Book 11 Chapter 20

Ostentatious

The whirlpool in the middle of the sky continued to spiral. At the same time, the area surrounding the eddies changed colours. It sometimes turned blue, sometimes purple, sometimes black, sometimes white…… the region around the periphery of the swirl changed into various colours, while at the same time the entire space endlessly sent out strong tremors.

The intensity of the spatial quake had reached a startling stage.

With Reverend Ming Liang taking the lead, several thousands of Loose Immortals of the Sixth Tribulation and above formed two rows, and bowed their bodies in preparation for the reception of the Immortal Realm’s Emissary. Only the facial expressions of Fang Tian and Zong Jue, who were below, were not very good. They coldly observed the passageway in the middle of the sky.

As the magnitude of the spatial vibrations got stronger and stronger —

A low rumbling sound echoed through the heavens and earth, then cracks appeared all over the spiralling swirl, and a white passageway appeared.

A flicker of light was seen streaming through the white passageway, enveloped in flames while causing sparks to fly due to the extremely fast speed.

Merely after a while, that stream of light decelerated into a human silhouette.

“Phew, the space channel was really dangerous,” that human silhouette relaxed a breath, and waited while he looked below him.

“This Junior, Ming Liang of Qingxu Sect, pays his respects to the Immortal Realm’s Emissary,” Reverend Ming Liang was the first person to voice out.

That dense immortal aura, added to the fact of having transversed through space, and news which were sent from the ninth level of Shangtian Palace, everything had said that the person before their eyes was the Immortal Realm’s Emissary.

“So you are Ming Liang,” that Immortal Realm’s Emissary was a handsome man, with a pair of sideburns each leaving a wisp of long hair, and bore with him an Immortal Sword on his back.

Meanwhile, Qin Yu who was observing from the bottom felt very puzzled.

Why did that Immortal not keep his Immortal Sword within his body, but instead carried it on his back?

Qin Yu simply did not know that, that was the difference between Sword Immortals and other ordinary Immortals. Ordinary Immortals have Flying Swords, while Sword Immortals have Immortal Swords. Ordinary Immortals keep their Flying Swords within their bodies, while Sword Immortals carry their swords behind their backs. Moreover, Sword Immortals not only have Immortal Swords, but they also have Jianying (similar to ordinary Immortals’ Yuanying).

“This Junior is indeed Ming Liang,” replied Reverend Ming Liang respectfully.

That Immortal Realm’s Emissary nodded and smiled slightly, “I am Sword Immortal Hua Yan. You may address me as Senior Hua Yan. Earlier, when you had retrieved the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams, His Majesty Yu Huang was extremely happy, and had sent me to reward you handsomely. Oh right, where is the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams? You can hand it over to me.”

Reverend Ming Liang smiled bitterly, “Senior Hua Yan, half a day ago, that Sundering The Heavens Diagrams was still in my hands.”

From just having heard this sentence, Sword Immortal Hua Yan’s facial expression changed slightly, but he did not interrupt.

“It was just that not too long ago, Zong Jue from the Chaotic Astral Sea and the Dragon Clan’s Patriarch Fang Tian destroyed our Qingxu Sect’s Ten Developments Illusive Array, after which a mysterious Sword Immortal Lan Feng made a move, and directly snatched the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams away. Ming Liang’s capabilities were too weak, so there was definitely no chance for me to resist, and could only be manipulated by them as they wished.”

When Ming Liang ended with ‘be manipulated by them as they wished’, his heart was full of bitterness.

As the strongest person amongst the Loose Immortals, Reverend Ming Liang’s status was one that could not be said that he was not respected. However, when faced against two invincible existences, he, Ming Liang, definitely did not have any strength to resist.

“Sword Immortal Lan Feng?” Hua Yan slightly frowned, and at the same time used his Immortal Awareness to sweep through everyone at the bottom.

“Oh…… you cannot be blamed for this matter, Five-Clawed Gold Dragon and Golden-Winged Giant Peng are both Super Divine Beasts, and are existences that belong to high statuses in the Demon Realm. Even if they have also survived their Twelfth Tribulations, their capabilities are far better than you. As for Sword Immortal Lan Feng, where is he?”

When Hua Yan saw Zong Jue and Fang Tian, he was only slightly shocked, and thus did not pay much attention.

“Sword Immortal Lan Feng snatched the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams only moments ago, and had just recently left,” Reverend Ming Liang respectfully replied.

