Chapter 653 - 638: Divine Power from the Emperor Star

Taotie snorted coldly. "The power of my Demon God Hall covers the entire world. Of the Upper Realm Divine Demons, one-third were subdued by the Master, one-third were suppressed in the Nine Netherworld Prison by the War God Hall and the Myriad Beasts Mansion, and the final third returned to the Upper Realm before the Reverse Passage closed ten thousand years ago..."

"There are certainly still some Divine Demons hiding in various parts of the world, but these fellows have sensed the existence of the Demon God Hall and no longer dare to show themselves."

"As for the Divine Demons in my Demon God Hall, they’ve all followed those old geezers to conquer other planes. Even if one or two remained, they aren’t beings that Candle Dragon and I can command..."

"I really want to know, where exactly did this unfamiliar Divine Demon Power come from?"

A powerhouse with thick eyebrows and large eyes standing to the side cautiously asked, "Then what should we do now?"

"Our original plan was to send someone to secretly follow Candle Dragon when he entered the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. If they found any Elemental Power Fragments, they were to seize them immediately!"

"But now that a Divine Demon has appeared, and the timing and location are so coincidental, I’m afraid the plan needs to be altered... Should we report this to our superiors first?"

Taotie waved his hand. "Don’t be so jumpy. This world is vast. It’s perfectly normal for a few Divine Demons who slipped through the net to appear."

"If we report this to our superiors and they send people over, what chance will we have to kill Candle Dragon?"

"What I’m concerned about is why it’s such a coincidence... Just as Candle Dragon appears in the Purple Chu Country and the Yumu Cave Blessed Land is about to open, a Divine Demon Power emerges in the Purple Chu Country?"

"Hmph, in a small place like the Purple Chu Country, who besides Candle Dragon’s people would be qualified to make a Divine Demon take action? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If we can gain such a powerful ally, killing Candle Dragon should be much easier!"

The three powerhouses’ spirits lifted, and they said in unison, "Your Excellency is brilliant!"

Taotie believed his analysis to be perfectly accurate.

But he never would have guessed that this matter had nothing to do with Candle Dragon at all.

If there was any connection at all, it was a very slight one involving Candle Dragon’s subordinate, Xu Daolin.

This was because Xu Daolin had incited the Dugu Family to provoke Shen Lang. As a result, when Dugu Zhange was on the verge of being killed, the Celestial Demon Soul hidden within the Scythe of Death could no longer hold back and revealed itself...

Then, at the final critical moment, this Divine Demon Power appeared and scared the Celestial Demon Soul away.

All of this had a certain inevitability to it, yet it was mostly coincidental.

But this coincidence led Taotie down the wrong path, and as if by fate, greatly eased the pressure on Shen Lang.

Shen Lang’s greatest pressure right now came from Candle Dragon. However, Candle Dragon’s true self was in hiding, with only a clone wandering about. Furthermore, he had to evade Taotie’s pursuit, so he could no longer afford to worry about the Elemental Power Fragment at the Profound Dao Sect...

At this moment, Taotie gave an arrogant smile and added, "The few of you will go to the Purple Chu Country personally. This time, even if you can’t find Candle Dragon’s true body, you must ruin his current plan and then uproot his influence in the Eighteen Snow Countries!"

"Yes!" the three powerhouses nodded together.

A murderous glint appeared in Taotie’s eyes as he continued, "Additionally, find the powerhouse we just sensed who wields Divine Power... Anyone who opposes Candle Dragon is our friend. You must offer your assistance! If he is in trouble, you must help him at any cost!"

"At the same time, don’t kill all of Candle Dragon’s subordinates. Leave a few of them alive, at least. The only reason to kill his people is to lure out his true body... Otherwise, why would I have personally rushed from the Eastern Desolate to the Western Wilderness Snow Domain?"

"Also, I don’t care what else you do, but do not touch Lan Mengling! You can provoke anyone, but not that woman!"

