Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âWhy has the passage been closed? My son still hasnât come out.â
âTang Ziming, where are you? Come out quickly! Please donât scare me.â
âI shouldnât have allowed you to participate in the Ancient Ruins trial.â
Many aggrieved cries came from the mouths of several elders who were having a hard time getting control of themselves. Most of these people wore gloomy expressions and gasped for breath, while their eyes shone with an ominous glint.
âNo one is allowed to leave!â
Some people realized that the situation was getting out of hand, and they had planned to leave. They didnât expect that a deafening shout would then echo all around.
Just after this, a drum sound could be heard, while a majestic fighting spirit erupted. Several military flags were stuck in the ground, and they shot out interlinked light beams made of energy that encircled everyone. Everyone was now stranded.
The crowdâs expression changed drastically, and they looked up at the large ship with several decks. They didnât find either the drumâs sound or the military flags strange because they all belonged to one of the three great factions, the Xia Clan.
There were innumerable armed soldiers on the ship, and they all stood straight at attention, looking intrepid.
âItâs the Wu State!â
When the crowd saw the flag fluttering atop the ship, they recognized those peopleâs status.
The three great factions ruled the Divine Martial Arts Realm, but there were still many tangled factions beneath them. For example, the Martial God Palace had one villa, two sword lands, three sects, four great families, five schools, and six other factions.
The Sovereign Spirit Palace had beneath it eight great palaces like the Monster-Slayer Palace. As for the Xia Clan dynasty? It governed 36 vassal states, of which Wu State was one of the strongest.
Jiang Chen, who still hadnât managed to leave, detected that many malicious gazes were looking at him, and they belonged to people who had left the Ancient Ruins. He didnât need to think very hard to realize that the people from Wu State had come looking for him because of King Yu and Meng Chong.
âWho knows anything about King Yu, as well as my son, Meng Chong?â
A tall, sturdy man walked out of the ship. He had gray hair, thick gray brows, and a dignified face with an awe-inspiring look. He was Wu Stateâs great general, Meng Luohe, and he was also Meng Chongâs father.
Meng Luoheâs sharp gaze stared at all the Young Sovereigns that had exited the Ancient Ruins, and he awaited an answer.
The people who were aware of this affairâs ins and outs didnât speak. They all wanted to watch the bustling scene, but they still didnât want to get in trouble.
When Jiang Chen killed Meng Chong, he had let his companions go, but they hadnât come out, and it was obvious that they had died within the Ancient Ruins.
âYou!â
Even though no one spoke, Meng Luohe still noticed that some peopleâs gazes looked at Jiang Chen.
âCome here!â A thunderous and world-shaking angry shout echoed out .
âThis Sacred Lord is really outstanding,â Jiang Chen thought to himself, but he still wasnât scared.
Jiang Chen rolled his black eyes and walked forward. He said, âAt least a third of the people died inside. Will you also settle accounts for them?â
When these words were heard, a discussion arose among many people. It wasnât Jiang Chen alone who had killed people in the Ancient Ruins. There wasnât anyone whose hands were clean.
When they had just entered the Ancient Ruins, everyone accepted tacitly the rules, and accepted that peopleâs survival and death would be decided by fate, while people wouldnât look into anything outside.
If someone settled accounts with Jiang Chen, wouldnât it be their turn after him?
More and more people had such an opinion about this affair.
âWu State, you have gone too overboard. If you donât collect your Heaven-Subduing Flags, we will forcefully break through them.â
âThatâs right, is it only royaltyâs lives that are precious? Didnât other factionsâ members also die?â
âEven if you are overbearing, you shouldnât act like this.â
Many Young Sovereigns spoke one after the other, while their factions also spoke in support of them.
âIs this what it means to be endowed with both courage and wisdom?â Yan Yu, who had come out of the passage, muttered.
Jiang Chenâs words had had such a great effect, and many peopleâs eyes lit up due to this.
Wu State ended up facing the crowdâs anger, and their fighting spirit died.
Meng Luoheâs expression was gloomy, and he waved his right arm, while he clenched his fist. The drumâs sound instantly stopped, while the military flags were collected.
