The avenger
As the saying goes, the battlefield is ever-changing.
This statement is perfectly suited to this context.
No one expected that the barbarians and the King of Zhenbei, who were fighting to the death and were like oil and water just a moment ago, would suddenly form an alliance and turn their spearhead against the mysterious powerhouse who wields the national sword.
Facing the gazes of five top experts simultaneously, Xu Qi'an licked his lips, revealing a ferocious, bloodthirsty smile.
"You seem quite excited? Do you really think you can take on five opponents by yourself just because you have the Sword of National Protection?" The Prince of Zhenbei narrowed his eyes and sneered.
"Judging from your aura, you're also at the third rank. Since the Blood Pill isn't effective enough, I'll use your life essence to make up for it."
The life essence of a third-rank expert is no less than that of a Blood Pill. To be more precise, the Prince of Zhenbei refined the Blood Pill in order to propel him through the barrier of the second rank with its immense life energy.
The essence is "vast life energy". The blood pills refined by 300,000 people are life energy, as is the Essence Blood of a third-grade master.
However, killing a third-rank official is extremely difficult under normal circumstances, far less easy than massacring an entire city.
Upon hearing Zhenbei Wang's words, Zhu Jiu and Jili Zhigu licked their lips, revealing a look of craving.
Encirclement and killing a third-rank martial artist is a rare opportunity. The barbarians and Demon Race are allies, with two third-rank warriors, while the Northern Territory only has the Zhenbei King, who holds the home-field advantage, with city-protecting formations and heavy-duty magical Law Artifact.
He was a tough nut to crack in himself, and besides, the Prince of Zhenbei certainly wouldn't defend Chuzhou City to the death. He and Zhu Jiu couldn't stop a third-rank official who only wanted to escape.
However, failing to kill the Prince of Zhenbei would only invite a backlash from the Great Feng, and they feared that Wei Yuan would once again lead his army north.
Therefore, there were occasional clashes between the two sides, but no large-scale battles like this.
Now it's different. Now it's five top experts surrounding and killing a third-rank expert. Even if the opponent has the National Protection Sword, it's like having a needle stuck in a piece of roasted meat. It's difficult to eat, but that's all.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xu Qi'an planted the Zhenguo Sword in the ground, raised his hands to cup his face, tilted his head back, and let out a hoarse, eerie laugh:
"After suppressing my power for so long, I can finally unleash it. Five third-rank brats are barely enough for me to have a meal."
Then he held up one finger and announced, "Phase One."
The Prince of Zhenbei and the others raised an eyebrow, thinking that the other party was either bluffing or had lost their sense of self-awareness due to the power brought by the Blood Pill.
Hey, Master, you're getting too cocky. You might have been very strong in life, but now you're just a man with a severed arm and a remnant soul. Xu Qi'an also felt that Shen Shu's state was a bit off.
Each time Shen Shu reveals his immortal body, he becomes strange, his temperament changes drastically, as if he were a completely different person.
"Bluff!"
The wizard snorted coldly, spread his palm, and pointed it at Xu Qi'an: "Damn it!"
What he meant was "death," and he used a curse to deliver a devastating blow to this powerful man who had suddenly gone insane.
But halfway through saying the word "death," Xu Qi'an suddenly put his index finger to his lips and, in an exaggerated tone, lowered his voice and said, "Shh, keep your mouth shut."
In an instant, the wizard felt his mouth being sealed by an invisible force, and no matter how hard he tried to open his mouth wide, he could not make a sound.
Xu Qi'an then disappeared, engaging in close-quarters combat.
A blinding burst of light erupted, obscuring the details of the battle from the viewer's perspective. The intensity of the fight could only be discerned through the continuous, thunderous explosions.
Then a figure was sent flying. After activating his Qi and Blood, the shaman of the Witch God Cult's body expanded, becoming even taller than the blue giant, Jilizhigu.
But now he has been reduced to his original form, his chest caved in, a clear sword hole in his abdomen, and his left hand severed at the shoulder, the cut clean, as if he had been cut off by a single sword strike.
The high-ranking wizard retreated rapidly, activating his Qi and Blood in the process. Using the power of a ninth-rank blood spirit, he repaired his wounds and reshaped his severed arm.
"Be careful, he has no weakness, I can't find any," the wizard said in a deep voice.
