Chapter 853: Preparations Before Departure

The divisions in the human territories were likely a structure that had slowly emerged after the great ancient war. Back then during ancient times, even the Upper Eight Regions was a territory where ordinary humans lived, just like all the other territories. Only after the great ancient war ended did the empyrean powerhouses gradually go into seclusion, leading to the present situation where the core Upper Eight Regions became the heart of the entire human domain. Meanwhile, the Myriad Domains had been gradually marginalized because they bordered the desolate wildlands, and because legends spoke of demons were sealed therein. In particular, the sixteen kingdom alliance in the Myriad Domains was even more of a trivial existence.

Even in the strongest four great sects in the sixteen kingdoms, the strongest people were merely forefathers at the origin realm. The strength of an original realm cultivator was simply a trifling nonentity in the heartlands of the Upper Eight Regions. After the Eternal Celestial Capital’s rampage in the Myriad Domains, it was likely that all of the fourth rank sects had been destroyed and scattered just like the Regal Pill Palace. The sixteen kingdom alliance wasn’t one of the main factions in the Myriad Domains to begin with. It was a marginal faction at best. It was even more impossible to survive once the calamity struck.

As to the other factions, Jiang Chen wasn’t that much worried about them. The only ones he was worried about was the Precious Tree Sect, the Skylaurel Kingdom, as well as the Eastern Kingdom. The Skylaurel Kingdom in particular. His uncle Jiang Tong and his younger cousin Jiang Yu were still there. It had been so long. He wondered how they were now. The thing he was most worried about was the Eternal Celestial Capital taking out its anger on Jiang Tong and his son after suffering at his hands.

Although the Eternal Celestial Capital might not be aware Jiang Tong and his son were in the Skylaurel Kingdom, they still had the intelligence network of a first-ranked sect. It would be child’s play for them to deal with Jiang Tong and his son once they found out about this relationship. However, Jiang Chen surmised that they hadn’t caught Jiang Tong or Jiang Yu yet. Otherwise, with their usual style, they’d have used his relatives to threaten him with already.

In any case, Jiang Chen decided he’d go back to his homeland on his way and take a look. However, this journey seemed fraught with danger, so he needed to make some preparations beforehand. “There is only half a year left until Veluriyam Pagoda’s opening. I only have half a year for this trip to the desolate wildlands.”

He wasn’t the sort to break his promise. Since he’d already given his word to Emperor Peafowl, then he would participate in this gathering no matter what. The most reliable way would have been to leave after the end of the gathering. Only, Jiang Chen wasn’t willing to wait a minute more than necessary. He worried that any delay might bring greater trouble. The contest at the gathering would last for a full year. The ship might have already sailed by the end of the gathering. The news about the Requiem Tree hadn’t spread extensively around yet, so he had take this opportunity to be the early bird and catch the worm. If he waited for everyone to be abuzz with the news, then he would have lost all advantage.

After all, since He Hongshu had escaped from that damned place, then it was very hard to say that no one else escaped from there. As long as someone else escaped, the news about the Requiem Tree was bound to spread. However, what was even more terrifying than the news about the Requiem Tree spreading around was the possibility that someone else had left the area with the Wood Demon Parasites as well. Fortunately, judging from He Hongshu’s words, these people shouldn’t have been wandering cultivators from Veluriyam Capital. Even if trouble were to break out, the Capital wasn’t in imminent danger.

As for the other regions, Jiang Chen might be a merciful man, but he already had more than enough on his plate. After all, if something like that were really to happen, then it wasn’t something he could stop by himself. What he wanted now was to find the Requiem Tree and dispel Huang’er’s Generation Binding Curse, so that she would become healthy again.

However, judging from the data left by Ole He, that place was truly full of danger. So Jiang Chen had to do his homework before setting off. What he needed to enhance first was his strength. It was clearly impossible to enhance his cultivation all the way to the emperor realm in such a short time frame. However, Jiang Chen held many cards in his hand. If he sorted through them, he should have enough to enhance his fighting power by quite a bit.

The Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice as well as the magnetic golden mountain were trump cards that’d been in Jiang Chen’s possession for a long time already. He’d made full use of them all the way until now. He’d also been progressively mastering the formation disks and flags he’d inherited from the Ancient Crimson Heaven Sect, slowly bringing out their power.

Of course, the ultimate Crimson Heaven Formation disk could imitate the ten great ancient formations. Jiang Chen had merely scratched the surface of what it could do so far. He’d barely managed to operate it last time and imitate the Major Artifice Formation. This formation disk had played a major part during that fight, temporarily trapping the troops the Eternal Celestial Capital had sent after him. In the end, the troops had been poisoned by the Divine Befuddlement Miasma and annihilated to the last.

Back when he’d challenged the Ancient Crimson Heaven Sect’s inheritance tower, Jiang Chen had also obtained two formation disks, one of them the Minor Artifice Formation Disk. This formation disk didn’t have too much use for Jiang Chen now. He planned on giving it to those close to him so that they they could protect themselves.

The formation disk of the Ancient Slaughter Formation of Seven was of a much higher grade. It could imitate three levels of formations. The simple level could confuse ordinary sage realm cultivators. The intermediate level could disorient sky sage realm cultivators, trapping them inside. As for the highest level, it could confine ordinary emperor realm powerhouses. So this formation disk was still of use. Jiang Chen still took it with him.

