441 Fated Enemy?
“A monster.” Tang Xinglong, aboard the carriage, watched Qin Huai on the battlefield. His eyes held no fear, instead, they gleamed with anticipation. “The bizarre power this man suddenly unleashed is likely his trump card, his confidence to dare leap into the fray.”
He had been carefully observing Qin Huai’s attacks. Like the assassins in the army, he found the thrill of the battle escalating as he watched Qin Huai’s moves.
“Exceptional learning ability. He seems to have a photographic memory of his opponent’s movements…” Tang Xinglong’s hands rubbed together eagerly.
“Young Master, the prefecture overseer has instructed us to merely observe this battle from a distance,” Gao He warned. The perilous situation Zhou Cunzhong was in made him question whether his young master would stand a chance against him in a direct fight.
“Do you mean to say you’re afraid I’ll lose?” Tang Xinglong’s voice was icy.
“This subordinate wouldn’t dare!” Gao He bowed his head. “I merely watched the Qingzhou guards fall. Their lives may not be worth much, but if their deaths can conserve my strength, it’s a worthy trade.”
“But this doesn’t mean that I’m afraid of that Zhou Cunzhong.” Tang Xinglong’s voice dropped colder.
“You’re right!” Gao He didn’t argue.
Tang Xinglong stretched himself. “The Qingzhou guards are ridding the people of a menace. As their master, I cannot simply stand idle.”
He added nonchalantly, “You know those elders at the Thousand Divination Tower. They frequently babble about fate and luck, but there might be some truth to it. Just like this man before me, I can sense a power similar to destiny from him. How fascinating…”
A faint aura started emanating from Tang Xinglong’s body, and he murmured, “Perhaps, he will be my arch-nemesis. A rival fighting for the throne of Qingzhou.”
Tang Xinglong thought that this Zhou Cunzhong might be the result of the emperor’s resurrection through a startling method a millennia ago. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly be this powerful. Plus, only the emperor from ten thousand years ago was worthy of being his mortal enemy.
Tang Xinglong’s aura continued to rise. Several miles away, Qin Huai abruptly raised his head, his gaze meeting Tang Xinglong’s. Invisible sparks seemed to dance in the air.
Boom!
Suddenly, a few more dark silhouettes materialized in the sky. As Qin Huai prepared to throw a punch, he heard a booming voice echoing from above.
“Brother Zhou!” The voice was as thunderous as a lion’s roar and as swift as the wind.
Several figures descended from the sky among the thousands of soldiers, accompanied by a clear spring and a brilliant white light.
Bang! Bang!
Fang Huo and Xiang Mingfeng intercepted the two generals in green armor, while the other areas, devoid of high-level experts, were barricaded by Xu Tong of the Blue Sea Pavilion, Gou Jie of the Thousand Divination Tower, and Le Ji’an of the Ghost Ox sect. The top elites of the five major sects of Qingzhou City had Qin Huai surrounded.
“I’m truly sorry, Brother Zhou,” Xiang Mingfeng said, “I arrived a step too late.”
Suddenly, Xiang Mingfeng’s body emanated a dazzling light. Like a saint, he directly neutralized the power of the surrounding Qingzhou guards. He threw his fists, and the white light glowed as hot as fire.
This was Qin Huai’s first time watching Xiang Mingfeng fight someone head-on. Despite only having half his usual strength, his force was terrifying.
Not wanting to be outshone, Fang Huo’s brown fur shimmered, his body enlarging. Like a humanoid demon, he charged into the army.
While the Qingzhou elites at the back lacked the boldness of the five, they gradually whittled away the strength of the Qingzhou guards from the fringes.
Despite the Qingzhou guards being recognized as the strongest army in Qingzhou, and over half of the one hundred thousand armored soldiers being great refined blood martial artists handpicked from all over, these weakened Qingzhou elites were not to be underestimated. The battle quickly escalated.
“Brother Zhou, you can rest for a bit. If all goes as planned, Tang Xinglong will make his move,” She Wanshan advised Qin Huai.
“Is Tang Xinglong very strong?” Qin Huai had scant knowledge about the prefecture overseer’s manor.
“Tang Xinglong, known as the prefecture Overseer of a small prefecture, is virtually unbeatable in Qingzhou City among his peers,” She Wanshan answered, then explained the power of Tang Xinglong, shedding light on his deep-rooted family background and the cultivation techniques designed to control Qingzhou City as a king.
“But we don’t have to fight to the death to win. The commotion here will undoubtedly attract the attention of the five great sects of Qingzhou City. As long as we can hold out until our sect’s reinforcements arrive, we’ll be saved.”
“Better to be self-reliant than to depend on others,” Qin Huai responded indifferently, patting She Wanshan’s shoulder. It was his advice to his comrade— had already planned for the worst-case scenario.
After traversing several miles, he looked again at the figure on the carriage, and his pupils constricted. Tang Xinglong had disappeared!
“Brother Zhou, be careful!” Fang Huo’s warning echoed.
However, in the next second, a figure appeared before him.