Chapter 59 He's the Vice Hall Master? Then who am I?

A furious roar echoed through the heavens and earth. Jiang Wuji's eyes were bloodshot, and the life-bound immortal sword in his hand let out a mournful wail.

He, the Supreme Patriarch of the Taixu Sword Sect, an Immortal Emperor who had lived for tens of thousands of years, had been tricked by a brat and a borderlands Demon Venerable. They had played him like a fool, scaring him into bowing, apologizing, and fleeing in disgrace.

He turned around and swung his longsword down at the void tunnel he had used to leave.

...

Blood-Vein Mine, in front of the Demon Venerable's Great Hall.

The sky returned to the dark red of the Demon Realm, and the pressure of the Immortal Emperor dissipated.

Chong Batian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and exhaled a breath of turbid air. He turned to look at Gu Heng, who stood with his hands behind his back and a calm expression, his eyes filled with admiration.

"My Lord is divinely martial! My Lord's prestige shakes the universe!"

Chong Batian knelt on one knee and cupped his fists. "Just by revealing your title, you scared that ignorant old Human Race fool into a pathetic retreat!"

The Old Dragon King poked half his head out from a corner, curling his lip as he watched Chong Batian's display.

Lin Qingyue watched Gu Heng quietly, a trace of suspicion flashing in her beautiful eyes.

Gu Heng's lips twitched as he listened to Chong Batian's flattery.

Just as he was about to tell Chong Batian to shut up...

The spatial rift, which had closed to a thin line, suddenly began to tremble. That thin line was torn open by invisible hands, abruptly expanding.

—BOOM—

An aura of an Immortal Emperor, even more violent and filled with Killing Intent than before, poured out from the rift, enveloping the entire Blood-Vein Mine.

The Sword Qi returned, shredding the newly gathered devilish clouds.

The fawning smile on Chong Batian's face froze. He stared blankly at the figure stepping out across the Realms in the sky, his blood running cold.

Why was that old fool back again?

Gu Heng looked at the murderous Jiang Wuji in mid-air and massaged his forehead.

"I say, Demon Venerable Chong." Gu Heng sighed and glanced at the kneeling Chong Batian. "Can you please stop jinxing us with your big mouth?"

Chong Batian wanted to cry but had no tears.

...

In the infinite distance,

The Commander's Great Hall at the border of the Demon Realm.

Deep within the hall, twelve stone pillars engraved with ancient demon god totems supported the dome, with eerie green devilish fire burning upon them.

The moment Jiang Wuji returned and his Immortal Emperor aura flared once more, the aura of a Demon Emperor awakened upon the throne at the deepest part of the Commander's Hall.

"Who dares to provoke this Emperor's borders?"

The low voice echoed through the hall, making the blood of the kneeling Demon Race commanders churn.

A demonic shadow sat high upon a throne crafted from dragon bones, obscured by Devilish Qi, with only a pair of eyes like blood moons radiating a red glow.

"Reporting to Lord Emperor Li!"

A four-armed Demon Race commander looked up. "That aura... it is Jiang Wuji of the Taixu Sword Sect from the Immortal Realm. He has crossed the boundary and is currently exerting pressure on our Blood-Vein Mine station!"

Emperor Li's expression soured as he listened to the report.

"What is wrong with these Three Realms lately?"

Emperor Li snorted coldly, his fingers tapping the armrest of his throne. "The Dragon Clan insists on sending their Elders to this Emperor's border, claiming they are searching for that Chosen Son who has been missing for countless ages. They even swore that the secrets held by that Chosen Son concern the Original Realm of the Lower Realm."

"How can the secrets of the Original Realm be so easily sought? Those worms are on their way, and this Emperor must send people to keep an eye on them."

"Furthermore, that Eternal Empress of the Human Race has reached across endless domains, seemingly searching for someone. Now that the Ten Thousand Races Talent List is about to be revealed and the prodigies of every race are converging on the Place of Origin, all this nonsense has to happen right at this critical juncture. It is truly a headache!"

He stood up,

Walking to the edge of the hall's jade steps, his gaze seemed to pierce through the void, looking toward the Blood-Vein Mine.

"Very well, Jiang Wuji."

Emperor Li laughed out of sheer anger. "This Emperor has not yet gone to your Human Immortal Realm to demand an explanation for your Empress disturbing my Demon Realm, yet you, old fool, have the audacity to strike at my doorstep first. Your courage is commendable!"

"Pass down the order!"

"The thirty-six Demon Venerables of the border are to assemble immediately! Follow this Emperor to the Blood-Vein Mine to investigate. This Emperor wants to see how many lives Jiang Wuji has to throw into this demonic abyss today!"

With that,

Emperor Li took a step forward.

The void rippled, and his figure vanished from the Commander's Hall.

...

Blood-Vein Mine.

Gu Heng was in a stalemate.

