Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 503: Chapter 508: Dumbfounded

“Such audacity, daring to wreak havoc in my Jiang Clan!” Jiang Yichen spoke menacingly, his voice a loud reprimand.

“SMACK!”

Jiang Huairen was definitely not one to be trifled with. He swung his large palm and struck, planting a five-finger mountain on Jiang Yichen’s relatively handsome and fair face.

“You dare speak to your uncle like this? Ever since you saw me, you haven’t said a single respectful word. Do you really intend to kill me?”

Jiang Huairen spoke as he delivered another resounding slap. “You think my audacity is great? How does it compare to yours, daring to forcibly seize even the holy divine relics exclusive to a Great Emperor? Have you forgotten your own surname? Are those items something you can even dream of touching?”

“You bastard! You were expelled by our Jiang Clan, and now you dare to attack me? Just you wait! Soon, someone will come and tear out your tendons!”

Jiang Yichen was furious, his face a ghastly blue. This was the Jiang Family’s sacred ground, his own island. Such a thing had never happened here before. Who would dare treat him like this?

“SMACK!”

Jiang Huairen’s only response was another massive, swinging slap that landed heavily. “You don’t even call me Clan Uncle. For such outrageous disrespect, I could kill you, and it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“DANG!”

Not far off, the few elders finally sounded the Heavenly Sound Bell. Any expert within this region who heard it was obligated to rush over, as this bell only rang during times of upheaval.

“You actually dared to ring the Heavenly Sound Bell…” Jiang Huairen chuckled, then hefted the Divine Wood Order in his hand and used it to whip Jiang Yichen.

“SMACK!” “SMACK!”

Jiang Huairen’s blows were exceedingly ruthless. After just a few strikes, Jiang Yichen’s mouth was nearly torn apart, his jaw already fractured and hanging slack.

“You ignorant fool! Bring out the Origin Qi Cauldron for me!”

“You… fine! Just you wait!” Jiang Yichen remained defiant, his words muffled as he spat them out.

Nearby, the elders wore embarrassed expressions. They wanted to step forward and intervene, but upon seeing the Divine Wood Order, they were helpless. They had, of course, heard about Jiang Hi’s impending return.

That was a fearsome individual, allied with twelve other formidable outlaws. Provoking one would stir all thirteen into action. They possessed the Ancient Heaven-devouring Demon Vessel, were connected to the terrifying entity known as “Immortal,” and even dared to challenge the Sacred Lands.

“Are you trying to die? If you don’t hand over the Origin Qi Cauldron, I’ll finish you today!” Jiang Huairen threatened, his gaze growing sharp and fierce.

“SMACK!”

“I say, Huairen, seeing how much you’re enjoying this, how about letting me have a go?” Liu Kao said from the side.

The large black dog also rose to its hind legs, showing off its brand-new tiger-striped shorts and rubbing its bowl-sized paws together. “Or let this Emperor land a couple of blows! I love thrashing despicable wretches like him! Daring to fight this Emperor over holy divine relics—you’re tired of living!”

It had accidentally spoken its true thoughts. This was its inherent nature and flaw: to snatch any treasure on sight. It had always coveted the Origin Qi foundation, constantly scheming to get its paws on it.

“You can all give up! This is a holy divine relic of my Jiang Clan! Forget about it completely!” Jiang Yichen was incredibly stubborn. Even beaten until his mouth and nose bled, he gritted his teeth.

He believed Jiang Huairen wouldn’t dare kill him. Even a few superficial wounds wouldn’t matter; if an arm broke or a leg was detached, the Jiang Clan had spiritual medicines to reattach them. He merely needed to endure until the Jiang Clan’s experts arrived, who would be able to eliminate these people. Therefore, he remained fierce and refused to yield the Origin Qi Cauldron under any circumstances.

“Still talking tough? Still gritting your teeth? I’ve already knocked them out; let’s see you grit them now!” Jiang Huairen’s palm slapped down.

“PFFT!”

Jiang Yichen suddenly spat out a half-mouthful of teeth, his face contorted. The intense pain made him groan involuntarily, yet he remained unyielding, refusing to beg for mercy.

“Audacious!” an angry roar echoed from the sky.

