Chapter 214: What Kind of Ambience Is This? How Can It Be So Overwhelming? (6k)

Soon, a massive black space vessel, like an ancient beast lying dormant in the void, slowly appeared before them.

It was draped with black dragon banners snapping loudly in the wind.

Immediately after, two figures descended from above.

One was none other than the Governor of Longyuan Prefecture, Zhong Yao; the other appeared younger but carried a blood-soaked aura, and his cultivation base had reached Soul Transformation early stage.

“Disciple Jiangpo Army, greetings to the elder!” The young man bowed with clasped fists, his voice loud and clear.

Zhong Yao’s gaze swept over Lu Yaoyao, Yan Xiaohu, and Lu Yuanzhi, flickering with appraisal, yet he asked no questions, turning instead to explain to Lin Daochen.

“Jiangpo Army is a deputy commander of the Longxiang Army, one of the nine border legions, and also one of the Prince’s favored disciples. He has been specially dispatched to escort you.”

Upon hearing this, Erdaye’s eyes lit up instantly; he turned to Zhou Qing with eager anticipation.

It’s been many years since I last greeted that old man—never thought he’d taken another disciple.

Lin Daochen nodded slightly and smiled warmly. “Thank you for the trouble.”

Jiangpo Army bowed again. “My master intended to come personally, but the Taoyao Mountains have allied with the Blood Prison Mountains’ Dragon Emperor, stirring unrest—our frontlines are under siege on multiple fronts, leaving my master unable to leave.”

“Coincidentally, I was on a mission in the neighboring Lingyun Prefecture. When my master learned of your promotion to third-rank array master, he was overjoyed and specifically instructed me to invite you to the border with the utmost sincerity and highest courtesy.”

“Yet I feared I might fail my master’s trust, so I asked the governor’s assistance—please forgive this disciple’s presumption!”

Lin Daochen replied, “What’s there to forgive? Do you think I’d refuse just because I don’t know you?”

Saying this, he regarded Jiangpo Army with admiration, scanning him up and down. “To be a deputy commander at your age, and to have spent your life fighting on the border, defending our homeland—your sense of duty and courage are truly admirable.”

“Whereas this old man has been absorbed in array research, contributing far less to protecting our nation. I am ashamed, deeply ashamed.”

Jiangpo Army quickly waved his hands, a look of alarm crossing his face. “Master Lin, you flatter me! Your coming to the border is like delivering coal in snow.”

“Moreover, over the years you’ve trained countless outstanding disciples who shine across the empire, safeguarding the people—your achievements far surpass mine.”

Lin Daochen opened his mouth to speak further, but only let out a bitter sigh.

Behind him, Zhou Qing remained silent, lost in thought.

Sects, mortals, the empire, cultivation nations—what kind of symbiotic balance exists between them?

…

The space vessel was enormous, its interior intricately constructed with numerous cabins.

Almost everyone could have their own private room.

Watching the backs of Governor Zhong Yao and Jiangpo Army conversing on deck, Zhou Qing’s thoughts swirled.

At that moment, Erdaye approached with a sly grin. “Ready?”

Zhou Qing blinked, instinctively asking, “Now?”

Erdaye nodded firmly. “Of course. Both of you are Soul Transformation early stage. You just passed through the teleportation array, and this is a desolate plain—perfect for sparring.”

“Do you plan to wait until the border, where they’ll wear you down with endless challenges?”

Zhou Qing shook his head slightly, then gazed at Jiangpo Army’s figure, his eyes alight with eagerness.

Those who have fought bloody battles on the border against demonic races for years, enduring countless life-and-death trials, possess combat prowess beyond ordinary means.

He wanted this chance to measure just how far his own strength fell short of Jiangpo Army’s.

Seeing Zhou Qing agree to the sparring, Erdaye’s face lit up with delight.

He rubbed his hands excitedly, then hurried to the other end of the deck, whispering urgently to Jiangpo Army.

Jiangpo Army turned back, glancing at Zhou Qing with a hint of resignation, then shook his head.

Zhou Qing faintly caught Jiangpo Army muttering something about array masters having weak combat power, that this was a mission to assist the border, and that injury during sparring would be unfortunate.

Without hesitation, Erdaye pulled out a supreme-grade spirit stone and waved it before Jiangpo Army’s eyes.

“Deputy Commander Jiang, with your formidable strength, a sparring match with him won’t take long. Just give him a lesson—let him know there are always stronger people out there.”

“Otherwise, I fear my brother here will grow overconfident and eventually cause a disaster. If you win this sparring, this supreme-grade spirit stone is yours. What do you say?”

Jiangpo Army’s eyes flickered with hesitation.

