Chapter 763: Even
Xiao Chen felt even more astonished at Nangong Qiong’s identity. Unexpectedly, she could get the proud and unfathomable Yan Shisan to give way to this extent.
“Since you already condensed a Sword Heart, you will not disgrace the Snow Feather Sword. From here on, its glory will depend on you.”
Yan Shisan did not say anything more. He grabbed the hilt of the Heavenly Ice Sword and looked around coldly as though asking if there was anyone else unwilling to submit.
After seeing Yan Shisan’s strength, no one would seek trouble for themselves. They all avoided his gaze, not daring to meet it.
A loud ‘boom’ resounded as Yan Shisan pulled out the Heavenly Ice Sword. A massacring sword light shot up into the air, breaking through the roof of the hall with apocalyptic force.
Yan Shisan’s figure flashed and turned into a black beam of light, vanishing from this place.
Just as everyone thought that peace returned, the stone platform that had held the Heavenly Ice Sword exploded into dust.
As the stone platform shattered, beams of resplendent light shot out, looking like mighty Heavenly Rocs spreading their wings and flying high.
This light was glorious, and there were more than a hundred beams of them. Vast Emperor’s Might condensed and spread throughout the enormous hall, making breathing difficult.
“Painting pieces!”
“They really are pieces of the Great Roc Spreading Wings Painting. There are so many! We struck the jackpot!”
After being silent for so long, all the cultivators in the hall roared madly as a crowd charged over.
The cultivators who could not wait all leaped into the air, grabbing at the painting pieces. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” Many pained cries resounded—the cries of people injured by the remnant energy of the painting pieces or by the sneak attacks of others. The entire place devolved into chaos.
Nangong Qiong whispered, “Along the way, we only found one painting piece. So it turns out that the rest were all hidden here.”
Xiao Chen frowned slightly at the pandemonium. He wondered if Yan Shisan had anticipated that this would happen after his departure.
However, given his character, even if Yan Shisan found out about it, he would not change his mind for the sake of these painting pieces.
Xiao Chen moved to the back together with Xiao Bai and the rest. Then he handed the Snow Feather Sword to Xiao Bai and said, “Brother Jiang, Miss Mu, I will leave Xiao Bai in your care first.”
Jiang Zimo nodded and said, “Brother Xiao, don’t worry. Be more careful yourself as well.”
Xiao Bai understood what Xiao Chen meant. His intent was to protect her. She hated that she was still not up to par and still required Elder Brother Xiao Chen to worry about her.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and did not speak further. He turned around and stood on his Azure Dragon image to join the fight for the painting pieces. He was still hovering in the late stage of Superior Grade Martial Monarch, so these painting pieces were indispensable to him.
These painting pieces might be his opportunity to become a half-Sage; he had to fight for them.
At a glance, the most dazzling ones in the air were the Little Heavenly Monkey Feng and the Silver Moon Spirit Fox Race’s Xuan Yu. Those who fought with the two for a painting piece all ended up in miserable situations.
In a short amount of time, the two had already snatched five or six painting pieces in all and beat back several rash people.
Xiao Chen stood upright on his Azure Dragon image, looking at all the resplendent painting pieces zooming around in the air. Suddenly, he stretched his hand out and nabbed a painting piece flying by him.
A strong shock wave surged out, knocking away all the surrounding cultivators.
Even the Little Heavenly Monkey Feng needed three attempts before he could completely suppress the energy in a painting piece. When Xiao Chen used his full power, applying both Quintessence and Mental Energy at the same time, he succeeded on his first attempt!
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Shock waves surged, spreading out nonstop!
Xiao Chen moved quickly. He made ten attempts and pulled off all ten. In a few breaths, he caught up to Xuan Yu and Feng’s progress.
After a while, Xiao Chen had obtained twenty painting pieces. Now, the combined harvest of the Little Heavenly Monkey and Xuan Yu did not even reach half of his.
Such ferocity finally attracted everyone’s attention. The other cultivators stared flabbergasted as Xiao Chen rapidly collected painting pieces in an extremely tyrannical manner.
“This is too ridiculous! How are others supposed to get anything when he’s like that?!”
“Damn! As things are going, he’ll snatch most of the painting pieces.”
The original chaotic situation was a melee with clumps of people fighting each other. Now, it transformed into Xiao Chen’s one-man show. No one could stop him from furiously collecting painting pieces.
An indescribable chill appeared in the Little Heavenly Monkey’s gemlike eyes. This fellow is a bit too excessive, right?
“Hu chi!”
Xuan Yu, who had long since disliked Xiao Chen, snorted coldly. Taking advantage of Xiao Chen’s disregard, he quickly flew towards him. Then he stretched his hand out and tried to snatch a painting piece behind Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and did not even bother to turn around. He extended his left hand to the rear and grabbed that painting piece. At the same time, he swung his right hand and snagged another painting piece flying by, sending out a surging shock wave.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen caught two painting pieces at the same time. An Emperor’s Might spread out, making his black hair and white clothes flutter in the wind; he looked incredibly sharp at this moment.
Xuan Yu, who initially thought that he would succeed, ended up just clutching air. His expression looked extremely interesting right now.
Xiao Chen quickly placed the two painting pieces into the Universe Ring. Then his figure flashed, and he appeared in another location, leaving behind the frozen Xuan Yu, who was standing in place with his hand stretched out.
Riding the dragon image, Xiao Chen swooped through the air. Along the way, he kept collecting painting pieces as he moved. Any cultivator in his way would go flying.
Xuan Yu clenched his teeth, resolving to cause trouble for Xiao Chen again. So he chased tightly after Xiao Chen, not letting him go.
