Talisman Emperor

Chen Xi remained silent while Shentu Yanran wasn't impatient at all, and she just analyzed the situation for Chen Xi in a soft voice.

"According to my knowledge, there ought to be no less than 30 Spirit God Exalts that have entered the Desolate Manku Ruins this time. There are three that are ranked in the top 10 of the Domain Enlightened Chart, six ranked in the top 20, and 16 ranked in the top 50. As for the rest, they're below the top 50 and can be disregarded.

"On the other hand, besides me, amongst the other three Spirit God Exalts in my group, two are ranked in the top 20 while one is ranked in the top 30. If we join forces, then we wouldn't have to be afraid even if we encountered Luo Shaonong or Jia Nan."

Her voice was pleasant and melodious like a gurgling stream.

"There's only a single ninth-grade Emperor Rank Ancestral Dao Root. So, even if we work together and are able to seize it successfully, how would we distribute this treasure in the end?" asked Chen Xi. Since they were working together, then it was impossible to avoid encountering this problem, so it was best to get a clear answer about it.

Shentu Yanran seemed to have expected that Chen Xi would ask such a question. Her moist and plump red lips parted lightly to reveal two rows of snow white teeth, and she smiled as she explained. "You don't have to worry about that, Fellow Daoist. At that time, it'll belong to whomever is able to seize it, and everyone else will absolutely not make a move against that person and fight for it. Moreover, when we fight other groups, all of us allies must stay united against our enemies."

Chen Xi thought for a moment before he agreed. After thinking about it over and over again, he felt that perhaps acting in this way would be the safest method.

Not to mention that Shentu Yanran and the other peerless geniuses from the Imperial Region would definitely possess a clear understanding of the situation in the Ancestral Root Grounds. So, it would obviously not be disadvantageous to work together with them.

Of course, this was only Chen Xi's own inference, and he didn't dare entrust his hopes onto others.

"Alright, I hope that our cooperation will be successful." Shentu Yanran's starry eyes glowed while she spoke with a smile on her face. Obviously, she was very satisfied by Chen Xi's choice.

Chen Xi smiled and cupped his hands.

…

The Desolate Manku Ruins was covered in the aura of the ancient times when the Chaos had just been split open. No matter if it was the mountains or rivers, all of them revealed a primitive aura.

It was extremely huge, and it was impossible to find any buildings here. The boundless heavens and the earth were filled with the scene of nature, and it was filled with a grand, beautiful and desolate feeling.

After the time for an entire incense stick to burn.

"We're here." Shentu Yanran suddenly stopped moving and looked at a mountain in the distance that towered into the clouds. "Looks like we aren't late."

Chen Xi raised his eyes and looked over, and he instantly noticed that numerous figures were standing on the peak of that mountain. There were over 10 people there.

The men amongst them possessed vast divine might while the women seemed lively and graceful. All of their bearings were extraordinary, and they were enveloped by divine light, causing them to seem like a group of gods that had descended to the world.

The most conspicuous amongst them were the two men in the lead. One wore snow white clothes and had a sword strapped to his waist. As he stood there casually, he revealed a peerless bearing that was mighty and looked down upon the world.

The other man had a rugged appearance and a gaze that was like a bolt of lightning. His upper body was bare, and the muscles on his entire body seemed as if they were made from iron. His body was filled with explosive strength and was extremely ferocious. Moreover, his skin was branded with strands of mysterious markings and diagrams. They seemed like inscriptions yet seemed like totems as well, and they were extremely mysterious.

"That's the Spirit God Exalt from the Yu Clan in the Imperial Region, Yuqiu Jing, and he'd ranked at the 16th position on the Domain Enlightened Chart. His accomplishments in the Sword Dao are unrivaled, and he has already attained the Sword Emperor Realm." Shentu Yanran swiftly provide Chen Xi with information about them via voice transmission. "The other is Zhuanyu Shui from the Zhuanyu Clan in the Imperial Region, and he's ranked at the 23rd position on the chart. He's an expert in the School of Fiendgod Body Refinement, and he has cultivated in the Divine Ability passed down from his ancestors, the 36 Heavenly Lightning Flame Purgatory, to the point of transforming it into his own technique. His strength can't be underestimated."

