Sovereign Of The Three Realms Chapter 1441-1450

Sovereign Of The Three Realms

(SOTR)  

Chapter 1441: Emergence of the Divine Bow

In his vantage point up high, the demon lord was able to catch all the details in his surroundings with the blink of an eye. The celestial demons’ majesty was exhibited in every tiny movement he made.

The three empyrean experts of the Southern Celestial Tribe exchanged complicated looks. They read panic in each other’s eyes. As uniformly empyrean cultivators, they could feel the immense aura radiating off the so-called demon before them. It was strong enough for even them to feel helpless.

Psychologically speaking, they were unafraid of any human cultivator. They would’ve even swarmed a human to fight it out first. Hearing that their enemy was a demon weakened their mental fortitude before the fight even began.

The ancient demon-sealing war had embroiled hundreds – nay, thousands of races all over Divine Abyss.

The Southern Celestial Tribe was no exception. It had had less territory and resources compared to mankind, and thus hadn’t been a focus of attack. Still, that didn’t lessen their fear for their old foes one bit. After all, no native race had remained intact in that ancient war.

“You three, listen up.” The tyrannical voice of the demon lord echoed once again. “Your unintentional good work just now inspires me to give you a chance.”

All three looked rather disturbed. They traded furtive looks, the desire to retreat evident. They had broken the Boundary Stele solely to raid the human lands. They’d just wanted to plunder and despoil.

They’d never expected this kind of thing to happen before they had gotten hands on any goods. Instead, they’d poked a hornet’s nest.

“Haha, don’t think about running away. Within my domain, you can’t flee regardless of how quick you are.” The demon lord’s tone wasn’t fierce or superficially intimidating, but his even-handed words instantly eliminated the trio’s ideas of running.

They hadn’t expected even these thoughts to be immediately perceived by their enemy.

“I just freed myself from the restriction, so I need a few useful peons. You three aren’t all that bad. Exactly the kind of retainers I need. Remember, this is a reward from me to you. If you know what’s good for you, then you should know better than to argue!” The demon lord’s cool tone produced goosebumps on the trio’s scalps.

Followers? They were very lofty experts within the Southern Celestial Tribe, the best of the best.

They couldn’t accept becoming someone’s retainer as they were so used to being elevated above the rest. There was a real psychological obstacle.

Thunderroar was the first to roar. “In your dreams, fool! You want me to be your retainer? Do you think yourself worthy? Zhong Liyan, Redcloud, let’s kill him together!” He shouted to his compatriots.

Zhong Liyan’s eyes glittered with anger as well. He was even more noble than his companions back within his race, a member of its imperial family. He was used to enslaving others, not being enslaved. The reverse experience was worse than killing him outright.

“He needs to die!” Zhong Liyan’s killing intent was evident.

Redcloud’s face flared with crimson, his own murderous intent bursting forth. “Let’s go!”

Three figures turned into three streaks of light, hurtling towards the demon lord.

They launched devastating attacks with the most casual of movements, charging forward in a reckless assault. The aura and momentum of three empyrean experts attacking in unison was incredible. The air crackled and popped, countless ripples appearing upon it in a world-rending manner.

Despite Jiang Chen’s distance, he could still feel the terrifying commotion. The heat of battle appeared to be capable of sweeping him up at any moment.

“This is your only chance to leave, Jiang Chen!” The Vermilion Bird reminded.

Jiang Chen considered it for a moment. Leave? Was he going to turn tail and flee, like a cowardly deserter?

He wasn’t satisfied by leaving things like this. But what else was he going to do? Would he have a chance to leave later, when the demon lord finished recovering?

He felt helpless for the first time in his life. Things were developing too quickly for him to keep up with.

In the Upper Eight Regions, he’d always felt everything to be within his grasp. No matter how bad things became, he’d never felt particularly powerless.

But the celestial demon lord and the three empyrean experts of the Southern Celestial Tribe had taught him painfully: that some things were utterly unpredictable. That it was normal for accidents to happen.

Jiang Chen looked toward the eight brothers of the Stone Golem Tribe. “Big Stone, how do you feel about the celestial demon lord?”

Big Stone scratched his head. “If we brothers were at our peak form, we’re probably the same as him. Now… I dunno.”

His customary pride didn’t blind him to the reality of the situation. He could feel that the demon lord was recovering extremely rapidly despite not being at peak strength yet. In this regard, the eight Stone brothers couldn’t compare.

Their recovery process followed a glacial period of separation between consciousness and body. It was going to take a gradual process to melt the built-up ice.

The demon lord on the other hand, hadn’t received a lethal blow to his body even though he’d been sealed away. He simply had to take some time to warm up and familiarize himself with his current faculties.

That wouldn’t take long at all.

“No worries, Savior. The demon lord is fierce, but we brothers aren’t scared! We fight to the death!” Big Stone proclaimed loudly as he thumped his chest, concerned that Jiang Chen would think lower of him and his brothers because of this.

“He’s right. Demons are dumb. Stone golems are never scared!”

“Leave the demon lord to us, Savior! We’ll give everything we have before we let him hurt you!” The stone golems were quite sincere.

“No need,” smiled Jiang Chen. “The demon lord is frightening, but we don’t have to fight him to the death. Now that he’s free of the seal, we need to think about…”

As he spoke, he detected a rapid series of pulses beneath his feet. In the next moment, a spiderweb of cracks appeared beneath the mountain top.

The Vermilion Bird blinked, then grew overjoyed. “Jiang Chen, this is an indicator of the reappearance of the legendary bow!”

Jiang Chen’s heart skipped a beat as he swept his eyes across the landscape.

In the middle of the peak, a fissure began to widen. Rays of light more radiant than stars themselves poured out from within, blazing in their luminosity.

Whoosh!

Light flared upward into the sky. Within that sacred light was an ancient, simply carved bow. It had naturally drawn itself wide, as round as a full moon.

Three golden arrows were nocked on the strings, like an invisible force was controlling the bow. It radiated authority and strength. The nocked arrows pointed accurately towards the palace.

The Vermilion Bird was hugely pleased. “As I thought, as I thought… this makes a lot more sense. The ancient Primosanct Sect couldn’t have let the celestial demon lord run free like that!”

Jiang Chen’s heart soared even as he examined the strength within the bow, the weapon locking onto the demon lord’s direction.

It was as if all the great powers present in this patch of space had been absorbed by the bow and its missiles. The concentration of energy made it seem as if it could shoot down the sun, moon, and the stars.

Over at the palace, the demon lord was preparing to use one of his more powerful abilities to defeat the three of the Southern Celestial Tribe. Suddenly, his consciousness detected an immense killing intent locked onto him from afar. His heart beat with an unknown terror.

This was a warning delivered purely by his instincts as an expert. Cursing to himself, the demon lord clapped his enormous palms together, generating three black tornados that rushed with consuming force towards the three empyrean experts.

The Southern Celestial experts were elated by the demon lord’s apparent distraction. The three tornados seemed too casual to be effective, and the trio fearlessly charged headlong into them.

Alas, only when they came near the tornados did they realize that the attacks were far stronger than they’d imagined. The black vortices pulled like all-absorbing black holes, confining the cultivators’ bodies with strands of ebon energy. They lost movement in essentially a split second.

This isn’t good!

Distress flashed across the trio’s minds almost simultaneously.

It was right at this time when…

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Three golden arrows arced across space, seemingly ignoring the boundaries of spacetime entirely. A flash of aureate light brought the missiles into the vicinity of the palace.

The three motes of gold arrived with incredible suddenness, faster than even bolts of lightning. Their lethal intent locked down the area completely. The three experts were mentally ready for oblivion.

They finally grasped that the demon lord was trying to use them as meat shields. The three golden arrows were intended for the demon lord, who’d made clever use of their fortuitous presence to attempt a defensive maneuver.

All three experts could feel the approach of death. The dread of the great beyond roiled within their consciousnesses.

It was at this moment that something very odd occurred.

The three arrows disappeared in a burst of light the second before piercing the experts, swerving by the three aliens to beeline straight for the airborne demon lord. This unexpected development allowed all three to breathe sighs of relief. Their bodies were slick with sweat, and their minds exhilarated after being granted new life.

The demon lord, on the other hand, was ghastly pale. He knew how fearsome the three arrows were! They could crush him utterly. That was precisely why he had bound the three Southern Celestial experts as meat shields.

It had never occurred to him that the three arrows could do what they had just done. They’d ignored his feeble deflection, and were heading straight for him!

Chapter 1442: The Might of the Divine Bow

Still sluggish from his long imprisonment, the demon lord’s physical abilities and reaction speed were still far too lacking for him to dodge the lightning-fast arrows. Fear finally dawned in his eyes.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Like golden rays piercing the air, the arrows embedded themselves in his flesh.

“Ah!” Despite the pain, the imminence of death made him react faster than ever. A black light containing his consciousness shot out of his body, and not a second too soon. In the next moment, his once tall and imposing figure shattered into pieces, the demonic power within scattering into black wisps of air.

Without special methods, leaving one’s flesh left the soul very fragile. The scorching sunlight in particular robbed him of almost all his fighting ability. In that instant, his soul turned into black fog and swooped towards Zhong Liyan.

Struggling to no avail inside the black vortex, the latter could only watch on helplessly. He twitched as the fog crashed into him.

Like a turtledove stealing a magpie’s nest, the demon instantly erased his victim’s will, destroyed his soul and took over his body!

Everything had happened in the space of a breath, so fast that even Thunderroar and Redcloud couldn’t react in time.

“Zhong Liyan’s” shrieked strangely. “Humans! You just wait, I’ll destroy you sooner or later!”

