Devouring Soul Emperor

Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Grand Chief Steward Jingtai

"Jingtai, I’ve come today to demand someone from your Great Xia Dragon Guard!"

Standing on the back of a Flying Demon Beast, Sub-Palace Master Profound Snake stared at the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s Grand Chief Steward, Jingtai, his expression incredibly grim as he spoke.

"Demand someone?"

Grand Chief Steward Jingtai couldn’t help but sneer. "And who might you be wanting?"

"A Tier One Martial Spirit named Chu Qingyun!"

"Hand him over, and we’ll leave immediately!"

The Martial Soul Hall’s Sub-Palace Master, Profound Snake, stood atop the Flying Demon Beast, watching Jingtai with his full guard up.

In terms of individual strength, they were significantly weaker than the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s chief stewards, so they didn’t dare let their guard down for even a moment.

"Hand him over, and you’ll leave immediately?"

Jingtai repeated the words, his face impassive.

"That’s right, Jingtai. He’s just a mere Tier One Martial Spirit. There’s no need to provoke a war between our two factions over him."

"I will kill that Chu Qingyun, without a doubt! You’d best hand him over, or else..."

"Or else what? How dare you! What exactly do you plan to do?" Grand Chief Steward Jingtai suddenly barked, cutting Profound Snake off.

Handing someone over was, of course, something Jingtai would never agree to.

A few people from the Martial Soul Hall had run to the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s headquarters, swaggering around as if they owned the place, and now they were demanding the Dragon Guard hand over one of their own.

If they really handed him over, the Great Xia Dragon Guard would lose all face and could no longer establish themselves in Lianshan County.

The three of them, all King Realm chief stewards, might as well just slit their own throats!

"Jingtai, you’d better think this through. This is the County City! Hmph, if the seven of us in the Martial King Realm were to make a move here, the entire County City would be destroyed, and all of you from the Great Xia Dragon Guard would find it hard to escape with your lives!"

"Is it worth it, for a mere Tier One Martial Spirit!?"

Profound Snake’s face was chillingly severe. A cold, murderous intent emanated from his body, so intense that the feathers of the Flying Demon Beast beneath his feet stood on end.

That Tier Three Flying Demon Beast had strength comparable to a Celestial Spirit Realm expert, but in front of a King Realm expert, it was as fragile as a little chick—nothing more than a tool for transportation.

"Hahaha! What a joke! Threatening me with the County City!"

"Profound Snake, if you dare to make a move here, I guarantee that even if it costs me my life, I will hunt down and kill all seven of you, one by one!"

Faced with Sub-Palace Master Profound Snake’s threat, Jingtai didn’t yield an inch!

The Martial Soul Hall’s Martial Kings had appeared so brazenly at the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s headquarters. This was no longer just about whether or not to hand over Chu Qingyun; it was a matter of the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s honor and dignity, a contest of Momentum between the two sides!

If they handed him over, the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s Momentum would instantly collapse.

In all future conflicts with the Martial Soul Hall, they would definitely be at a great disadvantage!

Faced with Jingtai’s dominance, a flicker of fear appeared in the eyes of the seven Martial Soul Hall Martial Kings, including Profound Snake. They hadn’t expected Jingtai’s reaction to be so unyielding.

The Martial Soul Hall and the Great Xia Dragon Guard had been engaged in open and secret struggles in Lianshan County for decades. The few King Realm Experts on both sides had a solid understanding of each other’s strength.

Jingtai, being at the Earth King Realm, was undeniably powerful.

As the Grand Chief Steward of the Great Xia Dragon Guard, he arguably had access to the best cultivation resources in the entire Great Xia nation. Whether it was Secret Technique Secret Manuals or Spirit Treasure Elixirs, Jingtai lacked for nothing.

In a one-on-one fight, no one in Lianshan County was his match!

His vow to kill all seven of them even at the cost of his own life was definitely not just talk!

"Ahem, Hall Master, calm down."

"Hall Master, even though we’re in the County City, now is not a good time to go to war with the Great Xia Dragon Guard."

The other two Tier Four Martial Kings from the Martial Soul Hall whispered their advice to Profound Snake.

"Fine, Jingtai, you win! The great Grand Chief Steward of the Great Xia Dragon Guard doesn’t even care about his own men or this County City. We’ll see about this!"

After a moment of internal struggle, Profound Snake finally chose to retreat, leading his men away. Just as they arrived, they shot out of the County City like the wind.

Grand Chief Steward Jingtai also let out a cold snort and descended back into the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s headquarters with the other two chief stewards.

Having the Martial Soul Hall’s Martial Kings show up and swagger at their doorstep was, no matter how you looked at it, a huge blow to the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s prestige.

If this hadn’t been inside Lianshan County City, and if they hadn’t had to consider the harm to the millions of people within it, Jingtai and the other two would have attacked without a moment’s hesitation!

The conversation between Jingtai and Profound Snake had not been deliberately concealed.

Many people within the Great Xia Dragon Guard headquarters had heard their exchange and learned that the reason the seven Martial Kings from the Martial Soul Hall had come was, surprisingly, for Chu Qingyun.

Among them were Xiao Feng and Chen Yu, who were outside at the time.

After the people from the Martial Soul Hall left, the two of them looked at each other, and a few suspicions began to form in their minds.

Chu Qingyun definitely had no prior dealings with the Martial Soul Hall. The only major thing he’d done recently was kill Mu and some other Martial Soul Hall Martial Spirits in that valley a few days ago.

Moreover, on the way back, Chu Qingyun had told them that he’d learned from Liu Canghai that Mu was apparently someone especially favored by a certain Sub-Palace Master of the Martial Soul Hall.

It was obvious now. The reason these seven King Realm experts came looking for Chu Qingyun was definitely because he had killed Mu a few days ago!

"This time... it seems we’ve really gotten the captain into deep trouble..."

Xiao Feng’s expression was incredibly grave. Anyone knew that being targeted by a Martial King Realm expert was definitely not a good thing.

"We should go inform the captain first!" Chen Yu’s brows were also furrowed tightly.

Without a moment’s delay, the two of them sprinted toward Chu Qingyun’s place.

Chu Qingyun had been resting in his room when he suddenly felt an incomparably powerful aura descend, pressing down on him so hard that he found it difficult to even move. Even after activating the Fourth Layer of his Profound Celestial Divine Pattern, it only got slightly better.

However, after a short while, that aura suddenly vanished.

Although he had a faint feeling that there was some commotion outside, he didn’t go out or make any rash moves, choosing to stay in his room.

This was the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s headquarters, guarded by King Realm Experts.

’Even if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up.’ It was best to stay in his room and observe the situation first.

Just then, Xiao Feng and Chen Yu suddenly burst through the courtyard gate and rushed inside.

After the two of them explained everything that had happened from beginning to end, Chu Qingyun’s expression couldn’t help but turn ugly.

"Captain, this is all our fault. If it weren’t for us, you wouldn’t have been targeted by that Martial Soul Hall Sub-Palace Master."

Xiao Feng and Chen Yu both lowered their heads, their faces full of shame.

Chu Qingyun forced a smile and said, "Don’t say that. Actually, Mu was probably targeting me from the start. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to capture the five of you alive."