Chapter 630: Vile Traitor
“That is natural. The Wan Clan’s wealth about rivals the nation’s. The ten great sects and eight Noble Clans do business with them. Now that the Wan Clan’s Young Master is getting married, they have to give them some face.”
“I heard that the bride is a top-grade beauty. She is the person behind the Feng Yu Merchant Association. With this strong alliance, the Wan Clan will only get stronger in the future.”
“Let’s stop talking and get in quick. The wedding is tomorrow. We have to go and take a look.”
When Xiao Chen, Feng Tianming, and the others were not far from the city, they heard the discussions of the people around them.
Feng Tianming sighed and said, “At least we did not arrive late. If it had taken us one more day, it would really be too late to do anything.”
Xiao Chen said calmly, “Let’s enter the city and find somewhere to sit first. During the wedding tomorrow, all we have to do is clarify things with the Wan Clan’s people.”
After a while, the group paid the entry toll and successfully entered the city.
Even though night had fallen, Wan Clan City was still brightly lit and very bustling. Lanterns and banners festooned the city; jubilee filled the streets.
Xiao Chen closed his eyes and cultivated in his room at the inn. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and his lips curled up. Smiling faintly, he said, “You finally revealed your tail.”
Xiao Chen’s Spirit Sense caught one of Feng Tianming’s guards sneakily opening the door and checking for people.
Then, that guard quickly slipped out of the inn and made his way through the city.
Xiao Chen opened the window and followed using his Spiritual Sense. His eyes turned cold as a faint murderous intent appeared in their depths.
Aside from Xiao Chen and Feng Tianming, only the five guards knew about the plan to break through at the Black Smoke Mountain Range.
Although Feng Tianming did not doubt these guards who had followed him for many years, Xiao Chen did.
There could not have been such a coincidence, where the Imperial Dragon received ten shots from Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons just when its defenses were at its weakest.
There must have been an informant. When Xiao Chen released the scarlet throne, he had been observing the expressions of the five guards. He did not fail to notice the emotional fluctuations of this guard called Zhang Heng.
Indeed, the moment the group arrived in Wan Clan City, this Zhang Heng could not hold himself back.
This person was very cautious. It was like he felt someone was following him. He sent out his perception several times to check the area. He performed many feints, trying to lure his stalker out.
Unfortunately, Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Sense could track Zhang Heng from five kilometers away. With Zhang Heng’s perception, he would not be able to detect Xiao Chen.
When he failed to detect anyone despite several attempts, Zhang Heng felt that he was overthinking this. So he started to move at full speed.
After a while, Zhang Heng arrived at an isolated pavilion. Cultivators dressed in the Wan Clan’s uniform stood guard in front of it.
Zhang Heng handed over a token, and the guards immediately let him inside. Guards filled every corner of this pavilion. Clearly, this was an important place for the Wan Clan.
However, Xiao Chen had his Spiritual Sense; he did not need to enter the pavilion. He drifted down onto a roof and followed Zhang Heng, seeing the situation inside clearly.
Zhang Heng came to a room in the pavilion, and two people were already inside waiting. Xiao Chen recalled the appearance of one of them.
This person was the Martial God Palace’s welcoming envoy. The person standing beside him wore luxurious clothes and a decorative hat.
Like Wan Feng, that person was a handsome youth. However, that person also gave off a mundane feeling. Between the two, that person’s aura was much weaker.
When the two spoke, Xiao Chen found out who was that person. Wan Feng called him Wan Shan, the person marrying Feng Feixue.
When Wan Shan saw Zhang Heng, he was surprised. “The news I received was that you crashed near Black Smoke Mountain Range. How did you arrive in Wan Clan City so fast?”
Zhang Heng did not hide anything. He said, “Xiao Chen had a strange throne Secret Treasure. When it flew, it did not consume Spiritual Energy. Furthermore, it moved very fast. Without that throne, Feng Tianming would not have been able to arrive so quickly.”
Wan Shan frowned slightly and said, “The King Grade True Dragon genius, the White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen?”
Zhang Heng nodded and said, “That’s right. It is him. The Xiao Clan’s and the Feng Clan’s ancestors seem to have had some kind of marriage arrangement. So Feng Tianming brought him over.”
“These ten thousand Superior Grade Spirit Stones are for you as well as a Void Breaking Pill. Tell me where they are staying, and you may leave.”
Wan Shan had not expected this matter to involve Xiao Chen. He felt a headache coming as he took out a spatial ring and tossed it to Zhang Heng, then waved him away.
When Zhang Heng received the benefits that he sought, he revealed an excited expression. He took his leave, feeling satisfied.
“Cousin, this Xiao Chen is not easy to deal with. Previously, Sima Lingxuan, who advanced to Martial Monarch, did not last even one move against him. I have no idea what the limits to his strength are.”
[TL Note: Cousin, in this case, refers to an older male patrilineal cousin, or an older male cousin on the father’s side.]
Wan Shan looked at Wan Feng at the side and added, “Furthermore, my grandfather says that it is not convenient to make a move against him. Xiao Chen has the Luck of the Sky Dome Realm. Even when Martial Sages attack him, there will be consequences.”
Wan Feng smiled faintly and said, “How strong can a lower-realm Martial Monarch be? Rest assured. Just go enjoy your beauty, and leave this Xiao Chen to me.”
Seeing that Wan Shan still seemed to be worried, Wan Feng added softly, “In terms of the Sky Dome Realm, that Zhang Heng from earlier is a peak Inferior Grade Martial Monarch. I am also an Inferior Grade Martial Monarch. However, I would not need even ten percent of my strength to defeat him.”
He can defeat a peak Inferior Grade Martial Monarch with less than ten percent of his strength?
Wan Shan exclaimed, “Really?”
Wan Feng stopped smiling and said with a serious expression, “The Kunlun Realm is a big world that you cannot imagine. A Martial Monarch is nothing there.
“Don’t worry. If Xiao Chen wants to cause trouble, I will be the first person to object. You better move fast and quickly swallow up the Feng Clan. When I return, I have to take away a million Superior Grade Spirit Stones. There are too many people I have to pay off.”
Wan Shan nodded and said, “No problem. With the wealth the Feng Clan accumulated over the past thousand years, they should definitely be capable of taking out a million Superior Grade Spirit Stones.”
Standing on a roof, Xiao Chen withdrew his Spiritual Sense, revealing a contemplative gaze. It turned out that this Wan Clan had already decided to swallow up the Feng Clan.
The Wan Clan probably had some special method to send some collected resources to Wan Feng in the upper realm. Otherwise, he would not have been able to advance so fast.
Xiao Chen casually looked around and found Zhang Heng. He smiled faintly and collected his thoughts.
“Xiu!”
Xiao Chen gently leaped up. Then he silently landed before Zhang Heng, like a white-clothed spirit of the night under the full moon.
After obtaining ten thousand Superior Grade Spirit Stones and a Void Breaking Pill for breaking through bottlenecks, Zhang Heng was in a happy mood.
When Xiao Chen appeared suddenly, Zhang Heng startled and shouted, “Young Master Xiao, why are you here?!”
Xiao Chen stared at Zhang Heng without saying a word. Hiding his killing intent, he silently placed his hand on his saber’s hilt.
Zhang Heng was feeling guilty. When Xiao Chen stared at him like that, he felt an overwhelming mental pressure that made him tremble.
A deadly silence spread throughout the place. Xiao Chen said calmly, “Shatter all your meridians yourself. Don’t force me to take action.”
At this moment, Zhang Heng realized that Xiao Chen had discovered his actions. His initial feelings of having a tail were not a figment of his imagination.
A ruthless look flashed in Zhang Heng’s eyes as he suddenly attacked. His Quintessence surged out, and his fist tore through space as he sent a punch at Xiao Chen.
However, Zhang Heng’s move suddenly changed, and he fled backwards. The punch turned out to be just a feint to try and trick Xiao Chen, to create an opportunity to escape.
“Azure Dragon Tail Whip!”
However, while the plan seemed good, the reality was cruel. The fist wind only struck the afterimage Xiao Chen left behind. As for the real Xiao Chen, he moved in an arc and instantly drew his saber.
“Ka ca!”
A resplendent purple saber light lit up the dark night. Zhang Heng cried out painfully; his arm was already chopped off.
The explosive speed of the Azure Dragon Tail Whip was not something Zhang Heng could escape. When Xiao Chen attacked, Zhang Heng did not even have a chance to defend himself.
