82: The dust has settled, and the Eastern Region is shaken

Outside God Burial Valley, silence reigned.

A rich scent of blood permeated the air, a lingering trace of the Dao's lament and shattered Laws after the fall of a Saint.

Even after the illusory projection of Emperor of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty Yuan Canglan, imbued with boundless rage, dissipated, the oppressive atmosphere here did not lift.

Dead.

All dead.

The three Ninth Realm Saints of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, who had come in full force, and the Dragon Clan elder from the Myriad Demon Cave.

Four Supreme beings, powerful enough to suppress a region and look down upon all living things, were as fragile as ants before the black-clothed man named Jiang Jiu.

In a flick of a finger, Saints bled, their forms and spirits utterly annihilated.

And the instigator of all this, the white-clothed youth, calm and composed, had not even blinked an eye from beginning to end.

What was even more chilling was that he had killed the Crown Prince of Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, and in front of the Emperor of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, he had brazenly declared that he would personally come to his door to take his head!

What arrogance!

What lawlessness!

"Crazy... this world is crazy..."

A Loose Cultivator, utterly distraught, slumped to the ground, muttering to himself.

His Dao Heart had already developed cracks from the extreme shock he had just experienced.

Slaughtering the Crown Prince of Tianyuan!

Annihilating four Saints!

Threatening the Divine Dynasty's Emperor Lord to his face!

Any one of these three incidents, taken alone, would be enough to shake the entire Eastern Domain three times over.

And now, they had all happened to the same person.

"...It seems the heavens are about to change."

"More than just the heavens! The entire Eastern Domain is about to change! How could the Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty let this go?!"

Whispers gradually arose, and the gazes directed at Jiang Chen began to fill with reverence and fear.

This was the true Young Supreme!

Dominating his generation, looking down upon the elders!

However, Jiang Chen paid no mind to his surroundings.

He slowly turned, his gaze falling upon Nangong Mingyue beside him, who had remained silent throughout.

Jiang Chen took Nangong Mingyue's soft hand, leaned close to her ear, and whispered in a voice only they could hear.

"Still angry?"

Nangong Mingyue's delicate body trembled almost imperceptibly.

She still didn't look at him, only turned her head further away.

Silent.

"Because of Yu Meier?"

Jiang Chen continued to press, a clear hint of a smile in his voice.

Nangong Mingyue remained silent.

But Jiang Chen clearly saw a faint blush quietly creep up her fair, snow-white earlobe.

Pretending.

Keep pretending.

Jiang Chen chuckled inwardly.

This woman, even after receiving the Empress's Legacy, no matter how cold and indifferent her demeanor became, deep down, she was still the same Nangong Mingyue who was not good at expressing herself and liked to hide her feelings.

"Are you jealous?"

Jiang Chen's voice struck deep into Nangong Mingyue's heart.

This time, she finally reacted.

She suddenly turned her head, her clear, moonlight-like eyes glaring intently at Jiang Chen.

"I'm not!"

Her voice was still cold, but her eagerness to deny betrayed her.

Protesting too much.

Jiang Chen's smile deepened.

Just then.

A figure, after much hesitation, finally took a step and slowly walked up to Jiang Chen.

It was Yu Meier.

At this moment, there was no trace of her usual seductive charm on her face.

That pretty face, which always carried a captivating smile, was now filled with a complex expression.

She looked at Jiang Chen, her red lips parting slightly.

"I... I'm leaving."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen merely let out a faint "hmm," his gaze not even leaving Nangong Mingyue's face.

Yu Meier's heart felt as if it had been pricked by something.

She bit her lower lip, and the surge of unwillingness and grievance welled up again.

This scoundrel!

He had clearly... clearly done *that* to her just now!

And now, he couldn't even bother to give her a proper look?

"Jiang Chen!"

She finally couldn't hold back, her voice rising a few octaves.

Only then did Jiang Chen finally shift his gaze from Nangong Mingyue to her face.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Something else?"

Yu Meier's heart fluttered under his gaze, and the courage she had just mustered instantly dissipated by more than half.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Was she to question him about why he had abandoned her after taking advantage of her?

Ridiculous.

There was no relationship between them to begin with.

In the end, she merely squeezed a few words through gritted teeth.

"We'll never meet again!"

With that, she didn't spare Jiang Chen another glance, turning to leave.

However, just as she turned.

Jiang Chen's calm voice came from behind her once more.

"Wait."

Yu Meier's steps halted, her body stiffening, but she didn't turn back.

"Take this."

A jade pendant, shimmering with a warm luster, flew from Jiang Chen's hand and landed precisely in Yu Meier's hand.

"This is..."

Yu Meier was taken aback.

Jiang Chen's voice was calm, "If you don't want to die halfway, take it with you."

"What do you mean?"

Yu Meier abruptly turned her head.

"The dogs of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, their Crown Prince dead, their Saints dead, do you think they will let it go?"

Jiang Chen said calmly.

"You and I emerged from the Ancient Tomb together; in their eyes, you are already my accomplice."

"Tell me, will they come looking for trouble with you?"

Yu Meier's face instantly turned ugly.

She was intelligent and immediately understood Jiang Chen's meaning.

Having suffered such a great loss, the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty would surely retaliate fiercely.

They couldn't touch Jiang Chen, who was protected by Jiang Jiu, but taking out their anger on a Saintess of the Joyful Union Sect would be simple enough.

"You... you're shameless!"

Yu Meier trembled with anger.

This guy, not only did he take immense advantage of her, but now he had also caused her such immense trouble!

"Take it; at least it can save your life at a critical moment."

Jiang Chen was unconcerned.

"Of course, you can also choose to throw it away; I don't care."

Yu Meier clenched the jade pendant in her hand tightly. She glared at Jiang Chen, her eyes filled with extreme complexity.

In the end, she said nothing, put away the jade pendant, transformed into a streak of light, and disappeared into the horizon without looking back.

Watching Yu Meier's departing figure, Nangong Mingyue, beside Jiang Chen, showed a flicker of emotion in her clear eyes.

The hand Jiang Chen held tightened slightly.

Jiang Chen felt this subtle change and, in return, held Nangong Mingyue's cool, soft hand even tighter.

He looked in the direction of the Nangong Family.

"I'll send you home first."

...Meanwhile, on the other side.

Deep within the Imperial Palace of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty.

"Roar!!!"

A Dragon's roar, filled with endless pain and fury, erupted from underground, causing the entire Imperial City to shake violently.

A terrifying aura shot into the sky, eclipsing the sun and moon.

"Jiang Chen!"

"I want you dead! I want you to be buried with my son!!"

"I want you to die without a burial place!"

Yuan Canglan's roar echoed through the heavens, the killing intent it contained enough to freeze thousands of miles.