Chapter 238

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

A series of loud bangs, mixed with flying dust, scattered gravel, and the splashing blood and shattered weapons within the illusion, crossed the entire square from east to west in an instant.

This square was no more than a hundred zhang in length and width; for any Heaven-Man who had merged two paths, any corner within this range could be reached in an instant.

And for the four people currently fighting, this distance was no different from fighting face-to-face, and they hadn't even left the attack range of externalized true energy.

This meant that in this battle, there was no opportunity to recover energy or treat injuries.

Bang! —

The Jianwen Emperor's left fist smashed into the Emperor's shoulder, and the Emperor's right fist hit the Jianwen Emperor's chest; two dull thuds overlapped, rising and falling at the same time.

Pfft—

The Jianwen Emperor's figure flew backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air. Before he could land, the Emperor was already beneath him, reaching out with a claw toward his heart.

Swish! Swish!

Ji Tianrui and Li Miao appeared at the Emperor's side.

Ji Tianrui's sword snaked upward, stabbing toward the Emperor's face. Halfway there, the soft sword suddenly bent like a living creature, completely defying her force, and turned to stab at the Emperor's groin.

Li Miao stomped on the ground, his whole body like a fully drawn bow; his figure suddenly turned sideways, his arm drawing a semicircle in mid-air, and he turned to smash his elbow!

The Jianwen Emperor in mid-air also closed his eyes instantly, attempting to use "Jizhao" to attack the Emperor's mind while the Emperor was distracted by Li Miao and Ji Tianrui's moves, providing support for the two.

"Hmph!"

The Emperor sneered, his hand reaching for the Jianwen Emperor's heart suddenly merging into a palm, striking out a burst of true energy.

Bang!

The Jianwen Emperor was knocked high into the air, spitting out another mouthful of blood. In pain, he could no longer maintain the "Jizhao" offensive, and the plan for the three to surround the Emperor instantly collapsed.

Li Miao and Ji Tianrui's offensive had already arrived.

The Emperor's left hand reached directly for Ji Tianrui's sword blade.

Squeak—

Flesh and blade crossed, emitting a harsh metallic screech! Looking at the Emperor's left hand, it was glowing with a reddish-gold metallic luster, wrapping Ji Tianrui's soft sword around his hand!

This was a hard-style technique that looked similar to the Shaolin Golden Bell Shield, but was essentially far superior!

On the other side, the Emperor's right arm collided directly with Li Miao's elbow strike!

Unlike the cold and dangerous nature of Ji Tianrui's side, Li Miao's side was exceptionally grand! When their arms collided, a white circle suddenly vibrated in the air!

In Li Miao's past life, this was called a "sonic boom." When their arms collided, they had directly squeezed the air between them as if it were a solid, causing it to burst outward.

A moment later, a huge sound suddenly rang out.

Bang!!!!

The Emperor stood motionless, the skin on his right arm cracking, blood flowing out. But Li Miao retreated half a step, his right arm bones making an unusual sound.

On the surface, it looked like the Emperor had suffered heavier injuries, but they were only flesh wounds. Li Miao, however, had injured his bones and was truly at a disadvantage!

"Hard enough! Again!"

Li Miao wore a smile, not caring about his injuries at all, his right hand springing out from under his elbow, striking the Emperor's chest again!

Fifteen years.

It had been fifteen years since his last life-and-death battle, since the last time he faced an opponent who could truly threaten his life.

For Li Miao, finding an evenly matched opponent was already difficult. Finding an opponent stronger than himself was even harder.

The Emperor might just be the last one.

Li Miao had been practicing martial arts for twenty-seven years.

Although he always appeared lazy, as if he never practiced, spending his days eating, drinking, sleeping, and annoying or hitting people, that was because he had already merged the three paths. Before obtaining the Nature Cultivation inheritance, he had nothing left to practice or cultivate.

Before merging the three paths, he had also practiced through the coldest winters and hottest summers, never stopping for a day, building a foundation more solid than anyone else's. If not for this, even with an "eight-hour workday," he could not have reached his current level.

However, he had practiced too well, too much. By the time he felt it was "about enough," it was already difficult to find an opponent.

Today's Emperor had awakened the Li Miao who had spent twenty-seven years of bitter cultivation, hidden beneath a lazy shell.

Bang bang bang bang—

A series of loud bangs exploded within a small space.

Li Miao closed in on the Emperor, his offensive unfolding like waves!

Fists, palms, claws, fingers!

Elbows, knees, shoulders, legs!

One move was countered by the Emperor, and the next followed immediately. Every joint in his body was a weapon; every time he was pushed back, it was a rehearsal for an even more vicious attack!

Brutal, bloody, flesh splashing!

Self-created martial arts are a reflection of a person's true heart.

If Ji Tianrui's "Gu Sword" was ethereal and unpredictable, insidious and treacherous, then Li Miao's "My Fist" was dangerous and ruthless, violent and cruel!

Birds of a feather flock together.

Looking at Li Miao's subordinates and the style of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, one knew that Li Miao was by no means as easygoing as he appeared in daily life.

However, none of the three besides Li Miao had expected that Li Miao's true nature was like this! Even Ji Tianrui showed a hint of surprise!

Bang.

Li Miao's arm was caught by the Emperor, but before the Emperor could use this opportunity to catch his breath from Li Miao's endless offensive, he saw a smile appear on Li Miao's face again.

Crack!

Li Miao's right hand, which had been caught, had actually grabbed the Emperor's shoulder!

At the same time, Li Miao kicked the Emperor's chest with all his might!

Bang!

The two figures suddenly scattered!

Rip!

Whoosh—

Li Miao's arm was torn by his own force, while the Emperor's shoulder to his upper arm was left with five wounds deep enough to see the bone!

"Hiss—"

The Emperor let out a dull groan of pain.

"Indeed!"

Li Miao turned in mid-air and landed on the ground, his right arm making a series of "crack-crack" sounds; looking again, it had already returned to its normal state.

"Your Majesty, you said you had no flaws."

"Indeed, if we only look at martial arts, you truly have no flaws. Whether it is hard-style, moves, internal energy, true energy, or strength, you surpass me, and even surpass the three of us combined."

"But, martial arts are ultimately used by people!"

Li Miao would not give the Emperor time to catch his breath, closing in again to surround and attack with Ji Tianrui, who had drawn her soft sword, and the Jianwen Emperor, who had fallen from mid-air.

"You said just now that this is your first time fighting someone outside of 'Jizhao,' right?"

Between the exchange of fists and kicks, the Emperor's shocked and angry eyes met Li Miao's.

"Illusions, phantoms, they are ultimately fake!"

"Fighting in a fake place with those attendants you raised like dogs might polish your moves to perfection, but it cannot polish a heart that faces death without fear!"

(End of chapter)