Chapter 749: The Rising Star of the Ministry of War
"Who goes there?"
Two Fish-Dragon Ninth Change experts from the Four Symbols Sect rushed out from the seats of the outstanding talents, intercepting Bu Qianfan on the steps.
Each of them wielded a twelfth-grade True Martial Treasure-level war sword, one exuding an icy aura and the other a blazing flame aura, attacking simultaneously from above and below.
The Four Symbols Sect had long since reached a secret agreement with the Demon Sect: anyone who dared to help the Liangyi Sect would be attacked.
"Stand in my way, and you die."
Bu Qianfan stamped his foot on the steps, lifting off the ground and soaring three zhang high. He swung his painted halberd, slashing horizontally and striking one of the Four Symbols Sect cultivators in the abdomen.
With a "bang," that Four Symbols Sect Fish-Dragon Ninth Change cultivator screamed, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying directly off the Book Mountain.
The other Four Symbols Sect cultivator's expression changed. He hadn't expected this person to be so powerful.
However, since he had secured a seat among the outstanding talents, he naturally possessed extraordinary strength. Without fear on his face, he infused more Saint Qi into his sword and slashed at Bu Qianfan's neck.
Bu Qianfan withdrew his painted halberd and punched out, as if swatting a fly, sending the Four Symbols Sect cultivator, along with his sword, flying backward.
Without looking back, he continued his stride toward the top of the Book Mountain.
"Bang!"
Behind him, the Four Symbols Sect cultivator crashed to the ground, rolling like a gourd down the mountain.
In the span of a single breath, Bu Qianfan had knocked two experts off the Book Mountain, stunning many onlookers.
"Who is this? Dao Qing and Dao Hai of the Four Symbols Sect couldn't even block one move?"
"Another formidable figure has appeared, and he claims to be Huang Yanchen's guard, helping her ascend to the King's Seat."
"Huang Yanchen's influence is terrifying."
Some young cultivators from the Eastern Domain recognized Bu Qianfan.
A cultivator in official robes, holding a feathered fan, squinted at the Book Mountain and said, "This man is named Bu Qianfan, a descendant of the Bu Holy Clan and a rising star being groomed by the Ministry of War."
"What? Someone from the Ministry of War?"
At the mention of "Ministry of War," many cultivators drew in a sharp breath.
Every year, countless sects and families were annihilated by the Ministry of War. Thus, cultivators from various families and sects harbored an instinctive fear of the Ministry of War.
No matter how glorious or powerful you were, once the Ministry of War's army came to suppress you, everything would turn to ashes.
The Ministry of War recruited the largest number of experts in the Kunlun Realm, surpassing even the Demon Sect, the Martial Market Bank, and the Black Market. Otherwise, it couldn't have suppressed the Kunlun Realm and countless void realms.
The Ministry of War had naturally cultivated a large number of young experts. These youths spent their days fighting sea beasts in the oceans or battling indigenous creatures in the void realms.
Every one of them was a ruthless killer with blood on their hands, rich in combat experience, and skilled in simple, direct killing techniques.
Even the Demon Sect's prodigies, when facing the Ministry of War's elites, couldn't be sure who was more ruthless.
Among the Ministry of War's younger generation, the most famous was Chi Wansui, known as the "Tai Sui King," a royal descendant of the First Central Empire's Chi Clan.
It was said that the title "Wansui" was personally bestowed by Empress Chi Yao, showing the great hopes she placed in him.
"Besides Chi Wansui, the fastest-rising young figure in the Ministry of War in recent years is Bu Qianfan," said the man in official robes.
"It's said that a year ago, Bu Qianfan had a secret duel with Di Yi, the young master of the Eastern Domain's Black Market. In the end, Bu Qianfan won and seized Di Yi's Undying Saint Body."
A nearby cultivator exclaimed, "Bu Qianfan seized Di Yi's Undying Saint Body? Doesn't that mean he now has an undying body?"
"Cultivators with an Undying Saint Body aren't necessarily unkillable. But with that physique, combined with two supreme extremes at the Yellow Extreme Realm and the Heavenly Extreme Realm, and the blessing of the gods, Bu Qianfan's strength is likely even greater than Di Yi's was back then."
The man in official robes continued, "It's said that the Ministry of War spent a huge price to hold a ritual, using divine power to open the inner world of the Heavenly Wheel Seal, sending him in to train for three months."
