Chapter 138: Heavenly Extreme Realm Battle
The city-protecting formation activated, condensing beams of bright formation light that struck the ground, forming craters over ten meters in diameter across the surface.
The ground around the craters was torn apart, creating dense cracks.
Anyone struck by the beams, even martial artists at the Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection, was instantly killed, reduced to a cloud of blood mist.
Within Heaven Pass, in just a quarter of an hour, countless evil path experts were suppressed and killed by the formation, screams filling the air.
"Boom!"
A Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth from the Black Market rushed out from a courtyard. He transformed into a black beam of light, flying toward the city gate of Heaven Pass.
That Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth moved at astonishing speed, friction with the air igniting flames on his body, producing a whistling wind-breaking sound.
"Still trying to escape?" Chen Yuchan stood at the center of the city-protecting formation, channeling the formation's power, and pointed a finger at that Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth.
The city-protecting formation suspended in the sky dropped a massive electric sphere one meter in diameter, hurtling down toward that Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth.
"Roar!"
That Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth let out a great roar, the sound spreading throughout Heaven Pass.
Nearly a thousand defending soldiers, too close to him, were shaken by the sound waves, blood streaming from their ears as they collapsed unconscious.
Another thunderous crash.
The electric sphere falling from the sky was shattered by his palm strike, splitting into thousands of tiny lightning streams.
The ground within a hundred meters was completely covered in lightning, like countless white snakes writhing endlessly.
"Crack!"
A tree as thick as a bowl turned instantly charred black, fell to the ground, and turned into a pile of black wood ash.
When that Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth reached the city gate, he found Wan Chengzhong already waiting there, battle axe in hand.
"Wan Chengzhong, do you dare to oppose the Black Market?" The Black Market's Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth was tall and thin, his arms and legs exceptionally slender, like a bamboo pole.
He was furious, never expecting Wan Chengzhong would dare to activate the city-protecting formation to deal with the Black Market's experts.
"Thud!"
Wan Chengzhong placed his heavy battle axe on the ground, gripping the iron handle with one hand, and said, "Mo Han, in normal times, I didn't want to bother with you, which is why you've lived until now. But now, when the Yunwu Commandery is at its most critical moment, you still dare to stir up trouble and disrupt the order of the Royal Capital. I cannot spare your life."
"Such big talk! If you didn't have the power of the city-protecting formation, would you still dare to speak so arrogantly?" The Black Market's Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth said coldly.
Wan Chengzhong said in a deep voice, "I don't need to borrow the city-protecting formation to kill you."
Mo Han's eyes darkened as he drew a seventh-rank True Martial Treasure-level black war sword, gripping it in his hand.
That black war sword was seven feet long, its surface stained with patches of crimson blood blossoms.
Within the sword, forty-eight inscriptions were carved, all of them "dark" attribute inscriptions.
"Thud!"
Mo Han thrust the black war sword into the ground and roared, "Darkness Without Sun!"
Streams of icy dark power emanated from the sword, spreading in all directions like octopus tentacles.
Moments later, the space within a hundred meters centered on Mo Han became a world of pitch-black darkness.
From a distance, it looked like a massive black sphere a hundred meters in diameter, suspended at the city gate.
The black sphere radiated bone-piercing cold, freezing the ground into a thick layer of ice. Nearby buildings and the distant city gate were also covered in ice crystals.
"Rumble!"
The black sphere rolled toward Wan Chengzhong.
Wan Chengzhong snorted coldly, lifted his battle axe, his entire body radiating dazzling golden light, his pupils seeming to ignite.
"Break for me!"
He leaped up violently, swinging the battle axe to strike.
The hundred-meter-diameter black sphere caved inward, shaking unsteadily.
With a thunderous crash, the black sphere was split in two by the battle axe.
"Boom!"
Wan Chengzhong landed back on the ground, leaving two deep footprints in the stone slabs, standing behind Mo Han as the golden light on his body gradually faded.
The street surface was torn apart, leaving a crack over a hundred meters long. Stone slabs turned into rubble, and buildings on both sides of the street completely collapsed into ruins.
The power of one axe strike shook heaven and earth.
"Crack!"
Mo Han's body split apart, falling into two halves that flew left and right.
Only a pool of crimson blood remained on the ground.
A Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth had fallen at Heaven Pass.
...
Liu Chuanshen and Zhang Ruochen stood atop a watchtower in the City Lord's Mansion, watching the battle at the city gate from afar.
"Wan Chengzhong truly lives up to being the number one in the Yunwu Commandery military. The Black Market's leader, Mo Han, was killed by his axe strike—truly formidable." Liu Chuanshen gently stroked his beard, a look of admiration on his face.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It seemed like just one axe, but it contained all of Wan Chengzhong's power. If Wan Chengzhong's axe strike just now hadn't broken through Mo Han's sword technique domain, then the one who lost would have been Wan Chengzhong."
Liu Chuanshen nodded and said, "I'm very curious—since the Black Market's leader has already appeared, why hasn't that chief leader of the Moon Worship Demon Sect shown up?"
...
Outside Heaven Pass, a moon-white fragrant carriage was parked. The carriage was extremely ornate and exquisite, like a perfect work of art.
