Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 101

The mountaintop of Jialuo was littered with corpses and drenched in blood, a scene so gruesome it resembled a hellish slaughterhouse. The metallic stench of blood hung thick in the air.

Tang Linglong and Jiang Lin clung to each other, their eyes wide, faces pale, unable to believe what they were witnessing.

Jiang Lin had been certain that with the enemy’s poison traps and ambushes, her useless cousin was doomed.

Yet, in just one minute, Jiang Tian had swept through them all, annihilating every last foe.

“Is this really the same good-for-nothing cousin I knew?”

Staring at Jiang Tian standing tall amidst the carnage, exuding an aura of invincibility, Jiang Lin felt as if she were trapped in a dream.

“I never imagined Master could be this powerful…”

Tang Linglong shuddered, recalling Jiang Tian’s enigmatic smile the night before when she called him a “good person.” Now she understood the depth behind that expression.

At this moment, Jiang Tian radiated overwhelming killing intent, like a demon god suppressing legions of hellish spirits—so fierce it seemed he could tear apart gods and buddhas alike. The sheer terror of it made her soul tremble uncontrollably.

But then another thought struck her: With a master this domineering and ruthless, who would dare bully me? A surge of pride and delight washed over her.

“Today, I finally see the true face of Grandmaster Jiang!”

Even Qiu Gong was awestruck. He pointed at Hong Tianzhao and the others and barked, “Trash! Now that you’ve seen Grandmaster Jiang’s power, why don’t you kneel and beg for mercy?”

For the first time in years, he felt vindicated.

“Heh, so you’re Jiang Taichu, the young Grandmaster of Jiangbei!”

Hong Tianzhao smirked, stepping forward with icy confidence.

“That’s right. It’s me.” Jiang Tian didn’t deny it.

“For someone so young to reach the Transcendent Realm is rare. With time, you might even rival the old masters. But alas, you’ve met me!”

Hong Tianzhao snorted disdainfully, oozing arrogance as if victory were already his.

“I, Hong Tianzhao, may not be exceptional, but I entered the early-stage Transcendent Realm five years ago. Now, I stand at the peak of mid-stage. Killing you would be as easy as cutting grass!”

With a flick of his finger, whoosh! A blade of true qi shot out, piercing clean through a stone table.

Jiang Lin tensed. A Transcendent Grandmaster was practically a deity. If Jiang Tian had to face him, the outcome was far from certain.

“Wait!”

Elder Bu Suanzi raised a hand, his tone unexpectedly earnest as he addressed Jiang Tian. “Young Master Jiang, your talent in alchemy is truly admirable. If you join the Shennong Sect as an honored guest, we will treat you as a VIP. Our sect leader, Zuo Zimu, treasures talent—he would personally guide you in pill refinement!”

“If you join the Shennong Sect, you and I can be friends! Otherwise… it’s life or death!” Hong Tianzhao grinned savagely.

Lady Mange, her demeanor gentle and devoid of hostility, added sweetly, “A single thread doesn’t make a cord; a lone tree doesn’t make a forest. Jiang Taichu, if you join us, you’ll gain a powerful ally. Moreover, you’ll have unrestricted access to our sect’s treasured texts and personal guidance from Sect Leader Zuo!”

The trio played their roles perfectly—some coaxing, some threatening, offering both carrot and stick to lure Jiang Tian into their ranks.

Their scheme was clever: once Jiang Tian joined, he’d have no choice but to hand over his pill formulas and techniques.

“Heavens! Becoming an honored guest, receiving personal guidance from Sect Leader Zuo!”

Many martial artists buzzed with envy.

“What an incredible opportunity! If it were me, I’d agree in a heartbeat!” Chen Bo, standing at the periphery, was practically green with jealousy.

“Exactly! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!” another martial artist chimed in.