A third-rank wizard is called "Spiritual Wisdom," who can see through the enemy's weaknesses and flaws in their moves, thus devising an effective attack or counterattack plan for himself.
The most striking characteristic of Linghui is his effortless mastery, like a superior and powerful figure who can calmly and skillfully deflect any attack, no matter how frantically you attack.
"Are you Buddhist School?"
Zhu Jiu screamed, instinctively wary, his vertical eyes immediately flashing with hatred.
Five hundred years ago, the Southern Demon Clan was destroyed within a sixty-year period, and now the Northern Demon Race is depleted of its talent pool; both have suffered under the Buddhist School and have been educated by Buddhist School.
Two hundred years ago in Kyushu, only the Confucian School of the Great Feng could rival Buddhist School.
Now that Confucian School has declined, Buddhist School can be considered the most powerful force in the Nine Provinces.
"What is Buddhist School? The day I regain my physical body will be the day Buddhist School is destroyed." Xu Qi'an laughed wildly, like a lawless madman.
A golden light suddenly swept in, striking Shen Shu directly, but hitting only his afterimage.
The next moment, Zhu Jiu, who had launched the sneak attack, felt a chill and turned around abruptly, his vertical eyes shooting out golden light.
The figure had just appeared when it was torn apart by golden light; it turned out to be just an illusion.
Puff!
Enveloped in demonic flames, Xu Qi'an landed on the back of the crimson python. He plunged his bronze sword into the python's back and dragged it along the crimson road.
The sword that guarded the nation sliced through the giant python's flesh and blood, severing its cervical vertebrae one by one.
Clusters of blood-red flowers bloomed behind him.
Zhu Jiu roared mournfully, its enormous serpentine body twisting and turning wildly within the city. To the soldiers on the city walls, it looked like a maddened snake charging into the sand table.
At this moment, the blue giant, Jilizhigu, appeared silently behind Xu Qi'an, and his giant sword suddenly slashed down.
It was as if Xu Qi'an had eyes in the back of his head; he turned around and brandished his national-protecting sword.
Ding ding ding.
The heavy iron sword, as thick as a door panel, was like a toy in the hands of the blue giant. In an instant, the two exchanged more than twenty blows, and the heavy sword shortened inch by inch, scattering pieces of iron.
Xu Qi'an leaped up, grabbed the blue giant's head, and darted behind him like a fish. With a snap, the blue giant's face appeared on his back.
With a flash of the bronze sword, it sliced through the keratinous armor covering the skin, cut open the throat, and severed the carotid artery.
The blood, reddish-blue in color, gushed out like a fountain under immense pressure, shooting several meters high.
Suddenly, the Prince of Zhenbei felt a chill run down his spine. Driven by a martial artist's instinct for danger, he leaped forward and cleaved away the sword aimed at his head.
The moment he regained his footing, Shen Shu followed closely behind, attacking from behind. The Zhenguo Sword erupted with dazzling golden light, as if it would shatter the void.
The Prince of Zhenbei could only see the dazzling sword light. His hair stood on end, and every nerve in his body was sending him danger signals, telling him: Danger! Danger! If you don't avoid it, you will die!
Since the Battle of Shanhai Pass, the area had not faced a fatal threat for many years.
At this moment, his heart calmed down, and his thoughts became clearer than ever before. Some people can unleash their potential the more dangerous the situation.
The exceptionally talented Prince Zhenbei was precisely the latter.
His expression was calm and composed, his eyes were as still as a mirror, he clenched his fist and slowly punched out, yet with extreme speed.
An unparalleled, domineering fist intent surged forth, causing a change in the heavens and earth. The clouds in the sky swirled, forming a vortex. The earth trembled and rumbled, seemingly unable to withstand such domineering power.
As we all know, the crudeness of martial artists is rarely seen throughout history; they have no dazzling special effects or fancy skills.
Therefore, the King of Zhenbei's punch was entirely driven by his own internal energy, causing extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth, making it extremely terrifying.
When!
Fist and sword collided, producing a resounding clang that stunned soldiers and barbarian cavalry in the distance.
The violent energy transformed into a pure shockwave, and the ground within a radius of several miles sank dramatically, centered on the two individuals.
Jilizhigu, the high-ranking wizard, and others had no choice but to temporarily retreat and avoid this terrifying shockwave.