She paused for a moment and continued. "The other cultivators are top-rate existences amongst Domain Enlightened Spirit Gods in the Imperial Region, and they mostly have a good relationship with Yuqiu Jing and Zhuanyu Shui."

Chen Xi nodded. Merely based on these introductions alone, he'd become clearly aware that those cultivators would obviously obey Yuqiu Jing and Zhuanyu Shui's orders.

As they spoke, their figures had already floated up onto the peak of that mountain.

"Miss Yanran."

"Haha! Miss Yanran, you've finally returned."

The eyes of everyone on the peak of the mountain lit up when they saw Shentu Yanran return, and they smiled as they came forward to welcome her. This scene seemed extremely grand.

It was even to the extent that some cultivators revealed traces of respect and admiration.

Obviously, Shentu Yanran's status and influence amongst them was extremely high, and she seemed to be like a dazzling moon.

"Who's this?" When Yuqiu Jing noticed Chen Xi, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and his brows knit together imperceptibly.

The others noticed Chen Xi as well, and they looked over as well. Besides curiosity, their gazes even carried a wisp of surprise, and they seemed to have never expected that Shentu Yanran would actually come back with a man.

"I forgot to introduce him to everyone, this is our new ally, Chen Xi from Snow Ink Region. He's a Spirit God Exalt as well, and his strength is rather extraordinary." Shentu Yanran smiled as she introduced Chen Xi.

Snow Ink Region? The curiosity in their gazes instantly vanished when they heard this, and their expressions were suffused with a wisp of faint indifference.

Coupled with the fact that Chen Xi's name was extremely unfamiliar to them, they'd completely lost all of their fervor.

"I'm Chen Xi, greetings everyone." Chen Xi smiled as he cupped his hands, and he seemed as if he hadn't noticed the change in the atmosphere at all.

"All of them grew up in the Imperial Region. They're either from renowned sects or possess lofty bloodlines, so they've always been proud, arrogant, and consider themselves to be superior to others. They feel that the cultivators from the other regions are far inferior to them. However, it isn't intentional, so I hope you don't take it to heart." Shentu Yanran spoke via voice transmission from the side.

"I understand." Chen Xi smiled.

However, even though Chen Xi didn't mind, the others felt slight aversion towards him. Especially when they saw him arriving side by side with Shentu Yanran, and they were even whispering between themselves as if there was no one around. It had caused many cultivators to feel slightly disgruntled in their hearts.

In their hearts, Shentu Yanran was like a goddess. She possessed unsurpassed beauty and peerless wisdom, so how could she get along with a fellow from Snow Ink Region?

Snow Ink Region? What the fuck is that?

"Snow Ink Region? Haha! When did a place like Snow Ink Region become capable of giving birth to a Spirit God Exalt?" Someone suddenly started chuckling, and his voice carried a wisp of faint disdain.

The others grinned as well when they heard this.

The smile on Chen Xi's face gradually thinned when he heard this. All of these fellows obviously feel extreme aversion towards me.

"Lie Cong, there's always someone stronger in this world. When did you start to feel disdainful towards Spirit Gods Exalts as well?" Shentu Yanran's starry eyes glistened as she swept her gaze towards that person and spoke in a flat tone. However, her voice carried a wisp of displeasure, and she seemed to be rebuking him for causing trouble.

Lie Cong was a thin young man in embroidered clothes, and his face couldn't help but freeze when he heard this. He said, "Miss Yanran, you've misunderstood. I have absolutely no intention to look down upon this Fellow Daoist Chen Xi. I'd just truly never imagined that a place like Snow Ink Region would actually… actually be able to produce a Spirit God Exalt. That's extremely rare."

