Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Celestial Capital City.

The site of the former Fenghuo Commerce Association was now razed to the ground. In front of the ruins, a thousand-zhang-tall stone stele still stood erect.

Inscribed upon it were five large words: ”Ruins of the Fenghuo Commerce Association.”

At this moment, Wei Lihuang and Gai Shi were standing before the stone stele.

They both wore anxious expressions.

Gai Shi’s face was etched with worry. In a low voice, he said, ”Master Wei, Jiang Chen has been inside for four or five double-hours already. He still hasn’t come out. Don’t you think something might have happened to him?”

Wei Lihuang gave a bitter smile. ”How would I know? However... from what I know of Li Ru, he’s the type to plan everything meticulously before making a move. The man is sinister and vicious. I’m afraid he laid an ambush in the Void Realm. The odds are stacked against Jiang Chen.”

”Damn it...”

Gai Shi clenched his fists, his face contorted in rage and a vicious light flickering in his eyes. ”Jiang Chen had better be alright. Otherwise, from this day forward, no trace of the Fenghuo Commerce Association will ever be seen again in the territory of my Luotian Dynasty!”

An Overlord’s aura of majesty radiated from him.

Gai Shi was the disciple of the Luotian Dynasty’s Emperor Realm ancestor. His status within the dynasty was comparable to that of Gai Jinlong!

If Gai Shi truly gave the order to purge the Fenghuo Commerce Association from the Luotian Dynasty’s territory, then from that day on, any force from the Fengyang Ancient Country would find it impossible to take even a single step within the Luotian Dynasty.

Just then, amidst the ruins of the Fenghuo Commerce Association, a gentle spatial ripple emanated from the entrance to the Void Realm.

The figures of a man and a beast emerged from the Void Realm together.

”Jiang Chen...”

A look of joy spread across Gai Shi’s face, and he instantly flew to Jiang Chen’s side. But just a few meters away, he came to an abrupt halt, staring in stunned disbelief at Jiang Chen’s striking silver hair. ”Wh-what in the world happened? Why did your hair suddenly turn white?”

Wei Lihuang followed close behind.

He looked Jiang Chen up and down, his eyes filled with shock. ”Jiang Chen, this is a sign of severe damage to your Essence, Qi, and Spirit! What on earth happened?”

A person is composed of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Essence is one’s vitality, Qi is one’s lifeblood, and Spirit is one’s soul!

Only when one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit are severely depleted would one’s hair turn white in an instant. This is a very ominous sign.

Jiang Chen glanced at the two of them and smiled. ”It’s nothing. I just used a Secret Technique, and the toll was a bit heavy. I just need some time to recover.”

”Will there be any lasting effects?” Gai Shi asked.

Jiang Chen shook his head. ”No, I should recover in about half a month.”

”That’s good, as long as you can recover!”

Gai Shi nodded and gave Jiang Chen a tight bear hug.

Wei Lihuang also breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Chen possessed a Supreme VIP Token. If any harm came to him in Celestial Capital City, the Celestial Secret Elder would surely hold him responsible, and he would be implicated as well.

Wei Lihuang glanced behind Jiang Chen and asked, ”Where are Li Ru and the others?”

Jiang Chen smiled and said in an exceedingly calm voice, ”They’ve been left behind in the Void Realm for good.”

GASP!

Gai Shi and Wei Lihuang both drew in a sharp breath.

Li Ru was a master of the Seventh Stage of the Human Emperor Realm!

And Jiang Chen had actually killed him?

Gai Shi rubbed his forehead and forced a smile. ”You’re a monster!”

”A monster, indeed,”

Wei Lihuang added with deep feeling, his gaze toward Jiang Chen now carrying a hint of awe.

Jiang Chen chatted with the two of them for a while longer.

Gai Shi naturally left the clean-up of the Fenghuo Commerce Association to his subordinates. Even the factions and properties that had belonged to the association were seized by the experts led by the Celestial Secret Pavilion and Gai Shi.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Fenghuo Commerce Association’s plot against Jiang Chen had not only failed but had also completely backfired, leading to its own downfall.