Under immense pressure, the Prince of Zhenbei unleashed the pinnacle of his life with a single punch.
His fist had turned to blood and gore, and blood was constantly flowing from his broken wrist.
Domineering is the Martial Dao he adheres to, and also the essence of his refined will.
"Interesting, very interesting. It's extremely rare to see someone cultivate the domineering intent."
Xu Qi'an held a sword in one hand and covered his face with the other, laughing maniacally, a laugh that sent chills down the spine of the Prince of Zhenbei.
"Huff, huff"
As the Prince of Zhenbei slowly retreated, he heard panting sounds coming from beside him. He glanced left and right and saw that Jilizhigu and the high-ranking wizard were slowly approaching him.
They seem to be about to meet.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Earth Sect in the distance slowly shifted his position, moving behind the three close-combat experts.
They dared not separate.
"He has no weaknesses; he's practically invincible in close combat," the wizard transmitted telepathically.
"His physical body is very strange, Non-Self can compare to," the blue giant also gave his intuitive impression.
"But he doesn't seem to have any intention," the Prince of Zhenbei transmitted telepathically.
His hand had not yet recovered; the flesh slowly writhed, extinguishing the pale golden flames.
A Buddhist School monk, skilled in both Zen and martial arts, possessing a terrifyingly powerful and uncanny physical body. He's incredibly strong; when did Buddhist School produce such a powerful figure? Who exactly is he?
At this point, the five powerful figures lost their earlier confidence.
On the rooftop of a house near the city wall, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and two Imperial Censors stood on the ridge, squinting as they gazed at the distant battlefield.
They were just ordinary people, unable to see the details of the battle clearly. At most, they could judge the intensity of the battle from the booming explosions and the fluctuations of energy that turned into a gale as it approached.
Fortunately, he had Yang Yan, a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, by his side, who was quite intimidating.
Nowadays, being a "telescope" would also be a good choice.
While standing on tiptoe to look around, Imperial Censor Liu asked, "Yang Jinluo, how is the battle going?"
The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review then pressed further, "How was that mysterious expert able to fight five people? Is he... is he alright?"
Yang Yan was deeply moved. "Too powerful! That mysterious expert is too strong. Facing the combined attack of five Rank 3 experts, he actually suppressed them all by himself."
"Well!"
The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was trembling with excitement.
Taking advantage of the cessation of fighting Great Feng soldiers and the barbarians, the surviving martial artists slipped onto the city walls and each chose a spot to overlook the city.
That's incredible! This is the battle between top-tier masters.
Chuzhou City is a large city with a population of over 300,000. It would take an ordinary person a whole day to cross the city.
It takes two hours to ride a horse.
Now, looking down from the city wall, they can only see vast stretches of ruins, with only the houses near the city wall remaining intact.
This is because the powerful figures in the city do not aim to destroy; otherwise, even the four city walls would probably have been demolished.
"Damn it! Kill the Prince of Zhenbei, the barbarians, and the snake demon to avenge the people of Chuzhou City!"
A young martial arts practitioner cursed angrily.
"Outrageous! The Prince of Zhenbei is a prince; you have committed a grave offense of disrespect."
In the distance, a black-robed spy heard the commotion and flew into a rage.
"Am I wrong?"
The young Jianghu man had the fiery temper of a northerner. He lowered his eyes and scolded the secret agent without fear:
"The Prince of Zhenbei slaughtered the entire city of Chuzhou for his own selfish reasons. What a load of rubbish, a prince! Even the Zhenguo Sword despises him."
"Yes, kill them. If I can keep my life this time, I'll definitely spread the word about what the Prince of Zhenbei did."
The surrounding martial arts figures, united in their hatred, shouted curses and gripped the hilts of their swords. These unruly martial arts men were already seething with rage.
They weren't just pressing the hilt of their knives to intimidate; they were actually going to draw them and fight to the death.
Seeing that the enemy outnumbered them and were not weaklings, the spies sneered, "Do you think that just because the demon-barbarian alliance is besieging the city, facing internal and external troubles, and in this extraordinary time, you can disregard the law and slander the prince?"
"I'll show you right now that Chuzhou still belongs to the Prince of Zhenbei."
Having said that, he waved his hand and ordered the hundreds of soldiers who had reached out, "Take down these men! If they resist, kill them without mercy!"
No one moved.
