Chapter 129: Chapter 82: We Agreed It Was Just a Test, You Must Not Forcefully Subdue It

Huo Shenming’s expression was one of matter-of-factness.

"If you’re not the Commander, is the great Young Master supposed to start as a common soldier? Go on, ask those squad leaders. Who would dare to have you?"

In the Tiger Clan, strength was respected. After he took power, those who were not convinced would naturally challenge him. If he truly lacked the ability, he wouldn’t be able to hold his position for long.

Hearing this, Jun Yao said no more.

"Hand it over!"

He held out his hand without ceremony.

At the sight, Huo Shenming’s head started to ache again. He waved his hand, dismissing his attendant.

CLICK. The steel doors of the warship shut, leaving only the two of them inside.

"Ah Yao, we agreed you’d only try. You must not try to forcefully subjugate it. Otherwise, if you anger the Emperor God, you could lose all your Cultivation at best. At worst, your life will be at risk."

Huo Shenming warned him solemnly.

Then, he opened his palm. A dazzling, seven-colored divine light began to glow, and within it was a transparent, golden, ring-shaped mass of light. Like a sun, it emanated a majesty that could suppress heaven and earth, demanding the submission of the universe.

Staring at the orb of light, Jun Yao felt his blood begin to boil, as if drawn by a mysterious, unseen summons.

His eyes were fixed on the orb, and he was nearly oblivious to everything else.

Suddenly, the orb of light transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight toward Jun Yao. It vanished into the space between his brows, leaving a trailing flame in its wake.

Witnessing this firsthand, Huo Shenming was utterly dumbfounded, his eyes wide with disbelief.

’The Emperor’s Soul Seal... it actively chose Ah Yao as its master?’

’I’m not seeing things, am I?’

Generation after generation of clan chiefs had wracked their brains trying to get the Emperor’s Soul Seal to acknowledge them as its master, employing countless methods to do so. But in the end, they only angered the Emperor God’s remnant soul, and all ended up having their life force and Cultivation drained away.

Even his own father had died in despair after having all his Cultivation absorbed by the Emperor’s Soul Seal.

Before his death, his father had repeatedly warned him never to try and forcefully subjugate the Emperor’s Soul Seal. Therefore, after a few failed attempts, he had given up all hope.

He never imagined he would one day witness the Emperor’s Soul Seal actively choosing a master.

’If the past clan chiefs saw this, they’d die of envy, wouldn’t they?’

As expected of his son. Not only had he evolved into the most perfect form, but he had also prompted the Emperor’s Soul Seal to actively choose him. It was impossible to imagine what accomplishments Ah Yao would have in the future.

Huo Shenming was both proud and gratified.

Then, he saw Jun Yao close his eyes, sit cross-legged, and enter a state of Cultivation.

An unparalleled aura that could intimidate the nine heavens and ten earths radiated from his body. He was enveloped in a brilliant divine light, and immense Energy howled around him, causing the air to crackle with faint popping sounds.

’Is he... about to advance a Realm?’

A trace of surprise and anticipation appeared in Huo Shenming’s eyes.

This advancement lasted for three whole days.

When the divine light dissipated and the Energy vanished, the handsome, white-haired young man on the floor slowly opened his eyes. A sharp, sword-like glint shot from them, carrying an extremely oppressive force.

Ninth Rank of the Deformation Stage!!!

Huo Shenming swallowed hard, utterly shocked to his core.

But he quickly came to his senses, laughing heartily as he clapped Jun Yao on the shoulder in celebration.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, my son! To jump five stages at once is simply unheard of! My son is truly a peerless, unparalleled talent."

Clenching his fists, Jun Yao frowned, sensing everything within his body.

His inner core felt like it was about to explode. A vast, rampaging power coursed through him, desperate for release but with no outlet, crashing wildly within his body.

The Emperor’s Soul Seal had fed him all the power it had absorbed from their ancestors. Ninth Rank of the Deformation Stage wasn’t the limit of that power, but the limit of his inner core.

Right now, he desperately needed a life-and-death struggle to vent and absorb that power.

If he could absorb it all, his Realm would surely rise to another level.

"I heard the 21st Legion has wanted to attack the Land of Calamity for a long time but hasn’t had a suitable opportunity. Send me."

Huo Shenming was speechless.

His son hadn’t acknowledged him since he was a child. He had just been forced to recognize him because of the Emperor’s Soul Seal, and now he wanted to go off to war. The Land of Calamity was such a dangerous place. If anything happened to his son, how could he possibly face their ancestors?

"If you don’t agree, I’ll go by myself!"

Just as he was hesitating, the man’s cold, emotionless voice rang in his ears.

The tall, upright man turned and started walking out of the warship. Huo Shenming’s heart skipped a beat; he felt utterly helpless.

"Stop. Fine, I agree, alright?"

Hearing this, Jun Yao stopped but did not turn around.

Looking at his back, Huo Shenming sighed, a massive headache brewing. "But leading troops to war is no small matter. It requires a lot of preparation. You must wait patiently for two days."

*

「It had been four days since her return to Central City.」

For these four days, Jiang Yunnuan had been dizzyingly busy.

Aside from serving three meals a day to the high-and-mighty Yan Chen, and by extension Ming Ye and Fu Yuan, she also took the time to sell off some of her resources and post bounties all over the internet for news of Si Xie.

It was as if Si Xie had completely vanished from the world. So many days had passed, and she still had no news.

Even Jiang Tang and Jiang Wang had no leads.

Besides that, she was also busy with Cultivation and completing missions. She was busy from the moment she opened her eyes each day. Perhaps because she was so busy, she rarely thought of Jun Yao during the day.

Only in her dreams at midnight would she occasionally see him. She would dream of the shattered look in his eyes as he left, and her heart couldn’t help but ache with a sour pang. Even after waking, that ache would linger for a long time before fading.

Waking from such a dream again, Jiang Yunnuan opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, taking deep breaths for a long while before her emotions finally calmed.

It was pitch black outside the window. She expressionlessly opened her Light Brain.

The Light Brain was clean. There were no new messages.

Jun Yao and Si Xie were both offline. Si Xie’s Light Brain hadn’t come online since his disappearance, while Jun Yao had been offline ever since he left that day.

He hadn’t even accepted the ten million she had transferred to him.

Her chest felt a little tight. Jiang Yunnuan closed her eyes, turned off her Light Brain, and got up to begin her Cultivation.

A few hours later, the sky finally brightened.

Her Superpower also finally broke through to the Third Rank.

Jiang Yunnuan emerged from her state of Cultivation, showered, changed, and went downstairs to prepare breakfast for Yan Chen, once again including Fu Yuan and Ming Ye as a matter of course.

After breakfast, she took out two Immortal Fruits, tossing one each to Ming Ye and Fu Yuan. She also tossed a bottle of well water to Ming Ye.

’I wonder if this well water can help him evolve.’

Of the original group of four, he was the only one who hadn’t evolved yet. Jiang Yunnuan felt a pang of guilt toward him.

"You guys cultivate. I’m heading out for a bit."

With that, she got up and walked outside.

Today’s check-in location was across the street from the villa.

She walked out the main gate and was turning a corner when someone suddenly grabbed her pant leg.

Jiang Yunnuan stopped and looked down to see a man covered in blood.

The man looked to be on the verge of death. His short black hair was a mess, and his pair of deep, amber eyes stared at her.