Chapter 101: The Fall of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor! Permanent Dungeon Upgrade
"Impossible!"
"How has the dark power on your bodies vanished!"
"That was a curse bestowed by the great Abyssal Demon God, how could it be completely purged?!"
At this moment, the Dark Bone Demon Emperor had just recovered from the searing pain of the World-Extinguishing Ember Flames. Although the demonic aura around him was still violent, it was no longer at its previous peak.
Seeing that The three people, including Jiang Heng, were not only alive but had also surged in aura, their injuries completely healed, and even Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen had gained an extra arm, his crimson eyes were filled with furious disbelief.
Before the Dark Bone Demon Emperor could ponder further, the Extinction Flame Dragon coiled in the void let out an ear-splitting dragon roar and took the initiative to attack.
The Extinction Flame Dragon fiercely coiled its body, the magma-like flames around it surged once more. The crimson-gold World-Extinguishing Ember Flames madly gathered in its maw, more condensed and terrifying than the previous attack.
"Now!"
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen gave a low shout. All of them possessed rich combat experience and instantly reached a tacit understanding.
The Extinction Flame Dragon's World-Extinguishing Ember Flames were the bane of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor, their power level surpassing the dark energy of the Dark Demon Emperor.
Only by using this as a breakthrough point could they pierce his defenses and completely kill him.
Roar!
The Extinction Flame Dragon violently opened its massive jaws. A thick pillar of crimson-gold flame, like a world-ending spear bearing the terrifying might to incinerate all things, shot fiercely towards the Dark Bone Demon Emperor.
The Dark Bone Demon Emperor's pupils contracted sharply. Hastily, he once again condensed thick demonic energy scales and simultaneously mobilized the dark energy around him to form a massive dark shield in front of him.
Sizzle!
The crimson-gold world-ending spear slammed into the dark shield, instantly causing it to sizzle and burn as the dark energy rapidly melted away like ice and snow meeting fire.
After only a brief stalemate, the dark shield capable of withstanding ordinary Emperor-level attacks was completely burned through. The flame pillar continued to blast towards the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's demonic energy scales.
Crack!
The demonic energy scales cracked inch by inch under the scorching of the World-Extinguishing Ember Flames.
If it were before, the Dark Bone Demon Emperor could have distanced himself, avoiding direct confrontation to buy time for recovery.
But now, at the moment he was pinned down by the Extinction Flame Dragon's attack and his defenses showed cracks,
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen, Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng, and Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan had already closed in for the kill.
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen executed his Ghost Shadow Sword Technique. His figure split into dozens of afterimages, rapidly darting around the Dark Bone Demon Emperor. Each afterimage unleashed sharp sword qi, precisely slashing at the cracks in the demonic energy scales, continuously widening the wounds.
Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng formed hand seals. The golden dragon once again took shape, larger and more agile than before. The golden dragon swung its tail to sweep across the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's body and spewed golden dragon fire, coordinating with the Extinction Flame Dragon's World-Extinguishing Ember Flames. The dual sacred flames continuously scorched the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's demonic body.
Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan maintained his frenzied fighting style. Bloody killing intent condensed into a pair of massive blood-colored iron fists. Each punch carried world-shattering force, smashing fiercely onto the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's body.
Boom! Thud!
Dull impact sounds rang out incessantly. The Dark Bone Demon Emperor's demonic body trembled continuously under the barrage of fists, black demonic energy fluid splattering in all directions.
One dragon and three humans joined forces, a perfect blend of offense and defense, their coordination seamless.
The Extinction Flame Dragon's World-Extinguishing Ember Flames continuously suppressed the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's demonic energy regeneration. Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen's sword qi precisely broke through defenses. Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng's dragon language spells handled auxiliary control and purification. Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan's frenzied attacks were responsible for full-force output.
The Dark Bone Demon Emperor's vitality was indeed extremely tenacious. Even with his defenses breached and his demonic body continuously damaged, he frantically absorbed the surrounding dark energy to recover.
But this time, he faced the combined output of four opponents.
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen's sword qi was as dense as a torrential downpour. Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan's iron fists were an unending barrage. Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng's golden dragon and dragon fire continuously drained him. Coupled with the Extinction Flame Dragon's World-Extinguishing Ember Flames constantly blocking his recovery, his healing speed gradually fell behind the rate of injury.
The wounds on his demonic body grew more numerous and deeper. The demonic aura around him continuously waned. His originally solid form began to turn ethereal.
"No! This Emperor cannot be defeated!"
The Dark Bone Demon Emperor let out a shrill, piercing roar. The dark energy around him surged wildly in a final, desperate struggle.
