AGM 392 - An Exceedingly Arrogant Power
Qin Wentian slowly turned and gazed upon those familiar silhouettes.
He looked towards Teacher Mustang, and his Senior Sister Luo Huan; towards Ouyang Kuangsheng, Fan Le, Chu Mang; towards Mo Qingcheng and Bai Qing. A radiant smile appeared in his eyes, he had achieved what he’d set out to accomplish.
“HAHA, AWESOME!” A straightforward voice echoed with laughter, only to see Ouyang Kuangsheng flying upwards, rushing towards the Vermilion Bird arena platform. “First in the Heavenly Fate Rankings, I’m too ashamed of my own ranking.”
Chu Mang, Fan Le, Mo Qingcheng and the rest also ascended the arena platform.
Now that the Heavenly Fate Rankings had already been concluded, those rules that restricted non-combatants from entering the arena platform had naturally been lifted.
Bailu Jing and Bailu Yi also came, standing to the side as they stared at the people celebrating on the platform. Bailu Yi smiled when she saw Qin Wentian pulling Mo Qingcheng into a hug; she truly wished them all the best.
“Boss, this battle felt so good, it blew all our negative emotions away. I feel so satisfied when I look at their faces HAHAHA.”
Fan Le was grinning from ear to ear—Qin Wentian stared at his friends standing around him, feeling extremely moved in his heart.
He knew that despite obtaining the position of first ranker, he had offended too many people from transcendent powers. To see that his friends were still willing to stand on the same stage, celebrating his victory with him, how could he not feel moved? Their message was clear—they were willing to stand with him against all odds.
“Junior Brother, your luck with the ladies isn’t bad at all,” Luo Huan snickered, as she glanced at the beauties around Qin Wentian.
Mo Qingcheng, Bai Qing and Yun Mengyi were all there and upon seeing that look in Luo Huan’s eyes, Qin Wentian could only helplessly roll his eyes. Luo Huan had a thing for making such jokes, and Little Rascal who was originally being held by her, suddenly transformed into a white beam of light and leapt into Qin Wentian’s arms, rubbing its head against his chest. It then proudly stared at the Purgatory Vermilion Bird above Qin Wentian’s head and growled, as though establishing its dominance.
The Purgatory Vermilion Bird immediately let out a shrill screech as it swooped downwards, enveloping Qin Wentian’s entire body into an embrace with its wings, causing the others to burst out in laughter at its antics.
Qin Wentian’s two demonic beasts were also vying for his affection?
The spectators below stared at the silhouette of the young man standing on the stage as their hearts were filled with warm traces of expectation.
They naturally understood the future Qin Wentian would soon face but still, people always liked to believe in the concept of heroes, of a single man standing alone against the world. They couldn’t help wishing Qin Wentian would succeed, and trusted in him to overcome the odds.
Also, it had been too long since they’d seen such a touching scene. That violent demonic young man who showed no mercy to his enemies—he seemed to actually have such a gentle side to him as well, with a group of friends willing to stand by him even if it meant laying down their lives.
In the direction of the Mystic Maiden Palace, Xuan Xin was about to dash over but was held back by Xuan Yan, who asked, “What are you doing?”
“I want to offer my congratulations as well.” Xuan Xin turned her head as she replied.
“Do you even understand the situation now?” Xuan Yan glared at Xuan Xin, her junior sister was too blind at times. The top ranker this time around was not someone from the seven grand clans, and didn’t even belong to any of the transcendent powers. Such an outcome was unprecedented. Not only that, seeing the vast number of people Qin Wentian had offended, it was still unknown whether anything would happen to him.
“Yup I understand, but he’s Fan Le’s brother. This is something I ought to do.” Xuan Xin smiled and shook Xuan Yan’s hold away, before instantly dashing towards the arena platform. Her sudden action took Xuan Yan by surprise, and when Xuan Yan stared at those silhouettes standing on the stage, her gaze involuntarily landed on Chu Mang—her heart suddenly fluttered, feeling slightly chaotic.
“Nonsense.” Her master from the Mystic Maiden Palace snorted, “Xuan Xin, return here this instant.”
