Chapter 1966: A shocking conversation
If Ling Han and the others were here, they would definitely discover that Ji Wuming’s present aura was slightly different from previously. His whole person exuded an evil vibe, but it was one that would not cause discomfort.
“En?” He slanted his head slightly to the side. “Someone else is here, but… does not seem an easy target!”
Xiu, his words had not even been finished when he saw a man with short build appear out of nowhere. His whole face was covered with wrinkles, as if he was about to kick the bucket at any time.
Tang Minglong.
“We should have met, right?” Tang Minglong stared at Ji Wuming.
Ji Wuming broke into a smile. “Hadn’t we just given our names a few months ago at the valley entrance?”
Tang Minglong shook his head. “Before that.”
Ji Wuming shook his head as well. “This is my first visit to the Wide Prosperity Heaven, so it should be impossible[1].”
Tang Minglong stared into Ji Wuming’s eyes, and calmly stated, “What I am speaking of is not your present lifetime!”
The smile on Ji Wuming’s face immediately disappeared, and he stared back at Tang Minglong. The two of them just stared at each other, neither speaking.
“I am getting an extremely bad feeling from you!” Tang Minglong’s face was expressionless. “I do not care if you wreak havoc in other places, but in the Wide Prosperity Heaven… I forbid you from taking one step in. Otherwise, I will kill you!”
At first, Ji Wuming did not respond, but after a while, a smile appeared at the corners of his lips, and then he broke into laughter. “I know now, you should be that Xiao character, right? I really had not imagined that you, too, would have the chance to transmigrate and reincarnate.”
“Isn’t it the same for you?” Tang Minglong asked calmly.
Seeing that Tang Minglong did not deny it, the smile on Ji Wuming’s face slowly faded, turning into a mocking grin. “Xiao Tianxiong, Eighth heaven Celestial King, with extraordinary battle prowess. Too bad, you have long since died. You are but a lingering spirit that is dragging out your existence, and have gained the chance for a new life, so what could you do to me?”
“I am more than capable of killing you!” Tang Minglong declared menacingly, his tone instantly becoming incredibly frosty.
If their conversation was heard by other Severing Mundane Tiers, they would definitely pale in shock. Tang Minglong really was the reincarnation of a Celestial King, and an Eighth heaven existence at that. That was just a step away from the ultimate pinnacle, and in the whole Celestial Realm, that could be considered a being of the highest tier[2].
But this kind of Celestial King had still died, leaving behind only a sliver of his spirit, gone through some kind of reincarnation cycle, and had come back to life. The cultivation of his last lifetime had been severed, and he could only start right from the beginning again.
Ji Wuming did not have the slightest bit of fear, and slowly asked, “Xiao Tianxiong, do you know why I wished to reincarnate?”
Seeing the unconcerned expression on Tang Minglong’s face, he continued, “I did not die in my last life, but have rather given up my body of a Celestial King on my own initiative, and barged forcefully into the reincarnation cycle!”
“What?!” At this, Tang Minglong finally revealed an expression of shock. In fact, a layer of gooseb.u.mps broke out on his skin, as if he was a mortal that had encountered a ghost.
“You, you, y-y-you…” he stuttered, incoherent in his words.
Ji Wuming bared his teeth in a grin. “Now, it is very hard for me to kill you, but you wanting to kill me is even more impossible. Thus, it is best that we each mind our own business. Otherwise, even if I had to use my trump card a few times, killing you would be a piece of cake.”
Strangely, Tang Minglong did not refute his words. HIs whole body was trembling. “Even an ordinary Ninth Heaven Celestial King cannot possibly barge forcibly into the reincarnation cycle. Who exactly are you? How many battle merits have you achieved that you would be doted on thus by the heaven and earth!”
Ji Wuming fell silent, and showed a sliver of rare solemnness in his expression. After a long while only did he say, “I have battled for too long on borders, and I have already forgotten who I am. SInce you, too, returned from there, you should know just how grim the situation is over there.”
“Yes!” Tang Minglong nodded solemnly, bearing a sliver of respect, or even reverence.
