Just a Clone? The Stunned Prince!
The Daoyuan Continent's "Dao Chang" is an open and flat small world, the largest place in the world for discussing Dao.
It is located in the center of the Daoyuan Continent. Some say it was formed naturally, while others say it was created by a powerful being in ancient times.
The regions of a Daoist temple can be divided into Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow according to their levels.
The Heaven, Earth, and Profound levels are respectively provided to first-rank, Second Rank, and Third Grade experts, while the Yellow-rank Daoist Academy is provided to cultivators below the higher rank.
The No. 39 Earth Gate [Debate Dao Field] radiates to a radius of 100 miles, with observation platforms both in the sky and on the ground.
The observation platform in the sky is, of course, the best place for observation.
One after another, floating islands drift in the air.
Each island is protected by Boundary Marker Formation, which is absolutely impossible for Second Rank to breach.
Sometimes, the two sides in battle will even rest on the protective shield, allowing spectators to observe their condition up close.
Some of the floating islands can even fly, like warships, adjusting their orientation.
The island where Ji Che is located, known as the Coiling Dragon Viewing Platform, occupies the largest space on the island.
Leisure and entertainment options range from large-scale arenas like the Colosseum, the Celestial Horse Racecourse, and water-based animal games, to smaller indoor games Liubo, Pu, Gewu, and Duicao, along with hot springs, drinks, and gourmet food—everything you could want.
When Zhao Xing came up, he was brought over by a special cloud-guided cruise ship.
Because a duel is taking place at the No. 39 [Debate Dao Field].
"Boom boom~"
Two warriors, one dressed in black armor and wielding a blue scimitar, exuding a chilling aura, were attacking the other, Sword Dancer dressed in flowing white robes.
However, their duel in the sky lasted only four breaths before they disappeared into the underground wind tunnel.
"As expected of a top-tier Debate Dao Field, the terrain for combat is diverse, allowing every profession to find an environment suitable for them to perform well," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The area he just passed was a wind tunnel, with an underground cave about 100 meters in radius that sometimes spewed out strong winds and sometimes rotated inwards, generating a huge attraction.
The two who had just fought were ejected from the wind tunnel, but the repulsive and gravitational forces of the wind tunnel changed in an instant.
Before they can even gain a foothold and unleash their spells or martial arts, they may be blown away by the wind tunnel, which severely tests the sparring partners' adaptability.
"The training ground here is not a flat area where everyone can fight each other. The environment is complex. If you encounter unfamiliar terrain, you may not be able to exert your strength and will be defeated by your opponent."
Zhao Xing activated his Heavenly Eye and carefully examined his surroundings. "The focus of the two new eras is pacifying the barbarians. There are many different terrain features here..."
The Heavenly Timing, even the vegetation, were designed to mimic the environment of the Southern Barbarians.
Although it was a friendly exchange of ideas, the political leanings were quite obvious. What kind of strong person is someone who can't defeat their opponent in the complex and harsh environment of the Southern Wilderness?
The experts that the Great Zhou needs are not just pretty faces.
"Divine Might Marquis, we've arrived." As the pleasure boat came to a stop in front of the palace square, a fair-skinned maidservant came over and gently reminded him.
"Okay, lead the way." Zhao Xing nodded.
Two beautiful maids led him off the ship and toward the palace ahead.
Just as I stepped onto the stairs, before I even crossed the threshold, I heard a cheerful voice.
"Elder brother! You've finally arrived!"
Ji Che rose from his seat in the main hall, lifted his robe, and quickly ran down. The pearl and jade crown on his head swayed, and his whole body emitted a warm, milky-white glow.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness." Zhao Xing was about to bow when the identities of all the princes were made public in the seventieth year of Eternal Governance Era, as they had completed their various stages of training, and Ji Che was directly established as the crown prince.
"Brother, what are you doing?" Ji Che held Zhao Xing's hands, preventing him from bowing. "It's not like it's a public occasion."
Just then, an elderly man with a white beard behind Ji Che reminded him, "Your Highness is the Divine Might Marquis. When Marquis Shenwei bows, Your Highness should return the bow. That is proper etiquette. How can you put your arm around his shoulder?"
Zhao Xing glanced at the Ritual Cultivator named Ji Wenchang, who was a "Grand Ritualist" in charge of royal etiquette.
Ji Che, still holding Zhao Xing's hand, said nonchalantly, "The application of rites is in accordance with human feelings. When the Sage Duke Wen was with his fellow villagers, he was respectful and seemingly unable to speak. But in the ancestral temple and the court, he spoke eloquently and cautiously. In court, when speaking with lower-ranking officials, he was eloquent and forthright; when speaking with higher-ranking officials, he was also eloquent."
"It is evident that etiquette must be appropriate to the occasion and take into account the feelings between people. Today, my elder brother and I are meeting in private, and our arm around each other is the proper etiquette between us."
Zhao Xing smiled inwardly upon hearing this.
Ji Wenchang cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness missed a line: 'With the ruler here, all is well; with him, all is well.'"
Upon hearing this, Ji Che's expression turned displeased.
Although Ji Wenchang no longer contended with Wu Emperor, the following sentence was a reference to Zhao Xing, implying that as a subject, he should have the proper etiquette.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing gently pulled away from Wu Emperor's hand, dusted off his sleeves, and still bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Ji Che had no choice but to return the greeting, and then pulled Zhao Xing to sit down in the guest seats.
However, Ji Che was not one to suffer a loss. As soon as he sat down, he said to Ji Wenchang and the other officials in charge of ceremonies, "I have some confidential matters to discuss with Divine Might Marquis. Please have the Minister of Grand Ritualist and his men leave first."
Ji Wenchang looked helpless. Since they were discussing confidential matters, these people who were regulated by Ritual Cultivator could not be present to listen.