The black-robed spy suddenly turned around, his eyes behind the mask glaring fiercely at the soldiers. "Do you intend to disobey orders?!"
The soldiers lowered their heads and remained motionless.
"Although I am just a commoner, I know a saying that scholars often say: 'Those who follow the Way will find many helpers, while those who stray from the Way will find few.' The Prince of Zhenbei has lost all the support of the people."
"You lackey of the Prince of Zhenbei, how dare you bark here?"
As expected, a dozen or so martial arts practitioners drew their weapons and swarmed forward, hacking the spy to death.
The soldiers not far away kept their heads down, seeing nothing, and remained silent.
After finishing their attack, the martial arts practitioners continued to watch the battlefield, gazing into the distance.
In fact, they could have used this opportunity to escape Chuzhou City and get away from this place of trouble. But no one left, not because they enjoyed watching the spectacle, but because they wanted to see a result.
For this reason, they would not hesitate to risk their lives.
A common man defies the law by force; yet, the blood in his chest has not been extinguished.
At this moment, the leader of the Earth Sect transmitted his voice. "If we don't seize the National Guardian Sword, it will be difficult for us to defeat him. After consuming the Blood Pill, this person's strength has increased by leaps and bounds."
The words of the Black Lotus Daoist leader resonated with Zhu Jiu, Jili Zhigu, and others.
The five maintained a state of high alert, communicating secretly via telepathy.
The flesh at the wrist of the Prince of Zhenbei slowly writhed and recovered, then telepathically replied, "What can you do?"
The Black Lotus Daoist leader transmitted his voice, "I can use an array to erode the National Guardian Sword, causing it to temporarily lose its spirituality for a quarter of an hour. The price is that this clone will dissipate."
The Prince of Zhenbei and his men were not alarmed but rather delighted. Warriors only rely on brute force, and when they encounter stronger members of the same system, they are easily suppressed.
However, other systems are different, employing unpredictable and ever-changing methods.
Trading a clone of the Black Lotus Daoist for the other party losing the National Guardian Sword for a quarter of an hour is an incredibly worthwhile deal.
The giant python Zhu Jiu transmitted its voice from afar. "No, given the terrifying power of his physical body, even without the Zhenguo Sword, we cannot kill or severely injure him within a quarter of an hour."
Without the national treasure sword, they were confident they could defeat their opponent, but they couldn't kill him in a quarter of an hour.
High-ranking martial artists are too difficult to kill.
The Prince of Zhenbei pondered for a moment, then said, "Perhaps it's possible, as long as our overall strength can temporarily reach the second rank. Well, I'm just referring to the power of the second rank."
The advancement from the third rank to the second rank is not just an improvement in qi, but also a transformation of "intention".
The azure giant scoffed and transmitted his voice. "Second-grade power? You think you can just say you have it?"
The Prince of Zhenbei said calmly, "I have a formation diagram, an early work of the Supervisor. This formation is called Peerless Dharma Image. It can combine the power of everyone into one, condensing it into a single Dharma Image. Because it is unique, it is named Peerless."
He obtained the array diagram from the supervisor many years ago, reasoning that if the northern demon and barbarian tribes joined forces, he would be unable to withstand the attack alone and would need a powerful means of self-protection.
The supervisor also thought what he said made sense, so he bestowed upon him the battle formation diagram and took the opportunity to clear out the inventory.
With a formidable enemy at hand, the five quickly reached a consensus.
The blue giant, Gilichigu, took the lead, but his target was not "Xu Qi'an," but rather a section of the city wall, which he suddenly slammed down.
"Buzzing."
The weapons of the soldiers and barbarian cavalry on the city wall suddenly flew out of their hands and into the air.
Whoosh. Heavy weapons, including steel-cast gun carriages, also flew up, converging upwards in a flurry.
These iron objects melted into molten iron in the air, constantly expelling impurities and condensing into a reddish-brown ball of molten iron.
Xu Qi'an, holding the national-protecting sword, looked at the scene with a smirk and arrogance.
Master, they're preparing a big move, stop talking nonsense, let's take them down! Xu Qi'an felt a chill and communicated with the monk Shen Shu in his mind.
The monk Shenshu ignored him, maintaining his stance with his sword, as if the signal was unstable and he had suddenly lost connection.
Shen Shu in this state is too arrogant and domineering; I can't control him at all. What made me have the illusion that I can control him? Xu Qi'an sighed inwardly.
