And then, suddenly.
Wooooo! A sharp, whistling shriek tore across the sky!
Everyone on the main thoroughfare instinctively looked up!
A dazzling red streak hurtled across the horizon! A suffocating pressure descended, making it hard for anyone to draw a full breath, and the entire world momentarily blurred into a hazy, crimson expanse!
"Ah! What is that?" A Ranger couldn't help but shout out loud!
"What is crashing down!" Several sharp-eyed individuals’ faces changed drastically.
Boom! The brilliant red mass slammed down into the center of the street like a meteorite.
The dull roar vibrated uncomfortably in everyone's eardrums!
The astonishing blast wave, accompanied by that deafening whistle, swept over them like a tidal wave!
Many people were sent flying by the terrifying shockwave, and those who couldn't evade it were utterly annihilated, leaving not even ash behind.
Yet, all of this happened in the blink of an eye!
The incredible explosive shockwave lasted only a dozen seconds before subsiding.
But in the entire street, within a hundred-meter radius, a massive crater had been blasted open.
In the center of the pit lay a indistinct human silhouette!
Huddled in the corners, the survivors stared in utter terror at this dreadful, uninvited guest.
"Who is that?"
"Ah, that's the Fengtian Demon Armor and the Star King Set." Several Rangers immediately recognized the gear worn by the figure.
"Damn it, that guy is Zhan Lang."
Long before this, Zhan Lang's portrait had been circulated widely by the Ranger Guild, and naturally, someone recognized him instantly as Zhan Lang, who was wanted across the continent.
Heh heh heh! It seems my name, Zhan Lang, is still well-known!
Gazing at the panicked crowd before him, Zhan Lang allowed a sinister smile to curve his lips!
Let this warmonger just offer a small demonstration!
The Heaven-Opening Greatsword instantly coalesced with potent Dou Qi energy.
The previously dark blade now shone with a dazzling, silvery-white light.
"Ah, he's going to kill people." A few Rangers reacted quickly, seeing through Zhan Lang's intent and crying out, "Everyone run!"
"Hahahaha, all of you, accept death!" Zhan Lang's maniacal laughter shook everyone to their core, yet fear drove everyone to turn tail and flee regardless of the consequences.
Boom!
The Heaven-Opening Greatsword swept out a massive crescent shape, arcing toward a corner packed with people.
After the swirling dust settled, the thick wall had been blasted open into a shocking pit, and those who had been hiding there were already vaporized by the terrifying Dou Qi torrent, leaving no dust behind.
But after that single strike, not a single living soul remained visible on the entire street.
Many had been killed by that sword blow, but far more had managed to escape far away.
"Hahahaha, I, Zhan Lang, truly am the terrorist best suited for destruction," Zhan Lang roared with savage delight, his laughter echoing high into the clouds, carrying far into the distance.
This main street is empty now; I should look for some entertainment at this nation's Imperial Palace.
Having made up his mind, Zhan Lang soared in the direction of the Imperial Palace!
The Imperial Palace of the Bitch Empire!
"What is that..." Jian Xing suddenly felt a heart-stopping tremor crawl uncontrollably over his entire body.
"Such a dreadful aura," Jian Wu's face changed drastically. "What power is this?"
"This power is exactly the same as the auras of Jiuyao Shen Zhen and Yue Ying back in the Viper Mountain Valley," Jian Qi murmured to himself.
"Could it be that Jiuyao Shen Zhen has arrived?" Jian Wu speculated.
"It doesn't matter, why would he come here?" As he spoke, Jian Qi seemed to suddenly recall something. "Besides Jiuyao Shen Zhen and Yue Ying, there is one other person who possesses such a terrifying power."
"You mean Zhan Lang?" Jian Xing was horrified, clearly remembering that fearsome individual as well.
"Hurry and use the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission to contact the Divine Dragon Empire!" Jian Wu reacted immediately and roared.
"Yes!" A guard swiftly rushed out of the great hall.
"Gather all War Generals at the Heavy Armor rank and above!" As the monarch of a nation, Jian Xing quickly regained his composure.
Though he knew it might be futile, this was the only recourse he could think of!
Thump-thump-thump! The mournful sound of the alarm bell instantly rang out.
This was the signal for assembling all War Generals at the Heavy Armor rank and above.
"It's the assembly bell!" Hu Xiao Shan Ye stated grimly. "It seems the Palace has also sensed the approaching crisis."
"Move faster," Ying Zhen Kuang Ren, who had already taken flight towards the Jingyue Tower in the Palace the moment the bell sounded!
