Chapter 637: Epiphany

Laughing, Jian Chen smiled, “I’m Jian Chen. You can call me by that name from now on. Your name is Nubis, I take it? I’ll be calling you that from now on as well.”

The completion of his mission made Jian Chen extremely happy. After exchanging several happy words with Nubis, the two enemies became a group that would later be fighting shoulder to shoulder in battle.

Jian Chen and Nubis flew toward Jiede Tai who was waiting for them several kilometers away in the air. When Jian Chen saw the astounded look on the patriarch’s face, he couldn’t help but give a wry grin, “From now on we are all part of a family. Allow me to introduce everyone then. This is the Class 7 Golden-Striped Silver Snake, Nubis. This is a Saint Ruler, Jiede Tai.”

“The great Nubis!” The male corrected Jian Chen in dissatisfaction.

“It is an honor to meet you, the great Nubis.” Up against a Golden-Striped Silver Snake, Jiede Tai did not desire to be negligent of his manners. He made sure to cup his hands in respect. While he was calm on the outside, his mind was in disarray. In truth, he found it hard to believe that Jian Chen had managed to make a foe like the Golden-Striped Silver Snake submit to him, especially since a Class 7 Magical Beast was by no means easy to fight.

Attentively, Nubis stared at Jiede Tai for a moment before haughtily saying, “Third Heavenly Layer, your strength is just barely adequate.”

A series of color changes washed over Jiede Tai’s face at those words. He was angered by the words of Nubis, and if it were a human Saint Ruler that had said them, then he would have immediately become hostile. However, just thinking about how different a Golden-Striped Silver Snake was, he had no other choice but to quash his anger down enough for it to not show on his face.

He didn’t have the Thousand Immunity, which could negate the snake’s venom, like Jian Chen did. The venom from a Class 7 Magical Beast was far more than what Jiede Tai could take.

“The great Nubis, sire, this one will be a comrade in arms in the upcoming times with you. I hope that you and him will be able to get along and avoid any conflict.” Jian Chen spoke. He felt rather unhappy at the contemptuous words Nubis said when he spoke to Jiede Tai. Although Jiede Tai was his lackey now, he was still a Saint Ruler that brokered far too much power and dignity to be ridiculed.

“Very well then!” Nubis shrugged his shoulders. He was a being that was inherently proud, so it was only when Jian Chen asked that he would bother trying to tone it down.

Jiede Tai felt slightly relieved when Jian Chen spoke. A simple phrase caused Jiede Tai to look at Jian Chen in a slightly better light. Now he was a little more accepting of his lowly status.

Afterward, the three of them didn’t bother to stay in the area much longer. They flew toward Mercenary City.

Not too long after the three left, a purple-robed elder appeared out of nowhere. His eyes stared at the three retreating figures as he muttered to himself, “Only a year has passed since I last saw him, yet Jian Chen’s strength has already progressed so much that even that little snake cannot harm him. How truly astounding, but how is his body that strong? Is he really a reincarnation of one of the wargods from the ancient clans?”

Thinking for a moment, the elder then shook his head, “His body and the special characteristics of the wargods of the past are completely different. He must have used some sort of secret technique to gain such a strong physique. If a Fifth Heavenly Layer Saint Ruler is unable to inflict a mortal wound on him, then it seems that I’ll be able feel at ease while Little Fatty travels with him. He will be able to achieve the goals I have for him soon enough, I hope.” At this, the figure of the elder gradually faded away from the world.

In the end, his body could no longer be called the body of a human. It was more like a construct made from the powers of the world.

For two days, the three men traveled back to Mercenary City in a hurry. However, only Jiede Tai and Jian Chen had entered the city while Nubis stood a thousand meters away from the barrier. Mercenary City prohibited any high class magical beasts from entering. It only allowed mounts free entry.

Jian Chen was worried something had happened back at home since his half of the jade slip had broken. Thus, instead of staying in Mercenary City for a moment longer, Jian Chen directed Little Fatty and Wang Yufeng to hurry out to regroup with Nubis.

As Jian Chen approached Nubis once more, the snake gave a sudden start. Both of his eyes swung to the tiger cub that was resting on Jian Chen’s shoulder with a look of absolute shock.

“I-Im… th-... impossible! It… it has appeared once more in this world!” As soon as he saw the tiger cub, Nubis immediately cried out without a single bit of his previous regal dignity to be heard.