The wizard raised his hand, palm facing Xu Qi'an, and shouted, "Die!"
Shen Shu subconsciously used Buddhist School Law Technique to interrupt his curse, but at that moment the Prince of Zhenbei arrived. This top expert of the Great Feng was unstoppable, and his fist intent was domineering and unparalleled.
Xu Qi'an's spellcasting was interrupted, and he raised his sword to thrust it out.
Bang!
His chest suddenly caved in; the curse technique had produced a tremendous killing effect and interrupted his sword strike. Taking advantage of the moment, the Prince of Zhenbei punched Xu Qi'an in the chest.
With a loud boom, the intent of the fist emanated from his back, exploding into a waterfall-like aura.
At that moment, molten iron in the sky cast a bright red bell, which quickly cooled and turned jet black.
The giant bell crashed down on Xu Qi'an. During the process, the leader of the Earth Sect transformed into a black, turbid stream that engulfed the bell. Dark, twisted runes, filled with evil and corruption, appeared on the surface of the bell.
In an instant, the giant bell, forged on the spot, merged with the Earth Sect's Daoist master and transformed into a magical Law Artifact emitting an eerie black mist.
It symbolizes decadence, corrupting everything in the world.
The vertical eye on Zhu Jiu's forehead lit up, and a beam of dark light suddenly shot out, striking Xu Qi'an directly, causing him to lose his mind and become stiff.
The giant bell crashed down.
The dust has settled.
Seeing this, the Prince of Zhenbei and his men revealed smiles of impending victory; the sound of the bell laid the foundation for their triumph.
"When"
Suddenly, a handprint appeared on the surface of the giant bell, a handprint protruding outwards.
"Ding ding ding"
More and more handprints protruded, twisting the shape of this ritual Law Artifact, a symbol of corruption, until it was on the verge of breaking.
Everyone's expression changed. The Prince of Zhenbei no longer hesitated, soaring into the sky and shouting, "Follow me!"
He stood suspended high in the sky, his muscles bulging, and runes gleaming with a faint white light appeared, covering every corner of his body.
The array diagram was inside his body.
The blue giant, Zhu Jiu, and the wizard all took to the air and crashed into the King of Zhenbei.
The faintly glowing incantations suddenly spread, simultaneously covering them, and then a ball of light that almost illuminated the entire city of Chuzhou was born, like a small sun.
A few seconds later, the small sun slowly dissipated, and an unimaginably powerful aura was born.
This aura was like that of a god descending from heaven, carrying the oppressive power of a high-ranking being, as deep and unfathomable as a prison.
A giant ten zhang tall stood floating in the air. His skin was bluish-red, and his chest, joints, and other vital areas were covered with horny armor. His hands and feet were perfectly proportioned, and his muscles were powerfully defined.
A perfect body, a perfect body born for battle.
His face resembled that of the King of Zhenbei, and a phantom black shadow floated behind his head—a battle spirit summoned by a wizard, providing a combat power boost.
On the city wall, the soldiers of the Great Feng, the barbarians of the Qingyan tribe, and the Demon Race army trembled with fear, their legs shaking uncontrollably, their heads bowed, not daring to look directly at the terrifying "gods."
On the other side, near the city wall, on the rooftop, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and two imperial censors collapsed to the ground, their faces pale with fright and trembling.
Yang Yan looked at them, his voice more solemn than ever before. "Get ready to leave the city. Leave here immediately, or we'll be silenced."
The delegation members felt a chill in their hearts. Yang Yan's meaning was clear: the expert who had boasted of punishing the Prince of Zhenbei was about to be defeated.
What's going on?
The sudden change left several civil officials bewildered.
Yang Yan shook his head. "I don't know what methods they used, but this force is far, far stronger than that mysterious expert. He has no chance of winning."
"Go, hurry up and go."
He led three civil officials down from the roof, while Constable Chen and Centurion Chen Xiao quickly set out to clear the way.
Seeing the tense expressions and anxious escape of these warriors, Imperial Censor Liu and his men lost all hope and knew that the situation was dire and they could not linger in Chuzhou City.
Bang!
The giant bell was torn apart by the incomparably violent force, and the avatar of the Earth Sect leader was annihilated. Xu Qi'an, whose body was wreathed in demonic flames, successfully escaped, and the bronze sword in his hand was stained with a layer of pitch-black ink.