A supreme-grade spirit stone was an invaluable cultivation resource for any Soul Transformation cultivator—especially for a casual sparring match.

Nearby, Zhong Yao had been listening quietly; now he turned curious eyes toward Zhou Qing.

Seeing this, Erdaye seized the moment. “Governor, since you’re idle anyway, why not place a bet too?”

He pulled out another supreme-grade spirit stone and tossed it lightly in his palm.

Zhong Yao raised an eyebrow. “How do you propose to bet?”

Erdaye grinned. “I bet Zhou Qing defeats Deputy Commander Jiang within half an hour.”

“Impossible!” Jiangpo Army didn’t hesitate.

He had spent years on the border, slaying countless powerful demonic kings.

Through constant battle, he was nearly invincible among peers—how could he lose within half an hour to a frail-looking man focused solely on arrays and seals?

Zhong Yao’s eyes brightened—he was clearly intrigued by the wager. “When did this Zhou Qing reach Soul Transformation?”

Erdaye answered honestly. “A few days ago.”

Jiangpo Army frowned. “Then this is an unfair match. I’ve been Soul Transformation for over a hundred years—my mastery of intent and combat experience far exceed his.”

Erdaye smirked. “Not necessarily. Dare you take the bet?”

Jiangpo Army’s eyes flashed with anger; instantly, a crimson long spear materialized in his hand.

The spear radiated scorching heat, as if brimming with boundless battle fury.

He rose, spiritual power surging around him, his battle aura blazing. “Fight!”

Zhong Yao, now fully convinced, also produced a supreme-grade spirit stone, smiling easily. “Let’s just have some fun.”

But at that moment, Erdaye gritted his teeth, pulled ten supreme-grade spirit stones from his storage bag, and stared fiercely at Zhong Yao.

“These are all my possessions. Governor, dare you match me in a high-stakes bet?”

Zhong Yao stared at Erdaye, stunned—he hadn’t expected this seemingly ordinary Soul Transformation early stage youth to be such a reckless gambler.

After a brief pause, he slapped his storage bag and pulled out ten supreme-grade spirit stones himself, declaring with grandeur, “Done!”

Seeing Zhong Yao’s decisive move, Erdaye’s expression trembled—he suddenly regretted his impulsive words.

But the words were out; he couldn’t back down. He nodded, then rushed to Zhou Qing.

“Kid, this is a bet of ten supreme-grade spirit stones—you must defeat Jiangpo Army within half an hour.”

“But don’t win too fast—if your true strength explodes now, the rest of the bets lose meaning. Understand?” Erdaye emphasized.

Zhou Qing nodded. “Can I use the Emperor’s Radiance Scripture?”

Erdaye patted his chest. “Use any technique you have. I’m right here guarding you—do you think anyone will dare steal it? Besides, compared to these arts, that thing is your most precious possession.”

Zhou Qing knew perfectly well that “that thing” referred to the Inscription-level Divine Art: Hundred Tribulations Blood Veil.

Now, seeing Jiangpo Army stride toward him with spear in hand, Zhou Qing rose, his eyes blazing with battle intent.

When the two were less than a few zhang apart, their gazes met in midair.

“You’re certain you want to fight me?” Jiangpo Army asked, his voice deep and resonant, carrying the boldness of a seasoned warrior.

He lightly swung his spear; the tip traced an arc through the air, producing a faint whistle.

Zhou Qing took a deep breath and said slowly, “Please instruct me.”

With their words ended, the atmosphere around them grew tense.

The dozen or so Soul Transformation Blood Ban soldiers accompanying them watched with curiosity; Lu Yaoyao, Yan Xiaohu, and others, sensing something unusual, emerged from the cabin and fixed their eyes on the two.

Shhh!

Both figures instantly left the deck, soaring into the sky.

Under everyone’s gaze, Jiangpo Army struck first.

His body flashed like a crimson lightning bolt, hurtling toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing remained calm, drawing his broken sword, flipping his wrist to hold it horizontally before him, meeting Jiangpo Army’s spear head-on without flinching.

“Clang!”

The metallic clash exploded, shaking the surrounding air.

Instantly, sparks flew everywhere.

After this initial exchange, Jiangpo Army’s eyes flickered with surprise—he was taken aback by Zhou Qing’s response and the resilience of the broken sword.

But as a hardened veteran of countless battles, he gave Zhou Qing no chance to recover.

With a flick of his wrist, his spear moved like a sinuous serpent, carving a strange, lethal arc through the air, striking again at Zhou Qing with deadly speed.

This time, the spear’s angle was exquisitely vicious—the tip glowed like a cold star, slicing through the air with piercing force, aimed directly at Zhou Qing’s vital points.

Jiangpo Army’s spear technique fused decades of battlefield experience against demonic races—each movement concealed lethal traps, impossible to defend against.