It seems he underestimated the Divine Might Marquis's standing in His Highness's heart.
Even saying just this once isn't enough.
Ji Wenchang and the three Ritual Cultivator respectfully rose and bowed, saying, "Your subject obeys."
Then he led Ritual Cultivator out the door.
As soon as they left, Wu Emperor changed from kneeling to sitting with his legs spread apart, took a cushion and lay back, took off his pearl and jade crown and belt, casually threw them aside, loosened his clothes and let out a long sigh.
"Ugh, how annoying! I just came out for a trip with my sister, Grand Ritualist has to bring people to record my words and actions."
Zhao Xing felt more at ease and switched back to his private conversation with Ji Che: "The Grand Ritualist, well, this is his job, we can't let them go hungry. By the way, Fifth Brother, did you come with the Eldest Princess?"
Ji Che shook his head. "Not the eldest sister, the seventh sister."
Seventh Sister is Ji Yingluo, who later became the "Thousand Year Princess" who created the "insect".
Ji Yingluo is already eighty years old, but as the emperor's elder sister, she is destined to live a very long life.
So he's still quite young.
"Seventh Sister, along with the granddaughters of Duke Yang and Duke of Wei, were playing in the Duicao Hall."
Zhao Xing nodded slightly. "What's the deal with that prince from the Kingdom of Westhemos you mentioned? How arrogant is he? Why did you insist on getting him into trouble?"
Wu Emperor was a very magnanimous person, and under normal circumstances he would not have cared about a mere prince from a small vassal state.
The West Sea Kingdom is a tiny place. Let alone a prince, even if he were a king, so what? He wouldn't be taken seriously by Ji Che at all.
"Para Jinko wants to marry Seventh Sister! Your small country, your barbarian subjects, how dare you have such thoughts!" Ji Che exclaimed excitedly, "Elder brother, don't you think he's arrogant enough?!"
"Oh? Did he submit his credentials, a formal memorial? I've never heard of that before," Zhao Xing said, puzzled.
"No, not at all."
"They made some boastful claims and acted arrogantly, didn't they?"
"Not really, but they've been fawning over me for months, even chasing me all the way to the Daoyuan Continent —isn't that obvious enough?"
Zhao Xing:
"...
Well, it seems that the incident Princess Youruo back then still left Wu Emperor with psychological trauma.
The other party did nothing but offer a few acts of kindness, Ji Che got angry. He couldn't stand the prince of Morse Country no matter how he looked at him.
This was a common practice during the reigns of Grand Ancestor and Wen Emperor, and it wasn't a big deal even if someone actually submitted a memorial.
The vassal states of the West Sea are different from the Four Great Royal Courts of the Southern Wilderness. They have always submitted to the Western Sea and have always paid tribute.
Now, just thinking about it, Zhao Xing doesn't really think this can be considered "arrogant".
But that wouldn't work with Wu Emperor.
Just thinking about it? Even thinking about it isn't enough!
"Elder brother," Ji Che straightened up, "You've come at the right time. I can't very well beat him up myself, so you can help me teach that Prince Jinke a lesson and dispel his foolish ideas!"
Zhao Xing nodded. "What do you want me to do?"
Upon seeing Zhao Xing agree, Ji Che immediately smiled and said, "Prince Jinke is at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Luck Realm. He carries with him five experts from the country, all of whom are at the peak of the Heavenly Luck Realm. He boasts to everyone about the achievements of his five experts."
"I can't refute it, because Father just praised them. His five experts did indeed achieve some results in the war against the Sith Clan."
The Morse Clan were a vassal state of the Great Zhou, but the Sith Clan were not. They did not submit to the Great Zhou and even frequently attacked its Great Zhou states. They were very ambitious and had been expanding in the Western Extremity region.
That place is too far away and extremely cold, making it unsuitable for farming and development.
If we want to cultivate the land, then Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, would have to bring the divine artifact of the Solar Terms Decree and spend several hundred years melting a portion of the glaciers.
However, glacial melting can have uncontrollable consequences, such as potentially releasing viruses frozen in ancient ice.
Therefore, the Great Zhou never intended to occupy that area; it only supported a few vassal states and planted a few flags there.
The Great Zhou was in a period of transition, and the Morse Clan had rendered meritorious service in the fight against the Sith Clan. Emperor Jing had just praised Prince Jin Ke. Ji Che could not openly express his dissatisfaction.
It was even more impossible for him to send out his own top experts to beat up Jin Ke, so he had no choice but to find someone else.
Since his younger brother had asked, Zhao Xing was naturally happy to do this small favor.
He came here to find an expert to cut it; this was just a side trip.
However, we still need to find out more about the other party's background.
"Fighting is not out of the question, but you have to tell me roughly what his warrior's fighting strength is."
"I'm just sending an avatar made of top-grade eighth-tier materials. Don't let me get caught off guard."
With a single clone on the field, the True Self Faction's spells are basically unusable, and the Transformation of Seasons Art are also unavailable. They can only rely on the Time Law and Earthly Advantage Method to fight the enemy.
The clone that came was slightly modified, but its magical understanding was only about 80% of that of the original.
"If it's too strong, I'll have to bring the real body over," Zhao Xing said.
In short, since we're all in the Daoyuan Continent, it won't take me more than a few days to make a trip here. And comprehend the "Soldier Envoy Divine Art" in ten or fifteen days.
The most important thing is to help Wu Emperor and improve our relationship!
"I was ready." Ji Che waved his hand, and a Earth Mirror floated over from the side.
"Brother, take a look. This is the battle record of Jin Ke and his five warriors."
"Jin Ke himself has only played one game, but his five warriors have already played more than a dozen games here."
Zhao Xing took the Earth Mirror, but before he could even look at it, he heard cheers and sounds of frustration coming from outside.