He abruptly gathered all his remaining demonic energy, transforming it into a colossal dark demonic blade that slashed towards all four simultaneously.
"Block it together!"
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen gave a low shout. The four exerted their strength simultaneously.
The Extinction Flame Dragon spewed a wall of flame. Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng condensed a golden runic shield. Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen and Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nansimultaneously unleashed their attacks, layering them with the flame wall and shield.
Boom!
The dark demonic blade slammed violently into the defenses, erupting into a terrifying shockwave of energy. All four were jolted, staggering in their stances, yet they stubbornly held the line.
Seizing the moment the Dark Bone Demon Emperor was exhausted, the four grasped the opportunity to launch their final, all-out assault.
The Extinction Flame Dragon's World-Extinguishing Ember Flames erupted at full power, completely enveloping the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's demonic body!
Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen's longsword pierced through the location of his heart, where his demonic core resided!
Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng's golden dragon burrowed into his demonic body, wreaking havoc from within!
Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan's blood-colored iron fist smashed fiercely onto his head.
"Ah!"
The Dark Bone Demon Emperor let out a heart-rending, unwilling roar. His gaze, filled with furious resentment, even fixed upon that crimson-gold figure far below from the sky.
He knew that the situation, which should have been a certain victory,
had led to the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's defeat precisely because of Jiang Yuan's intervention.
"You just wait! The humiliation you have inflicted upon this Emperor today will be repaid a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"
The Dark Bone Demon Emperor's voice was filled with venom and madness. The instant his words fell, his will projection reached the peak of fury.
Yet his demonic body, grievously wounded by the combined assault of the four, began to rapidly dissipate, turning into a sky full of black demonic mist.
Finally, it completely vanished into the air, ceasing to exist.
Disappearing along with it was the figure of the Extinction Flame Dragon.
At this moment, Jiang Yuan's internal mana value was completely drained, not a single drop remained.
[Ding, congratulations (Jiang Heng, Xiang Nan, Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor Ji Beichen) on successfully defeating the will projection of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor (Level 240), clearing the 'Eastern Bastion Counterattack: The Ambition of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor' dungeon (Levels 0-240). Obtained 800,000,000,000,000 personal experience points, 30,000,000 Skill experience points, 5000 books of knowledge, obtained one set of Abyssal Demon Emperor Armor (Pseudo), one Abyssal Demon God Blood Eye (Pseudo), one drop of Abyssal Demon Emperor's Blood, one talent spirit crystal...]
[Ding, the dungeon has been permanently upgraded to a super-large, all-weather open dungeon. Entry has no player limit. The level restriction has been raised to Level 240. Participants can enter and exit freely (via teleportation arrays). The dungeon resets every seven days. Successful completion will yield generous rewards.]
[Ding, as you have successfully defeated the will projection of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor, you have temporarily thwarted the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's ambition to invade reality. However, you have successfully provoked the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's wrath and hatred. The Dark Bone Demon Emperor will spare no cost in targeting you!]
Chapter 102: The Finale
"Finally, it's completely cleared!"
Jiang Yuan looked at the system notification and couldn't help but smile.
Although he had only killed the clone of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor, the rewards dropped were not small at all.
The Abyssal Demon Emperor Set, though it carried the word 'Pseudo', was at least an eighth-rank set.
Additionally, there was the Abyssal Demon God Blood Eye(Pseudo), whose power originated from the Abyssal Demon God.
During the battle, the Dark Bone Demon Emperor had been at a disadvantage, but it was precisely the release of the Abyssal Demon God Blood Eye that successfully triggered the Demon God Curse within The three people, including Jiang Heng, nearly killing them.
The Blood of the Abyssal Demon Emperor goes without saying; it was a treasure material of the eighth or even ninth rank.
Furthermore, another talent spirit crystal dropped!
The drop rate for this thing seemed extremely low.
Previously, killing the Bone-Corroding Demon Lord had only yielded one.
Now, after killing the Level 240 clone of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor, only one had dropped as well.
The remaining rewards were some rare Abyssal materials, treasures... and several Skill Scrolls related to the Abyss and the Demon Race, all of which were high-rank Skill Scrolls.
Actually, the greatest reward was the upgraded dungeon, which was permanently raised to Level 240.
Compared to the previous Level 200, the current Lone City of the Eastern Palace Dungeon could be called a true high-level dungeon.
Moreover, it spanned from Level 0 to 240.
It was even better than typical high-level dungeons.
This meant the dungeon could produce materials, equipment, treasures, and other items needed by Class Holders from the first to the eighth Class Advancement.
This was equivalent to establishing a growth and cultivation system for Class Holders from low to high ranks.
