiled coldly as he waved his hand, holding a law enforcement medallion. “Tian Shao, open your dog eyes and take a good look. The medallion is here, who dares be an imposter?”

When Tian Shao saw him flash the medallion but not a warrant, he had a thorough grasp of what was going on here.

This group absolutely had no warrants, and they weren’t here on any sort of official business.

Although they were here of their own accord, they were certainly acting with someone else’s authorization.

But a covert operation meant that they couldn’t represent the law enforcement hall. Since they didn’t, they had no authority at all.

Tian Shao smiled faintly. “The law enforcement disciples of the Precious Tree Sect are not bad. However, as imposing as your presence is, all you can do is scare the amateurs if you have no warrant.”

The connotations were, drop the act, I’m not biting.

“Heh heh, Tian Shao, so it seems that you refuse to recognize your error and you have hardened your heart to defy the law enforcement hall!”

The captain’s tone grew cold as his eyes narrowed into slits.

“First of all, I have utmost respect for the law enforcement hall of the Precious Tree Sect. Secondly, without a warrant, you’re just acting on your own and you can’t represent the law enforcement hall.”

“What a sharp tongued lackey!” A roar suddenly sounded from the air.

That voice rang through the air above the Jiang manor like a crack of thunder.

Several figures then shot out of the air and landed in front of the sixteen disciples.

One of them was Zhou Yi, who’d appeared at the border that day.

“Brother Zhi, that person is Jiang Chen!” Zhou Yi spoke somewhat respectfully to the person next to him.

This person had an ordinary figure and a ruthless expression on his face, but he had a few hints of Iron Can in his brows.

A thought struck Jiang Chen. Was he from the Iron family?

Judging by this person’s demeanor, his position in the sect was even higher than Zhou Yi’s. Judging from the latter’s reverent tone, he could tell that this newcomer had an impressive background.

His ruthless eyes locked onto Jiang Chen and spoke loftily, “You’re Jiang Chen?”

Jiang Chen smiled remotely and spoke with irritation, “Let’s cut the blather. Come, who is Iron Can to you? Let’s chat frankly about how we want to fight this time and avoid the boring tricks that you guys are used to playing. You may have the time to waste, but I don’t have the desire to humor you.”

Jiang Chen was Jiang Chen alright. Even Tian Shao felt his dominating aura with these words.

This was sheer power. He wouldn’t waste words with you or trade verbal barbs, he just cut through everything and made all of the enemy’s ploys and plans utterly useless.

“I’ve long since heard that a c.o.c.ky brat has appeared in the mundane kingdoms. It looks like the rumors were quite true.” The person’s eyes grew cold as his hair danced wildly in the wind, looking like a furious lion. “I hadn’t thought that your vision would be this decent. That’s right, I’m Iron Dazhi of the Precious Tree Sect Iron family. My grandfather is the esteemed elder Iron Long, and elder Iron Can is my uncle!”

Zhou Yi listened with envy in his heart on the side as he looked at Iron Dazhi’s awe inspiring demeanor. That was a disciple of power! His aura was incredible different!

But who would know that Jiang Chen wouldn’t give a d.a.m.n and just smile faintly, “A son of the Iron family? Is that supposed to be impressive? Alright, let’s say it is, what does that have to do with me? You’re throwing your weight around in front of my front door early in the morning. Is it that all sect disciples are bored to the point where their b.a.l.l.s hurt?”

Chapter 266: The Eight Trigram a.s.similation Formation Appears Again!

Tian Shao almost burst out laughing when he heard this.

This was one of the most interesting parts about young master Chen. No matter how serious the other side was or how many people they brought, he could always use an odd way to completely dismantle their posturing.

“Jiang Chen, you filth! You’re a country b.u.mpkin with no manners alright!” Iron Dazhi almost spat blood in his anger.

“Manners? Manners are designed for people who are cultured. For someone like you, you’re not worthy to speak of manners. Aren’t you afraid of becoming a colossal joke? It’s said that if the upper beam isn’t straight, then the lower ones will be aslant as well. Iron Dazhi, is it? Let’s not go in circles and speak frankly, are you here to pick a fight or just to cause trouble?”

Zhou Yi couldn’t sit still anymore at this time.

After all, although Liu Chengfeng and Xiao Yu’s death had nothing to do with him, he’d been the leader of that operation and therefore still felt a bit guilty.

There was still a chance to make amends today.

“Jiang Chen, I know you possess some fame in the Skylaurel Kingdom. However, this matter involves a murder case, and you should recognize the situation that you are in. Not only are we taking Tian Shao with us, but we are taking your follower, Gouyu, as well! According to our evidence, both Gouyu and Tian Shao had much to do with Liu Chengfeng’s death.”

Jiang Chen naturally had an impression of Zhou Yi, but just an impression only.

In his memories, this person was extremely agile and his swordwork was quick, fast, and ruthless. However, compared to Luo Huang, who was also of the fourth level spirit realm, there was still quite a gap between the two.

This person didn’t even have the courage to take Luo Huang on in single combat.

If a pract.i.tioner didn’t even have the courage to engage in combat, then his future was limited, even if he had potential.

“And what are you? A disciple of the Iron family or a dog that they keep around?” Jiang Chen smiled faintly and wasn’t favorably disposed towards Zhou Yi at all.

“You…” Fire spun in Zhou Yi’s eyes. “Jiang Chen, do you not know how to appreciate favors?!”

“Appreciate favors? You really think you’re something huh? That I, Jiang Chen, should appreciate your favors?”

Zhou Yi laughed in his extreme anger. “Good, good, it looks like you’re going to resist to the end and harbor the suspects huh!”

“Suspects?” Jiang Chen laughed coldly. “Bring out whatever evidence you have. Stop farting if you don’t have any.”

Iron Dazhi reached out a hand and restrained Zhou Yi.

“Zhou Yi, you can back down for now.”

Zhou Yi glared at Jiang Chen but still didn’t dare go against Iron Dazhi’s intentions.

Iron Dazhi spurred his steed forward and locked his gaze onto Jiang Chen, as if wanting to use the force of his gaze to force Jiang Chen into submission.

Iron Dazhi was at the fifth level spirit realm and was thus much stronger than Zhou Yi. Additionally, he was the foremost amongst the younger generation in the sect.

Tian Shao backed up a few steps beneath the aura of a fifth level spirit realm pract.i.tioner and felt that an enormous stone was pressing down upon his chest. The pressure of a mountain sat on top of him and he could barely breath. It felt like his body would explode at any moment.

“Jiang Chen, you’ve challenged and provoked my Iron family time and time again. You think you can defy human and divine laws because you have a backer. Alright, today I’ll let you understand that your little tricks are as empty as the clouds are in front of absolute power. Today, I, Iron Dazhi, will crush you in the name of the Iron family of the Precious Tree Sect!”

Iron Dazhi circulated his spirit power as he spoke, and his aura roiled towards Jiang Chen as if it was conscious.

Tian Shao felt only a small portion of the pressure from the spirit power. What Jiang Chen endured was the majority of Iron Dazhi’s consciousness.

However, although Iron Dazhi presented an awe inspiring sight and continuously sent out his aura, to the point where his face was beet red from exertion, Jiang Chen stood below him as immobile as a mountain. It was as if a small breeze was caressing his body and not even the slightest hint of strain could be seen from him.

