Chapter Nineteen: Slaying Huayan, The Bargain

Mingliang Zhenren and Wu Kongxue were the foremost figures among the wandering immortals and demons, respectively. Even they failed to seize the Heaven-breaking Map and lost their lives in the attempt; how then could any other wandering immortals or demons dare set foot on the Qianlong Continent to contend for the map? Helpless, they could only await the descent of the envoys from the Immortal and Demon Realms, to see what these envoys planned to do.

News of the Immortal Emperor Niyang had already shaken the upper echelons of the Immortal, Demon, and Monster Realms. The Immortal Realm’s Emperor Yu, the Demon Realm’s Blood Demon Emperor, the Dragon Clan’s Dragon Emperor, and the Beast Tribes of the Monster Realm had all dispatched their most outstanding first-rank Golden Immortal experts to the mortal world, each intent on vying for the treasures within the Niyang Realm.

The first to descend was Hua Yan, the Immortal Realm’s envoy. Since the cultivators of Tenglong Continent had failed to obtain the Heaven-breaking Map, Hua Yan was left with only one choice: to travel to Qianlong Continent and wrest the map from Qin Yu’s hands.

While the wandering immortals and demons dared not venture to Qianlong Continent again, Hua Yan had nothing to fear. Armored in supreme-grade celestial armor and wielding a supreme-grade celestial sword, he was confident in his ability to survive even against Golden Immortals several levels above him. Moreover, he refused to believe anyone in the mortal world could surpass his own strength. The Heaven-breaking Map was his for the taking—anything less, and his descent would have been in vain.

The Demon Realm’s envoy for the wandering demons, Du Zhongjun—self-styled as the Blood Demon—was a tyrannical and violent soul. The wandering demons possessed one Heaven-breaking Map, kept by Wu Kongxue. Though Wu Kongxue had perished, he had not carried the map on his person, entrusting it instead to a lesser fourth-tribulation wandering demon.

Du Zhongjun swiftly acquired the map from this demon, feeling quite pleased. When he learned that the top experts of the wandering demons had all perished on Qianlong Continent in their attempt to seize the other map, curiosity and surprise mingled in his heart. Not wishing Hua Yan to obtain the map and thus gain a rival, he hurried to Qianlong Continent hot on Hua Yan’s heels, eager to see for himself the one who had slain the leading experts of both wandering immortals and demons.

After all, the mysterious figure who had killed Mingliang Zhenren and Wu Kongxue also possessed a Heaven-breaking Map, making him a direct competitor. Du Zhongjun naturally wished to gauge this person’s strength; should he be able to seize another map, so much the better.

On Qianlong Continent, at the foot of Donglan Mountain outside Yan Capital of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Yu had just returned from his training in the Chaotic Star Sea, bringing back his sworn brother Hei Yu and Hou Fei.

That day, as Qian Kun was instructing Qin Yu, Hei Yu, and Hou Fei in their cultivation, he suddenly sensed something, raising his head to gaze eastward. His eyes narrowed, and his lips curled into a cold smile. “So, Hua Yan of the Immortal Realm? As expected, you’re still unwilling to give up. Hmm, and Blood Demon Du Zhongjun, too? Since you both court death, don’t blame me for denying you entry to the Niyang Realm.”

“Xiao Yu, a bit of trouble has arrived. Let me go and deal with it,” Qian Kun said, vanishing in a flash.

High above the endless wilds to the east of Qianlong Continent, Hua Yan had just teleported in and was scanning the entire land with his immortal sense, intent on finding the mysterious expert who had slain Mingliang Zhenren, Wu Kongxue, and the other wandering demons. After several thorough searches, Hua Yan’s brows knit in confusion. “Strange—why can’t I find him? Could he not be on Qianlong Continent, or is his spiritual sense even stronger than mine?”

“Haha… Envoy of the Immortal Realm, are you looking for me?” A hearty laugh rang out as Qian Kun, clad in azure robes, appeared suddenly.

Seeing Qian Kun, Hua Yan’s expression changed. He had not sensed Qian Kun’s arrival at all, and realized that even his own immortal sense could not detect this mysterious man. Clearly, whatever this man’s strength, his spiritual sense surpassed Hua Yan’s own.

