Volume 2 - Chapter 57: Rapid Strike on Liangzhou - Part 2
The previously deathly silent dojo suddenly erupted with an uproar of astonished exclamations, shaking the heavens with disbelief.
Amidst the chaotic chatter, several outstanding figures of Tianji Tower stood quietly among the crowd, feeling a chilling coldness seep through their bodies. Their dao hearts teetered on the edge of collapse.
The passionate ambition that once drove them forward was utterly shattered at this moment.
The gap was simply too vast.
Could this be the disparity between people?
No, it felt more like the difference between a mortal and a deity!
“So this is the natural talent of someone who could be appointed as a general and granted a noble title at the age of fourteen? He attains true form with just a glance, mastering even the most ordinary techniques as though they were divine…”
Someone murmured to themselves, their chest feeling as though it were blocked by an invisible force, an overwhelming urge to cry welling up inside them.
It wasn’t jealousy—it was despair.
Tang Zhixi gazed silently at the distant horizon, her eyes vacant and unfocused, unable to utter a single word.
She felt as if a mere gust of wind could knock her down.
Her once-proud talents and comprehension—qualities that had allowed her to rise from humble beginnings and keep pace with the prodigies of the world—suddenly felt insignificant.
Even when faced with geniuses from the Divine General Mansion, disciples of the Sword Saint, or even the Buddha’s Son, she had held onto some degree of defiance in her heart.
She believed that given the same circumstances as them, she could achieve even greater heights.
Because she was clever.
But today, she suddenly realized that her pride was meaningless before that young man.
The sword technique she had spent six painstaking months studying was mastered by him in a single glance.
Just one glance.
And he not only learned it but also surpassed it.
He reached a level of mastery so profound that it was entirely unattainable for her!
If she was considered a genius, then what was he? A monster?
If he was merely a genius, then what was she? A commoner? A fool? A simpleton?
Or perhaps, an undeveloped beast?
She didn’t know. But suddenly, a compulsion surged in her heart—a desire to go to Liangzhou, to that fortress, to stand beside that young man. She wanted to see with her own eyes how such a person lived and trained on a daily basis.
…
…
On the western side of Liangzhou, two thousand li away…
In the pitch-black depths of a vast lake, shadows writhed and coiled. Viewed from above, these shadows appeared ominously dark, their sinister shapes enough to make one shudder.
Yet, the lake’s surface remained tranquil, unbroken by even the slightest ripple despite the presence of these colossal beings.
In the midst of this eerie stillness, the water began to ripple gently.
The ripples gradually expanded, resembling raindrops splashing upon the surface, until the once-placid lake began to violently bubble and tremble.
Water droplets leaped into the air like beans bouncing on a hot pan, and the entire lake seemed to quake.
The massive shadowy figures that had been gliding silently beneath the water were startled by the vibrations. Some rapidly contracted their forms and shot upward, breaking through the surface to hover in midair.
Others dove deeper into the abyss of the lake.
Suddenly, at the center of the lake, where the disturbance was most intense, the water surged upward, forming a massive dome.
Then, the dome burst apart, and from within emerged an enormous true dragon!
Its dark purple, nearly black scales gleamed like divine weapons, razor-sharp and densely packed, covering its massive body.
The dragon’s body stretched a hundred zhang, its ferocious head capable of encircling an entire hill.
“Roar!!”
The true dragon soared into the sky, piercing through countless clouds and reaching the blinding light of the sun. Its scales reflected a divine radiance so intense that it was impossible to look directly at it.
In its dark, crimson-hued eyes, the distant sun was mirrored before it abruptly dove back into the clouds, plummeting downward.
By the time it emerged from the final layer of clouds, it had taken on the form of an elderly man clad in a dark purple robe.
“Grand Elder!”
“Grand Elder!”
Numerous transformed figures gathered around him in reverence.
From within the lake, countless aquatic demons looked up, trembling in fear, yet their eyes glimmered with fervent worship.
“Does Liangzhou have any Absolute Technique Realm experts stationed there?”
The elder’s voice was deep and carried an imposing authority.
“None have been detected as of yet,” replied a green-robed elder respectfully.
Among demons, hierarchy was rigidly enforced—otherwise, one would simply become food.
“In that case, we’ll launch a swift attack on Liangzhou. Has the army from the Void Realm fully assembled?” the Grand Elder asked coldly.
“The Void Realm’s army has long been battle-ready, but the forces from the Sacred Palace are still en route. As for our Dragon Gate army, it has already gathered at Sishui Lake, Luying Lake, and Chenjiao Forest,” another elder swiftly reported.
“Those Sacred Palace fools,” the Grand Elder snorted. “They’re so slow and indecisive. No wonder they’ve been locked in a stalemate with the Li Family in Yanbei for over a decade. Reluctant to take losses yet greedy for territory—they’re utterly useless!”
After a moment, he continued, “This time, although I’ll personally oversee the assault on Liangzhou, the Void Realm forces will lead the charge, breaching the border. Our task is to destroy every single city. If any Absolute Technique Realm experts appear, I will handle them.”
“As for the rest of the humans, your responsibility is simple: kill them all. Eat them all!”
“We shall bathe Liangzhou in blood and leave no survivors!”
“Let that old ghost feel the pain deep in his bones!”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
“Move out. Head for the Void Realm!” the Grand Elder commanded coldly.
Leading the way, he shot forward, and countless demons of the Fifteen Li Boundary followed him out of the lake. Transforming into thousands of streaks of light, they trailed after the Grand Elder like meteors across the vast heavens.
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