noffsinger Chapter 401 Director Zhao Minghang
Chapter 401 Director Zhao Minghang
"The Boundless Sea of Blood - Eleven Slashes".
The world seemed shrouded in a crimson light. Zheng Qian moved across the battlefield like a ghost, each swing of his sword stirring up a sea of blood. Wherever the sword tip pointed, sword energy and blood energy surged like waves, not only causing tangible damage but also devouring the enemy's fighting spirit and life force.
Under the boundless sea of blood, the Lie Su army was as if they were in an endless sea of blood, with nowhere to escape and no way to resist this apocalyptic power.
"This, this strong?" Ma Haoli stammered. In the boundless sea of blood, Zheng Qian was simply a life-reaping machine.
“His combat power has already surpassed the limit of the Dragon Shaping Realm.” Lei Ruichen opened his eyes wide and carefully observed every sword strike Zheng Qian made, hoping to learn some of the essence from it.
"The world of prodigies is beyond the comprehension of geniuses. The lower limit of prodigies is the limit that geniuses cannot surpass." Zhao Minghang sighed. Zheng Qian was a prodigy among prodigies. At this moment, he was not worried about Zheng Qian's defeat at all, but instead considered how to protect Zheng Qian.
The Ghostly Rift Valley is a testing ground where prodigies shine, but also where they face immense danger. When an unparalleled prodigy emerges among the demon race, the human race will launch a full-scale attack, striving to eliminate the demon in its infancy. Conversely, if an invincible human prodigy appears, the demon race will launch a decapitation strike.
Three hundred years ago, Yun Youzi was injured in a decapitation strike by the demon race. More than a hundred years ago, Long Batian was also a target of a decapitation strike, but the human race had already made comprehensive defenses, which allowed them to protect Long Batian's safety.
At the summit of Huaxu Cliff, no one in the Lie Su Army could withstand Zheng Qian's advance; all who encountered him were slain with a single sword strike. The blood mist grew thicker, the killing intent more intense, and Zheng Qian's combat prowess increased accordingly.
"Zheng Qian, die!" Lie Xiong roared in fury. The Lie Su Army were all his brothers who had risked their lives for him, but now they were being slaughtered by Zheng Qian. He was heartbroken and furious, and roared as he charged toward Zheng Qian.
The raging bear was engulfed in flames, distorting the very space around it. The intense heat created waves of air, like a burning meteorite hurtling towards Zheng Qian.
Zheng Qian was about to unleash his ninth strike of the eleven-slash technique when he saw the raging bear transformed into a fireball. Without fear, he unleashed his tenth strike.
Boom... The Dragon Scale Void-Piercing Sword collided with the Iron Palm, producing a violent explosion. The armor on the Fierce Bear Iron Palm shattered, turning into iron fragments that flew in all directions.
Zheng Qian's Blood Sea Without Boundaries Eleven Slashes were all stronger and more powerful than the last.
"Eleven strikes, death!" Zheng Qian roared, and a massive amount of blood energy transformed into a giant sword ten meters long, which slashed down on the fierce bear with a thunderous roar.
The raging bear's flames transformed into a purple sphere, its gaping maw opened wide, unleashing a destructive aura. It sucked the purple flame sphere into its mouth and then spat it out.
Boom... The purple fireball exploded, the huge blood sword paused, its power reduced by six-tenths, but it still managed to strike the raging bear's back.
Lie Xiong was cleaved away by a single sword strike, his armor shattering as he sprayed blood in mid-air before crashing into the Lie Su army, igniting a sea of fire.
"Chief!" Lie Sujun shouted, quickly surrounding Lie Xiong to protect his safety.
"He won! Zheng Qian won!" Ma Haoli was extremely excited. He witnessed a miracle, witnessed the growth of Zheng Qian, this monstrous talent, and his victory over the Flaming Leopard Clan's genius, Lie Xiong, across realms.
Ma Haoli was pinned to the cliff by an arrow. He was already seriously injured, but he still gritted his teeth and climbed up Huaxu Cliff to watch the battle and see if Zheng Qian could successfully block the gate.
