The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

He paid the required amount of silver coins and boarded the large, spirit-patterned shuttle bound for the next stop.

The shuttle car has a spacious cabin.

But when the passengers saw Jiang Xuan walk in, they all subconsciously moved their seats, trying to stay away from the corner where he was.

This left a small area empty around him.

Jiang Xuan didn't care about this at all; on the contrary, he was happy to have some peace and quiet.

He sat down by the window, placed his luggage beside him, and began to close his eyes to rest.

At the same time, I spared a bit of my attention to take stock of what I had gained over the past seven days.

In those seven days, besides the large-scale encirclement and suppression at Blood Wolf Plains, he experienced three more dangerous ambushes.

The first time was in a dense, primeval forest.

Forty enemies, highly skilled in stealth and assassination, launched a surprise attack on him, taking advantage of the complex terrain.

That battle was extremely fierce, and Jiang Xuan suffered seven wounds of varying depths.

But he ultimately annihilated all the enemies with his enhanced perception and ruthless counterattacks.

They seized a large number of poisoned hidden weapons, precious stealth talismans, and many healing pills.

The second time was in a swamp filled with miasma.

The enemy set up a trapping and killing spirit array called the "Nine Dragons Binding Spirit Array" in an attempt to trap him and kill him.

With his profound mastery of spirit patterns, Jiang Xuan astutely identified the weak point in the formation's operation during the fierce battle.

Not only did they forcibly break the formation, but they also turned the tables and briefly seized control of it.

He channeled the power of the formation to kill all the enemies who had set up the formation, while remaining unharmed himself and obtaining the precious set of formation flags.

The third time was at a vast lake. The enemy anticipated that he would walk along the lake shore and laid a large ambush there.

Jiang Xuan, however, did the opposite and dived directly to the bottom of the lake, relying on the "Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl" he obtained from a secret realm, which could avoid water.

They silently passed through the bottom of the lake, completely thwarting the enemy's ambush.

In these three battles, along with the spoils from Blood Wolf Plains, he captured various magical artifacts, pills, materials, gold coins, and more.

The accumulated value has exceeded 10,000 gold coins, which is an astonishing fortune.

But Jiang Xuan felt no joy, only solemnity.

The enemy came wave after wave, employing a variety of tactics, clearly determined to achieve their goal at all costs.

Just as he was deep in thought, a timid voice sounded beside him.

"Big...big brother..."

Jiang Xuan opened his eyes and saw a little girl who looked about three or four years old and had pigtails.

She was holding a neatly folded, old but very clean cloth garment, standing in front of him.

Her big eyes held a mixture of fear and curiosity.

The girl's mother, a woman with a haggard face but gentle eyes, was standing not far away, looking at them with a mixture of nervousness and encouragement.

The little girl mustered her courage and handed over the clothes.

"Mother said... your clothes are torn... here... are for you..."

Jiang Xuan was stunned for a moment. Looking at the little girl's innocent eyes and her simple clothes, a soft spot in his heart was touched.

The chill around him vanished instantly, replaced by a gentle smile. He took the clothes and said softly.

"Thank you, little sister. And thank you, Mom."

He reached out to touch the little girl's head.

But seeing the bloodstains still on his hands, he pulled back.

The little girl seemed unafraid, looking curiously at the knife and bow behind him, and asked in a childish voice.

"Big brother, are you a hero who fights bad guys?"

Jiang Xuan chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, beat up the bad guys."

The simple interaction subtly eased the apprehension of those who had been watching from the sidelines.

It turns out that this seemingly menacing young man also has such a gentle side. The atmosphere became more relaxed.

Jiang Xuan remembered this kindness and planned to buy the mother and daughter some decent gifts as a token of his gratitude when he arrived in the next town.

……

Inside the study of that ancient mansion in the Forbidden City.

Xu Qianjing stood in front of the sand table, which marked Jiang Xuan's route and the locations of his encounters over the past seven days.

He held several scrolls of the latest intelligence transmitted back by "Wind Shadow Hawk".

"Blood Wolf Plains, a direct confrontation that crushed a 30-man elite squad, showcasing exceptional individual combat prowess and precise sniping skills."

"He fought back against forty 'Shadow Assassins' skilled in stealth and assassination, suffering seven wounds, demonstrating his remarkable resilience."

"Breaking the 'Nine Dragons Binding Spirit Array' in the mud and killing the one who set it up shows that his mastery of spirit patterns is profound and far surpasses that of his peers."

"At Crescent Lake, the enemy set up an ambush on the shore, but the target slithered across the lake from the bottom without leaving a trace... It is suspected that they possess a high-level water-repelling treasure or secret technique."

