Strongest War Emperor

”I didn’t expect Senior Brother Zhang to pull out the Orange Rainbow Shield just to deal with her. Is that chain in her hands really so formidable?” one of the three men outside, Zhou Lei, said with a frown.

The man beside him shook his head. ”The chain is powerful, but she can’t truly unleash its full potential, so it’s not a major concern. What Senior Brother Zhang is wary of is her endless supply of Talismans. Some Tier Four Talismans could potentially break through his defenses. If she somehow has a Tier Five Talisman, then we’d be in real trouble!”

”How is that possible? A Tier Five Talisman can severely injure even Xuanwu Realm Powerhouses. She’s just the leader of a bandit den. How could she possibly possess a Talisman that powerful?” the last man exclaimed in shock.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the drawbridge leading up the mountain, the people of Qingfeng Stronghold watched as their leader fell into peril. All of them were overcome with rage and helplessness, and some had even begun to weep softly.

It had only been a month since Nalan Ziyun had taken out the previous leader, but in that time, her people had come to admire her deeply. They respected her character and were grateful for everything she had done for Qingfeng Stronghold.

Thanks to Nalan Ziyun’s swift and decisive leadership, Qingfeng Stronghold’s prestige in the vicinity of Illusion Mist City had been steadily climbing. Though they still appeared to be a den of bandits, they had earned the approval of the common folk in the nearby towns and mountain villages.

With Nalan Ziyun now in peril, the members of Qingfeng Stronghold could only watch in agony from the other side of the drawbridge, utterly powerless to help.

The second-in-command was the one with the highest Cultivation among them, but at the Spirit Martial Realm Second Heaven, he was nowhere near qualified to intervene in a battle of this caliber.

Furthermore, their end of the drawbridge was blocked by a group from the Lone Wolf Mercenary Corps...

”Does Heaven intend to destroy our Qingfeng Stronghold?!” the honest-looking second-in-command lamented, looking up at the sky.

BANG!

As everyone watched the battle between the two with bated breath, Nalan Ziyun threw another Fireball Talisman. However, the half-meter-wide fireball was completely blocked by the Orange Rainbow Shield in Zhang Cheng’s hands, failing to inflict even a shred of damage.

”Hmph. Let’s see how many more of those Talismans you have left,” Zhang Cheng said menacingly. ”You think you’re the only one who can play with fire? I’ll show you my Flame Martial Soul!”

Zhang Cheng swung his longsword twice, unleashing two fierce blasts of Sword Qi that forced Nalan Ziyun back several meters.

He then held his longsword upright before him and formed several seals with his left hand. A furiously blazing Flame Martial Soul soared into the air from behind him!

”Hundred Calamities and Thousand Tribulations—Fire Purgatory!”

As Zhang Cheng bellowed, the Flame Martial Soul instantly engulfed his longsword. The blade immediately unleashed a downpour of fire that completely enveloped Nalan Ziyun, creating a scene straight out of Hell.

WHOOSH!

Nalan Ziyun swung the Nebula Chain, and a cloud of mist erupted from it, forming a giant serpent that coiled around and shielded her.

”You’re courting death! Now die! Fire Dragon Burst!”

The Fire Purgatory was merely a diversion. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Cheng moved like a swimming dragon, all of his Spiritual Power converging into his longsword. The blade transformed into a roaring fire dragon and instantly slammed into the giant serpent protecting Nalan Ziyun!

BOOM!

Although the impact didn’t shatter her defense outright, it sent Nalan Ziyun’s qi and blood into turmoil. Her chest felt as if it were being crushed by a boulder, and with a muffled groan, she staggered backward repeatedly!

”That was just the first strike of my Fire Dragon Burst! There are four more to come, each stronger than the last. Let’s see how many you can withstand!”

”Fire Dragon Burst—Second Strike!”

Zhang Cheng abruptly lunged forward, his longsword blurring until it looked like two blades scissoring through the air!

A deafening dragon’s roar instantly erupted from the longsword!

A fire dragon, radiating an aura of absolute destruction as if it had been caged for a thousand years, roared toward Nalan Ziyun!

’This is bad!’

Sensing this fire dragon was several times more powerful than the last, Nalan Ziyun’s face went pale with fright.

’I barely withstood that last attack. Even now, the qi and blood in my body are still in turmoil, and the discomfort is immense.’

’If this fire dragon hits me, I’ll probably be severely wounded and knocked out of the fight!’

’An expert at the Spirit Martial Realm Seventh Heaven is truly powerful. If I hadn’t fought those other three earlier, I might have been able to block this strike, but now...’

Nalan Ziyun desperately poured all her Spiritual Power into the Nebula Chain, bracing herself to receive the blow even as she retreated.

Just as the fire dragon, brimming with ferocious Powerful Qi, was about to crash into the Nebula Chain, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. A figure flashed past like a bolt of lightning!

”So eager for a fight? How about you fight me instead?”

A cool, detached voice echoed through the air. Everyone’s vision blurred for an instant, and they saw a young man in a sleek black robe descend from the sky, landing before Nalan Ziyun with the unmovable presence of an iron tower.

’That bastard... he’s finally here...’

Nalan Ziyun, drenched in sweat, let out a sharp exhale. She actually retracted the Nebula Chain and sat right down on the ground!

Just then, the roaring fire dragon reached Shen Lang.

Zhang Cheng and his men were slightly startled, but seeing that the newcomer was just a boy, they didn’t pay him too much mind.

This second strike of Fire Dragon Burst was immensely powerful. An ordinary Spirit Martial Realm Seventh Heaven Martial Artist wouldn’t dare take it lightly and would have to use a Spiritual Artifact with all their strength just to defend against it.

For a boy who looked no older than seventeen to try and block the fire dragon’s strike with his bare hands—he had to be dreaming!

Besides, there was no time for him to draw a weapon!

Zhang Cheng and the others all began to sneer.

No one paid any mind to this boy who had appeared out of nowhere. They just wanted to watch the spectacular scene of the giant fire dragon consuming him.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, a symphony of cracking sounds erupted from Shen Lang’s bones and sinews. He drew his right foot back slightly and then stomped down with ferocious force!

It was a simple stomp, yet its power was immense. With a loud BANG, the stone slab beneath his foot instantly shattered, fragments shooting out in all directions!

The air itself began to vibrate, and an invisible shockwave radiated outward, forcing everyone within a thirty-meter radius to stumble and turn pale with shock!

Then, Shen Lang drew his right hand to his waist and thrust his palm forward!

The palm strike wasn’t fast; in fact, most of the onlookers could clearly see a rapidly spinning vortex forming in its center. Yet it carried the unstoppable momentum of a hidden dragon ascending to the heavens!

”Heaven-Shattering Palm, Gods and Ghosts Fear! Five Dragons Gathering in the Clouds!”

As Shen Lang’s deep voice faded, his Five Emperors Dragon Fist smashed into the roaring fire dragon!

Ripples of Energy instantly spread from the point of contact. The incomparably ferocious fire dragon was blasted into pieces, scattering into a spectacular rain of fire that filled the sky.

”That’s impossible!”

Zhang Cheng and the other three from the White Rainbow Sect couldn’t believe their eyes. Some unknown boy had just obliterated the second strike of Fire Dragon Burst with his bare hand!

And he hadn’t retreated even a single step!

”Looks like you were having a good time, weren’t you?”

Shen Lang spoke with chilling coldness as he took three steps forward and executed an Arrow Step Punch!

Seizing the centerline and Stepping into the Central Palace, his arm sliced through the air with a sharp, piercing shriek as his fist shot toward the stunned Zhang Cheng!