Volume One, Chapter 89: Turmoil Across the Land

Kasa understood all too well that if he fought this man to the death, there would be only one possible outcome: he would die, and die horribly. So the only choice was to split up and run. Whether they lived or died would depend entirely on luck and fate.

Watching the two of them flee in opposite directions, Jiang Chen stamped his foot, and in an instant a streak of purple light shot in from the west.

Scar attempted to dodge, but her body was instantly bound.

Li Changsheng stared at Jiang Chen’s methods in astonishment. “This brat is even more ruthless than I am. This killing technique of his was not learned in vain. Looks like my swordplay is a bit too flashy; I should really move toward his kind of simple, direct ability.”

The purple light pierced Scar’s head. Seeing this, Kasa beat his wings furiously.

He wished he could be like his ancestors, a sixteen-winged angel. If that were the case, his speed would surely be greater. But it was only wishful thinking.

Jiang Chen had already appeared before him, soundlessly. He lashed out with a kick that struck Kasa in the face, sending him sliding down like a meteor before crashing to the ground.

With a thunderous boom, Kasa fell into a crater.

Jiang Chen did not land, because he knew Kasa was waiting for him to descend.

Kasa still wanted a final ambush, but from the very beginning that idea had been wrong. How could Jiang Chen possibly not be on guard against it?

Besides, even if Kasa did fall, so what?

A shattered six-winged angel with little strength left could not hope to harm him. That would be nothing but a fool’s dream.

Instead, Jiang Chen simply flicked a sleeve arrow from his back and nailed Kasa firmly in place.

Three six-winged angels fell at once.

Jiang Chen let out a breath and looked toward the distant borders.

He had not yet avenged himself, and for now there was no way for him to go abroad. Once his vengeance was complete, a trip overseas would be unavoidable. At the very least, those people had already gravely provoked him. If he did not teach them a lesson, anyone would think they could bully Great Xia.

Still, with three six-winged angels slain, it was enough to serve as a warning to the foreign powers that were watching hungrily from the shadows.

Seeing Jiang Chen return, Lin Mo said excitedly, “Brother Jiang Chen, are you the kind of cultivator they were talking about? The kind who can ride a sword and soar through the sky?”

Jiang Chen nodded. “Riding a sword through the sky would count, I suppose. But I’m different from them. I prefer walking on the earth.”

“Then, Brother Jiang Chen, can you teach me? I really want to be like you,” Lin Mo said earnestly.

Jiang Chen asked in return, “You little rascal, you don’t even blink when you lie. I think what you really want is to protect your sister.”

......

“What do you mean, not one of the three six-winged angels returned? Are you joking with me?”

Within a magnificent palace, a twelve-winged angel listened to the report in utter disbelief.

Three six-winged angels were virtually unstoppable in any country, so long as the higher-ups did not intervene. This forced them to suspect that the experts of Great Xia had not all left, and that some remained behind in the country.

“Report. We have received news that the Grim Sovereign seems to be in Great Xia,” replied a four-winged angel.

At the familiar name, the twelve-winged angel finally understood why the three subordinates he had sent out had never returned.

If they had managed to escape from the hands of the Grim Sovereign, then they would truly have been impressive.

“Holy Master, should we issue an order to hunt down this Grim Sovereign? Even though he is in Great Xia, our people could still lie in wait and assassinate him,” suggested a four-winged angel beside him.

“Hunt down the Grim Sovereign? Are you crazy, or am I? If you want our place to suffer the consequences, then go ahead and try,” said Mikas, the twelve-winged angel. If it were not absolutely necessary, he would not want to provoke the Grim Sovereign. When the Grim Sovereign was enraged, a million corpses strewn across the land was not out of the question.

What was more, he had even seen the former Grim Sovereign before, and that had already been three years ago. At the time, the Grim Sovereign was not yet so powerful, but he was still far beyond what an ordinary organization leader could touch. Now three years had passed, and the Grim Sovereign’s strength had surely climbed to an even higher level.

The fact that he could easily slay three six-winged angels without letting a single one escape was proof enough of how greatly the Grim Sovereign had improved over those three years.

Unless there was a clear conflict of interests and they had no other choice, he absolutely would not offend the Grim Sovereign. Several of their stronger ancestors were still in seclusion, so for now he alone was in charge of the temple. Even if he had to apologize to the Grim Sovereign in person, that would be no problem.

Very soon, Mikas received a letter from the Grim Hall.

It had arrived only a short while earlier.

Mikas sensed that something was wrong. He knew the Grim Hall was not in Great Xia, but rather hidden on an island out at sea. He had no way of finding it. Their own positions were known, but the Grim Hall’s were not.

If the Grim Hall were to strike at them, they would be unable to react in time. They could only wait until the ancestors in seclusion emerged, but under the current circumstances, there was absolutely no way they could allow those ancestors to act lightly.

Mikas opened the envelope. The letter had not been sent under the name of the Grim Sovereign, but under the name of the Grim Hall. In other words, this time it represented not only the Grim Sovereign, but the entire Grim Hall.

To the Temple, the Devil’s Domain, the Polar Bear, the Islanders, and all other organizations: the Grim Hall hereby issues a warning to every existing force on Blue Star. If any of you dare offend Great Xia again, I shall come personally.—The Grim Sovereign

After reading the letter, Mikas remained silent for a long time. Two hours later, he said in a low voice, “Immediately recall all angels in Great Xia. Have them return at once. Do not waste lives needlessly.”

But not long after those words were spoken, a disheveled six-winged angel returned to the temple.

His wings had all been broken, and blood covered his back.

“Holy Master! All of our six-winged angels hidden in Great Xia have been killed by the Grim Hall’s people. They also ordered me to bring a message: once the Grim Sovereign finishes his business, he will come in person to the temple to demand an explanation.”

As soon as the six-winged angel finished speaking, his body could no longer hold together and dissolved into a cloud of debris, as if he had existed only to deliver that message.

Mikas regretted his decision bitterly. If he had not given that order in the first place, he would not have formed enmity with Great Xia, and he would not have offended the Grim Hall. Or rather, if he had known the Grim Sovereign was in Great Xia, he would never have acted at all. Instead, he had ended up offending the Grim Sovereign. Once the Grim Sovereign had time to deal with them, they would surely be the first to suffer.

For Mikas, who was still in the midst of gathering strength, this was unbearable.

He sighed. “Recall all angels outside the temple. If you encounter anyone from the Grim Hall, do not entangle yourselves with them. Withdraw immediately. Minimize casualties as much as possible.”

At the same time, the same thing was happening all over the world.

In the Devil’s Castle, a demon seated upon a throne said gravely, “For the time being, do not entertain any further thoughts about Great Xia. Cancel all previous plans. We can no longer afford to offend Great Xia.”

He had not expected the Grim Hall’s response to be so swift. Their demon agents had not even had time to withdraw before they were sunk by the Grim Hall’s forces at sea.

In the Polar Bear, within Giant Bear City, a tall man dressed in white fur clenched his fists as he looked at the contents of the letter.

“Immediately notify everyone in Giant Bear City: do not provoke the people of Great Xia, and do not operate anywhere near the Grim Hall. Keep as far away from them as possible.”