"What in the heavens?!"
"What is that radiating pillar of light?!"
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, their lovely eyes widened in disbelief, fixed their gazes on the luminescent red beam that split the air.
Residing within the confines of the Purple Heaven Holy Land for nearly two decades, this unprecedented occurrence had utterly baffled them; such a phenomenon was unheard of in their experiences.
Even Jiang Chen, composed as he was, felt a certain disquiet ripple through him at the sight of the beam.
Unsurprisingly, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were consumed by an even greater dread.
In that fleeting moment, the crimson hue of the energy beam started to diminish gradually.
Yet, an inexplicably abrasive aura began to seep into and pervade the entirety of the Red Maple Heavenly Valley!
But that was not all.
"Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"
A cascade of deafening roars erupted from the location where the light beam had vanished.
Even from the sound alone, one could surmise that these were no ordinary beasts, but formidable creatures of the Heavenly Origin realm! Among them, a distinct aura even suggested the presence of entities from the Inquiring Journey realm!
Furthermore, the sounds of these beasts began to resonate closer and closer.
In the blink of an eye, an imposing array of demonic beasts breached the horizon, entering the field of vision of Jiang Chen and his companions.
Among them, the Six Extremes Flame Armored Beasts, a single kind, constituted a force numbering in the hundreds.
Additionally, there were dozens of aerial demonic beasts, resembling giant bats splashed in shades of obsidian and crimson, with wingspans stretching up to hundreds of meters.
However, these were merely the lesser creatures.
The demonic beast leading the charge, barreling its way to the forefront, was the focal point.
This formidable beast, a terrifying entity from the Inquiring Journey realm, was a force to be reckoned with.
Cloaked in deep sapphire fur peppered with golden patterns, it resembled an enormous incarnation of a blue-base golden-striped tiger.
Its towering stature, exceeding six hundred meters in height and over a thousand meters in length, eclipsed the sun and the sky.
Its body, adorned with a coat of fluffy golden fur encircling its neck, spreading across its back, and trailing along its extended tail, emanated an aura of majesty.
Its horns rivaled mountain peaks in their grandeur, its eyes mirrored the vast expanse of lakes, its gaping mouth was akin to a profound chasm, its fangs stood tall and dense like a forest, and its four feet, robust and firm, resembled celestial pillars.
Moreover, there were flesh membranes lined with fur stretching between its four feet, amplifying its already formidable figure and enhancing its overwhelming presence.
"This is bad!"
"It's the Inquiring Journey realm demonic beast, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger! Quick, we must retreat!"
Xie Xiaojing's expression morphed in terror, and she cried out in alarm.
"Jiang Chen, we must flee!"
Ji Ruxue, equally urgent, promptly extracted a red sphere adorned with intricate black patterns from her storage ring!
Jiang Chen examined it with his divine sense.
He immediately perceived an exceptionally unstable aura of the Inquiring Journey realm from the crimson sphere.
It was a self-destruct artifact!
Without a shred of doubt, he deduced it to be a defensive mechanism left by Ji Mingxiu for Ji Ruxue to utilize in times of peril.
'In the original narrative, Ji Ruxue likely employed this artifact to effect her escape.'
'As a disciple of the Holy Lord, I would undoubtedly sustain substantial injuries and bear the brunt of the blame for my failure to safeguard the Holy Maiden.'
'At that juncture, my reputation would suffer a significant hit, and I would also lose ground in the contest for the title of Holy Son.'
'So this is the influence exerted by the Heavenly Fate Value; it's indeed profound!'
'Fortunately, I am no mere villain, but a significant adversary with tens of thousands of Black Heavenly Fate Value points and two Heaven-Defying Fate Changers to my name!'
'In the original narrative, I, as a disciple of the Holy Lord, would bear the brunt of the damage, but now, I am poised to alter this fate.'
A multitude of thoughts surfaced in Jiang Chen's mind, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
In fact, from the moment he had intertwined with protagonist Fang Yuan's narrative, he had orchestrated a significant deviation from the original story - his cultivation base had been directly ascended to the Inquiring Journey realm!
Strength was, after all, the foundational bedrock for any transformation.
Strategies, more often than not, were merely the icing on the cake.
At this moment, casting a glance at the visibly terrified and flustered Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, Jiang Chen offered a faint smile, "Proceed ahead, both of you. I shall keep them at bay!"
