Chapter 1519: Another Unexpected Turn Of Events
Gentlewind's residence wasn't without its defenses, but they seemed average at best. The defenses could serve as an early warning system or delay ordinary enemies, but were far too lacking to subdue anyone.
However, the supreme lord had dispatched several Celestial Stars and Earthly Fiends in assistance, making the place secure enough.
"Daoist Shockcloud, I've always valued your keen observations. Since the supreme lord's sent you here, please feel free to point out the deficiencies in my layout." Gentlewind offered a warm welcome.
Jiang Chen feigned indifference as he asked, "Where are the prisoners?"
Gentlewind smiled. "Follow me."
Without batting an eye, Jiang Chen followed the protector king past several detours before reaching a dim area.
"They're in there. The energy of the surroundings is completely sealed off, so no matter how great Jiang Chen's powers are, he won't be able to locate them," Gentlewind chuckled.
Jiang Chen nodded. "Well done. The supreme lord was right to leave the matter in your hands."
He mouthed endless praise, but his mind searched urgently for a solution. He was no longer so impatient now that he'd found the captives. His cover would hold as long as Shockcloud didn't show himself.
"Daoist Shockcloud, please take a look and see if there's anything's lacking. I heard the brat is as slippery as the devil. Like a fly, he can smell the faintest stink from miles away." Gentlewind seemed very admiring of Shockcloud, his goodwill audible in his voice.
Jiang Chen's eyes shone inwardly. What a good opportunity! But he also swore. Bastard, how dare you compare this young lord to a fly??
Though anxious, he remained outwardly impassive, else he would arouse the other's suspicions.
"Let me see. This place is fine indeed. There's no need for groundless fears. Hasn't Jiang Chen only dispatched a few giants? These oafs might be good in a reckless fight, but they're useless with more subtle tasks. Not to mention, the supreme lord and Senior Shu have already gone to suppress them." Jiang Chen's voice and manners were strikingly similar to Everviolet's own.
Gentlewind nodded. "I'll take a look outside first while you investigate. We must make sure everything's in order."
Jiang Chen repressed his delight. Is this fellow going to leave me here all by myself?
The Order's foundations were indeed still shaky. Most protector kings came from the wandering world and lacked the discipline of true great factions. Otherwise, no matter how trusting he was, Gentlewind wouldn't have left someone else alone with captives he was responsible for overseeing.
Jiang Chen barely kept his joy in check and nodded curtly. "Alright, you do you, don't mind me."
Glance at the lightly closed gates, he knew the prison lay beyond. But he didn't jump into action. Instead, he crossed his arms and feigned a casual inspection of the area.
Gentlewind had left, but who was to say he wasn't hanging around in the shadows? This was the enemy's domain. It wouldn't be difficult for them to monitor every area.
Jiang Chen silently weighed up all of the possibilities.
What should I do first? Rescue them or kill Gentlewind and his group?
He could easily dispose of the protector king and his men thanks to the Nine Labyrinth Formation and the Confounding Puppets. Each puppet was empyrean realm. After a period of exploration, he'd gradually acquainted himself with their uses.
He was almost guaranteed to kill these men, but the odds of doing so without sounding the alarm became a measly sixty percent. He was in someone's territory after all. Who was to say there was no trump card hidden within?
Would the supreme lord assign Gentlewind to this important mission if the protector king was incompetent?
Time elapsed minute after minute as Jiang Chen pretended to observe the place, slowly inching towards the gates.
But just as he was ready to push them open, his heart throbbed inexplicably. The sudden sensation caused the chain seal in his consciousness to blaze with a sudden, intense sense of danger.
Strong and abrupt, this strange sense of crisis had come when success had seemed so close at hand. The hand that'd almost reached the gates stilled as his figure turned into a beam of light that shot outside.
However, he suddenly screeched to a halt halfway through, his feet seemingly rooted in place.
Whoosh, whoosh! The next moment, countless restrictions emerged one after another all around him. Countless runes from a formation wriggled in the air like so many locusts.
Jiang Chen felt as though he'd plunged into a frozen lake.
"Hahaha, this is what they call bringing about your own ruin." A proud laugh suddenly reached his ears. He immediately recognized Xiahou Jing's tone.
Why is he here?
Jiang Chen's heart sank. Had he been played?
Many figures followed each other inside the palace: Xiahou Jing, Shu Wanqing, Shockcloud, as well as many powerhouses of the Order. Almost half the sect's elites were gathered inside.
Two Shockclouds, one true and one fake, came face to face without warning.
Everviolet's violet gaze shot at Jiang Chen, trying to pierce the latter's disguise with the power of his eyes.
Responding tit for tat, the Evil Golden Eye's formidable light shot forward.
The clash of the two eye arts created vortexes of energy shocking the very air. Everviolet's entire body tensed. The great emperor felt ill at ease by the powerful attack, as if almost frozen by the Evil Golden Eye's riposte.
"Tsk tsk, is that what they call the final struggle of a trapped beast?" The supreme lord brayed with laughter. "Jiang Chen, you actually snuck inside my sect. Everything went according to my plan! Tsk tsk, do you think your small tricks can fool me?"
Jiang Chen's chest tightened when he saw his opponent's pleased face. He had indeed fallen into a trap.
Everything had been an act from the beginning. To be more precise, interlinked ploys had followed one another until he'd jumped in with both feet into their trap!
Yet, despite precarious situation, he became strangely more coolheaded. True, he was dismayed at being duped, but not the point of being scared stiff.
Jiang Chen nodded, his face serene. "Xiahou Jing, this young lord's underestimated you. That said, did you arrange so many ploys simply to corner me?"
The proud Xiahou Jing laughed boisterously. "You finally understand, but it's a bit too late. How else would I have caught a sly fox like you?"
"Does that mean the Precious Tree Sect's captives are also impostors?"
Xiahou Jing smiled lazily. "I know you want to test me and find out whether I've truly captured these Precious Tree fellows. But too bad, do you think I'll tell you?" He flashed an infuriating smile, "But I have to admit you have some skills. Your talent for disguise is out of this world. If not for our earlier schemes to lead you here, you might truly have fooled me."
Gentlecloud also had to commend the young lord. "Your disguise was truly perfect. I knew from the start you were a fake, but there were times when I wondered, is it the true Protector King Shockcloud? Did the supreme lord really send him?"
The crowd laughed uproariously. They worshipped Xiahou Jing even more so. With such a supreme lord, the Order had no need to confront Veluriyam's main force.
Jiang Chen was nothing in comparison to such a leader. Hadn't he been easily defeated by a simple scheme?
Shu Wanqing cackled evilly. "Kid, do you remember your foul mouth and lack of respect for your elders back in Veluriyam? Who has the last laugh now?"
The old man had forcibly interfered and ruined Jiang Chen's plans to kill Xiahou Jing. In the throes of rage, the young lord had cursed him to his heart's content. The specifics didn't matter, but the old man had always kept the grudge close to heart. How could he let a human junior scold him so?
He'd thought long and hard how to erase this extraordinary disgrace, and the opportunity was finally in front of him today.
Jiang Cheng's ice-cold eyes bore into him. "You must be the cowardly human hermit? I heard them call you Daoist Shu? Someone who's forgotten his roots like you will never be more than a shitty, cowardly turtle even if you live to be ten thousand years old. So let me ask you, what gives you the right to show off in front of me?"
He was pulling no punches. The fellow had obviously submitted to the Order. Lackey was written all over his face. The mere sight of him was enough to infuriate the young lord.
His face red, Shu Wanqing almost blew his top despite his seniority.
"What? You know to be angry? What gives you the right to be? You have no shame despite your age, are you going to feign pride and self-respect now?" Jiang Chen swore roundly.
Chapter 1520: Jiang Chen's Displays His Might
The fuming Shu Wanqing snickered cruelly. "Kid, is this you giving up all hope and saying to hell with everything? Are you trying to make me mad enough to kill you outright and spare you further torture? How naive! Do you think I'll let you off so easily?"
He bristled with vicious venom. There should've been no irreconcilable hatred between them, but he just hated the young man. The mere sight of Jiang Chen prompted unspeakable disgust.
For that reason, he'd lowered himself and assisted the supreme lord of the Order, even risking an ambush on the Gunuo village's prince to incite an invasion.
In fact, though he'd never admit it, he was simply jealous of a brat becoming mankind's leader and shining brighter than him. An empyrean master like him ought to be the one acclaimed as humanity's leader!
