Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 520: Chapter 516: The Origin of the Other Shore, the Thing Beneath the Dark Sea Region

”He’s gone.”

Seeing the Flood Dragon King leave, the tense muscles all over Ning Jiang’s body instantly relaxed. The change was like stepping off a high wire and back onto solid ground.

His back was completely soaked with sweat!

It was all an instinctual reaction from his body.

Faced with the Flood Dragon King’s killing intent, his mind had been firm and unafraid, but his body couldn’t bear it—just as a person feels pain when struck.

Ultimately, the gap between him and the Flood Dragon King was simply too vast. Describing it as the difference between a dragon and an ant would be no exaggeration.

”Ning Jiang, are you alright? I don’t know what suddenly came over that Flood Dragon King!”

Just then, Gu Huaying walked over.

Her pretty face was pale, and her forehead was beaded with sweat. When the Flood Dragon King’s killing intent had been directed at Ning Jiang, she had been nearby and felt some of it.

Faced with that killing intent, her own spirit had nearly collapsed. She never expected Ning Jiang to actually withstand it. The killing intent Ning Jiang had endured was more than ten times stronger than what she had felt.

”I’m fine,” Ning Jiang said, slowly exhaling.

”Huaying, bring Ning Jiang to me.” Suddenly, a Divine Sense transmission entered Gu Huaying’s mind.

”Yes, Father.”

Gu Huaying was slightly startled, not knowing why the Celestial Treasure King wanted to see Ning Jiang. She immediately said, ”Ning Jiang, my father wishes to see you.”

”Alright.”

Without a second thought, Ning Jiang agreed.

’The Celestial Treasure King probably doesn’t bear me any ill will. Otherwise, here in Celestial Treasure City, he could have acted against me long ago if he wanted to harm me.’

...

Beneath the massive tower.

”Father is on the top floor. Follow me.”

Gu Huaying led the way, guiding Ning Jiang into the tower.

’The moment he stepped inside, Ning Jiang felt a vast and majestic power. ’It seems this tower is the core of Celestial Treasure City’s Array. If I have time, I must go see the Myriad Treasures Exquisite Tower in the Dark Sea Region.’

According to Zhou Rong, the Myriad Treasures Exquisite Tower was the number one Magical Treasure in the East Sea, and this tower was a replica of it.

”We’re here.” ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

After about the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, Ning Jiang reached the top floor.

The back of a portly, middle-aged man came into view.

”To remain so calm and composed in the face of the Flood Dragon King’s killing intent... you are indeed worthy of the Undying Celestial King’s praise.” The Celestial Treasure King slowly turned to face Ning Jiang.

”The Undying Celestial King praised me?”

Ning Jiang’s gaze sharpened slightly. ’It seems there’s something intriguing about this.’

”Ning Jiang, do you know the true origin of this map to the Life Divine Spring?” The Celestial Treasure King seemed intent on testing Ning Jiang’s wisdom and posed a difficult question.

”It was the Undying Celestial King, wasn’t it?”

Ning Jiang gave the answer with almost no hesitation.

”You are as clever as they say,” the Celestial Treasure King praised, then asked, ”Then do you know why the Undying Celestial King would put such an item up for auction?”

”It’s a setup,” Ning Jiang said faintly. ”I imagine the Undying Celestial King can’t find the Life Divine Spring himself, so he simply put the map out there for others to find it for him.”

”Your guess is spot on. However, while it is a setup, it is also a choice born of desperation.”

The Celestial Treasure King sighed. ”Half a month ago, the Undying Celestial King came to me and gave me the map to the Life Divine Spring, telling me to put it up for auction. He orchestrated this scheme because of his own injuries. He suffered an extremely severe wound in the Ancient Forbidden Land of the Six Eastern Provinces, and it has never healed. In fact, it has been steadily worsening. Now, he can barely suppress it any longer, so this time, he is entering a death seclusion!”

”Death seclusion? Does that mean the Dragon God Celestial Palace has now lost the Undying Celestial King’s protection?!” Ning Jiang’s eyes narrowed. He understood the grave implications of this perfectly.

The Dragon God Celestial Palace was the number one power in the East Sea ultimately because the Undying Celestial King presided over it. If they were to lose him, the Celestial Palace’s strength would be greatly diminished.

The change would be like a bird losing its wings!

’Still, for the Undying Celestial King to entrust such important information to the Celestial Treasure King... it seems the Celestial Treasure King has the Undying Celestial King’s deep trust.’

”Rumor has it that the Celestial Treasure King has always remained neutral. It seems you’ve fooled the entire world,” Ning Jiang said.

”I was able to fool the world because for all these years, everything I’ve done has been neutral. I never once made contact with the Undying Celestial King. Even my own child, Huaying, knew nothing of this.”

The Celestial Treasure King explained, ”All along, I have been a hidden card planted by the Undying Celestial King. This time, he had no other choice but to play this hidden card.”

Beside them, Gu Huaying’s pretty face was filled with shock. This was the first time she had ever heard any of this.

”Indeed. The news of the Undying Celestial King’s death seclusion will certainly not escape the Other Shore,” Ning Jiang said. ”If the Other Shore makes a move at this time, the Dragon God Celestial Palace won’t be able to stop them. Not to mention the other powers watching like tigers, ready to pounce!”

Ning Jiang could imagine that a terrifying storm was about to break.

And the Dragon God Celestial Palace would be at its center!

”Besides the Other Shore, the Flood Dragon Clan won’t let this opportunity pass either. The Flood Dragon King is incredibly ambitious. He has been suppressed by the Undying Celestial King for too long. This time, he is determined to reclaim the former glory of the Flood Dragon Clan. Just now, he even forced me to make a choice within one month!” said the Celestial Treasure King.

”Make a choice? That Flood Dragon King is going too far!” Gu Huaying said indignantly.

”If I’m not mistaken, the Flood Dragon King has likely joined forces with the Other Shore.”

A worried look appeared on the Celestial Treasure King’s face. ”Judging by the deadline the Flood Dragon King gave me, a great upheaval will likely occur in one month’s time. When that happens, I will no longer be able to stay out of it.”

”A great upheaval.”

Gu Huaying slowly clenched her fists. She could hear a sense of powerlessness in her father’s tone.

For a King who had reached the Seven-Stars level to feel powerless... one could only imagine how immense the upheaval in a month would be.

”Dad, who exactly are the people from the Other Shore? How did such a group of powerful experts suddenly appear in the East Sea?” Gu Huaying couldn’t help but voice the question in her heart.

”The Other Shore is too mysterious. It’s as if they appeared out of thin air; no trace of their origins can be found. But the Undying Celestial King told me they might be related to that *thing* beneath the Dark Sea Region.”

”What thing?”

”Knowing about this now won’t do you any good.”

The Celestial Treasure King shook his head, unwilling to say more. Sometimes, knowing too much was not necessarily a good thing.

”This time, the Undying Celestial King used the Life Divine Spring to set his plan in motion, but because of his injuries, he was forced into death seclusion. Even he has no way of controlling what happens next. The game has become bewilderingly complex,” the Celestial Treasure King lamented.

”The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. But who is the mantis, and who is the oriole? In fact, it’s this very uncertainty that makes things interesting!” Ning Jiang said lightly.

”You certainly have a detached perspective. I, however, still prefer a life of peace and stability.” The Celestial Treasure King shook his head and took out an item. ”Ning Jiang, this is what the Undying Celestial King asked me to give to you.”