“Bang! Bang!”
Xiao Chen sheathed his saber and punched with his right hand. He shattered Zhang Heng’s dantian and delivered a blow to Zhang Heng’s nape, knocking him unconscious.
All these movements were completed in an instant, as fast as a spark flew. Zhang Heng did not feel any pain before he fainted.
Xiao Chen carried Zhang Heng on his back and returned to the inn. Then he tossed Zhang Heng into Feng Tianming’s room.
Seeing Zhang Heng’s body, Feng Tianming was astonished. He asked, “What’s the matter? Were you two attacked?”
Xiao Chen recounted everything he had seen in detail. Then he took out the ten thousand Superior Grade Spirit Stones and the Void Breaking Pill from Zhang Heng’s spatial ring.
“You ingrate!”
With the evidence presented, Feng Tianming had no choice but to believe the facts at hand. He instantly felt enraged as he sent a palm strike towards Zhang Heng.
Xiao Chen stopped Feng Tianming, saying, “Keep him alive. He is still useful. This place is no longer safe. We have to move elsewhere.”
With a quick thought, Feng Tianming understood. He called the remaining four guards to carry Zhang Heng, and they promptly left this inn.
Ten minutes after this group’s departure, the Wan Clan elders led a sizable army to this place.
However, they did not find any trace of Xiao Chen’s group. They could not help but be disappointed.
“We are too late. Continue to search. We cannot let them show up tomorrow,” the elder leading the army said.
Given a situation where no one knew anything, Wan Clan’s people could kill them. However, they could not take action against the bride’s father in front of everyone.
Early the next morning, before dawn, the entire Wan Clan City became bustling. The streets filled with many people.
“The Drifting Snow Sword Pavilion’s people are here. The tenth rank of the True Dragon Ranking, Liu Xiaoyun, came personally.”
“Of the eight Noble Clans, Bai Qi and the scions of the Qian Clan and Wang Clan are here already.”
“Sima Lingxuan has also shown up personally.”
“The Supreme Sky Sect’s Yue Chenxi is also here!”
“Almost all the ten great sects and eight Noble Clans are here. The Wan Clan’s reputation is indeed great enough.”
Many cultivators gathered on the second floor of an inn at areas near the windows. They looked at the crowd below, searching for famous people. Occasionally, there would be exclamations of surprise.
Xiao Chen was inside this inn, wearing a conical bamboo hat. He also felt surprised at the people passing by below. He had not expected the Wan Clan to have so much influence.
Nearly all the renowned sects and Noble Clans in the entire Great Jin Nation were here. Many of them even sent their heirs.
Feng Tianming, who also wore a bamboo hat, sighed and said, “Originally, with the Wan Clan’s reputation, they would not be worthy of the ten great sects and the eight Noble Clans coming personally. However, this time, the welcoming envoy is unexpectedly related to the Wan Clan.”
Chapter 631: If You Do Not Submit, I Will Beat You until You Do
For Wan Feng to become the welcoming envoy, he no doubt had significant standing in the Kunlun Realm. He was definitely not a nobody there.
Everyone understood that by relying on Wan Feng in the Kunlun Realm, the Wan Clan would flourish without fail. There would not be any drawbacks to establishing a good relationship with them.
On the other hand, if they offended the Wan Clan, when their geniuses went to the Kunlun Realm, the power behind Wan Feng would surely suppress them. There would be no benefits at all.
Xiao Chen looked very calm under his bamboo hat. He had received the favor of a person and made a promise to her. Since he had agreed, he could not back out of it.
Xiao Chen would not break his promise. Since he had given his word, he would do all he could to keep it.
The two slowly left the crowd and went to a room in the inn. Then, they waited quietly for news; neither said anything.
After a while, one of Feng Tianming’s guards carefully opened the door and entered.
Feng Tianming, who had waited for very long, immediately stood up and asked, “How did it go? Did you hear any news?”
“The wedding will be held at the Wan Clan’s palace. It will begin at noon,” that person replied respectfully.
Feng Tianming pushed open the window and looked at the sky. He said sullenly, “It will start in another hour. Let’s go. We have to make the situation known to everyone before the wedding starts.”
Guards filled the entire place; countless experts wandered around. The cost of attacking head-on would be astronomically large; furthermore, the attack might even endanger Feng Feixue.
During the previous night, the group discussed and decided to explain everything in front of all the guests. As the father of the bride, if Feng Tianming spoke, his words would have great weight.
No matter how shameless the Wan Clan was, they would not take action in front of everyone.
The Wan Clan’s palace was vast and magnificent. At a glance, it looked like a small city. It was several hectares large, and guards filled the entire place. This estate was the core of the Wanlong Merchant Association’s headquarters.
Xiao Chen and the others arrived before the palace and removed their bamboo hats. Then they walked towards the palace together with the invited guests.
“Halt, who are you? Do you have an invitation? If you do not, you are not allowed in.”
The guard stopped Feng Tianming’s group expressionlessly, speaking in a cold voice.
Feng Tianming took out a medallion to prove his identity. He growled, “What do you mean? I am the bride’s father. Do I even need an invitation?”
Clearly, the guard at the front had received instructions from above. They did not have any intention of allowing the group to enter.
Other guards quietly came over and surrounded them. They used the wall of people to prevent the guests from noticing what was happening.
On top of a wall, the Wan Clan’s Clan Head, Wan Baolou, Wan Feng, and Wan Shan looked coldly at Feng Tianming’s group below. Eight expressionless Martial Monarchs with deep cultivations stood behind them, not revealing any killing intent.
These eight people were the Wan Clan’s famous Eight Great Guardian Deities. When they worked together, they would be able to trounce a peak Martial Monarch.
Wan Feng smiled gently and said, “Uncle, you should go and entertain the guests. Cousin, just go and receive your bride. Leave this place to me. With me around, they definitely will not be able to enter. I guarantee it.”
Wan Baoluo rejected this idea. He smiled and said, “Nephew, you are overthinking this. There is no need for my honored nephew to stand guard at the gates. Eight Great Guardian Deities, guard this place. If they want to force their way in, teach them a lesson.”
Wan Feng looked at the Eight Great Guardian Deities behind him and did not say anything. These eight people knew a cooperative Martial Technique. Even he would find them difficult to handle if he fought head-on with them.
These eight people here would be sufficient to stop Xiao Chen and the others outside. Even if they could not stop them, they should be able to delay them until the wedding ceremony was over. By then, it would not matter whether they came in or not.
The three of them chatted happily as they left behind the Eight Great Guardian Deities watching Xiao Chen and the others below with cold gazes.
Xiao Chen looked up, surreptitiously checking the top of the palace. He saw Wan Feng and the others depart. Then he projected his voice to Feng Tianming, saying, “This is not going to work. Let’s stop wasting time here.”
Feng Tianming felt very wrong. His beloved daughter was getting married, and yet he and his group were prevented from entering, unable to even go through the gates.
“Scram, the Wan Clan is not a place where you can do as you please. It does not matter who you are. If you do not have an invitation, you cannot go in.” The head guard did not even bother to look at Feng Tianming, directly chasing the group away.
This place was the headquarters of the Great Jin Nation’s Wan Clan. In this place, the Wan Clan was king. Given the instructions of the Clan Head, this group of guards did not care about the six Martial Monarchs before them at all.
Even if these six Martial Monarchs tried to force their way in, they would not be afraid. The thirty-six Martial Monarchs of their branches had all arrived already. Furthermore, there were the Eight Great Guardian Deities, who never left the headquarters. Unless a Martial Sage came, these six would not be able to enter from the front.
After hearing Xiao Chen’s instructions, Feng Tianming resisted bursting out in anger here, even though he was furious. He simply led the group away from this place.
A stout man among the Eight Great Guardian Deities, the leader Tuoba Yun, smiled coldly and said, “They are quite wise. It’s too bad, though. I have not gotten to stretch myself properly for several years already.”
A person at the side smiled and said, “The one in the middle looks like the White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen, the King Grade True Dragon of the current True Dragon Ranking.”
Tuoba Yun said disdainfully, “King Grade True Dragon? Wait until he matures first. Now? Ha ha! If he dares to be unruly here, I would not mind teaching him a lesson.”
After Feng Tianming led the group to a faraway place, he could not help asking, “Xiao Chen, why did you tell me to leave? The wedding is going to start soon.”