He was indifferent to mankind's fortunes, but since he'd come out of seclusion, the domain ought to naturally have revolved around him. He didn't want to shoulder humanity's future, but Jiang Chen wasn't allowed to either.
A youngster taking on the role when an empyrean master wasn't? What would the whole world think? It was simply a slap to the face for empyrean powerhouses everywhere.
One had to say, the empyrean expert was truly a twisted state of mind. He himself refused the responsibility, but no one else could steal his thunder and stand in the limelight.
Jiang Chen stayed indifferent, but his lips curved in a small contemptuous smile. This so-called hidden human expert was a thorough disappointment.
He'd been hopeful. A domain so vast ought to have a few hidden masters. But Shu Wanqing had instantly doused all of his hopes. If every hidden master was like him, then Jiang Chen hoped for all of them to quickly enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Xiahou Jing stepped forward and fixed the young lord with a deep stare.
"Jiang Chen, you defeated me last time. Today, it's my turn to defeat you in my own territory. That makes us even, but you owe me the lives of many close aides. We need to carefully settle this account."
When it came to hatred for Jiang Chen, he felt much more strongly than Shu Wanqing. Rather than simple loathing and ostracism, his was a true blood feud.
"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Jiang Chen was the picture of serenity.
"How about I put your head on a pike and parade it in front of your army?" Xiahou Jing snickered.
"You wouldn't dare." Jiang Chen shook his head. "How is your mob going to contend with the Embittered Savages with me gone?"
Xiahou Jing laughed out loud. "The Savages? Who says I have to face them?"
Jiang Chen's eyes slowly narrowed into slits. "So you've come from Myriad Abyss Island simply to destroy the human domain without a care for mankind's survival."
"Right on the money. As a descendant of glorious forebears, I represent mankind's true lineage. You're just sons of ancient rejects. How will humanity right itself and flourish once more if you don't die off?" Xiahou Jing flushed with excitement.
"True lineage? Is that what you call a bunch of cowards and deserters? What a joke." Jiang Chen shook his head. "Drop the nonsense. Show me what you've got." The young lord's eyelids drooped as if his situation wasn't all that precarious.
Xiahou Jing almost exploded at the sight.
"Brat, looks like you don't know to repent even when at death's doorstep!" In fact, he hadn't intended on bickering. His goal was to capture Jiang Chen. It would have been child's play to kill him, but he was far more valuable alive.
Xiahou Jing threw Shu Wanqing a glance. The latter immediately caught his drift and stepped forward. With a slight shake of the foot, his figure blurred into eight Shu Wanqings in the blink of an eye.
"Brutal Mirror Image?" Jiang Chen saw straight through the old man's tricks with the Evil Golden Eye. Even so, the mighty aura of an empyrean master suddenly pressed on him with the weight of a mountain. He could barely breathe.
"Kid, time to learn how weak you are!" Shu Wanqing's voice seemed to echo from every direction. An empyrean aura was as if a profound force of heaven and earth in full control of all matter.
Strands of consciousness shot at Jiang Chen's mind. Shu Wanqing clearly wanted to assault both his target's body and his soul, destroying the junior without a fight.
But would Jiang Chen succumb so easily?
He was fully prepared. When Shu Wanqing launched his mirror images, he'd raised his hands and spewed forth odd beams of light from his palms that became the unrolling of magnificent painting scrolls the next moment.
The mysterious scrolls opened in the air, growing boundlessly, infinitely, creating layer upon layer of intersecting space.
"What's going on?"
The scene blurred. When the Order's men came to their senses, they found themselves in a strange nothingness. They'd been drawn into a staggered space formed by the scrolls and built into the superposition of many labyrinths. The alien space had become a dimension of its own with no entrance or exit, seeming to extend to the end of the universe.
Like lost lambs, the crowd paled, their eyes flashing with inexplicable fear.
Shu Wanqing had been no exception, but he'd quickly quashed his alarm thanks to his experience. Now calm once again, he shouted in warning, "Don't panic! This is a space formation, an illusion that confuses our senses!"
Xiahou Jing remained collected as well. He ordered, "Stay calm, all of you. Don't wander off on your own or you might be ambushed by the kid!"
In an entirely unfamiliar dimension, what other outcomes could there be if they were to run all over the place? He was too clever to give in to fear and play into his opponent's hands.
Everyone gathered together around Xiahou Jing and Shu Wanqing as if by tacit accord, forming a protective ring around them.
His eyes sharp, Shu Wanqing spread his consciousness outwards, searching for the slightest flaw that could offer an escape road.
"Daoist Shu, what's with this formation? Can you figure anything out?" Xiahou Jing was at his wits' end despite his vast knowledge.
Shu Wanqing responded lowly, "The scrolls create dimensional labyrinths. They all seem identical and it's impossible to tell them apart. Tut if we don't, we'll be trapped inside forever."
"Is there no other way? For example, can we break out by force?" Xiahou Jiang champed at the bit. He'd planned on capturing Jiang Chen moments ago, but the situation had been overturned faster than he could blink. The hunters had become the prey. This sudden reversal was impossible for him to endure.
Standing outside the formation, Jiang Chen didn't allow them any respite.
Holy Dragon Bow in hand, he deployed his own consciousness. A ray of light surged from the chain seal in his mind, guiding his arrow as it whistled through the air like the roar of a dragon and punctured a Celestial Star's head in a geyser of blood!
The man died before he could react.
Several elders nearby paled with fright as the body toppled down with a thump. The elder's death was an enormous psychological blow, making them realize in despair just how fragile human life was, and how easily it could be snuffed away.
"Next!" Jiang Chen's voice rumbled in the air. The Holy Dragon Bow fired again.
Arrows shot forward like meteors. Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Three of them flew in succession this time, like waves propelling each other forward with increasing momentum and tremendous firepower.
The Order had been prepared, but the premises was truly too narrow for all them crowded together. Those caught in the middle had no leeway to move out of the way!
Pfft, pfft!
A protector king dodged an arrow out of pure luck, but the two elders at his side were struck at almost the same time. Just like the previous elder, one arrow was all it'd taken to reap their lives!
Four arrows had harvested three lives. Seeing such a terrifying development, the elders scattered in every direction like frightened birds.
Even Shu Wanqing shouted, "Everyone spread out. Create some space! The closer you clump, the more targets you're giving him and the more likely you are to be hit!"
With so many gathered together, even a blind shot would easily find a mark. The logic was easy enough to understand.
Even without his warning, the elders had already begun to scatter outwards on their own initiative. Clever people sought shelter with their neighbors to use as meat shields, while fools ran into each other like headless chickens.
Panic and chaos engulfed the scene.
Xiahou Jing seethed while Shu Wanqing's face darkened. How could either of them endure being made fools of by a young man?
"Supreme Lord, this can't go on or the kid will pick them off one by one!" Shu Wanqing cared little about these people's survival, but the arrows seemed powerful enough to threaten his own life. The specter of death might close in on him if this were to go on.
He wouldn't have been afraid of a few arrows under normal circumstances. But they were now trapped like caged beasts. The conditions and terrain were both to their disadvantage.
They would truly be done for if they didn't find a way to escape, and fast!
Chapter 1521: The Confounding Puppets Whirl Into Action
Jiang Chen was very excited. This spiralized dimensional labyrinth was none other than the Nine Labyrinth Formation he'd received from the third of the Six Palaces of Heritage, Palace of the Grand Marquis.
Once deployed, the Nine Labyrinth Formation created a nine-fold maze capable of locking down an enormous patch of space, losing anyone present within.
Jiang Chen was innately sensitive to formations. Moreover, the Nine Labyrinth Formation had an affinity with him. His use of it took even an opponent like Shu Wanqing by surprise. The formation's mysteries were not to be understood in any short span of time.
After all, this was an ancient treasure, the pride of the Grand Marquis who'd previously owned it. When Jiang Chen wasn't limited by his own cultivation level, he would be able to trap someone many times stronger than Shu Wanqing once he used it at peak strength.
The young lord had turned the tables by taking the initiative. He stood commandingly outside the formation, dismantling the opposing force within moments through the power of his Holy Dragon Bow. The Order's cultivators scrambled to flee in every direction.
This was the kind of effect Jiang Chen wanted. If they were together, it would be very hard for him to do anything to them. However, their retreating backs made much easier targets.
Jiang Chen's goal was none other than Protector King Gentlewind. Rather than killing the protector king, he wanted to take the other alive.