He turned around and stormed away, not daring tarry a second longer. Zhong Liyan’s flesh was clearly struggling to house his formidable consciousness, an incompatibility usually fraught with danger. So though the possession had been a success, if he’d stayed, even Redcloud and Thunderroar could have threatened him, to say nothing of the divine bow.

Fortunately, his hurried retreat was in the opposite direction of the human domain.

Without demur, Jiang Chen called the eight golems and the Vermillion Bird. “Give chase!”

But the ancient bird shook its head. “It’s no use.”

Thanks to a secret demonic art, no one could match the fleeing demon lord’s speed.

Jiang Chen fully spread out his consciousness, but he’d already lost his target’s trail.

The divine bow dimmed, losing some of its star-like brilliance after shooting forth the three arrows. The three missiles came back on their own, as if possessing a consciousness and still exuding a bone-chilling, murderous aura.

“Jiang Chen, what are you hesitating for? Bind it to you!” the ancient bird couldn’t help shouting.

Composing himself, Jiang Chen dripped his blood on the treasure while mentally communicating with it.

This ancient bow stored the vast inheritance of the sect and possessed its own awareness. It and the arrows had been specially sealed under the mountain as a trump card for the demon lord, primed to aim at the greatest threat the moment the spiritual veins were destroyed.

Hence, they’d avoided the Southern Celestial invaders, firing at the celestial demon instead.

Redcloud and Thunderroar finally freed themselves from their vortexes. Trembling like leaves, their haggard figures seemed closer to stray dogs than empyrean powerhouses. They glanced around, searching for their companion, but alas, the real Zhong Liyan was no longer of this world.

Jiang Chen completed the blood binding at the same time. He nocked an arrow and aimed at the two men from afar.

The Vermillion Bird called out, “Jiang Chen, come up.”

The human immediately jumped on the bird’s back. The ancient beast turned into a red streak as it shot at the palace.

Seeing the young lord fly their way, bow at the ready, the two Southern Flame men jumped in fright and ran for their lives, making a beeline for their territory. With their cultivation, they vanished from sight in the blink of an eye, leaving Jiang Chen dumbstruck. To think that grand empyrean masters would cower in front of the bow!

The Vermillion Bird sighed with relief. The bow might have recognized the human as its master, but Jiang Chen’s cultivation was too lacking yet to make use of its full power.

Thankfully, he’d cut too intimidating a figure for the Thunderroar and Redcloud to think of anything but flight. Nowhere did they have the capacity to consider whether or not Jiang Chen could actually make use of the bow.

For them, this bitter experience was a nightmare. They wanted nothing but to leave this damned place and erase it from their memories.

Landing at the palace, the young lord saw Cloudbillow and the others hunched in a corner below, ready to run at the first opportunity. The sight of these fellows roused his anger. Just then, the eight golems caught up to him.

Jiang Chen immediately ordered, “Big Stone, these guys are demon lackeys now, so spare no one!”

Cloudbillow and the others gasped in terror. Many even prostrated themselves, wailing and begging.

“Young lord Jiang Chen, we were duped! Please have mercy! If you spare us, we’ll work for you like horses. Nonono, like dogs!”

“Young lord, we’ve seen the light! Veluriyam’s obviously the only reliable faction. We’ll be your most faithful watchdogs!”

Such pitiful behavior from the cream of mankind made Jiang Chen grunt in disgust. His cold gaze fell on Cloudbillow and his companions. Their desire to live was also plain to see, but they didn’t beg him on their knees, aware that such gestures would be useless. Their only hope was to disperse and run! At least some of them would make it out alive.

With a ferocious stare, Cloudbillow shouted, “Why are you begging? This brat is heartless, the more you plead the less likely you are to live. It’s better to run and leave our fate to the heavens!”

“Indeed, as long as our lord isn’t dead, we may live to fight another day!”

“Let’s go!” The group swarmed for escape.

With a cold laugh, Jiang Chen aimed his bow at Cloudbillow.

The ancient bow had already demonstrated its might when it had destroyed the demon’s body. Jiang Chen couldn’t deploy it to those limits yet, but even one percent of its power was a frightening prospect.

“Cloudbillow, you’re self-righteous enough for a demon dog. This is where I say goodbye!”

Sunpiercer and the Dayu Bow had all been weapons that Jiang Chen had used in the past. He was no stranger to bows. In fact, he was surprisingly talented with them.

He let the arrow loose, the golden tip glinting in the air.

Cloudbillow might have survived if he’d faced the young man head-on instead of fleeing frantically. Only, he’d lost his demon master and was now hounded by golems. Terror had wrapped around his heart. How was escape possible?

The arrow struck true, piercing the back of his head and exploding his consciousness, leaving it no opportunity to slip away.

The kill made Jiang Chen’s blood boil. Once upon a time, he had to exert his all to withstand a great emperor. But now, he’d felled one in one shot.

Whoosh whoosh!

With newfound heroism, he fired the remaining two arrows, hitting the great emperors from the Empyrean River Palace and the Sublime Chord Temple without fail, destroying them body and soul in a golden flash.

Without their three leaders, the rest of the pack ran like headless chickens. The eight golems whaled on them, leaving no one alive.

Anguished howls soon gave way to silence. All those branded by the celestial demon had been slain. Yet, Jiang Chen couldn’t rejoice in the slightest.

Chapter 1443: The Spirit Stone Mine

If Veluriyam had been at war with Pillfire, Jiang Chen would have thought nothing of slaughtering their men or their allies. However, these people were nothing but puppets manipulated by the demon. He almost pitied them.

The Vermillion Bird read his mood. “Jiang Chen, you shouldn’t grieve for them. I’ve seen far too many of these low lifes in your race since the ancient times. The ancient human elites showed no mercy at all to traitors. Since they’ve betrayed mankind, it doesn’t count as slaughtering your own kind when you kill them. Not to mention, they would’ve wreaked havoc upon your kin if they got out.”

Jiang Chen knew all this. But this wasn’t the cause of his sadness.

A single demon lord had already caused so much trouble. What if all ten demon tribes were to join forces?

He shuddered at the prospect. Fortunately, the demon lord had fled toward the Southern Celestial Tribe. Jiang Chen would’ve found the nights even more uneasy otherwise.

The worst-case scenario had been avoided, but he still frowned when he saw that the Boundary Stele’s crack was big enough the demon could sneak back to the human domain at any time.

“Don’t despair. He’ll need at least a hundred years to fuse completely with his new body, if he’s really succeeded in taking it over. His cultivation skills have been greatly diminished already.”

With its vast experience, the divine bird knew the demon couldn’t make waves for the time being. Even if he did, the Southern Celestials would be the ones to suffer.

“Senior, can we repair the crack in the Boundary Stele?” Jiang Chen asked, his face dark.

“Probably. It should’ve been built by the Primosanct Sect, so they’ve linked it to this holy land. We simply need to restore the spirit veins and all of the formations.”

Jiang Chen nodded, thankful for the ancient bird’s knowledge.

Killing the demonic servants didn’t matter as long as the demon lord was at large and the Boundary Stele broken. The Southern Celestial Tribe or the demon could use the gateway to invade the human domain anytime they wished to if Jiang Chen just walked away now. Leaving would be desertion.

“To think the Southern Celestial Tribe would send three empyrean powerhouses in one go. I wonder how many empyrean cultivators they have in total,” he muttered in bewilderment.

All the peak experts of the continent should be gathered on Myriad Abyss Island. The other tribes should’ve been weaker than humans.

But reality had proven him wrong.

The Southern Celestial Tribe had been inferior to humans in the past, but now? Who knew how many empyrean masters they had? Certainly more than the three that’d come. Jiang Chen sighed. He’d been too narrow-sighted and hadn’t realized mankind’s weakness. This encounter had been a rough awakening with the comparison. The Southern Celestials were plainly above humans now.

If these three men hadn’t attacked the palace’s restrictions, hadn’t let the demon lord escape, hadn’t subsequently triggered the ancient bow...

The results might have been entirely different.

They could’ve attacked the human domain instead. The three of them were strong enough to cause an enormous upheaval.

One had to lament fate’s whimsical nature.

He’d felt powerless in those moments. If not for the sect leaving the bow behind as an ultimate trump card, what else could he have done to prevent the human domain from being engulfed by sheer calamity?

“Your race is fortunate indeed.” The ancient bird echoed his thoughts. “In ancient times, many a tribe looked down on your kind. Too frail, cowardly, prone to infighting... there was nothing good about you humans. Yet, you survive doggedly like immortal cockroaches where many ancient tribes have fallen. Your fortunes have ever been decent as well.”

In fact, the Vermillion Bird had thought earlier that mankind had finally met its doom. But then the ancient bow had suddenly reversed the situation. Humans and their bloody luck!

If the ancient humans hadn’t had so many powerful sects, or left so many inheritances, if...

There were many ifs, but ultimately, mankind’s fortunes had been strong enough that they’d weathered the winds of the world.

It wasn’t easy for a race to weather the primordial age, the ancient era, and these modern troubled times, surviving despite all odds. How many stronger tribes had been ground to dust by the weight of history?

“Eh, what’s going on over there?” Big Stone suddenly shouted.

Jiang Chen looked up to be greeted by the surprising sight of a crumbling mountain top. Countless boulders rained down the slopes from the fragmenting peak, tumbling into the abyss. It wasn’t an ordinary landslide, but a bona fide collapse!

He gasped in shock and quickly turned solemn as the topmost layers slowly peeled away, revealing a dazzling mountain of treasure!

Indeed, an enormous mountain of spirit stones lay bare in front of their eyes!

“Tsk tsk…” The Vermillion Bird helplessly shook its head with a wry smile. “I finally understand why your race persists despite all odds. What did I just say about human luck? To think a spirit stone mine would be hidden beneath the Celestial Peak! Jiang Chen, what was that? You’re too broke to repair the formation? There was no way to repair it? Hahaha…”

The speechless Jiang Chen couldn’t retort. The mine had appeared right on cue. It was more than sufficient to revitalize the sacred land’s spirit veins, repair all of the formations, and even mend the Boundary Stele!

