Jiang Chen's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the purple-robed figure before him. "Purple Wind Clan Leader? How could it be you?"
Back at the Celestial Secret Pavilion, Jiang Chen had heard that the Purple Wind Clan had mysteriously vanished.
He had even worried that the Purple Wind Clan might have fallen victim to the Ice Emperor.
He even used the Celestial Secret Pavilion's power to search for them, but he still couldn't find any trace of the clan.
He had never imagined that he would see Zifeng Tianhen here.
Zifeng Tianhen's expression was cold and detached; his face looked unnaturally stiff. But the aura radiating from him had reached the Emperor Realm. The ten people beside him were all Emperor Level experts as well!
They included former members of the Purple Wind Clan, like Yuan Zeng and Yuan Jiu.
From them, Jiang Chen sensed the same aura as the Ice Corpses he had once encountered in the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land!
"Purple Wind Clan Leader, why?" Jiang Chen roared.
Zifeng Tianhen glanced at Jiang Chen and said dispassionately, "We are the descendants our Ancestor left behind in the Eastern Continent. Our very existence has been for the sake of fulfilling his plan today!"
"As long as we can fulfill the Ancestor's wish of becoming a Demigod, what does it matter if we become the vilest of Demons?"
"No one can stop the Ancestor's grand design…"
Yuan Zeng and the others chimed in.
One by one, the black-robed figures all removed their masks.
Familiar faces, one after another—they were all experts from the Purple Wind Clan…
A tremor ran through Jiang Chen.
His mind flashed back to the simple and kind people of the Purple Wind Clan he had met in Purple Wind City.
They had been so honest, so kind.
But now…
They had transformed into ruthless butchers, slaughtering countless innocent lives on the Eastern Continent.
"This was all the Ice Emperor's doing?" Jiang Chen asked, glaring at Zifeng Tianhen through clenched teeth.
Zifeng Tianhen nodded and stated dispassionately, "The Ancestor sealed himself within the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land all those years ago precisely to plan for this day. Did you really think the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land opens periodically to give geniuses from the Eastern Continent a chance to train and grow stronger? How laughable. The Ancestor's true purpose was to collect the corpses of powerful experts."
SWISH!
The purple-robed experts all removed their masks.
The Purple Wind Clan's former Nine Emperors, along with other deceased prodigies, were among them. Jiang Chen even recognized a few of the Ice Corpses he had seen in the Ice Lake.
'So that's how it is…'
Jiang Chen took a deep breath. At this moment, he finally understood everything.
No wonder the people of the Profound Celestial Ice Field sent the corpses of their strongest members to the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land.
No wonder that strange mausoleum existed within the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land.
And those Ice Corpses…
It turned out…
This was all the Ice Emperor's doing.
His goal was to refine the bodies of powerful experts into Ice Corpses. After over one hundred thousand years of plotting and waiting, the number of masters under the Ice Emperor's control had become immeasurable.
The dozen or so purple-robed Emperor Realm masters standing before him were proof enough of that.
"After a plot spanning more than one hundred thousand years, our Purple Wind Clan has waited for so long. This day has finally come!"
"As long as the Ancestor can become a Demigod, all our sacrifices will have been worth it!"
Behind Zifeng Tianhen, Yuan Zeng and Yuan Jiu spoke in unison.
Yuan Zeng looked at Jiang Chen. They had all been elevated to Emperor Realm combat power through the Ice Emperor's special methods. A stiff expression appeared on his face as he grinned. "Jiang Chen, you are a friend to our Purple Wind Clan. Even the Ancestor sings your praises. If you join us, he can bestow supreme power upon you, too. You can still be our friend!"
"You cannot stop our Ancestor. Submit to him!"
Facing his former friends, who were now his enemies.
Jiang Chen's heart was in agony.
"I don't care what your reasons are. You sacrificed countless innocent lives on the Eastern Continent to achieve your goals. For that, I cannot forgive you!" Jiang Chen said, enunciating every word.
A complex look flickered across Zifeng Tianhen's stiff face, and he let out a long sigh. "Why must you do this? The Eastern Continent's Ancestral Vein has been severed. Only the emergence of a new Demigod can repair it. Once our Ancestor repairs the Ancestral Vein, you will all have a chance to ascend to the Demigod Realm. Why throw your life away for a group of ants?"
"Perhaps to you, those innocent people are just ants whose deaths mean nothing. But in my eyes, every life has a right to exist. Today, even if it means fighting to the death, I will stop you!" Jiang Chen said grimly.
"In that case, I have no choice but to kill you!"
Zifeng Tianhen's gaze turned frigid.
WHOOSH—
He suddenly appeared in front of Jiang Chen, throwing a punch straight at him.
"Kill!"
Jiang Chen bellowed.
Behind him, Gai Shi and the others charged toward the other purple-robed experts.
BOOM! RUMBLE!
The world shook as terrifying Spiritual Qi surged madly toward them.
Sword Qi, flashes of blades, Battle Halberds…
Countless auras of destructive power filled the air.
Blood Qi surged around Gai Shi as he met Yuan Zeng's charge. He had already advanced to the Emperor Realm and possessed invincible combat strength!
With his condensed Sword Heart, the Sword Emperor was a top-tier combatant even among new Emperor Realm experts!
Tuoba Yan, a master of Southern Border Witchcraft, fought on even footing with his Emperor Realm opponent, employing a myriad of techniques.
Fox Mei'Er's combat power was slightly weaker, but she managed to hold one of them at bay.
Arhat, the Direct Disciple of the Asura Blood Emperor, possessed heaven-defying combat strength second only to Jiang Chen's. He single-handedly fought two Emperor Realm masters.
Golden Blood Qi surged around Jiang Chen, making him look like a god descending upon the mortal world. He threw a punch with his North Nether Divine Fist, unleashing eight times its normal power. The terrifying force arrived in an instant, blasting Zifeng Tianhen away. Jiang Chen glanced down at his fist, which was now covered in a layer of frost. With a slight tremor, the ice shattered. His gaze was frigid. "Today, all you minions of the Ice Emperor will die!"
"ROAR!"
Zifeng Tianhen burst from the ground, his stiff face an icy mask. He looked at Yuan Zeng and Yuan Jiu. "You two, join me and kill this whelp! The rest of you, go slaughter the sacrifices! Don't let them interfere with the Ancestor's grand plan!"
"Yes!"
The purple-robed Emperor Realm masters all nodded.
Six of them split off, rushing toward the massive sinkhole that the Profound Celestial Ancestral Land had become to slaughter the innocent people within.
Meanwhile, the three Emperor Realm masters—Zifeng Tianhen, Yuan Zeng, and Yuan Jiu—closed in on Jiang Chen.
The three formed an arrowhead formation. Their immense Emperor's Might billowed out, transforming into an unstoppable torrent that crashed down upon Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen snorted. With a shudder, his God-Devouring Realm erupted outward.
His aura began to skyrocket.
He broke through the chasm separating the Human Emperor Realm from the Emperor Realm, his power reaching the level of an Emperor.
His Golden Blood Qi shot toward the Celestial Vault, transforming into a sheet of golden light that enveloped him. Wielding the Spirit-Slaying Sword, he charged at the three Emperor Realm masters…