With a flourish of his hand, Jiang Chen sent a ray of light into the Nine Labyrinth Formation, dispatching a humanoid puppet.
Jiang Chen had obtained seven of these Confounding Puppets from the third palace. Each puppet was a crowning achievement of the Grand Marquis, and embodied his will and power. Any individual puppet contained thirty percent of his ability. The strongest of them, seventy percent.
Jiang Chen could scarcely believe how strong these puppets were himself. He'd heard Master P'eng and Venerated Skysoarer talk about how different the third palace and its treasures would be. Nevertheless, the sheer value of the Nine Labyrinth Formation and Confounding Puppets took him off guard.
He could only make use of two of them at most, even with the fullest measure of his own exertion. And the two weakest, at that.
But in actual combat, a Confounding Puppet couldn't match up to a real empyrean expert. After all, puppets remained constructs regardless of how much will they had been imbued with. This meant that they required a human hand behind them and couldn't act autonomously.
Under Jiang Chen's control, the Confounding Puppet morphed into the guise of Everviolet.
He had disguised himself as Everviolet in order to trick Protector King Gentlewind, but had fallen prey to the other man's trap instead.
He was trying the same trick a second time.
Gentlewind had been separated from everyone else for a long time now. Currently, he was panicked and clueless. His head felt strangely chilly out of fear of Jiang Chen's life-reaping arrows. They could very well be planted into the back of his head at any moment.
The protector king had more than enough reason to be afraid. He had been the mastermind and executor of the previous trap. It was quite likely Jiang Chen would assign him the majority of the blame.
"Daoist Gentlewind, over here…" Everviolet's voice echoed by his ear in his throes of dismay. Gentlewind hurriedly glanced over to see the great emperor waving to him not far from here.
"Daoist Gentlewind, that kid's archery skills are worrisome. We're both his worst enemies and will absolutely be taken down separately if we're apart. Why not put our backs against each other so that we have an extra person to rely on? This way, we can at least guarantee not being flanked. How about it?" Everviolet made an extremely reasonable offer.
Gentlewind wanted more than anything for a lifeline in the midst of his hysteria. This was a crucial moment for survival. They had every basis for sound cooperation, and neither man needed to fear being sold out by the other.
Doing so was tantamount to sacrificing one's own safety.
Gentlewind darted over to stand by Everviolet with his back turned. Confidence instantly flourished after the two men stood together.
"Daoist Shockcloud, that kid is beyond comprehension. What method or ability is he using? Or perhaps a heaven-defying treasure of some sort? Why does he have such an overwhelming advantage over us?" Gentlewind found it rather perplexing. Just like Xiahou Jing, he couldn't quite accept reality.
They had been on the cusp of triumph. Jiang Chen had been a beast caught in a trap; there was no possibility of a reversal. However, what had happened next had dumbfounded everyone. Thus, Gentlewind was both startled and resentful.
He was answered not with Everviolet's words, but a paralyzing jolt in the small of his back. In the next moment, he felt his own body go limp. He collapsed to the ground with an incoherent thought.
This 'Everviolet' was a Confounding Puppet in disguise. Under Jiang Chen's control, the puppet placed Gentlewind on its back, then disappeared in the formation in a burst of light. All had happened without none being the wiser.
When Gentlewind came to, he noticed that he was outside the formation. Joy filled his heart for a split second before he realized that he was probably not in a situation that warranted it.
As expected, Jiang Chen's face appeared before Gentlewind, making the man blanch.
"We meet again, Protector King Gentlewind."
Jiang Chen's tone was cool, but his Evil Golden Eye carried a kind of killing intent that was almost militant in nature. It seemed to pierce Gentlewind's very soul. The protector king felt like his soul was being cut by countless razors.
"Ah, I have nothing to say. I'm the loser today." Gentlewind wanted to feign nonchalance.
Jiang Chen smiled placidly. "Really? My spirit beasts will appreciate the nutrition then. You're a great emperor, aren't you, Gentlewind? Good eating, as they say."
The protector king's face changed color once more.
"What do you want to do with me, Jiang Chen? Kill me if you want. Why toy with me like this?" Gentlewind was worn thin.
He didn't actually want to die, but he was worried that pleading for his life would anger Jiang Chen. Making such a misstep would likely cost him any hope of getting out of this relatively intact. Besides, Jiang Chen would just look down upon him. This conflicting mentality bothered the protector king.
"Stop pretending." Jiang Chen shook his head emotionlessly. "The fear at the corner of your eyes betrays your heart. It's normal for humans to fear death, so there's no need to hide your own nature. You'll have a chance to live, but it'll be up to you to grasp it."
Jiang Chen didn't hold such people in high regard, but he had killed more than his fair share of them. He'd taken this particular one alive for a different purpose.
"You want to know the truth behind those Precious Tree Sect people, right?" Gentlewind was clever enough to immediately understand what Jiang Chen wanted.
Jiang Chen smiled coolly, but neither confirmed nor denied it. If Gentlewind was smart enough, he would spill the beans of his own volition. If not, Jiang Chen had plenty of ways to make him do so, though with significantly less courtesy.
Gentlewind sighed. "Never mind. It's understandable that I'd lose to you, young lord. If you can easily play with the supreme lord and Senior Shu Wanqing, an errand runner such as I cannot possibly win.
"I'll tell you everything. We did capture and secretly imprison a few from the Precious Tree Sect. The supreme lord suggested we use it as bait to hook you in, which everyone agreed with heartily. Many people know that you are adept at laying low and hiding yourself, so much so that they were worried you'd infiltrated the Order itself. Thus, there was a trap for you from the start. The fact that you were able to escape unscathed from the trap we prepared was totally unexpected, though."
Gentlewind sighed at this point. He felt completely defeated given the circumstances. There was no way they could've made better plans than these.
"Where are those prisoners?" Jiang Chen was uninterested in hearing his lamentations. He headed straight for the important part.
"I'm keeping them in another jail," Gentlewind supplied honestly. "That place was just where we set up the deathtrap."
Jiang Chen finally understood all.
"How devious of you," he harrumphed. "If I hadn't intuited that it was a bad idea to head straight in, I would have been incapacitated by an even more powerful restrictive formation behind the door, hmm?"
Gentlewind sighed. "Victory and defeat were decided by a single thought. Your win was well-deserved. If you'd blundered into opening the door, the outcome would have been very different."
It was as he had said. There had been a powerful restrictive formation behind the door, waiting for Jiang Chen. If he hadn't been wary about a possibility like that, it would have been easy for him to bungle the whole affair.
Once he was held in place by a restrictive formation, no method would be able to save him.
"Lead the way to the prisoners and you'll live. If the Precious Tree Sect's captives are still alive, perhaps you can live as well. If not, then you're done for." Jiang Chen's voice was cool and dispassionate. His care for the Precious Tree Sect's members was without question.
Gentlewind didn't play any tricks this time. He was sincere in his escort. They came very quickly into another jail area.
This jail contained several people from the Precious Tree Sect as well as Ye Chonglou himself. They were all close to Jiang Chen. These captives had lost all hope after being kidnapped and had anticipated the worst. Jiang Chen's arrival was a scene beyond their wildest dreams!
Chapter 1522: Severely Injuring Shu Wanqing
Protector King Gentlewind was a very astute man. He removed the restrictions on Ye Chonglou and the rest without prompting, bringing out the antidote to their ailments as well.
"Let me see that," Jiang Chen interrupted coolly when he saw the antidote.
Gentlewind compliantly provided the medicine. "I guarantee there's nothing wrong with it," he swore. "If there is, let me be smited by heaven and earth!"
His life depended on present performance. Gentlewind didn't dare attempt anything rash. He only wanted to seek Jiang Chen's forgiveness and favor.
Jiang Chen gave the old tutor and the others a once-over before nodding. "You can take it. The antidote is real."
The Precious Tree Sect members were quite embarrassed. "Young lord Jiang Chen, we always cause trouble for you."
Jiang Chen smiled. "Why say such things, lordmaster? This is a season filled with many problems. I don't think you should go back to the sect for the time being. Come to Veluriyam's young lord residence. That place is well-defended and safe. You won't have to worry for your lives."
The old tutor was very pleased. "Why would we refuse an invitation to the young lord residence? Tang Hong, be sure to thank your Brother Chen!"
Tang Hong was a big and stocky man. He was almost twice the size of some regular folk — not as gigantic as a stone golem, but exceptional enough.
