Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Jiang Chen left the room.

Yuan Jiu was already waiting for him outside.

When Jiang Chen emerged, Yuan Jiu greeted him with a gentle smile. "It seems your seclusion these past few days has been fruitful, Young Master Jiang. You’ve clearly improved again!"

Jiang Chen smiled. "It’s all thanks to the Sword Manual the Clan Leader taught me. I have indeed made some progress."

"The day the Royal Family and the Ice King Race attacked, you were only at the Sixth Stage of the Union Palace Realm, yet you cut down three Human King Realm Experts. Your strength must have reached an entirely new level now. When the Human Venerable List is re-ranked next year, I’m sure you’ll make it into the top fifty!" As Yuan Jiu spoke of the top fifty, a wistful look crossed his face.

The Human Venerable List, the Earth Venerable List, and the Celestial Venerable List.

These three were the Martial Arts Saint Lists that countless Martial Artists across the Eastern Continent dreamed of climbing.

Jiang Chen was not yet twenty, but he could already slay Human King Realm Experts, which was more than enough to place him in the top fifty of the Human Venerable List.

In the future, he might even have a chance to claim a spot in the top ten.

What an incredible honor and glory that would be!

Jiang Chen shook his head and chuckled. "You flatter me, Senior."

"Haha, still so modest, Young Master Jiang!" Yuan Jiu shook his head. "The Clan Leader and the others are already waiting for us. Shall we head to the Ancestral Land together?"

"Alright."

The two of them walked out side by side.

As they walked, Jiang Chen asked out of curiosity, "Senior, while I know of the Human Venerable List, I’m not very familiar with the top experts on it. I was wondering if you could enlighten me?"

The Cloud Domain was the weakest and most remote of the one hundred and eight domains in the Eastern Continent.

An expert capable of ranking on any of the three lists hadn’t emerged from there in ages.

Therefore...

Jiang Chen was not just unfamiliar with the experts on the three lists; he was almost completely ignorant of them.

Yuan Jiu was taken aback. Though puzzled, he patiently explained, "The Human Venerable List records one hundred thousand Union Palace Realm geniuses under the age of fifty from across the Eastern Continent. Right now, the two most prominent figures on the list are... well, two people. One is the former number one, currently ranked second, Crown Prince Long Jingyun of the Dragon Emperor Ancient Country. It is said the people of the Dragon Emperor Ancient Country possess the bloodline of the Dragon Race, and Long Jingyun’s is so exceptionally pure that he’s known as the True Dragon Crown Prince!"

"Ever since Long Jingyun appeared on the list, he climbed the ranks at astonishing speed, claiming the number one spot while at the Union Palace Realm Eighth Stage. However, he only held the throne for a year before he was defeated by Gai Shi, an unparalleled prodigy from the Luotian Dynasty. Rumor has it that Gai Shi is the Direct Disciple of a reclusive Emperor Realm ancestor from the Luotian Dynasty, but whether that’s true or not, no one really knows."

A look of reverence filled Yuan Jiu’s eyes as he spoke of the two. He continued, "Besides them, you have Song Jiuxiao of the Great Yuan Dynasty in third place. The Eldest Prince of the Icefield Race Royal Family, Bing Long, is ranked fourth. Weii Wushuang of the Da Weii Ancient Country is fifth; sixth is Wu Zhe from the Da Wu Dynasty; seventh is Prince Xuee of the Flying Snow Dynasty; eighth is Luo Zun from the Haotian Ancient Country; ninth is our Clan Leader’s Direct Disciple, Zifeng Jie; and in tenth place is Zhuo Bufan from the Six Mountains Dynasty..."

He rattled off the names of several powerful experts.

Every one of them was a top-ten prodigy on the Human Venerable List, a super genius at the height of their fame.

In a single breath, Yuan Jiu had introduced the top ten experts on the Human Venerable List.

Jiang Chen committed these names to memory, paying particular attention to Bing Long of the Royal Family. He had become a person of special interest to Jiang Chen.

’Bing Qianchi of the Royal Family, a mighty Human Emperor Realm expert, actually stooped so low as to try and assassinate me.’

’If my Divine Demon Tyrant Body hadn’t advanced to the Fourth Stage Peak Realm, I would have already been a dead soul at his hands.’

