Chapter 459: Chapter 446: This Monster...
Chen Tianci’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly composed himself and answered calmly, "Yes."
Shen Lang said leisurely, "It’s perfectly normal to want to become the Barbarian Emperor. It’s just like with the Human Race; if there aren’t a hundred million who want to become a War Emperor, there are at least tens of millions. Among the Barbarian Race, the Barbarian Emperor is your spiritual pillar. Every young person wants to become the Barbarian Emperor."
Chen Tianci said nothing. From just these few sentences, he still hadn’t figured out what Shen Lang was getting at.
Then, Shen Lang spoke again. "But you’re different. You carry the aura of the Barbarian Emperor. And he even expended a great deal of his own lifeblood to help you open two gates of your Barbaric Meridian."
"You!" Chen Tianci was flabbergasted. He subconsciously stumbled back several steps, staring at Shen Lang in terror.
It was not a pleasant feeling to have one’s secret exposed so bluntly.
Especially a secret he thought he alone possessed...
Ignoring Chen Tianci’s expression, Shen Lang continued, "Among the Barbarian Race, six individuals of extraordinary talent are chosen every hundred years. These six receive the Barbarian Emperor’s blessing, and he personally opens their Ren and Du Mysterious Gates. This isn’t exactly a secret."
Chen Tianci’s breathing grew heavy. "While that may not be a secret, how could you possibly know that I carry the aura of His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor? With your level of Cultivation, how could you sense his aura? And how do you know I’ve opened two gates of my Barbaric Meridian? How can you be so certain it was His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor who helped me?"
Shen Lang’s reply nearly made Chen Tianci cough up blood from sheer frustration. "You sure ask a lot of questions. As for the answers... those are my little secrets, of course."
"Besides, these secrets have little to do with our business. You shouldn’t ask what you’re not supposed to ask."
He went on, "His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor has invested a great deal of his lifeblood into you. It seems you must be the most talented of the six, the one most likely to become the next Barbarian Emperor, or even surpass him to become an existence on par with a Great Emperor."
"Though becoming a Great Emperor is as difficult as ascending to the heavens, His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor saw potential in you. That’s why he exhausted his strength to open two gates of your Barbaric Meridian. The cost was not small. It seems the Barbarian Emperor is still in a weakened state even now."
"..." Chen Tianci’s eyes darted from side to side. The thought of escape had already begun to form in his mind.
Even with his unusually strong mental fortitude, he couldn’t suppress the fear rising in his heart.
’Even though I thought I hid it perfectly, in front of Shen Lang, it feels like I can’t keep any secrets at all.’
The two of them had barely interacted, yet Shen Lang had identified him as a member of the Barbarian Race at a single glance.
Then, he knew everything about the dealings between him and the Barbarian Emperor!
He even knew that His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor had opened two of his Barbaric Meridian gates and had remained in a weakened state for a long time afterward, as if he had witnessed it himself!
This was too damn scary...
Never mind Chen Tianci himself; even His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor would be stunned if he heard this!
Over the years, Chen Tianci had traveled through countless territories of the Human Race and encountered innumerable experts, yet no one had ever seen through his secrets.
But Shen Lang knew every single detail as if he held it in the palm of his hand!
"Stop looking around," Shen Lang said, rolling his eyes. "With a mind like yours, surely you can figure out that you have no chance of escaping from my grasp here? Besides, I’m here to discuss a partnership, not to harm you. Who are you trying to impress, acting like a maiden about to be violated?"
Chen Tianci wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, took a deep breath, and walked over to sit on the other end of the large, green stone.
He understood. If Shen Lang truly wanted to deal with him, there was no way he could escape with his current level of Cultivation.
Moreover, Shen Lang’s terrifying nature wasn’t limited to his Cultivation. His intellect was even more frightening; it was as if he could see clearly into the depths of Chen Tianci’s heart, knowing his every thought and his every next move.
’Since it’s like this, I might as well hear him out.’
’I’m a fish on the chopping block, and he’s the knife. Faced with someone like this, all I can do is resign myself to fate.’
His gaze flickered uncertainly as he said in a low voice, "There’s no grudge between us. If you insist there is, it would be that you took my treasure, but I’d already given up on it. I pose no threat to you, so why won’t you just let me go? You talk about a partnership, but with your capabilities, how could someone like me possibly help you?"
"You pointed out my talent and origins... but speaking of talent, Chu Qingcheng and Mo Ge are far more gifted than I am. To be honest, I truly can’t guess why you’ve sought me out."
Shen Lang sighed. "Mo Ge’s talent lies solely in Martial Arts. He’s a complete mess when it comes to worldly affairs and utterly clueless about strategy. As for Old Chu, he’s a free spirit. I can’t get him to lift a finger unless it’s something exceptionally important."
"To put it simply, I’m looking for you for three reasons."
"First, as you’ve seen, I’m already building my own force. The Purple-clothed Guard and Thunder Guard are already under my command. A force of this scale needs someone to help me manage it, to strategize and devise plans. Fatty, you may like to play dumb, but it’s undeniable that out of everyone I know, you are the most shrewd—or to put it another way, the most intelligent."
Chen Tianci wiped away more sweat. "Being called ’shrewd’ isn’t exactly a compliment."
Shen Lang smiled. "Second, in a way, because of your unique Physique, your talent isn’t much less than Mo Ge’s. Your future achievements won’t necessarily be any less than his either. Having a friend like that can only benefit me. As for Old Chu, he’s a monster. You can’t measure him by normal standards. Besides, I don’t need to recruit him; he’s already my brother."