“You must have eaten a Daoist saint’s gall to dare cause trouble within my Jiang Family! Even if you were the Heavenly King himself, today you’d be turned to ash!” A middle-aged man descended. He had thick, black hair so long it almost reached his knees.

His gaze was like a sharp blade, seemingly capable of cleaving a person’s soul—extremely sharp and terrifying.

“Eighth Uncle, help me kill them! Quickly!” Jiang Yichen screamed, spitting out a few more teeth in the process.

Moments after the Heavenly Sound Bell rang, seventy to eighty people arrived. The leader was the long-haired, middle-aged man, his expression exceptionally stern.

After all, it wasn’t the Big Bell from the Jiang Family’s main sacred ground, so it couldn’t alert everyone. It only disturbed the adjacent Divine Island. Thus, these people had rushed over.

Those who lived near Jiang Yichen were naturally his direct blood relatives, sharing close kinship.

“Eighth Uncle,” Tingting also called out crisply.

“What happened?” the long-haired man demanded, his gaze fixed on Little Tingting.

“Brother Yichen borrowed my Origin Qi Cauldron and won’t return it. We came to ask for it back, and he’s even trying to have people kill us,” Tingting explained.

The long-haired man’s eyes instantly turned cold. He saw the Divine Wood Order in Jiang Huairen’s hand and found the situation very troublesome.

“You, stop!” he roared sternly, reaching out with a large hand to grab forward.

Jiang Huairen indeed had a strong personality. Seeing seventy to eighty people surround them, he wielded the Divine Wood Order with even more vigor, all while muttering incessantly.

“Defying your elders, trying to kill your uncle? You’ll be dealt with by family law! A clan uncle is like a father; I’m disciplining you, and it’s my right!”

“SMACK!” “SMACK!” “SMACK!”

“Kid, you…” The long-haired middle-aged man’s face turned ashen. When his large hand reached out, he found Jiang Huairen blocking with the Divine Wood Order, shaking it defiantly at him.

“Eighth Uncle, kill them! I’ll take full responsibility for any consequences!” Jiang Yichen yelled belligerently.

“Who do you think you are? You’ll take responsibility? Are you trying to rebel against the Jiang Family? You even dare to disrespect the Ancestor’s Divine Wood Order?” Jiang Huairen gave him another round of harsh blows.

“Enough! You’re too arrogant!” Another cold snort sounded as a gray-haired middle-aged man descended. He was tall and imposing, with an overwhelming aura of authority.

“Grand-uncle, kill them quickly! This bastard and this group of bandits dare to run wild in our Jiang Family, trying to seize our clan’s holy divine relic! They must not leave here alive!” Jiang Yichen shrieked.

“Humph!”

The gray-haired middle-aged man’s gaze was chilling. He stared at Ye Fan and the others, his killing intent palpable. Even Jiang Huairen was enveloped by it, feeling an icy coldness.

“SWOOSH!”

He pointed his finger, and a beam of light shot out, instantly pulling Jiang Yichen to his side. Then, a murderous aura surged forth, locking onto Ye Fan and his companions.

“Grand-uncle, act quickly! Don’t let a single one escape!” Jiang Yichen, now rescued, was thoroughly enraged, glaring venomously at everyone.

“So young, yet so overbearing. Even if you possess an immense background, that doesn’t justify such actions in my Jiang Family,” the gray-haired man said coldly.

He ignored Jiang Huairen, who was holding the Divine Wood Order, and instead focused on Ye Fan and the others. An invisible killing intent emanated from him, slashing towards them.

“CLANG!”

Between Ye Fan’s brows, the small golden lake transformed into a figure. It sat in the void, possessing a solemn and majestic aura like an immortal being, and struck forward.

“BOOM!”

The heavens and earth roiled violently. Ye Fan’s divine sense, surpassing his current realm, collided with the gray-haired man’s murderous intent, creating a deafening explosion. Astonishingly, it held its ground.

“Grand-uncle, do you want to kill us?” Tingting stepped forward, her white clothes fluttering. She looked like a flawless little fairy, shielding the others.

“Tingting, step aside. This concerns our family’s honor. If we don’t kill them, we can’t wash away this humiliation,” the gray-haired man said gravely.