After a moment’s thought, Xiao Chen said, “The Wan Clan’s Eight Great Guardian Deities were standing on the wall, staring at us. They were just waiting for us to make a move, so that they could delay us there.”
When the group heard him mention the Eight Great Guardian Deities, their expressions changed involuntarily. The Eight Great Guardian Deities were very famous for the viciousness of their methods.
For so many years, even though their Martial Sage was in closed-door training, no one dared to attack the Wanlong Merchant Association’s headquarters due to the notoriety of the Eight Great Guardian Deities.
Even within the Great Jin Nation, which was full of experts, the Eight Great Guardian Deities were people who stood at the top. The eight of them executed a cooperative Martial Technique that could even kill a peak Martial Monarch.
“What should we do? We can’t just stand here and watch them take away Feixue,” Feng Tianming said depressedly.
Xiao Chen muttered, “I am confident of having a fifty percent chance of handling the Eight Great Guardian Deities. The bigger problem is the one called Wan Feng. However, this is not the main point at the moment. I’m going to see if there is any other entry point first.”
The Wan Clan’s palace occupied a vast area. Xiao Chen did not believe that they could maintain such a high level of defense like at the main gate everywhere else.
Xiao Chen looked around the walls that surrounded the palace and saw that there were no holes in it. Then he carefully inspected the defenses along them.
He discovered that although the wall spanned a large distance, there were guards stationed everywhere, spaced out by a certain distance from each other. Each group would have ten Martial Saints and one Martial King.
If they noticed some activity anywhere, they would be able to call for help. All the guards could then gather quickly, not giving the enemy any chance.
We can only enter by force. I can kill seven in an instant. It should not be a problem to leave the remaining four to Feng Tianming and the rest.
After a while, Xiao Chen came up with a plan. He called Feng Tianming and the others to a wall behind the palace.
“I can deal with seven of the eleven guards. Can you handle one each of the remaining four?”
Xiao Chen pointed at a group of guards roaming on the wall and said, “Furthermore, you need to complete it in one breath. We cannot alert the other guards or let them raise the alarm.”
Feng Tianming and the rest were all Martial Monarchs. It should not be difficult for them to kill four people in an instant if they mounted a surprise attack.
Instead, it was Xiao Chen that Feng Tianming worried about; Xiao Chen had to kill seven people in one move. “Xiao Chen, will you be fine?”
“It will be fine. I’m fully confident.”
Feng Tianming did not speak further on that topic. He said, “If no one else has a problem, we will take action on the count of three.”
“One, two, three!”
“Xiu!”
The group soared into the air, attacking the targets that they had agreed upon. They gathered Quintessence in their hands and silently took them out.
The Essence of the Martial Saints and Martial Kings was far from being able to block the terrifying Quintessence.
Feng Tianming turned his head to check on Xiao Chen’s situation to see if there were any problems, so he could help him if needed.
Naturally, there was no need to doubt Xiao Chen’s capability to deal with seven Martial Saints. Nevertheless, Feng Tianming still worried as Xiao Chen had to do it silently and in an instant.
However, when Feng Tianming turned his head, he did not even see Xiao Chen attacking. He only saw seven afterimages merging in the air.
After the afterimages merged, Xiao Chen sheathed his Lunar Shadow Saber. Such a scene felt surreal.
The seven Wan Clan guards behind him had faint wounds on their necks. Then they slowly and silently collapsed.
“Put on their clothes. It will make it easier for us to infiltrate the place,” Feng Tianming said after thinking for a while.
The group changed into the uniforms of the guards. Then Xiao Chen used his purple fire to burn the bodies. After he destroyed the evidence, they leaped down the wall, entering the tightly guarded palace.
The moment they landed on the ground, they heard cheerful music, sounding clearly festive. The sound should be coming from where the wedding ceremony would take place.
Feng Tianming quickly rushed over without saying anything, revealing a gloomy face.
Bright vases lined the way, looking very beautiful. The palace was bustling, filled with people wandering around. It seemed that the Wan Clan had put in a lot of thought into this wedding.
Clad in the uniforms of the Wan Clan guards, the group arrived at where the music was coming from without any problems.
Many tables sat neatly arranged in a vast plaza. A rough count gave no less than a thousand tables.
The people who could sit there were people of repute in the Great Jin Nation—particularly for the tables in front, which had the esteemed guests from the ten great sects and eight Noble Clans.
The entire place rang with cheerful laughter and conversation. Everything was peaceful amidst the celebration.
As for the Wan Clan’s Clan Head, Wan Baolou, who sat on a dais, his face was filled with smiles. Occasionally, the people around would come over and congratulate him with a toast of wine. Wan Feng sat beside him with a faint smile on his face.
As Wan Feng looked at the people coming to congratulate Wang Baolou, he had a faint look of disdain in his eyes. It was like he looked down on all the people of this Sky Dome Realm.
“Brother Wan, for this grand wedding, my Evil Moon Pavilion is giving you a five-thousand-year-old Heavenly Mountain Snow Ginseng to show our regards.” The Evil Moon Pavilion’s Deputy Pavilion Master stood up and handed over a brocade box.
Wan Baolou smiled widely and said, “You are too polite. Just a simple gift would have sufficed.”
Chapter 632: It Is Better to Be the Tail of a Phoenix than the Head of a Chicken
[TL note: The title seems to be a play on a saying of the opposite meaning, “it is better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.” The meaning of the title is that it is better to be the worst among the best rather than be the best among the worst.]
“This pair of Moonlight Lotus Gems is the wedding gift from my Wang Clan.” The elder of the eight Noble Clans’ Wang Clan stood up and congratulated Wan Baolou.
Following that, all the representatives of the ten great sects and eight Noble Clans stood up and offered their wedding gifts.
Although the gifts given were not particularly valuable, with the status of the eight Noble Clans and ten great sects, the fact that they were willing to give face to the Wan Clan was already incomparable to what the other factions could offer.
Wan Baolou felt very proud. He knew that all this was because of Wan Feng, who sat beside him. If Wan Feng had not managed to gain some status in the Kunlun Realm and become the welcoming envoy, half the people from the ten great sects and eight Noble Clans would not even be present.
When the Supreme Sky Sect’s Yue Chenxi saw all this, her lips twitched as she said, “This Wan Clan is behaving really grandly. It is just a welcoming envoy; there is no need for them to put on such airs.”
A Supreme Sky Sect elder beside her said quickly, “Chenxi, don’t speak so loudly. That Wan Feng is not as simple as you think. He is a Martial Monarch who broke through in the Kunlun Realm. The fact is, he is much stronger than even us old men.
“His talent and Luck are also better than most regular geniuses. However, all these are secondary. The main thing is his master, who is one of the Martial Sages that are likely to become Martial Emperors in the next hundred years.
“The Extreme Yin Sect behind him is even stronger than our Supreme Sky Sect. It is best you don’t offend him now. Otherwise, when he returns to the Kunlun Realm, you will gain a terrifying enemy for nothing.”
After Yue Chenxi heard this, she did not say anything else. However, just at this moment, Wan Feng looked over as if he had heard the two speaking.
Instantly, Yue Chenxi felt an intense pressure. She had advanced to Martial Monarch seven days ago, becoming even stronger than some of the elders in her sect.
However, she could not defend against the pressure of Wan Feng’s gaze. Even her Quintessence went slightly out of control.
When the elder at the side saw the situation, he was rather stunned. He quickly released his own aura and held off the pressure.
Wan Feng smiled disdainfully and withdrew his aura. Then, he picked up his wine cup and took a sip, thinking to himself, How dare someone who is not even in the top three of this lower realm speak badly about me?
However, she looks quite pretty. I wonder if she is still a virgin. If she is, when we go to the Kunlun Realm, I can give her to my Senior Brothers for them to use as a furnace for dual cultivation.
Yue Chenxi felt fear in her heart. Wan Feng’s gaze had an extremely sinister flavor. Combined with the suppression of his aura, she felt like a chill had invaded her bones, prickling her like needles; the sensation was excruciating.
“Are all the geniuses of the Kunlun Realm that strong? Just an Inferior Grade Martial Monarch can make me feel like I have no chance of victory.”
The Supreme Sky Sect elder consoled Yue Chenxi, saying, “Don’t look down on yourself. He is so strong only because he went to the Kunlun Realm a few years before you. His accumulations are deeper than yours, but his talent is just about the same. As long as you work hard, you will catch up sooner or later.”
