With two long cries, the figures of the two men snapped apart and reunited, weaving streaks of afterimages across the air before clashing once more, their speed accelerating relentlessly. To the observers below, the sky suddenly hosted countless Zhan Mubais and, simultaneously, countless Cao Guofengs, every phantom impossibly real, locked in fierce duels with one another…
Just as the illusions faded in one spot, even more erupted elsewhere!
Clearly, both men had pushed their speed to the absolute limit.
This rapid-fire combat wasn't entirely unfamiliar to those watching; after all, they were all experts above the Saint level. Even if their power didn't match Cao and Zhan's, they operated on a generally similar plane of existence.
While admiring the skill displayed by Cao and Zhan, the spectators could plainly see that both men were fighting with genuine fury. Every strike, every move, targeted the opponent's vital areas; neither showed any mercy.
A single lapse in concentration from either combatant would immediately invite utter annihilation!
The sheer ruthlessness of the attacks sent chills down the spines of everyone watching below. If such moves were directed at them, they suspected they might not survive the onslaught.
And if they couldn't withstand it? The result would be nothing less than a horrific end!
Former comrades-in-arms from the Saint Emperor ranks, friends spanning six centuries, had descended into a deadly conflict, swearing to fight to the death!
The instigator, Young Master Jun Moxie, watched from mid-air with an expression of sheer delight and mounting excitement. A battle between Saint Emperor experts—this was an unmissable opportunity for observation and learning.
Especially since these two Saint Emperors were holding absolutely nothing back, giving their all in a fight to the death!
Though he was the one who set the ball rolling, Jun Moxie felt not a shred of guilt.
This was simply: a pure coincidence, like getting one’s small bird awkwardly squeezed in a doorway!
I never intended to become the genius you envisioned, nor did I wish to become the successor to you old fossils. I was merely out for a meal, happened upon the world's foremost lunatic, and was about to execute my grand plan when you lot ruined everything.
This Young Master is absolutely not that so-called Ethereal Physique; I have self-awareness enough to know that much. I am certainly not one of those Innate Physiques—I am a Postnatal Physique that has reached the absolute extreme of post-natality! Only beginning my enlightenment around sixteen or seventeen years old—that's fifteen or sixteen years later than any genius in the world!
Or perhaps I should say I actually possess a ‘Hongjun Pagoda Physique.’ Ever heard of it? No? Well, that's expected…
It’d be a miracle if you had!
To speak plainly, my sight is far superior to the average. What right do you have to claim me as your successor? Can your cultivation methods compare to the world’s foremost wonder, the Heaven-Opening Creation? Can you offer the infinite spiritual energy of the Hongjun Pagoda? Do you possess Primordial Violet Qi? Not to belittle you, but I doubt you’ve even heard of these things. If you want me as a successor, you might need to cultivate for a few thousand more years!
With your paltry strength and those pathetic trinkets you possess, you think you can claim this Young Master? You are far from qualified! You would need someone with at least the power of the First Young Master of the Nine Hells to even be considered a candidate—and that’s not even the top candidate…
The Three Great Sacred Lands march with imposing pomp, and the Ethereal Misty Mansion beams with arrogant pride. They are determined to be my enemies, and for now, I cannot afford to provoke them; a direct confrontation would mean certain defeat.
I was fretting over finding allies, and you scared off the very people I intended to align with. Since you all view me as a piece of Tang Monk’s flesh, wouldn't it be rude to your earnest intentions if I didn't cause you some trouble in return?
From the moment you discovered me, this trouble was destined to fall upon your heads.
If you didn't notice…
Then all I can say is, Sorry, sorry, very sorry (Did I say that English right? That’s authentic Yingge Lueshi, as Cicada would put it.) After all, I’m right here in front of you; failing to notice me is your own failing, not my fault…
So, Young Master Jun dedicated himself to showcasing his absolute peak acting skills, authentically portraying the initial awkwardness of a simple country boy arriving in a renowned metropolis and unexpectedly witnessing an unprecedented spectacle. He skillfully displayed his supposed Ethereal Physique after consuming spirit stones and immortal milk, yet simultaneously maintained an appearance of humble eagerness to learn and respect his elders…
A one-hundred-percent method actor, even though the actor himself possessed idol-level charisma!
Within a few sentences, he managed to completely charm those old fellows, who were already overjoyed, making them utterly fond of him. He successfully established a profound "emotional foundation"; with this connection in place, everything else becomes smoother. Whether doing good deeds or bad, once the emotional bond exists, everything proceeds naturally!
With that foundation established, even acts of romance or being betrayed could be framed as mutual affection and deep love; as for framing someone for a crime… that becomes second nature, a smooth progression! And it guarantees the maximum outburst of righteous indignation…
Thus, while the Saint Emperors from the Misty Mansion fully accepted him and enthusiastically debated his future, Young Master Jun executed an Yin-Yang Evasion, located a poor unfortunate fellow whose build matched his own, immobilized him, dragged him back, and at a suitable moment, deliberately created a slight disturbance, changed into black clothes, grabbed the victim, and slipped out the window…
Young Master Jun didn't actually do much during this sequence. He merely sprinted furiously for a bit, then smashed the victim's skull in with one slap, croaked a few nonsensical words in a hoarse voice, and vanished. The movement technique he employed was naturally a deliberately vague imitation of Saint Emperor Zhan's famous ultimate skill. Unfortunately, Young Master Jun’s imitation wasn't very accurate—but then again…
If he had imitated it too perfectly, it might have aroused suspicion instead.
