"..."
Chen Xuan was speechless.
’Serves you right for getting kicked out of your position.’
’You’re so damn narcissistic.’
’What gives you the right to compare yourself to me?’
’I’m obviously the more handsome one!’
"Kid, there’s one more thing."
Ancient Star River continued, "The Martial Alliance is a huge organization with countless members. It’s inevitable that some are traitors who’d sell us out. If they carelessly spread the news of your breakthrough to the Inner Realm, I estimate the number of people across the land wanting to capture and dissect you would be greater than the fish in the sea. And even if they don’t dissect you, they’ll capture you for breeding. They’ll make you service twenty a day, and you wouldn’t even be able to die if you wanted to. So, for your own good, this old man will personally protect you for the next few days."
His expression was neutral as he finally revealed his intentions.
He valued such a heaven-defying prodigy more than anyone else.
As long as Chen Xuan didn’t die, his future path would surely be longer and go deeper than Chu Shanhe’s.
He could definitely lead the Martial Alliance to unprecedented glory.
So even though he no longer handled its affairs...
...he had still come out of seclusion with exceptional resolve for the sake of Chen Xuan’s safety.
"You’ll protect me?"
Chen Xuan frowned.
"Who else?"
Ancient Star River snorted coldly, releasing his aura. "This old man is a figure on the Heaven’s List, you know!"
"What’s your rank on the Heaven’s List?"
Chen Xuan asked.
"..."
Ancient Star River’s expression turned a little cold. "This old man doesn’t specialize in combat."
"So what’s the rank?"
"I once fought the nineteenth-ranked on the Heaven’s List for a day and a night, ultimately losing by a single move!"
Ancient Star River replied.
"How many people are on the Heaven’s List in total?"
Chen Xuan looked at Mr. Zhuo curiously.
"Ahem, twenty."
Mr. Zhuo replied awkwardly.
"..."
Chen Xuan looked at Old Deng, speechless. "You could have just said you were in last place. Why beat around the bush so much?"
"..."
Ancient Star River pressed his lips together, momentarily speechless.
’Yes, I’m in last place.’
’But so what?’
’The Heaven’s List is still the Heaven’s List!’
’I can still look down on all the heroes of the world!’
"Your strength is decent, but I don’t need your protection."
Chen Xuan directly refused his kind offer.
He was at the Inner Realm Third Layer.
Plus, with all the buffs he had, he was confident he could escape even from a master on the Earth’s List.
Under these circumstances, the other man’s protection was meaningless.
Because he couldn’t even beat a random person from the Heaven’s List.
’And he calls that protection?’
’I’d be better off on my own.’
"Kid, you better think this through! Yes, you’ve broken through to the Inner Realm, but you’re only at the Inner Realm First Layer. You still have a long way to go on this path. Even if you’ve mastered all sorts of Secret Techniques, so what? How much of a gap can you make up?"
Ancient Star River said immediately.
"Who said I’m at the Inner Realm First Layer?"
Chen Xuan asked.
Ancient Star River’s expression froze. "You’re not at the Inner Realm First Layer?"
"I’m at the Inner Realm Third Layer!"
Chen Xuan’s tone was confident.
BOOM!
A layer of powerful aura instantly erupted from his body, enveloping the entire courtyard.
Blazing heat and Thunder Power surged forth, as if a domain of lightning and fire had suddenly appeared.
The two old geezers’ minds roared, buzzing loudly as if an electric current had passed through them, leaving them numb from head to toe and speechless for a long time.
In the end, the two old geezers didn’t even know how they left, just like they’d blacked out from drinking. Even after walking a great distance, they could barely process what had happened.
"Little Zhuo, what was Chen Xuan’s realm just now?"
In the distance, Ancient Star River murmured, asking subconsciously.
"Huh?"
Mr. Zhuo looked stunned and mumbled, "Inner Realm Third Layer..."
"Oh, the Third Layer..."
Ancient Star River, as if he had dementia, continued to walk forward woodenly. It felt like countless bolts of lightning were ricocheting inside his mind, and he remained in a daze.
It wasn’t until he had walked a long way that the daze was finally replaced by profound shock.
He was utterly and completely shaken!
...
"Old Deng is not a bad guy, just too naive."
Chen Xuan watched the two leave, preparing to head to the Mission Pavilion to find something to do.
[Ding! Detected that the Host’s renown has increased again, reaching the Seventh stage: Esteemed and Respected. Unlocking talent: Absolute Domain!]
[Absolute Domain: This is a supreme and sacred domain with a massive range that expands based on the density of your True Essence. Once activated, everyone within the domain will instantly be subjected to one hundred times gravity and one hundred times their body temperature, and their own strength will be automatically weakened by thirty percent! Only the Host is unaffected and will have their strength enhanced!]
A voice suddenly rang in his mind.
"Hm? I unlocked another talent?"
A jolt of joy went through Chen Xuan’s heart.
After he carefully digested the information, he became even more overjoyed.
’Absolute Domain!’
’Once it’s activated, everyone will be affected.’
’Subjected to one hundred times gravity and one hundred times body temperature.’
’Their strength is automatically weakened by thirty percent?’
*Hiss!*
’It’s simply incredible.’
’The hundredfold gravity alone is ridiculously powerful.’
’Anyone at or below the True Qi Realm wouldn’t even need to be fought; they’d be automatically crushed.’
’Activating the domain is like dropping a meteor.’
’It’s a Divine Artifact for crushing noobs!’
’Combined with his many talents and Cultivation Techniques, it was undoubtedly making the strong even stronger.’
"Very good, very powerful!"
Chen Xuan was exceptionally satisfied.
He had added another trump card to his hand.
He had now mastered a domain that one could only grasp at the Ninth Layer of Inner Realm.
Taking him down had undoubtedly become even more difficult.
Chen Xuan retracted his aura and walked toward the Mission Pavilion.
But just then, a disciple of the Martial Alliance came running in from outside with a respectful expression. "Elder Chen, Tingfeng Tower just sent a letter for you. It’s for your eyes only!"
He handed a letter to Chen Xuan.
"Tingfeng Tower?"
Chen Xuan was suspicious, but he snatched the letter and quickly opened it.
’They’re the leaders of the world’s intelligence-selling trade. Why would they suddenly send me a letter?’
A moment later, a cold glint flashed in Chen Xuan’s eyes. He clenched his fist—BANG!—and crushed the letter to dust on the spot.