Chapter 84

"I am not one who loves killing, but the Ancient Ji Family and Yaoguang Holy Land struck first. If I remained indifferent, it would only show I am easy to bully." Jiang Xuan smiled faintly, his expression calm.

Apart from the Jiang Family's great powers, everyone fell silent like cold cicadas, not knowing what this youth meant by these words.

Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged atop the Hengyu Furnace, which burned with sky-fire across the heavens, surrounded by immortal phoenixes, his aura solemn and majestic, his divine might unmatched. Merely sitting there, the momentum granted by the Hengyu Furnace made the heavens tremble like a great curtain, flapping and rustling.

"One day, you will know: it is not I who offended the sacred land families, but the sacred land families who offended me!" As soon as he spoke, Jiang Xuan took a step forward, his silhouette vanishing from sight.

In the distance, a streak of flowing light crossed space and returned to Jiang Yifei's hand.

……

A piece of news spread from the Northern Domain, exploding across the entire Donghuang with the force of a prairie fire.

The young demon head Jiang Xuan, suspected to be a Source Master, cut out divine medicines and immortal gold in succession within a single day, won over a hundred million pure sources in a shocking great gamble, and used emperor soldiers to slay numerous experts of Yaoguang and the Ji Family, including two great powers.

In an instant, the Northern Domain became the center of the entire Donghuang.

At first, no one believed this news; they scoffed, thinking it was a fanciful tale, that even boasting should follow logic—any single one of these things taken alone was impossible.

Ancient Great Emperors sought the elixir of immortality to live another life but could not obtain it, yet you claim to have cut out two elixirs of immortality in one day?

It is rumored the Southern Ridge Heavenly Emperor, lacking immortal gold, even refined his own body into an emperor soldier, yet you obtained two great emperor-exclusive divine materials in a single day?

Over a hundred million catties of pure source? Enough to pile into a giant mountain—you must have just crawled out of some remote corner, mistaking mountain rocks for source.

As for driving the Hengyu Furnace to slay great powers? Do you want to hear what you're saying? Not to mention how a youth could have enough divine power to wield an emperor soldier—are the people of the Ancient Jiang Family all eating dry rice? Do they have no means to contend for and master their own ancestors' weapon?

But as over a million people, still shaken, described it like a rushing river, ceaselessly, and their accounts were basically entirely consistent, everyone finally turned serious, shocked to the point their minds nearly cracked.

This was absolutely a major event. The sacred land families, inherited since ancient times, had stood unshaken for over a hundred thousand years; through changes of the seas and fields and countless dynasties rising and falling in the mortal world, the sacred land families stood like an ancient divine mountain, firm between heaven and earth. For endless years, no one dared provoke the dignity of the sacred land families.

Slaying people of the sacred land families, including two great powers, was truly a supreme figure ascending to the peak of Donghuang—an unimaginable, terrifying event.

That very day, it spread throughout the entire Donghuang, causing a huge uproar.

After that shocking great gamble, rumors said the Jiang Family used a secret art to recall the Hengyu Furnace, and the demon head Jiang Xuan, losing his reliance, set up the Jade Platform to cross realms and escape.

A piece of underground news spread: "Jiang Xuan has been secretly slain by the Holy Lords of the Ancient Ji Family and Yaoguang Holy Land."

There were also rumors that the demon head Jiang Xuan was severely injured and was now healing in some corner; if one could find and slay Jiang Xuan, one would never lack source for ten lifetimes, a hundred lifetimes, and the path of cultivation would be a smooth road.

……

Donghuang, Southern Domain.

Likewise, a piece of news that shook Donghuang spread.

The Bronze Immortal Palace, the greatest historical mystery of Donghuang, was said to be forged by an immortal. No one knew its origin; it seemed to have appeared even before ancient times, and no one knew its true origin.

Now, news spread that the Bronze Immortal Palace had emerged, containing the Mother Qi of All Things, located near the Taixuan Gate in Donghuang, exploding across the entire Nan Domain.

Over several days, undercurrents surged and winds rose with clouds. Countless human experts crossed domain gates to come, and even demon experts descended, all seeking the opportunity to become immortals.

Many were supreme figures who had not appeared in the world for many years and had been in closed-door cultivation for many years.

Some said they saw the human great power Nan Gong Zheng, rumored to have passed away through sitting transformation five hundred years ago, enter the Taixuan Gate to investigate.

