Chapter 628 - 623: The Mysterious Little Celestial King

Chapter 628: Chapter 623: The Mysterious Little Celestial King

Ning Jiang was back.

The news instantly caused a massive uproar throughout the Six Eastern Provinces. As the man of the hour a year ago—the one who had crushed Sword King Body Ling Tianxu and battled the Seven Great Kings—his deeds could only be described as earth-shattering.

Although Ning Jiang’s whereabouts had been unknown for the past year, and Liu Fenglei had burst onto the scene to become the undisputed number one of the younger generation, it didn’t mean people had forgotten Ning Jiang.

On the contrary, many people had been secretly comparing Liu Fenglei to Ning Jiang. It was just that the name "Ning Jiang" had become taboo, a name no one dared to speak.

"Has Ning Jiang really returned? Can this news be trusted? You have to understand, the Eight Great Super Sects all have a vendetta against him. Isn’t he just courting death by coming back?"

"I find it strange, too. With Ning Jiang back, there’s no way those Super Sects will let him go. Isn’t he afraid?"

People were perplexed.

But the next piece of news left everyone dumbfounded.

The Extreme Heaven King was dead!

Throughout the Six Eastern Provinces, countless Martial Artists were shaken by this news. Nearly everyone was rendered speechless, unable to believe it.

As someone who had only stepped into the Celestial Martial Realm in the last year, the Extreme Heaven King’s fame was at its zenith. Everyone knew he was destined to be one of the sovereigns of the Six Eastern Provinces. A single stomp of his foot could make countless factions tremble.

Yet, unexpectedly, he had been killed!

The fall of a King... an event that hadn’t occurred in over a hundred years.

"They say the one who killed the Extreme Heaven King was none other than Ning Jiang."

"The Extreme Heaven King’s Magical Power was overwhelming, yet Ning Jiang injured him with a single punch, stomped him into the ground with a single kick, and finally killed him with a sword strike created from a mere flick of his finger."

"The Extreme Heaven Sect has a new master. It now serves Ning Jiang."

Each piece of news struck everyone’s heart like a sledgehammer. From Martial Artists in the Postnatal and Innate Realms to the experts of the Earth Martial and Heaven-Reaching Realms, everyone felt as if they were dreaming.

A Celestial Martial Realm King was a lofty and supreme being with a lifespan of ten thousand years. To most Martial Artists, the Celestial Martial Realm was as high and unreachable as the sky itself. For one of them to fall, the shock was as if the heavens had collapsed.

Who could have imagined that just one year ago, Ning Jiang was being hunted by the Seven Great Kings, forced to flee the Six Eastern Provinces? Now, after only a short year, he had made a dominant return, slaying the Extreme Heaven King with terrifying power and a mere flick of his finger.

But what shocked people even more was the message Ning Jiang had for the Seven Great Kings.

"He’s demanding the Seven Great Kings perform the three kowtows and nine prostrations, and come to him to beg for forgiveness. My heavens, this Ning Jiang is too arrogant! How dare he say something so outrageous?"

"The Seven Great Kings are nothing like the Extreme Heaven King. Every single one of them is a veteran King who has ruled the Six Eastern Provinces for a thousand years. Any one of them is stronger than the Extreme Heaven King was, yet Ning Jiang dares to provoke all seven at once?"

"I heard that Ning Jiang’s victory over the Extreme Heaven King was due to the power of his Armor. But that Armor only has the power of a One-Star King. He only won because his application of Magical Power surpassed the Extreme Heaven King’s. The Seven Great Kings are different. Each of them is intimately familiar with the use of Magical Power. What gives Ning Jiang the confidence to challenge all seven of them at once?"

Countless Martial Artists were terrified by Ning Jiang’s words.

’Is Ning Jiang planning to fight one against seven? That’s just beyond arrogant, isn’t it?’

Naturally, the news had an even greater impact on the Seven Great Super Sects.

