Outside Jialing Pass, in the central military tent of the Star Luo Allied Forces.
The atmosphere was terrifyingly heavy.
Three days had passed since Zhu Zhuyun entered Jialing Pass, but not a shred of information had been sent back.
Their plan was most likely dead in the water.
These past few days, Dai Weisi had been wearing a long face with everyone, and Dai Tianfeng was no exception; in his heart, he felt his beautiful fiancée had likely been thoroughly enjoyed by Yang Yuan.
At the thought of his fiancée's lush body possibly being pinned down and ravaged by Yang Yuan, his face couldn't help but contort into a hideous expression.
And on the fourth day.
Accompanied by a booming sound and flying dust, the gates of Jialing Pass slowly opened.
From within Jialing Pass, a troop of knights slowly filed out.
This group of men and horses wore golden armor and walked at a slow pace, looking more like an honor guard clearing the way ahead rather than soldiers for battle.
After the golden-armored knights exited Jialing Pass, they split into two rows, clearing a path in the middle.
Then, Yang Yuan, the Great Emperor Qinghe (disguised Qian Renxue), and Ning Fengzhi slowly walked out from behind, followed by Sword Douluo, Dugu Bo, a host of Heaven Dou Empire generals, and others.
Although they were few in number—no more than a thousand or eight hundred—it was enough to make the Star Luo Allied Forces outside Jialing Pass treat them with the highest level of preparedness.
Upon sensing the movement, the Star Luo Allied Forces lined up their hundreds of thousands of troops in neat formations. Emperor of the Star Luo EmpireDai Tianfeng, wearing golden battle armor and a fiery red cloak, sat atop a magnificent white horse at the very front of the allied forces.
Beside him was his Empress.
Both were Spirit Douluo above level eighty-five; once they joined forces to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, few Titled Douluo below level ninety-five could be their match.
Aside from the two of them, the high-ranking officials of the Star Luo Empire were all present, including the group from the Clear Sky Sect.
Qian Renxue was also riding a warhorse, wearing beast-faced golden armor, looking heroic and spirited.
She slowly moved forward, her gaze as sharp as a torch.
"Dai Tianfeng!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was steadily projected with spirit power, clearly reaching the ears of everyone in the Star Luo Allied Forces opposite them.
"Your Star Luo Empire has invaded our Heaven Dou borders, plundered our frontier people, and now you have stationed your troops beneath Jialing Pass, killing my soldiers."
"Today, our two nations should finally reach a resolution."
Among the high command of the Star Luo Allied Forces, many cursed inwardly.
Why weren't you this tough before the King Qitian arrived?
Truly a fox borrowing the tiger's majesty!
Dai Tianfeng's expression was composed as he reined his horse forward.
"Xue Qinghe, you have acted against the natural order, killing with tyranny and cruelty. How many loyal officials and brave generals have died unjustly by your hand? Life in Heaven Dou is even more miserable for the common people."
"My Star Luo raised troops not for invasion, but to rescue Heaven Dou from the depths of fire and water. The four kingdoms even welcomed our Star Luo army with joy; it is clear you have lost the hearts of the people."
"If you are wise, you will rein in your horse at the edge of the cliff and surrender your nation. For the sake of the King Qitian, I will ensure you live the rest of your Life in luxury, without losing your status as a prince. If not..."
"Hahaha! What a 'rein in your horse at the edge of the cliff and surrender your nation.' I return those words to you exactly as they were spoken."
"If you do not know what's good for you, then today will be the day you die."
Qian Renxue snorted coldly, her sharpness fully revealed.
Dai Tianfeng frowned.
"In that case, enough talk. Today, there must be a battle between our two armies!"
"One battle to decide victory and defeat!"
Having said that, she unsheathed her sword, the blade pointing diagonally toward the sky, its cold light reflecting the sun.
In an instant, war drums suddenly thundered from the Star Luo ranks, their Aura majestic.
The arrow was on the string and had to be fired.
Even if Yang Yuan was determined to stop him, he had to give it his all.
He didn't believe Yang Yuan could kill all of these hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
The wind wailed, and the banners fluttered!
Dai Tianfeng spat out a single word in a high-pitched voice: "Kill!"
Instantly, banners snapped in the wind as the soldiers of the Star Luo Allied Forces launched a charge together.
Before Jialing Pass, there were only a thousand or so knights; with the sheer size of the Star Luo Allied Forces, a single charge could seize the gates of Jialing Pass.
Of course, this was excluding the factors of the various Titled Douluo and Yang Yuan.
Such powerful beings could be an army unto themselves.
Dai Tianfeng was gambling—gambling that Yang Yuan would not take action against these ordinary soldiers.
These were lives numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
Dai Tianfeng was gambling that Yang Yuan wouldn't be so cold-blooded.
However, with Yang Yuan's strength, did he even need to kill anyone to intimidate these hundreds of thousands of troops?
The battle cries reached the heavens, but on the Heaven Dou Empire's side, aside from the ordinary soldiers, few showed any signs of cowardice or fear.
Qian Renxue reined her horse around and looked at Yang Yuan.
"King Qitian, it's time for your entrance!"
