Chapter 677: Hunting in the Paramount Realm

In the end, they actually drew straws to decide their respective responsibilities. The Bamboo Sect got lucky, drawing the task to hunt down the Regal Pill Palace. A hint of a smile cracked Sect Head Leng’s sinister face. “Then, we have an accord, no? I shall leave the undue troubles here to you all.” He summoned a portion of his men and raced towards the southeastern area. 

Sect Head Qin Mo was glad to see Sect Head Leng depart, but he showed nothing on the surface as he walked forwards, “Sect Head Xing, Sect Head Fu, are you two interested in entering the Paramount Realm with me? I heard that there are still some mice scuttling around inside the Paramount Realm. Our orders are to eliminate them all, you know.”

Black garbed Sect Head Xing waved his hands and said, “It’s fine, isn’t it? I’ve heard that Paramount Realm is a place of rebirth, and not only is it filled with dead energy, it also contains a shockingly low amount of life force. If we emperor realm cultivators are to go inside, we may be attacked by the energy inside. I have no intentions of going in.”

The Paramount Realm was off limits not only to emperor realm experts, but even cultivators at higher levels. It contained an enormous amount of dead energy that would corrode living beings, especially emperor realm experts. Moreover, the level of life energy inside the Paramount Realm was far too weak. It was true that an emperor realm cultivator would be met with many inconveniences if they were to go inside. In fact, the chances that they would be devoured by the dead energy inside it were far higher than those of the sage realm experts.

Sage realm cultivators had yet to reach the level of power necessary to trigger a response from the dead energy, and thus the amount of vitality they expended was incomparable to the amount consumed by emperor realm experts. Therefore, the dead energy were more attracted to emperor realm experts than sage realm cultivators. This was why an emperor realm expert was normally reluctant to enter a place of rebirth like the Paramount Realm unless it was critical. However, after hearing from Wang Han that Jiang Chen was inside Paramount Realm, there was no way Qin Mo was letting the opportunity slip by, no matter how risky it might be.

This was his Zither Sect’s only chance at glory. If he succeeded in capturing Jiang Chen, then either robbing Jiang Chen of his inheritances or presenting him to the emperor would result in great merits. In fact, this might turn out to be the perfect opportunity for his sect to rise and become a third rank sect! As the saying went, reward was to be found within risk.

“What say you, Sect Head Fu?”

Sect Head Fu of the Golden Glyph Sect also shook his head after a moment’s consideration, “I’ll pass too. Brother Qin Mo, you can’t be…”

Sect Head Qin Mo nodded indifferently, “So what if I have to take a little risk? Someone has to fulfill the emperor’s orders.”

He spoke so self righteously that both sect heads of the Golden Glyph Sect and the Qitian Sect couldn’t quite fathom what he was really thinking. They refused to believe that this old man was as noble as he claimed to be. There must be some kind of unspeakable secret involved.  However, they really didn’t want to step into a place of rebirth either. After all, there were only a few youngsters undergoing their trials inside. Sect Head Qin Mo couldn’t be interested in those youngsters, could he? Was he thinking of winning over a group of young geniuses for his sect?

They admitted that it was a somewhat attractive opportunity, but they still weren’t willing to take this much of a risk for such a tiny matter. They thought that maybe Sect Head Qin Mo’s goal was some of the inheritances inside the Paramount Realm. After all, any cultivators who could undergo rebirth at a place of rebirth were emperor realm or even higher. However, there were only a few emperor realm experts who existed in the history of the Myriad Domain. Where would they find the good luck to obtain an emperor level inheritance?

Therefore, the two sect heads ultimately decided against entering the area. The reason Sect Head Qin Mo had jumped through so many hoops was to enter the Paramount Realm alone. Words couldn’t describe how overjoyed he was when he discovered that both sect heads were unwilling to accompany him.