The Fenghuo Commerce Association, painstakingly built up in Celestial Capital City over tens of thousands of years, was destroyed in an instant.

They had tried to steal the chicken, only to lose the rice used as bait.

Wei Lihuang’s voice was grave. ”Jiang Chen, do you need to rest?”

Jiang Chen shook his head.

A bitter smile appeared on Wei Lihuang’s face. ”A message came from the Celestial Secret Pavilion three double-hours ago, instructing me to take you to Celestial Secret Mountain. I’ve been waiting here for you... It’s just that, in your current condition, are you sure you can make the trip with us?”

Jiang Chen’s silver hair was simply too eye-catching.

He was worried that in this state, Jiang Chen wouldn’t be fit to attend the Celestial Secret Banquet.

Jiang Chen smiled. ”It’s no problem. Whenever you’re ready to leave, I’ll go with you.”

”If that’s the case, we’ll set out in half a double-hour,” Wei Lihuang said.

Jiang Chen nodded.

In any case, refining the Void Realm Heart wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight; it would take at least half a month. Meanwhile, the Celestial Secret Banquet was being held at the Celestial Secret Pavilion.

Under the protection of the Celestial Secret Elder, not even the Fire Emperor or the Ice Emperor could touch him.

For Jiang Chen, who was in a weakened state, Celestial Secret Mountain was actually the safest place he could be.

The Black Emperor leaped onto Jiang Chen’s shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.

Jiang Chen and Gai Shi waited for half a double-hour, then followed Wei Lihuang toward Celestial Secret Mountain.

”Wait a moment,” Wei Lihuang said, flipping his palm over.

A seven-colored light burst from the Storage Ring on his hand. A massive black shadow abruptly materialized before them. As the light faded, Jiang Chen finally got a clear look at its true form.

It was an object shaped like a ship.

The entire vessel was five hundred meters long and over one hundred meters wide. It hovered in mid-air, bearing a large flag emblazoned with the Celestial Secret Pavilion’s emblem, which snapped smartly in the wind.

”Jiang Chen, we’re in luck! This is a Void Ship, specially crafted by the Celestial Secret Pavilion for its Sub-Pavilion Masters who are stationed abroad. It’s rare to get a chance to ride one!” Gai Shi explained with a grin.

Jiang Chen nodded, his surprised gaze sweeping over the Void Ship before him.

The entire Void Ship was covered in mystical Inscriptions. The vessel itself was a Saint-tier Profound Weapon. No wonder Gai Shi had said they were specially prepared for Sub-Pavilion Masters.

The three of them boarded the Void Ship. Under Wei Lihuang’s control, it slowly ascended before shooting across the sky, heading out of Celestial Capital City.

The men Gai Shi had brought with him all entered the Void Realm.

A Void Realm was incredibly valuable. The Luotian Dynasty would certainly not let such a juicy prize slip through its fingers.

Unfortunately for them, they were destined for disappointment. After all, Jiang Chen had already swallowed this realm’s Void Realm Heart into his Dao Origin Void. The Void Realm itself wouldn’t last much longer before it completely collapsed.

Of course, that was a matter for another time.

At that moment, Jiang Chen and Gai Shi were riding the Void Ship, speeding toward Celestial Secret Mountain, the headquarters of the Celestial Secret Pavilion.

Only an incense stick’s worth of time later, they arrived at Celestial Secret Mountain.

”Jiang Chen, Gai Shi, we’ve arrived!” Wei Lihuang’s voice called out.

Gai Shi explained, ”Flying is forbidden on Celestial Secret Mountain. The Void Ship can only take us to the base. This year’s Celestial Secret Banquet is being held at the summit, so we’ll have to walk the rest of the way up!”

”I see...”

Jiang Chen nodded. He and Gai Shi stepped off the Void Ship and were about to begin the climb up Celestial Secret Mountain under Wei Lihuang’s lead.

Just then, a cold, sinister voice suddenly rang out from behind them. ”Hey, kid. You’re Jiang Chen?”