“Tsk tsk. Iron Dazhi, did you not eat breakfast today before coming over? You dare come out and make a fool out of yourself with just that little bit of skill?”

Jiang Chen laughed heartily. “Oh, go home and drink your mother’s milk! You’ll only have the strength to come out and turn tricks when you grow up a bit!”

These words embodied Jiang Chen’s enormous spirit strength. His spirit power was like a river of stars, encompa.s.sing the force of an ocean current reversing on itself. It was like a dragon overturning the rivers and seas, soaring into the air and cras.h.i.+ng over to Iron Dazhi.

Iron Dazhi’s aura was truly very powerful, even Zhou Yi could feel how frightening his aura with the former’s anger.

This amount of spirit aura almost made Tian Shao spit blood, so how could Jiang Chen, who was standing in the heart of it, be as if the spring breeze was flowing over him and completely without pressure?

This was truly bizarre.

The outside world had been speculating about Jiang Chen’s strength. They thought it was likely only at the first or second level spirit realm.

When a mere small spirit realm pract.i.tioner was faced with the full strength of an earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner aura, there was no room for resistance at all.

It was a pity that daydreams were always beautiful, but reality was harsh.

Jiang Chen’s spirit power geysered forth to crash viciously into Iron Dazhi’s aura with a heavy blow.

Iron Dazhi only felt that his aura trembled slightly before a heavy blow came cras.h.i.+ng over. His entire being trembled as his aura immediately deflated like a popped bubble.

Bam!

His spirit power sprayed out as it shot in all directions. Gra.s.s and trees flew everywhere as leaves danced through the air.

“What?” A look of incredulity shot out from Zhou Yi’s eyes. He was a professional. How would he not see that Jiang Chen had destroyed Iron Dazhi’s carefully deployed aura with one gesture.

“How could Jiang Chen have so easily destroyed brother Dazhi’s aura?” Zhou Yi didn’t dare believe it. Even if it was him, he wouldn’t have been fully confident that he’d be able to unwittingly and so easily destroy Iron Dazhi’s aura.

Although Zhou Yi was of the fourth level spirit realm, he knew there was still a great gap between him and Iron Dazhi.

Iron Dazhi was a direct descendent of the Iron family and one of its geniuses.

Although he was a personal disciple of Elder Iron Can, he was just one of many and hadn’t reached the level of true disciple.

Iron Dazhi enjoyed resources that were far richer than those a true disciple had access to.

In this regard, Zhou Yi didn’t find it hard to accept that Iron Dazhi was at a higher level than him.

But Jiang Chen had suddenly displayed such a perverse level of skill that he found it hard to accept in the span of that moment.

What right did a mundane disciple have to be superior to him, a genius disciple?

“Jiang Chen, you refuse to recognize the error of your ways and you dare to offend senior brother Dazhi? I think you’re looking to die today!”

Zhou Yi’s mind raced as he formed the intent to kill Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen was so strong that without even a change in his face and expression, he gave Zhou Yi a feeling that he couldn’t see through Jiang Chen. If he was allowed to enter the sect, then he would be as if a fish in water, a dragon in the sea, and who would be able to keep him down then?

This wouldn’t do. No matter what they did today, he would have to use Iron Dazhi to kill Jiang Chen. Even if both sides ended up heavily injured, he’d have to keep Jiang Chen down.

“Senior brother Dazhi, this brat’s arrogance knows no bounds. He doesn’t even respect a sect disciple like you. He’s insulted the Iron family’s boundless position multiple times earlier. How will the dignity of the Iron family exist if this brat isn’t dead?”

Zhou Yi played the two off of each other.

He knew that once Iron Dazhi became worked up, then he would turn into someone who didn’t have any reservations and into someone which ten bulls wouldn’t be able to hold back.

If he tried his best to kill Jiang Chen, and Zhou Yi displayed his eye-dazzling sword technique as well as all these law enforcement disciples, they’d be able to wash the doors of the Jiang manor with blood today.

Even if Ye Chonglou took them to task for it, it would be all in the past.

As much ability that Ye Chonglou had, he wouldn’t be publicly denounce them at the sect. The sect wouldn’t allow the old tutor to behave however he liked anyways.

“Senior brother, this Jiang Chen has hardened his heart to become enemies with our Iron family. We should make use of this opportunity to kill him now and remove this thorn in the side from the great selection.”

Zhou Yi continued to encourage Iron Dazhi.

The latter smiled coldly and snorted, calling out, “Jiang Chen, I’ve rather underestimated you today. However, if you think that you can contend with my Iron family with just your own personal strength, then you’re gravely mistaken. I’ll let you experience today what it means to be a sect genius before you die!”

He gave the order after speaking, “My orders are thus, capture Gouyu and Tian Shao with maximum force. Kill them if they resist!”

Iron Dazhi had inherited the tough blood of the Iron family and never possessed a soft heart when suppressing those contrary to his family. Once his bloodl.u.s.t was roused, he would always kill first and consider the implications afterwards.

So what of Ye Chonglou? Would someone of the great Iron family be scared by an old man?

Zhou Yi was overjoyed to hear these words. “Senior brother Dazhi has given orders to capture those suspected in killing Liu Chengfeng of the Northern Palace. Kill them if they resist!”

Jiang Chen had known early on that those who had come today weren’t friendly folk. He laughed oddly and pushed Tian Shao inside the door. “Old Tian, go inside first.”

As for himself, Jiang Chen placed his hands behind his back and surveyed those before him sternly.

His gaze suddenly shot towards Iron Dazhi as he smiled faintly, “Indeed, not only is the current Iron generation filled with idiots, but so are all the generations of this family. Iron Dazhi, since you’re sick of living, then I’ll send you on your way!”

He placed his index and thumb finger in his mouth after speaking and sent out a piercing whistle.

After a short while, Goldwing Swordbirds started shooting out of the air above the Jiang manor like arrows loosed from the bowstring .

There were twenty to thirty Swordbirds after not too long.

This was hardly even the tip of the iceberg of the Goldwing Swordbird army.

These twenty, thirty Swordbirds were the elite of the Swordbird army, the batch that had been cultivated by Jiang Chen the earliest and the batch that had broken through the shackles of the mortal rank and reached the level of the spirit rank.

Although this batch hadn’t broken through that long ago, their presence was quite uncommon.

Twenty four Swordbirds had formed three to a team, occupying eight directions and subtly formed an odd formation.

The Eight Trigram a.s.similation Formation!

Jiang Chen had finally gathered enough spirit rank Swordbirds to set up this formation.

One had to know that even when setting up the formation with eight true qi masters, it would be enough to contend with a spirit realm pract.i.tioner and could at least ensure that one wouldn’t be defeated.

Now that he had twenty four Swordbirds setting up the formation, the strength of this formation had increased who knows how many times.

When each team was separated from each other, they maintained the strength of the spirit rank.

But when they were combined together, they could bring to bear power that was greatly in excess of the spirit rank.

Although this was still much less than fighting against a sky spirit realm pract.i.tioner, it was more than enough to battle with an earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner.

Iron Dazhi and Zhou Yi had patently come prepared this time because they had received word that a sect elder had invited Ye Chonglou to the sect today and wasn’t in the capital.