“Did… did the ancient seniors foresee this day?” he breathed with delight.

“How would I know? Don’t ask me.” The divine bird shook its head.

“Providence hasn’t abandoned mankind yet!” Jiang Chen exclaimed. He glanced at the Vermillion Bird. “Senior, your mission’s over now that the demon’s free. What are your future plans?”

His question stumped the bird. Indecision flashed in its eyes. It had kept watch for two hundred thousand years. The outside world now felt foreign. His top priority should have been to look for a suitable environment for his rebirth. But given the continent’s situation, where would it find such a place?

“I haven’t a clue,” it sighed. “No matter, I’ll help you fix this place first. I owe it to the Primosanct Sect,” it volunteered. It wasn’t in its best condition, but the young lord could also count on free labor in the form of the eight golem brothers. Together, they made for the best manpower he could ask for.

Even so, it still took them half a year to comb through all of the formations and mechanisms. He didn’t merely repair them. Instead, he returned them almost fully to their former glory. That was the best he could do presently.

His cultivation was far below that of his almighty ancient predecessors. The Boundary Stele, in particular, tested the limits of his ability. But he repaired it enough it no longer tottered on the verge of breaking down.

In the process, he’d used more than half the spirit stones in the mine.

However, he didn’t think about taking the mine with him. First, carrying so many spirit stones would be inconvenient and second, there was a strategic meaning to the mine’s location.

Or rather, the ancient sect had arranged it there for a particular reason. The spirit stones would make reestablishing the sacred land all the easier.

After ensuring he hadn’t forgotten anything, he remarked, “Senior, I’ve done all I can. The Boundary Stele will hopefully keep the demon outside. It doesn’t have to be long, just three to five hundred years will be enough.”

The Vermillion Bird smiled. “Don’t worry. The demon lord will need a couple centuries to refine another celestial demon body. Then he’ll needs to regain his power. It’s impossible for him to make waves within three hundred years!”

Chapter 1444: Departure And Changes

Jiang Chen quite agreed with the Vermillion Bird’s opinion.

The demon needed to fuse with his new body, refine it, then restore his power. All of which would require at least a couple centuries. He wouldn’t be a threat during that time!

In fact, Jiang Chen wasn’t afraid of the demons at all. Time was his only enemy. As long as he had enough time to grow into his power, all ten demon tribes together would be no match for him.

He’d simply come to try his luck in Agarwood Valley. The unexpected events had let him experience how unpredictable and exciting life could be!

“Senior, you spoke of three signature treasures. The True Spirit Post is number three, the divine bow number two, so where’s the first?”

A signature treasure was too important for him to forget. What did he lack most currently? Not martial techniques or pills, of course, but equipment and resources.

With the human domain’s current state, he could only pray for a stroke of luck to stumble on earth-shaking equipment or materials. Thankfully, the current trip hadn’t been in vain in that regard, despite the intense ups and downs.

However, despite the divine bird’s close relationship with the sect, even it didn’t know what the number one treasure was.

Jiang Chen felt some regret for missing out, but if it was destined to be his, he would obtain it sooner or later. To linger further would be a meaningless waste of time.

“Big Stone, are you brothers sure you want to follow me?” He naturally had to settle the eight golems’ future before leaving.

Despite their immense strength, golems weren’t as mature as humans, at least during childhood. The unknown represented an inexplicable fear for them.

Big Stone instantly tensed. “Savior, do you not want us?”

Jiang Chen smiled. “Of course not. I very much admire your strength and honesty.”

“Then we’ll follow you.”

“Savior, you must take us in. Where are we gonna go if you don’t?” All eight brothers sounded very nervous.

The scene struck the Vermillion Bird speechless. Like kids, the stone golems were begging a human far weaker than themselves. Humanity, and Jiang Chen in particular, are truly blessed by the heavens.

Its eyes suddenly flashed. “That reminds me. Jiang Chen, do you think the number one treasure could be these eight brothers?”

The young lord froze, then laughed. “That’s right, why didn’t I think of that?”

Eight statues towered mightily outside the palace like guardian totems. Yet they were living creatures, placed there by the sect’s founder back in the primordial era. And it so happened that Jiang Chen had chanced upon the statuettes containing their souls. What was this if not providence?

His eyes gleamed as enlightenment struck. “Senior, you must be right! No prize could be greater than their help. What do you think?”

“I no longer have words for your amazing luck. Just be thankful for your good fortune!”

The divine creature had seen many so-called lucky men in the ancient times. But none of them could match this genius. The young man had shocked and awed again and again. His luck seemed to rival that of his entire race.

Thankfully, the bird wasn’t familiar yet with Jiang Chen’s past achievements. What would it think then?

Jiang Chen cast a glance at the golems’ imposing stature, a little disgruntled. They were ten times as tall as regular men. Such frightening existences would attract too much attention in the human world. And no matter where they went, people would secretly set their eyes on them.

Jiang Chen thought for a moment. “Big Stone, your size is a heaven-bestowed gift. But you’d be too conspicuous in the human world. I have a technique that can shrink you down to human size. You can always return to your real stature when you need it. What do you say?”

“We want to learn, we want to learn!” Big Stone said hurriedly.

In fact, golems had always been frustrated by this issue. Their huge stature had alienated them from other races and made them the target of unwarranted enmity. It might have partly caused the tribe’s downfall actually. So the brothers were of course willing. They didn’t want to be seen as freaks and oddities.

The Vermillion Bird tilted its head, puzzled. Why could this young man solve an issue that had defeated so many mighty figures in the past?

The young human seemed more and more enigmatic. He had a special aura not even supreme ancient powerhouses had possessed, as if he was destined to be a leader of his race!

The golems practiced the art taught by Jiang Chen and indeed shrank to the size of a normal man, much to their delight.

Without the demon lord’s siren calls and the Vermillion Bird’s obstacles, the way back proved uneventful. But to the young lord’s surprise, they saw not a soul outside Agarwood Valley.

True, they’d been inside for almost an entire year, but there should have been some people waiting for them even so!

“Maybe they heard some secrets from Newsun and Zi Tan that scared them away?” Doubt took root in his mind.

Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers had also come with him to Phoenix Cry. Where were they? Even if they’d left, they would’ve left signs for him. Yet he saw nothing of the sort.

All living creatures outside the valley seemed to have vanished, as if carried away by some mysterious power. Increasingly baffled, he looked around, certain that something had happened.

Everything seemed normal, but on closer inspection, he spotted faint signs of fighting. An ominous premonition rose in his chest. Peerless, in particular, was loyal to a fault and would never have left without a word. At the very least there should’ve been one person left here unless something terrifying had occurred.

Sensing his disquiet, the ancient bird couldn’t help asking, “Jiang Chen, what’s the matter?”

“Senior, something isn’t right. I had three companions stationed outside the valley. They’re loyal followers and wouldn’t have left without a word.”

The bird blinked, then observed the surroundings. “Strange. Is that what they call a paranormal phenomenon?”

Jiang Chen shook his head firmly, many ideas clashing in his mind.

“Let’s go back first.” Agarwood wasn’t too far from the Purple Smoke Sect.

They soon reached it and found someone to inquire. It turned out the sect was equally on tenterhooks as they awaited the forefather’s return!

Curiouser and curiouser. Zi Tan and Newsun should have left the secret realm safe and sound.

But they hadn’t been at the entrance to the valley and neither had the old man returned to his sect. Jiang Chen’s sense of unease grew even stronger.

He returned to the valley. Nothing had changed. There was no soul in sight and nothing but a deathly silence, as if the place had been forgotten in the mists of time.

He searched the area but ended up empty-handed. He could only bear his frustration and return to Veluriyam.

But on the way back, he noted with increasing dismay that a bizarrely bleak, silent, and lifeless atmosphere seemed to have descended upon the human domain. The sense of foreboding almost stifled him. In less than a year, the human world had become thoroughly unfamiliar.

Was it mere illusion? Or had something truly happened?

Restless, he made haste towards Veluriyam, his heart beating faster with every passing second. He would never forgive himself if something had happened to his city!

Chapter 1445: Bizarre News

Even the Vermilion Bird could feel the strangeness in the atmosphere. It couldn’t say for sure what was off, but neither could Jiang Chen. As they approached Veluriyam Capital though, the bizarreness thinned out.

Maybe I’m being overly suspicious. Jiang Chen reassured himself. I’ve been in Agarwood too long and I’m used to being tense. Paranoia after that experience is natural.

The thought relaxed him a little.

The accustomed hustle and bustle of the Veluriyam cheered Jiang Chen up greatly. Things in the city hadn’t changed much since he had left. The familiarity of the scenery came rushing back to him.

Thank heavens that Veluriyam Capital is still largely stable! Jiang Chen was extremely anxious as he flew towards Sacred Peafowl Mountain.

The mountain was as fortified as a fortress. The young lord breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Nine Sparks Petalstorm Formation operating as it should. As long as it was still in effect, Sacred Peafowl Mountain and the young lord residence were safe for now.

“The young lord has returned!” His appearance outside the young lord residence immediately caused a commotion.

Jiang Chen heaved a long sigh when he saw the faces he knew so well appear. The family, friends, and daoists that lived here were his greatest sources of motivation. His heart settled back down after seeing them safe and sound.

“Have Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers come back yet?” He asked immediately when he saw Xue Tong.

Jiang Chen’s cousin blinked, then shook his head blankly. “Not yet. Didn’t they go with you, young lord?”

The young man’s heart skipped a beat and his expression became conflicted. He maintained his composure. “We’ll talk more inside,” he waved.

