Chapter 96: Your Highness, Shall We Still Fight?
At this moment, the entire world fell silent.
Time seemed to have been frozen, as if someone had pressed a pause button. No one could believe what they were witnessing.
The renowned Ning Cheng of the Beast Taming Sect was defeated in a single move by Li Xun?
Everyone knew that when facing someone from the Beast Taming Sect, the key was to avoid engaging their beasts. Li Xun adhered to this principle, yet his strength was far too overwhelming.
With just one punch, Ning Cheng was sent flying, his fate unknown.
What would have happened if Ning Cheng had faced him without the assistance of his beast?
Many dared not even think further.
"One move! It was... truly just one move!"
"This can't be real! It must be fake!!!"
In a massive crater, Ning Cheng lay sprawled, pain radiating from every inch of his body. It felt as though all his bones had been shattered. His eyes were lifeless, and he muttered to himself incoherently.
In his mind, he recalled the elder's warning from that day.
He hadn't believed it back then. He refused to think that he couldn't withstand a single move from Li Xun. But now, the brutal reality lay before him. No matter how much he doubted, he had to accept it.
And this was even with the help of his beast. What if he hadn't summoned it? The outcome would be unimaginable.
"Li Xun..."
Ning Cheng's voice was hoarse. Struggling, he slowly climbed out of the crater. Beneath his tattered clothes, a gleaming protective treasure radiated a dazzling light, exuding an indestructible aura.
It was a low-grade defensive spiritual treasure.
Fortunately, this treasure had absorbed ninety percent of Li Xun's attack. Otherwise, Ning Cheng would have been reduced to a mist of blood with just that punch.
"I must admit, you're strong. But it's a pity you didn't manage to kill me with that punch. Now... you've lost your chance!"
Ning Cheng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Now, his demeanor was that of a madman.
Extending his hand, he summoned his beast to his side. Leaping onto its head, his aura merged entirely with the beast in that instant.
The two became one, causing the beast's strength to surge to a whole new level.
"Is this where your confidence lies?"
Li Xun stood on the ground, golden blood energy swirling around him like a storm. He exuded an ancient, divine presence—majestic and domineering beyond measure.
"To me, you're still too weak."
A quiet statement.
Clang!
In his hand appeared a massive black halberd, as heavy as a mountain. Its weight seemed to crush the very void, which trembled and distorted under its presence.
Pitch-black like ink, it emanated an aura that seemed to devour souls. Wrapped around it was a coiling azure dragon, almost lifelike, its dragon might tangible and oppressive.
As the halberd appeared, the surrounding earth shattered instantly.
From Li Xun's position, terrifying cracks in the ground spread in all directions.
Azure Dragon Halberd!
This High-Grade spiritual treasure emerged once again, like a bloodthirsty azure dragon reborn. Its overwhelming aura of slaughter filled the air, carrying the cries of countless tormented souls.
Its unparalleled killing intent was terrifying to behold. If the halberd struck, it seemed capable of leveling mountains without even tapping into true essence.
"A High-Grade spiritual treasure!"
The man in green robes had a glint of greed in his eyes. The desire to possess it spread like wildfire in his heart.
Though he was a prince of Great Chu, the empire had too many princes. Even with the wealth of the Great Chu dynasty, not everyone could have a High-Grade spiritual treasure.
The best he had was a mid-grade spiritual treasure.
While valuable, a mid-grade spiritual treasure paled in comparison to a High-Grade one.
The difference in value was like heaven and earth!
"I must take it!"
The man in green glanced at Li Xun, his mind calculating furiously. He signaled his subordinates to act as soon as an opportunity presented itself.
With Ning Cheng acting as a distraction, perhaps they could deliver a fatal strike together.
Unlike the green-robed man's ambitions, Ning Cheng felt a deep unease the moment the black halberd appeared in Li Xun's hand.
The halberd's presence was overwhelming.
Even the beast beneath him roared uneasily.
"A low-grade defensive spiritual treasure versus the Azure Dragon Halberd... I wonder how many hits you can take," Li Xun said.
He lifted the halberd, swinging it down.
A black tide surged forth like a raging sun, an apocalyptic force bringing endless destruction. It was like a dormant demon god awakening from hell.
Boom!
The land shattered, as if a fragile cloth ripped apart in a storm.
The Azure Dragon Halberd, invincible and unstoppable, wreaked havoc.
This doesn't seem like a weapon at all—it's more like an ancient demon dragon, suddenly emerging into the world, intent on annihilating everything in its path.
"So strong..."
Ning Cheng's heart was shaken to its core. In a desperate move, he commanded the beast beneath him to spread its wings before him, forming a barrier to shield against the Azure Dragon Halberd's onslaught.
The clash of the two forces produced a deafening clang, sparks flying as the oppressive darkness around them shattered.
"You can't block this."
Li Xun's calm voice carried a chilling certainty as he increased the force behind his strike, bringing the halberd down again.
"Roar——!"
From somewhere unseen, a dragon's cry echoed. The azure dragon coiled around the halberd seemed to come alive, transforming into an immense figure as large as a mountain range. It opened its bloodthirsty maw and lunged down.
Crack!
The beast under Ning Cheng's feet had its wings shattered on the spot. Massive chunks of flesh were torn from its body, raining blood across the land, painting the ground within a hundred meters crimson.
"No!"
Ning Cheng screamed, leaping from the beast into the sky to dodge the attack. Yet, even the aftershock of the strike grazing him caused him to cough up blood.
It was utterly terrifying.
Not even a beast at the Divine Power Realm could withstand the ferocious assault of Li Xun's halberd.
"Die!"
A cold shout followed.
Li Xun swung the halberd horizontally, unleashing a black tidal wave that surged against the heavens. It engulfed Ning Cheng in the sky in an instant. This time, his luck ran out.
The low-grade defensive spiritual treasure protecting him lasted no more than a single breath before shattering completely.
Without the treasure's protection, Ning Cheng's body lasted only a blink before being reduced to a mist of blood.
"Ning Cheng is... dead?"
Nearby, the three men standing with the green-robed prince, along with Yao Feng of the Spirit Sword Valley, stared in stunned silence.
Before entering the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm, many had speculated that if Li Xun and Ning Cheng were to clash, it would surely be a battle of dragons and tigers.
But the reality was starkly different.
From the moment the fight began, it was a one-sided massacre.
Even though Ning Cheng had obtained the blood of the ancient Qiongqi and his beast had broken through to the Divine Power Realm, he couldn't last more than a few exchanges against Li Xun.
At its core, the Beast Taming Sect's approach was flawed.
No matter how strong a beast is, it is still an external force.
When faced with an overwhelming opponent, there's no other outcome but death.
Thud
Behind the green-robed man, one of his subordinates swallowed hard, his throat dry as he whispered in a trembling voice, "Your Highness... should we... still make a move?"