Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

The great fire at the Jiang Family estate burned fiercely, spreading throughout the entire residence.

The flames, like dragons, coiled into the sky. The raging inferno was visible from all across Yandu City, a boundless sea of fire.

"The vast Jiang Family, put to the torch. That Jiang Chen is not someone to be crossed!"

"What do we do now? Jiang Tai is dead, and the Jiang Family has been all but exterminated. If Jiang Ziyou blames us for this..." Chen Tianrun frowned, his expression worried.

Qian Duoduo gave a bitter laugh. "It’d be a miracle if Jiang Ziyou *didn’t* go insane when she finds out what happened here!"

"Regardless, we have to let Jiang Ziyou know we did our best. She can’t pin the blame on us!" Sima Tao took a deep breath, his gaze following the direction Jiang Chen had left. A trace of wonder colored his tone. "A golden carp is no simple pond dweller; it transforms into a dragon at the first sign of a storm. Jiang Taixu’s son... he’s incredible!"

"Indeed. Who could have imagined that the good-for-nothing with no cultivation just two months ago could have grown this powerful..."

At this thought, everyone fell silent...

「At the Yulan Riverfront, before the altar.」

Jiang Chen had come looking for Little White, but instead found Bai Ling standing there. Her long, smooth hair swayed in the wind. Sensing his approach, she looked up, glanced at him, and asked, "Is it done?"

"Yes."

Jiang Chen nodded.

Bai Ling watched him intently, her eyes shimmering. In truth, she had been secretly observing him ever since he entered the Jiang Family estate, and she had seen everything he did.

Killing Jiang Tai, putting the vast Jiang Family estate to the torch.

Even she found her heart trembling at the sight, yet Jiang Chen’s face was calm, as if none of it was worth mentioning.

After a moment of silence, Bai Ling said, "Jiang Chen, I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now. The reason I came to Yandu City was because of you. Or rather, because of your father."

Jiang Chen nodded.

He and Bai Ling had never met before; they were strangers who had crossed paths by chance. Yet, she had helped him time and again.

Jiang Chen had also guessed it was probably because of his father.

Bai Ling tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and said lightly, "Your father once entrusted my grandfather with a task: to bring you to the Sword Sect when you turned sixteen. Originally, all I had to do was take you back with me to complete the mission my grandfather gave me. But... I think it would be better for you not to go to the Sword Sect."

"Because of Lan Haichen?" Jiang Chen asked.

"Yes."

Bai Ling nodded and smiled bitterly. "Lan Haichen is too strong, and the power he wields is too great. You have no chance of winning against him. If you go to the Sword Sect now, you might be eliminated by his subordinates before the Celestial Fate Hunting even begins. So, I plan to send you away from the Saint Martial Dynasty. I have some acquaintances in the Fiery Sun Sect of the Celestial Nine Dynasty. I can give you a letter of recommendation. At least there, you’ll be able to stay alive!"

Jiang Chen smiled. "I appreciate the kind thought."

He paused.

Jiang Chen clasped his hands behind his back, facing the turbulent waters of the Yulan River...

"I, Jiang Chen, will not be forced to flee my home and hide just because of Lan Haichen and Jiang Ziyou. But you are right about one thing: the Saint Martial Sword Sect is Lan Haichen’s territory. Even if I went there now, I wouldn’t be able to make a single move. Therefore, I’ve decided to train on my own and only go to the Sword Sect just before the Celestial Fate Hunting!"

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, and said in a low voice, "Lan Haichen is so confident, isn’t he? Letting Jiang Ziyou take my life at the Celestial Fate Hunting in a year’s time? In that case, I will make a point of crushing Jiang Ziyou under my foot in front of everyone. And not just her—one day, Lan Haichen will be under my foot as well. The humiliation I suffered that day, I will repay it a hundred, a thousand times over!"

Jiang Chen’s voice was not melodramatic or forcefully loud, but it carried an unshakable resolve and an indomitable will.

Looking at the young man before her, Bai Ling suddenly felt a sense of wonder.

The figure of the young man before her seemed to grow immensely tall and imposing, as if every word he spoke was a sacred decree, giving her the feeling that he would definitely achieve it.

’What am I thinking? Lan Haichen is the strongest genius in the history of the Saint Martial Sword Sect. How could Jiang Chen possibly surpass him?’

