Jiang Chen couldn"t do it. He would never ask help from a person that had just made an attempt on his life. Moreover, the old fool was simply too overweening. His deep-rooted contempt for the human domain was obvious. Jiang Chen would never seek help from such a conceited and obnoxious person.
“Brother Chen, trust me just this once. Alright?” Jiang Chen’s anger evaporated into thin air when he met Huang’er’s sincere gaze.
“Huang’er…” Jiang Chen didn’t have the strength to refuse.
“Jiang Chen… just this once. Let me handle everything.”
Jiang Chen could only sigh gently, for he had no words to say. His mind was all over the place. The sincerity behind Huang’er’s pleading left him speechless.
Huang’er knew that her lover"s silence was an indication that he"d come to an understanding.
“Elder Xi, I promise to fulfill our deal if you cooperate. However, if you insist on doing things your way, I’d sooner die than carry out my promise, even if it means the downfall of the the entire Yan clan.” Huang’er warned through her consciousness.
Elder Xi was enraged. He was an esteemed elder of the Yan clan! He wouldn’t have been so courteous if Huang’er hadn’t been a direct daughter of House Yan and a key character to boot.
“Huang’er, I truly hope that you’ll fulfill your promise because I can destroy Sacred Peafowl Mountain with just a flick of my finger. Surely you don’t doubt my abilities?” Elder Xi threatened.
Huang’er wasn"t going to argue with Elder Xi. “Elder, I"m more than aware of your capabilities, but you can’t say the same for Brother Chen’s skills and potential. You"ll regret it if you push him too far. In fact, I can’t guarantee that you"ll walk out of this alive.” She answered blandly.
Elder Xi was taken aback. Unconvinced, he threw a sharp glare at Jiang Chen and snorted coldly. “I"ll not waste my breath. If that brat is really as powerful as you say he is, he"ll come to Myriad Abyss Island to slap my face. If that day ever comes, I"ll not retaliate!”
Elder Xi laughed coldly as mysterious runes enveloped him. The s.p.a.ce around him rippled incessantly, and he disappeared into thin air within a blink of an eye. His ruthless voice echoed through the air. “Huang’er, you’d best not give me a reason to decimate this land.”
The surrounding area was enveloped by a blanket of silence once he was gone. It was almost as if what happened earlier was nothing but a dream.
Jiang Chen pondered silently in the void without uttering a single word.
“Brother Chen, I"ve burdened you and made you unhappy again…” Huang’er’s voice contained hints of guilt. She"d been causing Jiang Chen endless trouble from the very first day they met.
“Silly girl, How could you possibly be a burden?” Jiang Chen smiled. “Tell me. Is that old man trying to take you back to Myriad Abyss Island?”
Huang’er kept silent.
“Answer me.” Jiang Chen pursued further.
“Brother Chen, Sacred Peafowl Mountain is simply no match for Myriad Abyss Island. House Yan and House Xiahou will not let you off easy.” Tears welled up in Huang’er’s eyes as she spoke.
“Enough. Huang’er, I understand that they are powerful, but do you really think that I’d let them take you away?” Jiang Chen became extremely agitated. “I"ll kill every single person who tries!”
Huang’er’s heart was bleeding. She rested her head gently on Jiang Chen"s shoulder and emptied her mind. All she wanted to do was lie in her lover"s arms and take in his fragrance.
“Huang’er, promise me.”
“...I can’t, Brother Chen.” Huang’er murmured sorrowfully. “Until the ties of fate that bind me to the island are severed, I"ll have to return. I simply never imagined that the day would come so soon…”
“Brother Chen…” Huang’er looked at Jiang Chen earnestly and pleaded while holding back her tears. “Huang’er will always be your woman, no matter in life or death. But this time, I must ask that you listen to me. Alright?”
Jiang Chen felt helpless, but it wasn’t because of Elder Yi or some destiny to do with Myriad Abyss Island. He didn’t fear them one bit.
No. What made him feel most helpless was Huang’er’s sorrowful eyes and her most earnest pleading. If he refused to listen to Huang’er and stubbornly approached the matter his way, things would quickly get out of hand. It was something she desperately wanted to avoid.
“Huang’er… I can’t. I’m worried for you.” Jiang Chen answered sincerely.
“Don’t worry, Brother Chen. I’ll take good care of myself when I return to the island and await your arrival. Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, or even one hundred years, I’ll keep on waiting for you. If House Xiahou wants me to be their cauldron, they’ll have to wait until I’m a half-step empyrean expert. I’ve just barely reached advanced emperor realm. Even if they throw all of their resources at me, it’ll take me at least fifty to one hundred years to reach that level.” Huang’er immediately dispelled his fears.