On the arena platform, Qin Wentian and the rest all heard that voice. As they turned, they saw Xuan Xin already at the boundaries of the platform, making a ghost face [a][b][c]with her back facing her master. She directed her stare towards Qin Wentian as she stated, “Congratulations for obtaining first place, it seems that you are even more powerful compared to a certain someone.”
“My loss was accidental.” Fan Le grinned. Naturally, he was that someone Xuan Xin was referring to.
“Right.” Xuan Xin mischievously grinned. Qin Wentian stared in the direction of the Mystic Maiden Palace as he said in a low voice, “Xuan Xin, you’d better return first.”
He understood Xuan Xin’s goodwill; Fan Le was truly blessed to have found such a girlfriend.
“Understood.” Xuan Xin made a face, she was naturally unhappy about her sect’s attitudes towards them.
“Qingcheng, you come back as well.”
In the direction of the Pill Emperor Hall, Luo He quietly remarked as she gazed at Mo Qingcheng.
Mo Qingcheng steadily matched her stare. “Master, remember what you promised me?”
She was referring to the fact that Luo He had personally promised her before, that as long as Qin Wentian defeated Zhan Chen she wouldn’t interfere in the relationship between Mo Qingcheng and Qin Wentian.
“Indeed, I did promise you, did you think Master would break her promise to you? Come back with me first, if he wants to woo my disciples, he can pay a visit to our Pill Emperor Hall,” Luo He coldly stated, yet Mo Qingcheng still hesitated.
She naturally wished to stay here together with Qin Wentian, yet her master Luo He had been very good to her. Luo He’s words didn’t seem to say that she wanted to restrict her—she was only asking her disciple to return together with her.
“Qingcheng, you go back first as well.” Qin Wentian held Mo Qingcheng’s hands as he stated in a low voice.
If the Pill Emperor Hall really wanted to stop them, as of now, he truly didn’t have the ability to do anything. But for the sake of Mo Qingcheng, he didn’t mind repairing the relationship between himself and the Pill Emperor Hall. After all, Zhan Chen alone couldn’t represent the entire Pill Emperor Hall.
The grudge between him and Zhan Chen had already reached a boiling point in both their hearts. Hence, he hadn’t hesitated to kill Zhan Chen.
Mo Qingcheng nodded lightly, gazing at Qin Wentian. He smiled warmly back at her and nodded his head in encouragement. “Go on first.”
For Mo Qingcheng, he was willing to take a step back. But if the Pill Emperor Hall tried in any way to renege on their promise to Mo Qingcheng, even if he had to trample the Pill Emperor Hall to dust, he would also do so to bring Mo Qingcheng away.
Hopefully, things wouldn’t reach such a stage. After all, there weren’t any grudges between himself and Mo Qingcheng’s master, Luo He.
Mo Qingcheng could only reluctantly slip her jade-like fingers out of Qin Wentian’s hands and walked back towards the direction of the Pill Emperor Hall.
“We are leaving,” Luo He stated, and with a flick of her sleeves, those from the Pill Emperor Hall mounted their demonic beasts and flew away.
Mo Qingcheng turned her head back to gaze at Qin Wentian. In her eyes, there was an intense unwillingness to be parted from him.
“Once this matter ends, I will pay a visit to the Moon Continent.” Qin Wentian transmitted his words to Mo Qingcheng. Mo Qingcheng nodded, but her eyes started to glimmer with unshed tears.
They’d finally met after such a long time, only to be separated again.
Qin Wentian also felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart. He could only blame himself for not having sufficient strength. If he was the top ranker for the Heavenly Dipper Rankings instead, how could those from the Pill Emperor Hall even stop him? Even if he were to blatantly ignore Luo He, taking Mo Qingcheng away, no one would have dared to say anything.
But now that Mo Qingcheng had left, it might have been a blessing instead. After all, Qin Wentian didn’t know what would happen in the near future.
“It’s good that she left, if she were here, she would only be a hassle. Don’t look down on the transcendent powers, I don’t think things will proceed that smoothly between you and her.” Yun Mengyi walked over to Qin Wentian, as she stated in a low voice. “Those from the Pill Emperor Hall definitely believe that you will not survive what comes next. You will not survive past today.”