Zhou Qing’s eyes narrowed; a flash of cold light passed through them. Silver light shimmered beneath his feet as if he trod empty space, his body instantly shifting half a foot sideways, evading the spear’s thrust with perfect precision.

Simultaneously, his broken sword rose in a peculiar arc, slicing toward the spear’s shaft.

Sword met spear again—“Clang! Clang!”—like clashing metal weapons.

As the battle continued, the air around them grew increasingly chaotic; clashing spiritual power generated gales that whipped everyone’s robes.

Clearly, Zhou Qing’s three-plus years of life-or-death duels with Soul Transformation cultivators from multiple major sects under Longyuan Prefecture had granted him extraordinary combat experience.

Some secretly speculated Jiangpo Army, out of respect for Master Lin, was deliberately holding back in the early stages to avoid embarrassing the other.

“Brother Zhou, go for it!” Lu Yaoyao leaned over the deck, cupping her hands to her mouth, shouting with sparkling eyes.

“Fourth, take him down!” Yan Xiaohu was equally excited; ever since learning this was the Prince’s disciple, he’d anticipated this moment.

After all, he knew perfectly well why Fourth had come to the border with Erdaye.

Lu Shi stood aside, eyes flickering uncertainly—these were the disciples cultivated by two Soul Transformation experts; she was genuinely curious to see who was stronger.

Only Lin Daochen shook his head slightly, a trace of concern in his eyes—but youth was fiery, and such rare training opportunities were too precious to forcibly prevent.

Time passed slowly; seeing Zhou Qing still handle his fierce assaults with ease, Jiangpo Army’s eyes flickered with both excitement and gravity.

“Brother Zhou, forgive me!”

The next moment, Jiang Pojun roared, his aura instantly shifting—a thick, bloody stench surged from his body.

“Few can force me to unleash my realm. Zhou Qing, in your generation, you have reason to be proud!”

As Jiang Pojun spoke, the once-blue sky was instantly shrouded in a crimson haze, thick as if dripping blood.

Then, a torrent of blood-red rain, condensed from malevolent energy, poured down.

Simultaneously, a scorching, putrid odor erupted from beneath his feet.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Qing realized he had somehow found himself standing on a desolate battlefield, ravaged by countless wars.

The ground was cracked and dry, black smoke rising.

As the scorched earth spread, broken bronze war chariots slowly rose from the ground, their wheels rolling with dull, oppressive groans.

On the chariots, faint phantom figures could be seen—holding weapons, shouting, charging forward. Though their forms were blurred, their fearless, relentless aura surged toward him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

More astonishingly, three hundred bronze war drums appeared floating in midair.

At Jiang Pojun’s low command, the drums began striking themselves.

Each thunderous beat hammered like a mallet against everyone’s heart, making all spiritual senses tremble.

Seeing this, everyone’s faces changed. Lu Yaoyao’s eyes filled with worry as she unconsciously gripped the hem of her robe.

Governor Zhong Yao smiled faintly and said, “I’ve long heard of General Jiang’s [Blood Hell Battlefield]. Even the demon clans tremble at its name. Today, I see it’s no exaggeration. Tell me, Zhou Qing—what realm did you awaken?”

Erdaye, upon hearing this, relaxed his expression and spoke calmly, “Just look, Governor. You’ll see for yourself.”

Watching Erdaye’s faint smile, Zhong Yao felt an uneasy premonition stir within him.

He unconsciously frowned, a flicker of suspicion crossing his eyes as he turned again to the two figures in the air.

At that moment, Zhou Qing stood amid the blood rain and wind, his robes snapping in the gale, his eyes radiating an extraordinary resolve and dominance.

“No apologies!” Zhou Qing murmured, then stomped his foot as his spiritual power surged wildly.

Instantly, a far more dominant aura erupted from Zhou Qing’s body.

This aura felt like that of an ancient overlord, radiating an aura of supreme supremacy, directly shattering Jiang Pojun’s [Blood Hell Battlefield] realm.

“Break!” Zhou Qing uttered a single word—soft, yet it sent a chill down every spine.

The next instant, the blood-red realm charging toward Zhou Qing collapsed like paper.

The scorched earth vanished in seconds; the bronze chariots turned to dust; the blood rain ceased abruptly; the bronze war drums, shattered by the overwhelming force, emitted a dull groan before exploding into countless fragments.

Jiang Pojun spat blood, dropped to one knee, his mind blank—as if he couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

The scene had unfolded too suddenly; everyone remained frozen for a long while.

Did I see wrong?

How could Jiang Pojun’s unbreakable realm vanish so suddenly?

Governor Zhong Yao frowned tightly, then seemed to realize something—his heart trembled violently.

