What?
How was that possible?
Inside Dragon City's grand hall, Tetsuhiro's words rattled everyone, utterly shattering the other side's imposing air.
"Though you have entered the Innate realm, that does not make you invincible. Please refrain from making baseless accusations, or the world will scorn you." Long Xiaotian remained seated calmly on his throne.
"You're an impostor." But Tetsuhiro offered neither hesitation nor argument. He simply insisted on it.
"You!" Long Xiaotian struggled to save face. "I kindly invited you in for a conversation, yet you slander me before everyone. What are you plotting? Do you covet this great realm?"
"Make your move! Otherwise, you're a fake."
"As the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, how could I act so lightly?"
"A fake, just as I thought." Li Tetsuhiro's gaze burned bright as he disregarded everyone present.
Beside him, Long Wu felt an unparalleled sense of safety, something he had only ever felt around Uncle Ding. "You're so kind, Uncle!"
"Did that little bastard tell you this? He's been a liar since childhood. Please don't believe him."
"Twisting the truth with your silver tongue. You're a fake."
"Damn it, I've tolerated you long enough! Elite Four, attack!"
They looked at him as though he were an idiot. "Can't you see what realm he's in? He's an Innate expert! Are you sending us to our deaths?"
"Uh, Protector Lin, lead everyone into battle!"
"Yes, Alliance Leader!" Confident in his formidable skills, Protector Lin fixed a burning gaze on Tetsuhiro.
"So what if he's an Innate expert? He's alone, and he has to protect Long Wu. We'll all attack together!" With that, Protector Lin struck first.
Clang! He drew his longsword and thrust straight at Tetsuhiro with Immortal Points the Way.
But Tetsuhiro stood unmoving. Just as the blade was about to pierce between his brows, he raised two fingers and clamped its tip tightly between them.
"What?" No matter how hard Protector Lin pushed, the blade would not advance an inch.
The sight left everyone afraid to make a reckless move.
"Is this the power of the Innate realm?"
"Innate experts are truly terrifying!"
"Do we even need to attack? Let's not anger him."
Long Xiaotian's eyes shifted, and he gently pressed a hidden mechanism on the armrest.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Countless silver needles shot out, hurtling straight toward Tetsuhiro and his two companions.
"Dirty tricks, you treacherous bastard!" Tetsuhiro raised his left hand as he spoke.
Repulsive Force activated!
No number of silver needles would do any good. They all hung suspended in midair, awaiting Tetsuhiro's command.
"Shadow Guards, kill him!" Long Xiaotian finally lost patience and revealed his trump card.
More than a dozen men dressed in black stealth outfits surrounded Tetsuhiro and attacked from several directions.
Yet he calmly flicked his left hand. The silver needles suspended in the air swiftly changed direction and shot toward the Shadow Guards.
"Did you think I wouldn't be prepared?" Long Xiaotian pressed another mechanism.
A Magnet rose beneath the throne, exerting its pull on the silver needles. But the needles seemed completely unaffected and continued flying.
Heaven-Trapping Formation! Activate!
As the Shadow Guards formed hand seals, a formation rose beneath Tetsuhiro's feet. Enclosed within its translucent blue barrier, he could faintly sense his chakra steadily draining away.
"Uncle, I don't feel so good," Long Wu said, pressing his right hand against his chest.
"I'll take care of it right away."
Tetsuhiro first increased the output of his Repulsive Force. To his surprise, this formation was rather interesting-it could actually withstand it.
He tried slamming a full-strength punch into the barrier.
The tremendous force sent ripples across it, and he followed with more than a dozen punches.
Crack! A thin fracture appeared in the barrier.
"Master, he's too strong! We can't hold out much longer!" the Shadow Guard Leader reported as he strained to maintain it.
"What have I been keeping you all for? Get over there!" Long Xiaotian roared at Protector Lin, the Elite Four, and the others.
They hesitated, but when Tetsuhiro failed to break free, they gritted their teeth and rushed forward together, pouring in their internal energy.
"Very well. I meant to settle this quietly, but since you're courting death, don't blame me." Seeing this, Tetsuhiro withdrew his left hand and pressed his palms together. Distinctive black markings appeared around his eyes.
Sage Art-Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
"What's happening?" The ground beneath them shook violently. Countless roots and stems burst from the earth, destroying the magnificent hall completely.
A forest engulfed all of Dragon City!
"What is this? Stop!" Long Xiaotian kept running and dodging.
Beside him, Protector Lin unleashed several streaks of sword energy in succession.
Yet they only severed a single tree stem.
The martial artists were ensnared by the trees one after another. "Save us, Alliance Leader!"
"Spare me, sir! I surrender!"
To their horror, those trees could also absorb their internal energy!
Five Shadow Guards were caught as well, while the rest fled swiftly. The Magic Formation collapsed on its own!
"Surrender now? Too late!" Under Tetsuhiro's control, the trees quickly battered three members of the Elite Four until they vomited blood and fell to the ground. Then the trees grew wildly, racing after Long Xiaotian, Long Jue, and the others.
"Ah! Father, you can't do this!" Long Xiaotian struck Long Jue's shoulder with his palm, slowing him down. Long Jue let out a desperate cry.
In an instant, roots ensnared him and dragged him back.
Seeing this, Protector Lin quietly put some distance between himself and Long Xiaotian.
"Don't be afraid. This is so we can escape, isn't it? You benefit from it too!"
"Alliance Leader Long, you never would have done this before. That was your own son!"
"What else could I do? Wait to be captured? I am the Alliance Leader! I won't be taken prisoner like this!"
"Recently, those loyal to you have been dying mysteriously, one after another. Even Lu Xiaofeng, who was investigating, was murdered. Why is that?"
At those words, Long Xiaotian offered a panicked explanation. "Someone evil must be plotting against me. Yes, it's this Innate martial artist!"
"Ah... do you even believe that yourself?" Suddenly, Protector Lin raised his saber and attacked Long Xiaotian!
Dodging clumsily, Long Xiaotian berated him harshly. "Protector Lin, have you gone mad? Are you trying to rebel?"
"Heh, show me your strength! Where's your Tyrant Fist? Use it!"
"Damn it... don't push me!"
While the two fought, an overwhelming mass of trees swept toward them and swallowed them up.
Suddenly, a burst of black light flared. Long Xiaotian broke through the trees and rose into the air, holding a half-dead Protector Lin.
"You forced me to do this!"
With a forceful throw, he sent the man flying several meters before slamming heavily into the ground.
"Is that the Innate Demon-Attracting Art?" Hu Nu of the Elite Four blurted out in shock.
"Impossible! Isn't that an art of the Demon Cult that was wiped out over a decade ago?"
"Heh." Another face showed beneath Long Xiaotian's torn visage. He peeled it away, revealing that he had been wearing a human-skin mask.
His true face was hideous, with crooked eyes and thick lips.
"Who exactly are you? Why are you impersonating my father? Where is he?"
A strange voice emerged from the man's mouth. "I am the Demon Cult Saint Son! I did this to avenge the slaughter of my family and the destruction of my cult. Long Xiaotian? He's long dead. Otherwise, do you think Nippon would have had a chance to invade?"
"Father! I'll kill you, you filthy traitor!" Long Wu charged forward recklessly.
"Get back here." Tetsuhiro pulled him back with a suction force.
"Don't fall for it. Stay here and reflect on what you did." As he spoke, he walked forward.
"There's nothing I hate more than traitors. Die!"
Countless roots and stems slammed toward the man...
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