Yue Chenxi nodded heavily and said, “I wonder just how vast the Kunlun Realm is.”
Although the exchange of auras between Wan Feng and Yue Chenxi was short and did not cause any commotion, Bai Qi, Liu Xiaoyun, Gong Yangyu, Nangong Xiyue, and the others saw it clearly.
The shock in their hearts was no weaker than Yue Chenxi’s. Since the end of the Five Nation Youth Competition up to now, these people had used their Luck to aid themselves in breaking through to Martial Monarch.
When these people saw that they had become stronger than the experts of the older generation in their sects, they all became proud, becoming satisfied with their strength. However, when they saw Wan Feng’s, it was like cold water had splashed on them.
Bai Qi muttered, “Even before he made a move, he is already this terrifying. How terrifying would he be if he actually attacked?”
Not far away, Gong Yangyu’s thoughts went even further. Is Wan Feng’s talent in the Kunlun Realm outstanding, crushing everyone else easily?”
When we go to the Kunlun Realm, all the glory and fame we enjoyed as geniuses will vanish immediately like smoke. We will just become like unremarkable rain falling into the vast sea.
Gong Yangyu clenched his fist and said to himself, “Even so, I have to go to the Kunlun Realm. It is better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a chicken. I will have to catch up vigorously in this great age.”
“Brother Wan, isn’t it time to bring the bride up? It’s getting on already,” someone said to Wan Baolou.
Wan Baolou looked at the sun to calculate the time. Then he smiled faintly. “The auspicious hour is almost here already. It is about time. Men! Bring the bride and groom up.”
Soon, a group of pretty maids led over Wan Shan dressed in flowing red robes and Feng Feixue, who wore a red veil, amidst the festive music.
Feng Feixue walked with an unnatural gait like she was under some restrictions. However, the maids supporting her forced her to walk forward step by step.
The arrival of the bride and groom immediately brought an upsurge of excitement to the plaza. Streams of unending praise rang out, shouting things like “talented man and beautiful woman” or “string of pearl and jade.”
[TL Note: “Talented man and beautiful woman” or “string of pearl and jade” both of these are idioms for ideal couple/perfect pair.]
Wan Baolou flushed red, feeling very happy. Feng Feixue marrying into his clan was equivalent to half of the Feng Clan falling into his hands.
Once Feng Tianming died, Wan Shan could take over the entire Feng Clan’s business with his status as the Feng Clan’s son-in-law.
Wan Baolou looked up to recheck the time. Then he stood up with a smile. “The auspicious hour is here. After bowing to heaven and earth, the Feng Clan’s Young Mistress will be formally married into my Wan Clan.”
The clamor of the crowd slowly quietened down. The attention of everyone focused on the bride and groom. The three kowtows would formalize their marriage.
[TL Note: A Chinese wedding ceremony consists of several steps. There are three main steps: offering tea to the elders, the three kowtows, and the nuptial night. Of course, there are many more steps than just these three. Now, modern weddings omit the three kowtows. In ancient China, the marriage can be rushed and would be acknowledged with just the three kowtows. First kowtow is to heaven and earth, the second is to the parents, and the last kowtow is to each other.]
“This kowtow to heaven and earth cannot take place!” Suddenly, a voice rang out in the quiet plaza.
The plaza immediately fell even quieter than before. Thousands of people looked up simultaneously. Unexpectedly, someone had the guts to disrupt the Wan Clan’s wedding ceremony. They were truly reckless.
Xiao Chen and the others had changed out of the Wan Clan’s guard uniforms. They flew over the tables in the plaza, heading for the front, staring at Wan Baolou’s group all the while.
“It’s him, the White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen. Why is he here?”
“Is this fellow seeking death? The Wan Clan has many experts. Even if he is a King Grade True Dragon genius, he has not truly matured yet. It is impossible for him to take down the entire Wan Clan alone!”
“Something is wrong. The person beside him seems to be the Feng Clan’s Clan Head, Feng Tianming. What do these people intend to do here?”
“Strange, Feng Tianming’s expression looks frighteningly gloomy. What is going on?”
When everyone saw Feng Tianming’s appearance, they felt that the situation was turning weird. Something was going to happen at this wedding.
“This group of people still managed to rush over.” Wan Shan’s expression turned sullen. He clenched his right fist tightly and said, “Are the Eight Great Guardian Deities trash?!”
The experienced and crafty Wan Baolou appeared much calmer. He waved it off and said softly, “Don’t panic. They might have entered from somewhere else. However, it does not matter if they came here. The results will not change.”
After that, Wan Baolou waved his hand to send a subordinate to summon the Eight Great Guardian Deities from the gates.
Wan Feng’s expression did not change. He merely stared at Xiao Chen, revealing a faint smile on his handsome face. He thought to himself, The King Grade True Dragon genius. This is an opportunity.
The King Grade True Dragon absolutely could not lose to someone of the same generation. Once they lost, they would immediately turn into ordinary True Dragon geniuses. This was because the way of the king did not permit loss.
Xiao Chen had the most Luck in the Sky Dome Realm. If Wan Feng could defeat him here, he could be able to snatch away some of that Luck.
At this thought, Wan Feng’s eyes gleamed with a strange light. An intent to plunder appeared in the depths of his eyes.
“The one with the family name Wan, this is also my daughter’s wedding, and yet you didn’t even let me through the gates!”
[TL Note: The one with the family name Wan: This is a very rude way of addressing someone in Chinese.]
Feng Tianming stepped forward and immediately shouted at Wan Baolou. He had contained the rage within him for far too long already. Now, when it burst out, he retained no respect for Wan Baolou.
The moment Feng Tianming finished speaking, the guests all erupted in chatter. “What’s going on with this wedding? The bride’s father was even not allowed in.”
Wan Baolou said calmly, “How can that be? There must be some misunderstanding. Man! Prepare a seat for the bride’s family.
Feng Tianming shouted coldly, “Wan Baolou, stop pretending. My daughter has never agreed to marry your son. Four years ago, there was just a discussion between the two clans. You took advantage of the time I was away from the Feng Clan to abduct my daughter. I do not blame you for today, but you better not stop me from taking Feixue away.”
“That can’t be! Unexpectedly, the Wan Clan abducted other people’s daughter. This is too despicable!”
“No wonder I felt that this wedding was quite peculiar from the beginning; no one from the bride’s family was around.”
The looks that everyone gave Wan Baolou immediately changed. They did not expect there to be such a thing.
Wan Baoluo continued to remain calm. He said softly, “Why do you say this? Our Wan Clan even sent you the betrothal gift and letter already. Your Eldest Brother signed on your behalf. I have proof here.”
Wan Baolou waved his hand and took out a betrothal contract and a receipt for the betrothal gift. Feng Tianhua’s signature and handprint were on it; the documents were not fake.
After showing the betrothal contract to the guests, Wan Baolou suddenly stood up. He said slowly, “Brother Feng, if you still want things to be amicable, then sit down and enjoy the wedding. Our clans will be one family after this.
“If you are thinking of breaking this promise of marriage, slapping my face in front of everyone, you can forget about leaving our Wan Clan’s palace. Our Wan Clan is not a group you can play around with like that!”
After Wan Baolou said that, the thirty-six Martial Monarchs from the branches stood up. They radiated a strong killing Qi, pressuring Feng Tianming and his companions.
The thirty-six Martial Monarchs were peak Inferior Grade Martial Monarchs. When their killing Qi combined, along with Wan Baolou’s sinister words, Feng Tianming felt tremendous pressure, both physical and mental.
As Feng Tianming felt the pressure building, he could not say out the things that he wanted to say.
Seeing the situation change, the surrounding guests all felt confused. They could not understand what was happening.
Wan Baolou looked coldly at Feng Tianming, revealing disdain in his gaze. You want to play with me? Take a look at where you are first.
At this moment, Xiao Chen woke Zhang Heng, who was being carried, and tossed him out. He placed his saber against Zhang Heng’s back and said calmly, “Tell us everything you know in detail.”
Zhang Heng had seen what Xiao Chen could do. He did not dare to disobey, so he trembled as he said, “Feng Tianhua had been bribed by the Wan Clan long ago. The Wan Clan promised to help him get the Clan Head’s position. That was why he signed…”
Chapter 663: Overestimating Yourself
“Pu!”