It has lost all its spirituality.
It's temporarily unavailable.
Xu Qi'an casually tossed the bronze sword aside without a second thought. Then, he raised his head, looked at the ten-zhang-tall giant in the sky, and grinned. "Why did you have to get so big?"
The giant lowered its head, staring intently at Xu Qi'an, and said menacingly, "I can't wait to devour your Essence Blood; it must be delicious."
"Prince Zhenbei, you slaughtered the entire city of Chuzhou. Did you ever consider that one day you would face divine retribution?"
This time, it was Xu Qi'an's voice.
The Prince of Zhenbei sneered without answering, but the next moment, he spoke, and Jili Zhigu's voice rang out:
"King of Zhenbei, you are a dignified third-rank martial artist. If you dare to do something, you should dare to take responsibility. What, are you going to try to shift the blame for the massacre onto us, the demon barbarians?"
Then came Zhu Jiu's eerie laughter. "So what if we massacred a city? What's there to be ashamed of? It's no big deal. They were just some lowly ants. In the days when our ancestors ruled the Nine Provinces, the status of humans was not much higher than that of livestock."
"Kill them when you want, eat them when you want. To become our food, to provide us with the essence of life, is a blessing for these ants. Prince Zhenbei, isn't that what you think too? Otherwise, would you have committed the massacre of an entire city?"
His voice changed to Jilizhigu, and he laughed, "King Zhenbei, actually we are no different, except that we are more naked, while you human strongmen are used to covering yourselves with a veil called 'hypocrisy'."
"After today's battle, your crime of massacring the city will surely be known throughout the world. You should think about how to clean up the mess."
The giant spoke again, and the voice of the Prince of Zhenbei rang out, his tone indifferent. "Slaughter all the soldiers."
He was aloof and arrogant, domineering and ruthless, a powerful and ruthless man skilled in both literature and martial arts. Such a person disdained verbal disputes.
Zhu Jiu was right. He slaughtered the city; he didn't care about the lives of ordinary people.
Today's events were originally intended to trap and kill Jili Zhigu and Zhu Jiu, but they have been ruined by the appearance of a mysterious Buddhist School master, who has even exposed his crimes to the public.
Because of the disdain shown by the Sword of National Protection, the soldiers in the Northern Border had already become suspicious of him. The clever ones, combining the behavior of the demon and barbarian races, the appearance of the high-ranking wizard of the Witch God Cult, and other details, had long been convinced that he was engaged in alchemy and massacring the city.
Therefore, in the eyes of the Prince of Zhenbei, these soldiers in Chuzhou City had already been sentenced to death in advance.
"The Prince of Zhenbei has truly massacred the city."
On the city wall, a centurion murmured in anguish.
"Hahaha, humans are all idiots."
A barbarian burst into laughter, bending over with mirth. "A month ago, our barbarian spies infiltrated Chuzhou, searching for a place to massacre the city. Don't you even consider why our demon and barbarian races are attacking the city today?"
"Chuzhou City has ballistae and cannons, as well as defensive formations, while our barbarian population has always been limited and precious. Why would we attack the city if there weren't a compelling reason?"
"Because we know that the Prince of Zhenbei has been slaughtering countless lives in Chuzhou, refining blood pills, and attempting to advance to the second rank. Heh, this is a catastrophe for both our demon and barbarian races."
The barbarians' arrogant mockery contrasted sharply with the soldiers' deathly pale faces.
In fact, these soldiers defending the city, like the surviving martial arts practitioners, could have escaped, but they didn't. Why?
I'm waiting for a result.
It's not about waiting for the Prince of Zhenbei to be defeated, but about waiting for the truth.
In the hearts of the border soldiers, the Prince of Zhenbei was a god-like figure, the army's belief, and an object of their worship.
He guarded the border, his cultivation was unparalleled, and he protected the peace of the northern frontier.
The soldiers have always clasped their hands in a fist and raised them above their heads when they talk about the Prince of Zhenbei.
They revered them as if they were deities.
Therefore, when Xu Qi'an rebuked the Prince of Zhenbei for massacring the city, no one believed him. It wasn't until the Zhenguo Sword abandoned him that the soldiers were filled with shock, confusion, pain, and disbelief.
