Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

The Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers.

This was a majestic mountain range that stretched across the Saint Martial Dynasty from north to south, its length an unknown number of tens of thousands of miles.

Countless Demon Beasts, as well as heavenly materials and earthly treasures, lived within the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers.

Therefore...

All year round, teams of Demon Hunters or lone Martial Artists would enter the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers to hunt Demon Beasts and search for heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

Over time, settlements were established near the mountain range, providing supplies for passing Demon Hunter teams, merchant caravans, and the like.

After several thousand years of evolution, a famous "demon beast passage" had formed along the route of the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers, beginning at Yulan Mansion in the south and ending at the Imperial Capital in the north!

Nearly seventy percent of all Demon Beast-related goods circulating in the Saint Martial Dynasty’s markets—such as Demon Cores, beast hides, and beast bones—originated from this demon beast passage in the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers.

Dilong Town!

This was a small town bordering Yulan Mansion and the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers, nestled at the foot of the mountains.

Legend had it...

A thousand years ago, a powerful expert named Dilong founded this town. It had been passed down to this day, making it an ancient town of a millennium.

All experts entering the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers from Yulan Mansion, or those leaving the mountains via Yulan Mansion, had to pass through this place to rest or trade for necessary items.

Although it was just a small town, it was exceptionally prosperous!

"Freshly harvested Tier One High-level Demon Beast, a One-Eyed Cang Eagle! Selling cheap..."

"Gallbladders, freshly extracted from a live First Grade High-Level Iron-Backed Cang Bear! Don’t miss out, step right up..."

"Buying precious Demon Beast hides and bones in large quantities! High prices, huge demand! If you’ve got the goods, come on over!"

The town’s streets were filled with a cacophony of noise and vendors’ cries.

People came and went in an endless stream. It was a bustling scene!

"Once we enter the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers, it’ll be a long while before we find another place to resupply. Let’s buy what we need here before we set off," Jiang Chen said to the Black Emperor, who was drowsing atop Little White’s head, as he led a tall horse by the reins.

The Black Emperor shifted into a more comfortable position and said lazily, "Then let’s have a good meal first!"

Hearing there was food, Little White’s eyes lit up and it started drooling. "I want meat! Boss, I was starving after being stuck in Brother Black’s Devouring Space for the past month..."

"Alright, you two gluttons!"

Jiang Chen shook his head, speechless.

After Little White finished refining the Demon Core of the Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon, it had already advanced to Tier Two Middle Level. With its newly awakened Innate Divine Techniques, it could even hold its own against a master at the True Martial Realm Seventh Stage.

As for the Black Emperor...

That fellow had never revealed its true abilities.

Even Jiang Chen couldn’t see just how powerful it was!

"Sir, how can I help you?" a waiter came over with a broad smile, helping Jiang Chen tie up his horse. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The Black Emperor had already piped up, "Food, food! Bring us one of everything delicious you have here!"

"Uh..."

The waiter froze.

Jiang Chen nodded. "Do as it says. Bring us a round of all your best dishes!" Looking at Little White, who was drooling with shining eyes, Jiang Chen corrected himself, "No, make that three plates of each!"

"Right away!"

The waiter quickly showed Jiang Chen to a table. After accepting a hundred-tael tip, the waiter’s eyes darted around, and he whispered, "Sir, for the sake of your generous tip, allow me to give you a word of warning. This area around the Hundred Beasts Mountains and Rivers is lawless territory, full of all sorts of people. Your two Demon Beasts are of fine quality, and they might attract some trouble for you!"

"Thanks for the warning!"

Jiang Chen’s eyes shifted. A glance out of the corner of his eye confirmed that several malicious gazes were indeed sweeping over Little White and Little Black.

The Black Emperor naturally heard the waiter’s words as well.

It snorted in disdain and said flatly, "A bunch of ants. Pay them no mind!"

And so...

Jiang Chen and his two beasts began to feast.

At the next table, three burly men were also devouring meat and gulping down wine. Ever since Jiang Chen had entered, their gazes had been fixed on Little White. With a glint in their eyes, one of them said, "That white Demon Beast seems to have a mutated bloodline. Look how smooth its fur is. The pelt alone could sell for over a million. If we take it alive and sell it to those noblewomen in the Imperial Capital, the price could be driven up to tens of millions!"

