Chapter 549 | I Really Don't Want to Cultivate Immortality!

It had been over an hour since the Emperor's Tomb reopened and the slaughter ended.

In that time, the crowds before the eight tomb gates had mostly dispersed.

However, before the Sky Gate over the Black Sand Sea outside the Blazing Fortress, the number of people was actually increasing.

Following the dozens of Saint phantoms that had projected into the Demon Abyss, their true bodies arrived one after another.

At this moment, they stood right before that tomb gate.

Meanwhile, the disciples of the demon race retreated to the Black Sand Sea, and a hundred thousand demon guards formed ranks at the Blazing Fortress.

They were ready for battle.

Two demon dragons circled in the sky above the Blazing Fortress, their roars occasionally echoing through the clouds.

The Twelve Demon Gods were lined up in formation, maintaining a constant, vigilant watch over the tomb gate before them.

There, Saints gathered in clusters, twelfth stage experts stood in ranks, and Great Ascension powerhouses were gradually increasing in number...

Bai Mang had not yet emerged, and the tomb gate remained open.

However, the expressions of the High Priest and her companions grew increasingly grim.

Everyone who should have come, and even those who shouldn't have, had arrived.

Saints from the Central Plains, hidden experts, ancestors of the Three Sects, the six school masters, Guest Elders of Ancient Sword Mountain, Elders of Medicine King Valley...

Bai Ze from the East Desolation, several beast gods, and the demon sovereigns of the Eight Tribes...

The old monsters of the mountain and forest spirits also revealed themselves one by one.

The North Sea, in particular, had sent the most people and possessed the strongest forces, even including several spirit bodies of demon immortals.

These were the ones who could be seen.

There were also those who could not be seen.

Perhaps there were even more who had not yet arrived.

With such combat power, the Demon Abyss could truly be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

Their only hope now was that Bai Mang wouldn't do anything foolish.

They prayed he hadn't killed all the juniors of these powerful figures.

As long as he could bring those people out alive and hand them over, there might still be room for negotiation...

The panic in their hearts intensified when they saw three powerhouses from the Wendao Sword Sect appear.

The small armored general, Lei Yunche, went without saying.

The old man carrying the blood-red sail and the silver-haired man were also well-known to everyone.

Yao Xiqiao.

Lin Fengmian.

As the three of them stood there, the voices of the local spirits and demon immortals grew much quieter, let alone those of Jin Qing and Chi Ming.

Not one of these three was someone to be trifled with.

One of them suppressed the North Sea demon race until they didn't dare make a sound.

One of them slashed through the Demon Abyss so severely that its vitality hadn't recovered in four thousand years.

As for the last one, his personal combat record was average, but as Lei Yunche's disciple and Lin Fengmian's master, he was naturally extraordinary.

He had guarded the Sword Qi Great Wall for six years, and during those six years, the demon beasts of the East Desolation didn't even dare breathe a word.

His strength could be clearly seen.

At this moment, the three of them were discussing the current situation.

Yao Xiqiao said, "The Demon Abyss has stirred up quite a lot of trouble this time."

Lei Yunche said coolly, "A fight won't break out."

Lin Fengmian stroked his long beard. "I don't know where this Bai Mang came from. Those who came out said even Little Junior Brother was no match for him."

Yao Xiqiao clicked his tongue. "One person kidnapping all the geniuses of Fanzhou, one person fighting a million beings and killing a hundred thousand... Tsk tsk, do you believe it?"

Lin Fengmian remained silent; he naturally didn't believe it.

Lei Yunche said with certainty, "Among the younger generation, it is impossible for anyone to beat Little Junior Brother."

This came from his confidence in and recognition of Xu Xian.

Lin Fengmian whispered, "But everyone who came out says so. They can't all be lying, can they?"

Yao Xiqiao curled his lip. "I always feel like something isn't right. What kind of grudge does this Demon Son Bai Mang have against the Demon Abyss to cause such massive trouble? Killing people is one thing, but what's the point of kidnapping them? To give the world a reason to destroy the Demon Abyss?"

Lin Fengmian indicated that this was also something he couldn't figure out.

Lei Yunche suddenly remarked, "I heard that Little Junior Brother has been gathering immortal plants, immortal gold, and heavenly treasures lately."

