Chapter 766: The Rising Tide
Chapter 766: The Rising Tide
The vast wilderness was dotted with numerous troops of the Old Imperial House, all staring at the massive silver airship as it plummeted from the sky, engulfed in flames. The once-frenzied shouts abruptly ceased, and disbelief swept across their faces.
Scholar Chen remained seated on his horse, his gaze fixed on the spot where the airship crashed.
Intense flames soared into the sky, and ash swirled, as if a colossal torch had been lit on the plain. At that moment, the flames flickered, and an abnormally tall, dark figure emerged from within, cloaked head to toe in pitch-black armor. In his hand, he held a long spear adorned with a white necklace.
A faint glow emanated from his entire being, seemingly untouched by the flames. With each step, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.
At that moment, Scholar Chen sensed something and turned his gaze to the side. There, he noticed another figure approaching, though he couldn't pinpoint when they had arrived.
This individual wore a faded red headband, which held up his already thick and stiff hair, making it stand upright like spikes.
The man appeared to be in his late twenties, with a faint scar at the corner of his eyebrow. His wild and uninhibited demeanor was evident. He wore the Great Shun uniform but without any rank insignia.
His chest buttons were left unfastened, revealing a chest as solid as a rock. A wide leather belt encircled his waist, adorned with long metal spikes, though one seemed to be missing.
As he walked towards the Black Armored General, a similar faint glow emanated from his body, and the air around him seemed to produce a peculiar aura.
Scholar Chen observed this figure, recognizing him as the martial artist who had been recalled from the World Ring. The downed airship was likely his doing.
Now that he was here, Scholar Chen's thoughts trailed off as he noticed another airship approaching from the sky, seemingly the same size as the one that had crashed.
Simultaneously, he faintly heard the sound of drums and music, exuding a grand and majestic aura that grew clearer as the airship drew closer.
Scholar Chen raised an eyebrow, recalling his earlier inquiry about Principal Yao's situation, which Xue Shou had said he would understand in due course.
After exiting the flames, the Black Armored General turned towards the braided youth, and they stood facing each other. However, neither seemed eager to initiate combat.
As the music-filled airship drew closer, a figure leaped from it and landed with a loud thud, sending out a shockwave that rippled across the plain, flattening nearby low-lying shrubs.
A tall, robust figure appeared, cloaked and wielding a heavy-backed long sword. As he approached, a faint aura radiated from his body, enveloping him in a vibrant red flame-like glow.
This must be Principal Yao? Scholar Chen had never met his school principal in the five years since he entered Wu Yi.
However, he understood that as a martial artist, one wouldn't be involved in administrative tasks, not due to incompetence but because individuals with such combat prowess couldn't be confined to specific roles. Their abilities were best utilized in specific situations.
As Yao Zhiyi approached, he took up a position opposite the braided youth, forming a triangular stance with the Black Armored General in the center. They stood about a hundred meters apart.
The braided youth raised his hand, and the Black Armored General responded in kind. A force seemed to clash between them, and the spearhead suddenly glowed brightly, blindingly so, before fading after a while.
The braided youth tugged at a chain composed of multiple hook blades, which he brandished. "Wei Guozhen, you're not getting away today!"
Principal Yao's voice was stern. "Xiao Wan, don't jump to conclusions before the task is complete."
"Principal, you know me. I have to speak up. Besides, we've surrounded him; how can he possibly escape?"
"Hold your tongue for now. There'll be plenty of time to speak after dealing with Wei Guozhen!"
Principal Yao's rebuke was accompanied by a furrowed brow. He gripped his long sword with both hands, leaning forward slightly. The faint aura around him intensified and expanded, enveloping him in a thick, pulsating red flame-like glow.
The braided youth also tugged at his hook blades, and an orange-red glow enveloped him, causing his dark eyes to glimmer with a similar hue.
The Black Armored General underwent a similar transformation, emitting a swirling, inky black smoke that merged with his armor.
The braided youth took the initiative, charging forward in an instant with a powerful swing of his hook blades. He resembled an orange-red fireball as he lunged.
