Jiang Yi was indeed gravely injured this time. The defensive power of the Mystic Divine Armor was shocking. No ordinary person would be able to break through it. What’s more, the Mystic Thearch had set up such a strong defensive dao pattern within it as well. It was a pity that the person using the armor was so weak, and the Battle Thearch and the others’ attacks were too strong. Jiang Yi had broken more than ten bones, and his internal organs were completely crushed!
When he finally woke up on the sixth day, he still looked awful. After asking around, he found out that the human army had completely retreated to Sin Island. Even then, only a group of them remained in Sin Island. The rest returned to East Imperial Continent. Jiang Yi went back into a deep sleep after that.
He woke up again on the eighth day. This time, he was almost completely recovered. He was no longer paralyzed by pain when he tried to move his body.
Jiang Xiaonu stayed by his bedside day and night. Xiao Fei tried to do the same, but she kept falling asleep. Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang sat by the side and whispered to each other. Qianqian and Ao Lu were nowhere to be found.
“Young Master, you’re awake.”
Xiaonu saw that Jiang Yi had regained consciousness, and she cried out joyfully. The corner of Jiang Yi’s mouth twisted up slightly. He looked at Jiang Xiaonu, feeling slightly adrift. They had not seen each other for a few years. Xiaonu was all grown up now. She no longer looked like a teenage girl. Instead, she was a stunning beauty. She was still as pure and sweet as she was years ago, just like a pure lily. At that moment, she was exuding joy from her very soul. Any onlooker would feel overcome with warmth at this sight.
When Jiang Xiaonu did not transform, she did not look as frightening. People would feel comfortable looking at her, and most people would feel relaxed and at peace around her. It was akin to sitting in a hot spring during winter. However, when she did transform, she looked completely different. She would become so cold and distant like a battle goddess.
“Xiaonu, you have suffered for the past few years. It’s all Young Master’s fault,” Jiang Yi said guiltily. Jiang Xiaonu shook her head. “Xiaonu did not suffer. Young Master suffered. Xiaonu just blames herself for not being able to help Young Master out.”
“Hehe, Xiaonu, you’re very powerful now. You’re not far off from Young Master.”
Jiang Yi thought about how Jiang Xiaonu killed all those Demigods as easily as if they were ants. Feeling comforted, he said, “Who would have thought that the little lass from Skyplume City would be able to kill so many Demigods today?”
Jiang Xiaonu smiled shyly. “Who would have thought that Jiang Yi, the young master who grew up being bullied, would be able to kill the Evil Thearch?”
“Hahaha!”
Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang walked over, the former laughing. “Boss, Little Sister Xiaonu, stop blowing each other’s horn. I’m getting goosebumps just listening to the two of you.”
Zhan Wushuang smiled brightly. Seeming to recall something, he said, “Jiang Yi, Father and the others…”
“They’re in the Mystic Divine Palace.”
The ring in Jiang Yi’s hand lit up. The Mystic Divine Palace appeared, and Jiang Yunhai and the others teleported out of it. Qian Gui and Zhan Yiming appeared as well. Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang’s expressions hardened. Both of them fell down to their knees. On seeing Jiang Yunhai, Jiang Xiaonu stiffened. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she knelt down and coughed, “Grandfather.”
“Xiaonu?” “Wanguan!” “Wushuang!”
Jiang Yunhai and the others had been locked away in the Mystic Divine Palace, resting and training. They were shocked to be teleported out all of a sudden, but seeing the group made them rejoice. Jiang Yunhai reached out and pulled Jiang Xiaonu toward him. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he said, “Xiaonu, good girl; get up. My little lass is all grown up, you’re so beautiful…”
Qian Gui and Zhan Yiming were crying as well. When Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang followed Jiang Yi, both of them could not bear it. A few years had passed. Their children were now all grown up. Seeing this, they were thoroughly comforted. Zhan Wushuang knelt down to Yun Tianqing as well. It was a pity that Yun Fei had gone to Snow Region. Yun Tianqing looked pained.
Shh-shh-shh!
At that moment, they heard footsteps outside. Ao Lu and Qianqian entered, and Zhan Wushuang and Qian Wanguan bowed toward them. Then, they introduced them to Zhan Yiming and the others. “This is the Thearch of the demons in Endless Deep Sea, Lord Ao Lu. This is Princess Qianqian.”
“Oh, oh, greetings, Lord! Greetings, Princess!”
