Chapter 86: Desolate

Yes, Su Chen had said all that just to trick Jiang Xishui into becoming the pirate head of the Third River Army.

The current situation of the Lingyuan Marsh was very complicated.

After the Lingyuan Marsh’s massive battle, all of the major pirate groups had been seriously affected. Only the Third River Army maintained their original vigor. This was the perfect time to shuffle the deck again.

Su Chen didn’t dare allow the Third River Army to emerge, however, and continued to hide and pretend that they had also suffered serious losses because of his apprehension about those Light Shaking Realm freaks from the Bloodline Nobility Clans. Those Light Shaking Realm cultivators might not care about a few losses here or there, but if anyone touched their lifeline, they absolutely would not accept it.

Lingyuan Marsh was closely tied to the transport of goods on the waterways. Even if the Clear River Bloodline Nobility Clans couldn’t control it singlehandedly, they wouldn’t allow it to totally slip out of their control.

Under these circumstances, Su Chen could only stare at the big hunk of meat that was the Lingyuan Marsh but couldn’t afford to swallow it.

On the other side, Tang Ming and the others’ departure also weakened the Third River Army substantially.

Even though Wu Xiao was still here, it would be difficult for him to manage it single-handedly.

If Jiang Xishui were willing to make an appearance, however, everything would be different.

Even though he fawned in front of Ji Hanyan, he wasn’t a weak person at all. The power of love had just suppressed everything else, including his intelligence. But if he left Ji Hanyan and joined the Third River Army, he had an innate ability to command the troops as a descendant of a noble clan. In addition, this would make the clan behind him feel at ease, knowing that Jiang Xishui wasn’t planning on returning to try and seize a seat of power.

Finally, with Jiang Xishui’s bloodline power, in addition to battling on water, he could resist for a bit even if a Light Shaking Realm cultivator were to come. He really was a rare person who didn’t have to fear a Light Shaking Realm cultivator.

When taking all of this into consideration, it was no surprise that Su Chen had already included him in his calculations long before Jiang Xishui had even arrived. He had been waiting for just this moment.

When he heard Su Chen tell him about the Third River Army, Jiang Xishui seemed to recover a bit. He pointed at Su Chen and said, “So you’re involved with the pirate situation in Lingyuan Marsh? You brat, you probably calculated that I would come here and wanted to rope me in to help you sub in for Tang Ming, didn’t you?”

Su Chen laughed. “See? As soon as you’re not next to Ji Hanyan, hasn’t your intelligence gone up? With your current observational skills and intelligence, I don’t need to tell you whether my suggestions are good or bad for you.”

“Of course I know whether your suggestions are good or bad for me. But the issue is that you should have been the one asking me in the first place with a sum of money to take up this position. Now that you put it this way, why does it feel like I’m going to be working for you for free?”

Su Chen was shocked. His recovery abilities were truly shocking.

However, he continued to say evenly, “If you aren’t willing to, then forget about it. You can go back to chasing after Ji Hanyan; I won’t need you to take the reins of the Third River Army.”

“Don’t!” When he heard this, Jiang Xishui hurriedly said, “I’m just trying to get some benefit here, okay? If you won’t give it to me, then fine, I’ll go anyways. Isn’t that good enough!”

Ji Hanyan really was his weak spot. He went soft as soon as she was brought up.

Su Chen said helplessly, “If you go to the Third River Army, you’ll have all kinds of benefits. Why do you need to hang onto my coattails?”

“That’s different. Some things I can only ask you to do.”

“What is it?”

“Hanyan challenged Bachuan’s Commander a few days ago and lost. She hasn’t been very happy since. I was thinking to myself, since you can make Origin Skills on your own, would you be able to help me create another Origin Skill that suits her......”

Su Chen felt anger rise in his heart. “Bastard, it’s for her again! Think about her a little less and yourself a little more, and Ji Hanyan will be yours sooner or later! Do you understand? Sometimes, the more you pay, the less you are able to obtain for yourself!”

He aimed a smack at the back of Jiang Xishui’s head. He was going to completely wake up this lovesick fool.

Jiang Xishui hurriedly dodged. Su Chen closed in after him, and the two of them began to exchange blows just like that in the backyard.

Bang, bang, bang! The sound of the conflict attracted Cloud Leopard and Ji Hanyan. The two of them came over to take a look. Ji Hanyan said with shock, “Why are you two fighting? Stop right now!”

Su Chen laughed, “It’s been awhile since we’ve run into each other

A multicolored light burst forth from his hands, enveloping Jiang Xishui.

Jiang Xishui swung his fan. A formless wind knocked Su Chen’s hands aside. He was just about to say something when he suddenly heard Su Chen’s voice transmit to him, “Don’t show weakness!”

Jiang Xishui felt his heart jolt. He hurriedly said, “Hanyan, don’t interfere. Today I must teach this brat a lesson!”

Ji Hanyan was stunned.

