"Maybe it's not that our Wasteland Realm geniuses are strong, but that His Highness the Crown Prince is too monstrous."
Zhou Chong swallowed hard as he spoke.
He had met plenty of geniuses from the Wasteland Realm. For example, Wu Cangming was once praised as the top talent of Chanzhou.
In his view, if Wu Cangming had been here today, he would probably have been crushed by Chu Chen with a single finger.
So yes, Chu Chen was truly strong.
But it was just his misfortune to run into Crown Prince Yang Cheng.
Yang Cheng was a freak who shouldn't even exist in a small mayfly world like this. He was more terrifying than the prodigies of the great worlds.
Jiang Hengwu's delicate face bloomed with a radiant smile, carrying a mix of relief and pride.
"So it turns out, Father, that what you said isn't always right."
She whispered softly. "You told me our Wasteland Realm is just a mayfly world. That the so-called geniuses here are nothing but a group of uncivilized monkeys in the eyes of the geniuses of the myriad worlds."
"You told me that once I saw Young Master Chu Chen, I'd know His Highness the Crown Prince was nothing special."
"But the truth is, Father, the Wasteland Realm genius you look down on—His Highness the Crown Prince—cut down Young Master Chu Chen with just three swords."
"Compared to His Highness, Young Master Chu Chen is nothing special."
On the island, Yang Cheng turned his eyes to Fang Muxian.
Fang Muxian's face turned pale, and he dropped to his knees immediately. "Your Highness, my Fang family is absolutely loyal to Great Zhou! Everything we did before was forced on us by Chu Chen…"
Puff!
Before he could finish, Yang Cheng's finger pierced through his brow.
"The Fang family has offended me again and again. I couldn't be bothered to deal with you, so I let you live until now," Yang Cheng said coldly. "But my lenience only bred your arrogance."
Bang!
Fang Muxian fell back with despair in his eyes.
The rest of the Fang family warriors were spared only a glance. Yang Cheng didn't even bother lifting a hand.
Without Fang Muxian's protection, and with Yang Cheng openly abandoning them, they were nothing more than fat prey in the eyes of other factions. Not a single one of them would survive.
Sure enough—
"Your Highness, don't let these scum dirty your hands. Let us deal with them."
Bai Lifo stepped forward, volunteering eagerly.
The Blade Emperor and the drunkard exchanged looks, their gazes toward the Fang clan equally vicious.
"As you wish."
Leaving only those words, Yang Cheng's figure blurred and vanished, rushing into the Azure Emperor's Tomb.
Inside the Azure Emperor's Tomb.
It was a small hidden realm.
Chu Chen fell heavily to the ground.
At his chest, a piece of ancient jade crumbled to dust.
"My Life-Prolonging Jade."
His face twisted in fury.
That jade was supposed to keep him alive.
Now it was shattered—his greatest life-saving card was gone.
"A tomb ahead?"
His heart stirred. He rushed toward the direction of the tomb.
Meanwhile, several miles away, a group of figures walked through the secret realm.
Two of them were none other than Yang Xiu and Tang Yun'er.
Yang Xiu glanced around, noting that Tang Yun'er had brought many experts.
A surge of joy rose in his heart.
'With so many experts here, even if Yang Cheng comes, he won't walk away unscathed.'
Yang Xiu felt that this time, the fortune of the Azure Emperor's Tomb was already within his grasp.
The only thing souring his mood was that while Tang Yun'er was still helping him, her attitude toward him had clearly grown distant.
But he didn't care. He believed that as long as they spent more time together, he would eventually win her heart again.
"Who gave you permission to look at the young lady like that?"
A sharp voice cut through the air.
Tang Yuan's tone was cutting. She had always been wary of Yang Xiu, afraid her young lady might be deceived by such a scheming liar.
Normally, Martial Saints and above couldn't enter the Azure Emperor's Tomb.
But they had come in through a spatial crack known only to Yang Xiu, which allowed Tang Yuan to bypass the restriction.
Even so, her cultivation here was greatly suppressed. She could use true qi, but only at the Martial Saint level.
Yang Xiu's face darkened.
'This vile woman!'
He despised Tang Yuan to the extreme.
During this time, she had mocked and humiliated him countless times.
In her mouth, he was worse than mud, nothing but a filthy toad crawling in filth.
Yet Tang Yuan was strong and had deep ties to Tang Yun'er.
So no matter how furious he grew, he could only endure it.
"Aunt Yuan, have you ever heard the saying, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river?"
Yang Xiu shouted angrily. "Today I may be down, but it doesn't mean I won't soar to the heavens one day!"
"Hahaha! You? A pathetic clown, dreaming of flying high?"
Tang Yuan sneered. "You and His Highness Yang Cheng are brothers, but the difference between you is the difference between heaven and earth."
"If His Highness were here and wished to be close to the young lady, I would never stop him."
"But you—stay far away from her."
Her words made Yang Xiu's eyes flush red.
"Aunt Yuan, stop it," Tang Yun'er said helplessly. "Little brother, Aunt Yuan has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Don't hold it against her."
Though she now also doubted Yang Xiu's character, he had once helped her.
"I just can't stand him. His Highness treats him as a brother, yet he constantly slanders His Highness behind his back…"
Tang Yuan muttered.
"Enough. If you keep going, I'll get angry," Tang Yun'er interrupted. "I've realized something. Little brother slanders Yang Cheng because he's not as good as him, and his heart burns with jealousy.
So we shouldn't bring up Yang Cheng in front of him. It only hurts him more."
Tang Yuan finally shut her mouth.
