Chapter 1669: Forbidden Area (Wugeng)

"Yes! Hand over the crown!"

"These achievements are more than you can handle!"

"Don't be short-sighted, young man; always have a contingency plan."

Jiang Fan scanned the crowd. Every eye gleamed with desire and greed, yet no one dared to step forward first. Whoever made the first move would most likely die at the White Tiger's hands, needlessly creating an opportunity for others.

Seeing their hesitation, Jiang Fan scoffed, "A bunch of pushovers! You claim I'm unworthy? Did you earn these achievements? You say I can't handle them? My crown is still here, while all of yours have been snatched away. You harbor contempt for others but lack the ability to justify it. And you think you are worthy of representing your worlds and changing destiny?"

If any of them had directly tried to seize the crown like Liu Bianhuang, he would have respected them more. At least it would show they were bold enough to act! But this group before him looked down on his cultivation as a Heaven-Man's first decline, yet they coveted his achievements. They were full of schemes against others, but hesitated, unwilling to fight. These people truly weren't worthy of being the top hunter!

"Well said!"

A powerful, oppressive aura swept across the area, causing everyone's expressions to subtly shift. It was Yun Wanxiao, soaring swiftly on his wings, radiating a sacred light. With his hands clasped behind his back, he disdainfully looked down on the crowd.

"Even we wouldn't dare say that Jiang Fan of the Central Plains is unworthy of his crown. Who do you think you are? Do you even have the right to spout such nonsense here? A disorganized rabble!"

Yun Wanxiao landed beside Jiang Fan, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone present. His piercing stare forced them all to retreat, preventing them from causing any more trouble. He then turned to Jiang Fan, his gaze softening. "I'm glad you're still alive," he said.

Jiang Fan cupped his hands. "Thank you for your concern, Senior," he replied. He subtly took a few steps back, maintaining his distance from the other man. Earlier, when Liu Bianhuang had framed him, leaving him trapped in the shadows, this 'ally' who had seemingly always looked out for him had abandoned him without a moment's hesitation. Now that he was safe, could a few polite words truly earn his heartfelt gratitude? He wasn't outright rejecting him, but he certainly didn't trust him.

Behind him, a shadow flickered faintly. Luckily, he had arrived in time and quickly moved to the riverbank, causing the shadow to turn and leave, albeit reluctantly.

The newcomer was Liu Bianhuang. With a slight gasp, he immediately sensed the tense atmosphere. A quick glance revealed the situation: all the participants were confronting Jiang Fan, demanding he hand over his crown, while Yun Wanxiao, however, was staunchly supporting Jiang Fan. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. His greed for the crown and the treasure gourd mingled with his resentment toward Jiang Fan.

"Jiang Fan, do you see now? Those who are in the right find many helpers, while those who are in the wrong find few! Aren't you going to hand over the crown and the treasure gourd? If I'm in a good mood, your life might just be spared."

Why would he ever let Jiang Fan off the hook? Jiang Fan's 'Eternal Smile' technique had caused his soul to be wounded by the dead spirits, hindering his progress towards the Sage realm. For that alone, Jiang Fan wouldn't have atoned even if he died ten times over!

Jiang Fan, who had never believed a word Liu Bianhuang said, scoffed, "A dragon treads the heavenly path, while a rat scurries through sewers. Your path, that of snakes, insects, rats, and ants, is naturally not one I would ever walk!"

With his hands still clasped behind his back, Yun Wanxiao's eyes held a warning. "Is it appropriate for a man with a wounded soul to threaten someone under my protection?" he asked.

But no sooner had he spoken, a grim voice drifted over: "What about if I join in?"

With a dull thud, Tianjian descended from above, landing on a massive Blood Demon King. Beside him was Tianqin, the sister of the Four-Crowned Asura King. Both of them appeared disheveled, their breathing uneven, clearly having fled a perilous situation to reach this point.

Tianjian glared at Jiang Fan with hatred. "If I don't kill you, my heart will never be at peace!" he snarled. On their journey here, he had repeatedly encountered the shadows of dead spirits, exhausting all his magic treasures. He had nearly perished at the hands of one of them. Fortunately, his sister Tianqin was nearby and managed to save him in time by deploying her magic treasure. All of this was thanks to Jiang Fan!

Yun Wanxiao's expression grew slightly solemn. "The situation isn't looking good," he murmured. He believed he could handle Liu Bianhuang, but with Tianjian added to the mix, it became much more challenging. Unless Young Master Xiang also sided with them.

Just as he was pondering this, a resonant, commanding voice, calm and unhurried, echoed through the air: "Is everyone here? I, the Emperor, have arrived at precisely the right moment!"

Young Master Xiang descended from the sky, clad in a black robe, wearing an emperor's crown, and radiating a hundred-and-eighty-zhang beam of light. Everyone's expressions shifted dramatically. Not only had Young Master Xiang successfully evaded the dead spirits' pursuit, but he had also managed to seize a twenty-zhang crown? This meant he had reclaimed the top position.

Yun Wanxiao, Liu Bianhuang, and Tianjian all looked troubled. This man was truly formidable.

"Young Master Xiang, whose side will you take?" Yun Wanxiao asked. He sighed inwardly, fearing Young Master Xiang would side with no one, for he was already an uncrowned king.

Young Master Xiang surveyed his surroundings, quickly grasping the situation. He rested a hand on his sword hilt and, with the other behind his back, declared, "I, the Emperor, stand only on my own side! Anyone who surpasses me is my enemy!"

Jiang Fan's expression darkened. He wasn't concerned about whose side Young Master Xiang took, but rather where his extra twenty-zhang light beam had come from. The Ancient Blood Demon King hunt had long concluded, so it could only have been someone else's crown. But would Young Master Xiang truly stoop to snatching another's crown?

As he pondered this, a bald-headed Jiang Yitian arrived, following closely behind Young Master Xiang. Spotting Jiang Fan from a distance, he immediately flared up. "You wretched fellow!" he spat.

Jiang Fan paused, then realized where Young Master Xiang's crown had originated. "'Brother Jiang, that's really not fair,' Jiang Fan said. 'You'd rather give your crown to an outsider than to me?'"

Jiang Yitian was so incensed he wanted to swear. "You have the nerve to bring that up?" he retorted. "If it weren't for you causing me to be chased by dead spirits, would I have ended up targeted by them in the first place? Good thing Young Master Xiang happened to pass by; I only saved my life by offering my crown and surrendering to him."

Jiang Fan gave an awkward chuckle. "'Accidental injury, really. I had no idea Brother Jiang was lurking around so stealthily at the time.'" This cunning fellow, hiding near the volcano, was probably trying to secretly gain an advantage, wasn't he?

With his scheme exposed, Jiang Yitian's old face flushed, and he snorted, "You ruined me, and I made you lose first place. We're even now!" There was a noticeable hint of schadenfreude in his tone.

Jiang Fan's gaze shifted, sweeping over the group of prodigies from various realms. A few crowns remained among them, but they hadn't even managed to form light beams, indicating their kills hadn't reached a hundred. Even combined, their scores wouldn't total two hundred. Simply robbing them wouldn't be enough.

Jiang Fan's sharp gaze fixed on Liu Bianhuang and Tianjian. It seemed if he wanted to claim first place, he would have to target them. This battle was inevitable.

Splash—

Suddenly, a splash erupted from the black river nearby, and a wave swiftly pulled the closest strong contender into the depths. The man didn't even have time to cry for help before sinking into the river and vanishing. Everyone stared, their faces etched with shock and confusion.

Yun Wanxiao's expression subtly changed. "When the big battle starts later, stay away from this river," he warned.