Immortal Martial Emperor

BANG!

Zhao Wushuang’s body flew sideways, crashing heavily onto the ground.

The terrifying force didn’t diminish in the slightest, dragging Zhao Wushuang’s body backward across the ground. It carved a deep furrow in the earth where he passed, like an old ox plowing a field.

Soil was churned up and sent flying, and shattered stone tiles were launched into the air like snowflakes.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

His body smashed through three thick walls in succession.

With a final BANG, he slammed into the Lotus Pond in the Liger Garden, sending a monstrous Water Dragon of a splash into the air.

A slick of crimson blood spread out from within the Lotus Pond.

It stained a patch of the pond’s water red.

BLUB BLUB BLUB!

Amidst a surge of waves, a disheveled Zhao Wushuang floated up from the bottom.

He slowly rose into the air.

He coughed violently, a trickle of blood escaping his lips as he glared viciously at Hong Yu. "So, this is Hong Yu. It seems we all underestimated you. Good, very good. It’s been many years since I’ve been injured..."

Hong Yu flapped his Divine Demon Wings and hovered in the air.

He gazed at Zhao Wushuang, who was several hundred meters away. "You know, I’ve always despised big talkers like you. First, you boasted that if you had to retaliate within three moves, you’d admit defeat. Then you retaliated on the very first move. Then you said if you had to use both hands, you’d admit defeat, and you ended up doing that too."

"And now you’re going on about how you haven’t been injured in years. What’s next? Are you going to tell me that I’ve ’thoroughly enraged you’ and that I’m a ’dead man’?" Hong Yu asked mockingly.

"You..."

Zhao Wushuang’s face alternated between green and white.

Hong Yu’s words had struck a nerve.

Their auras flared as they faced off from a distance.

The situation was as tense as an arrow nocked on a crossbow, ready to be fired at a touch.

Just then, Xiahuang Shang’s voice suddenly echoed from the void. "That’s enough out of both of you!"

His calm words carried an irresistible authority.

Xiahuang Shang’s figure slowly descended. He stared at the two, his gaze lingering on Hong Yu. The corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously, a clear sign of his immense satisfaction with Hong Yu’s performance.

Hong Yu smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

Only then did Xiahuang Shang turn to Zhao Wushuang. "Zhao Wushuang, do you know your crimes?"

"Hm?"

Zhao Wushuang was taken aback. His anger was already boiling over, and he cast aside his reservations. "My crimes? What crimes could I have possibly committed? Fifth Prince, look at what they’ve done to my Liger Garden! My younger brother was nearly crippled, and even I’ve been injured, yet you come here to question me?"

"Insolent!"

A cold glint flashed in Xiahuang Shang’s eyes.

An invisible pressure washed over Zhao Wushuang. His expression fell, and his legs buckled involuntarily.

With a THUD, he fell to his knees.

His knees cracked the thick, solid ground. One could only imagine how immense that force was!

Xiahuang Shang said with a cold expression, "Do you really think I am unaware? After they purchased items from the Profound Cyan Pavilion, Zhao Wuji, under your instruction, intercepted Xu Wudi and the others. Stealing their Treasure was one thing, but you even captured them, tied them up here, and tortured them to lure out Hong Yu. Do you dare claim this was all a coincidence?"

Xiahuang Shang’s methods were heaven-defying.

While observing the battle, he had already used various means to grasp the cause and effect of the situation, deducing that a hidden mastermind was pulling the strings.

Clearly, this mastermind could not possibly be Zhao Wushuang.

’How could a mere Unparalleled True Dragon like him dare to do such a thing?’

Xiahuang Shang already had his suspicions about the true mastermind, but due to the other party’s special status, it was inconvenient to openly tear off all pretenses of civility for the time being.

However, there was no harm in disciplining a lackey like Zhao Wushuang!

Zhao Wushuang’s face was ashen. "Fifth Prince, you should know why I did this. The one behind me is..."

Before he could finish, Xiahuang Shang raised his hand and, with a sharp SLAP, sent him flying.

He flew a full thousand meters.

Hovering in the air, Zhao Wushuang’s left cheek was swollen high, and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"Get back here!"

