Chapter 679 - 664: Shen Jianfeng’s Bloody Calamity

When the members of the Artifact Origin Sect heard Zhuge Xian’Er utter the words "Silent Extinction Divine Thunder," their minds first went blank. An instant later, an indescribable fervor erupted in their eyes.

Legend told that the Silent Extinction Divine Thunder originated from a plane of the highest order. It was created by a world-shaping Great Power from the Demon Realm and eventually fell into the hands of the North Netherworld Extreme Heaven Sect.

Strictly speaking, this terrifying artifact, which struck fear into the hearts of countless powerhouses, was not something the Human Realm should ever have possessed.

It was a Secret Artifact whose grade was virtually impossible to define, yet its power was heaven-shaking and earth-shattering!

For a very long time, it was the personification of death and annihilation!

The Silent Extinction Divine Thunder was the exclusive Secret Treasure of the North Netherworld Extreme Heaven Sect. Its power was in no way inferior to any Divine Weapon, yet it wasn’t classified as one.

It was a Secret Artifact that could only be created through the combined efforts of a powerhouse who had cultivated a formidable Thunder Element Technique and a top-tier Artifact Refining Master.

Every powerful Magical Treasure Secret Artifact required an Artifact Refiner to pour their heart and soul into its creation, a process involving countless days and nights of arduous labor. Many Artifact Refining Masters regarded the treasures they forged as their own children.

When a Magical Treasure Secret Artifact was created, it wasn’t merely a tool to make a Martial Artist more powerful; it was a work of art that demanded proper care from both its creator and its wielder.

The Silent Extinction Divine Thunder, however, was born to bring destruction and to be destroyed.

This was something that many Peak Artifact Refining Masters found very difficult to accept.

Consequently, many of them believed that a disposable item like the Silent Extinction Divine Thunder was a disgrace to the Artifact Refining Realm.

Of course, disgrace or not, every Artifact Refining Master harbored an unimaginable curiosity about the Silent Extinction Divine Thunder.

They wouldn’t admit it, but deep down, they were desperate to study the artifact.

Regardless, for an Artifact Refining Master, such a tyrannical Secret Artifact from the Upper Realm possessed an irresistible allure.

Studying such an item could allow an Artifact Refining Master to reach even greater heights in the Artifact Refining Dao.

Thus, when Yin Shanhan and the others heard its name, they were stunned for a moment. The very next instant, without exception, their eyes blazed with a fanatical light!

...

The secrets that spilled from Zhuge Xian’Er’s lips, one after another, left Yin Shanhan and his group reeling.

Yin Shanhan’s breathing grew heavier and heavier. The corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably, and his hands trembled so violently he didn’t know where to put them.

It was only then that Yin Shanhan finally understood the significance of the founding ancestor entrusting the Artifact Origin Sect to Shen Lang...

’The old are truly the wisest!’

’The Artifact Origin Sect has really lucked out...’

At that moment, Zhuge Xian’Er quickly stood up and helped Yin Shanhan back to his seat.

Shen Lang watched all this in silence, then continued, "Elder Ancestor Dongfang is right. That is precisely my intention."

"Xian’Er, please make the arrangements. I’ll give you some more powerful Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Array Maps for every element, and various Elixir Pill formulas. Within the next five days, while the experts from the major sects are still in the Imperial Capital, take these items to the Treasure Pavilion’s auction house. Auction them off for High-Grade or Top Grade Spirit Stones."

"What?!" Yin Shanhan, who had just sat down, nearly leaped to his feet again. "My Lord, this is... this is highly inappropriate! Spirit Array Maps and Elixir Pill formulas are some of the scarcest resources available! We can’t just auction them off so easily!"

The King Martial Realm powerhouse beside Yin Shanhan, who had spoken earlier, immediately chimed in, "Exactly! My Lord, this course of action is too reckless. We absolutely cannot do this! As for the Cultivation Techniques, Demonic Dao Sects like the White Bone Hall and the Blood Wing Demon Sect are currently in the Imperial Capital. If a powerful technique falls into their hands... it would lead to untold death and suffering!"

