Chapter 538: The Ultimate Battle (Conclusion)

During the Northern Song Dynasty.

It is said that there was an ancient sect in the martial arts world called the Carefree Sect.

The Carefree Sect possessed the Jade Linglong and the Northern Dark Divine Art; once mastered, one could not only roam the world almost unrivaled, but also attain immortality and eternal youth.

The leader of the Carefree Sect was named "Xiaoyaozi," who had long since ascended to immortality.

Under Xiaoyaozi's tutelage were four disciples: Wuyazi, Wu Xingyun, Li Qiushui, and Li Canghai.

These four were all exceptionally gifted individuals with cultivation levels so transcendent they were nearly like gods.

Yet for reasons unknown, the four turned against each other, wishing for nothing more than to fight to the death.

Wuyazi had a disciple named Ding Chunqiu, who founded the "Xingxiu Sect."

This man was wildly ambitious and, having deeply inherited Wuyazi's true teachings, sought to unify the martial arts world, slaughtering the righteous path and inciting a martial arts catastrophe.

The Beggar Sect, the Kongtong Sect, the Emei Sect, and even the thousand-year-old Shaolin Temple were all breached, leaving the martial arts world on the brink of destruction.

Among the four elders of the Carefree Sect capable of restraining Ding Chunqiu, Wuyazi was secretly harmed by him, Li Canghai vanished without a trace, and Li Qiushui and Wu Xingyun fought until both were severely wounded.

It seemed the martial arts world was about to fall into the hands of Ding Chunqiu.

Yet unexpectedly, Ding Chunqiu died at the hands of his own disciple, Azi.

It could be called the cycle of karma, where retribution is never late.

In the end, Azi even succeeded Wu Xingyun to become the Tianshan Child Elder of Piaomiao Peak.

……

Lingjiu Palace.

A place of perilous beauty on Tianshan.

Facing the sea of clouds, overlooking the cliffs.

At this moment, in the main hall of Lingjiu Palace.

A woman in palace attire and a white dress was receiving the obeisance of the Seventy-two Cave Masters.

Her appearance was peerlessly beautiful and transcendent, her long, pitch-black hair like flowing clouds, and her temperament ethereal, giving one a sense of being high and unreachable.

Between her brows, she was not only full of dominance and unrestrained spirit, but the occasional flash of bewitching, cold glamour was enough to stir one's soul.

Yet no one dared to look at her.

Because she was the new Tianshan Child Elder, Azi.

"I have seen the tributes, and you have all been very observant of the rules. However, this Lingjiu Palace is truly too cold and quiet; from now on, I want it filled with endless song and dance, I want fine wine and delicacies, do you hear me..."

Azi looked calmly at the Seventy-two Cave Masters kneeling below; compared to when she first sat on the throne of the Tianshan Child Elder, her Xinhu was now barely stirred by any ripples.

Of course, she was still very keen on this position.

In this position, she could not only look down upon the heroes of the martial arts world and the common masses.

She could also study the most supreme and top-tier martial arts in the world.

If cultivated to the extreme, one could even attain immortality.

Azi would also not forget that it was that person who brought all this to her.

Dismissing the Seventy-two Cave Masters, Azi went alone, slowly arriving at the book pavilion of Piaomiao Palace.

The pavilion contained countless books, vast as the sea, especially the third floor, which held many of the Carefree Sect's supreme arts.

Every single supreme art, when cultivated to completion, was almost equivalent to divine means.

The book pavilion was a forbidden area; except for the Tianshan Child Elder, outsiders were almost never allowed to enter.

However, at this moment, there was a person in the pavilion—a man in black. His appearance was handsome, but what was truly extraordinary was that transcendent temperament of his, which simply surpassed the mundane.

"Brother Yu." Azi lightly stroked a strand of hair by her ear, her red lips smiling, as she swayed her waist and walked in front of the man in black: "What are you looking at? Is it better looking than me?"