Watching the thousands of horses galloping ahead, the deafening battle cries, and the billowing dust.
Everyone turned their eyes toward Yang Yuan.
A faint smile hung on his face, his expression composed.
Yang Yuan nodded slightly and replied, "Leave it to me!"
Having said that, he slowly urged his horse forward.
In an instant, an invisible Aura, like the sky collapsing or the deep sea turning upside down, erupted from him!
The first to feel it were the Star Luo iron cavalry charging at the very front.
Their warhorses, which had been sprinting madly a moment ago, suddenly felt as if an invisible giant hand had pressed down on their heads, and they all knelt down in unison!
"Boom—!"
The first row of soldiers, as if their bones had been removed, fell flat on the ground along with their horses.
Then came the second row, the third row... That invisible 'momentum' radiated from Yang Yuan like ripples; wherever it passed, whether they were ordinary soldiers or Titled Douluo with profound spirit power, all without exception prostrated themselves on the ground, unable to move!
"Bang, bang, bang, bang—!"
The sound of them falling to their knees was like falling dominoes, wave after wave.
In the blink of an eye, of the hundreds of thousands of Star Luo Allied Forces who had just been shouting battle cries with soaring morale, not a single person remained standing.
Before the dust had even settled, the battle cries had vanished.
In its place was a deathly silence.
The Star Luo soldiers lay prostrate on the cold ground, their bodies trembling and teeth chattering. They had lost even the courage to look up at that figure, their faces filled with bewilderment.
What on earth was going on?
Hundreds of thousands of troops and several Titled Douluo couldn't even last a single breath before Yang Yuan?
Was this... was this a man or a god?
The Heaven Dou side was also plunged into extreme shock.
They all knew Yang Yuan was strong.
He had not only crippled the Supreme Pontiff but had also gained the recognition of Qian Daoliu, making him the strongest person in the world.
But exactly how strong Yang Yuan was, they did not know.
But now, looking at the Star Luo Allied Forces spread across the hills and fields, kneeling as if on a pilgrimage, they finally had a direct understanding of Yang Yuan's power.
Was he... really still human?
How could a Mortal possess such grand power?
In the Douluo Continent, Spirit Masters were not invincible existences; below the level of Spirit Saint, they could all be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
If powerful crossbows were used, a few thousand elite troops would suffice.
Once one reached the level of Spirit Saint, an army of ten thousand would be required to deal with them.
While Spirit Douluo and Titled Douluo were even more powerful.
In truth, they still fell within the category of Mortals.
Although they could withstand an army of ten thousand, once their physical strength was spent and their spirit power exhausted, they would have no way to continue against an army and would still face Life-threatening danger.
Of course, this was only a hypothesis.
Neither Titled Douluo nor Spirit Douluo would ever allow themselves to fall into such a dangerous situation.
With their strength, they were capable of retreating safely before their spirit power was depleted.
If they were to kite an army, any one of them could easily wipe out an entire military force.
But this also showed that the difference between them and ordinary people had not yet reached the level of a complete qualitative change.
Yet at this moment, Yang Yuan hadn't even lifted a finger; just by walking casually, his Aura could make an army of hundreds of thousands prostrate themselves.
How terrifying was this?
This kind of might was already enough to call him a god.
At this moment, Yang Yuan spoke indifferently. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a heavenly decree descending, clearly reaching the ears of every person prostrate on the ground:
"I am the King Qitian of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Today, those who surrender shall be spared. Those who resist to the end—"
"Die!"
As the final word fell, although the tone was flat, it made everyone's heart tighten, as if they heard a boundless killing intent within it.
Could it be that if the Star Luo Allied Forces didn't surrender, he would actually dare to do it?
One had to realize that there were hundreds of thousands of soldiers here.
At this moment, among the Star Luo army prostrate on the ground, the bodies of many people trembled even more violently, and they buried their heads even lower, wishing they could burrow into the dirt.
Even the people on the Heaven Dou side couldn't help but gasp.
"Roar—"
Just then, a roar nearly like that of a beast suddenly broke the dead silence.
Dai Tianfeng's eyes were bloodshot, the veins on his wrinkled face bulged, and traces of blood seeped from his tightly clenched teeth.
He pushed his martial soul to the limit with all his might; a massive White Tiger phantom struggled and roared madly behind him, and eight spirit rings spiraled up at that moment.
"I... I am the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire..."
"How can I be so pathetic in front of everyone?"
He spoke one word at a time, his voice so raspy it nearly tore his throat. His knees trembled violently, but he forced them to lift.
Meanwhile, beside him.
"Hah!!"
"Get up for me!"
From the direction of the Clear Sky Sect, several violent Auras exploded.
Tang Xiao roared toward the sky, his long hair dancing wildly. His bronze muscles bulged like blocks of stone, and the clothes on his body were shattered into pieces by the suddenly erupting spirit power, scattering in all directions.
The pitch-black Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand, and nine spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—spiraled up.
Above his shoulders, space distorted violently, and invisible pressure poured down as if he were carrying an invisible mountain on his back.
Yet, bearing this powerful pressure, he stood up resolutely, and the ground beneath his feet instantly caved into a large pit.
