Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, the Black Emperor waddled happily over to the Spiritual Spring.

It opened its mouth wide.

To everyone’s utter disbelief, it declared, "Swallow!"

WHOOSH!

The Spirit Liquid within the Spiritual Spring instantly transformed into a torrent, flying toward the Black Emperor’s mouth.

This pillar of spiritual liquid surged forth.

It was devoured whole by the Black Emperor.

In an instant, the Spirit Liquid within the Spiritual Spring had vanished completely.

"Holy shit, he actually dared to do that?"

"The nerve on that guy! So many experts are here—even the first and second ranked masters of the Human Venerable List, not to mention a powerhouse from the Human King Realm. How could Jiang Chen and his Battle Pet be so audacious?"

"That’s true skill and audacity right there!"

"If you ask me, he’s just a fool who doesn’t know his place!"

"He’s courting death!"

The crowd finally snapped back to their senses.

The expressions of Master Ouyang and Long Jingyun changed in unison. Cold killing intent and fiery greed burst from their eyes as they roared together, "Stay right where you are!"

The two of them struck at once.

Their True Essence condensed into giant hands that shot toward the Black Emperor.

Throughout it all...

The Black Emperor didn’t even look back. With an air of indifference, it strolled along leisurely, its wings folded behind its back.

Just as the two giant True Essence hands were about to touch the Black Emperor, a sharp Sword Aura tore through the air. With a SWISH, it sliced both True Essence Palms in two.

It carved a long, narrow ravine into the ground!

"Hm?"

Long Jingyun and Master Ouyang turned toward Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen stood with his sword, a calm smile on his face. "For the two of you to attack Little Black right in front of me," he said, "don’t you think you’re being a bit too disrespectful?"

"Respect you? And who are you supposed to be?" Master Ouyang said with contempt.

Long Jingyun’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed. "Jiang Chen," he said in a grave voice, "I advise you to have your Battle Pet return the Spirit Liquid. Otherwise, not only will you be unable to keep it, but you and your Battle Pet will suffer the cruelest of retribution and torture. Why must you bring this upon yourself?"

Faced with their threats, Jiang Chen simply grinned. He let the Black Emperor climb onto his shoulder and, wearing an enigmatic smile, looked toward Gai Shi, who had yet to speak. "Gai Shi," he said, "any interest in cooperating?"

"Cooperating?"

Gai Shi was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Jiang Chen with keen interest.

Jiang Chen smiled. "Gai Shi, if you and I team up and just hold them off, once we’ve secured the Spirit Liquid, how about I give you ten percent?"

"Ten percent? You’re being awfully cheap. At least fifty!" Gai Shi countered.

Jiang Chen shrugged. "Fifteen percent. That’s the most I can do."

His gaze was clear and steady.

Gai Shi frowned. After a long pause, he said slowly, "I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that if I don’t agree now, I won’t even get that fifteen percent. Ah, forget it. Something is better than nothing. Let’s lock it in. I’ll team up with you. So, what do we do?"

"It’s simple!"

The corner of Jiang Chen’s mouth twitched, his smile slowly fading as the cold light in his eyes intensified. His calm gaze swept over the experts who were directing their killing intent at him. "Anyone who dares to covet our Spiritual Spring... we kill without mercy. How about it?"

"Kill without mercy? Heh heh, I like it!"

"Then let’s get to it!"

Jiang Chen and Gai Shi exchanged a glance.

And attacked in unison.

BOOM!

Gai Shi threw a punch. Facing him was an expert ranked in the top twenty of the Human King Realm, yet before Gai Shi, he couldn’t even block a single fist.

"ARGH!"

The powerhouse, struck by Gai Shi’s fist, exploded on the spot and died!

He only had time to let out a single, wretched scream.

With a smile on his face, Gai Shi glanced toward Jiang Chen. "My speed... Holy shit, how are you so fast?" The smug look on his face vanished without a trace.

He saw that two corpses were already lying at Jiang Chen’s feet.

Both were powerhouses ranked in the top twenty of the Human Venerable List.

Jiang Chen had used a Divine Thought Shock to instantly immobilize them, then followed up with a killing move to finish them in a single strike!

He was, of course, faster than Gai Shi!

"Damn it, Gai Shi! You’re actually teaming up with this country bumpkin?" Long Jingyun was incandescent with rage.

Gai Shi replied nonchalantly, "What business is it of yours?"

"I..."

Long Jingyun was seething, a cold glint flickering in his eyes. He looked to Master Ouyang beside him. "Master Ouyang, leave Gai Shi to me. You can handle Jiang Chen! Once it’s done, we’ll split the Spiritual Spring fifty-fifty. How about it?"

"It’s a deal!"

Master Ouyang nodded, a greedy look spreading across his face as he walked toward Jiang Chen.

Long Jingyun swept his long spear out, the golden Coiling Dragon Long Spear gleaming brilliantly as he pointed it at Gai Shi. "Gai Shi, the last time we fought, I lost to you by a single move. Today, I will righteously crush you under my heel and wipe away that shame!"

"With your strength? You’re still not qualified to defeat me..."

Gai Shi said with a detached expression.

Long Jingyun was enraged. "Qualification isn’t decided with words! We’ll settle this with our fists!"

"Then I’ll be happy to oblige!" Gai Shi sneered, making his move.

「Meanwhile...」

Master Ouyang appeared in front of Jiang Chen, arrogant and haughty, his face filled with thick disdain and contempt. "Brat," he said lightly, "I know you have some ability. However, against me, you have absolutely zero chance of victory. If you know what’s good for you, hand over all the Spirit Liquid immediately, and I might let you live. Otherwise, this Celestial Burial Holy Mountain will be your final resting place!"

"The environment here is so serene. It doesn’t really suit a hot-blooded young man like me. It’s much more fitting for a senior such as yourself—someone of your advanced age, with one foot already in the coffin!" Jiang Chen grinned and said.

"..."

Master Ouyang’s face turned as black as charcoal.

The veins on his forehead pulsed.

From within his half-lidded eyes, two jets of icy killing intent suddenly shot out. "Good, you brat. You really do have a sharp tongue. Today, I’ll tear your mouth to shreds and see how you talk then!"

BOOM!

The space in front of Master Ouyang abruptly shattered.

Two palms, condensed from surging True Essence, slapped through the air straight toward Jiang Chen.

The palms came one after the other, a pincer attack meant to cut off Jiang Chen’s escape and ensure his death!

"Break!"

A glint flashed in Jiang Chen’s eyes as he unleashed two sword strikes with lightning speed. "Divine Wind Celestial Fury!"

"Celestial Flame Sun-Devouring Slash!"

WHOOSH!

As the first sword descended, a great gale arose. The raging Storm Sword Qi unfurled, directly blasting the two sky-blotting True Essence Palms to pieces.

The Second Sword arrived right on cue!

SWISH—

The crimson Sword Aura blossomed with a dazzling radiance, like a burning orb of fire. It was an incomparably terrifying slash, aimed right at Master Ouyang, the expert at the Third Stage of the Human King Realm.

Faced with this sudden and devastatingly powerful strike, Master Ouyang’s expression shifted drastically...