Chapter 496: You Damned Couple, Fury and Hatred, Tantai Qing's Wicked Taste

“It seems your strength is nothing special.”

Jiang Lan walked over with his arm around Tantai Qing, shaking his head slightly.

Things were unfolding just as he’d planned, but Helian Wen hadn’t been pushed to his limit just yet.

Naturally, Tantai Qing hadn’t used her full strength when she fought Helian Wen just now. If she had unleashed her true power, dealing with him wouldn’t have been such a struggle.

Of course, this was all part of Jiang Lan’s scheme. Tantai Qing needed to be grievously wounded by Helian Wen. After consuming the Demon Essence Fruit, Helian Wen’s body had been transformed by Demonic Qi, turning him into a half-demon, half-human creature.

His self-created Yellow Heaven Creation Palm was a Lifebound Divine Technique of Spirit-Demon Fusion that would leave distinct traces of Demonic Qi on his opponents.

With these traces and Helian Wen’s letter, it would be impossible for him to ever recover.

“Still as useless as ever…”

“You can’t even compare to my little finger.”

A cold, contemptuous smile touched Tantai Qing’s lips. She looked down on Helian Wen condescendingly, then deliberately leaned gently into Jiang Lan’s embrace.

“Bitch…”

“You cursed pair… You’ll both die a miserable death.”

Helian Wen was seething with rage. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked. Black patterns surfaced on his face, threatening to spread across his entire body, and his eyes were bloodshot.

A strange glint appeared in Tantai Qing’s eyes. She had only done it for her own perverse amusement, never expecting to provoke such deep-seated hatred and fury from Helian Wen. The raw emotion pouring from him at this moment was more valuable than half a year of arduous cultivation in the Hechi Kingdom she supported overseas.

Absorbing these emotions, she felt she would soon be able to break through to the next level of her Six Desires Demon Skill.

Jiang Lan noticed her subtle action and, in turn, felt a significant amount of fortune surge into his Sea of Consciousness. Helian Wen was, after all, Lin Fan’s sworn brother in the original story—a true man of great fortune.

In a way, what Tantai Qing had done was a more severe and devastating blow to Helian Wen’s spirit than anything Jiang Lan could have done himself.

Once the spirit of a Child of Fortune is broken, their fortune drains away, and they lose the favor of Heaven’s Will. If they can’t remain indomitable, growing stronger with each setback, they will ultimately fade into mediocrity.

‘A pity…’

‘To avoid any future trouble, I should kill him quickly. No loose ends.’

At that moment, as Tantai Qing stared at Helian Wen, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Killing intent flickered in her eyes. A ball of hazy gray light materialized in her slender, jade-like palm as she prepared to strike the spot between Helian Wen’s brows.

Jiang Lan did not stop her.

But in that instant between life and death, the spot between Helian Wen’s eyebrows began to glow. A ray of light erupted from it, forming a portal-like barrier in mid-air that blocked Tantai Qing’s strike.

As the portal swung open, a blurry, black-robed figure stepped out.

“Master…”

His voice trembling, Helian Wen stared at the black-robed figure. A mix of grief and indignation washed over him, quickly followed by a surge of excitement.

‘Now that Master has appeared, he can definitely get me out of here safely.’

Her expression darkened as her attack failed. She glared fixedly at the black-robed figure.

She had always wanted to know the identity of the backer Jiang Lan had mentioned was protecting Helian Wen, but he had refused to tell her.

‘So there really is someone protecting Helian Wen. And it’s his master?’

“The younger generation is truly formidable.”

The black-robed figure stood silently in the Void. Under its hood, which appeared to be a blank, empty space, was only a swirl of mist, devoid of any facial features.

He sized up Jiang Lan, completely ignoring Tantai Qing.

Jiang Lan was not at all surprised by this scene. From the very beginning, his real target was not Helian Wen, but the person behind him.

“What should I call you? Martial Uncle? Or perhaps something else?”

Jiang Lan asked with a smile, showing no trace of apprehension or fear.

“So, you already know who I am?” the black-robed figure said, sounding unsurprised.

“I could guess.”

“Father asked me to give you his regards upon meeting you, Martial Uncle Huangfu Hao,” Jiang Lan said, cupping his hands in a fist-and-palm salute.

“Heh. I don’t dare call myself your Martial Uncle. I ceased to be your father’s senior martial brother long ago.” The black-robed figure seemed to scoff, but his tone remained indifferent.

Tantai Qing remained silent, but her mind was reeling.

Although she had never met the man, she knew his name. He was once a renowned Celestial Pride of the Celestial Central Province, the Saint Heir of the foremost Immortal Sect, the Taiyi Sect. A monstrously talented individual of his generation, he had defeated countless other Celestial Prides and prodigies in his lifetime.

To countless people, he was the one from his generation most likely to achieve Sainthood.

But who could have imagined that after vanishing without a trace for so many years, he would suddenly reappear on Immortal Ascension Island of all places, and as Helian Wen’s master, no less?

“It seems you still harbor a great deal of resentment toward my father, Martial Uncle. But that is not my place to meddle. The feuds of your generation should be settled by you yourselves.”

“This Helian Wen and I have a feud. Surely you don’t intend to shelter him, Martial Uncle?” Jiang Lan said with a light laugh, his eyes landing on Helian Wen.

‘I’ve already probed him. This black-robed figure isn’t his true body. I don’t know where Huangfu Hao’s real self is, so destroying this incarnation would be pointless.’

“Wen’Er is my disciple. I cannot stand by and do nothing while he is in peril.”

“Besides, do you truly have a feud with him? This woman, Tantai Qing, twists truth and falsehood. She is conniving, sinister, and ruthless. *She* is the one who deserves to die…” the black-robed figure said, his voice devoid of emotion.