Chapter Eighty-Six: The Realm of Origin Laws

“Jiang the Demon!”
The dignified man’s face immediately darkened upon seeing the old man appear. Jiang the Demon was formidable, having reached the Origin Law realm. Even he himself, facing Jiang the Demon, would feel immense apprehension.

The Human Grade marked the true entry into martial cultivation, and within it were three minor realms: Origin Steel, Origin Law, and Origin Core. He was merely at the peak of Origin Steel, just one step away from advancing to Origin Law.

Jiang the Demon, who had just appeared, was an Origin Law expert recognized as a dominant force within Jingmu Prefecture.

“Iron God Hand, Fang Ge!”
Jiang the Demon descended slowly from the sky.

His gaze first fell upon the dignified man, who was the master of Grand Granary Gate in Linling Prefecture, neighboring Jingmu. The Grand Granary Gate enjoyed considerable renown across Linling, Jingmu, and several surrounding prefectures. Iron God Hand Fang Ge, as a peak Origin Steel expert, had gathered many followers.

Jiang the Demon’s eyes soon shifted to Yi Tian and his companions. A strange glint flashed through those sinister eyes as he spoke in a deep voice, “Do you know the cause of the surge of vital energy and light? Is there news of a heaven-sent treasure? Tell me now, or you will face my wrath. Death is not as simple as you think.”

“Jiang the Demon, I’ll take my leave now.”
Iron God Hand was clearly wary of Jiang the Demon and sought to depart first.

“Not so fast!”
Jiang the Demon looked directly at Iron God Hand. “You cannot leave.”

Fang Ge’s expression turned stormy as he glared at Jiang the Demon. “Jiang the Demon, don’t push your luck. I, Fang Ge, come and go as I please. There’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

Without hesitation, he unleashed his true essence and strode rapidly away, crossing dozens, even hundreds of yards in a single step. He was determined to leave this place of trouble.

But in just a few breaths, Jiang the Demon appeared before Iron God Hand, blocking his path.

“What is the meaning of this?”
Fang Ge’s face grew even darker. Jiang the Demon was simply too overbearing, pressing him so hard. Did he really think Fang Ge was so easy to bully? A surge of fury rose in his chest.

“The matter of the heaven-sent treasure is of utmost importance. You’d best explain yourself, or don’t blame me for what comes next.”
A fierce gleam flashed in Jiang the Demon’s eyes—he clearly didn’t regard Iron God Hand as a threat.

In Black Dragon City of Jingmu Prefecture, one shocking event after another had unfolded: the emergence of the Dragon Pearl, the appearance of a demonic cultivator, and now rumors of a heaven-sent treasure. All this had drawn the attention of powerful factions throughout the Tianfeng Empire.

Yet, few mighty ones from prefectures tens of thousands of miles away would come rushing. Only martial artists from Jingmu and nearby prefectures had arrived, seeking fortune.

Jiang the Demon was a renowned powerhouse in the surrounding prefectures. On the lands of Black Dragon City, few could stand against him.

He feared nothing.

He had already made up his mind:

As soon as he learned from Iron God Hand of any news regarding the heaven-sent treasure behind the surge of vital energy, he would ensure that Iron God Hand never left this place—along with those warriors from the tribes beneath Peach Blossom Valley.

He meant to silence them all, hiding the truth completely.

Otherwise, even if he obtained the treasure, once the news got out, swarms of other experts would come to seize it the very next day.

“What are you planning?”
Fang Ge instantly guessed Jiang the Demon’s intent. The man likely had no intention of letting him leave.

“I don’t know anything! I was only interrogating those brats down there, and a fight broke out. I have no clue about the information regarding that heaven-sent treasure’s emergence.”
Though shocked and angry, Fang Ge tried his best to explain—he certainly didn’t want to clash with Jiang the Demon.

“If you know nothing, then there’s no reason to let you live!”
Jiang the Demon’s tone was murderous.

From the moment he arrived, he sensed something was amiss. Since Iron God Hand claimed ignorance, he felt no compunction about killing him. The thought of killing Fang Ge took root.

He suspected all the secrets lay with those few people deep in the valley.