This was why they had taken advantage of this opportunity to roar into the capital to take Jiang Chen down at all costs.

Thus, capturing Gouyu and Tian Shao was just an excuse.

Their true goal was to suppress Jiang Chen and destroy this threat to the Iron family!

Without the protection of Ye Chonglou, both Iron Dazhi and Zhou Yi felt that Jiang Chen would have no capability to resist.

However, they only understood in this moment and time how naive their previous thinking had been.

These spirit creatures were all of the spirit rank!

In the same instant, apart from the ambition to kill Jiang Chen, they had an even stronger sense of greed.

Twenty some spirit rank creatures was a large sum of riches.

One had to know that their steeds were only of the mortal rank.

Apart from the senior executives within the sect, only a few preeminent geniuses would occasionally have the opportunity to receive spirit rank creatures. The others didn’t have the right to ride spirit rank creatures at all.

They existed, but were incredibly rare!

Zhou Yi and Iron Dazhi looked at each other, both reading the other’s desire to kill Jiang Chen and rob him in their gaze.

Chapter 267: Battling the Earth Spirit Realm

Jiang Chen naturally fully took in their unconcealed looks of greed.

“Since these two idiots really want to die, then I’ll fulfill their wishes. Who cares about how great their backers are and if the consequences come cras.h.i.+ng down on me afterwards!”

Jiang Chen had also hardened his heart. These people had provoked him time and time again. No matter how even tempered Jiang Chen was, there was still a limit to his temper!

The border incident had been due to the Precious Tree Sect and the Northern Palace becoming greedy and wanted to rob him of his Goldwing Swordbirds. Now it was a matter of the guilty party filing the suit first!

Iron Dazhi made a grasping motion with his hands and a halberd appeared in his hands.

The halbert was jet black, with only the edge honed to a harrowing white. One glance at the spirit power embodied within the halberd and the patterns etched on it was enough to know that it had undergone many forgings.

Jiang Chen’s Da Yu bow was a four times refined spirit weapon.

He detected from this halberd a spirit aura that wasn’t inferior to the Da Yu bow at all. In fact, it was even slightly superior.

“This halberd is at least a four times refined spirit weapon, if not even more.” Jiang Chen concluded.

The aura between the halberd and Iron Dazhi was united together as a spirit aura field formed around him. With the effect of the spirit aura field in the empty air around it, piercing sounds rang out continuously as a result of friction.

A strong aura whirlpool continued to form.

Iron Dazhi waved his halberd, the white edge drawing a harrowing curve in the air and giving rise to snowflakes of spirit aura in the air.

“Law enforcement disciples, hear my order. You’re in charge of the spirit creatures. Remember, take them alive if you can. Zhou Yi, you’re in charge of capturing Tian Shao and that woman. If you meet any resistance, kill them without hesitation!”

Iron Dazhi pointed his halberd forward as his aura locked onto Jiang Chen.

The halberd roiled up an air current like an electric snake, hurtling it forward.

Jiang Chen snorted angrily as his arms shook and the nameless saber behind his back flew out of its sheath like an ancient beast breaking free of its cage, whistling in a long howl.

This howl was like a tide of wolves, churning formlessly towards Iron Dazhi’s aggressive air current.

When the two formless powers crashed into each other, the nameless saber froze briefly in mid air.

In that instant, the entire blade seemed to have awakened as eye piercing splendor emanated from it, rippling out with radiant brilliance.

In the span of that moment, the nameless saber was like a slumbering ancient deity that had been roused from deep sleep, its strength increasing more than tenfold.

The light from that brilliance actually made Iron Dazhi’s halberd whine lowly.

This circ.u.mstance seemed to be a hungry wolf running into a male lion that was more than ten times stronger than it, making it lower its head and whine in both fear and submission.

Even Jiang Chen hadn’t antic.i.p.ated this scene, not to mention Iron Dazhi.

‘How is this possible?!” Iron Dazhi saw that the aura from Jiang Chen’s blade had suddenly exploded and even overcome his most prized Black Dragon Halberd!

One had to know that his Black Dragon Halberd had been refined five times by a master refiner.

In terms of weapon quality, Iron Dazhi’s Black Dragon Halberd would help him rank at least within the top five of the young geniuses in the sect.

All of this was naturally because he had a good grandfather.

As the first of the esteemed elders, Iron Long was an existence that was second to only the sect head, if one set the old forefather of the sect aside.

It was a natural thing to him to garner some advantages for his grandson.

Zhou Yi was also greatly astonished to see this happen.

“Senior brother Da Zhi, this kid’s blade is a bit strange!”

Iron Dazhi smiled coldly, “It is indeed a peerless divine weapon. However, to possess a divine weapon with insufficient strength is a crime in itself”

“Jiang Chen, it is your honor from your past life to be able to be slain by my Black Dragon Halberd.”

Iron Dazhi’s tone was icy as his body suddenly leapt into the air, the spirit aura that he’d spent a long time gathering started ravaging mercilessly with the force of mountain torrents as his body moved.

In that moment, furious waves and eddies raged in the air above the Jiang manor.

“Black Dragon Tearing the Heavens! Jiang Chen, die!”

Jiang Chen had the feeling of enormous waves reaching for the skies and a mountain crus.h.i.+ng him as Iron Dazhi unleashed a blow that he had spent a while nurturing, accompanied by the strength from the ferocious halberd.

“Young master Chen, be careful!”

Tian Shao also sucked in a breath as he saw this frightening aura from his position near the door.

If it hadn’t been for Zhou Yi’s death lock on him, he would’ve cast all concerns aside and rushed to Jiang Chen’s aid.

However, he also knew that even without Zhou Yi, he would be sent flying by the power from this halberd.

The halberd swung again as the fierce spirit power was twisted and sent cras.h.i.+ng towards Jiang Chen.

The look in Jiang Chen’s eyes was electrifying as his heart was as calm as water, entering a state in which he was impervious to desires and pa.s.sion.

He grasped the nameless saber as a frightening gleam shot out of his eyes and the power within his spirit ocean completely infused the nameless saber.

Rise!

The fourth form of the Vast Ocean Current Splitter -- Soaring Dragon!

The man was as if a dragon, and the blade a tiger!

This strike that was as if a soaring dragon and pouncing dragon roiled up a long line of light from the blade as it cut through the air like a comet dragging a long tail behind it.

Clang!

The treasure of a blade and the halberd collided into each other as if they were fated rivals.

Sparks flew in all directions as rings of spirit power rippled and shot out in all directions.

Jiang Chen’s body backed up a few steps beneath the momentum of this force and was caught neatly by the Goldwing Swordbird beneath him. His feet flexed as he pushed off the Swordbird, leveraging its strength.

He took in a deep breath and sent his strength into the blade again, speaking heroically, “An earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner is just that huh? Iron Dazhi, eat this!”

The awakened nameless blade was filled with a solemn killing intent like it was a starved ancient monster choosing its meal.

Jiang Chen was sensing precisely this enormous killing intent. His entire being had melded into the blade’s intention and had become one with it.

In this marvelous moment, Jiang Chen could even feel the blade’s breath. A breath that seemed to indicate it was alive and had emotions.

They were breathing with one lung and beating with the same heart.

The blade’s killing intent was Jiang Chen’s, and Jiang Chen’s killing intent was the blade’s.