"Thanks, Brother Chen." The big guy scratched his head. He was a straightforward, simple guy who'd first met Jiang Chen through a quarrel.
But since their days at the Precious Tree Sect, the gap between Jiang Chen and himself had grown bigger and bigger. This had made their relationship become more distant as well. Right now, he felt mildly inferior to Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen patted on the shoulder. "Ole Tang. You've wasted a bit of time in the mundane kingdoms. A man of your talents should have gone to Veluriyam instead!"
He regretted that hadn't brought Tang Hong there earlier. It had been out of a worry that the Precious Tree Sect would think too much about things. After all, the sect saw him as its best heir. If Jiang Chen were to take him away so recklessly, wouldn't he be perceived as out of line?
But the current situation was more than clear enough. The smaller sects and factions had to join their larger peers or retire out of history. Failing to choose one meant that they would be destroyed. No one would be spared in this world-engulfing tide.
This was the simplest of reasons. No one man could stand alone against the rest of the realm.
The Precious Tree Sect had actually kept quite a low profile. They weren't easily noticeable among the mundane kingdoms. Who would've expected the Order to be so pervasive? It had captured them at such a crucial time.
Thankfully, Jiang Chen had been there to help them out.
"Now's not a good time to talk. Hurry and be on your way. Take my Progeny Feather Medallion and find Veluriyam's army. I'll send others to protect you on the way."
They were still in Order territory; Jiang Chen's Nine Labyrinth Formation was the only thing holding its executives in place. If they did manage to free themselves, they would be a serious threat.
Summoning his Goldbiter Rats, Jiang Chen tasked them with escorting the Precious Tree Sect people to safety as quickly as possible.
Protector King Gentlewind, in the meantime, was as honest and humble as a quail before Jiang Chen.
"Never mind. You don't need to die, but you'll suffer a bit." As Jiang Chen said this, Gentlewind collapsed to the floor.
Rather than killing the man, Jiang Chen dumped him into a corner before returning to the field. This time, his goal was Xiahou Jing.
However, when he approached the Nine Labyrinth Formation, shock coursed through his heart. Shu Wanqing was almost out!
Currently, Jiang Chen could only make use of a sliver of the formation's true power. Therefore, he couldn't entirely ensnare an expert of Shu Wanqing's level yet. Allowing Shu Wanqing to escape now would be as fatal as giving amnesty to a bloodthirsty criminal!
But without the four stone giant brothers by his side, Jiang Chen could only use his Confounding Puppets in order to hold any ground. Give his cultivation level, he could only use two at the same time. He would have a very hard time facing the empyrean expert.
Jiang Chen guessed that Shu Wanqing was at least third level empyrean realm. Slightly stronger than Xiahou Jing, who was only second. Though he was still minor empyrean realm rather than mid, the difference between empyrean levels was marked and significant.
It was extremely difficult to bridge that kind of difference without being a special sort of genius.
Nearing his formation, Jiang Chen wordlessly fired an arrow within at the nearly-escaped Shu Wanqing.
The empyrean expert was focused wholly on a way to break through when he suddenly felt a lethal force coming from behind. In that instant, he barely evaded enough to escape the brunt of it.
However, Jiang Chen's archery was legendary. Another two arrows arrived almost simultaneously behind the first. Shu Wanqing's movements were immensely swift, but the missiles were even faster than that.
Pfft!
A vicious-looking arrow embedded itself into Shu Wanqing's thigh. The empyrean expert howled in pain.
The Holy Dragon Bow's power was unmatched. A single arrow was enough to incapacitate more than half of his capabilities.
Shu Wanqing's shrill shriek drew the others' gazes. Sweat beaded on the empyrean expert's forehead. He dragged along his lame leg, dodging as a streak of light into the crowd. Though he was officially disabled, he was still incredibly fast if intent on escaping.
Jiang Chen held onto his Holy Dragon Bow without firing any more. Firing the bow in rapid succession required a great deal of energy. He didn't want to waste his limited stamina on pointless strikes.
These Order executives were all experts, but they weren't worth his effort. He would target Shu Wanqing and Xiahou Jing alone. The latter was wily enough to know that things had gone quite bad given the former's hasty fluster. He dodged briskly in emulation of Shu Wanqing's rhythm.
Clearly, both the empyrean experts and the others were wary of Jiang Chen's killing arrows. For the time being, they were trapped beasts within the Nine Labyrinth Formation.
"Daoist Shu, didn't you say you'd almost found the exit?" Xiahou Jing couldn't resist asking after catching up.
Shu Wanqing snapped back unbridled fury. "If you'd backed me up, I would've found the exit long ago for everyone!"
His heart quailed. This was the first time he felt a personal threat from this human youngster. Before now, he'd solely been hostile towards the young lord. He'd never considered it possible for Jiang Chen to be able to threaten him in any concrete way. But now, he was forced to admit he'd underestimated the youth.
The disturbing injury on his leg wasn't something that would heal in the short term. The destruction of these arrows extended deeper than the flesh into his tendons and meridians. Most worryingly, his bodily operations had been affected.
If the wound wasn't treated in a timely manner and allowed to worsen, he'd be even more disadvantaged.
"You see what's happening, Supreme Lord? If things are allowed to spiral out of control like this, we'll be cut down like wheat, stalk by stalk. That's hardly an exaggeration." Shu Wanqing's expression darkened, as did his tone.
Xiahou Jing's facial muscles twitched slightly. He could see as well as everyone else that even Shu Wanqing had been grievously hurt. The young man from Myriad Abyss felt himself to be weaker than the human domain expert. This meant Jiang Chen had more than enough ability to threaten his life!
"Daoist Shu, what shall we do? Do you have any good ideas?"
"Hmph, I do! I've found the approximate location of the exit, but that kid's arrows are nigh unstoppable. I need your people to shield me." Shu Wanqing was brutally truthful.
In other words, he needed meat shields to stand in the way.
It wasn't necessarily effective, but it was much better than facing Jiang Chen's arrows head on.
"Must that be done?" Xiahou Jing mused.
He didn't care for the lives of his subordinates, but such an order was difficult to make in the first place. If he did, these Order executives would leave him, making the Order would be an empty shell of its former self.
If his followers no longer wished to follow him, the Order could very well close any time.
His hesitation angered Shu Wanqing. "You don't want to? Then let heaven decide our fates! I'm hurt, but I can protect myself with no problem. We'll see who dies first!"
Xiahou Jing was very conflicted. He knew only the two empyrean experts could find a way out. The others couldn't possibly carry out such a feat. But if they were to face Jiang Chen's arrows, how could they concentrate at all?
This was a quintessential impasse.
Xiahou Jing chose to be blunt. "Friends," he shouted, "you heard what Daoist Shu said! We have to find the gap in this formation if we want to get out of here, but only Daoist Shu and I have a chance to do so at all. Thus, we need someone to protect us, which is an extremely dangerous proposition. If I were to delegate this to any one of you, you would be dissatisfied with me, but it must be done. What do you think I should do?"
The atmosphere became very heavy.
Everyone had been plotting for self-preservation after hearing Shu Wanqing's declaration. Still, it was hard to deny that the supreme lord had a strong argument. This was the only solution. Without doing this, it was probable that Jiang Chen would harvest the lives of everyone in the end.
"Supreme Lord, we have to risk our lives if this is the only strategy."
"Let the heavens decide. We should draw lots!"
"Yes, let's draw lots. Whoever's drawn must do his duty!"
The Order executives couldn't come up with a better way to decide. They were forced to rely on this most primitive of methods to determine the unlucky bodyguard.
Chapter 1523: Continued Misfortunes
Drawing lots was an extremely primitive solution. Thankfully, there were more than enough here to pull it off.
Xiahou Jing nodded after a head count. "We're missing a few, including Protector King Gentlewind. Has anyone seen him?"
Everyone shook their heads. They'd been set on escaping the chaos prior; what energy did they have spare to keep an eye out for others?
"Never mind that. If no one's seen him, he is probably dead." Xiahou Jing couldn't care much more than that. "There are twenty-four of us here. Aside from Daoist Shu and I, there are twenty-two of you. You will be numbered from one to twenty-two. Numbers one and two will be up first, three and four close behind, and so on. If nothing unexpected happens, one and two will protect us until we're done. Of course, the later numbers can help us mitigate any dangers noticed! Does that sound fair?"
