Chapter 118: Jiang Yuan’s Strength

With Jiang Yuan’s authorization, Yang Jian no longer cared about what Yun Bei had to say.

He trusted Jiang Yuan implicitly; since Jiang Yuan had told him that killing Yun Bei would be of no consequence, he believed it. Moreover, Yang Jian had never held the Celestial Clan in high regard, as they were the ones who had kept him and his mother separated for so long.

Yun Bei realized that Yang Jian truly intended to kill him. His former arrogance vanished entirely, replaced by a look of desperate pleading. Yang Jian, showing not a shred of mercy, raised his hand and brought his three-pointed, double-edged blade down, severing Yun Bei’s head from his shoulders.

Observing this, Zhang Kui and his wife understood that things would not end peacefully with the Celestial Clan today. A great battle was inevitable. They were curious about the source of their King’s confidence, knowing well that the human race was currently far inferior to the Celestial Clan. While they were not fully aware of the Celestial Clan's foundations, they knew one thing for certain: for a race to stand at the pinnacle of all clans for so long, their resources and heritage must be extraordinary. However, they did not ask questions; if the King wished to fight, they would fight.

Jiang Yuan walked over to Yang Jian and patted his shoulder with a smile. "Well done. As a general of my kingdom, how could you ever be allowed to suffer such grievances? Rest assured, even after killing Yun Bei, I will still rescue your mother today."

It was evident that Jiang Yuan held Yang Jian in high esteem. To allow his general to vent his frustrations, Jiang Yuan did not even care about the 150 Tyrant Points he could have gained from Yun Bei. Yang Jian felt deeply moved, but being a man of few words, he simply offered a soft affirmation, leaving everything understood in the silence.

"Let’s move on," Jiang Yuan said calmly.

The group followed Jiang Yuan, wandering aimlessly through the Celestial Clan's territory. Without a map and given the sheer scale of the realm, they felt as though they were still in the outer periphery, as they had yet to encounter any other members of the clan. One could only wonder if Yun Bei had been unlucky or fortunate to cross their paths. It seemed that some deaths were truly fated.

Suddenly, a roar echoed from the distance: "Who killed my son?!"

The man who appeared was Yun Bei's father, Yun Yi, the Eighth Elder of the Celestial Clan. Jiang Yuan was overjoyed; this was exactly what he needed. He had been worrying about how to find the path to Mount Tao, and now someone had arrived to guide them.

Yun Yi was a middle-aged man. Practitioners of the Dao lived long lives, and the higher their cultivation, the longer they lived. As the Eighth Elder, his strength was undoubtedly formidable, and he likely possessed significant knowledge.

Character: Yun Yi
Title: Eighth Elder of the Celestial Clan
Realm: Late-stage Golden Immortal
Possessions: Fish-scale Purple Gold Blade, Gold-chiseled Incense Burner Pestle
Cultivation Method: Heaven-Piercing Profound Art
Loyalty: 00
Favorability: 00
Tyrant Points Obtainable: 400

Late-stage Golden Immortal strength was fitting for a member of the Celestial Clan. If every elder were a Great Golden Immortal, even the Chan Sect would not possess such power.

Jiang Yuan looked at the furious Yun Yi with interest and said with a smile, "I killed Yun Bei. Do you have a problem with that?"

Seeing Jiang Yuan’s calm demeanor, the enraged Yun Yi hesitated, filled with suspicion. It was rare to encounter someone so bold as to cause trouble in the Celestial Clan while remaining so composed. This person was either a fool, a madman, or someone with immense confidence.

However, the pain of losing his son prevented Yun Yi from thinking too deeply. Clutching his Fish-scale Purple Gold Blade, he charged at Jiang Yuan’s group, determined to avenge his child. He had merely scolded his son for his lack of diligence in cultivation, causing the boy to leave home in a huff. He had assumed Yun Bei would return on his own, only to find that his son’s soul lamp had extinguished shortly thereafter. That was why he had come in such a rage.

Yang Jian prepared to step forward, but Jiang Yuan stopped him. While Yang Jian's strength was impressive, Jiang Yuan needed to ensure Yun Yi was captured alive. Even if Yang Jian were a genius, Yun Yi was a late-stage Golden Immortal; he would have no trouble fleeing, and Yang Jian, having only recently attained the Golden Immortal realm, would likely be unable to stop him.

Jiang Yuan entrusted the task to Zhang Kui. Without needing further instruction, Zhang Kui drew his Profound Thunder Blade and charged.

"Rest assured, my King, I shall capture this man alive!"

"Arrogant fool! A mere jumping insect dares to be impudent in my Celestial Clan!" Yun Yi sneered in disdain. Zhang Kui’s strength was roughly equal to his own, but as a member of the Celestial Clan, he felt no fear toward a human of the same cultivation level.

Zhang Kui did not waste words, having anticipated the enemy’s arrogance. Yun Yi swung his blade at Zhang Kui with a sneer, the force of the strike causing cracks to appear in the surrounding space, distorting the air. Zhang Kui showed no fear, meeting the strike head-on with both hands on his blade!

"Clang!"

The sound of the two weapons colliding rang out with immense force. Both men were jolted back several steps by the impact. Yun Yi’s expression grew serious. "I did not expect a mere crawling insect like you to have such strength!"

"You keep calling me an insect—I don't know where you get your confidence!" Zhang Kui retorted with contempt. Indeed, the apple did not fall far from the tree; Yun Yi was just as insufferable as his son.

"Flood Dragon Stirs the Waves!" Zhang Kui’s Profound Thunder Blade began to spin, releasing spectral images of lightning-wreathed dragons toward his opponent.

"Trifling tricks!" Yun Yi sneered, easily dispelling the spell.

The two fell into a stalemate. Zhang Kui began to worry; he had been confident, yet he found himself evenly matched with Yun Yi. He felt he was losing face before his King. The Celestial Clan elder was no mere pretender; his level was genuine. Zhang Kui poured more effort into the fight. He knew his own stamina well; if the fight dragged on, it would only benefit him. He feared nothing more than a war of attrition, and if it came to that, Yun Yi would surely be the one to fail. Still, the inability to capture Yun Yi quickly made him feel like a failure.

Watching the two evenly matched combatants, Jiang Yuan felt a sudden surge of inspiration. He had yet to test his own true strength. Since Yun Yi was also a Golden Immortal, Jiang Yuan wanted to see if the elder could withstand him.

"Zhang Kui, stand down," Jiang Yuan commanded calmly.

Thinking his King was disappointed in him, Zhang Kui hurriedly said, "My King, grant me more time. I guarantee I will finish him off soon."

Jiang Yuan shook his head. "That is not what I meant. I wish to test my own strength. Stand aside."

"But... my King, you possess the Holy Body. If anything were to go wrong in your battle with this man, how could I answer for it?" Zhang Kui hesitated, surprised that his King intended to enter the fray personally.

"It is of no consequence. Even if I cannot best him, I will have no trouble disengaging," Jiang Yuan replied.