The moonlight was bright and the night breeze was cool. The seven-colored light had faded completely, but the six-colored glow lit up once again. Although it wasn't as radiant as the seven-colored light, it still embodied a certain spellbinding strangeness.
"The Near-Life Dao!"
"Fang Zhengzhi actually knows the Near-Life Dao?!"
"That's impossible!"
Countless Northern Barbarian soldiers gazed up at this all too familiar sight. They all watched in awe as Fang Zhangzhi appeared with the Near-Life Gate, but they refused to believe that Fang Zhengzhi was actually capable of controlling the Near-Life Dao.
The Near-Life Dao! The symbol of the Holy Barbarian Empire!
Why can Fang Zhengzhi comprehend the Near-Life Path's profundities?
The Northern Barbarian Army were in complete denial.
"Is that really the Near-Life Dao of the Six Rebirth Dao Techniques?!"
"Has Fang Zhengzhi reached the Rebirth State?"
"No, didn't I hear that he's only in the Supernatural State?"
The Mountain Breaking Army and Yan Yunqi were both astounded. They witnessed the scene where Fang Zhengzhi emerged with the Near-Life Gate very clearly, but when they saw him demonstrating the Near-Life Dao …
It just felt different somehow!
"That brat, what kind of a monster is he? He even learnt the Near-Life Dao of the Holy Barbarian Empire?" Xing Yuanguo was already mentally prepared for this situation, but he still jumped when he witnessed the six-colored characters with his own eyes.
He knew all along that Fang Zhengzhi's learning abilities were superb. Fang Zhengzhi mastered everything from the battle style of the Stabilization Constabulary to the secret Million Sword Illustration of the Divine Constabulary. Hence, Fang Zhengzhi's ability to pick up new techniques or mimic those of others should not be too shocking.
Even so … the Near-Life Dao technique was different.
It's one of the Six Rebirth Dao Techniques. Mastering the Six Rebirth Dao Techniques is not easy, it requires the perfect combination of time, space, people, and various other elements, just like the Dao of Asura of the Yan Family.
Ever since the ancestors of the Yan Family harnessed the Dao of Asura by chance, they immediately designated the area where this technique was mastered as a forbidden region, and planted heavy military defenses around it as a nursery to pass down the technique to younger generations. After countless years, the Yan people passed down the knowledge to subsequent generations, and each generation penned down their emotions and experiences from comprehending the technique, leaving them as records for their descendants to learn from.
But even then, not every member of the Yan Family was given the chance to master the Dao of Asura.
Of course, this didn't mean that only the Yan people were allowed to learn the Dao of Asura. However, without any experience bestowed by predecessors, or a specially curated environment to nurture one's skills in, or any guidance from others, attempting to master the Dao of Asura relying on one's own strength was undoubtedly a frighteningly daunting task.
To be blunt … mastering the Dao of Asura would be a hundred times harder for someone without any external help compared to the first Yan ancestor who picked it up by chance.
By the same line of reasoning, the Near-Life Dao technique was also passed down by generations of the Holy Barbarian Empire. So how could Fang Zhengzhi have possibly mastered the Near-Life Dao?
It's unbelievable.
Could it be that Fang Zhengzhi was the illegitimate child of the Northern Barbarian Emperor? Or perhaps, Fang Zhengzhi stole the secret technique of the Northern Barbarians and sneaked into their forbidden zone?
Xing Yuanguo didn't understand.
Even though he saw Fang Zhengzhi lift up the Near-Life Gate with his own eyes, he never imagined that Fang Zhengzhi would have mastered the Near-Life Dao of the Six Rebirth Dao Techniques.
But that was the fact …
The six-colored characters in Fang Zhengzhi's hand were blindingly radiant and most importantly, the pattern containing the characters has already been pressed onto King Xieluo's head.
"Boom!" Following a thunderous collision, a violent wave of energy blasted in all directions with King Xieluo's head as its epicenter.
And within the blast, the six-colored characters swirled speedily, expanding in the air until finally, they completely engulfed King Xieluo's body.
"The hit actually landed?!"
"King Xieluo didn't dodge it?"