"His ' Ice Chart King ' has won again." Ji Che snorted.
If Zhao Xing listened carefully, he would discover that in several halls in the distance, there were still some young masters and noble ladies placing bets.
It seems this Ice Chart King has won many matches, causing them to lose a lot of money.
The money isn't the main issue; the real problem is losing face.
Ji Che smiled on the surface, but in his heart he was cursing.
Zhao Xing immediately understood what was going on. As a prince of a vassal state, Jin Ke was somewhat ignorant. They didn't send any experts to let you pick and fight anyone to show your bravery, but you kept winning. Didn't you give the future Di Yi face?
Zhao Xing examined it carefully and began to evaluate it in his mind.
"All five warriors are at the peak of the Heavenly Luck Realm. Judging from these thirty-odd battles alone, the other three are second-tier experts above the standard level. They have mastered a single first-grade true meaning, and have at least mastered a top-level spell. They also have rich combat experience."
"You can tell from how they use the environment that almost everyone can easily distort the rules of heaven and earth."
Distortion, not change, still falls within the scope of Second Rank.
"Only ' Ice Chart King ' and ' Kro King ' can be considered first-rate in strength," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Of course, they're not quite in the category of peerless geniuses."
The standard for the Second Rank corresponds to the true meaning of the Second Rank, with a slight distortion of the rules.
If one exceeds the standard, masters the true meaning of a single first-grade technique, or achieves mastery of at least one top-tier magic or martial art, then one is considered to be in the second tier.
The first tier consists of those who have mastered multiple first-grade true meanings, and have achieved mastery of multiple top-level techniques or martial arts. Moreover, they are quite powerful and have mastered one or two ultimate moves, which allows them to survive against first-grade opponents.
Top-tier refers to unparalleled geniuses who can cultivate a rule domain at the Second Rank rank. For example, Ye Yukong, who cultivated the Bright Moon Domain more than a hundred years after entering the Second Rank.
Zhao Xing had not yet been born into a rule domain, and he did not know what would happen if he went all out.
"Having mastered all five elements and various top-tier techniques, even without a domain, one's skills are close to the Dao. In actual combat, one might not be inferior to someone who has just comprehended the rules and domain."
"If I were to bring the Ten Thousand Laws Clone, the Ten Thousand Laws Clone Technique would be too powerful. It was said that Xu Xing could use the Ten Thousand Laws Clone to fight ten Li Boqian. Even if their Dao level was slightly lower, they could still create an overwhelming advantage."
"The level of Tao can be regarded as internal strength. Magic is skill and technique, which is the application of the Tao of Heaven and Earth, turning enlightenment into powerful techniques."
"We can't just rely on data; we need to look at real-world examples."
"Both Ice Chart King and Kro King are top-tier martial artists; my clone should be enough for them."
Zhao Xing didn't take the other three seriously.
It's already quite good if a prince from a small vassal state can bring two top-tier experts with him when he goes on a diplomatic mission to a superior country.
Those top-tier talents? With such a massive population as the Great Zhou, there wouldn't be more than fifty top-tier talents. Small countries don't produce that easily.
After observing for a while, Zhao Xing concluded that although Ice Chart King and Kro King were holding back, the possibility of them being top-tier experts was extremely slim.
"Brother, how is it?" Seeing Zhao Xing put down the Earth Mirror, Ji Che couldn't help but show an expectant look on his face.
"No problem," Zhao Xing smiled. "But Fifth Brother can challenge the other three warriors first, so I can warm up. It's been a few years since I've had a fight."
"Alright, elder brother, you rest for a moment, I'll go make the arrangements right away." Ji Che flashed his bright white teeth and smiled happily.
As for Zhao Xing, he secretly summoned the true form of the Shangluo Academy, since he hadn't made a move in a long time.
If something seems off after three matches, the main character can be brought in.
Fighting against the strong in one's own country is acceptable if one loses, but what if one loses to the strong in a vassal state? Even if it's just a clone that loses, it's still a disgrace, and a disgrace that extends abroad.
Zhao Xing estimated that the strongmen who fought against the vassal states would not be needed, but he was used to being prepared, so when Ji Che made the arrangements, his true form also left the Shangluo Academy.
Two and a half days later, Zhao Xing was arranged by Ji Che to attend the same banquet as Prince Jinke of the Morse Country.
Ji Che's friendly attitude towards Zhao Xing at the banquet aroused Prince Jinke's curiosity. "Your Highness, this Shangguan is dashing and has an extraordinary temperament. May I ask which master he is from the Celestial Empire?"
"Jin Ke, this is Zhao Xing, the Divine Might Marquis of our dynasty," Ji Che said with a smile. He did not introduce Jin Ke in detail, for fear that Jin Ke would know too much and be afraid to fight him.
"Prince." Zhao Xing put down his chopsticks and nodded slightly as a form of greeting.
Such an arrogant attitude immediately caused the warriors next to Prince Jinke to frown slightly.
A marquis, facing their prince, didn't even bother to properly bow or offer a toast; he simply nodded.
However, their dissatisfaction was merely in their hearts. Just as they thought, Zhao Xing was only a marquis, while they were all "kings" in the country. Zhao Xing was not qualified for them to take the initiative to challenge him.
They didn't challenge him, but Zhao Xing wanted them to take the initiative. "I've heard that Prince Mo has five warriors who performed well in the war against the small kingdom of Sith. Why don't they demonstrate their prowess with swords and add to His Highness's enjoyment?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Che was overjoyed and almost burst out laughing.
Princess Yingluo, sitting in the first seat on the lower left, had a strange look in her eyes.
The other nobles and their descendants acted as if it were perfectly normal, showing no reaction whatsoever, and even waiting for Prince Moss to send someone up to perform a sword dance.