Zuo Zimu, leader of the Shennong Sect, was hailed as the Pill Sovereign. His mastery of alchemy surpassed even that of the Quanzhen lineage of the Dan Ding Sect. To receive his guidance? That was a fortune beyond measure!

Yet, Jiang Tian responded with nothing but contempt.

“Zuo Zimu wants to guide me in alchemy? Is he even worthy? He’s not fit to be my furnace-tending servant, let alone blow wind into the flames for me!”

“Arrogant brat! You dare?!”

Elder Bu Suanzi’s face flushed crimson with rage.

Lady Mange shook her head slightly, as if Jiang Tian’s choice was the height of foolishness.

“Fine. Since this brat refuses our generosity, let’s stop wasting time!”

Hong Tianzhao’s gaze turned murderous, his expression darkening. “Good. Today, I’ll teach him what it truly means to be a Grandmaster!”

“You call yourself a Grandmaster? If so, then the martial world’s Grandmasters must be as common as stray dogs and wild chickens!”

Jiang Tian scanned Hong Tianzhao’s cultivation with his divine sense, then burst into mocking laughter.

The entire mountaintop fell deathly silent.

Hong Tianzhao had been famous for over a decade, with few rivals in Hubei. A genuine Transcendent Grandmaster, ranked 20th on the Divine Rankings.

Compared to him, even seasoned experts like Li Zhenwei from Lingnan were mere trash.

“Do you not know that ‘a Grandmaster is like a dragon’? To insult one is to court death!” Hong Tianzhao’s face twisted in fury.

“Hah! ‘Grandmaster like a dragon’? Calling you a stinking worm would be a compliment! You’re nothing but a frog in a well!”

Jiang Tian laughed uproariously, as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world.

These people were so ignorant. They thought reaching the Transcendent Realm made them invincible, completely unaware of the terrifying might of true cultivators.

In the outer realms, even the weakest Qi Refinement cultivator could crush them like ants.

A frog in a well? A Grandmaster isn’t even fit to be called a worm!

The martial artists present were stunned.

You might be strong, but isn’t this arrogance going too far?

“Hmph! Jiang Taichu, you ignorant fool! Since you’re hellbent on dying, don’t blame me. Today, I will kill you!”

Hong Tianzhao’s sword-like brows shot up. His feet tapped the ground rapidly, and suddenly, he soared into the air like a great bird, hovering mid-flight.

“Heavens! Patriarch Hong is flying! Incredible!”

“This is what ‘a Grandmaster is like a dragon’ means—truly, a dragon soaring through the heavens!”

“If only I could fly even ten meters!”

“Keep dreaming!”

The martial artists erupted in awe, especially Hong family’s guards, who rained down flattery like a storm.

Some even spouted nonsense like “Patriarch Hong is a divine dragon descended to earth, destined to rule the martial world for eternity!”

“Linglong, Qiu Gong, protect Jiang Lin and fall back!”

Jiang Tian waved a hand.

“Yes!” The three retreated ten meters.

Jiang Tian clasped his hands behind his back and took a step—onto thin air.

As if stepping onto an invisible staircase, he hovered effortlessly.

Another step, and he rose higher.

Eight steps later, Jiang Tian stood suspended in the sky, robes fluttering, like an immortal descending—or a demon god arriving.

“Incredible!”

Lady Mange’s face paled. At least in lightness skills, Jiang Tian was every bit Hong Tianzhao’s equal.

“Master is so dashing!”

Tang Linglong’s beautiful eyes sparkled, her lips trembling slightly as admiration blazed in her gaze.

“Is this even human?”

Jiang Lin stared at Jiang Tian, floating mid-air like a deity, unable to reconcile this image with the lazy, incompetent wastrel of a cousin she remembered.

“DIE!”

Hong Tianzhao dove from above, drawing a gleaming golden sword and slashing toward Jiang Tian.

Countless golden sword beams materialized in the air, sharp and tangible, surging forward in an endless tide.

