Strongest War Emperor

Ji Chengwu was already heavily injured, his clothes tattered like a beggar’s. The transparent wings that a Spirit Martial Realm expert could manifest were also gone.

At this critical moment, he threw a punch with his right fist, blocking the immensely powerful Celestial Water Blade from above, while his left palm struck toward Shen Lang’s right fist!

’Even if I’m heavily injured and my Spiritual Power is in chaos, a Spirit Martial Realm expert is not someone a Qi Martial Realm junior like you can underestimate. You little...’

Ji Chengwu had barely finished the thought when an inhuman scream echoed through the sky!

"AHHH!"

The moment Shen Lang’s fist made contact with his palm, the Black and White Qi instantly enveloped his left hand. His hand, already as withered as a ghost’s claw, underwent a drastic change. The flesh and blood, along with the Spiritual Power covering it, were all devoured by the Black and White Qi, revealing the terrifying bone beneath!

What was most horrifying was that this wasn’t just happening to his hand; it was rapidly spreading up his arm!

"Impossible!"

Terrified out of his wits, Ji Chengwu screamed. Without a second thought, he formed a blade with his right hand and chopped at his own left arm!

He severed his own left arm at the shoulder just before the Black and White Qi could reach his upper arm!

"Old dog, it’s time to pay your debts!"

Shen Lang’s eyes were filled with Killing Intent, as savage as a beast from Primordial Chaos.

His terrifying fist, accompanied by a horrifying Powerful Qi that made Ji Chengwu’s face change drastically, crashed down like a flood bursting a dam, pouring all its force onto the Spiritual Armor covering the latter’s body! 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

CRACK!

As a terrifying ripple of energy spread out, a hair-raising cracking sound suddenly pierced the air.

In just an instant, before Ji Chengwu’s terrified eyes, the Spiritual Armor—solid enough to completely block any Qi Martial Realm Martial Artist—began to rapidly spiderweb with cracks.

Seeing the cracks about to cover the entire Armor, Ji Chengwu let out a beast-like roar!

He had already witnessed the strangeness of Shen Lang’s fist. How could he possibly dare let it strike his body again?

He’d lost an arm from just a touch. If this punch landed on his chest, he would surely die!

"Divine Shield Protection!"

In the nick of time, this Demon Dao expert, who had grown up amidst slaughter, bit the root of his tongue, and a small, triangular Blood Shield appeared in front of his chest.

BOOM!

The small Blood Shield erupted with a brilliant light, finally blocking Shen Lang’s punch. At that exact moment, Ji Chengwu kicked out at Shen Lang.

WHOOSH!

A piercing sound tore through the air...

The full-force strike of a Spirit Martial Realm Sixth Heaven expert in a life-or-death situation... Even other Spirit Martial Realm Sixth Heaven Martial Artists wouldn’t dare to face its power head-on!

Shen Lang’s eyes narrowed. He crossed his arms in front of him to block the kick.

At this moment, both were in mid-air with nothing to push off of. In such a crisis, blocking was the only option; even dodging was impossible.

A sickening crunch rang out!

The full-force kick from a Spirit Martial Realm Sixth Heaven expert facing death carried immense power. It shattered Shen Lang’s defense, slamming his own hands against his chest!

CRACK! The horrifying sound of several bones breaking rang out. The Inner Armor, already heavily damaged by the energy impact of the Netherworld Demon Tribulation, failed to offer any protection. Shen Lang took the full force of the kick.

But at that very instant, all the Thunder Power in his body surged into his opponent!

Both men grunted in unison and separated in mid-air. Their bodies, like birds that had lost their wings, fell limply into the turbulent water below.

The waves churned, and both of them vanished without a trace.

...

On a bamboo building at the edge of Tayun Academy, Shui Qingwu’s robes fluttered, her long hair dancing in the wind.

She stood at the edge of the bamboo building, gazing at the distant Phoenix River. It was a mass of churning waves and raging rapids.

The rain was falling even harder...

Everything that had happened at the Shen Family’s Martial Arts Arena replayed endlessly in Shui Qingwu’s mind.

The image of that aggressive yet exhilarating young man flashed through her thoughts again and again.

