Legendary Story

After entrusting two hundred thousand elite troops to the Second Prince, the An Tong Emperor did not rest easy.

After the Second Prince led his army north, he gathered another massive cavalry force from various regions. Despite his illness, he personally led and deployed them, preparing for the Second Prince's possible defeat.

At the same time, he dispatched large numbers of scouts to keep watch on the front lines.

Reports from scouts arrived constantly within the command tent.

"Giant troll Chief Ge Mu is suspected of having broken through to the Heaven Treasury Warrior realm. He moved through our army as if no one were there, and our soldiers have suffered grievous casualties. Three Earth Treasury Level generals attempted to stop him, but they could not even withstand a single exchange and were slain on the spot."

"The warrior reserve force joined the battle and fearlessly forced Ge Mu apart from the giant troll army."

"Among the Anlan Ten Great Experts, Zhu Tianming, You Baojiang, Dancer, and others struck in succession, but giant troll Ge Mu seriously wounded them with a single hammer blow, forcing them to withdraw from the battlefield."

"Under the giant troll army's repeated charges, our forces are on the verge of collapse."

The emperor and the generals all frowned deeply upon hearing this. "Ge Mu truly is a Heaven Treasury Warrior!"

Only then did they realize the severity of the situation, and a sense of foreboding rose in their hearts. "It seems I may have to take the field myself."

The command tent fell utterly silent.

After pondering for a long time, the emperor rose and walked outside, issuing an order at the same time. "All generals, follow me into battle and reinforce them to stabilize the situation. Even if every one of our soldiers dies, we must slaughter the giant troll army to the last and cut off the threat at its root!"

The emperor's thinking was simple. The giant troll race had few numbers, so they would trade human lives for giant troll lives. As long as they wore down the giant troll army completely, then even if they failed to kill giant troll Ge Mu, the giant troll race would be finished for good.

He did not believe that Ge Mu, a single giant troll, could reproduce an entire race again...

"By your command!"

Led by the emperor, the group rushed out of the command tent, ready to face death.

Just then, another scout arrived with a report. "A warrior charged alone at the giant troll army led by Ge Mu. After capturing a giant troll, he fled, then turned back and beheaded the pursuing giant troll Ge Mu. Giant troll Ge Mu has fallen."

The emperor and the generals froze on the spot.

"What did you say? Who fell?"

The scout slowed his speech and repeated the report.

Everyone looked at one another.

The emperor wondered whether this scout was simply inexperienced at his work and fond of using exaggerated language in his reports...

One warrior against the giant troll army led by a Heaven Treasury Warrior?

He captured a giant troll and fled?

Then turned back and beheaded Ge Mu?

He just wanted to ask—which part of that sounded remotely human?

Another scout came to report at that moment. "Hand of God Zhuang Hong, known as the Number One Expert Under Heaven, charged alone into the giant troll formation and beheaded giant troll Ge Mu on the spot. After Ge Mu's death, the giant troll formation fell into chaos. His Highness the Second Prince seized the opportunity to order the troops to reform their ranks and launch a counterattack."

Two scouts had delivered the same news in succession, and everyone began to doubt it.

The emperor waved for the scouts to return and investigate further, then turned to the generals around him. "Have any of you heard of someone called Hand of God?"

Most shook their heads, saying they had never heard the name.

Only one younger general stepped forward and saluted. "This subordinate has heard of him. His name is Zhuang Hong. He appeared suddenly a month ago and successfully tamed the much-talked-about Thousand Shadow White Dragon. People then gave him the title Hand of God and hailed him as the current Number One Expert Under Heaven. Later, there were rumors that Spring Light Sword Zhu Tianming challenged him and was defeated instantly. His strength is unfathomable. In this subordinate's view, it is somewhat believable that Hand of God Zhuang Hong charged into the enemy formation and killed giant troll Ge Mu."

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

The An Tong Emperor said in a low voice, "We will know once I lead the army there and see for myself."

At the front lines, Cross Gorge.

The war had already ended. Only several small giant troll squads were fleeing north, intending to return to the Land of the Far North.

However, the chances of those giant trolls making it back safely were slim.

The Second Prince let out a long breath, removed his helmet, and asked Xiang Dongping beside him, "Tenth Brother, since you know Hand of God Zhuang Hong, can you invite him to my palace as a guest? I wish to personally express my gratitude. We were able to wipe out the giant troll army so smoothly this time thanks largely to his help."

