Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

In the dark, damp dungeon.

Having lost the protection of his cultivation, Pei Yuan faced hundreds of furious Jiuhua Celestial Sect disciples. He was like a naked young girl surrounded by dozens of starving wolves.

He was torn to shreds.

They hated Pei Yuan with a burning passion, and today, their moment of vengeance had finally arrived.

Jiang Chen frowned but felt no pity.

He walked over to Beis Ming. Seeing Beis Ming’s wretched state, a flash of anger crossed Jiang Chen’s eyes. He said in a low voice, "Senior, I’ve come too late."

Beis Ming grinned, a twisted expression more painful than any cry.

The movement tugged at his wounds, causing him to sharply suck in a breath, then another.

His cloudy eyes stared at Jiang Chen, and his voice was a low, hoarse rasp. "Jiang... Jiang Chen... thank you for cleaning house for my Jiuhua Celestial Sect."

"I am indebted to you, Senior. This was a small matter," Jiang Chen said gravely. "Senior, please don’t talk anymore. I have some pills here. Please, take them!"

As he spoke,

Jiang Chen took out two pills and tried to give them to Beis Ming.

But Beis Ming shook his head. A look of acceptance, of release from worldly cares, settled in his cloudy eyes. "It’s no use. My Spiritual Sea is shattered and my Life Palace has collapsed. Pei Yuan even ripped out my Life Vein. The only thing keeping me alive was a lingering obsession. Now that Pei Yuan is dead, my greatest wish is fulfilled. My only remaining worry is for my disciples... the disciples of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect..."

His gaze fell upon Jiang Chen.

His cloudy, bloodshot eyes fixed on him. In a low voice, he asked, "Jiang Chen, can you do me one last favor?"

"You want me to protect the disciples of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect?" Jiang Chen asked, his brow furrowed.

He had a keen mind and could read much in Beis Ming’s gaze.

This was an old man who cared for nothing but the Jiuhua Celestial Sect.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Rest assured, Senior. I will lead them out of here. If they wish to follow me, I, Jiang Chen, swear I will not mistreat them. If they do not, I will ensure they can leave in safety!"

"That is good... very good..."

Beis Ming nodded, his breathing growing rapid and shallow. His gaze, now more clouded than ever, swept across the many disciples of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect in the dungeon. He slowly closed his eyes as two clear teardrops rolled down his cheeks. "To think that the Jiuhua Celestial Sect, with its legacy of nearly ten thousand years, has fallen to this... I, Beis Ming, have shamed our ancestors..."

Beis Ming’s voice stopped abruptly. His head slumped forward, and he moved no more.

He had breathed his last.

Jiang Chen gazed at Beis Ming’s body, silent for a long moment. He bowed respectfully, then flicked his finger, sending out a wisp of True Essence Fire Light.

WHOOSH!

Beis Ming’s body was consumed by the flames, turning to ash. Jiang Chen carefully collected the remains in a Jade Box, his expression solemn. "Senior, you dedicated your entire life to the Jiuhua Celestial Sect. I will bury you in the Sect’s main hall."

Black Emperor and Little White had already gone to open the other cells in the dungeon.

They released the other imprisoned experts from the Jiuhua Celestial Sect.

Everyone had heard the conversation between Beis Ming and Jiang Chen. They had also witnessed the terrifying power Jiang Chen used to cripple Pei Yuan. With expressions of awe and respect, they followed him out of the dungeon.

Outside was already a mountain of corpses and a Sea of Blood.

Jiang Chen had carved a path of slaughter on his way in, leaving no one alive.

The more than ten thousand experts from the Six Mountains Dynasty stationed at the Jiuhua Celestial Sect had all been slain by Jiang Chen. The acrid stench of blood permeated the entire sect.

Carrying Beis Ming’s ashes, Jiang Chen walked to the central grand hall of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect.

A massive stone stele stood there.

The stele had once borne the three words "Jiuhua Celestial Sect," but it was now broken. Jiang Chen dug a pit beneath it and carefully buried Beis Ming. A faint golden light gathered at his fingertips. With fluid, masterful strokes, he carved a new epitaph on the stone: Tomb of Elder Beis Ming of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect!

"We respectfully send off the Third Elder!"

"Farewell, Third Elder!"

The thousands of Jiuhua Celestial Sect disciples gathered there roared in unison, their voices raw with grief.

The somber atmosphere lingered for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath before finally turning to face the crowd. "Everyone, many of you may not know me. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jiang Chen. I come from the former Saint Martial Sword Sect of the Saint Martial Dynasty, which is now the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect. I am the Sect Master of the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect. Before his death, Senior Beis Ming entrusted me with your care. If you are willing to follow me to the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect, remain where you are. If you do not wish to come with me, please move to the right. In a moment, I will remove the seals on all of you and grant you your freedom!"

The crowd was taken aback.

Whispers immediately broke out among them...

’What the hell is the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect?’

’Sounds like a Sect from a Lower Grade Dynasty.’

’A Lower Grade Dynasty? And here I thought it was some powerful Sect. Forget it. With my strength and talent, I could secure a position in any of the Upper Grade Dynasties’ Sects. I’m better off leaving the Cloud Domain altogether!’

’I’m staying. We owe Jiang Chen a great debt!’

’A debt can be repaid in the future. If he needs help one day, we can lend a hand then. But I’m not going to a Lower Grade Dynasty...’

’Besides, the Six Mountains Dynasty and the Fengyang Ancient Country are currently purging the Cloud Domain. The Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect might not even be able to save itself.’

’Let’s just go our own ways!’

In that moment, a number of the experts walked to the side.

They made up a full forty percent of the group.

The remaining sixty percent stayed put, all of them willing to follow Jiang Chen.

In truth...

This was because these experts had been thrown into the dungeons by the Six Mountains Dynasty half a month prior. They had no idea what the name "Jiang Chen" meant on the Eastern Continent.

Otherwise, they never would have made such a rash decision.

Jiang Chen glanced at the crowd but said nothing more. With a single thought—a flicker of his Divine Thought—he released the seals on everyone.

Their cultivation was instantly restored.

"Jiang Chen, thank you for saving our lives!"

"Perhaps we’ll meet again!"

One after another, the experts soared into the sky and departed from the Jiuhua Celestial Sect.

The remaining experts turned to Jiang Chen, their eyes blazing with intensity, and shouted, "Benefactor, where do we go from here?"

Jiang Chen looked at the four thousand or so people remaining. These were the former elites of the Jiuhua Celestial Sect.

They were also loyal, and their character was beyond reproach.

’They are worthy of my training!’

Jiang Chen smiled. "Right now, the Cloud Domain is being purged by the Six Mountains Dynasty and the Fengyang Ancient Country. I’ve received word that the entire Cloud Domain has fallen, with the sole exception of the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect. Our objective is to return there, drive out every last invader, and display the might of the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect!"

"Drive them out?"

"But those are two Upper Grade Dynasties. Can we really do that?"

The crowd was filled with doubt and astonishment.

Jiang Chen grinned and slowly uttered a sentence that left them all completely thunderstruck...

"I once slew a Human Emperor with a single word!"

*An Author’s Note: I’m in Shanghai and have been busy yesterday and today. I had to wake up extra early to write these last two Chapters. Little Tian will try to squeeze in one more before heading to the office again. I’ll make up for the missed Chapters once I’m back from Shanghai!*