Shen Lang’s calm and composed demeanor always reminded her of the Ghost-faced Person she had encountered that night at Black Wind Ridge.

Their auras were just too similar.

But after returning to Tayun Academy, she had specifically sought out some of Shen Lang’s classmates to ask what kind of weapon he used to use. To her surprise, no one could give her a clear answer.

"Shen Lang? He likes to use his fists in a fight. During one of the academy trials, rumor is he beat a First Level Demon Beast to death with his bare hands, but none of us believed it."

"That guy fights like his life depends on it, but his Cultivation is low. During the mass brawl... oh, no, I mean the tournament with Celestial God Academy, he just went up there with a brick paver. Besides, he has no money for a good weapon. More than half his living expenses go to Xue Dangdang as protection money. You think he could live so peacefully at Tayun Academy otherwise?"

"The people from Celestial God Academy are most afraid of three people from our Tayun Academy. One is the Little Witch, Xue Dangdang—she’s crippled a lot of their students. Another is Chu Qingcheng. That guy waits for everyone to be done brawling, then goes to pick up the spoils. He once broke a record by stripping the equipment off of more than fifty male students from Celestial God Academy, robbing them blind. The people there hate his guts but can’t do anything about it..."

"Huh? You’re asking about the last one? That would be Shen Lang, of course. He’s even weirder. His Cultivation is clearly the lowest, but he runs faster than a rabbit. He just runs around hitting people from behind with a brick. The people from Celestial God Academy hate him the most... Hey, beautiful, don’t run off! I’m not finished talking!"

Not asking would have been one thing, but after asking, Shui Qingwu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’It seems Shen Lang is quite a man of mystery...’

But this mysterious man was too strange, a walking contradiction.

He was called a waste, a universally acknowledged waste. But a sixteen-year-old waste who could beat several Qi Martial Realm Fifth Heaven experts from the Shen Family to a pulp?

’Even Chu Qingcheng might not be able to do that, right?’

To say he was strong... A Martial Artist with such powerful Cultivation, yet he didn’t even own a weapon? And he liked to ambush people with a brick paver?

To say he was poor... More than half his monthly allowance was extorted by Xue Dangdang, and he even had to borrow Spirit Stones from her on the street. Yet, he dared to compete with the Holy Light Sect at the Treasure Pavilion! He used millions of Gold Coins to shut down the Holy Light Sect’s Young Sect Leader!

To say he was ignorant... But even the Wooden Zither Tutor had to ask him for advice in the Artifact Refining Class...

’This guy... he’s truly an enigma...’

Thinking about Shen Lang, the corners of Shui Qingwu’s mouth curled up unconsciously.

When she recalled him borrowing Spirit Stones from her, and how Cai Ying had called him a scoundrel, leaving him speechless, Shui Qingwu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"Hm? What’s that..." Shui Qingwu suddenly stopped laughing and stared at the Phoenix River in the distance.

The waves of the Phoenix River were rolling, but it seemed there was a black object bobbing up and down in the murky water.

"It’s a person!"

Startled, Shui Qingwu was taken aback. The phantom of an Immortal Crane appeared behind her. With a light step, she spread her arms, and her beautiful figure flew downwards.

Like a celestial fairy descending to the mortal world.

Although her Immortal Crane Martial Soul couldn’t grant her true flight, it allowed her to glide for a while without issue.

After landing, she paid no mind to the muddy ground and sprinted toward the Phoenix River at her top speed.

Closer, she was getting closer...

The person in the river, dressed in what seemed to be black clothes, was bobbing in the waves, their condition unknown—dead or alive.

Having rushed to the riverbank, Shui Qingwu finally got a clear look at the person’s face... The person in the water was wearing a frightening Evil Ghost Mask...

"It’s him!"

Shui Qingwu stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

"Water Dragon’s Roar, Flying Dragon in the Sky!" Following her soft cry, a Water Dragon as thick as a barrel roared into existence.

She stomped her foot hard on the ground, and with a sudden explosion of energy, her speed increased dramatically. She leaped onto the Water Dragon and reached for the Ghost-faced Person in the water.

Just as her jade-like hand was about to grab Shen Lang, his tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open.

He grinned and said, "Hey, beautiful. Fancy seeing you here. Taking a bath too?"