Strongest War Emperor

High above, Shui Qingwu, dressed in white purer than snow, flew over gracefully. A pair of long wings of light behind her beat gently as she landed softly in front of Shen Lang’s room.

Suddenly...

A cloud of black mist billowed out of thin air before the door, like a burning black flame, forming an impassable barrier in front of her.

The giant-like Duanmu Xie slowly rose from the ground. Corpse Qi surged like a furious tide, forcing a shocked Shui Qingwu to retreat several steps before she could stop.

The corner of Duanmu Xie’s mouth curled. He exhaled a puff of black air and said proudly, ”Miss Qingwu, my apologies. The master has reached a critical moment in his cultivation. I am under orders to stand guard. No one may disturb him at this time.”

Although Duanmu Xie was a Zombie, he could still vaguely understand the complexities between men and women, so he was relatively polite to Shui Qingwu.

Anyone else would not have received such treatment.

The Zombie Emperor’s reputation was not for nothing.

Shui Qingwu, with a spirit like autumn waters and bones of jade, seemed to have stepped out of a painting. She slowly advanced two steps.

She looked up at the mountainous and imposing Duanmu Xie, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. ”A critical moment in his cultivation? How much longer?”

Duanmu Xie tilted his head and thought for a moment. ”I don’t know.”

”You...” Shui Qingwu was speechless. Frowning, she began to pace back and forth outside the room.

The selection tournament on Cangxia Mountain was already in full swing.

But everyone’s attention was already fixed on the impending battle between Dugu Zhange and Shen Lang.

Although their fight had yet to begin, the hype surrounding it had already overshadowed the selection tournament itself.

Even the participation of a group of Demonic Dao Sects from the Celestial Defying Demon Realm—an unimaginable event—seemed insignificant in comparison and failed to draw much notice.

After learning about Dugu Zhange’s background and combat strength, Shui Qingwu had been utterly horrified. Unable to set her mind at ease, she had excused herself to Shen Moran and rushed back.

Her purpose, of course, was singular: to convince Shen Lang to give up the fight against Dugu Zhange.

It wasn’t that she had no confidence in Shen Lang, but that Dugu Zhange was simply too powerful.

Shui Qingwu was certain that Shen Lang could easily defeat Dugu Zhange in the future, but definitely not now...

Definitely not while he was still in the Xuanwu Realm!

After pacing for a while, Shui Qingwu looked up and asked, ”Lord Zombie Emperor, if someone were to threaten Xiaolang, what would you do?”

Duanmu Xie’s eyes, filled with Death Qi, shifted slightly. He uttered a single, booming word: ”Kill!”

An incomparably tyrannical Killing Intent, almost tangible, erupted from Duanmu Xie’s body!

After expelling the Celestial Purity Sect’s Sword Qi from his body, not only had Duanmu Xie’s old wounds healed, but under Shen Lang’s guidance, his cultivation had been soaring.

Though not much time had passed, he had already recovered to the peak of the Emperor Martial Realm Sixth Heaven.

The moment that single word ”Kill” left his lips, a wave of Killing Intent shot into the heavens!

Dark clouds instantly gathered over the Profound Dao Sect’s encampment, and an indescribable pressure bore down from them, causing Shui Qingwu’s expression to change drastically.

”Good. Very good!” The corners of Shui Qingwu’s lips curled into a smile.

Chu Qingcheng’s words had been a bit shameless, but deep down, everyone had actually agreed with them.

’You, Dugu Zhange, have no shame, challenging someone in the Xuanwu Realm with your King Martial Realm cultivation. So why can’t I have the Emperor Martial Realm Duanmu Xie ’challenge’ you in return?’

’When you’re out in the world, you have to play fair.’

’Oh, you don’t want to play fair? That’s even simpler. I’ll just have Duanmu Xie stomp you to death.’

In Chu Qingcheng’s view, the matter was not nearly as complicated or difficult as others imagined.

He and Shen Lang were both the type to not play by the rules; they would never let someone bully them at their own doorstep while still worrying about etiquette or saving face.

Take the matter of the Third Prince, for instance. If it weren’t for the many complications involved with the Third Prince and the fact that the time wasn’t right to kill him, would Chu Qingcheng have let him live this long?

Even if Shen Lang hadn’t acted, Chu Qingcheng would have secretly finished him off long ago.

It was precisely because of Chu Qingcheng’s line of thinking that Shui Qingwu had just asked that question.

Now that Shui Qingwu saw the Zombie Emperor standing guard here as loyally as a doorman, she felt reassured and was no longer so worried.

”About this Dugu Zhange matter...”

Shui Qingwu looked up and had just gotten half a sentence out when she abruptly stopped.

Above Shen Lang’s room, countless dazzling points of Spirit Light had suddenly appeared, visible to the naked eye.

The specks of light shimmered like a misty sunrise, suffused with auspicious colors.

These multicolored Spirit Lights flickered brightly and dimly, shining with seven hues. All sorts of auspicious radiances swirled within, constantly flowing.

Each point of light contained incomparably pure nature’s spiritual energy.

The brilliant Spirit Light surged upward like a volcanic eruption. Only after reaching a height of several hundred zhang did it rain down in all directions, suffusing the surrounding space.

Bathed in the light, Shui Qingwu felt a sense of comfort spread through her entire body. She could feel the abundant Spiritual Qi seeping into her body through her pores.

The effect was actually much stronger than when she normally cultivated!

”What... what in the world is happening?”

As Shui Qingwu’s bright eyes scanned the area, all she could see were endless, boundless specks of Spirit Light.

And because of the appearance of this strange Spirit Light, the duels that had just begun on Cangxia Mountain came to a complete halt.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the Imperial Capital...