He still stood with his hands behind his back, but the palms hidden behind him were slick with sweat.

In the sky,

Jiang Wuji no longer showed his previous respect. The immortal sword in his hand pointed directly at Gu Heng, its tip flickering with a cold light.

"Brat, you nearly ruined my great plans!" Jiang Wuji's Killing Intent was laid bare. "How dare you impersonate the Deputy Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall! Today, I shall extract your soul and refine your spirit, then bring you back to the Divine Court for sentencing!"

Jiang Wuji did not strike immediately.

Although he was certain Gu Heng was an impostor, the concealment methods that even he couldn't see through kept him cautious.

He was waiting for a certain-kill opportunity.

Gu Heng watched Jiang Wuji, his mind racing. This old man wasn't following the script; he had actually figured it out.

"It seems I have no choice but to use the heaven-reaching tower."

Gu Heng thought to himself, his Divine Sense sinking deep into his Sea of Consciousness to touch that small tower.

After refining the heaven-reaching tower, he not only controlled it but could also borrow its power to temporarily contend with those several major Realms above his own.

Just as Gu Heng was about to activate the heaven-reaching tower...

—RUMBLE—

Without any warning,

A Demon Emperor's aura erupted from the edges of several Demon Race domains behind the Blood-Vein Mine.

That aura was like an awakening ancient behemoth, sweeping toward the Blood-Vein Mine at an incredible speed. Wherever it passed, the sky turned pitch black, and all things trembled under this pressure.

Jiang Wuji's expression froze in mid-air.

"A Demon Emperor is descending?"

Jiang Wuji was terrified.

He sensed the aura locking onto him. Emperor Li, who guarded the Demon Race borders, had been alerted by his Immortal Emperor Sword Qi.

He could crush a Demon Venerable at will, but facing a Demon Emperor—especially on their home turf—even Jiang Wuji would not fare well.

"I must end this quickly! Capture this boy before the Demon Emperor arrives!"

But before that...

A Jade Slip engraved with the Divine Court's highest-level communication array appeared in Jiang Wuji's palm, and he crushed it.

"Crack..."

As the Jade Slip shattered, Jiang Wuji's voice traveled through the Laws of Space, crossing endless domains.

"Lord Divine Envoy! I have found the thief who refined the heaven-reaching tower!"

Jiang Wuji spoke rapidly. "However, he is currently under the protection of the Demon Race, and a Demon Emperor is even rushing this way! I fear I cannot capture him alone; I need your assistance!"

The moment Jiang Wuji's voice fell, far away at the temporary Divine Court Headquarters on the border of the Human Immortal Realm...

This floating island, crafted from pure white immortal jade, was currently at the highest level of alert. Divine Court elites were clad in armor and brandishing weapons, while immortal warships were arrayed in the void.

Inside the core immortal palace of the headquarters.

A Divine Envoy in golden armor was frowning as he reviewed the latest intelligence on the Ten Thousand Races Talent List's changes.

Suddenly, the Soul Jade on the jade desk before him, representing Jiang Wuji of the Taixu Sword Sect, erupted with light, and Jiang Wuji's voice emerged.

The Divine Envoy stood up abruptly, his presence shattering the surrounding void.

"You found the thief?"

Wild joy flashed in the Divine Envoy's eyes, but his brow soon knitted together.

"Under the protection of the Demon Race?"

The Divine Envoy muttered to himself, his voice filled with confusion.

The Immortal and Demon Races were as incompatible as fire and water.

How could a Human Race boy who had just ascended from the Lower Realm, whose cultivation couldn't even be discerned, gain the protection of the Demon Race in such a short time? And from what Jiang Wuji said, the Demon Race was even willing to deploy a Demon Emperor for this boy?

What kind of ridiculous protection was this? Did that boy possess some secret that drove the Demon Race mad, other than the heaven-reaching tower?

The Divine Envoy placed a finger on the glowing Soul Jade and asked in a heavy voice, "Jiang Wuji, explain yourself! How is the Demon Race protecting him? What means did he use to bewitch them?"

Above the Blood-Vein Mine.

Jiang Wuji was anxious as he faced the imminent arrival of the Demon Emperor's aura. He kept his gaze locked onto Gu Heng below while replying through the communication Jade Slip.

"Lord Divine Envoy, this matter is extremely bizarre!"

Jiang Wuji said with some uncertainty, "The Demon Venerable in charge of this place... seems to call him the Deputy Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall!"

The Divine Envoy, far away at the Divine Court Headquarters, froze the moment he heard those words.

Inside the palace, only the sound of the Divine Envoy's breathing echoed.

His eyes bulged like copper bells, and his expression shifted from confusion to utter shock.

The next moment,

The Divine Envoy's shocked and outraged voice roared back through the communication Jade Slip into Jiang Wuji's ears.

"What the hell! He's the Deputy Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall?"

"Then who am I!?"