The two of them were stunned.

This was indeed the case and was no secret.

After all, Xu Xian had even borrowed some from them. He called it borrowing, but they guessed he wouldn't be returning them.

They just didn't understand why he was bringing this up now.

"The entire sect knows that. Why are you mentioning it?"

Lei Yunche asked another mysterious question, "Hypothetically, if someone told you that Little Eleven was the one who did everything Bai Mang did, would you believe it?"

The two fell into a brief silence...

A hypothesis?

Was that possible?

If the people coming out had said Xu Xian did all this, they asked themselves, and realized they probably wouldn't have even thought to doubt it.

Given Little Eleven's personality, he was certainly capable of it, and he had a motive.

However, they also knew Lei Yunche's character very well; he would never make a groundless hypothesis.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Senior Brother Lei, you don't mean..."

A bold guess flashed through both of their minds.

Lei Yunche said slowly, "Three years ago, Little Junior Brother came to see me."

Yao Xiqiao said somewhat impatiently, "We know. He chopped down one of your lightning-struck trees. You've mentioned it eight hundred times."

Lei Yunche was speechless. Was that the main point?

Lei Yunche continued, "At the time, he asked me about the Demon Abyss and said he wanted a million tons of Shadow Soul Stone. Then he went into seclusion. Later... a Demon Son appeared in the Demon Abyss, and then Little Junior Brother reached the seventh stage..."

Having put it that way, the implication was clear.

Yao Xiqiao: "..."

Lin Fengmian: "..."

The three looked at each other.

Lei Yunche asked, "Is it possible?"

Yao Xiqiao replied, "It is."

Lin Fengmian added, "If that's the case, then everything becomes reasonable..."

Suddenly, the space before the tomb gate rippled and distorted amidst the crowd. A small boat flew out from the void, interrupting their thoughts.

And the person who appeared on the boat made everyone present lower their eyes.

It was a woman, yet she looked like a young girl, dressed in plain white robes as if a fairy had descended to the mortal world.

"Is that Jiang Wanyin?"

"She actually came too..."

Jiang Wanyin. It was a familiar yet distant name; the world rarely called her by her full name.

Whether they were elders or juniors, they all addressed her with one title.

Lady Jiang!

She was Yun Zheng's former disciple and the current head of the Wendao Sword Sect.

For a long time before Xu Xian was born, she was recognized throughout Fanzhou as the most talented cultivator in history.

Not just among humans, but in all of Fanzhou.

Legend had it that she entered the tribulation transcendence stage at three hundred years old and became a Saint within a thousand years.

Searching through history, even Bai Ze, one of the auspicious beasts, was far inferior to her in terms of cultivation speed.

Of course, now there was Xu Xian, who had the potential to surpass her.

And now there seemed to be a Bai Mang who might be even more outstanding.

A soft murmur of discussion broke out in the field.

"Who is that?"

"The sixth disciple under the Sword Ancestor, Jiang Wanyin!"

"I remember Lady Jiang always preferred wearing red robes as bright as blood. This is the first time I've seen her in plain white. Looking at her now, she truly has a bit more of a celestial air."

"Lady Jiang was raised by Yun Zheng; to her, he was like both a brother and a father. She is observing a period of mourning for him..."

"When Daoist Friend Yun Zheng was still alive, he once shared a drink with me and said that in terms of strength, Lady Jiang was superior to him. I don't know if it's true."

"Whether it's true or false doesn't matter. Under the heavens, there is likely no one who can truly stop her. If she were to go mad and destroy your lineage, you could only stand by and watch..."

Her appearance drew most of the gazes in the area. Many experts bowed to her from a distance and greeted her.

"Lady Jiang!"

Jiang Wanyin stood at the bow of the boat. Beside her, Li Qingshan and Ye Xianyu were completely overshadowed.

No one even mentioned them, as if they were transparent.

This was even more true for Lu Yuan, who was pretending to be Xu Xian and shrinking behind the three of them.

Titans of the world were gathered in one place.

Jiang Wanyin looked around and smiled. "Everyone is here."

Some remained silent.

Others responded softly.

"My son's skills were inferior, and he was captured. It is shameful."

"My grandson as well..."

"..."