Volume One, Chapter 15: Tai Mingyu Completes the Celestial Formation, The Divine Contest Begins!
“Refreshing, truly refreshing! It’s been millions of years since I’ve had a fight this exhilarating!”
“Damn you! It’s you useless lot who stole our power, isn’t it?”
…
Chen Yan did not linger. Watching the fierce battle raging in the sky, he ascended alone onto the Ascension Platform.
He felt no worry for the others; the true powerhouses of the Heavenly Realm would not intervene, and no one else would come for such a “minor” uprising.
Their current strength was more than enough to handle these heavenly soldiers.
After all, these beings were once of kingly status.
And those heavenly soldiers were merely the natives of the Heavenly Realm.
Even if some of their essence had been absorbed, their strength was not something these natives could casually challenge.
Before long, the outcome was decided.
The beings emerged victorious with hardly a scratch; they sat on the ground, their bodies stained with golden blood.
Everyone truly rediscovered themselves in this battle.
“These Heavenly Realm fiends have exploited us for so many years,” someone muttered.
“Yes. When I lost my power, I thought it was just the process of converting energy upon entering the Heavenly Realm.”
“Though I haven’t fully regained my peak strength, just recovering consciousness is enough for me.”
…
The crowd marveled at the fight.
At that moment, someone among the beings suddenly spoke:
“Thanks to the Human Emperor.”
The others immediately realized and turned their gaze toward the Ascension Platform.
But the Human Emperor’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
Some wore grave expressions and tried to approach the platform but were stopped.
“Don’t go. With our current strength, going there would only be a burden on the Human Emperor.”
“But…”
The one who stopped them shook their head earnestly:
“When I was unconscious, I knelt before the Human Emperor. The power from even a single being on him is beyond our reach. Don’t worry about the Human Emperor; let’s train quickly and regain our strength so we can truly aid him.”
Upon hearing this, the previously lively atmosphere fell silent.
They all instinctively looked to the sky.
Indeed, their strength was only enough to deal with heavenly soldiers; facing true powerhouses meant they were just cannon fodder.
Unaware of all this, Chen Yan had already arrived at another realm.
The Sixth Heaven of Desire.
The Realm of Radiant Jade Completion.
---
Known for its brilliance, this heaven was home to some disciples of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and a few immortals skilled in light magic.
There were no town-like structures in this sky.
Only a vast, ancient stone platform stood before Chen Yan.
Approaching it, a figure in a white robe appeared before him.
“The destined god,” Chen Yan said with a wry smile. “Guang Chengzi, long time no see. Didn’t expect to meet you so soon.”
“Long time no see, Human Emperor. I am both your opponent this time and here to negotiate with you,” Guang Chengzi replied gracefully, standing still. Holding the paired swords of Ying and Yang, his expression was calm, the blades humming softly.
“Oh?” Chen Yan’s curiosity piqued. “What kind of negotiation?”
“The Heavenly Lord asked me to propose something. Just fighting through is rather dull. How about adding a wager?”
“A wager? Go on.”
“We wager the Human Realm against the Heavenly Realm. We’ll give you a chance to challenge us. If neither the Heavenly Lord nor Human Emperor intervene, we’ll arrange five opponents per heaven level. Each victory claims that heaven level for the Human Realm, but if you lose once, the Human Realm must cede corresponding territory. How does that sound?”
“Interesting.” Chen Yan regarded Guang Chengzi thoughtfully. “I accept.”
As Chen Yan’s words fell, a trace of killing intent flashed across Guang Chengzi’s previously impassive face.
“Then hurry, summon your people!”
“Still so impatient,” Chen Yan said, although his mind was already racing.
He had not expected such a formidable opponent to appear so early in the Realm of Radiant Jade Completion.
Guang Chengzi was the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals, second only to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
After a brief moment of consideration, Chen Yan withdrew from the platform and stood in the void.
At the next moment, a manifestation of the Human Emperor’s fortune slowly descended onto the platform.
“Guang Chengzi, so eager for battle. Let’s see how you fare against this one,” Chen Yan said with a smile.
“Wearing a purple-gold crown with a tri-pronged hairpin, draped in the Red Cotton Hundred Flowers Robe from Western Sichuan, clad in linked armor adorned with beast and devouring head motifs, cinched with a finely crafted Lion Barbarian belt; bow and arrow at his side, wielding a painted halberd, seated atop the fiery red steed Whirlwind. The God of War, Lü Bu!”
“At your service!”
The Human Emperor’s fortune took form as a robust man clad in armor, mounted on a blazing red horse.
With his arrival, Guang Chengzi’s killing intent deepened, the paired swords vibrating fiercely.
Yet Lü Bu was no ordinary warrior; his aura of deathly intent kept Guang Chengzi from closing in.
He did not rush to engage Guang Chengzi but instead commanded Red Hare to turn and lowered his head deeply toward Chen Yan.
“Though I have met the Human Emperor, I did not kneel, which is a grave oversight. I hope the Human Emperor will not take offense.”
“No offense. On the battlefield, I hope the God of War will give his all. This immortal is no ordinary foe.”
“Yes!”
With that, Lü Bu raised his head, turned to face Guang Chengzi, and lifted the halberd, shouting:
“You petty gods, why do you not submit at once?”
---
“Petty gods?” Guang Chengzi laughed heartily at the insult.
He unleashed the paired swords and vanished from sight.
Lü Bu did not let his guard down; he thrust his halberd forward to meet the swords’ clash.
An overwhelming force swept across the platform.
Both Red Hare and Guang Chengzi staggered back several paces.
Clearly, this brief exchange revealed their strengths were evenly matched.
One was the foremost warrior of the Human Realm; the other, the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals.
Their eyes met, burning with fierce passion.
In the next moment, they clashed again, exchanging hundreds of blows in mere seconds.
The killing intent in Lü Bu’s eyes grew ever more intense.
It even seemed to eclipse that of Guang Chengzi.
Yet the latter’s expression showed surprise.
He had not expected a being from the Human Realm to wield such strength; Lü Bu’s physical prowess alone rivaled that of a fleshly saint.
Still, humans were humans.
Despite his astonishment, Guang Chengzi poured spiritual energy into his paired swords.
Lü Bu, mortal though he was, soon sensed the swords’ power growing stronger.
In just an instant, it rivaled his own strength.
In a moment of inattention, Lü Bu missed a strike.
The paired swords slid along the tip of Lü Bu’s halberd and pierced straight toward his chest.
“You are strong, but I am stronger,” Guang Chengzi boasted arrogantly.
His gaze pierced through Lü Bu to the still composed Chen Yan behind him, a flicker of unease stirring within.
But such a glaring opening was impossible to ignore.
Yet in the next second, the sensation of being pierced never came.
The paired swords seemed to strike an invisible wall.
Guang Chengzi stared in shock at Lü Bu, who had used his formidable flesh to block the attack.
Lü Bu looked at the paired swords with interest.
“This sword is intriguing. It actually causes me pain.”
Chen Yan was not surprised; as the strongest man of the Three Kingdoms, his strength was far beyond that of ordinary humans.
“Let’s see which God of War is truly stronger!”