Not far from the carriage, many black-clad figures wearing golden masks were gathered.
Qin Ya stepped down from the fragrant carriage, landing on the damp grass. Her slender jade arms, long beautiful legs, delicate waist, and pert chest and hips made her a seductive enchantress.
Seeing Qin Ya, those black-clad figures with golden masks all lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
"As expected by the chief leader, Heaven Pass's city-protecting formation has been activated. Under the formation's suppression, the Black Market experts sent to Heaven Pass will likely be wiped out cleanly." Mo Hanlin said.
Qin Ya smiled gracefully, her voice alluring, "Chen Yuchan doesn't have that kind of boldness. It must be Wan Chengzhong who arrived at Heaven Pass. Given Wan Chengzhong's style of doing things, the Black Market leader Mo Han is surely dead."
A branch leader knelt before Qin Ya and asked, "Chief leader, what should we do now?"
"We must seize the Black Market's industries in the Yunwu Commandery before their new leader arrives. Within ten days, the Moon Worship Cult must control seventy percent of the Martial Market Bank and Black Market's assets in the Yunwu Commandery, taking command of the entire economic lifeline."
After issuing her orders, Qin Ya returned to the fragrant carriage.
Pulled by eighteen ghost shadow rabbits, the white carriage, like a fairy chariot from the Moon Palace, glided over the tips of grass blades, heading toward the Royal Capital.
...
For Heaven Pass, that night was definitely a night of slaughter. Countless Black Market and Moon Worship Demon Sect experts were killed by the city-protecting formation. Outside the city gate, corpses piled up into a high mountain of bodies.
Although the Moon Worship Demon Sect had withdrawn many of its followers from the city in advance, many still failed to react in time, leaving their remains forever in Heaven Pass.
The next morning, under Wan Chengzhong's escort, Zhang Ruochen and Zhang Shaochu headed toward the Royal Capital.
Last night, Liu Chuanshen quietly left the City Lord's Mansion, leaving only a letter telling Zhang Ruochen that he had departed to return to the Demon Ridge Martial Market to confess his crimes.
A Heavenly Extreme Realm expert, even if severely injured, could leave silently without anyone detecting his trail.
Zhang Shaochu sat on the back of the Saber-Toothed Thunder Tiger and said, "Ninth Brother, since the Black Market leader has been killed, can we take this opportunity to uproot the Black Market completely?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "The Black Market's history on this land is far older than the Yunwu Commandery. Their influence in the Yunwu Commandery is even more deeply rooted than our royal clan's. Killing one leader, the Black Market will naturally send a new leader to the Yunwu Commandery. How easy do you think it is to eliminate them?"
Zhang Shaochu said, "But the Martial Market Bank operated in the Yunwu Commandery for many years, and it was still destroyed by the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Sect."
Zhang Ruochen looked ahead, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Martial Market Bank's visible assets have indeed been swallowed, but they also have some hidden industries. The Martial Market Bank's influence in the Yunwu Commandery hasn't completely collapsed."
"Still, the Martial Market Bank's influence in the Yunwu Commandery has become extremely low. Restoring it to its original scale would be impossible without a hundred years of development."
Wan Chengzhong led a thousand elite soldiers, guarding Zhang Ruochen and Zhang Shaochu in the center. He remained silent the whole way, lost in thought.
Two hours later, Zhang Ruochen and Zhang Shaochu entered the Royal Capital and headed straight for the Royal Palace.
They needed to meet the Yunwu Commandery King first.
The three of them entered the palace hall.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have safely escorted the Fourth Prince and Ninth Prince back to the Royal Capital." Wan Chengzhong deeply respected the Yunwu Commandery King. Though a Heavenly Extreme Realm expert, he still cupped his hands in salute.
"Chengzhong, you don't need to be formal with me. From now on, don't bow to me anymore." The Yunwu Commandery King sat upright above, his expression serious.
Wan Chengzhong straightened up and said, "Your Majesty, the Black Market leader Mo Han has been killed by me, but the chief leader of the Moon Worship Demon Sect escaped. Should we continue pursuing her?"
The Yunwu Commandery King shook his head and said, "No need. The Black Market and Martial Market Bank's power has already collapsed. The Moon Worship Demon Sect has fully taken control of the Yunwu Commandery's economic lifeline. The balance of power in the Yunwu Commandery was completely shattered last night. If we fight the Moon Worship Demon Sect now, even if we suppress them, we will be severely weakened."
The Yunwu Commandery's official forces were almost entirely tied up by the armies of the four surrounding commanderies. What energy was left to deal with the now-dominant Moon Worship Demon Sect?
The Yunwu Commandery King's gaze fell on Zhang Ruochen, a hint of a smile appearing, and said, "Ninth Child, I heard you became the top freshman of the Western Academy. What cultivation level have you reached now?"
"Mysterious Extreme Realm Middle Position." Zhang Ruochen did not hide it.
Zhang Shaochu, standing beside Zhang Ruochen, immediately said, "Father, you may not know, but Ninth Brother is not only the top freshman of the Western Academy—he is the top freshman of all four academies."