âHumph!â
Some factionsâ members were still dissatisfied, and, before they left, they looked angrily at the ship with several decks.
Jiang Chen went back to Duan Yunâs side, and they communicated with their eyes. They planned to leave!
âI still canât allow you to leave,â Meng Luohe snorted coldly, while 300 armed soldiers encircled Jiang Chen and his companion.
âDo you want to violate the rules and settle accounts?â Duan Yun asked angrily.
âDoes this mean that you admit that my Wu Stateâs King Yu, as well as my son, were killed by you.â
Meng Luoheâs gaze became ferocious, and he spoke in an ice-cold voice. Before Jiang Chen replied, he spoke once again, âThe rules were set with the three great factions, and this person doesnât belong to them.â
It seemed as if Meng Luohe had already managed to get some information about Jiang Chen in such a short while.
Duan Yunâs expression changed drastically. According to reason, it was the three great factions that provided the Young Sovereignsâ positions, and anyone who got them would be affiliated to the said factionâs camp.
However, Jiang Chen got his rights and position from the Martial God Palace, and the reason why they provided him with that was so it would be easier for them to take revenge. It could be said that Jiang Chenâs situation was worse than even the Monsters.
âIs this true?â
âHateful! You have dared to kill my schoolâs chief disciple.â
âThis person couldnât be forgiven.â
A worse matter shortly occurred. It was unknown who spread the information in the sky, but many aggrieved factionsâ members got to know that their outstanding disciples had been killed by Jiang Chen, and they immediately encircled him.
At this moment, it could be said that Jiang Chen was facing all three great factionsâ encirclement.
âDuan Yun, move away,â a Monster-Slayer Palaceâs elder shouted because Duan Yun belonged to the Sovereign Spirit Palace, and he was in the same camp as they were.
A while ago, someone had informed the elder that Su Yue and the other four disciples had been killed by Jiang Chen and Miss Bai.
âYouâre done for, Jiang Chen.â
âRules are set by people, while Jiang Chen offended the person who set the rules. What could be said about this other than he was courting death?â
âWe will get to watch a good show.â
The spectators discussed this matter, and they awaited this affairâs next development.
âI have also killed several insensible people in the Ancient Ruins. Will you also settle accounts with me?â Ao Yue wore an ice-cold expression and went to Jiang Chenâs side. She faced all the factions with him!
âThe ninth princess?â
When the people who had planned to attack witnessed Ao Yueâs arrival, they controlled their impulses.
âNinth princess, our Xia Clan treated your clanâs members as honored guests. So your Dragon Clan should also respect the Xia Clan,â Meng Luohe shouted.
Ao Yue cast a glance at Meng Luohe and spoke in mockery, âCan you represent the Xia Clan?â
Upon hearing this, Meng Luohe got angry, but his wariness was still apparent in his gaze.
âNinth princess, he has killed my most outstanding disciple. You should inform us clearly about your relationship with him. Our Monster-Slayer Palace wonât drop this matter if you donât do so,â the Monster-Slayer Palaceâs elder said angrily.
âYour members are obviously here...â Ao Yue didnât give this matter a single thought and was about to expose Miss Bai. But when she noticed Jiang Chenâs meaningful glance, she could only give up on this matter.
All of a sudden, Ao Yue held Jiang Chenâs hand tightly, and he could feel something soft pressing against his arm.
âHeâs the man I have chosen, and, if you attack him, you will become my Golden Dragon Clanâs enemy,â Ao Yue uttered shocking words that gave rise to an uproar.
Since such a statement had already been given, if someone attacked Jiang Chen, he would end up becoming an enemy of the Golden Dragon Clan. Moreover, the crux of the issue was that their side was in the wrong, and, if this hadnât been the case, the situation would have been different.
âFine, I will give the Golden Dragon Clan due respect.â
Some people clenched their teeth and left. They were forced to leave by the circumstances.
After a short while, the only remaining factions that werenât willing to leave were the Monster-Slayer Palace and Wu State.
âSince this is the case, hand over that monster,â the Monster-Slayer Palaceâs elder would only settle for the second-best thing and take Miss Bai.