"We disciples of the Clear Sky Sect kneel to the heavens, the earth, and our parents, but when have we ever knelt to another?"
Tang Xiao roared as he rose, his spirit power releasing violently as he forced his spine straight against the mountain-like pressure, his bones emitting cracking sounds.
"Sect Master!"
"Ah—"
Beside him, the four Clear Sky SectElders also roared, pushing their spirit power to the limit to stand up one by one from the invisible suppression.
Their bodies trembled, blood overflowed from the corners of their mouths, and blood seeped from their eye sockets and ear canals.
"Four Elders, follow me and give everything against Yang Yuan!"
"There are no cowards in my Clear Sky Sect!"
The image and voice of Tang Hao appeared in Tang Xiao's eyes, and his gaze became increasingly determined.
Although he hadn't wanted to face Yang Yuan so early, a person's state of mind differs at different times.
Just like now, under the stimulation of Yang Yuan's pressure, he completely erupted.
He would rather die a glorious death in battle than lie prostrate under Yang Yuan's pressure.
The other four Elders looked at each other and instantly reached an agreement.
"Good!"
"Then let's give him everything we've got!"
The Clear Sky Sect had been glorious for so many years; when had they ever been so humiliated?
The Second Elder of the Clear Sky Sect gave a loud shout like a clap of thunder. Nine spirit rings rose, and his body also took to the air.
Aside from him, the other three Elders and Tang Xiao did the same.
The five of them tightly gripped their mountain-like Clear Sky Hammers, their spirit rings flashing as they used their Clear Sky Avatars and all the Spirit abilities that augmented themselves.
At this moment, the Aura of the five had surged to the extreme, and their violent spirit power gushed from their bodies like physical substance, squeezing and distorting the surrounding air.
"Kill—"
Tang Hao let out a long cry that shook the surrounding fields.
His muscles bulged, veins popped, and he was like an ancient Vicious Beast breaking free from its shackles, brandishing the massive Clear Sky Hammer as he led the charge.
Behind him, the four Clear Sky SectElders followed closely.
The Clear Sky Nine Absolutes were all activated!
The heritage of the Clear Sky Sect was displayed to its fullest at this moment.
Five Titled Douluo struck together, their terrifying Aura vibrating outward.
Within the Star Luo Allied Forces, everyone's eyes widened as they watched the five figures charging toward Yang Yuan like meteors.
Could they succeed?
Their opponent was the strongest in the world!
On the Heaven Dou side, Sword Douluo and Dugu Bo watched this scene, their pupils shrinking slightly.
Even they felt a genuine sense of pressure from the offensive of those five.
Under the combined force of these five, neither of them would be a match.
But unfortunately, their opponent... was Yang Yuan!
This alone was far from enough!
Yang Yuan didn't move.
He just sat there on his horse, his face calm, not even blinking his eyes.
The attack of the five from the Clear Sky Sect, carrying world-destroying power, drew closer and closer.
A hundred zhang.
Fifty zhang.
Thirty zhang.
Twenty zhang.
Ten zhang—
It came to a screeching halt!
It was as if an invisible, intangible barrier had appeared out of thin air ten zhang in front of Yang Yuan.
These five earth-shattering attacks stopped dead before this barrier, unable to advance even an inch further.
In an instant, Tang Xiao's gaze suddenly cleared.
Shock was mixed with a look of disbelief.
"This... how is this possible!!"
He held the hammer with both hands, his muscles bulging to the limit, veins almost bursting, yet the Clear Sky Hammer in his hands remained motionless.
Including the other four Clear Sky SectElders, their movements were frozen in mid-air, like insects trapped in amber.
Everyone was stunned.
Yang Yuan finally looked up at them slowly, his gaze calm, everything appearing insignificant in his eyes.
A very faint curve slowly formed at the corner of his lips.
"Clear Sky Sect..."
"Is this it?"
Yang Yuan's voice was flat, with a hint of laziness.
He shook his head slightly, his tone carrying no mockery, only an indifference as if dealing with ants.
If they hadn't acted, with his personality, he would never have bothered to move against the Clear Sky Sect out of boredom.
After all, when one stands at a different height, one views things from a different perspective.
Just as a giant would not care about the resentment of an ant.
But now the nature of the situation had changed.
This ant had actually bared its teeth at the giant.
In that case, Yang Yuan naturally didn't mind stepping firmly on these few ants.
As his voice fell, his gaze swept over the five of them casually.
With just this single glance, there were no other movements.
However!
"Bang—"
Tang Xiao's body exploded without any warning!
He turned into a cloud of crimson blood mist; not even a single intact bone remained, only blood spray drifting lightly in the wind.
Followed by.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Four muffled thuds rang out almost simultaneously.
The bodies of the four Clear Sky SectElders also exploded, their blood mist mixing with Tang Xiao's.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
No one even saw what happened, nor did anyone have time to react.
It wasn't until those five clouds of blood mist spread in the wind that they finally reacted.
In an instant, there was dead silence outside Jialing Pass!
Five Titled Douluo were actually stared to death by the King Qitian with a single glance.
Simply terrifying!
(End of Chapter)
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