Most importantly, the dungeon had no limit on the number of people, allowed free entry and exit, and reset every seven days.
Previously, the dungeon was limited to a maximum team of ten people, which resulted in no one being able to clear it, and thus no way to obtain the rich rewards.
Once the number of people was no longer restricted, even the final BOSS, the mental clone of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor, would not be able to withstand the combined attacks of many high-rank Class Holders.
It could be said that with this Level 0-240 Dongque Lone City dungeon, Dongque City would bring numerous benefits to the entire city and the Class Holders within it.
In particular, the size and scale of a Base City are closely related to the resources it possesses.
And dungeons are the most important type of resource.
If Shanhai City had such a high-level dungeon, it probably wouldn't take long for the population to exceed ten million, or even reach a scale of twenty to thirty million.
It would even attract many mid-to-high-rank Class Holders, as well as many chambers of commerce, factions, and guilds to settle in.
"It's a pity this dungeon belongs to Dongque City; it can't be moved at all!"
Jiang Yuan said with some regret.
Although he was the greatest contributor to the dungeon's upgrade.
The Dongque Lone City dungeon belonged to Dongque City, not his private property.
Otherwise, just by collecting entrance fees, he could make a fortune and live comfortably for the rest of his life.
"Being able to kill the clone of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor and thwart their conspiracy this time is truly thanks to you, little brother!"
The three people, including Jiang Heng, descended from mid-air, all wearing expressions of gratitude.
"No need for thanks!"
Jiang Yuan waved his hand casually, his eyes fixed on the three of them.
He noticed that bursts of golden and black light were simultaneously emerging from their bodies.
The golden light points were the Guardian Willpower.
In just a short while, they provided Jiang Yuan with nearly ten thousand points of Guardian Willpower value.
As for the black light, it was naturally dark demonic energy, which continued to incessantly erode their bodies.
It seemed that if the 'Demon God Curse' inside them wasn't completely cleared, it would remain a hidden danger.
It was fine if they relied on themselves to suppress it.
But once they entered combat, they wouldn't be able to suppress the Demon God Curse, leading to their bodies being eroded.
Whoosh!
Without a word, Jiang Yuan raised his hand and cast a Water Healing Spell with a hundred-thousand-fold amplification.
The Life Spirit Source, suffused with a divine aura, once again enveloped the three of them.
Before long, the dark demonic energy on the surface of their bodies was completely cleared, and the dark demonic energy inside them was also suppressed, retreating once more into the depths of their bodies to form a final, impenetrable line of defense with the Abyssal Demon GodCurse.
"This... little brother, can you keep casting this divine healing technique? Do you need to pay a heavy price?"
The eyes of The three people, including Jiang Heng, lit up.
One must know that suppressing or clearing the dark demonic energy in their bodies required at least a seventh-rank healing or purification Skill.
And such high-rank healing Skills, even for Priest or Cleric classes, could not be cast continuously.
Firstly, the cooldown for high-rank Skills was already very long, and healing/purification types were even longer than regular Skills, with cooldowns measured in days—ten days, half a month, or even over a month was possible.
As for the mana consumption, it goes without saying.
Secondly, they required sacrificing something, such as rare and expensive materials, or using life and spirit as the price.
In common terms, it was an exchange of life (or items) for life.
This was not uncommon among high-rank Skills, especially Forbidden Spells!
A curse like the Abyssal Demon God's was difficult even to suppress, let alone cure completely.
Otherwise, with the strength and status of the three, what kind of Priest could they not find?
It wouldn't have remained uncured for a full three hundred years.
Over the years, they didn't know how many high-rank Priests they had sought out.
But at most, they could only be treated a few times to suppress it for a while; it was impossible for someone to treat them unconditionally forever.
The fee to hire these high-rank Priests was by no means small.
The net worth of the three had long since been drained.
If the factions behind them hadn't helped cover most of the costs, they probably would have given up on treatment long ago, like other Class Holders.
After the battle with the Dark Bone Demon Emperor back then, they were not the only survivors.
But almost all survivors were afflicted with the Abyssal Demon God's curse. Later, most people either couldn't physically endure it or couldn't afford to keep hiring high-rank Priests for treatment.
Because treating it once or twice was fine, but if it was continuous treatment for several years, no amount of family wealth would be enough.
Even the price required for treatment was higher than cultivating a new high-rank Class Holder.
What shocked Jiang Heng and the others was that Jiang Yuan's healing effect was even better than some high-rank Priests.
And in such a short time, he could actually perform multiple treatments.
It was as if he didn't have to pay any price at all.
"Price?"