Jiang the Demon’s senses were extraordinarily keen. The moment he appeared, he noticed something odd about Yi Tian and his group. For several warriors to be in a valley hundreds of yards deep, and for even Iron God Hand to be unable to deal with them right away, indicated they harbored a great secret.

Jiang the Demon believed Fang Ge’s words.

Nevertheless, even if Fang Ge knew nothing, Jiang the Demon would not allow him to leave.

“Void-Breaking Fist!”

In an instant, Jiang the Demon struck.

He launched a fist at Iron God Hand, a gigantic blow tearing through the air and appearing before Fang Ge in the blink of an eye. The terrifying true essence ripped apart the surrounding void.

“Iron God Hand!”

Fang Ge struck with his palm.

The Void-Breaking Fist and the Iron God Hand collided, their terrifying power exploding in every direction like divine thunder from the heavens, the rumble shaking the land for hundreds of miles.

In an instant, the two figures clashed midair.

Their terrifying true essence manifested battle techniques that split the sky, their confrontation akin to two great beasts locked in mortal combat.

Meanwhile, deep in Peach Blossom Valley, Yi Tian, Yi Zhen, and the five members of the Samsara Squad could only look up, watching the sky-bound battle between Jiang the Demon and Iron God Hand.

They were utterly ignored.

Of course, they considered slipping away, but quickly abandoned the idea.

With their opponents at the Human Grade, capable of traversing sky and chasm alike, escaping from such experts was next to impossible.

Even if they hid, they would be discovered sooner or later.

Moreover, Peach Blossom Valley concealed a source vein mine. If they disappeared and the others searched the valley, the secret would be hard to keep.

Yi Tian was even contemplating how to take down both Jiang the Demon and Iron God Hand.

Now, the black-red Star Mud avatar was his greatest trump card. Should he transform into the Three-Headed Demon Hound, it might not be impossible to keep these two Human Grade experts here.

Above Peach Blossom Valley, the battle between Jiang the Demon and Iron God Hand was reaching a new stage.

After exchanging dozens of moves, Iron God Hand was steadily losing ground, clearly on the defensive, constantly suppressed.

Suddenly, Jiang the Demon broke off the fight.

He said, “Your strength is respectable—you managed to withstand forty percent of my power. The warm-up is over. Now, prepare to die!”

From Jiang the Demon’s body surged forth a fire dragon and a water dragon, their terrifying auras filling a thousand yards of sky.

“The origin power of the Origin Law realm!”
Fang Ge’s face turned ashen. His true essence erupted, Origin Steel infusing his entire body as he frantically tried to flee.

Jiang the Demon stood in midair, watching Fang Ge flee, and sneered, “Twin Dragon Annihilation!”

Roar! Roar!

In an instant, the twin dragons of water and fire spiraled through the air, chasing after Fang Ge. In the blink of an eye, they caught up to him.

Boom...

The forces of water and fire exploded, eradicating all in their path.

Fang Ge did not even have time to scream before he was engulfed by the cataclysmic blast, vanishing from existence.

Yi Tian and the others beneath Peach Blossom Valley watched the awe-inspiring scene, all deeply shaken.

That attack was terrifying, annihilating a Human Grade expert in the blink of an eye. Moreover, Jiang the Demon wielded both water and fire, like some god or demon.

In their understanding, true essence was simply true essence—how could it suddenly transform into water and fire?

This was the terror of the Origin Law realm.

At this stage, one was already a force to be reckoned with among the Human Grade. True essence had been refined to its utmost, capable of manifesting myriad mystical powers from cultivation techniques, far surpassing the strength of mere true essence.

Jiang the Demon had cultivated a middle-ranked Earth Grade technique of water and fire, able to summon both elements—the two powers complementing each other, multiplying his strength several times over, even tenfold. His power was truly fearsome.

It could be said that in Jingmu Prefecture, aside from the newly-appointed Grand General, Killer Wolf, who had recently taken up his post, Jiang the Demon was the only other top-tier expert, with only a scant few capable of opposing him.

Jiang the Demon’s strength exceeded Yi Tian’s expectations.

He couldn’t help but worry whether the Three-Headed Demon Hound form from his Star Mud could truly contend with this man.

At that moment, Jiang the Demon began descending through the air toward Peach Blossom Valley.