If the previous Seventy-two Cave Masters had seen this scene, they would likely have dropped their jaws.

Yu Liancheng rolled up the book and tapped Azi on the head, sighing: "Azi, in front of me, you can also maintain the posture of the Tianshan Child Elder you had earlier."

Azi blinked her large eyes and said shyly, "But... but... I just want you to see my most authentic self."

Yu Liancheng sighed.

With Azi's looks and figure, she could be called a great beauty.

But unfortunately, having lived in the Xingxiu Sect since childhood, she was a bit improper, and her speech was somewhat roguish, completely wasting her natural beauty.

"You, you still need to learn from your two grand-aunts."

Yu Liancheng patted Azi's cheek; if the woman before him possessed both the domineering, ethereal, and unreachable nature of Wu Xingyun, and the bewitching, unpredictable charm of Li Qiushui, then adding this appearance and figure of hers, it would truly be a killer combination—what man would not be moved?

"I don't want to, both grand-aunts are so fierce; staying with them, Azi worries about being killed by a single look from them," Azi pouted and said.

Yu Liancheng laughed in spite of himself.

Just as he was about to say something to Azi, his expression suddenly shifted: "I have something to attend to and must leave; we shall talk later."

Without waiting for Azi to ask him to stay, Yu Liancheng's figure flashed, and he was already a hundred feet away.

With a wave of his arm, light swirled before his eyes, a portal slowly appeared, and he stepped into it.

……

"This sword strike, it really... hurts."

A black figure stepped out from the dust.

Who else could it be but Yu Liancheng?

But the current state of Murong Tonghuang left everyone somewhat astonished.

Because this sword strike, which gathered the power of eighty-one immortals and was enough to destroy heaven and earth, seemed not to have caused him any injury at all; even his clothes were completely intact.

If not for the trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, one might have thought this move was completely useless against him.

But could it really just be a minor injury?

Is this guy even human?

Furthermore, judging by his previous performance, Murong Tonghuang did not look like someone who could take this sword strike without a scratch.

So, was Murong Tonghuang hiding his true strength all along, or was there another reason?

Of course, none of this matters now.

Who wins and who loses is the only thing that matters.

Yu Liancheng looked up at that phantom nearly a thousand feet tall.

As time passed and following that heaven-shaking sword strike, this Nine Heavens Thunder God appeared increasingly ethereal and void. Ripples appeared on it from time to time, as if pebbles were being cast into a calm lake.

Murong Tonghuang's eyes were calm as an ancient well, his spirit returning to a state of perfect harmony.

"Have you ever heard of the Xianglong Shiba Zhang?"

As he said this, he tapped his toes, the air currents swept away, and he stood suspended in the void hundreds of feet in the air. As he raised his arms, sounds of dragon roars suddenly resounded across the sky.

"The Xianglong Shiba Zhang that can strike out eighteen dragons."

Roar! The dragon roars grew louder, deafening.

As Yu Liancheng struck out with his palm, the palm force was like a heavenly river pouring backward, and then the palm force split into eighteen, transforming into individual True Dragons. They twisted and changed, roaring and hissing, fierce and overbearing, tearing through the wind and clouds as they bombarded the Thunder War God.

Eighteen phantom Dragon Qi bit at the Thunder War God.

The power of this palm was truly terrifying to the extreme; the palm force could actually transform into tangible True Dragons, as if they had a spirit of their own.

However, this Xianglong Shiba Zhang was merely an appetizer.

Yu Liancheng's Qi circulated, and he unleashed one heaven-shaking ultimate technique after another.

Nether Ghost Claw.

Tianshan Zhemei Hand.

Tianshan Liuyang Palm.

Solely Exalted Divine Skill.

Nine Heavens Ten Earths Flying Sword Art.

Without a doubt, the martial arts from the world of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" were completely on par with this world.

Every single ultimate technique could produce miraculous effects.

