Chapter 715: None Left Alive
This crazy plan had woven itself into existence when Jiang Chen encountered Ling Su and learned of the valley from him. However, it’d only been a random thought that needed quite the refining to become a proper plan. It was only when he left Tai-ah City in chaos that he decided to execute this crazy idea.
He knew from Ling Su that the Divine Befuddlement Miasma inside Infant Shriek was extremely deadly. At the time, Ling Su had been poisoned shortly after he’d set foot into the outskirts. But Jiang Chen had led this group at least fifty kilometers straight into the interior of the valley, where the Miasma was the thickest! The terrifying Miasma was undetectable to even emperor realm experts. Moreover, since everyone’s focus was on Jiang Chen, they’d never even stopped to any threat posed by the location itself. They were on guard against Jiang Chen’s tricks, formations or ambushes.
So things progressed just as Jiang Chen had predicted, the group had expended every iota of attention on him and not the valley. It was this psychological blind spot that Jiang Chen had taken full advantage of in his ambush. The reason he’d engaged them in a back and forth, let them bicker with each other and activated the Major Artifice Formation was all a means of buying time, just enough time for the poison to seep in! Everything turned out exactly as Jiang Chen had predicted. Without spilling a drop of blood, he had signed the death warrants of every pursuer in the two groups.
Gong Wuji’s face was ashen while Elder Hao’s lips were trembling like a leaf. They looked like defeated dogs, just waiting for the final blow. Even in the depths of despair, Elder Hao’s eyes still held a final glint of optimism, “Jiang Chen, our grudges are not irreconcilable. If you save me, then I promise to recommend you to the Ninesuns Sky Sect. With your talent, you are definitely qualified to become one of the ten great disciples! As for Cao Jin’s death, we can just push it all on the Eternal Celestial Capital,” Elder Hao was desperate to live even as his eyes threatened to close on him.
Gong Wuji couldn’t hold himself back, “You’re a coward, Hao!”
The Divine Befuddlement Miasma had invaded their consciousness by now, and they realized to their dismay that they couldn’t even pull off one final attack. Elder Hao ignored Gong Wuji’s insults completely and begged Jiang Chen with all his might while he still had a bit of strength left in him. “Hero Jiang, Sir Jiang! I swear in the name of the Ninesuns Sky Sect that I, Elder Hao, will absolutely help you gain entry to the Ninesuns Sky Sect if you save my life. With your talent, even Yong Xingyun is not a match for you, much less Cao Jin. Just think, you will become the youngest and strongest disciple of a first rank sect in ten years. You will attain such heights that you’ll be able to look down upon all the young geniuses in the Upper Eight Regions, or even the entire Divine Abyss Continent…” One had to say that Elder Hao was quick witted to offer such enticing things.
However, Jiang Chen revealed nothing but ridicule towards the offer that was completely useless to him. Elder Hao grew even more anxious as the fear inside his heart threatened to overtake his reason. His desire to live had surpa.s.sed all dignity and sense of honor. Elder Hao actually knelt on both knees and begged, “Sir Jiang, I am willing to serve you as my master! I am willing to serve you as a servant or even a slave! I guarantee that I will stay loyal to you, and to be judged by the heavens if I even think about turning traitor.”
He was willing to become even a servant or slave?
Cao Meng was so disgusted that even he broke out in a round of abuse, “What the f.u.c.k, Hao Yi!? Are you seriously that much of a coward? Are you going to throw our sect’s dignity to the winds?”
“Shut up! We wouldn’t be in such straits if not for your troublesome nephew!” Elder Hao retorted furiously.
But no matter what he said, Jiang Chen remained immovable. Even if he wanted to acquire some servants or slaves, he absolutely wouldn’t pick someone like Hao Yi. If Hao Yi could surrender to Jiang Chen now out of cowardice, then there was no telling when he would betray him in the future as well. Jiang Chen had no intention of keeping a potential threat like that around.
“Elder Hao, there’s a saying here, ‘you won’t die if you don’t kill yourself’. If you weren’t so set on hunting me, you wouldn’t have set foot on this path of no return. May you rest in peace.” Jiang Chen smiled faintly, “Because you begged me, I’ll make an exception and leave you with an intact corpse.” Jiang Chen’s cold eyes glanced at Gong Wuji, those of the Thunder Note Hall and the Great Roc Sect.
Gong Wuji paled. His strength had completely left him since the Divine Befuddlement Miasma had taken over his consciousness. He couldn’t move at all. When he saw Jiang Chen’s unfriendly gaze, Gong Wuji couldn’t help but feel go numb. He had been a cruel and ruthless person for half his life, he could very well imagine what Jiang Chen could do. There was no other future left, Jiang Chen was going to kill him now.
“Gong Wuji, Wasn’t it fun to destroy my Regal Pill Palace? Wasn’t it fun to slaughter the disciples of my sect? Didn’t you believe that my Myriad Domain was just an ant beneath your boot?” Jiang Chen’s voice grew colder and colder, “So how is it? How does it feel to be an ant yourself?”
No matter how strong one was, fear would always come when a butcher’s knife hung over one’s head. Gong Wuji was no exception. But most of all, he couldn’t accept it. This situation, this entire trap was so ridiculous that it verged on the unbelievable. I am a first rank sect holy king and an emperor realm expert. I am an important person who rules over the Divine Abyss Continent. But am I really going to die by the hands of a lower region kid today?