Some said they saw the demon great power Peacock King within the borders of Wei State. Unbridled and unrestrained all his life, "I soar freely, towering over the world," inspiring admiration. Countless demons and even many humans regarded Peacock King as a model for scholars and a standard for the world, believing a man should be just so.

Becoming an immortal—the ultimate dream of countless cultivators—but how many truly reach this step? Not one. Rumors say ancient great emperors touched the threshold of immortality, but there was no certain evidence. Countless heaven's prides and monster geniuses felt the path was full of hardship and saw no hope.

In Donghuang, and even across the entire Northern Dipper, who knows how many heaven's prides and monster geniuses have appeared—some with talents to order heaven and earth, some with the power to suppress an era. Yet over the long years, they all eventually vanish in the rolling wheels of time.

No one can become an immortal; no one can live forever undying.

Over endless years, even the star rivers will pass away, let alone cultivators. Through changes of the seas and fields, how many heaven's prides and outstanding talents have all turned into a cup of yellow earth? The word "immortal" is even more unreachable, like the moon in water and flowers in a mirror.

As mighty as the last Extreme Dao Great Emperor of the human race, Wushi Great Emperor, who overlooked the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. During his reign, the forbidden zones were silent; when the bell rang, the ten thousand races submitted.

How vast is the Northern Dipper Great Land! The ancient royal families are numberless, and the forbidden zones under heaven are so unrivaled—yet all crouched beneath this human great emperor's feet, with no creature daring to raise its head.

Yet even this emperor who dominated the world had no rumors of becoming an immortal; his final ending was probably returning to dust and earth, passing away through sitting transformation within Zi Shan.

Since ancient times, becoming an immortal has been the ultimate dream of all cultivators. All seizing and plundering, all contending with heaven, all steady survival, all helplessness and struggle—the final end points all toward the Immortal Path.

For supreme figures who stand at the peak of the present age, the Bronze Immortal Palace holds an irresistible temptation. This is an opportunity to prove the Dao, a chance to become an immortal.

Thus it is no wonder that existences like the demon great power Peacock King and the human great power Nan Gong Zheng appear in the world.

However, after Peacock King entered the world, he did not first explore the Bronze Immortal Palace. Instead, he directly descended upon the Ancient Ji Family and shattered the Ji Family Great Gate with a single palm.

Within a single day, one after another came to provoke the dignity of the Ancient Ji Family. This was absolutely unforgivable.

Who is Peacock King? A peerless great power of the demon race. Eight hundred years ago, he was invincible across Donghuang's Southern Domain, arrogant and unmatched. He descended upon the Ji Family without a word, directly attacking with violence. What exactly does he intend to do?

What is the reason? Why does Peacock King completely disregard the might of the ancient aristocratic family and provoke the Ji Family like this?

But soon, well-informed people spread the inside story: it all began with the Demon Emperor's successor. Peacock King stood up for Yan Ruyu.

Over a year ago, the Qing Emperor Tomb opened, and the Qing Emperor Soldier emerged. The Ji Family went too far, wanting to seize the Demon Emperor's Sacred Soldier and besiege Yan Ruyu. Many among the demon race died, and Yan Ruyu broke out of the encirclement.

Although Yan Ruyu is a descendant of the Demon Emperor, this world is no longer the time when the Demon Emperor lived. Ten thousand years have passed in a hurry; no matter how glorious the past, it is only the past.

Fortunately, at this time, the Ji Family seemed to be pursuing someone and had little energy to besiege her, so Yan Ruyu managed to escape.

She fled all the way, seeking protection from demon great powers, but few strong ones were willing to step forward to protect her. Some demon experts even harbored ill intentions. Upon learning the Demon Emperor's Sacred Soldier was in Yan Ruyu's hands, they wanted to seize it for themselves.

"Not wanting the Demon Emperor's relic to gather dust," "The Demon Emperor's successor is young and inexperienced in the world," "The Demon Emperor's Sacred Soldier might be coaxed away by villains"—this whole set of high-sounding excuses was used no less skillfully than by the human race.

The two Holy Emperors of Yin and Yang, the Holy Body Lineage—all gave their last drop of blood for the human race and for all living beings. Yet in the end, their descendants suffered misfortune, and no one extended a helping hand. Even the human race is like this, let alone the demon race, where the weak are prey to the strong.

(Chapter End)