"The black one’s quality is a bit worse. Not many people like bat-type Demon Beasts. Still, it should fetch several hundred thousand to a million!"

The three men exchanged a look, and each saw the greed in the others’ eyes.

"Ma the Third, go talk to that kid. We’re taking those two Demon Beasts," said the middle-aged man sitting in the center, a vicious scar running across his face.

"Don’t worry, Brother Long. I guarantee I’ll make that pretty boy hand over the two Demon Beasts obediently!" Ma the Third, a swarthy, muscular man, slowly rose and walked toward Jiang Chen.

The waiter was just serving the dishes when he saw Ma the Third approaching. His expression changed slightly, and he whispered a warning, "Sir, that’s one of the Wild Wolf Brothers. You’d better be careful!"

"Get the hell out of my way!"

Ma the Third shoved the waiter aside and looked at Jiang Chen. He said coolly, "Kid, my Wild Wolf Brothers worked our asses off to catch these two Demon Beasts, only for some thief to steal them on the road. We’ve been looking for that thief everywhere, and now you’ve gone and delivered yourself to our doorstep."

At the next table, Brother Long tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop and chuckled, "Ma the Third is pretty clever!"

Ma the Third had a booming voice, and he immediately drew everyone’s attention. All eyes turned toward them.

When they saw it was Ma the Third of the Wild Wolf Brothers, the crowd couldn’t help but look at Jiang Chen with pity. "Poor guy... he actually caught the eye of the Wild Wolf Brothers. Even if he doesn’t die this time, he’ll lose a layer of skin!"

"Not necessarily. The way I see it, Ma the Third is after the kid’s Demon Beasts. As long as he’s smart about it and hands them over to the Wild Wolf Brothers, he should be fine."

"It all depends on whether the kid knows what’s good for him!"

The crowd all turned to look at Jiang Chen with mocking gazes.

Ma the Third naturally heard the crowd’s whispers. A smug smile spread across his face as he tapped his fingers on the table, making a THUMP THUMP sound. The plates on the table clattered against each other with a CLANG CLANG noise.

His face darkened. "Kid, you dare steal from my Wild Wolf Brothers? The light punishment is broken arms and legs. The heavy one is being chopped up and fed to the dogs! If you know what’s good for you, return the two Demon Beasts, add a million taels in compensation, and apologize to us. Do that, and we might spare your life. Otherwise... heh heh heh..."

Ma the Third clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking with a series of POP POP sounds.

A grim killing intent enveloped Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen frowned, tossed the piece of meat on his chopsticks into his mouth, and said nonchalantly, "You’re quite the orator. You spoke so well I almost believed that I stole Little Black and the other one. But, I wonder if you’ve heard a certain saying?"

"Hm?"

Ma the Third froze.

Jiang Chen said coolly, "Have you ever heard the saying, ’disaster comes from the mouth’?"

"Hahaha, you’ve got a lot of nerve, kid! Looks like if I don’t teach you a lesson, you won’t know who you’re dealing with..." Ma the Third sneered, suddenly raising his palm. A surge of True Essence erupted as he slammed it toward Jiang Chen.

This one palm strike was powerful enough to shatter a ten-thousand-ton boulder.

It was accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

A wave of gasps went through the crowd. "That kid’s finished!"

"This kid doesn’t know what’s good for him, actually provoking Ma the Third..."

"To throw his life away for two Demon Beasts... it’s not worth it!"

The crowd sighed collectively.

However...

Facing Ma the Third’s powerful palm strike, Jiang Chen simply lifted his hand. With a PFFT, the pair of chopsticks in his grasp pierced through Ma the Third’s palm. A spray of blood erupted as Jiang Chen flicked his wrist, pinning the man’s hand firmly to the table.

"You motherf—" Ma the Third’s face twisted in agony as he roared.

Before he could finish...

Jiang Chen’s leg shot out from under the table in a sweeping kick. With two sickening CRACKS, both of Ma the Third’s kneecaps were shattered. Ma the Third fell to his knees, screaming. Jiang Chen seized the opportunity, grabbing him by the hair and slamming his head down hard onto the corner of the table.

BANG—

Blood gushed out, mixed with broken teeth. Ma the Third’s mouth was a mangled mess, and he couldn’t even speak.

The entire inn fell silent, leaving only Ma the Third’s agonized wails and the sound of sharp intakes of breath from the crowd...