Everyone within the young lord residence was present and accounted for. They were as relaxed as ever. A burst of joy filtered through the young lord residence at the sight of the young lord. Though Jiang Chen was himself a bit downcast, he didn’t let it show through.

Now was not the time to announce what had happened to Emperor Peerless and the rest. Doing so would only create unwanted fear and terror. He wasn’t interested in ruining the daily lives of these people for no reason. After all, he didn’t want them to worry on his behalf.

There was no need to panic. Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers were unrivaled experts in the human domain. Unless a power as irresistible as the celestial demon lord came about, no one could eliminate them without causing a ruckus in the world. And in fact, it was impossible to have killed all of the cultivators at the entrance of Agarwood Valley.

Jiang Chen felt that there was something more suspicious afoot. But what exactly was it?

He was back to his usual scramble after spending a few days of peace within his residence. Last time, he had only refined the Pinecrane Pill. This time, he was going to refine the Emperor Supremacy Pill as well.

After the Dragon and Tiger Meet, Jiang Chen had made it known to the public that he was purchasing Heavencloud Ganoderma. There were a few accumulated over at Taiyuan Tower now. This was tremendously good news.

He’d paid a high price for them, but the expense was nothing compared to the profit that would come from the pills. It was no less difficult to refine Emperor Supremacy Pills than Pinecrane Pills.

He had the advantage of his improved cultivation level this time, however. His pill dao efforts were becoming easier and easier because of this.

In his previous life, he had become a pill dao master renowned in the heavenly planes without any martial cultivation whatsoever. Now that he had a certain amount of cultivation to back him up, his control and stamina far surpassed what he’d been capable of in the past.

In only half a month’s time, Jiang Chen successfully opened his doors once more: a batch of Emperor Supremacy Pills was complete.

He was in a hurry because of his trip to Agarwood. The terror of the celestial demon lord had served as a warning that Veluriyam Capital needed to increase its strength.

When he emerged from seclusion, he called the city’s great emperors to him immediately. Since he hadn’t been seen for a while, his summons was met with excitement. Their young lord was becoming more mysterious and impenetrable by the day.

There were rumors in the outside world that even wandering cultivator giants like Emperor Wellspring had joined young lord Jiang Chen. This unquestionably increased the worship of Veluriyam’s emperors toward their leader. Even Emperor Petalpluck had to offer sufficient respect to Jiang Chen.

“Friends! These past few days, I made a trip to Agarwood. I’m sure you haven’t heard any news of that trip yet and I came…” He scarcely finished his sentence when he noticed the others’ odd expressions.

Frowning, Jiang Chen glanced at Emperor Coiling Dragon. “Coiling Dragon, is there anything you would like to say?”

The emperor smiled wryly when he was named. “Young lord, have you been behind closed doors since you came back from Agarwood?”

“Yes,” Jiang Chen nodded. “I’ve been refining the Emperor Supremacy Pill for half a month with some success.”

Coiling Dragon’s eyes lit up. “Have you finished a batch?”

The emperor had desired the pill for quite a while now. The very news of the pill was enough to make his eyes gleam. He tossed all the words he had to say to the wind. His eyes were on the pills alone.

“Serious issues first,” waved Jiang Chen.

Emperor Coiling Dragon chuckled, recovering his wits. “Young lord,” he laughed, “don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s talk about the Emperor Supremacy Pill for a bit.”

“You’ll get one in time. It’s not going anywhere.”

Everyone else laughed as well. Only Emperor Coiling Dragon could be this casual with Jiang Chen. Before his rise to power, the Coiling Dragon Clan had served as his patron and compatriot.

The other emperors were mildly envious of Coiling Dragon’s relationship with the young lord. It was obvious that he would have priority in receiving the pill.

Jiang Chen’s solemnity sobered Emperor Coiling Dragon up too. “It’s no wonder then. If you’ve been spending time behind closed doors these past few days… There’ve been an increasing amount of rumors about Agarwood in the outside world.”

“Oh? What of it?” Because Jiang Chen had been refining pills, he hadn’t heard any news of the outside world. He knew nothing about the goings-on outside Veluriyam.

“Don’t take it to heart, young lord,” said Coiling Dragon. “They’re just a bunch of liars. They only want to throw dirt at you and slander our Veluriyam Capital.”

“Be more specific. What are they saying about me?” Jiang Chen inquired coolly.

“There’s a rumor in the outside world that you broke the Boundary Stele within Agarwood without permission. They say that you are a double agent of another race… there’s lots of weird and unfounded claims about you, young lord. Nobody who lives in the city believes a word of it.”

Currently, Veluriyam Capital was too dedicated and unyielding for the outside world to sway.

Jiang Chen frowned. The Boundary Stele?

The problems at there had been witnessed by Jiang Chen, the Stone Golems, and the Vermilion Bird. The celestial demon lord and his demonic servants had been party as well of course, and the empyrean experts of the Southern Celestial Tribe.

Out of these witnesses, Jiang Chen and company couldn’t have been the ones to spill the beans. All of them was here, within the young lord residence.

The celestial demon lord had stolen Zhongli Yan’s body and fled to Southern Celestial territory. The other two experts had run back to their homeland as well. It couldn’t possibly be one of them here in the human domain.

The only ones left over were the demonic servants who had joined up with the celestial demon lord. But those had been slaughtered wholesale under Jiang Chen and the golem brothers’ pursuit. Not a single one had been left alive. He was entirely sure on this point.

Even if there were one or two that had gotten away, how could they have started up such a malicious storm in the entirety of the human domain? There was something very strange about all this.

“Where did the rumors come from?” Jiang Chen frowned.

“The usual suspects, you know? Pillfire City’s Emperor Cloudbillow, Eternal Celestial Capital…” Emperor Coiling Dragon looked unconcerned.

“What did you say?!” Jiang Chen cut him off before he could finish. The young man stood up with such vehemence and suddenness that he shocked everyone else present. He was a far cry from his usual calmness.

Emperor Coiling Dragon was amazed. “Young lord, those guys are only a bunch of clowns. They’re fabricating rumors and chaos to shake the world into disarray. Most people in the outside world don’t believe them. They think that Pillfire is slandering you in particular!”

Jiang Chen looked very serious as he gazed intently at Coiling Dragon. He took a deep breath. “What did you just say? Pillfire’s Cloudbillow? The Eternal Celestial Capital’s Emperor Castveil?”

“Yes! The Empyrean River Palace’s vice palace head and the Sublime Chord Temple’s Master Vimalakhirti as well. The worst part is that the Ninesuns Sky Sect’s Emperor Newsun is part of them! I thought the Ninesuns Sky Sect wanted peace with you, young lord?” Coiling Dragon was furious when he came to this part.

Jiang Chen’s face grew darker by the second.

His excessive reaction worried everyone else as well. They didn’t suspect him of any wrongdoing of course, but they realized the gravity of the potential situation on their hands.

Jiang Chen took another deep breath before asking once more. “Coiling Dragon, are you sure that these words were personally spoken by Emperor Cloudbillow and the rest?”

“Yes! Pillfire City and its associate factions are gathering others to their side in order to make a public demand for an explanation. The entire human domain has two voices right now: one that supports you, young lord, and the other… the people who are making trouble with Pillfire.”

Chapter 1446: Resurrection From the Dead

Coiling Dragon trailed off as he said this. Jiang Chen’s expression made him realize that something was very off. He closed his mouth, not wishing to disturb the young man’s thoughts.

“Keep talking.” Jiang Chen struggled to calm himself down. “Tell me everything in as much detail as possible. Especially about Cloudbillow and company.” He settled down his heart as much as possible.

However, Coiling Dragon didn’t know where to start.

The meeting was silent for a time. Everyone’s eyes became evasive. Clearly, these great emperors had all been scared off by the severity of Jiang Chen’s reaction.

Noticing the delicacy of the atmosphere, Jiang Chen sighed softly. “Friends, are you sure that Emperors Cloudbillow, Castveil, and Master Vimalakhirti all appeared in person?”

“Young lord, is there something wrong about that?” Emperor Void interjected.

Everyone else was rather curious as well. What had happened to warrant such a reaction from young lord Jiang Chen?

Jiang Chen gazed grimly at his captive audience. “The words you speak make me rather doubtful. Are all of you really still you?”

Everyone was entirely confused. What did he mean by that? The young lord’s words were becoming more incomprehensible by the day.

Coiling Dragon scratched his head. “Young lord, are there people that dare disguise themselves as us? Appearance is easy to mimic, but bloodlines aren’t. Who can copy Coiling Dragon Clan’s blood, eh?”

“But the Emperors Cloudbillow and Castveil that the world sees must be fakes.” Jiang Chen choked out a dry laugh.

“Huh?” The whole room reeled in stunned disorientation. Jiang Chen hadn’t made himself any clearer.

“Those people all died at Agarwood Valley.”

What?

They all died?

Veluriyam’s great emperors looked at each other in collective amazement.

“Young lord, you… you’re not joking, are you? Emperor Cloudbillow and a group of his cronies are spreading libelous rumors about you everywhere in the human domain. That’s definitely real, and something that’s only happened over the last couple of days. News of it is everywhere. If the rumors had been scarce, they could’ve been false. But if the entire martial dao world is talking about it, then…”

Jiang Chen nodded. “That’s why I think this is strange. There has to be something afoot. I do know one thing though: all these people have already died! Aside from me, Emperor Newsun and the forefather of the Purple Smoke Sect are the only survivors. However, if Newsun has joined Cloudbillow, I assume he’s met with some kind of misfortune as well.”

Everyone’s expressions became conflicted. They saw that Jiang Chen was deadly serious.