How could he have awakened such an heavens-defying realm?

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes had already curled into crescent moons of joy.

【Heart Mirror +9】

Above her head, the tag 【So Amazing】 instantly changed to 【So Dominant】.

As for Yan Xiaohu, he was already used to scenes like this.

“Watch out!” Zhou Qing shouted as he stared at Jiang Pojun’s dazed state. Instantly, dazzling lightning flared along his broken sword.

Within the lightning, crossing sword qi sliced through the air as if ready to tear heaven and earth apart.

Then it came crashing down!

Jiang Pojun, snapping back to reality, raised his spear to block—and was immediately forced backward by the combined force of lightning and sword.

At that moment, Jiang Pojun felt stifled. He hastily tried to re-summon his [Blood Hell Battlefield] realm.

As the crimson imagery began to coalesce, Zhou Qing lifted his left hand slightly and pointed gently toward the realm’s area: “Break!”

A golden ripple spread outward—and shattered his realm again.

“Impossible!” Jiang Pojun cried in terror.

At last, he understood what Zhou Qing’s realm was—his face twisted with horror.

But he had no time to think. Zhou Qing’s attack was already upon him; he could only desperately raise his spear to block.

“Clang!” The broken sword and spear clashed again. The force numbed Jiang Pojun’s arm.

Hum—

Before he could steady himself, a massive golden crow phantom let out a deafening cry and charged straight at him.

The searing flames made Jiang Pojun’s face turn pale—he scrambled backward, his red spear spinning rapidly.

Flames ignited along the spear’s shaft, but compared to the golden crow’s fire, they were clearly a tier below.

As spiritual power surged, the flames, whipped by the spinning spear, rapidly formed an impenetrable barrier.

“Boom!”

The next instant, the golden crow collided violently with the flame barrier. The shockwave made the nearby space-ship rock violently.

Jiang Pojun’s flame barrier shattered without exception; his body flew backward like a kite with severed string, crashing heavily into the ground and forming a massive crater.

“Puff!” Jiang Pojun scrambled to his feet, spitting blood. Before he could move, Zhou Qing’s figure appeared before him like a ghost.

His broken sword now pointed directly at Jiang Pojun’s throat.

Seeing the flickering lightning on the blade’s tip, Jiang Pojun’s pupils shrank sharply—his eyes filled with disbelief.

His mind went utterly blank.

He lost?

He lost so cleanly and decisively?

He was a deputy general of the Longxiang Army, one of the Nine Border Armies—men feared by countless demon kings. And now, in less than half an hour, he’d been defeated by a man who’d only just ascended to Soul Transformation days ago?

And this man spent most of his energy studying arrays.

“Brother Jiang, my apologies!” Zhou Qing sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully.

In this battle, he hadn’t used a single drop of spiritual energy or blood from the four-colored flowers, nor had he even activated the [Emperor’s Radiance Scripture].

Throughout the entire fight, he’d used less than half his strength.

The enhancement from the Four Flowers at the Crown had already granted him complete dominance over his peers—and the ability to suppress those one realm above him.

Had this been a true life-or-death battle, the wound from the broken sword alone would have been enough to cripple Jiang Pojun.

So during the fight, he’d done his utmost to avoid cutting him with the broken sword.

Jiang Pojun rose slowly, dazed, staring blankly at his spear, stuck in the ground nearby.

A crushing sense of defeat washed over him, leaving his eyes hollow and lifeless.

He couldn’t understand it—he’d spent years on the border battlefield, surviving countless life-and-death battles—how could he have been so cleanly and decisively defeated by Zhou Qing?

Lu Yaoyao was the first to recover. Her eyes glowed with admiration as she burst into excited cheers: “We won! We won!”

Yan Xiaohu’s face was equally thrilled.

Soul Transformation—within Taiqingmen, that’s Elder rank. Old Four had defeated one in such a short time—this combat power was beyond imagination.

He hadn’t even used many of the techniques he was known for.

Lu Yuanzhi beside Lu Yaoyao showed a flicker of surprise, then glanced at the pretentiously youthful Erdaye.

The disciple trained by this elder was truly extraordinary.

Lin Daochen nodded slightly.

Exceptional combat power, yet fond of studying arrays—truly balanced offense and defense.

Good, good—truly excellent!

“Governor—” Erdaye grinned and rubbed his hands sheepishly.

Governor Zhong Yao looked at the fallen Jiang Pojun, his expression complex.

Seeing “Si Yunya” approach, he smiled calmly and handed him ten supreme-grade spirit stones.

“Thank you, sir!” Erdaye beamed with delight.

It’s the end of the month—three lines beg for a monthly vote; don’t let it expire!

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(End of Chapter)