Bridge?
Upon hearing such a wonderful description, Xiao Chen could not help but feel amazed. This old man’s words explained many things. By using a bridge as a comparison, he answered many of Xiao Chen’s questions.
There was a vast chasm between great grandmaster-level Martial Sage and Martial Emperor. The ones that could sense the existence of this chasm and walk to the point where they could no longer proceed forward were the ones qualified to build this bridge, a quasi-Emperor.
Otherwise, one would just be a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage and not a quasi-Emperor.
After one finished constructing this bridge and crossed this chasm, one could remove the “quasi” and be called an Emperor.
Xiao Chen used this criterion to evaluate himself and discovered that he could not sense the existence of this chasm at all. He was entirely unqualified to start constructing that bridge.
“Given your current cultivation, you should be able to see that huge chasm, even if just barely, right?” Elder Qin said, a smile on his face reducing his eyes to slits.
Xiao Chen shook his head and replied, “I can’t see it. I cannot even sense it at all.”
When Elder Qin heard this, his expression changed involuntarily. As he sized up Xiao Chen, he muttered, “How can that be? Although you just advanced to great grandmaster-level Martial Sage, your Heavenly Sage Laws are prodigious and dense. The number of them has long since reached the limits of a grandmaster-level Martial Sage, more than five thousand rings. Why is it that you still cannot sense the chasm at all?”
Indeed, Xiao Chen could not sense this chasm at all, not even a little bit. He did not even know how far was he was from this vast chasm.
After muttering to himself for a while, Elder Qin smiled and said, “This must have something to do with your Cultivation Technique. This is a good thing. The better the accumulations of a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage, the better the bridge that can be built. Your bridge is bound to be extraordinary.”
Xiao Chen temporarily set aside this topic and asked, “What are the materials of the bridge? How do we differentiate good from bad?”
Elder Qin said, “Cultivation is the foundation. Heavenly Sage Laws are definitely the main material. The stronger the Heavenly Sage Laws, the denser they are, the more likely they are to undergo a transformation, maybe even into dragons and phoenixes—which would be like using divine materials to build the bridge.”
“The Heavenly Sage Laws can transform?”
This was the first time Xiao Chen heard of this. None of the great grandmaster-level Martial Sages he met had managed to achieve this.
“Naturally, they can. However, since ancient times, people who can trigger this transformation have been extremely rare. Without exceptionally high talent, it would be impossible.”
While speaking of this, Elder Qin suddenly felt enlightened. He said, “I know why your cultivation is so deep now and why you have not sensed the huge chasm yet!
“Transformation, the answer is transformation. This is now the great age of geniuses. Your batch of outstanding talents is no doubt capable of transforming your Heavenly Sage Laws. Once the transformation succeeds, you will be able to sense the existence of the chasm.”
“Transformation? Elder Qin, do you know how to induce the transformation?”
Upon hearing Elder Qin’s explanation, Xiao Chen rejoiced. He asked his question, full of anticipation.
Elder Qin smiled and said, “I do not know how to induce transformation. However, I do have some information about it. Transformation is the spontaneous result of the right conditions coming together. It happens without needing guidance.
“If you want to avoid making mistakes, you can try to search in the ancient Prime Remnants. During the Ancient Era, countless experts were able to transform their Heavenly Sage Laws.”
Right conditions coming together, happening without needing guidance. This was too nebulous. It was best to search for records left by predecessors to point out the right direction. That way would be faster.
Once things settled down at Heavenly Star Island, Xiao Chen would send people to seek information about this, to see if he could find any secret manuals speaking of transformation from the auctions, markets, and information brokers.
“Boom!”
Just as the two were chatting happily, the warship suddenly trembled intensely. Xiao Chen and Elder Qin remained unmoving. However, some items in the room scattered about and even shattered.
Given the weight of the Dragon’s Gate’s warship and the formations on it, regular waves and winds would not be able to shake the warship.
Xiao Chen’s expression remained even. He stood up and said, “I’ll go and check out what happened. If it is a problem that I cannot settle, I hope that Elder Qin will be able to help out.”