Despite the tiger cub being only a weak Class 5 Magical Beast that Nubis would normally disregard, the origins of the cub were something overwhelmed Nubis.

The power that ran through the bloodline of the tiger cub was far too massive. Nubis swore that not once in his life had he ever felt such a domineering pressure. Even a Class 8 Magical Beast — the magical beast equivalent of a Saint King in the human world — would not be able to force Nubis to feel this very intense, dreadful pressure. It was a pressure that shook his soul to its very core so that he wouldn’t dare rebel. In fact, he even felt the urge to kneel down on his knee to swear his allegiance to the cub.

As a Golden-Striped Silver Snake, Nubis was a Class 7 Magical Beast that knew plenty of the world. He understood just what sort of existence this magical beast was to possess such tremendous power. Combined with the special characteristics of the cub, Nubis was sure of its true identity, but even still, he was completely dumbfounded by the revelation.

Jian Chen could tell that Nubis had learned the truth of the tiger cub’s identity from his reaction, but this outcome was something he had expected. Thus, he was not surprised.

“O’ great Nubis, I hope that you’ll be able to safeguard this secret!” Jian Chen discretely spoke to him.

Still not yet fully recovered from his shock, Nubis continued to stare at the sleeping tiger cub a moment longer before looking at Jian Che, “Jian Chen, does this mean you know its identity?”

Jian Chen nodded his head, but the proximity of Jiede Tai, who was carrying Wang Yufeng and Little Fatty, made Jian Chen pull Nubis away before he whispered, “Great Nubis, the Winged Tiger God is a divine beast of antiquity. It’ll definitely become the true king of the magical beasts in the future, but since it is a cub, now would be the best time to foster friendly relations with it.This for you is a great opportunity. I believe you understand just how terrifying the Winged Tiger God is.”

Nubis’ eyes filled with a bright light while he clenched his fists. He wasn’t an ignoramus; Jian Chen’s words left him to ponder to himself even more than before. He knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime event that he couldn’t possibly hope to miss. The strength of a Winged Tiger God was something that far surpassed any human he knew of. In the case that the Winged Tiger God matured fully, not a single force in this world would be able to stop it.

“Worry not, I know what must be done.” Nubis reassured Jian Chen.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Jian Chen smiled, “Let’s go then!”

Afterward, Jian Chen and the others traveled toward the Qinhuang Kingdom. Nubis had been very quick to regain his regular calm, but every so often, as they traveled through the sky, his eyes could be seen lingering on the tiger cub with a hint of fear.

Nubis’ earlier loss of composure had been noticed by Jiede Tai. He now kept his eyes on the tiger cub on Jian Chen’s shoulder. He had noticed the cub earlier but had took it to be a small cub that Jian Chen was fostering. Thus, he didn’t bother wasting any thoughts about it, but Nubis’ reaction from made him realize he was a bit too hasty when he made his evaluation.

“What history does this magical beast youngling have to cause an ancient beast like the Golden-Striped Silver Snake to be at a loss like this?” Jiede Tai thought to himself in curiosity, wondering what the tiger cub was.

As Jian Chen and his entourage were on route to the Qinhuang Kingdom, the stalwart middle-aged man from last time was seated in yet another private room of a building in a First Class City in the kingdom closest to Mercenary City. Right in front of him was the same old man that had greeted him last time.

“Respectful sir, there was an important message that had to be reported straight away. Our spy has made a concise report that Jian Chen has left Mercenary City. He is traveling in the direction of the Qinhuang Kingdom. According to what we know, the Qinhuang Kingdom most recently gained another Imperial Protector that goes by the name Jian Chen. It would be my guess that they’re the same person!” The elder informed the man.

A brilliant light entered the seated man’s eyes as he said, “This information isn’t half-bad. You’ve done well. Take this. Consider it your reward and the surplus a bonus.” Throwing down an exquisite Space Ring onto the table, the man left the room.

After two days worth of traveling over thousands and thousands of kilometers, Jian Chen’s group finally managed to make it to the edges of the Qinhuang Kingdom. Without any time to rest, the group headed for the palace.

Unbeknownst to them, an extremely faint image floated several thousand meters overhead, looking down on the group. This image looked similar to the middle-aged man, but his face was extremely sinister.

“Winged Tiger God, I’ve finally found you.” The man excitedly spoke.