As he spoke that last sentence, a look of fear appeared in Taotie’s eyes.

It seemed he had suffered a great loss at Lan Mengling’s hands and was still shaken by the memory.

"Understood!"

The void rippled, and the four figures vanished without a trace.

...

And at this moment, on the summit of Cangxia Mountain, Chu Qingcheng, who had been supporting Shen Moran, had a ghastly expression. Her eyes were dim as she thought to herself, ’That was close. To think so many Emperor Martial Realm Powerhouses were hiding at the edge of the Purple Chu Country...’

’I really overdid it this time. It’s a good thing I scared that bastard away... That jerk, he makes me do this kind of thing every time!’

SPURT!

The thought had barely formed when a sweet taste filled her mouth, and Chu Qingcheng violently spat out a mouthful of blood!

Then, as if all the strength in her body vanished in that instant, Chu Qingcheng collapsed backward, taking Shen Moran down with her!

"Old Chu!"

Shen Jianfeng, who was behind them, was startled and hurriedly reached out to catch them both!

Just then, several figures descended from the sky toward the valley.

It was Nalan Ziyun, Xue Dangdang, and Shui Qingwu, who had all flown down at the same time.

"Where is he? Where is he!"

Nalan Ziyun shrieked, her face deathly pale and her hair a mess. She looked like a furious lioness.

Meanwhile, Xue Dangdang’s eyes were unfocused, her eyelashes trembling as she scanned the surroundings, trying to find Shen Lang.

Shui Qingwu, by comparison, was relatively calm. "Don’t panic. Xiaolang was completely unharmed just now. He’ll be fine."

At that moment, with a flicker, Shen Lang appeared out of thin air, indeed completely unharmed.

Shen Lang raised his head and looked to the sky, his gaze seeming to pierce through the nine heavens.

’This powerful Divine Power, it came from the Valley of Death, one of the Three Great Wilderness Lands of the Western Wilderness... It’s Divine Power from the Emperor Star!’

At the critical moment, the Emperor Star had appeared and scared away the Celestial Demon Soul, which made Shen Lang’s brow furrow tightly.

Shen Lang had always wanted to investigate the matter of the Emperor Star, but unfortunately, he had no leads.

The power within the Valley of Death was too immense, and Zuo Wentian’s Power of Divine Soul was severely depleted. Shen Lang wouldn’t be able to investigate it again anytime soon.

He never expected that the Emperor Star would reveal a trace of its presence here at a time like this!

Such a random and inexplicable event was simply too bizarre...

Shen Lang glanced thoughtfully at the summit of Cangxia Mountain, then his gaze fell upon the people in the air.

"It’s alright now..." Shen Lang raised his right hand to greet the group above.

However, he had just stretched out his hand, his words not yet finished, when Xue Dangdang and Nalan Ziyun glared at each other, turned in unison, and flew cleanly up to the summit, leaving Shen Lang hanging.

"..." Shen Lang was speechless for a moment, then turned his gaze to Shui Qingwu.

Shui Qingwu shook her head reproachfully. "You... you always have to turn everything upside down. Don’t you know how many people you just scared half to death?"

Shen Lang looked at Shui Qingwu, then up at the pale-faced Xue Shiyin, and after a moment of silence, he said softly, "I’m sorry..."

Shui Qingwu’s beautiful eyes sparkled. She smiled and shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. But in the future, if you can, try not to make everyone worry about you so much... okay?"

"Mm, I understand." Shen Lang nodded lightly.

When he looked up again toward Xue Shiyin’s position, Shen Lang was stunned to find that she had already left at some unknown point...

"Sigh." Shen Lang sighed to himself and let out a long, turbid breath.

Then, Shen Lang pushed his palms slightly forward and clenched his fists tightly!

The sound of cracking knuckles echoed as faint ripples of Powerful Qi spread out from his fists, creating the illusion that even the void was trembling.