Blocking the door is an obsession in everyone's heart, and the highest honor.
"Slay the Fierce Bear, defeat the Fierce Army, and Zheng Qian can block the gate." Lei Ruichen was equally excited, his palms were sweaty, and he was even more nervous than Zheng Qian, who was participating in the battle.
It's a miracle; Zheng Qian's record is simply a miracle.
"In future battles at the Dragon Shaping and Void Transformation Cliff, as long as Zheng Qian is still in the Dragon Shaping Realm, the victor will always belong to the human race." Zhao Minghang was in high spirits. He was the deputy director of the Wise and Brave Judgment Division, a lieutenant colonel in the Radiant Legion, and a major combat force and manager of the Dawn Barrier. Of course, he hoped that a powerful prodigy would emerge from the human race to suppress the demon race.
"Haha, Zheng Qian is truly worthy of being my idol's apprentice, he's incredibly talented." Xiao Ling laughed. Zheng Qian was blocking the door, and he was the recommender; just thinking about it made him excited.
Bringing Zheng Qian to Dawn Fortress last night was such a wise decision.
Zhao Minghang already had a suspicion, and there was information from his informant, but when Xiao Ling said it himself, he pretended not to know, as if he were asking casually.
"The disciple of the Space Madman?"
Xiao Ling completely ignored the subtle change in Zhao Minghang's tone as he spoke and said, "Yes, Zheng Qian only arrived in Zhanlin City yesterday afternoon, and I brought him to Dawn Fortress tonight. Wasn't I wise?"
"Wise, absolutely wise," Zhao Minghang replied with a smile, though his mind was racing.
The Space Madman disappeared for three hundred years. He once visited the Radiant Legion to recruit disciples, but he didn't take a single one of the hundreds of geniuses as his own. Now, he's brought such a monstrous disciple to the Ghost Wind Rift Valley. Is he really just bringing his disciple for a trial?
Zhao Minghang desperately needed military merit. He wanted to leave Dawn Fortress and Wind Rift Valley, and the prerequisite for leaving was to have outstanding military merit.
Only through constant fighting can one earn more military merits and leave this great rift valley where the wind howls every day.
*Pfft...* Lie Xiong spat out a mouthful of blood and said weakly, "Kill him. We can't let him block the door."
"Kill!" the Lie Su army roared, and they charged towards Zheng Qian in groups of fifty, forming rows of ranks.
On Huaxu Cliff, flames raged, the Liesu Army was in a frenzy, and five thousand Flame Leopard Clan members formed a sea of fire, creating walls of flames that surrounded Zheng Qian and fought him relentlessly.
Roar... The Lie Su Army roared as they attacked Zheng Qian relentlessly, unleashing one purple sea of fire after another—the strongest soul flames they had produced by burning their very souls.
As the wind rises, souls fall. With each step Zheng Qian takes, he slays dozens of Lie Su soldiers.
"Get out of my way, I can still fight." Lie Xiong pushed aside the Lie Su soldiers who were supporting him, coughed up blood, and charged at Zheng Qian again.
"Blazing Fire Fist, die!" Fierce Bear was extremely brave. He was already seriously injured, but he still charged towards Zheng Qian fearlessly.
Glory is above life; there are only Flame Leopard warriors who die in battle, not Flame Leopard geniuses who flee.
These were the words Lie Xiong spoke to the Lie Weijun; he too would die on the battlefield, never a deserter. In his heart, honor was above life.
Zheng Qian was just unleashing the Dragon Scale Void-Piercing Sword when he felt the scorching heat behind him and the deadly force of the punch. He didn't have time to retract his sword and turned around to throw a punch.
"Surge Fist".
Zheng Qian's spiritual energy and spatial power merged perfectly. He swung his left fist out, as if triggering a resonance in the entire space, forming huge spatial waves, like raging waves, one after another, each wave more turbulent and stronger than the last. Each wave contained terrifying power enough to destroy mountains, directly blasting into the chest of the raging bear.
