Chapter 982: Retaking Flame City

“Y- y- you’re actually still alive!”

“How is it possible for you to return alive after the ten protector clans have personally descended!?”

“You’re still not dead. How is that possible!?”

The expressions of the Saint Rulers of the Extinguishing Alliance all changed as they shouted out. They were dumbstruck by the fact that Jian Chen had returned safely, overwhelmed with disbelief.

Although they did not personally witness the battle that had occurred far away, they still knew about the arrival of the protector clans. According to their understanding, Jian Chen should have died at the hands of the protector clans long ago, This made it completely impossible for him to return. They naturally thought that the protector clans had taken the Winged Tiger God from Jian Chen in outer space. They imagined that a great battle had erupted as they fought for the Winged Tiger God. They did not anticipate Jian Chen’s safe return.

Jian Chen could not help but sneer as he saw the shocked Saint Rulers, “Looks like you all would’ve loved it if I had died but I’m sorry to disappoint. Not only did I survive, I have returned fine. Even the ten protector clans can’t do anything to me.”

“Impossible, this is impossible. The ten protector clans are the most powerful organizations on the Tian Yuan Continent. They’re extremely tough, so how can they be helpless against you. Jian Chen, did you form some agreement with them?” growled a Saint Ruler. His expression was extremely ugly.

Jian Chen sneered, “You still don’t have the right to know about that. Now, it’s time for you to pay the price for the idiotic actions you did all those years ago. My Flame Mercenaries will be retaking Flame City today and no one can stop me. Even the protector clans can’t stop me,” Jian Chen spoke extremely loudly, causing his voice to echo through the surroundings. Everyone in the city heard his words clearly. Immediately, the Extinguishing Alliance began to panic. Fear overwhelmed many people. The people who were originally part of the Flame Mercenaries and had defected to the Extinguishing Alliance began to regret. If they knew that captain Jian Chen would return so powerfully, they would not have changed sides in the very beginning.

The Saint Rulers of the alliance all became sheet-white. They had lost all heart to resist after witnessing Jian Chen’s strength.

Even the Fifth Heavenly Layer Saint King, Bi Yifei, had been slain by him easily. With this being the case, how could they resist with their current strength? Although they possessed a supreme advantage in numbers, the difference between Saint Ruler and Saint King was as large as a chasm.

“Jian Chen, we will immediately lead our people out of Flame City and swear that we will never become enemies of the Flame Mercenaries again,” said a Saint Ruler. He had also begun to refer to Extinguished City as Flame City again.

“You devastated my Flame Mercenaries all those years ago, and occupied Flame City for so much time. Do you really think this matter will be dismissed so easily? You wish,” sneered Jian Chen as powerful killing intent flickered in his eyes.

The Saint Rulers paled even further when they sensed Jian Chen’s dense killing intent. One of them explained hurriedly, “Jian Chen, listen to us. The things we did all those years ago were spurred on by Bi Jian. We had no other choice either. The prime culprit is Bi Jian and not us.”

Jian Chen’s eyes turned cold. “Do you really think I’m easy to fool?” As he said that, his Emperor Armament appeared in his hand. It radiated with a terrifying energy, causing the surrounding space to warp and almost shatter.

The Saint Rulers of the alliance began to panic even more. One of them said, “Jian Chen, just what do you want to do before you are willing to let us go?”

“You’re deluding yourselves if you think I’d let you go. I will be claiming all your lives today,” Jian Chen said mercilessly.

All the Saint Rulers shivered when they heard this. Despair gradually flooded their hearts. One of them was still unwilling to give up and spoke out, “Jian Chen, if you let me go, I am willing to swear my loyalty to you and become a part of the Flame Mercenaries. I am willing to work for you.”

Jian Chen’s expression remained as cold as before. The killing intent in his eyes did not decrease at all as he sneered, “So many of my brothers from my Flame Mercenaries died in your hands all those years ago. If you become part of the Flame Mercenaries, not only will I fail to make up to those dead brothers, I’ll fail to make up to the people you chased out of Flame City. Only by killing you all can I relieve myself of this rage.”

The Saint Rulers became completely despaired with that. All of them understood that they would probably face their deaths today now that Jian Chen had put things this way.

“Pay for what your previous actions!” Jian Chen bellowed. He no longer bothered with them, charging toward the Saint Rulers threateningly as he wielded his Emperor Armament.

Jian Chen was as strong as a Seventh Heavenly Layer Saint King with the Emperor Armament. His strength was not something twenty-odd Saint Rulers could fend off. As he stabbed out, he killed off three Saint Rulers in a single stroke, directly impaling their foreheads and wiping out their souls.