"And items like Spirit Array Maps and pill formulas are the very foundation upon which many sects are built. They should never be auctioned unless there is absolutely no other choice!"

Shen Lang raised an eyebrow. "If a Demonic Dao Sect wins the auction for my Cultivation Technique, all the better."

"..." Everyone stared, stunned.

Shen Lang chuckled. "In ten or twenty years, once they’ve nearly mastered the technique, I’ll simply release information about its fatal flaw and the method to counter it."

"..." A cold sweat broke out on everyone’s back.

Then, Shen Lang’s gaze swept over the King Martial Realm expert from the Artifact Origin Sect who had just spoken. "What is your name?"

The middle-aged expert from the Artifact Origin Sect froze, then answered nervously, "I... My name is Wang Qiuhua."

Shen Lang nodded. "Wang Qiuhua," he said lightly. "A fine name. However, there is one thing you don’t seem to understand... My words are commands to be executed, not topics for discussion."

The moment he finished speaking, Duanmu Xie materialized behind Wang Qiuhua and struck him on the back with a sharp chop of his hand.

THUD! The King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven powerhouse was knocked unconscious in an instant.

Yin Shanhan and the other two men could only watch, stunned, a bitter taste filling their mouths.

Only then did Shen Lang speak again, his voice unhurried. "My people can curse me to my face, and I won’t have a problem with it. I’m not a petty man. However, I despise people who waste my time."

As he spoke, Shen Lang gently swept his right hand through the empty air before him.

Three rows of Jade Scrolls materialized, hovering side by side and pulsing with Spirit Light.

There were ten scrolls in each row, for a total of thirty.

Shen Lang rarely presented items, but when he did, they were always sensational enough to shake the world.

At the sight of these three rows of Jade Scrolls, even Dongfang Jian and the others couldn’t hide the naked greed in their eyes.

With a light wave of his right hand, Shen Lang pushed the three rows of Jade Scrolls toward Zhuge Xian’Er. "I’ve spent the past while in seclusion," he said. "By the time I emerged today, I realized I only have five days left before I must leave the Imperial Capital. Time is tight, so this will have to do for now. Xian’Er, remember to make the arrangements as soon as possible."

Zhuge Xian’Er gave a slight nod, accepting the Jade Scrolls. "I will personally visit the Treasure Pavilion shortly. I will definitely have these sold before you leave the Imperial Capital for the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. Rest assured, Big Brother."

Shen Lang pondered for a moment then added, "Also, go find the people from the Imperial Dragon Sect and the two other sects. Offer to sell them three of our fifteen mining veins."

"What? You want to sell our mining veins?" Dongfang Jian exclaimed in shock. "Xiaolang, we’ll be able to start large-scale mining on those veins in just a few months! There’s no need to sell them to the Imperial Dragon Sect! Are we that desperate for money? Even if we’re making that... thing... we don’t need to go to such lengths, do we?"

"Shut your mouth! Xiaolang must have his reasons!" Second Ancestor Ren Yongyuan, who was standing nearby, roared in anger. He formed his fingers into a sword and jabbed the man viciously in the waist.

"AOW!" Dongfang Jian leaped three feet into the air, his pig-like squeal echoing throughout the hall.

Zhuge Xian’Er suppressed a laugh. "Elder Ancestor Dongfang, you yourself just mentioned how easily Big Brother can find mining veins. Why are you so worked up now? If Big Brother puts his mind to it, wouldn’t finding another eight or ten veins be as easy as flipping his hand?"

"Uh..." Dongfang Jian finally realized he had overreacted.

Zhuge Xian’Er continued, "Big Brother’s reasoning is quite simple. We need a large quantity of Spirit Stones in the short term, so we’re liquidating three of the veins for now."