But as long as the Prince of Zhenbei doesn't admit it, they are willing to keep a sliver of hope in their hearts.
But now, even that last bit of hope has vanished.
Xu Qi'an looked up, meeting the gaze of the giant in the sky, and slowly said, "Second stage."
"Has your power finally been fully awakened? Master, your skill's preparation time is really long. Or is it that the stronger the martial artist, the slower the recovery process?" Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief.
A violent aura surged into the sky, rising steadily.
It wasn't the Prince of Zhenbei who came, but Xu Qi'an, whose body was wreathed in demonic flames. His body began to expand, two zhang, five zhang, seven zhang, ten zhang.
During this process, lumps of flesh swelled up on his shoulder blades, and suddenly pierced through the skin and stretched out—twelve pitch-black arms.
At the same time, a ring appeared behind his head, a ring burning with pitch-black demonic flames.
This giant was entirely black, with bulging muscles as if cast from black iron, twelve arms growing from its back, and a ring of black flames behind its head.
It's like... like Buddhist School who has fallen into demonic possession.
The giant exuded an aura of power, like a god of war.
His Dharma form was wreathed in raging flames, resembling a demon god.
"You're also a second-rank official?"
The Prince of Zhenbei stared solemnly at the dark Dharma image, finally understanding what "the first stage" meant earlier.
The second stage before us is the peak power of this mysterious expert; the previous stage was not.
"Second rank?"
The dark-skinned monk scoffed, "Back in my day, I could crush even a second-rank official with a single hand, regardless of their system."
The Prince of Zhenbei snorted coldly, and before the sound had even faded, he appeared behind the dark Dharma image and delivered a heavy punch to the back of the head.
This punch unleashed a terrifying spectacle, as if the sky were collapsing.
The aura of demonic flames behind the dark Dharma image's head shattered instantly, and its body, forged from black iron, staggered forward.
That's it?
The demonic flame halo reformed, and the dark dharma image smirked, "You haven't felt pain in many years. You're still lacking. King Zhenbei, you slaughtered 380,000 lives in Chuzhou, so I will punch you 380,000 times."
"Just come on!" the Prince of Zhenbei said proudly.
"Go, go, go quickly."
Officer Chen roared.
An aura of majesty and terror permeated the heavens and earth, giving him a suffocating feeling, as if his heart would explode at any moment. How could mortals possibly witness the war of "gods"?
The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and Imperial Censor Liu, among others, were too weak to walk and were carried by Yang Yan as the delegation ran towards the nearest city gate.
As they approached the city gate, they discovered that soldiers, barbarians, and Demon Race were all fleeing towards the city walls in a surprisingly harmonious manner, without engaging in any fighting.
Yang Yan knew that fear filled their hearts.
"Let's go to the East Gate. It's the closest, and the fighting won't affect us there." Yang Yan made the decision and led the delegation to the East Gate.
It was far enough away that it could provide them with a safe vantage point.
The delegation had just climbed onto the city wall when they suddenly heard a loud "boom" in the distance. They quickly turned around and saw that the Prince of Zhenbei had been punched and was staggering backward, crashing into the city wall behind him.
Dust billowed up instantly, and boulders rolled away.
The warrior's fighting style is simple and unadorned, yet violent enough.
"We are watching gods fight; this is utter disrespect," a barbarian said tremblingly.
The pitch-black Dharma Image straddled the Prince of Zhenbei, and twelve pairs of fists rained down like a storm, causing the energy to explode, dust to rise, and the ground to collapse.
"I don't care if you're a prince of the Great Feng Dynasty or the emperor, if you dare to massacre a city, I'll kill you!"
A barrage of punches rained down on the Prince of Zhenbei's chest, face, and horn-covered armor, unleashing primal violence.
"No one has the right to kill indiscriminately by virtue of their power. If you think you can, then I will give you a taste of your own medicine today."
The horny armor shattered, and crimson blood flowed across the ground, staining half of the city wall red.
This was, of course, Xu Qi'an speaking.
With a snap, two jet-black arms were broken. The Prince of Zhenbei smashed the jet-black dharma image away with a headbutt, and slowly rose to his feet.
"How laughable! You fought me to the death, only for a city full of ants? It seems you know nothing of the heart of a true warrior."
Despite his disheveled appearance, the Prince of Zhenbei's voice remained domineering, arrogant, and full of confidence.