The other Saint Rulers scattered with this ugly development. They fled in all directions as fast as they could in an attempt to keep Jian Chen busy and make more time for escape. Although they knew the chances were almost non-existent, this was the only way they could survive. Even if they knew they were going to die, they still needed to try.

Jian Chen’s face sank. Although he had the strength of a Saint King, his comprehension of the mysteries of the world was just too limited. It was only at the level of a Seventh Heavenly Layer Saint Ruler, so he was unable to rip open a Space Gate and travel a large distance. It would be very difficult for him to catch the Saint Rulers after they had fled into the distance.

Jian Chen looked back at Rui Jin and Hei Yu and asked, “Senior Rui Jin, please seal this region and stop them from running away.” Jian Chen needed to kill the Saint Rulers of the Extinguishing Alliance. Only with that could he avenge the Flame Mercenaries. He was unwilling to leave any one of them alive.

Rui Jin nodded and pointed at the empty air. The energy of the world immediately began to ripple violently, forming a transparent barrier that encased a radius of five kilometers. It trapped all the Saint Rulers inside.

The Saint Rulers immediately became frantic as they saw how they were trapped inside. They attacked the barrier as if their lives depended on it, wishing to break through and escape. However, a barrier personally cast by Rui Jin was nowhere close to something that they could break. It did not even tremble when their most powerful attacks struck it.

“I’d like to see where you run off to now!” Killing intent surged from Jian Chen. He collected their lives one by one with the Emperor Armament. Although some of them resisted, it was pathetic and of no use whatsoever.

In the blink of an eye, the Saint Rulers were all killed by Jian Chen. The barrier around the area disappeared and the Saint Ruler corpses all fell out of the air and landed on the ground heavily.

Many people from the alliance witnessed this scene where over twenty Saint Rulers were slain. They all became stunned and despair flooded their gazes.

Jian Chen’s fury finally let up slightly after killing the Saint Rulers. He looked toward the millions of people in the city. After a slight deliberation, he did not attack them in the end.

With the growth of his strength, Jian Chen’s outlook and mental state had also improved. With his current status, he had no need to be petty with the ant-like people before him. There were several million people in the city; if he killed all of them, he would have committed a massacre and suffer the punishment of Celestial Decay.

Existences at Saint Ruler and beyond could not kill ordinary people casually. It was fine if they only killed a few, but if they took the lives of too many, they would suffer Celestial Decay.

The existence of Celestial Decay restrained Saint Rulers and beyond, protecting weaker groups. However, the slaughter of Saint Rulers and anything greater could not incite Celestial Decay.

“People of the Extinguishing Alliance, leave the city immediately if you want to live,” called out Jian Chen from the air.

The flames of hope immediately reignited among the despaired eyes of the people when they heard this declaration. They were overwhelmed with emotion; without any hesitation, they tidied their belongings and dragged their families out of Flame City.

Two figures descended from the sky. They were the grand elder of Mercenary City, Tian Jian, and Houston. The two of them watched on with smiles as the people of the Extinguishing Alliance left the city.

“Looks like we were just over-worrying. Jian Chen has not become blinded by hatred and did not start a massacre in the city,” Houston said in relief.

“Sigh, Jian Chen is still too young after all. Possessing such great strength at such a young age, he’ll take the wrong path as soon as he loses control. That will become a misfortune of the continent. But looks like we were indeed over-worrying with everything that has happened so far. Jian Chen may be young and may get involved with conflicts as he does things, but he should be fine on the whole,” sighed Tian Jian.

“His strength has grown to an unbelievable level in just a few short years. He’s also obtained an Emperor Armament and a divine hall. He must have been involved in a lot of bloodshed in those years. Once he deals with his matters, I’ll get him to settle down in Longevity Valley for ten years and get him to properly calm down. It’ll be helpful to him,” said Houston.

Another few people descended from the sky. The great elders of the protector Changyang clan had arrived as a group, floating nearby as they watched Flame City quietly.

“Sigh, he still wants to take back the city and develop his own organization. Is this supposed to be a good thing?” Changyang Zu Xiao sighed deeply. He was filled with helplessness.

The protector Changyang clan could no longer control Jian Chen. Since Jian Chen wanted to take back Flame City and break the rules between the protector clans, all they could do was stand to one side obediently. They did not dare to get in the way.

Changyang Qing Yun stared at Jian Chen from afar as light flickered in his eyes. “He is a member of our Changyang clan no matter what. This is an unchangeable fact.”