Everyone including Xing Yuanguo stared at the sky. They wouldn't bear much hope for any other sort of attack, but … the Near-Life Dao was different.
It was the sealing technique of the Six Rebirth Dao Techniques!
"He actually mastered the Near-Life Dao? Looks like it wasn't just a coincidence that you could lift the Near-Life Gate up!" King Xieluo finally spoke.
Following that, the swirling six-colored characters quickly vanished like the melting of the first snowflakes.
His gargantuan figure slowly faded into view amidst the stormy blast. His golden pupils, his black scales and the bloodstains on his body had been washed away by the golden light.
"He's alright?!"
"How is that possible?"
"Isn't the Near-Life Dao technique a sealing technique?"
Both the Mountain Breaking Army and Yan Yunqi were astonished after seeing his giant body appear.
"Hahaha … did you think this amateur's Near-Life Dao was enough to seal me?" King Xieluo's maniacal laughter answered everyone's doubts, and his eyes were unbelievably cold.
He was definitely shocked when he first saw the Near-Life Gate in Fang Zhengzhi's hands. He was certainly a little curious about the relationship between Fang Zhengzhi and the Near-Life Dao, but he wasn't too curious. Hence, this wasn't a very important problem.
Of course .... most importantly, Fang Zhengzhi was only in the Supernatural State.
Even if someone in the Supernatural State could really manipulate the Near-Life Dao, what could he do with it?
There wasn't any doubt left, and neither was there another chance for Fang Zhengzhi.
King Xieluo had already locked down Fang Zhengzhi's aura. He strongly believed that Fang Zhengzhi lost every single chance of escaping his grasp.
"Die!" With a mighty bellow, King Xieluo unleashed his full strength once again after reserving his punches previously due to the sudden entrance of the Near-Life Dao, and charged towards Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi wasn't in the best state at the moment. He was injured after his confrontation with Yan Xiu, and although he increased his speed with agonizing effort and created another chance to attack, he was still burdened by his wounds.
Seeing King Xieluo's tail swing over, what else could he do?
Could he sit down and rest? Of course not!
He could only flee, but how could he avoid King Xieluo's lightning-like tail with the injuries he sustained?
"Slap!"
Fang Zhengzhi felt like a housefly, a housefly swatted by a whipping tail. Although he tried his best to flee … he couldn't avoid the strike completely.
The tip of King Xieluo's tail still brushed against his back, causing him to reminisce a sad song from his past life: You said you want to flee but your feet are still planted here … (Translator's Note: A song by Phil Chang)
Fang Zhengzhi did lift his feet up, but his body fell to the ground. His frail body was whipped up by King Xieluo's tail and the wind it caught, causing him to lose his balance and plummet face-first towards the ground.
Of course, there was still someone standing below him - an equally slender and frail person whose crystal-clear eyes radiated with a peculiar grit.
Ping Yang? Why hasn't she fled?
Fang Zhengzhi looked at Ping Yang, and she returned her gaze at him.
The two of them approached each other at top speed, or in other words, Fang Zhengzhi was falling towards Ping Yang's feet at a speed similar to that of flowing water.
And then … Fang Zhengzhi saw Ping Yang clench her teeth and open her arms, preparing to catch Fang Zhengzhi without any concern about the speed at which he was falling at.
Fang Zhengzhi was certainly touched by Ping Yang's intentions, but could she have just a little bit of common sense? Shouldn't she jump up and gently cushion his fall by slowing him down?
He didn't continue falling and instead, he stopped abruptly in midair, as though his body was being restrained by an unknown force.
"Blurt!" A mouthful of blood spurted out of his mouth.
He couldn't possibly crash himself onto Ping Yang's body. Even though he had to sustain even more injuries, he still forced himself to stop at the last moment as Ping Yang was already severely wounded as well.
As he broke his fall in midair, he shifted his gaze slowly away from Ping Yang and turned towards King Xieluo, his lips still stained with blood.
He ignored Ping Yang's expression - he was purely concerned about King Xieluo.
"He didn't let me be his human cushion?" Ping Yang's arms were still raised high up in the air as she stared blankly at Fang Zhengzhi above her. Her face dimmed.