“He was able to snatch the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams right before two great Super Divine Beasts?” Hua Yan was a little unconvinced.

Reverend Ming Liang answered, “Senior Hua Yan, that Lan Feng Sword Immortal was not an ordinary Sword Immortal. He was already a First Tier Golden Immortal. With his capabilities, even the two great experts Zong Jue and Fang Tian were not confident of winning him.” Earlier, when Qin Yu controlled the Sword Immortal Puppet and had conversed with both Fang Tian and Zong Jue, Reverend Ming Liang could still clearly remember that exchange.

“Impossible!” Hua Yan’s facial expression changed.

“Golden Immortals definitely cannot be in the Mortal Realm!” Hua Yan’s facial expression was very unsightly.

Reverend Ming Liang continued, “However, his capabilities were definitely outrageously powerful. Besides, Fang Tian and Zong Jue who are both great martial experts have accepted it. Moreover, that Sword Immortal Lan Feng also said that he had a Senior Martial Brother.”

Hua Yan did not speak, but began to consider.

In actual fact, Hua Yan was also only a First Tier Golden Immortal.

To break through the space barriers between two realms and thus creating a space channel, it seemed like an impossible thing. Yet Yu Huang had invited many good friends, and they had created a space channel together. That space channel had, at the very most, allowed a First Tier Golden Immortal to pass through it. Hua Yan, an elite disciple under Yu Huang, was therefore sent to the Mortal Realm.

Although Hua Yan’s capabilities were weak in the Immortal Realm, he belonged to a group of candidates who were carefully being groomed.

It was similar to, if Fang Tian had Ascended to the Demon Realm, even though his capabilities would then only be that of a First Tier Demon King, he would still be addressed as one of the the Dragon Clan’s important candidates to be groomed, and his status would be similar to that of a First Tier Mystic Immortal. Although that Hua Yan’s capabilities were not powerful, he was also someone with a very high status.

“That was a Sword Immortal, and also a First Tier Golden Immortal! Could it be…… someone belonging to another faction in the Immortal Realm, or maybe someone under the ‘Eternally Verdant’ Qing Di?” Hua Yan was making assumptions in his mind.

There were many martial experts who were Immortal Emperors in the Immortal Realm. Even for Eighth Tier and Ninth Tier Mystic Immortals who were close to the pinnacle, there were quite a few. The Immortal Emperor Ni Yang in those days belonged at the very pinnacle amongst Immortal Emperors. Although Yu Huang was amongst the highest few in the Immortal Realm, there were similarly others who had reached Yu Huang’s level in martial cultivation.

After guessing for a while, Hua Yan did not continue to think further.

“Ming Liang, you cannot be blamed for this matter. However, everyone can see that you have toiled tirelessly for Yu Huang. Therefore, I bestow unto you this Finest Grade Immortal Sword ‘Point Star’. This Finest Grade Immortal Sword ‘Point Star’ was the matching sword of the Senior in the Immortal Realm who had created the ‘Point Star Verse‘ back in the early years. It should be most suitable for you.”

An exquisite Immortal Sword materialised and floated above Hua Yan’s hand, and he removed the Blood Contract of that weapon at the same time.

A Spatial Ring of the Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier was required to store a Finest Grade Immortal Sword, and the Spatial Rings used for items storage which belonged to the Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier were truthfully too expensive, such that even Yu Huang only had one. He, Hua Yan, himself only possessed a Spatial Ring of the High Grade Immortal Equipment Tier, which was why he could only keep the Immortal Sword ‘Point Star’ in his custody through use of the Blood Contract to first claim ownership.

The storage type of equipment were the rarest, such that Spatial Rings of the High Grade Immortal Equipment Tier, could even rival ordinary Finest Grade Immortal Swords.

“Ah,” Ming Liang was completely surprised.

Finest Grade Immortal Sword!

The first item to be presented was already a Finest Grade Immortal Sword!

“This Junior, this Junior thanks Yu Huang for his generosity. Thank you Senior Hua Yan,” having said that, Reverend Ming Liang used a pair of quivering hands to accept that Finest Grade Immortal Sword.

Qin Yu, who was at the bottom, also took in a deep breath.

