Strongest War Emperor

Drunken Thousand Cups was seething with rage, so thoroughly insulted by a mere boy that he was left speechless.

This world had always been one where the strong preyed on the weak; everyone knew that.

The Shen Family was like an ant before Evil Wind Valley. Why would he bother reasoning with ants?

He had indeed received a message claiming Shen Lang had murdered the Young Valley Master and his entourage, which was why he had brought his men to the Shen Family with such menacing force.

As for evidence, there was none to speak of.

At most, he had received a few blood-soaked robes belonging to Evil Wind Valley disciples.

Moreover, the informant had provided the names, number of people, and locations of Yi Hongchen’s group with perfect accuracy. And since they truly couldn’t contact Yi Hongchen now, it couldn’t possibly be a baseless rumor.

For a Profound Iron Level influence like Evil Wind Valley, what did it matter if there was no evidence?

It was better to kill a thousand innocents than to let a single guilty one escape!

And this was Shen Lang, who had offended him in the past, no less.

So, without a second thought, he—still out on a hunt—sent a Sound Transmission Talisman to Ling Chen, the Hall Master of Evil Wind Valley’s Punishment Hall. Then, without even waiting for the Hall Master to arrive, he had already charged toward the Shen Family with his Iron Guards.

Drunken Thousand Cups sneered coldly. "You even know someone sent me a message, yet you still dare to argue? Do you think you can rest easy just because you have the backing of Prince Zeng’s Mansion and the other great influences? Let me tell you, they can’t protect you forever! Evil Wind Valley will raze your Shen Family to the ground! And you, Shen Lang, will die without a burial place! You talk to me about whose fist is bigger? A mere Qi Martial Realm brat like you dares to talk about bigger fists to a master like me, a Xuanwu Realm Second Heaven expert! How utterly laughable!"

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Shen Lang clapped as he stood up and walked down the steps.

"Xuanwu Realm Second Heaven, is it? Truly impressive. So, people from Evil Wind Valley enjoy using their Xuanwu Realm Cultivation to bully those in the Qi Martial Realm."

Shen Lang smiled as he spoke, but there was no trace of humor in his eyes.

He walked to the base of the steps and bowed respectfully to Zeng Wuming and the other four. "Thank you, five seniors, for your assistance. The consequences would have been unthinkable otherwise. This junior thanks you."

"Hmm?" The woman who had previously intercepted Drunken Thousand Cups’s attack with a Water Dragon looked displeased. "You’re calling us ’seniors’?"

Shen Lang looked up, stunned. The woman before him had the features and air of a very young person, but one could still tell she was middle-aged, just impeccably well-preserved.

She bore a slight resemblance to Shui Qingwu and was clearly one of Shui Qingwu’s elders.

’Strictly speaking, there’s nothing wrong with the word ’senior’, is there?’

Seeing that Zeng Wuming also looked displeased, Shen Lang gave a wry smile. "This junior knows his mistake. Thank you for your help, two big sisters and three big brothers! I must be sure to toast you all later!"

"Hehehe! What a clever boy. This big sister is liking you more and more..."

Zeng Wuming, who had previously projected a cold, murderous intent, was now laughing so hard her body shook, a complete transformation from her earlier demeanor.

’Are all the women from Prince Zeng’s Mansion like this?’ Shen Lang was rendered speechless, thinking of Zeng Zuimo’s behavior.

He focused his gaze and had a sudden realization. ’So, the women of Prince Zeng’s Mansion all cultivate the Emotional Sword Dao. No wonder...’

"The boy can be taught. Big bro is cool, big bro is handsome, big bro is a lone wolf in the wind... Just call us big brothers from now on. Hmm, I call your dad ’little bro,’ so... let’s just stick to our own circles." A man with a scruffy beard, looking like a down-on-his-luck warrior, spoke up. "By the way, my name is Lin Xiaoshuai. I’m Lin Yue’s paternal uncle, and the most handsome man of the five. Don’t you forget it."