Shentu Yanran shook her head and didn't speak any further.

"Since he's a Spirit God Exalt, then why have we never heard of him. Is there even someone like him on the Domain Enlightened Chart?" Someone else spoke, and it carried a questioning tone. Obviously, many people were displeased that Shentu Yanran was protecting Chen Xi.

"Yeah. There isn't a figure called Chen Xi amongst the top 100 Spirit God Exalts. Could it be that his strength is weak to the point he wasn't even able to ascend into the Domain Enlightened Chart?"

"If it really is like that, then what qualifications does he possess to become our ally? If we bring him along with us, he would become a burden instead."

The others spoke successively, and all of them targeted Chen Xi with their words.

Chen Xi's brows raised. Looks like I really came at the wrong time.

Shentu Yanran frowned. She'd realized that such a situation would occur when she brought Chen Xi over. After all, Chen Xi wasn't from the Imperial Region, and he was an unfamiliar figure, so it would definitely arouse some doubt.

However, she'd never expected that the situation would actually develop to such a state. Not only did these fellows doubt Chen Xi's strength, they even faintly revealed a wisp of aversion and hostility.

"Everyone, I know all of you doubt Fellow Daoist Chen Xi's strength, so I might as well be frank with all of you. Just not long ago, the Young Master of the Imperial Region's Pei Clan, Pei Wen, was defeated at Fellow Daoist Chen Xi's hands." Shentu Yanran spoke indifferently because she didn't wish for the situation to fall into disorder.

What?Pei Wen was defeated by this fellow?

All of them were shocked when they heard this, and they were slightly unable to believe it.

Even the eyes of Yuqiu Jing who'd been watching coldly from the side and Zhuanyu Shui who'd been remaining silent since the beginning narrowed, and they seemed to be lost in thought.

"How could that be possible? Pei Wen is ranked at the 53rd position on the Domain Enlightened Chart. If he's able to defeat Pei Wen, then doesn't that mean that his strength is sufficient to be ranked on the Domain Enlightened Chart? Then why isn't his name on the chart?" Someone frowned and said, "Could it be that the chart made a mistake? That's obviously impossible!"

The others were doubtful in their hearts as well. Indeed, the Godrank Chart was eternal, and it covered the entire Heaven Dao and existed everywhere. So, it was impossible for it to make a mistake at all.

When she noticed that there were still some people that refused to let the matter rest even after she said all of this, Shentu Yanran couldn't help but feel slightly angry. She said, "Everyone, I saw it with my own two eyes. Could it be that all of you think that I, Shentu Yanran, would lie?"

All of them shook their heads successively. They didn't dare to act against Shentu Yanran. However, this matter was truly inconceivable, and coupled with the aversion they felt towards Chen Xi, they naturally targeted Chen Xi instead.

"Not to mention that in the history of the Ancient God Domain, there has been no lack of existences who possessed strengths sufficient to look down upon the ages yet didn't appear on the Godrank Chart." Shentu Yanran spoke slowly while her starry eyes revealed a wisp of extraordinary splendor. "Could it be that all of you've forgotten that person from 8,000 years ago who fought 3,000 Spirit Gods from the Imperial Region's Dao Academy by himself and broke through 18 levels of the heavens, the peerless Wang Jianchen?"

Wang Jianchen!

All of them seemed to have recalled something, causing all of their hearts to tremble fiercely while their expressions changed slightly. That person was a sword demon of a generation, and he was peerless at that time. He was like a shooting star that illuminated the entire Imperial Region overnight 8,000 years ago. Especially that battle in the Dao Academy, it even caused all the ancient powers to be stirred.

But in next to no time, all of them calmed down, and they instantly felt disgruntled when they noticed that Shentu Yanran had actually compared Chen Xi to Wang Jianchen from 8,000 years ago. Exactly what ability does this kid possess for her to actually think so highly of him?