In this wondrous instant, the two were one and couldn’t be differentiated from the other.

Jiang Chen had miraculously grasped the unbelievable realm of man and blade becoming one.

The blade’s momentum was like a wave, resplendent beyond imagination!

Light from the blade flashed like lightning, whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh….

Jiang Chen had struck eighteen times in the span of one breath. Each stroke followed the previous one without pause, orderly in their pace.

The eighteen times melded into one strike with a perfect rhythm.

“Wave Slash, cleave!”

Jiang Chen roared and sent this perfect slash down towards Iron Dazhi’s head.

Iron Dazhi hadn’t thought that Jiang Chen would be able to take his premeditated blow.

He was an earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner. The strength of fifth level spirit realm and his Black Dragon Halberd -- he’d wanted to crush Jiang Chen with absolute power.

He’d thought that Jiang Chen would be powerless in the face of the halberd’s aura. If he met it head on, he would’ve surely had his bones breaking, meridians snapping, and even be invaded by spirit power where he stood and exploded spontaneously!

If he didn’t meet the blow head on, the mysteries of the “Black Dragon Tearing the Heavens” was such that it was like a black dragon devouring all in sight, never resting until it had torn the opponent to shreds.

He’d never thought that the strike in which he was extremely proud of would be dissipated by Jiang Chen!

According to the intelligence related to him, he was at most first or second level spirit realm.

With Iron Dazhi’s strength of the fifth level spirit realm, there was a full three or four levels of difference. That was a full category difference that no martial technique’s mysteries would be able to offset.

However, Iron Dazhi had miscalculated.

The most maddening thing was, he didn’t even have time to get enraged. Jiang Chen didn’t even need to adjust his breathing as he counterattacked with a flip of his hand.

The blade’s aura churned like a wave, utterly exquisite in its style and fierce in its presence, holding the bearing of a master of a blades.

Although this kind of layered wave attack wasn’t something that Jiang Chen had invented, it was definitely the first time that Iron Dazhi was seeing it.

Even he didn’t dare underestimate this aura.

It looked like it was just slicing through the air, but if he didn’t handle it well, it was likely that even an earth spirit realm genius like him would fall to this blow.

In his dejection, he waved his halberd again to meet this tyrannical blow.

Clang!

The two weapons once again clashed together.

Iron Dazhi felt his chest grow heavy as he backed up uncontrollably, like a great wave had rammed into him.

Jiang Chen had no strength to strike out again after delivering that blow.

Iron Dazhi suddenly felt his brow grow hot and discovered traces of blood flowing down his hand when he wiped away at his forehead.

What?

His face changed drastically.

He’d blocked this blow alright, but when the frightening aura spread out, its traces had still been enough to injure him.

Although it was just a small wound, the sight of his hand specked with blood was telling him unequivocally that he was the weaker one!

He’d also underestimated his opponent. He hadn’t thought that Jiang Chen, at the third level spirit realm, would be capable of boasting superior martial techniques, mental arts, and spirit ocean even when he was two levels below Iron Dazhi.

Jiang Chen’s strength would actually not lose out to a fourth level spirit realm pract.i.tioner at this point.

Add to that he had entered a marvelous mental state of the dao of blade, becoming one with the nameless blade.

Although he had brought to bear only less than a tenth of the nameless blade’s potential, it was enough to treble the force behind Jiang Chen’s blow.

This made his strike completely on par with that of a fifth spirit realm pract.i.tioner.

Iron Dazhi was a bit caught off guard in his surprise, causing him to still be swept up in his remnants as he hadn’t fully dissipated the aura behind this blow.

“Jiang Chen you animal, you did indeed hide your strength. Good, very good! It looks like you won’t know your place in life if I don’t bring out my true abilities!”

Iron Dazhi had been utterly enraged by Jiang Chen’s provocation.

Chapter 268: The Sect Disciples Ankle Deep in Mud

“What are you guys doing standing around over there?!”

Iron Dazhi saw that Zhou Yi and the sixteen law enforcement disciples were all looking nervously at the battle occurring between him and Jiang Chen, and not taking any action.

Zhou Yi wanted Iron Dazhi to kill Jiang Chen cleanly and then act swiftly and ruthlessly to take down Jiang manor.

He didn’t think that his senior brother Dazhi of the fifth level spirit realm couldn’t take down Jiang Chen after a few rounds. He was actually slowly being backed into a corner.

When he saw Iron Dazhi roar with some hints of anger, Zhou Yi didn’t dare to move sluggishly. He waved his hand and commanded the disciples, “Come on, look sharp! Go after him!”

Zhou Yi’s nickname was the Sword of Cloud and Wind and he was known for his fast and bizarre sword techniques.

His figure flashed, leaving being ghost shadows in the air, the three foot sword in his hand transforming into a marvelous blur and aiming for Tian Shao standing in the doorframe.

Tian Shao only had the level of training of a first level spirit realm and Zhou Yi greatly outcla.s.sed him, being an earth spirit realm genius.

The difference in their strength was incredibly astonis.h.i.+ng.

Zhou Yi’s strike was like the clouds and fresh breeze. Its trail was quite bizarre as it traveled in front of Tian Shao in a flash.

Zhou Yi’s objective wasn’t to kill Tian Shao, but just to capture him.

Just as Zhou Yi started rejoicing in his heart, a feeling of alarm suddenly rippled through his heart.

As an earth spirit realm genius, Zhou Yi had weathered hundreds of battles. This kind of forewarning wasn’t an illusion, it was a strong perception honed from the battle lines of life and death.

This perception had saved his life countless numbers of times.

Zhou Yi was already faced with two decisions before the light of the sword had traveled to Tian Shao.

The first was to continue his attack and take down Tian Shao.

The second was to halt his attack and return his sword to protect himself.

He had no time to consider carefully in those crucial moments. His first thought was to save himself due to an instinct that pract.i.tioners honed from multiple moments between life and death.

The sword spiraled backwards as layers of spirit power rippled out from it, protecting his vital parts as his feet pushed off, attempting to draw close to Tian Shao as he defended himself.

Clang clang clang clang.

Knife like feathers from the Goldwing Swordbirds buffeted the protective field around him and bounced off.

Each feather was like a life reaping flying dagger as the force behind some thirty feathers completely broke through his protective barrier.

It was a good thing that Zhou Yi’s training was quite extraordinary as he also broke free of the radius of the attack in the instant that his barrier fell.

This harrowing scene made Zhou Yi afraid to take things lightly again.

With his sword protecting his chest, Zhou Yi looked warily at the Goldwing Swordbirds in the air. His heart palpitated as he also felt that he had been extremely lucky.

If he’d gone with his first option just now and continued his attack on Tian Shao, then he’d be shot full of feathers and look like a porcupine by now, dead without a doubt.

Tian Shao’s gaze was ruthless as he smiled faintly and backed into the manor.

Even though Zhou Yi possessed a lot of guts, he didn’t dare to continue his attack. He knew that if he did so, he’d be exposing his back to the Swordbirds.

Once the Swordbirds continued attacking, he’d be in a situation that was even more perilous than the one just now!

The 16 law enforcement disciples were in an even more dire situation than Zhou Yi at the moment. The 24 Swordbirds had surrounded them with the formation, and it was like a shapeless metal wall had caged them no matter how they tried to break out of it.

