I Seriously Didn't Want to Be the Martial Alliance Leader

"Huangfu Yi! Have you lost your mind!?"

Jie Yushan stared at Huangfu Yi in disbelief. The man had actually chosen to side with Chen Yuan. ’What is he thinking?’

That was the Great Brightness Sect!

But on second thought, it seemed the Huangfu Family had never kicked the Great Brightness Sect when it was down during its downfall.

Of course, this wasn’t because the Huangfu Family was kind, nor was it because they had any sort of relationship with the Great Brightness Sect.

Rather, the source of the Huangfu Family’s power was their own Inheritance Divine Artifact, the Divine Mask. Even if they had joined in, they wouldn’t have gained much from it—a classic case of harming others for no personal benefit.

Therefore, the Huangfu Family had chosen to watch from the sidelines and did not act.

Jie Yushan shouted sternly, "The Great Brightness Sect once oppressed the entire Martial World! Now they’re wanted by the Court and suppressed by all the major sects of the Jianghu.

This Chen Yuan took advantage of their plight to wipe out the members of the Shangguan Family first. Such actions are ruthless and extreme! How can you still side with him? This is no different from negotiating with a tiger for its own skin!

Even if he promised you something, do you really believe he’ll give it to you afterward, instead of just getting rid of you too?"

"If I don’t believe him, should I believe you instead?"

After putting on the Divine Mask, even Huangfu Yi’s personality had changed. His voice was cold, laced with a hint of madness.

"Just now, up there, who was it that called me a spineless coward, not worth mentioning?"

Jie Yushan was about to say more, but Huangfu Yi acted with extreme decisiveness, charging straight for Shen Wugui.

Chen Yuan let out a great laugh. The Starfire Sword Intent around him condensed, and in an instant, a dense array of Celestial Fire Sword Qi materialized behind him.

His Sword Pointing fell, and the Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi howled forward, frantically battering Jie Yushan’s Protective True Qi.

He had just expelled the power of the Heart-Burning Karmic Flame, but a large portion of his own Qi Blood and True Qi had been burned away in the process.

Although he hadn’t suffered heavy injuries during the trial in the hall earlier, his own consumption of energy had been considerable.

Chen Yuan, however, had benefited greatly from the trial. The fusion of his Martial Techniques, his control over his power, and his understanding of ’Intent’ had all caused his combat strength to skyrocket.

With one growing weaker as the other grew stronger, how could Jie Yushan possibly withstand Chen Yuan’s assault?

Under the dense onslaught of the Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi, Jie Yushan was instantly blasted until he coughed up blood, his body torn by several slashes of Sword Qi, leaving behind bloody marks.

Jie Yushan’s figure retreated frantically. He formed a Seal Technique with his hands, and his eyes instantly lost their focus. The aura around him became incomparably profound.

In the next moment, the Power of Heaven and Earth around Jie Yushan unexpectedly swarmed into his body, causing his aura to surge dramatically.

Only a Martial Artist at the Divine Platform Realm could borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth. The only person Chen Yuan had ever seen who could wield the Power of Heaven and Earth before reaching the Divine Platform Realm was Bo Gudun.

Jie Yushan’s current method was somewhat similar to Bo Gudun’s Golden Tent Secret Technique.

The Forgotten Love Celestial Book cultivated the Supreme Forgetfulness Power, with the ultimate goal of achieving the Unity of Heaven and Man, allowing one’s body to become more attuned to the world.

At this moment, Jie Yushan was forcibly shielding his own will, causing his body to subconsciously circulate the Forgotten Love Celestial Book and absorb the Power of Heaven and Earth.

But he was not a true Divine Platform Realm expert, after all. The Power of Heaven and Earth could enter his body, but he had no way to control it.

The moment Jie Yushan regained consciousness, his body was already filled with the majestic Power of Heaven and Earth. If he were even a moment later, he would completely explode!

With a furious roar, Jie Yushan forcibly channeled this power, instantly tearing apart the Heaven-Burning Sword Qi.

Then, Jie Yushan brought a palm strike down directly at Chen Yuan. There was no technique, only pure, ultimate power.

In this state, Jie Yushan couldn’t even think of using any Martial Techniques. He could only vent the Power of Heaven and Earth he had gathered in the fastest way possible.

But Chen Yuan did not dodge or evade. He pushed his Celestial Fire’s Power to its absolute limit.

The blazing, boiling Celestial Fire coiled around Chen Yuan’s body as if it would incinerate the heavens and exterminate the earth.

A palm descended, and a sky full of flames swept forth—the Heaven-Burning Hand Seal!

The Celestial Fire Secret Manual was inherently tyrannical and majestic.

By meeting Attack Against Attack like this, Chen Yuan was actually adhering more closely to the true intent of the Celestial Fire Secret Manual, unleashing its power to the fullest.

When their two immense powers collided, the resulting astonishing aura even forced Shen Wugui and Huangfu Yi back into a corner.

Chen Yuan laughed loudly, gathered his strength again, and unleashed another Heaven-Burning Hand Seal.

Jie Yushan’s expression had changed completely.

He was now desperate to vent the Power of Heaven and Earth from his body.

But in the clash of power, Chen Yuan wasn’t at a disadvantage. The backlash from the collision fed back into Jie Yushan’s body, causing the already uncontrollable and violent Power of Heaven and Earth to become even more berserk.

The power roiled and seethed. Jie Yushan’s body had already swollen up like a pufferfish.

Following Chen Yuan’s final Heaven-Burning Hand Seal, Jie Yushan completely lost control of the Power of Heaven and Earth within him. He couldn’t even make a move before his body exploded completely!

Celestial Fire swirled around Chen Yuan as his figure rapidly retreated.

Jie Yushan met this end because he lacked control over his own power.

