Chapter 543 - 526: Humility
But Wang Meng, the one who had spoken these words, showed no trace of an overbearing aura. He was perfectly calm.
Mo Chen suddenly chuckled. "Wouldn’t you say that was a heartfelt declaration?"
Yuu Kunlun smiled faintly. "Our little brother’s domineering nature is on full display. It’s just that he’s made quite a few enemies."
Mo Chen shook his head. "Actually, he was being modest."
Because Mo Chen knew that Wang Meng... was truly being modest!
Mo Chen longed to see just how powerful he had become. He hadn’t come here for some Battle of the Other Shore; he was simply waiting for that moment.
All eyes couldn’t help but turn to the Dragon Emperor, filled with envy, jealousy, and hate from every quarter. Among the four great powerhouses, the Dragon Emperor was elusive, yet he was widely acknowledged as the world’s foremost expert. And now Wang Meng possessed the Dragon Emperor Sacred Body. Even if it wasn’t a full transformation into the Dragon Race’s tyrannical might, it still set him completely apart.
Amid the murmuring crowd, Tu Mu stood up. Instantly, everyone fell silent.
This was the first time His Majesty the Dragon Emperor had seemed to want to speak. What could this supreme king possibly want to say?
"I must clarify something here. Wang Meng does not possess the Dragon Emperor Sacred Body."
Tu Mu said.
Instantly, never mind the rest of the Cultivation Realm—even the Sect Leaders of the Pure Land were stunned. ’Is he challenging our intelligence?’
Wang Meng had clearly manifested the Dragon Emperor Holy Statue, and the peerless, domineering aura he’d used to suppress the Ancient Beast could only have come from the Dragon Emperor’s bloodline.
And yet, Tu Mu, the current Dragon Emperor, had stood up and denied it.
In front of the entire Cultivation Realm.
But, clearly, if anyone in this world was qualified to deny it, it was Tu Mu.
’Then... what kind of Sacred Body does Wang Meng have???’
’Besides the Dragon Emperor Holy Statue, what other power could possibly reach such a level?’
All eyes fell on Wang Meng. Master Wang remained calm, neither confirming nor denying anything.
Unnoticed by many, the Holy Hall now had a fourth member advancing!
The Holy Hall Beings around Wang Meng... were very calm. This tranquility exerted a strange pressure on all who witnessed it.
The twelfth match: Dragon Princess Linglong versus Xie Tianhua of the Taiyin Sect.
Wang Meng might have been a "fake" Dragon Emperor Body, but the one now taking the stage possessed the true bloodline of a Dragon Emperor—the universally adored Dragon Princess.
Within the strictly hierarchical Dragon Race, Linglong was a supreme being.
The Dragon Emperor bloodline typically manifested in males; a female heir was rare, but it didn’t hinder the inheritance of power in the slightest.
Xie Tianhua gave a bitter smile. ’My luck really is terrible. What can I possibly do, running into a descendant of the Dragon Emperor?’
’Still, as a disciple of the Taiyin Sect, I have to fight, no matter how strong my opponent is.’
Not even the Taiyin Sect held out any hope for this match; the difference in strength was simply too obvious.
After what happened to the Celestial Dragon and Purple Dragon, one could only imagine the strength of the true Dragon Emperor bloodline.
Xie Tianhua drew his Long Sword. "Lady Linglong, please."
In terms of etiquette, Xie Tianhua carried himself with the grace of a master. Among the younger generation, only Jii Wanli could match such maturity.
But what about in terms of power?
Linglong remained noble and aloof. With a slight nod from her, Xie Tianhua struck. Clearly, when facing the Dragon Princess, there was no need for him to stand on ceremony.
Xie Tianhua’s Sword Qi surged, reaching the Fourth Layer of Minor Perfection. As expected of someone from a renowned sect like the Taiyin Sect, his Sword Technique was exceptionally sharp. However, faced with the Dragon Princess, any power, no matter how strong, seemed to pale in comparison.
The sky-spanning wave of Sword Qi was shattered by a single punch from Linglong.
It had to be said, Linglong was strikingly heroic when wielding her Dragon Power. The sharp Sword Qi was as fragile as glass before her.
It couldn’t harm Linglong in the slightest.
Facing Linglong’s counterattack, Xie Tianhua was remarkably patient. He didn’t clash head-on, instead using his footwork to neutralize her attacks. Linglong, for her part, seemed to have no intention of ending the fight in a single blow. Perhaps it was due to her nature, but she fought with great stability. Her punches and kicks were quite ordinary, and she conserved her Dragon Power well.