Although Dugu Zhange’s Cultivation was considerably lower than Shen Lang’s, and even though two Transformed Demon Beasts appeared at the end, Shen Lang hadn’t used his full strength in this battle at all.

However, toward the end, Shen Lang had used offense as his defense, and the fight had been thoroughly satisfying.

And the power of the Chaos Divine Body hidden within him seemed to have been completely awakened by this battle, making him feel a surging power course through his entire being, as if he could crush the very stars.

"AHHH!"

In that moment, Shen Lang threw his head back and let out a long roar that shook the nine heavens!

The crowd on the summit was stunned for a moment, then immediately erupted into cheers!

Fear, terror... The people who had been suppressing their emotions for some time finally let out all their pent-up feelings!

The entire Cangxia Mountain was practically boiling with excitement!

"Let’s go up."

Shen Lang flicked his sleeve, enveloping Shui Qingwu in a ring of divine light. With a flicker of his body, he brought her up to the summit of Cangxia Mountain.

The moment the two of them appeared on the summit, the thunderous cheers immediately began to subside, then faded into silence.

Shen Lang clasped his fists apologetically and said, "My apologies. This whole mess has disrupted the selection tournament for the Yumu Cave Blessed Land."

No one spoke, but every single one of them stared at Shen Lang with burning eyes.

The resentment the disciples of the various sects had originally felt toward Shen Lang had almost completely vanished.

In its place was fervent adoration!

In this world where the strong are revered, once a person’s power reaches a certain level, no one would resent an unparalleled genius over a few trivial matters.

After this battle, many who had once considered Shen Lang an enemy now understood that he was already on a completely different level from them.

At this point, a King Martial Realm powerhouse from the Imperial Dragon Sect appeared and announced loudly, "A lot has happened today, and it’s getting late. Everyone, please return and calm your minds for now. The tournament will continue tomorrow!"

Although they were somewhat reluctant, the tide of people began to disperse in an orderly fashion.

The female disciples from the major sects looked back at Shen Lang in the air with reluctance, the fiery passion in their eyes enough to drive others mad with jealousy.

Shen Lang turned to look at the Third Prince’s seat, only to find it empty. The man had left at some unknown time.

’He sure runs fast!’

Shen Lang snorted coldly and landed beside Shen Moran, placing an Elixir Pill meant to calm the mind at her lips.

"Sister..."

Shen Lang knew of Shen Moran’s worries but didn’t know how to comfort her.

He hadn’t spent much time guiding Shen Moran in her Cultivation, nor had he even given her a High Tier Technique.

The reason was that Shen Lang only wanted his family to live peaceful lives.

He didn’t want them to attract disaster because of a powerful Magical Treasure or a High Tier Technique... not even if the possibility was minuscule.

Nor did he want them to come into contact with the things Shen Lang had to face just because they themselves became powerful... just like what happened today.

If he could, Shen Lang would never have wanted his family to see such things and worry themselves sick over him...

Shen Moran didn’t speak, either. She just caressed Shen Lang’s neck while tears streamed endlessly down her face.

It was painful for Shen Lang to watch, but he still didn’t know how to comfort her.

The Scythe of Death, carrying a sinister light, had swiped across Shen Lang’s neck...

In that moment, it wasn’t just Shen Moran; Nalan Ziyun and the others had also felt an indescribable despair and anguish.

Even with Shen Lang right in front of them now, it all felt incredibly unreal.

They couldn’t forget the heart-stopping terror of that moment.

"In the future... it really won’t be like this again... I’ll take good care of myself."

Shen Lang said, his head lowered and his voice a little hoarse.

Before Shen Moran could reply, Shangguan Feiyue suddenly appeared beside them, his face filled with anxiety.

"Xiaolang, Lady Xue Shiyin is not in a good state! It seems she can no longer control the Holy Sword in her right arm!" Shangguan Feiyue said urgently.