Even the Nine Heavens Thunder God, condensed from eighty-one Land Immortals, suffered heavy damage under the barrage, staggering backward incessantly.

"Alright, it is time for me to send you on your final journey."

Murong Tonghuang flicked his sleeve, and an ordinary Iron sword appeared in his hand.

His expression tightened slightly as he thunderously unleashed a powerful, heaven-piercing Qi. The surrounding space trembled and hummed, as if this world could not withstand such powerful Qi.

Behind Yu Liancheng, a War God similarly appeared, standing several hundred feet tall; although it could not compare to the Nine Heavens War God, it was still a heaven-supporting presence.

Its appearance was similar to Murong Tonghuang's, and its vigorous battle intent soared to the heavens.

The next moment.

Murong Tonghuang swung his sword.

The giant god standing between heaven and earth swung its sword as well.

Boundless Sword Intent transformed into a magnificent and swift beam of light, instantly sweeping toward the Nine Heavens Thunder God.

This sword strike, named "City-Toppling," finally lived up to its name at this moment.

One sword, city-toppling.

Boom!

Rumble!

In an instant, the sword light spread for hundreds of feet, wind and thunder raging. Wherever the sword light passed, it left a long crack, and everything was shattered by this strike. Even above the firmament, it was as if a white rainbow had streaked across, seemingly splitting the sky in two, taking a long time to return to normal. The Nine Heavens Thunder God, facing this sword strike directly, had used its remaining Qi to open an unbreakable Thunder Shield at the first moment, but it was clearly in vain.

With a "Boom," the Thunder Shield shattered, and the sword light struck the Nine Heavens Thunder God with absolute precision.

The Nine Heavens Thunder God let out a mournful cry and collapsed with a crash, turning into countless sparks of light and vanishing like meteors.

Eighty-one rainbow lights flew out from the collapsed body of the Thunder God, rushing toward the special Heavenly Gate in the sky that was already flickering and could disappear at any moment.

A trace of a smile appeared at the corner of Yu Liancheng's mouth.

He swung his sword again.

Boom!

The Heavenly Gate shattered.

Outside the Heavenly Gate, the eighty-one rainbow lights had their Qi greatly diminished, like stray dogs.

Between heaven and earth.

First, twelve Land Celestials from Northern Mang opened the Heavenly Gate.

Then, eighty-one immortals walked out of the Heavenly Gate in their complete and perfect immortal forms, joining forces to summon the Nine Heavens Thunder God, intending to suppress and kill Murong Tonghuang and settle the Liang-Mang War in one stroke.

Murong Tonghuang.

How was his cultivation?

His cultivation was heaven-reaching!

The Nine Heavens Thunder God was shattered.

The eighty-one immortals fell like rain, their life or death unknown.

And that glorious Heavenly Gate was never opened by an immortal again.

Boom!

The east and west gates of Hutou City swung wide open, and five thousand elite cavalrymen charged out from each.

Xu Fengnian, dressed in white, led one of the five thousand elite cavalry units and saw Murong Tonghuang standing alone with his hands behind his back, while countless Northern Mang soldiers knelt on the ground, as if worshipping a God.

There were countless Beimang soldiers fleeing in defeat, like a receding torrent or tide.

The second year of Xiangfu, spring.

The Liangmang War had only just begun, yet it had already ended.

In the Battle of Hutou City, Beimang suffered heavy losses; of the 400,000-strong Beimang army, over 100,000 were killed or wounded, many affected by the aftershocks of the battle between the Nine Heavens Thunder God and Murong Tonghuang. Nearly 100,000 more surrendered to Beiliang and became captives. The remaining less than half of the broken troops returned to the grasslands.

The deaths of Beimang high-ranking figures such as the Beimang War God Tuoba Pusa and the Beimang Crown Prince Yelü Hongcai had an impact no less significant than the loss of those 200,000 Beimang soldiers.

From then on, Beimang never recovered and dared not head south again.

Beimang dared not head south, but would Beiliang not head north?