Jiang Yuan fell into deep thought.
When he cast Water Healing Spell, it only took one second per cast now.
The reason the healing effect was so great was due to the hundred-thousand-fold amplification and the effects of several special traits.
If he really had to name the greatest price, it was undoubtedly that casting it once consumed 100 mana points.
Wait, no, he could now recover one-third of the mana spent.
In reality, the mana consumed was only 66 points.
With Jiang Yuan's current mana pool of 210,000 and his staggering mana recovery speed...
The consumption rate of casting these Skills couldn't even keep up with his recovery speed.
Of course, summoning the Extinction Flame Dragon was an exception!
Chapter 103: The Flame God's Only True Disciple
"It does indeed require paying a not insignificant price!"
"However, as long as I can help you all, any price is worth it!"
"After all, I truly admire the deeds of you seniors!"
Jiang Yuan looked at the three people and said, "The reason the human race has not perished is precisely because of predecessors like you, who have advanced wave upon wave, resisting the invasion of the Abyss and protecting the safety of the human populace."
Although Jiang Yuan casting the Water Healing Spellcame at almost no cost to him.
But he couldn't say that.
After all, things obtained too easily are less valued by others.
On the contrary, when he stated that it required paying a not insignificant price, he could clearly see large amounts of golden light erupting from within The three people, including Jiang Heng, obviously filled with gratitude and admiration for Jiang Yuan.
"Alas, we are old and crippled!"
"All these years we've been clinging to life, consuming who knows how many treasures!"
"We originally planned to make one final contribution for humanity before our deaths, consider it repayment!"
Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng sighed softly, then added, "Regardless, we will never forget your kindness. You are also a hero of Dongque City, and your contributions are no less than ours!"
"Right, we must report this to the Dongque Cityauthorities, even report it to the Federation, to have you commended!"
Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan chimed in from the side.
"I didn't expect to leave this dungeon alive today!"
"But since I've survived, then this life of mine, Ji Beichen, is yours!"
"In the future, even if you ask me to go through fire and water, I will never refuse!"
A look of determination flashed in the Ji Beichen's eyes, "It's just, you'd better have me serve you as soon as possible, otherwise if too much time passes, I'm afraid I won't live to see that day!"
"Don't worry, that day will come!"
The corners of Jiang Yuan's mouth couldn't help but curl into a satisfied smile.
In one fell swoop, he had gained the gratitude of three top-tier combatants.
One of them even declared his willingness to serve Jiang Yuan with his life!
For Jiang Yuan, this was the greatest reward for clearing the dungeon!
After all, the strength of the three people before him was unquestionable, solidly at the peak of the eighth rank.
Within the Federation, their status and standing were certainly not low, and the forces behind them were surely not weak.
It could be said that as long as Jiang Yuan didn't commit some heinous crime, simply invoking the names of these three would likely prevent any serious pursuit.
"And with me here, I will definitely not let you die!"
Jiang Yuan added.
He couldn't bear to see The three people, including Jiang Heng, die.
This was Jiang Yuan's greatest asset, his greatest backing for establishing himself within the Federation!
Moreover, the Demon God Curse that other high-ranking priests couldn't cure, Jiang Yuan might not be unable to solve.
He had a premonition that when the Water Healing Spellreached a million-fold amplification, it would definitely be able to completely eradicate the Demon God Curse.
By then, Jiang Yuan would have gained the absolute loyalty of three top-tier combatants!
After some conversation between both parties.
Jiang Yuan finally understood their identities.
These three had origins even more formidable than he had anticipated.
Two Emperor-rank powerhouses, and one Sovereign-rank powerhouse!
"If the Demon God's mark within your bodies is completely eradicated, will you be able to recover to the ninth rank?"
Jiang Yuan looked at Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng and Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan.
"If it can be completely cured, then we won't need to continue suppressing the negative effects brought by the Demon God Curse. We might not instantly recover to our peak period, but our levels could slowly increase, and reaching the ninth rank wouldn't be a problem!"
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Heng nodded.
"Do you have a way, young brother?"
Xiang Nan's eyes were full of hope.
If it were anyone else, Xiang Nan might not hold out hope.
But Jiang Yuan was clearly no ordinary person.
Although Jiang Yuan had said that casting the Water Healing Spell required paying a not insignificant price.
Since he had just cast it so many times, he surely could do so again in the future.
At least in Xiang Nan's view, the price Jiang Yuan paid was definitely lower than that of other high-ranking priests, and the healing effect was so much better.
If there was anyone in this world who could help them resolve the Demon God Curse, that person was undoubtedly Jiang Yuan.