But Yang Xiu's head buzzed like it had been struck by a hammer. "Yun'er-jie… you think I'm not as good as Yang Cheng, and that I slander him because I'm jealous?"
"Sorry, I said the wrong thing."
Tang Yun'er spoke apologetically. "Everyone has their own strengths. In talent, strength, and heart, you can't compare to him. But I know there are things in which you can surpass him."
Her words did nothing to comfort Yang Xiu. Instead, his chest burned with humiliation.
"Yang Cheng!"
He roared inwardly. "I will kill you. This Azure Emperor's Tomb will be your grave."
Within his sea of consciousness, Lin Xinglan sensed his emotions and sighed silently.
This disciple's jealousy was far too strong.
Yang Cheng truly was innocent—hated by his younger brother only because he was too outstanding.
More than twenty li away, Yang Cheng had already entered the Azure Emperor's Tomb.
"This tomb is filled with deathly qi. Ordinary martial artists can't withstand it," he murmured, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
Though he knew much about the Azure Emperor's Tomb, this was his first time stepping inside. After all, in his past life, he wasn't qualified to enter here.
"Yang Xiu really came," he muttered.
Then he focused his senses. Through his bond with the Heaven-Devouring Divine Cauldron, he quickly located Yang Xiu.
He had delayed entering the tomb for this very reason—Yang Xiu.
With the cauldron, he could precisely sense Yang Xiu's movements.
That meant all he had to do was follow the path Yang Xiu carved out.
The Azure Emperor's Tomb was full of dangers.
But with Yang Xiu clearing the way ahead—triggering traps, fighting ghost beasts—Yang Cheng could simply stroll behind.
"Sixth Brother, you're not only Heaven's Mandate, but also Heaven's Mandate Good Man," Yang Cheng thought with a quiet laugh.
Ding!
[The host has entered the Azure Emperor's Tomb.]
[Five hundred years ago, the Azure Emperor's inheritance was split between Yang Xiu and Chu Chen. After that, the tomb sealed itself.]
[What they never knew was that the tomb hid an even greater fortune—a newly hatched Azure Dragon was also inside.]
[But when the inheritance was taken, Yang Xiu and Chu Chen were expelled. The tomb sealed, and their only chance to subdue the Azure Dragon was lost.]
[Now, five hundred years later, that Azure Dragon has grown into an adult, with strength approaching Nirvana God.]
[At this stage, conquering the dragon is nearly impossible.]
[But greatness lies in achieving the impossible. The host must do everything to subdue the Azure Dragon.]
[Mission reward: Golden Crow Wings.]
"There's an Azure Dragon hidden in the tomb?"
Yang Cheng was stunned, then his anticipation rose even higher.
While he walked with ease, Yang Xiu, Tang Yun'er, and their companions were locked in battle against powerful ghost beasts.
After slaughtering countless beasts, they were left battered and gasping for breath.
Fortunately, the path ahead seemed clear.
"We've arrived," Yang Xiu said with joy.
Before them stood an ancient tomb.
"This is the Azure Emperor's Tomb. The Azure Emperor's inheritance lies within."
His heart pounded with excitement.
"Little brother, I'll guard the entrance. You hurry inside and accept the inheritance," Tang Yun'er said.
She too felt the place was extraordinary. But remembering Yang Xiu's past kindness, she chose to give him this chance.
Besides, with the Tang family behind her, she would never lack cultivation resources, even without this inheritance.
Yang Xiu was deeply moved. "Yun'er-jie, thank you."
But just as he stepped one foot inside, a figure appeared.
"His Highness?" Tang Yuan gasped in shock.
Yang Xiu spun, eyes locking on Yang Cheng. "Yang Cheng, how are you here?"
He had relied on information from Lu Jingshu to enter the tomb a day early.
How was Yang Cheng arriving at almost the same time as him?
Tang Yun'er's face also darkened. She immediately sensed something was off.
'Little brother knew a secret passage that let us in early. That's how we reached the tomb so quickly. But how did Yang Cheng get here?'
She thought rapidly. In a flash, she realized.
Yang Cheng must have left a mark on either her or Yang Xiu.
It couldn't be her—she rarely interacted with Yang Cheng, and Aunt Yuan was always beside her, leaving him no chance.
The only possibility was that Yang Xiu had long since fallen into Yang Cheng's scheme.
Her heart trembled.
Little brother's methods were nothing compared to Yang Cheng's. How could he possibly fight him?
Yang Cheng smiled faintly, looking at Tang Yun'er. "For this, I must thank Miss Tang."
Those words made Yang Xiu feel like his soul had plunged into an abyss.
He stared at Tang Yun'er in disbelief, his whole body cold. "Yun'er-jie, you betrayed me?"
Tang Yun'er's face hardened. "Little brother, what are you saying? In your eyes, am I such a person?"
Yang Xiu gave a bitter laugh. "This isn't about whether I trust you. The fact is right here before us. It's not like I led Yang Cheng here myself, is it?"
"Sixth Brother, you misunderstand," Yang Cheng said. "I only meant to thank Miss Tang for looking after you. Without her, with just your own strength, you would likely have perished in this tomb."
Tang Yun'er let out a breath. "Exactly. That's all there is to it."
"Hahaha, and now you two sing in harmony?"
Yang Xiu's heart twisted in agony.
"Listen to my explanation…" Tang Yun'er began.
But Yang Xiu no longer listened. Instead, he rushed headlong into the tomb.
As long as his speed was fast enough, he could still seize the inheritance before Yang Cheng.