I do not accept this! Gong Wuji’s eyes were bloodshot. He roared at the top of his lungs, “Don’t go strutting around, brat! You’ve offended my Eternal Celestial Capital, and although victory is yours today, one day you will learn the meaning of regret!”
Jiang Chen said coldly, “Even if such a day exists, you won’t live to see it.”
Moonshatter Flying Daggers flashed and suddenly cut through the air. A bright golden light wrapped itself around Gong Wuji’s neck.
Crack!
With an audible snap, Gong Wuji’s large head separated from his shoulders. His eyes were wide, disbelieving; rage and resentment clear in his eyes. Elder Hao trembled all over when he saw Gong Wuji’s decapitation.
Jiang Chen didn’t stop there. One by one, he beheaded every one of the Eternal Celestial Capital and Great Scarlet Mid Region’s senior executives and stored their heads. Naturally, he also took away all of their storage rings without hesitation. Unfortunately, all of those who had come to hunt down Jiang Chen had been smart enough to leave their valuables at home aside from a few spirit stones for basic necessities. The only exception was once again Gong Wuji! Gong Wuji had plenty of valuables squirreled away. Jiang Chen naturally took them for himself.
Jiang Chen left those of the Ninesuns Sky Sect alive, though. He didn’t need to kill them since the Divine Befuddlement Miasma had already penetrated deep into their minds. Unless an antidote was concocted right this moment, not even the G.o.ds themselves could save them.
After all, the strain they were suffering from was different from Ling Su’s. Ling Su had been infected with the Divine Befuddlement Miasma on the outskirts of the valley, but he had also exited the valley immediately. These people had stayed at the place where the Divine Befuddlement Miasma was the thickest for a much, much longer time. Only the heavens knew exactly how much Divine Befuddlement Miasma had seeped into their bodies. One could say that their poisoning was several thousand times worse than Ling Su’s.
After he was done sweeping through the entire battlefield, Jiang Chen exchanged a glance with Huang’er and left the valley. Hao Yi and Cao Meng of the Ninesuns Sky Sect struggled for a couple of days in the Valley of Infant Shriek, but no miracle came to save them. Roughly ten days later, Infant Shriek was no longer bothered by the cries of the living.
…...
Half a month later, Jiang Chen and Huang’er appeared at a big city to the north of Swordland Region, Prospering Dragon City. However, since they had changed their disguises yet again, no one could identify them. News of the troops of the Eternal Celestial Capital and the Ninesuns Sky Sect disappearing mysteriously had gotten around, becoming the hottest piece of gossip in the neighborhood.
Jiang Chen sought out a mercenary organization in Prospering Dragon City.
“Do you need our services, my lord?” This mercenary organization was one of the largest in the city. Bluntly put, it was a gang. But by necessity, their organization was far less rigorous and strict than a sect. In fact, they even accepted wandering cultivators into their ranks. This faction often skirted the gray areas of the law and society, conducting business that weren’t necessarily legal. However, this mercenary organization was very large. As a result, it was also more law abiding and friendly to customers.
Jiang Chen nodded, “I wish to transport something to the Great Scarlet Empire.”
“Oh? How many packages? Do you want to have their value appraised?”
“There’s no need. These things are absolutely worthless to anyone else,” Jiang Chen shook his head.
“The Swordland Region is rather far away from Great Scarlet Mid Region. If these items are worthless, then the cost of transportation will be quite high.” This mercenary organization looked disinterested when they heard that the items weren’t worth much. They often acted as couriers for a price. The fee for the service often depended on the value of the item, but was normally quite high. They didn’t particularly appreciate transporting items of poor value, even if they were paid for it.
“They are quite worthless, but I would like to request that they be delivered to their destination as quickly as possible. If you can deliver them in a month’s time, I am willing to pay you five hundred thousand upper rank origin spirit stones.”
Five hundred thousand origin spirit stone was the equivalent of fifty thousand saint spirit stones. This price obviously caught the other party off guard. He’s willing to pay this much to transport these things? Things that are worthless, no less?
The representative struggled to find words, “My lord, although we have a rule that forbids us from asking about the nature of the goods you’re planning to transport, this fee of yours for the transportation of something valueless is…”
“As I’ve told you before, while these things may be worthless to everyone else, they are of great value to the Great Scarlet Empire. So can you deliver it in a month’s time?”
After pondering for a moment, the other party finally made his decision, “Alright. I’ll undertake this job and deliver it in a month’s time!”
Although the Great Scarlet Mid Region was quite far away, they had their own ways of doing things. If they were to rush at top speed towards the Great Scarlet Mid Region, it was definitely possible to make it in a month’s time! Jiang Chen put down a storage ring “This contains all of the valuables. Remember, every one of these items has my unique seal on it. The seal will be broken if you sneak a peek, and I will know it.”
“Don’t worry, we understand the rules of business.” The person accepted the storage ring and swept his consciousness inside. Inside the storage ring were box after box, nothing else. As Jiang Chen had stated earlier, these huge boxes were all wrapped in special seals that prevented him from seeing inside the boxes.
“Here’s your fee. Please check it,” Jiang Chen pushed the storage ring containing the payment of spirit stones to the representative.
“I’ll remind you that these things are extremely important to Great Scarlet Mid Region. You must deliver them properly. Otherwise, you will be facing the anger of the entire Great Scarlet Mid Region!”
Obviously, a mere mercenary organization couldn’t endure the fury of the entire Great Scarlet Mid Region should they earned the region’s ire.
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