Chapter 71 - You Actually Backstabbed Me!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

How powerful was the yield of the strengthened pea bomb?

Jiang He would never know anyway.

After all, bombs were a rather niche subject for most people, and there was no path for them to learn about it.

All Jiang He knew was that he had flattened a mountaintop with just three strengthened pea bombs, blowing up dozens of Feral Wolves, and within its radius, even rank-six Feral Wolves were absolutely defenseless.

He vaguely remembered that Pudgy Jiang mentioned a term, ‘fuel-air explosive’ or something…

Jiang He had no idea what that was, and did not ask, since he did not make a living out of that anyway.

Either way, up against multiple enemies, he ought to blow them up first, and attack personally if that failed.

This time, he threw over a dozen strengthened pea bombs down into the mine, and the ensuing terrific devastation destroyed the entire mine before it was vented out of the entrance.

Even if the Tranquil Heavenly General was a rank-seven grandmaster, all he could manage was cry out ‘what the hell’ before he was drowned in the blinding flames.

Boom!

The resounding explosion resounded in the night. The devastating flames that were vented out shot up almost a hundred meters into the air, illuminating the skies as bright as day. After that, the earth several miles around the mines began to crack and crumble.

Almost eight minutes had passed before Jiang He stood up.

Clutching his head and dropping the ground had kept him immune.

Even if that was not the first time where he used that trick, Jiang He could not help murmuring quietly in awe.

So amazing.

He was not even singed from the terrific explosion, and only felt the tremors when the earth cracked and crumbled near him.

Still, the tremor was very violent.

In fact, it quaked so hard that he… felt his digestive system go into overdrive, leaving him hungry.

He looked around at the torn land around himself, and could not help exclaiming, “Absolutely terrifying… the strengthened pea bombs are just too powerful. Even if I used Indestructible Diamond at the center of the blast, I would be blown half-dead if I didn’t drop to the ground and clutch my head.”

Gak…

That was when a loud cough was heard.

Jiang He turned to look.

Around ten meters away, the earth was squirming before it parted, with the Tranquil Heavenly General climbing out of it.

But once he got free, he lay on the ground, prone.

Blood was streaming out of mouth, and his eyes was staring blankly up in the night sky.

All he could think was… why had the mine exploded?

Still, even if there was no telling what caused the explosion, he would be a cripple even if he survived his current state now.

Even if he had Frost True Qi protecting his body, even if he did break through the surface and dig himself down into the ground with his True Qi before he was drowned in the blinding flames…

He was still grievously hurt.

All of his nerves and veins were damaged severely, and his organs were bleeding!

The fragrant smell of burnt flesh even palpated from his body, and he would probably have been directly charred if not for the strength of his Frost True Qi. Over a dozen of his bones were broken, and his entire body could not feel enough to know a specific number.

Suddenly, however, the Tranquil Heavenly General laughed.

“So what if I lived? So what if I died?”

“I died in the name of the Holy Faith. When the time comes and the Saint achieves mastery and harvest the fruits of our belief, he would revive me from the river of time.”

The Tranquil Heavenly General’s laughter grew wilder until he was basically spitting blood, and roared ferociously, “Jiang He is dead, and my wish is fulfilled! Even so, I would rather die than live like a cripple. I’m counting on you, Earth Demon—return my corpse to the Holy Faith!”

Still, that roar startled Jiang He, even as he stood nearby.

What was going on?

Earth Demon?

The Earth Demon Heavenly General?

Where was that bastard hiding? Why was he not showing up even now?

On the other hand, even though the Tranquil Heavenly General was blown to such a state, how could he still chant those braindead Sky Demon Cult slogans?”

And what was ‘Jiang He is dead, and my wish is fulfilled!’ even supposed to mean? Can’t you see that I’m still alive and well just a dozen meters away?

“Oh, right. He was facing the other direction when he climbed out, and he definitely wouldn’t see me…” Jiang He thought then.

At the same time, he could feel the Tranquil Heavenly General’s aura weakening, his life now a candle in the wind that could be snuffed out at any moment.

As such, Jiang He strode towards the Tranquil Heavenly General and yelled, “Wait a minute, Tranquil Heavenly General. I’m not dead yet.”

He naturally must not let that doggone thing die without regrets, right?

And upon his yelling, the Tranquil Heavenly General yelped, coughing a mouthful of black blood.

“No!

“That’s impossible!

“How could a rank-five like you survive such a big explosion?!”

The Tranquil Heavenly General roared hysterically, and actually looked like he was about to recover just then.

Nonetheless, Jiang He laughed out loud and stomped his foot on the Tranquil Heavenly General’s chest. With an audible crunch, he crushed several of the Tranquil Heavenly General’s ribs, making him cough another mouthful of blood and almost knocking him out.

Then, looking down on the prone Tranquil Heavenly General from on high, he sneered, “Tranquil Heavenly General, I had nothing against you, and yet you keep sending your men to kill me, making me lose sleep…”

He put a bit of weight on his foot.

And then…

The Tranquil Heavenly General’s head turned sideways, and he no longer breathed.

Even when dead, his eyes were round and open, filled with grievances and despair.

Jiang He gained a deeper understanding of the saying ‘dying with one’s eyes open1‘ just then.

Hmmm!

“Wasn’t rank-seven grandmasters brutally powerful in qi and blood, brimming in unparalleled vigor? Why is he instantly dead when I put my foot lightly over him? I still had so many things to tell him…”

Jiang He muttered rather unhappily, but his face dropped as soon as he spoke.

A sense of danger struck him, and he felt unsettled in a split second, as if struck by an electric current. Goosebumps arose all over his body, and he instinctively charged Indestructible Diamond up to full capacity.

Thud!

He felt a stabbing pain over his back.

Something… pierced his Indestructible Diamond, and still had enough force to cut inside his flash.

That was when a ‘pop’ sounded across thin air, meaning that the object that blindsided him was so quick broke the sound barrier.

Jiang He turned.

In the darkness, a plump figure was walking towards him.

It was the Earth Demon Heavenly General.

Even though he comrade had died horrifically right before his eyes, the Earth Demon Heavenly General still had a smile on his face as he walked forward slowly whilst fiddling with a A-grade alloy flying dagger. “Not bad, Jiang He.”

“You’ve repeatedly sabotaged the schemes of my Holy Faith and slayed many of my fellow believers, even killing Tranquil himself.”

“Why I presumed you to be a shrimp before, it seems that I’ve underestimated you.”

While he did not know what move Jiang He used to escape the frightening explosion, it never hurts to be prudent. Even if he was just a rank-five martial artist, the Earth Demon Heavenly General was not letting his guard down, what with the Tranquil Heavenly General was a precedent.

He only showed his face after blindsiding Jiang He with the flying dagger.

Standing under the night sky, around fifty meters away from Jiang He, studied his opponent. Soon, his face dropped and he could not stop himself from exclaiming, “Are you wearing an S-grade alloy armor?”

After all, his flying dagger should have pieced Jiang He’s back, its monumental force tearing his heart apart and shoot out of the front of his chest.

And yet…

Jiang He was just standing there, facing him.

The front of the white jersey he was wearing was still unblemished. What wound?

Jiang He reached over his back to pull out the dagger, held it in front of his eyes for a look before simply flinging it on the Tranquil Heavenly General’s corpse.

“So, you’re the Earth Demon Heavenly General?” He asked quietly.

“Just as expected, you Sky Demon Cultists are all crazy. To think that you would stab me in the back with a flying dagger!”