Chapter 976: Jian Chen’s Treatment
“Ling Yuanzi heavily injured me in the ocean back then, almost causing me to die. I came to kill him in revenge. It’s an universally-accepted principle,” Jian Chen retorted without showing any weakness, before glaring at the surrounding people. He said furiously, “My Flame City was taken and the Flame Mercenaries were chased out! Do you dare to say that you protector clans had nothing to do with it?”
“Jian Chen, there are rules among us protector clans. We cannot develop any large organizations on the continent. As a member of a protector clan, you will naturally need to follow this rule. The size of your Flame Mercenaries exceeded the limits and they possessed a city made from tungsten alloy. Naturally, they were disbanded,” a great elder of a protector clan said with a deep voice.
A sliver of mixed emotions appeared in Jian Chen’s eyes when he heard these words, but it vanished very quickly. He said coldly, “That’s a bunch of lies. I am born in Lore City of the Gesun Kingdom. I have no ties with any protector clan, much less being a member of one.”
Great elder Changyang Zu Xiao of the protector Changyang clan stood forward and stared at Jian Chen. His face was extremely mixed as he said with an almost trembling voice, “Jian Chen, you’re a part of the protector Changyang clan. The founder of Lore City Changyang clan was my great grandson, Changyang Zu Yunkong. You’re a descendent of Yunkong, thus a great grandson of mine as well. The blood of the protector Changyang clan runs in your veins.”
Jian Chen remained as usual. Just as he was about to retort, a Space Gate suddenly appeared next to him and Changyang Zu Yunxiao emerged. A great group of people followed behind him. Changyang Zu Yeyun, Changyang Zu Yunkong, Bi Hai, Jiede Tai, Chang Wuji, You Yue, Bi Lian, Yu Fengyan, and everyone else had come.
“Look, is he Changyang Xiangtian?” Changyang Zu Yunkong said to this group of people. His voice was filled with emotion. He had specially gone back to the Changyang clan and brought back this group of people, so that they could recognize Jian Chen. This was just in case the Jian Chen before them was fake.
“Brother…”
“Xiangtian…”
“Young master…”
“Jian Chen…”
When the group saw Jian Chen, they immediately became emotional. Uncle Chang, Yu Fengyan, Bi Lian, and You Yue were moved to tears.
“Good, good, good. It’s good that you’ve returned, it’s good that you’ve returned,” Bi Hai said with his deep voice. He was also extremely emotional.
The middle-aged beauty Changyang Zu Yeyun stared at Jian Chen in astoundment as she sighed emotionally. “Is he the clansmen who saved Kong’er? Why is he so powerful? His presence gives me a suffocating feeling. Is he not a Saint Ruler? No, impossible. His age…”
Changyang Zu Xiao sighed gently when he heard that. He said, “The current Jian Chen is no longer the Jian Chen you knew before. He’s a Saint King now and with his Emperor Armament, he can fight against Seventh Heavenly Layer Saint Kings. There aren’t many people left on the continent that can suppress him.”
Changyang Zu Yunxiao, Changyang Zu Yeyun, and Changyang Zu Yunkong all became stunned when they heard this. Their shock reached its utmost limit.
A while later, Changyang Zu Yunkong could not help but laugh from the bottom of his heart, “I’m more than satisfied with my life to be able to have such an outstanding descendent. Great grandson, you are now an awe-inspiring supreme expert. You can do whatever you like. Our protector Changyang clan will be supporting you from behind.”
Jian Chen’s killing intent immediately began to reduce rapidly when members of his family appeared before him. He too became extremely emotional, but he knew that this was not the time to reminisce the old days. As such, he forcefully suppressed his feelings.
“Jian Chen, sorry. I did not live up to your expectations and failed to protect Flame City. Flame City has been taken away by someone else,” You Yue called out as tears ran down her cheeks. She blamed herself for everything.
Jian Chen’s heart was pained when he saw You Yue’s haggard face. Jian Chen always felt ashamed with himself over You Yue. He just owed her too much.
“Yue’er, I already know about the matters of Flame City. It’s not your fault. Don’t worry. I will take everything stolen from me back with nothing missing,” Jian Chen comforted, before looking at Changyang Zu Yunkong, “Great grandfather, are you really treating the Changyang clan as one of your own after how they treated you all those years ago? Has the seal in your head been removed?”
Changyang Zu Yunkong’s face darkened when he heard that and he immediately stopped talking.
Meanwhile, the expressions of the great elders of the Changyang clan became a little unnatural.
Changyang Zu Xiao sighed gently and said, “Although Kong’er made some mistakes all those years ago and the clan expelled him, the blood of the Changyang clan still flows in his veins. This is an undebatable fact, and the clan has already taken back Kong’er.”
“Let’s not talk about this for now. I want to take back Flame City today and revive the Flame Mercenaries. Will the Changyang clan be preventing me from doing so?” Jian Chen glared at the group of people from the protector Changyang clan as he stood high on top of the divine hall.
The great elders frowned slightly. They looked at each other and all became troubled. With Jian Chen’s current strength, they no longer had the right to forcefully order him to do things.
Jian Chen sneered after seeing their reactions. Then, he gazed past the other nine protector clans. After looking away, he said, “Today, I will be taking back Flame City and reviving the Flame Mercenaries. Stand out, whoever wants to stop me,” Jian Chen spoke sharply. He did not respect the protector clans at all, as he had no good impression toward them.