Jiang Chen’s eyes took on a distant, chilling look. ’Bing Long, fourth on the Human Venerable List, the number one genius of the Royal Family, hm? If I were to kill him... Bing Qianchi would feel immense pain and regret, wouldn’t he?’

The corners of Jiang Chen’s mouth lifted into a smirk.

...

Led by Yuan Jiu, Jiang Chen quickly arrived at the training grounds.

The others had already been waiting there for a long time...

The moment Zifeng Tianhen and the Purple Wind Clan elders saw Jiang Chen arrive, their faces broke into smiles. Purple Wind Frost, Zifeng Jun, and Zhao Hongluan, in particular, came right up to him and began chatting enthusiastically.

Zhao Hongluan said with a pouting expression, "Jiang Chen, your Little Black is a terrible influence! He took my Little Sparrow, and now they disappear for days on end. The last time I finally found them, my Little Sparrow was holding a wine gourd and playing a drinking game! Tell me... how are you going to make this up to me?"

Jiang Chen rubbed his nose awkwardly. "You’ll have to take that up with Little Black. I have no control over him!"

"I don’t care!"

Zhao Hongluan huffed, but a cunning glint flashed in her bright, phoenix-like eyes. "How about this: once we enter the Profound Celestial Ancestor Realm, you’ll be responsible for protecting me. We’ll just call that my compensation!"

Jiang Chen sighed helplessly. "Alright, fine. Once we’re in the Profound Celestial Ancestor Realm, you can just stick with me."

"Me, me! Me too! I want to follow you!" Purple Wind Frost chimed in, looking at Jiang Chen with open admiration.

Jiang Chen’s feat of sweeping away three Human King Realm Experts that day had truly left Purple Wind Frost in awe.

Ever since then, she had come to idolize him.

"Well..."

Jiang Chen hesitated and glanced at Zifeng Jun, who simply shrugged, a helpless look on his face. "Don’t look at me. Once she decides something, not even our father can change her mind. To be honest, it’s not just my little sister. If I weren’t determined to use this trip for my own training, I’d want to stick with you too!"

Jiang Chen shook his head with a sigh of resignation and looked at Purple Wind Frost. "Fine, you can come along too. But once we’re in the Profound Celestial Ancestor Realm, you have to listen to my arrangements!"

"I promise I won’t cause any trouble!"

Purple Wind Frost grinned, then skipped happily over to Zhao Hongluan’s side. She wrapped her fair arms around Zhao Hongluan’s, beaming. "Sister Hong Luan, this way we can stick together!"

"Mhm! We can!"

Zhao Hongluan said with a smile.

Her eyes remained fixed on Jiang Chen, and a flicker of disappointment appeared when she realized he wasn’t looking her way.

Jiang Chen shook his head. Noticing that no one was making a move to leave, he asked, "Are we still waiting for someone?"

"Mhm."

Purple Wind Frost nodded, her eyes filled with disgust. "There’s one more annoying guy," she said with clear disdain.

Zifeng Jun chided her in a low voice, "Hanshuang, that’s enough."

"I know, I know!"

Purple Wind Frost pouted.

"My apologies, Young Master Jiang," Zifeng Jun said, turning to Jiang Chen. "My father’s disciple hasn’t returned yet. We need to wait a little longer."

Jiang Chen nodded. He had already learned from Yuan Jiu about Zifeng Tianhen’s disciple, Zifeng Jie, who was ranked ninth on the Human Venerable List.

It was just that...

’Judging by the looks on Purple Wind Frost’s and Zifeng Jun’s faces, they really don’t seem to like him, do they?’

They waited for a full hour.

Everyone was growing impatient.

Zifeng Tianhen frowned, a hint of displeasure on his face. "We’re not waiting any longer," he said flatly. "Let’s depart!"

"Yes!"

Elder Yuan Zeng nodded.

Just as everyone was preparing to mount up, a boisterous voice suddenly echoed from the horizon. "Hahaha, my apologies, everyone! I’m late!"

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a young man striding through the air toward them.

This man...

...was the Purple Wind Clan’s number one genius, ranked ninth on the Human Venerable List—Zifeng Jie!