Chapter Seventeen: Defeating the Stubborn Sect, Jiang Lan Appears

“Zong Jue? You arrived rather quickly!” Tilting his head, his gaze piercing through the palace walls, Qian Kun’s lips curled into a faint smile. As he murmured to himself, a phantom energy avatar beside him swiftly solidified, and with a thought, Qian Kun vanished from the palace together with the alluring woman.

In the dim depths of the sea, Qian Kun appeared simultaneously with the seductive woman, and immediately caught sight of Zong Jue ahead, clad in pale golden robes, his body radiating golden light and exuding a fierce, savage aura.

“Who are you? Why did you kill Suo Li?” Zong Jue’s gaze was sharp as lightning, his voice low and cold as he fixed his eyes on Qian Kun.

Qian Kun merely smiled indifferently. “To kill is simply to kill—where is the need for so many reasons? Have you not killed before? When you do, do you explain your motives to others? I suspect not.”

“Because I, Zong Jue, have never needed to explain myself to anyone,” Zong Jue’s tone grew colder, imbued with the arrogance and confidence of an invincible being. “Defeat me, and you’ll have no need to explain anything to me.”

“Haha… Well said. As expected of the legendary Golden-Winged Roc, so decisive!” Qian Kun laughed aloud.

Zong Jue’s eyes narrowed, his entire body burst into brilliant gold, and in a flash, he was before Qian Kun, a fierce golden radiance enveloping him and causing the surrounding seawater to churn violently.

Boom… Amid the deep, resonant crack of energy, Qian Kun casually raised a hand to block the blinding gold light. The sea before him rippled into a wall of water, while the water behind him remained calm. Behind the water wall, Qian Kun stood unmoving, while Zong Jue, his attack thwarted, was jolted backward and forced to retreat several miles before regaining his footing.

Zong Jue, now steady and glaring at Qian Kun with even sharper ferocity, had just witnessed Qian Kun’s formidable power in their brief exchange. Yet, it only stirred his battle spirit further—he had been invincible for too long, and craved a worthy opponent.

Humming, the sea trembled as Zong Jue split into two figures, transforming into twin streams of golden light that attacked Qian Kun from both sides.

“This technique… interesting, but that’s all,” Qian Kun raised a brow and smiled, allowing the two figures to strike him as his body quietly faded into nothingness. In the next moment, eight figures appeared at once, four converging on each Zong Jue.

With a muffled thud, the illusions dissipated, leaving only Qian Kun and Zong Jue facing each other. Qian Kun’s hand was pressed firmly against Zong Jue’s chest.

In the next instant, Zong Jue shuddered, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying, his face pale with embarrassment.

“You… that movement technique…” Although wounded, Zong Jue couldn’t help but stare in astonishment at Qian Kun, his gaze burning with disbelief. Qian Kun’s movement skill resembled the secret technique of the Golden-Winged Roc’s lineage, but was clearly more profound and ingenious. Just one glance sparked inspiration within Zong Jue, granting him new insight into his own martial arts.

Qian Kun laughed softly. “Technique? Zong Jue, your secret arts are impressive, but ultimately just skills. Without transcending technique to grasp the essence of the Dao, you’ll never truly excel. No matter how refined your skills, before the Dao of Space, they are nothing.”

“The Dao?” Zong Jue frowned, muttering, his eyes flickering. He couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you really? Are you an immortal descended to the mortal world?”

“An immortal descended? Perhaps you could say so,” Qian Kun replied ambiguously, earning a furrowed brow and internal grumbling from Zong Jue—what does ‘perhaps’ even mean?

Glancing at Zhi Qiao, who was stunned by their battle, Zong Jue quickly added, “Your strength is extraordinary—I am not your match. If you do not wish to kill me, please let Zhi Qiao go.”

“Zong Jue, on this Purple Profound Star, there are few who catch my eye. You barely qualify,” Qian Kun said with a faint smile. “Very well, I’ll grant you this favor; you may take Zhi Qiao. And remember my name: Qian Kun. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday.”

Hearing this, Zong Jue secretly breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly pondering, “Qian Kun… He must not be from the Cultivation World; otherwise, I would surely have heard of him. What is his true origin?”

Just as Zong Jue prepared to leave with Zhi Qiao, and Qian Kun turned to return to the palace within the ocean trench, a figure suddenly appeared in the nearby waters, causing all three to look over in surprise. Their expressions subtly changed.

Zong Jue and Zhi Qiao could not discern the newcomer’s cultivation, while Qian Kun sensed a formless threat emanating from him.

“No need to rush away, you three,” the man said with a gentle smile, appearing to be about forty years old, calm and steady. Though his gaze was mild, it gave the three an uncanny sense that he could see into their hearts.

Zong Jue’s confusion only deepened. “This is truly bizarre—where are all these mysterious experts coming from?”

“Young friend, you are truly remarkable! Your cultivation is weak, yet your soul is powerful, and your comprehension of the Dao of Space is already considerable—how curious,” the middle-aged man observed Qian Kun with interest, his eyes flashing with curiosity.

Qian Kun felt a chill within, but outwardly remained calm. “Existence is reason enough—shouldn’t you also not appear in this world?”

“So I guessed correctly; you must have a remarkable origin. Are you perhaps a mighty one reborn for cultivation?” The man shook his head with a smile. “I have no intention of prying. May you soon achieve mastery—perhaps we will meet in the Upper Realm someday. You are Qian Kun, yes? My name is Jiang Lan.”

“It’s him, as expected!” Qian Kun thought to himself, having already deduced the identity of the newcomer.

Zong Jue’s eyes sparkled as he spoke with confidence, “Senior Lan, it is fate that we meet here today. If you and Brother Qian Kun don’t mind, may I invite you both to my Roc Demon Island for a small gathering?”

“Since I have nothing pressing, I’ll accompany you,” Jiang Lan replied with a gentle nod, then turned to Qian Kun. “What about you, young friend?”

“I still have a batch of pills to refine. Please go ahead—I’ll join you soon,” Qian Kun replied calmly.

“Very well,” Jiang Lan nodded lightly. Zong Jue, understanding, smiled and courteously led the way.

Watching them depart, Qian Kun finally relaxed a little. Facing a powerful Divine King from the Stellar Transformation World, it was impossible not to be tense. This avatar of the Ancestor Qian Kun was still too weak—his cultivation aside, even his understanding of the Dao of Space could not match that of a Divine King who had thoroughly mastered it.

If Jiang Lan had chosen to act, Qian Kun would have had no power to resist—he might have been forced to self-destruct his avatar. If that had happened, all of Qian Kun’s intricate plans in the Stellar Transformation World would have been lost. Though he had gained some small rewards, what he truly sought remained out of reach.

Qian Kun’s pill refining lasted several years before he finally completed a batch, successfully crafting a furnace of pills. Using a Twelfth Tribulation Loose Demon as a material, the pills were akin to celestial elixirs, containing immense energy and serving as wondrous medicine for replenishing magic and advancing cultivation.

When Qian Kun arrived at Roc Demon Island to meet Zong Jue, he learned that Jiang Lan had already departed some time ago. Perhaps that was for the best—for now, with his power still insufficient, Qian Kun truly preferred not to have too much interaction with Jiang Lan unless absolutely necessary.