“What extravagance, the first item presented was already a Finest Grade Immortal Sword!” Qin Yu had struggled between life and death within Qingyu Immortal Mansion until the very end just to receive Middle Grade Immortal Equipment. Of course, Qin Yu’s Ring of the Black Flame Lord was a High Grade Immortal Equipment. Moreover, because of it’s two inherent abilities and extremely rare capability to store items, the Ring of the Black Flame Lord’s value exceeded that of a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment.

Zong Jue and Fang Tian both secretly felt alarmed.

Finest Grade Immortal Equipment?

The Mortal Realm absolutely did not possess any of the conditions to refine a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment treasure.

The personal weapon of the Dragon Clan’s Patriarch was only of Middle Grade Immortal Equipment (Demon Equipment) Tier, unless the Dragon Clan’s most important treasure, Dragon Pearl of Inheritance was used, it could still be estimated to barely compare against a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment. It was just that…… to use the Dragon Pearl of Inheritance in a battle, he would only use it when a life or death situation arose.

As for Zong Jue, the weapon he was originally using was also of Middle Grade Immortal Equipment Tier. Luckily for him, Senior Lan gave him a precious item, and that precious item was also Zong Jue’s final ultimate move.

“Zong Jue, this Immortal Realm’s Emissary came from the Immortal Realm. According to what they had said, he should belong under Yu Huang in the Immortal Realm. A martial expert of Yu Huang’s level seems to be unconcerned with Finest Grade Immortal Equipment. Although the personal strength of this Immortal Realm’s Emissary is not too powerful, the number of treasures that he possess must be plentiful,” Fang Tian exclaimed.

Hua Yan’s personal capabilities was only that of a First Tier Golden Immortal.

However, Hua Yan was equipped with many treasures, simply up to a frightening extent.

Even within the Immortal Realm, the treasures of an ordinary Mystic Immortal martial expert could not be compared to Hua Yan. That was because, that Immortal Realm’s Yu Huang had also been extravagant due to Hua Yan’s descent to the Mortal Realm.

Zong Jue’s eyes glittered, “Fang Tian, take a look at that Sword Immortal’s battle clothes.”

Fang Tian also took a closer look. Immediately, Fang Tian’s eyes widely opened. “High Grade Immortal Equipment? Or is it Finest Grade Immortal Equipment?”

The Immortal Realm’s Emissary possessed quite a significant number of treasures.

Not only was his personal offensive weapon good, his body also wore the best battle clothes.

Defensive Immortal Equipment were harder to refine when compared against offensive Immortal Equipment. Storage type Immortal Equipment were even harder to refine when compared against defensive Immortal Equipment. Moreover, several Immortal Equipment which possessed special abilities were much harder and extremely few in number.

“Senior Hua Yan, this is my Junior Martial Brother Ming Shan, this is Xue Yu Yang, this person is Reverend Chi Yang, this person is Reverend Lan Bing. They are all Eleventh Tribulations Loose Immortals,” at that moment, Reverend Ming Liang was reporting to Sword Immortal Hua Yan several facts of the situation.

Hua Yan looked at the four Eleventh Tribulations Loose Immortals before him.

Although to him Eleventh Tribulations Loose Immortals did not count as anything, he was currently the only person who had descended, so he could only use whatever help was available.

“Very good, everyone who is loyal to Yu Huang will naturally get rewarded. Here are four High Grade Immortal Swords which I bestow unto you,” Hua Yan retrieved four High Grade Immortal Swords out of thin air. Those four Immortal Swords were retrieved by Hua Yan directly from his Spatial Ring.

Reverend Ming Shan, Xue Yu Yang, Reverend Chi Yang, and Reverend Lan Bing were all bewildered.

High Grade Immortal Equipment?

However, in the end, all four people endured their excitement, and each one of them accepted the Immortal Sword while quivering.

“Everyone, for anyone who serves Yu Huang and accomplishes an achievement, His Majesty Yu Huang had decreed that he will not be stingy with the reward. I, Hua Yan, hereby declare, that if anyone manages to obtain the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams and hands it over to me, I will represent Yu Huang and bestow upon that person a set of Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier Battle Armor!”

Hua Yan’s clear voice echoed through the heavens and earth.

Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier Battle Armor?

“How really ostentatious,” Zong Jue frowned, while Fang Tian smiled bitterly.

No matter how powerful they were, they still belonged to the Mortal Realm. How could they possibly compare with Hua Yan, when even the person behind Hua Yan was Yu Huang of the Immortal Realm?