“Let’s go, then. This old man will do all that he can.” Elder Qin’s expression turned grave, and he did not delay at all.
“Old Brother Xiao Chen, something happened. We are surrounded by the people of the Profound Water Sect.”
The two had just come out of the recuperation room when Jin Dabao rushed over in a nervous state, shouting in a fluster.
The Profound Water Sect was at the border of the Heavenly Starry Ocean, which meant that the Dragon’s Gate’s warship already left the Chaotic Demonic Sea. If they continued west for another month or so, they would reach Heavenly Star Island.
Xiao Chen had once killed a disciple of the Profound Water Sect’s Sect Master right before the Sect Master’s eyes. The sect would definitely obstruct him when he passed this area.
However, Xiao Chen took the development in stride. Although the Profound Water Sect was a Rank 9 sect, it was one of the weakest ones. There was no way it could compare with a huge sect like the Supreme Sky Sect.
This place was not too far from the Kunlun Continent. The Thunder Sovereign’s name still held some influence here. The Profound Water Sect was unlikely to send out quasi-Emperor experts.
As long as quasi-Emperors did not appear, Xiao Chen had a way to handle the situation.
Even if the other side was daring enough to send out quasi-Emperors, Xiao Chen was still unafraid since Elder Qin was on board.
Given the Profound Water Sect’s strength, they would be able to send out one quasi-Emperor at best.
At Xiao Chen’s calm demeanor, Jin Dabao calmed down as well.
Xiao Chen quickly went on deck and looked around. A King Grade warship led ten Sage Grade warships surrounding the Dragon’s Gate’s vessel.
Endless waves surged on the surface of the sea. Energy ripples lingered in the air without scattering.
When Xiao Chen saw the situation, he became even surer in his heart. The other party had to have used Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons to blast the Dragon’s Gate’s warship. However, they did not achieve the intended effect.
Aside from some intense shaking, the Dragon’s Gate’s warship was completely undamaged.
“Call out the Azure Dragon King, Xiao Chen, and tell him to hand over all the congratulatory gifts he received at the King conferral ceremony, and our Profound Water Sect will not make things difficult for you,” Yao Chen shouted, standing on the other King Grade warship with an ancient mirror hovering above his head.
Jin Lin and the others had all gathered on the deck long ago. They stood in formation and waited. Lan Shaobai stood at the very front and said with a smile, “You truly talk big. The warship under our feet is the Dragon’s Gate’s warship. Absent an Emperor Grade warship, no King Grade warship can suppress it.
“You think you can block us if we want to leave? Just an insignificant Profound Water Sect dares to try and rob the Azure Dragon King that the Martial God Palace’s Thunder Sovereign favors? Yao Chen, where do you get your courage from?”
Xiao Chen stopped walking. He had not expected Lan Shaobai to be so bold. So he decided to observe quietly first.
“What a sharp tongue! Blast this warship! Let’s see how he is going to get to Heavenly Star Island!”
When Yao Chen saw Lan Shaobai’s hard stance, he could not help feeling ashamed, and that emotion turned into anger. Once again, he ordered the various warships to shoot the Dragon’s Gate’s vessel.
Explosions resounded, and blue beams of energy fired out from the surrounding warships. They were very mighty, stirring up the waves and blasting pillars of water into the sky.
The resplendent light was incredibly piercing. If it struck a cultivator, even a grandmaster-level Martial Sage would be severely injured.
“Bang!”
However, an azure protective barrier appeared around the Dragon’s Gate’s warship. The decorative dragons moved about and blocked the beams of the ferocious Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons. Ripples spread out, leaving the warship undamaged.
Yao Chen could not accept it. He kept giving orders to fire at the Dragon’s Gate’s warship. Water surged continuously. As the beams of light struck the protective shield, its radiance weakened.
Xiao Chen took out a hundred Astral Cores and handed them to Jin Dabao to go to the controls and swap out the drained Astral Cores.
The opponent’s Ancient Demonic Energy Cannons simply had no way to break the protective shield of the Dragon’s Gate’s warship. As long as Xiao Chen had enough Astral Cores, it would not go down.