Thud... The fist struck the bear's chest with a loud impact, and the bear coughed up blood, flying backward, its spirit instantly weakened.
A sharp pain shot through his chest; Lie Xiong felt as if all his internal organs had shifted, and his brain was buzzing. He tried to stay conscious, but his head was still spinning.
Zheng Qian was unparalleled in close combat. Lie Xiong finally realized that he couldn't fight Zheng Qian head-on; he needed to keep his distance, constantly burn him with flames, and attack him with soul magic. The five thousand Lie Su soldiers' strategy of engaging in a protracted war, though ridiculed by the humans, was an effective way to defeat Zheng Qian.
Lie Xiong raised his right hand, trying to stay awake, and pointed at Zheng Qian, saying haltingly, "Retreat...retreat..."
"Chief, what did you say? Retreat what? Retreat to the fortress?" Demon General Lie Shi shook Lie Xiong's shoulders desperately. He couldn't believe that Lie Xiong would retreat. This was an utter disgrace, worse than death for him.
There were only fallen Flame Leopard Clan soldiers, not any Flame Leopard Clan geniuses who fled.
Lie Xiong really wanted to slap him to death. How could he, the mighty Lie Xiong, retreat even half a step? He wanted to suggest retreating and launching a ranged attack on Zheng Qian, but his brain was throbbing even more, and waves of dizziness were washing over him. He was about to give up.
Zheng Qian's punch not only injured and displaced his internal organs, but also damaged his brain, leaving him disoriented and struggling on the verge of unconsciousness.
"Retreat...retreat..." The fierce bear still couldn't hold on, its head tilted to the side, and it fainted.
"Chief, we can't retreat!" Lie Shi roared. He simply couldn't accept that Lie Xiong would call for retreat; his heart was breaking.
"Military orders are absolute, Liesu Army obeys!" Liesu roared to the sky, his eyes blazing with fury. He used almost all his strength to shout, "Liesu Army, retreat to the fortress!"
Retreat to the fortress?
The Lie Su army was stunned. They were not afraid of death, but only of losing their honor. How could they retreat?
"Lie Shi, we cannot retreat. Even if the entire Lie Su army is wiped out today, we cannot retreat."
"Yes, there are no cowards in my Liesu Army. We will never retreat even if we die in battle."
"Never retreat a single step, kill."
The Liesu army roared in anger; they could not accept the order to retreat.
Lie Shi's furious roar echoed across Hua Xu Cliff: "Military orders are absolute. Those who disobey will be expelled from their tribe and hanged on Hua Xu Cliff. By order of Chief Lie Xiong, the Lie Su Army shall retreat to the fortress. Retreat!"
After roaring, Lie Shi hoisted the Fierce Bear and leaped several times, disappearing into the high platform behind him. The Lie Su army roared to the sky and retreated towards the high platform like a tide.
"They've retreated! The Liesu army has retreated! Zheng Qian has won!" Ma Haoli roared. He couldn't believe that Zheng Qian had actually driven the Liesu army back.
"According to the agreement between the two sides, once Zheng Qian ascends the high platform, the gate-blocking battle can begin." Lei Ruichen stamped his foot excitedly. He couldn't believe that Zheng Qian had actually fought his way from the Shaping Dragon Void Cliff to the top of the Void Cliff all by himself. It all felt like a dream.
At the summit of the cliff in the morning light, Xiao Zhi looked at the Lie Su Army, who had retreated to the Hua Xu Cliff, their expressions complex. Yun Youzi had said he had a fiery temper and couldn't hold his temper; now it seemed Yun Youzi was absolutely right. He had spoken of granting positions and mentioning the honorary elder position too early.
Yun Youzi stood atop the mountain, his gaze calmly fixed on Zheng Qian. Three hundred years ago, he had led seventy-two Qilin sons to the summit of Huaxu Cliff, successfully blocking the entrance. Three hundred years later, his disciple had single-handedly reached the summit. This was a symbol of human progress, and also his pride.
My disciple, Yun Youzi, possesses unparalleled combat prowess.