"Dammit! That Ning Jiang just got lucky and found some heaven-defying Armor, that’s all. What real skill could he possibly have? How dare he be so insolent! I say we gather our forces right now, suppress Ning Jiang, and annihilate the Extreme Heaven Sect."

"Well said! He even dared to make the outrageous claim that if the Seven Great Kings don’t go to him to atone, he’ll annihilate our Seven Great Super Sects one by one. How laughable."

Countless disciples of the Seven Great Super Sects were enraged by Ning Jiang’s words.

For as long as anyone could remember, their Seven Great Super Sects had ruled the Six Eastern Provinces. They were accustomed to their lofty status. Even the newly established Extreme Heaven Sect was just an upstart in their eyes, with a foundation that couldn’t possibly compare to their own.

Now, for some nobody named Ning Jiang to claim he would annihilate their Sects was a direct slap in the face. How could they possibly tolerate it?

"Don’t worry. The Seven Great Kings will respond soon enough. This Ning Jiang won’t be arrogant for much longer."

Many disciples sneered. ’What goes up must come down.’ Although Ning Jiang was basking in glory now, they believed his downfall would be swift.

「At that moment, within a grand hall in the Celestial Sword Sect.」

Seven figures were gathered here—the Seven Great Kings themselves!

"I’ve gathered you all here for a reason I’m sure you’re all aware of. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

The Celestial Sword King, a middle-aged man with an Ancient Sword on his back, possessed a sharp and intimidating aura.

"Hmph, is there even a need to ask? That brat wants us to perform the three kowtows and nine prostrations and beg him for forgiveness! What does he take us for? After such humiliation, the only way to vent my hatred is to storm the Extreme Heaven Sect and grind that boy’s bones to ash!"

The speaker had fiery red hair and a gaze so scorching it seemed to contain an endless sea of flames. It was none other than the Heaven-Burning King from Heaven-Burning Valley, the most explosive-tempered of them all.

"Indeed. This hatred will not be quelled until that brat is dead."

"It was a pity we failed to obtain his Cultivation Technique when he escaped from our grasp back then. Now is the perfect opportunity!"

The eyes of all the Kings were ice-cold and filled with killing intent.

None of them had forgotten about Ning Jiang’s Cultivation Technique. The very reason they had moved against him in the first place was that they coveted his all-devouring Dharma Gate.

"The brat must die, of course, but there’s something we must consider," the Celestial Sword King said cautiously. "He managed to escape from our grasp once before. For him to return now and dare to provoke us, he must have something to rely on. We must be on our guard."

"Well said. Ning Jiang may be young, but he cannot be judged by conventional standards. If we are careless, we could suffer a great loss," the Primordial King agreed with a nod, also showing a trace of apprehension toward Ning Jiang.

After all, Ning Jiang was the man who had killed the Extreme Heaven King. No matter how weak the Extreme Heaven King was, he was still a King.

Besides, from what they knew of Ning Jiang, he wasn’t the type to act recklessly without being sure of himself.

"Celestial Sword King, did you gather us here because you have a suggestion?"

The other Kings all turned to look at the Celestial Sword King.

"To be frank, I’ve gathered you all this time because there is a certain Array I wish for us to cultivate together," the Celestial Sword King said, getting straight to the point. "This Array was left behind by the Little Celestial King."

"What? The Little Celestial King? You mean *him*?"

The Kings were flabbergasted.

The Little Celestial King was another figure of unparalleled talent to appear after Golden Cicada. Possessing the aptitude of a Celestial King, he had become an Eight-Stars King in just a hundred short years. He was renowned throughout the Great Thousand Realms as one of the few most likely to step into the Celestial King Realm, which is why many in the Great Thousand Realms called him the Little Celestial King.

"Excellent, excellent! With an Array left behind by the Little Celestial King, Ning Jiang is a dead man for sure!"

The Great Kings exchanged glances, their confidence soaring.