Chapter 498: Adding Conditions, Ling'er's Plan for Breaking Through
"Oh? You handed it over so easily. Aren't you afraid I might go back on my word?"
On the Sacred Abyss Continent, Xiao Tiance spoke with a faint smile, his tone teasing as he casually toyed with the storage pouch containing the special metal.
From his relaxed demeanor, it was clear he no longer regarded the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor, the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor, or even the Hidden God Clan's Demon Emperor as true threats.
Beside him, Qin Tian couldn't help but feel a bit tense but quickly relaxed. After all, Xiao Tiance had already faced the collective might of the Outer Realm's top Heavenly Demon Emperors, escaped unharmed, and even captured the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor. Compared to that, today's situation seemed manageable.
A Remarkable Show of Respect
Surprisingly, neither the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor nor the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor showed any anger at Xiao Tiance's taunts.
Instead, they remained composed, a grudging respect evident in their expressions. After their last encounter, Xiao Tiance's strength had earned their acknowledgment even as adversaries.
"Hahaha, Xiao Tiance, you wouldn't break your word over something so trivial, would you? Otherwise, I'd have to lose all respect for you," the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor replied, laughing heartily.
A Tense Exchange
Xiao Tiance's expression turned cold as he replied, "We are enemies. When it comes to dealing with enemies, I've never been above using any means necessary."
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor and his companions' faces darkened, their composure shaken.
Xiao Tiance didn't stop there. With a wave of his hand, the seal on the jade bottle containing the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor was lifted.
"AHHH! Damn you, Xiao Tiance! When I get out of here, you'll regret this!"
Inside the bottle, the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's anguished screams echoed. The relentless burning of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame was driving him to the brink of madness, his voice filled with rage and desperation.
Hearing this, the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor and the Hidden God Clan's Demon Emperor couldn't hide their concern. Yet, under Xiao Tiance's watchful gaze, they didn't dare act impulsively.
Ultimatum from the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor
Turning to Qin Tian, the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor demanded coldly, "Qin Tian, is this how your Grand Thousand World operates? We've already fulfilled our part of the deal. Now, return the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor to us!"
Qin Tian smiled faintly, clearly enjoying seeing the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor on edge. "Haven't you heard the saying, 'All's fair in war'? You should've expected this."
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor clenched his fists tightly, his voice dropping an octave as he threatened, "Very well. If that's how it is, then we'll settle this with war."
A Show of Force
As he spoke, the Hidden God Clan's Demon Emperor produced a black command token, gripping it tightly as if ready to crush it. The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor's aura surged with killing intent as he turned back to Xiao Tiance.
"Xiao Tiance, this is your last chance. Will you honor the agreement and release the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor, or do we prepare for a final war?"
Xiao Tiance chuckled, unfazed. "You seem awfully nervous. It makes me wonder just how valuable the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is to you. Perhaps I should return your precious metal, keep him, and torment him for another few centuries. Surely, by then, he'll be nothing more than a wisp of his former self."
Adding Conditions
Before Xiao Tiance could act further, the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor interrupted with a cold snort.
"Enough games, Xiao Tiance. Yes, the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is important to us, but he isn't irreplaceable. If you feel the terms are unfair, state your new conditions. If we find them reasonable, we'll agree. Otherwise, we fight."
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor nodded, adding, "While you may be powerful, even unmatched, we outnumber you. If you push us too far, the losses will be yours as well. Choose wisely."
Xiao Tiance smirked at their thinly veiled threats. "You lot really are humorless. If you hadn't insisted on threatening me, I might've let it go. But now, since you're offering, how could I refuse?"
Ignoring the growing frustration on their faces, he casually listed his additional demands.
Agreement Reached
After tense negotiations, both sides reached an agreement. The Hidden God Clan's Demon Emperor left and returned an hour later with the required items.
Satisfied, Xiao Tiance finally released the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor, tossing the now unsealed jade bottle to the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor.
Closing Words
As the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor caught the bottle, Xiao Tiance said with a sly grin, "Enjoy your prize. Let's hope it was worth the price."
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor said nothing, his expression dark as he turned and left with his companions.
Ling'er's Revelation
Back at the Grand Thousand Palace, Xiao Tiance returned to his chambers, where Ling'er emerged from within his body.
"Master," Ling'er began, her tone serious. "I've analyzed your recent progress and believe I've found a method to help you break through to the next stage."
Xiao Tiance's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh? Let's hear it."
Ling'er explained, "The key lies in integrating the various energies you've mastered especially the power of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame and the essence of the newly acquired Myriad Spirit Jade Pendant. By combining their energies through precise soul refinement, you can potentially reach a new level of understanding and power."
Xiao Tiance nodded, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Good. Let's begin."
With the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor now out of his hands and a promising path to greater strength ahead, Xiao Tiance was ready to face the challenges that lay ahead no matter how daunting they might be.
As the sound of the jade bottle shattering echoed, black demonic energy seeped out and quickly reformed into the shape of the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor.
"Hiss!"
Upon sensing the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's aura, both the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor and the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor couldn't help but gasp sharply.
The reason? Nearly 80% of the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's essence had been burned away by Xiao Tiance. If not for the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's relentless efforts to protect the remnants of his essence, he might have been reduced to a near crippled state within a short time, even if rescued.
A Cold Farewell
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor grabbed the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor by the shoulder and said coldly, "Xiao Tiance, our paths will cross again. Let's hope you won't have to wait too long for our next meeting."
