Similar to the Pure Yang Sect, the Seven Kills Valley was one of the top emperor-rank forces in the Eastern Ridge Mansion.
The middle-aged man standing in front of Duan Ling Tian was Hong Yun Xiao, an Emperor of Gods from the Seven Kills Valley.
Needless to say, Hong Yun Xiao’s fame in the Eastern Ridge Mansion was much higher than that of Deng Kui who came from Green Province Mansion. Hong Yun Xiao’s achievements were so well-known in the Eastern Ridge Mansion that almost everyone from the Flying Dragon Sect and Tai Yi Sect knew who he was.
As such, how could they not feel shocked when Deng Kui, the Silver Marionette Elder from the Marionette Villa, said he had defeated Hong Yun Xiao 3,000 years ago?
Hong Yun Xiao’s expression darkened immediately when he heard those words that hurt his pride. He scoffed coldly, unintentionally releasing a soundwave that caused many Kings of Gods with weaker cultivation bases to turn pale and bleed from their seven orifices. As an Emperor of Gods, even if the attack was unintentional, its might was truly frightening.
‘So Emperors of Gods are so strong…’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself as his eyes glinted. Although the other party did not really make a move, he could sense that the other party’s aura was much stronger than that of a Golden Dragon Elder from the Flying Dragon Sect.
“Deng Kui, you’re 10,000 years older than I am. What’s there to be proud of?” Hong Yun Xiao retorted icily, “Moreover, that was 3,000 years ago. I really don’t mind sparring again. What do you think? Of course, we can’t do it here.”
Deng Kui laughed. Then, he said confidently, “Hong Yun Xiao, it seems like you’ve improved over the past 3,000 years. Very well. After I complete my mission, I’ll spar with you. Why don’t we go to your Seven Kills Valley to spar?”
“Why not? As long as you’re not afraid to come…” Hong Yun Xiao sneered.
“Why would I be afraid?” Deng Kui said nonchalantly. “Don’t tell me your Seven Kills Valley is going to do something to me? I really don’t believe your Seven Kills Valley dare to act against me.”
Deng Kui’s words caused Hong Yun Xiao’s expression to darken even more.
Indeed, the Seven Kills Valley would not dare to do anything to Deng Kui. Everything else aside, Deng Kui was not just a Silver Elder Marionette Elder of the Marionette Villa, but he was also the son of a Golden Marionette Elder.
Silver Marionette Elders were mostly rudimentary Emperors of Gods. Golden Marionette Elders, who had higher status, were at least intermediate Emperors of Gods.
Hong Yun Xiao took a deep breath and adjusted his emotions before he turned to Duan Ling Tian and said, “Duan Ling Tian, if you join our Seven Kills Valley, we’ll not only match the Marionette Villa’s offer, but we’ll offer more. No matter what they offer, we’ll definitely offer more…”
Now that Hong Yun Xiao turned around, Duan Ling Tian finally had a good look at Hong Yun Xiao.
Hong Yun Xiao’s appearance and stature were average. However, he had an extraordinary air about him. His eyes, in particular, were profound and fierce, causing others to be unable to meet his gaze.
Deng Kui sneered. “Hong Yun Xiao, you talk too much. Aren’t you afraid of accidentally biting your tongue? That aside, the Seven Kills Valley isn’t even among the top three emperor-rank forces in Eastern Ridge Mansion, right?”
Without waiting for Hong Yun Xiao’s reply, Deng Kui turned to say to Duan Ling Tian, “Duan Ling Tian, the Marionette Villa is one of the top two strongest emperor-rank forces in the Green Province Mansion. You can rest assured that you won’t regret your decision if you join the Marionette Villa.”
Hong Yun Xiao said mockingly, “One of the top two emperor-rank forces in the Green Mansion Province? Deng Kui, there’s no need to twist your words. You can just directly say that your Marionette Villa is the second, not the first, in the Green Province Mansion. Do you think no one here knows about the situation in the Green Province Mansion? If your sect is so great, why don’t you challenge a force with an advanced Emperor of Gods?”
Hong Yun Xiao was obviously trying to provoke Deng Kui.
‘Advanced Emperor of Gods? There are advanced Emperors of Gods in the Green Province Mansion?’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, surprised by Hong Yun Xiao’s words.