Moreover, there was another reason why Xiang Nan valued Jiang Yuan.
That was the Extinction Flame Dragon!
He had deeply experienced the combat power of the Extinction Flame Dragon.
Especially the World-Extinguishing Ember Flames it released, which could easily tear through even the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's defenses.
If not for the Dark Bone Demon Emperor having an exceptionally thick health bar, he would have likely been killed long ago.
"There is indeed a way!"
"But I cannot do it yet!"
"Perhaps I need some time, after my strength grows stronger!"
Jiang Yuan didn't hide too much.
If he said he couldn't do it, the three would surely be greatly disappointed.
But if he said he could, then he would become these three people's only hope for survival and returning to their peak.
At this moment, if anyone most wished for Jiang Yuan to stay alive and grow stronger, it was definitely the three before him!
"It's fine, we've waited three hundred years; clinging to life for a few more decades shouldn't be a big problem."
A gleam also appeared in Jiang Heng's eyes.
Given the choice to live, who would want to die?
"It shouldn't take several decades!"
Jiang Yuan's mouth twitched slightly.
Currently, the Water Healing Spell's amplification multiplier was two hundred thousand times.
To stack it to a million times, he was still short by eight hundred thousand!
And if he cast it continuously at a rate of once per second, it would take at most only about ten days!
"How about we return to Dongque City first? The people outside are probably getting a bit anxious!"
"As for future matters, we can plan them in detail later."
Jiang Heng looked at the figure shrouded in crimson-gold flames and suddenly thought of a significant problem.
That was Jiang Yuan's true identity.
Since Jiang Yuan didn't show his real face, he must be concealing something.
Furthermore, they hadn't even clarified whether he was friend or foe.
But judging by Jiang Yuan's previous actions, he was likely on the Federation's side!
However, even if Jiang Yuan had the ability to save them, what could they offer that would satisfy Jiang Yuan?
After all, everything operates on a principle of equivalence.
"Regardless, you will forever be my savior, Ji Beichen!"
Ji Beichen stated very straightforwardly.
"I feel the same!"
Xiang Nan followed suit in expressing his stance.
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan couldn't help but smile.
Wasn't this exactly what he wanted after doing so much and saying so much?
The Flame God's true identity absolutely could not be exposed.
But his own identity, 'Jiang Yuan', could!
Now was the perfect time for Jiang Yuan himself to appear!
"This is my only true disciple, Jiang Yuan!"
Jiang Yuan used the Gale Technique to swiftly return to the city wall and quickly swapped identities with his thunder spirit clone.
At this moment, Jiang Yuan himself revealed his true appearance.
Meanwhile, the thunder spirit clone was shrouded in blazing flames, acting as the Flame God.
After all, the Flame God was a powerful Class Holder; almost no one dared to probe him.
But if the thunder spirit clone impersonated Jiang Yuanhimself, someone might investigate him and see through his identity.
Chapter 104: Resolving the Identity Issue
"Greetings, Seniors!"
Jiang Yuan cupped his hands towards The three people, including Jiang Heng.
"Disciple?"
"Where are you from?"
"So young, how old are you this year!"
Jiang Heng stared at Jiang Yuan, a gleam of sharpness and curiosity flashing in his eyes.
"The Federation, Shanhai City, eighteen years old this year..."
Jiang Yuan did not conceal his own origins, speaking truthfully.
Because by stepping into the open himself, he could undoubtedly smoothly inherit the Flame God's power and influence within the Federation, the benefits of the senior guest official authority in Dongque City, and the debts of gratitude owed by The three people, including Jiang Heng...
After all, the Flame God's identity was illusory, fundamentally unable to be converted into tangible benefits.
But for Jiang Yuan, it was different.
Everything of the Flame God could be projected onto Jiang Yuan, allowing Jiang Yuan to enjoy all the privileges, benefits, treatment, and so on.
Moreover, doing so had two major advantages.
One, Jiang Yuan could obtain a powerful backing and background. He was no longer an ordinary orphan; having the Flame God behind him went without saying, and there were also powerful individuals with top-tier combat strength like Jiang Heng and the others, even the official stance of Dongque City to support him.
In the future, if Jiang Yuan did anything that exceeded his personal status—for example, suddenly possessing formidable strength—he could completely push the 'blame' onto the Flame God!
Second, the Flame God's identity was unknown. Even after doing so many good deeds, the Federation would not completely trust the Flame God.
But with Jiang Yuan present, that was no longer the case.
Firstly, Jiang Yuan's origins were absolutely without issue.
He grew up in Shanhai City, belonging to the Federation, making it easier to gain the trust of the Federation officials.