Ever since Jiang Xishui had started pursuing her, she had never heard words like “don’t interfere” ever come out of his mouth. She hadn’t expected for him to suddenly grow a backbone. Had he drunk too much wine which was giving him courage?

Ji Hanyan wasn’t unhappy with this, however; she actually felt that Jiang Xishui was finally displaying some manliness.

Ji Hanyan had a stubborn personality and hated it when men were fainthearted and indecisive, so she never paid much attention to Jiang Xishui. Jiang Xishui’s sudden display of backbone made her quite pleased. However, she still said, “I’m going to interfere whether you like it or not!”

As she spoke, she gestured. A Frosted Ice Palms came surging out from her hands.

Jiang Xishui wanted to dodge, but Su Chen transmitted his voice again. “Don’t dodge and counter it. If you can’t beat her today, don’t think about sticking around her.”

“What?”

“We’re even teaming up!” Su Chen said as he gathered an Ultra Erupting Firehawk and activated the Ten Fiends Thousand Forms Formation to conceal the commotion. He said commandingly, “Jiang Xishui, take out your full strength. If you can’t even beat the two of us combined, you’re shaming your background.”

When Cloud Leopard heard this, he was stunned. What background was enough to force Su Chen and Ji Hanyan to combine forces?

The other three, however, felt that this was totally logical.

Jiang Xishui laughed, “Since Brother Su wants to see so badly, I’ll let you take a look. Luo You – Divine Water Spirit!”

As he spoke, a fountain suddenly sprung up from the pond in the backyard.

This fountain dispersed in the air, forming countless arrows of water that shot at Su Chen and Ji Hanyan.

Ji Hanyan harrumphed. Her Frigid Ice Palms collided with those water arrows in the air.

Su Chen’s Firehawk shot forth simultaneously.

The fountain began to change form, turning into a water shield and blocking in front of Jiang Xishui. The powerful Firehawk attack shattered the shield, but before it could continue, another water shield formed right behind that one. The Ultra Erupting Firehawk broke through seven or eight water shields in a row, but Jiang Xishui’s water shields seemed to be endless, forcefully blocking Su Chen’s attack.

A moment later, Ji Hanyan’s White Ice Fists struck forth, encasing the surroundings in ice. Her fists surged with powerful momentum, enveloping the entire flower garden with her attack.

Jiang Xishui continued to remain motionless. The fountain spread out like a lily flower, softly slowing Ji Hanyan’s punch and making it so that it could not land.

When he saw this, Cloud Leopard was shocked.

He had seen Jiang Xishui attack before, but he had never seen this kind of technique before. The Jiang Xishui at that time had used a fan and relied on an elite close-quarters combat technique. He would only use Origin Energy occasionally. Now, however, he had already used a myriad of Origin Skills to deal with Su Chen and Ji Hanyan.

But that wasn’t all!

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Xishui’s tactics continued to change. The fountain constantly took on different shapes and forms – water arrows, water lotus, water shields, water spears, water blades, water cranes, and even water spirits and water giants. All kinds of strange forms appeared.

Su Chen was the person with the most Origin Skills that Cloud Leopard had seen up to this point, but Jiang Xishui had used more than ten kinds of water-type Origin Skills in a brief span of time. In addition, he was able to activate them extremely casually and at an unbelievably fast rate. He was clearly very familiar with using them.

The combined efforts of Su Chen and Ji Hanyan, two experts, were actually unable to make him disadvantaged in any way. No matter how they attacked him, he was able to nullify them without any issues.

What was going on?

Cloud Leopard was completely dazed by what he saw.

Wait a minute, what did he say before?

Luo You – Divine Water Spirit!

Cloud Leopard finally realized something.

A Shadow Flame Giant was taking shape in Su Chen’s left hand, and Armor-Piercing Awl was activated in his right hand. Simultaneously, Ji Hanyan activated her frost-type skills, unleashing a shocking wave of cold energy. The wave of energy gradually took on the shape of a massive frost bird.

The two of them simultaneously used their most powerful attacks, not holding back against Jiang Xishui at all, as if they had some kind of death grudge against him.

Jiang Xishui’s eyes flashed. Intense surges of energy began to emanate from his body, and the wind began to whip up around him. A sudden flash of brilliant light shone behind him for a brief moment.

It was impossible to see his body. A profoundly deep darkness began to spread in all directions. A massive eye appeared in the sky and slowly began to open, carrying incredible dignity and supremity.

With this eye alone, the incessant rumbling of thunder, the powerful surges of energy, the illusory beast images, and the raging flames all disappeared.

It was as if a hurricane had swept through and blew away all visible and invisible existences, causing them to disappear without a trace.

Next, a light breeze blew through the air.

It was as if a grand existence had let out a sigh of air.

Su Chen and Ji Hanyan were blown away like pieces of paper......

“Desolate Beast!”

Cloud Leopard yelled hysterically, “Desolate Beast Bloodline!”