This Lin Xiaoshuai was extremely burly and scruffy-bearded, but his speech was soft and mincing.

The moment he opened his mouth, the other four turned their heads away, putting on an air of not knowing him.

Shen Lang wiped away a bead of sweat and quickly offered a couple of polite pleasantries.

Over on the other side, Drunken Thousand Cups was surrounded by the group, unable to leave and too afraid to fight. When he heard them start casually chatting with Shen Lang right in front of him, he was so furious he could have burst.

"Brat, our Evil Wind Valley’s Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, Ling Chen, will be here any moment! Do you think I can’t touch you just because these people are backing you up? The resources of a Profound Iron Level influence like Evil Wind Valley are beyond the comprehension of a wet-behind-the-ears punk like you!"

Drunken Thousand Cups didn’t dare to make a move, so he could only resort to taunting Shen Lang to buy some time.

Other than stalling for Ling Chen’s arrival, he had no other options.

A sharp glint flashed through Shen Lang’s eyes. He then smiled at Zeng Wuming and the others. "Two big sisters and three big brothers, please take a seat for now. Just leave the rest to me. If I can’t handle it, you can step in then."

"Oh?" Zeng Wuming let out a soft sound of surprise. "You really do have some nerve, kid. Such big talk! Let me warn you, this Drunken Thousand Cups fellow is a genuine Xuanwu Realm Second Heaven. You can’t be careless, you know?"

"I know." Shen Lang nodded. "I just want to see how many of my punches he, a Xuanwu Realm Second Heaven, can take."

The entire crowd was stunned. Everyone thought they had misheard.

Even Mo Liusheng and the others stared with wide, disbelieving eyes, looking at each other in shock.

Even experts like Zeng Wuming’s group, who were at the Xuanwu Realm Third Heaven, wouldn’t dare to say something like that, right?

"HAHAHAHA! What did I just hear? ’How many of my punches he can take’?" Drunken Thousand Cups burst into wild, unbridled laughter. "You ignorant, arrogant brat! You’ve probably never even witnessed the true power of the Xuanwu Realm, have you? Take a few of your punches? I’ll take ten! A hundred! I’ll stand right here and see if a junior like you can make me move my feet even a single inch!"

Shen Lang not needing the others’ help was exactly what Drunken Thousand Cups had hoped for.

Without Zeng Wuming’s group causing trouble, in Drunken Thousand Cups’s eyes, Shen Lang was just an ant that he could crush however he pleased.

"This kid is really arrogant... But I like his style!"

Lin Xiaoshuai muttered, exchanging a look with Zeng Wuming and the others. They all took a few steps back in perfect unison, but subtly positioned themselves in a safe spot, ready to intervene in case Drunken Thousand Cups tried to kill Shen Lang.

On Drunken Thousand Cups’s side, the two Xuanwu Realm powerhouses and the group of Iron Guards also silently retreated, leaving a large space for Shen Lang and Drunken Thousand Cups.

They weren’t afraid of Shen Lang using some kind of trick, and they certainly didn’t believe one of his punches could have any effect on Drunken Thousand Cups.

In the face of such an absolute disparity in power and Cultivation, all schemes and plots were a joke.

The crowd around the square erupted.

Shen Lang challenging Drunken Thousand Cups—it was simply too shocking.

According to the information they had, Shen Lang’s Cultivation was clearly still in the Qi Martial Realm. Drunken Thousand Cups himself had just said so...

To challenge a Xuanwu Realm powerhouse with such a Cultivation level was no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot—courting death!

A Qi Martial Realm First Heaven challenging a Qi Martial Realm Second Heaven could still succeed by relying on a superior Cultivation Technique grade or a higher-level Spiritual Artifact.

But for a Qi Martial Realm Martial Artist... even one at the Peak of the Qi Martial Realm Ninth Heaven, defeating a Spirit Martial Realm Martial Artist was already the stuff of fantasy, an unimaginable feat.

And now, Shen Lang was actually challenging someone in the Xuanwu Realm!