Because in their hearts, Marquis Zhao Xing of Divine Might Marquis was fully qualified to say such things.
The Divine Might Marquis of my Great Zhou is already giving you face by letting you, little prince, perform a sword dance to entertain the guests. You have no choice but to accept it.
Prince Morse's expression was rather unpleasant. As for the other five powerful figures, a hint of anger flashed in their eyes.
Having heard so many compliments and won so many battles in recent days, they've become a bit arrogant.
Suddenly a marquis appeared, demanding that these "kings" perform a sword dance to entertain them?
It's not that they wouldn't perform a sword dance for Ji Che, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou, but if Ji Che said it, they would consider it an honor. What right would a mere marquis have?
Such a stubborn and arrogant attitude, they really don't take them seriously at all!
Beside Jin Ke, a middle-aged man with blue hair immediately spoke up, "The main hall is too cramped to perform any tricks. Why not have a ritual performed in the temple to add to the festivities?"
"This Lord Zhao, being granted the title of Divine Might Marquis by the Celestial Dynasty, must possess extraordinary abilities. How about we have a ' Suo Suo '?"
Zhao Xing pretended to be reluctant. "Alright, then let's loosen up a bit."
These words made Prince Jinke, Suo Suo, Ice Chart King, and Kro King grit their teeth in hatred.
A marquis, who is only at the mid-stage of the Second Rank, dares to say that he can easily defeat us?
You're such a show-off!
Ji Che feigned concern and advised, "You two should stop here and not ruin the harmony."
Zhao Xing nodded. "Your Highness, rest assured, I will show mercy."
Upon hearing this, Suo Suo truly couldn't hold back any longer. His eyes blazed with fury. "Fine, I, Suo Suo, will certainly see how you intend to show mercy!"
With a "whoosh," he didn't even bother with formalities and rushed out.
"Leaving without informing me is rude!" Ji Wenchang frowned.
Upon hearing this, Prince Jinke, in order to maintain his composure in front of Ji Yingluo, could only smile and bow respectfully.
Deep down, I was very dissatisfied. Why didn't you say anything when Zhao Xing was being rude?
After bowing respectfully, Zhao Xing quickly flew out of the main hall.
Ji Che smiled and raised his glass, "Come on, Jin Ke, let's keep drinking and watching!"
"Thank you for the wine, Your Highness." Jin Ke raised his wine cup and began to stack his armor. "If Suo Suo accidentally injures someone, please forgive him, Your Highness."
"How could that be?" Ji Che grinned. "Would I be so petty? Let's drink!"
Prince Jinke was finally relieved.
As soon as Suo Suo and Zhao Xing flew out of the Magic Array of the floating island, they were immediately randomly moved by the rule Magic Array.
Since the dojo simulates a battlefield environment, it takes into account a wide variety of situations.
The initial distance between the combatants is not fixed. Sometimes they are far apart, which makes it easier for magic-based classes to set up in advance. Sometimes they are close together, which simulates an encounter battle and gives them very little Favorable Weather.
Of course, as long as there are magic classes, even the shortest distance will be more than three thousand meters. After all, mages can't charge to the front line and fight face-to-face with others, right?
Zhao Xing and Suo Suo appeared randomly in the sky above the "Wind Tunnel Area", ten thousand meters apart.
Suo Suo was a Wind Warrior. When he saw the Wind Tunnel battle area appear, a cold smile appeared on his lips.
"Boom!"
A wisp of azure energy emanated from his body, circulating and intertwining, eventually forming a phantom of an ice sheep behind him. Without a word, Suo Suo activated his Golden Body Dharma Form. He wanted to defeat Zhao Xing as quickly as possible and show the future emperor of the Great Zhou what a warrior of the Morse Country was like!
Ten thousand meters is not a long distance for someone in the Heavenly Luck Realm.
With his bare hands, Suo Suo took a step forward, and the blue air currents beneath his feet suddenly twisted. In the next moment, he had crossed a distance of a thousand meters.
"By distorting the rules with the Wind True Intent, I have achieved the effect of shrinking the earth to an inch." Zhao Xing smiled slightly and calmly Supporting Cloud.
Even if he stood still at 10,000 meters, it would take Suo Suo ten breaths to get close.
However, this person was also cunning. For the first eight kilometers, he traversed at a constant speed, with each step covering exactly one kilometer.
But in the last two kilometers, he suddenly sprang into action, leaping across the distance and quickly catching up with Zhao Xing.
"Fall down!"
The Golden Body Dharma Form, originally two zhang tall, emitted a hazy light and instantly grew to twenty zhang.
"Shut up~"
As he threw a punch, the ice sheep roared to the sky, and dozens of cyan vortexes appeared, generating a powerful suction force from the cyan wind.
He pulled Zhao Xing's figure and rammed him into his fist.
"Buzz~"
The figure vanished, but Suo Suo didn't actually hit its target.
"Afterimage? When did he leave the lock-on range of Storm God Fist?" Suo Suo in surprise.
However, before he could find Zhao Xing, he felt a chill down his spine.
"Boom!"
The Three Yin Thunder Seal was imprinted on Suo Suo's back, instantly knocking him from the sky to the ground.
A large crater suddenly appeared in the ground, and the inertia caused the Suo Suo to plow a long trench, with dust flying everywhere.
With the Supporting Cloud cover in place, the Nether Thunder Law becomes virtually unpredictable.
Hidden within the thunderclouds, Suo Suo couldn't distinguish whether it was natural lightning energy or a magical Nether Thunder Law. The key was its Yin nature—concealed and difficult to detect.
"Not bad moves, but your reaction is a bit slow," Zhao Xing's voice rang out from the clouds, commenting like a superior.
In the distance, many floating spheres spun around, capturing the sounds and images of the two combatants and transmitting them to the Earth Mirror.
