Chapter 1225, A Clash of Words

Translator: Silavin

  

The following day.

 

Four silhouettes descended into Golden Flame City.

 

Of these four, the auras emanating from two of them sent a chill through the onlookers. Two Saints!

 

The remaining two, who appeared considerably younger, also radiated formidable energy. At the very least, both were experts on par with Zhang Heng.

 

To the west of the city’s centre lay a vast square. Around its perimeter stood a dense grove of towering trees, their lush canopies spreading outward in every direction.

 

At that moment, Jin Xianduan stood in the square with his hands clasped behind his back. Around him, silhouettes clustered here and there. These were all young individuals who, compared to the average fighters within the Myriad Beasts War Domain, carried an extra thread of pride in their bearing.

 

They were clearly the younger generation of the Golden Flame Race. As members of a Top Tier Race sheltered within their own city, a certain arrogance was unavoidable.

 

At that moment, they gathered in small clusters of two and three, and from time to time, whispered voices drifted between them.

 

“Hmph! A mere pair of Saints, and they dare make demands of us!”

 

“Back on the Myriad Beasts continent, our Race could crush them with a single finger!”

 

“They only dare hide away in here. The moment they step outside, they will not even need us to act. Those they have made enemies of will sort them out themselves!”

 

It seemed the young people had already learned something of the situation, and each wore an expression tinged with irritation, speaking as though the Saints in question were barely worth acknowledging.

 

Still, Saints did carry considerable prestige here. When four silhouettes descended from the sky, the murmuring in the square fell away at once.

 

“Ha ha! It has been several years, Senior Jin, and your bearing is as impressive as ever!”

 

“Senior Jin!”

 

As they landed, the two experts with the formidable auras each bowed respectfully towards Jin Xianduan.

 

“Mo Qi, Zhong Nian. You two seem to be getting along rather well.”

 

Jin Xianduan gave a light laugh and replied in an offhand tone.

 

“Senior Jin, these are Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi, the ones we mentioned to you.”

 

Mo Qi gestured towards the two behind him and said with a smile.

 

“Senior Jin!”

 

The two younger figures also bowed respectfully towards Jin Xianduan.

 

Though Mo Qi and Zhong Nian were themselves Saints, they were still some considerable distance behind Jin Xianduan. The latter had, after all, broken through to the Saint Realm through his own strength alone, without the aid of any rare Treasure of Heaven and Earth. He was, at present, a Mid Stage Saint.

 

Within the Myriad Beasts War Domain, a Mid Stage Saint was genuinely the most formidable combat power available.

 

Jin Xianduan made no gesture of acknowledgement towards the two newcomers’ bow. He did not so much as glance at them, and a faint expression of displeasure showed in the set of his brow.

 

It was clear that he was not at all pleased with Mo Qi and Zhong Nian’s behaviour.

 

Still, entering that place required their strength. Much as he disliked it, he had no grounds to drive them away.

 

“Mo Qi, are you two looking to cultivate a pair of Saints?”

 

Jin Xianduan turned his gaze to Mo Qi and Zhong Nian, a tone of amusement in his voice.

 

“Senior Jin is teasing us. Mo Bai and the others lack the aptitude. Breaking through to the Saint Realm holds no real hope for them.”

 

“These Brothers of ours are as close to us as our own hands. This time, we only wish to use this opportunity to temper them, so they might have a better means of protecting themselves within the War Domain.”

 

Upon hearing this, Mo Qi and Zhong Nian hastened to explain with smiles.

 

Their true purpose was obvious to everyone present, but maintaining the right surface attitude was still necessary.

 

“Since their aptitude is lacking, there is no need to waste spots on them.”

 

Jin Xianduan said it in the manner of a light-hearted remark.

 

The moment those words landed, the expressions of Mo Qi and the others stiffened almost imperceptibly.

 

“Heh heh, Senior Jin, there are still two open spots regardless. Rather than bringing along dead weight, why not consider, out of regard for all these years we have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the Golden Flame Race, giving them this one chance?”

 

Though they understood Jin Xianduan’s reluctance to let them in, Mo Qi and his group had no intention of letting an opportunity they had worked so hard to seize be brushed away with a few words.

 

“Dead weight?”

 

Just as Jin Xianduan’s brow was beginning to furrow, Jin Ran’s voice rang out from a distance, followed by the sound of rushing wind, as two silhouettes appeared in the square.

 

“Young Master Jin Ran!”

 

Upon seeing who had arrived, the expressions of Mo Qi and Zhong Nian shifted ever so slightly as they offered their greetings.

 

Clearly, they knew Jin Ran’s identity well enough. Yet just as clearly, the degree of wariness they felt towards Jin Ran was nowhere near what they felt towards Jin Xianduan.

 

After all, while Jin Ran’s identity and potential were extraordinary, those who had spent long years in the Myriad Beasts War Domain placed the highest value on real strength.

 

What did it matter if Jin Ran would one day far surpass them?

 

Someone with Jin Ran’s monstrous talent would never spend his life in the Myriad Beasts War Domain. He would certainly leave in time, and once he broke through to the Saint Realm, he would be unable to return here unless a truly supreme expert went to great lengths on his behalf.

 

“Mo Qi, who exactly were you just calling dead weight?”

 

Jin Ran noted the demeanour of those present. His brow lifted slightly, and his voice took on a faintly cool edge as he asked.

 

“I meant no one in particular. I was speaking in jest.”

 

Mo Qi let out a dry laugh.

 

“Though it was merely in jest, I find you made a rather good point. Bringing dead weight inside only creates trouble for ourselves.” Jin Ran laughed freely.

 

“What does Young Master Jin Ran mean by that?”

 

At those words, Mo Qi and Zhong Nian exchanged a glance, their expressions going slightly cold.

 

They were well aware that bringing along those under their command to such a place was something no Top Tier Race would ever permit. Yet this opportunity was simply too rare to surrender. Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi were the finest fighters under each of their banners, individuals who below the Saint Realm scarcely met their match.

 

Given the right opportunity, a breakthrough to the Saint Realm would only be a matter of time for them.

 

And a Myriad Races War Soul was precisely that opportunity.

 

They knew the Golden Flame Race would try to block them. Yet they had already thought it through. If a few words were all it took to send them packing, that was simply not going to happen.

 

At worst, they would harden their resolve, go and unite several other Saints, and seize that territory by force.

 

In the most unfavourable scenario, they could at least use the threat of that as leverage.

 

“You are both intelligent people. Surely I need not spell out what I mean?”

 

Jin Ran let out a quiet laugh, an amused glint dancing in his eyes.

 

Back on the Myriad Beasts continent, two Early Stage Saints would not have entered Jin Ran’s sight at all. Were it not for the fact that he still had future use for them, he could hardly be bothered to exchange words with them.