Xu Qianjing put down the scroll, calmly glanced at his deputies who looked rather grim, and slowly concluded.

"In summary, the target Jiang Xuan has three notable characteristics. First, he is proficient in the Blood Killing Camp's extreme combat methods of surprise attack and counter-surprise attack, has a strong will, and is good at trading injury for life; second, he has extremely high attainments in spirit patterns, and can not only refine special spirit weapons, but also quickly break or even counter spirit arrays; third, he has special means of underwater infiltration, which increases the difficulty of encirclement."

One hot-tempered deputy couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and stand up.

“Mr. Xu! We have already failed four times! We have lost over a hundred skilled warriors! Are we just going to let him slaughter his way through like this? I suggest we immediately deploy the ‘Purple Hero Warship’ and launch a full-scale aerial bombardment as he travels through the Maple Night Mountain Valley in his spirit-patterned shuttle! No matter how powerful he is, he will not escape death!”

Another deputy echoed this sentiment.

"Yes! We can't let him continue to be so arrogant! We must take drastic measures!"

A heated argument erupted in the study, demanding the use of more forceful measures.

Xu Qianjing listened quietly, his face expressionless.

He spoke softly only after the noise subsided, his voice low but carrying an undeniable power.

"An aerial bombardment? And then what? Tell the entire empire that our Chi family used warships to bombard a young cultivator participating in the provincial examination? What will the Observatory think? What will His Majesty think?"

The deputies were speechless.

Xu Qianjing walked to the sand table, pointed to a vast plain area behind the Fengwan Mountains, and spoke in a calm tone.

“Using the Ziying warships for indiscriminate bombardment could easily destroy the target. However, there are still hundreds of innocent passengers on the spirit-patterned shuttle. If word gets out, it will surely incite huge public outrage. Imperial laws will not tolerate it. How can our Chi family explain this to the Observatory and His Majesty? This is the worst possible solution.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sneer from a gloomy-faced deputy, who said dismissively.

"Mr. Xu, you are being far too soft-hearted! Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles! They are just some common ants, and it is their honor to sacrifice themselves to eliminate the empire's hidden dangers! As long as we clean up the mess afterward, who will know that it was us?"

"That's right! How can a mere few hundred worthless lives compare to eliminating a major threat?"

Another deputy echoed loudly, his face full of coldness and arrogance.

The others did not speak directly.

But their eyes also conveyed a similar meaning. In the eyes of these henchmen from wealthy families, the lives of ordinary people were as insignificant as a feather compared to the interests of their families.

Looking at their indifferent faces, Xu Qianjing felt an indescribable sorrow welling up in his heart.

He opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him again.

But Chi Zangmei, who was in the main position, had already made a decision.

Chi Cangmei raised her hand, stopping the argument. Her beautiful face was covered with frost, and her eyes were sharp as knives.

"There's no need to argue anymore! Mr. Xu, the family is already aware of your analysis and suggestions. But this matter concerns the reputation of the Chi family and potential future problems, so we cannot afford to lose it."

"My mind is made up. Dispatch the third Purple Elite warship, take off immediately, and launch a devastating attack on the spirit-patterned shuttle carrying the target above the Fengwan Mountain Valley! Ensure a single, decisive blow!"

She paused, then turned her gaze to Xu Qianjing, her tone carrying an undeniable distance.

"Mr. Xu, your preliminary intelligence analysis and tactical arrangements have rendered a great service to the family. The next operation will be carried out by them. You can go back and rest now."

Xu Qianjing's body stiffened slightly. He looked at Chi Cangmei, then at the group of eager and murderous deputies, and finally let out a barely audible sigh.

He knew that saying anything more would be futile.

This group of people, blinded by arrogance and hatred, refused to listen to advice and seriously underestimated the terrifying nature of the boy who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

He bowed slightly to Chi Cangmei, said no more, and silently left the study.

Stepping out of that oppressive room, he looked up at the gray sky above the Forbidden City, his heart filled with helplessness and premonition.

This operation is unlikely to go as smoothly as they hope.

The indifference to life shown by the scions of wealthy families filled him with a profound sense of sorrow.

Inside the study, after Xu Qianjing left, several deputies exchanged smug glances.

Someone whispered.

"Hmph, an outsider dares to point fingers! Once this is done, I'll make sure he knows who the core of the Chi family is!"

Chi Cangmei listened to her subordinates' discussions, feeling a vague unease in her heart.

But this was quickly replaced by a determination for revenge and trust in the absolute power of the Ziying warship.

