Chapter 321: Zankong Unleashed, Shattering the Void
Xuanyuan Potian knew full well that his subordinates were no match for Cheng Yuan. Having killed Cyan Dragon so cleanly, Cheng Yuan had to be at least at the Martial King Late Stage, perhaps even the Martial King Peak!
As for being a Martial Emperor?
Xuanyuan Potian didn’t even consider it. A Martial Emperor that young simply didn’t exist in this world.
’Even the young disciples from the Martial Dao Holy Lands are at most at the Martial King level, right?’
"Stand down! You are no match for Cheng Yuan!"
At Xuanyuan Potian’s command, the Guard Team executed the order without hesitation.
White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise were extremely close with Cyan Dragon; they were sworn brothers who had faced life and death together. Clouded by hatred, they even hesitated to obey Xuanyuan Potian’s command.
"War God, he killed Cyan Dragon!"
Xuanyuan Potian’s gaze turned cold. "White Tiger, are you disobeying a military order?"
"I wouldn’t dare!"
Xuanyuan Potian was now angry. Only then did White Tiger bow his head and accept the command, shooting a deeply resentful glare at Cheng Yuan. He truly wanted to slaughter this bastard with his own hands and avenge Cyan Dragon.
Had White Tiger not shot him that glare, Cheng Yuan might have been too lazy to bother with him. But Cheng Yuan clearly saw a deep, venomous hatred in White Tiger’s eyes.
The Karmic Obstacles above White Tiger’s head were even more numerous than Cyan Dragon’s. Cheng Yuan didn’t hold back. With a cold snort, he raised his hand and fired a beam of the Shaoshang Sword.
ZING!
A milky-white beam of light shot straight toward White Tiger’s eye!
Sensing the incredibly dense Sword Qi, White Tiger’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly raised a hand to protect his eyes, channeling his True Essence with all his might and gathering every last bit of it in his palm.
Even so, White Tiger failed to block the beam.
PUCHI!
White Tiger’s palm was pierced through, leaving a coin-sized bloody hole in its center.
With a soft POP!
The residual force of the beam burst White Tiger’s eyeball.
"AHH!! My eye!!"
White Tiger instinctively clutched his eye, which was gushing blood, and let out a blood-curdling scream.
Cheng Yuan blew on his fingertips as if he had just done something trivial. "I hate it when people glare at me," he said coolly. "This time, I took an eye. Next time, I’ll take your life."
"Cheng! I’ll fucking kill you!"
Clutching his eye with one hand, White Tiger charged madly toward Cheng Yuan, throwing a vicious punch at his face.
A flicker of disdain crossed Cheng Yuan’s eyes. His figure moved like a fleeting shadow as he easily dodged White Tiger’s attack, then slowly extended his palm.
It was as if White Tiger had willingly delivered his own head into Cheng Yuan’s palm.
BANG!
Cheng Yuan’s palm strike blew White Tiger’s head apart.
It burst like a rotten watermelon, splattering everywhere.
The scene was utterly gruesome.
Even Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and the surrounding Guard Army, who had witnessed countless cruelties on the battlefield, felt a chill of terror. They instinctively took several steps back.
Xuanyuan Potian was also stunned. He shot to his feet, staring at Cheng Yuan in disbelief.
’What a powerful young man!’
’He’s definitely much stronger than I was at his age!’
A desire to recruit such a talent sparked within Xuanyuan Potian. In a deep voice, he said, "Cheng Yuan, I am loath to admit it, but I must! You are stronger than I was in my youth. If you are willing to serve under me, I will spare no effort in cultivating your talent. In ten years—no, five—I will see you promoted to the rank of War God!"
The faces of Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and the Guard Army soldiers filled with immense envy.
’He could become a War God in just five years?’
’This kid is about to soar!’
In the Dragon Country, there were only a dozen or so War Gods in total, and each was responsible for the defense of at least two provinces.
Becoming a War God was a surefire path to soaring to the heavens.
But Cheng Yuan was not the least bit tempted. He was already the Young Marshal of Dragon Flame, the Dragon Country’s most clandestine special forces unit. His status was already on par with that of a War God.
If he were to take charge of Dragon Flame in the future, his standing would be equal to that of the Commander of the Battle Department.
Cheng Yuan looked at the Xuanyuan War God with a smirk. "Xuanyuan Potian, I think you’re rather amusing. I’m the man who killed your son, yet you’re trying to recruit me?"
Xuanyuan Potian rose slowly, looking down on Cheng Yuan from his elevated position. "You killed my son, and for that, I am indeed furious. However, He Tianci was nothing but a waste with no talent for Cultivation. More importantly, he carried the blood of the He Family! I would never pass my position down to a member of the He Family. So, in a strange twist of fate, you’ve actually helped me solve a small problem. Besides, you didn’t think I only had one son, did you? You should have no more reservations now. So, how about it? Will you join my ranks?"
Cheng Yuan shook his head gently.
Xuanyuan Potian stared intently into Cheng Yuan’s eyes. "I was being shortsighted," he said in a low voice. "Joining my ranks would indeed be beneath a man of your caliber. I can take you as my adopted son. I will groom you as if you were my own flesh and blood. How does that sound?"
’Adopted son?’
Cheng Yuan laughed in exasperation.
"Xuanyuan Potian, are you dreaming? You’re not even worthy to carry my shoes, yet you want to make me your adopted son? If you wanted to be *my* adopted son, now that’s something I might consider."
’What?’
’Cheng Yuan actually refused him?!’
’Most infuriating of all, he was a great and mighty War God, yet Cheng Yuan told *him* to be the adopted son?’
’What an utter humiliation!’
Xuanyuan Potian was utterly enraged.
"Cheng Yuan, you refuse the golden path and insist on choosing the road to ruin! Very well, I shall grant you your death wish! This blade is named Zankong! As its name implies, a single slash can tear the very void asunder. To die by Zankong will be an honorable death for you!"
Xuanyuan Potian leaped into the air, lightly tapping his toes on a small table. He shot toward Cheng Yuan like a swift cheetah.
SWISH!
A piercing sound of displaced air ripped through the room.
Zankong transformed into a brilliant arc of light, streaking straight for Cheng Yuan’s neck.
The light from Zankong’s blade was so overpowering that it seemed to tear a fissure in the void itself.
Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and the Guard Army trembled with excitement. They were finally witnessing Zankong in action once more!
"So fast! The War God is too fast! I can barely keep up with his movements!"
"Once Zankong is drawn, it severs the void! That kid is sure to be decapitated!"
"The War God’s honor is inviolable! Today, that kid will pay the price for his arrogance!"
Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and the soldiers of the Guard Army were ecstatic. It was as if they could already see the image of Cheng Yuan’s head being separated from his body.
Facing such a terrifying attack, Cheng Yuan remained completely unruffled. He leisurely drew his Broken Blade and swung it toward the arc of light.
When they saw Cheng Yuan pull out a broken blade—a rusty one at that—Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and the soldiers almost burst out laughing. ’This kid is ridiculous, isn’t he? Trying to block the War God’s Zankong with a rusty, broken blade?’
The War God’s Zankong could easily slice through the steel plating of an armored vehicle!
’This kid can’t possibly think his broken blade is tougher than armored steel, can he?’
Amidst the crowd’s mocking gazes, a sharp CLANG rang out.
The Broken Blade and Zankong had collided.
Cheng Yuan hadn’t moved an inch, but Xuanyuan Potian was thrown back, stumbling several steps before regaining his footing.
What was most shocking to everyone was that the supposedly indestructible Zankong now had a two-millimeter-deep notch in its edge, while the Broken Blade remained completely unscathed.