If it were not for Tian Jian’s help all those years ago, he probably would not have been able to make it out of the continent and arrive at the sea realm. He would have fallen into the hands of the protector clans instead. He would not be faced with death, but the white tiger would definitely be taken from his side. Meanwhile, the matters of Flame City and the Flame Mercenaries were directly related to the protector clans.
Jian Chen was quite resentful toward them.
“Hmph, you arrogant brat. Jian Chen, do you really think you can look down on us protector clans now that you have a damned divine hall? You cannot impinge on our dignity. Breaking your divine hall is nothing difficult,” called out Ling Fengzi of the Yiyuan sect.
“Jian Chen, the rules between us protector clans has existed for thousands of years. No one can break it. You are now a member of a protector clan, so you must respect this rule. You cannot take back Flame City,” said the pavilion master of the Pure Heart Pavilion, Wu Chenzi.
“Jian Chen, if you take back Flame City today, you will be challenging the authority of us ten clans. You will become the enemies of all of us,” said a former school master of the Heaven’s Incense school.
“Jian Chen, if you insist on this, you will be dealt with by all ten protector clans according to the rules. Even the protector Changyang clan that stands behind you will be dragged in.”
“If you weren’t a member of a protector clan, we would not interfere with anything.”
…
All the people from the nine other protector clans spoke out. They all opposed Jian Chen’s wish to take back Flame City and did not want him to expand his forces. They spoke extremely sternly, leaving no room for any bargaining.
Jian Chen’s face began to sink. He slowly turned toward the great elders of the Changyang clan and said nonchalantly, “You now have two choices. The first choice is to fend off the protector clans with me and take back the Flame City that belongs to me. The second choice would be that I, Jian Chen, will break free from your Changyang clan and have no more ties with you anymore.”
The great elders reacted with a change in expression and Changyang Qing Yun called out immediately, “Jian Chen, the blood of the Changyang clan runs in your veins. You can’t just break off the tie just because you want to. You must not interfere with the matters of Flame City anymore. That is the rule between us protector clans.”
“You have no authority to order me to do anything. I don’t care who is going to be standing in my way today. I will be taking back Flame City,” yelled Jian Chen.
“You…” Changyang Qing Yun became furious.
The other protector clans all looked at each other. The situation seemed rather delicate. Given that Jian Chen was a member of the protector Changyang clan, he could use the clan to successfully keep the Winged Tiger God and shut them up. However, the situation at hand seemed to exceed their expectations. Jian Chen’s relationship with the Changyang clan did not seem as harmonious as they had imagined.
A light flickered in the eyes of Yi Yangzi as he hesitated. A while later, he seemed to make up his mind. His eyes stopped wavering and sneered, “Jian Chen, don’t you even think about taking back Flame City today. I’d like to see how you will contend with us without your divine hall. I’ll break it right now. Great elders of the Yiyuan sect, I now command you all to produce the Emperor Armament together and break through that divine hall in revenge for Ling Yuanzi.”
The expressions of the great elders all changed. Yi Jinzi cried out with a deep voice, “What? Use the Emperor Armament?”
“Yi Yangzi, are you certain about using the Emperor Armament? The power of the Emperor Armament is just too great. We will all suffer a heavy backlash,” Ling Tianzi also called out. He became stern.
Yi Yangzi’s face darkened as he called out angrily, “If we don’t, then how do we break through his divine hall and avenge Ling Yuanzi?”
The great elders all hesitated slightly before they gritted their teeth, ready to rip open a Space Gate to retrieve the Emperor Armament.
A gleam of light flashed through Jian Chen’s eyes when he heard them talk. He thought, “The divine hall cannot be broken through unless there’s a Saint Emperor, while the Emperor Armament of the Yiyuan sect can break through mine. Also, they said that if they use it with their strength, they will be hit with a powerful backlash. What is this Emperor Armament, to be so terrifying? Can they use attacks on par with Saint Emperors if they use their Emperor Armament?” Jian Chen’s heart shivered before making up his mind, “I can’t let them bring the Emperor Armament.”
“Please wait!” A voice suddenly rang out just as Jian Chen planned on doing something. The white-clothed Tian Jian slowly descended.
Tian Jian’s actions immediately attracted everyone’s attention. They all looked toward him as an expert from a protector clan said, “Tian Jian, does your Mercenary City plan on interfering with this matter?”
Tian Jian paid no heed to that person and said to the people of the Yiyuan sect, “Your Emperor Armament is forged from the full strength and essence of several dozen Saint Emperors. It cannot be used against people of the same race. You cannot use your Emperor Armament.”
Yi Yangzi’s face sank as he clasped his hands toward Tian Jian. “Grand elder, this is the matter of us protector clans. I hope your Mercenary City does not interfere.”
Tian Jian said, “The power of the Emperor Armament is too powerful. It can destroy whole regions of land and wipe out any life on them, so you can’t use it casually. I naturally would have nothing to say if you were to use it against invading foreigners, but I definitely will not let you use the Emperor Armament for some small matters against a junior.”
“Tian Jian, why must you stop what we’re doing?” Yi Yangzi growled.
“If you still insist on using it, my Mercenary City will devote their full strength into preventing you for the continent,” Tian Jian said forcefully. He was completely stern and did not seem like he was joking at all.