The young lord went on plainly. “The secret realm within Agarwood held an ancient celestial demon lord, sealed away by a formation that belonged to an equally ancient sect. He used his demonic consciousness to lure human cultivators into his domain. If not for the alertness I had from the start, I might have fallen prey to his trap as well.”

He retold all that had occurred there to the great emperors present. How the cultivators had fallen into the demon lord’s trap, how Newsun had escaped with his subordinates’ sacrifice, and how the latter had stuck around for a bit before leaving with the Purple Smoke Sect’s forefather.

He recounted the intrusion of the Southern Celestial Tribe’s experts as well, and how the demon lord had finally struggled free of his seal with their help.

Jiang Chen held nothing back, even the information about the ancient legendary bow. The stakes were too high for him to conceal information. He had a bad feeling that the strange events which were currently taking place only served to hide a brewing conspiracy that was even more sinister.

Most concerning was the faction that had formulated the conspiracy. It was fearsome enough to know everything that can place in the Primosanct Sect’s sacred land. This shocked Jiang Chen tremendously. He was now completely sure that there had been a third, terrifying party there.

He hadn’t noticed them, the Vermilion Bird hadn’t noticed them, and the eight Stone Golem brothers hadn’t noticed them either. Even the arrogant celestial demon lord, with his extremely powerful consciousness, hadn’t noticed them. From beginning to end, no one had paid any attention to the third party’s presence.

They had been the veritable oriole in the story of the cicada and the mantis. Jiang Chen hadn’t understood the tale very much before now, but a chill ran down his spine when he considered the possibilities.

The faction behind this was truly dreadful. Not just its subterfuge, but its unspeakable ambitions and unparalleled skill at disguises.

Mimicking the dead Cloudbillow and company plausibly wasn’t something that just anyone could pull off! Even their own sects and factions didn’t suspect that anything was wrong. The scope of the problem was bloodcurdlingly large.

The celestial demon lord and the Southern Flame Tribe were known threats. Jiang Chen was wary of them, but he wasn’t going to lose any sleep over them. This hidden faction could do just that though. He wasn’t going to sleep very well after today.

After a long time, Emperor Void spoke once more. “Young lord, from what you say, the culprit responsible for all this is hideously strong!”

Copying one person wasn’t hard.

Copying a group of people wasn’t nearly on the same level. A proficient team was required, as was sufficient knowledge and understanding of what had happened in Agarwood.

How else would they have been able to make their lie convincing otherwise?

“We can’t be so passive, young lord,” Emperor Coiling Dragon spat angrily. “We must step forward and unveil them to the rest of the world! This is a conspiracy!”

“Yes, we must reveal their plot. If these people all died and are fakes, it should be easy to do that!”

“Not necessarily. They have large numbers and we very few. They’ve pretty much made their accusations simultaneously. Young lord Jiang Chen is only one person. How can he debate so many successfully?”

Some were indignant and others worried.

“It doesn’t matter who the culprit is,” replied Jiang Chen. “They slander me because they are afraid of me. That’s why they must resort to such a disgusting method in order to oppose me at all.”

“That’s right, young lord. They want to ruin your reputation and destroy Veluriyam’s prestige! We can’t allow this to happen!”

“Quite so, young lord. We must mount a counterattack!”

“Let’s make an announcement to denounce those phonies right now! As long as we expose them, their actions should no longer matter!”

As these people spoke, guests arrived. It was none other than the Skysword Sect’s head, Han Qianzhan, and the Celestial Cicada Court’s leader, Su Huanzhen. These two were intricately tied to Veluriyam in their dealings.

They were evidently bothered by the circulating rumors and were here to seek the truth from Jiang Chen’s mouth. Their restlessness was visible from their actions and behavior.

“Young lord Jiang Chen, things are very bad right now. If the Ninesuns Sky Sect stands with Pillfire and helps them stir things up, it will be very bad for you and Veluriyam! The excuse they’ve come up with is especially bad. Destroying Boundary Steles is a serious crime!” Han Qianzhan cut straight to the point.

Since ancient times, human experts have upheld an unspoken agreement: Boundary Steles and their territories were not to be touched, no matter where they were. Human cultivators, peak experts especially, were forbidden from challenging them.

If Pillfire and its associates held on to this fact, it would be an easy avenue of attack against Jiang Chen and Veluriyam’s fame and influence.

There were many loyal supporters of Jiang Chen in the human domain, a group that was expanding by the day. From a broad point of view, Veluriyam had basically surpassed Pillfire to become the leading faction of the Upper Eight Regions.

Pillfire had perfect motive for doing this.

Still, Jiang Chen felt that even Emperor Pillzenith had no ability to make all the cultivators outside Agarwood disappear. Therefore, he considered it quite unlikely for Pillzenith to be the mastermind behind the operation. He was an assistant at most.

Truthfully, he was more worried about Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers’ whereabouts than the malicious rumors.

He speculated that the three great emperors had been captured or kidnapped, as depressing as the idea was. Unfortunately, that was the best case scenario. Their bizarre deaths would be a much graver blow.

It was a loss that Jiang Chen couldn’t afford to sustain.

Su Huanzhen’s voice echoed forth. “Young lord Jiang Chen, Sect Head Han and I don’t believe you would be someone so rash. We both think you should step up to condemn what they’ve said. Your innocence must be declared to the world. Otherwise, their lies will be allowed to propagate until they are indistinguishable from truth. That wouldn’t be a good thing for Veluriyam’s reputation or the human domain at large.”

If Veluriyam fell off its pedestal, the entire human domain would fall into anarchy for a time. After all, many people saw the capital as the only reliable faction in the land.

“What do you think, friends?” Su Huanzhen’s concern for Veluriyam’s fortunes was evident. The anxiety and distress on her face were overt.

Everyone looked at Jiang Chen, hesitant to speak. Before the young lord’s explanation, they didn’t even dare announce that Cloudbillow and company had already died. Doing so wasn’t much different from an admission of madness. All eyes settled on the young lord to see how he would respond.

“I can’t hide what’s happened from you, my friends. You’ve come a long way.” Jiang Chen concisely retold the matter of Agarwood and the fakes to the two sect heads.

Their reactions after hearing the entire story were nearly identical. Shock, astonishment, then trepidation!

Chapter 1447: Coming To A Firm Decision

Their reactions came as no surprise to Jiang Chen.

Anyone would’ve reacted the same way after hearing such earth-shattering news. Jiang Chen had been equally shocked when he heard Cloudbillow’s name.

Resurrection wasn’t unheard of in the martial dao world, but it could only be done if the soul was still intact.

Jiang Chen had slain Cloudbillow, Sublime Chord Temple’s Venerated Weimo, and the Empyrean River Palace’s vice sect head with the divine bow. It hadn’t been a dream. Yet somehow, these men had mysteriously come to life and were sullying his reputation!

Han Qianzhan was wide-eyed with shock. “Young lord Jiang Chen, do you mean that you’ve slain the demon sympathizers?”

“I didn’t do it alone. I had help from a few companions, the Primosanct Sect’s terrain advantage, as well as the divine bow.” Jiang Chen was open and frank. This wasn’t the time to be sneaky and coy.

“The demon race…” Su Huanzhen murmured. “I’ve always thought of them as faraway beings whose paths would never cross with ours, but now I finally realize that they were always among us. Our ignorance and fear have led us to forgetting about the scars they've left behind. We lied to ourselves in hope that ignorance would make them go away!”

She’d hit the nail on the head.

Despite knowing how big of a threat the ancient demons posed, the entire human race had unconsciously decided to run away from their problems and live from day to day.

It was a very widespread issue. After all, nobody had ever experienced the gruesome ancient battles themselves. Only a few texts about the ancient massacre still remained. Information about the demonic cataclysm was mostly spread through the word of mouth.

However, most couldn’t associate their present reality with something so distant and ancient. Thus, only a few remained cautious in times of peace.

Han Qianzhan abruptly shifted his gaze to Jiang Chen. “Young lord, if those men are imposters, perhaps the demons are the ones pulling the strings?”

Jiang Chen shook his head. “I can’t be certain. Since everyone here is a figurehead of the human domain, do you know of any hidden factions in the human domain over the recent millennia?”

Hidden factions?

The crowd shook their heads. “It would be extremely difficult to keep themselves hidden for so long.”

“It’s very unlikely.”

“I agree. The playing field in the Upper Eight Regions has long solidified. A hidden faction could never cause so much chaos.”

Jiang Chen nodded. “I’m afraid there will no longer be a day’s worth of peace in the human domain. Truth be told, I felt completely helpless when the demon lord was freed from his seal. Fortunately, he fled to Southern Celestial territory. The consequences would be dire if otherwise.”

The crowd nodded in agreement. They could tell how frightening the demon lord was from Jiang Chen’s descriptions alone.

Great emperor or not, no one had been able to break free from the demonic domain, even though the demon’s true body had been sealed. And right after being released, he’d subdued three Southern Celestial empyrean experts without breaking a sweat, despite not being at peak condition.

The Southern Celestial experts were initial empyrean cultivators, but not even they could muster up a fight against a newly freed demon lord. One could only imagine how frightening he’d be at full strength.

The divine bow was incredibly heaven-defying, but the demon lord had only defeated by it because he'd let his guard down and his senses were dulled from disuse. Under any other circumstance, the arrows wouldn't have been enough to cause him much harm, let alone destroy his physical body.

“We’ve narrowly avoided the demon lord’s wrath, but it’s clear that the demons in the shadows are growing restless!” Jiang Chen warned after meeting Han Qianzhan and Su Huanzhen’s complicated gazes.

Han Qianzhan sighed. “I used to think that the Upper Eight Regions was more than adequate in strength, but I now know that to be false. Before the demons, we’re nothing but pigs waiting to be slaughtered!”

“Sectmaster Han, you need not belittle yourself. True, the demons are extremely powerful, but they are limited by the environment. Even if they free themselves of their restrictions, it’s almost impossible for them to return to their peak condition.”