“Huang’er, is there really no way for you to stay?” Jiang Chen had never felt so helpless ever since he reincarnated into this world. He’d faced all kinds of danger and difficulties, but none of them were able to make him feel so much anguish and pain. In the end, it was his own inadequacies that had caused this situation.
“Jiang Chen, I’ll wait for you at Myriad Abyss Island. Promise me that you won’t come until you’ve broken through to great emperor.” Huang’er pleaded as she held Jiang Chen’s hands.
“I promise. I’ve already promised you, but I’ll do it again.” Jiang Chen acted tough, but his heart was dripping blood.
When Huang’er had told him about her background, he’d been incredibly taken aback but hadn’t known what it’d truly implied. It was only today that he realized how incredibly insurmountable the island was compared to the human domain.
“Brother Chen, please try to understand why I’m doing this. Elder Xi isn’t here just to take me away. He also informed me that Elder Shun was apprehended when he returned to the island. The elder abducted me from the island and brought me into the secular world. It’s a sin of utmost severity. They won’t let him live if I don’t return. Like my parents, he’ll be thrown into a terrible prison of torture. Jiang Chen… I’ve never had the chance to experience love from my parents. Before I met you, Elder Shun was the only person who sincerely loved me…”
Jiang Chen’s heart throbbed with pain. This girl had been born into n.o.bility, yet she’d suffered through so much pain and adversity. One by one, the people who loved her the most had fallen victim to fate.
“Elder Shun was apprehended…” Jiang Chen could taste bitterness in his mouth. Even a powerful figure like him had been captured by the island.
“So this is why Huang’er must return. Brother Chen, I"ll wait for you at the island. If you don"t ever come, I"ll just keep waiting until the end of time…” Huang’er said nonchalantly like it was completely normal. However, there was also hints of unfaltering determination in her voice
Jiang Chen had thousands of reason for not wanting Huang’er to leave, and thousands of ways to kill Elder Xi, but not a single one was viable.
Elder Xi was Huang’er’s clansman. Killing him would permanently separate Huang’er from her clan. Moreover, it would also be a direct cause of Elder Shun’s death and destroy any of her hopes ro rescue her parents from their suffering. He simply couldn"t be so selfish.
“Huang"er, wait for me.” He had millions of words to say, but he compressed those feelings into four simple words which contained his most sincere promise.
“Jiang Chen, please be happy when I"m not around. Don"t give up the entire forest for a single tree. You"re loved not only by me, but your parents, sister, brother, relatives, and your beloved subordinates as well…” Huang’er was extremely empathetic. She was still worried about Jiang Chen and tried her best to console him even during such times.
Jiang Chen was extremely touched. They silently embraced beneath the soft moonlight. Words were no longer sufficient to convey their feelings.
Elder Xi was surprisingly cooperative on the following day. He was incredibly annoyed but attended the Dragon and Tiger Meet. His presence alone was enough to shock every single expert present. Empyrean experts exuded an aura of immense strength without even trying.
Jiang Chen watched the scene unfold emotionlessly. He had no expectations for Elder Xi. He wouldn"t care even if the old man hadn"t appeared at all.
But since Huang’er had insisted on this, he couldn"t decline even though he hated Elder Xi to the bones. Truth be told, the old man’s presence had saved him a lot of trouble.
Elder Xi was a very proud and arrogant person, but he seemed to gain perverse enjoyment from a group of great emperors feting him. Those who’d received a chance to ask a question came up humbly. They were subjected to a round of jeers and mockery, but the elder still unwillingly gave a few pointers between Huang’er’s watchful eye.
Jiang Chen watched the proceedings dispa.s.sionately, revealing neither joy nor dissatisfaction.
The six great emperors who’d received answers were delighted beyond belief and felt that this trip had been more than worth it.
When the proceedings were over, the old man left in a streak of light, leaving no trace of him behind.
“Huang’er, I’ve kept my word. We leave tomorrow. I hope you don’t play any tricks.” The elder transmitted to the girl.
“Young lord Zhen, you’re really something! The senior is so mysterious, how did you invite him here?”
“Indeed, to think the young lord’s network is this vast that it encompa.s.ses even the legendary Myriad Abyss Island!”
The crowd marvelled with astonishment, but the elder of Empyrean River Palace was frowning slightly. This development had caught him off guard.