Zhang Heng had only spoken halfway when Wan Baolou suddenly attacked. He sent out a beam of light that pierced through Zhang Heng’s forehead.
“Where did this filthy person come from? How dare he malign my Wan Clan! How reckless!”
Xiao Chen could have stopped the previous attack. However, he did not do so because it was not necessary.
All this was just a farce anyway. There was no point in trying to use evidence or logic to solve the problem in the other person’s territory. Xiao Chen was not that naive.
Wan Baolou stood straight with his hands behind his back. After killing Zhang Heng, he looked coldly at Xiao Chen and said, “White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen, let me give you some advice. There are some things other people cannot meddle in. The marriage of the Wan and Feng Clans is not for you to interfere with.”
Just when Feng Tianming was about to say something, Xiao Chen stopped him. He said to Wan Baolou calmly, “You are not the one to determine whether I can interfere or not. As for the facts, all you have to do is let the bride speak, and we will all know the truth.”
Everyone reacted to this. That’s right. All we have to do is get the person involved to clarify everything.
Wan Shan, who was dressed in red wedding robes, said sternly, “Feixue is not feeling well. It is not convenient for her to speak. What does it matter to you anyway?”
As Xiao Chen was about to reply, the thirty-six Martial Monarchs’ killing Qi immediately focused on him, trying to shut him up.
Before such an oppressive aura, one would normally feel less confident and get confused—which was what happened to Feng Tianming earlier. Now, they were trying to do the same to Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly. Unexpectedly, they dare to play with killing intent in front of me. Interesting…
A faint red light flickered in the depths of Xiao Chen’s eyes. The peak state of massacre instantly poured out like an overwhelming flood. A vast sea of killing Qi surged over.
In an instant, the thirty-six Martial Monarchs’ killing Qi lost in aura, drowned out entirely. Xiao Chen’s killing Qi continued to surge forward, stunning the thirty-six Martial Monarchs and irresistibly forcing them back.
One person managed to repel the killing Qi of thirty-six Martial Monarchs. Such a horrifying scene caused many of the people present to inhale deeply. Xiao Chen’s strength was becoming increasingly unfathomable.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly. “Feeling unwell? More like restricted by you and cannot speak or circulate her energies. If you are willing to let her speak, I can leave immediately. Wan Baoluo, do you dare to do that?!”
Xiao Chen’s voice was calm. He acted neither servile nor overbearing as he looked at Wan Baolou, someone akin to a king in Wan Clan City.
Now that things had gotten this far, everyone present felt that something was wrong with the wedding. Furthermore, this Wan Clan should be the ones in the wrong. If they were not guilty, they would not have killed Zhang Heng or prevented the bride from speaking.
However, this place was the Wan Clan headquarters. There were many experts here. Even if the Wan Clan were in the wrong, it would be incredibly difficult, perhaps even impossible, for Xiao Chen to forcefully take someone away.
Frustrated, Wan Baolou shouted angrily, “Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like this? This place is my Wan Clan’s territory. I do not welcome you here. Scram right now!”
“Do you not dare? In that case, I will ask her personally.”
Holding his Lunar Shadow Saber in his left hand and carrying the wooden box covered in black cloth behind him, Xiao Chen pushed off the ground gently.
A resonant dragon roar came from Xiao Chen’s body as he stood on an Azure Dragon image and swiftly moved towards Feng Feixue.
Xiao Chen’s actions startled Wan Baoluo. He had not expected him to be daring enough to make his move before everyone in the Wan Clan’s palace.
“You are overestimating yourself. Stop him! Don’t let him near Feng Feixue!” Wan Baolou shouted furiously, slamming his hand heavily on the table.
“Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!”
Thirty-six Martial Monarchs leaped into the air instantly. Strong auras spread out as they moved their Quintessence.
All thirty-six Martial Monarchs executed their best moves, releasing dazzling lights at Xiao Chen continuously.
Even though there were no Superior Grade Martial Monarchs among the thirty-six, this barrage of attacks was very horrifying. When the Quintessence gathered, it tore pitch-black holes in space.
Everyone sucked in a deep breath. The Wan Clan was too vicious, immediately using thirty-six Martial Monarchs. They were simply trying to suppress Xiao Chen.
“Elder, please do something to stop this. Xiao Chen will die at this rate,” Yue Chenxi said to the Supreme Sky Sect elder beside her.
That old man muttered, “It’s useless, even if I do. Don’t go and help, either. No Martial Monarch would be able to endure the attacks of thirty-six Martial Monarchs at once.”
Yue Chenxi said anxiously, “What should we do? We can’t just watch as Xiao Chen dies. He has agreed to join our Supreme Sky Sect already.”
“Don’t worry. I have sent word to Old Feng. Without a Martial Sage, it would be hard to do anything to the Wan Clan.” The old man said indifferently, “As for now, let’s just wait and see. If Xiao Chen falls here, he is not worth the Supreme Sky Sect nurturing him.”
As the two spoke, the situation in the sky changed abruptly. A Taiji Yinyang Flame Diagram appeared before Xiao Chen.
Yinyang, four divisions, and eight trigrams appeared with various mysterious phenomena. The Taiji diagram exploded with light. In an instant, all the attacks immediately bounced back at even faster speeds.
“Pu! Pu!”
Shock waves surged and lights flew everywhere. Blurry lines appeared in space, and anguished cries resounded.
When the lights vanished and the shock waves calmed, Xiao Chen, in his white robes and carrying a wooden box on his back, stood unharmed in the sky.
As for the thirty-six Martial Monarchs who had soared into the air, their own attacks caught them unprepared. They cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
Such a scene astonished everyone. In just one breath, thirty-six Martial Monarchs were beaten up so miserably.
The jaws of the Supreme Sky Sect elder fell open. He exclaimed in shock, “How can it be? He actually blocked the attacks of thirty-six Martial Monarchs.”
Furious at the defeat, Wan Baolou said, “Bunch of trash. Get back up and kill him!”
“Xiu!”
When the thirty-six Martial Monarchs heard Wan Baolou’s furious shout, they quickly got up and charged at Xiao Chen without regulating the chaotic auras in their bodies.
After deflecting so many strong attacks, the Taiji Yinyang Flame Diagram exhausted too much of Xiao Chen’s Mental Energy. He could not continue using it for much longer.
Waving his hands, the Yin and Yang flames in the Taiji diagram turned into two beams of light and returned to Xiao Chen’s eyes.
While he was doing all this, the three foremost Martial Monarchs already charged forward. Xiao Chen placed his right hand on the saber’s hilt before smiling coldly.
These people are overly ambitious. They are already severely injured, but they did not stop to regulate their energies first. Instead, they dared to continue charging forward. Do they really think that they can finish me off in two or three moves?!
“Clouds moving in all directions, wind and thunder, gather!”
As the wind blew, clouds churned, and thunder rumbled, Xiao Chen drew his saber. A dense Quintessence infused the saber as he executed the starting moves of the Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique.
“Ka ca! Ka ca!”
The combined momentum of the three Martial Monarchs instantly fell apart. When compared to Xiao Chen’s fusion of state, momentum, and saber intent, they were not worth even a strike. They all vomited a mouthful of blood before falling back to the ground.
The three had failed to stabilize their previous injuries. Now, they suffered further injuries on top of their previous ones. They could no longer stand up, temporarily losing all their combat prowess.
Using the time that the three Martial Monarchs bought, the remaining thirty-three Martial Monarchs rose up and surrounded Xiao Chen, again sending a continuous torrent of attacks at him.
“Roar! Roar!”
The dragon roar coming from his body resounded without end. As Xiao Chen stood on the Azure Dragon image, he moved up and down around the thirty-three. Using the advantage of speed, he avoided all the attacks.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Before Xiao Chen’s speed, the Wan Clan’s advantage of numbers was nothing. Holes appeared throughout the encirclement.
Lights flew everywhere and shock waves surged. Occasionally, Xiao Chen would knock someone back, their survival unknown.
The aftermath of the great battle between Martial Monarchs was extremely horrifying. The various weapon Qi or fist winds gouged thousands of holes in the peaceful plaza, dilapidating it.
The guests from the various parts of the Great Jin Nations had already moved far away to watch from a distance. They were afraid of getting drawn into the fight, bringing disaster upon themselves; most of them were not Martial Monarchs.
