Against the Gods
Page 705Chapter 704 – The Death-Seeking Divine Phoenix Army
Black Moon Merchant Guild.
“Another prince again?”
As he faced this special sound transmission formation, a faint look of astonishment appeared on Zi Ji’s face as he asked, “And how many from the Divine Phoenix Sect has he massacred?”
“Apart from Thirteenth Prince Feng Xichen, his palace’s nine bodyguard disciples were also killed; a total of ten people. However, quite a number of Phoenix Sect disciples were injured during the attack,” said a respectful voice through the profound formation.
“Ten people?” Zi Ji frowned slightly, “Within two days, he killed two princes from the Divine Phoenix Sect consecutively. This goes to show that his hatred towards the Divine Phoenix Sect must have reached the extreme. He has no reason to show any mercy, but he has only killed Feng Xiluo yesterday, and another ten people today… He’s not exactly a soft-hearted person, so it’s quite puzzling.”
“One person… ten people… Hmm?” Zi Ji ruminated upon this, before he asked, “When he threatened the Divine Phoenix Sect today, did he raise the same three conditions as yesterday?”
“No!” denied the voice from the profound formation, before swiftly stating the four conditions raised by Yun Che today.
“…I see.” Zi Ji slowly nodded his head and exhaled deeply, “ He’s only twenty two, yet he already possesses a fearsome shrewdness. It seems not only does he want the Divine Phoenix Sect to pay the price in blood, he also wants them to experience an abysmal nightmare and slowly crush their beliefs and dignity…”
“So fearsome…” Zi Ji bowed his head as information regarding Yun Che passed through his mind. On his face weathered with thousands of years of vicissitudes, a flash of fear appeared, “The Divine Phoenix Sect is undoubtedly powerful, especially since the Phoenix God had offered its protection. Not even the Four Great Sacred Grounds would dare to challenge them. But this time, they have truly provoked a real demon. Speaking from another point of view, he is more fearsome than the Four Great Sacred Grounds.”
Over the duration of his short speech, Zi Ji repeated the word “fearsome” thrice. Ever since Yun Che left the Black Moon Merchant Guild yesterday, he had been monitoring all of Yun Che’s movements. A day had barely passed, yet his impression of Yun Che had drastically changed again.
Within the profound cultivating world, even if there was mutual hatred, as long as there was logic and reason, those who were more experienced would have known “not to burn all the bridges.” This was especially true during power struggles between the sects. No matter how great the hatred was, some leeway should always be given. But as for Yun Che, it seemed that he had total disregard for this “leeway.”
Zi Ji’s gaze swept towards the Divine Phoenix City below him as he uttered, “It is peaceful in Divine Phoenix City today. The Divine Phoenix Sect must have temporarily suspended the search operation in the town. If so, then those old monsters of the “Tian” generation should have mobilized by now.”
“No auras of the Sovereign Profound Realm have been detected yet, so it is unlikely,” replied the voice through the profound formation.
“A stately five thousand year old sect has actually been cornered into such a miserable state by a young man who is merely in the Emperor Profound Realm. If it was me, I wouldn’t have the cheek to bother those meditating old monsters. Yet they suffered the consecutive losses of two princes with the opponent was barely scratched. They should have realized that Yun Che’s speed is not something which the profound strength of the Tyrant Profound Realm can handle by now. Could they have other devices?”
“If this subordinate has not made an error in judgment, they have gathered the strength of ten Phoenix elders some three hours ago to construct a gigantic Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation.”
“A Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation?” Zi Ji frowned slightly. Of course he knew what it was. The Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation only existed within the Divine Phoenix Sect, and was mainly used to punish disciples who had committed serious offenses. Once a disciple was struck with the Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation, his Phoenix profound strength would be sealed for a long time, or even nullified.
Any elder was able to utilize the “Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation,” so it was unprecedented to have ten elders constructing one together.
The Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation was not as effective when used on other profound practitioners, but when used on a Phoenix disciple, he would lose all his profound strength.
Although Yun Che was not from the Divine Phoenix Sect, he still possessed the same Phoenix bloodline. The profound strength he obtained from the Phoenix bloodline was naturally Phoenix profound strength. Therefore, if he were to be struck by the Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation, he would also turn into a helpless lamb. In addition, this Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation was to be constructed with the combined effort of ten Phoenix elders; it would definitely be out of the ordinary. The effective range would likely be greatly enhanced; it would be instantly triggered once anyone stepped in, immediately sealing the person’s Phoenix profound strength.
With this, no matter how heaven defying Yun Che’s speed was, he wouldn’t have a chance to use it.