“In that case, I shall lead my newly recruited disciple and this group of defected warriors into the Paramount Realm. The main army of my Zither Sect shall stay here and eliminate this paltry resistance,” as he said this, Sect Head Qin Mo beckoned for his vice sect head over. “Number two, I shall temporarily leave this task to you. Remember that weeds can only be destroyed by burning the roots. Let not one person leave this place alive. Sect Head Xing, Sect Head Fu, the two of you should be enough to handle anything that might arise here, correct?”

“Don’t worry, brother Qin Mo. We are emperor realm after all, and the strongest amongst the Myriad Domain are only at the ninth level of sage realm. There shall be no mishaps even if we were to do nothing.”

“Mm. Be careful, and don’t underestimate our enemy.” Sect Head Qin Mo waved his hand and spoke to Wang Jianyu’s group, “Lead the way.”

There were six in Wang Jianyu’s group. Their status was currently incomparable to Wang Han’s, so naturally they had to walk at the front. Meanwhile, Wang Han followed behind with Sect Head Qin Mo, looking the picture of a diligent disciple serving his master’s every needs. One had to say that Wang Han was extremely pragmatic. He’d looked high and mighty when still in Sacred Sword Palace, but after entering the tutelage of the Zither sect head, he somehow managed to put up such an appearance of a practiced servant that one couldn’t help but sigh in astonishment. All of the other Myriad Domain sects broke out in sneers and jeers when they saw that the Sacred Sword Palace was actually going to lead their enemies into the Paramount Realm.

“Wang Jianyu, you will die a horrible death, you old bastard!”

“Your Sacred Sword Palace will go down in history as a byword for infamy!”

“Wang Han, you little bastard, how dare you sell yourself to your enemy! The wrath of heaven will smite you!” 

They couldn’t keep their composure any longer. The sects’ greatest geniuses were all inside the Paramount Realm. This Sect Head Qin Mo possessed unparalleled strength, and if he were to go inside, then it was more than likely that all one hundred or so cultivators inside Paramount Realm would perish! They had made up their minds to fight with all their might unto the last, but they hadn’t completely lost hope on the inside. This bit of hope had been carefully placed on the shoulders of the young geniuses currently inside the Paramount Realm. As long as these young geniuses didn’t perish, then the Myriad Domain still had a chance to make a comeback.

But now, Wang Jianyu and the rest of the bastards in the Sacred Sword Palace had obviously decided to pull the carpet from beneath their feet and destroy all of their hopes at the root! If these bastards weren’t full traitors before, they were now! However, they were still hemmed in from all sides. They couldn’t stop their enemies from entering even if they wanted to. Moreover, that Sect Head Qin Mo was so powerful that he’d destroyed more than two hundred people with a careless tune of ‘Besieged on All Sides’. A third level emperor realm like him sank all hearts into deep despair.

On the other hand, Xiang Wentian was actually overjoyed by this turn of events. He had been accumulating his strength for the eventual clash all this time, and now he sent a silent message to his three family heads, “My brothers, the Paramount Realm naturally rejects emperor realm experts, so this old man may not necessarily be able to act how he wishes inside. The fact that he’s going away is also an opportunity for us. Originally, we only had a 30 to 40% chance to break through their encirclement, but now I believe that our chances have risen to at least 70%. Get yourselves ready, make sure the troops are in order and wait for my signal. When I give the signal, summon the power of totems and focus them all on me. I shall open a path for us!”

…...

After Jiang Chen entered the transcendent region, he stayed there for two full days. More than half of the nine days had passed by in the blink of an eye, but he’d still found nothing except for that little something on the outskirts of the transcendent region. It was especially empty inside this area. Yellow sands stretched as far as the eyes could see, a land utterly without life. He couldn’t even find the shadow of an inheritance or place of rebirth.

The deadliest thing about staying inside this region was that the amount of life force it contained was extremely little. Jiang Chen even had to rely on some of his pills to maintain normal vital functions. He obviously couldn’t dispatch the Goldbiter Rats in this situation either. Otherwise, their great numbers would be perfect for this occasion.