Furthermore, Jiang Yuan himself belonged to the Federation's camp, sharing a natural community of interests with the Federation.
In this way, Jiang Yuan and the 'Flame God,' leveraging each other's identities, mutually vouch for one another, thereby gaining the trust of the Federation and others.
To put it simply, if the Federation wanted to win over the Flame God, they would have to curry favor with Jiang Yuan, ensure Jiang Yuan's safety, and grant him privileged channels, special handling for certain matters.
And the Flame God's willingness to take Jiang Yuan, a Federation citizen, as his disciple and publicly announce it was also an expression of trust towards the Federation.
Moreover, the Federation's lack of absolute trust in the Flame God stemmed precisely from his unknown identity, followed by his lack of constraints, and finally the absence of shared interests.
Jiang Yuan's appearance completely resolved these issues.
"Excellent, excellent..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Heng couldn't help but laugh heartily.
After all, he was the former city lord of Dongque City. Even though he hadn't been city lord for many years, his mindset had always been viewing problems from the perspective of a city lord.
What Jiang Yuan could think of, Jiang Heng naturally could as well.
"This time, I am here to help my disciple advance his class to Instant Cast Mage!"
"In the future, I might not always stay by my disciple's side..."
The Flame God said slowly.
"Rest assured, as long as I am here, I will absolutely protect Jiang Yuan's personal safety, never letting him encounter any danger!"
"Even if I die one day, Dongque City will still be Jiang Yuan's greatest backing!"
Jiang Heng patted his chest, guaranteeing.
"Which Class Holder university are you attending now?"
Xiang Nan looked Jiang Yuan up and down.
"Haven't started university yet, taking the Unified Examination in a few days!"
Jiang Yuan shook his head.
"How about coming to my Dong Que Academy!"
"I'll give you a special admission spot and you'll enjoy the highest welfare benefits!"
"I can even personally guide you!"
Xiang Nan's eyes lit up, hurriedly extending an invitation.
"This... let's talk about it after the Unified Examinationends!"
Jiang Yuan hesitated slightly.
The current Dong Que Academy was no longer what it was three hundred years ago, having been kicked out of the ranks of top-tier institutions.
It wasn't like Jiang Yuan couldn't get into a good university.
Naturally, there was no need to choose Dong Que Academy.
"This is my Sword Token!"
"If you are in danger, it can be passively triggered to protect you once!"
"It can also be used actively. At that time, no matter where you are, I will immediately come to you!"
The Ghost Shadow Sword Emperor then handed over a small sword engraved with countless runes.
"Thank you!"
Jiang Yuan reached out and took it.
...
"The dungeon is cleared?"
"Excellent, it seems Senior Jiang Heng and the others have successfully slain the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's avatar!"
"Our Dongque City has gained another high-level 240th-level dungeon!"
"Heaven blesses Dongque! After three hundred years, is our Dongque City finally about to rise again?"
Outside the dungeon, numerous high-ranking officials and powerful individuals had gathered.
At first, they all felt somewhat apprehensive.
Not to mention that the three seniors, Jiang Heng and the others, were long-famed powerful figures.
But after all, they hadn't appeared for so many years.
And there were rumors they had been continuously corroded by dark demonic qi, their strength severely diminished.
Although this journey was one of sacrificing themselves for righteousness, they might not necessarily be a match for the Dark Bone Demon Emperor's avatar.
Once they failed, Dongque City would have to dispatch personnel into the dungeon again.
But unexpectedly, not long after, they saw the dungeon teleportation array boundary monument erupt with dazzling white light, and the area previously struck by Dark Demonic Light had completely returned to its original state, the demonic qi dissipated, no longer clinging to the boundary monument.
This meant the dungeon had been successfully cleared, and the dungeon had successfully upgraded to a high-level 240th-level dungeon.
For Dongque City, this was an unexpected boon, a blessing in disguise.
"Seizing this opportunity, our Dongque City should promote this well. The dungeon of Dongque Lone City will definitely attract many high-ranking Class Holders."
"Regarding the funerals for Seniors Jiang Heng and the others, we need to plan and promote them carefully, crafting them into an immortal symbol for Dongque City..."
"We should also invite powerful individuals from various forces across the Federation to attend, taking the chance to enhance Dongque City's influence..."
Amidst their pleasant surprise, everyone began preparing for the aftermath of The three people, including Jiang Heng.
They were to hold a grand funeral for Jiang Heng and the others, ensuring their heroic deeds were publicized.
At the same time, they could elevate Dongque City's status and influence within the Federation.
It could be said to kill two birds with one stone.
*Hum!*
As they were discussing, a rumbling sound came from the teleportation array.