The sword energy raged like a furious sea, each blade keen enough to split the heavens and cleave the earth.

“The ‘Raging Sea Sword Art’! The ‘Flamegold Divine Sword’!”

Elder Bu Suanzi gasped, his voice tinged with shock—even envy.

The Raging Sea Sword Art originated from the Tianshan Sect. Hong Tianzhao’s ancestors had been disciples there, bringing the techniques back with them. Even now, the Hong family maintained close ties with Tianshan.

This sword art was relentless, excelling in both offense and defense—the Hong family’s ultimate legacy.

As for the Flamegold Divine Sword, it was a legendary weapon, ranking in the top 30 of China’s martial treasures, second only to Tianshan’s famed Seven Swords.

It could slice through hair and sever iron with ease. But more crucially, it was engraved with fire-attribute runes, enhancing its attacks with scorching heat—enough to force even a Grandmaster back.

Where the Flamegold Sword’s light passed, the air itself split. Boulders shattered, dust flew, and deep gashes crisscrossed the hard mountain stone like a web of scars.

And this was just the periphery of the sword’s reach. If it struck a person directly, they’d be reduced to mincemeat.

“Using his ultimate technique right off the bat? Is this even a fair fight?”

Even Qiu Gong grew nervous.

Against such swordplay and such a weapon, Jiang Tian might truly be in danger.

“As expected of a Divine Rankings Grandmaster! Too strong! How could Jiang Taichu possibly win?”

Lady Mange’s eyes burned with fanatical reverence before flicking dismissively toward Jiang Tian—as if he were already a corpse.

“Come on, brat! Today, I’ll chop you into pieces!”

Amidst the storm of sword beams, Hong Tianzhao’s hair whipped wildly, his roar thunderous as he charged like a frenzied tiger.

“Ptooey! Ptooey!”

In response, Jiang Tian spat twice into his palms, rubbed them together—a vulgar gesture utterly at odds with his usual composed demeanor.

“Chop me into pieces? You’re nothing but trash. Watch me slap you to death!”

Jiang Tian’s face twisted into a mocking grin. Then, as if swatting a mosquito, he lazily raised a hand and swung.

“Eighteen Immortal Combat Forms!”

“Heaven-Slapping Palm!”

“Damn it, Grandmaster Jiang doesn’t have a proper weapon!”

Qiu Gong’s heart pounded. He hastily pulled the two women further back.

Jiang Tian was a Transcendent Grandmaster—though Qiu Gong couldn’t pinpoint his exact stage, given his recent rise, he likely stood at the early-stage.

But Hong Tianzhao was a mid-stage Transcendent, a Grandmaster with ten years of fame.

Worse, Jiang Tian was unarmed, while Hong Tianzhao wielded a divine weapon. How could Qiu Gong not fear for him?

Yet, as Jiang Tian’s palm descended, a vast wave of energy blotted out the sky like a falling cloud, sweeping across the battlefield with hurricane force.

Martial artists were sent tumbling, struggling to stay on their feet.

CRACK! CRACK!

The sword beams—sharp enough to slice through metal—shattered like paper under Jiang Tian’s strike.

“Impossible!”

Buffeted by the gale, Hong Tianzhao’s eyes bulged in disbelief.

Then, in a blur, Jiang Tian materialized right in front of him—two fingers jabbing toward his eyes, growing larger by the second.

Hong Tianzhao had no time to dodge.

THUD!

A direct hit to the eye sockets.

“ARGH!”

Hong Tianzhao howled, stumbling back, nearly plummeting from the sky.

But Jiang Tian wasn’t done.

With a vicious smirk, he delivered a ruthless low kick, aiming straight for Hong Tianzhao’s crotch.

“OH GOD—!”

Hong Tianzhao was sent flying, crashing to the ground like a dead dog, clutching his groin and twitching in agony.

His face was a mess—both eyes blackened like a panda’s, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Pathetic.