This makeshift method was reasonably fair. These Order executives discussed it among themselves for a few moments before deciding this was largely acceptable for everyone.
Everyone gathered together and drew lots. The randomization process proceeded apace.
In no time at all, the numbers were assigned. A protector king and Celestial Star were chosen. The unlucky louts paled when they realized their unfortunate fates. Had they really been chosen as the first sacrifices?
Numbers three and four were extremely grave too. Clearly, neither was thrilled with the high-pressure role of being the first backups. If harm befell the two before them, they would need to brave the front lines at any time.
The emotions of five and six were comparatively more stable. Still, there was some worry between their brows. This was true for seven and eight too.
Outside the formation, Jiang Chen could easily guess that the executives had gathered together to discuss a strategy. He was in no rush to attack. He sat cross-legged in place to recover his qi.
His continuous attacks with the Holy Dragon Bow and usage of the Confounding Puppets meant that he had expended a lot of energy. He was able to get only some of it back after modest recovery.
It was at this time that he received a piece of excellent news. The four stone golem brothers were coming toward here, having heard his summons.
At the same time, Veluriyam's army was advancing inexorably in preparation for an all-out attack. All of this was greatly reassuring for Jiang Chen.
He didn't mind the Order's desire to drag things out at all. The Nine Labyrinth Formation was adept at sapping their strength.
Shu Wanqing especially had been, at minimum, crippled by the Holy Dragon Bow. If his wound didn't heal in time, Jiang Chen would have an even better chance at hunting him down.
There was a sudden clamor of noise from outside. The Order's members surged towards this direction as well. The stone golems' earthshaking presences were the catalyst that drove them onwards.
Jiang Chen immediately perceived that the four stone golem brothers had arrived. He was overjoyed. Their arrival meant that his forces on hand were significantly bolstered. It was perfect timing, since he had a use for fresh troops in the slaughter of his enemies.
Big Stone strode over rapidly, his huge legs thundering. Order members fell like dominoes wherever he went, swept to the ground in swathes.
"Savior, we are here!" Big Stone's furious roar was a clap of midday thunder, deafening enough to raise a figurative roof off the rafters.
The stone golem was superbly excited to see Jiang Chen. They'd been worried for their benefactor's well-being during their assignment to destroy the Order's foundations, since splitting up had been required.
Big Stone grinned at the sight of Jiang Chen safe and sound. "Where are the Order bastards, Savior? Where they hiding?"
Jiang Chen smiled smoothly, pointing to the formation. "They're all stuck inside."
Big Stone was completely lost. He couldn't make heads nor tails of the nine scrolls of mazes suspended in midair. From the outside, they were just pretty pictures. Someone unversed in formations wouldn't be able to see inside, much less understand its mysteries.
Jiang Chen instructed rather than explained. "Big Stone, you and your brothers should be on high alert. There are two empyrean experts inside the formation. I shot one of them in the thigh, so he's kind of badly wounded. Still, he should be more of a threat. The other one is the Order's supreme lord. He's younger and comparatively weaker than the old guy, but he's not to be underestimated either."
"Good to know where they are," cackled Big Stone. "We brothers are looking for a fight! The supreme lord is empyrean realm? Perfect. We fight him!"
Just as the stone golem brothers had joined up with Jiang Chen, the Order members outside came to the field when they heard the supreme lord was trapped here.
Order members swarmed all around. However, with the golem brothers' hindrance, these people were unable to approach at all. Any that made the attempt were cut down in droves. There was blood and bodies and death everywhere, a gory sight to behold.
The Order hadn't been composed of staunch warriors from the start. Moreover, since it was so young, its members felt little loyalty and duty to it.
After several charges that led in only death, terror prevailed in the crowd. The ordinary Order members began to flee, no longer interested in their supreme lord and protector kings. If they couldn't save even themselves, what point was there in worrying about others?
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, reaching for his Holy Dragon Bow again. This time, his prey were Xiahou Jing and Shu Wanqing. He could no longer suffer them to run amok. He had had enough of being stabbed in the back.
"Hmm? What are they doing?" Looking inside, he found the Order executives' formation a bit odd.
They had apparently been reduced to a team of expendables. They shambled on ahead, while Xiahou Jing and Shu Wanqing lingered behind.
"Tsk tsk, those two are really pompous. Making the executives stand in front of them as meat shields to save their own lives?" Jiang Chen saw with a single glance how irresponsible these two supposed empyrean experts really were. They were using their subordinates as human shields against his arrows!
He held such behavior in disdain, knowing that Shu Wanqing was scared of the Holy Dragon Bow.
"That old bastard seems to have found some clues as to the function of the Nine Labyrinth Formation. He's probably using these people to protect himself in order to find the exit and escape." A different kind of thought flashed across Jiang Chen's mind. "How can I let him do as he wishes?"
He raised the Holy Dragon Bow, then lowered it. His enemy's cowardly method meant that the bow could only get through six or seven targets before his strength failed. He didn't have a ton of energy in reserve, and squandering it this way was an absolute waste.
He decided to send another Confounding Puppet in to muddy the waters. A single thought was all that was needed; the puppet disappeared into the formation without a trace.
The puppet disguised itself as Protector King Gentlewind in a few moments. It clutched its chest, limping in Xiahou Jing's direction.
"Supreme Lord," a hoarse voice called out.
"Protector King Gentlewind?" Xiahou Jing was shocked. "You're not dead?"
Under Jiang Chen's control, the Confounding Puppet shook its head, sitting down as if out of energy.
Xiahou Jing thought dispassionately that the man was heavily injured. "Sit and rest a while," he said coolly without sympathy. "While we find a way out from this trap, save up some energy for the final charge!"
His tone clearly indicated to the protector king that each man was going to need to fight for himself. The Confounding Puppet sat down cross-legged, nodding without reply.
Xiahou Jing's attention wasn't on 'Gentlewind'. His full focus was with Shu Wanqing and any breakthroughs he could make. Shu Wanqing was their biggest hope at the moment.
"Supreme Lord Xiahou, this formation is a dimensional ability that isn't really complicated. This vast space is composed of many images, trapping us within a limited patch of space that merely seems unlimited." Shu Wanqing was garnering more success the harder he looked.
"Where's the exit then?" Xiahou Jing couldn't help asking.
"Don't be so hasty. I'm puzzling things out. These identical images have given us many incorrect ideas… Don't interrupt me. I'm on the cusp of a spark of inspiration."
People tended to be especially focused on the verge of a breakthrough. It was precisely then that the cross-legged 'Protector King Gentlewind' shot up in a streak of light.
Wham!
'Protector King Gentlewind' had become a tornado. He swung a heavy punch into the small of Shu Wanqing's back.
The empyrean expert had been wholly focused on observing the formation. He'd never expected an ambush from behind him! There'd been no one there a moment ago.
Thump!
This punch of despair smacked Shu Wanqing with devastating force. His entire person convulsed as if a vital acupoint had been hit.
Wah!
A mouthful of fresh blood was vomited out alongside last night's dinner.
The Confounding Puppets' individual offensive strengths could not come close to matching their maker the Grand Marquis, but a single concentrated blow from them was nevertheless astoundingly potent against opponents caught off-guard.
Shu Wanqing hadn't had the remotest inclination to defending against this kind of attack!
The punch landed squarely, creating a depression at its point of impact. He found it difficult to breathe given the repeated severe injuries.
Xiahou Jing paled as well. He stared at Gentlewind in shock, unable to recover himself for a long while. It wasn't until the 'protector king' began to attack Shu Wanqing once more that he snapped back to reality!
Chapter 1524: Inching Closer Step By Step
"Gentlewind! Have you lost your mind?!" Xiahou Jing broke out in loud curses.
The puppet was fully capable of simple speech at Jiang Chen's current mastery level, but long conversations were still too draining. He'd rather hurl a few more punches at his target instead.
However, Shu Wanqing still had the strength to react even after taking multiple heavy hits. He leaned into the motion of his body falling and wriggled away like a fish.
The formation instantly fell into disarray.
"Protect Daoist Shu!" Xiahou Jing yelled fiercely as Shu Wanqing was his only hope of getting out alive. Without further ado, he charged at the puppet and went toe to toe with it.
The puppet's battle style was very straightforward and brutal. It was dishing out punches and kicks with no wasted movement.
Xiahou Jing sucked in a breath of cold air as they exchanged moves. He couldn't believe that "Gentlewind" was so powerful! They were equally matched! Moreover, his opponent kept going at him like a suicidal maniac that didn't possess any concept of self-preservation!