Xiang Dongping shook his head. "I do not know. I was only with him for a few days and do not understand him well. I only know that he is unlike everyone else I have met, yet I cannot say exactly what makes him different. He is an exceptionally mysterious person. Then again, anyone who can easily tame the Thousand Shadow White Dragon, which no one else could do anything about, cannot be ordinary. I was simply blind at the time. I failed to see how extraordinary he was and thought he was merely someone who had never seen the world."

The Second Prince smiled. "Extraordinary people are all like this. I have no other purpose in inviting him to my palace. I am simply curious about him and wish to make his acquaintance. When you return this time, invite him on my behalf. If he refuses, then let the matter go."

Xiang Dongping nodded. "All right. I must also fulfill my promise and formally confer upon him the title of Number One Expert Under Heaven in the name of the imperial family."

The Second Prince laughed heartily. "Naturally, we must confer it. Once we return, have a Number One Under Heaven token forged from gold and present it to him."

After Liu Yueling left the battlefield, the sight of Zhuang Hong charging alone into the giant troll formation lingered in her mind, impossible to dispel.

"Where is Earth?"

Over this period, she had traveled to many places and asked many people where Earth was, yet no one had ever heard of such a place.

Liu Yueling looked up at the azure sky and murmured, "Living in the Heavenly Palace, far removed from ordinary people... Could Zhuang Hong be someone from the Heavenly Palace?"

The more she thought about it, the more certain she became. Only someone from the Heavenly Palace could ride that miraculous airplane, soar through the skies ten thousand meters high, and look down upon the Great Earth from above.

"How can one fly into the sky? I really want to fly above the clouds and see the scenery there."

The war had not completely ended, but news that humanity had annihilated the giant troll army and achieved final victory spread across the entire Anlan Continent at astonishing speed.

For a time, the whole world celebrated.

Along with the news of victory came a legendary story unlike any before or since. It was adapted into countless versions and spread eagerly through tea houses and taverns everywhere.

"Hand of God Zhuang Hong entered an army of ten thousand men alone, took the head of giant troll Chief Ge Mu, and departed without so much as a speck of dust upon him."

"Who was giant troll Chief Ge Mu? He was a legendary Heaven Treasury Warrior, able to come and go freely amid an army's encirclement with no one capable of stopping him. Whenever he swung his giant hammer, it whipped up towering tornadoes that swept everything away. Even the Anlan Ten Great Experts joining forces could scarcely withstand a single blow..."

"You think that was all, merely taking the head of Heaven Treasury Warrior giant troll Chief Ge Mu? Far from it! Hand of God Zhuang Hong faced the tens of millions of troops led by Ge Mu alone. One man, one weapon, against tens of millions of soldiers—what else could that be but a god descending into the world?"

As they reached the most thrilling parts, one after another could not help draining great bowls of strong liquor and bursting into laughter.

Some even argued until their faces turned red over exactly how Zhuang Hong had killed giant troll Ge Mu, as though they had witnessed the scene with their own eyes.

Children and youths listened in fascination, their eyes sparkling as they clenched their fists, as though by clenching their fists tightly enough, they could grasp the future and gain invincible power.

I want to become a powerful warrior like Hand of God Zhuang Hong.

Zhuang Hong headed south again and returned to a human city. He was sitting in a tea house, listening to the stories with great interest, when he realized that the people were discussing Hand of God Zhuang Hong. He could not help but freeze slightly.

Huh? Are they talking about me?

I fought Heaven Treasury Warrior giant troll Ge Mu for three hundred rounds before taking his head?

That never happened. It was just one slash...

These rumors are far too exaggerated...

As Zhuang Hong inwardly complained that rumors could not be trusted, someone began describing the appearance of Hand of God Zhuang Hong.

"According to rumor, Hand of God Zhuang Hong stands eight chi tall, with noble features and an imposing, extraordinary bearing. One can tell at a glance that he is no ordinary man. A white puppy also follows behind him at all times, and it must be no ordinary divine beast either..."

As he spoke, more and more people in the tea house noticed Xiao Bai dozing at Zhuang Hong's feet and began looking Zhuang Hong over from head to toe.

The tea house gradually fell silent.

"..."

Zhuang Hong offered a polite smile. "Well, um... I just bought this dog."

In an instant, the tea house became lively again. Everyone began asking whether Xiao Bai was for sale, saying that white puppies had been incredibly popular lately and were nearly sold out. Even puppies of other colors had risen in price.