The Eight Trigram a.s.similation Formation had directions to it that coordinated with each other and leveraged each other’s strengths. It looked like there were only three guarding each direction, but it was actually a formation that shared power and strength with every person or beast in the formation.

The 16 disciples were all of the spirit realm. In terms of individual fighting strength, none of those newly ascended spirit rank Swordbirds were their opponents.

But now that the formation had been set up and the mysteries of the formation were fully deployed, the power of those 24 Swordbirds had risen by more than ten times.

In this regard, there was no such thing as individual combat at all.

The most critical thing was that these law enforcement disciples didn’t think that these spirit creatures would actually set up a formation. Who had heard of such a thing before?

They had underestimated their opponents before and thus, they had been caught in the formation almost as soon as battle had engaged, becoming turtles in a jar.

It was a good thing that the Swordbirds weren’t striking fatal blows since Jiang Chen hadn’t given the order to do so.

Otherwise, with the Goldwing Swordbirds’ fierce natures, it wouldn’t be a hard thing to rip the 16 disciples to pieces at all after the formation had been set up.

Zhou Yi became increasingly horrified as he watched. Bystanders observed with the most objective eyes, and how would he not see that although the 16 disciples looked quite ferocious, weren’t able to break free of the spirit creatures’ defense at all.

It was obvious that the Swordbirds weren’t fully exerting themselves. Otherwise, how would they have the spare time to attack him and protect Tian Shao?

“This won’t do. Senior brother Dazhi brought these law enforcement disciples privately. He’ll be unable to explain himself back at the sect if anything happens to them!”

Zhou Yi was a bit panicked. He knew that spirit creatures were violent. Once their bloodthirsty natures were brought out, they wouldn’t be as gentle as they currently were.

Zhou Yi was quite familiar with the strength of the 16 law enforcement disciples.

He knew that they were fighting with all their strength, and that these spirit creatures were just toying with them.

Yes, they were like hunters playing with their food.

There was only one possibility under the circ.u.mstances, and that was that the spirit creatures hadn’t displayed their fighting capabilities at all!

Zhou Yi then lifted his head to look at Iron Dazhi and Jiang Chen’s battle. The two were matched giving it all and matched evenly.

Although it looked like Jiang Chen’s level of training was far inferior to Iron Dazhi’s, the latter’s Black Dragon Halberd techniques were being deployed to the utmost as they fought, but he was still unable to harm Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen had fully become one with the blade and he a.s.similated into that marvelous state of mind with the blade.

This kind of mindset allowed Jiang Chen to seemingly grasp the true essence of the nameless saber, making the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” method come alive in his hands.

Each stroke was stronger and faster than the previous one.

Zhou Yi’s jaw dropped when he saw this scene.

He didn’t think l that Jiang Chen of the small spirit realm could actually trade blows with his earth spirit realm senior brother. And judging from his posture, he was both attacking and defending, and he wasn’t just spending all his time evading attacks!

This kind of battle strategy indicated that Jiang Chen’s strength was such that he didn’t fear senior brother Dazhi.

Zhou Yi felt that the laws of the world were unraveling between his eyes.

He even started wondering if their little trick to ambush Jiang Chen when Ye Chonglou wasn’t present at the capital was a smart move, or a fool’s decision.

He had to admit at least that they’d underestimated Jiang Chen.

They’d originally thought that the combination of a fifth level spirit realm Iron Dazhi and fourth spirit realm Zhou Yi was enough to make a clean sweep of the Jiang manor given that the old tutor wasn’t present.

Zhou Yi had tragically discovered that as pretty as these thoughts were, they were completely idiotic.

Jiang Chen himself possessed such ferocious fighting abilities that his normally dominating senior brother couldn’t take him down immediately, not to mention those bizarre spirit creatures.

“Is this Jiang Chen truly Ye Chonglou’s true disciple? Can it be that they’d be hiding his strength all along and he’s someone who Ye Chonglou has raised to set against the true disciples of the Precious Tree Sect?” Zhou Yi’s thoughts started wandering along these lines in these moments.

He had also heard of the relations.h.i.+p between Ye Chonglou and the Precious Tree Sect. He knew that the old tutor had once been part of the sect and he had left it.

Although he wasn’t part of it now, the old man still had a certain emotional attachment to the sect.

However, although love was an expression of this attachment, so was a compet.i.tive spirit.

It was possible that under these circ.u.mstances, Ye Chonglou wanted to raise a genius disciple and compete with the Precious Tree Sect’s geniuses.

Now that the great selection was at hand, Jiang Chen’s gradual reveal and compet.i.tion for glory also seemed to validate Zhou Yi’s speculations.

“We need to make this quick. That old man may be getting ready to leave the sect now and return to the capital. We’re in for it if he returns!”

As a sect disciple, Zhou Yi could do whatever he wanted in the Skylaurel Kingdom. However, all sect disciples had a fear in their hearts, and that was Ye Chonglou.

The spirit king protector was simply too strong. Apart from the legendary origin realm forefather in the sect, there was no one who could best him.

If that kind of personage grew irate, no one would dare take him to task if he slapped a few disciples to death.

Besides, Ye Chonglou had said very clearly that Jiang Chen was someone under his protection, and someone he was treating as a novel.

Someone at Ye Chonglou’s level didn’t easily express his stance. When he did, each bit of spittle was like a nail, something to not be overlooked.

Zhou Yi had come with Iron Dazhi this time precisely because of the latter.

Iron Dazhi was the direct grandson of the esteemed elder Iron Long, the nephew of Iron Can, and a direct descendent of the Iron family. Add to that his superb potential, that made for a high standing in the Iron family.

He was here to fight against Jiang Chen because he had the Iron family propping him up.

Zhou Yi had wanted to make use of this opportunity to express how utterly loyal he was to the Iron family. This was why he’d come with Iron Dazhi.

However, he hadn’t thought that this time’s operation would be far less successful than he’d antic.i.p.ated.

It could even be said that they were ankle deep in mud and unable to break free.

If this stalemate continued, they would be in grave trouble once Ye Chonglou returned.

Perhaps, Ye Chonglou would refrain from killing Iron Dazhi out of considerations of face for the Iron family, but what the h.e.l.l was he, Zhou Yi? Ye Chonglou wouldn’t hesitate in making an example of him with one slap to death.

Besides, those law enforcement disciples were acting with the authority of the law enforcement hall without a warrant. Once this matter blew up, Ye Chonglou would have even more of an excuse to find fault.

If this made it to the sect head, then he would surely make use of this opportunity to suppress the Iron family.

After all, it was only the Xie and Iron family struggling for power in the sect now.

With no warrant and using the law enforcement disciples to use his position to satisfy a personal grudge, even Iron Dazhi would be in for a world of hurt once this crime was handed out.

Zhou Yi felt his scalp tingle with numbness the more he thought about it. He couldn’t continue on like this. They had to either overcome the Jiang manor immediately and slaughter everyone in it so there were no witnesses, or they had to leave as soon as possible before Ye Chonglou returned.

The consequences would be beyond imagining otherwise.

When his thoughts traveled down this path, Zhou Yi didn’t have the inclination to capture Gouyu and Tian Shao at all. The battle outside was raging like a rampaging fire, Iron Dazhi wouldn’t be looking to him for help.

