Chapter 648 - 643: Not Giving Face

Chapter 648: Chapter 643: Not Giving Face

In the azure sky, a Cyan-Scaled Eagle soared with wings outstretched, like a charging thunderbolt. A thunderous sound echoed as it flew, its speed comparable to a true thunderbolt.

Ning Jiang sat upon its back, his white hair fluttering, his countenance as elegant as jade.

In his hand, he held an old Jade Pendant, the very item he had recently purchased from the Qibao Shop.

The reason he’d bought it wasn’t because he’d seen anything extraordinary about it, but because the Great Xia Ancient Emperor Order he carried had surprisingly reacted to this Jade Pendant.

This made him realize that the item was related to the Great Xia Dynasty.

Of course, he wasn’t sure of the exact connection; he had simply bought it on a whim.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Ning Jiang sensed something. A chill entered his eyes. ’It seems this Jade Pendant isn’t so simple. And there are others who want it.’

Just as the thought crossed his mind, figures in black robes, like shadows themselves, swiftly caught up from behind and cut him off.

The group was neither large nor small—exactly ten people.

The ten surrounded Ning Jiang. The leader of the black-robed men said coldly, "You’re the one who bought that Jade Pendant from the Qibao Shop? Hand it over!"

"You’re asking me for something, and this is the attitude you take?" Ning Jiang’s voice was indifferent. If they had approached him with sincerity and a decent attitude, he honestly wouldn’t have minded selling the Jade Pendant to them. After all, the item was useless to him.

But their commanding tone had earned his resentment.

Such was his personality: he repaid respect with greater respect, but he would not yield to force. He could be persuaded, but never strong-armed.

"Insolent! Our lord told you to hand over the Jade Pendant. If you don’t want to die, you’d better offer it up obediently," one of the men beside the leader shouted.

"I’m not in the habit of giving away things that have fallen into my hands. And with an attitude like yours, even if you got on your knees and begged me now, I still wouldn’t give you this Jade Pendant!"

Ning Jiang flicked his wide sleeve and said coldly.

"Courting death. Kill him." The black-robed leader wasted no more words and gave the order.

"My lord, leave it to me."

One of the men stepped forward, his aura rising steadily. He was, shockingly, an expert at the Earth Martial Realm Peak. His voice was ice-cold. "Brat, when you’re in the Yellow Springs, remember this: some people are not for you to provoke. Try to be smarter in your next life."

’Like an ant.’

A trace of mockery flashed through Ning Jiang’s eyes as he slapped his palm directly at the empty air.

CRACKLE.

Before the shocked eyes of the onlookers, the black-robed man, as if crushed by an Ancient Divine Mountain, spurted blood from all over his body as his bones snapped and his tendons tore.

’Oh? He’s actually not dead.’

Ning Jiang was surprised, but then immediately understood. This black-robed man, like the young man he’d encountered when he first entered the Celestial Domain, must be wearing a defensive Magical Treasure.

"What?"

The other black-robed men were all greatly shocked.

When Ning Jiang hadn’t acted, they hadn’t considered him much of a threat. Although he had a Cultivation at the Earth Martial Realm Peak, there was no shortage of young people in the Celestial Domain who had reached this Realm.

But none of them had expected that with the force of a single palm, Ning Jiang had heavily injured one of their comrades.

One must understand that everyone who could enter their organization was an elite. At the same Realm, their strength was far greater than that of ordinary people.

"My lord, this is not good. I’m afraid this boy is a prodigy nurtured by some great power," a black-robed man next to the leader said.

"Brat, where are you from? What power do you have backing you?"

The black-robed leader could also see that Ning Jiang was a handful. If Ning Jiang was connected to the Five Great Institutes, he would truly have to be wary.

"Me? I’m just a nobody, recently arrived from the Six Eastern Provinces. Not worth mentioning," Ning Jiang said unhurriedly.

"The Six Eastern Provinces? The weakest domain in the Great Thousand Realms? Since he’s from there, there’s no need for more nonsense. Just capture him, and we’ll talk later."

Delays breed trouble. The black-robed leader didn’t want to waste any more time. No matter what Ning Jiang’s background was, they would capture him first and interrogate him thoroughly later.

"Brat, count yourself unlucky. This time, you’ve run into me leading the team personally."

At that moment, the black-robed leader’s aura was fully revealed. He was a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert of the Little Celestial Rank. With a grasp of his large hand, the Power of Heaven and Earth from the surrounding space came rolling in, pressing down on Ning Jiang like a millstone.

The Heaven-Reaching Realm and the Earth Martial Realm were separated by an entire major Realm. He was absolutely confident he could capture Ning Jiang.

"Bring it on."

A flicker of fighting spirit appeared in Ning Jiang’s eyes. Ever since he had broken through to the Earth Martial Realm Peak, he had not yet truly fought a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert. This was the perfect opportunity.

He rose from the back of the Cyan-Scaled Eagle, his posture tall and straight, his spine like a dragon’s. The aura around his entire body climbed rapidly, becoming as immense as a mountain.

BOOM.

When he threw a punch, immense Fist Force materialized as visible ripples that swept out like a tsunami. The surrounding Power of Heaven and Earth that had been pressing in was utterly shattered by this single punch. The tyrannical Fist Force, unstoppable, continued to blast toward the black-robed leader.

BANG!

With a loud bang, the black-robed man blocked Ning Jiang’s Fist Force, but he was still sent flying back dozens of yards.

"How is that possible?"

At this, the men were utterly stunned.

To be able to suppress a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert with an Earth Martial Realm Cultivation at such a young age—anyone capable of this was a prominent figure in the Celestial Domain. They were the trendsetters of their era, with limitless potential.

"My friend, perhaps there was a misunderstanding earlier. How about we call a truce? We can buy that Jade Pendant you purchased for ten times the price."

The black-robed leader’s attitude had changed dramatically.

This was, after all, a world where strength commanded respect. Ning Jiang’s power had intimidated him, and continuing to fight him to the death would bring no benefit.

"Now you decide to back down? Too late!" Ning Jiang coldly refused.

"Friend, I haven’t yet mentioned our origins. We are the Shadow Guard of the Great Xia Dynasty. This Jade Pendant is our mission objective. We hope you will accommodate us," the black-robed leader said.

The Shadow Guard of the Great Xia Dynasty was notoriously fearsome. The Shadow Guard had always carried out various secret missions. Like shadows, they came and went without a trace. When the Shadow Guard acted, they acted to kill.

Countless experts had vanished at the hands of the Shadow Guard.

So what if a power like the Qibao Shop had a King watching over it? Once their manager learned of the Shadow Guard’s identity, wasn’t he intimidated into offering up fifty million Spirit Stones?

He believed Ning Jiang was a smart man and would know what to do.

"Trying to use your background to pressure me?" To the leader’s surprise, Ning Jiang’s eyes filled with mockery as he said arrogantly, "Forget the Shadow Guard. Even if it were the Royal Family of your Great Xia Dynasty, if they provoked me, I would slaughter them all!"

"Insolence!"

The black-robed Shadow Guard had not expected Ning Jiang to utter such treasonous words and were instantly enraged.

"Insolent? So what? You dared to provoke me, so today, I’ll start with you."

Ning Jiang clenched his five fingers into a fist and threw a punch that shook heaven and earth.