The intensity and recklessness left him breathless and overwhelmed. Soon, he found himself on the back foot, alarm bells ringing loudly. His mind was in shambles. The plans and schemes that he'd so meticulously thought up were falling apart. When had Gentlewind switched sides?
Also, how had he made such a giant leap in martial dao and completely changed his martial style? He almost seemed like a different person!
...a different person? A frightful thought suddenly flashed across his mind. Can the real Gentlewind have been switched out?
The mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine. How could an imitation look so similar to the real thing?
Can it be Jiang Chen?
Impossible! He's not even a great emperor yet! How can he possibly stand toe-to-toe against a second level empyrean master?
But if not him, then who?! How many capable subordinates does that bastard have? Why does this one feel like he'll fight to the death?
While Xiahou Jing was kept preoccupied, Jiang Chen activated a second puppet and transformed it into another member of the Order.
With all the chaos and mayhem going on in the background, it slipped into the crowd unnoticed.
The senior executives of the Order had formed a human barrier around Shu Wanqing as per their supreme lord's orders. They were to keep him safe at all costs.
Shu Wanqing sat in a meditative position. His injuries were grave and serious. They could be life-threatening if he didn't treat himself in time. Sadly, the second puppet wasn't so kind to give him that opportunity.
"Y-you!! Why are you here?!" One of the senior executives finally noticed the puppet.
"Didn't you die to an arrow already?"
"He's a fake!"
Unfortunately, the discovery was made too late. The puppet charged the human barrier, created an opening, and hurled a ferocious punch at Shu Wanqing.
Shu Wanqing was exasperated. He'd been extremely unlucky today. First, he was injured by a seemingly endless strings of attacks, and now a difficult foe had come for his life.
He of all people knew that this was no time to be distracted, but his leg was maimed and his back heavily mutilated. He could barely muster half of his potential. Naturally, he struggled against his opponent.
"What are you imbeciles waiting for? Hold him down!" He yelled angrily. He'd begun to regret his decision to become involved with an organization filled with mindless trash. The events of today were the greatest humiliation he'd ever suffered in life.
It was utter chaos. A group of senior executives ran in to help after hearing Shu Wanqing's cries, but there wasn't much they could do in a battle between empyrean masters. They charged in valiantly, only to be blasted away by one of the two's aura.
Shu Wanqing was on the verge of going insane. He had a deep understanding that he was going to die if this continued. He raised his head towards the sky and bellowed. "Jiang Chen! That's enough! Killing me won't net you anything!"
He was both frightened and angry. It was more than obvious that Jiang Chen was resolved to kill him.
He'd survived and remained hidden for tens of thousands of years, longer than even tortoises. For what had he suffered all this for and why had he refused to show his face in public? All for the sake of longevity! Because of that, he couldn't help but tremble that his life was about to be forfeit.
Jiang Chen had gone too far. Was the brat really going to ruthlessly kill his senior? Perhaps this was time for a proper conversation with the kid.
"Jiang Chen, if you kill me, you'll invite the combined wrath of the hidden empyreans! You should know that we are a very tightly-knit group. They may not help me while I'm alive, but know that if you kill me, someone will definitely give you trouble for it. I have countless friends and many of them are empyrean masters! Do you really want to kick the hornet's nest? Can Veluriyam even withstand the assault from a group of empyrean experts?"
Shu Wanqing was clear with his threats.
Unfortunately for him, Jiang Chen never did respond well to threats. He chuckled easily. "Shu Wanqing, back when we were at Veluriyam, you told me smugly that you'd take me down a notch. Look at you now. Is this all there is to an empyrean master's pride?"
Jiang Chen genuinely had a very low opinion of Shu Wanqing. He'd seen his share of vile filth over the years, but the sight of secluded expert still made his stomach roil.
Shu Wanqing was exasperated after hearing Jiang Chen's response. His wounds were growing ever more serious while the puppet encroached ever closer. He was in a panic and all a-fluster, his life in terminal danger at any moment.
"Jiang Chen! Don't you push me into a corner! There will be consequences far greater than anything you or your capital can handle!" Shu Wanqing shrieked desperately.
Jiang Chen smiled as though he was watching a comedy. "My capital has been through so many things that others say it couldn't handle. But every single time, it came through just fine.
"We managed just fine when Pillfire tried to suppress us.
"We were completely fine too when the Order stirred up trouble!
"So what makes you think that we can't you being an accessory to a tyrant's crimes?
"The Embittered Savages? They too will fall against us! Even if the sky were to collapse, we will carry the burden upon our shoulders! Look at you still trying to wriggle your way out of the situation with a glib tongue? Aren't you a little too old to be so naive?"
Jiang Chen clearly wasn't going to spare Shu Wanqing.
Boom!
The Nine Labyrinth Formation was withdrawn. The illusory realm vanished before the crowd's eyes. They'd just heaved a collective sigh of relief, but pupils contracted violently in the next second when they noticed that four golems were charging at them from all sides.
"Those who kneel shall live, and those stand shall die! This is the final mercy I will show to the members of the Order! Obey or die!" Jiang Chen shouted.
His voice was filled with dominance. Any remaining bit of fighting spirit departed from the senior executives of the faction at the sound of his voice. One by one, they abandoned their weapons and armor and plonked to their knees.
Out of twenty-two, eighteen had knelt. Only four were brave enough to stand with teeth clenched, sneering coldly, or emotionless.
Everviolet broke out in loud curses. "Cowards… cowards, the bunch of you! We are so many! We could've put up a fight! But alas, alas!" He turned into a ball of purple light and attempted to flee to safety.
But how could he possibly succeed before an empyrean master's might? Big Stone grabbed at the air and created a prison of air that trapped Everviolet, dragging him to a halt in midair.
"Forget it, forget it. A loss is a loss." This came from another protector king — specifically Emperor Sabledeep of the wandering titans.
Sabledeep had made a deep study of the arts of life and had been tempted by the supreme lord into joining the Order. He hadn't done anything particularly evil all along, but neither had his support wavered like some of the others. Add to that the supreme lord's promise of an empyrean opportunity — that had been enough to win his steady loyalty.
But looking at the situation now, none of Xiahou Jing's promises had come true and the Order was now on the brink of collapse.
As for Shu Wanqing, he refused to believe that any of this was happening. He was an empyrean master! An elite of the human race! In his eyes, he was a dragon amongst men.
Secluded experts like him had always viewed the greater population as their subjects and looked down on them from the lofty perspective of superiors. Who would've thought that the masses he'd dismissed would produce such a perverse genius that could so unequivocally threaten his life?
He refused to accept any of this and was also incredibly depressed. "I can't just die like this. I need to find an opportunity to break out! I have to do that even if I'm heavily injured!"
Jiang Chen instantly understood the subtle undercurrents when he noted the unusual behavior from the empyrean master. "Big Stone, you brothers keep him down no matter what. Don't give him a chance to breathe!"
A centipede still continues to wriggle even when dead. Shu Wanqing wasn't really dead until he'd breathed his last!
Chapter 1525: To the Victor Goes the Spoils
Shu Wanqing was undeniably powerful, but Jiang Chen was no slouch either. He had noticed an inkling of the expert's intent very early on.
The four stone golem brothers swarmed up, not giving the old man another chance to do anything else. The other Confounding Puppet was sent to deal with Xiahou Jing.
The Order's supreme lord found it reasonably easy to deal with a single puppet, but two was much more difficult.
No, I can't be kept here like this. I must retreat to fight another day! Shu Wanqing's agitation demonstrated the hopelessness of today's situation to Xiahou Jing. He had to make a run for it!
Now was the perfect time since Jiang Chen's Nine Labyrinth Formation was inactive.
Just as that thought came into his head however, the formation whirred back to life. The annoying pocket maze dimension appeared before their eyes once more.
Xiahou Jing regretted his indecisiveness a great deal. He had very likely missed the only chance at escape just now.
Shu Wanqing also despaired at the reappearance of the formation. He had many secret methods that gave him a reasonable probability of fleeing. Now that the space was locked down though, he would need another ability to break the formation itself before he could escape.
His raw strength was useless here.
The din of battle sounded from outside.
Jiang Chen probed outward with his consciousness, then grinned. Veluriyam's armies had effortlessly broken past the Order's defense.The city's main force had completely occupied the Order's territory!
Experts filled in one by one.