Jun Moxie estimated that, following this classic frame-up movie, the individuals from the Misty Mansion and the Three Great Sacred Lands would surely erupt into a massive argument, ending in bitter separation. It might even cause the temporary alliance between the Three Great Sacred Lands and the Misty Mansion to collapse. If his only enemies were the Three Great Sacred Lands, his pressure would be significantly lessened.
But Young Master Jun perhaps overestimated the tolerance of these old men, or perhaps underestimated the value of his ‘Ethereal Physique’! These old geezers didn't follow the script at all; they immediately started fighting to the death!
This outcome was vastly contrary to Young Master Jun's expectations, seeming almost too good to be true, perhaps excessively so?
Too intense!
Too shocking! It seems the medicine was administered too strongly…
What he didn't know was that, possessing the “‘Ethereal Physique,” he was an absolute living treasure in Cao Guofeng's eyes! His importance surpassed even that of a late-life son! Seeing the long-sought Ethereal Physique and ideal successor turn into a pile of bloody pulp…
Cao Guofeng completely shattered…
How could Jun Moxie have imagined that Cao Guofeng had been searching for such perfect material for five or six hundred years? Five or six centuries of hope, turned to water in an instant. Had Cao Guofeng not previously seen Jun Moxie’s physique, if Jun Moxie had died, Cao Guofeng would have simply sighed, "What a pity." But now, with Saint Emperor Cao’s acceptance as a disciple being a done deal, standing on the cusp of future glory, he was suddenly thrown from heaven down to the eighteenth level of hell—Saint Emperor Cao experienced the ultimate bungee jump between paradise and the abyss!
The drop was simply too vast…
Therefore, Cao Guofeng's current frenzy was entirely within the expectations of all informed Saint Emperors, yet completely outside Jun Moxie’s calculations.
But he wasn't considering those matters now. He was stroking his chin, contemplating how to handle the current chaos… how to make the violent fight below even more ferocious? Wouldn't it be a glorious sight if all one hundred-plus people down there perished together?
Below, in the half-sky, the battle between the two Saint Emperors had reached its boiling point!
Both Saint Emperors had drawn their weapons—a true engagement of cold steel.
The two long swords soared like agitated dragons, flashing like lightning, slicing through the air as the two figures fragmented into thousands, slaughtering each other amidst the clouds and mist!
On the ground, six Saint Emperors who were somewhat “in the know,” along with a crowd of onlookers utterly confused by the situation, reacted with gasps and cold sweats: A Saint Emperor is truly a Saint Emperor; look at that destructive power—it’s terrifying! (W.N.E.T First Release) Fortunately, the two above had relatively similar cultivation levels, so the outcome wasn't decided in a single move or two, allowing them to effectively control their surging energy, making it highly targeted and preventing excessive leakage. Otherwise, this exquisitely beautiful Chen Family Manor would surely have been reduced to rubble by now!
Lord Hai Wuya, the leader of the Dreamlike Blood Sea delegation, dressed in purple robes, paced over and frowned at the six Saint Emperors of the Misty Mansion: “Gentlemen, what exactly is going on? Why are these two suddenly fighting? Weren’t they supposed to be discussing the disciple with the Ethereal Physique?”
Looking at them now, how could any discussion take place?” The Misty Mansion's Saint Emperor Bai Qifeng maintained a rigid expression: “I appreciate Lord Hai’s concern. There is no longer any need to discuss taking a disciple.”
“Oh? Brother Bai, what change has occurred? I’d be happy to hear the details.” Hai Wuya glanced up at the fight in the sky before turning back to Bai Qifeng with an impassive look.
“What else is there to say? It’s all because that Zhan Mubai has sunk to the lowest level of despicable shamelessness! Brother Hai, your Three Great Sacred Lands truly have an abundance of talent. If Old Cao hadn't acted first, I would have done so myself! This kind of trash truly sickens my eyes! For someone like him to become a pillar of the Three Great Sacred Lands… It seems the Immortal Seclusion Palace has truly declined…” Bai Qifeng was also furious, waving his sleeve and turning away, unwilling to speak further.
That disciple—he himself had a one-seventh share in that potential master! It was ruined just like that!
(Today I went to the Vehicle Administration Office to sign up for driving lessons, and it was tragic; they discovered I had color blindness. Sigh, my eyes were perfectly fine when I was in the military, so why color blindness now? I was quite upset. The auntie at the office pointed to a diagram and asked me: What is this? I shook my head. She asked about another pattern? I stared at it hard for a long time and shamefacedly replied: It looks like a small bird’s… and then I was kicked out. Helplessly, I had to use a connection to put in a good word before I could finally register.)