Black demonic energy swirled around him, forming a void portal behind him.
The Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor followed up with an icy glare at Xiao Tiance. "Next time we meet, I hope you'll remain as calm and confident as you are now."
Without waiting for a response, the four Demon Emperors of the Outer Realm disappeared into the void portal. Even Xiao Tiance's immense soul power lost all trace of their presence in an instant.
Preparing for the Next Move
Qin Tian, standing beside Xiao Tiance, broke the silence with a smile. "Tiance, it's time for us to head back."
Xiao Tiance nodded, and the two disappeared on the spot.
Upon returning to the Grand Thousand Palace branch, Xiao Tiance turned to Qin Tian. "Qin Da ge, the Outer Realm should remain quiet for a while after this, but we can't let our guard down. The words of the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor and Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor before leaving leave me uneasy. I'll leave the defenses of the Sacred Abyss Continent in your hands."
Qin Tian nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Tiance. I'll personally oversee everything here. Plus, Senior Blue Robed Sword Saint will remain stationed here with me. Even if the Outer Realm makes a move, they won't escape our surveillance."
A Time of Preparation
Xiao Tiance then sent messages to the Tai Ling Ancient Clan and the Futuo Ancient Clan, instructing them to send the mid Saint tier Heavenly Puppets previously refined to White Jade Capital for upgrades.
Time flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, 20 years had passed.
This period became known as a rare era of peace in the Grand Thousand World. Unlike in the past, the Outer Realm's forces made no incursions. Instead, they seemed to have disappeared entirely.
Unfortunately, Qin Tian's efforts to gather intelligence yielded little. Scouts either returned empty handed or were killed by the Outer Realm forces.
Still, this relative peace allowed the denizens of the Grand Thousand World to breathe easier. Many wished such tranquil days could last forever.
However, both sides knew a final war was inevitable it was only a matter of time.
Rising Powers in the North
During these 20 years, Lin Dong and Xiao Yan successively broke through to the late Saint tier Supreme level, cementing the statuses of the Endless Fire Territory and the Supreme Martial Realm as powers capable of rivaling the five great Taigu Ancient Clans.
Additionally, the combined presence of White Jade Capital, the Endless Fire Territory, and the Supreme Martial Realm in the northern region led to them being humorously referred to as the Three Northern Giants by some in the Grand Thousand World.
Xiao Tiance's Progress
In White Jade Capital's Tiance Manor, Xiao Tiance inserted the last wisp of his spiritual energy into the Myriad Spirit Jade Pendant, finally completing its charging process.
Looking at the pendant in his hand, which had absorbed nearly 20 years of his energy, Xiao Tiance couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Though the Myriad Spirit Jade Pendant is merely modeled after the Tai Ling Ancient Diagram, I didn't expect it to hold so much energy. With this, I won't have to worry about running out of spiritual energy in battle anymore."
He hung the pendant at his waist, stretched lazily, and felt a satisfying crack from his joints.
"Finally, some peace of mind," he muttered, moving to the window to admire the bustling White Jade Capital below. Compared to 20 years ago, the city had become even livelier.
Ling'er's Breakthrough Plan
Just then, Ling'er flew excitedly out of his body.
"Sir, I've figured out a way to help you break through to the Sovereign Realm!" she exclaimed, joy radiating from her tiny form.
Xiao Tiance's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Really? Tell me!"
For the past 20 years, apart from charging the Myriad Spirit Jade Pendant, he had been racking his brain to figure out how to ascend beyond the late Saint tier Supreme level. Despite reading notes left by the Undying Emperor himself, he had come up empty handed.
Now, hearing Ling'er's words filled him with hope.
The Plan
Ling'er circled him, her voice both playful and serious. "Hehe, calm down, Sir. I've found a solution, but it won't be easy."
"That's fine! As long as there's a way, no difficulty is insurmountable," Xiao Tiance replied eagerly.
Ling'er landed on his shoulder and began to explain.
"To break through your current realm, you must focus on deep comprehension. Reaching the Sovereign Realm requires leaving your name on the Heavenly Sky Rankings, correct?"
Xiao Tiance nodded. "Yes. Only by leaving a complete imprint on the Heavenly Sky Rankings can one truly ascend to the Sovereign Realm."
"The rankings are governed by the Grand Thousand World's Will," Ling'er continued. "That means we need its help. I was initially worried about being detected by it, but after fully digesting those two strands of essence, I've realized... I might be able to devour the Grand Thousand World's Will and take its place."
The Risks
Xiao Tiance's eyes widened in shock. "Devour it? Is that possible?"
Ling'er nodded seriously. "If I succeed, I can replace it. Since you've signed an unbreakable soul contract with me, you'll gain direct access to the Will's insights, allowing you to comprehend the Sovereign Realm at will."
She hesitated before adding, "However, if we fail, the Grand Thousand World will reject and expel us. Worse, it might actively seek to destroy us."
The Decision
Xiao Tiance fell silent, his mind racing.
"A chance at ascension... but at such a steep cost," he thought.
After a long pause, he turned to Ling'er with determination in his eyes. "Let's do it. No great power comes without risk."
Ling'er nodded, her expression a mix of excitement and resolve.
The path forward was perilous, but for Xiao Tiance, it was the only way to rise above all and stand as the true Sovereign of the Grand Thousand World.
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