"Young lord!" Peerless and Wellspring came in ahead of the pack.
The other great emperors followed closely behind as quickly as they could. They were very excited to see Jiang Chen again. Truthfully, they'd been a bit concerned about the plan for Jiang Chen to sneak into the Order solo.
Only when they saw the young lord once more did they realize that all their worries had been for naught. Jiang Chen wasn't only unharmed – he was very much at ease.
When Veluriyam's armies arrived and the Order's headquarters was fully secured, the only objective that remained was to exterminate all resistance.
"These are the young lord's orders. The heavens look favorably upon life. Anyone currently a member of the Order who wishes to redeem themselves need not die. However, an oath must be sworn to refrain from betraying humanity or fighting against Veluriyam Capital forevermore! Betraying one's own race for an alien one is especially forbidden. May heaven and earth take those that break their vow!"
Jiang Chen wasn't some kind of cold-blooded murderer. He had killed enough to intimidate the rest. Moreover, he firmly believed that the inhabitants of the human domain would no longer dare be hostile to Veluriyam after this battle. After all, there were no longer any worthy opponents in the entire domain.
His orders averted a bloody slaughter. However, he did execute a small group of die-hard fanatics without hesitation. Meanwhile, the battle in the Nine Labyrinth Formation waged on.
Shu Wanqing was at the end of his rope.
"Jiang Chen, you'll regret this! You'll regret this for sure. If you kill me, there will be other secluded experts who will take revenge for me upon Veluriyam!" Shu Wanqing's resentful voice lingered in the air above the battlefield.
Jiang Chen smiled coolly. "Other experts? It's been many years and more dangers than I can bother counting for the human domain, but not a single one of these supposed secluded experts have shown up. Isn't it a good thing that your death will draw more of them into the open? I always appreciate an eye-opening experience."
Jiang Chen's words took away Shu Wanqing's last breath. He collapsed to the ground, unable to gasp for more air. Animosity combined with his severe injuries caused him to die on the spot.
Jiang Chen immediately summoned Long Xiaoxuan and Little White.
"Here's your chance!" The corpse of an empyrean expert was a sumptuous feast for the two sacred beast cubs.
Xiahou Jing was frightened to death by Shu Wanqing's collapse. "Jiang Chen, Brother Jiang Chen!" he clamored incessantly. "I have something to say!"
"Take your time with it. No need to take your last words to hell, hmm?" Jiang Chen replied impassively.
Xiahou Jing became distressed. "Brother Jiang Chen, I opposed you out of utter foolishness. I didn't know how great you were. I fully admit my naivete now. It was completely stupid of me to struggle against a genius that occurs only once every ten thousand years!
"I know where I went wrong. Please, let me live. Don't worry, if you allow me to leave, I'll go back to Myriad Abyss Island straightaway. Plus, I'll intercede with my third brother on your behalf!
"You know, your cultivation partner Miss Huang'er will become my third brother's cultivation vessel soon. You don't want her to die so pathetically like that, do you?" Xiahou Jing talked a pretty convincing talk.
However, Jiang Chen heard only the ugly barks of a loser in his death throes.
Intercede with his third brother?
If Xiahou Jing was important enough to be able to succeed on that front, why would he have left Myriad Abyss Island in the first place? Clearly, he wasn't having a good time back home, especially in the competition against his third brother.
Xiahou Zong wasn't necessarily going to take note of a single word from Xiahou Jing, regardless of topic.
Thus, Jiang Chen was unswayed by his offer. Such promises made for the sake of living had little meaning or surety.
"Listen up, Xiahou Jing. I can forgive the others, but your actions have crossed over my bottom line again and again. Even if you promise that I'll become king of Myriad Abyss Island tomorrow, I would still kill you today every time!" Jiang Chen's judgment was cold and emotionless.
Xiahou Jing roared in frustration. However, the four golems, done with Shu Wanqing, were there to surround and attack him. Xiahou Jing had to fight one against six.
None of the six combatants was noticeably weaker than him. Most importantly, he was within Jiang Chen's formation. His previous exertions had weakened his combat ability by several degrees.
After all, even the strongest human genius had a body of flesh. Mortal men weren't invincible.
Desperate fury filled Xiahou Jing when he heard this. He wanted more than anything to duke it out with Jiang Chen face to face with all he had. His shrieks were suppressed time and again.
The Order of Wind and Cloud's prestige was peeled away layer by layer. Under the assault of four stone golems and two puppets, Xiahou Jing didn't even have the chance to self-detonate before being slain.
"This is Xiahou Jing's storage ring, young lord." Big Stone was a clever boy. He grabbed the ring off of the dead body, delivering it to Jiang Chen.
At the same time, Long Xiaoxuan transformed into human shape and delivered a different storage ring. This one belonged to Shu Wanqing.
Jiang Chen unceremoniously took the rings from his companions.
"My friends from Veluriyam!" he shouted. "The wealth of the Order's executives will be confiscated, whether their owners are dead or alive. The great emperors may divide up that portion of the spoils. The others who came today will receive the general resources we collected. I hope you understand that we came here to mete out justice, not commit banditry. The loot we've obtained today was the fruit of the Order's underhanded machinations. I hope none of you will forget this fact."
It was very wise for Jiang Chen to give a portion of the Order's ill-gotten gains to the others.
He didn't want to leave the wrong impression though. In general, robbery was not to be encouraged.
The Order was hardly comparable to most factions, and Veluriyam wasn't a city of thieves.
After Xiahou Jing's death, the Order was finally no more.
"Young master Chen, Xiahou Jing's body…" Long Xiaoxuan licked his lips.
"I have another use for it. That's enough, now. You'll get indigestion if you eat too much at once." Long Xiaoxuan and Little White had consumed plenty of nutrition today.
Jiang Chen wanted to give Xiahou Jing's body and bloodline to the Goldbiter Rats. They were arguably one of the biggest contributors to today's victory.
Appropriate rewards was beneficial to garnering increased devotion from the Goldbiter Rats. Just like the sacred beasts, the rats were also his indispensable allies. They were even more important, perhaps, than Long Xiaoxuan, and obviously much more so than the almost infantile Little White.
Jiang Chen's decisive maneuvers had finally removed the thorns in his side. The young man knew that his dispatch of these two empyrean experts would create a problem in his future.
After all, slaying two cultivators of such high level was no laughing matter. Shu Wanqing was a pinnacle of wandering cultivation, but Xiahou Jing's background was too prominent to ignore.
A senior expert who'd once reigned supreme and a descendant of a great house of Myriad Abyss Island…
Their deaths would no doubt cause greater waves later on.
"Don't worry, young lord. Maybe Shu Wanqing's threats were entirely baseless. Plus, we don't know whether Myriad Abyss Island actually cares about Xiahou Jing or not. Why hadn't they sent more people otherwise, given how strong his house is?"
"I don't regret my choices, regardless of how much trouble they cause later on," Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "If I hadn't killed them, we might not even be able to weather this oncoming storm."
He was unexpectedly broad-minded.
In actuality, Jiang Chen looked down on both the secluded experts in the human domain and Myriad Abyss Island's descendants. Neither party had the responsibility mandated to an expert.
"My orders are as follows: the army embarks on the morrow back to Veluriyam Capital. No former Order members will be accepted into our ranks!"
The fact that he had spared their lives was more than merciful enough. He had no interest in taking in these unprincipled people. It would be personally irresponsible to do so.
A battle that hadn't been particularly difficult was finally concluded. Veluriyam Capital had swept the Order's ragtag troops clean.
Jiang Chen summoned the king of the Goldbiter Rats. "Ole Gold, do you want this empyrean expert's body? This is guaranteed to be the best of the best!"
The rat king was overjoyed. This wasn't the first time he had received this kind of gift, but this particular instance wasn nonetheless.
Chapter 1526: An Empyrean Decree
The rat king's surprise was understandable. An empyrean body's life and blood essence were extremely potent nourishment.
Xiahou Jing had earned himself a pitiable fate. A genius of House Xiahou of Myriad Abyss Island had died ignobly in a foreign land, his corpse unable to escape desecration. His misdeeds meant that this conclusion was well-deserved.
The rewards of this battle had been tremendous.
Jiang Chen toyed with Xiahou Jing and Shu Wanqing's empyrean decrees, wondering how to divide them up.
Each empyrean expert's understanding of the heavenly dao created a personal decree through refinement. A great emperor without much hope to break through would have a very good shot at ascending to empyrean realm with such a decree in hand.