The Shadow Serpents, who had been watching from the rear, immediately fled the battlefield upon seeing the Lie Su army retreat, leaving through the dense network of passages beneath the high platform. These passages, only the size of a water bucket and winding and rugged, were specifically designed for the Shadow Serpents' attack and escape, inaccessible to other races.
Zheng Qian exhaled, admiring the fighting spirit of the Flaming Leopard Clan. He simply couldn't understand why the fearless Flaming Legion would retreat.
Could it be that Lie Xiong is the only son or illegitimate son of some powerful figure, and therefore cannot be in any danger to his life?
Unable to figure out the reason, Zheng Qian stopped thinking and with a clang, sheathed the Dragon Scale Void-Breaking Sword, carefully observing the top of the Void-Transforming Cliff.
There is a large platform here, which was built by forcibly flattening the cliff tip. Above the platform is a large, raised platform that almost completely obscures the platform, making it impossible to see anything on it.
"Amazing!" Xiao Ling walked over and patted Zheng Qian on the shoulder with his big hand, his eyes full of excitement.
Zhao Minghang looked at Zheng Qian with encouragement and said, "Heroes emerge from among the young. You are undoubtedly the number one in the Dragon Shaping Realm. From now on, the demons of the Dragon Shaping and Void Transformation Cliff will all have to cower like turtles and dare not come out to fight. This achievement must be recorded for you."
Zheng Qian looked at Zhao Minghang with suspicion. His first impression of Zhao Minghang was that he was powerful, and his second impression was that he was very ambitious. His ears were high and thick, and his ambition was written all over his ears, not his face.
"Zheng Qian, this is Zhao Minghang, the deputy director of the Wise and Brave Judgment Division of the Radiant Legion. He is an important leader and backbone of our Dawn Barrier." Xiao Ling introduced Zheng Qian. Although he was invincible in his realm, he was still weak in front of Zhao Minghang, who was in the True Core Realm.
"So it's Director Zheng, a pleasure to meet you!" Zheng Qian was very polite. His greeting to Zhao Minghang was the civilized greeting between fellow Daoists, neither humble nor arrogant.
Nodding in satisfaction, Zhao Minghang liked hearing Zheng Qian call him Director, and asked with a smile, "Are you going to block the door?"
Zheng Qian didn't answer immediately. He naturally felt a degree of wariness towards someone like Zhao Minghang. It wasn't for any other reason than his appearance. As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart; Zhao Minghang's eyes held arrogance. Although he was speaking to him, he wasn't truly respecting him, and might even be plotting to trap him so that Zheng Qian could gain military merit and benefits.
After thinking it over, he realized that with Yun Youzi by his side, he feared no one.
Before coming to the Ghost Wind Rift Valley, Zheng Qian honestly explained his situation: he practiced demonic arts.
Yun Youzi smiled nonchalantly and said, "No matter what kind of cultivation technique you practice, with me here, you can use it with confidence."
It was because of Yun Youzi's guarantee that Zheng Qian could kill without restraint, unafraid that anyone would accuse him of practicing demonic arts and thus cause some unpleasant things to happen.
After a few seconds of contemplation, Zheng Qian replied to Zhao Minghang: "Director, although my combat strength is weak, with you backing me up, I think we can try blocking the gate."
"Haha." Zhao Minghang laughed heartily. Zheng Qian was not only unparalleled in combat power, but also had a very pleasant way of speaking.
“Young people should have ideals and ambitions. Today, I, Zhao Minghang, declare here that I, Zhao Minghang, will take responsibility for Zheng Qian’s safety and support Zheng Qian in launching the gate-blocking battle.” Zhao Minghang was really happy. When he reported Zheng Qian’s achievements and military merits to the Guangyao Legion, he would naturally write the report.
There's a lot of room for maneuver here, and the lion's share of the military credit is destined to go to Zhao Minghang.
Zheng Qian bowed to Zhao Minghang and said, "Thank you, Director!"
After saying that, Zheng Qian jumped onto the high platform, ready to start the battle of blocking the gate.