"You mean the Heavenly Wheel Seal of the Chaotic Myriad Realms Mountain? It's said to be a time-space treasure refined by Xumi Saint Monk, with a time ratio of thirty to one between its inner world and the outside world."
"Three months outside means seven or eight years inside the Heavenly Wheel Seal's inner world. No wonder Bu Qianfan reached such a high level in such a short time."
A relatively young cultivator, amazed by the Heavenly Wheel Seal's wonder, exclaimed, "Just three months allowed Bu Qianfan to make such progress. Why didn't he train inside for ten years? Wouldn't he be invincible when he came out?"
Another cultivator shot him a disdainful look and said, "Ten years? Ten years outside means three hundred years inside. Unless Bu Qianfan could break through to the Saint realm, he'd just die of old age inside. Have you ever heard of anyone becoming a Saint solely through seclusion? Not a single one."
The man in official robes nodded. "Exactly. If the Ministry of War locked Bu Qianfan in the Heavenly Wheel Seal for ten years, it would be the same as killing him. In fact, entering the Heavenly Wheel Seal for three months is already a great opportunity. I wonder if Bu Qianfan has refined any Divine Blood?"
If Bu Qianfan had refined Divine Blood, he would be even more terrifying.
On the Book Mountain, no one dared to block Bu Qianfan's path. They could only watch helplessly as he charged upward, stopping only when he reached Huang Yanchen's side.
Huang Yanchen showed no joy on her face. Instead, she frowned, feeling that the situation had spiraled completely out of control.
In truth, Huang Yanchen had no interest in the King's Seat at all.
Initially, if not for the humiliation from Chen Kai, Chen Tianpeng, and Chen Lan'er, and if not for her desire to understand the connection between her and Lin Yue, her stubborn nature wouldn't have led her to agree to climb the Book Mountain with Lin Yue.
At that time, Huang Yanchen only wanted to secure a seat among the outstanding talents, not to stand at the forefront of the storm.
But the conflict between the Demon Sect and the Liangyi Sect had caused the situation to spiral out of control.
Lin Yue had already declared he would be her guard. If she didn't climb the Book Mountain, Lin Yue certainly couldn't go either.
For the honor of the Liangyi Sect, Lin Yue had to climb the Book Mountain, had to fight the Demon Sect's experts, and open a path for the Liangyi Sect's young cultivators.
At this moment, Huang Yanchen naturally couldn't hold him back. Even if it was dangerous, she had to follow him up the Book Mountain. Otherwise, everyone would accuse her of ingratitude.
Everyone thought Huang Yanchen wanted to use Lin Yue's power to secure a King's Seat.
But they didn't know that Huang Yanchen, like Lin Yue, was swept along by the current, unable to take a step back.
Lin Yue's cultivation was strong, so he could charge forward fearlessly and fight to the heavens.
But Huang Yanchen didn't have his strength. When she resolved to follow Lin Yue up the Book Mountain, she had already prepared for utter destruction.
She needed immense courage to make that decision and take the risk with Lin Yue.
Deep down, she had vaguely sensed that the connection Lin Yue mentioned was deeply tied to Zhang Ruochen.
Bu Qianfan's appearance only confirmed this further, as she knew he once owed Zhang Ruochen a favor.
Huang Yanchen understood clearly that the battle between men wasn't necessarily for her sake.
Many women present envied and were jealous of her, but only Huang Yanchen herself remained clear-headed. She knew her relationship with Lin Yue and Bu Qianfan wasn't that deep.
Perhaps Lin Yue and Bu Qianfan were both fighting for Zhang Ruochen.
Huang Yanchen stood aside and didn't try to persuade Bu Qianfan. Her persuasion would only weaken the powerful momentum he had built up from climbing from the foot to the top of the mountain.
Since that was the case, she chose to remain silent.
Bu Qianfan radiated powerful battle qi, which condensed into a black war cloud above his head, churning continuously.
He looked at Shu and A Le, his eyes shooting sharp light, flames burning in his pupils like a freshly caged war beast. He said coldly, "Who will fight me?"
Shu had just been threatened by A Le and forced to release Huang Yanchen, his anger burning with nowhere to vent.
Bu Qianfan's appearance naturally excited him, and he couldn't wait to fight.