When the other geniuses of the True Dragon Ranking saw this scene, it stunned them all. After less than half a year, the white-robed bladesman in the sky was not at a disadvantage despite fighting thirty-six Martial Monarchs.
Instead, the longer the fight dragged out, the more ferocious Xiao Chen became. His aura flourished. As the winds howled and thunder boomed, he used the Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique to force these insufferably arrogant Wan Clan Martial Monarchs into defending passively.
Bai Qi’s right hand, which gripped his saber, could not help but tremble gently. As a bladesman like Xiao Chen, he comprehended the horrifying strength that Xiao Chen was displaying better than anyone else.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Xiao Chen fought to his heart’s content. His white robes fluttered as he stood on the Azure Dragon, moving up and down. Electricity danced constantly around the saber as the light flickered nonstop.
Figures shot out and landed at Wan Baolou’s feet, crying out miserably. Wan Baolou turned ashen as he watched all this.
It had been many years since his Wan Clan had suffered such a blow. Furthermore, this was in the Wanlong Merchant Association headquarters, within the Wan Clan’s palace.
“Earthly Lightning Tribulation!”
The momentum of wind and thunder finally reached its peak. Xiao Chen seemed to have turned into the Heavenly Dao, sending down the first Lightning Tribulation from the boundless dark clouds.
“Boom!”
The berserk lighting surged forth, blasting out seven or eight Martial Monarchs from the sky.
“Heavenly Lightning Tribulation!”
Another even more horrifying Lightning Tribulation fell. After the light faded, less than ten Martial Monarchs remained in the sky.
“Divine Lightning Tribulation!”
The scenery around changed. The thunder high in the sky sounded like it was ferociously roaring, “The rage of deities, the Heavenly Might is vast and powerful.”
“Run!”
The remaining Martial Monarchs paled, and they lost their will to fight. Faced with the final move of this Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique, they fled.
“Xiu!”
The lightning split into seven. Like flood dragons baring claws and fangs, the bolts of lightning caught up with the fleeing Martial Monarchs, creating loud ‘booms.’
The seven fleeing Martial Monarchs became even more severely injured. Their clothes tattered and their skin blackened. The saber Qi invaded their body, damaging their internal organs. It was a tragic sight to behold.
After all the light faded, everything returned to normal, peaceful once again. Only Xiao Chen stood alone in the sky.
The entire plaza was silent. Xiao Chen’s Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique had defeated thirty-six peak Inferior Grade Martial Monarchs altogether.
He had beaten the thirty-six Martial Monarchs until they could not retaliate. During the entire fight, they had been utterly passive, unable to counterattack in the slightest.
If not for the spatial tears in the sky, which had yet to close, standing as proof of a tremendous Martial Monarch battle, no one would believe that the thirty-six cultivators Xiao Chen defeated were Inferior Grade Martial Monarchs.
Chapter 634: Unrivalled within the Same Cultivation Realm
Martial Monarchs, monarchs of the martial way. Even an Inferior Grade Martial Monarch would be considered a peak expert anywhere in this Tianwu Continent. However, they were like vegetables on a chopping board before Xiao Chen, losing so quickly.
“The rumors are true. The King Grade True Dragon genius is unrivaled within the same cultivation realm. He can defeat people with higher cultivations as easily as eating or drinking.”
“We cannot use the normal standards to try and evaluate such people. This insignificant Sky Dome Realm probably can’t contain this True Dragon.”
The people below discussed the fight from earlier. They gazed at Xiao Chen with astonishment-filled eyes. He was the carrier of Luck, the King Grade True Dragon with all sorts of glory to his name.
Regardless of what anyone thought, Xiao Chen had already risen to a towering position in this Sky Dome Realm, leaving his peers far behind.
In this Sky Dome Realm, he was the most excellent, way above the common.
Only the Kunlun Realm was Xiao Chen’s true stage. Only there would he meet geniuses equal to him, or even those that surpassed him.
“Xiu!”
Xiao Chen slowly landed on the ground. His footsteps never faltered as he walked towards Feng Feixue, carrying that wooden box covered in black cloth on his back.
“Where did this tiny weakling come from? How dare he make a mess of the Wan Clan’s palace. Have we, the Eight Great Guardian Deities, agreed to that?”
A loud shout came from behind, and eight beams of lights quickly flew towards the center of the plaza. A strong aura spread out, creating strong hurricanes.
Wan Baolou’s face lit up in joy. He said coldly, “When the Eight Great Guardian Deities work together, they can defeat even a peak Martial Monarch. Let’s see how capable you are.”
“The Eight Great Guardian Deities are here!”
A loud clamor came from the guests. The Eight Great Guardian Deities’ fame reached far and wide. Every one of them was a Superior Grade Martial Monarch. Although they were not peak Superior Grade Martial Monarchs, they comprehended a cooperative Martial Technique.
Working together, the eight of them could severely injure a peak Superior Grade Martial Monarch. In the past years, they had been guarding the Wan Clan’s palace. The younger generations and the great bandits were all terror-stricken at the sound of their names, not daring to do as they pleased in the Wan Clan.
Aside from Martial Sages, no one dared to have any designs on the vast fortune the Wan Clan had accumulated. All this was due to the Eight Great Guardian Deities.
“Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!”
The eight beams of lights spread apart and formed a simple formation surrounding Xiao Chen. Their fierce auras merged to press heavily on Xiao Chen.
“Tuoba Yun, teach this brat a lesson for me. Let him know the consequences of causing a commotion in the Wan Clan,” Wan Baolou said in a hostile tone and with a gloomy expression.
Smiling ferociously, Tuoba Yun said, “I hear and obey the Clan Head’s orders. Today, we will give this tiny weakling an unforgettable lesson. Eight Great Guardian Deities, attack!”
“Qiang! Qiang!”
The eight people waved their hands in synchrony, and sharp weapons appeared in their hands. They quickly charged at Xiao Chen at lightning speed and attacked. They infused Quintessence into their sabers, and the puissant force instantly created pitch-black tears in space everywhere in the surroundings.
Xiao Chen’s expression turned serious; he did not dare to be careless. He tightly gripped his Lunar Shadow Saber as his saber light danced around, blocking all the attacks coming from the various directions.
The eight of them worked very well together. Just as Xiao Chen blocked the attacks of the three in front, sword lights came flying from his left and right. The attacks were very vicious, targeting vital spots at the sides of Xiao Chen’s head.
At the same time, the thunderous roar of a strong wind came from behind him. With his Spiritual Sense, Xiao Chen could see what was happening behind himself without turning his head.
It was a Martial Monarch using a large, thick saber to hack down from above. Purple electricity leaped around on the saber. The state he comprehended was the same as Xiao Chen’s—a peak state of thunder.
The attacks at all sides sealed Xiao Chen’s escape routes. The three Martial Monarchs Xiao Chen knocked back had already rallied and rushed at him again.
Furthermore, there was the alert and quick Tuoba Yun, who had hidden somewhere, watching Xiao Chen coldly like a venomous snake.
When the Eight Great Guardian Deities attacked, they forced Xiao Chen to a dead end. As long as he was not cautious, he would fall immediately.
All the cultivators in the plaza felt like their hearts had leaped into their throats. They had heard long ago that when the Eight Great Guardian Deities worked together, they could defeat a peak Superior Grade Martial Monarch—a half-step Martial Sage.
Some people did not believe this. However, looking at these eight now, they finally accepted it.
The cooperation of the eight was simply perfect. Furthermore, they were individually very strong. Their Cultivation Techniques, Martial Techniques, and combat experience were not weak.
“Roaming Dragon’s Nine Transformations!” Xiao Chen shouted, and his figure wavered, splitting into nine. Three Xiao Chens moved to the front, two Xiao Chens moved to the side, each wielding the Lunar Shadow Saber.
Finally, one Xiao Chen turned around and defended against the berserk attack from behind. This left three Xiao Chens standing on Azure Dragon images as they soared higher, giving off loud dragon roars. The real Xiao Chen was difficult to make out from the clones.
In the time it took for a spark to fly, nine Xiao Chens moved in every direction, resolving the critical situation he was in.
“Just some parlor tricks and you dare to show off here!”
A cold shout came from the sky as the hidden Tuoba Yun suddenly attacked. He appeared from somewhere, holding a short sword giving off a bright light.