This was extremely shocking. In his last life, he had been an Eighth heaven Celestial King, practically an elite of the highest tier, yet he would actually show an expression of reverence to another. Then, just what kind of existence was Ji Wuming?
Ninth Heaven Celestial King!
What was going on?
A Ninth Heaven Celestial King would also die? No, no, no, going by Ji Wuming’s words, it was he himself who had given up his Celestial King body, and barged into that whatever reincarnation place, and only then did this completely new and Severing Mundane Tier Ji Wuming come to be.
For what reason? Why had he brought hards.h.i.+p on himself?
Wasn’t a Ninth Heaven Celestial King already an existence of the highest tier, and he still had to give up his own physical body?
“Those old guys just want to protect themselves without any thought of others. To completely eliminate the storm of darkness, only a Heavenly Venerable Tier can do so!” Ji Wuming spoke, his voice slow, but capable of cutting across the ages like the sounding of a temple bell.
Tang Minglong appeared to be even more respectful, and said, “For the sake of eliminating the storm of darkness, you, Lord, did not hesitate to even give up your Ninth Heaven Celestial King body. This junior is impressed! However…” He showed a sliver of hesitation. “These young people are presently all hopes for the future, so please have mercy, my lord.”
“For the greater cause, there must be sacrifices,” Ji Wuming stated calmly. “I can even give up my Ninth Heaven Celestial King body, and risk death just to barge into the reincarnation cycle. I can even make such a sacrifice, so could these young juniors not sacrifice a bit too?”
Tang Minglong clearly did not agree with his opinion. “But—”
“There are no buts,” Ji Wuming interrupted decisively. “Seeing how you, too, have made much contribution at the border, I have spoken so much with you, but if you speak further, I will take your life.”
Tang Minglong hesitated, but he very quickly said, “The only reason I reincarnated was because I wish to return to Celestial King Tier, and then return to the border to stand against the storm of darkness. My purpose is to safeguard and protect our descendants, but you, my lord, want me to just sit by and watch as you kill the hope for our future. Then, please forgive this junior for being incapable of obeying you.
“Just like Yi of the Wide Prosperity Heaven, he is extraordinarily prodigious, and there is a high possibility for him to become a Ninth Heaven Celestial King in the future. He could become the main force in resisting the storm of darkness in the future.
“Such a prodigy should not die at your hand, my lord, but rather should be given the chance to grow and mature.”
“What short-sighted vision!” Ji Wuming declared balefully. All of a sudden, he charged towards Tang Minglong, extending a palm. Boom, the whole world turned into complete darkness, and only this hand that seemed like an eternal existence that seemed capable of striking open the heaven and earth seemed to be left, suppressing all existence.
This possessed the might of a Celestial King, but it was not the complete might of a Celestial King, either, so it was like how Ling Han possessed the Nine Heavens Flame. That was clearly Celestial King Tier-level existence, but because it was limited by his cultivation level, it belonged to the Celestial King Tier in essence, yet its might was considerably inferior to that.
“Forgive my offence, my lord!” Tang Minglong exclaimed softly. Pa, pa, pa, the bones in his entire body crackled loudly, and he instantly turned from a dwarf of short stature to a seven feet tall man of broad build, exploding in a burst of supreme might.
He greeted the incoming attack without fear, righteous and justified.
Speaking in terms of their past lives, Tang Minglong was definitely no match for Ji Wuming. An Eighth heaven Celestial King standing against a Ninth Heaven Celestial King in a head-on confrontation would only result in the former’s death. But at present, they were both fifth severance monarch tiers, and limited by their cultivation level, the amount of Eighth heaven and Ninth Heaven Celestial King power that they could draw on was actually not much different.
Thus, the battle was very intense, and it was hard to determine who would be coming out on top.
It was indeed just like how Ji Wuming had said at the beginning. It would not be easy for him to kill Tang Minglong, as he would have to use some kind of ultimate move, but Tang Minglong killing him was a completely impossible feat.
The fierce battle was continuing without stopping.
[1] Typo from the author here as he says the Calm Peace Heaven, but the Mystery Realm is in the Wide Prosperity Heaven.
[2] Another author’s typo. Author wrote Ji Wuming, but they were talking about Tang Minglong.