“Could it be that this transcendent region really is undeserving of its reputation? Perhaps no one else but me would enter such a place, eh?” When Jiang Chen thought this, a tiny ripple suddenly appeared in his consciousness. The ripple was extremely weak, but Jiang Chen captured it clearly.

Jiang Chen immediately concealed his own consciousness and then his figure using the sandy terrain. A figure ran swiftly into the area where he was before long. This figure didn’t slow his footsteps or dither. He went right past Jiang Chen, obviously not noticing him in the area. Jiang Chen waited until the figure had gone a safe enough distance. Just when he was about to come out of his hiding place, another ripple appeared. Another figure actually rushed over from the distance as well. This figure seemed to be tracking something.

This one had suppressed his aura and energy almost perfectly, but Jiang Chen was still able to capture enough to identify him. It was actually the Regal Pill Palace’s number two genius, Jun Mobai!

Jiang Chen thought, “It’s him? The palace head told me to keep a close eye on him. I wonder what’s wrong with this Jun Mobai?”

He was curious. He waited until Jun Mobai had gone far away before finally coming out of hiding. 

To think that two people have entered the transcendent region in a row. But who’s the other person apart from Jun Mobai? 

Logically speaking, it was normal for geniuses to enter the transcendent region in seek of fortune. However, the fact that they had hastened on their journey while knowing this place was lifeless meant that their motives weren’t as simple as just seeking fortune. Jiang Chen suspected that there was something in here that even he didn’t know about. He decided to follow them and take a look. Even if he were to gain nothing as a result, he could check out Jun Mobai and see if he really was a spy.

For a time, the mantis stalked the cicada, unaware of the oriole chasing from behind.

Jiang Chen’s tracking abilities were exceptional. He was able to use his consciousness to lock on to Jun Mobai’s trail by capturing the little traces left behind. This pursuit kept going for a full half day.

Suddenly, Jiang Chen realized that they had arrived near a lake. A usual lake would either be sky blue or dark green in color. However, this lake was black green in color. In fact, its color was so dark that it was almost inky black. The lake was extremely large, and its brackish water gave off an extremely strange feeling.

Jiang Chen noticed that Jun Mobai had already halted. Jiang Chen didn’t dare to move too close to him. Instead, he slowly crept closer from beneath the ground.

Jun Mobai was currently standing beside the lake and fiddling with a ring-like object in his palm. He seemed to be sensing something through the ring. His expression suddenly darkened. This was because he’d noticed a figure was staring coldly at him from the opposite side of the lake. The figure turned out to be Lin Hai of the Dark North Sect.

“What are you doing here, Jun Mobai?” Lin Hai stared at Jun Mobai with a flinty expression. His eyes were cold with unbridled scrutiny.

Since Jun Mobai had tracked Lin Hai to this place earlier, he wasn’t surprised to see the latter show up. He smiled calmly and said, “Your ranking is even lower than mine. So why can’t I be here if you can?”

Jun Mobai had managed to fight his way into the top four during the Grand Ceremony, so Lin Hai’s ranking was indeed lower than his.

“Hmph, I will advise you to leave this place immediately,” Lin Hai’s tone was indifferent.

Jun Mobai broke into a laugh, “You’re telling me to leave? Why should I leave and not you?”

Lin Hai’s expression darkened, “Jun Mobai, I will give you a chance to preserve some of your face for the sake of the friendship between your Regal Pill Palace and my Dark North Sect. Do you really think I can’t chase you away if you refuse to leave?”

Jun Mobai smiled calmly, “Lin Hai, let’s not pretend any longer at such a moment. Are you really a Dark North Sect disciple?”

Lin Hai’s expression abruptly changed. Jiang Chen’s heart also skipped a beat from his hiding spot. What did he mean? Was the number one genius of the Dark North Sect, Lin Hai, a spy too?

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