With Shen Lang’s room as the epicenter, an area with a radius of two hundred li was completely covered by these specks of light. They fell like snowflakes, endless and inexhaustible.

Everyone in the Imperial Capital came out of their houses to look at the sky, clicking their tongues in amazement.

Over on Cangxia Mountain, a group of old-timers at the King Martial Realm and Emperor Martial Realm grew more and more astonished as they watched...

”Shen Lang is breaking through to the King Martial Realm! He’s actually attempting it in the middle of the Imperial Capital! Isn’t he afraid the Tribulation Thunder from forming his Nascent Soul will destroy the entire capital? Or is he so confident that he has no fear of the Tribulation Thunder at all?”

On the Cangxia Mountain Martial Arts Arena, an old voice suddenly rang out.

The Martial Arts Arena, which had fallen silent due to the strange phenomenon, instantly erupted in an uproar.

”Are you kidding me? Wasn’t Shen Lang at the Xuanwu Realm Sixth Heaven? It’s been less than half a month, and he’s already breaking through to the King Martial Realm?”

”That’s outrageous! Breaking through to the Xuanwu Realm Seventh Heaven in half a month would be incredible enough, but he’s aiming for the King Martial Realm... Wait, that’s not right. Does this mean that in just half a month, he’s already advanced three levels and reached the Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven? How is that possible!”

”Hmph, don’t make him out to be some once-in-a-ten-thousand-year genius! Attempting to break through to the King Martial Realm at a time like this clearly means he’s been scared stiff by Dugu Zhange and has no choice but to take the risk! How else could he face him?”

”That’s right, not a moment sooner or later, but right now... Could it be that he heard about Dugu Zhange, got scared, and is now desperately trying to break through his cultivation?”

”Heh heh, forget about him trying to break through in such a rush. Even if he gets ridiculously lucky and succeeds, what good would that do? Right after breaking through to the King Martial Realm, he won’t even have proper control over his power. He’ll need time to get used to his strength and consolidate his cultivation. Facing Dugu Zhange in that state is just asking for death, isn’t it?”

”There’s nothing to see here. What a joke. From Xuanwu Realm Sixth Heaven to the King Martial Realm in less than half a month? I’ve never even heard of such a genius!”

”This guy is insane. Other people prepare for years to break through to the King Martial Realm and choose a quiet, deserted place. But him? He chooses the Imperial Capital! If the Tribulation Thunder strikes and he can’t handle it, it won’t matter if he dies, but is he trying to drag the people of the Imperial Capital down with him?”

”Not necessarily. With Zombie Emperor Duanmu Xie protecting him, he should be fine... But it really is a bit too arrogant!”

Amidst the crowd’s discussions, Xue Shiyin’s figure suddenly materialized in the void. With a single, casual step, she instantly appeared in front of Shen Lang’s room.

Duanmu Xie, who Shui Qingwu had just seen as a loyal guard, rolled his white eyes. Humiliatingly, he took a few steps to the side and squatted down under a large tree to draw circles in the dirt.

Shui Qingwu pouted and rolled her eyes repeatedly. ’A zombie is still a zombie,’ she thought, ’You really can’t count on them like you would a person... So unreliable!’

But one couldn’t really blame Duanmu Xie. Even a block of wood could see a little of what was going on between Xue Shiyin and Shen Lang.

More importantly, she was a genuine Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert. Crushing him would be a matter of minutes!

If he didn’t get out of the way, was he supposed to just wait for a beating?

The people on Cangxia Mountain and in the Imperial Capital who were watching all gasped in unison... That rascal Shen Lang was breaking through to the King Martial Realm, and it actually drew out a Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert?

It was rumored that the Xue Family’s Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse, Xue Shiyin, was very protective of him, but who would have thought it was true... A Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert had actually come to stand guard for him?

That kind of face... was damn impressive!

Many people secretly glanced toward Dugu Zhange.

Dugu Zhange had said several times that he would kill Shen Lang, and the Killing Intent in his eyes was unconcealed.

But with the Zombie Emperor and a Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse present, even if he came from a Hidden Noble Family, he probably wouldn’t dare to try anything, right?

This drama was really getting more and more exciting!

At that moment, Xue Shiyin’s eyes moved slightly, her gaze falling upon Shui Qingwu.

She said indifferently, ”With me here, he will be fine. You should go back first.”

Shui Qingwu was taken aback. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then stopped herself. ”Oh, okay.”

With that, the pair of wings behind her unfurled. Her figure shot into the air and vanished into the distance in an instant.

Seeing that Shui Qingwu, though clearly reluctant, had still agreed so quickly, Xue Shiyin couldn’t help but be slightly stunned. She watched her retreating figure for a long while before looking away.

’This girl has the face of an angel and a body of jade. She is not only devastatingly beautiful but also pure of heart and sharp-witted. She and he truly are a match made in heaven...’

Sighing internally, Xue Shiyin moved, her figure splitting into four.

The four figures positioned themselves at the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—and set up a Restriction, firmly guarding Shen Lang’s room.

*POP!*

At that very moment, a soft sound was heard as a beam of divine light shot up from the stone house.

A massive, translucent silhouette appeared above the stone house.

The silhouette slowly trembled, and after a moment, it solidified into a phantom image identical to Shen Lang.

However, this phantom was translucent and stood more than ten zhang tall, like a giant!

An ancient, desolate aura emanated from this phantom of Shen Lang.

As its long hair danced in the wind, the phantoms of ten Elements Mansions suddenly appeared, revolving rapidly around the giant-like Shen Lang.

Black and White Qi, like two Divine Dragons, swirled constantly at his Dantian. It was as if the cosmos was undergoing a profound transformation, and immeasurably vast Spiritual Power gushed forth, causing the phantom to grow more and more solid!

A hurricane raged, sending sand and stones flying!

The sky above the Imperial Capital changed color...