“The Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation is incomparably tyrannical. Three years ago, there was a rumor that even Princess Snow, who possessed the body of the Divine Phoenix, was sealed within on the Primordial Profound Ark…” Zi Ji mumbled to himself. Naturally, he had no doubt Yun Che would be doomed if the latter stepped into the Phoenix Sealing Imprisonment Formation.
Even so, he had no intention to alert Yun Che… If Yun Che died, he would only feel pity, but at the same time, he would feel more assured.
“None at the moment. However, there are reports from both the eastern and western regions of Blue Wind. There is some movement from the Divine Phoenix Army stationed in the east and west of Blue Wind Imperial City. About four hours ago, both forces deployed around two hundred thousand soldiers, and are rapidly advancing towards Blue Wind Imperial City. If nothing crops up, they will reach Blue Wind Imperial City by tomorrow’s sunrise.
“Also, the supervising elders of the East and West armies are accompanying the troops.”
“As expected.” Zi Ji was not surprised at all with this development. Within such a short period of time, the Divine Phoenix Sect wouldn’t have discovered the existence of Xia Yuanba. His gaze shifted towards Phoenix City and sighed, “Yun Che, Xia Yuanba… Those two will soon shake the entire continent. It is unfortunate that they were not born in a Sacred Ground, but a deplorable territory like Blue Wind… What a waste.”
“The Divine Phoenix Sect is going to suffer a big blow again.”
“Yun Che will surely show up at the Divine Phoenix Sect again tomorrow. This time, you should personally observe and remember to bring along your Profound Shadow Stone!”
“…Understood!!”
Blue Wind Nation continued to be shrouded in the shadow of the Divine Phoenix Empire, with more than seventy percent of its territory under its control. However, as the capital was still standing, it became a final testimony proving that Blue Wind had yet to fall.
The Blue Wind Imperial City, guardian of the remaining dignity of the Blue Wind Nation, experienced yet another peaceful night.
But at dawn, the peace was shattered with the scream of a warning siren.
“…Two armies are rapidly approaching from the east and west. They are showing no signs of making camp, and their number is estimated to be around two hundred thousand soldiers. I implore Your Majesty to give an order and engage the enemies!!”
“How far are they from the Imperial City?” Cang Yue asked. She had learned to always be on her guard, so that whenever the warning siren sounded, she would immediately show up at the imperial hall.
“About thirty miles for the army in the west, and twenty miles for the troops in the east.”
“Let our soldiers know that there is no cause for panic, and we do not need to engage the enemy.” Cang Yue appeared serene, and she looked much better than before. She radiated peace from within, different from before, where she struggled to keep calm.
“Yuanba, Brother Under Heaven, my husband said that the Divine Phoenix Army would invade within three days of his departure. My husband was right indeed.” Cang Yue got up and turned towards Xia Yuanba and Number One Under Heaven who had arrived a while ago, “Our Blue Wind’s defense is weak, and we don’t have the capability to suppress the Divine Phoenix Army. We are counting on both of you to help resolve our city’s crisis.”
Cang Yue was truthful about the matter and instructed Xia Yuanba and Number One Under Heaven accordingly. She was not the same Princess Cang Yue who was always unsure and hesitant.
“Hehe…” Xia Yuanba scratched his head in embarrassment, “Don’t mention it, Sister Senior. I’ll blast this bunch of Divine Phoenix bastards away!”
“Brother Xia, how about you take the west and I take the east?” said Number One Under Heaven.
“Sounds good!!”
As soon as they ended their conversation, they transformed into blasts of storm and disappeared from the main hall.
The elven race was naturally gifted with the ability to sense the world around them, thus they possessed far stronger senses than an ordinary human. As soon as Number One Under Heaven left Blue Wind Imperial City, regardless whether it was the size or distribution of the Divine Phoenix Army marching from the east, he already had a clear image inside his mind.
The Divine Phoenix Army was marching from twenty miles away, but at the fifteen mile mark, an overpowering aura surged forward at breakneck speed.
The profound strength aura of one at the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm.
Feng Leiming, ranked forty-first out of the fifty-six Phoenix elders, was the supervising elder of the east army. He was commissioned to a special mission besides leading the troops to battle… which was to capture Empress Cang Yue!
The troops would soon descend upon the imperial city. He sped up in an attempt to reach the imperial city ahead of the army and capture Empress Cang Yue. With the Blue Wind Imperial City as the capital of Blue Wind Nation, even if they had ten times more soldiers to defend the city, it wouldn’t have made a difference to him.
At about five miles away from Blue Wind Imperial City, he experienced a ripple of profound energy in front of him. A tall silhouette suddenly blocked his path, and the violent gust of wind that followed suffocated him. The figure came to a halt.