Inside the main hall, a hint of surprise flashed in Prince Jinke's eyes.
Ice Chart King and Kro King also looked towards the Earth Mirror, only to find that Suo Suo had been completely crushed.
In a single encounter, he was utterly defeated.
"Boom!" The earth shook violently. Sensing the battle around them, the underground wind tunnel changed instantly, with a strong repulsive force emanating from underground.
With the help of the strong wind, Suo Suo shot into the sky.
"If that was your strongest move, then you can admit defeat." Zhao Xing looked down at Suo Suo. "You're not even enough for me to warm up."
This is the truth. Of Zhao Xing's Eighty-One Cloud Gates, eighteen of them are enhancements to the Rain Art "Heavenly Eclipse" and "Profound Heaven Thunder Law".
But the most significant increase was in "Ruler of the Horizon", because "Tears Scale Horizon" was originally Cloud Method!
Zhao Xing possessed the true meaning of the Five Elements of the First Grade, and two of the top-level techniques. With the amplification of the Supporting Cloud Support, Suo Suo had no chance of touching him.
"Admit defeat? Your lightning magic is just a tickle!" Suo Suo roared. "Take one of my punches and you won't be able to get up! Take this!"
He continued rushing forward.
Zhao Xing remained standing still, waiting to see if he had any stronger moves.
"Roar!" Suo Suo roared, and the ice sheep dharma image behind him became even larger, while the area encompassed by the cyan vortex also expanded.
With the help of the repulsive force generated by the wind tunnel, Suo Suo's speed was even faster this time, and the power of the Storm God Fist was also greater.
Unfortunately, the gap between the two was too great.
"That's all." Zhao Xing sensed that Suo Suo's move had increased in power, but not by much, and had not reached the level of a first-class Heavenly Luck Realm.
"Sizzle!"
Suddenly, a large amount of purplish-black lightning appeared in the thunderclouds. The lightning bolts pierced through the sky and the earth, and once they appeared, they did not extinguish. They instantly twisted together, and one lightning bolt after another intertwined.
Cold Shattering Thunder Domain!
Faced with this inescapable, freezing thunder, Suo Suo had no choice but to endure it.
"Sizzle~"
The black lightning in the lightning field twisted and turned. Suo Suo only lasted three breaths before he felt suffocated. He was in excruciating pain and his whole body was ice cold, as if death was coming.
"Buzz~"
The protective rules within the Earth-level training ground activated, determining that Suo Suo was in mortal danger. An orange-yellow light shone from Suo Suo's body, instantly teleporting him out of the thundercloud region and throwing him back to the floating island.
A burst of lightning flashed, and Zhao Xing shouted towards a spherical Earth Mirror Recorder: "Your Highness, I haven't had enough yet!"
Why not let Prince Jinke's other warriors come down and give it a try?
"Alright!" Ji Che immediately put down his wine glass and looked at Prince Jinke. "Jin Ke, what do you think?"
Having said all that, what else could he do?
Prince Jinke immediately replied, "As Your Highness wishes."
He then looked at Ice Chart King, "Yang Bing, you go."
Yang Bing is the name of the Great Zhou Ice Chart King.
"Yes." Yang Bing immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Ji Che, and flew out of the hall.
Zhao Xing was not surprised to see that it was Ice Chart King who flew over.
If Prince Jinke wasn't completely stupid, he wouldn't have let the other two, whose strength was similar to Suo Suo's, continue to lose. "The top-tier magic of the vassal states is indeed weaker. I beat Suo Suo easily. I wonder how this Ice Chart King is." Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Small vassal states and states, where would they find so many top-tier lineages? They could be counted on one hand, and Ultimate Law were simply nonexistent.
Of course, over the years, the Morse Country has also obtained many powerful individuals from the Great Zhou, but it is impossible to obtain top-tier cores.
Such supreme methods as the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet and those that point directly to the ultimate truth cannot be passed on.
"." Ice Chart King appeared ten thousand meters away, enveloped in a protective Golden Light. Zhao Xing's cloud formation also dissipated after the battle resumed.
They appeared above a wilderness.
"Buzz~"
When the protective Golden Light disappeared, the Ice Chart King immediately became transparent, his entire body like an ice crystal, and finally vanished completely into the air.
"Hmm? This move is actually quite clever." Zhao Xing activated his Heaven's Eye Art, but he still couldn't see where the Ice Chart King had gone.
"The Frost Martial Body, with its Golden Body completely transparent, and its mastery of the first-grade water essence ' Heaven One True Water,' combined with the Ice Chart King's movements, makes him completely invisible."
Due to environmental factors, the martial artists of the Morse Country mostly follow the "Qi Sect Path," believing that the body is the best weapon.
Ice Chart King is considered a rare advancement among martial arts professions.
"It was this stealth technique that allowed Ice Chart King to easily defeat his opponents in the previous dozen or so matches."
The Heaven One True Intent perfectly matches his martial arts and battle form; the one that vanished between heaven and earth is ethereal and without a trace.
With the ability to master the Heaven One True Water to build his martial body, Ice Chart King can be considered a top-tier expert.
"His speed is even faster." Zhao Xing didn't dare to be careless and immediately Supporting Cloud.
There were eighty-one Cloud Gate, and Zhao Xing's figure disappeared into the clouds through one of them.
Ice Chart King frowned, because he could no longer track Zhao Xing's movements.
"How could this be? I possess the Heaven One True Intent. Logically, the water in the clouds should have told me its whereabouts. How could it have completely disappeared?"
As they were pondering, the clouds rapidly expanded, soon covering the entire battle area.
"What? Such a large area?" Ice Chart King was immediately shocked.
No matter which direction you look, the clouds seem to stretch on and on.