Advanced Emperors of Gods were the strongest among Emperors of Gods. Although there were strong and weak Emperors of Gods, they were almost invincible when faced with Lords of Gods.
The top five emperor-rank forces in the Eastern Ridge Mansion, which included the Pure Yang Sect and the Seven Kills Valley, were naturally the strongest forces in the Eastern Ridge Mansion. However, in the entire Profound Energy Land, the top five emperor-rank forces in the Eastern Ridge Mansion were only ordinary.
As for emperor-rank forces like the Flying Dragon Sect that did not have Emperors of Gods, they sat at the bottom among the emperor-rank forces. In fact, some people did not even consider them emperor-rank forces.
Hong Yun Xiao’s words successfully drew Deng Kui’s ire. He said, “Hong Yun Xiao, even if our Marionette Villa is weaker than the Howling Heaven Sect, it’s still stronger than the Seven Kills Valley. Currently, we have more than five intermediate Emperors of Gods in our sect.”
Duan Ling Tian and the others gained a better understanding of the Marionette Villa and the Seven Kills Valley through Hong Yun Xiao and Deng Kui’s words.
‘Are they really Emperors of Gods? They look more like bickering children…’ Duan Ling Tian felt rather speechless as he watched the two Emperors of Gods bicker.
At this moment, while the two Emperors of Gods were still bickering, a playful voice rang from outside.
“You said the Seven Kills Valley is inferior to your Marionette Villa, what do you think of our Pure Yang Sect?”
Deng Kui and Hong Yun Xiao stopped bickering immediately and looked in the direction of the voice.
At the same time, the members of the Flying Dragon Sect standing near the entrance began to bow and called out one after another.
“Sect leader!”
‘Sect leader? It seems like the sect leader came with someone from the Pure Yang Sect…’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
Duan Ling Tian was naturally familiar with the Pure Yang Sect. The sect had tried to recruit him as well. Previously, Yang Qian Ye and many elders from the Pure Yang Sect had visited the Flying Dragon Sect’s estate to recruit him. He still remembered Qin Wu Yang, the sincere elder, who had spoken to him back then.
‘That voice doesn’t seem to belong to Elder Qin. It seems like the Pure Yang Sect sent a different person this time…’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
At this time, three people walked into the hall unhurriedly. One of them walked in front while the other two walked slightly behind.
Duan Ling Tian quickly identified the two people walking at the back. They were none other than Long Qing Chong, the Sect Leader of the Flying Dragon Sect, and Qin Wu Yang, the sincere elder from the Pure Yang Sect whom he had previously met.
The person walking in the lead was a handsome young man. He had a majestic air about him that made people afraid to look at him. He wore a lazy smile on his face, giving him a carefree appearance.
As soon as Hong Yun Xiao saw the handsome young man, his eyes widened as he said, clearly surprised, “Zhen Ping Fan, you actually came here in person?”
Apart from those in the know, everyone, including Duan Ling Tian, was dumbfounded and speechless.
Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, ‘Zhen Ping Fan? Did his parents really give him this name? Ping Fan means ordinary, and he’s clearly anything but ordinary…’
Duan Ling Tian was not the only one who had these thoughts in mind. The others’ could not stop the corners of their lips from twitching as well. After all, for a person with such an outstanding temperament and appearance, his name that meant ordinary really did not suit him at all.
Zhen Ping Fan, the young man who was a Nirvanic Elder of the Pure Yang Sect, asked with an insouciant smile on his face, “Hong Yun Xiao, I’ll help you teach him a lesson? I’ll make sure that when I’m done, he’d be too afraid to even utter your name in the future. In exchange, give me your prominent divine artifact with a half-complete soul. What do you think?”
Upon hearing this, Hong Yun Xiao said awkwardly, “It’s alright. I can handle this on my own. I was indeed not a match for him 3,000 years ago, but that doesn’t mean I’m no match for him now.”
In truth, Hong Yun Xiao was not very confident about defeating Deng Kui. Nonetheless, it did not stop him from refusing Zhen Ping Fan’s proposal. At the same time, he was puzzled. How did Zhen Ping Fan know he possessed a prominent divine artifact with a half-complete soul? Even in the Seven Kills Valley, only a few people knew about it.