However, none of the 16 disciples could be lost. The ensuing troubles would be great if they lost even a single one!

Chapter 269: To Be in a Quandary

The sword acted as a conduit for the protective barrier, containing the power of the fourth level spirit realm as it roiled with the momentum of the surging clouds and billowing wind. The light from the sword was like a rainbow as it cut towards the Swordbirds just like the gale winds and a rain squall.

The aura of an earth spirit realm pract.i.tioner was incredibly strong. Once its full force was brought to bear, the ensuing effect was quite frightening.

The powerful aura had already soared to the clouds by the time the rainbow sword light had made its way to the Goldwing Swordbirds, forming a wind vortex as it crashed forward.

Zhou Yi had seen the Swordbirds that day on the border, and knew that he needed to use his superior earth spirit realm aura to suppress them.

However, things were different today.

That day, the spirit pract.i.tioners had been able to suppress the Swordbird army because there had been a difference between the spirit and mortal ranks. The Swordbird army had all been of the mortal rank at that point.

Even the strongest of them all had still only been of the mortal rank.

It was like someone of the true qi realm fighting against someone of the spirit realm. It was undoubtedly the same as using an egg to smash a rock, with only being blasted to smithereens a possibility.

However, these 24 Swordbirds had all been tried and tested, and were the first group to break through to the spirit rank. They were the elites amongst the Swordbird army.

Add to that that their spirit ocean had become one with the rest of the qi in their bodies after ascending to the spirit rank, and they naturally wouldn’t be dominated like they’d been in the past.

Not to mention that they were in formation now, their auras interconnected, and their strength merged with each other’s, forming a resonance between both their auras and strength.

This kind of resonance made their movements completely synced.

Zhou Yi’s aura surged upwards, but he discovered that the expected scene of him pulverizing the Swordbirds didn’t appear.

A spirit power aura that was even stronger than his, blew his vortex to pieces. The aura was like it was the wave of a hand snuffing out a candle, not even exerting the slightest bit of effort!

This scene made Zhou Yi’s scalp go numb.

He’d observed the Swordbirds from afar previously, and knew the level of strength that was behind this formation, but he was still somewhat confidence. They would have had quite a chance if the 16 disciples within had worked in tandem with him.

However…

Zhou Yi once again tragically discovered that he’d been too naive.

His carefully calculated attack had been easily dispersed, just like this.

And this wasn’t the most frightening thing. What was most horrifying was that the Swordbirds had pulled him into the fight with a mere opening and closing of their formation.

He’d been an observer on the outskirts originally, but had become a partic.i.p.ant all of a sudden.

At this moment, the remainder of the Swordbird army was pouring out of the Jiang manor beneath Gouyu and Tian Shao’s leaders.h.i.+p, and were encircling their enemies in the air.

The Goldwing Swordbirds in the very front of the flock also set up the Eight Trigrams a.s.similation Formation, completely laying siege to the entire area based on eight different sectors.

Each of Jiang Chen’s personal guards were in charge of a sector.

The eight of them, having trained for such a long time, had now grasped ninety percent of the formation.

With their personal level of training, they’d be enough to fight against an ordinary spirit realm pract.i.tioner.

When the remainder of the Swordbird Army joined the formation, their overall battle strength was naturally raised to a frightening level.

“Ah!!”

One of the law enforcement disciples had been distracted for a second in their battle against the Swordbirds, and had suffered a blow from a sharp claw in midair before he fell from the sky.

His ghastly wail immediately affected his comrades. These disciples had never had this kind of battle experience before. No matter which way they charged, they couldn’t even create an opening.

Fear and despair started to spread throughout their hearts. When they saw their companions being struck down, they were naturally even more panic stricken.

Agonized cries started to ring out one after another, as disciples started to fall from the air.

Zhou Yi waved his sword again and again, rus.h.i.+ng to different people’s aid as he tried to salvage the situation and help these disciples find their footing for a little while, and help to relieve their pressure.

However, they were in complete disarray now. It was as if they’d been sucked into a swift current, as they were completely unable to reach each other. He could save one, but wouldn’t be able to save the next one.

It was like a run-down house leaking all over whenever it started to storm. Another place would start to leak as soon as you plugged a leak in a different area.

Zhou Yi leapt here and there, but couldn’t prevent his disciples being slain.

“Ah!!”

Zhou Yi roared furiously as his eyes became bloodshot, and his sword danced in his hand, drawing out the clouds and the wind. The rainbow light from his sword scattered through the skies, like fairies scattering blossoms.

This scattered sword aura landed on the formation like it was raining flowers, but had the effect of a stone sinking into the ocean, not harming any of the Goldwing Swordbirds in the slightest.

A resigned feeling of despair rose up in Zhou Yi’s heart at this moment.

“Screwed, I’m really screwed this time!” He was beyond regretful. Why had he involved himself in this mess? Why had he provoked Jiang Chen?

Someone whom even his honored master, Iron Can, could do nothing to—had he completely lost his mind by provoking Jiang Chen?

They were unwilling to accept things at first, and felt that their honored master had come off short simply because Jiang Chen enjoyed Ye Chonglou’s protection.

But now, Zhou Yi finally understood that it was actually because of Jiang Chen having Ye Chonglou’s protection that made everyone make severe errors in their judgement and underestimate Jiang Chen!

“This can’t continue, I have to break through this formation. Otherwise, even I will find my strength running out of strength at one point. Once that happens, these feathered brutes will devour me, and won’t even leave any bones behind!”

Zhou Yi was panicking greatly as he discovered that he could barely ensure his own safety. Who had the effort to spare for the other disciples now?

Wails of agony could be heard all around him, but Zhou Yi ignored them all. His sword thrust to the east and to the west, trying to identify the weak point in this formation and the path to break free from it.

He was well aware that, if he couldn’t make it out, he would be dragged down to his death sooner or later.

These spirit creatures might not have the strength to kill him with a single blow, but this was still a battle formation! It was a mob beating down on just little old him.

He’d definitely be the one to weaken first in a sustained battle. Even though he held the absolute advantage with his earth spirit realm strength, but the first to run out of energy whilst fighting against this battle formation would absolutely be him.

Not to mention the fact that there were thousands of spirit creatures on the outskirts. Although they were of the mortal rank, they were all at the peak of that rank. Even if he made it out of this formation at the end of his tether, he wouldn’t have the strength to charge again, and make it out of the larger formation on the outside.

Therefore, the most important thing to him right now was to make use of the time he had, break free of the first encirclement, and flee for his life!

Iron Dazhi’s mentality was still more or less affected when he heard the law enforcement disciples cry out with pain.

He was already employing his Black Dragon Halberd to its utmost at the time, but he was still unable to take down Jiang Chen, no matter how fiercely he fought.

Iron Dazhi had battled countless numbers of inner and outer geniuses since he’d embarked on his path of the martial dao, but he’d never been as aggrieved as he was today.

Even though this Jiang Chen’s level of training was much lower than his, he had no way to do anything to his opponent.

“Iron Dazhi, it sounds like the companions you brought along aren’t holding up well.” Jiang Chen’s blade twisted as he struck a blow towards his foe’s head. The blade’s form charged forward like the waterfall cascading down from the nine heavens, unstoppable in its motion, like an army of tens of thousands strong.

