Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Seeing this, Sima Tao and the others were so terrified they didn’t dare make a peep.

"Oh? Even though this Divine Split doesn’t possess even one percent of my true strength, you can actually remain standing under my spiritual pressure. I suppose you’re a decent prospect. A pity you had to offend Ziyou..."

Lan Haichen let out a sarcastic chuckle, his gaze sharpening. "No one is to touch my woman!" he said coldly. "And for that, you cannot escape death!"

VMM—

Tyrannical True Essence surged around Lan Haichen, coalescing into a single blue finger of light. He aimed it at Jiang Chen, intending to kill him with one strike.

Just then, a cool, clear voice rang out, echoing over the entire altar. "Senior Brother Lan, for someone of your status to attack a mere cultivator at the Martial Arts Realm... if word of this were to get out, wouldn’t you become a laughingstock?"

"Hm? I was wondering who it was. So, it’s the little lass Bai Ling!" Lan Haichen paused, his icy gaze landing on Bai Ling, who now stood protectively in front of Jiang Chen. His words were laced with immense confidence and arrogance. "With my status and power," he said faintly, "who would dare laugh at me?"

"Heh. With your strength, Senior Brother Lan, it’s true that no one would dare laugh at you to your face. But this is hardly a glorious deed. If people were to accuse you of using your great power to bully the weak, it would inevitably become a stain on your reputation." Bai Ling remained as cold as frost. Her voice was level, but her gaze was locked on Lan Haichen, showing not a single trace of fear.

Lan Haichen appeared to be in thought.

Bai Ling’s eyes brightened, and she struck while the iron was hot. "Senior Brother Lan, Jiang Ziyou is the one you personally requested to be brought back to the Sect. Jiang Chen, however, is someone my grandfather specifically asked to be brought to the Sword Sect. Besides, this whole affair started because of these two. I feel it would be more appropriate to let them resolve it themselves. One year after joining, there will be the grand Celestial Fate Hunting event. All the new disciples will compete against one another. Why not let them settle their scores then and decide who is superior once and for all?"

"This would solve the problem without tarnishing your reputation, Senior Brother Lan. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?" Bai Ling, clever and perceptive, spoke with a seemingly casual air. "Unless... you have no confidence in Jiang Ziyou, Senior Brother Lan. Unless you believe that even in a year, she still won’t be able to defeat Jiang Chen. If that’s the case, then please, make your move. I’m certainly no match for you, after all."

"..."

Lan Haichen fell silent for a moment before a smile spread across his face. "You have a sharp tongue, little lass Bai Ling. I know you’re trying to goad me, but I admit what you say makes sense. Fine. I’ll let the boy live for another year. At the Celestial Fate Hunting a year from now, I will have Ziyou defeat him, fair and square!"

"Then it’s settled!" Bai Ling said.

"Mm."

Lan Haichen nodded impassively and looked at Yun Haoran. "Yun Haoran, your crime was punishable by death. But out of consideration for your elder brother, as long as you bring Ziyou safely back to the Sword Sect, I will spare your life."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lan! I will be sure to escort Junior Sister Ziyou safely!" Yun Haoran was overwhelmed with gratitude, practically in tears with excitement.

Lan Haichen looked at Jiang Ziyou and smiled faintly. "Ziyou, return to the Sect with Yun Haoran. For this next year, I will personally guide your cultivation. A year from now, you can exact your revenge with your own two hands and wash away this humiliation."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lan!"

Jiang Ziyou nodded excitedly, then looked at Jiang Chen. Her gaze was utterly frigid, her lips twisting into a cruel smile. "Jiang Chen," she said coldly, "consider yourself lucky to have escaped with your life today. But it makes no difference. Just as Senior Brother Lan said, in one year, I will defeat you, fair and square. A year from now, during the Celestial Fate Hunting, will be the day you’re sent to the Yellow Springs!"

"Well said, Daughter!" Jiang Tai said excitedly.

"Father, just wait a little while. Once I am settled in the Imperial Capital, I will send people to bring you over!" Jiang Ziyou held her head high with pride. After bidding farewell to Jiang Tai, she boarded Yun Haoran’s Floating Flying Ship and disappeared into the horizon.

"Boy, I know you are defiant, but it’s a shame. Your defiance and resentment are pointless. If I want you to die, you die. If I want you to live, you don’t even have the right to die. Do you know why I didn’t kill you today? Besides what Bai Ling said, the most important reason is that you’re too weak. You’re not worthy of me personally taking action!"

Lan Haichen shot an indifferent glance at Jiang Chen and spoke with cold detachment.

From beginning to end, Lan Haichen had never once looked Jiang Chen in the eye. In his view, Jiang Chen was merely a frog in a well, worlds apart from himself.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Lan Haichen. "Lan Haichen, I will burn today’s humiliation into my memory. However... fortunes change with time. Never underestimate a young man because he is poor. No, I don’t need thirty years. In five years, I will catch up to you. And then, I will defeat you fair and square!"

Lan Haichen froze for a moment, then shook his head and sneered. "Surpass me in five years? What nonsense. You have no idea how vast the gap between us truly is. Forget five years—even in fifty years, or five hundred, you would still be no match for me." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"When you finally master this kind of power, then you can come back and say that to me."

Lan Haichen’s illusory form suddenly opened its mouth. With a single cold snort, the churning Yulan River erupted with a massive BOOM! An entire section of the river was blasted away, creating a void in the water. To part a river with a single exhalation—Lan Haichen’s power was truly that monstrous!

The entire Yulan Riverfront was plunged into a dead silence.

By the time everyone snapped out of their stupor, Lan Haichen had already vanished over the horizon.

Jiang Chen’s gaze flickered, his face turning pale as he stared at the parted Yulan River. Yet, he stubbornly held his head high, his eyes fixed on the horizon where Lan Haichen and Jiang Ziyou had disappeared. An utterly chilling light shone from their depths.

’So this is the strength of the most powerful disciple in the history of the Saint Martial Sword Sect? Just a Divine Split, just a single glance, and I was utterly helpless? He can decide my life or death with a single thought... Lan Haichen, Jiang Ziyou...’

Jiang Chen grit his teeth, his eyes blazing with incandescent fury.

’If he wants me to die, I die. If he wants me to live, I don’t even have the right to choose death? He didn’t kill me because I was too weak, unworthy of him even acting?’

Lan Haichen’s parting words echoed endlessly in Jiang Chen’s mind. The voice grew louder and louder, branding itself deep into his soul, into his very bones, becoming an indelible mark.

"No..."

"I refuse to be a lamb to the slaughter!"

"I refuse to be weak!"

"I refuse to have my life and death controlled by others, to be toyed with in the palm of their hands..."

"I must get stronger, I must become even stronger..."

Jiang Chen clenched his fists, speaking deliberately, one word at a time. His voice wasn’t loud, yet every syllable was like iron branded on his soul, thundering in his heart. A look of ultimate resolve filled his eyes. "Lan Haichen... today, you think I’m not worthy of you taking action. But... one day, I will trample you underfoot!"