Eight pieces or even ten pieces of Finest Grade Immortal Equipment, they absolutely did not mean anything to a martial expert like Yu Huang.

For a single person’s capabilities, although personal skills are obviously important, equipment also contributed significantly.

Take for example Hua Yan.

He possessed a Finest Grade Immortal Sword, possessed a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier Battle Armor, possessed various Immortal Elixirs, and possessed several powerful and forbidden talismans. Solely by relying on factors from another realm, the battle capabilities that he could unleash had increased several times.

“Based on the fact that he can afford to use a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier Battle Armor as a reward, means that he definitely has one himself,” Fang Tian smiled bitterly. “Zong Jue, a single First Tier Golden Immortal, using a Finest Grade Immortal Sword for offense, and a Finest Grade Immortal Equipment Tier Battle Armor for defense, temporarily ignoring the other items, do you have any confidence to handle him?”

Zong Jue became silent for a while, then replied, “If, the both of us have the same kind of weapons, and the same kind of defensive Immortal Equipment, I will be able to compete against him.”

Having heard what Zong Jue had said, Fang Tian also felt helpless.

Solely by comparing personal capabilities, they were not weaker than the opponent. However, the other party’s gear were too good.

*****

Hua Yan turned his gaze towards Fang Tian and Zong Jue. His body image flickered once, then immediately arrived before the both of them.

“Fang Tian? Zong Jue?” Hua Yan slightly smiled.

Fang Tian and Zong Jue both nodded, and Fang Tian voiced out, “I do not know if there are any matters that Sword Immortal Hua Yan wish to talk about.”

Super Divine Beasts?

Other people might be afraid to offend them, but who was Hua Yan? He was a candidate who was carefully groomed due to Yu Huang’s influence. To be sent down to the Mortal Realm and tasked to handle such an important matter, it could be seen just how highly Yu Huang had appraised that Sword Immortal Hua Yan.

“Any matters? Qingxu Sect belongs to the side of the Xiandao, why did the both of you destroy the Ten Developments Illusive Array?” the smile on Hua Yan’s face vanished, and his facial expression turned cold.

Fang Tian and Zong Jue both narrowed their eyes and leaked forth icy glares.

*****

Qin Yu, who stood behind Fang Tian, was quietly looking at how the situation unfolded, and ceaselessly communicated with his two brothers using Spiritual Awareness. That was because, no matter what happened, there was Zong Jue and Fang Tian to bear the brunt. Those three brothers were not in the least worried at all.

Hou Fei used his Spiritual Awareness and Sound Transfer, “Big Brother, ah, that Hua Yan is really ostentatious. Offensive Immortal Equipment, defensive Immortal Equipment, and a Spatial Ring, simply a mobile treasure vault. I think, ah, he definitely also has various Finest Grade Immortal Elixirs from the Immortal Realm.”

Qin Yu smiled. At that moment, Hua Yan had already arrived before Zong Jue and Fang Tian, and began questioning.

“Big Brother, I have a feeling that, that Hua Yan is about to make a move,” Hei Yu’s low voice reverberated from within Qin Yu and Hou Fei’s mind.

Qin Yu agreed and replied using Sound Transfer, “That Hua Yan already knows of Fang Tian and Zong Jue’s identities, and know that the both of them are invincible existences which belong to the Mortal Realm. Having just arrived to the Mortal Realm, I estimate that he wants to solidify his influence, and the best way to strengthen his authority is to defeat Fang Tian and Zong Jue.”

To demonstrate his authority, he had to find and defeat the strongest.

Things were indeed within the expectations of the three brothers.

“Sword Immortal Hua Yan, what do you mean by those words? Since when do the fights and battles between the people of the Mortal Realm require you to interfere. The sight of the Qingxu Sect displeasures me, so what if I destroy their Ten Developments Illusive Array? Unless, upon your descent to the Mortal Realm, you want to use me and my men as a stepping stone to strengthen your influence?” Zong Jue replied coldly.

At that moment, Zong Jue did not show any weakness.

“Except, Sword Immortal Hua Yan, a person has to know himself. There is nothing wrong in trying to demonstrate your authority, it is a pity that…… I am afraid you might have chosen the wrong opponent,” the pupils in Zong Jue’s eyes instantly turned gold, and his aura violently flared up, the edges of his mouth that held a hint of arrogance curled into a sneer of disdain.