Chapter 604 - 599: Taking the Stage

"So this is Ning Jiang? He's truly extraordinary!"

The Kings narrowed their eyes, observing Ning Jiang closely, and were inwardly stunned.

Ning Jiang stood there, calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient, as if this grand scene before him was completely beneath his notice.

His eyes were especially striking. On the surface, they were placid, revealing nothing. But upon closer inspection, one could discover an ultimate sharpness hidden in their depths—a fierceness that could make one's heart stop and a turbulence great enough to alter the very heavens.

Ning Jiang's aura, in particular, made them feel as if he were as lofty as the Celestial Dao itself. He seemed to command the great trends of the world and wield the righteous path, possessing both the domineering air of a King and the vastness of the heavens and earth.

Unfathomable!

That was the first impression Ning Jiang gave all the Kings.

'How strange. I have lived for several thousand years and seen countless people. Not even the Golden Cicada had such a presence in his youth. I don't know why, but when I face him, I have the distinct impression that I am the insignificant one.'

An elder King stroked his beard, his heart thumping in shock.

He was a Celestial Martial Realm King with a lifespan of ten thousand years, a lofty existence who could decide life and death with a single word. Logically, Ning Jiang was just a junior in the Earth Martial Realm; Ning Jiang should be the one who seemed insignificant.

And yet, before Ning Jiang, he was the one who felt insignificant.

'It must be an illusion.'

The elder King couldn't understand it, ultimately dismissing the feeling as a mere illusion.

What he didn't know was that other Kings shared his thoughts. But none of them would ever voice it aloud. After all, for Kings such as themselves, feeling insignificant before a junior was hardly a matter of pride.

"Father, Mr. Ning is here. Let's go see him."

Meng Tianyu and his father, Meng Haoran, had also arrived. This monumental battle had shaken the entire East Sea, and with Ning Jiang as one of the protagonists, they certainly weren't going to miss it.

"Alright."

Meng Haoran nodded, and the father and son walked over to Ning Jiang.

"Mr. Ning," Meng Tianyu called out respectfully.

"Not bad," Ning Jiang nodded. "Your Cultivation has improved rapidly. You're only one step away from the Earth Martial Realm."

When they had left the Meteor Sea Region, Meng Tianyu's Cultivation was pitifully low due to his bloodline curse. Now, in just a few short months, he was on the verge of stepping into the Earth Martial Realm. His progress could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds. With such aptitude, even if he couldn't compare to the prodigies on the Hidden Dragon List, he wasn't far behind.

"You're too kind, Mr. Ning," Meng Tianyu said humbly.

His own accomplishments paled in comparison to what Ning Jiang had become.

"Ning Xiaoyou, we haven't seen you for just a few short months, and you've already shaken the East Sea, becoming a paramount figure of the younger generation. It's truly awe-inspiring."

Meng Haoran also marveled. Ning Jiang's progress was so rapid he was at a loss for words to describe it.

After they caught up for a moment, a commotion rippled through the crowd.

"The people from the Other Shore are here."

Seeing the members of the Other Shore, the crowd hurriedly cleared a path. The newcomers all wore black robes embroidered with vibrant red Other Shore Flowers.

"My God, isn't that person Bai Wuxue, the former Vice Palace Master of the Dragon God Celestial Palace?"

"What? Bai Wuxue? Are you sure? Wasn't he besieged and killed by the Other Shore years ago? How is he with them now?"

The crowd was stunned. As the Vice Palace Master of the Dragon God Celestial Palace, Bai Wuxue had been a renowned figure in the East Sea. The news of him being cornered and killed by the Other Shore had sent shockwaves throughout the entire region.

"To think it's Vice Palace Master Bai. It seems there was more to the story of what happened back then."

A King cupped his fists. His words utterly confirmed Bai Wuxue's identity.

"There's no need to call me Vice Palace Master Bai. The Bai Wuxue of the past is already dead. I have been reborn. Now, I am the Vice Sect Leader of the Other Shore Divine Sect."

Other Shore Divine Sect was the Other Shore's full name, but the people of the East Sea preferred to simply call them the Other Shore.

"Vice Sect Leader."

These three words shocked the crowd. Bai Wuxue's current aura was clearly that of an Eight-Stars King. For someone with such power to be a mere Vice Sect Leader... who, then, was the true Sect Leader?

This only made the crowd grow even more wary of the mysterious Other Shore.

"Dare I ask, Vice Sect Leader Bai, who is this Xuanyuan Bi'an?" someone asked.

"He is the Divine Child of our Other Shore Divine Sect," Bai Wuxue stated calmly.

"The month is now up. Has your sect's Divine Child not come with you?"

All eyes scanned the members of the Other Shore, but there was no sign of Xuanyuan Bi'an.

"There's no need to rush. He will be here soon," Bai Wuxue said calmly.

"Bai Wuxue, the Undying Celestial King treated you more than fairly! How are you still alive? Why would you betray him and join the Other Shore?" Just then, an accusatory voice rang out.

The speaker was Bai Yuyun. Her face was an icy mask, her beautiful eyes glittering with killing intent.

Bai Wuxue's gaze shifted to her. He uttered four words: "To each their own."

"'To each their own,' indeed. The Undying Celestial King spared no effort to train you, even promoting you to Vice Palace Master of the Dragon God Celestial Palace and entrusting you with immense power. Not only did you fail to repay his kindness, you betrayed him! Where is your conscience?" Bai Yuyun sneered.

"Bai Yuyun, your provocations are useless. Everything I've done has been in pursuit of the Celestial King realm. 'If I can hear the Dao in the morning, I can die content in the evening.' For the sake of the Celestial King realm, I would abandon anything," Bai Wuxue said, his expression unchanging.

"The Celestial King realm? You think you're worthy?" Bai Yuyun scoffed. "You will never achieve what Golden Cicada did."

"Silence! I can reach any realm Golden Cicada can!"

At the mention of Golden Cicada's name, it was as if a raw nerve had been touched. Bai Wuxue's eyes turned glacial.

"Hah. In your dreams," Bai Yuyun retorted, her lips curling in disdain.

She knew that Bai Wuxue had always considered Golden Cicada his rival and was desperate to surpass him. Clearly, this had become his obsession.

"Why hasn't Xuanyuan Bi'an appeared yet?"

"Could he be scared? The news of Ning Jiang crushing an army of ten thousand and single-handedly overpowering more than thirty Kings must have frightened quite a few people."

Just as these discussions were reaching a fever pitch...

"Ning Jiang, I've kept you waiting."

Suddenly, a voice thundered through the air.

"It's coming from the sea."

Everyone quickly pinpointed the source of the voice, their eyes darting to the sea below.

Before their eyes, the boundless sea suddenly split apart, revealing a massive abyss below. The abyss was so uncanny it resembled a demon's maw, sending a chill down the spine of all who beheld it.

Then, from the depths of the abyss, a figure in a black robe strode forth.

It was none other than Xuanyuan Bi'an!

In an instant, the atmosphere erupted!