Chapter 44: Showing Off (Pretending to be a Saint)
Yan Zhen was a Seven Star Mystic Scholar—no, after these past few days of cultivation, he had reached the Eighth Star—but he was still just a Mystic Scholar. Although impressive for his age, he wasn’t a true powerhouse, just someone “worthy of praise from elders.”
So he decided to show off, using Starry Sky Dance to make a grand entrance, leaving a trail of shimmering starlight as he landed beside the Serpent Queen, confronting the three Serpent God Priests.
“I’ll guarantee it.” He repeated his earlier words. “I’ll protect her. You can rest assured.”
The three priests were stunned.
They had sensed his weak aura earlier, dismissing him as insignificant. They hadn’t expected him to interfere.
The High Priestess looked him up and down, then suddenly understood.
“So you’re the Serpent Queen’s new… toy?”
— Who the hell is a toy?!
He was about to retort when the Serpent Queen interrupted him.
“Not a toy, but my beloved consort.”
— Consort my ass!
“Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that I can suppress the Great Crimson Skyfire, allowing the Serpent Queen to successfully evolve her bloodline.”
“You?” The High Priestess scoffed. “Your movement technique is impressive, but your strength is lacking. How can we trust you to protect Her Majesty?”
He smiled faintly, the flames in his eyes intensifying, his pupils turning into vertical slits, a grayish-black, ink-like five-clawed dragon coiling around him, its body moving, its whiskers swaying.
“Roar~”
A low growl echoed through the hall, its pressure, enough to make even a Mystic Lord tremble, washing over them, stirring the Serpent bloodlines within them.
Besides the dragon’s might, a sinister aura emanated from him, as if he could kill or save without reason, a true madman.
The eight Serpent Generals immediately stepped forward, shielding the three priests, their gazes wary.
Although he was just a Mystic Scholar, they sensed a dangerous aura from him. Ye Mei recalled his devastating sword strike.
Even the three priests, their expressions usually unchanging, showed surprise, their sharp eyes fixed on him.
“Is that… an Extreme Flame?”
“Such terrifying dragon might and evil energy.”
“With such power… it must be ranked within the top thirty-six. A Heavenly Extreme Flame.”
Extreme Flames were categorized into Heavenly Flames and Earthly Flames. Those ranked within the top thirty-six were Heavenly Flames, the rest Earthly Flames.
The strongest Earthly Flame was only at the Half-Saint level.
Heavenly Flames, however, were far more powerful.
The Great Crimson Skyfire, ranked thirty-sixth, the lowest among the Heavenly Flames, had not only evaporated the Great Marsh Kingdom, turning a lake into a desert, but was now also enhancing the Sand Scorpions, pushing the Water City to the brink of destruction.
Its power was evident.
A Heavenly Flame… even they, Mystic Lords, didn’t dare touch it. And this Mystic Scholar… he had actually refined one?
“…”
This was his first time unleashing the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire after refining it. It felt different from using the Gold and Silver Fire, his arrogance amplified, an urge to look down on the three priests rising within him.
He smirked, his expression arrogant.
“The Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire, ranked thirteenth on the Extreme Flame Ranking, more than enough to suppress the Great Crimson Skyfire.”
— Thirteenth?
The three priests and the eight Serpent Generals were shocked.
That was far higher than the Great Crimson Skyfire’s ranking!
How could a Mystic Scholar withstand its power?
“How… how can you control a Heavenly Extreme Flame at your realm?”
“That’s my secret.” He said arrogantly. “Anyway, I guarantee the Serpent Queen will successfully evolve her bloodline.”
The three priests fell silent. If a mere Mystic Scholar could control the thirteenth-ranked Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire, he must possess some secret method. If he used that method to help her, her chances of success would indeed be high.
Once she reached the Mystic Sovereign realm, with her powerful Serpent God Bloodline, defeating the Crimson Sand Scorpion King would be child’s play. The Water City’s status would also rise, improving their treatment at the Sect Conference, no longer forced to grovel before other nations.
However, the High Priestess, after a long moment of silence, shook her head.
“You’re still too weak. You’re a liability.”
He chuckled coldly, the ink-like dragon swirling around him, its eyes glowing red, its aura even more arrogant.
He descended the steps from the throne, approaching them, his demeanor fearless.
“You can test my strength, High Priestess. See for yourself.”
She narrowed her eyes, studying him for a moment, then said, “Mei Wei, test his skills.”
Mei Wei was Ye Mei. Among the eight Serpent Generals, her overall strength was the lowest, her specialty being survival techniques. Choosing her as his opponent was already a concession to his lower cultivation.
Ye Mei, surprised by being called upon, hesitated, then said, “Your Majesty, I know this Young Master Yan Zhen. He’s the one who injured the Purple Scorpion King, creating an opportunity for me to kill it.”
“What?” The High Priestess frowned. “Is that true?”
“Absolutely.” Ye Mei said seriously. “I owe him a debt of gratitude. I didn’t know he was a friend of Your Majesty’s.”
“Is that so?”
The High Priestess found this young man even more enigmatic. However, she didn’t fully trust Ye Mei’s words. She said, “Then this old woman will have to test him personally. I’ll use a single move. If you can withstand it, I’ll believe you, and I’ll agree to the Serpent Queen’s plan.”
Both the Serpent Queen and Yun Xiu were worried, but he simply beckoned her with a confident smirk.
She raised her hand, a withered, branch-like finger emerging from her wide sleeve, pointing at him.
The world’s energy gathered at her fingertip, then shot outwards as a beam of light.
This was a common attack method for Mystic Lords.
Below the Mystic King realm, it was impossible to block.
However, he didn’t even move. The beam passed through him, exploding against the steps behind him.
The three priests and the eight Serpent Generals were shocked, thinking he had been killed. Then, a moment later, they were even more shocked. He was completely unharmed!
What was going on? The attack had clearly passed through him!
He brushed his clothes, his expression indifferent.
“Is that all?”
“That was… Spatial Power?” The High Priestess’s hand trembled. “You… you’ve mastered Spatial Power?”
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