Chapter 1169: Who Are You?
The black-clad girl shook her head, released Nanke, and walked over to Chen Changsheng.
There were several Saint Realm experts in the group. Though all were seriously injured, they could still fight. In Nanke's current state, she posed no threat.
Nanke's face grew even paler. She struggled to stand up from the ground, then followed along.
No one looked at her, though some were curious about the black-clad girl.
A chilly wind blew in their faces. The black rocks they walked over were covered in a thin layer of frost. Many had already guessed the black-clad girl's identity.
So she hadn't been on the warm southern island after all. She had been here all along. Truly, she was the Pope's guardian.
Chen Changsheng had long suspected she was in the army.
Back during the critical moment of the second phase of the campaign, the Eastern Army's North Third Battalion had encountered a strange demon. Thousands of vulture birds carrying gunpowder had swooped toward the camp, only to inexplicably fall from the sky, igniting countless waterfalls of fire across the grassland. Many couldn't understand why that happened. That was the effect of her pressure as a high-level sacred creature.
In the subsequent battles, Zhi Zhi had rendered great service several times, especially a few days ago.
Under the cover of all the demons in Xuelao City, Gao Huan had led over a thousand wolf cavalry charging down Nuorilang, attacking the human grain convoy. He was eventually killed by Old Master Tang, but many grain carts were set ablaze. Before dying, Gao Huan saw the flames on those grain carts extinguish. He was utterly baffled, one could even say he died with his eyes open. That was also her doing. The strange fire that water and sand could hardly put out was no trouble at all for a Frost Dragon.
Chen Changsheng asked, "Still angry?"
Zhi Zhi said matter-of-factly, "You refused to marry me, so of course I should be angry."
Chen Changsheng said, "Then why did you still come to help me?"
Zhi Zhi replied, "If the humans lose, you'll definitely die. Then who would I marry?"
That was indeed a problem.
Chen Changsheng had no answer to give.
Xu Yourong suddenly asked, "Do you know why you can never reach adulthood?"
Zhi Zhi looked confused, thinking, why is that?
Xu Yourong said, "It's not because the formation at Beixin Bridge damaged your mind, but because you're always thinking about mating, which has delayed your cultivation."
Zhi Zhi was furious at this. She wanted to argue but didn't know where to start. Her face flushed red as she shouted, "Don't you want to?"
The little Daoist raised his head in Xu Yourong's arms, curiously wondering what they were arguing about.
Xu Yourong raised a finger and shook it. The meaning was very clear, yet somewhat unclear.
Arguing like children at a time like this—the reason was simple. They were nervous.
Everyone had reached the deepest part of the demon hall. They saw the black demonic flame and felt the abyssal aura coming from behind it.
The black demonic flame was like constantly shifting night. It was not calm, but contained endless energy, extremely terrifying.
A young man stood before the demonic flame. He wore a white robe, his hair disheveled, like a poet who had lost his homeland, or a sorrowful singer.
The people were nervous not because of fear, but because history was about to unfold before their very eyes.
The Demon Lord turned around, casually tidying his hair with his fingers, and said to Chen Changsheng, "The only thing I can't figure out is that Prince Xiang and Cao Yunping are in the capital right now, and even the White Emperor might have gone there, because he doesn't want me to die. How can you be so unconcerned?"
His gaze fell on the small cart. He noticed there was no breathing inside, and his emotions grew complicated as he said, "Even if this student of yours is a stubborn fool, how can you not care either?"
...
...
It suddenly began to rain in the capital.
Raindrops passed through the light of the torches, falling on the green ivy outside the National Academy, making a pattering sound.
Chen Liu Wang looked at Tianhai Shengxue, the smile at the corner of his lips gradually fading.
Over the past ten years, the Emperor's attitude toward the Tianhai clan had been ordinary, but he had treated Tianhai Shengxue fairly well. The year before last, he had appointed him to an important position in the Ministry of War.