"Every move leaves a trace! I've found you!" Ice Chart King sensed carefully and immediately rushed into a certain direction in the clouds.
He was confident in his martial arts prowess and wasn't afraid even if he entered the opponent's territory.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~"
Rhomboid ice crystals appeared around the Ice Chart King, exuding a fierce aura as they covered Zhao Xing's location.
"He's really something. He can draw power from my Cloud Method and absorb my cloud energy to turn it into ice crystals for attacks."
Zhao Xing watched the ice shards shooting towards him, then retreated behind a Cloud Gate.
The next second, he appeared from Cloud Gate in another direction.
"Um?"
Ice Chart King frowned upon realizing his attack had missed. "What kind of Cloud Method is this?"
He felt that Zhao Xing was very far away from him.
With such a large gap, he simply couldn't attack the opponent.
"Buzz~"
The eighty-one Cloud Gate immediately rotated, surrounding Ice Chart King in layers.
"Ice Shattering Palm!"
Ice Chart King unleashed a Cloud Gate attack, a wisp of blue light emanating from his palm.
Blue light instantly covered the Cloud Gate, then began to disintegrate inch by inch, shattering one of the Cloud Gate.
But in the blink of an eye, another Cloud Gate appeared in the original location. "Shatter!"
"Bang bang bang bang bang bang!"
Ice Chart King continued to strike, and after shattering the Cloud Gate, he tried to break free.
Each strike unleashed the power of frost, distorting the space around the Cloud Gate and successfully fixing and shattering one of the gates.
But there are too many Cloud Gate. No matter how many he breaks, Zhao Xing can instantly create new Cloud Gate.
Moreover, the clouds are constantly moving, which means that there are always eighty-one doors surrounding the Ice Chart King, making it impossible for him to get out!
"Combine!"
Zhao Xing began to shrink the living space of the Ice Chart King.
"Boom!"
Ice Chart King shattered the Cloud Gate with a single punch, attempting to break through, but no matter how he moved, whichever direction he flew, or how he used his movement techniques to dodge, he could not completely escape the Cloud Gate formation.
Meanwhile, the Essence Siphon effect in the Cloud Gate was taking effect, causing his vital energy to decrease, while Zhao Xing continued to replenish it.
While both Zhao Xing and Bing Tu Wang were at the pinnacle of their respective magical abilities, Zhao Xing's understanding of the Dao was even stronger, leaving Ice Chart King completely unable to break free.
Soon, he was enveloped by Cloud Gate.
They fell into the "Layered Cloud Realm".
"Swish swish swish~"
Passing through one door, you enter another cloud-like space, and this room is filled with doors everywhere.
"Oh no!" Ice Chart King realized that he had fallen into a clever trap.
"Sizzle~"
Dense, purplish-black lightning contracted and emerged from the clouds, writhing around the Ice Chart King's body.
"Golden Body Dharma Form! Break!"
A white, raging bear appeared behind the Ice Chart King, roaring to the sky and forcefully breaking through the strangulation of lightning, casually slipping into another doorway.
"Sizzle!"
Upon entering another cloud-like space, they were immediately met with dozens of Heavenly Thunder Finger and Zhao Xing's figure disappearing into another door.
"Damn it! Don't go!" Ice Chart King's anger continued to rise, and he endured dozens more Heavenly Thunder Finger strikes as he continued to chase after them.
"Mouth~" Entering the next door, they arrived at another cloud-like space.
Heavy rain poured down!
The ultimate Nine Turns Rain Art, "Heavenly Eclipse"!
"~"
The raindrops were black, and when they fell on Ice Chart King, he discovered that his Ice Crystal Martial Body had countless small holes.
Smoke billowed from the cave entrance, constantly eroding his Golden Body.
"Swish swish~"
He endured the pain and numbness, and rushed into the next door to search for Zhao Xing's whereabouts.
When he emerged from the ' Heavenly Eclipse ' cloud chamber, his entire body was covered in black pits and craters, and the ice crystals had become turbid, making him look like a zebra.
"Shatter Ice Rebirth!"
Ice Chart King's body trembled, and ice crystals fell off his body continuously. Soon he shrank a size, but his Frost Martial Body regained its radiance and became transparent and flawless.
"To be able to endure three rooms in the Layered Cloud Realm, Ice Chart King is truly resilient," Zhao Xing remarked, observing the Second Rank ice martial artist. "However, after passing through the Heavenly Eclipse Cloud Room, his vital energy decreased significantly, resulting in substantial depletion."
"Far greater than the damage Lei Fa inflicted on him."
While the Ice Chart King had mastered the top-tier lightning technique, his physical body was also at the top level, and his Golden Body Dharma Form had reached the top level of power transformation, so the lightning technique had limited effectiveness against him.
The pure and flawless Frost Battle Body, when struck by lightning, seemed to pass right through it, with most of its power leaking out, at most only causing the Ice Chart King a slight itch.
However, the Rain Art Heavenly Eclipse depleted a large portion of Ice Chart King's vital energy in an instant.
"Damn it, this Divine Might Marquis keeps hiding! I can't catch up with him." Ice Chart King was extremely annoyed.
"I can break through his cloud barrier, but then I enter another cloud world, and this cycle continues indefinitely. Sooner or later I will run out of energy and be unable to maintain my Frost Battle Body and Golden Body Dharma Form."
Even though he clearly felt that Divine Might Marquis's cultivation level was similar to his own, the power of his spells wasn't particularly strong.
At least the other party had not comprehended the realm of rules. In terms of the level of Dao and the level of technique, the two were not much different.
However, Zhao Xing was more skilled, and the lightning, clouds, and rain he had already unleashed, along with the layers of magical space, were all top-level spells, which made the Ice Chart King feel extremely aggrieved.
"Crack crack crack~" Ice Chart King entered the fourth cloud space and faced a combination of spells.