Xiahuang Shang formed his five fingers into a claw and pulled sharply.

A surging force grabbed Zhao Wushuang and dragged him back, slamming him down hard in a kneeling position!

A mighty existence ranked in the top five of the Unparalleled True Dragons was toyed with like an ant in his hands. This was the true power of the second-ranked Unparalleled Genius!

"Fifth Brother, that’s enough!"

Just as Xiahuang Shang was about to strike again, a slightly gloomy voice sounded beside him.

Xiahuang Shang’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the newcomer. "What? Is Eldest Brother trying to stop me?"

"Not at all."

Xiahuang Zun wore an indifferent expression as he continued, "This is but a trivial matter. A light punishment will suffice."

"Whether a ’light punishment’ is appropriate isn’t for us to decide," Xiahuang Shang said flatly. "Younger Brother Hong, how do you think he should be punished?"

Xiahuang Zun narrowed his eyes.

His face remained nonchalant, but a chilling light flickered in the depths of his eyes. He was clearly displeased that Xiahuang Shang had defied him, and his strange, mocking gaze fixed on Hong Yu.

Hong Yu took a deep breath.

He felt immense pressure from Xiahuang Zun’s gaze, but when he saw Xu Wudi and the others who had been tortured in the Lotus Pond, and thought of the missing Little Chenxi, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "I don’t care if Zhao Wushuang lives or dies, but Zhao Wuji, the one who tortured my friends, must die."

"They must return the items they stole from my friends. Other than that..."

Hong Yu took an Arrow Step, appearing before the panicked Zhao Wuji and stomping a foot on his chest. "Where is Chenxi? Speak!"

"I-I don’t know."

Zhao Wuji’s eyes flickered.

Hong Yu viciously stomped down, completely shattering the bones in his arm. Ignoring his heart-wrenching screams, he said coldly, "I’ll ask you again. Where is Chenxi?"

"I don’t..."

Zhao Wuji’s face was twisted in agony. Just as he was about to speak, a sharp pain shot through his remaining left arm and left leg.

Under Hong Yu’s foot, the bones in his arm and leg were crushed and his meridians were severed.

A blue light flowed in Hong Yu’s left eye. He channeled his powerful Spiritual Power into his Pupil Technique: Sky-covering, plunging Zhao Wuji into endless, torturous agony.

"I’ll ask you one last time, where is Chenxi?" Hong Yu practically roared.

Despair and pain washed over Zhao Wuji’s face. He opened his mouth, about to reveal Chenxi’s whereabouts.

Just then—

A sharp ray of light suddenly shot out from the side. The light was incredibly condensed, containing an infinite essence, and it made even Hong Yu feel a mortal threat.

He retreated subconsciously.

At almost the same instant.

The ray of light engulfed Zhao Wuji with a soft PUFF.

SHING!

There were no screams, no gushing blood.

Where the light passed, Zhao Wuji’s entire body cracked and shattered at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into motes of dust and dissipating completely between heaven and earth.

Seeing this, Zhao Wushuang’s eyes looked ready to split. "Second Brother..."

He glared furiously at the one who had unleashed the ray of light that annihilated Zhao Wuji.

Bai Luoxue looked at him with an innocent expression. "Sorry, my hand slipped."

"Bai Luoxue, you killed my second brother?" Zhao Wushuang glared, his eyes bloodshot with hatred.

He and Zhao Wuji were blood brothers, close since childhood.

He had been unable to move under Xiahuang Shang’s suppression, forced to watch Hong Yu torture Zhao Wuji, which had already pushed him to his limit. Now, Bai Luoxue had killed Zhao Wuji outright. What kind of monstrous hatred would this create?

But Bai Luoxue said nonchalantly, "I told you, my hand slipped. What are you going to do about it?"

As she spoke, Bai Luoxue’s icy gaze locked onto Zhao Wushuang.

It was as if she would cut him down if he dared to say another word.

Zhao Wushuang’s eyes twitched. He cast a pleading look toward the Eldest Prince. Wasn’t the Eldest Prince the one who had instructed him, landing him in this mess in the first place?

But the Eldest Prince, Xiahuang Zun, didn’t even spare him a glance.