Black Armored General suddenly lifted his long spear, and before the two weapons made contact, a field seemed to collide around them, creating a dull, deafening crash. The ground around them cracked, forming concentric circles.
Both fighters seemed to freeze for a moment, and then a blinding radiance burst forth, as if someone was rapidly flashing within it. The earth trembled incessantly, and finally, a powerful shockwave rippled outward, accompanied by a thunderous roar that echoed across the plain.
After a while, as the dust and air currents gradually subsided, it was evident that both fighters were sinking into the loose sand, creating a crater over a hundred meters wide where they stood. The radiant aura around them continued to flicker.
The braided youth's wrist wrap had come undone, and his exposed chest emitted wisps of black smoke, as did many parts of his body. However, his hook chain had firmly grasped the front end of the long spear.
The Black Armored General's thick armor now bore numerous cracks, and it flickered with an orange-red glow. He held onto his long spear tightly, but his body seemed to have expanded more than twice its original size, with his upper half appearing even bulkier. Two arms extended from his shoulders, and another two emerged from his ribs, all four arms covered in armor.
At that moment, a blaze erupted beside them, and Yao Zhiyi raised his long-handled great saber, aiming it at the Black Armored General. The saber glowed with a fierce red light as he slashed downward with tremendous force.
However, a thick, radiant arm blocked the saber's path, accompanied by a loud rumble.
A man with black, shoulder-length hair stood there, his eyes hidden by his bangs, revealing only the lower half of his face and his firm jawline. A sharp glint could be discerned through his hair, and he wore loose white fighting attire that reached his calves. His fists and arms were wrapped in wrist wraps.
He stood with one arm bent and clenched in a fist, his muscles bulging. The silver-white glow emanating from his arms seemed alive, dancing and leaping. The saber's flame clashed with this radiant light, and where they met, sparks and fragments scattered.
Yao Zhiyi's expression turned solemn as he faced the man, saying gravely, "The Grand Sky Fist Style of the Pure Sect? So, you're Zhao Zhenye? You shouldn't have interfered in this matter today."
The man's eyes were hidden by his bangs, making it impossible to discern his expression. He replied, "I'm sorry, but I made a promise."
Without turning back, he spoke to Wei Guozhen, "I'll keep my previous promise and help you this once. After this, we'll be even. Do what you need to while I'm here."
Hearing this, the Black Armored General released his long spear and retreated, while the braided youth shouted, "Are you letting him go?"
He swung his hook-chain spear to the side and was about to launch an attack when Zhao Zhenye waved his free hand, sending a massive wave of radiant flame toward him.
The braided youth's expression turned grim, and he crossed his arms to block the attack. With a loud bang, he dug his feet into the ground, and a force pushed him back more than ten meters.
Zhao Zhenye stepped away from Yao Zhiyi, creating some distance. He spread his arms and legs, blocking the path between the two. Behind him, a silver-white mist seemed to conceal something massive, mirroring his movements.
He said calmly, "I apologize, but please hold for a moment."
The Black Armored General turned his head and glanced at Chen Chuan, who was quite far away. Despite the distance, he felt an intense sense of danger, something he had never experienced before.
He could sense all his altered tissues becoming highly alert, urging him to move away from the source of danger.
At that moment, he abandoned his horse and leaped backward, covering several dozen meters. Suddenly, the Dragon Nose Horse exploded into pieces.
As he landed, he looked up and saw the six-armed, tall figure surrounded by black smoke standing where he had been.
The figure seemed to have crossed an immense distance in the blink of an eye and appeared before him.
However, he could sense that the first arrival was the figure's psychic energy, which felt so tangible that it seemed like the figure itself had come close, even though its physical body remained at a distance.
The figure glanced at him once more and then vanished, reappearing in front of him with all six arms reaching out to grab him.
At that moment, Chen Chuan's gaze deepened, and the fine patterns on his ritual cloak seemed to come alive. With a swift motion, he appeared out of thin air, blocking the massive figure's forward charge with both hands!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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