The Soldier Rosary Beads were also increasingly losing its usefulness as Jiang Chen’s strength continuously rose. That being said, this toy could be used now and then to keep an enemy busy and buy him some time. He might have a use for it on this trip to the desolate wildlands, so he didn’t give it away for now.

Of course, Jiang Chen’s current priority was to refine the Pentecolor Divine Swords. This sky rank artefact was a gift bestowed by Emperor Peafowl. The five colors of the Pentecolor Divine Sword correspondeded with the five elements. Its might was no trifling matter. The five elements reinforced each other. As long as a complete circle revolved inside, it could break every demonic obstacle and slash through any evil energy.

Unfortunately, the great emperor had only given him the sword, and hadn’t given him any sword technique. Jiang Chen wasn’t discouraged, however. He was already prepared when it came to sword techniques. In his memories, Jiang Chen had already identified several sword techniques matching the characteristics of the Pentecolor Divine Sword, and planned to choose one of them.

“There are quite a few sword arts combining the five elements, but ordinary sword arts aren’t worthy of an exceptional artifact like this sword. I remember a method from ancient times called the ‘Divine Five Thunderclap Sword Technique’, the ancient Celestial Firmament Emperor’s famous supreme technique. As for the Firmament Emperor, he was quite a curious tale in himself. Legends say that this celestial emperor rose from the mundane world. He went against the power of time, beholding all things life and death, reversed the wheel of reincarnation, holding onto himself the fates of the heavens and of the earth, and finally became a divine celestial emperor of an era.” Jiang Chen had researched the many legends encompassing the heavenly planes.

The ancient Firmament Emperor was by one of the countless celestial emperors of the heavenly planes. There were many rumors about him. Legends said his strength even surpassed that of his father, the Taiyuan Emperor. The tales of the Firmament Emperor were too many to count throughout the vast universe. Jiang Chen heard some of the rumors about this celestial emperor rising from his mundane origins all the way to the seat of a celestial emperor. His path had been unimpeded like a knife slicing through butter. However, the Firmament Emperor was also someone with powerful luck. He’d inherited the legacies of quite a few celestial emperors throughout the planes. This was someone even his father had praised continuously.

It was unfortunate that the planes were too far away from each other. One had to pass through ancient heavenly formations for every journey. If by any chance an issue arose in the orbits of the heavenly planes, even a celestial emperor would be sucked into the endless, flood-like chaos of the spatial currents, forever drifting like a piece of deadwood. For that reason, the Taiyuan Emperor had always wanted to pay a visit to the Firmament Emperor, but he’d never found the opportunity to do so.

Under the influence of his father, Jiang Chen had also heard quite a few things about this Firmament Emperor. That was the reason why the “Divine Five Thunderclap Sword Technique” was the first thing he thought of. This sword art was in fact a supreme technique that the Firmament Emperor used when emerging from the mundane world. Only, through the celestial emperor’s repeated improvement, this sword technique evolved step by step to finally become something of resounding fame throughout the planes.

Jiang Chen had always researched this technique, so he was very familiar with its many forms. The greatest advantage of this sword technique was that it could be cultivated no matter one’s cultivation. Not only did this sword technique contain the energy of the five elements, but it could even summon divine thunder and add a dazzling power to its physical attacks. Its might was extraordinary.

Jiang Chen possessed the Golden Cicada’s Thundercloud Tree within his body. He had an unmatched advantage when it came to attracting thunder. For that reason, this sword technique seemed tailor-made for Jiang Chen.

“Great Firmament Emperor, I hope you can bless me. This junior is Jiang Chen. After I study your sword technique and become famous throughout the planes, I’ll come and thank you in person.” Jiang Chen silently mouthed a few words to himself. He’d already decided he would cultivate this “Divine Five Thunderclap Sword Technique.” The Pentecolor Divine Sword and this technique was a match made in heaven.

In addition, Jiang Chen also planned to refine Emperor Featherflight’s Divine Featherflight Wings. He had obtained the inheritance back in the Paramount Realm. But apart from the Featherflight Mirror he used frequently, he hadn’t used the other inheritances left by Emperor Featherflight out of fear he’d expose this legacy. This journey to the desolate wildlands would be fraught with danger. The Divine Featherflight Wings were a necessity. Combined with Emperor Featherflight’s Tactics, he could have full confidence in his speed.

Even he were to encounter immense danger, he could hope to survive as long as he had absolute speed. As for the inheritance Emperor Featherflight had obtained from the empyrean cultivator, Guo Ran, Jiang Chen had no use for them for the moment, apart from the palace. Jiang Chen had no use for either of mid-rank empyrean decree or an order to a fate secret realm for now. As to that palace dwelling, the prohibitions inside were too formidable. Jiang Chen had used it once back in the Paramount Realm. Thinking back on it, he felt it was a pity even now.

As soon as those prohibitions started operating, even a cultivator at the great emperor level would be seriously wounded, if not outright dead. This was the strongest killing tool Jiang Chen presently had in his possession. Jiang Chen would never use it unless he met with the greatest of dangers.

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