Jiang Yunhai and the others were shocked. The aura around Ao Lu’s body was especially frightening. Although they were unsure what the Endless Deep Sea was, ‘Thearch of the Demons’ sounded scary and important enough. People did not call any man on the street ‘Thearch’.
“Hehe, Qianqian will bring all of you into the Mystic Martial City for a tour. I want to chat with Jiang Yi.” Ao Lu smiled and waved his hand. Qianqian quickly led the group out. Jiang Yi nodded at Jiang Xiaonu to tell her it was alright to leave. The latter then carried a sleeping Xiao Fei and left.
“Jiang Yi, are you feeling better?”
Ao Lu smiled and sat down on the chair next to the bed. He had rested for a few days and was feeling, more or less, completely recovered. Seeing Jiang Yi nod, Ao Lu said, “The Shadow Emperor sent news that you are now the most wanted criminal in the East Imperial Continent. Do you regret helping the demons?”
Jiang Yi smiled bitterly. “Lord Ao Lu, you should know me very well. I never regret anything I do. I just want my conscience to be clear.”
“Your character is too similar to the Mystic Thearch’s!”
Ao Lu’s eyes clouded over as if he was reminiscing about the past. Suddenly, he sighed. “I sent you to snatch the Mystic Divine Palace because I knew you would succeed. The Mystic Thearch always treasured people’s characters. The people that he did not like would never be qualified to become his successor.”
Speaking of this, Jiang Yi’s eyes brightened. Curiously, he asked, “Lord Ao, there’s something I don’t understand. Could you not break the array in Stupa City? Why was I able to break it with just one move?”
“En, I secretly inspected that array once before. I cannot break it indeed; neither can the North Thearch and Battle Thearch!”
Ao Lu nodded and explained, “As for why you could, this is easy to understand! The Divinity Slayer is a supreme dao pattern. This dao pattern makes use of the powers of heaven and earth, right? Think about it: that thunder array formation uses the powers of heaven and earth as well. In fact… the moment you activated the Divinity Slayer, you made use of the powers inside that array as well. With its energy depleted, it was naturally easily broken! This nine-star dao pattern was one of the most powerful attacks of the Mystic Thearch. It is frightening.”
“Oh, oh!”
Jiang Yi finally understood. Yet, he asked again, “Lord Ao, this Divinity Slayer is so aggressive. Why is it that I managed to realize this dao pattern upon figuring out the ‘Night Sea’ Painting? Could it be that the Mystic Thearch somehow helped me to realize this dao pattern? Also, why was the Mystic Divine Armor automatically refined the moment I realized this dao pattern?”
“Impossible!”
Ao Lu answered confidently, “Nobody can help you realize any dao patterns. You could realize it purely because of your own strengths. There’s a possibility that it is because you have a strange body. As for why you could use the Mystic Divine Armor—this probably had to do with the Divinity Slayer. Divine artifacts can recognize their owners. The Divinity Slayer used to be the Mystic Thearch’s strongest attack. Perhaps when you realized the Divinity Slayer dao pattern, the Mystic Divine Armor recognized you as its owner.”
“Strange body?”
Jiang Yi scrunched up his nose, not wanting to discuss this again. His eyes twinkled as he said, “Lord Ao, who is the mastermind behind this entire thing? Is there something wrong with that Xing Mengwan? Why did she have that divine artifact? Was she the one who set up that thunder formation back in Stupa City?”
A mysterious teenage girl, an incredible battle formation, a divine artifact, and the fact that she arrived at the exact moment that the battle was beginning!
Everything pointed to the fact that this woman and the Heaven Nether Sect were incredibly suspicious. What’s more, she was very intelligent. Just a few lines from her could cause the humans to unite against a common enemy. The Nine Thearch Clans could not help but go to battle. This made Jiang Yi all the more suspicious of her.
“I cannot figure this out either!”
Ao Lu was not one to jump to conclusions. Instead, he analyzed, “According to the Mystic Thearch, there are only two divine artifacts in the Stellarsky Domain. He had painstakingly created these two divine artifacts after searching all the treasures in the entire Stellarsky Domain. Other people tried to follow suit, but there were no more materials left. Where did this lass get her divine artifact from? I don’t know either!
“Her battle formations impressed even me. I’ve figured out many formations, but I’ve never seen array formations like the ones that she did. They seemed even better than the ones the Mystic Thearch did. Jiang Yi… I think you should stay out of this. Focus on training yourself and ascend as early as you can. Don’t make this lass your enemy. I have a feeling that this lass is not one to be messed with.”