Tuoba Yun thrust towards the real Xiao Chen. Unexpectedly, he managed to find the real Xiao Chen in an instant.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The Eight Great Guardian Deities instantly shattered the six Xiao Chens below using their various means.
The seven cultivators had every confidence in Tuoba Yun. When they saw the clones in the air, their weapons lit up as they soared higher, extremely decisive as they charged over without hesitation.
“Azure Dragon Tail Whip!”
When Xiao Chen saw the situation, he did not panic at all. He merged all the clones and turned into an ancient Azure Dragon swinging its tail, creating a strong wind.
Xiao Chen moved in an arc at lightning speed in midair, tearing an arc-shaped hole in space and instantly dodging Tuoba Yun’s attack.
He arrived before the person at the very back. Instantly, he unleashed the peak state of massacre and the immortal state of thunder and combined them.
Purple and red lights alternated on the saber, flickering strangely. Suddenly, the state of massacre poured forth, and the cultivator at the back felt a chill in his heart.
This person had been through hundreds of battle and was a very vicious person. The number of people he had killed was no less than Xiao Chen’s. After a moment’s distraction, he recovered his wits.
However, a fleeting mistake could instantly decide the victor of a battle between experts.
“Four Season Saber Technique, Spring Thunder Chop!”
Xiao Chen used Quintessence in the Four Season Saber Technique, which carried the power of seasons. Heaven and earth trembled as he chopped down.
The aura from the saber became boundlessly majestic. As the four seasons cycled, the spring thunder boomed; all creatures awakened, birds cried, bugs chirped, and beasts roared, all living creatures chattered continuously.
When Tuoba Yun saw this scene, he exclaimed, “Eighth Brother, be careful!”
He had not imagined that Xiao Chen would be crafty enough to identify the weakest among them and decisively attack at the slightest opportunity.
The cultivator addressed as Eighth Brother turned sullen. However, he did not panic at this critical moment. He sheathed his weapon at his waist and held his hands up towards the sky.
A dazzling golden lotus formed above his head. That cultivator poured his Quintessence into it, trying to block Xiao Chen’s attack.
“Qiang!”
The saber crashed into the golden lotus and gave off a metallic ‘clang.’ Boundless shock waves surged out, forming ripples, layering one over another.
The saber immediately hummed loudly. Xiao Chen infused his sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent into his saber. The might of his attack immediately increased by thirty percent.
“Ka ca! Ka ca!”
Cracks opened in the golden lotus like it would shatter into dust at any moment.
Tuoba Yun said, “Eight Great Guardian Deities, execute the cooperative Martial Technique! Shield!”
“Xiu! Xiu!”
The remaining seven of the Eight Great Guardian Deities’ figures flashed, forming a line behind the cultivator Xiao Chen was attacking. They sheathed their weapons and linked their hands together.
Waves of five-colored light came from the eight people. The Eight Great Guardian Deities used a mysterious method to merge all the auras perfectly.
“Bang!”
The lotus shattered at this moment, and the Four Season Saber Technique continued towards the head of the eighth of the Eight Great Guardian Deities. When the surging force landed on that five-colored light, it immediately dispersed.
The five-colored light distributed the power contained within the Spring Thunder Chop equally between the eight people, diminishing its might significantly.
Blood leaked out of the frontmost of the Eight Great Guardian Deities, but he did not reveal much pain on his face. Instead, he just had an extremely sinister expression.
“Retreat!”
Originally, Xiao Chen planned to take out the weakest with lightning speed. Who could have imagined that the cooperative Martial Technique could defend as well, spreading out the might of the Spring Thunder Chop?
Having failed in his sneak attack, Xiao Chen lost the initiative. The Azure Dragon below his feet roared ferociously. He quickly flew backwards, moving up and down together with the Azure Dragon. In the blink of an eye, he retreated by five hundred meters.
“You think you can run?!”
The Eight Great Guardian Deities reacted quickly, rearranging their positions in accordance to their strengths. Now, Tuoba Yun stood at the very front, and the other seven stood in a line behind him.
Tuoba Yun shouted a warcry, and a slender fire spear glowing with a faint light appeared before him.
“Pa! Pa! Pa!”
The Eight Great Guardian Deities placed their right hands on the back on the person in front of them, sending their Quintessence forward.
Tuoba Yun, who was at the front, gained the power of seven additional people. His aura immediately soared, and the fire spear behaved like oil had been poured on it, crackling as it burned.
A fierce flame illuminated the surrounding area, raising the temperature of the entire plaza.
“Cooperative technique! Blazing Spear! Attack!”
The fire spear pierced through space with a ‘xiu’ sound, instantly appearing before Xiao Chen; surging heat waves assaulted him.
Large patches of pitch-black areas appeared in the air; the fire spear had directly burned away space. When the people below saw this scene, they paled.
If an ordinary person stood before this flame, the high temperature would roast them without them being able to do anything about it.
Xiao Chen’s face sank. The energy in the spear caused him to feel some fear in his heart. The cooperative Martial Technique of these eight seemed to have some extraordinary tricks behind it.
“Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!”
In the time it took for a spark to fly, Xiao Chen stepped back seven times. With each step, he left behind an afterimage. Soon, he had seven identical afterimages maintaining the saber posture.
This was the Thunder Shadow Chop Xiao Chen comprehended. He did not dare to underestimate the fire spear, so he used all ninety-nine drops of Quintessence in his dantian.
“Bang!”
The seven afterimages merged in that instant. Splitting and merging in less than a breath—the people below did not even have time to react.
Chapter 635: Greed
Xiao Chen hacked the blazing spear with his saber. A loud explosion rang out, sending intense shock waves surging everywhere.
When the large force blasted out, it pushed Xiao Chen back by a hundred meters. Blood leaked out of the corner of his lips, and a strange look appeared in his eyes. Unexpectedly, the peak attack of seven afterimages combined was still weaker.
Tuoba Yun laughed loudly, “Idiot, you even dared to clash head-on with our Eight Segment Heavenly Dragon Combination Technique! White Robed Bladesman, today will be the date of your death anniversary!”
Tuoba Yun pushed his right palm out as he laughed loudly. The horrifying blazing spear continued towards Xiao Chen without any of its might diminishing.
“Four Season Saber Technique, Burning to Desolation!”
The blazing spear pierced through space even faster than lightning. Without any place to escape to, Xiao Chen attacked decisively with the most tyrannical move of the Four Season Saber Technique.
A blazing summer sun hung high in the air. As Xiao Chen chopped down, it was like the sun fell from the sky, intent on burning everything to desolation.
“Bang!”
Before the crowd’s astonished gaze, Xiao Chen did not choose to defend but to clash head-on, continuing to try to break through with force.
An even louder explosion rang out. Boundless blazing flames spread out in the air and turned into small arrows flying everywhere.
The aftermath of Burning to Desolation and the blazing spear appeared in the sky like countless black dots on a white sheet of paper.
Every single black dot was a small spatial tear. However, because the sky was too expansive, they looked as insignificant as black dots.
The heat wave scattered, and blood spurted from Xiao Chen’s lips once again. However, he did not sustain any injuries on his body. His limbs and bones were in excellent condition. As he stood in the air, his aura did not diminish.
Tuoba Yun revealed a slight suspicion in his eyes. He muttered, “That is impossible. I know that he has a strong physical body. However, this blazing spear carried a fiery shock wave. It would have torn even a peak Martial Monarch to shreds.”
“Big Brother, that brat seems to have a defensive Superior Grade Secret Treasure,” someone behind Tuoba Yun said quickly.
Tuoba Yun looked carefully and discovered a dim light fading away from under Xiao Chen’s Clear Wind Robes. A look of greed flashed in his eyes as he smiled sinisterly. “Indeed, it is a defensive Superior Grade Secret Treasure. This is a good item. Even the Wan Clan only has a few Superior Grade Secret Treasures.
“Brothers, disperse first. Afterwards, we will use our cooperative Martial Techniques a few more times and get the attacks to permeate through his Secret Treasures, shocking his internal organs until he dies.”
“Hu! Hu!”
The eight figures quickly separated and turned into eight beams of light. Once again, they held in their hands the weapons they had sheathed earlier, sending attacks at Xiao Chen.
“Dang! Dang! Dang!”
An intense battle full of danger unfolded in midair. The Eight Great Guardian Deities coordinated well, suppressing Xiao Chen all the while.
Attacks rained down continuously. Xiao Chen maintained his calm, not panicking. He did not have any intention of bringing out his full strength.