Therefore, these two ownerless decrees could very well mean the creation of two new empyrean experts. These, plus the ones from Xiahou Jing's subordinates – Elders Peng and Mo – meant that Jiang Chen had four empyrean decrees on hand.
How to distribute them needed to be carefully considered.
Wellspring and Peerless didn't need them any more. They had the kunpeng bloodline, which meant they were more than likely going to break through at some point. There was no need to waste decrees on them.
Moreover, empyrean decrees had the disadvantage of locking one's cultivation achievement at the previous owner's. It was virtually impossible for any higher martial dao achievements. For example, since Shu Wanqing had been third level empyrean realm, someone that succeeded his empyrean decree could at most get to third level as well.
Breaking through third level would be a hundred times harder than doing so as an empyrean expert in one's own right.
Of course, this was a non-issue for the majority of great emperors. Those experts would take more than ten lifetimes to break through on their own strength; it was unlikely they would be able to break through to further empyrean levels.
If Jiang Chen were to publicize these four decrees, countless great emperors in the human domain would be driven mad with desire. These empyrean decrees were more attractive than everything else. The Pinecrane and Emperor Supremacy Pills paled before the potential a decree offered.
Wasn't the Pinecrane Pill used for extending one's lifespan past a great emperor's? But if one could simply ascend to empyrean realm and gain a huge chunk of lifespan, what was the point of struggling with a pill for a fraction of that?
A single empyrean expert would only produce a single order in their lifetime. Empyrean experts were rare specimens in the human domain. An old codger like Shu Wanqing never showed himself in public if he could help it.
"Old Brother Mo, Old Brother Hui, who under my banner do you consider worthy of an empyrean decree?" Jiang Chen found it hard to decide.
He had a few possibilities in mind: Void and Coiling Dragon, for starters. Alas, neither of these great emperors was peak great emperor, which meant it was far too difficult for them to refine the empyrean decrees.
Most importantly, they were Jiang Chen's direct subordinates. He didn't actually want them to make use of the decrees. Because of their closeness, he wanted them to achieve empyrean realm through their own ability. Only then could they have better futures beyond that.
"Young lord, we must be careful about this. These decrees may cause unwanted problems to arise in the people's hearts. When some invariably feel that your distribution of them is unfair, internal strife and all kinds of other problems will ensue." Wellspring was a wizened old man, able to see further than most.
Peerless nodded as well. "If you give them out to your closest great emperors like Void and Coiling Dragon, no one will say a word about it. Other great emperors with greater seniority in Veluriyam though, may talk behind your back… Petalpluck and the others. As for the wandering great emperors and ones from the other sects, they've only temporarily joined up. They wouldn't dare expect a decree, unless you have plenty of orders to go around someday."
Jiang Chen smiled. "I have the same hopes for Void and Coiling Dragon as I have for you two. I want them to break through on their own merits. Coiling Dragon especially so. I consider him capable of real greatness."
"Oh?" Wellspring's eyes brightened. "What kind of greatness, may I ask?"
"He is a descendant of a true dragon bloodline and I have a true dragon right here. When Brother Long reaches empyrean realm, a single drop of dragon blood could turn Coiling Dragon into an overwhelming draconic warrior! There's no problem with his compatibility. True dragon blood is perfect for him."
Peerless and Wellspring traded an understanding look. The method of their own breakthroughs was kunpeng blood.
The bloodline belonged to an ancient sacred beast, the kunpeng. In ancient times, such a bloodline rivaled true dragons' in prominence. The only difference was that kunpengs tended to be less prestigious and thus less well-known as well.
Peerless applauded with laughter. "Very good, very good! You seem to have planned for absolutely everything, young lord. What can possibly prevent the human race from flourishing?"
Wellspring stroked his whiskers with a smile. "This was why I joined the young lord, my friend. He is a genius chosen by heaven. Any time the human race experiences a tempestuous era, all kinds of geniuses spring forth out of the woodwork, heralding in a new eras. So it is with young lord Jiang Chen. Under his leadership, humanity will enter into a new age. A new path will be open to us as a result of this catastrophe!"
The two had both sensed the heavenly dao and were only one step away from empyrean realm. This meant that they were superior in terms of heart and mindset to other great emperors.
Even the Ninesuns Sky Sect's Clearsky and the Skysword Sect's Han Qianzhan – these two esteemed masters – were inferior in this regard. Despite the fact that they were both near peak great emperor, Peerless and Wellspring had transcended higher.
Among the six wandering giants of yore, Everviolet was clearly lower in level compared to Peerless. In the last battle, he had been captured alongside the other Order executives.
Saying this, Jiang Chen smiled. "Have Everviolet and Sabledeep accepted their lot at all?"
Wellspring couldn't help laughing out loud. "Everviolet is a stubborn man. He sticks to his choices. If he had been friends with you from the beginning, young lord, he would have supported you unto death. Unfortunately, fate didn't allow that to happen. He followed Pillzenith in the past, and his hatreds there spurred him to join the Order. Now that his two masters have both lost to you, he has little to live for anymore."
Jiang Chen nodded. "His arts of the eye are quite remarkable. I value his genius enough to show him leniency. As long as he swears never to betray humanity again or work for alien races, he may go free."
After killing Shu Wanqing and Xiahou Jing, his mood had significantly improved. These tangential supporters no longer seemed so necessary to kill.
"Much obliged for your mercy, young lord. I'll release him in a bit," Wellspring smiled.
"Sure, I'll come with you when that happens. What about Sabledeep?" asked Jiang Chen.
"Sabledeep has no record of doing evil under the Order's banner. Rather than saying he joined the Order, it may be more accurate to say he was beguiled by its supreme lord. Ah, he usually cares a great deal about his reputation, so these happenings have been a tremendous blow to him. I trust that he can recover in due time. If he is sufficiently comforted, I see no problem in winning him over to our side. He is fundamentally pure of heart."
Wellspring's magnanimity was such that he didn't add insult to injury for either of his former fellows.
"Daoist Sabledeep is indeed an authentic man," Peerless chimed in. "He's obsessed with martial dao and a deeper comprehension of life. He does lack somewhat in social graces, but his integrity should not be questioned."
"If that's the case, take me to him." Given his recent string of successes, Jiang Chen was quite enthusiastic. He had an assembly of capable subordinates already, but his appetite for savants was undiminished.
Sabledeep was dressed in white from head to toe. There was no mote of dust upon his garments, producing an almost otherworldly effect. His eyes were clear, with an indescribable depth.
"Daoist Sabledeep, young lord Jiang Chen is here to visit you," laughed Wellspring.
Sabledeep's eyelids drooped. "How do I deserve such a visit? I am an utter failure. Daoist Hui, Daoist Mo, I know you must have interceded for me before the young lord. But, my crimes…"
Jiang Chen chuckled. "But I heard quite the opposite. In the Order, Sabledeep had a perfectly pristine record as to reprehensible acts. Why be so hard on yourself? I'm going to spare the courtesies and cut to the chase. You must be disappointed, now that Xiahou Jing's promises to you have disappeared along with his life. However, I can promise you much the same, with one key distinction: I always make good on my promises. Wellspring and Peerless can bear testament to that."
Wellspring was very pleased when he heard what Jiang Chen had to say. "Daoist Sabledeep, the young lord is a man of his word. Brother Peerless and I have already begun to sense the heavenly dao. Empyrean realm is only a matter of time for us. Didn't you join the Order solely to ascend to a higher level of existence? Why must you be so foolish as to avoid the closest source of help?"
Sabledeep's entire body shook. His eyes radiated incredulity. "Y-you…" he stuttered. "B-both of you have sensed the heavenly dao already?"
The great emperor had been equals with Wellspring and Peerless once. In fact, he'd been ranked higher than the latter. Hearing that they'd both come closer to the heavenly dao made him rather upset. It wasn't really envy, but he was hardly in a good mood.
"Daoist Sabledeep, you should've heard what kind of man the young lord is. Right now, he's the only one the human domain can rely on, one way or another. Who else is worth joining? You can't shove your head in the sand, nor can you succeed through self-preservation alone! If you were willing to cooperate with Xiahou Jing, why not accept young lord Jiang Chen?"
Sabledeep was looking more and more persuaded.
There was one last obstacle in his own heart to overcome. Wasn't shifting his allegiance so quickly a display of disloyalty? But it seemed that Veluriyam didn't care about that and was being very sincere!