Panlong Great Emperor grinned. "I knew it—following Young Master Jiang Chen means living large. No need to worry about a thing."
Jimie Great Emperor was speechless for a moment, then let out a dry laugh. He said nothing further, simply waiting in eager anticipation for Jiang Chen to speak.
"Panlong, you are a descendant of the True Dragon bloodline. I, the Young Master, have always had high expectations of you. Once you break through to the Celestial realm someday, your potential will be truly astonishing—not inferior to His Majesty Peacock."
"His Majesty Peacock?" Both Panlong Great Emperor and Jimie Great Emperor were startled.
"That's right. His Majesty Peacock carries the bloodline of the ancient divine bird, the Peacock, while you, Panlong, carry the bloodline of the ancient True Dragon clan. Both are first-class bloodline inheritances from the primordial age. That is why I have such high hopes for you, Panlong." Jiang Chen sighed.
Panlong Great Emperor's old face flushed with embarrassment.
He laughed bitterly. "Young Master, my talent and potential, among the Great Emperors of the Glazed Royal City, are probably the worst of the bunch. My breakthrough to the Emperor realm was all thanks to your Songhe Pill. Sigh…"
"That's not because your potential is lacking—it's because you haven't fully tapped into it."
Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively. His appreciation for Panlong Great Emperor stemmed not only from their bond as companions through hardship, but also from the dragon clan bloodline that ran through Panlong's veins.
Jimie Great Emperor suddenly spoke up. "Young Master, you mentioned His Majesty Peacock earlier—could it be that His Majesty Peacock is truly still alive?"
Jiang Chen pondered for a moment. "Whether he's still alive, I can't make any guarantees. But by my intuition, His Majesty Peacock must still be around. Moreover, when he reappears in the future, it will certainly be stunning. Perhaps by then, he won't be Peacock Great Emperor anymore, but a Celestial realm senior."
"A Celestial realm senior?" Everyone gasped.
"Young Master, His Majesty Peacock, he…"
"Yes." Jiang Chen nodded. "His Majesty Peacock comprehended the Laws of Heaven and Earth many years ago, and moreover, he possesses other opportunities related to the Celestial realm. His breakthrough to the Celestial realm is only a matter of time. I'm just curious—when he appears, what level of the Celestial realm will he have reached?"
Jiang Chen thought of Peacock Great Emperor, and a deep sense of nostalgia washed over him.
Panlong Great Emperor and Jimie Great Emperor had both been close confidants of Peacock Great Emperor. Hearing Jiang Chen speak this way, their hearts filled with joy.
Having reassured these two, there was no particular need for Jiang Chen to console the others for the time being.
After all, his relationship with the rest wasn't as close as it was with these few, and there was no reason for them to read too much into things.
The night passed without incident, and the next day, the army announced its return to the Glazed Royal City.
Before the barbarian tribes launched their invasion, this force could absolutely sweep through the entire human territory. No one else would dare seek trouble and provoke them.
After returning to the Glazed Royal City, Jiang Chen promptly entered seclusion.
In the recent battle, his comprehension of the Nine Palaces Bewildering Soul Formation had reached new heights.
He decided to spend a few days in seclusion to properly digest it all. This battle had made him realize the true power of the Nine Palaces Bewildering Soul Formation.
Even a powerhouse of the third level of the Celestial realm like Shu Wanqing had found it difficult to escape from the Nine Palaces Bewildering Soul Formation for a time.
If the Nine Palaces Bewildering Soul Formation could be further enhanced, it would definitely allow Jiang Chen to be more composed in battle—more free to advance and retreat at will.
He now also realized that if he were to go to a place like Wanyuan Island in the future, he would need some safeguards.
And the Nine Palaces Bewildering Soul Formation, the Mesmer Puppet—both would serve as excellent protection.
What was surprising was that the barbarian tribe's army, stationed in the Moon God Sect's territory, had remained completely motionless.
After Jiang Chen emerged from seclusion, the barbarian tribe's army was still standing down.
This surprised him somewhat. Given the barbarian tribes' usual style, why were they being so restrained?
Just as Jiang Chen was turning over various speculations about the barbarian tribes' behavior, the Glazed Royal City received an uninvited guest.
……
Outside the gates of Peacock Sacred Mountain, a grey-robed elder stood high among the clouds, his expression cold and detached—like an iceberg looming over the sacred mountain.
The moment this grey-robed elder appeared, the temperature across all of Peacock Sacred Mountain plummeted instantly, as if this stretch of void had suddenly been frozen solid.
This sudden turn of events shocked everyone.
Jiang Chen sensed the disturbance and was somewhat alarmed as well.
The eight brothers of the Boulder Clan gathered swiftly, escorting Jiang Chen as they flew out through the mountain gate.
"You are Jiang Chen?"
The grey-robed elder's expression was grim and murderous. Suspended in the cloudy sky, he resembled an ice sculpture, his cold and proud bearing sending chills down everyone's spine.
Before Jiang Chen could get close, a low cry suddenly sounded from behind. The Vermilion Bird divine bird transformed into a streak of red light and shot over from the rear mountain.
During this period, the Vermilion Bird divine bird had been using the Wood Spirit Spring at the rear mountain to cleanse its bloodline. Although it couldn't fundamentally resolve the Vermilion Bird's underlying problems, it had at least stabilized its condition.
At the very least, the Vermilion Bird could now fight, unlike before—previously, the moment it engaged in battle, its vital energy would be severely depleted.