Bai Ling shook her head to clear her scattered thoughts and spoke. "Jiang Chen, have you really thought this through? Even if you go to the Sword Sect a year from now, how much could your level possibly improve? It’s still a dead end..."

"Say no more."

Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively. "Even if it means a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, what do I, Jiang Chen, have to fear?"

"You..."

Bai Ling’s expression shifted several times before she finally let out a bitter laugh. "Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t try to persuade you any further. When I return to the Sword Sect, I’ll register your information with the Sect and make you an Official Disciple. It’s early June now. The Celestial Fate Hunting will be held at the end of September next year, but you’ll need to arrive at the Sword Sect by the end of August. There will be a competition among the new disciples in early September. Only the top ten new disciples will be allowed to participate in the Celestial Fate Hunting alongside the senior disciples."

As she spoke, Bai Ling took out a simple, antique-looking cyan ring and handed it to Jiang Chen.

The face of the ring was engraved with the image of a pale gold longsword. Bai Ling explained, "This is a Storage Ring provided by the Sword Sect for its disciples. Before I left, my grandfather had me bring it to give to you. It has a ten-cubic-meter space inside, which is enough to store some of your belongings. You absolutely cannot lose it. Next year, when you return to the Sect, you will need it to prove your identity as a Sword Sect disciple!"

"Thank you, Special Envoy Bai!"

Jiang Chen took the ring, glanced at it curiously, and slipped it onto his ring finger.

Bai Ling rolled her eyes. Although she still appeared as frosty as ever, Jiang Chen could clearly sense a subtle shift in her attitude toward him. "Call me Senior Sister Bai from now on. Jiang Chen, although I still think your chances of defeating Jiang Ziyou a year from now are slim, you are Jiang Taixu’s son. So, I believe in you!"

"My father?"

Jiang Chen asked, "Senior Sister Bai, you know my father’s whereabouts, don’t you?"

Ever since Jiang Taixu returned six years ago and left him that Dragon-shaped Jade Pendant, he had vanished without a trace, leaving no news behind.

Over the past two thousand days and nights, Jiang Chen had yearned to find his father every single moment.

Bai Ling gave another bitter laugh. "I don’t know your father’s whereabouts, but my grandfather might. However, my grandfather instructed me that I can only tell you about it after you go to the Sword Sect yourself. So, if you really want to find your father, you have no choice but to cultivate diligently, return to the Sword Sect in a year, and ask my grandfather then."

"I see... I understand. I’ll just have to wait another year, then," Jiang Chen said with a disappointed sigh.

"Mhm."

Bai Ling’s eyes darted, and she asked curiously, "By the way, have you decided on your first destination for this journey?"

"I already have a plan..."

Jiang Chen glanced sideways, looking toward the far east. The faint silhouette of a sprawling mountain range was just visible on the horizon. "When my father was at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage, he once crossed the Bluestone Mountain Range. My first goal is—the Bluestone Mountain Range!"

「A few minutes later...」

A Suspended Flying Ship floated silently away from Yandu City. Standing aboard it, Bai Ling murmured to herself, "Crossing the Bluestone Mountain Range, huh? Perhaps... a year from now, he really will shock everyone and defeat Jiang Ziyou... No, maybe, one day, he might truly grow strong enough to challenge Lan Haichen."

「Zhenjiang Stele.」

Jiang Chen waited until Bai Ling had left before letting out a long cry toward the Yulan River. "Little White, come out!"

Before long, a huge whirlpool appeared on the surface of the surging river.

The whirlpool was more than ten meters in diameter.

SPLASH...

A massive wave furiously surged into the air, and a white figure shot out from within it. It was none other than the mutated Green Water Golden-eyed Beast cub—Little White!

"Boss, you’re finally here! I’ve been so bored these past few days!" Little White pounced, rushing to Jiang Chen’s side. It nudged Jiang Chen’s calf with its furry head and looked up, clamoring.

That day, to avoid trouble, Jiang Chen had let Little White roam freely in the Yulan River.

He had only just now returned for it.

Little White had been terribly bored these last few days. With a piece of green eggshell still on its head, it bounced around energetically and asked eagerly, "Boss, you said you’d take me to eat good food. When are we going?"

"We’re going right now!"

Jiang Chen ruffled Little White’s head, a look of fond indulgence in his eyes.

"Hooray! Long live the Boss! We finally get to eat good food!" Little White cheered, hopping with excitement.

And so, the man and his beast set off on the road to the Bluestone Mountain Range...