Chapter 130: You Are Not Qualified

Jiang Yuan could not allow the slightest hint of panic to show on his face. Otherwise, if the Celestial Emperor sensed his lack of confidence, he would likely strike him down immediately.

"How does the Celestial Emperor think I obtained this Xuanyuan Sword?" Jiang Yuan countered.

"Do you truly believe you can leave the Celestial Clan unscathed with nothing but a broken sword, or do you think this blade is enough to protect those behind you?" The Celestial Emperor sneered at Jiang Yuan.

"My sword may not be enough, but the person behind this sword certainly is," Jiang Yuan replied calmly.

"Oh? And who might that be?" the Celestial Emperor asked with disdain.

Jiang Yuan grinned and said, "The one who gave you those three lashes."

The Celestial Emperor’s expression turned grim, and he stared coldly at Jiang Yuan. "Are you courting death?"

"Do you really think our Human Race has no Sages left?" Jiang Yuan’s tone was icy.

"And what if there are? Even if Shennong were still in this world, he could not come to the Celestial Clan now. As for killing you, a failed Human Emperor, at most, the Human Race will simply crown another. Even if Shennong were here, he would have nothing to say about you coming to provoke my Celestial Clan." The Celestial Emperor’s aura began to solidify.

"You could kill an ordinary Human Emperor, naturally, but I am not like the ones before me," Jiang Yuan said confidently.

"Then tell me, how are you different?" The Celestial Emperor grew interested.

"Shennong is my godfather," Jiang Yuan dropped the bombshell.

The Celestial Emperor frowned, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. It was certain that Jiang Yuan had met Shennong; otherwise, he would not possess the Xuanyuan Sword. However, he remained skeptical about the claim of being a godson, knowing full well that Shennong was not the type to engage in such trivialities. Yet, he also knew Shennong had no children of his own; perhaps, after all these years, he really did want a son. The Celestial Emperor found himself in a dilemma. He was at the pinnacle of the semi-sage realm and wished to avoid unnecessary complications. But he could not swallow the insult of this provocation against his clan and his own dignity. He decided to test the claim, or at the very least, wipe out those Jiang Yuan had brought with him.

"Then I shall see if Shennong truly cares about the lives of those behind you," the Celestial Emperor sneered, resolving to target Zhang Kui and his wife first.

Jiang Yuan tried to intervene, only to find his body paralyzed. The Celestial Emperor had locked him in place.

"Yuntian! If you dare kill Zhang Kui and his wife today, I swear I will annihilate your Celestial Clan in the future!" Jiang Yuan roared furiously.

The Celestial Emperor looked at Jiang Yuan calmly, his eyes filled with amusement. "To know my name... it seems you have indeed met Shennong."

The Celestial Emperor no longer doubted that Jiang Yuan had met the sage. Jiang Yuan, however, had no idea that his knowledge of the emperor's name had confirmed the suspicion. *Forgive me, I have a cheat system; it was the system that told me your name.*

"If you know, why not stop?" Jiang Yuan felt a surge of anxiety. If Zhang Kui and his wife died because of him, he would be haunted by guilt for the rest of his life. Their presence had nothing to do with this conflict; he had brought them along for his own peace of mind. He had been too arrogant, failing to account for the fact that while the emperor couldn't kill him, he could easily target those around him.

"You think it is your place to decide whether I stop?" the Celestial Emperor asked mockingly.

Suddenly, Jiang Yuan watched as Zhang Kui and his wife were lifted into the air, their struggles completely futile.

"Yuntian! You dare!" Jiang Yuan could only let out a powerless roar. For the first time, he felt the utter helplessness of lacking strength. He realized how insignificant he was before a semi-sage. He had once thought that because he had met two Sages, a semi-sage was nothing to fear. He finally awakened to the truth: without strength, everything else was meaningless. In this world, the strong prey on the weak.

"You came to my Celestial Clan to cause trouble; you should have foreseen this. This is the price of weakness!"

The Celestial Emperor raised his right hand, slowly clenching his fist. Zhang Kui and his wife felt an irresistible crushing force.

"I am sorry," Jiang Yuan whispered, unable to look at them. Their deaths would be directly on his conscience.

Zhang Kui, however, remained calm. He smiled at Jiang Yuan and said, "My King, I cannot accompany you further along this path. But I believe that under your leadership, the Human Race will surely reach its peak once more." He turned to his wife, Gao Lanying, with an apologetic look. "My lady, I have dragged you into this."

Gao Lanying merely smiled gently at him. "You know me. From the day I followed you to Zhaoge, I have never had any regrets."

Zhang Kui nodded and looked at Jiang Yuan, who remained with his head bowed. "My King, the Human Race shall rise!"

The more Zhang Kui acted this way, the deeper Jiang Yuan’s guilt grew. He had to find a way to save them.

"System, is there any way for me to reach the semi-sage realm?" Jiang Yuan called out desperately.

"The host's Tyrant Points are insufficient for a breakthrough to the semi-sage realm."

"You damn system, find me a way!" Jiang Yuan roared!

"The host can spend 1,500 Tyrant Points to exchange for a Semi-Sage Experience Card, which will allow the host to maintain the semi-sage realm for half an incense stick of time," the system provided a solution.

"Will that be enough time to get Zhang Kui and his wife out of the Celestial Clan?" Jiang Yuan’s heart swelled with hope.

"The Celestial Emperor is at the pinnacle of the semi-sage realm. According to system projections, the probability of the host successfully rescuing them is extremely low."

Even with the experience card, the chances of escaping a pinnacle semi-sage were microscopic, let alone with others in tow. Although Jiang Yuan understood this, he would not give up as long as there was even a shred of a chance.

"Do it," Jiang Yuan commanded in his mind.

"Ding! Transaction successful. The host has obtained a Semi-Sage Experience Card. 1,500 Tyrant Points deducted. Current balance: 2,356 Tyrant Points!"

The moment the sound ceased, Jiang Yuan activated the card. A massive, surging power erupted from within him. *So this is the semi-sage realm?* He felt as if all things were under his control. No wonder the Celestial Emperor was so fearless; if a semi-sage was this powerful, what of the Sages?

There was no time to ponder. Jiang Yuan took to the air, and Zhang Kui and his wife felt the shackles on them vanish, the pressure disappearing instantly.

"Yuntian, you are not qualified to kill in my presence!"

The aura radiating from Jiang Yuan was, for a fleeting moment, on par with that of the Celestial Emperor.