The amount of resources and energy density in the human domain was no longer what it had been in the ancient era.

The destruction of countless spirit veins and the overconsumption of resources during the ancient demonic war was the main culprit of the human race’s decline. A turnaround wasn’t in sight even after two hundred thousand years.

To add insult to injury, many powerful experts had taken their heritage and resources with them to Myriad Abyss Island after the war.

Destruction of spirit veins, exhaustion of resources, loss of heritage and powerful experts…

These were all enormous disasters for the human race, but the same problems applied to the demons as well. In an environment as malnourished as the modern human domain, restoring themselves to peak condition was nigh impossible.

“Young lord, the human domain has declined greatly and is no longer as affluent as the ancient era. Perhaps the demons will no longer care to invade us and so we won’t be the primary battleground again?” Coiling Dragon theorized. Due to the human race’s decline, the proud demon race might no longer see the human domain a worthy target.

Perhaps this was actually a blessing in disguise?

Jiang Chen shook his head. “You’re being overly optimistic. First of all, the human domain was the main battlefield during ancient times and so this is where many powerful demons are sealed. Once these experts awaken and free themselves from their seals, they’ll surely wreak havoc upon our lands. Moreover, the Boundary Steles have isolated us from the other domains. Even demons would find it difficult to get past the barriers to seek other lands.

"There are already demons present in the other domains. They can’t trespass upon another demon's territory. Also, you might’ve overlooked the fact that the demons didn’t invade us merely for our resources. They actually set their targets on our population, our reproductive abilities! The demons are powerful, but their ability to reproduce is extremely weak. To build a sizable army, they have to take over the human race!”

Emperor Coiling Dragon laughed wryly at his own naivete after hearing Jiang Chen’s detailed analysis.

Jiang Chen realized that he might’ve dealt an enormous blow to the group’s morale, but this wasn’t the time to be concerned over such matters. The figureheads of the human domain had grown too complacent. They’d been too careless and failed to see the demons as a real threat.

If this went on, the demons would surely exploit their fears and flatten them without breaking a sweat.

Jiang Chen had rung the alarm bells to wake everyone up from their stupor.

“The demons are frighteningly strong, but they can be defeated. The demon lord was extremely powerful, no? Yet in the end, he could only flee with his tail between his legs. We humans have survived since the primordial era. There were times where we were nearly wiped out, but we’ve always stubbornly clung onto life.

“Every race has their advantages and disadvantages. As long as we come up with good countermeasures and plans beforehand, the demons won’t stand a chance!” Jiang Chen had to reassure the group to prevent inner demons from forming in their dao hearts.

He took out a bottle. “Here are a few Emperor Supremacy Pills. They are specially made for everyone here, the future pillars of the human race. With this, everyone’s strength will improve by a notch. We’ll need every set of hands and bit of strength we can muster.”

The crowd’s mood instantly took a turn for the better. They felt ashamed of themselves when they saw Jiang Chen's composure. Despite his youth, he'd already faced a demon lord head on and lived to tell the tale!

Moreover, he didn't seem to harbor any fear of the demons!

This crowd's confidence in him grew. Perhaps the unfathomable youth before them really could lead them to victory against the demons.

The Emperor Supremacy Pill!

Great emperors would unconditionally ascend by one level after taking it! The crowd's worries were washed away by this joy.

“Everyone here is a trusted aide of mine. Since we’ve on the same ship, I’ll skip the high-falutin’ words. Today, I bring to you the Emperor Supremacy Pill, but when the time is ripe, there will be many more opportunities to come!” Jiang Chen proclaimed upon distributing the pills to the crowd.

The crowd’s eyes gleamed.

“It’s time that we clean up the mess that is the Upper Eight Regions. I have no interest in gaining sovereignty over the region, but if we don’t change the status quo, we’ll be sitting ducks once the demon cataclysm occurs!” His voice was as thunderous as it was dominant.

The crowd turned their gazes to Jiang Chen out of surprise and saw the determination in his eyes. Was the stalemate in the Upper Eight Regions finally coming to an end?

Chapter 1448: Open Hostility

Han Tianzhan looked at Jiang Chen worshipfully. “Young lord Jiang Chen,” he promised, “I’ve never been impressed much by anyone all my life, but you impress me a great deal! The stagnant waters of the Upper Eight Regions should be stirred up. They’ll going to turn putrid otherwise!”

Han Tianzhan was a leader with reasonable ambitions. The Great Yu Skysword Sect was one of the strongest first rank sects in the Upper Eight Regions. However, despite its strength, it couldn’t compare in strength or resources to the urban giants that were Veluriyam Capital and Pillfire City.

That, combined with Jiang Chen’s unique charisma and plethora of methods, made Han Tianzhan enamored with the young lord’s abilities. His heroism was completely ignited by what Jiang Chen had said.

As for Su Huanzhen, she had always been on good terms with Veluriyam Capital. To this day, she pined after Emperor Peafowl. Her care for Veluriyam Capital was second only to her care for the Celestial Cicada Court.

“Young lord Jiang Chen, the Celestial Cicada Court will stand firmly by Veluriyam Capital’s side, wherever and whenever!” This was her promise.

“Alright! Adversity is the toughest trial for friendship. I won’t let either of you down for making this difficult choice in such a trying time.” Jiang Chen didn’t resort to over-the-top language, but the things he spoke sounded quite credible to Han Qianzhan and Su Huanzhen nevertheless. Receiving the Emperor Supremacy Pill had made the two sect heads’ trip worthwhile.

Jiang Chen was in a muted mood after sending his guests off. The things that had taken place within the human domain over the past few days could not be ignored.

“Young lord, Pillfire City seems to be dispensing with all civilities. How shall we deal with them?” Coiling Dragon couldn’t resist asking.

“We’ll deal with them as they come,” Jiang Chen replied coolly. “There’s no need to panic. Things are absolutely not as simple as they seem. The biggest threat to the human domain now is no longer Pillfire, but the faction pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

The faction’s secrecy unsettled Jiang Chen.

“We shall maintain steady fortitude in the face of change.” This was the strategy that the young lord settled on.

Though Veluriyam was missing Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers, the eight stone golem brothers were here to pick up the slack. In terms of total strength, the city had seen only an increase. Moreover, Pillzenith’s son was still in Jiang Chen’s hands. Even if the great emperor dared pull some trick or three, he wouldn’t do anything particularly dastardly. Otherwise, his dearest son would come to a tragic end.

Jiang Chen still felt somewhat suffocated after he returned to the young lord residence. He found the Vermilion Bird and retold everything that had happened today. The bird was as surprised as he had been when it heard the news. The demise of Cloudbillow and the rest had been witnessed by the divine creature as well.

“You say that they’ve all come alive again, and they’re in the human domain right now? Are you sure?” The Vermilion Bird’s tone was nothing short of astonished.

“It sounds incredible, but it’s true.” Jiang Chen shook his head, uncertain of what more to say. He couldn’t make heads nor tails of it either.

There must be some terrifying faction behind all this. Exactly how they’d pulled it off though, he had no clue. He didn’t even know who the culprit actually was.

The bird was silent for a long while before it asked another question. “What do you plan to do then?”

“I plan to use inaction to counter their action. I’ll let them hop around for a bit, and when they’re out of ideas and strategies, I’ll deliver a lethal blow. No matter who the mastermind is, I’ll drag him out from behind the curtain,” Jiang Chen promised grimly.

“A wise choice,” nodded the bird. “Stay calm! You can’t be thrown off by their antics at this stage. Do whatever you need to do.”

Jiang Chen inclined his head as well. “That’s right, senior. You’ve come to the young lord residence for a while. I totally forgot that I have a small present to give you.”

“Present?” The Vermilion Bird blinked.

“I can’t extend your life yet, but I do have a wood spirit spring that can help you purify your constitution and blood. It may improve your vitality somewhat. It won’t actually help you live any longer, but I think it’ll alleviate many of your current symptoms.”

“A wood spirit spring?” The Vermilion Bird’s eyes lit up. “I’ve heard of it before. A marvel of nature, able to purify blood and enhance many forms of life.”

Jiang Chen led the Vermilion Bird to the spring at the back of the mountain.

The divine creature was overjoyed at the overwhelming power the spring radiated. It was certain that the water could do exactly Jiang Chen had advertised. Though it couldn’t give the bird new life, it would certainly delay the deterioration of its bodily functions.

……

Ten days later, the Vermilion Bird emerged from the wood spirit spring looking completely different. The depressed air that’d clung to it was largely gone.

“I didn’t expect your home to have so many treasures hidden around it, Jiang Chen. There’s more to you than meets the eye.” The bird was in a very good mood. The brief respite it had received wiped away its former dejection.

“I can only do this much for you, senior. The baptism of the wood spirit spring may not put off the inevitable, but it will prolong your time until then. From what I know of rebirth from fire however, your opportunities don’t lie within the human domain.”

The human domain of present day was no longer the bustling one of the ancient era. This place could no longer sustain the demands of a divine creature’s tribulation.

The Vermilion Bird looked intently. “Where do you think my opportunities will be?”

“I think the best place for you will be Myriad Abyss Island.” Jiang Chen had little understanding of the other races’ territories, but those places were unlikely to be the core of the continent. Only Myriad Abyss Island had the requisite strength and prestige to take that title.

“Myriad Abyss Island… Myriad Abyss Island…” The Vermilion Bird repeated those words to itself several times, clearly moved by them.

After a few moments, it nodded. “Jiang Chen, it is only thanks to you that I was freed from the Primosanct Sect. My rejuvenation in the waters of your wood spirit spring is similar. The human race is going through a troubled time at present, so I’ve decided to stay here to help you whenever you need it!” As a proud spirit creature, it was intent on repaying Jiang Chen’s grace.

