Chapter 624: The Envoy Delegation from Tianyang Empire!
Chapter 624: The Envoy Delegation from Tianyang Empire!
In the Fearsome Forest.
A young man with a bare upper body and bronze skin that radiated an overwhelming destructive force stood poised. Gripping a black heavy sword, he swung it with a single motion, slicing a fifth-tier Blood-Red Devil Wolf cleanly in half.
Boom!
Blood rained down as the demonic beast exploded in mid-air and its two halves crashed heavily onto the group, causing a massive cloud of dust.
Hiss!
"Terrifying!"
Not far away, his companions gasped in shock. Such exaggerated power was truly awe-inspiring.
"Xiaofan's strength is practically monstrous!"
Ye Nanfeng swallowed hard. Over the past two months, their East Court sword team had been battling demonic beasts in the Fearsome Forest, and everyone's strength had improved rapidly. But Jiang Xiaofan's progress was greater than all of theirs combined!
In these past two months, Jiang Xiaofan's cultivation had already reached the level of fifty meridian gates. His strength and defense could only be described as abnormal.
The Xuanwu blood had completely transformed him. In some ways, Ling Feng's current physique might not even compare to his. Of course, Ling Feng's talent was the kind that would continue to grow, with endless potential in the future. As for Jiang Xiaofan, with the Xuanwu blood, he might one day achieve the Xuanwu battle body. However, breaking through to anything beyond the Xuanwu battle body would be nearly impossible!
Still, possessing the physique of a divine beast like the Xuanwu was already heaven-defying enough.
"I'd bet anything that Xiaofan's strength has already surpassed Brother Feng's!" Lin Mochen, a notorious gambler, slapped his face in a vow. "Brother Feng might be strong, but breaking through dozens of meridian gates in just one or two months and instantly killing a fifth-tier demonic beast with one strike? Even he can't do that."
"You never win any bets!" Yu Sixian sneered, mercilessly mocking him.
"This time it's different! Can you deny Xiaofan's strength isn't monstrous?" Lin Mochen retorted, jumping up and down in frustration, clearly displeased.
"Enough!" Gu Tengfeng shook his head and said calmly, "We'll know how much progress Ling Feng has made once we return to Tianwei Academy."
"Are we finally going back?"
Jiang Xiaofan, carrying that massive sword on his shoulder, walked over excitedly.
"Mhmm, it's about time." Gu Tengfeng nodded slightly, giving Jiang Xiaofan a light pat on the shoulder. "Initially, I thought our team's strength might not be enough to defeat the Central Court sword team, but Xiaofan, you've truly surprised me!"
"Hehe..." Jiang Xiaofan scratched his head sheepishly. "Captain, it's really all thanks to the power of this sword."
As he spoke, Jiang Xiaofan raised the massive sword, which looked rather menacing, and gently caressed its blade as his eyes gleamed with joy.
A few days ago, Jiang Xiaofan had unexpectedly found this heavy sword in an ancient cave. The sword weighed at least 50,000 catties[1]. Even someone as physically imposing as Gu Tengfeng struggled to wield it, yet Jiang Xiaofan was more than satisfied with its weight.
His previous sword, though heavy, wasn't nearly as comfortable to use as this one. Moreover, this sword seemed to contain a unique power. When he swung it and struck an enemy, the sword could automatically alter the gravitational field.
For example, when Jiang Xiaofan struck the Blood-Red Devil Wolf just now, the moment the sword hit the wolf, the gravity multiplied by thirty times.
The already terrifying force, combined with the thirtyfold gravity boost, made insta-killing the wolf effortless.
"A divine weapon like this choosing you as its master is your good fortune."
Gu Tengfeng laughed heartily. Though he couldn't help but feel a bit envious, he was genuinely happy for his teammate's growth.
"All I want now is to hurry back and let Big Brother know that I can finally help him!"
Jiang Xiaofan chuckled foolishly. After all, his achievements were all thanks to Ling Feng.
Hearing that they could finally leave, the other team members also grew excited. After two months of constant battles in the Fearsome Forest, with hardly a decent night's sleep and always on edge, they were relieved to finally leave this dreadful place.
"Captain, if we head back from the Fearsome Forest now, won't we be short on time?" Xue Xiaolin, always meticulous, reminded them that there were only two days left until the end of their break. The fastest they could make it back to the imperial capital from the Fearsome Forest would take at least five days.
"I've already planned for that," Gu Tengfeng smiled calmly. "Once we're out of the Fearsome Forest, we'll head directly to the Gu family stronghold in Xuanyuan City. From there, we can use the directional teleportation array to return to the imperial capital."
"Haha, long live the captain!" The group cheered in unison.
...
On the other side, the bustling and lively imperial capital received news that shocked the entire nation.
The envoy delegation from the Tianyang Empire, after nearly a month of travel, was expected to arrive within the imperial capital's vicinity in three days.
The purpose of these envoys was simple. They needed to escort back Jingwang's crown prince, Nangong Yin.
A month ago, disciples from the Cangqiong Sect had rescued Nangong Yin from Duling City, after which he was taken to the Cangqiong Sect and placed under house arrest.
Following this, the Cangqiong Sect sent word to the Tianyang Empire, stating that if they wanted Nangong Yin back, they had to first withdraw their troops and then send envoys to personally request his return.
This arrangement aligned with typical diplomatic protocols between the two nations. Upon learning that his son had been rescued and was now in the Cangqiong Sect's custody, Jingwang of the Tianyang Empire had no choice but to comply and dispatch envoys to the Tianbai Empire.
With the Tianyang Empire being stronger than the Tianbai Empire in terms of national power and having the support of the Tianyang Emperor, Jingwang felt confident in this mission.
Not only would they retrieve Nangong Yin, but they would also showcase their might before the Tianbai Empire, reminding them who the better nation was!
Inside the study of the Cangqiong Sect's sect leader.
Yue Zhonglian received the news that the envoy delegation from the Tianyang Empire was on its way. He gently tapped the map on his desk, his deep eyes glinting with clarity and hiding his true thoughts.
Thanks to Ling Feng's two rounds of acupuncture, Yue Zhonglian's health had improved significantly, though he still remained somewhat weak.
"Sect Leader, according to the information brought back by the young lady, Nangong Yin is nothing but scum. Although Little Brother Ling... Ahem, Ling Feng may have gone too far, it was understandable," Wen Tingguang stepped forward and bowed as he spoke.
"Hmph! That boy knew full well how special Nangong Yin's status was, yet he still dealt such a ruthless blow. He crippled his cultivation, silenced him, and even... Hmph!" Liu Hongzhang cut himself off with a cold snort. "In any case, the Cangqiong Sect cannot bear the blame for this!"
As soon as Wen Tingguang finished speaking, Liu Hongzhang immediately flicked his sleeve and retorted.
Several other elders, led by Liu Hongzhang, nodded in agreement.
(Note: Liu Hongzhang was the elder Ling Feng encountered when he first visited Cangqiong Mountain to treat Yue Zhonglian. He has always disagreed with Wen Tingguang. See Chapter 75 for details.)
"Elder Liu, this matter concerns national dignity. I do not believe Ling Feng's actions were inappropriate. Should we allow a mere foreign prince to trample on the pride of the Tianbai Empire?" Wen Tingguang argued, his eyes blazing with anger.
This issue was not just about Ling Feng; it was about the dignity of their nation.
1. 25,000 kg or 55000 freedom unit lbs ☜