Chapter 1924: Verbal Humiliation
Lin Feng swept his gaze across the crowd, sensing the extraordinary aura emanating from these individuals. The Ji Family had hosted a banquet, and those who dared come were no ordinary talents.
"Nether King Palace's Mo Xi, are these friends of yours from the Nether Realm?" At that moment, someone spoke up, showing some curiosity about Lin Feng and his two companions.
"En." Jun Moxi nodded slightly as he stepped into the crowd, inwardly sighing. The people who had come today were indeed extraordinary; the banquet had not yet begun, yet so many powerful figures had already gathered.
"Since they are friends from the Nether Realm, they are welcome to make themselves at ease." Ji Wuyou glanced in their direction, nodding slightly at Jun Moxi, Lin Feng, and the others. However, the look Lin Feng returned was tinged with indifference, causing Ji Wuyou to frown slightly. This Lin Feng's eyes were so cold. But since Lin Feng was a guest, Ji Wuyou did not press the matter and continued greeting the others.
Soon after, more people arrived one after another, all of them talented figures from Holy City Central Continent. Some were ranked on the Emperor's List, while others possessed astonishing potential. The space grew increasingly lively.
In addition to the many powerful figures gathered in this courtyard, a number of senior figures had also assembled in the main hall ahead. At this moment, a strong member of the Ji Family stepped forward and said with a smile, "All of you are talented individuals of Holy City Central Continent. It is the Ji Family's honor to have you here. Some say that this banquet is meant to build momentum, but since my Ji Family's grandson, Ji Shang, has already been enfeoffed as a king, a fact known to all in Holy City Central Continent, why would I need to go through such trouble?"
Though his words carried a hint of arrogance, the crowd remained silent. What he said was true—Ji Shang's enfeoffment was already common knowledge throughout Holy City Central Continent. There was no need to build momentum.
"Therefore, the purpose of inviting all you talented individuals here today is simply to observe how many of the current heroes of Holy City Central Continent have comprehended the Dao, and which Dao they have entered. The Ji Family boldly takes this opportunity to ask: Ji Shang has been enfeoffed as a king, but in the future, whose Dao will become the king of Qingxiao Land?" The Ji Family strongman made no effort to hide his intentions as he addressed the crowd. His family wanted to see how many of the young talents in Holy City Central Continent had grasped the power of the Dao, and what kind of Dao intent they possessed.
"Everyone is free to share their thoughts or discuss their own Dao. If anyone wishes to spar with someone present in terms of Dao intent, I believe the other party will not refuse." The Ji Family strongman spoke boldly. Tables of banquet food began to be arranged in two neat rows. With a wave of his hand, he said heartily, "Come, everyone, please be seated. Latecomers need not announce their names; just take your seats."
The crowd looked at the two orderly rows of banquet tables and sat down on the ground one after another. Even some of the senior figures from the main hall came out, sipping wine as they too wanted to witness the grand spectacle of Holy City Central Continent's talents.
"Everyone, please speak freely." The Ji Family strongman took the seat of honor, raising his cup to the crowd with great boldness.
The crowd raised their cups in unison and drank deeply. Then, someone spoke up, "In Holy City Central Continent today, aside from the Ji Family's Ji Shang, only one other person has been enfeoffed as a king: Ying Cheng, the number one on the Emperor's List. His Dao is the Chaos Heaven Dao, capable of breaking all powers and countering all laws and things in the world. Even your attacks can be neutralized. Can his Dao become the king of Qingxiao Land?"
"What you say is too absolute. Ying Cheng was enfeoffed as a king and ranked first on the Emperor's List, but that is not only because of his Dao. It is also due to his peak Martial Emperor Realm cultivation and various divine abilities that he can be called the number one Martial Emperor." A man in a white robe spoke slowly, taking a small sip of wine. "Though there is a considerable gap between Ying Cheng and me, my Dao, when used in battle, can undergo a thousand transformations. My incarnations can transform into one another, allowing me to fight as if a thousand people were battling together."
As his words fell, a wave of Dao intent spread out. In an instant, the crowd felt as if a thousand illusory figures had appeared where he stood, blurry and indistinct, yet radiating a sharp battle intent.
"The Thousand Illusions Dao is indeed remarkable." The Ji Family strongman smiled faintly, raising his cup to the speaker. The two drank from afar, and the man remained calm, saying no more.
"The Thousand Illusions Dao?" A low, cold laugh rang out, carrying a hint of sinister energy. A man in gray robes lowered his head and said in a dark tone, "Ji Shang's Annihilation Dao can directly shatter all your thousand incarnations. And you dare to dream of becoming the king of Qingxiao Land with such a Dao?"
The young man of the Thousand Illusions Dao shot a cold glare in that direction, a flash of killing intent in his eyes.
"That is Xie Yue, a top ten powerhouse on the Emperor's List. His Dao is known as the Demon Erosion Dao, a very sinister Dao intent that can devour all power, even flesh, blood, life, and soul. Extremely terrifying." Jun Moxi said to Lin Feng beside him. Lin Feng nodded slightly. Many of the people who had come today had not yet revealed their hands, but they were all renowned young figures in Holy City Central Continent.
