The voice sounded like it belonged to someone of considerable age. But Jiang Chen found such a patronizing, age-entitled tone utterly detestable.
"If I don't kill him, would those foreign wolves refrain from bringing catastrophe upon the Human Domain? The Wind Cloud Sect is ambitious—would they bring peace to the Human Domain?"
Jiang Chen's tone was heated with indignation. "You clearly have the power to interfere in this battle, so you're no ordinary person. Why not show yourself? Let this young master know exactly who you are!"
Though he had no idea who this person was, Jiang Chen was undeniably furious. Meddlesome busybodies who showed up at the worst possible moments—Jiang Chen had had more than enough of them.
"So young, yet such a temper. There's no need to dig into my background. I have lived in the Human Domain for over ten thousand years. When it comes to the Human Domain, I daresay I understand ten times more than you do."
Ten thousand years?
Jiang Chen's mind stirred, and the emperor-realm cultivators of Radiant King City all wore expressions of shock.
A hidden expert?
A hidden expert of the Human Domain? A Celestial-level expert?
There had always been rumors that the Human Domain did, in fact, possess Celestial-level experts—but that they simply refused to show themselves.
Some said they had grown indifferent to worldly affairs. Others claimed that the sparse spiritual energy of the Human Domain made them reluctant to stir. Still others believed they feared aging too quickly.
In any case, there was no shortage of speculation.
But for the past three thousand years, no one had truly laid eyes on a Celestial-level expert within the Human Domain.
Now, hearing the subtext behind this voice, it seemed to be one of the Human Domain's reclusive experts? Without question, any human life form that had survived for over ten thousand years in the Human Domain would have had to surpass the peak of the emperor realm and cross into a higher plane of existence.
Even these emperor-realm powerhouses had never encountered such a figure before.
Jiang Chen was briefly stunned, then let out a cold laugh. "From the sound of it, you consider yourself a Celestial-level senior of the Human Domain's human race?"
"What's this? Young man, do you fancy that you can cover the sky with one hand over the Human Domain? Do you believe that every move you make represents the fortune and future of the human race? Let me tell you—you're overthinking it!"
The aged voice carried a note of derision. Clearly, he had his own grievances with Jiang Chen.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen's temper flared even hotter, but in his extreme anger, he actually burst into laughter.
"Young man, what are you laughing at?" The voice grew displeased.
"What am I laughing at?" Jiang Chen's tone turned abruptly cold. "What do you think I'm laughing at? I'm laughing at you—leaning on your age to lord it over others, old without dignity!"
"You're courting death!" The voice surged in intensity, and between heaven and earth, winds erupted and storm clouds rolled across the sky in great waves.
The eight Stone Clan brothers immediately flew to Jiang Chen's side, shielding him at the center of their formation.
Facing the terrifying display of sky-darkening pressure, Jiang Chen felt not the slightest fear. In his previous life, what kind of spectacle hadn't he witnessed? A mere Celestial-level expert trying to intimidate him? Not a chance!
"Celestial-level expert—what magnificent authority!" Jiang Chen sneered. "What a pity that when the Blood Demon Race's Blood Sun Demon Emperor was wreaking havoc, where was this so-called Celestial-level senior? When the Heavenly Demon Lord broke free from his seal, where was this so-called Celestial-level senior? When the Celestial Dipper Alien Race's Celestial-level expert breached the barrier, where were you? When the Wind Cloud Sect brought suffering upon the people, where were you? When the Boundary Stone realm in the Northwestern Wastelands was pointed at from afar—where were you then, you Celestial-level expert?"
Jiang Chen was absolutely brimming with rage. He harbored no personal enmity toward this person. But this individual's words and behavior had ignited his fury.
He even felt that this person was more annoying than
Xiahou Jing was contemptable because he was a locust from the Abyssal Sea, coming to the Human Domain to destroy and plunder.
But this fellow—who declared himself a Celestial-level senior of the human race—not only appeared at the worst possible moment but also inexplicably ruined Jiang Chen's plans.
Most infuriating of all, he spoke with a lecturing tone, riding high on his seniority!
If the other party truly were a venerable senior of great moral standing, someone with the lofty character of the Peacock Great Emperor, Jiang Chen would have shown him ten times the respect.
But this person displayed absolutely none of the virtues expected of a senior powerhouse, yet insisted on putting on airs with the tone and posture of one.
This made Jiang Chen find him utterly repulsive—and the fact that he had also ruined his plans, costing Jiang Chen the perfect opportunity to slay Xiahou Jing, only made it worse.
Under these circumstances, how could Jiang Chen possibly stay calm?
He had worked himself to the bone, running back and forth for the fortune of the human race, pouring his heart and soul into the fate of humanity.
This so-called Celestial-level senior had done nothing, ignored the human race's repeated crises, and now showed up to be patronizing and make snide remarks.
If the man dared show his face, Jiang Chen would spit right in it.
The voice was clearly infuriated by Jiang Chen's barbs. After a long pause, it spoke through gritted teeth: "Bold brat. You've got nerve—you've really got nerve. Who would have thought, after hiding away for thousands of years, that this younger generation of the human race would have the audacity to speak to me like this?"
Jiang Chen shot back without a trace of courtesy: "If you've been in seclusion for thousands of years and have already seen through the mortal world, why bother coming out to annoy everyone? When it was time for you to fulfill your responsibilities, you were nowhere to be found. And now you show up—don't stand there playing savior. If you want to play savior, at least bother to understand the situation first."