Currently, Hu Xiao Shan Ye, Long Yuan Fei Xue, Ying Zhen Kuang Ren, and Xiong Ba Tian Xia were all elite War Generals of the Bitch Empire, belonging to the Sky Rainbow Imperial Guard who defended the Imperial City. Also integrated into their legion were disciples from Dragon Shadow Villa, including Jian Chi, Xing Chen's senior brother.
"It must be Zhan Lang," Ying Zhen Kuang Ren stated heavily. "I didn't expect our Bitch Empire to be the first target he chose to strike."
Whoosh! A violent sound of air tearing passed from far to near, and a dazzling purple light, like a comet, streaked closer!
When he reached the airspace above the Bitch Imperial Palace, he hovered above the vast plaza before the Jingyue Tower!
Seven powerful energy fluctuations were all concentrated here! It seems these people knew I was coming and were already prepared!
From this, it appears Yue Ying and his Master should arrive here soon as well.
Very well, I shall amuse myself thoroughly before they arrive!
Zhan Lang! Unhurriedly, he descended slowly toward the ground.
On the expansive plaza!
Jian Qi and the others stared fixedly at the figure slowly descending from the air. Every one of them was ashen-faced.
What a terrifying presence! Is this the power of an Ancient Hero? It's ridiculously strong!
Jian Wu and Jian Xing maintained grim expressions, desperately suppressing the fear rising within their hearts!
The dignity of a nation's ruler would never allow him to yield to fear before the battle even began and abandon the Imperial City, so he remained standing here, as did the most elite War Generals of the Bitch Empire's Sky Rainbow Imperial Guard!
With a light tap as his feet touched the ground, Zhan Lang’s robust frame, laden with a suffocating aura, finally landed! He was not eager to fight immediately, nor did he wish to quickly annihilate the group before him.
Although they were weak—so weak they might not withstand even a single sweep of his sword energy—the internal struggle against fear, and the resulting unwillingness and anger shown toward their own terror, were sights Zhan Lang never tired of observing.
To create terror, to savor fear—that was the greatest pleasure of a warmonger!
And today, he intended to have a good time playing.
Before Yue Ying made an appearance, these people would suffice to pass the time!
"It seems you were prepared," Zhan Lang remarked. "To dare oppose me shows commendable courage." Zhan Lang then sighed. "However, you are also hopelessly foolish."
"Hmph." A decisive glint flashed across Jian Xing's grim face. "If you have the guts, bring it on! The Bitch Empire is not so easily bullied."
"Hahahaha, quite the bold declaration," Zhan Lang laughed. "Very well, let you all serve as my warm-up."
"Warm-up?" Jian Wu was perplexed!
"Don't worry, I will only use one-tenth of my combat strength. If you can withstand it, your lives will be spared," Zhan Lang said unhurriedly. "What do you say? I am a rather fair person."
"One-tenth of my combat strength!" Jian Xing erupted in fury. "You dare to look down on us!"
Long Yuan Fei Xue, Hu Xiao Shan Ye, and the others also had faces ashen, yet they were all painfully aware that this person truly did not take them seriously! Perhaps, in his eyes, they were little more than ants.
Is this the confidence of the truly strong? Jian Qi also felt a surge of indignation but dared not act rashly in the slightest.
"Heh heh, no need to be nervous," Zhan Lang continued with a relaxed smile. "I won't kill you, because you still have value."
"Value?" Jian Wu said grimly. "What exactly do you want?"
"That remains a secret for now."
"......" Jian Xing and the others were somewhat bewildered, yet they maintained their grim expressions, staring fixedly at Zhan Lang!
With Jian Xing at the core, they formed a rhomboid defensive formation—the most common combined formation used by Heavy Armor War Generals. It bore a resemblance to the specialized formation used by the Heavy Armor War Generals of the Demon Dragon Empire against the Holy Word Church more than twenty years ago.
Since that battle twenty years prior, all nations on the continent had witnessed the astonishing combat power displayed by the Demon Dragon Empire’s Heavy Armor War Generals utilizing that mysterious array. Especially after the Black Flag Army showcased its astonishing combat prowess with the Sky-Boundary Sword of the Heavens, every nation learned firsthand the formidable strength derived from coordinated group tactics.
Consequently, all nations began developing tactical arrays for actual combat!
Suddenly, Heavy Armor War Generals joining forces in array combat became the mainstream tactic across the continent, leading to the birth of countless ingenious formations. Among these, the Bitch Empire's rhomboid formation was their strongest combined combat array.