Jiang Chen blinked. “Does your vitality allow you to delay like this?”

“Don’t worry!” The bird said. “I know my body better than you do. Without the wood spirit spring, I may not have had three decades left. After its purifying waters, my vitals have temporarily improved. My estimates give me at least two hundred years left.”

“Senior, you may wish to reconsider.” Jiang Chen was happy to receive the Vermilion Bird’s promise. However, considering the bird’s condition, he didn’t want to unduly hold it up from its own plans.

As they conversed, someone ran in hurriedly from outside.

“Young lord, we just received news that Pillfire has gathered thirty-some sects in a crusade against Veluriyam Capital. Their goal is you, young lord!” It was Jiang Chen’s confidante and cousin, Xue Tong. The young man was quite anxious, evidently scared by the news.

“Thirty-some sects?” Jiang Chen smiled faintly, his expression almost mocking. “Pillfire was able to mobilize quite a number, hrmm!”

Xue Tong was very surprised at his reaction.

“Young lord, the alliance will be within the city in ten days. I fear the worst!” The young lord’s cousin was far more worried than the youth himself.

Jiang Chen was perfectly at ease. “How many first rank sects are there?” He asked coolly.

“Four. The Heavenly Dragon Sect, the Sublime Chord Temple, the Empyrean River Palace, and the Eternal Celestial Capital! I hear that the Ninesuns Sky Sect’s executives are bickering among themselves. Some of Newsun’s supporters chose to stand with Pillfire… but the sect’s Emperor Clearsky has clearly expressed his nonparticipation in these pointless crusades. He’s also stated publicly that he has faith in the type of person you are, and that the Boundary Steles aren’t so easily broken!”

Another sect in such internal strife was the Moon God Sect. However, the division there wasn’t quite so significant. Because of the marriage between the two factions, that sect would never publicly support Pillfire. That would hold true no matter the extent of the threats levied against them.

Jiang Chen laughed when he heard all this. “Those four first rank sects again, eh? When I came back from the Moon God Sect, they were the ones who ambushed me. The same villains are now back with the same recipe. I wasn’t scared of them while in their territory and there’s nothing to fear in our home base!”

His comfort and ease was infectious. Xue Tong calmed down a great deal.

“On the contrary, I’m more worried they won’t come.” Jiang Chen was referring to Cloudbillow and company. Cloudbillow in particular had been slain by the young lord’s hand – or arrow, to be more precise. How could a person return from beyond the pale like that?

Unfurling a map, Jiang Chen studied the terrain around Veluriyam Capital carefully.

A few moments perusing the map was enough for him to circle a few key spots.

“We’ll hold them back at these three choke points. We can’t let external forces enter Veluriyam proper! How will I live up to Emperor Peafowl otherwise?”

Though Jiang Chen had advocated inaction, his opponent had dealt a potent hand. He wasn’t about to remain a sitting duck.

He preferred to counterattack on the outskirts of the city. The fires of battle could not be allowed to burn within Veluriyam’s heart.

“Bring young master Tian Lin to me,” commanded Jiang Chen.

He had warned Pillzenith that any wrong move would be met with the execution of his son on the field of battle. Pillzenith’s repeated provocations had worn his patience thin. Without a doubt, the correct solution was decisively root out the foundation of all trouble!

Chapter 1449: Discussion on the Eve of Battle

All Veluriyam’s great emperors were gathered together once more.

Unfurling the map a second time, Jiang Chen pointed to and fro. “Friends, Pillfire is at its wit’s end. It’s preparing a final assault on us to find victory or death. We should rise to the challenge in meeting them on the battlefield!”

He had refrained from formally making a break with Pillfire all this time because of his regard for the bigger picture in the human domain. A clash between two powerful forces was sure to result in civil unrest in the domain for a long while, reducing humanity’s already meager strength even further.

Alas, Pillfire had seemingly cast Jiang Chen’s efforts to the dogs. They’d perceived Jiang Chen’s self-control and restraint as cowardice and timidness. This infuriated Veluriyam’s young lord. If continual restraint couldn’t bring peace, then the alternative was a thunderous strike to excise the festering boil of Pillfire from the world!

It wasn’t just the great emperors in the city who were called. Emperor Vastsea, who had been maintaining affairs in Great Scarlet and Myriad, was recalled as well.

Emperor Wellspring was summoned too, alongside a few of his wandering cultivator compatriots. These great emperors had all answered the titan’s charismatic appeal and were completely on Jiang Chen’s side.

Unfortunately, without Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers, Jiang Chen felt like he was still missing something.

He wasn’t lacking in strength of arms, but he did worry about his friend and subordinates. Those three had done a lot for him since the beginning. He wanted to know what had happened to them to rest his own heart, if nothing else.

One question remained, though. If the faction behind the scenes really can disguise people as Cloudbillow and Castveil, why haven’t they disguised themselves as Old Brother Mo and the Jiao brothers to dump more dirty water on me?

This perplexed Jiang Chen a great deal.

‘Emperor Cloudbillow’ and ‘Emperor Castveil’ were able to mount a convincing propaganda campaign, but its effect was nevertheless diminished due to their erstwhile status as his enemies.

If the mastermind had sent people disguised as Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers, the effect of Jiang Chen’s allies turning on him would be much superior, perhaps to an explosive and destructive degree.

However, that kind of worrisome situation hadn’t happened.

Jiang Chen was both grateful and thoughtful. Maybe Old Brother Mo and the Jiao brothers were in danger, but the mastermind hadn’t discovered their real identities yet. Or were they being treated as ordinary captives?

That was a more optimistic view of things.

Emperor Peerless and the Jiao brothers had hid their identities and pretended to be wandering cultivators from the onset. If they kept this on the down-low and went with the flow, perhaps they were safe still.

The thought of this relieved Jiang Chen’s tension somewhat.

The great emperors gathered here were studying the young lord’s battle plan. Their blood pumped and spirits were high at the prospect of battle ahead.

Among Veluriyam’s own, Coiling Dragon and Void staunchly supported Jiang Chen. Petalpluck’s attitude on the other hand, was a bit more uncertain. Not that he wavered in his support of the city’s present leader, but the emperor wasn’t confident about their chances of victory.

“Young lord, Pillfire is out in force this time. It’s gathered thirty-some factions in a fierce alliance. That kind of group can sweep the entire human domain. Veluriyam is alone in its war effort right now, so we would have a lot of trouble resisting their attacks. If we use the city’s defenses to maneuver against them, then maybe we can pull it off in the end. Fighting them on the outskirts… may not be wise.”

Petalpluck knew that Jiang Chen was capable, but Pillfire and its allies outnumbered Veluriyam several-to-one. The outskirts offered no tactical advantage in terms of terrain. If they were weaker in terms of raw manpower too, how were they going to win?

Petalpluck’s concerns did have some basis in fact. Skysplitter also felt the same way.

The latter voiced his worries respectfully. “Young lord Jiang Chen, my Skysplitter faction respects and admires your leadership completely. Only you are fit for the reins of Veluriyam. However, this coming battle will decide the city’s survival. I venture that we can’t brashly walk into a decision. We have no advantage in terms of men or terrain if we take this to the outskirts.”

On a basic level, Veluriyam Capital was precarious in all three dimensions: circumstantial, territorial, and manpower.

Mountaincrush sighed as well. “Young lord Jiang Chen, I won’t bat an eyelash in fighting for Veluriyam to the death. Fighting on the outskirts though… it’s like throwing an egg at a rock with what little we have remaining.”

These three great emperors were all quite rational in their rationales. They weren’t opposing simply for the reason of opposing.

“Oi, you three,” Vastsea interjected disdainfully. “You’ve known the young lord for so long, but you still don’t know him well enough yet. When has the young lord done anything that he was unsure about? Pillzenith is strong, but have you forgotten? He brought a very large group to ambush the young lord on Eternal Celestial territory, but that ended in shambles nonetheless.”

Vastsea was a serial flatterer, but he did have the advantage of steadfastly supporting anyone he threw in his lot with.

Just like when he’d joined Emperor Shura all those years ago; at that time, Shura had no advantages whatsoever over Emperor Peafowl. Despite that, Vastsea had fought his instincts and raised the banner of revolution alongside Shura. Whether openly or covertly, he sang a counter-tune against Peafowl.

Now that Jiang Chen had his loyalty and recognition, he stood beside Jiang Chen to the bitter end.

The benevolent Emperor Coiling Dragon spoke up as well. “I very much agree with the young lord’s proposition. If we defend only Veluriyam’s heart, Pillzenith’s armies would rampage through the countryside and the peoples under our rule. When Emperor Peafowl reigned, he never abandoned a single one of his subjects. Are we supposed to toss aside our principles simply because of our enemy’s apparent strength? Shall we hide within the city’s walls and ignore the plight of our people? What right do we have to their help and support then?”

There was mass concurrence at his speech. It was right for a leader to personally defend the gates to his nation.

As the leader of Veluriyam Capital, Jiang Chen ruled over countless miles of land and people, vassals as many as the stars in the sky.

If they disregarded border defense and allowed Pillzenith’s forces to invade openly, it would be a swarm of locusts romping across the countryside. The only result would be a massive loss of life!

Even if Veluriyam’s core remained intact after a long, hard defense, they would be a general without an army.

The prominence of a faction was fueled by its innumerable subjects and subordinates. Existing without these foundations was a tree without roots: living on borrowed time.

Emperor Void nodded. “If Emperor Peafowl were here, he wouldn’t hide himself within Veluriyam’s walls either. Veluriyam may fall, but we can’t let it fall in such a dastardly way. We great emperors should die before the commoners in defense of our country. What opposition can there be to this? Moreover, the young lord’s decision to meet our foes on the outskirts must have a reason behind it. Why not hear him out before we decide?”