Watching as Fang Zhengzhi's body abruptly halted and he expectorated a mouthful of blood, numerous emotions flashed through her heart - despondence, guilt, self-condemnation, and a helplessness masked under her fortitude. She was worlds apart from her previous haughty self.
Ping Yang was overwhelmed with grief.
Naturally, she knew that whatever was unfolding before her eyes was all caused by her. If she hadn't rushed out so recklessly, Fang Zhengzhi wouldn't have stood up given his shamelessness.
"It was me … it was me who caused that shameless bastard Fang Zhengzhi to get hurt! He came to save me …. But I couldn't do anything, I can't even be a human cushion …. Grandfather is dead! I can't avenge him …."
"Father was always busy when I was growing up, and so was Aunt Hua. Grandfather doted on me the most. Every time I was alone, Grandfather would fetch me to the Liqin Residence. But now, Grandfather is dead and I could only watch him die with my bare eyes. I couldn't stop it, nor could I avenge him."
"Mother! Mother … where are you?"
"Father said that you're really strong, why didn't you come and help me? Why didn't you come?"
"Father once said, you weren't dead. Father also said, you were always watching over me from afar. When I'm injured, you'll definitely notice me. But aren't you coming out to help me even now when I'm almost dying?"
"Mother … Mother, do you know that Father is injured? Do you know that your daughter is dying? Where are you? Where exactly are you?"
"Do you not care about your daughter anymore?"
"Mother … Don't you care that your daughter is dying?"
"Mother!"
"I'm useless, I can't help Father or Aunt Hua, or even avenge Grandfather!"
"Mother, I won't wait for you anymore …. I've never seen you ever since I was small, and in the future … I'm afraid I'll never get to see you. But that's okay, Mother, even if you don't find me, I still love you very much!"
"Mother, I love you!"
"Boom!"
Just as Fang Zhengzhi was racking his brains to process the situation and find a chance to save Ping Yang, a deafening sound erupted from beneath him. Shortly after, a fiery red figure rushed up from behind him.
"Ping Yang?! What is this girl thinking?" Fang Zhengzhi was shocked. It was too late for him to stop her, Ping Yang had already charged up with the Blazing Qilin Spear in her hand spitting out bursting flames.
In the distance, Yan Xiu, Shan Yu, Xing Yuanguo, the Mountain Breaking Army and Yan Yunqi stared at King Xieluo with bulging eyes.
"Your Highness!"
"Ping Yang, no!"
"Your Highness, get out of there!"
Yan Xiu, Shan Yu and Xing Yuanguo all yelled at Ping Yang simultaneously, but Ping Yang did not slow down one bit.
No one knew what Ping Yang was doing, but everyone saw the expression plastered on her face. It was one of grief, a grief that stemmed from within.
Does the princess intend to give up her own life?!
In an instant, this thought surfaced in the minds of everyone. It was something that they have never, and would have never thought about.
Ping Yang, their most beloved princess, the haughtiest and most mischievous princess of the Great Xia Empire loved by all - why does she want to die?
"Eh? You want to die? Let me grant your wish!" King Xieluo watched the approaching Ping Yang and his eyes flashed with shock. Such a frail little human would dare to attack him three times?
While Ping Yang had just an ounce of practical value previously, she was now an insignificant ant that could be squashed at anytime, especially since Fang Zhengzhi was injured and had no chance of escaping.
King Xieluo's body jerked. His tail, clad in thick black scales, whipped towards Ping Yang at astonishing speed, like the sickle of the grim reaper hunting for lives in the dark night.
"Mother …" Ping Yang let out a brief murmur. She did not stop, or avoid King Xieluo's tail. She merely looked back at the frantic Fang Zhengzhi slowly.
A string of tears dripped from the corner of her eyes, falling from the skies and radiating with a faint silver glow under the moonlight. In the next moment, she turned her head back quickly with tears still hanging from her eyes, but her expression hardened into an unparalleled determination.
And just like that, she charged towards King Xieluo's tail, grasping her Blazing Qilin Spear tightly. She brandished her flames, which could not even harm a single hair on King Xieluo, like a moth plunging into a sea of raging fire …
She charged straight up!