A flash of white light, and then an Undead Bone Dragonover a hundred meters long appeared within everyone's sight.
"Undead?"
"How can there be undead?"
"Wasn't the dungeon cleared successfully?"
"Could it be they failed, and the Abyssal Demon Race sent an undead vanguard army invading?"
The faces of those originally immersed in joy couldn't help but change, and they even drew their weapons one after another, as if facing a formidable enemy.
But they quickly discovered that standing prominently on the dragon's head was a handsome young man.
This was Jiang Yuan himself!
"Who is this person?"
"I don't know. How did he come out of the dungeon?"
"Weren't all Class Holders forcibly ejected when the dungeon mutated?"
"Maybe a fish that slipped through the net. Or perhaps, he was in the same dungeon world as the Flame God who cleared it, which is why..."
"You think, could he be the Flame God?"
"Impossible! The Flame God is a Seventh-Turn Magic Saint, how could he be so young!"
"Heh, I've heard some old monsters just love pretending to be young men, specifically to deceive young girls!"
"Who are you insinuating about!"
Chapter 105: The Function of the talent spirit crystal! Sword Dao Genius Ji Qinghan
Although the powerhouses at the Dungeon Plaza were arguing in a chaotic mess,
their attention remained fixed on the direction of the teleportation array.
Immediately after, they saw several flickers of light and shadow appear behind the Undead Bone Dragon.
Among them were the Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng, the Frenzied Blood War Emperor Xiang Nan, and the one-armed sword... no, the Shadowy Blade Emperor Ji Beichen with both arms intact, who had entered the dungeon previously.
Everyone was completely shocked that these three powerhouses could actually come out alive after killing the clone of the Dark Bone Demon Emperor.
Moreover, their condition was surprisingly good.
They looked nothing like the dying, critically ill state they were in before entering the dungeon.
Instead, their entire bodies radiated a powerful aura of life.
On the surface, not a single problem could be seen.
"Is this really Senior Jiang Heng?"
"It's them, alright. They look exactly as they did in their youth. Their previous aged and sickly appearance didn't look like them at all!"
"But how did they... has their strength been restored?"
"That possibility can't be ruled out!"
"That's wonderful! Doesn't this mean our Dongque Cityhas gained two more Emperor-rank and one King-rank powerhouse?"
"There is hope for Dongque City's revival!"
After the brief shock, the crowd was filled with wild joy.
They were originally prepared to hold a funeral, but it turned out to be a momentous occasion for celebration.
Even the Flame God standing beside The three people, including Jiang Heng, was momentarily ignored.
"We will return to the City Lord's Manor first!"
Jiang Heng stepped through the air, his majestic gaze sweeping over the crowd.
He even saw three redwood coffins placed in the middle of the Dungeon Plaza.
"Yes, yes, yes, back to the City Lord's Manor first. This isn't the place for talk!"
The current Vice City Lord Gao Du felt Jiang Heng's gaze and lowered his head guiltily.
The Dongque City officials originally intended to hold a grand victory banquet, but it was cancelled after Jiang Heng refused.
However, the official publicity from Dongque City was not lacking at all.
First, the return of Jiang Heng and the others, who had been in seclusion for three hundred years, to the public eye increased the number of overt powerhouses in Dongque City by three.
Secondly, they officially publicized the deeds of the Flame God, who took on the roles of senior guest official of Dongque City and Honorary Professor of Dong Que Academy... which was equivalent to Dongque Cityproviding a trust endorsement for the Flame God's identity.
This carried a certain risk for Dongque City.
But the benefits were also many, at least successfully winning over a powerhouse like the Flame God.
It bound the interests of both parties more deeply.
Jiang Yuan naturally had no reason to refuse this.
In the following days, the Flame God received invitations to banquets from various forces and met many big figures in Dongque City.
...
The Library of Dong Que Academy.
Although Jiang Yuan did not accept Xiang Nan's invitation to enter Dong Que Academy through special recruitment,
he could freely enter and exit Dong Que Academy by virtue of his identity as the Flame God's disciple.
He could even go to the forbidden area in the back mountains of Dong Que Academy.
Deep in the back mountains, there was a Holy Spring.
For the past few hundred years, The three people, including Jiang Heng, had spent most of their time there.
"So, the talent spirit crystal can permanently increase the power of a talent, and it's not even affected by the Class Holder's level!"
In front of Jiang Yuan lay several books, including "Detailed Explanation of Rare Treasures," "Level Classification and Promotion Methods of Class Holder Talents," and "Advancement System for Magic Class Levels."
The books recorded the function of the talent spirit crystalin detail.