And at this point, Xiao Chen did not lack Astral Cores.
“Senior Brother Yao Chen, we have depleted almost all the Astral Cores of our warships. The Dragon’s Gate’s warship is the king of King Grade warships, the king of kings. It’s impossible for us to damage it,” a person at the side said to Yao Chen with an unsightly expression.
Yao Chen raised his hand to stop the barrage. He barked, “I will personally break this defensive barrier!”
Together with the Profound Water Mirror, Yao Chen soared into the air and summoned out the Profound Water image. Then, he quickly flew towards the Dragon’s Gate’s warship.
Lan Shaobai smiled coldly and said, “You overestimate yourself!”
He pushed off the deck and flew out as well, charging forward with his sword in hand.
This was Xiao Chen’s first time seeing Lan Shaobai make a move. He noticed that Lan Shaobai’s Movement Technique was extremely strange; the Asura Race cultivator appeared to teleport. He flickered in the air unpredictably and used some kind of instant-kill Sword Technique.
Although Yao Chen summoned out the Emperor Grade Secret Treasure image in the air, he could not defeat Lan Shaobai. The moment the Profound River image appeared, Lan Shaobai chopped it into several pieces, which caused this powerful Emperor Grade Secret Treasure image to lose its might.
Lan Shaobai’s sword strikes were so fast that they did not leave a shadow behind. Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up. This move seemed to be a Sword Technique that utilized space.
Lan Shaobai’s figure followed the sword, shuttling through the borders of the void. He was so fast that he was nowhere to be found, not leaving any traces at all.
After the Profound River Mirror lost its effects, Yao Chen was even less of a match for Lan Shaobai. In less than ten moves, Lan Shaobai cut him down.
He left a horrifying wound on Yao Chen’s chest, nearly chopping him in half.
Lan Shaobai is only one step away from reaching great grandmaster-level Martial Sage. Furthermore, with the innate talent of the Asura Race, he can fight those above his cultivation as well, able to kill an ordinary great grandmaster-level Martial Sage of the older generation.
After watching the two fight, Xiao Chen quickly came to a conclusion, more or less figuring out Lan Shaobai’s strength.
Lan Shaobai stook erect, holding his sword. With a stern expression on his face, he said without any hint of politeness, “Yao Chen, with this little bit of strength, you dare to block the Azure Dragon King’s warship? You really must be tired of living.”
The several great grandmaster-level Martial Sages on the surrounding warships all did not dare to step forward to help.
When Yao Chen landed on the warship, he shouted, “First Martial Uncle, are you not making a move yet?”
“Humph! Useless thing! You can’t even last ten moves. If the Profound Water Sect ends up in your hands, it will really be finished.”
A cold snort came from the Profound Water Sect’s King Grade warship, followed by an extremely vast aura surging out.
Winds and clouds stirred up everywhere. The sea surged, one-kilometer-tall pillars of water erupting from its surface.
It seemed like a great storm was approaching. The sky suddenly changed color. The Dragon’s Gate’s warship shook violently in the water.
Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow. “Quasi-Emperor expert!”
The Profound Water Sect was really bold, sending out a quasi-Emperor to openly snatch Xiao Chen’s congratulatory gifts.
“Whoosh!”
Amid the churning winds and clouds, a figure appeared at lightning speed on the surging sea. Then, this figure gently sent a palm strike at Lan Shaobai.
When Lan Shaobai saw danger approaching, his figure moved swiftly as if he vanished into thin air, disappearing into the void.
“Chi!”
In the next moment, a dim, cold light flashed. Lan Shaobai suddenly appeared on the left side of that Profound Water Sect quasi-Emperor, holding his sword.
Even Xiao Chen failed to clearly see how Lan Shaobai had appeared.
That quasi-Emperor wearing the blue robes of the Profound Water Sect turned around the moment Lan Shaobai appeared. A strong aura surged out, the advantage in cultivation and might forcing back Lan Shaobai’s sword, which came at a strange angle.