Having spoken, he channeled a considerable quantity of Inquiring Journey realm Dao Yuan Power into the jade flute, pushing it to its utmost limits.
The flute, as a result, sprang into action with astonishing speed!
"Jiang Chen!"
"No, Senior Brother Jiang Chen, that's an Inquiring Journey realm Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger!"
"..."
While Ji Ruxue's and Xie Xiaojing's cries echoed in the air, they had already been whisked away by the jade flute.
Meanwhile, on Jiang Chen's side, he gripped the Shadowblade Sword, bracing himself against the swarm of demonic beasts charging at him from both sky and ground.
"Roar!!"
The foremost Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, eyes aflame with madness, its gaze awash with a brutal, bloodthirsty hue, closed the gap to Jiang Chen within mere moments, covering hundreds of meters.
Boom!
A fearsome golden energy beam exploded forth from the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's mouth, reaching Jiang Chen's vicinity in an instant.
'Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe, Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield, activate!'
Jiang Chen's mind was in overdrive, his Dao Yuan Power surging immediately into the two defensive artifacts he bore.
One of these was the Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe, obtained via an exchange with the system, while the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield was a gift from a Supreme Elder.
Under the influence of the Dao Yuan Power, the defensive capabilities of these two artifacts were immediately maximized!
Jiang Chen's genuine combat strength had already reached the Late-stage Inquiring Journey realm.
The energy barrier he was capable of creating nonchalantly could effortlessly repel the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
After all, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger was only in the Early to Middle-stage of the Inquiring Journey realm.
However, he opted not to do so.
At times, sustaining minor damage and leaving evidence of a skirmish might indeed be the best strategy!
At this exact moment, the energy assault of the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger collided with Jiang Chen's defensive formation just as it was established.
Bang!!
Crack, crack.
A network of fractures began to form on Jiang Chen's defensive shield.
The Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe instantly lost its luster, and the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield began to pulsate erratically.
The force of the impact catapulted Jiang Chen backward, the surrounding air convulsing into a formidable vortex.
"Roar, roar, roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, capitalizing on its momentum, swung its frighteningly sharp claws, carving a path through the air and directing a strike straight at Jiang Chen's cranium!
'Wind Void Steps - Ghostly Wind Secrets!'
Jiang Chen's mind whirred into action, his body swaying like a reed in the breeze, barely evading the lethal claws of the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
Bang!
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's claw missed its mark, instead colliding with a small hill, reducing it to a flat expanse in an instant.
'First, let's address the rest of these underlings.'
A mischievous smile tugged at Jiang Chen's lips, 'As for this behemoth, let's let it have a bit of a chase first.'
After all, he was expected to put on a display of struggle and injury.
He couldn't bring the battle to a swift conclusion.
He would need to endure an extended conflict before he could fell the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
Therefore, Jiang Chen's gaze settled on the demonic beasts of the Heavenly Origin realm and the Mysterious Platform realm trailing the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
These demonic beasts were replete with an abundant flow of qi and blood.
Jiang Chen was practically salivating with anticipation.
'Wind Void Steps - Jade Void Flash!'
With a mere thought, Jiang Chen vanished from the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's line of sight, reappearing behind it before charging directly towards the horde of demonic beasts.
'Void Rainbow Sword Technique - Returning to One!'
Grasping the Shadowblade Sword, Jiang Chen performed a subtle sweep with his right hand, instantly unleashing a terrifying slash of sword light that extended over thousands of meters.
Swish!
The colossal black bats in the sky were caught entirely off guard, each one of them cleaved in two in the blink of an eye.
'One more round!'
Without sparing a second glance, Jiang Chen rotated his right wrist, initiating a deluge of sword light that descended upon the earth like a meteor shower.
Thump! Thump!
Neither the demonic beasts of the Mysterious Platform realm nor those of the Heavenly Origin realm could escape.
Even if they were merely brushed by the weakest portion of Jiang Chen's attack, they were instantly extinguished.
'Gather!'
Jiang Chen commanded inwardly.
A forceful pull emanated from him, drawing all the deceased bodies into the Heavenly Demon Hidden Heart Ring.
A note from AlphaWIA:
Get early access to (+75) more chapters by joining my Patreon.
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"What in the heavens?!"
"What is that radiating pillar of light?!"
Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, their lovely eyes widened in disbelief, fixed their gazes on the luminescent red beam that split the air.
Residing within the confines of the Purple Heaven Holy Land for nearly two decades, this unprecedented occurrence had utterly baffled them; such a phenomenon was unheard of in their experiences.
Even Jiang Chen, composed as he was, felt a certain disquiet ripple through him at the sight of the beam.
Unsurprisingly, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were consumed by an even greater dread.
In that fleeting moment, the crimson hue of the energy beam started to diminish gradually.
Yet, an inexplicably abrasive aura began to seep into and pervade the entirety of the Red Maple Heavenly Valley!
But that was not all.
"Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"
A cascade of deafening roars erupted from the location where the light beam had vanished.
Even from the sound alone, one could surmise that these were no ordinary beasts, but formidable creatures of the Heavenly Origin realm! Among them, a distinct aura even suggested the presence of entities from the Inquiring Journey realm!
Furthermore, the sounds of these beasts began to resonate closer and closer.
In the blink of an eye, an imposing array of demonic beasts breached the horizon, entering the field of vision of Jiang Chen and his companions.
Among them, the Six Extremes Flame Armored Beasts, a single kind, constituted a force numbering in the hundreds.
Additionally, there were dozens of aerial demonic beasts, resembling giant bats splashed in shades of obsidian and crimson, with wingspans stretching up to hundreds of meters.
However, these were merely the lesser creatures.
The demonic beast leading the charge, barreling its way to the forefront, was the focal point.
This formidable beast, a terrifying entity from the Inquiring Journey realm, was a force to be reckoned with.
Cloaked in deep sapphire fur peppered with golden patterns, it resembled an enormous incarnation of a blue-base golden-striped tiger.
Its towering stature, exceeding six hundred meters in height and over a thousand meters in length, eclipsed the sun and the sky.
Its body, adorned with a coat of fluffy golden fur encircling its neck, spreading across its back, and trailing along its extended tail, emanated an aura of majesty.
Its horns rivaled mountain peaks in their grandeur, its eyes mirrored the vast expanse of lakes, its gaping mouth was akin to a profound chasm, its fangs stood tall and dense like a forest, and its four feet, robust and firm, resembled celestial pillars.
Moreover, there were flesh membranes lined with fur stretching between its four feet, amplifying its already formidable figure and enhancing its overwhelming presence.
"This is bad!"
"It's the Inquiring Journey realm demonic beast, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger! Quick, we must retreat!"
Xie Xiaojing's expression morphed in terror, and she cried out in alarm.
"Jiang Chen, we must flee!"
Ji Ruxue, equally urgent, promptly extracted a red sphere adorned with intricate black patterns from her storage ring!
Jiang Chen examined it with his divine sense.
He immediately perceived an exceptionally unstable aura of the Inquiring Journey realm from the crimson sphere.
It was a self-destruct artifact!
Without a shred of doubt, he deduced it to be a defensive mechanism left by Ji Mingxiu for Ji Ruxue to utilize in times of peril.
'In the original narrative, Ji Ruxue likely employed this artifact to effect her escape.'
'As a disciple of the Holy Lord, I would undoubtedly sustain substantial injuries and bear the brunt of the blame for my failure to safeguard the Holy Maiden.'
'At that juncture, my reputation would suffer a significant hit, and I would also lose ground in the contest for the title of Holy Son.'
'So this is the influence exerted by the Heavenly Fate Value; it's indeed profound!'
'Fortunately, I am no mere villain, but a significant adversary with tens of thousands of Black Heavenly Fate Value points and two Heaven-Defying Fate Changers to my name!'
'In the original narrative, I, as a disciple of the Holy Lord, would bear the brunt of the damage, but now, I am poised to alter this fate.'
A multitude of thoughts surfaced in Jiang Chen's mind, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
In fact, from the moment he had intertwined with protagonist Fang Yuan's narrative, he had orchestrated a significant deviation from the original story - his cultivation base had been directly ascended to the Inquiring Journey realm!
Strength was, after all, the foundational bedrock for any transformation.
Strategies, more often than not, were merely the icing on the cake.
At this moment, casting a glance at the visibly terrified and flustered Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing, Jiang Chen offered a faint smile, "Proceed ahead, both of you. I shall keep them at bay!"
Having spoken, he channeled a considerable quantity of Inquiring Journey realm Dao Yuan Power into the jade flute, pushing it to its utmost limits.