Indeed, though the young man of the Thousand Illusions Dao showed anger, he did not dare challenge Xie Yue, even though he himself ranked in the top thirty on the Emperor's List.
"How many of those on the Emperor's List have comprehended the Dao?" Lin Feng asked Jun Moxi.
"As far as I know, the top thirty or so have all comprehended the Dao, and most of them are at the peak of the Martial Emperor Realm. About half of them are here today, and Xie Yue is one of the best among them." Jun Moxi explained. Lin Feng nodded. The Emperor's List ranked all Martial Emperor Realm powerhouses in Holy City Central Continent, including the four great academies, ancient clans, and powerful sects. Those at the top of the list represented the pinnacle of Martial Emperor strength in Holy City Central Continent, yet only thirty or forty had comprehended the Dao.
"Of course, there are also some monstrous talents who comprehended Dao intent before reaching the high-rank Martial Emperor Realm. Some of them are ranked lower on the Emperor's List, while others have only a shallow understanding of the Dao and may not even be on the list."
"Those with king-level physiques are indeed more likely to comprehend the Dao. If we include figures like Chu Chunqiu, the number of Martial Emperor Realm individuals in Holy City Central Continent who have comprehended the Dao probably exceeds fifty."
"Since the Ji Family has invited all these powerhouses, shouldn't they show some sincerity? Ji Shang is the host and is about to be enfeoffed as a king. Why doesn't he come out to meet us?" Xie Yue said in a sinister tone, looking at the Ji Family strongman.
"Ji Shang has been listening to all of you discuss the Dao. Since Brother Xie Yue wishes to see him, Ji Shang will naturally come out." A rolling voice echoed from the Ji Family estate. The crowd suddenly felt a crushing pressure of annihilation in the air, as if heaven and earth were about to collapse and destroy an entire world. The void trembled, and a figure walked through the air—it was Ji Shang.
"The Annihilation Dao, when cultivated to its extreme, is said to be able to annihilate an entire world. I wonder if that's true." Xie Yue said slowly, then stood up. In an instant, a terrifying gray aura surged out wildly, filling the sky and earth with a dreadful gray power that seemed to envelop the entire void.
A terrible gray storm swept toward Ji Shang, but wherever the gray Dao intent approached his body, it suddenly collapsed and shattered, unable to invade.
"Brother Xie Yue, your Dao intent seems insufficient." Ji Shang's voice boomed, and as his words fell, a terrifying force of annihilation surged out like a tsunami, shattering all the gray currents swirling in the air. Xie Yue's expression froze, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "As expected of the enfeoffed king, Ji Shang."
With that, he slowly sat down. The terrifying Dao intent that had radiated from both of them vanished into nothingness in an instant.
"The Annihilation Dao is formidable." The crowd's expressions tightened. The young man of the Thousand Illusions Dao felt that even if he used his Dao to create a thousand incarnations, they would still collapse and shatter like the Demon Erosion Dao intent, unable to even approach Ji Shang.
"I heard that Ji Wuyou has also comprehended the Annihilation Dao. The Ji Family's twin prodigies—who can rival them?" Someone in the crowd murmured.
"Ji Wuyou of War King Academy—wasn't he defeated twice?" At that moment, a cold voice rang out, causing Ji Shang and Ji Wuyou's pupils to contract. Their gazes shot toward a certain direction, where Langxie was taking a light sip of wine. The words had come from his mouth.
Ji Wuyou, seated, stiffened, his expression turning quite unpleasant. Two defeats—the first to Lin Feng, the second to Lin Feng's wife—were indeed his shame.
"Brother Langxie, would you like to try?" Ji Wuyou said coldly.
Langxie looked up, his expression indifferent. "Today is about discussing the Dao. Although the Dao has principles of mutual generation and restraint, its strength still depends on the person. If the person is strong, the Dao is strong. Ji Wuyou and Ji Shang both comprehend the Annihilation Dao, but isn't it completely suppressed by the Freezing Dao? If the other person is stronger, the Annihilation Dao can also suppress the Freezing Dao."
Ji Wuyou's expression grew even colder. Langxie's implication was clearly that he was weak, so his Dao was weak.
Ji Wuyou stood up, stepped forward, and said coldly to Langxie, "I ask Brother Langxie to enlighten me."
"No need. If I fight you, I will not hold back. It would be bad if I hurt you." Langxie's eyes flashed with a cold light. The crowd's gazes all fell on Langxie. Could it be that this Realm King Body of the Ancient Realm Clan had also comprehended the power of the Dao?
"Brother Langxie speaks sense. I heard that in the battle between the Moon Gate and Heavenly Terrace at War King Academy, the Moon Gate was suppressed. The Ji Gate intervened and later brought in strongmen from the Rock Gate to deal with Heavenly Terrace. That was still within War King Academy. If it were here in the Ji Family, and Brother Langxie did something to harm Brother Ji, the consequences would be even harder to imagine, wouldn't they?" Jun Moxi interjected. The two of them spoke one after another, causing Ji Wuyou's face to turn ashen with shame and anger.
The events at War King Academy were known to those present. Jun Moxi and Langxie were naturally aware of them as well. However, they knew that Lin Feng was not dead—Lin Feng had left a strand of divine consciousness in their jade slips, and that divine consciousness had not been extinguished.