She said coldly.

"Shut up! Proceed according to plan! Make sure everything goes perfectly!"

……

Inside the carriage of the high-speed Lingwen shuttle.

The atmosphere was completely different from the cold and gloomy atmosphere of the Chi family's study.

After the interaction with the little girl Luo Luo, the passengers in the carriage felt much less afraid of Jiang Xuan.

At this moment, Jiang Xuan was sitting by the window, while Luo Luo was being held by her mother and sitting opposite him.

The little girl chattered on, asking innocent questions, which Jiang Xuan patiently answered one by one.

He wore a rare, gentle smile.

Luo Luo's mother also relaxed a lot, occasionally chiming in with a word or two.

This brief moment of tranquility allowed Jiang Xuan, whose nerves had been on edge for days, to finally relax.

He even started planning what gifts he should buy for the kind mother and daughter as a token of his gratitude when they arrived in the next big city.

at this time--

"Woo——!!!"

A sharp, piercing alarm suddenly rang out from the direction of the shuttle control room, instantly shattering the peace inside the carriage!
"what happened?"

"what happens?"

The passengers immediately panicked and peered out the windows.

All that could be seen was the distant horizon to the side and in front of the shuttle.

Three enormous, menacing black shadows, radiating a purple aura and resembling aerial fortresses, were approaching at an oppressive speed!

It is the Purple Hero-class spirit-patterned warship, a standard military design of the Purple Obsidian Empire!

"It's an Imperial warship!"

"Perhaps it's just a routine patrol?"

"Why is the alarm going off?"

Most passengers were initially surprised, then somewhat puzzled, and even felt a sense of pride in witnessing the empire's powerful military might.

They did not believe that the warship was coming for the shuttle they were riding in.

But the moment Jiang Xuan saw those three warships, his pupils suddenly contracted!
He knew better than anyone how terrifying the Ziying warship was!
Furthermore, he had participated in the design and demonstration of some of the spirit pattern arrays on the early Ziying warships!

He recognized the formation of the three warships and the fluctuations of their spiritual aura at a glance.

This is not a patrol posture at all, but a standard prelude to an attack—they are locking onto their target!

And the target was none other than the spirit-patterned shuttle he was in!

The Chi family... they've gone so far as to use the Ziying warship to carry out this indiscriminate slaughter?!
"Oh no! Everyone get down! Hold on to something!"

Jiang Xuan suddenly stood up!

Almost at the same time he issued the warning, the bow of the leading Ziying warship directly in front of him...

A massive cannon muzzle, covered in intricate spiritual runes, had already gathered a breathtakingly brilliant light!
An aura of destruction swept in, overwhelming everything!

Jiang Xuan didn't have time to think. He grabbed Luo Luo, who was still in a daze, from her mother's arms with his left hand.

He held it tightly to his chest, and in an instant, he drew the [Flowing Light Battle Blade] from his back with his right hand. His spiritual energy erupted without reservation, and he slashed fiercely at the side wall of the carriage!

"Sea-shattering collapse!"

The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, carrying an overbearing will to shatter everything!

The sturdy spirit-inlaid reinforced carriage walls were torn open with a huge gap by this full-force strike!

A sudden gust of wind rushed into the carriage!

And at this critical moment—

"boom!!!!!"

A thick, powerful beam of spiritual light containing destructive energy.

The cannons fired from the Ziying warship struck the center of the spirit-patterned shuttle with incredible speed!
The earth-shattering explosion instantly drowned out everything!
The entire shuttle suddenly broke apart, twisted, and then disintegrated in the middle!
The scorching flames and terrifying shockwaves swept out in all directions!
The moment Jiang Xuan cleaved open the car, he leaped out with Luo Luo in his arms!

Even so, he was still caught up by the shockwave of the explosion that followed!
"puff!"

Jiang Xuan felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, as if his internal organs had shifted. He uncontrollably spat out a mouthful of blood, and his entire body groaned in pain from the unbearable strain.
He held Luo Luo tightly in his arms, absorbing most of the impact with his own back!
Like kites with broken strings, the two plummeted rapidly from the sky down the steep hillside!
All I could hear was the howling wind and faint screams and cries coming from below.

The intense feeling of weightlessness and excruciating pain almost made Jiang Xuan faint.

But his strong willpower forced him to stay sober.

During the fall, he desperately adjusted his posture, trying to turn Luo Luo in his arms to the upper position.

Just as she was about to crash to the ground, Jiang Xuan used his last bit of strength to shove Luo Luo towards a thick patch of grass below! (End of Chapter)