As Jiang Chen’s confidants, Void and Coiling Dragon were closer to him than the rest. There was an element of blind worship in their relationship to him. Plus, they had been Emperor Peafowl’s confidants in the past as well. Their perspective was similar in many respects to their former master’s.

Therefore, both great emperors were much more firm on this particular topic of contention than the others.

Wellspring chuckled. “Friends, let me put myself forward for a second.”

The wandering great emperor held immense seniority in the world of martial dao. After all, he was one of the wandering cultivator world’s six titans. If he was less prominent than Emperor Peafowl, that was only by a hair’s margin.

In the Veluriyam of today, even Petalpluck wasn’t necessarily comparable to Wellspring. Decorum-wise, it was necessary and obligatory to listen to what he had to say.

“Young lord Jiang Chen and I are of one mind and spirit, so I won’t offer my opinion on that part overmuch. I do think though, that Pillzenith’s thirty-odd coalition is less fierce than it may seem. The very fact that he is at Veluriyam’s doors means that he cannot wait any longer. Why? Because he’s afraid of the young lord.

“They may look strong at first glance, but have you considered on what is their cooperation basis in the first place?”

Almost all of the other great emperors couldn’t say that they had. Most sank into thought. Yes, why had these thirty-odd factions come together in the first place? What was the glue that held them together?

“What’s keeping them as one? Is it profit? Pillzenith’s threats and blackmail? Or a common fear and hatred of young lord Jiang Chen?” Emperor Wellspring posed a few more questions, more detailed this time.

“What do you think is the reason, Daoist Wellspring?” Coiling Dragon asked.

“I’ve come up with a couple possibilities. Firstly, young lord Jiang Chen’s youthful heroism has elicited envy and fear of his potential rise into blinding prominence. It may affect these factions’ bottom line one way or another. Secondly, Pillzenith has always had remarkable influence and prestige among many factions. Those particular ones may have been intimidated or coerced into supporting his war effort. Thirdly, they may have come solely for the sake of potential profit – chief among that, division of Veluriyam’s treasures!”

Chapter 1450: To Crush Utterly

Jiang Chen’s lips curved in appreciation. He couldn’t help but admire Emperor Wellspring’s keen insight and unique understanding of the situation. None of the great emperors from Veluriyam could compare, not even Peerless or the Jiao brothers.

With an encouraging look from the young lord, Wellspring continued, “The human domain stands at a crossroad. Either Veluriyam or Pillfire will become its leader. There can be only one.

“You might cower, or you might rejoice. War will come in any case. Pillfire’s viewed us as their greatest threat ever since Emperor Peafowl’s reign. However, perhaps you don’t know why the young lord’s avoided open hostilities until now?”

The great emperors looked at each other. Wasn’t it because Veluriyam was weaker and didn’t have as many allies? What other reasons could there be?

All eyes fell on Jiang Chen. The young lord’s smile was as cool and serene as ever, as if undaunted by the enemy’s grand army. Such equanimity in one so young was worthy of praise.

Wellspring explained after a brief pause, “You’re probably accustomed to thinking that it’s because Pillfire is too strong, while Veluriyam keeps to itself and lacks vassals? Wrong! The young lord has never considered Pillfire the greatest threat.

“In fact, they’re no threat at all!” Wellspring’s voice resounded like thunder.

Other than Emperor Coiling Dragon and Emperor Void, the great emperors were at a loss for words. No threat at all?

“Everyone’s heard Emperor Wellspring,” Jiang Chen suddenly interjected. “As he said, Pillfire is an annoying fly and not the real danger. I lacked strength before and didn’t test their limits. But after several run-ins, I’ve roughly plumbed their depths. They’re inconsequential clowns, despite their airs. I might have left them in peace, but they keep getting in the way. Since they have a death wish, we might as well indulge them.”

His words seemed absurd, but his confidence made the crowd sit up and listen. He might have been the only one in the human domain able to command such respect. Anyone else would have been called deranged. After all, Pillfire was widely acknowledged as the number one faction.

“Gentlemen, we can no longer afford to hesitate. I hope you can see that we cannot create without first destroying. The greatest threat looming over us all is demons!”

Demons!

This word had been a recurring nightmare haunting mankind throughout its long history.

“Let all witness what happens when Veluriyam flexes its muscles! Let them know the Heavenly Dragon Sect isn’t mankind’s leader, nor is Pillfire. We are the only ones qualified! Let us be off!” Jiang Chen had bided his time for far too long to waste more time on pointless debates.

After some reflection, he decided to leave Guo Ran’s palace in the young lord residence. With the Vermillion Bird and the eight golem brothers at his side, the palace was best left behind to guard against future dangers.

In fact, he’d long planned on refining it and fuse it with the residence’s formation. With the palace at the center and the restriction in its core, the young lord residence would become an impregnable fortress.

In the Great Yu Skysword Sect, Han Qianzhan’s eyes shone when he received Jiang Chen’s secret missive. “Is war finally upon us? It seems the status quo will soon crumble.”

Upon receiving the same secret missive, the Celestial Cicada Court’s Su Huanzhen murmured, “The student might have surpassed the master. Perhaps this war will propel Veluriyam to even greater heights.”

The two great sects summoned all of their elites, ready to meet up with their ally.

The border of Bluesky Nation had always been a strategic location for Veluriyam. The kingdom’s king and his crown prince had both submitted to Jiang Chen. So after careful deliberation, the young man decided that was the best place to confront the northern alliance.

“Senior, you don’t need to spearhead the frontlines. I simply need you to look menacing.” He smiled at the bird’s volunteering.

The ancient beast persisted, “I must take the field. Those great emperors are all mine. My vital functions are rather weak, so I need to replenish my energy.”

Many ancient divine beasts swallowed the life essence of other creatures to supplement their own.

“Hehe, you gotta leave some of them for us brothers.” Big Stone laughed, brimming with eagerness. Golems couldn’t absorb someone else’s life essence, but they enjoyed fighting. They didn’t want to miss out on the action.

Jiang Chen couldn’t be bothered with setting up formations. There were no intricate plans, no defensive arrangements, no nothing. He would resort to the most primitive of brute force, crushing his enemies so hard that they wouldn’t even be able to recover from the attack.

He summoned the entire Goldbiter Rat clan. The excited rat king knew how big a chance it was. As the main vanguard, they would suffer heavy casualties, but that was of no importance.

They had to fight and swallow their prey to grow stronger. Many would die, but the survivors would become fiercer and more powerful. Such was the survival of the fittest.

Goldbiter Rats reproduced very fast in any case. Rather than numbers, the rat king was only concerned about his clan’s overall fighting potential.

“Ole Gold, remember, your clan will be our main force this time. Teach these fellows a lesson they’ll never forget!”

“Hehe, don’t worry young lord. They’ll have nightmares for the rest of their lives!”

Everything was in order. The young man stood there, hands clasped behind his back, while his great emperors observed him, extremely conflicted. They weren’t fully aware of all of his trump cards yet, so they couldn’t help being apprehensive.

“Young lord, our scouts have spotted the northern alliance’s troops three hundred miles away. They’ll soon cross the border!”

Jiang Chen waved his hand. “Keep watching.” He also told the rat king, “Ole Gold, stay inside the Millionditch Stonenest for now and keep your descendants in check. Don’t alert the enemy and ruin the surprise effect!”

The rat king cackled. “Hehe, understood!”

Jiang Chen nodded, suddenly looking back. “Here they are!”

The elites from the Skysword Sect and the Celestial Cicada Court had also arrived as agreed upon. The young lord welcomed them with a smile. “Sectmaster Han, Courtmaster Su, you’re indeed people of your word.”

Han Qianzhan laughed. “Haha, it’s an honor for us to fight alongside you!”

Jiang Chen smiled easily. “Sectmaster Han, how’s the Emperor Supremacy Pill? It might not work immediately for someone of your level.”

Han Qianzhan hurried to say, “It’s definitely effective. I haven’t broken through yet, but I can tangibly feel my cultivation increase. I might soon break free of the shackles that’ve held me back for so long!”

The pill worked slower on advanced or peak great emperors. But even if they couldn’t break through immediately, it would nudge their progress forward.

Jiang Chen nodded. “Everyone, don’t be nervous. It might be enough for your presence to add to our momentum. You might not need to fight.”

Han Qianzhan frowned. “That won’t do. We’re allies, so we rise and fall together. How can we sit by and watch? Are you looking down on us? The Skysword Sect fears no battle.”

“Right, we are fearless and dauntless!”

The sect had brought along brave and unyielding elites on this campaign. Not a single coward was to be found.

Su Huanzhen also remarked, “Young lord, you can’t make an omelette without cracking eggs. We are one and shall face whatever difficulties the heavens throw our way as one. We don’t fight for Veluriyam, but for ourselves and for the sake of the human domain.”

Touched, Jiang Chen nodded. “Please don’t misunderstand. I won’t hesitate if your sects are needed, but let’s watch the show first… Here they are, right on time!”

He looked into the distance, his tone suddenly strange.

Like an ominous black cloud, a formidable aura inched ever closer, seeming to dim the sun and darken the heavens. Over thirty factions comprised of thousands upon thousands of elites encroached on the border.

The young lord shot into the sky like an air current, his Evil Golden Eye firing forward as a rainbow.

“Pillzenith, I see you really can’t teach new tricks to old dogs! My warning seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Since you’re so eager to push your son into the abyss, let me help you!”

With a wave of the hand, he pushed Sir Tian Lin forward.

Pillzenith charged ahead of his men. “Jiang Chen, if you dare kill my son, I’ll make your sister hate you for life!”

He also pushed someone forward. The young lord froze, instantly recognizing the Moon God Sect’s second sectmaster!