Heavenly Eclipse and the Five Elements Yin Thunder World.
The surrounding clouds turned pure black, without a trace of light.
The raindrops were also black. Ice Chart King unleashed his power in an attempt to raise his Dharma form, but the raindrops still pierced through it.
The Heavenly Eclipse breached the defenses, followed closely by dark, ominous lightning that seeped in through the small holes pierced by raindrops.
"Ahhhh~~"
Ice Chart King finally felt intense pain; the Yin Thunder penetrated to his bones, and the pain seeped into his marrow.
He immediately used "Shatter Ice Rebirth" to try and break out.
But at that moment, the clouds suddenly disappeared.
Ice Chart King found himself regaining his radiance.
Zhao Xing was looking down at him from not far away.
"That's good, Yang Bing. You did a great job."
Zhao Xing stopped torturing his opponent. Ice Chart King had no way to escape, so continuing would not be a friendly spar, but pure torture.
"Thank you for showing mercy, Divine Might Marquis. I concede defeat." With a way out, Ice Chart King accepted it.
Ice Chart King was also impressed; he had never been played so badly by someone of the same level before.
It should be noted that Zhao Xing's clone only displayed the aura of the Middle Heavenly Luck Realm, while he himself had already reached the peak of Heavenly Fortune!
Since the other party didn't force him to play out of the protection rules and throw him out, Ice Chart King naturally had to seize this opportunity to admit defeat.
"Swish swish~"
Zhao Xing grabbed the Ice Chart King's body and infused him with a layer of vital energy. By the time they flew back to the floating island, the Ice King's body had been almost completely repaired.
"This is... the Wood True Intent at the first rank?" Ice Chart King exclaimed in shock. "You've mastered two first-rank essences?"
When true intention constructs the Dao body and martial body, the vital energy will also change.
Just now, Ice Chart King felt a surge of vitality!
He didn't know which one it was because he had never seen it before.
"Hmm." Zhao Xing nodded. The Wood True Intent he had grasped in the Myriad Dao Tree was the Azure Firmament True Intent.
His vitality was so great that it not only made his life force very strong, but his true essence also had a strong restorative effect.
"The Celestial Empire truly boasts a wealth of powerful individuals," Ice Chart King couldn't help but sigh. "Those we defeated earlier probably couldn't be considered true powerhouses."
They were Second-Rank Heavenly Fate Realm cultivators, carefully selected and nurtured by the nation with abundant resources. After arriving in the Daoyuan Continent and defeating some ordinary Second Rank cultivators, they couldn't help but feel smug and self-satisfied.
Now, after fighting Zhao Xing, he immediately realized the reality.
"If even a Divine Might Marquis is this strong, what kind of power would King Grade expert possess?"
Upon returning to the main hall, Ice Chart King knelt on one knee and said, "Your Highness, I am no Divine Might Marquis, and I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
Prince Jinke's face was somewhat grim, because he had just witnessed the Ice Chart King's body being torn and tattered.
His second-best fighter under the Demon King was defeated just like that?
And he actually accepted his defeat wholeheartedly?
"Hahaha." Ji Che was very happy. "What a wonderful Dao Debate Tournament! I am very pleased. Someone, bring out a pot of thousand-year-old Purple Jade Nectar and give it to Yang Bing as a reward."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Ice Chart King said respectfully.
Prince Jinke is acting strangely; why doesn't he reward Divine Might Marquis?
Little did he know that the gifts Ji Che gave to Zhao Xing during holidays and festivals included dozens of buckets of this stuff in Zhao Xing's house!
A pot of tea? You call that a reward for my elder brother? I can't accept that! Besides, my elder brother is one of us. He helped me fight, so what's the point of talking about a reward?
Jin Ke seemed to have gotten used to Zhao Xing's behavior and was starting to understand something. This Divine Might Marquis seemed to be quite remarkable.
But why haven't I heard of his reputation? He's not even listed in the rankings of the dojo.
Just as Zhao Xing was about to take his seat, Kro King, who was sitting next to Prince Jinke, suddenly spoke up. His tone was both excited and respectful. "Divine Might Marquis, your Divine Might Marquis guidance."
Zhao Xing looked at Kro King and pondered, "Kro King, from your previous battle, I observed that your opponents' spells and martial arts were all distorted and weakened considerably when facing you. Are you skilled in Soul Secret Technique?"
According to the official records, Kro King is a sorcerer specializing in the Five Elements. He Gao Ming in magic and knows more than Ice Chart King.
In his previous battles, he had easily defeated his opponents. Whether it was martial arts or magic, the power of his opponents would be greatly reduced before they even touched him.
Therefore, Zhao Xing guessed that this Kro King was a soul sorcerer.
"Divine Might Marquis is indeed insightful. Indeed, my strongest move is a secret technique of the soul." Kro King became increasingly interested, and he really wanted to fight Zhao Xing.
"You are no match for me," Zhao Xing said. He was joking, of course. What kind of Soul Secret Technique could compare to the Derivation God Art?
Even if this clone of mine only has one-tenth of its soul power, it's still not something Kro King can defeat.
"Your Highness, please allow me to have a match with Divine Might Marquis." Kro King's lips moved, his eyes filled with longing.
Among their peers in their own country, they are virtually unmatched, with Kro King being especially invincible.
Now that they see how strong Zhao Xing is, they are unwilling to give up easily.
Prince Jinke was truly annoyed. Seeing Kro King's agitation, he hissed, "Don't be so presumptuous!"
"Jin Ke, don't be such a spoilsport," Ji Che laughed. "Why not let him give it a try?"
Weren't you so smug before? Why are you scared now?
That won't do. I have to show you the difference!
Ji Che gave Zhao Xing a look.