Generally, the strength of one’s spiritual sense reflected one’s level of power. Hua Yan studied Qian Kun more cautiously, finding he could sense no aura from the man—almost as if he were an ordinary mortal. But that was impossible. There could be only one explanation: this man’s cultivation far surpassed his own.

“Who are you? Are you perhaps an envoy under the Everlasting Green Emperor?” Hua Yan asked gravely, his heart heavy.

“The Green Emperor?” Qian Kun shook his head with a smile. “He is indeed a top expert in the Immortal, Demon, and Monster Realms, but he’s not qualified to have me serve him. Enough guessing. For one about to die, what’s the point in knowing so much?”

Hua Yan’s face darkened as sword-light shot from his body, blooming like a lotus. He drew his supreme-grade celestial sword from his back in a dazzling strike, attacking Qian Kun with all his might.

Qian Kun smiled at Hua Yan’s preemptive strike. Just as Hua Yan reached him, Qian Kun vanished, reappearing at Hua Yan’s side and landing a seemingly effortless palm against Hua Yan’s abdomen.

A muffled thud sounded. Hua Yan’s body shuddered. A look of horror and unwillingness flashed in his eyes, which quickly glazed over as his aura dissipated.

Having killed Hua Yan with ease, Qian Kun waved a hand to collect the nascent soul, supreme-grade celestial armor, sword, and storage ring left behind. He then glanced at a streak of blood-red light vanishing into the distance, chuckling softly. “That Du Zhongjun runs fast—very well, I’ll leave him for my disciple to handle.”

“Envoy of the Monster Realm, since you’re here, why hide so far away? Don’t you want the Heaven-breaking Map as well?” With these words, Qian Kun turned his gaze toward the heart of the boundless wilderness.

A moment later, the air not far away shimmered, and a burly, dark-skinned man appeared in the sky—the envoy of the Monster Realm, the super-divine beast of the beast tribe, the Violet-eyed Bull Demon King, Man Qian.

“You could kill Hua Yan with such ease. With strength like that, I, Man Qian, am no match for you. Why have you called me here?” Man Qian asked bluntly.

“Man Qian, is it? What if I give you a Heaven-breaking Map—would you want it?” Qian Kun smiled at him.

A purple glint flashed in Man Qian’s eyes, and he began to breathe heavily, staring at Qian Kun with burning curiosity. “The Heaven-breaking Map? You’d actually give it to me? Don’t you want to enter the Niyang Realm and compete for the treasures yourself?”

“I’m about to head to the Immortal, Demon, and Monster Realms—I’ve no intention of meddling in the affairs of the Niyang Realm,” Qian Kun replied with a faint smile. “However, before I leave, I’m a bit uneasy about my little disciple, Qin Yu. So, I want your promise: in the Niyang Realm, look out for him a little. I trust that won’t be difficult for you. Well? Do we have a deal?”

Going to the higher realms? Man Qian was a bit surprised, but understanding dawned on him. Though still somewhat puzzled, he asked no further questions and simply grinned, nodding. “Good, this is a bargain for me—I agree!”

“Wait a moment—without a Heaven-breaking Map, how will your disciple enter the Niyang Realm?” Man Qian frowned in confusion.

Qian Kun smiled mysteriously. “Man Qian, do you really think the only way to enter the Niyang Realm is with the Heaven-breaking Map? Don’t worry—my disciple has other means. As for what they are, there’s no need for you to ask. But since you’re getting such a good deal, I can’t let you have all the advantage. Here’s my condition: I need some supreme-grade essence stones—give me whatever you have.”

“Uh… all right,” Man Qian replied, a bit taken aback, but helplessly handed over a few supreme-grade essence stones.

Qian Kun then casually tossed him the Heaven-breaking Map, before teleporting back to the Cloud Mist Manor atop Donglan Mountain.

“Just who is this man?” Man Qian wondered, frowning as he gazed at the map in his hand. The ease with which he had obtained it was almost unbelievable, and he could not help but feel a hint of delight.