……

During the Liangmang War.

The Central Plains also underwent earth-shaking changes.

Western Chu was completely annihilated under the encirclement of several Feudatory Kings; the Western Chu Queen Jiang Ni died, and Cao Guanzi's whereabouts became unknown.

But the land of the Central Plains did not welcome peace; instead, it became increasingly chaotic. For a time, Feudatory Kings carved up territory, and wars raged incessantly.

Everyone wanted to sit on that supreme throne.

But there could only be one person on that throne.

Two months later, the Guangling King, the Jing'an King, and the Yanchi King entered the capital, under the pretext of assisting the young Emperor.

Originally, Yu Liancheng had returned his sword to Taian City, severely wounding the young Emperor Zhao Zhuan, and finally, Cao Guanzi took Zhao Zhuan's life.

However, the Empress Yan Dongwu was pregnant, and the three kings intended to support this child to ascend the throne as Emperor.

But everyone knew that Yan Dongwu and her child, as a widow and orphan, were no different from puppets in the hands of the three kings.

The three kings could not suppress the rebellions that sprang up like rain everywhere, so various wars of conquest were launched in the name of "clearing the side of the Emperor."

If the chaotic fighting continued like this, it would only be the common people who suffered.

And just at this time, that Cao Guanzi, whose whereabouts were unknown and whose life or death was uncertain, struck again, taking the heads of the several Feudatory Kings who had participated in the annihilation of Western Chu.

Consequently, the world became even more chaotic.

Only the four prefectures of Beiliang could maintain stability amidst the broken mountains and rivers and drifting catkins.

This chaos lasted for a period of time until the Beiliang King Xu Weixiong finally took action, deploying 300,000 Beiliang Iron Cavalry with lightning speed to integrate the world and bring stability to the Central Plains.

Xu Weixiong did not engage in the so-called "yellow robe being put on" and did not become a regent.

She directly ascended the throne as Empress, becoming the second Female Emperor of the Central Plains, and established the state name "Liang."

From then on, the master of the world changed from the Liyang Zhao clan to the Daliang Xu clan.

Although Xu Weixiong was a woman, she displayed sufficient grandeur and elegance, never taking drastic measures against the fallen dynasty's court, especially showing great care for the "seeds of scholars."

But her methods could by no means be called benevolent; anyone who obstructed her various decrees, especially the aristocratic families, had their heads rolling. With the formidable Beiliang Army as a backing, and the top expert Murong Tonghuang sitting in the Imperial Palace, there was no fear of the Imperial Court collapsing.

Thereafter, Xu Weixiong even led the imperial expedition to conquer the grasslands. The Great General Gu Jiantang and the White-Clad Military Saint, the two gems of the empire, served as commanders, striking all the way to the Beimang royal court in one fell swoop.

And the endless stream of captives transported from Beimang to the Central Plains were used to build canals, connecting the whole country and replacing land transport with river transport.

The court and the common people were stable, while the Edo saw new developments every year. The new Martial Evaluation, Rouge List, and Minister-General Evaluation emerged one after another. What delighted everyone was that the former Murong dual leaders finally fought the Five Leaders alone, achieving an unprecedented feat.

This was not because the people ranking them were sycophants, but because Murong Tonghuang truly deserved the reputation of "fighting the Five Leaders alone."

There is no need to mention the Martial Evaluation and Rouge List.

In the war to conquer Beimang, although Murong Tonghuang only appeared like a divine dragon, his merits were no less than those of the two gems of the empire.

And the initiative to open the canals was proposed by Murong Tonghuang; furthermore, he found crops similar to potatoes from overseas, saving countless lives.

As for the literary evaluation, it was even more unquestionable, as he passed down many popular poems. In particular, the "Spring River Flower Moon Night" was truly admirable.

This Central Plains was flourishing.

……

"This Edo is growing old."

Guangling River.

The great tide was about to arrive.

An old man in a sheepskin coat sighed softly.

……