Zhao Xing felt helpless, so he nodded. "Since Your Highness has said so—Kro, you may make your move here, using your most proficient soul technique."
Jin Ke's expression changed drastically. "This is the main hall! How can we do this? What if we offend His Highness and the Princess?!"
Ji Yingluo said, "The princess of Great Zhou is not as delicate as you think. I believe that Divine Might Marquis can control the scope of the competition. Prince, please just let your subordinates try."
Ji Che's face darkened. Why was this guy worried about the princess?
Is that something you should be worried about?!
Jin Ke, observing the situation, had no choice but to nod helplessly to Kro King.
"Divine Might Marquis, please!"
Kro King stood up, his pupils dilated, and his soul power suddenly burst forth from his eyes.
Those were two soul spears, incredibly solid, seemingly real and unreal, their blackness captivating.
In the instant the attack was launched, the two soul spears actually merged into one.
"Mouth~"
The light inside the hall seemed to have dimmed.
Zhao Xing remained unmoved, but his soul took a step forward, suddenly leaving his body, and grasped the black soul spear with one hand.
"Po~"
The Soul Spear trembled for a second before being crushed. In the instant it exploded, Zhao Xing rubbed his hands together, compressing the aftershocks of the explosion between them.
A few breaths later, the black spear completely disappeared.
Zhao Xing's soul emanated a faint Golden Light, instantly brightening the hall once more.
He then returned to his clone.
"Huff~" Kro King's face turned pale, his eyes went limp, he was panting heavily, and his body was trembling.
"Kro!" Prince Jinke was immediately startled.
The invincible Crowe in his heart was actually like this?
"He's fine. He'll recover after drinking the Purple Jade Nectar and resting for half a month," Zhao Xing said.
He had been slow in destroying the opponent's soul spear, which gave Kro King time to control the backlash.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed more than half a month of rest to recover.
"Many thanks to Divine Might Marquis for showing mercy. Only today does King Kro realize the vastness of the world." Kro King bowed with trembling hands, his eyes filled with utter shock.
Seeing that his two strongest subordinates had been defeated and subdued, Prince Jinke instantly lost his temper.
When your opponent becomes strong enough, you lose the will to compare.
"Hahaha, brilliant!" Ji Che laughed heartily, clapping his hands in admiration. "To be able to exchange blows with a clone of the Divine Might Marquis, you truly deserve to be called a warrior of the Morse Country."
"What?! A clone?!"
Upon hearing this, Jin Ke, Kro, Suo Suo, and Bingtu were stunned.
Ji Che smiled and said, "Let me reintroduce you all. Before you is the second person in the world to master the Ten Thousand Laws Clone, the Vice Dean of the Shangluo Academy, and the Divine Might Marquis of the Great Zhou."
Zhao Xing felt helpless. This young man not only kills people, he also destroys their spirit.
As expected, the people of Morse Country were immediately silenced.
"So, so you are Zhao Xing ---" Prince Jinke suddenly remembered that he seemed to have heard this name a long time ago.
However, Zhao Xing kept a low profile for over a hundred years, and they, living far away in the Western Extremity, gradually forgot about him.
When it comes to the Ten Thousand Laws Clone, Prince Jinke truly fits the bill.
"A mere clone has subdued a powerful figure under my demonic influence?"
"The strength of the Great Zhou is truly terrifying." Prince Jinke felt a chill run down his spine. He was startled and seemed to realize the significance behind this battle.
He immediately rose and went to the center of the hall to bow, saying, "I am a subject of a small country, and I did not recognize the name of Divine Might Marquis. I have offended you in the past. Please forgive me, Your Divine Might Marquis."
Ji Che happily got up, lifted his robe and walked down, helping Prince Jinke and the five generals to their feet.
"Why do you say that, Your Highness? Please rise."
"You are all subjects of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and you are all meritorious warriors. My father instructed me that since you have come from afar, I should do my best to be a good host and make sure you have a great time."
"Come, come, please take a seat!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Prince Jinke and the others bowed again and shouted before taking their seats.
Seeing that Prince Jinke Ji Che longer glanced at Ji Yingluo and had become much more upright, Ji Che clapped his hands in satisfaction.
"Guards! Attend the Palace Music and summon the Dancer Master!"
"Today, I will drink with you all until we are completely drunk!"
Ji Wenchang wanted to say that it was against the rules that only court musicians could play Palace Music, but he opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing and just closed his eyes.
Out of sight, out of mind!
Ji Yingluo, holding a wine cup, gazed at Zhao Xing with a smile.
Zhao Xing noticed this scene out of the corner of his eye and was immediately taken aback.
Oh no, little brother, you want me to fight this? You don't have any other plans, do you?
It's better not to learn from Lao Jing's idea of killing multiple birds with one stone!
As the banquet grew lively, Ji Che began to arrange activities and entertainment Liubo).
Zhao Xing was coincidentally assigned to the same group as Ji Yingluo.
"Wow, little brother, you really want me to be your brother-in-law?" Zhao Xing knew perfectly well that Wu Emperor was trying to match them up.
What probability grouping... isn't that just a piece of cake?
It's a cover-up! A complete cover-up!
"Being a brother-in-law isn't a bad idea, but this guy is a pervert who plays with insects. Can't we find someone else?" Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Just as he was thinking about how to get along with the eccentric princess Ji Yingluo, a palace servant suddenly walked in from outside the main hall to report.
"Your Highness, Princess, Divine Might Marquis."
"The duel between Liu Tianning, Dean of the Shangluo Academy, and Ling Tianchen, Vice Dean of the Mystic Heaven Academy, will begin in a quarter of an hour."
"The location is the Heaven-Ranked Debate Dao Field No. 1."
"The Eldest Princess invites you, the Princess, and Divine Might Marquis to go to the upper city to watch the battle."