Chapter 39: The Forest of Darkness and the Central Emperor Alliance
Chapter 39: The Forest of Darkness and the Central Emperor Alliance
In the Northern Continent, the sound of clashes between peak-level Emperor forces echoed continuously every day. The battles were brutal and bloody, and many lives were lost. In recent days, several low-level Emperors had perished in the ongoing conflicts between the Emperor-level beasts from the Forest of Darkness and the forces of the Central Emperor Alliance, which consisted of more than 30 factions. Even the lower-ranked forces of the Alliance suffered substantial losses.
Jiang Yun gazed at the pitch-black forest, now nearly destroyed at its outer edges. He pondered something in his mind when a young man with the character "Ye" embroidered on his clothing approached him and asked in a friendly tone, "May I have the table you're sitting at?" The man tossed Jiang Yun a hundred mid-grade spirit stones as payment.
Jiang Yun ignored his words and continued sipping his tea calmly. Suddenly, another man, also with the character "Ye" on his clothes, strode over and shouted angrily, "Get up, or I'll break your legs!"
Before he could finish his sentence, the man instantly turned to ice. Jiang Yun exhaled a freezing breath, shattering the ice into pieces. The entire tea house fell silent, some patrons even screamed in terror.
A furious man who had accompanied the others shouted, "How dare you kill my follower?" But before he could finish speaking, a shadow appeared to shield him.
The shadow moved swiftly, but before the man could react, Jiang Yun unleashed his power, splitting both the young man and the shadow into two. Their bodies fell to the ground with a thud.
The atmosphere in the tea house became deathly quiet. Everyone felt the intense pressure emanating from Jiang Yun, and many stepped back in fear and shock.
Jiang Yun remained seated at his table as if nothing had happened, calmly and quietly drinking his tea, indifferent to the chaos around him, while the sounds of battle continued to roar outside.
In the Forest of Darkness, the intense fighting raged on, echoing through the entire area. The chaos of battle enveloped the region, with shouts and explosions from powerful clashes ringing out. Many were killed, ranging from Saints to Emperors. On a massive battlefield, nearly 150 peak-level Emperors, both human and beast, were locked in a fierce war.
An elderly woman, who seemed to be a leader of one faction, was facing a difficult situation. Her voice boomed across the forest, "Die already, you beasts! You're just wasting resources by staying alive!" Her voice was filled with disgust and anger.
As she spoke, the Lizard King, one of the high-ranking beasts, emerged from the shadows and attacked the elderly woman instantly. Its form rushed in with a devastating power. "Do you think you're that capable?"
However, before the Lizard King's attack could reach her, a sword's energy appeared, shielding her just in time. "I think we are more capable than lowly beasts like you," the voice of the sword wielder declared.
The battle between the elderly woman's faction and the Lizard King continued to rage fiercely. Both sides suffered heavy losses in terms of manpower and resources. Even some Emperor-level beasts and top-tier Emperors had fallen amid the violent conflict.
As the battle neared its end, none of the 150 peak-level Emperors had died, but many were gravely wounded. At this moment, even a cultivator at the Nirvana level could potentially kill them. Suddenly, a terrifyingly intense blood aura swept through the remaining humans and beasts. A voice boomed out.
"Blood Demon Sacred Land! What are you doing here? We signed a Heavenly Pact stating that you would not interfere in the assault on the Forest of Darkness!"
Four peak-level Emperors from the Blood Demon Sacred Land appeared, exuding both grace and menace. Their expressions were filled with determination and authority.
One of the four peak Emperors spoke with a challenging tone, "I haven't interfered at all. You were all slaughtered by the Emperor Beasts, and I simply stepped in to maintain peace in the North."
Another among the four gazed at the chaos-filled scene and spoke with anticipation in his voice.
"Young one, will you come out now?"
His words sent a wave of intense pressure through everyone present. The tension in the situation was palpable, as the blood light and power emanating from the Blood Demon Sacred Land filled the Forest of Darkness with an atmosphere of dread and fear.
One of the Four Supreme Emperors looked at the man with arrogance and challenge in his eyes. "A 19-year-old Supreme Emperor—what an arrogant talent. I really want to capture you and experiment on what secrets you have. But for now, never mind. What are you doing here, Holy Son of the Misty Land?"
Jiang Yun smiled charmingly as he stepped out of the void where he had been hiding.
"You're quite brainless, aren't you? I'm no longer the Holy Son of the Misty Land, and I'm here because, as a child, I lost something. So, I'm here to find it."
One of the Four Supreme Emperors laughed aloud.
"Are you telling me you lost the Dark Forest?"
Suddenly, the man who had spoken raised his hand to protect himself and said worriedly, "So dangerous... You really are a menace. How about we cooperate? Even though I've lost my arm."
But before he could finish speaking, his arm fell off his body, shocking everyone. Jiang Yun looked at the man whose arm had fallen and smiled. "I don't like know-it-alls."
In an instant, the other three men standing with the Supreme Emperor charged toward Jiang Yun with lightning speed, but they halted immediately when they felt an unexpected force rush at them. They couldn't see the energy affecting them, but they felt an inexplicable pressure and violence.