The flute, as a result, sprang into action with astonishing speed!
"Jiang Chen!"
"No, Senior Brother Jiang Chen, that's an Inquiring Journey realm Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger!"
"..."
While Ji Ruxue's and Xie Xiaojing's cries echoed in the air, they had already been whisked away by the jade flute.
Meanwhile, on Jiang Chen's side, he gripped the Shadowblade Sword, bracing himself against the swarm of demonic beasts charging at him from both sky and ground.
"Roar!!"
The foremost Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, eyes aflame with madness, its gaze awash with a brutal, bloodthirsty hue, closed the gap to Jiang Chen within mere moments, covering hundreds of meters.
Boom!
A fearsome golden energy beam exploded forth from the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's mouth, reaching Jiang Chen's vicinity in an instant.
'Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe, Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield, activate!'
Jiang Chen's mind was in overdrive, his Dao Yuan Power surging immediately into the two defensive artifacts he bore.
One of these was the Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe, obtained via an exchange with the system, while the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield was a gift from a Supreme Elder.
Under the influence of the Dao Yuan Power, the defensive capabilities of these two artifacts were immediately maximized!
Jiang Chen's genuine combat strength had already reached the Late-stage Inquiring Journey realm.
The energy barrier he was capable of creating nonchalantly could effortlessly repel the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
After all, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger was only in the Early to Middle-stage of the Inquiring Journey realm.
However, he opted not to do so.
At times, sustaining minor damage and leaving evidence of a skirmish might indeed be the best strategy!
At this exact moment, the energy assault of the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger collided with Jiang Chen's defensive formation just as it was established.
Bang!!
Crack, crack.
A network of fractures began to form on Jiang Chen's defensive shield.
The Carefree Heavenly Extreme Robe instantly lost its luster, and the Rising Mountain Blue Crystal Shield began to pulsate erratically.
The force of the impact catapulted Jiang Chen backward, the surrounding air convulsing into a formidable vortex.
"Roar, roar, roar!"
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger, capitalizing on its momentum, swung its frighteningly sharp claws, carving a path through the air and directing a strike straight at Jiang Chen's cranium!
'Wind Void Steps - Ghostly Wind Secrets!'
Jiang Chen's mind whirred into action, his body swaying like a reed in the breeze, barely evading the lethal claws of the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
Bang!
The Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's claw missed its mark, instead colliding with a small hill, reducing it to a flat expanse in an instant.
'First, let's address the rest of these underlings.'
A mischievous smile tugged at Jiang Chen's lips, 'As for this behemoth, let's let it have a bit of a chase first.'
After all, he was expected to put on a display of struggle and injury.
He couldn't bring the battle to a swift conclusion.
He would need to endure an extended conflict before he could fell the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
Therefore, Jiang Chen's gaze settled on the demonic beasts of the Heavenly Origin realm and the Mysterious Platform realm trailing the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger.
These demonic beasts were replete with an abundant flow of qi and blood.
Jiang Chen was practically salivating with anticipation.
'Wind Void Steps - Jade Void Flash!'
With a mere thought, Jiang Chen vanished from the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger's line of sight, reappearing behind it before charging directly towards the horde of demonic beasts.
'Void Rainbow Sword Technique - Returning to One!'
Grasping the Shadowblade Sword, Jiang Chen performed a subtle sweep with his right hand, instantly unleashing a terrifying slash of sword light that extended over thousands of meters.
Swish!
The colossal black bats in the sky were caught entirely off guard, each one of them cleaved in two in the blink of an eye.
'One more round!'
Without sparing a second glance, Jiang Chen rotated his right wrist, initiating a deluge of sword light that descended upon the earth like a meteor shower.
Thump! Thump!
Neither the demonic beasts of the Mysterious Platform realm nor those of the Heavenly Origin realm could escape.
Even if they were merely brushed by the weakest portion of Jiang Chen's attack, they were instantly extinguished.
'Gather!'
Jiang Chen commanded inwardly.
A forceful pull emanated from him, drawing all the deceased bodies into the Heavenly Demon Hidden Heart Ring.
A note from AlphaWIA:
Get early access to (+75) more chapters by joining my Patreon.
Can't join Patreon? No worries! Help spread the word about my work instead. Every share makes a big difference. Thanks for your support!