"At the same time, we will carefully select the three veins to sell, spacing them out among our other ones. This will encourage the experts from the three Spirit Copper Level Sects to distribute themselves evenly across the entire area of the fifteen veins. Given Big Brother’s relationship with them, the experts of these three sects will essentially become our bodyguards..."

"With the experts of these three major sects maintaining a presence, who among the righteous, evil, or demonic factions within the Purple Chu Country would dare to make a move on our mines?"

"Moreover, by leveraging the strength of these three sects, we can expand deeper into the Barbaric lands. We won’t have to be as timid as before. Big Brother can clearly find more and better veins, but our Five Great Sects lack the strength to hold them... No matter how rich the resources are on the periphery of the Barbaric lands, how can they possibly compare to what lies in the deep interior?"

"I believe that covers all your intentions, right, Big Brother?"

Shen Lang grinned. "Nothing gets past you."

...

Just as Shen Lang was bringing out his treasures, preparing to stir up a storm in the Imperial Capital and rake in a massive profit, Crown Prince Tantai Xuanmo was personally seeing Shen Jianfeng and Yan Qi out from the main gate of the Eastern Palace, accompanied by a group of his retainers.

The crowd of retainers flocked around Shen Jianfeng and Yan Qi like stars around the moon, showering them with so much flattery that the two were left feeling dizzy and dazed, completely losing their bearings.

Tantai Xuanmo was a man of sophisticated charm, but ever since the Third Prince had burst onto the scene, he had found himself in a desperate position, besieged on all sides.

Shen Lang’s arrival had broken that siege, and now the Crown Prince was treating everyone from the Profound Dao Sect with an almost unbelievable level of kindness.

As Shen Lang’s cousin, Shen Jianfeng had become a prime target for the Crown Prince’s attempts to curry favor. He was constantly inventing reasons to invite Jianfeng to the Eastern Palace as a guest.

He stuffed all sorts of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and High-Grade Spirit Stones into Shen Jianfeng’s hands as if they were worthless, and his endless compliments practically lifted the young man to the heavens. In no time at all, Jianfeng was completely won over.

Leaving the Eastern Palace, Shen Jianfeng and Yan Qi swayed as they walked, feeling as if they were treading on clouds.

The vast Imperial Palace was aglow with brilliant lights. Towering halls and lofty pavilions stood in solemn majesty, their ornate, upturned eaves and carved beams a testament to their grandeur.

However, neither Shen Jianfeng nor his companion was in the mood to appreciate the scenery. All they could think about was hurrying back to count the Spirit Stones and Elixir Pills the Crown Prince had gifted them.

Shen Jianfeng’s Cultivation was by no means weak. Under Shen Lang’s guidance, it had advanced by leaps and bounds, and he had achieved a remarkable result in the recent tournament.

But at this moment, his mind was so full of flattering words and thoughts of countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that he failed to notice a black mist slithering out from a dark corner, hugging the ground as it crept toward his feet.

"*Hic!*"

Shen Jianfeng let out a burp, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. "Yan Qi, does the weather feel a bit strange to you? It felt warm just a moment ago, but now I’m shivering from the cold."

Yan Qi shook his head. "I don’t feel it. Have you been spending too much time at the Huayu Building, like Tian Hao? Maybe your body’s getting weak."

"Brother, take my advice. You should go to places like that less often. Even if you’ve got stamina, you have to be careful not to wear yourself out!"

"Look at me, I’m in great shape. Every morning, I wake up standing at attention..."

"Fuck!" Shen Jianfeng cursed in anger. He was about to explain himself when a sinister, cold energy suddenly surged up from the ground and into his body.

This wasn’t the natural chill of a winter’s day, but a sinister cold that seeped straight into his nerves, into his very bones!

A gloomy and terrifying presence shot up from the soles of his feet and, before Shen Jianfeng could react, ZWIP—it burrowed straight into his Sea of Consciousness!

"Damn it! What ghost dares to mess with me? Do you think I’m some kind of pushover?"

The shock sobered Shen Jianfeng up in an instant, and he bellowed in panicked fury.