Their expressions were filled with surprise. They tried to locate the source of the power, but no matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find its true origin. Meanwhile, the battle in the Dark Forest raged on fiercely. Jiang Yun was up against four Supreme Demon cultivators from the Blood Demon Holy Land. He identified the weakest one and aimed to attack first, but suddenly, the four of them coordinated flawlessly, moving in unison, making it difficult for Jiang Yun to find a clear opportunity to strike.
After a while, with neither side gaining much ground, one of the four spoke in a calm voice, "Shall we join forces, Jiang Yun? Let's wipe them out and split the resources. What do you think?"
The remaining Demon Emperors and Central Continent Emperors were shocked. They readied themselves defensively. Jiang Yun smiled lightly and replied, "I'm not interested in a fifty-fifty split..."
One of the four demon cultivators from the Blood Demon Holy Land quickly responded, "Of course, you take 70%, and we take 30%. Deal?"
Jiang Yun nodded without hesitation. "Deal."
In that very moment, as Jiang Yun and the group from the Blood Demon Holy Land prepared to strike at the Demon Emperors and Central Continent Emperors, Jiang Yun's hand suddenly pierced through the chest of one of the demon cultivators from the Blood Demon Holy Land!
"You! We had a deal!" the injured demon cultivator shouted in shock.
Jiang Yun smiled and replied coldly, "I forgot... I have a short memory."
The remaining Supreme Emperors from the Blood Demon Holy Land laughed mockingly. "That's true... I also have a short memory." The man quickly used a binding technique, trapping Jiang Yun, while the other three rushed in to attack him.
Jiang Yun smirked and said mockingly, "You guys really can't be trusted, huh?"
"You! Do you think you're that trustworthy yourself?" the injured demon cultivator retorted.
"I'll make you understand that betraying me is not a wise choice," Jiang Yun said, releasing an immense power. A massive star, like the sun, appeared and scorched the surrounding area violently. The Dark Forest turned into a battlefield from which no one could escape.
The battle in the Dark Forest continued to rage fiercely, with flames consuming the surrounding area. But before long, the bodies of the four emperors from the Blood Demon Holy Land were quickly frozen. Even though they tried to activate their talismans to escape, their bodies remained immobile.
Laughter echoed from within the ice. "Rejoice while you can. Soon, our master will avenge us... Hahaha."
Jiang Yun paid no attention. He lifted his foot and kicked them, shattering their bodies into dust. He then turned his gaze toward the heavily injured Demon Emperors and Central Continent Emperors.
The Five-Elemental Holy Land Emperor, who could still stand, spoke with a voice filled with worry, "Do you really want to start a war with us?"
Jiang Yun ignored the Central Continent Emperor's words. His eyes fell on the severely injured Demon Emperors. At the same time, the Yin-Yang Spider Empress lowered her head and respectfully said, "Allow me to follow you. I am willing to offer you a fragment of my soul so you may control my life and death."
The Demon Emperors were shocked, but they understood immediately, for within their hearts, they felt a call to follow this man. They realized that they stood to gain more by doing so than by losing. Without hesitation, all the Demon Emperors bowed their heads and said in unison, "Allow us to follow you. We are willing to offer fragments of our souls for you to control our life and death."
Jiang Yun smiled as he accepted their soul fragments and said, "You have made the right choice."
Suddenly, Jiang Yun raised his finger, preparing to kill the injured Central Continent Emperors, but a massive sword energy shot forward to protect them.
"Could you let them go, fellow Daoist?" A voice called from behind. Jiang Yun turned and saw a man standing with a radiant sword in hand.
As Jiang Yun looked at the man, he immediately recognized him as the "Sword Emperor," a name well-known throughout the land. He was revered as an unparalleled sword master. Jiang Yun smiled coldly and spoke, "They may go, but I need the essence of their special physiques. What do you think?"
Initially, the Central Continent alliance members were against this demand. Their faces showed fear and dissatisfaction. However, when they realized that the spiritual power from combining fragments of this world with the true world could restore their bodily origins, they understood that some sacrifices were necessary for their survival and safety.
In the end, they nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Jiang Yun smiled slyly. He raised his hand and cast a formation over them. A terrifying energy surged from Jiang Yun's body, forming a shadowy figure that surrounded the Central Continent alliance. Before anyone could react, their special physiques were swiftly extracted.
"Now that you're useless, die," Jiang Yun said coldly.
The emperors didn't even realize what had happened before they died instantly, without the chance to scream or show any pain. Even their emperor-grade weapons couldn't protect them. It was a swift and silent massacre.
The Sword Emperor spoke softly, "Aren't you being too ruthless? And aren't you afraid of revenge from the forces behind them?"
Jiang Yun sneered. "I wasn't the one who did it. It was the Blood Demon Holy Land."
The Sword Emperor was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Jiang Yun didn't bother answering. He waved his hand, releasing power to heal the injuries of the beast emperors immediately. Upon being healed, the beast emperors quickly knelt and thanked Jiang Yun sincerely, showing their genuine loyalty.
"Gather all the resources and bloodlines within ten minutes, then regroup here," Jiang Yun ordered sternly.
The Sword Emperor remained still, filled with doubt, but he knew it wasn't the time to ask more questions. He nodded slowly before retreating and leaving.
Amidst the darkness of the Dark Forest, the sounds of battle ceased, but the tension and uncertainty still loomed. Outsiders to the Dark Forest were surprised, sensing that the sounds of combat had disappeared.
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