Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Jiang Chen’s heart jumped.

’The Treasure Vault of the former number one Sect in the Eastern Continent, and I get to pick any three treasures?’

’Plus a favor from an Emperor Realm expert?’

’That’s definitely not a small reward!’

It was enough to tempt anyone.

However...

Jiang Chen wasn’t in a hurry to accept his conditions. He grinned and said, "Since Senior is being so sincere, it would be ungracious of me to refuse. However, this junior believes in taking precautions. I hope Senior will make a Heart Demon Oath."

As soon as he said this, the temperature in the entire space plummeted.

The icy aura emanating from the Ice Emperor intensified, and just breathing in the surrounding air sent a piercing, frozen pain through one’s lungs.

"Haha, little one, you think I would cheat a junior like you?" the Ice Emperor said through gritted teeth, his gaze turning grim.

Jiang Chen said, "Precautions first."

"Fine, fine, fine!"

A cold, barely perceptible glint flashed in the Ice Emperor’s eyes. He then swore the Heart Demon Oath, "I, the Ice Emperor, swear by my Heart Demon, that as long as Jiang Chen reveals the whereabouts of the Mystic Sect Sword Order, I will owe him a favor. Furthermore, when the Mystic Sect reappears in the world and its Treasure Vault is opened, Jiang Chen will be allowed to choose any three items first. If I break this vow, may I be struck by heavenly lightning, and may my path of the Martial Dao be forever blocked..."

After reciting the oath, the Ice Emperor looked at Jiang Chen. "Little one, are you satisfied now?"

Jiang Chen grinned. "I’m satisfied, but this junior has one more request!"

"Speak!"

the Ice Emperor said, his face cold.

Jiang Chen immediately said, "This junior wants one hundred pounds of Profound Celestial Ice Marrow!"

"Profound Celestial Ice Marrow?" The Ice Emperor frowned. "Bring back the Mystic Sect Sword Order, and one hundred pounds of Profound Celestial Ice Marrow will be yours immediately!"

Profound Celestial Ice Marrow was incredibly precious to others.

But in the Ice Emperor’s eyes, it was nothing more than a common ice-breaking substance, something he had in practically inexhaustible supply.

Joy surged in Jiang Chen’s heart. ’Didn’t I come to the Profound Celestial Ice Field, enduring countless hardships, precisely to find Profound Celestial Ice Marrow?’

’And now I’ve finally found it!’

Jiang Chen clenched his fists in excitement and cupped them towards the Ice Emperor. "Senior, please send me out of the Ice Emperor’s Tomb. I will surely return with the Mystic Sect Sword Order within three days!"

"Good!"

The Ice Emperor nodded and looked at the Celestial Burial Divine Bird beside him. "You, escort Jiang Chen out."

The Celestial Burial Divine Bird nodded.

It then leaped from the Ice Emperor’s shoulder. As light pulsed around its body, it transformed into the enormous Celestial Burial Divine Bird. Its black-and-white eyes looked at Jiang Chen as it said faintly, "Get on!"

With a flicker, Jiang Chen flew onto the Celestial Burial Divine Bird’s back.

The Celestial Burial Divine Bird beat its wings and soared, shooting straight into the clouds!

Watching Jiang Chen’s receding figure, the Ice Emperor narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "A wet-behind-the-ears brat dares to bargain with me? Hmph..."

With his cold snort, the sky and earth changed color, and the wind and snow swirled violently.

......

The Celestial Burial Divine Bird was incredibly fast.

They quickly left the Ice Emperor’s Tomb and returned to the Celestial Burial Demon Mausoleum.

"This is as far as I’ll take you!" the Celestial Burial Divine Bird said to Jiang Chen, its black-and-white eyes pulsing with a profound light.

Jiang Chen nodded.

He glanced around and found himself on the edge of the Ice Lake. But now, there was no trace of any other expert.

Even Gai Shi was nowhere to be found.

’I wonder how many days have passed... I should go meet up with Little Black and Gai Shi! And there’s Zifeng Jun. I’m a Fifth Grade Spirit King now, which is enough to refine a Fifth-Grade Spirit Pill. I can help him restore his severed limb!’ With a flicker of his body, Jiang Chen flew toward the place where he had last seen Zifeng Jun and the others.

「An incense stick’s time later...」

With the help of the Golden-winged Roc Body Technique, Jiang Chen arrived at the spot where he had parted ways with the Black Emperor and the others.