"Third, your fortune is astonishing. You are a general blessed by the heavens—your name, Tianci, says it all. If you help me, anything is possible."
Chen Tianci was taken aback. "Fortune? His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor has said that my fortune is remarkable, but how would you know that? Is it just because I found the Thousand-leaf Fruit and the Water Spirit Pearl?"
Shen Lang shook his head. "I can see your fortune. The pillar of fortune above your head is like a rainbow piercing the sun—it’s truly extraordinary. Of all the people I know, besides Old Chu, I can’t think of anyone else who possesses such an immense and unparalleled fortune."
Chen Tianci almost shot to his feet again. "Can you please stop scaring me? Fortune is an illusory thing. Legend has it that only those who have reached the Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm Late Stage can perceive it. You’re saying you can see my fortune... Don’t tell me you’re already a Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert, are you?"
"Ha! I was wondering how you could see through everything and know so much... So you’re some kind of old monster!"
Shen Lang rolled his eyes. "Don’t let your imagination run wild. I can see your fortune simply because I’ve practiced a certain Pupil Technique."
"His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor’s judgment was sound, and so is mine. Becoming the Barbarian Emperor, or even a Great Emperor, may seem unattainable, but it’s not necessarily impossible."
"Aside from talent and your own hard work, it also requires opportunity. And I... am your opportunity."
"Follow me, and I will help you reach the level of the Barbarian Emperor, perhaps even a Great Emperor. I will set you on the Heaven-Reaching Road. You have the talent and the fortune; I can provide the opportunity and the resources. For example, His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor could only open two of your Barbaric Meridian gates for you. But I have a way to help you open all nine and surpass the Barbarian Emperor!"
Hearing those last words, Chen Tianci shot to his feet. "That’s impossible! Even His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor has only opened eight gates! You’re talking about opening all nine? Absolutely impossible! You’re trying to deceive me with such talk. I’ll never believe it!"
Shen Lang chuckled. "What’s impossible? Your Barbarian Race has a total of ten gates within the body, but the last one is considered the Death Gate—a gate you can neither open nor dare to open. So the Barbaric Meridian has always been counted as having nine gates. From the Desolate Ancient Era until now, the Barbarian Race has produced a total of three Barbarian Emperors, and all of them opened nine gates."
"And what I possess is the very Secret Technique that the third Barbarian Emperor created by combining the work of countless Barbarian ancestors! With this Secret Technique and my help, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to become a Barbarian Emperor yourself many years from now."
"His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor exhausted himself just to open two gates for you, but I can help you open all nine and become the supreme Barbarian Emperor in the history of the Barbarian Race! This isn’t a joke, and I’m not just boasting. If you want to witness my methods, it’s simple enough."
As he spoke, Shen Lang paused for a moment and began to recite a Spell.
He spoke very slowly, ensuring Chen Tianci heard every single word clearly. It was the very Secret Technique he had spoken of, the one created by the last of the ancient Barbarian Emperors!
Chen Tianci’s mental fortitude was far beyond that of an ordinary person, but as he listened to the profound mysteries of Shen Lang’s Spell and began to circulate his Spiritual Power according to its principles, he knew instantly... ’Everything Shen Lang said is true!’
’A Secret Technique like this... even His Majesty the Barbarian Emperor would be overjoyed to see it!’
"Besides, what’s so great about being a Great Emperor? Many people believe the Great Emperor Martial Realm is the pinnacle of Martial Arts in this world. They have no idea that someone surpassed this Realm many years ago and ascended to an even higher level."
Hearing such peerlessly arrogant words, Chen Tianci’s breathing grew heavy and his gaze became vacant.
It was simply unheard of.
Not even the Five Directions Emperor would dare to speak in such a way.
In this day and age, geniuses were a dime a dozen, but how many could ever hope to reach the level of a Great Emperor?
Yet, from the way Shen Lang spoke, even a Great Emperor was nothing special...
In truth, in Shen Lang’s mind, a Great Emperor truly was nothing.
Before the War Emperor fell, he had already far surpassed the Realm of a Great Emperor.
And now, he had not only assimilated all of the War Emperor’s memories, but also possessed world-shaking Exotic Treasures like the Life Spiritual Liquid and the Tai Chi Diagram.
Surpassing the War Emperor’s Realm was Shen Lang’s true goal.
"On another note, you came to the Profound Dao Sect for its Thunder Control Divine Technique, correct?" Shen Lang continued, striking while the iron was hot. "Have you never thought of seeking out an even more powerful Thunder Element Technique?"
Chen Tianci let out a long sigh. "It doesn’t matter which race or Sect it is; they all guard their Secret Techniques with the utmost secrecy. It’s not something you can find just by looking. And even if you do find one, obtaining it is another matter entirely. I was prepared to spend ten years at the Profound Dao Sect just to get the Thunder Control Divine Technique."
"From what I understand, the most powerful Thunder Element Technique among the Human Race should be the Extreme Heaven Thunder Technique from the North Netherworld Extreme Heaven Sect. But that Sect has vanished without a trace, and the technique itself seems to be lost to time, hasn’t it?"
Shen Lang gave a wicked smile. "The Extreme Heaven Thunder Technique from the North Netherworld Extreme Heaven Sect, you say? I have it."
As he spoke, lightning flickered at his fingertips. A small Thunder Ball materialized above each finger, rotating slowly.
’This monster...’ Chen Tianci nearly fainted on the spot.
Comments