This stroke raised sparks when it crashed into the halberd.

Spirit ripples from the clash of spirit power slowly spread throughout the air.

Iron Dazhi flicked a glance towards his halberd, and saw that a few cracks had actually appeared on it!

“How is this even possible?” Great waves of shock rose in his heart.

This Black Dragon Halberd has been his greatest ace whenever he fought opponents of the same level as him.

There were almost none who also possessed weapons that were on par with his.

He’d made use of this weapon in order to trample a countless number of his peers. It was basically the reason for his domination of the sect.

But now, his greatest reliance seemed to be a simple short splint of wood in front of Jiang Chen!

Hairline cracks had started to appear upon the Black Dragon Halberd after this blow.

Although it wasn’t devastating damage, it was said that his halberd was made from the skeleton of a deceased deep water black dragon. Once its skeleton had mineralized, and had turned to metal, it had been dug up and refined into a halberd.

And, after being refined five times by a master refiner, the Black Dragon Halberd was absolutely a divine weapon that was the envy of the great majority of the sect.

However—

This divine, deadly weapon had currently been nearly destroyed by Jiang Chen’s single stroke!

The cracks that had appeared on the halberd also started to appear within Iron Dazhi’s heart.

As his companions ghastly cries reached him, the overweeningly proud Iron Dazhi started to feel the first hints of regret, and felt a desire to retreat in his heart.

A quick glance out of the corner of his eyes let him take in the situation—all of the law enforcement disciples had been defeated, and were lying helter skelter on the ground, their life and death unknown.

Zhou Yi had also been besieged by the Swordbirds, and looked to be having a difficult time as well.

“Jiang Chen, you filthy animal, you dare to kill the law enforcement disciples of the Precious Tree Sect!” Iron Dazhi roared furiously as he waved his halberd wildly, sending streams of black air currents howling through the air, as if a black dragon was roaring its fury towards the skies.

Jiang Chen was naturally unafraid of the attack of a trapped animal.

He didn’t even take a look as he tightened his hands on the nameless blade, his body shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, and he viciously struck out, “Break!”

The strong force from his blade was akin to a dominating ancient beast, ripping apart all of the air currents from the black dragon!

Iron Dazhi was flabbergasted, and his desire to retreat grew even stronger.

Jiang Chen’s gaze was resolute. He would stick to something once he’d begun it. Since the Iron family had erupted in public hostility, then he’d prove that he wasn’t someone who’d be easy fodder for others.

Killing intent surged in his heart, as he had the desire to make sure that none of them left this place.

He whistled continuously, signalling the Swordbirds to put all of their strength into one final attack towards Zhou Yi, showing no mercy at all.

Once they received Jiang Chen’s orders, the Swordbirds that had been exerting only half of their full battle strength immediately grew berserk, and began to attack Zhou Yi crazily.

Once their full strength was brought to bear, the power of the formation was completely deployed.

Zhou Yi only felt that that the pressure he was facing suddenly seemed to increase many times over. No matter what method he used, he couldn’t prevent the pressure from continuing to rise.

Bouts of crazy attacks made it seem like he was in a boiling pot, in a painful quandary!

A cool draft suddenly blew across his back as a sharp claw broke through his flesh.

Another attack cut into his thigh!

Chapter 270: Jiang Chen’s Resolute Killing Intent

There was shock and only more shock in Zhou Yi’s heart. He knew that if this continued, his defenses would last less than 15 minutes.

Indeed, the fresh blood spraying after several attacks landed on him incited the Swordbirds’ violent nature. Once stirred up, their attacks grew even fiercer and more berserk.

“Senior brother Iron, come help me!”

Zhou Yi was panicked. He knew he couldn’t hold on for much longer. His defenses would quickly falter if he continued like this and he would become their food.

Iron Dazhi was also greatly astonished when he heard Zhou Yi’s cry for help.

He’d already be hard pressed to explain the loss of the law enforcement disciples after returning to the sect. If an earth spirit realm genius like Zhou Yi were to also fall in a mundane kingdom, then he’d be further troubled and tongue-tied once he returned.

Zhou Yi was his uncle Iron Can’s most vaunted personal disciple. He would surely suffer his uncle’s wrath if Zhou Yi died.

He could only resign his battle with Jiang Chen and make haste for the battle formation.

He waved his Black Dragon Halberd and swung it viciously towards a team of three Swordbirds.

If Jiang Chen didn’t interfere, then the situation might have truly been reversed if Iron Dazhi and Zhou Yi acted in concert.

After all, these Swordbirds had just set foot into the spirit rank and hadn’t consolidated their training yet.

However, how could Jiang Chen let Iron Dazhi carry out his wishful thinking?

He pointed the nameless blade, and the blade’s aura thundered forth like the rivers of the heavens reversing their direction following close behind Iron Dazhi.

Iron Dazhi felt an overwhelming pressure weighing down on him, leaving him no choice but to sweep with his halberd as he turned around to defend himself.

Clang.

He continuously backed up beneath the strength of this stroke.

He had been at disadvantage in taking down this stroke as he hadn’t been fully prepared.

Therefore, even though his level of training was vastly superior to Jiang Chen’s, he still came off worse for the wear beneath Jiang Chen’s staggering strike.

“Jiang Chen, you…”

Jiang Chen’s face was like an frosty mountain, completely blank as unconcealed killing intent surged out of him.

What desire did he have to listen Iron Dazhi’s blathering now that things had developed to this point?

He only had one notion in his heart, and that was to kill!

Kill first and think about everything else later!

So what of sect disciples? So what of Iron family geniuses?

If you want to kill me, then in turn be prepared to be slaughtered by me!

In this moment, Iron Dazhi was similar to Long Yinye from long ago, wanting to step on Jiang Chen’s head and crush him to death. There was only one way to deal with such people -- kill!

But in the end, Iron Dazhi was still a fifth level spirit realm pract.i.tioner. Although he was caught on the wrong foot by Jiang Chen’s strike, his posture wasn’t in disarray as he swept his halberd and forced Jiang Chen away.

However, the opening created by his motions allowed the Goldwing Swordbirds to once again expand and retract their formation, embroiling him into the battle.

“Senior brother Dazhi, what are you doing here?” Zhou Yi was both shocked and delighted to see him.

He was delighted that with Iron Dazhi’s appearance, he would be able to s.h.i.+ft a lot of pressure off Zhou Yi’s shoulders. If the two of them teamed up, maybe they’d be able to rush out of the formation together.

He was shocked because with Iron Dazhi in the formation, there was no one who could work from the outside.

According to Zhou Yi’s observations, there was more of a chance to break free if there was someone working in tandem with those caught in the formation.

Except, there was no time to speak of this at the moment. Zhou Yi called out, “Senior brother Dazhi, these dumb animals are quite odd. This formation is incredibly strong. We need to combine our efforts to hurry and break through it. We can only try to obtain revenge another day.”

Iron Dazhi’s face was ashen, but he had to admit that Zhou Yi was right.

They’d be lucky to escape with their lives today.

Jiang Chen spurred on the Swordbird beneath him and shot into the skies. He put away the nameless blade and once again raised the Da Yu bow.

Looking at Zhou Yi and Iron Dazhi below him, Jiang Chen’s killing intent once again surged out.