The Qi Martial Realm, the Spirit Martial Realm, and then the Xuanwu Realm—the higher one went, the more difficult it became.

And the higher one climbed, the greater the gap between each Heaven.

Even seven or eight Martial Artists at the Xuanwu Realm First Heaven might not necessarily win against a single one at the Xuanwu Realm Second Heaven.

For Shen Lang to make such a boast—wasn’t he just asking to die?

Up on the platform, Shui Qingwu gently touched Xue Dangdang’s arm. "Such a massive gap in Cultivation can’t be bridged by a high-grade Cultivation Technique. He’s being so reckless. Why don’t you stop him?"

Xue Dangdang giggled. "If Brother Lang says he can do it, then he can do it. Even if he can’t, he can."

As she spoke, her expression suddenly turned cold. She lowered her voice and said, "The people of Evil Wind Valley have some nerve, daring to come here and kill people. If they piss me off, I’ll just have someone flatten Evil Wind Valley!"

"..." Shui Qingwu pouted, not bothering to respond to her.

Hearing this, Mo Liusheng, Hua Zhong, and the others nearby broke out in a cold sweat. After all this time, they had completely forgotten about this Little Witch.

From the information they had, what Xue Dangdang said was no joke; she could probably really do it.

If she really got involved, this matter would spiral out of control...

Fortunately, the Little Witch had been quite obedient to Shen Lang lately and had calmed down a bit.

With her old temperament, she would have already charged into the Iron Guard ranks and started a massacre.

...

"Old dog, you’re not going to reconsider? Are you really prepared to take a few of my punches?"

Shen Lang’s fists cracked as he clenched them. He took a step forward and spoke.

"HAHAHAHA! You stupid brat, daring to speak so arrogantly before me, Drunken Thousand Cups!" he suddenly roared with laughter. "An ant-like thing like you dares to provoke my Evil Wind Valley? You don’t know the meaning of death!"

"We’ll see who doesn’t know the meaning of death," Shen Lang said, taking another step forward. He was now less than five meters from Drunken Thousand Cups.

"Insolent! Kneel for me!!!"

Suddenly, Drunken Thousand Cups’s expression contorted with fury. His entire aura flared violently, and his gaze, filled with a blinding light, shot toward Shen Lang!

BOOM!

That gaze seemed to slice through the void. Wherever it passed, the wind surged and clouds gathered!

An immense pressure, so powerful it made the surrounding crowd turn pale with fright, bore down directly on Shen Lang!

This powerful edge and aura were clearly locked entirely onto Shen Lang, aimed only at him.

But the formless pressure swept across the entire square, making everyone in the distance feel as if they had needles pricking their backs.

Some with slightly lower Cultivation levels broke out in a cold sweat, their faces turning pale. They clutched their chests and fled madly from the square, not daring to come any closer.

With just a casual sweep of his gaze, Drunken Thousand Cups stood like a crouching tiger and coiling dragon, his face a mask of scorn and disdain. He intended to use the overwhelming aura of a Xuanwu Realm powerhouse to crush Shen Lang outright!

However, to his and everyone else’s astonishment, Shen Lang, though enveloped by this pressure with his robes whipping wildly in the wind, didn’t retreat a single step, nor did he kneel under the pressure as Drunken Thousand Cups had commanded!

An ancient, desolate aura began to emanate from Shen Lang. His long hair whipped about, and where his feet stood, a cyclone swirled, kicking up sand and stones!

"Make me kneel? You think you’re worthy?!"

The moment his voice fell, the square beneath Shen Lang’s feet suddenly cracked, with countless fissures spreading outward from the soles of his feet!

In the next moment, his figure abruptly blurred.

"An afterimage! That’s his afterimage!" someone cried out in alarm.

A sound of something tearing through the air was heard. As expected, Shen Lang had charged in front of Drunken Thousand Cups, launching a straight punch at his chest.

His speed was already too fast, so fast that few people present could see him clearly.

And this punch, in particular, was pushed to the absolute limit of speed, so much so that no one noticed his fist was covered in fine, pitch-black scales...