This gave Xie Tianhua an opportunity. For Linglong, victory was not the objective. As the Dragon Princess, the future Dragon Empress, she shouldered the mission of interacting with humanity. Her focus was on observation.
When faced with a representative from a top-tier Human Cultivator sect like Xie Tianhua, Linglong naturally allowed him to display his full abilities.
Even so, Linglong’s ordinary punches and kicks placed immense pressure on Xie Tianhua.
His Taiyin Profound Celestial Sword Technique was magnificent and powerful, yet he couldn’t fully unleash it in front of Linglong.
It was said that this second-in-command of the Taiyin Sect possessed a Life Artifact. ’He has no other choice now. He should just unleash his Life Artifact. It’s all or nothing. Even if he loses, he can leave the stage quickly and save some face.’
But Xie Tianhua didn’t seem anxious at all; he was still trying to maneuver around Linglong.
The Dragon Princess, however, was now applying pressure. For a master like Linglong, a slight shift in her aura and Dragon Power could instantly turn the tables. Xie Tianhua’s hope of finding an opening through delaying tactics was a complete fantasy.
BOOM...
He failed to adapt to one of her feints. Linglong appeared before Xie Tianhua and threw a punch. Xie Tianhua immediately deployed his Sword Screen, but it offered almost no resistance as Linglong’s fist smashed through.
POW...
Xie Tianhua was blasted back several dozen meters before he could steady himself. His arms hung limp, and he could barely even hold his sword.
A single, casual punch had nearly shattered his defenses. If she hadn’t been holding back, that blow could have utterly destroyed him.
The strength of the Dragon Race lay in their ability to completely ignore defenses.
Since his own breakthrough at the precipice of death, Mo Chen had achieved a new level of understanding. He was very satisfied with his disciple. Xie Tianhua had an excellent mentality. Just reaching the finals of the Battle of the Other Shore was mission accomplished; Mo Chen had no higher expectations of him. Xie Tianhua’s main role in the Taiyin Sect was to manage its affairs; when it came to sheer power, they had Zou Chuang.
Getting this far was already more than enough for Xie Tianhua.
He flexed his arms, channeling Elemental Power into them until the numbness subsided. Xie Tianhua gave a bitter smile. "The power of the Dragon Race is truly extraordinary."
In what was almost an Instant Flash, Linglong’s figure appeared a few meters from Xie Tianhua. "I can feel that you are very strong, so don’t waste my time."
It wasn’t that Linglong was trying to give Xie Tianhua a chance. If her opponent had been some nobody, her personality was such that she would have obliterated him with a single punch long ago.
As she spoke, she threw another punch.
BOOM...
Xie Tianhua met it head-on—not with a Sword Screen, but with an attack of his own.
’Trading blows with a member of the Dragon Race???’
VMMMM...
The Elemental Power exploded. Linglong’s figure swayed slightly, while Xie Tianhua was sent flying. He did a flip in mid-air and landed gracefully.
He held his Long Sword level and laid a finger on the blade. BOOM...
His Elemental Power erupted, forming a massive Taiyin Wheel. ’What is he trying to do?’
His Elemental Power continued to climb, rushing directly toward the peak of the Minor Perfection stage.
「At that same moment」
Atop the Taiyin Sect’s Forbidden Land, an old man was gazing in the direction of the Pure Land.
"Venerable Ancestor, how must I cultivate to become a master?" a young Daoist acolyte asked curiously.
The old man smiled. "You must have heart."
"Heart? I have a heart."
The old man shook his head but didn’t explain.
The young boy pouted. "Venerable Ancestor, you’re being mysterious again! I know you secretly went to guide Brother Xie. What kind of ’heart’ does he have?"
The old man patted the boy’s head. "A heart of gratitude."
Every Cultivator has something they persevere for. Only through perseverance can one become truly strong.
But the reasons for that perseverance differ.
The various Sect Leaders stared at Xie Tianhua. ’What is this kid trying to do? Is he about to unleash an ultimate move?’
Xie Tianhua’s Elemental Power had already condensed to a considerable degree when, with a VMMMM, something changed.
BOOM...
Xie Tianhua’s Elemental Power became dazzlingly radiant as a surging aura erupted from him.
The Sect Leaders present could only stare, their mouths agape and their eyes wide with disbelief.
Great Perfection? Xie Tianhua? (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please consider supporting it with recommendation votes and monthly tickets on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)