In early spring, Tianhai Shengxue had fallen seriously ill and thus couldn't accompany the army to the front lines.
At the end of summer, he had secretly contacted Mo Yu. The palace had invited several bishops from the Li Palace, and only then did his illness gradually improve. What filth lay hidden in this matter, he no longer wanted to investigate. But now, looking at those familiar faces among the rebels, he still felt a dull ache in his chest.
"Grandaunt said back then that you were all a bunch of useless trash. Now it seems she was right."
Tianhai Shengxue looked at his cousins and said mockingly, "Not a single one of you has any guts."
Tianhai Chengwu rode out from the crowd, looking at him with a dark expression. "Do you know what you're doing?"
Tianhai Shengxue said, "Father, do you know what you're doing? People are fighting the demons, and you want to rebel! Have you no shame?"
His voice carried clearly through the autumn rain. The rebels' expressions turned unnatural.
Baihua Lane was completely silent. The sound of raindrops hitting the green ivy was irritating.
Chen Liu Wang wiped the rain from his face. Sitting on his horse, he looked down at Tianhai Shengxue with an indifferent expression.
"I only know that I will be the future emperor. Who are you?"
After saying this, he raised his right hand, ready to signal the rebel cavalry to charge.
Just like many years ago, in a similar autumn rain, Tianhai Shengxue had once done.
Tianhai Shengxue's face was pale. He knew that he alone could never stop so many rebels.
Su Moyu, Chen Fugui, Chu Wenbin, and other experts of the National Academy were all at the front lines now, let alone Zhexiu and Tang Thirty-Six.
How many teachers and students would soon fall in pools of blood? Would the National Academy be reduced to ruins?
Without any warning, Chen Liu Wang's right hand came down heavily, as if he were chopping down a great tree—decisive and powerful.
At that moment, a miraculous scene appeared.
A very thick locust tree suddenly split in half.
With a thunderous crash!
The broken locust tree smashed toward Chen Liu Wang.
Amidst the horses' screams, the warhorse was crushed to death. Chen Liu Wang fell into the rain, covered in blood.
The entire world fell silent.
People stared at the burly figure in the rain, too shocked to speak.
Who was this burly figure, that he could wield a giant tree as a weapon with one hand, and so easily knock down Chen Liu Wang?
Chen Liu Wang was a true expert at the Gathering Star Upper Realm. Even if he was ambushed, how could he have been rendered so helpless?
Not to mention Tianhai Chengwu, whose cultivation level was unfathomable, standing right beside Chen Liu Wang—how had he failed to react?
The autumn rain grew heavier, falling on the branches and leaves of the broken tree, then streaming down.
Tianhai Chengwu snorted coldly, his right palm chopping toward the figure in the rain.
Chen Liu Wang had been ambushed and severely injured right before his eyes. He would have a hard time explaining this to Prince Xiang later. Shocked by the opponent's skill, he naturally struck with full force, holding nothing back.
The edge of his palm shimmered with crystalline starlight, like real iron, cutting through the autumn rain and air, emitting a piercing screech.
The burly man showed no intention of backing down. He raised his right fist and met the attack.
Crack! A bolt of lightning appeared in the night sky, striking directly in front of the National Academy, turning into streaks of electric light that coiled around his thick arm.
The Thunder Attraction Art!
The moment fist met palm, all the rain in the sky seemed to freeze in midair.
Tianhai Chengwu retreated dozens of zhang, only stopping after smashing through a restaurant. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
The burly man still stood in place, his expression unchanged.
Many people only then noticed that he hadn't even put down the broken tree he was holding in his left hand!
Who was this burly man? Had he already reached the Half-Step Divine level?
Though his face was covered in a thick beard, his features suggested he should still be young. How was this possible?
Chen Liu Wang stared at the burly man's face. It looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. He asked, "Who are you?"
The burly man replied, "I am Xuanyuan Po of the National Academy. Who are you?"