The place was completely deserted.

There was no trace of the Black Emperor or his companions...

The only thing there was a grave mound with a tombstone placed on it. The tombstone read: "The Tomb of Our Brother, Jiang Chen!"

The signatories were none other than the Black Emperor, Gai Shi, Zifeng Jun, and the others.

Jiang Chen was speechless. ’Looks like they all think I’m dead... I guess I’ll have to find Pei Shenghai first and get my Storage Ring back!’

Jiang Chen’s Storage Ring had been refined using his own unique method.

He had left a Restriction on it.

Unless the other party could break the Restriction, Jiang Chen could easily locate the Storage Ring by sensing it.

’So it’s over there...’ Jiang Chen sensed for a moment, determined the direction, and took flight.

Golden wings unfurled as he sped westward.

......

「Tens of thousands of kilometers west of the Celestial Burial Demon Mausoleum, in the Dark Swamp.」

The Dark Swamp was vast, an almost boundless marshland. It was perpetually shrouded in a thick, black fog, so dense you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

Within the Dark Swamp were many places of certain death!

These places were exceptionally dangerous; some were so perilous that even an expert at the Peak of Human King Realm would be unable to escape if they fell in.

The Netherworld Cave was one such place.

In this deadly area, there was a massive subterranean vortex. It appeared ordinary on the surface, but once someone broke through the thin layer of black mud covering it, they would be sucked in by the hidden vortex below. Once drawn into the Netherworld Cave, there was no escape!

The only way out was death!

At this moment, inside the Netherworld Cave, Gai Shi, Purple Wind Frost, Zhao Hongluan, and the Black Emperor were all trapped in its constantly spinning vortex.

As the Netherworld Cave spun, it pulled in streams of viscous black mud from the surroundings.

Once the black mud touched someone, it would stick to them tightly, making it impossible to break free. They could only watch helplessly as the vortex swallowed them. Staring into the pitch-black depths of the Netherworld Cave, not knowing where it led, the only certainty was that throughout history, no one who had been swallowed by it had ever survived!

"Hahaha, Gai Shi, aren’t you arrogant? Aren’t you a great fighter? Go on and fight, why don’t you hit me now!" On the edge of the Netherworld Cave, a smug-faced Pei Shenghai appeared.

Gai Shi roared, "Pei Shenghai, you dare to plot against us?! When I get out of here, I’ll tear you to shreds to avenge my brother!"

"Yeah, avenge Jiang Chen!"

"Pei Shenghai, you’ll pay for Jiang Chen’s life!"

"You’ll die a horrible death..."

The Black Emperor, Purple Wind Frost, and Zhao Hongluan all roared in fury.

Pei Shenghai stood at the edge of the Netherworld Cave with his hands behind his back, a triumphant smile on his face. "A horrible death? Hahaha... I think the ones who are going to die horribly are you lot, and that little bastard Jiang Chen! He’s already gone to the Yellow Springs. Maybe he’s even become a blood-sucking Devil, just like those Ice Corpses."

"Impossible, Jiang Chen wouldn’t die..."

the group said in unison.

"Wouldn’t die? Hahaha, how ridiculous!"

Pei Shenghai sneered, "If he wasn’t dead, then why hasn’t he shown up for nearly a month? Why else would you all be trying to get revenge on me for him? Stop deceiving yourselves! All of you can go to Hell and keep Jiang Chen company!"

Pei Shenghai continuously struck out with thick beams of True Essence Palm Light.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Under the impact of the True Essence Palm Light, the vortex spun faster and faster, about to swallow them into the Netherworld Cave.

Just as they were about to be pulled into the dark maw of the Netherworld Cave, a golden light suddenly flew down from the sky, tearing through the air.

The golden energy transformed into a giant hand, which reached down from the sky and scooped Zhao Hongluan and the others out of the Netherworld Cave.

Having been saved from certain death, Zhao Hongluan and the others stared wide-eyed at the figure whose golden light was gradually receding. Their faces filled with immense excitement.

"Jiang... Jiang Chen, is that you?"

"Are you really back?"

"You’re not dead?"

Zhao Hongluan and the others asked one after another, their eyes red with disbelief.

Looking at these friends who had nearly lost their own lives trying to avenge him, the golden figure’s eyes filled with gratitude. He took a deep breath and said slowly, "I’m back!"

[Sixth Chapter today, two more to go. Little Tian is still writing! Damn, another all-nighter...]