However, Xiao Chen did not even bother to look at him. Every time Xuan Yu reached out to grab a painting piece, he ended up empty-handed, failing to get anything but air.
Ten minutes later, not a single painting piece remained in the air; all of them had been snatched up already.
Naturally, the biggest winner was Xiao Chen. Out of the hundred pieces of the Great Roc Spreading Wings Painting, he obtained over sixty of them, even more than everyone else’s hauls combined.
The entire hall turned silent. Without exception, all the cultivators focused their attention on Xiao Chen.
Some gazes gleamed with envy, some with jealousy, some with hatred, and there were even some with ill intentions, flickering with murderous intent.
However, the crowd had witnessed Xiao Chen’s earlier clash with Yan Shisan, so no one dared to take the lead in attacking. Although the painting pieces were precious, life was even more valuable.
Aside from Xiao Chen, the Little Heavenly Money obtained the most painting pieces. He glanced at Xiao Chen with his gemlike eyes and left without turning back.
At this moment, Feng had to admit that even with his full power, he might not be able to detain Xiao Chen. Indeed, he might end up dying at Xiao Chen’s hands and getting his painting pieces snatched away.
Whether one liked it or not, the reality was a little cruel. The person whom Feng had not worried about initially ended up being his greatest nemesis in this operation.
After the Little Heavenly Monkey left, sighs came from the crowd as they too left in extreme dissatisfaction.
Aside from Nangong Qiong, the others were not aware of the core painting piece. When they saw that the painting pieces were all taken already, they could only leave this place with regrets.
“Congratulations, Young Master Xiao, on heroically obtaining sixty painting pieces. Your might radiated everywhere. No one could get in your way!”
Nangong Qiong appeared from somewhere and revealed a faint smile on her pretty face.
These words were already in line with Xiao Chen’s expectations of this girl. He ignored her and went to Xiao Bai and the others. Then, he took out thirty painting pieces and distributed them to the three.
He had already suppressed the painting pieces. The three put these away and thanked him with cupped-fist salutes.
The painting pieces contained everything a Sovereign Martial Monarch comprehended in his life. The three were not pretentious people. Furthermore, they were familiar with Xiao Chen’s character, so they did not try to decline his gift.
Xuan Yu had a dark expression as he led his second uncle over. The corners of his lips twitched before he managed to squeeze out a smile. “I have heard Xiao Bai mention you many times already. After finally getting to see you in person today, you are indeed extraordinary.”
Originally, Xuan Yu had expected Xiao Chen to die at the hands of Yan Shisan. Who would have imagined that not only would Yan Shisan not injure Xiao Chen, but he would also do Xiao Chen a favor, passing on his Snow Feather Sword to Xiao Bai?
After that, Xiao Chen even showed off his power and obtained sixty painting pieces, thoroughly stealing the limelight.
At this moment, when Xuan Yu saw the undisguised adoration in Xiao Bai’s eyes, he hated that he could not kill Xiao Chen on the spot. However, he could not do that. Firstly, he was not strong enough. Secondly, he did not dare to do it in front of Xiao Bai.
These conflicting feelings showed clearly on Xuan Yu’s pretty face.
Xiao Chen greeted him indifferently and then started talking to Xiao Bai, chiding her and advising her not to be rash in the future.
“Hehe! Xiao Bai knows already. The next time we meet, Xiao Bai will definitely not stand behind Elder Brother Xiao Chen anymore.”
Seeing that familiar face and voice and that her Elder Brother Xiao Chen seemed the same as before, Xiao Bai felt that this was enough.
At the side, when Xuan Yu saw Xiao Bai’s warm and obedient expression, his eyes almost spewed flames. If looks could kill, Xiao Chen would have already died a thousand times over.
Unfortunately, looks could not kill, or at least Xuan Yu was not capable of that.
Then, Xiao Chen chatted for a bit with Jiang Zimo and Mu Xinya before taking his leave of them.
Nangong Qiong appeared at the appropriate moment and smiled. “Hehe! You are really generous, casually giving away half your painting pieces. Young Master Xiao, I realized that I’m finding you even more unfathomable.”
Xiao Chen casually retorted, “You are equally unfathomable yourself. Cut the crap and bring me to the central hall of the grave palace. After I help you open the doors, we will be even.”
Hearing the words “central hall,” Nangong Qiong was no longer in the mood to joke. She operated secret mechanisms, one after another, and led him through many turns before finally arriving at a thick stone door.
The stone door was entirely black. Aside from looking thick and heavy, everything about it seemed normal.
Nangong Qiong had a grave expression as she said, “This is Heavenly Cloud Stone. It can absorb the Quintessence of cultivators. The central control hall of the grave palace lies beyond. Even if outsiders find the access mechanism, they will not be able to open this door unless they are Heavenly Roc Race descendants. They can only use force.”
Heavenly Cloud Stone, one of the mysterious stones from space. Xiao Chen had heard about it before.
The human race’s Quintessence, the Fiend Race’s Fiend Essence, and the Deity Race’s Mental Energy could not do any damage to it. Instead, these would end up nourishing it, making it tougher.
Only the purest brute force—the force of the physical body—could shatter it.
The amount of force a Heavenly Cloud Stone could withstand depended on its grade. Since the Heavenly Roc King chose this piece of Heavenly Cloud Stone, it would not be of a low grade.
“This is a Sage Grade Heavenly Cloud Stone. It can withstand a force of one thousand tons without breaking. However, this should be nothing to Young Master Xiao.”
Nangong Qiong gently batted her eyelashes at Xiao Chen. Her pure, refreshing, extraordinary, smooth, and fair face revealed a faint smile. It did not seem like she was flirting, but it made her look very charming.
After such praise, ordinary men would attack the Heavenly Cloud Stone right away without raising any objection.