The Eight Great Guardian Deities were not Xiao Chen’s true enemy. Wan Feng, who was paying close attention to him, was his true opponent—one that was worth fighting.
Although Wan Feng hid the murderous intent in his eyes deeply, it did not escape Xiao Chen’s notice.
There is no perfect combination in this world. A weak point is sure to appear somewhere.
After making up his mind, Xiao Chen kept some of his trump cards hidden. Under the storm of attacks, he swung his saber light around, dealing with them as they came.
“Xiu!”
The unpredictable Tuoba Yun suddenly appeared and thrust his sword towards Xiao Chen as Xiao Chen retreated.
Xiao Chen had already anticipated him. He swung his saber down and counterattacked, combining the state of massacre and state of thunder.
He sent Tuoba Yun flying with a loud ‘boom.’ In a one-on-one clash, Xiao Chen held the advantage.
After trying several sneak attacks that Xiao Chen repulsed easily, Tuoba Yun could not help the astonishment in his eyes. He said, “Form up! Eight Segment Heavenly Dragon Combination Technique!”
“Xiu!”
The seven other Eight Great Guardian Deities moved behind Tuoba Yun and gave off that five-colored light again, combining their auras once more.
“Cooperative Martial Technique! Blazing Spear! Kill!”
“Bang! Bang!”
Xiao Chen used the Thunder Shadow Chop first, dissipating half of the spear’s energy. Then he followed up with Burning to Desolation, shattering the spear.
The aftermath of the clash permeated through Xiao Chen’s protective Quintessence and his Superior Grade Secret Treasure, shaking his internal organs. Blood leaked out of his lips again.
“Xiao Chen blocked it a second time!”
“Xiao Chen again managed to block the cooperative Martial Technique that can kill a peak Martial Monarch!”
Shock filled the eyes of the several thousand guests in the plaza. The Eight Great Guardian Deities had already killed many peak Martial Monarchs by relying on this move.
However, on this day, Xiao Chen succeeded in blocking it twice. Not only was he not torn to shreds, but he also had no signs of physical injury.
Xiao Chen’s condition astonished Wan Baoluo as well. However, he was not anxious. He smiled faintly and said, “The Eight Great Guardian Deities have never lost before, and they will not this time. White Robed Bladesman? How dare he come and cause a commotion in my Wan Clan.”
Tuoba Yun’s face sank. He had not expected Xiao Chen to be so difficult to deal with. He shouted angrily, “Scatter! We will do this a few more times. I don’t believe that this fellow can continue to endure.”
When the eight people split apart again, Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up as he entered deep thought.
The body was a container. Quintessence was the liquid in the container. When a container held several more times the liquid than it normally did, it would come under tremendous pressure.
After enduring such immense pressure, the body was bound to get injured and need nourishment.
Tuoba Yun was this container. After suddenly containing eight times his Quintessence, his physical body would surely sustain injury.
Otherwise, Tuoba Yun would not have to stop every time they executed the cooperative Martial Technique once. Remaining on the offensive would have been better. When Xiao Chen considered the earlier attacks, he realized that Tuoba Yun had always hidden afterwards and was the last to attack.
Tuoba Yun was probably using the time to heal his physical body. Suddenly enlightened, Xiao Chen smiled and said, “So that is what is going on. In that case, there is no more third chance for you.”
Currently, Tuoba Yun was at his weakest. Now was the best time for Xiao Chen to make his move.
At first, Xiao Chen had thought that Tuoba Yun was the strongest, so he kept looking for weak points in the others and failing every time. It turned out that he had been approaching this battle from the wrong angle all along.
After understanding this, Xiao Chen pushed off from where he was and quickly headed for Tuoba Yun hiding behind the others.
When Tuoba Yun saw Xiao Chen going for him, avoiding all the others’ attacks, fear flashed in his eyes. He shouted, “Stop him! Afterwards, we will burn our Quintessence and execute the cooperative Martial Technique. He will definitely die then!”
Clearly, the other seven realized Tuoba Yun’s situation now. They immediately stepped up their attacks, releasing a multitude of lights.
Xiao Chen dodged all the attacks he could. Those he could not evade, he blocked with his Superior Grade Secret Treasure.
“What’s with this fellow?”
The people watching could not understand what was happening. Xiao Chen did not go after the weaker cultivators first. Instead, he targeted the strongest. His choice did not make sense.
As Xiao Chen stood on an Azure Dragon image, he endured three attacks and dodged seven. Finally, he locked down on Tuoba Yun with his Saber Technique. He said, “Let’s see where you can run to now.”
A dreary wind and incessant rain, a cool breeze blows and autumn water ripples. As my fated person smiles faintly, I will gift you a gentle saber strike. However, do you dare to accept?
Xiao Chen executed Autumn of the Four Season Saber Technique, sending out a gentle saber light, akin to that of a pretty girl smiling faintly.
Left without a choice, Tuoba Yun roared ferociously and burned his Quintessence, sending out a barrier of light. He intended to defend against this attack forcefully.
“Bang!”
A boundless force hid in the gentle saber light. It pushed gently and shattered the barrier of light, knocking Tuoba Yun back. He vomited a large mouthful of blood.
Tuoba Yun had yet to recover from the cooperative Martial Technique’s side effects. Now, he sustained further injury. He immediately paled and lost all his combat prowess.
“Big Brother!” the other seven people cried out. They all burned their Quintessence and attacked Xiao Chen in rage.
“Bang!”
Xiao Chen stomped heavily on the Azure Dragon image he stood on, and the world trembled. He looked at the seven people approaching and smiled coldly. “Without the cooperative Martial Technique, are you Eight Great Guardian Deities worth anything?”
With one person missing from the Eight Great Guardian Deities, the originally perfect encirclement and cooperation immediately revealed weak points. No matter how they made up for the lack, their efforts were futile.
Even if the seven burned their Quintessence, it would just be a dream to want to defeat Xiao Chen in a short time.
The gap between Xiao Chen and them was never their Quintessence. He pushed off the Azure Dragon image and infused his body with Quintessence.
Then, Xiao Chen slowly activated the Purple Thunder True Fire in his right eye. With a loud ‘bang,’ purple fire flared up around his entire body.
He ignited his surging Quintessence right then. Furthermore, he used the extreme Yang Purple Thunder True Fire.
“Xiu!”
With just that instant, Xiao Chen felt his Quintessence had declined by one percent. On the other hand, the hidden strength in his body had more than quintupled.
Xiao Chen’s aura soared wildly to a horrifying degree. After only catching a glance, the onlookers below felt a great dread. They could not help taking a few steps back.
Before Xiao Chen’s incomparably fierce aura, the auras of the remaining seven people of the Eight Great Guardian Deities vanished instantly without leaving a trace.
Between the eight, even though they all burned their Quintessence, the remaining seven people of the Eight Great Guardian Deities were like children before Xiao Chen.
They had different foundations. Even with the same multiplier, the one with the better foundation would instantly outstrip the weaker ones by a large margin. Clearly, Xiao Chen had the better foundation.
Burning Quintessence was a massive drain. Xiao Chen did not waste any time. He shouted a ferocious warcry and immediately rushed over.
He took seven steps in the air. Each step left behind an afterimage. Every afterimage sent out an attack containing different states.
If it were not for the same countenance, no one would discover that these were clones created from Xiao Chen’s afterimages. It was hard to imagine that cloning to such a level was possible; even the expressions were different.
When the previously silent Gong Yangyu below saw this, he could not help but stand up excitedly and point at Xiao Chen. He muttered, “It really is my Everlasting Heaven and Earth. How is it so much stronger than mine?”
Earlier, when Xiao Chen used Thunder Shadow Chop twice, Gong Yangyu only found it somewhat familiar, but he was not sure what it was. Now that Xiao Chen executed Thunder Shadow Chop after burning his Quintessence, Gong Yangyu was finally certain.
Staring at Xiao Chen, Gong Yangyu felt that the youth was very terrifying. What kind of genius is this, for him to have such strong learning abilities?
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Seven muffled sounds rang out. The saber lights in the afterimages’ hands sent the remaining seven of the Eight Great Guardian Deities flying. Their expressions were extremely unsightly.
“Merge!”
The seven afterimages merged, and Xiao Chen attacked with seven times his peak offensive power. The first person only managed to block for a moment before his weapon shattered.