He slowly exhaled, and the white clouds in the sky, drawn by his breath, gathered together, forming a vortex.
As the King of Zhenbei exhaled, the broken keratin repaired itself, and the wound healed.
On the other side, the two severed arms of the "Pitch Black Dharma Image" flew over and joined perfectly to the broken ends. He calmly said, "Ten thousand punches."
The Prince of Zhenbei's face darkened, and his aura weakened slightly. He raised his hand and said, "Die!"
His palms were stained with blood, the blood of the dark avatar. This curse-killing technique should have severely injured the dark avatar.
But nothing happened.
Because the demonic flame halo behind the dark Dharma image transformed into a dark relic, radiating a gentle, rich dark light.
Buddhist School relics, like Daoist School Golden Core, are believed to have the power to ward off all evil influences.
The pitch-black Dharma image launched its charge, its footsteps sounding like an earthquake.
The Prince of Zhenbei slightly lowered his waist, slowly clenched his fist, and as his five fingers came together, the air emitted a muffled explosion sound, as he crushed the air. The strength he possessed was unimaginable.
The domineering fist intent reappeared, and the swirling clouds in the sky suddenly collapsed.
The twelve pairs of arms suddenly merged into one, becoming part of "Xu Qi'an's" right arm, and they threw a punch in response.
The two fists collided, and the shockwave didn't spread in ripples, but swept across the entire Chuzhou City in an instant.
Like a typhoon passing through, it blew away the ruins, blew away everything on the flat ground, clearing away the area for miles around, leaving no ruins behind.
The fist of the Prince of Zhenbei shattered inch by inch, exploding into chunks of flesh and blood.
He roared in agony and staggered backward.
The dark-colored Dharma Image stepped forward, its twelve fists striking continuously, hitting the Prince of Zhenbei's chest and face, causing him to stumble backward.
Bang bang bang!
The fists were so densely packed that they couldn't be seen with the naked eye. They knocked off pieces of keratinous armor, repairing and shattering them repeatedly.
Is it laughable to risk one's life for mortals?
Bang bang bang.
"Without the people, what kind of prince are you? Whose prince are you?"
Bang bang bang.
Fifty thousand punches, one hundred thousand punches, two hundred thousand punches, three hundred thousand punches. The body of the Prince of Zhenbei shattered and repaired time and time again. At first, he could fight back, but as he suffered more and more injuries, he gradually lost the ability to defend himself.
Three hundred and eighty thousand punches!
After finishing his punch, Xu Qi'an stretched out his arms and grabbed the Prince of Zhenbei's head, arms, waist, abdomen, and legs, lifting him high into the air.
At this moment, Xu Qi'an's gaze swept across the silent city walls and the devastated city. Scenes from the massacre resurfaced in his mind, and he seemed to hear the cries of 380,000 wronged souls.
What is a strong person?
Do they view ordinary people as ants?
He felt as if he had returned to the Cloud Deer Academy, to the Temple of the Second Saint, and saw himself holding a pen, writing four crooked sentences on the stone tablet:
To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, to Establishing Destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations.
Kill him!
Suddenly, a roar came from the city wall. A young martial artist stood on the protruding parapet, roaring with all his might, his face contorted in a ferocious expression.
Kill him!
A soldier couldn't help but shout, and was immediately glared at by the black-robed spy beside him, his gaze filled with murderous intent.
The soldier lowered his head in fear.
Just as the black-robed spy was about to issue a threat, another soldier shouted sharply, "Kill him!"
This was like a spark falling on a grassland, igniting a wildfire.
More and more soldiers responded.
Kill him!
Kill him!
"."
In a daze, Xu Qi'an seemed to see 380,000 wronged souls appearing on the city walls, in the sky, and on the ground. They silently watched him, all their innermost thoughts converging into three words:
Kill him!
With twelve arms exerting force simultaneously, they ripped it apart violently.
He tore the Prince of Zhenbei to pieces.
Blood rained down.
The dark-skinned figure was covered in blood, like an avenger returned from hell.
P. S.: I'm going to write a thank-you chapter for the Hundred Alliances later, or maybe tomorrow, because I don't want to just write a perfunctory one, it will definitely take a lot of time.
This will delay my next chapter, so I'll probably write the thank-you chapter tomorrow, or maybe after finishing the second chapter, I'll stay up all night to write it.