Qin Wentian’s countenance stiffened yet he understood the truth of Yun Mengyi’s words. After all, he had slain several geniuses belonging to the other transcendent powers—how could they let him go, just like that? Although Yun Mengyi gave Qin Wentian a sense of mystery, he had to admit that she was cool-headed and mature in her thinking. It was as though the Heavens themselves could collapse, yet her heart would still remain as calm and as determined as before.
“The Heavenly Fate Rankings has concluded. The Ancient Kingdom shall be closed to all save for the rankers on the Heavenly Fate Rankings. Rankers, you can still stay here and continue on your pilgrimage.”
At this moment, a voice descended from the skies but as to who it belonged to, nobody could tell.
The voice caused the hearts of Qin Wentian and the rest to pound slightly. The owner of that voice should have belonged to the group of power Si Qiong was from. These people were still eyeing the secret arts hidden within the formation world.
“For us, by participating in the ranking battle, we have already obtained the ancient legacies of Grand Xia. Now that the rankings are concluded, we no longer have the desire to stay in the Ancient Kingdom,” A person calmly spoke—this person was none other than Qin Zheng. He could feel the sinister intent from those people belonging to the ancient kingdom.
If they still stayed here now, wouldn’t they be slaughtered at will? Their legacies forcibly stolen away.
“This is a custom of Grand Xia, how can we[d][e] ignore it?” That voice was suddenly infused with a cold tyranny, as it boomed out in the atmosphere yet again.
“I believe we have our own will and freedom,” Qin Zheng quietly replied.
“Obtaining the ancient legacies of Ancient Grand Xia, yet unwilling to continue with the pilgrimage. What are your intentions?” That voice now contained an immense surge of pressure. Those from the Great Solar Chen Clan wore sinister smiles on their faces, adding, “This is a tradition that’s lasted throughout the ages, no one can defy it.”
The expressions on Qin Wentian and the others all stiffened. These people had failed once when they wanted to exchange the nine ultimate arts of Grand Xia for their legacies found through the ancient luck. Now that they were forcing them to stay behind, surely they didn’t have good intentions.
“This is an ironclad tradition of Ancient Grand Xia. You guys had better follow through with it.” Those from the Hua Clan grinned.
“Follow through with it,” The Wang Clan echoed.
Those who were from the seven grand clans of Ancient Grand Xia, definitely had prior connections with the power behind Si Qiong.
In fact, Qin Wentian even suspected that this mysterious remnant from the ancient kingdom was involved in the rebellion that happened thousands of years ago. After all, history was written by the hands of the victor, no one could say for sure what was true and what was false.
“If you will not respect the tradition, please forsake your legacies and get lost from here.” That cold voice blasted out once more, bent on achieving its objective.
“If you guys are truly people from the ancient kingdom, why do you have a need to hide your faces? Why do you not dare come out in the open?” Qin Wentian inclined his head and stared at the air around him, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light.
As the sound of his voice faded, a row of figures appeared in the air with such speed it was as though they’d teleported.
These group of new arrivals were all extraordinary—they all exuded an aura that didn’t lose out in the least to the transcendent power leaders presently overseeing their respective groups for this expedition.
Their gazes were all filled with murderous intent, as sharp as unsheathed swords as they stared upon Qin Wentian and the rest on the platform.
“Which transcendent power do you belong to?” In the lead, there was a middle-aged man clad in golden robes. His gaze was directly riveted onto Qin Wentian as he enquired.
“None,” Qin Wentian replied.
“Fine then. Since you’ve acquired one of the legacies, this means that you are also a child of destiny. I will grant you the chance to join us. We will definitely nurture you all the way and accomplish your every desire. How about it?” The golden robed man spoke as though with great concern for them. “I shall bestow the same opportunity to those who have acquired legacies as well.”
How arrogant did they sound? Bestowing them this opportunity, the chance to join them? Didn’t the legends state that only an extremely weak branch of Ancient Emperor’s bloodline remained? The attitude these people were displaying hardly seemed to fit such an image. And evidently, the newly arrived group seemed to belong to a power that surpassed even the transcendent powers—at the very least, they were superior in their exceedingly arrogant attitudes!