He looked at Xiahuang Shang with an indifferent gaze. "Since the main culprit, Zhao Wuji, is dead, let’s end this matter here."

Xiahuang Zun turned to leave.

Bai Luoxue shot Xiahuang Shang a playful glance, wondering what exactly he was planning.

However...

The moment they turned, a cold voice exploded like the clash of cymbals and gongs. "Hold it right there!"

"Hm?"

Xiahuang Zun’s eyes turned cold, and his steps came to an abrupt halt.

In that instant, the very air around the Liger Garden seemed to solidify and stop flowing.

The expressions on everyone’s faces froze.

It was as if everything had been sealed in ice.

Xiahuang Zun slowly turned around. A chill that seemed to emanate from an ice cellar swirled in his eyes as his indifferent voice sounded calmly, "Are you... speaking to me?"

His words were indifferent.

But everyone could feel the cold intent in Xiahuang Zun’s heart.

In the entire vast Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom, besides the supreme Emperor himself, no one had ever dared to order him, Xiahuang Zun, to halt!

Xiahuang Shang was the first to recover. He took an Arrow Step to position himself between Hong Yu and Xiahuang Zun. "Eldest Brother, Younger Brother Hong didn’t mean it like that. Why lower yourself to his level?"

"Fifth Brother, get out of my way," Xiahuang Zun said flatly.

"Eldest Brother..."

Xiahuang Shang tried to say more.

But Xiahuang Zun was already in motion. He brushed past him, and after a moment’s hesitation, Xiahuang Shang ultimately did not intervene.

He looked with concern at Hong Yu, who was now face-to-face with Xiahuang Zun.

"Was it you who just told me to halt?" Xiahuang Zun asked.

Hong Yu felt a terrifying pressure bearing down on his body.

It felt as if he were tens of thousands of meters deep in the ocean, with immense pressure crushing him from all sides. He could barely withstand the urge to fall to his knees.

’This Xiahuang Zun’s strength seems to be a notch above even Hai Cangtian’s!’

"Th-That’s right!"

Hong Yu gritted his teeth so hard that blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Do you think you can provoke me just because you have Fifth Brother backing you?" Xiahuang Zun said indifferently.

BOOM!

An even more terrifying aura of power enveloped him.

Hong Yu’s legs trembled violently and half-buckled. With a quick movement, he summoned the Godslaying Spear to prop himself up, managing to hold a half-squatting position without truly kneeling.

The immense pressure made Hong Yu’s bones creak and groan. Beads of blood were squeezed from his pores, causing excruciating pain.

Xiahuang Shang repeatedly shot glances at Hong Yu, signaling him not to resist stubbornly.

Hong Yu ignored him. He slowly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes meeting Xiahuang Zun’s with a gaze that was neither servile nor overbearing. "Give... Chenxi... back to me."

"Chenxi?"

A playful look appeared on Xiahuang Zun’s face. "You mean that little girl Zhao Wuji captured?"

"That’s right. G-give her back to me!" Hong Yu said through gritted teeth.

Xiahuang Zun slowly leaned forward, his mouth close to Hong Yu’s ear, and said mockingly, "Tsk tsk, I was originally just interested in the little one’s constitution. I didn’t realize she held such an important place in your heart! Heh heh, in that case, I’ll have to study her very carefully when I get back!"

"If you... if you dare harm Chenxi, I will make you wish you were dead," Hong Yu enunciated every word.

His words were filled with a chilling fury.

Xiahuang Zun’s eyes narrowed, but he suddenly broke into a smirk. "I’d love to see how you’ll make me wish I were dead!"

BANG!

A palm strike shot out, and Hong Yu was sent flying as if struck by lightning, spitting a mouthful of blood.

He struggled to support his body.

He had just steadied himself when Xiahuang Zun appeared before him again, suddenly raising a hand to launch another attack, but Xiahuang Shang appeared just in time to block him.

Xiahuang Shang’s face was grim. He grabbed Xiahuang Zun’s arm and shook his head slightly.

Xiahuang Zun froze for a moment. Seeing the resolve in Xiahuang Shang’s eyes, he narrowed his own and then smiled. "Fine. You want to save that little girl? You can. But you have to agree to one condition of mine..."