Chapter 1361: Together

Jian Changsheng was about to say something when Sun Bumian, who was beside him, spoke first.

“It's actually not bad. The food isn't great, but after eating so many poisonous insects, I've developed some resistance to toxins. I should get used to it if I stay a little longer... But what about you? What about your safety if we leave?”

“My safety?” Chen Ling raised an eyebrow. “I'm the King of the Ghost Scorn Abyss. I have five eighth-tier venomous leaders under my command... Who in this world could possibly threaten my safety?”

“Daoist demigods, the Nine Sovereigns of humanity, world-ending calamities... While your Ghost Scorn Abyss is powerful, without a ninth-tier presence, there are too many beings who could kill you.”

“Why would they want to kill me? And if they really came, what difference would it make whether you were here or not?”

“With me... with us here, we can always help you bear some of the burden.”

Sun Bumian's tone was very serious.

Setting aside his personal relationship with Chen Ling, Sun Bumian's master had specifically instructed him to protect Chen Ling not long ago. After all, Chen Ling was a crucial factor in determining the world's outcome. With the return of the Red Star imminent, great changes were sure to sweep across the land. If anything were to happen to Chen Ling now, the world would truly be doomed.

Sun Bumian had suffered the most during his time in the Ghost Scorn Abyss, but he had no intention of leaving. After all, the Red Star's arrival was only a few months away. What did it matter if he ate poisonous insects and had an upset stomach every day? He had endured thousands of years of hardship; this was nothing in comparison.

Chen Ling looked at Sun Bumian, a hint of confusion in his heart. He had expected the stubborn Little Jian to be the most difficult to convince when he issued the order for them to leave, but he hadn't anticipated Sun Bumian, usually the most sensible of them, to be so persistent this time.

“Blocks,” Chen Ling said seriously, “this is no longer just about eating poisonous insects.”

“You must realize that I am now a great harbinger of misfortune. Wherever I go, I bring ill fortune to the living beings there... Even you, a bringer of auspiciousness, cannot suppress my aura. You might even suffer backlash from it, leading to poor spirits and constant bad luck.

What's more, Spades, due to the ancient murderous aura within him, already has a constitution prone to bad luck. With both our influences combined, he wouldn't just face 'unluckiness'... but potentially 'death-level calamities' that could strike at any moment!

Even if he could avoid one, ten, or even a hundred such calamities through his own strength, there would always be a moment when he's tired or distracted. What then, if he were severely injured or near death because of my presence?”

Sun Bumian opened his mouth, then fell silent.

From the perspective of his master's instructions, he should indeed remain steadfastly by Chen Ling's side. However, from the perspective of Six of Blocks, Chen Ling, Jian Changsheng, and Jiang Xiaohua were all brothers of the '6' generation. It would undoubtedly be unfair to put another brother in danger for the sake of protecting Hearts.

“Hearts...” Jian Changsheng was about to try to persuade him further, but Chen Ling spoke again.

“Spades, I'm not discussing this with you,” Chen Ling's tone became noticeably firmer. “Go back... I am a world-ending calamity; I was born to belong here. Your stage should be in the human realm...

Besides, this separation isn't a complete break. Once the situation in the Jade Expanse Realm stabilizes and you've established yourselves there, you can still occasionally return to the Ghost Scorn Abyss to find me, bringing some food from the human realm... Let me experience what it's like to live as a 'human' again.”

Hearing the last sentence, Jian Changsheng was finally moved.

After much internal struggle, he finally nodded.

“Alright... then wait a few days for me. As soon as I've collected all the delicacies from the Jade Expanse Realm, I'll come straight back to find you!”

Hearing this reply, a smile finally appeared on Chen Ling's lips. He was about to say something when Jian Changsheng's tone suddenly shifted.

“But before I leave, there's one more thing.”

“What?”

Jian Changsheng took a deep breath and slowly rose from his seat...

His hand reached behind him into the void, as if grasping an invisible sword hilt, and he suddenly drew it out!

Boom—!!!

The next second, an overwhelming ancient murderous aura erupted, soaring skyward like a pillar of black flame!!

Under the terrifying pressure of this murderous aura, the plates and chopsticks on the table shrieked and bounced wildly. With heart-rending wails, they scrambled off the table, then tumbled and crawled out of the dining hall door.

The materialized murderous aura transformed into ancient general's armor, clinging to Jian Changsheng's body. Black straps floated without wind. He held a long sword and spoke slowly:

“They've all seen the results of my half-year of arduous training... Only you, Hearts, haven't witnessed my growth.”

“Let's fight again, just like we did at the Crimson Heaven Sect...”

“This time, I won't lose again.”

The crushing defeat he suffered at the Crimson Heaven Sect's sub-branch had fueled Jian Changsheng's drive to endure his grueling training in the Gray Realm. He fought so desperately to one day reclaim his pride from Chen Ling. From their standoff in the pavilion of the Southern Sea Realm to becoming a killing god on the battlefield of the Jade Expanse Realm, his growth had already made the world take notice. Yet, the one person who should have acknowledged him the most had still not witnessed his strength.

When he first arrived in the Ghost Scorn Abyss, Jian Changsheng saw how miserable Chen Ling's life was, and his own condition was poor after eating poisonous insects for several days, so he never challenged Chen Ling to a duel. But now that he was about to leave, he had to fulfill this wish before departing!

Empowered by the roaring ancient murderous aura, the fighting intent in Jian Changsheng's eyes soared to its peak. The torches in the underground palace flickered wildly, and his upright figure stood like a mountain, his imposing aura pressing down on Chen Ling.

Chen Ling paused for a moment at this sight...

He smiled faintly.

No wonder Jian Changsheng had become famous in the Jade Expanse Realm with a single battle. Although his current rank was only peak sixth-tier, after mastering the ancient murderous aura within him, his combat power could already rival a seventh-tier. If he were to activate his Hell of Perpetual Suffering overlay state, he could even challenge a peak seventh-tier... His progress was simply too fast.

Although this was not a battlefield where kills could enhance his state, Jian Changsheng believed that with his current strength, he could firmly defeat Chen Ling even without activating any overlays...

But...

Oh, Spades, is this level enough to make you complacent?

Chen Ling knew that Jian Changsheng was an unpolished gem covered in dust; the harder he was polished, the brighter his radiance would become...

In the future, once he returned to the Jade Expanse Realm, he would be showered with praise and adulation. This might lead him to become complacent, and his strength could stagnate... If that were the case, then Chen Ling decided to leave him with a bit more shadow, to wind his spring to its absolute limit.

Chen Ling sat quietly. The next second, his large red opera robe visibly began to turn pitch black. An aura of world-ending calamity instantly swept through the entire palace, directly suppressing Jian Changsheng's surging murderous aura!

Boom—!!!!

His jet-black hair silently billowed. Chen Ling, like a king of the abyss, casually glanced at the three utterly stunned individuals at the table...

“All three of you, come at me together.”