Once Iron Dazhi entered the formation, the Swordbirds no longer needed to worry about being attacked from both inside and out.

Without acting in tandem, Iron Dazhi and Zhou Yi were like a dumpling’s filling, unable to deploy any tricks and doomed to suffer defeat.

Iron Dazhi stormed forward several times as he flailed wildly with the halberd, attempting to break free, but always returned with little success.

Zhou Yi had been caught by the formation for a long time and had expended much of his energy. He used the time that Iron Dazhi was storming forward to swallow some qi replenis.h.i.+ng pills and recover somewhat.

However, he grew anxious as he watched Iron Dazhi return after failure again and again.

They would be in great trouble if this continued!

His face further twisted as he looked into the skies.

Jiang Chen’s Da Yu bow had been pulled back into a crescent and had an arrow nocked on the string, aimed straight at them. The Da Yu bow’s presence made Zhou Yi’s scalp feel numb even at a distance.

If he’d been at his peak, Zhou Yi naturally wouldn’t have been afraid of this bow.

But now, at the end of his tether and caught in a battle formation, an attack from this Da Yu bow could cost him his life.

“Senior brother Dazhi, take care!”

In the exact moment that Zhou Yi’s warning sounded, an arrow shot down like a meteor harrying the moon from the high sky.

Zhou Yi’s warning shout had little effect.

Iron Dazhi’s body dodged to the side almost subconsciously.

He managed to s.h.i.+ft his vitals out of the way, but the frightening arrow punched straight through his thigh.

An enormous b.l.o.o.d.y hole appeared on Iron Dazhi’s thigh.

His blood geysered forth like a river in that instant.

“Ah!!” Iron Dazhi roared wildly. “Jiang Chen you swine, how dare you hurt me!”

The motion of his halberd didn’t dare slow down as he raged, blocking the relentless attacks from the Swordbirds.

Zhou Yi was also scared witless after seeing Iron Dazhi’s injury.

A sense of danger he’d never felt before finally upwelled uncontrollably in his heart.

For the first time, he smelled the the approaching danger of death.

He had realized that Jiang Chen truly had the desire to kill this time, and really sought to take their lives.

In the beginning, although he’d been besieged by danger, he still more or less had illusions that Jiang Chen feared the Precious Tree Sect and wouldn’t dare kill them.

But now, the harsh reality had shattered his illusions; Jiang Chen wasn’t afraid of the sect at all, nor of Iron Dazhi’s ident.i.ty.

“Jiang Chen!” Zhou Yi called out loudly in his fear. “Don’t you continue down this erroneous path. Senior brother Dazhi is the esteemed elder’s direct grandson. You’d be inviting calamity if you harm senior brother Dazhi in the slightest. The esteemed elder’s overwhelming wrath is sure to descend and it won’t be anything that you can handle. Even if the honored tutor were to appear, he wouldn’t be able to save you either!”

Threats?

Jiang Chen smiled coldly. He really hated these feeble threats.

These boring threats were the last whines from a beaten dog, a grasping at luck from those about to die.

Jiang Chen wasn’t the type to beat someone when they were down, but these people had challenged his bottom line again and again, wanting to kill him again and again!

If he didn’t bring out his ruthless methods now, then he really would become an easy target for people to attack at will.

“Erroneous path?”

Jiang Chen laughed coldly again, “Is it me committing mistakes again and again or you guys? Remember something clearly in your next lives, and it’s that if you want to kill someone, then you should similarly be prepared to be killed in return!”

“Jiang Chen, if you kill us, then you’ll become enemies with the entire Precious Tree Sect!” Zhou Yi cried out in a great panic.

“Even if I were to become enemies with all beneath the heavens, I, Jiang Chen, won’t let go of anyone who wants to kill me, much less for the Precious Tree Sect!”

Jiang Chen’s tone was resolute as he drew the Da Yu bow again.

Three arrows were nocked on the bowstring. He wouldn’t miss this time!

Zhou Yi’s pupils widened as his throat gurgled strangely. He roared at Iron Dazhi, “Senior brother, we attack together and use the sect’s secret arts to break through these defenses!”

The sect’s secret arts were to actually harm themselves in order to draw on their potential to suddenly obtain great battle strength.

This was a battle method used to flee for one’s life.

Once used, they’d be covered with injuries at best, or explode and die at worst.

Even if they escaped, they’d be hard-pressed to regain their strength in the future and would never advance on the path of martial dao again.

However, if they didn’t do so now, they’d meet their deaths immediately!

Dying a good death was less than eking out a living!

Iron Dazhi’s injury on his thigh was affecting his movement. When he heard Zhou Yi’s words, the muscles on his face couldn’t help but contort as if he had been bitten by a poison snake.

“Zhou Yi, you utilize the secret arts and cover me. I’ll take you out and take care of you for the rest of your life, not letting you suffer the slightest bit within the sect!” Iron Dazhi said lowly.

“What?!” A trace of anger flashed through Zhou Yi’s face. “Senior brother, it’s come to this now and you want me to bear the brunt of everything?”

“Zhou Yi, I refuse to accept this! I’m a fifth level spirit realm genius and the direct descendent of the Iron family. If something happens to me and you make it out, you’ll be dead when you return anyway. If you use the secret arts to cover my return, my grandfather and uncle will be sure to remember your favor and protect you for the rest of your life!” Iron Dazhi continued to persuade Zhou Yi.

He was different from Zhou Yi. He was a son of the Iron family, a direct descendent, and a proud son of the heavens. He really couldn’t bear to deploy the secret arts.

After all, once he utilized the secret arts, he would become a useless person. He’d never have the chance to improve on the path of training.

Once he lost the ability to improve, his standing within the Iron family would immediately change from a proud son of heaven to useless tras.h.!.+

This was an absolute disaster to someone as proud as Iron Dazhi, it was worse than death!

One might as well tell him to commit suicide if they wanted him to deploy the secret arts to escape!

Therefore, he was encouraging Zhou Yi to do so instead.

Once the secret arts were used, one’s strength would instantly grow exponentially. As long as he charged the formation with wild abandon and created the slightest bit of an opening, Iron Dazhi was confident that he’d be able to flee far, far away with his speed.

There’d be plenty of chances to take his revenge on Jiang Chen once he made it through today’s dire circ.u.mstances.

As much potential as Jiang Chen had, he wouldn’t have the ability to fight against the entire Iron family.

He would have many chances to deal with Jiang Chen and make that fellow yearn for mercy and beg for the unattainable death!

When Zhou Yi saw Iron Dazhi stare at him ruthlessly, he knew that if he didn’t agree, the latter was sure to take his revenge if they made it out.

“Senior brother Dazhi, it may not be enough to break free of this formation if I’m the only one to use the secret arts!”

Iron Dazhi shouted angrily, “How do you know if you don’t try? Now that things have reached this point, we’ll be dead without a doubt if you continue to hesitate. Don’t forget about your clan and family members. What of them if you die?”

The hesitation on Zhou Yi’s face gradually disappeared and he clenched his teeth. “Alright senior brother, I hope you don’t go back on your word and don’t leave me behind when you escape!”

Soon after he deployed the secret art, he would thoroughly lose the ability to fight. If Iron Dazhi cast him aside like a discarded p.a.w.n, then his sacrifice would’ve been thoroughly in vain!