After using a talent spirit crystal, there is a certain probability that a talent will be strengthened or upgraded.
As for Jiang Yuan, he currently had three talent Skills: Magic Mastery, Divine Envoy Contract (Summon), and Instant Chant: Song of Legacy.
Among them, Magic Mastery and Instant Chant: Song of Legacy were talents inherent to his class.
However, due to the varying rarity of classes, talents naturally had differences in strength.
Divided by class rarity, talents could similarly be classified as white Common, green elite, blue rare, purple epic, golden Legendary-grade, and seven-colored mythic.
Among them, the Magic Mastery talent was white Common.
Even though Jiang Yuan had currently undergone Class Advancement to the elite-grade Instant Cast Mage, Magic Mastery would not become green elite-grade; it remained a white talent.
The use of the talent spirit crystal was to allow a talent to be strengthened and advanced.
Strengthening was like leveling up; the effect became stronger, but a white talent remained a white talent.
Advancement was similar to Class Advancement, meaning a white talent would be promoted to a green talent.
"There are many reasons why a common Class Holder is inferior to a high-level Class Holder!"
"Talent ability is precisely one of them!"
"With the talent spirit crystal, my talent can rise to green elite, or even higher!"
Jiang Yuan murmured to himself.
"The initial class you awakened was only Common. If you want to catch up to us, talent spirit crystals are indispensable!"
"You met my ancestor before. He was once a leading figure of the younger generation, but who would have known that the class he initially awakened was merely a Common Swordsman!"
"But through his unremitting efforts, he not only raised his class level to Legendary-grade but also upgraded all his talents to Legendary-grade!"
"If you want to become a top-tier powerhouse like my ancestor or your master, the Flame God, just raising your level won't do; you must raise all your talents!"
In front of Jiang Yuan stood a young girl of similar age, her arms crossed over her chest.
The girl wore a custom-made light green sword uniform that outlined her tall and agile figure. The design was formal yet fluid, and as she moved, the light and shadow shifted like the movement of a sword.
What was striking was her jade-like complexion, and on that jade-like face, the most prominent feature was a pair of heroic sword-brows.
Those brows were not like the thin, curved willow-leaf brows of ordinary ladies; instead, they were sharply defined, with the peaks slightly upturned like two sheathed short swords slanting into her temples, making her naturally soft eyes appear even clearer and sharper.
Her eyes were almond-shaped, with pupils as black as ink. When still, they seemed to contain a pool of cold water, without a single ripple.
This girl was Ji Qinghan of the Ji Family.
The ancestor she spoke of was none other than the Shadowy Blade Emperor Ji Beichen.
The Ji Family was one of the three top-tier families in Dongque City. There were many high-level powerhouses within the family, and it held significant influence in Dongque City and even the Federation.
Although there were four great families in Shanhai City, compared to the Ji Family, they were like ants looking at the blue sky.
In Dongque City, there were many Class Holder families, large and small.
If the four great families of Shanhai City were placed in Dongque City, they wouldn't even make the rankings.
The strength of the Ji Family, being called one of the three top-tier families, could be imagined.
Through his understanding over the past few days, Jiang Yuan had learned about the other two great families.
They were the Qi Family and the Jiang Family.
The Qi Family was the family behind the Saint Mage Qi Qingyang, the captain of the Divine Wing Battle Team, and had been passed down for hundreds of years.
The Jiang Family was the family behind the Dragon Language Emperor Jiang Heng.
Because of this, Jiang Yuan finally understood that the reason The three people, including Jiang Heng, could live until now after being struck by the Demon God Curse was that, in addition to their own powerful strength, the forces behind them provided immense assistance, consuming no small amount of heavenly treasures every year.
Behind Jiang Heng was the Jiang Family. He himself was once the City Lord of Dongque City, and the current head of the Jiang Family was also the City Lord of Dongque City.
Although they were called the three great families along with the other two, their strength was greater than both.
Behind Ji Beichen was the Ji Family.
Additionally, behind the Frenzied Blood War EmperorXiang Nan, there was also a Xiang Family, though its strength was not as formidable as the three great families.
However, he was once the Vice President of Dongque Academy (it was an academy three hundred years ago, later downgraded to a college). With Dong Que Academyas support, more importantly, that Holy Spring in the back mountain was something Xiang Nan had carried back with his bare hands from some high-level secret realm!
After learning all this, Jiang Yuan couldn't help but sigh. Although strength was very important in this world,
wealth, power, and status... were equally vital.
It could be seen from the experiences of The three people, including Jiang Heng, that if they hadn't had powerful backgrounds, they would have died long ago!