Ascension of the Immortal Asura

A satisfied and smug smirk appeared on Vivians face as she stared directly at John.

"You knew you were being followed, and yet you still left the city alone? You could have stayed inside the city safe and sound, or at least had someone strong escort you. You're either a complete idiot, or overconfident in your abilities to the point that you are still a complete idiot," Vivian replied with undisguised mockery.

"If I was either of those things, I would have died one hundred times already," John replied calmly as he shifted his gaze to the five guards next to Vivian.

The guards wore robes similar to that of Vivian, but darker and sleeker in design. Clearly they belonged to the Starforge Clan as well, but were most likely protectors assigned to the young masters of the clan. All five were men, who appeared to be in their thirties, although their true age was most likely in the hundreds.

While Dao Transformation experts were not the peak power of the continent, they were still near the top. Only the most talented and elite of cultivators were able to break through to the World Expansion Realm, making them few and far between. For almost all situations Vivian would run into, five Late Stage Dao Transformation cultivators would be more than enough.

As he stared at the guards and sized up their strengths and weaknesses, a small smirk appeared on his face.

'Each of these cultivators have the same cultivation level as my master. While her talent puts her far above the likes of them, they're still comparable to her. When I first met her, her cultivation level seemed so distant and profound that I couldn't even comprehend it, and yet now, just three years later, I'm at the level where facing down five of them at once seems manageable. I never really thought about it before, but my cultivation speed truly is monstrous. Maybe I should thank Celestial Soulrend when I see him again.'

Thanks to the incredibly profound Primordial Extermination Lightning cultivation technique gifted to him by Celestial Soulrend, as well as his monstrous talent, John had managed to catch up to the most talented of yours cultivation wise already, despite starting a decade behind them and also living in a much less cultivation friendly place.

Coupled with his monstrous battle prowess, John's progress shocked even himself when he stopped to think about it.

"And yet, you not only left the city alone, but also stopped and waited for us to catch up. Your ship is quite fast, so catching up wasn't a guarantee, but now you're firmly in my grasp. So if you're not an idiot, then what are you? A super idiot?" Vivian continued her smug mockery.

"So before we start this, I have one question to ask. Is this about the bounty, or is this about your own personal vendetta?" John asked, ignoring her insults.

"You know of the bounty? Well that makes things easier then. I don't know why they think you're this 'Asura', but clearly they're mistaken. But that's not my concern. As for your question, it's both. Once I capture you and have my way with you, I'll hand you over to collect the bounty. The bounty only mentioned you need to be alive to collect the larger reward, but not what condition you need to be in," Vivian replied with a viscous smile on her face, as if she were already thinking about the things she would do to John to make him suffer.

"You Starforge fucks really are sick in the head. I guess it's a good thing that I plan to wipe your clan off the face of this world before long, as this vile nature seems to run quite deep in your clan" John replied as he shook his head slightly, almost unable to believe how a young maiden of such an esteemed clan could be so viscious already.

Viviana smug gaze narrowed into a cold stare as she heard John's reply. "You dare to insult my Starforge Clan? When I'm done with you-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard something similar muttered by other people a dozen times already, and each of them fell beneath my might, including that pathetic cousin of yours. You'll be no different, so why don't we skip the bullshit and get straight to the fighting. I'm in quite a hurry after all,'" John replied back with casual indifference, which stunned not only Vivian, but the five guards next to her.

Vivians stunned expression quickly shifted to anger, and then furious rage as she heard John's reply. She had expected him to beg for mercy as she arrived, but had instead been greeted with indifferent mockery. As a pampered young master of the Starforge Clan, she had never suffered such insults.

Her face turned red as she pointed out towards John. "Get him, and bring him to me alive!" She barked out furiously to her guards, who nodded and began to move towards John, encircling him within.

None of them drew their weapons, as if they considered such an action unnecessary. Even one of them would be enough to dominate even the most talented of Heaven Tribulation geniuses, and the only reason all five took action was to ensure no escape was possible

"Finally," John said as he rolled his head to the side, as if their conversation had been nothing but an annoyance, while a smirk of anticipation appeared on his face.

"I just reached the Peak of the Heaven Tribulation realm recently, so do your best to not disappoint me," John said to the five with calm confidence as he pointed towards one of the cultivators encircling him.

"Your smug gaze is quite annoying, so you'll be the first to die," John said with authority, as if the matter had already been concluded.

"Hahahaha," the five guards broke out into boisterous laughter, as if they had heard the funniest joke.

"Boy, even if you are this 'Asura', you clearly don't know how the world works. Allow me to teach you a less-"

Roar!

A deafening dragon roar boomed out without warning, containing incredible power, enough to stun the nearby guards for an instant, who had yet to raise their guard or utilize their true power, as they thought the matter completely unnecessary.

Immediately after the powerful roar, an aura suddenly exploded outwards as if a true dragon had descended on the world, containing overbearing might. The guard who John had pointed to quickly came back to his senses, only to see a pitch black scythe emanating a deathly aura slicing towards him.

Boom!

The mans aura exploded outwards as he surged with might, while his sword appeared in his hand. However, due to both his shock and the deathly aura, his movements were slowed.

"Too slow!"

Che!

A sharp sound pierced out as John's scythe descended without pause, landing on the mans head before he could raise his sword and might in time.

The four other cultivators watched in stunned silence as John turned towards them, while the two halves of their fellow guard parted and plummeted to the earth below, blood and entrails following behind.

"Now then, let's get started, shall we?"