Chapter 617: Minor Achievement with the Chaotic Body (Two)
News of the fact that a Saint Ruler had been killed by the barrier of Mercenary City spread like wildfire throughout the city. Practically everyone that heard the news was stunned into silence as they processed the information with great shock.
Saint Rulers were extremely rare individuals on the continent. In the eyes of the general populace, people like them stood at the very top of the power structure. They were the ones who had grasped the profound mysteries of the world and arrived at the realm where only the supernaturals could go. A single lift of their hand was capable of destroying the earth around them, and even gods wouldn’t be left unharmed.
When they heard that a person of this legendary status had been killed by the punishment of Mercenary City, everyone had been thoroughly shocked once more by the severity of the punishment. Once again, everyone acknowledged the power of Mercenary City if it could so easily kill a Saint Ruler.
Following the spread of the fact that a Saint Ruler had died, news that Jian Chen had been left relatively unharmed had accompanied it as well. Everyone was especially curious to know just how Jian Chen had been able to escape punishment even though he had been the one to instigate the fight and had destroyed several establishments. No one knew the answer why.
In a small kingdom roughly fifty thousand kilometers away, a single person with a doughty build was drinking a jar of wine and eating a platter of food by himself in an inn. As he ate, he listened to the random gossip of the people around him with great interest, especially when their conversations pertained to Mercenary City. With a voice just low enough for only himself to hear, he smiled, “The barrier of Mercenary City was placed down by the unparalleled genius Mo Tianyun himself. It gained sentience a long time ago, so how could a measly Saint Ruler compare to it? If a Saint Ruler were to fight, they would die without even a whimper. In all of these years, I wonder just how many Saint Rulers have lost their lives to it?”
“What do you guys think of this Jian Chen? Why do you think he was the only one to escape the punishment even though he started the fight? Do you think it’s because he’s the King of Mercenaries, or that he has some sort of connections with the higher ups of the city?”
“I’d have to say it’s one of those reasons. I’ve heard that, in the end, Jian Chen was brought away by several of the great ones without a fuss. I’d have to say that the most likely answer is that he has some connections with the power holders of the city.”
“There was a pure-white tiger on his shoulder too. That tiger had wings on it. That can’t be your ordinary beast cub.”
“Yeah, can’t be. Jian Chen is a Heaven Saint Master, how could any magical beast cub he carry with him be of ordinary breed? That cub has to be a Class 5 Magical Beast at the very least.”
Many people within the inn were talking about the death of the Saint Ruler, but just as many people were talking passionately about Jian Chen himself.
“A snow-white tiger with wings on its back. Could that be...?” The man who had been sitting by himself suddenly had a sharp gleam of light enter his eyes as he thought to himself.
“It’s very possible, but whether or not it’s it or not, I have to make sure myself. But Mercenary City…” At the mention of Mercenary City, the man hesitated as fear shone in his eyes, but with a final clench of his teeth in determination, the burly-looking man tossed a purple coin on the table and left the inn.
In Mercenary City, Jian Chen sat on top of a bed with the azure and violet sword spirits attempting to purge the remaining parts of the Imprint of Death on him. Although patriarch Shi had died, the Imprint of Death remained, meaning the rest of the Shi family could still chase after him. Something like that was not a favorable thing for Jian Chen.
Ever since the tiger cub had been given a tremendous sum of heavenly resources, its growth rate was no longer vexing for Jian Chen. The cub could now eat without him being stingy, and Jian Chen had already fed it several dozen thousand-year-old heavenly resources. It had fallen back asleep on his bed to absorb the power into its body.
Jian Chen didn’t step out of his room the following period of time. He stayed silent from the outside world. For an entire month, he remained secluded in his room before the azure and violet sword spirits finally managed to remove the Imprint of Death from him without a single bit of it remaining.
As soon as the Imprint of Death was gone from him, Jian Chen let out a sigh of relief. Jian Chen felt as if there was always someone constantly watching him from the dark when the Imprint of Death had been embedded him. Up until now, he had not felt as free as before and could not relax.
Seeing that only a month had passed, Jian Chen let out a small victorious smile as he said, “I’ve finally gotten rid of the Imprint of Death. Who would have known that this small interlude would have taken three months? Any longer and two years would go by before little fatty and I met again. I can’t put it off anymore. I must head out right away.”
“Big brother, you’re finally awake!” Little Spirit’s voice rang through the room before her body materialized in front of Jian Chen.
“Little Spirit, thank you for your help these past few days, but your big brother has stayed here long enough. I have important matters to attend, and so I must leave right away.” Jian Chen smiled. Over the span of these few days, Jian Chen had begun to see Little Spirit as a little sister. Now that they had to split ways, he was feeling unwell, but there was no other option.