The figure before him appeared youthful, and he possessed a seemingly weak aura. Feng Leiming smiled scornfully, “Within this tiny Blue Wind Nation, there can only be a pitiful few who would be versed in the Profound Floating Technique. Looks like you must be a bigger fry. If you had encountered my troops first, it would have caused some minor inconveniences to us. Unfortunately, you met me, a Phoenix elder, first.”
Feng Leiming raised his voice and emphasized the words “Phoenix elder”, but there was no shock or fear reflected on the other party’s face as expected. Number One Under Heaven glanced at the blazing insignia on the other’s chest as he said, “It looks like you are the supervising elder. Then, once I kill you, it will make things easier later.”
“Kill me? Haha…”
Thunderous laughter had barely erupted from Feng Leiming’s mouth when a murderous aura suddenly wrapped around his entire body as a jade-green profound energy storm exploded towards his chest.
Despite having lived for a few hundred years and exchanging blows with countless other practitioners who cultivated wind profound energy, the strength of the incoming violent wind profound energy was something he had never experienced before.
Based on the level of profound strength, Feng Leming was weaker than Number One Under Heaven. Because he had underestimated his opponent, he was left unprepared. The assault from Number One Under Heaven was a sudden close range attack; it was virtually impossible for Feng Leiming to react and defend himself. He hastily retreated and managed to at least recompose himself with barely sixty percent of his full strength.
Within the cacophony of the storm, Feng Leiming screamed as his entire chest was forcibly depressed by nearly three inches in a split second. His face was bloodied beyond recognition, and his body was littered with hundreds of tiny cuts.
Feng Leiming retreated with one hand clutching his chest and the other shielding his eyes. He shrieked in pain, “You… you beast! I’m going to kill you!!”
While he was shrieking, Number One Under Heaven exploited the moment and rushed forward with roaring winds surrounding his body. Each strike he exerted stirred up a tempest with a powerful killing aura. Feng Leiming used his Phoenix flames to defend himself with all his might, but he was slowly pressured to retreat. The tempest cut open more and more wounds on his body, and he was quickly drenched in his own blood.
When juxtaposed, Feng Leiming should not have been defeated so quickly and easily since the gap between their profound strengths weren’t much to begin with, not to mention that he had an added advantage with his Phoenix flames. It was the infamous arrogance of the Divine Phoenix Sect that costed him dearly.
Boom!!
A loud bang echoed out as Feng Leiming was tossed two miles away by a profound energy storm. He slammed onto the ground, forcing him to cough out blood. His whole body was bloodied as if he had just climbed out from a pond of blood. He stood up with great difficulty and stared at the approaching Number One Under Heaven with clouded eyes. He could not believe that a stately Phoenix elder like himself would be defeated by a young man in such a lowly place like Blue Wind.
“This damned Blue Wind bastard…” Feng Leiming murmured in pain and fear. The reflection within the pupil of his eyes grew larger as he sensed that death was looming over. Suddenly, his eyes turned ferocious as ten feet of scarlet flames blazed from his body… Even his hair and blood were all burning.
“I was only interested in capturing that empress and wasn’t intending to show any of my moves… But you, a Blue Wind trash… dared to hurt me…” Feng Leiming glared, expressing all his hatred and fear… as well as a vestige of glee. The intensity of flames on his body surged, almost covering the entire sky, “All of you including that empress… burn into ashes!! This is the price to pay for offending this elder… Hahahahaha!”
The Phoenix flames, which obfuscated the sky, blasted toward the direction of Blue Wind Imperial City with a thunderous clap. This was a flame cast by a berserk Overlord whose profound energy released raging flames that burned everything with a vengeance… Furthermore, these were Phoenix flames! Should this flame land at the heart of Blue Wind Imperial City, it would raze a large half of the city.
Number One Under Heaven frowned tightly. He quickly backed away using the wind surrounding his body. Even if he used all of his strength, it would be difficult to dissipate all of the Phoenix flames. At this point in time, the silhouette of the Divine Phoenix Army could be seen in the distance. An idea formed in his mind as he bellowed, spreading open the elvish wings hidden behind him in a blink of an eye. A heaven-shrouding typhoon swiftly formed, shifting the clouds in the sky, violently lifting the ground within a several-mile radius…
With a loud roar, the apocalyptic typhoon raged towards the wall of flames.
The collision of wind and flame did not cause any explosion of profound energy, but instead an integration. Under the battering storm, the originally complete Phoenix flames were shredded into countless smaller pieces. The speed with which it was traversing towards Blue Wind Imperial City decreased, stopped and reversed. With the momentum of the typhoon, it gradually accelerated towards the east…
Feng Leiming’s eyes bulged as he roared in despair. But louder than his roar was the thundering of the Divine Phoenix Army behind him.