“Damn it, I knew it! Jiang Yichen himself wouldn’t have the guts to hold onto a Great Emperor’s holy divine relics. It seems someone is backing him from behind, and you’re definitely one of them, aren’t you?” the big black dog sneered, baring its teeth.

Ye Fan looked at him calmly and said, “You resort to violence without even asking for the cause. Do you really think that by doing so, you can claim the Origin Qi Cauldron for yourself?”

“Don’t try to pin such serious accusations on me, youngster. You were the ones causing trouble first; I merely acted in response,” the gray-haired man snorted coldly.

“I can tell you this: the peerless Divine King is not dead. Sooner or later, he will return. You’d better not take things too far!” Ye Fan felt the other’s bone-chilling killing intent, and his heart skipped a beat.

The Chessboard Array Patterns materialized. The big black dog shouted, “Damn it, you still want to kill me? Dream on! If you’ve got the guts, stay in the Jiang Family forever. Otherwise, if you step out, this Emperor will annihilate all of you!”

These were array patterns from a corner of an ancient Great Emperor’s formation, so it had no fear of being forcibly interrupted. It said confidently, “Your decision today concerns the future of the Jiang Clan.”

The expressions of everyone around changed. They were not the highest echelons of the Jiang Family, but they were aware of many happenings in the outside world.

Many knew that a Saint of the current era was close to these individuals. They truly didn’t dare to make a fatal move, lest it invite a great catastrophe.

The Chessboard Array Patterns shimmered. Ye Fan and the others’ lives were not in danger; they could traverse away at any moment. They coldly watched the gray-clad man and his group.

“It doesn’t matter! Kill them!” Jiang Yichen, feeling emboldened, snarled through gritted teeth, eager to eliminate Ye Fan and his companions in one fell swoop.

The gray-clad man also harbored killing intent. However, being a discerning individual, he naturally understood the terrifying power of the Chessboard Array Patterns. If the other party wished to leave, he absolutely could not stop them.

“Humph!”

A heavy, cold snort echoed, and an aged voice descended, “What is going on?”

Tingting’s face immediately lit up with joy. “Ninth Grandfather, Brother Yichen borrowed the Origin Qi Cauldron and won’t return it to me. He’s even trying to have people kill us!”

“Little girl, don’t speak nonsense!” Jiang Yichen’s expression turned icy.

“What audacity!” An old man in green robes descended. He had white hair and a white beard and looked as imposing as an old lion. He was a descendant of the peerless Divine King and had often looked after Tingting in the past.

“Ninth Grandfather…” Jiang Yichen seemed somewhat intimidated. The gray-haired middle-aged man beside him also appeared uneasy.

“You lot are really something! The Divine King Ancestor has barely disappeared, and you already dare to act like this!” the old man boomed.

“Ninth Grandfather, that Origin Qi Cauldron had already become a holy divine relic of our Jiang Clan. I was afraid Tingting wouldn’t guard it well and that these people might try to seize it, so I was merely safeguarding it for her,” Jiang Yichen argued.

“Brother Ye Fan lent that to Tingting. It was never given to our Jiang Family. It was agreed long ago that it would be taken back one day,” Tingting stated earnestly.

“You can’t say that. How can you ask for something back once it’s been given? This is already a holy divine relic of the Jiang Family. Tingting, you’re still young; this doesn’t concern you. Say no more!” Jiang Yichen shot Little Tingting a glance.

“Indeed, the ownership of this holy divine relic requires further discussion. A hasty decision cannot be made, lest it be schemed away by others,” the gray-clad man nodded in agreement.

Ye Fan felt indignant. The Jiang Family indeed had a faction wanting to seize the Origin Qi Cauldron. It wasn’t just Jiang Yichen acting alone, and Ye Fan knew this spelled trouble. Clearly, it was his item. The matter had been made clear back then, yet now, before his very eyes, they were saying such things, painting him as a “villain” with ulterior motives!

“You people are truly becoming more and more capable…” The imposing, lion-like old man suddenly roared, “Quickly bring me the Origin Qi Cauldron! If you dare to disgrace yourselves further, I will execute you immediately!”