The smile that was on Little Spirit’s face slowly started to fade when she heard Jian Chen. On her face now was a very lonely expression as she softly asked, “Big brother, are you leaving?”
Jian Chen nearly hesitated to answer her after hearing the loneliness in her voice, “Little Spirit, your big brother has plenty of things that must be done, so I must leave the city. But don’t worry. Your big brother will come see you when there is time.”
“But big brother, Little Spirit doesn’t want you to leave! Could you stay here? Please? Little Spirit has lost master for a long time now. Little Spirit doesn’t wish to lose big brother too.” She pleaded as if she was about to cry.
Giving a faint smile, he said, “Little Spirit, you won’t lose your big brother. Your big brother is only going to be leaving for a short while. I’ll be back soon to see you. I guarantee that within three years, I’ll be here to see you, okay?”
Her mood perked up slightly after that, but Little Spirit still looked at him with reluctance, “Big brother, you have to keep your word, okay? Don’t lie to Little Spirit. You’ll come see Little Spirit in three years or Little Spirit will be lonely.”
Jian Chen nodded his head to guarantee her, “Little Spirit, rest assured. Within three years, your big brother will come back to see you.”
With his promise, Little Spirit finally showed a sweet smile on her face, but when she thought of something, her eyebrows furrowed together, “But big brother, there’s still that one baddy that ran away. What will big brother do if he comes after you outside of Mercenary City?”
Narrowing his eyes to think, Jian Chen grew silent. After a while, he said, “The continent is large, and there are people everywhere. With the Imprint of Death gone, finding me won’t be an easy task by any means. I say that he would be hard-pressed to find me.”
“But in the case that he does, what will you do? Big brother, you aren’t strong enough to beat that baddy. Little Spirit can see that. In the case that you meet him, that baddy will definitely be stronger than you. You won’t even have the chance to escape.” Little Spirit continued with worry. “It’s sad that Little Spirit can’t leave Mercenary City. Master also forbidden Little Spirit from interfering with the outside world as well. It’s only when someone breaks the rules that Little Spirit can harm them. Otherwise, Little Spirit would go with big brother and beat that baddy that tried to bully you.” She spoke with sadness, but in the next second, she brightened up. “Oh! Big brother, there’s a way! Let Little Spirit increase your strength! If big brother’s strength is stronger than that baddy, then big brother won’t have to worry anymore!”
A surprised light entered Jian Chen’s eyes as he asked, “Little Spirit, don’t tell me you have a way to increase my power?”
“Of course! Big brother, Little Spirit is amazing! Little Spirit can evolve the mysteries of the world into something big brother can understand! This way, big brother will reach the same realm of strength as that baddy!” Little Spirit explained with great pride.
However, Jian Chen shook his head in disappointment, “Little Spirit, to understand the profound mysteries of the world requires the strength of a Sixth Cycle Heaven Saint Master. Only those people have a grasp on the vital energy of the world and by extension contact with the profound mysteries of the world. It isn’t easy to understand those mysteries, and even with your help, I’m sure your big brother would still require a long time to become a Saint Ruler.”
“Oh? Then what do we do?” Little Spirit furrowed her eyebrows in frustration.
“If there was a tremendous amount of energy, such as the energy in a Ruler Armament, I could use it to refine it into Chaotic force. Even if I don’t become a Saint Ruler, I will at least be able to fight a Saint Ruler.” Jian Chen muttered as he thought about the Chaotic force.
“Energy? Big brother, you only need energy to become stronger?” Little Spirit’s eyes lit up as she observed Jian Chen.
“Correct!” Jian Chen nodded.
Growing excited, Little Spirit clapped her hands, “Heehee, big brother, you should have said that earlier! Little Spirit can help you! Big brother, let me take you somewhere.” As soon as she finished speaking, Jian Chen suddenly felt the space around his body start to ripple and fluctuate wildly. The world around him became an instant blur before he was plunged into darkness.
In this one moment, his entire world was deathly quiet. Jian Chen couldn’t hear a single thing, and even the noises from the streets outside his room had disappeared without a trace. During this moment, he had left the noisy Mercenary City and arrived in a never before seen place.
“Big brother, we’re here. This is the place!” Little Spirit’s voice made itself known in Jian Chen’s ear, but Jian Chen could see nothing. Even if he were to reach out with his hand, he wouldn’t even be able to see his fingers.
Closing his eyes, Jian Chen spread his presence out in order to sense the place around him, but what happened next amazed him. There was some sort of powerful barrier that blocked him from being able to sense anything.
“Little Spirit, what is this place?” Jian Chen asked curiously.
“Big brother, this is the space beneath Mercenary City and also Little Spirit’s home. This was also where Little Spirit was born! Big brother, don’t underestimate this place. It may be dark, but it has plenty of energy. Gathered from the plenty of years Little Spirit has spent here!”