The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 82: Golden Light Senior

The speaker stood beside Jia Tianlong—a dwarf barely three feet tall.

The dwarf appeared to be in his forties, gaunt and wiry. He wore a red robe embroidered with golden threads, adorned with gold rings on his fingers and thick golden chains around his neck. Several golden bells hung from his waist, and when he spoke, his mouth glinted with gold—likely from gold teeth. His entire appearance screamed nouveau riche.

At the moment, his face was twisted with impatience, clearly dissatisfied with Jia Tianlong’s hesitation.

That such a repulsive-looking dwarf, dressed like a country bumpkin tycoon, would dare show such disrespect to Jia Tianlong made the nearby loyal Iron Guards glare at him furiously.

The dwarf noticed their displeasure but merely sneered coldly, paying them no heed. Instead, he turned to Jia Tianlong with an arrogant air and said:

"Sect Leader Jia, you spent three thousand taels of gold to summon me all the way from Golden Light Temple. Surely you didn’t bring me here just to stand around all night! If there’s someone you need me to deal with, say it now. Unless… you want me to handle the Sect Leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect? Such a weak opponent—you could deal with him yourself. Why waste gold hiring me?"

"The Sect Leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect is hardly worth troubling an immortal like you," Jia Tianlong replied humbly, without the slightest hint of disrespect. "I’ve invited you here to deal with the Sect Leader’s three Junior Martial Uncles. Though they’ve long been declared dead to the outside world, in truth, they’ve been secluded in the secret chambers of Sunset Peak, undergoing a life-and-death meditation. By now, their cultivation has likely reached the Transcendent realm—far beyond what ordinary experts can handle. They are the Seven Mysteries Sect’s greatest reliance, and only someone of your stature can deal with them."

This red-robed dwarf was someone Jia Tianlong had accidentally encountered in a Daoist temple near the barbarian lands. The man called himself Golden Light Senior, boasting boundless magical power, and had personally demonstrated the Flying Sword technique and an indestructible golden body.

After witnessing these feats, Jia Tianlong was deeply shaken by their might. He realized this man belonged to the legendary ranks of immortal cultivators and immediately sought to befriend him.

Upon learning of the dwarf’s obsession with gold, Jia Tianlong lavished him with vast sums and flattery, eventually securing his promise to assist him once.

Thus, Jia Tianlong always treated the dwarf with the deference of a junior, never daring to show even a trace of disgust at his arrogance. He knew full well that Golden Light Senior was not someone his measly Wild Wolf Gang could oppose.

Golden Light Senior burst into loud laughter. When it subsided, he sneered arrogantly, "A few mere mortals? Leave them to me! No matter how high their cultivation or how skilled their martial arts, they stand no chance against my Flying Sword technique. You needn’t worry!"

"Then I leave it to you, Immortal Master," Jia Tianlong said joyfully. "I swear to fulfill my promised reward, and upon success, I’ll gladly add another two thousand taels of gold as a token of gratitude." He hurriedly sweetened the deal, knowing full well that this man was no benevolent figure—gold was the only language he truly understood.

Golden Light Senior’s withered, orange-peel-like face cracked into a faint smile. He nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with Sect Leader Jia’s understanding.With the assurance from the esteemed Golden Light Senior, Jia Tianlong hesitated no longer and immediately ordered his Wild Wolf Gang to ascend to the summit of Sunset Peak, preparing to attack the Seven Mysteries Sect's main hall—the Seven Mysteries Hall.

Due to the overwhelming number of people surging up the mountain, Jia Tianlong and his Iron Guards struggled considerably before finally reaching the stone hall.

This was the first time the Gang Leader had laid eyes on the headquarters of his sworn enemy, and he was stunned by the grandeur of the Seven Mysteries Hall. Comparing it to his own Wild Wolf Gang’s main base, he couldn’t help but feel it resembled a dog’s den—utterly pitiful.

Atop Sunset Peak, spanning several dozen acres of open ground, stood several stone halls constructed from massive bluish-gray rocks—one large and six smaller ones.

Though the darkness of night and the dim torchlight obscured their full appearance, the imposing, towering, and majestic aura of these dark, rugged structures awed the Wild Wolf Gang and other small to mid-sized gangs who had just arrived. For a moment, they hesitated to launch their attack, instead encircling the halls tightly, sealing off all exits.

“After all, they are a School with over two hundred years of Legacy. Their wealth is simply incomparable to my gang, which has only risen in the last decade or so. Such extravagance!” Jia Tianlong couldn’t help but muse inwardly.

He had already made up his mind—once the Seven Mysteries Sect was annihilated, he would immediately relocate his headquarters here. Only such magnificent architecture could match the status of a regional overlord like himself.

Jia Tianlong glanced at the pitch-black entrance of the main hall opposite him, then surveyed his subordinates around him. Slowly, he raised his right hand.

In an instant, Sunset Peak fell into complete silence. Every eye was fixed on his raised palm. They all knew that the moment his hand began to descend, the brutal siege to eradicate the Seven Mysteries Sect’s headquarters would commence.

“Hold.”

Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out from the dark entrance of the main hall.

The rhythmic sound of footsteps— pat, pat —emerged from within, growing clearer and clearer.

Finally, a middle-aged man in white robes appeared at the entrance. A wooden hairpin adorned his head, and his only accessory was a long sword in a white sheath. His face was deathly pale, yet his eyes burned with an intense light, their gaze sharp as a blade, piercing straight to the heart and sending chills down the spine.

He stopped several yards from the entrance, calmly surveying the crowd encircling him without a trace of fear in his expression.

Eventually, his gaze settled on Jia Tianlong’s raised right hand before shifting to Jia Tianlong’s face.

“Jia Tianlong,” the middle-aged man called out the Gang Leader’s name.

“Wang Juechu,” Jia Tianlong retorted without backing down, identifying the other man in turn.

“Come to think of it, as leaders of our respective domains, this is the first time we’ve met face to face, isn’t it, my dear Sect Leader Wang?” Jia Tianlong spoke in a leisurely tone, a mocking smile playing at the corners of his lips as he slowly lowered his raised hand.

Wang Juechu met Jia Tianlong’s gaze expressionlessly, remaining silent. The atmosphere grew palpably tense.

“Sect Leader Wang, have you come alone to surrender?” Jia Tianlong teased with a smirk."Indeed, I was planning to discuss the matter of surrender with you," replied Wang Juechu, the Sect Leader of Seven Mysteries Sect, his voice as cold as ice.

(End of Chapter)