This was not any ordinary profound flame; it originated from the supervising elder’s Phoenix flames. Once there was contact, even if it was a tiny flame, it would quickly incinerate everything on its path; it was beyond the soldiers’ means to extinguish the flames.
The Phoenix flames unleashed by Feng Leiming was already very powerful by itself, but coupled with Number One Under Heaven’s typhoon which shredded the flame, the flames rained down over an extensive area, covering almost the entire Divine Phoenix Army. In just a short span of time, almost seventy percent of the Divine Phoenix Army was burned alive. Those fortunate enough to not come into contact with the flames did not dare to advance a single step further. They screamed in fear and withdrew, completely terrified of the flames.
“You… You…” Bearing witness to the downfall of his army, Feng Leiming trembled as he pointed his finger at Number One Under Heaven. Suddenly, he coughed out a mouthful of blood and his eyes rolled backwards; in the next moment, he eventually collapsed.
Number One Under Heaven flipped over his palm and three emerald green profound arrows shot from his fingertips. The first drove into Feng Leiming’s throat, and the other two into his heart… Only until Feng Leiming ceased breathing did Number One Under Heaven passively turned his gaze away.
“Bring along your companions’ bodies before you leave.” Number One Under Heaven said softly. He waved his arm, summoning a gust of strong wind which lifted Feng Leiming’s and numerous other soldiers’ corpses, throwing them several miles to the east. The bodies crushed the remaining Divine Phoenix soldiers who were attempting to flee.
Throughout the whole process, Number One Under Heaven did not notice that he was secretly being watched by someone hidden from afar.
“Transparent wings…” the shadowy figure was shocked as he softly exclaimed, seemingly racking his brain. Just then, a fierce aura seeped in from the west. The figure was startled and quickly drew in all his aura. He held his breath and even closed his eyes… From his body, forget about his aura, not even a hint of his life force leaked out.
“As expected of you, Brother Xia, it looks like you’ve finished with the Divine Phoenix Army in the west.” Number One Under Heaven smiled as he turned towards the approaching Xia Yuanba.
“Heh, Brother Under Heaven is fast too… There’s a huge fire over there. Oh? Looks like there are quite a few escaping, let me go settle them!”
“No need. “ Number One Under Heaven stretched a hand out to stop Xia Yuanba from giving chase. He shook his head and said, “They are merely soldiers acting upon orders. They are not aggressive and will pose no threat to us, so there is no need to kill all of them.”
“Alright.” Xia Yuanba agreed immediately, before he casually added, “But if it was my brother-in-law, he would have annihilated them. In the past, when I was much weaker, my brother-in-law said that the most foolish thing to do in this world was to show mercy to your enemy… But that was when I was still immature and did not understand things.”
“Heh, that sounds like him indeed. But it doesn’t matter if you kill them all or show them mercy. It’s just a matter of principle, and there is no right or wrong.” Number One Under Heaven said with a laugh. “Those flames over there were released by the supervising elder, and I pushed it to the army. Otherwise, based on my ability, I would have been unable to eliminate such a huge army so quickly. Brother Xia, was there a supervising elder at your side?”
“This… I don’t know. I just casually did a few moves and then there was no one left. I thought the corpses might be unsightly, so I buried them all… so I wouldn’t have been able to spot any elder.” Xia Yuanba said, blinking.
“…” Number One Under Heaven was slightly surprised and laughed, “Hahahaha, based on Brother Xia’s capability, it was an inevitable outcome. It’ll be dawn soon, so let’s go back. The Divine Phoenix Army shouldn’t be attempting another invasion in the near future. We shall wait patiently in the city for Brother Yun’s good news.”
“Of course! With brother-in-law’s amazing ability, he will only bring us good news!” Xia Yuanba said confidently.
As the two of them turned to return to Blue Wind Imperial City, Xia Yuanba suddenly paused his steps and gazed towards the south. Aside from the random distribution of rocks, the south was empty as far as the eye could see.
“What’s wrong?” Number One Under Heaven cautiously asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Xia Yuanba turned back as he said, “It might have been a small, frightened creature that hid under the rocks. Let’s hurry back. Brother-in-law specifically told us not to leave Senior Sister too far away from us.”
As the sky brightened, Xia Yuanba and Number One Under Heaven flew back to Blue Wind Imperial City. After some time, a skinny figure dressed completely in black emerged and collapsed from the huge rock which caught Xia Yuanba’s attention. The figure fiercely breathed in a couple of deep breaths. After a long rest, it stood up, and like a ghost, it swiftly and quietly left.