Those within this formation could borrow the Dou Qi energy of everyone else simultaneously, somewhat similar to the energy-sharing model between Xing Chen's and Yue Ying's swords.
This rhomboid formation later played an astonishing role in the great war against the Orc invasion.
In the past, the War Generals of the Sky Rainbow Imperial Guard held absolute confidence in the power of this formation.
But facing an unprecedentedly terrifying foe—an Ancient Hero—would this formation still be effective?
Everyone subconsciously adjusted their breathing, suppressing the panic and fear in their hearts.
"A fine formation. It maximizes the borrowing of Dou Qi energy from every member within the array. I am surprised that after so many years, someone has managed to develop such a marvelous array," Zhan Lang observed them with keen interest. "Let me experience just how much energy this array of yours can unleash."
As his words fell, the others didn't even see how Zhan Lang moved!
Vaguely, they only perceived a flash of afterimage! Zhan Lang’s robust figure materialized less than five meters in front of the rhomboid formation as if from thin air.
The Heaven-Opening Greatsword dragged out a golden crescent sword qi, sweeping outward.
"Attack!" Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue dared not be careless; they stepped forward, and the silvery Frost Condensation instantly transformed into two silver sword qi dragons, soaring mightily outward to meet the golden crescent slashed by Zhan Lang.
Among them, Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue were the fastest, the only ones who could barely track Zhan Lang’s movement and immediately launched an interception!
Clang! Silver, gold—three sword qis violently collided, exploding into a dazzling halo of light, scattering rubble, and kicking up dust.
While Zhan Lang's golden sword qi was undoubtedly powerful, the strike launched by Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue—a burst fueled by the collective Dou Qi of everyone—was equally formidable. It actually managed to push back Zhan Lang's sword qi!
However, at the instant of the Dou Qi explosion, Zhan Lang's robust body flashed again, vanishing without a trace.
Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue didn't even have time to react. Instinctively, they sensed a sharp whistling sound slicing through the air from their left side.
Ah! Such speed! The two instinctively parried with a reverse guard!
Clash! Boom! The Heaven-Opening Greatsword, imbued with golden Dou Qi, savagely cleaved down upon the reinforced Frost Condensation of Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue.
Crack! Followed by a crisp sound of fracturing metal!
The crowd only saw an afterimage flash; the bodies of Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue were bizarrely thrown a great distance! They smashed heavily onto the ground afterward! Motionless, their life or death unknown!
On the ground, only two broken segments of silver short swords remained—the remnants of Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue's reinforced Frost Condensation.
"Ah."
"Such astonishing speed and power." Everyone was struck dumbfounded.
He defeated Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue in just one move?
Although they knew Ancient Heroes were strong, their power being this outrageously high surpassed everyone's imagination.
Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue, who had combined the Dou Qi of everyone, couldn't even withstand one blow from him!
"Heh heh, very good reflexes," having swept Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue aside, Zhan Lang didn't immediately launch the next attack but remained leisurely composed. "It's a pity that the strength of the body cannot keep up with the speed of the consciousness; ultimately, it falls a bit short."
"You actually killed them," Hu Xiao Shan Ye could barely believe what he was witnessing.
"Relax," Zhan Lang said calmly. "I have always been true to my word. I said I wouldn't kill you, so they are not dead."
"......" Everyone was astonished, feeling that something was profoundly strange about today's events!
What exactly did Zhan Lang intend to do? With his strength, he could easily slaughter everyone present.
Yet, from the very beginning until now, everyone had failed to sense any killing intent from him.
Although the powerful aura nearly suffocated them, it was merely the natural presence emitted by an unparalleled powerhouse; there was not a trace of bloodlust or cruelty!
What on earth was going on?
Is this guy simply bored and looking to play a game with us!
"Your turn now," Zhan Lang said unhurriedly. "To increase the entertainment value slightly, I will increase my strength a little. You all had better prepare yourselves well."
"The audacity!" Xiong Ba Tian Xia ground his teeth in fury. If even Ying Zhen Kuang Ren and Long Yuan Fei Xue couldn't withstand one move, was this monster even human?
And this was only one-tenth of his power. Jian Wu and Jian Xing's faces grew even more grim. If he used his full strength, how powerful would he be?
"Xing Chen, you bastard, why aren't you coming yet," Jian Chi inwardly lamented. "If you don't hurry, you'll be coming to collect our corpses."
"Let the second round commence!" Zhan Lang said with leisurely calm.