’After my trial, even if I were to use the same power, I wouldn’t end up like Jie Yushan, getting blown up by it.’

The might of the exploding Power of Heaven and Earth was too strong. Jie Yushan was obliterated into fine dust, leaving nothing behind.

This included the treasures he had obtained from the Trial Hall; they too were likely completely disintegrated. ’What a pity.’

Chen Yuan looked over toward Huangfu Yi and Shen Wugui.

Shen Wugui’s figure was nowhere to be seen. Huangfu Yi took off his Divine Mask and walked out from the hall’s exit with a dejected expression.

"S-Sorry. I couldn’t stop him. I didn’t expect him to escape back through the exit."

Without the Divine Mask, Huangfu Yi seemed rather timid and even stammered when he spoke.

Chen Yuan shook his head. "It’s fine. The Nine Nether Sect’s Secret Techniques are strange and cunning. It’s normal that you couldn’t stop him."

’Letting one Shen Wugui escape doesn’t matter. I’m not afraid of him spreading the word that I killed Shangguan Yun and Jie Yushan.

Anyway, the person who killed them was ’Chen Yuan’ of the Great Brightness Sect. What does that have to do with me, Chen Jiutian?

The name Chen Jiutian has already attracted enough hatred. I’ll leave the extra enmity for the name ’Chen Yuan’.

The Great Brightness Sect is already a huge target, so attracting a bit more heat doesn’t matter.

By using two identities to stir up trouble and split the heat, I’ll seem less hated myself.’

"Um, the final level of the Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower... does it really have the Innate Qi Dao Body technique you mentioned?"

Huangfu Yi looked at Chen Yuan, still a bit wary.

He naturally couldn’t trust Chen Yuan completely, but the allure of that Cultivation Technique was immense.

"Relax. I’m a man of my word. That Cultivation Technique is definitely on the lowest level."

In the original story, Chen Yuan had also cleared the Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower—in the future, of course, and it wasn’t this particular Trial Hall.

So, he was very clear about the final rewards of the Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower. They were all rare and valuable treasures.

The Innate Qi Dao Body was the strongest Body Refining Technique of the Daoist Sect. Its goal was to refine the Innate Qi and achieve the Innate Dao Body.

Once mastered, one’s Dao Body would become pure, and their Qi Blood would be abundant and powerful. This Cultivation Technique was worthy of being ranked as Celestial Level Middle Grade.

However, for Chen Yuan, this Cultivation Technique was rather useless, which was why he offered it in a trade with Huangfu Yi.

The ultimate goal of the Innate Qi Dao Body technique was to condense an Innate Dao Body. The problem was, after refining that Strongest Divine Pill, Chen Yuan was already in the state of having an Innate Dao Body, so naturally, he didn’t need to cultivate it again.

Of course, his current Innate Dao Body was only in its nascent stage; his Qi Blood and physical strength were not yet sufficient.

But as long as he cultivated step-by-step, his Innate Dao Body would naturally reach Great Success along with the growth of his Qi Blood and Cultivation.

The reason this Cultivation Technique was so appealing to Huangfu Yi was because of the Divine Mask’s properties.

The Divine Mask was the easiest Divine Artifact Incarnation to obtain, but using it required sacrificing the Martial Artist’s own Qi Blood or even their Life Force.

The Martial Artists of the Huangfu Family were generally physically weak. This wasn’t a matter of talent, but because whenever they used the Divine Mask, they were forced to sacrifice Qi Blood. Over the long term, their Qi Blood would naturally become deficient.

Moreover, if a battle dragged on, they would no longer be sacrificing Qi Blood, but their very lifespan.

Therefore, the average lifespan of a Huangfu Family Martial Artist was lower than that of Martial Artists from other factions, sometimes even less than that of some Loose Cultivators.

A Body Refining Technique from the Taoist School like Innate Qi Dao Body, which was balanced, gentle, and profound, was exactly what the Huangfu Family needed.

"Then... should we go get the Cultivation Technique now?"

Chen Yuan shook his head. "It’s not that easy. There are two Primordial Pill Realm experts down below. You have to help me deal with them first before we can get the technique."

Huangfu Yi immediately grew anxious. "But those are Primordial Pill Realm Martial Arts Grandmasters! I’m only at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm. How could I possibly help you fight two Martial Arts Grandmasters? You tricked me!"

"I didn’t trick you. I said I could only give you the Cultivation Technique after I obtained it. Right now, those two Martial Arts Grandmasters are occupying the lowest level. If we don’t deal with them, how am I supposed to get it?"

Chen Yuan shook his head. "Even if I were to back out now and give this opportunity to you, could you get the technique? If we don’t deal with them, we won’t be able to get a single treasure in this Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower!"

Huangfu Yi sighed, his face troubled. "Then how can the two of us, with our strength, possibly deal with two Primordial Pill Realm Grandmasters?"

He was a completely different person with and without the Divine Mask.

The former was hesitant and cowardly, while the latter was decisive and even slightly mad.

Chen Yuan looked at Huangfu Yi and said in a low voice, "If I’m not mistaken, as the most outstanding disciple of the Huangfu Family in this generation, you should have more than one Divine Mask on you, right?

Put on your Huangfu Family’s ’Divine Revelation’ Divine Mask, activate the Divine Descent Technique, and help me hold off Xu Wenzhou from the Forgotten Heaven Pavilion for ten minutes. I’ll be able to kill Shangguan Jue, and then come back and help you deal with Xu Wenzhou."

Huangfu Yi’s expression changed in an instant. He stared at Chen Yuan in horror.

’How does he know so much about my Huangfu Family’s Divine Masks? He even knows about the ’Divine Revelation’ Divine Mask and the Divine Descent Technique!’