Chapter 443: General vs. General
The leaders’ roars rattled the skies and their men’s ears.
Men poured out from each side like black rain, Bone Tempering disciples.
The two side’s gazes were locked as the wave of men rushed past them and deeper into the valley.
These men’s eyes turned red, consumed by madness as they exploded with Yuan Qi. It took only an instant to brandish their weapons and hack their opponents.
The entire Troubled Falcon’s Gully was saturated with people, in the hundreds of thousands, drowning any other sound with their endless manic cries for blood and death.
There were rules to war. Soldiers went against soldiers, and generals paired with generals.
As Profound Heaven experts and Radiant Stage experts were pretty much killing machines amidst Bone Tempering cultivators, both sides agreed on having their disciples’ battle ignored. Opting instead to stare off their equals in cultivation just across the gully. They were the real targets.
Killing Bone Tempering disciples only brought disgrace.
Safe to say, the killing inside the gully among disciples reached the heavens. While their superiors were still in a staredown competition behind them.
“Huangpu Fenglei!”
Mad Dipper Li Jingtian stood out, bowing before the High Venerable, “We didn’t get to finish our last fight in the imperial capital. With this prime chance befalling, will you dare meet me in battle?”
“Ha-ha-ha, Li Jingtian, you’re on quite the high horse, shamelessly uttering those words to me. Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you under me!”
Laughing, Huangpu Fenglei came forward with an intent to fight and a condescending look.
Li Jingtian grinned, “Humph, that’s all in the past. All I’m asking is if you would dare to come at me!”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Huangpu Fenglei jumped in the air towards him. Li Jingtian laughed as he did the same.
The two met with a resounding bang, blowing away the clouds for a mile around.
Their clash was so loud that the house lords on each side had to hold their ears due to pain.
Only Radiant Stage experts and the likes of Zhuo Fan and Huangpu Tianyuan kept standing tall and observing their duel.
Huangpu Fenglei shone golden and nine dragon images appeared on his sides, the peak of Imperial Tyrant Body Art.
Li Jingtian flickered in darkness, enveloped in a black dragon image. He was using Wraith Art’s power to cover himself.
Both were peak Radiant Stage experts armed with profound ranked martial arts trained to extremes. They were the brightest gems around, evenly matched.
The surging powers at work here had the valley divided.
One side was shrouded in a black dragon, with lightning crackling along its way, the other in glorious golden halo and imposing dominance. Yet neither could win over the other, stuck in a constant stalemate.
Huangpu Tianyuan’s brow trembled, sighing, “I now know why Elder Li threw his lot with the Luo clan. I don’t even recognize this art. But for him to stand on solid ground against High Venerable, it goes on to show how much power it has. I can’t fathom how the Luo clan could have such wonderful art. Had Elder Li stayed in Regent Estate, he’d never have reached High Venerable’s level even after training for a century in the incomplete Imperial Tyrant Body Art. But now…”
“Ha-ha-ha, Estate Lord, I anticipated Luo clan might be complex. Elder Li is no fool and his complete loyalty to Zhuo Fan shows that he got something great out of it. It was his best choice taking the Luo clan’s outstretched hand.”
Leng Wuchang smiled.
Huangpu Tianyuan sighed inside.
[Zhuo Fan is a genius among geniuses. In under ten years, he dragged a nobody third-rate clan up the stairs of power, turning it into a colossus.]
[Ignoring him seven years ago is my greatest failure. If only I knew, I’d have sent everything to cull him.]
Huangpu Tianyuan squinted.
Zhuo Fan had a knowing smile, tracing two fingers on his neck as a taunt.
Huangpu Tianyuan turned to look at the fight above.
[Humph, Zhuo Fan, be smug all you want. I may not have taken you out when I should, but your time will come soon, very soon.]
[You aren’t invincible. You have yet to taste my Nine Dragons Diamond Body, humph.]
Bang~
The body cultivators in the sky had similar styles, unleashing one overpowered attack after another. It took but a second to exchange ten moves…
With no clear winner in sight.
Li Jingtian was out of breath and bruised up. Huangpu Fenglei mirrored him in every regard, except for the shocked look.
This was his first time truly going against Li Jingtian. It was natural to be overwhelmed seeing Li Jingtian’s power reach his level after a mere decade.
It used to take less than ten moves to floor him, this expert today was outraged at his inability to reach the same outcome today.
Li Jingtian was ecstatic. He enjoyed the simple things in life. Like challenging his ex-boss who could, at one time, deck him good.
Li Jingtian grinned, “Huangpu Fenglei, have you been losing your touch the past couple of years? You are not swinging your punches like you used to. Is old age catching up to you? Ha-ha-ha…”
“Shut your pie hole! I’m only going easy on you and this is the thanks I get, mockery. In that case, I won’t leave you with a shred of honor!”
Huangpu Fenglei went red from anger, yet his heart was queasy since he did give his all. Anything more would mean staking his life as well.
Did he really have to put his weary old bones on the line to get out of this?
While he was having a hard time making a decision, Li Jingtian had already made his. He had set out to do one thing today, beat his ex-boss.
Missing this chance, Zhuo Fan was bound to finish him off at some point.
As a martial fanatic, he just had to beat the guy who had wrecked him years ago or he’d never forgive himself. It would have the added side-effect of affecting his cultivation.
Li Jingtian gnashed his teeth and spat, “Huangpu Fenglei, take this!”
Li Jingtian’s black aura exploded, shooting for Huangpu Fenglei as a black dragon wrapped around him.
“Humph, isn’t it the same Soaring Demonic Dragon again? It won’t change a thing!” Huangpu Fenglei snorted with a shiny golden glow around him.
Li Jingtian had a creepy smile on him though and, just before impact, he halted to make a sign, “Wraith Style’s 3rd move, Necro Dragon’s Screech!”
Roar!
The black dragon image ripped the space in its charge towards Huangpu Fenglei.
Safe to say, even with Imperial Tyrant Body Art, Huangpu Fenglei would have a hard time fending off such an onslaught from such a short distance.
And that was the truth of it. Huangpu Fenglei was forced into letting his soul take the brunt.
A wound on the soul meant a drop in strength, which translated into defeat.
Facing his ex-subordinate and losing, High Venerable’s name would be soaked in mud.
Huangpu Fenglei bit his tongue and spat blood as he made a sign, “Imperial Tyrant Body Art’s 10th stage, Imperial Presence!”
Hum~
A golden glow washed over him as a golden dragon roamed around him in an air-tight seal.
“The 10th?!”
Zhuo Fan cried, “T-that’s stepping into the earth ranked martial art category. Does Imperial Tyrant Body Art have a tenth stage?”
Huangpu Tianyuan was stumped, amazed that Huangpu Fenglei had reached such a level.
Imperial Tyrant Body Art had nine stages, with the tenth stage mere hearsay. Only the ancestors of Regent Estate a millennium ago could reach it….
“High Venerable is a genius of his generation, no less than the eldest young master. If not for the dragon soul defending him, he never would’ve been High Venerable’s match. High Venerable is a true genius of the millennium!” Leng Wuchang praised.
Huangpu Tianyuan nodded.
Huangpu Fenglei laughed behind the golden curtain, “Li Jingtian, do you see this? This is the true power of Imperial Tyrant Body Art, martial and spiritual unity! Be it physical or soul attacks, nothing can break the Imperial Presence!”
“Think again.” Li Jingtian grinned, his black aura disappeared as an eerie power built up while he extended two fingers, “High Venerable, the only way to make your defeat true is by taking you down at your best!”
Zhuo Fan cried, “Elder Li…”