Chapter 54: A Storm Brews in the Shadows

Jiang Cheng's eyes flickered open, his pupils now carrying a faint silver hue. The Void Emperor's Transcendence had begun integrating into his cultivation, and he could feel the sheer difference in his presence. His body felt lighter, as if he no longer fully existed in the mortal plane.

A single thought, and he vanished—reappearing ten meters away in an instant.

"This technique… it bends space itself," Jiang Cheng mused, testing the newfound agility granted by the Void Step. His movements felt nearly weightless, the world around him slightly distorted with each flicker.

But his moment of admiration was interrupted by a sudden pressure in the air.

BOOM!

A powerful aura surged toward him from the east, moving at an alarming speed.

Not one. Not two. Five powerful cultivators.

Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. More assassins?

But as they came into view, he realized these weren't the same masked killers from before. Their robes were embroidered with a red flame insignia, an unmistakable mark of the Crimson Sun Sect.

Leading them was Luo Han, one of the sect's core disciples, his fiery red spear resting on his shoulder. His presence alone was enough to make weaker cultivators tremble. The other four behind him were also Inner Elders, all carrying weapons imbued with powerful spiritual energy.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Jiang Cheng said casually, folding his arms.

Luo Han scoffed. "You've been making quite the mess, Jiang Cheng. Killing Feng Yuan? Destroying half the city's underworld forces? It was only a matter of time before someone strong came knocking."

Jiang Cheng chuckled. "I don't recall sending invitations, but it seems word travels fast."

Luo Han's expression darkened. "That scroll you took—it belonged to our sect. Hand it over, and I may consider letting you leave in one piece."

Jiang Cheng arched an eyebrow. "Oh? I wasn't aware the Ancient Void Emperor was a disciple of the Crimson Sun Sect."

"You think this is a joke?" Luo Han's grip tightened on his spear, his aura surging like a raging inferno. "That relic was meant to be auctioned off to one of our elders. You stole it, and now you're marked for death."

Jiang Cheng sighed. "You Crimson Sun disciples always like to talk big. Unfortunately for you, I have no intention of handing anything over."

Luo Han's eyes turned cold. "Then I hope you've made peace with your fate."

He thrust his spear forward—

BOOM!

The ground beneath him shattered as a stream of fire surged toward Jiang Cheng, turning the night sky into a sea of flames. The heat was so intense that the nearby ruins melted into molten rock.

Yet, in the blink of an eye—

Jiang Cheng was gone.

Void Step.

Luo Han's eyes widened. "What?!"

Before he could react, a cold voice came from behind him.

"You're too slow."

BOOM!

A devastating palm strike landed directly on Luo Han's back, sending him crashing through a stone pillar. Dust exploded into the air, and cracks spread across the battlefield.

The four Crimson Sun Elders instantly moved, forming a protective barrier around Luo Han.

"You dare attack our young master?!" one of them roared, summoning a massive flaming war axe.

Jiang Cheng flicked his wrist, his sword materializing in his grip. "If you're going to fight, then fight. Enough with the useless shouting."

The elder's face twisted in fury.

BOOM!

The four elders charged forward simultaneously, their combined strength shaking the heavens. One wielded an axe, another a long whip of molten fire, while the last two carried enchanted talismans, summoning flaming phoenixes that screeched as they dove toward Jiang Cheng.

A normal cultivator would have been annihilated instantly.

But Jiang Cheng…

He merely lifted his sword.

Void Annihilation Slash.

A single arc of silver energy swept across the battlefield—

And everything vanished.

The flaming phoenixes, the axe strike, the molten whip—all erased from existence. The space around them distorted, leaving only a deep gash in reality where the attack had passed.

The Crimson Sun Elders staggered back in shock.

"What… what is that technique?!"

"He erased our attacks like they were nothing!"

Luo Han coughed as he struggled to his feet, his face filled with disbelief.

Jiang Cheng took a step forward, the Void Emperor's Mark glowing faintly on his forehead. "This is your final warning. Leave, or you'll join your dead comrades in hell."

Luo Han gritted his teeth. "You arrogant—"

BOOM!

A terrifying spritual pressure erupted from Jiang Cheng's body, pressing down on them with a force that made it hard to breathe.

Their legs trembled. The surrounding air became heavy, like an invisible force was crushing their very existence.

Jiang Cheng's voice was calm, yet it echoed with undeniable dominance.

"Go."

The Crimson Sun disciples hesitated, their previous confidence crumbling under the sheer power radiating from him.

One by one, they made their decision.

Luo Han glared at Jiang Cheng but ultimately turned and left, his face filled with humiliation. "This isn't over."

Jiang Cheng watched them disappear into the night.

He exhaled slowly, letting his energy settle.

The power of the Void Emperor was only beginning to awaken within him, but it was already proving to be a force beyond comprehension.

He smirked. "Interesting. Let's see what else this power can do."

With that, he disappeared into the void, leaving only silence behind.

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