“This… it’s already a holy divine relic of the Jiang Clan.”

Jiang Yichen and the gray-haired middle-aged man were unwilling and wanted to say more, but upon meeting the old man’s fierce gaze, they instantly fell silent.

“Ninth Grandfather, the Origin Qi Cauldron isn’t here. It’s with Thirteenth Grandfather; he’s been toying with it recently,” Jiang Yichen suddenly said.

“Old Thirteenth, you get over here and bring me the Origin Qi Cauldron!” the old man bellowed, his voice carrying for over a hundred li. Although the Jiang Clan’s domain was vast, his voice reverberated through a large portion of it, and many people heard him.

Soon, many elderly figures appeared, descending onto the Divine Island. They had all been alerted.

Thirteenth Grandfather didn’t come, but a supreme sovereign did appear: Jiang Yichen’s own great-grandfather had arrived.

“Great-grandfather…” Jiang Yichen immediately rushed forward to greet him.

“What happened to your face?” This was a gaunt old man with sallow hair, but his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were incredibly formidable, coalescing into substantial light that emanated from his body.

“They acted wantonly in our Jiang Family’s sacred land, showing no regard for our clan! Great-grandfather, you must kill them!” Jiang Yichen looked coldly at Ye Fan, Jiang Huairen, and the others.

The old man’s cold gaze swept over them, intimidating as it passed over Ye Fan and Li Heishui’s group.

However, Ye Fan and the Black Emperor were not afraid. At worst, they could simply leave. Possession of a portion of an ancient Great Emperor’s array patterns was their greatest reassurance.

“Sixth Brother, are you really going to be so protective?” Ninth Grandfather asked gravely, his hair and beard bristling like an angry lion. “Do you know what they’re doing? Or is it that you already know and intend to condone it?”

“Oh? What have they done?” Jiang Yichen’s great-grandfather inquired.

Suddenly, a long cry pierced the air. A figure shot forth like a streak of lightning, arriving in the blink of an eye and landing on the Divine Island.

“Grandfather…” Jiang Huairen was overjoyed.

The renowned great bandit of the Northern Region had arrived. He was an absolutely formidable figure who had roamed for many years, backed by twelve even more ruthless individuals. Nowadays, even Jiang Family ancestor-level figures were trying to persuade him to return, holding him in high esteem.

Jiang Hi strode forward and barked, “Useless whelps, all you know is how to cause trouble!”

Initially, everyone thought he was scolding Jiang Huairen. To their surprise, he walked directly up to Jiang Yichen and the gray-haired middle-aged man, raised his large palm, and swung it down.

“SMACK!” “SMACK!” “SMACK!”

He didn’t say another word, just launched into a series of harsh slaps. Everyone was dumbfounded, including Ninth Grandfather and Jiang Yichen’s great-grandfather, both supreme sovereigns. They had never imagined he would act this way.

Damn, he’s way too protective, just coming up and hitting others! People thought he was going to hit his own grandson; many rolled their eyes.

They had seen protective people before, but never someone this brazenly protective. Everyone was speechless.

Jiang Yichen and the gray-haired middle-aged man were completely stunned by the blows. They were hit by a succession of heavy slaps, unable to dodge, blood spraying from their noses and mouths.

“Little beast! I already warned you not to bully Tingting anymore! The beating I gave you last time in the Divine City didn’t teach you a lesson, did it? This time, I’ll beat you to death!”

Jiang Hi was extremely domineering, dishing out the savage slaps right in front of Jiang Yichen’s great-grandfather.

“And you! You’re over a hundred years old! Has all that age taught you nothing? Have you lived all this time like a dog?” Jiang Hi said, slapping the gray-haired middle-aged man as well.

Everyone was stupefied. This great bandit grandfather was too incredible, daring to thrash his junior right in front of a supreme sovereign, showing absolutely no deference.

“I’m floored! Jiang Huairen, your grandfather is truly ferocious! He’s a model for our generation!” Liu Kao, Li Heishui, and the others felt a bit dizzy.

Even Ye Fan and the Black Emperor were dumbstruck. This great bandit was too overwhelmingly dominant, daring to act in such a manner.